Feigning Illness

"Then let's give up."

The Crown Prince looked up at him in a daze. Even though he was drunk, he knew these were not words Su Yanjun would normally say: "What?"

"If Your Highness does not wish to fight, then let's not fight," Su Yanjun said calmly. "You don't have to do anything. Just sit in your palace and watch as Consort Xian falls from favor, Prime Minister Su is overthrown, and the retainers of the Eastern Palace scatter. Watch how those who supported you are purged and pushed out of the central court... They will certainly find a way to clip all of Your Highness's wings. The lives of ants like us are of no consequence, but among them, there are surely people Your Highness cares about."

The Crown Prince covered his eyes in anguish, as if he could escape reality this way. Su Yanjun continued, ignoring him: "Of course, it doesn't hurt when the knife falls on someone else. Perhaps Your Highness thinks that as long as you don't fight, you can still be an idle prince and live a life of ease and wealth. But will the Prince of Yue tolerate a faultless eldest son who always stands before him? As long as His Majesty still has a choice, his position will never be secure. When the Prince of Yue's political enemies want to oppose him, under whose name would it be most advantageous to act? Once Your Highness has thought these things through, do you still believe you can remain untainted?"

"I know!" The Crown Prince could no longer bear it and cut him off sharply. "I don't need you to lecture me! I've heard enough of these words. I care about the lives and deaths of others, but who among you cares about mine!"

The Crown Prince was the Emperor's eldest son. His mother's family was of high standing, and he was precocious and sensible in his youth. In addition, the situation was newly stabilized back then, and the Empress had yet to bear a child. Under the push from the Su Clan, the Emperor established his eldest son, Wen Li, as the Crown Prince. It was not because he was particularly fond of this child or held his talents in high regard.

Over the years, be it the Emperor or the Su Family, all their sentiments towards the Eastern Palace were based on the identity of "Crown Prince," not Wen Li himself. He had long been under the alternating pressure of being "valued" and "ignored," and the string was about to snap.

Su Yanjun's words were like a long spear, pinning him firmly to the ground. "Crown Prince" was a banner that, once raised, could not be allowed to fall, while the real Wen Li was a wandering soul, destined to forever linger in the depths of the Eastern Palace.

After shouting at Su Yanjun, the Crown Prince had sobered up by seventy or eighty percent. Seeing him standing there with a swollen forehead and half-soaked clothes, he waved his hand listlessly, "You may leave."

But Su Yanjun stubbornly refused to leave. "Since Your Highness is distressed, why not feign illness for now? Send word to Pingjing and, at the same time, ask Prime Minister Su to persuade His Majesty to return to Zhaojing."

"What good will feigning illness do?" The Crown Prince was dismissive of his proposal, mocking himself with a cold heart. "Such a trivial matter won't even enter my Father Emperor's eyes. Why ask for a snub?"

"We don't need His Majesty's pity, but we need him to know that the Crown Prince has fallen ill from overwork due to official duties. This is for your virtuous reputation," Su Yanjun said. "Do you really think the Prince of Yue's efforts to appease the displaced people in Gu Prefecture were so effective that even the locals erected a monument for him? It was all just a show for His Majesty to see."

The Crown Prince's movements paused slightly. Perhaps finding it ironic, he let out a cold laugh but made no comment.

Seeing that he seemed moved, Su Yanjun softened his tone and continued to persuade him, "His Majesty is currently far away in Pingjing, isolated from the Eastern Palace, and surrounded by ministers who speak for the Prince of Yue. If this continues, he will only grow more distant from Your Highness. The most urgent task is to find a way to get His Majesty to return to Zhaojing as soon as possible. Your Highness has also accomplished much during this time; your achievements are no less than the Prince of Yue's. Once His Majesty sees the prosperity of Zhaojing with his own eyes, Your Highness can turn the tables in one fell swoop."

The next day, the Eastern Palace announced an illness. Imperial Physicians were summoned for diagnosis. The news flew to Pingjing through various back channels, and even Wen Chan heard of it. Immediately after, Su Lizhen advised the Emperor to depart for Zhaojing soon. Consort Xian also went to the Emperor and cried. With the front court and inner palace working together, they finally persuaded the Son of Heaven, who brought up the arrangements for returning to the capital during a court session.

Wen Chan rarely refuted the Emperor's ideas, but this time she had to sing a different tune. There was no news back from Wuyuan. For now, they could keep Xiao Dingfang in Pingjing under the pretext of rewarding a meritorious official. However, once the Emperor decided to depart, there was no reason to insist on taking Xiao Dingfang with them. Otherwise, it would only arouse his suspicion for no reason. If any flaw appeared in the plan, the one to suffer would be Pei Rusong.

"Father Emperor, please hear me. March is the season for spring plowing. The imperial retinue's return journey will inevitably disturb the common people along the way. In your daughter's opinion, it would not be too late to depart after the busy farming season ends."

Su Lizhen immediately retorted, "Three of the four seasons are farming seasons. If we follow Her Highness the Princess's words, I'm afraid His Majesty can only depart in the winter."

Wen Chan said, "His Majesty went east precisely to help the people of Zhaojing get through the famine. To now hinder the farming for the return journey, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? I implore Your Majesty to reconsider."

Su Lizhen: "If Your Majesty is worried about delaying the spring planting, you can simply exempt the counties along the way from taxes. The passage of the Son of Heaven is a blessing for the local area; the common people will be nothing but welcoming. Your Majesty truly need not be held back by such a trivial matter."

The two of them went back and forth, their verbal clashes carrying a subtle, confrontational feel. Not only did the other ministers notice, but the Emperor also sensed it. "Alright, both of you stop arguing. This matter will be discussed later. Let's move on to the next item."

After the court session ended and the ministers dispersed, the Emperor kept Yuan Shuye behind alone. "Minister Yuan, when do you think We should return to the capital?"

Yuan Shuye answered smoothly, "Zhaojing and Pingjing are like Your Majesty's two palaces. When to travel between them is entirely up to Your Majesty's will. This subject has no place to comment, and Your Majesty need not consider the opinions of others."

Normally, the Emperor might have liked this non-meddlesome attitude, but at this moment, he needed a strong reason to convince himself to make a decision. Yuan Shuye's slickness was thus hard for him to appreciate. "The entire court of civil and military officials has to return to the capital with Us. How is this a private matter of Ours? The Princess advises Us to cherish the farming season as paramount, and We deeply agree. But the Crown Prince is ill, and the affairs of Zhaojing are delayed because of it. Dragging it on is not a solution either."

"Your Majesty cherishes the common people. It is this old subject who was slow-witted and did not consider things thoroughly enough." Yuan Shuye hurriedly bowed. "Right now, we do not know the state of His Highness the Crown Prince's illness. Fortunately, His Highness has always been in good health. Perhaps it is just a minor cold. Your Majesty might as well send people to inquire after him frequently. If he recovers in a few days, Your Majesty will have no need to worry."

The Emperor keenly sniffed out a hint of suggestion in his words. "What do you know now?"

He and Yuan Shuye had been sovereign and subject for many years, and he was well acquainted with his habit of talking in circles. Yuan Shuye lowered his head deferentially. "Your Majesty is wise. This subject dares not make wild conjectures. It's just that as soon as the news of the Eastern Palace's illness arrived, Imperial Secretary Su was eager to press for Your Majesty's return to the capital. I imagine that on one hand, it is out of love and deep concern for the Crown Prince, and on the other, it is also in the hope that Your Majesty will show more pity for His Highness the Crown Prince."

The Emperor had actually been able to sense lately how everyone in the palace treated the Prince of Yue and Consort Yu with special regard, but if Yuan Shuye hadn't deliberately brought it up, he truly would not have connected this matter with the Crown Prince's illness.

"We understand. You may go."

Yuan Shuye was like an old fox who had successfully stolen a chicken. He lowered his head and bowed without a change in expression, then took his leave.

The Emperor returned to the rear hall. He mulled it over and over for a moment, and the more he thought, the more his suspicions grew. Finally, he summoned Liang Jiang. "You, send a discreet and reliable person back to Zhaojing. Go to the Imperial Medical Academy and get the Crown Prince's medical records. Find out what illness the Crown Prince truly has, and report back to Us immediately after you've investigated."

Liang Jiang's heart jolted in alarm. The matter from the New Year had just been suppressed, and now trouble was brewing again. Even if the Crown Prince had a body of gold, it couldn't withstand destruction by accumulated slander. If something like this happened again, the Emperor's favor would probably be completely worn away.

In the brief moment of his hesitation, the Emperor's cold gaze had already fallen upon him. Liang Jiang quickly accepted the order and went to find a trusted subordinate to handle the task.

Meanwhile, Wen Chan left Qinghui Pavilion and strolled towards Fuyao Palace, still pondering how to persuade the Emperor not to return to the capital just yet. As she passed the rear garden, Feixing, with her sharp eyes, caught a reflection on a rock under a tree. She went over, picked it up, and brought it back for Wen Chan to see. "I thought it was a hairpin someone dropped. Turns out it's a scented pouch."

The scented pouch was a round golden object, with tassels hanging below. It was exceptionally exquisite, clearly not belonging to an ordinary palace maid, but an item of a certain palace consort. Although it had been outside for a long time, there was still a faint fragrance inside.

Wen Chan took it, sniffed it, and handed it back to Feixing. "This is Galamira Incense, a tribute fragrance. It should belong to Consort Xu. Take it and ask her."

The moment she finished speaking, the surroundings became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. A moment later, everyone said in unison, "Oh—"

Wen Chan: "What are you 'oh'-ing about?"

Feixing gave a dry cough. "I'm not asking to satisfy my own curiosity, but on behalf of the Prince Consort. Your Highness usually has no interest in the art of incense, so how did you know with one sniff that the scented pouch belongs to Consort Xu?"

Wen Chan: "Doesn't she always use this kind of incense?"

Feixing said bluntly, "But Your Highness has only seen her a few times in total."

Wen Chan: "..."

She suddenly remembered that Galamira Incense was the fragrance Consort Xu often used in her past life. Every time she saw her, she could smell that unique and lingering scent. Galamira came from You Mountain; it was a fragrance formed from the solidified sap of the Galamira tree, extremely precious and rare. Only Wuyuan Commandery could offer it as tribute. Lu Shuo had once complained to her that because the Noble Consort in the palace liked to use Galamira to make incense, the Emperor had specially decreed that Wuyuan Commandery must offer dozens of extra jin each year. To meet the tribute demand, Lu Shuo even had to send soldiers to help the local people gather the incense from You Mountain.

"It's possible I have a natural talent and remembered it after smelling it once," Wen Chan changed the subject nonchalantly. "Go ask her first. If it's not hers, have her ask someone else."

Everyone: "..."

The group passed through the lush green garden. They hadn't walked far when they ran into a colorful, brocaded crowd. A female voice, somewhat unfamiliar to Wen Chan, was saying languidly, "She's not from a proper background after all, so her sights are dreadfully low. The moment she sees something good, she can't help but reach out her claws. Heh, why don't you take a look in a mirror and see if you're worthy of wearing gold and silver!"

"Sister Virtuous Consort, what do you mean by that? I don't understand. If you want to take your anger out on someone, you might as well say it directly. Why stand here making veiled insults?"

It was too late for Wen Chan to turn back now. The moment her figure appeared in everyone's line of sight, whether they were arguing or spectating, everyone immediately stopped to greet her. "Greetings to Her Highness the Princess."

The palace maids curtsied, making the two protagonists of this dispute stand out like cranes among chickens—one, with willow-like brows and phoenix eyes, exuding arrogance, was Virtuous Consort Xiao, the birth mother of the Fourth Prince and adoptive mother of the Fifth Prince. The other, as it happened, was the thorn in the side of everyone in the six palaces, the Emperor's favored consort, Xu Yingluo, Consort Xu.

"Greetings to you both, no need for formalities." Wen Chan nodded in reply to the two, not wanting to get involved in the consorts' disputes. "I have some business with Consort Xu, so I'll be interrupting you both for a moment."

Xu Yingluo hadn't expected to meet the Princess at a time like this. A hundred different feelings welled up in her heart, as if she had returned to that hopeless, snowy day. After gritting her teeth and enduring the long cold, just feeling that sudden bit of warmth was enough to easily break through her defenses.

She led her maids straight past Virtuous Consort Xiao, forcing a path through the crowd. "What are Your Highness's orders?"

"I just came from the east. My maid found a scented pouch under a tree. I remember you have one just like it, so I came to ask..."

Wen Chan's gaze shifted to the side of her skirt, where she saw a hollowed-out gold scented pouch tied with a green silk cord. Her voice slowly trailed off.