Court Lady

On this night, Sheng Chujun entered the Sun Residence using his familiar route. He jumped into Sun Lingwei’s room through the window. “I have good news…” The both of them spoke simultaneously.

Sun Lingwei replied, “You can speak first.”

Sheng Chujun smiled widely. “I have resolved Second Brother’s marriage and my mother has promised to let me marry you.” He had actually tricked them. He took the chance when his mother and brother were over the moon.

Sun Lingwei laughed shyly, “My family’s problem is also about to be resolved soon. Elder Sister promised to help me.”

“The Crown Princess really promised to help?” Sheng Chujun had heard too many of the Crown Princess’ ‘past achievements’ and did not expect her to be any nicer to Lingwei.

“Elder Sister is the Empress’ daughter-in-law and she even gave birth to the Imperial Grandson. If she talks to the Empress, she can definitely make the Empress’ change her mind and not force me to marry Lu Qi. I told you that my Elder Sister dotes on me. As long as I ask her, she will definitely help me. Ever since young, she would always leave me something delicious to eat or nice things to play with. She is still the same although she has entered the Eastern Palace. Look at the jujube cakes on the table. She asked Guiyuan to deliver it to me.”

“I never thought that the Crown Princess would have a soft side.” Sheng Chujun trusted Lingwei. “Seeing how Eastern Palace treats Elder Brother, I thought that the Crown Princess was evil.”

“You are not allowed to talk bad about my sister.” Lingwei trusted her elder sister.

“Fine, I will not say anything. As a couple, we are the same. Your sister is my sister.” Ever since he met Lingwei, he had no more backbone.

“Who is a couple with you? We have not gotten married.” Lingwei stated as she blushed.

“It doesn’t matter if we haven’t gotten married. After all, we are already secretly fooling around. Simply put, we are an adulterous couple.” Sheng Chujun did not filter his words and his skin was so thick that he did not know how to.

Sun Lingwei covered her face. “The way you speak is horrible. I am so embarrassed.”

Sheng Chujun reached out for her hands. “Embarrassed? Let me see your small face. Is it red?”

As the two of them laughed, Madam Sun’s voice could be heard from outside. Sheng Chujun quickly jumped out of the window. 

Sun Lingwei grabbed onto Madam Sun’s hand, causing her back to face the window. “Mother, why have you come?”

Madam Sun replied, “I saw that your room was still lit and came over to have a look. It is already quite late, why aren’t you sleeping?”

“Mmhm...I was going to sleep but I suddenly...felt hungry. Therefore…” Sun Lingwei looked at Sheng Chujun hop onto the roof as she picked up a jujube cake. 

Madam Sun shook her head. “Child, you are already going to be married yet you are still such a glutton.”

“But I am hungry. Mother, these jujube cakes are very nice. Do you want to try one?” Sun Lingwei finished one in a few bites. 

“I am like your sister. We both don’t like jujube cakes. Okay, sleep after you are done eating.” Madam Sun patted her daughter lovingly and walked out.

Sun Lingwei closed the door as she picked up another jujube cake. She smiled. “Jujube jujube, sour and sweet, blessed with a child. If me and Sheng Chujun were to get married, how many children should we have? If I have a child for every jujube cake I eat…” She picked up another piece with a joyful expression on her face. She was a picture of bliss.

 

Sun Lingwei was dead! After eating the jujube cake, she started bleeding from her eyes, nose, ears and mouth!

When Fu Rou heard this news, her eyes jutted out. She felt as if the sky above the Royal Palace had changed. She rushed to Lizheng Palace only to hear the Crown Prince and Crown Princess begging Empress Zhangsun to seek justice for them.

“I am here to ask you to grant me death! A person’s body is given to them by their parents. Since you gave it to me, you should take it back. It is better than being poisoned by my own brother!” The Crown Prince immediately pinned the crime on Prince Han.

“Imperial Mother! Lingwei...she died on our behalf! That plate of jujube cake was not meant for her. It was sent by Prince Han for the Eastern Palace!” The Crown Princess’ face was pale as she had already put on mourning clothes for her younger sister.

“Crown Princess, don’t talk nonsense. Prince Han will never do something like this.” Empress Zhangsun strained to say. “The Investigation Bureau has already started investigating…”

The Crown Prince was hurt. “It is so clear yet you are still trying to help Prince Han! If I were to be poisoned to death, will you still be so indifferent? In your heart, do you have any sympathy for me? Okay, okay…” He suddenly kowtowed three times. 

“What are you trying to do?” Empress Zhangsun felt that something was wrong. 

“Imperial Father is disappointed in me, Imperial Mother no longer loves me. My own brother cannot stand me. I have nowhere to go, I can only bid you farewell.” The Crown Prince took out the sword from his waist and placed it across his neck.

The Crown Princess cried out miserably, “Crown Prince!”

Empress Zhangsun’s expression changed. “Crown Prince, don’t!”

“When the Han Mansion hid poison under the horse saddle, Imperial Mother said that it was the people in the Han Mansion and Prince Han did not know anything about it. You did not allow me to pursue this matter with Prince Han. In the end, my leg is disabled and nothing happened to Prince Han. Now, the Han Mansion has sent a plate of poisoned jujube cake to the Eastern Palace, making their intentions abundantly clear. Yet Imperial Mother does not seem to care. I only want to ask you one thing. Do you really think that Prince Han is innocent?”

“The jujube cake was sent from the Han Mansion and they are indeed under suspicion. However--” They still had to investigate further. 

The Crown Prince cut her off. “Then how do you intend to punish Prince Han?”

“Even if Han Mansion is suspicious, it might not have been Prince Han that ordered it.” Empress Zhangsun remained calm.

The Crown Prince chuckled coldly. The sword in his hand pressed against his neck. “If it is not Prince Han, then who else? Who else can it be!”

“It is not Prince Han, it is...is…” Empress Zhangsun’s heart sped up.

“It was Consort Han.” The Crown Princess’s tone was icy cold. 

Fu Rou was extremely startled. This was the true intention!

Empress Zhangsun froze. In the next second, it was as if she had made up her mind. “Yes, it is Consort Han. Prince Han has already left Chang’an, the jujube cake can only be sent by Consort Han.” If she had to choose between her son and her daughter-in-law to be the scapegoat, it would be her daughter-in-law!

The Crown Princess remained expressionless. “Consort Han must have wanted Prince Han to become the Crown Prince. Therefore, she poisoned the jujube cake. Imperial Mother! Imperial Mother, you have to stand up for my poor sister! You have to punish Consort Han!”

The Crown Prince also added, “Imperial Mother, please punish Consort Han.”

“Your Majesty, the Investigation Bureau has yet to come to a conclusion. They have not finished investigating. You cannot immediately place the blame on Consort Han.” Fu Rou stepped up and kneeled in determination. She never wavered between right and wrong.

“Fu Siyan is together with Consort Han. Now that Consort Han’s crime has been revealed, you are still pleading on her behalf? Could it be that you are involved in this too?” The Crown Princess criticised. 

The Crown Prince continued threatening. “Imperial Mother, if you insist on protecting Han Mansion, then I will die here. After all, if I cannot gain your fairness, I will only be pushed to the edge by Han Mansion and will eventually die.”

Empress Zhangsun fell silent for a moment before slowly speaking, “If Consort Han used poison to kill, she should face the death penalty. But you have to understand that Consort Han is Consort Han while Prince Han is Prince Han. Your younger brother did not try to poison you.”

“Your Majesty!” Fu Rou was shocked. “If Consort Han is guilty, she should be dealt with according to Great Tang’s laws after the investigation is completed. If you deal out the death penalty for your own personal reasons, you will ruined Great Tang’s laws. Your Majesty, please think again!”

“Imperial Mother is the head of the six departments and manages the royal family’s issues. Why is there a need for Great Tang’s laws? How dare you slander the Empress. Complete disrespect!” At this moment, the Crown Princess’ voice resounded even louder. 

Emprezz Zhangsun’s expression was strict. “Guards, take Fu Siyan away. Lock her up in the Rites Office.”

“Your Majesty! Prince Han and Consort Han’s love is very deep. If you kill his wife, what will Prince Han do? How will you face Prince Han in the future? You definitely cannot!” 

No matter how other people slandered her, Fu Rou had a clear conscience.

“Prince Han is filial. He will not go against his own mother for a lady that cannot give birth. Brothers are like hands while wives are like clothes. I rather burn the clothes than to chop off the hands! Drag her away! Take away her token to leave the palace!”

In Empress Zhangsun’s eyes, there was no Tang Law or National Law. She only had two sons. 

It was then that Fu Rou realised that the priest’s deliberate words had formed a thorn in this Empress’ heart. Now, it had crept all over her heart. There was no way to remove it and it would eventually lead to a tragedy.