Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 48: Explanation

Wei Yingluo lowered her head, calmly concealing the smile that had begun to form on her face.

Hongli stepped down from the southern kang and strode quickly over to Hongxiao. His expression was complicated, filled with disappointment as he asked, “Hongxiao, do you still remember why the Great Qing divides and eats sacrificial meat?”

Hongxiao looked utterly bewildered and replied, “This humble servant dares not forget. In those days, when Taizu was young and the family divided, he led his brothers into the mountains to gather ginseng and hunt. They survived by boiling meat in plain water, and that habit has been preserved ever since. After the Qing entered the Pass, the Kunning Palace has performed morning and evening sacrifices every day, with a grand sacrifice every other month, so that future generations of descendants would always remember the hardships our ancestors endured in founding the dynasty and how difficult it was to establish the Great Qing—”

Hongli could bear it no longer and cut him off sharply: “Since you remember all of this so clearly, then why did you add salt to the meat?!”

Everyone else in the hall heard these words. Though no one dared to whisper or exchange words in the face of the Emperor’s fury, their eyes met in silent glances and meaningful looks.

Hongxiao was stunned for a moment. “Add salt? This servant did no such thing!” Hongli pointed directly at the meat on the tray and commanded, “Taste it yourself!”

Hongxiao had no choice but to cut off a piece and put it in his mouth. The instant he bit down, his entire body froze.

Everyone was watching his expression and reaction closely. Hongli’s anger reached its peak. He raised his hand and overturned the tray in front of Hongxiao, roaring, “Even our ancestors could endure it, yet you cannot! Adding salt to the meat offered to the gods—this is contempt for the ancestors and disrespect to the spirits. You are utterly audacious!”

Meat juice splashed onto Hongxiao’s princely robes. He dropped to his knees with a thud, panic-stricken as he tried to explain, “Your Majesty, this servant does not know why the meat is salty. This servant truly does not know! Someone must have deliberately framed me—it has to be a frame-up!”

Hongli asked in a deep, grave voice, “The meat was all cooked in the same pot. Who would have any reason to frame you?”

Hongxiao’s venomous gaze swept around the hall. Everyone avoided his eyes—everyone except one person, who met his stare calmly, quietly savoring his disgrace. Hongxiao suddenly came to a realization. He pointed straight at Wei Yingluo: “It was her! It must have been her! The knife she just brought over—the salt must have been on the knife!”

Wei Yingluo shrank back timidly, as fragile and swaying as a willow in the wind. The Empress, clearly displeased, said sharply, “Prince Yi, you committed an act of disrespect toward the ancestors yourself, and now you want to shift the blame onto someone else to escape punishment! Are the palace servants of my Changchun Palace so easily accused?”

Hongli glanced at Wei Yingluo, displeasure evident in his eyes, and said, “Whether it is a false accusation or not, we will know once we examine the knife. Wu Shulai, investigate!”

Wu Shulai responded at once. He picked up the silver knife that had fallen to the floor, examined it carefully from every angle, then shook his head toward Hongli. “Reporting to Your Majesty, there are no grains of salt on the knife.”

Hongxiao was dumbfounded. Then his eyes fell on the cotton paper in the tray, and he seized on it like a drowning man clutching at straws. “Then what about the cotton paper? It must be on the paper!”

Wu Shulai checked the cotton paper and once again shook his head.

Everyone’s eyes were now fixed on Hongxiao—some hiding sympathy, others barely concealing schadenfreude.

Hongxiao cried out in desperation, “Your Majesty, this servant truly did not bring any salt into the palace! That would be disrespect to the ancestors, forgetting one’s roots—how could this servant possibly do such a thing? It must be that lowly woman who framed me!”

The Empress’s anger was unmistakable. She raised her voice and rebuked, “Prince Yi, mind your status and your words!”

Hongli was utterly disappointed in him. Closing his eyes, he said, “I had long heard rumors that some officials found the sacrificial meat distasteful and would secretly carry salt hidden in their sleeves, or bribe eunuchs to tamper with it. I thought they were merely baseless gossip. Never did I imagine that the culprit would turn out to be a descendant of Aisin Gioro himself! Hongxiao, I gave you every chance, yet you have disappointed me time and time again! Come—Prince Yi has shown disrespect to the ancestors and defiled the sacrificial meat. Strip him of his position as a Guard of the Qianqing Gate and hand him over to the Imperial Clan Court for punishment!”

Guards filed in one after another, seized Hongxiao, and dragged him out of the hall. He struggled violently, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This servant has been wronged! This servant is truly innocent! Your Majesty!”

Wei Yingluo gently bit her lower lip, afraid that if she relaxed even a little, she would burst out laughing.

Hongli swept a cold gaze across the assembled crowd, his killing intent palpable as he declared, “The Kunning Palace performs morning and evening sacrifices and distributes the sacrificial meat—this is the blessing of our ancestors and the protection of the gods! Yet, led by Prince Yi, the once valiant and battle-hardened sons of the Eight Banners have degenerated into parasites who rely on the achievements of their forebears, spending their days flying kites and playing with dogs, neglecting their proper duties! Forget charging into battle and killing the enemy—they now regard even eating the sacrificial meat as an unbearable hardship! I warn you all: our Great Qing ancestors won this empire through immense hardship. I will never allow this magnificent realm to be ruined in the hands of a bunch of pleasure-seeking, ancestor-dishonoring wastrels! Investigate! Investigate every guard outside as well. I want to see clearly who else has dared to do this!”

Wu Shulai took the order and left. After a period of chaos and panic, Wu Shulai hurriedly returned. Hongli sat on the kang, his expression gloomy as he asked:

“Did you catch anyone?”

Wei Yingluo stood beside the Empress, in a cheerful mood as she waited for Wu Shulai’s reply.

Wu Shulai put on a smiling face and said:

“Your Majesty, all the imperial guards and Qianqing Gate guards have been thoroughly investigated. No one tampered with anything.”

Wei Yingluo was stunned. She looked at Wu Shulai in disbelief. The Empress glanced at her, seeming to notice something.

Hongli’s expression eased slightly. He waved his hand:

“At least there are still some who understand propriety. Continue serving the meat!”

The grand sacrificial ceremony continued without further incident. After the rites were completed, everyone dispersed to their respective duties.

Wei Yingluo returned to Changchun Palace following the phoenix palanquin, her mind restless. As soon as they entered the main hall, the Empress’s face grimed. She ordered everyone:

“All of you, get out. Close the doors and windows. Yingluo stays.”

Ever since entering Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo had always been deeply favored by the Empress. This time, seeing the Empress speak so sternly and harshly made everyone’s hearts tremble with unease. Ming Yu shot Wei Yingluo a smug glance, while Erqing looked full of worry. Both withdrew along with the others.

The main hall was now empty. Wei Yingluo and the Empress stood facing each other. This was the first time she had seen the Empress truly angry. In her impression, Her Highness the Empress sat high in the clouds, beautiful and dignified in her elegance and grace—but when she was furious, she carried an aura strikingly similar to His Majesty’s.

It was the majestic authority that belonged solely to those in power.

The Empress said coldly:

“Kneel.”

Wei Yingluo obeyed and knelt without a word.

The Empress looked down at her from above and asked:

“Wei Yingluo, do you know you were wrong?”

Wei Yingluo’s expression remained calm. She replied:

“This servant’s entire being belongs to Your Highness. Whatever Your Highness says is never wrong. If I have erred, please punish this servant.”

The Empress laughed in anger:

“So as long as I say you’re wrong, then you’re wrong? Wei Yingluo, oh Wei Yingluo—you’ve truly grown arrogant because of favor. You are a maid of Changchun Palace, the person closest to me. You used petty tricks to frame Prince Yi. If this were ever exposed, could I escape the crime of failing to discipline properly?”

Wei Yingluo suddenly raised her head. Although she had vaguely suspected the Empress might have discovered it, hearing it spoken aloud still shocked her.

The Empress said displeased:

“Speak!”

Wei Yingluo took a deep breath, prostrated herself, and kowtowed:

“This was done by this servant alone. If that day ever comes, this servant will bear full responsibility. Even if it costs my life, I would never implicate Your Highness.”

The hall fell silent for a moment. Wei Yingluo’s forehead rested against the smooth, icy floor. She heard the Empress let out a soft sigh, seemingly somewhat helpless:

“You… what am I supposed to say to you? Have you eaten bear liver or phoenix gall? How is it that no matter what, you never put on any weight?”

Wei Yingluo was startled. Then a hand pressed on her shoulder and pulled her up. The Empress said:

“A young girl like you, carrying such heavy thoughts all day—life and death, life and death. How old are you exactly?”

There was a trace of pity in her tone.

Wei Yingluo was pulled to her feet by the Empress. Cautiously, she asked:

“You’re… not angry with me anymore?”

The Empress lightly tapped Wei Yingluo’s forehead:

“Prince Yi previously framed you—that was also a slap to Changchun Palace’s face. Of course I was unhappy and wanted him taught a lesson. But he is, after all, His Majesty’s own cousin. Without His Majesty’s nod, even I cannot punish him harshly. And yet you—you have such audacity that you dared to target even an iron-capped prince?”

Wei Yingluo touched the spot on her forehead that had been tapped and probed carefully:

“Your Highness, are you blaming this servant only for this matter?”

The Empress looked at her suspiciously:

“You committed other wrongs too? Spit them all out at once so I don’t get any more shocks.”

The image of Fuheng lingered persistently in her mind. Wei Yingluo had been wondering all along why he hadn’t been caught. She shook her head, then asked:

“Your Highness, how did you know this was my doing?”

The Empress studied Wei Yingluo with narrowed eyes for a while before saying:

“Fuheng previously sent me a message saying you were reckless and audacious, and asked me to discipline you properly. Don’t blame him—he was only worried you’d get into more trouble.”

Wei Yingluo’s face turned deathly pale in an instant!

He knew. He knew everything. From the moment she handed him the pepper-salt mixture, he had already known everything!

Wei Yingluo’s nails dug into her palm. She asked:

“Did Guard Fucha say nothing else?”

The Empress said with frustration and disappointment, as if hating iron for not becoming steel: “No, fortunately it was Fuheng who discovered it. If it had been anyone else, they would have long since reported it to the Emperor. But even if they had, it would have been useless—the evidence must have already been disposed of, right?”

Wei Yingluo calmed herself and nodded: “Yes. Please rest assured, Your Majesty—there will absolutely be no loose ends left behind.”

“I am not worried about that—” The Empress furrowed her brows, paused for a moment, then continued: “Never mind. Yingluo, in life and in dealings with others, if you haggle over every little thing and keep score of every grievance, you will never be happy. On the contrary, sometimes you must take a step back to gain a broader view and greater freedom. You should thank Fuheng for this matter. Go on—deliver a bowl of ginseng soup to him on my behalf, and make sure to express your gratitude properly.”

Thank him? After sending that packet of pepper salt, he had gone and reported her to the Empress—essentially tearing all pretense of civility between herself and Fucha Fuheng. Wei Yingluo was actually a little curious what attitude Fuheng would show toward her now. She replied obediently to the Empress: “Yes.”

After the grand sacrifice day meat distribution, the off-duty guards all returned to the guard quarters to rest.

Fuheng sat in a bamboo chair reading a book. Hailancha walked up from behind, took one look, and burst out laughing with a “Pfft”: “I swear, you’re getting more and more impressive. You can even read a book upside down now?”

Fuheng came back to his senses and saw that the book in his hand was indeed held upside down. Irritated, he tossed it onto the table.

Hailancha patted his shoulder and asked: “In a bad mood? Then let me give you some good news—a pretty little palace maid sister has come to deliver soup to you. Sigh, why does no one ever pamper me like that…”

Fuheng was stunned. He turned around and saw Wei Yingluo standing at the doorway holding a food box.

Hailancha grinned mischievously and backed out, closing the door behind him while saying: “You two chat. Have a nice, long chat.”

Wei Yingluo walked to the table, set down a steaming bowl of ginseng soup, and smiled sweetly: “Young Master, Her Majesty sent me to deliver this soup to you.”

Fuheng said nothing. His expression carried the calm of someone who had already seen through everything.

Drip, drip, drip—water fell from the eaves, one drop, two drops, three drops. The two stood facing each other in utter silence. Wei Yingluo’s expression shifted from innocent sweetness to icy indifference: “Don’t worry. The soup Her Majesty ordered me to bring—I won’t poison it.”

Fuheng looked at the white porcelain bowl holding the soup and asked: “You framed Prince Yi.”

Wei Yingluo replied casually: “Didn’t you already report me to Her Majesty?”

A sharp pang stabbed Fuheng’s heart. He forced himself to maintain outward calm and asked: “How did you do it? There was nothing on that dagger or the cotton paper.”

Yingluo smiled, spread her hands, and answered: “Actually, it was very simple. I soaked the cotton paper in saltwater, let it dry until salt crystals formed on the surface, then used it to wipe the blade. When the square of meat was chopped into pieces, all the salt crystals on the knife edge dissolved into the meat. Naturally, examining the knife turned up nothing. But the cotton paper was easy to trace—so while no one was paying attention, I swapped it for a clean piece. Of course nothing could be found.”

Fuheng shot to his feet and stared fixedly at Wei Yingluo. He opened his mouth: “You—”

Wei Yingluo met his gaze without flinching, her momentum not yielding in the slightest: “What about me? Are you going to accuse me of wrongdoing for dealing with Prince Yi? Because he is an iron-cap Prince of Great Qing, a member of the imperial clan, a noble descendant of the imperial bloodline—so if he tells me to kneel, I must kneel; if he calls me a lowly slut, I must accept it meekly, is that it? Ha! Whatever I, Wei Yingluo, want to do, whomever I want to ruin—not a single one of them will escape!”

Fuheng could endure no more: “Yingluo, he is still a prince after all!”

Wei Yingluo gave a cold, mocking laugh: “The seas turn into mulberry fields, the world changes—mountains that once towered high may one day become flat plains. There is no such thing as an unchanging principle! Haven’t you seen? Yesterday he stood high above, lording it over everyone—today he’s crawling on the ground like a dog, begging for mercy! Kowtowing desperately, swearing ‘I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t dare…’ Hahahaha, it’s enough to make me die laughing.”

Fuheng closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again. Almost masochistically, he asked: “And what about me? You schemed against me over and over—was it because of A-Man?”

Wei Yingluo looked at him coldly: “Yes. But haven’t you already escaped disaster? On the surface, Young Master really seems like a gentleman—but where in the world is there a gentleman who destroys a woman’s reputation and honor?”

Fuheng could no longer hold back. Suddenly he seized Wei Yingluo’s wrist and asked urgently: “If I told you it wasn’t me who did it—would you believe me?”

Wei Yingluo gave a scornful laugh. “Do you think I would believe that?”

Fuheng released Wei Yingluo’s hand and took a step back in dejection. Suddenly, he drew the dagger from his waist and placed it in her hand. Feeling the cold, menacing weapon thrust into her palm, Wei Yingluo frowned. “What are you doing?”

Fuheng looked straight into her eyes. Beneath the darkness of his gaze burned suppressed molten lava. He pressed her hand around the hilt, turning the blade to point directly at his own chest. “This matter has nothing to do with me. If you don’t believe me, you can kill me right here!”

Wei Yingluo gripped the dagger and gave a mocking smile. “If I kill you here, I won’t escape either. I have no intention of dying together with you.”

Fuheng said irritably, “Rather than be hated by you, I would prefer to die with you.”

Wei Yingluo was momentarily stunned, her expression turning slightly unnatural.

Fuheng sighed, tossed the dagger onto the table, and said softly, “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly just now. If I really wanted to prove my innocence with death, it couldn’t be here in the guard station—it would indeed implicate you. But Yingluo, what I said is the truth! I did not harm your sister. I did not harm A-Man! If I have spoken a single false word, may I be sliced into ten thousand pieces, torn apart by five horses, die without a peaceful end, and after death still bear endless infamy and be cursed and spat upon by all!”

The oath was so vicious and extreme that Wei Yingluo’s whole body trembled. Fuheng looked at her earnestly and openly. “Wei Yingluo, I’ll say it once more: Fucha Fuheng has never done a single act that harms heaven or reason. Never! I never harmed your sister, and I would never… want to harm you.”

Wei Yingluo finally spoke. “The first time, I asked you whether you knew A-Man. Why did you pretend not to?”

A light flashed in Fuheng’s eyes. He quickly answered, “The matter with A-Man caused a huge stir throughout the capital. Even after she left the palace, the rumors didn’t die down for a long time. I had heard of the incident, but I had never actually seen A-Man, so naturally I said I didn’t know her.”

Wei Yingluo pressed her lips together, took out a jade pendant, and showed it to Fuheng. Distrustfully, she asked, “Why was your jade pendant in her possession?”

Fuheng looked equally puzzled. “This jade pendant is indeed mine—I lost it. But why A-Man kept it with her, I have no idea.”

Wei Yingluo stared fixedly at him. “Everything you’ve said—every word—comes from the heart? Not a single falsehood?”

Fuheng shook his head with a bitter smile. “There’s no reason for me to lie to you. If I really were the culprit, I could simply have told the Empress everything. Would you still have any chance to take revenge on me then?”

Though there were still points of doubt, his words made sense.

After hesitating for a long moment, Wei Yingluo gave a small nod. “Very well. For now, I’ll believe you. But if one day I discover you were lying, even if I become a vengeful ghost, I will come for your life!” With that, she shot Fuheng a fierce glare and turned to leave.

That glare ignited something in Fuheng. He grabbed her wrist again, indignant. “Before, when you wanted revenge, you played along, smiled sweetly, and flattered me. Now that you think I’m useless, you discard me like worn-out shoes and won’t even look at me! Wei Yingluo, are you really so good at changing faces?”

The hand clamping her wrist was like an iron vise, radiating a heat that made her heart race. Wei Yingluo stood still, head lowered, saying nothing.

Fuheng’s heart was filled with bitterness. Powerlessly, he said, “Actually, from the very first time you acted against me, I already suspected you. But later, seeing how gentle you were with Snowball, I deceived myself once again. Wei Yingluo, it was never you deceiving me—it was me deceiving myself! Every word you said to me, every smile you showed me, I would replay over and over in my mind. Even though I knew you were lying the whole time, I refused to believe it.”

Wei Yingluo stared at his hand for a long moment. Then she suddenly lifted her face and gave a bright, radiant smile. “Young Master, isn’t this behavior a little… improper? There’s an old saying: men and women should not touch hands when giving or receiving things. You…”

Fuheng froze. He looked down at his own hand and realized he was still holding Wei Yingluo’s wrist. He wanted to let go immediately, but seeing that snow-white wrist, he found himself reluctant to release it for a moment.

Suddenly, a strange laugh came from outside the door. Hailancha leaped in from the doorway and shouted, “Aha! Lovers’ passion, sweet nothings exchanged—I’ve caught you red-handed!”

Fuheng immediately let go. Yingluo quickly stood up straight, hurried toward the door, and said, “There are many matters awaiting me at Changchun Palace. I’ll take my leave.” With that, she picked up the food box and walked away briskly.

Hailancha, realizing he had ruined his friend’s moment, called after her, “Hey! I was only joking! Yingluo, don’t go!”

But Wei Yingluo had already disappeared from sight. Hailancha turned to Fuheng with an apologetic look and said with a placating smile, “Ai, sorry about that. I didn’t expect your little lady to be so thin-skinned. Well, the girl’s gone, but your brother is still here. Come on—let your brother feed you some soup! Ah, open wide!”

Fuheng was disgustingly kicked by Hailancha, who let out a yelp—

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