Story of Yanxi Palace, Chapter 36: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

   “Your Highness, Your Highness, something terrible has happened!” Zhilan came rushing back and reported to Noble Consort Hui, “A lot of people are coming from outside! They’re all heading straight for Yonghe Palace!”

The eunuchs who had been ramming the door immediately stopped and turned to look at Noble Consort Hui.

“What are you staring at?” Noble Consort Hui refused to give up halfway. Gritting her teeth, she ordered, “The people haven’t arrived yet—hurry up and break the door down! Otherwise, you’ll all pay dearly!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

They battered the door for a long time until finally it could no longer hold.

With a thunderous crash, the door—and the tables and chairs barricading it from behind—were all flung open.

Noble Consort Hui was overjoyed. Leading her group, she charged into the hall. Her gaze swept around and landed on the brazier placed by the window. Inside it, not only were ingot-shaped candles burning, but torn bed curtains and gauze hangings had also been thrown in. Thick black smoke billowed out of the basin and straight out the window, darkening half the sky.

Her eyes slowly shifted and settled on the culprit standing beside the brazier. First came surprise, then a surge of fury at being toyed with: “It’s actually you!”

That fool who had eaten seven bowls of lotus-root starch dumplings right in front of her!

Someone who could save Noble Lady Yu from an assassin eunuch’s hands, and who could summon the entire palace with fireworks as a call for help—how could such a person possibly be a real fool!

In that instant, Noble Consort Hui completely forgot about Noble Lady Yu. She raised her hand and pointed directly at Wei Yingluo: “Kill her!”

One by one, the eunuchs advanced toward Wei Yingluo like spiders crawling across a net from every direction—there was nowhere to run. As they drew closer, their dark shadows crept over her face. Suddenly, a ray of light pierced into her eyes. Her gaze brightened. With every ounce of strength in her body, she shouted: “Lord Fucha, save me!”

That beam of light rushed to her side.

Stepping in front of Wei Yingluo to shield her, sword drawn and pointed at the several eunuchs ahead, Fucha Fuheng demanded gravely, “Noble Consort Your Highness, what exactly is going on here?”

Noble Consort Hui’s red lips parted lightly. The words to ruin someone’s reputation came easily: “I was merely passing by Yonghe Palace today and thought to pay a visit to Noble Lady Yu on the way. We happened upon this maidservant attempting murder, so naturally we had to apprehend her!”

Wei Yingluo had long anticipated she would say exactly that. She immediately replied, “The truth will be clear once Noble Lady Yu wakes up and is asked.”

Only then did everyone notice the unconscious Noble Lady Yu. Some rushed forward to check on her; others hurried out to fetch an imperial physician. When the physician finally arrived to examine Noble Lady Yu’s condition, Fucha Fuheng pulled Wei Yingluo aside and asked in a low voice, “What exactly happened? Tell me clearly.”

“I was sent here by Her Majesty the Empress to visit Noble Lady Yu. I discovered this eunuch trying to strangle her.” Wei Yingluo pointed at the culprit, who had just regained consciousness on the floor. “I couldn’t overpower him, so I could only run outside the hall to call for help. Then I ran into Noble Consort Hui. The moment she saw me, she immediately ordered my death! With no other choice, I hid inside the main hall and used smoke to draw everyone here to save myself!”

Fucha Fuheng’s gaze fell on the man. His voice turned cold and sharp: “Speak. Who are you? Who sent you?”

Compared to Wei Yingluo, this eunuch’s presence was far more suspicious.

He was covered in blood, and upon questioning, it turned out he wasn’t even from Yonghe Palace at all.

Now surrounded by everyone, he slowly lifted his head. On his blood-smeared face appeared a strange, eerie smile as he said:

“It was Her Majesty the Empress who sent me.”

“When has I ever ordered you to commit murder?”

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw that the Empress had somehow already appeared at the doorway. She had clearly overheard the eunuch’s words just now. Her usually serene and uncompetitive face now displayed a rare flash of anger.

The eunuch cast a nearly imperceptible glance toward Noble Consort Hui. Noble Consort Hui narrowed her eyes slightly. He immediately lowered his head again and kowtowed frantically to the Empress, knocking his forehead against the ground like pounding garlic:

“Empress Dowager—Your Majesty the Empress—this slave didn’t want to speak out, but now the matter has been exposed and I truly have no choice but to say it! You lost your legitimate son and harbored resentment toward Noble Lady Yu for carrying the dragon fetus. Using the pretext of arranging personnel through the Imperial Household Department, you planted this slave in Yonghe Palace and instructed me to seize the opportunity to eliminate Noble Lady Yu! Today is the seventh seventh-day memorial for Concubine Yi—palace rules forbid any formal mourning—so Noble Lady Yu had to dismiss everyone else. Only then did this slave find the chance—”

“Nonsense!” The Empress trembled with rage. Already unwell, her vision darkened even further. If Erqing hadn’t been supporting her, she might have collapsed to the floor.

“Empress, please take care of your health!” Fucha Fuheng hurriedly tried to calm her. When he turned to look at the eunuch, his eyes were as cold and sharp as blade-light. In a few strides he reached the man, seized him by the collar, and lifted him up.

“Who told you to frame the Empress? Do you realize this is a crime punishable by extermination of the nine familial exterminations!”

“This slave wouldn’t dare! If Her Majesty hadn’t ordered it, how could this slave have dared to come and kill someone? Now that Her Majesty denies it and turns her back, this slave has nothing more to say! I only beg for death—so that I may repay Her Majesty’s grace with perfect loyalty!” As he finished speaking, the corners of the eunuch’s mouth actually curved upward. He smiled slightly toward Fucha Fuheng. As he smiled, a line of dark reddish-black blood trickled from the corner of his lips.

Fucha Fuheng was greatly shocked and shouted at once: “Imperial physician!”

The imperial physician, who had been diagnosing Noble Lady Yu inside, hurried out. He placed his fingers on the eunuch’s neck, then pried open his eyelids and lips to examine them. Shaking his head, he said to Fucha Fuheng:

“Poison hidden between the teeth—extremely virulent. He cannot be saved.”

Dead men tell no tales—these four words flashed violently through Fucha Fuheng’s mind.

“He’s lying.” Just as Fucha Fuheng was burning with anxiety, a cool, clear voice sounded beside his ear. He looked over and saw Wei Yingluo standing tall. Though her hairpins were disheveled, her proud bearing remained unyielding—like an ancient pine clinging to a sheer cliff. She spoke coldly to the assembled crowd:

“If the Empress truly intended to kill Noble Lady Yu, why would she have instructed me to come and visit her? Imperial physician, please tell everyone: how many wounds does this eunuch have on his body?”

Though the physician didn’t fully understand her intent, at a glance from Fucha Fuheng he answered honestly:

“This eunuch has three wounds in total: one blood mark on the neck left by a hairpin tip, and a swollen lump on the back of the head from being struck by a heavy object.”

“I did those.” Wei Yingluo admitted quickly. At the same time she rolled up one sleeve, revealing mottled blue and purple bruises. “I have quite a few similar injuries on my own body—all from struggling with him. So I ask you: if the Empress really wanted to take Noble Lady Yu’s life, why would she send me here to stop him? Isn’t that completely contradictory?”

Seeing the crowd fall into thoughtful silence, Noble Consort Hui narrowed her eyes and lightly tossed out:

“Perhaps… the Empress sent you here to silence him by killing him?”

“Look at how wretched I appear.” Wei Yingluo walked a few steps in front of everyone, deliberately displaying her injuries, her disheveled hair, and her most miserable state for all to see. Then she smiled and asked:

“If I had come here to kill and silence him, why would I arrive empty-handed? Not even a dagger—let alone any kind of club!”

Indeed—how could that be?

The difference in strength between a man and a woman was already vast. Without even a convenient weapon, forget about killing to silence someone—she might very well have been the one silenced instead.

“But you, on the other hand…” Wei Yingluo suddenly fixed her gaze on the group of palace servants standing behind the other woman and asked softly, “Why exactly did you come to Yonghe Palace today? If you claim it was to visit, then why arrive empty-handed, bringing only a crowd of fierce and menacing eunuchs…?”

The way everyone looked at Noble Consort Hui instantly changed.

“Insolent!” Noble Consort Hui snapped in fury. “How dare you suspect me!”

The palace servants behind her all turned their eyes toward her. At a single command from her, they would rush forward and seize Wei Yingluo.

“I however, feels that not a single word she said was wrong!”

But in this place there was yet another person of far higher status. With just one sentence from her, no one would dare lay a hand on Wei Yingluo.

After resting for a moment, the Empress had recovered somewhat. Supported by Erqing, she walked slowly up to Noble Consort Hui. Their eyes met. In a calm voice she said:

“Yingluo has already given her explanation. And you, Noble Consort Hui—what explanation do you have for your actions?”

Wei Yingluo’s words had effectively cleared the path for her.

Dead men tell no tales—this applied not only to the Empress, but to Noble Consort Hui as well.

   When judging only by words, only by motive, the two were equally matched—neither could escape suspicion. And in fact, Noble Consort Hui’s suspicion was even heavier.

   If this matter were brought before the Emperor, whom do you think he would help? Whom would he believe?

   With so many eyes watching and so many ears listening, Noble Consort Hui had no choice but to take a deep breath and swallow her pride: “…I was wrong. How could one believe the words of a murderer? It must be that he deliberately slandered Your Ladyship in order to conceal the true mastermind behind it.”

“Indeed, how could one believe the words of a murderer.” The Empress spoke in a tone that was half admonishment and half warning, “You are a Noble Consort. Every word and every action of yours serves as an example to others. You should be even more cautious in your speech and conduct. Very well, return to Chuxiu Palace and reflect carefully on your mistakes!”

The Empress’s mind was as clear as snow — she had already pieced together almost the entire sequence of events and their causes.

On the way back to Changchun Palace, she raised her hand to summon Wei Yingluo to her side. With Yingluo supporting her arm, she walked slowly and said, “Noble Consort Hui has suffered this hidden loss today. She will surely hate you to the bone. Are you afraid?”

“I am afraid,” Wei Yingluo replied softly with lowered eyes, “but for Your Ladyship the Empress, and for Noble Lady Yu, I had to say those words.”

The Empress smiled with satisfaction, her gaze toward Yingluo filled with affection and pity. “If not for those few sentences of yours today, this basin of dirty water would have been impossible for me to wash clean. Good child, rest assured — this Palace will never allow Noble Consort Hui to touch a single hair on your head.”

The meaning behind her words was clear: she intended to cultivate Wei Yingluo as a trusted confidante.

A confidante, naturally, could not be treated like ordinary little palace maids or eunuchs who could be casually handed over to others. She had to be protected and cherished like wings growing from her own body.

“Thank you, Your Ladyship.” After expressing her gratitude, Wei Yingluo tentatively asked, “But… are we just going to let this matter drop like this?”

“The most important witness is already dead. With only empty words and no proof, even if we brought the matter before the Emperor, what could His Majesty do?” Thoroughly versed in palace ways and now intending to nurture her, the Empress patiently explained to Wei Yingluo, “Most importantly, Noble Lady Yu also did something she should not have done…”

“You mean…” Wei Yingluo furrowed her brows.

“I know she and Concubine Yi were as close as sisters, and Concubine Yi died because of her. That is why, on the day of Concubine Yi’s seventh-week memorial, she dismissed everyone around her and secretly set up a private spirit tablet to pay respects to her departed friend.” The Empress narrowed her eyes. “But you must understand — in the Forbidden City, only masters are entitled to receive sacrificial rites. What Noble Lady Yu did may be called a minor violation of palace regulations at best, or at worst, an open curse against the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. Therefore, even to protect Noble Lady Yu and the child in her womb, this matter cannot be made public — especially not brought before His Majesty!”

“This servant understands…” Though Wei Yingluo said this, a trace of “the fox mourns the death of the hare” sorrow rose in her heart.

Poor Concubine Yi.

Just like her own sister, she suffered an unjust injustice, and even after death she had no proper spirit tablet. In the whole world, only one person remembered her and secretly offered sacrifices to her.

As her mood grew heavy, the pain from her injuries flared up again. Not wanting to grimace in front of the Empress, Wei Yingluo supported her all the way back to Changchun Palace. Only after the Empress had taken her medicine and fallen asleep did she quietly withdraw, limping toward her own room.

There was no one on the path. Wei Yingluo rolled up one sleeve and looked at the bruises on her snow-white arm, frowning inwardly: Perhaps I should go to the Imperial Physician and ask for a bottle of medicine.

“Here, take this.”

A man’s voice suddenly came from in front of her.

Wei Yingluo’s steps halted. Slowly, she raised her head.

Before her was a small bottle of snow-white medicine.

Her gaze followed the bottle, sliding along the hand that held it — distinct knuckles, long and strong — until it finally reached his face. Somewhat surprised, Wei Yingluo asked, “Young Master…”

Fucha Fuheng turned his face away, presenting only one flushed red ear toward her. He stood three steps away from Wei Yingluo — a distance from which he could flee at any moment.

“Take it,” he said.

Wei Yingluo hesitated for a moment, then reached out and accepted the medicine bottle from his hand.

Fucha Fuheng seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Turning his body slightly, he said, “This medicine is very effective for external injuries. Apply it once in the morning and once at night.”

Compared to the pain on her body, Wei Yingluo cared more about his current attitude. She cautiously studied him. “Young Master, why are you avoiding me?”

“……” The question seemed to leave Fucha Fuheng somewhat embarrassed. After a long pause, he gave a cough and said, “A man should not look directly at a woman’s body. You… you should pull your sleeve down.”

Only then did Wei Yingluo remember that earlier, in order to inspect her own injury, she had rolled one sleeve all the way up to her shoulder, leaving her entire arm exposed in front of him—snow-white like a freshly cut lotus root growing in clear green water.

She slowly lowered her sleeve and said softly, “All right, you can turn around now.”

Only then did Fucha Fuheng turn back. He was truly rather thin-skinned; he had only seen a woman’s arm, yet his face had flushed red. He looked both awkward and pure, yet completely unaware of it himself. Maintaining his usual stern and untouchable demeanor, he asked her:

“Why did you set fire to the bed curtains today? Do you realize that if things had gone slightly wrong, you could have burned Noble Lady Yu to death—and yourself along with her?”

“I know it was extremely dangerous. But in that situation, it was the only way to draw everyone’s attention.” Wei Yingluo said in a low voice, “Think about it—if I had shouted for help and said that Noble Consort Hui was trying to kill someone, who would have dared enter Yonghe Palace? They would all have been afraid of getting involved in such a matter and would have simply pretended not to hear. But when a fire breaks out in the palace, it’s completely different. Everyone comes running to put it out. That way, Noble Lady Yu and I might have a chance to be saved.”

Remembering how she had looked so desperate and helpless when she cried out to him for help, Fucha Fuheng’s heart softened, and his tone became gentler as well:

“What if no one had arrived in time and Noble Consort Hui broke in first?”

Wei Yingluo suddenly raised her head and looked straight at him. “But you came, didn’t you?”

Fucha Fuheng was stunned by her words.

Clearly her clothes were properly in place, she hadn’t exposed anything improper, she wasn’t smiling at him, and she hadn’t done anything out of line—yet he still wanted to avoid her gaze.

Afraid she would notice that his face had flushed again.

“Young Master…” Wei Yingluo took one step closer. “Are you unwell? Your face looks a little red…”

She reached out a hand as if to feel his forehead.

Fucha Fuheng hurriedly took a step back.

“Sorry.” Seeming to realize her current behavior was inappropriate, Wei Yingluo withdrew her hand and gave him an apologetic smile.

Unable to tell whether he felt disappointment or relief in his heart, Fucha Fuheng said in a low voice:

“Be more careful next time. Don’t… don’t smile at men like that anymore. Hasn’t your mother ever taught you what proper conduct is for a lady of good family?”

Wei Yingluo stopped smiling and said indifferently, “I am not a lady of good family, and I have no mother.”

Fucha Fuheng was taken aback. While he was still searching for words to smooth things over, he heard Wei Yingluo speak again.

“I only have one older sister. Her name is Wei Yingning.” After a brief pause, Wei Yingluo smiled. “But here in the palace, she has another name—A-Man.”

Fucha Fuheng’s expression changed abruptly.

“What’s wrong?” Wei Yingluo stared at him, refusing to miss even the slightest change. “Young Master, do you know my sister?”

“I don’t.” Fucha Fuheng paused. “The medicine has been delivered. There are matters awaiting me at the Imperial Guard station. I’ll take my leave.”

It would be more accurate to say he fled in panic rather than left on an excuse.

He left so hurriedly that he failed to notice that, even after he was gone, Wei Yingluo remained standing in the same spot without moving, her fingers gripping the medicine bottle so tightly they turned white, staring after him with an expressionless face.

“This is top-quality wound medicine—ordinary people can’t obtain it. Only high-ranking military officers have access to it.”

That night, when Momo Zhang came to check on her and brought along a bottle of medicine, although it too had been obtained from the imperial physicians, compared to the bottle of military-grade wound ointment sitting on the table, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Wei Yingluo lay face-down on the bed, her clothes completely removed, her smooth back exposed. The most serious of her injuries was not on her arm, but on her back—in a place she couldn’t reach herself.

Tilting her head to glance at the jade-like, lustrous medicine bottle on the table, Wei Yingluo said coolly:

“It was sent by Fucha Fuheng. For now, I don’t want to use it.”

Hearing the coldness in her voice, Momo Zhang shook her head. While applying medicine to her wounds, she gently advised:

“Are you still suspecting him?”

“I saw Fucha Fuheng today,” Wei Yingluo said with a smile. “He claimed he doesn’t know my sister.”

“But the look on his face told an entirely different story… Ouch!”

Momo Zhang quickly lightened her touch. “How is it now? Still hurt? Listen, child—everything needs evidence. Without proof, how can you accuse him of being the murderer?”

“Evidence?” A flash of ruthlessness passed through Wei Yingluo’s eyes. “Momo, you knew my sister too. You know what kind of person she was. If she had picked up something as valuable as a jade pendant, she would have returned it to its owner without question. Yet she kept it. There are only two possibilities: either the owner was her lover, or her enemy. My sister already had someone she loved. Even if he had heartlessly abandoned her, she would never have changed her feelings so easily. That leaves only one explanation—Fuheng humiliated her!”

“It’s still just your speculation!” Momo Zhang knew she was already somewhat obsessed, so she tried to reason with her carefully. “Perhaps your sister really did find the jade pendant by chance and didn’t know who the owner was, so she couldn’t return it. Or maybe… Fuheng did know your sister, but had nothing to do with her death…”

Wei Yingluo’s expression shifted between dark and light. After a long pause, she slowly exhaled. “Momo, you said my sister lost her chastity and stubbornly refused to reveal who the man was. In the palace, the only men are the Emperor and the Imperial Guards. If it had been the Emperor, it would have been an honor—a sign of imperial favor. There would have been nothing to hide. That leaves only the palace guards. My sister appeared gentle on the outside, but she was fiercely resolute inside. If she had been insulted for no reason, she would have demanded justice. The only reason she didn’t speak wasn’t that she didn’t want to—it was that she didn’t dare! She was afraid of implicating our family, afraid of dragging our father and me down with her. Who could inspire such terror in her? Only someone with immense power and status—Fucha Fuheng!”

She suddenly turned and stared at Momo Zhang, her gaze sharp as a drawn dagger, fierce as a lit fuse. Through gritted teeth she said, “He is the pampered young master of the noble Fucha clan, the Empress’s own younger brother, the Emperor’s most trusted confidant, a future Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard. How could such a scandal be allowed to stain his name? That is exactly why my sister was murdered to silence her!”

“Enough…” Momo Zhang’s head throbbed painfully.

“Momo, can you swear it’s absolutely impossible?” Wei Yingluo challenged.

Momo Zhang was momentarily speechless.

If Wei Yingluo had simply been stubbornly unreasonable, she could have scolded her harshly. The problem was that there really was a possibility—and with the jade pendant as concrete evidence, the possibility was quite strong.

“…Fine. Even if it was Fucha Fuheng, what do you intend to do?” Momo Zhang asked helplessly. “What can you possibly do?”

“What can I do?” Wei Yingluo scoffed with icy disdain. “Naturally, a life for a life. A debt must be repaid!”

Momo Zhang had always known her temperament was fierce, but she hadn’t expected it to reach this extreme. Startled, she quickly grabbed the girl’s hand. “You mustn’t act rashly! If not for yourself, then think of your sister. Did she raise you with such hardship just so you could throw your life away?”

Wei Yingluo froze—not out of fear of death, but because of the tears glistening in the older woman’s eyes.

She couldn’t help remembering the words Momo Zhang had sighed earlier: “No one… would cry for someone who means nothing to them.”

“…You’re right,” Wei Yingluo said, lowering her head, moved and a little ashamed. “I can’t die yet.”

As long as there was still someone in this world who cared about her, she could not die. She was afraid that if she died, that person might become a second version of herself—trapped in pain and hatred, willing to sacrifice everything for revenge.

“Good child, good child…” Momo Zhang tenderly stroked her hair. “Come, turn over. Let Momo continue applying the medicine.”

Wei Yingluo obediently murmured in agreement.

The rough, calloused fingers, together with the fiery, stinging medicine, landed once more on Wei Yingluo’s shoulder.

She gritted her teeth and endured. Though her body was covered in wounds, though there might have been better options available… she refused to use even a single drop of the medicine sent by Fucha Fuheng.

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