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◎Gazing at the Moon◎
When Qu You opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Ye Liuchun’s worried face by her bedside.
Ye Liuchun had already removed the hairpins and jewelry she commonly wore at Chunfeng Huayu Pavilion. Now dressed in simple clothes with a jade hairpin, even her casually draped hair gave off an aura of charm and languor.
Qu You struggled to sit up, and Ye Liuchun immediately grabbed her hand.
Neither of them spoke. Qu You looked into Ye Liuchun’s eyes and gently shook her head.
With that, Ye Liuchun let out a sigh of relief.
Qu You drank a cup of tea from her hand, gradually calming her racing heart.
When she learned that Song Chang had summoned all the key ministers into the palace, she knew something was amiss. Zhou Tan was also alert, and after some discussion, they decided to escape the mansion at dusk and rendezvous with the others at Qifeng Courtyard.
Afterward, Qu You slipped the sleeping potion she had obtained from Bai Ying into his teacup.
She and Su Chao Ci had previously agreed that if anything unusual happened in the palace, he would come to take Zhou Tan away through the back door of the Zhou residence.
Zhou Tan, completely trusting her, fell into a deep sleep. As promised, Su Chao Ci arrived and carried him out of the mansion.
Before leaving, he turned back hesitantly and asked, “Sister-in-law, are you really not coming with us?”
Qu You shook her head. “Keep an eye on him. If he wakes up, don’t let him return to Bian Capital.”
Su Chao Ci said, “He probably won’t agree.”
Qu You replied, “Zi Qian has so many things to handle. You… will find a way to stop him.”
Su Chao Ci sighed deeply.
They weren’t particularly close, nor had they spoken much, but Qu You always felt a strange mix of admiration and discomfort toward Su Chao Ci. He was still young, tall, upright, and as straight as bamboo—just as the historical records described him.
Later generations praised him for his integrity and righteousness, and Qu You felt no different. Admiring him while caressing Zhou Tan’s cold hand, she suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of sadness and helplessness.
Why did history have to be so unjust to Zhou Tan?
She couldn’t answer that question.
Together with Su Chao Ci, she helped Zhou Tan onto the carriage. Turning, he bowed deeply to her. “Sister-in-law, your noble spirit moves me. After Ai Di Sheng and I reach Jinling, we will find a way to assist you. Please take care.”
Qu You asked, “You plan to go to Jinling first?”
Su Chao Ci nodded. “Yes.”
Qu You agreed. “That’s good. If His Majesty passes away, the Crown Prince will be overwhelmed with affairs and won’t pursue you immediately. If the situation becomes urgent, you can continue east along the river to Lin’an—it will be safer.”
Su Chao Ci acknowledged, “Ai Di Sheng suggested the same. But I thought Jinling is the secondary capital, not too far from Bian Capital. If anything happens, it will be easier to assist.”
Qu You replied, “True. Alone, I can only do my best to sway the Crown Prince. In dire situations, I rely on you, Master, and Little Yan. General Chu is already prepared. While the Crown Prince is still in the palace, leave quickly.”
Su Chao Ci turned to leave, but Qu You called him back.
She pulled a red string from her neck and tied it around Zhou Tan’s. Su Chao Ci noticed it held the white jade thumb ring Zhou Tan never parted with.
His heart trembled, and he called, “Sister-in-law…”
But Qu You smiled faintly at him. “A keepsake. Go now.”
Watching Su Chao Ci’s carriage disappear down the alley, Qu You wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. Lifting her skirts, she hurried back inside and drained the remaining tea Zhou Tan had left behind.
Sliding softly to the ground by the desk, she gradually fell into a deep sleep.
In her daze, she seemed to hear the heavy tolling of a funeral bell piercing the skies over Bian Capital.
When she woke again, she was here.
However, Qu You didn’t have much time to speak with Ye Liuchun before being rushed into the palace with the Crown Princess.
Upon entering the palace, the Crown Princess was detained by guards and taken to a side hall to wait, while Qu You was brought before Xuande Hall.
The Crown Prince sat leisurely on a chair before the hall, idly playing with the imperial seal. Seeing her approach, he chuckled softly.
Qu You lowered her head and bowed.
Song Shiyan asked, “Where has Zhou Tan gone?”
Qu You shook her head. “Early this morning, when I heard His Majesty summoned the ministers into the palace, he must have begun plotting his escape. I secretly followed him into the study, intending to gather more information for Your Highness, but he caught me and drugged me unconscious.”
Song Shiyan smirked. “So he just left you in the mansion?”
Qu You calmly replied, “Since Your Highness invited me to Fan Tower last time, Zhou Tan began to suspect me. With other options available, I naturally didn’t need to follow him as before.”
Song Shiyan still seemed skeptical. “You were, after all, husband and wife.”
“When we returned from Ruo Prefecture, I asked him for a divorce document stamped with his private seal.” Qu You lowered her head and immediately retrieved the divorce document Zhou Tan had written long ago from her sleeve. “Letting him escape was my oversight. When Your Highness captures him, I will personally deal with him to prove my loyalty.”
Song Shiyan examined it closely. It indeed bore Zhou Tan’s private seal, which momentarily reassured him. “Since you are divorced, I will temporarily appoint you as a palace attendant to assist the Crown Princess and me with various tasks.”
Qu You hesitated briefly before kneeling before him. “I thank Your Highness for your kindness.”
Song Shiyan laughed. “You are willing to kneel now.”
“In the imperial palace, before the Son of Heaven, one must kneel.”
She raised her head cautiously. “I just remembered something, Your Highness. You cannot kill the ministers inside Xuande Hall.”
Song Shiyan narrowed his eyes. “Why not?”
“I suspect Zhou Tan possesses an imperial edict left by His Majesty.” Qu You explained, “Shortly after he returned to Bian Capital and had a private meeting with His Majesty, I accidentally saw a brocade box in his hands. Though uncertain, I believe there’s an eighty to ninety percent chance.”
She crawled forward earnestly. “If he truly has the edict, Your Highness must keep these elder ministers alive. Persuade them to testify on your behalf—not only to confirm His Majesty’s verbal decree but also to declare Zhou Tan’s edict as a forgery.”
Indeed, Zhou Tan did possess an edict—but not left by Emperor De. A few days ago, Zhou Tan mentioned that Emperor De’s edict was still in Xuande Hall. By confusing the issue, she led the Crown Prince to believe the edict had been taken by Zhou Tan, preventing a thorough search of the hall.
Moreover, her immediate priority was to find an excuse to save the lives of those inside Xuande Hall.
Song Shiyan hesitated slightly.
He sat on a chair before the hall, waiting for the ministers inside to yield. He had promised that whoever wrote the succession edict would become his trusted minister. If none complied, he planned to enter and interrogate them one by one, killing any who refused allegiance.
He originally assumed that if Emperor De had secretly left an edict, it would still be in the palace. But if, as Qu You suggested, Zhou Tan had taken the edict days ago, it wasn’t impossible—in fact, it made more sense. Emperor De could have foreseen this day of confrontation and entrusted it earlier to divert suspicion.
Hence, Zhou Tan hadn’t entered the palace today!
A surge of violent frustration rose within him, nearly causing him to smash the imperial seal beside him to the ground. Qu You, startled, called out, “Your Highness!”
Song Shiyan finally snapped out of his thoughts and sneered, “These stubborn old men are as hard as rocks. How could they possibly testify for me? It would be better to kill them all and be done with it.”
No sooner had he spoken than both of them heard a guard running from the direction of the palace gates shout, “Your Highness—”
“General Chu Lin heard the funeral bells and wants to enter the palace! He’s leading troops and has clashed with our men outside the imperial city gates!”
Though Li Wei’s forces were fewer than Chu Lin’s, Chu Lin was now holding back due to concern for the lives of those inside Xuande Hall, leaving him in a stalemate with Li Wei outside the gates.
However, this stalemate wouldn’t last long. If Chu Lin decided to launch a full assault, Li Wei might not be able to hold him off.
Thus… the Crown Prince intended to borrow reinforcements.
Qu You glanced over and, sure enough, saw no trace of panic on the Crown Prince’s face. He stood up, stretched lazily, and followed the guard out. After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at her.
“Lady Qu, I have urgent matters to attend to. Since you’ve pledged your loyalty, why don’t you help me persuade those inside the hall? If they remain obstinate by the time I return, there will be no need to waste further effort.”
Qu You quickly replied, “Yes.”
After the Crown Prince left, she hurried into the inner hall and dismissed all the guards.
Though these elder ministers had heard of her drumming protest on Yujie Street, most hadn’t seen her before. When a young woman entered, they were all bewildered.
One of them blurted out angrily, “What does the Crown Prince mean by this?”
Qu You raised her voice, “I am the Chief Attendant to the Crown Prince, sent here specifically to persuade you esteemed ministers.”
This was meant for the ears of those outside the hall. The guards were standing so close that the Crown Prince still hadn’t fully trusted her.
Someone in the crowd seemed to recognize her and hesitated, “Aren’t you… the wife who beat the drum on Yujie Street to defend Zhou Tan when he and Chancellor Fu were implicated?”
Cai Ying scrutinized her more closely, finding her familiar. “Matters of state are weighty. When did it become appropriate for a woman of the inner chambers to meddle? You’re Zhou Tan’s wife… What? Did he pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince?”
Qu You spoke loudly, “I have already divorced Zhou Tan. Here is the divorce document, stamped with his seal. Zhou Tan refused to submit to the Crown Prince and has fled Bian Capital. Such a traitorous scoundrel is despised by all. Please, do not associate me with him.”
“Besides, what do you mean by ‘woman of the inner chambers’? I’ve been well-read since childhood, knowledgeable about many things. I’ve advocated for impoverished women and understand the hardships of border warfare. Now, favored by the Crown Prince, I can fulfill my ambitions.”
As she spoke, she squatted down in front of Cai Ying and gave him a meaningful glance.
Hearing that Zhou Tan hadn’t sided with the Crown Prince, Cai Ying’s expression softened slightly. He snorted, muttering, “Zhou Tan finally showed some conscience once, but his wife has gone and joined the treacherous lot. This is truly…”
Qu You leaned closer to his ear and whispered something quickly.
The ministers watched as Cai Ying’s expression immediately changed. He looked at Qu You incredulously, mouthing, “Really?”
Qu You nodded solemnly.
She stood up, bowed deeply to the group, and lowered her voice to a whisper, “Esteemed masters, please take care. The future of the Da Yin dynasty depends on you.”
When Song Shiyan returned from the palace gates, he heard that Cai Ying had handed over the decree to depose the Crown Prince, which he had clutched tightly in his arms.
Qu You helped him toss it into the fire and gently advised, “These elder ministers are simply unable to reconcile themselves for now. Your Highness might as well temporarily imprison them in the Ministry of Justice. Once you need their testimonies, you can retrieve them from there—it won’t be difficult to make them submit.”
If it were up to Song Shiyan’s temperament, he would have slaughtered all of them in Xuande Hall. But for some reason, Qu You had managed to persuade them to relent. Seeing her speak so gently now, his anger subsided somewhat, and he waved his hand to order, “Keep them here for now. Send them some water daily. Once the imperial court stabilizes, move them all to the Ministry of Justice.”
Upon Song Chang’s death, the Zanjing Pavilion was sealed. The Crown Prince hadn’t yet replaced its personnel, so he disbanded it entirely. Given its short existence and lack of involvement in major cases, it was unsurprising that it wasn’t recorded in history books.
Qu You was temporarily assigned to assist the Crown Princess.
With Chu Lin’s troops surrounding the imperial city, the Crown Prince needed to resolve the matter before holding his coronation ceremony. In the meantime, the Crown Princess had been handling various palace affairs in the side halls.
Though she came from a prestigious family, she was overwhelmed by the sudden responsibilities. Fortunately, Qu You was relatively familiar with the palace protocols, and with the help of a few senior maids, they managed to arrange the palace and former concubines appropriately.
The Crown Princess was deeply grateful to her. She seemed indifferent to whether Qu You was serving as a palace attendant or the Crown Prince’s concubine, even suggesting several times to appoint her as an Imperial Consort. It took Qu You numerous explanations to convince her otherwise.
On the third day, Qu You heard news within the inner palace: the Crown Prince had opened the gates of Bian Capital and allowed a contingent of “unexpected reinforcements” to enter.
Caught off guard by the surprise attack from both sides, Chu Lin was killed at the South Hua Gate.
Though Song Shiyan had temporarily imprisoned the ministers from Xuande Hall in the Ministry of Justice as Qu You suggested, many others who hadn’t been summoned by Song Chang were completely unaware of the coup’s details. They were deceived into entering Xuande Hall and forced to pledge allegiance.
The Crown Prince’s succession should have been legitimate, but many knew of Emperor De’s intention to depose him. Some demanded Song Shiyan produce the imperial edict, while the smarter ones remained silent, refraining from taking a stance.
By the time Qu You learned of this, it was too late to intervene. The windows of Xuande Hall were splattered with crimson blood. By the time she arrived, palace attendants were gathering straw mats to drag away the bodies of these loyal ministers.
The court was cleansed by the Crown Prince with thunderous force. Within days, he began hastily preparing for his coronation ceremony.
Qu You oversaw the arrangements for the ceremony alongside the palace staff. The Ministry of Rites was understaffed, leading to numerous errors. Seizing the opportunity, she stole the imperial seal that Song Shiyan had carelessly entrusted to the Crown Princess. She pried open a golden brick in Xuande Hall and concealed the seal inside.
On the second day after the coronation, the newly ascended emperor held court while observing mourning rituals.
Among the few remaining ministers, one nervously reported that a group of soldiers dressed in military uniforms had been roaming Bian Capital, committing numerous illegal acts. Neither the Ministry of Justice nor the penal authorities dared to apprehend them, so they sought the emperor’s directive.
As Qu You made her way from Empress Li Yuanjun’s quarters to Xuande Hall, she overheard the guards at the entrance saying that His Majesty was meeting with guests.
Having frequently accompanied the Crown Prince recently, the guards recognized her and knew she had influence with him, so they treated her with utmost respect, never daring to neglect her.
Qu You waited outside the main hall for a moment before seeing a man with foreign features exit the hall. He glanced at her with a smirk, his eyes flashing with admiration, muttered something, and swaggered away.
He spoke in the language of Xi Shao, which she understood—a teasing remark calling her “beauty.”
Qu You lowered her gaze and entered the hall. Behind the pearl curtain, Song Shiyan didn’t rise but lazily asked, “Who is it?”
She replied, “Your Majesty, it’s me.”
Song Shiyan sat up from the dragon throne and smiled, “Lady Qu has arrived. I haven’t seen much of you lately.”
After the imperial seal went missing, Song Shiyan had flown into a rage, intending to execute all those involved. It was Qu You who painstakingly dissuaded him, claiming her photographic memory allowed her to draw a replica of the seal for the craftsmen to forge overnight.
During her time in the palace, though inexperienced in many matters, she tirelessly studied court protocols with the senior maids and executed every task flawlessly. Coupled with her handling of the imperial seal incident, Song Shiyan had grown increasingly reliant on her. “Lady Qu has performed her duties exceptionally well these past days.”
Qu You responded, “I am honored by Your Majesty’s trust.”
Song Shiyan eyed her with interest, “Court just ended not long ago. What brings you here?”
“I heard that during court, a minister reported soldiers roaming Bian Capital, bullying the populace and breaking laws.” Qu You said, “The matter has escalated. I’ve come to inquire how Your Majesty wishes to handle it.”
Unwilling to refer to herself as “this servant” or “your humble official,” she consistently used “I.” Fortunately, Song Shiyan paid little heed to formalities, scarcely noticing.
“Lady Qu is so clever; surely you can guess where these troops came from.” Song Shiyan waved his hand to dismiss his attendants and cautiously said, “I’ve been extremely busy lately and haven’t had the energy to deal with them. Let’s consider it a reward for the army.”
“Your Majesty, this is no small matter.” Qu You poured him another cup of tea and respectfully said, “I know Your Majesty is lenient and feels granting rewards is harmless. But their actions in the civilian world are lawless. From your lofty position, you likely cannot see the truth.”
She held the teacup with both hands, “If it were a minor issue, it wouldn’t have been brought up during court. Now that you’ve just ascended the throne, public sentiment in Bian Capital is unstable. Whatever they do, the common people will blame you. Why endure this? In my opinion…”
She didn’t continue, and Song Shiyan sipped the tea she had brewed, sensing the faint bitterness of bamboo leaves. Setting the cup down, he said ambiguously, “Such words can only come from you.”
Qu You’s expression remained unchanged, “Since Your Majesty keeps me around, it’s because you want to hear these words.”
“Then continue.”
“I know Your Majesty doesn’t want to offend them right now, but there are other ways. For instance… why not dispatch them out of the city to capture those rebellious ministers?”
Song Shiyan hummed, “What trouble could they possibly stir up?”
Qu You replied, “If they’ve fled in groups, there must be leaders and plans. Though the princes are currently in the city, who knows what they’re thinking? It would be best to capture them all as a precaution.”
The scent of dragon’s breath incense lingered in the hall. She lowered her head, unaccustomed to the smell, and was about to say more when Song Shiyan suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him.
Startled, Qu You immediately forced herself to stay calm, “Your Majesty, please control yourself.”
“Yoyo, I grow fonder of you by the day,” Song Shiyan murmured softly, his warm breath brushing against her neck, sending shivers down her spine. “You really… don’t want to become my woman? I can give you everything you desire.”
“Can Your Majesty give me the right to be respected by men?” She turned her head as far as possible, coldly replying, “I want to be more than an object, not ogled with disdainful gazes. I want to accomplish great deeds that make men respect and fear me, not look at me with the same ambiguous disdain as that Xi Shao man who just left the hall. Can Your Majesty give me that—but not in this way?”
Song Shiyan was momentarily stunned, loosening his grip slightly. Qu You immediately retreated three steps.
“No wonder Zhou Tan never treated you delicately despite being married to you for so long,” Song Shiyan’s lips curled into a soft smile. “Tracing your nape, all I feel are defiant bones. But if not for that, I wouldn’t like you either. Fine, I dislike forcing others. You may leave.”
Qu You bowed and withdrew, walking along the cold red walls for a long time until she reached Ye Liuchun’s quarters, where she couldn’t suppress a dry heave.
Her stomach churned violently, making her unbearably nauseous. Looking up, she saw the moon hanging in the sky.
Clear, bright, perhaps Zhou Tan was gazing at the same moon.
Instinctively, she reached for the white jade thumb ring at her chest—once painfully uncomfortable, its sudden absence left her feeling hollow.
The next day, amidst his busy schedule, Song Shiyan issued an edict to relocate the Xi Shao forces out of Bian Capital.
Qu You volunteered to escort them out of the city with a team of trusted guards, patrolled the city twice, and helped some oppressed citizens rebuild their homes. By the time she returned to the palace, it was dusk.
Passing by Zhou Mansion, she was seized by a sudden whim. Ordering her attendants to wait at the alley entrance, she went inside.
It was midsummer. Though untended, a few apricot trees grew lush and vibrant. Her hand brushed against the rugged bark, filling her heart with an unfamiliar sense of relief.
—A feeling she had never experienced before.
Because she knew that though the Xi Shao men grumbled today, they ultimately obeyed and left the city. To them, pursuing fleeing ministers was a trivial task—they could plunder towns along the way, enjoying greater freedom far from imperial oversight.
Who could have guessed that Yan Fu had already led troops from the western frontier?
The month of chaos in Bian Capital didn’t repeat itself. Her painstaking efforts as a mole beside Song Shiyan finally altered the course of history. This was the first time she truly felt she had changed history.
Though the future remained uncertain.
But she harbored no regrets for any of this.
Qu You sat under the shadow of the apricot trees, staring at the moon for a while. Walking along the dark alley outside Zhou Mansion, she hadn’t taken a few steps when a figure flashed past, pulling her aside.
Startled, Qu You instinctively tried to cry out, but the person quickly covered her mouth. Under the moonlight, she saw a pair of amber eyes.
From the alley entrance, a guard called out hesitantly, “Master Qu…?”
Qu You quickly replied, “It’s fine. I’m resting here for a moment.”
Turning her head, before she could speak, a cold kiss landed on her lips.
The familiar scent of still water gently enveloped the night air. After a long silence, she lowered her voice and asked in shock, “Are you mad? How dare you return?”
Zhou Tan rarely wore black, his hair now tied high. He lowered his eyes and replied hoarsely, “Yesterday, I saw the moon and dreamed that Lady was thinking of me.”
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