FYM - 110

Within the waterside pavilion, there was harmony and joy, with music and laughter blending together. Outside, however, the secluded Xicui Palace stood desolate and cold.

This was the residence of Consort Dong, the biological mother of the emperor, located just a hundred steps away from the imperial garden. If one strained their ears, they could hear the clinking of dishes carried by the palace attendants. The lakeside was brightly lit throughout the night, like daylight. Everyone knew that today was Empress Dowager Song’s birthday, and the young emperor had gone to great lengths to reconstruct a plum grove to please her.

Plum grove…

Dong Xian leaned against the window in the darkness, gazing at the distant pavilion. She couldn’t help but recall the Yufei Garden that the late emperor had built for that woman in Luoyang. The flowers there were also as red as clouds, petals falling profusely, and she was similarly treasured and favored beyond compare. Anyone who saw it would be awestruck and envious.

…And what about her?

Even if she had a thousand flaws, wasn’t she the one who bore the late emperor’s only heir? Why was she banished to Bailu Terrace for over a decade? Now, the new emperor was her own flesh and blood, born after ten months of hardship. Even though they rarely met, she always worried about him. Why did he only have eyes for that unrelated woman and avoid her like a snake or scorpion?

…It wasn’t fair.

She simply didn’t have a good background. Was she destined to always be inferior to others because of that? The late emperor despised her, her son rejected her, and even ministers like Wei Bi and Fan Yucheng treated her as if she didn’t exist. Once they saw she had fallen out of favor with the young emperor, they abandoned her to fend for herself, leaving her to be mistreated by those fawning servants who only knew how to curry favor with the powerful.

She felt wronged, she felt angry. The laughter and joy from the plum grove seemed like slaps to her face, telling her that she would never receive the same honor and respect as the Song woman. Even seeing her own son became an impossible dream.

The bright lights burned like red-hot branding irons, and the melodious music mocked her ears. She endured this torture for half the night before finally waiting for the banquet to end. From afar, she saw that woman leave the plum grove, surrounded like the moon among stars. Perhaps she was drunk; her steps wobbled. The most powerful minister of the court, Marquis Yingchuan, personally escorted her, his gaze constantly on her, ready to prevent any misstep. Her son followed behind, but he was utterly helpless, overshadowed by all the favor showered on that woman. Effortlessly possessing everything, she made those struggling to survive seem pitiful jokes.

Only after they had all left did she burst out of Xicui Palace in tears. Seeing the flourishing plum trees in the garden, she wished she could set them ablaze. After crying bitterly for a while, she staggered away dispiritedly. Just as she was about to exit the imperial garden, she happened to encounter Wang Mu, who had returned unexpectedly for some reason. Her eyes lit up, and she rushed forward like meeting a savior, clutching his hand tightly. She first called out “Eunuch Wang,” then without hesitation, dropped to her knees before him.

“Why is Her Highness doing this—”

Wang Mu seemed startled and immediately reached out to help her up.

“The mother of the emperor holds a noble position, and this lowly eunuch does not dare to accept your bow—please rise quickly—please rise quickly—”

But how could Dong Xian rise?

Her son refused to see her. To win his favor, she had no choice but to ingratiate herself with the young eunuchs of Gui’an Hall, lavishing gifts despite her meager resources, hoping they would speak well of her to the young emperor so she could meet her son. But all efforts had been in vain. Those greedy servants took her money but did nothing, wasting her hard-earned offerings. But Wang Mu was different. He was an old servant of the late emperor, indifferent to wealth. Moreover, he had the young emperor’s ear. If he would help her, she still had a chance!

Thus, she knelt even more firmly, even bowing her head to kowtow to Wang Mu, sobbing: “Eunuch Wang—Eunuch Wang—I am but a former palace maid. How dare I look down upon those near the emperor? Now that Xi’er has rejected me, I dare not call myself a consort! But the bond between mother and child is thicker than water. I just want to see him once. Please have mercy and show me the way!”

This posture was incredibly humble. A former concubine of the late emperor and now the mother of the reigning emperor was reduced to this pitiful state—it was truly lamentable. Wang Mu sighed and insisted on helping her up. Then, he lightly bowed to her and said: “Her Highness’s love for her son is clear to this old servant, but His Majesty has been raised by the Empress Dowager since childhood. It might take some time…”

These words were evasive, mostly indicating reluctance to help. Dong Xian, desperate, was about to kneel again when Wang Mu added: “But Her Highness is right about one thing—the bond between mother and child is strong. The Empress Dowager is not His Majesty’s birth mother. In my opinion… perhaps soon His Majesty will need Her Highness’s assistance…”

Assistance?

These words were profound, and Wang Mu’s expression was extremely subtle. His aged eyes, having witnessed countless changes in the palace, shimmered with both murkiness and clarity, stirring both excitement and unease in those who looked into them.

“What do you mean, Eunuch Wang?”

She still didn’t understand, but Wang Mu seemed ready to leave. He smiled faintly, bowed to Dong Xian once more, and said softly: “When the time comes, Your Highness will understand.”

On the same deep night, the Song household was also brightly lit.

After leaving the palace and returning home, the entire clan was indignant. Not only the Wan family but even Song Bo’s branch couldn’t help but shut their doors and criticize the Empress Dowager’s behavior earlier. Before the hour of Hai, the lights were out, yet Song Bo was still too agitated to sleep. After tossing and turning in bed for a long time, he finally got up, put on his clothes, and went to his eldest brother’s courtyard with his third brother, Song Cheng. The latter was resting alone in his study that night and, awakened by his brothers, frowned slightly, asking: “What are you doing here, disturbing me in the middle of the night?”

Song Bo’s heart was burning with anxiety. Seeing his elder brother’s calm demeanor only fueled his agitation further. He retorted: “How can you still sleep, Brother? Did you not see how merciless your daughter was to our clan today?”

“She intends to hand over the authority to select officials to Chen Meng!”

Without waiting for his elder brother to respond, he sat down and began speaking fervently.

“Brother, as Minister of Works and the head of our Jinling Song clan, in terms of status, reputation, and scholarly tradition, which aspect isn’t more suitable for him than Chen Meng? By choosing someone far removed, she clearly still harbors resentment towards the family. This will surely ruin the future prospects of our clan’s sons!”

His accusation was forceful, truly showing how much he worried for his grandchildren. Song Dan’s emotions, however, remained quite calm. He glanced at his second brother and said quietly: “Zhongji, be cautious with your words.”

“She is now the Empress Dowager and holds the power to rule behind the curtain,” his tone was somber. “We, as subjects, must not overstep and make reckless comments.”

These words…

Song Bo inwardly sneered, thinking that his elder brother was playing the peacemaker again. What, was he defending his daughter? After forcing her into the palace, could a little sympathy now really mend the already fragile father-daughter relationship?

“I can be cautious with my words, but does that mean the Empress Dowager doesn’t need to be cautious with her actions?” Song Bo pressed on, continuing to grill his elder brother with furrowed brows. “The Luoyang faction resents us. Over the years, how many hurdles have they thrown at Zigao and Ziling? Even Zijian was stuck in the idle post of Chief Editor for six years! Are our children supposed to suffer like this?”

“They have indeed suffered! Besides, we never expected to gain anything unreasonable. If we could oversee this special examination, the balance of power in the court would shift, and Wei Bi and Fan Yucheng wouldn’t dare act so arrogantly. Wouldn’t that be a win-win situation? If the Empress Dowager refuses even this small favor, how can she expect our loyalty in the future?”

These were very practical questions. How many Yingchuan Fang clans were there? There were plenty who acted recklessly for personal gain. The Song clan, balancing both national and familial interests, was already a rare example of loyalty. Did they really expect everyone to be saints?

Seeing his second brother’s agitation, Song Cheng tried to console him. Patting his back, he turned to their eldest brother and sighed: “Brother, what Second Brother says isn’t without merit… As elders, we may not consider ourselves, but we must think more about our descendants…”

One brother was angry, the other sighed; one was firm, the other soft. Yet, Song Dan felt an overwhelming sense of fatigue and helplessness. Perhaps he was indeed getting old, or maybe his indecisive nature was unsuited to leading such a large family.

“But we cannot disregard the Empress Dowager entirely…”

He coughed a few times. Under the lamplight, his temples were visibly streaked with gray.

“After the southern migration, the situation remains unstable. Sitting in that position, she has her difficulties—half the court is controlled by the Luoyang faction. Can she really ignore them? Handing over the authority to conduct the examination to our clan at this time would give Wei Bi and Fan Yucheng the opportunity to seize power and devour her.”

“In the past, Emperor Ruizong excessively favored the Zhong clan, leading to the current chaos. The people have long hated the threat of influential relatives. Why should our clan rush into this mess? I know the children have suffered, but the most important thing now is to avoid giving the Luoyang faction any leverage. Otherwise, the Song clan will be criticized and disgraced, and how can we hope for any glory or wealth?”

“In my opinion, entrusting the examination to Changren isn’t a bad idea. Didn’t he help our clan after the late emperor’s passing? This shows he is upright and at least won’t favor the Luoyang faction—that’s enough. Beyond that, it’s not within our purview as subjects to ponder further…”

“But Brother, this—” Song Bo seemed to have objections and was about to argue again.

“Ten years ago, when Shuyan entered the palace, she severed ties with the family,” Song Dan interrupted, his voice growing lower and tinged with melancholy. “She went to die for the Song clan. From that moment, she had only the bond of ruler and subject with me, no longer father and daughter. Now, I truly have no face to demand more from her for the sake of the family.”

“The matter of the examination is entirely up to her arrangement… If you two still harbor dissatisfaction, you can go to Fuqing Hall and kneel to petition.”

With these words, the matter was settled. Song Bo stormed off in anger, his face ashen. Song Cheng looked around awkwardly and hurried after his second brother, leaving the previously noisy study in silence. Song Dan called for a servant to extinguish the lights. Closing his eyes in the darkness, he recalled his youngest daughter’s lackluster demeanor at the “family banquet” earlier. She was originally a gentle person, but always displayed a certain defiance and sharpness when facing her own clan.

Perhaps it was better this way—she should be wary of them. Only with vigilance could she ensure her survival. Beyond the Song clan, there were many others she needed to guard against.

Could she possibly guard against them all?