After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 79
Concubine Lü was indeed favored. Out of ten days, she would be summoned at least eight times.
That evening, Emperor Chenming arrived in a hurry. His black dragon robe, embroidered with gold, gave him a sharp and commanding presence. As soon as he saw Concubine Lü, he grabbed her hand and said,
“Is this how you and Consort Han manage things? It’s the Crown Princess’s investiture ceremony, yet Consort Chen De wasn’t invited? If Sanlang hadn’t pointed it out, who knows what people would say?”
Hearing that Li Huan had interfered, Concubine Lü’s smile stiffened slightly. She pouted, looking aggrieved.
“Consort Chen De is like that—she even jumped out of the carriage during the autumn hunt when she had one of her episodes. This is supposed to be a joyful occasion, Your Majesty. I only wanted to keep the mood pleasant for you.”
Concubine Lü, being highly favored, never paid much attention to the older concubines. But this time, Emperor Chenming cast her a sidelong glance and did not take her outstretched hand.
At that moment, everyone was outside the hall welcoming the emperor.
Qun Qing commented, “Since both the Crown Prince and Prince Yan are taking new brides at the investiture ceremony, and Prince Zhao already has a side consort, His Majesty must have thought it unfortunate that the Fourth Prince remains missing. If Consort Chen De were to attend, she might be reminded of his absence and feel sorrowful.”
Her voice was calm and steady. Emperor Chenming turned his gaze to her.
“Why aren’t you attending to the Crown Princess?”
It was clear that when he promoted Qun Qing, it was to assist Zhen Ziyi, not for her to pursue her own ambitions.
Concubine Lü, eager to shift the emperor’s focus, quickly added, “People naturally seek to improve themselves. Lady Qing is intelligent and has passed the palace examination. She no longer needs to serve as a maid.”
Qun Qing lowered her eyes. “The Crown Princess encouraged me to take the exam, and I chose a light-duty position so I could still attend to her. But as soon as I started, Her Majesty the Empress assigned me to supervise Concubine Lü’s conduct.”
Concubine Lü’s smug expression stiffened slightly. Emperor Chenming’s brows furrowed—he despised Empress Ma. Holding back his anger, he said coldly,
“What conduct needs regulating? Just because I visit a few times, does that mean I’ve lost all sense of propriety? The Empress is making trouble for no reason.”
With that, he dismissed the issue of Consort Chen De and led Concubine Lü into the hall.
Later that night, Concubine Lü stepped out of the chambers, wrapped in a thick cloak, and saw Qun Qing waiting outside. Her expression was complicated.
“A few days ago, you advised me to include Consort Chen De in the ceremony, but I ignored you. I should have listened. Normally, His Majesty doesn’t seem to care about her, so how did you know he’d be angry about this?”
“I don’t understand Consort Chen De, but I understand the emperor,” Qun Qing replied softly. “His Majesty values his reputation and cherishes family ties. A royal wedding ceremony without Consort Chen De would raise questions. People might even see it as a sign of ingratitude toward past affections.”
Concubine Lü prided herself on understanding the emperor’s moods, but her recent favoritism had dulled her instincts. Hearing this, she hesitated.
“You’re right. How could I have overlooked that? If not for Consort Chen De and the Fourth Prince being kept in the palace as hostages, the Grand Princess of Changping wouldn’t have dared let the emperor travel to Huaiyuan so freely.”
Qun Qing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. The rumors about Consort Chen De and the Fourth Prince being hostages were now confirmed by Concubine Lü herself. But she still didn’t know the full story—what had led to the Fourth Prince’s disappearance? Why had Li Pan and Minister Meng silenced the palace servants of Changqing Palace, causing her grandfather’s downfall…?
Meanwhile, Concubine Lü was eyeing her differently.
“Official Qun may seem unremarkable, but you have a keen understanding of the emperor’s moods. No wonder the Crown Prince values you. That chest of gold I gave you—it seems it wasn’t wasted.”
Qun Qing extended her hand.
Concubine Lü looked at her in confusion.
“Please, Your Highness, grant me the gold,” Qun Qing said. “Also, there’s something important about your maid, Jinzi. If I don’t tell you, you might never find out.”
The night air was getting colder. As Qun Qing made her way back to the side hall, she could hear Concubine Lü scolding Jinzi, the maid’s sobs echoing through the corridor. Without looking back, she pulled her outer robe tighter around her shoulders.
“What’s wrong?” Ruo Chan peeked out from the room, where a brazier warmed the space inside.
“Nothing much,” Qun Qing replied, stepping in and settling beside her. She picked up her embroidery and continued stitching the ceremonial robe. “Concubine Lü’s maid used the autumn hunt’s arrow-making process to steal materials for herself. I told Concubine Lü about it.”
She kept sewing as she asked, “A few days ago, Prince Zhao returned from the south after dealing with the bandits. His Majesty hosted a banquet for him today. Did you see him?”
Ruo Chan shook her head. “Didn’t Prince Zhao always bring that favored concubine everywhere? But lately, he seems to have lost interest in her. Sister Lan Yue overheard that every time he spends the night with Concubine Ruan, his face breaks out in rashes. He’s even been skipping palace banquets because he thinks she passed something to him.”
The golden thread in Qun Qing’s hand glowed under the lamplight as she pulled it through the fabric.
She already knew why Li Pan had those rashes. She had secretly mixed a special golden powder containing Yu Fei Pill into Concubine Ruan’s rouge. Physician Li had once told her that Dachen’s imperial doctors had never encountered this substance before. Even if Concubine Ruan sought treatment, no one would be able to trace the cause.
Li Pan’s reaction confirmed that he had never encountered Yu Fei Pill before. This meant the person she had seen at Qingjing Temple that day wasn’t him. A small disappointment—but it didn’t change anything.
For his role in her grandfather’s downfall, Li Pan would face his punishment soon enough.
“Ruo Chan,” Qun Qing said suddenly, “you once told me you used to be a Taoist nun at Baima Temple. Later, you served in Consort Chen De’s palace, and when the palace was being relocated, Sister Lan Yue transferred you to Qingxuan Pavilion.”
Ruo Chan’s eyelashes quivered slightly. She smiled and said, “Sister, you really have a good memory! But I wasn’t actually serving in Consort Chen De’s palace—I was only there for a ceremony.”
“Can you tell me about Consort Chen De and the people around her?”
Ruo Chan hesitated, then asked, “Why are you suddenly so curious about Consort Chen De?”
It wasn’t a sudden curiosity—it was a deliberate plan.
Qun Qing still remembered that day on the ferry when Fang Xie’s secret guard mentioned that her grandfather’s death was connected to the Fourth Prince. Among the people around her, only Ruo Chan had ties to both. That was why Qun Qing had found an excuse to bring Ruo Chan closer—to uncover the truth.
But Ruo Chan only shared what she knew firsthand.
“Consort Chen De is very quiet and reserved,” she said. “She doesn’t like being around people, so she has no personal attendants. She lives in a secluded palace, which used to be a temple for blessings during the previous dynasty. There’s only one elderly maid in charge of wine offerings.”
“She’s always worried about the Fourth Prince, so she spends her days murmuring prayers. The Emperor even sent a nun to chant blessings for her at night, hoping it would help her sleep better. She prays four times a day—I’ve been there a few times myself.”
“Does she cry at night?” Qun Qing asked.
Ruo Chan shook her head. “It’s very quiet. I heard temple blessings help ward off bad spirits.”
Qun Qing’s gaze sharpened. “Are all the nuns from Baima Temple?”
Ruo Chan explained, “Among the four temples in the palace, only Baima Temple has young nuns. They’re quick and can handle rough work. They also help take care of Concubine Chen De’s daily needs.”
Qun Qing frowned. “Who’s supposed to be looking after Concubine Chen De? How did things get so bad that she has to rely on nuns instead of palace maids?”
Ruo Chan sighed. “Palace women always flatter the powerful and ignore the weak. Concubine Chen De has been mad for so long—she holds a title, but she has no influence. Over time, people simply forgot about her. The nuns from Baima Temple took pity on her and chose to help of their own accord.”
Qun Qing listened quietly as Ruo Chan finished the last stitch of her embroidery. Then she asked, “Since no one is watching over her, do I have a chance to disguise myself as a Taoist nun and visit Concubine Chen De?”
Ruo Chan was stunned, her mouth slightly open, her head spinning.
“Dis…disguise?”
Qun Qing looked at her with slightly upturned eyes. “You used to be a Taoist nun, and you know the nuns from Baima Temple. Borrowing some robes shouldn’t be too hard. In the next couple of days, you can go there under the excuse of filling in for someone and take a look.”
Ruo Chan hesitated. “Sister, why take such a big risk just to see a fallen consort?”
“There’s something very important to me that might be connected to the Fourth Prince,” Qun Qing said. “I need to find clues. But Concubine Lü keeps too close an eye on me, and I don’t know the nuns from Baima Temple well. I can’t risk drawing attention, so I need you to check first.”
Ruo Chan thought for a moment, then nodded.
The next day, while Qun Qing was on duty, Ruo Chan went to Baima Temple. When she returned, she pulled out two simple Taoist robes from under her thick winter coat.
That night, Ruo Chan put on one of the robes and went back to the temple. She didn’t return until midnight, wrapped in the cold night air.
Qun Qing quickly shut the door and stirred the brazier to keep the room warm.
“Concubine Chen De is still the same,” Ruo Chan said, rubbing her hands together for warmth. “But the old maid who used to clean the palace has died, and now the place is even worse. There are so many fallen branches and leaves that there’s barely any room to step. The nuns are easy to talk to—we can go tonight.”
The two of them changed into the robes and blew out the candles.
Outside, a palace maid named Yinzi saw that their room had gone dark. Thinking they had finally gone to sleep, she yawned and left to rest.
Meanwhile, Qun Qing and Ruo Chan quietly made their way toward Concubine Chen De’s residence.
But just as they reached the halfway point, a voice suddenly called out from above.
“Hold it right there.”
The moonlight and lanterns were dim, but they could make out a man in luxurious robes, walking unsteadily while holding a wine jug. He had a slight limp.
Qun Qing’s heart skipped a beat—Prince Zhao, Li Pan!
He was still wearing his ceremonial crown, likely having slipped away from a banquet. In the darkness, she could just make out his handsome yet delicate face.
He reached out and grabbed the horsetail whisk in Ruo Chan’s hand. She stiffened, her whole body trembling, but he only smiled.
“Aren’t Taoist nuns supposed to be at the temple? What are you doing sneaking around the palace?”
Li Pan was known for his terrifying strength—stories claimed he had smashed bandits into pulp on the battlefield and tortured prisoners to death in his own residence. He was infamous for his brutality, and there were even disturbing rumors about his twisted desires. No wonder Ruo Chan was trembling, even though he was smiling.
Right now, Qun Qing was in disguise, and Li Pan was clearly drunk. He might not recognize her, but the fact that he had appeared so suddenly made her uneasy. Had he already noticed her lurking in the shadows?
She reached out and calmly pulled Ruo Chan’s whisk back. “We were ordered to perform blessings for Concubine Chen De. Please allow us to pass.”
Li Pan’s hand was suddenly empty, but his gaze lingered on Qun Qing’s fingers—slender and delicate. Then he noticed her eyes, sharp and unblinking, reflecting the moonlight like a cat’s.
His throat tightened, and he grinned, revealing sharp teeth. “What’s the rush? Concubine Chen De has nothing but time. I, on the other hand, have been struggling to sleep lately. Why don’t you bless me first? Come up to the pavilion—you won’t leave until I say so.”
As he spoke, he reached out to snatch Qun Qing’s whisk.
But Qun Qing reacted swiftly, flicking the whisk so its metal-tipped strands lashed across his face. Her movements were precise, but instead of looking defensive, her eyes held a playful charm. Softening her voice, she gestured toward the pavilion. “Second Prince, please take a seat. I will bless you.”
Li Pan winced from the pain, his expression darkening. He grabbed the whisk again, his grip tightening like a vice. “You nuns act so pure and holy, but who knows what you really are? Plenty of traveling nuns are nothing more than hidden prostitutes.”
Qun Qing’s fingers curled around his shoulder, her grip firm.
Li Pan smirked, but his instincts as a warrior suddenly flared—something was wrong. He immediately tried to grab her wrist, his strength capable of crushing bones. Any ordinary girl would have collapsed in fear.
But Qun Qing didn’t even flinch.
Instead, she freed her other hand and slapped him. Twice.
The sharp sound rang through the night, and Li Pan, still dazed from the alcohol, struggled to process what had just happened. He lurched to his feet, but his drunkenness threw him off balance. Before he could recover, Qun Qing’s whisk had already wrapped around his neck, tightening like a noose.
His face turned red as he gasped for air.