Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 29

The visitor was a eunuch whom Puyang recognized as one of the Emperor’s trusted attendants.

“His Majesty summons you. Please enter the palace at once, Your Highness,” the eunuch said with a bow the moment he saw Puyang.

Such haste must mean it was an urgent matter.

Puyang wasted no words and immediately ordered a carriage to enter the palace.

Along the way, the eunuch recounted the situation in the palace to Puyang.

It was still about the matter of the Xu clan.

Once Puyang had confirmed that Wei Xiu was not a daughter of the Xu clan, she had set the matter aside. But the Prince of Jing and the Prince of Jin could not. They were connected to the Xu clan by marriage. When Xu Luan was executed and his power base crumbled, the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Jing had leveraged this connection to seize the largest share. Although Xu Luan’s former subordinates had since pledged allegiance to others, they still thought fondly of their old master. Now, with an opportunity to save their old master’s wife and daughter, they had implored the two princes to act.

In the eyes of the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Jing, this was a small matter. Since His Majesty had said that the families of pardoned criminals could be released during this dismissal of palace maids, they thought their request would not be difficult to grant. Given the Emperor’s recent displeasure with the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Jing had gone alone.

“For some reason, His Highness the Prince of Jing grew obstinate. When His Majesty refused, His Highness demanded an explanation,” the eunuch said, recounting the cause and effect without hesitation, providing Puyang with extremely detailed information.

Puyang, however, sensed something was amiss and asked, “Father is unwilling to pardon the Xu clan?”

The eunuch replied, “Precisely.”

“Did he give a reason?”

The eunuch thought for a moment, then said with certainty, “No. His Majesty angrily rebuked the Prince of Jing for his insolence. The Prince of Jing then argued that although the Xu clan had faults, they also had past merits. Now that the Grand Marshal was dead, what could his female relatives possibly do? Why could they not be pardoned?”

Since when did the Prince of Jing have such nerve? Puyang found it strange. Even she, his most favored child, would not dare to contradict His Majesty so directly to his face.

As the eunuch spoke of this, his face turned slightly pale. It was clear that the Emperor had flown into a great rage afterward, and Dou Hui, fearing the situation would get out of hand, had sent someone to fetch her.

The carriage sped along. Puyang narrowed her eyes and closed them to rest.

From a great distance outside the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue, the crisp sound of porcelain shattering on the floor could be heard. Puyang’s expression remained calm, showing no trace of fear as she walked over with a steady gait.

Upon seeing her arrive, the eunuchs outside the hall all let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief, as if they had been granted a great amnesty, and went inside to announce her.

The commotion in the hall ceased. Puyang silently counted to five in her head before the eunuch who had gone in to announce her came out and said, “His Majesty summons you. Your Highness, please enter.”

The Prince of Jing was kneeling in the middle of the hall, his head bowed and silent, but his back was still ramrod straight, a clear sign of his lingering defiance. The Emperor sat behind the imperial desk. Seeing Puyang enter, his furious expression softened slightly, but his extreme displeasure was still evident.

In such a scene, the palace attendants serving in the hall all lowered their eyes and held their breath, not daring to make a sound for fear the flames of wrath would scorch them.

Puyang walked over and, as usual, first performed a curtsy, then smiled and said, “Brother Jing is here as well?”

The Prince of Jing did not speak. The Emperor let out a cold snort, his anger abating somewhat. “Seventh Lady is here? Go and wait in the warm chamber for a moment. Wait until I’m finished with this beast!”

A look of defiance immediately appeared on the Prince of Jing’s face, but he restrained himself and did not offer a rebuttal.

Seeing this, Puyang thought to herself, He’s not completely foolish, then. She smiled and stepped forward, taking the Emperor’s arm in a coquettish manner. “If Brother Jing has erred, Father need only take the trouble to guide him. Between a father and son, what knot cannot be untied?” Then she turned to the Prince of Jing, her tone even gentler. “And you, Sixth Brother, what is there that cannot be discussed properly? Must you be so confrontational?”

Her intention was to make both of them take a step back.

The Prince of Jing was likely still in a fit of pique. Thinking he had already been defiant, he decided to throw caution to the wind, his face showing his indignation. “Father…”

The Emperor’s eyes grew dark and gloomy.

Puyang immediately cut him off. “Father scolds you for your own good. If he didn’t truly care, who would bother to expend the effort to reprimand you? Isn’t Father usually tolerant enough with you, Sixth Brother?”

Dou Hui sending someone to fetch her must have been with His Majesty’s tacit approval, wanting to resolve this matter within the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue and prevent it from spreading, which was also for the sake of the Prince of Jing’s reputation. Unfortunately, the Prince of Jing’s reason was clouded by anger. Puyang had already offered him an easy way out, but he still refused to take it.

“I understand Seventh Lady’s meaning,” the Prince of Jing said calmly. “His Majesty has his reasons for not pardoning the Xu clan. It is not that I absolutely must save them, I am merely asking why…”

The Emperor was no longer willing to listen to his foolish words and slammed his hand on the desk. “Enough!”

The sound of his palm striking the desk was deafening. The Prince of Jing trembled, and the words that were to follow seemed to freeze in his throat, swallowed back down.

“You are dismissed,” the Emperor said.

There was no obvious anger in his voice; it was as flat and emotionless as a simple statement of fact. Yet it completely drained the Prince of Jing of all the indignation and courage he had just mustered. Timidity and fear, belatedly, began to surge up, coiling around him like a snake, sticky and terrifying. He froze on the spot, his courage failing him. When he looked up again, he saw Puyang gently shaking her head at him.

The Prince of Jing did not know what to do. His mouth was dry, his mind a blank void. He kowtowed tremblingly. “Your son takes his leave.”

Only after the Prince of Jing had departed did the Emperor’s expression darken, his gaze drifting uncertainly.

Seeing this, Puyang ordered a cup of tea to be brought and personally presented it to the Emperor. “Father, calm your anger.”

The Emperor could not bear to refuse her kindness. He took the cup and drank a mouthful, but still felt his anger was difficult to quell. He slammed the teacup down hard on the desk, splashing the water inside.

The palace attendants in the hall were startled and hurriedly knelt, saying, “Your Majesty, quell your anger.”

Puyang quickly patted the Emperor’s back to soothe him. She said nothing, only using her eyes to signal the attendants to clean up the teacup.

The Emperor finally calmed down. The anger was still etched between his brows, but he spoke to Puyang in a gentle voice, “No need to busy yourself. You sit down as well.”

Puyang sat down as instructed. Only then did she gently console him, “Anger harms the body. Father, don’t be angry with Sixth Brother.”

The Emperor had always been open with Puyang, and this time he had truly been infuriated by the Prince of Jing. He said resentfully, “He is not usually so reckless. He must have been led astray by the Prince of Jin!”

Puyang smiled. “For Father to say that is truly biased towards Sixth Brother.”

Her tone was soft and sweet, like a daughter feeling jealous of her father’s affection. The Emperor already doted on her, so even in his anger, he couldn’t help but laugh at her words.

Dou Hui, standing in attendance nearby, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing the princess still smiling and talking cheerfully, her composure unshaken before the enraged Emperor, he couldn’t help but think to himself that seeking Princess Puyang’s help this time was truly the right decision.

Since the Emperor had laughed, he could no longer maintain a stern face. After laughing, his suspicion arose. “It’s just the Xu clan. Why would he be so reckless? And this isn’t a matter for the Prince of Jing alone. Why did only he come? Where is the Prince of Jin?”

In the Emperor’s mind, the Prince of Jin had always been someone who cared little for his siblings. Although he had not dealt with him due to matters of state, he had long been dissatisfied. Now, even the slightest thing amiss would make him suspicious of the Prince of Jin.

Puyang saw this and was alarmed. This was how emperors were. When they looked upon you favorably, everything was wonderful, and everything you did was endearing. But once that affection waned, they would find fault in everything.

However, His Majesty had doted on her for many years. Though she had this realization, she did not take it to heart. She smiled and said, “For Father to say that is truly unfair. Although the Xu clan is gone, their former subordinates remain. It’s inevitable that some still feel a sense of gratitude. Pardoning the Xu clan would have been an act to win favor. The Prince of Jin’s absence is his loss.”

She had never involved herself in partisan struggles and did not help any of the princes in their contest for power. This was especially true for the Prince of Jin, with whom she had a grudge, so she was even less likely to speak well of him. To the Emperor, these words sounded as if Puyang was being forthright and discussing the matter on its merits.

But suspicion had already been planted. How could it be dispelled so easily? The Emperor said, “The Prince of Jin has always been fond of petty cleverness. Perhaps he anticipated that I despise the Xu clan and would not grant a pardon.”

Puyang did not understand why the Xu clan alone could not be pardoned. Because of Wei Xiu, she had specifically investigated the Xu clan. When they were convicted, the charges had not been solid, carrying a strong sense of being trumped-up. Yet for some unknown reason, her father had personally sentenced them to the extermination of three clans.

This was an extremely severe punishment. Even for true rebellion, a man of Xu Luan’s high rank would at most have his entire household executed to demonstrate the emperor’s benevolence. Why go so far as to not even spare his parents’ and wife’s clans? Moreover, at the time, the evidence was insufficient, and the case was hastily decided.

Thinking of how even a male infant not yet a month old was not spared but disposed of along with the rest, Puyang faintly felt that the so-called rebellion was merely an excuse her father had found because he absolutely had to kill the Xu clan.

As she thought this, she felt as if a heaven-shattering secret was hidden beneath it all, one that no one could touch.

Although she felt there was a hidden story, Puyang did not dwell on it. How many secret affairs were there inside and outside the palace? If she were curious about every single one, she would never get anything done.

After consoling the Emperor, Puyang started for home.

Aside from the Prince of Jing, no one took today’s events to heart. Upon returning to her residence, Puyang continued to recruit talented individuals. In recent days, some people had indeed submitted their calling cards to her mansion, but unfortunately, true talent was hard to find. Puyang was not anxious. There was still plenty of time; fine talents, like beautiful jade, would eventually come to her door.

There were always various banquets in the capital. Those who could send invitations to the princess’s residence were all high-ranking officials and nobles. Puyang selected one or two to attend, laughing and conversing with people at the feasts, slowly accumulating connections.

The painstaking planning was all carried out in the shadows, and life seemed to pass with joy and ease. Wei Xiu, however, discovered one matter that could no longer be delayed. Her Highness was already seventeen, and the matter of her marriage was now imminent.