A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City

Yun Yanze understood well—the intricate schemes and conspiracies within the imperial harem often meant that even if a "culprit" was identified, they might not be the true mastermind behind the scenes.

Empress Su knew it, and even Yun Duqing likely knew it too.

Now that Empress Su had summoned him here, she was making her stance clear: she did not suspect him, but she also expected him to show his sincerity.

"The mastermind behind this is ruthless, disturbing the peace of the harem—a crime that cannot be forgiven. This son humbly requests Your Majesties' permission to investigate this matter thoroughly." He rose and bowed deeply. "I beg Your Majesties to grant me this duty."

"Such unpleasant matters should not trouble you," Empress Su said with a smile. "Let the Palace Administration or the Imperial Guards handle it."

Affairs of the inner palace were rarely handed over to court officials unless the situation became too disgraceful to ignore.

"To share Your Majesties' burdens is this son's honor."

"Then we entrust this matter to you," Emperor Longfeng declared. "The Empress is weary. All of you may withdraw."

The "all of you" in his words seemed to exclude Prince Chen and his consort.

Sun Caiyao stood. "This daughter-in-law takes her leave."

At the doorway, she glanced back at Ming Jiuzhu, who was idly toying with a doll on a tray, her indifferent expression sending a chill down Sun Caiyao's spine.

"Caiyao, mind the steps." Yun Yanze steadied her arm. "Watch your footing—don't trip."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Sun Caiyao snapped out of her thoughts and gave him a sweet smile.

"Some people have nothing but a pretty face," Consort Zhang sneered, unafraid to mock Yun Yanze though she dared not offend Prince Chen. "Someone gets grazed by an assassin's blade—lighter than a cat's scratch. Yet after all this time, the assassin remains at large, while other imperial children suffer the consequences."

"Could it be..." She smirked. "The thief cries 'stop thief'?"

Sun Caiyao nearly retorted, but Yun Yanze pressed her hand, silencing her.

"Consort Zhang," Yun Yanze countered with a faint smile. "I was attacked at the residence of Princess Roude's imperial son-in-law—a man who traded official positions for bribes and harbored assassins. Such audacity—who do you think emboldened him?"

"The imperial son-in-law? The princess? Or perhaps a certain consort in the palace?"

"Who emboldened him, this consort wouldn't know. But if the Fourth Prince suspects someone, he ought to present evidence first." Had Yun Yanze still held his former rank, these words alone would have cowed Consort Zhang into silence.

But times had changed. Well-versed in the harem's habit of bullying the weak, Consort Zhang shot back, "This consort suspects that the one framing me might be a certain grudge-holding prince."

Yun Yanze's misfortunes seemed to begin after the assassination attempt.

When examined closely, the one with the most reason to resent her and Prince Chen's consort was indeed Yun Yanze.

"Who knows if someone volunteering to investigate the mastermind truly seeks justice—or to cover their own tracks?"

"Consort Zhang, you may eat carelessly, but you must not speak carelessly," Sun Caiyao snapped, unable to hold back. "If you harbor suspicions, take them to Their Majesties. There's no need for veiled insults here."

"How dare you! This consort may not hold the highest rank, but I am still a palace mistress—your elder. As a daughter of the Sun family, do you not know the rules of respecting your superiors?" Consort Zhang glared. "If your mother-in-law failed to teach you, this consort would be glad to."

Sun Caiyao paled, taking a deep breath. "Consort Zhang's reprimand is justified."

With Yun Yanze currently out of favor, she had to swallow her anger to avoid causing him further trouble.

"Consort Zhang."

The haughty expression on Consort Zhang's face melted into obsequiousness the moment she heard Ming Jiuzhu's voice. She turned with an ingratiating smile. "What does the Princess Consort require?"

"Nothing much." Jiuzhu approached and handed her a wooden box. "Her Majesty said you suffered a fright today. Fine jade nurtures the spirit—these bracelets are for you."

"My deepest gratitude to Her Majesty and the Princess Consort." Consort Zhang accepted the box without even opening it, bowing in thanks.

"No need for thanks." Jiuzhu gave a slight nod, then turned to Yun Yanze and Sun Caiyao. "Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law, let me escort you out."

Sun Caiyao stared at Ming Jiuzhu. Had she overheard Consort Zhang's words and stepped in to help them?

Consort Zhang glanced between Jiuzhu and the couple, then excused herself and scurried away faster than a startled cat.

"Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law, this way." Jiuzhu led the way, while Sun Caiyao followed in silence. On impulse, she glanced at Yun Yanze.

What was he thinking as he watched Ming Jiuzhu's retreating figure?

In her dreams, she had seen a version of Yun Yanze who once cared for Ming Jiuzhu—the joy on his face during that wedding had been unmistakable.

But Jiuzhu's face had been hidden behind a ceremonial fan, leaving Sun Caiyao unsure whether she had been happy or sorrowful.

Compared to the grand wedding Prince Chen had prepared for her, the one in her dreams paled in comparison.

At the gates of Bright Moon Palace, Yun Yanze stopped. "Thank you for seeing us out, Sister-in-law. There's no need to go further."

Jiuzhu halted and turned. "Safe travels, Brother and Sister-in-law."

Yun Yanze met her gaze, bowed gracefully, and departed.

Jiuzhu watched them leave, her expression unreadable.

"I knew you came out to rescue them," Prince Chen said, taking her hand in his without sparing a glance at Yun Yanze's retreating figure. "Come, let's return for dinner."

After their meal, Jiuzhu declined the palanquin, and the two strolled side by side along the palace path.

"Your Highness, are all people in the palace like this?"

"You mean Consort Zhang?" Prince Chen chuckled. "The palace is never short of those who fawn on the powerful and bully the weak. Petty villains like her are the least concerning. The truly dangerous ones are those who seem harmless—venomous snakes in disguise."

"This isn't just the imperial palace—it's the pinnacle of power in the Great Cheng Dynasty." He held Jiuzhu's hand as they walked. "In the late years of the previous emperor, consorts schemed ruthlessly to secure the throne for their sons. Countless innocents were caught in the crossfire—some died, others were maimed, and the worst saw their entire clans slaughtered, rivers of blood flowing in their wake."

A cold wind blew, and Jiuzhu edged closer to him.

"Uncles and elders who once smiled kindly turned into twisted monsters in the struggle for power, losing all sense of morality and reason." Prince Chen sighed. "That's why I've always kept my distance from the throne."

"Sixteen years ago, I had a dog. It followed me everywhere, wagging its tail. One day, I accidentally dropped a piece of pastry, and the dog ate it..."

"What happened then?"

"It died." Prince Chen still remembered—it was a small white dog with stubby legs, tumbling like a ball of fluff when it ran.

"The pastry... was poisoned?" Jiuzhu's eyes widened.

"Yes, poisoned." Prince Chen laughed bitterly. "Since then, I've always had someone else taste my food before I eat it."

Suddenly, Ming Jiuzhu realized that the mint candies and snacks she had shared with Prince Chen had never been tasted by anyone else.

"You're not just 'anyone.' Why would I hesitate to eat what you bring me?" Prince Chen could tell what she was thinking just by her expression. "Besides, haven’t you always eaten more of the snacks you carry than I have?"

"What if I secretly planned to take you down with me? Wouldn’t you be fooled then?" Jiuzhu chuckled softly. "Your Highness, your guard is still too low."

"That’s not low guard—that’s confidence." Prince Chen raised an eyebrow. "Confidence in my judgment, and in the fact that you would never harm me."

Jiuzhu burst into laughter, and the two of them looked up at the moon hanging in the sky.

"Your Highness, it’s almost the season for peach blossoms to bloom."

"Mhm."

"So when are we going to paint together?"

"..."

"Your ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍Highness, why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about which scenery would be the most beautiful to capture in a painting."

The sudden relocation of Consort Zhang’s palace sparked curiosity among the other concubines. Since Emperor Longfeng’s ascension, Consort Zhang had resided in that very palace—why move her now?

Some concubines sent servants to investigate, only for Consort Zhang’s attendants to mysteriously reply, "This was ordered by His Majesty and Empress Su."

Breeze Pavilion did have better scenery, but Consort Zhang’s disagreeable personality and her daughter, who had once offended Prince Chen, made it puzzling why the Empress would arrange this for her.

Shouldn’t they be more favored than Consort Zhang?

"My lady, Bright Moon Palace suddenly moved Consort Zhang—have they already discovered the problem with her?"

"Since when did Su Meidai become so sharp? Our plan has barely begun, and she’s already seen through it."

"What should we do now?"

"What can we do? We wait. Right now, she not only has the Emperor’s backing but also the Ming family standing with her."

"The Ming family?"

"At the New Year’s banquet, Ming Jinghai and Ming Jingzhou worked in tandem to crush Yun Yanze’s faction completely. Do you think they did that for no reason?"

"To pave the way for Prince Chen?"

"What else could it be? They left Yun Yanze no room to maneuver. This means they’ve taken a stand against him—as long as the Ming family remains unshaken, they will never allow Yun Yanze to ascend the throne."

"But rumors have always claimed the Ming family dislikes Prince Chen. Why would they start supporting him now?"

"Perhaps the 'good-for-nothing' Prince Chen is easier to control than the other princes."

"But this servant thinks..."

"You think the Ming family isn’t that kind of people? Hah. The three Ming brothers of the past were indeed men of principle. Sadly, people change."

"People do change." Prince Huai remarked to his younger brothers. "Who knows? Maybe Fifth Brother really can recite Agricultural Chronicles from memory."

The Emperor’s refusal to approve Prince Chen’s proposal for an additional imperial examination—unless the prince could recite Agricultural Chronicles within five days—had become an open secret in court.

Not only did the officials know, but even the common people had caught wind of the rumors.

Unlike the anxious scholars, the common folk were brimming with confidence in Prince Chen—a confidence fueled by the tales of the Ruthless Prince series.

Even the scholars who once secretly criticized Prince Chen had stopped. Some even quietly lit incense before statues of Confucius, praying for the prince to recite the book flawlessly.

Within days, Agricultural Chronicles became a bestseller in bookstores, as many scholars speculated that the Emperor’s demand meant he valued its contents highly.

The most outrageous part? Gambling houses had started taking bets on it.

Those who claimed to know Prince Chen well bet against his success, while the common folk, swept up in the excitement, overwhelmingly bet in his favor.

"Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous." Yun Qirong made the rounds at various gambling houses before turning to his friends. "The odds are higher for betting that the prince won’t recite it."

"Seems the capital’s citizens have great faith in His Highness," one of the young nobles remarked. "What did you bet on?"

"What do you think? Of course, I bet on the prince succeeding." Yun Qirong planted his hands on his hips. "Profit doesn’t matter—what’s important is showing our support for His Highness."

"Qirong’s right. Let’s all bet on the prince too."

What kind of loyal followers would they be if they didn’t cheer for their leader?

Money? They had plenty to spare!

After placing their bets, the group checked the sky. "Qirong, where to now?"

"The orphanage," Yun Qirong declared. "His Highness told us to do more good deeds, so we’ll follow his orders."

The brothers had all been appointed as third-rank imperial guards, but just two days prior, they’d been promoted to second-rank—all because they’d obeyed the prince’s instructions.

"We can’t go empty-handed."

"Right, let’s buy some rice, oil, and toys."

"We should bring some beginner’s books too. It’s good for the children to learn a few words."

"Let’s go, brothers."

Meanwhile, several noble family heads gathered, eagerly awaiting the success of their scheme.

"Everything’s arranged? No mistakes?"

"Rest assured, nothing will go wrong this time."

"What are Prince Chen’s lackeys up to?"

"They’re placing bets at the gambling houses."

"Perfect. I refuse to believe anyone can interfere today!"