Yuchen lingered in the Imperial Palace for another half a shichen1 before leaving.
On the way back to the wangfu2, Yuchen fell into deep thought. It was impossible to say that she wasn't affected at all. Just now, Yuchen couldn't help but think about the past. Some things seemed very strange now that she thought about them. For example, Yuxi's attitude towards her father was very problematic. Her father was so biased at that time, and any normal child would feel wronged and upset, but Yuxi didn't seem to care at all, as if he wasn't her biological father. Also, Yuxi's particular disgust and rejection towards Wu Shi and Yurong when they first met, as if they had a previous grudge...
Seeing that something was wrong, Momo Gui asked, "Wangfei3, what's wrong?" Something seemed off!
Some things were fine as long as one didn't think about them. But as soon as one thought about it, all sorts of problems arose. Yuchen even felt that Heshou's words might be true, that Yuxi was also someone who had lived two lifetimes. But her reason told her that it was wrong to think like that, otherwise she would allow Heshou's scheme to succeed.
After a moment of silence, Yuchen recounted Heshou's words to Momo Gui. After finishing, she asked, "Do you think Yuxi is really the same as Heshou? A person who has also lived two lifetimes?"
Momo Gui was very surprised, but she had lived to this age and had heard all sorts of strange and bizarre things. Moreover, Heshou was originally very evil, so it was not surprising that she would say such things. Momo Gui said, "Whether Heshou's words are true or false is not important, what is important is that her words will bring you and Wangye4 great trouble. At the same time, it will also bring disaster to Si Gunainai5." If the Emperor believed it, even the false one would become true. So it was really pointless to argue about whether Yuxi had lived two lives.
Yuchen shook her head. "Why is she so fixated on Yuxi?" Even in death, Heshou wanted to drag Yuxi down with her!
Momo Gui responded, "In her heart, Heshou believes that Si Gunainai5 was the same as her, that they had both lived again. But she has fallen into such a miserable state, while Si Gunainai5 has a loving husband and the joy of her daughter by her side. She felt unsettled, so she wanted to take Si Gunainai5's life with her." She had seen and heard many such people.
Yuchen was surprised to hear this and asked, "Momo, do you not believe Heshou's words?" She had thought that Momo Gui would believe Heshou's words!
Momo Gui shook her head. "When I arrived at the Duke of the State Residence, Si Gunainai5's thoughts were already deep, but her methods were very immature. Si Gunainai5 did not get this far by chance but through the guidance of all the Momo Quan and her own efforts." After a pause, Momo Gui continued, "For example, embroidery. I heard from the old women servants in the residence that Si Gunainai5 started learning embroidery at the age of three, and she was very talented. Even so, it took her eight years to develop double-sided embroidery." The biggest difference between Yuxi and Heshou was that Yuxi did everything step by step, solidly. Even with the embroidery, she took it one step at a time, not overnight, so it didn't arouse anyone's suspicions. Heshou, on the other hand, became an expert overnight, which would make any normal person suspicious, let alone those who were discerning.
Yuchen shook her head. "I almost fell for Heshou's tricks." She had sworn to Heshou that she wouldn't believe her words, but she hadn't expected she could still be affected.
Momo Gui didn't care about Yuxi, she was only worried about Yuchen: "Wangfei3, let's not talk about how Si Gunainai5 will be for now. Heshou's words are not a good thing for you and Wangye4."
Yuchen wasn't too worried about this as she remarked, "If what Heshou said is true, there will be trouble, but it won't be too big." It wasn't as if Jing Wang had personally sent assassins to kill the Emperor. It was just that after the Emperor's death, their Wangye4 would succeed the throne according to the order of succession.
Momo Gui advised, "Even so, we still need to remind Wangye4." Which Emperor wasn't suspicious? Who knew if the Emperor would suspect that the assassins were sent by Jing Wang to kill him in order to take the throne. Jing Wang was the pillar of the wangfu2; if something happened to him, the Wangfei3 and Shizi6 would be widowed and orphaned. The life of an orphan and a widow was not easy!
Yuchen nodded. "I will tell the Wangye4 tonight. Also, Yuxi should be notified as well. Speaking of which, Yuxi is really unlucky." This matter was truly a disaster from heaven.
Momo Gui suggested, "The best thing is to inform the Lord Duke, and have him inform Si Gunainai5." Momo Gui had long agreed with Monk Liao Tong's words that Si Gunainai5 was simply unlucky. Otherwise, her betrothed wouldn't have caught Qinxin Gongzhu7's eyes, leading Song Guifei8 to see her as an obstacle and plan to have her killed. These incidents were enough to prove that Si Gunainai5 was indeed unlucky.
Yuchen was very surprised that Momo Gui would actually help Yuxi.
Momo Gui naturally wouldn't help Yuxi, as she explained, "For the Emperor, Si Gunainai5 is now the greatest threat." As long as Si Gunainai5 was safe and sound, the Emperor's attention would be on Si Gunainai5. Relatively speaking, their Wangye4 would be much safer.
Yuchen thought for a moment and said to Momo Gui, "You personally go to the Duke's residence and tell my Dage9 about this." Yuchen was still very respectful towards Han Jianming.
Momo Gui nodded. "Then I'll go to there first, and then return to the wangfu2." This matter should be done sooner rather than later, and there was no telling what changes would occur if it was delayed.
When Han Jianming heard that Momo Gui had come to see him, he knew that something was wrong. Han Jianming met Momo Gui in the small living room in the front courtyard.
When Momo Gui saw Han Jianming, she repeated what Heshou had said before she passed away: "Lord Duke, Wangfei3 is worried that the Emperor will want to end Si Gunainai5's life." Regardless of whether Heshou was telling the truth or not, the Emperor would definitely take action against Si Gunainai5.
Han Jianming had been through a lot over the years and had excellent self-control. But when he heard this, he was still shocked: "Heshou herself said that she lived two lifetimes, and Yuxi is the same as her?" Seeing Momo Gui nod, Han Jianming was both shocked and angry. Even when Heshou was dying, she still wanted to drag Yuxi down with her! If it were an ordinary person, the Emperor would definitely lock Yuxi up and use her for his own purposes. But she was in the Northwest now, and Yun Qing still had an army of 100,000. It would be strange if the Emperor let Yuxi live!
Momo Gui said, "Lord Duke, Wangfei3 is also worried about this, so she specially asked this old slave to come and tell you. Lord Duke, please send someone to inform Si Gunainai5 as soon as possible, or it will be too late." If Yuxi could prepare in advance, she might be able to escape this disaster.
Han Jianming nodded, "Alright, I'll send a letter to Yu City..." Before he could finish his sentence, he heard the chief steward outside announce that the Emperor had sent someone to summon him to the palace to discuss something.
Momo Gui knew what the Emperor meant when she heard this. She bowed to Han Jianming and said, "My Lord, this old slave will take her leave."
After returning to the wangfu2, Momo Gui told Yuchen about the Emperor summoning Han Jianming: "The Emperor is not going to let Si Gunainai5 go." Summoning Duke Han to the palace was to prevent Duke Han from sending a letter to the Northwest.
Yuchen thought for a moment and said, "Let's wait and see!" She could pass the message to Han Jianming, but she couldn't let anyone send a letter to Yuxi. Otherwise, it would bring great trouble to the wangfu2.
At that moment, Yuchen really regretted it: "If I had known, I should have gotten rid of this scourge, no matter what the cost." After the Emperor ascended the throne, Heshou also moved to the harem. However, although Heshou was not favoured, there were many of the Emperor's people around her, making it very difficult to assassinate Heshou. And if she did kill Heshou, she would have to pay a heavy price if the Emperor investigated. Out of these considerations, she gave up. But she didn't expect that it would cause so much trouble.
Just as Yuchen was feeling frustrated, Jing Wang returned. As soon as Jing Wang entered the room, he ordered everyone in the room to leave, and then said, "Don't tell anyone else about what Heshou said."
Yuchen looked up at Jing Wang and asked, "You know about Heshou?" She hadn't expected the Emperor to tell Jing Wang.
Jing Wang nodded. "I know everything. It seems that Teacher Song was right, your Si Mei is indeed a scourge and should have been gotten rid of long ago."
Yuchen frowned when she heard this. "Even if Heshou's words are true, and Yuxi has lived two lifetimes, she has never done anything to harm others in all these years. On the contrary, she has helped many people."
Jing Wang said, "You don't understand these things, so I won't blame you this time. But, you can't tell anyone else about this, and you can't send any messages to Han Siℹ️." The last sentence was already a warning.
Yuchen felt uncomfortable, but she nodded anyway. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone else, and I won't send any messages to my Si Mei. However, Heshou said that you were the Emperor and I was the Empress in the previous life, so the Emperor will definitely be wary of you because of this."
Jing Wang said, "You're thinking too much, the Emperor won't suspect me." They, brothers, had a very good relationship, how could they be affected by these few words?
If the Emperor could strike against Yuxi, who posed no real threat to him, how could he possibly spare the two of them? The reason he didn't make a move now was because he still needed Jing Wang's assistance. Yuchen didn't say much, Jing Wang wouldn't listen anyway: "Wangye4, it's better to be careful in everything." She didn't want anything to happen to Jing Wang, otherwise, she and their child would surely be implicated.
Jing Wang looked at Yuchen's worried expression and assured her, "Don't worry, nothing will happen." He had been loyal to his Imperial Brother, and his Imperial Brother was well aware of this.
Yuchen said nothing more. What was the point? It was useless anyway.
The next morning, Yuchen was in her room, pruning a pot of orchids that had just been brought in from the greenhouse. Momo Gui walked in quickly from outside and informed Yuchen, "Wangfei3, the Emperor appointed Duke Han as Minister of War at the Imperial Court this morning." The Song and Yu families nearly lost their heads over this position, but they hadn't expected it to end up in Duke Han's hands.
When Yuchen heard this, her hand tightened and with a snap, she accidentally cut off the best branch of the orchid, causing the flowers to fall to the ground. Yuchen looked up and asked Momo Gui, "What did you say?"
Understanding Yuchen's discomfort, Momo Gui whispered, "Duke Han has been appointed Minister of War by the Emperor. There's no mistake about this."
Yuchen's face turned slightly dark as she asked, "They have no intention of informing Yuxi about Heshou, do they?" In truth, the Emperor's decision to appoint Han Jianming as Minister of War wasn't just because of this situation—it was also a reward for his contribution in exposing Yan Wushuang. Moreover, Han Jianming was capable and reliable. If he were incompetent, the Emperor wouldn't have entrusted him with such an important role.
Momo Gui nodded. "Compared to the Minister of War, Si Gunainai5 is nothing." For Duke Han, the interests of the family come first.
Yuchen fell into silence.
Momo Gui advised, "Wangfei3, we cannot interfere any further in this matter." Wangye4's warning last night carried the Emperor's intent as well. If Yuchen secretly sent a message to the Northwest and drew the Emperor's suspicion, the consequences would be severe.
Yuchen muttered to herself, "I hope Yuxi is lucky enough to avoid this disaster." She wanted to help, but there was nothing she could do.
Footnotes Full List
- 2 hours
- wang = king, fu = residence
- wang = king, fei = consort
- wang = king, ye = lord
- si = fourth, gunainai = (a respectful form of address for a married woman used by members of her parents' family) married daughter)
- the heir of a noble family
- Princess
- Noble Consort
- eldest brother
- The author used 韩四 (Hán sì). I don't know if the author meant to write shì (氏), but mistyped it as sì (四). 🤷🏻♀️ Since I'm not sure, I just left it as it is.
きつね's Musing
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi