Chapter 25

The newly-made Rubik’s Cube gave off a faint scent of pine wood mixed with paint.

Qin Jiu played with it in her hands for a while. Every side rotated smoothly. It was comparable in quality to the later Rubik’s Cubes. Moreover, it was exquisitely crafted, each side painted in vivid colors that immediately caught the eye.

As expected, Gu Zhen took an instant liking to it. Qin Jiu only had to show him once before the little boy played like an expert.

Click, click, click…

The crisp sound of the cube turning echoed in the air.

Gu Zhen seemed to have something on his mind. After playing for a while, he was unable to hold back and leaned close to Qin Jiuu, whispering in her ear:

“Cousin, let me tell you a secret. Yesterday, Imperial Mother went to pay her respects to Grandmother the Empress Dowager, and Imperial Grandmother scolded her.

“Imperial Grandmother said Mother’s hand reached too far.

“She also said, ‘Don’t forget that the Noble Consort is surnamed Liu!’

“Cousin Jiu, what is ‘someone’s hand reaches too far’?” Gu Zhen looked at Qin Jiu, his innocent face filled with confusion, “Did Imperial Mother do something wrong?”

Although his words were rather jumbled, Qin Jiu somehow understood.

She had been living in the palace for some time and knew that Empress Wei had been investigating the incident where Gu Zhen had fallen into the water at Qingjing Temple. Her investigation eventually led to the Noble Consort.

Over the past several days, under the pretext of reducing palace expenditures, Empress Wei had dismissed a group of palace servants, taking the opportunity to eliminate many of the Noble Consort’s spies planted throughout the imperial harem.

Qin Jiu also knew that the Noble Consort was not only the birth mother of the Second Prince, Gu Jing, but also the Empress Dowager’s own niece. Like the Empress Dowager, her surname was Liu.

So, the Empress Dowager was clearly standing up for the Noble Consort.

Qin Jiu rubbed Gu Zhen’s head, “What the Empress Dowager meant was that your mother shouldn’t meddle, but…”

She paused before continuing, “…your mother is the Empress, the mistress of the imperial harem. Managing the palace is both her responsibility and her authority.”

Bending down slightly so they were eye to eye, Qin Jiu spoke slowly and clearly.

“So your mother did nothing wrong.”

“Mm!” Gu Zhen smiled, his chubby little face lighting up as brightly as the morning sun. He nodded fervently, “I believe you, Cousin!”

Gu Zhen was relieved!

Although he hadn’t really understood what the Empress Dowager meant, Li Momo, one of the Empress Dowager’s attendants, had secretly told him that the Empress Dowager was angry with his mother and had urged him to persuade her to apologize. Only then would the Empress Dowager calm down.

Gu Zhen hadn’t fully understood, but somehow felt that it was wrong.

That was why he had furtively asked Qin Jiu.

Now Qin Jiu had told him that his mother hadn’t done anything wrong. Then that was fine!

His clear, mirror-like eyes were filled with trust as he said, “Actually… Imperial Grandmother doesn’t like me.”

Gu Zhen was only four years old. When he spoke of this, a hint of sadness inevitably appeared in his eyes.

“Your mother likes you. His Majesty likes you. And I like you too.” Qin Jiu said with a warm smile that bloomed like a flower, “As for the people who don’t like Zhen’er, we don’t have to beg them to.”

“Mhm!”

Gu Zhen nodded vigorously again, a pair of small dimples appearing at the corners of his mouth.

That’s right. He still had his mother, his father, and his cousin.

His gaze fell on the Rubik’s Cube in Qin Jiu’s hands. He twitched his eyebrow and pointed at it, “That’s wrong, you should turn it this way instead!”

“It’s obviously to the right!” Qin Jiu insisted.

“Cousin, if you don’t believe me, you’ll regret it!”

“…”

The cousins chatted and laughed together, neither of them noticing that Empress Wei had been standing quietly outside the doorway for some time.

She did not go in. Instead, she simply turned around and left.

“Your Majesty, who knows what that one is plotting?” Xu Momo said indignantly. She had been Empress Wei’s wet nurse and had accompanied her into the Eastern Palace when she married the Crown Prince. Her loyalty to the Empress was absolute, “She even tried to manipulate His Highness, hoping to drive a wedge between mother and son.”

Empress Wei’s expression darkened.

During the past few days, every piece of evidence she had uncovered pointed toward the Noble Consort. She was almost certain that it was the Noble Consort who wanted to harm her son.

Hidden within her sleeves, Empress Wei’s hands clenched into fists, her fingernails digging deep into her palms as her thoughts raced.

If Zhen’er had truly been instigated by the Empress Dowager to quarrel with her and urge her to admit her mistake, then she most likely would have yielded for the sake of her son.

The Empress Dowager knew her too well. She knew that her greatest weakness was Zhen’er.

Empress Wei said with icy sarcasm, “The Empress Dowager dotes on Gu Jing as if he were the apple of her eye. As for Zhen’er, he’s just a tool to be used!”

“Fortunately Miss Jiu was here,” Nanny Xu said with relief, “Your Majesty’s kindness toward her wasn’t wasted.”

Smiling faintly, Empress Wei nodded. A hint of amusement flickered past her eyes that had previously chilled, “Xu Momo, this Empress finally understands now. A counterfeit will always be a counterfeit.”

“Your Majesty is right,” Xu Momo agreed. “This servant has always felt there was a distance between Your Majesty and Qin Xin.”

“Back then, this Empress truly wanted to treat her well, but I could never bring myself to feel close to her.” Empress Wei sighed and added, “However, that’s not the case with Xiao Jiu.”

“Your Majesty, about the Noble Consort and the Empress Dowager…” Xu Momo hesitantly asked, “should we inform His Majesty?”

Empress Wei shook her head, “His Majesty hasn’t been in good health lately, and he still has to deal with Northern Yan’s envoys.”

After a pause, she calmly stated, “Let’s wait until the Thousand Autumn Festival is over.”

At the mention of the “Thousand Autumn Festival”, Xu Momo frowned, anger flashing across her face.

Earlier, the Empress Dowager had suggested having the Noble Consort share the responsibilities of managing the palace using the excuse that the Empress must be exhausted preparing the birthday celebrations. Empress Wei had deftly sidestepped the proposal, pretending to not understand.

After all, the Thousand Autumn Festival was held every year. Empress Wei had long since developed a system for preparing. Most matters simply followed established precedent.

Still, the Empress Dowager’s words had given her an idea. The next day, while handling palace affairs, she brought Qin Jiu along with her.

Qin Jiu: “…”

Seeing Qin Jiu’s bewildered expression, Empress Wei couldn’t help smiling as she explained, “Little Jiu, your mother is gone, and your grandmother isn’t reliable… You’ll get married one day, so you may as well start learning from Auntie how to manage a household early.

“In truth, running an estate isn’t all that different from managing the imperial palace. It’s just matters of food, clothing, housing, and daily affairs. We don’t have to handle every little detail ourselves and only need to control the overall direction. Otherwise, why would we keep so many servants?”

Since Empress Wei put it that way, Qin Jiu could only obediently accept the account book the Empress handed her.

Empress Wei smiled in satisfaction before adding, “You’ll have your coming-of-age ceremony next year. When the time comes, Auntie will find you a good marriage.”

Qin Jiu had just been about to open the account book when those words struck her like a bolt of lightning, stunning her in place.

Right, it seemed that in ancient times, a girl who reached fifteen and underwent her coming-of-age ceremony was considered ready for marriage.

The original body was already fourteen…

Qin Jiu’s eyes flew wide open and she felt uneasy all over.

“Little Jiu, once you’ve finished reading this ledger…”

Empress Wei’s gentle voice continued beside her, but Qin Jiu was so absorbed in the dreadful news that she would soon be expected to marry that she couldn’t hear another word.

Normally, Empress Wei only handled palace affairs during the mornings. However, since she was teaching Qin Jiu, she deliberately slowed her pace.

Before lunch, Xu Momo stepped out for a while. When she returned, she reported, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has already sent people to the Jingzhao Prefecture to release Daoist Master Yunguang.”

Empress Wei gracefully set down her spoon. Raising one elegant finger, she dabbed the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, nodding and asking: “Where are they now?”

“They’re currently at Cining Palace, giving lectures on the Dao to the Empress Dowager and rehearsing alchemical formulas.” Xu Momo answered.

Empress Wei smiled and instructed, “Go to Cining Palace and tell them that, knowing the Empress Dowager’s devotion to the Dao, this Empress specially arranged for a Daoist hall near Cining Palace for Daoist Master Yunguang.”

Xu Momo acknowledged the order and withdrew.

Empress Wei gave Qin Jiu a meaningful wink.

Qin Jiu pursed her lips into a smile, her eyes curving like crescent moons, exuding an air of innocence.

It had been Qin Jiu’s idea to deliberately leak the news that Daoist Master Yunguang had been arrested and taken to the Jingzhao Prefecture.

The Empress Dowager trusted Daoist Master Yunguang. Sure enough, she easily arranged for the Daoist to be brought out of the prefecture and into the palace.

“Little Jiu,” Empress Wei asked once more, “can you really ascertain that there’s something wrong with those pills?”

Qin Jiu nodded firmly.

She couldn’t have been more certain. Those alchemical pills definitely should not be taken over a long period of time!

Empress Wei trusted Qin Jiu and asked no further. Instead, she changed the subject, “Little Jiu, after lunch, finish reading that account book.”

Qin Jiu: “…”

The moment she thought of all those pages filled with numbers and traditional Chinese characters, even the food in her mouth suddenly lost its flavor.

The Empress Dowager’s birthday was on the twenty-first day of the tenth lunar month.

Early that morning, Old Madam Qin dressed in the formal attire of a first-rank noblewoman and entered the palace with her daughter-in-law Madam Su and Qin Xin.

They first went to Fengluan Palace to pay their respects to Empress Wei. The moment they stepped into the main hall, they saw Qin Jiu seated beside the Empress.

Naturally, the eyes of Old Madam Qin and the others inevitably fell on her.

After ten days had passed, Qin Jiu seemed different once again. Her complexion was noticeably fairer, and her bearing had changed as well. She now carried herself with a calm, elegant composure. The slight upward curve of her lips gave her an air of effortless confidence, and she possessed the dignified grace expected of the legitimate daughter of a noble family.

Old Madam Qin’s feelings were complicated.

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

After paying her respects to Empress Wei, Old Madam Qin turned to Qin Jiu with a slight frown: “Jiu’er, come home with us today. Don’t continue troubling Her Majesty by staying in the palace.”

The day Qin Jiu had stormed out of Ronghe Hall, Old Madam Qin had been completely caught off guard. Before she had even gathered her wits, Qin Xin had anxiously said, “Grandmother, do you think Third Sister has gone to complain to Her Majesty? Maybe it’d be better if I moved to the country estate…”

Hearing that only made Old Madam Qin angrier, so she had deliberately chosen not to enter the palace, expecting Qin Jiu to eventually give in and apologize.

But Qin Jiu never did.

Instead, she simply settled into the imperial palace as though nothing had happened.

Now, seeing Qin Jiu sitting beside Empress Wei with a closeness almost like that of mother and daughter, Old Madam Qin couldn’t hold back a trace of awkwardness from showing on her face.

No matter what, she had seen Qin Jiu today. If she still failed to bring the girl home, she would have no excuse left.

Qin Jiu merely smiled with her lips pressed together and made no response to Old Madam Qin’s words.

Empress Wei slowly brushed away the tea leaves floating on the surface of her tea with the lid of her teacup before speaking calmly, “Old Madam Qin… have you figured out what you did wrong?”