Chapter 19
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He quietly went to see Cheng Xianzhang and found him looking straight ahead with a calm expression, seemingly harboring no resentment about what had just happened.
This was somewhat strange. He had previously speculated that Cheng Xianzhang might have feelings for Yu Ying; otherwise, he wouldn’t have said those things. Yet now, Cheng’s demeanor seemed too indifferent.
However, no matter how he thought about it, Yu Ying appeared to have no lingering feelings for him.
At this moment, Zheng Boru felt that everything was moving in a favorable direction. If the fire in Qingning Palace was an accident, the Empress was already injured, and the Emperor seemed to pity her, with no intention of deposing her, then the Yu family would be safe. If the fire was deliberately set, it was certainly related to the death of the little princess, and both cases could be solved simultaneously, clearing the Empress of suspicion and sparing her and the Yu family.
Yet this seemingly straightforward case took an unexpected turn by the afternoon.
The more they investigated, the more they suspected the Empress had lied.
The Empress claimed in her sickbed that she had a cold and headache, was in a coma, and knew nothing.
But in reality, two young palace maids had heard her coughing almost continuously in the early hours of the night, coughing through the night, and she had also coughed the previous two nights. They stayed by her side, clearly seeing that she hardly slept—no one could sleep soundly while coughing like that.
Moreover, at the time of the fire, one palace maid fell asleep inexplicably after drinking a bowl of medicinal soup, while another was sent by the Empress to fetch snow pear soup. It was summer and midnight—hard to find snow pears. The young maid searched everywhere but couldn’t get any.
During this time, Qingning Palace caught fire.
They also found anomalies amid the ashes. The veteran captain guessed that someone had poured lamp oil on the floor before the fire started.
The maid who fell asleep cried during interrogation, saying the medicine was given by the Empress, suspected to contain a sedative, originally the Empress’s own medicine.
In short... everything pointed to the fire being started by the Empress herself.
However, without the official court records, they didn’t know how far the investigation into the little princess’s case had progressed, or whether the Empress had committed suicide out of guilt or because she foresaw being implicated.
Regardless, the Empress’s suicide was a grave crime and a scandal in the palace.
Consorts in the harem were not allowed to take their own lives, as it would disgrace the royal family; even if they were to die, it had to be by the Emperor’s order.
Once a consort committed suicide, not only would she perish, but her family would also be implicated.
At dusk, after all inquiries were completed, the Emperor summoned Zheng Boru and Cheng Xianzhang to the study to ask about their findings.
Zheng Boru answered first, presenting the case files: “I believe this case was accidental. The Imperial Court’s investigation into Qingning Palace led to the detention of palace personnel. The two palace maids serving the Empress were new and negligent in their duties, allowing a candle flame to ignite the curtains unnoticed. The Empress was severely ill and unconscious, unable to call for help, nearly perishing.”
This was the answer he decided on after careful consideration.
Attributing the matter to an accident was the outcome both the Emperor and the Yu family wished for.
Revealing the truth would be unacceptable to the Emperor and disastrous for both the Empress and the Yu family. He was unwilling to personally drag them into such a calamity.
The Emperor flipped through the documents, stopping at a certain point. As he read carefully, his expression gradually darkened.
Having once been an imperial prince and served at the Censorate, he was familiar with many case files and understood what certain clues and interrogations implied.
This file contained considerable doubts, subtly suggesting the fire was not as Zheng Boru claimed.
After a long silence, he looked up and asked Cheng Xianzhang, “What is your opinion, Zijun?”
Cheng Xianzhang replied directly, “I believe Minister Zheng’s words are a whitewash. Although there is no solid evidence, it is certain that the Empress lied to us. Though bedridden, she was awake at the time. It’s impossible she didn’t notice the fire spreading. The only explanation is that she chose not to save herself, or rather, she intended to die.”
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“How dare you!” the Emperor thundered, “Zijun, do you know what you’re saying?”
Cheng Xianzhang knelt and said, “Your Majesty commanded us to thoroughly investigate the cause of the fire in the inner palace. I speak what I believe to be the truth. We can conclude that the fire was caused by a candle igniting the curtains, but whether it was accidental or deliberate, we cannot determine. Only one person knows the truth—the Empress. But due to her status, though I suspect she lied, we cannot interrogate her again, so the truth remains unknown.”
The Emperor suddenly slammed the case files onto the floor.
Zheng Boru also knelt down. The study fell into complete silence.
After a long moment, the Emperor said, “Qizhou, you may leave. Zijun, stay.”
Zheng Boru withdrew, leaving Cheng Xianzhang kneeling alone before the desk.
The Emperor’s voice was unusually calm as he asked, “I recall you were once a son-in-law of the Yu family.”
Cheng Xianzhang bowed his head: “Yes.”
“In your theory, the Empress intended to end her life. If she denies this vehemently, then you are guilty of slandering the Empress!” the Emperor said.
Cheng Xianzhang replied, “I have no right to question the Empress. I believe no matter how much I question her, she will repeat her previous words—that she passed out and knew nothing about the fire. But if Your Majesty truly wishes to know the truth and cares about it, perhaps you should ask her. She might then speak honestly.”
“What do you mean?” the Emperor’s tone slowed, clearly angered. “What do you mean by ‘I care about the truth’?”
Cheng Xianzhang said, “If Your Majesty does not care about the truth, then Minister Zheng’s version of an accidental fire is the best answer. But if Your Majesty does care, perhaps you can glimpse the Empress’s intentions. I believe... although Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, you and the Empress are husband and wife. Perhaps you want to understand why she did this.”
The Emperor remained silent. After a moment, Cheng Xianzhang continued, “The favored consort gave birth to a princess, and the whole nation celebrated. Naturally, the Empress was happy for Your Majesty. But then many eyes turned toward her. Rumors spread throughout court and country that Your Majesty intended to depose her.
“The Empress could not be unaware and must have been tormented. Meanwhile, the little princess suddenly met a tragic fate. All in the harem were interrogated, including the Empress’s palace. Minister Chen’s actions were to expedite Your Majesty’s wishes, treating all equally and impartially. For the Empress, this was a tremendous humiliation.
“I heard even the Empress’s family was summoned to the Court of Justice for questioning. Regardless of the final truth or whether the Empress was involved, her dignity was shattered. The dignity of the Mother of the Nation was lost. It would be better for her to die now from an accident. If the Court finds she is innocent, there could be a sigh of regret. This may be better than living.”
The Emperor fixed his gaze on him, sneered coldly, and said, “An impressive theory and eloquence. One would think you were the Empress’s confidant. You may leave.”
The last three words were spoken rapidly, without a trace of feeling.
Cheng Xianzhang knew he had angered the Emperor. He said no more, bowed deeply, and withdrew.
The Emperor sat long at the desk, feeling shocked, weary, hesitant, angry, and relieved all at once.
He had always prided himself on being a wise and benevolent ruler, yet now his ministers spoke openly that his Empress intended to take her own life.
If not out of guilt, then she must have been driven to desperation. It was clearly the latter—by whom? By him, the Emperor.
What had he done to make his proud Empress want to die in protest?
After sitting for a long time, he finally went to the Zichen Palace and stood before the Empress’s sickbed.
Madam Yu and Yu Ying had already left. The palace maids dared not be careless and stood vigilantly at her side. Seeing him, they knelt and saluted hastily.
The Empress lay there. The Emperor asked, “Is the Empress asleep?”
A palace maid replied, “Perhaps. She was awake just now.”
The Emperor glanced again at the bed and said, “You may all withdraw.”
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The palace maids hesitated but still all withdrew.
The Emperor sat by the bed and spoke calmly, “You should know the court’s law enforcement officers are not mere formalities. They have investigated Qingning Palace all day and can find the truth of the fire.”
The Empress still did not open her eyes. The Emperor gritted his teeth and said, “Stop pretending. Answer me!”
The Empress finally opened her eyes, propping herself up. The Emperor looked at her, voice cold as ice, “No need, you may answer lying down.”
The Empress coughed twice before speaking, “Forgive me, Your Majesty, my illness prevents me from rising to greet you. Does Your Majesty mean the fire was not an accident?”
The Emperor stared without blinking, “Yes, not an accident. Cheng Zijun clearly said you lied. The most likely scenario is you set the fire yourself. Is that so?”
“Why would Cheng Zijun say that? I have no reason...” the Empress countered.
She spoke calmly, telling lies, but the Emperor saw clearly that everything Cheng Xianzhang said was true—the fire was set by the Empress herself!
He hated seeing her like this.
He forced himself to ask, “Why did you do this? You must ask yourself. But I warn you, since you chose this path, do not blame me for being ruthless. I will punish your entire family for great disrespect!”
The Empress was silent for a long time before saying, “Then what does Your Majesty want me to do? If I endure, my family will be implicated; if I die, they will also suffer because of me. Since the court’s law officers are no idle show and will find that I have nothing to do with the little princess’s death, why do they continue to persecute me?”
“Has someone convicted you? Has someone pinned the crime on you? From your words, it seems someone wants to wrongfully accuse you!” the Emperor said sternly.
The Empress remained silent.
The Emperor stood and said, “Speak! If this were anyone else, I would have ordered their punishment long ago. I still come here to give you a chance to defend yourself!”
But the Empress answered calmly, “I have never been good at reading Your Majesty’s intentions. I implore Your Majesty to tell me how to ensure the Yu family’s safety. I will obey.”
The Emperor let out a cold laugh, truly fed up with her.
He seemed ruthless and cold, a tyrant, while she was playing a long, weary act in the palace. If they were not Emperor and Empress, perhaps she would have divorced like her sister.
He said bitterly, “Yu Yao, I really don’t understand how you became like this. You used to be gentle and understanding. Why now are you so unlike others, never showing me a bit of sympathy?
“The northern rebellion, the floods in Huzhou, as a ruler without an heir, I worry day and night. Finally, a princess is born, only to be poisoned... I regret and hate that I could not ensure her care. Rumors spread inside and outside the palace, saying I lack virtue and am unfit to be Emperor. And you... you offer not a single word of comfort but add fuel to the fire. What have I done that you want to die?”
The Empress closed her eyes, two clear tears falling from them.
The Emperor shouted, “Speak! If you don’t want your family implicated, then answer me honestly!”
More tears streamed down, and after a long time, the Empress weakly said, “I do not know. Though my beauty has faded, youth is gone, and I am not one to coquettishly seek favor, nor can I give you heirs, I have still been by Your Majesty’s side for over a decade. Yet you still do not understand my nature and let those at the Court of Justice trample me.
“If that is so, then Your Majesty might as well grant me a swift end, so I may end my own life and let the favored consort take my place.”