The hall erupted into chaos at once. Physician Chu stepped forward to take his pulse, and the moment he touched Ying Fusheng he noticed that his hand was alarmingly hot.

Consort Ning was badly startled. She had just moved to go and see what was happening when she saw Physician Chu’s expression turn grave. She had no choice but to move closer to where Ying Fusheng lay, and was about to explain. “Sheng’er has not been well these past few days. It may be…”

The next moment, a single sentence stopped her where she stood.

“This is bad. The Sixth Prince has lost consciousness!”

The Sixth Prince had just resolved a serious matter, and then suddenly lost consciousness right there in the hall. The Empress Dowager could not stay in her seat and came over to see. The moment she touched Ying Fusheng’s arm, she was startled. Looking closely, she could see that the unconscious Ying Fusheng’s forehead was drenched in cold sweat. With a temperature this high, how had this child endured it all this time without a single word?

Empress Xu’s brow furrowed slightly. Her gaze swept briefly over the palace attendants around her.

The attendants moved quickly.

The Empress Dowager had the attendants move Ying Fusheng to a couch. Consort Ning had broken into a cold sweat. She wanted to speak, but the chaos gave her no opening. She could only follow the others over. Seeing the Crown Prince move to go and check on him, she reached out in a moment of panic and stopped him. “Your Highness, the Crown Prince!”

The Crown Prince looked over in puzzlement. Empress Xu and the Empress Dowager, who had been walking ahead, turned back and noticed Consort Ning’s strange behavior.

Seeing the odd looks from the palace attendants around her, Consort Ning realized she had overstepped. She hurried to explain. “The illness is severe. Your Highness is of precious constitution.”

It was fine if she ran into trouble, but in a few days the whole nation would be celebrating, and the Crown Prince could not afford any mishap.

Fortunately the Empress Dowager, mindful of the Crown Prince’s young age, did not allow him into the inner chamber.

But a few of those present wore strange expressions. The Sixth Prince had been kneeling in the hall pleading for Consort Ning for so long, yet Consort Ning had not shown anywhere near this much urgency over his wellbeing.

The physician taking Ying Fusheng’s pulse was Physician Chu.

Physician Chu was the head of the Imperial Medical Office and had taken the Empress Dowager’s pulse for years. The moment he touched that temperature, he knew something was wrong. Several needles later, the fever had still not broken. The unconscious Ying Fusheng’s brow was drawn tight, the thoughts behind it unrelenting. The physician could not help but reach out and smooth the furrow between his brows, then sent his personal medicine apprentice hurrying back to the Imperial Medical Office for medicine.

Ying Fusheng’s condition was very poor. After losing consciousness, he seemed to hover between sleep and waking, and the physician struggled more than once to keep him still, as though something urgent was driving him even in his stupor.

His burning hand touched the Empress Dowager. The unconscious child, unaware of what he was doing, closed his fingers around her cool hand and held on tight, the way a drowning person clutches at anything within reach. Before long, Ying Fusheng seemed to finally struggle free of a nightmare. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was unfocused, before gradually realizing it was the Empress Dowager before him and hastily let go.

The moment he released her hand, the Empress Dowager felt the emptiness in her palm. Seeing the child about to climb down from the bed, she reached out and stopped him.

Ying Fusheng caught sight of Consort Ning beyond the crowd and concealed the contempt in his eyes. His face was flushed, the fever threatening to strip away his consciousness, yet in that moment he remembered the purpose he had been scheming toward for so long. He feigned the dazed look of someone still in the grip of a fever and stared blankly outward. “Mother…”

The others present looked toward Consort Ning outside, only to find that she had not come in.

Too much had happened today. Consort Ning was still looking anxiously toward the outside, and only let out a breath of relief once she confirmed the Crown Prince had not followed in. But when she turned back toward the inner chamber, she suddenly realized everyone around her was looking at her. Consort Ning was taken aback, and then saw Ying Fusheng on the sickbed looking at her. She seemed to come to herself all at once and hurried over, resuming her usual performance of a devoted mother. “Sheng’er.”

Suppressing his revulsion at the smell of rouge and powder, Ying Fusheng had no choice but to play the part of a child with a normal attachment to his mother.

Too much had happened today, and it had all been too convenient. Most importantly, Ying Fusheng had arrived too conveniently. Consort Ning had initially been suspicious, but seeing Ying Fusheng’s feverish dependence, which did not seem feigned, she let out a small breath of relief. What had she been thinking? He was just a child. How could a child have schemed all of this?

Besides, Ying Fusheng had always been obedient to her. Thinking that the Wangyue Pavilion matter had been resolved because of him, Consort Ning’s mind eased a little. He was at least somewhat useful.

She was turning the sequence of events over in her mind, wearing a look of concern on her face and even squeezing out a few tears, entirely failing to notice that Ying Fusheng’s hand reached out several times toward the hem of her robe, and each time fell short.

The Empress Dowager happened to be standing nearby. She watched this mother and son face each other in silence, Ying Fusheng’s hand slipping away again and again without Consort Ning noticing. And in the hall earlier, when Ying Fusheng had collapsed, she had not gone to him either. It was the other attendants who had reacted first. The Empress Dowager gave Consort Ning a brief sideways glance and could not hold back. “You child, you are ill. Rest first. The Wangyue Pavilion matter is settled.”

Hearing that the Wangyue Pavilion matter was resolved, Ying Fusheng seemed to come back to himself. Before anyone could say more, he appeared to finally succumb to the exhaustion and lost consciousness.

Consort Ning saw that this little wretch had finally quieted down and let out a relieved breath, unaware that behind her the Empress Dowager’s expression was growing colder by the moment.

Seeing the room settle, she put on a show of concern and asked, “Physician, what is the matter with Sheng’er?”

“Wind-cold¹Wind-cold (风寒): a concept from Traditional Chinese Medicine referring to illness caused by the simultaneous invasion of wind and cold into the body. has entered the body and has not dispersed over many days. This subject has heard that the Sixth Prince fell into the water on a winter night some days ago. It is likely that the cold that took hold at that time has accumulated and still not cleared,” Physician Chu said carefully. “Judging by this pulse, His Highness has in all likelihood been running a recurring fever from the time of the fall until now. Today, with the Wangyue Pavilion matter, the cold invaded the heart, and when the tension finally gave way, the fever worsened dangerously. If the fever breaks, he will recover. If it does not, there is a risk of lasting damage.”

At these words, everyone present was alarmed. The palace attendants all knew about the Sixth Prince’s fall into the water, and the imperial physician had visited the Weiyang Palace several times. But Consort Ning had told everyone a few days after the fall that the Sixth Prince was no longer in any danger. Yet looking at the situation now, it was clear that the Sixth Prince had never fully recovered from the fall, and his condition was serious.

Consort Ning’s expression stiffened.

That was impossible. Just a few days ago Bizhu had told her the fever had broken, that he was only physically weak. How could he still be running a fever?

By the time she realized things had gone wrong, it was already too late. She turned and met the Empress Dowager’s reproachful gaze, and was so frightened that she dropped to her knees at once. Her mind was in chaos, and she could not understand why so many things had gone wrong today. She explained on instinct, “My son’s condition had improved in the past few days. This consort truly did not know his illness was this serious…”

She looked around for help, but no one around her came to her aid. She had no choice but to look toward Empress Xu.

“Consort Ning has been occupied with the Wangyue Pavilion arrangements lately. She must have been stretched too thin and overlooked things,” Empress Xu said, with tactful delicacy.

But the Empress Dowager, whose goodwill toward Ying Fusheng had surged when he turned the ill omen into an auspicious one, now had all her anger converging at once. First the Wangyue Pavilion incident, then the Sixth Prince’s collapse, and now Consort Ning had been negligent in overseeing the birthday banquet preparations and had neglected the ailing Sixth Prince as well. “As far as I can see, she has not managed a single thing properly!”

The Wangyue Pavilion had turned from misfortune to fortune, and those present had thought the Empress Dowager’s mood would improve. No one had expected her to fly into a rage at this moment.

Only then did the others remember that things turning out well did not mean the Empress Dowager would not hold anyone accountable. With something this serious happening at the time of His Majesty’s triumphant return and the Empress Dowager’s birthday, there was no way it could simply be let go.

Consort Ning was thoroughly frightened, and the Empress Dowager had no desire to hear any more of her explanations.

Before the Empress could intercede, the Empress Dowager had made up her mind and left with a wave of her hand.

Consort Ning could only look toward the Empress. She knew the Empress’s character. “Your Majesty, this consort truly…”

“I entrusted the Wangyue Pavilion to you precisely because I saw how careful you were. I did not expect this negligence today,” Empress Xu said.

“I will have someone else take over the Wangyue Pavilion matter. For the next few days, remain behind closed doors and reflect on your conduct.”

Consort Ning was anxious inside and wanted to say more.

But Empress Xu had already turned and left, taking the Crown Prince who had been waiting outside with her.

Before long, a eunuch from the Cining Palace arrived bearing the Empress Dowager’s decree.

“By the Empress Dowager’s decree: Consort Ning of the Ning family has failed in her duties, exercised poor oversight over those beneath her, and neglected the health of an imperial prince. She is hereby confined to her palace to reflect on her conduct, her monthly allowance is to be reduced for three months, she is to copy out the palace regulations one hundred times, and she is not to leave her quarters without a summons during this period.”

Consort Ning’s face went ashen. This was a complete confinement until the palace banquet.

“There is one more matter to inform Consort Ning of,” the eunuch continued. “The Empress Dowager, in her compassion, is concerned for the Sixth Prince. His Highness will remain at the Cining Palace to recuperate for the next few days. Consort Ning need not trouble herself.”

Consort Ning was completely stunned. By the time she came back to herself, the palace attendants had already come to escort her out.

Consort Ning was still calling Ying Fusheng’s name as she was led away. The Empress Dowager dismissed the other palace attendants on the grounds of illness, leaving only the physician to keep watch. The Crown Prince’s gaze lingered on the inner chamber. Only when there was no one else in sight did he follow Empress Xu and say quietly, “The Sixth Prince is staying here, then?”

Empress Xu glanced at him.

The Crown Prince’s gaze drifted, seemingly without purpose. Seeing a few of the Empress Dowager’s personal palace maids enter the side chamber, he looked away and said, “Grandmother rarely keeps anyone to stay. I only stayed twice myself, when I was small. It is somewhat unexpected.”

He paused, then said with an air of sympathy, “Seeing that Consort Ning is also very concerned about the Sixth Prince, yet cannot visit him, I find it rather a pity.”

Empress Xu’s gaze rested on the inner chamber, its entrance hidden behind heavy curtains. Her expression was largely undisturbed. When she heard what the Crown Prince said, she spoke. “This matter has been resolved, but Consort Ning still made errors. If the Empress Dowager did not deal with her strictly, it would be difficult to satisfy everyone.”

She said this and left. “The illness is severe. Do not go near.”

The Crown Prince said yes and said nothing more.

The Wangyue Pavilion matter was handed over to Empress Xu in the end. The Empress Dowager declined to receive visitors on the grounds of fatigue. Consort Ning was confined to the Weiyang Palace and forbidden to leave. The commotion over the Wangyue Pavilion spread with the account of the Sixth Prince’s auspicious omen, while details such as the silvervine were all suppressed, and the rumors within the palace gradually quieted.

The Cining Palace received no visitors. Only the Empress Dowager’s most trusted eunuch was permitted to approach.

The Empress Dowager sipped warm tea in quiet thought, sandalwood incense drifting around her. “Well?”

The eunuch gave a careful account of the Wangyue Pavilion matter. After the incident, the palace attendants conducted another check, and it had indeed been confirmed that the incense was the source of the problem. What the Sixth Prince said gave the guards a direction to investigate, but there were far too many points that did not add up. The Wangyue Pavilion and the Imperial Beast Garden were a considerable distance apart, and the beast handlers ordinarily chose little-traveled paths for their outings. With that much distance between them, even if something had been spilled during transport, it would not have been so easy to draw the wild beasts all the way to the Wangyue Pavilion.

After the imperial guards completed their search, they found that the amount of silvervine needed to draw the caged animals there was substantial, far exceeding what any ordinary incense would contain.

In other words, unless someone had scattered silvervine powder along the entire route, it would have been very difficult to achieve.

But the incident had happened suddenly, and the only person exposed at the center of it all was Consort Ning. No one else had appeared. And because of the chaos and the damage, it was very difficult to find any trace of evidence at the Wangyue Pavilion. The only person who could shed any light was the Sixth Prince, yet it was hardly possible that the Sixth Prince had been behind it. Any misstep in that direction would implicate Consort Ning and the Ning family.

Taken together, it looked like the deliberate work of someone with intent. Anyone with clear eyes could see that Consort Ning had been framed, but there was no evidence of the framing to be found.

After so many years in the palace, anyone who heard this much understood what it meant. Consort Ning had made an enemy of someone. The inner palace was full of underhanded methods, and there were plenty of ways to frame someone if one wanted to. The Empress Dowager had seen no shortage of such things in her youth. The Ning family had been in considerable favor with the Emperor these past few years, and even if Consort Ning herself did not compete for anything, she would still become a thorn in someone else’s side, and be targeted accordingly.

“How did the investigation of the Weiyang Palace go?”

“Consort Ning has been leaving early and returning late these past few days. The Sixth Prince fell into the water and has been ill for over half a month, and has barely left his bedchamber,” the eunuch answered, then continued. “This servant made inquiries. It is true that the Sixth Prince is fond of popular histories and miscellaneous books, and Consort Ning regularly sends him some.”

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager’s brow furrowed. An imperial prince who did not read the Four Books and other foundational texts, but read popular histories and miscellaneous books instead. Consort Ning truly did not know how to raise a child.

The eunuch mentioned a few more details. “When this servant looked into the Imperial Medical Office, it was found that His Highness, not wanting Consort Ning to worry, had sent his personal attendant to the Imperial Medical Office to fetch medicine. This servant asked, and it was all medicine for wind-cold, the same as what the physician had previously prescribed.”

Thinking of Physician Chu’s diagnosis, the Empress Dowager’s expression grew colder still. Consort Ning had been leaving early and returning late every day, managing everything herself, yet could not spare a moment to look after her own child? Had the Sixth Prince not risked himself to plead for her today, the omen matter alone would not have ended well.

“Regarding the outside, let it be said that this was an auspicious omen. Handle it according to what the Sixth Prince said.”

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes to rest. “Pass the word down. Tell those consorts to keep themselves in check.”

The coldness in the Empress Dowager’s eyes was resolute. “With the whole nation celebrating, if anything else goes wrong, I will not be lenient.”