# Chapter Forty-Seven
The affair between Qi Hao and that palace maid spread like wildfire. The Emperor was practically fuming with rage—he wished he could devour both Qi Hao and that girl alive. But in his heart, he knew that even if he cooked them alive, it would only make the gossip spread even faster.
The Emperor's intention had been to quietly execute anyone who knew about the scandal and suppress the matter as best he could. That was why, after the incident occurred, he had not consulted his trusted advisors. But now the whole world knew about it, and there was no point in hiding anything. The Emperor summoned several of his most trusted ministers into the palace, and the sovereign and his subjects discussed countermeasures together.
The Emperor rubbed his brow wearily and said in a low voice, "You probably know why I've called you here. Speak freely—what's being said out there?"
One minister hesitated before replying quietly, "Your Majesty, the rumors among the common people are quite unsavory. They say that Your Majesty is..."
The Emperor let out a cold laugh. "That I'm debauched and tyrranical, imitating Tang Xuanzong, coveting my daughter-in-law. Am I right?"
The minister paused, then nodded. "Precisely. Now someone has even spread a little jingle. Though it doesn't name you directly, it uses an ancient story to mock Your Majesty."
The Emperor sneered. "So besides Tang Xuanzong, there's another? What ancient story? Tell me."
The minister sighed. "'The Xin Tai takes a daughter-in-law.'"
The Emperor nearly choked on his rage, coming close to spitting out blood on the spot. The ministers, seeing the Emperor's ashen expression, hastily knelt and implored, "Your health is of the utmost importance, Your Majesty. Please, don't be angry. Let's focus on finding a solution..."
The Emperor forcibly suppressed the raging fury in his chest and after a long moment said, "All of you, rise..."
Another minister looked hesitant, his voice grave. "I venture to speak out of turn... but may I ask what exactly happened yesterday? I won't hide it from Your Majesty—there are all sorts of rumors circulating now, and we officials have only pieced things together from fragments. We don't know the full story. Only when we understand what truly happened can we devise proper countermeasures."
The Emperor gritted his teeth and recounted the earlier events. One minister, after listening, furrowed his brow deeply and said quietly, "This matter was clearly the Second Prince's doing... forgive me, Your Majesty, but it was the Second Prince's fault. Why, then, are all the rumors outside directed at Your Majesty?"
The Emperor coldly laughed. "Even I can't figure that out. How did the woman Empress prepared for Me become Qi Hao's beloved? From those rumors, it sounds like the two of them were mutually in love, and I was the one trying to steal what belonged to another."
"The rumors spread too quickly—there must have been someone deliberately behind it, intentionally turning the finger of blame toward Your Majesty. But to what end?" one minister slowly reasoned. "I would die a thousand deaths, Your Majesty. Could this matter be connected to the Feng family? After all... with this, the Second Prince would be absolved."
A minister beside him shook his head hastily at this. "That doesn't seem likely... The Feng family wouldn't dare such a thing. And besides, this only makes the uninformed common people think the Second Prince is innocent. Your Majesty wouldn't spare the Second Prince because of this—so what would be the point? Furthermore, this was originally a matter that could have been suppressed. Would the Feng residence really want to make such a spectacle of it? The cost would be too great."
"Then... could it have been the Crown Prince?" one minister cautiously watched the Emperor's expression. "Or perhaps Princess DunSu?"
"I venture to speak... Empress Dowager also knew of this matter, and a mother's love for her child runs deep..."
"Princess Dexin was also present at the time..."
The ministers in the hall debated endlessly, pulling out everyone who knew about the matter for careful analysis. Though each person had motive, each also had sufficient reason not to act. After a chaotic half-day of analysis, they still arrived at no definite conclusion. The Emperor's heart grew more troubled and irritable. He coldly snapped, "Without evidence, what's the point of arguing?! Investigate quietly first. Unravel it thread by thread, slowly trace the source to find whoever is pulling the strings! What's most important now is how to resolve this incident!"
An elderly minister who had remained silent for some time stepped forward, bowed, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Now... it would be unwise to punish the Second Prince and that maid further. Everyone believes Your Majesty was the one who forcibly took what belonged to another. If at this point Your Majesty were to severely punish them with thunderous fury, it would only confirm the earlier rumors. In this humble official's opinion, Your Majesty might as well simply bestow that maid upon the Second Prince. Don't mention the past—just say she was an ordinary female official from the Empress's side, and on the thirtieth day, the Second Prince took one look at her and fell in love, which is how things came to be. That's all."
Before the old minister had even finished speaking, another minister shook his head. "This plan isn't foolproof. Many people in the palace knew that maid was someone Empress Feng intended to present to Your Majesty. And yesterday there were imperial relatives and nobles present in the palace—how could this be kept secret?"
The old minister turned to glance at that minister, his expression unruffled. "What's more important—silencing the countless gossips under heaven, or plugging the mouths of a few imperial relatives?"
The minister was left speechless. The old minister continued, "Once Your Majesty's stance is clear, those who know about the previous matter will naturally know what should be said and what shouldn't. The rumors will crumble without being refuted. Though it will still take some time to calm down, it's still better than letting the rumors grow more and more vicious. This method isn't perfect, but a better one... this old official simply cannot think of."
The Emperor let out a long sigh and nodded. "So be it."
The officials continued to refine the plan according to the elderly minister's train of thought, discussing every detail. The Emperor hadn't spoken for a while, then said heavily, "Once this matter is settled... investigate immediately. I must know... exactly who is creating trouble out of nothing!"
---
Outside the palace, at the Crown Prince's residence, Qi Xiao closed the door and dismissed everyone. He lowered his voice and said coldly, "The rumors outside... was it you who spread them?"
Bai Ren's thin lips pressed together. He nodded slightly.
Qi Xiao was beside himself with rage. He suppressed the urge to physically attack Bai Ren and said through gritted teeth, "Are you tired of living? Do you have any idea who you are?! If the Emperor finds out it was you, he'll take your life without hesitation! Don't think that just because he protects you on the surface, he won't—given his sensitive spot, he'd rather risk going to war with Lingnan than not deal with you first!"
Bai Ren shook his head. "He won't find out... The people who did my bidding left the capital long ago. By the time Your Majesty investigates, they'll probably already be back in Lingnan. With no one left and no trace, the Emperor will find nothing."
Qi Xiao's brow creased deeply. This morning he had left the palace together with Bai Ren—he had gone to oversee the Ministry of Rites' New Year preparations, while Bai Ren had returned to the Lingnan Prince's residence to honor ancestors and offer incense. Which meant... this was a message Bai Ren had released early on.
Qi Xiao stared at Bai Ren in disbelief. "I've already dealt with Qi Hao for you. What else aren't you satisfied with? Why risk everything to do this?!"
Bai Ren raised his head to look at Qi Xiao and said seriously, "The Second Prince once humiliated me. Though the wound on my neck has healed... I still remember what happened before."
Qi Xiao felt utterly incredulous. He couldn't help but laugh. "Didn't I get revenge for you?! Because of the Cat Alley incident, Qi Hao lost the Emperor's favor and couldn't recover for half a year. What more do you want?!"
"That was the Crown Prince punishing him. I owe the Crown Prince for that favor, but in the end, it wasn't my own hand that dealt the blow." For once, there was a stubborn note in Bai Ren's voice. "Even setting aside what happened before—about this incident alone, I've already found out the truth. This matter was aimed at me from the start. Those two girls... were kept by Empress Feng to deal with me."
Qi Xiao was struck dumb. For the first time, he understood what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot. He had instructed Jiang Deqing to let Bai Ren in on the earlier events, but never had he intended for Bai Ren to seek revenge...
Looking into Bai Ren's furious eyes, Qi Xiao was reminded of what Princess DunSu had once told him... No matter the circumstances, Bai Ren was the heir to the Lingnan Prince's estate. His status was noble. He could not be bullied with impunity. Once he had the chance, he would never let himself suffer even the slightest wrong.
Qi Xiao's anger turned to bitter laughter. "How heroic, Your Highness the Prince! Really, Your Highness..." Qi Xiao stepped forward and shoved Bai Ren against the wall. He lowered his head and stared fixedly into Bai Ren's eyes. "I've humiliated you plenty. I've schemed against you plenty. I wonder—when Your Highness finally has enough power, how does Your Highness plan to return all the things I've done to Your Highness these past six months? Hm?"
Bai Ren was taken aback. Something like grievance flashed in his eyes, but he turned his head away and said nothing.
Qi Xiao coldly laughed. "Go on. Tell me. So I'll be prepared. Are you planning to send me through hell and high water?"
Bai Ren was so angry that he kept his head lowered, refusing to look at Qi Xiao's face. Unintentionally, his gaze swept over the jade piece (玉玦) that had always hung at Qi Xiao's waist. His eyes instantly turned red. He said hoarsely, "You think I want to harm you? Through hell and high water? The one who'd die for certain is me!"
Bai Ren had always been the patient, enduring type. If Qi Xiao had spoken to him gently as usual, Bai Ren would have spoken his mind. But Qi Xiao had come at him today with harsh words and fierce accusations, and all the words Bai Ren wanted to say were stuck in his chest, unable to come out. Now hearing Qi Xiao's words about "hell and high water," his heart ached unbearably. He snatched the jade piece from Qi Xiao's waist and, with a violent twist, tried to push past him toward the door.
"How dare you!" What had been only three parts anger in Qi Xiao was now激发成了十分. He hadn't been paying attention before, so Bai Ren had caught him off guard. This time he grabbed Bai Ren and pulled him back. With no regard for gentleness, he lifted the man and threw him onto the bed, then snatched back the jade piece in his hand with a mocking smile. "What, don't want to give it to me anymore? Who were you planning to give it to instead?"
Bai Ren flew into a rage. He tried to get up and grab it back, but his body was too frail and he had no strength. After a few failed attempts, he was subdued. Qi Xiao tore down the bed curtains and, with几条 strips of cloth, bound Bai Ren tightly.
"Qi Xiao! How dare you!"
"What don't I dare to do?!" When Qi Xiao had received Bai Ren, he had told himself repeatedly: absolutely no losing his temper, just scare him a little so he'd know his limits. But the usually docile Bai Ren had actually bared his teeth today. Qi Xiao had never been good-tempered, and the fact that Bai Ren had dared to talk back to him had already annoyed him. And now Bai Ren actually wanted to take back the jade piece?!
This jade piece was something the Lingnan Princess had given to Bai Ren. And Bai Ren had repeatedly told him: even if it were smashed to pieces, it must never be given to someone else. Qi Xiao understood this was something extremely important. The Princess's intention was probably to pass it down to a future Princess Consort. Qi Xiao had accepted this gesture of affection, never expecting that Bai Ren would actually want to take it back.
Qi Xiao forcibly suppressed the raging fury in his heart. He was afraid that if he lost his temper, he might hurt Bai Ren. So he simply tied the man up to prevent him from provoking further anger, then pushed open the door and left to cool off.
---
Jiang Deqing had been guarding outside the bedchamber the whole time. The sounds from inside had made his heart jump into his throat. When he saw Qi Xiao come out, he quickly bowed and tried to smooth things over. "Please calm your anger, Your Highness. His Highness the Prince is still young. There may have been some inappropriate words. Please overlook it, Your Highness. Don't let anger cloud your judgment and truly hurt him. In the end, wouldn't it be Your Highness who would have to bear the heartache?"
Qi Xiao coldly laughed and walked forward without stopping. Jiang Deqing hastily followed, bowing. "Your Highness knows what His Highness's temperament is like. He understands everything in his heart, but simply cannot put it into words. Your Highness has always been able to accommodate him—so why not today?"
Qi Xiao stopped in his tracks. After a pause, he handed the jade piece he had been clutching to Jiang Deqing and said coldly, "Find some knowledgeable old scholars. Have them carefully examine what this thing means..."
If possible, let it be just a token of affection. Otherwise...
Qi Xiao closed his eyes. He then went to the study in the front, where he set about having people redirect the rumors toward the Feng family. No matter what, he couldn't let anyone trace this back to Bai Ren.
---
When the first night watch sounded, Jiang Deqing returned with the jade piece. Qi Xiao glanced at him and said calmly, "Did you have it examined?"
Jiang Deqing nodded, a look of astonishment on his face. "Incredible... This servant had thought the characters carved on this jade were Sanskrit. I consulted several scholars, but none could read them. Finally, Shun Zi found an eighty-year-old scholar at a pawnshop on Shuyuan Lane. After asking him, only then did we understand—the characters on it aren't Sanskrit at all. They're talismanic symbols. And this isn't an ordinary jade pendant. The scholar said... this is called a Life Token (命符)."
Qi Xiao was stunned for a moment. "A Life Token?"
Jiang Deqing nodded and continued, "This isn't from our region. The scholar said this object originated in Southern Border and is a relic from the previous dynasty. They're quite rare now. The so-called Life Token means..."
Jiang Deqing raised his eyes to look at Qi Xiao and苦笑了一声. "Life Token, Life Token—it means taking on fate in place of the sovereign, substituting one's own life in exchange."
"Your Highness mentioned this was something the Lingnan Princess gave to His Highness, correct? Then it's understandable. A mother protective of her child would want to give the Life Token to her son, hoping that if ever the worst came to pass, she could bear all suffering on his behalf. His Highness refuses to wear it because he's filial. But then His Highness gave it to Your Highness... Doesn't Your Highness understand what that means?"
Jiang Deqing sighed. "The scholar said... with one giving and one wearing, the fates of two people become intertwined. His Highness the Prince... is bearing a life for Your Highness. Sigh... This old servant never believed in such things, but the scholar said, the people of Southern Border truly do believe in this..."
Qi Xiao drew a deep breath. Bai Ren had once told him: if one day you no longer like me, even if you smash it or destroy it, it must never be given to someone else. He had been afraid that, inadvertently, someone else would inherit his fate...
At the time, Qi Xiao had teased him, asking: since it's meant to bring good fortune, why didn't you wear it before? Bai Ren had just smiled without answering. Qi Xiao had then assumed that this was merely an excuse, and that the jade piece was actually meant for one's beloved...
Qi Xiao's throat tightened. He had just said to Bai Ren: are you planning to send me through hell and high water? And Bai Ren had said: if that were truly the case, the one who would die for certain was himself...
Now Qi Xiao understood everything.
He hadn't been wrong after all. This jade piece was indeed a token of affection from Bai Ren. But while others gave treasures or jewels as tokens of love, what Bai Ren had given him was his own life.
Qi Xiao's eyes burned red. He took the jade piece and, pushing open the door, went out into the heavy snow. He walked toward the bedchamber...