Chapter One Hundred and Six
In noble households, silver adorned the tableware. Take Qi Xiao, for instance—before the age of ten, everything he consumed was served in silver utensils. That entire set of exquisite silver-engraved small plates and bowls was still stored in the palace. Back then, Princess Dunsu had told others that the Crown Prince was too young and clumsy, always dropping bowls and plates, wasting all those fine things. She might as well let him use silverware so he could drop them to his heart's content. The Emperor and Empress Feng had simply laughed and agreed. The deeper meaning behind it all, of course, needed no explanation from Princess Dunsu.
Even princes like Qi Hua, while not as extravagant in their tableware as Qi Xiao, still had silver trim around the rims of bowls, the undersides of plates, and the tips of their chopsticks. The chopsticks were particularly carefully crafted—pure silver chopsticks were far too heavy and tarnished easily, so palace chopsticks were typically silver-plated, lighter and easier to handle, and replacing them when stained wouldn't cost too much. For aesthetics, the silver-plating came in many varieties: hollowed and engraved, coiled with dragon patterns, or inscribed with verses. The silver chopsticks currently used in Qi Xiao's estate were of this latter kind.
In the warm hall of the main hall of Fenghua Palace, Qi Xiao silently examined the delicate silver-plated engraved chopsticks in his hand. Had he not known in advance, he truly would not have realized they were not solid silver.
Empress Feng eagerly had a vinegar fish from before her brought to Qi Xiao, smiling: "I remember you loved this flavor the most. When you were little, you could finish half a fish in one sitting. Ha ha... Back then, His Majesty said to me, the Crown Prince has such a good appetite, he'll surely be healthy when he grows up, capable of taking on responsibilities and bearing burdens. His Majesty's word is absolute, and indeed it proved true."
Qi Xiao silently watched Empress Feng make arrangements. He glanced toward Noble Consort Xue at the side table. Noble Consort Xue's face was pale; when no one was looking, she discreetly shook her head at Qi Xiao. A faint smile touched Qi Xiao's heart. After Noble Consort Xue had passed him the tip days ago, he hadn't entirely believed it. It wasn't until that evening when Xixiang sent someone to deliver the message that Qi Xiao truly confirmed—Empress Feng intended to take his life with this utterly foolish method.
Sometimes Qi Xiao truly could not understand: why could Empress Feng believe again and again that she still had a chance to turn things around? Even the old master of the Feng family had long since given up hope. Why couldn't she just tire of it? Qi Xiao sighed in his heart. Perhaps it was exactly as Princess Dunsu had said: clever people can never fully comprehend what dim-witted ones are thinking.
This day was the third since Qi Xiao had learned of the news. It happened to be the fifteenth, the proper date. After everyone had paid their respects to the Emperor, the day was still early. Empress Feng had arranged for everyone to come to her palace for a "family dinner." Qi Xiao curved his lips into a smile. Empress Feng had truly not failed to treat him—she had laid out over a dozen fine dishes. A farewell meal, a farewell meal. Indeed, it was unlike any ordinary day.
Qi Xiao habitually rubbed the life talisman at his waist. He had told Bai Ren about everything happening in the palace. That morning before leaving the estate, Bai Ren had insisted on following him, wanting to disguise himself as a palace eunuch to sneak in. Qi Xiao had smiled faintly, having gone to considerable lengths to reassure him. In the end, he had especially put on the life talisman properly before Bai Ren had barely managed to calm down.
The talisman lives, the life lives. The life lives, the talisman lives. Bai Ren knew he would never risk his life.
When Empress Feng saw that Qi Xiao was merely lost in thought and not touching his chopsticks, she grew anxious. Forcing a smile, she said: "Crown Prince... what's wrong? Don't you like the dishes? Sigh... Your father hasn't been well, so I haven't had the energy to arrange these things properly. I'm sorry to have wronged you all."
The other princes and the consorts seated inside immediately rose to say they dared not. Only Qi Xiao remained seated. Empress Feng's face fell slightly; forcing an awkward smile, she said: "There, there—family dining together, how can there be so many formalities? Sit, sit."
As everyone settled back into their seats, Qi Xiao lifted his chopsticks and gently pushed the vinegar fish before him. The silver chopsticks gleamed as always. Empress Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Who knew Qi Xiao would set down his chopsticks again! Empress Feng had been scheming this for many days, now going all-in. Her heart raced with anxiety. Unable to bear Qi Xiao's behavior, she couldn't help but say: "What's gotten into Your Highness today? You won't take a single bite—could you be feeling unwell?"
Qi Xiao raised his eyes, silently staring at Empress Feng without speaking. Empress Feng felt心虚—心虚 is "guilty" in context—under Qi Xiao's gaze. She forced out a smile: "This child... there's nothing the matter, yet you just keep staring at me?"
Qi Hua's heart was in turmoil. His face pale, he glanced at Qi Xiao. When their eyes met, he hastily dropped his head and dared not look again. Empress Feng was no better than Qi Hua. After being fixed by Qi Xiao's steady gaze for a while, she couldn't hold up. She couldn't help but frown and turn to look at her trusted nanny嬷嬷. The old nanny understood. Frowning, she said: "Your Highness, Her Majesty the Empress is speaking with you. Your Highness gives no answer—what manner of etiquette is this?!"
Qi Xiao curved his lips into a smile: "Your Majesty the Empress, please forgive me. I was merely curious. From my infancy to when I left the palace to establish my residence at fifteen, there have been far too many occasions when I dined at the same table as Your Majesty. But through all those many times... this is truly the first time Your Majesty has urged me so earnestly to eat. My heart was filled with joy and, I confess, no small measure of anxiety, so I forgot to respond."
Empress Feng, struck to the quick, grew even more flustered. She laughed dryly and looked around: "Look at this... what is the child saying, as if I haven't cherished you properly all these years."
Qi Xiao shook his head and smiled: "I meant no such thing. Every kindness Your Majesty the Empress has shown me, every single instance, Qi Xiao has kept firmly in my heart."
Empress Feng's heart thudded wildly. She considered her plan this time flawless—every detail from planning to poison, she had thought it all through. There could be no more mistakes. She forced herself to steady her breathing, shaking her head with a forced smile: "What words are these... I am your mother. Isn't it only natural for a mother to cherish her child and treat them well?"
Qi Xiao let out a soft sound of acknowledgment and repeated with a smile: "My mother... Speaking of which, there has always been something I never quite understood. I come today to request clarification from Your Majesty the Empress."
Empress Feng's face drained of color. Uneasily, she pressed her handkerchief to her temple and said quietly: "Ask, then."
"I... was born on the twenty-seventh day of the eleventh month of the Gengzi year." Qi Xiao said casually, slowly, "This is known to everyone and cannot be falsified, correct?"
Empress Feng's heart lurched. Before so many people, just what was Qi Xiao trying to do?! Her heart pounded frantically. Could he be bringing up old scores? Her eyes flickered as she thought, then relaxed. She had married the Emperor in the Wu Xu year, and with a year's gap in between, if she claimed Qi Xiao was her own offspring, the timing worked out! She had been pregnant when she married him—yes, that would make sense.
Empress Feng coughed and replied impatiently: "The imperial genealogy clearly states it, so naturally it cannot be false."
Qi Xiao smiled again, unhurried: "I have also heard that because I unfortunately held the position of eldest legitimate son, I was made Crown Prince the moment I was born. That is also correct, is it not?"
Empress Feng frowned. Deep down, she felt something was off, but she simply couldn't pinpoint what. But this was fact, and she could not argue against it. She forced herself to nod. Seeing this, Qi Xiao smiled: "This is precisely what I cannot understand. According to ancestral rules, the genealogy is revised once every ten years. When it was revised last year, it just so happened I had nothing to do, so I went to take a look. I didn't look at anything else—only took note of when Your Majesty the Empress was enthroned as Empress. It was... heh heh. Your Majesty the Empress surely remembers the date, I imagine?"
Empress Feng suddenly understood. Her complexion went deathly pale. Flustered, she said: "You... never mind, what's the point of discussing this? Let's just eat peacefully..."
Qi Hua remained puzzled, frowning as he looked at Empress Feng. Qi Xiao's lips curled into a cold smile. Only now do you feel embarrassed? Only now do you realize some things can never be concealed? Qi Xiao laughed lightly and said, word by word: "Your Majesty the Empress's enthronement ceremony was on the sixteenth day of the second month of the Xin Chou year, while His Majesty's enthronement ceremony was on the twenty-eighth day of the first month of the Xin Chou year."
When Noble Consort Xue heard this, she gave a contemptuous laugh and looked toward Empress Feng as if watching a good show. Everyone present froze for a moment, then all understood. Instantly, they fell silent, exchanging glances, unsure what to say. Qi Xiao's expression remained calm. He looked at Empress Feng and said softly with a smile: "This is what I have never understood. I, this Crown Prince, was enthroned before His Majesty and Mother Empress. This simply doesn't add up."
Qi Xiao stared straight at the ashen-faced Empress Feng. His smile was chilling: "The Emperor had not yet ascended the throne, yet I was Crown Prince first. How did this come to be?"
Empress Feng was like a fish out of water. She couldn't utter a single word under Qi Xiao's questioning—only her face was deathly pale as she gasped for breath. When Emperor Wu had made the infant Qi Xiao Crown Prince, the imperial decree had been issued, and several days later Emperor Wu passed away. Only after that did the current Emperor secretly coerce Empress Xiaoxian to abdicate... All the unsavory matters of that time, though they had tried desperately to erase them, still left traces. Qi Xiao's birth date, the day Qi Xiao was made Crown Prince—these were all clearly recorded in the genealogy and could be altered by no one. Empress Feng clenched her fists tightly. She hated that the Emperor hadn't tied up all the loose ends more carefully, leaving such a massive的把柄—handle, weakness—in someone else's hands! If Qi Xiao used this as grounds to bring up the old matters today, the Emperor's claim to the throne would be illegitimate. And as for her own son, he would have no hope of succession whatsoever! Empress Feng glared at Qi Xiao with hatred. She had calculated ten thousand times over and never once imagined Qi Xiao would grasp onto this matter, and precisely at this critical moment launch her attack. Empress Feng controlled herself through gritted teeth,恨不得—nearly wishing—she could fly at Qi Xiao and claw his face in mutual destruction!
Compared to Empress Feng's frenzied rage, Qi Xiao was like a cat toying with a mouse. A smile on his lips, he silently savored Empress Feng's wretched appearance and said leisurely: "Your Majesty the Empress cannot explain?"
Empress Feng gritted her teeth. For a moment, hatred consumed her. She suddenly stood up and shouted: "Guards! Arrest this—"
"Your Majesty the Empress, pray calm yourself..." Qi Xiao said casually, a faint smile playing on his face. He slowly lifted his chopsticks and夹了一块醋鱼—picked up a piece of vinegar fish—and said quietly, "It's merely an old matter from years past. If you cannot explain it, so be it. Why must you lose your temper?"
Empress Feng had assumed Qi Xiao knew something was amiss, which was why he hadn't touched the food. She never expected him to suddenly start eating! For a moment, she was stunned. Watching nervously as the dish sat there, she dared not speak a word, almost as if she feared that the moment she said anything, Qi Xiao would suddenly stop eating again. Qi Xiao let out a derisive laugh. Slowly, ever so slowly, he ate the vinegar fish and smiled faintly at her.
A great weight fell from Empress Feng's heart. She collapsed into the carved chair as though her strength had drained away. Looking at the composed Qi Xiao, her heart filled with anxiety. Surely... there would be no more complications, right?
Empress Feng breathed heavily, her gaze repeatedly darting toward Qi Xiao from the corner of her eye. She waited for him to show signs of poison. Then, unexpectedly, Qi Hua, seated nearby, suddenly knocked over his chopsticks and tumbled to the ground!
"Mmph, urk..."
In the flash of an eye, the curled-up Qi Hua suddenly vomited a mouthful of food and began coughing violently. Empress Feng instinctively looked over. She saw Qi Hua coughing desperately as though someone were strangling him. Terrified, she rushed forward, frantically pounding Qi Hua's back. But the harder she beat, the worse his coughing grew. Finally, his entire body curled forward and he vomited a pool of dark, thick blood.
Empress Feng was horrified. A sharp scream tore from her throat: "Hua'er! Hua'er!! Fetch the imperial physician quickly, quick!! Hua'er, Hua'er..."
The turn of events was too sudden. The palace servants froze in place. Only when Empress Feng grabbed and struck them did they snap to their senses, stumbling out to summon the physician. The hall fell into chaos. Only Qi Xiao remained seated where he was.
Empress Feng sharply turned to look at Qi Xiao. A cold smile hung on his lips. He took a handkerchief and wiped his hands slowly, saying in a low voice: "Jiang Deqing..."
Jiang Deqing had been waiting outside the hall. Hearing the call, he hurried in immediately. Qi Xiao tossed the handkerchief carelessly onto the table and said slowly: "Go summon the Imperial Guard. They are to strictly guard Fenghua Palace—no one may enter or exit, no one may touch a single cup or dish in this hall, no one may touch a single blade of grass or tree in this palace, and no one in this palace may move about freely."
"Summon what guards?! This is my palace compound!" Empress Feng had now understood most of what was happening. Her heart seethed with fear. She barked sharply, "Without my imperial decree, who dares act?!"
Qi Xiao acted as though he hadn't heard Empress Feng at all. Coldly, he continued: "Once everything is secured, then summon someone from the Clan Affairs Office. Have them investigate thoroughly and carefully. Find out... who exactly dared to harm imperial offspring!"
Qi Xiao turned to look at Empress Feng and smiled: "Your Majesty the Empress surely also wishes to know who it was that tried to harm Qi Hua? If Your Majesty still wishes to obstruct this, I shall have to wonder. What possible reason... could Your Majesty have for protecting that person so?"
Empress Feng was drenched in cold sweat. Her rouge had smeared; her hair clung to her face. She collapsed onto the floor in a wretched state...