A Willing Mistake, My Lady – Chapter 75
by Little PandaThe Arch-Conspirator
“Tonight, you must come to my room.”
A detached courtyard stood enclosed by high walls rising a full three to four meters. The room where Shen Hetang was kept boasted far better conditions than a regular cell, with thick quilts and a warm charcoal fire taking the edge off the chill.
When Ye Huaiqing arrived carrying wine and meat, Shen Hetang was still resting with her eyes closed.
“You certainly look leisurely, while I’ve been run ragged.” Ye Huaiqing was nearly driven to exasperated laughter upon seeing him look like a dead pig that doesn’t fear boiling water1.
“Now that I’m locked up in here, what else can I do?” She sat up and unwrapped the paper parcel he had brought.
Staring at the block of beef inside, she grumbled with a frown, “Why didn’t you even bother to slice it?”
“You should be glad you’ve got anything to eat at all. This Dali Temple is their territory. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to sneak in?” Ye Huaiqing grumbled.
“How hard? The head jailer already told me he takes your orders and that all the food he brought me was checked. Even so, I didn’t dare touch a bite. If you hadn’t come soon, I’d have starved to death.” Shen Hetang lazily arched an eyebrow, looking at her biaoge.
“He’s indeed one of my men, but given your current situation, you mustn’t trust a single soul. Here are seven days’ worth of dry rations. We’ll get you out as soon as possible,” Ye Huaiqing said, his expression grave and earnest.
“How do you all plan to get me out?”
“We discovered that Commander Feng had dealings with advisors from the First Prince’s mansion. Since they’re behind this, there are bound to be clues left behind. Biaojie is already planning to send someone into the First Prince’s mansion to search for evidence.”
“Biaoge, I happened to cross paths with the First Prince at a restaurant a while ago, and he was with his favorite concubine. That woman didn’t look like our Han people. Combine that with how eager the Right Prime Minister was yesterday, and the key to the whole thing becomes clear. Have someone search that woman’s quarters. You might make a vital discovery.” Shen Hetang suddenly seemed to grasp why the First Prince had gone to such lengths to court his own ruin.
“Understood. I’ll meet up with biaojie as soon as I leave. Bear with it for a few more days,” Ye Huaiqing whispered as he spoke with Shen Hetang.
“It’s fine, not too bad. Better than the conditions on the battlefield, at least,” Shen Hetang said, patting the thick mattress.
“But biaoge, how is everything at home? When you go back, bring dimei a message. Tell her nothing’s wrong here and she should just wait in peace,” Shen Hetang added, looking at Ye Huaiqing.
“Don’t worry. Dali Temple guards went to search the Shen Manor today, but only biaojie was there. She arranged for everyone else to go to Fahua Temple to burn incense, so they still don’t know about your arrest. Your dimei likely knows, however. She’s a calm and steady woman, so don’t worry about her.”
“Mm. I’m counting on you to look after the family.”
“Don’t talk like an outsider. We still don’t know who dragged whom into this mess anyway. Stop overthinking.”
“Alright.”
Indeed, Ye Huaiqing had only managed to slip into the prison because he caught wind that Dali Temple was going to search the Shen Manor today and seized the opportunity. Otherwise, gaining entry would have been an exceedingly difficult task.
Once the searching soldiers were sent away, Shen Yunshu returned to the Marquis Manor. She wanted to quickly search for clues at the estates of the First Prince and the Right Prime Minister. However, the Right Prime Minister might not have been involved; it was far more likely the First Prince alone.
But she lacked a burglar who could scale walls and fly over roofs. Although some of her subordinates possessed decent martial skills, such delicate work was beyond those burly, clumsy men. Feeling a headache coming on, she closed her eyes and pressed her fingers against her brow.
Just then, a pair of deft, soft hands gently covered hers, wrapping around her from behind to take over massaging her forehead.
“What’s put the Shizifei in such a state of worry? Tell me, and see if this meimei can help ease your mind,” Concubine Sheng murmured, leaning close to her pale, finely sculpted ear, her breath warm against her skin.
“Sigh, you can’t help with this,” Shen Yunshu sighed, keeping her eyes closed.
“If you don’t say anything, how do you know I can’t help?” Concubine Sheng straightened up, spun around with a pout, and sat on the edge of the desk, her voice dripping with coquettish annoyance.
“I need a notorious master thief. Can you conjure one up for me?” Shen Yunshu raised her head, her dark, brilliant eyes staring intently at the concubine before her.
“Just that? That’s simple enough. Today, I shall play the living Bodhisattva2 and conjure up this master thief for you. How does that sound?” Concubine Sheng crossed her legs and leaned forward slightly. She hooked her pale, slender finger under Shen Yunshu’s chin in a tempting gesture, looking every bit like a beautiful rogue seducing an innocent lady.
“Sit up straight. Look at you—there’s not a shred of decency in sight. How did I ever mistake you for a shy, pure jasmine flower? You’re clearly a carnivorous blossom.” Seeing her current alluring appearance, flushed with spring desire, Shen Yunshu felt she’d been thoroughly deceived.
“I really have a way to help you, don’t doubt me.” Concubine Sheng continued to trace the bridge of the Shizifei’s nose with her finger.
“What way could you possibly have to conjure up such a person?” Shen Yunshu asked helplessly, though a part of her wondered if Ah Sheng really did have a solution.
“I’ll fetch you a fine item in a moment, but… tonight, you must come to my room.” Concubine Sheng cast her a highly suggestive look.
“Fine. If you can bring me this master thief, I’ll let you have your way with me tonight. How about that?” The Shizifei’s face flushed slightly as she gave her consent. After all, if it was for the sake of that big scapegoat3 of a little brother at home, what did it matter if she sold out her looks a bit?
“Good. Wait for me, I’ll be right back.” Smiling like a fox that had stolen a celestial peach, Concubine Sheng pressed a fragrant kiss onto the Shizifei’s jade-like cheek and ran off.
A moment later, she returned carrying a thick ledger.
“What is this?” Looking at the colorful booklet filled with portraits, profiles, and prices, Shen Yunshu asked in curiosity.
“This is my inherited family business. Don’t ask too many questions for now; it’s a long story. I’ll explain it to you later,” Concubine Sheng replied, evading the question.
Shen Yunshu didn’t pry further. Saving Ah Tang was of paramount importance, and her own subordinates were indeed unsuited for the task.
“Now, take your pick. Whomever you choose, I can have them standing before you by the day after tomorrow at the latest,” Concubine Sheng said confidently.
“Truly?”
“More real than me.”
Under the bright candlelight of the study, the two of them set to work selecting an agile jianghu martial artist.
“How about this one?” Concubine Sheng asked, pointing at a short, masked man.
“Slaying with flying leaves, as light as a swallow? Can he really do that? Three hundred gold? That’s certainly not cheap.” Shen Yunshu felt her heart bleed slightly as she looked at the price tag.
“Well… self-introductions are always written to look good. Besides, even though he’s listed for three hundred gold, business hasn’t been great lately. There’s a price but no market. Jiejie, you don’t need to worry about the money. Haven’t you already paid with your body?” Concubine Sheng looked at her with eyes full of deep affection.
“Heh, it seems I’m quite valuable then,” Shen Yunshu scoffed, rendered somewhat speechless.
“Jiejie will always be a priceless treasure to me.” Concubine Sheng stared back, her watery eyes looking incredibly innocent.
By now, Shen Yunshu couldn’t, for the life of her, recall how this woman had once resembled a timid, fragile little white flower4.
“Let’s go with him, then. Arrange it as quickly as possible.”
“Alright,” Concubine Sheng agreed happily.
“I’ll go send the signal. Wash yourself clean and sweet, then wait for me in bed.” With that, she swayed her slender waist and walked out of the study.
Watching her frivolous departure, Shen Yunshu felt another headache coming on. Why wasn’t there a single person who could spare her some worry? They were all her debt collectors. What had she done in her past life to deserve this?
Yet, selling out her looks proved highly effective. The unremarkable jianghu martial artist truly lived up to his reputation, nearly turning the First Prince’s entire manor upside down. He was indeed worth three hundred gold.
Though raising three hundred gold was a bit difficult for Shen Yunshu at the moment, she insisted on paying an advance of one hundred gold. The information he brought back was simply too valuable. However, the martial artist didn’t dare accept the full hundred gold, taking only fifty and departing in high spirits.
Upon the tiled floor of Yangxin Hall, the First Prince knelt, weeping bitter tears.
“Imperial Father, your son was completely bewildered by that woman! I didn’t do it on purpose, Imperial Father!” the First Prince wailed, crawling forward to clutch at the Emperor’s trouser legs.
“You still have the nerve to weep? Do you have any idea what you’ve done? If you weren’t born of the imperial line, colluding with the enemy would’ve seen nine generations of your family executed! To think you’d undermine Great Qian’s sovereign territories all for the sake of a woman and petty profit! You are audacious and stupid as a pig!” The Emperor was so consumed by rage that he seemed to age several years in an instant.
“Yes, it’s all your son’s fault, all my fault! Please spare your son just this once, I’ll never dare do it again, Imperial Father, Imperial Father…” The First Prince looked up at the Emperor, his face scrunched up in distress.
“Are you truly bewildered, or did you have other designs? Couldn’t you wait for me to name a Crown Prince, such that you decided to take matters into your own hands?” The Emperor’s tone shifted, his sharp gaze boring into his eldest son.
“I’ve been wronged, Imperial Father! I’ve been wronged! Your son truly never harbored such thoughts. It was only that woman who used her beauty to beguile me. I didn’t mean for any of the rest to happen!” the First Prince protested.
The Emperor felt terribly weary and had no desire to bicker with him further. Although he’d never intended for his eldest son to succeed him, this was his firstborn child, whom he’d raised with care. Even if the prince lacked great talent, the Emperor had assumed that as long as he remained dutiful, he could still live out a wealthy and noble life after receiving his own fief. Unfortunately, the boy was ultimately too mediocre, allowing himself to be foolishly deceived into committing such treason.
This time, he’d surely have to shed a layer of skin.
The evidence submitted by Ye Huaiqing proved beyond doubt that the concubine in the First Prince’s inner quarters was a spy sent by the enemy state. Using her beauty as a trap, dangled prospects of profit, whispering in his ear, and conspiring with scheming advisors, she’d driven him to compromise his own nation. There was no word for it but utter stupidity.
In the end, the First Prince and his mother, Noble Consort Shu, were sent to the North under house arrest. Shen Hetang hadn’t expected the First Prince to be dealt with so easily. It felt almost too simple, leaving her to wonder if the Empress or the Second Prince had played a hand in it, though she had no way to verify her suspicions.
Yet she still hadn’t been released.
In the courtyard of the Shen Manor, Jiang Chenyu asked anxiously, “Shizifei, now that the true culprit behind the treason has been caught, why hasn’t Ah Tang been released yet?”
She hadn’t seen Ah Tang for several days, and her heart was sick with worry.
“This matter is both simple and complicated. The man who raised the accusation, Commander Feng, is dead, and now an imperial prince has been implicated. The Emperor doesn’t have many sons, and he naturally feels affection for his own flesh and blood. The First Prince is his eldest and holds a special place in his heart. Right now, His Majesty is in a fit of rage, and he’s likely venting his anger on Ah Tang,” Shen Yunshu conjectured.
“His own son did wrong, so why should he take his anger out on Ah Tang?!” Jiang Chenyu demanded, her eyes wide with indignation.
“Dimei, walls have ears. Don’t speak so loudly,” Shen Yunshu warned gravely.
Jiang Chenyu realized she’d temporarily lost her composure in her agitation.
“So we can only sit and wait?” The Emperor was truly heartless. The Shen family had done so much for Great Qian, yet all their loyalty couldn’t compare to the Emperor’s personal feelings.
“We don’t necessarily have to sit and wait. There’s still one other option.”
“What way?” Jiang Chenyu’s eyes lit up.
“We must find a mediator to coax the Emperor and give both sides a graceful way out. The matter should be resolved then.”
“But who’d be suitable for such a task? We don’t have anyone who can speak directly to His Majesty.” Jiang Chenyu counted the possibilities on her fingers, unable to find a single person of sufficient standing. The old Emperor had just lost a daughter-in-law and a son, and Ye-biaoge had already drawn some of his resentment, so it was unwise to have him go and invite further trouble.
“There’s perhaps one person who can,” Shen Yunshu said, her tone heavy with implication.
“Who?”
“Princess Shunhe!”
Footnotes
- A popular Chinese colloquial saying describing an attitude of complete indifference to consequences.
- A standard Buddhist term used colloquially to describe an exceptionally compassionate savior or benefactor.
- A modern slang term used humorously to describe someone who is constantly taken advantage of or acting as a scapegoat.
- An innocent, fragile-looking, and helpless woman; often used to describe someone who appears pure but may have hidden depth or manipulation.
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