Volume One: If Life Were Only as It First Met
A Stirring Commotion
The Empress was actually struck, alas, all for a beautiful face.
At the fifth watch, Hong Yuan suddenly woke up. She opened her eyes and looked around the boudoir, finding it empty. She vividly remembered the events of the previous night. She had intended to make Qin Junlan drunk, but ended up getting drunk herself. However, she clearly remembered not falling asleep at first, so how did she later lose consciousness?
“Sister, you’re awake?” Mujin entered the room carrying hot water. Hong Yuan, who always had the habit of waking up early, would certainly be awake at this hour each day.
“Where is Qin Junlan?” She still remembered deliberately using a trick to hold her hand, and she also remembered the warm and soft touch in her palm. But what happened after that? She couldn’t remember anything.
“She left, not long ago, looking very tired. But Sister, you always sleep lightly, how did you sleep so soundly last night?” Mujin knew that Hong Yuan was always easily awakened and never slept deeply, yet this time she slept until morning.
“Yes, it’s been a long time since I’ve slept so soundly.” Hong Yuan couldn’t believe it herself. She had let down her guard and allowed Qin Junlan to stay by her side all night. The innate vigilance and sharpness of an assassin had never let her be careless, yet this time she didn’t even notice when Qin Junlan left. “Did she really not leave last night?”
“She really didn’t leave. You didn’t see Li Yue; she was as anxious as a monkey, almost jumping up and down. When she saw her master sleeping on the floor, she was absolutely furious.” Mujin found it amusing to think about Li Yue’s appearance. Despite being a fourth-rank lady official and a close confidante of the Empress, she could only be anxious and do nothing.
“She slept on the floor?” Hong Yuan was dumbfounded. She got up from the bed, and the scene of Qin Junlan accompanying her last night seemed to replay before her eyes.
“Exactly, she must have been tired too and fell asleep leaning here. She left before the fifth watch.” Mujin pointed to the footboard beside the bed. Qin Junlan had sat there the whole night. Before Hong Yuan let go of her hand, she hadn’t moved, maintaining a stiff posture. When she finally turned over and let go, Qin Junlan covered her with the quilt and left for the palace.
Hong Yuan stared at the place where Qin Junlan had sat, feeling a string in her heart being plucked. She had never thought of delaying Qin Junlan from attending court. As for the deliberate hand-holding, she herself couldn’t explain why she did it.
Forget it, forget it. Why think so much? In any case, Qin Junlan being able to do this for her was already a great favor for an emperor. The beauty trap seemed to be going smoothly; Qin Junlan was falling step by step into the trap she had arranged. Even though she might still have doubts in her heart, they would probably be dispelled by her current illness.
She should have been elated and joyful, but there wasn’t a trace of happiness in her heart.
In the distance, the morning bell of the court was already ringing. Once every three days, today’s court session would likely stir up a great commotion within the palace. She wondered how Qin Junlan would face the civil and military officials and how she would explain to the Empress Dowager.
By the time Qin Junlan hurried back to the palace, the officials had already been dismissed. The Empress Dowager had issued an imperial decree, claiming that the Emperor was unwell. Although the front court was appeased, rumors were still circulating. In the harem, however, a grand scene unfolded, with thirty eunuchs and palace maids simultaneously subjected to the punishment of flogging. The Emperor could leave the palace, but not returning and delaying court attendance was a grave offense, implicating all the servants.
Heavy rods struck their bodies, and the screams of agony were unending. Each blow was enough to break an arm bone. Among the eunuchs and palace maids were many young ones who couldn’t endure such pain, immediately crying out in agony. The sounds of crying and wailing echoed throughout the Fengluan Palace.
“If anyone makes another sound, they will be flogged to death!” Yi Qinghuan was furious beyond measure. She presided over the Fengluan Palace, personally overseeing the punishment. The execution officer was Shen Qing, the captain of the patrol guard, a sixth-rank lady official responsible for the security and patrol duties of the entire Fengluan Palace.
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At the Empress Dowager’s command, no one dared to make another sound. After all, enduring the pain of the flogging would still leave them alive. If they were truly flogged to death, it would be too unjust and not worth it.
“Empress Dowager, the Emperor has returned,” reported a eunuch, with Yi Qinghuan maintaining a stern expression.
Fifty strokes of the flogging were more than what an ordinary person could bear. Many fainted from the pain during the process, but the full count had to be completed; otherwise, it would be considered defying an imperial order.
Qin Junlan glanced at the group of servants who were half-dead from the severe punishment and knew that this time, a confrontation with the Empress Dowager was unavoidable.
“Your child greets Mother Empress,” Qin Junlan said, understanding the gravity of delaying the court session but still maintaining calm and composure.
“Someone, take Li Yue away and give her a hundred strokes of the flogging!” Yi Qinghuan ordered without a second thought. As the Emperor’s personal lady official, Li Yue did not understand the duty to be loyal to the Emperor and share her worries. Accompanying the Emperor in such folly was something Yi Qinghuan could not tolerate.
For an ordinary person, enduring a hundred strokes would likely be fatal, but Li Yue knew martial arts. While a hundred strokes would severely injure her, it would not be lethal.
“This servant thanks the Empress Dowager!” Despite receiving such a heavy punishment, Li Yue had to express gratitude. She understood the rules; no matter how angry the Empress Dowager was, she would still give face to the Emperor. As someone close to the Emperor, the Empress Dowager would have to consider everything carefully before taking action.
Back in the day, Yi Qinghuan, who was renowned throughout the Six Palaces, was well-versed in the ways of the harem and knew how to navigate these matters skillfully.
The palace maids and eunuchs who had fainted from the beating were awakened by splashes of water. Upon waking, they knelt alongside the Emperor, as Yi Qinghuan had not yet said the words “you may rise” since the greeting ceremony.
Li Yue was dragged to the side for punishment. Shen Qing glanced at the Empress Dowager and noticed that she seemed to be scolding the Emperor, so she signaled to her subordinate. Her subordinate understood immediately and began to carry out the punishment on Li Yue. Under such a severe penalty, Li Yue could not use her internal energy to protect herself; she could only endure it. She was ready for her skin to split and her flesh to break, lying on the long bench and gripping its legs tightly, prepared to endure the pain.
However, when the rod struck her body, she felt no pain at all. The eunuch administering the punishment even deliberately shouted, “1, 2, 3…” Who was this fool who dared to defy the Empress Dowager’s orders by pretending to hit her? Before she could look up, Shen Qing’s handsome face appeared before her, smiling brightly with an expression that begged for a beating. “Can you at least cooperate and scream a bit?”
“It doesn’t hurt. How can I scream? Besides, the Empress Dowager doesn’t allow us to make any noise,” Li Yue glared at her. Shen Qing’s audacity was growing by the day, daring to bend the rules under the Empress Dowager’s direct orders.
“Ah~” “Oh~” “It hurts~” Shen Qing began to cry out in pain herself to make the punishment seem legitimate, even imitating Li Yue’s voice quite convincingly. This brought a suppressed laugh from the eunuch holding the rod, who quickly looked towards the Empress Dowager. Fortunately, her attention was entirely on the Emperor.
“…” Black lines of frustration appeared on Li Yue’s forehead. She raised her fist and punched Shen Qing. “Can you stop making those noises? My voice isn’t that awful!”
“If I don’t hit you hard enough, how can I relieve the Empress Dowager’s anger? Just scream a bit; it’s okay. Don’t let anyone see that I’m being lenient, or I’ll end up lying here being flogged,” Shen Qing always liked teasing Li Yue, but more than that, she couldn’t bear to see Li Yue being punished. She had to take the risk and reduce the number of strokes. The pain of the flogging couldn’t be avoided entirely, as the wounds couldn’t lie.
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“I…” Li Yue’s face turned red with frustration. As a martial artist, how could she fake it? She didn’t have Shen Qing’s thick skin. As she was repeatedly conflicted and distressed, a sudden, intense pain hit her unexpectedly, causing her to cry out “Wah!” She immediately felt humiliated and glared at Shen Qing in anger, “You!!”
“See, you can scream,” Shen Qing said with a mischievous smile, but her heart ached for Li Yue. She could only reduce fifty of the hundred strokes; the rest Li Yue had to endure herself. That unexpected scream was a result of the piercing pain, and Li Yue endured it without another sound, even as her nails dug into her skin and her eyes filled with bloodshot veins.
Everyone close to the Emperor was tough as nails. Shen Qing turned her face away, unable to bear seeing Li Yue suffer. Not far away, the Empress Dowager’s anger had not subsided, but Qin Junlan’s expression remained unchanged.
“I have witnessed three reigns; the Ji Dynasty has had many emperors, but none as absurd as you!” Yi Qinghuan was so furious she could hardly speak. The most infuriating part wasn’t that she missed the court session, but that she had stayed overnight at Suyuan Tower for the sake of a courtesan. If this got out, Qin Junlan’s reputation would be ruined, and all her achievements would be overshadowed by this moment of indulgence. The entire nation would brand her as a foolish ruler due to the ensuing rumors.
“Your child acknowledges her mistake and asks Mother Empress to punish her.” Qin Junlan kowtowed and bowed low, pressing herself against the ground. Though she admitted her fault with her words, her proud demeanor showed no sign of genuine remorse. Yi Qinghuan knew her daughter all too well; this temperament was very much like her own when she was young.
“Qiushui!” Yi Qinghuan extended her hand. Nanny Qiushui, holding the Dragon Whip, hesitated and did not dare to hand it to the Empress Dowager.
“Give it to me!” Yi Qinghuan had not been this angry in many years. Today, she was actually going to use the Dragon Whip, an ancestral family law instrument passed down in the Ji Dynasty. The Dragon Whip was usually kept by successive Empress Dowagers, used to discipline errant emperors and officials, serving both to supervise the emperor and to represent the highest authority in crucial moments.
Only Yi Qinghuan in the Ji Dynasty had the authority to wield the Dragon Whip to discipline the emperor. Nanny Qiushui, trembling with fear, offered the Dragon Whip and immediately knelt down, “Empress Dowager, you must not strike the Emperor!”
“Please punish me, Mother Empress.” Qin Junlan bowed low once more. She knew she had indeed committed a grave mistake in this matter and deserved severe punishment, but she did not regret it at all. If given the chance, she would still not have left Hong Yuan behind.
The Dragon Whip was made of gold. Though called a whip, it was as hard as a rod, three feet long, with a rough, uneven surface of ridges and angles. Striking with it was more painful than ordinary rod or whip punishments.
Yi Qinghuan raised the Dragon Whip, her hand trembling slightly. She did not know if it was from anger or heartache. From childhood to adulthood, Qin Junlan had been well-educated and sensible. As a princess, she had fulfilled her duties diligently, reading extensively, understanding both ancient and modern knowledge. At ten years old, she could already discuss the principles of governance. Because she had always been clever and well-behaved, she had never been punished or beaten. The more sensible the child, the more a mother’s heart aches. While other children played and enjoyed their childhood and family joy, Qin Junlan was burning the midnight oil, studying everything from statecraft, tax policies of counties and prefectures, to flood control, disaster relief, and even military strategies; and on a smaller scale, she engaged in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, and tea ceremonies.
How could she bear to strike such a well-behaved daughter? But now, she was not just a mother; she was the Empress Dowager. The Emperor had neither a consort nor a harem, making her the woman who represented the virtue of the entire nation. Seeing her daughter being led astray, her eyes clouded with confusion, how could she continue to indulge her? With this thought, she struck Qin Junlan’s back hard with the Dragon Whip. She did not know how much strength she used, but it seemed to vent all her anger, as she saw Qin Junlan almost collapse onto the ground from the blow.
Qin Junlan’s hands, supporting herself on the ground, trembled slightly. She thought to herself, Mother Empress’s strength is indeed undiminished from the past. This blow was no lighter than the sword injury she had previously endured. “Thank you for the punishment, Mother Empress.”
“Empress Dowager! This servant begs you, please don’t strike the Emperor. The Son of Heaven must not be beaten!” Qiushui knelt and pleaded with Yi Qinghuan, pulling at her clothing to try to stop her. Apart from Yi Qinghuan, everyone else was kneeling, including the guards and patrols.
The pain inflicted on the child is felt in the mother’s heart. Yi Qinghuan’s hand holding the Dragon Whip was sweating. She was both heartbroken and furious, tears welling up in her eyes without her realizing it. She continued to swing the whip, “This is for your ignorance, causing delays in court; this is for your lack of ambition, lingering outside the palace…”
“Stop, stop!” Bai Ruoxi came running and stood in front of Qin Junlan, finding that Qin Junlan’s lips had turned pale. Tears streamed down her face immediately, “Empress Dowager, do you want to beat the Emperor Elder Sister to death? If you must hit someone, hit me instead. Don’t hit her anymore. She doesn’t know how to cry out in pain, you know that. Why use so much force? Will you be happy if you injure the Emperor Elder Sister? Wuwuwu…”
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“Ruoxi, don’t make trouble!” Qin Junlan slowly stood up, her eyes filled with tears, sweat streaming down her temples. She gently patted Bai Ruoxi to comfort her.
“No, no, no one can hit the Emperor Elder Sister. The Emperor Elder Sister has worked diligently for many years. What’s wrong with occasionally leaving the palace to relax? She lives for the country and the people but never for herself. Everyone makes mistakes; correcting mistakes is valuable. Empress Dowager, the Emperor Elder Sister is your daughter, whom you carried for ten months. How can you bear this? Look at her, in such pain, without begging for mercy, yet you continue to hit her. wuwuwu…” Bai Ruoxi cried more heart-wrenchingly, and Yi Qinghuan’s heart ached so much that she felt weak, nearly fainting.
How could she not feel the pain? As a mother, who could feel her daughter’s physical pain more deeply than she? Taking advantage of her moment of softness, Qiushui quickly took the Dragon Whip, “Empress Dowager, please take care of your health.”
“Please show mercy, Empress Dowager!” The kneeling palace maids, eunuchs, and guards pleaded for Qin Junlan.
Yi Qinghuan slowly calmed her emotions, her expression solemn. The dignity of the mother of the nation could not be violated. She sternly said, “I punish the Emperor to kneel in the Royal Ancestral Hall, facing the wall for three days. All the servants of the Fengluan Palace will kneel in accompaniment!” After saying this, she swept her sleeves and left. Qiushui gave Bai Ruoxi a signal and mouthed to her, “Go find the Princess Consort.”
Bai Ruoxi immediately understood. Now that the Empress Dowager’s anger was unstoppable, no one could plead for the Emperor anymore. Only by asking the wise Princess Consort could there be a chance to turn the situation around.
She wiped away her tears and quietly left, running towards the residence of the wise Prince.