2) Fifth Prince × Yin Feifei
In his first year on the throne, the new Emperor accomplished much. His decisive methods starkly contrasted his refined demeanor. With the help of the sixth prince, Yue Heng (now Heng Wang), he consolidated power, leaving no official daring to neglect their duties.
Competent officials were rewarded, while the mediocre eyed the Emperor’s empty harem as their path to advancement.
Before the mourning period for the late Emperor had even ended, someone proposed selecting concubines to serve the new Emperor. Since the concubines weren’t empresses, it wouldn’t violate propriety.
But the Emperor refused. Not only that, he demoted the proposer on the spot, banishing him to his hometown with no chance of return.
The warning worked. No one dared mention filling the harem during the mourning period again.
This frustrated many officials banking on female relatives for influence. The moment mourning ended, memorials flooded the Emperor’s desk, urging him to welcome an empress and select concubines to secure the imperial lineage. For days, the pile grew.
Some even coveted the empress’s position, unwilling to let Yin Feifei take the role, insisting she join the selection while another was chosen as empress.
After weeks of debate, the Emperor relented, he would marry the daughter of the Yin family, but only her. The harem would have just one empress.
The officials balked. This Emperor, ruthless in policy and shameless in negotiation, declared that without their agreement, he wouldn’t marry at all - he saw little value in women, especially a crowded harem.
The officials recalled the Emperor's mother, now Empress Dowager, who had suffered because of her lowly position, likely shaping his disdain for harems. Those hoping to persuade him through her gave up.
After more haggling, the officials conceded, not that they had a choice. If the Emperor refused, they couldn’t force women into his harem without sharing the demoted official’s fate.
They consoled themselves: the Emperor was young. Once he tired of the empress, he’d surely desire fresh faces and more sons. Then would be their chance.
The Emperor didn’t care. His goal was achieved.
On an auspicious day, the grand imperial wedding took place, accompanied by schemes to disrupt it.
The last remaining antagonist, the former crown prince, simmered with resentment. The new Emperor had stolen his throne and his woman.
Somehow, rumors spread that marrying Yin Feifei was the key to the throne. Jiang Lin even thought that someone had eavesdropped when he’d said as much to Wei Yunzhao.
The rumors’ origin was unclear, but they drove the former crown prince to ally with old supporters, plotting to kill the Emperor and seize the bride.
To ensure his fifth brother’s smooth wedding, Yue Heng intercepted the troublemaker.
Unlike his brothers, the former crown prince held little standing with the new Emperor, granted only the title of Ping Junwang - hardly illustrious.
[Commandery Prince (郡王, Jùnwáng): lower than Prince (亲王, Qīnwáng); typically for lesser imperial relatives or meritorious officials]
His residence was the fifth prince’s old, modest estate, a far cry from the Eastern Palace. His initial fury had been futile, he was no longer crown prince.
Now, he channeled that rage into assassinating the Emperor during the wedding and stealing the bride.
Yet most of his forces fell to Yue Heng before they even began.
Learning of Yue Heng’s plan to confront Ping Junwang, Jiang Lin dragged Wei Yunzhao along - partly for the spectacle, partly to settle their own score.
Jiang Lin wanted answers: Why had Ye Momo tried to force him to sleep with Wei Yunzhao on their wedding night? Before dying, she’d mouthed two words "Crown Prince," now Ping Junwang.
Chaos erupted in the Ping Junwang's residence as Yue Heng’s men surrounded it. Jiang Lin and Wei Yunzhao headed inside.
The system’s poison was potent. Even a small dose left Ping Junwang writhing in agony. No physician could cure it, only costly medicines dulled the pain.
They found him clutching his stomach in bed, pale-faced, speaking to subordinates. Yue Heng tossed the men out, shut the door, and sat opposite the bed, watching coldly.
“Still causing trouble? Seems the pain isn’t enough.”
Ping Junwang glared fearfully. “What do you want? If this crown prince die, word will spread of your regicide! Sixth Brother, you don’t want that stain on your name!”
Yue Heng smirked. “‘This crown prince’? The throne has a new owner. Or do you mean to be Fifth Brother’s son?”
Jiang Lin snorted, Yue Heng’s tongue was sharper than his.
“Nonsense! I'm the crown prince, the rightful heir! Yue Cheng is nothing! I’ll kill him and all of you!”
“Delusional,” Jiang Lin muttered, leaning on Wei Yunzhao.
Yue Heng wasn’t here to chat. He produced the remaining poison. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. You’re right, I value my reputation. I’ll just ensure you writhe in pain, bedridden for life.”
Mixing the powder with water, he moved to force it down the Ping Junwang's throat. Ping Junwang thrashed.
Jiang Lin seized the moment. “Answer one question, and I’ll persuade Heng Wang to go easy. Deal?”
Terrified, Ping Junwang nodded. “What do you want?”
“Back then, did you order a momo of the Wei family to force me to consummate my marriage with Wei Yunzhao? Why?”
It took Ping Junwang a moment to recall. “...Yes, of course to kill Wei Yunzhao. What other reason?”
Jiang Lin pressed, “Why would that kill him?”
Ping Junwang eyed the cup but caved as Yue Heng advanced. “You were drugged. Intercourse would’ve killed you both.”
Now Jiang Lin understood, the original Jiang Lin had been poisoned, explaining his transmigration. The spiritual water he’d drunk must have neutralized it.
Likely, the Jiang family - probably Jiang Jinyue had planted the poison.
“Last question, why Ye Momo?”
Ping Junwang sneered. “That jinx suggested it. If not for her, I wouldn’t be here.”
He refused to even name Jiang Jinyue, his hatred so deep.
Since being poisoned, he’d regretted reconnecting with Jiang Jinyue - the harbinger of his downfall.
With her involvement, it made sense. She’d known Ye Momo’s daughter was killed by Wei An, using it to manipulate her into acting.
But reminded of the stakes, Ye Momo had fled in fear.
Jiang Lin clapped. “Done, Heng Wang?”
Yue Heng forced the poison into Ping Junwang's mouth. “Even if you plead, I decide.”
Ping Junwang screamed as agony seized him.
Yue Heng observed coolly. “A lifetime of pain, watching everything he coveted slip away - my fifth brother revered, his marriage happy, while he rots helpless. Isn’t that worse than death?”
“And I’ll ensure he lives long enough to suffer it all.”
Jiang Lin noted Yue Heng’s hidden hatred - Ping Junwang had surely played a role in his past suffering.
“A fitting fate. Some fates are crueler than death.”
Outside, celebrations for the imperial wedding filled the streets with joy.
Jiang Lin took Wei Yunzhao’s hand. “Let’s go congratulate the Emperor on winning his beauty.”
3) Sixth Prince × Su Qiao
The sixth prince’s love for a former huakui was common knowledge in the capital.
Once overlooked, his rise under Emperor Changde’s favor, his looks, bearing, and the Emperor’s regard drew attention.
Unmarried and previously too frail for concubines, he became a target for noble daughters eyeing his legal wife.
After establishing his estate, his movements were watched. Soon, it was known he frequented a shabby courtyard to visit a woman - Su Qiao, central to a recent murder case, formerly a huakui.
News of his infatuation spread, dashing many hopes.
Some, confident in their superiority, sought to compete.
Thus came the perfumed handkerchiefs, “accidental” encounters, and banquet invitations.
[Perfumed handkerchiefs (香帕, xiāng pà) were often used in classical Chinese literature as tokens of romantic intrigue, exchanged secretly between lovers]
Yet the sixth prince remained unmoved, devoted solely to Su Qiao, even bringing her into his estate.
Emperor Changde summoned him, but failed to dissuade him. Yue Heng’s determination only grew, deterring further advances.
Later, Su Qiao reclaimed her family name, and Yue Heng became Heng Wang. Still, their statuses diverged, with Su Qiao remaining in his estate unwed.
Yue Heng prepared everything for their marriage, awaiting only her word.
He attended Wei Yunzhao and Jiang Lin’s wedding, drank their toast.
Watched his fifth brother wed his empress, heard him speak of nothing else.
Even the Zhou and Du family’s good-for-nothings married before him.
Yet Su Qiao never asked him to marry her. The barrier between them seemed insurmountable.
So he waited, unmarried, just like her, holding onto the hope that someday things might change.
Or perhaps never, so long as they were together.
Su Qiao hadn’t expected to linger with Yue Heng so long. Apart from formal marriage, they lived as an old married couple.
Once, she’d felt guilt, but Jiang Lin’s counsel dispelled it. She still called him “young madam,” who’d said:
“You love him no less than he loves you. Neither is trapped, you choose this.”
Su Qiao agreed.
Love, once tasted, was unforgettable—a lifetime’s devotion.
Years later, with the younger generation wed, Su Qiao made her decision:
“Some things I cannot forget. So let us linger thus, until the day our hearts grow cold.”
Yue Heng nodded in agreement, his eyes conveying conviction - words were unnecessary, he would let her understand.
Decades passed. Gray-haired, uncertain of tomorrow, Yue Heng made one request:
“Bury us together. On your stone, inscribe ‘Wife of Yue Heng.’ On mine, ‘Husband of Su Qiao.’”
At dusk, amid golden light, Su Qiao answered.
“Yes.”
[I burst into tears while reading the part about Yue Heng and Su Qiao. Both had tragic pasts. They loved each other deeply, but insurmountable obstacles prevented them from marrying. Despite this, they remained devoted and faithful to each other until the end of their lives. Their love story is beautiful, yet heartbreakingly sad and poignant - brief, but leaving a lasting impact.]
No comments:
Post a Comment