Chapter 58

Si Yunqin smiled awkwardly at Shen Yanxin’s question. “Not old, just a respectful address.”

“Someone submitted evidence at court. I cannot stand by and disregard it out of bias or nepotism.” Shen Yanxin didn’t argue with her, answering the question with a slight smile.

“I know your elder brother is innocent, but at court today I had to give the court officials an explanation. I have no choice but to detain him in the imperial prison for now. As for what happens next, it depends on whether we can find proof of his innocence.” Shen Yanxin spoke frankly.

Si Yunqin understood all of this and added nothing more.

“I can’t help with the evidence, but Qi Yue and those people should be able to make contact. As for me… my elder brother was thrown into prison by you without any distinction between right and wrong. My father is blindly loyal to someone he shouldn’t be loyal to, wanting to support my third brother to inherit the family business—abandoning the legitimate son in favor of the concubine’s son. It wouldn’t be strange if I held a grudge, would it?” Si Yunqin said with a smile.

Shen Yanxin chuckled lightly and pushed the fruits Si Yunqin liked in front of her. “Be careful. I don’t want anything to happen to you. After all, they wouldn’t really want your brother executed, since the Sikong controls our navy—that’s no joke.”

“That’s hard to say. If my brother really dies, my father will definitely rebel against you, and the people under heaven will have one more reason to rebel. A child emperor on the throne, and you yourself are young as well—wouldn’t that be easy to control? Human hearts are greedy; taking a desperate risk is just a momentary lapse.” Si Yunqin sighed softly.

Shen Yanxin nodded. “This has been hard on you.”

Si Yunqin shook her head. “I knew this long ago. If I had refused the imperial order at the start—not entered the palace, taken a single horse and left the eye of this storm—perhaps I could have truly found leisure. Now there’s no choice left.”

Shen Yanxin looked at her seriously, then laughed. “You wouldn’t have.”

Si Yunqin’s deep affection and care for her family would never allow her to defy an imperial decree.

“That’s why you have me in the palm of your hand,” Si Yunqin said, giving her a glare, then added, “Be careful of the Grand Chancellor. He might be the leader of the Imperial Loyalist faction.”

Shen Yanxin’s expression indeed grew grave. The Grand Chancellor was the Regent Minister trusted by the late emperor, and he had contributed to her becoming regent. If it were truly so, did it mean people’s hearts change easily, or had he been hiding too deep?

While Shen Yanxin was still lost in thought, Si Yunqin had already stood. She hadn’t eaten any fruit today. She composed her expression, turning it sorrowful and heavy.

Si Yunqin knelt and kowtowed to Shen Yanxin, a ring of redness appearing on her fair forehead.

Then she went out with a heavy expression, looking utterly disheveled and downcast, as if she had forced herself to walk out of the Imperial Study.

Once she left, Shen Yanxin smashed her teacup. Filled with anger, she said, “Summon the Sikong to the palace.”

Instantly, everyone knew that the Empress had gone to plead for her brother and been reprimanded by the Empress Dowager. Shortly after, the Sikong was also summoned and scolded.

In the Grand Princess Mansion, the number of incoming letters increased significantly.

The Empress and the Sikong had made many rounds of visits, yet none had lightened Si Yuanju’s guilt in the slightest.

Among the court officials, some praised the Empress Dowager for not bending the law, while others said she feared the Sikong’s power and was beginning to take back control of the Sikong’ mansion, using Si Yuanju as the first target.

That day, Si Yunqin went to Splendor Palace at Yuwen Qiyue’s invitation.

Soon after, Xi Fengyu quietly arrived. Yuwen Qiyue and Si Yunqin played Go while Xi Fengyu sat nearby.

As they played, Yuwen Qiyue said, “The Empress looks so haggard.”

Si Yunqin gave a bitter smile. “My elder brother and I have been close since childhood, born of the same mother. With things like this, how could I sleep?”

“Eldest Young Master Si would never embezzle disaster relief supplies. The Sikong is utterly loyal to Great Zhao—everyone in the court knows that.” Yuwen Qiyue spoke indignantly.

Si Yunqin pressed her lips together in silence, her eyes dim as she placed a stone.

Xi Fengyu watched softly and said, “This doesn’t seem like the Empress’s usual style of play.”

Yuwen Qiyue sighed. “Enough. I know the Empress is anxious and has no heart for Go. It’s nothing strange. I was the one who troubled the Empress.”

Si Yunqin forced a smile. “I’ve spoiled the mood.”

“Since Father the Emperor passed, the Sikong has assisted the Empress Dowager with utmost dedication. I am very grateful. But now her power is firmly established, and she can no longer tolerate someone like the Sikong.”

“Elder Sister Qiyue, do you think I don’t know that? But when the sovereign wants a minister dead, the minister has no choice but to die.”

“The evidence for your brother embezzling grain is so complete, and the informant is a trusted courtier of the Empress Dowager. Don’t you find it strange, Empress?”

Si Yunqin bit her lip, a hint of anger showing. “Could the Empress Dowager… go that far?”

“What won’t people do for power?” Yuwen Qiyue said indifferently.

“As soon as Mother Empress passed, she rushed into the palace, and then Father Emperor’s illness worsened day by day. I don’t believe Shen Yanxin has no ambition.” The deep bond between Yuwen Qiyue and Empress Xuande was known to all, and it was only natural for her to resent Shen Yanxin in the eyes of the world.

“Is it truly the Empress Dowager?” Si Yunqin still seemed incredulous.

Yuwen Qiyue took out a letter. On it were Shen Yanxin’s secret instructions, detailing the framing of Si Yuanju. “Sister, if you don’t believe me, see for yourself. This Phoenix Seal cannot be faked.”

Si Yunqin looked at the forged letter. The handwriting was even imitated convincingly. She was quite curious where the Phoenix Seal came from.

After reading it, Si Yunqin, as they wished, showed anger. “Is this true? I must inform my father. My Si family has devoted all its strength to assist her, and yet she uses the Son of Heaven’s authority to destroy us.”

“Sister, don’t be anxious. The Empress Dowager controls the court now. As you said, she only borrows the Son of Heaven’s prestige. She is not even the Emperor’s birth mother. What virtue and ability does she have? Usurpation by relatives is a lesson from the past. Once the Shen family infiltrates the court, it will be too late.” Yuwen Qiyue spoke with extreme gravity.

Si Yunqin pretended not to understand. “Elder Sister Qiyue’s meaning is…?”

“I believe we should take back the Emperor’s power. Have the Grand Chancellor act as regent. When the Emperor comes of age, return the rule to him. That is the righteous path. With me in the palace, the Chancellor will surely have no second thoughts. With the Sikong’s mansion and the Grand Chancellor checking each other, we can wait until the Emperor reaches adulthood.”

Si Yunqin thought for a long time, and with additional persuasion from Xi Fengyu and Yuwen Qiyue, she finally nodded.

Then she asked Xi Fengyu why she also loathed the Empress Dowager so much.

Xi Fengyu smiled bitterly. “I don’t hate the Empress Dowager. I simply don’t want to be trapped in this deep palace. The Grand Princess promised that when the matter is done, she would let me leave the palace. The world is vast, and I want to see it. That’s all.”

Si Yunqin nodded in understanding, then asked Yuwen Qiyue what she planned to do.

Yuwen Qiyue roughly explained: first, arrange their own people in the court; then have the abbot of Heavenly Peace Temple spread the statement about a woman ruling the world, forcing Shen Yanxin to step down.

It wasn’t brilliant, but it was useful. Rumors were effective anytime.

Moreover, Heavenly Peace Temple had been enshrined as the National Temple by Emperor Taizu—its status spoke for itself.

After hearing the plan, Si Yunqin expressed her full support, on the condition that her brother must be rescued.

After she left, a man stepped out from behind the rockery. He held a folding fan and looked like a scholar. Xi Fengyu could tell at a glance that he knew martial arts, and quite well—otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to enter the heavily guarded palace.

“As expected of Her Highness the Grand Princess. I admire you, I’ll return and report to my master that we’ve reached an agreement with the Empress.”

Yuwen Qiyue stared coldly at the Go board before her, not even looking at him. “Mm. Tell the Grand Chancellor to act quickly and secure control of the Imperial City guards as soon as possible.”

“Yes. I’ll take my leave now.”

After he was far gone, Yuwen Qiyue relaxed and spread her hand. Her palm was sweaty. “Fengyu, this acting is too hard.”

“I almost believed that Yunqin really wanted to oppose the Empress Dowager,” Yuwen Qiyue whispered.

Xi Fengyu handed her a handkerchief. “Wipe your hands. Of course not. It’s just that I didn’t expect it to be the Grand Chancellor orchestrating everything behind the scenes.”

These past days, following Yuwen Qiyue and carefully investigating clue by clue, they had uncovered the Grand Chancellor. They had expressed their sincerity for cooperation. The Chancellor indeed hid deep, never showing his hand.

Back at her place, Si Yunqin relayed the information to Shen Yanxin. Shen Yanxin, in turn, gave Si Yunqin good news.

“I have evidence here that can prove your brother’s innocence.” Shen Yanxin handed the evidence to Si Yunqin.

Si Yunqin read it and relaxed. “But the play has gone this far. Do we stop?”

“No. When you cast a net, you don’t pull it back without catching fish,” Shen Yanxin said with a mocking smile. “Since they want me to lose face and reputation, then let me lose them.”

“If you care too much about reputation, it will drag you down sooner or later.” Shen Yanxin’s expression turned fierce.

This version of Shen Yanxin was indeed intimidating.

“Fine. Then let’s keep acting. If I don’t break their heart, I’ll admit defeat,” Si Yunqin snorted.

Shen Yanxin laughed and tousled her hair. “In that case, I have to do something, don’t I? For example, placing the Empress under house arrest and forbidding anyone to contact her.”

Si Yunqin gave her a mournful look. But Shen Yanxin walked over and rubbed the top of her head, free of headpieces. “If there’s a chance this time, I’ll send you and Xi Fengyu out of the palace.”

“Fine. Many thanks to the Empress Dowager.” Si Yunqin didn’t stand on ceremony.

When she left, Shen Yanxin sighed softly. “She really doesn’t linger at all.”

After saying this, she drafted an imperial edict placing Si Yunqin under house arrest.

For Si Yunqin, house arrest was no real restriction—she could change her clothes and leap across rooftops to leave whenever she wanted.

But she was too lazy to move; Xi Fengyu and Yuwen Qiyue secretly visited her in her palace.

The big tabby cat also came every day to freeload, growing fatter under Si Yunqin’s care. Now it curled up in her arms begging for affection, its former aloofness long gone.

At court, Shen Yanxin battled wits with the officials every day. With Si Yan’s help, the Grand Chancellor’s faction managed to place some of their people in certain positions—but it remained to be seen whose people those actually were.

Si Yunqin’s only role was to relay messages to Si Yan.

After all, word from the former court was that Si Yuanju had confessed to corruption and awaited sentencing.

Meanwhile, Shen Yanxin issued a decree encouraging commoners to move their household registrations to the Celestial Wave Lake Basin.

This pushed the situation at court to a peak. Everyone seemed to know it was time to pick sides. Choose right, and enjoy boundless success; choose wrong, and face ruin.

Si Yunqin bothered herself little with these matters. She spent her days in the harem petting the cat and soaking up the sun, quite leisurely. Yuwen Qiyue had far more to do.

Of course, whenever a decision was hard to reach, Yuwen Qiyue still came to Si Yunqin.