A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City-Chapter 112

"He ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍listened to slander, failed to distinguish loyalty from deceit, and plunged the court into chaos. Your princess was one of the lucky survivors among his victims." Emperor Longfeng turned to Prince Chen. "Du Qing, you are the child of me and Mei Dai. You have my decisiveness and her kindness. I believe you will be a great Crown Prince."

Prince Chen walked to the window, closed it, and draped an outer robe over his father’s shoulders. "You’ve taken off your robe—why invite the night chill?"

"Fine." Emperor Longfeng chuckled warmly. "You’re still young. We’ll discuss this another time. I’ve agreed about the Ming Family of Lingzhou. Stay in Taiyang Palace tonight."

"I have a wife now—what would I do staying here?" Prince Chen adjusted his father’s robe. "Rest early. Don’t stay up so late again."

Whenever court affairs piled up, his father would avoid his mother’s scolding by claiming he was staying overnight in Taiyang Palace. Prince Chen had known this trick since childhood.

"I heard someone in the palace gossiped about the fourth prince, and you dealt with them?" Emperor Longfeng sat on the dragon bed.

Prince Chen sat beside him. "A son’s discipline is his father’s duty—what right do outsiders have to interfere? There’s a saying among the people: 'If the meat rots, it stays in the pot.' No outsider gets to take it."

Emperor Longfeng laughed. "You’re right."

The world thought he favored Du Qing because of Mei Dai.

But what he truly cherished was his son’s nature.

"Rest now. At dawn, you must attend the grand court assembly." Prince Chen had always believed that being an emperor—especially a wise one—meant rising before the stars faded, leaving the palace with the sunrise, and often waking at midnight to handle emergencies.

Power was tempting, but without self-restraint, a high position only brought harm to more people.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

"I sincerely wish you eternal health and boundless blessings." Prince Chen bowed deeply to Emperor Longfeng before turning to leave Taiyang Palace.

The palace was silent, save for the occasional chirp of insects. Palace maids and eunuchs on duty passed by with smiles, but upon seeing his palanquin, they quickly composed themselves and retreated respectfully.

Armored guards walked past, their sabers clinking against their armor.

They saluted him with clasped hands, the red tassels on their helmets swaying gently in the night breeze.

"Stop." Prince Chen watched the patrolling guards with their lanterns fade into the distance before turning back toward Taiyang Palace. "Return to Taiyang Palace."

Jiuzhu woke from under the blankets. Prince Chen still slept beside her. After a moment’s thought, she tucked her head back under the covers.

Birds chirped outside. She gazed at his long lashes, counting them silently with a smile.

Someone paced anxiously in the outer chamber, as if needing to report urgent news but not daring to disturb them.

Jiuzhu propped herself up on one arm, slipped out of bed, wrapped herself in an outer robe, and tiptoed out. "What’s happened?"

"Princess." Seeing her, Chunfen hurried over and whispered, "Something’s wrong at the Sixth Consort’s Palace."

"What is it?"

"Fourth Prince’s consort, Sun Caiyao, has miscarried." Chunfen’s face paled. "The messenger said she woke later than usual today. Her attendants grew worried and checked—only to find the bedding soaked in blood. The child is gone."

Jiuzhu froze for a moment. "Fetch some blood-nourishing herbs from the storeroom. I’ll go see her at once."

"Princess, wait." The maids surrounded her. "Let us dress you first."

Jiuzhu sat at the dressing table, her brows tightly knit. She had seen Sun Caiyao just days ago—her pregnancy had seemed stable, with no signs of risk.

In a chamber at the Sixth Consort’s Palace, Sun Caiyao reclined against the headboard, sipping the medicine Bai Shao had brought. Her expression held neither grief nor anger—only numbness.

Yun Yanze entered and dismissed everyone with a wave. His feigned concern and sorrow melted away.

Sun Caiyao sneered. "No more acting now, Your Highness?"

Yun Yanze: "You’ve lost the child. Rest well in your chamber."

"You vile hypocrite." Her voice trembled with hatred. "I regret—I regret ever marrying you."

"Wasn’t it you who sought me out, desperate to become my consort?" Yun Yanze’s face remained blank. "Now that I’ve fallen from favor, and Yun Duqing remains the exalted Prince Chen, you regret it?"

"What a pity." He smirked. "Had you not boated with me on the lake that day, perhaps you’d be Prince Chen’s consort now. Look how well he treats his princess—silks, jewels, fireworks, mountain hikes, even flying kites together."

"But fate wasn’t kind to you." He gripped her chin. "Last night—I know you saw."

Sun Caiyao’s pupils dilated, tears brimming. "You’re a monster!"

"After scheming so hard to marry me, what kind of virtuous woman does that make you?" Yun Yanze released her chin with a sneer. "I recall you have an elder brother serving in a distant post. Pray for his safety, won’t you? It’d be such a shame if anything... unfortunate were to happen to him."

"The one who caught the child falling from the window all those years ago—it wasn’t you at all, was it?" Sun Caiyao demanded sharply. "You’ve been deceiving me this entire time."

"Deceiving you?" Yun Yanze chuckled coldly. "When did I ever claim to be that man? You conjured the fantasy yourself. What does it have to do with me?"

"So that’s why... that’s why..."

Sun Caiyao finally understood. No wonder, in her dreams, Ming Jiuzhu had ultimately chosen to perish with him. And here she had pitied Jiuzhu for her ruthlessness, worrying over Yun Yanze at every turn—only to realize she had been the fool all along.

"Let me think... there was indeed a prince who saved a child from falling that year." A twisted delight flickered in Yun Yanze’s eyes. "Care to guess who it was?"

Sun Caiyao’s face turned ashen.

"Ah, you’ve figured it out."

"It was none other than Yun Duqing—the very man you scorned so thoroughly." Yun Yanze burst into laughter. "Had you not seduced me, perhaps you could’ve married the man of your dreams."

Since his own life was already steeped in misery, seeing others drown in suffering brought him nothing but joy.

"Sister Chunfen, listen—doesn’t that sound like someone crying?" Jiuzhu glanced toward the rockery. "Take some servants and see what’s happening."

Chunfen returned swiftly. "Your Highness, it’s a maid who tends to Princess Roude’s cat. Someone broke the poor creature’s limbs, and by the time she found it outside Zhangliu Palace, it was already half-dead. She’s weeping out of grief for the cat and fear of the princess’s punishment."

Jiuzhu frowned, recalling Consort Dowager Zhao’s cat, which had also been found with its front legs broken near Zhangliu Palace.

She walked behind the rockery and saw the young maid cradling the whimpering cat, its fluffy form pitifully frail.

"It’s still alive." After a moment’s thought, Jiuzhu took a pill from her pouch, crushed it between her fingers, and carefully fed it to the cat.

"Your Highness, what medicine is this?"

"Something my master concocted. He claimed it could heal any injury short of internal rupture." Seeing the cat’s labored breathing, Jiuzhu knew summoning a physician would be futile. "We can only try."

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you!" The maid kowtowed repeatedly, still clutching the cat.

"No need. Stay here with it—don’t move it." Jiuzhu gently stroked the cat’s head. "Once I return from Zhangliu Palace, I’ll help you take it to Princess Roude."

The maid understood—the princess was shielding her. She knelt and pressed her forehead to the ground in gratitude.

After Jiuzhu left, the maid slumped against the rockery, holding the cat in a daze. She didn’t know how much time had passed when suddenly, the cat let out a faint mewl.

Trembling, she looked down. The cat’s eyes were open. Tears streamed down her face anew.

When Jiuzhu arrived at Sun Caiyao’s chambers, the other princesses were already present. The atmosphere was somber, and no one smiled at her entrance.

"Fourth Sister-in-law." Jiuzhu gently took Sun Caiyao’s wrist. "How are you feeling?"

Sun Caiyao stared at Jiuzhu, who had rushed over from Kirin Palace, then suddenly gripped her hand tightly. Tears she had long suppressed came pouring out.

"You mustn’t cry now. Focus on recovering—there will be other chances." Seeing the beauty’s haggard face, Jiuzhu softened. She dabbed Sun Caiyao’s tears with a handkerchief. "No matter what, a woman must always be kind to herself."

"Let her cry." Princess Huai’s own eyes reddened. "The imperial physician said the miscarriage was caused by shock and rage. Sometimes, a good cry is the only release."

Yet none had expected that Sun Caiyao, who’d never seemed particularly close to Jiuzhu, would finally break down in her presence.

Hearing Jiuzhu’s comforting words only deepened Sun Caiyao’s anguish. She wrapped her arms around Jiuzhu’s waist and sobbed openly.

This woman—whom she had once feared, resented, and distrusted—had become the only source of solace left to her.

Jiuzhu froze momentarily before resting a hand on Sun Caiyao’s back, patting it gently.

Bai Shao entered with medicine and paused at the sight of the fourth princess clinging to Princess Chen. Glancing at the steaming bowl in her hands, she bowed her head and waited silently.

"There won’t be another chance... never again." Sun Caiyao wept into Jiuzhu’s shoulder, her voice barely audible. "It’s all my fault. I was wrong."

"It’s not your fault." Jiuzhu murmured. "The child was simply too mischievous, wandering off to play and forgetting the way home. Once you’ve recovered, they’ll return."

"A home like this... perhaps it’s better they never come." Sun Caiyao pressed her lips to Jiuzhu’s ear and whispered urgently, "Beware of Yun Yanze. He’s a madman."

Then, abruptly, she shoved Jiuzhu away and sneered, "What use are these empty comforts? Are you mocking me?"

Jiuzhu turned calmly—just in time to see Yun Yanze standing at the door, his face haggard with pain.