The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

When Zhang Chun rode his horse at full speed and saw the Forbidden City, tears almost welled up in his eyes.

It was still dark, and the city gates were not yet open. The Forbidden City, hidden in the night, was like a colossal beast, swallowing up everyone who entered it.

Zhang Chun couldn't help but shiver. He found a sheltered spot and nestled there, waiting for the palace gates to open the next day.

Although he was huddled up, his eyes were always on the direction of the sunrise. He was thinking that if his master hadn't been too busy to find anyone else, he would have been the only one who could come.

Otherwise, given the horsemanship of any of the guards around the prince, they would probably have delivered the message to the princess much earlier, without even waiting until this night.

As soon as the palace gates opened, Zhang Chun took Yinxiang's token and rushed into the palace. As soon as he entered the prince's quarters, he saw Chenxiang leading Songhua and others carrying toiletries to the main room.

Zhang Chun hurriedly stopped Chen Xiang: "Sister, has the Fujin woken up?"

Chen Xiang was suddenly stopped by someone. Looking at Zhang Chun, he saw that he was covered in dirt and his face was filthy, covered in sweat and ash.

"The Princess Consort has already woken up. Why are you back, and in such a disheveled state?"

"It's good that you're awake. Sister, please pass on a message to the Fujin. This servant has brought back a message from the Master."

"Alright, go wash up first, otherwise how can you come up here looking like this?"

"It's too late, sister, something terrible has happened! Please help me see the Princess Consort!"

Zhang Chun spoke quickly and urgently, startling Chen Xiang, who hurriedly said, "Then you wait, I'll report back to the Princess Consort right away."

"Hey, sister, you're busy."

Chenxiang turned around and ran to the main room. Qingwan had just changed her clothes in the inner room, and Chunshui was braiding her black hair into a bun.

As soon as Chenxiang entered, she curtsied and said, "Reporting to the Madam, Zhang Chun has returned and said he brought a message from the Master, saying he is very anxious."

Qingwan looked at her hair, which was still half loose, and said, "Lower the curtain and let him in."

“Madam,” Chenxiang hesitated, “Zhang Chun has just returned from a long journey and is somewhat dirty.”

"It's alright, let him in."

"Yes."

Zhang Chun quickly entered, and seeing Qingwan's figure hidden behind the curtain, he said without waiting for her to ask:

"The Eighteenth Prince is gone, and the Crown Prince has committed a crime. I'm afraid our master will be involved."

The master instructed me to tell his wife that if anything were to happen to him, she should not ask or concern herself with anything, and especially not go to see the Minister. She should simply close the door and wait for his return.

"The Eighteenth Prince is gone?" What does this have to do with Yinxiang? Qingwan couldn't help but stand up, and Chunshui quickly pulled her back.

Qingwan snapped out of her daze and sat down again: "When did this happen? What does the death of the Eighteenth Prince have to do with the Crown Prince and Master?"

"The Eighteenth Prince passed away on the fourth day of the month. I returned that very night. The news of the Eighteenth Prince's passing should reach the palace in the next day or two."

But what does this have to do with the Crown Prince and Your Highness? This servant has no idea. All I know is that it was first the guards who were on good terms with His Majesty who came to deliver the message.

Then, His Majesty's personal guards came directly and said that His Majesty summoned the prince to speak with him, and then the prince was in a hurry to send a servant back to deliver a message to his wife.

The situation was so urgent that the master didn't even have time to summon his closest guards.

Zhang Chunyue was genuinely anxious, but also genuinely unclear about the situation, so his words were disjointed and incoherent.

Qingwan couldn't understand what the Crown Prince had done wrong, or how Yinxiang had gotten involved. She could only guess that it was because of Yinxi's matter.

But Zhang Chun's return would take time, and if something was going to happen, it would have happened by now. There was no point in rushing, so Qingwan calmed down instead.

He asked Zhang Chun, "Think about it carefully. What could possibly happen between the Eighteenth Prince, the Crown Prince, and the Emperor?"

Aunt Yan came in after hearing this, and said gently, "Aunt Yan, you've been through a lot, listen to me."

"Yes." Aunt Yan gently lifted the curtain and entered the inner room.

Zhang Chun pondered for a while with his head down: "The one who serves you most closely is Eunuch Zhang Rui, this servant really can't think of anything else."

Zhang Chun suddenly paused for a moment: "There is something. After the Eighteenth Prince fell ill, His Majesty left him in Yong'an Bai'ang'a to recuperate."

After the Eighteenth Prince fell seriously ill, His Majesty made a special trip back to visit him. All the princes were deeply saddened, except for the Crown Prince.

Once, when I accompanied you on an outing, you spoke to the Crown Prince, who said that even if the Eighteenth Prince were to pass away, His Majesty would likely feel little grief, especially since he was only seriously ill. He advised you not to say more about this matter.

Later, I heard from Eunuch Zhang Rui that the more the prince advised him, the more the crown prince scolded him.

"Your Highness has always had a good relationship with His Majesty and the Crown Prince, but this time you've caused quite a stir. That's all I know, Your Highness."

"Go back and rest." After Qingwan dismissed Zhang Chun, she discussed with Aunt Yan, "If we only listened to what Zhang Chun said, it wouldn't be a big deal, but the master just had him bring back these few words out of the blue, which has made everyone uneasy."

If you say I'm not allowed to interfere, then I'm just a woman confined to the inner quarters. If the Emperor doesn't wish it, I won't even be able to see him, let alone interfere.

This nonsensical talk confused Aunt Yan as well. Having spent more time in the palace, she couldn't think of anything the Crown Prince could do to implicate Yinxiang, other than a rebellion.

"It may not be that something really happened; perhaps it's just something the master is preparing for in case of emergency."

In the short time that followed, Qingwan finished dressing and stood up, saying, "Have someone prepare a sedan chair. We'll go to the garden to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and the other ladies."

But the people around the emperor were much faster than Zhang Chun. Before Qingwan even left the palace, news from beyond the Great Wall had already reached her.

"This servant greets Your Highness. Where is Your Highness headed?"

"You are..." Qingwan was stopped before she even left the palace.

“Your servant Akdun is a servant of His Majesty. I am here by His Majesty’s order to return to the palace first.”

"I see. Our Lady is just about to go to the garden to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager and all the ladies." This was said by Aunt Yan.

Akdun, who hadn't looked up, said, "Something happened outside. His Majesty sent word back that people in the capital shouldn't run around."

"This servant was just about to lead people to escort the Empress Dowager back to the palace, but Your Highness should return first."

"You really have a lot of nerve. When did it become your place to arrange things for the master?" Chenxiang couldn't hold back any longer, her words full of sternness.

"Even if this servant had the courage of a lion, I wouldn't dare to make arrangements for my master, young lady. Something big is happening outside."

Akdun secretly glanced up at Qingwan and said, "Madam, you should go back." This glance did not escape Qingwan's notice.

Qingwan couldn't help but pull her hand away from Aunt Yan's forearm, and Aunt Yan covered her hand with hers: "In that case, let's go back first."

On the way back, Qingwan was somewhat distracted. The words she wanted to say kept coming to mind, but in the end, she only said one sentence:

"After all, they are people close to the Emperor. Even though Zhang Chun said he rushed back as soon as something happened, he was only a little earlier than these people."

On their way back, they noticed that there were many more guards walking along the way.

Aunt Yan said, "Such fast movements."

Qingwan nodded slightly, but her heart sank deeper and deeper.

As soon as she stepped inside, Songhua greeted her, saying, "It had only been a short while since the Lady left that I went to the kitchen to get some milk, but I was stopped by the guards."

They said that if we need anything in the future, someone else will fetch it for us, and that we shouldn't go out easily.

"Madam, does this mean they're going to put us under house arrest?"