Chapter 130: The Night Ghost

“Does she intend to be a secondary wife?” Jiang Lan had to reconsider the princess’s boldness. “To propose becoming a secondary wife within the royal family—that takes real nerve!”

“It’s not just about being a secondary wife, my lord. I still haven’t fully grasped this woman’s true intentions,” Kong Kong said excitedly. “She wants to marry the elder brother of the Prince of Anping — His Highness Prince Jing.”

“Wait, isn’t she supposed to marry the Prince of Anping? How does Prince Jing come into this? Explain it clearly.”

“Patience, young master. Let me tell you slowly. Actually, Prince Jing is no longer alive.”

“Marry a dead man?!” Jiang Lan was stunned, marveling at how inventive the mortal realm could be among the six realms.

“Prince Jing was both wise and brave, fondly caring for the young Prince of Anping. Sadly, jealous rivals caused his demise before he could come of age, killed by dozens of arrows in a battle against the Qi state. Since childhood, the Prince of Anping aspired to be like his brother, Prince Jing, but fate was cruel.”

“So the Princess of Liang intends to marry this Prince Jing?” Jiang Lan was still surprised. Why would a noblewoman from such a prestigious family marry a deceased prince? Was it merely to honor the powerful Prince of Anping’s nostalgic affection for his elder brother?

“Yes, she is marrying him, but in a way that allows the Prince of Anping to bear the responsibilities of both households,” Kong Kong’s eyes shone with admiration, glancing toward the prince with envy.

“Bear the responsibilities? What does that mean? I haven’t come across that phrase before.”

“It means the Prince of Anping will continue his brother’s bloodline, and the Princess of Liang is, in a roundabout way, marrying him,” Kong Kong mused, puzzled why such a beauty was blind to this.

“This Prince of Anping certainly has no shortage of charm,” Jiang Lan sighed, then added, “However, this beauty isn’t easily won. What about the Princess of Anping? Surely the Prince of Anping’s wife isn’t an ordinary woman. Her family must be among the top in the imperial city.”

“The Princess of Anping is the only daughter of the Princess of Jinyang, Lady Shangyang. Her father is the eldest son of the influential Pang family from Longyou Circuit, the same family that once arranged a betrothal with the grandson of the Qi King. The Princess of Jinyang adored her husband deeply and did not reside in the princess’s mansion but followed him back to the Pang family’s estate, where she became the matriarch.”

“Lady Shangyang is the beloved apple of the eye of both the Pang family and the Princess of Jinyang. There’s no way she would be forced to endure any grievances.”

“Before Lady Shangyang could speak a word, the patriarch of the Pang family, her grandfather and the family’s elder, immediately sent his most astute eldest grandson—Lady Shangyang’s cousin and next heir, Pang Tong—to the imperial capital to intervene and send a warning.”

“Actually, it’s just that Pang Tong hasn't arrived yet. Lady Shangyang’s son is also not to be trifled with,” Jiang Lan said with a sly smile, still bitter from recent mistreatment by that very person.

***

“Is the young master the Prince of Anping’s heir?” Kong Kong asked.

“Who else could it be? He looks decent enough, but behind the scenes, he’s full of schemes—a true venomous beauty.”

Kong Kong was puzzled. “I once saw this heir, Chen Yu, at White Horse Temple. He seemed refined, with elegant tastes, not the duplicitous type.”

Jiang Lan shook his head solemnly. “In these times, appearances deceive. We can’t judge a person or situation by the surface alone. I was once fooled by his handsome exterior as well. You’re a gold-swallowing beast, but even such creatures have depth—form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Do you understand?”

“...My lord, I’m a male gold-swallowing beast, too,” Kong Kong weakly protested.

Jiang Lan waved his hand. “That’s not important. I’ve read many stories—there are plenty who favor the same sex. If you truly like that venomous beauty, I won’t stop you. Go ahead, take your pleasure. Just make sure you never come looking to cross me again. I’ll erase any past offenses he’s committed.”

“My lord, these are harsh words! I’m barely over a thousand years old—I can’t rush things!”

“Oh? Don’t gold-swallowing beasts mature at three hundred years? Have you missed your season?”

“...” Kong Kong took a deep breath, restraining the urge to lash out, and explained, “My ancestors had the blood of the gluttonous beast, which extended my lifespan.”

“I see. So… do you truly like this Chen Yu?”

“...” Kong Kong clenched his fists. “Young master, can we skip this topic?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop myself from hitting you.”

“Uh... fine, fine.”

***

Within the imperial palace’s Chaoyun Hall, a bronze basin burned with flames.

All the palace attendants and maids had been scolded away by the Empress Dowager. Jiang Ke sat alone on the grand hall’s dais, unfazed by the chilling cold that pierced to the bone.

Her eyes were dim, void of any light as she stared at the wooden doll burning in the basin.

One hand braced against the floor, the other clenched tightly, her crimson nails digging into her flesh. She no longer felt pain, for her heart had already shattered into pieces stirred by the object in the basin.

If one approached closely, a low chant could be heard—like a ghost in the night, silently stalking its prey, relentless and slow.

Compared to the eerie silence inside Chaoyun Hall, outside was utter chaos. The young emperor Chen Qing stood just beyond the hall, surrounded by a group of anxious white-bearded imperial physicians and palace eunuchs, all flustered like ants on a hot pan.

“What’s wrong with Her Majesty? It’s terrifying! What if something bad happens?” the maids whispered among themselves.

“She’s only worried for His Majesty. When the eunuch Yu fetched the basin, I sneaked a peek at the doll—it’s creepy! If this really affects His Majesty, how could that be? Just thinking about it frightens me. The Empress Dowager must be terribly worried.”

“Exactly. And she even blamed the young master, who is usually her favorite. Now with both His Majesty and the young master involved, isn’t she just about to have a heart attack?”

“But the Empress Dowager locking herself alone in the hall, not even seeing His Majesty, is truly distressing.”

“Blame that villain who falsely accused the young master and tried to harm His Majesty! If even one strand of the Empress Dowager’s hair is harmed, we’ll make sure he pays dearly!”

“Enough. His Majesty and the doctors have been here for over an hour. Let’s prepare some food in the kitchen and warm up the Empress Dowager’s favorite dishes. She hasn’t had dinner yet.”

“Yes, yes, that’s the right thing. That villain deserves to be chopped up next time.”

Xu Nuo served Chen Qing, carrying a bowl of noodles recently delivered. He said, “Your Majesty, why not eat something first? It’s almost midnight, and you haven’t had dinner yet. The Empress Dowager probably won’t come out anytime soon. You have court early tomorrow; you should eat something.”

Chen Qing waved his hand. “I have no appetite. Where is my mother?”