This chapter has been brought to you by me, and Adnana.
Chapter Eighty-Six: Warning
An official was excitedly criticizing the Chief Justice of the Judicial Office during court. He accused the other of dozens of crimes, then presented his proof. It was as though if he could not get this person, he would not rest.
The other officials had strange expressions. Everyone knew that the Chief Justice of the Judicial Office was on good terms with Sheng Junwang and respected him very much. This person who was criticizing the Chief Justice right now was undoubtedly putting himself at odds with Sheng Junwang.
A minor imperial censor dared to do something like this. Who gave him the courage? Or rather… who was the person behind him?
The Emperor, as expected, did not let this opportunity pass. He immediately stripped the Chief Justice of the Judicial Office of his role, and arrested him to wait for his sentence.
Almost everyone understood this was a signal—the Emperor was going to move against Sheng Junwang! There were many parties in the court. One was strictly monarchist. They would do what the Emperor said. One was for the Imperial Family. They felt that if the Emperor did not have a son, then he should adopt one of his nephews as heir. Most of this part supported Sheng Junwang. There was also a neutral party. They would only recognize those who would be of benefit to them rather than follow a party.
In the view of the neutral party, the Emperor’s decision would not be right, and Sheng Junwang might not be the best choice. They did not have to be in a hurry to pick sides in case they offended the person who did become the next emperor. They would rather not have the merit of helping someone onto the throne rather than become an eyesore in the eyes of the next emperor.
Qilong Emperor’s attitude was too determined. The party that supported Sheng Junwang wasn’t even able to beg for mercy as they watched the imperial guards drag the Chief Justice away.
“Zhen thinks that Zhang Hou is not a bad person. He will temporarily take the position of Chief Justice.” The Emperor, to show his fairness, deliberately picked the Junior Justice Zhang Hou who had displeased him to become the Chief Justice.
The officials were surprised. Wasn’t this Zhang Hou who had enraged the Emperor over his investigation in the case of the Crown Prince? Why was the Emperor so generous to promote him? They had thought that he would hate this official.
Of course, Qilong Emperor was not a generous person. He promoted Zhang Hou for everyone to see. He wanted the public to know that he would use even a person like Zhang Hou. Therefore, his demoting people now was not done out of selfish intent, but because they had committed great crimes.
In the end, he was just finding an excuse to cover it up.
Yan Jin Qiu lowered his head and stood as if all of this had nothing to do with him. In the eyes of other people, Xian Wang was as expected, someone truly detached from these matters. It had to be said that if Sheng Junwang lost power, then the possibility of Xian Wang ascending the throne would become even greater.
It was a pity that this person was one who did not like power. It was a waste of his talent.
Everyone thought that the imperial censor who had criticized the Chief Justice had been arranged by the Emperor. Even Yan Bo Yi thought this. After the court session ended, he looked coldly at the imperial censor and turned to leave.
“Sheng Junwang.” Ning Wang walked in front of him with a smile and said emotionally, “People nowadays are really daring, don’t you think?”
“Ning Wang has said that your health hasn’t been good recently. If that’s the case, then do not meddle in matters not concerning you, and rest at home.” Sheng Junwang raised his hands coldly. “This one will go first. Farewell.”
“Tsk.” Ning Wang rubbed his chin as he watched Yan Bo Yi walk away. He turned his head and saw Yan Jin Qiu who was sedately walking away. He blinked. Maybe it was time to make a decision.
In the months after this, there were many changes in court. Several high-ranking and powerful officials were demoted. Almost all of this people had one thing in common: they were close to Sheng Junwang or they admired him.
The common people only thought that this was the Emperor going crazy over the death of his son, and did not know that this was a battle for the court.
Amateurs watched for the spectacle, and the professionals watched for the technique. Many of the officials who had been close to Yan Bo Yi in the past were now extremely cautious. They even broke off their interactions with Sheng Junwang Fu to express where they stood.
“Who was it that leaked this?!” Yan Bo Yi looked at his advisors in the room with a dark face. These were his closest confidants, but right now, he was suspicious that one among them had betrayed him.
Some of the officials who had been demoted didn’t even have any interactions with him in public. But even so, the Emperor had sentenced them. This meant that the Emperor already knew of their secret interactions with him.
But how did the Emperor learn of this?
“Junwang Ye…” The advisors stared at each other. None of them had thought the situation would become like this, and they started to suspect each other.
Seeing them like this, Yan Bo Yi did not say anything. He rubbed the corner of his eye tiredly and said, “What do you think should be done?”
“The Emperor has already decided to set himself against Junwang Ye. Why don’t we…” One of the advisors did not finish speaking before Yan Bo Yi glared at him. He did not dare to continue.
“Leave.” Since Yan Bo Yi was already suspicious of these advisors, he naturally would not discuss important matters with them any longer. So after he had them all leave, he sighed helplessly.
Originally, everything had been prepared and he only lacked an eastern wind. No one had expected the situation to reverse itself and force him to a precipice.
Now that it had developed to this step, he would either have to be vicious, or he would die.
He balled his fists and stood to walk towards the main yard.
In Xian Wang Fu, Hua Xi Wan used a handkerchief to wipe her face. Waving a fan, she said, “It is just May right now—how come it is so hot?”
“This servant also feels that this year is exceptionally hot.” Bai Xia fanned Hua Xi Wan and said with a light laugh, “Do not be angry. I will fan you and it will not be so hot.”
“This is almost suffocating heat. Maybe rain is coming.” Hua Xi Wan exhaled heavily. “Make me another bowl of iced silver fungus. It is so hot my heart feels restless.”
“Wang Fei, you cannot eat too many cold things. You have already used a bowl this morning.” Bai Xia fanned her. “How about this servant makes you a cup of cold tea?”
Hua Xi Wan could recognize what was to her benefit. Hearing this, she could only sigh and say, “All right, you should also go and drink a bowl.” She pulled the thin robe and weakly slumped on the table. Seeing Yan Jin Qiu come in, she didn’t even move.
“What is going on?” Yan Jin Qiu was wearing his proper attire. Seeing Hua Xi Wan was so heated that her face was flushed, he said, “Why are you not putting out ice in the room?”
“If I use ice when it is just May, what will I do in June and July?” Hua Xi Wan glanced at him weakly. Seeing he was still wearing his outer robe, she said, “Why are you dressed so heavily?”
Yan Jin Qiu took off the outer robe and immediately felt much lighter. Turning around, he saw that Hua Xi Wan was still lying down and went forward to say, “Let’s go sit in the pavilion on the lake. The wind blows there and it will be much cooler.”
Hua Xi Wan took the tea that Bai Xia handed and took a sip. When the tea reached her throat, it was very refreshing. This made her slightly more alert. “Let’s go.”
The lotuses in the lake had started to bud. Hua Xi Wan leaned against the stone table in the pavilion and said lazily, “I see that your complexion is good today. Did something good happen?”
“Ever since I married you, good things happen to me daily.” Yan Jin Qiu poured a cup of water for her. “Was I not in a good mood before?”
“Don’t sweet talk.” Hua Xi Wan raised her head to glance at him and then said, “When were you happy?”
When he heard this, Yan Jin Qiu’s heart moved. Then he laughed brightly. “What more can I ask of this wife?”
Hua Xi Wan was too lazy to attend to his hyper-emotional attitude. She took the cup that he handed over and drank. With the cool wind blowing, she felt her restlessness disappear.
Not long after husband and wife sat down, news came from the palace saying that the Crown Princess was about to give birth.
“About to give birth?” Hua Xi Wan stilled. Was she even at full term yet?
Mu Tong said, “The palace has said that the Crown Princess has entered the labor room. However, it has almost been four hours, and the imperial grandson has not arrived.”
Hua Xi Wan and Yan Jin Qiu exchanged a look. Yan Jin Qiu said, “If that’s the case, then we will first wait. It will not be appropriate for us to hurry to the palace now.”
It would be all right if the Crown Princess had a successful labor. If it was not successful, wouldn’t they become the targets of the Emperor’s fury?
Another two hours passed, and the news from the palace was still that the imperial grandson had not arrived.
Husband and wife then ate a noon meal and napped. The palace sent news again—the imperial grandson had not arrived.
This was the time when thunderstorms were about to come. The clouds were dark, and the wind blew wildly. It could be seen that a thunderstorm was about to arrive.
When the first roar of thunder came, rain dropped down. Hua Xi Wan looked at the flowers that were struck down by the rain and had a strange feeling that maybe the Crown Princess would be able to give birth at last. But after birth, what waited for them was not good fortune but something else.
When night came, a burst of thunder came, and a cypress tree beside the imperial tomb was struck by lightning. Even the house that was used as a residence for the guards of the tomb was burned. Though the rain was heavy, the entire residence was completely burned down.
“Born!”
“Congratulations Emperor, congratulations Empress, the Crown Princess has given birth to an imperial grandson.”
“Emperor, report, the imperial tomb’s cypress tree was struck by lightning and broke. The residence of the tomb guards was also burned down.”
“Emperor, report, fire has appeared in the suburbs of Jing, and has burned down dozens of residences.”
The cries of a child and the booms of thunder sounded, but the atmosphere froze.
What did it mean when the imperial grandson was just born and so many strange things happened, such as the tree at the imperial tomb being struck by lightning?
It meant that the birth of the imperial grandson would bring inauspicious fortune.
Qilong Emperor looked at the child in his swaddling clothes. A long time later, he forced down the anger inside. “Prepare the altar, zhen has to burn incense to the ancestors.”
There were some things that were coincidences in this world. Even if he did not object to this child, the child would only represent inauspiciousness in the eyes of the people.
It had been a long time since Qilong Emperor had tasted the feeling of being pressured. But today, he had to believe in fate, he had to voice his crimes to the ancestors. Otherwise, he would be considered unfilial.
Or maybe, this wasn’t done on purpose. Were the ancestors truly expressing their displeasure at the wretched thing he had done?
The more he thought, the more fear he felt. He turned back to look in the direction of the labor room. The imperial decree he had prepared was not announced in the end.
He did not want to leave behind a bad name when he passed away. He would wait and think of another way in the future.
Translator Ramblings: All of that struggle, the machinations, the conflict … … all it took was one lightning storm, and rumors of inauspiciousness to stop the child becoming the heir.
Waaah I’m in transit. I can’t make a lengthy comment but thank you wyhcwe and Adnana! This was jam-packed with intrigue. I still hate the emperor and what HXW pregnant lol. My data is so bad right now ToT
Sorry, I meant I want HXW to be pregnant. XD
Thank you..
Oh right timing for the last chap today… Thanks god i check the web again haha…
Well well… Now i feel pity for the newborn ‘imperial grandson’.
Uhhh….
Hahaha. Eveything have been set into motion. There is no stopping this. Feels bad for the newborn and the crown princess. Just chalk it up to bad karma.
It would have been better the child was a daughter… May be the superstition wouldn’t have been that bad…
Well timing was not on his side…for assaulting the Crown Princess and other crimes this is not enough punishment for him
Thank you…
Agree with you. Emperor and Crown Princess schemed so hard but supertition still beat them.
So, in the end, YBY and YJQ are the heirs left for the crown. But with YBY being unfavored by emperor, YJQ will be the strong contender.
I only hope if YBY ends up being stupid and bring calamity for himself, Hou shi will be spared. I feel bad for her.
Thank you for this surprise.
Thank you for the new chapters! Tuesday is the best day of the week because of your chapters ^^
I could just imagine a scorching summer without air con.. Ugh… HXW, be strong! How nice to see HXW and YJQ so lovey dovey <3
Sheng Junwang is ambitious, but without a good head. Perhaps he really can't read people? And I hope Hou-shi will be alright after acting against her husband.
And yeah, really, after all that intrigue and calculating, it took a thunderstorm and the right for this son to be emperor is gone. LOL
I wonder what will happen to the imperial princess? Will the move killing the mother and taking the son really be successful?
Dude, are you for real, now you think about being unfilial.
Is the child even going to be allowed to live. Otherwise, if you were him and grew up and thought your father was the Crown Price, wouldn’t you think you had a legitimate shot for the thrown? Wars have started for less. Then again if the child finds out who his actual father is, he has an even stronger claim on the thrown. Can the fighting factions really let him live?
Thanks for the chapter.
Thank you for the chapters! 😘
Thunderstorms would be an act of god but fire in the suburbs of Jing..? I bet either Yan Bo Yi or Yan Jin Qiu had their hands on this…
🙂
My assumption at this time would be Yan Bo Yi. He needs to act more than anyone does. The son you got of your daughter-in-law was born, and the tomb was smashed by a lightning-struck tree. You disposed and dispossessed my allies, and there are fires in the city… If Yan Bo Yi didn’t cause any of this, he should jump on the angry ancestors train. If he did, he should do it sooner.
So in the end what could stop him is a lightning huh… The mindset of the people in that age really is something else, lol.
Thanks for the chapter<3
Gods might be lazy at times but when they do strike…they strike hard.
Well that emperor deserves it, i still can’t help but find him absolutely disgusting…laying his hands on his son’s wife!!!!! That’s so fuck up!! He should have just get some new concubine, I’m sure he doesn’t lack any, impregnate that girl and get himself a heir. Not like this. But I guess Yan Bo Yi’s still hanging in there huh~Thanks to this Thunder
Thaaaaank you so much for the chapters!!
He would never have managed to get a girl to bring a child to term in the palace. He would have had to keep her on the side in some little hideaway, and manage to meet, bed, and stash her without the empress or other contenders for the throne finding out before the child was born. The empress has taken precautions against any heirs except the one she bore him up to now. Although, if she was slightly less emotional, she could do as the dowager empress did, and simply survive, and be the heir’s Imperial Mother – even easier to do if his real mother is gone.
True enough. I get it. But he could have done something just the very idea of impregnating your daughter in law repulses me😑
Yeah, it’s vile. There’s a massive breach of trust, and a total power imbalance, and a ginormous ick factor.
Thanking the translation team! Wah..Soo many inauspicious things welcoming this poor child!
Man could be fooled, but Heaven sees all.
Finally, a smidgen of morality within the Emperor!
For an heir, he committed such ugly and depraved sin…
Sigh..
Pity that Crown princess. To be used and abused, and for what end?
Huh… Guessing YJQ anonymously tipped off the Emperor using Hou Shi’s information. .. I think that should make the Emperor suspicious of him though, wonder if that’s tipping his hand a bit too heavily? … Alternatively maybe the Emperor knew all this time and just didn’t move until now. Hmm…
YBY acting so coldly to his former supporters surprises me a bit, I can understand ignoring the feelings of his harem, but his supporters as well? … Maybe I overestimated this guy and he doesn’t deserve to be Emperor regardless of if YJQ exists.
Finally all those inauspicious signs… o.O; Guess it’s a sign of the end of the current Emperor’s bloodline ruling. … At least that’s what I guess anyway.
Wonder if Sheng Wangfu’s weakness means Xian Wangfu is gonna get forced into action soon? I’d assume with YBY weakening, Emperor will want to weaken YJQ as well so he doesn’t get blindsided.
The emperor is disgusting for going at his sons wife.
The crown princess and YBY are shameless that since they both married other people still had a affair instead of stopping contact and live with theie spouses.
I whonder what decree the emperor had prepared ? How did the crown princess think she could become the emperors woman ? After all she was pregnant with the’ crown princes’ child ?
Thankyou both for the chapter !
the emperor was just paying on kind. So, the right is, both father and son are disgusting.
There is not prove that the princess and YBY had a affair, but it should be ok anyway, they didnt choose their match, if they both like each other, isnt ok to go at it??
The princess didnt want to sleep with the emperor, he got her drunk and forced her.
The emperor is disgusting. Nobody debates this point.
The Imperial Decree he had to trash likely had to do with making this “grandson” his heir. There is the small possibility he would have claimed the boy as his son, made him the heir, and replaced the current empress with the crown princess – but it is much less likely, since it would be admitting this major sin to the people, who might well revolt, and then not only would he leave a bad reputation behind when he died, but likely speed the course of his own demise.
Yan Bo Yi and Lin-shi may or may not have had any sort of relationship beyond being cousins by marriage. It, too, is unlikely, though, because that would mean Yan Bo Yi possibly destroying his own shot at the throne by making an heir with the crown princess. Unless the two of them comprised so massive military might which could successfully depose the emperor and place YBY on the throne, he would never have taken the chance of getting her pregnant.
He and the crown princess are both shameless, anyhow. They need to be: he, for the sake of gaining power, and his heart’s desire – the throne; she, for survival, because if she had not shamelessly played to the emperor’s creepy desire (once she was already pregnant) and played the empress off his desire for an heir, she would have died giving birth.
Did YJQ have something to do with the lightning!? Do people in those times know that kind of science!? ಠ╭╮ಠ I am suspicious!
He could easily have sent someone to burn it. Didn’t they mention something about a fire in the last chapter when Hou shi sent the ledger?
ppl back then knew a lot, so it shound be weird if he had someone to do something to attract it… like, he just needed a big piece of iron I think?
Thank you for the chapters 😍😍😍
What a complex story
I do like how each character is etched in painstaking detail
All want the best for themselves and their loved ones, some are willing to sacrifice others to achieve their goals while others have the ability to wait patiently and see how things turn
I feel bad and pity each one of them yet also realize that they themselves could have tried to avoid this result
Interesting turn of events, makes me glad I was not born in those times as I don’t have the brains to scheme or see through schemes so well
Thanks for translating
Nooo! I feel so bad for the newborn. He is nonetheless innocent. To be born into this wretched family… I was hoping it’s gonna be a little princess but of course, it has to be an imperial “grandson” because drama!
Thank you for all the chapters. Tuesday is always a blessing for me 😀
Didn’t weather wasn’t also bad and “auspicious” when Crown Prince died? That newborn baby has no luck to be born with this pair of parents (for various reason). Thank you for chapter 🙂
Thanks for the new chapter! Wow. The Emperor’s sins on full display in the afterlife. XD
Amateurs watched for the spectacle, and the professionals watched for the technique.
– YJQ outmanuevers everyone. Lear from the master.
With what YJQ XW has learned at the hand of the dowager and the savey that HXW has learned from her martial family this is a team that can not be bested. I love it
thanks for the chapter!
I wonder if that lightning was purposely attracted… after being struck for countless years, some ppl back then should know that the higher something is, the greater the possibility of being struck… not sure how they knew that the princess would give bird on a rainy day.
Thank you for the chapter~
–he would either have to be vicious, or he would die.–
….then came the news of the Crown Princess’ laboring with the timely fire at the suburbs of Jing and an extra lightning …hmmm
Thank you for the chapter (･ω´-ゞ)^☆ fu
Eh so scary your evil deeds has been seen
Oh so noooww you he grows a conscience.. what about when he got her drunk and forced her? Nope. How did he have the gall to look at her face after? Hah! Scum.
About the decree though, would he really dare to replace the empress with the crown princess? That would just be telling the world he had a hand in her pregnancy.
Great job with the fires (and lighting-i wonder if this could have been induced). Bo Yi and Jin Qiu definitely know how to sow discord.
Sigh, after all that scheming and tussle lol.. turns out the little kid won’t ever be accepted as an heir SMH. I think it’s best to stay away from this kind of life tbh. Hopefully the princess can get away safely with her kid. Blessing in disguise, perhaps?
Can someone tell me how many chapters there are left? As always, thank you so much for the wonderful translations. I think I have reread a virtuous wife like 10 times!! Thank you.
There’s 20 or so. I think the final count is 106.
Thank you!!
I doubt burning incense and confessing his crime to his ancestors will save him from the misfortune and calamity that will befall him.
Thank you for the update
probably the emperor would be thinking that as long as the child is save…heir position can be discussed in the “future”
Thanks so much for the chapter <3
I really agree with your “ramblings”, translator…it is wondrous that all it took in the end for all their plans and schemes to fail was Heaven’s intervention. Who says there is no fate, nothing like destiny? What will be will be.
I don’t believe in superstitions, however… This is simply his karma for being a pervert father in law. He has raped his own daughter in law when she was drunk. He is the emperor anyhow, even if the crown princess is angry, what can she do?
And she is even getting pregnant, she wants a child so much till she wishes secretly that it’s going to be a princess for her to stay safe… Despite being bitter she loves her baby. Poor crown princess…
I really pity her and Hou shi. The were fated to marry a wrong man.
BTW… YJQ and others have been wondering how come someone so thin like HXW suffering so much in summer… Well yeah , they don’t know that she was accustomed to have AC in her past life and now she can only use fan and ice 😁. That’s not enough hahahaha.
“Were the ancestors truly expressing their displeasure at the wretched thing he had done?”
I mean- no shit. You fucked your now dead son’s wife due to drunkenness.