"Thank you, Aunt."
Song Tangning reached out to take the bowl, holding it in her hands, but she only stirred the bottom with the spoon. The snow fungus soup, thick and creamy, didn’t stir her appetite in the slightest.
Princess Cheng noticed her absent-mindedness and couldn’t help but ask, "Is Xiao Yan seriously injured?"
Song Tangning lowered her eyes and replied softly, "Mm. Sister Qin said he took two wounds to his waist—one light, one heavy. The heavier one missed a vital spot by only half an inch. If not for my brother’s quick reflexes, I fear he would have..."
Even though she had already faced death once, she still couldn’t talk about life and death as calmly as Xiao Yan did.
Princess Cheng sighed lightly as she noticed the red rims of her eyes. "Xiao Yan’s position is always under scrutiny, and on top of that, he’s an eunuch. He can’t compare to the proper officials from noble families in the court. He’s handled matters for His Majesty with ruthless efficiency, and he’s made many enemies over the years. If he weren’t as formidable as he is, someone would have gotten rid of him long ago."
Seeing Song Tangning’s face grow even paler, Princess Cheng quickly stopped talking. "But it’s fine now. You shouldn’t worry too much."
Song Tangning wasn’t comforted at all by her words. She knew Xiao Yan’s precarious situation. In her previous life, even when she was trapped in that abandoned courtyard, isolated from the world, his notorious reputation had reached her ears.
Everyone in the capital, those who called themselves "men of integrity," condemned him for seizing power. The so-called righteous scholars refused to associate with him, looking down on him with disdain.
People said he wouldn’t die a good death. They claimed that after the emperor passed, without his protection, Xiao Yan would surely be torn apart by those who hated him, his body left exposed to the elements.
Staring down at the soup in her bowl, Song Tangning murmured, "Aunt, do you think my brother is truly a villain?"
Princess Cheng paused, falling into a brief silence. After a while, she said softly, "Are you afraid Xiao Yan will lose power in the future?"
Song Tangning’s face turned pale. She had heard her grandfather speak of history, recounting how those who wielded power with malice often met tragic ends in every dynasty.
At the time, such stories hadn’t moved her. The figures in those histories felt distant, unrelated to her life. But her brother was different. Just thinking about Xiao Yan possibly sharing their fate made it hard for her to breathe.
Seeing the tears welling up in Song Tangning’s eyes, Princess Cheng gently patted her head. "You must understand, Xiao Yan’s future has nothing to do with whether he is truly evil. If you call him a villain, what harm has he done? He hasn’t ruined the country or slaughtered loyal officials. Although many have died by his hand, very few were unjustly wronged."
"The power struggles in court are never about right or wrong. He’s only doing what anyone seeking power would do. The world condemns him simply because he’s a eunuch, believing that his physical condition makes him unworthy of standing among the court’s ranks. His power draws envy, and naturally, people slander him. His existence threatens others’ interests, so of course they won’t tolerate him."
Princess Cheng didn’t know much about Xiao Yan personally, but when she was with Prince Cheng, he would often talk about court affairs.
Whenever Prince Cheng mentioned Xiao Yan, even though he feared his power and resented his authority, there was still a deep-rooted disdain for him being a eunuch. The other officials were the same.
They didn’t care about what Xiao Yan actually accomplished, or how talented he was. They only saw him as flawed, believing that someone like him should live in the shadows, surviving in darkness like a rat.
His mere presence in the light was considered his fault.
Princess Cheng gently stroked Song Tangning’s hair. "Xiao Yan’s ‘fault’ lies in the fact that he is an eunuch. The slander against him isn’t because of his unforgivable sins."
"These people just use their accusations to make themselves appear pure. The more infamous someone else becomes, the more righteous they seem in comparison. Others act wrongly, so they see themselves as the rightful guardians of imperial authority."
She thought back to events long ago, her voice growing hoarse.
"I don’t know if you remember the Mad Crown Prince, the one the Song family got entangled with this time. You were very young then, so you may not have seen the grandeur of the capital when he was named heir. He was praised by all, hailed as a future wise ruler. People said that if he ascended the throne, he would surely become a great emperor. But you know what happened to him in the end."
"Treason, rebellion, setting the imperial palace ablaze—hundreds of people from the Eastern Palace were reduced to ashes in a single night. After his death, his body was desecrated. He had once been the sun, but in an instant, he fell into the abyss. Now, when people speak of him, they call him brutal and tyrannical, a treasonous traitor. They say he deserved to die. But how many know the real truth?"
Song Tangning listened, entranced. "Aunt, did the Mad Crown Prince really commit treason?"
Princess Cheng thought of the young man she had seen in the palace, radiant as the sun and moon, as gentle as a spring breeze. He cared for the people, enforced discipline in the court, and even as a prince, he revived the nation’s prosperity. Just standing in his presence compelled others to admire and respect him.
He was so young, already the heir, and the throne was undoubtedly his, as long as he stayed on course.
Treason...
Princess Cheng lowered her eyes, concealing the mockery in them. "Who knows?"
The emperor declared him a traitor, so he was a traitor. People called him a tyrant, so he had no choice but to be remembered that way.
It was nothing but the victor's justice. One wrong move in the power struggle, and he died with no one left to defend him.
...
Outside, Xiao Yan stood silently under the corridor, his tall figure hidden in the shadows cast by faint light. His pale face was outlined by crisscrossing light and shadow, making it impossible to discern his expression.
"Lord Director."
Jin Yun held a lantern, looking worried.
He hadn’t expected Princess Cheng to mention the Mad Crown Prince nor that they would hear that story again.
Xiao Yan stared at the silhouettes visible through the window, as if he was seeing the flames from that devastating fire once more.
Screams of terror rose in chaos, thick black smoke billowed everywhere, and his blood-soaked mother shoved him to the ground outside the door. The beam collapsed behind him, the burning timbers engulfing her, leaving him with only her desperate cry, "Live on..."
Xiao Yan’s fingers turned pale as he gripped the ring on his hand tightly. After a long moment, he finally said to Guard Hang, "Keep watch over them."
Hang Li lowered his head. "Understood."
Xiao Yan cast one more steady glance at the window. When he closed his eyes and opened them again, his gaze was icy and sharp.
"Lord Director, shall we summon Lady Song?"
Xiao Yan shook his head. "No need. Let’s go."
...
Those outside came silently and left without a sound. Inside, the two women were unaware that Xiao Yan had been there.
Princess Cheng continued, "The matter has long been settled. Whether or not the Mad Crown Prince committed treason, no one dares to investigate."
"It was only after his downfall that the current emperor was able to smoothly ascend to the Eastern Palace. Because of this, he is extremely sensitive about the topic. You can see that even the Song family, merely connected to the prince’s old supporters, were imprisoned."
"So don’t bring up that old story to anyone. And don’t show any doubt about what happened back then in front of others."
"All you need to know is that he was a traitor, and that’s all the world needs to know. Understand?"
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You can read ahead to chapterr 200 here
is he the son of that crown prince? :o
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