Chapter 33: A Woman May Also Be Emperor

Song Shilan’s bloodstains had already dried, giving her a truly terrifying appearance. She didn't care about decorum, jumping straight into the creek to wash herself. She was so focused on scrubbing clean that she didn't even notice the many men nearby.

Watching her, Song Shiwei pondered how she had managed to establish contact with the Qin family or Princess Anning. Throughout the journey, she had kept a close eye on Song Shilan, hoping to catch her in the act of passing messages, but she had seen nothing. Was Song Shilan being extremely discreet, or had she not sent any messages yet?

"Shiwei, go to the creek and wash your face and hands," Mother Song said, pressing a handkerchief into her palm and nudging her toward the water. "The eldest son and the others are going to gather firewood, and Concubine Chun’s group will handle the cooking."

Song Shiwei gathered her thoughts, gave a faint smile, and nodded. "Mother, be careful. Don't wander too far."

"Don't worry," Mother Song replied. "We’re just gathering wood nearby."

After giving a few more reminders, Song Shiwei walked to the creek with her handkerchief. She dampened it and began to slowly wipe her face and hands. She felt filthy; if only she could take a bath. Unfortunately, that was impossible. Not only were the conditions in the wild unsuitable, but she wouldn't dare take the risk even if they were. Who knew what might go wrong if she were caught bathing?

Concubine Chun and the others were drawing water upstream, planning to prepare a quick meal so they could rest early. After walking all day, they were exhausted. Once Song Shiwei finished cleaning up, she went to help them, but Concubine Chun shooed her away. With a chuckle, she said, "Eldest Miss, please sit and rest. We can handle the cooking."

Song Shiwei sighed helplessly. "Concubine Chun, we are no longer a great household; there is no need to stand on such ceremony. Besides, just call me by my name."

Concubine Chun waved her hand, smiling warmly. "That would never do. Even in exile, we must maintain the proper decorum. If we let the rules slide, things will easily go awry."

The other concubines and illegitimate children agreed. "Rules must be kept, even if we don't need to be as rigid as before. Without them, some might forget their place and start causing trouble."

***

No matter how Song Shiwei tried to persuade them, it was useless, so she had to let Concubine Chun and the others be. Unable to help with dinner, she stood by the creek to see if there were any fish. If there were, it would be a nice addition to their meal.

Just then, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that a cleaned-up Song Shilan was walking toward the woods. She immediately signaled to Song Mingting. He understood and quietly followed Song Shilan, determined to see what this woman was up to.

Song Shiwei continued to watch the creek, only to see a man’s reflection in the water.

"Eldest Miss Song," Ling Ze said, bowing with a grin. "I have some good news to share with you."

Song Shiwei’s mind raced. "Does it involve Princess Anning?"

Ling Ze gave a thumbs up. "The Eldest Miss is sharp—you guessed right on the first try."

Song Shiwei smiled faintly. "Has something happened to the Cheng family?"

Ling Ze marveled again at her intelligence; she had identified the crux of the matter immediately. "Why didn't you assume something happened to the Princess herself?"

"Simple," Song Shiwei replied. "Princess Anning is still a very useful scapegoat; the Emperor won't dispose of her lightly. But the Cheng family is different. Striking them serves as both a warning to the Princess and a deterrent to other restless families."

Coincidentally, she and her father had been discussing the strategy of targeting the Princess’s maternal family. Ling Ze looked at her with admiration; she had truly been hiding her light under a bushel all this time.

"Just as you surmised, the Cheng family was accused by the censors of land-grabbing and selling offices. The Emperor has already issued a decree for their beheading."

Having been through the ordeal of house confiscation and exile, Song Shiwei understood the Emperor’s temperament, so she wasn't surprised by the execution. "What is Princess Anning’s reaction?"

Ling Ze rubbed his chin and clicked his tongue. "Her reaction is rather strange. She is furious and suspicious, which is normal. But even though Consort Chun sent word advising her to keep a low profile and appease the Emperor, the Princess didn't listen. Instead, she snuck off to see the Duke of Wei."

Song Shiwei pondered this, still unable to fully grasp the Princess's intentions. "Is she just so accustomed to being arrogant and domineering that she doesn't take this seriously?"

"No, it’s because she takes herself too seriously," Father Song said, walking over. He offered his own perspective: "If my deductions are correct, the Princess may have developed some rather dangerous ambitions."

Song Shiwei understood, and she was truly startled. "Father, are you saying...?"

Father Song nodded. "Didn't I tell you about the things the Princess has been doing? Think about it—there is a pattern."

Song Shiwei clapped her hands softly, realization dawning on her. "It really is like that." She had never considered that possibility before, having assumed the Princess only wanted to be something like a Regent.

Father Song furrowed his brow, his voice low. "I suspect that after the fall of the Cheng family, she went to see the Duke of Wei to expedite... a rebellion!"

He spoke the word "rebellion" softly, but it landed with heavy weight in the hearts of Song Shiwei and Ling Ze.

Ling Ze gasped, his expression contorting in shock. "Good heavens! Has she lost her mind? How could she even conceive of such a thing?"

Song Shiwei calmed herself and spoke objectively. "Why couldn't she conceive of it? Since ancient times, the world has been divided into Yin and Yang, but there is no rule stating a woman cannot hold power. In my view, if one possesses the capability and the strength to shoulder the burden, one can sit on that throne."

However, she feared that if someone like Princess Anning became Empress, the entire dynasty would collapse.

Ling Ze felt there was some merit to her words. If a woman had sufficient ability, did it really matter who was in charge? "No, no, this isn't the time for that. Let’s get back to the matter of the Princess. I must send word back to report this to the Prince."

"Do you really think the Prince of Ding doesn't already know the Princess’s intentions?" Song Shiwei asked calmly. Most likely, he had guessed them long ago.

Ling Ze insisted on sending the message; it was procedure. "Eldest Miss Song, do you have any words you wish for me to pass on to the Prince?"

Song Shiwei found the question odd. It wasn't inappropriate for her to have a message for him, given their partnership, but it still felt strange. "No."

*Looks like the Prince has a long road ahead of him in his pursuit of her,* Ling Ze thought. *The Eldest Miss doesn't seem to have any romantic feelings for him at all.*