Chapter Five: Impotence or Inclination?

After Consort Lian returned to the palace, her heart was filled with utter displeasure. After all, as the daughter of a high-ranking minister, she had been showered with the emperor’s affection since entering the palace, and everyone within these walls treated her with deference. Yet that new woman dared to disregard her completely. So what if she was the empress? Sooner or later, that position would be hers, and that woman’s moment of glory would not last long.

A woman’s jealousy is a frightening thing, and thus Consort Lian began plotting how to bring Feng Qiuji down.

Meanwhile, after seeing the emperor off, Feng Qiuji, though she hadn’t eaten her fill earlier, had lost her appetite altogether after such a long stretch. She ordered Xiao Hui to clear the dishes and decided to wander outside for a while. The palace was splendidly decorated; although she had been here for some time, she had yet to properly explore it. It would be a shame not to appreciate its magnificence.

The bright moon hung in the sky, surrounded by a scattering of stars. Feng Qiuji couldn’t help but marvel at how suitable the unpolluted environment of ancient times was for human life.

“Miss, do you know why you are named Qiuji?” Xiao Hui asked.

“No, why?” Feng Qiuji had never cared much about names. In her previous life, her mother had loved autumn and chosen a homonym for her, but she had no idea why this young lady was called Qiuji.

“Because Madam hoped you would shine as bright and clear as the moon after an autumn rain.”

“Oh,” Feng Qiuji replied lazily, absentmindedly kicking at pebbles as she strolled with her hands clasped behind her back, gazing at the clear moon above. “When will days like these ever come to an end?”

“Miss…” Xiao Hui hesitated, torn and uncertain. In the ten days she’d spent with Feng Qiuji, she had found her to be genuinely kind and easygoing.

“What is it?” asked Feng Qiuji.

“Well… actually…” Xiao Hui glanced around to make sure no one was near, then tugged at her mistress’s sleeve and whispered, “There’s a rumor in Ling Dynasty… people say the emperor is… impotent.”

“Oh…” Feng Qiuji replied without much interest, but after a few seconds, her drowsy eyes widened, and she seized Xiao Hui by the collar. “What did you say? The emperor is impotent?”

“Miss, not so loud…” Xiao Hui hurriedly clapped a hand over her mouth. Matters like this weren’t to be discussed carelessly, especially in the palace. If anyone overheard them, both she and her mistress could suffer dire consequences.

Immediately, Feng Qiuji’s mind conjured up the image of Ling Zeyan—elegant, striking, and handsome. No, this couldn’t be. How could such an attractive man possibly be impotent? She quickly dragged Xiao Hui to sit on a stone at the roadside; it had been a long time since something had piqued her interest so.

“Come, tell me more. What exactly is going on?”

“Most princes hold their capping ceremony at fifteen and begin taking wives, but His Majesty has always kept his distance from women. He only began accepting consorts after ascending the throne. Even then, he rarely spends the night in their chambers.”

“Really?” Feng Qiuji was skeptical. “But doesn’t he often stay overnight at Consort Lian’s Lingyue Palace?”

Xiao Hui glanced around again before whispering in Feng Qiuji’s ear, “The maids at Lingyue Palace say the emperor has never truly favored Consort Lian. They’ve eavesdropped outside the room, but have never heard any suspicious sounds.”

“Tsk, tsk.” Feng Qiuji was amazed. The palace was indeed a den of gossip, with the maids and eunuchs being remarkably nosy.

“There’s also another rumor,” Xiao Hui paused before continuing, “They say the emperor has a penchant for men—especially for Prince Xin. His Majesty often keeps him in the palace for long, private talks. Some eunuchs even claim to have witnessed them sharing a bed…”

“Tsk, tsk,” Feng Qiuji was even more intrigued by this revelation. “So that’s how it is…” She never imagined that upon traveling to this world, she would encounter an emperor who was both impotent and favored men. The wild tales about ancient emperors being perverse might really be true.

“No, actually, some say Prince Xin isn’t the emperor’s biological brother. He was the son of a court minister, and when the emperor was fifteen, they met by chance in the imperial garden. The emperor took a liking to him at once and later elevated him to a prince…”

This was the first time Feng Qiuji had heard that princes could be promoted in such a manner. Why not simply marry him and be done with it?

“Mm-hmm, and then?” she pressed.

“Then…” Xiao Hui was about to continue when she noticed something amiss. The voice she’d just heard didn’t sound like her mistress’s.

Feng Qiuji, too, sensed something was off. She turned around and saw someone crouching behind them with his hands supporting his chin, listening with great interest. By the moonlight, she could just make out the features of the man she had met on her first day here—the legendary Prince Xin.

“Ah…” A piercing scream shattered the night air. Xiao Hui instantly fell to her knees, kowtowing repeatedly. “This servant deserves to die! Please forgive me, Your Highness…”

In contrast, Feng Qiuji remained remarkably calm. She looked Ling Zexin up and down, puzzled. “What are you doing here?”

“My royal brother summoned me to the palace,” Ling Zexin replied, blinking and patting the dust from his hands as he stood.

“Oh—” Feng Qiuji’s expression made it clear she understood. She sidled up to Ling Zexin with a mischievous grin. “So, tell me, is your royal brother the dominant or the submissive one?” She was already plotting to write a novel titled “The Secret Affairs of the Emperor and the Prince’s Harem.” With how gossipy people in the Ling Dynasty were, it would surely sell well. She might even become a famous author.

Ling Zexin clearly had no idea what she was talking about, but seeing the sly look on her face, he could guess she was up to no good. He knocked her lightly on the head. “You dare slander my royal brother? Want me to report you to him?”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” Feng Qiuji pressed on, not missing a beat, “Is your brother really fond of men?”

“Of course not. Whenever he calls for me, it’s always for proper business,” Ling Zexin replied solemnly, for this concerned his own reputation. “Besides, my preferences are perfectly normal. I like women, you know?”

“Oh, that’s right,” Feng Qiuji recalled seeing him in a brothel, so he must indeed like women. “Then… your brother is the impotent one?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Ling Zexin admitted, pulling Feng Qiuji down to sit on the stone. “Since childhood, he’s never shown any interest in women. I find it curious too—how can a man in his prime have no interest in women?”

“Exactly, exactly,” Feng Qiuji agreed enthusiastically.

Xiao Hui, who had been kneeling on the ground for ages, was utterly petrified by what she saw. The rumors were true—Prince Xin really was audacious, daring to discuss such things so openly in the palace.

“Actually, I have an ancestral remedy for impotence,” Feng Qiuji declared, her face solemn and sincere. “Why don’t you recommend it to your brother next time? I’d only charge him ten thousand taels of silver. After all, this concerns his descendants and the future of the dynasty. As long as he doesn’t give up on treatment, I won’t give up on helping him.”

“Alright, I’ll mention it to him next time. Or better yet, let’s charge a hundred thousand taels—my brother won’t miss the money. Then you can split forty thousand with me.”

“Deal. But aren’t you a prince? How can you be short of cash?” she asked.

Ling Zexin pouted pitifully, pretending to wipe away non-existent tears. “Sigh, I had bad luck at the gambling house the other day and lost some money. My brother is stingy, and my expenses are high. I have almost no private funds…”

“Oh…” Feng Qiuji nodded in understanding. A playboy like Ling Zexin would certainly have extravagant expenses. She now realized that he was a rather agreeable companion, not at all old-fashioned—someone she could definitely keep in touch with.

Behind an ornamental rock not far away, a young eunuch had witnessed the entire exchange. Seeing how cheerfully the empress and Prince Xin chatted, he was delighted—this was something he could report to Consort Lian.

In Lingyue Palace

Consort Lian reclined on her couch, her personal maid massaging her waist, which she had strained earlier. She was filled with indignation. Someday, she would make sure Feng Qiuji fell into her hands. She had already arranged for someone to watch the Cold Palace around the clock—surely, she would catch her in the act eventually.

“Your Grace, Your Grace…” A young eunuch rushed breathlessly into Lingyue Palace.

“What is it?” Consort Lian opened her beautiful eyes and looked at the kneeling eunuch.

“Congratulations, Your Grace. While watching the Cold Palace, I saw the empress together with Prince Xin.”

“What?” Consort Lian’s eyes widened in surprise, then her lips curled in delight. Everyone in Ling Dynasty knew Prince Xin was notoriously libertine; if it were him, it would hardly be surprising. However, the emperor and Prince Xin were known to be close—would the emperor believe it?

If he didn’t, she would simply provide evidence to convince him. With this thought, Consort Lian already had a plan. The emperor would hardly blame his beloved brother, so all suspicion would fall on Feng Qiuji. If she could make the emperor believe Feng Qiuji was seducing the prince, there would be no mercy for her.

At that point, Consort Lian could even play the part of a good person, say a few kind words for Prince Xin, and thus win his favor and draw him to her side—making future dealings much easier.

Pleased with her cleverness, she began to consider what evidence would best convince the emperor of an affair between Feng Qiuji and Prince Xin. If she could catch them in the act, Feng Qiuji would have no chance of escape.

—A note from the author: Remnant Sun also loves lifelong, devoted love stories, and pure-hearted leads—la la la.