Chapter 135

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

This was Shaowei's first time entering the palace since her appointment as Tai Puzhe, and also the second time in her life.

The carriage stopped outside the Palace Gate; Shaowei stepped down from the high carriage using the footstool, her Fu Di Xin Lü half-hidden by her wide green robes.

Great Qian official robes changed color according to the four seasons: green in spring, vermilion in summer.

The distinction of official rank lay not in the color or totem of the official robes, but in the color of the sash; fifth-rank officials could wear black sashes with copper seals, while dukes and marquises wore purple sashes with gold seals, and only the Son of Heaven could wear four-colored sashes.

Tai Puzhe was fifth-rank; at this moment Shaowei wore a black sash at her waist, additionally hanging an official seal and jade pendants, her hair bound with a black crown, a pair of jade hairpins behind the crown, each pin end trailing a black silk ribbon that brushed slightly with her steps.

The Imperial Guards outside the Palace Gate watched the newly appointed Tai Puzhe walking over.

Although Great Qian had never had a saying that women could not serve as officials, female officials were mostly subordinates under the Empress or Princesses, or managed palace affairs, and it was rare to see women serving in the former court.

Because the Shen Ci was related to sacrifices, and sacrifices were closely connected with the office of Wu Nu, the position of Tai Puzhe was considered a special case, held by both men and women since ancient times, though in Great Qian it was mostly female Tai Puzhe.

Female Tai Puzhe were not rare; what was rare was such youth, the wide and solemn official robes and sashes, the fresh and clear youthful face—the two were contradictory yet coexisting, giving a refreshing impact while also creating the illusion that some brand-new situation might be born under this face.

She crossed the Zhu Qi Gong Men; the black silk ribbon lifted by her jade hairpin passed by in the wind, as if containing some mysterious power.

Shaowei once again looked up at this vast and undulating Palace City; the impact and shock she had felt last time still lingered in her heart, but she knew she was no longer an unnamed ant.

Entering the mountain again, she bore visible injuries on her body, yet in her hand she held a blade that, though formless, had already been honed; she was no longer the beast that had rashly entered this mountain, for she now possessed a weapon belonging to a person.

Because her injuries had not healed, Shaowei was specially permitted to ride in the Liuxu.

Two inner servants carried the Liuxu, while another inner servant led the way ahead; though he kept his head down, Shaowei glanced at him twice and recognized him, unable to help but say: "It is you leading the way for me again this time."

The inner servant slightly raised his head, not daring to look back: "Does Jiang Tai Puzhe still remember this servant……"

Shaowei nodded with an "en"; though she said no more, the young inner servant's steps were light all the way, his joy evident.

The Hua Gai Liuxu stopped outside Weiyang Palace; Shaowei got down, and just as she was about to lift her foot, the inner servant bent forward to carefully arrange her robe corners and sash for her, then bowed and stepped aside.

Shaowei said "thank you for your trouble," then straightened her posture and entered Weiyang Palace to meet the Emperor.

Inside the great hall, besides the Emperor and two inner servants, only Yan Xiangguo stood at the side.

Shaowei knelt and bowed; she felt the gaze from above had lessened in scrutiny and was becoming more peaceful, yet Shaowei still dared not relax in the slightest, continuing to meticulously feign an auspicious appearance.

With a few caring inquiries from the Emperor, she appeared flattered by the favor, no longer possessing the slightest sharp aura of spirit possession.

While feigning, Shaowei quietly noticed that several large windows in the hall were open, the incense burner beside the Dragon Case had been moved farther away, but the Emperor's coughing still rang out intermittently.

The Emperor looked at the kneeling flower fox and asked about her falling into the Underground Tomb.

Shaowei lowered her head to answer: "This subject fell from a height and immediately lost consciousness; I remember nothing of what happened afterward, only vaguely sensing the guidance of the spirit of the Grand Ancestor—it must be that the Grand Ancestor's spirit and soul felt this subject should not meet her end here."

Her voice was not loud, but her words were boastful; this was because the matter involved ghosts and spirits—if she herself wavered, she could never expect others to believe her.

The Emperor looked at her for a moment before saying: "Every single thing about you is indeed extraordinary. And since ancient times, those who are extraordinary and enter the world must inevitably endure some hardships before they can bear great tasks."

Shaowei curled her lips in her heart.

Clearly he had not found out who framed her, yet now he said these were hardships she deserved to encounter.

It was only that Chiyang had seized the initiative in this matter, erasing the evidence so cleanly.

Last night Shaowei had still unwillingly asked Liu Qi whether there was any progress in this matter; Liu Qi merely shook his head, but also told her that, according to his understanding of this Son of Heaven, regarding matters that could still be reasonably explained, the Son of Heaven would not easily believe in tales of evil spirits causing chaos; even though nothing had been found, a nail must have been driven into his heart.

Shaowei took it to heart, firmly remembering and hiding this nail in her heart, ready for the day the timing was ripe, so she could drive it into Chiyang's coffin lid.

Facing the Emperor's words that "the extraordinary must inevitably suffer hardship," Shaowei kowtowed and replied with words contrary to her heart: "Yes, this flower fox keeps it in mind. I will surely not disappoint the Grand Ancestor's protection and Your Majesty's deep affection."

The Emperor nodded, seeing that she looked far too young no matter how he looked at her, and could not help but admonish and instruct her a few more times.

After a round of words, the Emperor began coughing again; an inner servant brought tea, and Yan Xiangguo spoke up to suggest above: "I recall Jiang Tai Puzhe once said she was slightly versed in the art of conditioning; why not let her examine Your Majesty's pulse?"

Yan Mian was a close minister who had studied and grown up with the Emperor since childhood; he was upright and steady, never relying on his personal ties with the Son of Heaven, standing only on ability and prestige; and whenever he spoke, as long as it did not involve crucial matters, the Emperor would never refuse him face.

At this time the Emperor nodded.

Shaowei, by order, rose and approached, appearing very respectful, while what she thought in her heart was very suitable for losing her head: she did not need to diagnose, nor did she need to divine, but also knew this Emperor's days were numbered and he would not survive until next summer.

Although in her previous life she had been angered to death, but a lofty Emperor—what storms and blows had he not experienced? If he could be angered to death by mere news of rebellion, then similarly, he could easily be angered to death by other news; ultimately, it must be that his body was already near the end of its lamp and oil; otherwise, he should have been angered into high spirits, drawing his sword to slay the rebel son.

However, the pulse she diagnosed was not very similar to what Shaowei had thought.

Jiang Fu had once praised that Shaowei was very suited to treating illness for others; her internal energy was rich and her five senses extraordinary, able to touch and perceive the deepest pulse fluctuations of patients, making accurate judgments far surpassing ordinary doctors.

At this moment Shaowei seriously examined the Emperor's pulse, easily diagnosing a host of ailments: stagnant liver qi, knotted depression hard to remove, insufficient kidney qi, a pulse that was dry and deficient, accumulated dan poison—truly a body beset by a hundred illnesses, indeed not a sign of longevity.

But his heart power did not decline; he was an Emperor who refused to grow old or accept fate.

The pulse could also reveal temperament; Shaowei carefully determined that this person had a certain spirit and will of his own, not like a fragile monarch who would be suddenly killed by anger from a mere rebel son.

But what the pulse showed was only the image of this moment; perhaps afterward he would experience many blows, such as great drought, such as soldier chaos, and under exhausted heart power, his will would also crumble, thus being taken advantage of by Liu Qi to die in one breath of anger?

As Shaowei pondered, her fingers occasionally relaxed, then pressed down on the Emperor's pulse again, determined to see clearly.

Back and forth, when she finally moved her fingers away, the inner servant beside could not help but stare in surprise, only to see that the Son of Heaven's wrist had been pressed by her into three red indentations; for a moment he did not know whether to say she lacked reverence or to praise her for being overly diligent in "doing her best."

Looking at the indentations, the Emperor also felt a bit amused; within the range that caused no hindrance, he, who had grown up in the countryside, was not one to value rules much; now facing such a novel doctor, he also rarely pretended to be solemn and asked: "How is it, how many more days can I live?"

"Your Majesty's heart power is strong; how could you have only a few days to live." Shaowei knelt properly and answered half-honestly: "It is just that Your Majesty has long-standing accumulated illnesses and must be treated for a long time. Moreover, many of Your Majesty's illnesses stem from heart knots and require heart medicine to cure."

The Emperor did not deny her words, nor did he elaborate on anything, but simply said directly: "Besides heart medicine, you write the prescription."

Shaowei lowered her head to assent, then asked again: "Dare I ask if Your Majesty takes elixirs every day?"

Upon hearing this, the inner servant immediately held his breath and dared not make any sound.

The Emperor looked at the witch before him and counter-asked her: "What? I cannot take them?"

He was not unaware that long-term consumption of elixirs would cause harm, but once he stopped taking them, his body would deteriorate day by day; for these years he had relied entirely on elixirs to sustain himself. Those doctors only moved their mouths to tell him to stop taking them, but could not cure him at all; they were nothing but wastes who thought themselves clever and clear-sighted but were actually ignorant and foolish.

Shaowei noticed a slight change in the atmosphere; her expression did not change, but she had already changed her words: "Replying to Your Majesty, this subject also knows how to refine elixirs."

The Emperor's eyes flashed slightly: "Oh? Where did you obtain this pill formula?"

"Does Your Majesty still recall that I previously mentioned being saved by a master?" Shaowei: "The pill formula was also bestowed by that master, and it has the effect of strengthening the body and prolonging life."

After hearing this, the Emperor nodded to her in instruction: "Whatever medicinal herbs are needed, have someone go to the Taiyi Shu and draw them all."

Shaowei immediately bowed down: "As you command."

At this moment, a palace attendant entered the hall to announce: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince requests an audience."

The Emperor raised his eyes to look toward the hall exterior.

The palace attendants stood silently with heads bowed, Yan Xiangguo sat upright without moving, only Shaowei turned her head to look outside.

Yu Si Wu said that she was exactly at an age where she could not conceal things and had excessive curiosity, and once in the palace she must restrain herself again and again.

But if restraint went too far, it would expose the fact that she was deep in scheming and calculating every step; Shaowei had discussed this with her household slaves and decided to selectively retain some of her nature, to confuse others' judgments, which was also another form of deep scheming.

"How did he come here?" the Emperor asked.

The attending palace attendant answered: "Replying to Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince rode a carriage to the outer palace gate, then walked here; along the way he was occasionally supported by palace attendants."

The Emperor laughed meaninglessly: "Using a scheme of suffering one's own flesh before Me—admit him."

Then he ordered Shaowei and the others to withdraw.

Yan Xiangguo rose first, withdrew to the palace gate, stood aside for a moment, raised his hand to salute the youth, and Liu Qi returned the salute seriously.

Shaowei naturally followed suit; when passing by Liu Qi's side, she also saluted him.

However, that person did not return her salute, as if disdaining that her official rank was not equal to Yan Xiangguo's and not worth his returning the salute, which was not unreasonable; yet he also paused for a moment, casting a glance over, that gaze ice-cold and indifferent, looking down on and rejecting.

Shaowei raised her eyes, just meeting the cold remnant light of his withdrawn gaze.

Although they had agreed to act as strangers in public, this person's acting was truly astonishing, as if she truly had never known him and thus groundlessly earned his dislike; caught off guard, for a moment Shaowei even felt anger rising instinctively.

And as she crossed the palace gate threshold, she only heard him say without avoidance inside the hall: "Imperial Uncle, all witches are skilled in evil techniques; I fear they bewitch hearts and cause trouble, and should not be lightly trusted!"

Being spoken ill of openly to her face, Shaowei also did not avoid looking back, but saw that person kneeling and saluting, his bearing extremely unruly and arrogant.

Shaowei's face fell, and she turned and left.

The two palace attendants guarding the palace gate could not help but exchange glances.

The Sixth Prince hated witches, which was only natural; his elder brother Liu Gu had first narrowly escaped dark harm from witchcraft, and was later executed after being found to have used witchcraft to curse the Emperor...

This witch who had risen suddenly from nowhere had ascended in a single step and gained the Emperor's favor; deep in her bones she must have some arrogance; although this girl had not spoken, judging by the atmosphere, I fear they would take one look and dislike each other, and thus be incompatible from then on.

Only after leaving Weiyang Palace did Shaowei's composed expression return to normal.

Just as she was about to board the palanquin, a palace maid came quickly but without disorder, saluted Shaowei, and said that Huanghou Rui had been frightened since the Great Sacrifice and had been unsettled in mind and spirit, wishing to ask Tai Puzhe Jiang Tai Zhu to move to Jiaofang Dian for examination.

In the Main Hall, the Emperor spoke while being helped to rise by palace attendants: "I have my own measure in employing people; how can it be your place to ignorantly interject? As for you, Tang Jia wept to Me a few days ago, saying you still could not leave the bed... What, are you suddenly much better today?"

Liu Qi kowtowed: "Your child minister knows that on that day I provoked Imperial Uncle's anger, truly unfilial. Today I can barely move about, and should immediately come to ask Imperial Uncle's forgiveness."

The Emperor glanced at him: "Affected hypocrisy."

After speaking, he shook off the palace attendants' support and, coughing, walked alone toward the Neidian.

Liu Qi raised his head and saw this, immediately rose, and followed.

Several palace attendants did not move a step; without the Emperor's indication, how could they dare follow rashly? Not to mention them—even if it were Crown Prince Cheng, upon hearing these words "affected hypocrisy," I fear he would only dare kneel in place... Yet this Sixth Prince, although he had not returned to the capital for so long, facing the Emperor actually showed not the slightest fear or strangeness.

In the Neidian there was also a dragon case piled with state affairs; formerly the Emperor and Huanghou had discussed state matters together here, and the youngest son had lain sleeping on Huanghou's lap.

Everything was arranged with hardly any change; when Liu Qi limped in, he saw the Emperor's back already showing signs of age; reaching the imperial case, he supported one end of the case table with one hand.

Liu Qi's gaze fell upon the case, and he said somewhat absentmindedly: "Imperial Uncle, do You still remember..."

"I remember everything," the Emperor interrupted the youth's words, speaking in a hoarse voice: "But this is not your basis for acting recklessly."

Liu Qi was about to speak; the Emperor turned and looked back at him. Today he had not worn his formal cap; his hair bun was white and his face yellow, like an ancient dragon, his dignity still undiminished: "Look at what you have become now—neither human nor ghost, full of resentment, prone to fits of madness at the slightest provocation... Where is there any resemblance to My son!"

The youth and his Sovereign Father made eye contact for a moment, but finally lowered his eyes without defending himself.

The Emperor's gaze followed the downward look and saw the youth's left leg; for a moment, the Emperor's voice lowered: "Today here are only you and Me, father and son; I ask you one thing, and you must answer truthfully."

Liu Qi immediately knelt and saluted: "Your child minister knows no unspoken words!"

"From the south, that child... is he ultimately still alive?" the Emperor asked.

The room fell briefly silent; the youth raised his head in surprise: "Imperial Uncle truly believes Zhu Zhi's words framing your child minister?"

The Emperor seemed not to hear this counter-question, only saying: "I do not kill him."

Good Night

? (The official robes in the text have references, but because it is a fictional setting, there are also many private settings, so please don't take it too seriously hahahahaha)