Chapter 145

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

"Du Shulin was promoted to Grand Commandant only last year," Liu Qi said. "Many years ago he served as a deputy general in my maternal uncle's army, but he violated military regulations and was subjected to military law once. After that, he remained in the capital's Northern Army Grand Camp, serving as Chief of the Imperial Guards, responsible for the defense of the capital region and patrols within the city."

"The one who led the Imperial Guards to besiege Xian Tai Gong together with Zhu Zhi that day was precisely this man."

The opposing forces involved in the Xian Tai Gong bloodbath that day could be roughly divided into three groups: one led by Guo Shi, who conveyed the imperial edict with the palace attendants; the second was Zhu Zhi, who went with the Embroidered Uniform Guards; the third was Du Shulin, who was responsible for commanding the Imperial Guards of the Chief of the Imperial Guards.

"Afterward, Du Shulin first succeeded Xue Yang's position as Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan, becoming one of the Nine Ministers. Until last year, he was promoted to Grand Commandant, ranking among the Three Excellencies."

Liu Qi said: "I am not certain whether his actions back then were official business or private revenge. I had not rashly listed him as an enemy before, but his seat as Grand Commandant has only just warmed, and now seeing me return to the capital, he surely cannot be at ease."

Tang Jia: "Your Highness suspects this man, in order to guard against Your Highness's revenge, might defect to Crown Prince Cheng's faction?"

"Perhaps they have had secret dealings long ago." Liu Qi speculated: "The Emperor's Dragon Body is declining; he would better secure his future career by leaning toward loyalty to the next sovereign."

Tang Jia nodded in deep thought, and if the Crown Prince's faction wanted to reassure such "high-ranking close ministers," they would be even less polite and soft-handed toward the Sixth Prince... these connections are intertwined, and hidden inside are all blades.

Thinking of something else, Tang Jia turned and said: "I vaguely recall that the former Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan Xue Yang was impeached by Zhu Zhi's faction back then, and was thus stripped of his post and exiled..."

The so-called Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan is precisely one of the Nine Ministers, the Superintendent of the Imperial Household; the title Superintendent of the Imperial Household was just changed by His Majesty in recent years, and many people still habitually call it Chamberlain for the Imperial Clan in private.

Xue Yang was responsible for guarding the palace gate back then. Facing Crown Prince Gu and Ling Ke outside the palace gate, he did not immediately order their execution, insisting on first reporting to the Emperor, conveying to the Emperor Ling Ke's act of severing his arm to request an audience — but by the time the message arrived, the Emperor had already vomited blood and fallen unconscious, missing that report.

After the Emperor woke up, everything was already a settled situation, and Xue Yang was impeached for suspicion of neglect of duty, first stripped of his post, and only after two years did he receive a seventh-rank military post as Palace Gate Sima.

"This man is also rare in his sincere devotion, but his life these years must not have been easy... should we secretly send someone to meet him?" Tang Jia proposed.

Liu Qi: "No need for this superfluous move."

Tang Jia was about to persuade further, but suddenly realized: "Could it be Your Highness has long since..."

The youth leaning against the armrest smiled: "Changshi is becoming increasingly perceptive; it would be better to remain simple, otherwise when acting in a play you won't be able to follow your true heart, wouldn't that be exhausting."

Tang Jia stroked his beard: "Following Your Highness into this sea of fire, my head has been roasted day and night as well, so my brain has inevitably become a bit dry and sharp."

Liu Qi burst out laughing at these words, and seeing him laugh like this, the rarely self-deprecating Tang Jia also laughed along.

Laughing and laughing, Tang Jia's heart inexplicably felt another pang of sorrow.

In those more than a thousand days and nights in Wuling Commandery, facing this child, he was always angry at his lack of striving, grieved by his misfortune. Only now did he realize that in truth he had schemed and striven too hard, yet was even more heartbroken by this child's long misfortune of enduring punishment alone like a prisoner in shackles amid past events.

If Ling Empress and Crown Prince Gu and Marquis Changping have spirits in heaven, one wonders what kind of anxiety and heartache they would feel?

The spirits of the dead cannot know, but Tang Jia's heartache had already rushed to his eyes, nearly spilling tears, but seeing the Sixth Prince still laughing, making him seem overly sentimental and a killjoy, he secretly endured that sourness and continued speaking of the capital's connections.

Those unseen shadowy schemes, like threads, were being sorted out in Liu Qi's mind, when one of them suddenly forked, a bright light emerging, transmitting a voice: I wonder what she is doing in the shrine right now?

This completely unrelated thought appeared too abruptly, without any omen to be found. The originally eye-closed Liu Qi suddenly opened his eyes, trying to make himself more clear-headed. His blank gaze fell on the case table before him, only to see two plates of cut melons and fruits glistening with moisture, and another voice appeared in his heart: I wonder if she has eaten the seasonal fresh fruits yet?

The inner voices repeatedly out of control, chaotic yet tyrannically without reason. At this moment, Liu Qi could only let them be, and then thought further: she is now a Tai Puzhe, surely someone will present the earliest fruits to her desk, cut neatly and evenly, and she will never be like that night when she mistakenly bit into an inferior fruit, so sour her face contorted completely, threw away the fruit, freed her hands and proceeded to chase and beat him.

The youth leaned forward, picking up a silver fork to stir the melons and fruits in the plate, suddenly smiling silently. Tang Jia was stunned, suspecting he had been distracted, but the next moment, the youth put down the fruit fork and seamlessly continued his words.

At this moment, Shaowei's desk indeed also held similar melons and fruits.

The fruit plate was placed on the case table, the case table on the bamboo mat, and on the mat lay the Tai Puzhe Huali who had endured the labor of documents.

Shaowei lay on her back with her arm as a pillow, Zhan Zhan also lay on its back like its master. Shaowei took a sheet of coarse paper to cover its belly.

The chamber door was knocked. Shaowei, who was deep in thought, started and sat up directly. Zhan Zhan was also startled awake, tumbling up, its bird eyes wide open standing like a soldier, but the next moment it seemed to realize it didn't have to be on duty, and lay down again.

Shaowei hurriedly tidied her hair bun and sat upright: "Enter."

The visitor was Yu Si Wu. She brought two Wu Nu to deliver a message, saying the Empress and Crown Prince had arrived, requesting the Tai Puzhe to go welcome them.

Although it was said to be for reflection, the dignity of the State Mother and Heir Apparent must not be neglected. All officials in the entire shrine, led by the Tai Puzhe, went to receive them.

But Rui Huanghou and Crown Prince Cheng had both cried. The palace attendants surrounding them encircled the Noble Lady in the middle, only leaving the corners of her ceremonial crown and robes visible, and they did not converse much with the shrine's people, proceeding straight to the Shen Dian.

Shaowei truly saw Liu Cheng for the first time the next morning.

Rui Huanghou had been supported away to rest by palace attendants at midnight, but Liu Cheng knelt solidly until dawn. At this moment his body was exhausted, his eyes bloodshot.

The Tai Puzhe must come to the Shen Dian early each morning to offer incense. Shaowei knelt on another straw mat, raising her hand to perform the ritual salute toward him.

Liu Cheng looked at the person before him in a daze. Countless voices still echoed in his mind: his maternal uncle's, his mother's, his teacher's, the Grand Commandant's, and also Guo Shi's. Guo Shi specially sent a palace attendant to comfort him, saying the Emperor's move was merely a small punishment to serve as a great warning. Ultimately, the biggest problem was the Emperor's dissatisfaction that he could not control his subordinates, lacking decisiveness, courage, and depth. Even if he reflected, he must reflect on the right points, otherwise this lesson would have been eaten in vain.

But how could he control those people who each had their own thoughts? Which of them was not older than him, not more experienced? They were always teaching him, including Guo Shi who had endless principles. How could he turn the tables in a single night? Moreover, if he truly became that kind of person, would the Emperor not have new dissatisfaction and unease?

He did not know what to do in the end. He questioned the Taizu statue at night, but the statue's spirit could not be touched, and he had no sensation whatsoever.

Until the hall door was pushed open, and the person before him walked over.

Great Qian's use of ceremonial robes was limited to formal occasions such as sacrifices and court assemblies. Even during Taizu's reign there were no regulated ceremonial robes. Today she wore witchcraft attire, only a seal ribbon hung at her waist. Her black hair was half tied into a hanging bun, half bound behind her head, light and neat.

A ray of morning sun brought in by her followed and fell upon her. When she looked up, her pupil light was deep and bright.

Truly as if guided by ghosts and spirits, Liu Cheng asked: "What should I do now..."

Shaowei was confused. Ask who? Her?

Liu Cheng looked at her: "Jiang Tai Zhu."

A moment of silence. Various speculations flashed through Shaowei's mind. She answered without changing expression: "Eat, sleep, contemplate."

This was merely the ultimate nonsense Shaowei spoke to avoid verbal traps, yet by a strange coincidence it gave Liu Cheng a trace of grounded relief.

Perhaps everyone stretched tight to the point of losing order needs such clear and simple instructions. Liu Cheng obtained a hint of liberation from these items anyone could do. He said "Many thanks," his body completely collapsing, and fell to the ground.

The palace attendants cried out in alarm. Shaowei was also startled. She leaned forward to test Liu Cheng's breath. Fortunately, only the string in his mind had snapped; his breathing had not stopped.

Shaowei had people carry him away, and dispatched two doctors to go attend to him.

Liu Cheng thus rested for a day and night. The next morning early, he appeared again kneeling under the golden statue in the Shen Dian.

From then on for seven or eight consecutive days, Shaowei could see him kneeling there every morning early. Besides the Taizu golden statue, there were eighteen other ghost and spirit statues in the Shen Dian. He seemed to have become the twentieth statue, arriving on time each day, always earlier than Shaowei.

Rui Huanghou also came to the Shen Dian daily to kowtow and offer incense, but most of her time was spent in her residence copying Taoist scriptures. This was not an excuse for laziness; she indeed copied them personally and seriously. Shaowei was invited by her to go twice.

Therefore, this time was already the third time Empress Rui had summoned Xiang Gong to the Shen Ci.

Shaowei had taken the pulse for Empress Rui twice before, only feeling that these nobles all had unsolvable knots in their hearts, as if they had gained power but were also cursed by power.

And these nobles tried to drag her into these curse knots as well; she used the talk of ghosts and spirits to strengthen herself, but also became a useful tool in these nobles' eyes.

Out of an instinctive unwillingness to be manipulated by others, Shaowei finally developed a sense of rejection toward this Empress Dowager, who was exceptionally gifted in beauty.

Facing the other party's hints, she had pretended to be foolish several times to show her refusal, but the other party still would not let go, and this time it was destined that she could no longer gloss over it.

"I do not know if ghosts and spirits have been guiding me lately, but Imperial Mother keeps dreaming of a ghostly shadow covered in fresh blood; wherever it passes, raging fires burn, not a blade of grass grows, and rivers dry up..." Empress Rui sat upright behind the desk, her eyes full of worry, asking: "I wonder if Tai Puzhe has sensed anything?"

Shaowei knelt before the desk, and all unrelated people were dismissed on the pretext of treating the Empress's illness.

A ball of anger burned in her heart, but this anger could not be turned into a substantive refusal.

Dealing with Chi Yang is no easy matter; if she openly offends the Crown Prince's faction again, how would she find Jiang Fu?

After a moment, Shaowei looked up and asked with a serious expression: "Your Highness, what do you wish me to do?"

A hint of complex relief finally appeared on Empress Rui's tense face, and she said softly: "It is the will of Heaven; we must wait for the will of Heaven to be revealed before knowing what to do... all for the Great Qian realm."

She looked at the window made bright by the piercing sunlight, and muttered again: "No rush, wait for the will of Heaven to be revealed..."

These words were watertight, but Shaowei knew that the will of Heaven she referred to was nothing more than the great drought that had not yet truly arrived.

Talking about the will of Heaven was nothing more than a group of swindlers; how much more noble were these people in the Capital than her, a swindler?

Since it was so, let them swindle each other; she might as well add deception upon deception, first dealing with them through evasion and compromise.

Though she persuaded herself this way, after leaving Empress Rui's presence, Shaowei still felt very disgusted and that it was a nuisance.

A sharp, stubborn stone was destined not to accept the fate of being ground into a smooth pawn; even if she chose to respond steadily and temporarily make a pragmatic plan, this irresistible power coercion ultimately made Shaowei extremely weary, and a most direct voice drilled out in her heart: if only she could never be held hostage or manipulated by anyone again.

This voice was merely an outlet for emotional resistance and had not yet extended into any train of thought.

When Shaowei felt stifled in her heart, a Wu Nu happened to come to pass a message that someone had specifically requested to see her; this "specific request" was not friendly, the visitor was the Sixth Prince Liu Qi, who claimed to have recovered from his injuries and had come specially to kowtow in thanks to the Ancestor, and then spoke to cause trouble—where was the Tai Puzhe in the shrine, and why had he not come to welcome me?

These words were indeed well-put; in an instant they could provoke Shaowei's instinctive anger, so there was no need to expend effort mobilizing emotions to feign it, and on top of that she was originally already annoyed; true and false were all mixed on her face. By the time she arrived at the Shen Dian, though no obvious anger was visible, she still performed the hand-clasping greeting, but her five features each bore a coldness.

She raised her hand above her forehead, and Liu Qi smiled as if not smiling: "Since Jiang Tai Puzhe has come, then burn incense for me."

Shaowei lowered her hand; Liu Qi seemed to see a hint of true stifled resentment in her eyes, and was slightly stunned, then immediately walked toward the Divine Platform himself, saying in a light voice: "Forget it, I fear Tai Puzhe is displeased in his heart; his methods are extraordinary, and he might place some witchcraft curse in the incense."

Another ordinary Wu Nu immediately stepped forward to burn incense for him; Liu Cheng, who was still kneeling in the hall, could not help but say: "Fifth Brother... do not be rude to Jiang Tai Puzhe."

Liu Qi turned his head to look, meeting Liu Cheng's eyes; after a moment, he said with an unfathomable meaning: "Fifth Brother, I am not troubling Jiang Tai Puzhe, am I?"

Liu Cheng wanted to speak but stopped, yet looked toward Shaowei at his side, his bearing carrying some comfort.

Incense mist swirled within the hall; Liu Qi silently watched this scene.

Until the Wu Nu held the incense out to him: "Your Highness the Sixth Prince, please offer the incense."

The lit green incense was inserted into the incense burner, and Liu Qi knelt down on the rush mat.

Liu Cheng watched the boy kneeling beside him and could not help but notice that injured leg; his uncle's voice sounded again in his ears: 【He is still young; perhaps there will be a day of recovery, and even this leg injury may not be real.】

Liu Cheng lowered his eyes; he knew that his Sixth Brother had come this time to show off his power and prestige before him, who was being punished; his Sixth Brother must have already guessed the truth of his poisoning...

Matter after matter was complex and hard to speak of; Liu Cheng also did not know what to say, and thus fell silent.

Liu Qi did not stay long, nor did he have any mocking words; he spoke very little, until when leaving, he still spoke with some difficulty: "Tai Puzhe did not come to welcome me; surely he should see me off."

Shaowei replied "Yes" with an expressionless face; the two Wu men guarding outside the Shen Dian even suspected that Tai Puzhe might trip up the Sixth Prince, who carried a leg injury, midway.

Liu Qi brought only Deng Hu with him; after walking a distance, Deng Hu appropriately slowed his pace, while Liu Qi walked a few quick steps and caught up with Shaowei, who was indeed leading the way ahead.

"What is it?" he asked in a low voice.

"Talk about it later," Shaowei answered quickly, turning to look at him: "Why did you come here? Is it also for people to see?"

"Incidentally," Liu Qi looked forward: "Incidentally letting you see that I have mostly recovered."

As he spoke, without looking sideways, he extended his left hand to the side, using his wide sleeves to cover, and handed her an object hidden in his sleeve pocket.

Shaowei took it hastily; though she did not look closely, she felt it was clearly a fruit, not knowing if he had picked it on the way, and why he gave it to her for no reason?

Naturally, she could not ask or say too much; after seeing the person out of the Shen Ci, Shaowei returned to the room where she handled official business, then took out the fruit to examine it closely.

Good night.