Chapter 1982: Both Passing Away

The imperial prison had always been a quiet place, because not many people were qualified to enter it. But in the spring of the twenty-eighth year of Kaibao, the imperial prison within the Luoyang palace city was actually quite lively, with a bit of human bustle to it.

Among them, the most special person was undoubtedly the former Commissioner of the Palace City, the highest administrator behind the imperial prison—Wang Ji'en.

With the sound of footsteps, the jade pendant at the waist kept swinging back and forth, and the yellow tassels at the end of the jade disc were actually somewhat dazzling even in this sunless dungeon. Accompanied by Yan Tuo and Zhang Bin, Deputy Commissioner of the Palace City Office, Emperor Liu made an extremely rare personal visit to the imperial prison.

As for why Wang Ji'en had been taken down by Emperor Liu, based on Zhang Bin's observations and understanding over many years as deputy commissioner, the most important reasons were two: he had deceived His Majesty too much, and he had acted on his own initiative too much.

Having realized this, Zhang Bin naturally did not dare conceal anything from Emperor Liu, reporting Wang Ji'en's reactions and requests to Emperor Liu in full detail. Even though Zhang Bin wished in his heart to have Wang Ji'en dealt with as soon as possible, as Deputy Commissioner of the Palace City Office, he had been placed there precisely to balance power. Yet Wang Ji'en was hardly easy to get along with—aside from being unable to squeeze Zhang Bin out entirely, Wang Ji'en could mold and shape Zhang Bin almost any way he pleased.

Therefore, Zhang Bin's experience in the Palace City Office over these years could be described as one bitter tear after another. He had endured every kind of humiliation, and the mental pressure from Wang Ji'en was truly too great.

But there was no possibility of compromise, after all, because Emperor Liu was still watching from behind. Offending Wang Ji'en, one could still keep one's life; offending the old emperor... that option simply should not exist.

Zhang Bin had also tried to confront Wang Ji'en head-on, but the result of frontal struggle was that, through a combination of deflection and counterattack, he lost even the meager power he had in hand. The key issue was that when the matter was brought before Emperor Liu, he received no further support.

When a lackey's struggle receives no support from his master, it is especially pitiful. No one knew how Zhang Bin had endured those years, or what kind of mental journey he had gone through—he was almost like a walking corpse.

Finally, Zhang Bin's wait was over. Enduring shame and humiliation, bearing insults and burdens, he finally got his day of "parting the clouds to see the sun." Heaven be merciful—just yesterday, when he received Emperor Liu's secret order on the road back from offering birthday congratulations at Wang Ji'en's residence, Zhang Bin's feelings could probably be summed up in four words: Heaven has eyes.

Cao Mengde once said that eunuch officials, whose power and favor rest with the reigning sovereign, need only one prison official to kill them. Now Emperor Liu had proven this point with facts—Wang Ji'en's so-called power and influence was truly insignificant before the old emperor.

And when Zhang Bin, the deputy commissioner, was put in charge of the liquidation task, the efficiency was even higher. In a single night, Wang Ji'en's disciples and followers, his partisans and hangers-on, were all taken into custody. This was also the origin of the scene Wang Ji'en witnessed upon waking from his drunken stupor. No one had ever imagined that the first mission of the newly formed "Palace City Battalion" would be to arrest their own direct superior.

Passing through layer after layer of cells, one could clearly see that the imperial prison's current "occupancy rate" was not low. But so many people could obviously not all be cases that Emperor Liu had ordered investigated, nor could they have been arrested in the period since the edict delegating authority was issued. So how had these people come to be here, and under what pretext had they been thrown in? One could well imagine.

Emperor Liu's expression was very cold, directly indifferent. Under the prison official's guidance, he went all the way to the innermost cell, where Wang Ji'en was being held. In just one day's time, his circumstances were vastly different. Though no shackles bound him, he was thoroughly disheveled, and only now did he look like a man of sixty.

He had long heard the commotion in the prison corridor. When Emperor Liu's figure entered his view, Wang Ji'en's eyes immediately brightened. His old legs moved nimbly as he crawled on his knees to the edge of the cell, kowtowing repeatedly: "This humble one greets His Majesty! Greets His Majesty!"

It was like bloodline suppression—no matter where he was, his first reaction upon seeing Emperor Liu was always to bow and kowtow. It was just that in this place and at this moment, Wang Ji'en's tone carried much more sorrow.

Seeing this, a trace of emotion appeared in Emperor Liu's old eyes, and some past memories surfaced in his mind. He reached forward and said: "Zhang Bin said you wanted to see me. Mindful of these decades of relationship, I have come specially to see you!"

Wang Ji'en knew Emperor Liu all too well. Sensing the slight change in his emotions, a glimmer of hope immediately appeared in his eyes. He rose and grabbed the iron bars, saying in a mournful voice: "Your Majesty, this humble one is innocent! I beg Your Majesty to examine the minutest details and not listen to the slanderous provocations of petty people!"

"You are such a shrewd person—surely you truly don't know the purpose of my visit to the imperial prison today?" The moment he spoke, Emperor Liu's old face immediately turned cold. Pointing at the outer cells, he said: "Let me set aside other matters for now—how did all these miscellaneous people in the imperial prison get in here?"

Wang Ji'en's expression froze slightly, but he reacted extremely quickly, immediately saying: "This humble one was ordered to monitor public sentiment in the capital region. These are all suspicious persons, this humble one—"

Before he could finish, Emperor Liu swiftly cut him off, his tone stern: "I have no time to listen to your excuses. If all you have before me is this kind of nonsense, then I need not listen any further!"

Hearing this, Wang Ji'en's old face turned a shade whiter. He was stunned for a moment before kowtowing and speaking in a trembling voice: "Mindful of this humble one's devoted service over many years, would Your Majesty spare this humble one's life?"

"No?" Emperor Liu answered very bluntly, saying: "However, mindful of your loyal service to the imperial house for decades, I can grant you a complete corpse!"

"Your Majesty, this humble one may have faults, but I have been utterly loyal to you!" Wang Ji'en's face was full of disbelief, tears and snot streaming down as he bowed with extreme sorrow: "This humble one means you no harm!"

"You mean me no harm, but you have done great harm to the court!" Emperor Liu's emotions finally had a small eruption as he angrily rebuked Wang Ji'en: "For all your decades of serving me, have you forgotten even what I hate most? Given the things you did behind my back, the fact that I have only dealt with you today is already extraordinary forbearance on my part!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Wang Ji'en's gaze immediately dimmed considerably. Though he still had some doubts in his heart, he had already realized that Emperor Liu likely knew all about his shady dealings. At the same time, his life was probably truly beyond saving.

An enormous wave of fear swept through his entire body in an instant, even numbing his hands and feet. Wang Ji'en collapsed sitting on the cold floor, his bearing showing a trace of utter defeat.

However, a great eunuch of his generation ultimately had his dignity. Before long, Wang Ji'en raised his head again, his eyes slightly reddened, and in a deep voice tinged with a hint of hope, said: "All the crimes of the Palace City Office rest on this humble one's shoulders. The guilt cannot be escaped, and I harbor no complaints. But my few adopted sons—they acted mostly on my orders. Could they be shown leniency?"

Wang Ji'en's remaining three adopted sons and their entire families had likewise not escaped—all had been taken into custody and were now also held in the imperial prison. Gazing at Wang Ji'en for a while, seeing that his expression did not seem feigned, Emperor Liu still said calmly: "Wang Shouzhong's crimes are lighter; he may live. But the other two cannot. Their descendants may be sentenced to exile. Leaving you a line of incense to carry on—consider this my final grace to you!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Hearing this, Wang Ji'en kowtowed once more, looking utterly grateful with tears of gratitude.

"Consider this my farewell to you. It has not been in vain—these forty years of master and servant!" Giving Wang Ji'en one more glance, Emperor Liu sighed softly and turned to leave.

"Your Majesty, please stay!" However, Wang Ji'en called him back again.

"What more do you have to say?" Emperor Liu's brow furrowed slightly, his tone cold.

Wang Ji'en raised his voice and said solemnly: "I report to Your Majesty—this humble one acted rashly, was overbearing and arrogant, and incurred the hatred of others, leading to this calamity. My crimes are unforgivable, and I dare not harbor resentment. At the moment of death, this humble one presumes to offer Your Majesty one more word of advice: Your Majesty must beware of the petty people around you, and must not relax your vigilance against those with ulterior motives!"

"The petty people and those with ulterior motives you refer to—who are they?" Emperor Liu turned around and asked with interest.

"Yan Tuo!" Wang Ji'en said directly, without a moment's hesitation.

The moment these words came out, regardless of how others reacted, Yan Tuo's face changed drastically. His legs went weak and he fell straight to his knees, saying urgently: "Your Majesty, this beast has deceived the sovereign and committed offenses against the throne, and to this day still refuses to repent. You must not listen to his slander!

This humble one has been utterly loyal to Your Majesty, wholeheartedly devoted. It is only because of old grudges with him that he falsely accuses me. How vicious his intentions! I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!"

Having said this, Yan Tuo glared viciously at Wang Ji'en. If looks could kill, Wang Ji'en within the prison walls would already have been ground to ashes.

"Your Majesty, do not forget the lesson of the Khitan ruler Yelu Jing!" Wang Ji'en added earnestly, then raised his head and coldly met Yan Tuo's gaze. There was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes, as if saying: Old villain, even if I've fallen, you won't get off easy either!

Two dogs, even at the moment of death, still would not forget to bite each other. Emperor Liu was quite moved by the sight. He looked at Wang Ji'en, then cast a meaningful glance at the trembling Yan Tuo, said nothing, and turned to leave.

"Old villain! Granting you a complete corpse is letting you off easy!" After Emperor Liu had walked far away, Yan Tuo nimbly rose to his feet and angrily rebuked Wang Ji'en.

"I'll be waiting for you down below! Hahaha!" Wang Ji'en's face was full of arrogance as he burst into loud laughter.

Inside the imperial carriage, Emperor Liu's body swayed slightly with the bumps. Beside him, Yan Tuo was serving in the carriage—a rare occurrence—and it was clear he was restless and ill at ease, naturally because of Wang Ji'en's counterattack in the imperial prison.

Emperor Liu's face was expressionless, but Yan Tuo could hardly maintain his usual composure. His face was somewhat red, his back tense and sweating with nervousness. After some inner struggle, he finally prostrated himself before Emperor Liu and said with a mournful face: "Your Majesty, this humble one is wronged!"

"What are you wronged about?" Seeing this, Emperor Liu asked indifferently.

"That treacherous villain Wang Ji'en knew he was doomed to die and wanted to drag this humble one down with him as company, which is why he made false accusations. What he said has no basis whatsoever—pure speculation. I beg Your Majesty to investigate clearly!" Yan Tuo's heart was panicking, but his lips remained nimble.

Hearing this, Emperor Liu smiled lightly: "The two of you have been fighting for decades—do you think I don't know? Can I not see what Wang Ji'en's intentions are? 'When a man is about to die, his words are kind; when a bird is about to die, its cry is mournful.' This man is not even as good as a bird!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Yan Tuo squeezed out tears and hurriedly bowed: "Your Majesty is wise! Your Majesty is wise! Exactly so!"

However, after Yan Tuo finished bowing, Emperor Liu said leisurely: "Speaking of which, how many years have you served me now?"

"To answer Your Majesty, counting from the eleventh year of Qianyou, it has been thirty-three years now!" Yan Tuo wiped away his tears and answered. He remembered such things with perfect clarity.

"Thirty-three years—that is a very long time!" Hearing this, a look of reminiscence appeared in Emperor Liu's old eyes. It was a long while before he snapped back to the present, and he said to him with a peaceful expression: "I know I am not easy to serve. That you have been able to stay by my side for so long is no small feat!"

"To be able to serve Your Majesty is truly a blessing and honor this humble one could not earn in several lifetimes!" Yan Tuo's words of loyalty came out without hesitation.

"You are an old retainer of the Prince of Jinyang's household. In terms of closeness, you are even closer than Zhang Dejun. You are now at the age of sixty, are you not? Have you ever thought about your remaining years?" Emperor Liu asked as if having a heart-to-heart talk.

Yan Tuo remained tense at all times, shaking his head without thinking: "This humble one only knows how to serve Your Majesty and has no other thoughts. Not to mention sixty—even at seventy or eighty, as long as I still have breath, this humble one will serve Your Majesty!"

"You old thing, you still want to serve me into your seventies and eighties? Don't you know the saying that 'an old man who does not die is a thief'? Do you want to become a loathsome old thief together with me?" Emperor Liu chuckled.

At this, Yan Tuo could not laugh at all. He lowered his head and said in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty's words fill this humble one with extreme fear!"

Emperor Liu smiled, thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "Tell me the truth—have you ever thought about leaving the palace to spend your remaining years in peace? I can grant you that favor!"

Hearing these words suddenly, Yan Tuo was stunned for a moment, then said: "This humble one has never had such a thought, only wishing to serve Your Majesty with complete devotion. Besides, even if I left the palace, vast as the world is, I would have nowhere to go!"

"Don't you have an adopted son in Hedong? He should be grown by now. You can return to Taiyuan and enjoy the filial care of your descendants!" Emperor Liu said softly: "To be honest with you, Zhang Dejun violated what I hold most sacred, so his death is not to be regretted. But his loyalty to me, I do not doubt. Ordering his death did not bring me any ease of heart either!"

You and Zhang Dejun are the same—both old servants of mine, and I have feelings for you. You have served at my side for thirty-three years and witnessed too many secrets of the imperial house. This is not a good thing for you.

While I can still move about, I can grant you a decree of favor. I have already lost one loyal servant; I do not wish for you to come to any harm in the future.

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Yan Tuo thought to himself: as long as His Majesty is at ease with me, who else can do anything to me? Even as his mind turned, his face wore a moved expression as he bowed: "His Majesty thinks of this humble one so considerately; I am grateful to the depths of my heart and will never forget it for all my days. Yet I only wish to spend the rest of my life serving His Majesty, and do not covet personal ease and comfort!"

Emperor Liu silently watched Yan Tuo, his gaze carrying scrutiny. After a long while, he gave a light laugh and spoke: "This was merely a passing thought of mine. If you are unwilling, I will not force you. But know this—the opportunity comes only once. Miss it, and it will never come again!"

Yan Tuo immediately said: "Forgive my boldness in speaking plainly—even in death, I would die within the palace, at His Majesty's side!"

"Heh heh." Emperor Liu laughed again, and his mood seemed to improve: "Rare indeed that you possess such loyalty!"

As he spoke, Emperor Liu fully reverted to his usual indifference. Raising a finger, he said: "I know you and Zhang Dejun bear a long-standing grudge. After that biting accusation just now, your heart must be ill at ease! Very well—you shall see Zhang Dejun off on his final journey, and send him on my behalf as well!"

"Yes!" To Yan Tuo at this moment, such an order was like celestial music. Too many surprises and reversals—he did not overthink it and answered at once.

Having spoken, he respectfully withdrew from the imperial carriage, and soon the sound of galloping hoofbeats faded into the distance. Listening to the gradually receding noise, Emperor Liu's gaze was utterly cold.

That very day, the once-arrogant Commissioner of the Palace City, Wang Ji'en, died in the imperial prison. The impact on the Palace City Office was immense. A thorough purge—one that could be called bone-breaking and sinew-severing—followed. Most of Wang Ji'en's disciples, followers, and trusted subordinates were prosecuted in the subsequent rectification. The Palace City Office's prestige plummeted as a result, but Emperor Liu said that from now on, they would travel light.

Such upheaval left onlookers dumbfounded. Many officials did not know whether they should rejoice. What was cause for joy was that this powerful eunuch was dead and the Palace City Office's influence had waned—though it hardly seemed to be the result of their own loyal efforts. Still, on the whole, they ought to be pleased.

And within a few days, before Emperor Liu's forty-fifth birthday arrived, Yan Tuo—the eunuch who had strutted through the inner court as Director of the Eunuch Bureau and Chief Eunuch—also lost his life while carrying out an ordinary errand for Emperor Liu. His death was even more sudden. Many rumors circulated within the palace, but that Yan Tuo was dead was beyond doubt, and most people had a fair idea of how he died.

The reason for killing Wang Ji'en needed no elaboration. As for Yan Tuo, it was more obscure, but comparatively speaking, Yan Tuo was somewhat wronged. To put it plainly, it came down to reasons of the heart—matters of suspicion. Yan Tuo had certainly committed plenty of taboo offenses, especially in recent years, but what truly stirred Emperor Liu's killing intent was that this man had revealed to Emperor Liu a restless heart, quietly stoking the flames in inconspicuous places.

Of course, Wang Ji'en's words in the imperial prison had also reminded Emperor Liu—one could say the killing intent rose abruptly and erupted violently.

Once again, the facts proved that in Emperor Liu's era, it was difficult for any political storm to occur without bloodshed.