Chapter 2008: Empress Xiaojing

Liu Yang and his party changed course midway, turning toward Yaohua Hall upon receiving the news—the one who had died was naturally not Emperor Liu.

Had the old emperor suddenly passed away, it would have been a cataclysmic event, but the atmosphere within the palace would never have been like this. Liu Yang and the assembled ministers would certainly have kept the death secret, seized control of the imperial city at the first moment, taken over the reins of government, and even placed all of Luoyang under temporary martial law. Only after everything had been handled and the situation stabilized would they have announced the news of the death and sounded the funeral dragon bell.

Liu Yang and the others were, of course, well aware of the inner workings of such matters. Still, when the funeral dragon bell suddenly rang out, the reactions of those in the Hall of State Affairs were indeed worth pondering.

In many cases, instinctive reactions are the most truthful. Fortunately, there were no outsiders present at the time—had the old emperor learned of it, who knows what he would have thought, or what fit he might have thrown.

It was still early, around the two-quarter mark of the Chen hour, when the old emperor arrived at Yaohua Hall ahead of everyone else. Perhaps sensing the oppressive and sorrowful atmosphere within the hall, the wind outside began to howl once more, and the sound of rain grew heavier.

Inside the bedchamber, Noble Consort Gao lay quietly on the couch, bereft of her usual fierceness and urgency, appearing utterly serene. That face had long since lost the charm and allure of her youth, but in the old emperor's eyes, it remained so familiar and dear.

How could she be gone so suddenly? Just yesterday she had been perfectly fine, even sharing a rare evening meal with him. A few days ago, she had still been arguing with him in full voice over the "suffering" of Liu Xi and his father in the southwest. How could one night have separated them by the divide of life and death?

Emperor Liu's dim, aged eyes were somewhat misty, tinged with bewilderment. His mind was a blur—he had no time yet for grief or sorrow, nor could he speak of desolation or bleakness. There was only a trace of confusion...

When exactly the Noble Consort had passed was unknown; it was only discovered when the attendants found her in the early morning, her body already cold. Of course, the eunuchs and palace maids of Yaohua Hall were not so amateurish or negligent—it was simply that the Noble Consort had recently been sleeping poorly, even going several nights without rest. Last night, after accompanying His Majesty back, she had finally slept soundly for once. The palace attendants, out of consideration for the Noble Consort and also fear of her, naturally dared not disturb her. And so, she had passed without anyone knowing...

Outsiders were not permitted to enter the inner palace without authorization. Of those in the Hall of State Affairs, only Liu Yang and Liu Ai ultimately reached Yaohua Hall. When they arrived, they found a group of trembling palace attendants. Before they could even request an audience, the old emperor had already walked out, his steps extraordinarily slow. On his weathered old face, not a trace of vitality could be seen—truly alarming to behold.

Liu Yang and Liu Ai hurriedly paid their respects, but the old emperor paid them no mind. Instead, he turned his head to look at Hu De, who was hanging his head: "Where are the attendants who served the Noble Consort last night?"

How would Hu De dare to be remiss? He quickly replied: "All four are detained in the corridor. Does Your Majesty wish to question them?"

"Question them about what?" Emperor Liu retorted coldly, then gave a faint order: "Execute them all!"

"Yes!" Hu De answered without the slightest hesitation and swiftly left the hall to make arrangements. At this moment, his only thought was the hope that those four wretched maids' heads would be enough to quell the old emperor's wrath—nothing else crossed his mind.

As for sympathy and the like—in this palace, such things were truly a luxury. Under circumstances like these, merely preserving one's own skin was already a stroke of good fortune.

Even the Crown Prince, long renowned for his "benevolence and magnanimity," said nothing, his face bearing no expression other than solemnity. The fate of those four palace maids was sealed. Even Liu Yang felt they deserved death—the mistress had been dead and cold before anyone noticed anything amiss. Just imagine if the old emperor had died in the same manner; how much time would be wasted, how many unforeseeable changes could arise in the interim.

"What are you here for?" Only then did the old emperor turn his attention to the Liu brothers.

Upon being asked, Liu Yang maintained his cautious bearing and replied: "In recent days, rain has fallen without cease in the capital region, and the rivers have swollen dangerously. Your servant was concerned about the threat of flooding and was discussing flood prevention and disaster preparedness with the assembled ministers when the bell suddenly rang. I have come specifically to inquire after Your Majesty's well-being."

Liu Yang's answer was somewhat verbose, but the old emperor, whose mind was already somewhat sluggish at the moment, did not think much of it. He only nodded instinctively and said: "You are thoughtful. The Noble Consort served me for over forty years, and her sudden departure has left my heart truly unsettled."

"Your Majesty, please restrain your grief!" Seeing that the old emperor had finally shown a hint of sorrow, Liu Yang took the opportunity to offer gentle words of comfort.

The old emperor shook his head, then suddenly stumbled. Seeing this, the Liu brothers rushed forward with quick eyes and nimble hands to support him, each taking one side as they guided Emperor Liu to a chair nearby to sit. Liu Ai, somewhat anxiously, called out: "Imperial Physician! Summon the imperial physician!"

"No need!" The old emperor's brows were tightly furrowed, seemingly annoyed at his own feebleness. He pressed his forehead in distress, then looked up at Liu Yang and said: "I am fine! There is nothing you can do to help here. Return to Guangzheng Hall—state affairs are important, and the safety of the lives and property of the countless common folk along the Yellow and Huai rivers is even more so."

"But..." The Crown Prince appeared hesitant at this, looking rather uneasy. After a moment of deliberation, he spoke seriously to Liu Ai: "Eighth Brother, you stay here and look after things. If anything happens, send someone to Guangzheng Hall to notify me!"

"Yes!" Liu Ai replied solemnly.

Bowing once more to the old emperor, performing the rites of respect to the utmost, and receiving a confirming look in return, Liu Yang finally withdrew slowly.

There were never any secrets within the palace, and the funeral dragon bell had been audible throughout the entire imperial city when it rang. Soon, the powerful and privileged of the Great Han, both inside and outside the palace, received the news. One after another, noble ladies arrived at Yaohua Hall on behalf of their households—clearly, their primary purpose was to probe for information and assess the situation.

Of course, some came in genuine grief. For instance, Princess Gao De, Liu Jian—born of the old emperor and Noble Consort Gao, and re-enfeoffed in the thirteenth year of Kaibao—was so stricken upon receiving the news that she rushed frantically toward Yaohua Hall.

In his lifetime, the old emperor had fathered seven princesses in total. Aside from the fifth, Princess Huaiyang, Liu Xuan, who had taken her own life in grief over the case of her imperial son-in-law, all the others had married and borne children.

The one most beloved by the old emperor was unquestionably the eldest princess, Liu Jia. As for the second princess, Liu Jian, she had been different from her mother's fierceness since childhood, following a gentle and mild path—neither hasty nor impatient, neither contentious nor grasping. She had always been easy to worry about, never causing any trouble.

Even her marriage had followed the old emperor's arrangements. At nineteen, she was wed to Chai Zongxun, son of the late Duke of Ying, Guo Rong. Although Chai Zongxun had not inherited Guo Rong's mantle, nor did he pursue an official career like his elder brothers—to this day holding only a sinecure as a secretary in the Palace Library—he possessed a free-spirited, carefree temperament that harmonized well with Liu Jian. In nearly twenty years of marriage, they had lived in peace and tranquility, their union as harmonious as lutes and zithers, the envy of many—a "model family" among the capital's elite.

Arriving at Yaohua Hall alongside Liu Jian were two boys and a girl—the two youths in the prime of their adolescence, and the girl a delicate lass of around ten. They were Liu Jian's three biological children: Chai Xining, Chai Xirang, and Chai Xijin.

Earlier still was Chai Zongxun. Rarely on duty at the Palace Library, he had arrived in a fluster, half his robes soaked through, his forehead damp as well—whether from rain or sweat, one could not tell.

Upon confirming the Noble Consort's death, the couple was overcome with grief. Liu Jian even wept until she fainted. Noble Consort Gao had only that one pair of children; though she cared more about Liu Xi's political prospects, she had never slighted Liu Jian. The bond between mother and daughter was genuine.

As for the three siblings, Chai Xining, Chai Xirang, and Chai Xijin, they too knelt outside the bedchamber, wailing loudly, raising their cries of mourning ahead of time.

Seeing this family's heartfelt display, a slight ripple finally appeared in the old emperor's numb gaze, and even some rare tears welled up. He wiped at them several times before they were finally dry.

The Noble Consort's funeral was naturally conducted at high specifications, with ceremonial protocol second only to that of Empress Fu.

Of course, in recent years, the Gao family had declined somewhat due to the mediocrity of its descendants, even being surpassed by the Zhao family. But as an old and established noble house, its deep foundations could never be underestimated.

At the same time, the old emperor posthumously conferred upon Noble Consort Gao the title of Filial Respect Empress. The old emperor knew that the Noble Consort had wished for the honorific title of Empress during her lifetime, but whether for the stability of the court or the succession of the realm, it could not be granted.

Still, though it was denied in life, the posthumous conferral after death could be considered the old emperor's final gesture of regard.