Chapter 419: The Empress Dowager Summons

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengyou stepped slowly across the threshold of Ciming Hall, largely ignoring the palace maids who curtsied with radiant smiles.

It had been nearly a year since Liu Chengyou had reduced the frequency of his visits to Ciming Hall to pay his respects. One should know that even in the first year or so after his succession, he had maintained the habit of rising early to pay his morning respects at Ciming Hall, and even when state affairs interfered, he would have Empress Fu attend to filial duties in his stead.

But everything fears persistence. Now that Liu Chengyou's military and governmental affairs were no longer as pressing and exhausting as they had been at the start of his reign, he actually came to Ciming Hall less often. The reason, in the end, was that the relationship between mother and son seemed to have grown somewhat distant.

Beginning last year, first there was the matter of abolishing Buddhism, and then the successive removal of Lady Li's relatives from power—these repeated actions could hardly avoid wounding the Empress Dowager.

Even so, the Empress Dowager maintained her sagely composure. When Liu Chengyou wanted to abolish Buddhism, she sealed away the Buddhist shrines and statues in her halls, stopped reading Buddhist scriptures, turned to studying Daoist texts instead, and even specially invited Daoists from the Eastern Capital into the palace to lecture on the Way. As for the dismissed relatives of the Li clan, though she pitied her younger brothers in her heart, she said nothing more, and on ordinary days she would frequently summon them into the palace, earnestly admonishing them, telling her several maternal uncles to keep to their place...

With things as they were, Liu Chengyou's reduced visits to Ciming Hall were not from unwillingness, but from daring not—his heart could hardly avoid breeding some guilt. On days when he did not set foot there, he would have the one Empress and two Consorts accompany her more often.

This time, however, Liu Chengyou came at the Empress Dowager's summons. Entering, he bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Empress Dowager."

The Empress Dowager was ever more dignified and resplendent; every movement she made carried the bearing of a mother to all under heaven, commanding reverence. She was personally attending to the eldest imperial prince, Liu Xu, feeding him porridge. She glanced at Liu Chengyou but did not acknowledge him.

She picked up a silk handkerchief, wiped Liu Xu's mouth, and whispered something in his ear. Little Liu Xu looked at Liu Chengyou, a trace of unfamiliarity in his tender gaze, but he obediently slipped out of Lady Li's embrace, trotted over to Liu Chengyou on his small legs, practically throwing himself onto Liu Chengyou, clutching his leg and looking up at him as he called softly: "Father..."

Looking down at that small face tinged with timidity, one could faintly discern the features of Pure Consort Geng in the tender visage. Liu Chengyou's heart stirred; he bent down and gathered the boy into his arms, sat down beside the food table, took the porridge bowl from Lady Li's hands, and continued feeding him.

"Do you still remember Nong'er's birthday?" Seeing this, the Empress Dowager's willow brows rose as she asked.

Liu Chengyou fell silent—of course he remembered. Gently stroking Liu Xu's head, he said with a sigh: "In the blink of an eye, Nong'er is almost three years old."

"Tell me, in this past year, how many times have you seen Nong'er in total? No matter how busy you are with state affairs, don't forget there is still an orphan in Ciming Hall!" Lady Li truly rarely scolded Liu Chengyou; even as she spoke, her gaze toward her eldest grandson carried even more pity.

"Your harem is now gradually filling with beauties—I wonder if you have already forgotten Consort Geng. I feel some guilt toward her." Lady Li sighed.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou seemed to recall Lady Geng as well. Taking a deep breath, he said: "Another day, I will take Nong'er to pay respects at his mother's grave."

Having said this, he steadied himself, lifted Liu Xu a bit higher onto his lap, held him in his arms, and asked casually: "Mother, what is it that you summoned me for? Surely it cannot be just for this little one!"

At this mention, a hint of hesitation surfaced on the Empress Dowager's kind face. Still, she asked: "You intend to send your youngest maternal uncle out to a provincial post?"

Hearing this question, Liu Chengyou thought to himself, just as I suspected. He looked up at Lady Li and said softly: "Has Uncle come to the palace again to complain and air his grievances to Mother?"

Liu Chengyou's words were not pleasant to hear; one could sense the displeasure they revealed. However, Lady Li did not take offense, but narrated calmly: "Of my several younger brothers, only the youngest, Ye, gives me the most worry and the most pity. I know his pride. If you are unwilling to employ him, then do as you did with Hongxin and Hongjian—why must you banish him from Kaifeng, and to a frontier place like Yuan Prefecture at that..."

Lady Li made no attempt to hide her affection for her youngest brother in her words. Speaking thus gently, she made it hard for Liu Chengyou to say anything harsh.

After thinking it over, Liu Chengyou said to the Empress Dowager: "Mother, I too do not wish to see you siblings separated by a thousand li. It is only that this time, Uncle has violated my greatest taboo. There must be some punishment—consider it a small lesson for a great warning. These past two years, Mother may not be entirely clear on external court affairs, but Uncle, in his position, has repeatedly overstepped his authority, meddling in the court's military and governmental matters."

"To speak plainly, it is precisely out of regard for Mother's face that I have tolerated him so much. But Uncle's ambition is too high, and he relies on your influence..."

Lady Li suddenly fixed her gaze on Liu Chengyou: "Is Your Majesty afraid that I will interfere in governance?"

Liu Chengyou was momentarily at a loss for words. Meeting the Empress Dowager's earnest gaze, he gently shook his head: "Mother, you speak too gravely!"

After briefly weighing his words, Liu Chengyou said: "I simply feel that at present, Uncle is not suited to remain at court!"

Hearing his answer, Lady Li's phoenix eyes deepened as she stared at Liu Chengyou for a long while. Unfortunately, Liu Chengyou maintained that calm expression throughout. After a long pause, Lady Li sighed softly: "Your Majesty grows ever more like an emperor!"

From Lady Li's tone, Liu Chengyou detected a note of sorrow. He wished to comfort her, yet did not know where to begin.

Only Lady Li's voice was heard, speaking with melancholy: "Since the second year of Qianyou, Liu Xin was held accountable and placed in charge of guarding Rui Mausoleum, Murong Yanchao was confined to Kaifeng for half a year, Liu Yun's authority was stripped away, your uncles were successively dismissed from office, and last winter there was even the disturbance surrounding Liu Chong... Both the Liu clan's imperial relatives and the Li clan's kin have all been kept at a distance by you."

"I had thought that we were all one family, able to support you all the more and stabilize the realm. The world has been in chaos for so long, dynasties changing like a revolving lantern—if you have no trusted intimates... ah, enough. I only fear that you will become a solitary sovereign!"

As she spoke, Lady Li seemed to lose all interest. She waved her hand: "Mother knows you have always had your own opinions and cannot be persuaded. I won't make things difficult for you. As for Li Ye, I will send him back!"

Hearing these heartfelt words from the Empress Dowager, what showed on Liu Chengyou's face was a trace of helplessness. In such an age, how could he not know the importance of imperial relatives and kin? Naturally, they were more reliable than outside ministers by any measure. But these relatives of his—most of them were indeed the kind of rotten clay that could not be plastered onto a wall...

It seemed that all the shrewdness and fortune of both the Liu and Li clans had been exhausted by Liu Zhiyuan and Lady Li—with the exception of Liu Chengyou, this son who had "defied heaven to change his fate."

After some deliberation, Liu Chengyou said to Lady Li: "How could I not know the concern and consideration in Mother's words? I have also given thought to your worries. As for the imperial uncle, stationed in Hedong, I am quite at ease; as for Imperial Uncle Murong, I hear he has skill in adjudicating cases—when he returns from Hedong, I intend to have him oversee justice at the Court of Judicial Review; though Liu Yun appears weak, he makes up for it in steadiness and listens to advice—stationing him to guard a large prefecture is more than within his capacity, and I will still employ him. Third Brother has also come of age; once the Wuyue Princess arrives in the capital and the marriage is concluded, I also intend to give him a post, letting him contribute his strength to the state."

This speech of Liu Chengyou's was essentially to reassure the Empress Dowager. Pausing slightly, he added: "As for Uncle, hmm... well, Mother, please convey this to him on my behalf. Has he not always prided himself on being a man of talent, with ambitions of achievement? Rather than admiring himself in solitude at court, it would be better for him to go to an outlying prefecture. My sending him to Yuan Prefecture is also giving him an opportunity to display his abilities. Though Yuan Prefecture is remote, it is precisely a place for action and martial endeavor. If he can accomplish something there, how could I abandon my own maternal uncle and not employ him?"

This statement from Liu Chengyou greatly softened Lady Li's expression. She looked at him with slight hesitation: "Truly?"

Liu Chengyou spread his hands: "How would your son dare—and why would I deceive Mother?"

"In that case, I can give him some instructions!"

Sitting quietly on Liu Chengyou's lap, the eldest imperial prince Liu Xu, though he could not understand what his grandmother and father were saying, after they finished, raised his small hand and gently tugged at Liu Chengyou's sleeve.

"Hm?" Liu Chengyou looked down, regarding this son of his with slight curiosity.

Liu Xu's small eyes darted somewhat shyly. Holding a small piece of peach blossom cake in one hand, he brought it to Liu Chengyou's lips, his little hand still trembling slightly: "Father, eat..."

That clear, childish voice nearly warmed Liu Chengyou to the bottom of his heart. A rare, carefree smile bloomed on his face as he lowered his head and ate it.

Liu Xu immediately broke into an innocent smile, and for the first time, Liu Chengyou's heart was filled with tender affection.