Chapter 64: The Emperor

The Da Zhou Imperial Palace, Qianyang Palace.

This was the place where Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao of Da Zhou daily reviewed memorials and handled state affairs.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was nearly forty years of age, yet his temples were already flecked with white, and his face always carried a trace of fatigue; only those eyes were filled with abundant spirit, stern and imposing.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was likely the most diligent of all the monarchs in Da Zhou's history. Since ascending the throne, he reviewed memorials almost every day until late into the night. His diligence and pragmatism were noted by the entire court and public.

Before ascending the throne, he was merely an inconspicuous Imperial Prince. Compared to his dazzling brothers, he even appeared somewhat mediocre.

Yet he was the one who laughed last, ascending to the supreme position beyond everyone's expectations, and displaying astonishing strategy and methods to eliminate dissenters, purge the court, and quickly secure his throne.

Now, having reigned for ten years, his imperial position was as stable as Mount Tai. Although many major matters within and outside Da Zhou remained unsettled, the political situation under his control was growing increasingly steady.

At this moment, he was perusing a memorial submitted by the newly appointed Grand Chief of the Imperial Clan Court, Prince Zhongshun. It stated that servants of the Rongguo Prefecture's main branch were using witchcraft to secretly harm the second branch, and that First-Rank General Jia She was suspected of instigating and directing it.

"Hmph, these martial nobility clans have lived in peace for too long, raising nothing but lawless, dissolute scoundrels. It is a pity for the lifelong reputation of Jia Daishan."

Although standing respectfully to one side, the attendant's peripheral vision was constantly observing the movements of the one above. He saw Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's eyes light up upon reaching a certain point.

On the imperial throne, Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao carefully read the secret memorial from the Central Vehicle Office, comparing it against the memorial from the Imperial Clan Court.

Deputy Chief Eunuch Guo Lin had served by Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's side since his time in the private residence. Now, after more than a dozen years, he knew well that the Emperor was deep in strategy and heavy with suspicion, fearing that he did not fully trust anyone.

Unlike the Investigation Court, the Central Vehicle Office did not possess special powers such as detection, arrest, or interrogation. It was also much lower-profile than the likes of the Investigation Court within the court; even minor officials below the fifth rank did not know of its existence.

Guo Lin was a shrewd man. To stand firm for years beside a strict and clear-sighted monarch like Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, one had to be able to perceive the Emperor's heart.

The death of a Hanlin editor was a major matter for the Zhen'an Prefecture, but for an Emperor who looked down upon the world, it was a triviality.

Deputy Chief Eunuch Guo Lin held a gray-white covered notebook and hurried into the great hall: "Your Majesty, the Central Vehicle Office has submitted the secret memorial regarding the witchcraft affair at the Rongguo Prefecture."

The Emperor consistently trusted Prince Zhongshun and relied upon him heavily, yet he did not listen solely to the memorials he submitted; he always sought corroborating evidence, striving to reach the crux of the matter.

It was precisely this nature of attending to everything personally that had caused this Sovereign of the Nine-Five to have temples flecked with white before reaching the age of forty.

A look of surprise appeared on Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's face. This brother of his was a man of talent within the Imperial Clan with high standards; it was not easy to catch his eye.

Guo Lin, standing to the side, said: "Your Majesty, when you went to the Chonghua Palace last month to pay respects to the Retired Emperor, the Buddhist scripture that the Retired Emperor cherished so much was written by this Jia Cong."

Guo Lin had served by his side for many years and naturally knew the Emperor's temperament well; he had long since urged for the relevant secret memorials from the Central Vehicle Office to assist in the imperial decision.

Guo Lin walked to the bookshelf in the hall, found one from the densely packed pile of documents, and stepped forward to present it to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was busy with a myriad of affairs; naturally, it was impossible for him to read every secret memorial from the Central Vehicle Office.

"Oh, the Eleventh Imperial Brother actually invited him to participate in the Nanxi Literary Gathering."

The memorial submitted by the Imperial Clan Court contained content derived from the interrogation records of the Zhen'an Prefecture and did not provide the full picture. Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was meticulous, and since the matter involved the witchcraft disaster at the Rongguo Prefecture, he used the secret memorial from the Central Vehicle Office as corroboration.

The Central Vehicle Office was responsible for investigating secret reports on matters inside and outside the court and monitoring the hundred officials and nobility. It was the Emperor's most important eyes and ears, led by palace eunuchs, and under the direct jurisdiction of the Emperor, outside the Three Judicial Offices.

At Prince Jia Shun's Nanxi Literary Gathering early last month, Hanlin editor Wu Jinrong was killed. The Central Vehicle Office had submitted a secret memorial recording the ins and outs, which also mentioned that Jia Cong had stunned the audience with a poem on plum blossoms."

The Central Vehicle Office would send secret memorials into the palace regarding major events occurring in the Love Shenjing and events they deemed necessary to record, for future reference.

"State law is strict, and family law is hard to tolerate! This youth is quite interesting. Jia Cong—why does this name sound so familiar? As if I have heard it somewhere before?"

Thus, this secret memorial recording the events of the Nanxi Literary Gathering happened to be one he had not yet read.

And as the leader of the Central Vehicle Office, Guo Lin read every secret memorial submitted by the office. He had been by Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's side for over a dozen years; this meticulous work was done exceptionally well.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao flipped through a few pages of the secret memorial, his face showing astonishment: "Mother was a courtesan! Such a background is rare in the Jia Prefecture, which has two Dukes in one family."

Such a background was a major taboo in a Duke's prefecture that valued lineage. Living freely would not be so easy.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao recalled that in the previous secret memorial, Jia Cong had uttered such astonishing words as "State law is strict, and family law is hard to tolerate."

It was rare for such a low-born concubine's son to see things more clearly than adults like Jia Zheng and Jia Mu, who held official positions and titles.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao naturally did not know that Jia Cong's grand words at the time were not to uphold the dignity of the Jia family, but merely to break the legs of that shrew and avenge his maid.

"Wind and rain send spring away, flying snow welcomes spring's arrival. Already the cliff is a hundred fathoms of ice, yet there are still flower branches blooming...!"

"Good! The spirit is lofty, the tone is high-spirited—truly a good poem!"

Guo Lin, standing to the side, was startled. Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was always rigorous and restrained, with a very heavy imposing manner; he rarely revealed such unbridled behavior.

Was Jia Cong's poem really written so well that it could catch the Emperor's eye?

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao put down the secret memorial in his hand: "At such a young age, not only is his insight not ordinary, but he is also accomplished in both poetry and books. Such talent can be considered rare."

Then he laughed dismissively: "It is also a strange thing that a dissolute scoundrel like Jia She could actually produce such a son."

Guo Lin, standing to the side, smiled and said: "Your Majesty is wise. This Jia Cong indeed has some presence and capability; otherwise, he would not have been valued by Prince Jia Shun and invited to participate in the Nanxi Literary Gathering."

"However, this servant has heard that because of his lowly birth, this Jia Cong is despised by his biological father and legal mother, and is often scolded and beaten in the Jia family, living a very miserable life."

The Central Vehicle Office had spies everywhere, and nails were planted in most of the noble and official households. Knowing these inner-chamber matters naturally counted for nothing.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was stunned upon hearing this: "To be disliked by his parents despite such talent—could it be that others like him are common in the Jia family? Do they have other extraordinary descendants in their household?"

Guo Lin said: "There is indeed one other extraordinary descendant. It is said to be a young master born holding jade, named Baoyu, which has become a strange tale in the Love Shenjing."

This Baoyu is extremely doted upon by the Lady of the Jia Prefecture, and no one in the household dares to discipline him.

Moreover, he has not loved reading since childhood, spending his days in the household mingling with maids and sisters. Hearing of it, he is a good-for-nothing and cannot be compared with the likes of Jia Cong."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had also heard some rumors about this "born holding jade" legend, and he laughed dismissively: "Born holding jade—an auspicious omen that only the sages of old possessed."

"Baoyu (Precious Jade) is a seal. Those women of the Jia family are truly not afraid of death, spreading such delivery-room nonsense all over the Love Shenjing."

Hearing this made Guo Lin's whole body feel cold. Being born holding jade was, in His Majesty's eyes, such a great act of overstepping one's bounds; it was just that His Majesty was tolerant and did not bother to hold it against them.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao turned to mock: "In those years, the Dukes of Ning and Rong were both figures of the wind and clouds. After they passed away, the Jia family declined day by day, and their descendants were mediocre. It turns out it was all self-inflicted!"

Guo Lin naturally could understand the Emperor's meaning. It was not that the Jia family lacked outstanding descendants.

It was just that they were blind, taking pride in such nonsense as being born holding jade, their insight was vulgar, discarding gold and jade to embrace rotten cotton.

"Guo Lin, convey my oral decree: have the Imperial Clan Court summon Jia She. He instigated servants to use witchcraft to secretly harm his own brother. If the evidence is verified, punish him severely without leniency!"

"This man is lecherous and muddled, driving good people to their deaths, and abusing his own son. It damages the dignity of the state's nobility. Even if he did not commit such witchcraft, his faults must be severely reprimanded."

"This servant obeys the decree!"

Guo Lin had followed Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao for many years and had long since mastered the skill of listening to the tone behind the words. He sensed that His Majesty had the intention to spare the Jia family. After all, the Jia family had two Dukes in one family and had once performed great service for the state.

A little dignity and remaining favor still had to be given, but such things were used up a little more each time.

Most likely, His Majesty was also wary of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes acting in concert, fearing that moving one part would affect the whole.

But he had already developed a sense of disgust for the Jia family's current muddled state. Letting the Imperial Clan Court give Jia She a warning and severely reprimanding his faults was already a heavy blow to the Jia family.

If the moment for the matter to erupt arrived, whether it was punishment or favor, it would all be decided by a single thought of the Emperor's autocracy.

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 65 =====