Chapter 50: Entering the Palace, Inquiring

The autumn wind rose with a rustle, hastening the leaves to yellow as Zhao Ti entered the Jingcheng Circuit.

After spending a night at Zhuxian Town, he returned to the city of Dongjing by midday the next day.

The capital was in the midst of a bustling season, with every household preparing for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival took shape during the Han and Jin dynasties, with specific dates set in the Tang era; the Tang Annals of Emperor Taizong record the characters "Mid-Autumn Festival, August Fifteenth."

By the Song Dynasty, it was promoted nationwide: the court observed holidays, shops sold new wine, the common people hung lanterns and tied colorful ribbons, erected colorful towers, floral heads, painted poles, and drunken-immortal brocades, while baking small cakes with various fillings; these small cakes, chewable like the moon, contained crisp pastry and malt syrup, forming the prototype of the mooncake.

Zhao Ti sat in the carriage observing the lively scene, pondering how to devise a plan to enter the palace.

He was currently under house arrest, and with many spies of Empress Dowager Xiang within the palace, entering would inevitably lead to notification of the Grand Court of the Imperial Clan, followed by questioning and accountability on the court floor.

And according to Emperor Shenzong's thoughts, as a close relative of Empress Dowager Gao, he might indeed impose some punishment.

Zhao Ti smiled while seated in the carriage; this imperial brother was now isolated and unsupported in court, with great ambitions unable to be realized, and perhaps was hoping for Gao Taotao's death so he could personally govern and display his aspirations.

The carriage did not take the Wang Fu's main gate but quietly entered through the side gate, where the steward Zheng Fu and Bai Zhan, having received news, joyfully came to welcome him.

Zhao Ti asked, "Has anything happened in the past few months?"

Bai Zhan replied, "Brother Seven has stabilized the situation inside and outside the city walls; now the remaining gangs look solely to the Golden Wind and Fine Rain Tower for leadership."

Zheng Fu said, "Your Highness, a few days ago I saw Tong Guan; Li Dahuan has passed away."

"Li Xian is gone?" Zhao Ti pondered slightly: "What explanation was given in court?"

Zheng Fu replied, "It was said he was posthumously awarded the title of Jiedushi of Wutai Army, with the posthumous name 'Loyal and Astute'."

Zhao Ti said, "So quickly?"

Li Xian was considered a disgraced official; whether it was a posthumous award or a posthumous name, in principle, it should not have been granted so soon.

"Your Highness, Tong Guan said that before Li Xian passed away, he entered the palace once, summoned by the Empress Dowager."

Zhao Ti nodded; Empress Dowager Gao Taotao must have wanted to verify certain matters, Li Xian's answers satisfied her, so the posthumous procedures were completed so quickly; "Loyal and Astute" was a posthumous name applicable to both civil and military officials, ranking relatively high among medium posthumous names.

"By the way, Your Highness..." Zheng Fu suddenly lowered his voice.

"What else is there?" Zhao Ti asked.

"Your humble servant heard from Tong Daofu that the Empress Dowager... seems to be ill," Zheng Fu whispered.

"The Empress Dowager is ill?" Zhao Ti's expression grew Serious: "Go to the treasury now and select gifts; do not choose valuable but useless items, only select medicinal herbs for longevity and the like, take two people to deliver them into the palace, and say I am under house arrest, missing Great Lady deeply but unable to see her, causing me to lose sleep and appetite, and request an imperial edict to enter the palace to inquire after her health."

"Yes, Your Highness!" Zheng Fu acknowledged the order and turned to leave.

Zhao Ti went to the study, where a maid brewed and brought a pot of Small Dragon Cake tea; he drank while sorting through the events of these few months, finding no major omissions.

In the afternoon, Zheng Fu returned holding an imperial edict: "Your Highness, your humble servant saw that the Empress Dowager's complexion was very poor; she did not speak a single word from beginning to end. When your humble servant mentioned Your Highness requesting an edict, I pointed to the female official standing nearby to take up the brush."

Zhao Ti took the edict, glanced at it, and nodded; although it did not explicitly lift the house arrest, it granted permission to travel freely between the palace and the city, which was practically no different from lifting the restriction, and it also gave face to the Court of the Imperial Clan.

He ordered Zheng Fu to make preparations, then bathed and changed clothes, tucked the edict away, exited through the Wang Fu's main gate, and headed straight for the imperial city.

It was now the Shen hour of the afternoon; Zhao Ti entered the palace through the Left Gate and proceeded toward the Cining Hall.

Upon reaching the hall, the guarding eunuch bowed and said, "Prince of Yan, the Empress Dowager has issued an edict: Prince of Yan, enter the hall directly without reporting."

Zhao Ti nodded, and a small palace maid in front guided him with lotus steps into the hall.

Unlike last time, the location had changed; inside there were no tall objects like bookcases, only daily old items, each appearing to be several years old.

Gao Taotao sat behind a desk with her eyes closed, while a female official stood nearby, her face showing worry.

Zhao Ti noticed Gao Taotao's complexion was extremely poor, greenish with a gray tint, suggesting a decline of vitality, which made him puzzled.

With his profound internal energy, he saw that her condition was not a normal illness but rather an accumulation of internal cold and yin, damaging her blood vessels.

"Great Lady, your grandson comes to pay his respects to Great Lady."

Gao Taotao did not speak; her eyes opened slightly, and Zhao Ti, seeing them somewhat gray and white, was momentarily stunned.

At that moment, the female official went outside and brought in a bowl of medicinal soup; Gao Taotao drank it, then waved her hand, and the female official withdrew outside the door.

"Great Lady's illness..." Zhao Ti said softly.

"This old one has no illness," Gao Taotao spoke, her voice slightly hoarse and her tone desolate.

"Your grandson was under house arrest in the mansion and only just learned that Great Lady is unwell; may Great Lady not blame your grandson for being unfilial in coming to inquire only now," Zhao Ti rephrased.

"Brother Eight, you have a kind heart," Gao Taotao said indifferently: "Those brothers and sisters have not even come here to ask a single question; do they all fear this old one in their hearts? Do they hope for this old one to pass away so they can be more at ease, and for Emperor Shenzong to promote them with titles and honors?"

"This..." Zhao Ti sensed Gao Taotao's displeasure; he could not respond to the talk of promotions and titles, so he fell silent.

Originally, while Emperor Shenzong was alive, all imperial princes could gradually advance to princely titles after some training.

But Emperor Shenzong passed away early; at the time of his death, besides Zhao Xu being titled Commandery Prince of Yan'an, none of the other children held a princely title.

When Zhao Xu ascended the throne and changed the era name to Yuanyou, only a few elder brothers were promoted to Commandery Prince at that time; as for Prince titles, according to custom, they were to be granted only after personal rule began.

Gao Taotao made an exception by granting Zhao Ti the title of Prince of Yan, while Empress Dowager Xiang secured the title of Prince of Duan for Zhao Ji; to balance relations, Zhao Xu specially granted the ninth son of Emperor Shenzong, Zhao Mi, the title of Prince of Shen; all this happened because Zhao Ti was granted his title early, so upon hearing this, Zhao Ti stopped speaking.

"Hmph!" Gao Taotao let out a cold sneer: "Not one has a conscience; this old one has worried herself to pieces for the state, and yet must I also teach and manage the clan affairs within the palace? Must I teach each of them how to behave?"

"Great Lady, do not be angered," Zhao Ti said: "Many of the brothers and sisters are still young, their characters not yet settled, so naturally their thinking is not thorough; Great Lady must not let this harm your health."

Gao Taotao looked at Zhao Ti and said indifferently: "This old one has seen Li Xian before."

Zhao Ti pressed his lips together and said nothing.

"Li Xian was very honest," a hint of mockery appeared on Gao Taotao's lips: "On that day, Brother Eight came to deceive this old one with seven parts truth and three parts falsehood; did you think this old one was foolish?"

Zhao Ti smiled awkwardly: "Great Lady has known your grandson since childhood; in fact, at that time Great Lady already heard the exaggerations and falsehoods in your grandson's words but did not expose them, simply to fulfill your grandson's desire to learn martial arts."

Gao Taotao snorted: "Was that statement prepared long ago to flatter this old one and block this old one's mouth?"

Zhao Ti shook his head: "How would your grandson dare? I merely spoke the truth, never thinking that Great Lady would fail to hear the falsehoods in your grandson's words."

Gao Taotao looked at Zhao Ti, remained silent for a long time, and finally said: "This old one is tired; do you have anything else to ask?"

Zhao Ti thought for a moment: "Great Lady, your grandson wishes to ask one question."

"What question?" Gao Taotao leaned back slightly, resting in her chair.

Zhao Ti took a breath and said: "Great Lady, the Taizu Long Fist circulating in the palace and outside consists of thirty-two postures, yet your grandson has heard that this fist originally should have thirty-three postures; why is one posture missing?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Taotao's eyes, which had been half-open and half-closed, suddenly opened fully: "Brother Eight, what did you say?"