It wasn’t until they boarded the carriage and Xie Qi cracked the whip, driving away from the bustling market, that Madam Zhao finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Fan Changyu, puzzled, asked, “Madam, what exactly happened?”
Madam Zhao, feeling somewhat guilty, said, “Changyu, I’ve been foolish and might have caused trouble for you.”
She recounted her argument at the fabric stall, too ashamed to raise her head: “I overheard those women saying that the hair ribbon Yan Zheng picked up belonged to some Miss Li. I couldn’t help myself and spoke up rashly. Who knew it would turn into such a scene…”
Her calloused hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly. She finally looked at Fan Changyu and said, “I’ve heard that officials can easily be impeached. This… this won’t lead to you or Yan Zheng being impeached, will it?”
Carpenter Zhao, fearing his wife’s actions might bring trouble to Fan Changyu, immediately pointed at Madam Zhao and scolded, “You! At your age, why engage in such pointless arguments?”
Madam Zhao, feeling guilty, remained silent even as her husband reprimanded her.
Fan Changyu intervened, “It’s not a big deal. Don’t blame yourself, Madam. However, to avoid unnecessary complications, it’s best not to engage in such verbal disputes in the future.”
The Emperor, Wei Yan, and even the Li family were already aware of her relationship with Xie Zheng. If word spread that Xie Zheng had come to the city to pick up a woman’s hair ribbon, they could easily guess it was her.
As for the rest, she and Xie Zheng would marry sooner or later, so it wouldn’t matter if the public knew.
The more troublesome issue might be her “widowed” status. Some people would inevitably feel she wasn’t worthy of Xie Zheng.
But those who thought she wasn’t worthy would still think so even if they knew she had once been married to Xie Zheng.
In the past, Fan Changyu might have been concerned about this. But after being tempered by the battlefield for so long, having faced life and death, if she still feared public opinion, she would truly be regressing.
Hearing Fan Changyu’s words, Madam Zhao finally put her mind at ease. She repeatedly said, “No, no, it won’t happen again.”
As the carriage smoothly returned to the Memorial Pavilion, Chang Ning, sitting in Fan Changyu’s lap, noticed that Uncle Zhao and Madam Zhao were unusually quiet. She asked, “Sister, will Brother-in-law also go to the imperial palace to receive the Emperor’s reward?”
She remembered that her sister had gone with the generals after entering the city that day.
Fan Changyu nodded slightly and answered, “Of course he will.”
Only officials of the fifth rank and above needed to attend daily court sessions with the Emperor.
Officials summoned from outside unless specifically instructed by the Emperor, only needed to stay at the Memorial Pavilion or go to their respective offices to handle official business.
Fan Changyu and Tang Peiyi’s group of generals, who had just returned from the northwestern battlefield, were currently idle. The Emperor would likely find positions for them after the New Year.
However, the current political situation at court was treacherous. Since his ascension, the young Emperor had little real power. The courtiers’ respect for the royal family, except for those who were pure loyalists, was mostly superficial. Behind the scenes, they allied themselves with either Wei Yan or the Li family, forming various factions.
The young Emperor’s achievements were mediocre, but his ambitions were not small. Previously, he had tried to ally with the Li family to overthrow Wei Yan. However, he acted too hastily. Before Wei Yan fell, the Li family saw the knife the young Emperor had placed on their necks, causing them to turn and collaborate with the Crown Prince, Qi Min.
Now, the young Emperor could only turn back to seek Wei Yan’s protection. The outcome of the struggle between the Wei faction and the Li faction would likely be decided in the case of Wei Yan’s alleged collusion with rebels, which was being jointly investigated by the Three Judicial Offices.
In recent days, Fan Changyu has frequently attended hearings at the Court of Judicial Review to investigate what the Sui family had done in the Jinzhou case years ago. She was trying to find clues linking Wei Yan’s current collusion with rebels to the orchestration of the Jinzhou tragedy back then.
However the progress of the joint investigation was extremely slow, and the case might drag on for a month or two.
The variables on the Dragon Throne were still unknown even months later.
Hearing Fan Changyu’s words, Chang Ning’s eyes brightened: “What will the Emperor reward Brother-in-law with?”
This question plunged Fan Changyu into brief contemplation.
Xie Zheng had been granted the title of Marquis at the age of twenty, and in terms of military achievements, he was second to none in the entire court. During her last audience with Tang Peiyi in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Emperor had hinted at bestowing the Nine Bestowments upon Xie Zheng.
The courtiers, however, remained silent as the grave.
She found it strange at the time and asked Tang Peiyi about the Nine Bestowments after returning to the Memorial Pavilion.
Tang Peiyi answered cryptically, “Since ancient times, only when an emperor had no higher titles to bestow would he grant the Nine Bestowments to a subject. These include chariots, horses, ceremonial robes, musical instruments, the right to ascend the imperial steps, battle axes, bows and arrows, and other items, symbolizing supreme imperial power. But throughout history, those who received the Nine Bestowments were all treacherous ministers who met unfortunate ends.”
Currently, the court is divided between the Li faction and the Wei faction.
Was the Emperor’s words that day meant to push Xie Zheng into the spotlight, letting Wei Yan and Grand Tutor Li deal with him?
Fan Changyu couldn’t help but feel worried. She adjusted Chang Ning’s collar and simply said, “How would I know what the Emperor will bestow? We’ll have to wait and see.”
Chang Ning was not satisfied with this answer and pouted, burying her face in Fan Changyu’s embrace.
The wind occasionally lifted a corner of the carriage curtain. Fan Changyu gently patted Chang Ning’s back, her gaze sweeping towards the direction of the imperial palace through the carriage window, her brows slightly furrowed.
Imperial Palace.
“Announcing, Marquis of Wu’an, Xie Zheng seeks an audience—”
The summons echoed through the long palace corridors, bouncing off the ten-zhang-high city platforms on either side of the Yanchi Tower, creating countless reverberations, solemn and majestic.
The Golden Crow Guard, armored and armed, stood in two rows before the Meridian Gate, their expressions cold and stern.
The sun was at its zenith, gilding even the glazed tiles atop the palace roofs with a layer of gold.
Xie Zheng, clad in full armor, walked slowly through the wide-open palace gates, his black cloak billowing behind him, seeming to drag a ground full of blood and killing intent.
His eyes were casual yet tinged with coldness, the qilin head ornament on his shoulder snarling fiercely under the scorching sun. Though originally an auspicious beast, it now seemed to carry a sense of ferocity and evil, as if having long drunk human blood on the battlefield, making people dare not look directly at it.
For a moment, even the red walls and golden tiles on either side of the palace path seemed to lose their usual solemnity and grandeur, cowering humbly before him.
As Xie Zheng ascended to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, all the civil and military officials turned to watch him enter.
The position at the head of the military officials was still vacant for him. Grand Tutor Li, standing at the head of the civil officials on the left, glanced at Xie Zheng, his wrinkled brows furrowing slightly.
This wolf cub raised by Wei Yan had indeed grown up. In terms of arrogance and tactics, he was truly no less than Wei Yan in his youth.
He withdrew his gaze and held his jade tablet, continuing to look straight ahead.
Xie Zheng ignored all the scrutinizing gazes, raising his eyes to look at the young Emperor seated above in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. When Qi Sheng’s eyes met his, the smile on his face became somewhat forced.
Xie Zheng’s lips curled in what seemed to be a mocking smile. He didn’t even bother to kneel in salutation, merely inclining his body slightly forward, cupping his hands in salute: “Your subject greets Your Majesty.”
Having been granted the title of Marquis, he no longer needed to address himself as a general when meeting the Emperor.
Qi Sheng, both fearing and secretly hating him to the core, barely maintained the smile on his face and said, “Beloved Minister Xie, please rise.”
He then turned to address the assembled officials: “Beloved Minister Xie is a pillar of our Great Yin Dynasty. We specially permit him to enter the palace wearing a sword, to enter court without haste, and to address Us directly without using his name.”
These were privileges Qi Sheng had granted Xie Zheng since he was made a Marquis. It could be said that from that time, he had been planning how to drive a wedge between Wei Yan and his nephew Xie Zheng.
The civil and military officials lined up on both sides dared not comment on Qi Sheng’s words.
Seeing the silent court, Qi Sheng’s resentment towards the decline of imperial power deepened, but he had no other choice. He could only look at Xie Zheng with a forced smile and say, “To quell the rebellion in Chongzhou this time, Beloved Minister Xie risked his life countless times and achieved the greatest merit. The Northern Court is also fortunate to have Beloved Minister Xie guarding it, allowing it to remain stable until now. Today, We specially bestow upon you the Nine Bestowments.”
As he finished speaking, he lightly clapped his hands, and eunuchs brought forward the prepared rewards on trays covered with yellow silk, placing them before Xie Zheng.
Xie Zheng’s gaze swept over the various exquisite objects held by several internal supervisors, the coldness in his eyes intensifying. He still merely inclined slightly and expressed his gratitude: “This subject thanks Your Majesty for the great honor.”
The court session finally concluded without incident. The Wei faction, due to Wei Yan’s claimed illness keeping him from the court for many days and their deep understanding of Xie Zheng’s temperament and methods, dared not say much throughout. The Li faction, on the other hand, was extremely wary of Xie Zheng.
But since Grand Tutor Li hadn’t spoken, those below him didn’t dare to provoke Xie Zheng rashly.
Only a few eunuchs who had carried the trays to present the imperial gifts to Xie Zheng were still trembling even after they had left.
Grand Tutor Li, along with his eldest son and several trusted disciples, were among the early ones to leave after the court session.
His eldest son, Li Yuanting, seeing that they were surrounded by their people, couldn’t help but ask Grand Tutor Li while they were still on the Golden Water Bridge: “Father, Marquis of Wu’an’s current momentum seems to have already surpassed Wei Yan. As long as he doesn’t leave the capital, our plans…”
Despite his indignation, Li Yuanting didn’t dare to continue with the rest of his words.
The crane pattern on Grand Tutor Li’s official robe glimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight. Unlike his son’s impatience, his steps remained unhurried, and his expression was calm: “Why the rush? The boat will straighten itself when it reaches the bridge.”
Just as he finished speaking, a casual yet overwhelmingly oppressive voice came from far behind them: “Grand Tutor, please wait.”
Grand Tutor Li stopped in his tracks and turned to look at the young military marquis who was slowly walking towards him on the white jade steps. He asked noncommittally, “What guidance does the Marquis have for me?”
Xie Zheng’s lips curled slightly: “Not guidance, just something I wish to hand over to the Grand Tutor.”
As he approached casually, the group of civil officials surrounding Grand Tutor Li grew tense, unconsciously swallowing.
Perhaps due to a strong psychological suggestion, they felt that as Xie Zheng drew near, a faint smell of blood seemed to envelop them. The more timid ones even paled slightly.
Grand Tutor Li, however, remained composed, his old but bright eyes looking at Xie Zheng: “This old man has little personal interaction with the Marquis. I wonder what the Marquis wishes to hand over to me?”
Xie Zheng stopped three steps away from Grand Tutor Li. As he raised his hand, a jade pendant tied with a red cord fell from his hand, glinting in mid-air. The pendant was engraved with the character “An”.
Upon seeing the jade pendant, Li Yuanting’s face changed dramatically: “This… this is Huai’an’s jade pendant!”
Xie Zheng’s fingertip loosened, and the jade pendant nearly fell to the ground, but fortunately, Li Yuanting was quick enough to grab the cord.
Xie Zheng said casually, “Returning the jade intact.”
Li Yuanting, anxious, loudly questioned Xie Zheng: “What have you done to my son?”
Xie Zheng coldly raised his eyes, looking at the Minister of Revenue languidly: “Didn’t this Marquis just say? Returning the jade intact.”
Li Yuanting, worried sick about his son, was already red-faced and neck-bulging with anxiety. Xie Zheng, however, no longer paid him any attention. He turned to look at Grand Tutor Li, his long eyes fragmenting in the sunlight, making his expression even more unreadable: “The item has been returned. This Marquis will take his leave first.”
As soon as Xie Zheng left, Li Yuanting couldn’t help but say to Grand Tutor Li: “Father, Huai’an has fallen into Xie Zheng’s hands. What does he mean by this?”
Grand Tutor Li watched the young military marquis’s retreating figure, a flicker of light passing through his aged eyes. He said, “He’s threatening this old man.”