Lu Lin came together with several of Changsha’s senior officials. After paying their respects, he said that he had just sent the envoy from the Eastern Court to rest at the guesthouse and had come specifically to make his report.
Mu Fulan glanced at him and the senior officials who had come with him, knowing there was more to be said. She smiled and said, “You have worked hard.”
Lu Lin waved his hand repeatedly, saying it was no more than his proper duty, and went on: “Zhao Xitai has now stabilized the situation once more. Not only has he secured Huaiyang, but he also has the natural barrier of the Yangtze to rely upon — it is not impossible that he could yet mount a counterattack. He has seized upon this occasion of the memorial rites to send an envoy to our Changsha, with a sincere proposal to discuss a joint alliance against the common enemy. It would not be amiss for the Princess Regent to consider this carefully. That Xie Changgeng is of brigand origins — crafty and changeable, not to be trusted. Should he eliminate the Eastern Court, his next step will certainly be to eradicate Changsha entirely. For the sake of long-term security, we must ally with the Eastern Court and resist together. In this way, at the very least, we can maintain the current situation and preserve Changsha from falling.”
Mu Fulan said, “I will consider this carefully.”
The men exchanged glances. Lu Lin paused for a moment, then stepped forward again.
“There is one other matter. Upon returning from today’s rites, a considerable number of officials have again pressed for an answer on the previously discussed question of the vacancy in the succession — has the Princess Regent given this any consideration?”
Another official continued: “A state cannot go a single day without a ruler. Over these past years, thanks to the Princess Regent’s wise governance and her ability to employ the right people, Changsha has prospered and its people have lived in peace. There is no one in all of Changsha who does not hold her in the highest esteem. However, for the sake of long-term stability, we believe a king should be established without delay — only then can the people’s hearts be truly settled. The heir apparent should naturally be selected from among the talented men of the Mu clan. Should the chosen candidate be young, we respectfully ask the Princess Regent to continue as regent, and we shall serve with our full efforts as well. In time, when the new king assumes rule, the Princess Regent’s contributions to Changsha will be revered by ten thousand people, rivaling the brilliance of the sun and moon!”
Lu Lin, watching Mu Fulan’s calm countenance, added with some care: “Originally, with the young lord here, he would have been ideal — gifted and intelligent, the finest possible heir for our Changsha king. But regrettably, on account of his bloodline, were he to be made heir apparent, it is feared his claim would be neither legitimate nor credible, and would not win the allegiance of the people…”
The remaining men chimed in with agreement one after another.
Mu Fulan said evenly, “Your meaning is understood. There have been many matters these past few days, and you have all worked hard. Let us leave it here for now.”
The group assented with murmurs and withdrew. Yuan Handing walked in.
“The Princess Regent need not pay them any mind. Changsha has only just settled after barely a few days of peace, and these men are using their seniority to stir up trouble over nothing! If the Princess Regent permits it, tomorrow I will lead the officials in submitting a memorial urging that the Princess Regent be declared ruler. No matter how senior their positions, what can they do? Ten thousand soldiers answer only to the Princess Regent’s command!”
He finished, and seeing that Mu Fulan remained silent, thought for a moment and added: “Should the Princess Regent have no wish to be ruler herself and instead wish to establish the young lord as heir apparent, that too would be easily done — the Princess Regent need only give the word!”
Mu Fulan pondered for a moment and said, “Let us speak of this matter another time. The Eastern Court has now sent an envoy with word of a joint alliance against the capital — what is your view of this?”
A year prior, when faced with the military pressure from Xie Changgeng and the Eastern Court teetering on the brink of collapse, Zhao Xitai had taken over from his father and assumed the position of supreme leader, displaying remarkable resolve and talent. Seeing that the Eastern Capital was beyond saving, he made a decisive sacrifice — severing his own arm, so to speak — abandoning the Eastern Capital along with its wealth and population and withdrawing on his own initiative. Using the lower reaches of the Yangtze as his base, he swiftly reestablished a foothold in Huaiyang.
The Eastern Court, once on the verge of total collapse, had risen from the ashes. As for Xie Changgeng, he had by now come to exercise complete control over the imperial court in the capital, holding all territory except for Changsha and the Huaiyang region of the lower Yangtze.
Not long ago, he had eliminated the King of Zhao, who had previously broken away from the Eastern Court amid the chaos at the Eastern Capital. By all accounts, he was now making preparations to launch the final campaign against Huaiyang.
Yuan Handing said: “Zhao Xitai is a man of considerable foresight. Several years ago, when Prince Qi was still holding his ground in the Eastern Capital against Xie Changgeng, he must have already foreseen that Changping Pass would be difficult to hold and that the Eastern Capital could not be occupied for long. He requested to go to Huaiyang to build a base there. As it turned out, he was entirely right. While in Huaiyang, he recruited talented men, trained a naval force, dredged the waterways, and solved the flooding problem that had plagued the local people for years — winning their hearts. With the natural barrier of the Yangtze to rely on as well, it will not be easy for Xie Changgeng to take Huaiyang in a single stroke. Under the current circumstances, whether our Changsha should ally with the Eastern Court or maintain neutrality will depend entirely on Xie Changgeng’s next move.”
He looked steadily at Mu Fulan. “Princess Regent, those men like Lu Lin are overly cautious and have always feared Xie Changgeng excessively. But on this particular matter, my view happens to align with theirs. With all due respect, once the Eastern Court ceases to exist, how could Xie Changgeng allow Changsha to continue occupying the heartland of the Dongting region? His final target will certainly be Changsha. Rather than facing him alone when that time comes, it would be better to form an alliance with Zhao Xitai now — the odds would be more in our favor.”
“Of course, everything is ultimately at the Princess Regent’s discretion. Whatever the Princess Regent decides, I will follow without question!”
That night, Mu Fulan was once again unable to sleep.
She still lived in her old bedchamber in the palace — the same room she had occupied before her marriage. How many memories of her life, from girlhood to today, were held within these four walls. The candlelight flickered, casting the shadow of her pacing, restless figure. She stopped before the window, her thoughts rising and falling like waves. For a long while she gazed at the full moon hanging in the night sky. Then she turned and opened a storage box in the corner of the room — one she had not touched in a very long time — and took out an envelope.
This was the letter of dissolution that the man had sent her through a messenger, years ago, after learning that Changsha might have conspired with Prince Qi.
At the time, she had been returning from Tianshan after retrieving medicine. On the road back, she had taken a water route to avoid the fighting in Pucheng. The letter had arrived while she was still on her way and had not yet returned to Changsha.
“Our hearts are no longer aligned, and we cannot walk the same road. I write this letter so that each of us may return to our own path.”
By candlelight, she read this letter — its characters wild and free-flowing, nearly illegible, as though dashed off in a single careless stroke — and sank into deep reflection. Then she heard the door being pushed open softly, and looked up.
Xi’er had come.
She quickly put the letter away and walked toward him, smiling. “It is so late — why aren’t you asleep?”
Xi’er was still wearing his sleeping clothes. “I was reading a few pages just now and was about to go to sleep, but I saw that the light in your room was still on, so I came to check on you. Mother, please rest — don’t tire yourself out too much.”
Mu Fulan looked at the bright-eyed, handsome young boy before her and thought of the day she had encountered him at the Huguo Temple all those years ago. In the blink of an eye, that tiny little child from that day had grown this big.
An inexhaustible surge of tenderness and affection welled up in her heart.
She walked over to him, took her son’s hand gently, and said softly, “Mother will walk you back to your room. Once you’re asleep, Mother will go to sleep too.”
Xi’er shook his head. “I’ll walk you to sleep. Once you’re asleep, I’ll go to sleep.” He came forward.
Mu Fulan let that small young boy take her hand and lead her inside.
“Mother, rest now.”
As Xi’er was about to leave, Mu Fulan called him back.
“Xi’er — though you are Mother’s son — if Mother has no intention of making you the King of Changsha, would you blame her?” She hesitated for a moment, then asked quietly.
Xi’er shook his head. “Mother, don’t worry. I have never once thought about becoming the King of Changsha. Mother should arrange things however she sees fit. I only hope that when the time comes, I will be of use — that I can protect you.”
Mu Fulan smiled. At that moment, a knocking sound came from the outer room.
A maidservant came to report: a message had arrived from the Eastern Court’s envoy — Zhao Xitai had come in disguise, arriving this very night, and had an urgent matter he wished to discuss with the Princess Regent.
Mu Fulan paused to think, then glanced at Xi’er, who was watching her. “Mother still has something to attend to. I’ll go for a moment. You go to sleep.”
…
Mu Fulan walked into the audience hall. Inside, a figure stood cloaked in a traveling cape. At the sound of footsteps, the figure turned — it was Zhao Xitai.
Three years had passed, and he looked greatly changed — not in his features, but in the impression he gave.
Though a trace of the weariness of a night’s journey showed on his face, his eyes were sharp and full of life. Though dressed in plain ordinary clothes, his bearing was exceptional. Compared with the sickly, ailing heir of Prince Qi who had first come to Changsha seeking medical help all those years ago, he seemed like an entirely different person.
Seeing Mu Fulan appear, a smile came over his face and he strode forward to meet her, apologizing for his presumptuous late-night visit.
“To disturb the Princess Regent in the middle of the night, I am grateful she would agree to see me at such an hour. Three years have passed without meeting, yet the Princess Regent’s grace and radiance are even more striking than before.”
He looked at Mu Fulan with sincerity in his voice. In his gaze, not the faintest shadow of darkness or wariness could be seen — only the kind of joy that old friends feel upon reuniting after years apart.
He seemed to have entirely forgotten how he had come to leave Changsha in the first place.
Mu Fulan smiled. “Three years have passed, and Your Majesty too appears full of spirit and splendor. Your Majesty’s status is now far elevated from before — why come in disguise? The notice was abrupt and the reception has not been what it should be — I hope you will forgive any shortcomings.”
Zhao Xitai smiled and waved his hand. “The Princess Regent need not treat me with such formality — I am still the same Zhao Xitai as before. And the Princess Regent surely already knows what has brought me here — the matter of an alliance.”
His expression turned grave.
“The Princess Regent has undoubtedly received the letter I previously had the envoy deliver on my behalf. To demonstrate my sincerity, I have come in person to meet the Princess Regent face to face once more after three years, to consult on this great matter together. As for the current state of affairs, I need not say more — the Princess Regent will surely have her own judgment.”
“Xie Changgeng is about to take the niece of Empress Dowager Liu in marriage, severing whatever remaining tie he had to your Changsha cleanly. These past years, he has not made a move against you — but that is only because he has had no time to spare. He has just eliminated the King of Zhao. Once I, Zhao Xitai, am also gone, the next to face him will certainly be your Changsha.”
“I knew long ago that the Eastern Capital could not be held for long, which is why I turned my attention early to developing Huaiyang. I would not claim it is impregnable, but with capable soldiers and fine generals on one hand and the natural barrier of the Yangtze on the other, should he send his army to attack, the outcome is by no means certain…”
He paused for a moment, stepped closer to Mu Fulan, and lowered his voice.
“Princess Regent, allow me to tell you one more thing. Among his key commanders, there is one who has fallen for my honey trap — he has secretly turned to my side. As long as Xie Changgeng sends his army to attack, I will cut off his supply lines from behind.”
He looked deeply at Mu Fulan. “Princess Regent, both the situation in the realm and the circumstances of your Changsha are very different now from three years ago. I trust you completely and have hidden nothing from you. I trust, too, that you will make a wise choice. So long as you are willing to help me, when the time comes, with our forces combined, I will be like a tiger with wings. Let him who rose to power on the water be buried by the water as well!”
…
Mu Fulan returned to her bedchamber and found Xi’er still sitting upright in a chair, having not returned to his room to sleep — as though he had been waiting for her. She walked toward him and was about to speak when he got down from the chair and stood before her.
“Mother, that Zhao Xitai came to persuade you to ally with him and fight Lord Xie, didn’t he?” he asked.
Mu Fulan was taken aback.
“Xi’er, this is a great matter of state for Changsha. You are still young, and it is not your concern. Go to sleep — Mother will make her own decision.”
She finished speaking, and seeing the child did not move, continued: “Mother, I am not so young anymore. I have heard some things. Not only do the Chancellor and the others wish to ally with Zhao Xitai — even my teacher thinks the same way. I know they are all thinking of Changsha’s good. But Mother, do you remember? Three years ago, when Lord Xie came here, he promised me directly at the west city gate that he would no longer be Mother’s enemy. He even made a vow. If he will not be Mother’s enemy, then he will certainly not send troops to attack our Changsha. Mother, please don’t ally with the Eastern Court — please don’t go to war with Lord Xie. All right?”
Mu Fulan was silent for a moment. “Xi’er, people change. And as for words spoken — one cannot possibly always remember them forever, and even if remembered, they may not always be possible to keep. When you are grown, you will understand. Go to sleep!”
“Mother!”
A look of anxiety crossed Xi’er’s face, and he suddenly knelt before her on the ground.
“Mother, I believe in Lord Xie! What he said to me that day — he will certainly remember it, and he will certainly keep his word! Mother, if you are not at ease, I will write a letter and have you pass it to Lord Xie! I’ll ask him to give you his assurance again in person — that way, you’ll be able to put your mind at ease, won’t you?”
Mu Fulan said, “Xi’er, be good — go to sleep!”
As she spoke, a smile still rested on her lips, but her tone had shifted to one that brooked no argument.
Xi’er stared at her blankly for a moment, then slowly rose from the floor and, with his head bowed, left the room.
The following morning, matters arose at the front, and Mu Fulan departed without checking on Xi’er. Unexpectedly, by midday, Nanny Mu came rushing to find her in a panic, saying the young lord had disappeared.
Nanny Mu wiped away her tears. “Normally the young lord rises early to practice his martial arts and read — but this morning his door didn’t open, and I assumed he was sleeping in for once, so I didn’t call him. By midday he still hadn’t come out, which struck me as odd. I knocked on his door and heard no reply. The door was bolted from the inside. I had someone break it open, and the room was already empty — he must have slipped out through the window. He only left this one note…”
Mu Fulan snatched the note and looked at it. Her expression shifted slightly. She immediately rushed to the north city gate, where she was told that early that very morning, before it was even light, the young lord had ridden out of the city on horseback.
Since he often rode out of the city alone, the gate guards had not asked many questions. When they saw him come, they simply opened the gate and let him through.