In the spring of the sixth year of Zhaoping, to contend for the Hetao region, after a thirty-year interval, the northern nomads assembled three hundred thousand cavalry and once again surged southward.
The Longyou Military Governor Pei You’an was appointed as the Great General of Northern Conquest, taking charge of military affairs in more than ten prefectures including Yan, Yun, and Gan. He commanded the imperial troops and marched north to meet the enemy.
Just as the flames of war flared up again at the northern border, in April, the Prince of Changle from the imperial clan claimed to have found the young Emperor Xiao Yu. Using the pretext that Xiao Lie had not returned the throne to its rightful successor, he raised troops in rebellion at his fief in Dongchang. He secretly sent men to raid Gengzhou, breaking through its defenses and freeing the deposed Crown Prince Xiao Yintang, who had been imprisoned for several years. Then, under the joint banner of “the righteous way,” he claimed to have gathered a hundred thousand troops. He seized Dongchang and occupied Jinan. Initially, his momentum was overwhelming, causing panic throughout Shandong. Half a year later, by autumn of the same year, when they led their troops out of Shandong, they encountered Liu Jiushao’s powerful interception.
Prince of Changle suffered a major defeat and retreated hastily to Tangyi in Dongchang Prefecture. Subsequently, the city was surrounded.
While the Prince of Changle was stubbornly resisting, Xiao Yintang took advantage of the chaos to kill him. Xiao Yintang also killed several of Prince of Changle’s sons and brothers, along with the impostor Xiao Yu who had been proclaimed as the young Emperor. He displayed more than ten heads on the city walls of Tangyi, declaring that he had never intended to rebel. He claimed that he had earlier been forced to this place from his ancestral land by the Prince of Changle and now had seized the opportunity to execute the rebel leader and the fake Xiao Yu. He hoped the Emperor would see the truth and pardon his crimes.
Liu Jiushao continued to surround the city while sending people to deliver Xiao Yintang’s plea to the capital with utmost speed.
When that plea arrived at the imperial study in the palace, the Emperor had just returned after concluding the morning court session and was playing chess with Ci’er.
During the morning court, officials had discussed two pieces of news.
One was about the progress of the war in the northern frontier. After holding off the nomads for nearly half a year, about ten days ago, Pei You’an had led his troops, formed battle lines outside Jianmen Pass, and decisively defeated the nomad cavalry. The nomads fled northwest. To prevent them from regrouping, Pei You’an pursued them vigorously, aiming to destroy their royal court and eliminate future troubles. The war had entered a critical phase.
The other news was that Liu Jiushao had surrounded the Prince of Changle, the deposed Crown Prince, and the fake young Emperor. Now they were just waiting to capture them like fish in a barrel.
Both were good news, not only making the court officials smile with joy but also allowing the Emperor to relax somewhat, which was rare. Returning to the imperial study, he handled some memorials and then asked Li Yuangui to call for Ci’er.
Ci’er was brought by Cui Yinshui, and grandfather and grandson began to play chess again.
During the past half year, the Emperor had not taken Ci’er to worship at the imperial ancestral temple, but he also hadn’t allowed Jia Fu and Ci’er to leave the palace. The officials had initially thought the Emperor would establish the child as the Imperial Grandson, but after waiting for half a year, there was no further action. At first, due to external threats and internal problems, they hadn’t focused on this. Recently, as the situation gradually clarified, the officials felt more at ease and began to pay attention to this matter again. Some started submitting memorials, tactfully probing about the succession issue. But no matter how they probed, the Emperor remained tight-lipped, neither denying nor confirming anything. The officials had always been intimidated by the Emperor’s authority and dared not overstep their bounds, so the matter had been dragged on.
The Western Palace was now Ci’er’s living quarters. It had the Taiye Pool, the Swan House, and the Tiger House, where various rare and exotic animals were kept. Ci’er would follow Jia Fu, completing the literary and martial arts lessons assigned by his father every morning without fail. For the remaining time, he would either accompany his mother, play, or be summoned by the Emperor to sit at his knee—the Emperor often called Ci’er to play chess as a way to relax. In the blink of an eye, he was almost four years old.
While playing chess, the Emperor mentioned that his father should return by the end of the year. Ci’er’s eyes brightened with immense joy. The Emperor initially stroked his beard and smiled, but gradually, as if recalling something, he looked at his jubilant grandson across from him, and his gaze grew increasingly solemn. At this moment, Li Yuangui entered, bringing the victory report from Liu Jiushao from Dongchang Prefecture.
The Emperor scanned through Liu Jiushao’s report about Xiao Yintang killing Prince of Changle and the impostor young Emperor, and coldly said, “Does he think I don’t know? The Zhang family and the rebel prince had long been secretly colluding. He committed patricide first, showing a complete lack of conscience, and now he’s conspired with the rebel prince in treason. He’s desperate.”
“Your Majesty, General Liu has sent another report, which is the deposed Crown Prince’s plea of guilt…”
Li Yuangui presented another sealed confidential letter, carefully watching the Emperor.
The Emperor glanced at the sealed letter, his expression extremely unpleasant. After a long pause, he finally took it, opened it, pulled out the letter inside, quickly read it, and his expression changed dramatically. He stared at the letter fixedly, then suddenly closed his eyes and collapsed from the couch with a thud.
Li Yuangui was shocked and immediately called for the Imperial Physician. He and nearby palace attendants lifted the Emperor onto the couch and urgently pressed his philtrum, but the Emperor kept his eyes tightly closed, showing no response. Ci’er had been holding a chess piece, waiting for his grandfather to return and continue their game. Seeing him unwell, he rushed over in fright, calling out “Imperial Grandfather.” Li Yuangui quickly told Cui Yinshui to take Ci’er back first. Noticing the letter still tightly clutched in the Emperor’s hand, he pulled it out, quickly glanced at it, and was equally shocked. He immediately hid the letter in his robe.
After her son had been taken by the Emperor, Jia Fu was doing needlework in her room. Not long after, she saw Cui Yinshui bringing him back. Ci’er’s face was tear-stained as he threw himself into her arms, wiping his tears sadly: “Mother, just now Imperial Grandfather and I were playing chess, he read a letter, then suddenly became unwell and collapsed…”
Jia Fu was startled and asked Cui Yinshui, who then told her that the Emperor had received the latest news about the rebellion in Dongchang Prefecture and had fainted. As for what exactly the news was, Cui Yinshui did not know.
Jia Fu took her son inside and comforted him. Since she couldn’t move about freely and had no news, she was extremely anxious. Late at night, after Ci’er had fallen asleep, Cui Yinshui came to find her, saying Li Yuangui had requested her presence.
Jia Fu asked Cui Yinshui to watch over Ci’er and immediately went to Chengguang Hall, where the imperial study was located. Inside, she saw the Emperor lying there, his face as yellow as paper, still unconscious. Several Imperial Physicians led by Dr. Hu looked grave as they desperately worked to save him. Li Yuangui stood nearby, his eyes filled with deep concern. Seeing Jia Fu arrive, he wiped the corners of his eyes and gestured for her to follow him. The two went to a side hall, where Li Yuangui dismissed the palace attendants. Jia Fu anxiously asked, “What happened to His Majesty? What exactly occurred?”
Li Yuangui silently took a letter from his robe and handed it to her.
Jia Fu took it.
The letter was actually from Xiao Yintang, who had rebelled against the Prince of Changle. He wrote that he had killed the Prince of Changle and the fake young Emperor who had forced him to rebel. Now he presented two demands to the Emperor.
First, to restore his position as Crown Prince, after which the Emperor would abdicate with the title of Retired Emperor, and he would ascend the throne.
Second, on the day of receiving this letter, Jia Fu should be sent immediately to Tangyi in Dongchang Prefecture. If he did not see her within ten days, he would announce Pei You’an’s background to the world, letting everyone know that Pei You’an was the son born of an illicit relationship between the current Emperor and Empress Tianxi years ago.
Xiao Yintang stated that his knowledge of this secret was beyond doubt. Pei Xiuzhi of Duke Wei’s mansion was now in his hands. Pei Xiuzhi had also testified that Pei You’an was not Duke Wei’s biological son but an adopted son brought in from outside thirty years ago.
Xiao Yintang finally said that if the Emperor agreed to these two conditions, after his ascension, he would treat Pei You’an well and spare his life.
But if even one condition was not met, rather than be imprisoned for life, he would prefer mutual destruction.
Jia Fu finished reading the letter and was stunned.
Two months ago, after attending a banquet, Pei Xiuzhi had not returned to the mansion and had mysteriously disappeared. Lady Xin was extremely anxious at that time, and Pei Quan had reported this to the court a few days later. After all, it was unusual for a duke to vanish without a trace. The Five Armies Command had launched a citywide search but could not find him. In the end, they could only put him on a list and let the matter drop.
Never had they imagined that Pei Xiuzhi would fall into Xiao Yintang’s hands.
“General Liu says that Tangyi has been completely besieged, and the city has run out of food. The deposed Crown Prince’s rebel forces can hold out for at most ten more days. His Majesty has been unconscious since daytime and still hasn’t awakened. I fear the court officials finding out and causing chaos in the court, so I’ve kept the news closely guarded…”
Li Yuangui looked at Jia Fu and spoke softly, his expression incredibly grave.
Jia Fu knew clearly that Xiao Yintang’s demand for her to go there within half a month was not only to use her as a hostage to prevent Liu Jiushao’s attack on the city but also likely a precaution against Pei You’an in the longer term.
But this secret about Pei You’an’s background, apart from her late grandmother, Duke Wei, the Emperor, Pei You’an, and herself, no one else in the world should know.
How did Xiao Yintang discover this secret? Could it be that Empress Zhou had also guessed it before and mentioned it in front of him?
Jia Fu’s mind was in complete turmoil, and her hands and feet felt ice-cold.
Xiao Yintang, with his status as Crown Prince, had been deposed overnight, falling from the clouds to the mud. He had been imprisoned in Gengzhou for so many years and finally managed to escape during the chaos, only for his rebellion to fail within a year. If truly pushed to the brink, he was very likely to bring mutual destruction.
Jia Fu dared not imagine what would happen if Pei You’an’s background secret were revealed to the world, and how everything would end.
“My lady, this matter is of utmost importance and cannot afford the slightest mishap. His Majesty is still unconscious, so I can only take the liberty of inviting you to discuss it. Please write a letter informing Lord Pei about this matter, and I will have someone send it out tonight!”
Jia Fu suppressed her chaotic thoughts, went to the table, and hastily wrote a letter using the paper and brush already prepared. Li Yuangui sealed it with wax, summoned a trusted servant, and gave him instructions, and the servant tucked the letter into his robe and immediately left.
“Eunuch Li, how long will it take for the letter to be delivered?”
Li Yuangui frowned slightly: “With an eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch, it can arrive in five days. But what if Lord Pei has pursued deep into nomad territory…”
Even if the message could be delivered on time to Pei You’an, with him being on the frontier and entangled in war, it would be impossible for him to return within ten days.
Jia Fu closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them: “Eunuch Li, he cannot possibly reach Tangyi within ten days no matter what. Since the deposed Crown Prince wants me to go, I will go…”
“My lady, how can you venture into danger alone? That is impossible!”
“I must go, to appease him until my husband returns! You also know this is a matter of utmost importance, involving not only my husband and His Majesty but also Empress Yuan. Even if the deposed Crown Prince is only bluffing, we absolutely cannot take even the slightest risk!”
Jia Fu’s face was slightly pale, her voice not loud but her tone extremely grave.
“Say no more, I have made up my mind. Prepare for my journey, I will leave tonight!”
Li Yuangui stared at her, slowly knelt before her, and kowtowed: “This servant obeys the command!”
…
Jia Fu hurried back to the Western Palace as the sound of the third watch came from the direction of the Bell and Drum Tower in the northeast corner of the palace.
Ci’er was still in his dreams. Jia Fu sat by the bed, gazing at her son’s sleeping face for a long time. Finally, she bent down and gently kissed his forehead, then turned and went out.
Cui Yinshui did not understand the full story, only knowing that something momentous had happened, causing her to leave the palace without knowing when she would return. Entrusted with the little Imperial Grandson, Cui Yinshui wiped her tears and said, “My lady, please rest assured, I will take good care of the young master.”
Jia Fu nodded, turned her head, and took one last look at her sleeping son, deeply imprinting his face in her mind before leaving.
…
At the end of October in the sixth year of Zhaoping, on the final day specified in the letter, a carriage carrying a mysterious woman passed through thousands of troops and finally stopped before the west gate of the tightly surrounded city of Tangyi in Dongchang Prefecture.
Xiao Yintang stood on the city wall, shouting orders for Liu Jiushao’s encircling troops to withdraw beyond arrow range, then quickly descended from the wall and commanded the gates to be opened.
Jia Fu wore a cloak that covered her from head to toe, revealing only half her face. She stooped to exit the carriage door and stood there, her beautiful eyes gazing forward.
The city gates opened, and a figure quickly emerged, striding toward her.
Xiao Yintang, whom she hadn’t seen for many years—the man from her last nightmare in her previous life—thus appeared before her once again.
Xiao Yintang stood beside the carriage, looking up slightly, the autumn sunlight shining on his face. His entire being exuded a mixture of hysterical gloom. He stared at her intensely, his eyes unblinking, his gaze flickering. Gradually, a smile appeared on his lips.
He extended a hand toward her, intending to help her down from the carriage.
Jia Fu avoided him, gripping the carriage shaft to descend on her own, and walked through the city gates.