In the Imperial Study, Xiao Lie remained sleepless late into the night, staring at the secret letter before him, its characters only visible after being heated over a fire. His expression was solemn. After a long while, he handed it to Li Yuangui who stood nearby: “Burn it. Convey My message that nothing needs to be done for now. Wait for My further instructions.”
Li Yuangui acknowledged, took the letter, walked to a hill-shaped censer in the corner of the hall, and lifted its lid.
From the beginning of his reign, the Emperor had secretly dispatched Brocade Guard spies to infiltrate the southern coastal areas where the Young Emperor was most likely to be hiding, quietly investigating his whereabouts. The Golden Dragon Island, home to the Golden-Faced Dragon King, was naturally within the Emperor’s sights. However, Golden Dragon Island’s location was secret, and the Golden-Faced Dragon King’s organization was tightly structured, not readily accepting outsiders, making it impossible to land on the island for a closer look. It was only after a year that a highly experienced spy finally infiltrated, becoming a low-level sailor in the outer circle of the Dragon King’s forces. He paid close attention to the Dragon King’s followers, gradually suspecting that the Dragon King was indeed Dong Chengmao from years ago. But unable to get close and afraid to be certain, it wasn’t until the Japanese pirates’ attack, when everyone on Golden Dragon Island mobilized, that this person could bravely step forward and board the Dragon King’s ship, secretly gathering intelligence. Within half a month, he finally uncovered some information.
The secret letter reported that the Dragon King’s command flags during sea battles strongly resembled the style of the former Duke of Weiguo, further confirming his identity. Additionally, there was a young man on the same ship whom he had observed from afar several times. The Dragon King treated him with respect, but the young man’s behavior was neither that of a master nor a servant. His age matched that of the missing Young Emperor, making his identity suspicious.
Li Yuangui dropped the paper into the censer. With a flare of fire mixed with black smoke, the paper turned to ashes among the incense.
“Your Majesty, the third watch has passed. Your Majesty has been working hard for days and should rest now.”
Li Yuangui returned and advised.
Xiao Lie pinched the bridge of his nose and rose from behind his desk.
“Would you like to summon the Noble Consort to attend to you?”
Xiao Lie waved his hand dismissively. Just as he was about to leave, a palace servant bowed and entered, saying that the Crown Prince was seeking an audience.
Xiao Lie was slightly surprised: “What is the matter?”
“This servant does not know. The Crown Prince only said he had urgent matters to report and is waiting outside the hall right now.”
“Summon him in.”
With a series of footsteps, Xiao Yintang entered quickly, performed a kowtow, and then rose, glancing at Li Yuangui.
Li Yuangui bowed to him and withdrew from the study.
“It’s so late, yet you come to see Me. What is the matter?” Xiao Lie sat back down, his expression cool.
Since the incident with the Crown Princess, Xiao Lie’s face had always been this way toward his son.
Xiao Yintang’s expression was respectful, but the light in his eyes flickered slightly as if he was making great efforts to suppress his current emotions: “Your son knows that Father is working hard for state affairs. It is so late tonight, and I should not disturb you, but this matter is of great importance and I dare not delay even half a moment. Does Father still remember the task you gave me to find the whereabouts of the Young Emperor Xiao Yu? When I went to Quanzhou initially, I returned without results, but I never forgot Father’s task. I left a trusted attendant named Liu Yi, who is thorough in his work, to secretly investigate there. Heaven does not disappoint the diligent; this time, I’ve finally uncovered some information!”
After saying this, he glanced at the Emperor, seeing his expression unchanged, and continued: “Father must also know about the sea bandit known as the Golden-Faced Dragon King in the southern seas. Recently, Liu Yi discovered that this Golden-Faced Dragon King is very likely to be Dong Chengmao from the Tianxi dynasty!”
Xiao Yintang watched the Emperor, seeing that the Emperor still showed little reaction, hesitated briefly, then said again: “Father, if this person is truly Dong Chengmao, who became a bandit due to the tyranny of the treacherous King of Shun’an, and in these years, I’ve heard he hasn’t harmed the coastal people, then so be it. But this Dong Chengmao has likely hidden the former Young Emperor!”
He could no longer suppress his inner excitement, and his voice rose a few notches: “Father, according to Liu Yi’s information, by the side of this Golden-Faced Dragon King, there is a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth, without name or surname, of suspicious identity, whom everyone calls ‘Young Master.’ I suspect this ‘Young Master’ is very likely to be Xiao Yu! Father, think about it—this Dong Chengmao was once a subordinate of the Duke of Weiguo, who had deep connections with the Tianxi dynasty. It would be perfectly logical for Dong Chengmao, having fallen to being a bandit, to hide Xiao Yu at sea, waiting for the opportunity to stage a comeback!”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly, neither affirming nor denying.
Xiao Yintang paused.
“And I have another concern! I don’t know if I should speak of it.”
“Speak,” the Emperor looked at him intently.
“I know Father has always trusted Pei You’an, and I have no intention of slandering him. I just want to remind Father that Pei You’an is a deeply patient and calculating person, unlike ordinary men. Dong Chengmao has deep connections with him, and he and Xiao Yu had a teacher-student relationship in their early years. If Xiao Yu is truly still alive, Father perhaps should be wary of Pei You’an, lest troubles arise in the future!”
The Emperor looked at Xiao Yintang, saying nothing, seemingly deep in thought.
Xiao Yintang gradually felt that the Emperor’s response was extremely abnormal.
He was too calm, calm to the point of strangeness.
From the first day when Xiao Lie was still the Prince of Yunzhong, rising under the banner of restoring Xiao Yu as Emperor, although Xiao Lie had never mentioned a word of it to him as his son, Xiao Yintang knew that his father probably never truly harbored such an intention.
Who wouldn’t want to sit on the dragon throne if given the chance?
He raised such a banner only to win the hearts of the people and accomplish his goal quickly.
The Young Emperor was most likely already dead, and even if he was still alive, he had been reduced to a truly lonely boy. Even if a small number of people were willing to support him, he had only become a symbol. In front of someone who truly controlled the realm, he couldn’t possibly create any real waves. Being found and then disappearing would be his most reasonable ending.
So tonight, when he received this news, Xiao Yintang was extremely excited.
Under the disadvantageous situation where the Crown Princess, Zhou Jin, Empress Zhou, and even himself had successively fallen from the Emperor’s favor, he still yearned to use this recently obtained major news to win back his imperial father’s goodwill and trust as much as possible.
Even if his dream was true, and Pei You’an really was his father’s illegitimate son, if Pei You’an dared to stand on a different position from the Emperor regarding the imperial throne, the Emperor would never tolerate it.
On this point, Xiao Yintang had originally been very certain.
But at this moment, Xiao Lie’s reaction made him suddenly feel uncertain inside.
“If your information is true, then in your opinion, how should I handle this matter?”
After a long while, the Emperor suddenly spoke, his expression inscrutable, showing neither joy nor anger.
“Should I charge Pei You’an with conspiracy and treasonous plotting? And then hunt down the Young Emperor and eliminate him? Yintang, don’t forget what I once promised to the world. Judging by your tone just now, do you perhaps want to force me to eliminate the Young Emperor, making me bear the infamy of being ruthless and unjust in the eyes of the world?”
Xiao Yintang was stunned, hardly believing his ears: “Father! Your son doesn’t understand! Emperor Tianxi harbored hatred for you, confined you to Yunnan, and you endured for over twenty years, suffered countless hardships, and experienced nine deaths and one life, only to finally achieve your great enterprise. Does Father truly intend to abdicate to the youth Xiao Yu? What virtue or ability does he possess to deserve such treatment from Father?”
The Emperor rose from behind his desk, and strolled to the window, gazing at the night scene. After a moment, he turned back and said: “Yintang, if I truly keep my promise and return this empire to Xiao Yu, what would you plan to do?”
His tone was gentle, like casual father-son talk.
Xiao Yintang froze for a moment, then slowly knelt: “To report to Father, this realm is the realm that Father earned. How to dispose of it is entirely up to Father. Your son is loyal only to Father and will follow your commands!”
After saying this, he lowered his head.
Xiao Lie looked down at him for a moment, then nodded: “That you can think this way pleases your father greatly. As for the matter you reported, I will send someone to investigate further. You must not disclose it to a third person, nor should you interfere further.”
Xiao Yintang kowtowed, rose, and withdrew. As he stepped out of the palace housing the Imperial Study, his footsteps paused, and he looked back.
In the misty night, his expression was somewhat tense. His gaze turned toward the window behind him that emitted light, a shadow quickly flitting across his eyes, then he turned his head and continued walking forward.
…
After leaving the palace, Pei You’an returned to the Pei residence.
Madam Xin, Pei Quan, and others did not know he would return to the capital tonight. Seeing him suddenly return, they learned that he had been ordered to come back alone, while Jia Fu remained at her family home in Quanzhou to attend to her grandmother.
In just these few days, the Emperor seemed ready to take him back into service. They each harbored their jealousy and admiration in their hearts, but on the surface, they were all cordial, asking after his well-being. Madam Xin instructed servants to take his luggage to his room and arrange it. Pei Quan conversed with him for a while. After that, Pei You’an returned to the courtyard he had previously shared with Jia Fu. After bathing, dressed in his middle garment, he habitually walked toward the clothes rack. After a few steps, looking up, he saw it empty, without the clean clothes she would prepare for him every day. His footsteps paused, and he turned to the wardrobe, opened the doors, and took out a set of casual clothes. As he was about to close it, his gaze fell upon a folded outer robe placed in a corner of the wardrobe.
He still remembered this garment. It was the one from that night in the relay station in Chengjiang Prefecture, Yunnan, when he had rescued the disheveled girl, brought her back to his lodging, and given it to her to cover herself.
The robe was already old then. Later, as he traveled from place to place, he had long forgotten he still had such a possession. Yet unexpectedly, tonight, he suddenly saw it neatly folded and left in the wardrobe. For a moment, he was in a daze, as if before him appeared the scene from that night when she stood barefoot and anxious before him.
Pei You’an looked at it for a moment, put the clothes in his hand back, his slender fingers touching the old robe, stroking it lightly. He took it, shook it open, and put it on.
That night, after the third watch, a figure pushed open the half-closed door of the study and entered.
The study was unlit. The south window was half open, with Pei You’an sitting behind his desk, his silhouette outlined in the cold moonlight, creating a half-light, half-shadow, solitary, and thin contour.
After hearing his instructions, Yang Yun said softly: “Master, please rest assured. I will send reliable people to deliver the message to General Dong as quickly as possible. As for the Madam, I will also act according to Master’s instructions, and will not dare to be negligent.”
Pei You’an nodded: “I am grateful to you. All these years, you have followed me through hardships, and now you’re taking risks again.”
“If it weren’t for the Duke’s kindness back then, my entire Yang family would have been executed. This life of mine already belongs to Master. This servant has just one thing I don’t understand…”
Yang Yun hesitated.
“The less people know about General Dong and the Young Master, the better. This servant truly doesn’t understand why Master deliberately arranged for the Crown Prince’s people to know everything. Even if they have suspicions now, what they know should at most be two or three-tenths of the truth. With Master’s arrangement, doesn’t this confirm the matter to His Majesty?”
Pei You’an was silent for a moment, then answered a different question: “Yang Yun, what do you think of the court’s sea ban this time?”
Yang Yun was surprised: “Isn’t it to guard against Japanese pirates?”
Pei You’an said: “That is just the surface. His Majesty is an ambitious man, looking up to imperial virtue and grand fortune, seeking to be both sacred and divine, both martial and cultured. He wants all nations to pay tribute, showcasing our Great Wei’s civil and military achievements. Such a raid by Japanese pirates would certainly not make His Majesty retreat and defend. He is not such a person. The thing I feared most while in Quanzhou has still happened.”
Yang Yun was shocked: “Master means that His Majesty already knows about the Young Master? The purpose of the sea ban is related to the Young Master?”
“When I received His Majesty’s urgent summons, I became more certain of my earlier speculation. What His Majesty knows, if not ten-tenths, is at least eight or nine-tenths. He summoned me back merely to test me. Even if I conceal it this time, he will surely verify it soon. It’s a case of man’s plans being inferior to Heaven’s. I had thought that even if the Young Master’s matter couldn’t be concealed forever, it wouldn’t be exposed so quickly. Yet unexpectedly, due to this Japanese pirate disturbance, trouble has finally come. Since it has been inadvertently revealed, the time left for me is not much. The imperial heart is hard to fathom; I fear I may not be able to protect myself in the future. If it were just me alone, I would have no concerns, but now there’s also the Zhen family. If something happens to me, the Crown Prince will certainly not spare the Zhen family in the future. So I can only take the risk and force the Crown Prince to make the first move. As long as the Crown Prince moves, I won’t fear not being able to catch his mistakes.”
Yang Yun was increasingly confused: “Master, I truly don’t understand how this relates to Master deliberately leaking information to the Crown Prince.”
Pei You’an smiled slightly: “You don’t understand. In the imperial family, the affection between father and son is often as thin as paper. If I’m not mistaken, suspicion between His Majesty and the Crown Prince has already surpassed their trust. I’m gambling, and I hope I can win.”
For Yang Yun, besides following Pei You’an out of gratitude and admiration, he had always deeply trusted his intelligence and strategies.
If he arranged it this way, he must have his considerations.
Although Yang Yun still did not understand, seeing that Pei You’an would not explain further, he closed his mouth and asked no more, only kneeling before the figure behind the desk: “Master Pei, take good care of yourself.”
After Yang Yun had paid his respects, he rose and quickly departed, his figure disappearing into the night.
Pei You’an sat alone in the dimness for a long time, looking at the shadow of the water clock in the corner. Thinking it was well past the latest hour she had set for him to return to the room for sleep—the middle of the You hour—he stretched lazily, rose, and walked back to the room in the moonlight.