When the streets were still noisy, court officials had already filed into the palace in orderly procession.
Walking at the forefront was Deng Yi, with Xie Yanfang following a step behind.
“Why does Vice Censor-in-Chief Xie have time to attend court today?” Deng Yi asked deliberately. “Did you finish your family matters so quickly?”
Xie Yanfang replied frankly, “I finished the previous matters, but yesterday’s are not yet done.”
Yesterday, Xie Yanlai had caused a disturbance at the Ministry of War. Though he wouldn’t be surrounded and beaten by the Imperial Guards on the spot, he was still subdued by the Ministry of War’s military guards and thrown into prison.
“Originally the Ministry of War said I should fetch him home for discipline, but I think it’s better to let him sober up inside for a while,” Xie Yanfang said, then glanced at Deng Yi with a smile. “Since he can’t come out, and our family can’t have no one present for the Emperor’s conferral ceremony, I had no choice but to come myself.”
Deng Yi smiled slightly. “Vice Censor-in-Chief Xie jests. Even if you didn’t come, no one would blame you, much less retract Colonel Xie’s reward.”
Xie Yanfang smiled and corrected Deng Yi: “It should be General Xie now.” With that, he walked past Deng Yi and continued forward.
Deng Yi watched his retreating figure—the young gentleman wore his official robes with flowing elegance, naturally drawing many gazes that followed him, most filled with admiration.
Admiration for what? A renowned scholar’s romantic bearing? Deng Yi sneered. That was merely appearance. The real Third Young Master Xie was arrogant and unbridled, no less than his notorious brother Xie Yanlai—perhaps even more so.
Ever since he returned from Dongyang and entered the Censorate, in a short time the Censor-in-Chief had been forced by various means to claim illness, and the Censorate was practically under the control of this Vice Censor-in-Chief. A true romantic scholar could never achieve such results.
Just as the Xie clan of Dongyang, though they didn’t enter the capital, didn’t receive noble titles, and didn’t maintain a prominent household, how could they possibly be virtuous, noble, and without ambition?
If the late Crown Prince were still alive, as imperial relatives—but not the only imperial relatives—the Xie clan could have been restrained. But now the young Emperor had no one to rely on. Originally there was that girl who could block and curb the Xie clan’s fierce ambitions from devouring the young Emperor, but now it seemed that girl—
Deng Yi’s brows furrowed slightly.
At that moment he stepped into the hall and took his position. Accompanied by the court music, the Empress led the Emperor in. The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, while that girl sat behind the dragon throne.
Deng Yi lowered his head and bowed along with the other officials. After hearing the Emperor’s voice from above granting them permission to rise, he lifted his head, and his gaze darkened slightly—
The Empress sat behind the Emperor, but there was no curtain lowered.
The other officials noticed too, and low murmurs arose. If yesterday the Empress had lifted the curtain during the dispute, why today was there not even a curtain hung at all?
As the clamor rose, the young Emperor suddenly spoke: “Yesterday’s matter has been concluded. Grand Tutor, please proclaim the edict.”
Eunuch Qi hastily presented the imperial edict to Deng Yi. Though this was something Deng Yi had written and submitted, and though most people already knew the content, proper procedures still had to be followed. Deng Yi received the imperial edict and read it aloud before the court. Then Xiao Yu said, “I have already met with Colonel Xie. I have yet to meet Liang Qiang. Such a brave young general—summon him for an audience.”
The palace attendants relayed the summons in echoing voices.
After this exchange, the officials also stopped their discussion about the Empress not having a curtain, and turned to wait to see that young General Liang enter the hall.
Perhaps the Empress also wanted to meet Liang Qiang in person.
Hearing the echoing announcements, Liang Qiang, waiting outside the hall, felt somewhat nervous as he looked at the imposing palace ahead. Actually, even when he was still an unpunished young master of the Liang clan, he wouldn’t necessarily have had the opportunity to enter the court hall, much less be personally summoned by the Emperor for an imperial conferral.
Who would have thought that after his family fell from grace, he would instead soar to great heights?
But then again, this had nothing to do with him. His ability to soar was only because someone else had lifted him up.
Whether he would soar or fall flat on the ground—neither was for him to decide.
As Liang Qiang’s thoughts wandered and his expression shifted, appearing dazed and stupefied, the palace attendant who came to receive him wasn’t surprised. When it came to an imperial audience, few people could remain calm.
“Young General Liang,” the attendant said with a smile, reminding him. “Please.”
Liang Qiang put aside his wandering thoughts. Things had come to this point—there was no turning back for him now. He bowed to the attendant and stepped into the hall.
“Your subject Liang Qiang pays respects to Your Majesty.”
A clear, childish voice fell from above: “Rise and be at ease.”
Liang Qiang stood up. Boldly raising his eyes slightly, he saw the child sitting on the dragon throne. His eyes flickered, and a figure behind the child burst into his view—
Her.
He knew the Empress ruled from behind a curtain—even with a curtain, there was still separation. He hadn’t expected that today there would be no curtain, and he could see her.
Because of his shock, Liang Qiang couldn’t help but stare wide-eyed. In his line of sight, the girl dressed in empress court robes and sitting upright smiled slightly.
“Marquis Liang, when we meet again after parting, you’re already called General,” she said. “Young Master Liang, you truly are valiant.”
Just as he had secretly imagined, today he truly heard and saw it. Liang Qiang stood frozen, hastily withdrawing his gaze and bowing again: “Your subject pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress.” After finishing this sentence, not knowing why—perhaps wanting to speak a few more words with her—he couldn’t help but add, “If Your Majesty hadn’t saved me back then, Liang Qiang would already be a cripple now.”
Chu Zhao smiled. “General Liang is too modest. Please rise quickly.”
Liang Qiang thanked her and stood up straight. Before Deng Yi could speak, an official beside him couldn’t contain his curiosity and asked, “Liang Qiang, Her Majesty the Empress saved you?”
This was Minister Cao from the Ministry of War. Truth be told, he was somewhat displeased with the Empress. Yesterday he had opposed giving Liang Qiang a reward, and after court dismissed, he had even pounded tables and argued loudly with the Grand Tutor. Though it was due to pressure from the Xie clan, it was said that when the Empress was still unwed, she had poor relations with the Liang clan, so taking the opportunity to exact private revenge was not impossible—hmph! Today upon meeting Liang Qiang, she even praised his valor, as if she had the wise discernment to recognize a hero.
However, Liang Qiang seemed genuinely convinced by the Empress, even thanking her for saving his life.
“At that time, due to a mistake by the late General Han, my unit was trapped in heavy enemy encirclement. When I was exhausted and near death, Her Majesty the Empress personally led reinforcements and fought her way to rescue me,” Liang Qiang told him.
Though they knew Chu Zhao had commanded troops at the border prefecture, everyone had thought it was the kind of symbolic presence where she merely sat in the military camp. They hadn’t expected her to personally lead troops into battle—even a soldier like Liang Qiang said he had faced mortal combat, showing how dangerous that situation was. Minister Cao looked again at the girl behind the Emperor’s dragon throne, and his resentment dissipated.
The Empress had commanded troops and saved Liang Qiang—she indeed had the qualifications to discuss military conferrals.
More officials in the hall questioned Liang Qiang. Some were currying favor with the Grand Tutor, while others were purely interested in Liang Qiang himself. Not only had a descendant emerged from the disgraced Liang clan, but it wasn’t just one descendant—Liang Qiang’s father was now Chief Administrator of the Four Directions General’s Office, and before the Left Great General was selected, he temporarily commanded the Left Wing Army, clearly already a general himself.
For such an inspiring figure who fell from grace only to rise again, the officials inevitably felt curious and respectful, unable to resist exchanging a few words with him.
The hall became noisy and lively.
Deng Yi’s expression remained calm as he listened to the officials conversing with Liang Qiang about various border army matters, occasionally asking a question himself.
Chu Zhao didn’t stop the lively questioning and answering among the officials in the hall. Though she felt somewhat dissatisfied—that day when Xie Yanlai came to the hall as a military envoy, he hadn’t received such enthusiastic inquiries—she also knew there was nothing to be done. Xie Yanlai’s status was too high, which was actually a disadvantage in court.
No matter what, though he couldn’t come to the hall to enjoy the glory and was locked in prison, he had received the rewards due to him. All that desperate fighting these past days hadn’t been in vain.
Chu Zhao couldn’t help but smile slightly.
Liang Qiang, standing in the hall, saw it.
He couldn’t possibly not see it—that girl sat in the most dazzling position in the hall.
So seeing him receive his conferral, she was indeed very happy. Her earlier opposition was only because she was concerned about the Xie clan.
As for those claims that the Empress was exacting private revenge to suppress the Liang clan—that was utter nonsense.
If she were that kind of petty person, she wouldn’t have saved him back then. She could have simply watched him be killed, or even taken the opportunity to kill him herself in the chaos.
Liang Qiang’s hand hanging at his side clenched. He should also smile at her—
But he and she were no longer what they once were. She was now the sovereign on high.
The young general surrounded by people in the hall looked somewhat melancholy—probably the questioning had stirred up painful memories of the past. From her high position in the hall, with no curtain blocking her view now, Chu Zhao could see the officials’ expressions clearly.
She quickly looked away. What was there for Liang Qiang to feel melancholy about when reminiscing about the past? Her past had been far more miserable than his—and it had much to do with his Liang clan.
At the time, Deng Yi’s statement about conferring Liang Qiang as Guard General had shocked her. Thinking about it calmly afterward, it was quite normal for father and son Liang to fight desperately in the army and distinguish themselves as they had in her previous life. It was only a matter of time.
Could she eliminate both father and son because of what happened in her previous life? Though they fought enemies to carve out a path of survival for themselves, they were also truly defending the nation.
This life was still different from the previous one. There was no internal rebellion dividing forces, and she wouldn’t let Uncle Zhong regard them as his right and left arms.
Moreover, the reason the Liang father and son posed a threat to her in the previous life was because of Xiao Xun’s support and instructions.
In this life, Xiao Xun was not the Emperor and could no longer command the Liang clan.
So she could take a step back and reward Liang Qiang, as long as he didn’t touch the Luocheng Guard again and didn’t think of gaining Zhong Changrong’s support.
This matter wasn’t too important. What truly weighed on her mind was fate.
Liang Qiang’s sudden appearance with the same destiny as in the previous life had set off loud alarm bells for her, who had thought the nightmare had ended and a new life had begun.
Had fate truly changed?
…
…
Xie Yanlai walked over and saw that girl resting her chin on her hand at the desk, lost in thought.
He clenched his fist, feeling something press into his palm, then took a deep breath and strode forward.
Chu Zhao remained motionless, seemingly unaware that someone had entered.
Xie Yanlai looked around. Though he hadn’t been in the imperial city for long—and before, he had only led the Imperial Guards and wasn’t familiar with the inner palace—he knew that Chu Zhao rarely kept palace maids and attendants serving at her side, especially when it came to food and drink, only allowing A’Le to handle it. She seemed to dislike ostentation, but also seemed extremely particular.
When reading or writing, she needed even less attendance. A’Le stood outside the hall, giggling and chattering with Xiao Man. Seeing him arrive, one smiled cheerfully while the other snorted and looked at him—
Neither announced him nor followed him in, displaying an attitude of “do as you please.”
The young Emperor was having lessons in the adjacent hall, and faint sounds of recitation could be heard.
Only the two of them were in the hall.
Xie Yanlai withdrew his gaze and tossed something with a flick of his hand.
Chu Zhao first heard the sound of wind, then felt a pain on her forehead. She cried out and caught it—it was a small tiger-head pendant.
“If we’re speaking broadly, this could be considered attempted regicide,” she glared at Xie Yanlai.
Xie Yanlai frowned. “Shouldn’t it be called fawning and bribing the sovereign?”
Chu Zhao’s expression became serious. “How can giving the Empress a gift be called fawning? It’s called filial piety.”
Xie Yanlai laughed twice. “Filial piety? Speaking of seniority, what should the Empress call me?”
Chu Zhao laughed heartily and directly wound the pendant around her wrist before asking, “You were released so quickly? I thought they’d keep you locked up for ten days to half a month.”
Xie Yanlai glanced at her wrist. Her wrist had originally been bare, and now only had this red cord pendant. His hand hanging at his side couldn’t help but clench, as if ants were crawling over it—
He turned his gaze away. “After causing such a scene and still being made Guerrilla General, the Ministry of War had no grounds to keep me locked up. They set me a celebratory banquet and respectfully sent this young master out.” He paused here, then said, “I’m preparing to go back.”
Chu Zhao knew his “going back” didn’t refer to the Xie residence, but to the border prefecture.
Chu Zhao wasn’t surprised in the least. “I knew you’d leave as soon as you were free.” She lifted a letter from the desk and waved it. “See, I’ve already written the letter for you to take to Uncle Zhong.”
Xie Yanlai turned to glance at it and said, “Oh.”
“But I haven’t finished writing yours yet,” Chu Zhao said with a smile, pointing at the paper in front of her, then looking at him. “How about you sit down and watch me write it?”
Xie Yanlai rolled his eyes at her, too lazy to engage with her nonsense.
“Guerrilla General isn’t actually what I wanted,” Chu Zhao sighed lightly and said.
So her earlier worry was about not achieving her goal? He knew it would be like this—this girl was extremely stubborn. Whatever she wanted to do, she had to do it. Xie Yanlai hesitated for a moment, then sat down across from the desk and said, “How can everything in the world go as you wish? Don’t forget, you’re the Empress. Getting the Grand Tutor to take a step back is already quite good. How many empresses can accomplish such a thing?”
Chu Zhao tilted her head in thought, then raised an eyebrow. “That’s right. An empress who personally claimed the position, then personally went to lead troops in battle—such a formidable empress, I dare not say there will never be another, but I am certainly unprecedented and unique.”
Xie Yanlai laughed heartily, his brow and eyes relaxing.