The next day, Cui Xun went to resign his position to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was somewhat surprised. Although she knew that Cui Xun had always been fixated on the Tianwei Army case and had repeatedly advised him to let go of his obsession, for the past three years, his image before her had always been one of subservience and lack of integrity. To gain more power, he would kneel without hesitation, kowtow without reluctance, and go to great lengths to learn her preferences and please her. He showed none of the dignity expected of someone from the prestigious Five Clans and Seven Families. His obsequiousness had led to ridicule that he was her favored pet, a criticism he could not refute.
So when Cui Xun resolutely resigned, the Empress Dowager couldn’t quite discern his true intentions. To be fair, although she disdained his flattery, the man was indeed adept at anticipating her wishes and had outstanding abilities. If he resigned, she would truly lose a capable assistant. The Empress Dowager probed: “Wangshu, you certainly deserve primary credit for overturning the Tianwei Army case. I intend to promote you to Minister of Justice. What do you think?”
The Minister of Justice was a third-rank official position, far superior to the Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau with its shadowy operations. But Cui Xun shook his head: “Your Highness, having avenged my great revenge, I no longer yearn for fame, profit, or power. I have no desire to remain in officialdom.”
He hesitated, then added: “However, the six prefectures of Guannei are still in Turkic hands. If the court intends to campaign against the Turks in the future, I am still willing to serve.”
Caring not for power but only for lost territory—this patriotic, people-oriented stance was completely different from the fawning Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau he had been before.
Or was this the true Cui Xun?
The Empress Dowager pondered this.
She asked: “After resigning, where do you plan to go?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Perhaps first to Yangzhou, then to Wujun. I could visit all the places I’ve never been.”
“Alone?”
Cui Xun was slightly taken aback, then answered: “No.”
“Oh?” The Empress Dowager showed interest. Looking through the swaying pearl curtain at the lotus-like handsome young man standing in the hall, she asked: “Which family’s daughter?”
Cui Xun lowered his raven eyelashes, the corners of his mouth curving into a gentle smile: “A woman whose heart is like crystal and whose person is like the bright moon.”
“Heart like crystal, person like the bright moon…” the Empress Dowager murmured, repeating these eight characters. In a daze, they reminded her of her most beloved daughter, who had passed away thirty years ago.
The Empress Dowager smiled bitterly: “A woman worthy of such a description must be the purest and kindest in the world. Wangshu, you are very fortunate.”
Cui Xun bowed his head: “This subject also feels quite fortunate.”
The Empress Dowager sighed: “Since you have a fine companion, I shall grant your resignation. But should you wish to return, I will welcome you at any time.”
Cui Xun raised his eyes in surprise. The Empress Dowager’s dislike for him was something he had always known, but it seemed her opinion of him had improved somewhat. He pressed his lips together, and after a thousand thoughts, simply bowed in gratitude: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
He thanked her because, despite being harmed by Lu Yumin’s treachery and condemned by thousands, she had endured accusations of being a hen crowing at dawn, held tightly to her power, and fought strenuously against Lu’s faction, preserving the hope for the Tianwei Army’s exoneration.
He thanked her because, although mindful of the mother-son relationship, at the critical moment, she had been willing to set aside that bond, publicly reprimanding Emperor Longxing and making the final decision that led to the Tianwei Army’s rehabilitation.
Though a woman, her vision and methods were in no way inferior to a man’s. He genuinely admired her.
And also… he thanked her for raising such a wonderful daughter as Li Ying, who had accompanied him like the bright moon in his darkest moments, bringing him to the light.
As Cui Xun left Penglai Hall, he happened to encounter Emperor Longxing coming to see the Empress Dowager. Upon seeing him, the Emperor’s steps faltered. Cui Xun respectfully performed the ji-shou bow. Emperor Longxing stared at him for a long while before saying coolly: “You may rise.”
After Cui Xun stood up, Emperor Longxing remarked dispassionately: “Lord Cui, you have truly won the Empress Dowager’s heart.”
Cui Xun calmly replied: “Your Majesty flatters me. I merely eat the sovereign’s grain and serve him loyally.”
Emperor Longxing gave a slight snort. Afterward, ruler and subject stood in silence. Emperor Longxing, losing interest, waved his hand, dismissing Cui Xun. After he left, the Emperor turned to watch his retreating figure.
In the fair weather, Cui Xun’s back, with his decorative belt, was as straight as a pine and as slender as bamboo. As he walked, the crimson official robe embroidered with gold patterns swayed slightly, his gait elegant and composed. Watching his back, Emperor Longxing suddenly said, “Before meeting this man, I thought the title ‘Lotus Gentleman’ was an exaggeration. After meeting him in person, I find it quite fitting.”
Though praising Cui Xun, his tone carried a hint of displeasure. Emperor Longxing’s mind kept returning to the scene when he expelled Consort Hui from the palace. He had asked her if she had ever loved him, but she had remained silent.
Cui Xun’s jade-like figure increasingly pained Emperor Longxing’s heart. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked the attending eunuch minister Wang Xuan: “How do you think I compare to Cui Xun?”
Wang Xuan was dumbfounded. After a long pause, he stammered: “Your Majesty is the sovereign, Cui Xun is a subject. How can a subject be compared to his sovereign?”
“What if I were not the sovereign and Cui Xun were not a subject?” Emperor Longxing persisted. “If Lord Wang were a woman, whom would you choose?”
Wang Xuan had no choice but to answer honestly: “Your Majesty is most benevolent and virtuous, while Cui Xun is sinister and vicious. If this subject were a woman, I would naturally choose Your Majesty.”
Emperor Longxing shook his head: “That’s not right. If Cui Xun is so disagreeable, why are there women who admire him?”
Wang Xuan didn’t understand why the usually composed Emperor Longxing suddenly behaved like a young man, insisting on determining who was superior between himself and Cui Xun. He also didn’t know which woman the Emperor was referring to. But the Emperor’s behavior resembled that of someone whose beloved had been stolen, feeling resentful and jealous.
Wang Xuan dared not think further. Carefully choosing his words, he cautiously said, “People are often deceived by appearances. Perhaps that woman was simply captivated by Cui Xun’s lotus-like beauty.”
Emperor Longxing remained silent, watching until Cui Xun’s figure completely disappeared from his sight. He had always been kind and benevolent, evaluated by his officials as the most gentlemanly emperor since the founding of the Great Zhou. But at this moment, his words carried a somewhat irrational resentment. He said: “Lord Wang, you are right. That woman must have been deceived by Cui Xun’s appearance. Hah, a man who relies on his face to escape death among the Turks and rise to prominence in Chang’an—how is he any different from women who serve with their looks?”
Emperor Longxing’s assessment of Cui Xun was, of course, unknown to him. He bought sugar frost candy from Fumantang to give to Li Ying, and to tell her that the Empress Dowager had graciously accepted his resignation. He would no longer be the Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau.
Li Ying was overjoyed: “Really?”
“Really,” Cui Xun nodded. “Once I hand over my current duties to the new Deputy Minister, I’ll be free of official burdens.”
Li Ying was excited and already thinking about where they could go—whether to scenic Yangzhou or Yanshan with its crescent moon-like terrain. But she quickly discarded these ideas, saying: “Your illness hasn’t fully healed, so you can’t travel far. Let’s focus on your recovery first before making travel plans.”
Cui Xun smiled gently: “The trip to Lingnan was difficult because we were pressed for time. But now, we can stop and rest along the way. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Li Ying shook her head: “That won’t do either. Better safe than sorry. The scenery outside Chang’an may be beautiful, but there’s no rush.”
Cui Xun didn’t insist further and simply smiled at Li Ying, saying: “Alright.”
A replacement for the Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau had not yet been selected, so Cui Xun remained in office. However, though still in position, he had already delegated most of his duties, giving him more free time to recuperate at home. Li Ying continued to prepare over a dozen bowls of medicinal soup daily, forcing him to drink them all. Each bowl contained a piece of sugar frost candy. Under her attentive care, Cui Xun’s condition improved significantly. He no longer looked like someone on the verge of death as he had when he first returned to Chang’an. Seeing his improvement, Li Ying began to envision their future life together.
The Immortal of Lingxu Mountain had said that Cui Xun’s body was severely depleted, with only ten years of life remaining. After taking the aggressive medicine, his remaining lifespan might be reduced to just five years. This had made Li Ying afraid to hope for a long life together, focusing instead on cherishing the present. But now, Li Ying has rekindled hope for the future. She optimistically thought that with various magical medicines, perhaps they could safely pass the five-year mark, even the ten-year mark. After all, who could know for certain until the final moment?
When Cui Xun resigned from his position as Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau, he had no regrets about giving up high office and rich rewards. His only hesitation was that without this position, he could no longer investigate who had killed Li Ying.
When Li Ying learned of Cui Xun’s concern, she sighed softly and said: “Since our trip to Lingnan, my thoughts have changed somewhat.”
“How so?”
“Before, I didn’t have a deep understanding of the phrase ‘the hardships of the common people.’ But during the Lingnan trip, I witnessed the world beyond Chang’an. I saw how the poorest farmers of the Great Zhou lived thirty years ago. They couldn’t even afford firewood for cooking and had to burn wild grass. No matter how hard they worked, they still couldn’t eat or dress properly. Not only was their fate sealed, but their descendants, no matter how intelligent, were destined for the same fate under the official selection system of that time. That’s why they were easily deceived by the false promises of the Immortal of Lingxu Mountain and drank the ‘holy water.’ Two hundred and twenty lives vanished into nothing.”
Cui Xun listened quietly. Li Ying sighed: “As a princess of the Great Zhou, I was always taught that since we are sustained by the people, we must give back to them. But after visiting Niu Family Village, I realized how ridiculous this statement is. Yes, we are sustained by the people, but when have we ever given back to them? The villagers of Niu Family Village paid taxes to support us, allowing us to live in luxury and comfort. But until they died in desperate poverty, they never saw us appear.”
She paused, then continued: “Seventeenth Young Master, perhaps the meaning of my death is to ensure that the Great Zhou never produces a second Niu Family Village.”
Hearing this, Cui Xun couldn’t help asking: “Does this mean you’ve forgiven the person who killed you?”
“No,” Li Ying shook her head. “I still believe that no one except myself has the right to decide my fate, so I won’t forgive the person who killed me. But I won’t spend all my time and energy searching for the culprit as I did when I first emerged from the Lotus Pond. We can continue looking for the killer while also doing something more meaningful, like Ji Qingyang, who travels throughout the land, helping the people of the Great Zhou as much as possible.”
Grieving for the hardships of the people and wishing for all to be well-fed and warm, this was Li Ying’s current thinking.
Cui Xun understood. He smiled slightly and said, “I will accompany you to travel throughout the land and help the people of the Great Zhou.”