In the summer of the eighteenth year of Changxi, heavy clouds laden with the gloom of the southern war situation pressed closer. For many consecutive days, the weather remained oppressively muggy as if waiting to rain, yet it never delivered a satisfying downpour. The Emperor of Tiansheng’s expression was as oppressive and stagnant as the weather itself. Palace servants entering and exiting tiptoed about, afraid that even breathing too loudly might trigger a storm.
Fortunately, they still had Grand Scholar Wei as their savior—the Emperor of Tiansheng frequently summoned Feng Zhiwei to the palace. These meetings weren’t necessarily about affairs of state; more often they simply played chess, drank tea, and chatted about idle matters. Feng Zhiwei’s temperament had always appealed to the old Emperor’s taste. She wasn’t like ordinary court officials who were timid and cautious, not daring to breathe too loudly, nor was she like literary courtiers such as Xin Ziyan who were too unrestrained and informal. She was temperate and measured, respectful yet not constrained, with a perfect grasp of propriety in her words and actions. She could even win at chess every few games. She would often discuss and describe to the Emperor of Tiansheng various things—the landscapes and customs of Nanhai, the magnificent grasslands, the ways of Xi Liang’s people. Gradually, the Emperor of Tiansheng came to feel that if he didn’t chat with her for even a day, his heart felt empty and unsettled.
This particular day, Feng Zhiwei was summoned early to the Western Pavilion of Shou’an Hall, where the Emperor of Tiansheng worked and rested. The weather was hot, and all the carved lattice window panels with fine bamboo blinds on all sides had been rolled up. Palace servants carefully sprinkled cool water on the floor to lower the temperature. Feng Zhiwei walked over splashing through the water, and even before entering the doorway, she heard the Emperor of Tiansheng’s pleased voice: “Scholar Wei has arrived? Clear this water away here, lest someone slip.”
Feng Zhiwei stepped inside with one foot and said with a smile, “Your Majesty, my residence has already been using ice, yet Your Majesty is still using cool water to wash the floors? The Imperial Household Department is truly negligent. Tomorrow this subject will go harass them for ice.” As she spoke, she prepared to bow to the Emperor of Tiansheng.
“It was I who told the Imperial Household Department not to send ice.” This abrupt interjection made Feng Zhiwei pause. Turning her head, she saw Ning Yi seated in the lower position. Coming from the bright exterior into the darker interior, her eyes still saw nothing but blackness, and her attention had been entirely on the Emperor, so she hadn’t noticed he was also present. Their gazes met, and they each smiled slightly. Meanwhile, the Emperor of Tiansheng, not noticing the silent exchange between their eyes, pulled her hand and said, “No need, no need, why kneel on this wet floor?” He added, “Sixth Son said that I’m old now, and using ice might harm my constitution. He forbids it, so I don’t dare request it either.” He shook his head as he spoke, his expression full of amusement.
“Your Highness is correct. This subject failed to consider properly.” Feng Zhiwei turned with a smile and bowed to Ning Yi. “Your Highness has leisure today—have you come to play a game of strategy with His Majesty?”
“I would very much like to play a game of strategy with His Majesty, but unfortunately His Majesty values your chess skills more highly.” Ning Yi’s smile in the shadows seemed even more mysteriously luminous, carrying a hint of depth. “There were some minor matters requiring His Majesty’s imperial approval, but we’ve already finished discussing them.” He bowed to the Emperor of Tiansheng and said, “Since Father Emperor has granted permission, your son will take them to Haoyun Pavilion to affix the seal.”
The Emperor of Tiansheng made a sound of acknowledgment and glanced at the memorials on the table. His expression still held some hesitation. With one glance, Feng Zhiwei caught sight of the joint petition regarding the Ten Myriad Mountains sitting on top. This proposal had been withheld without response when submitted for imperial review. Presumably, the Emperor of Tiansheng hadn’t been able to fathom Ning Yi’s deeper intentions and felt that at this moment, undertaking major reforms in the Ten Myriad Mountains wasn’t timely, so he had set it aside. Ning Yi had come specifically to press the matter again.
Did it appear the Emperor had agreed?
The corner of Feng Zhiwei’s eye swept past without her expression changing. She picked up the teapot herself to pour tea for the Emperor of Tiansheng. Her hand had just begun to tilt when Ning Yi beside her suddenly raised his hand to support her arm, saying with a smile, “Grand Scholar Wei, be careful not to spill water and soil the memorials.”
Feng Zhiwei’s sidelong glance flew up from the teapot and met Ning Yi’s raised gaze. Both felt sparks fly between them, then quickly withdrew.
She had intended to make the Ten Myriad Mountains memorial appear once more before the Emperor, prompting him to ask her opinion. But with one raised hand, he had extinguished her plan.
“How could that happen?” Feng Zhiwei smiled with pursed lips and poured tea for the Emperor of Tiansheng. Ning Yi had already collected the memorials and stood up. Clearly, he didn’t want to linger here either, worried that the Emperor of Tiansheng might have a sudden impulse and casually ask Feng Zhiwei a question about the Ten Myriad Mountains memorial. That woman was silver-tongued—just a few words from her could potentially overturn something already settled.
Feng Zhiwei’s expression remained leisurely. She watched Ning Yi with a smile as he prepared to leave quickly, while simultaneously setting up the chess board at the Emperor’s behest. She casually placed a brocade box beside the Emperor of Tiansheng’s knee and said with a smile, “Your Majesty, this subject has brought you the middle volume, third section of the ‘Records of Tiansheng.’ This is an unpublished version. Grand Scholar Xin personally reviewed each chapter. This subject has always been too busy with affairs to read it carefully before, but last night I read through the entire night and rushed to bring it to you today.”
“I haven’t had time to read what you brought last time.” The Emperor of Tiansheng said, “I’m old now. After reading just a few lines, my eyes begin to blur. My thinking is that after you few have reviewed it, you should publish it for all under heaven.”
“This subject dares not damage the Dragon’s health and will certainly respectfully obey the sacred command. However, since ancient times, writings serve to educate all under heaven. Once published for all to see, they become models for ten thousand generations. This subject considers my talent thin and virtue lacking, and dares not shoulder such a weighty responsibility. It would be better to request the many distinguished scholars of the Hanlin Academy to examine it together.” Feng Zhiwei smiled and said, “If Your Majesty’s eyesight is insufficient, then this subject can read it aloud to you.”
The Emperor of Tiansheng had originally been concentrating on arranging chess pieces. Upon hearing her phrase “models for ten thousand generations,” his hand paused, and he said with a smile, “In that case, after we play a few rounds, you can read it to me.”
Feng Zhiwei smiled in agreement. Raising her eyes, she saw that Ning Yi’s foot, which had been about to step out, had stopped there. She couldn’t help but say with surprise, “Eh, Your Highness, you—”
Ning Yi slowly turned around, his expression unchanged, and said with a smile, “Your son suddenly felt a bit hungry and would like to beg some refreshments from Father Emperor. Otherwise, I fear I won’t make it to Haoyun Pavilion.”
“Greedy little monkey!” The Emperor of Tiansheng pointed at him with a laugh. “Isn’t it just that you’ve noticed some new refreshments have been sent to me? I haven’t even tasted them yet, and you’re already eyeing them…”
“Oh my, it smells so fragrant.” Feng Zhiwei suddenly sniffed, grinning mischievously. “Your Majesty, this subject smells milk fragrance.”
“Your nose is truly sharp.” The Emperor of Tiansheng turned his head with a smile and instructed an attendant, “Then serve the cheese custard that was sent earlier to Prince Chu and Grand Scholar Wei, one portion each.”
Upon hearing the words “cheese custard,” Ning Yi’s expression stiffened briefly, then he smiled and thanked the Emperor for his grace.
“This subject is truly benefiting from Your Highness’s presence today. Cheese custard—it really smells wonderful.” Feng Zhiwei smiled with narrowed eyes at Ning Yi, her autumn-water-clear eyes squinting like a fox’s.
According to what she knew, His Highness most detested eating cheese custard…
Ning Yi lifted his robe and sat down beside her. Attendants had already brought up the cheese custard. In sky-blue porcelain bowls was ice-cold white custard, garnished with finely crushed sesame and walnut pieces. The colors were vivid, and a faint milk fragrance wafted out. Ning Yi’s complexion changed again.
“Your Highness isn’t eating?” While slowly stirring her own portion with a silver spoon, making the milk fragrance even stronger, Feng Zhiwei leaned over with a smile to look at Ning Yi’s untouched custard.
“Is Sixth Son feeling shy today?” Hearing this, the Emperor of Tiansheng looked up and pointed at him with his spoon tip, laughing. “I remember when you were young, you loved all kinds of dairy products. Sometimes you’d go the whole day without eating regular food, only those things. Could it be you don’t like them anymore?”
The moment the Emperor of Tiansheng uttered these words, Feng Zhiwei, seated beside Ning Yi, very clearly felt his body tremble. She tilted her head slightly and saw Ning Yi’s long lashes lower, a dark and gloomy emotion flashing through his eyes for an instant before he quickly recovered his clarity. He smiled and said, “Thank you, Father Emperor, for still remembering your son’s childhood preferences. In recent years, your son has been rather busy with various matters and truly hasn’t had many of these snacks. Your son thanks Father Emperor for this reward.” Having said this, he closed his eyes and drank the custard in one gulp, as if drinking poison.
Feng Zhiwei turned her gaze away, staring at the finely crushed floating nuts in her bowl… The Emperor was old and had remembered incorrectly. The person who loved eating cheese custard wasn’t Ning Yi.
Or perhaps, he had never properly remembered this son’s likes and dislikes.
After downing the bowl of cheese custard, Ning Yi’s complexion paled. Feng Zhiwei knew that just smelling such dairy-scented things made him nauseous, let alone eating them. She waited for him to be unable to bear it and leave quickly. Who would have thought that although Ning Yi’s complexion didn’t look good, he actually sat there steadily, adopting an attitude of “I’m very full so I need to digest, you play your chess and I’ll watch without disturbing you.”
Feng Zhiwei sighed inwardly.
She hadn’t originally wanted to harm anyone too severely, but His Highness was being too uncooperative.
“This subject has eaten quite a lot of cheese custard, but none has ever matched this one in delicate smoothness, sweet richness, and mellow flavor.” Feng Zhiwei leaned closer, pushing her custard bowl toward Ning Yi. With her silver spoon, she scooped up with a smile, lifting a long white strand of milk. “Look at this, the thickness that clings to the bowl, the intensity of this fragrance…”
“Father Emperor, your son suddenly remembered urgent business that must be handled immediately and dares not disturb you further. Your son takes his leave now.” Ning Yi suddenly stood up, rapidly yet steadily completing that string of words, and after a crisp bow, turned to leave.
“This subject will see Your Highness out!” Feng Zhiwei immediately rose, swiftly and deftly scooping up the memorials he hadn’t managed to retrieve. Ning Yi reached out to take them but was already a step too slow.
He leaned against the table, his body tilting slightly, his face somewhat pale as he looked at Feng Zhiwei. Feng Zhiwei held that stack of memorials, her fingers gently caressing the topmost one—the joint petition regarding the Ten Myriad Mountains.
Their gazes met, one stern, one cold.
The meeting lasted only an instant.
Behind them, the Emperor of Tiansheng couldn’t see the exchanged looks between these two and still called out with a laugh, “Scholar Wei, let’s open a game between sovereign and subject…”
In the old Emperor’s somewhat indistinct speech, under Ning Yi’s almost stern gaze, Feng Zhiwei met his eyes directly, a faint smile at the corners of her lips.
Then, unhurried and deliberate, her fingers slowly flicked aside.
“Thud.”
A memorial fell between them.
“Memorial Requesting the Establishment of Mountain Officials in the Ten Myriad Mountains.”
Blue background with black characters—the memorial that she, before his very eyes, resolutely intercepted.
“Oh no!” Feng Zhiwei’s cry of surprise had already been waiting at her throat and naturally emerged faster than anyone else’s. Immediately bending down, she picked up the memorial, blowing and patting to clean the water marks from it, while repeatedly apologizing to Ning Yi, “Your Highness, please forgive this transgression… this subject’s fingers had custard on them and slipped…”
Ning Yi watched her quietly without moving. He couldn’t bend down—if he bent even slightly, he would likely vomit all that custard. A breach of decorum before the sovereign was still a minor matter, but if someone made an issue of it, there could even be charges of deceiving the sovereign.
Behind them, the Emperor of Tiansheng’s somewhat impatient voice came through, “What memorial got soiled? Come use a mop to wipe it clean.”
Feng Zhiwei raised the memorial in her hand, the side with writing facing the Emperor of Tiansheng. “Your Majesty, it’s the memorial about the Ten Myriad Mountains.”
“That one…” The Emperor of Tiansheng pondered for a moment and said, “Bring it here. You can also deliberate on this matter shortly.”
“Yes!”
A faint smile appeared in Ning Yi’s eyes.
At the final moment, she had struck a unilateral blow and still managed to intercept it.
With her silver tongue and recent imperial favor, just a few sentences would be enough to sway the Emperor, whose resolve had never been firm, to overturn his previous approval once again.
His earlier efforts with persuasion would all be wasted.
The woman across from him looked at him with a smile—her expression gentle but her gaze resolute, without the slightest hint of shame or apology.
He understood her meaning.
In the arena of power, you and I cannot afford soft-heartedness.
If you won’t strike decisively, then I’ll make the ruthless move first and wait for you to stake your life in return.
He smiled somewhat distractedly. Stake your life, stake your life—if he truly wanted her life, he could destroy her with a raised hand. But he was so greedy, wanting this peaceful realm, and also wanting her to exist safely and securely within this peaceful realm.
Then let them continue this struggle, until victory and defeat were decided, to see who would ultimately yield first.
He exhaled silently, looked at her deeply once more, then turned and left.
Behind him, the palace halls stretched deep. The Emperor of Tiansheng was asking her how the affairs of the Ten Myriad Mountains should be handled.
She spoke with a smile, tactful yet pertinent, “…this subject believes she understands General Hua well. She must have excellent strategies for the Ten Myriad Mountains. The court’s methods are good, and this subject also agrees with implementing them uniformly. However, the current timing doesn’t seem optimal. Perhaps it would be better to postpone it, waiting until the southern war situation stabilizes somewhat…”
Ning Yi’s footsteps paused briefly, then he walked away rapidly.
At a secluded corner near a palace wall, he leaned against it and vomited thoroughly. Then he called over a trusted eunuch and said, “Quickly notify Grand Scholar Xin to come to my residence for a discussion tonight.”
The eunuch swiftly departed. Ning Yi turned to look back toward Shou’an Hall, thinking of that set of “Records of Tiansheng.” His eyes, like the weather, were heavy with an approaching storm, gloomy and overcast.
In the seventh month of the eighteenth year of Changxi, the “River Region Book Case” erupted.
The incident began with a scholar from the remote River Region who, while in the capital for the autumn examinations, drunkenly boasted to companions that he was from the same hometown as Grand Scholar Xin. He further bragged about possessing a new edition of the “Records of Tiansheng.” This statement immediately drew mockery from his companions. Everyone knew that the “Records of Tiansheng” was an imperial compilation that had taken five years, led by Grand Scholar Xin, bringing together the nation’s renowned scholars and rare books—a monumental work. It had just been typeset but hadn’t yet been published for all to see. How could a scholar from a remote small county possibly possess this book?
After speaking, the scholar realized his slip of the tongue and originally planned to laugh it off. However, others wouldn’t let it go. After repeated ridicule, unable to bear the mockery, he immediately produced a book case and opened it. Inside was a blue silk cover with gold-inscribed large characters reading “Records of Tiansheng.” The content was detailed with clear section divisions—it truly didn’t appear to be fake.
Everyone exclaimed in wonder. Most people saw it and left it at that, but among those present were several sons of capital officials who were also examination candidates. Jealous of the River Region scholar’s literary reputation and fearing he would become their competitor, they immediately went home to spread tales. Among them, one candidate’s father was a censor who immediately submitted a memorial impeaching Grand Scholar Xin for unauthorized distribution of national classics that hadn’t received imperial approval for nationwide publication. Incidentally, he also impeached Vice Minister Wei Zhi, saying that during Wei Zhi’s tenure as Director of Studies at Qingming Academy, he had also been named as Deputy Director of the “Records of Tiansheng” compilation and could not escape responsibility for this matter.
When the memorial was submitted, the Emperor of Tiansheng flew into a rage at court. After he roughly flipped through that volume of the “Records of Tiansheng,” he became even more furious.
“Outrageous!” The old Emperor raised his hand and hurled the volume down from the golden hall. “What version of the ‘Records of Tiansheng’ is this? Why is there still a volume called ‘The Decline of Great Cheng’? Why doesn’t the volume I have contain this?”
The entire hall fell into solemn silence. The two chief directors of the “Records of Tiansheng,” Xin Ziyan and Feng Zhiwei, immediately stepped forward, removed their caps, and pleaded guilty.
But everyone knew that Wei Zhi was only being reprimanded incidentally. It was very obvious this book came from the River Region, given by Grand Scholar Xin, who hailed from the River Region, to his fellow townsman. But why there were two different versions from what was submitted for imperial review—no one knew.
Tiansheng had seized the realm from Great Cheng and had earlier been a clan of Great Cheng’s imperial in-laws. In the process of serving as subjects and seizing the realm, there were inevitably some unsavory matters. These were the Emperor of Tiansheng’s greatest taboos, and he never tolerated even a single word of criticism. When Tiansheng first established the nation, a group of Great Cheng loyalists wrote poems mocking the Emperor’s ascension. They were immediately executed by clan extermination, and some who had already died were dragged from their graves for corpse desecration and public display of their heads.
Scholars bring disaster to the nation; thoughts under heaven must be unified—these were principles upheld by emperors of all dynasties, and the Emperor of Tiansheng was naturally no exception.
Xin Ziyan had already received warning from Ning Yi and was mentally prepared for this matter. At this moment, hearing the four words “The Decline of Great Cheng,” his mind also thundered.
When he had presided over compiling the “Records of Tiansheng,” following historical convention, there naturally had to be a summary of Great Cheng. After the draft of “The Decline of Great Cheng” volume was completed, it was the then-Deputy Director Wei Zhi who reminded him that anything involving Great Cheng’s earlier history must be handled with extreme caution. This volume contained material faithful to historical facts, which meant it might not be faithful to His Majesty. Thinking it over, he agreed and removed this already-compiled section. Various books in the compilation office were piled like mountains. Afterward, he didn’t remember where he had tossed it. How could it now appear in another volume of the “Records of Tiansheng”?
In the hall, the Emperor of Tiansheng’s rage continued unabated. “Xin Ziyan! Initially, I heard you kept the ‘History of Great Cheng’s Glory’ in your private chambers and privately possessed the seditious ‘Denunciation of Disloyal Subjects and Traitors.’ I still didn’t believe it, saying you weren’t such a conscienceless person who would betray imperial grace. I never imagined you—you would disappoint me so!”
“Your subject dares not—”
“What do you not dare!” The Emperor of Tiansheng didn’t wait for him to finish before sneering coldly. “I’ve heard that in your River Region, they’ve erected a shrine to you while you still live? What benefits have you given them to make the local elders so grateful to you? Did you promise them wealth and honor, or future merit in supporting the dragon throne?”
His tone was bitterly sarcastic. In recent years, the officials had grown accustomed to his senile and muddled state. Who would have thought that when something touched his bottom line, he remained sharp and formidable in his old age? Without considering anything else, he even applied charges of treason to Xin Ziyan, a pure scholar.
Everyone thought of the Emperor’s favor toward Grand Scholar Xin in previous years. In an instant, the phrases “the imperial family is heartless” and “accompanying the sovereign is like accompanying a tiger” flashed through their minds.
In the hall, the Emperor of Tiansheng heavily flicked his sleeve. “Someone come! Investigate the Xin family’s assets. Anything involving prohibited books or statements shall all be submitted!”
The golden hall rumbled with dark shock. Xin Ziyan, kneeling in the hall with his hand pressed on the floor, recalled in a daze that night when Prince Chu urgently summoned him, instructing him to “quickly destroy all written documents around you, including your daily correspondence with others. Anything committed to paper, retrieve and dispose of it all. Not a scrap of paper, not a single word may remain.” At the time, he had thought His Highness was making a mountain out of a molehill. But seeing His Highness’s grave expression, he had immediately dispatched people to handle it. His Highness had also urged him to carefully consider his daily relationships and preferably investigate and handle matters even in his hometown. He had found His Highness’s caution somewhat amusing at the time, being a careless literary man by nature who didn’t think anything warranted such nervousness. Who would have imagined that despite a thousand precautions and ten thousand safeguards, he couldn’t prevent the opponent’s strike—arriving with overwhelming force and ruthless execution, actually laying plans a thousand miles away, truly taking a circuitous route to his hometown? He had been away from home for many years without contact with his native place. How could he have thought they would strike from there? Even if he had thought of it, how could he have managed in time?
Who? Who? Who?
Who possessed such capability, such scheming, such ruthlessness? Silent and motionless beforehand, then striking with the force of thunder afterward?
Suddenly he recalled the “History of Great Cheng’s Glory” and “Denunciation of Disloyal Subjects and Traitors”—these were books collected from across the realm years ago when initially gathering books, specifically for compiling the Great Cheng volume. Later, because the Great Cheng volume was removed, he had placed these two books in his study at Qingming Academy and hadn’t touched them since, planning to destroy them after the entire compilation was completed. Actually, according to regulations, such books should have been destroyed immediately upon confiscation. It was his sentimentality—seeing these books beautifully written with elegant prose, neither beautifying nor concealing faults, and that “Denunciation of Disloyal Subjects and Traitors” particularly exhilarating with marvelous writing—he had softened momentarily and kept them. Scholars always harbored some affection for good books, never imagining this would leave behind such a calamity.
The “Records of Tiansheng” had taken five years to compile. During that time, compilers came and went, involving numerous personnel. At this point, trying to trace who had leaked these matters had become untraceable.
Yet as soon as the book was completed, this incident occurred. Very obviously, someone had been waiting for this day, preparing for this day, for a very long time.
Thinking that someone in the shadows had waited for several years, only to deliver a fatal blow the moment the book was completed, Xin Ziyan felt his back muscles crawl with goosebumps and cold sweat seep from his entire body.
In the hall, the Emperor’s roar continued unabated. He raised his head somewhat dazedly, only to see Ning Yi at the head of the assembled officials half-turning his head. Half his face was hidden in the hall’s shadowy light, and his exposed eyes—dark and cold—were staring fixedly at one person.
That person knelt right beside him, calm and composed yet resolute, meeting Ning Yi’s gaze without the slightest retreat.
Wei Zhi.