Wei Zhao’s worries of the past few days had become a reality, but instead of panicking, he laughed coldly and said softly, “He knows?”
“Yes,” Yin Shilin said. “It seems the Emperor has been awake for a while. When he learned that we sent troops to assist Pei Yan, he felt something was amiss, because Pei Yan was in charge of investigating the Sect Leader that day. He reconsidered all the events before and after Bo Yun Mountain’s rebellion, became suspicious of the Sect Leader, and had people secretly investigate the Sect Leader’s background.
Today, I saw a confidential report at Dong Fang’s place, confirming that the family members of Wei San Lang from Yujian Prefecture all died under mysterious circumstances, and the remaining clan members only knew of a Wei San Lang who left home as a child but had never seen his true face. After receiving the report, Dong Fang whispered to the Emperor. As I was leaving the inner cabinet, I heard clearly, ‘It seems we can confirm, he is Xiao Wu Xia.'”
Wei Zhao suddenly recalled the Emperor’s words to him that morning in the Western Palace. He let out a cold laugh from the bottom of his heart and said through gritted teeth, “So he’s been testing me all along. It seems he wants to capture all our people in the capital at once, which is why he granted me a title and a residence.”
Yin Shilin said, “Sect Leader, you should return to Yue Luo quickly. The Emperor will not let you go.”
“I can escape, but what about here? We’ve worked hard for so many years and have come this far. Are we going to give up now?”
Yin Shilin was silent for a moment, feeling somewhat dejected. “Indeed.” Then he urgently added, “Sect Leader, the Emperor, and Dong Fang have been discussing plans to attack Yue Luo these past few days!”
Wei Zhao’s face turned pale. He muttered, “Attack Yue Luo? Where does he have troops to deploy? The north is all Pei Yan’s people.”
“They were cautious when discussing, but they weren’t very guarded around me. I overheard some of it. I’m afraid they plan to deploy part of the young Prince of Qingde’s forces from Yujian Prefecture to directly strike Pingzhou and attack Yue Luo. Here in the capital, they only need to control Pei Yan, and the Emperor will deploy the Su Hai Marquis’s forces to join the young Prince of Qingde in attacking Yue Luo.”
“The young Prince of Qingde?!” Wei Zhao suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold, as if his entire body had fallen into an icy sea.
In his ears, Yin Shilin’s voice seemed to come from a very distant place: “We helped Pei Yan drive away Huan’s army, but we’ve committed a great taboo in the Emperor’s eyes. He fears we might join forces with Pei Yan to rebel, and he resents being deceived by the Sect Leader for so many years. He wants to strike first. So now, after controlling Pei Yan and stripping him of his power, he will use military force against us—”
Yin Shilin suddenly noticed something was wrong with Wei Zhao. He supported the swaying Wei Zhao and called out, “Wu Xia.”
Wei Zhao’s face was pale as he suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. He said in a low voice, “Fifth Uncle, Ying Ying… I’m afraid she’s gone.”
That night, the cold wind suddenly intensified, howling through every corner of the capital.
Wei Zhao stood with his hands behind his back in the bamboo pavilion of the Viscount’s mansion’s back garden, allowing the bitter wind to ravage him. Like an ice statue, he stared blankly at a pool of withered lotus.
The first heavy snow of this winter would soon fall, and this pool of withered lotus would be buried under the accumulated snow. But next year, would he still be able to see the pool full of blooming white lotus?
Yi Wu entered the garden. Despite the cold winter day, he was covered in sweat. Wei Zhao’s heart sank completely.
“Lord Sheng just received news that the young Prince of Qingde issued an oral decree, saying… saying that Consort Zheng had plotted against the pregnant Consort Cheng. Consort Zheng was executed, and Consort Cheng was buried with the rites of a side consort. Our people in Yujian Prefecture have also mysteriously disappeared.”
These words were like a final blade, cutting Wei Zhao’s heart to shreds.
“Wu Xia, look carefully. These four were left to you by the Master, they will be of great use in the future.” She and Xiao Xiao were only six years old, a pair of delicate porcelain dolls, timidly hiding behind Su Jun.
“Brother Wu Xia, you’ll kill Wang Lang and avenge me in the future, won’t you?” She had just arrived at the Yujia Mountain Villa and liked to follow him around, ignoring his indifference towards her.
“Brother Wu Xia, the Sect Leader says you’re about to leave, going to a far-away place. Will you come back to see us?” The night before leaving Yujia Mountain Villa, she and Xiao Xiao were talking to him outside the window, but his heart was filled only with fear of the unknown fate, and he heavily closed the window.
Even though she had volunteered to go to Yujian Prefecture and marry the young Prince of Qingde, he knew that if he hadn’t agreed, how could she have sacrificed her life?
But his sister’s life had already been sacrificed, so many clan members’ lives had already been sacrificed, how could he have any way out?!
Wei Zhao slowly lowered his head, gazing at his own fair and slender hands. These hands, how much more blood would they have to be stained with?
The biting cold wind seemed to penetrate through every gap in his robes, piercing into the depths of his soul. Unable to withstand this gust of cold wind, he hurriedly tucked his hands into his sleeves. Yi Wu, knowing his usual fear of cold, quickly took off his crane-patterned cloak and draped it over him. Some color gradually returned to Wei Zhao’s face, and he said in a low voice, “Xiao Wu.”
“Yes.”
“Did you just go directly to see Lord Sheng, or did you get the news from the inn?”
“I got it from the Hongfu Inn. I didn’t meet with Lord Sheng.”
Wei Zhao felt slightly relieved and said, “From now on, don’t go to Tong Tang anymore. Focus on your duties as a Guangming Si guard.”
Yi Wu suddenly realized and was startled: “Master, is the situation that critical?”
Wei Zhao didn’t answer. After a while, he closed his eyes and said in an extremely low voice, “Go and rest.”
Watching Yi Wu’s figure disappear through the moon gate, Wei Zhao felt a sharp pain in his chest and coughed violently. He raised his sleeve to wipe, leaving a crimson stain on the white robe.
The wind blew his black hair into fluttering curls. He stared at the crimson stain, then looked towards the back of the mansion, trying to find that faint glimmer of light. But all he saw was darkness. At this moment, only endless cold engulfed him.
The knife-like wind and sword-like frost pressed him mercilessly. Was it truly necessary to exhaust his entire life to wash away all this sin and shame? To rid himself of the demon that had been entangled in his soul for over a decade?
In the Inner Cabinet of Yanhui Hall, the Emperor changed into his dragon-patterned imperial robe. Scholar Dong entered, and all the attendants quietly withdrew.
Scholar Dong presented the drafted imperial edict to the Emperor. The Emperor looked at it and nodded, saying, “Yin Shilin’s literary talent is truly only comparable to Tan Xuan’s, but this man is a bit too rigid.”
Scholar Dong said, “Your Majesty, isn’t this too hasty? Right now, Gao Cheng’s twenty thousand men are still in Chaoyang Village. What if—”
The Emperor saw Leaf Tower Master standing with his hands behind his back at the door, ensuring no one was eavesdropping. He sighed and said, “Minister Dong, I don’t have much time left. I need to leave a stable empire for Chi’er.”
Dong Fang, usually composed, wept at this moment, “Your Majesty, you—”
“If we want to capture the Star Moon Sect in one fell swoop, we can only provoke San Lang into rebellion. But Yu’er has been close to San Lang these years, who knows what they’ve been up to? If we don’t send him away, once San Lang causes trouble, he’ll have no way out. Ah, I just hope he can understand my intentions and go to his fief obediently. This is the last chance I’m giving him. If he doesn’t repent, even I won’t be able to protect him anymore,” the Emperor sighed deeply.
“What about Prince Jing?”
“We’ll deal with him later. Wait until we’ve suppressed the Pei uncle and nephew to the point where they can’t move, and after we’ve dealt with Ning Jian Yu, then we can move him out of the capital. Minister Dong, I don’t know if I can hold on until the New Year. If something unexpected happens to me, I entrust Chi’er entirely to you.”
Dong Fang prostrated himself and wept bitterly. Fearing that someone outside the hall might hear, he forcibly suppressed his sobs. The low sound of his crying made even the Emperor’s heartache. He bent down to help Dong Fang up and said, “Although Chi’er is somewhat weak, fortunately, he has a kind nature. As long as he has the support of loyal ministers like you and Minister Tan, he will be a good emperor.”
He looked at the gloomy sky outside the hall and slowly said, “This empire is still the Xie family’s empire. I want to hand it over to Chi’er intact. I absolutely won’t allow them to rebel!”
Dong Fang looked up. At this moment, he seemed to see again the Prince of Ye from years ago, full of vigor and decisive in his actions.
As the court session began, the urgent memorial from Liang Prefecture was discussed. Due to the long-standing water shortage in Liang Prefecture, the court had agreed two years ago for Liang Prefecture to organize manpower to dig canals for water diversion. Finally, this year, the court allocated some silver for river works, and the people of Liang Prefecture also voluntarily raised a batch of funds. They hired laborers to start digging, but unexpectedly, the local county officials were cruel and violent, not only embezzling the river work silver but also beating to death more than ten workers.
The enraged workers rioted, injuring the yamen runners and detaining the county officials. The prefect of Liang rushed there overnight but failed to persuade the workers to release the officials. The leader of the workers declared that they would only release the officials and resume work if the court sent an official of the second rank or above to Liang Prefecture in person, so they could present their case face-to-face and seek justice for their relatives.
After discussion between the Emperor and the Inner Cabinet, since the prefect of Liang had been a subordinate of Marquis Zhen Bei Pei Zifang many years ago, it was decided to send Pei Zifang to Liang Prefecture to mediate and supervise the resumption of river works.
Pei Zifang didn’t say much, his expression calmed as he knelt to receive the imperial order.
However, the next imperial edict left the officials in the hall dumbfounded. The Emperor decreed that Prince Zhuang, Xie Yu, due to excessive grief for his deceased mother, had fallen ill with melancholy, and could only be cured by long-term immersion in hot springs high in the mountains. The Emperor, pitying his filial piety, granted Hai Prefecture to Prince Zhuang as his fief, ordering Prince Zhuang to depart for his fief in Hai Prefecture in three days to treat his illness.
As soon as the inner attendant Tao finished reading the imperial edict in a loud voice, Prince Zhuang collapsed to the ground, his face ashen. Yesterday, when Jing Yang of Yue submitted a memorial expressing their willingness to become a vassal again, he knew something was wrong and couldn’t sleep all night. The matter between him and Jing Long of Yue absolutely could not be known to the Emperor. Now that Jing Long was dead, had their secret correspondence fallen into Jing Yang’s hands? Moreover, with such a major incident in Yue Principality, could there be someone manipulating things behind the scenes?
He had been restless all night and attended court with trepidation. Sure enough, the Emperor issued such an edict, destroying the last glimmer of hope in his heart.
He raised his eyes to look at the Emperor on the throne. That was his closest relative, but at this moment, he felt that the person on the throne was also the farthest from him in the world. His gaze met the Emperor’s sharp eyes, and he suddenly shuddered. He could only prostrate himself on the ground and say in a trembling voice, “This son thanks Father Emperor for his great kindness! But this son has a request, begging Father Emperor’s gracious permission.”
“Speak.”
“Imperial Mother is buried in the imperial mausoleum. This son is going to Hai Prefecture and doesn’t know when he will be able to pay respects to Imperial Mother again. This son humbly requests Father Emperor to allow this son to depart after the grand sacrifice at the imperial mausoleum on the winter solstice. This son wishes to bid farewell to Imperial Mother during the grand sacrifice.”
The Emperor stared at him for a moment and said, “Granted.”
Prince Zhuang wept, “Thank you for Father Emperor’s great kindness.”
The Emperor’s lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn’t speak.
Pei Yan calmly watched this scene without saying much. After the court session, he earnestly discussed the winter imperial examination and the grand sacrifice at the imperial mausoleum with Scholar Dong, Scholar Yin, and others. It was noon by the time he left the palace.
As he reached the Qianqing Gate, Wei Zhao was coming from the east with Yi Wu. Seeing Pei Yan, he stopped and smiled, “Young Lord, you still owe me a treat. Don’t forget.”
Pei Yan smiled and said, “Not tonight. Prince Jing has invited me for drinks. Another day, perhaps.”
“As long as the Young Lord remembers.”
The two parted with a smile, and Pei Yan rode away from the Qianqing Gate.