Two months later, the Censorate began constantly submitting memorials, with their spearhead pointed directly at the current Left Chancellor Xia Mingyuan. Several censors consecutively submitted accusations against Xia Mingyuan for embezzlement, forming cliques for personal gain, illegally seizing farmland, and numerous other grave crimes. One memorial even called Xia Mingyuan a traitorous minister who usurped imperial authority.
According to rumors, when Xia Mingyuan heard these charges in court, he flew into a rage, then knelt and tearfully begged His Majesty to clear his name. His Majesty rejected all the memorials, saying that the Left Chancellor had served the nation with unwavering loyalty for many years, and ordered the censors who submitted the accusations to be dragged out and beaten with bamboo rods.
However, the voices denouncing the Xia clan’s monopolization of power that misled the nation and impeaching Left Chancellor Xia Mingyuan spread like a flood. Even when forcibly suppressed in one corner, they would soon surge up with even greater waves elsewhere. Finally, Empress Dowager Xia could no longer sit still. She angrily sought out Zhao Yan, and upon entering, furiously demanded: “Who did this! Who is pulling the strings behind the scenes!”
Zhao Yan glanced at the flower petals that had been swept to the floor by her sleeves, then respectfully bowed his hands and replied: “Mother, please don’t be angry. Those who attempt to sow discord – I haven’t let a single one escape. I’ve dealt harshly with them all.”
But the Empress Dowager’s rage remained unabated. She said: “With just a few censors, how would they dare so brazenly impeach the current Left Chancellor? They clearly came prepared, with someone definitely pulling the strings behind them. If we don’t find that person, in the long run, can you really silence all these wagging tongues?”
Seeing the troubled expression in Zhao Yan’s eyes, the Empress Dowager’s face turned cold. She said: “What? Don’t tell me you still want to protect that person. Fine! You’ve truly grown up – now you want to help outsiders deal with your mother and uncle!”
Zhao Yan quickly showed a panicked expression and said: “Your son wouldn’t dare. I have indeed discovered some clues about the person behind this, but…”
The troubled look on his face deepened. He stole a glance at the Empress Dowager’s increasingly cold expression, then sighed: “But that person has a special status. For now, it’s difficult for me to move against him.”
“Oh?” The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow: “This humble one would very much like to hear exactly who has such influence that even you, a dignified emperor, dare not touch them.”
“That person is none other than the Right Chancellor at court, Princess Ankang’s husband Zhou Jihan. Come to think of it, I should call him Uncle-in-law.”
The Empress Dowager was slightly stunned, then pondered: “So it’s him. This matter is indeed quite difficult to handle.”
Zhou Jihan had served as Right Chancellor for decades. Though he held no real power, his learning was profound and his conduct just and incorruptible. He was a pillar of the scholarly faction and had always enjoyed a clean reputation among the people. But the more crucial person was Grand Princess Ankang herself. As the late emperor’s elder sister, Princess Ankang had always been a woman who yielded to no man. During the great drought in Poyang, she personally went to the city to inspect the disaster situation and forced the local gentry to provide grain, saving hundreds and thousands of disaster victims. The local people revered her like a bodhisattva, and even now, many households still kept longevity tablets dedicated to Princess Ankang. While moving against these two wouldn’t be difficult, it would very likely result in a reputation for persecution and public condemnation. However…
The Empress Dowager frowned: “Zhou Jihan has been well-behaved for so many years. Why would he suddenly attack the Xia clan? What exactly happened?”
Zhao Yan sighed again: “It’s all the fault of Uncle’s second son, my second cousin. Ever since he became Vice Minister of Revenue, he’s become increasingly arrogant, allowing his family to illegally seize considerable farmland from common people in the capital’s outskirts. One day, Zhou Jihan happened to witness several common people being severely beaten when they unsuccessfully tried to reclaim their land. It’s said that Zhou Jihan flew into a rage on the spot and immediately sent people to demand the return of the farmland. Who knew that not only would my second cousin ignore this, but he also made harsh threats, advising Zhou Jihan to mind his own business for the sake of his father’s reputation. This completely enraged this usually detached figure, who began directing the scholarly faction to continuously submit memorials, willing to sacrifice his official position rather than fail to eliminate the Xia clan, this malignant tumor.” At this point, his words caught slightly. He looked up at the Empress Dowager’s expression before continuing: “When it comes down to it, Second Cousin is in the wrong in this matter. As for how to deal with Zhou Jihan now, I’m truly troubled!”
The Empress Dowager’s eyes blazed with fury as she slammed the table, nearly embedding her sharp nail guards into the sandalwood surface. Zhao Yan quickly handed her a cup of tea to calm her down. Empress Dowager Xia held the teacup and pondered for a long time before showing a cold smile: “Since he showed no mercy first, he can’t blame this humble one for being merciless. Zhou Jihan has no power or influence – all he has is a good reputation. Well then, I’ll find a way to utterly destroy his clean reputation, making the world see him as a morally bankrupt, hypocritical scoundrel. After that, what’s there to fear about dealing with him?”
Zhao Yan’s eyes moved, and he quickly asked: “What does Mother think we should do?”
Empress Dowager Xia’s beautiful eyes turned as she slowly caressed the gem-encrusted nail guards on her fingers: “Zhou Jihan and Princess Ankang have put on their righteous act their entire lives, but they certainly never imagined that this humble one holds something important in her hands – something sufficient to destroy all the reputation they’ve built.”
“Oh? What is it?” Zhao Yan pressed eagerly.
Empress Dowager Xia coldly curved her lips: “Don’t be hasty. I’m going to put on a grand performance to show Zhou Jihan what it truly means to pursue… someone… to… utter… destruction!”
A few days later, a old case from the Ministry of Justice involving the forcible seizure of a common woman that led to her wrongful death was brought to court again. Initially, this matter attracted little attention, as at that time, all discussion in the capital still focused on whether the Xia clan would actually be toppled by the continuous impeachments, and whether His Majesty would continue to protect the Xia clan as always. But as the old case was investigated more deeply, it actually implicated the young master of the current Right Chancellor’s family, Zhou Yiyang.
It was claimed that someone had beaten drums to declare injustice, saying their niece Cuilan had originally been a songstress at Smoky Cold Tower. Five years ago, she caught the eye of a wealthy young master who then persistently harassed her and even forcibly seized her. Unable to bear the humiliation, Cuilan leaped from Smoky Cold Tower and ended her own life. That young master was none other than Zhou Yiyang, the youngest son of Right Chancellor Zhou Jihan, who was known for his incorruptible reputation.
Forcibly seizing a common woman in broad daylight at the foot of the Son of Heaven’s throne, and causing her wrongful death – Cuilan’s family daily scattered paper money in the streets, blocking roads to cry for justice. Subsequently, Zhou Yiyang was immediately arrested by the Ministry of Justice, and several censors memorialized the late emperor, requesting that Zhou Yiyang be convicted of murder. But strangely, in less than a month, this matter was somehow left unresolved. Cuilan’s fall from the tower was hastily closed as an accidental slip, all those who knew of the matter kept their mouths sealed, and Zhou Yiyang was immediately released without bearing any charges.
Under the manipulation of interested parties, streets and alleys began discussing this bizarre case, and questioning voices began to arise regarding Princess Ankang and Zhou Jihan’s clean reputations. At this time, a court physician from the Imperial Medical Academy stepped forward and reported to His Majesty that five years ago, when the late emperor was gravely ill, he had followed the then-director to the bedchamber daily to observe and treat the late emperor’s condition. Who knew that on a certain day, he witnessed Princess Ankang rushing to the dragon couch together with the Right Chancellor, first pleading desperately, then pressing step by step, taking advantage of the late emperor’s condition at the time to induce him to issue an edict: ordering the Ministry of Justice to immediately release Zhou Yiyang, rejecting all memorials urging his conviction, determining that the common woman died accidentally, and permanently sealing the case records.
Then Empress Dowager Xia finally stepped forward, claiming that she too had been attending the late emperor at the dragon couch at that time and, like that court physician, had personally witnessed this event. She still possessed the edict that the late emperor had been forced to write back then. When this news spread, there was immediately an uproar among the people. The formerly incorruptible famous scholar and wise princess instantly became corrupt officials who perverted justice and deceived the sovereign. Even Princess Ankang’s widely praised disaster relief efforts in Poyang City began to be questioned as fabricated reputation created for private gain.
In the boiling public resentment, the Xia faction’s supporters finally began to counterattack. They continuously attacked Zhou Jihan in court, calling him a treacherous hypocrite who stole fame and deceived the world. Under tremendous pressure, His Majesty had to order a strict investigation of this case and quickly convicted Zhou Yiyang, sentencing him to be beheaded outside the Meridian Gate.
His Majesty, considering that Princess Ankang was his aunt and had made many contributions to the Great Mu, did not convict her. He only stripped Zhou Jihan of his official position, reducing him to a commoner, and ordered the couple to immediately leave the capital, never to return in their lifetime. Thus, the months-long impeachment incident against the Xia clan finally ended with Right Chancellor Zhou Jihan and his wife’s reputations in ruins and their beloved son’s tragic death.
Empress Dowager Xia had won – cleanly, thoroughly, madly, and completely. She thought that by eliminating the troublesome Zhou Jihan, no one would ever dare disrespect the Xia clan again. But she didn’t know that she had already stepped into a carefully designed quagmire. Once trapped, there would be no redemption.
On a day in October, a fierce wind suddenly arose within the imperial city, leaving the imperial garden in chaos. Palace maids and eunuchs on the palace paths covered their faces as they hurried along, yet still couldn’t avoid getting sand in their eyes. Accompanied by the howling wind outside the palace gates and the rustling of leaves, Empress Dowager Xia was reclining on a beauty couch, having a young eunuch massage her back while she comfortably narrowed her eyes.
At this time, her most trusted palace maid hurriedly ran in, knelt down and said: “May the Empress Dowager enjoy good fortune. His Majesty has issued an edict for you to quickly go to Qianming Hall, saying there are important matters to discuss.”
The Empress Dowager impatiently frowned, seemingly annoyed that the maid had disturbed her current tranquility. With fierce winds raging in the palace today, she was extremely reluctant to go out at this moment. But since the emperor had issued the decree, she could only reluctantly rise and change clothes, then take the phoenix palanquin to Qianming Hall.
Ground dragons had already been lit in Qianming Hall, and the faint scent of ambergris created a chamber full of warmth. The Empress Dowager lazily entered, dragging her floor-length gown, and was about to complain about why the emperor had summoned her in such weather when she suddenly saw Princess Ankang sitting beside the dragon desk, dressed entirely in plain white, her face haggard and thin, yet her gaze piercing her like swords.
The Empress Dowager sneered inwardly, held her head high, and slowly walked to sit in a chair. Casting her gaze in that direction, she said: “What’s this about? Didn’t Princess Ankang say she was leaving the capital with your husband? I imagine there must be many miscellaneous matters to handle at your residence. How do you still have time to come to the palace for old times’ sake?”
Seeing the many white hairs that had suddenly appeared on Princess Ankang’s head, she deliberately sighed: “Life and death are fated. Princess, don’t be too sorrowful, lest you ruin your own health with grief. That wouldn’t be worth it.”
Princess Ankang, struck at her painful spot, couldn’t stop her hands from trembling. She glared fiercely at the Empress Dowager, then suddenly smiled coldly: “This princess came here today specifically not for old times’ sake, but because I happened to discover a shocking scandal from years ago that must be immediately reported to His Majesty for judgment.”
“Oh?” The Empress Dowager’s pupils shifted, temporarily unclear about what Princess Ankang was plotting. At this moment, her gaze followed Princess Ankang’s to land on another person kneeling in the hall. When she looked more clearly, she discovered that person was actually the court physician who had joined her in testifying against Princess Ankang for forcing the late emperor to write an edict while he was gravely ill…