Every April, the Emperor would lead civil and military officials to the Western suburbs outside the capital to hold ceremonies at the Imperial Mausoleum. Apart from paying respects to the late Emperor, they would also accompany Empress Dowager Xia during her visit to the ancestral hall with the palace concubines and princes to pray for the well-being of the nation and its people.
Since the passing of the late Emperor, Xiao Du had never participated in the ranks of officials attending the ceremonies, nor had he ever set foot in the Imperial Mausoleum. Since that day when Xiao Du and Zhao Yan had a confrontation at Zhong Mountain, the situation both inside and outside the palace had become extremely delicate. Therefore, the intention behind the decree issued by the current Emperor was even more intriguing.
After the eunuch who announced the decree left, Xiao Du slowly stood up, clutching the bright yellow silk document in his hand, and bowed his head in contemplation. As he raised his head, he saw Xiao Yunjing walking towards him. Xiao Du handed him the decree, his expression solemn. “Son, I’m afraid this might be a trap.”
Xiao Du’s eyes flickered, but he quickly regained a relaxed expression. “Father, rest assured, I know how to handle it.” At that moment, he noticed Yuan Xi standing nearby, her face full of worry. He walked over, took her hand, and felt the chill, furrowing his brows. Then he gently tucked her hands into his sleeves and whispered in her ear, “Don’t worry, as long as you’re by my side, I won’t fear anything.”
Since hearing about the decree, Yuan Xi had felt like a heavy stone was hanging in her heart, making her restless. At this moment, ignoring the presence of others, she gently leaned against his chest and worriedly asked, “Do you have to go? Can’t you find a reason to delay?”
Taking in the familiar scent of her hair, Xiao Du felt a sense of comfort. “The decree has already been received, how could I casually defy it? Besides, if he truly harbors ill intentions, even if I miss this opportunity, he will eventually find another way to deal with me. It’s better to make a decision sooner rather than later.” He gently touched her forehead and caressed her face. “Don’t worry, I will come back safely. In case…”
Before he could finish, Yuan Xi had already covered his mouth, desperately holding back the tears about to overflow from her eyes. “Don’t say anything, I will wait for you to come back, no matter how long it takes!”
Xiao Du held her tightly, still smiling lightly. “Don’t worry, I won’t be gone for too long. I just coaxed back my wife, how can I bear to leave her alone again?” Yuan Xi was amused by his teasing, and her emotions relaxed slightly. Xiao Du rested his chin on her head, looked towards the direction of the palace, and saw the clear blue sky suddenly covered with dark clouds, a sign of an impending storm. He lightly curved his lips, hiding the shadow in his eyes.
On the day of the ceremony, Xiao Du wore a black ceremonial robe and stood with the officials outside Qianqing Gate. He saw the Emperor’s carriage slowly approaching from a distance. In front of the bright yellow carriage was a man dressed in a flying fish brocade robe, with red armor strapped to his chest, riding proudly on a spirited horse, leading the way for the carriage.
Xiao Du recognized him as Xia Qing, a rising star in the Xia family in recent years. He was originally the illegitimate child of Xia Mingzhong’s younger brother, Xia Mingzhong. It wasn’t until the year he turned ten, before his mother passed away, that he knelt in front of Xia Mingzhong begging to be recognized, finally entering the Xia family’s door.
Xia Mingzhong’s legitimate wife was the second daughter of Minister Zhong. The eldest son born to her and Xia Mingzhong was around the same age as Xia Qing. The mothers of the other legitimate sons also had some background. Originally, Xia Mingzhong looked down on this illegitimate child born outside, but Xia Qing turned out to be exceptionally intelligent and ambitious. He relied on Xia Mingzhong’s connections to enter the palace as a regular guard. However, during a palace fire, he bravely protected the Emperor, saving his life. Since then, he has gained the Emperor’s favor and has been promoted to command the Yu Lin Army.
In recent years, the Yu Lin Army trained by Xia Qing has achieved great military exploits and gained fame among the Twelve Forbidden Battalions, becoming the Emperor’s most trusted personal guards. Therefore, Xia Mingzhong has become increasingly attached to this illegitimate son whom he had previously ignored. Coincidentally, his legitimate son Xia Zheng has been quite useless. It was said that a few years ago, he got into a dispute over a courtesan and was beaten into paralysis. Although the real culprit disappeared without a trace, Xia Zheng was almost a cripple. The other illegitimate sons were even more outstanding, and with Xia Qing’s control over the Forbidden Army, he became the only son Xia Mingzhong could rely on, even among the talented peers of the Xia family.
Standing proudly on his horse, Xia Qing swept a sideways glance, causing many palace maids standing nearby to blush. Although Xia Qing had great achievements, his reputation in the capital was not very good. It was said that he spent his days indulging in pleasure, with a carefree and unrestrained personality. Although he had countless concubines at home, he had always refused to marry. Because of this, Xia Mingzhong almost had matchmakers introduce him to every eligible young lady in the capital, but he laughed and threw away all the portraits, even saying that if he were to marry, he wouldn’t care about family background or appearance, as long as he found them pleasing to the eye. This made the matchmakers extremely troubled. This commander had seen so many people, who could say what kind of woman would catch his eye? Xia Qing was already twenty-eight this year, but he didn’t even have a legitimate son. This made Xia Mingzhong feel disheartened, so he let him do as he pleased. With the current power of the Xia family, they only needed to wait for others to come and form alliances. If they wanted to marry, other sons could do so first.
The Emperor’s carriage stopped in front of Qianqing Gate, waiting for the auspicious music to leave the palace. Xia Qing arranged for the Yu Lin Army to guard the carriage, then turned back on his horse and stopped in front of Xiao Du. With a light leap, he stood on the ground and said, “Is this the renowned Marquis Xuan Yuan?”
Xiao Du, wary of his status, merely looked up and responded with a faint acknowledgment.
Xia Qing seemed particularly interested in him and did not leave, standing by his side and saying, “I’ve heard that the Xiao family’s army, led by the Marquis Xuan Yuan, is valiant and invincible both inside and outside the borders. I wonder how they compare to my Yu Lin Army.”
Xiao Du’s expression remained unchanged as he replied coolly, “The Xiao family army is accustomed to battlefield warfare, dealing with fierce and barbaric enemies. They cannot compare to Commander Xia’s Yu Lin Army, who guard the imperial city day and night with such commendable dedication.”
His words implied that the Yu Lin Army, which only served as the Emperor’s guard, could not compare to the battle-hardened Xiao family army that fought against formidable foreign foes. Xia Qing, however, was not offended. Seeing the auspicious time approaching, he mounted his horse with a flamboyant smile and whispered to Xiao Du, “If given the chance, I’d very much like to see the prowess of your Xiao family army.” The underlying meaning in his words made Xiao Du narrow his eyes. He hadn’t expected such blatant provocation, reinforcing his suspicion that this ceremony would be far from simple.
At that moment, the sound of drums and music began, and the Emperor’s carriage slowly started moving but suddenly stopped. Zhao Yan lifted the carriage curtain and smiled warmly at Xiao Du, saying, “Chongjiang, come join me. It has been a long time since we rode together.”
Xiao Du raised an eyebrow but did not hesitate. He climbed into the imperial carriage with the help of a eunuch. The officials outside assumed that the Emperor and the Marquis Xuan Yuan were simply on friendly terms, exchanged a few words, and then boarded their carriages to follow the imperial procession.
The grand convoy exited the palace gates and headed towards the imperial mausoleum in the suburbs. Although it was early summer, a sudden gale came from nowhere, sweeping up flowers and leaves, and making the carriage doors rattle.
Listening to the howling wind outside, Xiao Du calmly picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip. Zhao Yan’s gaze lingered on Xiao Du’s hand holding the cup, and he smiled, “Chongjiang, you seem quite at ease with me.”
Xiao Du put down the cup and said, “If Your Majesty truly wanted my life, I would have been dead long ago. The fact that I am still alive means that I am still useful to you, so why should I worry about you resorting to such underhanded means?”
Zhao Yan laughed heartily, “Indeed, Chongjiang understands me well. However, the charges you laid on Xia Wenbo were so severe that each one could have led to his death. It has caused me quite a headache.”
Xiao Du also laughed and said, “Your Majesty flatters me. In truth, if Your Majesty is determined to protect him, no number of charges can take his life.”
Zhao Yan sighed, “He is, after all, my mother’s beloved nephew. It has taken him years to climb to the position of Assistant Minister of Revenue. If I don’t leave him a way out, it will surely sadden my mother.”
Xiao Du’s face displayed a mocking smile. “It depends on whether Your Majesty wants to be a filial son or a wise ruler.”
Zhao Yan did not respond, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. At that moment, the sound of hooves slowed, and the carriage finally stopped in front of the mausoleum gates. Zhao Yan and Xiao Du disembarked and gazed into the distance. The distant mountains loomed, lush greenery abounded, and the grand mausoleum, where the emperors and empresses of the Great Mu Kingdom were buried, stood impressively.
To the sound of ceremonial music led by the officials, Zhao Yan, followed by the ministers, slowly entered the mausoleum. They crossed the white jade bridge, passed the Holy Virtue Monument Pavilion, and prepared to enter the Ancestral Hall to pay respects. The officials knelt outside the stone gate, waiting. Just as Zhao Yan was about to ascend the stone steps, he suddenly turned and scanned the crowd, loudly proclaiming, “The Marquis Xuan Yuan has long fought to protect our people from war. Today, he is granted the honor of entering the hall with me to pay respects to our ancestors.”
Xiao Du’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes filled with uncertainty, but he did not move. At that moment, Xia Qing stepped forward, parting the officials to reach Xiao Du’s side. “Marquis Xuan Yuan, please enter the Ancestral Hall.”
Xiao Du knew that, given the situation, he had no choice but to proceed cautiously. Straightening his back, he followed Zhao Yan up the steps toward the hall. However, halfway up the steps, a commotion erupted among the Yu Lin guards stationed nearby. Someone shouted, “Your Majesty, be careful, there are assassins!” The officials below the steps descended into chaos.
Several black-clad figures suddenly emerged from within the Yu Lin guards, rushing straight towards Zhao Yan. Xia Qing’s face turned grim as he drew his sword, shielding the alarmed Zhao Yan. He commanded the Yu Lin guards, “Do not panic! Protect the Emperor! Capture them alive if possible!”
The serene atmosphere outside the Ancestral Hall was shattered by the clashing of weapons. The Yu Lin guards surrounded Zhao Yan, shielding him as they moved inward. Xiao Du stood still, coldly watching the fierce fighting black-clad men, inwardly sneering. How could assassins have infiltrated the heavily guarded mausoleum, reaching the Emperor’s presence under Xia Qing’s watch?
Suddenly, a flash of cold light shot straight at him. Xiao Du’s heart tightened. For a moment, he couldn’t discern whether the gleam came from an assassin or the guards beside him…