The following morning, still a quarter hour before the Hour of the Dragon, the court assembly was about to commence.

By custom, the ministers who arrived early all gathered first in the Eastern Assembly Hall to await Empress Dowager Liu’s arrival with the young Emperor for the morning audience.

People sat and stood in small groups of three and five, conversing in low voices.

The topic of their discussion naturally could not stray far from the favorite of Empress Dowager Liu — Xie Changgeng, Circuit Intendant of Hexi.

He had arrived in the capital the previous evening and sent a memorial to the palace. The Empress Dowager, sympathizing with his weariness from the journey, had told him there was no need to seek an imperial audience immediately; he could rest for the night and come to pay his respects first thing in the morning, which would be soon enough.

This news had already spread long before.

Everyone was discussing the merits of his recent suppression of the revolt of Prince Jiangdu, envying him for having again rendered distinguished service, and agreeing that this time, upon coming to the capital to report, he would surely receive yet another promotion and title of honor.

Just as they were in the middle of their discussion, a palace attendant came in at the hall entrance and transmitted the Empress Dowager’s message: this morning’s court assembly would be delayed by half an hour, and all ministers were to continue waiting here.

As soon as the palace attendant left, a buzzing broke out at once in the Eastern Assembly Hall.

Everyone knew full well: this could only mean that Empress Dowager Liu was receiving Xie Changgeng in private audience.

For the sake of his audience, even the court assembly was being postponed, leaving all of them to stand about waiting.

Beyond envy, people could not help but feel some measure of jealousy.

So it was that very quickly, though no one knew who started it, the assembled ministers’ focus shifted from Circuit Intendant Xie Changgeng’s achievements to a piece of gossip that had recently circulated in the official circles of the capital.

At the beginning of the year, Xie Changgeng had married the Princess of Changsha Kingdom, to whom he had been betrothed three years prior. Unexpectedly, they were caught up in the revolt of Prince Jiangdu; on their wedding night, he had abandoned his bride and departed — this matter was no longer much of a secret. Some colleagues had attended the wedding banquet at the time and word had spread from one to ten and ten to a hundred, and long since become common knowledge.

But apparently he had failed to properly pacify his new bride, and she, in a fit of anger, had later returned to the Changsha Kingdom. Just last month, after quelling the rebellion, Circuit Intendant Xie had ridden without pause to the Changsha Kingdom, intending to bring the Princess home. Unexpectedly, he had come away thoroughly humiliated.

Not only had he been unable to bring his beloved wife back, but — so it was said — he had also been subjected to mockery by the young Prince of Changsha, who had always looked down on his background. In the end, he had slunk back empty-handed, disgraced.

The original source of this piece of gossip was presumably the monitoring official the court had dispatched to the Changsha Kingdom.

The court stationed monitoring officials in each feudal kingdom, who submitted a memorial each month reporting on the results of their surveillance that month. This was a regulation established at the very beginning of this dynasty’s practice of enfeoffing feudal kingdoms.

Whatever the truth of the matter, for most officials in the capital — who had long harbored both envy and contempt for Xie Changgeng on account of his background, which was difficult to speak of — from that standpoint, they found themselves on the side of Prince of Changsha Mu Xuanqing. To see Xie Changgeng suffer this kind of humiliation and disgrace — who could help but gloat, amid casual conversation, and say a few words about it?

Now the court assembly had also been delayed on account of his arrival.

People simply let go and began whispering, trading what they had heard one by one, expressing deep sympathy for Circuit Intendant Xie’s plight.

At that same moment, Xie Changgeng was waiting outside the Hall of Proclamatory Governance.

Though he was not in the Eastern Assembly Hall, he knew full well what his colleagues there were discussing at this very moment.

In the secret letter Cao Jin had passed to him the previous night, this matter had also been briefly mentioned. Perhaps for fear of causing him displeasure, it had only been touched upon in a single line — that the details of his journey to the Changsha Kingdom had already spread.

Xie Changgeng’s expression remained calm as he stood outside the hall awaiting the summons.

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, Grand Eunuch Yang Guangshu, who attended Empress Dowager Liu, came out from within the hall in person to announce that the Empress Dowager summoned him, then led Xie Changgeng inside.

Xie Changgeng followed him in, proceeded to stand before Empress Dowager Liu, who sat upright in the center of the hall, and performed the proper kneeling obeisance of a subject.

Empress Dowager Liu was merely in her forties, yet had already served as Empress Dowager for many years. Ten years prior, the Empress of the Mu clan from the Changsha Kingdom had died; the following year she was elevated to the position of Empress Consort, and the son she had borne was simultaneously designated Crown Prince.

The Emperor had already had a latent ailment; within two years he also passed away. The son who took the throne was young, and it went without saying that all affairs fell to her — now elevated to Empress Dowager — to hear and administer.

After she took power, she eliminated those who opposed her. The Zhao-surnamed princes enfeoffed throughout the various regions, who regarded themselves as sons and descendants of the dragon, nobility of the imperial bloodline, were unwilling to suffer manipulation by an empress dowager’s family and wait meekly for destruction. Each and every one of them harbored thoughts of removing the treacherous Empress Dowager and seizing power for themselves.

This was the root of the national disorder that had persisted for many years.

There were too many feudal princes, joining forces against Empress Dowager Liu’s regency — uprisings here, coups there. Even with all her skills and her family’s influence, Empress Dowager Liu was stretched thin and at her wit’s end.

Three years prior, another uprising had erupted; rebel troops struck directly at the capital. Empress Dowager Liu sent men to suppress them, only to suffer repeated defeats. The capital was in peril, facing unprecedented pressure — and it was precisely at that moment that Xie Changgeng appeared on the scene.

In these three years, relying on his extraordinary military talent, he had one after another helped Empress Dowager Liu suppress several surging uprisings by the feudal princes. Empress Dowager Liu’s position had only thereby been stabilized — how could she not regard him in a different light?

She smiled and asked Xie Changgeng to rise, had the palace attendants present him with a seat, and said with a smile, “The report memorial you submitted last evening — Our palace and His Majesty read it through the night. Very good. The quelling of the revolt of Prince Jiangdu — you have rendered the greatest merit. You have labored on behalf of the court to ease our troubles, and though His Majesty is young, he knows to say to Us that Circuit Intendant Xie is a loyal and virtuous general. Whatever reward you wish, simply speak.”

Xie Changgeng said, “This is merely a subject’s proper duty. Your humble servant received the imperial command to suppress the rebels and, relying on the great fortune of the Empress Dowager and His Majesty, as well as the devoted sacrifice of the military officers and soldiers, was able to carry out the mission without disgrace. Your servant was originally no more than a man of common origins; to have been granted the honor of today is already more gratitude than I know how to express — I have not the slightest thought of claiming merit.”

Empress Dowager Liu was very pleased with his attitude and a smile appeared on her face.

“Circuit Intendant Xie, at your young age, you have already attained your current rank. Although it was gained through merit, if you rise further, I fear you will truly become a target of many. This time, I will not confer upon you another noble rank; instead, I will bestow an honorary title upon your mother. How does that suit you?”

Xie Changgeng knelt to express his gratitude.

Empress Dowager Liu bade him rise, and they exchanged a few more words before she said, “Because of the revolt of Prince Jiangdu, you were kept from home on your wedding night — We have felt considerable guilt over this. I hear you went to the Changsha Kingdom last month?”

Xie Changgeng looked up and met Empress Dowager Liu’s concerned gaze. “After the revolt of Prince Jiangdu was suppressed, your servant was fortunate to be granted the opportunity to return home to visit family. Upon returning home, I learned that my wife, after arriving at my side, had been unaccustomed to the local conditions and her health was not well, and she had already gone back to the Changsha Kingdom. So I made the trip.”

“I see. How is her health now?”

“No longer a serious concern — she only needs more rest and recuperation. Your servant is grateful for the Empress Dowager’s concern.”

Empress Dowager Liu nodded.

“But We have somehow heard that you were subjected to humiliation in the Changsha Kingdom?”

Xie Changgeng’s face showed an expression of shame.

“Your servant dares not conceal it. Your servant is of common origins, crude and rough-hewn in manner, and when I first sought the hand of the Princess of Changsha Kingdom, the brother of my wife already harbored displeasure toward your servant. Now that I appeared there, he being dismissive is only human nature.”

Empress Dowager Liu frowned. “This Mu Xuanqing — his audacity is no small thing. Even knowing you are a person I hold in high regard, he is still this arrogant. What might he not do in the future?”

She paused. “The Mu clan of the Changsha Kingdom has always harbored malice toward Us. In the past, someone cautioned Us to guard against the Mu clan. On this matter, what is your view?”

She suddenly posed this question.

Xie Changgeng said, “The Prince of Changsha is young and hot-headed, acting recklessly for a ruler of a kingdom at that. The Changsha Kingdom also lacks military strength and capable generals, unlike the other princes, each of whom commands a powerful and well-equipped army. What is there to fear? Even if they genuinely dared to stir up trouble in the future, what great waves could they make?”

“Circuit Intendant Xie, should the day come when We move to eliminate the Changsha Kingdom — how would you position yourself?” Empress Dowager Liu fixed her gaze on Xie Changgeng and asked another question.

Xie Changgeng met the two eyes Empress Dowager Liu directed toward him without so much as blinking, and said, “If the ruler commands a subject to die, the subject cannot but comply. How much more any other matter?”

Empress Dowager Liu fell silent.

Several days prior, she had summoned Imperial Secretary Zhang Ban to discuss the plans for stabilizing the realm going forward, and when the Changsha Kingdom was brought up, Zhang Ban had offered his counsel. The Changsha Kingdom was already a small and militarily weak state, and the newly enthroned young Prince, Mu Xuanqing, not only was far inferior in ability to his late father, the old Prince of Changsha, but also rash and reckless in conduct. Word had it that just recently, he had gone hunting alone, fallen into a ravine, and had it not been for good fortune in being found by his search party in time, he would likely already have lost his life. And the matter now circulating widely — his refusal to allow his sister to return with Circuit Intendant Xie, along with the public mockery — was further evidence.

Compared to the Changsha Kingdom, which posed little real threat, the wily and experienced Prince Lu and the heavily armed Prince Pingyang were the true present dangers, and what was more, the Changsha Kingdom, in the eyes of the court ministers, caused no disturbances and paid tribute on time, with no concrete evidence of rebellion or treason. There was already a covert undercurrent of opinion at court that Empress Dowager Liu’s intolerance of the Changsha Kingdom stemmed from her old enmity with the late Empress Mu. If she were to move against the Changsha Kingdom now, it would not only give Prince Lu and Prince Pingyang an opportunity to exploit, but it would also inevitably invite criticism.

Zhang Ban asserted that now was not an opportune moment to act against the Changsha Kingdom. It would be better to wait and, once Prince Lu and Prince Pingyang had been eliminated and the time came to deal with the Changsha Kingdom, it would be as easy as reaching out one’s hand.

Empress Dowager Liu had found this quite sound at the time, and after deliberating, had decided to adopt it.

Just now her question posed before Xie Changgeng had been nothing more than a probe of his attitude.

After all, he had married the Princess of the Mu clan.

His reply now was entirely in keeping with her expectations of Xie Changgeng.

With his background, on one side stood his wife’s family, on the other the imperial authority that could grant him a brilliant rise to power. Which he would choose went without saying.

Without herself, he would be nothing.

Empress Dowager Liu set her mind at rest and said with a smile, “A few days ago, when We were in discussion with Imperial Secretary Zhang, the Changsha Kingdom came up. His view was much the same as yours. After all, you have taken a woman of the Mu clan as your wife — unless absolutely necessary, We would not wish to put you in a difficult position. Going forward, as long as the Mu clan behaves themselves, We shall not move against them.”

Xie Changgeng said with deference, “Your servant expresses gratitude on behalf of the Mu clan of the Changsha Kingdom for the Empress Dowager’s gracious favor.”

Empress Dowager Liu nodded, then pondered for a moment and quickly made a decision in her heart.

After Xie Changgeng had withdrawn, she summoned her trusted eunuch Yang Guangshu and said, “Immediately draft an imperial edict on Our behalf, and send people with gifts to the Changsha Kingdom.”

“Say that We, reflecting on Our former deep sisterly bond with the late Empress Mu and feeling much emotion, remember that the Princess of the Mu clan, Fulan, resided in the palace ten years ago and has an old acquaintance with Us. We have been missing her and wish to specially summon her to the capital to catch up. If her health permits, let her set out for the capital.”

Grand Eunuch Yang was mildly startled. “Empress Dowager, did not Circuit Intendant Xie say just now that she was recuperating in the Changsha Kingdom? Why do you still summon her to the capital?”

Empress Dowager Liu smiled lightly.

“What Circuit Intendant Xie said just now — do you take it for truth? In all likelihood, he encountered a setback in the Changsha Kingdom and was unable to bring the Princess of the Mu clan back; forced by the situation, it was nothing more than a convenient excuse to save face in front of others.”

“He is Our man, and even if We are not moving against the Changsha Kingdom right now, We still want that Mu Xuanqing to understand that to show disrespect to Circuit Intendant Xie is to show disrespect to Us! Circuit Intendant Xie is now in the capital. His sister, who has already been married off — never mind that she has no illness, even if she were truly dying, as long as We have issued the word, she will have to obediently follow Circuit Intendant Xie here to the capital!”

Grand Eunuch Yang suddenly understood.

“The Empress Dowager’s words are most apt. These past few days, your servant has also heard some talk — it seems those people usually envy Circuit Intendant Xie, and some of the things being said are simply unbearable to hear. Empress Dowager, this is indeed killing two birds with one stone. It warns the Changsha Kingdom and also preserves Circuit Intendant Xie’s dignity. When he learns of it, he will surely be grateful to the Empress Dowager.”

Empress Dowager Liu was lost in thought for a moment, then added, “That is not all. We have heard that the Princess of the Mu clan is outstandingly beautiful, with the title of the greatest beauty of the Changsha Kingdom. Though Circuit Intendant Xie just now expressed his loyalty before Us, there is a saying that beauty is the hero’s grave — throughout the ages, how many fine men and heroes have fallen at the hands of a woman? Do not look at how Mu Xuanqing appears at this moment. As long as Circuit Intendant Xie and the woman of the Mu clan remain husband and wife, in the future, should she be swayed by others’ counsel, or harbor malicious intent and drive a wedge between Circuit Intendant Xie and Us, that is entirely possible. We must see her with Our own eyes before We can be at ease. If she is well-behaved and compliant, then that is that — one could not expect to control a man such as Circuit Intendant Xie through her. But if she proves to be a problematic person…”

A shadowy, sinister gleam passed through the depths of her eyes.

“Then We shall find a way to deal with her at the earliest opportunity, before she becomes a future source of trouble for Circuit Intendant Xie.”

Grand Eunuch Yang said softly, “The Empress Dowager truly thinks through everything with great thoroughness! Though the Changsha Kingdom is to be spared for now, precautions must indeed be taken. Your servant will go draft the edict at once!”