◎”A’Hu, you should carefully consider how to wield Shanjun’s blade.”◎
Approaching dusk, a ray of light leaked through the gap in the straight lattice window.
Lan Shanjun had her eyes closed, but being illuminated by the light, she couldn’t help opening her eyes to look.
The prison cell was very high, and the window was also very high.
To see the light, one needed to raise one’s head.
Back in Huailing, the window had been only slightly lower than here. When she thirsted for light, she would also involuntarily raise her head.
Lan Shanjun stared at the light for a good while, then slowly began to smile.
This ray of light was no longer her lifelong pursuit.
Outside, the jailer saw her continuously raising her head without moving. Curious, he followed her gaze, then muttered in puzzlement: “Pitch black, nothing there at all. What is she looking at?”
His colleague Old Zhao was obviously distracted today. He shook his head. “Don’t know.”
Just as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside. The jailer and Old Zhao hurried to greet them. “Magistrate.”
Magistrate Sun was covered in sweat—clearly he had run back. He asked: “Has Madam Yu eaten?”
The jailer: “She has. The old nanny from the Yu household brought it. This humble one didn’t dare stop her.”
Magistrate Sun was pleased they were sensible and hadn’t made him offend anyone. He said: “Don’t stop her in the future either.”
He walked quickly forward. “Oh my, Madam Yu.”
Lan Shanjun had dealt with him twice before and knew what his cheerful words meant. The smile at the corner of her mouth slowly rose. She said softly: “Magistrate Sun, has His Majesty ordered the Court of Judicial Review to investigate this matter?”
Magistrate Sun: “Oh my goodness, you’re incredible. This time, if the evidence proves conclusive in the end, you’ll truly have rendered great service.”
He said regretfully: “But regarding your situation here, His Majesty hasn’t yet spoken, so you may still need to remain.”
Lan Shanjun had anticipated this. “Yes.”
Seeing she said no more, Magistrate Sun probed: “However, since this matter is being tried by the Court of Judicial Review, Madam Yu will be transferred there, won’t she?”
Lan Shanjun: “Is there such a regulation? I don’t really understand these things.”
Magistrate Sun didn’t believe she didn’t understand. She’d been here twice already!
But seeing he couldn’t extract any information, he could only regretfully express concern for a few more sentences before departing dejectedly—clearly showing he hadn’t yet latched onto the Grand Prince Imperial’s coattails, as they wouldn’t even give him hints about what would follow.
But it didn’t matter. He could start cultivating connections from now on. He instructed the jailer to watch Lan Shanjun carefully: “At this critical time, who knows how many people harbor ill intentions. All of you, stay alert.”
Then, thinking further, he told the jailer: “Go check if anyone here has connections to Prince Qi’s household. If so, transfer them all away.”
The jailer nodded and asked quietly: “Sir, has Prince Qi’s household truly fallen?”
Magistrate Sun glared at him. “Why do you care so much?”
But when he returned home, while having his wife pack his clothes for the magistrate’s office, preparing to stay there long-term until the Prince Qi case ended to demonstrate loyalty, he began to hesitate: Though Prince Qi had fallen, Prince Qi’s heir still remained… Would completely allying with the Grand Prince Imperial now cause Prince Qi’s heir to despise him?
Had Prince Qi’s household truly fallen?
Madam Sun saw his conflicted expression and said with amusement: “Just now you were rushing to leave, now why can’t you move your legs?”
Magistrate Sun sighed. “I want to personally take control of Luoyang Prefecture and manage it like an iron barrel, yet I’m afraid if I truly manage it like an iron barrel, I’ll be purged in the future.”
He shook his head and cursed: “Fame and fortune are but half a paper, yet require crossing a thousand mountains and snows.”
Then he asked hesitantly: “Wife, what do you think I should do?”
Madam Sun had been childhood sweethearts with him, growing up studying together. Her intelligence was not weak. After thinking, she said: “You have no choice. If something happens to Madam Yu while in your hands, you won’t survive a month. But even if Prince Qi’s household grows powerful in the future and comes to settle accounts with you, that will be years from now.”
“Let’s survive these next few years first.”
Hearing this, Magistrate Sun immediately nodded. “I was truly confused just now.”
His Majesty was already so old—how many more good days could he have?
The next day he bought steamed buns early and went to the prison to curry favor: “Madam Yu, as long as you’re here for one day, you can be at ease for one day.”
Lan Shanjun thanked him, took the buns and began eating, her smile growing wider.
Magistrate Sun was curious. “Is there some good news?”
Lan Shanjun said: “Investigating wrongful cases and serving the people—these are all good things.”
She glanced at Magistrate Sun, then lowered her head.
As an official and as a person, everyone had concerns. In this world, people as pure as clear water were rare. Most people muddied the waters.
Magistrate Sun was a typical muddy-water person. His thoughts were most people’s thoughts.
If he dared ally with the Grand Prince Imperial today, others should understand in their hearts too.
Thus, with Prince Qi’s势已去 momentum already gone, he wouldn’t dare wait for the Emperor to change his mind, wouldn’t dare wait for Prince Qi’s heir to surpass the Grand Prince Imperial.
He must make the final strike while people still stood on his side.
After all, he had few people left he could use. Delay would bring change.
While calculating, Lan Shanjun slowly chewed the buns, bite by bite chewing thoroughly. Finally she exhaled and said: “Magistrate Sun, the meat in these buns is very fresh. Please bring me a few more tomorrow.”
Hearing this, Magistrate Sun immediately brightened. “Rest assured, meat buns in abundance.”
—
In Prince Qi’s household, Prince Qi’s heir was filled with anxiety, his mind constantly replaying Prince Qi’s words.
Just thinking of those words made his whole body shudder, his entire person trembling.
Around midnight, someone knocked on the door.
Prince Qi’s heir hurried to open it. The visitor wore a black cloak. Raising his head, it was remarkably the Minister of War, Yang Kui.
He was astonished for a long while before saying: “So Father’s sharp weapon was you.”
Yang Kui smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
He had always remained hidden in the shadows, ordinarily not contacting Prince Qi. Everyone thought he wasn’t involved in factional struggles and belonged to His Majesty.
Prince Qi’s heir said with sudden understanding: “No wonder when the Grand Prince’s faction killed Marquis Boyuan and Lin Qi, Father wasn’t panicked.”
So after all that killing, the position of Minister of War still had their people.
Prince Qi’s heir’s heart settled slightly, then he said dejectedly: “Father had me relay a message to you, saying… the plan from years ago can begin.”
Yang Kui nodded calmly, then asked: “Does the heir know what plan?”
Prince Qi’s heir closed his eyes and said with difficulty: “Seize the palace.”
Yang Kui smiled. “The heir needn’t worry. For this day, I and Prince Qi have planned for a long time.”
Prince Qi’s heir bit his teeth hard. “But once we fail, not one person from Prince Qi’s household will remain.”
Yang Kui shook his head. “But once the Grand Prince Imperial ascends the throne, no one from Prince Qi’s household will remain either.”
Prince Qi’s heir: “The Grand Prince Imperial isn’t bloodthirsty—”
Yang Kui found this amusing. “Heir, you’re still too naive. Regarding the late Crown Prince’s death, Prince Qi cannot escape responsibility. The hatred of killing one’s father cannot be shared under the same sky. The Grand Prince Imperial has endured for years to kill Prince Qi. Now with this hard-won opportunity for revenge, why would you think the Grand Prince Imperial would spare the lives of you and the household?”
He shook his head. “The Grand Prince Imperial’s actions these past years—you’ve witnessed them. Has he shown even a shred of mercy? Heir, you should listen to the Prince. If we win, it’s eternal achievement. If we lose, we merely die earlier. Nothing significant.”
He said: “Victors become kings, losers become bandits. No need to calculate too much.”
Prince Qi’s heir felt Yang Kui was indeed Father’s most trusted person—exactly the same madness as Father.
He said: “You’re all too bold…”
Hearing this, Yang Kui sighed: “If Prince Qi had listened to me back then and been bolder, how would things have reached this state?”
Prince Qi’s heir was astonished. “You wanted to seize the palace before?”
Yang Kui: “The boldness required before didn’t need seizing the palace—just killing Yu Qingwu would suffice.”
He said with dissatisfaction: “When Marquis Boyuan died, I said we should directly kill Yu Qingwu, not give the Grand Prince Imperial a sharp blade. But the Prince refused. He cared about His Majesty’s feelings, fearing killing Yu Qingwu would displease His Majesty.”
This was the first time Prince Qi’s heir heard of this matter. He couldn’t help turning his head to look.
Yang Kui also looked at him. “The Prince always felt his power was too great, attracting the Emperor’s wariness, so being cut down some was fine. Marquis Boyuan was one, Lin Qi was another. But he didn’t care about those cut down—the ones cut down cared themselves. All came seeking merit from supporting the dragon. Who would willingly become a discarded piece? From that time, those who allied with him became scattered sand, occasionally flowing through his fingers.”
That was already a bad move. He’d always felt the Prince had been fooled too much by the Emperor.
“The Prince always thought having His Majesty’s favor would last until the end, but he forgot—His Majesty’s greatest love isn’t for him, but for His Majesty himself.”
Yang Kui lamented his failure to meet expectations. “When the Prince came to his senses, killing Yu Qingwu was already useless. So I advised the Prince to simply poison the Grand Princess Consort, making the Grand Prince confront His Majesty.”
Prince Qi’s heir stood up abruptly. “That was your idea!”
Yang Kui smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
“Unfortunately, this move was useless. The Grand Princess Consort somehow survived, and instead Noble Consort Lin died innocently.”
When one move failed, he made another. Together with Prince Qi, he planned the Ni Tao case.
“But heaven was unjust. Though it was a flawless plan, it implicated both Wu Qingchuan and Duke Songguo.”
He sighed: “Then, step by step, we were forced to this state.”
“If the Prince had listened to me from the start, nothing afterward would have happened.”
He also stood, pacing in the room. “From when Wu Qingchuan and Duke Songguo died, I knew we and the Grand Prince’s faction had different information. They seemed to always know one step ahead what we would do.”
If these plans weren’t known only to him and Prince Qi, he would suspect a mole nearby.
He found this feeling very strange.
In some mysterious way, he seemed constrained, everything ending in failure.
Yang Kui sighed again: “In worldly affairs, lacking one measure of fortune makes success difficult.”
“Since that’s so, better to directly use the blade and kill our way out, carve a bloody path.”
Prince Qi’s heir listened with increasing silence. Finally he asked: “No room for negotiation?”
Yang Kui: “No room for negotiation.”
Prince Qi’s heir: “But the Grand Prince Imperial’s health is poor. He won’t live long. Why not wait?”
Yang Kui laughed heartily. “Heir, you’re truly… naive.”
So he’d rather serve Prince Qi than become the heir’s man.
He said: “If the Grand Prince Imperial were to die, the first he’d kill would be you and the heir’s son.”
Prince Qi’s heir wanted to refute, but Yang Kui cut off his words, asking: “He’s already dying—would he still fear killing you and the heir’s son?”
Prince Qi’s heir fell silent.
But these words also convinced him.
He smiled bitterly. “What about Father… My stance in the great hall also meant abandoning Father. If Father succeeds, what about me?”
Yang Kui said with surprise: “The Prince has only you as a son. Naturally he won’t abandon you.”
Prince Qi’s heir’s expression was uncomfortable. After waiting long, he finally said: “Fine… then let’s gamble.”
Bet correctly and win. Bet wrong… just one life.
Living now, he was already like a walking corpse, become a laughingstock.
He murmured: “When I was young, things were actually quite good.”
—
Luoyang had known no peace these past years.
The Marquis Boyuan case in the forty-eighth year of Yuanshao, the Su Huairen and Lin Qi case in the forty-ninth year, the Wu Qingchuan and Duke Songguo case in the fiftieth year, the Zhenguo Duke household Shu Province case in the fifty-first year.
One major case per year. Luoyang officials lived in constant fear, terrified the executioner’s blade would fall on their own heads, wishing they could retract their necks. Only the Imperial Academy students feared nothing, discussing these matters in Jixian Hall and Gaozhu Pavilion, crying out loudly: “Parasites of the nation, killing our myriad people!”
Though they might be used by others, their passion never cooled. Several rolled up their sleeves and went to sit in protest before the Court of Judicial Review and Luoyang Prefecture.
When the Emperor heard the news, he was so angry he smashed several teacups. He cursed: “I’ve been too lenient with them, which has made them lawless.”
Liu Guan hurried to advise: “Your Majesty, don’t be angry anymore. Didn’t the imperial physician say? You must calm your heart and nourish your qi.”
The Emperor laughed coldly. “One after another they all come to anger me. How can I calm my heart and nourish my qi?”
Liu Guan sighed. “This old slave’s heart aches for you, but it’s useless. You are His Majesty. All matters under heaven await your judgment.”
The Emperor took a deep breath. “Right now, I increasingly feel overwhelmed.”
Liu Guan massaged his legs, not daring to respond. The Emperor glanced at him sideways. “Has the Grand Prince tried to win you over?”
Liu Guan’s hand trembled. He knelt and kowtowed. “In response to Your Majesty, no.”
The Emperor smiled. “What are you afraid of? I don’t suspect you.”
Liu Guan crawled over to continue massaging his legs. “Your Majesty, this slave only accompanies you alone. If blessed, to depart before you, then grant this slave a jade ruyi for burial so this old slave can bribe the King of Hell and serve you again as a slave in the next life. If not blessed, then when you ascend to the heavens, this slave won’t live alone. Only hope you’ll wait for this slave on the Yellow Springs Road.”
“This slave has followed you since childhood. After so many years, what kind of person this slave is—don’t you know? Please don’t tease this slave.”
The Emperor was moved. “Liu Guan, I trust you most.”
Liu Guan finished massaging his legs just as Consort Cai arrived. He withdrew.
Consort Cai had come to complain about the Empress again.
The Emperor was comforting her. “The Empress is somewhat rigid.”
Though Consort Cai had aged, her face remained tender, with even more mature woman’s charm. She massaged the Emperor’s head, complaining: “Empress manages nothing at all. Sigh, before this concubine could still ask the Grand Princess Consort, but after the Grand Princess Consort’s health declined, this concubine couldn’t ask anymore. Can only ask Your Majesty.”
The Emperor greatly enjoyed this kind of “asking” from her.
He began instructing Consort Cai on harem matters.
Liu Guan closed the door.
He unconsciously looked toward the phoenix-riding immortal on the roof ridge.
Then murmured: “His Majesty truly is… old.”
Couldn’t even see that Consort Cai had allied with the Empress.
He told Liu Zhi: “My shoulder aches somewhat. Prepare medicine according to Lord Yu’s prescription from last time.”
Liu Zhi’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”
He went to fetch medicine on the front foot, and on the back foot the Grand Prince Imperial already knew.
He exhaled. “In the rear palace there’s Imperial Grandmother and Consort Cai. By the Emperor’s side there’s Liu Guan.”
Now, to arrange inside and outside the palace.
He said: “I don’t trust anyone else guarding the Eastern Palace except Shanjun.”
The Grand Princess Consort sat to one side in silent contemplation, yet shook her head. “Shanjun’s blade is excellent—everyone knows. But no matter how good her blade, they won’t fear her.”
Shanjun was a woman. They could see her sharpness, yet only thought she’d be displayed on a high shelf.
The Grand Princess Consort: “A’Hu, you should carefully consider how to wield Shanjun’s blade.”
The Grand Prince Imperial paused, then nodded. “You’re right. Used well, catching them off guard, it truly seals throats at first blood.”
—
On the twenty-eighth day of the fourth month in the fifty-first year of Yuanshao, the Emperor finally met Duke Zhenguo and his son.
Before seeing them, he still resented old Duke Zhenguo for causing such trouble before dying, but once they met, seeing the father and son who twenty years ago had been full of vigor now in this state, he felt an indescribable feeling.
He helped them up, sighing: “Huaiyin, I will certainly give you an explanation.”