After Zhao Xi left the Huo Mansion, he did just as he had said, using stillness to counter movement. He returned to the palace to quietly keep vigil for the Crown Prince, completely unconcerned with and uninvolved in matters of establishing an heir.
The Emperor also seemed to remain immersed in the grief of losing his son, unable to muster the energy to consider such things. Only after quite some time did he rally himself and return to court. However, upon this return, he seemed to have forgotten about the vacant heir position, never mentioning it at all.
In peacetime, or if the Emperor were still young and healthy, it would not matter if the heir position was vacant. But Daqi had just experienced war and chaos, the court situation was extremely turbulent, and the Emperor was advanced in years. Under these circumstances, the court officials could not help but feel somewhat worried.
However, the Crown Prince’s body was not yet cold. Immediately establishing a new heir would inevitably wound those who grieved for him. Considering that the Emperor had finally emerged from Funing Hall with great difficulty, everyone observed propriety and went along with him, never mentioning the matter.
As time passed, while the officials endured without urging, the Fourth Prince’s faction could not hold their patience.
They say it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. During those days when the Emperor was in seclusion, Zhao Xun had gloriously served as regent handling state affairs, tasting the benefits. Now that the Emperor had reclaimed power and had not particularly praised his recent performance, he naturally felt dissatisfied.
Thus from autumn into winter, exactly three months after the Crown Prince’s death, the Fourth Prince’s faction finally began making their voices heard, submitting memorials requesting that the Emperor establish an heir as soon as possible.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor leaned back against the dragon throne with a face full of sorrow, saying desolately that the Crown Prince had only just passed—this matter could be discussed later.
Several officials under Zhao Xun began lecturing about grand principles, saying the heir position concerned the foundation of the nation, was not merely a family matter but a state matter, that the Crown Prince in life had cared about the realm, and his spirit in heaven would certainly not wish to see Daqi’s foundation shaken. They begged the Emperor to treat this matter with utmost care and gravity.
The Emperor wore an expression of “I’m not listening, I’m not listening, if you keep pressing me, I’ll just go hole up in Funing Hall again.” The officials had no choice but to abandon their aggressive approach and continue waiting patiently.
By this point, perceptive people had already seen the truth.
The Crown Prince was dead—was the Emperor truly so deeply affected? The Crown Prince had been ill for so many years that the Emperor had clearly been mentally prepared. Initially he may indeed have grieved for a time, but it absolutely would not reach the point of being too despondent to handle state affairs.
The reason the Emperor had previously retreated to Funing Hall was actually to test his candidate for the new heir in his heart—Zhao Xun.
First, to observe his ability to serve as regent handling state affairs, testing his “talent.” Second, to see whether his conduct was proper, testing his “virtue.”
In terms of “virtue,” Zhao Xun had first failed to satisfy the Emperor too much.
His leading officials to Funing Hall to beseech the Emperor to return to court—to put it nicely, meant he quickly rallied his spirits from the pain of losing his elder brother and considered the greater good. To put it harshly, he had clearly been hoping for his elder brother’s death all along, urgently and hastily wanting to assume his position.
Now, the more impatient Zhao Xun’s officials grew, the more it verified his ambition.
Anyone born into the imperial family had some degree of ambition. Actually, the Emperor allowed his sons and grandsons to have ambition, but having ambition required being able to restrain it, knowing when to advance and retreat, understanding proper limits—only then did one have true capability. With capability, one could accomplish great things.
So Zhao Xun had also failed to pass the test of “talent.”
Since Zhao Xun still required observation, who remained among the candidates for heir?
The imperial family was not without other adult princes, but lacked seedlings with talent and ability. Even if they could pick out a seedling from this generation of princes, at the Emperor’s age, having to start cultivating an heir from scratch would not only be too draining and laborious but truly too late.
An heir was not a lone individual but needed to have a solid “team” of supporters—only then could they secure the throne after ascending. Currently in court there was one Crown Prince faction and one Fourth Prince faction. To carve out a new “bloc” in a short time would be nothing short of fantasy. If an heir with an unstable “foundation” sat upon the dragon throne, there was no guarantee Daqi would not perish.
So after observing back and forth, the court officials ultimately turned their gazes toward the Emperor’s legitimate eldest grandson, Zhao Xi.
In terms of talent, Zhao Xi’s speech at the imperial hunting grounds had left a deep impression to this day.
In terms of virtue, after the Crown Prince’s burial, this young imperial grandson had neither indulged in grief over losing his father nor anxiously participated in factional struggles. Rather, just as before, he followed his routine of studying with the Eastern Palace’s tutors—sufficiently steady and sufficiently resilient.
In terms of background, he was exceptionally blessed. As long as Zhao Xi was willing, he could effortlessly inherit the entire team of supporters beneath the Crown Prince.
Viewed this way, a more suitable choice than Zhao Xun seemed to have appeared.
—
The weather grew increasingly cold, and in the blink of an eye it was the season of bitter northern winds.
Approaching the winter solstice, three years after Daqi’s founding in the first year of the Jianyuan era, the great southern suburban sacrifice to Heaven ceremony came onto the Emperor’s schedule, also igniting a trace of vitality in the Bianjing court that had been depressed for so long.
The winter sacrifice was a grand event. According to custom, the Emperor must personally lead the imperial clan and select important court officials to proceed together to the southern suburbs to preside over the sacrifice to Heaven ceremony, giving thanks for Heaven’s great virtue and praying for Heaven’s blessing that Daqi’s future would bring favorable weather, abundant harvests, and peace for the people.
The Ministry of Rites, familiar with the routine, arranged according to precedent for the Emperor and the accompanying clan members and officials to lodge overnight in the southern suburbs on the eve of the winter solstice, then celebrate the grand ceremony together at dawn the next day.
The day before the winter solstice, the long and winding ceremonial procession for the sacrifice to Heaven departed from the imperial palace. Amid the cheering and bowing of the common people and surrounded and protected by the Imperial Guards, the mighty procession marched out of Bianjing city.
Both the Duke Yingguo’s mansion and the Huo Mansion were among those accompanying this time. According to rank, the Duke Yingguo mansion’s carriage was relatively close to the Emperor’s holy carriage at the center of the procession, while the Huo family fell far behind.
Since Shen Lingzhen had married out, according to propriety she sat in Huo Liuxing’s carriage at the rear, joking with him: “Three years ago I was still very close to the holy carriage, but now I’ve gone downhill instead. Following my husband really brings no advantages.”
Huo Liuxing was about to flick her forehead when his hand stretched out halfway then turned back. He rubbed his fingers and counted the days.
Over three months had passed. The external injury on his waist had healed properly, but the cold syndrome in Shen Lingzhen’s body had not been eradicated. During her monthly cycle she still suffered pain that made her toss and turn restlessly. Approaching the depths of winter, symptoms that had not appeared in summer and autumn now emerged—at night, her hands and feet were ice cold all night long.
Since his injury healed, he had served as her heating stove night after night, only then allowing her to barely sleep soundly. This trip of two days and one night would inevitably make her suffer the cold again. He was worried about this right now, so he could not bring himself to flick her forehead.
Shen Lingzhen had deliberately told these jokes precisely because she perceived Huo Liuxing’s concerns. Seeing this, she sighed faintly and lowered her head, using his knuckles to tap herself like a chicken pecking rice: “Isn’t it just this one tap? My husband nowadays truly lacks vigor more and more. You can’t even control me, yet…” She stopped here and mouthed silently: yet you want to be below one person and above ten thousand.
The carriage swayed gently. Huo Liuxing pulled her entire body into his arms, his hand poised to flick her forehead: “If I get serious, you’d better not cry.”
Shen Lingzhen smiled cheerfully and presented her forehead to him.
Huo Liuxing’s face darkened as he suddenly raised his hand.
Shen Lingzhen thought she had provoked him too much and closed her eyes with an “ah,” but the forceful flick did not fall—instead his lips fell.
Huo Liuxing gently kissed her forehead. When she tremblingly opened her eyes, he chuckled: “With such little courage, you’d better not challenge me.” He circled his arms around her and tightened her fur cloak, then checked the hand warmer in her hands. “Is it still warm?”
Without waiting for her answer, he sighed and removed the hand warmer, stuffing both her hands into his embrace: “Don’t use that thing anymore—I’m warmer than it is.”
Shen Lingzhen tried to pull her hands back: “If my husband holds me like this, my clothes will get all wrinkled. When we arrive at the southern suburbs and get out of the carriage, people will think my husband and I were fighting in the carriage.”
They probably would not mistake it for fighting, but would mistake it for something else.
Huo Liuxing suppressed a laugh and said: “At this traveling speed, by the time we reach the southern suburbs it will be dark. In the pitch black, and I’m a married man—who’s going to look at me?” As he spoke, he moved her hands back again. “Lean against me and rest a while. Tonight it will be cold, and you won’t be able to sleep soundly in that place.”
This winter sacrifice was about suffering to show sincerity. Except for the Emperor who would lodge in the southern suburbs’ traveling palace, everyone else had to sleep in open-air tents.
Shen Lingzhen remembered that three years ago on the winter solstice she indeed could not get used to sleeping in a tent and stayed awake all night. Later it was Xue Jie who secretly came to find her and played chess with her to relieve her boredom.
So she did not decline, closing her eyes in Huo Liuxing’s arms and shifting to a comfortable position: “Then if my husband gets bored on the road, wake me up.”
—
Naturally Huo Liuxing would not wake her until the last moment. When Shen Lingzhen awoke, the carriage had already stopped, and outside there was bustling activity as everyone successively disembarked.
She rubbed her sore neck and asked Huo Liuxing what the current situation was.
Huo Liuxing massaged the acupressure points on the back of her neck while saying: “This is the southern suburbs camping ground. His Majesty and the Young Highness have already diverted to the traveling palace. We’re going to claim our tent now.”
The “Young Highness” he mentioned referred to Zhao Xi. Since Bianjing could not be without someone in charge, Zhao Xun had remained in the imperial palace on behalf of the Emperor this time, while Zhao Xi had accompanied them here.
When it was the Huo family’s turn to enter the camping ground, Huo Liuxing was hoisted into his wheelchair by Kongqing and Jingmo.
Shen Lingzhen followed him down and only then discovered that the sky had completely darkened. Torches burned at the guard posts in all directions, and Imperial Guards with long spears touched to the ground stood in rows, maintaining strict vigilance.
At the foot of the open mountain, dozens of tents were arranged in regular circles. The tents were spaced about ten zhang apart—close enough to see each other from afar but not convenient for mutual conversation.
Shen Lingzhen noticed that among these tents, one was somewhat special, with the mark of Xiqiang royalty adorning its top.
That was Prince Weiming’s tent.
Weiming He had been a hostage in Bianjing for over three months, personally witnessing the recent depression of Daqi’s court. Now at this kind of ceremony demonstrating national prestige, the Emperor naturally dragged him along to let him experience the bearing of a great nation.
Weiming He had always had a good temper and was not afraid of hardship, saying that as a subject of Daqi, he should naturally follow local customs and had come along respectfully and obediently.
Huo Liuxing and Shen Lingzhen’s tent was near the outer circle, somewhat far from Weiming He. The nearest one within sight was the Xue family’s.
Shen Lingzhen remembered that three years ago on the winter solstice night, the Xue family had been responsible for guarding the traveling palace, but now her uncle Xue Ce had merely been assigned to guard the camp, and moreover a relatively unimportant outer perimeter area.
Very obviously, although the confession letter from the Second Prince had been nullified under the Crown Prince’s death remonstrance, the dirty water splashed on the Xue family had still been effective, preventing the Emperor from fully trusting Xue Ce again.
Seeing Shen Lingzhen thoughtfully gazing at the Xue family’s tent, her footsteps slowing, Huo Liuxing coughed softly and sighed to Kongqing who was pushing the wheelchair behind him: “This weather really is cold.”
Kongqing immediately picked up the cue: “Does the master’s leg feel uncomfortable, or is it your waist?”
Huo Liuxing displayed a strained expression of “how should I put it, neither feels too good.” Shen Lingzhen hastily came back to herself and quickened her pace to enter the tent with him.
Inside the tent, the furnishings were crude and the candlelight dim. Although a charcoal fire burned, it was not much warmer than outside.
Shen Lingzhen had nowhere to step and looked troubled but dared not complain, lest Heaven hear and get angry and refuse to bless Daqi. Jianjia and Bailu spread out fur blankets they had quietly brought on the hard, cold bedding, helped her sit down, then went outside to fetch dinner for her and Huo Liuxing.
Dinner was plain tea and simple food. On this day, even the Emperor dared not hunt a wild pheasant lest it break the rules, so the two could not be particular either and casually ate a few bites.
After dinner there was nothing to do, and it was impossible to visit neighbors as if on an outing. Anyone with any sense stayed obediently in their tent. Shen Lingzhen and Huo Liuxing stared at each other eye to eye for a while. An idea formed in her heart and she suggested: “Husband, there are still some hours before bed. Shall we do something?”
Do something? Though he was somewhat tempted, in this place if they embraced and acted lovingly and were discovered, they would suffer punishment.
Huo Liuxing frowned thoughtfully: “This place is probably not quite suitable.”
Shen Lingzhen sighed: “I also know it’s not suitable, but it’s such a long night—just sitting here doing nothing is too boring.”
Huo Liuxing struggled briefly, then waved away the servants: “All of you go out.” Then he spread his arms in a welcoming gesture and shook his head helplessly: “Then come here.”
“?” Shen Lingzhen was startled.
Huo Liuxing exhaled deeply and said impatiently: “We’re already an old married couple, and you’re still playing hard to get with me? Come over.”
Shen Lingzhen approached in confusion and was pulled by him, tumbling onto his lap.
Seeing Huo Liuxing press down her head about to kiss her, she hastily struggled free with all her strength and jumped up: “What kind of behavior is this from my husband… what kind of behavior!”
Huo Liuxing was baffled: “Weren’t you the one who suggested improper behavior?”
Shen Lingzhen realized what happened and stamped her foot with an “ai”: “What does my husband think about all day? I only wanted to play a game of chess with you!”
“…”
Huo Liuxing’s face contorted: “In this godforsaken place, how can we play chess?”
“I have a method.” Shen Lingzhen pointed to a low table on the ground: “We can use candle wax to draw a chess board on this table, then go outside to pick some fine grass, tie them into circles and triangles respectively, and then we can play on it.”
Huo Liuxing was about to say that going to such trouble was not as good as kissing to pass the time, but the words stopped at his lips as his gaze toward Shen Lingzhen changed: “Where did you get this method from?”
She had not lingered outside at all just now—how would she know what grass grew nearby? To be so experienced, she had clearly done the same thing here before.
The last time she came to the southern suburbs was with her parents. Who could have accompanied her in doing something so troublesome and against the rules?
Shen Lingzhen lost all confidence under his gaze: “I played this three years ago…”
“With Xue Jie? A lone man and woman, at night in a tent?”
She nodded, then shook her head: “It was with Brother A’Jie, but not alone—Mother and Jianjia and the others were all there. He’s my maternal cousin, so it wouldn’t really be proper to call him an outsider…”
“Oh,” seeing her explain so coherently, Huo Liuxing could not catch her on this point, so he switched to another: “He was quite patient, willing to accompany you in such a boring activity.”
Shen Lingzhen was somewhat angry now: “If my husband finds it boring, then don’t accompany me. Why must you make such sarcastic remarks and put him down?”
Huo Liuxing choked and said with an iron face: “I’m making sarcastic remarks?”
She shrank her neck and muttered quietly: “Three years ago I hadn’t even had my coming-of-age ceremony and didn’t know my husband. For my husband to be angry with me about this is simply unreasonable.”
He laughed in anger, his face looking even worse: “I’m being unreasonable?”
Hearing his voice grow louder, Shen Lingzhen did not want to attract the attention of so many people outside and backed down a step: “Fine, I was wrong in the past. If my husband wants to scold me, scold me after we return. Let’s not cause trouble now.” She sat back on the bed gloomily. “Let’s rest early.”
Huo Liuxing looked at her aggrieved and forbearing expression and deflated all at once.
Only people who could not argue their point in a quarrel would repeat the other person’s words as rhetorical questions. Though it seemed quite imposing, it actually just showed they were empty inside.
He was just about to say something to ease the atmosphere when he heard Jingmo report that Eunuch Yang from the Emperor’s side had come to the camp and invited Grand Princess Zhenguo to the traveling palace.
Shen Lingzhen’s heart tightened. She also forgot about being angry with Huo Liuxing and said quietly: “Who else was summoned? Only my mother?”
“Just now the first one summoned was Deputy Envoy Shen. After Deputy Envoy Shen returned to camp, General Xue was summoned. General Xue just returned to his post, and now it’s Grand Princess’s turn. This humble one thinks there may be more people summoned in succession.”
Shen Lingzhen looked at Huo Liuxing, whose face showed thoughtful contemplation, and asked: “At this critical juncture of the winter sacrifice, what is His Majesty plotting? Will Mother be in danger?”
Huo Liuxing shook his head: “No.”
Looking at this pattern of summoning people in turn, the Emperor absolutely did not intend to threaten anyone’s personal safety, but rather seemed to want to discuss some important matter with everyone.
This move itself was not malicious, but the trouble was that Huo Liuxing would also certainly have to leave the tent tonight, and then he could not serve as Shen Lingzhen’s heating stove.
Given her current physical condition, if she lost this giant hand warmer of his at night, she probably truly could not endure it.
He sighed: “Alright, let’s stop fighting. Get on the bed first, I’ll warm you up. Who knows when my turn will come.”
Seeing this was his intention to cease hostilities, Shen Lingzhen stopped dwelling on those few verbal disputes. After getting on the bed, she quietly complained to him: “Why must it be tonight of all nights?”
Indeed, if the Emperor intended to summon people one by one for private conversations, he could have done so in the Bianjing palace originally. But tonight held one special advantage for the Emperor: namely, everyone was gathered together, all under the Emperor’s eyes. During the time they took turns entering the palace, they had no opportunity to exchange opinions with each other.
Since everyone could only rely entirely on their on-the-spot performance with no possibility of prior discussion, the Emperor would naturally obtain the most truthful answers.
This calculation was actually quite ingenious.
Huo Liuxing held her in his arms to warm her body, explained a few sentences to her, and rubbed her hands: “Before I leave, I’ll have Jianjia and Bailu come in to look after you.”
Shen Lingzhen nodded and closed her eyes.
Sure enough, an hour later, Huo Liuxing was summoned to the traveling palace.
Nearly at the end of the second watch, the Emperor was still in high spirits. Seeing Huo Liuxing wheel himself into the palace chamber, he beckoned to him: “Liuxing, sorry to trouble you to make this trip on such a cold night.”
“Your Majesty is too kind. Being able to share Your Majesty’s burdens is this humble subject’s honor.”
The Emperor smiled: “So you’ve guessed what I summoned you here for?”
Playing dumb at this point would be insincere. Huo Liuxing said: “Not only this humble subject—the entire court knows Your Majesty has recently been troubled over which family should receive the heir position.”
The Emperor let out a long sigh: “Isn’t that the truth. They’re right—the heir is the foundation of the nation. It’s been vacant for so long, there should be a conclusion. I summoned you tonight precisely because I want to hear—what are your thoughts on this matter?”
Huo Liuxing considered for a moment and was about to answer when he suddenly saw Eunuch Yang rush in looking utterly shocked.
This eunuch was an old hand by the Emperor’s side who rarely panicked. To look like this, something major must have gone wrong.
The Emperor said rather displeased: “What are you panicking about?”
“Reporting to Your Majesty, Prince Weiming’s confidant rushed to the traveling palace to report and seek aid, saying the Xiqiang servants attending the prince seem to want to murder him!”
Huo Liuxing’s eyes narrowed.
The Emperor’s brow twitched: “His own Xiqiang people want to murder him?” The Emperor was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted. “Quickly, pass down the order—seal off the camp and use all efforts to protect Prince Weiming’s safety!”