With the maids now in the know, Hua Zhi stopped hiding anything, and they fell into careful, quiet attendance around her. After that weight was lifted from her chest, she sank into bed the moment she lay down and slept deeply. Applying medicine or anything else — she left entirely to them. By the time Fourth Madam returned and, hearing the news, came to look in, all she could see was a body freshly tended with salve over its wounds — the pain behind it was something she could only imagine.
Whatever grief stirred in that quarter of the house, on the other side of the city Gu Yanxi had far less ease. The moment he returned to the capital, he went straight to the Imperial Study under his identity as an Imperial Guard attendant with sword-bearing privileges.
The Emperor was in the middle of deliberations with several senior officials. Upon seeing him, the Emperor said, “This disaster relief will not pass through the Six Ministries or local officials. I’ll appoint someone to oversee it directly. Tell those who are waiting to reach out their hands — if anyone dares pull tricks right under my nose, I won’t mind having all those hands removed.”
The senior officials present felt a collective chill and hastened to agree.
“I want a plan on my desk tomorrow. Dismissed.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We take our leave.”
When the tiresome officials had all filed out, the Emperor — whose expressions had grown increasingly difficult to read — let something genuine cross his face. “You’re back? Good timing. Keep me company for the evening meal.”
Taking the cue, Laifu bowed and withdrew to make arrangements.
Gu Yanxi stepped forward and saluted. “This official pays his respects to Your Majesty.”
“Enough of that. Sit and speak.” The Emperor looked at his nephew’s unremarkable disguised face. “Change that face back.”
Gu Yanxi peeled off the human-skin mask with a force that made the Emperor wince just to watch.
“Your Majesty, this official confirmed two matters during this visit to the Yinshan Pass.”
Two? The Emperor’s eyelids lifted slightly. “Besides the Chaoli Tribe remnant at the eldest’s side — what else?”
“The Chaoli Tribe and the steppe tribes have formed an alliance.”
The Emperor’s expression tightened. He leaned slightly forward. “The Chaoli Tribe and the steppe tribes have formed an alliance?”
“Yes.” Gu Yanxi laid out in careful detail everything he had investigated. “The forces at the Yinshan Pass cannot hold as they are. This official gave Wu Yong his word that at least fifty thousand troops would be redirected to him. Additionally, this official instructed Wu Yong to divide the Yinshan Pass into an inner and outer city — the outer to serve as a military encampment, all non-military residents to be moved into the inner. This gives Wu Yong the greatest freedom of action. This official acted without prior approval and made these decisions unilaterally. I await whatever punishment Your Majesty sees fit.”
As he spoke, Gu Yanxi moved to kneel and await reprimand.
“Stay seated.” The Emperor stopped him. “This official will have an imperial edict sent to Wu Yong.”
Acting first and reporting after was nothing new for the Seven Lodges Bureau — it was a power granted to them by every emperor in succession. Yet the Seven Lodges Bureau had never once concealed or deceived the throne. Whenever such a situation arose, a detailed written account would follow, after which the Emperor would issue a supplementary edict.
One shouldn’t underestimate the significance of that supplementary edict. Without it, every prior action lacked legitimate standing — and the Emperor could revoke it without needing any reason at all.
Gu Yanxi then gave a full account of Gu Chengde’s situation.
The Emperor looked at this young man who had always held himself in perfect composure. “By now, this official is almost tempted to suspect the Chaoli Tribe doesn’t have very many people — just look at how many we’ve turned up. Keep pulling at this thread and we might find even this official himself is one of them.”
“It is not so dire as that.” Gu Yanxi looked at the Emperor, who seemed to be making a joke at his own expense and everyone else’s. “This official rather thinks the Chaoli Tribe is currently somewhere stamping their feet in frustration.”
“How so?”
“Whether it was the consort and palace attendants at your side, the palace governess near the Third Princess, the false eunuch beside the First Prince — all of them targeted those within the imperial family. Not to mention Yuan Shifang, who must have taken the entire tribe’s resources to cultivate. During this period, this official made a focused investigation of the other eight chief eunuchs. While they each have their own irregularities, their identities check out.”
The Emperor didn’t bother asking what irregularities there might be. He understood what officials were like better than anyone. If Yanxi was letting it go, it was still within the range he could tolerate. Anyone who had truly overstepped would have had their official post stripped already.
Gu Yanxi continued, “This official has already dispatched people to investigate those around members of the imperial household. Once the results come in, this matter will have a clearer shape.”
The results were in, and the Emperor knew it. He curved the corner of his mouth. If remnants could be found around even the most obscure members of the imperial family, those the Chaoli Tribe had placed within the court would be no small number. But if those around the lesser figures were all clean — then it was just as Yanxi had said. The Chaoli Tribe truly would be stamping their feet in frustration.
Yet this brought the Emperor no relief. “The south is flooding. The north is in drought. The Chaoli Tribe presses forward step by step, showing every sign of making a full return. Ought I to issue a self-condemning edict?”
Gu Yanxi was silent.
The Emperor didn’t mind. He gave a soft laugh. On his aging face, something unexpectedly gentle emerged. “The other day this official went to the Ancestral Temple and stood before all the imperial ancestors, thinking carefully about this life of mine. I found that while I haven’t done anything to disgrace the family legacy, I haven’t done anything particularly worthy of it either. I’ve simply lived a life of complete mediocrity. If I had been a common man, I likely would have starved to death long ago.”
“You are the Son of Heaven.”
Yes — the Son of Heaven. So even in complete mediocrity, he had enjoyed every earthly luxury, could grant life or death on a word. And yet — he was going to die too.
For a brief moment the Emperor’s expression twisted, then smoothed back into what it had been before. “Look into everything without restraint. Whatever comes of it, this official will carry it. As for Gu Chengde — handle it as you see fit. Now that he’s been stripped to a commoner’s status, he no longer has the right to enter the palace. This official has no wish to see him.”
“Yes.” Seeing that his imperial uncle had no intention of continuing down that raw, honest line of thought, Gu Yanxi quietly let out a breath. No matter how close the bond — the Emperor’s true words were not something one could afford to hear too much of.
“The Tong family has been exterminated. The second son is confined for life — not even a general imperial pardon upon a new emperor’s ascension will touch him. This official’s blessing does not extend to him.” The Emperor’s eyes glinted cold. “This official’s benevolence is not his to claim.”
“This official receives the order.”
“One more matter — Zeng Xian.” The Emperor’s gaze toward his nephew softened slightly. “Since you’ve set this case before this official, it was clearly your intention to have it overturned. This official grants it. The Ministry of Justice will retry the case, and all those involved will be dealt with without leniency. Are you satisfied?”
“Your Majesty is wise and just. This official has brought Zeng Xian’s son, Zeng Han, back to the capital. I’ll have someone draft a petition and submit it to the Ministry of Justice on his behalf.”
The Emperor shook his head at him with the exasperated air of someone who can’t quite bring himself to be truly displeased. In his heart, though, he felt entirely at ease. Rules exist for a reason, and the Seven Lodges Bureau more than most — if Yanxi were the sort to take liberties simply because of the favor shown to him, he would never have been given such privileges in the first place.
Laifu came in at precisely the right moment. “Your Majesty, the evening meal is ready.”
“Come, keep this official company.” The meal was laid out in the adjoining hall. With things weighing on his mind, Gu Yanxi spoke on the way over. “The south has truly flooded? Has the Xiangyang dam held?”
“You didn’t know?”
“This official came directly to the Imperial Study upon returning.”
The Emperor nodded, his satisfaction growing. “Thanks to the preparations you made beforehand, Xiangyang held — though it cost Lingzhou. Still, the entire south has been soaked under rain for a solid month. The scope of this disaster is the largest since this official took the throne. With a calamity this size, the relief funds will not be a small sum. This official has no intention of giving anyone the opportunity to help themselves. Give this official a few names you can trust.”
“Yes. This official obeys.”