When Huo Buyi saw her, his blood and energy immediately surged tumultuously.
He heard his own heavy gasping, his chest pounding violently. He felt as though he had returned to that night of city massacre and clan extermination—indescribable terror and anguish flooding into his body like tidal waves, yet he was powerless to stop it.
After falling grievously wounded from the cliff, he lay in the cave waiting to die, his whole body ice-cold, lonely and desperate. Yet as long as he thought of her, his heart remained warm. Previously he didn’t know what it meant for the heart to ache unbearably—even on the verge of death he hadn’t felt such pain. Now he finally understood. It was like fine iron wire wound round and round his heart, then slowly tightening, watching blood drip down drop by drop.
“Shaoshang!” He called out in a low voice like a dying beast, wanting to rush over and embrace the girl.
At this moment, Cen Anzhi led two rows of eunuchs filing into the hall. The Empress shouted sternly: “Hold him down!”
Having held her position for decades, even the benevolent Empress had accumulated authority. The four strongest eunuchs at the front immediately stepped forward to press down Huo Buyi’s limbs. Cen Anzhi hesitated. The Empress said coldly: “Cen Anzhi, do my words no longer carry weight?” Cen Anzhi was greatly alarmed and hastily ordered the four eunuchs behind him to join in as well.
In the past, let alone eight eunuchs—even eighteen—Huo Buyi could have explosively overturned them all. But now, gravely injured and not yet recovered, weak with illness, he was firmly held in place.
“Shaoshang, Shaoshang, turn around!” His hoarse voice called out.
Yet that girl remained kneeling motionless as before.
“Your Majesty, this subject’s wife humbly requests Your Majesty’s gracious approval for one matter today.” The Empress bowed to the Emperor.
How clever the Emperor was. He hesitated: “This…” Seeing the Empress’s gaze sweep over, he hastily said: “Fine, fine, speak.”
The Empress said: “Since the day Zicheng and Shaoshang became engaged, they’ve argued constantly with barely a few days of peace. Now things have reached this state—I see no point in continuing to make them husband and wife…”
“Your Majesty!” Huo Buyi’s eyes brimmed with tears as he looked pleadingly at the Empress.
The Emperor said awkwardly: “This, this should be left for them to decide…”
“Shaoshang.” The Empress called. “Come speak.”
That girl with thin, delicate shoulders finally turned her head back. On her beautiful snow-white face showed a quietness born of enduring torment—a wave of dizzying pain struck Huo Buyi.
He remembered how the girl used to be. No matter how many cold words and criticisms, how many elder’s reproofs, she had been so full of vigor, covered in morning dew, like a child running barefoot on bluestone pavement—innocent and fearless. Even if gravel cut her feet, she would cry hard for a spell and then it would pass.
But now, she was like a mule just unloaded from a millstone—exhausted and haggard.
Shaoshang kowtowed respectfully to the Emperor and Empress: “This concubine comes from humble origins, has shallow learning, and a rebellious temperament—truly unworthy to be Lord Huo’s good match. I beg Your Majesty and the Empress to decide for this concubine and annul this marriage arrangement.”
“Shaoshang! Listen to me…” Huo Buyi struggled forcefully, but being held down he couldn’t move. He sank his energy and exerted even more force. His frame was tall and large, making the snow-white undergarment seem all the more empty and loose.
“No!” Shaoshang suddenly raised her voice. “This time, please listen to me.”
She drew a breath, forcibly suppressing her trembling voice. “I told you before—I’ve had bad luck since childhood. Forget heaven-sent fortune, I didn’t even receive what ordinary girls like me should get. But that’s fine. There are many in this world who have it harder than me. I could walk this path myself. But then I met you…”
Tears welled in her eyes. “You made me like you—I liked you. You made me rely on you—I relied on you. You made me trust you—I trusted you. Then you cast me down heavily and left without looking back!”
Someone once said that falling in love with someone means placing yourself in an unsafe position. But that’s fine—now she had learned her lesson. From now on, she would never again let her heart be in danger.
“If you still remember our past feelings, please let me go!” Tears streaked down Shaoshang’s face, but pride and self-respect wouldn’t allow her to sob before the Emperor and Empress. She could only breach propriety by rushing out of the hall.
Huo Buyi couldn’t say a single word. He could only watch helplessly as the girl kowtowed to the Emperor and Empress, then fled. He roared lowly, like a wounded beast using his last strength. The wound on his head split open, blood beads trickling down his pale forehead.
The Emperor crossed over in two large strides and struck his adopted son unconscious with a hand chop. After having Cen Anzhi carry Huo Buyi out for the imperial physicians to re-bandage his wounds, he dismissed everyone else and looked toward the Empress.
The Empress looked back.
After a moment, the Emperor smiled bitterly: “Why must you do this?”
The Empress said resolutely: “From the very beginning, Shaoshang was unwilling to be engaged to Zicheng. But faced with Your Majesty’s overwhelming power, she could only steel herself to accept it. Now things have reached this state—it shows that marriage fate should flow naturally. A melon forced from the vine is not sweet. Forcing will ultimately not make a couple—just like you and me.”
The Emperor didn’t dare look at her eyes and changed the subject: “Now that this has happened, there’s ultimately a rift between them. Forcing them together at this time would only make things worse. Separating them is also good.”
The Empress walked before the Emperor and looked directly at him: “Besides Shaoshang and Zicheng’s marriage, what about that other matter this subject’s wife mentioned to Your Majesty before?”
…
Shaoshang ran through the dark palace lanes. Along the way many palace maids and eunuchs bowed to her, but she didn’t dare turn her head back—only ran forward madly and directly. She felt the wounds on her body burning with pain, her head splitting with agony, unable even to catch her breath. But she knew she couldn’t stop. Once she stopped, she would be drowned by the seawater of heartbreak.
After running for who knows how long, seeming to pass Mirror Lake and gardens, seeing the tall tower building ahead in the distance, suddenly a soft yet strong hand grabbed her and she nearly fell, unable to stop.
“Shaoshang, Shaoshang! What’s wrong with you! Wake up, what’s wrong!” A familiar male voice was calling.
Shaoshang focused her vision and saw Yuan Shen’s refined, handsome face. He was anxiously asking: “I went to Fufeng Commandery a while ago and only heard this morning about Ling… Huo Buyi’s matter. I heard you were carried away covered in blood… Are you injured? Where are you hurt!”
He was so nervous he was covered in sweat, both hands gripping Shaoshang’s shoulders but not daring to use force. “Are you all right? Say something…”
Shaoshang steadied herself and slowly brushed Yuan Shen’s hands aside, answering without interest: “Since I’m standing here, naturally I’m fine. Thank you for Young Master Yuan’s concern.”
“That’s not… this…” Yuan Shen struggled to find words. Coming here he’d felt he had a bellyful of questions to ask the girl, but now didn’t know where to begin. After searching for a long time, finally he could only say: “You don’t need to worry about Huo Buyi. His Majesty will certainly protect him. However, the crime of unauthorized troop deployment causing turmoil in the capital is truly not small. He’ll probably have to receive some punishment…”
“You needn’t say more. From now on, his affairs have nothing to do with me.” Shaoshang said coldly.
Yuan Shen froze, his voice inexplicably rising a few notes: “Could it be you and he…?”
Before he could ask, a large group of people surged forward from ahead, led by none other than the Second Prince. He was seen storming forward in violent rage, eunuchs and palace maids all around trying to block him.
“You slaves dare obstruct me! Move aside quickly. I must enter the palace to see Mother Empress…”
“Your Highness absolutely must not! The Empress specifically instructed that these few days she will see none of the princes or princesses!”
“Nonsense! I’m Mother Empress’s own son—why can’t I see her! All of you move aside, or I’ll flay you alive one by one!”
“Your Highness, please reconsider!”
“Quickly block His Highness—are you all dead!”
“If the Empress and His Majesty learn of this, Your Highness, this is the crime of trespassing in the palace quarters…”
—Just in the midst of this pulling and tugging, the Second Prince saw Yuan and Cheng ahead and shouted loudly: “Excellent! You block the princes and princesses yet let these two external ministers wander the palace as if no one else exists. You go too far! Quickly move aside!”
Yuan Shen regained his calm composure and brushed his sleeves leisurely with hands clasped behind his back: “Second Prince, the imperial family is not an ordinary household. Whether one can enter the palace doesn’t depend on blood relation but on whether one follows the rules. This subject and Young Lord Shaoshang both have palace entry tokens, so naturally we can enter. Does Your Highness have one?”
Hearing these words, the Second Prince grew even more furious: “Surnamed Yuan, you see Mother Empress is about to be deposed, so you no longer regard me with any respect?!”
Shaoshang cried out in shock: “What? The Empress is to be deposed? Who said this! Was it His Majesty?!”
Yuan Shen said gently: “You’ve been in the palace all along, so it’s normal you haven’t heard. It’s not His Majesty deposing the Empress—yesterday several blind court ministers memorialized requesting the Empress be deposed. His Majesty has already rejected it!”
Shaoshang stood stunned and speechless.
The Second Prince said urgently: “So it’s not Father Emperor wanting to depose Mother Empress…”
“Second Prince, guard your words!” Yuan Shen sternly cut him off, then addressed the surrounding eunuchs and palace maids: “All of you disperse and go far away. I’m here with Second Prince.”
These past days the palace had been in a state of alarm. The eunuchs and palace maids knew the more they heard, the less safe their heads were. They all ran far away.
Only then did Yuan Shen look at the Second Prince and say lightly: “Two nights ago, Huo Buyi bloodied the Ling family villa and deployed without authorization the six battalions under the Eastern Palace. At that time, the Crown Prince was anxiously at a loss with no one to consult, and sent someone to find Second Prince. But Second Prince was very wise—claiming illness, you avoided seeing anyone. Now you’re in such urgent haste—doesn’t Second Prince think it’s too late?”
The Second Prince’s face flushed red as he stammered: “This, this… I truly was ill… otherwise… otherwise certainly…” He thought to himself: This person isn’t even in the capital—how does he know everything?
“Let’s speak plainly between honest people.” Yuan Shen said. “Right now there are no others present—Second Prince need not pretend. This subject knows that upon hearing of Huo Buyi’s actions, Second Prince immediately guessed the Crown Prince was in trouble and thought that once the Crown Prince fell, it should be your turn! Who knew that once the Empress’s position became unstable, you suddenly realized things were terribly wrong and rushed anxiously into the palace…”
The Second Prince’s face swelled purple as an eggplant as he roared: “Yuan Shanjian, you speak words of great disrespect! I, I will impeach you!”
Yuan Shen completely ignored this and continued: “This subject has no dealings with Third Prince, but I must say this: on the day of the upheaval, Third Prince wasn’t unable to extricate himself, but he didn’t hide or avoid—he insisted on supporting Huo Buyi whose identity was still uncertain, even when His Majesty threw stones at him in suppression, he didn’t furrow his brow once! What does Second Prince think we officials think in our hearts—the kingly way is broad and level. Though Third Prince has designs, he openly takes charge himself. Second Prince on the other hand—usually full of complaints, but at the critical moment you shrink to the rear. Second Prince, you previously closed your doors—now you needn’t come out again either!”
The Second Prince was speechless. After taking several deep breaths, he began personal attacks, sneering coldly: “Good, good, good! I’ve always heard you Yuan Shanjian are sharp-tongued and clever. Today I’ve finally experienced it! You achieved success at a young age yet lay low for years—not accepting the Yue clan’s recruitment, not participating in court ministers’ evaluations of princes. Father Emperor summoned you to the Bureau of Ministers to handle governance several times, but you always refused. Apart from drafting a few edicts for Father Emperor, you usually look absorbed in scholarship, but now you’re full of grand principles? Hmph, you won’t release the hawk until you see the rabbit!”
This level of attack was like dusting off ash to Yuan Shen. He said with perfect composure: “Your Highness has Your Highness’s duties, this subject has this subject’s duties. If this subject properly performs his post, he hasn’t failed His Majesty’s trust. But Your Highness shares a mother with the Crown Prince—when the Crown Prince was in trouble you had not half a thought to protect him. Clearly knowing the Empress was worried sick, you had not a bit of heartache. Heh heh, Your Highness should return. If His Majesty saw you now, he would certainly think as this subject just did—feeling even more that Second Prince is heartless and unrighteous, disloyal and unfilial… If Your Highness doesn’t believe it, why not return and ask Second Imperial Consort?”
When saying these words, between his brows was faintly the aura of wind and thunder—the appearance of a future powerful minister was already showing signs.
The Second Prince had always feared the Emperor. After hesitating for a long time, he reluctantly left through gritted teeth.
Yuan Shen watched him depart into the distance before turning to face the girl: “Shaoshang, you…”
“I’m truly the number one fool under heaven.” Shaoshang stared at him as if she’d never known him before. “I wondered why every time I saw you in the palace, you were either organizing classics or discoursing on Confucian learning. Young Master Yuan, you’re truly a gentleman who observes chess without speaking. Did you predict this day would come long ago?”
Yuan Shen was silent for a long while before saying: “The Yuan family is neither a Jing’an merit clan, nor an imperial in-law or Eastern Palace retainer—it’s inconvenient to participate in this matter.”
Shaoshang felt coldness on her face. Reaching up to touch it, she realized she had shed more tears.
She murmured self-mockingly: “Another one who conceals and doesn’t reveal, another one whose true face is unknowable. I prided myself on being clever, but turns out I was just foolishly clever. All of you have such great abilities—only I am stupid.”
“Shaoshang!” Yuan Shen stepped forward urgently. “I know you have deep feelings with the Empress, but deposing the Empress is not something you can interfere with. You must not…”
Shaoshang waved her hand to stop him from continuing. Before her eyes floated the Empress’s behavior just now, so different from usual. She finally understood.
She said softly: “You’ve got it wrong. It’s not His Majesty wanting to depose the Empress—I’m afraid the Empress herself no longer wishes to remain in Changqiu Palace. The position of Empress and position of Crown Prince are like two blades suspended overhead for decades. She’s also tired.”
Yuan Shen froze: “What did you say!”
“I’m going home. I’m also tired. Don’t follow me…” Shaoshang walked forward on her own.
Yuan Shen stared blankly as the girl gradually walked away, then suddenly came to his senses and ran after her.
…
In the inner chamber of the Emperor’s sleeping quarters, the Emperor and Empress were still in confrontation. The Emperor sat down heavily and sighed: “Why do you do this to yourself?”
The Empress slowly walked away a few steps: “My entire life I’ve been pushed along by others. There are many things I clearly knew were wrong, yet I still went with the flow. Initially I knew you were already married, but when uncle told me to marry, I married. Later when you wanted to establish me as Empress, I looked at the court filled with Jing’an merit officials. I knew this Empress position was covered in thorns, but I still accepted the investiture.”
The Emperor said irritably: “None of that was your fault! You were a helpless woman without support—how could you make your own decisions!”
The Empress continued speaking faintly: “Later when Your Majesty established Zikun as Crown Prince, I couldn’t say I wasn’t secretly pleased. No matter how unwilling Your Majesty’s hometown merit officials were to see me sit in the Empress position, in the future they would still have to serve my son as sovereign! As long as I endured, eventually the clouds would part and mists disperse. But later as Zikun slowly grew up, I watched him day by day increasingly resemble my father. I knew then the clouds and mists would never disperse…”
The Emperor sighed deeply.
The Empress turned around: “I knew long ago that many pillar ministers didn’t like us mother and son. But if Zikun could be wise and intelligent like Your Majesty, or bold and strong like Third Prince, I believed his position as Crown Prince could be secure… But of all things, he resembles my father!”
Before her eyes floated the kind and carefree countenance of the early-departed Grand Duke Xuan. For a moment her heart filled with sorrow.
“I truly, truly never disdained Zikun. He just sat in the wrong position.” The Empress continued. “He should be like my father—building a house and opening gardens in the mountains, daily brewing wine and reading books, peaceful and joyful with wife and children, occasionally traveling to visit friends, writing poetry and composing verse, authoring books and establishing doctrines. If so, he too could have virtue and fame spread far like my father, with everyone praising him. But he became Crown Prince instead—sitting upon sword blades and edges, unable to eat or sleep peacefully each day…”
The Emperor sighed deeply again.
“My father yielded vast family wealth purely from true heart. I think in Zikun’s heart, he also wishes to yield the Crown Prince position.” The Empress sighed. “But if we depose Zikun, wouldn’t the second son be next? The second son is even worse than Zikun—at least Zikun is benevolent and kind-hearted. Therefore, Your Majesty, you should depose me instead, then establish Yue Heng as Empress. Then Ziduan can naturally and properly enter the Eastern Palace.”
“Shenan!” The Emperor called out, his brows filled with conflicted struggle. “You, don’t speak like this…”
The Empress smiled self-mockingly. “I’m an incompetent mother who didn’t teach the children well. The others have their own big ideas and don’t need my care—only Zikun. If Your Majesty wants to depose the Crown Prince, you must attach crimes to his name. I truly cannot bear it. Better to depose me. After a year or two, let Zikun resign the Crown Prince position himself in the name of propriety being incompatible, and everyone will be happy.”
The Emperor struck the desk forcefully: “What ‘everyone happy’! I see the third prince is violent and cruel-hearted. If in the future he’s unkind to you mother and son, what then?!”
The Empress smiled: “Though Third Prince wasn’t born of me, I understand him better than Your Majesty—he never shows leniency due to kinship, nor does he bear grudges without cause. So Your Majesty needn’t worry about the Yue family’s power becoming too great and causing future troubles with imperial in-laws, because with Ziduan, no relatives are useful. Your Majesty also needn’t worry Ziduan will be harsh and ungracious—actually in his bones he’s kindhearted like Your Majesty and will certainly treat us mother and son well.”
“But you’ve had no fault these decades—how can I depose the Empress!” The Emperor cried out in pain.
The Empress smiled: “Say that I harbor resentment and grudges, that I have the style of Empress Lü and the Huo clan.”
“Shenan!” The Emperor suddenly stood up.
“These words actually aren’t false. Over these decades, whenever I’ve seen Your Majesty with Yue Heng together, it’s been like insects and ants gnawing at my heart. When I truly become Empress Dowager, everything will be hard to say.”
The Empress looked directly at the Emperor: “Only by deposing me can the Crown Prince be extricated without fault, and can the second prince and three younger princes give up on the throne. Once they give up, they can live smoothly.”
She prostrated herself in obeisance, saying word by word: “Please, Your Majesty, fulfill a mother’s wish.”