Emperors generally had few opportunities to retire early. The diligent ones handled state affairs; those with leisure were busy with the harem. The Great Zhou Emperor could be considered diligent, but tonight he was at the residence of Consort Chen, Xiao Mingrou.
From the Songs of Chu to Music Bureau poetry, the Emperor was quite pleased. “My beloved consort is truly worthy of being called a talented woman. In the entire harem, only you can discuss these matters with me.”
Consort Chen extended her jade-like hand with ginseng soup. “This concubine has only learned superficial knowledge and truly dares not accept the title of talented woman. Moreover, this concubine has heard that the Empress is well-versed in poetry, songs, and verse. Your Majesty is deliberately trying to please this concubine.”
The Emperor was momentarily stunned. “Indeed. When I was still Crown Prince and the Empress was Crown Princess, we often composed poetry together. She not only knows how to paint but can also play the zither beautifully. Back then, she was renowned throughout the capital as the foremost talented woman. However, after she became Empress, managing the harem and raising the Crown Prince and princesses, she never plucked the strings again. Even her poetry became merely ceremonial compositions for appropriate occasions. It’s just like me—the things I enjoyed in my youth somehow have no time to be touched anymore.”
“Your Majesty handles myriad state affairs daily while the Empress embodies virtue for the realm—this is quite understandable.” Consort Chen smiled slightly. “Unlike this concubine who has nothing to do but pass time by reading and writing.”
“Reading and writing to pass time is good—better than chasing butterflies and picking flowers.” The Emperor also smiled.
However, Consort Chen said, “What this concubine envies most is Female Official Song. Her abilities would not be inferior even among men. Every time I see her confident expression, it makes this concubine think involuntarily that women should be like this.”
The Emperor pondered slightly. “A woman like Mo Zi—one is fine, but two would frighten men. She has the talent of a national scholar, but after all, she has a woman’s body. Even though I appreciate her, throughout history Empress Wu Zetian, Princess Taiping, and Empress Wei were all precedents of excessively capable women bringing chaos to the nation. I think it’s perfect for her to be your sister-in-law—she can be a virtuous wife and good mother while her talents remain useful to me.”
Consort Chen replied, “Your Majesty has taken such care for this concubine’s second brother.”
“I’m not worried about Xiao Baiyu. He sought this marriage himself and should know to cherish it. It’s just that girl Mo Zi—recalling her unwilling appearance that day, I fear with her abilities she’ll still have tricks to pull. Both she and Yuan Cheng are unfathomable, unexpectedly producing shocking actions.” The Emperor was vaguely uneasy.
“Your Majesty, this old servant has urgent matters to report.” Eunuch Liu suddenly announced loudly, somewhat panicked.
The Emperor frowned and let him enter. “What is it?”
Consort Chen detected a trace of tension in the Emperor’s tone and couldn’t help becoming nervous herself.
“Military Captain Wu is kneeling outside Ziyang Gate, saying… saying…” Eunuch Liu stole a glance at the Emperor, his heart breaking out in cold sweat.
“Liu Ning, when did you start stammering? What did Military Captain Wu say?” The Qianniu Guard surrounding Yuan Mansion was under Zhong An’s command. His sudden request for an audience must be related to Yuan Cheng.
“Lord Yuan has disappeared.” After saying this, Eunuch Liu couldn’t help but lower his head and bow deeply.
“What?!” The Emperor was shocked and immediately stood up. “Say that again.”
“Lord Yuan has disappeared.” Cold sweat broke out on Eunuch Liu’s forehead.
The Emperor strode out immediately, completely ignoring Consort Chen beside him. “Military Captain Wu, summon him to the Imperial Study immediately to see me.”
Eunuch Liu acknowledged, beckoning a young eunuch to relay the message to Zhong An while he himself hurriedly followed behind the Emperor, not daring to slow his pace one bit.
The group had just arrived at the Imperial Study when Zhong An was already outside the door. Upon entering, he knelt. “Your Majesty, this humble servant has failed in his duty. Please punish me.”
“What exactly happened? Before punishment, I must know the cause and effect. Speak quickly!” The Emperor demanded urgently.
“Today Lord Yuan never left his study. Only his personal attendant went in and out a few times delivering meals and tea. But after nightfall, both were in the study, and no one came out again. At the hour of Hai, the lights in the room extinguished, but the attendant never emerged.
The guards sensed something was wrong and reported it to this humble servant. I also felt something was amiss, so I went to the study door and called for Lord Yuan. When no one responded, I pushed open the door only to discover the room was completely empty. I then led men to search Yuan Mansion twice but could not find any trace of Lord Yuan. Moreover, it’s not just Lord Yuan—everyone in his household has disappeared.” Zhong An’s hands were pressed to the ground, forehead touching the floor. This was a grave offense.
“The lights were extinguished at the hour of Hai, which shouldn’t have been long ago. Lead men to pursue him immediately.” The Emperor assumed Yuan Cheng hadn’t gone far.
“This humble servant has already mobilized the Capital Guards and ordered the city gates sealed. However—” He hesitated.
“However—he’s probably already left the capital.” The Emperor recalled Yuan Cheng’s intelligence. “His household is empty, clearly indicating he’s been plotting this escape for a long time.”
“It is this humble servant’s negligence.” Zhong An never imagined Yuan Cheng would flee.
“Though you were negligent, it was also my carelessness.” The decree wasn’t strict, thinking Yuan Cheng was wrongly accused and not restricting the freedom of others in Yuan Mansion. “His household had few servants to begin with. On normal days when nothing was happening, you could walk around and not see a soul. He entered the study early this morning with only one attendant going in and out—perhaps he found a way to slip out then.”
“This humble servant dares not make excuses for myself, but I truly don’t understand—the Qianniu Guard are the Emperor’s personal guards, each with exceptional martial skills. We had expert operatives planted in the mansion and surrounded it so tightly outside that not even water could leak through. There were no secret passages in Yuan Mansion. How exactly did Lord Yuan leave? Moreover, why would he leave? By leaving like this, doesn’t he admit his involvement with the assassination case and is thus fleeing from punishment?” Zhong An sighed with frustration. “Your Majesty believed in his innocence, yet he couldn’t grasp this trust.”
“If he were truly fleeing from punishment, why wait so long?” The Emperor dismissed the notion of fleeing from punishment, while suddenly thinking of something. “Where is Mo Zi?”
Zhong An was stunned. “Isn’t she at the Chief Minister of Justice’s mansion?”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes. “Go to the Chief Minister of Justice’s mansion right now and bring Mo Zi to see me. She was the guarantor. Now that the person has fled, I want to hear what she has to say.”
Zhong An received the order and left the palace, also dispatching someone to inform his close friend Xiao Wei.
Xiao Wei had already retired for the night. Hearing the news of Yuan Cheng’s escape, he was greatly shocked. Like the Emperor, he immediately thought of Mo Zi. In his haste to change clothes, he tore a sleeve and his expression darkened.
Lu Bi followed the commotion inside to look, gently dismissing the frightened maids before taking another robe for Xiao Wei to change into. “Second Master, what’s the matter? It’s rare to see you so anxious and worried.”
Xiao Wei thought for a moment and only said it was nothing. He avoided Lu Bi’s hands and fastened his robe and tied his belt himself before striding out.
Hong Luo only managed to curtsy to Xiao Wei’s retreating figure. Raising her head, there was no trace of him left. She frowned at Lu Bi who emerged from inside the door. “Rushing about so urgently in the dead of night—it looks unsettling. What’s wrong with Second Master lately? He seems restless.”
“Second Master went to the Chief Minister of Justice’s mansion.” Lu Bi was aware of everything happening in this courtyard.
“The Chief Minister of Justice?” Hong Luo covered her surprise and said in a lowered voice, “That’s where Female Official Song lives.”
Lu Bi remained silent.
Hong Luo bit her lip. “Although His Majesty granted the marriage, after all the wedding ceremony isn’t until year’s end. For Second Master to rush over to meet her isn’t proper.”
“Whether it’s proper or not isn’t for us to say. Besides, she’s Great Zhou’s foremost female official. The rules we women in the residence must follow cannot be applied to her.” The one saying this was Wei Liu.
“So what if she’s the foremost female official? Once she marries Second Master, won’t she still have to live in the Prince’s Mansion and follow its rules?” Hong Luo had no prejudice against Mo Zi; she was merely stating facts.
“That’s enough, stop talking. Everyone go to sleep.” Lu Bi turned and entered Xiao Wei’s room.
Hong Luo returned to her own room.
Wei Liu, however, coldly smiled at Lu Bi’s shadow reflected on the window. “Just wait. Your days of acting as the lady of the house in that room are numbered. Once she enters the door, let’s see if you can still pretend to be magnanimous!”
As for Xiao Wei, he rode his swift horse to the Chief Minister of Justice’s mansion.
The Southern Magistrate’s Guard captain hurried out to greet him, thinking Xiao Wei wanted to see his beloved. He teased with a smile, “They say not seeing someone for a day is like three autumns apart. Young General Xiao, are you serious this time, coming late at night to supervise whether we’ve properly watched over your bride-to-be?”
His words had barely fallen when another group of people arrived at a gallop, led by Zhong An.
Zhong An dismounted and said to Xiao Wei, “You got here so quickly?”
The Guard captain was also familiar with Zhong An. “What’s going on with you two, coming one after another?”
“Yuan Cheng fled.” Xiao Wei stated.
The Guard captain’s eyes widened. “How is that possible? The Qianniu Guard had both visible and hidden operatives watching. Where did he flee from?”
Xiao Wei pointed at Zhong An. “Ask him.”
Zhong An smiled bitterly. “The opponent is Yuan Cheng—anything is possible. As for where he fled from, I’d also like to know, because the people guarding outside told me absolutely no one went out today.”
“What about the lake?” Xiao Wei thought of water, then of Mo Zi.
“Two patrol boats watched around the clock. They all said the water surface was calm without anything suspicious—unless Yuan Cheng could hold his breath and swim all the way across. Of course, that would make him not human but an immortal.” Zhong An had asked everything.
“The person fled, so what are you two doing here?” The Guard captain was puzzled.
“Is Mo Zi in the mansion?” Xiao Wei asked.
“She is. Just last night she personally brought us wine and dishes.” Rare to encounter such a generous person.
Xiao Wei and Zhong An said in unison, “What about today?”
Seeing their extraordinarily serious expressions, the Guard captain stopped joking. “Though I haven’t seen her today, I can guarantee no one came out from inside either. After nightfall, I went up on the inner wall—the lights were bright with sounds of women’s laughter.” His task was to prevent Female Official Song from leaving the city, not to watch her to death.
When Xiao Wei heard his first sentence, his heart sank. He immediately charged inside like an arrow, kicking open the arched gate to the inner garden.
Zhong An followed closely behind. The two only saw that the garden already had no lights, pitch black everywhere, with a ghostly chill pervading—showing not half a trace of human presence.
Xiao Wei struck the old tree beside him, shaking loose fallen leaves everywhere, his breathing rapid.
“Baiyu, calm down.” Yuan Cheng and Mo Zi both disappearing simultaneously—clearly they left together. Was this an elopement? Zhong An told Xiao Wei to be calm, but he himself was also panicking—how to explain this to His Majesty?
Dark eyes without light intertwined with the shadows covering his face into obscurity. Xiao Wei stood there, watching the Guard captain summon his subordinate soldiers to light torches and search everywhere, watching Zhong An go in and out empty-handed with nothing to show for it. He didn’t move at all.
She left with that man.
She said he didn’t understand her, but did she understand him? How helpless and lacking in confidence must he have been to shamelessly request His Majesty to grant the marriage? He never knew before that he could so desperately desire to spend his life with a woman. Apart from her, his eyes could no longer see anyone else. She said he didn’t understand her, but he was working toward understanding her. Even approaching one inch or one fraction closer filled him with wild joy. He knew he was late, but she wasn’t yet married, so he wanted to fight for it once, even if it meant being despicable.
However, staking everything, in the end he was still the loser.