Had it been in his previous life, Wen Zhuo would never have imagined that one day he would lie disheveled upon the imperial bed.
He had spent this lifetime immersed in the teachings of the sages, learning every rule of propriety and etiquette—but not a single one of them taught a man how to conduct himself upon the bed of the Son of Heaven.
At this moment, however, he had no leisure to dwell on such matters. Shen Zheng pulled the quilt down by an inch, revealing Wen Zhuo’s awkward, constrained eyes and the mouth and nose barely left clear for breathing.
The pale gold coverlet set off his fair, lustrous skin. His dark hair spilled over the jade pillow like a cascading waterfall, while only one tie remained fastened on his inner robe, hanging from his shoulder and ready to slip away at any moment.
Shen Zheng felt as though he were unwrapping a gift. Beneath layer upon layer of wrapping lay a delicacy beyond compare.
He gazed at Wen Zhuo’s brows and eyes and could not help sighing. “It has been a month since I was intimate with my teacher.”
At those words, Wen Zhuo’s heart softened. The hand clutching the quilt loosened slightly, unwittingly leaving Shen Zheng an opening. He shifted farther inward on the bed, making room for another person.
After all, this was hardly their first time. Though today’s location was somewhat unusual, he was already well acquainted with the proceedings.
Who could have expected Shen Zheng to take an inch and demand a mile? Seeing the quilt loosen, he simply reached out and swept it away, stripping Wen Zhuo out from beneath it entirely.
Wen Zhuo’s inner robe still hung loosely around him, but his lower garments had long since been removed. He stiffened in shock and blurted, “Shen Zheng!”
Realizing how improper that sounded, he hurriedly corrected himself. “Your Majesty…”
Shen Zheng laid his palm over Wen Zhuo’s knee and slowly stroked it, looking at him as he said seriously, “You may call me by my name whenever you wish, teacher.”
To him, forms of address such as Your Majesty or Emperor only felt more awkward. Even his habit of calling himself “I, the Emperor” was mostly an act.
The traces of more than twenty years in the modern world could not be erased by three years in the Great Qian. Though he had certain preferences, outside the bedchamber he only wished to face his beloved as an equal.
“How could I?” Wen Zhuo refused flatly.
“You are different from everyone else, teacher. I only like hearing you call me by my name.” Shen Zheng held his calf, lifted it, and pressed a kiss to the slender ankle bone.
A faint, tingling sensation spread through Wen Zhuo. Moved, he was about to sit up and embrace him.
But after kissing him, Shen Zheng let his fingertips linger over the ankle bone for a moment before speaking on his own. “Your health has always been delicate, yet you never know how to take care of yourself. At the slightest provocation, you fall seriously ill, leaving me worried day and night. I sought a gift for you, teacher. May you live to a hundred years, free from illness and calamity.”
Wen Zhuo’s lashes lowered slightly. Cautiously, he withdrew the hands he had been about to use to embrace Shen Zheng. If it was a proper gift, there would be plenty of time for an embrace later.
Shen Zheng produced a key and opened the small cabinet beside the imperial bed. From within, he took out a longevity lock.
The lock was carved with dragon and phoenix designs, and three exquisite little bells hung beneath it. With the slightest movement, they gave off a delicate, tinkling sound.
He had truly judged a gentleman by the measure of his own petty mind. It really was a proper gift!
Wen Zhuo immediately wrapped his arms around Shen Zheng’s neck and pressed his face against the side of his neck. “I will certainly take better care of myself from now on… Is this made of pure gold?”
Shen Zheng could not help laughing softly.
He had already learned from Liu Qiying that Wen Zhuo kept a small treasury beneath his bed, filled with rewards accumulated over the years—enough, by now, to form a small hill.
“Of course it is pure gold, since it is a gift for you. But you are not allowed to hide it beneath the bed. You must wear it every day.” Shen Zheng emphasized each word.
As he spoke, he gently kneaded Wen Zhuo’s calf and wound the fine chain of the longevity lock three times around Wen Zhuo’s left ankle.
A strange feeling arose in Wen Zhuo’s heart, but before he could examine it, he heard a soft click. The longevity lock had already been fastened securely around his ankle.
“Your Majesty’s gift does not seem to be quite so proper after all.” Wen Zhuo glanced sidelong at Shen Zheng.
Shen Zheng reached out and lifted him onto his lap. There was laughter in his eyes, though his tone was deliberately regretful. “If the bells remain silent later, then it is merely a proper talisman of blessing. But if they ring, we can only blame you for enjoying yourself too much.”
Wen Zhuo understood the purpose of the longevity lock at once. A thin flush spread over his entire body. He trembled lightly, shocked and embarrassed. “Your Majesty, how could you… be so outrageous?”
Shen Zheng wore a dark robe and golden-yellow lower garment, with gold-woven dragons coiling across his collar and sleeves. A jade belt was drawn tightly around his waist, and his attire was neat and immaculate, no different from what he wore in court.
Wen Zhuo, by contrast, looked utterly pitiful. Every scrap of clothing had been stripped away, leaving him with only the few inches of cover afforded by clinging tightly to Shen Zheng’s chest.
Daylight still shone through the translucent roof tiles, spilling into the chamber. Dragon’s-breath incense curled languidly upward, urging his heart to race.
Shen Zheng covered Wen Zhuo’s rounded hips with his palm, patting and stroking until they flushed crimson.
Then, unhurriedly, he lifted the protective panel of his robe and joined their bodies closely together.
The presence of him deep inside was unmistakable, yet Wen Zhuo kept lowering his eyes to stare at his own ankle.
The longevity lock seemed to have seized most of his attention. He desperately hoped the bells would remain obedient and not expose every stirring of desire in his heart.
Unfortunately, things did not go as he wished. Before long, the golden lock struck against his ankle bone, its clear ringing joining the sound of crashing waves until all reason was shattered.
At first, Wen Zhuo struggled to maintain his composure. Midway through, he abandoned himself to it. In the end, he thoroughly soiled the imperial robe.
He stared blankly at the robe he had defiled, a strange sensation arising in his heart. He trembled again, and scattered pearls of moisture splashed across the fabric.
Amid their tangled passion, the small cabinet—whose lock had not been properly secured—was kicked and knocked about. It suddenly lurched, sending a scroll of imperial edict tumbling out.
The scroll fell to the floor and unfurled, revealing a row of black characters.
Wen Zhuo returned hazily to his senses and hurriedly raised his eyes. He saw that this was the secret edict Emperor Shunyuan had issued to Jiang Ziwei, ordering that his life be taken.
After Shen Zheng had confiscated it, he had hidden the edict away. Wen Zhuo had never seen its contents before, yet now he happened to read every word.
“Wen Zhuo, Director of the Hanlin Academy, has deceived the imperial ear and led the heir astray. I despise him deeply and cannot tolerate him. I hereby issue a stern edict ordering his removal, so that the realm and dynasty of Great Qian may be secured. The Imperial Guard shall act upon My secret decree. Their loyalty to the sovereign and dedication to the state are beyond reproach, and their service is of immeasurable merit. As Crown Prince, you must place the realm above all else, distinguish loyalty from treachery, and see clearly what is right and wrong. You must not remain obstinate, shield your own interests, or wrong meritorious officials. Still less may you defy My will.”
Wen Zhuo lay sprawled upon the imperial bed, his lashes trembling. A trace of bitterness had only just risen in his heart when Shen Zheng turned him over.
The world spun upside down. The tide surged with sudden violence, and Wen Zhuo could not help covering his face as he wept softly.
“Your teacher still has the leisure to think about the late emperor,” Shen Zheng said in a lowered voice as he bent to kiss away his tears. “It seems I have not tried hard enough.”
Wen Zhuo’s hands were pinned above his head. One leg hung over the edge of the bed, his toes never touching the floor, instead resting limply against the soft silk.
He felt truly aggrieved. At this moment, he was committing the crime of presumption against the sovereign, trampling upon the late emperor’s edict, and being tossed helplessly amid the raging waves Shen Zheng had given him. How could he possibly have the time to think about anyone else?
By the time the sky darkened, dusk had spread throughout the palace.
Exhausted to the point of collapse, Wen Zhuo lay crookedly against Shen Zheng’s chest. His lashes drooped, and he drifted into an indistinct sleep.
Shen Zheng carefully lifted him, pulled his outer robe over him to cover him completely, and only then summoned the palace attendants to replace the pillows and bedding.
Once everything had been arranged, they lowered the bed curtains and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
They slept until the palace gates were locked for the night. Wen Zhuo opened his weary eyes to find the outer chamber brightly lit and the world beyond the window pitch-black. He abruptly sat up and cried, “I haven’t left the palace yet!”
Only after speaking did he realize that his voice had already turned terribly hoarse.
Half-awake and half-dreaming, Shen Zheng lifted his eyelids. He stretched out one long arm and pulled Wen Zhuo back into his embrace, his voice languid with sleep. “You are not allowed to leave.”
His palm began wandering over Wen Zhuo’s body again, sliding everywhere it pleased and tempting him without restraint. He toyed with him for a long while before finally settling down.
Wen Zhuo had been thoroughly worn out and, after lying back down on his pillow, soon sank into a deep sleep once more.
As with all things, one instance inevitably led to another. Before long, Wen Zhuo simply began dividing his time between the palace and the Wen residence as he pleased. The bed at the Wen residence had long since been widened as well, so the two of them could sleep side by side without ever again having to worry about being cramped when they turned over.
The fact that the Grand Chancellor often spent the night in the palace could not be kept secret forever—especially since Shen Zheng had never intended to conceal it.
The only reason he had not stated the matter outright was that changing conventional attitudes would take time. Besides, he could not bear to see Wen Zhuo’s talent and ambitions overshadowed by rumors of an affair and reduced to mere gossip for others.
Yet the officials at court were all shrewd men. From the day of Shen Zheng’s accession ceremony, when he personally helped Wen Zhuo to his feet outside the Hall of Heavenly Veneration and stood beside him, everything had already been made clear without a word.
That was an honor only an empress ought to enjoy, and it showed just how much Wen Zhuo meant to him.
The cleverer officials understood perfectly and pretended not to, never mentioning the matter.
But there were always a few stubborn traditionalists who, despite knowing the truth, insisted on charging headlong into danger.
Zhu Xiwen had a long face that was perpetually stern, as though the entire world owed him money.
Trembling his goatee and craning his neck, he widened his bulging eyes and spoke with earnest conviction, refusing to yield an inch. “Your Majesty has been on the throne for some time, yet the inner palace remains empty. For the sake of the Great Qian’s state and prosperity, I respectfully urge Your Majesty to begin selecting palace women at once, filling the inner palace and reassuring the court and the people!”
Taking pity on his blunt honesty, Shen Zheng did not wish to quarrel with him and simply rejected the request.
Who would have thought that two days later, Zhu Xiwen would submit another memorial, imploring Shen Zheng to establish an empress and continue the imperial line?
Shen Zheng felt somewhat impatient, but he still rejected it outright.
Yet Zhu Xiwen not only failed to take the hint—he grew bolder with every setback, sending memorial after memorial in increasingly solemn tones.
In the end, Shen Zheng simply summoned him before the throne. With a faint smile, he said in an indifferent tone, “Since the Grand Astrologer is so concerned about My heirs, why not adopt your son and give him to Me?”
Zhu Xiwen stared at him in shock. “What did Your Majesty say?”
Shen Zheng picked up the memorial and tapped it lightly against the imperial desk. “I see that you have raised him very well. Since you are even more anxious than the Empress Dowager, why trouble Myself? I will simply take your son.”
Zhu Xiwen panicked and stumbled over his words. “Your Majesty absolutely must not! My son is dull and useless. How could he possibly shoulder the responsibility of being an imperial prince? I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!”
Shen Zheng’s expression darkened, and his voice turned cold. “If you are unwilling to give him up, then your slogans are nothing but empty words. Leave! From now on, I do not wish to see any more memorials of this sort.”
With that, he flung the memorial down hard in front of Zhu Xiwen.
Rendered speechless, Zhu Xiwen could only pick it up with both hands and bow as he withdrew, deeply unwilling to accept the outcome.
The following day, Shen Zheng personally visited the Viewing Platform to inspect another Spring Terrace Go Tournament, where he happened to encounter Zhu Xiwen’s younger brother, Zhu Xibang.
The position of Grand Astrologer had not changed, and Zhu Xibang was still merely a minor official in the Ministry of Rites. The moment he saw Shen Zheng standing shoulder to shoulder with Wen Zhuo, he immediately bent at the waist and hurried over, his face wreathed in smiles and his manner exceedingly respectful.
“This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty. Greetings to Director Wen!”
After saluting, Zhu Xibang put on an expression of distress and heartache. “Your Majesty, my elder brother is simple-minded and stubborn. He submitted a few absurd memorials on a whim and caused Your Majesty some annoyance. I humbly beg Your Majesty to be magnanimous and not hold it against him!”
“Your Majesty is in the prime of life and devotes himself entirely to affairs of state, without coveting the comforts of the inner palace. This is plainly a blessing for the people of Great Qian! Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have governed with benevolence and shown compassion toward those in hardship. The people under Heaven have all benefited from Your Majesty’s grace. Who among them does not feel grateful and indebted to you?”
“As subjects, all we need do is follow Director Wen in relieving Your Majesty’s burdens and solving your difficulties, and our names will be recorded in the annals of history. From ancient times to the present, when has serving as an official ever been more comfortable and satisfying than it is today?” Zhu Xibang spread his hands and cast his narrow eyes over the officials gathered around them.
Everyone present lowered their eyes and hurriedly echoed his words.
Zhu Xibang beamed, his face round and prosperous. Then he turned toward Wen Zhuo and became even more eloquent, showering him with praise.
“And then there is Your Majesty standing beside Director Wen—one dashing and heroic, with an air of natural majesty, the other possessing a face of incomparable beauty and an elegance that stirs the heart. You are truly immortals descended from Heaven! Even the finest artist beneath this platform could exhaust all his skill and still fail to capture one ten-thousandth of the splendor of your imperial-and-ministerial pairing. This humble and unsightly frame of mine can only spoil such a magnificent scene. I therefore boldly beg leave to withdraw, so that I may join the common people in gazing upon Your Majesty’s sacred countenance and Director Wen’s immortal beauty!”
Having said this, Zhu Xibang scurried down from the Viewing Platform and truly did join the common people in praising how perfectly matched the emperor and his chief minister were.
Shen Zheng listened in amazement, clicking his tongue in wonder. He leaned close to Wen Zhuo’s ear and murmured teasingly, “I once thought Shen Chen was simply a tyrant, and that he killed Zhu Xiwen so Zhu Xibang could take his place. But now that I see him, perhaps Shen Chen cannot be blamed for everything after all. Zhu Xibang is far more pleasing than his brother.”
A trace of teasing glimmered in Wen Zhuo’s eyes. “But Your Majesty wishes to be a benevolent ruler. You will simply have to endure him.”
Shen Zheng’s self-control was indeed exceptional. He really did endure it, treating Zhu Xiwen as the punishment Heaven had sent him for the sake of a perfect life.
He did his best to respect Zhu Xiwen’s determination to record history with his brush. As for the endless remonstrances, he treated them as if they were nothing more than air, refusing to take them to heart.
Thus, the officials gradually grew accustomed to a remarkable sight.
The Grand Astrologer would clutch his brush, his goatee trembling and curling upward, and stride briskly about all day. Whenever he caught sight of the emperor, he would write with profound anguish, swearing to pass on every aspect of the dynasty’s character to future generations.
—On this day, after court was dismissed, the Emperor summoned Wen Zhuo into the inner palace. The two conversed together in intimate familiarity, discussing none of the affairs of state, but only such trivial matters as the flowers and trees in the palace gardens.
—Today, Wen Zhuo again spent the night in the inner palace. Laughter and conversation could be heard from Qianqing Palace. Though ruler and minister often held differing views and argued repeatedly in court, in private they were humble and respectful toward one another, living together in perfect harmony. Such a sight had never been heard of in previous dynasties and was exceedingly rare beneath Heaven.
—Wen Zhuo once again spent the night in the inner palace. The following morning, he rode with the Emperor to court. The Emperor personally straightened his collar, while Wen Zhuo lifted his chin and accepted the gesture as calmly as though it were nothing unusual. Such honor had never even been granted to the empress of the central palace. Having witnessed this with my own eyes, my heart is filled with anguish.
—Wen Zhuo spent yet another night in the inner palace. As the days passed, it had become an established custom. When the Emperor noticed that he was troubled by heat and sweating in the night, he personally fashioned a device to provide cool air and set it beside the bed, wishing only that Wen Zhuo might sleep peacefully without disturbance. This subject humbly petitioned that virtuous young women be selected for the palace to extend the imperial lineage. The remonstrance was rejected once more.
—A tacit understanding gradually formed among the court officials. Whenever someone offended the Emperor with a policy or was reprimanded for acting too rashly, that person would hasten to the Wen residence and beg Wen Zhuo to plead on his behalf. With a single word from Wen Zhuo, the Emperor would always listen and give the matter deep consideration. Yet Wen Zhuo had always shared the Emperor’s heart and mind, moving in perfect accord with him. Between ruler and minister, there was not the slightest rift.
