Liu Changbai had launched another remonstrance unto death!
Shen Chen and Xie Langyang held their breath in unison, stretching their necks slightly as they stared fixedly at the blood-soaked, elderly figure in the center of the hall. Neither dared even breathe too loudly.
In their previous life, it had been Grand Tutor Liu who, by threatening to die, had forcibly won the deposed Crown Prince a sliver of hope.
Emperor Shunyuan had already begun to soften and was prepared to pardon him. Had Wen Zhuo not invoked the old tale of King Mu of Chu, Shangchen, at the crucial moment and awakened the emperor to its implications with only a few words, all their plans would likely have ended in failure.
During the Spring and Autumn period, King Cheng of Chu favored his younger son and deposed Shangchen in order to install another heir. Resentful, Shangchen launched a rebellion. King Cheng begged for a bear’s paw so that he could delay his death, but his request was denied, and he was ultimately forced to hang himself.
Emperor Shunyuan’s health was gradually failing. His sons had all come of age, each forming factions and secretly cultivating his own power.
The events of the past weighed heavily on his mind. He feared repeating King Cheng of Chu’s fate.
Besides, the Crown Prince already harbored resentment. Who could say whether he would hold a grudge against his father if he were reinstated?
At the thought, even the last remnants of Emperor Shunyuan’s affection as a father were ground to dust. Only then did he abandon the Crown Prince completely.
Shen Chen and Xie Langyang exchanged a glance, and both saw anticipation in the other’s eyes.
They knew that roundabout, pointed argument by heart, but they would not step forward now.
Because Wen Zhuo was certain to speak.
The moment he opened his mouth, no matter how cautiously he phrased himself, the presence of so many officials and hidden observers at the victory banquet would inevitably arouse suspicion.
If Prince Xian, Shen Ting, and the former Crown Prince’s faction began to take notice, Wen Zhuo could no longer maintain his status as an isolated minister.
Emperor Shunyuan was suspicious by nature. When that happened, Wen Zhuo’s ability to aid Shen Zheng would be greatly diminished.
Shen Chen was certain Wen Zhuo would speak because plotting for Shen Zheng and plotting for him amounted to the same thing: the Crown Prince had to be deposed before anyone else could ascend.
Wen Zhuo had once told him that since seven princes were contending for the throne, it was better to share the gains than to let all sides suffer defeat.
Who would have thought that Wen Zhuo would say his piece in accordance with Emperor Shunyuan’s wishes, then bow and return to his seat, his expression calm and indifferent—as though the life-and-death struggle unfolding in the hall had nothing to do with him, and he was merely relieving the emperor of a burden.
Shen Chen: “?”
Xie Langyang: “?”
After sitting down, Wen Zhuo’s gaze fixed itself on the silver pot of mung bean milk tea beside his table.
He gripped the handle and rubbed it over and over, confirming that it was made of pure silver. Then he tucked it against his chest and stared straight at Emperor Shunyuan.
Emperor Shunyuan caught sight of him in that state but pretended not to understand. He turned his attention back to the center of the hall.
Blood streamed down Liu Changbai’s forehead, smearing his brows and eyes. He could barely speak, yet he still held his neck stiffly, hanging on by a thread of life and begging only for the emperor to withdraw his decision to abolish the Crown Prince.
He had once been the emperor’s tutor and had also served as the Crown Prince’s tutor. How could the Liu family’s glory as “tutors to two generations of emperors” be allowed to end here?
As Emperor Shunyuan looked at the resentment and obsession blazing in his eyes, he seemed to return, in a daze, to several decades earlier.
His elder brother had been assassinated and died, and he had been made Crown Prince in a crisis. All of his brother’s Eastern Palace officials had been transferred to serve him.
Those lecturers from the Hanlin Academy and officials from the Grand Secretariat always looked at him with disappointment they could not conceal.
By nature, he had been unrestrained and careless. He loved traveling through mountains and rivers, seeking immortals and pursuing the Dao—utterly unlike his elder brother.
Once, he could have lived carefree as a pleasure-seeking prince. Instead, he had been forcibly placed upon the Crown Prince’s throne and struggled to survive beneath the covetous gazes of his uncles and Liu Changbai’s harsh instruction.
They had worn away his nature, smoothed down his sharp edges, and crushed the last of his kindness, molding him into a calm and ruthless emperor who was merely adequate.
At first, he had thought he was only pretending, becoming the person they all wanted him to be. But at some point, he seemed to have truly become that person.
Now, as he looked at Liu Changbai lying on the verge of death, he felt not the slightest grief. There was only the relief of having removed a hidden threat.
If Liu Changbai could see him like this, would he feel gratified that he had raised a competent emperor, or regretful that he had personally strangled the last tenderness in the boy’s heart?
“Grand Tutor Liu slipped and fell,” Emperor Shunyuan said coldly after watching for a moment, his voice so flat that it held not a trace of emotion. “Physician, take the Grand Tutor away at once for treatment. Take the deposed Crown Prince with him.”
“Your Majesty!” Gong Zhiyuan was so shocked that the blood seemed to reverse in his veins, and both his cheeks twitched involuntarily. “The Grand Tutor was clearly remonstrating unto death for the sake of the Crown Prince—”
“Has the Grand Secretary grown too old to see clearly?” Emperor Shunyuan cut him off, his tone suddenly turning sharp. “The Grand Tutor plainly slipped and fell. If you cannot see properly, go home and rest. Retire and enjoy your old age!”
Xie Langyang’s mind went blank. He looked around in bewilderment.
Why had the emperor not hesitated? Why had Liu Changbai’s remonstrance unto death been completely useless this time?
He had not even seen Wen Zhuo say a single word!
He and Shen Chen had possessed the advantage of foresight and had already gained the upper hand. He had even been willing to sully his hands and personally murder Mo Shu…
Where had things gone wrong? Why had the situation changed so completely?
If Wen Zhuo had anticipated from the beginning that they would use Mo Shu, then he could never have allowed Mo Shu to enter the capital in the first place.
So Wen Zhuo should not have anticipated it.
Shen Chen thought the same.
The day they had encountered Wen Zhuo in the imperial city, the moment Wen Zhuo heard him mention Mo Shu, his emotions had clearly surged and his composure had fallen apart.
At least then, Wen Zhuo had been unprepared. Later that night, Shen Chen had gone to test Shen Zheng and Consort Liang, and reached the same conclusion.
Moreover, according to the palace eunuchs’ report, after Wen Zhuo had hidden Mo Shu in the Divine Timber Bureau, he had gone straight back to his residence. There had been no further movement.
Shen Chen was utterly unable to make sense of it. What was the crucial link he had missed?
The Imperial Medical Bureau’s physicians hurried forward and carried Liu Changbai away, though he still had one last breath left in him.
So long as he did not die in the hall—so long as he did not smash his head against something and die on the spot after remonstrating—the force of a remonstrance unto death would be greatly diminished.
At the same time, armored Imperial Guards dragged the despairing, broken Crown Prince out from behind the table.
Tears streamed down the Crown Prince’s face. His robes were disordered as he stretched a hand toward the throne and begged, “F-Father… Are you truly going to depose me? Please… for Mother’s sake, please—!”
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty, reconsider!”
“The Crown Prince has not fallen so far as this, Your Majesty!”
“I am willing to follow in the Grand Tutor’s footsteps! I beg Your Majesty to withdraw your decree!”
…
The Crown Prince’s faction watched helplessly as Shen Zhen was dragged away and still attempted one last desperate struggle. Unexpectedly, Emperor Shunyuan merely gave a cold laugh.
“Very well. I permit you to follow the Grand Tutor! The Crown Prince’s faults are all due to you teachers’ failure to instruct him and your dereliction of duty! Pass down my decree: every teacher of the Crown Prince shall be demoted one rank, have half a year’s salary deducted, and spend each day reflecting upon his mistakes!”
The moment these words were spoken, the hall fell utterly silent.
Gong Zhiyuan collapsed to his knees. A chill from the green bricks shot up through his knees and straight to the crown of his head.
The emperor had truly resolved to depose the Crown Prince. But why?
During the morning court, the entire Cao faction had been imprisoned, yet the emperor had shown no intention of abolishing the Crown Prince.
At the beginning of the victory banquet, the emperor had still been eager to celebrate with his officials. Why had his attitude become so utterly decisive in the space of barely an hour?
What had they done wrong?
Was it merely because they had failed to impeach Jun Dingyuan?
Gong Zhiyuan’s mind raced as he recalled everything that had happened during the banquet: Cao Youwei earning merit by atoning for his crimes; Luo Mingpu exposing Jun Dingyuan’s secret on the spot; the Divine Timber Bureau implicating Prince Xian; and the attempt to make the emperor wary of Prince Xian’s ties with border generals…
Based on his many years of understanding Emperor Shunyuan’s temperament, the emperor absolutely should not have let all of this pass so lightly.
Why did the Emperor place such blind faith in Jun Dingyuan, and even shield that Mo Shu, whom he had never met? There had to be some hidden reason—but what was it? What had he overlooked?
Gong Zhiyuan suddenly began to tremble all over.
The Divine Timber Works!
Why had it been the Divine Timber Works of all places? Why had it been the Divine Timber Works, which could implicate Prince Xian?
At the moment when life and death hung in the balance, a rope had suddenly dangled down from above. It looked like a lifeline, but was in truth a trap meant to ensnare him!
He must have let something slip while laying out his plans—or perhaps Prince Xian had learned of the matter even earlier than Xie Langyang and had turned the scheme against them. He had lured the Crown Prince’s faction into the trap, causing the Emperor to utterly reject the Crown Prince!
What a vicious plan. And it was also his own fault for making a mistake in his haste, cutting off the last path to survival with his own hands!
Once everything became clear, Gong Zhiyuan glared viciously at Bu Zhangyi. His eyes bulged with rage, his hair seemed to stand on end, and he wished he could tear the man apart and devour him alive.
Bu Zhangyi was startled by his glare.
Why had Gong Zhiyuan suddenly begun staring at him? Just moments ago, Shang Zhiqin and Prince Xian had nearly been successfully dragged into the mire. If not for the Emperor’s inscrutable mind and his decision to trust the Jun family, they would have been unable to defend themselves.
He had only just recovered from his fright. He had not even had time to celebrate the Crown Prince’s downfall before being fixed in the sights of that mad dog, Gong Zhiyuan.
Naturally, Bu Zhangyi did not pass up the chance to kick a fallen enemy. He looked down his nose at Gong Zhiyuan, gave a cold laugh, and rose while brushing off his sleeves.
“Today, the Crown Prince has lost all virtue and thrown the court into chaos. His Majesty has seen through right and wrong, refused to show partiality, placed the welfare of the people and the stability of the realm first—this is truly a blessing for the empire and a boon to all its people. We ministers are filled with admiration!”
The members of Prince Xian’s faction chimed in one after another. Shang Zhiqin, who had just been dragged into the affair, had the loudest voice of all. “His Majesty’s sacred virtue shines brightly! We ministers are filled with admiration!”
Within the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the air of bloodshed gradually dispersed as old and new powers traded places.
The former Crown Prince’s faction ground their teeth in hatred, yet they could do nothing about it.
Prince Xian was already brimming with energy, his face radiant.
After waiting all these years, he had finally seen the Crown Prince deposed!
Both he and Shen Zhen had been born to empresses, yet their father had made Shen Zhen the Crown Prince. He had harbored resentment over it.
Earlier, when Gong Zhiyuan had suddenly launched his attack, their father had ignored it and had even thoroughly rejected the Crown Prince.
This clearly showed that between him and Shen Zhen, he was the one who mattered more in their father’s heart.
The severity and coldness of the past had all been tests. He had endured them, and now his father was willing to entrust him with the heavy burden of the realm.
At the thought, Prince Xian’s eyes reddened and his heart softened with emotion. Surely it would not be long before he became the new Crown Prince!
Out of habit, Prince Xian continued to play the part of the virtuous son. He bowed and advised, “Today was meant to be an auspicious and joyous occasion, yet seeing Father Emperor angered by the Cao faction pains this son greatly. Why not restore the victory banquet to its original purpose, so that all the officials may share in the celebrations and sweep away their troubles? It would both soothe Father Emperor’s benevolent heart and ease General Jun’s earnest distress.”
Emperor Shunyuan rarely offered praise, but now he nodded. “Today is a victory banquet. The vermin in the court have spoiled everyone’s mood, and have also made you all—”
Emperor Shunyuan swept his gaze across the assembled court. Realizing that he had been too stern, he forced a smile with some difficulty.
“Look at you crying and kneeling, despite being grown men. What do you all look like? So long as you have done right by the court and the people, there is nothing to fear. It is not as though I eat people.”
As he spoke, Emperor Shunyuan hunched his back and leaned over the table, coughing several times in succession. His eyes reddened, and his breath trembled. Liu Quan hurriedly added more mung-bean milk tea, helping to soothe the Emperor’s throat.
Emperor Shunyuan waved away the cup. After enduring it for a moment, he continued, “Since I have punished people, I must also bestow rewards. Jun Dingyuan has guarded the frontier for ten years and suffered greatly. Now that the southern border is at peace, I hereby appoint him Commander-in-Chief of the Three Great Garrisons, to guard the capital in My stead.”
“Consort Liang has suffered through years of separation from her son and rendered meritorious service. I hereby elevate her to Noble Consort Liang, in recognition of her virtue.”
“Your subject, Jun Dingyuan, thanks Your Majesty for Your gracious pardon. I shall certainly prove worthy of Your Sacred Grace!” Jun Dingyuan knelt to receive the decree, his forehead touching the ground as he secretly let out a sigh of relief.
“Your concubine thanks Your Majesty!” Consort Liang broke into a tearful smile, her eyes filled with the relief of one who had finally endured her hardships.
The Marquis of Yongning also solemnly swept up his robe and knelt. “This old subject thanks Your Majesty for Your abundant grace!”
Once all the appropriate rewards had been given, Emperor Shunyuan truly had no appetite left for the meal.
As he rose with Liu Quan’s support, he spoke as if casually offering some guidance: “Having this intention is enough. Those of you born into military families may be poor with words; that does not matter. So long as you carry the realm and the nation in your hearts, I will naturally stand up for you. The upright ministers of the court will not sit idly by while you suffer injustice, either. Just now, we owe much to Wanshan for stepping forward and clarifying the principles of the law on your behalf. You should thank him as well.”
Emperor Shunyuan secretly took pride in the fact that Cao Youwei, Luo Mingpu, Gong Zhiyuan, Liu Changbai, the Crown Prince, Prince Xian, Shang Zhiqin—and everyone throughout the palace—had no idea that he had long known about Mo Shu.
Nor did they know that it was only because Liu Quan had casually pointed him in the right direction that Mo Shu had gone to the Divine Timber Works to search for materials for him.
Jun Dingyuan likewise did not know that the envoy from Nanping had once flaunted a secret treasure before Liu Quan and boasted recklessly. Every word had reached the Emperor’s ears without omission.
As the clearest-headed person in this tangled affair, he had long since seen through the schemes of every side. Thus, in the blink of an eye, he had been able to seize complete control of the situation.
The entire court believed that he was old, frail, and muddle-headed, never realizing that he remained the same emperor who could—
plan from the heart of the tent and see through the hearts of men.
“I am tired. I shall return to the palace and rest.” A trace of weariness colored Emperor Shunyuan’s voice, and Consort Liang hurriedly rose to accompany him.
Because of Jun Dingyuan’s achievements today, Emperor Shunyuan had deliberately not summoned Consort Zhen to attend him. Instead, he had Consort Liang at his side.
“Ah—”
A sudden, urgent call came from behind, sounding like a kitten whose tail had just been stepped on.
Emperor Shunyuan halted and glanced back. Wen Zhuo stood there holding up the silver pot that had contained the mung-bean milk tea, his eyes fixed on it with fiery intensity.
Emperor Shunyuan discreetly waved his hand and lowered his voice, turning his eyes away as though embarrassed.
“…Take it away, take it away, take it away!”
Liu Quan saw this clearly and hurriedly smoothed things over with a smile. “Master, it is only because the things in Your Majesty’s possession are so beautiful that Director Wen cannot bear to part with them.”
“Hmph. Wen Wanshan simply loves keeping an eye on what little property I have. One day, when I am displeased, I shall secretly order his household confiscated and have everything brought back here.” Emperor Shunyuan pretended to be angry.
Although he acted impatient every time, Wen Zhuo’s fondness for petty treasures actually put him at ease.
There ought not to be anyone in this world who was free of desire, flawless in every way.
Liu Quan played along. “His Majesty is only joking.”
After seeing the Emperor leave, Wen Zhuo casually tossed the silver pot onto the table and did not spare it another glance. Supporting one cheek with one hand, he let his gaze fall upon the gleaming black stone at his fingertip. Then he flicked it lightly.
The black stone shot into the air, only to plunge downward a moment later. It struck the table, rolled and wobbled along its surface to the edge, then dropped to the floor with a sharp clack. It continued rolling in a crooked arc until, in the end, it blended into the green bricks.
Within the noisy Hall of Supreme Harmony, some ministers were discussing matters animatedly, some were utterly bewildered, some were basking in triumph, and others hung their heads in dejection. No one noticed this tiny movement.
Like the blood spilled by a death remonstrance, the sweat that had seeped out, and the tears that had fallen, it would all vanish without a trace by tomorrow.
A composed, unhurried smile curved Wen Zhuo’s lips.
Slowly, he opened his left hand. Resting quietly in his palm was another white stone.
