Chapter Sixty-One
The usually deserted Funing Palace had become the busiest place in the entire palace that night. Cui Lanyin had long since lost count of how many groups had come knocking at the gate.
At first, they had come under the pretext of asking to see Empress Dowager Chen and pay their respects to Emperor Xuanning. When no one inside Funing Palace paid them any attention, the people who came afterward simply drew their weapons and tried to force their way in.
Only then did Cui Lanyin witness the true strength of the Dark Qilin Guards. Chilin coordinated matters from the center, while the four Dark Qilin Guards under his command each held one side, guarding Funing Palace as tightly as an iron fortress. Wave after wave of attackers came, only to be beaten back in disgrace.
That was only because Chilin and the others refused to leave Funing Palace, merely driving the attackers away instead of pursuing them. Otherwise, corpses would probably have been piled high all around the palace.
Most surprising of all was Qian He. He, too, had drawn a long sword and leaped over the wall, joining the Qilin Guards in battle.
Chilin could not help giving a low whistle. “Uncle Qian, your skills haven’t declined at all!”
Qian He raised his brows with a grin. “Of course not. I didn’t earn the title ‘the Little Tyrant of Yancheng’ for nothing.”
Seeing that Chilin still had the leisure to joke around, Aunt Xia and Aunt Gao knew that Prince Wei’s side had not yet reached a crisis point, and their hearts settled.
Aunt Gao turned and laughed. “No wonder Qian He is so fond of Second Miss. One is ‘the Little Tyrant of Yancheng,’ and the other is ‘Cui the Second Fierce One of Yingcheng.’ Naturally, they’re of a kind.”
Everyone was amused by her words, and the tense atmosphere in the hall eased considerably.
Before long, another fierce assault began. The attackers were clearly growing desperate, using every method at their disposal. Oil-soaked arrows wrapped in flames came raining in like a dense swarm, setting several places within Funing Palace ablaze. Qian An led the palace eunuchs in carrying water to put out the fires.
Aunt Xia pointed toward the west. “Is it coming from that direction?”
Empress Dowager Chen instead broke into a broad smile. “It seems Prince Wei has things under control.”
Even the mention of Empress Dowager Li did nothing to dampen Empress Dowager Chen’s good mood. Seeing that Aunt Gao and Aunt Xia were puzzled, she explained kindly, “She cannot bear to see Prince Wei ascend. If Prince Wei had not secured victory, she would not be in such a hurry to put me to death. After all, she still wanted to watch me look up to her supreme dignity day after day, suffering through my resentment and anguish here in Funing Palace.”
Cui Lanyin understood as well. Once Prince Wei took the throne, Empress Dowager Li would once again rank below Empress Dowager Chen. All the schemes she had spent so many years plotting would return to where they had begun. That was something Empress Dowager Li could never tolerate.
No sooner had Empress Dowager Chen finished speaking than another wave of cries and shouts arose outside Funing Palace. They thought the attackers had summoned reinforcements and were about to throw all their strength into breaking in. Then they heard Chilin call out loudly, “Cui Su, what brings you here?”
Qian He’s hearty laughter followed. “Well done, boy! You handle that saber beautifully. The Cui family is about to produce a fine warrior.”
Cui Su’s voice rang out, still carrying the buoyant spirit of youth. “I’ve finished my part. His Highness sent me to escort Her Majesty the Empress Dowager over.”
Cui Lanyin joyfully took Empress Dowager Chen’s arm. “Empress Dowager, that’s my younger brother. There’s no trouble on Prince Wei’s side anymore.”
Empress Dowager Chen patted her hand. “Good. Let’s go.”
Qian An had already put out the fires that had started outside Funing Palace. The palace eunuchs were busy dealing with what remained, while he led men around to light all the lanterns. Their glow, together with the firelight in the distance, illuminated everything in the courtyard.
When they reached the front hall, dark-red blood was still dripping from the palace wall. The choking smell of smoke mingled with the stench of blood, making Cui Lanyin feel dizzy. This was the first time she had faced such a bloody scene directly. It would have been a lie to say she was not afraid.
As the area outside Funing Palace grew quiet, the sounds of fighting throughout the palace city gradually weakened as well. Palace guards began directing the eunuchs to put out the fires in various places.
When she saw Cui Su approaching with a saber held across his body and his robes stained with blood, she needed no one to tell her how difficult a battle he had endured.
Cui Su came forward to bow, but Empress Dowager Chen stepped forward and stopped him.
“Good child, you’ve worked hard. We’re family—there’s no need for such empty formalities.”
Though she had just been joking with Chilin, Cui Lanyin could not keep from worrying when she saw Cui Su in that state.
“Are you hurt?”
Cui Su tugged his robe straight, which had been slashed open in several places, and grinned. “No, I’m fine.” In the end, he was still young, and he could not resist boasting a little. “Second Sister, His Highness had me lead a force to guard the Meridian Gate. I held it. No one managed to get past my blade and through the Meridian Gate.”
“Good, good. The future of the Cui family’s main branch will depend on you,” Empress Dowager Chen praised him first.
Cui Su looked full of energy and showed no sign of injury. Cui Lanyin’s tongue circled around the question before she finally asked it. She already knew that if Cui Su was like this, Prince Wei must surely be safe, but she still asked, “And how is Uncle?”
“His Highness is doing wonderfully.” At the mention of this, Cui Su grew even more animated. “At first, when His Highness dispatched everyone elsewhere and left only a few men in the Benyuan Palace, I kept wondering whether all our efforts would be wasted if the palace fell.
“Everyone said His Highness was an exceptional martial artist, but I had never seen it for myself. Now I’ve finally had my eyes opened. It was incredible. If His Highness had not deliberately allowed those people inside, they wouldn’t even have made it near the Benyuan Palace.”
“Now you understand?” Chilin cut in from the side. “All of us together wouldn’t be a match for His Highness.”
Empress Dowager Chen nodded. “Whatever he sets his mind to learning, he must master to the highest level. There are probably very few people in this world who can equal him.”
Now that she knew Prince Wei had the situation under control, Empress Dowager Chen did not question Cui Su any further. When Qian He went to the back and returned with a bundle, she took his arm and prepared to go to Benyuan Palace.
This was not something she ought to take part in, so Cui Lanyin stepped aside.
But Empress Dowager Chen beckoned to her. “You’re coming too.”
“Me?” Cui Lanyin stared in surprise, then pointed at her own nose. “Shouldn’t I stay out of this?”
“From now on, your uncle will be the one in charge. What are you afraid of?” Empress Dowager Chen declared boldly. “Otherwise, I’ll have to explain everything to you later. You may as well hear it all now.”
It sounded as though they were going to settle old scores that had accumulated over many years. But wasn’t Emperor Xuanning still supposed to have some time left? How had Prince Wei already become the one calling the shots?
Cui Lanyin still wanted to see with her own eyes whether Prince Wei was truly all right. She went over and supported Empress Dowager Chen, and the group set off for Benyuan Palace.
Chilin had originally asked Empress Dowager Chen to ride in a palanquin, but she refused.
“I haven’t come out for a stroll in a long time. Tonight is the perfect chance to enjoy the scenery.”
To avoid the corpses and the stench of blood, Qian He led them through narrow lanes and passageways. Even so, they were still occasionally blocked by bodies. Cui Su led men ahead to clear the way, and the group eventually reached Benyuan Hall without too much trouble.
On the white marble terrace before the hall, Prince Kang and more than a dozen men who appeared to be military commanders were bound and kneeling. Prince Kang kept his head lowered, his face ashen. He seemed utterly unresponsive to everything around him.
Hearing the commotion, Gufeng came out from inside.
Empress Dowager Chen asked suspiciously, “Is this everyone? No one else?”
Gufeng lowered his voice. “Those are the ones whose involvement has been uncovered—Prince Kang and the second branch of the Li family. His Highness has already sent men to arrest the members of the Li family’s second branch.”
Empress Dowager Chen seemed to have expected this. “They only know how to scheme in the shadows. Now that they’ve lost their shield, let’s see where they can hide next.”
Cui Lanyin knew that Empress Dowager Chen was referring to the main branch of the Li family. In truth, she did not believe Chief Minister Li was innocent either. It was simply that Chief Minister Li was exceptionally slippery.
" What did His Majesty say?"
"His Majesty has fainted. The imperial physician just gave him acupuncture and said he will wake up for a while shortly. Prince Wei has already sent people to summon all the Grand Secretaries and the heads of the six departments."
Empress Dowager Chen was taken aback, "How could this happen?"
Gufeng said, "His Majesty secretly took more alchemical pills behind everyone's back, and then flew into a violent rage, worsening his condition. The imperial physician said that even the best medicine can't save him now."
They had already arrived outside the Eastern Pavilion Gate, which was the bedchamber of Emperor Xuanning. After entering, Prince Wei, Prince An, and Prince Ping were all in the outer room. The door leading to the inner bedchamber was open, and one could see imperial physicians standing guard inside.
The room reeked of strong medicinal soup. After smelling the stench of blood all the way, the usually suffocating smell of the medicinal soup did not feel so unbearable anymore.
Seeing Cui Lanyin following beside Empress Dowager Chen, Prince An and Prince Ping, who wore faces full of grief, froze for a moment. Glancing at Prince Wei and seeing he had no objection, the two stepped forward to pay their respects, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Chen responded with a "hmm", then walked over to sit on the sandalwood carved dragon cloud couch by the window, and asked Prince Wei, "When will he wake up?"
Prince Wei replied, "Any moment now."
Noticing that Cui Lanyin was still standing, he pointed at the chair next to the couch and tapped a finger on its back. Cui Lanyin, who knew he was so irritated that he did not even feel like speaking, obediently went over and sat down. Prince Wei then took a seat on the chair beside her, and Cui Lanyin could feel the restlessness rolling off him that he was barely holding back.
Not caring what others might think, Cui Lanyin stood up and said, "Cousin Uncle, I'll go cool a handkerchief for you to wipe your face."
"Mm," Prince Wei replied.
"His Royal Highness is completely worn out. He hasn't slept for two days straight," Gufeng said hurriedly as he led Cui Lanyin to the tea room. She soaked two handkerchiefs in cold water there before returning.
Prince Wei took one and wiped his face. Cui Lanyin folded the other handkerchief into a rectangle and laid it on his forehead. Seeing Prince Wei letting her do as she said without a word, Prince An and Prince Ping could not help but glance over at Cui Lanyin several more times.
A moment later, Prince Wei took the handkerchief off, and his face no longer looked as icy and frosty as it had before.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside. Gufeng poked his head out to check, then came back and reported, "Chief Minister Li has escorted Empress Dowager Li here."
Empress Dowager Chen glanced at Prince Wei, "You summoned her?"
"Yes, it's better to get everything cleared up at once," Prince Wei said as he closed his eyes.
"Indeed," Empress Dowager Chen agreed, then closed her eyes too to rest.
The door was pushed open. A refined man in his forties supported a delicate, frail old woman as they walked in. They were Chief Minister Li and Empress Dowager Li, no doubt.
Empress Dowager Li looked nothing like Empress Dowager Chen. Cui Lanyin had seen the portrait of Empress Dowager Chen in her youth, who had been a bright, magnanimous beauty.
Empress Dowager Li, on the other hand, must have taken great care of herself over the years. One could still catch glimpses of her old appearance on her face — the kind of beauty so delicate and timid she seemed as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
Cui Lanyin had to admit even if she did not want to that she and Empress Dowager Li were the same type of beauty. That was why the first time she went to Funing Palace, Empress Dowager Chen had shown obvious dislike towards her.
Prince An and Prince Ping stepped forward to greet Empress Dowager Li. After accepting their salutes and telling them to step aside, Empress Dowager Li did not even glance in their direction, and rushed towards the inner room sobbing, holding a handkerchief to her face.
"My son, how could you end up like this? I went through so much hardship to give birth to and raise you, how could you make a white-haired person send a black-haired person to their grave... My son, wake up, you can't leave so confused..."
"His Majesty needs quiet right now. Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, please wait a moment," a voice advised.
"You insolent eunuch, where is Guangsheng? Why isn't he here waiting on His Majesty?" Empress Dowager Li snapped, then asked, "Aren't you Wen Song from Consort Yao's palace?"
"Your Majesty has a sharp eye," the eunuch acknowledged.
Cui Lanyin guessed that Prince Wei had transferred the chief eunuch who had served in Consort Yao's palace back then to work here. This Wen Song would probably replace Guangsheng, the personal eunuch of Emperor Xuanning, and become the top eunuch in the palace from now on.
Before Empress Dowager Li could fly into another rage, Grand Secretary Shen and the other four Grand Secretaries, along with all the department heads, arrived one after another.
Following them came Empress Xu, then Concubine Li Shu and Prince Duan, plus all the other imperial concubines and the underage imperial children.
The moment everyone was gathered, Emperor Xuanning woke up.
He looked past Empress Dowager Li, who was weeping nonstop before him, and called out, "Is the Empress Dowager here?"
Empress Dowager Chen walked in slowly, supported by Prince Wei, "I've come to see you off. Let's end this properly, as it began."
"Good." Emperor Xuanning motioned for Wen Song to take the imperial edict out from under his pillow. "The edict that passes the throne to Prince Wei is right here. I hope Mother will also agree to my request..." His eyes turned to Empress Dowager Li and Chief Minister Li.
Everyone present could see that even at his deathbed, Emperor Xuanning still wanted to protect Empress Dowager Li and the Li family.
In his eyes, after what had happened that night, the Li family had already lost a major pillar, which was more than enough of a lesson. They would surely behave themselves and be loyal subjects from then on.
Empress Dowager Chen looked around the room and let out a soft chuckle, "I think you've got this all wrong. The throne was Prince Wei's to begin with, not some favor you are generously granting him."
As soon as she said that, Grand Secretary Shen and all the other ministers stared at her in shock. Chief Minister Li had already suspected something vaguely before, but now that she said it so firmly, he could no longer keep his calm composure.
Empress Dowager Chen said in a solemn voice, "Qian He, bring out the documents and show them to His Majesty, the Grand Secretaries, and the department heads."
Qian He untied his bundle and unfolded the two secret edicts inside. After seeing the contents clearly, all the ministers gasped in surprise. Then they looked at Emperor Xuanning with a complex mix of sympathy, pity, and a sense that his fate was both sad and absurd.
Emperor Xuanning stared at the edicts for a long time, his face a twisted mix of a smile and tears. "Then what was all of this for? What was I?"
Ever since he found out that the Linwei Guard was the backup force Emperor Gaozong left for Empress Dowager Chen, and witnessed the formidable fighting power the Linwei Guard possessed, he knew that with such a force under her control, anyone other than Prince Wei who sat on the throne would have endless trouble.
Emperor Xuanning knew he had no other choice. Besides, he himself did not want the next emperor to get close to the Li family again. Prince Wei had always kept the Yao family at a respectful distance, which made him the most suitable candidate.
He had been dragging his feet all this time, just wanting to make Prince Wei agree to let Consort Yao be buried together with him in his final moments.
In fact, Emperor Xuanning had already drafted the edict passing the throne to Prince Wei a month earlier. But at the very last moment, facing Empress Dowager Li, his own biological mother, and Chief Minister Li, his cousin who had grown up with him, his heart softened. He had hoped he could leave this world without anyone falling out.
But the truth was so unbearable for him to face. The two secret edicts in Empress Dowager Chen's hands, one was left by the founding Emperor Taizu of the Great Ying Dynasty, the other by Emperor Gaozong.
It turned out that the Hidden Lin Guard was secretly created by Emperor Taizu back then, as a powerful backup force left for his descendants. The Hidden Lin Guard, a force of one hundred and eight elite warriors over three generations, could move freely in and out of the imperial palace. With such a force at their disposal, even if the kingdom fell, they could stage a comeback.
Emperor Taizu left a secret edict that the Hidden Lin Guard was to remain unknown to the public, and only the reigning emperor could be informed of its existence. So he, who had never even known the Hidden Lin Guard existed, had no legitimate claim to the throne at all.
And then there was Emperor Gaozong, who had named him crown prince. His succession to the throne had been completely undisputed. But behind his back, he handed the Hidden Lin Guard over to Empress Dowager Chen.
Just because he felt guilty towards Empress Dowager Chen, he had put his own son, the rightful heir to the throne, in such an awkward position.
He does not even hold the power to choose his own successor. Whoever Empress Dowager Chen picks will take the throne. Everyone praises Emperor Gaozong as a wise and virtuous ruler, but where is the wisdom? Where is the virtue? A rush of iron-tasting sweetness rose in his throat, and Emperor Xuanning spat out a mouthful of blood. He asked over and over, "What am I even worth?" Alright alright, Qiqi is about to become the emperor now. Just what kind of state will that old mansion end up burned down into? [grin]
