Chapter 103 Year...

Yan Chao stood before the imperial couch and reported the results of the court discussion to the emperor.

The emperor was in a daze, his head bowed and eyes closed, being served by eunuchs as he washed up. When Yan Chao mentioned the people who had entered the cabinet, the emperor suddenly raised his head slightly, lifted his swollen eyelids, and revealed his dim and confused eyes.

"He Shu didn't go in?"

Three people were selected for the cabinet: Qian Mingyuan, Minister of Revenue; Zhou Shaoyun, Junior Grand Tutor of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and concurrently Academician of the Imperial Academy; and Jiang Shi, who had just been transferred from Minister of Justice to Left Censor-in-Chief.

Yan Chao replied, "I intend to promote He Shu to Minister of Personnel and concurrently Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, but he will not be allowed to enter the cabinet for the time being."

He paused, then explained, “Firstly, the former Minister of Personnel, Cao Ying, abused his power for personal gain, neglecting public duties for private reasons, leading to numerous malpractices in the bureaucracy. He Shu, upon assuming office, must single-mindedly focus on purging these problems. Secondly, the Ministry of Personnel is a crucial institution for personnel selection, holding the power to promote and demote officials. Adding the power of cabinet ministers to this position makes it too powerful. During the court debate, He Shu was indeed a strong contender, but he himself firmly declined the position…”

The emperor, feeling a headache coming on and his mind foggy, waved his hand impatiently: "In the end, it was all your own idea?"

"Yes." Yan Chao's eyes flickered slightly, and he readily agreed.

She is not the same as before. She always carefully ponders the emotions and deeper meanings in the emperor's words, deliberating how to interpret the current sentence and how to respond to the next sentence, striving to make sure that nothing is watertight.

After washing up, the palace servants withdrew one after another. The emperor took a deep breath, leaned back, found a relatively comfortable position on the soft pillow, then turned his head, squinted slightly, and looked Yan Chao up and down.

After a long pause, he let out a soft snort.

"They have big ambitions."

The emperor stared at her expression but didn't notice anything unusual. But when he spoke again, his tone was still somewhat contemptuous and sharp: "Trying to both check and balance, yet also trying to win her over; young and impetuous, insatiable greed."

He still looked down on her.

Yan Chao's eyebrows twitched, he paused for a moment, then lowered his eyes and said in a calm voice, "Please enlighten me, Father."

The emperor withdrew his critical and probing gaze, coughed twice with a frown, and said, "It's barely satisfactory. Since it's settled, there's no need to make any more trouble."

This is what "appropriate" means. The emperor's roundabout way of speaking was clearly just posturing, a way to vent his dissatisfaction with her. Yan Chao didn't bother to argue and nodded in agreement.

A short while later, palace maids brought in the food. However, the emperor was now critically ill and could not eat much, at most a few mouthfuls of porridge. His health was entirely dependent on medicine, and he was barely clinging to life.

Sun Shan entered. Yan Chao turned to the side, glanced at him, and was about to reach for the bowl on the plate when he said, "I'll do it..."

"You are not allowed to touch it," the emperor said coldly. Yan Chao paused, then had no choice but to withdraw his hand and signal the palace servants to take it over.

Sun Shan bowed and stepped forward to help the emperor sit up, then checked the temperature of the porridge. The emperor was dizzy and slightly out of breath, his vision blurring. He waved his hand haphazardly in the direction of Yan Chao, his lips trembling as he tried to speak.

"There's a supervising secretary in the Ministry of Personnel named Geng Tang." Yan Chao's heart tightened when he heard the trembling in Geng Tang's voice.

The emperor barely managed to steady himself and said, "To establish authority, one person is not enough." He then issued another decree: "Strip him of his official rank, revoke his imperial edict, and posthumously grant him the title of Sizong. His descendants for three generations shall be barred from taking the imperial examinations."

"Father..."

He trailed off, then deflated, saying weakly, "Tell Lan Huai'en to handle it. You keep an eye on the previous dynasty, pay close attention to everything, there's still a long road ahead..."

.

More than half a month had passed since Geng Tang's incident, and the emperor suddenly issued another imperial edict.

The officials were naturally indignant, but having learned from past mistakes, they dared not easily offend the Crown Prince. So they shifted all the blame onto Lan Huaien and successively impeached him for slandering the emperor.

Yang Ren, however, had long ago discerned the emperor's intentions and, after discussing with the cabinet ministers, blocked some remarks that attacked the emperor and the crown prince.

In this way, the only person in the eye of the storm is Lan Huaien. However, Lan Huaien has always had a bad reputation, and no matter how much people curse him, he continues to do as he pleases.

Yang Ren knew that the court would not be at peace for a while, and he would have to take action himself and subtly probe the crowd.

The emperor's attitude was so clear that even those who had been feigning ignorance were finally forced to wake up. In their dazed state, they opened their eyes to the controversy surrounding the crown prince, which, amidst the thick fog of uncertainty, erupted like a thunderclap from a clear sky. Everyone was shocked, yet it was not entirely unexpected.

The cabinet acted with increasing secrecy and caution, tacitly sticking together as a group.

That evening, Yang Ren and Chen Xiu finished their official duties and happened to be returning home together as they finished their shifts.

The sky was dark and gloomy; even without wind or snow, the night was still chillingly cold. The two put on their cloaks and hats, shedding their weariness, and walked on at a leisurely pace.

"I've noticed that Jianchu seems rather listless lately, and his spirits are not what they used to be. Is it still that he has a knot in his heart that he can't untie?" Yang Ren stared straight ahead, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Chen Xiu seemed to pause for a moment.

He coughed lightly and said, "When Lan Huaien delivered the decree, Jianchu seemed to have something to say, but in the end he didn't speak. There was a fierce debate between the two voices in the court, with the calls for a rebuttal even stronger. It's the cabinet's responsibility to suppress it, but ultimately it's my responsibility. You are also a cabinet member. If you have any opinions, you can speak them out so we can discuss them together. You can report directly to the Crown Prince, and His Highness will not ignore them. Besides, among the court officials right now, you are the one who holds the most weight in His Highness's heart."

"I know." Chen Xiu gave a wry smile, shook his head, and a few wisps of mustache stuck out at the corner of his mouth. "That's precisely why I can't say it."

"What you're saying confuses me."

Chen Xiu cupped his hands and turned to look at him: "If the Grand Secretary is muddle-headed, then there is no one in the cabinet who is clear-headed."

Yang Ren remained silent for a long time, then sighed softly and asked in a low voice, "Since you understand everything, what exactly are you arguing about? Last time, His Highness the Crown Prince visited your residence, and you returned to court. I thought you had figured things out..."

He suddenly became speechless.

Yes, this matter originated with the Crown Prince, so why should she hypocritically try to mediate? He's seen plenty of methods for eliminating dissidents; sometimes even he himself isn't entirely fair and selfless.

Yang Ren teased, "When did you start being so pretentious?"

"I...sigh..."

"Which of the officials in the Eastern Palace, including the cabinet, didn't wholeheartedly support the Crown Prince..." Although he said this, Yang Ren still thought of Meng Huai, and a feeling of melancholy welled up in his heart.

Chen Xiu ignored him and continued, "Last year, also in the dead of winter, Zichuan was imprisoned. He chose to commit suicide rather than implicate the Crown Prince. He sacrificed himself to leave the Crown Prince with a clean and pure reputation. He valued his posthumous name so much, and history records his upright conduct and noble character. He was a pure minister, and he hoped that Your Highness would also become a pure and benevolent ruler. But now, what is Your Highness doing? We are all watching her with our own eyes..."

A sudden gust of night wind rushed into his chest, choking him. He coughed, his teeth chattering, his eyes filled with despair. The rest of his words seemed to be snatched away by the wind, leaving no sound.

Yang Ren reached out and straightened his hat for him: "In the end, you don't believe the Crown Prince, you believe Meng Huai."

“I believe Meng Huai,” Chen Xiu did not deny it, but sighed and said, “Si Cun, I know that she is in a difficult situation and has many things she has to do, but, but I just feel very sad. As the saying goes, going to evil is like an avalanche, going to good is like climbing a mountain. I am afraid that she will go astray and one wrong step will lead to another.”

“I told you, His Highness will not ignore your advice.”

"But she has no way to turn back. If she takes a step back, it's a bottomless abyss. I'm just heartbroken; she's the child I watched grow up, carrying the hopes of so many people..."

Following Crown Prince Zhaohuai, Yan Chao was the hope of the entire Great Qi. On the day her identity was made public, he must have felt a sense of loss after all; the patriarchal ethics were there, and many people had wavered.

Chen Xiu turned around. In the vast darkness of the night, separated by layers of palace walls, he could no longer see the Wenhua Hall. He could only rely on his years of experience to estimate its general direction. Thus, the silhouette of that palace became clear in his mind before he could even make it out.

I traveled there day after day, each step taken with unwavering determination.

“You’ve never been this negative before.”

Chen Xiu shook his head: "I'm not being negative."

Yang Ren looked up at him, his tone calm and resolute: "Jianchu, your dilemma and contradiction stem from your indignation on Meng Huai's behalf. Do you think I don't understand your character? But Meng Huai is Meng Huai, and you are you. He chose to die for his principles, while you insist on going against the current, each following your own path. In officialdom, right and wrong are merely games, and purity and impurity are not swayed by the waves. So why are you so troubled by these things now?"

“We all understand His Majesty’s meaning. In any case, His Highness is of the Yan family bloodline. We have all witnessed his wisdom and talent over the years. If we were to summon the weak Prince Su back to the capital to succeed him now, it would only push the Great Qi into the abyss.”

"I'm not going to dwell on it. Si Cun, I shouldn't be."

Chen Xiu shook his cloak and strode forward. Yang Ren followed his steps, listening to him softly sing in a Jiangzhe accent:

.

Amidst the current swampy of government affairs, the Geng family's matter seemed insignificant. With the cabinet protecting the court officials, and the Eastern Depot always acting swiftly and decisively without leaving any room for maneuver, the outcome that Yan Chao witnessed was relatively peaceful.

However, Lan Huaien knew Yan Chao's temperament and was aware of the current situation, so she dared not hide anything anymore. After the matter was over, she consciously reported the handling of the situation to her in detail.

Yan Chao frowned upon hearing this, his expression turning reproachful: "His Majesty has issued an edict to confiscate property?"

Lan Huaien apologized, but still added, "The implication of His Majesty's edict was that not a single descendant of the Geng family should be spared, but I spared their lives..."

The emperor's intention was indeed to cause some commotion.

So, was it because of that phrase "the calamity of the Meng family"? Yan Chao lowered his eyes, pursed his lips, and said nothing more.

“Actually, no matter what the outcome is for the Geng family, it’s all the same to me.” Lan Huaien glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then stepped forward to get closer to her.

Seeing that Yan Chao still didn't react, he stared at her as she busied herself. She was focused on the memorial in her eyes, holding a pen in her hand, and occasionally furrowing her brows, clearly not listening to what he was saying.

Lan Huaien sighed, and after she put down the memorial, she took the opportunity to call out "Your Highness" and knelt down on the ground: "Your Majesty has long suspected me. The reason why Your Majesty has not killed me is because Your Majesty has entrusted my life to Your Highness."

December 29th, the 24th year of Xuan Ning.

Around 9 PM, news came from the Qianqing Palace that the Emperor was on his deathbed.

The imperial eunuch went to inform the Crown Prince first.

Yan Chao immediately woke up with a start, all sleepiness gone. He quickly perked up, not daring to relax for a moment. Since he had been mentally prepared beforehand, it wasn't too unexpected.

She calmed herself down and quickly changed her clothes. When she went outside, Wang Zhuo was already waiting.

Yan Chao felt slightly relieved and stopped him from bowing: "At this time, we don't need to be formal. I entrust the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Imperial Guards of the capital to you. Strengthen the security inside and outside the palace immediately. If there is any unusual activity, you can act first and report later."

Wang Zhuo remained calm, though a heavy weight seemed to weigh on his heart. He clasped his hands in acceptance of the order and departed.

Yan Chao's eyes were stern, and he was about to instruct Liang Lu: "You, the commander of the Five Cities' garrison..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a palace eunuch's urgent announcement: "Your Highness, Cheng Tai from the Eastern Depot requests an audience!"

Yan Chao was slightly surprised to hear that it was Cheng Tai, and nodded to let him in.

"The Grand Eunuch has sent me to report that the Five Cities Military Command has been temporarily taken over by the Eastern Depot. With His Majesty's imperial decree, the stability of the capital can be ensured. Your Highness, please rest assured."

At this point, the emperor had no energy to entrust the capital to Lan Huai'en. Yan Chao knew this and said calmly, "Very well, it is indeed easier for him to do things."

He then turned to Liang Lu and said, "First, summon all the Grand Secretaries to the palace."

.

The emperor lay stiffly on the dragon bed, his face rigid and ashen with a deathly pallor. He could feel his consciousness fading, yet he was unwilling to accept it, his eyes wide as he stared intently at the bright yellow dragon tent before him.

There is only one color in the world that fascinates him, drives him mad, makes him fall into depravity, and torments him.

His eyes were very sore, but he was afraid that if he closed them, he wouldn't wake up again, so he tried his best to keep them open. With each blink, his heart pounded slightly.

In a daze, he seemed to hear weeping outside. The emperor stammered out a few words: "Yang...Yang Ren..."

Someone responded. A moment later, an equally aged figure hurriedly crawled in on his knees, knelt beside the bed, and cried out in a sobbing voice, "Your Majesty... Your subject Yang Ren is here."

Upon seeing his face, the emperor regained some composure and managed to move a finger. Yang Ren immediately understood, stepped forward, and reached out to grasp it, but could clearly no longer feel any warmth.

After all, the ruler and his subject had been together for many years, so there was bound to be some affection between them.

Thinking back on the past few decades, although there had been occasional suspicions and criticisms, there had been far more gratitude for the emperor's patronage. He had accompanied the emperor step by step to the throne, from his youthful vigor to his impending death... and the emperor was even younger than him. Yang Ren's eyes reddened, and tears welled up in his eyes.

“Si Cun…” The emperor’s eyes were filled with tears, and his breath was weak. “Now, the only person I can trust is you.”

Yang Ren choked with emotion: "Your Majesty's grace will be forever remembered by me, and I will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

The emperor nodded almost imperceptibly and earnestly instructed, "With you here, I feel at ease in the court. The only thing I want to say to you privately is about the Crown Prince."

Yang Ren's heart skipped a beat. Suppressing his surprise and doubt, he hurriedly said, "Your subject respectfully obeys Your Majesty's command."

"Now that things have come to this, only Your Majesty..." The emperor was momentarily speechless, wanting to clarify, but he didn't know where Yan Chao ranked among the princesses. He couldn't even remember how many daughters he had, so he had to change his words on the spot, "Only Yan Chao is capable of shouldering this great responsibility. It doesn't matter that she is a woman. Among all my children, even the princes may not be as good as her. You have taught her over the years, so you know her better than I do."

Yang Ren agreed, his mind a jumble of emotions. Outside, countless people with their own agendas were anxiously waiting, hoping the emperor would change his mind and choose a successor before his death. And what about himself? His heart had always been with the emperor; he had dedicated himself to maintaining stability in the court to reassure the emperor, and perhaps had been somewhat negligent in other areas. Yet now, the emperor he considered his life's faith was about to pass away.

"There are a few points you must remember. First, if she gives birth to an heir, the father must be removed and the son kept. If there is no heir within ten years, you should make plans in advance. Whether it is Yantang or the son of Prince Su, bring them to the capital and educate them carefully so that they can be established as the heir apparent in the future. Second, if she shows any signs of causing chaos in the court in the future, you must also make plans. Do not worry about me; depose her if necessary. Third, if she ascends the throne, the world will surely be in turmoil. The voices of opposition will probably not stop. If, if one day, there are rebels throughout the world... if it really comes to the point of no return and the Great Qi dynasty is endangered, you..."

The emperor sighed deeply, "Consider it my fault for wronging her."

Yang Ren was truly grieved and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I understand. Everything is for the sake of the nation. Your Highness is always reasonable and will surely understand..."

The Emperor shook his head sadly, took a deep breath, and continued, "There is one more matter concerning Lan Huai'en. This man is wicked and cunning, and cannot be allowed to live any longer. However, it seems that the Crown Prince has some secret contact with Lan Huai'en, and I am worried that she is young and might be deceived by his appearance. After I pass away, you should mention this to the Crown Prince. If she hesitates, you should convey my imperial edict to eliminate this treacherous eunuch at all costs."

The cries outside gradually faded, and the emperor felt extremely tired; his pale face stiffened. Yang Ren covered his face and wept, involuntarily calling out, "...Your Majesty!"

The emperor's eyelids twitched, and he felt the lights in the palace gradually dimming, like the last rays of the setting sun. He said weakly, "Let them in."

Then came another rustling and chaotic noise, mixed with heart-wrenching cries. The emperor glanced sideways and saw that men, women, young and old were all present: Yan Chao, Consort Ning, Jing Hui, Chen Xiu, He Shu... whether he knew them or not, in short, all under heaven were his subjects.

He reigned for only twenty-four years.

The twenty-five years of Xuan Ning were so close, yet for him, they seemed impossibly distant. Tomorrow was Lunar New Year's Eve, a time for family reunions; the day after, the twenty-fourth year of Xuan Ning would have passed, ushering in a new year. But he couldn't wait...

Like any dying man, the emperor reflected on his life, his merits and demerits, his relentless pursuit, his lonely struggles, his exhausting efforts, and his anxieties about gains and losses...

All the flavors he had truly experienced seemed like they were just yesterday, but now, they were merely fleeting images in his mind before fading away.

All people and events have become fleeting memories.

Looking back, there are still so many regrets. What if he could do it all over again? He thought about it and realized he might not have done better, but he might not have done any worse either.

Perhaps it was because he was so indifferent to personal feelings throughout his life that Heaven punished him by not letting him even see his last reunion night.

The emperor suddenly remembered the days when he took elixirs, and he could still feel the strange fragrance lingering in his nostrils. His dream of immortality had finally been shattered.

Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand homes are lit up with lights. Heaven and Earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs.

A group of people were waiting for him inside the hall.

He asked, "Has the imperial decree been drafted?"

Refers to the will.

Yang Ren replied, "It's ready," and was about to read it to the emperor when the emperor shook his head, looked at the crown prince, and asked, "Is it appropriate?"

Yan Chao nodded with tears in his eyes: "Yes. Father, rest assured."

The emperor remained silent.

He glanced at Yan Chao kneeling before the bed, and suddenly tears streamed down his face. He struggled to raise a finger, pointing at her, but spoke to the crowd, his voice broken: "Gentlemen, you must do your utmost to assist the Crown Prince..."

Before anyone could pledge their loyalty, the emperor said to Yan Chao, "Crown Prince, go out and take a look for me... tomorrow..."

Yan Chao intended to crawl forward on her knees, but upon seeing the emperor's earnest gaze, she kowtowed in agreement, struggled to her feet, and retreated. Her steps were heavy, and the instant she stepped across the threshold, a sudden burst of weeping erupted within the hall.

Outside the curtain, there was an endless expanse of night, and under the vast sky, it seemed as if something had fallen.

A chilling wind suddenly ran through her chest, and her heart felt as if a huge boulder had sunk to the bottom. Her legs felt unsteady, and she stumbled and fell by the door.

Lan Huaien, who was outside, quickly helped her up when he saw this.

That night, within the Forbidden City, the Jingyang Bell tolled repeatedly. The deep and desolate tolling suppressed the joy of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new, and the palace, the capital, and even the entire Great Qi would soon be plunged into an atmosphere of sorrow.

The mountain collapsed.

Author's note: Note: ① This is from Su Shi's "Qinyuanchun: The Lonely Inn and the Green Lamp".