Chapter 11 All are guilty, but the guilt does not lie with me…

Lin Yu stood up.

When I opened the door, I saw a snowdrift as tall as a person standing inexplicably in front of the entrance.

Then, a raincoat was shaken out of the snowdrift.

A young woman emerged from the raincoat, her face like a silver basin, her eyes bright and clear, her legs slender, but her belly unusually bulging.

Lin Yuan hid behind the screen, peeking out with her eyes, watching closely.

The bulging part of the robe opened, and a round food box rolled out.

The heat hit Lin Yu's face, accompanied by the hot breath from the woman's mouth: "This is fried cake and pork bone soup, Master Lin, please try it."

Lin Yu took a step back and thanked him, "It's just unfortunate that I've already eaten."

“My nephew often says that Master Lin works hard teaching, and the academy is austere, with only two old women cooking for him on weekdays. Master Lin should take care of his health and eat more.”

The woman, familiar with the place, laid out the food box on the table.

A white mist immediately rose into the room, separating the two pairs of eyes watching the play from behind the screen.

Lin Yuan leaned out a little further.

Lin Yu stood in the mist, hands behind his back, smiling sheepishly: "Your nephew is very thoughtful. If he could put all that thought into his studies, he would surely become a doctoral student and rise to high office one day."

The words the woman heard seemed to be half filtered out by the mist.

A blush crept onto her face: "We owe it all to your teachings, and our family has no way to repay you."

It was as if the nephew had already put on the official hat and donned the court robes.

"So, hurry up and try this soup."

She rubbed her hands together and placed the lacquered dagger into Lin Yu's hand.

Lin Yuan's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but chuckle.

A suppressed laugh floated down from above.

Looking up, all I could see was Master He's elongated, bluish chin, trembling slightly.

When Lin Yuan turned her head, her hair bun scratched He Ji.

The laughter could no longer be suppressed, and it burst out from the tightly closed lips in a series of crackling sounds.

Lin Yu and the woman both turned their gazes in this direction.

"Ah Yuan, what are you grinning about?" Lin Yu said gently, waving the lacquered dagger in her hand at Lin Yuan. "Hurry up and have some soup."

Lin Yuan was stunned, only to find that He Ji, who was also behind the screen, had already disappeared.

He could only laugh awkwardly and slowly move away.

"This is Master Lin's..." The young woman looked Lin Yuan up and down.

Lin Yu gave a vague "hmm": "I just came from my hometown the day before yesterday. I haven't been feeling well these past two days, so I haven't had time to introduce myself to any acquaintances."

Lin Yuan glanced at her brother, understanding dawned on her, and nodded and smiled at the woman: "Ayu has been here all these years alone, thanks to the care she has received from her sister and the villagers. I should be the one to thank them."

Seeing that the woman's disappointment was hard to hide, she hurriedly searched her bundle, hoping to find a plain silver hairpin as a gift. But then she suddenly remembered that the hairpin and the gold ingot had been used to pay for the carriage fare from Yingchuan to Huaiyang.

After searching twice, only a jade hairpin with beads hanging from it rolled out of the package.

As she hesitated, the woman's eyes were already brightened by the light of the pearls and jade.

"Oh dear!" she said, addressing her as "sister-in-law" while accepting the jade hairpin without any hesitation.

Lin Yuan then learned that the woman's name was A Yao, she was eighteen years old, and she lived at the foot of the mountain near the academy with her father, brothers, and nephews.

Just as she was about to learn that when A Yao's mother gave birth to her, eight auspicious cloud shapes appeared in the sky, signifying that she would meet a good man and get married at the age of nineteen—as for the connection between the eight auspicious clouds and the age of nineteen, Lin Yuan had not yet understood this crucial point. A few words, "The night is deep and the snow is heavy, the mountain road is slippery, please be careful," came from Lin Yu's mouth after a long silence.

Only then did Ayao release her lingering hand from Lin Yuan, put on her dripping raincoat, and close the door.

Only when the sound of the half-open wooden gate in the courtyard reached them did Lin Yuan cross her arms and say to Lin Yu, "Tell me, how should I thank you?"

"Isn't this soup enough to thank you?" Lin Yu scoffed. "Eat quickly, it'll get cold soon."

“This is not enough. I lost a jade hairpin and was even called sister-in-law.”

"You helped me today, but who knows if you'll need my help someday?" Lin Yu patted Lin Yuan's head as she buried her head in her soup. He Jizheng emerged from behind the screen.

Lin Yuan chewed on the fried cake and scoffed, "Don't end up blocking all my suitors."

The next day, after her fever subsided and she felt refreshed, Lin Yuan pestered Lin Yu for half a day to let her go out.

He Ji, who came for a follow-up visit, couldn't stand it anymore and volunteered to take Lin Yuan down the mountain to see Nuo opera. Lin Yu reluctantly agreed and took her for a stroll around the academy.

Another night of snow fell, accumulating to ankle-deep. Lin Yu clenched her fingers, gave a whistle, and a white horse galloped up, crunching through the snow.

"By the way, I wanted to ask you this last time: now that you've made it big, where did you get such a fine horse?"

Under the clear sky after the snow, the horse's coat shone even more brilliantly.

Lin Yuan almost blurted out that this was comparable to the Ferghana horse she had seen in the Shanglin Garden stables before.

The Ferghana horse, true to its name, was as white as snow, though it was quite old.

However, Xiao Xun's face darkened, and he refused to let her ride. Instead, he casually pointed to an inconspicuous blue foal.

Therefore, she could not appreciate the dashing figure of the white horse.

Now her eyes are shining, and she's eager to try.

Even the weakness from recovering from a cold was completely gone.

"What's the horse's name?" Lin Yuan asked.

Lin Yu helped her onto the horse: "It doesn't have a name yet. Didn't you say before that you would name your brother's horse when he got one?"

Lin Yuan smiled broadly, pondered for a moment, and said, "How about we call it—well, Shengyun?"

Lin Yu touched her nose: "Ugh, too tacky—"

Lin Yuan pouted: "Surpassing Yun, how domineering!"

Lin Yu chuckled and patted Lin Yuan's head: "The most vulgar is the most elegant. Excellent."

He Ji leaned against the door frame, reached out and wiped the snow that had splashed onto his forehead from the horse's hooves, and said enviously, "This is a horse that the Prince of Huaiyang gave to Master Lin. It's a Ferghana horse. How could it not be good?"

"Brother, you have a relationship with the heir of the Prince of Huaiyang?" Lin Yuan asked in surprise.

“Sometimes when I visit, I’ll just teach him some poetry and books.” Lin Yu wrapped her arms around Lin Yuan’s waist from both sides and pulled on the reins.

"It wasn't Master Lin who entered the gates of the Prince of Huaiyang's residence, it was the young master who entered the gates of our academy!"

He Ji raised his voice amidst the horse's snorting and the soft rustling of the bubbles on its neck.

"But I've heard that the Crown Prince, like his father, is a womanizer and a drunkard? Yet he's also fond of poetry and books?"

Lin Yu didn't reply, but just smiled and said, "You've heard quite a lot."

The sound of approaching hooves grew louder, and He Ji, riding a gray horse, caught up with them.

The laughter reached Lin Yuan's ears as well. "The young master has visited several times. I don't know what he has learned, but there have been some benefits."

Lin Yuan looked at him, and He Ji smiled lightly: "The first time the young master came to visit was the day after the bandits harassed us. After that, the academy never saw any bandits again. Not to mention bandits, even those officials and soldiers who usually bully the weak and fear the strong and extort money from all over the place under various pretexts all avoid our place."

There is only one academy on this mountain, but no one lives there; it is vast and quiet.

The white snow mixed with the lush green of the bamboo forest was as beautiful as a painting.

Lin Yuan felt a heart-wrenching joy she had never experienced before.

Jianzhang Palace and Shanglin Garden were naturally beautiful. But she was neither the master nor the guest.

After rinsing the urinals in Taiye Pool, the water in Taiye Pool no longer looked so clear.

If you collect snow water from the plum blossom grove, the plum blossoms will lose their vibrancy, leaving only a cold feeling, and their fragrance will also be diminished.

I picked lotus roots in Kunming Lake. The lake surface shimmered, but it looked like it was covered in craggy rocks. It would make you get sunburned and your skin would peel off in no time.

Riding that bluish-gray colt, her mind was filled with thoughts of how to catch up with His Majesty, who was galloping ahead.

He seemed to be angry because she wanted to ride that Ferghana horse, and also worried about how to avoid falling off since he couldn't ride a horse. He was so anxious that he couldn't see the beautiful scenery of the lake and the flowers.

Even after living in Shanglin Garden for half a year, all she remembered were the roars of tigers and dragons, the howls of bears and the bellows of lions.

The thunderous roar still echoes in my ears.

So clear.

Ah, no, that's not right.

—The sound came from not far away.

*

Xiao Xun felt a heavy weight in his chest, as if a massive boulder had struck his heart.

After Su Chan took the second dose of medicine and finally fell into a deep sleep, she left the Moon Chamber Palace.

He brought out the "Seeking Phoenix" and asked Li Shun to find a craftsman to change the strings.

Su Chan broke a string on her zither, perhaps because the broken string and bridge reminded her of her youthful years and the wasted years, and sorrow welled up within her.

He was afraid that when she woke up, the sight of the scene would trigger her emotions again.

"Make sure it's changed by dawn tomorrow and sent back to the Moon Chamber."

Xiao Xun heard the rooster crow and realized it was past the fourth watch, so he changed his address to "today".

It was Li Shun who was moved by the scene.

As he watched the first light of dawn appear in the east, he felt a deep sorrow that made him want to cry.

Xiao Xun had already passed his sleepiness. After tossing and turning on the couch for a while, he simply got up, put on his clothes, and sat down at his desk.

He was always a diligent emperor.

This is also known as "Xiao's father".

He heard that the late emperor ascended the throne at the age of eighteen. At that time, Empress Dowager Yan was very powerful, and her relatives occupied half of the court.

The first empress of the late emperor was also from the Yan family, who was the grandniece of the Empress Dowager.

The late emperor lay low for many years, waiting until the Empress Dowager passed away before eliminating the Yan family's power one by one, while also planting the seeds of resentment towards his maternal relatives in his heart.

This is probably why, after the late emperor established the young prince as crown prince, he immediately ordered the death of his mother to prevent the empress dowager from seizing power while the mother was young and the son was strong.

Xiao Xun gave a bitter smile.

The bitter consequence of a sleepless night is that it makes you inexplicably keep thinking about things you just can't understand.

His mother was of commoner origin, and her family consisted of illiterate farmers.

After he ascended the throne, the only compensation and promotion he could offer his unfamiliar uncle was to bestow upon him an empty title and a house with money.

Later, it was the ministers whom the late emperor had personally entrusted with the care of his son who became the most powerful relatives in the court.

Before the age of fifteen, he diligently studied classics, history, and poetry.

After he assumed personal rule at the age of fifteen, half of the memorials that came to his desk, though few in number, were kept on the Grand Marshal's desk. He reviewed them one by one, even reading them repeatedly, and memorized the names on the memorials.

Children who lose their parents at a young age are sensitive, and this sensitivity has some advantages.

For example, Xiao Xun could discern from plain and unremarkable memorials and reports presented in court whether the person submitting the memorial was a flatterer or an upright official, a supporter of the Qu family or a loyal and honest person.

These factors ultimately became the key to his defeat of the Qu family's faction.

To be fair, Qu Yang did a very good job.

The late emperor's campaigns in all directions brought about the depletion of the national treasury and widespread public resentment, as well as the submission of the surrounding barbarian tribes.

Qu Yang reduced taxes and levies, encouraged people to reclaim wasteland, and revitalized the devastated city of Chang'an after the death of the late emperor.

Then, under his orders, salt and iron shops were brought under state control by purchasing them at fair prices instead of levying taxes.

These two measures enabled the huge deficit in the national treasury to be filled in just five years.

With a surplus in the national treasury, state schools were established in various regions.

Throughout the country, all children aged eight and above are receiving education.

That scene almost made Xiao Xun see again the magnificent scene in Siqi Garden, where commoners and gentry came and went in an endless stream, and knowledgeable people engaged in eloquent discussions.

Even when Xiao Xun first stepped onto the main hall and looked at the vast crowd below, so nervous he couldn't speak, it was Qu Yang who stood beside him, leaned down, and whispered in his ear:

"Your Majesty, look, that man with the pointed face and who looks like a rat is the Commandant of Grain Supply."

"That man with a face as black as if he had been smeared with ink is the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat who will be drafting memorials on behalf of His Majesty in the future."

"And that one with squinting eyes, that's the Grand Master of Ceremonies, who can read faces and divine the future. He wasn't secretly dozing off in the back; he just naturally has small eyes. He always says that the reason his eyes are small is because half of them are used to see the secrets of heaven."

...

He was lost in thought when he opened the memorial. As expected, it still read, "Qu Yang's crime, we hope Your Majesty will reconsider."

Xiao Xun shelved this scroll.

The better Qu Yang did in his political affairs, the more impeccable he seemed, and the more Xiao Xun felt suffocated.

At that time, the only documents that required his imperial approval were the annual harvest reports submitted from various regions, the Five Classics Doctors selected by the Imperial Academy, and the appointment and dismissal orders of officials from various courts.

Furthermore, whenever there was a severe drought, flood, or eclipse, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat would draft an edict of self-reproach on his behalf, and he would only need to affix the Emperor's seal at the end.

What about sayings like "If all the people are guilty, the guilt lies with me" and "If a ruler is immoral, he will be banished to heaven and earth"?

Xiao Xun felt in his heart that it was not his fault. Since Qu Yang was acting as the emperor, he should also bear the responsibility for this immoral act.

Disasters and anomalies occur frequently, indicating that the situation is incurable. That is Qu Yang's "incurability." Why don't these disasters and anomalies befall Qu Yang?

Heaven is blind.

—By the second year of Jinghe, his resentment had almost turned into blaming heaven and earth, and even self-abandonment.

They lay dormant for a long time, but that time was too long.

So long that he no longer knew how much longer he had to wait, or whether he would have the strength to draw his sword if he waited any longer.

Disheartened, he opened another scroll of memorials, which was presented by the edict of the Imperial Carriage Commissioner.

After failing to see the emperor last night, the Imperial Carriage Commissioner seemed uneasy and investigated overnight to find out who had left the palace three days ago—no, it should be four days ago—and submitted a memorial.

Three volumes in total.

The long list of Imperial Guard names gave Xiao Xun a headache.

He rubbed his temples and flipped all the way to the very end of the second volume before he saw the words "Wang Fu" and below that, "Lady Lin, a palace maid in the Jiaofang Palace".

Two names, one before the other.

Xiao Xun unconsciously clenched his fist.

Xiao Xun knew that they had a good relationship.

He suspected that Wang Fu was a member of the Qu family and planned to imprison him. It was only after Lin Yuan pleaded on his behalf that he changed his mind and decided to banish Wang Fu from the palace.

Wang Fu's place of origin is...

Xiao Xun thought for a moment, his head becoming increasingly dizzy.

He was granted land and a house, and upon receiving this favor, he returned to his hometown, but he didn't even know which hometown he returned to.

They still sent someone to deliver the imperial edict to the inner palace.

The Palace Attendant was extremely concerned about the departure of this eunuch who had served His Majesty for over twenty years, and immediately reported the words "Yuzhou, Yingchuan Commandery, Yangdi County".

He was secretly pleased, but the emperor's expression remained unchanged. He simply said "I know" and dismissed the emperor.

Xiao Xun knew that since Lin Yuan had left the palace without a word, she would definitely not return to her own home and definitely did not want Xiao Xun to find her.

She is very stubborn.

So much so that when Xiao Xun wanted Lin Yuan to stay and serve in the side hall of Jiaofang Palace, so she wouldn't have to work as a lowly palace maid anymore, even though it was a simple order, he still made Wang Fu ask an extra question:

Are you willing?

But what exactly made her so resolute in leaving?

Isn't the palace nice?

Was he not good to her?

Doesn't she know his feelings for her?

Xiao Xun couldn't understand it, and his head started to ache even more.

The charcoal fire wasn't burning brightly, and as Xiao Xun looked at the books for a long time, his hands gradually became very cold.

He recalled that in the Zichen Pavilion of the Jiaofang Palace, when he would get up early to read memorials or study, Lin Yuan would prepare a hand warmer for him.

She said, "Your Majesty, please warm yourself up."

In winter, if too much charcoal is burned, the room becomes too hot, making one feel drowsy and unsuitable for reading.

This is something Qu Yang said when Xiao Xun was a child.

As he grew older, he got used to it, and it became a kind of conscious choice.

Without showing any emotion, he turned to a page on the scroll: "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test their will, strain their muscles and bones, and thwart their endeavors."

Lin Yuan disagreed: "The most important thing is that your hands are warm and you feel comfortable."

She rubbed her nearly frozen hands inside her sleeves, and her breath drifted into Xiao Xun's ear. "This way, you'll have more energy to study."

He got used to it eventually.

I've gotten used to taking the hand warmer from her hands, and then, after a moment, putting it back in her hands so she can hold it for me.

Her fingertips were warm; with just a touch, my whole body felt warm and cozy.

The guards outside the hall interrupted his thoughts:

"Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from Huaiyang."

A note from the author:

----------------------

During the Han Dynasty, the system of commanderies and kingdoms coexisted. The heir apparent of a vassal king should actually be called "crown prince" or "king's crown prince," and his principal wife was "queen."

Since this story is fictional and contains some personal interpretations, for the sake of clarity and to avoid confusion with the future Crown Prince and Empress, the characters will still be referred to as "Crown Prince" and "Princess Consort."

Oh, my dear, what's troubling you? Why aren't you moving at all? [crying emoji]

I'm so sorry to all my readers, the next update won't be until Friday. I need to keep the word count low to build up my collection. If I don't have enough collections to make it onto the rankings, I'll be stuck in a vicious cycle of never making it onto the list, just like with my last book.

I'll send out red envelopes as compensation for those who leave comments. Thank you so much for your support. If I have the chance to become a paid content creator, I'll definitely update 10,000 words a day.