Entrusting the orphan
Zhao Youyi fainted. When she woke up, her brother's coffin had already been placed in the main hall. Because of the imperial decree, no one cared about the general's mansion. The general was dead and had been accused of treason. People who usually associated with him dared not come. Moreover, the general's mansion had already fallen into ruin. Zhao Youyi, an orphan, had no value and was not worth anyone's attention.
"Miss, you're awake. Please have something to eat." The maid quickly stopped her when she saw her about to leave. "Miss, you haven't had lunch yet. This won't do."
Zhao Youyi knew she couldn't fall, so she waved her hand and told her to prepare dinner. Her brother was dead, and after his death, he was falsely accused of treason. The emperor wanted her to enter the palace to serve him, and the empress dowager wanted her to marry a princess in the south. She was all alone, with the emperor suspected of murdering her brother and the southern barbarians with whom she had a blood feud. Marry? She wished she could kill them.
The maid Xiaoqing brought over a bowl of noodles with an egg poached on top. "Miss, the noodles are here."
Zhao Youyi's gaze fell on the bland noodles. He shoveled a few mouthfuls of them and then told her to take them away. "I'm going to... see my brother. You don't need to come with me."
Xiao Qing watched her walk away step by step with a worried look in her eyes.
When Zhao Youyi arrived at the main room, Uncle Zhao was inside wiping away tears and keeping vigil. When he saw her, he quickly wiped away his tears and said, "Miss, you've come. Please keep the young master company for a while. I'll wait outside."
"Uncle Zhao, thank you." Zhao Youyi bowed to him. People are forgotten when people leave. Her brother has been accused of treason, and she is just a woman. The servants in the mansion already feel that the General's Mansion has fallen into ruin.
Uncle Zhao quickly avoided her greeting and shook his head. "Miss, I believe the young master is not that kind of person. Before the emperor's decree is issued, you should escape quickly and go to your maternal grandfather's house. You and your cousin were betrothed when you were children, so I think he will protect you."
Zhao Youyi's maternal family were merchants in Jiangzhou. The betrothal they had made when they were children was just a verbal promise. Moreover, the emperor wanted her to serve in the palace. How could she escape? If she ran away, what would happen to the people in her household? What would happen to her brother? She couldn't let her brother bear the crime of treason for the rest of his life. If she ran away, the emperor might whip her corpse, and her brother wouldn't even be able to rest in peace.
Zhao Youyi knew he meant well, but she still shook her head and didn't say anything more. Seeing her like this, Uncle Zhao didn't say anything more and had no choice but to leave.
Zhao Youyi stepped forward, moved the coffin lid, and found the young general lying peacefully in the coffin, as if he were just asleep. His handsome features were still there, and there seemed to be a slight smile on his lips.
Tears streamed down her face, and she could no longer hold back her sobs, crying out, "Brother...brother!"
Her brother was only twenty years old, in the prime of his youth, but unexpectedly, the country was in turmoil and he was gone forever. Her gaze fell on the indentation of the coffin lid on the right side of Zhao Youli's head. She reached out and pressed it, and sure enough, there was a hidden compartment.
She quickly took it out; it was a letter from her brother!
Zhao Youyi unfolded the letter with trembling hands; the handwriting on the letter was messy and stained with blood.
"To my dear sister, Niao Niao:"
By the time you read this letter, your brother will probably be a good ghost in the afterlife. We, brother and sister, have been together for many years. From the day I set off on my campaign, I knew this day would come. Life and death are predestined. My only worry is you. You are still young. If I pass away, there will probably be many wolves and tigers around you. I only worry that you will have no one to take care of you.
Although we won this battle, I have become a thorn in the side of others. Niao Niao, you have been intelligent since childhood, and you probably understand what I mean by reading this. I do not want your remaining life to be trapped by hatred, I only hope that you are safe and sound.
But with chaos looming, I can no longer protect you. If you have no one to care for you, I fear I will not rest in peace. I have already written to Brother Huai Cong, hoping that he can look after you out of consideration for our past relationship.
Niao Niao, do not worry or fret, I only wish you peace and good health.
"Written by my elder brother Zhao Youli from Yunzhou"
After reading the letter, Zhao Youyi felt her heart turn to ice, and her tears had long since dried up. Her brother, even at the brink of death, was worried about her safety and whether she would be bullied after his death.
Her elder brother was both a scholar and a warrior. After he went to war at the age of fourteen, the two of them rarely saw each other. Their parents died in battle at an early age, and the two had no one to protect them. Zhao Youli could only go to the battlefield to earn honor for himself and for her.
Her brother fought for the Jin state, but the emperor discarded her like a spent bird after it was no longer needed, even wanting her to enter the palace to serve him, and the empress dowager wanted her to marry a southern barbarian.
Thinking of this, Zhao Youyi couldn't help but feel a burning hatred within her.
But... Zhao Youyi's gaze fell on Zhao Youli's pale face. Brother, what should I do?
She felt a wave of powerlessness and couldn't help but lean on the coffin and weep. She could stir up public opinion in the capital, and the Zhao family was renowned among the people. Everyone knew of her loyalty to the emperor and her patriotism. But now she was the only one left in the entire clan. No matter what the reason, no one dared to make things difficult for her openly. But her brother was now accused of treason...
Her brother had not yet been buried, so the emperor was unlikely to force her to enter the palace immediately. She needed to spread the news that the emperor had poisoned a meritorious official and forcibly taken his sister as a concubine through folk tales, operas, and poems before the imperial edict was actually issued.
"Uncle Zhao!" Zhao Youyi called out, wiping away her tears.
Uncle Zhao hurriedly entered the main room. "Miss, what's wrong?"
"Uncle Zhao, I need your help..." Zhao Youyi, holding back her tears, roughly explained her plan to Uncle Zhao. Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhao couldn't help but sigh, "The young lady is clever; this will delay things for a while. But what about afterward?"
Zhao Youyi recalled Huai Cong from the letter. She vaguely remembered that he was her brother's good friend, and the two families were even related, so they could barely address each other as cousins. But Huai Cong's identity was not simple. He was a prince of a fiefdom. As far as she knew, this prince and the emperor were cousins. In the early years, the emperor implemented the policy of reducing the power of the princes, which displeased the late prince. He even directly attacked the capital, and the emperor had to slow down the policy. However, the late prince died young due to injuries sustained in the war. After this prince succeeded to the throne, his relationship with the emperor was always strained.
Perhaps... Zhao Youyi, looking at the military tally in the envelope, already had a plan in mind.
"Then spread rumors near the Hanlin Academy and other academies that I am the sister of a disgraced official and unfit to serve the emperor," Zhao Youyi pondered for a moment, feeling that he still had to make two preparations.
As for the Empress Dowager, her brother had just died and she was already being pressured into a marriage alliance. Naturally, some people would disagree. Putting aside the loss of face, although the military group couldn't openly help her, the idea of sending a military family's orphaned daughter to a marriage alliance inevitably made people feel a sense of shared sorrow.
Upon hearing this, Uncle Zhao nodded to her and went out to arrange these matters.
The candles burned brightly in the main room. Zhao Youyi looked at his brother in the coffin and his heart gradually calmed down. "Brother, don't worry, I will not let anyone bully me, nor will I let you die unjustly."
Uncle Zhao was a very shrewd man. He first went to the beggar gang in the suburbs and gave them some silver and food. Then he told them the message he wanted to spread. One of the beggars bit the silver and said decisively, "No problem. Although we are beggars, we have a conscience. General Zhao died unjustly, and Miss Zhao's fate is definitely not so tragic!"
Uncle Zhao nodded with a smile and patted the beggar on the shoulder, "Spread the word even further, preferably by loitering around the residence of Imperial Censor Liu. Imperial Censor Liu is an upright man and will certainly not agree to the emperor's actions."
The Suzaku Street in Shenjing was bustling with activity as the year drew to a close and people came out to shop. However, they were all whispering and passing on a message.
"Did you know that the General was actually assassinated by the person above him? I told you the General wasn't that kind of person!"
"I know! It's all over! That guy up there is trying to force himself on the general's sister! He killed the general's brother and still wants to marry his sister, shameless!"
"That's right, they're all old. The General is a good man who protects the country, and Miss Zhao often gives out porridge to help disaster victims. But the one above him is greedy for pleasure, poisoned a meritorious official, and forcibly took his sister as a concubine..."
"What are you talking about..." Imperial Censor Liu asked as he walked over. The people surrounded him and began to recount the emperor and empress dowager's various actions in detail.
The more Imperial Censor Liu listened, the angrier he became. He said with great distress, "Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager are foolish! Isn't this discouraging to the military officers? Don't worry, everyone! I will definitely admonish Your Majesty at the morning court today!"
Upon hearing this, everyone exclaimed that he was an upright and just official. The servants of the Zhao family, seeing this scene, hurriedly ran back to the mansion to report to Zhao Youyi.
The court was also in turmoil, with civil and military officials arguing incessantly. When the civil officials learned that the emperor intended to take a daughter of the Zhao family as a concubine, they hurriedly submitted a memorial stating that the sister of a disgraced official was not suitable to serve the emperor. The Empress Dowager's family took the opportunity to propose the marriage of the Zhao family's daughter to the enemy. Upon hearing this, the military general was furious and said that he went to the battlefield not to let his sister or daughter marry the enemy.
The emperor, his head throbbing from the noise, waved his hand and said, "Then we'll discuss it later."
After the court session, the emperor summoned Eunuch Gao and said, "Go and investigate whether these rumors were spread by the Zhao family's daughter."
Eunuch Gao's smile remained unchanged. "Yes, this servant will go right away. But if I may be so bold as to say something, how could Miss Zhao, an orphan, have such great abilities? A young lady like her should never leave her home."
The emperor, who was always arrogant, had half of his doubts reduced upon hearing this. Recalling the sickly girl who had been raised in seclusion, he also felt that a young girl couldn't possibly cause any trouble.
The emperor glanced at him casually, saying nothing but taking his words to heart. However, the matter had caused a great stir in the city overnight, and an investigation was necessary.
The eunuch Gao withdrew, and before the emperor could sit down and summon the beauties to serve him, a loud announcement came from outside: "The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
The emperor had no choice but to put on a polite smile. The Jin state governed the country with filial piety, and the Empress Dowager was his legal mother. Her family held considerable power in the court. Even after many years on the throne, he still had to maintain a facade of respect. After all, the court had valued civil officials over military ones for many years, and he had no military power. He could not afford to lose the support of the Empress Dowager's family.
"Your Majesty," the Emperor bowed respectfully to the Empress Dowager, "may I ask what brings you here?"
The Empress Dowager gave a cold smile. "What are you saying, Your Majesty? I am your mother. I can come to see you even if there is nothing wrong. I'm afraid Your Majesty doesn't take me seriously, so you've grown tired of seeing me."
The emperor knew she was referring to his plot to assassinate Zhao Youli. He had long heard that the Empress Dowager wanted to substitute Zhao's daughter for a foreign princess in a marriage alliance. Now that Zhao Youli was dead, it would be too cold-hearted to send his only sister to marry a foreigner, and it might even provoke discontent among the military generals. However, Zhao Youli's achievements overshadowed the emperor's, and how could he allow someone else to sleep soundly beside his bed? He would not be at peace day and night if Zhao Youli did not die.
"What are you saying, Mother? I am most filial to you. Have you been misled by slander and become estranged from me?" The Emperor's smile did not reach his eyes, and his gaze fell on the Empress Dowager's still charming face.
The Empress Dowager glanced at him casually. "Then what do you suggest, Your Majesty? Are you suggesting your sister be sent to marry a southern barbarian?"
He naturally didn't have much affection for this younger sister. Not only was she willful and unreasonable, but he also made a fuss over nothing. However, he wouldn't go so far as to disrespect the Empress Dowager.
"If the military officers are unwilling to marry off their daughters or sisters, then let the civil officials' daughters and sisters marry them off." This was the subject of much debate at the morning court. He was annoyed that the civil officials were interfering with his marriage to a woman from the Zhao family, so he decided to let their daughters marry off instead.
The Empress Dowager sat on the couch, showing no reaction to his words. It was not entirely up to the Jin Kingdom to decide who would marry. The Southern Barbarians were powerful, and if it weren't for Zhao Youli, the Jin Kingdom would have been utterly defeated long ago. Now that Zhao Youli was dead, rumors of him being poisoned by the Emperor were rampant. Which general in the court would dare to go to war? They would die not on the battlefield but at the hands of the monarch they served. The Southern Barbarians' proposal to marry the princess was not without humiliation. She only sent the Zhao family daughter to marry because the Zhao family and the Southern Barbarians had been enemies for generations. The Zhao family's children had died under the Southern Barbarian cavalry, and the Southern Barbarian leader and prince had been killed by the Zhao family's members. It was naturally a good plan to quell the Southern Barbarians' anger with the Zhao family daughter alone.
After all, the State of Jin has been suffering from continuous heavy snow in recent years, and the people are living in misery. However, the emperor is indulging in pleasure and only thinking about power and women instead of governing the country. The State of Jin cannot afford to go to war again.
The Zhao family's daughter was sent to marry a foreign ruler, and Zhao Youli was stripped of his military power. If he had military power, at least the Jin state would not be afraid of internal strife. Those feudal lords who were eyeing the country covetously probably wanted to kill this incompetent emperor long ago.
Now that Zhao Youli is dead, Zhao's daughter cannot marry into the southern barbarians, and her plans are completely ruined!
The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea. "Then, Emperor, who should go for the marriage alliance?"
"What about Lady Liu?" The emperor pondered the minister who had voiced the strongest opposition to his taking Lady Zhao's daughter into the court this morning, the Imperial Censor Liu Mingyi, who kept saying that he was cold-blooded and heartless, forcibly marrying General Zhao's sister despite his recent death. So, let Liu Mingyi's daughter marry her.
Before arriving, the Empress Dowager had heard news from her spies about the court, so she naturally knew that he was plotting revenge. However, she didn't say much. As long as it wasn't her daughter getting married, it was fine. "So be it."
With the matter settled, the two had nothing more to say. The Empress Dowager, not wanting to linger under the emperor's gaze, who only had eyes for women, said she would prepare a dowry for Lady Liu and got up to leave.
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