Side Story 5: The First Emperor Knocked on My Door...
Side Story 5: The First Emperor Knocks on My Door
"I apologize, Your Excellencies. His Majesty has recently caught a cold and is not feeling well. Today's morning court session will be cancelled. His Majesty also said that he is concerned about your health and cannot meet with you. Please send your memorials directly to the Chui Gong Hall, where His Majesty will review them."
Early that morning, outside the Zichen Palace, Liang Huaiji announced that the Emperor would not hold the morning court session that day. This announcement immediately caused an uproar among the officials.
Skipping the morning court session? That's extremely rare.
Both the current emperor and the retired emperor Renzong, who abdicated a few years ago, are diligent rulers. While officials have days off, they never fail to attend the daily court sessions without fail, and have never been seen taking a break.
But then I thought, has the Emperor ever been ill in recent years? It seems not. In my memory, he has always been healthy and energetic from childhood to adulthood. So, his absence from court today is probably truly due to illness?
The faces of all the civil and military officials were filled with worry.
"How is the Emperor's health?" Wang Anshi, standing at the head of all the officials, asked on behalf of them, voicing their concerns.
After Fan Zhongyan retired to his hometown, many veteran officials from the Renzong era also mentioned their declining health and desire to resign and return home. The emperor earnestly persuaded them to stay, and finally allowed Fu Bi and Ouyang Xiu to serve as prime ministers for two more years each, thoroughly sorting out the affairs of the court, before allowing them to retire and enjoy their old age.
After these two men left, the court was now entirely composed of new faces. Wang Anshi, unsurprisingly, assumed the position of prime minister. The other civil and military officials were rendered powerless.
He served as the prefect of Yunzhou, the vice minister of the Ministry of Works, and the minister of the Ministry of Revenue. In the evaluations of all three terms, Wang Anshi consistently ranked first in terms of political achievements. During his tenure as minister of the Ministry of Revenue, the Song Dynasty's fiscal revenue increased by double digits. Consequently, the emperor's private treasury and the salaries of officials also rose sharply.
That year, Wang Anshi became the most popular and favored minister in the entire court.
Unfortunately, he was aloof and upright, and apart from his nemesis Sima Guang and his junior Su Shi, he was never seen to give anyone else a second glance. Those who wanted to curry favor with him but couldn't call him "Stubborn Prime Minister" behind his back didn't care at all.
Despite his reputation for being cold and unapproachable, Wang Anshi was unmatched in the court. As soon as he spoke, everyone fell silent, awaiting the eunuch's reply.
Liang Huaiji pursed his lips, concealing a subtle glint in his eyes: "His Majesty's health is fine; he'll be fully recovered in half a month. It's just that his appearance has been a concern lately, making it inconvenient for him to see people, so..."
Upon hearing this, someone chuckled. A moment later, everyone burst into laughter. "Oh, how could we forget? The Emperor is not yet of age for his coming-of-age ceremony; he is at the peak of his handsomeness and most attentive to his appearance."
He would probably lose face if he were to meet his ministers with a sickly appearance.
Some thought bluntly: "Although he's an official, his youthful mind is no different from his young son's. No, that's not right. His young son didn't even pass the imperial examination this year; how can he compare to this young official who has already governed the country so well?"
Thinking about it this way, he not only felt more affection and respect for the official, but also became more tolerant of his youthful thoughts.
Many others shared similar thoughts. Liang Huaiji looked around and said, "Since all of you gentlemen have no objections to this matter, then let's put the memorial in the Chui Gong Hall. His Majesty will review it during his time recuperating."
"That……"
Someone looked at Liang Huaiji's face, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
"What's wrong?" Liang Huaiji asked, seemingly puzzled.
The man sheepishly looked away: "It's nothing, it's nothing."
"Then it's settled."
On the way back from the Zichen Palace, Liang Huaiji finally no longer needed to maintain his composure. His eyes twitched violently a few times, and his expression became increasingly bizarre.
He actually knew what the official wanted to ask.
In the later Tang Dynasty, instances of eunuchs interfering in politics were not uncommon, and everyone harbored alarm bells. The current situation, with no sign of the emperor and only eunuchs communicating between the court and the court, is truly bizarre. It's no wonder that others have high hopes.
If it weren't for his years of service to the emperor and his consistently good reputation among the ministers, he would probably have been questioned on the spot. But even from an official's perspective, Liang Huaiji himself couldn't help but doubt himself.
But the reality is not what they imagined at all.
Liang Huaiji smiled bitterly.
He was merely a learned eunuch with some experience serving the emperor. What merit or ability did he possess to properly review so many mountainous and confidential memorials?
But that's not the point.
But the Emperor clearly told him before he left that he should put the collected memorials on the table in the Chuigong Hall where he usually sat. Just put them there, and don't worry about anything else.
Liang Huaiji's doubts were obvious. Fusu looked at him and shook his head mysteriously: "Don't worry, nothing will happen."
The current state of affairs in the Song Dynasty is extremely difficult to govern. Apart from Fusu himself and the retired Emperor Renzong, who has been emperor for more than twenty years, there is no one else in the palace who is capable of handling the task.
But who said he only had the Emperor Emeritus as his father?
That night, Fusu closed his eyes and murmured a name. In the instant his conscious mind faded, his dream brought him to someone.
Before him stood his familiar father, but the backdrop was no longer the snow-covered camp of Shangzhou, but a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, a scene seemingly captured from nowhere. Fusu secretly speculated that perhaps after witnessing his own ascension to the throne, his father's obsession with him from his previous life had largely dissipated, hence the change in the background.
"Fusu?" Qin Shi Huang called out.
He suddenly narrowed his hawk-like eyes: "What do you want from me? Has something happened again that you need my help with?"
Fusu coughed violently. Why did that sound so resentful? What was worse, he couldn't refute it. Because this time, he genuinely had something to discuss with his father, the Emperor.
No one knows a son better than his father. Ying Zheng could see right through his eldest son's thoughts. He snorted lightly, not bothering to dwell on it: "What is it? Speak quickly."
After all, the First Emperor would never admit that sometimes, being "ordered around" by his son was a kind of happiness.
"Father, have you been busy lately? I have some business to attend to outside the palace. But I don't want to make a big fuss or cause any trouble..."
"So you're planning to sneak out of the palace and have your father handle state affairs for you?"
Fusu nodded guiltily.
Qin Shi Huang did not immediately agree, but changed the subject: "What about your father? Why can't he help?"
Fusu knew perfectly well that if he told the truth, his own father would probably say something sarcastic like, "You only think of your father when he's not around." He really didn't want that, so he vaguely said, "Father is busy right now."
Qin Shi Huang was satisfied and felt a sense of mission: Look, this child can't do without me.
He waved his hand dismissively: "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"
Fusu breathed a sigh of relief: "It's just a matter of finishing processing the daily memorials in the Chuigong Hall."
As for imitating handwriting, he didn't go into too much detail, glossing over it all. For someone like his father, being meticulous about every little detail would actually be a sign of distrust. No matter how chaotic the current situation is, could it be more chaotic than unifying the six kingdoms?
But Ying Zheng instead inquired in detail: "What are you doing out incognito? How far are you going? Are you being followed?"
"I'm going to be gone for more than half a month... Hmm, near the Chu Kingdom, there will be imperial guards accompanying me to protect my safety. Father, you don't need to worry."
Fusu said, "As for why we went there, it was because the prefect of that place sent a memorial saying that some farmers had dug up black water from the ground. It had a strange smell that made people dizzy and palpitate."
The First Emperor's eagle-like eyes widened instantly. Even in the interstellar era, such things were not uncommon. They were even considered a vital energy source.
“Oil?” he asked.
Fusu nodded solemnly: "I suspect it is. If not, it must be heavily polluted groundwater. Either way, it's worth the trip."
"Why bother going yourself? Just have them deliver it. If all else fails, you can ask them when you pass through that area on your southern tour."
The First Emperor couldn't understand why Fusu insisted on traveling incognito, going to such great lengths to bring him here.
Fusu remained silent.
After a moment, he lowered his head and said somewhat ashamedly, "There is another reason... my son has been emperor for too long and wants to take a break and rest."
In other words, he wants to travel.
"Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Qin Shi Huang burst into laughter. He truly hadn't expected this reason. This was probably the difference between him and Fusu.
If he wanted to go on a trip, he would simply inform the Nine Ministers and have them prepare carriages and provisions. At that time, Prince Fusu would certainly submit a memorial to advise him, saying that this move was too wasteful of resources and burdensome to the people, and asking His Majesty to reconsider. He would then leave in displeasure.
But now, they are still father and son, no longer ruler and subject. Fusu sits on the throne, and although his way of thinking is still not what Ying Zheng approves of, it proves that his initial voice came from the heart and was not for fame or fortune, and it remains so to this day.
In this situation, how could a father not lend a helping hand?
Qin Shi Huang said slowly, "You can leave the memorial there. Go and come back soon, and be careful."
Fusu smiled and said, "Yes!"
The following morning, the same day Liang Huaiji announced the end of court, Qin Shi Huang appeared in the Chui Gong Hall in a transparent form. He saw a thick stack of memorials piled on the table.
Although it doesn't say what the paper is for or who it's meant for, since Ying Zheng has already noticed it, the answer seems self-evident.
He chuckled and said, "This kid was prepared all along!"
With this piece of paper as his prized possession, handling state affairs was nothing more than a coloring game for the mighty First Emperor; he could complete it almost perfectly even with his eyes closed. Therefore, he was not in a hurry and instead took a tour of the Song Palace first.
When Ying Zheng arrived, he was transparent, floating in mid-air, invisible to everyone. Therefore, the Song court maintained its orderly state. He nodded secretly: Indeed, these palace servants are all diligent and orderly; serving Fusu is not an insult to him.
However, he soon realized that something was wrong.
The emperor had been hovering above the Song court for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. The magnificent halls, pavilions, and long palace corridors were all laid out before him. But Qin Shi Huang had never seen a single person displaying the demeanor of a master. Servants, servants. Still servants.
Leaving aside the concubines and children, even Fusu's birth parents in this life are gone. Now that Fusu himself is gone, isn't this vast Song Palace just an empty shell?!
At this moment, if someone with a discerning eye...
No, that's not right. Qin Shi Huang realized he was being too attached to appearances, applying the logic of his past life to this one. Without even a master, how could there be any loyal followers? As for the palace maids and eunuchs, they were simply dependent on the imperial city for their livelihood. Unless their masters went too far, they were even less likely to rebel.
Given Fusu's kind and benevolent heart, this day would never come.
And what about the ministers?
After some deliberation, Qin Shi Huang decided to set aside the memorials for now. He figured he could finish dealing with them in an hour or two anyway. He decided to first inspect the government offices to see if any of the officials harbored malicious intentions or planned to take advantage of the situation.
"The Privy Council, the Three Departments..."
He silently recited the name of the official office on the paper left by Fusu, and drifted away in a transparent manner.
Emerging from the Song Palace, Qin Shi Huang's eyes widened in amazement. His eyebrows shot up, revealing a curious and intrigued expression. Xianyang, as the capital, had once occupied a considerable area. His current interstellar city-states could be described as vast and boundless. But this was the first time he had ever seen streets so full of life and vibrancy.
On the Bian River, hundreds of boats lined up one after another. Grain ships and cargo ships either docked to load and unload goods or sailed across the long bridge. On the Rainbow Bridge, carriages and horses bustled, and pedestrians jostled shoulder to shoulder. Looking inside and outside the city, rows of houses stood side by side. Restaurants, taverns, clinics, and teahouses lined the streets. Gentry, laborers, women and children, monks and Taoists moved about among them. The sounds of the marketplace were incessant.
Just by listening and watching, you can feel the city's endless vitality.
Qin Shi Huang slowed his pace in the air, carefully tracing the scene before him. If it were him, he would have little interest in the daily thoughts and actions of his people, rarely taking the initiative to learn about them. But this was a country meticulously managed by Fusu, and everything seemed to take on a different meaning.
Suddenly, a long shout drew everyone's attention. It turned out that a rather young child was standing at the highest point of the Rainbow Bridge, shouting loudly, "Today's *Seeking Knowledge* newspaper has an official! An official! Don't miss it if you're passing by!"
A single sentence drew everyone's attention. The porters loading and unloading goods on both banks of the Bian River, the women selling textiles on the overpass, the gentry sitting in their sedan chairs who hadn't yet shown their faces... all looked in the direction of the newspaper-selling child.
"Is there an official?"
"There are government officials in this issue of the newspaper? Did I hear that right?"
"Good heavens, how long has it been since the government appeared in the newspapers? The last time was probably two years ago, right?"
A sudden burst of discussion erupted from the crowd. However, many more rushed forward, shouting "The Emperor!" They tossed two coins into the newspaper boy's pocket, then reached out to grab the newspaper from his arms, startling the boy who cried out, "Be careful! Be careful!" but couldn't hide the joy in his eyes.
In just a few breaths, the newsboy's pockets were bulging, and all the newspapers in his arms had been looted. He apologized to the people who squeezed in later, saying, "The newspapers are all sold out," and assured them, "I'll go to the bookstore and get some new ones right away."
Those people said, "Alright then, hurry up, we'll wait for you to come back on this bridge."
"Right away, right away! Definitely!"
The newsboy dashed off. The others, however, remained waiting. Some chatted and laughed, while others peeked at the contents of the newspapers by the light of those who had bought them. They showed no intention of leaving.
"..."
Qin Shi Huang was amazed by what he saw.
Those who follow the Way receive abundant help; those who stray from the Way receive little help. This is a saying by Mencius. Qin Shi Huang did not subscribe to Confucianism, but that doesn't mean he forgot this saying. And now, it seems his son Fusu was indeed a case of "those who follow the Way receive abundant help."
Even if someone with ulterior motives seized the throne during this lull, Fusu would likely be able to reclaim it quickly. Only then did Qin Shi Huang understand why his son dared to so boldly leave the palace alone.
With mixed feelings, he slowed his pace, taking in the street scenes of Bianjing. No matter where he went or how crowded and busy the crowds were, wherever there were newsboys refreshing the page, shouting the words "Your Majesty" would have a similar effect.
He even overheard people discussing the newspaper among themselves. One person expressed envy that the officials could dine with the people mentioned in the newspaper, wishing he could have that day. Another person remarked, "You're better off daydreaming."
Similar conversations even occurred between government offices.
Qin Shi Huang: "..."
He finally found himself speechless.
In Qin Shi Huang's mind, the relationship between ruler and subject could never be too close. As Fusu grew increasingly popular among the people, the situation reversed among the ministers. The ministers would never prefer a ruler whose throne was as secure as Mount Tai; they preferred one who was easier to control.
As for dining together with his ministers… Qin Shi Huang recalled, resting his head on his hand. In his memory, apart from Prince Fusu, which minister didn’t dine with him with trepidation and sweat? Although he didn’t care about his ministers’ thoughts, he knew rationally that they must not have enjoyed their meals.
In this world, there are officials who actually think of dining with their sovereign. Ying Zheng felt that either this person harbored treacherous intentions and intended to overstep his bounds, or he was simply mentally unstable.
Clearly, this person is a mere sixth-rank official, not even qualified to attend court assemblies, let alone overstep his authority; he obviously falls into the latter category. Something's wrong with his mind.
But soon, what he saw and heard overturned his idea.
Because he went to the Privy Council.
According to the guide Fusu had written for him, the Privy Council was a gathering place for important officials of the court. It was also headed by the Privy Councilor and the Vice-Chancellor, whose positions were almost equivalent to prime ministers. Qin Shi Huang thought of Li Si from back then, and a shadow of gloom flashed across his face.
As he entered Wang Anshi's office, he thought to himself that if the prime minister appointed by Fusu were to act disloyally in any way, he would immediately nip those thoughts in the bud.
As luck would have it, several people were also gathered in Wang Anshi's office, discussing the same matter.
"What do you think the Emperor's intention is?" Su Shi's fingers deftly twirled the wolf-hair brush in his hand. His eyes followed the tip of the nose closely. His nonchalant demeanor suggested that the skill of twirling the brush was more important than the "Emperor" he spoke of.
Fan Chunren paused for a moment: "Perhaps His Majesty is truly ill."
Su Shi shook his head: "I don't think so. If the Emperor were really sick, why would his excuse for not seeing me be that he looks ill? He's afraid I won't laugh at his vanity after he recovers. He would never give anyone, especially me, anything to talk about."
Wang Anshi: "..."
Fan Chunren: "..."
I was speechless.
The two men looked at Su Shi with complicated expressions: "Only you could find a flaw in something so bizarre. None of the other emperor's close ministers, including us, could do it, really."
Qin Shi Huang raised an eyebrow: What's going on? This seemingly reckless young man often mocks Fusu and the emperor himself? And Fusu doesn't get angry at all, completely letting it go?
He was a little annoyed with Su Shi.
Su Shi suddenly felt a chill on his skin, and goosebumps immediately rose. He glanced at the doors and windows; they were all tightly shut. He then attributed the chill to the looks in Wang Anshi and Fan Chunren's eyes: "Why are you looking at me? Isn't that how it is?"
“You’re right. In other words, the Emperor might not actually be ill.” Recalling Fusu’s secret trip to Yunzhou without the ministers’ knowledge, Wang Anshi made a bold guess: “He might not even be in the palace!”
Su Shi and Fan Chunren were both taken aback by this unexpected yet logical turn of events, exchanging bewildered glances. Qin Shi Huang, meanwhile, held his breath. If any of these people harbored any rebellious intentions, he wouldn't hesitate, for the sake of Fusu…
“Since the emperor has done this, there must be a reason,” Fan Chunren said.
"I agree," Su Shi said. "Let's wait and see."
Wang Anshi nodded, having no objection to these two sentences. But then he remembered something else and turned to ask Su Shi, "Liang Huaiji must know the truth. What kind of person is he? Is he reliable?"
"The Emperor has known him since he was three years old, so he should be reliable. Just in case, I'll go see General Di later and ask him to send a troop of Imperial Guards to be on standby."
"There's no time to lose, you should go right away."
"Alright!" Su Shi stood up, suddenly feeling the body temperature that had been taken away by the cold return in an instant: "What's going on? Why did it suddenly get warm?"
He scratched his head, not taking it to heart, and immediately went to find Di Qing.
That night, Liang Huaiji, carrying a lamp, ventured alone into the Chuigong Hall. The hall was empty, almost deserted, with only the somber, desolate moonlight reflecting on the bookshelves. The silence was eerily quiet.
Liang Huaiji swallowed hard, walked to the desk, and casually flipped through the memorials he had left there during the day. He discovered that the memorials, which should have been unread, were covered with dense lines of small characters, which, upon closer inspection, were clearly in the Emperor's handwriting.
"Huh???" Liang Huaiji suddenly exclaimed, then quickly covered his mouth.
He looked left and right, then suddenly remembered something, quickly averted his gaze, and left as if nothing had happened. The next morning, he distributed the reviewed memorials to the various departments and bureaus.
However, how those memorials were actually reviewed by officials thousands of miles away remained an eternal mystery in Liang Huaiji's mind.
A little over ten days later, Fusu returned to Bianjing. Having stolen a half-day of leisure, he actually managed to steal two whole weeks, naturally feeling incredibly refreshed.
After the long-awaited morning court session, he stretched and yawned, only to hear Su Shi say with a grin, "You've clearly been ill, but why does Your Majesty seem even more radiant than before?"
Fusu touched his face guiltily. He'd been on a business trip for over ten days and had even discovered oil. How could he not be beaming with pride?
He returned to the Chui Gong Hall, dismissed all the servants, and softly called out to the void, "Father? Father?"
No one responded to him.
"So they've already left..."
Fusu couldn't quite describe his feelings. Thinking about it, it made sense; his task of helping had come to an end, and it was time to leave. After all, nobody likes working overtime. Anyway, they could still meet in their dreams.
He sat down at the table again and saw the brocade pouch he had written for his father. He couldn't help but smile knowingly: I wonder if Father saw it? And how much of it he actually read?
Fusu was about to destroy the evidence by destroying the brocade pouch when he discovered a piece of paper underneath. Upon opening it, he saw handwriting that was extremely familiar to him, yet one he hadn't seen in a long time.
My son, you shall ensure the eternal stability of the land and usher in a new chapter for all ages.
End of five extra episodes
Author's Note: [Sprinkling flowers]
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