Chapter 15 The dome of the Imperial Pool Hell once briefly showed cracks...
Li Shimin disliked the endless banquets at the Ziwei Palace.
Poetry, song and dance occupied too much time, and precious moments were frozen in the intoxicating nectar.
Sweetness, spiciness, bitterness, and joy are all mixed together, filling the heart, but one flavor is missing.
hope!
In the early winter twilight, all the trees in this fallen celestial pivot were decorated with silk and satin, and the Nine Provinces Pond had not yet frozen over.
Li Shimin avoided the decadent men and women in the Hundred Plays Hall and lingered by the artificial pond that was built by diverting the Luo River into the palace.
He casually found a small boat docked at the shore, sat down, and took out several letters from Changsun Qingjing from his pocket, reading them carefully from beginning to end.
He couldn't help but smile when he saw that Changsun Qingjing had named the newly bought lynx "Kuzhi"; he also breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was in good health.
The small boat's mooring lines were loosely tied, swaying gently even without wind on the vast Kyushu Pond. The boy's heart fluttered along with it, shielding him from all his recent unhappiness.
When he told this colossal lie, he worried that his elders would find out as soon as they wrote the letter or met. But when he thought of his parents' doting love for him, and his mother's disapproval of the Lady of Chen, he thought, what did it matter if he was exposed? At most, his mother would scold him for being "mischievous," and his father would laugh at him for being "shameless." And his usually composed older brother might even praise his willful younger brother for daring to do what he shouldn't have done, calling him "greatly virtuous."
This is a great deal!
He lay on a small boat on Jiuzhou Pond, holding Changsun Qingjing's letter, dreaming and planning their future together, not even noticing the footsteps approaching from afar.
Xiao Ju, a favorite of the emperor, dragged a girl wearing a veil to his side: "Li Shimin, row the boat and take her to Yaoguang Palace."
After saying that, he casually put his arm around the girl's waist and threw her into the boat.
Li Shimin was certainly aware of the scandalous reputation of men and women not avoiding each other in the palace. However, the emperor did not mind that Xiao Ju and Yuwen Xiao freely entered and exited the palaces of princesses and concubines. Everyone had become accustomed to these things.
The girl stumbled to her seat in the cabin, nearly pushing him into the pool. Then she huddled there silently, her dark veil unable to conceal her thin, underage body.
"This is the new lady-in-waiting. Send her to Taoguangyuan Island. The Imperial Concubine and the Imperial Bedchamber Attendant will come to receive her," Xiao Ju ordered.
"I'm not some eunuch. Stop insulting me!"
"This is the Emperor's favor upon you," Xiao Ju said, his words slurred and reeking of alcohol. "You're agile and strong, so keep a close eye on her. Be careful she doesn't jump into the lake. His Majesty will blame you if something happens."
From the amusement hall in the northwest corner, faint sounds of laughter and musical instruments drifted out. Li Shimin loathed Xiao Ju, Yuwen Xiao, and their ilk for inciting him to drink excessively, to mistreat his maids, and even for encouraging him to have ambiguous relationships with the dissolute Acha Zi. He considered himself quite upright among this group of纨绔 (wan ku, spoiled brats). However, whenever he declined such entertainment or was noticed to have inadvertently furrowed his brow, he was treated as an oddity and subjected to merciless ridicule.
He had no idea what tricks the emperor in Yaoguang Palace was up to that required him to be a boatman, and he was too lazy to chat with the girl in front of him. He simply mechanically untied the mooring rope, pushed off with the pole, and headed towards the largest island in the middle of the lake.
The girl swayed slightly, gripping the gunwale and raising her knees a little. Li Shimin, recalling Xiao Ju's warning, rushed to the bow and pulled the girl towards the middle.
The girl screamed, her hair ornament fell off, and her hair clip was askew.
"Sit still and don't move around!" Li Shimin scolded angrily.
The girl remained silent, sitting upright without uttering a word. Half of her veil had already dragged into the water, becoming so wet and heavy that it couldn't be put back on. She was only slightly over ten years old; a normal person couldn't even describe a child of that age as "beautiful" or "ugly."
At this moment, the child, dressed in the bride's auspicious attire and with makeup inappropriate for his age, was sent to the residence of the nearly fifty-year-old emperor.
Therefore, those rumors circulating outside about the emperor's strange hobbies are all true.
Li Shimin felt nauseous and wanted to kill Xiao Ju. Heroes don't care about dying a heroic death, and petty people don't care about living a life of petty scheming. Wouldn't it be worse for a hero to live a life of petty scheming than to be skinned alive? Xiao Ju understood this well, which is why he repeatedly dragged him into his schemes, tempting him to join his corrupt ways.
"My lady, let me tell you, don't just jump into the lake. The water ghosts of Jiuzhou Pond will tear you apart." He spoke these nonsensical lies, but his tone had softened considerably. As if to confirm his nonsense, a stench wafted from the oars as they passed.
“I didn’t mean to jump into the lake.” The girl lowered her head, her voice barely audible. “I just wanted my family to be reunited someday.”
Li Shimin said with some doubt, "Then you should sit tight. I've only learned to row a few days ago, and I'm not a good swimmer. If the boat capsizes, I can only save myself, not you." When she mentioned her family, Li Shimin's heart softened, and he decided to believe her promise not to commit suicide.
The girl tilted her head back and began to tell some chilling stories.
"I am a girl from Chang'an County who was presented to His Majesty." With a face full of shame, she recalled the experience of being forcibly taken from her mother by yamen runners on her way from Chang'an to Luoyang, being whipped and instructed by eunuchs and female historians, and being mocked and humiliated by the imperial relatives with ill intentions. She was in great pain.
Li Shimin's hand holding the oar trembled slightly, and he subconsciously slowed down. He possessed an innate capacity for empathy, listening attentively to the joys and sorrows of everyone from high-ranking officials to humble peddlers, feeling their pain as if they were his own. This often made his love and hate even more intense and sharp.
“My lord, you are different from those who stole me, whipped me, and humiliated me… I have heard that any girl who has been to Yaoguang Palace either dies or goes mad.” The girl tentatively crawled closer to Li Shimin on her knees, clutching the hem of his Hu-style robe with both hands, and pleaded, “I don’t want to die, please, let me escape.”
Li Shimin's mind was in turmoil. He didn't know if it was an unfortunate girl's wild fantasy, Yang Guang's malicious test, or Xiao Ju and his group's carefully planned prank.
“How can we defy the will of the Emperor?” He thought he had come to his senses, and he swung the oar across the boat, pushing the girl away. The girl sat up straight coldly, without wailing. She had experienced similar tests several times along the way, ranging from being placed under stricter guard to being whipped and starved. This was merely her last, failed struggle. The boy before her was just an ordinary person who sought to protect himself, neither harsh nor cruel.
They stood frozen in the middle of the lake. The girl murmured, "My name is Huli Xun. I live in Yanzuoli near Mingde Gate. My father was conscripted to build Luoyang Palace and later the Yongji Canal. My elder brother never returned from his second campaign against Liaodong. My mother has been ill from years of overwork. Every night before I go to sleep, I recall the time I spent with my family dozens of times, afraid of forgetting; every morning when I wake up, I think back to the past and the faces of my loved ones, afraid that they won't recognize me when we meet again. Tell me, will our family ever see each other again?"
The early winter lake breeze made the boy's eyes slightly red and his nose sting. He even seriously considered how to escape from the Ziwei Palace with an unarmed girl. Outsmarting them would be difficult, given the numerous checkpoints; forcing his way through would require him to steal a bow and a knife from the imperial guards, and ideally, a horse. He would then escape westward from the western city wall to the right side city wall, bypass the Yiluan City, escape through the Baocheng Gate, and then he would be safe.
He shook his head, waking himself from his reverie. A sense of powerlessness washed over him.
"Your family will definitely meet."
The female officials of the Imperial Bedchamber and Imperial Ceremonies on the south bank had already seen them. Several eunuchs waved to signal them to moor the boat at a dock with no flowering trees to block the view and with scattered rocks.
Hulü Xun said softly, "I heard in the story that crossing a river leads to the underworld, where the Flame Demon awaits me. I will forget my past life, but I don't want to forget my family."
The sunset that day was unforgettable for Li Shimin. The enormous golden wheel had already sunk more than halfway into the artificial hills, but the vast sky was still tinged with the lingering heat of the sun, turning it as red as if it were on fire.
Through the skywalk of Yaoguang Hall, one could see the Star Gazing Platform and Yin Hall on the other side of the lake. All the walls, pillars, and roofs were engulfed in a sea of fire. It seemed as if blood was flowing in the Nine Provinces Pond. The further the sun sank in the west, the higher the flames rose, like a continuously spreading fire that finally swallowed the entire Ziwei Palace.
There is no palace more magnificent than Luoyang Palace, nor is there a more menacing palace.
Huli Xun calmly leaned out from the ship's railing, reattached her floral hairpins to the Nine Provinces Pond, put on her veil, and prepared to face the flames of hell. But what had she done wrong?
Li Shimin, finding courage from who-knows-where, handed a jade pendant he always carried with him to Huli Xun. The pendant bore an image of Guanyin, a gift he had prepared for Changsun Qingjing.
“You remember your family, and they will not forget you either. Lady Huli, live well, and be sure to live until the day I come to save you.”
Huli Xun's lifeless eyes lit up for a moment; it was a strange promise she had never heard of along the way.
A crack was briefly torn open in the boundless dome of hell, letting in the clear blue light that belonged to the human world.
Suddenly, flames surged from all directions, licking at the light from the human world, utterly destroying this last glimmer of life.
"Thank you. You are different from them. Remember to come and save me." She clutched the jade pendant tightly, her last connection to the human world.
The boat docked, and the eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting hurriedly helped Hulü Xun ashore. His frail figure walked step by step towards Yaoguang Palace, never looking back.
The gates of hell opened, and raging flames engulfed the bride who had been sacrificed to earth.
After waiting for a long time, Wang Shangyi saw her cousin's angry eyes.
"What kind of expression is that? Don't look at me like that! I'm just following orders!" She raised her voice due to fear and guilt. "You are not allowed to speak ill of anything in the Ziwei Palace!" Wang Shangyi shoved a boat lantern into Li Shimin's hand and left, feeling uneasy.
Immense guilt and resentment gnawed at the young soul. Li Shimin rowed the boat with all his might, trying to escape this hellish abyss. The thick ink finally soaked into the entire surface of the lake, and everything returned to calm. He fumbled for a flint on the boat's saddlebags and lit the boat's lantern. Like a helpless, lost navigator, he searched for any living creature on this vast artificial lake.
Following a sweet yet eerie melody, he found the shore. The pavilion, adorned with lights, was filled with the sounds of singers performing frivolous and sensual tunes such as "The Oriole's Song" and "Golden Hairpin Hanging from Both Arms."
The young noblemen and women, deeply moved by these affected lyrics, couldn't help but sing along, tears streaming down their faces. Beautiful dancers from the brothel twirled and danced gracefully among the young nobles.
The gamblers played several rounds of gambling, shouting "five!" and "white!" as they rolled the dice. Some even got into arguments, barefoot and shirtless, over who would win the "owl" (a winning hand in gambling). The gambling table was a mess of cups and plates.
He pushed his way through the bustling crowd, casually downed a few drinks, and tried to find a quiet place. Unfortunately, he was constantly stopped by people offering him drinks, playing the pipa, or discussing horsemanship and archery. He had no choice but to offer a few perfunctory words.
"Play the pipa, the drums, and the flutes with all your might! Make the bonfire burn even brighter!" Supported by two Hu women, Yuwen Xiao staggered to Li Shimin. "Why did you run so far? Immediately, a Zoroastrian will perform an illusion to entertain us: that Hu man will take a horizontal knife, stab it into his stomach, and the blade will protrude from his back, his intestines will spill out, and blood will flow like a gushing stream. When it gets really scary, we'll throw a basin of lake water at him... Guess what he'll conjure up?"
"I'm not feeling well, excuse me." Li Shimin already disliked this wicked playboy, and now he disliked him even more, so he made an excuse to leave.
"Don't leave! Stay and watch the illusion with us!" Yuwen Xiao grabbed Li Shimin in a fit of rage, only to find embarrassingly that he couldn't budge him at all. He then leaned closer to Li Shimin mysteriously: "I heard you were ordered to send His Majesty a concubine. Is she beautiful? Did you go into the Yaoguang Palace with her?"
Li Shimin's pent-up resentment had nowhere to go; a wild beast was raging inside him, eager to break free of its cage.
He silently rolled up his sleeves, turned around, and mimicked the other man's smug expression, mocking him with a forced smile: "What kind of lowly servants are these Huns!"
Before Yuwen Xiao could even get angry, he was lying stiffly on the ground, his mouth and nose a bloody mess.
A gasp rippled through the crowd, some gleeful, others terrified.
"Videha, you're going to break the Brahmin's image!"
"What a pity for such a handsome face."
In a short while, the old palace lady, accompanied by a group of female scribes and eunuchs, pushed aside the nobles who were watching the spectacle and ordered the physician to treat Yuwen Xiao's injuries.
"Young masters, you must stop drinking and causing trouble!" The court lady was furious at the young people's reckless behavior.
"Don't touch your face! Your chin is still there! Let the physician examine you," she said to Yuwen Xiao in an annoyed tone.
"He insulted me! He insulted me!" Yuwen Xiao cried out, clutching his bleeding wound.
"Then stand up and fight him again! If you win, Sima Dekan will have to call you brother; if you lose, how will you make him apologize!" came the voice of a nosy girl from the crowd.
The young men and women burst into laughter again, each one eager to take the matter to the emperor.
Li Shimin clenched his fist, shook his hand, and silently walked through the crowd.
The world is finally a little quieter.
A note from the author:
This is a somewhat somber chapter. I've been reflecting that I'm not limited to writing comedic scenes; I need to break out of my comfort zone and fully depict the decline of an era. For a modern writer, simply translating historical records to depict the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty is mostly scratching the surface. People would probably think I'm lazy, and I myself don't like that kind of writing style. So, I'll use a few perspectives to portray the pitiful people in that chaotic era. I'm a bit strange; when I read or write, I like to empathize with the lower classes and easily feel their suffering.
My idea is this: Erfeng and Changsun's hatred for Guangshen deepens and becomes more concrete step by step. This girl is a fictional character; she is the first knife that strikes Erfeng, the first incision, a concrete expression of the people's powerlessness to resist a tyrant. (This also indirectly leads to the later return of the three thousand palace maids to the common people; the release of the palace maids is also a redemption for the initial powerlessness and guilt.)
There will definitely be a scene in the later plot where they will slash at Changsun once or twice.
These individual breakthroughs ultimately lead the male and female protagonists from disappointment to despair to rebellion. The entire logic achieves a perfect closed loop.
Their lives involve more than just love.
I wonder if everyone can understand me?
In the next chapter, we'll continue with the mix of heart-wrenching humor.
You guys probably won't ask me if Hulü Xun will become Erfeng's concubine, right? I'll hit you.
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