Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Shocking Turn of Events on the Qixi Festival
At this time, the morning court session was being held in the Chuigong Hall.
Du Chun, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward to plead with His Majesty that the early rice harvest in several prefectures of Jianghuai had failed, and farmers, in order to evade taxes, were abandoning their fields and dispersing to various places. He requested His Majesty to reduce taxes to appease the people.
Before he could finish speaking, the Vice Minister of War said, "I believe this action is inappropriate. The Jianghuai region has always been the source of sustenance for the court. Reducing taxes would certainly affect the procurement of provisions for the expeditionary army. Moreover, the Jianghuai region had bumper harvests the year before last and last year, and the people have surplus grain in their homes. Abandoning fields to evade taxes is putting pressure on the court. Such unruly behavior cannot be tolerated. I urge Your Majesty to issue an edict to severely punish them."
After the two finished speaking, the emperor remained silent for a long time. He was puzzled but dared not look up.
A palace attendant standing to one side glanced over and saw the emperor staring blankly, looking dazed. He quickly called out softly, "Your Majesty."
The emperor awoke with a start, frowned, and said to his ministers, "I am not feeling well today; let us discuss this another day."
After the morning court session, he went to the Cining Palace to pay his respects, as was customary. The Empress Dowager pulled him to sit down and said worriedly, "Your Majesty, I just remembered that Dunluye commands a military force. Ji Nuli is gathering southern troops to conquer the three northern tribes, and this is a time when he needs capable men. Would he allow him to live a carefree life in the capital? Could it be that the rebellion of the three northern tribes is a ruse? Is Ji Nuli actually plotting against our Great Zhou?"
"Your Majesty is overthinking it," the Emperor said dismissively. "The fact that the three northern tribes have declared themselves kings has been reported by the garrison commanders of Yanzhou and Xingping. The evidence is conclusive; how could it be false? In my opinion, it is precisely because Dunluye is deeply trusted by the Jinu people that he was sent to preside over the peace talks. If the peace talks fail and the borders remain unsettled, how will the Jinu people quell the northern rebellion? Besides, it is now July, the grass is lush, and it is the grazing season. For the sake of the herders, the Jinu people will probably wait until the frost falls in September before suppressing the rebellion."
Although the Empress Dowager was intelligent, she had never ruled as regent before and was not familiar with politics and military affairs. She also did not have Ruan Bi's comprehensive vision of the past and present. She found the Emperor's words quite reasonable and began to have doubts.
"In the battle to quell the rebellion two years ago, my sixth brother annihilated 100,000 elite Northern Rong soldiers. They still live in fear and dare not easily start another war." After a pause, the emperor added, "My sixth brother and I will take care of the affairs of state and the military. Mother, please rest assured."
While these words were meant to comfort, they also implied that she should stop interfering in court and military affairs and simply be a good empress dowager.
The Empress Dowager naturally understood, and her displeasure was evident in her slightly somber expression.
The emperor pretended not to see it, claiming he had other official business to attend to, and excused himself. After he left, the Empress Dowager sat silently for a long while, then asked Lu Su'e, the Palace Attendant, "What do you think?"
"Although Fifth Miss Ruan has some knowledge, she is ultimately just a young lady from a humble family. How could she possibly be more wise than His Majesty? Besides, Fifth Miss Ruan has always been prone to boasting and has a tendency to seek attention. In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should not trust her."
The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "Send someone to the Xixin Palace to convey my imperial edict."
The attendant was summoned and entered.
"Consort Ruan flattered the Emperor and poisoned him, and should be severely punished. However, considering her youth and ignorance, being deceived by treacherous people, and her diligent work and reflection on her mistakes in the Xixin Palace, she will be given a lighter sentence. She shall be moved back to the Guanju Palace immediately, where she shall cultivate herself and be cautious in her conduct, and must never do such a thing again."
Lu Gongling's heart skipped a beat; after all, the Empress Dowager still believed Ruan Wu to some extent. After the imperial edict left, she whispered to the Empress, "How should we settle Miss Ruan Wu?"
"Let her stay in Cining Palace." After thinking for a moment, the Empress Dowager added, "For now, there's no need to restrict her movements."
Not long after, news that Consort Ruan had moved back to Guanju Palace and that Ruan Bi had remained in Cining Palace reached Yonghua Palace. Consort Xie, who was drinking ginseng soup, choked on it, coughing repeatedly. Clutching her chest, she said, "That Ruan Wu is truly a persistent ghost; she's managed to get away with it again."
Aunt Wan gently patted her back and said, "Your Majesty, your health is the most important thing. Even the most important matters should wait until after your confinement period."
"The Empress Dowager keeps her in the palace and allows her to move freely, clearly intending for her to help Consort Ruan win back the Emperor's heart and eliminate the future threat of the Northern Rong witch. With Ruan Wu's intelligence and Consort Ruan's beauty, I'm afraid I'll have no place to stand after I finish my confinement." Consort Xie shook her head and said, "Aunt Wan, have Lu Ping leave the palace immediately to meet the Marquis of Yanping at his residence and have him contact his favorite officials as soon as possible to submit a memorial urging His Majesty to approve the marriage alliance with the Northern Rong."
In the following days, a flurry of memorials were delivered to the imperial study.
In the imperial court, numerous ministers repeatedly argued for the advantages and disadvantages of the marriage alliance between the Great Zhou and the Northern Rong—a dowry of 100,000 fine horses, marrying off a non-royal daughter, seemed beneficial to the Great Zhou, the state, and the people's livelihood. The emperor, bombarded with these arguments, finally relented on the sixth day of the seventh month.
Not long after, someone delivered the message to the Northern Rong embassy.
Dunluye laughed heartily and said, "Chai is nothing but a good-for-nothing."
Meda laughed along. "Our Khan is truly amazing. These Han people love to fight amongst themselves. They talk about benevolence, righteousness, filial piety, loyalty, and trustworthiness all day long, but if you give them even the slightest benefit, they'll abandon their parents. They can turn black into white without any conscience."
"Yes. What will Chai Xi think? He fought bloody battles on the front lines, expanding the territory. The emperor and his ministers sold out his beloved."
"I'm afraid he'll vomit three liters of blood."
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
After laughing, Dunluye said confidently, "As long as we get rid of Chai Xi, Chai is no threat, and this prosperous empire will surely be ours."
Meda cupped his hands in greeting and said, "When the time comes, the general will be ennobled and appointed prime minister, his name etched in history."
"I have no other wish but that the Khan will bestow upon me the title of Consort Ruan of Chaishi." Ever since he met the Fourth Miss once in the palace, Dunluye had been thinking about her.
Just then, a servant rushed in, holding a name card in his hand.
"Whose name tag is it?"
"Gu Xiaobai of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion invites the general to go hunting together at the western suburbs hunting grounds tomorrow."
Meda frowned and said, "I've heard that Gu Xiaobai has a crush on Ruan Wu. I'm afraid this hunt might be a trap."
Dunluye scoffed, "He's nothing but a spoiled brat, nothing to fear. If he tries anything, I'll make him cry for his parents, wishing he'd been born!"
The next day, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Qixi Festival, was unusually hot.
Dunluye rose early and, accompanied by his entourage, went to the royal hunting grounds on the western outskirts of the capital. From afar, he saw Gu Xiaobai, Pan Shunmei, and several other scions of noble families riding horses at an angle through the hunting grounds' fence. They were dressed in brocade robes, adorned with jade pendants and sachets. Dunluye couldn't help but laugh and said, "So full of feminine charm. In the Great Zhou, only Chai Xi looks like a man." With that, he spurred his horse and rode over.
After exchanging pleasantries, Gu Xiaobai said, "I've heard that General Dunluye is exceptional in both horsemanship and archery. How about we have a contest today?"
Dunluye Shuang quickly said, "How do you want to compete? Tell me!"
Gu Xiaobai drew an arrow and shot it straight to the ground, saying, "Using the arrow's shadow as a guide, the game will be played here at noon. The one with the most prey wins, and the prize is a black horse." With that, he clapped his hands, and Anping led over a black horse. The horse's coat was glossy, and its demeanor was outstanding; it was clearly a fine steed. Everyone present was a horse enthusiast, and the elder brother was eager to try. Even Dunluye, who had seen many fine horses, felt a pang of envy.
They immediately dispersed, each leading their respective followers into the dense grass and woods. At first, Dunluye was quite cautious, but as the hunt became more exciting, he forgot all about safety. He didn't know how much time had passed, but while chasing a leopard, he suddenly heard a sharp whooshing sound. Knowing he was being ambushed, he quickly ducked under his horse. Unexpectedly, the arrow wasn't aimed at him, but rather at the horse's rump.
The horse, struck by an arrow, neighed in pain and bolted. Dunluye, a seasoned warrior, remained calm and collected. He waited until he reached a patch of flat, grassy ground, then leisurely kicked off his stirrups, landed, rolled a few times to regain his balance, and was about to stand when he heard a whooshing sound. He quickly drew his dagger and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see three arrows flying towards him, one after another, like shooting stars. Knowing the danger, he rolled on the spot to dodge the first and second arrows, but the third was unavoidable; with a "thud," it pierced his calf.
With his calf injured and unable to move easily, Yelü Ye knew his life was about to end. He couldn't describe the feeling in his heart, only watching the direction from which the arrow had flown. Just then, the branches and leaves swayed, and Gu Xiaobai parted the grass and rode over. He was dressed in a dark green outfit, and if you didn't look closely, he would be indistinguishable from the grass and trees.
After exchanging a silent glance with Yelü Ye, Gu Xiaobai drew his arrow, nocked the bow, and aimed in one smooth motion.
Is your cousin's woman worth it?
Gu Xiaobai remained calm and said, "You're wrong. I did it for my cousin, for the Great Zhou."
"Kill me, and you will not escape death either."
"What a joke." Gu Xiaobai sneered, "My grandfather is the Duke of Dingguo, my grandmother is the Grand Princess Huiwen, my aunt is the Empress Dowager, and my cousin is the Emperor. Do you think I would have to pay with my life for killing a mere Rongdi like you?"
"Release me, and I promise to persuade the emperor to marry the Fifth Sister to you."
"Enough with the nonsense, calling yourself a general of the Northern Rong, yet you're so afraid of death." Gu Xiaobai curled his lips contemptuously, released his fingers, and the arrow flew from the bowstring, piercing Yelü Ye's chest. Yelü Ye clutched his chest and slowly collapsed. Gu Xiaobai dismounted, about to check his breathing, when the rapid sound of hooves approached, the grass and trees swayed rapidly, and there were panicked cries: "General, General!" Knowing that Yelü Ye's men had arrived, he quickly remounted and galloped away, parting the grass and trees.
He ran all the way to the entrance of the hunting grounds, where Pan Shunmei and the others had already returned. Seeing that he had caught nothing, they all laughed and said, "How rare! Is Xiaobai going to hand in a blank exam today?"
Gu Xiaobai said, "We only hunted down Yelü Ye."
Their smiles froze on their faces. The young men from prominent families exchanged bewildered glances. After a moment, Pan Shunmei said, "Xiao Bai, don't try to trick us."
"I wasn't lying to you, I really did kill them. If you don't believe me, wait here, they'll be here with the body soon." Gu Xiaobai flattered him as if it were a serious matter. "I'm leaving now."
Pan Shunmei was taken aback again and asked, "Where is Xiaobai going?"
"Go to Jiaozhi to find my cousin." Before the words were even out of their mouths, Gu Xiaobai had already run three zhang away.
Pan Shunmei and the others looked at each other in dismay. After a while, they saw the Northern Rong people carrying a person over from afar. Knowing that Gu Xiaobai was not lying, they scattered in fright.
At noon, the news reached the capital, shocking the entire court. The emperor was furious and immediately fainted.
The historian recorded it in detail in the official history of the Great Zhou Dynasty: "On the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of Jiaping, Gu Xiaobai, the grandson of the Duke of Dingguo, lured and killed Yelü Ye of the Northern Rong under the pretext of hunting. The emperor was furious and fainted for three days. The deputy envoy of the Northern Rong escorted the coffin back to the country, and the peace talks were thus broken." As for the real reason for the emperor's fainting, it was unnecessary to record it in the history book to avoid offending the emperor.
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