Chapter 12 Dim Light (Part 3) "Your unfilial son fears that this year..."
As the year draws to a close, the capital city, which had been quiet all winter, is bustling with activity again. The arrangements in the palace are still being handled by Consort Li, and since the emperor's illness has greatly improved in the past few days, the atmosphere in the palace has become lively.
When Prince Xin had some free time, he brought his princess and grandson to the palace to pay their respects to the emperor. On the way, they encountered Lady Sun with Yan Fei, who was also on his way.
Three generations of the family gathered together, making the warm pavilion lively and bustling. The emperor looked at his two young grandsons, feeling both moved and gratified, his joy evident in his eyes and brows.
Among the group, the two children were still young and innocent, Princess Xin was the most reserved and dared not say a word, and Madam Sun was indifferent. Fortunately, Prince Xin was good at dealing with people, so the atmosphere was quite lively.
Because there are many things to settle and wrap up at the end of the year, Yan Chao has been busy these past few days, but he was still summoned to go.
Two days ago, some ministers suggested that the Emperor was in good health and that the Crown Prince could relinquish his regency. However, the Emperor clearly did not want to begin handling state affairs so soon, and instead summoned the imperial physicians, saying that he needed to rest for some more time.
Yan Chaofang escaped from a pile of official documents, and the cold wind cleared his head somewhat. He arrived at the Qianqing Palace and happened to hear children's voices reciting inside.
"The north wind is cold, the rain and snow are heavy. You are kind and good to me, let's walk hand in hand..."
She recognized Yan Fei's voice, which was occasionally punctuated by a baby's murmur.
The emperor was enjoying the company of his grandchildren, and the palace must have been filled with a joyful atmosphere. She hesitated for a moment.
Yan Chao had never been good at dealing with these kinds of situations. She knew the emperor was genuinely happy, but that happiness had little to do with her. Perhaps because she had seen so many of the emperor's cold faces, she would occasionally feel a pang of jealousy and bitterness when she saw him being close to the princes and grandsons. Sometimes she would inadvertently reveal this, and when the emperor noticed, he would always sarcastically say, "Look, I told you to marry the Crown Princess, but you didn't want to. What are you sulking about here!" She felt embarrassed and would always lower her head, her face flushed.
But what about familial affection? She tried very hard to be a good crown prince, diligently handling government affairs and studying her coursework, but it seemed that no matter how well she did, the emperor still wouldn't give her a kind word.
That clear, distant feeling made her feel insignificant, as light as a duckweed. At first, she tried to get closer, but later she simply let it be.
She didn't even have time for regrets; she turned around and threw herself into politics, trying to find a moment of peace amidst the constraints around her.
My mind returned to calm the moment I stepped through the door.
She saw the Emperor engrossed in the poem, and Princess Xin reaching out to take the babbling baby. Yan Fei, who had just finished reciting the poem fairly fluently, pointed out the window and laughed, "Grandpa Emperor, your grandson wants to go out and build a snowman!"
Just as the emperor was about to respond, he looked up and saw Yan Chao enter. He turned his head slightly and casually gestured with his lip: "Your sixth uncle, who's always so busy, is here."
After saying that, she reached out and affectionately pinched his rosy cheeks, said "Go," and instructed Ji Weixian to keep a close eye on him.
Yan Chao saw the emperor's kind smile, a smile that seemed to come from the heart, his eyes full of tenderness and affection, and the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, making him feel very warm and friendly.
In that instant, a sudden thought struck her, but she lowered her eyes again.
Yan Fei bowed to everyone and then followed the young eunuch out. Yan Chao was about to kneel and pay his respects when the emperor stopped him, saying, "No need."
She straightened up and could clearly feel the hall fall silent instantly. It was as if she, an uninvited guest, had disrupted this harmonious and joyful scene.
The Emperor's gaze shifted from the child in Princess Xin's arms, and he smiled gently: "I remember the Crown Prince hasn't met Tang'er yet, has he? You're an elder now, you should get closer to your nephew."
The youngest grandson of the emperor was named Yantang, a name bestowed upon him by the emperor himself.
Yan Chao respectfully agreed, knowing the emperor's words had a hidden meaning, but she only feigned obedience. That day, everyone went to congratulate Prince Xin on the birth of his son, but she didn't go; someone must have whispered in the emperor's ear.
Prince Xin's expression was amiable as he raised an eyebrow at Princess Xin. Princess Xin stood up and carefully handed the child to Yan Chao.
Yan Chao looked at the soft, pink baby in front of him, still exuding the scent of milk, his bright, dark eyes as pure as a sheet of paper. At first, he looked at her with some curiosity, but the moment their eyes met, Yan Chao was stunned, and a strange flutter ran through his heart.
The child, perhaps shy, suddenly turned away as if frightened, let out a soft moan, and opened his mouth to cry.
Princess Xin remained relatively calm and quietly instructed Yan Chao on how to hold the child. After adjusting the position, the child finally settled down.
Holding the soft bundle in her arms, Yan Chao felt a little awkward, her face flushing. She tensed up at the slightest movement of the child, afraid he would cry. After a moment, she could only look embarrassedly at Princess Xin: "Fourth Sister-in-law, please hold him."
She was genuinely worried; if Yan Tang really started crying, she would probably become the sinner in this hall again.
Princess Xin took the child and turned to sit down. Yan Chao looked up and saw the emperor's smiling gaze.
Prince Xin joked, "Sixth Brother is still young. He'll become skilled sooner or later when he gets married and has children."
Sun, who had been listening to Yan Fei's voice outside the hall, knew he was safe and sound. She, who was usually taciturn, suddenly nodded in agreement: "That's true. It's just a pity that Crown Prince Zhaohuai didn't even have the chance to hold Fei'er. Since Sixth Brother likes children, he'd better work harder."
The original tone was lighthearted and joking, but mentioning Crown Prince Zhaohuai added a touch of sadness.
The emperor's smile slowly faded, and when he looked at Yan Chao, she stood there stiffly like a wooden statue, truly an eyesore.
"What are you standing for? Come and sit down," the emperor said casually. Seeing her thank him and sit down, he then spoke earnestly, "Since the Crown Prince is now overseeing the country, he needs to distinguish between what is important and what is not. With the Grand Secretariat and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs in place, there is no need to do unimportant things personally. He should also learn how to strategize and plan."
Yan Chao instinctively tried to get up, but then he caught sight of Prince Xin beside him, so he simply turned to the side, nodded respectfully, and replied, "Yes."
Seeing the change in topic, Princess Xin hurriedly stood up and curtsied to the Emperor: "Father, Consort Xian said earlier that she wanted to see Tang'er. It's getting late, so I would like to take my leave first." Looking around the hall, Madam Sun probably also found it boring and stood up to bow and take her leave.
The emperor nodded, and only after the others left did things truly quiet down. Now that there were only three people left, the emperor no longer needed to be discreet when speaking, so he put down his cup, which still contained tea, making his voice sound somewhat muffled as he placed it on the table.
"I heard that something happened at the Ministry of Revenue. Ji Weixian stammered and couldn't explain it clearly. You tell me."
The emperor did not avoid Prince Xin, but Prince Xin remained silent.
Yan Chao responded with a "yes," knowing that Ji Weixian's vague words were merely an attempt to shift the blame. He knew that no matter who spoke up, the emperor's anger wouldn't be directed at him.
This person must be her right now.
"Your Majesty, this year there was a locust plague in the capital region. About one-third of the tax revenue was used to relieve the disaster victims. In the past few days, the Ministry of Revenue has been auditing the accounts and found that there are still some doubts about the amount. A senior official in the Ministry of Revenue went back to his hometown to observe mourning for his parents some time ago, so the position is temporarily vacant. Your Majesty ordered Fourth Brother to enter the Ministry of Revenue for training, but there has been a conflict in the handover of the position."
The emperor frowned, casually slamming his hand on the table, but his words avoided the second half of her sentence: "The locust plague in the capital region was investigated and found to be related to Bai Cunzhang. Wasn't the case closed?"
"Yes. But it has indeed been discovered that there are still some remaining associates who have not been completely eliminated." She knew that the emperor was exhausted by this case, but the aftermath was still lingering.
Initially, due to Shen Wei's circumstances, the emperor entrusted the cleanup to the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot, but later, when Meng Huai got into trouble, both sides were implicated. After that, several more people fell from power, so it wasn't a hasty conclusion, and she thought it was over.
"Then investigate. The sooner the better, no need to wait until the New Year." The Emperor closed his eyes, his thin lips moving slightly. After a moment of silence, he turned to Prince Xin: "Prince Xin, what is your explanation?"
Prince Xin rose, appearing remarkably calm: "Father, please forgive me. Your son dares not disappoint your expectations, but it is really not a big problem. I am new to the Ministry of Revenue and lack experience, so Minister Li took extra care of me, which may have caused dissatisfaction. However, Minister Li had no intention of showing favoritism or bias, and I hope Your Majesty will understand."
The Emperor nodded slightly: "Then there's no need to say more. I trust Grand Secretary Li. This is a minor matter; you can handle it."
The Prince of Xin agreed, and then suddenly knelt down. The slightly exaggerated worry on his face made Yan Chao feel uneasy.
"Father, I have already been granted the title of Prince, and my continued stay in the capital has violated ancestral rules. I am truly terrified to be involved in the court again at this time." His words were steady and powerful, and sounded genuinely sincere.
As for sincerity... if one truly has this awareness, one should not be turning down the offer now.
But the emperor clearly didn't care much. He looked at him silently for a moment before speaking: "I am unwell, and it is only right that you share my burdens. It's not like I'm asking you to stay in the Ministry of Revenue for a long time. If you really feel uncomfortable, you can come back after the New Year."
Afterwards, Yan Chao didn't listen to a single word of the high-sounding words that Prince Xin said, and he no longer even thought about how biased the emperor really was.
The emperor suddenly changed the subject and asked for her opinion, his tone somewhat reproachful: "I have heard that many people in the court are talking about Prince Xin, but I have not seen the crown prince mention it to me."
Yan Chao heard his own voice become calm and composed as if by instinct: "Some courtiers disregarded Your Majesty's health and slandered the prince. Your Majesty, I believe this matter need not trouble you, so I did not report it."
"You deliberately concealed this. Were you worried about my health, or did you believe the advice was true and were eager to silence me? In doing so, you unknowingly gave me a reputation for being stubborn and unable to distinguish right from wrong. Last time, regarding the Meng Huai incident, you said someone wanted to put me in an unjust position. What about you now? I also want an explanation from you."
The emperor's words were awe-inspiring, causing Yan Chao to immediately feel a jolt.
What explanation could she possibly offer...? Whether she reported it or not, the emperor could still control her; it didn't really make much difference. The bitterness that had been welling up inside her suddenly resurfaced, and despite her best efforts to control herself, her hand trembled slightly.
Seeing his two sons kneeling on the ground, the emperor glanced at them, his expression softening before asking, "Then, Your Highness, where do you think I went wrong?"
You're not wrong, you're just biased.
Yan Chao choked, swallowing down the "Your subject knows his crime" that he had prepared to say to settle the matter peacefully.
"It is indeed against ancestral rules for an adult prince to remain in the capital and for a vassal king to be involved in politics. Your Majesty's mistake lies in spoiling your illegitimate son, and the mistake of the censors lies in not caring about Your Majesty's health. As the crown prince, I cannot offer honest advice to Your Majesty, and I cannot distinguish right from wrong among my subordinates. This time, my improper handling of the situation has blocked the channels of communication, and it is my fault. However, if Your Majesty wishes to punish me in detail, please summon all the court officials and have them debate each other in detail at the court meeting, so that everyone can be convinced."
The air in the hall fell silent. The emperor remained expressionless, not even blinking. Prince Xin, standing to the side, was startled and couldn't help but turn his head. Seeing her back ramrod straight, he bowed respectfully again.
Before the emperor could react, she added, her tone gradually softening: "Your unfilial son fears he will not be able to have a proper New Year."
It was the twentieth year of the Xuan Ning era.
A note from the author:
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
