Chapter 20 Cold Night's Serendipity (Part Two) "Lan Huai'en's behavior is still so light..."
The emperor arrived at the Eastern Palace without informing anyone. It was only after asking the palace staff that they learned the crown prince was practicing swordsmanship in the backyard.
It was around noon. The emperor was slightly surprised, but he simply nodded and ordered the palace servants to lead the way, instructing them not to make a fuss for the time being.
He recalled that when the Crown Prince first left the palace, he would practice riding and archery after lunch. He was quite pleased that the Crown Prince had not neglected his martial arts skills during his confinement.
In his youth, the emperor was very fond of riding and archery. In addition to practicing martial arts regularly, he also attached great importance to the annual royal hunts. When the late emperor led the northern expedition against the Tatars, he also accompanied the emperor out of the pass and fought against the enemy with great enthusiasm. But that was decades ago. The current emperor is confined to the Forbidden City and has long since lost the opportunity to conquer the world.
Rounding the corridor, they saw the Crown Prince practicing swordsmanship with a guard. They attacked and defended, their longswords clashing, flashing light as they moved swiftly. But the Eastern Palace was not a training ground; though their fight was intense, their movements were somewhat restricted, and they only managed to touch the opponent when they broke their attacks.
The emperor watched several rounds without revealing his expression.
When the crown prince finally realized what was happening and came to pay his respects, he only commented lightly: "Your swordsmanship is indeed skillful, but your natural arm strength is weak, which is ultimately a shortcoming."
Yan Chao bowed and apologized, her body still damp with sweat. Her earlobes were burning hot, and even without touching them, she knew they were already red from the cold. She didn't say much, took a deep breath to calm herself, and followed the emperor toward the main hall while quietly instructing a eunuch to fetch a copy of a book from the study.
Before entering the palace, the emperor suddenly turned back to look at her and asked, "I remember, your martial arts teacher was Han Yu?"
Yan Chao paused for a moment, then replied cautiously, "Yes."
Her heart sank slightly, and she couldn't help but feel uneasy thinking about Han Yu and Meng Huai.
The emperor nodded but said nothing more.
After the two entered the hall and took their seats, as the palace servants served tea, the emperor asked how the crown prince's health was recovering. The crown prince answered in detail and then solemnly greeted the emperor. The emperor and his subject, father and son, exchanged pleasantries with a respectful and affectionate manner, truly appearing as if they had not seen each other for a long time and were very concerned about each other.
It wasn't until Yan Chao presented the copied book sent by the eunuch that the matter was resolved.
The Four Books were fundamental to daily studies, required of all royal children, let alone the crown prince. The tutors in the Eastern Palace were all renowned Confucian scholars, well-versed in the teachings of Confucius and Mencius, and naturally regarded them as the guiding principles in their lectures. The emperor's order for her to copy the Four Books was, in effect, a sign of his extreme dissatisfaction with her learning and conduct.
"You admit your mistakes with unusual caution," the emperor said, emphasizing the word "caution," though his expression remained largely unchanged. "Every word you utter is addressed to me, yet you make no mention of the discord between you and Prince Xin that you caused. Are you deliberately trying to oppose me?"
"Your subject dares not."
Under the Emperor's stern gaze, she bowed and kowtowed, saying, "Father, you are wise. There is no misunderstanding between me and Prince Xin. I explained the misunderstanding and its specific reasons to you at the Qianqing Palace last time, and you accepted my advice and ultimately withdrew the decree ordering Prince Xin to come to court. Prince Xin has always been the Emperor's favorite, so he naturally understands your good intentions. However, I have spoken inappropriately and offended you. If this has truly frightened my fourth brother, then it is indeed my fault."
After hearing her explanation, the emperor scoffed lightly: "So, it seems I misunderstood you."
“It is my fault that Father Emperor has been misunderstood,” she straightened up, but still kept her head down, and added the second half of the sentence, “but if the world misunderstands Father Emperor and it damages your reputation, then your son and Prince Xin will have to share the blame.”
They truly wouldn't give an inch.
The emperor recalled Yang Ren's words, glanced at her coldly, and said nothing more to make things difficult for her.
He wasn't unaware of the meaning behind Yan Chao's words. After the matter was settled that day, the Crown Prince earnestly advised that the incident in the palace was merely a conflict between father and son, preserving the dignity of all three, and thus pulling him out of the vortex of controversy among the court officials.
As for how those words got out afterward, he didn't want to know, nor did he care to investigate.
The emperor turned back to the page he was holding, then noticed the extra copy of the Classic of Filial Piety she had made. His brow furrowed, and he casually asked, "What is meant by the beginning and end of filial piety?"
Yan Chao replied, “Filial piety begins with serving one’s parents, continues with serving one’s ruler, and culminates in establishing oneself in the world.”①
This is a concise and essential sentence from the opening chapter of the Classic of Filial Piety, and it is not difficult at all.
"It's good that you understand." The emperor nodded, put the stack of papers on the table, and told her to rise in a low voice.
Yan Chao thanked the emperor and stood up, finally feeling a little relieved.
The emperor at the head of the table fell silent, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then said slowly, "Yesterday I went to Yongning Palace to see Consort Ning. I saw that she was still wearing the begonia hairpin that Empress Wenhui had given her. She is usually reserved, but it is rare for her to take the initiative to talk to me about your mother."
Yan Chao's eyes suddenly darkened. The anniversary of Empress Wen Hui's death was in winter, but Consort Ning's grief was always more profound and lasting than hers.
"My mother and Consort Ning had a very deep friendship before she passed away," she said softly, her eyes lowered.
The Emperor said, "Speaking of your mother reminds me of those things from back then. In the end, it was I who wronged you and your mother. You spent six years outside the palace, and only four years after returning, your mother passed away. The bond between mother and son was so shallow." The Emperor paused, then sighed, "Although you have been raised by Consort Ning all these years, she is not your birth mother after all..."
Yan Chao silently continued, "Consort Ning has treated me very well. I often miss my mother, but I never dare to forget your kindness in raising me."
The emperor nodded, "It's good that you remember." Then, he changed the subject, his tone inquisitive, "But a couple of days ago, I heard that you were secretly investigating the cause of Empress Wenhui's death?"
Yan Chao was stunned. She had secretly investigated Empress Wen Hui without letting anyone know, so how did the Emperor hear about it? She was momentarily flustered, unsure where the news had leaked out, but quickly composed herself and answered yes.
"There are rumors circulating in the palace that there were some suspicious circumstances surrounding the Empress Dowager's death. Since it concerns the Empress Dowager, I have no choice but to take it to heart."
The emperor narrowed his eyes slightly: "Who spread this rumor? I haven't heard of it."
"Your subject does not know. I was afraid it was just a rumor, so I wanted to find out the truth so that the rumors would be dispelled."
"So, what have you found out?" The emperor took a sip of tea and asked her calmly.
Yan Chao shook his head: "Not yet..."
The emperor interrupted her without room for argument: "Those baseless accusations are nothing more than trouble for the Crown Prince to investigate. Wouldn't that only fuel more gossip? There's no need to investigate. The matter from back then has long been settled. Bringing it up again will only cause more trouble."
Yan Chao did not argue further, but lowered his head and obediently replied, "It was your son who had not thought things through properly."
The two sat in silence.
The emperor shifted his body, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. He felt that the crown prince was far too quiet in his presence, though he was not usually dull-witted when speaking.
“The Eastern Palace is rather deserted these days. Although Crown Prince Zhaohuai only has one son, Fei’er, he was already married when he was your age. Marrying a Crown Princess early on, even if you don’t have any children, will at least help you to temper your temper and take on more responsibility.”
Curb her temper? Yan Chao clicked her tongue inwardly. What temper did she need to curb?
However, the emperor's sudden urging to get married still made her a little flustered. Her face flushed, but she forced herself to remain calm and said, "Your son's abilities are not as good as your brother's, and I dare not indulge in romantic affairs for fear of distracting me. Moreover, your son has not yet come of age, so I would like to wait a little longer before getting married."
She glanced at the emperor and couldn't help but think that he would occasionally visit the Prince Xin's residence, where he was probably happy, with his children and grandchildren being filial and the family in harmony.
The emperor held the cup in his hand and said quietly, "There is no need to be bound by age; one can marry as young as possible."
"I had discussed this with Consort Ning. Meng Huai's granddaughter is of good age and is a suitable candidate for the position of Crown Princess in terms of family background and character. However, she is currently observing mourning for her parents, so we have to give up on that idea. Since you are unwilling, we will put it aside for now. If you find someone you like in the future, you can tell me."
Hearing the emperor say this, Yan Chao had no choice but to respond. She thought to herself that if she weren't a woman, Meng Huai's granddaughter would indeed be a good candidate for the Crown Princess.
As for the Emperor's statement about discussing the marriage with Consort Ning, Consort Ning would not agree to it. She is simply compliant and dares not disobey the Emperor.
As the emperor was leaving, he agreed to lift her confinement. This was something Yan Chao had expected, but the next moment, the emperor suddenly asked about Lan Huai'en.
"...That night, Lan Huaien was sweeping snow on the palace road. When I returned to the East Palace, I found him unconscious and collapsed by the roadside, so I brought him back. As for the matter of him trespassing into the bedchamber the next day, Lan Huaien said at one point that he wanted to thank me for my kindness, at another point he was incoherently shouting for help, saying that someone wanted to harm him, and then he begged me to plead for him before the Emperor."
Upon hearing the words "help," Ji Weixian's expression changed slightly, and he secretly peered at the emperor's expression.
"How could he be so reckless? He really deserves a beating. Where is he now? Is he still alive?" The emperor frowned, but did not seem impatient.
"Your Majesty, Lan Huaien is currently recuperating in the rear palace, and his life is not in danger."
The emperor glanced behind him, ordered the carriage to depart, and tossed her a sentence: "I have found him quite useful. Once his injuries have healed, I will have him return to service after the festival."
Yan Chao said so, and bowed respectfully to see the emperor off.
When he saw Lan Huaien again, he was already able to get out of bed and walk.
When Yan Chao told him the emperor's edict, he saw the delighted smile on his face and subconsciously reminded him, "You are, after all, someone who serves the emperor. You should be more composed and not get carried away."
Those in high positions are usually reluctant to show their emotions. Yet Lan Huai'en, who was by the emperor's side, behaved in such a frivolous and impetuous manner.
Lan Huaien scoffed and chuckled at her, "Hasn't Your Highness experienced anything joyful? This servant is indeed happy, there's no need to force yourself to laugh..."
Yan Chao's eyes darkened, but he said nothing more.
Lan Huaien didn't dare to be too presumptuous. After laughing enough, she thanked her, "I must thank Your Highness for covering for me. Those few words were enough to make Ji Weixian tremble with fear for a while."
A note from the author:
Note: ① This is from the Classic of Filial Piety.
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