Chapter 91, Part 10...
The emperor issued three decrees in succession: first, to move the imperial carriage back to the Qianqing Palace; second, to lift the confinement of the Crown Prince; and third, to order the Crown Prince to leave the capital and go north to join the army in battle.
The first two matters were precisely what the court officials were worried about and eagerly awaiting; everyone was naturally delighted that the emperor could change his mind. However, the last matter caused quite a stir.
Throughout history, it has been rare for a crown prince to lead an expedition. Moreover, with the emperor gravely ill and the power to oversee the country currently held by the crown prince, how can the capital be left leaderless?
The emperor, forcing himself to appear before his court officials, stated that he was still capable of handling important matters. He also remarked that the crown prince was young and should be sent to the army for training.
However, the text makes no mention of any unusual celestial phenomena.
However, everyone knew that the imperial edict's so-called "fighting alongside the army" was practically equivalent to temporarily banishing the crown prince from the capital, or even worse, it was no different from being exiled to the army.
The six supervising secretaries unleashed their power, forcefully rejecting the imperial edict, leaving even the cabinet helpless for a time.
The emperor lashed out at Lan Huaien: "The Crown Prince's status is what it is. Sending her will boost morale. She doesn't lead troops, has no real power, and poses no threat to the capital or the border wars... This is the biggest concession I can make. It's a win-win situation. Why are these old stubborns still so ungrateful?"
Lan Huaien patted the emperor's back to soothe him, and gently advised, "The court officials are simply worried that something might happen to the Crown Prince... In my opinion, it would be most appropriate to send the Crown Prince away from the capital. After all, Your Majesty is still in the capital, and the Crown Prince would be idle if he stayed there. It would be better to send him to the border. Putting aside the benefits, it would also fulfill the Crown Prince's filial piety, wouldn't it?"
The emperor chuckled and glanced at him: "...I think those ministers are just hoping I'll die soon so they can install a crown prince as soon as possible. She's become more and more capable these past few years."
The mention of filial piety reminded the emperor of the letter written by the crown prince. His handwriting was neat and precise, the words careful and earnest, and the sentiment deeply moving.
At that time, he already intended to send the crown prince away from the capital. Just then, he opened the letter and saw that the crown prince had volunteered to go on the expedition and had analyzed the benefits of it in detail. He was immediately gratified.
It must be said that the Crown Prince has always been able to distinguish between important matters and take the overall situation into consideration.
"Since the Crown Prince volunteered, let her deal with those ministers. Tell your Eastern Depot people to be on high alert these days, arrest a few troublemakers, and punish them severely. I am not the Crown Prince, and I can't let them run rampant."
Lan Huaien responded with a "yes," and after lowering the curtain for the emperor, he requested, "Your Majesty, I... I might as well go with the Crown Prince. Firstly, I am a member of the imperial court; secondly, I can protect the Crown Prince's safety; and thirdly, if the Crown Prince does anything unusual, I can respond in time..."
"Do you really think I want to send her to the border alone?" The emperor chuckled, then sneered. "She has guards. What would it be like for you to go? Besides, what would happen to the Eastern Depot and the Directorate of Ceremonial if you left? I can't do without you. And besides, I wouldn't suspect the Crown Prince to the point of sending you to keep a close watch on him. What do you take me for?"
"minister……"
"Go and help prepare for the Crown Prince's departure from the capital. It will be her first time on the battlefield, and she will soon face a scene of swords, spears, and bloodshed. It's inevitable that she will be flustered and confused." The Emperor closed his eyes wearily and fell into a deep sleep.
.
With the crown prince stepping forward to explain, the officials had no choice but to compromise.
The cabinet ministers were the first to realize that there was no turning back and sided with the emperor and the crown prince. The few who still insisted on their own opinions were either nitpicked and suppressed by the Eastern Depot or had to swallow their resentment.
When Cui Wenzao, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy, had something to report, he bypassed the procedure of submitting a memorial to the throne, did not go through the cabinet, and did not communicate with the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Relying on his surname Cui, he went directly to Liang Lu.
At that time, Yan Chao had just returned to the palace from martial arts practice in the inner training ground. His body was still covered in sweat. After listening to Cui Wenzao's words, which were nothing more than the same few sentences, he couldn't help but feel annoyed and irritable.
"I've heard these words of yours countless times. They're nothing new and won't change the outcome."
Yan Chao turned around and saw that he looked somewhat embarrassed, so he softened his tone: "If you don't understand, just remember what I said: His Majesty and I are one father and son. His Majesty's worries are my worries, and His Majesty's wishes are my wishes. Now that the enemy is rampant, as the Crown Prince, I must share the worries of my sovereign and father, and I must also have the courage to lead the charge."
Cui Wenzao froze on the spot, looking up at her without regard for etiquette. However, Yan Chao remained calm, simply lowering her eyes to straighten her sleeves and standing there composedly.
He remained silent for a long while before seemingly realizing something, and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, I am ashamed. I beg Your Highness to forgive my rash actions today."
.
Liang Lu began to get busy, personally handling the items needed to be taken from the palace. Because of Yan Chao's status, there were many things that required utmost care and could not be taken lightly.
He presented a detailed list to Yan Chao for review, and then asked, "Your Highness, please designate the accompanying personnel."
Yan Chao glanced at the list and nodded, saying, "I trust anything you've arranged. As for the accompanying personnel... first of all, you don't need to go, do you?"
Liang Lu was stunned for a moment, looked up at her expression, hesitated for a long time, and stammered, "This servant... this servant has always been with Your Highness. If you don't have a reliable person by your side, this servant really can't rest easy..."
Yan Chao smiled gently and comforted him, "This is going to war, not an ordinary trip. You're not going to the battlefield, so just stay in the capital and guard the Eastern Palace."
Liang Lu lowered her head and stammered, "Your Highness seems to think that I am too old and useless."
Yan Chao sighed softly and shook his head gently: "No. You are the most reliable person by my side, which is why I cannot let you put yourself in danger. Your staying in the capital is my way out."
Liang Lu suddenly felt a lump in his throat, and despite his advanced age, he almost burst into tears. Fearing that Yan Chao would see, he could only lower his head and desperately hold back his tears.
"If Xiao Jiu were still alive, I would definitely take him with me," Yan Chao remarked casually. He turned the page in his hand and then didn't mention him again.
“We don’t need many eunuchs, just Chi Rong and Liang Li will suffice. As for the imperial physician, Feng Jingmo will definitely go. And the guards…” She counted them off one by one, while also considering something else in her mind, “…Go find Lan Huai’en and tell him I’m borrowing a few reliable men from him. Have Wang Zhuo accompany the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Have Wang Zhuo secretly check the men Qiu Cong arranged to ensure everything is foolproof…”
As she pondered, she tilted her head slightly and saw a few sprigs of winter plum blossoms in a vase by the window, their branches adorned with delicate, translucent blossoms, like gold and jade.
Her gaze returned, and she suddenly thought, "That's right, aren't there women in the Embroidered Uniform Guard? I'll transfer two or three of them to accompany me."
Liang Lu's heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed drastically: "Your Highness..."
"I've been avoiding this for twenty years, knowing I couldn't escape this day," she pursed her lips, her expression calm. "I originally planned to reveal my true identity after I ascended the throne, when the court was stable and I held real power. But now, there are too many unforeseen events, and I'm afraid things might get complicated if I wait too long. The Sun family, along with Yan Fei and the Cao family, are all eyeing the Eastern Palace with covetous intent. I think it's better to face it sooner rather than later, and I might as well take advantage of this rumor."
She set the booklet aside, propped her chin on her hand, and sat down sideways, saying in a deep voice, "The astrological plan is truly ingenious, with an offensive in front and a retreat behind. It is certain that His Majesty will believe it, and it can deliver a fierce blow to the Eastern Palace. Even if it fails, His Majesty is already seriously ill, and after his death, it can be said, according to the Imperial Observatory, that I am an unlucky woman who brought about the death of the emperor. It also takes into account the old matter from twenty years ago, involving Empress Wenhui, so that our deeds in life and our reputation after death will be completely wiped out."
A chill ran down my spine.
From the moment she was confined to her quarters, she knew this would be a difficult hurdle to overcome.
So no matter what the reason, you have to venture to the border and come back safely.
"Go and prepare. You've worked hard these past few days." She suddenly smiled and shook her head, trying to dismiss those vague emotions, and even her voice became calmer.
"Your Highness is too kind to this servant." Liang Lu replied, bowed again to take her leave, and then secretly wiped away the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes before leaving the inner hall.
Because of the tight schedule, all preparations were only completed the afternoon before departure. Yan Chao was finally able to relax for a moment, but unexpectedly, his mind suddenly became inexplicably anxious.
She meticulously went through everything, finding nothing amiss. She still didn't know the source of this inexplicable unease, nor how to vent it.
As darkness fell, the wind and snow grew even fiercer. Yan Chao stubbornly refused to let anyone follow him, donned a thick cloak, and left the palace alone.
She wanted to be willful just this once.
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It wasn't Lan Huaien's turn to be on duty tonight. After making arrangements for the emperor, he left the palace and was greeted by a flurry of fine snowflakes. Caught off guard by the sudden gust of snow, he couldn't help but cough twice, covering his mouth with his sleeve. Once he recovered, he managed to open his eyes and gazed down at the vast, empty space.
Cheng Tai followed and asked him in a low voice, "Will the Grand Eunuch rest in the side room tonight?"
"I don't work at night, so what would I do occupy that spot?"
Hearing his relaxed tone, Cheng Tai knew he was in a good mood and continued with a smile, "So, we're leaving the palace and going back to the Eastern Depot to rest. The journey is quite long, so I'll have someone prepare a sedan chair first?"
Lan Huaien was about to nod when a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, and he changed his mind: "I won't go. I haven't been to the Lan residence in a long time, and I suddenly miss it tonight."
"Indeed. The Lan residence is your own home after all; you'll feel secure and comfortable living here. I'll go and make the preparations right away." Cheng Tai chuckled, clasped his hands in farewell, and took his leave.
They then returned to the Lan residence.
The mansion usually had no master, only a group of servants guarding it, but even so, no one dared to make a move on it. Everyone within miles knew that this was the territory of the Eastern Depot's supervisor.
In truth, the Lan residence wasn't much of a treasure to Lan Huaien; his resting places inside and outside the palace were far more luxurious and comfortable. But he would occasionally return for a look, and even though he was all alone, he always felt as if he had found some solace there.
Before the master returned home, the servants had already been notified and had made all the necessary arrangements in preparation for his arrival.
Lan Huaien lifted the sedan curtain and saw a pair of bright lights in front of the house from afar, which instantly gave him a warm illusion. The bright lights seemed to melt away the snow and wind.
He stopped the sedan chair bearers, grabbed his cloak and wrapped it around himself, rubbed his hands together, and stepped out of the sedan chair, plunging into the snow. After a few steps, he looked back. The snow wasn't thick; each step left a perfectly clear footprint. A trail of black footprints, as if he had stepped into an abyss.
The light was getting closer and closer to him, and the steps in front of him were gradually becoming clearer.
His brow furrowed slightly, a hint of longing and fervor rising within him, causing his heart to skip a beat. He then shook his head inwardly, perhaps it was just that he had been too tired lately, making him inexplicably sentimental.
Just as he was about to step onto the stairs, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that something seemed to be moving in the shadows. He turned his head and, to his surprise, saw someone walking towards him.
The figure only took two steps and had not yet reached the light of day.
Lan Huaien recognized him immediately and strode forward in disbelief, calling out in surprise and delight, "Your Highness?"
He patted the large, bulky hood of his cloak, revealing his eyes. His gaze flickered briefly in the dim light, and a familiar voice sounded slightly hoarse in the snowy night: "It's me."
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