Iron walls and cracks
The bloodstains on Qiu Ju had not yet been completely washed away, but trouble was brewing again in the Imperial Study.
Wei Jin's well-defined fingers lightly pressed down on a newly presented memorial. His face showed no surprise or anger, but rather a subtle, cold understanding.
He raised his eyes and looked down at his eldest son, Shen Xiao, whose face was solemn and resolute.
"Zhou Meng, the deputy commander of the camp in the suburbs of the capital, failed to properly protect the palace banquet, which allowed assassins to sneak in and disturb the emperor's presence."
Considering his past merits, he is hereby dismissed from his post, investigated, and never to be employed again.
His voice was steady, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness, like the chilling wind of reckoning after autumn, sweeping through the hearts of every official present. No one could refute it; such a lapse in palace banquet security meant someone had to bear the Emperor's wrath.
Wei Jin turned his gaze to Shen Xiao, his tone slightly softer, yet still exuding an air of authority: "Shen Xiao."
"Your subject is here." Shen Xiao stepped forward, his armor making a slight scraping sound.
"I know you have long been trained in the suburban camp and have a proven track record of merit. Today I promote you to commander of the suburban camp, in charge of the overall defense of the capital region. I give you three days to reorganize the camp. If there is even the slightest mistake, you will be held responsible!"
A sharp glint flashed in Shen Xiao's eyes, which he quickly suppressed, and he said in a deep voice, "Your subject obeys! I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"
He didn't look at Ling Zhan beside him, but everyone knew what this appointment meant. The main camp on the outskirts of the capital, the sharpest blade protecting the capital, was now firmly in the hands of the Emperor and Empress.
The will to change imperial power was like an extension of one's own arm, swiftly spreading from the Imperial Study to every corner of the Imperial City.
Inside the Imperial Guard headquarters, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if a layer of ice had formed.
Ling Feng, clad in black armor, stood with his hand on his sword below the hall, not taking the main seat symbolizing supreme power. His gaze, like two solid beams of ice, slowly swept over the dozens of mid- to high-ranking officers standing solemnly with their hands at their sides. The only sounds in the air were heavy breathing and the occasional soft rustling of armor plates.
A senior lieutenant, looking uneasy, stepped forward with a forced smile and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Lord Ling, General Liu... is still unwell today and has entrusted us to follow Lord Ling's orders."
Ling Feng didn't look at him; his voice was as cold as a knife, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"His Majesty was assassinated, causing great upheaval in the palace. This is a great disgrace to the Imperial Guards."
He paused, each word striking a chord in everyone's hearts: "Effective immediately, the defense regulations will be implemented according to the new rules. All guard posts at gates and palace patrol posts will be adjusted."
A young guard in the Shura Guard uniform with a stern face immediately stepped forward and distributed a stack of silk papers covered with writing to the officers present. The papers contained detailed, even harsh, job rotation schedules and new security regulations.
A very slight commotion arose in the crowd.
One of the captains couldn't help but speak, his tone hesitant: "Lord Ling, this... many positions have changed drastically, especially the deputy captains of the Vermilion Bird Gate and the Black Tortoise Gate..." Ling Feng's gaze suddenly fixed on his face, and the captain instantly felt a chill run down his spine, swallowing back the rest of his words.
"Lieutenant Li is being transferred to the Imperial Horse Stables of the Western Garden." Ling Feng's voice was completely calm. "Zhao Qing will take over as Lieutenant of the Vermilion Bird Gate."
As soon as he finished speaking, another young officer, who had been standing silently in the corner with a straight posture like a spear, stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said in a deep voice, "This subordinate, Zhao Qing, obeys the order!" Everyone recognized that Zhao Qing had been Ling Feng's capable subordinate when he was in the Shura Guard.
"Wang Ben will take over as deputy commander of Xuanwu Gate."
Another unfamiliar officer with sharp eyes and a high-set temple stepped forward: "This humble general, Wang Ben, obeys the order!" Some people had vaguely heard that this man was a master carefully selected and sent by the eldest son, Shen Xiao, from the camp in the suburbs of the capital.
Ling Feng's gaze swept across the entire room again, carrying an undeniable air of authority: "The remaining job transfers are all on the register. Complete the handover within half an incense stick's time. If there are any delays or questions—" He didn't finish his sentence, but his icy eyes said it all. In this critical period, disobeying orders would only result in military law.
The officers fell silent, all looking down at the silk paper in their hands, and no one dared to raise any objections.
They understood that this was not a discussion, but an order.
A silent yet thunderous purge has been completed.
Ling Feng said no more, turned and walked out of the government office, standing with his hand on his sword at the sentry post below the steps.
The setting sun cast a long shadow of him.
Every Imperial Guard soldier who passed by looked at him with awe, and their movements became even more meticulous and orderly.
Without needing the tiger tally or the commander's seal, his very presence was the newest and most solid barrier for the imperial city.
The ironclad rules of the imperial city were silently established, and a chilling atmosphere permeated the palace walls.
However, within the deep palace, separated by only a wall, it seemed as if the turmoil of the previous dynasty had not been felt, and things continued to flow at their own rhythm.
At this moment, the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace was filled with joy and harmony.
Little Bull Chen Zhangwu was holding a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest with rock sugar, his little mouth as sweet as honey: "Grandmother, please try it. Your grandson watched them simmer it for an hour, and the heat is guaranteed to be better than last time! I'll only be happy if you look better!"
The Empress Dowager was all smiles as she was coaxed by him, pinching his chubby cheeks: "You little monkey have the sweetest tongue! Oh dear, I was so frightened the other day, but you're such a thoughtful child, knowing to come and talk to me to calm my nerves."
Deep within the palace, the atmosphere of Changchun Palace is different from other places.
Empress Dowager Huo, only sixteen years old, was resting her chin on her hand, gazing absently at a begonia outside the window, its blossoms nearly faded. Even her magnificent palace attire seemed unable to conceal the loneliness that belied her age. When the late emperor passed away, she hadn't even reached the age of marriage yet, and was suddenly thrust from an innocent young girl into the most noble yet most solitary position in the land.
A series of light, deliberate footsteps approached, accompanied by a boy's clear voice that carried a hint of probing.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager? Are you... free right now?"
Empress Dowager Huo slowly turned her head upon hearing the voice. The melancholy in her eyes rippled like still water touched by a gentle breeze, revealing a hint of barely perceptible expectation: "Is that Little Bull? Come in. I've told you so many times, you don't need to be so loud, and there's no one else around."
Shen Zhangwu chuckled and stepped in, but his steps were more restrained than when he was in Cining Palace.
He crept closer and, somewhat mysteriously, pulled a small, exquisite cricket cage from his pocket. Inside, a bright green insect was fluttering its wings and chirping melodiously.
"Well... I just saw it outside the palace,"
He lowered his voice, as if sharing a little secret, and looked at Empress Dowager Huo with sparkling eyes, "I... I thought it was quite rare to hear such a bright chirping sound in the autumn, so... so I brought it here. Listen to it, isn't it more interesting than just looking at flowers?"
He spoke somewhat haltingly.
Unlike when she was smooth and slippery in front of the Empress Dowager, she was clumsy, afraid of being abrupt yet unable to resist wanting to make her happy.
That sincere concern, however, makes it all the more real.
Empress Dowager Huo was indeed attracted, her gaze falling on the exquisite little cage. Listening to the clear and lively chirping, a vibrant curiosity belonging to her age gradually appeared on her face: "It's so beautiful. It's amazing that you... can always find these rare and wonderful things."
She reached out and took the cage, her fingertips lightly touching the cage wall.
"What's the big deal!"
Seeing that she liked it, Shen Zhangwu seemed relieved. He subconsciously wanted to pat his chest, but he lowered his hand halfway through. However, his tone was much more relaxed. "Your Majesty and Mother... Empress are both busy. I'm free anyway. If you... if you feel bored, I'll find some fun things to do. This cricket can be kept for quite a while."
He promptly swallowed back the word "mother" and changed it to the proper "Empress".
But that natural sense of intimacy was completely genuine.
Empress Dowager Huo looked at the lively young man before her, who was about the same age as her and as cheerful as the autumn sun, and felt a warmth in her heart.
Within these high palace walls, the concubines each had their own thoughts, and the dowager concubines left behind by the late emperor were even more distant from her. Only the emperor's adopted son, "Little Bull," would go to great lengths to find out if she was "bored," would tell her some not-so-refined but vivid and interesting stories, and would share with her a little bit of the vitality outside the palace without any reservations.
His companionship, for her, was not based on currying favor with those in power.
Rather, it was a rare and precious comfort in this cold palace, a comfort that was both warm and just right.
She gently shook the cricket cage, a faint but genuine smile playing on her lips, and whispered, "Only you... would go to such lengths to find ways to bother me."
Shen Zhangwu scratched his head, smiling a little embarrassedly but also a little proudly: "If you like it, I'll keep an eye out for it next time. Uh... how about getting a gentler lion cat? It's all fluffy and warm to hug?"
"Alright." Empress Dowager Huo's smile deepened. "It's been a long time since I've held a cat."
"Alright! Leave it to me! I'll go look for it on my day off!"
Shen Zhangwu readily agreed, as if he had been given an important task.
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the young boy and girl. One was the lonely Empress Dowager in the deep palace, and the other was the adopted son of the Emperor and Empress, burdened with heavy responsibilities. At this moment, however, they temporarily forgot their identities because of the chirping of an autumn insect, and only a few rare moments of ease and tacit understanding between peers remained.
The silence deep within the palace and the vibrancy of the imperial gardens are both part of the ecosystem of this imperial city.
Led by their matrons, the young women were learning etiquette in a corner of the Imperial Garden.
Suddenly, some noises came from ahead, and the faint sound of a palace attendant announcing something in a low voice.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
All the young women held their breath and hurriedly lowered their heads, curtsying as instructed. They were both nervous and expectant, wondering if they would ever get to see the Emperor.
Wei Jin showed no intention of lingering; he was simply passing through on his way to the Qianqing Palace. His pace quickened slightly, and a hint of weariness from reviewing memorials lingered in his eyes. His deep crimson robes cast a striking shadow against the slightly gray autumn garden landscape.
The young women dared not utter a sound, only able to see the bright yellow boot tips and the trailing hem of the robes passing before their eyes.
Just then, an autumn wind swept by without warning, rustling the chrysanthemum bushes beside them and playfully lifting the thin skirts and sleeves of the young ladies, causing a subtle commotion that they tried hard to suppress.
"ah……"
A soft gasp, tinged with undisguised panic and embarrassment, abruptly shattered the carefully maintained silence. In this area where even breathing was deliberately kept still, this instinctive cry of surprise seemed utterly out of place.
A young woman standing at the back of the queue hurriedly reached out to press down her sleeves, which were ruffled by the wind. In her haste, she lost her composure, and a plain silk handkerchief slipped from her sleeve. Carried by the wind, it spun lightly and rolled towards the path Wei Jin had taken.
She subconsciously looked up to chase after the handkerchief, her eyes wide with surprise, and unexpectedly met the gaze of Wei Jin, who was frowning slightly upon hearing the sound and glancing over subconsciously.
Their eyes met, for only a fleeting moment.
What Wei Jin saw was not a meticulously painted beautiful face, but a pale, still somewhat childish face. What was most captivating were those eyes—surrounded by a sea of eyes, some tense and downcast, others harboring hidden anticipation, calculation and ambition subtly flowing beneath the submissive mask.
Only those eyes, clear as the first melting snow in a mountain stream, reflected the sparse autumn sky, brimming with pure panic, helplessness, and the most instinctive, uninstructed awe of being caught off guard and confronted with the might of Heaven. There was no flattery, no desire, as clean as a piece of freshly polished glass, instantly striking his eyes, which were slightly weary from reviewing countless scheming documents and witnessing the vicissitudes of court life.
His steps faltered almost imperceptibly.
It's like walking through a long twilight and suddenly catching a glimpse of a lone star shining brightly in the sky, pausing for a moment purely because of its clarity.
The handkerchief rolled right up to the edge of his boot.
The eunuch beside him immediately hissed in a shrill voice, "How dare you! Disturbing His Majesty's presence..."
Wei Jin slightly raised his hand, stopping the eunuch from speaking. He said nothing, his gaze lingering briefly on the panicked face and those astonishingly clear eyes, as if merely confirming something, before withdrawing his gaze and continuing to walk away as if nothing had happened. His eyes were unfathomable, devoid of joy or anger.
A clever young eunuch picked up the handkerchief and almost rudely shoved it back into the hands of the trembling young woman.
She clutched the recovered handkerchief tightly, her fingertips icy cold, her cheeks flushed as if painted with the most vibrant rouge, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from her chest. That brief glance from His Majesty, as deep and unfathomable as a frozen pool, had been enough to stir up a raging storm in her heart.
Only after the emperor's carriage had gone far away and the nanny's stern and cold gaze swept over her did she hurriedly lower her head. She could vaguely hear the whispers of other young ladies around her, mixed with jealousy and disdain.
"Hmph, what a clever scheme..."
"I don't know if it was a genuine accident or if he was faking it..."
At this moment, all the whispers around her became blurred, but the brief yet penetrating gaze from those supreme, unfathomable peach blossom eyes was imprinted clearly on her heart.
At that moment, she felt that all the sounds around her had faded away, and only that brief but unforgettable glance from those deep peach blossom eyes remained crystal clear.
The autumn wind ripples the surface of a spring pond, but it cannot dispel the undercurrents flowing between the many palaces.
The slightest movement in the imperial court and the inner palace will eventually converge on the chessboard of the power structure.
The slightest movement in the imperial court and the inner palace will eventually converge on the chessboard of the power structure.
At this moment, the atmosphere in the study of the Huo family mansion was so heavy it seemed to drip water.
Huo Ying's teacup had long since gone cold. He stared at the information his trusted confidant had gathered, his fingers trembling slightly.
“The camps outside the capital… the Imperial Guards… even within the palace…” he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse, “Well done, well done, Wei Jin! Well done, Ling Zhan! Right under our noses, they have silently woven such an iron net!”
He slammed his teacup on the table with a jarring sound: "Too late! Trying to take action through military and political means now is just wishful thinking!"
An aide whispered, "General, a direct confrontation is no longer advisable. It seems His Majesty's will is unbreakable, resting entirely on the Empress. If this pillar collapses..."
Huo Ying closed his eyes, pressing his fingers firmly against his brow, his mind racing... Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a ruthless and resolute glint in them: "That's right. An iron barrel? Then let it corrode from the inside! His Majesty relies heavily on the Empress and trusts her implicitly; that is his greatest weakness! If we can make him suspicious and create a rift... this iron wall will crumble on its own!"
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