Previous Mysteries
A Qiu was even more puzzled. It was understandable that the assassin didn't want to reveal his name or origin; but as the legendary Four Constellations of Tianji, the Emperor's hidden guards, they would naturally be happy to have their merits recorded in their sect and family annals. Why then did this happen, with everyone present deliberately erasing their memories of the incident?
Even his master, Wanqiqing, had never mentioned it, which meant that even he didn't know. Otherwise, he would never have failed to inform Aqiu, for the sake of reference in palace affairs.
Moreover, the four Heavenly Secrets have all joined forces. This is an unprecedented event in the last hundred years, neither in the imperial court nor in the martial arts world.
Zhongli Wuyan gazed at the bustling crowds and vendors in the East Market with a distant expression, and said calmly, "Because the assassin was Shangguan Jin, the Grand Secretary of the Great Huan Dynasty, known as 'A sword in green robes, who could conquer the entire Jiangzuo region.'"
This answer startled even the usually composed A-Qiu.
Even though she didn't know much about the past of the former emperor, she had heard of this renowned prime minister, whose name was enough to be remembered for all time. He was the Grand Secretary, who came from the same family as Shangguan Yuqi, and was the uncle of the former Empress Wen, Shangguan Yanxiu.
He defied public opinion and single-handedly united the military forces of the Jianzhang Army, the Shuofang Army, and the Northwest Army. He used a surprise attack to defeat the 800,000-strong Northern Qiang army that had invaded the south during the Battle of the Yangtze River, thus extending the Southern Dynasty's reign for many more years and buying time for the Dayan Dynasty to survive and develop.
Moreover, he was the first member of the Shangguan family to lead troops while holding the rank of civil official. Shangguan Yuqi was his successor, as the previous owner of the "Ice Bamboo" sword she wielded was this thirteenth uncle.
When the Former Huan dynasty fell and the Dayan dynasty was established, Shangguan Jin presented the sword dance "The Song of Heaven and Earth Determining the World" to Dayan. Together with Gu Yi's zither and Gongye's incense, they were known as the "Three Perfections of the Southern Dynasties," praying for the nation's fate. However, on the very night after presenting "The Song of Heaven and Earth Determining the World," he hanged himself in the ancestral temple dressed in white. People at the time said he was unworthy to serve two dynasties, but only his closest relatives, such as Shangguan Yuqi, understood that he had not only died for the Former Huan, but also for his comrade-in-arms who had perished in the crossing of the Yangtze River, the former Marquis of Guannei, General Li Mingyuan.
Even if you search through historical records and folk tales, you will only know that this Grand Secretary was a famous prime minister, a loyal minister, and a trustworthy person, but you would never imagine that he also attempted to assassinate the emperor in history.
A-Qiu suddenly realized.
No wonder it is not recorded in historical books.
If this incident were recorded, regardless of success or failure, Shangguan Jin's posthumous reputation would inevitably be that of a traitor, and the Shangguan family would no longer be able to maintain its place among powerful clans. A century of reputation as a virtuous and upright official would be completely destroyed in a single day.
Zhongli Wuyan carefully observed her expression and said, "It seems that although you are young, you have heard of the reputation of the Thirteenth Son of the Shangguan family."
A Qiu quickly replied, "The former Grand Secretary was a man of great literary and military talent, whose achievements were unparalleled. Who in the Southern Dynasty did not know him?"
Zhongli Wuyan sighed and said, "That's why we faced such a difficult situation. If we didn't step in to protect the emperor, we would be failing in our duty. But if we killed Shangguan Jin, it would be like destroying the pillar of the Southern Dynasty with our own hands. Alas, this is the dilemma of serving a tyrannical emperor."
A Qiu was shocked and moved upon hearing this. Starting from the word "tyrant" in her mouth, she guessed and said, "So the person Shangguan Jin wanted to assassinate was actually the last emperor, Sima Yan?"
Zhongli Wuyan covered her mouth and laughed, "So you've heard of Sima Yan's reputation too." Then, as if remembering something, she glanced at A Qiu's expression and, seeing that she didn't seem particularly averse to it, composed herself and said, "That's right. The person Shangguan Jin is using the Gentleman's Sword to deal with is his ruler, Sima Yan. And it is this matter that has forced all four of us to act together, because if Shangguan Shisan is going all out, even risking his own life, to assassinate the emperor, then one or two of us alone cannot stop him."
He sighed again, “Everyone knows that Yuqi of the Shangguan family is born with immortal bones and has the potential to become a sword immortal, but they don’t know that her uncle, Shangguan Jin, is also a sword prodigy. If he hadn’t left the forbidden area to enter the world and help the country, perhaps our Southern Dynasty would have already had its first sword immortal.”
These words greatly shocked A-Qiu.
Former Grand Chancellor Shangguan Jin was renowned for his literary and military talents, especially his military prowess. However, what A Qiu did not expect was that Shangguan Jin's swordsmanship was also so outstanding that Zhongli Wuyan personally confirmed that, unless the Four Constellations joined forces, any two of them together would not be his match.
Shocked, A-Qiu finally asked the question that had been puzzling him for so long.
"Why did the former Grand Secretary risk assassinating Emperor Sima Yan at the time?"
Although she couldn't figure out the direct reason why Shangguan Jin assassinated Sima Yan, with her intelligence, it wasn't hard for her to imagine the conflict between the emperor and his minister. Shangguan Jin was not only a pillar of the state with merits that threatened the emperor, but also a model of character and conduct. However, Sima Yan was so incompetent and foolish, appointing many treacherous officials. If even a small villain stirred things up, he would certainly not tolerate Shangguan Jin.
Shangguan Jin wielded immense power and enjoyed popular support. If pushed too far, it wouldn't be impossible for him to consider replacing the emperor. In the Southern Dynasties, the succession of regimes was always largely determined by powerful ministers. A powerful minister like Shangguan Jin, possessing the abilities of Wang Mang and the Duke of Zhou, could certainly depose the emperor and install a new one.
A Qiu's question at this moment was no longer why Shangguan Jin wanted to get rid of Sima Yan, but why Shangguan Jin would take such a risk by personally assassinating Sima Yan to achieve his goal.
This is arguably the least costly and riskiest approach.
If Shangguan Jin wanted to change the emperor, he could have instigated his ministers to submit a petition for abdication, or he could have ordered the retired emperor in the inner palace to issue an edict to depose the emperor. With the power he held over the Jianzhang Army at the time, and the momentum of his great victory across the river, no one in the capital could say no to him.
Zhongli Wuyan's veil brushed against the setting sun over Dongshi in the twilight as she sighed, "Aqiu, you don't seem to object to his act of regicide, but rather you think it's rather unwise of him to do it, right?"
A Qiu grew up in the Lanling Hall, a place teeming with thorns, and had never considered the proper etiquette between ruler and subject, nor the hierarchy of superiors and inferiors. Therefore, she felt no guilt about Zhongli Wuyan's question. If it were anyone from a high-ranking family, they would have changed color and would never have dared to admit it so frankly.
She answered truthfully, "I do indeed feel sorry for the former Grand Chancellor. He had a thousand ways to replace the emperor, but he chose to take his own life."
Zhongli Wuyan sighed and said, "The reason you think this way is because you are an outsider and a spectator. As for Shangguan Shisan, the reason he acted so indignantly back then was naturally because he had lost his mind at that time."
A Qiu was once again horrified, and at the same time felt ashamed of his arrogance.
Humans are emotional beings. No matter how rationally one calculates gains and losses, or weighs choices, that is only hindsight. The decisions made by those in power cannot be said to be impulsive, but they must also have their own compelling reasons for doing so.
This, however, reveals a little-known aspect of the life of the renowned prime minister Shangguan Jin.
He was not only an invincible commander on the battlefield, a calm and perfect pillar of the state, but also had his emotions and moments of losing control.
Zhongli Wuyan sighed again and said, "That was all for his niece, Yanxiu from the Shangguan family."
At the same time, her gaze subtly swept over A Qiu again.
Former Empress Huanwen, Shangguan Yanxiu.
Since entering the palace, A-Qiu has lost count of how many times she has heard this name again.
So much so that she felt a little dazed. Shangguan Yanxiu didn't seem like a figure buried in the yellow earth, long ago, but rather like an old friend who was often talked about in the palace and was familiar to everyone.
A Qiu heard her own voice faintly say, "What has Empress Wen done that made her thirteenth uncle so impulsive as to go to the palace to seek justice?"
Zhongli Wuyan sighed, “It is naturally an extraordinary event. If you have read history books, you should know that in the fifth year of Xiyuan, Empress Shangguan passed away in Qiwu Palace. However, few people really know the inside story of her death.”
A Qiu felt a sudden tightness in her chest and asked, "Does Senior know?"
Zhongli Wuyan shook her head and said, "I don't know either. When I saw the Tianji Hall's fireworks signal and rushed to the Golden Hall, I only saw Shangguan Shisan confronting Senior Sister and Senior Brother An with his sword drawn."
The west wind blew fiercely that night, turning the golden chrysanthemums all over Baoyue Garden yellow.
As usual, Zhongli Wuyan lit a censer of sandalwood incense, closed her eyes and entered meditation in front of the plain-faced, golden Buddha statue, carrying out her daily practice that she had maintained for decades.
The dark, glowing wooden beads swirl around my fingertips, and as I count them one by one, my heart gradually becomes devoid of joy or sorrow. The past years, filled with love and hate like fleeting smoke, gradually dissipate into the invisible incense smoke, leaving behind a magnificent golden body.
Perhaps it was due to her long years of cultivation that her mind became calm and insightful. For some reason, she could sense a different kind of solemn and desolate mood in the inner palace today, beyond the usual hustle and bustle, singing and dancing, and the burning of oil lamps to keep the sundial burning.
Perhaps it was the sudden autumn wind that stirred the iron horse under the eaves, bringing with it the sorrows and resentments of the homeland of the Central Plains.
Zhongli Wuyan thought to herself, and then she entered the immersive world again.
Since entering the palace, the changing world outside has remained irrelevant to her within. Her existence goes unnoticed, and the power struggles and purges of the court have no impact on the life of this insignificant figure in the palace. Her life within the palace, dark and silent, continues day after day, a monotonous repetition.
Sometimes Zhong Liwuyan would think, if life continued to be so peaceful, would it be too boring?
She no longer remembered how she had looked when she first entered the Music Bureau, a delicate flower reflected in the water, her dance graceful and charming. Perhaps her appearance in the bronze mirror hadn't changed much; what had changed was her increasingly melancholy state of mind.
As one grows older, everything seems insignificant—even oneself. The hustle and bustle, the infighting and strife within the palace, never seem to end. But long ago, she was the one who withdrew from it all. She saw everything clearly, and she saw her own heart clearly—only, she saw it all too late.
She shouldn't have entered the palace.
If the Purple-Clad Immortal had seen things more clearly back then, would any of the four of them have ultimately had a good ending?
The green lamp before the Buddha shone ever brighter, illuminating her stubbornness from her youth.
At that time, was she truly unaware of everything between Senior Sister and Senior Brother An, or was she pretending not to understand?
The eldest sister was free-spirited and unconventional, aloof and outstanding, with an inscrutable smile always playing on her lips. Wherever she appeared, she would inevitably steal everyone's attention and command their admiration. And no one ever disagreed with this, not even she.
The handsome and dashing Senior Brother An always followed behind her, step by step, just like any ordinary fellow disciple—but they all knew that wasn't the case.
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