Chapter 32 Thirty-two Enters the Emperor's Gate in Fear
Zheng Yangzhi gently patted the arm of one of the children and slowly stood up. The two children bowed respectfully, imitating the adults.
Without encountering any more birds, Zheng Yangzhi returned smoothly to the east wing. Sure enough, there was a dead eagle on the antique shelf. He passed by without changing his expression, and just as he sat down, a servant came to report: "Young Master, Commander Sun and Councilor Bao request an audience."
Both of them were deputy generals under Grand Commandant Feng. Zheng Yangzhi smiled silently and instructed his attendant, "First, burn incense, then bring my Zhongni Qin to the courtyard. After a moment, invite the two gentlemen in."
The attendant hurriedly agreed and made the arrangements. When Commander Sun and Councilor Bao entered the pavilion, they saw a tall pine tree with dense branches and intertwined roots. Under the pine, Prime Minister Zheng was about to place his zither on the table. On the incense table next to it was a rosewood incense burner with a lid, from which wisps of smoke rose. The smoke did not smell of the fashionable sandalwood and agarwood, but rather of jasmine, lily, and ginger.
Zheng Yangzhi placed the Zhongni Qin on the table, then smiled and said to Sun and Bao, "I was just about to play the qin when you two gentlemen arrived. Why don't we sit down, listen to your elegant music, and enjoy the beautiful sounds together?"
The attendant immediately and tactfully moved a stool and served tea, but Commander Sun raised his hand to stop him, saying, "No need!"
Councilor Bao also said, "Your Excellency has a leisurely and refined taste, but what time of day is this!"
Zheng Yangzhi frowned, looking puzzled.
Councilor Bao lowered his voice: "Prime Minister, do you know that His Majesty has welcomed the deposed Empress back to the palace!"
Zheng Yangzhi, who was originally facing the two men, turned his head upon hearing this and glanced indifferently at a small incense table: "I am naturally aware of this matter, but I have advised His Majesty once, and His Majesty will not listen."
His face showed a hint of helplessness, and he seemed disheartened, ready to stay out of it and not get involved anymore. Zheng Yangzhi sat down leisurely, raised his arms to pluck the strings, and focused his gaze only on the strings: "The affairs of the palace are beyond the control of an outsider. My two lords, please listen to my piece, 'High Mountains and Flowing Water,' majestic as a high mountain, murmuring as a flowing water."
Commander Sun was so anxious he wanted to stomp his feet: "His Majesty's recall of the deposed Empress is a violation of the established order and morality! My Grand Commandant has already spoken with the generals, and Prime Minister Li has also persuaded the Censorate and the Hanlin Academy. The only one missing is you, Vice Prime Minister, to join us in giving a direct remonstrance to the Emperor!"
"With so many wise men gathered here, what does it matter if I am not here?" Zheng Yangzhi gazed at the strings of the zither, his eyelids and eyelashes remaining unmoved.
Commander Sun and Councilor Bao exchanged a glance. Commander Sun leaned closer to Zheng Yangzhi, his voice hoarse with urgency: "How can we be without the Prime Minister? If it weren't for the Prime Minister's deathbed remonstrance, staining his court robes with blood, how could His Majesty have been persuaded to banish that arrogant and domineering deposed empress from the capital?"
Commander Sun and Councilor Bao suddenly knelt down in unison: "Prime Minister, please come with us!"
Zheng Yangzhi quickly got up to help the two of them. In his haste, he accidentally bumped the zither, and the sound of the strings was like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
Zheng Yangzhi spoke with righteous indignation: "Since you are all so loyal and righteous, how can I remain aloof? I will go with you. However, I would like to ask you two gentlemen to wait a little while I change my clothes."
He changed into his court robes, dressed neatly, and then went with Commander Sun and Councilor Bao to see Grand Commandant Feng. The four of them then arrived at the palace gate. The Meridian Gate was vermilion, and the midday sun shone on the glazed tiles, reflecting golden rays.
The ministers who had arrived earlier were chatting in small groups: "Why wasn't this mentioned during the morning court session?"
"I didn't know at the time either."
"Then we must bring it up at tomorrow's morning court session."
"Let's talk about it now. If it doesn't work, we'll try again tomorrow."
...
Zheng Yangzhi listened and observed silently, his expression unchanged, rarely even blinking. Only when the ministers' discussions subsided did he step forward to greet each of them individually.
With thirteen people in total including himself, he stepped aside and let Grand Commandant Feng lead the way, while the crowd surrounded Prime Minister Li.
Of the thirteen people, three came from the Censorate. Among them was a censor named Ren Changjian, who was fond of speaking out and called himself "Gufen" (meaning "lonely indignant"). He was also the one who spoke the most and had the loudest voice at the palace gate just now.
Ren Changjian submitted a hundred memorials in just one month after his promotion. Zheng Yangzhi glanced at some of these memorials and thought they were nitpicking and making trouble out of nothing.
He didn't like Ren Changjian, but he slowed down and unintentionally arrived at Ren Changjian's side.
Ren Changjian was delighted to see Zheng Yangzhi and immediately called out, "Prime Minister Zheng."
They had already met at the palace gate and exchanged greetings, so Zheng Yangzhi only nodded slightly at this moment. Ren Changjian continued to strike up a conversation: "Back when Prime Minister Zheng shed his blood in the Golden Palace, I was still a commoner. I was deeply inspired and entered officialdom the following year, choosing without hesitation to be a righteous voice."
Ren Changjian was flamboyant in his actions, and everyone in the court knew his background, but Zheng Yangzhi seemed unaware: "You were a Jinshi in the sixth year of the Yuanjia era?"
"First place in the second class." Ren Changjian answered slowly, clearly emphasizing the last three words over the first two.
Zheng Yangzhi nodded with a smile: "Lord Ren is a man of great talent and ambition, and the younger generation is truly formidable."
Having received praise from the person he cares about most, Ren Changjian couldn't help but feel a little smug.
Zheng Yangzhi kept his lips closed, seemingly slowing his pace a little. Ren Changjian, who was walking alongside him, also unconsciously slowed down, and the two gradually fell behind.
Ren Changjian spoke first: "Prime Minister Zheng, I greatly admire you and vow to join you in taking the world as our responsibility and sacrificing ourselves for the greater good."
Zheng Yangzhi hurriedly raised his hand: "I dare not accept such praise." He distanced himself from the other officials and lowered his voice so that only he and Ren Changjian could hear him: "Times have changed. Even three years later, His Majesty still insisted on welcoming back the deposed empress. This time, his determination will be even more difficult to shake."
Ren Changjian frowned, not expecting that Prime Minister Zheng would actually back down from difficulties.
It should be understood that one should follow the Way, not the ruler; a scholar should die for righteousness. Furthermore, the current emperor is neither muddleheaded nor incompetent; he is tolerant, humble, and receptive to advice. It was through his frequent memorials and remonstrances that he rose rapidly from a righteous advisor to a remonstrating official.
Zheng Yangzhi smiled helplessly, his tone weak: "To be honest, everyone is a newborn calf when they first try something, and they only go all out, then falter..." He closed his lips lightly and swallowed the rest of his words.
Upon hearing this, Ren Changjian couldn't help but feel a sense of disdain for Zheng Yangzhi. It seemed that the ways of officialdom had worn down Zheng's sharp edges.
But a wise ruler must have upright ministers by his side. Since Zheng Yangzhi is timid, he must step forward himself!
A sense of mission arose spontaneously. Ren Changjian was determined to correct the emperor's mistakes and bring fame to the people. He also thought that a person's life is nothing more than establishing virtue, merit, and words. Since Zheng Yangzhi had given up the opportunity, he should seize it and leave his name in history!
Ren Changjian was filled with excitement, glancing at Zheng Yangzhi every now and then and saying a few words, to which Zheng Yangzhi always answered calmly. They came to a fork in the road ahead, with two paths lined with walls and eaves. Without thinking, the officials took the path that led to the Imperial Study, which was the less circuitous route. Ren Changjian also walked and talked, but then noticed that Zheng Yangzhi seemed to have suddenly stuck to the ground, pausing for several beats and not replying to him.
Ren Changjian was still puzzled when Zheng Yangzhi, having recovered his composure, strode after him and together they caught up with the other officials. Suddenly surrounded by people, Ren Changjian became even more talkative. Someone told him, "I heard the deposed empress is now living in the outer court," and he immediately jumped up, exclaiming, "A woman living in the outer court? I didn't know this before, this is even more alarming! Something strange must be going on!"
"Beauty is a curse, a curse indeed!"
...
Amidst the various opinions, Zheng Yangzhi remained discreet, keeping a low profile and maintaining a calm demeanor, leaving no one able to guess what he was thinking.
The officials had expected to wait a long time outside the imperial study, but to their surprise, the emperor summoned them almost immediately. What greeted their eyes was a mountain of memorials piled high on the desk. It was fortunate that the emperor was tall; if he were any smaller, he would have been overwhelmed by the memorials.
It seems the emperor was indeed diligent in his duties, striving to govern well, and always prioritizing the people's well-being. He was humble and self-disciplined, readily accepting advice from his ministers and showing utmost tolerance. He seemed to be on the path to restoring the dynasty, but something always felt missing...
All the officials followed etiquette, first kneeling and kowtowing, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" three times, preparing to offer their advice after rising. Xu Heng sat upright at the head of the table, glancing around and only able to see the official hats on everyone's heads. His gaze lingered on Zheng Yangzhi's gauze hat for a moment before he looked away: "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The sounds of gratitude rose and fell.
After everyone stood up, Grand Commandant Feng first looked around, then rushed to the head of the table and knelt on one knee again: "Your Majesty, the deposed Empress Wang is violent and frivolous, and her behavior is completely unbecoming. She has hurled insults at the palace, rushed through the inner palace, and even offended Your Majesty. Your Majesty must not welcome this jealous woman back, otherwise not only will the social order be disrupted, but the trend of arrogance and jealousy will also spread to the inner court, and may even shake the foundation of the country, making it difficult for the state to be at peace! I beg Your Majesty to understand her nature and think it over again and again!"
Scholar Zhu of the Hanlin Academy also stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I dare not speak recklessly about palace affairs, but for the sake of the country and its people, I have no choice but to defy Your Majesty and risk my life to plead my case! In the past, when the deposed empress was banished from the capital, it was announced to the world and recorded in history. Now, to quietly welcome her back is to deceive the world and betray the nation. Your Majesty, as the supreme ruler, should set an example for the world in every word and deed. If the ruler deceives the world, the people will follow suit, the ministers will surely deceive Your Majesty, and the people will deceive the government. When the ruler deceives the people, the country will cease to exist!"
"Indeed, if a ruler does not speak in jest, all people will respect him and the world will be devoted to him; if he changes his orders from morning to evening, he will lose his credibility and his words will lose their authority!"
...
The courtiers were in uproar. Xu Heng waited until they had finished their cacophony before slowly saying, "Humans are made of flesh and blood, and therefore have compassion. The Immortal Master made a mistake in the past, but she has now reflected on her mistakes. We should give her a chance to reform. My bringing her back is not out of personal affection. You may not know this, but the Immortal Master was seriously ill, and moving her to the palace would allow the imperial physicians to take better care of her. It's not just about the kindness of a day's marriage; Heaven also has a benevolent heart. Two years ago, Lady Wang of Dengzhou remarried with her paralyzed husband and cared for him alongside her new husband for many years. The entire court praised her for her chastity and virtue."
He repeated the same words he had spoken to Zheng Yangzhi under the artificial hill, even his tone was similar. Just as he was about to speak, Zheng Yangzhi glanced at the person at the head of the table, then quickly looked away. After Xu Heng finished speaking, he also inadvertently swept his gaze across Zheng Yangzhi's face.
"Your Majesty," Prime Minister Li, elderly, trembled twice before bowing, "Your Majesty's words deeply moved me with your benevolent heart. However, in the past, the Empress's deposition disgraced the Emperor's majesty, and though she was not punished for treason, merely banished from the capital to a Taoist temple, which was already an act of Your Majesty's benevolence and leniency, fulfilling your boundless grace. If you were to treat her with further favor now, I fear it would be an act of kindness without recognizing evil, benevolence without discernment, compassion without decisiveness, and indiscriminate bestowal of benevolence. Like the farmer saving the snake or Dong Guo helping the wolf, both suffered harm in the end. To be able to use good and not use it, and to be able to eliminate evil, is to be the thief of virtue."
Li Xiang had walked from the palace gate all the way to the Imperial Study, and having walked for so long, he needed to be supported by others. Now, when he was asked to kneel down, the people rushed to help him, but Li Xiang refused. He tremblingly prostrated himself on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, my loyal words may not be heard by Your Majesty, but they come from the bottom of my heart. Heaven and earth can bear witness. Your Majesty should know that good medicine tastes bitter but cures the disease. What a wise ruler fears is not my words, but the way of Heaven and the will of the people. Do not forget the people of the world because of your attachment to the past!"
Upon hearing Li Xiang's words, Xu Heng was most concerned about the eight words "benevolent but without discernment, compassionate but without decisiveness." This had touched a raw nerve within him, but he quickly lifted his robe and went around to the table to help Li Xiang up: "My dear minister, you are advanced in years, there is no need for such a grand ceremony, I know—"
"Reporting—Minister Ma of the Ministry of Works requests an audience!"
Before the emperor could finish speaking, he was loudly interrupted by the eunuch outside the door.
For some reason, the eunuchs today are so blind, daring to interrupt the emperor's speech. Even the chief eunuch Qingfu, who serves in the imperial study, doesn't discipline his subordinates.
The eunuch yielded a step, allowing Ma Yingxing to kneel outside the door, almost touching it, and loudly proclaimed: "Ma Yingxing, Vice Minister of Works, is risking his life to impeach Li Yunyao, son of Li Xiang, a fellow Vice Minister of Works, who, relying on his father's power, colluded with clerks to accept huge bribes in the contract for the repair of the capital's city walls, committing embezzlement and perverting the law! The winning of the contract by an inferior contractor will inevitably lead to the project's ruin, and if the city walls collapse, it will harm the country and its people!"
The two large doors were suddenly opened by the eunuchs, and everyone saw Ma Yingxing holding an account book above his head: "This is the account book of bribes. I beg Your Majesty to investigate! I guarantee with my head that every word is true! If there is even a single falsehood, I am willing to accept punishment and die!"
This matter came suddenly and coincidentally. All the ministers couldn't help but recall what Prime Minister Li had just said: "Compassion without decisiveness" and "a thief of virtue." The words were still warm, but they were like a slap in the face to Prime Minister Li himself, making his cheeks burn.
Li Xiang parted his lips, seemingly preparing to evade the issue, but the emperor, decades younger than him, spoke more than a step ahead: "Minister Li, do not worry. Ma Yingxing is reckless and may be innocent. I will investigate thoroughly and restore justice to your son."
The emperor issued an edict, which involved the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review. In less than half an hour, they had thoroughly investigated the amount of money Li Yunyao had embezzled and the correspondence between him and the unscrupulous merchants. The evidence was laid out on the desk in the study, in black and white.
Li Xiang's face flushed red and then turned pale. Finally, he knelt down again: "Your Majesty, I knew nothing! Your unfilial son has done such a foolish and wicked thing behind my back! I have failed in my duty to raise my son and deserve to die!"
This time, the Emperor did not support Prime Minister Li, but upheld the law impartially. Since Prime Minister Li's blood relative was involved in the case, he had to leave the Imperial Study with the inspector. No sooner had he left than Liu Sheyu, the Minister of Revenue, arrived and they met briefly. Everyone in the court knew that Liu Sheyu was Ma Yingxing's brother-in-law. Whenever Ma Yingxing caused trouble and created discord, it was always Liu Sheyu who would apologize and clean up the mess. However, this time, Liu Sheyu seemed unaware of the previous events, asking Ma Yingxing why he was disturbing the Emperor.
When Ma Yingxing recounted his complaint to the emperor, Liu Sheyu sighed, turned slowly, and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Actually, I also have a case here... but it has always been..."
"What is this all about, stammering like this?" Xu Heng rebuked angrily. Once the emperor spoke, no one dared to interrupt, and they all listened to Liu Sheyu recount how the nephew of the Hanlin Academician had intercepted a successful candidate from a poor family and entered the Ministry of Revenue.
Xu Heng's face turned ashen, and he slammed his hand heavily on the table: "Why wasn't such an important matter reported?!"
Liu Sheyu knelt down with a thud: "This matter also involves the Grand Commandant. I am weak and powerless and dare not get involved!"
Xu Heng ordered another investigation and found that Feng Taiwei’s relatives, who had not passed the imperial examination for eight years, had also been placed in the Ministry of Revenue. Meanwhile, Hua Zhichun, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who was among the thirteen people in the group, turned against him at this time, saying that Cui Ke, an old man, married an eighteen-year-old woman without regard for his reputation and had the nerve to denounce His Majesty for welcoming back the deposed empress.
Apart from Zheng Yangzhi, the thirteen men were all engaged in mutual denunciation and denunciation, gradually becoming a disorganized mess. Among them, Ren Changjian, who was determined to uphold his integrity in the face of adversity, added fuel to the fire, suddenly trying to ram his head against the pillar in the study. However, being overweight, he was far less agile than Zheng Yangzhi in his prime, and was caught by Commander Sun and Councilor Bao on either side.
"Don't stop him, let him crash into it." The emperor, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, his voice cold and stern. In his heart, the words "crash into the pillar" were even more offensive than his previous indiscriminate and merciless words.
Ren Changjian involuntarily shuddered, suddenly realizing that his own salary was also in a state of confusion, impossible to explain. Besides, if a person truly dies, nothing remains; after closing their eyes, they cannot see the annals of history.
He immediately knelt down, his knees buckling: "Your Majesty, I had absolutely no intention of striking myself against the pillar! I would never dare, never dare!" He spoke more fluently than ever before when he offered advice: "Your Majesty, I only wanted to tell you all that palace affairs are Your Majesty's family matters. Your Majesty will decide on the establishment, abolition, rewards, and punishments. It is absolutely inappropriate for us, your subjects, to interfere. You must know that fulfilling your duty is the proper way for a subject."
Xu Heng smiled and said, "Indeed, these thirteen ministers are like the Thirteen Protectors. Those who know them understand that they are offering advice, but those who don't might think that you are coercing the emperor into abdication!"
An oppressive aura, like an invisible sword aura, swept across fiercely. None of the officials could withstand it, and they all bent over and knelt on the ground, either admitting their mistakes or begging for mercy. No one stopped Wang Yuying from returning to the palace.
Xu Heng narrowed his eyes and coldly sized up the person below him. This is how it should be. What are you enduring? What are you acting for? Why are you suppressing your feelings?
There's no need to pretend to be a wise ruler and compromise yourself every day in this life. Ten or twenty years is too long. An emperor should be decisive and let others take care of his feelings.
Thinking about it this way, he missed Wang Yuying even more, and his heart itched with longing, because only for her, only for her, could he bring about change and pleasure!
"Just now, Lord Ren said that the affairs of the palace are my family affairs, which is absolutely right. In the future, not only will the Immortal Master reside in the palace, but I also plan to dismiss the other concubines, grant them residences, and allow them to marry freely."
He announced his intention to dismiss the harem, and the officials below fell silent, not daring to voice any objections. Xu Heng squinted at the assembled officials, suddenly thinking that if Wang Yuying were here, she would surely hurl insults, saying they didn't dare utter a single word!
Xu Heng smiled with pleasure. He then severely reprimanded the leader of this operation, Grand Commandant Feng, before ordering them to leave.
Thirteen ministers rose one after another. Zheng Yangzhi was about to stand up as well, but Xu Heng glanced at the table and said indifferently, "Songzhang, you stay."
Songzhang was Zheng Yangzhi's courtesy name, and he was rarely called by it after Xu Heng ascended the throne.
Zheng Yangzhi, the only one of the thirteen who was not dismissed by the emperor, stood up and then knelt down again.
The emperor smiled faintly at the head of the table: "No need to kneel, let's go for a walk."
Qingfu, who was standing beside the emperor with his head bowed, secretly rolled his eyes upon hearing this. His Majesty's tone was much gentler than when he reprimanded the ministers. It seemed that His Majesty treated Prime Minister Zheng with special favor.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zheng Yangzhi bowed in thanks. As he stood up, the emperor had already come out from behind the table, his hands behind his back, and gave him a slight smile: "Let's go."
Zheng Yangzhi lowered his head and respectfully replied, "Yes." He then stepped aside to make way for the emperor, and only after the emperor had gone out first did he follow half a body length behind him, step by step.
The weather was fine today, the temperature had risen considerably, and there was no cloud or wind. Qingfu still prepared a brownish-red cloak with a dark dragon scale pattern to keep warm. He had a servant carry it and placed it in front of the eunuchs who brought handkerchiefs, tea, and snacks. Two guards accompanied him on either side, and they walked behind Zheng Yangzhi together with the eunuchs.
The emperor took four or five steps, then turned back and asked with a smile, "Songzhang, back in the day when we strolled through the capital, we always walked side by side. Why are you hiding at the back now?"
Zheng Yangzhi cupped his hands and replied with a smile, "Times have changed. Now Your Majesty is the supreme ruler, and the distinction between superior and inferior must be maintained."
The Emperor, He Xu, insisted: "Please come forward."
Zheng Yangzhi moved a little closer, walking on the emperor's right side, just an arm's width away.
The two walked forward along the blue bricks, with rays of sunlight shining on their sides.
Turn left again, step onto the arched bridge. Beneath the bridge is a canal, and on the opposite bank stand three three-story buildings, connected in pairs by rainbow bridges—all palace libraries. Xu Heng had met and spoken to Zheng Yangzhi when he was four, but with the late emperor, empress dowager, and old Prime Minister Zheng always present, the two had virtually no personal interaction. The boys' true friendship began in this library. One was an unfavored illegitimate son, the other often ridiculed for looking too much like a girl; both sought peace in the library. The first time they saw each other through the bookshelves, they both turned away, pretending not to see each other. The second time was the same, but they would secretly observe each other through the gaps in the books. The third time, I don't remember who spoke first, but eventually they sat together reading, and later they read back to back, squeezing together to read the same book, sharing food, preferences, and their youthful secrets. Of course, there were also arguments, the most serious being a fight, with each side winning and losing.
The library here was a vast collection of books, holding many fond memories of the emperor and Prime Minister Zheng. The two walked slowly as they passed by, neither speaking a word. Beyond the library lay the prince's residence, where Xu Heng had lived for a time before, but now that the emperor had no heir, the place felt particularly awkward.
Xu Heng's gaze lingered on his former residence for only a moment before he turned his head to look at the willows on the other side of the canal. The autumn willows were withered and yellow, and the fallen leaves covered the ground.
A group of palace ladies-in-waiting approached from the front. Upon seeing this, they quickly retreated to the side of the road, knelt silently, and only stood up again after the emperor and his entourage had all passed, continuing their journey.
The palace maids dared not glance back again, but that fleeting glimpse had been unforgettable—the Emperor and Prime Minister Zheng, one with deep-set eyes and a handsome, dashing air, the other with clear, bright eyes, their genders indistinguishable, walking side by side, both resembling jade trees in appearance, their relationship as close as fish and water. Everyone knew that Prime Minister Zheng was the Emperor's close friend from humble beginnings, and one of the female officials couldn't help but think of the historical record of Yan Ziling placing a foot on Emperor Guangwu's belly, thinking: If Prime Minister Zheng were to follow suit, His Majesty would surely agree.
Of course, the lady-in-waiting thought to herself was far from daring to voice her disrespectful thoughts.
Xu Heng and Zheng Yangzhi followed the canal northward, encountering several more groups of palace servants and eunuchs who knelt on the ground with the same thoughts. The Emperor was sincere, and the officials were loyal; their bond was as firm as metal and stone. The Hall of State was solemn, and their private friendship was evident.
After passing through the Moonlit Gate, the open canal flowed into the Four Seas Pond. The emperor and Zheng Yangzhi also stepped onto the waterside pavilion. In front of them was an endless artificial pond and a thousand-step corridor spanning the water, and behind them were two springs and three pines, offering views in all directions. In the past, the late emperor raised red-crowned cranes here and even ordered people to fetch ice from the cave and hide it behind the stones, where smoke would rise and the cranes would fly low. After Xu Heng ascended the throne, all of these were removed.
Nowadays, only a few common wild ducks are on the water, occasionally creating ripples. The golden sunlight shines on the water, sparkling and dazzling, and can even give people the illusion of warm water.
The sky was cloudless, and one could even see the tallest pavilion in the palace, Linxian Pavilion, in the distance.
The emperor did not stop to admire the scenery. Instead, he walked slowly through the waterside pavilion, stepped onto the thousand-step corridor, and crossed the water.
Under the bright sun, with the lake rippling, he strolled forward at a leisurely pace. Once on land, he continued walking, and the nearly three thousand-step-long corridor stretched forward, winding and turning until it reached the depths of the artificial hill. After walking another ten steps or so at the end, he arrived at the entrance of a cave, so narrow that only one person could pass through at a time.
"Wait here." The emperor turned around and spoke softly to the eunuchs and guards. When he was not angry, his tone was extremely gentle, like the warm autumn sun shining on everyone. "I want to practice my sword for a while. Songzhang can accompany me."
The emperor was not wearing a sword today, and upon hearing this, the guards immediately unfastened their swords from their waists. Zheng Yangzhi came over and took the sword for the emperor, holding it with both hands, and followed the emperor forward. Those around them stopped and waited quietly, thinking to themselves that it was still Prime Minister Zheng who enjoyed His Majesty's greatest trust and was very close to him.
Few people come here, and the people of Shanglin Garden haven't taken care of it in time. Two clumps of branches and leaves hang from the top of the cave entrance. Xu Heng casually picked them up with his sword sheath and passed through the cave entrance without even bending over.
Zheng Yangzhi was about to lower his sword when he was a step too slow. A branch fell and brushed against his face. He immediately ducked, and after passing through the cave entrance, he raised his hand to touch his right cheek. It stung a little, but his face wasn't red, so it wasn't noticeable.
The emperor has already gone far away, and I'm afraid he doesn't know.
The cave suddenly opened up, about five zhang square, with a flat terrain, indeed suitable for swordplay. Zheng Yangzhi held the seven-foot sword horizontally, spreading his hands out to hold it. He was already in the posture of presenting the sword, but the emperor was in no hurry to take it, still with his hands tied behind his back, looking up at the sky. The sun was blazing, and he had to squint.
When the emperor looked at him again, his eyes were still narrowed, and because he was smiling, his eyebrows, eyes and lips were curved like the moon: "It's so warm and cozy. The ancients said that autumn is better than spring. They were right."
Zheng Yangzhi glanced at the soft rays of sunlight shining on the ground, where wisps of dust danced in the air. Today was indeed the warmest day in nearly half a month; the sun not only made people feel comfortable physically, but also brought a warm current to their hearts. Just as he was about to agree that the warm sun and gentle breeze were truly rare, the emperor suddenly murmured, "The weather is really nice today."
The emperor's face was amiable, making people feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze, but with lightning speed he drew the sword from Zheng Yangzhi's hand and slashed it at Zheng Yangzhi's left side, causing blood to seep into Zheng Yangzhi's court robes immediately.
Xu Heng still had a smile on his lips, but his eyes were filled with a sharp and cold look. The weather was nice today, but it was freezing cold on the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month. Weren't the two of them afraid of the cold?
Do you really think that way?
How come they didn't freeze to death!
He thought that the coldest time was when the snow was melting, so he couldn't help but slash Zheng Yangzhi's right side with his sword, decisive and ruthless.
He actually had many questions for Zheng Yangzhi, but he couldn't utter a single word. He was afraid that hearing them would make him feel even worse, and he simply couldn't accept that Zheng Yangzhi would say them in person.
So what if he killed Zheng Yangzhi?
However, just now when I passed by the library, I recalled the days when we were young and relied on each other. We were so close that we could share clothes and bowls!
I recall the bitter cold of the northern frontier, and of my old friends, only Zheng Yangzhi braved the falling snow to visit me.
Xu Heng's sword, aimed at Zheng Yangzhi's heart, deflected two inches, piercing below his left collarbone and avoiding a vital spot. Zheng Yangzhi instinctively arched his back, kneeling on one knee, but after a moment, he pursed his lips and used his hands to support himself as he stood up again. Though covered in blood, he stood resolutely.
Xu Heng struck again, but still avoided the internal organs, stabbing fiercely into Zheng Yangzhi's thigh—impressive! Blood splattered on the golden pillar, a deathbed remonstrance against the wicked empress? How could he do something so shameful with such composure?
What a magnificent display of righteousness! He not only gained a good reputation but also rose to the position of Vice Prime Minister—killing two birds with one stone! Xu Heng's smile vanished completely. He stabbed three times in quick succession, pulling out the sword with flesh still attached to the blade, yet he did not hesitate to stab it in again.
Sword after sword, each strike a stab of hatred in his heart. Twice, Zheng Yangzhi's gaze met the emperor's, and he felt that the moment their eyes met, their affection vanished in an instant. He deliberately avoided all subsequent eye contact, falling and rising again and again, always remaining silent.
Seeing Zheng Yangzhi's actions, Xu Heng swung his sword and stabbed him down again, but he was still not ruthless enough and showed mercy.
Xu Heng swung his sword ten more times in a row, the cold light overshadowing the sunlight. The swords worn by the palace guards were all forged with Longquan water from Xiping County, and were indeed of high quality. However, because Xu Heng used too much force, the blades broke after only a few dozen strokes, and the entire blade and even the hilt were covered in blood.
This time, Zheng Yangzhi failed to get up and fell back to the ground. Xu Heng watched him struggle coldly while taking out a handkerchief and slowly wiping the blood off his hands and sword.
Zheng Yangzhi finally stood up, swayed twice, and straightened his knees. Xu Heng sheathed his sword with a clang, then flipped it over and struck Zheng Yangzhi's chest acupoint with the hilt. He felt he had been too merciful; he himself had been in chest pain for so long, yet he couldn't bear to strike only the acupoint that could temporarily alleviate the pain.
"Qingfu," Xu Heng called out, his voice still as gentle as a spring breeze, but his face was cold.
Qingfu personally carried the brownish-red cloak with a dark dragon scale pattern into the cave.
Xu Heng calmly issued the decree: "Minister Zheng accompanied me to practice swordsmanship today. Even if you have not made any merits, you have certainly worked hard. 'How can we say we have no clothes? We share the same robes.' This cloak has been with me for many years. I bestow it upon you today to express my heartfelt gratitude. Wearing this robe, you will also share the warmth and cold with me." Xu Heng smiled faintly, "The robe keeps you warm and comforted, and the sword cuts down evil and eliminates wickedness. I hope you will not fail this robe."
Zheng Yangzhi had been stabbed at least seven or eight times in his thigh and calf, but he had no choice but to endure the pain and kneel down again, saying, "Thank you—my lord for your great kindness."
"Rise," Xu Heng said with a smile.
Zheng Yangzhi tried to stand up, but his body trembled uncontrollably several times, and he couldn't get up. He gritted his teeth and struggled again, his whole body shaking, his forehead covered in cold sweat. Qingfu next to him looked down at the ground, eyes downcast, seemingly lost in thought.
After Zheng Yangzhi stood up, Qingfu immediately stepped forward, unfolded his cloak, and personally draped it over Zheng Yangzhi. Then, he used the towel he had brought, soaked in medicine, to carefully wipe Zheng Yangzhi's still bleeding wound. This medicine contained a large amount of glue, which could stop the bleeding but could not help the wound heal. Removing the glue afterwards would only accelerate the deterioration.
As the medicine was ground bit by bit, Zheng Yangzhi felt as if he were walking on knives, and his teeth chattered from the pain.
Qingfu then pulled the two ends of the cloak together, covering the entire area from the neck to the boots. He then tightened the straps, securing the cloak from top to bottom. Zheng Yangzhi's blood-stained robe was completely concealed. The cloak was not only the same color as the dark blood, but it had also been scented with ambergris three times, which could completely mask the bloodstains.
Zheng Yangzhi walked alone, dragging his injured leg for over three thousand steps before finally making it down the Thousand-Step Corridor. He encountered the eunuchs at the cave entrance, and then met two more groups of palace servants along the canal. None of them could discern anything amiss, assuming that Prime Minister Zheng was simply frail and pale. His Majesty, showing compassion, bestowed upon him a robe, and the beads of sweat on Zheng Yangzhi's forehead were assumed to be perspiration as his body warmed up.
After all, the current emperor loves his people like his own children, and is a benevolent and loving ruler.
Normally, Zheng Yangzhi would take less than half an hour to walk this route out of the palace, but now, despite his best efforts, he was getting slower and slower, and after nearly two hours, he was still far from the palace gate.
As night fell, lanterns were lit in the palace.
Zheng Yangzhi, barely holding on, dragged his legs step by step until he finally reached Wang Yuying's door. He smiled weakly, then fell heavily against the door, knocking himself unconscious without hesitation.
Last night, the candles in the lantern outside the door burned out, and Juanxue and Shuangtian had just replaced them with a new pair and hung them up again. As they closed the door and walked back, they heard a loud thud while still in the courtyard. Both maids were startled and couldn't help but look at each other.
Juanxue hesitated: "The lantern...fell down?"
Shuangtian also suspected that the lanterns hadn't been hung properly, and hurried back: "Quick, check which one fell? Did it hit something?"
The two maids rushed to the door, unlatched it, and saw an unconscious person lying on the steps. Judging from his height, he was a man. They worked together to turn him over, and Shuangtian blurted out, "Prime Minister?"
Because they were flipping through the clothes in such a hurry, a corner of the cloak was rolled up, and both Shuangtian and Juanxue saw the blood-stained corner of the robe. Juanxue mustered her courage and lifted the cloak, revealing a shocking sight of bloodied sword wounds. Against Zheng Yangzhi's pale and beautiful face, she looked exceptionally pitiful and weak. Although the two maids had no romantic feelings for each other, they couldn't help but feel sorry for her and were deeply saddened.
"Immortal Master! Immortal Master!" the two maids called out in unison. Without thinking, one lifted Zheng Yangzhi up and the other lifted his foot, carrying him through the door. Completely forgetting the rules, they were about to carry him into the room when, luckily, Wang Yuying, with her sharp ears, came out quickly and immediately stopped them when she saw Zheng Yangzhi being carried: "Wait, don't carry him anymore!"
As she hurried closer, she asked, "What happened?"
Shuangtian and Juanxue recounted Zheng Yangzhi's tragic condition, their voices nearly breaking with sobs. Wang Yuying listened intently, her cloak always lifted, and there were hanging lanterns in the courtyard, through which she could see the wounds on Zheng Yangzhi's body.
"Throw him out," Wang Yuying ordered.
After she finished speaking, she turned to leave. The two maids were unaware of the connection between their mistress and Zheng Yangzhi. They could only wonder if their mistress hated him because Zheng Yangzhi had prevented her from being reinstated.
The two maids were about to carry Zheng Yangzhi out as ordered when they saw the "beauty" with disheveled hair in her unconscious state, and a tear silently fell from the corner of her eye.
The two maids saw this and hesitated.
Seeing this, Wang Yuying stopped and turned around: "Use your brains and think about it, who could cripple a vice prime minister in the Forbidden City? And why did no one help him along the way, nor dare they help him?"
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A message from the author: Happy National Day!
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