Chapter 102
The setting sun bathes the outlines of the distant mountains in warm gold. Returning birds carry the twilight over the dark green treetops. A few wisps of light white smoke float out of the chimney of the cabin, lingering in the evening breeze and finally dispersing in the darkening sky.
Li Yin had just stepped over the bluestone slab in front of the door, and the grass debris on the soles of his boots had not yet been swept away by the night wind, when the wooden door was knocked twice again.
Luo Sanrong stood at the bottom of the steps, holding up the hem of her skirt. The edge of her plain skirt was stained with mud from the mountain path, and the wild chrysanthemum pinned to her temples was still covered with cool dew in the twilight.
She looked at the dim candlelight reflected in the wooden window, clenched her sleeves with her fingertips, and then tentatively called out, "Grandpa."
The door creaked open, and Mr. Chashan emerged, wrapped in the evening breeze. The silver hair on his temples shimmered in the setting sun. He hurried over to Luo Sanrong, then couldn't help but glance back at the mountain path behind her. His withered hand gently tugged at her sleeve, and he lowered his voice to a whisper, "Is anyone following you?"
Seeing how nervous he was, Luo Sanrong smiled. She raised her hand to brush away the wind-blown hair on her cheek. Her tone was gentle but firm: "No, I took three detours on the way from town. I carefully checked every fork in the road. Don't worry."
Mr. Chashan finally breathed a sigh of relief, his brows relaxed a little, and he pulled her into the house.
The moment the wooden door closed, the last ray of setting sun was locked outside. The flickering candlelight in the room caused the dry herbs hanging on the beam to sway slightly.
Luo Sanrong sat at the table, his fingers rubbing the rim of a stoneware cup. He was silent for a long moment before he looked up at Mr. Chashan. There was a hint of uncertainty in his voice: "My mother said that Wei Dao is here? Is he... really still alive?"
Mr. Chashan didn't answer immediately. He just picked up the teapot and poured her a cup of hot tea. The mist blurred his expression. After a moment, he slowly nodded, his voice a little tired. "Yes, she's still alive, just still unconscious. Come with me."
He led Luo Sanrong to the inner room. When they opened the curtains, they could see a person lying on the wooden bed in the halo of candlelight. Mr. Chashan didn't stay long. He simply patted Luo Sanrong's shoulder and turned to leave the room for the two of them.
Luo Sanrong slowly walked to the bed and leaned over to sit down. Wei Dao lay there, his face pale, yet more alive than the rumored "death." His long hair spread across the pillow, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow under his eyes.
She stretched out her hand, and just as her fingertips were about to touch his cheek, she gently withdrew it and tucked the corner of the quilt for him. Her voice was so soft as if she was afraid to disturb the candlelight: "Wei Dao, it's me, Luo Sanzhen. I'm here to see you. Do you still want to lie down?"
She paused, her eyes falling on his hands folded on his abdomen. Those hands once held a sword, but now they lay there quietly, without any movement.
"You've been hiding your identity for so many years. Isn't it very hard? Is that why you want to rest well now and refuse to wake up?"
Outside the window came the sound of the evening breeze sweeping through the bamboo shoots, mixed with the cries of returning birds in the distance.
Luo Sanrong looked outside through the window lattice. It was already dusk, with only a faint orange-red color remaining in the sky.
She looked at the darkening sky, her tone filled with anticipation, "But if you keep lying there like this, autumn will soon be over. Look at the maple tree in the corner of the yard; its leaves are starting to turn yellow. You must wake up before all the leaves fall."
She remembered what Weidao had told her when they were little, saying that the palace had the most beautiful autumn scenery. She then whispered, "Weidao, you once said that when it snowed, the palace would be covered with a thick blanket of snow, with the red walls reflecting the white snow. Isn't that really beautiful? I've never seen anything like it."
"Beautiful, very beautiful."
A hoarse but clear voice suddenly sounded. Luo Sanrong turned around abruptly and saw Weidao slowly opening his eyes. The candlelight reflected in his dark eyes. Although he was still tired from just waking up, he already had spirit.
She stood up in surprise, her fingertips trembling slightly, and her voice was choked with an imperceptible sob: "Are you awake?"
Wei Dao looked at her red eyes, and a clean smile slowly curled up at the corner of his mouth. Although his voice was soft, it was full of familiar teasing: "Yeah, if you don't wake up, you will keep nagging in my ear, which is really going to keep me awake."
The flickering candlelight cast the figures of the two people on the wall. The dusk outside the window had completely fallen, and a few sporadic dog barks could be heard from the distant mountain village.
——
The morning light shines through the carved window lattices of the East Palace, onto the golden brick floor, casting a long and slender shadow.
Li Yin sat at his rosewood desk, fingertips twirling a scroll. The sound of the pages turning was especially clear in the silent hall. In the celadon brushwash on the desk, clear water reflected the morning light. A few small goldfish swam leisurely within, yet they did not disturb the tranquility in his eyes.
"Your Highness!" Eunuch Ma's voice was filled with barely concealed urgency, the hem of his crimson palace robe swaying slightly as he walked briskly. "Most of the court officials have already gathered in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. I'm afraid Minister Sun and the others will seize this opportunity to cause trouble. If we delay any further, things might get out of hand!"
Li Yin's fingertips paused, his eyes still fixed on the page. After he finished reading that section of annotations, he slowly raised his hand to smooth the spine of the book. His movements were so calm as if the court disputes outside the palace had nothing to do with him.
"Wait a moment." His voice was not loud, but it was filled with an unquestionable certainty. The last syllable fell in the morning light, and it actually calmed Eunuch Ma's anxiety a little.
Just as he finished speaking, a clear and loud announcement came from outside the palace: "Zheng Dehao, the Left Assistant Minister of Xuanwu Camp, has arrived—"
The footsteps came from far away. Zheng Dehao was wearing a dark suit with morning dew and dirt on his robe. It was obvious that he had just rushed in from outside.
As soon as he entered the palace, he knelt on one knee and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the man has been captured! He tried to escape from the city at midnight last night, but was apprehended by our brothers. After interrogation, it was confirmed that he was the contact who contacted the assassin!"
Li Yin finally stood up, the hem of his dark formal attire brushing the corner of the desk. He reached out and closed the scroll on the desk. A sharp gleam flashed across his eyes, then transformed into a determined smile. "Okay. Now, to the court."
Along the imperial road from the East Palace to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, there are dense ancient cypresses. The morning mist has not yet dissipated, and the air is filled with the faint scent of pine needles.
Just when they were halfway there, they saw Prime Minister Ji Ke wearing a crimson official robe, standing under an ancient cypress tree, looking at the newcomers with a serious look.
Seeing this, Li Yin raised the corner of his mouth coldly, but did not stop, obviously intending to turn a blind eye.
"Your Highness, please wait." Ji Ke stepped forward and blocked his way. "Concern" was written on his aged face, and his voice was very low. "This old minister has something to say. Perhaps dethronement is not the end of the world. In the past, Emperor Wen of Han deposed Crown Prince Liu Rong. Although he lost his position as crown prince, he was able to save his life. The previous dynasty deposed Crown Prince Li Chengqian and was able to live out his remaining years in Qianzhou. Rather than being unworthy of the throne and being cursed for eternity, it is better..."
Li Yin stopped and turned around slowly.
He was more than half a head taller than Ji Ke. As he leaned over, his warm breath landed on Ji Ke's ear. His voice was as light as a breeze, yet it carried a biting chill: "What the Prime Minister said is tempting. But there is one thing that makes me unhappy. At your age, you are still sitting firmly on the position of Prime Minister. If you really leave the East Palace, how can I feel at ease?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up, no longer looking at Ji Ke's suddenly changed face, turned around and walked towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the dark hem of his clothes drawing a neat arc in the morning breeze.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the air was thick with the scent of ambergris, and court officials were lined up on both sides according to their rank, but the atmosphere was unusually solemn.
As soon as Li Yin entered the palace, the Minister of Revenue, Sun Xing, stepped out, holding a tablet in hand. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince has not only failed to reflect on his previous scandal, but has also been frequenting brothels and casinos, partying every night and staying out all night. This behavior has damaged the reputation of the royal family and undermined the government. Your Majesty, please punish him severely!"
The emperor on the throne put down the memorial in his hand, cleared his throat, and looked at Li Yin. His tone was a little tired: "Prince, you didn't return to the East Palace last night?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Yin bowed with his hands clasped in salute, his posture upright, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, without any panic.
"In that case, where did you go last night?" The emperor's voice became even deeper, and the air in the hall seemed to freeze.
Li Yin raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across Sun Xing's smug expression below him, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, just as Minister Sun said, I went to Zuichunfang in the west of the city, and also to Boyuntang in the south."
As soon as these words were spoken, a low murmur of discussion suddenly arose in the hall.
Sun Xing's smile grew even wider, and he was about to add fuel to the fire when he heard Li Yin continue, "I believe that if you want to be a sage ruler, you must first understand the people's opinions. Deep within the palace walls, you cannot hear the suffering of the people, nor can you hear the voices of the people.
These days, I've been spending time with the common people, listening to them discuss their harvests and harsh taxes, and I've learned a lot of truths that I can't hear in the court. This is why I go to those places."
The emperor's expression eased slightly, and his fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest of the throne, obviously intending to put the matter behind him.
But Sun Xing would never accept this. He immediately stepped forward and shouted, "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince's words are absurd! Are the 'people' he refers to those prostitutes who sell their smiles or those addicted gamblers? How can you possibly understand public opinion if you associate with such people? He's clearly just trying to excuse his absurd behavior!"
"Yes! What's wrong?" Li Yin suddenly asked, looking straight at Sun Xing, "Among the prostitutes, there are good girls who were forced into prostitution by bullies; among the gamblers, there are farmers who were driven into desperation by heavy taxes.
Although they are at the bottom of society, they understand the suffering of the people better than some high-ranking officials who only care about their own interests. Minister Sun thinks, what's wrong with talking to them?
Sun Xing choked at the question, then turned to the emperor and knelt on his knees: "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince is using flattering words and deceitful expressions to confuse right and wrong. If such behavior is not punished, I am afraid it will be difficult to win the support of the people! Your Majesty, please depose the Crown Prince and choose another capable person!"
As soon as he finished speaking, many officials in the hall immediately came out and bowed in agreement: "Your Majesty, please depose the crown prince!" Most of these people were from the party of Ji Ke and Sun Xing. At this moment, they took advantage of the situation and were eager to bring Li Yin down.
Li Yin looked around at these "fence-sitters," his face devoid of any anger. Instead, he smiled calmly, "I understand your intentions, my Lords. However, I cannot leave today's court meeting. A few days ago, I heard some interesting stories in brothels and casinos, and I was thinking of sharing them with you. Would you be willing to listen?"
"Prince!" The emperor frowned, his tone carrying a hint of warning, "How can you be allowed to speak nonsense in the court?"
"Your Majesty," Li Yin turned toward the throne and bowed, "Every word I have said concerns the safety of the court. I will only need half an incense stick of time. If Your Majesty still finds it inappropriate after I have finished speaking, I will willingly accept the punishment."
The emperor was silent for a moment, and finally nodded.
Li Yun turned his head to look at Zheng Dehao beside him, who immediately stepped forward and handed him a stack of papers.
Li Yin took it and, with a wave of his arm, the paper fluttered down like snowflakes onto the golden brick floor of the hall. "My Lords, please take a look at these portraits. Do you see any familiar faces?"
The court officials leaned over to pick them up, only to see that each piece of paper had a person's face drawn on it, with clear lines and lifelike expressions. An old official picked up a piece and asked in confusion, "Your Highness, why do these people have their eyes closed?"
Li Yin's eyes fell on Ji Ke, who was not far away, and a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: "Yes, why?"
He paused, then, without waiting for a reaction, slowly revealed his answer. "Because they're all dead. Some were silenced that night after saying 'excessive taxes' in a tavern; some were caught in a private meeting of officials and 'accidentally' fell into the water the next day; and some simply knew things they shouldn't have. The dead are always the best at keeping secrets, aren't they?"
The hall suddenly became quiet, and even the sound of breathing became clear.
Li Yin continued, "The Eastern Palace was attacked earlier, and the assassins were killed on the spot. Afterwards, some said they were members of the underworld organization 'Red Maple Society.' However, I felt something was amiss, so I asked Minister Zheng to investigate secretly. They unexpectedly found a clue to their contact on the assassin's body, the man who was captured last night."
"But...but the official documents clearly state that it was done by the Red Maple Society!" An official said in a trembling voice, obviously shocked by Li Yin's words.
"Documents are written by people, but the truth cannot be tampered with at will." Li Yin clapped his hands, and the sound of guards' footsteps was immediately heard outside the hall. Two guards in armor walked in dragging a person.
The man was in tattered clothes, covered in wounds, with blood all over his face. He could not even stand steadily and had to be dragged forward by the guards, leaving a shallow bloodstain on the ground.
Seeing this, the court officials retreated, their faces filled with disgust and fear. Sun Xing's face turned pale, and his hands unconsciously clenched his tablet.
Li Yin leaned forward, staring sharply at the person on the ground. His voice was icy: "Tell me, is the mastermind behind the assassination of you summoning assassins to kill me here in the court today?"
The man slowly raised his head. His bloodstained face was covered in blood, and his eyes were wide with fear. He glanced at the courtiers in the hall, his gaze lingering on Sun Xing for a moment. Then he lowered his head as if burned, and said in a voice as thin as a mosquito: "Yes... yes."
"Identify it." Li Yin stood up straight, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
The man raised his hand tremblingly, pointing his finger at two people in the crowd: "It's... it's Master Sun, and Master Xu..."
Xu Jiang, the Minister of Personnel, felt his legs weaken when his name was called, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Sun Xing, forcing himself to remain calm, shouted, "Stop your nonsense! I, the Minister, have never met you before, so how can you be accused of something? It's obvious that someone has ordered you to frame me!"
"False accusation?" Li Yin sneered and turned to Zheng Dehao. "Minister Zheng, where did the land and gold the assassins received before the assassination come from?"
Zheng Dehao immediately stepped out, holding a ledger in his hands. He bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, after investigation, I have found that the land the assassins received was all in the name of a distant relative of Minister Sun. The gold was taken from a secret vault belonging to Minister Sun outside the city. This is the vault's account book, with Minister Sun's personal seal on it. Please review it, Your Majesty!"
The eunuch immediately stepped forward and presented the account book to the emperor. Upon seeing this, Sun Xing's face turned completely pale, his legs gave way, and he fell to his knees. Xu Jiang followed suit, both of them shouting in unison, "Your Majesty, spare me! I've been wrongly accused!"
Li Yin looked at the two men in a state of bewilderment, his eyes devoid of any sympathy. "Unjustly accused? Minister Sun, when this man pointed fingers at you just now, you said he was framing you. Now that the account book is here, you're claiming it's unfair again. At this point, you're still trying to argue?"
He stopped looking at the two men and shouted outside the hall, "Come here! Capture Sun Xing and Xu Jiang, throw them into the Sky Prison, and interrogate them strictly! If they resist, show no mercy!"
The guards immediately stepped forward and lifted the two men up. Sun Xing and Xu Jiang struggled, crying out in injustice: "Your Majesty! We were framed! Please investigate!" But the emperor sat on the throne, his face ashen, and remained silent, clearly acquiescing to Li Yin's decision.
After the guards dragged the two men out of the hall, the emperor waved his hand tiredly and said, "Let's end today's court meeting here." After that, he stood up and left the throne, and walked towards the harem with the help of the eunuchs.
Upon seeing this, the court officials also dispersed, but there was a bit more awe and fear in their eyes when they looked at Li Yin.
Ji Ke was about to leave with the crowd when Li Yin called him, "Prime Minister, please stay."
Ji Ke paused, turned around slowly, and tried to maintain a calm expression: "Your Highness, what else do you want?"
Li Yin pulled out a portrait from his bosom and handed it to Ji Ke. It showed a young woman with delicate features and a gentle expression. "Does the Prime Minister recognize her?"
Ji Ke's eyes fell on the portrait, his pupils shrank slightly, and then returned to normal: "This old minister... I have never seen it."
"Oh?" Li Yin raised an eyebrow, his voice gentle but with pressure, "But I heard that this girl was a maid on duty at Changle Palace half a year ago. Her name was Xi'er. She died not long ago for no apparent reason. When she died, she had just given birth to a baby boy, but that boy disappeared shortly after birth and his whereabouts remain unknown to this day."
He leaned closer to Ji Ke and lowered his voice to a whisper, "Prime Minister, tell me, what secrets are hidden in this deep palace? Where did the missing baby boy go? Aren't you... curious?"
Ji Ke's body trembled imperceptibly. He raised his head and looked at Li Yin, only to see a bottomless darkness in his eyes, as if it could devour him. The morning light streamed in through the palace door, falling on Li Yin's profile, half bright, half dark, making it impossible to see what he was thinking at the moment.
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