Chapter 41 On this day, it is auspicious for Yin and Yang to harmonize.
"Injury? Can this even be called an injury?"
A gasp of surprise rang out from the East Garden of the Prince of Huaiyang's residence.
Xiao Xun was caught off guard and was pushed by Lin Yuan.
He leaned back on the soft pillow, his hand still on his.
Lin Yuan collapsed on top of him before she could even call out.
Their eyes met.
Suddenly, silence fell.
The only sound I could hear was my heartbeat.
Xiao Xun's smile faded.
He looked at Lin Yuan, his Adam's apple bobbing: "I, I didn't lie to you. My injuries have gotten much better since you came to see me."
"Yes, the injury healed as soon as I arrived." Lin Yuan huffed and tried to get up. "If I had arrived even a moment later, the injury wouldn't have been visible!"
"Ah Yuan, don't go."
Xiao Xun gripped her hand tightly.
"I said I'd take care of you until you were fully recovered before I left. Now that you're healed, I'll take my leave."
Lin Yuan pulled her hand away forcefully, and with a sharp movement of her elbow, a low scream was heard.
"Ah—Ah Yuan, no—"
Looking down, I saw that blood was seeping from the sleeves of her plain clothes.
"Ah, it's not the wound from before?" Lin Yuan murmured to herself, her mind suddenly blank. "Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was here... I, I'll go and call the physician from the manor right away."
Xiao Xun didn't let go, stopping her from walking out: "It's nothing, the physician already checked it, it's nothing serious. It's just a superficial injury. I didn't want to scare you, that's why I didn't let you see it."
"If you don't want to look, then don't look. If you hadn't lied to me, I wouldn't have pushed you, and I wouldn't have—" Lin Yuan lowered her eyes, her voice lacking confidence, and scolded, "I pressed on your wound."
"Seeing how nervous you were, I thought..." Xiao Xun chuckled, "I just wanted to tease you."
Lin Yuan turned her head to look at his radiant smile and asked, "Aren't you in pain?"
"Looking at you makes the pain go away."
Lin Yuan bandaged the wound tightly.
With each layer of silk cloth tightened, Xiao Xun's teeth clenched tighter and his brows furrowed more.
Her lips then curled up slightly.
She was now certain that the hidden weapon was indeed not poisoned. The wound was perfectly clean, with no signs of festering or blackening around it.
As for the loss of the five senses—at least the sense of pain is still there, and so is the sense of hearing:
"Didn't you say that looking at me would make the pain go away?"
Xiao Xun forced a smile, looking sullen, and gritted his teeth, saying, "Who said it hurts?"
As for problems with taste, smell, and hallucinations, Lin Yuan thought carefully and realized that he had experienced them before.
After returning from Lanyue Pavilion in Shanglin Garden, he still had Lin Yuan stay in the side hall of Xuan Room.
"How can a servant girl live in this side hall forever?" Lin Yuan said awkwardly.
"Didn't you live here before?" Xiao Xun pondered, then smiled. "Besides, apart from the Jiaofang Palace, which is habitable, the other palaces have been vacant for a long time and need repair."
Lin Yuan pursed her lips.
Xiao Xun added, "It's freezing cold, so it'll be easier to serve you if we stay closer. We've been busy lately, so let's arrange other accommodations after this period is over."
Lin Yuan saw that the servants inside and outside the Xuan Shi Hall were lined up and there was no way to get a turn.
"I'm too busy," Lin Yuan said, racking her brains to politely decline. "There are already plenty of people serving His Majesty, so one more won't make a difference."
Xiao Xun stated firmly, "They can't do what you're doing well."
Lin Yuan reminded him, "Your Majesty, I usually only pour tea and grind ink. Everything else is done by Eunuch Wang." She added, "Wang Fu. Those personal attendants and matters requiring special attention."
Seeing that Xiao Xun remained unmoved, she listed them in detail, "For example, changing clothes, keeping watch at night, serving meals, testing for poison, bathing, using the toilet..."
"Stop." Xiao Xun interrupted her, then raised an eyebrow. "Alright, there's an art to grinding ink. These days, the people serving here can't even grind ink properly; they're just an eyesore."
Lin Yuan suddenly remembered that when she first arrived at Zichen Pavilion, he had found fault with her from head to toe, and one of the things he found was that she was "an eyesore".
It must have been really bad for her eyes, so he immediately ordered the imperial physician to administer strong medicine to cure the frostbite on her hands within three days.
—Well, the fourth day was probably calculated by the Grand Master again, an auspicious day when yin and yang are in harmony, and he would come to the Jiaofang Palace as usual.
Lin Yuan overheard Lian Changyu and Tong Shiling complaining that the Grand Master of Ceremonies must be getting old and blind, because the auspicious days he was calculating this month were much more frequent than in the previous months.
Despite the complaints, Chang Yu's lips curled into a wide smile. The two exchanged knowing smiles, concluding that His Majesty was indeed young and full of vigor.
Upon hearing "excessive internal heat," Lin Yuan nodded to herself. Indeed, it was excessive liver fire that caused him to be so quick to find fault.
Changyu also has a lot of liver fire.
She saw Lin Yuan and glared at her for a while. This was because Wang Fu, for the sake of his master's eyes, had repeatedly instructed Chang Yu that Lin Yuan should not be allowed to do any work other than the affairs of Zichen Pavilion.
Savoring the word "eyesore," Lin Yuan asked, "Isn't there Wang Lu?"
Wang Lu had delicate skin and always served in the inner palace of Xuanmen, rarely doing rough work. It's unlikely that his hands would develop sores in winter.
Xiao Xun shook his head: "The ink he ground was too light."
"Then, what about Li Shun?"
Li Shun had worked in the Imperial Palace for many years, doing all sorts of jobs, from pulling horse manure to carrying firewood and transporting hot water. He was very strong, and the ink he ground would definitely be dark and black.
Xiao Xun smiled and sighed, "The ink he grinded doesn't smell good."
Lin Yuan was speechless.
Her hand holding the inkstone paused, and she suspected that he wasn't using ink to write, but rather drinking ink.
That's fine, let him drink if he wants, it's none of her business.
Turning his head, he saw his pen tip skimming over the "thick and fragrant," glossy ink, dipping it in vermilion.
...
Xiao Xun, seeing her mischievous expression as if she were lost in thought, slowly smiled and said, "Hiss—"
Lin Yuan tied the strip of cloth into a tighter knot.
"You feel pain now?"
Xiao Xun slowly exhaled: "I am sighing. Your knot-tying skills are really good."
"?"
Lin Yuan stared blankly at the knot, which had no advantages other than being tight, and then looked blankly at him.
"Can you teach me?"
Why do you want to learn how to tie knots?
She packed the medicine and cloth back into the box sent by the royal physician, then tilted her head and asked.
“In the wedding ceremony, there is a custom of tying hair together. The husband and wife each take a lock of hair and tie it together. After I learn how to do it, in the future, I will be able to tie my hair like this too—” He looked at the rope knot that was twisted into a braid on the white cloth and said seriously, “—a tight knot.”
He looked up at Lin Yuan, "Intertwined, never to be separated for a lifetime."
"Didn't you have a wedding before?" Lin Yuan frowned, completely puzzled. "If you don't know how to tie a knot, then what kind of knot did you tie back then, a slipknot?"
That question was a real mood killer, killing half of the deep affection that was brewing in Xiao Xun's eyes.
His gaze faltered for a moment, then he brushed off his sleeve: "Never mind, no rush. Anyway, you'll change my dressing every day for the next ten days, three times a day. I can learn by myself."
Lin Yuan glanced at him sideways.
Just now, the physician from the prefecture came to deliver medicine, and she took the opportunity to ask about her injuries and how many days it would take for her to recover.
The physician replied, "The wound was inflicted by a sharp, concealed weapon; fortunately, it's only a superficial injury."
Xiao Xun coughed lightly, interrupting, "Unfortunately, the cut was quite deep."
The royal physician: "...Young master, the medicine was administered promptly—"
Xiao Xun continued, "Yes, my personal maid changes my dressings promptly every day."
The physician nodded: "Yes, if you change the dressing frequently, it shouldn't take more than three to five days—"
"It will definitely not get better in three to five days. It will take at least seven, eight, nine or ten days."
Under Lin Yuan's suspicious gaze, he touched the tip of his nose and said, "The medical engineer already informed me once before."
He then turned to the medical engineer, "Understood. You can go now."
Just as the elderly physician, well past sixty, began to doubt his hearing, the Imperial Guards at the gate flanked him on either side and escorted him out. Fearing he might be frail and unsteady on his feet, they didn't even let him put his feet on the ground.
"Were you cold on your way to the East Garden?"
“It’s cold,” Lin Yuan said sarcastically. “Didn’t someone say the other day that it’s especially cold when you’re reading in the morning?”
"Yes. You're right." He looked at her with a guilty expression. "Thank you for your hard work."
Lin Yuan felt a little embarrassed by the "hard work" and said it was nothing. "His Majesty has already changed the dressing. I'll go back in a bit and come back later tomorrow. It won't be cold when the sun is high in the sky."
Xiao Xun was speechless for a moment before saying, "It's cold there too. Why don't you stay here for the next ten days? That way you won't have to travel back and forth."
The words were spoken, but no response was heard for a long time.
He unconsciously clenched his fist beneath his sleeve, recalling how, after bringing Lin Yuan back from Shanglin Garden, he had still allowed her to live in a side hall of Xuanshi. He harbored a secret motive: so that he could see her every day.
The palace complex has many pavilions and halls, with Jiaofang Hall being the closest to Xuanshi Hall.
But nowhere is as close as the side hall of the Xuan Room.
Even if she didn't have the time to grind ink and serve him, he could still see the lamps in the side hall from the windows of the main room of the Xuan Room.
The warm light outlined a long, slender shadow, cast onto the straight-lattice window.
He then realized she was reading. She was having a meal. She was probably changing—he turned his head away.
When she looked up again, the window with its straight lattice windows was completely dark; she had already gone to bed.
...
His thoughts returned, and he slowly began, "I have nightmares at night, and when I'm sweating, I have to take a shower—"
Lin Yuan suddenly stood up: "I... I won't serve you while you bathe."
Xiao Xun's face flushed slightly: "...After bathing, the dressing also needs to be changed."
Lin Yuan blushed even more and changed the subject: "Do you often have nightmares?"
"Yes, more often. I dreamt of my father and mother, old friends and acquaintances. These days, at the Prince of Huaiyang's residence, I saw my elder brother and nephew, which reminded me of some old things, so I dreamt of them even more frequently. Last night, guess what I dreamt of?"
"Did you dream of the late Crown Prince and Crown Princess?" Lin Yuan followed his words and hesitantly added, "You mentioned them yesterday."
Xiao Xun laughed, raising an eyebrow. "Pretty much. I dreamt about almond cake. Are you hungry?"
*
He dreamed of almond cake.
Once the almond cake plate was empty, the vermilion dragon pattern on the bottom transformed into the carved beams and painted rafters of Siqi Garden.
It turned into bloodstained armor.
Qu Yang, leading the Changshui Colonel and two thousand Changshui Xuanqu Hu cavalry, his face contorted with rage, shouted: "Your Majesty's command has sent me to punish the traitors and uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!"
Xiao Xun awoke from a recurring nightmare and saw Qu Yang's back in the Shanglin Garden.
Last winter, in October.
"Long time no see." He smiled. "Grand Marshal, General."
Qu Yang was startled and turned around, his face now expressionless.
He didn't kneel before the emperor, and even skipped the proper bowing: "Your Majesty isn't in the palace, so why have you come here?"
"Shanglin Garden is the imperial garden. Even my empress recuperates here. Why can't I come?" Xiao Xun asked with a smile. "But Grand Marshal, you've been claiming illness and not leaving your residence for so long. Are you also recuperating at Shanglin Garden?"
"Your Majesty, please don't joke with this old minister."
Qu Yang's face was gloomy. "The Xiongnu have invaded our borders, the rebels are causing trouble, and the people are in a state of panic. With the departure of the garrison troops and the Northern Army from Chang'an and the Three Auxiliary Regions, our forces are already weak. It is hard to guarantee that there will be no unrest. Your Majesty, as the supreme ruler, should be in the Weiyang Palace and should not be in danger."
"Is the Grand Marshal or the General joking with me? If Chang'an and the Three Auxiliary Regions fall, how can Weiyang Palace alone escape unscathed? I'm afraid Weiyang Palace will be the first to be hit by the flames of war."
Xiao Xun stood with his hands behind his back. "Moreover, this morning I heard that Han Ke, the Minister of the Imperial Guard, was unwell and unable to lead the Southern Army."
Qu Yang frowned: "Han Ke is not feeling well? This morning?"
Xiao Xun nodded and said, "Yes, the people around him submitted a memorial on his behalf, saying that he can't even leave the mansion."
"What illness?" Qu Yang took a step closer.
"The details in the memorial are unknown. One person said it was a more severe cold, while another called it a so-called 'cold.' Yes, it was a cold on horseback."
Xiao Xun spoke in a teasing tone, watching Qu Yang's face gradually turn ashen, and comforted him, "However, Grand Marshal, there is no need to worry. I have heard that Minister of the Imperial Guard is quite ill, and I am very concerned. I have already sent palace physicians to examine him."
"His Majesty has dispatched palace physicians?"
Qu Yang sneered and said, "I wonder if these medical workers will ever set foot in the residence of the Minister of the Imperial Guard?"
In the case of Qu Yan's poisoning, Xiao Xun thoroughly investigated the entire Imperial Medical Bureau. All the medical staff recommended by himself and Qu Yan were subjected to severe torture.
Xiao Xun's apprehension towards Han Ke was blatantly obvious. Whether Han Ke was truly ill or feigning illness remained to be seen.
The physician's departure is likely not to enter the mansion, but rather to spread rumors that Han Ke is critically ill.
"Old ginger is spicier."
Xiao Xun sighed and said, "Just as the Grand Marshal had worried before, with the Imperial Guard and the Northern Army not in the city, bandits frequently emerged, and the people's hearts were in turmoil. Now it seems that this is indeed the case, especially after the news of the rebels' uprising came. I was still too young after all. That day I acted rashly, and my mind was full of thoughts of winning in one blow. I could not appreciate the Grand Marshal's and General's profound foresight and consideration for the people."
The phrase "deeply planned and far-sighted" sounded extremely jarring to Qu Yang, as if it were a declaration that Qu Qingchuan's rebellion was something Qu Yang had anticipated, or even something he had instructed.
Qu Yang, embroiled in controversy, angrily retorted, "If I were truly farsighted, I should have insisted on keeping the Northern Army stationed within the city, instead of allowing Your Majesty to transfer them to Dingxiang and Yanmen."
Xiao Xun sighed deeply, filled with self-reproach: "Alas, what's done is done. The border war is at a stalemate. After Shuofang was defeated, the Xiongnu Left Chanyu guessed that the army from the capital region would soon come to support them via Shangjun. Sure enough, he turned back and instead attacked Dingxiang and Yanmen. Their horses, though short-legged, have excellent endurance and are good at running. Fortunately, the Six Schools of the Northern Army arrived in time, and these 20,000 troops will not be able to return for the time being."
"Fortunately, news of the initial victory against the Xiongnu came back yesterday. I am somewhat relieved. As for the unrest of some petty people in Chang'an, we can only deal with it as it comes. I was originally thinking that Han Ke and his southern army would be there."
He sighed, watching the furrows between Qu Yang's brows deepen. "But Grand Marshal, rest assured, I was afraid that the medical staff might be kidnapped by bandits on the way, which would delay their treatment and worsen the illness of the Minister of the Imperial Guard. So I specially dispatched a team of Imperial Guards to escort them."
"His Majesty sent the Imperial Guards?" Qu Yang felt a chill run down his spine, clenching his teeth. "Escort? Escort?"
Xiao Xun nodded: "By now, they should have arrived at the residence of the Minister of the Imperial Guard. With the Imperial Guards stationed there, no one can delay or interfere with the medical staff's treatment of the Minister of the Imperial Guard."
His expression was anxious and earnest. "I only hope that Minister of the Imperial Guard can recover soon. Han Ke is a protégé and former subordinate of the Grand Marshal. Over the years, he has managed Weiyang Palace in an orderly and airtight manner. Under his management, Weiyang Palace is as if it were under the personal management of the Grand Marshal. My affection for Minister Han is no different from that for the Grand Marshal."
Qu Yang asked resentfully, "Your Majesty, what about the Southern Army now...?"
"The matter is urgent, and the Grand Marshal is ill. I dare not add to his troubles, nor dare I disturb him. I can only order Zheng Huan, the Vice Commandant of the Imperial Guards, to take command of the Southern Army."
Qu Yang's face flushed red, and he said loudly, "Zheng Huan is no more than thirty years old. He was originally a cavalry general, and has been serving as the Vice Commandant of the Imperial Guards for less than a year. How can he lead the Southern Army and guard the palace gates?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Xun rubbed his forehead, looking distressed: "Yes, Zheng Huan is young and far inferior to Han Ke. Minister Han is a man of many virtues, but unfortunately, I don't know if it's because I previously replaced the Vice Minister of the Imperial Guard, Han Ji, that he harbored resentment and grudges. I only later learned that Han Ji was Han Ke's own nephew. I was young and ignorant; why didn't the Grand Marshal remind me back then?"
"..." Qu Yang's face turned even more ashen after being falsely accused.
Xiao Xun complained in frustration, then changed his tone and said, "However, the Grand Marshal always prioritizes the overall situation and reason over kinship. Let alone a nephew, even if it were his own son, the Grand Marshal would punish him according to the law and reason, and demote him if necessary. But Han Ke's magnanimity is far inferior to that of the Grand Marshal."
"Back then, when the Grand Marshal and General promoted him, they taught him everything they knew without reservation. There was no secret or misunderstanding between them. Yet, all this time, he has refused to teach the newly appointed Commandant of the Guards, Zheng Huan, how to fish."
Before Qu Yang could speak, he sighed again, "Now, in this urgent situation, we have no choice but to temporarily appoint the Vice Commandant of the Guards. The Vice Commandant of the Guards, Zheng Huan, has not received any guidance from Han Ke, and he must have suffered a lot of exclusion, both openly and secretly."
"Today is my first time assuming the post of Minister of the Imperial Guard. I am flustered and unfamiliar with many things. My considerations are not as thorough and meticulous as Han Ke's. How could I have thought about the safety of the Emperor? The palace gates were opened wide, allowing me to leave without any hindrance."
“Zheng Huan is young and impulsive. How could the Minister of the Imperial Household Department also lose his composure? The Shanglin Garden is a secluded forest with many ponds and marshes. Last year, assassins infiltrated it. Now is the most turbulent time. Minister of the Imperial Household Department Ling Feng should stay by His Majesty’s side at all times.”
Qu Yang's gaze turned icy as he surveyed the Imperial Guards behind Xiao Xun, his brows furrowing.
"The Grand Marshal and General are absolutely right, but they have wronged the Minister of Ceremonies," Xiao Xun explained. "The Minister of Ceremonies Ling Feng, whom you recommended, is a truly capable minister, highly skilled in martial arts and utterly loyal. I am well aware of the dangers of Shanglin Garden, which is why I sent the Minister of Ceremonies and his elite troops to guard Zhaotai Palace. Although Zhaotai Palace is a tranquil place, suitable for recuperation, its guards are too few, lack experience, and are often negligent. That is why I made this arrangement."
"Oh, I've been so busy lately that I forgot to inform the Grand Marshal."
"Ling Feng." Qu Yang gritted his teeth and uttered the name, his hand clenching into a fist under his sleeve.
Xiao Xun squinted at the sliver of sunlight peeking through the clouds, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "That's not right."
"What?"
Xiao Xun looked at Qu Yang with a half-smile: "The Minister of Ceremonies was recommended by the Grand Marshal, and the Grand Marshal treated him with great favor. He should have informed the Grand Marshal immediately."
"Perhaps the Grand Marshal is currently delirious from illness and has no time to meet with the Minister of Ceremonies, or perhaps he simply hasn't read the Minister of Ceremonies' letter. These days, there have been wars with the Xiongnu, rebellions, the orphan of the late Crown Prince, and old cases from the third year of the Tian Shou era. The memorials piled up on the Grand Marshal's desk must be enormous, so it's not unusual that he hasn't seen a single letter."
"However, on the other hand, surely the Grand Marshal and General wouldn't object to having their own protégé, whom they personally promoted, know well, and are extremely loyal to protect their daughter, the Empress who will rule the world?"
"Knows everything about him, and is utterly loyal." Qu Yang repeated these two words in a cold voice. He had already understood the implied meaning.
"Whose secrets do they know, and to whom are they truly loyal?"
Ling Feng is clearly Xiao Xun's man. Now that he's at Zhaotai Palace, it's unknown whether he's guarding the Empress or whether Xiao Xun is using the Empress's life to threaten Qu Yang.
"To whom should one be loyal?" Xiao Xun asked with a playful tone. "The Grand Marshal acts on behalf of the Emperor. Isn't loyalty to the Grand Marshal the same as loyalty to me?"
Qu Yang, disregarding any chance to reason with him, gritted his teeth and took a step closer to Xiao Xun: "Qingru, how is she?"
Xiao Xun looked bewildered: "The Grand Marshal came to Shanglin Garden just to see the Empress, didn't he? He'll know once he sees her. The Grand Marshal is so concerned about the Empress's condition; what I tell him, he might not believe me, right?"
He curled his lips into a smile and glanced at Qu Yang and his entourage. "Or perhaps I've misunderstood? The Grand Marshal has come from his residence and is accompanied by such a large entourage of guards. This is not like the Grand Marshal's usual behavior."
Qu Yang coughed twice.
Xiao Xun pondered, "It would be easier to go to Zhaotai Palace by taking the route through Yichun Garden and then through Chunhe Palace Gate. Xuanqu Gate leads to Xuanqu Palace, which is completely opposite to Zhaotai Palace."
Thinking of this, he suddenly realized and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Grand Marshal, are you perhaps going to Xuanqu Palace? Xuanqu Palace is even more remote than Zhaotai Palace, and its decorations are simple. As for scenery—what scenery is there? The cavalry trains every day, trampling the ground to pieces, making a lot of noise..."
As he said this, his gaze turned cold, and he sneered, "The Grand Marshal wouldn't be going to mobilize troops, would he?"
Qu Yang's face was so dark it could drip water, and his voice was so cold it could freeze: "As Your Majesty said, in times of emergency, one must act expediently. As the Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, what problem is there in mobilizing troops to protect Chang'an and the palace at this critical juncture?"
“Protecting Chang’an, protecting the palace, or suppressing the rebels, of course there is no problem.” Xiao Xun still smiled. “If the Grand Marshal does not mobilize troops today, I will go to the Grand Marshal’s residence tomorrow, ask the Grand Marshal for the tiger tally, and mobilize the Changshui Xuanqu Hu cavalry.”
"However, it was quite a coincidence today. I was on my way to see the Empress when I saw the Grand Marshal's entourage from afar. I was worried that something had happened. People say that the Grand Marshal is diligent, frugal, and self-disciplined. Whenever he travels, he always travels light and simply. I remember that such a procession is only used when he is marrying a lady or when he is paying respects to the Marquis of Dingyuan and the Marquis of Zhongyi. I was a little anxious and forgot everything else, so I quickly followed. If that is the case, I should also pay respects to the martyrs properly."
When Qu Yang heard the words "marrying a wife," his usually composed features became furious, but when he heard Qu Yang's father and brothers, who had made great contributions in the war against the Xiongnu and ultimately died on the battlefield, his heart was filled with emotion.
Xiao Xun admired his expression and changed the subject, "Since we're already here, why don't we go together?"
"Your Majesty said you came to Shanglin Garden to see the Empress?" Qu Yang asked abruptly, giving Xiao Xun a cold look as he looked him up and down.
He was unusually dressed in a black crown.
Xiao Xun raised his wide sleeves, and the white jade crown tassels rustled softly in the wind stirred by his sleeves.
He calmly said, "I don't know how much longer I can wear these clothes, so I'll just wear them for a while longer."
Qu Yang's lips twitched: "I was entrusted by the late emperor on his deathbed to safeguard the dynasty's cause. I ask myself honestly, I have not failed him. Now—" He took a deep breath, "Does Your Majesty distrust this old minister? Is there anything you are worried about?"
Xiao Xun paused, glancing at him sideways for a long time:
"I wore it last time when we offered sacrifices to Heaven in early spring. A year has passed, and I feel that I have grown a little taller recently. I'm afraid that if I don't wear it now, I won't be able to wear it anymore."
Qu Yang had a mocking expression on his face. He turned his face away, put his hands behind his back, and walked forward, saying, "Is that so? Your Majesty is already over twenty."
Xiao Xun chuckled.
He strode past Qu Yang, sighing as he walked, "I remember when I was little, I had to look up to talk to the Grand Marshal. Sometimes, a morning court session or a hearing would last for one or two hours. By the time the court session ended, my neck would be sore, but the Grand Marshal would still stand tall as a mountain. I never imagined that I would grow five or six inches taller than the Grand Marshal now. I have to bow my head to look at him."
Qu Yang replied calmly, "I am old."
Xiao Xun continued forward: "When I was little, the Grand Marshal even carried me on his back."
After passing the surrounding pines and cypresses, Xuanqu Palace came into view.
"The first time we went to worship the heavens, on the mountain of Ganquan, the spring grass was lush and blocked the view. You carried me on your shoulders and let me see the scenery below. You told me that standing on high ground, all living beings are just ants."
Qu Yang smiled slightly, without turning his head to look at him: "Your Majesty still remembers."
"I remember it clearly. I remember the vastness of the mountains and rivers, stretching from the Three Auxiliary Regions in the south to the northern deserts. I remember the surge of emotion I felt when I looked down upon all living beings after hearing those words."
As Xiao Xun spoke, he walked step by step up the five-story, nine-step staircase.
As he stepped onto the top step, he said again, "I remember you telling me, 'But everyone climbs up from the bottom.' You said that everyone is an ant in the world. But no one is an ant."
Qu Yang paused in his steps.
"Yes, and no. I've always remembered that sentence. And I've always pondered it. From childhood to adulthood. From the past to the present."
"When I was a child, I asked myself why this is. Now that I'm an adult, I ask myself what I should do."
Xiao Xun walked up to the high platform. "I wonder if the Grand Marshal and General still remember?"
He turned around to face Qu Yang, who was now three steps shorter than him, and a field of soldiers in gleaming armor.
Qu Yang's mouth moved, but his voice was lost in the early winter wind on the high platform, and it was impossible to tell what words he said.
Xiao Xun had no intention of distinguishing between them.
Behind Qu Yang, among the guards surrounding him, as he expected, one man held a vermilion lacquered box containing the tiger tally. Another man held an eight-foot-long yellow banner.
He slightly raised the corners of his lips and glanced down at Qu Yang: "Grand Marshal, is there something you forgot to bring?"
"What?" The voice was low and hoarse as it came through.
"Grand Marshal, have you forgotten? In the tenth month of winter in the third year of Tian Shou, the late emperor issued a death order: even the Crown Prince cannot mobilize troops with just a tally and insignia, without the emperor's seal." Xiao Xun looked at Qu Yang and uttered a few words, "Let alone your subject."
He said dismissively, "Is the Grand Marshal really delirious from illness? Back then, the Grand Marshal personally led the Changshui Colonel and the Changshui Xuanqu Hu cavalry to confront the late Crown Prince. A thousand Hu cavalrymen routed the mixed army of commoners and prisoners led by the late Crown Prince, forcing them to retreat without a fight. They even intimidated the Crown Prince into surrendering his imperial seal and admitting to treason, leading him to commit suicide. He performed a remarkable feat."
"Could it be that he also drafted the imperial edict himself at that time and mobilized the Changshui Colonel?"
As he spoke, he glanced at the Captain of the Longshui Army below the steps.
Qu Yang's teeth clenched as he said, enunciating each word clearly, "I am carrying the late Emperor's edict. The edict states: The Crown Prince has plotted rebellion and cursed the Emperor and his father; his crime is unforgivable."
The Changshui Colonel's expression suddenly turned cold, and he said, "The late emperor decreed that no troops may be dispatched without the emperor's seal. In those days, my father led the Changshui Xuanqu cavalry, and I have followed in his footsteps, leading troops for five years. I have always kept the late emperor's decree firmly in mind and obeyed the emperor's orders."
Xiao Xun nodded, then turned to Qu Yang and said, "It's good that the Grand Marshal still remembers this battle. I think it's one thing for the Qu family to forget the past when their fathers and elder brothers fought against the Xiongnu, shedding blood on the battlefield and expanding the territory, but they've even forgotten this one. You were entrusted by the late emperor to become the Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, wasn't it precisely because of this decisive battle?"
"A decisive battle?" Qu Yang forced a self-deprecating or mocking laugh. "His Majesty was only seven years old then, what did he know?"
"And now? I am no longer a seven-year-old child."
"Now, His Majesty is still young, having just passed the age of twenty."
“What the Grand Marshal just said is clear: I am not young anymore, I have already passed the age of twenty. Moreover, I was capped at the age of fifteen under the Grand Marshal’s supervision. It has been seven years since then.”
Qu Yang fell silent.
His eyes were bloodshot as he took two or three steps toward Xiao Xun. “The late emperor entrusted his son to me, and I was appointed to assist in governing. In times of emergency, I act expediently. Therefore, I am issuing this edict on behalf of the emperor.”
Young, adolescence, youth.
Xiao Xun clenched his fist in his sleeve. Qu Yang had acted as emperor for fifteen years, and all government orders came from the Grand Marshal.
How many people only recognize the Qu family and not the emperor? Even if it is a forged edict to send troops, who would dare to question whether his words are not the emperor's order?
Unless it is...
The Emperor.
He now stands here, adorned in a black crown.
"Yes, it is urgent to act expediently, but the Grand Marshal is too hasty. Sending someone to inform me, or coming in person, would not have taken much time. Fortunately, it is a coincidence that I am here today, and so I have brought it to the Grand Marshal."
As the guards behind Qu Yang were about to step forward, the Imperial Guards had already stepped forward and drawn their swords.
"Everyone, step back!" Qu Yang shouted to the people behind him.
Xiao Xun scoffed and waved his hand in return, signaling the Imperial Guards to retreat.
"I am of one mind with the Grand Marshal and the General-in-Chief. This is an edict bearing the imperial seal. The Grand Marshal is old and in poor health, so let me read it aloud."
"Commander Changshui, receive the imperial decree! All officers and soldiers, listen to my orders!"
He stood on the high platform, his voice booming like a bell, his dignity like that of a god.
The winter wind howled, and Qu Yang's majestic figure, as imposing as a mountain, leaned against the railing like a fallen leaf.
He murmured to Xiao Xun, "He was deceived."
"The traitor Qu Qingchuan conspired with the enemy, inviting a wolf into the house. He established a false emperor, committing treason and disloyalty; his crimes are blatant!"
Qu Yang bowed low: "Your Majesty, I beg you, spare his life... He's the only one left, he's all that's left..."
His voice was desolate and hoarse; the second half of his sentence was completely inaudible in the wind.
Xiao Xun understood his lip movements and continued to raise his arms and shout to the soldiers:
"A thousand miles of borderland, suddenly engulfed in flames of war. How innocent were the common people? Countless lives were lost to the iron cavalry and spears of the Xiongnu."
"Qu Qingchuan is a traitor who has lost all conscience. He treats the common people as fish and meat and the masses as ants!"
"If things are like this today, who knows what tomorrow will bring? Your family members might not be facing swords and spears."
"No one should be treated like an ant! No one should be considered as insignificant as grass!"
Below the steps, a sea of magnificent armor surged forth.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qu Yang descend the stone steps step by step, his figure becoming more hunched, growing shorter and smaller in his sight, as if he were stumbling and unsteady on his feet. Seeing this, the Imperial Guards behind Xiao Xun leaped forward to escort him back to his residence.
"Cheng'ergo, Bilgorgo, Liermao, I swear my oath!"
The Crimson Sky Sword was drawn from its sheath, raised high, and shone as brightly as the sun.
"Whoever takes the head of the bandit leader will be rewarded with one million coins and enfeoffed as a marquis with ten thousand households. Whoever takes the heads of the bandit soldiers will be promoted three ranks and granted land and a mansion!"
Qu Yang's figure swayed like a fallen leaf, then disappeared into the sea of armor.
"Conquer the traitors and uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!" The voice resounded.
"To punish the traitors and uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!" This was the voice of the Captain of the Changshui Army.
"Conquer the traitors and uphold justice on behalf of Heaven!" These were the voices of more than two thousand soldiers, shaking the clouds apart.
-----------------------
Author's Note: ① Sudden Death During Sexual Intercourse: (This last part is a separate, unrelated statement and doesn't directly relate to the author's note.)
② Xuanmian: After the establishment of the Qin Dynasty, the six-crowned system of the Zhou Dynasty was abolished, and it was stipulated that all sacrificial ceremonial robes should uniformly adopt the Xuanmian. Qin Shi Huang, based on the Five Elements theory of self-identification with the element of water, established the ritual norm of "honoring black" and made the Xuanmian the highest-level sacrificial robe. The Han Dynasty initially inherited the Qin system and retained the Xuanmian system, but changed the matching Tongtian crown to a long crown (Liu's crown) as a symbol of identity. Here, the Xuanmian was used for aesthetic purposes.
③The Book of Documents, Book of Zhou, Oath of Mu
Ugh, the author is a Middle-earth fan, I really love pre-battle oaths.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
