Chapter 53 Holding her all night
"Please, spare his life... He's the only one left, he's all that's left..."
On the stone steps of Xuanqu Palace, Qu Yang's lips moved slightly.
The wind whistled, and the armor gleamed coldly.
These almost lip-read words entered Xiao Xun's dream once again.
He's the only one left.
At that moment, Xiao Xun sneered almost maniacally.
You only have your one son, Qu Qingchuan, right?
Qu Yang, Qu Yang, you still have a weakness after all, don't you?
What talk of severing ties and obligations, of disowning this son, of feeling ashamed before our ancestors?
That's all nonsense.
Qu Qingchuan was captured alive and brought back to Chang'an.
Having been exposed to the winds and sands of the north for over a year, Qu Qingchuan's voice had become rough and clear; he had also been drinking.
The good food and dishes that the jailer brought as usual before sending him off on his way were not to his liking.
There was only one jar of pepper wine, which he drank completely.
Drunk, he lay sprawled on the hay and boasted to the jailer that when he was fifteen, he secretly took His Majesty drinking and got the twelve-year-old Emperor drunk, causing him to miss the morning court the next day, and then he received a good scolding from Qu Yang.
Qu Qingchuan spoke and laughed, then cried, vaguely reciting the hangover soup his mother made that day, with daylilies and milk.
Before beheading and displaying his head, he loudly greeted all the ancestors of the Qu family.
The curses echoed through the streets and alleys of Chang'an, even shaking down several of the ancestral tablets of the Qu family in the Qilin Pavilion of Weiyang Palace.
Qu Yang is undoubtedly the master of all forms of cursing.
"You think this is loyalty?"
Ask yourself, who recognizes your loyalty?
"The late emperor? You know in your heart what you've done. When you get to the underworld, will you have the face to meet the late emperor?"
"Xiao Xun? You've held power in the court and the harem for so many years, you should have known long ago that Xiao Xun would love to tear you to pieces!"
"Xiao Heng? His entire family, his wife and daughters, even himself, all died at your hands! His son is dead too! You stood by and watched them die, you broke your promise! Even in the afterlife, Xiao Heng will not let you go!"
"Ordinary people?"
Qu Qingchuan's laughter grew increasingly wild, the iron chains binding his hands and feet dragging on the ground with a clanging sound.
"Why don't you come out and see who these people are, craning their necks to watch the show? Aren't they just you deceiving yourself, pretending to be loyal to the common people and the world?"
"How many of them studied 'the ruler should act like a ruler, and the minister should act like a minister' in the county and state schools you founded? They all know that a ruler should act like a ruler and a minister should act like a minister."
He laughed, looking up at the sky, his eyes bloodshot.
"So, they're all eager to see powerful ministers fall from grace, justice prevail, and the court be reformed! To see the Grand Marshal's son beheaded, and to see the once arrogant Qu family never rise again! How interesting. Hahaha, how interesting."
He even reached out and pointed to a boy who looked about twelve or thirteen years old in the crowd, saying, "Watch carefully, remember this, and learn from Grand Marshal Qu what it means to serve one's lord, and what it means to 'not deceive him, but to offend him.'"
The boy felt uneasy under his gaze and angrily threw a stinky chicken at the execution platform, which landed right on the back of Qu Qingchuan's head, blooming yellow and white flowers.
Xiao Xun sat in a supply wagon not far from the execution platform.
Watching coldly.
Every word was clear and easy to hear.
"Do not deceive them, but offend them; this means that when serving one's lord, one should speak frankly and directly." He sighed softly, "Qu Qingchuan, you haven't learned anything well. Didn't your father teach you anything?"
As a child, Xiao Xun did have rebellious thoughts; he once missed the morning court session. Well, not exactly missed, though; he was sound asleep and didn't even show up at court.
He did this on purpose, using drunkenness as an excuse to launch a small act of resistance and provocation against Qu Yang.
Yes, so what? He is the emperor.
The relationship between ruler and subject is one of hierarchy; the ruler is the guide for the subject, and no one should be above the ruler. The Grand Tutor also said this.
On that very day, during the morning court session, a report came from a prefecture or state that four prefectures in Qingzhou had been hit by severe floods, five prefectures and twenty counties in Jizhou had been struck by earthquakes, and that there was locust plague and drought in Shu, resulting in a poor harvest this year.
The Grand Marshal and General proposed that, in addition to opening the granaries of various prefectures and kingdoms to provide relief to the common people, the palace officials should reduce their food allowances, the weaving workshops should reduce their weaving workers, and the music bureau should reduce its musicians.
He looked at Xiao Xun, whose breath still carried a hint of Cangwu wine, and asked calmly, "Does Your Majesty know how much grain is needed to brew a single batch of wine?"
Xiao Xun remained silent.
Qu Yang said in a cool voice, "Two bushels of rice and one bushel of yeast. This yeast also comes from grains."
He then asked, "Does Your Majesty also know how many people can be fed with three bushels of rice?"
Knowing that Xiao Xun couldn't answer, Qu Yang glanced at him disdainfully: "It can feed ten able-bodied men who are serving in the army for a day."
Xiao Xun was speechless, but his eyes were stubborn and his expression still showed defiance. Qu Yang then used this sentence to explain the principles of governance to him.
Those who dare to speak frankly and directly are considered loyal and upright. Without such people, the emperor's empire would be doomed.
Xiao Xun looked at the anger in his eyes and felt that if he argued with him, he would be finished.
He is the emperor, so of course he won't be finished.
However, Wang Fu, along with the servants of Xuan Shi Hall, were each given twenty strokes of the cane for dereliction of duty and negligence in their service.
Qu Qingchuan was punished with thirty strokes of the cane for taking His Majesty out for drinking.
As the emperor's companion and also on the emperor's behalf, he was punished with thirty strokes of the ruler.
I wonder if Qu Qingchuan remembered this old incident when he was scolding Qu Yang.
"Qu Yang, you've wronged everyone in your life."
"You've let down Mother, you've let down Qingru, you've let down me."
"You have let down the late emperor, you have let down Xiao Heng, you have let down Xiao Xun."
"You've let yourself down too! In the annals of history, future generations will only write that you abused your power, covered up the truth, and deceived the emperor."
"You have also failed the ancestors and martyrs of the Qu family! You married a woman who plotted to harm the imperial heir, and you gave birth to a rebellious son. You are connected with the traitors in the court! Do you think that by being upright and honest, and putting on a show of loyalty to the emperor and love for the people, you can be clean and deceive everyone for a lifetime? Ha, you are not only a powerful minister, but also a treacherous minister, a rebellious minister, and a traitor!"
He laughed maniacally.
Each sentence struck a nerve with Qu Yang.
Qu Yang stayed indoors, so it's unclear whether he heard anything. Or perhaps he did hear it but pretended not to.
Someone in the crowd, acting as Qu Yang's mouthpiece, suddenly shouted towards the execution platform: "The Grand Marshal and General have long said that the Qu family is full of loyal and righteous men, and there is no such son, no rebellious son."
Qu Qingchuan chuckled coldly a few times, not looking at the person shouting in the crowd, but instead looking at the Grand Marshal's residence, which was only one alley away:
"Qu Yang, you don't have a son like me. And I don't have a father like you."
"Are you fit to be a father? Have you ever been my father, even for a single day?"
"Since you can remember, on which day have you not stayed at Chengming Lodge?"
"It is my misfortune to have been born as your son."
"It's my misfortune!"
He spat a few times in the direction of the Qu residence.
With these increasingly vivid memories swirling in his mind, Xiao Xun slowly rose from the narrow couch he was leaning against and walked towards the outer room of the East Garden of the Prince of Huaiyang's residence.
Qu Yang vomited blood when Qu Qingchuan died.
His face was pale and he looked haggard, almost unrecognizable from the one I had seen last time in front of Xuanqu Palace in Shanglin Garden.
It seems that from that day on, he began to wither and decay, like an autumn leaf.
Half a month before Qu Qingchuan was beheaded, Xiao Xun personally delivered the victory report from the Changshui Colonel to the Grand Marshal's residence. Along with it came a brocade box containing a human head, presented by the Prince of Yan.
Qu Yang claimed to be ill and had been under house arrest in his residence for over a month.
Having fought in so many battles over the years, upon seeing that brocade box and smelling the blood, he had long guessed what it contained.
He rushed forward a few steps, stumbled, and fell to the ground.
"Qu Qingchuan is not dead yet; he is being escorted back to Chang'an."
Xiao Xun casually flicked his sleeve and glanced down at the corner of his black robe.
Qu Yang's fingers curled slightly as he faced the ground of the stone mill, remaining motionless.
“He longed to see you, otherwise he would not have died. Since it is a deep bond between father and son, and also the Grand Marshal’s wish, I will naturally grant it.”
Qu Yang neither got up nor responded.
Xiao Xun noticed that the hem of the robe was stained with blood.
However, Qu Yang did not see Qu Qingchuan again until Qu Qingchuan was executed.
When the mansion gates finally opened, Qu Qingchuan's head had already rolled to the ground.
A pair of blood-red eyes were still fixed on that dark, deep mansion.
Qu Yang was escorted out by the Commandant of the Capital Region and the Imperial Guards.
He probably only remembered that he had a daughter after his son died. He still had a daughter left.
So he begged Xiao Xun to let him be imprisoned in the imperial prison.
"Your life for your daughter's?"
Xiao Xun stood at the entrance of the imperial prison, sneered, and asked with his hands behind his back, "Does the Grand Marshal and General think that just because your wife and children have committed treason, you can sever all ties with them and remain aloof from the matter?"
He said coldly, "Aren't those who followed Qu Qingchuan in his rebellion your loyal old subordinates, Qu Yang? Aren't they your unwavering supporters? Whom do they follow, Qu Qingchuan or you, Qu Yang, or the Qu family?"
Qu Yang's breathing grew heavier: "Your Majesty! They, many of them, are innocent, they were deceived. Qingru, too, is innocent..."
"Innocent?" Xiao Xun's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze deep as he stared at Qu Yang. "Have you forgotten how the hundreds of people in Siqi Garden, men and women, young and old, from the old women to the young children, from the guards to the servants, all died? Did their souls enter the Grand Marshal's dream and say 'innocent'?"
As Xiao Xun thought of this, his fingertips were already deeply embedded in his palm.
He summoned the Imperial Guards at the door: "Tell the Grand Master of Ceremonies that the investigation in Huaiyang has been largely completed, and it's time to return to Chang'an."
After the Imperial Guardsman acknowledged and took his leave, he looked towards the inner chamber, which was gradually brightening with daylight, and picked up his wine cup. The cup still contained only water.
Of course, this is because some people are ill and should not drink tea or alcohol.
Strangely enough, ever since that one time he got drunk at the age of twelve, it seems he has lost interest in alcohol.
Even though he was already old enough to drink alcohol, and his alcohol tolerance was actually quite good, he still drank mostly light and bland drinks, even when he was at a banquet with his ministers.
Lin Yuan woke up on a narrow couch that was only wide enough for one person.
The sunlight poured down, casting long shadows that covered her body, making her feel warm and comfortable.
She turned over, still half asleep, and her eyes caught the dragon and tiger patterns on the dustpan.
Suddenly I realized the truth.
This is... Xiao Xun's east wing?
Her clothes were still on her body. She got up and slipped on her shoes, the movement drawing the person out of the sunlight.
It melted into the glass screen.
A chuckled voice drifted past the screen: "Did you sleep well?"
Lin Yuan gave a mumbled "hmm".
Does your neck hurt?
Lin Yuan silently rubbed the back of her neck.
Xiao Xun explained, "You were admiring the moon last night and fell asleep leaning against that desk. I was worried that if you slept like that for half the night, your neck would get stiff like before, so I... I asked a maid to put you on the couch. You've kept watch for me all night."
He laughed, "I not only kept watch at night, but also for half the day."
Judging from the shadow of the sun, it was already late afternoon.
This is the narrow couch next to the desk in the inner bedroom.
In fact, it was almost dawn when he, nestled against her hair, had a few chaotic dreams. The rooster's crow had already made him hoarse, but he couldn't wake the person on his shoulder even a little bit. Only then did he reluctantly carry her to the bed.
The placement of this narrow couch was truly wonderful. The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the veil of rosy clouds, illuminating her little by little.
First her eyebrows and eyes, then the tip of her nose, and then her red lips.
Little by little, it overlapped with the features that had lit up in his dream last night.
There is no resemblance, no overlap.
Yes.
He took out the dragon-tiger pendant from his chest and remembered the words he had uttered before falling asleep the night before.
...
"Don't you want to go home, back to Chang'an, to see your father and mother?"
Lin Yuan sighed in a daze: "Last night I dreamed that my father and mother held my hands and said that they had no other wish in this life but that I could get married soon."
Xiao Xun chuckled.
“Mingming, before I entered the palace, they held my and my brother’s hands and said that they asked for nothing in this life. They only asked that my brother and I live well and live peacefully.”
She rested her chin on her hand and yawned: "They said back then that entering the palace would delay my marriage, but what if I don't get married? I still have my father and mother."
His voice grew softer and softer, and his head slumped down heavily.
"My brother said the same thing."
"No, what he said was..."
"Yes... I am here."
Lin Yuan's head slid off the hand she was supporting.
Xiao Xun slightly turned his body, and she unknowingly leaned against him.
"Live well." He sighed softly, looking down at his shoulder.
Sparks of light danced on her eyelashes.
There were faint tear stains from yawning on her eyelashes.
For some reason, he remembered the fledgling bird he had rescued at Jianzhang Palace when they first met.
"You remember, right? Actually, I went to check on it again that night, and the dove was dead."
"What?" The long, lingering sound escaped from the corner of his lips, like a dream.
Lin Yuan closed her eyes, her breathing even, and had fallen asleep.
"They froze to death."
He couldn't help but brush away the stray strands of hair from Lin Yuan's face.
Perhaps feeling a little itchy, she moved closer to the crook of his neck.
He couldn't help but smile, and continued to tell the story.
"It was pecked in the wing by a magpie. Unable to fly, it froze to death."
"The magpie is also dead. She was the mother of the fledgling."
"You didn't see it, did you?" The voice grew softer, as if someone were talking in their sleep. "I had them buried before dawn. I guess those fledglings won't live much longer."
"I guessed wrong," he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
“It was surprisingly resilient. I was thinking that after a couple of days, once you had forgotten about the nest, I would have someone catch it and put it in a cage to keep it. But before that, it flew away.”
"It can fly now. If it can fly, it will live. Its mother's life was exchanged for its life. So, it will. It might even have a new home, in a place that isn't so cold."
"Live well," he said again.
The sound was like a gust of wind, a wisp of smoke.
All around was a vast expanse of darkness and silence.
No one answered him, and he didn't know who to tell.
The person on my shoulder had already fallen into a deep sleep.
He watched as the charcoal in the basin burned quietly, then cracked.
My face is a little itchy.
I reached out and touched it; it was wet without me even realizing it.
"Go back, Yu'er."
He murmured silently, his eyes reflecting the rosy light before he turned to ash, "Why would she call him Yu'er?"
"...Yes, live on, Ayu."
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Author's note: Happy National Day!
Leave a comment and I'll send you red envelopes! Mwah!
One comment warmed the author's heart for the whole day (mainly because I'm so cold-hearted, hahaha).
As noted in the previous chapters, Chengminglu was a place where ministers of the previous dynasty stayed overnight.
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