The Rebirth of Han Yuxi

Chapter 0659 The Matter Is Exposed

Han Jianmingʼs memorial was delivered to the Emperor at the fastest speed.

Yun Qingʼs audacious demand for control over Shaanxi-Gansu and Xihai caused the Emperor to be furious and resentful. He was furious that Yun Qingʼs courage was so great that it covered the sky. He also resented the fact that, as the honoured one of Nine and Five, he still could do nothing about Yun Qing.

The Emperor summoned the high ministers of the Imperial Court and asked for their opinions.

The newly appointed Minister of War, Xin Daren, stepped forward and said: ”Your Majesty, this matter must absolutely not be agreed to.” If Yun Qingʼs demand were granted, it would set a dangerous precedent. Then everyone else would follow suit, and eventually the Imperial Court would become nothing more than a mere decoration.

Some people echoed Xin Chouʼs stance, but the majority pretended to be deaf and mute. As for Grand Chancellor Yu, the head of all officials, he fell ill two days ago and was now recuperating at home.

The Emperor called upon the Minister of Revenue and asked, ”How much silver remains in the state treasury?” Everyone present, including the Emperor, already had a clear idea.

The Minister of Revenue looked extremely miserable as he stepped forward. ”Your Majesty, the Ministry currently has less than half a million taels of silver.” Half a million taels was useless—hardly enough to accomplish anything.

The Minister of Rites said, ”Your Majesty, the top priority now is to deal with the rebellion in Liaodong. Once that is resolved, handling the Northwest can wait.” Matters have degrees of urgency. If Liaodong were to completely fall into Yan Wushuangʼs hands, then there would be no barrier to halt his advance. By then, the Emperor and all of them would become fish and meat on the chopping board.

Xin Daren stood out and spoke, ”Your Majesty, under no circumstances. If you agree to Yun Qing now, reclaiming the Northwest later will be as hard as ascending to heaven.”

The Emperor asked, ”My beloved Minister Xin, what should be done in your view?” The Emperor himself was also inclined to settle the matter of Yan Wushuang before dealing with Yun Qing. After all, Yan Wushuang wanted his life, whereas Yun Qing merely wanted the three Northwest provinces. The question of which to address first was clear. However, the problem was that Yun Qing had already seized control of those provinces and, for the time being, the Imperial Court was powerless to act against him.

Xin Chou said, ”Your Majesty, dispatch troops immediately to encircle and suppress. I believe it will take no more than three months to eradicate this traitorous rebel, Yun Qing.” Even if they didnʼt exterminate him, they absolutely could not agree to Yun Qingʼs absurd request.

The Emperor felt deeply stifled. The Imperial Decree had already been issued, and although Lu Boda and the others had mobilised troops, it was all loud thunder but small raindrops. Meanwhile, memorials requesting funds were flying in like snowflakes.

The matter was debated all morning, yet no conclusion was reached.

The Emperor was growing somewhat weary of it all. Instead of returning to the rear palace, he went to the Imperial Garden to clear his head. By now, it was nearing the end of the second month, and many flowers in the garden were already in bloom. Unfortunately, he was in no mood to admire them.

Just as the Emperor was about to return to the Imperial Study, he saw Empress Dowager Song approaching.

The Empress Dowager also felt somewhat stifled, which was why she had come out for a walk. Seeing the Emperor, she reprimanded him: ”My son, how could you come into the garden without wearing a cloak? The wind is strong here—what if you catch a chill?”

The Emperor smiled. ”You are right, Muhou. Next time, I wonʼt do it again.” Had he dared to say a word in rebuttal, Empress Dowager Song would have had ten more ready for him. To avoid an argument, he simply agreed with her.

The Empress Dowager gave a soft acknowledgement and said, ”My son, letʼs go sit in the pavilion in the front courtyard.” She had not had a proper conversation with the Emperor for some time.

Before the Emperor could reply, a palace servant hurried over and reported, ”Your Majesty, an urgent dispatch—eight hundred li express!”

After excusing himself to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor returned to the Imperial Study. When he read the war report, he flew into a rage, cursing, ”A bunch of useless trash!” In barely half a month, nearly half of Liaodong had fallen into the hands of Yan Wushuang. At this rate, it wouldnʼt be long before Yan Wushuang reached the capital itself.

However, by nightfall, the Emperor had received two pieces of good news. One was that Jing Wang was safe and sound and already on his way back to the capital. The other was that Marquis Chiang had not defected to Yan Wushuang but had merely been imprisoned by him.

The Emperorʼs expression finally brightened a little. He immediately issued an edict to withdraw all the troops besieging the Chiang household.

Remembering how the Empress Dowager had been so worried about Jing Wangʼs safety, he rose and announced: ”To Cining Palace.” He decided that he should tell her personally.

A trace of panic flickered across Li Debaoʼs face, but he quickly lowered his head. The Emperor walked ahead, noticing nothing unusual.

When the Emperor reached the Cining Palace, he did not announce his arrival, but went straight in. Outside the bedchamber, he saw Momo Si.

Before the Emperor could ask anything, he heard a mix of weeping-like sobs and a manʼs loud panting from inside the room. The Emperor was no fuzzy-haired youngster. Having heard such sounds, how could he not understand?

Momo Si collapsed weakly to her knees, crying out loudly: ”Your Majesty, spare me! Spare me!”

The Emperor kicked Momo Si aside, lifted the curtain, and strode into the bedchamber. Seeing the garments strewn messily beneath the bed, his face turned instantly iron-blue. ”Come out, now!”

A man with a delicate face and long, loose hair almost instantly tumbled down from the bed. He wore only underclothes and knelt on the floor, crying: ”Your Majesty, spare me! I beg you to spare me…”

Grinding his teeth, the emperor said: ”Throw him out—feed him to the dogs.”

Li Debao summoned another young eunuch to drag the man away. Now only the Emperor and the Empress Dowager Song remained in the room, but she had shrunk into the bed, silent and motionless.

The next day, Yuchen received the good news that Jing Wang was unharmed. She eased her worried expression and asked: ”When will Wangye return?”

Momo Gui shook her head and replied, ”I believe heʼll be back very soon.” As long as the man was safe, it made no difference if he returned a day or two later.

However, thinking of recent events at court, Yuchen became deeply worried once again. ”If Yan Wushuang seizes Liaodong, the capital will be in imminent danger. While rebellions elsewhere may not threaten the capital directly, Liaodong is simply too close.”

Momo Gui was worried too, but there was no point in worrying. She quickly shifted the topic, saying: ”Once Wangye returns, Lord Shizi should be sent to the Imperial Study Hall to begin his lessons.”

Yuchen truly couldnʼt bear to send her son off to the Imperial Study Hall. ”Letʼs talk about it later.”

At around midday, Momo Gui received some news, which caused her face to change colour slightly. Entering the room, she lowered her voice and informed Yuchen, ”Wangfei, last night, assassins attacked the Empress Dowager. More than half of the people in the Cining Palace were killed or injured. Those who survived have all been taken to the Office of Caution and Discipline.” Once sent there, it was as good as being dead.

Yuchen shuddered and asked, ”Assassins?” Could it have been Yan Wushuang who tried to kill the Empress Dowager? Thatʼs impossible—if Yan Wushuang wanted to assassinate someone, it should have been the Emperor. Why would he go to such great lengths to target Empress Dowager Song?

Momo Gui was silent for a moment before replying, ”The word is that assassins struck, but fortunately, the Empress Dowager is unharmed.”

Yuchen instructed, ”Prepare the carriage; I must enter the palace.” Since Empress Dowager Song had been attacked, she had to go see her as her daughter-in-law; otherwise, people would nitpick at her.

Momo Gui nodded. ”I will accompany Wangfei.”

When they entered the palace, Yuchen only saw the Empress, not the Empress Dowager. The Empress said, ”Dimei, the Empress Dowager was badly frightened last night, and does not wish to see anyone.” According to the Emperor, assassins had infiltrated the Cining Palace and attempted to kill the Empress Dowager, after which he scolded the Empress until his scolding could split her head and cover her face. As she was responsible for managing the Six Palaces, the presence of assassins constituted a dereliction of her duty. She knew full well what had really happened, but pretended ignorance.

Yuchen nodded. ”Very well.” In the royal household, curiosity was the last thing one could afford. The less one knew, the safer one was—and even if one did know, one had to pretend otherwise.

After sending Yuchen away, the Empress asked her attendant Momo Jin, ”What is the situation in Cining Palace now?” Adultery was unacceptable even in ordinary families, let alone in the royal household. The Empress Dowager Song was now under house arrest in the Cining Palace, ordered by the Emperor.

A faint smile touched the Empressʼs lips as she muttered: ”This is only the beginning.” Only once the Emperor abandoned the Empress Dowager could she truly make a move against her.

A little worried, Momo Jin advised her: ”Your Majesty, it would be better to wait before making a move. If you act now and the Emperor finds out, the consequences will be endless.”

The Empress smoothed her skirts as she responded, ”In a little while, His Majesty will surely expel that venomous woman from the palace. Striking her then will not be too late.” Having such a wanton mother was a disgrace to the Emperor. How could he possibly endure seeing or hearing about her?

Only then did Momo Jin breathe a sigh of relief. She had feared that the Empress might not be able to resist striking the Empress Dowager right now, but with the Empress Dowager surrounded entirely by the Emperorʼs people, the slightest disturbance would instantly reach his ears.

Once Yuchen had left the palace and boarded her carriage, she finally let her expression relax. ”It seems the matter has come to light.” She had planted her people in the Cining Palace and was well aware of what had been done to the Empress Dowager. She just hadnʼt expected it to be discovered so quickly.

Momo Gui also felt lingering fear. ”The Empressʼs courage is far too great.” To take revenge, she had schemed against the Empress Dowager in this way.

Yuchen said: ”Thereʼs no one else to blame—only that she was far too reckless.” As for Yu Xiyu, this could be called removing the firewood from under the cauldron. No other method could be used to deal with Empress Dowager Song. Poisoning would not work, as she was extremely cautious about what she ate. Direct assassination would be difficult to achieve and highly likely to be discovered, and even then, it might not ease the hatred in Yu Xiyuʼs heart.

Momo Gui shook her head, not knowing what to say.

However, Yuchen had some concerns. ”If Wangye learns of this, I wonder whether he can endure it.” Having such a birth mother, no child could keep their dignity.