The Ninth Year of Shenchu
Runing’s Winds and Clouds (Part 5)
The entire Imperial Medical Institute almost mobilized completely, rushing towards Anshou Palace.
Anshou Palace was filled with the screams of Feng Xiyi, who was beyond caring about anything. The midwife, with a face full of sweat, held Feng Xiyi’s hand, urging her not to scream and to conserve her strength. Feng Xiyi, unable to bear the pain, clawed at the midwife’s face, leaving three blood marks as the midwife cried out.
Ah Wan returned with a hot cloth, looked down, and exclaimed, “So much blood! It’s flowing so much!”
The midwife, with one eye closed, could barely restrain Feng Xiyi, angrily said to Ah Wan, “What are you shouting for! Go out! Find me a few swift-handed palace maids! Tell the imperial doctors that the Empress is losing strength, and urge them to quickly administer the birthing medicine!”
Ah Wan responded affirmatively, still frantically wiping away the blood.
The midwife could hardly restrain herself from kicking her out: “Why are you still not going quickly!”
Ah Wan scrambled and crawled as she ran outside. She truly had no experience in childbirth and had only been in the palace for a few years. Suddenly, she was assigned to serve the Empress, and she felt sad and self-pitying for quite a while. Everyone knew that the Emperor was declining day by day, and no one knew when he might fall from power. The future master of this Forbidden Garden was uncertain, so nobody wanted to serve near the Empress, and they pushed powerless Ah Wan into the role. Facing this situation now, Ah Wan could only blame her unlucky fate.
Li Ju was running madly in the Forbidden Garden, with the Huben Guards opening the path for him. Behind him, the small yellow gate bearers were still struggling to lift the canopy, panting heavily, unable to match Li Ju’s speed.
Li Ju reached the front of Anshou Palace, where two palace maids saw him and immediately saluted. He pushed them both aside, rushed in, and grabbed the imperial doctor at the entrance, questioning, “How is the Empress? Is there any problem? Where is my prince?”
Several old imperial doctors looked worried. Seeing their hesitation, Li Ju’s heart raced, and he vented all his anger from being schemed against on them, pulling and dragging, directly pulling the over sixty-year-old imperial doctor to the ground: “Speak! What has happened to my Empress? Hand over my prince!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger.” Even after being pulled down, the old imperial doctor, who had served through three reigns, remained very calm. Despite his disheveled clothes, his voice carried no disturbance as he bowed on the ground and said, “The Empress suffered a premature birth with heavy bleeding. After taking medicine, she is now unharmed and has just fallen asleep. As for the prince, we ministers could not save him. Please, Your Majesty, assign the blame.”
When he received the stillborn from the midwife, the old imperial doctor knew he would pay with his life for this prince who could not open his eyes to see the world. There was no use struggling; his livelihood required accepting this risk. Serving the emperor is like being with a tiger, and he accepted this fate.
The midwife, maid, and all the people from the Imperial Medical Institute were kneeling there, waiting for the Emperor’s punishment. Li Ju said, “Bring… my prince here, I want to see him.”
The midwife handed him the dead baby wrapped in silk cloth, then quickly knelt back down.
Li Ju looked at this ugly baby, which resembled a little monster, neither like the Empress nor like himself.
“It’s a little princess,” the midwife softly said.
Li Ju swayed, his vision darkening. How laughable, who exactly was mocking him?
Two small yellow gate attendants quickly stepped up to support him: “Your Majesty, take care of your dragon body.”
“Dragon body, dragon body? Am I the true dragon? The son of Heaven’s mandate? If so, why can’t even a prince be preserved? Hmm?” Li Ju kicked the small yellow gate attendant on the left side out, roaring, “Tell me! Who am I, really! Who!”
Overwhelming anger, anxiety, frustration… the long-repressed Li Ju was mercilessly cast into the abyss on the brink of ecstatic success. Feng Kun could not be preserved, and the prince was also gone. Who else? Who else does he have? Li Yanyi, that good elder sister, coveting his throne—thinking back now, the blood she spat at the gates of Runing, the frenzied scolding, was all just a trap meant to paralyze him, making him think victory was assured, leading him to make hasty decisions and fall into the trap.
Li Ju lay on the ground, crying in pain.
At this moment, he was not the emperor, but a failure beaten to pieces, a coward unable to protect those important to him.
The midwife and imperial doctors, kneeling in place, looked at each other, while the Huben Guards and small yellow gate attendants hesitated, unsure whether to offer comfort or not, not knowing what to do.
Li Ju understood that they were afraid, and even more so, hypocritical. Even if they came over to say a few comforting words, it wouldn’t be from the heart. It was only because he was the emperor and still held power in his hands!
Does he still have it? Perhaps even that last little bit of pitiful power was gone.
Who else? There is no one else, no one…
A hand was placed on Li Ju’s back, while another hand firmly held his arm. There was no persuasion, only the intention to pull him up.
“Your Majesty is a sage king. You suppress mountains and rivers, and clearly understand the sun and moon, you must not kneel.”
Li Ju, with tears streaming down his face, turned his head. His carefully groomed beard was covered with snot, and in his red, swollen eyes was reflected the face of a man. This man wore silver light armor, his body still radiating warmth, and his palm’s scorching heat pressed through his clothes onto Li Ju’s arm.
“Xie… Xie Zhongcheng?”
Xie Fuchen helped Li Ju up and then prostrated himself fully: “Your old minister has arrived late; please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
Li Ju looked at the bloody wound on Xie Fuchen’s back, where the blood had already dried. Xie Fuchen, who always kept himself meticulously groomed, was now disheveled with a face full of stubble, having traveled day and night, ignoring his serious injuries just to return earlier to Li Ju’s side.
Li Ju took a deep breath, regaining his composure, and raised his hand to the yellow gate attendants. Seeing this, a small yellow gate attendant immediately drew a handkerchief and handed it over.
He wiped away his snot and tears in one go, adjusted his loose crown himself, as if he hadn’t been the one crying moments ago.
“I have awaited Zhongcheng for a long time. Come, Zhongcheng, follow me to the imperial study; we have important matters to discuss.”
“Yes.”
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Xie Fuchen stood up, and Li Ju left with large strides. The old imperial doctor somewhat hesitantly opened his mouth to speak, but as soon as the words reached his lips, Xie Fuchen turned back and lightly said, “Take these people who failed to protect their master effectively and press them into the imperial prison to await trial.”
The Huben Guards responded in unison, “Yes!” and stepped forward to take them all away. The midwife and Ah Wan cried and begged for mercy, but Xie Fuchen turned a deaf ear, following Li Ju to the imperial study.
After entering the room, Li Ju recounted in detail everything that had happened over the past few days to Xie Fuchen.
“Now it is difficult to protect Feng Kun. The crime of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country is completely different from embezzling public funds. It was my carelessness; I did not expect Li Yanyi and Wei Lun to have such wolfish hearts, digging such a big trap for me to fall into.”
“Your Majesty acted too hastily. Why not wait for your old minister to return before considering countermeasures?”
“Am I not anxious? Li Yanyi loudly scolded at the city gate, which will certainly cause Wei Lun to unite with Zhangsun Yao, Lin Quan, and others to pressure me. I wanted to be one step ahead of them, but I didn’t expect…” Li Ju fiercely punched the wall, then turned and urgently asked Xie Fuchen, “Xie Zhongcheng, with things as they are, what should I do? Is everything already set, unable to be reversed?”
“No.” Xie Fuchen’s simple word made Li Ju feel reassured, and his anxious heart immediately settled. In Xie Fuchen, he sensed the same calm aura as Wei Lun and Lin Quan—deep, steady, and reliable.
There is hope; perhaps he still has hope.
Xie Fuchen explained this way and that, outlining the upcoming strategies to Li Ju one by one. After listening, Li Ju sat in his chair for a long time, unable to regain his composure.
Xie Fuchen is a divine person.
His strategies far surpass those of Wei Lun and Lin Quan, having long since seen through all of Li Yanyi’s faction’s intentions. No, Li Ju looked at this formidable man—he even anticipated the mistakes that the young emperor might make.
Xie Fuchen’s silence held the power to support the heavens single-handedly. If it were anyone else, Li Ju might not have believed, but in Xie Fuchen, he trusts.
“Xie Zhongcheng, fortunately, I still have you, fortunately, Da Yu still has you…” Li Ju held Xie Fuchen’s hand, tears falling uncontrollably.
Xie Fuchen said: “Supporting the country is the duty of ministers. The Xie family has served Da Yu for generations, and we are certainly not the kind to fawn over power and follow the trend.”
“Then what should I do now?”
“Your Majesty doesn’t need to do anything else, just help the Empress to nourish her body well, so she can soon conceive a prince again.”
Thinking of Feng Xiyi, Li Ju felt a sharp pain in his heart as if pricked by a needle. As noble as he was as the emperor, he couldn’t even protect his own woman and child… Li Ju closed his eyes, forcing himself not to think about these things.
He decided to listen to everything Xie Zhongcheng said.
In the past, the plotting voices in the front hall were always very low, completely inaudible if standing ten steps away. But today, it seemed there was some joyous occasion, as Zhen Wenjun, standing far away, could hear Li Yanyi’s unrestrained laughter coming from inside.
Li Yanyi laughed and laughed until she suddenly started coughing; the wound on her side was almost healed, but through her own exertion, it reopened, causing her to bend over in pain, yet her smile was hard to diminish.
“This time was truly too satisfying. It’s a real pity that I couldn’t see his surprised and defeated face on the spot!” Li Yanyi raised her cup in the direction of Wei Lun, saying, “Having all you wise ministers to assist is truly my good fortune. Come, this cup I toast to you all!”
Zhen Wenjun pretended to sweep the floor as she slowly approached the front hall, wanting to hear what they were discussing. As she passed by, Ah Zhu patted her shoulder: “Lady Wenjun, why are you outside and not going in?”
She indeed wanted to go in, but ever since her first day when Li Yanyi allowed her into the room and gave her a small corner position to listen, she had never been acknowledged again. Surely, she can’t enter uninvited.
Zhen Wenjun was too embarrassed to say directly, but Ah Zhu saw through her thoughts and advised her: “Her Highness works tirelessly day and night and cannot pay attention to everything. Even with hundreds of strategists, it is impossible to remember everyone. Those who can enter this Huaichen Mansion are all trusted by Her Highness. If Lady Wenjun has good strategies, she must volunteer.” Ah Zhu smiled inscrutably and pointed to the sky, “If the young lady wants to achieve success, she must fight.”
Fight?
Zhen Wenjun felt somewhat excited by Aunt Ah Zhu’s words. Indeed, in this era of great contention, with the Grand Princess seizing power, it is the most rare opportunity for the women of the world. Thinking that there are also female strategists in the front hall, a flame ignited in Zhen Wenjun’s heart—Li Yanyi is her best opportunity. If she can gain Li Yanyi’s trust and significant use, when she ascends the throne one day and becomes the first female emperor in history, could she also hold a high position? By then, would there still be matters concerning Wei Tingxu? Wei Tingxu might already be married to Zhangsun Wu and have children, which would be very good.
Aunt Ah Zhu’s persuasion gave Zhen Wenjun confidence. She walked to the door, and the Huben soldiers had already remembered her appearance and knew she was a benefactor to the Wei family, seeming to have no intention of stopping her. Zhen Wenjun took a deep breath and gently pushed open the door.
Li Yanyi was sitting at the center desk, raising a wine cup to toast everyone. Through the door gap, she saw Zhen Wenjun’s somewhat fearful face, stopped her action, and stretched her neck to look at her:
“Sister Wenjun, come in.”
Zhen Wenjun then boldly pushed open the door.
“Recently, there have been too many matters, and I actually forgot about you, Sister. But the medicine you gave me, I have been using, and the wounds have healed significantly, all thanks to you, Sister. Come, Sister, I toast to you.”
Li Yanyi often toasted like a hero from the Jianghu, truly not like a Grand Princess raised in the deep palace, but rather like a carefree wanderer of the Jianghu. As Zhen Wenjun drank with her, she thought of Ah Xin, who campaigns across the land, likely influenced by Ah Xin’s bold and uninhibited nature.
After drinking, Li Yanyi had someone add a desk, and Zhen Wenjun remained seated in the corner, listening to their conversation.
A carriage ignoring the curfew traveled through Luoyi Alley in Runing City, the clattering of horse hooves echoing in the long, narrow alley. The carriage appeared unremarkable, with ordinary decorations and dim colors, but the coachman was extraordinary, with eyes like a hungry hawk and a gaze like lightning, exuding a murderous aura that clearly indicated blood on his hands, making people not dare to look directly.
The carriage went all the way to the end of Luoyi Alley and stopped, blocked by a rusty iron gate. The iron gate was tightly locked with a thick iron chain, and inside stood two completely black fierce dogs. The fierce dogs, smelling the presence and scent of a living person, barked wildly at the newcomer, with fangs fully exposed and saliva flying.
Here, it is damp and cold all year round, and no one dares to approach. It is a place that strikes fear into people, specifically designed to imprison important criminals in the imperial prison.
Unlike the Runing prison, which is meant for hoodlums and desperadoes, those imprisoned here are all important court officials. Once one enters through this iron gate, it is extremely difficult to come out whole. To ministers, this iron gate represents the boundary between the human world and the underworld; once entering the imperial prison, one must be prepared for death.
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The former Guanglu Minister and Suichuan Governor, Hong Ai, is exactly imprisoned here.
The coachman had just parked the carriage when two jailers guarding the night at the imperial prison gate were drawn by the sound of barking dogs. They drew their swords and sternly shouted, “Who goes there! Who dares to trespass the imperial prison at night!”
“It is me.” The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a nearly fifty-year-old middle-aged man. He wore a simple blue cloth robe, matching the carriage’s simplicity, and his demeanor was elegant and gentle. Even though his eye corners were already full of wrinkles, it was still hard to conceal his handsome appearance. He lightly raised his hand in salute towards the jailers: “I apologize for the late-night disturbance and kindly request you allow me passage.”
As he spoke, his fingers relaxed, and a token with the character “Li” slipped from his palm, hanging right in front of the two jailers’ eyes. The coachman unfolded a document, which was a visitation application, stamped with the official seal of Guan Xun.
With the Emperor’s token and Guan Xun’s seal in front of them, the jailers also clearly saw the man’s face and then tied the fierce dogs aside, opening the iron gate.
Li Yanyi and the others were discussing the matter of the southern torrential rain. Throughout the process, Zhen Wenjun did not find a topic to speak about, but this time was not without any gain, as a scholar called out to Zhen Wenjun as the others dispersed.
“Lady Zhen, do you remember me?”
This fair-faced scholar seemed just past the age of twenty, just beginning to grow a beard, and was already very tall, a full head taller than Zhen Wenjun. Compared to beautiful youths like Zhangsun Wu, this person seemed much rougher, yet possessed a sturdier aura than the average scholar.
Hearing the other’s words, it seemed like the two had met before, but Zhen Wenjun did not remember at all. Given Zhen Wenjun’s good memory, being able to forget suggests that their meeting was probably just a fleeting glance in the vast sea of people.
Zhen Wenjun truthfully said, “I do not remember.”
The scholar smiled with curved eyes and said, “I had long guessed that the young lady would not possibly remember. On the night that Wei Situ held a banquet especially for the young lady, I was present. I spoke a few words with the young lady, but she probably forgot.”
She indeed forgot. Zhen Wenjun, with a smile on her face, did not speak and let him continue talking.
“But I could not forget the young lady. The young lady’s song 《New Wedding Dress》 was sung so heartbreakingly; I was immediately captivated by her singing. I have never seen someone like the young lady, so intelligent and passionate.”
Zhen Wenjun almost couldn’t believe her own ears—are you perhaps a fool!
“My surname is Lin, given name Yue, courtesy name Bowen, and I am the cousin of Grand Minister of Agriculture Lin Quan. May I call you Sister Wenjun?” Lin Yue asked shyly, his face blushing.
In the depth of the cell, there was the sound of iron chains dragging on the ground, clinking from a distance as it approached. When the sound reached the cell entrance, Xie Fuchen turned around, just in time to meet the eyes of Hong Ai who had just been brought in. He raised his hand and waved, and the two jailers holding Hong Ai then retreated.
“Xie Zhongcheng.” Hong Ai knelt to Xie Fuchen in salute.
Xie Fuchen helped him up and said, “Yuan Bin, there’s no need for this. I came tonight because I have matters to discuss with you.”
Seeing Xie Fuchen, Hong Ai could not help but have his eyes rimmed with red. He had never suffered such hardships, wearing only a thin layer of coarse prisoner clothes in the imperial prison, and eating only millet and vegetable soup. Guan Xun showed him no mercy, inflicting various punishments on him, leaving no part of his body intact. His ten fingers were clamped and already disabled, perhaps never able to hold a pen again. What was even more unbearable for him were the charges pressed by the Ministry pf Justice Office. He had been in the imperial prison for almost two months, unable to contact the outside world, and even his uncle Feng Kun had never visited. Initially, his uncle had secretly sent someone to tell him never to confess; as long as he held on, they would surely rescue him. But after so many days, no one came to visit him, and how could Hong Ai not feel fearful? Today, finally seeing someone familiar, he grabbed onto Xie Fuchen’s arm as if it were a life-saving straw and said:
“Did my uncle entrust Zhongcheng to come? Do you know how my wife and daughter are? Is there anyone taking care of them? I know my uncle cannot meet me at this time, but please ask Zhongcheng to tell him that I, Hong Ai, never embezzled disaster relief funds, let alone colluded with the enemy and betrayed the country! This must be someone’s framing, it is that Wei family daughter, probably still for the Suichuan county dispute! Zhongcheng, please think of a way for me; I cannot die unjustly in prison!”
Xie Fuchen comforted him, saying, “Yuan Bin, don’t worry. Your wife and daughter have been taken back to the residence by your father and are well cared for.”
Hearing that his wife and daughter were safe, the weight in Hong Ai’s heart slightly lifted. Xie Fuchen then continued, “I actually have something to discuss with Yuan Bin. Or rather, I have a favor to ask of you.” Saying this, Xie Fuchen cupped his hands in salute to Hong Ai and bowed deeply.
Hong Ai unconsciously released Xie Fuchen’s hand, took a few steps back, and slowly said, “I am a person in prison, uncertain of tomorrow, and do not know what I can still do for Zhongcheng?”
Xie Fuchen said, “This matter is difficult for me to speak of as well. Even if others are unaware of Yuan Bin’s unjust situation, I am clear about it. I only hate that the villain is cunning, having solidified the evidence of embezzling disaster relief funds. His Majesty originally wanted to mediate for you and have the Ministry of Justice Office release you. Just as this matter was about to come to light, they framed you again with letters of collusion with the enemy. Li Yanyi is determined to use you as a means to eliminate your uncle General Feng’s faction, leaving the Emperor’s future as unstable as a one-armed man! Yuan Bin, proving your innocence is as difficult as climbing to the sky. Those letters point every word and sentence to your uncle, falsely accusing Lord Feng as the traitor behind the scenes! Now, His Majesty is bearing all the pressure to prevent the Ministry of Justice Office from directly sentencing you, but I estimate His Majesty cannot hold on for many more days.”
Hong Ai was silent for a while, calmly looking at Xie Fuchen and said, “Zhongcheng’s meaning is that you want me to take all the blame?”
Xie Fuchen said, “I have to ask you, Yuan Bin, to prioritize the big picture, sacrifice the small self, and exchange for the life of the entire clan and the future of the Da Yu Emperor.”
Hong Ai knew Xie Fuchen came today to take his life, but actually hearing him say it was very hard to accept. Is his uncle also thinking this way? To exchange his own life for the safety of the entire General’s Mansion? To stabilize the Emperor’s throne? But what about the lives of his wife, daughter, parents, and the Hong clan? Whether embezzlement or collusion with the enemy, both are capital crimes that result in the extermination of the entire family!
Hong Ai’s chest heaved violently, as if filled with rage about to burst forth: “Zhongcheng, do you know, once I confess, my reputation will be destroyed, but what disaster will my wife, daughter, parents, and the Hong clan face?! Even if I confess, can my uncle escape? He is my dear uncle! Furthermore, why should I confess to a crime I did not commit?! Is there no justice in the world?”
Xie Fuchen said, “I fear that under torture, there is little chance for redress. Moreover, the other side is well-prepared, with all evidence fully conclusive. Yuan Bin, you now have no chance to turn things around. If you can prioritize the big picture, I can promise that your wife, daughter, parents, and the Hong clan can all escape disaster. Today, if you die unjustly in prison, when His Majesty eventually gains full control of the court, that will be the day your grievances are redressed! Otherwise, if you die now, more people will perish, including the Hong clan. By then, the Feng family will also suffer, Da Yu will fall into the hands of villains, and what will happen to the common people?”
Hong Ai’s face was ashen: “Is there truly no hope at all?”
“If there were any glimmer of hope, I would not dare to conceal it,” Xie Fuchen replied.
Hong Ai looked at him, tears glistening in his eyes: “Has my uncle also decided this way?”
Xie Fuchen did not speak.
Hong Ai suddenly began to laugh, his disordered hair trembling, and the piercing laughter echoed in the imperial prison for a long time without ceasing.
Recently, Zhen Wenjun received many letters, and among them, one particularly caught her attention. This letter was from Bu Jie, and the sending tag was marked “Dongchun.”
Bu Jie had actually gone to Dongchun.
Initially, she had asked Bu Jie to help investigate the whereabouts of her Ah Mu (mother). Although she did not explain the details concerning the Xie family nor mention the ambush around Wei Tingxu, she only provided Bu Jie with some possible locations and verbally described her Ah Mu’s physical characteristics, asking him to help find the person after finishing the spring plowing.
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Calculating the days, spring plowing had indeed ended. In the letter, Bu Jie mentioned that since early spring, Nanya had experienced continuous heavy rain, causing mudslides, and many villages at the mountain’s foot were buried by mud. If it weren’t for the court’s early efforts to dredge canals and divert the water northward, Nanya might have faced a greater disaster this time. However, recently, the heavy rain began to gradually move north, and the long-dry northern Da Yu might welcome an opportunity for disaster relief improvement. He had been traveling for more than two months from Nanya, moving northwest through Jingji County, Pingcang County, and Dongchun County, searching every possible corner but found no trace of the Xiao clan. After he finishes investigating Suichuan, he will come to Runing to meet her and continue the investigation in Runing City.
Bu Jie always had an unusual approach to things. His ability to straightforwardly claim “searched every corner” made Zhen Wenjun believe that the possibility of her Ah Mu being in these counties was very low. It was said that Xie Fuchen had gone north; could he have taken her Ah Mu there? Impossible, even Li Yanyi could not trace Xie Fuchen’s whereabouts, indicating he was deeply hidden, likely handling important affairs, and it was impossible for him to bring a hostage with him.
Where could her Ah Mu be hidden? Zhen Wenjun found it a bit strange, thinking that the Xie family should have already received her message, yet there was no arrangement for the next steps. This unhurried attitude was somewhat unsettling.
From this letter, Zhen Wenjun also discovered another matter that caught her attention.
Flooding in the south, digging canals? Zhen Wenjun had been staying at the Huaichen Mansion recently and unexpectedly knew nothing about these two events. However, once these two things were combined, she sensed something unusual.
She must find an opportunity to report this matter to Li Yanyi.
Another stack of letters was from Lin Yue.
After expressing his feelings, Lin Yue began to crazily write love letters to Zhen Wenjun. This gentleman’s writing skill is excellent, no wonder he could become Li Yanyi’s strategist at such a young age; even in love letters, he cites classics with grand and beautiful words.
Zhen Wenjun thought for a moment and indeed replied to him. When Lin Yue received the reply, he was extremely excited, but upon opening it, found that it was all about asking him regarding the southern flood situation. Lin Yue, still baffled, honestly told her about the flood situation one by one.
After receiving the reply, Zhen Wenjun carefully read it and understood. It seems her premonition was correct; someone is secretly arranging everything behind the scenes. She needs to remind the eldest princess to be cautious.
And the remaining thick roll of cloth was from Wei Tingxu.
Wei Tingxu had sent her a letter.
On the cloth, the beautiful small seal script was indeed her handwriting, eloquently written over a thousand words, saying she is returning from the north. In the letter, besides secretly advising her to be careful of Xie Fuchen, who had already returned to Runing, she did not hesitate to express her feelings of longing.
Zhen Wenjun, expressionless, read the letter word by word, then found a copper basin from the kitchen, threw Wei Tingxu’s letter into the fire basin, and watched those lines of affectionate longing words burn to ashes without blinking once.