Fish Meat – Chapter 111
by Little PandaThe Eleventh Year of Shenchu
The Lamp Behind the Curtain, the Sword in its Case (1)
In the eleventh year of Shenchu, Li Ju ascended to heaven (a euphemism for “passed away”), posthumously titled Emperor Huai, and the entire nation went into mourning.
According to custom, when the Son of Heaven passes, officials and common people must observe a three-year mourning period. During these three years, they must wear hemp mourning clothes and abstain from all entertainment and marriages, while government affairs should also be suspended. However, Li Yanyi, along with Situ Wei Lun and Shaofu Zhang Sun Yao, believed that Da Yu was currently in the most crucial recovery period after the war, with many matters of people’s livelihood to be addressed. Moreover, Chongjin had only temporarily retreated, and the Hu tribes could invade again at any time. They should seize this opportunity to quickly restore national strength and military power. If they were to mourn Emperor Huai for three years, it might delay important matters. Furthermore, the Huangtu Righteous Army was still causing unrest within the borders, requiring swift suppression to pacify the people’s hearts.
With the support of Empress Dowager Geng, the three-year mourning period was changed to three days, with mourning to end after the burial. Due to the depleted national treasury, a modest burial was adopted. Apart from all the childless concubines and palace maids from the palace being buried alive with the emperor, there were very few other burial goods.
Emperor Huai had already become a thing of the past, but there was still one most important matter left unresolvedโ
Who would inherit the throne.
“A country cannot go a day without a ruler”. While Wei Tingxu and others brought back a decayed corpse to Runing, claiming it was Li Ju, Xie Fuchen produced Emperor Huai’s last edict, proposing to elevate Prince of Huai’an, Li Ge, to the throne. On that very day, news of Li Ge’s death due to an overdose of elixirs arrived in a timely manner.
When this news reached Xie Fuchen’s ears, he was confronting Li Yanyi with the last edict in hand. Li Yanyi sighed, clasped her hands behind her back, and straightened her posture. Even without the dragon robe, she already exuded the air of one ruling over all under heaven, just like the emperors of past dynasties.
“What a pity for Kangsong. He could have emerged from the trigram of Thunder to succeed the trigram of Fire (a reference to I Ching), but instead, he cut short his future by consuming elixirs. Truly, it is a matter of timing and fate”.
Xie Fuchen stared at her and said, “Although the Prince of Huai’an had a penchant for alchemy, all the elixirs he consumed were beneficial medicines for nourishing the heart and strengthening the spleen. How could he suddenly die? It’s said that when the Prince of Huai’an died, his face was iron-gray and he vomited a large amount of blood, which are signs of poisoning.”
Xie Fuchen’s words didn’t cause any emotional fluctuation in Li Yanyi. Her smile remained unchanged as she tilted her head to look at the wisps of clouds in the clear sky, glancing at Xie Fuchen from the corner of her eye. “Oh? This matter is indeed strange. Could it be that someone poisoned the Prince of Huai’an?” Li Yanyi seemed to think of something and suddenly changed her demeanor, lowering her voice, “Sima Xie, the Prince of Huai’an was the heir apparent chosen by Emperor Huai before his departure, yet he was poisoned to death. This is no small matter. In the Sima’s opinion, who could have administered the poison?”
Xie Fuchen remained silent, seemingly having anticipated this in his heart, yet for some reason, he didn’t utter a word.
Li Yanyi wasn’t interested in his inexplicable change of demeanor. She only knew to seize the opportunity and continue her questioning:
“At that time, Emperor Huai’s last edict was entrusted to Sima Xie for safekeeping. Apart from SimaXie, who had seen the edict, no one else knew its contents. If we’re to speak of who Emperor Huai appointed as heir, in all the land under heaven, only Sima Xie could have known in advance, right? Before Emperor Huai’s northern expedition, Lady Liu had not yet given birth, so Emperor Huai chose the Prince of Huai’an. But now there’s a crown prince, and just as the throne was within reach, someone else is eyeing it covetously. The Prince of Huai’an must have been too worried to eat or sleep, and Lady Liu wouldn’t have been content either. Coincidentally, at this time, someone actually sent Lady Liu to the Prince of Huai’an’s residence. This person is truly vicious, intending to watch them fight within the same room (internal strife) and reap the benefits like a fisherman (profit from others’ disputes), isn’t that right? Who else could have poisoned the Prince of Huai’an besides Lady Liu? And who colluded with her to secretly assassinate the Prince of Huai’anโฆ Just thinking about it sends chills down one’s spine.”
No matter what Li Yanyi said, Xie Fuchen didn’t argue with her. He only said, “Now that the Prince of Huai’an is dead, a country cannot go a day without a ruler. We should immediately hold the coronation ceremony for the crown prince to take over the realm of Da Yu.”
“The crown prince is but a swaddled infant. How would he know how to take over the realm? If the Hu tribes invade again, are we to send another incapable infant to the battlefield?” Li Yanyi questioned.
“When the Son of Heaven is young, ministers assist in governing. It has always been so since ancient times,” Xie Fuchen replied.
“Does Sima Xie have anyone in mind to assist in governing? Could it be Sima Xie himself?” Li Yanyi probed.
Xie Fuchen said, “Let the capable take the position.”
Li Yanyi smiled and said, “The Great Sima Xie is right. Let the capable take the position.”
Xie Fuchen walked back from the Forbidden Garden, lost in thought.
The carriage had already traveled more than half the journey when he suddenly said, “Turn around.”
“Lord Xie, where do you want to go?” the coachman asked.
“To the Situ’s residence.”
“Huh?” The coachman thought he had misheard.
“To the Situ’s residence, Wei Lun’s manor.”
When Xie Fuchen arrived at the Situ’s residence, Lingbi and Xiaohua were just alighting from their carriage. Xiaohua was carrying Wei Tingxu to a four-wheeled cart. Lingbi spotted Xie Fuchen standing in the shadows of a corner at dusk, like a ghostly figure. Her heart skipped a beat, and she whispered to Wei Tingxu:
“My lady, it’s Xie Fuchen.”
The entire Wei household had already noticed him. The guards’ hands were on their sword hilts, ready to swarm and cut this old enemy into pieces at the slightest move against the Wei family’s young lady.
Xie Fuchen cupped his hands towards Wei Tingxu and said, “Zizhuo, may I have a word with you?”
Both the guards and Lingbi and Xiaohua were quite taken aback. They hadn’t expected Xie Fuchen to be so calm and even address Wei Tingxu as “Zizhuo” like a kindly elder. They wondered what scheme this old fox was up to now.
They remained cautious in their hearts, but looking at Xie Fuchen’s demeanor, it didn’t seem like he had come to cause trouble.
Wei Tingxu asked Lingbi and the others to step back. She and Xie Fuchen spoke about twenty paces away. Both of them spoke in extremely low voices, making it difficult to hear what they were saying.
Lingbi observed Xie Fuchen’s figure and face, feeling an indescribable sensation in her heart. She felt that he seemed different from the cunning and frightening Xie Fuchen she remembered.
“Do you feel it? This Xie Fuchen seems like a different personโฆ Something’s not quite right,” Lingbi whispered in Xiaohua’s ear.
“Hmm, he seems to have aged a lot.”
With Xiaohua’s comment, Lingbi suddenly realized. Xie Fuchen was more than ten years younger than Lord Wei, which meant he was about fifty this year. He had always taken excellent care of himself and was recognized as a handsome man in the Da Yu court. Even approaching fifty, he didn’t have a single wrinkle on his face, and no one would doubt if he claimed to be in his thirties. But today, his temples showed signs of gray, eye bags had appeared, and his complexion was pale, displaying signs of aging.
Perhaps after Li Ju’s death, he knew his time was limited, and worry had turned his hair white. Lingbi felt no sympathy for himโif he had known this day would come, why did he do what he did in the past.
Xie Fuchen and Wei Tingxu stood face to face. Seeing that he hadn’t spoken for a while, Wei Tingxu took the initiative to ask, “What business brings Lord Xie to me today?”
Xie Fuchen cupped his hands to her and said, “For decades, our two families, Xie and Wei, have been locked in endless generational enmity. This old man is well aware of his actions and doesn’t dare to hope for your forgiveness. However, every grievance has its cause, every debt has its debtor. This old manโฆ”
“Rest assured, Lord Xie,” Wei Tingxu interrupted before he could finish. “As long as one is human, one has a heart, and the heart is not made of wood or stone. I am no different.”
Xie Fuchen smiled faintly: “Zizhuo has always been so wise; this old man was overly concerned. Now that you hold the winds and rains of all directions in your hands a metaphor for power and influence), this old man has lost in this game of strategy. I admit defeat and willingly bow to your superiority. I only hope that after my death, Zizhuo can find her and, if possible, not reveal the past to her. If she can live the rest of her life in peace and happiness, this old man can close his eyes in the nine springs (a euphemism for the underworld) without regret.”
Wei Tingxu looked at Xie Fuchen, who was bowing so humbly, and after a moment’s hesitation, said:
“I would do so even without you telling me. Her significance to me now is not what it was at first.”
“Good, goodโฆ” Xie Fuchen quietly wiped away tears from the corners of his eyes, “Although our enmity remains unresolved and may never be, your words have put this old man’s heart at ease. I’ll no longer disturb Zizhuo. Farewell.”
Xie Fuchen’s steps were somewhat unsteady, and he needed the coachman’s support to board the carriage.
Lingbi and Xiaohua came forward, noticing Wei Tingxu’s pensive look, and asked worriedly, “Is everything alright, my lady?”
“It’s fine, push me back,” Wei Tingxu said. “Tomorrow, we’ll continue searching for Wenjun.”
At the mention of Zhen Wenjun, Lingbi felt a twinge in her heart.
Four months had passed since the great battle at Mengliang, and during these four months, they had been tirelessly searching for her traces throughout the Northern Frontier and even the entire Da Yu territory. Lin Yue had also joined them, and his beard had whitened with worry.
Having exhausted their search in the Northern Frontier, they had begun to expand their range. This month, they planned to try their luck around Runing, and if they still couldn’t find her, Wei Tingxu would personally venture into the neighboring Hu tribes. Although Lingbi was reluctant to let Wei Tingxu risk herself in the chaotic Hu territories, she was also deeply concerned about Zhen Wenjun’s whereabouts.
Four monthsโฆ If Wenjun were safe, she would have returned by now. With still no sign of her, it’s feared thatโฆ
Lingbi dared not think of this outcome. The little monkey had always been lucky. Previously, when trapped in the underground waterways, she had survived such perilous circumstances. Surely this time too, she would turn misfortune into fortune.
Surely she would.
Lingbi had been tirelessly searching everywhere each day, neglecting even her meals. After two consecutive days without sleep, she fainted on the third day while out searching.
When she regained consciousness, she found herself back at the Wei Mansion. Wei Tingxu was sitting by the bedside, holding a scroll.
“You’re awake.”
“Wenโฆ Wenjun? Has Wenjun been found?” Lingbi struggled to prop herself up from the bed. Wei Tingxu said:
“There’s soup and tang bing (traditional Chinese snack) on the table. Eat something first.”
“Butโฆ”
“Eat.”
Lingbi dared not disobey Wei Tingxu’s order and obediently ate the soup and tang bing. After a few sips of soup, she felt nauseous, but Wei Tingxu was watching her. Fearing that Wei Tingxu might delay the search for Zhen Wenjun due to concerns about her temporary condition, she forced herself to continue eating. After three more bites, she felt extremely uncomfortable. Trying to swallow one more mouthful caused her stomach to churn, and she vomited.
Wei Tingxu fetched a handkerchief to wipe Lingbi’s mouth clean.
“I’ve just realized I was wrong,” Wei Tingxu said while wiping her mouth. “In fact, we’ve known the truth about Wenjun’s situation in our hearts for some time. Rationally, we all know the outcome; we just emotionally refuse to accept it.”
“My lady!” Lingbi knew what she was about to say and almost jumped up in alarm.
Despite her agitation, she still received the answer she feared most.
Wei Tingxu looked at her intently and said, “I’m giving up.”
A sharp ringing sound echoed in Lingbi’s ears.
“Letting emotions dictate actions is a grave mistake. Wenjun has passed, and I shouldn’t sacrifice you all as well.”
“My lady, Wenjun might not haveโฆ”
Wei Tingxu held her shoulders, her eyes glistening with tears.
“Now, you all are the most important to me. We have many things to do, and we must move forward step by step.”
The midsummer in Runing was stuffy and dry. Lingbi sat in the courtyard, the nauseous feeling having passed. She held a jug of wine, carefully filling the cup on the table. As the cup filled, tears streamed down her face. She raised the cup with a smile:
“Little sister Wenjun, this cup is for you. I hope in your next life, you’ll be safe and content, no longer toiling and struggling, living a peaceful and stable lifeโฆ If there truly is a next life, I hope we can meet again and be sisters for a lifetime. Come, your elder sister will drink first.” Lingbi drained the cup in one gulp and poured the remaining cup on the ground.
The wine stain on the ground quickly disappeared, as if Zhen Wenjun had truly drunk it, accepting her toast.
News of Zhen Wenjun’s death spread quickly through Runing. Everyone knew she had led troops with Zuo Kunda to pursue Ha’erci and then disappeared, presumably dead.
In truth, while news of her death spread in Runing, few truly cared. People only knew that the Wei family’s young lady, once highly valued by Li Yanyi, was quite remarkable. She could devise strategies and fight on the battlefield, even pursuing the Chongjin leader โ her courage was admirable. But in the end, her luck ran out, and she likely died somewhere.
She wasn’t a daughter or son of the Wei family, nor was she Li Yanyi. Her death would only be discussed briefly. Perhaps by tomorrow’s sunrise, those who were once amazed by her, shocked by her, or saved by her would have their own lives and new goals โ maybe the next meal or future career prospects. The three characters “Zhen Wenjun” would soon be forgotten.
The wheels of history rolled forward rapidly, full of power, cruelly crushing all the past into dust.
After the Prince of Huai’an’s death, other princes died mysteriously one after another. This left the entire Li clan restless and fearful, with many planning to flee Da Yu. However, death did not vanish with their departure, still following them like a shadow.
As summer in Runing was ending, the twenty-eight princes quickly dwindled to just six โ these six were Li Yanyi’s right-hand men.
Everyone knew who was behind these events.
Li Yanyi, once criticized as a treacherous minister and rebellious child who brought disaster to the country and misfortune to the people, a madwoman who disrupted the natural order, finally revealed her true, ferocious face after Emperor Huai’s death.
The most frightened was Lady Liu.
Upon learning of Emperor Huai’s passing, she had been living in constant fear. She was present when the Prince of Huai’an died, watching him vomit black blood like ink, dying a horrific death. Lady Liu immediately wanted to flee the Prince of Huai’an’s residence with the crown prince, knowing that staying would mean certain death.
Her carriage had barely traveled a street when it was blocked.
Lady Liu, tightly holding the wailing crown prince, lifted the curtain and demanded, “Why have we stopped? Didn’t I say we must not stop no matter what?”
The coachman dismounted with difficulty and knelt, kowtowing to those ahead.
Lady Liu was stunned. Three imperial carriages blocked the not-so-narrow road completely. Seeing the emperor’s procession, she was overjoyed and about to rush forward when suddenly someone emerged from the carriage, frightening her back.
“Liโฆ Li Yanyi?!” Lady Liu was terrified. “How dare you ride in the emperor’s carriage!”
Li Yanyi wore a dark-patterned, wide-sleeved long robe with a dragon-adorned belt buckle and a white cloud crown. Lady Liu found the attire familiar, resembling the casual wear of Da Yu’s emperors throughout history, though not exactly the same. However, her demeanor was indistinguishable from that of an emperor.
Li Yanyi wasn’t angered by her accusation; instead, she approached with a gentle smile. With each step Li Yanyi took forward, Lady Liu retreated, until she could retreat no further. Both ends of the street were surrounded by newly selected Huben soldiers, preventing anyone from seeing what was happening inside or escaping. The orphaned mother and son, Lady Liu and the crown prince, had no chance of escape.
“Don’t panic, I’m only here to escort the crown prince back to the palace,” Li Yanyi said sincerely. “Emperor Huai has passed, and the Prince of Huai’an has also died. Although the crown prince is young, only he can rightfully inherit the throne. I know many say I covet the throne, accusing me of treasonโฆ Alas.” Li Yanyi said sorrowfully, “Although the Emperor and I had different political views โ he favored peace while I advocated war against the Hu barbarians โ that’s true, they’re not wrong about that. But it doesn’t mean they’re right about me seeking the throne. Emperor Huai was my royal brother, sharing the same blood. How could I want to kill him?”
Li Yanyi reached out her hand, and Lady Liu shuddered violently when touched, her face as white as snow. She turned sideways, clutching the crown prince tightly to her bosom.
“Don’t be afraid,” Li Yanyi cautiously approached her. “I’m here to escort you back to Runing, to the Forbidden Garden, to choose a day for the enthronement ceremony and establish legitimacy for all nations.”
Seeing Li Yanyi’s refined and cultured demeanor, pure as white jade, with an air of righteousness between her brows, Lady Liu felt some doubt. Since Xie Fuchen had sent her to the Prince of Huai’an’s residence, he had never visited or inquired about her, leaving Lady Liu constantly fearful and unsure.
As a concubine who had spent years in palace intrigues and rivalries with other consorts, suddenly favored by Li Ju, she knew nothing of the true nature of court struggles. She had doubted Xie Fuchen too; the man was handsome but unapproachable. Li Yanyi was completely different. Li Yanyi had a naturally cheerful and smiling disposition, her smile like spring flowers blooming, instantly able to become close with strangers, making Lady Liu, as a fellow woman, lower her guard. Moreover, she spoke of taking the crown prince back to the Forbidden Garden, sounding sincere and genuine, which moved Lady Liu’s heart.
“Areโฆ are you telling the truth?”
“Of course,” Li Yanyi took her hand, but seeing her still extremely wary, she didn’t force it. Stepping back, she pointed to the imperial carriage behind her and said, “Look, I’ve even brought the emperor’s carriage. Let the crown princeโฆ no, let the emperor depart.”
Lady Liu’s heart wavered with doubt and emotion, but she refused to board the carriage, insisting on returning in her own.
Li Yanyi didn’t force her and simply followed along.
Lady Liu took the crown prince towards Runing, a matter completely unknown to Xie Fuchen.
He hadn’t gone to the Prince of Huai’an’s residence, knowing that the mother and son were already abandoned pawns. Trying to save them would only be a waste of energy.
While some were abandoned, others remained within his calculations.
Originally, if Alai had still been by Wei Tingxu’s side, Xie Fuchen would have had many concerns. He had long felt powerless to change the situation, but unexpectedly, heaven granted him such a good opportunity with Alai’s disappearance.
This was surely his last chance.
He had tested Wei Tingxu, and her response had put him at ease.
Regardless of success or failure, whether Alai was still alive or not, the future of his and Ah Qiong’s only child was secured. This allowed him to wholeheartedly devote himself to his final, desperate gamble.
Lady Liu’s own carriage was very simple and unbearably stuffy. Amidst the bumpy ride, the young emperor cried incessantly, his high fever refusing to break. As a first-time mother, Lady Liu had no idea what to do and had to seek help from Li Yanyi.
Li Yanyi immediately offered her own carriage to them and had the accompanying imperial physician treat the child.
Lady Liu watched as the young emperor slowly drifted off to sleep under the care of the kindly imperial physician. Having been on high alert throughout the journey, she was exhausted. She leaned to the side, intending to take a short nap, but ended up falling into a deep sleep. When she suddenly awoke, the carriage was completely empty.
Lady Liu was startled awake and rushed out of the carriage, shouting loudly.
“What’s wrong?” Li Yanyi suddenly appeared, holding the young emperor. The carriage had reached the official road near Runing, about to enter the city. “I took the emperor to change his diaper; the one he was wearing was soaked through. You didn’t even think to change it for him.”
Lady Liu immediately snatched the emperor back. With the child in her arms, her heart, which had leapt to her throat, finally settled.
But Li Yanyi’s expression was strange. Her gentle smile had disappeared, and she stared at Lady Liu with one eyebrow raised, seemingly excited to see the miserable state of the prey caught in her carefully laid trap.
Lady Liu’s mind buzzed, and she immediately checked the young emperor.
The emperor mumbled a few words, woke up, and giggled at Lady Liu.
Lady Liu hugged the emperor tightly and burst into tears. Li Yanyi took out her handkerchief to wipe Lady Liu’s tears: “What’s wrong? Surely you didn’t think I’d kill the emperor? How could I? He’s my own nephew.”
Lady Liu looked up and saw that Li Yanyi had resumed her previous kindly demeanor, her eyes gazing lovingly at the child in Lady Liu’s arms. A chill ran through Lady Liu’s heart. Seeing Li Yanyi reach out to touch the emperor’s face, she trembled and stepped back, saying, “The Princess is overthinking. It’s just that the emperor is so young, and as his mother, I can’t help but worry excessively.”
Li Yanyi smiled and withdrew her hand, saying, “If all is well, then let’s depart.”
Lady Liu didn’t dare close her eyes for the rest of the journey. Upon returning to the Forbidden Garden in Runing, she cried for hours in Emperor Huai’s former bedchamber, holding the child. Afterward, she submitted a memorial in her capacity as Empress, stating that the crown prince was too young to bear the heavy responsibility of ruling the country. She was willing to relinquish the throne on his behalf, to select a worthy and capable ruler. She wrote that Princess Huaichen possessed heaven-bestowed virtues and was divinely talented and refined. Her ability to save the country from difficulties was what the people desired. Thus, she respectfully abdicated in favor of Huaichen. As for herself, she would take the child to guard the late emperor’s tomb for the rest of her life.
Lady Liu, holding the child, presented the memorial during the morning court session. She knelt before Li Yanyi, vowing not to rise until Li Yanyi agreed to ascend the throne.
Li Yanyi observed Lady Liu’s submissive demeanor. She thought of Lin Quan, who was poisoned for his unwavering loyalty to her, and Zuo Xu, who had mentored her since childhood but was beheaded. She remembered countless strategists who followed her but died at Li Ju’s hands. Li Yanyi looked up to the heavensโ
“We have finally lived up to the high expectations of you all,” she thought, using the royal “we” (ๅฏกไบบ, guaren, a humble self-reference used by emperors).
As Li Yanyi prepared to ascend the throne, her uncle Geng Bai, along with Wei Lun and Zhangsun Yao, began arranging the complex matters of the enthronement ceremony.
Xie Fuchen understood that anything done openly was merely a smokescreen. His earlier probing of Wei Tingxu was to determine if the time was right to make his move.
He wasn’t surprised by the deaths of many princes or the withdrawal of Lady Liu and her son from the succession struggle. In fact, he had been waiting for these events to unfold. He waited for Li Yanyi to believe she had removed all obstacles and reached the most suitable time for her enthronementโthat would be the moment he would hold a sword to her throat.
He still had 100,000 elite troops at his disposal.
These troops were officially said to be suppressing the Huangtu rebels outside the city, but he had secretly moved them to a village thirty li from Runing. He also had inside agents in Runing, even among Wei Tingxu’s close circle.
At his command, the 100,000 troops would storm Runing, joining forces with the Huangtu rebels. The pitifully few central army troops in the city would be no match for the combined assault of 100,000 soldiers and the Huangtu rebels!
Of course, once the grand plan was accomplished, he wouldn’t spare the Huangtu rebels either.
Those born disloyal have rebellion in their bones and cannot be allowed to remain.
He had already chosen a successor to the throne.
The Prince of Wuyuan, Li Qing, who had feigned submission to Li Yanyi, might not appear to be a quick-witted person on the surface. However, his ability to endure humiliation for the greater good of the nation made him a gem that needed polishing. After killing Li Yanyi and eliminating the crown prince’s faction, he would support the Prince of Wuyuan as the new emperor.
Everything was ready, both internally and externally. Everyone was waiting for Xie Fuchen’s signal to bathe Runing in blood, slaughter those in the Forbidden Garden, and kill all the treacherous ministers and rebellious children!
Who is Ah Qiong again? Who is her child? And who’s the one that Fuhen hugged who is dead?