Volume One: If Life Were Only as It First Met
Changes in Wind and Clouds
This move, truly ruthless
Ziyun Pavilion, quiet to the point where only the sound of the night wind brushing through the branches remains. The bright moon elongated the shadow of Hong Yuan. She leapt gracefully, her light figure dancing under the moon, she lightly touched her fingertips, and floated onto the rooftop.
She stood proudly under the vast sky, gazing at the moon from above, her long shadow lonely and profound.
“Come.”
“Whoosh,” a black shadow swiftly appeared, it was a shadow guard of Suyuan Tower, whose stealth and Qinggong were on par with the Queen’s shadow guards.
“Tower Master, please give your orders.”
“Send the order, evacuate the refugee camp base, and secretly investigate the appearance of that Iron Guard unit.”
“Yes!”
Upon receiving the order, he swiftly departed. The shadow guard comes and goes without a trace, always lurking in places unseen by light.
Hong Yuan gazed into the distance, Dragon City lay deep in the night. She predicted that after Qin Junlan returned to the palace, there would definitely be actions taken concerning the refugee camp. If they did not evacuate ahead of time, several members of the organization would find themselves in a passive position.
And then there was that inexplicable Iron Guard unit. How could Qin Junlan overlook any clues related to military and political affairs?
“Qin Junlan, our struggle has only just begun…”
Riding swiftly, Qin Junlan left Suyuan Tower but couldn’t help glancing back several times. It was already close to the second watch (roughly equivalent to 9-11 PM), and within the palace, only the Yulin Guards were patrolling. Qin Junlan wanted to go directly to the Empress Dowager’s Fengqing Palace but was stopped by Li Ruo.
“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is in Fengluan Palace.”
“How did the Empress Dowager know that I left the palace?” Qin Junlan walked briskly towards the sleeping quarters.
“Could there be someone among the shadow guards who is loyal to the Empress Dowager?”
“Impossible, the shadow guards were personally selected by me and are all loyal confidants of Your Majesty. How could there be any divided loyalties?” Li Ruo immediately dismissed Li Yue’s speculation.
Qin Junlan stopped, her expression slightly cold. The Emperor’s mind is hard to fathom. The two hurriedly performed the rituals of monarch and minister, “This humble servant deserves death for failing to discover that someone was monitoring Your Majesty’s movements.”
“Investigate!” Qin Junlan swished her sleeves and left.
Fengluan Palace majestically stands behind Fengluan Hall, serving as Qin Junlan’s sleeping quarters. Dressed in male attire, she stepped into the palace. All the eunuchs and palace maids knelt in a row, each with a handprint on their face, seemingly having been punished.
Seated in the main seat was the current Empress Dowager, Qin Junlan’s birth mother, Yi Qinghuan. Though she was nearing fifty, she looked young and noble, her beauty astonishing. In her time, she dominated the harem, surpassing 36 concubines to become the most favored consort of the late Emperor, who later made her Empress. She gave birth to a son and a daughter, further deepening her favor. Qin Junlan’s captivating elegance was inherited from her mother’s powerful lineage.
“Your child greets the Empress Dowager.” Qin Junlan knelt on both knees, followed by Li Ruo and Li Yue who also bowed.
“Rise, my child.” Yi Qinghuan raised her hand, and Qin Junlan approached and sat gracefully in front.
“The dignified Empress of the Ji Dynasty, wandering the brothels at night—does the Emperor’s child feel that the Empire is so stable that there is no fear of public opinion?” The Empress Dowager’s displeasure was clearly shown on her face.
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“Mother, you should know that I have a habit of making private visits every month. This time, staying overnight at Suyuan Tower was merely to investigate the matter of the tribute silver from the Luo Kingdom.” Qin Junlan responded calmly without evasion.
“A mere hundred thousand taels of tribute silver, and the Emperor has to personally investigate? Li Ruo, as the imperial guard captain and the director of the Central Bureau, are you aware of your crime?” Yi Qinghuan’s sharp words were directed at the Empress’s close attendant.
“Mother, Li Ruo, Li Yue, and these servants all act under my orders. If you wish to hold someone accountable, punish me. Otherwise, if word gets out, the officials might start to question whether the people around me are loyal to me or to the Empress Dowager.”
… The Empress openly defied her, making Yi Qinghuan angry yet unable to express it. She could only blame everything on Suyuan Tower.
The confrontation between the Empress Dowager and the Empress made the eunuchs and palace maids tremble with fear, feeling that their lives were in danger and they could be implicated at any moment. But Qin Junlan, after all, was a benevolent ruler who distinguished right from wrong. She immediately instructed, “What are you still standing here for? Can’t you see that the Empress Dowager and I are about to have a casual conversation? Withdraw at once!”
This angry command dismissed those around and also saved them. After expressing their immense gratitude, everyone withdrew to the sides.
“You too, withdraw,” Yi Qinghuan ordered her maid Qiushui to leave. Qiushui was a trusted confidante of the Empress Dowager and the highest-ranking maid in the inner palace.
Only the mother and daughter were left in the sleeping quarters. Qin Junlan slightly reined in her imposing manner, picked up the tea on the table, and gently handed it to Yi Qinghuan, “Mother, please calm down. I have always been prudent in my actions since childhood. Why are you so worried?”
“Ah, my child, you know what worries me most,” Yi Qinghuan’s tone gradually softened. Her face, marked by the traces of time, showed a few strands of white hair at her temples that had appeared without anyone knowing when.
Her greatest worry was that Qin Junlan was still unmarried and had no companion. While feeling sorry for her daughter being alone, she also worried about the Empire having no heir.
“Mother, I have my own plans. Please do not worry.”
Yi Qinghuan lightly sipped her tea, her eyes wandering. She thought for a moment and said, “Now that your reign is stable, the four seas are at peace, and you reign supreme, there is no one who can threaten you.”
“It seems Mother already knows about Uncle’s matter.” Qin Junlan’s expression remained unchanged. Only in front of the Empress Dowager would she respectfully refer to Yi Hongchuan as Uncle.
“The Yi family is I, the grieving one’s maternal family, and also your maternal family. If it weren’t for your uncle’s support when you ascended the throne, it wouldn’t have been so smooth. The sons of the Consort Dowager and Noble Consort—none of them are easy to deal with.”
These words had been heard by Qin Junlan since she ascended the throne. Whenever something happened to the Yi family, or when she suppressed the career of the Prime Minister, the Empress Dowager would always intervene.
Because Qin Junlan was a grateful person and remembered the Yi family’s help in her ascension, she often turned a blind eye to many things. However, Yi Hongchuan did not know how to restrain himself at all.
“Mother, after so many years of holding power over the court, hasn’t it been enough to repay Uncle’s favor from back then?”
“But you don’t need to fear the power of your own family. Your uncle is my blood brother; he would never harm you.”
Qin Junlan let out a light scoff, “I don’t fear the power of the Yi family; I just hope Uncle can restrain himself a little. Even if I have no sons under my knees and the nation has no crown prince, you still have grandsons, and I have nephews. There is no chance for Uncle’s wild ambitions!”
“What are you saying? How can you place such a grave accusation on your uncle?” Yi Qinghuan was incredulous. When had Qin Junlan become as suspicious as the late emperor? Did all emperors fear that their thrones would be usurped once they ascended to power? Even her daughter was no exception.
“Alright, alright, Mother, I am tired. You should go back to your palace and rest.”
With a swish of her sleeves, Qin Junlan left. Whenever she wished to have a good, long conversation with her mother, it always ended unpleasantly because of issues related to the Yi family. Whenever there was the slightest disturbance in the court that threatened Yi Hongchuan’s position, the Empress Dowager would be the first to know.
What does it mean that the emperor’s authority cannot be challenged? One day, Qin Junlan would make the Yi family understand that her restraint by the Empress Dowager was out of gratitude for her upbringing. Although she was the Empress Dowager’s daughter, she was foremost the ruler of the Ji Dynasty.
It was already the second watch of the night when the Empress Dowager left. Qin Junlan immediately summoned Li Ruo. Her recent venture outside the palace had yielded significant results, and it was time to put an end to the ongoing disturbances of the past few days.
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“Li Ruo, draft an edict for Qi Xuan, instructing the Qin Tiansi to distribute the refugee camps to the mines in the Western District, solve the food and clothing issues, and settle the children and the elderly with local farming households. Remember, send people to observe at all times.”
“Yes.”
“Also, summon Ji Qiuchen for an audience.”
Ji Qiuchen is a significant minister of the nation, loyal and devoted. From the time he assisted the late emperor, he has held a high position. Later, he became Qin Junlan’s teacher, aiding her in governing the country. He is both a mentor and a friend, with indispensable contributions.
Originally, out of respect for her mentor, she only needed to issue a secret edict regarding the tribute silver matter. However, Ji Qiuchen’s son was so arrogant in the Suyuan Tower, using his family’s power and influence to pressure Hong Yuan. How could she tolerate such things happening right under her nose?
“This is the silver ingot that your esteemed son left behind during his frivolous time at Suyuan Tower. Teacher, please take a look.” Qin Junlan signaled, and Li Yue took out the prepared tribute silver and handed it to Ji Qiuchen.
He was unsure why he had been summoned to the palace at the third watch of the night (roughly 11 PM and 1 AM), but upon seeing the silver ingot, he was greatly shocked and hastily knelt down, “Your Majesty, this old minister would never dare to covet the tribute silver.”
“Ah? Teacher, even if I suspect everyone in the world, I would never suspect you. Please rise.” Qin Junlan personally helped him up and said, “This matter clearly shows that someone is trying to sow discord between us or perhaps just create some trouble in the court. These are not things to be feared.”
“Then what is Your Majesty’s intention?” Although they were master and disciple, Ji Qiuchen could not guess Qin Junlan’s thoughts. Since childhood, she had been adept at hiding her thoughts, and after ascending the throne, her political acumen had become even more formidable.
“I suspect that not only has Teacher been wronged, but you can help me secretly reclaim the tribute silver from the officials and nobility, slowly quelling the disturbance over the stolen tribute silver.”
“The old minister obeys the decree.”
“There is one more thing.” Qin Junlan displayed an air of authority, yet remained composed, simply gazing at Ji Qiuchen. He understood the Empress’s intention in an instant, “The old minister will strictly discipline his dog of a son and will never allow him to frequent brothels and cause trouble again.”
What Qin Junlan wanted was exactly this statement. She slightly raised the corners of her lips, “You may leave.”
“The old minister takes his leave.”
As Ji Qiuchen stepped out of Fengluan Palace, he glanced at the tribute silver held in his hand, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead. The grace of the emperor was vast, and he was fortunate that Qin Junlan was a wise ruler; otherwise, if this matter were pursued, it would truly be difficult to defend.
The matter of the tribute silver was forcefully suppressed by Qin Junlan, and the secret searches from the refugee camps to the wealthy young nobles quietly commenced. Within three days, they had already recovered forty thousand taels.
However, what worried her most was not these minor activities of the spies, but rather the dozen or so Iron Guards encountered on the outskirts of the city. The Red Armor Army had been reorganized for many years, yet the Iron Guards still existed. Could it be that there were military forces in the Ji Dynasty that she had not yet controlled?
Qin Junlan immediately issued an imperial edict, requesting that Prince Zhen Nan1, Bai Yifei, return to court early to report. When the army was reorganized, it was he who assisted her father in its establishment. Now that the old general had passed away, if she wanted to investigate this matter, she could only summon him back to court.
Willow trees swayed in the wind, and flowers bloomed along the Qinghe River. The three-day deadline arrived as promised, yet Qin Junlan’s figure was nowhere to be seen.
Hong Yuan sat upright in the attic, overlooking the Qinghe River, and suddenly felt the surrounding air currents shift. “What is it?”
“Sect Leader’s letter.” The shadow guard handed the letter to Hong Yuan but did not retreat.
“Is there anything else to report?”
“There are people in the palace monitoring Suyuan Tower, and they are not the Shadow Guards.”
“Understood.” Hong Yuan remained unmoved, and the shadow guard swiftly departed.
It seemed that Qin Junlan’s matters with her had already attracted the attention of those with ulterior motives in the palace. Hong Yuan opened the letter from Yu Kingdom, and her expression gradually darkened, her originally cold pupils became even more chilling.
“Hehe, are you so certain that the beauty trap will be effective against Qin Junlan?” Hong Yuan thought to herself, tightly clenching the letter in her hand, yet a trace of melancholy flickered in her eyes.
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“Sister, something’s wrong!” Muxin hurriedly approached.
“What is it that has you so flustered?”
“A few brothers who were captured by the Qin Tiansi earlier are scheduled for execution today, right over there.” Muxin pointed towards the eastern city, where from Ziyun Pavilion, one could overlook the crowd of citizens.
“Sister, should we save them?” Muxin felt reluctant for every member of their organization.
Before Hong Yuan could respond, Ye Ming hurriedly came to report, “The Empress has arrived.”
As expected, she honored the three-day appointment, but this grand gesture was clearly a test by Qin Junlan. As for those few people, not even Buddha could save them now.
“Don’t save them; everything will proceed as usual,” Hong Yuan said coldly.
The mission she had received was no longer to infiltrate the palace and gather intelligence, but rather to use herself to restrain Qin Junlan.
Only emotions could be the greatest weakness of a strong person.
Footnotes
- Prince Zhen Nan also translate to “Prince Who Pacifies the South” or “Prince of Southern Pacification”, refers to a noble or royal figure tasked with maintaining peace, order, or military control in the southern regions of a kingdom or empire.