The adviser remarked, “In my humble opinion, the Wuliu tribe does not seem intent on provoking conflict with the Great Zhou.”
Chu Cong was well aware of the mindset of these borderfolks.
In fact, during the final years of Emperor Li, the previous emperor, many tribes had already grown restless, eager to stir up trouble. However, when Wen Yanran ascended the throne in Jianping, they all chose to bide their time for the moment.
“Better a dog in peace than a man in war.” Most people, as long as they can survive, have no desire for conflict.
Chu Cong thought that since it was not the chieftain of the Wuliu tribe who had come, there was no need for him to meet the envoy in person. He instructed his adviser, “Go meet this Wu Geqi and tell him to observe the fate of Captain Zhong in Jianping. He will then understand that when it comes to the court’s stance toward the borderfolks, the current central government remains the same as before.”
Limited by the communication capabilities of the era, regional powers could not grasp the central government’s attitude in real time and had to rely on past experiences to make judgments.
In Chu Cong’s mind, Wen Yanran remained the same withdrawn and timid child whom even her siblings overlooked during their struggle for the throne. In his view, the so-called elimination of her elder brother before the late emperor’s spirit tablet and the swift quelling of internal strife overnight were nothing more than the outcomes of the power struggle between Grand Tutor Yuan Yanshi and State Preceptor Wen Jingmei.
Regardless of whether it was Yuan Yanshi or Wen Jingmei who held power, the court’s attitude toward the borderfolks would not change.
The adviser acknowledged the order but, after a moment’s hesitation, added, “It is said that the chieftain of the Wuliu tribe is an educated man. My lord should not regard him as a mere borderfolk.”
Chu Cong nodded dismissively and remarked, “In truth, no matter what the borderfolks do, they cannot sway the overall situation. What I wonder is, what are those people thinking?”
By “those people,” he was naturally referring to the influential noble families and local magnates beyond Jianzhou.
The aide ventured, “In my humble opinion, it is unlikely that any of those parties will act rashly.”
Chu Cong gave a cold smirk. “Of course they won’t make the first move. Regardless of their stance toward the imperial court, everyone across the land is waiting for our Princess to take the initiative.”
It was common knowledge that the Fourth Princess and the Ninth Princess were as incompatible as fire and water. Though they were temporarily locked in a stalemate, such a standoff could not last forever.
Even those who harbored rebellious intentions toward the Great Zhou would lie low for a time, biding their days until the outcome of the struggle between the two sisters became clear before making their own moves.
The adviser pressed anxiously, “But the situation in Jianping is steadily stabilizing now. This is hardly the right moment to act!”
Chu Cong retorted, “When it comes to timing, what use is passive waiting?” Finally letting his trusted adviser in on a sliver of the truth, he hinted, “The Celestial Master has emerged from seclusion.”
The adviser suddenly understood.
The “Celestial Master” they referred to was not Wen Jingmei, but a Taoist monk who called himself Xuanyangzi – Zhao Ju. Because the Great Zhou had long proclaimed that its emperor was one chosen by Heaven, and even established the position of State Preceptor, various Taoist sects had flourished among the common people. Xuanyangzi was among the most prominent of them.
Initially, Chu Cong did not believe Zhao Ju was a genuine Taoist cultivator. It was only because the Zhao clan was an influential family in Xuzhou, and Zhao Ju himself was handsome and eloquent, that Chu Cong treated him with some courtesy. But after Xuanyangzi personally demonstrated skills like summoning clouds and mist, swallowing blades and spitting fire, and – without prior knowledge of Wen Jinming’s identity – directly declared that Wen Jinming carried the aura of the Polaris, even Chu Cong, whose thinking was profoundly constrained by the beliefs of his era, became convinced that Xuanyangzi was a master of profound cultivation.
The adviser said with a smile, “If the Great Master Xuanyang enters the capital alone, his impact could rival that of a hundred thousand troops. As long as the Great Master gains the Emperor’s trust, why should our Princess worry about being unable to take control of Jianping?”
Chu Cong and the others were unaware that Xuanyangzi’s real name was not Zhao Ju, but Tian Dongyang. Having grown up in the streets, he had learned a few tricks of charlatanism, which allowed him to move among the nobility. His ambitions swelled over time. His willingness to go to Jianping was not solely due to the commission from Wen Jinming and others; he also harbored intentions of replacing Wen Jingmei. In certain alternate developments, when the Great Zhou’s situation deteriorated further, he even gathered tens of thousands of followers in an attempt to overthrow the dynasty and fulfill his own desire to become emperor.
The adviser then voiced some concern, “The Great Master once said that those who cultivate the Way must not become too deeply entangled in worldly affairs, lest it hinder their ascension. Thus, he refrains from using his arts unless absolutely necessary. If that is the case, what if the Great Master fails to gain an audience with the Emperor…”
Chu Cong waved his hand. “Do not worry. Once the Great Master arrives in Jianping, someone in the Imperial Household Department will recommend him.”
The adviser was both surprised and delighted. “Is that so!”
Seeing his trusted adviser’s expression, Chu Cong knew there had been a misunderstanding and explained, “It is not that officials in the Imperial Household are working for our Princess. Rather, to secure their positions under the new Emperor, they must find ways to curry favor with the young sovereign.” He continued, “The reason Yuan Yanshi intends to support the Ninth Princess is simply that she is young and easily controlled. However, those who are too young often lack firmness of will and can be swayed by external temptations. Our Princess has sent people to Jianping to heavily bribe the new Emperor’s close aides, driving a wedge between her and her court officials. When the time comes, we may well be able to follow our Princess into the Taiqi Palace without shedding a single drop of blood!”
In the small resting quarters for palace servants within the Western Yong Palace, Chi Yi and Zhang Luo, both trusted by the Emperor and now holding official positions, had managed to secure a private area suitable for conversation within these multi-occupancy lodgings.
They sat on either side of a wooden desk, staring silently at the box containing thirty-two gold pieces placed atop it.
Zhang Luo clenched his fist, as if about to slam it on the table, but was stopped by Chi Yi’s sharp gaze.
Zhang Luo, who was usually all smiles, now wore a rare expression of anger that twisted his features into something almost ferocious. “The Imperial Household has gone too far!”
Chi Yi replied calmly, “It is precisely because the Imperial Household has overstepped that the Emperor intends to use us as her guard dogs.”
In the Great Zhou, the role of the Imperial Household Department was to manage the Emperor’s personal possessions. Throughout successive reigns, every emperor had private accounts unsuitable for official records, and the flow of these funds was handled exclusively by the Imperial Household.
Zhang Luo fumed, “Now that Her Majesty has ascended the throne, how dare the Imperial Household presume so much, even without explicit instructions?”
Under normal circumstances, even if the Emperor did not explicitly request funds that were inconvenient to record, officials in the Imperial Household should have anticipated such needs and made preparations in advance. Yet, when Wen Yanran needed to make private rewards, she had to rely on the savings she had accumulated as a princess. The mere thought of this set Zhang Luo’s heart boiling with rage.
In truth, he had some inkling of the reasons. The Director of the Imperial Household would never dare to intentionally obstruct the Emperor. However, Wen Yanran had been on the throne for only a short time, and certain matters had not yet been fully transferred. Moreover, the Director likely hoped that the Emperor would also rely on the longstanding palace staff, which led to this slight display of presumption.
Realizing that the Director had acted this way partly to compete for favor with him and Chi Yi, Zhang Luo found it utterly intolerable that the Director would adopt such a presumptuous stance.
Chi Yi’s expression was equally frosty as she said slowly, “The Director holds a critical position and must be firmly under the Emperor’s control.” She looked at Zhang Luo and added, “Those in the palace may have their own ambitions, but they must never let those ambitions cause difficulties for Her Majesty.”
Zhang Luo met Chi Yi’s gaze and nodded solemnly. He fetched a bowl of hot soup, bit his finger, and let his blood drip into it.
Wen Yanran did not drink alcohol herself, and her close attendants, influenced by her, also abstained from keeping any wine or liquor.
Chi Yi followed suit, biting her finger and letting her blood drip into the bowl as well. Each then drank half of the soup. Though no words were spoken aloud, this act served as a blood oath sealing their alliance.
Across the twenty-one provinces of the realm, countless people lay awake each night because of Wen Yanran. Yet, as the very subject of others’ intense scrutiny, she herself slept quite soundly – likely worn out from her daily exercises.
In the early morning, the palace staff who had risen at dawn were already sweeping away the accumulated snow on the grounds.
Having just woken up, Wen Yanran felt the soreness in her muscles and felt a flicker of gratitude that she was now the Emperor. No matter the hour, there would always be attendants nearby to assist her with daily activities.
There was no court session to attend today. After drinking some hot soup, Wen Yanran directly had her procession set out for the Tianfu Palace, unabashedly claiming a space within the State Preceptor’s residence and sharing his morning meal.
By now, Wen Jingmei no longer regarded this uninvited sovereign with a look that said, “Why has Your Majesty come?” or “Why has Your Majesty come again?” – clearly, he had grown accustomed to it.
And truth be told, it was no wonder the Emperor frequented Tianfu Palace so often. The substantial funds and provisions previously obtained from Ji Yue had been discreetly transported into Jianzhou under the pretext of case investigations by trusted imperial guards under Zhong Zhiwei, on Wen Yanran’s orders. These resources were now stored within Tianfu Palace.
Stockpiling resources unsuitable for public disclosure was, in fact, one of the key functions of Tianfu Palace. Typically, this secret would only be revealed by the State Preceptor once the Emperor reached adulthood and began to rule personally. However, after Wen Yanran uncovered the palace’s unique role through spoilers in the comment section, Wen Jingmei candidly disclosed the full details of Tianfu Palace to avoid arousing the Emperor’s suspicions.
After the morning meal, Wen Yanran took the opportunity to ask her distant cousin whether he had decided whom to recommend for official positions.
Wen Jingmei replied with some helplessness, “Those across the land willing to serve Your Majesty are as numerous as carp swimming across a river, yet the Taoist officials within Tianfu Palace are mostly those who found no path to office elsewhere…”
Wen Yanran refrained from voicing her true thoughts – “Yes, precisely, I intend to fill the court with those unfit to be officials.” Instead, she smiled and said, “Those deemed unsuitable as officials by others may not be unsuitable as officials for me.”
“I came today because there is a matter I wish to discuss with you.”
Wen Jingmei said, “Your Majesty, please speak.”
Wen Yanran flipped idly through a casual book in her hands. “I share a harmonious sibling bond with the Marquis of Quanling, yet petty individuals have meddled, sowing discord within the imperial family. Whenever I reflect on this, I am often filled with regret.”
Wen Jingmei fell silent for a moment.
The Emperor had made the key point of the matter abundantly clear.
There were petty individuals around the Marquis of Quanling. Since they were petty, they must have engaged in unlawful acts. To restore harmony between the siblings, the Emperor needed to step in and eliminate these petty figures around the Marquis. By doing so, Wen Jinming would be left without supporters and naturally unable to stir up any trouble.
The Emperor’s words today clearly indicated that she was already contemplating how to strip her sibling of their influence.
Wen Jingmei could only advise, “Your Majesty, do not worry. The Marquis of Quanling has always been known for their virtue and may come to understand Your Majesty’s intentions.”
Wen Yanran slowly turned a page of the book in her hands and nodded. “You are right. She will certainly come to understand.”
Wen Jingmei said, “Since Your Majesty intends to show kindness to your sibling, why not consult with the important ministers at court?”
Wen Yanran smiled faintly. “You mean the Grand Tutor and others?” She shook her head. “I already know what the Grand Tutor and the others would say, so there is no need to ask further.”
Had someone else uttered these words, Wen Jingmei would not have believed them. But now, he simply said, “Your Majesty understands people deeply.”
Wen Yanran replied, “Grand Tutor Yuan and the others are men of virtue and integrity. Naturally, they would advise me that it is better to remain still than to act.” She smiled. “Since the Mandate of Heaven rests with me, as long as I remain as steady as a mountain, they will bring chaos upon themselves.”
Wen Jingmei couldn’t help but want to ask: What would be so bad about them bringing chaos upon themselves?
He pondered that Wen Yanran was a sovereign who desired events to unfold according to her will. Others might not perceive it, but as a close minister who frequently interacted with her, Wen Jingmei could sense her strong intention to consolidate power.
Perhaps the Emperor wished to use this matter to scheme for something more.
In reality, Wen Yanran’s true intentions differed somewhat from Wen Jingmei’s speculation.
Wen Yanran believed that since the Fourth Princess coveted the throne, she would inevitably keep probing for information from Jianjing and seek ways to infiltrate the palace restrictions.
The Imperial Guards had already been disciplined and, for the time being, were unlikely to be easily manipulated by the Fourth Princess. All factors considered, Wen Jinming would most likely target the Imperial Household Department, whose members had relatively weaker resolve.
Those who could be successfully swayed by the Fourth Princess were certainly not individuals of unwavering loyalty. Wen Yanran thought to herself that she must not lose to her rival, but she also hoped to use this opportunity to sow some seeds of instability within her own reign.
Wen Yanran closed the book and placed it casually on the shelf – she hoped that after the reconciliation meal she had arranged, the officials in the Imperial Household would resolve her concerns for her.
