Half a Spoiler Chapter 24

Winter nights always fell early. Just after five, lanterns and candles were already lit throughout the palace.

The news of Yan Xiaolou storming into Marquis Dong’s residence and beheading Xuanyangzi had spread through Jianping at an astonishing speed. Officials, led by Grand Tutor Yuan, were both shocked and unable to remain idle at home. Seizing the moment before the curfew, they entered the palace together to seek an audience with the Emperor.

The gates of the Western Yong Palace were wide open, the hall brightly illuminated. Palace attendants stood in silence on both sides, their heads bowed, creating an atmosphere of solemnity both inside and outside.

Wen Yanran browsed through the day’s reports casually and asked, “Has the Grand Tutor and the others arrived yet?”

Zhang Luo replied, “They have already reached the central gate.”

Without lifting her gaze from the reports, Wen Yanran instructed, “The night wind is chilly – take care that the elders do not catch cold.”

Zhang Luo bowed and replied with a light chuckle, “Vice Commissioner Chi has gone to receive them. She is meticulous and will surely not neglect the esteemed ministers.”

The palace officials were well-informed about the situation within the palace grounds. At that very moment, the court officials had just reached the central gate, led by Grand Tutor Yuan. Accompanying him, aside from Wang Qishi and others, were court ministers such as Lu Yuanguang, He Tingyun, and Zheng Yinchuan, who had always been more aligned with the Emperor.

Lu Yuanguang’s eyes held three parts worry but seven parts confusion.

In her view, if the Emperor possessed the ability to discern subtle signs, how could she suddenly act with such brutality?

With Wen Yanran’s capabilities, if she held any ill intentions toward Xuanyangzi, she could have easily ensured he met a disastrous end without a trace. There was no need for such a conspicuous display, provoking ministers to rush to the imperial palace in alarm.

Moreover, regardless of the circumstances, the Emperor’s actions were indeed too contrary to the prevailing moral standards of the time. Any official who valued their reputation felt compelled to come and advise her.

Their request to see the Emperor was met without any obstruction. Vice Commissioner Chi, as if fully prepared, directly escorted Grand Tutor Yuan and the others to the Western Yong Palace.

Although it was already evening, the path was brilliantly illuminated, so much so that the brightness was almost dazzling.

Grand Tutor Yuan’s steps unconsciously slowed for a moment as he observed this scene. As someone who frequently entered the palace, how could he not notice that additional stone lanterns had been specially set up today?

When they reached the entrance of the hall, He Tingyun suddenly halted. She noticed that the main gate of the front hall of the Western Yong Palace was wide open, and the Emperor was already seated inside, her expression not as amiable as in the past.

Bound by the principles of sovereign and subject, the court officials could not confront the Emperor the moment they entered. They first paid their respects according to protocol before beginning their admonitions. An Attendant stepped forward first, without unnecessary words, and straightforwardly removed his official cap, requesting that the Emperor provide an explanation to the court officials regarding the day’s events.

Wen Yanran could not claim to recognize every official in Jianping who was qualified to attend court sessions, but she was familiar with the important figures. For instance, the Attendant before her was from the prominent Song clan of Jianzhou – a family of generations of eminence, whose words and actions carried significant weight.

Following Attendant Song’s lead, many officials removed their caps and knelt in protest. Had Wen Yanran not already established a degree of authority, the situation might have been even more severe.

Wen Yanran’s gaze lingered on Attendant Song for a moment before slowly shifting to the other court officials. After a long pause, she suddenly smiled and asked, “In the view of my esteemed ministers, what kind of person was that Xuanyangzi?”

Attendant Song responded defiantly, “Even if he were but a commoner, one cannot kill him arbitrarily simply because he refused the imperial summons!”

A Censor then spoke, his wording comparatively measured. “May Your Majesty clarify -when Deputy General Yan broke into the residence and killed today, was he acting on his own authority, or had Your Majesty issued an explicit decree?”

Chi Yi glanced up slightly, casting a look at the censor who had spoken.

Wen Yanran did not directly address the officials’ question. In such a situation, admitting outright that she had wanted Xuanyangzi dead would be like pouring oil on the fire. If she claimed Yan Xiaolou had acted on his own initiative, it would be tantamount to pushing him forward to take the blame.

The censor’s question was, in a way, an attempt to offer the Emperor a way out. Yet, even if Yan Xiaolou himself did not mind and was willing to continue serving the Emperor afterward, others – seeing the fate of this Deputy General of the Outer Guards – would inevitably hesitate when carrying out the Emperor’s orders in the future.

Wen Yanran spoke, “Minister He.”

Upon hearing the emperor call her name, He Tingyun immediately stepped forward. “Here.”

Wen Yanran said slowly, “According to the Zhou Code, what punishment is prescribed for the crime of ‘using sorcery to harm others’?”

“Using sorcery to harm others” was a charge related to supernatural practices. In Great Zhou, offenses such as cursing others to cause harm were uniformly categorized under this charge. Its enforcement was relatively flexible: if the Emperor herself was inclined toward seeking immortality, the court generally would not arrest Taoists who claimed to possess extraordinary arts.

He Tingyun replied, “The punishment is execution, and the crime is unforgivable.”

Wen Yanran gave a slight nod. The next moment, Zhang Luo stepped forward into the hall holding a tray and stood before the steps.

“These are the confessions of Zhao Ju’s disciples.”

Due to the limited time, the testimonies obtained from the prison were still relatively general, only confirming that Xuanyangzi was not a virtuous master with genuine cultivation but a scoundrel who traveled around deceiving others.

Attendant Song, still kneeling on the ground, spoke, “…If this Zhao Ju used the name of an immortal to engage in unlawful activities, why did Your Majesty initially bestow gold and summon him?”

It was no wonder the court officials were skeptical. The scene truly seemed as if the Emperor, having carelessly created an irretrievable situation, was now forcibly pinning a crime on someone to save face.

According to Great Zhou’s customs, the emperor’s attire was predominantly dark in color. Seated in the hall in black robes, though not particularly imposing in stature, Wen Yanran inexplicably conveyed the majestic aura of a perilous peak shrouded in night.

Perhaps due to the harsh winter cold, the candlelight cast a stark, chilling glow on the emperor’s profile. Wen Yanran slowly swept her gaze over the officials in the hall and spoke deliberately, “Had he come for the gold, he would have been nothing but a petty thief seeking wealth and power. But by refusing the summons, he revealed ambitions of a grand traitor seeking to steal the state.”

Every word was enunciated clearly. To Attendant Song, they resonated like thunderclaps exploding beside him.

In truth, Xuanyangzi was merely a Taoist. No matter how many mystical tales surrounded him, he was insignificant compared to the Emperor. The ministers had come today simply to demand an explanation from the Emperor regarding the imperial guards breaking into a marquis’s residence and killing his guest.

Now that the Emperor was complying with their intent and elaborating on her perspective, the court officials felt only their hearts pounding like frantic drums.

Wen Yanran suddenly smiled and spoke unhurriedly, “He frequented the homes of nobles and associated with scions of influential families. If Zhao Ju truly had no desire to enter the palace, he need not have traveled all the way to Jianping. Since he came yet refused the summons, it was merely because he felt the manner in which he was invited did not match the reputation of the Great Master Xuanyang.” She looked at the officials in the hall, the smile at her lips growing more pronounced. “A fraud, wishing to enter the palace as an immortal and stand alongside all of you in the court – what exactly was he seeking?” She paused, then asked, “Do any of my esteemed ministers have guidance for me?”

The court officials fell silent once more. After a long pause, the previously vocal Attendant spoke again. “Why did Your Majesty not send someone to arrest him and bring him to the Grand Court of Revision for thorough interrogation? Handling the matter according to the law would have spared damage to Your Majesty’s reputation.”

Wen Yanran smiled. “This man managed to deceive officials into abandoning their posts to follow him, addressing him as ‘Great Master’ and serving him as disciples. That proves his ability to bewitch people’s minds.” She added, “Since arriving in Jianping, Xuanyangzi has built countless connections – first to create momentum, and second to secure an escape route. A mere Grand Court of Revision would hardly have been enough to contain him.” She continued, “Deputy General Yan is loyal and straightforward, acting without regard for his own safety. He would not be swayed by words; no matter how eloquently that fraud might have spoken, it would not have given him pause.”

Attendant Song fell silent. As a veteran minister, he understood that the Emperor’s words were not without reason.

The Great Zhou dynasty had been established for a long time, and with each generation, the number of influential noble families grew. These families occupied the most elite resources of the entire realm and had a high probability of obtaining official positions. As a result, while the upper echelon of court officials was highly capable, the lower echelon was surprisingly incompetent. Coupled with the prevailing social climate, given Xuanyangzi’s current popularity, if the Grand Court of Revision had been tasked with arresting him, it was highly likely that he would have received advance notice and slipped away quietly. For the powerful local clans, harboring criminals was nothing new. If Xuanyangzi had indeed managed to escape, it would have meant trampling on the Emperor’s authority while elevating Zhao Ju’s own prestige to new heights.

Thus, dispatching the imperial guards, who acted with relentless determination and without regard for their own safety, to arrest him with thunderous force turned out to be the most appropriate method.

Tao Su, the Minister of Justice, had also been present in the front hall all along. He had initially kept a low profile, blending into the background, but given the critical nature of the institution under his jurisdiction, he found himself repeatedly implicated in the discussion. Eventually, he had no choice but to step forward, remove his official cap, and bow in acknowledgment of his fault.

Wen Yanran leaned back in her chair and smiled. “Minister Tao, you may rise. It is due to my own lack of authority and virtue, and has nothing to do with you.”

Tao Su felt a layer of cold sweat break out on his back. The Emperor had instructed him to rise, and he dared not disobey, yet her remark about her “lack of authority and virtue” made him feel that standing there was an extremely perilous act.

As a court official whose personal integrity aligned well with the standards of the era, Attendant Song felt less intense fear than Tao Su and others, but his sense of shock was just as profound. He had been silently pondering until he suddenly spoke up, “I understand now!” Turning to the other ministers, he declared, “If every court official had strictly adhered to the laws and norms, and the Emperor had still acted in this manner, it would have been the Emperor’s fault. But now, with many officials being deceived by unscrupulous individuals, the Emperor had no choice but to employ the imperial guards to act beyond conventional bounds – this is the failure of the ministers!”

As a man of principle, his words carried immense weight. Even Yuan Yanshi, upon hearing this, could no longer remain seated. He had to stand up and bow to the Emperor, preparing to acknowledge his fault.

Facing the senior minister appointed by the late emperor, Wen Yanran’s tone softened, “Grand Tutor, there is no need for this. How can a three-foot layer of ice form in a single day?” She continued, “With the new era name soon to be adopted, I ask the Grand Tutor to clarify my expectations to the officials and use this as a warning for the future.”

Yuan Yanshi felt a stir of apprehension within.

The Emperor’s words were, in effect, demanding that he help suppress dissent among the court officials. Due to the late emperor’s exceptional talent for attracting resentment, Yuan Yanshi, despite being a high-ranking minister, had seldom made enemies and had instead maintained a reputation for amiability.

However, with the new ruler in power, Yuan Yanshi could no longer uphold his former working habits. Judging by Wen Yanran’s actions since ascending the throne, the young emperor possessed a sharp and decisive temperament, yet did not appear reckless. With the ability to recognize virtue and talent, she was by no means someone easily controlled.

Under the watchful eyes of all the senior ministers in the hall, Yuan Yanshi had no choice but to bow and assent.

Under normal circumstances, the outcome of today’s events would have required either the Emperor to take the blame or the imperial guards to shoulder it on her behalf. Yet Wen Yanran had forcefully carved out a third path – the court officials willingly took the blame upon themselves, and they did so without resentment.

Just then, an official from the Oblique Dungeon arrived and presented several more detailed confessions.

Wen Yanran smiled and said, “All ministers, please be seated. Let us examine together the origins of this ‘Great Master Xuanyang.’”

She casually picked up the confession papers. No one noticed that the Emperor, who had been the picture of composure, momentarily froze as her eyes fell upon a particular line of text.