The first person to discover Zhang Jian’s death was Xu Lin, Empress Dowager Xu’s younger brother. He had arranged to meet Zhang Jian the next day but waited in vain. He sent someone to check quietly and found corpses strewn everywhere.
The people who killed Zhang Jian and his entourage didn’t bother to hide the bodies; they left them lying there blatantly. When the Xu family saw this scene, they dared not even shout and fled back to the Xu Mansion, terrified. Xu Lin was so frightened that he first ordered someone to check if anyone was following them, then had them surround him, fearing that someone might suddenly appear and kill him.
It was his advisor who reminded him, “No matter how bold they are, they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly against Lord Marquis. Quickly go to the palace and inform Her Majesty and His Majesty.”
Xu Lin hastily cleaned himself up and went to the palace. He was on edge the entire way. There were only a few people in the capital who dared to do such things, and there was no need to guess who they were. Halfway there, someone greeted him, “Is that Marquis Xu ahead?”
It was Fu Mingzheng. He was dressed in civilian clothes but had a long blade at his waist, smiling amiably and accompanied by only a few men, yet emitting a strong murderous intent. Xu Lin shrank in the sedan chair, too scared to say anything, letting his attendant answer, “No, our Marquis isn’t here.”
Fu Mingzheng approached and peered into the sedan, laughing, “Really? Then who’s inside?”
Xu Lin huddled in fear, sweating profusely, afraid that Fu Mingzheng would mercilessly pull back the curtain and drag him out. But Fu Mingzheng just made a passing remark and didn’t act. He sighed, “What a pity. I haven’t seen older brother for a long time. I wanted to invite him for a drink.” With that, he leisurely continued on his way, arrogantly and despicably.
Xu Lin was afraid that Fu Mingzheng might change his mind, so he ordered his men to change routes and desperately urged them forward until they couldn’t see Fu Mingzheng anymore. Only then did he dare to stick his head out, feeling as if he had just been fished out of the water, drenched all over.
Empress Dowager Xu was puzzled by his distressed appearance, “Even if Fu Mingzheng killed Zhang Jian, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you. Why are you so afraid? Didn’t many people receive money and gifts from Zhang Jian? Even Huayang Wang accepted them. If worst comes to worst, just withdraw. What are you afraid of?”
Xu Lin whispered, “He must know about the conversation between Zhang Jian and us.”
Empress Dowager Xu remained silent for a long time before saying, “It’s just a matter of whether His Majesty will go to Weishui to accept surrender. If they refuse to go, then we won’t go either.”
Xu Lin’s upper and lower teeth clattered together, “I, I told Zhang Jian that as long as they ensure that person never returns, we’ll share power with him across the river…”
Empress Dowager Xu’s face also turned pale. “You… you…”
Xu Lin burst into tears. “I’m just worried about you and His Majesty. Must we let others dictate to us? Whenever there’s a chance, we must seize it.”
The Xu family wasn’t prominent; they had no background. They were only fortunate because they had a beautiful daughter who was selected to enter the palace, caught the eye of Emperor Zhengqian, and bore a prince. This gradually elevated their status. However, when Empress Dowager Min rose to power, all the concubines and princes and princesses were confined to the Yihe Palace. The Xu family suffered too, until Yuwen Guang ascended the throne and Empress Dowager Xu became the dowager. Following the usual practice of rewarding the relatives, he granted Xu Lin the title of marquis. In terms of power and wealth, they had none, and Xu Lin lacked foresight and strategy.
After hearing Xu Lin’s words, Empress Dowager Xu began to cry as well, repeatedly saying, “Quickly go and summon His Majesty.”
Yuwen Guang had started to grow taller. His slender body was wrapped in a beige robe, and his small face looked even more desolate. Seeing his mother and uncle crying, he didn’t seem surprised. “What’s wrong? Has someone bullied you?”
Xu Lin cried, “Exactly!” He exaggeratedly recounted the news of Zhang Jian’s death and their encounter with Fu Mingzheng on the road to Yuwen Guang, saying fiercely, “This happened in the capital! Under the Emperor’s nose! They dared to kill people like this! It’s outrageous. His Majesty should decree severe punishment; there must be an explanation. Otherwise, we’ll be next.”
Yuwen Guang listened quietly, then smiled. “Uncle, do you think I and Mother are pitiful?”
Without hesitation, Xu Lin nodded. “Yes.”
“And then?” He stared at Xu Lin. “Although Uncle scolds the Fu family for being rampant, you envy them, don’t you?”
Xu Lin hesitated to reply, “In this world, it belongs to His Majesty. As His Majesty’s uncle, I should receive respect and honor…”
“Uncle is not wrong.” Yuwen Guang said softly, “It’s tempting. Who doesn’t want to be glorified and influential? The problem is, what do we use to achieve that? We have nothing, know nothing, and who would listen to us? I’ve been thinking about it these past few days. Yuwen Feng is not sincere; it’s a trap. If we really agree with him, we’ll have nowhere to hide.”
“Traitors and villains…” Xu Lin started to say.
Yuwen Guang stood up. “Enough, that’s it.”
Seeing him about to leave, Xu Lin quickly signaled to Empress Dowager Xu, who grabbed him and begged, “Please, save your uncle at least.”
Yuwen Guang frowned. “What’s wrong with him?”
Empress Dowager Xu was vague in her words until Yuwen Guang shouted at her, then she told the truth. Yuwen Guang fell silent for a long time before grimacing and saying, “Although I am not talented, I have not reached this point! Divide and rule? Is that person so easy to kill? It’s ridiculous that you even thought of it, and believed it!”
Xu Lin’s face turned ashen as he tried to defend, “Although His Majesty is young, he is very wise, and with time, who says it’s impossible?”
Yuwen Guang didn’t respond to him and went back to Chongzheng Hall, instructing Jiang Youyuan, “Convey my decree, summon the Regent Wangfei to the palace immediately for an audience.”
When the decree reached the Regent’s Mansion, Mingzhu calmly changed her clothes, dressed up, and followed the eunuch into the palace. Since Zhang Jian’s death, she had been waiting for this moment, so she wasn’t afraid at all.
Yuwen Guang didn’t meet her in the Chongzheng Hall but in Changxin Palace. Without its master, Changxin Palace had lost its vitality. Even the leaves on the trees seemed desolate. Yuwen Guang sat behind the desk where his great-grandmother, the Great Empress Dowager, used to sit, and smiled at Mingzhu, motioning for her to rise. “You don’t need to be so formal, Sixth Aunt. Today, we’re just talking about family matters.”
Mingzhu still performed a formal bow before sitting down on the embroidered stool. With a smile, she asked Yuwen Guang, “I wonder what His Majesty commands?”
Yuwen Guang said, “Today, I had some free time and wandered around. When I came here, I suddenly remembered my grandmother, so I came in to reminisce and think of the past. Do you remember when you used to play with us brothers before you married Sixth Uncle? We had good times together, don’t you think?”
As Yuwen Guang mentioned the past, Mingzhu felt a twinge of melancholy. “I remember.”
Yuwen Guang continued, “Times change, and in the blink of an eye, all my brothers have gone to see our father underground, leaving only me.”
