Chapter 253 Chaos
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The next morning, Xiao Jue did not return.
Xiao Jing also went into the palace, leaving Bai Rongwei and He Yan in the mansion. Bai Rongwei was now with child, and He Yan didn’t want her to worry about palace matters. After the maidservant helped Bai Rongwei into the room to rest, He Yan sat alone in the courtyard, waiting for Xiao Jue to return.
When Xiao Jue returned, it was already evening.
The sky had darkened, lanterns were lit in the courtyard, and He Yan was sitting at the table, absentmindedly reading a book. Seeing him return from outside, with the dew of the night on him and a somewhat somber expression, she quickly stood up and approached, asking, “How is it?”
Xiao Jue placed Drinking Autumn on the table, took off his outer garment, paused for a moment, then said, “The national mourning will happen in three days.”
“So fast?” He Yan was surprised.
“Not only that, the late emperor left a posthumous edict. Four consorts and twenty palace maids will be buried with him.”
“That’s impossible!” He Yan blurted out.
While historical records did mention the burying of women with the emperor in the past, this practice had long been abolished before the late emperor ascended the throne. It was considered too cruel and was abolished during the reign of the previous emperor. Besides, the late emperor, although lacking in political achievements, was known for his kindness and tolerance. He would never leave such a decree.
“Among the consorts to be buried, there is Noble Consort Lan,” Xiao Jue said coldly.
He Yan suddenly understood, “Are you suggesting that this edict is fake?”
Noble Consort Lan had enjoyed the late emperor’s favor for many years, and now that he was gone, no one could protect her. Using a fake edict to remove this thorn in their side seemed entirely plausible.
“If all the edicts are fake…” He Yan looked up at Xiao Jue, her eyes flickering, “Have you seen His Majesty yourself?”
Xiao Jue looked at her. “No.”
He Yan felt her heart skip a beat.
Without seeing His Majesty in person, it was impossible to confirm whether the late emperor had truly died of illness. If it was something else…
“I asked the eunuch who was present in the sleeping chamber at that time. Before His Majesty fell asleep, he had met the Fourth Prince.”
“That coincidental?” He Yan frowned. If the Fourth Prince had plotted against the late emperor, there was no apparent reason.
“After the national mourning, there will be the enthronement ceremony,” Xiao Jue sat down on a chair. “The Crown Prince is ascending.”
“This is not a good thing,” He Yan’s voice lowered.
Before the official decree for changing the heir was issued, the late emperor’s passing and the Crown Prince’s enthronement were not set in stone. Even if the Crown Prince succeeded, the situation for the Xiao family would be far from optimistic.
Seeing He Yan’s worried expression, Xiao Jue instead raised the corner of his mouth, comforting her, “Don’t worry. I will visit the Fourth Prince’s residence tomorrow.”
“You…”
He didn’t say anything, just calmly looked at He Yan. In an instant, He Yan understood. She lowered her head, silent for a moment. Then she lifted her head again, placed her hand on the back of Xiao Jue’s hand, and spoke with determination, “Go.”
…
Emperor Wenxuan passed away, and the national mourning lasted for twenty-seven days. During the mourning period, the courtiers were forbidden from banquets, drinking, and entertainment. On the selected date, three days later, they would enter the imperial tomb.
The court was in chaos due to the argument over the late emperor’s edict about “burial.” The fiercest opposition came from the Fourth Prince, Guangshuo, and the Fifth Prince, Guangji, mainly because both Noble Consort Lan and Lady Ni were among those designated for burial. Guangji, being young, only cried and wailed, while Guangshuo, with the backing of the censorate, opposed it vehemently, only to be rejected by Guangyan using the excuse of “complying with the edict.”
At the moment, it seemed that Guangyan had secured the throne, but in the unpredictable world, nothing was certain until the enthronement ceremony was held. Even if he became the emperor, history had shown emperors being dethroned after a brief reign.
Everyone in the court was feeling insecure, and for a while, rumors were rife.
Amidst the chaos, Guangyan, as the Crown Prince, temporarily handled all court affairs. His first act was to release the Wutuo envoys who had been under house arrest. He also ordered to allow Wutuo to seek peace and even intended to permit Wutuo people to establish a trading post in Great Wei.
This decree stirred up the entire court.
If he had attempted this earlier, although there might have been some opposition among the courtiers, it wouldn’t have been so intense. However, after the incident at Tianxing Terrace, knowing the ambitions of the Wutuo people, Guangyan’s insistence on pursuing peace was truly disheartening.
The reports from the censor continued to pile up on the Crown Prince’s desk, all thrown into the wastebasket by Guangyan seemingly determined on this matter, ignoring all protests. The common people of Shuojing City were unaware of the intricacies of the situation, and most civil officials advocated for moderation. Only the military commanders, each resentful yet powerless—long ago, Xu Jingfu had already allowed civil officials to dominate under Emperor Wenxuan’s favor, and now the position of military commanders was far less significant compared to civil officials.
In the residence of Shi Jinbo, Chu Zhao looked at the long letter in his hand.
After a moment, he crumpled the letter in his hand, and the paper was crushed into a ball, indicating his complicated and somewhat angry mood at the moment.
He rarely had such moments. Seeing this, his confidant asked cautiously, “Fourth Young Master…”
Chu Zhao threw the letter into the brazier, pressed his forehead.
Although he had long known that Guangyan was a brainless fool, he hadn’t expected him to be so audacious. Even if he lacked brains, he never thought Guangyan could be so recklessly daring. He had indeed warned Guangyan that regicide was unwise, but Guangyan went ahead and did it anyway. Perhaps Empress Zhang and her maternal family had played a role behind the scenes; otherwise, everything wouldn’t have progressed so smoothly.
“Fourth Young Master, in three days, the emperor will be buried in the imperial tomb, and the Crown Prince will ascend soon. Isn’t that good news for the Fourth Young Master?” After all, with Xu Jingfu gone, some of Xu Jingfu’s people had joined Chu Zhao. In a way, Chu Zhao was also aligned with the Crown Prince. Once the Crown Prince ascended, the future of the Fourth Young Master would only get better.
Chu Zhao chuckled, his eyes devoid of warmth, “He won’t become the emperor.”
His confidant raised his head, “This…”
“He is too eager. If it weren’t for that edict, there might have been a chance to turn the situation around. But with that burial edict, he has only hastened his own demise.” Despite uttering these treasonous words, Chu Zhao’s eyes showed no signs of fear. It was as if he was discussing someone who wasn’t a royal figure.
“That edict must be fake. I just don’t know if it’s the Crown Prince’s doing or the Fourth Prince’s. If it’s the Crown Prince, he is not only foolish but also laughably self-proclaimed clever. If it’s the Fourth Prince…” Chu Zhao smiled faintly, “In any case, the Crown Prince won’t be his match.”
“Are you suggesting that before entering the imperial tomb…”
“Noble Consort Lan is to be buried, and the Fourth Prince won’t allow it. Before entering the imperial tomb, before ascending, that position won’t be secured.”
Even now, although Chu Zhao’s words were shocking, his expression showed little turbulence, as if he had long anticipated everything.
His confidant was uneasy, “Fourth Young Master, if the Crown Prince is not worth following, what do we do now?”
Following the Fourth Prince now might be too late, and besides, they had too few chips. They had no capital to negotiate with the Fourth Prince.
Chu Zhao looked out the window.
Despite being spring, the weather was unexpectedly cold. He used to follow Xu Jingfu, and with Guangyan under Xu Jingfu’s watchful eye, Chu Zhao might have had a stable position. However, Guangyan, without Xu Jingfu, no matter how long it took, Guangshuo was not his match.
A day’s enemy could become a lifelong foe. Sometimes Chu Zhao felt that he should thank Xiao Jue. Because of Xiao Jue, he gained his freedom.
But at the same time, he lost everything.
Now following Guangyan meant going down a dark path. But if he were to follow Guangshuo now… At best, he could only barely survive, and everything gained through Xu Jingfu would be lost in an instant.
Fate was cruel to him, for the path opposite the dark one was not necessarily bright. Comparing the two, it was not a matter of abandoning one for a brilliant path but rather weighing the losses.
He stood up, “I’ll go to the Fourth Prince’s residence.”
…
The night in Jinling was still as bustling as usual.
In the Cloud Pavilion, due to the national mourning, few people came. The young ladies had stopped playing the qin early, just sitting in the building.
Youhua Fairy had changed into plain clothes. Although the national mourning did not strictly require plain clothes for the common people, it was better not to make any mistakes at this time.
The night had fallen, and it was evening. The rain, which had stopped for a while, started again. Youhua Fairy, holding the last pack of red bean pastries bought from Guangfu Restaurant, found shelter under the eaves of a tea house by the Qinhuai River to avoid the rain. As she stood there, she noticed a familiar figure turning the corner.
“Lord Yang?” Youhua Fairy couldn’t help calling out.
The man turned his head, wearing a sandalwood-colored robe, with a refined appearance. It was indeed Yang Mingzhi, the governor of Jinling.
Seeing Youhua Fairy, Yang Mingzhi was also slightly surprised. He should have just returned from outside, without an umbrella, and most of his clothes were soaked. After a brief hesitation, he walked over to Youhua Fairy, stopped by her side, and said, “Miss Youhua.”
Youhua Fairy smiled and looked outside, “It seems the rain won’t stop for a while. How about sitting down and having a cup of tea? We can wait for the rain to stop before leaving.”
After a moment of contemplation, Yang Mingzhi nodded.
During the national mourning, he held an official position, and he couldn’t drink alcohol. He ordered a pot of clear tea and a few snacks. The tea house was located by the Qinhuai River, with open windows providing a view of the boats on the river, their lights flickering in the rain. In this curtain of rain, they looked like dim stars in the night.
“It seems that every time I meet Lord Yang, it’s always by yourself,” Youhua Fairy said with a smile.
Although Yang Mingzhi was the governor of Jinling, he was unlike the previous governor. He didn’t like ostentation when traveling, so even after being the governor for several years, not everyone in Jinling recognized him.
Yang Mingzhi lowered his head and smiled, not saying anything.
Youhua Fairy was somewhat curious. When she first saw these young men at the Cloud Pavilion years ago, her impression of them was particularly deep due to shared experiences. Although Yang Mingzhi was not as stunning as Commander Xiao, not as free-spirited as Young Master Yan, and not as well-connected as Master Lin, among the group of young men, he was still handsome and remarkable, exuding a certain charm. However, upon their reunion, although he was now the governor of Jinling, he seemed more silent and less spirited compared to the past.
“Lord Yang, do you know that not long ago, Young Master Xiao got married?” Youhua Fairy picked up the tea and took a sip. “I sent a congratulatory gift on behalf of myself and Cai Lian. Lord Yang must be busy with official duties, probably without time to attend. Speaking of which, Young Master Xiao may seem indifferent, but he treats Miss He exceptionally well.”
Thinking of this, Youhua Fairy also felt a bit emotional. At that time, she had discerned that He Yan was a woman, and Xiao Jue’s care for her was evident. However, she hadn’t expected these two to get married so quickly. It seemed that fate was truly mysterious. If it was the right person, it didn’t take ten or eight years to discern true feelings.
Yang Mingzhi lowered his head, looking at the tea cup in front of him, paused for a moment, and then said, “Yes.”
However, his inner feelings were not as calm as they appeared.
In fact, Xiao Jue did not invite him. Of course, he did not expect to receive an invitation from Xiao Jue. Since many years ago, the brotherly bond between him and Xiao Jue had probably dissipated.
Back then…
Yang Mingzhi turned his head, looking at the river outside the window. The river flowed gently and cold, carrying the boats on its surface slowly, as it had done many years ago.
Many years ago, he was still a student at Xianchang Academy, unaware of the dangers of the world and ignorant of the sufferings of the world. He had genuine friends who shared common ideals and were generous and righteous. He once believed that the friendships of young people should be long-lasting.
Until the Xiao family’s incident.
He was anxious and agreed to help. When he returned home to find his Father, who had always praised Xiao Jue in front of him, he was surprised to be outright refused.
At that time, Yang Mingzhi was very puzzled. Kneeling down to plead, it was probably because his Father found his attitude too resolute, finally, his Father revealed the truth.
It turned out that his Father had always been associated with Xu Jingfu. The entire Yang family had been taken care of by Xu Jingfu.
“If you help him, you will harm the Yang family.” His Father stood in front of him, shaking his head. “You choose.”
The young man fell to the ground, full of confusion. He didn’t understand why his Father, who always preached about the upright spirit, would be like this. If everything he learned from childhood was just empty words on paper, what had he been adhering to all these years?
No one could answer him.
He severed ties with Xiao Jue, chose his family, and similarly believed that he no longer had the qualifications to be Xiao Jue’s “friend.”
Later, he took the imperial examination, entered officialdom, and did not stay in Shuojing. He deliberately went to Jinling, unable to face the Yang family and unable to face himself. He could only pretend to be the young man who once harbored ambitions for the world and had a clear sense of right and wrong.
But it wasn’t until he met Xiao Jue and others again that Yang Mingzhi suddenly realized that Xiao Jue, Lin Shuanghe, and Yan He hadn’t changed, but he alone had changed. They still went to the Cloud Pavilion together, drank and talked, but the atmosphere was no longer as carefree as before.
In the past…
In the past, like a huge mountain slowly rising in a flat land, imperceptibly, it had become insurmountable. Both sides were vast and boundless.
Seeing the sorrow in his eyes for a moment, Youhua Fairy paused and finally changed the subject, saying, “Now that the emperor has passed away, the Crown Prince has allowed the Wutuo people to establish a market in Great Wei. Jinling is prosperous, and if the market intends to be in Jinling…”
Yang Mingzhi came back to his senses, shook his head, and said, “The market will not be set up in Jinling.”
“Lord…”
“I will stop it,” Yang Mingzhi smiled and lowered his head. “If I am still the governor of Jinling.”
In fact, ever since Xu Jingfu’s incident, the Yang family had sent him a letter. They asked Yang Mingzhi to find Xiao Jue, and considering their past friendship, requested Xiao Jue to spare him. Yang Mingzhi paid no attention to it. Everyone should be responsible for their own choices. Just like when he chose his family back then, the Yang family chose Xu Jingfu. They were all on different paths.
When he saw that the Crown Prince continued to ignore him and Emperor Wenxuan passed away later, the family members who stayed in the capital must have made new choices in the shortest time possible.
But he couldn’t.
Over the years, Yang Mingzhi stayed in Jinling to repay his debts. Now that it had come to this, he didn’t intend to continue going against his own heart anymore.
Now that the market was going to be established, it was detrimental to the people of Great Wei. The ambitions of the Wutuo people were unpredictable, and once they entered Jinling, who knew what they would do to the common people. It was like inviting a wolf into the house. Court officials were indifferent, thinking that the fire would not touch them, but once it started, it would be impartial.
He knew very well that in the current Shuojing city, except for a few bold censorates, there should be few civil officials daring to dissent at this time. Yang Mingzhi also understood that when his memorial appeared in Guangyan’s court, his career as the governor of Jinling should come to an end.
Perhaps he would lose his life? Perhaps he would also involve his family? But what did it matter?
In his youth, when he read that one should “uphold a just heart, govern oneself with integrity, serve the emperor with loyalty, treat elders with respect, deal with others honestly, be lenient with subordinates, be respectful in handling matters,” the young men at Xianchang Academy were eager to try and thought that they could become good officials. However, over the years, how many people persisted?
Young people had the courage to resist all injustices in the world, always believing that there would be a turning point in the difficult situation. But as time went by, they gradually became helpless and went with the flow.
Just like himself.
In his youth, full of ambitions, now unknown and unheard of, eventually withering away like grass and trees.
“Little Master,” Youhua Fairy called out with a smile.
Yang Mingzhi raised his head.
“If you are the governor of Jinling, you are Lord Yang. If you are not the governor of Jinling, you are Young Master Yang.” The beautiful woman by the Qinhuai River smiled, holding up the tea cup in front of her. “In my opinion, no matter where Young Master Yang is, he is the hero who, back then in the Cloud Pavilion, detested evil and spoke out for justice.”
“The city of Jinling will get better and better, so, young master, don’t underestimate yourself.” The voice of his friend was soft, like the old times, containing a tolerance for his past struggles and miseries, like the dense fog over the Qinhuai River, dissipating into a pool of clear spring water afterward, with the delicate sound of strings and bamboo flutes.
He lowered his head, remained silent for a while, then suddenly smiled. He lifted the tea cup in front of him and lightly touched it with the tea cup of the friend in front of him.
“You’re right,” he said softly. “Things will only get better.”
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