By the secluded rock garden, only the two of them remained. Zhu Helin stared intently at Su Yan, his gaze unusually bright, his lips trembling faintly. His body tensed as if he were about to leap forward, but at the last moment, he restrained himself. Instead, he grabbed Su Yan’s shoulders firmly, his voice catching in his throat.
“Qinghe, you… you’ve lost weight.”
Su Yan suddenly felt a pang of sourness in his nose. Hiding it behind a small smile, he replied, “Your Highness has also grown thinner, but taller too. Even your voice has become much more pleasant, like the clear song of a young phoenix.”
Zhu Helin raised a brow. “What kind of remark is that? Are you saying my voice was unpleasant before?”
“I wouldn’t dare judge whether it was pleasant or not, but it certainly had its charm.”
“And what charm would that be?”
Su Yan replied solemnly, “Like ducks fighting over food.”
Zhu Helin punched him on the shoulder, laughing and scolding, “Good one, Su Qinghe! Even the Crown Prince isn’t safe from your jests. How is it that fifty lashes didn’t strip you of that sharp tongue?”
Su Yan, seeming to have forgotten the pain of his punishment, said breezily, “Naturally, it’s because my skin is thick and my body hardy. Fifty lashes are nothing to me.”
Zhu Helin fell silent. After a long pause, he asked, “How are your injuries?”
“They’re just superficial wounds, nothing serious. Your Highness needn’t worry.”
“How can I not worry?” The Crown Prince suddenly erupted, his face flushing red. “I couldn’t bear to let you take even twenty lashes before, and now it’s a full fifty! Your body is frail—what if something had happened to you? I… I…”
He stomped his foot in frustration, pacing in circles but unable to finish his sentence.
Su Yan’s expression softened. In a quiet voice, he said, “I know Your Highness cares for me and feels I suffered unjustly, but please don’t anger the emperor over a mere private bond with a minister. You are the heir to the throne, of noble status, and your vision should be set far beyond such matters. The emperor is still in the prime of life. For now, you can indulge in leisure, but in the future, when the burden of the empire rests on your shoulders… will you be ready?”
The Crown Prince widened his eyes, clenching his fists tightly. With the weight of a vow, he declared, “I will be a good emperor! Qinghe, mark my words—one day, I will become a wise ruler of a golden age!”
Su Yan sighed inwardly: Zhu Helin, you will be a good emperor. But alas…
His heart was exceptionally heavy. Once, this young man before him was just a distant and flat record in history books, but now he was a living, breathing person. After more than a month of close contact, how could there not be feelings involved? But for someone who knew the future fate of this person, those feelings were a kind of psychological torment.
At this point, he had no choice but to steel himself, push aside these mixed thoughts, and pretend to be an ordinary person who knew nothing, responding as an ordinary person should.
He knelt on one knee and declared with resolve, “Your servant is loyal! I will do my utmost to assist Your Highness and help you achieve your grand ambitions!”
Zhu Helin helped him up. “Qinghe, with you by my side, I am filled with strength and determination, as if I have boundless energy.”
Su Yan chuckled. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of stimulant.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing, never mind.” Su Yan suddenly remembered something. “By the way, has anything happened in the Eastern Palace in the past month?”
“Nothing much. I was placed under house arrest by Royal Father and couldn’t go anywhere except the Wenhua Hall, so I had to stay in the Eastern Palace and read books. However…” Zhu Helin furrowed his brows deeply, and for the first time, Su Yan saw a look of unease and confusion on the once proud and arrogant young man’s face. “Royal Father used to come to the Eastern Palace regularly, sometimes bringing me gifts, but lately he seems to have become distant and rarely visits me. Instead, he spends a lot of time with Imperial Concubine Wei.”
He looked up at Su Yan anxiously, his eyes searching for comfort. “Qinghe, do you think Royal Father is disappointed in me, which is why—”
Su Yan interrupted him, “The Emperor’s affection and esteem for Your Highness are evident to all. Even if he is temporarily upset, it is because he has high expectations. Your Highness must not overthink or become disheartened. Besides, Imperial Concubine Wei is about to give birth, so it’s natural for the Emperor to pay more attention to her.”
Zhu Helin bit his lower lip, his expression calming somewhat as he spoke softly, “I just recall how when I was little, Royal Father would hold me in his arms and write, take me to Nanhai for horseback riding and hunting. Before I moved to Duanben Palace, he would come to see me every night before bed. But now…”
“Now, His Highness has grown up and needs space to develop independently. The Emperor knows that a young eagle cannot always be kept in the nest.”
The fourteen-year-old Crown Prince pondered for a moment, his features slowly lighting up like the rising sun, his smile reminiscent of a mature man with ambition and wisdom. “You’re right. One day, I will soar into the sky.”
Cheng Sheng emerged from the path by the artificial hill and reported softly, “Young Master, the audience with the Emperor is over, and the Dragon Carriage will return. Should we go back to the Eastern Palace to avoid any trouble?”
The Crown Prince glanced reluctantly at Su Yan.
Su Yan quickly cupped his hands and said, “Your Highness, please go back. I still need to visit the Qianqing Palace to meet the Emperor. I’ll come by the Eastern Palace when I have the chance.”
The Crown Prince then smiled and left without looking back.
Su Yan watched his retreating figure, his expression growing serious as he walked back, lost in thought.
The Emperor seemed to be aware of some intrigue against the Eastern Palace, but why was he holding back, even intentionally distancing himself from the Crown Prince? Could it be that he was truly dissatisfied with the Crown Prince? Their father-son relationship was close, so such minor issues shouldn’t cause a rift, unless there were unknown circumstances…
He couldn’t help but smile wryly and sighed silently: Since I first met Emperor Jinglong, this serene and deep-thinking ruler has always been an enigma I can’t decipher.
***
“Your servant Su Yan greets His Majesty the Emperor.”
Emperor Jinglong put down the document in his hand and silently looked at the kneeling Crown Prince’s Shidu.
Su Yan lay on the ground, feeling like he was on pins and needles, the seconds dragging by. It felt like a long time before he heard the command “Rise,” his palms sweaty as he got up and stood to the side properly.
“… How are your injuries?”
“Thank you for your compassion, Your Majesty. I am now fine and able to resume my duties.”
The Emperor asked a few more questions. Seeing that Su Yan answered obediently and respectfully, giving the usual formal responses that officials use, the Emperor felt bored and uninterested.
A few rays of sunlight filtered through the window grilles, their strands intermittent, as if drained of vitality by the deep hall.
The Emperor suddenly said, “Su Yan, come with me for a walk in the garden.”
The weather was warming up in May. The lotus leaves in Taiye Pond had grown lush, but the buds were still just a few inconspicuous pink clusters. After a heavy rain at night, the lotus leaves that had risen above the water were overturned, exposing the delicate veins on their undersides.
The Emperor gazed thoughtfully at the pond covered with green lotus leaves and murmured, “The green lotus loves the pure blue, and the rain cannot bear to hit it…”
Su Yan listened intently from behind him, repeating the lines in his mind, feeling a sudden tremor in his heart. The Emperor then asked casually, “Su Yan, do you think the lotus leaves feel any resentment?”
Su Yan immediately answered, “There should be no resentment.”
“Why?”
“While gentle winds and rain nourish it, without the cleansing of sudden storms, how could it grow so tall and upright?”
The Emperor looked at Su Yan’s clear and serene expression. “If there is no resentment, then why is it that the back is exposed and not in its usual state?”
Su Yan suddenly realized and awkwardly laughed. “Perhaps it is because of reverence for the heavenly will, lying flat like this, waiting for the next storm to come and then turn back.”
The Emperor chuckled and pointed at him, “You just have a sharp tongue, without a hint of fear. We’ll see the next storm; I’ll make sure you turn back then!”
Su Yan cried out in distress, almost rushing to hug the Emperor’s dragon legs. “Your Majesty, please don’t scare me, I’m really afraid!”
The Emperor smiled warmly at his pleas, feeling very pleased.
The Emperor and Su Yan strolled along the pond for a while, and only then did the Emperor, with a serious expression, say, “There are some developments regarding the northern issue.”
Su Yan was startled. “The north… the Tartars?”
The Emperor nodded. “Do you remember the discussion about promoting a concubine?”
Su Yan smiled, “Which concubine has caught Your Majesty’s eye?”
The Emperor gave him a half-reproachful, half-amused look. “Years ago, after North Cheng’s defeat and fleeing to the Wala territory, the Wala leader took the opportunity to kill the former North Cheng ruler and his crown prince, seizing the throne.”
Later, the Mongol main forces regained the Khanate and engaged in continuous conflicts with the Wala, Wangliu, and Wo Ye tribes for decades, resulting in significant depletion of their military strength.
Now, I have sent special envoys to visit various tribes. The Wala tribe has responded particularly eagerly. They are willing to accept the title of “Pingning Wang” and, if our dynasty supports their unification of the steppes, they are prepared to abandon the North Cheng Emperor title and instead adopt the title of Tartar Khan.”
Su Yan said, “The Wala does seem like a suitable choice. However, they likely wouldn’t agree to an alliance so easily. They must have proposed some conditions.”
The Emperor’s expression became serious as he said, “Indeed. The current Wala leader, Hu Kuoli, is seeking to marry his eldest son, Kun Le, to one of our royal princesses to demonstrate a long-term alliance between us.”
Su Yan’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt like shouting “Absolutely not! Don’t forget our ancestral instructions!”
But he maintained his composure and cautiously probed, “Throughout history, marriages of the imperial princesses to the northern barbarians have been major affairs, both for the country and the ruler, and should not be granted lightly.”
Emperor Jinglong’s eyes flashed with sternness as he declared, “Not only is it ‘not to be granted lightly,’ it is ‘absolutely impossible’! Do not forget our great Ming’s ancestral instructions—no marriage alliances, no reparations, no ceding of land, no tribute. The Emperor guards the national gates, and the ruler dies with the country!”
His words were a stark contrast to his usual calm and gentle tone, delivered with a commanding and resolute intensity.
Su Yan was nearly moved to tears: I’ve finally witnessed it with my own eyes—the most impassioned imperial declaration in history! If he’d just added a resounding “punish even the most distant offenders,” my life would be complete!
Lowering his head to hide his excitement, he cleared his throat and said, “Historically, the Han court resorted to peace-through-marriage because the northern tribes were fierce and relentless, repeatedly invading our borders. Prolonged warfare brought heavy losses, forcing both sides to negotiate and settle for temporary peace through marriage alliances. Yet, such measures were never a long-term solution.
Now, however, our dynasty is prosperous and wealthy, while their forces are depleted and weakened. His Majesty has resolutely rejected the idea of marriage alliances, and they can do nothing about it. Even if they harbor suspicions, what of it? Isn’t the benefit of opening trade markets already enough for them to savor? And yet, they have the audacity to covet the princess—truly like toads lusting after swan meat!”
Emperor Jinglong nearly laughed at his remark. “Officially, it goes against the ancestral code. Privately, among my three daughters, Rouyu is already married; Roujia and Rouxi are only fourteen and twelve, still young and carefree. How could I bear to send them to the remote northern tribes? I’d rather see them wed to worthy husbands here in the capital.”
He then turned to Su Yan with a serious expression and asked, “Su Yan, do you know what it means to ‘capture a son-in-law on the imperial examination list’?”
Hearing this, Su Yan’s resolve to climb the ranks wavered slightly: If there’s a chance to marry a princess, that wouldn’t be bad. With the title of princess consort, I wouldn’t need to do much real work, and I’d still receive my salary. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate carefree lifestyle of a noble layabout?
The emperor seemed to read his thoughts and snorted lightly. “As a princess consort, you’d hold only an honorary position in the court. Do you really think I’d let you idle around and slack off? You wish!”
Realizing he’d been teased, Su Yan hurriedly said, “The princesses are of noble blood. This humble servant dares not entertain such aspirations. My life is meant to serve Your Majesty, working tirelessly like an ox or a horse.”
“Working like an ox or a horse, is it?” The emperor chuckled. “That makes it sound like I’m terribly harsh and unkind to my ministers. Are you implying I’m stingy and ungrateful?”
Su Yan knew this was a jest and repeatedly assured the emperor that he wouldn’t dare.
Emperor Jinglong waved dismissively, clearly amused, and continued strolling along the lakeside, brushing past the willow branches.
Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Su Yan pondered how to tactfully inquire about matters concerning the crown prince. Before he could speak, the emperor suddenly said, “Su Yan, I plan to transfer you to the Ministry of Personnel as a langzhong. What do you think of this?”
Su Yan was startled and immediately had many thoughts running through his mind. He bowed and said, “Your Majesty’s favor is greatly appreciated. Serving Your Majesty, regardless of position, I will always be dedicated to solving your concerns.
However, I recently made a mistake and took responsibility. Instead of being demoted, Your Majesty has promoted and appointed me. Regardless of the court’s opinions, I am deeply ashamed and truly reluctant to take up the position. I hope Your Majesty will allow me to make amends first.”
The Emperor was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed softly. “Su Yan, are you refusing the promotion because you wish to continue serving the Eastern Palace?”
Su Yan hurriedly knelt and replied, “I am concerned about Your Majesty’s prestige.”
The Emperor picked a fresh, green, and flexible willow branch and began to twist it between his fingers. “There is no need to be anxious. If you do not want the promotion, would I force you? I only hope that one day, you will remember your sentiments when you spoke these words to me today.”
“I will certainly respect Your Majesty’s wishes.”
“Alright, get up. In the future, avoid kneeling in front of me so often. Every time I see your back, I feel like punishing your household cook.”
Su Yan got up, smiling apologetically. “Your Majesty, how could you bear to be so hard on a servant? I have always been someone who can’t gain weight no matter what I eat. It must be unpleasant for Your Majesty to see.”
The Emperor frowned slightly. “There is no such thing as someone who doesn’t gain weight. I will have the imperial physician prepare a prescription for you to regulate your health.”
Su Yan groaned inwardly and quickly said, “I will gain weight, I will! I will ask my cook to prepare five meals a day, plus snacks and supper. I guarantee I will gain three pounds in a month—no, five pounds.”
The Emperor chuckled, “My good intentions sound like feeding pigs when they come out of your mouth… Well, since you’ve made a military pledge, if you don’t gain three to five pounds, I will punish you.”
Su Yan could only smile wryly. “I accept the decree.”
Emperor Jinglong turned and walked back to the palace with a smile.
Su Yan followed him, seeing his relaxed demeanor, and sighed in relief.
He had resolved to become a powerful and self-protective official. The path of the court was fraught with danger, requiring both boldness and caution, with constant weighing of benefits and risks.
This refusal of promotion, though it meant losing an opportunity to enter a critical department, gained him the Emperor’s trust, indicating that the Crown Prince’s favor remained unchanged. This move seemed to be the right one.
