The eunuch sent to deliver the imperial decree stepped through the wide-open gates of the Su residence, only to be greeted by the sight of trampled flowers in the courtyard and overturned furniture in the hall. The entire estate looked as though a hurricane had swept through, leaving it in total disarray. Startled, the eunuch exclaimed, “What on earth happened here?”
Su Xiaojing poked his head out from the porter’s lodge, still visibly shaken. “A gang of robbers broke in last night and wrecked the place! Luckily, the master was out on business; otherwise, they’d have cut off his nose!”
The eunuch’s sharp voice rose in indignation. “In the capital, no less! Such audacity! What kind of bandits dare to attack an official’s residence? It’s outrageous! Did you report this to the city guards?”
“I went to the Eastern City Military Command this morning,” Su Xiaojing said angrily. “They scribbled a few notes on a piece of paper and claimed the case was registered, then told me to go home and wait. I’ve heard nothing since!”
The eunuch shook his head. “The Five City Military Command guards have grown increasingly lax over the past two years. This must be reported to His Majesty. Since Lord Su isn’t here, someone else should step forward to receive the decree.”
“There’s only me left at home.” Su Xiaojing pointed to himself. “As a servant, I don’t have the standing to receive an imperial decree.”
“No matter. His Majesty instructed that if Lord Su is absent, a family member can accept it on his behalf. Isn’t there a concubine in the household? His Majesty said that even if there’s no principal wife, a concubine still counts as family. Call her out to accept the decree.”
Concubine?! Su Xiaojing immediately thought of Wu Ming’s cold face—just looking at it once felt like biting into a frozen pear on a bitterly cold day. If he were summoned to receive this imperial decree, the eunuch delivering it might faint from fright. Besides, who knows where Wu Ming has been gallivanting these past few days? He’s abandoned even the master’s carriage, disappearing without a word once again. Truly an ungrateful wretch, impossible to tame.
With a tone full of resentment, Su Xiaojing replied, “What concubine? Heartless and ugly to boot—the Lord’s already divorced her!” He grabbed the hem of his robes, forming a makeshift pouch. “I dare not touch this imperial decree. If you would, Gonggong, just place it here; I’ll bundle it up and hang it on me. I’ll deliver it to the Lord when he returns.”
“…No table to place an imperial decree on—truly a tale to move the hardest hearts to tears,” the eunuch quipped, lifting a delicate orchid-fingered hand to feign wiping his eyes. He deposited the decree into Su Xiaojing’s bundled robe. “Fine, no need for carriage fare either. I’ll return to the palace and report back to His Majesty.”
The eunuch had just departed when Su Xiaobei appeared at the gate, laden with purchases from the market. He peeked in and called to Su Xiaojing, who was tying up his robe: “Well done, Xiaojing! I didn’t know your brain was actually useful—guess it doesn’t need to go into the hotpot just yet.”
Su Xiaojing snapped, “Brother Bei, you’re one to talk! Last night, those thugs broke in, but luckily, I remembered the Master’s orders and fled out the side gate with our valuables. Otherwise, I’d have ended up like these smashed tables and cabinets. This lawlessness is unbearable—we should leave the capital with the Master as soon as possible!”
Su Xiaobei stepped forward, handed over his purchases, wrapped the yellow silk decree in a cloth, and tucked it into his own robes. “You stay here and pack up properly. I’ll go find Master Su.”
Before leaving, he turned back and added, “Stay sharp and use your brain! If you cause trouble, I really will toss your brain into the hotpot next time.”
—
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Emperor Jinglong’s face was ashen after hearing the eunuch’s report. He suddenly grabbed a yellow-glazed porcelain teacup adorned with dragon patterns from his desk and hurled it to the ground, shattering it on the golden brick floor.
Everyone in the hall—eunuchs and palace maids alike—dropped to their knees in terror, pressing their foreheads to the floor and pleading, “Your Majesty, please quell your anger!”
Emperor Jinglong was renowned for his grace and composure both in court and in private. Lan Xi, who had served him for over a decade, had rarely seen the Emperor lose his temper, let alone to the point of smashing objects. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to calm the situation.
Even after shattering the teacup, the Emperor’s fury did not subside. He swept a fine Guozhou inkstone, gifted by Imperial Concubine Wei, off the table, sending it crashing to the floor as well.
Taking a deep breath, the Emperor gradually regained his composure and coldly ordered: “Fengan Marquis has behaved lawlessly, and Xianan Marquis has failed in his duties of discipline. Have the eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs publicly reprimand them at their residence gates every day at the hour of Si until I say otherwise.”
Lan Xi was taken aback. The two marquises’ residences were in bustling streets. A eunuch publicly chastising them for an hour each day in a loud voice would ensure that everyone in the city heard. Meanwhile, the marquises would be required to kneel and silently endure the reprimands in accordance with court etiquette.
It is often said, “Do not strike someone in the face.” To deal with matters in this way is even more humiliating than stripping someone and beating them at the Meridian Gate. Especially for Fengan Marquis, who is famously proud and values his dignity, being scolded and humiliated like this day after day might just take away what remains of his already frail life.
The Wei family’s two marquises have utterly lost face. For a long time to come, they likely won’t be able to hold their heads high in court or outside it, let alone act as arrogant and domineering as they used to. Once officials realize that the Wei family no longer enjoys the emperor’s favor, they are bound to gradually distance themselves and treat the family coldly. Even with the Empress Dowager as their backing, the Wei family cannot stop this inevitable decline.
— The harem must not interfere in state affairs. No matter how filial the emperor may be, and no matter how much influence the Empress Dowager wields, she is ultimately confined to the harem.
Still unsatisfied, the emperor continued, “Go back and tell the Empress Dowager that I find the matter of elevating Wei’s rank inappropriate. It is unnecessary to bring it up again. Tell Wei that she should focus on being a proper imperial concubine and taking good care of the imperial prince. As for matters of the court and her family, it’s better that she concern herself less.”
These words were a stern rebuke to Imperial Concubine Wei, making it clear that if not for the imperial prince, she wouldn’t even be able to keep her position as an Imperial Concubine. Lan Xi could almost imagine the scene when he conveyed this decree: the Imperial Concubine’s shocked and devastated expression, followed by a storm of weeping and wailing, as if flooding the Jinshan Temple.
However, Lan Xi knew that once Emperor Jinglong’s benevolent heart turned cold and unyielding, even solid rock couldn’t compare. No matter how much Imperial Concubine Wei cried and caused a scene this time, it was unlikely to draw the emperor’s attention again.
Bowing deeply, he respectfully said, “This servant obeys.”
Lan Xi had only taken two steps back when the emperor called him again. “Send someone to deliver my decree. Summon Shen Qi, Qianshi of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to the Southern Study.”
—
Su Xiaobei rushed breathlessly to find Su Yan, who was eating taro balls and tofu pudding at a small snack shop in a quiet alley.
A large bowl of tofu pudding soaked in chilled herbal syrup, topped with taro balls, barley, and watermelon cubes, and sprinkled with finely crushed roasted peanuts. Each spoonful was icy, sweet, and refreshing. Su Yan ate with great delight.
Su Xiaobei hurried to his side and leaned in to whisper, “Lord, an imperial eunuch just came to deliver a decree. The edict is now in my possession.”
Su Yan, unconcerned, said, “Don’t worry about that for now. Look at you, sweating all over. Be careful not to get heatstroke.”
“Here, sit down.” He nudged the stool with his foot and called to the shopkeeper, “Another bowl of taro balls and tofu pudding, please!”
Su Xiaobei wiped his sweaty face and sat down, slurping down more than half a bowl. Letting out a deep, heated sigh, he felt cool and at ease again. Gratefully, he said to Su Yan, “Thank you for your concern, Lord. About the imperial edict…”
Su Yan finished the last sip of his herbal honey water and smiled. “No need to look at it. It’s just a decree demoting and transferring someone. All standard official language. Just include it with the ceremonial items and take it away.”
Su Xiaobei added, “Lord, your foresight is remarkable. Last night, as expected, a gang of scoundrels disguised as thieves came to attack and vandalize. Fortunately, you avoided the disaster in advance. Otherwise, they might have killed you. Even the eunuch delivering the decree today was furious when he heard and said he would report this to the emperor!”
Su Yan said, “This must have been orchestrated by Fengan Marquis. That old scoundrel is despicable and shameless. He’s already on his last legs and still refuses to accumulate virtue. Isn’t he afraid of reaping what he sows and dying an ugly death?”
He placed twenty copper coins on the table, stood up, and said, “Since the imperial edict has been issued, I’ll go to the Ministry of Personnel tomorrow to collect the appointment document and prepare to leave the capital. Pack up the luggage and come here with the carriage to pick me up at mid-morning tomorrow.”
“Yes, my lord.”
As Su Xiaobei continued eating the remaining tofu pudding, he watched Su Yan stroll leisurely under the shade of the roadside trees, heading toward the deeper part of the quiet alley.
He thought to himself, My lord remains unperturbed even when demoted—truly as the books say, indifferent to both favor and disgrace, composed in the face of adversity. To have the fortune of serving such a master must be the result of blessings accumulated in my previous life!
Then another thought crossed his mind: Seeing how relaxed and carefree the lord looks, that mistress he has must be doing a good job taking care of him. Maybe she’s not entirely a frivolous woman after all. I should suggest to the lord to take her along tomorrow when he assumes his new post. With the long journey ahead, having someone to attend to him closely might not be a bad idea. If she proves to be virtuous and kind, Xiaojing and I could even acknowledge her as our lady.
–
Su Yan strolled unhurriedly to the entrance of the Shen residence, just in time to see a figure in a flying fish robe on horseback galloping swiftly out of the alleyway. He asked the guard at the gate, “Where’s Lord Qianshi Shen off to?”
The guard replied, “Replying to Lord Su, Lord Qianshi has been summoned to the palace.”
He’s the emperor’s eyes and ears—likely off to handle some assignment, Su Yan mused. Just as he was about to step inside, a horse-drawn carriage rolled up behind him. The carriage halted, and a young servant dressed in livery stepped down, respectfully saying, “Lord Su, His Highness Yu Wang requests your presence.”
“What does he want with me?” Su Yan turned around, suspicion evident in his tone.
“His Highness knows Lord Su will be leaving the capital soon to take up your post and won’t be able to meet for at least three to five months. He specifically sent me to invite you for a discussion on academic administration.”
Su Yan said, “Wait here.” He then instructed the guard, “Go inside and have the steward fetch the bound cyan-leather volume on my desk in the side room.”
Shortly afterward, the steward came out, carrying the book, and handed it to Su Yan.
Su Yan passed the book to the servant. “Here, everything he wants to know is in this. Take it to him; there’s no need for me to go.”
The servant accepted the book with a wry smile.
The curtain of the carriage was lifted by a hand wrapped in gauze, revealing Yu Wang’s handsome face. Raising an eyebrow, he looked directly at Su Yan and sneered, “I knew it. My subordinates couldn’t persuade you; I have to come in person. Get in.”
Su Yan shook his head, replying bluntly, “I’m not going.”
Yu Wang sighed helplessly. “I’m injured and can’t do anything to you. Why treat me as if I’m a tiger?”
Still, Su Yan refused, thinking, back then, Shen Qi’s injuries were worse than yours, yet he still managed to ‘do something’ to me.
Yu Wang dropped the curtain, stepped out of the carriage, and approached him, lowering his voice. “Don’t you want to know what the Wei family has been doing, openly and secretly, after the Lingguang Temple assassination? What’s the Empress Dowager’s stance on this, and on you? You can avoid it for now, but you can’t avoid it forever. Surely you don’t plan to stay away from the capital for the rest of your life?”
Su Yan hesitated. He did want to understand the Wei family’s audacity in stirring up trouble in a dynasty where noble clans were generally in decline. If he wished to dismantle the Wei faction, he would need to grasp these underlying dynamics.
Now presented with this rare opportunity—where the well-informed Yu Wang was willing to divulge such details—refusing out of wariness or propriety seemed too timid and unbecoming of a man of resolve.
He sighed lightly and said to Yu Wang, “Is Wangye merely inviting me for a conversation?”
Yu Wang chuckled. “Of course not.”
“…”
“Also, to treat you to tea and some iced fruit desserts. Surely that’s not asking too much? Would you grant me this favor, Lord Su?”
Still wavering, Su Yan found his wrist suddenly grasped by Yu Wang, who, with a disarmingly warm smile, gently but firmly pulled him into the carriage.
