< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Strangeness
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Thinking of Xun Ying, Yu Lingxin right now would already immediately think of Qi Ke by instinct. This matter, Ming Huayue didn’t ask about, but she believed that Ming Huayue probably has the same attitude as Xun Che, pretending to not know, else they don’t know what to say to Xun Ying either.
That interrogation towards Qi Ke several days ago had triggered an enormous backlash from the scholars, also having the empress’s schemes towards the princes and officials exposed altogether. Perhaps, should say, that was actually the true start to the great changes to the current state of affairs of the imperial court. Just, when everyone’s eyes were all turned towards the inner palace and imperial princes, Xuan Emperor in the end was actually thoroughly convinced that Wei Wang liked both men and women, including Wu Wang being overly intimate with delicate and pretty scholars. That’s why, by the middle of the tenth month, this re-questioning and interrogation towards Qi Ke just that un-awkwardly and quietly ended.
There were a few days where Xun Ying’s spirit was a lot better. After all, Qi Ke didn’t just recover his innocence, even his scholarly titles that he’d previously voluntarily stripped off were returned to him because of this re-investigation, as well as the scholars’ clamor. That’s why, in the following days, including Xun Che, everyone all felt that after experiencing this many changes, Qi Ke in the end still returned among the clean and noble scholars after going in a circle.
As long as he rests for a period of time, returning to the academy to adjust himself again, by the next spring exam, perhaps he will soar through the skies, directly reaching the ninth heaven.
Or perhaps, retreating a step, considering his deep involvement in the imperial family’s private affairs, Qi Ke put down his prospects in officialdom and instead turn to academia, probably also becoming a great scholar for a generation. All in all, it was just that noble and upright Qi Ke has returned again.
But, on the twenty-fourth of the tenth month, before Xun Che had the time to personally meet with Qi Ke then discuss with his family, Qi Ke suddenly disappeared.
The disappearance this time was very strange. From a certain aspect, it was just as strange as Wei Wang Manor’s fire, because the matter was discovered by Qi Ke’s neighbor when going to the Qi residence to look for Qi Ke’s mother. Inside Qi Ke’s plain and simple residence, all of Qi Ke and his mother’s belongings and articles, even the books and scrolls, the needles and threads, and even the half-eaten fruits were all still there, but Qi Ke and his mother were like as if having disappeared into thin air.
The day before, the neighbor and his classmates all still remember going to the Qi residence to deliver some things to Qi Ke and his mother, yet the next day, when going again, they were nowhere to be seen. But, everything was all still there, not a single item missing. The neighbor also didn’t see anyone strange going around nearby. Thus, in the end, this matter could only be reported to the Capital Magistrate Office. The Capital Magistrate deliberated over and over again before finally reporting to the imperial court. Just, at the time, Xuan Emperor was currently dejected over the morality and conduct of the imperial consorts and princes, as well as his failure as a husband and father, so towards this matter, he completely didn’t give any care.
After all, setting aside Wu Wang and Wei Wang’s awkward matter, Qi Ke was merely a juren[1]. His disappearance indeed should be handled by the Capital Magistrate Office. It wasn’t an important governmental affair worth the imperial court to discuss over.
The scholars although once again got stirred up because of this, even producing many verses. Mainly, it was suspecting that someone in the imperial family or imperial clan wanted to retaliate against Qi Ke who’d gotten involved in an ugly scandal of the imperial family, primarily suspecting Wu Wang and Wei Wang. But, this truly was just empty suspicions, really not having the least bit of evidence. That’s why, the scholars didn’t go to the Judicial Court again or somewhere else to cry for the injustice. Just, the commoners in the streets and alleyways were all passing on by mouth that Qi Ke had already because of offending the imperial family got secretly put to death.
Towards this, even Xun Che didn’t have an answer. And Xun Ying, as the rumors become increasingly certain, she also increasingly wasted away. She cried a lot less, but it nevertheless made everyone at home even more worried, while also having no way of consoling.
Yu Lingxin although appeared very worried, it still wasn’t good for her to let Xun Che go investigate Qi Ke’s matter again. After all, under the current state of affairs, his pressure was already very big. Moreover, if Qi Ke were to be discovered having some secret dealings with Xun Che, then all the various self-evidence and suffering previously afraid will all be for nothing. That’s why, this actually just became a neither big nor small dead end.
Now, when thinking of Qi Ke and Xun Ying again, Yu Lingxin really could only sigh.
Very soon, another few days passed. Xuan Emperor’s condition after the stroke still didn’t improve by much, though it also didn’t worsen more. Overall, it was just being unable to walk and also unable to speak clearly. On the matter of overseeing the country, the cabinet ministers finally reached a conclusion.
The crown prince oversees the country, while the cabinet ministers assist in politics. The crown prince’s vermillion ink will be used alongside the cabinet ministers’ blue ink. But, at the same time, a separate group of imperial clansmen and officials will specifically be in charge of investigating Wei Wang Manor’s massacre. The crown prince and Wu Wang both are not allowed to interfere, so as to avoid causing other changes.
Additionally, although the crown prince will be overseeing the country, the military authority in the capital can’t be all given to the crown prince alone. Since Xuan Emperor is currently still considered clear-headed, then the military authority should still be given to the emperor.
Speaking of which, this can be considered a very middle-ground way, relatively fair. However, right when everyone thought that the crown prince will gladly agree, the young heir apparent raised a firm demand, and that was towards Xuan Emperor’s care and protection, they also need to have a separate group of people. The military authority can be given to Xuan Emperor, but it can’t be given to Empress Wen who was currently personally taking care of Xuan Emperor.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Once these words came out, the court officials went into an uproar.
This was really having the princes thoroughly dividing into opposing sides. However, the crown prince’s words were indeed reasonable. Although giving the military authority to the emperor was proper, but since right now, the emperor has suffered a stroke, his movements limited, if by chance the military token were to get stolen by the empress under the pretense of acting under imperial orders, who can shoulder the consequences?
In the end, the matter of overseeing the country and assisting in politics, as well as the administration of the military power, really were handled one by one as stated by the Inner Cabinet and crown prince. Whether or not Empress Wen had some dissatisfactions towards this, no one was able to find out. What was recorded in the history books, as well as what was witnessed by everyone, was in the several days after, how Empress Wen and the fourth prince, Zhao Wang, personally and meticulously served by Xuan Emperor’s sickbed, having the so called modeled example of a virtuous wife and filial son widely spread throughout the lands.
If reversing back to the era of Yao and Shun[2] where the country was governed by benevolent integrity, then the court officials probably will feel that the fourth prince, Zhao Wang, was actually the most suited to inherit the throne, and the crown prince might also feel ashamed to be inferior, voluntarily yielding his position.
However, very unfortunately, Yao and Shun were ultimately legends, and Empress Wen and the fourth prince’s deeply moving virtuousness and filial piety in this half month were completely unable to move the court officials upon the golden palace hall. What the court officials mostly saw was how valiant and sharp the young crown prince was in these several days, his level in mastering governmental affairs even making the cabinet ministers all very much exclaim in surprise, as well as the crazed interrogation and search inside and outside of the capital during this period for Wei Wang’s case. The entire capital was practically in a complete mess. The streets and markets although wouldn’t go as far as to completely stop operating, it was still a lot more quiet and solemn. As it neared the end of the year, it instead appeared increasingly cold and desolate.
Even those wealthy and illustrious aristocratic and noble households similarly didn’t have any festivity. On one hand, it was because the tense state of current political situation that seemed steady but in reality shaky just made people very nervous to begin with. And the specific difficulties of the various families and even down to the various people were further endless. For instance, below the Chang’de Count Manor, the family clans of Wu Wang’s consorts and concubines were all filled with deep sorrow, soon to send off their family’s daughter thousands of miles away after the new year. And all the maiden families of Wei Wang’s consorts and concubines were further endlessly grieving, because they don’t even have the opportunity to send their daughter thousands of miles away, already just reduced to a burnt corpse, a burial mound, and a memorial tablet. Even the seemingly peaceful, lacking in neither wealth and power, Jin Duke Manor and Wen’an Marquis Manor would also be worried because of Xun Nanheng and Cheng Yanling being far away in the northwest, also worrying for the heartbroken Xun Ying who was wasting away, further worrying for the crown prince and crown princess, Ming Jinrou, who currently would still from time to time suffer from rumors and gossip, even getting accused of misconduct.
This kind of situation continued all the way to the beginning of the twelfth month. Ganxi Hall was the first to announce good news. Xuan Emperor’s symptoms after the stroke has finally improved. He was still a bit slow when walking, his movements also not completely coordinated, but his speech for the most part has recovered, also able to walk while getting supported by a eunuch or cane. He was finally able to return to the court and participate in court meetings again, also finally able to have the situation previously adjusted again.
Just, before the court officials, as well as the imperial clansmen and nobles, could prepare the the memorandums congratulating Xuan Emperor on his recovery, on the eighth of the twelfth month, another incident occurred inside and outside of the palace.
First, it was Wu Wang getting attacked. On his way to the palace to pay his respects, he suddenly got attacked by assassins. Fortunately, there were quite a few guards accompanying along. Moreover, the people patrolling in the capital recently have increased by three-folds. The soldiers searching and inspecting all over also had quite a few. That’s why, they rapidly blocked the assassins attack. Just, unfortunately, they weren’t able to catch anyone alive. Wu Wang’s arm although got grazed by a cold arrow, it ultimately wasn’t too serious.
And in the same day, Zhao Wang who originally would come everyday to Xuan Emperor’s side to personally massage his legs and feet for a while didn’t come. Just as Xuan Emperor asked, he just saw Ningde Palace’s eunuch alarmingly come to report——–Zhao Wang has gotten poisoned!
And just as fortunately, probably because Zhao Wang was weak and sickly to begin with, normally taking a lot of medicine, the poison wasn’t deep. Through the imperial physicians’ rescue, he still smoothly preserved his life.
So far, all the princes aside from the crown prince have all faced danger to their life. In fact, before Xuan Emperor even asked, the crown prince already voluntarily knelt down and expressed, “These matters really have nothing to do with this subject. Asking your Majesty to just thoroughly investigate to the end. Believe that the heavens have justice, the innocent will be innocent.”
Xuan Emperor’s silence this time was even longer. In the past year, the repeated blows were truly too many and also too heavy. Especially after suffering from the stroke this time, it made him also began to doubt himself————Was all the trust in the past really right? Were the princes, subjects, consorts, and everyone really all like how they appear to be?
And different from Xuan Emperor’s composure, after seeing their sole remaining son nearly lose their life, Empress Wen and Li Consort, these two mothers, both broke down. The difference was just Empress Wen sat silently wiping her tears, her lips trembling, her face as pale as paper, seemingly like a white lotus that will thoroughly wither at any time.
And Li Consort, on the other hand, turned to hysteria. She has already lost one son. She can’t lose the other one. Practically, in the few breaths while Xuan Emperor was still irresolutely muttering to himself, Li Consort also dropped on her knees, loudly crying, “Your Majesty, crown prince, begging you all to leave us, mother and son, a living path! If the crown prince feels that the second prince’s fief is too big, your Majesty, you can reduce more! If the crown prince feels that the second prince wanting to find the main culprit that killed the third prince is wrong, then we won’t investigate anymore! Your Majesty! Begging you! Please spare this last son of mine! Begging you to see on behalf the fact that I’ve served you for all my life, and seeing on behalf of the empress dowager, please let me preserve him! Your Highness, crown prince, begging you!”
[1] Scholar that has successfully passed the autumn exam and qualify for the spring exam.
[2] Yao and Shun were two legendary sage emperor that ruled around the 2200BC. A lot of the early history from the Five Legendary Emperors era is all very vague and difficult to authenticate.
< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >
Discover more from Broken Jinsei
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
this emperor………. I’m truly speechless. wdhm now by asking if everyone was not as they seemed. you mean after all that he still had a glimmer of hope that things would go back to the way they “were”, a loving imperial family? is this man stupid? he seems stupid. did his mother protect him that well when he was growing up that he didn’t learn any critical thinking skills? I’m not an expert on Chinese imperial history but it does not sound any more or less peaceful than literally any other imperial family system ever. you’re born with a chance for immense power and if you don’t seize it you have nothing. there’s probably not a lot of affection happening regularly! schemes happen! lies happen! you’re in charge why would anyone want to tell you their personal failures ofc they’ll tell you good things.