Master and servant stared at the secret letter in silence for a long time.
It was not merely the dreadful handwriting. The wording was utter nonsense too. The writer had clearly been brimming with confidence, while the reader was left to puzzle and guess. That Great Yao’s imperial family could produce such a “talent” made one wonder whether the dynasty had any future at all.
“Who taught him his letters and classics?”
When the young emperor had first been brought into the palace, Xie Yun had happened to be away from the capital. By the time he returned, the boy had already seemed reasonably presentable, so Xie Yun had never paid attention to who had taught him. Judging by this, that teacher deserved dismissal and exile. What a disgraceful failure of education.
Cen Huan thought for a moment. “I believe it was your uncle.”
Xie Yun: “…”
His uncle, Xie Cheng, was a Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy and one of the foremost Confucian scholars of the age. To think he had produced a student like this. No wonder he had never mentioned him.
“Then… what should we do with this secret letter?”
“…”
Even if it successfully reached Cheng Qu, he would probably assume it was a forgery.
“Make a clean copy and send it to the Cheng residence.”
“Should I copy the symbol at the end too?”
“…No.”
Song Liang had expected to wait at least several days before Cheng Qu made a move. Yet at morning court the very next day, the Minister of Personnel who had previously impeached Xie Yun submitted another memorial concerning the emperor’s assumption of personal rule. He requested His Majesty’s attendance at court and demanded that the regent and Grand Empress Dowager hand over matters such as the administration of officials for the emperor to handle himself.
The proposal caused an uproar. Regent Xie Yun’s position remained unclear, but the Grand Empress Dowager flew into a rage before the assembled court. She accused Fan Yuan of exploiting his seniority, betraying the late emperor and showing no concern for their young sovereign in his pursuit of fame and favor. In the end, she even accused him of undermining the foundations of the state.
Old Minister Fan had served the late emperor. He dared impeach even the regent, so naturally he had no fear of a palace woman ruling from behind a curtain. Without changing expression, he cited the late emperor’s assumption of personal rule at sixteen and Emperor Shizong’s departure on military campaign at thirteen. The present emperor was already eighteen, he declared. If he still could not govern personally, Great Yao would soon bear a different surname—either Qin or Xie.
With one sentence, he had insulted both factions. The regent did not mind in the slightest. After all, the entire capital already believed he harbored ambitions of usurpation and would eventually take the throne. But the Grand Empress Dowager owed her power to having installed a child emperor. Nothing troubled her more than accusations of overstepping her authority and stealing the realm. She immediately denounced his words as nonsense intended to sow discord within the imperial family.
Though their argument reached no conclusion, the pressure still forced the Grand Empress Dowager to send someone to release Song Liang from the ancestral temple.
Before his departure, Eunuch Zhou hurried over to kneel before the bed and help Song Liang put on his shoes, despite the wound on his head not yet having healed. He was exceedingly attentive. Song Liang assumed he feared retaliation once the emperor left. Instead, the man knelt before him and asked to remain at his side.
Song Liang was rather surprised. “Following me means opposing the Grand Empress Dowager. Aren’t you afraid?”
Eunuch Zhou answered frankly, nodding. “I am. But I’m getting old, and I’ve lived long enough. Rather than spend the rest of my life in the ancestral temple, I would prefer to follow Your Majesty and see something of the world.”
As it happened, Song Liang had no useful attendants. He did not dare employ the young emperor’s former personal eunuchs, lest they notice something amiss, so he took Eunuch Zhou with him.
Overcome with gratitude, Eunuch Zhou repeatedly knelt and kowtowed, thanking His Majesty for his boundless grace. Song Liang accepted it quite comfortably and told him to work hard from now on.
3085 found this puzzling. His host might have lost his memories, but he had still experienced the previous instance and could be considered a modern soul. How could he so comfortably accept someone kneeling and kowtowing before him? Did it not make him uncomfortable?
Song Liang saw nothing uncomfortable about it. He did not care whether others knelt. If they wanted to, he would not stop them. Naturally, if he did not want to kneel, no one else could make him.
Hearing another implication in his words, 3085 ventured, 【Do you want to move against the Grand Empress Dowager?】
Great Yao had always placed great importance on filial piety. Thus, in the original novel, even though the Grand Empress Dowager monopolized power in the emperor’s name, she had survived for a long time. Only after Helan Ze deliberately provoked a struggle between her and the regent had she lost a crucial move and died at Xie Yun’s hands.
But his host currently had neither power nor influence and had yet to formally assume personal rule. The Grand Empress Dowager was backed by her natal family and controlled the Chief Military Commission, which oversaw military garrisons, weapons, and army provisions throughout the country. The disparity in strength was enormous.
【Chancellor Yin may want to recruit you, but that doesn’t mean he’ll help you take on the Grand Empress Dowager.】
“We’ll see.”
Song Liang’s answer was vague.
At Zhaoyang Hall, Empress Dowager Zhao had learned of her son’s early return and already ordered the imperial kitchens to prepare food. After Song Liang ate, bathed, and changed, she summoned an imperial physician to examine his injured lower leg. Only after confirming it was nearly healed did she believe her son truly had not suffered in the ancestral temple.
As for Eunuch Zhou, whom Song Liang had brought back, she did have her reservations. Still, her son was of an age to govern personally. Surely she could not question even his choice of attendant. She said nothing and instead brought up the recent rumors in the capital.
“The entire capital knows you volunteered to enter the ancestral temple to pray for the people. They also say your earlier departure from the palace was an incognito visit to learn about the common people’s lives. Everyone is praising you as an enlightened ruler!”
“…”
Song Liang knew civil officials could manipulate public opinion. He had not known they could turn the truth so completely on its head. The young emperor had plainly sneaked out for fun, yet they had somehow turned it into an incognito inspection. Impressive indeed.
“Has no one questioned it?”
So many Black Armor Guards had returned with him, not to mention Xie Yun. Were they simply watching Cheng Qu and his allies build up his reputation?
“Even the regent has accepted it. Who would dare question you?”
Song Liang looked surprised. “The regent? He said so himself?”
“In a manner of speaking. I heard that on his way back from court the day before yesterday, he passed a poetry gathering where people were discussing it. Someone asked him, and he didn’t deny it, so everyone believed it.”
“…”
Song Liang’s feelings grew complicated. With Xie Yun’s cold, people-averse temperament, he hardly seemed the sort to stop at a poetry gathering along the way.
Something suddenly occurred to him. Looking up, he asked, “Mother, did you receive the food carrier I had someone bring back that day?”
“I did.” The Empress Dowager looked puzzled. “Why do you ask? Was there something special about it?”
“Nothing.” Song Liang shook his head and smiled. “The pastries were good, that’s all. I’d like some more. Could you make another batch?”
The Empress Dowager smiled fondly. “That’s easy enough. I’ll make them right now!”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Upon leaving Wenyuan Pavilion, Xie Yun was nearly struck by a young eunuch rushing toward him. Before the attendant beside him could scold the boy, the young eunuch hurriedly apologized. Before leaving, he added, “The usual place in the imperial garden.”
Xie Yun’s departing steps abruptly halted.
A quarter of an hour later, he left his attendants at the entrance to the imperial garden and walked alone toward the koi pond. In the pavilion at its center, a familiar figure sat resting his chin on his hand, looking utterly bored.
The youth wore reddish-brown brocade, with a Nine Dragons jade pendant at his waist. A red ribbon loosely tied back his long hair, most of which fell down his back, while a few strands lay against his neck and cheeks. His youthful face carried a certain masculine sharpness: fair skin, finely shaped brows, eyes, and lips, and a clean, defined jaw. Yet his eyes had softer contours, their outer corners sweeping upward as he lowered them. A faint smile lingered at his mouth. He seemed to be in a good mood.
Perhaps hearing his footsteps, the youth lazily lifted his eyes. His smile deepened, amusement lighting his dark gaze, and his voice stretched languidly.
“Off work?”
Xie Yun could roughly guess what “off work” meant. He walked straight to the pavilion steps and stopped without ascending, regarding Song Liang impassively.
“Did Your Majesty summon me for something?”
“Such airs, Your Highness. Am I not allowed to see you unless I need something?”
“…”
Their eyes met. Looking at that handsome, indifferent face, Song Liang finally conceded first. He straightened and pushed the food carrier beside him toward Xie Yun.
“My mother made some pastries. I brought them especially for you to try.”
“I dislike sweets.”
“These aren’t sweet.”
Song Liang answered absently, his eyes settling on Xie Yun’s vermilion python robe. The sight felt wonderfully novel. It was the first time he had seen that face paired with such a vivid color. It lent the man a potent air of authority, a restrained and forbidding dignity that was unexpectedly seductive.
His gaze was utterly unrestrained. Xie Yun’s expression chilled, and he turned to leave.
“I came to thank you!” Song Liang hurriedly called.
When Xie Yun stopped, Song Liang picked up the food carrier and approached him, saying helplessly, “You helped restore my reputation over leaving the palace without permission, and you helped get me out of the ancestral temple early. It’s only a small token of thanks. I hope you won’t disdain it.”
“If I remember correctly,” Xie Yun said evenly, “it was Minister Fan who persuaded the Grand Empress Dowager to release you early.”
“Chancellor Yin and Lord Cheng can thank Minister Fan.”
“My mother made these herself. They’re a sincere gesture. I hope you’ll appreciate them.”
Song Liang set the carrier on the stone bridge’s railing, raised an eyebrow, and walked away.
Xie Yun glanced at the carrier. Before he could react, a voice came from ahead.
“Oh, right.”
He looked up. A few steps away, the youth had turned back to him, smiling.
“Actually, only the first half of that secret letter was for Cheng Qu. The second half was for you.”
Xie Yun’s gaze sharpened. He had underestimated the young emperor. The boy had actually guessed he would have someone secretly monitor his circumstances in the ancestral temple.
He was about to speak when Song Liang raised his right hand, pinching his thumb and index finger into a gesture toward him.
“Guess what that symbol means. Get it right, and I’ll give you the throne.”
Xie Yun’s expression changed sharply, his brows drawing together in unmistakable anger. Seeing this, Song Liang stopped teasing, waved, and turned to run.
“I’m off, I’m off! Take your time guessing!”
“…”
His expression dark, Xie Yun stood rigidly in place for a long while before finally uttering coldly—
“Utter nonsense.”
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