Li Jianheng lay unconscious for several days, plagued by chaotic nightmares, muttering nonsense that no one could clearly understand. Mu Ru stayed by the edge of his bed, feeding him medicine and wiping him down, handling everything personally without delegating a single task.
Today the Empress Dowager did not ride in her phoenix palanquin. Taking advantage of the fine weather, she brought Hua San into the garden to get some air. She asked, “Is Consort Mu still keeping watch by the Emperor’s side?”
Aunt Liuxiang supported the Empress Dowager and replied, “She hasn’t left even for a step.”
“She’s gone this far—His Majesty’s six parts of affection for her will surely become ten,” the Empress Dowager said to Hua Xiangyi. “Sharing hardship together deepens feelings.”
“Consort Mu looks delicate,” Hua Xiangyi followed closely behind, “but she’s got real nerve.”
“Well said,” the Empress Dowager replied. “Yesterday I heard from the imperial physicians that His Majesty is no longer in danger and should wake soon. Once he does, Consort Mu will come to the fore. She was scolded by the censorial officials so badly before, yet now even Hai Liangyi would have to sigh and say she’s a good woman. If she were timid, how would she dare take such a risk?”
Hua Xiangyi smiled, took the blue-and-white porcelain bowl from Aunt Liuxiang’s hands, and scattered fish feed into the newly dredged lake. “Without some courage, how could one become the apple of His Majesty’s eye? Back when Pan Rugui was around, she already knew when to advance and when to retreat.”
Watching the koi scramble for the feed, the Empress Dowager said, “This epidemic broke out strangely. Originally, we could have dealt with Consort Mu under the charge of bewitching the Emperor and sent her away. But she was clever—she knew that staying close to His Majesty was a talisman against death. With her tending him like this, the one who ends up suffering afterward is only Xi Hongxuan. Earlier, when Xiao Chiye was suppressed, the noble families also lost Wei Huaixing, Fu Linye was demoted as well. In the end, no one really gained anything. Now that the Imperial Guards handled the urgent task of dredging the drainage channels, Xiao Chiye must be rewarded.”
“Xi Hongxuan should be punished too,” Hua Xiangyi said. “Those without long-term foresight are bound to have immediate trouble. Aunt, I think he became overconfident after being transferred into the Ministry of Revenue’s Bureau of Personnel Evaluation. This disaster falling on him isn’t a coincidence. If he’d been cautious enough, how would he have given others a chance to scheme against him? Now he’s been turned into a stepping stone for that Xiao Second to trample on—punishing him is only right. Besides, when I was asking around about Qidong, I heard that before the new year, during heavy snow, the Heir of Libei sent forty thousand taels of relief silver to Zhongbo’s Cizhou. This time, Xiao Second was able to persuade the Ministry of Revenue largely thanks to those forty thousand taels. At the very least, because of this, Cizhou has become bound to Libei through shared hardship. In the future, when the court appoints an Administration Commissioner to manage Zhongbo’s six prefectures, they’ll have to give some consideration to Libei’s face.”
“The greatest beneficiary this time is Xiao Chiye. Saying that he released the epidemic himself wouldn’t even be impossible,” the Empress Dowager said, grinding the feed between her fingers before scattering it into the lake. “Consort Mu’s body is so healthy—why is there still no news of an imperial heir? If we can’t get rid of her, then we can only keep her in check. Once she has a child, I won’t have to worry about the future anymore.”
In truth, the Li clan had not lacked heirs. But during Emperor Guangcheng’s reign, the Crown Prince committed suicide, and the princes below either died or were deposed. Only Emperor Xiande and Li Jianheng remained. Emperor Xiande ruled for eight years, but due to poor health, only Consort Wei conceived. During the days of national mourning, Consort Wei was quietly forced to throw herself into a well. In the end, there was truly only Li Jianheng left. After Li Jianheng ascended the throne, none of the palace consorts showed any sign of pregnancy for a long time.
The Empress Dowager looked down on Mu Ru for coming out of the eunuch quarters. Originally, she had planned to select a clever girl from the remaining daughters of the Hua family of Dicheng and assign her to Li Jianheng as a consort. Li Jianheng was no devoted lover—once he had a new favorite, he would naturally neglect the old. Who would have thought that Mu Ru was not only clever but also bold, repeatedly whispering pillow talk in the Empress Dowager’s favor before the Emperor? The Empress Dowager wanted to raise the future Crown Prince in her own palace. Now she had to keep a constant eye on Mu Ru’s belly.
“Speaking of beneficiaries, Consort Mu also turned misfortune into blessing,” Hua Xiangyi wiped her hands. “She has a younger brother—Aunt, do you remember?”
“His name is Fengquan,” Aunt Liuxiang softly reminded from behind.
“I vaguely remember him,” the Empress Dowager said. “Didn’t he acknowledge Pan Rugui as his grandfather? Pan Rugui was executed—didn’t His Majesty secretly keep the boy for Consort Mu’s sake?”
“Fengquan received Aunt’s guidance before; surely he still remembers Aunt’s kindness,” Hua Xiangyi supported the Empress Dowager. “Aunt, the two of them are now without anyone to rely on. If you give them a push, to them you’d be Guanyin herself.”
The Empress Dowager walked a few steps and said, “That Fengquan is a eunuch. Call him back. There are so many vacancies among the Twenty-Four Offices—Liuxiang, arrange a good post for him. Consider it fulfilling the siblings’ wishes.”
Liuxiang acknowledged the order.
The Empress Dowager then asked, “Has Qidong replied yet? How can the wedding date be set for autumn? In Qiandong’s Cang Prefecture, the autumn winds are fierce—I wouldn’t bear to have you marry over there then.”
Hua Xiangyi only smiled. Aunt Liuxiang said, “The Old Marshal has replied, saying everything is at the Empress Dowager’s discretion—just choose an auspicious date. The messenger even brought several chests of Hezhou brocade and silks specifically for Third Miss, and the jewelry sets were crafted with great care.”
“Shouldn’t he be attentive?” the Empress Dowager’s smile faded. “He’s received immense favor.”
Liuxiang immediately bowed and said, “As it should be. For the sake of not slighting Third Miss, Qidong selected an escort of only distinguished generals for the bridal procession, with Grand Marshal Qi himself leading it.”
The Empress Dowager’s expression changed slightly. In the end, she did not flare up, only saying, “I specifically submitted a memorial to the border regions, requesting that the Sand Warden of the Border, Lu Pingyan, come to receive the bride. But he refused again and again—isn’t it just because he doesn’t dare offend the King of Libei? The Lu clan are all wooden-headed fools! I’d like to see what Libei can help them with in the future. Having Qi Zhuyin come to receive the bride… she’s a daughter, after all, and lower in generation. It really takes Qi Shiyu to come up with something like that!”
Before the Empress Dowager’s anger could subside, a eunuch came running swiftly, knelt, and reported, “Peace to the Empress Dowager! Word just came from the寝殿—the Emperor has awakened!”
Liuxiang hurriedly said, “Prepare the carriage!”
Dantai Hu was draping on his robe and carving wood, fashioning a rough little cricket for Ding Tao and Little Wu. When Chenyang lifted the curtain, they all rose from their beds and bowed neatly.
“You’ve just woken—there’s no harm in staying seated,” Xiao Chiye gestured for them to rise and sat down himself. “How are you today?”
“Reporting to the Governor,” Dantai Hu wiped the wood shavings from his hands, “the fever’s gone. I can eat now, and I can return to duty today.”
“No rush,” Xiao Chiye, dressed smartly in an old robe, sat for a moment. “That illness came on suddenly. You’re usually in good health—what happened? Did the military physicians say anything?”
“Even the Imperial Medical Bureau couldn’t explain the cause,” Dantai Hu said. “I’ve been wondering myself—why me? When we train on the drill grounds, I’ve gone bare-chested in the rain and never caught a chill. The Governor had Chenyang compile a list of the sick; I looked it over. Though there were old and young, the majority were still able-bodied adults.”
“This epidemic is eerie,” Chenyang said. “The Commander-in-Chief might not be wrong—this wasn’t a natural disaster, but man-made.”
Xiao Chiye leaned back, thinking. “Whichever it was, after all this time, the clues were likely cleaned up.”
“If it was just me who fell ill, that’d be one thing,” Dantai Hu said with lingering fear. “But if the Governor had fallen sick, patrol and defense of Que Capital would have been thrown into chaos!”
Xiao Chiye froze, even the hand rubbing his thumb ring stopping. He said nothing, and no one dared interrupt his thoughts.
“I hadn’t considered that,” Xiao Chiye said after a long moment, then laughed fearlessly. “Forget it. A mess of old accounts—if it reaches us, there’s still a follow-up move. No need to be so tense. You rest well today. Who’s been looking after your children these past few days?”
Dantai Hu hadn’t expected Xiao Chiye to remember his children. His eyes warmed as he said, “Before I was brought in, I entrusted them to Chenyang. He gathered them all at the Imperial Guards’ duty compound. With the brothers looking after them, they shouldn’t lack food or drink.”
“Most Imperial Guards households are native to Que Capital. You outsiders who were brought in don’t have houses or wives—raising a few children isn’t easy. This time, you dug the channels in the face of danger and fell ill. That counts as merit. Chenyang will report it to the Ministry of War—come spring, you’ll be promoted to an Assistant Registrar. From now on, aside from your monthly stipend, through the Imperial Guards’ internal accounts, I’ll also allocate you an extra allowance to raise the children.”
Going through Xiao Chiye’s private account meant the silver came directly from his own salary—money he was personally giving.
Dantai Hu immediately dropped to one knee. “How can this be? The Governor didn’t drive me out and still let me serve—that alone is more than enough for me!”
“Merits and faults cancel out. This is what you deserve. If I give it to you, take it,” Xiao Chiye said as he stood, then told Chenyang, “All the soldiers who dug the channels get recorded and paid. Epidemics are a matter of risking one’s life—what’s a little silver? If something like this happens again, promotions and transfers will be assessed by merit and fault. Men like Tiger here—I, Xiao Ce’an, will shoulder their entire families.”
Any lingering resentment Dantai Hu had was completely gone. Having received such favor, he couldn’t bring himself to mention Shen Zechuan again. Xiao Chiye went on to visit the other Imperial Guards who had fallen ill, handling them all the same way—even someone as young as Ding Tao wasn’t shortchanged on reward silver.
Shen Zechuan drank his medicine, watching the bustle outside the window.
Qiao Tianya set up a brazier, roasted a few potatoes, and said as he turned them, “Everyone else is getting promoted and getting rich. Master, what about me?”
“Keep it in mind,” Shen Zechuan set down the bowl.
Qiao Tianya focused intently on the potatoes but kept talking. “Xiao Second really knows how to manage subordinates. In just a few years, he’s turned the Imperial Guards into an iron bucket that belongs entirely to him—he’s put in real thought.”
“When it comes to safety, a bit of thought isn’t strange,” Shen Zechuan said. “The Imperial Guards are a newly honed blade of his—of course he wants it as handy as possible. Dantai Hu is a commander he brought in from outside. If a group like that isn’t managed well, it becomes a hidden danger.”
“Timing and people’s hearts are both indispensable. He got everything just right—pressing them down and rewarding them at the same time, taming them completely. A hidden danger becomes a stabilizing pillar. With Dantai Hu’s temperament, even a thousand taels in bribes from others wouldn’t shake his loyalty,” Qiao Tianya sighed. “Compared to that, Master, you’re really rather cold.”
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard is different from the Imperial Guards. Everyone there has family backing and a sense of pride—being cold is just right. Without facing life-and-death trials, you can’t draw out real bonds. Everyone keeps their own scales. Han Cheng has been Commander for some time now, and he’s handed out plenty of rewards—but how many people truly remember his kindness behind his back?” Shen Zechuan paused, then said, “Finish the potatoes. Skip the meat later. Since following me, you’ve put on a good seven or eight jin, haven’t you?”
Qiao Tianya said, “Master want to hear a tune? I can play and sing. No silver needed—surely you can spare me a couple pieces of meat?”
Shen Zechuan said coldly, “Get out.”
As Qiao Tianya went out, Xiao Chiye was just returning. Qiao Tianya stepped aside to make way. Xiao Chiye strode in, hooked a chair with his leg, and sat by the bed.
“Sleep well?”
“So-so,” Shen Zechuan replied.
“Your residence was torn down too. Once we’re out in a couple of days, where will you stay?” Xiao Chiye asked.
Shen Zechuan sighed. “I’ll be wandering the streets.”
“I’ve got a small courtyard behind the Mei residence,” Xiao Chiye propped himself up and whistled softly at him. “Want it?”
“Too close—it’ll arouse suspicion,” Shen Zechuan gathered his clothes. The marks on the back of his neck flashed briefly into view.
“Too far, and we won’t see each other for days,” Xiao Chiye reached out to smooth his collar, his gaze lingering on the bite marks.
They were all his doing—like gripping prey, he’d kissed that patch thoroughly.
Shen Zechuan looked up at him and said, “We’ll meet at court… hmm?”
Xiao Chiye averted his gaze. “Meeting at court feels too distant.”
“Then what should we do?” Shen Zechuan looked at him. “Where’s my fan?”
Chenyang was lifting the curtain with a tray. Without thinking, Xiao Chiye said, “Lost it. Chenyang lost it.”
Shen Zechuan looked at Chenyang. After his initial shock, Chenyang calmly nodded and said gravely, “Commander, this subordinate—”
“It’s just a fan. Second Young Master will compensate him,” Xiao Chiye said leisurely. “That ivory fan was tacky anyway. I’ll give you one.”
“Tacky or not, I got it from Xi Hongxuan,” Shen Zechuan said. “When I go see him later, without that fan, how am I supposed to play the vulgar fellow?”
“I’ll give you an even tackier one,” Xiao Chiye said. “Gold-inlaid or jade-set—Second Young Master has money to spare.”
“In spring, the Fengshan drill grounds need renovation,” Shen Zechuan spread his palm. “Second Young Master Xiao, have you tightened your belt yet? You’re about to be so poor you’ll be eating vegetarian. Where would you get silver for gold and jade?”
Chenyang set down the tray and withdrew.
Xiao Chiye said, “What, already checking on my private stash?”
Shen Zechuan said, “Oh? You’ve got a private stash.”
“Plenty,” Xiao Chiye replied.
Shen Zechuan smiled. “Well then…”
Just as Chenyang had stepped out, he hurried back again and called from outside the curtain, “Master! An imperial edict has arrived from the palace!”
Their expressions instantly sobered. Xiao Chiye rose at once and pulled Shen Zechuan up with him.