A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 100

A wave of oppressive summer heat struck in the afternoon, making Xie Yuan feel a little agitated.

Zheng Hechuan vigorously waved his cool jade fan. “Your Majesty, I’ll send someone to fetch some ice to cool the place down.”

Xie Yuan gestured for him to go.

Just as Xie Yuan was feeling muddled, the chief eunuch from Consort Shu Zhai Yu’s palace scurried over, his steps quick and light. He was breathless from running and waved frantically from afar to Zheng Hechuan, “Eunuch Zheng, Eunuch Zheng.”

“Why are you shouting? It will not look good for you if you disturb the Sacred Presence.”

The chief eunuch bowed, panting, “Eunuch Zheng, please inform the Emperor that our Mistress went to the Hall of Phoenix Splendor today to pay respects to the Empress. She accidentally bumped her stomach against Princess Roujia and immediately saw blood. Since returning to the palace, Her Mistress has been feeling uncomfortable. Please ask the Emperor to come and see her.”

“Wait here.” Zheng Hechuan immediately entered the hall to report.

In a moment, the sound of an object falling could be heard from inside the hall, and immediately after, Xie Yuan strode out of the Hall of Chongzheng.

Zheng Hechuan hastily summoned the imperial carriage.

Xie Yuan rushed towards the inner court, his face terribly dark. The palace maids and eunuchs along the way all turned to face the wall to avoid him.

A group of imperial physicians was kneeling on the floor in Yaohua Palace. Zhai Yu was lying on a chaise longue, and a delicate back figure was about to take her pulse, but she was angrily reprimanded by the Consort.

Seeing a figure in bright yellow walk into Yaohua Palace, Zhai Yu pushed away the imperial physician who was about to examine her and rushed towards Xie Yuan, throwing herself into his arms.

Xie Yuan urgently asked, “Were you hurt anywhere?”

Zhai Yu buried her face in Xie Yuan’s chest. “Your Majesty, the Great Shaman said there is an evil star in the palace that has clashed with the Imperial Child.”

An evil star.

Zheng Hechuan chuckled, “Consort Shu, we do not believe in ghosts, spirits, or fate in the palace.”

Xie Yuan intended to lift Zhai Yu by the waist and carry her inside to rest, but as he raised his hand, he saw Xun Shuhang leading Roujia out of Yaohua Palace.

“This subject’s wife greets Your Majesty.”

Xie Yuan’s hand, suspended in mid-air, paused. “The Empress is here too.” He then picked up Zhai Yu and headed back into the hall.

Xun Shuhang gracefully curtsied, performing a solemn bow to Xie Yuan. “Roujia was careless and bumped into Consort Shu. This subject’s wife apologizes on Roujia’s behalf to Consort Shu. This matter is my fault; I ask Your Majesty to mete out punishment. However, Consort Shu is unwilling to let the imperial physicians examine her. Please, Your Majesty, persuade her.”

Zhai Yu said, “I do not trust the imperial physicians.”

Xun Shuhang had initially thought that Consort Shu did not like to be touched by outside men, so she specifically summoned the female physician who had recently joined the Imperial Academy of Medicine. Yet, Zhai Yu still refused to be examined.

“Stop being difficult.” Xie Yuan gently chastised. “Empress, rise. You are with child, don’t stand.”

He helped Zhai Yu sit back on the chaise longue and ordered the chief medical officer kneeling below, “Examine Consort Shu.”

The medical officer replied, “Yes.” It was a female voice.

Xie Yuan looked her over. “When did you join the Imperial Academy of Medicine?” She looked unfamiliar.

The physician seemed not to have heard him, focusing intently on taking the pulse.

Zheng Hechuan leaned his head closer and said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, this woman is from the Ye family of Jiuhua Villa in Liangxi City. She joined the Imperial Academy of Medicine only after the Grand Ceremony of Ten Thousand Congratulations. She is not yet familiar with the palace rules. I will instruct the Head of the Academy to discipline her properly later.”

Only after hearing Zheng Hechuan’s explanation did Xie Yuan realize this was the female physician who had won over the medical envoys from all sides during the Grand Ceremony of Ten Thousand Congratulations. Considering her background in a medical family and her excellent skills, he had made an exception and allowed her to join the Imperial Academy of Medicine.

Ye Weiying finished taking the pulse and spoke. “It is you who do not understand the rules of physicians. Speak less when seeking diagnosis and medicine. The fetal energy is slightly unstable. It was not caused by any ‘clash.’ It is just that the Mistress is only one month pregnant, and the fetal root is not yet firm. She needs careful rest; there is no major danger.”

This person was truly ill-disciplined.

Xie Yuan was already preoccupied with the military matters in the two regions, and Ye Weiying’s words were utterly disrespectful, immediately provoking his imperial wrath. “Such arrogance and relying on her talent means she cannot maintain the true heart of a physician. Expel her from the Imperial Academy of Medicine.”

Zhai Yu, however, looked at Ye Weiying with some interest.

The Middle Lin Palace was stifling; this person was barely like a living human.

When a servant stepped forward to drag the female physician away, Zhai Yu preemptively asked Xie Yuan for her. “Your Majesty, I wish to keep this female physician.”

Xie Yuan’s gaze fell on Zhai Yu’s lower abdomen. The pregnancy was too early for any swelling to be visible.

He greatly cherished this child.

“As you wish. Keep her if you want.”

Since everything was fine, Xie Yuan instructed, “Take good care of yourself. There are many matters in the front court. I will come to accompany you another day,” and then set off back to the Hall of Chongzheng.

Zhai Yu’s expression stiffened slightly, but she could not force him to stay, so she performed a deep bow. “This subject’s wife respectfully sends off Your Majesty.”

As Xie Yuan reached the door, he turned to look at Xun Shuhang. “Empress, walk with me.”

Xun Shuhang bowed. “This subject’s wife obeys the command.”

Xun Shuhang held Roujia’s hand and followed Xie Yuan as they walked silently along the palace path for a while, neither speaking. The imperial carriage followed not far behind, the silence so deep that the “creak, creak” sound of the carriage could be heard.

“Roujia, she…”

“Empress, you…”

The two spoke at the same time and quickly fell into a stalemate again.

From the imperial carriage to Zhaohua Palace, Xie Yuan never once looked Roujia in the eye. He didn’t want to hear Xun Shuhang talk about how Roujia had learned a few more characters; she could only doodle on paper and couldn’t even clearly say “Imperial Father.” He had already granted her wish not to send Roujia out of the palace, and he considered the child not to exist in the palace. But why was she still not satisfied?

What did she want him to do to be satisfied?

“During the Grand Ceremony of Ten Thousand Congratulations, envoys from various countries presented many trinkets. Have Roujia and the little girl of the Marquis of Wu’an pick out some they like. I’ll have someone send them to the Hall of Phoenix Splendor later.”

The “little girl” Xie Yuan referred to was Chen Huai’an.

Xun Shuhang bowed again. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

She tightened her grip on Roujia’s hand, and finally, a hint of a smile appeared on her face.

Xie Yuan reached out to help her. “You are pregnant, so there’s no need to bow. It makes us seem distant as husband and wife.”

“Yes, this subject’s wife understands.”

The corner of Xie Yuan’s mouth curved up, and he glanced inadvertently at Roujia.

The child’s features were very much like his, she was as lovely and obedient as a finely crafted porcelain doll. But her eyes were always dull. She looked straight ahead, slowly following Xun Shuhang’s steps, neither flinching nor approaching him upon seeing him.

She also wouldn’t bow or greet him.

When her spirits were better, she would run and jump like a normal child. More often, she just sat quietly like a paper doll.

Xun Shuhang and Zhai Yu were both pregnant at the same time. Such good fortune somewhat dispelled the gloom that had accumulated in Xie Yuan’s heart over the matter of imperial succession.

He hoped Xun Shuhang could give birth to an imperial heir for him.

“Empress, what do you think of the character ‘Cong’?”

Xun Shuhang pondered for a moment. “Neutral, upright, a good character.”

Xie Yuan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, a look of relaxed ease surfacing in his smile. He explained, “To honor the heavens with a Cang Bi (azure jade disk), and to honor the earth with a Huang Cong (yellow jade cong). To govern the state and pacify the world.”

Xun Shuhang was surprised.

Xie Yuan said, “I place more importance on our child.”

After the general amnesty, Xie Yuan issued an edict promoting Cheng Lingdian to Chief Minister of the Central Secretariat, appointing Hanlin Academician Gu Heng to concurrently serve as the Junior Left Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat, and transferring Shaoqing Sheng Yuan of the Court of the Imperial Granary to be the Junior Right Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat. An imperial decree was issued for the Central Secretariat to assist in managing all affairs of the Department of Agriculture during the Eldest Princess’s period of mourning for her mother.

Concurrently, Chen Luan was promoted to Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review.

In mid-May, the military disaster in Xiling worsened, and Chen Luan once again submitted a memorial pleading for a special pardon for Zhao Xingli, asking that he be sent to the Xiling area to redeem himself through service.

After deliberation with the Central Secretariat, Xie Yuan drafted a pardon.

Zhao Xingli did not reclaim the position of Deputy Chief Censor but set out on his journey as a commoner, alone.

Ximu Qing still occasionally caused trouble at the palace gates. Initially, their stay in Yongdu was only to marry Ke Zun. Now, another matter had been added: waiting for Chen Liangyu in death row to be executed.

They waited and waited, but no result came.

The people of the Southern Office Sixteen Guards and the Northern Office Imperial Guards, in an effort to drive the Xi Ma Nou people away from the palace gates, pointed out several locations to them, claiming those were where Chen Liangyu was imprisoned, urging them to cause trouble there.

Since they already had communication and custom barriers, they believed the Imperial Guards instantly. They hammered east, struck west, causing a racket, and harassed the Ministry of Justice Prison, the Court of Judicial Review Prison, and the Yong’an Prefecture Dungeon one by one. Later, some rotten soul tricked them into going to Yifeng Pavilion, telling them there was a secret dungeon there, and someone of Chen Liangyu’s status would usually be imprisoned in a secret dungeon.

Yifeng Pavilion, which had been established since the founding of the Great Lin Dynasty, was almost excavated by the Xi Ma Nou people.

Seeing that half of May had passed and nothing had been resolved, Xi Qing finally realized belatedly that they might have been tricked.

This day, after the morning court session dispersed, court officials gathered at Chengtian Gate. Those walking behind thought the fierce Xi Ma Nou people were blocking the palace gate again, but the sound didn’t seem like the Xi Ma Nou people causing trouble. They didn’t hear the Xi Ma Nou people’s characteristic thunderous roars and the clanging of cleavers and hammers.

Pushing forward, they saw that none of the Southern Office Sixteen Guards or the Northern Office Imperial Guards stepped forward to drive them away. Gao Guan, the Commander of the Southern Office, and Jiang Andong, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, were both invited to Chengtian Gate but were also helpless.

In front of Chengtian Gate, by the Outer Jinshu Bridge, a woman was kneeling.

The woman was dressed in a blue zhaiyi (ceremonial court dress) and wore a Nine-Pheasant Coronet. The zhaiyi was embroidered with a pheasant pattern, and the coronet was adorned with nine pheasant birds. Her palms were held upwards, supporting the LanCang Sword.

Someone quickly recognized the woman. “The wife of the Marquis of Wu’an.”

It was her.

The woman kneeling by the Outer Jinshu Bridge was precisely Yan Nian.

She was wearing the first-rank Guoming Furen (titled lady) court dress, and behind her, several close guards carried two sets of armor. Mountain-pattern armor and a purple-gold helmet. Those were the battle armor of the late Marquis Xuanping, Chen Yuanqing, and the Marquis of Wu’an, Chen Linjun.

As more people gathered at Chengtian Gate, Yan Nian raised the LanCang Sword high above her head and shouted towards the imperial palace: “This subject, Yan Nian, brings my father-in-law and my late husband, and earnestly begs Your Majesty for clemency, to release Liangyu from prison. This subject is willing to bear all the guilt for my sister-in-law!”

“This subject, Yan Nian, brings my father-in-law and my late husband, and earnestly begs Your Majesty for clemency…”

Gao Guan looked into the covered passage deep inside Chengtian Gate. The people were packed tightly; nothing could be seen clearly. He quickly grabbed a nearby soldier and instructed, “Go find the Marquis Xuanping, hurry.”

The soldier took the order and squeezed his way into Chengtian Gate.

“This subject, Yan Nian, brings my father-in-law and my late husband, and earnestly begs Your Majesty for clemency, to release Liangyu from prison…”

After about half an incense stick of time, Chen Luan exerted tremendous effort to squeeze himself out of the airtight passage.

“Sister-in-law.”

“This subject, Yan Nian, begs Your Majesty for clemency…”

“Sister-in-law!”

After shouting for such a while, Yan Nian’s voice was already a little hoarse. She paused and continued to shout, “…to release Liangyu from prison. This subject is willing to bear all the guilt!”

“Sister-in-law, stop shouting. It’s only a matter of time.”

Yan Nian met Chen Luan’s gaze. “How late is late? How early is early? You told me the same thing the first day I returned. Why is Liangyu still in prison? Have you visited her even once?”

Chen Luan faltered. “Sister-in-law, Xi Qing is still in Yongdu. His Majesty strictly forbids visits.”

“Xi Qing? For the sake of this bandit, the Commander-in-Chief who achieved brilliant military merits for Great Lin has been imprisoned? It was nothing more than killing a few bandits who drove their horses over and destroyed farmland! Can they not be killed? This subject, Yan Nian, brings my father-in-law and my late husband…”

“Sister-in-law!”

Chen Luan nearly knelt down and kowtowed to Yan Nian. His heart was a mess. After Yan Nian returned to Yongdu, he only told her about the Xi Ma Nou people destroying farmland and the entire sequence of events of Liangyu leaving the city to stop them, but he concealed the fact that Jiang Bojin had instigated Xi Qing to do it. When he found out about this, after weighing the pros and cons, he could only let the mistake stand.

Xie Yuan had met Jiang Bojin at Prince Shen’s manor in Linxia.

If they were to confront Xi Qing in court, the Marquis’s Manor would have to bear greater guilt if the matter was pursued.

Chen Luan said, “Sister-in-law, please get up first. Let’s go home and talk.”

“If I go back, you bring Liangyu out, and we will return together.”

“Sister-in-law…”

Chen Luan was close to kneeling down for Yan Nian.

Yan Nian pointed at Chen Luan’s nose and said, “Liangyu called you ‘brother’ for ten years. She has been imprisoned for over a month, and you show no sign of worry. That’s right, with Liangyu locked up, you rise swiftly in your career. Sure enough, you are not…”

She suddenly stopped.

Sure enough, they were not biological siblings, and there was no bond of blood thicker than water. Liangyu’s parents and biological brother had already passed away. Besides herself, no one else was protecting her.

Yan Nian once again raised the LanCang Sword high. “This subject, Yan Nian…”

Chen Luan suddenly raised his voice. “Sister-in-law, for Liangyu’s sake alone, stop shouting.”

Yan Nian looked straight ahead and said, “Alright, then you take me to see Liangyu.”

Chen Luan’s expression froze, and hesitation surfaced in his eyes.

Yan Nian immediately raised the sword again. “This subject…”

“Fine, I’ll take you.”