A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 19

Emperor Xuanyuan’s incognito visit, without prior imperial decree, resulted in a sudden assassination attempt that caught the Residence of the Marquis of Xuanping completely off guard.

The household guards were dispatched to clear the area, forming a human wall to block the curious citizens who were craning their necks to get a better look.

Someone had died on the day of the grand wedding, collapsing right in front of the bridal sedan chair and breathing their last—a pool of blood, which needlessly brought bad luck.

Chen Liangyu turned over the creature, which was shaped like a combination of a man and a beast, and immediately frowned deeply.

What kind of wild beast or monkey was this? The thing was clearly in the shape of a young boy, but its face was extremely aged, with deep wrinkles like ravines and fissures like cracked bone.

In a flash, she thought of another person.

The young eunuch Wei, who served Princess Jiangning, had a similar appearance.

Before she could think further, Yong’an Prefecture officials arrived with the coroner and took the mysterious corpse to the Yong’an Prefecture morgue.

Chen Liangyu bit her knuckles, seriously trying to connect the assassin with the young eunuch Wei. After going over all the details, she found that, apart from the physical resemblance, there was no other connection.

The young eunuch Wei was the princess’s personal attendant, and he rarely had a chance to leave the palace without his mistress’s explicit permission. Furthermore, an eunuch depended on the Royal Family for his livelihood, and there was no discernible reason for him to attempt to assassinate the Emperor.

Someone from the mansion hurried over. “Miss, His Majesty has summoned you.”

Chen Liangyu put away her wild thoughts and walked towards the main house.

Guests from all corners knelt neatly outside Chen Yuanqing’s study, each one adopting an apologetic posture.

Although the Xuanping Marquis’s power had been curtailed, it had not been fundamentally harmed, and the family’s favor remained. Today was Chen Linjun’s auspicious day, and many officials—those who usually came and those who didn’t, acquaintances and strangers, along with some new nobles—had arrived to show respect to the Marquis’s family.

With so many people present, they had failed to guard against a single assassin, causing the Son of Heaven to be startled.

Thus, the area outside the study was packed with officials, as if holding court.

A moment later, someone emerged from the study and asked everyone to stop kneeling and take their seats, so as not to delay the auspicious time for the newlyweds, finally clearing a tranquil space.

The wedding ceremony was intricate. After bowing to Heaven and Earth, Yan Nian was sent to the new bridal chamber in the rear courtyard, while Chen Linjun was dragged off to drink wine.

When Chen Liangyu arrived, Emperor Xuanyuan and Chen Yuanqing were casually chatting over tea.

She first knelt to perform the ritual kowtow, and then requested punishment for her failure to properly protect the Emperor. Emperor Xuanyuan raised his hand, bidding her to rise, and casually tossed her a sword. “Do you like it?”

Chen Liangyu reached out to catch it, and her wrist sank downward—it was quite heavy.

She fixed her gaze on it, and undisguised surprise filled her eyes.

The dark-colored scabbard was secretly engraved with nine dragon patterns, so subtle they were difficult to spot without a close look. Two or three corundum beads were inlaid on the hilt. A dark blue tassel, adorned with langgan jade, hung down. When illuminated by the sun, the scabbard reflected a faint red glow.

It was clearly an unparalleled, magnificent sword.

She placed her palm on the hilt, intending to draw it out to inspect the blade, but considering the Emperor’s presence, she should not expose the sharp edge, so she pressed it back into the scabbard.

It was a handy weapon!

“This sword was carried by the founding ancestor of the Great Lin Dynasty. It is forged from black stone profound iron, and there is only one such sword in the world. Since you protected me well today, I bestow it upon you,” Emperor Xuanyuan said with a smile. “The one who wields this sword can, on the lower level, execute officials, and on the upper level, slay a prince, without needing to report to me.”

“Your subject thanks Your Majesty for this generous gift!”

Chen Liangyu expressed her gratitude and, being sensible, withdrew to the side.

Emperor Xuanyuan spoke to Chen Yuanqing, “I came out of the palace in plain clothes today, and this attire is inconvenient for carrying congratulatory gifts. So, I will promote Chen Linjun to General-in-Chief of the Flying Cavalry, First Rank, and grant him the title Marquis of Wu’an. Linjun’s wife must also be rewarded, so she shall be conferred the Lady of the Second Rank. Lin Zhong, go and announce the decree!”

Lin Zhong, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, accepted the order and left the study for the front courtyard where the feast was being held.

Chen Liangyu knew that Emperor Xuanyuan was using this day to show favor to the Marquis’s Residence and to appease the northern border troops.

Yet, she hadn’t expected such a great act of grace.

Since the Censorate jointly impeached Chen Yuanqing, disturbances had become frequent at the northern border.

No sooner had the enemy been repelled and he had returned to Yongdu than he was impeached and stripped of his post. This angered the passionate, blooded men, who shouted slogans like “When the birds are gone, the good bow is put away,” and “When the enemy is eliminated, the general perishes.” They even threatened to march into Yongdu, declaring, “If the Censorate is going to jointly memorialize, then we shall stage a joint military remonstrance!”

The garrisons of the three prefectures and sixteen cities of the Northern Border gathered their troops overnight and convened in the wilderness outside Dingbei City, even urgently making banners for a southward military demonstration.

While Chen Linjun was bowing to Heaven and Earth in the front hall, preparations were already underway in the rear courtyard for him to pack his bags and urgently return to the northern border tomorrow to deal with troop demobilization and stabilize the soldiers’ morale.

After Lin Zhong was sent away, Emperor Xuanyuan beckoned Chen Liangyu closer. “The Sixteen Guards were originally the Imperial City’s guards established at the founding of the dynasty. Later, due to tight military funding at the front lines, Yongdu cut down on superfluous officials and expenses, reducing the Sixteen Guards and merging them into one Southern Bureau Guard, with the Imperial Guards taking over some of the Sixteen Guards’ duties. At the time, I thought that I might reactivate them one day if the Imperial Guards became too powerful, so I did not abolish the Southern Bureau. Now, the time is ripe. I have decided to reactivate the Sixteen Guards. What is your opinion?”

“Your subject is willing to serve Your Majesty like a dog or a horse!”

“Good.”

Emperor Xuanyuan was greatly pleased. “There is one thing: the Southern Bureau is currently merged into one, so only one Commander will be appointed, which is you. But the Sixteen Guard Bureaus will be separately established. I want you to pay attention to the candidates for the commanders of each guard and submit a list after the spring hunt.”

He paused and added a further instruction: “Especially the Qianniu Guard, which is responsible for holding the imperial sword and acting as the close personal bodyguards. This must not be taken lightly!”

For the head of the Emperor’s personal bodyguards, Chen Liangyu did have a candidate in mind.

“Reporting to Your Majesty, I can recommend a person for the General-in-Chief of the Qianniu Guard today.”

“Who is it?”

“The current Deputy Commander of the Southern Bureau, Gao Guan.”

“Gao Guan,” Emperor Xuanyuan repeated the name, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Is that… the Gao Guan who followed Prince Shen and tore down my temporary palace to use as firewood?”

Chen Liangyu flushed with embarrassment but forced herself to say, “To Your Majesty, it is indeed this person.”

Why did that ‘fat monk’ have to dismantle anything!

“I heard that no government office was initially willing to take charge of the refugee situation, and only the people from the Sixteen Guards eagerly stepped up. Since you were confined, was it Gao Guan who made the decision?”

Chen Liangyu replied, “It was indeed Gao Guan who took the initiative to aid the refugees, and the dismantling of the wood for fuel was only because a cold rain came quickly, and he feared that people freezing to death right under the Son of Heaven’s nose would damage Your Majesty’s reputation for being wise and loving toward the people.”

To avoid causing Emperor Xuanyuan to be suspicious, she did not mention Prince Shen.

Bowing lower, she spoke with utmost sincerity, “Gao Guan has a pure heart, a simple mind, and is completely loyal and righteous. He is worthy of being used by Your Majesty.”

Emperor Xuanyuan nodded. “I will have the archives department check Gao Guan’s official documents when I return to the palace. You may now withdraw.”

Chen Liangyu bowed and left. Once she was a little further away, she couldn’t wait to draw the blade and test it with a few passes. The silver light glittered, and it could clearly cut through iron like mud.

Yan Baizhang happened to see her, took the sword, and examined it. “Lancang Sword?”

“His Majesty bestowed it upon me.”

Yan Baizhang was known as the “Myriad Scroll,” and he was the person Chen Liangyu admired the most in her youth; it was no exaggeration to say he was omniscient. He could identify the type and habits of a flying bird or a hopping grasshopper, and even tell you about its meat quality and which cooking method—steaming, braising, boiling, or frying—would taste best.

If a star shifted its position, he would know whether the weather the next day would be sunny, rainy, windy, or snowy.

For years, he had served as Chen Yuanqing’s strategist while also being the tutor for the two siblings, leading to three permanent wrinkles on his brow that would not smooth out even when he wasn’t frowning.

While Yan Baizhang was intently looking at the sword, Chen Liangyu asked about the beggar she met at the Lantern Festival: “Uncle Yan, yesterday during my patrol, I met a beggar with both arms severed mid-forearm. He asked me for money to prepare for his funeral. That person could call out my father’s courtesy name. You and my father are schoolmates, do you know anyone like that?”

Yan Baizhang’s expression changed. “What did he look like?”

Chen Liangyu described him, gesturing around her head.

Yan Baizhang said, “Don’t casually talk to strange people.” He said nothing more, returned the Lancang Sword to her, and headed toward the side residence.

Chen Liangyu glanced over. The gate to the side residence was surprisingly tightly shut.

She had been wondering earlier: the person in the side residence, whom she was supposed to call her Second Brother, was present when the welcoming party left the house, but she had not seen him when she returned upon being summoned. She initially thought she just hadn’t seen him, but as the wedding banquet had continued for several rounds of wine, she still had not seen him emerge.

Could it be that Chen Yuanqing found that old scandal shameful and did not want to show the fruit of that unfaithful affair in public?

She surmised.

A second thought suggested this was illogical. Many people had seen him that morning, and the amusing gossip about the Marquis of Xuanping having a son by an concubine had already spread throughout Shangyong City.

Then it could only be due to the Emperor’s presence!

Her thoughts were interrupted by a rising, loud singing voice: “That fellow’s gongs and drums shake the heavens, firecrackers boom in unison, red banners flutter, the crowd is vast…”

Hearing that voice made Chen Liangyu’s head ache.

The Marquis’s Residence had sent an invitation to the Right Chancellor, Zhang Diancheng, so it was not surprising that Zhang Jialing was here.

The sword returned to its scabbard, Chen Liangyu walked toward the new bridal chamber in the rear courtyard.

With the others gone, the study was quiet.

“Elder Brother,” Emperor Xuanyuan was moved and was the first to break the deadlock.

Chen Yuanqing’s posture was straight and unyielding. Even after being severely wounded, he never bent his back in front of outsiders, never showing his pain, which earned him the nickname ‘Thousand-Ren Pine.’

Hearing Emperor Xuanyuan’s words, he quickly knelt down and bowed deeply, saying, “This old subject dares not accept that title.”

Emperor Xuanyuan hurried forward to help him up, saying with a hint of reproach, “What are you doing? Did I not tell you not to kneel when we are alone? Rise quickly!”

Chen Yuanqing leveraged Emperor Xuanyuan’s support to stand up with effort. He was suffering from his illness, and the long wedding feast meant his strength was already being strained.

After steadying himself, he took a slight breath and said to Emperor Xuanyuan, “The etiquette between sovereign and subject must not be abandoned. For Your Majesty to call me Elder Brother is for this subject to overstep his bounds.”

A chill came over Emperor Xuanyuan’s face.

In the past, as a child, he would cry out for his Chongming Brother as he ran, and the response then was not the rigid etiquette between sovereign and subject, but Chen Yuanqing’s smiling face after turning around and a handkerchief carrying the scent of pine nuts to wipe his sweat.

“Your mother, Princess Guijun, is my own paternal aunt. It is only right that I call you Elder Brother. How is that overstepping?” Emperor Xuanyuan turned his back, lowering his head. The Emperor, who ruled over all beings, looked like a child who had done wrong. He said, “Or is it that you still haven’t forgiven me?”

Chen Yuanqing stood straight again. He looked forward, gazing at Emperor Xuanyuan’s back, and said, “Your Majesty is the ruler of the entire nation and cannot be wrong. Since there is no wrong, why would this subject need to forgive you?”

Emperor Xuanyuan sat back down behind the desk, looking forlorn. He picked up the teacup, skimmed the tea foam, and took a small sip of the tea.

The tea was cold, and the taste was somewhat bitter, so he put it down again.

“If the child who tried to assassinate me is indeed one of the dark guards that Lin Jianshu took away, I will immediately send people to find them! I am willing to compensate. If those children are truly still alive in the world, I am willing to save them! I will employ imperial physicians and the most expensive medicinal ingredients! Elder Brother, I know I was wrong!”

“Your Majesty, why cause yourself such distress?” Chen Yuanqing sighed softly. “It has been almost twenty years. Even if you could find those people, how do you intend to explain it to the entire world? The slightest mistake will not only harm Your Majesty’s virtuous reputation but will also cause the people to lose faith. Your Majesty, let bygones be bygones.”

“It was my fault. Lin Jianshu’s defection and departure was already a punishment. Why are you, even you, unwilling to stay any longer?”

Chen Yuanqing lowered his body and said, “Your Majesty promised this subject that the day the northern bandits were pacified, you would allow me to resign my post and return home. My repeated requests to retire are simply because I am old now and can no longer fight. There is no lack of rising stars in the army…”

“I don’t want to hear your insincere, evasive words,” the Supreme Emperor actually began to act like a petulant child, turning his head, unwilling to listen to anything more Chen Yuanqing had to say.

A moment later, he pointed toward the side residence. “That child, how long do you intend to hide him from me?”

Chen Yuanqing said, “This subject knows it cannot be hidden from Your Majesty’s eyes.”

Emperor Xuanyuan sighed deeply. “That child’s background… If you intend to raise him, then don’t keep him hidden. It only invites suspicion.” He took a breath and added, “Since he has entered your household, his surname can only be Chen for the rest of his life!”

Emperor Xuanyuan drank some wine and was slightly intoxicated before he prepared to return to the palace.

The guests also began to take their leave sequentially.

Chen Yuanqing stood with his hands behind his back in the courtyard. The red silk lanterns all over the area cast a flush onto people’s faces.

Yan Baizhang emerged from the side residence and walked up to Chen Yuanqing. “Marquis, Liangyu said she ran into Jiang Bojin at the Lantern Festival yesterday.”

Chen Yuanqing exhaled a puff of mist, which quickly dissipated in the wind. “He’s still alive?”

“Likely so, eight times out of ten,” Yan Baizhang said. “With the Dark Guard appearing, might we also be able to uncover the whereabouts of that ghost, Lin?”

The cold wind blew into his eye sockets, making his eyes red. Chen Yuanqing looked up into the distance and said, “Don’t look for him. He won’t be willing to come back.”