A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 39.1

The air in Shangyong City this year was unusually dry. Although winter had begun many days ago, there was no sign of snow.

This was the end of the 22nd year of Xuanyuan’s reign.

After recuperating for more than half a year, Emperor Xuanyuan’s health finally showed signs of improvement. Contrary to his usual behavior, he began to show concern for agricultural affairs.

No snow before the New Year meant that the grain harvest would, more likely than not, be poor next year.

This immediately raised the problem of insufficient land tax revenue and the need to prevent famine.

Just before all government offices closed for the year, Emperor Xuanyuan issued an edict to the Ministry of Agriculture (Si Nong Si), the Court of State Ceremonials (Honglu Si), and the Ministry of Rites (Li Bu), commanding them to thoroughly prepare for the Spring Plowing Festival on the second day of the second lunar month.

It had to be a grand and solemn occasion.

The three ministries received the edict, held a quick meeting, and decided that since they couldn’t enjoy the New Year anyway, they might as well not celebrate it. They rolled up their bedding, spread it out in their respective offices, and started working the moment they woke up.

After arranging these matters, Emperor Xuanyuan seemed to suddenly remember the existence of Consort Yao, the deposed concubine, in the palace. He reinstated her title as Consort De and moved her back to her former residence, the Chonghua Palace.

Her monthly allowance and expenses were restored to the original standard.

For the New Year’s palace banquet, Prince Qi, Xie Xuan, rushed back to Yongdu from his fiefdom of Zhudong, traveling at great speed.

He had returned by imperial decree.

He seemed to understand what this return to Yongdu meant.

Jiang Andong intercepted the Prince Qi’s personal guard unit that was supposed to meet him outside the city. Instead, Jiang Andong led several hundred Imperial Guards far out to greet him. After meeting the Prince, only a hundred or so men accompanied him on the return journey to Shangyong City; the rest were split into several units and galloped off in the direction from which he had come.

A wry, almost mocking, smile played on his lips.

He was laughing at the person in the majestic Imperial Palace, on the Golden Throne—his so-called Imperial Brother and Imperial Father—who, after driving him out like a stray dog, were now guarding against him like a rebellious subject.

The Imperial Guards, divided into different units, were sent out to ascertain for their master on the Golden Throne whether he had brought troops back to Yongdu in violation of the regulations.

They were afraid that he would be unprincipled and station troops along the road he had traveled.

They say blood is thicker than water, but if the scent of blood is too strong, it’s not as refreshing as clean water.

Xie Yuan arrived a few days before Xie Xuan.

In his vassal state of Linxia, he was not necessarily brilliant in governance, but he aimed for stability. He upheld the philosophy of “Benevolent Governance,” promoted agriculture, and encouraged commerce and industry. Under his rule, Linxia was thriving.

The Crown Prince’s spies in Linxia had not found any unusual or improper actions from him, so they did not set up excessive defenses against him.

His birth mother had been promoted to Imperial Consort Xian (Worthy Consort), and since Emperor Xuanyuan had not established a new Empress, Imperial Consort Xian was now the highest-ranking figure in the Inner Palace, holding a position of great prestige.

Consort Shen, Xun Shuheng, was pregnant. The pregnancy was still in its early months, but a slight bump was visible.

Finally, there was some good news in the palace.

Imperial Consort Xian’s joy was obvious, and she talked with her for a long time. Emperor Xuanyuan had been ill for so long, and he also placed great importance on the impending Imperial Grandchild. He immediately bestowed rich rewards upon Xun Shuheng and her mother’s family, and even specially permitted her to return home for a visit.

The glamorous people at the palace banquet each had their own hidden struggles, but to outsiders, Xie Yuan was undoubtedly the most fortunate one.

His family life was harmonious, and there was love between mother and son.

Xie Xuan arrived, chilled to the bone and in a hurry. He paid his respects in sequence to Emperor Xuanyuan, the Crown Prince, Imperial Consort Xian, and the reinstated Consort De. He stared blankly at Consort De for a while.

His nostrils flared slightly, and a moment later, a tear dropped.

The woman who still showed faint signs of her former grace when he left Yongdu had aged by more than ten years.

He sensed something was wrong with his mother.

She only smiled at him with loving kindness, not speaking a single word. She didn’t even use words to tell him to rise, only gesturing with her hand.

Life in the Cold Palace must have been unbearable.

His heart ached.

At the palace banquet, Emperor Xuanyuan followed the custom of bestowing gifts upon the Imperial Princes and their relatives.

Xie Xuan declined all the gifts and knelt in the open space in the middle of the banquet hall. “I beg the Imperial Father to grant my mother permission to return with your son to Zhudong after the New Year, to fulfill your son’s duty to be filial.”

Bringing up such a disheartening matter during a time of supposed harmony immediately soured Emperor Xuanyuan’s mood.

When Xie Xuan was appointed to his fiefdom, the Emperor had permitted him to marry the daughter of Hanlin Academy Scholar Wu Tingchen as his primary wife (Zhengqi) and had also allowed him to take two daughters of minor civil officials as secondary consorts (Cefei). The commonality among these three women was that their maternal families held low official ranks but were from scholarly, gentry households.

Unexpectedly, in less than a year, his primary wife, Wu Yun, suffered a fatal hemorrhage during childbirth, resulting in the death of both mother and child.

After the mourning period for his wife and son was over, Xie Xuan married the younger sister of Lu Renxi, the Sima (Chief Military Commander) of Zhudong, as his second wife (Xuxuan).

Lu Renxi came from a military family, and the position of Sima oversaw military and government affairs.

How could Emperor Xuanyuan not be wary of Xie Xuan, who was courting military officers and aristocratic families in Zhudong and secretly expanding his military strength?

Consort De Yao Jiyue was now the kite string in Emperor Xuanyuan’s hand, restricting Xie Xuan.

The string was thin, but as long as it was held in the hand, Xie Xuan would be apprehensive.

If he were to be allowed to take his birth mother back to his fiefdom, with no hostage in Yongdu, then the decision of whether to rebel and when to rebel would rest entirely with him.

Consort De gave Xie Xuan a look and gently shook her head.

Xie Xuan followed her hint and returned to his seat for the banquet. Halfway through the New Year’s banquet, a supervising palace matron invited Consort De to leave.

Xie Xuan was completely confused.

It was strange; everyone’s reaction was strange. It was as if they deliberately prevented the mother and son from having too much contact, or even from talking.

It was one thing to forbid them from reuniting, but was it also forbidden just to exchange a few casual words with his mother?

Xie Xuan took a massive gulp of wine. After the palace banquet, he did not return to the Prince Qi’s Residence. He disregarded all rules and propriety and, knowing the way well, stormed into the Chonghua Palace.

His face was ashen, his attitude aggressive. He punched away one Imperial Guard who tried to stop him.

He didn’t distinguish who he was hitting, kicking out his legs.

“Get lost! You pack of dog servants!”

The Imperial Guards dared not fight Prince Qi, so they could only endure his fists and kicks, fulfilling their duty to the best of their ability.

Hearing the commotion, Consort De ran over quickly. She saw Xie Xuan, seemingly out of his mind, fighting with the Imperial Guards.

She went up, held Xie Xuan’s elbows with both hands, pulled him away from the guards’ encirclement, and communicated through gestures and muffled sounds.

She was speechless, only able to emit broken whimpers, like a strong wind blowing through a narrow alley at night.

“Wū~ Wa~” The sounds were chilling.

Xie Xuan instantly froze in place, his hands and feet as if they had been frozen by ice. It took him a while to recover.

He knelt before Consort De, covering his face and weeping bitterly.

“Mother, what happened? What is going on?”

Consort De was naturally unable to answer him.

He grabbed a young palace maid, fiercely pulling the girl’s thin arm and dragging her to the ground. “You tell me! Who did this? Who was it!”

The young maid was not old. She had been hurt by the fall, and Xie Xuan’s roar in her face scared her into shaking like a sieve.

She quickly prostrated herself and kowtowed, her teeth chattering. “This servant… is… this servant just entered the palace, this servant does not know. Your Highness, spare my life!”

Consort De supported his arm and helped him rise from the floor.

She then gestured and wailed something else.

Her gestures were disorganized, but Xie Xuan understood.

She was telling him not to ask too many questions, to leave the palace quickly, and to immediately leave Yongdu for Zhudong after the New Year.

“Why shouldn’t I ask? Mother, was it the Crown Prince? Or…”

Consort De covered his mouth before he could utter the words “Imperial Father,” waved her hand, and gestured for silence.

The meaning was: Do not ask.

She then made a “go” gesture.

“Your son is unfilial.”

Xie Xuan wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve, knelt down in a deep bow, and kowtowed to her. “Mother, please wait a little longer. Your son will surely come and take you away.”

The cold wind was whistling, and the night was getting colder.