A Single Tie Of Long Hair Seals A Lifelong Commitment - Chapter 85

Xie Wenjun put down her bow, swaggered over, and stood in front of Chen Liangyu, saying, “It is you who are foolish. The matter of archery is not because my mind has yet to open or my talent is dull; it is because you are unskilled in teaching and have misled a late learner. Do you admit it?”

Chen Liangyu’s narrow eyes curved, and she still smiled, saying, “Your Highness speaks correctly. It is I who taught poorly.”

“Why are your eyes red?”

Chen Liangyu replied, “Your subject is merely still frightened.”

The mist in her eyes condensed into a tear, which silently rolled into the layers of Xie Wenjun’s clothes and vanished without a trace as Chen Liangyu embraced her.

Chen Liangyu was indeed still in shock.

The incident occurred at the reception banquet after the Wanhe Festival, where Zhai Ji suddenly proposed to Xie Yuan that Northern Yong wished to form an eternal friendly neighbor relationship with Great Lin and establish a marriage alliance, requesting a princess to be the future Empress of the Northern Yong Emperor.

Among the princesses of Great Lin who were of marriageable age, there was no one other than Xie Wenjun.

And not long before, during discussions in the Chongzheng Hall regarding the Ministry of Agriculture’s affairs, Chen Liangyu had already perceived Xie Yuan’s intention to reduce Xie Wenjun’s power.

When Xie Yuan first ascended the throne, governmental affairs were chaotic, and Xie Wenjun managing agriculture was a way to relieve the sovereign of worries. Now that governance was relatively clear, Xie Wenjun’s control over the nation’s agriculture, holding the country’s grain tax, was seen as usurping power and interfering in government for the Emperor, who was urgently trying to stabilize his position.

Xie Wenjun already had a foundation in the court, her own personal guards, and military generals loyal to her, such as the Qing Pavilion in Zhudong and Zhao Mingqin in the Southern Territory. If Xie Yuan wanted to seize power, it could not be done without bloodshed.

Marrying Xie Wenjun to Northern Yong would solve both difficult problems simultaneously.

Zhai Ji stated directly that they did not request a girl from the imperial clan. It did not matter if she was the Empress’s daughter or a concubine’s daughter, the eldest or the youngest; they only requested a royal female.

The Emperor and Empress’s only daughter, Princess Roujia, was a mentally disabled child.

When the princess was still in swaddling clothes, she was serenely quiet, rarely experiencing infantile convulsions or night crying. The old people in the palace said that the princess did not disturb her parents’ hearts and would surely be gentle and peaceful in the future. When the princess turned one, Xun Shuhang noticed that the princess had difficulty learning to speak, often staring quietly and blankly at one spot for a long time. After consulting the Imperial Physician, it was discovered that the princess was different from ordinary people. The Chief Imperial Physician said it might be because the Empress struggled during childbirth, and the princess was deprived of oxygen for too long, leaving her with a hidden illness.

A year later, Princess Roujia still did not speak and was visibly dull and simple-minded.

There were already rumors throughout the land questioning the legitimacy of Xie Yuan’s ascension.

Although King Qi had attempted rebellion back then, the Xuanyuan Emperor had not yet died, so how could he directly abdicate? Some could not help but criticize whether Zhengyuan Emperor Xie Yuan was the legitimate successor or a rebel and a traitor like King Qi, using the banner of suppressing rebellion to usurp the throne and seize power?

The fortune of Great Lin had been truly poor in recent years, with floods, plagues, and droughts arriving one after another. Public dissatisfaction was rife, and it was widely rumored: If the Emperor’s ascension was truly irregular, it was Heaven sending disasters to the people, and since the Grand Emperor was still alive, the Emperor should abdicate and return the government.

Princess Roujia, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, being mentally simple and her behavior dull and foolish, seemed to further confirm that Xie Yuan’s enthronement was contrary to orthodoxy.

Facing the horizontal challenge of the “Guest Star” theory of usurping the throne and the vertical challenge of the Imperial daughter’s mental deficiency, which implied that the current Son of Heaven’s enthronement was against the will of Heaven.

Xie Yuan was overcome with anxiety, and his mind was troubled.

Therefore, he was even more eager to construct the Yan Zhi Mountain Palace and order the Grand Emperor to move to a separate residence, thus being unwilling to pursue the case of Minister of Revenue Su Chasan altering tax records and Minister of Works Tang Shiqiong privately using laborers. He completely disregarded how this palace was to be built, only hoping to finish the construction early and drive out the “Guest Star.”

Once the palace was completed, the first source of worry would be resolved.

But what about Roujia?

The older she grew, the more she differed from ordinary people. How could he silence the endless gossip? He genuinely could not bear the thought of personally executing Roujia. Whether by open decree or secret edict, he could not overcome that inner hurdle.

It was Zheng Hechuan who reminded Xie Yuan that there had been precedents for how to settle a mentally disabled child in the royal family.

The former Emperor had six sons. Four princes died in the “Rebellion of the Five Kings” while fighting for the throne. One prince, who was born simple-minded and did not participate in the conflict between his brothers, was able to keep his life after Emperor Xuanyuan ascended the throne.

This person was the Old King Ning.

The Old King Ning and Empress Huixian passed away together in the spring of the seventeenth year of Xuanyuan’s reign.

This old prince’s birth mother was given poisoned wine for giving birth to a simple-minded prince. After his mother’s death, he was sent out of the palace and raised in a remote imperial garden outside the imperial city.

Xie Yuan once considered sending Princess Roujia out of the palace as well. Xun Shuhang knelt in the Chongzheng Hall, begging the Emperor to issue an order to depose the Empress and allow her and the princess to leave the palace together.

When the Old King Ning was buried, Xun Shuhang was still an unmarried girl, and she had heard her mother sigh about the Old King Ning’s tragic life. He lived a life unconcerned by anyone and departed quietly on an ordinary spring day, unremembered by anyone. When he was born, the six palaces had celebrated together.

A mother’s heart is protective of her daughter.

The Empress had always been sensible and rarely caused difficulty for the Emperor, yet she refused to yield an inch on the matter of Princess Roujia leaving the palace.

Xie Yuan ultimately withdrew the order.

However, after that, he rarely stepped into the Empress’s residence again.

The Emperor and Empress became estranged. Since Princess Roujia, the Empress had no other children. Considering the royal need for progeny, the Empress Dowager decided that a nationwide selection of maidens would be held in the latter half of the year to populate the harem.

After receiving the jade lion, Chen Liangyu entered the palace once to pay respects to the Emperor. Although the jade lion was sent from Xie Wenjun to the Xuanping Marquis Residence, it was also a favor and reward from the Emperor, so she should pay her respects and express gratitude. She changed into her official robes and entered the palace.

Xie Yuan’s expression subtly revealed melancholy, and he looked very haggard.

After the expression of gratitude, Xie Yuan said to her, “The Empress has not seen you for a long time and has mentioned it to me many times. Go to the Fengyi Palace and share a meal with the Empress.”

The Emperor and Empress had been married for many years, treating each other with mutual respect over time. Although their affection was currently distant, the Empress was still the person who best understood the Emperor’s thoughts. During the meal, Xun Shuhang mentioned the major selection of women for the harem, and whether intentional or not, revealed that the Emperor had taken a liking to a woman at the Nan You equestrian field.

Chen Liangyu had seen that person.

At the Nan You equestrian field, on the day of the archery competition during the Wanhe Festival, the fourteenth Princess of Northern Yong, Zhai Yu, who was the first to enter the arena to tame the jade lion. She was Zhai Ji’s biological sister.

Xun Shuhang said, “To form a marriage alliance with Northern Yong, why must we marry a princess to that Northern barbarian land? Northern Yong is a defeated nation; how dare they ask for a blood relative of the Emperor of Great Lin? If there is to be a peace marriage, Northern Yong should send a princess, not our princess to be married off.”

Chen Liangyu said, “Your Ladyship…”

She hesitated to speak.

Xun Shuhang said, “You don’t need to have any concerns. You should know that I don’t care about these things. What does it matter if there is one more or one less girl when the palace is selecting new maidens to replenish the harem in the latter half of the year? The Emperor wants Jiangning to marry Northern Yong for a peace marriage, but it is probably not just to form a marital bond with Northern Yong. You tell Jiangning that I will facilitate the matter of the Fourteenth Princess of Northern Yong, and the rest is for her to handle herself.”

Chen Liangyu bowed deeply, “Your subject, on behalf of the Grand Princess, thanks Your Ladyship.”

Xun Shuhang seemed a little surprised, saying, “You thank me on behalf of Jiangning?”

“Your Ladyship, is there anything inappropriate?”

Xun Shuhang had been a great help. Xie Wenjun should also enter the palace to thank her Imperial sister-in-law, so Chen Liangyu thanked her first. This did not violate etiquette.

Chen Liangyu could not think of anything inappropriate.

Xun Shuhang carefully examined her expression, seeing that she was utterly confused, and said, “Based on my understanding of you, you would say, ‘Your subject will certainly relay this to the Grand Princess.’ You and Jiangning are neither close relatives nor bedmates. You cannot thank me on her behalf. Perhaps you should have Jiangning personally come to the Fengyi Palace to thank me another day.”

Chen Liangyu agreed.

A moment later, Chen Liangyu bowed deeply to Xun Shuhang again.

Xun Shuhang was perplexed again and asked, “What is this bow for?”

“Your subject, with my own being, thanks Your Ladyship the Empress.”

So, after the reception banquet, Xun Shuhang invited the accompanying female relatives of various countries to the palace to enjoy the spring scenery of the Imperial Garden under the pretext of friendly neighbor relations. The Fourteenth Princess of Northern Yong was lively by nature and gladly went. In the Imperial Garden, she chased a strangely shaped bird far away, inadvertently winding up on the palace path behind a rockery. It was here that she happened upon Xie Yuan passing by.

As Xie Yuan raised his hand, the strange bird seemed to be under a spell and landed on his finger, standing sideways.

He handed the strange bird to Zhai Yu’s palm.

In the spring light, a bright smile seemed to awaken the long-dormant and withered spirit in Xie Yuan’s heart.

That same day, Xie Yuan ordered the Court of State Ceremonials and the Ministry of Rites to draft the ritual documents for naming a Concubine, setting Zhai Yu’s title as “Shu.”

A first-rank title is a Concubine. Below the Empress are the Noble Concubine, Virtuous Concubine (Shu Fei), Worthy Concubine (Xian Fei), and Tranquil Concubine (De Fei)—the “Four Ladies”—all ranked first-class. The Four Ladies are headed by the Noble Concubine, and below the Noble Concubine rank, the Virtuous, Worthy, and Tranquil Concubines are the highest, with the Virtuous Concubine (Shu Fei) being the most honored among them.

It was evident that Xie Yuan placed great importance on the Fourteenth Princess of Northern Yong.

Today, good fortune arrived in double measure.

After Xie Yuan gained a beauty, another mission from Eastern Yin also arrived in Yongdu. The head of the envoys was still Yan Changqing, the chief envoy from the previous peace talks, who brought a huge indemnity payment in exchange for the return of Crown Prince Chu Zhang of Eastern Yin and the prisoners of war digging the river channel at Tianqian River.

This matter was once again handled by Xie Wenjun, who negotiated with Eastern Yin.

The peace talks proceeded smoothly, and both sides were satisfied. Xie Wenjun allocated a considerable amount of treasury funds to the Ministry of Works, ordering Minister of Works Tang Shiqiong to recruit laborers again, ensuring that the Yanzhi Mountain Palace would be completed before the grain-in-ear harvest.

Xie Yuan was overjoyed, and his suspicion dissipated immediately. When he calmed down, he thought of Jiangning’s hard work for agriculture, which was originally for the benefit of the country, yet she was suspected of grasping power and being self-serving. He felt even more guilty and sent continuous rewards to the Grand Princess’s Residence.

Xie Yuan was in an extremely good mood. Zheng Hechuan entered the hall to announce, “Her Ladyship the Empress has prepared dinner and asks if Your Majesty will come to the Fengyi Palace for a meal.”

Xie Yuan’s face brightened, “Did the Empress personally invite me?” Then, remembering something unpleasant, his face cooled, and he said, “I’m not hungry.”

Zheng Hechuan said, “Then I will report back to Her Ladyship the Empress that Your Majesty is busy with state affairs and will not be able to come today…”

Xie Yuan interrupted him and asked, “What day is today?”

Zheng Hechuan bowed and replied, “Replying to Your Majesty, today is the first day of the month, not a special day. This morning, when the Ministry of Rites presented the ritual documents for the conferment of Virtuous Concubine, Your Majesty just asked what day it was. You must have forgotten again.”

“The first day of the month.”

Zheng Hechuan let out a small “Aiyo,” slapped his right cheek, and said, “Your Majesty, your servant is guilty. I will report back to Her Ladyship the Empress that Your Majesty will arrive a little later.”

It was an ancestral custom of Great Lin for the Emperor and Empress to spend the first and fifteenth day of every month together. He used to often stay overnight at the Fengyi Palace and did not pay attention to when the first or fifteenth day fell.

Since he casually mentioned sending Roujia out of the palace, and Xun Shuhang, without any hesitation, firmly requested him to depose the Empress and allow her and Roujia to leave the palace together, Xie Yuan rarely lingered in the Fengyi Palace. For a period of time, he could not bear to hear anyone mention the Fengyi Palace or the Empress; otherwise, he would fly into a rage.

The rumors of the Emperor and Empress’s estrangement reached the Censorate, and the censors cited ancestral customs to advise him. To avoid violating the ancestral rites, he would sit in the Fengyi Palace on the first and fifteenth days of the month, sometimes staying for a meal, but rarely staying overnight. Xun Shuhang also adhered to ancestral rites, preparing meals and waiting for the Imperial carriage on the first and fifteenth days. If the food cooled, she would reheat it. After reheating several times, the texture of the dishes became very poor, so she had to remake them. She would rather prepare the meals over and over again without tiring than actively invite him.

Today, the Empress actually sent the chief eunuch of the Fengyi Palace to hurry him.

Xie Yuan suddenly stood up from the Imperial seat, “Since it has already been prepared, if I go late, the Empress will be anxious. To the Fengyi Palace.”

That night, Xie Yuan stayed in the Fengyi Palace.

While changing his robes for the morning court, Xie Yuan said to Xun Shuhang, “Since the Fourteenth Princess of Northern Yong has entered the palace as a Concubine, and there is no one to take over the Ministry of Agriculture, which still relies on Jiangning to manage, the matter of Jiangning’s peace marriage is dismissed.”