The Banished Immortal of the Cold Palace: His Majesty’s Young Master Yun Has Fallen Asleep Again - Chapter 2

The funeral of the late Emperor concluded, and Yan Linyuan officially took full control of government affairs.

Although the mourning period for the late Emperor was still ongoing, it no longer posed a significant hindrance. State affairs had returned to normal, and Yan Linyuan began to purge the imperial court with thunderous and ruthless methods.

During the late Emperor’s reign, the situation in the court had become increasingly unstable due to the incompetence of the preceding Grand Ancestor. While the late Emperor himself was not foolish, his abilities were mediocre. As the Emperor’s power waned, the officials grew stronger; even the late Emperor’s personal head eunuch had managed to seize immense power under such circumstances.

In the three years prior to his passing, the late Emperor had become obsessed with seeking the arts of immortality, neglecting state affairs entirely. Now, the court was clearly divided into two major factions.

One faction was led by Lin Xiuxing, the Senior Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. He controlled the Inner Cabinet, and his subordinate forces included the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Justice. His power could be said to have already surpassed that of the Emperor.

The other faction was led by Song Chengye, the Commander of the Black Riders. Together with the Ministers of Finance and War, he controlled nearly the entire core military strength of the Kingdom of Jing.

Yan Linyuan looked at the investigation of the court’s power distribution provided by Lin Yi, his expression cold and indifferent. While the division of power between Lin Xiuxing and Song Chengye was already extremely troublesome, there was a third party between them: Wang Shunde. As the personal eunuch of the late Emperor, Wang Shunde had exercised imperial authority by proxy once the late Emperor stopped attending to state affairs. He simultaneously controlled the Directorate of Ceremonial and held close ties with the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

These three forces checked and balanced one another while remaining interconnected, forming a tripartite confrontation that had completely carved up the Emperor’s power.

Lin Yi stood waiting below until Yan Linyuan finished reviewing the power dynamics. He saw no significant emotional change in his master.

“Your Majesty, what should be our next move?” Lin Yi asked.

Yan Linyuan unhurriedly folded the parchment and picked up a nearby memorial, his expression remaining unchanged. “These people are somewhat of an eyesore. Eliminate them.”

Lin Yi paused slightly. “Reporting to Your Majesty, I fear it may be inappropriate to move directly against Lin Xiuxing and the others.”

“What is inappropriate about it?” Yan Linyuan asked in a flat voice.

Lin Yi bowed. “Lin Xiuxing controls the Inner Cabinet, Song Chengye holds military power, and Wang Shunde has the Embroidered Uniform Guard. If the three of them were to act, the forces currently in Your Majesty’s hands might not be able to withstand them. They likely will not be very obedient.”

Yan Linyuan gave a light laugh, and a flash of bloodthirsty tyranny appeared in his eyes. “If they aren’t obedient, then kill them. Dead people are obedient.”

Wang Sheng, the eunuch attending to the Emperor’s ink, trembled all over. His eyes were filled with nothing but terror toward the Emperor. Regarding this new Emperor, Wang Sheng had initially thought, just like Chancellor Lin and Eunuch Wang, that his way of handling affairs would be the same as the late Emperor’s. When he learned he was to serve the new Emperor personally, he thought his long-awaited opportunity had finally come. Even if he didn’t become like Eunuch Wang, above ten thousand but below one, he thought he would at least be a eunuch who could no longer be treated with contempt by others.

However, during this month since the new Emperor took over the administration, Wang Sheng had personally witnessed how brutal the methods were of this man who, in the eyes of outsiders, was good for nothing but fighting wars. The eunuchs placed around the new Emperor by Eunuch Wang had already been slaughtered down to the last man. He didn’t even dare to advise the Emperor, for this Sovereign was a complete and utter lunatic. In this past month alone, the number of eunuchs and palace maids who had died at his hands had reached over a hundred. Every day, servants were executed for various reasons.

Wang Sheng’s mood had plummeted from the clouds, and he now had to act with extreme caution, fearing that a single slip-up would cost him his head. Hearing that the Emperor intended to kill even the Senior Grand Secretary, his heart was shocked; but more than that, he felt he would certainly not survive now that he knew the Emperor’s true intentions.

Wang Sheng shook like a sieve, and cold sweat continuously seeped from his forehead. A drop of sweat fell. Wang Sheng didn’t know how his senses had become sharp enough to see the bead of sweat roll off his face, but he watched it fall directly into the Imperial incense. In an instant, his face turned deathly pale. It was over.

Yan Linyuan watched Wang Sheng, who was kneeling on the ground shaking uncontrollably, with a half-smile.

“Your Majesty, have mercy!”

Yan Linyuan withdrew his gaze and said indifferently to Lin Yi, “Beat him to death.”

Lin Yi turned toward the outside of the hall. “Drag him away.”

The eunuchs guarding the door quickly lowered their heads, entered the hall, walked over to Wang Sheng, and hoisted him up. Wang Sheng was trembling so hard he could not even make a sound. He could only allow himself to be dragged out by the two junior eunuchs.

“Your Majesty, Eunuch Wang Shunde requests an audience.”

Yan Linyuan did not look up, and his tone was devoid of emotion. “Send him in.”

Wang Sheng looked at Wang Shunde as he entered, gazing at him with silent desperation. “Eunuch, save me!”

Wang Shunde’s somewhat cloudy eyes swept over him and quickly looked away. He walked before Yan Linyuan, knelt, and performed a grand prostration. “Peace be upon Your Majesty!”

Yan Linyuan looked up slightly at him. “Wang Shunde, instead of attending to the late Emperor, what brings you to me?”

Wang Shunde kowtowed. “This servant heard that the palace maids and eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial have been clumsy lately. I have come specifically to ask for punishment.”

Yan Linyuan seemed to just remember. “Them? Just kill them. You are an old servant who followed the late Emperor and have been accompanying Father recently; I do not blame you. Rise.”

Wang Shunde, however, did not get up. Yan Linyuan’s heavy, pressuring gaze swept over him. “Do you have something else?”

Wang Shunde kowtowed again. “This servant risks death to advise: the late Emperor has only just passed, and it is truly unsuitable to commit such killings. Your Majesty, you are blessed with great fortune and naturally need not worry about such things, but I fear the late Emperor may be restless in the afterlife.”

Yan Linyuan sneered. “Just a few eunuchs. The late Emperor was benevolent; why would he be restless? Or is it that you, Wang Shunde, are the one feeling restless?”

Wang Shunde seemed terrified and kowtowed repeatedly. “May Your Majesty see clearly; this servant wouldn’t dare!”

Yan Linyuan stared at him for a long time with eyes like a dark abyss. Just as Wang Shunde began to feel an ill omen in his heart, the Emperor finally spoke. “Then simply send Wang Sheng away to do chores. Let the late Emperor rest in peace. If you have nothing else, you may withdraw.”

Wang Shunde bowed and respectfully withdrew. Yan Linyuan glanced at Lin Yi, and Lin Yi stepped forward to receive his orders.

Wang Shunde’s expression was quite grim after exiting the hall. Since the late Emperor began pursuing immortality, his own power had grown larger and larger. He had thought this Emperor, who had won a single battle many years ago, was incompetent like his father, which was why they had not moved against him while he was still the Crown Prince. To his surprise, all three of them had misjudged the current Emperor. This man was far from a fool; in Wang Shunde’s view, his methods were even more ruthless than those of the High Ancestor.

Thinking of this, Wang Shunde frowned. Given the current situation, he could no longer treat the current Emperor with the same attitude he held toward the late Emperor. Lin Xiuxing and Song Chengye had always been dissatisfied with him; if the Emperor moved against him, those two would not help him. They would likely join forces to crush him.

If that was the case, it would be better to side with the Emperor and hand over the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. This way, he could preserve himself and use the Emperor’s hand to deal with Lin Xiuxing and Song Chengye.

As Wang Shunde pondered, he looked up and saw Wang Sheng. Though the younger eunuch had escaped death, he was sitting on the ground, paralyzed with fear. Wang Shunde felt a sense of disappointment. “Useless thing. You can’t even serve the Emperor properly. You deserve a few strokes of the board.”

Wang Sheng was terrified, but at least his life was saved. “The Eunuch cares for me; he couldn’t bear to let me receive those deadly blows.” But as he spoke, he began to cry. “Now that I’ve lost the job of serving the Emperor and committed such a grave error, surely no master will want me. Eunuch, I don’t want to go to those harsh labor posts. Please have pity on me.”

Wang Shunde narrowed his cloudy eyes and sighed. “The late Emperor is gone, and I am not highly regarded by the current Emperor. If I am not careful, I too will lose my life. I originally hoped you could serve by the Emperor’s side to make life easier, but who knew you were so incompetent that you’d provoke him!”

Wang Sheng knelt. “I know my mistake. Please, Eunuch, show me a path!”

Wang Shunde was silent for a moment before saying, “You won’t be able to get a job serving the nobles in the palace now. Go to the Cold Palace for duty first. Once I find an opportunity, I will transfer you elsewhere.”

Wang Sheng kowtowed with immense gratitude. “The Eunuch’s great kindness!”

“Since you are going to the Cold Palace, there are two people you must be careful with.”

Wang Sheng looked up. “Please guide me, Eunuch.”

“The first is the current Emperor’s birth mother. Many years ago, she suffered from a mental breakdown and was sent to the Cold Palace by the late Emperor. Although her current status is lowly, she is the Emperor’s mother after all. You must not be too neglectful.”

Wang Sheng nodded. “I will keep it in mind.”

“The second person’s background has some history. When the late Emperor was pursuing immortality, he once went to a celestial mountain to seek immortals for the elixir of youth. He saw a beauty on that mountain and brought him back to the palace. However, this beauty provoked the late Emperor as soon as he entered the palace and was sent to the Cold Palace by the current Dowager Consort, the Noble Consort at the time. Later, the late Emperor fell seriously ill and forgot about such a person. Since there was no time to confer a formal title, he isn’t exactly considered a consort of the palace. He was left behind when the harem was being disbanded. Currently, the Emperor is busy with state affairs and hasn’t been informed, so he is still considered an abandoned consort of the Cold Palace. He will eventually be sent out of the palace one day. When you serve in the Cold Palace, you must also pay attention to this person.”

Wang Sheng nodded repeatedly. “I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Eunuch.”

Wang Shunde did not wish to say more, only leaving one final instruction: “That person’s name is Yun Biechen.”