Chapter 116: Jealousy and Rivalry
The swift horses galloped, carrying the people the Emperor demanded into the palace. A few of them vomited from the jolting journey, though that was to be expected.
Xie Qianli rarely sought an audience at this hour.
He mused that the moments when the long night faded into the break of dawn should be a personās most private hours. If not for matters of grave state importance, this time ought to be shared with one’s most intimate companion.
It was a time for seeing each other in their inner robes, huddled together in the warmth of the quilts, lingering just a little longer before the world woke up…
It reminded him of his father, who had married a princess ten years his junior. Whenever his father returned home in triumph, he would often say to Xie Qianliās mother, “Don’t get up yet. Weāll have breakfast served later. When Ju’er wakes up, let him go off and play on his own. A person needs their leisure, after all.”
“Look at you, marrying into my Xie family at such a tender age, only to have endless worries to fret over.”
“This subject was wrong; I shouldn’t distinguish between ‘you’ and ‘me.’ Princess, please rest a while longer with this subject.”
At home, his father would address his mother as a “subject.”
That single wordāchenādid not make his father seem lowly; rather, it served only to highlight how precious and delicate his mother was.
Xie Qianli felt a mixture of sweetness and trepidation at the thought.
The gates surrounding the Weiyang Palace swung open. Lang Xun, sporting heavy dark circles under his eyes and an unpleasant expression, barked, “Get in.”
“Where is the Son of Heaven?”
“In the palace.” It was an answer that said everything and nothing at once.
“Has he rested well?”
Lang Xun frowned. “He just got up.”
Xie Qianli adjusted the folds of his collar.
Lang Xun was irritable. Seeing a young eunuch sweeping the ground along the path, he deliberately walked in a serpentine pattern to lead the group into the range of the broomās dust. However, the man behind him had already led his team to keep a wide berth.
Outside the narrow corridor, Lang Xun cut off the Longwu Army.
“Leave them here. The prisoners stay; the rest of you, leave.”
Imperial guards naturally took custody of the witnesses and Su Xueyi. Su Xueyi had been bound by Lian Qing like a festive zongzi, his mouth gagged.
The Emperor’s mission was for them to bring everyone to him. This meant the Longwu Armyās task was essentially complete.
Xie Qianli signaled for his brothers to return to camp first, leaving only Lian Qing with him. Neither of them made a move to depart.
Caught between the desire to see Xiao Xi and the fear of disturbing him, Xie Qianli phrased his question delicately. “Where are the witnesses and Prime Minister Su being taken?”
Lang Xun, possessing little guile, replied simply, “The bedchamber.”
Xie Qianliās heart gave a sudden thud.
It felt as though a spring had been coiled into his spine, making him want to crane his neck to peer through the gates. He tried his best to restrain himselfāafter all, there was a narrow gate blocking the way, and how could he possibly prying into the Son of Heaven’s private quarters?
Yet, while he was strictly adhering to propriety, Su Xueyi was being taken into Xiao Xiās bedroom. It felt like a hundred claws were scratching at his heart; it was unbearable.
Xie Qianli lost his composure. “Please announce my request for an audience.”
Lang Xun snorted. “Do you think His Majesty is someone you can just see whenever you feel like it?”
Xie Qianliās lips thinned into a tight line.
Lian Qing, having a sudden flash of insight, chimed in, “General, don’t worry. When I passed that eunuch sweeping the floor, I grabbed a handful of dirt and smeared it all over Su Xueyi’s face.”
Xie Qianliās panic only intensified.
Not only could he not see Xiao Xi, but he might also leave Xiao Xi with the bad impression that he was arrogant because of his favor and lacked the tolerance for others. The more he cared, the more he felt everything he did was wrong.
“I…”
“You cannot see His Majesty. If there is no official business, it violates protocol. Leave.”
The vermilion gates at the end of the corridor behind Lang Xun slowly groaned open. Lang Xun turned around, startled by the sound.
Standing behind the gates was Ying Xi. He stood half a head shorter than the men before him. His hair was loosely tied back, with a few stray strands draping over his temples. He was wearing nothing but a thin, bright yellow set of inner robes.
Thin and slender, he lacked the sharp edge he possessed when draped in his formal dragon robes. As the wind blew, his silhouette was clearly outlined. His waist looked so narrow it seemed as if it might break if grasped in one’s palm.
Xie Qianliās heart swelled with joy at the sight of his beloved, but then he recalled that night in the military tent and squeezed his eyes shut.
“I came out personally to see you, yet youāve suddenly turned sleepy. You certainly put on quite the airs, Minister Xie.” The Emperor’s voice rose slightly at the end, carrying the raspy quality of someone who had just woken up.
Lang Xun, who had been blocking the way, scrambled to move aside, feeling a sudden, inexplicable sense of awkwardness.
Xie Qianli replied, “This subject does not dare. This subject was merely avoiding an impropriety of sight.”
Ju’er was so stiff and proper it always made one want to tease him.
Upon hearing that Xie Qianli had entered the palace, Ying Xi had come out directly without much thought, treading lightly so as not to even wake his System. But that phrase “impropriety of sight” brought a faint sense of disappointment. It felt distant.
Ying Xiās gaze darkened slightly. “Why did you wish to see Me?”
Xie Qianli racked his brain for an excuse. “Prime Minister Su is skilled in martial arts and possesses great cunning. Your Majestyās safety cannot be neglected. This subject requests to guard Your Majesty.”
Lang Xun felt insulted. “Does the Duke of Britain think I can’t even handle a mere civil official!?”
“One more person is one more layer of security.” Xie Qianli tried to smooth things over.
“I don’t appreciate the sentiment,” Lang Xun grumbled.
Lian Qing said urgently, “Gaurd Lang, why don’t you untie the ropes and fight him? If you win, I’ll call you ‘Father’ on the spot.”
“A fight it is, then!”
“Lian Qing.”
Whenever Ying Xi was surrounded by military officers, the atmosphere always grew a bit more lively. Every person has their preferences, and even though Ying Xi rarely made his obvious, he was indeed closer to his generals.
“Guard Lang, go back.”
Lang Xun cupped his hands. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
With Lang Xun gone, half the noise in the world seemed to vanish. Lian Qing, having lost his opponent, remained quiet.
Only Ying Xi remained, his hand resting on the copper studs of the doorframe. He looked up slightly to meet Xie Qianliās dark eyes and whispered, “Ju’er, do you care for Me that much?”
“…”
The probe was ambiguous, leaving Xie Qianli momentarily unable to discern the Emperor’s true feelings. If he spoke of caring, his love was already plain to see, but truly, now was not a good time to confess his heart.
He wasn’t even sure if Xiao Xi wanted to move forward or retreat.
He decided to solidify his ground, choosing the answer least likely to cause an error. “This subject cares for the Sovereign’s safety.”
Ying Xiās eyelids lowered halfway. “I see.”
“More so than my own life,” he added hurriedly, taking a step forward to cross the threshold.
“Mm.” Ying Xi turned to lead him into the corridor, where twenty-some colorful lanterns swayed. “Come into the hall first.”
Ying Xi gazed at the lanterns, a slight curve at the corner of his mouth, before letting out a soft sigh. “Saying too many foolish things just makes you look simple-minded.”
The corridor was long, wide enough for at most three people to walk abreast. The three of them walked in a line, with the Emperor leading the way.
Xie Qianli looked up at the lanterns. Today, the lanterns were all shaped like various rabbit heads. He didn’t dare comment.
Lian Qing didn’t dare either, following at the very back with a prim and proper attitude. His less-than-innocent mind was busy chewing over the conversation between the Emperor and General Xie. To an outsider, the truth was obvious.
The majestic Son of Heaven only showed a trace of childishness when he saw the General. The deep-scheming General Xie only looked a bit dim-witted in front of the Emperor. The two most mature men in the room sounded like mere youths when they spoke to each other.
Lian Qingās heart filled with suspicion once more.
“Your Majesty, the officials from the Ministry of Justice responsible for the interrogation are ready. The soundproofing in the West Side Hall is functioning normally. Please come to listen, Your Majesty,” Yu Jing arrived to report.
So it wasn’t the bedchamber after all. Xie Qianli breathed a sigh of relief.
The West Side Hall was adjacent to the bedchamber. During the reign of Emperor Yuantai, it had been a place for pleasure, but Ying Xi had abandoned it after ascending the throne.
A while ago, Yu Jing had suggested tidying up the West Side Hall. It had been emptied out, and Ying Xi had decided to make use of it as a secret interrogation room for tonight.
The interrogation room was divided into an inner and outer chamber. The inner chamber was for questioning the Su family servants, with Su Xueyi listening from behind a curtain. The outer chamber was blocked by a layer of glass. The glass was translucent, but according to Yu Jing, those on the other side could not see through.
Yu Jing whispered, “A thin layer of metal was applied to the surface of the glass. It was His Majesty’s ingenious idea.”
Xie Qianli felt a secret surge of joy; Xiao Xi was truly polymathic.
An official from the Ministry of Justice spoke: “The death of the Lady of the He family involves human lives and concerns the reputation of the Su family.”
“If you cannot be responsible for your words, you will surely face the heavy torture of the court. If any of you withhold information, and I find out during the separate interrogations later, you shall be judged equally guilty of a heinous crime!”
Two scribes’ brushes scratched across the paper as they took notes.
The Su family servants were now turning from shock to sheer terror. They seemed to realize they were in a place of immense consequence. Whether they would live or die depended entirely on their level of cooperation.
The servants chorused, “We wouldn’t dare hide anything from Your Honor!” “This commoner would never deceive you!”
The official asked, “At whose hand did the Lady of the He family die?”
The servants looked at each other. One of the bolder ones said in a trembling voice, “The… the Master.”
“Speak clearly!”
“It was the Master who murdered the Madam! The former Prime Minister killed his first wife!”
As those words fell, a long silence brewed within the interrogation room.
The He family wasn’t an exceptionally famous clan, but they held significant influence in Chang’an. If this were true, it would easily dominate the capital’s gossip for months to come.
The official demanded, “Tell me everything in detail!”
“Yes, yes.” The one responding was a male servant surnamed Dai. Given his age, he would have been in his prime when the murder occurred.
Dai Ming began his tale: “The fire that burned the Madam to death seemed too much like an accident. It was only later that we concluded the Madam had been murdered by the Master.”
Dai Ming continued, “On the night of the fire, the Eldest Young Master had just been granted his official post. The residence had been celebrating for several days, and plenty of fine wine had been sent to the various estates.”
“Everyone slept soundly after the wine. By the time we woke up, the fire had already turned half the sky red.”
“But only those who saw it with their own eyes could realize something was wrong.”
“The wine came too coincidentally. I have the best tolerance for alcohol, but that night, I was plied with the most wine by Little Wan-zi. Little Wan-ziās name was Su Wan. We believe he was acting on the Master’s orders.”
“The fire also grew too fiercely.”
“Have you ever seen firewood burn? Bamboo and wood don’t burn that fast.”
“We talked about it in private, turning it over in our minds many times. We felt there had to be two people working togetherāone to get everyone drunk, and another to pour the oil and light the fire.”
“You wouldn’t even need much tung oil. Youād only need to drench the Madamās door, and it would be enough to cut off her path of escape and help the fire spread.”
Another servant added, “So we guessed there had to be two accomplices.”
“Su Wan and the Madamās maid, Fang-fang, were both later transferred to other estates. One by one, they both died.”
The other servants nodded in agreement.
The official asked, “That only proves those two servants were disloyal. How does it involve the former Prime Minister?”
“Confess more!”
Several servants looked at each other with bitter smiles. Those smiles seemed to say it was so obviously the case that explaining it felt like a chore.
A middle-aged female servant said, “Many people know the Master and Madam did not have a harmonious relationship. But only those of us who served closely knew just how bad it wasāeven the Eldest Young Master might not have known the full extent.”
“The Madam valued her dignity; she avoided arguing in front of the Young Master.”
“But while other couples have a back-and-forth when they bicker, the Master was always left speechless whenever the Madam opened her mouth.”
“The Madam had a certain sharpness to her character.”
Outside the glass, Ying Xi picked up his teacup and took a small sip, a frown on his face. Hearing about the sordid secrets of a private household felt suffocating. Knowing exactly what kind of fool Su Bei wasāthat he had only risen to power by being a partner in crime with Emperor YuantaiāYing Xi set his cup down in disgust.
At that moment, in the dim light, Xie Qianliās upright posture and sharp profile entered his vision.
Ying Xiās heart gave a little flutter. Ju’er looked very solemn.
Ju’er’s parents had a wonderful relationship. Perhaps it was because the Xie household was so harmonious and Emperor Yuantai hadn’t been able to corrupt him that Ju’er had been full of light since he was a boy.
Ju’er was good. Good Ju’er.
Ying Xi studied Xie Qianliās silhouette, unaware that he was staring quite intently. He scrutinized the halo formed by the candlelight on Xie Qianliās body, drawn to that form, the disgust for Su Bei already forgotten.
Xie Qianli felt a bit nervous under the gaze. If he were watched any longer, his secret feelings would all come tumbling out.
He asked with a racing heart, “Does Your Majesty have an order?”
Ying Xi had no orders. But he couldn’t very well say, I hate Su Bei, so Iām just looking at you for a distraction.
Ying Xi pointed toward the window on Xie Qianliās side and used an excuse: “Itās cold.”
His inner robes provided no protection against the wind. The autumn night was chilly, and the Emperor was indeed dressed a bit too thinly.
Ying Xiās right wrist rested on the tea tableāa slender, delicate section of bone. He extended his hand, palm up, his knuckles slightly curled inward.
Ying Xi said softly, “The wind is quite nippy. My fingertips are freezing.”
The sudden intrusion of that snowy-white skin into his field of vision made Xie Qianli feel almost blinded. He admitted he had long ago been enchanted by Xiao Xi. He wanted to use his own burning hands to press into those knuckles, interlacing their fingers to give him warmth.
But his lust was once again defeated by pity. Xiao Xi was fragile and fell ill easily.
A sick Xiao Xi possessed a tragic beauty, but he didn’t want Ying Xi to be constantly sickly. Ten years ago, a sense of responsibility had sprouted within himāhe wanted the person he protected to be a bit more lively, to smile more, and to be healthy.
Xie Qianli stood up and closed the window. There were still places where the frame leaked air.
General Xie felt for the draft and decided to pull the curtains tight as well, sealing everything up. Only then did he sit back down, satisfied.
“Superintendent Yu, please fetch a cloak for His Majesty. His Majestyās hands are cold; change his tea for something hotter.”
Yu Jing: “…”
Yu Jing: “…”
Yu Jing: “…”
Yu Jing really didn’t know what to say. He wanted to take a golden melon mace and crack open the Duke of Britainās head.
“I won’t drink it,” Ying Xi said coldly, retracting his hand.
At that moment, in the interrogation room across the glass, Dai Ming let out a furious roar:
“Promotion, fortune, and a dead wifeāisn’t that exactly what every high official dreams of!?”
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