"You had the mind to accuse me, so what explanation can I have?" Muhe Nayun snorted and slowly replied, "If you so wish to, you can bring it to the Emperor. With his wisdom, he will naturally arrive at a fair judgement."
"But, I still wish to hear Sister's explanation," Lady Shu said.
Slowly turning back, Muhe Nayun's gaze was already below freezing. Squarely staring at Lady Shu, her elegance and royal aura were suddenly unleashed. Arrogantly, she smiled and said, "If I were you, I would definitely not do that today."
Stunned, Lady Shu was taken aback. That was definitely unexpected.
Muhe Nayun continued to speak, "The women in the palace are ranked first by lineage, second by the Emperor's favor, and last, by offspring. Lady Shu, we both entered the palace in the same year and started off as lowly maidservants together. In every aspect, you were in no way lesser than me, but why is it that I have been the Empress for ten years, but until now you were just another concubine? Have you ever thought of the reason?"
Lady Shu's face froze up, with not a single trace of a smile left on her face. Muhe Nayun continued, "The reason for that is because you are dumb. Quibbling over small stuff, you have a short vision and were merely being arrogant to satisfy your inner ego. Ultimately you are unable to achieve anything great. You are just lucky to have been born into a good family with good elders."
"How dare you!" a maidservant beside Lady Shu spoke aloud.
Fiercely shouting back, "How dare me? How dare you! The Empress is speaking to your Mistress. Since when was it your turn as a lowly servant to speak up?"
"The Muhe family has already fallen. If I were you, I would not be standing here at this time. Compared to me, don't you think that the person from Lan Xuan palace is more of a threat?"
Muhe Nayun smirked."You think that the emperor will still tolerate the Wei faction to become the next Muhe family? Although the Muhe family has fallen, I am actually the best person to counterbalance everyone else. In this life, you could never be the Empress. No matter how reputable the Wei family is outside of the palace, you are just another concubine in the Xia palace. My advice to you is to learn manners and courtesy, learn about when to advance and when to lay low, and even the basics of hierarchy. The Empress of Xia Empire will only be me, Muhe Nayun, alone. This will hold true in the past, in the present, and in the future. You? Forget it."
The wind blew, lifting up the corners of Muhe Nayun's clothes. She had a face of pride and confidence, with long silky hair like a waterfall. She seemed like she was merely 30 years old, every motion filled with elegance and dignity.
Lady Shu stood still at her spot as she glared at Muhe Nayun's silhouette walking away, her face filled with gloom. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she spotted the servant who had kneeled down in deference to the Empress prior. "Bring him away and behead him."
"Lady! Spare me!" utterly shocked, the servant fell on his fours again and shouted.
Without turning around, Lady Shu speedily walked out of the courtyard. The corridor once again resumed its tranquility, with sparrows chirping, and the lake reflecting the soft bask of sunlight.
Opening the door, sunlight lit up the room. Chu Qiao narrowed her eyes as she turned her gaze at the person beside her. The man was lean and lanky. He donned a dark red costume that was embroidered with a black eagle. His gaze was firm and his lips crimson red. He slowly turned his head towards her.
A cold wind blew between them and brought about a chilly atmosphere. The man's gaze remained frigid, lacking a single trace of emotion. This man always seemed emotionless, like a statue. Gradually taking two steps back, Chu Qiao indifferently stared at the man in front of her, as if she had no recollection of this person.
The spring wind blew and sent much of the dust lying on the ground into the chilly air. Then, the duo took their gazes off each other simultaneously, and stared into the space in front of themselves. Brushing shoulders with each other, they spared no further attention to each other. From the start to the end, they did not share the same path. Even if destiny arranged various encounters, almost as if teasing them, those were but temporary meetings. Like comets in the vast space, they would rush past each other only to follow their own paths.
Meanwhile, in the dense bamboo forest, dark red clothes fluttered. "Master, everything is ready," a servant walked up and informed him quietly. Zhuge Yue frowned a little but hesitated to speak. The weather was not exactly hot, but the servant was so anxious for acknowledgement, he was already covered in perspiration. After a good two minutes, Zhuge Yue finally nodded and said, "Go ahead."
In the cold wind, the smell of blood reeked in Sheng Jin palace. Just as Chu Qiao reached the front hall, many people darted about. The square was filled with purple coneflowers. Yan Xun stood upright, waiting for her from afar. Chu Qiao hastened her pace. Noticing her, Yan Xun smiled and also approached her.
"Qiaoqiao!" Li Ce was also nearby. Wearing a bright red mandarin robe, he eagerly waved at Chu Qiao. Before Chu Qiao's expression of disgust could spread across her face, a piercing bell rung out. Everyone raised their head in shock and fear, looking at Xie Fang palace.
"Assassins! The Empress is dead!" The sharp voice of the eunuch, tinged with sadness, reverberated through the air like a death knell. Everyone instantly turned pale. Servants who wore black military dresses dashed across the courtyard like a flood, heading towards the place of the incident. The silence lasted for a few moments, before sounds of wailing broke out all over Sheng Jin palace.
"Empress Muhe Nayun, born in what used to be the most powerful family, the Muhe Family, entered the palace at age 13. She took the Empress's seat at 30 years old. As the bearer of the Phoenix Stamp for ten years, she ruled over the six palaces. Only subservient to the Emperor, no one dared to disobey her," the eunuch declared.
Chu Qiao's face was pale like a ghost. She turned, only to see that Yan Xun's face reflected the same fear. At this very moment, that palace in question was the place she had just walked past. If the assassination had been a few minutes earlier, she would definitely not be standing here alive!
Death knells chimed, once, and then again nine times. These nine chimes were short, but it seemed like an eternity. All walking and standing, whether they were they soldiers or maidservants, eunuchs or officials, everyone turned towards the Imperial Harem and prostrated. The inner palace was left with a deafening silence, and even the bustling front hall lost all the murmuring of conversations. The chiming paused for a few moments, before continuing. This time, even louder than before. And then, one person, two people, ten people, and then a hundred, a thousand. All kneeled in succession and kowtowed in the direction of Xie Fang palace.
Chu Qiao's mouth was left agape, but no words came out. Her mind had nothing but that iron-fisted lady who represented the Muhe family who stood tall in her position as the Empress and controlled half of the Xia Empire for ten years. She thought of the firm words that were left behind by that lady: The Empress of Xia Empire, will only be me Muhe Nayun alone and that will hold true, regardless if it was in the past, in the present, or in the future. The words still resounded in her ears, but the person who said it was already gone. What other dangerous powers did this beautiful palace conceal?
The loud sounds of wailing pierced through the skies, coming from even beyond the Zi Jin gate.
Year 773 of the Bai Cang calendar, on the 9th of May, the Empress died. Hundreds of officials cried in sorrow outside the Zi Jin gate, with tens of thousands of civilians joining the mourning across the whole empire. On the 16th of May, the funeral procession began, starting from Tai Qing Street, the carriages were lined up for several miles. The Xi Huai King, according to customs, followed the casket the whole way, until the royal graves in Jiu En Mountain.
In historical records, the descriptions of Muhe Nayun were but a few rough lines. Behind such glorious facades, there were not even additional titles after death. Regarding the cause of death, apart from the word "died", there was no other description. This represented the setting of the last remnants of the once powerful Muhe family on the historical stage. The elders meetings now only had six participants instead of the usual seven, and with the death of Muhe Nayun, those hoping to rise to fill the gap would only become more active.
On the day of the funeral procession, Chu Qiao stood on the clock tower in the southwestern corner of the royal palace, and observed the white decorations that seemed to extend into infinity. The entire procession seemed to be a facade to a prosperous dream scene. Yan Xun stood beside her, his gaze indifferent as usual, with undecipherable emotions. But as he turned to leave the area, Chu Qiao noticed that the railing he grabbed was left with a clear mark of his five fingers.
How could he forget that the first cavalry that stepped into the Yan Bei grass plains belonged to that of Muhe, and how could he forget, the eyes of humiliation that Yan Hongxiao had, even upon death. As the Muhe family fell, one by one, the hatred between Yan Bei and the Muhe family finally ended amidst all the bloodshed.
On the return trip to Ying Ge court, Chu Qiao unexpectedly saw the Seventh Prince Zhao Che. The young prince wore light green clothes. Only the waist belt and sleeves were white. This streak of green was in stark contrast to the pure white that filled the entire city.
Zhao Che's face was emotionless as he stood tall in the round pavillion atop the hill. The drizzle brought about mist, obscuring his facial features. Chu Qiao, with her umbrella open, lifted her head up to look at him. As a result, the drizzle wet the side of her shoe, along with the corner of her dress.
Zhao Che raised his head as he stared into the distant sky towards the west. Chu Qiao knew in that direction was the highlands of legends, where the ancestors of the Xia Empire came from. They rode horses and waved blades. With blood and faith, they united all the tribes on the plains and formed this great country. When they died, their spirits would return to their home, to forever rest in the peace of that red soil.
The Xia Empire's royal graves were also located under the Jiu En Mountain. According to the words of common folk, there was a huge temple atop that mountain with torches made of whale blubber that burned both day and night through the millennia.
The drizzle drifted sideways, hitting the umbrella. The young lady's figure was concealed within the bushes of flowers and leaves, with only the white corner of her dress flutter visible.
To prevent the Muhe family from being too powerful, upon being born, the Seventh Prince Zhao Che was given to the daughter of the Elder Scholar in Wen Hua Chamber, the Yuan concubine. As one of the only concubines in the Xia Emperor's life to have really gained his favor, Lady Yuan was a tad bit special. Following Master Scholar Yuan from the Tang Empire, although she had no special lineage, she was favored deeply by the Emperor for as long as seventeen years. But on the 17th birthday of Zhao Che, in front of many, she jumped into the lake and commited suicide.
Regarding Lady Yuan's death, no one knew the true cause. The rumors claimed that it was the Empress who was behind it all, forcing Lady Yuan to commit suicide, but the Emperor did not react in any way. After Lady Yuan's death, he continued the daily court hearings and continued in his responsibilities as a ruler, completely compliant with the image of a wise ruler. Although, since that incident, he had not even accepted a single new concubine.
Zhao Che was also distanced from his biological mother due to his step mother's death. Eventually, due to differences in political views, he turned against his family and was eventually sent to the borders with no aid. But when the Muhe family fell, his brother, the Xi Huai King and his sister, Princess Chun, naturally got involved and their reputation took a heavy blow. Only he was not the affected in the slightest, and as usual, held heavy responsibility and great power.
Many times, what is on the surface may not be true. Chu Qiao turned around and walked away from the young prince who had achieved so much, despite being alienated from his family.
In this palace, everyone had their own share of sadness and cruelty. Chu Qiao had seen too much and was long used to those bitter defeats under the veneer of prosperity.
Back in Ying Ge court, Yan Xun was drinking in the pavillion within the plum woods. These years, he had always passed with caution, and apart from very necessary situations, he rarely drank. Chu Qiao stood within the corridor and observed the man, who was dressed in pale green, and suddenly felt a rush of emotions surge within her heart. She was suddenly reminded of many years ago, during one of their afternoons, when this young man took a nap, only to be awoken shortly by a nightmare. Still groggy, he weakly inquired, "Chu Qiao, when can I safely let myself get drunk without worry?" At that time, they were too weak and dared not to even take a sip of alcohol without feeling anxious about falling drunk. Now, they had gained much, and although they had the courage to let go and douse themselves in alcohol, their shoulders only carried more burdens. That stress only made them all the more unlikely to lift up the wine cup.
As expected, Yan Xun only took a few sips before he stopped. The winter had passed, and the plum flowers started to fall as the wind blew. With the plum petals falling like rain, the pale green clothes fluttered in the wind with his ink-like hair. With his eyes closed and brow slightly furrowed, he let the falling petals hit his face freely, as the incoming wind fluttered his sleeves as if he was a bird trying to take flight.
Chu Qiao did not head over and only looked quietly from afar at that man who had been standing next to her for many years. Some emotions were impossible for others to understand and some hatred was impossible for others to withstand. Even between them, as partners that hid nothing from each other, she knew she would never be able to share his bone-searing hatred. What she could do, was just to look at him from afar, and if it rained, she could at least pass him the umbrella in her hand.
The most distinguished woman of this empire had passed away, but what she left behind was a huge rock that smashed into the seemingly tranquil lake surface.
Unexpectedly, within the Imperial Harem, the seemingly dominant Lady Shu did not manage to take over Muhe Nayun's position, as many directed their suspicion towards the Wei faction. Lady Shu also became a person of direct suspicion. Officials from the Secretary Office, the Court of Internal Affairs, and the Great Temple Dwellings regularly made their rounds within Shu Yun palace, the home of Lady Shu. After seven days of investigation, there was no conclusion but that had not washed away Lady Shu's suspicion. With the willful manipulation of those in power, Lady Shu's position in the Imperial Harem took a heavy blow, and similarly, the Wei faction was also being ostracized with a bleak future in sight.
But at the same time, within Lan Xuan palace, Concubine Xuan rose out of nowhere. She was arranged for night duty three days in a row, and on the fourth day, gained the title of a Noble Consort, placing her at the same rank as Lady Shu. In fact, right now, she and Lady Shu were the only ones holding that rank. Moreover, the phoenix stamp was bestowed upon her, granting her the responsibility to oversee the funeral of the empress. In practice, that firmly secured her position as number one within the Imperial Harem.
She was different from the Yuan Concubine who had no strong family background, and of course different from Muhe Nayun, whose family had fallen. This woman, whose nickname was Lanxuan, had a resplendent family name that carried the weight of hundreds of years of history. Her full name was Zhuge Lanxuan.
The winds had changed and the Zhuge family, as a result, rose in influence and power, instantly reaching the same level as the Wei faction. This birthday of the Emperor would undoubtedly be a turbulent event. The funeral of the empress was held merely three days before his birthday, and on the same day, he was to marry his beloved daughter to the Prince of Yan Bei. The tension reached its maximum, as the hidden sense of hostility grew even more obvious.
On May 17th, a group of fierce cavalry shattered the peace in the capital. The consul from the Batuha family had arrived. Ba Lei, the youngest brother of Old Batu, cried out loudly upon entering the castle. He leapt onto the empress' statue in Zi Wei Square and he wailed exaggeratedly. Following that, he was summoned to Sheng Jin palace. Due to his loyalty and love for the nation, the Emperor decided to see him personally.
That night, Zhuge Yue, and the Master of the Wei family, Wei Shuye, received letters from the North West. Zhuge Muqing stared at the letter for a long time, before placing it aside. He slowly shook his head. "Just say that the young master is sick and is not in a state to go out."
Zhuge Yue frowned. "Father, why?"
Zhuge Muqing quietly replied, "Our objective has been reached. It would not be a good sight if we received further interference. The power of the family is not yet steady, and Lanxuan needs more time in the palace to solidify her power."
"If we can complete this, the Emperor will only rely on us even more."
Zhuge Muqing slowly raised his head and countered, "Yue Er, do you still not understand? Whether the Emperor gives us his attention or not is not dependant on our contribution, but on your power. General Meng has contributed to the empire over the generations, but even now he is just another general. No land and no wealth. The noble families and royal families are split in terms of power and authority, and there is no way that could be reconciled. As your father, I have taught you this many times."
"But..."
"Let us not mention this again. From today, we will shut our doors to all visitors. Let us sit and wait for the conclusion three days later."
Zhuge Yue's words were interrupted by his father. Actually, what he intended to say was, "What if that idiot Ba Lei was unable to succeed and Yan Xun managed to escape from the capital alive? What would become of the capital if Yan Xun managed to return to Yan Bei and regain his authority?" The entire empire would let loose a lion that may one day come back to hunt everyone down.
He also wanted to say that father was already old. What remained of his faltering vision was only the benefits of the family but not of the entire world. If the whole country was no more, what would become of the Zhuge family? If Yan Xun really managed to escape, what about her? Would she follow him and head for Yan Bei?
With that said, although Ba Lei was an idiot, there was still Wei Shuye. With the recent loss of political clout, they would definitely grasp this opportunity.
Zhuge Yue slowly raised his head and murmured to himself, "Do not let me down..."
The next day, Wei Shuye brought 18 warriors into the dwellings that belonged to Old Batu, while Zhuge Yue had not turned up at all. Despite meeting for the first time, Ba Lei and Wei Shuye were not awkward. Sitting down, the young General Ba Lei raised his lips and sneered. "Seems like the Zhuge family is intending to give up on this opportunity to contribute to the nation. This chance to prosper will be left to us two brothers alone."
Wei Shuye's expression was rigid as if he did not wish for much banter with Ba Lei. He directly brought up the topic, "General, you are so confident, unlike my foolish self. Do you already have a complete plan?"
Proudly smiling, Ba Lei replied, "Of course!"
On May 18th, late into the night, the young lady stood in front of the map. She repeatedly went through the plan for the day after tomorrow, then finally mentioned, "Everything is going as planned, except this part where you head towards the Ancestral Temple in the south of the city. I am not confident that this is safe."
Raising an eyebrow but without speaking, Yan Xun indicated for her to continue speaking.
"According to the ceremony, you need to head to the ancestral temple to prostrate to the ancestors before following the ceremonial officials to head back to the palace and marrying the princess. In this part, you are no doubt being protected by soldiers, but they are not reliable. If anyone attempts to block you along this road, it will certainly be disastrous."
Yan Xun looked at the map and he said in a deep voice, "This area has an open terrain and is near the Southwest Emissary's Garrison. With many factions coming into the picture, once there is an incident, huge armies will appear, escalating the incident. Moreover, as we had ties with that said emissary before, he may not dare to try anything funny."
Shaking her head, Chu Qiao disagreed, "We have to account for all possibilities and assume the worst. We both should know that the Southwest Emissary's Garrison did not pledged their allegiance neither to you or Yan Bei. We need to have a plan just in case."
Yan Xun nodded and picked up the map. He started planning the potential circumstances and countermeasures. Similarly, Chu Qiao joined in, leaned against the table and continued to plan. After about 15 minutes they exchanged their papers. With just a quick glance, both smiled in relief. If the Xia Emperor dared to play his cards, then all of Zhen Huang City would be forsaken!
The two days passed without any major incidents. On May 20th, all of entire Zhen Huang City blossomed into joy, as red silk carpet was laid down from the Zi Jin gate all the way across Jiu Wai Street to the East Castle gates. The Xia Emperor showed a rare glimpse of his face, as all the officials, merchants, and civilians of the city crowded around, all shouting words of respect, and prostrating themselves to show deference and reverence. It was the image of a glorious and prosperous era.
For this special occasion, many of the criminals, besides those who had commited murder, were pardoned. In Zi Wei Square, the pardoned criminals prostrated themselves, filling up the entire area. Upon the arrival of the carriage of the Emperor, they jovially expressed their thanks and reverence.
All officials, both civil and military, along with emissaries from various lands, all prostrated themselves in front of Zi Jin gate and later followed the line of carriages in the parade. The parade lasted until afternoon, and a huge banquet was held in Sheng Jin palace. Until late at night, colorful lanterns shone bright, and flamboyant colors into the sky. While countless dancers had their turn in the square, with loud music being played to be heard in the distance. The civilians' cheers were so loud, it could be heard from miles away. But just as the waves of cheers resounded in the square, a group of people, neatly dressed, headed towards the Ancestral Temple slowly.
Different from the cheers in the inner city, the area around the Ancestral Temple was anything but bustling. The sounds of ovation that transmitted from afar made this place seem all the more desolate. The moon shone dimly, as the crimson red lanterns lit the way. Yan Xun, dressed in crimson red as well, sat in the carriage with his eyes closed, waiting for the opportunity to strike. After the carriage moved for a while, it suddenly stopped. Yan Xun opened his eyes, frowning. The last bit of hesitation had already vanished from within his heart.
The carriage was dead quiet. Similarly, the outside was filled with a deafening silence. It was as if everyone had forgotten about the origins of this carriage and its destination. Of course, no one would know how the man inside the carriage had already left.
Behind a huge mansion, warriors, with their war horses' hoofs wrapped in cloth, welcomed the incoming man. Ah Jing got off his horse to lead Yan Xun to his horse and whispered, "Your Highness, everything is ready."
Yan Xun nodded and with a quick flip, jumped onto the horse. Immediately, he dashed towards Southwest Emissary's Garrison on the other end of the street. Stationed there were over ten thousand Yan Bei soldiers, transferred to the capital by the Emperor to guard the capital. Although those soldiers were not part of his allegiance, considering that they were part of Yan Bei, Yan Xun decided to drag them into this mess. Now, he would be heading over to seek help.
Suddenly, blades gleamed in the soft moonlight! Shouting arose, and the Ancestral Temple guards, with swords in their hands, appeared. With such agile movements, they were definitely not the real guards but were obviously veterans of the battlefield.
"Yan Xun has committed treason! Kill him!" The assailants, brandishing their weapons, charged forth. The defense line that the ceremonial guards formed was easily washed away by the offensive. Only then, the leader reacted and shouted, "Assassins!"
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