Held in the Lonely Castle Chapter 24

 

 Held in the Lonely Castle  

 Chapter 24

Translated by : DANMEI HEAVEN

  Undercurrents

That day, the final decree issued by the Empress was to order the Imperial City Department, responsible for guarding the palace, to continue searching for the escaped Wang Sheng. This time, she emphasized: "He must be captured alive. No harm is to come to him."

Returning to Yifeng Pavilion to report, I was inevitably surrounded and questioned by its inhabitants, who demanded a detailed account of the night's events. By the time the inquiries ceased, it was nearly noon. Concerned about Mr. Zhang's injury, I left without waiting for the midday meal and went to his residence to check on him.

His shoulder had already been bandaged, but he wasn’t resting. Instead, he stood by the window, gazing outside with a furrowed brow, as if troubled. When he saw me enter, he finally sat down to chat. I asked about his injury, but he dismissed it with a simple "It’s nothing" and didn’t bring up the events of the previous night. Instead, he casually inquired about my recent activities, though his eyes kept drifting outward, as if waiting for something.

After a while of idle conversation, a eunuch hurried in. I vaguely recognized him as one of the attendants who stood in court. He glanced at me, then hesitantly looked at Mr. Zhang, clearly wanting to relay something important. Understanding the situation, I stepped away to a more distant spot. Only then did he whisper a lengthy message to Mr. Zhang.

Mr. Zhang listened silently, showing no emotion. When the eunuch finished, he finally asked, "Who has been on duty at the Hanlin Academy recently?"

The Hanlin Academy was the institution for imperial scholars. The dynasty had a system where Hanlin scholars took turns staying overnight at the academy to draft urgent decrees if needed. Continuous night shifts were referred to as "on-duty rotations."

The eunuch listed the names of those recently on rotation: "Zhang Fangping."

Mr. Zhang nodded. "Understood."

The eunuch bowed and left. After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Zhang looked at me and said, "The Emperor spoke to his ministers about last night’s events and shed tears."

I was startled, a sense of foreboding flashing through me. "Was it because the Empress defied his wishes?"

"The Emperor didn’t dwell on that," Mr. Zhang replied. "What moved him to tears was the contrast between sending orders for the Empress to stay confined in her quarters and Consort Zhang rushing forward to shield him. He praised Consort Zhang repeatedly."

"How did the ministers react?" I immediately asked.

"Most of them wept along with him, except for Chancellor Chen Zhizhong, who remained stoic. Privy Councilor Xia Song took the opportunity to propose elevating Consort Zhang’s status, but Deputy Privy Councilor Liang Shi argued that the priority should be investigating the conspiracy behind the guards’ rebellion, and that her elevation could be discussed later." Mr. Zhang calmly recounted what he had just heard. "As for last night’s events, Xia Song requested the Emperor to order the Censorate and eunuchs to conduct an internal investigation within the palace. Deputy Chancellor Ding Du, however, insisted that since the rebellion involved the imperial guards, it was a matter of national security and should be handed over to the Censorate for a thorough investigation, including all conspirators inside and outside the palace. The two argued from dawn until noon, and in the end, the Emperor accepted Xia Song’s proposal."

Investigations conducted by censors and eunuchs within the palace typically involved cases concerning palace staff, while the Censorate usually handled major, complex cases beyond the jurisdiction of the Court of Judicial Review. After relaying this, Mr. Zhang remained silent, seemingly waiting for my opinion. Tentatively, I ventured, "Xia Song seems to imply the mastermind is within the palace, while Ding Du believes it involves outside officials, so..."

Mr. Zhang didn’t respond, quietly studying me for a long moment before saying, "Huai Ji, can you do something for me?"

"Of course," I answered without hesitation.

"Do you have any young eunuchs in your pavilion who are about to take the 'Moyi' test?" he asked.

The "Moyi" was originally an imperial examination subject requiring scholars to answer questions on Confucian classics in writing. The dynasty stipulated that young eunuchs over twelve who wished to advance beyond the rank of attendant eunuch must first pass the Moyi test.

I confirmed that we did. Mr. Zhang then stood, walked to his bookshelf, and pulled out a volume of The Book of Han. He flipped to a specific page and handed it to me. "Find a sharp-witted young eunuch and have him take a few classics and this volume of The Book of Han to Scholar Zhang Fangping at the Hanlin Academy tonight. First, have him ask a few questions about the classics, then flip to this page and casually ask about a particular passage."

I took the book and saw it was a chapter from The Book of Han: Biographies of Imperial Consorts, recounting the story of Consort Feng of Emperor Yuan of Han shielding the emperor from a bear: During an outing to the imperial zoo, a bear broke free and charged toward the emperor’s seat. While the other consorts and attendants fled in panic, Consort Feng alone stepped forward, placing herself between the emperor and the bear. After guards killed the bear, the emperor asked her why she had done so. She replied, "When a wild beast catches its prey, it stops attacking. I feared the bear would reach Your Majesty, so I willingly placed myself in its path." The emperor was deeply moved and held her in high esteem thereafter.

At first, I didn’t understand why Mr. Zhang wanted this passage shown to Scholar Zhang. Staring at the page, I pondered until my eyes fell on the final line: "The following summer, Consort Feng’s son was enfeoffed as the Prince of Xindu, and she was honored as Consort Yi." Only then did it dawn on me: despite her bravery, the emperor did not elevate her status immediately. She was later honored as Consort Yi because her son was made a prince.

Boldly, I asked Mr. Zhang, "Are you worried the Emperor might suddenly promote Consort Zhang?"

Mr. Zhang smiled faintly. "If that were all, it wouldn’t be so bad. What’s concerning is that someone might exploit the situation... But other developments remain unclear. For now, let’s focus on this task. We’ll address the rest later."

I nodded in agreement. Though slightly uneasy, I also felt a quiet joy, as Mr. Zhang’s trust in me was evident. Finally, I couldn’t resist asking, "Why are you willing to share these matters with me?"

He replied, "That day, when you rushed to tell me about Miss Fan’s situation, I realized how deeply you care about the Empress."

I lowered my head, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed. After tucking the book away, I bid him farewell. As I left, I noticed his bloodstained robe had been washed clean and was now drying in the courtyard. Recognizing it as an old garment he had worn for years—torn by the assassin and stained with blood—I was curious why he hadn’t discarded it. "Sir, I’ve seen you wear this robe since I first entered the palace. You’ve kept it all these years, haven’t you?"

"Thirteen years, five months, and two days," he answered with uncanny precision.

Stunned, I memorized the exact number. Later, I checked the palace records and calculated that he had received the robe on the seventeenth day of the ninth month of the first year of the Jingyou era—the day the current Emperor had issued the edict appointing Empress Cao. Presumably, the robe had been given to him as part of the Empress’s customary gifts to palace servants.

Two days later, the Imperial City Department guards captured Wang Sheng in the northwest corner tower of the inner city. Surprisingly, the department’s deputy director, the eunuch Yang Huaimin, disregarded the Empress’s order to spare the prisoner and commanded the guards to dismember Wang Sheng on the spot.

Several censors and eunuchs were tasked with investigating the case within the palace. With all four conspirators dead and no evidence to identify the mastermind, they instead punished the eunuchs overseeing the Imperial City Department’s guards. There were two directors: Yang Huaimin and Yang Jingzong. On the night of the incident, Yang Huaimin had been on duty and should have been punished more severely. Strangely, however, Yang Jingzong and others like the Imperial City Envoy and Deputy Director Deng Baoji were all demoted and exiled from the capital, while Yang Huaimin—though demoted in rank—was allowed to remain in the palace as a eunuch official.

The ladies-in-waiting privately speculated that the outcome was tied to their patrons. Yang Huaimin often served Consort Zhang, while Yang Jingzong and Deng Baoji were loyal to the Empress. Once, I even overheard Wang Wuzi reporting to Lady Miao that Yang Huaimin had long been close to Xia Song, who had coached him on how to handle the investigation, leaving the censors with no evidence of wrongdoing. Xia Song also argued that Yang Huaimin had been the first to detect the rebellion and thus deserved leniency. As a result, Yang Huaimin’s punishment appeared lighter than the others’.

Naturally, not all officials accepted this outcome. Censor-in-Chief Yu Zhouxun, Vice Censor Zhang Bian, and Censor He Tan jointly submitted a memorial condemning Yang Huaimin, demanding the Emperor demote him. They accused Yang Huaimin of allowing his subordinates to kill the conspirators to cover up his own negligence and pointed out that as the officer on duty that night, his dereliction was severe. They noted the injustice in exiling Deng Baoji and others while Yang Huaimin remained in the capital: "The penalties are grossly imbalanced, causing widespread discontent."

He Tan even hinted to the Emperor that Xia Song had intervened on Yang Huaimin’s behalf: "We fear that those with connections to him have secretly lobbied, falsely claiming Yang Huaimin performed meritorious deeds and should not be punished equally. We implore Your Majesty to reject such deceitful arguments and exile him like the others to uphold justice."

In the end, the Emperor heeded their advice, demoting Yang Huaimin to Prefect of Hezhou and exiling him from the capital.

True to her word, the Empress rewarded the eunuchs who had helped capture the conspirators, bestowing gifts or promotions. Even I was promoted to a higher rank—a rare honor for a seventeen-year-old eunuch. However, news of rewards for Mr. Zhang, who had been the first to confront the assassins, was conspicuously absent. Upon inquiring, I learned that the Empress had deferred to the Emperor, who had indifferently remarked, "Promoting eunuchs to positions above Attendant of the Palace requires consultation with the chief ministers."

Presumably, the Emperor had little interest in discussing the matter with his ministers, so the issue was indefinitely delayed. But Mr. Zhang’s concerns now lay elsewhere.

Since his injury, I had visited him daily, noticing frequent visits from the Emperor’s eunuchs—likely keeping him informed about matters concerning the Empress.

The task involving The Book of Han had been completed. The young eunuch I sent reported that Scholar Zhang Fangping had indeed studied the page about Consort Feng for a long time. When I relayed this to Mr. Zhang, he merely nodded and didn’t assign further tasks in the following days.

One afternoon, I went to see Mr. Zhang and found him leaving his residence in a hurry, his usual composure replaced by visible anxiety.

Surprised, I called out to him. He acknowledged me but didn’t stop. Just then, a eunuch arrived with an imperial summons: the Emperor requested Mr. Zhang’s presence to recount the details of capturing the conspirators to the censors, ostensibly to determine his reward.

Mr. Zhang halted and said to the eunuch, "I dare not defy His Majesty’s order. However, I am currently in informal attire and cannot appear before the censors in this state. Please return first. Allow me to change, and I will join you shortly."

The eunuch smiled knowingly. "The censors have been waiting for some time. If I return without you, they may blame me for failing my duty. Please change quickly. I’ll wait here. I trust you won’t keep them waiting long."

Reluctantly, Mr. Zhang agreed. As he turned, he shot me a glance, signaling me to follow. Inside, he whispered urgently, "Trouble is brewing. Wang Zhi, the Remonstrance Official, has submitted a memorial claiming the conspirators had illicit relations with the Empress’s maids, suggesting the rebellion may have originated there. He urges the Emperor to investigate, likely to instigate an inquisition and undermine the Empress."

Shocked, I stammered, "Who is Wang Zhi?"

"Xia Song’s lackey, also connected to Auntie Jia," Mr. Zhang replied. Then he asked, "Can you recognize Chancellor Chen Zhizhong and Censor He Tan?"

I nodded. "I’ve seen them from afar during palace ceremonies."

Mr. Zhang swiftly retrieved a document and handed it to me. "The Emperor has secretly summoned Xia Song and Wang Zhi to the Ruiying Pavilion. If things go awry, they may issue an edict to seal the palace and draft a decree. This is a copy of the edict deposing Empress Guo. Take it and wait outside the Secretariat-Chancellery. Chancellor Chen and Censor He are discussing palace security there today. Around dusk, they’ll emerge. Pretend to stumble and drop the edict in front of them. If questioned, say Xia Song ordered you to retrieve it for him."

This was my first time being tasked with crafting a political deception, and I was dumbfounded. Noticing my reaction, Mr. Zhang patted my shoulder apologetically. "I’m sorry to ask this of you... But if you openly discuss the Empress’s situation, it could harm both her and you."

"Then... why mention Xia Song?" I stammered.

"Chancellor Chen and Censor He both despise Xia Song," Mr. Zhang replied before leaving to change.

Following his instructions, I waited outside the Secretariat-Chancellery. To my surprise, Deputy Privy Councilor Liang Shi emerged alongside Chen and He. Hesitating briefly, I recalled Mr. Zhang mentioning Liang Shi’s earlier suggestion to delay elevating Consort Zhang’s status. Moreover, given the historical tension between the Privy Councilor and his deputy, I proceeded as planned, feigning a stumble and dropping the edict.

The three men gathered around the document, their expressions shifting to surprise. Chen Zhizhong asked, "Why are you carrying this old decree? Where are you taking it?"

I bowed. "Privy Councilor Xia requested it from the archives. I’m to deliver it to him."

They exchanged glances, the unspoken message between them seeming to confirm Mr. Zhang’s expectations.

"Where is Privy Councilor Xia now?" Chen Zhizhong asked.

"In the Ruiying Pavilion, meeting with the Emperor," I replied.

Satisfied that this would suffice, I quickly retrieved the document and hurried away.

Later, I lingered near the Ruiying Pavilion, watching Xia Song and Wang Zhi depart, followed by the arrival of Chen Zhizhong, He Tan, and Liang Shi, who requested an audience with the Emperor.

Returning to Yifeng Pavilion, I remained restless and soon excused myself to leave again. Passing the Rouyi Hall, I heard Qiu He call out from behind, "Huai Ji, where are you going so late?"

Turning, I saw her startled expression. "What’s wrong? You look terrible."

After a pause, I briefly recounted the day’s events, urging her to stay close to the Empress if trouble arose.

Tears welled in her eyes. "How could this happen...?"

I struggled to console her, finally saying, "Don’t cry. It would upset the Empress. Go back now. I’ll gather more news. With the ministers’ intervention, there’s still hope."

Returning to the Ruiying Pavilion, I found it still brightly lit, suggesting the Emperor and his advisors were still deliberating. I then went to Mr. Zhang’s residence, waiting until his return.

"Did you show them?" he asked immediately.

I nodded, recounting the events. Hearing that the three had entered the pavilion, he seemed to relax slightly and invited me inside to await news.

We sat in silence until I ventured, "Why does Xia Song want to undermine the Empress?"

"Have you heard of Xia Song before?" he asked.

"Only that his head is worth two strings of cash," I admitted.

Mr. Zhang chuckled, lightening the mood.

He explained that Xia Song had once led a western campaign, boasting he would swiftly defeat the Tanguts. He posted a bounty: "Whoever brings me Yuan Hao’s head shall receive five million strings of cash and the title Prince of Xiping." In response, Yuan Hao had someone "accidentally" drop a scroll in a Song border town, bearing his own bounty: "Whoever brings me Xia Song’s head shall receive two strings of cash." The humiliated Xia Song tried to suppress the scroll, but the story had already spread, becoming a joke even in the palace.

"Xia Song is a man of empty rhetoric, lacking true talent, and consumed by jealousy," Mr. Zhang continued. Years earlier, Fan Zhongyan and other reformists had implemented the Qingli Reforms. Initially appointed Privy Councilor, Xia Song was impeached by censors for cowardice during the western campaign and demoted. Blaming the reformist censors, he conspired with eunuch Lan Yuanzhen to accuse Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, and others of forming a faction. When the Emperor ignored this, Xia Song forged letters between scholar Shi Jie and reformist Fu Bi, altering "acts of Yi and Zhou" (laudable ministers) to "acts of Yi and Huo" (the latter having deposed an emperor). He even fabricated an edict draft, implicating Fu Bi in a plot to overthrow the Emperor.

Though the Emperor doubted Fu Bi’s involvement, the seed of suspicion was planted. Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi requested transfers, Shi Jie died in exile, and the reforms collapsed under further persecution. Last year, Xia Song finally became Privy Councilor.

"But why target the Empress?" I asked.

"Don’t you see?" Mr. Zhang said. "The Empress sympathizes with the reformists."

I recalled her admiration for Ouyang Xiu’s poetry and realized her subtle support hadn’t gone unnoticed. "But she never discusses politics. How would Xia Song know?"

"Must one speak openly to reveal their stance?" Mr. Zhang countered. "Her every move is watched. Even lingering over someone’s poetry can reach the outer court."

He added, "She reads Su Shunqin’s poems, admires Ouyang Xiu’s lyrics, studies Cai Xiang’s calligraphy... And Lady Du, Su Shunqin’s wife, was her childhood friend."

(To be continued)