Chapter 214

Chapter 214

After the passing of Empress Guo, the Xingping Emperor skipped court sessions for five consecutive days, and on the sixth day, he still showed no intention of handling state affairs, remaining in the Hall of Supreme Supremacy without going anywhere.

The most trusted civil and military officials took turns advising him, but he ignored them all.

On the morning of the seventh day, Wei Qi requested a private audience with the Xingping Emperor, and it was only after kneeling outside for thirty minutes that he was summoned inside.

The Crown Prince fell ill on the third day of kneeling, and the Xingping Emperor sent his useless son to the Eastern Palace to recover, not wanting him to interfere with his mourning.

Liu, the eunuch, closed the palace door from inside and stood to the side, lowering his gaze and waiting quietly.

In Wei Qi’s eyes, the Xingping Emperor had become much thinner, his eyes dull, and his face covered with stubble, looking haggard and dejected as if he were a completely different person.

Wei Qi, tears streaming down his face, knelt before the Xingping Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, if Her Majesty the Empress can see you like this from the afterlife, how much pain would she feel in her heart? Must you make her restless even in death?"

When Wei Qi entered, the Xingping Emperor was leaning against the coffin, and he remained in that position, saying lifelessly, "Dead is dead. I've never believed in ghosts and spirits, so there's no need to persuade me with such talk. Bo Yu, I'm in pain. Can you all let me stay quietly with her for a few more days? When she was alive, I was always busy with state affairs. Must I remain busy even after her death?"

Wei Qi wiped his tears with his sleeve and choked, "Your servant does not wish to pressure you, but this is your fate. You possess the ability to pacify the world, and thus your life belongs to the people. You cannot decide for yourself. Her Majesty wouldn't blame you for it."

The Xingping Emperor sneered, "There are so many heroes in the world, why must it be me? If I hadn’t become emperor and had remained a general like Lv Sheng or Chen Wang, holding military power, perhaps she could have lived a few more years."

Wei Qi replied, "If you hadn't gone south, you and Her Majesty could have lived in peace in Jizhou for some time, but what about the people suffering under the chaos caused by traitors and rebel kings? The rich were killed by rebel kings for their wealth, and the poor were oppressed by corrupt officials and conscripted by rebels. If this continued, the Central Plains would become a wasteland. How long could Jizhou remain safe? Now that Her Majesty is gone, you feel regret, but if you had still been in Jizhou and heard of the suffering of the people in the Central Plains, could you really have remained indifferent? Would Her Majesty have been pleased to have you by her side?"

The Xingping Emperor turned his head away, his hand tightly gripping the coffin beside him.

Wei Qi took out a letter from his sleeve and, holding it with both hands, offered it to the emperor, saying, "This is a letter Her Majesty wrote to me before we crossed the river last year. Please read it yourself."

The Xingping Emperor abruptly turned, snatching the letter with trembling hands and wiping his eyes before lowering his head to read each word carefully.

The letter from Empress Guo to Wei Qi was brief, containing two main points. First, she affirmed that her husband’s journey south to eliminate traitors was a righteous act benefiting the people of the northern regions, and that the civil and military officials by his side were meritorious. Second, she regretted that due to her frail health, she could not accompany him to take care of his daily needs, and hoped that Wei Qi would look after her husband’s well-being, ensuring he did not overexert himself with state affairs.

The Xingping Emperor read the letter over and over, finally pressing it to his chest and crying out in anguish, "She’s gone. What good is it for me to conquer the world?"

Guarding the borders and eliminating traitors were all to protect his family, but with his wife gone, he no longer had a home. There was no one to share in his victories or to stand by him in his anger toward the nobles. He was alone, a walking corpse!

The people of the world had been brought up many times, but this time, Wei Qi did not repeat the same old clichés. Tears in his eyes, he looked at the Xingping Emperor firmly and said, "There is! Your Majesty, by pacifying the world, you will become a sage emperor who ends this chaotic era. When future generations read the founding history of our Great Yu Dynasty, they will see Her Majesty’s contributions, and you will both share eternal fame. But if Your Majesty sinks into despair and neglects the world, future generations will mock you for being consumed by personal grief, and Her Majesty’s legacy will be reduced to mere romantic tales about you!"

The Xingping Emperor’s tears stopped.

Wei Qi continued, "Your Majesty, if you do not care about your own reputation, do you not care about Her Majesty’s virtuous name? Do you want future generations to remember Her Majesty only as the woman who made a great emperor lose his resolve?"

The Xingping Emperor looked at the coffin beside him, images of his wife’s heroic and valiant appearance on horseback and in armor flashing through his mind.

A wise emperor and a virtuous empress—only by establishing great achievements could she be remembered through the ages with him.

"I understand. Rest assured, I will lead you all to pacify the world!"

After bathing and changing clothes, the Xingping Emperor finally left the grand hall.

In the evening, Xiao Zhen mentioned to Tong Sui that the Xingping Emperor had resumed handling state affairs, and both felt relieved.

Tong Sui rolled up Xiao Zhen’s pant legs and saw that both of his knees were bruised from kneeling, sighing, "Finally, it’s over. It was hard on everyone, kneeling and kowtowing like that while His Majesty was in mourning."

Xiao Zhen held her in his arms and asked, "Are you still grieving for Her Majesty?"

Tong Sui did not answer, her face resting against his broad chest, rising and falling with his breath.

No matter how admirable Queen Mother Guo was, to Tong Sui, she was just a stranger they had met a few times. For the funeral of Queen Mother Guo, her family had fulfilled their duties as loyal subjects, kneeling and kowtowing, and now Tong Sui just hoped that Her Majesty would be laid to rest soon so that everyone could return to their normal lives.

"No one could convince him, but Wei Xiang sure knows how to get through to him," Tong Sui remarked casually.

Xiao Zhen: "He’s been by the Emperor’s side for twenty years and, as a scholar, he’s far more articulate than someone like Lu Gong."

Tong Sui: "What about the Crown Prince? Has he been released?"

Even if the Crown Prince had a hand in the death of Empress Dowager Guo, they were still mother and son. It wouldn’t be right to keep him from paying his respects.

Xiao Zhen: "Yes, but he still looks frail. He probably won’t last long at the vigil."

Tong Sui sighed involuntarily, remembering how imposing the Xingping Emperor looked on horseback.

——

By late October, after a month of national mourning, the civil and military officials and the people in the northern regions could resume their normal lives. As the Crown Prince, Han Bao could have observed a twenty-seven-day mourning period, but the Xingping Emperor insisted he strictly follow a full twenty-seven-month mourning period, during which he was not allowed to engage with his concubines or participate in political affairs. He was only to focus on studying.

Han Bao did not dare to defy his father’s orders, but Wei Qi submitted a memorial requesting the Xingping Emperor to revoke the decree.

The Xingping Emperor called him to the Imperial Study alone.

Wei Qi said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is already an adult, and with the world still unstable, you should begin cultivating his administrative abilities as soon as possible."

Xingping Emperor: "I gave him a chance, but he couldn’t even keep Feng Duan’s death a secret in front of the Empress. How can I trust him with the Imperial Guard? It’s better to let Fan Zhao continue leading the Imperial Guard. These three years will help temper the Crown Prince’s impetuous nature. Once he becomes steady after three years, he can then gain experience."

Wei Qi: "But if there is a war within these three years and Your Majesty personally leads the troops, the Crown Prince might suddenly have to take over the national affairs..."

Xingping Emperor: "With you and Prime Minister Song assisting him, I am very relieved."

Wei Qi wanted to continue advising, but the Xingping Emperor patted a stack of memorials beside him, signaling Wei Qi to leave.

Looking at the stack of memorials, Wei Qi felt a heaviness in his heart again. "Your Majesty’s diligence is the blessing of the people of Great Yu, but you should also prioritize your health. Even an iron body can’t withstand such relentless work day and night."

Xingping Emperor: "When I was in despair, you advised me to be a wise ruler. Now that I am diligent, you advise me to rest. Why do you always contradict me?"

Wei Qi: "Your Majesty…"

Xingping Emperor waved his hand. "Go, I’m busy."

Staying busy was the only way for him to avoid confronting the emptiness of the palace.

Eastern Palace.

Han Bao listened listlessly as his tutors lectured. Having started his education at four, he had long since grown weary of studying.

By this age, Song Zhishi was already a member of the Hanlin Academy, and Zhao Jin held the prestigious rank of Deputy Commander of the Eastern Garrison. After all his efforts, his father had finally agreed to let him take command of the Imperial Guard, but now…

Refusing to accept this, Han Bao summoned Wei Qi, hoping he could help persuade the Emperor.

Wei Qi sighed. "To be honest, when the Emperor first decreed that you observe the mourning period, I already tried to advise him, but he insists that you need another three years to cultivate yourself, as he believes you are too impetuous."

Han Bao: "Three years? If I’m locked away in the Eastern Palace for three years, who among the officials will even remember me when I finally emerge?"

Wei Qi replied sternly, "Your Highness, why do you say such things? You are the Emperor’s only son. Even if you immerse yourself in books in the Eastern Palace, the civil and military officials outside will still acknowledge you as their future ruler. They will never dare to look down on you just because you are not visible."

Han Bao sneered. "In the Emperor’s eyes, I’m not his only son."

Wei Qi was greatly alarmed. Looking around to ensure the palace servants were far enough away, he stepped closer to Han Bao and whispered, "Your Highness must not harbor such thoughts. Fan Zhao’s loyalty to the Emperor is as clear as day. As long as you trust him, he will remain loyal to you."

Han Bao turned around and looked at the still water behind him, saying with a self-mocking smile, "Rest assured, Chancellor Wei. I was just venting my frustrations. It was nothing serious."

——

In the blink of an eye, the year-end approached.

Though the Xingping Emperor wasn’t in the mood for New Year celebrations, he allowed the officials and citizens of Luoyang to freely visit relatives and friends, as this was the first peaceful year after the war and a time worth celebrating.

That said, the prominent military families of Fan, Lu, Luo, Xiao, and Qi all chose not to host banquets for relatives and friends. They spent the time within their own families as a sign of mourning for the late Empress Guo.

While other families might have been quiet, the two branches of the Xiao family were bustling. With so many people in the family, even gathering just the family members was lively enough.

The only one missing was Qiao Changshun.

Qiao Changshun had finished his duties in Liaozhou long ago. Due to provocations from the Wu kingdom and considering that Chen Wang, the Liaozhou general, had rather selfish motives, the Xingping Emperor decided to send Qiao Changshun to serve as Chen Wang’s deputy.

Like Pan Yong being sent to Hezhou as a deputy general, Qiao Changshun’s position was also a dangerous one. If he interfered with Chen Wang’s military authority, Chen Wang, being ruthless, might very well kill Qiao Changshun if given the chance.

The family was worried for Qiao Changshun, but the letters he sent home were surprisingly cheerful. He wrote that his wife was pregnant. If none of his brothers had any good news soon, he would be the first to give their grandfather a great-grandson and expected a reward for this great filial deed.

After Aunt Xiao read the letter, Xiao Zhen, Xiao Ye, and Qiao Changan, who hadn’t yet brought such good news to their grandfather, exchanged glances and then looked at the eldest brother.

Xiao Zhen sipped his tea, unperturbed.

Tong Sui wasn’t in a hurry, Lin Ningfang wasn’t concerned, and Yan Mingxiu, along with Qiao Changshun’s wife, who had just married into the family, only blushed slightly.

At midnight that night, the families of Luoyang set off firecrackers.

In the Marquis’s residence, behind the double layer of gauze curtains, Tong Sui couldn’t hear the noise, but she was startled when Xiao Zhen suddenly left.

He had only done this before when they were on the battlefield.

Xiao Zhen wiped himself with a cloth, then lay back down beside her, holding her and saying, "The Emperor told me that I need to lead the troops to Jizhou by February."

Tong Sui nodded, understanding, and turned to lean against his chest. "Who’s going?" she asked softly.

Xiao Zhen: "Everyone from the Southern Camp’s 50,000 cavalry will go, except for our grandfather. Cavalry must train on the grasslands to become fully skilled."

Tong Sui: "I want to go too."

Xiao Zhen kissed her still slightly sweaty forehead and said, "You stay home and look after our grandfather. If the southern forces take the opportunity to attack, he’ll surely lead the infantry to battle. I’ll be more at ease if you’re by his side."

With the choice between her strong young brothers-in-law and her aging grandfather, Tong Sui naturally preferred to stay by the elder’s side.

She hugged Xiao Zhen tightly. "The Wu kingdom has a strong cavalry, and you’ve never been to the grasslands before. Be careful when you get there."

Xiao Zhen chuckled. "We don’t leave until February, so why are you giving me these warnings already?"

Tong Sui looked up at him, her eyes serious. "Every night, I’ll remind you to stay safe," she said, her voice soft but firm.