Chapter 249

Chapter 249

The Empress’s father, Wang Bangxian, had only three legitimate children. His eldest son pursued literature, his second son practiced martial arts, and his daughter was honored as the Empress. Who wouldn’t envy the Wang family?

Last autumn, when the late emperor’s condition worsened and it was feared he didn’t have much time left, Wang Bangxian decisively ordered his second son, Wang Ke, to pretend to be injured and return to the capital for recovery, awaiting the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne. He intended to secure a senior military post for his son in the capital.

Wang Bangxian had his eye on the long-vacant position of deputy commander of the Imperial Guard. As expected, the conflict between the Xianqing Emperor and Fan Zhao intensified, and finally, the emperor thought of cultivating a force to suppress Fan Zhao. The first person he promoted was Wang Bangxian’s son.

However, Wang Bangxian never anticipated that his son would be severely injured by Fan Zhao after only half a month as deputy commander!

Wang Bangxian accompanied the imperial physician into the palace and rushed to the Xianqing Emperor’s presence, weeping, “Your Majesty, I do not know what offense I have committed against Marquis Fan. Why did he deal such a vicious blow to my son?”

The imperial physician explained Wang Ke’s injuries.

Upon hearing that Wang Ke had broken five ribs and suffered severe internal injuries, requiring careful recuperation for a year and potentially being crippled for life, the Xianqing Emperor was both horrified and furious. This wasn’t just a lesson Fan Zhao taught Wang Ke; it was a threat to the emperor himself!

“Guards, go and arrest Fan Zhao immediately!”

Liu Gonggong wanted to remind the Xianqing Emperor that the term “arrest” was used for traitors and rebels. Based solely on the Empress’s father’s one-sided words, Fan Zhao couldn’t be convicted. Even if a confrontation with Fan Zhao was necessary, it should be a summons.

But recalling the several eunuchs and palace servants who were beheaded just days ago for being too obedient to Fan Zhao, Liu Gonggong said nothing and went to deliver the message.

A team of imperial guards found Fan Zhao in a tavern in the north market.

Fan Zhao had already finished a bottle of wine.

He was deeply troubled, grieving for those guards who died unjustly at Wang Ke’s hands. They were veteran soldiers brought from Jizhou; dying on the battlefield would have been a noble sacrifice, but dying at the hands of a petty man? What a waste!

What troubled Fan Zhao even more was that he couldn’t be sure if this was a scheme by the Wang family or if the emperor himself wanted to divide the military power he held and eliminate the loyal Jizhou veterans who had been faithful to the late emperor.

The imperial guards, following the emperor’s orders, were also distressed. After Fan Zhao finished his drink, they explained the situation.

Fan Zhao sneered, “That old fox from the Wang family is something else.”

The imperial guards looked grave, “General, was Deputy Commander Wang’s injury intentional?”

Fan Zhao looked at the row of guards, “If I don’t teach him a lesson today, tomorrow he might kill you all for not obeying him.”

The guards all showed signs of anger.

Fan Zhao sighed, “Enough, enough. I’ll come with you to the palace. Do what you must, just don’t upset the emperor further.”

And so, the imperial guards “apprehended” Fan Zhao and brought him to the palace.

Wei Qi, Song Lan, and Lu Gong had already arrived upon hearing the news.

Fan Zhao knelt beside Wang Bangxian, facing the Xianqing Emperor.

The Xianqing Emperor angrily demanded, “Why did you assault Wang Ke?”

Fan Zhao looked innocent, “An assault? I merely heard that Deputy Commander Wang was extraordinarily skilled in martial arts and felt an itch to spar with him. Deputy Commander Wang was indeed formidable. The more I fought, the more excited I became, and I may have gotten carried away. At most, it was accidental injury, not an assault.”

Turning to Wang Bangxian, Fan Zhao continued, “I wonder about Deputy Commander Wang’s condition. Injuries during sparring are common in the military. If his injuries are serious, I’ll apologize in person. But you shouldn’t falsely accuse me of deliberately harming him out of spite.”

Wang Bangxian, his face flushed red, said to the Xianqing Emperor, “Your Majesty, even though I’m a scholar, I know a normal sparring session would not injure someone so severely. Fan Zhao’s actions clearly involved a personal vendetta. I ask Your Majesty to uphold justice for me!”

The Xianqing Emperor wished he could execute Fan Zhao on the spot, but he needed evidence. Unfortunately, Wang Bangxian, the esteemed Minister of Personnel, had failed to argue effectively against Fan Zhao.

As Fan Zhao protested his innocence, even lifting his robe to reveal the bruises on his chest and back to prove that Wang Ke had also struck him hard, the Xianqing Emperor could only turn to the two prime ministers by his side.

Song Lan lowered his head, avoiding the Xianqing Emperor's gaze.

Wei Qi said, "Your Majesty, when I was in Jizhou, I often heard of soldiers getting injured during sparring. If it can indeed be proven that the Deputy Commander willingly sparred with Marquis Fan, then this matter is truly difficult to judge. However, even if Marquis Fan didn't mean to cause harm, injuring the Deputy Commander to the extent of breaking five ribs shows a lack of restraint. Your Majesty should impose a minor punishment to ensure Marquis Fan doesn't make the same mistake again."

The Xianqing Emperor's expression darkened, realizing that Wei Qi was interceding for Fan Zhao.

He stared at Wei Qi and asked, "What kind of minor punishment do you suggest?"

Wei Qi said, "Demote him by one rank and appoint him as Deputy Commander."

The Xianqing Emperor asked, "If he becomes the Deputy, who will be the Commander?"

Wei Qi glanced at Fan Zhao and said, "Luo Xiao is both wise and brave, and he is dignified and steady. The late emperor often praised Luo Xiao's loyalty when he was alive. Once he returns victorious from Liangzhou, he can be appointed as Commander of the Imperial Guard."

The Xianqing Emperor then looked at Song Lan.

Song Lan bowed and said, "I agree with Prime Minister Wei's suggestion."

With both prime ministers protecting Fan Zhao and the Wang family's attendants unable to provide evidence of Fan Zhao's intent to harm, the Xianqing Emperor had no choice but to approve.

After everyone else had left, Wei Qi stayed behind and dismissed the palace servants.

The Xianqing Emperor sneered, "Does Prime Minister Wei have some heartfelt advice to offer me again?"

Wei Qi knelt before the young emperor, speaking earnestly, "Your Majesty, I swear on my life that Fan Zhao is loyal to both you and the late emperor. Even though he has been acting rashly lately, it is all for Your Majesty and the Great Yu Dynasty. He has no ulterior motives!"

The Xianqing Emperor said, "Yes, he is a loyal subject, and I am a foolish emperor who listens to slander."

Wei Qi said, "No, Your Majesty is just young and upset with Marquis Fan, which led to you rushing into promoting Wang Ke. Your Majesty, with the current wars on both the eastern and western fronts, the capital cannot afford to be compromised. Fan Zhao is the most trustworthy person. Your Majesty should endure him a little longer. After the war, you can send him to guard the border in Liangzhou, where his aggressive nature will serve the border defense well. Why not?"

The Xianqing Emperor raised an eyebrow, "Are you saying I promoted Wang Ke hastily?"

Wei Qi replied resolutely, "Yes, our Great Yu Dynasty has only been established for five years and its foundations are not stable. The Imperial Guard consists of soldiers most loyal to the late emperor. The Commander of the Imperial Guard should be chosen from the capable generals left by the late emperor. Wang Ke, who has yet to prove himself in battle, should not be appointed."

The Xianqing Emperor opened his mouth, but swallowed his words.

What was the point of speaking when none of them trusted his wife's family?

---

The Xianqing Emperor's actions as a foolish emperor in Qu Chi could still be hidden, but the news of Fan Zhao severely injuring Wang Ke, the emperor's brother-in-law, quickly spread in the capital, without the need for Xiao Gufu or Sun Wei to deliberately pass the information to Tong Sui.

While others saw it as a sharp conflict between Fan Zhao and the Wang family, Tong Sui, having been reminded by Xiao Zhen, understood that it was actually a contest of wills between Fan Zhao and the Xianqing Emperor.

The Xianqing Emperor's attempt to suppress Fan Zhao by promoting Wang Ke was evident.

Not only Fan Zhao, but even Tong Sui was dissatisfied with the Xianqing Emperor's move. This world was fought for by the troops loyal to the late emperor; many soldiers died on the southern expedition and during the campaign against Liang. The Wang family, a notoriously corrupt clan, had the fortune to marry into the imperial family and still did not repent. Wang Dingxian's appointment as a garrison commander in Hezhou was already controversial; what ability does Wang Ke have?

In her heart, Tong Sui believed Fan Zhao had acted correctly. The Wang family should not be allowed to mislead the Xianqing Emperor and bring chaos to the dynasty.

But if she were the Xianqing Emperor, facing such a powerful Commander of the Imperial Guard who could scare her and easily incapacitate her close aides, she would also be fearful, right?

The Xianqing Emperor had made his move, and Fan Zhao had countered.

So, would the Xianqing Emperor continue to deal with Fan Zhao, and how would Fan Zhao respond?

Tong Sui didn't know much about the Xianqing Emperor, but she was familiar with Fan Zhao.

If Xiao Yan was a fierce wolf of the Xiao Family, Tong Sui, when she first married into the family, had to rely on her status as the second daughter-in-law to keep him in check. Now, she could control him on her own, and Xiao Yan would never go mad and bite people in his own courtyard without reason. Fan Zhao, on the other hand, was like a fierce tiger living near the Xiao Family. When a tiger goes mad, it might hurt others or even its own.

Fan Zhao made Tong Sui uneasy.

This threat made Tong Sui want to practice archery.

But just as she reached the archery range, Liu Chu, Yan Mingxiu, and even Madam He from next door, as well as Lin Ningfang and Xiao Yuchan, arrived. Even Second Uncle Xiao Shouyi, who rarely showed his face, hurried over, hesitating before finally advising her in an elder's tone, "Aman, your second uncle knows you have a sense of proportion, but you're pregnant. How about waiting until the child is born to practice?"

The expressions of everyone present made it seem like they would die of anxiety if Tong Sui dared to draw her bow.

Not wanting to worry her family, Tong Sui gave up.

That night, Lin Ningfang slept over at Tong Sui's place and asked her what was really bothering her.

Tong Sui mentioned her concerns about Fan Zhao.

Lin Ningfang said, "First, with Fan Zhao's loyalty to the late emperor, he won't rebel. Second, even if Fan Zhao were to rebel, the Marquis has 50,000 cavalry under his command, and Longshun also holds military power in Liaozhou. Fan Zhao would only try to win over the Xiao Family, not make things difficult for us. Third, in the worst-case scenario, if Fan Zhao were to make a move against the Xiao Family, you're too far along in your pregnancy to resist him with a bow. It's better to rely on your father-in-law."

Tong Sui said, "I understand. I just have an itch to practice."

Lin Ningfang said, "If you're itching, practice your calligraphy. Don't disturb the baby's energy. Huai Zu is waiting to play with his younger sibling."

Tong Sui could only agree.

For the next few days, the sisters-in-law took turns watching over Tong Sui, afraid she would try to practice archery again.

Since she couldn't practice herself, Tong Sui went to watch the children in the family learn martial arts.

When the men were away, Zhang Chao trained Tong Shan, Qi Yao, the eldest son, and the second son, starting with the basics like horse stances. Later, when the old master retired from the Eastern Camp, he took over the teaching. After the old master passed, Xiao Zhen took over, and when the four Xiao brothers completed their mourning period, Xiao Shouyi continued the instruction. The children had always been trained by renowned masters.

Tong Shan, Qi Yao, and the second son were preparing for the imperial examinations, so they only had half an hour of martial arts training each day.

Zhang Chao and the eldest son were preparing to become military officers, so they had an hour of martial arts training in the morning and another in the afternoon.

As Tong Sui approached with A Fu, she saw Zhang Chao and the eldest son practicing archery. The former was fifteen, and the latter was twelve, both tall and upright young men.

Four targets were set up 100 paces away.

The eldest son had started later, so his archery was still developing. Zhang Chao had been learning martial arts with the Xiao Family since the age of seven under his uncle Zhang Wengong's guidance and almost always hit the bullseye.

Tong Sui suggested, "Second Uncle, how about moving the targets to a distance of 200 paces?"

On the battlefield, soldiers who could kill enemies 200 paces away could join the archery battalion and become archers.

Xiao Shouyi moved the targets.

Zhang Chao glanced at Tong Sui, his palms slightly sweaty, and his movements a bit stiff.

Tong Sui smiled and said, "Nervous? Don't worry; in battle, you'll have thousands of brothers-in-arms by your side."

Zhang Chao quietly adjusted his breathing and aimed at the target.

He shot ten arrows in a row, with two hitting the inner circle and the rest landing outside.

The eldest son was in awe. If it were him, he might have missed all the shots!

Tong Sui was also satisfied with Zhang Chao's performance. After all, Zhang Chao specialized in spear techniques, unlike her childhood obsession with trying to shoot more accurately.

When Zhang Chao drew his bow once more, Tong Sui stood by his side, personally guiding him on the technique.

Seeing this, Xiao Shouyi turned his attention to teaching the eldest son.

——

Fan Zhao was demoted to the position of deputy commander of the Imperial Guard and penalized with six months of withheld salary.

Without a full commander in place, Fan Zhao remained the leader of the Imperial Guard, and the loss of half a year's salary was of little consequence.

The Xianqing Emperor was frustrated, and Wang Bangxian, who had nearly lost his son, was even more so. He had come to understand that Wei Qi, Luo Xiao, and Lu Gong were not utterly stubborn and might still be won over by his family. However, Fan Zhao was unwavering in his loyalty to the late emperor. As long as Fan Zhao remained in the capital, the Wang family could not rise to power. Even if they did, Fan Zhao would suppress them with force.

The capital was in chaos, and that was the Wang family’s opportunity. If they waited until generals like Xiao Zhen, Luo Xiao, Qi Heng, and Zhao Jin returned to the capital, the Xianqing Emperor would have capable men to use and would not think of the Wang family first.

Wang Bangxian had to seize the emperor’s favor while the capital was in a weakened state.

There were things he couldn’t say directly, but if his daughter conveyed them, it would be far more effective.

In early August, good news came from Hezhou and Liangzhou.

The Xianqing Emperor’s mood improved somewhat, but when he arrived at the Western Palace that day, he found Empress Wang lying on the bed, sobbing sadly.

The Xianqing Emperor asked in confusion, “What’s wrong? Your mother came to visit you today; you should be happy.”

Empress Wang tried to hide her distress, but after the emperor pressed her, she wiped her tears and explained, “My mother told me that Second Brother caught a cold and, since he was already seriously ill, the coughing caused him to cough up blood.”

The Xianqing Emperor was shocked. Is Wang Ke really that sick?

Empress Wang wept into her hands.

The Xianqing Emperor comforted her, “I’ll send a few more imperial physicians. We will cure your Second Brother, don’t cry.”

Empress Wang shook her head in his arms, “I weep not only for my brother but also for myself. If Your Majesty intends to make use of him, he falls ill. If Your Majesty dotes on me like this, I fear something might happen to me as well…”

The Xianqing Emperor gritted his teeth, “He wouldn’t dare!”

Empress Wang continued, “What is there to dare? Yesterday, when I went to bring you pear soup, Marquis Fan had just come out. He looked at me as if I were holding poison. If something were to happen to you, he would accuse me and execute me without reporting to you first…”

As the Xianqing Emperor considered this, it indeed seemed like something Marquis Fan would do!

Chang Gonggong only tried to find amusements for him, but Marquis Fan had dared to kill him. Now, with the Wang family bearing a grudge against Marquis Fan…

The emperor resented Marquis Fan but comforted his wife, “Don’t be afraid. I will transfer him to guard the border soon.”

Empress Wang looked up with tear-stained eyes, “In Marquis Fan’s eyes, our Wang family are traitors. Even the eunuchs and maids who are loyal to you are considered traitors by him. Only those who follow his orders are considered loyal. If you send him away, he will suspect that we have influenced you. How could he be willing to leave the capital?”

The Xianqing Emperor said, “If I want him to leave, he has to, whether he likes it or not.”

Empress Wang gave a bitter smile, “Can you really control him? Even the palace guards listen to him the most.”

A cold look flashed in the Xianqing Emperor’s eyes.

Empress Wang seemed to realize her slip and threw herself into the emperor’s arms again, “Your Majesty, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have said that. I was just too afraid. I’ve heard that the empress of the previous dynasty was killed by Marquis Fan. If he could kill the empress of the previous dynasty, killing me, the empress of this new dynasty, would be just as easy for him.”

The Xianqing Emperor’s expression changed drastically.

When his father had just ascended the throne, he had once asked his mother, “Was the previous dynasty’s young emperor really killed by Empress Dou?”

His mother had replied, “Whether it’s true or not, it must be taken as such. Others may doubt it, but our family cannot have any other thoughts.”

Only if the young emperor died by Empress Dou's hand would Father's claim to the throne be legitimate.

But what did Empress Dou gain by killing the young emperor?

It had to be Fan Zhao.

The Xianqing Emperor wouldn't reveal this, but this shows that Fan Zhao has already killed an emperor. If Fan Zhao doesn't want to leave the capital, would he kill another emperor?

A vision of Fan Zhao's blood-soaked blade flashed through his mind, making him shudder. If Fan Zhao stays in the capital, would he strike again?