Chapter 127: The Empress Dowager’s Patience with Minister Wen…

Chapter 127: The Empress Dowager's Patience with Minister Wen...

Although Huo Shiming and Wu Feng didn't avoid being seen, they kept their voices low.

Madam Fang sat in the carriage, able to see only their movements, unable to hear what they were discussing.

Noticing Madam Fang’s gaze, Wu Feng nudged his horse forward a few steps and gave a fist-and-palm salute. "Madam, where are you headed?"

As someone who'd grown up in the Huo household, Wu Feng was familiar to Madam Fang, who smiled warmly. "To the capital."

Wu Feng suggested, "The Duke of Chengen too is proceeding to the capital for an audience with His Majesty. Perhaps you could delay at Xingtang Pass for a few days and travel together."

Madam Fang paused, instinctively glancing at Huo Shiming. Though hesitant to ask further, her expression betrayed some hesitation. "But if we delay at Xingtang Pass for too long, we might miss Her Majesty’s Birthday celebration..."

Huo Shiming knit his brows slightly and replied casually, "Send the steward ahead with the gifts. You can stay and accompany me."

Twisting her handkerchief, Madam Fang smiled. "Then we’ll do as you say."

Composing himself, Huo Shiming turned to Wu Feng. "I’m heading to the camp now. Will you accompany me?"

"I won’t be joining you," Wu Feng gestured to the two guards behind him. "The Duke shouldn’t mind my subordinates accompanying you instead."

Huo Shiming’s face twitched—he knew Wu Feng meant to have him watched, but he couldn’t very well refuse.

Taking Liu Ji went smoothly, needing no further explanation.

Upon returning to camp, Huo Shiming gathered a squad and apprehended Liu Ji at his residence.

Even when brought before Huo Shiming, Liu Ji looked completely lost, repeatedly demanding to know why he was being arrested and what crime he had committed.

This wasn’t just Liu Ji’s question—Huo Shiming himself wanted to know!

What crime had Liu Ji committed that the Empress Dowager would send the Vermilion Guard to arrest him?

Yet no matter how Huo Shiming probed, Liu Ji kept loudly proclaiming his innocence.

Pointing at the guard Wu Feng had sent, Huo Shiming snapped angrily, "If you’re innocent, why would Her Majesty dispatch the Vermilion Guard to seize you and order me to escort you to the capital for interrogation? Liu Ji, confess the truth!"

The two guards exchanged glances.

Liu Ji’s eyes flickered briefly before he resumed shouting about his innocence.

Huo Shiming sneered, "As stubborn as ever. Take him away and keep him under strict surveillance."

Liu Ji was led away, followed closely by the two guards, who claimed they needed to watch him constantly.

Clad in light armor, Huo Shiming sat straddling a chair, a heavy sword resting beside him. His eyes were half-closed, radiating authority.

Only when familiar voices sounded outside did he open his eyes, a sharp gleam passing through them.

Advisor Kong Yi hurried into the tent, breathing slightly hard. "General, I heard you suddenly ordered Liu Ji’s arrest. What happened?"

Huo Shiming said nothing, wordlessly handing over the secret order to Kong Yi.

Kong Yi asked, "Who delivered this order?"

Huo Shiming replied, "Wu Feng, Deputy Commander of the Vermilion Guard. He also has another role—as Chief of the Shadow Guard."

The Dark Guard's name contains the word "dark," yet they are not entirely hidden in shadows. Wu Feng's identity was no secret to many.

Kong Yi's expression shifted slightly.

Huo Shiming asked, "What do you think?"

Kong Yi replied firmly, "Something must have happened in the capital. Has the Imperial Uncle sent no word?"

The news reached Huo Shiming somewhat later.

After that imperial court session, Huo Ling immediately summoned Wu Feng. Wanting to redeem himself, Wu Feng hastily packed two sets of clothes and set out from the capital on horseback. He traveled day and night without a moment's delay.

However quickly Huo Ze reacted, he was still a step behind Wu Feng.

After reading Huo Ze's letter, Huo Shiming was both shocked and bewildered: "How did this happen? The Right Vice Minister of Personnel publicly accused me of building private military power, yet Her Ladyship sent Wu Feng to order me to arrest Liu Ji. How did...?"

How had the matter shifted from him to Liu Ji?

After a moment's thought, Kong Yi said softly, "It’s likely about making an example of someone."

Huo Shiming’s heart tightened.

The matter wasn’t actually complicated. Once Kong Yi laid it bare, Huo Shiming understood.

Everyone knew of his relationship with the Empress Dowager.

Even if he were impeached, the Empress Dowager wouldn't discipline him based on a single accusation memorial. She might even shield him to preserve her own dignity.

But someone had to face the full force of her anger.

The Commander of Xingtang Pass was one of their own, as was the Commander of the Swallow Feather Army.

Thus, the Deputy Commander of Xingtang Pass became the scapegoat.

This warning wasn’t just for Huo Shiming—it was also for the Right Vice Minister of Personnel and, behind him, Wen Shengan.

Kong Yi wasn’t concerned about Liu Ji. What troubled him was the accusation memorial.

"General, did the letter mention the contents of the memorial?"

Huo Shiming shook his head. "No. After Her Ladyship received it, she kept it shelved."

Kong Yi frowned. "If we knew in advance what the Right Vice Minister of Personnel was accusing us of, we could prepare a countermeasure. Knowing the accusation but not the details is troublesome."

Then he asked, "Has the General spoken privately with the Deputy Commander of the Vermilion Guard?"

Naturally, Huo Shiming had entertained Wu Feng with a banquet. "He was close-mouthed and revealed nothing. When pressed, he urged me to make haste to the capital and not keep Her Ladyship waiting."

After a pause, Huo Shiming’s tone grew more cautious. "These past two days, he’s kept to the shadows. I sounded him out, asking if he’d return to the capital with me. By his manner, he intends to stay at Xingtang Pass a while longer."

Kong Yi let out a heavy breath. "He must be staying to investigate the memorial."

Huo Shiming thought the same, but he couldn’t stop Wu Feng. "No use speculating. I’ve decided to depart tomorrow."

Kong Yi said, "I’ll accompany the General to the capital."

The ghost of a smile crossed Huo Shiming’s lips. "Good. Having your counsel will give me peace of mind."

***

Since the imperial court session, the atmosphere in the court had remained palpably uneasy.

The Ministry of Rites was still preparing for the Empress Dowager’s Birthday (Qianqiu Festival) according to the drafted procedures, but the festive atmosphere had been significantly muted by recent events.

On the surface, no one mentioned the impeachment memorial again, as if everyone had collectively forgotten.

But privately, the Right Vice Minister of Personnel’s home experienced a surge in visitors.

Even Wen Shengan had people who dared to seek him out for information.

Only Huo Ling remained untouchable—no fool dared provoke her by bringing up the matter.

Even her own son, Ji Xianshan, held his tongue, fearing he might upset her.

When Ding Jinghuan received the summons to the palace to meet Huo Ling, she was practicing archery at the riding grounds.

Skilled in both riding and archery, she never missed a still target, quickly emptying a full quiver of arrows.

Ding Jinghuan stepped forward and bowed: “Your Majesty is in high spirits.”

Huo Ling smiled and tapped a finger at him. “It’s been nearly half a month. If I were still affected, I’d need to hone my patience.”

Ding Jinghuan said, “Yet I’ve heard that court officials have been walking on eggshells in Your Majesty’s presence these days.”

Huo Ling removed her archer’s ring and handed it, along with the bow, to Wu Mo, then wiped her hands with a damp cloth. “Watching them tread carefully around me is quite entertaining.”

Ding Jinghuan chuckled at this.

Huo Ling sat by the field and took a sip from a cup of chilled pear juice. “What has Song Xu been up to lately?”

Ding Jinghuan replied, “What else? Scrambling to prepare for Your Majesty’s birthday.”

Huo Ling gave him a sidelong glance, prompting him to answer truthfully: “Minister Wen’s move was ill-timed, and Song Xu has completely distanced himself from him.”

Throughout history, impeaching imperial relatives has been an effective way to pressure an empress dowager.

Just as the Zhou and Cui families’ blunders in Cangzhou implicated Chen Haoyan and Cui Ming, leading to their demotion and exile from the capital, any scandal involving the Huo family would inevitably blemish her standing, even if her power remained intact.

Huo Ling remarked, “His move wasn’t entirely wrong—just too hasty and poorly timed.”

She had used the Zhou and Cui families to target Chen Haoyan and Cui Ming; now Wen Shengan was using the Huo family against her. Tit for tat.

Ding Jinghuan speculated, “Is his health declining? He’s not young anymore.”

Huo Ling had considered this possibility. “I’ve already sent imperial physicians to the Wen residence.”

Ding Jinghuan quietly admired her swift response. Clearly, Wen Shengan was hale enough—at least for a few more years.

“Was Minister Wen’s goal merely to curb the Huo family?”

“There was likely also an intent to drive a wedge.”

After some thought, Ding Jinghuan grasped the underlying strategy.

Over the years, the Empress Dowager had cemented her influence. To curb her momentum, Wen Shengan needed to weaken her faction.

Imperial relatives were traditionally an extension of an empress dowager’s power, and the Duke of Chengen, who commands 100,000 troops in Yanxi, was a key figure in her faction.

Luckily for him, Wen Shengan had managed to find dirt on the Duke of Chengen.

This could be called stirring up trouble, or it could be seen as standing firm and speaking bluntly.

The facts are as they are—Wen Shengan didn’t frame anyone.

"Your Majesty is astute and decisive. How could Minister Wen be certain his scheme to drive a wedge would work?"

By now, Ding Jinghuan was also curious about the contents of that impeachment memorial.

Using office for private profit, amassing military strength for self-interest...

These eight short words were enough to stir endless speculation, making one burn with curiosity.

Huo Ling chuckled lightly. "The so-called 'amassing military strength' isn't as serious as you imagine."

She gave the gist of the memorial's contents.

"That does cross a dangerous line, but..." Ding Jinghuan hesitated, unsure whether to continue.

Frankly speaking, as long as the soldiers of the Swallow Feather Army weren't the ones calling it "Huo’s Army," the private remarks of commoners couldn’t be held against the Duke of Chengen.

Huo Ling smiled and finished his thought for him: "But you feel the charge is a bit flimsy, don’t you?"

Ding Jinghuan gave a wry smile. "Your Majesty sees through everything."

Huo Ling said, "You must know the origins of the Swallow Feather Army, don’t you?"

Ding Jinghuan: "I’ve heard bits and pieces."

Huo Ling: "This army is one of just two cavalry units in Great Yan. But that’s not what makes it most unique. Its true distinction lies in being the army the late emperor left behind to protect me and His Majesty. The 'Feather' in its name is derived from mine."

With that history, the army could only ever be called the Swallow Feather Army—not some other made-up name like "Huo’s Army."

Thus, while this charge might sound weak to actually prosecute, it was surprisingly potent for sowing discord.

Of course, such origins were naturally not widely known.

At least, Ding Jinghuan had never heard of it before, nor had he ever considered it.

But the late emperor and Wen Shengan had a close bond as ruler and minister. Perhaps, in private conversations, the late emperor had hinted at it.

"What does Your Majesty plan to do next?"

"No hurry," Huo Ling replied. "A message from the courier stations says the Duke of Chengen will arrive in the capital tomorrow. Go welcome him and take Liu Ji into your care while you’re there."

Ding Jinghuan asked, "Should we interrogate Liu Ji?"

Huo Ling said, "We might not get anything useful."

After some thought, Ding Jinghuan had to admit that Liu Ji was indeed a minor player.

Even if Liu Ji and the Duke of Chengen had any underhanded dealings, any necessary agreements would have been settled during the journey from Xingtang Pass to the capital.

Ding Jinghuan said, "Then let’s hold him on charges of neglect of duty for now."

"That’s fine. By the way, in two days is the Emperor’s Birthday. When you meet the Duke of Chengen, tell him to hold off on coming to court. Any matters can wait until after the celebration."

Huo Ling took a memorial from Wu Mo. "Also, remember to give this to the Duke of Chengen. As the man in question, he ought to know why he was impeached."

***

The summer wind was oppressive, the Luo River meandered, and the city of Luo, standing upon the plains, radiated imperial majesty.

Since the north-south canal was fully dredged three years ago, the number of ships coming and going has increased significantly.

Pedestrians, traveling merchants, and caravans move through the streets in an orderly flow.

The already bustling capital has grown even more prosperous and opulent.

The caravan arriving from Yanxi, covered in dust, went largely unnoticed.

As soon as Huo Shiming entered the capital, Ding Jinghuan approached with his men to greet him.

"This humble official Ding Jinghuan, by order of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, has come to receive the prisoner from the Duke of Chengen."

Huo Shiming still had some impression of Ding Jinghuan and smiled. "I was just worrying about how to deal with Liu Ji. Since Lord Ding has come, I'll hand him over to you."

After completing the transfer, Huo Shiming prepared to leave but was stopped once more by Ding Jinghuan.

Ding Jinghuan said, "The palace is preparing for tomorrow’s Emperor's Birthday banquet. The Duke must be exhausted from the journey—perhaps it would be best to return to your residence and rest first. You may present yourself to Her Majesty and His Majesty after the banquet concludes."

Huo Shiming paused briefly, then let out a hearty laugh. "I wouldn’t want to appear rude."

Ding Jinghuan replied, "This is Her Majesty’s wish. Also, this memorial was given to me by Her Majesty to deliver to the Duke."

Huo Shiming accepted the memorial but, with Ding Jinghuan present, held off on opening it immediately.

"Until we meet again."

Ding Jinghuan cupped his hands in salute and departed with the prisoner cart.

Huo Shiming hurriedly opened the memorial, his breath caught before quickening sharply.

"Father! Mother!"

A familiar voice called out from the crowd—it was Huo Ze, who had come to meet him upon hearing the news.

"Father, why do you look so pale?"

Huo Shiming slipped the memorial into his robe, his voice tight. "We’ll speak at home."

With so many eyes and ears around, Huo Ze couldn’t ask more.

Upon returning to the Huo residence, his daughter-in-law, Guan Shi, came forward to greet him.

Guan Shi and Huo Ze had been married for several years, and she had only met Huo Shiming briefly after their wedding.

Faced with his very pregnant daughter-in-law, Huo Shiming had to push down his distress.

After sitting for about as long as it takes to drink tea, Huo Shiming had Fang Shi take Guan Shi away to rest, while he called Huo Ze and his advisor, Kong Yi, to the study.

When the doors shut, Huo Ze spoke first.

"Father, I used my father-in-law’s connections and even sought General An Hongyu’s help, but neither could uncover the specifics of that memorial. The Ministry of Personnel won’t say a word—not a single word leaked."

In these past few years, Huo Ze hadn’t been wasting time.

At the very least, he had been building his connections.

Unfortunately, most of his contacts lay among the martial nobility. When it came to dealing with the Ministry of Personnel’s channels, he still fell short.

Out of options, Huo Ze secretly approached Ji Xianshan to ask about it.

The uncle-nephew relationship had always been strong. If it were any other matter, Ji Xianshan would have told him everything he could.

But with this issue… Well, Huo Ze hadn’t even finished speaking before he got an earful from Ji Xianshan.

After the scolding, Ji Xianshan gave Huo Ze a straight answer.

Since not even Ji Xianshan knew the contents of the memorial, Huo Ze had no choice but to stop digging further.

“No need to keep asking,”

Huo Shiming said as he produced a copy of the memorial. “I’ve already gotten hold of it.”

Huo Ze blinked in surprise. “This copy…”

Huo Shiming replied, “Her Majesty had it passed to me by Ding Jinghuan.”

Kong Yi kept his cool after reading the copy. The situation was actually much better than he had feared.

“General, besides this memorial, did Her Majesty give any other instructions?”

Huo Shiming went over his conversation with Ding Jinghuan step by step.

Kong Yi stroked his newly grown beard and allowed himself a small smile. “Her Majesty ordered you to take Liu Ji down and even gave you advance notice. It seems she has no intention of punishing you.”

Huo Shiming breathed a small sigh of relief. “Good. That’s good.”

Seeing their on-edge reactions, Huo Ze still felt lost.

Since it was a private conversation, he just came out and asked:

“Father, why are you both so worked up? Profiting off the trade market—what Commander of Xingtang Pass hasn’t done that? Worst case, you just lose control of the trade market.

“And then there’s this charge of amassing military power—I almost had a heart attack when I heard it. But the memorial only mentions it in one vague sentence.

“Some clueless folks, seeing our family has an Empress Dowager and that you’re the Commander of Xingtang Pass, can’t tell the difference and call the Swallow Feather Army ‘Huo’s Army.’ How is that amassing power? You didn’t tell them to say that.”

Huo Shiming studied his clueless son with a complicated look. “…If your sister thought like you do, I wouldn’t be so worried.”

Kong Yi explained, “When you command troops far from court, everything depends on the sovereign’s trust. This might seem minor, but it crosses the sovereign’s red line—it’s bound to cause suspicion.”

Huo Ze was about to speak again, but Huo Shiming cut him off with a wave. “Right now, what matters most is how we respond.”

Kong Yi asked, “General, who do you think Her Majesty hates the most?”

Huo Shiming chewed on that for a moment.

Kong Yi continued, “You and Her Majesty are father and daughter. She needs you to lead her armies. If you eat some humble pie, her anger will pass. Would she really turn against her own family? What you need to do is shift her anger elsewhere.”

A spark lit in Huo Shiming’s eyes. “You mean… the Right Vice Minister of Personnel?”

Kong Yi shook his head. “He doesn’t cut it.”

If even the Right Vice Minister wasn’t enough…

Then the only person left was…

Under Huo Shiming’s burning stare, Kong Yi added softly, “Her Majesty’s real problem isn’t you, General—it’s Minister Wen. I believe her patience with him has finally run out.”