Chapter 3 Not a Hint of Concern for This Emperor

## Chapter 3: Doesn't Feel Sorry for Me At All

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: You, Xie Xiao, General of Shuoning and Dragon-Tiger General, are valiant in battle, courageous and wise. Having pacified the northern frontiers, you have rendered great service to the state. By special decree, you are hereby ennobled as Marquis of Dingbei, with a fief of three thousand households, granted a golden book and iron certificate, hereditary in perpetuity. You are conferred the titles of Pillar of the State and Grand Master of Glorious Happiness, bestowed with a marquis’s residence, a python robe, a jade belt, and a hundred *yi* of gold. You are to remain in the capital awaiting appointment, participating in military and state affairs. So ordered.”

After reading the decree, the eunuch noticed Xie Xiao did not react immediately and reminded him with a smile, “Marquis, accept the decree. His Majesty is waiting to see you.”

Xie Xiao frowned slightly, then kowtowed to accept the decree: “Your subject, Xie Xiao, receives the decree and gives thanks.”

Inside the hall, Yan Weichu coughed intermittently, his voice hoarse: “Did he accept the decree?”

“He did,” Zhao Anfu replied softly. “He is waiting outside.”

Yan Weichu leaned back on the soft couch and closed his eyes. He had caught a chill the previous night, feeling unwell and unusually lethargic.

The imperial physician finished taking his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief: “Your Majesty is in good health. I will prescribe a medicine. Take it as directed, rest and recuperate, and you will recover in two or three days.”

Yan Weichu closed his eyes without responding. Zhao Anfu signaled to the physician: “Go and prepare the medicine.”

After the physician left, Zhao Anfu informed Yan Weichu that Empress Dowager Xie, upon hearing of his illness, had sent someone to inquire after his health.

Yan Weichu opened his eyes upon hearing this: “I merely caught a chill, a minor ailment. Who was so loose-tongued as to report it to the Empress Dowager?”

Zhao Anfu bowed in apology. It was hard to say—perhaps the news had leaked from the imperial medical office, or perhaps someone in the emperor’s quarters was being indiscreet. But the Empress Dowager’s concern for the emperor’s health was, after all, only natural.

“Keep an eye on the prescription from the physician and purge the servants again,” Yan Weichu ordered impatiently. He truly disliked the palace, finding it less comfortable than the Western Garden. “As for the Empress Dowager, tell her I am fine. Also, from today onward, those in the Palace of Eternal Peace are forbidden to leave without urgent business. Outsiders are strictly prohibited from entering or leaving without permission. Violators will be executed.”

This was returning the favor for what Empress Dowager Xie had done before.

As for whether anyone would use filial piety to pressure him on behalf of the Empress Dowager—Yan Weichu was unconcerned. The civil officials were eager to see the Empress Dowager lose power, and the military nobles were not united. The widely discussed rebellion case was still unresolved, and no one would want to attract trouble at this time.

Zhao Anfu acknowledged the order and added that Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Cui Shao, was also outside seeking an audience.

“Let him in first.”

Feeling unwell and too lazy to change clothes, Yan Weichu received him from behind a screen.

Cui Shao reported on the progress of the rebellion investigation. For over a month, the Northern Prison had been arresting people throughout the city, and the prison was now overcrowded.

Yan Weichu glanced at the list presented—all remnants of the Prince Regent and Empress Dowager Xie’s factions, mostly low-ranking military nobles. It was not yet time to move against the powerful noble families, but it was enough to warn them.

He casually tossed aside the booklet and indifferently ordered, “Confiscate their properties and execute three generations of their families.”

Cui Shao accepted the order and then brought up another matter: “The storyteller at Longxiang Teahouse is a failed scholar from Shuoning, but the teahouse’s owner and the proprietor of the neighboring Fumeng Pavilion are the same merchant from Jiangnan. I have already ordered both places sealed.”

Shuoning Garrison was where Xie Xiao was stationed.

Yan Weichu sneered upon hearing this: “The Xie family, a century-long maternal clan, sharing the empire with the emperor? How dare they say such things? I wonder if my cousin is a fool, or if someone wants me to think he is a fool.”

No one dared to respond to this, so Yan Weichu let the matter drop.

“Go and carry out your duties,” he dismissed Cui Shao and ordered, “Summon the Marquis of Dingbei.”

Xie Xiao was led into the emperor’s bedchamber, all the way to the rear hall, where he could only see a faint silhouette behind the screen, unable to glimpse the emperor’s face.

He averted his gaze and knelt to perform the full ceremonial greeting.

For his first audience with the emperor, etiquette had to be observed meticulously.

Yan Weichu did not excuse him from the formalities. Though he could not clearly see Xie Xiao’s expression through the screen, he recalled how Xie Xiao had restrained him that night, forcing him into those absurd acts.

The Xie Xiao before him, who knelt and kowtowed with unyielding dignity, was fundamentally as arrogant as the Xie Xiao who, under the influence of drugs, had lost control and acted like a beast.

He unconsciously touched the faint marks on his neck and spoke in a hoarse voice, “Cousin, rise.”

The term “cousin” made Xie Xiao’s brow twitch imperceptibly. “Your Majesty is unwell. You should take care of yourself and rest more.”

Yan Weichu felt like laughing at the pretense.

Though the words were caring, Xie Xiao’s tone lacked sincerity and the obsequiousness others displayed. It was perfunctory.

“Cousin,” Yan Weichu asked, “do you resent me for ordering you to remain in the capital?”

“…”

Before entering, Xie Xiao had anticipated the Young Emperor’s attitude toward him—bestowing favors while remaining wary. But he had not expected Yan Weichu to repeatedly call him “cousin” and ask if he resented him.

“I dare not,” Xie Xiao lowered his head slightly. “Your Majesty exaggerates.”

“I struggled to reclaim power from the Prince Regent,” Yan Weichu even changed his self-reference, mentioning only the Prince Regent and not Empress Dowager Xie. His hoarse voice betrayed his weakness. “The Prince Regent previously controlled the capital’s military power, and the military nobles obeyed him unquestioningly. Even though I now rule, I face many obstacles. The civil officials in the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries are also uncooperative. Being emperor is truly difficult. I asked you to stay because I hope you can help me.”

Xie Xiao replied calmly, “I dare not resent Your Majesty’s arrangements. My grandmother is advanced in years, and I am grateful to remain in the capital to fulfill my filial duties by her side.”

Yan Weichu asked him, “Do you think that because I granted you a marquisate, I intend for you to relinquish the heirship to the Duke of Zhenguo? Of course not. Whether as Marquis of Dingbei or future Duke of Zhenguo, both will be yours. In the future, your eldest and second sons will inherit the titles respectively. They will not fall to the Xie family’s collateral branches.”

“Your Majesty, this violates the system,” Xie Xiao declined. “I beg Your Majesty to revoke the decree.”

Yan Weichu refused: “You have already accepted the decree; it cannot be revoked. I originally wanted to secure a dukedom for you, but the Grand Secretariat officials repeatedly petitioned against it. I am powerless to change their minds.”

Xie Xiao could only say, “Your Majesty’s favor is deeply engraved in my heart.”

“Cousin, what do you want?” Yan Weichu pressed. “High office, wealth, and honor—just name it, and I will grant it to you.”

Xie Xiao remained unmoved: “It is a subject’s duty to share Your Majesty’s burdens. I dare not covet such rewards.”

Truly impervious to persuasion.

Yan Weichu felt displeased. His voice took on a plaintive tone: “Cousin, are you truly unwilling to help me?”

Xie Xiao knelt again, his attitude respectful and beyond reproach: “Your Majesty’s inquiry overwhelms me. If there are tasks, I will only follow Your Majesty’s decrees and fulfill my duties diligently.”

Still, it was nothing but evasive and perfunctory words.

For a moment, the bedchamber was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. After the stalemate, Yan Weichu seemed to find it pointless and abandoned his teasing. Adopting a lofty tone, he said, “I am tired. You may withdraw.”

Xie Xiao immediately took his leave.

Watching the figure disappear beyond the screen, Yan Weichu propped his chin on his hand and sighed softly, “My cousin shows not a hint of pity for me.”

Zhao Anfu, attending nearby, remained silent, not daring to speak.

“Tch,” Yan Weichu exhaled in frustration. “How dull.”

*

Yan Weichu did not leave his bedchamber for several days. Even after recovering, he did not attend court, only summoning a group of Grand Secretariat ministers to his inner study.

When they entered, bowing and offering greetings, he merely responded with a faint “Hmm.”

Yan Weichu stood behind the imperial desk, holding a brush and painting. These ministers had not been summoned by him but had sought an audience for two consecutive days before he finally allowed them in.

Since he himself remained standing, he naturally did not offer them seats.

"Your Majesty," Chief Grand Secretary, Zhang Jiong, was the first to speak. "The rebellion case involves a wide range of individuals. Wouldn’t it be too hasty to close and resolve it without a thorough investigation? Without the joint review of the three judicial offices…"

Zhang Jiong was cut off by this remark and was left speechless.

Yan Weichu had only been handling state affairs for little more than a month, and they truly hadn’t yet figured out the temper of this Young Emperor.

On the night of the palace coup in the Western Garden, the entire city was under martial law. They had rushed to the Western Garden upon receiving the news to welcome Yan Weichu back to the palace, largely because they had been thoroughly worn down by the suppression of the Prince Regent and Empress Dowager Xie over the past decade. The nobility commanded troops and arms, leaving these civil officials with no voice in court matters. Now that they had brought back the young emperor, if the Young Emperor wished to counter those military-affiliated nobility, he would naturally turn to them. As long as they could manage Yan Weichu, the future would be secure.

But Yan Weichu clearly did not play by the usual rules.

"Why did Your Majesty issue an imperial decree bypassing the Grand Secretariat, even sending a eunuch to deliver it?" another Junior Grand Secretary spoke up, in a near-accusatory tone.

Yan Weichu paused his hand and finally looked up.

Junior Grand Secretary Lin Tongfu, his face flushed, returned his gaze with defiance.

"An imperial decree's issuance must undergo review and approval by the Grand Secretariat and the Six Offices…"

"So what?" Yan Weichu’s emotionless voice asked, "The decree I issued was a direct imperial order. Why should it go through the Grand Secretariat and the Six Offices?"

In the past, the Empress Dowager and the Prince Regent had frequently issued direct imperial orders in the emperor’s name, and these officials had likely not dared to question them.

Now, it was unclear whether they were exploiting his inexperience or trying to assert their authority over him.

"Xie Xiao has performed a great service to the state. I merely wish to reward him. Is that not allowed?" Yan Weichu frowned in clear displeasure.

He was well aware of their intentions—they hoped he would broaden the conspiracy case to target the nobility. He suspected that the rumors circulating outside about shared power had originated from these very individuals. Instead of complying with their wishes, he had instead granted Xie Xiao a marquis title, which undoubtedly displeased them.

He saw that these people were trying to treat him like a fool.

Zhang Jiong reproached, "If Your Majesty wishes to reward the heir of Duke of Zhenguo, gold, silver, jewels, productive land, or attractive consorts—all these would be acceptable. But granting the House of Duke of Zhenguo another hereditary marquisate is truly inappropriate."

He hadn't even informed them beforehand.

The others joined in, criticizing Yan Weichu’s actions, even going so far as to mention the forbidden saying "merits so great as to overshadow the ruler."

The youngest among these old officials was at least twenty years his senior, and they were clearly using their age as leverage to bully this Young Emperor.

Yan Weichu watched coldly their expressions before suddenly putting on a sorrowful look. "If this isn’t allowed and that isn’t allowed, then I simply won’t be emperor anymore. Let the Empress Dowager return to take charge of court affairs."

Zhang Jiong was appalled. "Your Majesty, you must not!"

If Empress Dowager Xie returned, they would have no chance to suppress those military nobles!

The others urgently tried to dissuade Yan Weichu from this absurd idea.

Having seen enough of their performance, Yan Weichu looked at them with disdain. "Then let it be."

Only then did the grand secretaries realize they had been tricked, but in their panic, they had already relented on the direct imperial order and could only accept it reluctantly.

"Regarding the rebellion case, I have already stated that the Embroidered Uniform Guard will handle the investigation alone. No one else is to interfere," Yan Weichu declared, leaving no room for argument, before lowering his head to continue his painting—the scene of Xie Xiao leaping onto the out-of-control spirited horse upon his return to the capital, calmly pulling the reins and seizing the bridle.

The officials below had no idea what he was painting. Having already been outmaneuvered today, further objections seemed pointless.

As if struck by a sudden thought, Yan Weichu instructed, "I intend to grant posthumous honors to my birth mother, Consort Zheng, as empress dowager and assign her a posthumous name. Have the Ministry of Rites handle this and select a few suitable honorary titles for me to review first."

The grand secretaries withdrew awkwardly.

A moment later, Yan Weichu had Zhao Anfu summon one of them back.

He had observed clearly earlier that among these officials, only this one, standing at the very end—Liu Zhu—was different, remaining silent from start to finish with an attitude of detachment.

Liu Zhu, a native of Suzhou, had entered the Grand Secretariat in the sixth year of Jingchun as Left Vice Minister of War and Hanlin Academy Scholar, ranking last among the grand secretaries and largely overlooked.

Yan Weichu watched as the man approached with utmost respect and thought to himself that this person was far more tactful than his arrogant cousin.

He got straight to the point. "I intend to appoint someone to replace the Shuoning General. Does Lord Liu have a suitable candidate to recommend?"

Liu Zhu asked bluntly, "Is Your Majesty recalling the Marquis of Dingbei to the capital to strip him of his military power?"

Yan Weichu replied, "What else?"

Liu Zhu fell silent for a moment before saying, "I understand."

Recalling someone to the capital to await assignment and granting them an honorary title without real power was not unusual, but bestowing another hereditary marquisate was going too far. The intentions of this Young Emperor were truly difficult to decipher, and those outside the court would surely be deeply disappointed.

"If Lord Liu wishes to ask whether I truly fear his merits overshadowing the ruler…"

Yan Weichu made the final brushstroke, and Xie Xiao’s valiant and heroic figure leaped off the paper. The finishing touch was a cluster of magnolia blossoms on his shoulder, accentuating the painted figure’s extraordinary grace, elegance, and free-spirited charm.

He gazed at the painting he had created with his own hands and smiled faintly. "Not exactly. My cousin is highly capable, and I admire him greatly."

Author's Note:

Young Emperor: I like him very much~