Chapter 7 He Fancies Men!

Chapter 7: He Likes Men!

In the early morning, the imperial throne was set up before the Heavenly Ascension Gate.

With the crack of a whip, an official from the Court of State Ceremonies stepped forward and called out in a loud voice, "Assume your positions."

Civil and military officials, holding ivory tablets, divided into two columns and advanced side by side into the imperial pathway, performing three kneels and nine kowtows.

Yan Weichu sat high upon the imperial throne, his eyes drooping, looking rather lethargic.

Having grown accustomed to a leisurely life while residing in the Western Gardens, where he would rise only after the sun was high in the sky, the daily early morning court sessions since he began personally governing had left him quite uncomfortable.

"All rise."

Yan Weichu’s gaze swept over the officials below, though he could only clearly make out those standing in the front row. To the left were the senior officials of the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries, and to the right were the first-grade military nobles and important ministers.

Xie Xiao was not among them. The Marquis of Dingbei had returned to the capital two months prior but had not yet been assigned an official post, so he was exempt from court attendance.

Yan Weichu listened absentmindedly as the officials below presented their reports, occasionally nodding or shaking his head, offering his decisions and opinions.

Everyone could see that although the young emperor had only recently begun personally governing, he was decisive with his own mind; he was not someone easily bullied.

An hour later, the Court of State Ceremonies official again asked if anyone had further matters to report. A censor stepped forward from the ranks, bowed, and spoke bluntly: "Your subject requests that Your Majesty issue an edict to immediately and severely punish the treacherous eunuch Wan Xuanju!"

Yan Weichu lifted his eyes and cast a cold glance downward. Standing there was the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, solemnly and vehemently listing Wan Xuanju’s numerous crimes.

Yan Weichu had long grown tired of these same old accusations. Impeachment memorials against Wan Xuanju were all left unanswered on his desk in his private study; he couldn’t even be bothered to glance at them.

After the censor finished his impassioned, spittle-flying speech, Yan Weichu spoke only two words: "Denied."

The censor was first stunned, then fell to his knees with a "thump," exclaiming in anguish: "Your Majesty! If this traitor is not eliminated, imperial authority will be defiled, and the state will be in peril!"

Yan Weichu’s expression remained indifferent. Chief Grand Secretary Zhang Jiong also stepped forward to advise: "Your Majesty, Wan Xuanju has been held in the Imperial Prison for quite some time. How to deal with him, I beg Your Majesty to decide quickly."

Yan Weichu coldly looked at him. Zhang Jiong firmly repeated: "I beg Your Majesty to decide!"

Other grand secretaries stepped forward one after another, all echoing the same request for the emperor to make a decision.

Seeing that Yan Weichu gave no response, Zhang Jiong knelt down, followed by the other grand secretaries, officials of the Six Ministries, and eventually all civil officials. Even those who might have hesitated, seeing their colleagues kneel, felt they had no choice but to kneel as well.

On the military officials’ side, they exchanged glances at the scene.

They also had no respect for Wan Xuanju, that ballless eunuch, but since the man was the Empress Dowager’s protégé and had often shown some favor to the nobility, mostly targeting civil officials, they had no strong opinion on whether the emperor should punish him or not.

But seeing Yan Weichu’s expression grow increasingly grim, they dared not speak and could only kneel along.

From the moment Zhang Jiong took the lead in kneeling, the scene had essentially become a form of forcing the emperor’s hand.

After kneeling for a long while, when they looked up again, the emperor was no longer on the throne.

By noon, Yan Weichu had already arrived at the Western Gardens.

After court ended in the morning, he returned to his bedchamber and immediately ordered Zhao Anfu to have everyone pack up—he was moving.

Dare to force my hand? Deal with it yourselves! I’m not sticking around!

"Your Majesty, everything has been moved back and settled," Zhao Anfu ventured closer to inform him once he estimated Yan Weichu’s anger had mostly subsided. "Word just came from the palace—Zhang Jiong and the other officials are still kneeling before the Heavenly Ascension Gate, demanding that you issue an edict to punish Wan Xuanju…"

Yan Weichu said coldly, "If they love kneeling, let them kneel. Send someone to deliver my verbal decree: from today onward, I am moving back to the Jade Terrace. Morning court is canceled. Memorials are to be delivered here. If they wish to see me, they can come here. If there are important matters, I will issue orders to convene noon or evening court."

In the afternoon, Wan Xuanju, who had been imprisoned for two months, was brought before the emperor.

Eunuch Wan had served as Superintendent of the Eastern Depot for ten years, highly favored by Empress Dowager Xie. In the past, even the Imperial Guards had to follow his orders. This eunuch had helped Empress Dowager Xie eliminate dissidents and commit countless evils. Every charge the civil officials impeached him for was true, but those officials weren’t clean themselves—it was simply a case of dogs biting dogs.

After the success of that night, this scoundrel was thrown into prison. Yan Weichu specifically ordered the Imperial Guards to clean out the Eastern Depot. Those who were incompetent or not quick enough to kneel were killed. Now the Eastern Depot was a tiger with its teeth pulled, worse than a dog.

Wan Xuanju knelt prostrate on the ground, his rear in the air, head knocking heavily against the floor, kneeling with utmost reverence and without a trace of resentment.

He well knew that as a eunuch, no matter how glorious, his only reliance was imperial power. In the past, the person exercising imperial power was Empress Dowager Xie, so he was her most useful dog.

Now that the Young Emperor was personally governing, whether he lived or died was just a matter of a word. That he had survived until now indicated the Young Emperor still had use for him. From now on, he would be the Young Emperor’s dog, utterly loyal.

Yan Weichu let him kneel for a while before speaking: "Do you know why I summoned you?"

"Your slave deserves death," Wan Xuanju said with servile humility, offering no excuses. "I await Your Majesty’s punishment."

Yan Weichu casually tossed a memorial accusing him of over a dozen major crimes for him to read: "You certainly deserve death. Usurping power, disrupting the court, selling offices, undermining the state, accepting bribes, harming loyal officials—today the officials knelt before the Heavenly Ascension Gate demanding I have you dismembered alive. Out of respect for my mother, I’ll spare your dog life for now. Do you know what you must do from now on?"

Wan Xuanju kowtowed repeatedly, hurriedly repenting and vowing to reform and never again commit such evils.

"Enough. Give me a list of all those to whom you sold offices," Yan Weichu interrupted his nonsense sternly. "Not a single one missing."

Wan Xuanju repeatedly assented: "Your slave will certainly no longer engage in corrupt and unlawful practices, nor dare to bully officials or disrupt the court…"

"I never said you can’t bully officials." Yan Weichu dropped this line abruptly.

Wan Xuanju choked, looking up in surprise.

Yan Weichu tossed him the name list provided by Zheng Shize: "You may extort and bully the people on this list. None of them are clean. With your skills, you don’t need to fabricate charges to get leverage on them. Feel free to demand exorbitant sums from them.

"Ninety percent of the gold, silver, and valuables they offer you will go into my inner treasury. The Eastern Depot may keep ten percent. From today onward, you may only do what I permit. If you dare even consider what I forbid, I will skin you alive. Understood?"

Wan Xuanju immediately kowtowed: "Your slave receives the decree!"

Commanded to extort officials? Tsk...

In the evening, the Imperial Guards reported that the Marquis of Dingbei had gone again to the All-Night Lane.

*

Yan Weichu propped his chin and asked Zhao Anfu: "Do you think the beauties I picked for my cousin weren’t to his liking? He sent them straight to the embroidery workshop without a second glance after they were delivered to his residence, yet he goes to the All-Night Lane every few days. What a waste of my kind gesture…"

Zhao Anfu had no idea how to respond. He had watched the Young Emperor grow up, but he understood the Young Emperor’s thoughts less and less.

"Let’s go," Yan Weichu stood up. "I’ll go take a look at the All-Night Lane too."

Zhao Anfu immediately ordered arrangements for the carriage.

Zheng Shize received the news and hurried to the pier to welcome Yan Weichu.

To avoid encountering court officials, Zheng Shize led him along a small path, smiling as he asked: "Your Majesty came specially again to see that cousin Xie?"

This kid had grown bold lately, even daring to tease Yan Weichu.

Yan Weichu didn’t bother to retort, only asking: "Is he at the theater?"

"Exactly," Zheng Shize said curiously. "I’ve never seen anyone like him. He comes every few days, sits in the theater, doesn’t call for any attendants, just sits alone for half an hour or an hour before leaving. I don’t think he actually likes opera. No idea why he even comes here."

Yan Weichu, however, knew perfectly well: "He knows I have the Imperial Guards watching him. He’s just putting on a show of self-degradation for me."

Zheng Shize grew even more puzzled: "But Your Majesty, even those beauties you meticulously selected and gifted him—I haven't seen him show any appreciation for them."

That day, though Yan Weichu was reluctant, he still picked four people and sent them to the Marquis of Dingbei's residence. Xie Xiao, unable to defy the imperial decree, accepted them but didn't touch any of them—a level of restraint that truly impressed Zheng Shize.

"He knows I'm scheming against him and is guarding against me," Yan Weichu sighed. "This cousin of mine is exceedingly aloof and proud."

Zheng Shize smiled without replying. After all, who wasn't a cousin? Same family ties, different fortunes.

Zheng Shize led Yan Weichu through a side door into the opera house, stopping at a quiet spot in the northwest corner. With a glance upward, they could see Xie Xiao seated in the noble's box on the south side of the second floor.

This time, however, Xie Xiao wasn't alone.

A good-looking young gentleman, unfamiliar to them, was sitting with Xie Xiao, sharing tea, enjoying the opera, and chatting cheerfully.

Yan Weichu's gaze flickered slightly. Zhao Anfu, ever perceptive, had already gathered information from the Imperial Guards and whispered to him: "Your Majesty, the one beside the Marquis is a student of the Imperial College named Su Ping. His father, Su Chongyang, once served as an aide-de-camp under the late Duke Xie. Su Ping grew up on the frontier with his father and only returned to the capital a few years ago after his father passed away. He and the Marquis must be old acquaintances."

Before Yan Weichu could say anything, Zheng Shize blurted out: "Ah, childhood friends who grew up together."

"..." Yan Weichu suddenly lost the desire to speak.

"I heard you've been coming here often lately. Is it really just to listen to the opera?"

Su Ping turned his head to ask Xie Xiao, who clearly seemed disinterested.

Xie Xiao gave a slight nod. "Yes."

"What are your plans after this?" Su Ping asked with concern. "The Emperor recalled you to the capital only to take away your command. Do you intend to just sit back and let this happen?"

Xie Xiao replied simply: "When the ruler commands death, the subject cannot refuse."

Su Ping felt indignant on his behalf: "You've rendered great service to the nation. For the Emperor to treat you like this—like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs—is truly disheartening. This Young Emperor doesn't seem good either. He subjects you to such difficulties and keeps you under surveillance, yet he delays executing that treacherous eunuch Wan Xuanju. Clearly, he can't distinguish right from wrong—"

"Be careful what you say," Xie Xiao cautioned him. "You're still just a student. Don't recklessly discuss court affairs."

Su Ping bit his lip and fell silent. He had indeed spoken out of turn.

Xie Xiao clearly didn't want to discuss this further.

He could guess the Emperor's intentions well enough. Keeping Wan Xuanju alive meant keeping his most useful weapon—one that could be wielded against whomever the Emperor wished to target. When it's no longer useful, it could be discarded, giving the officials an explanation while the Emperor kept his hands clean behind the scenes.

The more Xie Xiao understood the Young Emperor's calculating nature, the more wary he became. After all, among those the Emperor wished to deal with, the Duke of Zhenguo's household was likely at the top of the list.

Downstairs, Zheng Shize suddenly realized: "I get it now! No wonder the Marquis of Dingbei shows no interest in those beauties—doesn't even touch them."

Yan Weichu shifted his gaze over, displeasure hidden in his eyes, silently urging him to spit it out.

Zheng Shize chuckled: "The one beside him is really quite attractive. Isn't it obvious? He likes men!"

Yan Weichu's expression froze, his face visibly clouded over.

Author's Note:

Young Emperor: That's pure speculation!