Chapter Three, Fall of the Country (III)

Other women of the imperial family branches were made into government prostitutes, while the men were all put into slavery, but at this time, no one cried, perhaps yesterday’s long night opened the bloody life and death up in detail and placed it in front of these imperial relatives who were raised comfortably. They who did not even feed on minced meat finally woke up from the dreams of beautiful hairs, adorned faces and golden hair ornaments[1], and got lashed by fate so much they numbly walk forward. The hearts were only left with those words uncertain if it was for consoling others or for consoling oneself each time the mountains and river end, about how it was better a coward than a dead hero, where by leaving green mountains would one not need to worry about having wood to burn.

The Jin army efficiently fixed a prison cart very quickly. All of the imperial family were outfitted with crude handcuffs, and were detained in threes and fives and put in the cart.

These years, they were all infatuated with indulgence, feasting on meat and wine, left with a myriad of illnesses[2], and long already had no power to even catch a chicken. At this time when they were crudely pushed around by the soldiers, the ones better off would stagger with their feet, then fall to one side. Sometimes, one would meet with an official with a violent temper, unhappy how they were delaying his path to return home with glory and rise up in ranks, them giving a lash was a regular matter.

Xiao Zuo was particularly treated well, and was arranged into a horse carriage. De Qing and Zi Wan did not have this kind of good fortune, and was hung with chains and sat in the prison cart at the back spread with dry grass, separated from him by a whole imperial family.

After all, it was a group of escorted prisoners, the horse carriage would naturally be far from the comfort of an emperor’s imperial carriage. The space inside the carriage was narrow and small, only haphazardly using two wooden planks to create what was considered a seat, the four walls were all rough wood, what cushions, fine silks, don’t even think about it, even regular families’ horse carriages would be spread with cotton fabric or straw, but they were could not be found anywhere.

The driver at the front driving the carriage seemed to be very unhappy with driving this monarch of a fallen country, and on the entire way, the sounds of whipping the lash were just like the cries of ghosts, while the carriage was itself was constantly shaking, especially when passing by rugged areas- each time, Xiao Zuo felt like the boards all around would immediately fall apart.

Sitting in this kind of carriage was truthfully a hardship- with a mere half a day, Xiao Zuo’s legs already rubbed so much slivers of blood seeped out, while the back was much more aching. Once they finally reached the capital, the two legs were long already bloody, the underpants inside stuck to the wounds, and even the slightest movement was able to get Xiao Zuo to hiss and call out in pain.

❀

“Li Fu Hai[3]!” He Xuan[4] knitted his brows and tossed the imperial memorial from the table to the ground, in between the features was a ruthlessness that had not yet dispersed. He tossed the hot tea the maidservant brought up shivering while still angry, and the fragmented pieces of porcelain along with the steaming-hot Bi Luo Chun(tea) spilled all over the floor. The maid to the side was so scared she knelt to the ground and constantly kowtowed her head, unsure how she angered this ancestor again.

“Li Fu Hai!” He Xuan called once again in irritation, ground against his teeth and squeezed out some sound from between the gaps of it, “Get in here!”

“This year’s Zhen Lake salt-transport envoy has been stolen by old Fourth again, what do those bunch of shitty old things busy with all day!” He Xuan took the tea the maid filled once again and took one sip, and slightly calmed down, glanced at her, and asked, “What are you called?”

“This servant is Ling Xiang[5]……” The young servant girl knelt down once again shocked by the honour, and once she heard Li Fu Hai’s unhurried steps, “Greetings to Li gong’gong.”

“En, the tea is passable, step down now.” He Xuan waved his hand, and Ling Xiang then meekly retreated, and attentively closed the door, then went off. Li Fu Hai knew that He Xuan was in a bad mood, and found a different topic to speak upon, “Your Highness, today, General Bai has lead that group of people from Nan Liang back to the capital.”

“Isn’t Father scheming for what benevolent king’s fame or something, I hear that he conferred that little emperor of Nan Liang a duke?” He Xuan sneered, stroking the edge of the cup, “Caution drives safety[6]. That bunch of Nan Liang prisoners may be mere mischief makers, but it will not prevent the trouble and unrest at a later time. Father is currently being deceived by Née Liu[7], as long as that Née Liu blows upon some wind into the ears, whatever she says will be done……”

“Your Highness.” Li Fu Hai sighed, and still tried to persuade He Xuan, “Heed your words, heed your words.”

“This is the crown prince residence, Igu[8] know my limits, you can be at ease.” He Xuan paused, then said, “You said they’ve arrived at the capital today already?”

“Precisely. The palace reports say that General Bai’s group has already reached the mountains, they will reach the Xin Zheng gates after noon.”

“Mm, this Nan Liang is a piece of fat meat, old Fourth has already bitten away the salt-transport envoy, then, no matter how much more incredible that Née Liu is, the matter with Nan Liang, should be mygu turn now.” He Xuan lifted his eyebrows, and suddenly seemed like he recalled something, and turned the topic, “Help me call xiao’Chong’zi in.”

“Have you completed the matter I asked you to do a few days ago?”

Xiao’Chong’zi reddened his face, and then nodded his head, “I have already redeemed Sir Song, he is already settled at the Fang Garden right now.”

“Have him prepare tonight.” He Xuan smiled, then leaned on the cushion to his back, but the smile did not reach the bottom of his eyes, “I will go over after having a meal.”

The inclinations in Jin were open, and in front of the capital’s imperial college were rows of brothels- since the former dynasty’s forefather did not care for the imperial censors’[9] persuasions and stubbornly took in a male consort, the southern winds[10] were especially strong, spoiled men[11] with money and power found fun in raising male pets, so the censorate was long accustomed to this matter, and couldn’t even bother with a punishment on the surface anymore.

Song Ying’s[12] personality was artful, obedient and gentle, while the voice in the bed was sweet and agreeable, their features filled with emotion, much like peach blossoms alight, better than the many scenes of spring.

On the next morning, when He Xuan was called awake by Li Fu Hai, he was a bit irritated, and reached out about to have the teapot on the table by the bed thrown towards the door. Thankfully, Song Ying stopped him, and He Xuan placed back the teapot still angry, and got up and let Song Ying help him dress in the court robes.

The daylight came late in the autumn, so at this time, it was still a span of black outside the windows, with dark clouds concealing the moon. All around, one could see the night-watch maids holding up lanterns flickering with faint light. Charcoal fires burned vigorously inside the room, Song Ying helped him tie his waist band while dressed in pulp-white underclothes and bare feet, a head of crow-black hair would sweep over He Xuan’s face from time to time, making it so itchy that he would laugh.

Today was a big morning court meeting- He Xuan woke up a bit late too, so he probably did not have enough time to have breakfast at home. Song Ying only came not too long ago, and very clearly understood these things- at this time, he already instructed a servant girl to prepare some cakes to eat on the way for He Xuan to fill his stomach.

Once everything was packed, Li Fu Hai was already waiting for He Xuan by the sedan chair. He Xuan received the prepared food, then bent his waist to enter. Once he opened it up, he discovered it was the thousand-layered cake he liked eating, then smiled, and took one corner of it and ate it.

Once they reached the entrance of the palace, he saw He Yang’s[13] sedan chair stop to one side, while the person himself was wrapped in a fox’s coat going inside. That fox coat was something the north gave as tribute last month on He Yang’s birthday, with only two in total. Because He Xuan lost his footing and dropped into an icy lake in his childhood, he had leg pain- each season it reverted between hot and cold, it would faintly be in pain, the imperial doctor did not have any way either, and only had him pay attention to keeping warm, and to not get cold.

The fox coat from then was rumoured to be most appropriate for warding off the cold, He Xuan narrowed his eyes, and sombrely looked at that fox coat of He Yang’s. Since Queen Mother had passed away, Father treated him lesser with each day after the next, the position as crown prince was conferred when he was born, but now watching that Née Liu and that precious son of hers climbing higher and higher, the calls in the courts to change crown princes rose along with it. With Father’s ambiguous attitude at present, He Xuan knitted his eyebrows, and quickened his pace.

“Is this not Big Brother?” Having taken that salt-transport envoy just a few days ago into his pockets, at this time, He Yang was still immersed in the delight of turning back a city, and high and mightily lifted his eyebrows, “Didn’t the imperial doctor tell Brother to be careful of the cold? Now that the cold airs are so heavy, how could you dress this thinly?” After finishing, before waiting for He Xuan to answer, he exaggeratedly let out an “ah”, and apologized in a very taunting manner, “Aye, forgive me for being so forgetful, I forgot that Father bestowed the fox coat to me, it must inconvenience Brother very much……”

He Xuan couldn’t be bothered to humour him, and wound around him and walked towards the front hall. In today’s courts, Father will arrange a candidate to watch and manage that Nan Liang’s abolished emperor. In the current court, only the former empress’ connections were on good relations with him. Née Liu was like the sun in the sky, and faintly had the force of splitting the courts and opposing with him, so if he could take Nan Liang, it would probably be of great aid.

As expected, when He Heng[14] came up, he talked about the matter of Nan Liang, “Now, the Nan Hun Duke has already reached the capital. Nan Liang and Jin’s styles are quite significantly differently, the Nan Hun Duke has arrived quite suddenly, so they must be fairly inconvenienced. Iz want to find a person to help them habituate to the land of Jin as soon as possible, which subject will be willing to aid mezhen?”

It was said with such dignity, but he was simply afraid that that little emperor would be unresigned inside, and wanted to find a person to watch over him was all.

“Father, this son is willing.” He Xuan said, “This son has once went to Nan Liang in his travels, and has a bit of an understanding towards Nan Liang. I can definitely take on Father’s concerns.”

He Yang did not make any noise, unsure if Née Liu had instructed him or he also knew to withdraw his sharpness now. At this time, he stood to one side quietly without looking elsewhere, and was very obedient.

He Heng glanced at He Xuan, then nodded his head, “Then from today, this matter will be left to the crown prince……”

❀

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, please wait a moment, his Majesty has said to have your Highness stay for the noon meal.” Just as they got off court, before He Xuan walked out the palace doors, he was blocked by Sun De Lu[15]. “His Majesty has called in the meal at the eastern warm room.” He Xuan understood, and thought it was to discuss about the matter of the Nan Hun Duke. Sun De Lu was He Heng’s favourite for the time being, and had received graces from the former empress in the past, and had a not too bad relationship with He Xuan. “You’ve worked hard then.”

When He Xuan stepped inside the eastern warm room, He Heng was leaning on a cushion taking a small rest. Two servant girls to the side were massaging his shoulders for him, and one corner of the room was burning with an easing incense that helped with sleep. The silver-threaded charcoal burned very vigorously, so warm that it made He Xuan also turn sleepy.

“Father.” He Heng narrowed his eyes and pointed to a seat to the side, “Sit, in a bit once Zi Tong[16] comes, we will eat together.” He Xuan paused, that Née Liu has now charmed Father to the point he became so infatuated, and was pretty much unable to be one step apart from each other.

Empress Liu’s Han Yuan Palace was very close to the eastern warm room, and not after a quarter of an hour, she arrived. Just as Empress Liu arrived, the young servant girl massaging the shoulders to the side very quick-wittedly withdrew and called in the meal, Empress Liu took off the guard on the finger, and massaged He Heng’s shoulders, then spoke, “Your Majesty, do you feel more relaxed these days?”

“Mm, I’ve heard that a few days ago, Zi Tong you especially went to find Doctor Fang to learn it?” He Heng smiled and patted Empress Liu’s hands, “I am aware of Zi Tong’s intents, do not overly burden yourself.”

“To share the burden with your Majesty, this concubine would not be tired.” Empress Liu then seemed like she noticed He Xuan who was sitting to the side, and said, “This concubine sees that Xuan’er has thinned a lot these days. It is the time of changing weathers, your body cannot bear the cold, you should pay more attention.”

“This son understands, thank you Mother for caring.” He Xuan put on curtsy with a spurious smile, and at this time, the noon meal had already been put up, so He Heng then got up and got in his seat. The table had a seasonal autumn fish from Fen Lake, with many bones to it- Empress Liu very attentively personally removed all the bones, and then placed it in He Heng’s bowl.

He Xuan truly found her actions an eyesore, and then constantly ate the braised vegetables stewed in oil, out of sight, out of mind. He Heng ate till he was content, drank a mouthful of ginseng soup, then wiped his mouth, “Xuan’er, are you dissatisfied with me leaving that little emperor of Nan Liang?”

“This son does not dare.”

“The country is currently at unrest. Since the previous emperor changed laws, Jin has started to show its talent, if we employ the tactics of a strong army, and massacre the imperial family and its civilians with one sweep, who would still dare to surrender? This action of Father’s is to draw in people’s hearts. For one, there are many useful people in Nan Liang, and two, in the future, we can be victorious without fighting.”

He Heng finely broke it down for He Xuan, and said, “You are still young, it is natural to not understand various reasons as well. This time when I let you go watch that young child of Nan Liang, I also had the intent of allowing you to gain experience.”

“This son will not let down Father’s hopes.”

He Heng naturally nodded his head in satisfaction, and took a sip of the teacup a maid from the side handed over, then waved his hand, “You can leave now, take care of your own body.”

“Thank you Father for your concerns, this son will now leave.” He Xuan left the warm room. The temperature outside the room was quite low, so cold he sneezed. The sedan chair from the residence already stopped in front of the palace, so he went into the carriage, then asked Li Fu Hai, “Where is that Nan Hun Duke arranged at currently?”

“The Nan Hun ducal residence, it is at that place at the main street, not far from the crown prince residence.” Li Fu Hai said.

He Xuan leaned against the cushion inside the carriage, then hummed, and said, “To the Nan Hun ducal residence.”