Nightwatcher

# 383. The Curtain Rises (2)

On the fifth day since the corpse of the Zhenbei King was transported back to the capital, at four in the morning, the skies were pitch black.

Outside the Meridian Gate, candles flickered within the stone lanterns, their orange flames swaying and mingling with the torches held by two rows of Imperial Guards.

The gathered officials stood in the cool breeze by the gate, silently awaiting the morning court. Occasionally, familiar officials exchanged hushed words, but the overall atmosphere remained solemn.

The officials seemed to be suppressing a surge of emotion, swelling within them yet restrained, waiting for an opportunity to erupt.

“Dum… Dum… Dum…”

As dawn's light faintly broke, the drums on the Meridian Gate tower began to beat.

The civil and military officials tacitly formed orderly lines, entering the slowly opening palace gates in succession.

…

Officials of Rank Four and above entered the grand hall, standing silently for a quarter of an hour until Emperor Yuanjing, dressed in his Daoist robes, arrived late as usual.

It had been many days since he was last seen. The Emperor, whose greying hair had turned black once again due to cultivation, now appeared somewhat haggard. His eyes were puffy, and bloodshot veins streaked across them, fully embodying the image of a brother deeply mourning the loss of his sibling.

The civil officials were taken aback. They knew the Emperor to prioritise his health and longevity above all else. Since delving into Daoist cultivation, he had always maintained a vibrant and youthful appearance.

*When had he ever looked this worn out?*

Many officials exchanged silent glances, feeling a chill in their hearts.

The elderly eunuch glanced at Emperor Yuanjing before announcing loudly, “Those with matters to present, step forward. If not, court is adjourned.”

The Provincial Administrator of Chuzhou, Zheng Xinghuai, strode forth, bowing deeply before the gathered officials. In a solemn tone, he declared:

“Your Majesty, the Commander of Chuzhou, King Huai, colluded with the Church of the Warlock God and the Daoist Leader of the Earth Sect. For his own gain, an attempted ascension to second rank, he massacred 380,000 citizens of Chuzhou City. Since the founding of the Great Feng, such atrocities have been unheard of, outraging both Heaven and Man alike. I implore Your Majesty to strip King Huai of his nobility, hang his head on the city gates for three days, and honour the 380,000 innocent souls… Let it be proclaimed throughout the realm.”

Emperor Yuanjing gazed at him deeply, his expression unreadable.

To everyone's surprise, in the face of the Emperor’s silent yet simmering fury, Zheng Xinghuai did not falter but met the Emperor’s gaze head-on.

At this moment, Prime Minister Wang stepped forward and respectfully said:

“King Huai’s actions have enraged both Heaven and Man. The capital is already rife with unrest. Chuzhou's people are fierce and unyielding. If we cannot provide a satisfactory explanation to the nation, rebellion may ensue. I urge Your Majesty to strip King Huai of his nobility, hang his head on the city gates for three days, and honour the 380,000 innocent souls of Chuzhou City.”

Within the court, the gathered officials all bowed, their voices resonating like rolling thunder: “We implore Your Majesty to strip King Huai of his nobility, hang his head on the city gates for three days, and honour the 380,000 innocent souls.”

Emperor Yuanjing slowly rose, his face cold as he looked down upon the court officials.

The muscles on his face twitched, and the veins on his forehead bulged. Suddenly… he flipped the grand table in front of him with a ferocious motion.

_Crash!_

The table tumbled down the steps and landed heavily before the officials.

Immediately following, the hall resounded with the old Emperor’s heart-wrenching roar:

“King Huai is my blood brother! You want him stripped of his nobility—what is your intent? Do you also wish for us to issue a self-reproach edict? Do we even exist in your eyes? We have lost our brother, like losing one’s arm! Yet you show no compassion, besieging the palace gates for days on end. Do you wish to drive us to our death?!”

The old Emperor’s face contorted in anguish, his eyes bloodshot, resembling a grieving and helpless old beast.

*This…* left the officials momentarily stunned.

Emperor Yuanjing had ruled for 37 years, his image as a scheming and supremely capable monarch deeply ingrained in the minds of the civil and military officials.

Never had they imagined that one day, this deeply calculating sovereign would reveal such profound sorrow.

This display, so sharply contrasting with his usual composed demeanour, stirred an inexplicable pang of bitterness within them.

The officials' fervent momentum was momentarily dampened.

Before they could recover from their shock, Emperor Yuanjing slumped into his seat, his face openly marked by sorrow:

“When we were still Crown Prince, the late Emperor was wary and distrustful of us. Our position was unstable, and we lived in constant fear. It was King Huai who silently supported us all along, for we were born of the same mother, bonded by deep brotherhood.

“King Huai once wielded the Sovereign Sword, slaying enemies and defending our empire. Without his fearless resolve during the Battle of Shanhai Pass, how could the Great Feng enjoy today’s prosperity? You all owe him a debt of gratitude.

“After the Battle of Shanhai Pass, King Huai was ordered to guard the northern frontier, rarely returning to the capital over the past decade. Though he has committed grave wrongs, he has already paid for them with his life. Will you not even spare him his posthumous name?”

Interrupted so brusquely by Emperor Yuanjing, the officials momentarily lost their rhythm, leaving the hall in a momentary silence.

But it didn’t matter; there was always someone in the court willing to act as the vanguard and charge into battle.

Administrator Zheng raised his voice: “Your Majesty, merit cannot outweigh this crime. King Huai’s contributions are fact, but the court has already rewarded him for those. The people loved and revered him. Yet now he has committed unforgivable sins and must be severely punished. Otherwise, it would mean Your Majesty is favouring kin over justice!”

Emperor Yuanjing roared: “You insolent bastard! You’ve been scurrying around the capital these past days, slandering the royal family and defaming the prince. We tolerated you for your years of diligence and hard work, but no more.

“King Huai’s case remains unsettled. Until it is resolved, he is innocent. To slander a royal prince is a capital offence!”

“Your Majesty!”

Prime Minister Wang suddenly interrupted, breaking Emperor Yuanjing’s momentum. In a loud voice, he said: “The matter of Administrator Zheng can be addressed later. For now, we should focus on the case of King Huai.”

Emperor Yuanjing gave him a long, hard look, his gaze sweeping past Prime Minister Wang and pausing briefly in one spot.

It seemed as if in response to the Emperor’s gaze, another official immediately stepped forward and declared loudly: “Your Majesty, your servant also has a matter to present.”

The officials turned towards the voice—it was Yao Lin, a Senior Officer of the Ministry of Rites.

It was well-known that the Ministry’s Senior Officers were professional critics, the court’s proverbial mad dogs, who would bite anyone in their path. At the same time, they were often the initiators of court disputes.

And as expected, Yao Lin did not disappoint this time either.

He bowed and raised his voice: “Your servant wishes to impeach Prime Minister Wang Zhengwen for instructing the former Minister of Rites to collude with the Yao clan in the destruction of Sangpo.”

The hall stirred slightly.

The officials exchanged glances, their expressions peculiar. In recent days, Prime Minister Wang had led the charge in besieging the palace gates, gaining notoriety as the vanguard of those “pressuring the Emperor to his death.”

That he should face impeachment at this moment seemed almost… fitting.

However, speaking strictly on the facts, the former Minister of Rites had indeed been a member of the Wang clique. Whether or not he had acted under the Prime Minister’s orders was difficult to determine.

The Sangpo incident had involved the former Minister of Rites colluding with the Yao clan to destroy Sangpo, with the Yao clan’s bargaining chip being the corpses of Henghui and Princess Pingyang.

By exposing the crimes of the Liang clique through these ill-fated lovers, the scandal’s essence was one of factional strife, with the Yao clan serving as external allies.

Was Prime Minister Wang truly unaware of this? Whether the officials marked this with a question mark or a full stop depended on their own interpretations.

Yao Lin continued, enumerating several of Prime Minister Wang’s alleged misdeeds, including permitting subordinates to engage in corruption and accepting bribes himself.

Leaving aside the Sangpo case, the remaining accusations were, without a doubt, ironclad.

Could a man wholly untouched by corruption become Prime Minister?

Who would want to follow such a person?

*His Majesty intended to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys…* The assembled ministers shuddered inwardly. Although Confucian scholars possessed the art of “dragon-slaying”, an insurmountable gulf still lay between monarch and subject.

Emperor Yuanjing was no young sovereign. On the contrary, he had overlooked the court for over thirty years.

Prime Minister Wang raised his head and saw Emperor Yuanjing's icy gaze fixed on him. Without hesitation, he solemnly declared, "Your servant requests to retire."

A sharp glint flickered in Emperor Yuanjing's eyes as he was about to speak. Just then, Censor Zhang Xingying stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wang has engaged in corruption and bribery, bringing calamity to the nation and its people. He must not remain."

Censor Zhang was a man of Wei Yuan’s faction.

Emperor Yuanjing remained silent for a long time, his peripheral vision catching sight of Wei Yuan sitting like an immovable monk. Finally, he said indifferently, "Prime Minister Wang is overthinking this. The Prime Minister has served the empire diligently, his contributions are significant. We trust you."

The equilibrium crafted by Emperor Yuanjing had now become his greatest constraint.

For anyone else, removal from office would have been straightforward. But not for Prime Minister Wang. He was the only figure in court capable of counterbalancing Wei Yuan.

Without him, even if Emperor Yuanjing elevated another clique to power, they would not withstand a single blow from Wei Yuan.

In a brief quarter-hour, the three titans of the court—Emperor Yuanjing, Wei Yuan, and Prime Minister Wang—had exchanged a round of moves.

Emperor Yuanjing gained a small victory, suppressing the ministers' morale and intimidating the court officials. Meanwhile, neither Prime Minister Wang nor Wei Yuan had suffered a loss, for the discussion had circled back to the massacre case involving King Huai.

"Your Majesty, please punish the Zhenbei King severely, convict him, and deliver justice to the world."

Finally, Wei Yuan stepped forward.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The officials immediately voiced their agreement, but this time, Emperor Yuanjing scanned the assembly and noticed a small portion of them remained unmoved.

The corners of his mouth curled up ever so slightly. In the end, the court prioritised self-interest above all else. Even his earlier act of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys had frightened only a select few, which was already worth the cost.

"Your Majesty, this servant believes the case in Chuzhou warrants further deliberation. It would be unwise to hastily convict King Huai."

The first voice of dissent emerged.

The speaker was Yuan Xiong, the Left Imperial Censor.

Emperor Yuanjing frowned and asked, as if unaware, "Lord Yuan, what is your reasoning?"

Yuan Xiong suddenly became impassioned, raising his voice: "King Huai is Your Majesty's blood brother, a king of the Great Feng. This concerns not only the reputation of the royal family but also Your Majesty’s own honour. How could we easily reach a conclusion?"

*Shameless!*

The civil officials cursed inwardly.

This scoundrel had previously used the imperial examination scandal to insinuate against Wei Yuan, offending the Grand Academician of the Eastern Pavilion and others. After the examination, the Grand Academician and Wei Yuan had jointly impeached Yuan Xiong.

Ultimately, it was His Majesty who protected the scoundrel, resolving the matter with a three-month salary deduction.

Now, as expected, he had become His Majesty’s blade, wielded to counter the entire civil faction.

"Your Majesty, Left Imperial Censor Yuan speaks wisely…"

At this moment, a frail old man, leaning on a cane, stepped forward shakily.

His hair was silvery white, devoid of black strands, and he wore a crimson robe embroidered with a golden five-clawed dragon.

King Li!

The younger brother of the former emperor and the uncle of Emperor Yuanjing and King Huai.

"Royal Uncle, why have you come? Did we not say you need not attend court?" Emperor Yuanjing seemed genuinely surprised and immediately instructed, "Bring a seat for the Royal Uncle."

"If I had not come, the six hundred years of our Great Feng's royal reputation would have been ruined by you, this unfilial descendant." The old man snorted coldly.

Emperor Yuanjing lowered his head in silence, adopting an attitude of contrition.

A chair was brought forward. The old man adjusted its direction to face the assembly and sat down with a cold harrumph. "The Great Feng belongs to the people, but it is also the empire of our royal family.

"The founding emperor endured countless hardships, sweeping away the corruption of the previous dynasty to establish a new one. The Wuzong Emperor purged traitorous ministers, stabilising the court with his blood and sweat.

"King Huai has committed grave sins, deserving death, but as long as I live, I will not allow you to tarnish the reputation of the royal family."

Zheng Xinghuai's face turned red as he said gravely, "Your Highness, throughout the six hundred years of Great Feng's history, monarchs have many a time issued self-reproach edicts…"

Before he could finish, King Li interrupted forcefully, his voice thundering, "The monarch is the monarch, and the ministers are the ministers. Have you forgotten the teachings of Lesser Sage Cheng, despite studying in the Imperial College?"

The officials felt their scalps tingle.

Had these words come from Emperor Yuanjing, they would have been overjoyed, ready to remonstrate until their deaths. Trampling the emperor to achieve fame was the greatest pleasure of any scholar.

But these words came from King Li, a celebrated scholar in his youth and a famed talent of the capital. Before him, the officials could only count as mere juniors.

With his dual identities as a prince and a literary elder, none dared to challenge him as he leaned on his seniority.

The radicals’ fervour was once again subdued.

"Alas, Your Highness, please reconsider."

Wei Yuan's sigh broke the silence.

King Li straightened his back, his deeply wrinkled face stern as he cast a sidelong glance at Wei Yuan.

"Hmph, you castrate. You were meant to serve as a slave in the palace. If not for His Majesty's discerning eye, granting you an opportunity, how would you enjoy your current prestige?"

Wei Yuan lowered his head slightly, adopting a posture of deference before saying:

"If Your Highness truly cares for the reputation of the royal family, then all the more should you refrain from shielding King Huai. Yesterday, three great Confucian scholars from the Cloud Deer Academy planned to journey to the capital to denounce His Majesty. I intercepted them.

"They said the court may revise official histories, but the Cloud Deer Academy’s histories are beyond its control. The massacre of Chuzhou’s 380,000 citizens by the Zhenbei King will be firmly remembered by the academy’s scholars and passed down through generations. Moreover, His Majesty’s complicity in sheltering his brother will be recorded, with every detail preserved for posterity."

Emperor Yuanjing’s face changed dramatically.

The radical faction’s officials exchanged uneasy glances.

Indeed, such behaviour was typical of the scholars from the Cloud Deer Academy. Those arrogant, unruly Confucians cared for no one—but it was… so satisfying!

King Li said calmly, "Future generations will only recognise the official histories. Who cares for the wild records of a mere academy?"

These words were meant for Emperor Yuanjing, reminding his nephew, who valued both cultivation and reputation, not to fall for Wei Yuan’s threats.

Wei Yuan replied softly, "Your Highness has lived an impeccable life, renowned for your vast knowledge and exemplary conduct. As a royal relative and a model scholar, do not let this matter tarnish your legacy and ruin your honour in your twilight years."

King Li's expression changed dramatically. He raised a trembling finger, pointing at Wei Yuan, and roared, "Wei Yuan! You dare threaten me? Do you seek rebellion?"

Prime Minister Wang interjected indifferently, "Since when has constructive advice become a threat?"

"You, you…"

King Li was so enraged his entire body trembled, his chest heaving violently.

Having studied since childhood and priding himself on his status as a scholar despite being a prince, King Li cared deeply about the phrase "leaving one’s name in glory" Far more than ordinary noble warriors, he valued his reputation as a scholar and royal model.

A classic bad habit of the scholar-officials

Wei Yuan’s remark had clearly struck a nerve, leaving King Li deeply wary. His earlier comment dismissing unofficial histories had merely been to console Emperor Yuanjing. As a scholar, he knew all too well the authority of the Cloud Deer Academy.

In the court’s power struggle, every move was met with a counter.

Emperor Yuanjing, observing King Li’s silence, realised this move had been neutralised by the opposition. Yet it mattered little, for his next action would solidify his victory.

With this in mind, he glanced at Duke Cao in the ranks of the military nobles.

Duke Cao understood the signal, stepped forward, and proclaimed loudly, "Your Majesty, your servant has something to say."