Emperor Xingwu didn't even know how Luo Zhiqiu had dragged him back to the Hall of Eternal Brightness. All he remembered was how furious he had been in the Hall of the Eastern Buddha, how all the eunuchs and palace servants knelt on the ground in fright. But amidst that rage, what had left the strongest mark in his memory was the Empress Dowager's smirking face. [1]
Luo Zhiqiu stood in front of Emperor Xingwu. His hands and feet were cold. Just now he had knelt down and begged Emperor Xingwu to return to Changming Palace, but in his heart, Luo Zhiqiu was not too worried about the royal mother and son. There is nothing in the world that would make a son kill his own mother. Even if Emperor Xingwu pointed his sword at the Empress Dowager, what would come of it? As long as the son is not actually crazy, he won't be able to see it though. But what should Luo Wei do? Luo Zhiqiu thought about it, but he didn't have a clue.
Emperor Xingwu got up and went to his hidden chamber.
Luo Zhiqiu sat blankly in the main hall of Changming Palace.
Both of them had to concentrate on what to do next. Luo Wei can't go to the Northern Yan – but this battle, can they afford to prolong it?
Long Xuan was sitting in his study, listening to Long Xiang tell him about the earlier commotion in the Hall of the Eastern Buddha.
"What is Father Emperor doing this for?" Long Xiang asked Long Xuan with a face full of injustice.
Long Xuan said, "How should I know?"
"Imperial grandmother is already staying in the Hall of the Eastern Buddha, no questions asked," Long Xiang walked back and forth in front of Long Xuan's desk. Without thinking twice, he immediatedly stood on the Empress Dowager’s side, "What can father be dissatisfied with? He has always told us to respect empress mother, but what about imperial grandmother? Isn't she still his own mother? What is his name? Isn’t he supposed to set an example?!" [2]
"Shut up!" Seeing Long Xiang speak without any restraint again, Long Xuan stopped him and said, "Where do you think you are?!"
Long Xiang hummed unconvinced.
"Your Highness," Fu Yun's voice came from outside. He reported to Long Xuan, "Marquis Li asks to see you."
“Who?" Before Long Xuan could speak, Long Xiang asked first. Marquis Li? He looked at Long Xuan and said, "Did this person go to the wrong place? Shouldn’t he be going to Concubine Li's?"
Long Xuan glanced at Long Xiang before saying to the direction of the door, "Send him in."
After a moment, guided by Fu Yun, Li Hou walked in.
"Why did the marquis come to my place?" After Li Hou saluted, Long Xuan motioned him to sit down and asked.
Li Hou said, "I wanted to see His Highness the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince went to the Empress's place, so I’ve come to see Your Highness."
"What's the matter?" Long Xuan asked.
"This lowly official was in Shangdu today, and heard another rumor."
“Another rumor?" Long Xiang said impatiently, "Is it about my father and Luo Wei again? Is that not over yet?!"
"No, it's not this," Li Hou hurriedly said, "But it is about Marquis Jinyi."
“What's the matter this time?" Long Xiang asked.
Li Hou glanced at Long Xuan. Seeing him just sitting there with no change in expression, he had a moment of hesitation. Was it right to have come to Long Xuan?
"Speak up," Long Xiang urged Li Hou, "What happened to Luo Wei?"
“It’s the information brought by the Northern Yan envoy." Out of trust for his wife, Li Hou still told Long Xuan and Long Xiang, "It is said that Marquis Jinyi is actually His Majesty's child. Lke the two Highnesses, he is also the son of the emperor."
Long Xiang jumped up from his seat. He stood still for a moment, and then burst out laughing: "Are all Northern Yan people crazy? Now Luo Wei has become my father's son? Why don't they say that Sima Qingsha is also my father's son? Brother, did you hear that? I'm going to die of laughter."
Knowing that it was useless, Li Hou didn't look at Long Xiang, but kept his gaze fixed at Long Xuan.
"You yourself said that this is a rumor," Long Xuan said, "I can't believe it."
Li Hou continued, "If Marquis Jinyi is really the emperor's son, then the previous rumor concerning him and His Majesty is self-defeating."
“Oh?” Long Xuan seemed to have his interest peaked at this time. He looked at Li Hou, and said, “What do you mean?”
"No matter how much Marquis Jinyi is favored, between a father and son, how much is too much? Even if it's staying overnight in the Changming Palace, no one will be able to say anything strange about their relationship."
"Wait a minute," Long Xiang stopped Li Hou, "You really believe that Luo Wei is my father's son?"
"The Northern Yan said," Li Hou paused, before continuing, "They said that the Empress Dowager was the one who told their Emperor Sima Qingsha."
“Isn't this nonsense?" Long Xiang said, "My imperial grandmother can't even step out of the palace gates, but she can communicate with Sima Qingsha? Who would believe this?"
Long Xuan asked Li Hou, "You finish what you have to tell at once, what else did the people of the Northern Yan say?"
"The envoy of the Northern Yan said that if the Zhou-Yan battle at Wushuang City is to be quelled, Marquis Jinyi has to go to his Northern Yan’s Hefang City as a hostage."
Long Xiang was stunned. He looked at Long Xuan and said, "What do you mean? Sima Qingsha wants to take Luo Wei hostage?"
Long Xuan pointed to Long Xiang, telling him not to speak for now. He said to Li Hou, "The envoy only mentioned Luo Wei?"
"Yes," Li Hou said.
"It turns out that this is what Marquis Li wanted to discuss. I don't quite understand. What is your purpose in coming to me about this matter?"
"It’s better to end this battle with the Yan earlier.”
“You mean it doesn’t matter whether Luo Wei is the emperor's son or not. As long as he can quell the current battle between Zhou and Yan, it will be a good thing?” Long Xuan asked Li Hou.
"Your official thinks so," Li Hou said.
Long Xuan was silent for a long time, and suddenly patted the table lightly.
Li Hou was surprised.
"You should know," Long Xuan looked at Li Hou heavily, and said, "The day of Wushuang City's return was also the day when the Northern Yan Emperor, Sima Changtian, died of shock. Sima Qingsha holds Luo Wei responsible for his father's death. If Luo Wei goes to the Northern Yan, how will he survive? Marquis Li, have you ever thought about Luo Wei's life?"
Li Hou said with a righteous look, "These are state affairs. As a minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, he should share the worries of the country and the emperor."
Long Xuan sneered, "You are not the one who is going to die, so of course Lord Hou can say it so lightly."
"Your Highness," Li Hou continued.
"Marquis Li, please go back," Long Xuan said resolutely, "I will pretend I didn't hear what Marquis Li said today."
Li Hou sat still. He had finally made up his mind to come, how could he leave so easily?
"What?" Long Xuan said coldly, "Does Marquis Li want me to see you out?"
"Do you want Luo Wei to die?" Only then did Long Xiang realize, and immediately stood up and yelled at Li Hou, "When did Luo Wei offend you? Why are you scheming against him like this?! Come on! Do you think we will conspire to harm Luo Wei with you?!"
Li Hou also stood up. Long Xuan and Long Xiang's reaction were completely contrary to his expectations. Aren't these two Luo Wei's greatest enemies? Why does it look like these two want to protect him?
"Please," Long Xuan said again.
Long Xiang walked directly to the entrance, opened the door with a bang, and yelled out, "Send Li Hou out!"
Li Hou was led out again by Fu Yun. He could only leave in a panic.
"I thought you would be happy if something happened to Luo Wei," Long Xuan asked Long Xiang after Li Hou had left, "Why, are you going to protect him?"
Long Xiang slammed the study door shut and said, "A man should be just and honorable. I have a grudge against Luo Wei, but I will not conspire with others to harm him! He forged a feud against Sima Qingsha and his father, not for his own sake, but for our Great Zhou. Brother, I have never wanted Luo Wei to die."
Translator Notes:
[1] 似笑非笑 a smile that isn’t a smile.
[2] “Isn’t he supposed to set an example?!”
Originally: 上梁不正下梁歪! If the upper beam is not straight, the lower ones will go aslant!
The metaphor is that if superiors / parents do not behave properly, subordinates / children also cannot be expected to behave well.
Li Hou / Marquis Li
“Li Hou'' was how I translated his name before in chapter 232, but now I realized that hou 侯 is the same as in 侯爷 marquis. Maybe leaving it as pinyin, which feels more like a given name rather than a title, is misleading. I fished all the way to chapter 153 on Chrysanthemum Bud’s translation to check how to approach it, but turns out, Chrysanthemum alternates between both. I guess so will I.
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