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◎The Imperial Edict◎
By the time the fire was extinguished, dawn was breaking.
Heavy snow blocked the mountain paths, making them slippery and treacherous. With the added task of putting out the flames, Zhou Tan and Qu You didn’t descend the mountain but instead stayed overnight at Xiaofeng Peak, not far from the main hall, along with the monks of Xiugqing Temple.
Xiaofeng Peak was the abode of the temple’s master. Using her uninjured hand, Qu You pushed open the window and saw the blackened ruins of the main hall against the snowy landscape.
Zhou Tan had already woken up and brought vegetarian food, pushing open the door. He looked somewhat disheveled, snowflakes clinging to his hair, but seeing her awake, he smiled warmly. “A Lian.”
He placed the food on a small table before her. “Eat something. I’ll check the main hall, then we’ll head down the mountain.”
Qu You glanced at the vegetarian meal, then looked up at Zhou Tan. She hadn’t noticed clearly in the snowy night yesterday, but now she realized how much thinner he had become.
She reached out to embrace his neck, and Zhou Tan pulled her into his arms.
He held her tightly, burying his face deeply into her shoulder. After a long moment, his voice came out hoarse. “… I thought I’d never see you again.”
His words carried a sob. “After we parted at the ferry, I fell into a deep sleep for a long time. By the time I woke up, we were already outside Lin’an… My body failed me. Even with Physician Bai’s careful care, I couldn’t come to rescue you immediately. When you devised that plan to send us away from Bian Capital, did you ever think what would happen if you were lost here? How could I… survive alone?”
“Yesterday, when you came to save me, didn’t you also speak resolutely of ending your life?” Qu You gently patted his back. “Enough, enough. Let’s call it even.”
Zhou Tan released her, his red-rimmed eyes refusing to meet hers, sulking like a child. Yet, stubbornly, he still picked up some food and fed it to her.
Qu You laughed and ate.
In the past, she found couples feeding each other cloying. Now, immersed in such affection, she wished she could even spare him the effort of chewing.
After finishing their meal, Qu You covered her injured arm and followed him to leave. “If you’re going to the main hall, I’ll come with you… I don’t know why, but I feel uneasy about Crown Princess Li…”
She didn’t finish her sentence, and after a moment’s hesitation, Zhou Tan agreed.
Fortunately, the Buddha statue in the main hall, cast in solid gold, remained standing. Standing amidst the ruins, Qu You looked up. Half of the statue’s face had melted in the fire, twisted into chaos, while the other half remained serene, gazing down at her with compassion.
On one side, a monk fretted anxiously, but the abbot, Master Ji Yun, appeared, holding a string of prayer beads. Unperturbed, he cheerfully bowed to her.
Qu You quickly returned the bow. “Master Ji Yun is well.”
Ji Yun replied, “It’s been many years. Shouldn’t I ask if my old acquaintance is well?”
Qu You froze momentarily. “Master…”
Ji Yun immediately responded, “When you were young, you came with your mother to burn incense. I changed a character in your name. It’s common to forget such things from childhood.”
She hesitated and nodded. Ji Yun said no more, turning to walk toward Zhou Tan on the other side. Zhou Tan clasped his hands in respect, and the two exchanged a few words before walking away.
Coming back to her senses, Qu You, protected by two guards, circled the devastated main hall. Suddenly, she noticed a filled-in pit behind the Buddha statue.
Finding it curious, she asked a nearby monk, “Master, what is this? Was it part of the original construction?”
The monk respectfully answered, “Lady, you may not know, but there was originally a hidden chamber beneath the main hall of Xiugqing Temple, used to store candle oil and fragrant stones, shielded from light to prevent decay. It had been vacant for a long time and was filled in a few years ago. Yesterday, that female visitor ignited flint and gunpowder here, flipping the tiles to reveal it.”
Qu You frowned and asked, “Does this chamber connect to the outside?”
The monk replied, “It does not.”
Qu You nodded and walked a few steps further but couldn’t resist returning to ask, “Master, might it be possible to excavate this chamber? Though it may seem intrusive, I feel uneasy.”
The monk said, “No harm done. However, this chamber has been filled for too long. Excavating it will take some time.”
Qu You quickly bowed. “I’ll leave people here to oversee it. Thank you, Master, for your understanding.”
Early in the morning, the guards unearthed a charred female corpse from the ruins. The day before, Li Yuanjun had ignited the pre-placed gunpowder in the main hall and committed self-immolation, affecting several of her guards stationed outside. The fire had been so intense that no one dared to rescue her, leaving her burned beyond recognition.
Qu You went to inspect the rear garden of the main hall and was surprised to find the fire had spread a long distance along the grass behind the hall. However, it unexpectedly extinguished near the ancient tree adorned with red ribbons.
Ji Yun had already left. Zhou Tan stood under the old tree, snow falling softly from its branches. Turning to see her approach, he smiled. “A Lian, let’s tie a ribbon together.”
They wrote the same wish—”Peace and Prosperity”—on a ribbon and tied it to the tree.
Qu You tightened her red cloak and told him about what she had seen inside the hall. “Did you know there was a hidden chamber in the main hall? I felt uneasy and decided to leave people to dig it up. For some reason, I can’t believe Li Yuanjun would immolate herself so easily…”
She hesitated and shared her thoughts from the previous day. Zhou Tan listened intently, his gaze sharpening. “You mean, after Song Shiyan and Li Yuanjun, there’s someone else manipulating events from the shadows?”
Qu You murmured an affirmation, hesitating. “I really can’t figure out who set off those red fireworks yesterday. Now, I’m even doubting whether this person truly exists. There’s no lead, no clue to follow.”
Zhou Tan said, “What you say isn’t impossible. Once we descend the mountain, we must inform Xiao Yan and Ziqian…”
As they conversely chatted, a guard suddenly rushed over, bowing. “Master… General sent me with a message. Please hurry down the mountain to the palace. His Highness and several elder ministers are waiting for you in Xuande Hall.”
Cai Ying repeatedly examined the posthumous edict Su Chaochi brought and whispered to those beside him. Finally, he hesitantly said, “… This is indeed the late Emperor’s handwriting, with the seals of the late Emperor and Chancellor Gu.”
With the former Crown Prince dead and the throne vacant, the court still referred to De Emperor as “Your Majesty” and Xuan Emperor as “the late Emperor.”
Su Chaochi calmly said, “I dare not deceive Minister Cai.”
The day before, he had brought the posthumous edict left by Zhou Tan and escorted Song Shixuan into the palace. First, he released the imprisoned ministers from the Ministry of Justice. The next day, he summoned the court’s senior ministers to Xuande Hall and publicly read the edict.
The hall erupted in chaos, opinions divided. One faction believed Song Shixuan’s account of the late Jing Prince, especially since he held the imperial seal. Moreover, Su Chaochi, a respected official from a prestigious family, wouldn’t engage in treason without cause.
Another faction hesitated, worried the edict was too old to verify its authenticity. Cai Ying surveyed the room and simply said, “Minister Su should first bring back Lord Zhou.”
Those unaware were puzzled, but those summoned by the dying Emperor understood.
On his deathbed, the Emperor had called them to his side. Besides dismissing the Crown Prince, he entrusted the succession. Too weak to elaborate, he only vaguely mentioned the posthumous edict to Cai Ying.
The late Emperor had entrusted the edict to Zhou Tan, and only Zhou Tan knew its location.
That day, driven to desperation by the deposed Crown Prince, Zhou Tan’s wife had leaned down to whisper to him.
“Minister Cai, preserve yourself. His Majesty left a posthumous edict. If we all perish here, there will be no one to testify.”
Her words reminded him of the edict, prompting him to remain silent and endure in the Ministry of Justice until now.
He knew very well that Zhou Tan’s wife had infiltrated the deposed Crown Prince’s side to protect their lives. Su Chaochi bringing Zhou Tan’s posthumous edict was just hearsay. He needed to see Zhou Tan to confirm its authenticity.
The court waited a long time in Xuande Hall before Zhou Tan finally arrived, accompanied by Qu You at the entrance. Everyone was excited. Su Chaochi hurried over, quietly inquiring about Zhou Tan’s health. Song Shixuan approached, intending to bow, but Zhou Tan stopped him. He then moved to Qu You’s side. “It’s been a while, esteemed teacher. Are you well?”
Qu You struggled to reconcile the indifferent Ming Emperor in her memory with the child before her. She managed a smile and softly replied, “Ziqian’s concern is appreciated. I am well.”
The elder ministers summoned by the late Emperor immediately bent their waists in a half-bow to Zhou Tan. While others were puzzled, they understood. On his deathbed, the Emperor had met Zhou Tan privately, entrusting him with the edict—a near testamentary trust. This man would undoubtedly hold great sway in the court, warranting respect.
Cai Ying adjusted his official hat and stepped forward. “Lord Zhou, only you know where His Majesty’s edict is stored. We should go retrieve it together.”
Zhou Tan bowed, his voice hoarse. “Minister Cai is correct. I apologize for my tardiness.”
The late Emperor had left the edict behind the dragon throne in Xuande Hall. The area around the throne was paved with golden bricks. It was here that Qu You had once pried up a corner to hide the imperial seal.
Fortunately, her fabricated story misled Song Shiyan into believing Zhou Tan had fled with the edict, preventing a thorough search.
The two retrieved the edict from beneath the golden bricks at the throne’s base. Seeing Cai Ying aware of this, no one dared question, and everyone knelt.
Zhou Tan handed over the brocade box. “Please, Minister Cai, proclaim the edict.”
Cai Ying said, “His Majesty entrusted it to you.”
Zhou Tan’s expression remained calm. “The edict likely concerns me. I dare not read it presumptuously.”
Cai Ying sighed and accepted the brocade box.
They moved to the front of the hall. Cai Ying took the edict and noticed its sealing date was the day before the Emperor summoned them to depose the Crown Prince.
The late Emperor had written the edict long ago. Traditionally, a posthumous edict should bear the chancellor’s seal. The last edict appointing the Crown Prince had been sealed by Cai Ying himself.
It seemed that after meeting Zhou Tan, the Emperor hesitated for a long time and rewrote the edict. Due to the urgency, there was no time to consult him.
However, during these extraordinary times, knowing the edict’s authenticity made further deliberation unnecessary.
Cai Ying unfurled the edict, and Zhou Tan knelt properly beside him.
“To all ministers: In my humble capacity, I have served the ancestral temples for over twenty years, day and night, fearing I’ve fallen short of the late Emperor’s trust. These matters are too numerous to detail. The four seas are at peace, free from calamities, offering slight comfort… Yet, unworthy as I am, I dare not wear heavy robes or offer golden sacrifices. The rituals of the late Emperor have been halved, sufficient as they are.”
Several elder ministers below wept softly, calling out, “Your Majesty!”
Cai Ying continued, his voice choked with emotion: “… Now, plagued by illness and worry, I am beyond cure. I am about to leave this world, filled with dread and regret! Alas. Crown Prince Yan, unable to fulfill filial duties in the Eastern Palace, has had his titles stripped. Following the late Emperor’s decree and ancestral instructions, I announce to the ancestral temple and request the officials and military ministers to unite in consensus. In accordance with the late Emperor’s decree, we welcome the heir of the Jing Prince to ascend the throne. All civil and military officials, internal and external, shall assist with unity. From his ascension onward, those wrongfully punished shall be reinstated if alive, mourned if deceased. Those currently imprisoned shall be immediately released and restored to their posts. Sorcerers and others shall be investigated according to their crimes, each receiving due punishment. The presiding minister shall lead the proclamation in the Hall of State Affairs, announcing it to all under heaven.”
As soon as he finished, Su Chaochi rose, holding the edict. “The late Emperor decreed the emperor’s abdication, passing the throne to the Jing Prince’s heir. The imperial seal, Chancellor Gu’s seal, and the Central Secretariat’s seal—all three are complete. Please, esteemed ministers, examine it.”
Zhou Tan deeply bowed, his forehead touching the cold golden bricks.
“Your servant accepts… and acknowledges the imperial grace.”
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