FYM - 120

As soon as Song Shuyan entered the Imperial Garden, she caught sight of Fang Xianting being pulled by someone.

He was always the center of attention, surrounded by people wherever he went. However, he usually disliked close contact, yet today he was seen entangled with a woman. The woman looked somewhat familiar, but Song Shuyan couldn’t recall her name at the moment. She appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, fresh and delicate, as if she could burst into water with the slightest touch. Her bright eyes and beautiful teeth exuded charm, and her small hands tightly clutched his sleeve, as if… they were a pair.

Her heart suddenly ached, as if cut by an unsharpened blunt knife. The pain didn’t immediately surface, but it left her with an indescribable sense of palpitation—just then, he happened to look at her. Unlike her, who had been dragged into old age by the title of “Empress Dowager,” he still appeared as handsome and outstanding as many years ago. His supreme authority endowed him with a deeper and more profound aura than in his youth, and just one glance would attract young maidens in droves.

But…

No, it wouldn’t happen.

He wouldn’t be with anyone else.

He clearly…

She firmly denied it, yet her eyes remained fixed on his sleeve that was held by the woman, refusing to look away. He probably noticed her gaze and quickly withdrew his hand, though his somewhat hurried action inexplicably betrayed a trace of guilt in her eyes, as if she were an unwelcome intruder disturbing their perfect pairing.

“Mother…”

Wei Xi’s voice came at this moment. Perhaps Song Shuyan’s face was indeed somewhat pale, for his tone carried both caution and concern. She snapped out of her thoughts, her movement of turning her face slightly awkward. After a while, she finally responded with a faint “It’s nothing” and took her seat alongside the young emperor after receiving the homage of the officials.

According to protocol, the five senior ministers naturally sat at the head of the gathering. The Marquis of Yingchuan sat to the left, only a zhang away from Song Shuyan. His expression seemed somewhat evasive, and even after taking his seat, he hadn’t once raised his head to look in her direction. On the right sat Wei Bi, who today appeared refreshed and radiant, raising his cup to toast Fang Xianting from afar with familiarity. This display truly left everyone astonished.

Wang Mu leaned over to Song Shuyan and bowed slightly, asking whether to summon the newly ranked scholars to present themselves before the throne. After steadying herself, she nodded in agreement. Soon, the five newly ranked civil and military officials knelt before the imperial desk, all except Jiang Chao, who had already departed for Jiangbei. With all the talented individuals gathered together, it was indeed a rare and flourishing scene.

“Rise, and be granted wine.”

The military officers had already seen the Empress Dowager’s true appearance on the training grounds that day. Xu Zongyao and Li Fu, however, had only heard her voice through the curtain in Qian Ding Palace. Today was their first glimpse of her appearance—the common folk often praised Empress Dowager Song as embodying maternal grace, but rarely mentioned her exquisite beauty, soft yet noble like snow-covered jade flowers. She resembled a maiden yet possessed an elegance beyond ordinary daughters of noble families. Li Fu was so taken aback that his respectful bow faltered, while Xu Zongyao also showed surprise but quickly bowed his head again in reverence.

“Today is ostensibly a celebration, but it can also be considered a farewell…”

Her gentle voice rang out, as pleasant and appropriate as it had been in the court some days earlier.

“The Ministry of Personnel has already implemented your proposal to appoint two officials in each prefecture and county to inspect land and register households. Tomorrow, they will begin investigating fields and population, then reassess taxes and grain contributions. As the saying goes, ‘Only after playing a thousand tunes can one understand music; only after observing a thousand swords can one recognize weapons.’ You are now officials of the state; you must remain true to your hearts and serve the country and its people. Do not seek comfort or neglect your duties.”

Her words of admonition were succinct, echoing what the Marquis had said moments before. The officials briefly focused their thoughts, recalling that the Ministry of Revenue had indeed arranged for Xu Zongyao and Li Fu to oversee the implementation of the new policies in various prefectures and counties. Jia Xin would remain in Jinling to manage affairs and further commerce in the new capital by breaking down坊walls. Every step was bold and resolute.

The newly ranked civil and military officials all kowtowed in response. Beside them, Wei Bi stroked his beard and chuckled, jesting, “Passing the imperial examination has always been a joyous occasion. However, being appointed shortly after passing the list might mean missing out on the double happiness of marriage. Your Majesty should consider rewarding them with marriages when the new policies succeed.”

His words were somewhat casual, yet much better than his previous rebellious acts. Everyone secretly speculated that Wei Bi intended to reconcile with the imperial family and the Song family. The next moment, they heard the Empress Dowager respond, “Our dynasty has always been clear in rewards and punishments. If you achieve merit, neither I nor His Majesty will disappoint you.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Bi loudly responded with a “Good,” then suddenly stood up and bowed to the Empress Dowager, smiling, “In that case, this old minister shamelessly takes advantage of these newly ranked scholars today to ask for an imperial favor for my daughter, Wei Lan.”

The meaning of his words was very clear, causing Wei Lan sitting below to blush and her heart to race. The noble maidens surrounding her gasped in low voices, recalling her earlier act of pulling the Marquis’s sleeve and couldn’t help but suspect that her father had devised a plan to send his daughter to the Marquis of Yingchuan’s household. Everyone else also thought the same, including Wei Xi, who understood what this elder meant and asked in astonishment, “What? Is Cousin about to get married?”

Wei Bi laughed upon hearing this, looking as if he were experiencing one of life’s four great joys. Just as he was about to answer, a muffled sound came from his side—it was the Marquis’s wine cup falling and shattering on the ground. His expression was subtly cold and calm, but he only lowered his head to say to the Empress Dowager and the young emperor, “This subject has committed an impropriety.”

...

There were no fools in the officialdom; everyone was sharp-eyed and cunning. By connecting the dots, they guessed that the King of Yinping wanted to form a connection with the Fang family of Yingchuan and was asking the Empress Dowager to personally arrange a marriage for his youngest daughter. However, the Marquis’s shattered wine cup was intriguing—whether it was purely a rejection or a sign of unresolved negotiations with the Luoyang faction, once he made up his mind, the political landscape of the court would undergo dramatic changes.

The atmosphere in the banquet became increasingly subtle. Wei Bi’s lips stiffened, and he froze in place. Some observant officials noticed that the Empress Dowager’s complexion was unusually pale, perhaps worried that the Marquis of Yingchuan, whom she relied on most, would ally with the King of Yinping, who nearly cost her life months ago.

Tsk tsk…

Exciting, truly exciting.

After three rounds of wine and laughter throughout the garden, the initially reserved officials were mostly half-drunk. Song Shuyan, expressionless, ordered Chaohua and Xixiu to accompany her to change clothes in the rear hall. As soon as she rose, Wei Xi affectionately held her hand and asked if he should accompany her. She shook her head and said there was no need, leaving with unusually quick steps.

The palace attendants were flustered, having never seen the Empress Dowager display such… such loss of control. She had always been kind and gentle in the past, but now she seemed to be suppressing anger, ready to explode at any moment. Once the palace door closed, the atmosphere became even more terrifying. The Empress Dowager’s noble yet fragile shoulders were trembling slightly. After a while, she said, “…Go call Lord Fang to see me.”

Her voice was cold and heavy, frightening the timid palace maids. Chaohua quickly responded and discreetly signaled everyone to retreat. Approximately half an hour later, movement was heard at the entrance. Song Shuyan turned to see him solemnly entering in silence.

“Are you getting married?”

The question blurted out straight, without the patience for any roundabout probing. Anger and grievance burned fiercely in her heart, and it was already quite remarkable that she hadn’t completely lost control.

Rarely did he stubbornly bow to the “Empress Dowager” as he used to, yet he didn’t immediately give the answer she anticipated. Instead, he furrowed his brows and said, “Yesterday, the King of Yinping invited me to his residence. He…”

“So it’s true?”

She interrupted him, already knowing the answer in her heart.

“You really want to marry someone else.”

This “someone else” was utterly unreasonable—what did “someone else” mean? Did she still think of herself as his fiancée? That fragile red thread had long been severed seven or eight years ago. From the moment she entered the gates of Luoyang, she no longer had the right to question him like this.

Yet, her question startled him, and the words on the tip of his tongue suddenly couldn’t come out. The brief silence was both evasion and concession, yet it only fueled her stronger feelings of resentment and humiliation.

“Why aren’t you speaking?”

“Say something—tell me when this happened, tell me how much you like her.”

“Is she good?”

“Yes, only fifteen years old… Pure and never married, naturally very good.”

“And you?”

“In the past, you talked about planting plum trees in the old residence in Chang’an. Now are you going to plant orchids in your new home in Jinling?—Will this marriage have the full three letters and six rites? The daughter of the King of Yinping is surely not easy to fool. Remember to follow all the rituals and take good care of her…”

Her torrent of words was increasingly irrational. Even as she spoke, she felt shame and self-loathing. Jealousy and despair drove her to lose all composure, and despite her efforts to resist her instincts, the sudden devastating news obliterated her reason.

“What are you talking about—” He was indeed angry, addressing her as “you” for the first time in years. His stern tone was fearsome, and the hidden pain in his eyes revealed his innate pity for her self-contempt.

“Just tell me if you’re going to marry her!”

She interrupted him again, her voice louder and shriller, her tear-filled eyes red with emotion. Losing control often leads to destruction.

“You think I’m stupid! Can’t I see that you’ve already made a deal with Wei Bi?”

“If that’s the case, why do you still come to me? Sending me fermented fish, holding my horse for me… Were all those coincidences, all unintentional mistakes?”

“Is this game of yours fun? Watching me go mad day and night because of you—is that fun?”

“Fang Xianting! How could you treat me like this—”

…Unstoppable.

The scene of venting her emotions to him in the southern crossing cabin seemed to have completely broken some barrier in her heart, making him unable to fully control the situation this time—this was Tai Cheng Imperial Palace. Outside the chamber door stood numerous vigilant palace attendants. A few steps away was the bustling Imperial Garden, where all civil and military officials were gathered. Any disturbance would instantly doom them irreparably.

“Shuyan, listen to me—”

He reached out and tightly gripped her arm. The familiar yet strange name slipped out instinctively. She had waited so long, only to miss it due to continuous ringing in her ears. She struggled violently, desperately trying to shake off his hand. How could a battle-hardened general fail to restrain such a delicate woman? Yet, fearing she might hurt herself, he reluctantly let go—she immediately acted up, crying tears streaming down her face, inexplicably reaching for the sword at his waist. The privilege of the leader of the five regents to carry a weapon at all times now served her purpose. He watched helplessly as she swiftly drew the sharp blade from its sheath with a “swish.”

“Shuyan!”

He was startled, afraid she would injure herself in her agitation. Seeing his worried and urgent expression, she felt even stronger hatred. The next moment, Wei Lan’s image flashed before her eyes. In broad daylight, under the watchful eyes of many, he allowed her to pull his sleeve. What if they got married? What if—

Rip—

A piercing sound suddenly echoed in the towering palace. She had used the sword to sever his purple robe’s sleeve. Fang Xianting was stunned, looking at her and then at his torn sleeve, speechless for a long time. She, however, remorselessly slammed his sword onto the ground. Beneath the luxurious and intricate sleeves, her hands were still trembling violently. The fear of losing everything enveloped her tightly, telling her that the last thing that originally belonged to her was slipping away.

“I know it has been a long time…”

The violent anger suddenly subsided, replaced by endless exhaustion and sorrow. Her voice was as bitter as tears, and similarly, obstinate, unreasonable, and stubborn.

“But I thought… it could have lasted a bit longer.”