Chapter 53
On the twenty-seventh day of the national mourning period, as the twelve-year-old Emperor Qianxing took center stage at his coronation, the capital slowly began shedding its heavy, somber veil, still thick with the shadow of the late emperor's death.
But behind the scenes, there was an undeniable tension-Empress Dowager Cao, the Emperor, and every court official, civil and military alike, were all waiting, watching, and calculating their next move, all eyes on what the young Emperor and his formidable mother would do next.
Having spent a month on the throne, Emperor Qianxing was ready to carve out his reign. His first order of business? The second prince.
He couldn't forget the sickening dread that gripped him at Nanyuan when his father had the audacity to pair Li Xian with the second prince. That day haunted him-so much so, that it nearly broke him, making him fall ill with fear and humiliation. It was the sort of moment that left a permanent, ugly scar, one he refused to let go of.
No, Emperor Qianxing wasn't bitter about his late father-there was no point in that. What he harbored, however, was a deep, smoldering resentment for the second prince.
"Mother," he said, his voice cool but sharp, "I want the second prince stripped of his title, reduced to the status of a commoner."
Empress Dowager Cao chuckled darkly. "What's this? You want to cast him aside for nothing? He hasn't done a thing wrong. What's your excuse for stripping him of his position?"
Her tone was light, but her eyes gleamed with something far more dangerous. She, too, couldn't stand the second prince. As long as he lived, she was reminded of her husband's plans to replace her son on the throne. Rumors swirled that some courtiers even supported the second prince. The thought of him lingering made her blood boil. In secret, she wished for his downfall, but as the Empress Dowager, her power had limits, as did her son's, bound by the ironclad rules of the court.
Emperor Qianxing was hardly moved by her dismissal. "It's not something I can let slide. Do we just forget the past like it never happened?"
Empress Dowager Cao's voice softened, but there was an underlying edge. "The past? What past? Your father simply placed Li Xian by his side-nothing more. Your father always favored you. He never truly intended for the second prince to take the throne. Now that you've ascended, the time has come to make him a king of a small province, assign him a territory, and be done with it."
That was enough to catch the Emperor's attention. His gaze sharpened, and without wasting a second, he ordered the palace officials to fetch maps of the thirteen provinces of the Xia Dynasty.
His eyes flicked over the maps, scanning the regions. Most of the provinces were in varying states of poverty, with some districts in the farthest reaches struggling the most. Guizhou, tucked away in the southwest, was the poorest, tucked between jagged mountains and wild, untamed lands. The area was full of villages where the people barely spoke Mandarin, illiterate and uncivilized by court standards. In other words, the perfect place to exile the second prince and remove him from the throne's path-discreet, but effective.
Emperor Qianxing let out a low, mocking laugh as he lazily gestured toward the desolate Liping Mansion below in Guizhou. "This is where I'll make him King of Li," he said, his voice dripping with indifference. He didn't care if the second prince withered away from sickness in that backwater land. If the prince met an untimely end, so be it. He wouldn't lose sleep over it.
Empress Dowager Cao, ever the cautious voice, interjected, "Granting vassalage is a weighty decision. The cabinet ministers' opinions must be taken into account."
Qianxing's sharp eyes narrowed. He couldn't care less for the ministers' views. As emperor, the fate of the second prince was his private business. If any of the elders dared oppose him, they'd be replaced without a second thought.
The next morning, five elders, led by Gu Shoufu, arrived at Qianqing Palace with their report. After discussing the usual political matters, Qianxing made the issue of the second prince's vassalage clear.
The elders, quick-witted as they were, recognized the significance of the second prince's placement in that barren land. They could read between the lines - this was a move born from the emperor's unresolved bitterness over Nanyuan the year before. The second prince's fate seemed less important than the way Qianxing wielded his power. They understood the game and knew better than to cross him, even if their objections bubbled up silently. After all, challenging the young emperor could lead to far worse consequences.
Gu Shoufu, connected by marriage to the Li family, and with Li Xian serving as the second prince's companion, found himself tangled in loyalty and diplomacy, unable to raise his voice against the emperor.
Once everything was settled, Emperor Qianxing, pleased with the quiet submission, summoned the second prince and Li Xian.
With a cold gleam in his eyes, the emperor announced, "You are now the King of Li."
The second prince, composed as ever, knelt without hesitation. "Your Majesty, I thank you. I will take up my duties in the fiefdom and work to educate the people, supporting your efforts to improve their lives," he said, his voice steady, his face betraying no emotion.
Emperor Qianxing couldn't hide the flash of disappointment in his chest. He had hoped for more - anger, frustration, helplessness. Instead, the prince had responded with nothing but cold professionalism, his expression as flat as a calm sea.
Turning his gaze toward Li Xian, Qianxing sneered. "Li Xian, my father valued you highly, wishing you to study alongside my brother. Now, despite his new title, my brother is still young and needs guidance. You'll accompany him to Guizhou. Your studies with him will honor my father's wishes."
Li Xian, without a hint of resistance, knelt and replied, "I shall obey."
The simplicity of the response, devoid of any attempt to negotiate or decline, sent a jolt of irritation through Qianxing. It was too damn easy. Just like when the crown prince had begged the late emperor to be transferred out of the palace, Li Xian's submission felt like an inconveniently smooth compliance, not the struggle he had been hoping for.
After they left, Qianxing leaned in close to his trusted eunuch, Wan Gonggong, and muttered, "I think I've been too lenient with them."
Eunuch Wan, the eighteen-year-old beauty with the same name as his godfather, was no naive fool. His godfather, the elder Eunuch Wan, had gracefully stepped away from his powerful position after the burial of the late emperor, knowing the dangers of clinging too tightly to power. In this game of courtly survival, those who stayed loyal to the fallen emperor often ended up cast aside by the new regime. It was far smarter to bow out before you were pushed.
Young Eunuch Wan, sharp as a whip, understood the stakes. He didn't wait for the inevitable rejection; he moved swiftly. With clever maneuvering, he concocted a story of the late emperor's final words and sold it to both the Empress Dowager Cao and the young Emperor Qianxing, securing his own influential position. Now, his title wasn't just a passing one-he was "Eunuch Gonggong," a position of power wrapped in silk.
Having lived in the palace for over a decade, Wan knew the emperor's moods, the sweet tension of power, and the fragile ego of the youth. So, when the moment was ripe, he leaned in close to Emperor Qianxing, his voice low and intimate, "Your Majesty, there's no need to be upset. The journey to Guizhou is long and treacherous. King Li and Sanlang, both noble and born from the capital, will likely struggle with the hardships of the road. Illness or discomfort is inevitable. Don't be too certain they'll arrive unscathed."
Emperor Qianxing's mood lifted, his gaze shifting, his trust in this eunuch palpable. "Choose a skilled physician for King Li. Make sure the best medicines are sourced from the royal reserves."
Wan's eyes darkened with purpose. "Consider it done, Your Majesty," he whispered, promising the emperor that he would ensure nothing stood in his way.
*
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, the second prince, King Li, didn't utter a word to Li Xian until they were finally inside the palace's inner chambers. He sank into a chair, staring down at the floor for what felt like an eternity, before finally lifting his eyes to meet Li Xian's, a wistful smile playing on his lips. "I've caused you trouble, haven't I?"
Li Xian met his gaze, his voice soft but firm. "Why would the prince say such things? The late emperor himself granted me the honor of accompanying you. I'm more than eager to leave the confines of the capital and train with you, to see the world beyond these walls."
The capital felt stifling, a mere cage. He longed for the freedom that lay beyond, and King Li understood that yearning, yet a shadow of doubt passed over his face as he murmured, "I fear you'll end up like me, never coming back."
Li Xian's lips curled into a knowing smile. "To govern, as the prince suggests, is a great honor. I would gladly take on the responsibility to help the people, to better their lives."
King Li watched Li Xian closely, a mixture of admiration and guilt rising in him. Li Xian had no resentment about heading to Guizhou, the far-flung, destitute region. But for King Li, the thought of dragging someone so noble into such a place stirred his selfish desires.
He stood up abruptly, walking over to Li Xian, his hands landing firmly on the younger man's shoulders. "Alright then, you'll come with me."
With that, a decree from Emperor Qianxing arrived, demanding that King Li depart within three days.
Li Xian said his goodbyes and left the palace, but it was his sister's reaction that tore at his heart. When Yunzhu heard the news, she rushed to her parents' house. As she walked in, she saw her father speaking to her brother, while her mother and sister-in-law sat nearby, their eyes swollen from tears.
The sight of her family's anguish broke her. Guizhou was so far away, so poor, and her brother, still just a boy at fifteen, hadn't even celebrated his birthday this year. She couldn't bear the thought of him leaving for such an uncertain future.
Her emotions were a storm of worry and fear. What if her brother was swept away by Emperor Xing's whims? What if he never returned?
Without thinking, she ran to him, throwing her arms around him in a desperate, tight embrace.
Li Xian winced as he felt his sister's tears soaking through his clothes. She'd never known hardship, never shed a tear in all her life-until now. Seeing her like this, broken and frightened, gnawed at him in a way he couldn't shake.
"Sister, please, don't cry," he murmured, trying to soothe her.
"I'm more than capable of taking care of myself, and I'll have the prince with me. Nothing will change. I'll live just as I did in the capital. You don't need to worry."
"I'll write to you. Often," he promised, though his words barely reached her.
But Yunzhu couldn't be comforted. Words didn't matter. All she wanted was for her brother to stay close, to remain safe with her, away from the dangers that lay ahead.
In the end, Meng Shi and Gu Min grabbed Yunzhu, pulling her away from the young man and ushering her to the backyard, where they did their best to soothe her.
Li Yong sighed deeply, looking serious, as he carried on with his lecture about the things his son needed to be careful about when he went out.
Li Xian kneeled before his father, the picture of patience as he absorbed every word. When his father finished speaking, he responded, his voice low but steady, "I understand, Father. I'm not afraid of the hardship in Guizhou, but what eats at me is the thought of you and my eldest brother worrying about me."
As for Brother-in-law Cao Xun-well, he's the emperor's uncle, a man with real power in the city. He's got no reason to worry about his sister, not really. At worst, she might clash a little with Pan Shi. But the emperor, Qianxing, already had a bone to pick with the Li family. It's just a matter of time before he sets his sights on his father and brother.
Li Yong gave a small, reassuring smile, "Our Li family has served this country with loyalty and honor for generations. Without solid proof, the palace won't dare to accuse us. Worst case, they'll find some excuse to demote us, let us go. As for me? After three straight defeats at the border, the shame I carry is enough to keep me grounded. Falling from grace doesn't faze me anymore-not when I've already disappointed our ancestors. A little transfer of official positions? Hardly matters. Your eldest brother is strong. As long as there's meat and wine, he'll happily soldier on. I'm content. You have no need to worry about us."
Li Xian thought it over, then chuckled softly, the tension in him easing.
Later that evening, Li Yao came back from his duties at the palace and crossed paths with Cao Xun on his way.
Li Yao was in no mood to deal with him-he didn't care for the emperor's uncle at all. He barely acknowledged Cao Xun, his mood sour and tense.
But despite the tension between them, Li Yong and Meng Shi were still polite, welcoming their son-in-law with open arms.
Since his brother-in-law was about to leave for a long trip, it only made sense for Cao Xun to escort his wife back to her family's home. After tonight, it was unlikely he'd get another private moment with Li Xian.
Dinner that night was an all-male affair. Yunzhu stayed behind in the house, not even making a token appearance to greet Cao Xun in the courtyard.
Li Yao didn't bother venting his frustrations about the emperor to Cao Xun. Neither his father nor younger brother could hold their liquor, so he drank alone, bowl after bowl, feeling the burn in his chest.
Cao Xun tried to offer him a bowl, but Li Yao casually waved him off, the movement too harsh, and wine splashed from the bowl, staining Cao Xun's clothes.
Li Yong scolded his son immediately.
Cao Xun, ever the calm one, just smiled and said, "It's alright. I'll just wipe it off."
He stood up from the table, taking a few steps back, clutching the fabric of his jacket with one hand while he fished for a handkerchief in his other.
Seeing him struggle, Li Xian rose to his feet, offering his handkerchief with a quick, graceful movement, and stepped in closer to help his brother-in-law.
Cao Xun's eyes locked onto the young man before him, a slow, deliberate gaze that seemed to pierce through the very air between them. With a low, assured voice, he spoke, "From now on, make sure anything important gets passed into the hands of people you can trust, completely."
Li Xian's lashes fluttered ever so slightly, his focus unwavering as the words hung in the air.
Cao Xun's tone shifted just a touch, leaning closer, his voice taking on an almost intimate edge. "Zeng Yu, the Governor of Guizhou, is someone from my past. If you ever find yourself in a life-or-death situation, don't hesitate to call on him. All you need to say is 'Zeng Shaofeng,' and he'll know exactly what you mean."
Li Xian, calm and composed, flipped over the damp handkerchief, his expression unreadable.
Cao Xun's lips curled ever so slightly, a trace of something dangerous in his smile. "Look after the prince, but don't forget to look after yourself, too."
With a subtle nod, Li Xian returned to his seat, his movements smooth and calculated.
Li Yong glanced between his son and son-in-law, a knowing silence passing between them. Some things, after all, are better left unsaid-especially when it comes to the deepest of secrets.