Chapter 79
Emperor Qianxing was the victim of an assassination, prompting the declaration of martial law throughout the capital. Extra sentries were stationed at all entrances, allowing entry or exit solely at the discretion of the Empress Dowager.
Upon receiving the news, all civil and military officials, dukes, marquises, and counts hastily abandoned their tasks to don their official attire and converge upon the imperial city, resembling a swarm of bees in their haste.
At the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, Yunzhu hurriedly followed her father and brother, racing out of the house.
Li Yong and Li Yao held the esteemed positions of first-class Duke and Duke's heir, respectively, with the latter serving as a court official. As the young emperor's aunt, Yunzhu was left to wait outside the imperial city, regardless of whether or not Empress Dowager Cao granted them entry. Meanwhile, the female relatives, such as Meng shi and Gu Min, remained at home, awaiting updates.
As Li Yong and his son rode ahead, Yunzhu sat in the carriage, her trembling hands almost entirely concealed by her sleeves.
Thoughts of Cao Xun's words before departing Beijing plagued her mind.
He had speculated that the young emperor harbored an interest in his wife, and suspected that plans were afoot to relocate him from the capital. He implored her not to take unreasonable actions and to await his return, assuring her that in February, there would be a means to dissuade the young emperor's affections.
Yet, on the final day of the lunar month, he fell victim to an assassination.
Had Cao Xun orchestrated it?
Yunzhu's hands trembled even more. How audacious of him! The exposure of the emperor's assassination would be a grave offense against the Nine Clan!
Her family had been subjugated by the young emperor. Although Yunzhu harbored a fervent desire for the young emperor's demise, she had never contemplated the notion of carrying out an actual murder due to the immense risks involved and the impossibility of bribing others. Even if she were to succeed, the entire Ningguo Duke's palace would be interred with the emperor.
So, had Cao Xun executed it cleanly?
Had the assassin been captured or executed?
If the latter, would they implicate Cao Xun?
As they reached the imperial city, groups of officials awaited outside. Moving through the crowd, Yunzhu witnessed Pan shi being aided by Cao Shao, her anxiety causing her legs to falter.
Yunzhu was not in the mood for gloating. She stood beside Pan shi and gazed at the closed palace gates ahead, as if staring into a gaping maw. Entering might mean never emerging, or even standing with the officials, including her father and brother.
Her countenance turned ashen with fear, a fitting response for an aunt upon learning of her nephew's assassination and uncertain fate.
Together, they endured an anxious wait from morning until noon. Finally, the palace gates swung open, allowing entrance to the Empress Dowager, the cabinet ministers, the six ministers, Shen Kuo, the commander of the Jin Yiwei, Pan shi, uncle Cao Shao, and Yunzhu.
Chief Assistant Xia Jin, speaking on behalf of all the ministers, expressed deep concern: "How fares the Emperor's well-being?"
With solemnity, the Eunuch announced the reassuring decree: "The crisis has been averted. Ministers, fear not."
The collective sigh of relief palpably echoed throughout the gathering.
Pan's trembling legs found steadiness, and she hastened toward the Qianqing Palace, keeping pace with the cabinet members and officials.
As they arrived at the Qianqing Palace, Yunzhu's gaze fell upon a lifeless figure, shrouded in white cloth, with only a pair of feet exposed. One foot was bare, the other clad in a shoe, the hallmark of a eunuch.
She cast a fleeting glance before turning away.
One by one, the group approached the bedside of the young emperor.
Emperor Qianxing stirred from his suffering as the imperial physician tended to the wound on his abdomen. Sipping a decoction to dispel the chill, he lay weak and pallid on the bed, his eyes still bearing the signs of his ordeal. At least he was able to speak and open his eyes, which brought solace to Empress Dowager Cao.
Pan shi hurried over, falling to her knees beside the bed, weeping in anguish.
Yunzhu stood behind her, gazing at the young emperor with genuine concern. Despite her resentment, she maintained this facade in front of all.
The young emperor beheld his frail and elegant aunt, unable to think of anything else in that moment.
Having confirmed the imperial well-being, Xia Jin turned to Empress Dowager Cao: "Your Highness, have the assassins been apprehended?"
Empress Dowager Cao addressed Yang Mingdong and Eunuch Wan, who knelt aside with their hands and feet bound, her gaze icy.
Eunuch Wan had accompanied Emperor Qianxing back, drenched and bedraggled, though still faring better than the half-drenched and frozen Yang Mingdong.
Eunuch Wan wept and pleaded: "Xiao Shunzi has betrayed and murdered the Emperor, taking advantage of his trust. It is my failure as a slave to protect him. Your Highness, I beg for this slave to be executed!"
Yang Mingdong had nothing to add and simply bowed in resignation.
Empress Dowager Cao spoke coldly: "If you are innocent, you will not be harmed. But if you conspired with Xiao Shunzi to assassinate the Emperor, your families will pay the price."
She then ordered Shen Kuo to take them away to be tortured along with the other tied up companions and young eunuchs.
Emperor Qianxing's eyes filled with deep hatred: "Qingtao, he has betrayed Qingtao!"
Empress Dowager Cao reassured her son: "This eunuch must have been influenced by someone else. We will find the true culprit and seek justice for you."
As Emperor Qianxing tried to nod, the pain from his wound caused tears to stream down his face.
Empress Dowager Cao's eyes filled with tears, and Pan Shi wiped them away with a handkerchief.
Yunzhu could only think: "It hurts, it hurts so much."
Cao Xun stated that while the injury may not be immediately fatal, it could become dangerous in the following days.
The person Empress Dowager Cao trusted the most, her brother, was of no use. She urgently summoned him back to Beijing from 800 miles away.
As a first-class Duke and commander-in-chief, Cao Xun had to travel by carriage to take up his post in Fujian. But upon hearing of the Emperor's assassination, he abandoned the carriage and rode a horse back to Beijing.
After traveling day and night, Cao Xun arrived outside the palace gates at dusk on the fourth day of February, looking haggard and unkempt due to the urgency of the situation.
Empress Dowager Cao had been attending to Qianqing Palace in recent days. When Cao Xun entered, she was seated on the edge of the dragon bed, and upon seeing her brother return after ten days, tears welled in her eyes, and she softly exclaimed: "Brother, you have finally returned!"
Cao Xun hurried to his sister, gently placing a comforting hand on her shoulder while anxiously studying the figure on the dragon bed.
The young emperor lay with closed eyes, his once plump cheeks now gaunt and his complexion pallid.
Reacting to the distressing sight, Cao Xun unconsciously clutched his sister's shoulders so firmly that it pained her. Realizing his actions, he released the grip and clenched his hand into a fist by his side.
In a gravelly voice, mixed with both resentment and sorrow, he questioned: "You assured me the situation had turned around. Why does he appear so unwell?"
Empress Dowager Cao shed more tears, relaying: "After drinking the decoction, he initially felt better. However, he developed a high fever that night. Despite the imperial doctor's treatments, the fever persisted and the wound on his abdomen has not improved. The imperial doctor mentioned that if this continues, it may not bode well..."
Why was this happening? Her son was just thirteen, not yet finished with his studies and not even married. Why were they already contemplating funeral arrangements?
Empress Dowager Cao found it hard to accept!
Cao Xun attempted to reach for his nephew's unmoving hand, hesitating briefly before retreating a few steps.
Sensing her brother's discomfort, Empress Dowager Cao held her words, allowing moments of silence to pass.
After an indeterminate duration, Cao Xun turned back and inquired: "Have you identified who is plotting against the Emperor?"
Empress Dowager Cao, with red-rimmed eyes, shook her head: "After interrogating all the eunuchs and maids in the palace, only Xiao Shunzi was found to have been involved with the maid Qingtao. Eunuch Wan and the others with the Emperor that day have been tortured. They insist they were not involved, but I find it improbable. One is only a lowly palace maid, and the other a rootless eunuch. How could they risk their lives over an affair?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Xun bore a venomous expression that even unsettled Empress Dowager Cao: "Very well, I shall personally visit the Jinyi Guards."
After uttering his words, Cao Xun departed without waiting for Empress Dowager Cao's reply.
He returned during the second watch, evidently having taken a bath and donned his official attire.
Empress Dowager Cao observed her brother's freshly washed appearance, though his hair still bore traces of dust. As he drew near, a faint scent of blood reached her nose.
Unperturbed by her appraisal, Cao Xun gazed somberly at the sleeping young Emperor. After a moment of silence, he spoke to Empress Dowager Cao: "Eunuch Wan succumbed to the torture. Before his passing, he insisted on his innocence. Yang Mingdong fared no better. It's grave, and he is holding on by a thread, yet his confession remains unchanged."
Empress Dowager Cao was stricken.
Cao Xun finally met her eyes and uttered with difficulty: "Perhaps, we should have been firmer with the Emperor earlier."
In response, Empress Dowager Cao instinctively covered her face with her hands.
Was it true that her son had perished at the hands of violence and retribution from a contemptible eunuch?
If only she had known, she would not have indulged her son's caprices.
Empress Dowager Cao cried for a prolonged period, until Cao Xun observed the young Emperor's complexion turning red once more. Touching his forehead, it was alarmingly warm!
Several imperial physicians who had been standing by were immediately summoned.
Emperor Qianxing endured the night, but his condition worsened the following day. Cao Xun resorted to forcibly feeding him soup and medicine, prying his jaw open in the process.
*
That evening, Cao Xun remained by Empress Dowager Cao's side as they vigilantly watched over Emperor Qianxing's chamber.
In the stillness of the night, he suddenly addressed Empress Dowager Cao: "Your Highness, it is time to contemplate the succession to the throne."
Empress Dowager Cao was initially taken aback, then wept and shook her head, her lips trembling with sorrow.
Cao Xun gently held her frail shoulders, meeting her bloodshot eyes with an equally heavy gaze: "Your Highness, sister and I do not wish for this, but rumors are now circulating amongst the ministers outside regarding which vassal king should ascend to the capital. Come now, sister, do you truly wish to delay making temporary arrangements until the Emperor breathes his last?"
Empress Dowager Cao did not desire it, but she desired even less for her son to perish!
She flung herself into her brother's embrace, weeping and striking his chest.
Cao Xun waited until she had sufficiently expressed her emotions and ceased crying before inquiring, "Which of the two does my sister prefer, King An or King Li?"
Empress Dowager Cao harbored no fondness for either of them.
Without pressing her further, Cao Xun released her and returned to the bedside, tenderly placing the little emperor's hand on his own face.
Empress Dowager Cao reluctantly approached and took her seat opposite him. Tearfully, she asked, "Whom does my brother intend to choose?"
Cao Xun simply gazed at the slumbering little emperor, his voice composed and resolute: "I understand that my sister does not favor King Li, but he is of our Cao bloodline. If my sister willingly passes the throne to him, he will always acknowledge your kindness. King An, on the other hand, may feign respect, but he would undoubtedly suppress our family."
Empress Dowager Cao was no fool. She understood the political calculus perfectly.
Regardless of who claimed the throne, her position as Empress Dowager remained secure. Filial piety practically guaranteed courteous treatment from any new emperor.
However, King An's ascension presented a potential complication. His reign could stifle the Cao family's influence, hindering her brothers' careers and leaving her with minimal court support.
King Li, on the other hand, offered a more favorable prospect. To maintain his image, he would likely extend leniency to his maternal relatives, including the Caos.
"My brother's wisdom is undeniable," she declared. A satisfied smile played on her lips.
"I will heed my brother's wise counsel."
"Then, let us proceed swiftly with our decision to avoid any complications."
The following morning, Empress Dowager Cao convened all the cabinet ministers and six officials, including some scholar-ministers, totaling eight individuals from Xia Jin.
Accompanied by Cao Xun, Empress Dowager Cao grasped her son's hand and addressed Xia Jin with a tremor in her voice. "The Emperor briefly regained consciousness earlier," she stated. "He understands that his end is imminent and expressed his wish to pass the throne to King Li. Do you believe this aligns with what's best for the empire?"
The eight advisors exchanged solemn glances, a silent conversation passing between them.
Finally, Xia Jin spoke, his face etched with sorrow. "The Emperor is young and has no heir. According to our time-honored traditions, the throne can pass to a suitable descendant of the late emperor. While King An is a respected figure, his health is failing. King Li, on the other hand, possesses both civil and military acumen, making him the ideal candidate. In this instance, the Emperor has displayed remarkable wisdom, and the ministers raise no objections."
Empress Dowager Cao squeezed her eyes shut, tears threatening to spill. "Very well," she murmured, "let the decree be issued."
Unbeknownst to everyone present, the supposedly dying Emperor Qianxing weakly twitched his fingers. He had heard everything, and a surge of defiance flared within him. He was not ready to yield!
Alas, he lacked the strength to voice his dissent.