Chapter 134: The Peerless Child Beauty and the Poisonous Cake Empress (Part Two)

The night wind blew. Suddenly, Xu Jingzong stared at the paper window and shouted, "Who is there?"

"It's this maid," the door was pushed open as Lady Yu walked in, holding a teapot. "I noticed Your Honor has been unable to sleep for a long time, so I specially brewed a pot of tea and brought it to soothe Your Honor's throat."

"Who told you to bring tea?" Xu Jingzong delivered a fierce backhand slap, sending Lady Yu stumbling to the floor and overturning the teapot. Fortunately, because of the summer heat, the tea had been left to cool for a while before being brought over. Even so, the back of her hand was scalded red.

Xu Jingzong showed not a shred of pity and barked, "Get out!"

A cold flash crossed his eyes.

"Yes," Lady Yu lowered her head and hurried out, her entire body trembling. She had merely wanted to ingratiate herself with her husband by bringing the tea, never expecting to overhear such confidential matters. The cold glint in her husband's eyes just now was unmistakably a desire to kill...

***

Upon hearing how Wei Yuanzhong imitated Emperor Li Zhi's voice to summon Ming Chongyan before the throne, Bi'er clapped her hands in delight.

Her perspective was simple and clear. She would likely consider Di Renjie a bad person if he ever constrained Li Wei in the slightest.

Li Wei, however, knew that the situation was far from that simple. Sure enough, Wei Yuanzhong continued, "When Grand Doctor Ming appeared at court shortly after, his complexion was excellent. His Majesty asked again, 'Although My eyes are not very good, I still cannot see where you are ill.' Ming Chongyan remained utterly unafraid and replied with complete composure, 'As a subject, I naturally ought to uphold the principles of advancement and withdrawal. The Crown Prince is displeased, and since he is the future master of the state, I naturally should step aside.'"

At this point, Wei Yuanzhong was also at a loss for words. Putting aside this man's demeanor and the like, his audacity, his posturing, and the sheer thickness of his skin surpassed ordinary measures; he was an extremely tricky adversary. He went on, "Thereupon, His Majesty rebuked him again, asking why he used illusion arts to deceive Him, the Empress, and all the ministers of the court. Ming Chongyan replied, 'It is not an illusion. When this subject entered the palace, I stated that it was witchcraft. I even stated that witchcraft is used for healing and praying for blessings, while the great righteousness of Confucianism is the ultimate truth. As for illusion arts, this subject knows nothing of them. Since the Crown Prince accuses this subject using illusion arts, I am even more at a loss. How is this subject supposed to answer?'"

"Is this fellow tired of living? He's still being so stubborn?" Yao Yuanchong grew angry.

"Death may not be so close at hand, since His Majesty still requires him to cure his illness. Therefore, he has the capital to be arrogant. To break this method, the only way is what Junior Prelate Di said: expose his illusion directly. Don't worry, there will always be an opportunity in the future. Right now, however, there isn't."

"Why?"

"His Majesty rebuked him further, asking why he claimed that malevolent vapors had infected Him, the Empress, and the Crown Prince. He replied once more, 'Malevolent vapors are omnipresent; even the Heavenly Emperor would be infected by them. It is simply that the Heavenly Emperor possesses supreme divine power, making it difficult for the malevolent vapors to penetrate. His Majesty is a True Dragon descended to earth, but upon arriving in the mortal realm, you are merely a mortal. Otherwise, how did Your Majesty fall ill? This does not happen because one's status is noble or humble; no one is spared. This subject was merely speaking the truth, and I had not even concluded what the malevolent vapor actually was, yet the Crown Prince took my words out of context and deemed that this subject was plotting to harm the young lady of the Yang family. The Crown Prince is the future master of men, and this subject is a minister. Since the Crown Prince insisted on taking things out of context, how dared this subject argue? If Your Majesty believes this subject has acted with disobedience, please lead me outside the Duan Gate and behead me at Tianjin Bridge to make an example to the public.'"

This time, even Li Wei was angered.

This brat was clearly manipulating the situation.

Seeing the change in Li Wei's expression, Wei Yuanzhong said, "Your Highness, do not be angry. His backing is none other than Senior Grand Tutor Xu... But these words provided His Majesty with a face-saving way out. Feigning great anger, His Majesty said, 'Do you truly believe We do not dare to execute you?' Ming Chongyan prostrated himself and said, 'If the sovereign desires a subject to die, how dare the subject not die? I await Your Majesty's disposition.' At that moment, the Empress spoke from behind the curtain, saying, 'Grand Doctor Ming also acted unintentionally, yet he has stirred up controversy and must be dealt with. Let him be demoted to serve as a Record Keeper in Shenzhou.' Since he was already being demoted to a middle prefecture's Record Keeper, and knowing His Majesty's intent, the ministers found it difficult to say anything further. Thus, he was punished under this decree of the Empress."

***

"Shenzhou, eh?" Li Wei recalled the Tang Dynasty maps he had seen. It was about nine hundred miles away from Luoyang and one thousand seven hundred miles from Chang'an. It was neither too far—if summoned and the roads were in good condition, he could return to the two capitals quite quickly—nor too close, keeping him safely removed from this whirlpool.

However, with this man gone, it was also a good thing. For his father to re-employ him would likely take a year or two, unless his father fell gravely ill and summoned him back. Yet, without the psychological healing effect of his sorcery, it was uncertain whether he could continue to alleviate his father's condition. If he failed to alleviate it, it would not bode well for Ming Chongyan.

As he was thinking this, Wei Yuanzhong delivered another piece of news that left him dumbfounded.

Wei Yuanzhong continued, "I originally thought the matter had ended there. However, just as Ming Chongyan was leaving, he pulled off another trick. Having received His Majesty's judgment, he lingered in the capital for two days and only left yesterday morning. Today, when everyone gathered outside Tianjin Bridge for the morning court session, before the ministers had all arrived and while the sky was still half-dark and half-light at dawn, people suddenly saw Ming Chongyan emerge from the grove of trees south of Tianjin Bridge. He knelt and kowtowed toward the direction of the imperial palace, saying, 'This subject is of humble birth, yet by good fortune, I gained His Majesty's appreciation and was able to serve Your Highness. However, this subject has caused Your Majesty much trouble, and I am filled with terror and anxiety. Therefore, I spent last night at Shaolin Temple praying for blessings on Your Majesty's behalf and obtained several dozen medicinal pills, which may perhaps be of some help to Your Majesty's dragon constitution. I have specially brought them here.' With that, he placed a brocade box on the ground, a puff of smoke flashed, and he suddenly vanished without a trace. Although the ministers knew it was an illusion, they had no choice but to bring the brocade box into the imperial palace. His Majesty seemed somewhat skeptical as well and sent a fast horse to Shaolin Temple. Just as I was finishing my shift, the report came back: Ming Chongyan indeed arrived at Shaolin Temple last night to pray for blessings before the Buddha on His Majesty's behalf. He departed at dawn today, and many monks at Shaolin Temple witnessed it."

"He is a Taoist alchemist, so why did he run off to Shaolin Temple to pray for blessings?" Bi'er asked indignantly.

"Young Lady Jiang, that is where you are mistaken. He is not a Taoist alchemist; he is a wizard. He can practice both Taoism and Buddhism," Wei Yuanzhong shook his head. This fellow was no simple character.

"Your Highness, how did he pull this off?"

"It is not difficult. Find someone who looks similar, have them impersonate him in front of the trees—especially during the dim light of dawn—and because of the fear surrounding the sorcery affair, the officials dared not approach and stayed far away. Then, use some trick to kick up a smoke screen and instantly leave. This illusion is not very sophisticated." Even the trick of turning melons sweet wasn't particularly high-level; it relied on quick hands and sharp eyes, meaning fast action. But precisely because of this, it was troublesome to deal with. If you wanted to expose it, you had to match the dexterity of his hands.

"That is why I invited Your Highness here for a banquet today. If we could invite His Majesty as well, that would be best of all."

"Why does Wei Qing say this?"

"Your Highness, look at where we are and what scenery surrounds us outside."

They were inside a wine shop run by a foreigner, with the Huhuan Shrine right in front of them. The scenery was quite picturesque, filled with locust and willow trees dripping with vibrant green. The architecture of the Huhuan Shrine was not as towering as the structures within the imperial palace, but it possessed a rich exotic foreign flair. Even though dusk was falling, there were still some tourists, along with many people of the Nine Clans of Sogdiana performing worship rituals.

"Wei Qing, are you referring to the Huhuan Shrine?"

"Precisely. During the annual grand sacrifice of the foreigners, a foreigner is chosen as the shrine master. Then a blade is driven into his abdomen, and the blade is scraped and twisted inside his belly. Blood flows profusely, yet the man does not die. Afterward, holy water is sprayed upon him, and within a moment, the wound heals completely without leaving even a scar. Not only that, but every time Liangzhou selects a new shrine master, they drive large iron nails through his forehead and out the back of his brain in front of the shrine. Then he walks out, and within an instant, he flies hundreds of miles away to dance a single dance before the Western Divine Shrine and returns immediately. Once the nails are pulled out, the man suffers no injury."

"That sounds much more sophisticated than the illusions Ming Chongyan used," Bi'er exclaimed in amazement.

"Indeed. Those who believe it is an illusion see it as an illusion, and those who believe it is divine magic see it as divine magic. It is simply an unwritten secret of the foreigners, impossible for outsiders to expose," sighed Wei Yuanzhong. What these shrine masters did when performing their arts was merely an internal affair of the foreigners. Ming Chongyan, however, had brought such practices into the imperial court. Following this morning's incident, most people—likely including the Emperor himself—would once again fall into a state of wavering belief and doubt.

He continued, "Your Highness, let us put that aside for now. Since he does not come from a prominent lineage and has become entangled with witchcraft, even if he returns to court in the future, most ministers will not dare to associate closely with him. Isolated and lacking support, he cannot accomplish great things. On the other hand, Senior Grand Tutor Xu..."

Here, he lowered his voice and said, "Junior Prelate Di has begun to make his move."

***

"I am already aware," the last time Wei Yuanzhong came to report that Di Renjie might utilize funds from the workshop, Li Wei had found it quite amusing, but he had known even then that Di Renjie was beginning his arrangements. Otherwise, he would not have mobilized funds, especially while in Chang'an...

"Junior Prelate Di said that within three months at most, there will be a response."

"So fast?"

"It must be fast. Xu Jingzong's moves have grown somewhat ruthless, all intended to push Your Highness into a fire pit. If this fellow is resolved sooner, Your Highness will also have peace." Without Xu Jingzong pushing Ming Chongyan forward, the Crown Prince's relationship with his parents had already eased considerably. That easing of tension mattered more than anything else. He paused for a moment and added, "Your Highness need not trouble yourself with all this. I invited Your Highness here today to introduce two officials to you who harbor the intention of pledging their allegiance to Your Highness."

"What sort of men?"

"Men Your Highness has already seen: Wei Zhigu, Erudite of the Historiography Bureau, and Zhu Jingze, Right Remembrancer."

The official ranks of these two men were not high. The Erudite of the Historiography Bureau was a rank six-lower post under the Secretariat, with a total of eight positions, though it required genuine talent. Upon taking office, they were required to compose a biography of a famous minister; only after passing evaluation could they be fully qualified to assist the Secretariat in drafting epitaphs, congratulatory prayers, and sacrificial texts. Once written, the Collators of Texts would correct them, and the Rectors of Characters would fix typographical errors. Their actual authority was quite small. By comparison, the Right Remembrancer, a rank seven-lower post, held slightly higher authority because their duty was to remonstrate with the Emperor and recommend talented individuals, despite having a lower title. Similar positions included the Investigating Censors, who also held low official ranks yet wielded significant power.

"These two men certainly sound like talents." Li Wei's words were somewhat uncertain because he had never heard their names before, so he could only trust Wei Yuanzhong's judgment. However, through their conversation, the eloquence and ambitions of the two men had genuinely won Li Wei's admiration. Of course, even if he had taken a fancy to them, neither Wei nor Zhu had spoken up, and it would have been awkward for him to suddenly say, "Come pledge your allegiance to me."

"Speaking of which, this Zhu Jingze is actually connected to Your Highness?"

"How so?" Li Wei had only met Zhu Jingze during his trip to Shaolin Temple and had not even heard his name prior to that.

"This man possesses vast and lofty ambitions, loves learning, values integrity and promises, excels at befriending others, and rescues people in their urgent crises without seeking reward or repayment. Upon hearing his name, His Majesty summoned him to the Eastern Capital for a conversation and admired him immensely as well. However, because he had previously criticized Prime Minister Li, the Prime Minister felt somewhat displeased and submitted a memorial impeaching him. Originally, His Majesty intended to grant Zhu Jingze only the post of County Defender of Huanshui. Yet, because Your Highness traveled to Shaolin Temple to pray for blessings on His Majesty's behalf, His Majesty changed his mind and appointed him Right Remembrancer instead." Wei Yuanzhong had not known these details originally and only learned of them after conversing with Zhu Jingze.

"He criticized Prime Minister Li?" Li Wei asked in puzzlement. Putting aside the fact that Li Jingxheng served as the Crown Prince's Right Guardian and enjoyed glowing reputations in both official and public evaluations, in the second year of Zongzhang, he was repeatedly transferred until he became the Senior Assistant of the West Desk and concurrent Third-Rank Official of the East and West Desks (acting as a de facto chancellor). Working in concert with Junior Secretary Zhang Renyi, he handled official selections in an orderly fashion. Ever since his father ascended the throne, many appointed officials had failed to meet standards, but when Li Jingxheng took charge of selections, people throughout the empire praised his selections as competent. Those who were rejected yet remained unconvinced would come forward; without looking at the dossiers, he could immediately rattle off their shortcomings on the spot, forcing everyone to yield to his formidable memory, and no one dared to deceive him. Thus, earlier this year, he had been promoted to Vice Minister of the Secretariat while retaining his other concurrent posts.

He was, in any case, an immensely formidable minister. In truth, many ministers were formidable. If not for his status as the Crown Prince, given his current abilities, well, it was entirely possible he wouldn't even qualify to be a county defender.

"Indeed," Wei Yuanzhong sighed again. "Originally, Prime Minister Li was an upright man. His official reputation was exceptional, and he possessed a strong backbone. However, having stayed in the Department of Selection for a long time, many people attached themselves to him. He was married three times, and every single wife came from the aristocratic clans of Shandong. Furthermore, he sought to cling to prominent lineage, linking his Bozhou Li clan to the Zhaojun Li clan and merging their genealogies. As it happened, Zhu Jingze was also a native of Bozhou. Upon hearing of this matter, he frequently lampooned him. Consequently, Prime Minister Li became extremely displeased. People truly change."

This mention reminded Li Wei of how Liu Ren轨 had caused trouble for Li Jingxheng. Could it be that Li Jingxheng had deliberately made things difficult for Liu Ren轨?

Broadly speaking, these two men were likewise members of the Crown Prince's faction. Yet he himself, the Crown Prince, was merely like an egg resting on a bench, and lo and behold, this whole bunch of people was already infighting.