Chapter 103: CH 100

As soon as Wu Youyuan arrived with the ambush, the Xixia were immediately defeated. In other words, Xixia had lost all fighting spirit the moment Gu Fuzhou fell. Their goal achieved, the Xixia had immediately begun to fall back. The Dayu’s iron cavalry chased after them, every soldier’s eyes red. Their commander was captured alive and  the troops were slaughtered. 

After this one single night, a river of blood wound through the valley. At the same moment, Shi Pei hung the Dayu’s banner over the walls of Yongliang. Finally, Yongliang, this northwest fortress, had returned to the Dayu.

In the last battle, the Dayu regained Yongliang and drove the heavily injured Xixia to the northern frontier. They killed tens of thousands of their enemies but the cost to them was only 3,000 of their cavalry. It was a great victory but not the slightest hint of joy could be seen among the troops in the Northwest Army’s camp.

Against the howling cold wind, white flags were hung; the ashes of paper money wafted through the air. The light of fires reflected against everyone’s pale and mournful faces. Wu Youyuan knelt in front of Gu Fuzhou’s tablet for an entire day and a night; he ate nothing and drank nothing. He gripped tightly the sword hung around his waist. His eyes were bloodshot. He experienced self-blame, grief and indignation but more so than anything, murderous intent. If Shi Pei hadn’t stopped him, he would have chased the Xixia to their very capital. He would have razed the country to the ground. He would have taken the head of Xixia’s emperor to serve as a sacrifice to General Gu’s departed spirit.

From this moment on, this was to be his life-long desire. 

Shen Huaishi changed out of his armor and dressed in a light attire. He entered the tent. He looked at Gu Fuzhou’s memorial tablet. His Adam’s apple bobbed and forcibly holding onto his composure, burned three sticks of incense. Shi Pei handed him an urgent report and said, voice hoarse. “I am sorry to have to trouble you with this matter, Shen Xiongdi.”

Heavy snow blocked the way back to the capital and the fastest cavalryman in the army couldn’t beat Shen Huaishi. By the time Shen Huaishi returns to the capital with the battle report and news of Gu Fuzhou’s death, it will be half a month later.

The latest report about the Northwest that Qinzheng Hall had was also from half a month ago. According to the report, the defenses of Yongliang were solid, the enemy army refused to come out and and the Northwest Army’s attacks have proved ineffective. Moreover, the provisions from Guangyang to Yongliang have been blocked by heavy snow. Their supplies were in dire straits the army’s morale was sinking.

The dragon throne beside the dragon desk had been removed, replaced by an old-fashioned wooden armchair. Xiao Songzi walked into the hall with tea to see Lin Qingyu sitting upon this armchair, forehead resting on his hand; his thick feather-like eyelashes cast pale shadows on his cheeks.

Xiao Songzi thought that Lin Qingyu was asleep and so he made sure to lighten his footsteps. Ever since the emperor’s “sudden illness”, he has been recuperating in his bedchambers, setting not a single foot into Qinzheng Hall. Now, Lin Qingyu has become half the master of Qinzheng Hall. Under the order of the emperor, he reviewed reports here, met with the nobles and ministers and discussed state affairs. A chief assistant far superior than any.

Lin Qingyu was so brazenly and unscrupulously coercing the emperor and ordering about the officials. To call him thief and traitor would not be an exaggeration. But seeing the imperial guards and the iron cavalry battalion all over the palace, no one dared speak out. Unable to see the emperor, the officials could only ask to see the empress dowager. The empress dowager said, “Aijia is getting old. Governing from behind the curtain, I often find myself unable to do as much as I wish. It is a good thing that there is Imperial Physician Lin to help relieve Aijia’s worries.”

“But Master Lin is still nothing more than an imperial physician. For a mere imperial physician to manage the government and order about the ministers is simply unheard of. It is a disgrace to our great Dayu!”

“I thank you for reminding Aijia.” The empress dowager said lightly, “In your opinion, what sort of official position should Aijia bestow upon him?” 

…

Since Cui Lian retired and returned to his hometown, the position of prime minister has remained vacant. Some people say that it won’t be long before Lin Qingyu is no longer ‘Imperial Physician Lin’ and that all civil and military officials will have to call him “Prime Minister Lin”.

All things require a gradual process. From the imperial physician to prime minister is too big a leap. The court still needed to save face. In the end, the empress dowager named Lin Qingyu Minister of Rites, a third rank position.

When Xiao Songzi placed the teacup lightly on the table, Lin Qingyu opened his eyes. Xiao Songzi thought that he must have woken him up with the noise and so hurriedly knelt down and apologized, “This useless servant disturbed Master Lin’s sleep.” 

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This was the third time Lin Qingyu had asked that day. Xiao Songzi shook his head and said, “Master Lin, the last report from the Northwest arrived not too long ago. The next one most likely won’t come so soon.”

Lin Qingyu said softly, “But, he used to write me a letter every two or three days.” 

“Didn’t you say that the situation in the Northwest is at a critical juncture? General Gu must be too busy.”

No matter how busy he was, he would never not reply to his letters.

A eunuch came in and said, “Master Lin, the emperor is requesting your presence.”

Lin Qingyu said lightly, “I understand.” 

After the change in Qinzheng Hall, he had confined Xiao Jie to his chambers. At first, Xiao Jie was restless all day and wanted to see him every day. Once he got to see Lin Qingyu, the only thing he asked about was Xi Rong’s situation, begging him repeatedly to spare Xi Rong. Later, Lin Qingyu gave Xiao Jie some medicine and Xiao Jie quieted down for a time.

All things considered, he treated Xiao Jie well. Not only did he not kill him, he even allowed him to stay in the palace, afforded every luxury. Besides being deprived of his freedom, Xiao Jie remained the same idle emperor who cared nothing of state affairs.

When he arrived at the emperor’s sleeping chambers, Lin Qingyu saw Xiao Jie standing in front of a table, hair all disheveled, holding a writing brush in hand, looking as though he had just finished writing something.

Lin Qingyu said, “Your Majesty.” 

“You’re here.” Xiao Jie’s eyes were empty, “Here, my edict of abdication.”

Two eunuchs brought up a chair. Lin Qingyu sat down and asked, “What does the emperor mean by this?”

Xiao Jie said numbly, “Isn’t this what you want?”

Lin Qingyu straightened his clothes and said, “If this is what I want, why would I have waited until now?” 

“Just take it! I’m begging you.” Xiao Jie suddenly became hysterical, “I don’t want to be emperor. Why did you put me here?”

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If he hadn’t become emperor, he would still be in his mansion right now, with A’Rong. His biggest worry every day would be what to eat for his next meal. If he hadn’t become emperor, they wouldn’t have had anything to do with matters in the Northwest and they wouldn’t be where they were now.

It was Lin Qingyu who pushed him to this position. Everything was Lin Qingyu’s fault.

Lin Qingyu chuckled lightly. “I put you there? From the very beginning, did I ever force you?” 

Xiao Jie’s lips trembled. “You were the one who looked for me. You said…”

Lin Qingyu interrupted, “I looked for Xi Rong and it was Xi Rong who conspired with me. Dare I ask the emperor, was there ever even a single time that I spoke to you about about how to ascend to the throne?”

Xiao Jie was startled and he raised his head in a daze.

“I was not the one who pushed you to the throne. Your A’Rong pushed you to the throne.” Lin Qingyu said cruelly, “You have no one to blame but yourself for where you are today. Back then, so long as even one of you two said no, you wouldn’t have found yourself sitting on that throne.” 

Xiao Jie opened his eyes. No one could possibly tell just how much he understood of what Lin Qingyu said. “That’s not it. Without you, A’Rong and I would have been fine.”

Lin Qingyu was too lazy to waste any more time on him. “Since the emperor has decided to abdicate,” he gestured at Xiao Songzi with his eyes and Xiao Songzi stepped forward to put away the edict, “then I will accept this. But, as I said earlier, whether you are the emperor or not , I cannot save Xi Rong.”

Tears flowed from Xiao Jie’s eyes. “Let me meet him. Let me stay with him…”

Lin Qingyu snorted coldly, his answer already evident. 

“You already plan on killing him. Why can’t you even agree to this request?”

“I can’t.” Lin Qingyu said coldly, “My husband and I are on different sides of the sky, what is this to that?”

After Xiao Jie asked to abdicate, Lin Qingyu confined him in Jinyang Garden from where he would never come out. And thus, the only one left with the late Emperor’s blood was King Huai, Xiao Li. Several of the old kings, faraway in their fiefs, began sending letters, saying that they wanted to pay their New Year’s greetings to the empress dowager in the capital. What it was they truly intended was no mystery to anyone.

At this time, the ever unfathomable National Teacher proclaimed a reading from a celestial phenomena. — Nine stars in the heavens, the true son follows the right path; the soul returns to its body, unifying the country. 

The Dayu has always favored lineage through the official wife and many of the older officials valued purity of blood. Hearing the National Teacher’s meaning that after King Huai’s ascension to the throne, his soul loss disease might be cured, half of the dissenting voices was silenced. Most importantly though, their objections were useless. The army was Lin Qingyu’s and many among the previous court was the empress dowager’s. Empress Dowager Wen will tolerate no one on the throne save her own son. She had deposed one emperor, she could depose another.

Under the current situation, it was already a blessing amidst misfortune that the country would remain under the name Xiao.

On the day Xiao Li ascended the throne, Lin Qingyu personally placed the crown on his head. The seventeen-year-old boy obediently let him move him about, his delicate features obscured by the jade bean tassels. The tassels were long and heavy.  Xiao Li kept trying to rip it off but Lin Qingyu stopped him. “Don’t move.”

Xiao Li obediently put down his hand. 

“Let’s go.”

For this enthronement ceremony, Lin Qingyu finally didn’t have to kneel. Holding Xiao Li’s hand, he walked past all the officials, stepped onto the long series of steps and walked step by step into Zichen Palace, step by step to the pinnacle of power.

He stood in the bright hall, looked down at all living beings, looked down at the civil and military officials, princes, dukes and ministers, as they all bowed their heads and kowtowed, shouting “Long live the emperor”. Beside him, the emperor in his black dragon robe sat upon the dragon throne,  a dull and wooden expression on his face. Only when he meets Lin Qingyu’s eyes by chance, did he burst into a charming smile.

After Xiao Li ascended the throne, he moved from Ci’an Palace to Xingqing Palace. The boy, who mentally, was only three or four years old, was separated from his mother, leaving only Xiu momo to look after him in his sleeping chambers. 

Lin Qingyu had been busy with the enthronement ceremony, leaving him a lot of things still to deal with in Qinzheng Hall. In the middle of the night, Qinzheng Hall was ablaze with lights. Though it was after midnight, reports were piled high on the desk like a mountain. Feeling drowsy, Lin Qingyu was thinking about preparing a refreshing decoction for himself, when he suddenly heard a voice behind him, “Why is Doctor Lin sleeping here?”

Lin Qingyu suddenly froze. He turned around slowly and met a pair of bright eyes. Those eyes were smiling, plump lower eyelids evident under those eyes.

—Is this a dream?

Under the palace lanterns, the young man’s features could be seen clearly — handsome features with flamboyant eyes and brows, reminiscent of cool breezes and clear moonlight, possessing a reserved and magnificent charm, even more so evident than during their meeting three years ago.  He had short and clean-cut hair. He wore a loose short-sleeved shirt with strange symbols printed on it and plain black trousers. He had no robe donned on and his legs looked straight and slender. 

This was the second time he was meeting this young man.

The young man walked towards him. Leaning against the dragon desk, he looked down at him with a smile. “Long time no see, Qingyu.”

Lin Qingyu opened his lips, “…Jiang Xing?”

The corners of Jiang Xing’s lips hooked up. “As expected, you already knew my name.” 

His heart seemed to pinch, Lin Qingyu refused to think about the reason for the sudden severe pain. He lowered his head evasively, not looking at the boy. He murmured in a panic, “Why…why am I dreaming of you?”

Jiang Xing cupped his cheeks and said with a smile, “Of course it’s because you miss me, Baobei.”

Lin Qingyu looked up at Jiang Xing. He stared at him without moving. The rims of his eyes weren’t red. He didn’t feel any stinging in his eyes. Lin Qingyu himself didn’t know when streams of tears escaped from the corner of his eyes and onto Jiang Xing’s hands.

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