Chapter 93#
When he was assisting Shen Zhen, Gong Zhiyuan had only regarded Wen Zhuo as a lone official who steered clear of factional strife. But now, at Shen Chen’s place, he learned that this man had long since pledged allegiance to Shen Zheng.
Previously, his attitude toward Wen Zhuo had always been to keep a respectful distance and avoid offending him. But now that they stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, there was nothing left to hold back.
He uttered just ten words, and in exchange, Xie Langyang and Shen Chen were left bristling with terror, a chill seeping through their bodies.
Just at that moment, a sudden rain shower lashed against the window lattice, drowning out all the sounds of alarm within the hall.
Shen He had only made it halfway, just catching sight of the glazed tiles of Yikun Palace, when a torrential downpour crashed down, drenching him to the bone, turning him into a drowned rat.
The eunuchs scrambled in panic, shouting for umbrellas and shielding the prince with their own sleeves. But the rain was too fierce and violent, and such flimsy cover was nothing more than a drop in the bucket.
Shen He frowned and brushed aside the dusty sleeve in front of his face. Resigned, he let the cold rain pour over him. Lifting his head to the sky, he thought to himself, This really can’t be a good omen.
Then he considered that once he saw Noble Consort Zhen, a scolding would be unavoidable. His heart grew heavy, and he sighed helplessly.
When he was five years old, Emperor Shunyuan had sent him to be raised by Noble Consort Zhen.
His birth mother had originally been a maidservant by Emperor Shunyuan’s side. One day, after Liu Changbai had rebuked the emperor, saying he was “unfit to be a ruler,” the emperor grew vexed and drank alone. The maidservant mustered the courage to step forward and offer a few words of comfort, earning the favor of the Son of Heaven, who took her into the harem.
After the emperor’s visitation, the maidservant was promoted to the rank of Talented Lady.
Aware of her lowly origins, the Talented Lady remained cautious and restrained in the harem, always silently trailing behind Cao Xiruo, neither contending nor pandering, like a transparent figure.
At that time, the only one in the palace who genuinely cared for and protected these low-ranking consorts was Cao Xiruo. Moreover, her prestigious family background gave her the power to stand against Empress Liu.
On the night of Empress Liu’s birthday, she had hoped to share the evening with Emperor Shunyuan. But the emperor was annoyed just by the sight of her. He sat briefly in her palace before sweeping out in a huff.
That same night, Emperor Shunyuan got drunk again in the imperial garden, muttering the personal name of Consort Chen, Xingluo.
The Talented Lady happened to pass by and saw the Son of Heaven in such a dejected state. Moved by compassion, she walked over and consoled him: “Your Majesty, please return to your chambers to rest. Consort Chen, beneath the Nine Springs, surely would not wish to see you torment yourself like this.”
She had never actually seen Consort Chen. Her words were nothing but the most feeble comfort.
But Emperor Shunyuan, drunk and muddled, took her hand and went straight to her bedchamber.
The Talented Lady knew then that something terrible was about to happen. Before dawn broke, she rushed to Cao Xiruo for help. Cao Xiruo, pitying her plight, immediately stationed guards outside her door and assigned four strong young eunuchs to watch over her day and night. But even that could not prevent the Talented Lady from drowning in a deep well within the palace.
Everyone knew Empress Liu was behind it, but there was no evidence. And since the death of a low-ranking Talented Lady was of little consequence, the matter was quietly dropped.
Shen He’s memory of his birth mother’s face had long since faded. All he remembered was that after her death, his own situation became precarious. Empress Liu was determined to clear the path for her own son and wanted to eliminate all the princes.
It was Noble Consort Zhen, bold and meticulous, who countered every move and saved him.
Later, when Empress Liu died suddenly, he was finally out of danger.
He was, in truth, grateful to Noble Consort Zhen. But ever since Zhao Yue was born, she had grown harsh with him, demanding he study day and night, shine before his father, and contend for the position of heir.
He truly wanted to satisfy Noble Consort Zhen, but he simply didn’t have the ability.
Moreover, he was naturally lazy and gluttonous. All he wanted was to stay with his beloved consort, shut the doors, enjoy flowers and fine food, and live a carefree life. As for matters of state or the people’s suffering, he had no interest whatsoever.
He was self-aware enough to know he was no ruler, but Noble Consort Zhen lacked that self-awareness.
“Your Highness! Please take shelter from the rain! If you fall ill from this, what will we do?” A young eunuch chased after Shen He, urging him.
“Stop making a fuss. Isn’t Mother waiting for me?” Shen He muttered, picking up his pace, unwilling to even take the covered walkway.
As luck would have it, the moment he stepped over the threshold of Yikun Palace, the heavy rain abruptly stopped. The sun still hung in the sky, and a colorful rainbow stretched across the horizon.
“Mother, I’m here.” Shen He hung his head, dripping wet as he entered the inner hall.
Noble Consort Zhen heard his voice and hurriedly came to meet him. Seeing him soaked through, she was taken aback. “How did you end up like this?”
“I ran into a sudden shower on the way,” Shen He replied quietly.
In the height of summer, getting caught in the rain was nothing serious. Seeing him still looking easygoing, she let her guard down. But then her tone shifted abruptly, her brows shooting up. “I heard that Shen Zheng stole the show at court today? Not only did His Majesty approve his proposal, but he also entrusted him with the heavy responsibility of opening maritime trade?”
The court session at Wuying Hall had only just ended, and Noble Consort Zhen had already received the news. Shen He froze.
Seeing his dazed expression, she snapped irritably, “What are you staring at! Your mother is still His Majesty’s favored consort—do you think I don’t have my own informants?”
Shen He rubbed his nose and answered guiltily, “Yes, now is the best time to open maritime trade. Though many at court opposed it, I thought Father seemed quite willing.”
Noble Consort Zhen paced restlessly, her mind in turmoil. “Do you know how much resistance there has been in past dynasties to tampering with the canal system? Even Emperor Kangzhen couldn’t accomplish it. If Shen Zheng succeeds in this, it will be a monumental achievement, recorded in the annals of history. Even if your father doesn’t want to give him the throne, he won’t be able to go against the public will!”
Shen He stammered, “Then… then the fifth brother really dares to take responsibility. Going to Nanping as a hostage back then—he took that on alone. I think he’s truly capable.”
Noble Consort Zhen’s voice trembled with anger. “Why couldn’t you be the one to take on that responsibility! There is only one throne—supreme ruler above ten thousand—don’t you crave it at all!”
Shen He didn’t dare argue, only nodded repeatedly. “I do! I’ll try my best to perform well in front of Father!”
Seeing that his attitude was submissive enough, she barely suppressed her anger.
She turned and walked to the sitting couch, picked up a teacup, and took a sip of the fragrant tea. “The Dragon River Fire Sacrifice—isn’t it close to the anniversary of Consort Chen’s death?”
Shen He didn’t dare speak.
Noble Consort Zhen slowly rubbed her slender fingers. “Since Shen Zheng wants to steal the show in the court, I’ll have to start from Jun Mulan’s side.”
—
After court, Wen Zhuo went straight to the cabinet office.
Now serving as both head of the Hanlin Academy and a cabinet minister, his workload had doubled, leaving him exhausted.
The memorials sent to the cabinet were either about the canal system or the Dragon River Fire Sacrifice, occasionally mixed with a few trivial greetings from local officials.
Once Wen Zhuo got busy, he was completely absorbed. When he finally finished his desk work and stepped out of the office, he noticed the ground was still wet, realizing he had narrowly missed another bout of cold rain.
Dusk was falling, and the twilight was rolling in. At last, he could go home.
He walked to the city gate and spotted his small red-lacquered sedan chair.
His attendant saw him and hurried over, winking and making strange expressions.
Wen Zhuo was puzzled, not understanding what it meant. As he stepped onto the footstool, the sedan curtain suddenly lifted, and an arm reached out. It was strong and yanked him inside.
Wen Zhuo lost his balance and fell straight into Shen Zheng’s arms. Still shaken, he chided, “Your Highness, stop fooling around!”
“Hugging my ‘beloved consort’—how is that fooling around?” Shen Zheng laughed, rapping the sedan wall with his knuckles and instructed the attendant, “Go to the Dragon River.”
The attendant cracked his whip and urged the horse toward the Dragon River.
“What are we going to the Dragon River for?”
Wen Zhuo wore a black official cap, his hair all tucked inside, revealing a pale, soft earlobe—which gave Shen Zheng an opportunity.
Shen Zheng leaned over, caught the small earlobe in his mouth, and sucked it until it turned red. “The fourth brother gave me the idea—take my ‘beloved consort’ to the Dragon River for grilled meat.”
In truth, eating and drinking with Wen Zhuo was one thing, but another was that he wanted to see the Dragon River Fire Sacrifice for himself. After all, historical records only had a line: “Officials and commoners gathered, boats lined the shore, blue flames flickered illuminating the long night, shamans danced as if summoning the gods,” leaving endless imagination for later generations.
As expected, Wen Zhuo’s ears were the most sensitive. A brush of the warm tongue made his eyes mist over, and he could only writhe weakly.
“Who’s your beloved consort!”
“No matter what, I am first and foremost Your Highness’s teacher.”
“In broad daylight, how can Your Highness be so presumptuous!”
“I won’t do it again.”
“Hmm… don’t go too far this time either!”
Shen Zheng indulged himself until he was satisfied. When he finally let go, Wen Zhuo’s poor earlobe was covered in bite marks, but the man still insisted on being stubborn.
The sedan stopped in the shade of a tree by the Dragon River. Only then did the two straighten their clothes and step out, one after the other.
Wen Zhuo had already taken off his official cap, letting his black hair cascade down, barely covering his reddened ears. He kept his face taut and expressionless.
He couldn’t help thinking, How did I ever think Shen Zheng was normal? He’s clearly more ill than me, and the disease is progressing too fast!
At that moment, Shen Zheng was putting on the perfect appearance of a respectful student, his voice soft: “Teacher, let’s rent a small covered boat. I’ve never been boating before.”
Surfboards didn’t count.
Wen Zhuo glanced at the boatman who had already come up, all smiles, and then at Shen Zheng, who was casually handing over silver. He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Does your teacher still have a chance to refuse?”
Soon, the two were aboard a neat little covered boat.
The hull was pale from years of water immersion, and two dark blue fabric curtains hung outside, rolled up to reveal a small window perfect for sightseeing.
Inside, the space was quite spacious, enough for two to lie side by side. Soft rush mats were spread on the floor, topped with a small wooden table laden with fruits and dishes. A plate of glistening, sizzling grilled meat sat squarely in the center.
The boatman proudly guaranteed that the meat was grilled over pinewood fire from the Flame Mouth, giving it a natural fruity aroma.
In truth, the authorities only allowed people to use this fire to burn paper boats and quell the anger of the dead, but some always took advantage, knowing the Five City Military Command couldn’t police everyone.
The Dragon River was a living water artery running through the entire capital. It wound down from the Qingping Mountains, eventually merging into the Jinhai River. The moat outside the Forbidden City was diverted from the Dragon River.
The place where they boarded was the narrowest and gentlest stretch of the river. Commoners loved to gather here, burning paper boats, burning incense and praying, beating drums and dancing to ward off misfortune, or doing a little business on the side.
Shen Zheng picked up a piece of grilled meat, perfectly marbled with fat and lean, drizzled it with pepper and salt, wrapped it in a soft flatbread, and handed it to Wen Zhuo. “Teacher, try it.”
Wen Zhuo took it but didn’t eat right away. He fixed his gaze on Shen Zheng. “Your Highness seems to be in a fine mood, eating and enjoying the view. Do you know why His Majesty so readily approved your proposal to open maritime trade?”
Shen Zheng also wrapped himself a piece of grilled meat, stuffed it into his mouth casually, and answered calmly, “Yes.”
Wen Zhuo nodded. “Since you know, you should understand the crux. The emperor hesitated to touch the canal system for so long because he didn’t dare. He feared that the officials and thousands of canal workers who depended on it would resent him and cause unrest in the provinces. Now that someone is willing to take that burden off him, bear the blame, and endure the hatred, of course he’s happy to accept it. If it succeeds, it’s his brilliant leadership and wise instruction; if it fails, it’s your poor execution and misinterpretation of his will.”
Shen Zheng nodded in deep agreement.
Wen Zhuo’s frown deepened. “Then why did you rashly propose opening maritime trade today without consulting your teacher?”
Shen Zheng put down his chopsticks, moved closer, wrapped his arms around him, and held him steady. His voice was soft. “I know Teacher cares for me and has my best interests at heart. But this matter benefits the country and the people. Every day it’s delayed is a wasted day. If I don’t do it, who will?”
Wen Zhuo was stunned.
He wanted to say that the most important thing now was what he called “stability.” They should wait until the throne was secured before discussing such matters. To act rashly now and offend the canal officials and their entire network was far from wise.
Of course, that was the calculation of a strategist.
But as a subject of the Great Qian, how could he not hope that the man he was devoted to and had pinned his hopes on would be a ruler unafraid of hardship and willing to shoulder heavy responsibilities?
If he shrank back for personal gain, why had he chosen Shen Zheng in the first place?
Shen Zheng suddenly broke into a smile, his eyes clear and bright like torches. “Don’t worry, Teacher. Once maritime trade is open and the Great Qian’s economy flourishes, those canal workers will find better livelihoods in time, and their lives will be many times better than now. By then, today’s opposition and infamy will fade away. Until then, I just need you to plan carefully and help me push maritime trade forward.”
A wave of emotion surged through Wen Zhuo’s heart.
In his past life, he had been consumed by ambition, his mind focused entirely on eliminating rivals and amassing wealth. It had been exhausting and tormenting. But in this life, he could help the man before him build a great enterprise and realize his ambitions, and he felt that life had taken on a different meaning.
Perhaps this was what all scholars pursued—an eternal good name.
He turned his face, his fingertips gently pressing against the Adam’s apple on Shen Zheng’s neck, his breath warm. “Actually, when Your Highness spoke those words in court, your teacher was very pleased.”
The man who called himself uninhibited but was actually reserved rarely showed such genuine emotion. His eyes held a tender, rippling light, looking at him like a small brush tickling him.
A wave hit the boat, rocking it. Shen Zheng used the momentum to pull Wen Zhuo down onto the thick rush mat.
His palm landed on the jade belt at Wen Zhuo’s waist, his fingers unconsciously sliding downward. “The grilled meat wasn’t good. It definitely wasn’t grilled over pinewood. The boatman was a liar.”
“I guessed as much.” Wen Zhuo looked at him through lowered lashes, his hair falling like a waterfall over him, his fingertip still playing with his Adam’s apple.
A hand slid through the side slit of his robe, faintly caressing the peak. Sure enough, he felt the man’s muscles tense, desire in conflict with feudal propriety. In a moment, desire lost.
Wen Zhuo rolled his eyes toward the cabin roof, as if trying to bore a hole through it.
Having stoked the fire, he couldn’t sustain it himself and planned to escape without a shred of decency.
Shen Zheng wouldn’t let him go. He grabbed hold of a plush, snow-white mound and pressed with a smile: “Are fingers tastier?”
Wen Zhuo bit his lip and said nothing. The boat was still rocking, as if Shen Zheng was shaking it while holding him.
“Say it, and I’ll let you go, Teacher. Say it quickly.” Shen Zheng teased and coaxed.
“If you keep bullying your teacher like this, your teacher will…”
His voice was abruptly swallowed back into his throat. Suddenly, a loud shout rang out from the shore. The voice, carried by the rushing river, echoed far along the banks, startling the crows resting on the branches into a fluttering mess.
A man appeared, wearing a Taoist robe and shaking a bell. His head bobbed like a rattle drum, his fingers forming a seal, muttering incantations—
“I am the Patriarch Iron Crutch Li, born with the art of reaching the divine. The curtain hangs high, the candles rise, ten thousand souls all come to pay respects. Let fierce ghosts and King Yan himself try, with a flick of my whisk, they all bow down.”