The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 099 Who Has Never Liked Zhao Xuan?
The 31st Year of Kaiping, third month.
Since the previous year, the Empress Dowager had been bedridden with a lingering illness, unable to rise. During the New Year, her condition improved somewhat, and Emperor Zhao Fu was overjoyed, generously rewarding the Imperial Medical Bureau. Yet, who could have known this was but a fleeting recovery? By the third month, the Empress Dowager was frequently ill, and on the 19th day, she passed away.
At the time of her passing, Zhao Fu was meditating in the Immortal Ascension Platform, practicing immortality cultivation.
During his cultivation, no one was permitted to disturb him. Since its construction, only a few high-ranking ministers, the grand marshal, and individuals like Wang Zhen had ever entered the Immortal Ascension Platform.
That night, a eunuch hurriedly arrived outside the hall, carrying a whisk and braving the darkness. The young eunuch guarding the entrance noticed something was amiss—it was Wang Qi, the chief eunuch of Yanfu Palace.
Without waiting for notification, Wang Qi burst into the hall, panicked and shouting, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is unresponsive!”
Zhao Fu opened his eyes, gave Wang Qi a glance, then quickly rose and rushed to Yanfu Palace.
The emperor stayed by the Empress Dowager’s side the entire night. Before dawn, she took her final breath. Holding her frail, bony hand, Zhao Fu stared blankly at the lifeless figure lying on the bed. In the palace, the sound of weeping filled the air. Whether genuine or not, all the eunuchs and palace maids knelt on the ground, crying loudly.
Zhao Fu, however, did not cry. He simply gazed at her for a long time.
After about an hour, when the attendants were starting to run out of tears, Zhao Fu summoned Ji Fu.
“Has the Empress Dowager passed?” the emperor asked, his voice hoarse.
Having served Zhao Fu for many years, Ji Fu was deeply moved to see his sovereign in such a state. Crying, he replied, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has passed.”
Zhao Fu took a deep breath, then broke into sobs.
That night, the mournful toll of bells echoed throughout the palace, eight resounding strikes that shook the heavens.
Sixth Prince Zhao Ao was summoned to the palace. Upon entering Yanfu Palace, he found it deserted, save for Zhao Fu sitting alone beside the Empress Dowager’s bed. Zhao Ao’s eyes reddened at the sight of his deceased mother.
“Mother!”
With the Empress Dowager’s passing, the nation entered mourning, and court sessions were suspended for five days.
All officials donned mourning attire and prayed for the Empress Dowager’s soul. The emperor stayed in Yanfu Palace, personally copying Buddhist scriptures for her. Zhao Ao, the only surviving prince and Zhao Fu’s younger brother, accompanied him in this act of piety.
One night, Zhao Fu, unable to endure the strain, retired early. Waking in the middle of the night, he found Zhao Ao still bent over a desk, diligently copying scriptures.
Zhao Fu watched for a while before Zhao Ao sensed his gaze and turned around. Rising immediately, Zhao Ao greeted him with a bow, “Greetings, imperial brother.”
Zhao Fu waved dismissively. “Why such formality?”
Zhao Ao, eyes moist, murmured, “Imperial brother...”
Zhao Fu pulled up a chair beside Zhao Ao’s desk. It had been years since they had spoken so intimately. He reminisced about their childhood, especially memories involving their mother.
Zhao Fu said, “When Mother gave birth to you, she had nearly exhausted her strength. She had already sent for Father, but because Empress Xiaojing suddenly fell ill, Father went to Qingning Palace instead. Hearing this, Mother, despite her exhaustion, somehow summoned the strength to deliver you.”
Zhao Ao, startled, replied, “Empress Xiaojing treated us well. I didn’t know this.”
Zhao Fu chuckled. “This had nothing to do with Empress Xiaojing. You know as well as I do what kind of man our imperial father was.”
Zhao Ao lowered his head in silence, unwilling to comment. Zhao Fu could speak harshly of the former emperor, but he didn't dare because he wasn't the emperor.
Zhao Fu continued, “Remember when you were six? I was nine then. Zhao Xuan took us hunting outside the capital. He caught a fawn for me and a rabbit for you. Thinking back, it’s no surprise Father favored Zhao Xuan—he was Empress Xiaojing’s only son, brilliant and capable. At twelve, he could draw a five-stone bow. You often followed him, calling him ‘Elder Brother Crown Prince,’ forgetting that I was your actual older brother.”
Terrified, Zhao Ao stood up, almost kneeling. “Your Majesty, I have never thought that way!”
Zhao Fu, seeing his panic, extended a hand with a smile. “Ai, sit back down. Why are you so nervous? Back then, who didn’t admire Zhao Xuan? Even I liked him. Like you, I waited outside Hanxiang Hall daily, hoping he would come and take me to play.”
Zhao Ao froze, unsure how to respond.
Seeing his bewilderment, Zhao Fu felt both contempt and pity.
He suddenly lost the will to continue the conversation. There was so much he wanted to say, but many of his brothers were dead—some by his own hand, others through his machinations. Zhao Ao, foolish as he was, hardly warranted scheming. But now, with their mother gone, Zhao Ao was all he had left.
What would Mother say if she heard this conversation? Zhao Fu wondered.
After a moment’s thought, he stood up and said calmly, “Keep copying the scriptures.”
This was the emperor Zhao Ao was most familiar with. Relieved, Zhao Ao wiped the sweat from his brow and respectfully answered, “Yes.”
The palace echoed with soft sobs—concubines mourning the Empress Dowager and eunuchs and maids weeping quietly.
Beyond the palace, officials in mourning robes grieved for the late Empress Dowager.
In the residence of the Left Prime Minister, Ji Wengji held a letter, reading it intently. After a while, his wife entered with a bowl of thick soup. They exchanged a smile.
Ji Wengji grasped his wife’s rough hand and smiled. “You’ve worked hard, my wife.”
“Is that a letter from Bo’an?” she asked gently.
“Yes,” Ji Wengji replied. “He caught a cold upon arriving in Qinzhou, delaying his correspondence. But he’s better now and wanted to ease my worries.”
“You should rest,” he urged. “Don’t overexert yourself.”
“I couldn't sleep,” she replied. “Last year, when I visited the palace, the Empress Dowager was so kind and amiable. I can hardly believe she’s gone.”
“Some will sleep even less soundly than you,” Ji Wengji said cryptically.
“Oh?”
He offered no explanation, his face betraying a sly smile. His wife, recognizing this look from their youth, leaned shyly against his shoulder like they used to do when young. “Will you tell me or not?”
Instead, Ji Wengji mused, “When one commits deeds—whether good or ill—what they fear most isn’t others finding out but having no one left to share in the memory.”
Puzzled, his wife said nothing more.
Sighing, Ji Wengji added, “The stars foretell more court suspensions. You’d best prepare for cooking both our meals.”
Emperor Zhao Fu’s grief led to five days of court suspension. When those days ended, his melancholy deepened, causing him to fall ill.
This “holiday” extended to half a month.
Tang Shen, being in Youzhou, naturally had no knowledge of these events. However, the empress dowager's passing inevitably affected officials like him stationed far from the capital. Originally, the Youzhou governor, Ji Zhaosi, had planned to host a banquet to welcome Tang Shen and Su Wenyun. But with the empress dowager's death, no official dared to hold celebratory banquets.
It wasn’t until April that Ji Zhaosi finally hosted a banquet at the prefectural yamen to entertain Su Wenyun and Tang Shen.
As a fourth-rank official, Ji Zhaosi’s influence was limited. His position was less prestigious compared to Tang Shen’s previous role as a fifth-rank chamberlain recording the emperor's daily life. Ji Zhaosi had no direct ties to the Youzhou Army or the Silver Pull Division. Previously, Youzhou’s officials only needed to curry favor with the army, but with the establishment of the Silver Pull Division, Ji Zhaosi found himself caught between two powerful factions.
When he met Su Wenyun and Tang Shen, Ji Zhaosi greeted them with an ingratiating smile. “This lower official, Ji Zhaosi, greets the esteemed Vice Minister of Works and the Honorable Attendant Secretary of the Palace Secretariat.”
Both took their seats as Ji Zhaosi poured wine for them.
Su Wenyun chuckled lightly. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this banquet, Ji daren.”
Hearing this, Tang Shen cast Su Wenyun a glance.
Ji Zhaosi, quick-witted, replied, “I had long planned to host you, daren, but the Empress Dowager’s passing was sudden. Overwhelmed with grief, I had no heart for banquets and devoted myself to mourning her.”
Both Tang Shen and Su Wenyun were prominent figures close to the emperor. Ji Zhaosi’s words were carefully crafted, not in hopes of their praise, but to avoid inadvertently offending them.
At the banquet, Ji Zhaosi warmly introduced the dishes. “Daren, you must try our local delicacies. I hear Tang daren is from Gusu, where the cuisine differs greatly from the north. Even within the north, Youzhou has its unique flavors. This roast lamb, for instance...”
Tang Shen gazed at the dish and murmured, “My senior brother enjoys this very much.”
Ji Zhaosi’s eyes lit up. “Does Minister Wang enjoy Youzhou’s roast lamb? I had no idea. When the minister visited Youzhou years ago, he was too busy for me to meet him. I’ve always regretted it.”
Su Wenyun interjected disdainfully, “Tang daren seems very knowledgeable about Wang daren.”
Tang Shen glanced at him. “My senior brother and I share a deep bond.”
With a meaningful smirk, Su Wenyun retorted, “A deep bond, you say? Speaking of which, isn’t Wang daren already 29 this year and still unmarried?”
Fury flashed in Tang Shen’s eyes as he set down his chopsticks and coldly said, “Su daren, slandering someone behind their back is unbecoming.”
Su Wenyun sneered, “Slandering? Hardly.”
Ji Zhaosi, alarmed, watched as the two exchanged barbs, their argument escalating. Eventually, the meal ended in discord. As they left, Su Wenyun remarked to Ji Zhaosi, “The banquet was splendid; the company, less so.” With that, he stormed off.
Tang Shen, on the other hand, simply said, “Ji daren, I’ll take my leave.”
Left alone, Ji Zhaosi was thoroughly bewildered. His head throbbed as he muttered to himself, “Could the rumors be true? Su Feiran and Tang Jingze have always been at odds, and the Wang and Su factions are indeed rivals. Had I known, I wouldn’t have invited them together! But if I had hosted one before the other, would I not risk offending the other party?”
That night, Tang Shen’s room remained dark. Outside, Lu Shen stood guard with his sword.
Before retiring, Tang Shen had instructed him, “I’ve drank tonight. General Lu, I entrust the night watch to you.”
Furious, Lu Shen glared at him but had no choice but to comply.
The night was silent, with only a few scattered stars. As Lu Shen dozed slightly off with eyes half closed, he was suddenly alerted by a faint rustling. Drawing his sword, he swung at the intruder—a dark-clad Su Wenyun, who narrowly avoided the strike, losing a lock of hair in the process.
“Outrageous!” Su Wenyun admonished.
Lu Shen, disliking civil officials in general, pretended not to recognize him and prepared to strike again.
“Enough,” Tang Shen’s voice called from the doorway.
Reluctantly, Lu Shen lowered his sword.
Tang Shen instructed, “General Lu, fetch me some water from the well. Go alone, and make sure no one sees you.”
Lu Shen hesitated before obeying.
Once Lu Shen was gone, Su Wenyun entered the room, immediately confronting Tang Shen. “You knew I’d come tonight and still posted that menace outside?”
Tang Shen replied calmly, “General Lu is here to protect me. Where’s the fault in that?”
“Don't play dumb, Tang Jingze!”
Tang Shen’s expression darkened as he slammed the table. “Su Wenyun, if you’re here to play games, keep my senior brother out of it. You may disagree with his politics, but I won’t allow you to tarnish his reputation. Not in front of me, not anywhere.”