Tigers Sniff the Rose - Chapter 147

Chapter 147

The funeral bells rang out across the entire city. Before the sky even brightened, not a single minister or royal descendant could find sleep.

Throughout the night, the Prince of Jin had been summoned into the imperial palace by Liu Wenji.

While Liu Wenji ordered men to invite the Prince of Jin, seizing this fleeting opportunity, he simultaneously strangled the Emperor.

He did it with his own hands, unknown to all, leaving no trace.

After emerging from the Emperor's sleeping quarters, Liu Wenji set a fire and placed the blame for the arson on the self-slain former Crown Prince. A dead man, naturally, could not defend himself; even if it were said that he wanted to make one final, desperate struggle, there was no one who would not believe it.

If there is anyone to blame, it is the former Crown Prince himself.

Who told him to choose suicide the very moment after Liu Wenji sent word of the fate awaiting those closest to the Prince of Qin? Although the Emperor hated the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qin for their rebellion, they were both his sons, and he clearly did not want to kill his own flesh and blood.

Moreover, the Emperor had held back, leaving a path of retreat for the Crown Prince.

Therefore, on this night, the Crown Prince had to die, and the Emperor also had to die.

However, there were still some loose ends that needed to be cleaned up. Liu Wenji interrogated the commander of the imperial guards: "You say my master, the Grand Director of the Inner Palace, has gone missing?! Such a crucial matter, and you only report it to me now?"

The commander naturally knew that imperial palace affairs could now be said to be entirely under Liu Wenji’s control. Not wishing to offend this eunuch, he offered a fawning smile: "It was chaotic everywhere when the incident occurred, and we couldn't find Director Cheng for a moment. We will go and search again..."

Liu Wenji suppressed the unease in his heart and said in an eerie, ambiguous tone: "You must find him!"

He suspected that Cheng An had witnessed his actions and had escaped. But where could an old eunuch of forty or fifty, who had nearly lived out his life, possibly flee?

And even if he escaped, who would he turn to for justice?

Liu Wenji’s expression darkened: "Search not only within the palace but also outside. Cheng An colluded with the treasonous Crown Prince to murder His Majesty; he must not be spared!"

The commander of the imperial guards looked solemn.

Liu Wenji originally wanted to lecture him a bit more to let this man know the gravity of the situation, but a young eunuch whispered in his ear that the Prince of Jin had arrived, and Liu Wenji turned to welcome his more important guest.

Standing under the dim, grayish-white sky, the commander initially watched the eunuch walk away with respect, but once Liu Wenji's back was no longer visible, the commander spat in disdain and cursed: "A damn eunuch, daring to throw his weight around in front of me!"

The vice-commander whispered from the side: "But Director Liu told us to find that man..."

The commander replied dismissively: "Just look around casually; that will do. Is finding a person really such an important task? The new Emperor is about to ascend to the throne, and for us guards, what matters more is catering to the new ruler. Liu Wenji is nothing but a fart."

Everyone present deeply agreed.

—

When Liu Wenji hurried to the side hall of the Emperor’s sleeping quarters, he saw the Prince of Jin staring blankly at the half-burned palace.

The Prince of Jin’s eyes were filled with excitement, yet they also betrayed a dreamlike sense of anxiety.

Liu Wenji raised his whisk, a faint smile on his lips, and bowed respectfully: "I have waited long for Your Majesty."

The Prince of Jin turned to look at him, dazed. He watched blankly as Liu Wenji led the other eunuchs to bow to him, yet his mind was so muddled that he still felt Liu Wenji's "Your Majesty" referred to his late father.

Only when Liu Wenji smiled at him did the Prince of Jin snap back to reality in a fright, hastily helping Liu Wenji up: "No, no! Director Liu, was my father truly murdered by the treasonous Crown Prince? But father did not pass the throne to me."

He looked around nervously, pulling Liu Wenji into a corner to whisper: "Didn't you say that father had never considered me?"

Liu Wenji felt nothing but contempt for this spineless wretch.

But he replied with feigned seriousness: "What does it matter if there is no last will? His Majesty had only three sons. The treasonous Crown Prince has been put to death, and the Prince of Qin has been demoted for rebellion; only you, Your Highness, remain. Does anyone else even have a choice?

"Even if you announce your ascension at the early court session tomorrow morning, none of the ministers will dare to make things difficult for you."

The Prince of Jin still hesitated.

Liu Wenji raised his head and declared loudly: "Moreover, I will support you!

"I asked you to enter the palace early tonight precisely to discuss your ascension and to help you deal with those troublesome ministers. With my assistance, you can rest easy."

Liu Wenji’s tone deepened as he added: "Have you truly never desired this throne?"

The Prince of Jin was stunned.

Then, he said slowly: "I... I have always wanted it."

He had dreamed of being Emperor his entire life.

But his two older brothers were too formidable, pressing his spine lower and lower with each passing year. In order to survive as a prince under their heavy pressure, he had forced himself to become a man who ignored everything and kept a low profile.

In his early years, he had quietly expressed his ambitions to his mother, but in recent years, he had stopped speaking of them. He felt increasingly hopeless, feeling more and more that the throne could never be his.

Could he compare to the Prince of Qin’s power, or the Crown Prince’s cunning?

He could only endure and wait... and yet, one day! This throne had actually fallen from the sky right onto his head!

It was as lucky as a pie falling from the heavens!

The Prince of Jin snapped out of his unreal, dazed state, grabbed Liu Wenji’s hand, and revealed an excited expression: "Help me, Director Liu! To sit firmly on this throne, I cannot do without your help. I will never forget your kindness, and I will certainly not live up to your high expectations."

He was already referring to himself as "Zhen" (the imperial "I") so quickly, his ambition beginning to swell.

Liu Wenji sneered inwardly, though his face remained filled with the sweet words he always used to hoodwink this man—compared to the Emperor, the Crown Prince, or even the Prince of Qin, this Prince of Jin was the easiest to manipulate.

A wastrel sitting on the throne—that was exactly what Liu Wenji wanted.

—

Although he had Liu Wenji’s guarantee, having been suppressed by the Crown Prince and Prince of Qin for years, the Prince of Jin remained insecure.

At the court session the next day, Liu Wenji pushed the Prince of Jin toward the throne. Once Liu Wenji had propped him up there, the Prince of Jin looked down, feeling a wave of dizziness.

So the Emperor's seat was this hard, and the Emperor’s line of sight was this high. The Prince of Jin tensed his body, forcing himself to look down; his back was soaked with sweat, and he felt every minister was coldly measuring and examining him.

Everyone was judging whether he was qualified.

A tremendous surge of anger rose in the Prince of Jin’s heart, yet he dared not express it. He had lived through his father's era and knew best how formidable these ministers were.

Every official in the court was scrutinizing him, perhaps even wondering if a collateral royal descendant would be a better choice... Liu Wenji gave the Prince of Jin a nudge from the side, and he finally shook off his stupor.

The Prince of Jin forced a stiff smile, as if trying to curry favor with these ministers: "I... I shall govern the world alongside you all and will certainly not disappoint my late father’s love. I am still young and somewhat unfamiliar with certain administrative matters, so I ask for your guidance.

"But please, rest assured! I will surely make Great Wei even stronger in my hands."

The Prince of Jin had been bracing for these ministers to refuse to acknowledge his imperial status, but to his surprise, they did not make things difficult for him, turning instead to discuss how the late Emperor had died, why the treasonous Crown Prince had taken such a risk, and how the funeral should be handled.

The Prince of Jin was dazed.

Prime Minister Liu reminded him: "Your Majesty, the court is not a place for daydreaming."

The Prince of Jin quickly agreed, adopting a very composed and proper attitude.

Seeing that he looked the part, the ministers said little more—what else could they do? He was the only legitimate son remaining. Would they kick the rightful heir out and replace him with an adopted one?

That would throw the entire world into chaos.

—

The Prince of Jin had not yet officially ascended the throne; that would wait until the following spring to be formally announced to the world. But with the state leaderless, he had been placed on the throne and had begun to handle affairs.

The matter of the Crown Prince and Prince of Qin’s rebellion had yet to be fully resolved, and this was the very first task the Prince of Jin had to address after his rise.

On his first day of holding court, the sky was gray and drizzling.

When Yan Shang returned from court, although he held an umbrella, half of his wide robes were soaked through by the time he entered his residence. He had just sat down in his room to drink a cup of hot tea when Mu Wanyao pushed the door open.

Mu Wanyao: "How did it go?"

In the heat of July, Yan Shang sat by the window, wringing the water from his robes. Hearing this, he looked up and retorted: "What do you mean, how did it go?"

Mu Wanyao sat beside him, shooting a glare at his unhurried demeanor, and frowned with dissatisfaction: "Naturally, I mean the new Emperor."

How the new Emperor fared concerned the future leverage for her and Yan Shang. She was so anxious she couldn't sleep, yet Yan Shang was in no hurry at all.

Yan Shang arched his brow slightly, weighing how to speak: "A new sovereign brings new courtiers. The new Emperor is naturally different from your late father, and the ministers all need to adapt. This process will take at least half a year. It is too early to say what kind of ruler he will be."

Mu Wanyao understood: "It must be that you can’t see any talent in him, which is why you have nothing to say, right? I told you long ago, this fifth brother of mine is a wastrel; he’s unlikely to have any real methods. Look at you, making excuses for him for so long, and you still can’t find anything good to say."

She became lost in thought: "I heard that the night father passed, the Prince of Jin entered the palace. It must have been Liu Wenji's idea... Liu Wenji is just dying to show his loyalty. From now on, we will no longer be the most favored people in the Emperor’s eyes."

Yan Shang turned his head and covered his mouth, coughing softly before saying: "We never were to begin with. Let us just do what we are supposed to do; there is no need to worry about the rest."

Seeing him cough, Mu Wanyao immediately reached out to hold his hand. Upon feeling his icy-cold skin, she grew anxious: "Why are your hands so cold again? You haven’t fully recovered, yet you insist on attending court. You really don't take your health seriously!"

Yan Shang gently soothed her: "Since the new Emperor is handling affairs for the first time, I must keep an eye on things. Don't you want to see how he does as well? Hm... cough, cough."

He tried to suppress the cough in his throat, but failed. As he coughed, Mu Wanyao's expression changed.

She stared at him, suddenly saying: "Take a leave of absence."

Yan Shang sighed helplessly: "Yaoyao! The late Emperor has just passed, and the new Emperor has just ascended; the Ministry of Personnel is at its busiest. As ministers, we must assist the ruler in sorting these matters out. How can I think of taking a leave just because of some minor aches and pains?"

Mu Wanyao said coldly: "Do you intend to request the leave yourself, or should I go into the palace and ask the Emperor for you? In any case, as a princess who holds sway over the court, if I want to request a leave for you, our new Emperor will likely be more than happy to oblige."

Yan Shang was speechless for a moment.

After a long while, he said: "Then I will take two days off."

Mu Wanyao raised an eyebrow: "A month."

Yan Shang: "..."

Yan Shang chuckled, held Mu Wanyao, and explained gently: "Yaoyao, I cannot rest like that. The court is currently in chaos, leaderless, and the new Emperor has no prestige. Whenever this happens, demons and monsters will emerge.

"I cannot leave the court at such a time."

Mu Wanyao muttered: "You aren’t even the Prime Minister; let them all go to hell."

Yan Shang’s voice remained soft: "One who eats the ruler’s stipend must be loyal to the ruler’s affairs."

Mu Wanyao was anxious and angry, but she knew he was not a man who could be idle, reading books or visiting friends. She had no choice but to accept it.

As for Mu Wanyao, she couldn't remain idle either. After the Prince of Qin’s defeat, she had seized power in the Ministry of War and was using the chaos to quickly appoint her own people to positions of power.

Only by having her own strength could she stand against the new Emperor.

—

During the transition between the old and new courts, at a time when no one could spare the attention, Yan Xiaozhou went to the prison to visit Yang Si.

Originally, because the former Crown Prince had committed suicide, Liu Wenji wanted to frame the treasonous Crown Prince for murdering the late Emperor. He expected no one in court to object, but unexpectedly, Yan Shang was the first to challenge the claim.

In the Great Wei court, titles of the first and second ranks were empty roles, possessing prestige but no real power. Third-rank officials were of the Prime Ministerial level, while fourth and fifth-rank officials could attend court daily and hold a seat of influence.

Moreover, Yan Shang was not only a Director in the Ministry of Personnel, but also the head of the current scholar-official faction.

His questioning naturally carried considerable weight: "The former Crown Prince has already admitted to his crimes, and when the late Emperor questioned him while he was still alive, the Crown Prince did not deny them. He was already imprisoned in the Eastern Palace; how could he have the military force to rebel again and murder the late Emperor?

"The former Crown Princess, who came out of the Eastern Palace, said the Prince committed suicide to plead for mercy for her and the others. A man who wanted to protect his loved ones—would he go out of his way to continue rebelling? Who would listen to him? Was he truly that all-powerful?"

The new Emperor sat on the throne, nervously listening to Yan Er-lang's questioning, his scalp tingling as he glanced at Liu Wenji from the corner of his eye.

Liu Wenji, also in the court, looked at Yan Shang with a sinister smile: "The Crown Prince rebelled once, so he dared to do it a second time. Why does Director Yan think he wouldn't? Could it be that you are secretly colluding with him? How do you know he wasn’t all-powerful?"

Yan Shang said gently: "If he were truly powerful to that extent, why would he set fire to the Eastern Palace? Why would he plead for mercy? If he were truly that capable, what need would there be for any of us?"

He was always gentle and indirect in his speech.

Wei Shu, who rarely spoke in court, suddenly chimed in: "If the Crown Prince were truly that capable, he would be the one sitting on the throne right now, and His Majesty and we would not need to discuss how to dispose of his descendants."

Liu Wenji gnashed his teeth, unable to retort for a long time: "..."

The new Emperor’s face turned pale at Wei Shu’s bluntness.

Although the new Emperor didn't see it, Liu Wenji was becoming vigilant. He felt that Yan Shang represented the scholars, and Wei Shu represented the rising power of the aristocratic families... If these two factions joined forces, wouldn't he lose his voice in the court?

Yan Shang was no longer the Yan Shang of the past.

He had to prevent Yan Shang from growing too powerful.

With these three factions fighting in court, the new Emperor watched without fully understanding, only daring to mumble and avoid making any rash decisions.

—

To prevent the aristocratic families and the scholars from joining forces, Liu Wenji privately pressured Censor Zhao, wanting Wei Shu to marry Censor Zhao’s daughter, Zhao Lingfei. The aristocrats should join forces with the eunuchs to squeeze the scholars out first.

But Liu Wenji could only resort to such tactics, as he could not explain the connection between the late Emperor’s death and the Crown Prince.

The details were murky.

The ministers led by Yan Shang couldn't find evidence, and Liu Wenji couldn't provide any concrete proof. Fortunately, Yan Shang was of a gentle nature and didn't hold such deep feelings for the late Emperor; when the new Emperor privately persuaded him to let the matter go, Yan Shang stared at him for a moment, making the new Emperor feel uncomfortable, but Yan Shang ultimately agreed.

Yan Shang only managed to secure one thing for the Crown Prince—

That the crimes would not extend to his wife and children.

The Yang clan should be demoted, but not executed.

Although Yang Si had rebelled, he had been deceived by the Crown Prince, and his crimes did not warrant death.

The new Emperor approved Yan Shang’s proposal, exiling the Yang clan to Liaodong, while for Yang Si, he was sent to the Jiannan frontier to work as a laborer and conscript soldier.

In short, Yang Si’s life was spared.

—

On the day Yang Si was sent away, Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang went to see him off.

Following Yan Shang was his younger sister, Yan Xiaozhou.

Following Mu Wanyao was Zhao Lingfei. Censor Zhao wanted to cut ties with the Yang clan and refused to come, so Zhao Lingfei had snuck out on her own.

Dressed in prison garb, shackled and chained, his hair disheveled, Yang Si was silent and quiet. He didn't even look at Yan Shang and his wife. Mu Wanyao looked at him, feeling a deep ache in her heart.

Yan Shang stepped forward, gave the guards some silver, and asked them to step aside to give them space to talk.

After the guards moved away, Yan Shang gazed at Yang Si, who kept his eyes down and refused to look at them, and whispered: "Rest assured, your father has been exiled to Liaodong, but he hasn’t left yet. He is old, and I will do my best to lobby for the Yang clan. They were merely implicated and were not deeply involved in the rebellion. Their punishment is lighter than yours; after a few years of labor and settling down, we will have a chance to meet again."

Yang Si said nothing.

Yan Shang continued: "The Crown Princess has been taken away by her family. Before she left, she asked me to deliver a message to you. She said it was from the Crown Prince."

A ripple passed through Yang Si’s expressionless eyes. He looked up at Yan Shang, his lips trembling.

After a long while, Yang Si asked hoarsely: "Brother Lang, what message did he leave for me?"

Mu Wanyao stepped forward and looked at Yang Si, saying softly: "No matter what people in court say, no one can provide evidence. I don't know what is true, but the Crown Princess said the Crown Prince used the dagger you gave him when you were a child to end his own life.

"He left you a message—'Chengzhi, go and become the person you want to be. Become an eagle in the sky and fly out of Chang'an. Do not be influenced by me; do not let me bind you.'"

Chengzhi, Chengzhi.

Yang Si’s courtesy name was "Chengzhi." Before he even reached adulthood, the Crown Prince had given it to him out of affection.

The Crown Prince had wanted him to marry the daughter of the Youzhou Jiedushi (regional commander), but now that he was a criminal, he wouldn't need to.

In the end, the Crown Prince called him "Chengzhi," returning all that he had given him—that eagle in the sky should just go to the sky. Do not stay for the mortal world; do not be bound by worldly attachments.

Yang Si listened blankly, the light in his eyes flickering like sparks. He murmured a few words and chuckled softly.

He said to Yan Shang and Mu Wanyao: "Thank you."

Yan Xiaozhou watched him quietly, hoping he might have something to say to her. If he said just one word, she would take a step forward.

But Yang Si did not.

In front of Yan Shang, Yang Si didn't take a single extra step.

Yang Si turned and walked toward the officials. Zhao Lingfei sobbed, "Cousin," and lowered her head to wipe her tears. Her heart was filled with grief; she thought of the cousin who had led her to play since childhood, the cousin who said he wanted to be an eagle... why did it end like this?

Mu Wanyao called out from behind: "Third Brother Yang!"

Yang Si’s back stiffened, but he did not look back.

Mu Wanyao’s voice was choked: "I have had people fetch your father from the dungeon; don't you want to see him?"

Yang Si kept his spine straight. Without turning, he strode forward: "An unfilial son has implicated his family; I have no face to meet the old man. There is no need—"

The guards waited for Yang Si, bowed to the nobles, and led him away in chains.

But at the gate of Chang'an City, a carriage arrived at high speed. Yang’s father, dressed in coarse clothes, was driven off the carriage by the officials. Mu Wanyao immediately went to nod at the father, pointing the way: "He has gone—"

Yang’s father gazed out, seeing his son’s figure being dragged away by the officials, appearing wretched in the sunset. He was anxious, so Mu Wanyao lent him a horse. The officials tried to block him, but Yan Shang waved for them to step back.

However, how could a criminal leave Chang'an, and how could he implicate the Princess and her husband?

Yang’s father chased for only a few yards on horseback before stopping. Standing in the outskirts, watching his son’s desolate figure, the father was filled with grief and cried out loudly—

"Third Son! Third Son—" The times are difficult, and as a father, I don't know what to say. I do not blame you; you have done nothing wrong, and the Yang family does not blame you. You are upright and loyal; what is wrong with that?

"I only blame us for raising you too well!"

The father wept bitterly: "Third Son, Third Son! I wanted to make you do evil, but evil cannot be done; I wanted to make you do good, but I have done no evil, yet I have fallen to this end. Third Son, only blame the times for being difficult; you are still the best of the Yang family, still my good son!

"When there is an opportunity, your mother and I will come to see you! Our family will surely be reunited; we will be reunited—"

From afar, Yang Si turned his head, his eyes brimming with tears, looking at the people seeing him off. The sunset was blood-red, and all things seemed mournful. After so many years in Chang'an, every time he turned to leave, the only ones sending him off were these people.

Han Suxing, following behind Yan Shang, felt the grief of everyone. But he could not understand the meaning of Yang’s father’s words, so he asked Yan Er-lang.

Yan Shang gazed at Yang Si, who was looking back with tears in his eyes beneath the ridge, and explained in a low voice:

"I want to make you do evil, but evil cannot be done; I want to make you do good, but I have done no evil, yet I have fallen to this end."

"The meaning is: I wanted you to be a bad person, but doing evil is wrong; I wanted you to be a good person, but because I did not commit evil, I have met this fate."

Han Suxing was stunned: "What does that mean?"

Yan Shang could not continue, so Mu Wanyao answered: "It means that circumstances have forced us to this point; Third Brother Yang did nothing wrong.

"Han Suxing, all of us... have done nothing wrong. We are not evil people." It is just that in this world, nothing is clearly black and white; we spend our whole lives searching for our own place to stand...

Yan Shang finished with her: "We only ask to have a clear conscience."

Everyone was sad, save for Yan Xiaozhou, who remained quiet.

The girl looked into the distance, listening to her brother and sister-in-law, hearing the father’s weeping, and watching Yang Si’s tearful gaze. She thought back to that day of the torrential rain in Chang'an.

Back then, Yang Si could have killed her and Zhao Lingfei, but he walked away. He did not kill innocent people; he had principles. He simply chose that path.

Yan Xiaozhou suddenly felt a moment of heartache—a place to stand.

Had Yang Si found his place to stand?

As a... friend, an old acquaintance, should she help him?

This was not the end.

The fate of Third Brother Yang should not have been written so sloppily.