Chapter 1363 - 1290: Pleading for Mercy
When Tuoba Yilu discovered that Tuoba Liuxiu was nowhere to be seen, he immediately dragged Liu Kun along to request an audience with Zhao Hanzhang.
Inside Deyang Palace, Zhao Hanzhang had just finished talking with Tuoba Liuxiu when she heard the commotion outside the door.
Lai Qing ran in dripping with cold sweat, knelt, and said, "Your Majesty, Governor Liu and the King of Dai request an audience."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded to show she understood, not in any hurry. Softening her expression, she said to Tuoba Liuxiu, "Do you wish to leave the palace to rest, or remain in the palace and wait for the banquet?"
The palace banquet would begin at 7 p.m., but entry inspections started at 5 p.m. There was only half an hour left before 5 p.m.; that was just enough time for him to go back and change into a different set of clothes.
Tuoba Liuxiu did not observe as many rites as the Han people, so he said, "I wish to remain in the palace."
Zhao Hanzhang then said to Lai Qing, "Lead the Eldest Prince out through the rear, escort him to a side hall to rest, and see that he is not slighted."
Tuoba Liuxiu rose, yet hesitated and did not go.
Zhao Hanzhang then stood up, patted his shoulder, and said, "Since your mother entrusted you to me before she died, I will certainly not fail her."
Tuoba Liuxiu’s eyes reddened; choking up, he bowed. "Yes, Aunt."
Only then did he withdraw with Lai Qing.
Zeng Yue blocked their way, his face set as he warned, "Governor Liu, King of Dai, Your Majesty is resting. No clamor is permitted in the palace!"
Liu Kun said, "We are here to seek an audience with Your Majesty. If you submit our request, how would we be making a clamor?"
Zeng Yue said, "Eunuch Lai has already gone to report. Now I ask you to step back three paces and wait quietly. If you continue to make a racket, I will drive you out of the palace."
It was the first time Tuoba Yilu had been treated with such disrespect; his face flushed with anger and he shouted, "You’re just a mere underling, bullying others on the strength of your master..."
Zhao Hanzhang opened the palace doors and came out, fixing Tuoba Yilu with a cold gaze. "King of Dai, are you dissatisfied with the head of my Imperial Guards, or dissatisfied with me?"
All the curses Tuoba Yilu had been about to hurl were cut off. He lowered his head to admit his fault. "In my panic I spoke rudely; I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness. Your Majesty, I have an urgent matter to report."
Liu Kun also hastened to plead on his behalf. "Your Majesty, the matter between the King of Dai and his son concerns the dignity of the state and the moral order under Heaven. I beg Your Majesty to allow him to present it."
Zhao Ming and Ji Yuan and several others, having changed clothes, hurried over. Seeing the situation, they were about to step forward, but Zhao Hanzhang gave them a slight shake of her head, glanced at Zeng Yue, then turned and walked back into the hall. "Come in."
Liu Kun let out a breath of relief and quickly pulled Tuoba Yilu along after her.
Zeng Yue stepped up to push the hall doors fully open, assigned four guards to go in to protect, and quietly sent someone to summon the scribes so they could enter and make a record.
Only then did he go forward to say to Zhao Ming and the others, "Please wait for a while in the side hall, Excellencies."
Zhao Ming had originally planned to go to the inner palace to assist Fu Tinghan once he’d changed; he had not expected to be discussing affairs with Zhao Hanzhang at this moment, and had only come because he heard the commotion.
He turned and asked Ji Yuan, "Is Your Majesty going to decide the business of Dai Country now?"
Would she not wait until after the palace banquet to make a decision?
Ji Yuan said, "Your Majesty is not in a hurry, but the King of Dai seems quite anxious. Your Majesty has always been one who dedicates herself to public duty and righteousness; naturally she will be anxious over what weighs upon the King of Dai."
Zhao Ming: ...
He silently went with Ji Yuan, Ming Yu, and the others to wait in the side hall.
Zhao Hanzhang’s face was grave; today was clearly her enthronement ceremony, yet she did not look the least bit happy.
This made Liu Kun and Tuoba Yilu, who had hoped to take advantage of her good mood to resolve their affairs, all the more uneasy.
There were now a few more people in the hall, but neither Liu Kun nor Tuoba Yilu paid them any mind; this was, after all, Deyang Palace, and Zhao Hanzhang had proclaimed herself emperor—she could not be without attendants at her side.
The guards all stood silently at their posts, inconspicuous; the scribes were even more so—a profession of invisibility, not only unable to draw the attention of the guest ministers in the great hall, but striving not even to attract the emperor’s notice.
Thus no one looked at the extra people. Lai Qing also quietly came in to stand at Zhao Hanzhang’s side, awaiting orders.
Zhao Hanzhang sat behind the imperial desk, calmly gazing at Tuoba Yilu and Liu Kun.
Liu Kun was the first to kneel, bowing his head and saying, "Your Majesty, Dai Country is a vassal state of our Hua Country. As the Sect Master, the suzerain has the duty to carry out moral instruction. Now in Dai Country such a heinous act as a son rebelling against his father, a son striking his father, has occurred. The suzerain cannot sit idly by."
Zhao Hanzhang turned to Tuoba Yilu. "King of Dai, is this so?"
Tuoba Yilu also knelt and tearfully poured out before Zhao Hanzhang the misdeeds of Tuoba Liuxiu from childhood to present—especially this time, when he had actually mobilized troops to seize his own father, and even sought to commit patricide and seize power, an act of monstrous rebellion.
When he spoke of Tuoba Liuxiu trying to strangle him, Tuoba Yilu wept in grief, overwhelmed with sorrow.
Liu Kun was a man of strong feeling; listening, his face filled with anger, and he joined Tuoba Yilu in weeping, saying to Zhao Hanzhang, "I beg Your Majesty to punish Tuoba Liuxiu severely."
Zhao Hanzhang asked, "I have heard that Tuoba Liuxiu had a fine steed he wished to present to me, but the King of Dai ordered him to give the horse to Tuoba Biyan instead. Is that true or not?"
Both Tuoba Yilu’s and Liu Kun’s sobbing paused. Liu Kun turned to glance at Tuoba Yilu, and had no choice but to speak for him. "Perhaps because the King of Dai had an even better gift he wished to offer Your Majesty."
Zhao Hanzhang nodded and continued, "Why did the King of Dai require Tuoba Liuxiu to kneel and pay homage to Tuoba Biyan? In this world, there is indeed the principle that a younger brother pays respect to an elder brother, but when have you ever heard of an elder brother bowing to a younger?"
Liu Kun could find no answer either; he could only remain silent, waiting for Tuoba Yilu to explain himself.
Tuoba Yilu chose to tell the plain truth. "I intend to have Tuoba Biyan invested as Princely Heir. The Princely Heir is foremost in rank; naturally Liuxiu must pay him homage."
"Investiture is the court’s prerogative and obligation," Zhao Hanzhang said. "The court has not agreed to invest Tuoba Biyan as Princely Heir."
Tuoba Yilu said, "I am satisfied only with Tuoba Biyan."
Zhao Hanzhang sighed and asked, "Even if you are displeased with him and humiliate him, he is your son. Whatever fault he has, let him bear it. But why did you put his mother to death?"
Tuoba Yilu knew that killing his wife was a crime, and he quickly said, "I have already deposed Yinalu Zao. She is no longer my wife."
Zhao Hanzhang’s expression remained stern. "What wicked deed did she commit that you had to depose her?"
Tuoba Yilu opened his mouth, stammering, "She did not show me respect."
Seeing that he could not say in what particular she had failed to respect him, Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes filled with disappointment.
Liu Kun was also deeply disappointed and could not help saying, "Brother, sister-in-law accompanied you from Shengle City to Ping City, sharing hardship with you through twenty years of storms. How can you depose her over a mere quarrel of words? This is unrighteous!"
Zhao Hanzhang struck a further blow, saying, "Lou Zao is Tuoba Liuxiu’s mother. You killed his mother—such a blood feud. As a son, are you asking him to avenge it, or not?"
"If he does not avenge it, he fails his duty as a son; if he does avenge it, then he is a rebellious son who kills his father." Zhao Hanzhang slammed the table hard and shouted angrily, "King of Dai, you are forcing your son into a state of unfilial and unrighteous conduct. Is that child your mortal enemy, that you should lay such a trap for him?"
In that moment Liu Kun understood why Zhao Hanzhang was inclined toward Tuoba Liuxiu. Laid out thus, Tuoba Yilu was indeed failing in his duties as husband and as father.
On hearing this, Tuoba Yilu hurried to defend himself. "Your Majesty, Yinalu Zao was not killed by me. She was killed by Kuzuhun Shun."