Chapter 136 - 117: A Femme Fatale for a Befuddled Emperor
The Emperor complained bitterly all night long.
He was full of unfulfilled ambitions. After ascending the throne and ruling for several years, he’d thought his greatest obstacle and enemy would be his elder brother, Xielou. But Xielou had decisively washed his hands of politics, feigning incompetence and staying far from the court’s strife. It was the ministers, instead, who refused to serve him, constraining him at every turn.
This was easy enough to understand.
A group of senior ministers, all interconnected by marriage, had been a unified bloc since the late Emperor’s reign. It wasn’t that they truly wanted the Emperor dead; they just wanted to reduce him to a figurehead and expand their own power.
This was especially true of the Ministers of Care the late Emperor had appointed, Zhang Mingci and Li Mingyu. The late Emperor had decreed that for any unresolved issue, he must consult these two men. When state affairs were critical, Zhang Mingci would wait in Qiankun Palace from dawn until nightfall, not daring to return home. Li Mingyu, who held multiple posts, was also a colossal figure in the court.
"On trivial matters, they obey me. But the moment an edict touches upon their interests, it’s impossible to pass."
...
"Sometimes I think they secretly believe the throne would be better off with my second elder brother, which is why they won’t listen to me."
"I don’t blame my second brother... Among the four of us, he and I actually had the best relationship. But I suppose that’s partly because he never saw me as a rival. Now that the succession is settled, it’s the perfect time for capable men to serve. I need his help, but he just stands idly by, content to be a carefree Prince for the rest of his life. I refuse to believe he doesn’t want to fulfill his ambitions at court. He’s just afraid I’m suspicious of him, that I want to get rid of him. But I’ve never, ever thought that."
Neither Jiang Xian nor the Emperor slept that night.
She lay in his arms, listening to him talk on and on.
’The first half of the night was all about his disobedient ministers. The second half was a special feature on Prince Xie.’
Jiang Xian came to a conclusion—
’Oh, Your Majesty, my heart aches for you. But your script? It’s still a love story about him.’
The Emperor, having vented to his heart’s content, grasped Jiang Yin Xian’s hands and whispered, "In the entire harem, I feel only you understand me. The Empress doesn’t like to hear me ramble, and the Noble Consort is always thinking about killing someone. Only Xian’er understands my predicament."
’It was like her system’s shop, which was actually full of deadly poisons.’
’Use one, and a hole would appear that she’d have to fill herself.’
’She could wait until she gave birth to a son, poison the Emperor, and enjoy an easy, pain-free promotion to Empress Dowager.’
’But she was, at her core, a modern soul with a conception of criminal law. She was just like the Emperor in that way. He could have hardened his heart and slaughtered those powerful ministers, just as the Noble Consort suggested, but he hadn’t.’
"In the end, why did my Imperial Father choose me?"
"Of the four princes, I have only ever met you, Your Majesty. Forgive me, but I find it difficult to answer. If I were able to meet the other three Princes, perhaps I could venture a guess."
The Emperor was silent for a moment.
Jiang Xian said, "I forgot that concubines are not permitted to meet unrelated men. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
"I don’t blame you," the Emperor said gently. "But... only my second elder brother is still alive. I’m afraid it’s not possible for you to meet the others, Xian’er."
...
’The power struggles in your family business are seriously lethal.’
Jiang Xian thought for a moment. "It is not my place to comment on the late Emperor’s affairs, but if you insist on my opinion, I can offer two thoughts."
The Emperor told her to speak her mind.
"First, Your Majesty is magnanimous and willing to listen to others. You even give serious consideration to the humble opinions of a woman like me, so how much more so the ministers of your court? This shows you are not one to get carried away with power after ascending the throne."
"Second, you lament that you cannot bring yourself to ruthlessly eliminate the old ministers who oppose you. But perhaps the late Emperor saw this kindness in your nature and chose you precisely for it, believing you would treat your brothers well after taking the throne."
The Emperor said Jiang Xian understood him.
’In reality, Jiang Xian didn’t understand the mindset of a trust-fund kid in the slightest.’
’She was, however, somewhat familiar with the psychology of the "employees" working in the court. For one, she was just telling the "boss" what he wanted to hear. For another, she was looking at it from an outsider’s perspective, unconstrained by the era. Since the current Emperor hadn’t been the people’s choice, it made perfect sense that the late Emperor would have valued his reluctance to kill indiscriminately.’
Sure enough, her "boss" nodded along. "I have never entertained the thought of fratricide."
’People always want others to think the best of them, after all.’
※
The next day, after leaving Yizhu Pavilion, the Emperor established a study outside Qiankun Palace, naming it Qingliu Hall. He had a list of candidates in mind and sent men to investigate their backgrounds, ensuring none had ties to high-ranking court officials or aristocratic families. Only after a period of observation did he dare to employ them.
Publicly, it was merely a place for the Emperor to study poetry and literature.
Though it was called a study, the activities were less than formal. It was framed as a place of leisure, where the Emperor could find companions to compose poetry and engage in other refined, romantic pastimes.
The Emperor wanted study companions? Splendid! That very day, Zhang Mingci and Li Mingyu submitted their own lists of candidates, proclaiming that every person on them was exceptionally learned and capable, ready for the Emperor’s selection.
The Emperor accepted the lists with a smile and immediately excluded every name on them from consideration.
But things did not go as smoothly as the Emperor had hoped.
The Emperor wanted to study but wouldn’t choose their men. Did he no longer trust them? Was he really studying or was it a pretense? The ministers obstructed him at every turn on this matter, and the Emperor began to lose his patience. For two days, he was on the verge of erupting in the middle of the morning court session. As soon as court was dismissed, he would head straight for Yizhu Pavilion.
"It’s my own fault for being too diligent. Now they don’t believe I set up Qingliu Hall for leisure and recreation."
Jiang Xian replied, "You picked the wrong name, Your Majesty. You should have called it ’Turbid Stream Hall,’ or even ’Mudslide Hall.’"
The Emperor, who had been pacing, stopped in his tracks. "Xian’er, it wouldn’t sound very good if future history books recorded me discussing state secrets in ’Mudslide Hall.’"
’So, an Emperor who cares about his reputation,’ she thought.
Jiang Xian then asked, "In the eyes of your ministers, what kind of person is Your Majesty?"
The Emperor mulled it over for a moment and came up with two words.
"Magnanimous" and "diligent."
’It made sense, she mused. As a prince, he had stayed far away from the fight for the throne, not minding the minor losses he suffered at his brothers’ hands. The late Emperor had seen it all. After his ascension, he hadn’t been in a rush to purge his opponents either. Those who had supported his brothers were, at worst, transferred from their posts and lost their influence, but they kept their lives and official standing. In the court, backing the wrong side and still getting such a peaceful end was a sign of immense ancestral blessing.’
That was "magnanimous."
As for "diligent," few princes of the Heavenly Family weren’t. After taking the throne, he held morning court every single day and frequently worked late in Qiankun Palace—so late, in fact, that officials submitted memorials pleading for him to work less and visit the harem more in order to produce a legitimate heir.
How could anyone believe that such a diligent man would suddenly want to open Qingliu Hall just to eat, drink, and make merry?
’It just didn’t fit the Emperor’s public persona.’
’If anyone was to blame, it was the Emperor himself for being too much of an overachiever. When the king of the grind asks for a day off, you know something is up. The ministers must think he’s telling them he’s going to indulge in wine and pleasure, while secretly burning the midnight oil.’
"Has Your Majesty never done anything absurd?"
"The most absurd thing I’ve done since taking the throne is promoting you from the rank of concubine to your current high station in a single year."
The Emperor glanced back at her.
Jiang Xian cupped her hands in a mock salute. "How could that be absurd? Clearly, it was a display of Your Majesty’s divine wisdom and your discerning eye for a Beauty!"
"I know," he said. "And I don’t regret it."
"However,"
Jiang Xian’s tone shifted, and she broke into a dazzling smile. "Your words have given me some inspiration, Your Majesty. Since ancient times, it’s been said that a foolish ruler always has a siren by his side. If you want them to let their guard down, you need to establish the persona of a foolish ruler. And I am the perfect tool for the job. I am willing to lend my assistance to Your Majesty’s performance."