“Of course.” The moment Nalan Xuan said it, the Empress Dowager visibly relaxed, even the grip of her hands upon his sleeve loosening considerably. “He is alive, though his life has hardly been an easy one.”
The Empress Dowager lowered her head as though recalling Feng Xuanzhe’s face, her expression seeming both relieved and pained. “I know. I know all of it… I was useless. I couldn’t help him. I raised a tiger only for it to turn on us and actually brought up such a rebellious son. Brothers fighting one another, flesh and blood slaughtering flesh and blood—how utterly ruthless!”
At that, Nalan Xuan truly could not suppress his amusement. Feng Xuanyi, how pitiful can you be? Even your own birth mother regards you with contempt and condemns you for your ruthlessness and for turning against your own blood. You truly are remarkable! What a prodigy! Come to think of it, losing back then to someone so cold-blooded and heartless that even his closest kin could be discarded like worn-out shoes doesn’t seem quite so unjust after all.
“How could Your Majesty be unable to help him? You may rarely move about the harem or maintain contact with your maternal relatives, but the power of your family and the influence you once possessed have hardly diminished from what they were before.” Nalan Xuan found himself a comfortable place and sat down, showing not the slightest awareness that doing so violated palace hierarchy and etiquette. “Or perhaps I should say that if even Your Majesty is unwilling to help Feng Xuanzhe now, then he truly has nowhere left to turn.”
The Empress Dowager’s initial joy and excitement gradually subsided. She might have lost her composure for a moment, but she had once fought her way through years of intrigue among countless men and women to preserve her position as empress and eventually become the Empress Dowager she was today. Open conflict, hidden schemes, deceit, and betrayal never changed from dynasty to dynasty. She forced herself to calm down. The warmth in her gaze slowly receded, and when she looked at Nalan Xuan again, there was considerably more suspicion and vigilance in her eyes.
“You are the empress? The empress personally appointed by Feng Xuanyi?” It was phrased as a question, but the Empress Dowager’s tone was certain.
“Yes.” Nalan Xuan had no intention of concealing it, nor was there any need. It was simply the truth, and there was nothing to dispute.
Seeing him admit it so openly, the Empress Dowager’s guarded gaze remained skeptical, though a trace of admiration joined it. “You are Feng Xuanyi’s empress, yet you come here to tell me that Zhe’er is still alive, and even want me to help him. Do you expect me to believe that? If this succeeds, the throne changes hands. Your own honor and position are at stake.” She fell into thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke with certainty. “Feng Xuanyi sent you here to test me, didn’t he?”
“There are three things Your Majesty should note. First, I am not asking you to help him. I am merely informing you that he is alive—and that he is actually quite close to you. At this very moment, he is in the imperial capital. I came only to offer you a suggestion. Whether you choose to act is entirely up to you. I have no intention whatsoever of involving myself in your decision or influencing it.” Faced with the Empress Dowager’s suspicion and wariness, Nalan Xuan answered at an unhurried pace, entirely at ease.
“Second, this has nothing to do with my personal honor or disgrace. If the throne were to change hands, I might actually be rather pleased to see it happen. As for why, I don’t believe I need to explain that to you in detail. Whether you believe me is likewise none of my concern. As I’ve already said, do as you please.”
“And third, if Feng Xuanyi really had sent me here to test you, do you think Feng Xuanzhe would still be alive right now?” Seeing the Empress Dowager tense and about to interrupt, Nalan Xuan smilingly cut her off. “Rest assured, Your Majesty. At least for now, Feng Xuanyi still doesn’t know that Feng Xuanzhe is so close at hand, so he remains relatively safe. Whether he discovers it later is another matter. If he happens to find out, what sort of fate do you think a powerless Feng Xuanzhe will meet? I’m afraid that won’t be for me to decide.”
Every sentence struck directly at the Empress Dowager’s heart, each word leaving her terrified. Her brows remained tightly drawn. Her vigilance and suspicion had not disappeared, but the thought that she might have no choice except to gamble had already taken root. “Who exactly are you?”
“I told you. That isn’t important. I’ve said everything I came to say, and I’ve delivered the news I came to bring. What you choose and what you do from here are entirely Your Majesty’s decision.” Nalan Xuan rose and gave a crisp bow. “This humble subject takes his leave.”
The Empress Dowager watched the empress who had appeared without warning for reasons she could not comprehend and then departed just as abruptly. Her hands clenched tightly into fists at her sides. Surrounded front and back by his grand procession, the man seated upon the phoenix palanquin leisurely disappeared without saying another word. Her initial joy and excitement gradually cooled and solidified into wariness and uncertainty, until at last they transformed into a cold smile.
Feng Xuanyi, oh Feng Xuanyi. You calculated everything, schemed against your own brothers, even defied your imperial father’s decree and deposed an empress without cause. And now the empress you chose so carefully is single-mindedly trying to drag you down from the throne you dreamed about for so long. How laughable! How richly deserved! Don’t blame your mother for refusing to choose you back then. The truth is that you were never suited to be emperor at all. Even the people closest to you are longing for the day you’re finally thrown off that throne!
Feng Xuanzhe, the late emperor’s legitimate eldest son—he is the one everyone should have chosen!
When the empress had gone and no sound came from within, the loyal maid hurried into the hall to see what had happened. To her shock, the Empress Dowager, who usually passed entire days expressionless and could scarcely be bothered to speak, now looked bloodthirsty and almost ferocious. The curve of her lips seemed like the opening note of war, while the crimson light in her eyes carried the scent of an approaching storm of blood.
“Your… Your Majesty?” the maid called tentatively, trembling.
“Today, as always, I spent the day praying before the Buddha. No one came to the Empress Dowager’s palace, and no one left. Do you understand?” The Empress Dowager turned and knelt once more upon the prayer cushion before the Buddha. This time, however, she did not resume passing the beads through her fingers as she ordinarily did. Instead, she pressed her palms together before her chest and bowed deeply three times before the Buddha before speaking coldly, making the maid flinch.
“Yes.” The maid did not know what had happened to the normally mild and compliant Empress Dowager today. Ever since the empress left, there had been something about her that made one’s skin crawl. But the maid understood what she meant: everyone in the Empress Dowager’s palace was to keep their mouths shut about the empress’s visit and pretend it had never happened.
“Master, Lord Mo came just now with a message from His Majesty. His Majesty will be coming to Fengyi Palace for the midday meal.” Nalan Xuan had barely stepped through the doors of Fengyi Palace when Xiao Jiu eagerly hurried up to him, smiling obsequiously as he offered a cup of tea with both hands.
Nalan Xuan accepted the tea and took a small sip. “All right. Have the Imperial Kitchen prepare for it. His Majesty said yesterday that the White Jade Pork Trotters were good, so have them prepared again today.”
“Yes.” Xiao Jiu bent slightly and cautiously studied Nalan Xuan’s expression before probing, “Master seems to be in a good mood today. Did something pleasant happen?”
Nalan Xuan lowered his eyes and glanced at Xiao Jiu, his expression impossible to read. “Whether anything pleasant happened to me is another matter. As for all of you, today is the day the monthly stipends are distributed, yet you can actually stand here so patiently. Enough. Stop lingering in front of me. You and He Xiang can go collect everyone’s monthly silver for the palace.”
“Yes, this servant obeys.” Xiao Jiu answered readily, now even more certain that the empress really was in a good mood today. After acknowledging the order, he darted out of the room and raced off after his monthly stipend.
“Has He Xiang returned yet?”
“Replying to Master, not yet.” Ji Yu was the only person left beside Nalan Xuan now.
“All right. The rest of you may withdraw. I’m tired. If He Xiang returns, come tell me.” With that, Nalan Xuan headed directly toward the inner chamber.
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