Chapter 23

Another morning dawned.

Though Nanzheng was not as affluent as the Eastern Capital, it served as the administrative seat of Xingyuan Prefecture. It was, after all, the place where Zhuge Liang had once established his command headquarters. Blessed with a favorable climate and situated at a vital transport hub, it was naturally more prosperous than other regions.

Thus, even before the hour of the rabbit, before the city gates had officially opened, a line had already formed, waiting to enter.

In most cases, those arriving this early were merchants, minor officials delivering dispatches, or laborers and peddlers living outside the walls. Certainly, no persons of high rank would be out this early suffering such grievances. Noblemen could sleep comfortably until the sun was high, eat a rich breakfast served by maids, and then bathe and dress at their leisure before boarding their carriages to travel slowly toward Nanzheng.

But today was different. The carriages outside the gates were already lined up. Some were old and dilapidated, others new and elegant; their occupants wore simple clothing, while others were dressed in finery.

Some sat in their carriages without speaking, listening to the clamor and noise outside. Others were particularly irritable; the moment they heard their driver greeting someone else, they would fling back the curtain and lash out, "You base slave! Why must you be so noisy?"

The driver of the neighboring carriage could not hold back, retorting with a chuckle, "We are all of the same station, official. Why must you demean others so?"

"What did you say?!" The eunuch thrust half his body out of the carriage, cursing, "You dog-like creatures, do you think you are worthy of being my equal?"

"I dare not. Though I am a lowly man, my legs are slow," the driver laughed. "Even if I had the heart to climb a higher branch, I lack the speed to do so!"

Laughter rippled through the gate area. Those carrying shoulder poles, pushing handcarts, or leading mules were all in high spirits. Only those inside the carriages sat with grim faces, silent.

Those base slaves! What did they know? If the Imperial Princess had died, who would have been willing to be buried with her? But since she was safe, everyone naturally had to return to manage her estate. They knew they would be mocked for returning after fleeing, but was being mocked more important than making money?

The mountains and fields personally granted by the Emperor were all hard-won by the brothers of the Western City Office. They belonged to the Princess in name, but in reality, they were theirs! If they called to those mountains, the mountains had to answer. If they demanded the fields grow melons, the fields dared not produce cabbage.

Their dreams of wealth, though briefly shattered, were being mended—what need was there for dignity? Besides, the Imperial Princess was just a foolish girl of twelve or thirteen. What did she know?

With a few sweet words and a few threats, they would have her weeping and cowering in Lingying Palace, obediently handing over this vast estate. From then on, life would be peaceful again!

The city gates opened.

Soldiers stood in two rows, checking the documents of those entering. The eunuchs had no need to worry about such things; their carriages were a golden signboard. Once inside the city, they would remain masters of all they surveyed.

Everything was as it had been.

On both sides of the road, shopkeepers removed their door panels, women emerged to splash water, street vendors hawked their steamed buns, and idlers sat lazily under trees, waiting for the breakfast stalls to open so they could buy a bowl of tofu pudding.

When these eunuchs had held sway in Nanzheng, this was the scene they saw every day. None felt anything was amiss. They did not notice the pointing fingers behind the door panels, the strange looks from the women splashing water, or the vendor who paused in his tracks to reveal a gloating smile.

Only the whispers of those waiting for tofu pudding drifted on the wind.

"Have you heard? In front of Lingying Palace..."

"They actually deployed the regional army?"

"Ah, those who betray their masters must be fierce and difficult to control!"

The driver seemed to hear this, though not clearly. He turned back to glance into the carriage.

The person inside was already asleep. His fat, white face showed signs of weariness, but a satisfied smile played at the corners of his mouth. These past few days, he had been like a startled bird, terrified. His brothers were the same, and those who had offered them vast sums of gold and silver to secure their positions—and their families—were all exhausted.

They had finally returned to Lingying Palace; they would never have to struggle again.

When a soldier grabbed his hair with an iron-like grip and dragged him from the carriage, his beautiful, sweet dream was only half-finished.

He did not even have time to scream before his round, robed body rolled into the dust.

"Princess, this is perhaps improper."

Zhao Luming glanced lightly at the Taoist official, who seemed to be sitting on a chair, though not very steadily.

"How is it improper?"

"Such a major affair—the eunuchs were merely overwhelmed and intended to ride post-haste to the capital to report to the Emperor. This is not betrayal!"

Peilan walked over, handed her a bowl of soup, and cast a glance at the mustachioed man, looking as if she longed to prick him with a few words.

The Princess lifted her eyelids slightly and gave her a look. Peilan pressed her lips together, straightened her face, and stepped back.

The mustachioed man was oblivious, continuing his chatter, "Furthermore, by custom, even if they were at fault, by what right does the county government treat them so rudely? If they are to be punished, they should be sent back to the capital to be dealt with by the Western City Office! Liu Jingwang is merely a commoner from a humble background who luckily obtained a post; how dare he be so bold as to disregard the Princess!"

He spoke with such righteous indignation that he almost believed it himself. True, true—the master was in danger, and this group had relied on their influence and ability to shift blame, abandoning their master and fleeing privately. That was bad. But the Princess hadn't died, had she? She was just a little girl; how could she have the brains to care about such trivial matters? It must have been Liu Jingwang who caused the trouble! It had to be!

The Imperial Princess took a spoonful of soup, and after a moment, nodded gently. "You are right."

The man was overjoyed. "The Princess is wise and discerning! Then please, quickly issue an order to have the eunuchs..."

"I am waiting for the official documents from the capital," she said.

The man was suddenly stunned.

"What documents?"

"The documents to escort them back to the capital for trial," the Princess stared at him without blinking. "Is this not what you were thinking, Taoist?"

How could it be the same thing?!

Li Weiyi almost jumped up! This girl was just foolish and ignorant, unaware that she was being used by the county magistrate! The low-level underlings who had followed the eunuchs to manage the estate had all been thrown into prison by the county sheriff. There was no need to cite "betrayal of a master"—they all had baskets full of rotten deeds on their backs. If not for the eunuchs shielding them, any one of them could have been sentenced to exile three thousand miles away without any difficulty.

But those who came from the palace were not supposed to be handled by a county magistrate. Even those of higher rank, like prefects or vice-prefects, would not dare to arrest eunuchs, let alone so many at once!

Yet, the eunuchs had been arrested by the sheriff, but not sent to the Nanzheng jail; they had been sent to Lingying Palace, bound tightly, and placed in solitary confinement. This was very subtle.

The Princess was the master of Lingying Palace and the nominal owner of these eunuchs. Unless an imperial decree arrived, she could punish a eunuch however she pleased. The palace had always been a place that devoured people. Even during the night of the Renzong Emperor’s fright, the screams of a palace maid whose arm had been severed were brushed off with the excuse that "a lady-in-waiting was disciplining a maid." One could imagine the intensity of such "discipline."

If the magistrate was planning to goad the Princess into using that level of "discipline," and they had to wait for imperial documents to arrive before releasing them... how many days would it take to go from Hanzhong to Kaifeng? Would those traitorous slaves even be alive by then?!

If they were dead, would his own share of the spoils be secure?

Absurd, too absurd!

Li Weiyi’s anger burned, and the words of rebuke and instruction almost slipped out, but the Princess suddenly shifted her sitting posture.

That face was still the face of a thirteen-year-old girl, her features not yet fully matured, but her expression was not that of a child.

She was staring at him, with a cold, intrigued gaze, as if waiting for him to continue—to go on!

The magistrate and the sheriff were indeed safe. Li Weiyi had been one step slower than the others, but he had also immediately sent people to pursue his own memorial, believing he was safe, that he had reached the shore.

Under that cold gaze, Li Weiyi’s forty-plus years of experience in reading people and bowing to power suddenly returned to him. He was no longer the arrogant Taoist official; he knew how to advance and retreat. He stood up from the chair and performed a most polite and respectful kowtow.

"The Immortal Child is one who has met the True Lord of Universal Relief. You are already halfway to the clouds, and in the future, your cultivation will surely surpass even that of the Lady of Purple Emptiness. What cultivation do I possess to dare speak before you? If you do not find me foolish, I am already deeply grateful!"

The Immortal Child stared at him for a while, then lowered her head and sighed softly, as if in deep regret.

"I am young, and I only left the palace to pray for blessings. I know nothing of other matters," she said softly. "If you would be patient with me, Taoist, and instruct me more, that would be enough."

Instruct her? He dared not!

He understood everything now. He had thought the magistrate was manipulating the Princess, but it was the other way around! At such a young age, she was so cunning—could it be that the Primordial Lord of Heaven had truly manifested?

It was bad enough that he couldn't compete with her background, but he hadn't even been able to match her depth of strategy. He no longer had the courage to treat her as a junior; she was no junior—his own back was drenched in cold sweat!

Yet, the Princess added, "If you are unwilling to teach or help me, I can only bear the reputation of being foolish and obstinate..."

Li Weiyi could no longer maintain his kowtow; he wanted to throw himself onto the ground and knock his head repeatedly. "I understand! I will go back and write a memorial, denouncing these eunuchs who betrayed their masters and harmed the people, obstructing the Emperor's affinity with the immortals!"

The Taoist official, once full of immortal grace and extraordinary air, had entered as a Taoist, but left looking less like a man and more like a dog.

The palace maids, hiding in the shadows, hesitant and fearful, pushed one another, on the verge of tears.

It was in this weeping, kneeling manner that they had approached the gate of Lingying Palace, begging the Princess for mercy.

After listening, the Princess did not get angry.

She held the bowl of soup, remaining silent for a long time, before finally sighing.

"Who else has yet to be dealt with?"

Peilan lowered her head. "There is still Wang Chuanyun."