Being summoned by the Son of Heaven, Lu Qiān originally thought it wasn’t anything to do with him.
Unexpectedly, that little eunuch who delivered the order specially reminded them again, and Luo Qingzhou greeted Lu Qiān with a beaming smile, letting him sneak into the group heading to Jiǔqū Garden for the audience.
Passing through Sìjí Ward, about a mile to the north, there was a long bridge spanning the canal, directly connecting to the Imperial City.
A little more background: Dàyìn’s Imperial City is divided into three parts.
At the very north of the Imperial City lies the Palace City—no need to say more about that.
Outside the Palace City, the area is divided into two main ‘superior’ wards: Wǔyìn and Kūnpéng.
To the west is Wǔyìn Ward, where all the traditional military offices of Dàyìn exist: the General’s Headquarters, the Prison Commissioner’s Office, the Clan Affairs Office, the Judicial Tribunal, the Finance Department, the Lesser Household Department, the Imperial Guard Office, and the Feather Marshal’s Office.
To the east lies Kūnpéng Ward, home to civil official institutions such as the Prime Minister’s Office, the Censorate, the Grand Historian’s Office, the National Academy, the Imperial Academy, and, in recent years, new ministries established under the Prime Minister’s Office as the cultural and educational powers have risen.
Following along the southern city wall of the Palace City and skirting its moat heading eastward, passing through Wǔyìn and Kūnpéng wards, going past solemn and imposing official buildings, when reaching the far eastern edge of Kūnpéng Ward, turning north along the canal bank and then running swiftly alongside the Palace City’s walls, one arrives at the stone bridge where Bai Changkong and others had passed earlier during the day.
Crossing the stone bridge over the canal leads straight to Jiǔqū Garden.
Lu Qiān followed Luo Qingzhou, both riding swift horses, dashing from Sìjí Ward to the entrance of Jiǔqū Garden, which took over half an hour.
The horses they rode were special mounts borrowed from the Imperial Guards, mingled with the bloodline of exotic beasts.
If it had been ordinary warhorses or civilian horsemen, crossing the whole Imperial City from Sìjí Ward to Jiǔqū Ward would have taken at least half a day.
The city of Gǎojīng was simply too vast!
The wards and markets within the city were enormous as well!
It’s worth mentioning that when they passed the southern gate of the Palace City, Lè Shān departed from the group.
He sent one of his deputies to continue with the procession, but he himself called open the palace gates and went straight into the palace.
After Lè Shān left, Luo Qingzhou let out a light hum, “Hmm, news travels fast within the General’s camp. That’s him going early to report to the Empress Dowager.”
By the time the group arrived at Jiǔqū Garden, the east was already showing the pale light of dawn.
They dismounted beneath the grand archway of Jiǔqū Garden’s main gate.
Lu Qiān and the others wandered through the resplendent grounds of Jiǔqū Garden for quite some time.
When they finally reached the large hall by the lake, the sky had fully brightened.
A group of little eunuchs were already waiting there.
As Lu Qiān and the others arrived, the eunuchs hurriedly led them into a side hall and urged them to bathe, change clothes, and freshen up.
After about half an hour of scented powders and fragrance sprays, they were brought into the main hall beside.
The moment Lu Qiān stepped into the hall, his heart pounded fiercely.
This place was the residence of the Son of Heaven himself.
To step in here was to draw distinctly closer to his goal.
“Ah, everyone’s here? Hard work, hard work. Last night’s pacification of Sìjí Ward means you’re all meritorious ministers,” a laughter suddenly rang out in the quiet hall.
Lu Qiān looked up and saw Yú Chánglè beside the throne deep in the hall—a figure eight feet tall, with a waist just as broad, his face round, smooth, fair, and tender—grinning at him with a ‘hehe’ smile.
Lu Qiān composed himself, lowered his gaze respectfully, but with a discreet sidelong glance took in his surroundings.
Then, all of his attention was drawn to the Son of Heaven seated on the Nine-Dragon Throne.
The emperor, Yìn Yuán, needed no introduction—selected among the best of the royal bloodline after over a thousand years.
His appearance and aura were on a whole different plane from ordinary mortals.
But right now, the emperor was making the royal bloodline look a bit disgraceful.
Clad in a purple-black robe embroidered with the Kun transformed into a Peng, his long hair loose, with two pronounced dark circles under his eyes, Yìn Yuán sat crookedly on the throne, a flush of unusual red tint coloring the left side of his pale face, looking rather exhilarated.
His right cheek, however...
The emperor of the Dàyìn dynasty bore a swollen bruise covering his right cheek.
There were three distinct bloody scratch marks running from beneath his ear down to the corner of his mouth.
A thin layer of white salve was painted on his face.
From far off, Lu Qiān could smell a refreshing, rich, and lingering scent of cooling medicine that penetrated deep into the bones, soothing the five viscera.
It was clear that Yìn Yuán’s face was treated with the palace’s top-secret medicinal ointment.
His injury was an external wound.
Judging by the marks, it looked like someone had gone and slapped him across the face.
But the emperor of Dàyìn, the supreme ruler of billions of subjects—who would dare to slap him?
Not just Lu Qiān, but Luo Qingzhou, a chief captain from the Judicial Tribunal, and Shui Ying, the ward lord of Fēngtiáo Ward, were all frozen in place.
The emperor had been beaten!
Who dared to do it?
Luo Qingzhou and the tribunal captain didn’t dare utter a word.
They obediently lowered their heads, careful not to look up or around recklessly.
But Shui Ying suddenly stepped forward with a frown, resolutely scolding, “Your Majesty rules over the tens of millions of Dàyìn’s people—the safety of your body links directly to the realm itself. How come you are in such a state?”
As a disciple of the civil education faction, Shui Ying carried a courage and authority that officials like Luo Qingzhou or the Judicial Tribunal’s ‘henchmen’ lacked.
Seeing the emperor’s state, he dared to confront and question him outright.
Yìn Yuán’s gaze flickered as he turned toward a three-legged auspicious cloud censer beside the throne.
Yú Chánglè cleared his throat, pointing at Shui Ying with a stern voice: “Shui Ying, who gave you the gall to shout out here like that?”
Shui Ying raised his head, eyes blazing, and retorted fiercely, “Yú Chánglè, as head of the inner court’s various departments, you are the main culprit behind the emperor’s misfortune. You failed to protect His Majesty and deserve death.”
Yú Chánglè’s round, smooth face immediately furrowed in frustration.
He glanced toward the emperor anxiously.
If this matter blew up and the outer court’s officials found out the emperor had been slapped, countless civil education officials would unleash a storm of censure.
Yú Chánglè’s reputation would be dragged through the mud again.
Seeing Shui Ying turn his fury upon Yú Chánglè, Yìn Yuán cleared his throat heavily.
“Alright, alright, it’s nothing major. Yesterday I was in a good mood, happy, so on a whim, I wrestled a steel-backed bear.
“Ah, didn’t expect that lately, Chǐ Consort and I have been out wandering by lantern light too often—my waist and legs are sore—and by accident, I got slapped by that bear’s paw.”
As he spoke, Yìn Yuán’s mood grew even more lively. With a proud smile he said,“But I’m not just a sitting duck—the steel-backed bear slapped me, but I grabbed its vital spot with one hand, fiercely ripped its strength, threw it down, and snapped its neck.” He chuckled and clapped his hands with delight.
“Four big, plump bear paws have been stewing since yesterday afternoon.
Later at the luncheon, all of you ministers will join me to enjoy some food and wine.”
“Tsk, tsk, eighty-year-old steel-backed bear’s paws—fat and luscious, truly a delicacy beyond words!”
Shui Ying was stunned. Lu Qiān and the rest were equally dumbfounded. The emperor was happy because he had wrestled a steel-backed bear?
Though slapped by the bear’s paw, he still won, chopped off its paws, and made them lunch? Lu Qiān had a vague sense that something was off. What did the emperor mean by ‘grabbing its vital spot with one hand’?
What kind of vital spot on a bear’s body could be caught with just one palm? Tsk tsk, thinking carefully was terrifying. What exactly did the emperor do to that bear?
Shui Ying’s face flushed red, his whole body trembling. Suddenly he shouted,“Your Majesty, to be in such a state is simply—”Yìn Yuán waved his hand lightly,“An unwise ruler, huh? No need for you to say it, I know it myself…”
Shui Ying’s red face quickly turned purple. He was so struck by Yìn Yuán’s words he nearly spat blood. Yìn Yuán chuckled twice, tilted his head, squinting at Shui Ying:“I know, I shouldn’t be doing these things—an emperor wrestling a bear is kinda... well, it’s indeed a bit ridiculous, haha.”
“But a man’s gotta have his fun now and then, right?”
The emperor smiled brightly.
“Why so happy, Your Majesty?”
Shui Ying asked with a gloomy expression, this a crucial question.
“Bai Changkong was so irritated yesterday he coughed up blood,”Yìn Yuán answered effortlessly.
Yú Chánglè reached out a hand to try to cover his mouth, but it was too late to stop him. He opened and closed his fingers a few times with a dry smile before withdrawing his thick palm.
Shui Ying looked at Yìn Yuán with incredulity, as if saying, ‘I know you’re a bad emperor, but I didn’t expect you to be such a bastard!’ Yìn Yuán scratched his nose sheepishly, forcing a dry laugh toward Shui Ying:“Alright, alright, just joking.
Or maybe I was sneaking a little fondling of a palace maiden’s perfect behind yesterday, and Chǐ Consort found out.
She got jealous and slapped me—believe it or not?”
“You probably don’t believe me, so I won’t bother explaining.”
“Hmm, Shui Ying, let’s let this matter drop.”
“Look, Sìjí Ward’s fire took so many lives, you’re the ward lord of Fēngtiáo Ward—you didn’t do your job right.
“If you’re not a competent ward lord, what right do you have to criticize me for not being a competent emperor?”
Yìn Yuán placed both hands on his belly, asking Shui Ying firmly.
Lu Qiān’s eyes flashed brightly.
He stared at Yìn Yuán, nearly applauding in admiration—what a powerful question!
Yìn Yuán and Yú Chánglè looked down at the gathered ministers.
Both noticed Lu Qiān’s expression of astonishment and admiration and smiled together.
Shui Ying’s knees wobbled, and he fell heavily to the ground.
“I... I am terrified... I am guilty... I—”
Yìn Yuán hurriedly waved his hand, “Don’t pull that begging-for-mercy act; I won’t admit it. “If you beg for mercy, I’m the one who ends up with headaches.
“Your teachers and peers will have to bang gongs and drums outside Jiǔqū Garden’s gate, smashing their heads against the arches—what a pain.”
“As ministers, every month you collect your salaries from me.
“If you chew the hand that feeds you, don’t make things difficult for your emperor.”
“Cut the nonsense—what really happened last night? Did all those little bastards in Sìjí Ward end up dead?”
(End of chapter)