Chapter 69: The Noble Consort’s Resentment, the Emperor’s Boldness, Ennoblement
Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The Noble Consort’s Resentment, the Emperor’s Boldness, Ennoblement
The Great Zhou Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.
Several basins of ice were placed around the room. A palace maid gently waved a fan, sending a cool breeze wafting through, a stark contrast to the rolling heatwaves outside.
Emperor Jingtai felt refreshed and invigorated within.
He was intently reading Pei Shiqing’s memorial.
Suddenly, the sound of soft footsteps reached his ears.
He frowned.
’It must be Noble Consort Wan. Only someone as spoiled and arrogant as her would dare enter the Imperial Study without being announced.’
Sure enough, a moment later, the rosy-cheeked and stunningly beautiful Noble Consort Wan, her figure graceful and alluring, walked in leading a toddling little boy.
A palace maid followed behind her, carrying a tray.
"Your Majesty works tirelessly day and night on matters of state. Even Ying’Er feels for his father’s burden and insisted that I bring him to deliver some sweet soup to you," Noble Consort Wan said with a radiant smile, nudging her son. "Go on, greet your Imperial Father."
Emperor Jingtai looked at his dazed and confused ninth son and thought, unconvinced, ’A two-year-old child who doesn’t even know to bow when he sees me—could he really have such awareness?’
’This woman is so transparently foolish.’
Only after his mother’s push did the Ninth Prince react, bowing hastily and saying in a milky voice, "Greetings, Imperial Father."
"Ah, my dear Xiao Jiu is so well-behaved." Emperor Jingtai’s old face blossomed into a smile. He praised Noble Consort Wan generously, "My dear consort, you have raised him well. For a two-year-old to be so filial and sensible is remarkable."
"That is all thanks to Your Majesty. It is because your imperial blood flows in Ying’Er’s veins that he is so precocious and understanding." Noble Consort Wan’s smile was as bright as a flower. She handed the child to a palace maid, took the sweet soup, and walked toward Emperor Jingtai. "Your Majesty, allow me to feed you myself."
She placed the soup on the desk, then lifted her round, shapely bottom from under her skirt and sat directly on Emperor Jingtai’s lap. Her eyes were seductive as silk threads. "Your Majesty, I’ve gained some weight recently. You mustn’t dislike me for it."
"My dear consort has always been slender. I rather prefer you with a bit more flesh," Emperor Jingtai said, holding her and laughing heartily.
"Hee hee, Your Majesty, look." Noble Consort Wan gave a playful smile. With her slender fingers, she pinched the hem of her skirt and lifted it. She wore no trousers underneath; her long, snow-white legs were wrapped in patterned black Ice Silk, creating a surprisingly captivating sight.
If Emperor Jingtai were ten years younger, his blood would have surged, and he would have pinned her to the desk for a frantic bout of passion.
But he was over sixty now; the spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. He only found Noble Consort Wan’s little games tiresome and reached down to pull her skirt back into place.
"Alright, alright. My dear consort, stop fooling around. Hurry and serve me the soup. I still have matters of state to attend to."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Noble Consort Wan was not a schemer, but her smile was somewhat forced and resentful.
The Emperor was old.
’But I’m in the prime of my youth!’
Alas, what good is a fertile field if no one tills it?
She could only let her time waste away.
How Noble Consort Wan wished her doorway was bustling with visitors.
Instead of being completely ignored like this.
This sentiment of hers further displeased Emperor Jingtai, as a man, but he showed no sign of it, smiling cheerfully as he drank the soup with apparent relish.
"Oh? Is this Marquis Weiyuan’s memorial?" Noble Consort Wan spotted the memorial on the desk and reached for it directly.
Her every word and action was practically a death wish, yet the Emperor remained unfazed. He even nodded and replied, "Yes. The investigators sent to Tongzhou haven’t even returned, but his plea for punishment has already arrived."
"Hmph! No one knows a son better than his father. He’s certainly aware of Pei Shaoqing’s character." Noble Consort Wan pouted, put the memorial back, and said coquettishly, "Your Majesty must punish Pei Shaoqing severely this time. His deceiving the sovereign is a contempt for Imperial Authority! It shows he has no respect for you, Your Majesty!"
"Rest assured, my dear consort. I will certainly let him know that his sovereign and father are not to be trifled with," Emperor Jingtai nodded.
Noble Consort Wan’s face immediately lit up with joy.
’Pei Shaoqing, oh Pei Shaoqing, you are so dead.’
A eunuch walked in silently with his head bowed and announced, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Liu requests an audience."
There was only one Eunuch Liu in the palace.
And that was Liu Hai.
"Admit him," Emperor Jingtai said curtly.
"This servant greets Your Majesty and the Consort."
"Xiaoliuzi greets Your Majesty and the Consort."
Liu Hai and Xiaoliuzi entered and paid their respects.
Emperor Jingtai said, "A seat for them. They may speak while seated."
Someone immediately brought over two small stools.
Liu Hai was composed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"This servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace." Xiaoliuzi, on the other hand, was incredibly excited. He only dared to let a third of his bottom touch the stool, his back ramrod straight, but his head bowed low.
Emperor Jingtai looked at Liu Hai, his gaze calm.
Liu Hai said slowly, "Xiaoliuzi, report what you saw and heard in Tongzhou to His Majesty truthfully."
"Yes!" Xiaoliuzi answered, immediately standing up. With his head still bowed, he began, "Your Majesty, I will begin my report from the first day I arrived in Tongzhou..."
He repeated the same story he had told Liu Hai.
"Impossible! How can that be possible!" Noble Consort Wan shot to her feet, shouting without any regard for her image, "How could that good-for-nothing have such strategic thinking and courage? There must be something fishy going on!"
She couldn’t accept it. She never imagined that her proposal to send investigators would end up confirming Pei Shaoqing’s achievements.
Xiaoliuzi kept his head bowed and remained silent.
"Your Majesty!" Noble Consort Wan looked at the Emperor.
"My dear consort, please calm yourself." Emperor Jingtai looked at Liu Hai and asked calmly, "Liu Hai, what are your thoughts?"
"This servant believes there are two possibilities." Liu Hai rose and answered in a measured tone, "First, that Pei Shaoqing had a great awakening after being banished to Tongzhou, a prodigal son returned. Second, that he was always like this and was merely hiding his talents in the past.
Personally, this servant leans toward the second possibility. Because even if a prodigal son returns, he wouldn’t change so completely in just a few short months, as if he’d become a different person."
Emperor Jingtai nodded slowly, then asked another question, "Then why do you think he did so?"
"This servant will be bold and offer a personal opinion." Liu Hai had already considered this on his way here. "In the past, he intentionally tarnished his own reputation. Because Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion holds too much power, it was not appropriate for him, the male heir remaining in the Capital City, to appear too outstanding.
But now that he is far from the Capital City, with a vast world of opportunities before him, there is naturally no need to continue the act. He can display his talents as he pleases."
He was said to be left behind, but in truth, he was a hostage.
The only reason Pei Shaoqing was able to leave the capital was because Nalan Yujin gave birth to a son at the beginning of the year. Otherwise, he would never have been able to go to Tongzhou, no matter what.
"And Pei Qing submitted a memorial asking me to punish him for failing to raise his son properly. Heh, it seems to me he’s done a fine job of it." The Emperor picked up Pei Shiqing’s memorial, his smile not reaching his eyes. Beneath his calm exterior, a storm of fury was brewing.
Liu Hai knew what the Emperor was thinking.
He suspected the Pei father and son were putting on an act.
But he didn’t think so.
So he added, "According to what this servant knows, Pei Shaoqing’s mother died from illness because of him, which is why he has been disliked by Marquis Weiyuan since childhood. After reaching adulthood, the bond between father and son became as thin as paper. This part does not seem to be an act.
Therefore, this servant believes that while the Capital City was a cage for him, the Marquis’s Mansion was as well. His banishment to Tongzhou was likely his own choice."
"Oh?" The Emperor shifted his posture. Liu Hai was in command of the Hidden Guard, so the intelligence he possessed was more accurate.
He thought about it carefully, a smile spreading wider across his face. "So you’re saying that my ever-victorious, invincible Marquis Weiyuan was also deceived by his own son? In that case, this young Pei Aiqing is truly interesting."
"He is very interesting indeed," Liu Hai agreed.
’To think Pei Shaoqing kept up an act for over a decade.’
’And he truly committed to it. What sane person would dare do the things he did? Yet he did them, all while being perfectly rational.’
’It shows he is audacious and has an extraordinary temperament.’
Noble Consort Wan’s pretty face flickered between sunny and overcast. ’So Pei Shaoqing actually has a brain. Could there have been a deeper scheme behind him beating my nephew to death?’
’I must write a letter to my father as soon as possible.’
"I have always been one to reward merit." Emperor Jingtai’s spirits lifted, and he spoke with vigor, "For his merit in slaying the rebels, Pei Shaoqing is promoted to probationary Hundred Households Commander of the Jing’an Guard and ennobled as the Pingyang County Marquis, with a fief of three hundred households. As for the Jing’an Guard of the Tongzhou Hundred Households, reward them with gold and silver as you see fit.
Furthermore, Marquis Weiyuan has raised his son well, a great service to the nation. I will specially bestow a plaque with my own calligraphy, ’Loyal and Brave, Serving the Nation,’ to be sent to his mansion in the Capital City and hung in the main hall."
"Your Majesty!" Noble Consort Wan’s face drained of color. She said urgently, "Promoting Pei Shaoqing to probationary Hundred Households Commander is already an extraordinary promotion. How can you so rashly bestow a noble title? I implore Your Majesty to retract the order, or the Imperial Court will be shaken."
The peerage of Great Zhou was divided into five ranks: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron.
The bestowment of noble titles was handled with great restraint, so even the lowest rank of baron held significant weight.
Even Liu Hai and Xiaoliuzi were shocked.
’His Majesty is being far too generous.’
’As expected of the ruler of a nation, his boldness is immense.’
"Say no more, my mind is made up!" Emperor Jingtai’s tone was decisive. His control over the Imperial Court was absolute; no one could overturn his decision. "The Profound Sect is a grave threat to our Great Zhou. For the young Pei Aiqing to have slain the Kaiyang Saint Heir is of great significance. He is worthy of a title."
’Since Pei Shiqing and Pei Shaoqing are at odds...’
’...I shall vigorously support Pei Shaoqing.’
’First, to outsiders, it will appear as if I am bestowing great favor upon the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion, which will put pressure on Pei Shiqing. Second, in the future when I move to reduce his military power, I can use the son to control the father.’
"There is none wiser than Your Majesty!" Liu Hai bowed and said in a soft voice, "This servant will immediately dispatch people to Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion, the Northern Border, and Tongzhou to announce the decree."
"Also, publicize young Pei Aiqing’s achievements throughout the realm in the official gazette," Emperor Jingtai instructed.
Liu Hai replied, "Yes, this servant understands."
"My dear consort, Ying’Er looks tired. You should take him to rest," Emperor Jingtai said to Noble Consort Wan.
Even if Noble Consort Wan was a fool, she knew this was an order for her to leave. She forced a smile and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Then she rose and left with her son.
"Liu Hai, have your men keep a close watch on both Pei Shaoqing and Pei Shiqing," Emperor Jingtai said coldly.
Liu Hai immediately replied, "This servant obeys."
"Who was on guard at the door just now?" Emperor Jingtai asked.
A short while later, two young eunuchs scurried in, terrified, and prostrated themselves on the floor. "Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Drag them out and beat them to death," Emperor Jingtai waved his hand.
The two young eunuchs hadn’t even processed the order before they were seized and dragged out, instantly panicked.
"Your Majesty! Mercy, Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty! I beg you, have mercy!"
Emperor Jingtai’s face was cold as he turned a deaf ear.
When Noble Consort Wan arrived, the two hadn’t dared to stop her, nor had they come in to announce her. For these two failures alone, their deaths were of no consequence.
Even if the reason they hadn’t dared to stop her was because he acted so besotted with Noble Consort Wan, it didn’t matter!