“Your Majesty,” Xie Yanfang said to Xiao Yu, “you can return to rest now.”
He extended his hand.
“You’ve done everything you should do.”
Xiao Yu said, “Minister Xie has worked hard.” But he didn’t place his hand in Xie Yanfang’s. Instead, he descended on his own.
Xie Yanfang said nothing, lowered his hand, and followed Xiao Yu and Eunuch Qi out of the great hall. Outside, imperial guards stood in dense formation, protecting Xiao Yu.
Xie Yanfang stopped and bowed. “This subject respectfully sees off Your Majesty.”
Xiao Yu never summoned him into the rear palace.
But this time, Xiao Yu paused and turned back. “Minister Xie, the situation is urgent now. You may come see me at any time without needing to climb walls.”
Xie Yanfang raised his head, watching as Eunuch Qi approached holding a command token with both hands.
“Minister Xie,” he said, “this is the command token for the rear palace guards. After the Empress left, it was given to Young Master Yanlai. After Young Master Yanlai departed, this old servant has been holding it.”
Xie Yanfang reached out to accept it and smiled at Xiao Yu. “Good. I won’t climb walls anymore.”
……
……
In the Grand Tutor’s hall, people came and went. Officials bustled about noisily.
Deng Yi sat behind his desk. A clerk beside him quietly read document contents to him while he extended his hands to warm them by the fire, appearing rather leisurely.
“Grand Tutor,” an attendant approached and said quietly, “His Majesty has given command of the rear palace guards to Xie Yanfang.”
The clerk stopped reading and raised an eyebrow. “Quite quick.”
Though the Grand Tutor held the imperial seal and military tally and governed Da Xia, there was one force not under the Grand Tutor’s control—the Dragon Guard Army.
After the upheaval and palace purge, all the Emperor’s guards were managed by the Dragon Guard Army.
And the Dragon Guard Army was firmly in the Empress’s grasp.
After the Empress left, it was given to Xie Yanlai—though by rights it should have gone to Xie Yanfang.
Xie Yanlai led troops, so giving it to him was more appropriate and barely justifiable.
When Xie Yanlai left, it went directly to the young Emperor—
Still not to Xie Yanfang.
The people in the palace and court all had sharp eyes and immediately speculated on the implications. Who didn’t trust Xie Yanfang? The Empress or the young Emperor?
For a time, private discussions abounded.
Of course Deng Yi knew who it was. The people around him also knew. They didn’t need to discuss this—they discussed when Xie Yanfang would obtain it.
“Prince Zhongshan has actually helped him,” the clerk said.
Deng Yi said, “It was inevitable. Without Prince Zhongshan, Minister Xie would have gotten his wish soon enough.”
His Majesty had no one to rely on—how could he truly become estranged from his own maternal uncle? A child’s face, a child’s heart—the most changeable thing in the world.
He had tried to stop her before. That girl insisted on choosing to go to the border, so she couldn’t blame others for taking the Emperor.
Of course, whom the Emperor was close to had nothing to do with him. He didn’t care either. His position as Grand Tutor was unrelated to the young Emperor, and the young Emperor couldn’t do anything to him.
“Once the edict is drafted, send it out immediately,” Deng Yi said. “Select the proclamation officials with great fanfare.”
The officials acknowledged this.
……
……
However the officials busied themselves, Xiao Yu no longer cared. He knew he had done everything he could. Returning to the rear palace bedchamber, he obediently went to rest.
Last night he hadn’t slept. Xie Yanfang had explained Prince Zhongshan’s troop movements to him and taught him what to say and how to draft the edict.
Though it was daytime, because he was going to sleep, the lamps still had to be lit.
Since the Empress left, Xiao Yu required lamps lit when sleeping alone.
Eunuch Qi attended to Xiao Yu’s washing, tucked him in properly, and said softly, “Your Majesty, rest easy. Nothing will happen. At the border, Her Majesty is there—Xi Liang cannot break through. In the capital, the Grand Tutor and Minister Xie are here—Prince Zhongshan cannot break through either.”
Xiao Yu nodded. “I know. I’m not afraid. They tried to kill me before—failed once, failed twice.”
Thinking of that night, Eunuch Qi felt as if it were a dream. He nodded. “Your Majesty is blessed by heaven. Evil spirits cannot invade.”
Xiao Yu smiled, but the smile was brief, vanishing instantly.
“Also, Minister Xie is guarding in the side hall,” Eunuch Qi said quietly. “Prince Zhongshan has been plotting for a long time. Not everyone in the palace is reliable. Minister Xie will remain by Your Majesty’s side.”
Xiao Yu made a sound of acknowledgment but said nothing.
Eunuch Qi added, “Your Majesty giving the command token to Minister Xie was a very good decision.”
He knew Xiao Yu was cold toward Xie Yanfang, blaming him for failing to save his parents and himself.
He didn’t think this was wrong. An emperor could certainly throw tantrums at anyone. Imperial relatives or not, they were all subjects.
But an emperor also needed to assess situations and manipulate hearts.