Xiao Yu shook his head: “I’ve been on the battlefield. I’m not afraid of anything now. Extinguish the lamps.”
Eunuch Qi acknowledged this and accompanied Xiao Yu into the sleeping chamber. After much deliberation, he placed the bamboo tube beside Xiao Yu before lowering the curtain.
“Your Majesty, this old servant will truly extinguish the lamps now.” He asked again.
The child inside made a sound of acknowledgment.
“Your Majesty.” Eunuch Qi said again. “This old servant will be right beside you. If anything happens, please call for this old servant.”
The child inside made another sound of acknowledgment and even smiled: “Don’t worry, Eunuch Qi. I’m fine.”
Eunuch Qi smiled: “This old servant has been too wordy.” Having said this, he bowed and withdrew.
The lamps in the hall were extinguished one by one.
Standing outside the palace, Eunuch Qi breathed out gently into the deep dark night.
“After personally leading the expedition once, His Majesty’s courage has truly grown,” a young eunuch said happily beside him.
Eunuch Qi paid him no attention, looking at the palace shrouded in darkness.
Was growing bolder good or not good?
……
……
The excitement of the Emperor returning to court in triumph, the disputes in the imperial court regarding Prince Zhongshan—for Chu Zhao in Zhongshan Commandery, all of this had already been settled.
Prince Zhongshan picked up a princely seal from the desk and examined it.
Chu Zhao held half a command token—this represented the one hundred thousand troops Prince Zhongshan had surrendered, the one hundred thousand troops Prince Zhongshan displayed before others. As for the remaining one hundred thousand troops, the court would pretend not to see them.
“However, the Grand Tutor trusts that the Prince will certainly know when to advance and when to retreat.” The official who had come to announce the imperial decree said coldly.
Prince Zhongshan looked at him and smiled: “Did Lord Huang settle his family affairs before coming?”
This referred to the matter of the three decree-announcing officials previously killed by Prince Zhongshan’s heir.
Was this a threat?
Lord Huang’s expression was grim: “Thank you for the Prince’s concern. This official has already made arrangements.”
Prince Zhongshan laughed heartily: “Don’t be nervous. This Prince won’t cut off your head.” Then he smiled and looked at Chu Zhao sitting to the side. “After all, the Empress is here.”
Chu Zhao smiled and put away the command token.
“Yes,” she said. “Before Lord Huang leaves, this palace will sit in the Prince’s residence watching over the Prince.”
Although he had some slight dissatisfaction with this Empress Chu, personally walking into Prince Zhongshan’s residence—more precisely, walking into Zhongshan Commandery—and seeing the soldiers and guards standing everywhere, the tense standoff with drawn swords, and along the way the people in cities, towns, and villages living in fear, was different from sitting in the imperial court in the capital. Although sitting in the court was also tense, it was completely different from personally entering the midst of it all.
This kind of tension was suffocating, left one not knowing what to do, drove one mad.
But this young woman had sat here for a long time, alone.
Lord Huang looked toward Chu Zhao and bowed with a bow: “This official, besides announcing the decree, must also escort Your Majesty back to the palace, so this official will not leave first.”
Actually, the court hadn’t made such a requirement. Escorting Your Majesty back to the palace was something he had added himself.
Chu Zhao smiled and said: “Then Lord Huang must wait a while longer. This palace still needs to wait for news from the border regions.”
Lord Huang acknowledged this.
Prince Zhongshan tapped on the desk: “You sovereign and subject shouldn’t discuss state affairs in this Prince’s residence. Leave, all of you, leave.”
……
……
The great door slowly closed. Having crossed the threshold, Chu Zhao didn’t continue forward but stood still and first took a deep breath.
“Having left Prince Zhongshan’s territory, even the air is fresher.” She said with a sigh.
Lord Huang said beside her: “Your Majesty, now he should be addressed as Prince Zhenguo. Moreover, within the commandery city is still his territory.”
Chu Zhao laughed despite herself. She hadn’t expected Deng Yi to actually further enfeoff Prince Zhongshan, creating a Prince Zhenguo. Did many people think Prince Zhongshan had sent Deng Yi more valuable gifts?
She glanced around. Unfriendly soldiers and horses surrounded them. Prince Zhongshan had only retreated one step—this step was retreating one step from outside the capital. Zhongshan Commandery was still Prince Zhongshan’s territory.
Moreover, previously there had been concealment and evasion, but now there was no need to hide.
Chu Zhao looked at the horses being led over and said: “This palace will first go outside the city to meet with the commander of the troops.”
Lord Huang bowed: “This official will go to the prefectural office to inspect commandery affairs.”
“Dachui.” Chu Zhao called.
Ding Dachui stepped forward in acknowledgment.
“This is the most capable guard who braved mountains of blades and seas of fire together with this palace.” Chu Zhao said. “Now I’ll lend him to Lord Huang for your use.”
Lord Huang bowed again: “This official thanks Your Majesty for the bestowal. This official will not fail the mission.” Having said this, he turned and left.
Ding Dachui was somewhat slow to react and stood dazed. A’Le pushed him: “Are you dizzy? Go quickly!”
Ding Dachui was indeed a bit dizzy. What had the Empress just called him? The most capable guard!
However, dizzy or not, there was one thing he still remembered.
“Captain Xie and the Boss both told me to guard the Empress—” he couldn’t help saying in a low voice.
Chu Zhao heard this and smiled: “Don’t worry. I’m going to see your Boss right now. I’ll mention it to her for you. As for Captain Xie—”
Chu Zhao winked at him.
“He’s far away and won’t know.”