Chapter 36: Leaving the capital

Only after writing a few voluminous pages did Shen Yanyi suddenly stop. Her hand hovered, unmoving, allowing the ink to follow gravity and drip, falling onto the surface of the paper, smudging into a dark plum blossom. Suddenly, she tossed the brush onto the table, watching it clatter, disorderly, to the ground.

So, no matter how she thought, she felt that the words she herself wrote weren't at all fitting, and no matter how she changed them, she wasn't satisfied; she feared that, if Xie Qianbing saw them, she would think she was showing off. So, Shen Yanyi simply threw the brush away, and crumpled the ink-smudged papers into a ball, and tossed it out. Then, she stood, and called towards the outside, "Le Dong, ready a horse, I'm going out."

In the past, there hadn't been maids at Shen Yanyi's side; now, as an official, she'd moved out and established a residence, and had, following others, bought a couple servants to keep up appearances. Le Dong was one among them.

Le Dong wasn't old, and had only been here less than a month, and by coincidence, had come to her master claiming sickness and closing herself in her study. As a result, she felt that Shen Yanyi's temperament was eccentric and unfathomable; suddenly hearing her call out to her, she startled and hurried, two steps becoming one, to fetch a horse.

But Shen Yanyi didn't see this; she only hastily headed, with great steps, back to the bedroom, and looked herself over carefully in the copper mirror. These past few days, she'd only closed herself in her study, and now, her hair was in a disarray, amounting to haggard. At first, Shen Yanyi was startled, and then she laughed loudly and clearly, easily gathering her hair up, and then headed for the courtyard gate.

By the time she'd arrived, Le Dong had long since fetched the horse, and was waiting at the gates. "Daren, are you feeling a bit better?" Le Dong only asked after hesitating for a long while; after all, even if Shen Yanyi's temperament caused one to be befuddled, she truly was magnanimous. Even servants in the houses of heads of ministries couldn't earn as much in a month as she did.

"I'm all better, I'll go alone; no need to follow." Shen Yanyi drew a deep breath and took the reins, mounting the horse. Before she'd finished speaking, she urged the horse on a few metres. By the time Le Dong reacted, Shen Yanyi's figure had long since disappeared from the alley.

The residence Shen Yanyi lived in was equally remote, separated from Xie Qianbing's by the entire capital. Even if she urged the horse along at speed, by the time she made it there, the somewhat decadent sun had lowered a few degrees more.

"I'm the Vice Minister of Revenue, Shen Yanyi, here to see your Xie-daren; I'll trouble you to announce me," Shen Yanyi said hurriedly before she'd even stood up from dismounting the horse.

There was only one person at the gate, and had heard of Shen Yanyi's name before, yet she didn't move, only smiling. "What a coincidence, Shen-daren; our Xie-daren is to leave the capital for Boyang soon. As a matter of fact, the horse has been fetched; if you were to have been a bit later, you'd have had to wait until she returned to be able to see her."

Only at this did Shen Yanyi become aware that that person was leading a horse along in her hand, the other holding a bundle, clearly about to see someone off. Shen Yanyi nodded, and said, "Then I'll just wait here a bit longer."

She'd only just finished speaking when Xie Qianbing walked, unhurried, from out of the garden. She wore dark blue, close-fitting attire, her hair gathered behind her ears, and in her hand was a bundle as well. Seeing Shen Yanyi from a distance, some excitement flashed in Xie Qianbing's eyes, and she raised her voice to ask, "How come you've come?"

Seeing Xie Qianbing's appearance, Shen Yanyi actually felt a bit embarrassed, and raised a hand to scratch her head, somewhat hesitant as she spoke. "I'd originally had some matters I'd come to see you about, but I hadn't imagined that, as soon as I'd come, I'd hear you were about to leave the capital."

"Ah, right," Xie Qianbing said, still in glowing spirits, not the slightest bit of disappointment at being demoted visible on her face. "Once the news arrives, it won't be any good to investigate, so I have to leave as soon as possible. What are you here to see me about? If it's not too urgent, perhaps it can wait until I come back and we can sit and talk it over?"

Shen Yanyi wanted to speak but hesitated, head lowered as she thought a great while and only then said quietly, "It's not anything too important, only—" Having come to this point, she paused once more, and twisted her head about, looking in all directions. Xie Qianbing, understanding her intent, retreated a step back towards the courtyard. "There's still time for a few words."

Shen Yanyi was pleased, and followed after her into the courtyard. The servant at the gate, holding the horse, tactfully closed the gate, and beneath the setting sun, there were only the two of them.

"The matter of reforming the keju, the Emperor has placed on me to do."

"I know; this is a good thing; do you fear you can't do it?"

"It's not that," Shen Yanyi hurriedly denied, shaking her head. "What I wanted to say is, I don't have the intent to oppose you, nor the intent to steal away your meritorious service."

Xie Qianbing, hearing this, was somewhat astonished, and she asked, "Where does this come form?"

"Qin Anhe was recommended by me; without me, perhaps the Emperor wouldn't have punished you." Shen Yanyi's words were somewhat hesitant; originally, she'd wanted to lay out the matter of her collusion with Chen Xun as well, but when the words were on the verge of her lips, she'd swallowed them back.

Xie Qianbing couldn't see the struggle in Shen Yanyi's mind; in her eyes, Chen Xun and Honghailou were merely incidental; if no one mentioned it, she wouldn't think of them. She laughed, and said, "But without her, the common people of Boyang would have suffered hardship for who knows how long."

Shen Yanyi stilled; before she'd come, she couldn't have imagined Xie Qianbing would think thusly. In a flash, she grew ashamed, her cheeks unconsciously flushing. Now, Xie Qianbing became aware of Shen Yanyi's expression; without looking at her, she raised her head to look at the heavens. "Without the Emperor, I have no idea where I would be now, in what situation, but in the end, I wouldn't be living in such a high position as I am now. If you ask me, this life of mine was the Emperor's from long ago. The Emperor loves the people, and isn't willing to let them suffer, and so naturally, I'm unwilling to see them suffer either.

"As for whether I rise to an official position or am demoted, whether I receive gifts or receive punishments, none of that matters. Regardless of if I'm the Vice Minister of Appointments or am sent to Boyang to investigate, since they're all what the Emperor wishes me to do, then there's no difference between them. As for whatever meritorious service, I don't care."

Hearing this, Shen Yanyi grew more withdrawn. If one were to speak of it, Xie Qianbing had been born into a merchant family; even if she'd never entered the Prince's residence, she would have at least been able to eat her fill; she, on the other hand, had been selected from amongst refugees by Jiang Changbai; without Jiang Changbai, she'd probably have become a rotted corpse by now. Compared to her, she herself ought to be the one who was deeply grateful.

She didn't know how she'd left the Xie residence; by the time she came back to herself, she'd long since dazedly ridden behind Xie Qianbing for a long while. Raising her head, the sunlight was already clearly in decline. The skies had been entirely washed with orange. The locust tree by the side of the road stood alone, lush vegetation dancing in the wind. All about, there were very few travellers hurrying by, the sound of cicadas and the fragmentary wind by chance reaching a tranquillity.

So, the two had already left the city.

"Ah, see me off here," Xie Qianbing said, suddenly halting her horse, her eyes bright. There wasn't the loneliness of leaving the capital in her voice, and what appeared suddenly was actually a fullness of hope.

Shen Yanyi nodded, silent for a long while before she said, "Stay safe."

"Of course," Xie Qianbing said, with a bright laugh, and patted her shoulder. "Although my skills aren't much, self-protection isn't a problem."

Shen Yanyi responded with a couple smiling words, and then didn't say more, only her gaze following after Xie Qianbing in the distance. The sun set in the west, and Xie Qianbing and her horse departed alone. Suddenly, she turned her head, and called out to Shen Yanyi, "Look after laoshi for me, she's aging, and her body isn't in good health!"

Shen Yanyi waved at her, indicating she'd heard. Xie Qianbing said more, but her voice was utterly blown away by the wind. Then, a screen of clouds rose, and the official road, which hadn't been lush to start with, became even more bleak. Yet Shen Yanyi hadn't left, but remained, dazed, in place, for a long while. Only once the setting sunlight had dispersed, and the moon hung in the sky, did she sigh, long and deep, and tug at the reins, turning around to head towards her own residence.

---

The skies had grown dark; in the imperial study, Jiang Changbai was still assiduously reading through memorials. In the past, she'd always thought those who said they didn't want to be the Emperor, yet day after day, sat on the Dragon Throne, were only showing off, but these past few days, she'd come to know that being the Emperor wasn't easy. The memorials were never done being read through; when one was read, another came, decreasing here and increasing there, and there was always a pile spread out on the desk. Other emperors had had senior ministers and state preceptors to help them, and even if they weren't of use, there were important ministers; yet, when it came to her, there wasn't a single person who could be of use. Shen Yanyi was arrogant, and had colluded with Chen Xun, so naturally couldn't be of great use. And, to say nothing of the fact that she and Xie Qianbing were the same, without the slightest bit of foundation, and when carrying out matters or speaking, they couldn't convince the masses in the slightest. He Leyong was in her senior years, and the single matter of reforming the keju occupied all of her energy.

Song Juguang, on the other hand, had existing strength and prestige, but her prestige being greater than Jiang Changbai's wasn't a good matter either. More than that, now, even if Jiang Changbai were to personally place all the matters of governance in her hands, Song Juguang wouldn't be willing to do them.

Having thought of this, Jiang Changbai couldn't help but glance at Song Juguang, already asleep on the low, soft couch, and for a moment, she was somewhat bewildered. Looking back at the dynasties and generations of the past, regardless of if it were state preceptors or regents, they were all ambitious. How was it that when it came to Song Juguang, after being titled regent, she didn't want to do anything at all?

Originally, there hadn't been a low couch set set up in the imperial study, but although Song Juguang came every day, she didn't do anything at all.Looking left and looking right, mostly she just sat on the chair. After, that corner had gained a low couch.

As for assisting another official's power to compete with Song Juguang? Jiang Changbai hadn't even considered it. After all, all those with prestige in the court now were the ministers of the previous generation; they weren't good at their jobs, and at all times, they were thinking of gaining profit for themselves through underhanded means. If they were to be cultivated, then it would be no different than indulging an enemy and inviting calamity, a hundred troubles to her with no gain. As for a deeper level, perhaps one even Jiang Changbai hadn't realised, there hadn't ever been anyone in her mind who had the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with Song Juguang.

The wind blew in through the opened window, causing the lit candle flames to sway. Xun Zhu, by coincidence, had just come in at this moment, and she asked, hesitant, "Bixia, you haven't eaten dinner yet."

Now, it was already zishi,^[1] and Jiang Changbai hadn't eaten much for lunch, and so now had long since grown hungry. Yet Jiang Changbai, hearing these, only smiled bitterly, and waved a hand to indicate the mountainous pile of memorials before her, and said, laughing at herself, "What time do I have to eat?"

Xun Zhu still urged her, "Bixia, even if you're more busy you need to eat; your health is most important." Xun Zhu was slightly older than Jiang Changbai, and since childhood, she'd served as an elder sister figure to her. So, even if now, Jiang Changbai had already become Emperor, facing Xun Zhu's admonishments, she wasn't angry at all, but rather earnestly let these words go about her mind.

Luckily, just then, Song Juguang, who had been fast asleep, suddenly sat up, stretching out her frame as she said, "Bixia, this minister is hungry as well. Could this minister be lucky enough to get a bowl of dinner from you?"

Jiang Channgbai, hearing this, looked over at her; her expression was exhausted, yet her mind was startled. Xun Zhu, when speaking, hadn't done so loudly, and she'd leaned in close to say it. If Song Juguang had truly been deeply asleep, no matter what, she wouldn't have been able to hear it, let alone have been roused by Xun Zhu.

Yet Song Juguang had coincidentally awoken at this time, and coincidentally said she wanted dinner. There weren't any coincidences this coincidental in the world, or at least, Jiang Changbai didn't believe it. So, then probably only one possibility remained, and that was that Song Juguang hadn't been sleeping at all.

When Song Juguang had fallen asleep, and when she'd woken, Jiang Changbai truly didn't know. Or, perhaps, she hadn't fallen asleep at all, and each of these days, it had all been pretend. But why she would do this, Jiang Changbai couldn't imagine.

But these meanderings, Jiang Changbai would absolutely not show on her face; after all, maintaining the stability of the political situation still required the prestige that Song Juguang had gathered up before, the unruly Shejin by the border requiring the intimidation of the Cangwei army she'd trained.

If there wasn't Song Juguang, how could she have become Emperor?

So, Jiang Changbai smiled. "Since A Guang is hungry, then let's have dinner."

Once she shifted to the side hall, the food that had been long since prepared was served dish after dish. Yet Song Juguang, who'd claimed to be hungry, earnestly clasped her hands behind her back standing behind Jiang Changbai and staring at her, and only once Jiang Changbai's uncomprehending gaze settled on her did Song Juguang say, "There's a difference between superiors and subordinates; only once Bixia eats first can this minister eat."

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Translator's notes:

[1]: 11:00pm to 1:00am.