Chapter 40: How ought I to trust you?

Xie Qianbing watched Song Juguang leave; she couldn't hear the words Song Juguang had left behind before departing, and, turning her head to see Jiang Changbai gazing in the direction Song Juguang had departed, unmoving, she merely felt that this scene was somewhat strange. Xie Qianbing had always known that Jiang Changbai harboured a guardedness towards Song Juguang, but regardless of that, the two had always been outwardly polite and amiable. This was the first time she'd seen the atmosphere between them become so rigid, and for a moment, she was at a loss for what to do.

Jiang Changbai merely took it as having had an auditory hallucination, and, after stilling for a moment, she didn't think on it further; she turned her head and looked towards Xie Qianbing, and said, "Go to Luyuan, and keep a watch on that Wei Xiren for Us."

Hearing Jiang Changbai speak, Xie Qianbing hurriedly took a step back from her own confusion of just then, and nodded, replying, "This minister understands. If she takes any inappropriate actions, this minister will spare no expense to stop her."

Yet Jiang Changbai, hearing this, shook her head. "At that time, We will order two trustworthy imperial guards to go with you. But if they are determined to do something, don't obstruct them either. After all, your abilities are vastly different, and you must also protect your own life first; only then can you return to the capital and report matters to Us."

In Xie Qianbing's mind, she'd long since believed that she'd given the whole of her life to Jiang Changbai; now, suddenly hearing these words of hers, her heart was greatly touched, such that even the rims of her eyes couldn't help but flush red. In a flash, she grew speechless, and could only nod her head. Jiang Changbai, seeing this version of her, thought of the loyal and devoted posture Wen Congyun had had towards Song Juguang just then, and a nameless flame rose in her heart. But she had nowhere to release her emotions, and could only utterly swallow them back down. She cleared her throat, and continued, "If matters truly can't be controlled, and there is to be a battle, you must admonish the soldiers to not harm the common people. Regardless of all else, the common people are always innocent."

Xie Qianbing relaxed a bit as well, and nodded once more. "This minister understands. If this minister discovers Wei Xiren is taking inappropriate action, should I send a missive back to the capital as quickly as possible?"

Jiang Changbai shook her head, raising her finger to point to her head. "Remember it all here, and once you return to the capital, report it all to Us. Don't leave any traces; on the surface, you're all still colleagues handling a matter together." Jiang Changbai paused, and only continued after sighing. "Here in the capital, things won't be thrown into chaos in a short term."

Despite Xie Qianbing still having worries in her mind, she could only lower her head and reply, "Understood."

When Xie Qianbing departed, it was already nearly dusk outside the window. Jiang Changbai expelled Xun Zhu as well, and stood alone by the window, looking at the orange-yellow clouds, lost in thought. These past few days, she'd occasionally felt that her position on this imperial throne wasn't too bad. But today, with a single look, she realised that the person who the countless ministers either revered or feared was still Song Juguang. Song Juguang would say to her, with great grievance, "You still don't trust this minister"; if it were possible, Jiang Changbai wanted to ask her as well—ask her how she ought to trust her. Could an emperor who had to first wait for someone else to nod first before being able to order their ministers be counted as an emperor, or one who could only act in a play, acting out an industrious, political emperor?

Jiang Changbai asked herself, but she couldn't find an answer.

Actually, in the past, she'd imagined meeting Song Juguang once more. At the time, they hadn't seen each other in many years, and Jiang Changbai hadn't even known if Song Juguang were living or dead. Time had long since erased everything, and the Song Juguang who remained in Jiang Changbai's memories was only that of her merits. Jiang Changbai had remembered her great skill in martial arts; how, after training a few days, she could knock down the martial arts masters the Prince's residence had invited; remembered she was a quick study, and though she couldn't understand books, after class, she'd trail behind her, and beg for her help studying; remembered her utter devotion, how when others did her some good, she would return it countless times over.

At the time, Jiang Changbai had thought, if Song Juguang were to return, she would be a great general at her disposal. Once Prince Ling passed on, and she controlled all the might of the Prince's residence, once her secret plans took shape, and the court was overthrown—then, once she was Emperor, she'd give Jiang Changbai the title of a great general. Then, their many years of acquaintance, their mutual affection of growing up together, wouldn't be wasted.

But Jiang Changbai could never have imagined that, when they met once more, it would be with weapons facing each other, nor had she imagined that, now, though she was the Emperor, the relationship between her and Song Juguang was the exact opposite of what she'd expected. The Emperor didn't have the prestige and might of an emperor; besides a scant few, the great ministers actually all obeyed the Regent.

How ironic.

Sometimes, Jiang Changbai wondered as well, if she weren't surnamed Jiang, or if, when Song Juguang had led an army to besiege the city, there were still others with the Jiang name still alive, would this position of emperor still have fallen to her?

The humid, hot air blew through the window towards Jiang Changbai, and she felt her entire figure wrapped tightly by the sticky summer day. The choking sensation of humidity pulled Jiang Changbai out of her previous contemplation; she knew that, besides the temporary role of emperor given by Song Juguang's kind regard, there weren't any other paths she could walk.

"Acting as Emperor, acting as Emperor." Jiang Changbai paced about, winding around the imperial study alone. Suddenly, she halted, and let out a cold laugh. "It's not too great a position, either."

The wetness in the air grew heavier; the brambling birds flitted by, brushing against the ground; the horizon flashed, unexpectedly bringing raindrops. But the scant rain couldn't dispel the scorching heat that had accumulated for so long in the capital; on the contrary, the heat joined into layer after layer of fine nets, catching people within, hard to struggle free of. At this time, it was just nightfall, and the skies had already grown dark. Meng Daosheng wore attire for the night, and hid in the luxuriant trees in the Wu residence, even having hidden her face.

Jiang Changbai knew well that punishment couldn't be meted out merely on the basis of inference; if it didn't pan out, it would even be an overreach. So, she'd arranged Meng Daosheng to secretly investigate the origins of the highly valuable assets in Wu Dongmu's residence. Meng Daosheng's mind wasn't the indirect, winding sort, and she'd found some people familiar with to ask about, and had only gained answers that told her to go steal the ledger.

It had been said as a joke, but Meng Daosheng had took it literally. Luckily, though she wasn't good at strategy, she did have good martial skills. She took a day to observe the area, and the second night, she availed herself of the darkness to secretly sneak into the Wu residence.

Now, the Wu residence's owner was just having a midnight meal; though Meng Daosheng couldn't tell the value of the ingredients, she could recognise that all the tableware was made of gold and silver. That ground jade bowl, it gave off a luminance even in the dark.

Why, even the Imperial Palace wasn't like this. Meng Daosheng clicked her tongue to herself, and felt that the Wu residence lived far too extravagantly. Of course, she hadn't forgotten her own original aims, and she pushed aside tree branches, the birds perching on the tree fluttering and flying away; she herself also left this tree through these motions.

Wu Dongmu, within the room, was still calmly eating, as if having thought no further about these sounds of movement. He'd sat in a high position for so long, and had long since lost the keenness a general ought to have.

But even if Wu Dongmu was so slow in his reactions, Meng Daosheng still ran into trouble. She had just found another tree to stay in when she saw the woman in the ledger room lock the doors and head out. The key, shining brightly, hung at her waist; with each step, it would knock against the ornaments on her, and make a sound. Meng Daosheng had never before cultivated this type of ability; she didn't know how she could secretly take the key at another's waist. But she couldn't overtly break open that lock either; after all, the orders Jiang Changbai had given her were to investigate secretly; if the lock were to be broken, Wu Dongmu would most certainly realise something was afoot.

In a flash, she'd fallen into two difficult circumstances; Meng Daosheng could only remain in the tree, her mind whirring rapidly. However, when it rained, it poured; it wasn't clear how, but a maid saw a corner of her clothes, and pointed, calling out "Who is it!?"

That maid's courage was quite large; before she finished speaking, she made her way towards the tree where Meng Daosheng was hidden. Meng Daosheng grew alarmed; she couldn't leave, nor could she stay.

Suddenly, a wave of heat, along with shouting, rushed towards them from the side. Meng Daosheng turned her head to look; in the distance, a great fire was burning. Its intensity wasn't small; the tongues of flame licked at the eaves, and painted the night red. Vaguely, the panicked calls of "it's caught fire!" could be heard, and along with it, the sound of footsteps and water. The attention of that maid who had noticed her was also drawn by that fire, and she no longer continued investigating whether there was someone in this tree, but rather put down what was in her hands, and hurriedly raced to go help extinguish the fire.

Meng Daosheng, seeing there was no one about, leapt down from the tree. With a bit of force from the dagger in her hand, the lock was easily pried open. In the ledger room, a great deal of ledgers were piled up; Meng Daosheng flipped through a great deal before she found the ones she was looking for. But although they were only the partial amount, they were still a lesser half of a chest's worth, and couldn't all be taken out in one go. She cast a glance at the distant, ever-growing fire, her mind growing chaotic, and took a few, tucking them against her waist, and running out. Now, it was just the depths of night, and everyone in the Wu residence was focused on putting out the fire; no one saw Meng Daosheng, hurriedly flitting across the roofs. She departed the Wu residence, and found a hidden place nearby, where the fire couldn't burn, to hide the ledgers, and then went back.

Only like this, coming and going thrice, was Meng Daosheng able to finish moving the ledgers. The flames were still burning, and no one in the Wu residence knew that the ledgers had already been stolen. As she returned to the Wu residence one last time, Meng Daosheng sighed at her own good luck, and, using the flint she carried with her, lit a fire on the ledger room's door. With this, she walked off without a second thought, and, along with the others waiting at the gates, took away all the stolen ledgers. But what she didn't know was that, after she left, a maid in the Wu residence had received Wu Dongmu's orders to light three fires between where the flames had sprung up and the ledger room.

Song Juguang, standing on an even further roof, watched everything with crossed arms, as if observing a play. The suddenly appearing fire in the Wu residence of just then had been set by her own hand. From the day she'd been chased away by Jiang Changbai, Song Juguang hadn't entered the Palace. Because without her, she hadn't known how she herself ought to face Jiang Changbai.

In her own mind, of course Song Juguang understood that she herself had no greed for the imperial throne at all. What she sought assiduously was only for Jiang Changbai to become a peerless emperor, with no precedent nor antecedent, and save the Great Li from the imminent precipice.

But besides her, there was no one else who believed in this matter. The ministers didn't believe it; every day, the "ministers of the previous dynasty" who wanted to take a shortcut sent so many greeting cards, they could cover the entirety of the Song residence's great doors; her deputy generals didn't believe it, not giving Jiang Changbai any importance, and for every matter, came to her, this Regent, to ask for instructions; Jiang Changbai didn't believe it either; even if, occasionally, she'd show an interest in her ideas, Song Juguang knew that, at all times, Jiang Changbai was vigilant towards her.

Song Juguang had previously thought that she herself wouldn't mind it. After all, one lived a lifetime, and in all matters and things, could only seek to have a clear conscience. But the gentle waves of Jiang Changbai's hand that day actually had struck against her heart heavily, like the blow of a hammer.

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