Chapter 77: Worry

"Nonsense!" The head examiner, hearing this, immediately came out, kneeling and kowtowing, "Bixia, please consider clearly!"

"Consider clearly, consider clearly—Our ears are practically about to form callouses." Jiang Changbai waved her hand incredibly impatiently, the sweep of her sleeve giving rise to a burst of breeze, which swirled around the two's feet. "With Us having handled it, what's the point of cultivating you?"

Though the prison garb was shabby and worn out, and her hair was dishevelled, Xu Shuqiao still bore a candid and upright appearance. On the other hand, the head examiner, though wearing neat court attire, was trembling, unable to hide his lack of confidence.

Liu Zihe's eyes narrowed, and with great strides, he came out from the midst of the crowd. "Bixia, this person's speech is filled with logical holes; I beg Bixia to be prudent and cautious. If it truly is as she says, and she's the tanhua Xu Lianzhao of the fourteenth year of Hejing, then she committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor. If she deceived the Emperor once, she can do it again."

"Oh?" Jiang Changbai cast him a cold glance. "Then as Liu-daren sees it, how ought this be handled?"

Liu Zihe wasn't yet aware that these three people had long since sold him out, and took on the mien of contemplation for a moment. "Take her to be beheaded!"

"Dare I ask Liu-daren, in wishing to behead this humble one, which of the Great Li's laws are you relying on?" Xu Shuqiao asked immediately, not showing the slightest diffidence.

"Of course it's…" Liu Zihe, having spoken to this point, startled. "Of course it's the late emperor's."

Jiang Changbai raised the corners of her lips in a smile. "Then you'd best go find the late emperor to behead her."

How could Liu Zihe not hear the intent in Jiang Changbai's words? With a thud, he fell to his knees, beads of sweat rising immediately on his forehead, not daring to make another sound. So, the massive court room fell silent instantaneously, only Jiang Changbai's light voice audible. "Explain clearly."

"Understood!" Xu Shuqiao answered, voice resonating.

It was just that the words she said next, Jiang Changbai had long since heard before.

On the third day of the third month of the first year of Dao'an, the fraud case took place. The Emperor was furious, commanding the imperial notice to be nullified, and the exam papers to all be re-examined; those involved in the case were, at minimum, stripped of their salary and official positions, and in the worst cases, were beheaded. As soon as this order was given, it was discussed spiritedly by the common people; there was no lack of scholars gathering and marching in all regions, all being quelled. For a while, the blood of the execution grounds all about flowed in rivers, and it seemed as if even the late spring flowers were blossoming more vibrantly.

In the Imperial Gardens, Jiang Changbai was staring at such vigorously blossoming flowers in a daze. She was somewhat hesitant, a bit unsure whether her acting like this was right or wrong.

At some point, Song Juguang had come around from behind her, and stood by her side. "What is Bixia thinking about?"

Her sudden words gave Jiang Changbai a fright, and her body subconsciously shifted to the side. Song Juguang blinked, and wordlessly shifted towards her.

"Didn't you just come back? You're not resting in your manor—what did you come to the Palace for?"

Lately, the people who had been causing trouble were multitudinous; even if Jiang Changbai were more concerned about Song Juguang, she still had to allow the Cangwei army to go and suppress matters. And Song Juguang could no longer be as idle as she had been before; she had to go to the barracks and supervise the training of soldiers quite frequently.

Without even thinking, Song Juguang blurted out, "Isn't it that I'm worried about you?"

These words of hers truly weren't empty nonsense. From before the proclamation of nullifying the imperial notice during that day's morning court, Jiang Changbai had had been in a state of depression. Others couldn't see it, but Song Juguang could see it clear as anything.

"Everyone in the world must obey me; what is there to worry about for me?" Jiang Changbai said as obstinately as usual, and turning around, was about to head towards the imperial study.

Unexpectedly, she'd only taken a step when Song Juguang tugged at her. "It's as Bixia says, but aren't there people now who aren't obeying?"

The matter in her heart having been pointed out, Jiang Changbai forgot to throw off Song Juguang's hand. With a sigh, she nodded. "You're right. This crowd of fools—if those who managed to pass the exams object, let them, but even those who couldn't pass the provincial and county exams are revolting as well. Sooner or later, there'll be a day when they'll all be killed."

"If Bixia wishes them to be killed, this minister is willing to go kill them for you," Song Juguang said with a smile, weighing the folding fan in her hand. Come to speak of it, it was strange—this fan was something clearly meant for use during the summer, yet Song Juguang held it day after day; not even the bitter winter of the twelfth lunar month was an exception. And it was rarely spread open; compared to a folding fan, it seemed more like a weapon.

Jiang Changbai shot her a glance, not saying anything, and merely shook off Song Juguang's hand and headed out. If she could not consider the consequences, she'd most certainly have all these demonstrators killed, not sparing a single one. But there were too many; she couldn't do so—she could merely select a few people causing trouble all about to serve as an example.

Song Juguang was unwilling to spare her, and snatched at Jiang Changbai's sleeve, not letting go. "How is it that Bixia isn't saying anything? Should this minister take your lack of words as tacit acceptance?"

Jiang Changbai couldn't stand this disturbance. "If you want to kill them, then go kill all of them, and then when the common people say you're spreading lies and deceiving the sovereign, and send countless letters asking for your execution, We will most certainly be the first to agree. If there's nothing for you to do, just go back to your manor and rest—why are you coming here to bother Us!"

Song Juguang pressed her lips together, and the next moment, let go immediately, switching to following doggedly behind Jiang Changbai. She absolutely didn't think that Jiang Changbai was vexed because of this; at the least, these demonstrating protestors couldn't be the main reason for her irritation.

What, exactly, was she thinking, then? Song Juguang suddenly realised that, as it turned out, at some point, she had become no longer able to clearly see through the Emperor before her.

Before the two reached the imperial study, from a distance, they saw Xu Shuqiao waiting respectfully by the doors. Xu Shuqiao, hearing the sound of footsteps, turned around without conscious thought, and seeing Jiang Changbai approaching, hurriedly made obeisance. "This humble one salutes Bixia."

Though these past few days, everything she'd done were things only those with the title of court official could do, thinking about it carefully, she didn't have even the slightest official position, and even the singular title of jinshi had been erased along with that imperial notice. As a result, now Xu Shuqiao was no different from the average commoner in the slightest.

Yet Jiang Changbai didn't think so. "Go on, stand up. You needn't be too nervous; with your scholarship, if you wish to earn a jinshi, it'd be quite easy. More than that, you've fulfilled your duties well, and even if Xie Qianbing goes blind and loses your exam paper, We will retrieve it for you—how's that?"

The Emperor's promise was more important than anything else; if it were any other time, Xu Shuqiao would most certainly immediately kneel with joy and give thanks. But right now, there wasn't the slightest hint of a happy expression on her face. After all, the news that she brought couldn't be couldn't as any sort of good.

"Bixia," Xu Shuqiao hesitated a number of times, and then finally spoke, "Last night, Zhao Daqiang threw against the wall and committed suicide."

Before Jiang Changbai could speak, it was Song Juguang who grew angry first. Her tone carried some fury. "The environment in the prison is poor, and the food isn't good either. That a scholar with high ambitions couldn't endure being shut in there is normal. If he'd dead, just drag him away and bury him in an unmarked grave; what are you making a fuss about? Bringing every matter to her majesty to decide on, do you truly think her majesty isn't busy enough?!"

Xu Shuqiao had long since heard about this Regent's might, but she'd never seen her angry. Now, having suddenly been reprimanded, even with better willpower, her mind trembled a bit.

This Zhao Daqiang was the original zhuangyuan of this year, and before he'd even been joyful for a few days, he'd received news of the imperial notice's nullification. It was said that, at the time, he'd fainted from the psychological attack of anxiety, and only woke after half a shichen. Before even a few days had passed, he'd appeared at the head of the demonstrators, and even though he'd been arrested for so long, the streets still circulated with who knew how many of the calls to arms he'd written.

Yet Jiang Changbai raised a hand to obstruct Song Juguang. "No matter; it's merely a suicide to escape punishment—it can't delay any of Our matters."

How could Jiang Changbai not know what Song Juguang was thinking? It was just that she was thinking about how she'd just now said she was vexed by the matter of demonstrators amidst the commoners, and now, Xu Shuqiao had laid this example out before her. She feared that she'd be made more ill at ease by it.

But what it was that this group of people were thinking, Jiang Changbai truly couldn't care less. She waved her hand, calling Xu Shuqiao to her. "How do you think that this nullification of the imperial notice will be seen by the histories of the future, hm?"

"That…" Xu Shuqiao was a bit hesitant, her gaze suddenly meeting Song Juguang's attentive line of sight, and, fear rising in her heart, she hurried to say, "Naturally that Bixia is wise and mighty, and that you gave justice to a vast number of scholars."

Jiang Changbai, hearing this, smiled, and extended a hand to pat Song Juguang. "Quit scaring her, let her speak honestly."

Song Juguang shrugged not the slightest bit of embarrassment at having been exposed showing on her face. Merely paying herself any mind, she went and sat down on the low couch, reclining on it and closing her eyes to rest. Jiang Changbai's gaze followed all of these actions of hers, and she laughed softly, and looked at Xu Shuqiao once more. "We do not wish to hear such falsities; speak honestly. Regardless of what you say, We won't punish you."

Xu Shuqiao's expression trembled, and she fell to her knees, a knocking sound rising as she kowtowed a few times. "Replying to Bixia, this minister believes that, on the matter of the future histories' evaluations, one must still wait to see who it is who holds the brush which writes them."

"Oh?" Jiang Changbai nodded, indicating to her to continue speaking.

Xu Shuqiao swallowed a mouthful of spit, her gaze worriedly casting onto Song Juguang. Before she could drag it away, she heard Jiang Changbai say, "If We tell you to speak, then speak—what are you doing looking at someone else?"

She startled Xu Shuqiao into hurriedly turning her head. "This minister believes, if in the future, the histories are written by women, then this act of Bixia's will be braised as being as magnificent and impressive as the splitting of the heavens and earth,^[1] celebrated for a thousand years; but if they're written by men—"

Before Xu Shuqiao finished speaking, Jiang Changbai understood her meaning. She sighed, and said, "What some people think, We don't care about in the slightest. But We heard tell that amongst the demonstrators in the capital, there are no lack of women. Why, then, do even they wish to oppose Us?"

Jiang Changbai mumbled these words, but they were heard in their entirety by Song Juguang. With a rustle, her eyes opened, and she strode over to Jiang Changbai. "Where do these words of Bixia's come from?"

This matter of Jiang Changbai's couldn't be said to be strange to Song Juguang in the slightest; she'd even seen it with her own eyes. But she feared that Jiang Changbai would be aggrieved; she'd clearly urged everyone over and over that they could not tell Jiang Changbai of this. Then how could Jiang Changbai, having been in a high position for so long, have heard of this rumour amongst the common people?

Naturally, Jiang Changbai had channels that Song Juguang didn't know of, but she wasn't willing to say so. Feeling suddenly that she'd spoken too much, she turned her head and said in self-derision, "Could it be that you really think We are a fool? That being so far above, We couldn't hear the people? We know there are certain things you haven't said, and haven't allowed others to say. But this matter has grown to such a clamour amongst the common people—even if it was Liang Jiwen occasionally leaving the Palace to amuse herself, and then repeating it to Our ears, we ought to learn of it."

Liang Jiwen. Song Juguang repeated this name to herself a few times, inwardly regretful. How had she forgotten her?

Before, when Nanny Pei Yu had passed, Song Juguang had seen Liang Jiwen, alone in the Palace, with no one to rely on, as pitiful. So, she'd given her her own token in order to allow her to come and go from the Palace unobstructed. Liang Jiwen didn't have a place of residence outside the Palace, and at most, she could stay a day before needing to return, and couldn't cause any incidents. As a result, though Song Juguang had remembered it at the start, afterwards, she'd gradually forgotten.

She hadn't imagined that, now, she'd ruined a good turn, and carried this rubbish to Jiang Changbai's ears.

"Bixia," Xu Shuqiao, unwilling to analyse the subtle atmosphere between the two of them, spoke bluntly. "According to what this minister knows, there are some women amidst the ranks of the demonstrators, and even some who have already been arrested. But these people are truly small in number, and most of them are those with family relations to those whose names were on the first imperial notice. Those candidates fear an impact on their prospects, and so encouraged their relatives to come demonstrate for them, to compete for power. But the scholars that this minister knows, regardless of whether they were on the previous list of names or not, none of them don't praise your actions."

"Good," Jiang Changbai said, only smiling now, "We are acting for you—no, for us women's struggle for power. These people know to remember Our grace, and so We are are content. Do whatever it is you need to do; We must read through memorials."

The sentence clearly intended to dismiss guests; Xu Shuqiao hurriedly lowered her head and departed the imperial study. However, as Song Juguang followed closely behind to leave, the direction she was headed in was the utter opposite of Xu Shuqiao's.

She was headed deeper into the Palace.

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Translator's notes:

[1]: Referencing the Pangu creation myth.