Chapter 83: Change

"Bixia, this subject wishes to ask you for a favour." Yang Zhuofei knelt on the ground, but the expression when she raised her head to look at Jiang Changbai was hardly beseeching, as if success was already at hand.

Jiang Changbai could faintly guess what Yang Zhuofei was about to say, yet she still asked, "Oh? Let Us hear it."

"Prince Yu passed on so many years ago, and the manor hasn't had even a single support. Now, Mingyou has already grown up. This subject requests Bixia in earnest to pass the title of Prince Yu on to Mingyou, for him to establish himself, and continue to burn the imperial family's incense." Having spoken to this point, Yang Zhuofei paused, and pulled out a scroll from her breast, deferentially raising it above her head with her hands. "This is a petition from the people."

"A petition?" Jiang Changbai's words were a bit astonished, and she indicated to Xun Zhu to bring the scroll to her. On it were pressed a tangle of fingerprints, and only on careful investigation could it be seen that this was a petition from the people of Boyang.

Jiang Changbai feigned doubt. "How is it that the common people of Boyang know of the matters of the capital?"

As she spoke, her probing gaze fell upon Yang Zhuofei, practically drilling a hole into her. But Yang Zhuofei seemed to have long since thought of an answer, and said calmly, "Recently, with the flooding in Boyang, after Mingyou learnt of it, his heart burnt with worry, and went alone to Boyang to help the victims of the disaster, eating and living with the people…"

But before she'd finished speaking, Jiang Changbai cut her off. Jiang Changbai looked all about, and then said doubtfully, "Ah, this is the imperial study, isn't it? And We think We must be muddle-headed from reading memorials, that even having attended court, We didn't know about it. What, you, Yang Zhuofei, wish to use petitions from the people to pressure Us?"

The words Jiang Changbai had spoken were clearly an interrogation, but Yang Zhuofei's mind was buzzing, and in her mind, an involuntary sigh arose. Who knew how long it had been since someone else had called her name like this; in all these years, the name that was used for her was always "Princess Yu". Respect was respect, but it was always lacking something.

However, this moment wasn't the time for thinking about such things. Jiang Changbai didn't give Yang Zhuofei the slightest chance to respond, and continued speaking. "You really take Us for a fool. Where Prince Yu's manor received the news, and who it was who went to Boyang, do you need Us to tell you? Further, We are still healthy, so how is it that it's come to Jiang Mingyou alone, a sickly patient paralysed in a wheelchair, to continue lighting whatever incense?

"If these words of yours had waited to be spoken until tomorrow's morning court, perhaps We would truly have been forced to give him the title of Prince Yu. But having rushed to come say it now, could it be that Jiang Mingyou won't be able to live til tomorrow?"

The sense of being touched from just before vanished completely from Yang Zhuofei, and all she could feel was a buzzing in her ears.

When Han Yu had left the capital, she hadn't been sitting in one of Prince Yu's manor's carriages, and, on top of that, she'd chosen to leave during the period when the volume of people at the city gates was the highest. And Yang Zhuofei had stayed at Prince Yu's manor, and no one knew that one of her maids was missing.

As for Jiang Mingyou's condition, Jiang Changbai had guessed it correctly. As it turned out, this false Jiang Mingyou hadn't been born as tall as the genuine Jiang Mingyou, and after Yang Zhuofei had brought him back, she'd had his bones broken and elongated. He'd originally recovered almost completely, and after a few more days, he'd have been able to get rid of the crutches. But who could have imagined that this imitation would catch a severe illness, and while before, he'd been able to sit in the wheelchair and roll all about, now, he couldn't even sit up, and the doctor who'd been brought in said that whether he'd be able to survive tonight was up to question.

But all the servants in the rear wing of Prince Yu's manor were ones with clean backgrounds who'd been born there, having no way to leave the manor, and more than that, without the channels to send information out. How could Jiang Changbai know about this?

Unless—

As she thought this, all the suspicion in Yang Zhuofei's mind fell onto Liu Zihe.

Jiang Changbai saw Yang Zhuofei fall silent, but from her expression, could, step by step, ascertain the conjecture she previously couldn't be certain of. So, she laughed softly, and tore apart the scroll before her, and asked, "How come you're not speaking? Could it be that you've let Us guess it all?"

Only at this did Yang Zhuofei come out of her daze, and force a smile. "Bixia truly is too worried; how could it be as you say? But Mingyou really is ill; this subject merely wished to allow him to inherit his title sooner rather than later, to relieve one of the worries on his mind. As you know, since Mingyou walked past the gates of the underworld, his health hasn't been too well…"

As she spoke, Yang Zhuofei pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve, and wiped at the nonexistent tears at the corners of her eyes, the picture of a loving mother. But naturally, Jiang Changbai would now no longer be deceived by her acting, and scoffed. "Is it that you wish him to inherit his title, or that you wish him to inherit Our title of Emperor? Don't think that We don't know anything about the things you've all been doing in secret."

Yang Zhuofei was left dumb, unable to speak. Yet Jiang Changbai didn't stop, immediately turning her accusations towards Liu Zihe, drawn back by the side and not daring to speak. "And you, don't think that just because you haven't spoken you're free; do you really believe We wouldn't dare to touch you? Just based on what you've done in the past, a thousand injuries and ten thousand cuts wouldn't be excessive. We had initially thought to allow you some more time, but We hadn't imagined that your nerve would be this great!"

"Ah, Bixia, please understand!" Liu Zihe, hearing the intent behind Jiang Changbai's words, was so scared he hurriedly kowtowed.

Originally, Jiang Changbai really hadn't wanted to touch Liu Zihe. Though there were almost a hundred people from the recent exams' jinshi holders who could be of use, in comparison to the Great Li's government, they were far too few. Liu Zihe had been rooted in the court for countless years, and who knew how many of his students were spread all about. If he were to be arrested so hastily, once the news got out, it would most certainly cause a not insignificant amount of unrest.

But in this moment, she'd changed her mind. They were moving; she could pull out Liu Zihe's influence one step at a time, and Liu Zihe could plan step by step. Rather than waiting for him to be fully prepared, it would be better to deal with him sooner rather than later.

If Liu Zihe could have guessed what Jiang Changbai was thinking right now, he most certainly would have regretted urging Yang Zhuofei to come to the imperial study. But as he saw it, it was all already too late.

"Ah, take them all away," Jiang Changbai said, her tone as level as if she were discussing mundane matters. "Yang Zhuofei and Liu Zihe intend to rebel; take them to prison, and they'll be dealt with at a later date."

"Bixia!" Yang Zhuofei stilled, disbelief filling her gaze. "Ah, Bixia, please understand, this subject would never have such an idea. After all, this subject is your elder—I can't, I can't go to such a place!"

"Elder?" Jiang Changbai scoffed. "Only if We acknowledge it are you Our elder. If We don't acknowledge it, you're no different from anyone else—take them away!"

Liu Zihe wept even more bitterly, crouching on the ground and crawling towards Jiang Changbai. As he crawled, he cried out, "Bixia, please judge clearly, all of this was Princess Yu's idea, just let this minister go!"

The imperial bodyguard kicked Liu Zihe away, yet his voice remained. Jiang Changbai coughed lightly to indicate to those bracketing the two, about to leave, to stop, and came to Liu Zihe's side. "What did you just say?"

Liu Zihe's eyes lit up, believing that there was a chance for this matter to take a turn for the better. "It was all Princess Yu's idea, and the incident in Luyuan before was in her plans, too. This minister and the others were all compelled without alternative; please understand, your majesty!"

Jiang Changbai seemed to not even ponder this, and turned to look at Yang Zhuofei. From on high, she asked, "What do you say?"

"That's slander," Yang Zhuofei said, the calm in her expression increasing a degree. "Before, this subject merely wished to find Mingyou, and this subject had no knowledge of the incident in Luyuan. This subject has lived in the depths of the Prince's manor for so long—how could I threaten Liu-daren?"

Jiang Changbai nodded in agreement. "Reasonable."

Yang Zhuofei had been pressed against the ground by the imperial guards, and knelt wretchedly in Jiang Changbai's direction. Jiang Changbai reached out a hand, pinching her chin, her other hand wiping beneath her eyes. "A son beloved by his mother, for whom her plans are far reaching. We understand your love for your son. But you can't exhaust yourself too much. Look at that—how it's grown black beneath your eyes. How about this—for these days, you stay in the Palace, and We will send an imperial physician to Prince Yu's manor as well to watch over him; if Jiang Mingyou is lucky, he won't die."

Yang Zhuofei's jaw was pinched by Jiang Changbai, and even speaking was hard. But she could only force herself to say, "Thanks to Bixia."

"What need is there for thanks? After all, who allowed you to be Our elder?" Jiang Changbai smiled as she said this, but the next moment, she glanced fiercely at Liu Zihe. "Just take this one away; have a few people go encircle the Liu residence—don't let anyone leave."

"Understood!"

Liu Zihe, who'd dominated the court for so many years, fell just like that; those who'd been on friendly terms with him sent pleas of leniency, but they were rejected by Jiang Changbai one after the other. Making an example of him was, in the end, efficacious; for a while, the officials within the capital were all afraid; those who were cowardly even took initiative to go to the Ministry of Justice to confess their crimes. Jiang Changbai merely regretted that she hadn't had Liu Zihe taken to prison earlier; who knew how much less trouble it would have been that way.

Liu Zihe, as an official, had really been quite successful. The troops searching the Liu residence only managed to clear everything after three days and three nights, and, combined, the worth of all the items was comparable to the state treasury.

When Bi Yushuang and Liang Jiwen passed by the Liu residence, the search and confiscation had already entered its end stage.

Liang Jiwen, seeing this scene, asked curiously, "What are they doing?"

Bi Yushuang merely shot a glance, and then lowered her head, pulling her away quickly. All those living here were court officials; before entering the Palace, Bi Yushuang had lived here as well. Her father's life, it turned out, was longer than that of the false Jiang Mingyou, and even now, he was still clinging to life. Her and Liang Jiwen's coming here today was precisely in order to argue with her siblings, and get a bit more of the familial assets.

Such a place was one that Liang Jiwen ought not to have come to, but Bi Yushuang couldn't stand her stubbornness, and only under no alterative had she brought her along. She hadn't imagined that Liang Jiwen, though looking obedient, when arguing, was quite the talent. Actually, when Liang Jiwen had been a child in the Shejin Royal Palace, she'd heard countless peoples' disputes, and naturally remembered a not insignificant amount. The ways of the steppes were bold; how could anyone from the Great Li be Liang Jiwen's equal? Bi Yushuang's previously proud siblings were criticised by Liang Jiwen such that they couldn't even speak.

Now, Bi Yushuang was renting and living in the capital; naturally, she'd heard some news regarding Liu Zihe. Even if Liu Zihe had now been thrown into prison, many years of experience meant that Bi Yushuang wasn't willing to mention matters related to him.

Liang Jiwen, though, was someone whose character was to ask incessantly until getting to the bottom of things. So, she asked the entire way, and only once they returned to Bi Yushuang's small house did she get an answer.

Liang Jiwen blinked, and looked at Bi Yushuang. "Can her majesty just kill anyone she wants to?"

Bi Yushuang was startled by her question, and hurriedly pulled her into the house, admonishing her, "You'll say anything—do you not want your head?"

How could Liang Jiwen understand the tension in Bi Yushuang's words? She couldn't help but think of the words that Jiang Changbai had spoken to her then, saying that she could only stay in the Palace, without freedom. She remembered her Royal Father's words from long, long ago, when she'd still been in the Shejin Royal Palace, saying that there wasn't anything good about being the King, either, that everyone's burdens fell on him, having to worry about this, and worry about that.

So, Liang Jiwen had previously felt that, though position of emperor was respected, it couldn't be counted as a good duty. But only now, having seen a raid with her own eyes, and hearing these words of Liang Jiwen's, did she feel that this matter seemed to be entirely different from what she'd thought.

"I was just curious, wasn't I," Liang Jiwen said with a fawning smile, tugging at Bi Yushuang's sleeve. "Such a major official, could he be arrested just like that?"

"What of it?" Bi Yushuang knew that Liang Jiwen wasn't ill-intentioned, but she still unconsciously lowered her voice. "All the world is her majesty's; whoever she wants to kill, she can kill."

"Do even her majesty's elders have to obey her?" Liang Jiwen asked.

Bi Yushuang glared at her, and slapped Liang Jiwen's body. "Even an elder's her majesty's subject; besides the Empress Dowager, who would dare not to obey her majesty? If you think about it, I count as half an elder of her majesty, and when do I dare to put on airs with her? If you hear anything else, just leave them here with me, and don't you dare tell anyone else when you return to the Palace. Careful, or you'll lose your head!"

As it turned out, Yang Zhuofei had been placed under house arrest in the Palace, and day in and day out, hollered about being her majesty's elder, and wanting to leave the Palace. On the days she didn't leave the Palace, Liang Jiwen wandered about, and naturally had heard a good deal.

So, since it was like that, Liang Jiwen's thoughts turned about and about. I want to be an Emperor as well.

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