Chapter 31: Treasures Of The Previous Dynasty
Wei Jiao was sent to the Capital City at the age of thirteen.
After the new dynasty stabilized, the Emperor wanted to reward Longxi Great General Wei Cui, who had greatly contributed to stabilizing Under Heaven by controlling the Guanzhong region, by enfeoffing him as a King of a Different Surname and inviting him to the Capital City, but Wei Cui declined.
However, he sent his youngest son.
He said that if the Emperor truly wanted to reward him, he should help take care of his son and let him follow Wang Zaitian in his studies.
Because the Emperor was a wise ruler who had pacified Under Heaven, many famous scholars who had hidden from the world in the Previous Dynasty surged into the Capital City to follow the Emperor, including Wang Zaitian of the School of Governing the State.
Having his youngest son study with Wang Zaitian was not because this son was particularly studious, but to treat his illness.
This child had damage to his heart and mind, with disordered speech and behavior. Over the years, they had sought medical treatment everywhere without success. Finally, a famous physician suggested letting the youngest son learn the arts of Huang-Lao, which might calm his mind.
As for why he had damage to his heart and mind, Wei Cui also explained it to the Emperor: it was because this child had lived in Zhao Tan’s hands for several years.
Back then, Zhao Tan had wickedly usurped the state, killing two brothers of the Wei family. Wei Cui managed to escape, but he could not save his wife and son, who remained in the Capital City and were captured by Zhao Tan.
This child was only two years old when he fell into Zhao Tan’s hands.
Although Wei Cui’s Madam submitted to Zhao Tan to protect her own life and her son’s, Wei Cui’s son inevitably lived like a pig or dog in Zhao Tan’s hands.
It was literally like a pig or dog.
This child lived in a pigsty and ate dog food.
Later, when the Emperor captured the Capital City, Zhao Tan fled while taking this mother and son with him, until Zhao Tan died, and only then did the mother and son make their way back to the Longxi home.
By then, Wei Jiao was already seven years old.
Zhao Tan was brutal; even adults could hardly endure the torment in his hands, let alone a child of several years old.
After five years of torment, this child was no longer normal.
The Emperor looked at Wei Jiao before him.
Now Wei Jiao was nineteen years old, much taller than when he first came to the Capital City, but his figure was still slender, his complexion still pale, his brows and eyes still cool and clear, like a jade-carved beauty.
If dressed in women’s clothing, he could be said to be devastatingly beautiful.
The Emperor still remembered standing in the Great Hall at that time, when the thirteen-year-old youth stunned the entire hall into silence.
At that time, he did not yet understand what Wei Cui meant by this child being ill; he just seemed not to like to talk. But he soon witnessed it.
Since Wei Cui said he wanted his youngest son to study, he had Wang Zaitian and others summoned. Since it was about reading, Prince of Donghai, who was also studying, was summoned together, thinking to give face to Wei Cui by making Wei Jiao the Prince of Donghai’s companion reader.
As a result, before he had spoken a few words with Wang Zaitian and the others, in the Side Hall, Wei Jiao stuffed incense burner ash into Prince of Donghai’s mouth.
The Emperor led the group over and saw Prince of Donghai rolling on the ground vomiting, while Wei Jiao sat obediently, holding the incense burner in his hands. Seeing them, the corners of his eyes lifted.
“Do you want some?” His voice was cool as he asked, “This meat porridge is delicious.”
After saying that, he scooped up some incense ash and stuffed it into his own mouth.
Perhaps this scene was too shocking; later, although Wang Zaitian accepted Wei Jiao for reading, he never accepted the disciple ritual.
Later on, Wei Jiao had multiple episodes, suddenly thinking he was a dog or beast and tearing and biting the other person, or thinking the other was a demon or fierce beast and pounding them…
Don’t think that at just thirteen years old, looking slender and weak, but his strength was immense, and he was extremely agile; even the Imperial Guards had difficulty controlling him immediately.
For a time, no one dared approach him. Wei Jiao was sent by the Emperor to the Imperial Academy of Medicine, treated by the Imperial Physician for a year, before improving somewhat.
Later, he rarely appeared in public, except for following Wang Zaitian in reading, and only coming to pay respects to the Emperor during festivals.
It was unclear whether it was the Imperial Physician’s diagnosis and treatment, or growing a few more years, or the Daoist Huang-Lao truly taking effect, but in that seventeenth year, when Wei Jiao came to pay respects, he happened to encounter the Emperor losing his temper over a case involving an official, cursing the officials for being useless, evasive, and perfunctory. Wei Jiao suddenly spoke up, saying let him try.
“The officials are entangled in complex webs of family background, mentors, and marriage alliances, so on many matters they are not of one mind with His Majesty and cannot wholeheartedly consider for His Majesty, but I am different; I am just myself, regardless of others’ origins or relationships.”
The Emperor found it amusing at the time and let him try. Unexpectedly, the case, which had been a tangled mess, was quickly resolved. From then on, the Emperor no longer let Wei Jiao idle and specially created a position for him.
“His Majesty doesn’t need to give an official robe; since it’s an unprecedented office, let it be the robe I like wearing myself.” Wei Jiao stood up, spread his arms, and displayed the robe he was wearing.
He seemed to wear an inner lining red with outer black robe day and night all year round.
Black robe didn’t sound good, and didn’t look good on others, so the Emperor had patterns embroidered on the black robes and bestowed the name Embroidered Uniform.
Wei Jiao became the Embroidered Uniform Guard Captain, supervising officials and nobles for extravagance, overstepping regulations, and other illegal acts.
Indeed, in these two years, there had been no more reports from the Imperial Physician about Wei Jiao having episodes, but many officials and nobles came to accuse, weep, and curse Wei Jiao for being arrogant, using cruel torture, extorting confessions, deceitful, and committing other improprieties.
Quite a few people seemed to have been driven mad by Wei Jiao.
The Emperor looked at the young man before him; that cool face carried a smile, making him look even more beautiful, but also eerie.
He thought, Wei Jiao was not cured, but had found a suitable place to have his episodes.
The Emperor smiled faintly and changed the topic: “Another Previous Dynasty Treasure has appeared in Zhao County?”
Wei Jiao curled his lip: “I think it’s those thieves who started infighting, using it as an excuse for mutual slaughter. That rotten Previous Dynasty Imperial Family was long squandered by Zhao Tan; where would the treasure come from.”
The Emperor said: “I think this treasure might not refer to gold, silver, or jewelry, but a person.”
Wei Jiao looked at the Emperor.
The Emperor said: “Although Emperor Ai was killed by Zhao Tan, he had a prince.”
Back then, the pretext Zhao Tan used to ascend the throne as Emperor was to temporarily manage the Rivers and Mountains on behalf of the Great Zhou Emperor, to return power when the prince grew up.
After Zhao Tan became Emperor, this child never appeared again. Some said Zhao Tan killed him, because Zhao Tan could not possibly return the Imperial Throne.
“After entering the Imperial City at that time, we searched everywhere and didn’t see this child, but…” The Emperor continued, looking at Wei Jiao, “There is a rumor that the prince did not die and was rescued by loyal ministers and good generals.”
Wei Jiao burst out laughing, finding it funnier the more he laughed, and simply laughed heartily: “That rotten Great Zhou, where would it get loyal ministers and good generals from.”
The Emperor gave him a reproachful glance: “What’s so funny? Don’t forget, I was a loyal minister and good general of Great Zhou at the time, so we had to execute the state usurper Zhao Tan, and your father too, ‘Bearing Heaven’s Mandate and Following the People’s Will, Aiding Zhou to Rise’—that was the manifesto your father issued.”
Wei Jiao scoffed: “That rotten Great Zhou was already destroyed after Zhao Tan appeared; how could there be loyalty or aiding it?”
So Great Zhou was destroyed because of Zhao Tan, having nothing to do with loyal ministers and good generals. The Emperor laughed heartily. Who said Wei Jiao was a madman? This child was very smart, knew how to go mad, and also knew how to coax people. Not to mention anything else, look at his own princesses and daughters, each one going crazy at the sight of Wei Jiao…
“Enough, no need to say these things. I took Under Heaven with righteous cause and don’t need to cite some dignified pretext.” The Emperor said indifferently, “But at that time, there were indeed many people who, under the banner of aiding Zhou, carved up territories and intended to divide Under Heaven. The biggest flag among them was this Little Prince of Emperor Ai. But with my momentum established and Under Heaven returning to my heart, these people soon vanished without a trace.”
The Emperor spoke with some pride and smiled again here.
“Now more than ten years have passed; by calculation, that child has grown up.”
The Emperor’s face darkened.
“Some people’s ambitions are stirring again.”
Wei Jiao stepped forward.
“Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This minister will strictly investigate and crush one by one these vermin who were disloyal and wicked during Great Zhou’s time and now harbor thoughts of Great Zhou amid the new dynasty’s peace.” He said.
The Emperor looked at him and nodded with a smile: “Go.”
……
……
The princesses were all confined to the Study Room for intensive reading; when Wei Jiao left the palace, his steps were much more languid.
Previous Dynasty Treasure.
It was a person.
Wei Jiao turned to look toward the Imperial City.
Everyone says little children have no memory, can’t remember how their parents painstakingly raised them, can’t remember the joy of a carefree life of just eating, drinking, and soiling themselves, but strangely, he had memories.
From the moment he was abandoned by his father and taken by his mother to depend on others, he remembered every inch, every moment, every day clearly in his mind.
He had actually seen that Little Prince.
Was too busy yesterday, forgot to say the launch message. For this story, I want to try using simpler language to tell a simple story. Thank you all for reading my book. If it suits your taste, it’s my honor; if not, may we meet again with my next book. Everyone, remember that reading is for happiness—don’t read just for the sake of reading. Thank you all, and thanks to you.
