Chapter 53: Divine Retribution
Imperial Palace.
The fourth watch.
His Majesty suddenly woke up on his couch.
The Imperial Court had undergone a major reshuffle in the past few days, and state affairs were quite busy. He had not visited the imperial concubines in the harem for several days, sleeping alone in the West Warm Pavilion of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. From his ascension to the throne until today, he finally felt like a true Monarch.
That stern, never-ending lecturing Zhang Taiyue was gone. This was the most satisfying thing for him.
Ten years. He had been on the throne for a full ten years, and he could finally govern personally.
Zhang Taiyue, relying on the late Emperor’s entrustment and the Empress Dowager’s dependence, and using Confucian righteousness to suppress him, constantly spoke of the suffering of the common people. He, Zhu Yijun, a dignified Emperor, had to look at the face of a minister just to build a palace for his beloved concubine!
He had no choice but to respect Zhang Taiyue, heavily rely on Zhang Taiyue, support Zhang Taiyue’s damned New Policies, and live under Zhang Taiyue’s shadow. Heaven knows how much he detested that name!
Zhang Taiyue had the support of everyone in the Imperial Court; where did that leave him?
The moment he saw Zhang Taiyue’s corpse with his own eyes, he wept while supporting the coffin, feeling both joy and fear in his heart. It was as if the person in the coffin would jump out at any moment, cough, and berate him.
Dead.
Zhang Taiyue was dead.
The dead could no longer stop him.
He silently recited in his heart, “Teacher, you defeated Yan Song, defeated Gao Gong, defeated one formidable person after another. Today, I, the Emperor, have defeated you, and only then can I truly be considered to have come of age.”
Three days later, the tide of joy slowly receded, and he began to feel that something was missing in his heart. The wind howled in, blowing in a vast sense of bewilderment.
That old man who pointed fingers and lectured was gone. From now on, he would have to face the vast empire and the officials of civil and military service, each with their own intentions.
Last night, he had a dream.
He dreamed of his childhood, when Zhang Taiyue came to teach him as ordered. He had fallen asleep on his desk, and Zhang Taiyue had taken off his robe and draped it over him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Zhang Taiyue’s kind eyes: “Your Highness the Crown Prince, you must study diligently.”
In the sixth year of Longqing, his father, the Emperor, passed away. The country was in turmoil, with internal and external threats and powerful ministers in charge. He was bewildered and unsure of what to do. Zhang Taiyue knelt before him, tears streaming down his face: “Your subject vows to protect His Majesty until death. If Your Majesty trusts your subject, what is there to fear?”
His palms were covered in sweat. Zhang Taiyue accompanied him, step by step, towards the Golden Throne Hall. Zhang Taiyue’s body, like a mountain, shielded him from all the bloodshed.
This was the warmest color of Zhang Taiyue in his memory.
When he woke up, he was covered in sweat, and the words he uttered were: “Teacher, Teacher, teach me, Teacher!”
The young eunuch waiting outside the tent knelt on the ground: “Your Majesty, what are your orders?”
He held his forehead: “Is it almost time for court?”
“Your Majesty, it is only the fourth watch, still early. Besides, have you not already issued an edict to suspend court for seven days?”
Oh.
Yes.
His Majesty finally woke up completely.
The lamp in the hall flickered.
He sat up and pondered for a moment: “Go, summon Director Feng to see me immediately!”
The young eunuch agreed and left.
Before long, Feng Gao arrived.
Feng Gao was injured.
Blood was still flowing from his forehead.
His Majesty looked at him: “What happened?”
Feng Gao quickly said: “Reporting to Your Majesty, it’s nothing, I just bumped into something…”
“Hmm?” His Majesty said slowly: “Tell me the truth.”
His Majesty was always like this; the more he said it was nothing, the more he felt something was wrong.
“Your Majesty, yesterday, the statue of Yue Fei in the Eastern Depot suddenly fell, injuring several people…”
“Who was injured?”
“Me, and Ge Dasheng, Lin Maocai…”
His Majesty frowned.
These individuals were all directly involved in Zhang Taiyue’s death.
The statue of Yue Fei was fine; how could it have fallen?
It is said that the most loyal and virtuous people were originally stars in the heavens. Could it be that Teacher was seeking revenge?
The people of the Eastern Depot were all his confidantes. Was he next…
His Majesty’s expression grew even more solemn.
His leg was cramping. His childhood ailment seemed to have recurred.
He beckoned, signaling Feng Gao to come closer.
Feng Gao approached.
He lowered his voice and said: “Take a few men and quietly place Zhang Taiyue’s spirit tablet in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.”
Yesterday, he had almost ordered Zhang Taiyue’s corpse to be whipped. He still felt uneasy.
His father had promised Zhang Taiyue that he could accompany the sacrifices in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Now, he had broken his promise. Not only was he afraid that Zhang Taiyue would resent him, but he was also afraid of his father’s blame. However, Zhang Taiyue had already been convicted, and his case could absolutely not be overturned. Therefore, this matter could only be handled quietly.
Feng Gao accepted the order and left.
An hour later, a great disaster occurred.
A beam in the Imperial Ancestral Temple fell, nearly crushing those men to death.
Feng Gao returned, limping, to report.
His Majesty stood up and paced back and forth in the West Warm Pavilion.
Feng Gao, sharing His Majesty’s indignation, said: “Your Majesty, perhaps that traitor Zhang Taiyue was ultimately not destined to accompany the late Emperor? He displeased Your Majesty, so his corpse should have been dragged out to feed the dogs…”
“Silence!” His Majesty roared.
What did these people from the Eastern Depot know?
Although they were completely loyal to him, they were ignorant of gods and sages, lacking any sense of reverence.
The sky slowly brightened.
Today was the day for the execution of Cheng Huaishi.
The people from Dali Temple sent something, saying it was found on the prisoner Cheng Huaishi, bearing an imperial gift of a tassel. They dared not keep it and presented it to His Majesty for his perusal.
A young eunuch brought a tray.
His Majesty saw clearly; it was a Ruyi knot.
It was the Ruyi knot that his father had bestowed upon Zhang Taiyue.
In the past, when his father entrusted him with the country, he had said: “I bestow this Ruyi knot upon a loyal minister, wishing you to protect the country with Ruyi and usher in an era of peace and prosperity.”
Zhang Taiyue had always kept this Ruyi knot as a sacred object.
Now, it was given to Cheng Huaishi, likely as a plea for His Majesty to spare his disciple’s life.
His Majesty clutched the Ruyi knot and remained silent for a long time.
Feng Gao, crippled by the beam, accompanied him.
Someone from the Twelve Bureaus reported: “Your Majesty, the newly built Taoist temple several months ago caught fire!”
His Majesty roared and immediately ordered people to put out the fire.
At this moment, he was certain.
This was divine retribution.
After he calmed down, he issued a secret edict to Feng Gao—
“Only you and I know about this matter. You must keep it a strict secret. Cheng Huaishi must be punished today to awe the world. Go, and…”
He instructed him in this manner.
It was very thorough.
Feng Gao hesitated.
Only when His Majesty glared at him did Feng Gao kneel on the ground: “Your subject obeys the decree.”
Feng Gao hobbled out.
His Majesty sat alone at his desk for a long, long time.
Outside the window, the wind could be faintly heard.
He stood up and went to the Hall of Ancestral Worship.
He wished that the ancestors and the gods could understand him.
If Zhang Taiyue was not removed, he could not govern personally.
In the Imperial Court, he needed to make his own decisions.
This world, these four seas, belonged to him. He could not tolerate any defiance.
This last act he did for Zhang Taiyue was already the utmost benevolence. He hoped that the foolish Cheng Huaishi would appreciate it. He also hoped that Zhang Taiyue’s spirit in heaven would appreciate it.
The Emperor is the father and ruler. The people are his subjects.
There are no unfilial fathers and rulers in the world.
If these people had understood this earlier, and always tried to guess the imperial will and flatter it, how could they have ended up in this situation!
He, Zhu Yijun, was not wrong!
His Majesty’s emotions finally calmed down amidst the wisps of incense smoke.
News of Cheng Huaishi’s execution had been leaked by the government office long ago, and everyone knew about it.
Many people spontaneously rushed to the execution ground to bid him farewell.
There were also many who came with a sense of spectacle, to watch how the esteemed new noble of the Imperial Court, Prime Minister Zhang’s tacit successor, would be beheaded.
Cheng Residence.
Xiao Yin asked me cautiously: “Miss, are you going to see off your son-in-law?”
I looked up.
Perhaps it was due to crying so much these past few days, my eyes were a little blurry.
I surveyed everything in the bedroom.
When I first arrived in the capital, Cheng Huaishi had taken my hand and led me to the East Courtyard. He had said to me gently: “I fear Madam may not be accustomed to it, so I specifically ordered He Ming to arrange it in the style of our Yangzhou old residence. Does Madam like it?”
That scene felt like yesterday.
Today, I was to be separated from him by death.
How could I bear to witness his execution with my own eyes?
If I didn’t see it, perhaps I could always pretend he was still alive.
Even though he had divorced me.
Even though for many days after our marriage, he had never spoken the word “love” to me.
Whether good or bad.
He was, after all, my husband.
The husband to whom I paid respects before the elders.
I shook my head at Xiao Yin: “I’m not going.”
Xiao Yin fell silent.
Time boiled like water, simmering me.
It was almost noon.
I stood up and sat down, sat down and stood up.
Indecisive.
Finally, I took a step and walked out the door, involuntarily.
Today was the day he died for his country.
I should force myself to see him one last time.
As I reached the courtyard, a limping figure appeared.
“Elder Sister!”
It was Feng Gao.
How could he be so injured after only a few days?
I quickly supported him: “Dou Ya, what’s wrong? Is His Majesty giving you a hard time?”
He shook his head, and with difficulty, pulled me into the room. He looked around, closed the doors and windows. He lowered his voice, as if to tell me something very important.
“Elder Sister, change your clothes later and leave through the back door. I’ve arranged a horse carriage to take you to Five Spirits Mountain behind Qionglin Academy. Beyond Five Spirits Mountain, there’s a small path that leads to Jicheng. Elder Sister, you and he should flee to the ends of the earth.”
He looked at me, filled with pain and pity, his eyes so clear, full of attachment and reluctance.
I was confused: “He? Who is he? It’s this late, how can Elder Sister have the heart to go elsewhere?”
He became anxious and whispered in my ear, “Cheng Huaishi is not dead.”
I was shocked and looked up abruptly.
How dare he do such a audacious thing?
“No. Dou Ya, Elder Sister cannot implicate you.”
Indeed, I wanted Cheng Huaishi to live.
But I absolutely could not watch Dou Ya suffer because of it.
“Elder Sister, I know you are fond of Cheng Huaishi. After I returned to the palace, I set up a plan. In this world, no one understands His Majesty better than I do. I understand his every emotion. Don’t worry, this matter was a secret edict from His Majesty. The execution will proceed as planned at the execution ground.”
After he disappeared from the Cheng Residence, he actually accomplished such a difficult task.
Seeing that I wasn’t moving, he handed me a stack of silver notes and urged me: “Elder Sister, don’t worry, I have a way to get out of this. I will be fine. You don’t need to pack any luggage, just take the silver notes. Hurry and go! His Majesty instructed that no one should know. I fear something unexpected might happen, and he might change his mind.”
Hearing this, I nodded.
He escorted me to the back door.
The sun split, scattering into his eyes.
Tears streamed down his face, and he suddenly hugged me tightly.
“Elder Sister, in the next life, if I am a whole person, I will find you again. Elder Sister, stand in front of Guangyue Tower and don’t leave.”
After saying this, he pushed me out the door.
Someone was already waiting outside the door.
“Dou Ya—”
I watched him, his face streaked with tears, disappear from my sight.
His delicate face, phoenix eyes, and thin lips.
He was as tragically beautiful as a peach blossom tree.
Five Spirits Mountain.
I arrived at the place Feng Gao mentioned, but I didn’t see Cheng Huaishi.
The coachman said in surprise: “Director Feng clearly arranged it…”
There was a rustling sound in the forest.
I pulled the coachman behind a large tree and quietly observed the movement.
A figure in a flying fish costume flashed by.
It was the Brocade Guards.
Why were the Brocade Guards on Five Spirits Mountain at this time?
I held my breath and listened.
Mu Lin’s voice could be heard.
“Did you see clearly?”
A person replied: “Your subordinate saw it very clearly. Director Feng took someone and sneakily went up Five Spirits Mountain. That person’s build strongly resembled Cheng Huaishi. Your subordinate dared not disturb them and returned to report to you, my lord.”
“Feng Gao has always been cautious in serving His Majesty. Cheng Huaishi is a death row prisoner personally appointed by His Majesty. How could he dare? It’s impossible… Besides, how could the Minister of Dali Temple be so easily fooled?” Mu Lin pondered.
“Regardless, let’s search and try. If it really is Cheng Huaishi, wouldn’t you have earned immense merit in front of His Majesty?”
“That’s true. Feng Gao has always been one step ahead of me. His Majesty trusts him more than me. I’ve been unhappy about it for a long time. If I can get a handle on this matter, I can step all over him from now on…”
Power was indeed the most effective medicine.
Mu Lin’s voice was already trembling with joy.
I remembered what Feng Gao had told me. This matter was a secret edict from His Majesty. Therefore, Mu Lin definitely wouldn’t know. At this moment, Mu Lin thought he had caught Feng Gao red-handed and was excitedly unaware of what was happening.
Where did Cheng Huaishi go after all?
I quietly followed them from fifty feet away.
On Five Spirits Mountain.
In the distance, I saw a nunnery…
