Chapter 98: An Audience with a Saintly Empress
The middle-aged man was named Tenkai Shobu. Ever since his father, Tenkai Yūkoku, died suddenly twenty years ago, he had become the head of the Tenkai clan. Under his leadership, the Tenkai family grew increasingly prosperous, so much so that people sometimes forgot he was the nephew of the Saintly Empress.
Given that the Saintly Empress was in power, his ability to achieve this was, it must be said, a great compliment.
"The old-timers all carry great weight. Even I wouldn't dare provoke them lightly... What Seisetsu did was far too childish. As his uncle, not only did you fail to stop him, but you even opened the door wide for him. Do you want to see how much blood he'll eventually shed?"
Xu Shiji sat down on the chair before him, his expression indifferent as he gazed beyond the courtyard wall. "If someone dies, the Bishop will have to pay a price."
Xue Xingchuan commanded the Great Zhou Imperial Guard. As another trusted subordinate of the Saintly Empress, he had been recalled from the front lines and placed in charge of public security in all districts of the capital. The fact that so many idle onlookers could gather before the Ecclesiastical Office today would have been impossible without his tacit approval.
"What price? Do you think he'll be driven out of the Ecclesiastical Office? You're all mistaken. The worse his relationship with the Pontiff, the more secure his position becomes. Because right now, within the state religion, he's the only one who can match the Pontiff in seniority. So my aunt... needs him."
Tenkai Shobu continued, "Whoever my aunt favors, they prosper—like Xu Yourong and Mo Yu. Whoever she values, they thrive—like you and Xue Xingchuan. But nothing compares to being needed... because that represents uniqueness, a certain kind of equal standing."
"Stop trying to poke the sleeping fox in the Ecclesiastical Office."
He stared at Xu Shiji. "I've studied Merisa for decades and never seen through him. How could a young man like Seisetsu possibly be his match?"
Xu Shiji was silent for a moment, then asked, "So we should do nothing at all?"
Tenkai Shobu knew what he was truly concerned about. He glanced at him coolly. "The marriage contract has already been proclaimed to the world. The more you test this, the more meaningless it becomes. Instead, it will only grow more troublesome—because if things blow up, it won't be easy to kill anyone."
Xu Shiji frowned slightly but said nothing.
"I still can't understand it. That boy has been in the capital for months now. Why didn't you just kill him at the very beginning? Instead, you held back until the Ivy Banquet, where he turned the tables on you with that marriage contract. That's not your style."
Tenkai Shobu looked at him with mild irritation.
Xu Shiji rarely saw such emotion on his face and knew he was genuinely annoyed.
The Tenkai clan had always maintained good relations with the southerners. On the surface, this followed the Great Zhou's established policy of promoting north-south integration, but anyone with clear eyes knew what the head of the Tenkai family valued most—the southerners' leanings would play a crucial role in his future bid for the throne.
From this perspective, whether in state affairs, family matters, or the throne itself, the marriage alliance between the Eastern Imperial General's Mansion and the Akiyama family was a key link. But now it had run into serious trouble—trouble that should have been eliminated by Xu Shiji long ago.
"Yourong sent a letter. She said not to touch him." Xu Shiji was silent for a long moment before speaking.
Tenkai Shobu slapped the armrest of his bamboo chair in frustration, the sound sharp and loud. "She's your daughter!"
Xu Shiji's expression turned bitter. "She also wrote a letter to Mo Yu. I'm not sure if Her Majesty has seen it."
Silence fell over the bamboo grove.
After a long time, Tenkai Shobu let out a faint sigh. "Everyone thinks I'm just using Tenkai Ga as an excuse to make trouble. Few understand that I truly want to grind that kid named Chen Changsheng into dust."
"Yes, Ga is from the outer sixth branch, far from the main line. But that kid has real potential... He entered the Upper Meditation realm at such a young age. You should know very well what that means. If he made it onto the Azure Cloud Ranking, he could easily break into the top twenty."
Regarding Tenkai Ga's cultivation level, there had been many theories in the capital. It wasn't until the first night of the Ivy Banquet that some clues emerged. But what others guessed and what the head of the Tenkai family admitted were two different things. Xu Shiji's expression grew even more solemn.
Tenkai Shobu's eyes burned with a dark fire. "In terms of cultivation potential, he's stronger than Seisetsu, and far stronger than Seisetsu's three brothers. To enter the Upper Meditation realm at such a young age—if everything goes smoothly, within five years, he'll surely stand at the threshold of the Penetrating Darkness realm. If he survives the crossing, he'll be even younger than Akiyama Jun when he broke through. And yet... he was crippled like this."
Xu Shiji asked woodenly, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"I want Chen Changsheng dead."
Tenkai Shobu looked at him with a faint, mocking smile. "No one can touch Luoluo, and now Chen Changsheng is hard to touch as well. But you're different. You're his future father-in-law. It'll be much easier for you to do something to him than for others."
Hearing this, Xu Shiji's face turned extremely ugly. Since the Ivy Banquet, he had become the laughingstock of the capital—everyone knew he was accused of favoring the rich over the poor. Though the truth wasn't that simple, it was close enough. That marriage contract had been slapping him in the face ever since.
As long as the National Academy remained in the capital and Chen Changsheng existed in this world, this humiliation would persist. He had no goodwill toward Chen Changsheng; one could say he was the person in this world who most wanted Chen Changsheng dead. Yet, at the same time, he was also the one least able to act.
Countless eyes were fixed on the Eastern Imperial General's Mansion, waiting to see how he would respond. Especially those old-timers in the state religion—they were probably just waiting for him to make a move. If he truly dared to lay a hand on Chen Changsheng, it might spark another great storm, possibly even dragging down the Saintly Empress.
Xu Shiji would never take such a risk. He stared into Tenkai Shobu's eyes, trying to discern what this notoriously domineering head of the Tenkai clan was really thinking. "If it were before, killing him would be simple. But not now."
"Does the General not wish to share my Tenkai clan's burdens?" Tenkai Shobu stood up, looking at him with a cold expression.
Xu Shiji understood what the other meant. After a moment of silence, he said, "My lord, I am a general personally appointed by the Saintly Empress."
With that, he turned and walked out of the garden.
Tenkai Shobu watched his retreating back. "Is that so? Then what did you and Prince Chenliu discuss when you met last time?"
Xu Shiji didn't pause, as if he hadn't heard a word.
---
On a rainy autumn morning, Tenkai Seisetsu rode his horse to the National Academy, intending to break down its gate and crush everything in his path. He was stopped by Chen Changsheng and his two companions, and then Jin Yulu appeared out of nowhere, forcing him to retreat empty-handed. After that came the mob besieging the National Academy, the warhorses neighing before the Ecclesiastical Office, and the bloody scene of commoners bleeding.
In the span of a single day, centered around the National Academy and Chen Changsheng, the old and new factions within the Great Zhou court clashed several times. Though it couldn't be called a bloodbath, it was certainly a head-on confrontation. The atmosphere in the capital grew extremely tense, reminding many of those days a decade ago.
Fortunately, the scale and level of the conflicts were strictly controlled. Both the old and new factions remained relatively calm—or rational—because the Saintly Empress and the Pontiff had yet to make any statements. The entire capital was locked in a silent standoff, and the symbolic significance of the National Academy, the incident's trigger, grew ever stronger.
Whether this academy could continue to operate, where Chen Changsheng's fate would lead, and whether that marriage contract would be torn up by the powerful under the guise of public opinion—all of this ultimately depended on the Saintly Empress and the Pontiff's assessment of the overall situation.
"The late Emperor ascended the throne four hundred years ago. His health was often poor, and he favored music, chess, calligraphy, and painting over the tedious affairs of state. So Her Majesty began reviewing memorials and handling state affairs on his behalf. Now, looking back, she has been in power for over two hundred years. All court affairs are in her hands, and most of the generals and ministers come from her faction. Otherwise, after the late Emperor's death, how could she have ascended the throne as the Saintly Empress? No matter how furious the imperial clan was, no matter how unacceptable the ministers found it, after a bloody purge, they all became as docile as sheep."
"The Saintly Empress is certainly extraordinary. As for why she's extraordinary, I truly don't know. I only know that my grandfather—that arrogant, reckless old man who has stayed in Bunshui all these years, cursing the Tenkai clan like dogs—would never speak a single bad word about the Saintly Empress, whether in public or private, in the hall or in a dark room."
"Everything in Great Zhou ultimately depends on the Saintly Empress's attitude. For now, Her Majesty is in good health, but she must eventually think about what comes after. To whom will the throne of the Great Zhou imperial dynasty be given? Her Majesty can use her supreme prestige to intimidate the court officials, and even the Pontiff must remain silent. But if the throne is not returned to the Chen imperial clan, then neither the universally acknowledged best candidate, Tenkai Shobu, nor the most seasoned, Tenkai Shobun, has the ability to suppress the opposition. Yet if the throne is returned to the Chen imperial clan, after the Saintly Empress passes, the Tenkai clan will surely be purged. After all, she bears the surname Tenkai—how could she bear to see that happen?"
"So Her Majesty is certainly hesitant right now. The struggle between the old and new factions arises because her hesitation gives both sides opportunities—and dangers. Unfortunately, our National Academy has become the symbol of this conflict. The Pontiff taking Luoluo out of the Palace Academy has already signaled a certain attitude. If the Saintly Empress shares that attitude, then the National Academy is in danger. Never mind Princess Luoluo—if the Saintly Empress truly wants someone dead, even the White Emperor couldn't protect them."
Tang Thirty-Six looked at Chen Changsheng and finally said, "If I were you, the thing I'd do right now is find a way to see the Saintly Empress, kneel before her, grab her leg, pour out all your grievances, and beg Her Majesty to uphold justice."
Chen Changsheng thought for a long time, then asked, "So, how do I go see Her Majesty?"
Tang Thirty-Six was quiet for a moment, then suddenly shouted angrily toward the window, "Is the food ready yet?"
(Next chapter in the evening)