Danger Lurks Hidden, Jia Yuanchun Chosen for Fengzao Palace

Wuying Hall.

"You may all withdraw as well."

Watching Sun Shaozong leave the hall, Emperor Guangde casually waved his hand. The guards and eunuchs streamed out like a receding tide.

Emperor Guangde waited a moment longer before turning back and calling, "Sixth Brother, there's no one left in the room. Come out."

Before the words had faded, someone emerged from behind the screen embroidered with two dragons playing with a pearl. He demanded anxiously, "Your Majesty, I finally scouted out a rare military talent for you. How could you agree to transfer him into a civil post instead?"

This man was only a few years younger than Emperor Guangde, yet he had maintained himself remarkably well and looked barely over thirty. His features also bore a striking resemblance to the Emperor's. He was none other than Prince Zhongshun, the Emperor's full younger brother by the same mother.

As it happened, after they had parted on the river that day, Zhou Jingui, the prince's estate steward, had used carrier pigeons to report everything that had occurred to Prince Zhongshun, lavishly praising Sun Shaozong's martial prowess in his letter.

Upon receiving the news, Prince Zhongshun had sent men to wait at the docks. The moment Jia Manor's guest ship arrived, he had hurried excitedly to the palace to "present a treasure"—only for Earl Yongyi Niu Jizong to come rushing over before he could say much, loudly demanding that Sun Shaozong be severely punished.

That was how the scene just now had come about.

Faced with Prince Zhongshun's agitated questioning, Emperor Guangde said unconcernedly, "Young men are bound to be high-minded but low-skilled at times. If they are not properly tempered, how will they be of use later?"

"But what if he withstands it? Your Majesty, don't forget: in Qian Xiang Country, that boy found the assassin's remaining accomplices in only half a day!"

"Wouldn't that be even better?"

Emperor Guangde laughed heartily. "If Great Zhou can truly produce a Di Renjie who commands armies from horseback and governs the people after dismounting, I fear I would laugh myself awake even in my dreams."

Prince Zhongshun considered it and found that it did make sense, but he was unwilling to change his tune so quickly. After a slight hesitation, he chuckled. "I'm afraid what that boy wants may not be glory and riches, but a land of tenderness instead. I heard he abducted an exquisite Foreign Woman from Qian Xiang Country and keeps insisting he means to marry her. Perhaps his transfer to a civil post is all for the sake of taking that foreign woman as his wife."

"Marry a foreign woman?"

Emperor Guangde frowned and pondered for a long while, then suddenly waved his hand. "Enough about him. Let's discuss the important matter first—what did you make of Niu Jizong's conduct just now?"

"Arrogant and lawless; his heart deserves condemnation!"

Prince Zhongshun spat out those eight words without hesitation, then analyzed further. "I believe his defense of his younger brother was merely a pretext. His true aim was to use the opportunity to test Your Majesty's intentions! Father Emperor and that Old Hag are both advanced in years. In a few more years, Your Majesty will clearly hold the realm in your sole grasp. That is why this pack of bastards wants to probe Your Majesty's mind, so they can prepare early."

The "Old Hag" he spoke of was Empress Dowager Niu, who was also Earl Yongyi Niu Jizong's paternal aunt.

Empress Dowager Niu had borne no children in her youth, which was why the throne had fallen to Emperor Guangde instead.

After Emperor Guangde ascended the throne, he had once attempted to elevate his birth mother to the position of Empress Dowager, so that the two might share equal honor as the Eastern and Western Palaces—only to be blocked by Empress Dowager Niu. In the end, his mother had received only the hasty title of Imperial Concubine.

Thus, the two brothers hated Empress Dowager Niu to the marrow of their bones, privately referring to her only as the "Old Hag."

"Prepare early, indeed!"

The corners of Emperor Guangde's mouth curled upward, revealing a cold, vicious smile. "Once Father Emperor has lived out his full span, I will surely uproot this gang of traitors who plague the nation and harm the people!"

Thinking of how the Four Princes and Eight Dukes colluded with the Retired Emperor to monopolize sources of wealth within and without the capital, forcing him, the lofty Son of Heaven, to live with empty pockets day after day and even make Prince Zhongshun profit from smuggling salt, he could not help grinding his teeth in hatred.

"Your Majesty."

Though Prince Zhongshun bore the reputation of being willful and overbearing, he did not join Emperor Guangde in cursing the Four Princes and Eight Dukes. Instead, he advised, "This matter should be delayed, not rushed. For now, I fear we must soothe them a little. It would be best to arrange some duties for them that are all empty grandeur and drain their wealth, while costing us nothing and benefiting us."

At this, Emperor Guangde rose from behind his imperial desk and paced several times around Wenying Hall.

After a long while, he suddenly called Dai Quan in and commanded, "Go to the Empress's palace and convey My Imperial Decree: Lady Historian Jia Yuanchun is promoted to Fengzao Palace Secretary and additionally invested as Virtuous Consort; Attendant Liu Rumei shall fill the vacancy of Fengzao Palace Lady Historian and additionally be invested as Consort Yi; Attendant Shui Wanyi shall additionally be invested as..."

In one breath, he granted titles to several consorts, all of them women born to the households of the Four Princes and Eight Dukes.

After Dai Quan had recorded each order, Emperor Guangde further instructed, "Also, spread word for Me: starting next spring, any family that has built a separate residence conforming to imperial standards and capable of housing inner-palace consorts for a temporary stay shall be permitted to have them return home to visit their families and enjoy the warmth of family affection and kinship!"

Once Dai Quan had accepted the order and departed, Prince Zhongshun was so delighted he looked like a monkey, scratching at his ears and cheeks as he praised, "Your Majesty, what a brilliant move! The Four Princes and Eight Dukes are best at flaunting wealth and competing with one another. Once the fashion for these family visits begins, won't they all desperately scramble to build gardens?!"

Emperor Guangde's lips twitched slightly, but his brow and eyes were filled with baleful fury.

Let us not speak of how Emperor Guangde and Prince Zhongshun plotted against the Four Princes and Eight Dukes.

After receiving the Emperor's approval, Sun Shaozong returned home in high spirits and told Ruan Rong of his transfer to a civil post. Ruan Rong was so overjoyed that tears streamed down her face—if one could be the principal wife, who would truly be willing to serve as a Concubine?

Though his conveniently acquired elder brother had considerable objections, the die had been cast, and he could only accept it helplessly.

For the next three days, aside from taking time to visit Hou Yong's residence and pay respects to the Hou family's Old Madam, Sun Shaozong spent every day at home wrapped in honeyed sweetness with Ruan Rong. He waited only for the civil appointment to be finalized, after which they would hold a simple wedding ceremony and he would swallow her whole.

But on the twenty-sixth day of the Twelfth Lunar Month, an Imperial Decree suddenly came from the palace. Sun Shaozong was transferred on loan to Shuntian Prefecture, where he would temporarily serve as the Principal Sixth Rank Judicial Assistant Magistrate of Shuntian Prefecture.

Not only had his original post as a Dragon Forbidden Guards Commandant not been revoked, it had instead been raised one rank, making him the Subordinate Fifth Rank Dragon Forbidden Guards Cavalry Deputy Commandant—unlike Jia Rong's empty title, this was a proper post with real authority.

Thus, although Sun Shaozong had obtained his wish of becoming a civil official, it was only a concurrent appointment. His primary post remained, unexpectedly, on the military rolls!

The two of them were left utterly dumbfounded. Staring at the transfer order that required him to assume office after the New Year, they did not know what to say for half the day.

Sun Shaozu alone was delighted beyond measure.

To him, it was secondary that his brother had landed a sixth-rank civil post. The crucial thing was that Jia Yucun, the Prefectural Assistant, would be there to look after him, so the civil officials presumably would not be able to set him up.

In this muddled fashion, more than half the day passed.

By evening, a steward from Jia Manor arrived carrying Jia Lian's visiting card, inviting Sun Shaozong to Rongguo Mansion the next day for a small gathering.

Sun Shaozong had not been in much of a mood, but seeing that Ruan Rong's gloom could not go on like this, he urged her to go to Jia Manor with him for some amusement and seek out her sworn younger sister Lin Daiyu to pour out her feelings.