Cold Bench

The chaos caused by the Crown Prince's disappearance dissipated on its own before it could spread.

Dong--

The dusk drum sounded, and the lights of the Chang'an City night market extinguished completely.

Every household bolted its doors, sleeping soundly on their beds.

A troop of proud iron-clad cavalry in full fine-iron armor appeared on the streets, their clacking hooves kicking up gusts of gloomy wind.

Someone propped open a window to take a look, only to sigh that Chang'an City truly lived up to its name with such strict patrols at the emperor's feet, little knowing that things invisible to mortals had already covered a vast swarth of Chang'an City.

From the signal of the dusk drum to the striking of the morning bell, this was a carnival of another world.

The guards leading the patrol had eyes like hawks and wolves, deterring the spirits as they maintained order.

Waves of whispers turned into wind, passing messages back and forth:

--The little dragon in the imperial palace slipped out, so tender-skinned.

--Two sons born on the same day, general summoning together, there's a good show to watch now.

--I'm sick of being kept under control, I want to be human!

--Ten years is still a long way off...

The date for the Imperial Noble Consort's investiture drew closer and closer, yet Chen Yang harbored worries in his heart.

Until the day before the investiture, Chen Jin admired the crimson ceremonial cape of the Imperial Noble Consort. She had once thought about how to broach the subject of having her older brother send her into the palace.

She did not want to marry an ordinary person and live a mediocre life; if she was to marry, she would marry the most noble man in the world. A man could perform meritorious deeds on the battlefield and hold power, but since she could not go to the battlefield nor take the imperial examinations, the only way she could attain power was by entering the palace.

She wanted to gamble for a boundless stroke of fortune.

Even if she failed, she would not have lived her life in vain.

Heaven blessed her, and the imperial edict arrived without her even needing to beg for it.

In her past life, relying on Chen Yang's military achievements and talent, coupled with Chen Jin's sharp and lucid mind, once she entered the palace and gave birth to an imperial prince, and her nephew Chen Yu grew up to be exceptionally talented, perhaps she really could have won success.

One could only say that fate liked to toy with people; who could have imagined that there was still an unspeakable past between Chen Yang and Emperor Zhou.

Emperor Zhou had no intention of sparing the Chen Family's lives. No matter how sharp and lucid she was, death was her only end.

Empress Chen, who should have been infinitely glorious, was forced to 'commit suicide' two years after entering the palace.

Yet this lifetime seemed to herald a turn of events.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The door was knocked.

A palace nanny walked in to report:

"Consort, it is Lord Sima."

Chen Jin was to enter the palace for her investiture tomorrow, and the palace had long since sent people into the Sima residence to teach Chen Jin palace rules and etiquette.

From the moment the imperial edict was issued, Chen Jin was already the Great Zhou's Imperial Noble Consort.

Chen Jin said, "Hurry, invite him in."

Chen Jin dismissed the attendants, leaving only the brother and sister seated facing each other for a private chat.

Chen Yang asked in a low voice:

"Do you blame me... If not for my sake, you wouldn't have had to enter the palace at all."

Chen Jin assumed Chen Yang was talking about how his military achievements overshadowed his sovereign, thus arousing Emperor Zhou's suspicion.

"How could I blame older brother? Older brother knows my temperament-I am competitive and ambitious. Since I have to marry anyway, why not marry the most noble man under heaven?"

Chen Jin said earnestly, "Second Brother, I am willing."

Chen Yang's emotions remained heavy, but he still couldn't help asking, "After you enter the palace, what plans do you have?"

Chen Jin thought for a moment: "I've heard that the two elders of the imperial family, who are dedicated to enjoying their twilight years in peace, are both harmonious and benevolent. His Majesty's inner court has two consorts, three madams, and a number of zhaoyi, meiren, and liangren."

"His Majesty surely won't appoint another empress. Although a crown prince has been established, after all, it is still early, and His Majesty is in the prime of his life. In the future, the Chen Family might not necessarily..."

Chen Yang interrupted her:

"A-Jin, I will support the Crown Prince."

Chen Jin froze, half-understanding.

Chen Yang said softly, "There are some things older brother cannot explain to you in detail. My life belongs to His Majesty and the Crown Prince for this lifetime."

"As for the choices of the others in the Chen Family, I will not interfere."

The Chen Family's foundation was thin. Currently, only Chen Yang's branch had gained a firm foothold in Chang'an, while everyone else survived by clinging to Chen Yang.

Right now, Chen Yang was the Chen Family; they simply couldn't be separated.

Even if they were to split, that would be a matter for Chen Yu's generation when they grew up.

Chen Jin was not stupid. Once Chen Yang spoke to this extent, she understood.

Chen Yang could elevate her, but he could not provide any support for her future children.

If Chen Jin wanted to plot something, she could only rely on herself, or win over the other members of the Chen Family.

She had no complaints.

Everyone had their own principles and responsibilities.

"Older brother, rest assured, A-Jin understands."

Even with ambition, it wasn't something that could be achieved overnight. Once she entered the palace, she would take it one step at a time.

The next day.

The Imperial Noble Consort entered the imperial palace through the Vermilion Bird Gate, the west gate of Chang'an City, and received her investiture before Zhaochen Hall. Hundreds of officials and noble ladies attended the ceremony to respectfully welcome the Imperial Noble Consort.

The ceremony concluded--!

Entering Taiji Palace--!

Wu Junji did not need to participate in the ceremony. While the bells and drums of Zhaochen Hall blew and thundered, he was sleeping soundly on the bed, hugging a cloth tiger.

Until the Chen hour, Wu Junji was woken up by the chanting of Sanskrit and Daoist scriptures coming from both the Buddhist Hall and the Daoist Hall.

Several monks beat wooden fish while chanting scriptures and sutras, and there were also Daoists chanting Daoist hymns. Two distinct mystical sects conducted their morning lessons right across from each other-bizarre yet safely at peace.

It wasn't unpleasant to hear, but it didn't make for good sleep either.

The Retired Emperor paid homage to the Buddha and inquired of the Dao every morning, and these two places were very close to where Wu Junji lived.

Originally, Emperor Zhou was unsatisfied with this arrangement, fearing their morning lessons would disturb Wu Junji's sleep, but for some reason, he relented again.

Wu Junji got up from the bed and put on his Butterfly Silver-Draped Hat. The sapphire-blue brocade woven with gold made his skin as white as a piece of mutton-fat jade.

The small mole at the corner of his eye was flushed pink from a yawn, looking lazy and slumped, making one want to reach out and give him a rub.

Dressed neatly under the attendance of Nanny Wang, and having finished his meal, Wu Junji swung his short legs and headed toward the two mystical sects.

The Retired Emperor was devoutly burning incense for the Buddha's golden statue. With his hands pressed together in a palms-up gesture, it was anyone's guess what he was praying for.

Hearing the movement behind him, he turned his head and glanced over.

"Since you're here, come in and pay your respects."

Wu Junji and the Retired Emperor shared shallow family ties; he didn't believe in Buddhism and merely wanted to avoid offending his grandfather's face, so he imitated the Retired Emperor's posture and bowed with clasped hands toward the Buddha statue.

After finishing the bow, he asked the Retired Emperor:

"Why set up both a Buddhist Hall and a Daoist Hall?"

The Retired Emperor said, "Because too many people die in the palace, and it's easy for things to become unclean."

"The imperial palace, although blessed by dragon fortune and our ancestors, still has children being born, so guarding against it makes things more thorough."

"Buddhism has uses to resist Buddhism, and the Dao has uses to resist the Dao. With both having uses, they resist together. Even if both are useless, I've done my best anyway, so you can't blame me."

Wu Junji was left speechless.

Truly worthy of being father and son with that old fogey.

The Retired Emperor asked, "Do you like Buddhism?"

Wu Junji replied, "I don't like it."

The Retired Emperor asked, "Do you like the Dao?"

Wu Junji replied, "I don't like it."

The Retired Emperor let out a cold snort, eyeing the three-head-tall little trinket with a bad tone:

"Then why did you come here?"

Wu Junji retorted, "Do I have to like it to come?"

There was naturally no such logic under heaven.

The Retired Emperor was persuaded, and his complexion improved.

"Then what do you like?"

Wu Junji looked at the offerings before the Buddha and answered honestly, "I like to eat."

Who didn't like to eat? The people regarded food as their heaven; when a person was hungry, what Buddha, Dao, or imperial power-it was all utter bullshit.

The Retired Emperor sneered at him, "You have no ambition."

"Haven't you paid your respects to me yet?"

Hearing this, Wu Junji proved exceptionally tactful and performed a greeting bow:

"Your grandson pays his respects to Imperial Grandfather."

The Retired Emperor let out another cold snort, "You have no backbone."

Wu Junji rolled his eyes; truly, this person was difficult to please.

The Retired Emperor looked at Wu Junji with utter disdain, his dragon eyes carrying majesty as he stared down at him:

"Actually, I really don't like you."

Like a ball of dough, Wu Junji obediently replied:

"Grandfather speaks correctly, your grandson heeds the lesson."

Sooner or rather later, he would outlive this old man. Rather than engaging in a war of words with a withered autumn flower, it was better to save his strength to grow up and make the old man kneel on the tiger bench.

Having finished worshiping the Buddha, the Retired Emperor said to the Crown Prince:

"Your imperial father has no time to deal with you today, and the time is about right. Come with me."

Go? Go where?

If he had known, he wouldn't have come to join in this excitement.

Regretting it half-heartedly, Wu Junji stepped along on his two short legs to follow.

Arriving at the Palace of Eternal Longevity, the old fogey only focused on chatting with the Empress Dowager, and all they talked about was how wonderful Wu Junzheng was.

How Junzheng picked flowers for the Empress Dowager.

How Junzheng was tiger-headed and brained with the demeanor of His Majesty.

How Junzheng would surely open up territory and expand land for Great Zhou in the future.

Only a cup of cold tea was placed at his seat, and neither of them bothered to acknowledge him. Leaving him out in the sun and ignoring him was clearly a deliberate difficulty.

Wu Junji sat calmly, showing neither flattery nor panic.

The hardships he had encountered in his past life were far harsher than this. If the Retired Emperor disliked him so much, could he starve him to death? Or would he make him crawl like a dog in public, or scream curses using deeply insulting vocabulary?

None of those would happen.

However, this old man better live a few more years-live until he came into power. When that time came, he would surely reminisce thoroughly with the Retired Emperor about today.

Outside the palace came a full-chested, robust shout:

"Imperial Grandfather! Imperial Grandmother! Zheng'er comes to pay his respects!"

At the entrance of the Palace of Eternal Longevity stood one large and one small figure. Consort Dong glowed with radiant health, and the Second Prince had two hair buns tied on his head. Clearly born on the very same day, he was a whole circle larger than Wu Junji, the flesh on his face spilling into a double chin, with arms like lotus roots, resembling a peach-offering immortal boy from a longevity painting.

Sturdy, healthy, looking easy to raise at a single glance.

A little darling that the elderly instantly fell in love with.

Looking back at Wu Junji, he looked rather refined and delicate; raising him would definitely be even more precious, and if placed in a storefront, the price would surely be the least approachable to the common folk.

Not as practical as the Second Prince.

Wu Junzheng's cheerfulness vanished the moment he saw Wu Junji.

His dislike was expressed with particular clarity.

"Your younger brother greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Wu Junji said expressionlessly, "Exempt."

Wu Junji simply sat rigidly and watched them pay their respects. After finishing, they accompanied the Retired Emperor and Empress Dowager in conversation, the four of them basking in cozy harmony-grandpa kind, grandson filial, and children amiable.

When the group finally withdrew together, Consort Dong and the Second Prince received generous rewards. Looking back at Wu Junji, his hands were completely empty.

Wu Junji himself didn't mind.

Nanny Wang, who tended to Wu Junji, had her belly full of pent-up anger.

Once the little Crown Prince was back in the Jade-Tooth Warm Pavilion, she turned around and went to complain before His Majesty.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince lacked the protection of a birth mother, so what was the meaning of two old folks making things difficult for a little child?

Shameless old things, have they no shame!

Wu Junji gnawed on a dried scallop, indifferently watching Nanny Wang's departing back.

If it wasn't his dog, no matter how good it was, he wouldn't care for it.