Applying Pressure

The new emperor was indeed no longer as reserved as before.

The treatment Zheng received was not an isolated case in the court; the number of officials subjected to such intimidation would increase one by one.

If he cannot become a sword hanging over the heads of his ministers, how can the new emperor control all the civil and military officials and great cultivators?

Only by binding them one by one can he tame these people.

"The real sword wasn't stolen, was it?"

After all the irrelevant people in the Weiyang Palace had left and the gates were closed again, the new emperor glanced at the Empress Dowager's seat once more before whispering a question.

Guess!

Zhang Xuezhou replied, and the new emperor almost wanted to jump up and hit him on the head.

This isn't a matter of guessing or not; it's a matter of things actually causing problems.

"I guess he's still there," the new emperor transmitted.

"Your Majesty's skill in divination is indeed first-rate; you guessed correctly!"

Zhang Xuezhou whispered a flattering remark, and the new emperor breathed a sigh of relief.

That's how things have to be. As long as the real Red Empyrean Sword isn't lost, the fake sword act can implicate as many people as possible.

The acquisition or loss of this sword would allow the new emperor to legitimately investigate many matters, including even Princess Dou.

When the new emperor bestowed the Red Empyrean Sword upon Zhang Xuezhou for protection, he did not think that far ahead. He even participated in protecting the sword after Zhang Xuezhou fell into a deep sleep.

After the sword theft incident, many things seemed to fall into dramatic conflict, and those involved inevitably had to prove their innocence.

But in the Great Han Dynasty, how many officials were truly innocent? If they weren't investigated, fine; but if they were, the investigations would drag on and uncover a whole host of problems.

This was bound to involve some behind-the-scenes maneuvering, and even Emperor Dou would be no exception; the other party would inevitably have to concede some benefits to plead for mercy.

How Zheng, the Prefect of Jingzhao, investigated the matter is not important.

As long as the real sword is still there, the case can be solved by announcing it's closed. This kind of fake sword theft can even be repeated.

However, the new emperor was also very curious about who stole the fake sword. The other party's movements were indeed very skillful, and they seemed to have a good grasp of information.

Aside from being caught by the guards because he wasn't quick enough, there's nothing wrong with this kind of theft.

"I truly don't know, since I wasn't at the residence at the time!"

Upon hearing the new emperor inquire about the thief's true identity, Zhang Xuezhou repeatedly waved his hands, indicating that he lacked the ability to do so.

"Just treat it as a guessing game," the new emperor said normally.

"Then you can't verify it either," Zhang Xuezhou said, shaking his head repeatedly.

"The truth will eventually come out; this matter will be verified sooner or later," the new emperor said.

"Lord Zheng guessed that the thief likely approached the residence in the shadows. I said it was the King of Huainan's Household that was involved, but he said the people from the King of Huainan's Household couldn't be so incompetent. Then I guessed that the retainers of Prime Minister Tian hadn't followed the rules," Zhang Xuezhou said. "Lord Zheng didn't reply at the time, so I could only guess according to Lord Zheng's assumptions!"

"My uncle might not know, but his household has many retainers; such a thing is quite possible!"

The new emperor nodded repeatedly.

The theft of the Red Empyrean Sword was a constant barrage of criticism against top officials in the imperial court. Even if they hadn't done anything, they couldn't escape involvement once they were implicated.

Using the ability of the Changxin Palace to listen to messages from the Weiyang Palace, the new emperor even relayed his words to the Changxin Palace, which in turn indirectly reached Tian Fen's ears.

Whenever an opportunity arises, the new emperor will seize it, and Zhang Xuezhou is truly adept at teamwork.

If it weren't for the inappropriateness of making noise and losing control, the new emperor would almost have wanted to high-five Zhang Xuezhou.

"Given this serious theft, you should refrain from participating in the construction of the mausoleum at Maoling for the foreseeable future. Instead, stay at the Weiyang Palace and reflect on your actions. You may also visit Anle Palace to receive a reprimand from the Empress Dowager!"

The matter was basically settled, and the new emperor made general arrangements for Zhang Xuezhou.

Zheng was still seeking a way out of the impasse, and the high-ranking officials and imperial relatives who were suspected needed to prove their innocence. Zhang Xuezhou could not run around like nothing had happened, lest he be impeached endlessly.

While the investigation into the Red Empyrean Sword case was still ongoing, Zhang Xuezhou needed to stay in the Imperial Palace for a period of time.

After enduring a period of hardship, Zhang Xuezhou lay down for another half month, and everything was over.

The new emperor arranged a small, private room for Zhang Xuezhou, even giving him the key to the door, indicating that Zhang Xuezhou would be very comfortable living in the palace.

"It's such a pity. I just came up with a plan these past few days to ensure His Majesty could die peacefully in his old age. It seems that this will have to be delayed for a while," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Thank you for adding the word 'old' to the description!"

Discussing tomb construction with officials was certainly not a pleasant experience, even though Zhang Xuezhou was extremely careful in his expression; the new emperor found it rather uninteresting.

"Come on, come with me and stand facing the wall!"

The new emperor pointed at Zhang Xuezhou, and the two of them emerged from the rear hall of the Weiyang Palace one after the other, then moved towards the Imperial Garden, eventually leading to the Shufang (a private room).

Wei Zifu, who helped the new emperor establish his power, was clearly very favored. The first place the new emperor visited in the harem was the Shufang Palace, not the Jiaofang Palace where the empress resided.

"The Empress will also be a pitiful person in the future!"

Zhang Xuezhou had no complaints about the Empress, especially since she had given him gifts.

As for the Empress spending money lavishly, that's not a problem. She only spends money when she has it, and she doesn't borrow money or exploit the people.

The conflict between the empress and the new emperor stemmed more from the power struggle behind the scenes, leaving the empress caught in the middle and unable to move freely.

The new emperor was able to break free from his constraints, but the empress was too soft-hearted and lacked exceptional power. Everything was almost entirely predetermined, and the inevitable consequence of their political marriage was that she would be neglected by the new emperor.

Zhang Xuezhou's feelings stemmed from this very point.

"Lord Dong, are you also confined to the palace and unable to leave?"

"I've heard you've been to many places, is that true?"

"My grandmother said there are many, many horses in the outside world, and that you can ride across the vast grasslands. I've seen horses, but what are the vast grasslands?"

As usual, the new emperor came to visit Wei Zifu and also spent time with his eldest daughter.

Wei Zifu, who assisted the new emperor in breaking through his cultivation realm, was favored, but this was not publicized. Instead, her residence, the Shufang, was expanded over the years, gradually growing from a single room to half a side hall.

The royal side hall was not a house of a hundred or two hundred square meters as most people imagine, but rather involved a relatively complete living area, and it took a quarter of an hour to walk around the garden.

Although her territory expanded, Wei Zifu did not move out of the Shufang; she merely expanded her activity area slightly.

Empress Wei Zifu was cautious and meticulous and could endure the monotony of daily life, while children clearly yearn for a wider world.

While the new emperor and Empress Wei Zifu were traveling together, discussing the emotional experiences and benefits of music, the little princess kept pestering Zhang Xuezhou to explain the outside world.

"A boundless expanse means that as far as the eye can see, there is no end to it. You keep walking forward and can't see the end of it. The same scene keeps replaying in your eyes. The vast grasslands that your grandmother mentioned must be... Your Majesty, does our Great Han have boundless grasslands?"

Zhang Xuezhou offered an explanation, but his words went on and on, and eventually he ran out of things to say. He then turned to finding fault with the new emperor.

"If you don't know, how would I know?" the new emperor retorted. "The furthest I've ever been in all these years is Shanglin Garden!"

"You even went to Fengxize to pay respects to your ancestors before!" Zhang Xuezhou said.

"It would have been fine if you hadn't mentioned ancestral worship, but the moment you did, it reminded me of our ancestor's Red Empyrean Sword. Give me back my great sword!"

The new emperor glanced around and saw the Empress Dowager and Tian Fen drifting away in the distance. This made him grit his teeth and mutter a few complaints. Knowing that he might be implicated, Tian Fen had already led the way to the palace to show his loyalty and get out of trouble.