Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

Chapter 181: Interrupting Someone’s Sleep? Prepare for Divine Retribution! (2 / 2)

Prime Minister Dou’s gaze swept across the room, and he chuckled coldly.

Who knew which political enemy had set their sights on him this time?

He had never intended to recommend his student outright. His plan was to have the student participate in the imperial examination for the first-class rank, gaining recognition through talent and thereby earning the emperor’s favor.

But now…

Prime Minister Dou exchanged a glance with Marquis Hongyang. Both immediately understood what the other was thinking.

—They had to find out who was behind this!

The old emperor observed the turbulent undercurrents without giving anything away. He neither summoned the recommended person to the court nor dismissed them entirely. Instead, he simply gestured for the eunuch to continue reading the recommendations.

The subsequent recommendations were a mix of genuine suggestions and scheming plots. Xu Yanmiao watched in amazement, thoroughly entertained.

The court was indeed a dangerous place, but it was undeniably lively as well.

The emperor’s third son, titled “Prince Fu,” stroked the large white snake coiled around his arm and waist, its cool and slick texture helping to stave off the summer heat. With a gentle smile, he asked, “So the Prince of Jibei rebelled?”

The guard who brought the news added, “The rebellion is already over—he’s been captured.”

Prince Fu paused.

The guard, catching the subtle cue in his master’s gaze, tactfully elaborated, “From the start of the rebellion to his capture, it reportedly took only two hours.”

The guard then provided detailed accounts of the rebellion’s methods.

Prince Fu: “…”

Still stroking his beloved snake’s icy skin, he cursed, “Foolish and incompetent! How did he even have the nerve to rebel?”

After giving the guard a look, he said, “You may leave—or rather, go fetch Chief Steward Liu.”

“As you command.”

Once the guard departed, Prince Fu crouched down and scooped up a handful of the artificially redirected spring water. The clear, icy stream rippled through his fingers as the white snake slid into the water, splashing about and sending droplets all over Prince Fu’s face and robes.

He used his sleeve to wipe the water from his face as rivulets streamed down his hair.

“Big Brother,” he murmured with a smile, as if discovering something new and intriguing. “So, you can die after all.”

If the crown prince were to die, it would open opportunities for non-heirs.

—Among the sons of the empress, only the eldest could be deemed the legitimate heir. All other sons, regardless of whether their mothers were the empress or consorts, were considered secondary in status under the law.

And Prince Fu’s title alone revealed that he was not born of the empress. For the old emperor, the empress’s sons deserved illustrious titles such as Qin, Han, or Tang—names of ancient states. For sons born of other mothers, auspicious yet modest titles like Fu, Hui, or Rui sufficed.

Though Prince Fu had harbored some minor ambitions in the past, he’d never seriously considered competing for the throne. To him, the crown prince’s position was unshakable, an unquestionable reality.

However, the Prince of Jibei’s rebellion had shattered that illusion.

The emperor’s favor for the crown prince might not change, but the crown prince could die.

By the time Chief Steward Liu arrived, Prince Fu had already dried his face with a handkerchief, erasing all traces of the spring water. His pet snake frolicked in the water as he sat calmly by the edge.

“Chief Steward Liu,” Prince Fu ordered, “you are to secretly travel to the capital and seek out a palace aide named Xu Yanmiao. He should be about nineteen this year.”

Liu tentatively asked, “Are you certain he’s nineteen?”

Prince Fu knew what he was implying. “The young palace aide is indeed a prodigy.”

Liu struggled to suppress his astonishment.

After a moment, he asked, “What would you have me do with him, Your Highness?”

Prince Fu smiled faintly. “He has just been promoted to palace aide and lacks a solid foundation. Find an arrogant scholar and incite them to step on this young talent to climb the ranks. Create a sense of crisis for him, make him believe his position is precarious, that he could fall at any moment. Then, you are to feign support and protection, earning his trust.”

“Most of the other palace aides are wily old foxes who won’t act without seeing the bait. But this Xu Yanmiao is still very young.”

Youth meant inexperience, and inexperience meant susceptibility to manipulation.

After some thought, Prince Fu added, “Go to the treasury and withdraw a thousand taels of gold. Having just been promoted, he likely doesn’t have the wealth to indulge himself. Use this money to introduce him to the pleasures of the world.”

This way, Xu Yanmiao could be turned into an informant at the emperor’s side.

Chief Steward Liu bowed. “Understood.”

When Liu Changshi arrived in the capital, his brows were still furrowed.

An arrogant scholar… inciting someone to target a palace aide, no less one who was obviously full of potential and highly favored by the emperor…

Who could he find?

In this vast capital, was there anyone foolish enough for the task?

Liu Changshi spent a full seven days searching for the right person to carry out this mission.

When several young scholars passed by and complained, “Brother Zhao is so innocent. If it weren’t for that recommendation, you’d already be eligible for the imperial exam!”

Brother Zhao didn’t feel embarrassed at all, and said angrily, “Don’t let me find out who did this!”

Blocking someone’s future was like avenging one’s father’s death!

Liu Changshi, who had already walked quite a distance, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Xu Yanmiao heard the knocking on the door and climbed out of bed, his hair still a mess.

“Who is it… such a nice holiday, and someone’s knocking so early in the morning! Can I just pretend I’m not home…”

He grumbled for a moment but still got up, calling out from the door, “Wait a moment!”

After quickly washing up and changing into clothes suitable for going out, he went to open the door, asking, “May I ask who it is?”

After all, he was an official now. What if it was the old emperor or some superior calling?

The visitor, very politely, handed over an invitation: “Xu Lang, on your next day off, my master, the younger cousin of Marquis Hongyang, Zhao Li, will be hosting a spring banquet in the peach orchard on the outskirts of the city. We would be honored to have you join us.”

Xu Yanmiao asked, “Your master is…?”

“He is Zhao Li, the younger cousin of Marquis Hongyang.”

[But… I don’t think I have any particular relationship with the younger cousin of Marquis Hongyang?]

Still, Xu Yanmiao, thinking it best not to offend anyone, hesitated and said, “Alright. If there’s nothing pressing, I will attend.”

The visitor bowed and turned to leave.

Once the visitor was gone, Xu Yanmiao stared at the door for a long time, deep in thought. Then, he pulled out a toolbox and began knocking on the door in a series of clinks and clangs for a long while. Only after he was satisfied did he close the door and return to bed.

The Left Military Supervisor’s assistant, who lived next door, curiously came over and saw that a new sign had been added to her door.

“Here, the master loves to sleep. Please do not disturb in the morning unless there is an urgent matter.”

To prevent the sign from being removed, it was nailed securely to the door.

Author’s Note:

“Appoint the virtuous, dismiss the unworthy, leaving no talents lost in the countryside, and no one idle in the court.”

— Wei Shu (Book of Wei)

Tea Water:

If the tea water appears pale white, it indicates that the leaves were plucked young and tender. If the water has a greenish tint, it means the steaming was insufficient; if it appears gray, the steaming was overdone; if it appears yellow, the leaves were not harvested at the right time and have become aged; and if it has a reddish tint, it means the tea cakes were over-roasted during the drying process.

— Pretending to Live in the Song Dynasty

No Eating While Walking:

Zhou Zhangheng, born of an official family, rose to a fourth-grade position and was promoted to third-grade, having achieved the position of “Tuan Jia” (leading officer). After leaving court, he saw freshly steamed cakes on the roadside, bought one, and ate it while walking. He was reprimanded by the imperial censor. The emperor issued a decree: “Those born outside of official status are not allowed to enter the third grade.” As a result, he lost his position.

— Records of the Court and the People

(So, if you time travel and become an official, don’t eat while walking.)

“Shece” (Archery Exams):

“Shece” was one of the methods used during the Han dynasty to select scholars. The examiner would write several questions on bamboo slips, which were divided into two categories based on difficulty, A and B. The questions would be covered to prevent the examinees from seeing them, and the examinees would then select one question to answer. Their answers would be judged based on the selected category, determining the results.

A Request for Archery Exams:

During the Ming Dynasty, a member of the royal family once requested to be included in the archery exams but was refused:

Zao Yang Wang Youxing, the great-grandson of the Emperor Xian Wang, was talented in both martial arts and literature, and he was knowledgeable in astrology, medicine, and divination. In the early years of the Jiajing reign, he petitioned the emperor to be examined in the imperial archery exams. Emperor Shizong praised his proposal, but ultimately did not approve. He later petitioned to be removed from the royal family’s stipend, preferring to live as a commoner, where wise men could participate in the archery exams.

— Ming Shi (Ming History)

Using Snakes to Cool Off:

Zhou Muzhai from Huai’an, known for his calligraphy and love of drink, was eccentric and free-spirited. He especially loved raising snakes, and he kept them everywhere in his house, whether on his bed or in the corners. In summer, to avoid heat, he would have snakes wrapped around his arms, waist, and even have them in jars near his feet. If he didn’t, his skin would dry and crack, and his body would feel like it was burning—he couldn’t rest or eat comfortably.

— Night Rain and Autumn Lanterns

About Heirs:

In the third month of the 17th year, Lieutenant General Li Anyan of the Left Guard submitted a memorial about the crown prince and the various princes. He suggested that the emperor deeply consider the succession to ensure the stability of the country. The emperor replied, “I understand your concern. Even though my son has a leg condition, he is still my legitimate son. How could I abandon the legitimate heir for a secondary one?”

— Tang Hui Yao (Regulations of the Tang Dynasty)

(Translation: An official suggested that Emperor Li Shimin reconsider the crown prince due to Li Chengqian’s disability, but the emperor responded: “Even though the crown prince has a leg condition, he is still my son. I have chosen him as my heir.”)

Legitimate Sons:

The eldest son of the first wife is considered the legitimate son. Any sons born after, regardless of whether the mother is the first wife or a concubine, are considered secondary sons. For example, Chu Suiliang once said to Er Feng: “Your Majesty once established Chengqian as the crown prince, but then favored the King of Wei. The etiquette sometimes surpassed that for Chengqian. The reason is that there is a distinction between legitimate and secondary sons, which led to this situation.” According to the law, Li Tai would be considered a secondary son.