Decreed Death
After the brief recess, the assembled officials gradually returned to the Nine Heavens Hall. The Emperor had not appeared, because the elixir pills currently being refined had unexpectedly developed problems, and without a second word, he immediately went to inspect them.
Beside the supreme throne on the high platform, Li Ren’an was like a vulture waiting for carrion to automatically deliver itself into his mouth, his sinister gaze sweeping over everyone present.
With Tangxi Zhui’s precedent before him, why couldn’t he be the second Tangxi Zhui?
Unfortunately, heaven did not favor his wishes. After an entire long morning, many court officials were elderly and appeared rather listless, standing to one side in a daze like old deities. Whether from the Crown Prince’s faction or the eunuch faction, all were intimidated by Tangxi Zhui’s overbearing presence and authority, seemingly having seen reality clearly.
Now was not the time to move against Tangxi Zhui. If they condemned him too harshly at this moment, the next to reach the end of their lives would be themselves.
They weren’t that foolish.
Having received Gu Jiuqing’s words, Pei Yanci was no longer as zealous, and when Tangxi Zhui gave him meaningful looks several times, he turned his head away, pretending not to notice.
Li Ren’an was so anxious inside—if Tangxi Zhui got out, the first person he’d make an example of would be Huo Cun, and the second would be himself, wouldn’t it?
But he couldn’t show his anxiety. He was already the Grand Eunuch, and every action of his was watched by countless pairs of eyes, waiting to catch him making mistakes to attack him.
A young palace eunuch silently walked through the crowd to Pei Yanci’s side, whispered a few words, then led people away from the hall.
Tangxi Zhui was the first to notice his departure, followed by Li Ren’an.
From the looks of it, there would be no conclusion today either. Still appearing disgruntled on the surface, he hastily ended this court session.
Pei Yanci followed the young eunuch around various tall buildings and grand halls. As the smell of alchemical minerals grew stronger, they finally stopped at the Changsheng Hall.
The front hall was quite spacious, with several Daoist ceremonial implements that hadn’t been cleared away arranged orderly in the corners. Passing around the front wall, grayish-black smoke curled upward from above the rear side hall, smelling suffocatingly oppressive.
The hall doors stood open. Inside, everything had been cleared out except for a large bronze furnace as tall as two men. Fire burned continuously beneath it, filling the entire hall with choking smoke and fumes, leaving several young men in Daoist robes gray-faced and disheveled.
“Your Majesty.” Li Ren’an had just begun to speak when the Emperor standing not far from the bronze furnace immediately turned around in alarm. Seeing who had arrived, his initial tension transformed into delight, and he personally went forward to welcome Pei Yanci inside.
“Minister Pei, come and see—what could be wrong with the elixirs Zhen is refining?” The Emperor’s tone when addressing people had become considerably more enthusiastic.
Pei Yanci wore an expression of being overwhelmed by favor as he was pulled into the room. “This subject does not understand elixirs.”
“You don’t understand?” The Emperor questioned him, and for an instant, a terrifying, shocked light burst forth.
Pei Yanci hurriedly said nervously, “This subject has never refined elixirs, much less eaten any, at least not in these past ten-some years…”
He realized what he had said and became even more flustered trying to cover it up. “Apart from these past ten-some years, I haven’t eaten any either—no, this subject has only lived for ten-some years… Your Majesty.”
He simply performed a bow. “This subject truly knows very little about pill refinement and cultivating the Dao.”
“Zhen knows you haven’t yet reached the age of twenty. You are the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, widely read in books. Surely you have studied mineral medicines and pills extensively as well. In a moment, you should consume a few pills and see how they compare to what you’ve learned.”
The Emperor was even more overjoyed at his words, his eyes shining alarmingly bright, pupils constricted, clearly in an uncontrollably abnormal state of excitement.
Pei Yanci had already witnessed this several times.
That kind of excitement, as if burning through one’s own life force—after intense emotional fluctuations, he would then sink into an even more listless and dispirited state. Having experienced such abundant energy, how could the Emperor possibly allow himself to appear aged and dull?
Pei Yanci certainly didn’t want to follow in the Emperor’s footsteps.
Just as he was about to refuse, an old Daoist priest walked out from behind. “Your Majesty, the Pill of Longevity is an object of karmic fortune. If others were to consume it, should they happen to seize Your Majesty’s karmic opportunity…”
The Emperor’s expression indeed showed hesitation.
Pei Yanci quickly changed the subject. “May I ask this immortal master’s name?”
“This poor Daoist’s title is Yimiao.”
He truly had somewhat the bearing of an immortal.
As Pei Yanci was sizing him up, Yimiao was also observing him. With this one look, he truly did notice something.
“You, this is…” He pointed at the person, his eyes full of disbelief.
“Daoist Master, what’s wrong?” the Emperor asked.
“It’s nothing.” Yimiao realized he’d lost composure and hastily made up some words to cover it, but the way he kept stealing glances at Pei Yanci didn’t look at all like someone with nothing on his mind.
Soon Yimiao directed his young acolytes and Daoist priests to open the furnace. This batch had exploded again, and the elixirs that emerged were not of very good quality.
Pei Yanci didn’t want to consume these life-shortening things. Yimiao also seemed afraid he might discern something, so with a guilty conscience, he found an excuse to send the pills to the back.
“Minister Pei, they all say that within books lies a house of gold. Have you ever seen methods of longevity within books?” the Emperor asked when only the two of them remained.
“Your Majesty, as the supreme sovereign, is still exploring this. How could this subject, a mere common mortal, know such things?” Pei Yanci bowed with cupped hands.
“Previously, Zhen was still confined to the path of longevity, not realizing that methods to attain the Dao are manifold. Seizing another’s body to return the soul can also be called a superior method.”
The Emperor looked at him meaningfully, and sure enough saw the other’s expression change slightly before he forced himself to remain calm.
“This subject does not quite understand Your Majesty’s words.”
“Zhen has led Great Yu toward unprecedented prosperity. For the sake of the common people under heaven, Zhen should not perish but should live as long as heaven and eternally share this prosperous peace with the people.”
These words oozed domineering arrogance. The Emperor’s eyes flashed with brilliant light, full of wild ambition.
“How could Zhen be confined by a mere century-old decaying body?”
“Your Majesty’s blessings are as vast as heaven, your longevity rivals the Southern Mountains—this is the fortune of Great Yu’s people.” Pei Yanci said.
This one hadn’t personally governed for nearly ten years. Did he have some misunderstanding about himself? Had he forgotten about the southwestern uprisings and Gu Xinghuai’s rebellion?
“Therefore, Zhen still needs your help.” Worried he wouldn’t speak, and also afraid that losing his temper and smashing things last time had angered him, the Emperor rarely lowered his stance. “Rest assured, as long as you help Zhen achieve this wish, apart from this realm itself, Zhen can give you everything you desire.”
Pei Yanci’s eyes lit up as he said excitedly, “This subject wants no rewards from Your Majesty, only to repay Your Majesty’s kindness in valuing and promoting me.”
The Emperor grew increasingly excited, pacing back and forth in the great hall in agitation. “According to what you know, if one were to seize another’s body to return the soul, what preparations would be needed?”
“This subject requests Your Majesty grant a few days’ grace so that I may properly organize my thoughts. According to what this subject knows, this matter is truly quite complex and concerns Your Majesty’s dragon body’s safety—one cannot be too cautious.”
“Why don’t you just stay in the palace? You could frequently discuss the Dao with Immortal Yimiao and recall things more quickly.”
“This subject has many affairs at hand. If I were to frequently enter and exit the palace, it might not be very convenient.”
Seeing the Emperor was about to persuade him further, he interjected, “Your Majesty, regarding today’s court session and the ultimate fate of that treacherous minister Tangxi Zhui, Your Majesty still needs to make a decision quickly.”
When talk turned to political affairs, the Emperor appeared unmoved. “What are your thoughts?”
“Eighty-three counts of serious crimes, each supported by ironclad evidence. If he emerges from prison this time, it will likely be difficult to calm the resentment in the hearts of the people under heaven.” Pei Yanci said, “The southwestern uprising was only just quelled, and the various Military Governor regions are stirring restlessly. If this traitor is not eliminated, it may prove detrimental to the stability of the realm.”
The Emperor recalled that he had previously said Great Yu’s downfall came from the Zheng family’s illegal salt and iron trade, and asked, “Is this your meaning, or the Crown Prince’s meaning?”
“This subject serves the Crown Prince, serves Your Majesty, serves the Gu family’s descendants,” Pei Yanci said. “Your Majesty, as long as the Gu family is not overshadowed by the Zheng faction and those aristocratic families, the realm will certainly be peaceful and prosperous, and the Gu family dynasty will surely flourish without decline.”
These words delighted the Emperor immensely. After a while, contemplation appeared in his eyes. “You also believe that a century hence, the Crown Prince can be competent in this position?”
“For matters that haven’t occurred, this subject dares not make rash assertions,” Pei Yanci said. “If Your Majesty attains the great Dao of longevity, the Crown Prince will forever remain only the Crown Prince.”
Therefore, this question need not be considered.
“In this subject’s view, to seize another’s body and return the soul, one must have a good medium. The more closely connected the medium, the greater the chance of success.”
The Emperor’s expression shifted.
What could be more closely connected than one’s own blood descendants?
But this matter was truly mysterious—no one could say for certain.
Pei Yanci didn’t say too much, only hinting at one or two points before hastily finding an excuse to leave.
He didn’t want to be kept in the palace by the Emperor to refine pills.
As for Gu Wanchong, previously he hadn’t sensed the Emperor’s secret protection and favoritism toward him—if it were completely withdrawn in the future, presumably it would be no loss to him.
He was even curious—how could someone be foolish to this degree, always blind to others’ kindness while being bound and burdened by a heap of unreliable family sentiments?
It was so in his previous life, and remained so in this one.
After the person left, the Emperor specially summoned Yimiao to ask what he had discerned from Pei Yanci.
Yimiao wanted to say “dragon qi,” but considering this person’s slave origins, having neither power nor influence, wouldn’t saying this undermine his own credibility and make the Emperor think him unreliable?
“This person is different from us all.”
“How different?”
“Much more composed than his actual age, but not because of extensive life experience, but rather…”
He paused, saying in a low voice, “His soul… is abnormal…”
As soon as the words fell, a startling thunderclap resounded from the clear afternoon sky, like a dragon’s cry.
Yimiao was so frightened he fell on his bottom to the ground.
He seemed to have leaked a heavenly secret.
At this moment, he was immensely grateful he hadn’t spoken the more precise prophecy.
The Emperor glanced at the anomalous phenomenon in the bright daylight sky, revealing a sinister, eerie smile.
Indeed, his speculation was not wrong.
Whether through intimidation or enticement, he was determined to obtain this secret method of longevity!
****
Starting from the second day, forty-four members of the Crown Prince’s faction jointly submitted a memorial requesting severe punishment for Tangxi Zhui. Prince Qi’s faction and Minister Cui’s followers also all submitted memorials. Huo Cun even devised a vicious method—since ironclad evidence couldn’t make the Emperor open his eyes, they found the families of officials and commoners who had been persecuted by Tangxi Zhui over the years. From the imperial city gates along the Zhuque Avenue, they knelt for over ten li. The Capital Magistrate, having received private word from the Elu Bureau, only made a show of dispersing them.
After such commotion for three days, on the fourth day, the Elu Bureau sent a secret message that all four directions of Military Governor regions were observing the outcome. If they couldn’t satisfy the hearts of the people under heaven, they had already sharpened their weapons and prepared their horses, ready to attack Anjing.
At this critical moment, Pei Yanci administered another strong dose to him.
Just past the Awakening of Insects solar term, a battle report came from the north: Qi Lan was leading a hundred thousand troops, arrayed at the border, aimed directly at Duzhou.
On the evening of the fourth day, the Emperor summoned Huo Cun into the palace and asked, “Have the military forces from the various regional commands that Jiang Yi previously dispersed all returned?”
Huo Cun didn’t know why he was asking this, and answered honestly, “They’re all still on the road traveling.”
“It’s been nearly two months and they still haven’t walked back to their own prefectures?” The Emperor said in wonder.
Huo Cun remained silent.
No matter how one looked at it, it seemed like they had known from the start they’d eventually have to turn back.
“No need to have them return. Command the fastest scouts to find Jiang Yi and have him recall those military forces. Additionally, transfer another three hundred thousand troops from the west and east to him, and have him properly guard the southeast for Zhen.”
The southwest had just been subdued, and now the more prosperous southeast was beginning to test the waters.
“Giving Jiang Yi this many troops—won’t that be too many?” Huo Cun said worriedly. “If it inflates his ambitions and he develops improper thoughts…”
The Emperor’s eyes flickered slightly with a hint of mockery. “What solution do you have?”
“Accompanying military supervisors have existed since ancient times.” Huo Cun said with difficulty, bowing even lower. “Previously, it was because there were no Elu Bureau people in the various regional commands that allowed those feudal princes to exploit loopholes.”
The Emperor’s expression grew somber, somewhat hesitant.
Previously, Tangxi Zhui had brought this up to him several times—that there should be military supervisors in the armies, and the regional commands should also have his Elu Bureau personnel stationed. Every time this suggestion was met with his severe rebuke and punishment. After being punished harshly, he no longer dared test this boundary.
The reason was simple: the military was fundamental and still firmly grasped in his own hands. But if Tangxi Zhui’s people got involved, he couldn’t guarantee that anymore.
He was brilliant but also difficult to tame. On the surface, he appeared submissive and attentive, but in reality, he was a vicious dog, eyeing him covetously from beside his bed. The slightest moment of inattention, and he could tear him to shreds.
If he were allowed to extend his reach into military power, a eunuch couldn’t usurp the throne and seize power, but who would sit on the dragon throne in the future might no longer be decided by himself.
As Tangxi Zhui’s adoptive son, how could Huo Cun not know that Tangxi Zhui had brought this matter up many times?
“This matter…”
He kept his head lowered, swallowing hard, his heart rising and falling uncertainly.
“Select some clever ones and first arrange them into Jiang Yi’s forces and the garrisons along the northern frontier.”
The Emperor finally relented.
That was out of consideration for Huo Cun’s obedient and docile nature.
In contrast, that other person must die.
As the setting sun at Chui Mountain cast golden light across the palace pathways’ bluestone slabs, Huo Cun held an imperial edict in his hands. At this moment, his mood did not feel at all light.
The content of the edict was: Tangxi Zhui would be beheaded in one month.
This edict spread at extreme speed to proclaim to all under heaven. Throughout Anjing, there was jubilation. Every household hung lanterns and decorations, more festive and lively than New Year’s.
Pei Yanci also had the theater work overnight to stage a play about eunuchs holding power, the people suffering endlessly, and finally all under heaven rising in anger to eliminate the treacherous evil.
In this play, Gu Jiuqing, who had indignantly accused Tangxi Zhui, became a passerby character through clever means. Jian Ji’an, who had presented the eighty-three crimes in court, along with the Minister of Punishments, Cui Ya, Gu Wanchong… these people to varying degrees all became foils and antagonists. Imperceptibly, what concerned a struggle between “righteousness and evil” became a duet between Pei Yanci and Tangxi Zhui alone.
As they bitterly denounced Tangxi Zhui’s numerous evils, Pei Yanci’s positive image also quietly took root in their hearts.
Pei Yanci and Tangxi Zhui, because of this play, formally entered the hearts of the common people.
They also began appearing as a pair on the stage of history, beginning their magnificent and turbulent lives.
This play was very long—performing it from beginning to end took two hours. The ticket price was also half again higher than usual, but leveraging Tangxi Zhui’s notorious reputation, every showing was packed full, not an empty seat to be found. Even the aisles had people buying standing room tickets to watch.
In this one month, Pei Yanci earned nearly seven million taels, and adding the theaters in Jiangnan, a full eighty million-plus taels.
Even Wuli sighed that this person made ill-gotten gains every single day.
As money passed through his hands, Pei Yanci immediately invested the majority into expanding the theaters, opening branch locations in prefectural cities throughout central and southern Great Yu.
At first, Wuli had felt sorry for the speed at which Pei Yanci spent money. Now, watching the violently rising and plummeting figures, he felt nothing at all.
In just under a year, Mingyou Theaters quickly spread throughout Great Yu’s Xiongzhou and Wangzhou.
The name “Pei Yanci” began appearing throughout various regions of Great Yu, silently and moistly seeping into the hearts of Great Yu’s people.