“This child pays respects to the empress dowager,” a sudden voice startled Weilin, causing the wax figure to fall on her knee. “Oh, what is this? Let me see.”
Xi Qi took the figure, examining it carefully before returning it. “This figure resembles father’s portrait in the divine palace.”
“It is your father,” Weilin replied.
“Does mother always miss father?” Xi Qi sat beside her.
Weilin remained silent, studying the wax figure. For ten years, she had carved a line on her bed post daily, believing it gave her hope.
During these ten years, when frustrated and exhausted, she relied on thoughts of Xi Linxuan to survive until dawn.
At night, the Blessing Dance was held in front of the Taiji Hall. Wei Linxia, dressed in formal court attire, walked over with her entourage. Just after sitting down, she saw Xi Yaya rush over and cling to her side. “Mother, can you help me arrange a marriage?”
“Which young master have you set your eyes on?” Wei Linxia asked.
“Wang Ling, of course! Which young master could be better than Wang Ling?” Xi Yaya replied confidently.
Wei Linxia shook her head. “I’ve told you, no. The Right Minister is three years older than your father, old enough to be your father.”
“I don’t care. So what if he’s older? He’s still better than those immature, good-for-nothing young masters,” Xi Yaya insisted, shaking Wei Linxia’s arm.
“We’ll talk about it later. You’re still years away from coming of age, so there’s no rush,” Wei Linxia said, hoping that as they both grew older, Wang Ling might settle down.
“No, I know what you mean. You want to find a noble lady for Wang Ling to make me give up, right? Mother, if you don’t agree, then I’ll…”
“Then what? Die for me to see? Go ahead. You, a princess, saying such things, aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?” Wei Linxia poked her daughter’s forehead.
Xi Yaya pouted: “Wang Ling is my life-saver, and we’ve already been intimate.”
“What did you say?” Wei Linxia’s eyebrows shot up. Although she trusted Wang Ling’s character, her daughter’s words raised concerns, especially given her unconventional ideas – what if she had drugged him…
“Uncle Mu said Wang Ling carried me and saved me. Saving a life deserves repayment. Besides, he’s already carried me!” Xi Yaya explained.
“What did elder sister say about being carried?” Xi Qi approached, walking steadily with perfect posture, unlike typical children.
“Nothing,” Xi Yaya ran off again.
The blessing ceremony began amid fire trees and silver flowers, with lanterns reading “longevity” which Xi Qi claimed he had written himself.
On stage, shamans wearing terrifying masks and festive red clothes danced. Wei Linxia had seen many dances at the temple but found this particular blessing dance stiff and unappealing.
Two ministers offered birthday wishes, and Wei Linxia invited them to sit nearby.
“This is the Emperor’s intention. What do you think?” Wei Linxia asked with a smile.
“Not good,” Wang Ling replied.
Xi Qi’s face darkened as he excused himself to look around.
“Is Wang Qing in a bad mood today?” Wei Linxia asked.
“I’m afraid Your Majesty won’t be in a good mood later,” Wang Ling said, exchanging a glance with Wei Fengzhi.
Wei Fengzhi quickly slipped a thin piece of paper into Wei Linxia’s hand. She read it by candlelight, falling silent afterward.
“Don’t worry, these people can’t amount to anything…” she said, folding the paper and putting it in her sleeve.
“I think this dance is quite good. Although the Emperor is young, his intentions are clear. This is a matter of the imperial family, and the ministers need not worry or interfere. Please be seated.”
The dance continued, and the performers removed their terrifying masks, revealing weapons hidden in their robes.
With over a hundred dancers and only women and officials present at the Taiji Hall, the scene silenced everyone. Wang Ling’s expression darkened, Wei Fengzhi sat stoically, and Wei Linxia smiled slightly.
The dancers knelt in unison, blades gleaming in the candlelight.
“We request the Empress Dowager’s permission for the Emperor to take personal rule!” Their commanding voices resonated in the hall.
After the banquet, as the guests dispersed, Wei Linxia returned to the inner palace.
Feng Shou was waiting at the palace gate with his attendants. Upon seeing Wei Linxia return, he knelt and whispered, “Your Highness, the Emperor and the Princess are inside having an argument…”
Wei Linxia nodded and dismissed her attendants before entering the hall. She could hear Xi Yaya’s voice: “Ungrateful! How dare you say you’re not ungrateful? Fine! You’ve read the history books and learned some tricks, wanting to be a brilliant emperor? Who’s stopping you? You have three years until you come of age, yet you’re so impatient? Why did you choose your mother’s birthday? Are you trying to upset her for a lifetime? You heartless beast!”
“Elder Sister, I just don’t want Mother to work too hard,” replied Xi Qi.
“Nonsense. If you want the throne, tell Mother directly. You’ve been misled by rumors. If she wanted female rule, would she have waited until now? You’re heartless. If Mother gets sick with anger, I’ll deal with you. Why are you still here? Hoping to upset her even more?”
Wei Linxia shook her head, wondering whom her daughter had inherited her fiery temper from.
Xi Yaya pushed Xi Qi out and was stunned to see Wei Linxia. She quickly kicked Xi Qi’s knee, causing him to kneel before Wei Linxia.
“Mother, this is their doing. Xi Qi knows nothing. He came to discuss this with me, fearing you might misunderstand,” Xi Yaya said.
“No, this was my doing,” Xi Qi replied, straightening his back.
“Objectively, you’ve handled this well for your age, but you’re still not careful enough,” Wei Linxia said, pulling out a thin piece of paper. “Some people already know about this—more than one. Be more careful in the future. Go rest; you must be exhausted. Yaya, you should return to your palace too. I need to rest early.”
She dismissed them, and Feng Shou cautiously entered.
“Your Highness, the Emperor…”
“This time, I can be at ease. Feng Shou, you may go.”
In the large hall, only the occasional crackling of candles was heard. Wei Linxia took out a wax figure from a locked cabinet and whispered, “Qiushui, perhaps we can reunite two years earlier. Our son has grown up, gained strategy, and is far more capable than we were. I can finally be at peace.” Her eyes were slightly moist.
No one knows a child better than a mother.
Every time Xi Qi mentioned his father, she couldn’t help but understand his true intentions. The world misunderstood that she had encouraged Xi Linxuan’s western expedition leading to his death, and if her son believed this, her heart ached. Watching him grow distantly, she often contemplated telling him the truth, but the words always died on her lips. If he knew everything, he would seek his biological father, rewriting the past and bearing the burden of fratricide. It was better to let it go. Xi Linxuan had faced enough struggles; his latter years should be happy on the grasslands.
She had long decided to bear everything, keeping this secret. Her son was destined to be an emperor standing alone, and this small initial success should not be jeopardized.
She fell asleep, dreaming of a white tent, with Xi Linxuan emerging, holding a wolf-skin robe for her.
Meanwhile, Xi Yaya had not returned, and Wei Linxia grew anxious. She sent Fengshou to investigate. He returned with news that the Emperor had approved the right minister’s request.
Xi Yaya returned, her shoulders drooped with a dejected expression.
“Wang Ling said he has fulfilled his promise to the Empress Dowager. Now that the Empress Dowager has returned power and the Emperor has come of age, he naturally wants to retire to his hometown.”
