Yan Xiaohan turned, saying calmly, “I heard the Noble Concubine comes from a noble family, educated in poetry, skilled in song and dance. A fortune-teller once said your fate was noble, that you’d marry well.” He couldn’t help but sneer, “The entire Jinling spread such rumors. You probably believed them, thinking you’d be the next Wei Zifu.”
“This white silk is already showing you respect,” Yan Xiaohan stood up, looking down at her coldly. “It’s best you comply. Otherwise, I’ll make you the next Qi Furen.”
Xue was struck as if by lightning. Educated in literature, she immediately understood Yan Xiaohan’s threat and knew her fate was sealed.
The struggle between the Noble Concubine and the Empress was not just a palace conflict but a battle for the heir, a silent confrontation between northern old officials and southern newcomers.
In the first year of Longzhi, on the fourteenth day of the second month, Noble Concubine Xue went mad after childbirth, lost her mind, and hanged herself in the Cold Palace.
That evening, stars scattered like snow. The Changqiu Palace hastily summoned the imperial physician, who diagnosed the Empress Fu as pregnant. The entire court saw this as an auspicious omen.
Chapter 64: Reunion – Lord Yan’s Online Breakdown
Yan Xiaohan had just dealt with Xue when the Emperor received the news and was furious, summoning him to the palace to punish him.
As an outsider who had killed the emperor’s favored concubine – whose father was a colleague – Yan Xiaohan had overstepped. Yet he seemed unperturbed, entering the palace calmly, bowing and greeting, “Long live the Emperor.”
The Emperor, seething, did not immediately offer a seat, deliberately keeping him standing, coldly saying, “An outsider who enters the inner palace and forces a concubine to her death – you are audacious!”
Yan Xiaohan promptly knelt: “I am guilty. I request the Emperor relieve me of my position as Forbidden Army Commander and reduce me to a commoner.”
You!” The Emperor of Changtai’s heart skipped a beat.
He originally intended to reprimand Yan Xiaohan, tell him not to be so disrespectful to his sovereign, and then let the matter rest with a light punishment, as was his usual approach. But he never expected Yan Xiaohan to be so resolute, immediately declaring he would resign and go home.
Although Yan Xiaohan had his flaws, he was the one who had worked tirelessly to support the Emperor during his most difficult times and helped him ascend to the throne. The loyalty of local military governors during the new dynasty’s establishment was also secured by Yan Xiaohan. He was merely the nominal commander of the imperial guards. Yan Xiaohan maintained a delicate balance between the old northern officials and the new southern nobility, ensuring the court’s smooth and stable operation. Now that he wanted to resign and return home, the Emperor of Changtai was the first to object.
Choking with anger for a long time, the Emperor of Changtai heaved a heavy sigh and said helplessly, “Yan Qing, you… never mind. Let’s not mention the resignation. Someone, bring a seat.”
Yan Xiaohan remained expressionless, secretly sneering inwardly.
Emperor Yuantai was too overbearing, forcing his sons to either rebel or become weak. The Crown Prince was opportunistic, Prince Jin was a fool, and the Emperor of Changtai was externally strong but internally weak.
He appeared shrewd but was actually timid, lacking decisiveness and easily swayed, prone to fickleness and quick to tire of things.
With such a character as Emperor, a court where ministers were stronger than the ruler was almost inevitable. So even with the Xue consort in high favor, Yan Xiaohan dared to send her a white silk cord. He had anticipated the outcome long before taking action: since the Emperor could compromise the Empress for the Xue consort, he would naturally gloss over the Xue consort’s death to retain Yan Xiaohan as a crucial minister.
“We know the Empress has suffered some grievances,” the Emperor of Changtai sighed, worried, “but We have not done anything to her, only placed her under house arrest. We will comfort her later. Yet you forced the Xue consort to take her own life. How should We answer Xue Ai Qing when he asks?”
Minister Yan, who would compromise himself for his wife, completely failed to understand the Emperor’s reasoning. “House arrest” was just a euphemism. By favoring the consort and humiliating the Empress’s dignity, this was “not doing anything to her”?
What if the Empress had indeed caused the miscarriage of the Xue consort’s child?
Yan Xiaohan sat on the stool, silently reciting a couple of lines from a classic to calm his anger, and said as gently as possible, “Your Majesty, you are the Son of Heaven. Life and death are in your hands. You need not explain to anyone.”
The Emperor of Changtai was silent for a moment, then hesitantly said, “But Xue Sheng…”
“Your Majesty, haven’t you seen through Xue Daren’s intentions in sending his daughter to the palace and secretly spreading rumors about the Xue consort’s noble destiny?” Yan Xiaohan said solemnly. “You rely on the southern noble families, but Xue Shu wants to turn the court into a southern court. Your Majesty must look beyond the immediate. Great Zhou controls territories in all directions, not just the south.”
The Emperor of Changtai was indeed moved by the grand vision. He had already forgotten Yan Xiaohan’s impropriety, remembering only the talk of restoring the Central Plains: “How We wish to launch a northern campaign, but the new dynasty is not yet stable. We lack troops, provisions, and funds. What can We use to launch a northern campaign?”
“The various military governors have all promised that if the court wants to reclaim the Central Plains, they will assist,” Yan Xiaohan said, “but the court still needs to build a presentable army. We can’t rely solely on military governors.”
“Moreover what?” the Emperor pressed.
Yan Xiaohan hesitated before speaking softly, “Military governors with their own armies are no different from regional princes. If the Central Plains are truly reclaimed, the court will need sufficient troops to intimidate local military governors.”
He stopped, inadvertently thinking of the Northern Yan cavalry.
The Emperor of Changtai nodded in agreement, “Well said. This matter should not be delayed. Immediately begin preparations.”
Yan Xiaohan stood and assented. The Emperor seemed to have thought along the same lines, sighing, “If We had the Northern Yan cavalry, restoring the Central Plains would be assured!”
Yan Xiaohan had been inwardly sneering since entering the palace and could no longer hold back, softly interjecting, “If the Jingning Marquis were here, the Xue consort would not dare to provoke the Empress.”
The Emperor looked embarrassed and displeased, “Enough. We did not expect you to have such good feelings for the Jingning Marquis, worth defending the Empress repeatedly.”
“Yan Xiaohan considered that he and Fu Shen could not continue pretending to be at odds forever. Being honest with the Emperor now was better than being accused of deceiving the throne later.
He cupped his hands, “Your Majesty, please allow me to report. I was betrothed by the Late Emperor, and there are hidden circumstances.”
Yan Xiaohan blamed the deceased Crown Prince, embellishing the Late Emperor’s true intentions, and explained everything in detail. The Emperor of Changtai listened in astonishment, “The Late Emperor actually… So you and the Jingning Marquis are not truly in love, but merely cooperating for control of the Northern Yan troops?”
