Translator: 🍓SassyStrawberry | http://www.sassystrawberry.com
Project: Phoenix Totem (凤凰图腾） | Author: Huaishang (淮上) | Rating: Mature
Trigger Warnings: Non-con, rape, underage, grooming, age gap, abuse of authority, problematic gong, harem politics, depression, suicide, murder, death.
Tags: Abusive obsessive love, Imperial Court and aristocracy, Strong x Strong characters, Jianghu grievances
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Chapter 11 Each word wounds the heart
FOR THE BEST READING EXPERIENCE, WE RECOMMEND READING THE CHAPTERS IN THE ORIGINAL FORMAT INSTEAD OF THE WORDPRESS READER.
The Empress’ hand shook uncontrollably, the blade slid across Mingde’s exquisite neck. From the Qianwan Emperor’s perspective, he could see the drops of blood slide down in the wake of the dagger’s path.
The Qianwan Emperor rushed over on step, and the Empress pressed the blade of the knife down, cautioning him,” Your Majesty! Don’t come any closer!”
In a short while, the blood flowed downwards. Li Ji, this Emperor who had braved countless life and death situations whilst galloping across the battlefield, felt his legs give way for a moment. After which he froze in place,” You…..what are you going to do?”
“This concubine-subject requests for you [1] to release him,:” The Empress enunciated each and every word clearly. “This concubine-subject may have let down my own nephew at this time, but I cannot just watch helplessly as he dies in your [1] hands!”
“The two of you don’t want to be the Empress and Crown Prince anymore?”
“The position of Empress can be forsaken, even if he isn’t the Crown Prince, it’s not as if he can’t survive as a normal person. For the Crown Prince to use his younger brother’s life as the price for obtaining the imperial throne, then it’s better that he doesn’t want the throne!”
The Qianwan Emperor was speechless as he pointed at the Empress, and slowly nodded,” Good……Good for you……”
Kill Mingde?
Then you might as well dig out Li Ji’s heart and be done with it.
The Qianwan Emperor inhaled deeply, then replied in an indifferent tone,” Sending him out of the capital is possible, but not without having undergone the Imperial Examinations. There is no precedent of sending an official’s child out of the capital for no reason.”
“This concubine-subject believes that your Majesty will have a way……”
“I don’t,” The Qianwan Emperor said, his expression unusually calm,” – Zhen believes that you, the Empress, wish for your nephew to safely go somewhere with a mild climate like Jiangnan to hold a junior official position, but not to let him become a governor or commander in the frontier provinces, and have to shoulder the Imperial Court’s rumours and malicious gossip. Other than going via the normal route, Zhen does not have any other methods that will not cause suspicion among the Imperial Court.
The Empress hesitated at this.
“–The Spring Imperial Examinations,” The Emperor said imperiously,” Before the Crown Prince’s grand wedding, additional civil-service examinations held on auspicious occasions may be added, thus bringing forward the Spring Imperial Examinations. If he passes the examinations, I will send him outside the capital, if he doesn’t pass……”
“What if he doesn’t pass?”
The Qianwan Emperor gave her a pitying look,”……Your nephew wrote imperial court poetry at fifteen, how would he be unable to pass the special examinations?”
Shangguan Mingde could only hear buzzing sounds droning beside his ear. His neck had something icy cold plastered against his skin, feeling as if even his blood was about to freeze over.
Later that object was moved away, and the Emperor’s footsteps retreated outside. A woman hugged him and choked out,” Mingde! Mingde!……My child, you must pass the examinations. You must walk out of this place……”
“Empress……”
“I’m here…I’m right here!”
“……Empress,” Mingde slightly opened his eyes, and smiled hazily,”……The Crown Prince doesn’t want the position anymore, is that so?”
The South China Sea pearl swayed together with the agitated shaking of her head,” If you live, then he’ll have everything. If you don’t, then it is clear that his destiny is not to be the Crown Prince.”
“You [1]’ve made a mistake,” Mingde shook his head lightly,” You [1] shouldn’t have forced him.”
For a moment, the Empress didn’t realize who he was talking about. Then Mingde stared at her, and whispered,”–Li Ji.”
Of the entire Imperial Court, perhaps only Shangguan Mingde would directly speak that man’s name. **, in the hall, in the Imperial Court, in front of others, in private, when yelling a torrent of abuse, regardless of time or place, he refused to be subject to the restrictions of seniority and rank.
“Empress, perhaps I can pass the Spring Imperia⁰l Examinations, be posted outside of the Capital, and the Crown Prince’s position may be temporarily safeguarded. But what of the future? Half a year later? One year later? Two years…three years… and even further down? ……If one day, news comes that Shangguan Mingde has died of a sudden illness whilst on duty, will you believe it?”
The youth’s low and hoarse voice was calm almost to the point of cruelty. The Empress’ long and luxurious fake nails covered her mouth, her gaze was panicked and terrified.
“When I’ve ‘died’, the Crown Prince’s position will not be safe……the Crown Prince, he, is not someone who can govern a country. By that time, you two who have lost the Crown Prince’s position, what sort of outcome will befall you? And what kind of ending will befall me?”
The Empress rose to her feet suddenly and paced the room like a trapped beast. She abruptly stopped walking,” Even if I bring the Crown Prince to the Cold Palace to live in seclusion for a lifetime, at least the Emperor will not kill you. He will not deliberately cause your death, after all, he still likes you very much……”
“I don’t believe it.”
Mingde inhaled deeply, and stared at the Empress’s face, speaking one word at a time,” – I do not believe it at all.”
The Empress looked at Mingde’s shadowed profile, half illuminated and half in shadow, bringing with it an exquisite indifference and scars.
The veins on the back of the Qianwan Emperor’s hand burst upwards, and he clenched his hand tightly into a fist.
He stood in the unlocked doorway of the main hall, Zhang Kuo silently knelt behind him. Along the lengthy corridor on which a bright red carpet was spread, the imposing and magnificent palace lanterns shone with a golden-red glow.
For two years of intimate association with one another [2], on one hand teaching him poetry in its various forms [3], on the other hand training him both in civil and military strategy [4]. Like force-feeding a duck, □□ turning him into a martial arts expert. Quicker than a blink of his eyes, he had already grown so big, and his hair had grown longer – all of which he had watched and taken notice of. In the end, what that child thought deeply about, was merely those words – I don’t believe it.
—He doesn’t believe that I would not kill him.
—He doesn’t even believe that I like him.
Late at night two years ago, the youth who had awoken from a nightmare, had cowered away from him and tried to avoid the embrace of the monarch of this Imperial dynasty. Li Ji had tried to comfort him, tried to calm him down, but he had failed. The young Shangguan Mingde had trembled and hid in the depths of the huge dragon bed, and almost inaudibly asked,”……Do you want to kill me?”
“……I won’t kill you.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
– How could I kill you? The Qianwan Emperor thought slowly. I like you so much, I can’t let go of you for even a moment. How could I think of killing you……
Zhang Kuo raised his head without warning and saw the Qianwan Emperor’s fingers were laid against the wall, and slowly slid downwards, leaving five long finger marks on the extremely solid wall.
In fact, as an Emperor, Li Ji had failed to live up to many people’s expectations. He was not the Crown Prince by order of birth. The previous Emperor had favoured the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan, hence his initial choice for the Crown Prince wasn’t him; After having entered the main Eastern Palace with great difficulty, his mother-consort [5] was poisoned to death by the Empress at the time, now the current Empress Dowager.
Yet the previous Emperor had not said a word, and even Li Ji himself couldn’t even say anything about it. It was only after he had suffered and survived until the death of the previous Emperor, that he ascended to the throne. Unfortunately, it was at this time, his original Empress had committed ** with someone, and became pregnant with an illegitimate son, creating a huge disgraceful scandal; Now more than ten years after he had ascended the throne, there was not a single person who knew or understood him, not a single person who could provide companionship by his side.
In this endless cycle of loneliness and luxury, the only thing that could bring some colour into the life of this monarch was personally leading military expeditions.
Even whilst on military expedition thousands of miles away, he still had to prevent and forestall the great officials from rocking the court with their intrigues and infighting. He had to be wary of the Empress egging on the Crown Prince to cause a palace uprising. And he also had to prevent the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan from mustering up troops and rising up in rebellion, and vainly attempting to stage a comeback.
Yes, he has killed many people, and failed many people; he is ruthless and cruel, cold-blooded and unfeeling. The historical records would not leave him with a good reputation. However, even so, he has never let down Shangguan Mingde.
The Qianwan Emperor closed his eyes, his defined and angular face had a rock-like hardness to it, his expression seemingly entirely unmoved.
He strode out of the palace, Zhang Kuo kept pace with him, and quietly asked,” Your Majesty, will you really let Mingde-gongzi leave the capital?”
The Qianwan Emperor stepped into the Imperial Carriage, and without turning his head, he tossed out a single sentence,” Issue a decree when we return, the Empress is henceforth under house arrest!”
Mingde lay in the suburban palace for half a month before he could get off the bed. Zhang-shi had not expected that the missing concubine’s son would return, hence was in high spirits and all smiles as she told her eldest son, Shangguan Quan,” The heavens do have eyes, that eyesore, the despicable thing must have sneaked out to play, and was robbed and killed. Finally, he will not return to obstruct the good marriage match between our family and Prime Minister Xia.”
Zhang-shi’s character was harsh and forceful, hence the son that she raised was obsequious and a yes-man. He nodded and replied,” What Mother said is true.”
Who’d have expected that in a few days, Mingde would actually return home on his own. He was even escorted home by the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan. Shangguan-shilang had never seen a dignified Prince of the first rank [6] grace his residence and was so flustered by this that he hurriedly brought out all his family members, both young and old, to kneel down by the entrance in greeting. From a distance, one could see a swatch of people prostrating themselves on the ground, indeed an impressive spectacle.
The Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan is the current Emperor’s younger royal brother. Although he had not been conferred the title of Crown Prince, however, he was still a Prince of the first rank with genuine power and authority. He smiled as he turned his head and asked,” Mingde-gongzi, how does it feel?”
Shangguan Mingde sat in the carriage, his eyes facing ahead, and his voice was steady and unchanged,” – The people of the world admire Wangye [7] ‘s elegant demeanour and graceful bearing. Upon seeing this, Mingde deeply feels their great esteem.”
Jin Yuan smiled and clapped his hands,” Imperial brother’s words were not false, you truly are someone made of extremely stubborn [8] stuff.”
“If Wangye finds me annoying, just toss this subject out of the carriage.”
Jin Yuan laughed dryly at this,” How would this Prince dare? If not for the urgent frontline reports that had crossed 800 li arriving at the Imperial Study, the one escorting you back to your residence would be my Imperial brother himself. Since this Prince has accepted this important mission, it will definitely be accomplished with great dignity and style. Throw you off the carriage? Then when I return to the palace, the one who’ll be thrown out is this Prince.”
Mingde rose to his feet and respectfully bowed,:” This subject doesn’t dare.”
Jin Yuan looked at his behaviour which was currently faultless, adopting the appropriate attitude in accordance with the situation. Even the tone of his voice perfectly fulfilled the ideal courtier’s etiquette. However, it had to be this person who monopolized the monarch’s heart. Someone whose methods are ruthless, his heart meticulous. If he could not be subdued for his own use, then in the future he would definitely be a troublesome character to handle.
Jin Yuan leaned over and asked in a low voice,” Emperor-brother said that you have pent-up qi and blood, and your heart is full of anger. Mingde, Emperor-brother has not visited the Imperial Harem since he had you, how has his treatment of you not been good?”
–how is it not good?
……wanton plunder, violation at will, restricting his freedom, following in accordance with the monarch’s whims……each night that he is forced to endure “the monarch’s grace”, can that be considered ‘treating you well”？
Jin Yuan smiled and said,” How does the Emperor treat you poorly? You speak up, and this Prince will make it up to you. Do you want it?”
With a ‘pa’ sound, his palm fell. Mingde slowly withdrew his hand, and coolly stared at the side of the Prince of Dongyang, Jin Yuan’s face, which was now swollen and red,“ – The late Emperor is above, this subject will teach the Dongyang-wangye a lesson on behalf of his ancestors: Be strict towards yourself, be self-possessed and conduct yourself with dignity. Wangye need not thank this subject.”
Jin Yuan rose up without warning, and drew his sword with a crash,” Shangguan Mingde!”
Mingde replied,:” Why must Wangye be so abashed and ashamed to this extent?”
Jin Yuan knew without a doubt that if he slashed down with his sword at this time, the Qianwan Emperor would personally inflict the death of a thousand cuts and cut his flesh from his bones. However, since when did such a respected and precious [9] wangye ever been made to suffer such grievance?”
Jin Yuan tightly grasped the hilt of his sword. The moment that the carriage stopped, a eunuch’s shrill voice dragged out the words,” The wangye – has arrived–!”
Then the surrounding bodyguards and eunuchs in their rows spread the word, “Wangye–”, “Wangye–”, “has arrived –”, “has arrived —!”
It was so loud as to make the earth quake and the mountains shudder as if several major opera troupes were chanting in unison.
The Prince of Dongyang dismounted and turned around to pull Shangguan Mingde from the carriage. Shangguan-shilang was in the lead, kneeling at the main entrance， when he raised his eyes to look, his face immediately turned green.
How did this little kid make friends with the wangye? When did this happen? Why doesn’t Quan-er [9] or his other sons not have such dumb luck [10]?”
Shangguan-shilang didn’t have other hobbies in his life, other than being a fawning toady and shameless bootlicker, always anxious to put in more painstaking efforts in currying favour for his own personal gain. If he had only known that this useless concubine’s son had not only made friends with this wangye, but had also boxed his ears while spouting words of ancestral admonitions – it is likely that he would pass out on the spot.
Mingde walked past Shangguan-shilang and Zhang-shi, his face without expression, feigning that he hadn’t seen them at all. His spirits hadn’t improved, and the long and dreary ceremony passed by in a haze. The Qianwan Emperor had worried about letting Mingde out of his sight, hence he sent Zhang Kuo to follow along. Whilst standing before the ancestral hall, he read out the decree in a sing-song voice,:” ……Today the Shangguan family’s youngest son, Mingde, rescued the Emperor from imminent danger, his loyalty and devotion……are something that Zhen feels extremely pleased with…….Bestowing two Jade ruyi sceptres, one hundred bolts of palace silk, one hundred golden ingots, one thousand taels of silver……bestowing the right to participate in the special civil examinations, similar to the successful candidates at the provincial level [11].”
Mingde lowered his head and knelt on the ground, his appearance extremely respectful and humble, but with a slight sneer at the corners of his mouth.
That man is truly good at covering up peacefully. An official’s son coincidentally passed by, selflessly saving the Emperor’s favourite younger brother, Prince Dongyang from under the frenzied hooves of a maddened horse. He had been seriously injured and spent a month unconscious while recuperating in the palace. Thus, they had failed to inform the Shangguan family who had raised such a fine son. The Emperor was incomparably gratified and moved by this, hence he bestowed upon this self-sacrificing, loyal subject the scholarly rank of Juren [11], allowing him to participate in this year’s Spring Imperial Examinations.
Everything was explained perfectly coherently and clearly, incomparably peaceably.
The Imperial decree had been read out, and the entire clan was on their knees. Mingde kowtowed deeply,:” This subject receives the decree–!”
Zhang Kuo deferentially handed over the Imperial edict, then leaned over to pull him to his feet, speaking in a whisper,” Why must Gongzi do this, since when did the Emperor let Gongzi kowtow even once? Truly overwhelming this slave with undeserved favour.”
Mingde didn’t even raise his head, his gaze respectful and cautious,” Gonggong, have the injuries from those thirty strikes of the rod recovered yet?”
Zhang Kuo immediately kept silent, dropping his hand and standing to one side.
Shangguan-shilang saw that everyone had already risen to their feet, then ran over in a flash. His old face smiling like a flower in bloom, yelling as he hurried over,” Wangye! This lowly official has not seen Wangye attend court in a long time and has indeed missed him sorely. It is a pity that I have been burdened and held up by official business, otherwise, I would definitely pay the Wangye Residence a visit…… Has Wangye’s honoured health been well? Were there any surprises en route? Attendants hurry! Arrange the banquet!”
The Prince of Dongyang smiled in satisfaction as he was attended to and brought to the seat of honour. Zhang-shi’s beautiful daughter Shangguan Han was extremely coy and modestly waited by the said. With infinite amorous feelings, she presented the eighteen-year-old Nu’er hong [12] wine. Jin Yuan smiled when he caught sight of this wine. When a daughter was born, her parents would bury a jar of Nu’er hong wine in the ground, and when the young lady was to be married, they would dig it out to be drunk at the wedding. It can be said that it is the most important wine in a woman’s life.
During his own grand wedding, he had drunk the Princess-consort of Dongyang’s Nu’er hong. For several of his concubines, he had also drunk it. As for this fourth-rank official’s Nu’er hong, it was rather novel.
The Prince of Dongyang smoothly received the wine cup as if he were unaware, and directly stuffed it at Mingde; He then poured himself a cup of wine from the table, and hoisted it up with a bright and clear smile,” Shangguan-gongzi, this Prince and you have hit it off well, and have also depended much on you for your rescue. This cup of wine will be used to toast you today!”
Zhang-shi and Shangguan Han’s expressions momentarily turned snowy white, and even Shangguan-shilang tottered unsteadily at this,:” Wangye, this……”
Jin Yuan raised his cup and toasted him from afar,” Then this Prince will drink the wine first in respect!” Having said this, he lifted his head and drained the contents of his cup to the dregs, smiling as he looked towards Mingde.
Mingde stared at the cup of wine for a while, then slowly put the cup onto the table, and said,” Wangye, please pardon me.”
The Prince of Dongyang pretended to be surprised at this,” Mingde, what’s the matter? Not giving this Prince any face [13]?
Mingde replied indifferently,:” This subject never drinks.”
Shangguang-shilang rushed over in big strides,” Nie-zi [14]! How can you speak to the Wangye in that manner–”
“Hey, Shilang don’t be like that,” The Prince of Dongyang waved his hand to interrupt the indignant Shangguan-shilang, and smiled as he said,” Mingde must not be used to drinking such weak wine, fine! This Prince will accompany you in drinking some fine shao-daozi [15] wine! This is the wine that the men of the North drink!”
Having said this, with a wave of his hand, he ordered people to bring two entire jars of this strong liquor over. Acting on his own, he then filled a bowl to the brim, then forcefully shoved it into Mingde’s hands. Shangguan Mingde’s expression was slightly ugly for a moment, but the corners of his eyes and his brows still curved in a smile. He asked softly,” Wangye, the wine hasn’t yet entered your mouth, how is it that your face is already ruddy as if sitting in the spring breeze [16]?”
Jin Yuan’s conditioned reflex was to lift his hand to touch his face, and coincidentally he touched the part of his face which had been reddened by a slap.
Mingde watched with great interest waiting for the wangye to act out angrily. Unexpectedly, this person was extremely thick-skinned, and acted as if nothing had happened, smiling as he said,” As soon as this Prince saw Mingde, my heart was unknowingly filled with happiness!”
This remark was so extremely disgusting that Mingde had to violently shut his eyes. Then raised his head and drank up the wine, not leaving a single drop.
The Prince of Dongyang was the first to clap his hands together, saying:” Good! Gongzi’s capacity for liquor is like the sea!” After which he also tilted his neck back, and poured his own bowl down his throat.
Shangguan-shilang was so delighted that he couldn’t tell north from south, east from west. A dignified official of the Imperial Court, stumbled over as he ran to snatch the wine jug from a boy servant and pour another bowl. Jing Yuan laughed loudly as he forced Mingde’s hand, taking the lead to down it all at once,” Good! Good! The youths of our imperial dynasty are all young outstanding heroes, and I expect that we’ll be able to rely on these subjects for a thousand years, and ten thousand generations [17]!”
It wasn’t actually that Mingde didn’t know how to drink, just that he drank very little. One bowl of shaodaozi down his gullet and the nerve at his temple is already jumping. If he does not drink the bowl of wine at this time, the wangye has already said: This wine is to express congratulations and sincere wishes for our Imperial Dynasty to last for ages to come [17]! If you do not drink up this wine, what intentions do you have?
Mingde gritted his teeth, then again lifted his head and drank it in one gulp, after which he smashed the bowl on the ground,” Wangye, pardon this subject for taking his leave now.”
After speaking, he turned to leave. Unexpectedly, the Prince of Dongyang’s thick-skinned nature was so incomparable that he went forward to grab him and drag him back,” Hey, everyone is drinking so happily. Mingde, why are you leaving? If you insist on leaving then you’re not leaving this Prince any face! Attendants! Attendants, serve the wine!”
Zhang Kuo saw Mingde’s complexion and felt that something wasn’t right, thus he went forward to whisper,” Wangye, this……”
The Prince of Dongyang waved his hand,” The ancients spill blood while forming alliances [18], and they must drink three bowls of wine. What’s the big deal about Mingde drinking two bowls? Come, come, come, today we must drink this wine dry!”
Mingde was pulled by him and staggered a step, then said softly,” This subject has no intention of forming an alliance with Wangye.“
The Prince of Dongyang laughed, his voice low and hoarse, and somewhat strange,” – Mingde, you would rather be ‘below others’ and use sexual favours to climb upwards, but are unwilling to follow the example of the Duke of Zheng, Wei Zheng [19], and be that meritorious minister who has given outstanding service in founding a country?”
Mingde was tipsy and his heart was heavy. He was also slightly out of breath. However, upon hearing these words, he suddenly felt that this low and hoarse voice was inexplicably familiar.
