The spring rain poured down, casting a damp and oppressive atmosphere over the entire capital. The massive curtain of rain was filled with the scents of herbs and decay. Despite the harsh winter finally being over, there was no sign of the freshness of early spring.
The plague finally broke out a few days later, with Qinghe District being the first to suffer. Fortunately, Huo Xian had taken precautions in advance and sealed off the area, preventing the disease from spreading further. However, the time for contracting the plague was inevitably earlier, and three to five days later, people from other parts of the capital were forcibly dragged into makeshift shelters. These shelters, built specifically to house the sick, saw daily deaths. Some infected people refused to enter, crying and shouting.
The once bustling and prosperous streets suddenly became desolate, with shops closing one after another. Eventually, even the pharmacies shut their doors.
As Emperor Shun’an had said, this was a time when money was desperately needed. The capital, being under the emperor’s feet, could not be allowed to fall into chaos. Disaster relief funds had to be spent as necessary, making it impossible to conceal the loss of silver from the treasury.
Yuan Xiangsheng did not dare to bear the consequences of this concealment and confessed his negligence in supervision during the morning court, weeping bitterly alongside Qin Wei in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Their crying made Emperor Shun’an’s face cloud over.
Every word of their self-accusation felt like a slap in Emperor Shun’an’s face, leaving him utterly humiliated.
After the two officials finished crying, the entire court was deeply shocked.
The Censorate took the lead, stepping forward to berate Emperor Shun’an, causing him to lose face completely. This opened the floodgates, turning the morning court session into almost a criticism assembly against Emperor Shun’an. He remained silent, bowing his head in humiliation.
However, at this point, finding the cause of the problem was no longer meaningful. Controlling the plague was the top priority, but with the treasury robbed and the Ministry of Revenue claiming poverty, the question of where to get the money became a pressing issue.
By the time the cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue came up with a solution, three days had passed.
During these three days, news of Emperor Shun’an’s extravagant construction of a pleasure palace spread throughout the capital. The people blamed the deaths caused by the plague on the emperor’s incompetence.
Look, the emperor would rather spend money on building a pleasure palace than allocate funds for disaster relief. The already plague-stricken people’s morale collapsed, inevitably sparking public outrage. Even if the emperor claimed the treasury was empty, people would still blame the emptiness on the construction of the Longevity Palace.
In the end, the emperor became the target of everyone’s criticism.
Emperor Shun’an was stunned by the backlash, anxiously stepping down from his throne. “I’ve heard that there are crowds causing trouble in the capital, even at the palace gates.”
Huo Xian, looking weary from sleepless nights spent monitoring the plague and the missing silver, had just returned from Qinghe District, drenched from the rain. Seeing the panicked emperor, he suppressed his rising frustration.
He spoke reassuringly, “Don’t worry, Your Majesty, as long as you stay in the palace, you will be safe.”
Emperor Shun’an hurriedly said, “I won’t leave the palace! I’ve heard there’s news about the missing silver?”
Huo Xian nodded, “Part of it was transported by water and has been seized by the Jinyiwei at the port. However, after so many days, the thieves have acted swiftly, and finding the rest might be difficult.”
Emperor Shun’an felt a pang of heartache and fell silent.
Huo Xian patiently offered some comfort before leaving the imperial study and heading towards the Directorate of Ceremonial.
The rain continued to fall.
The moss-covered stone steps gleamed, and puddles on the bluestone path reflected a plum blossom that had not yet withered on the palace wall. Huo Xian closed his umbrella, carrying the chill of the rain into the office, “Godfather.”
Zhao Yong had become much more haggard recently, his face full of fatigue, but the sharpness in his eyes remained unchanged. He said, “Sit.”
Huo Xian sat down.
Zhao Yong ordered someone to make tea, added a handful of charcoal to the heater, and looked at him, asking, “Did you just come from the Imperial Study? How is the Emperor?”
Huo Xian took a sip of hot tea to warm up and shook his head, saying, “He’s scared to death. The situation has escalated too much, and he fears he won’t be able to hold onto his throne.”
Zhao Yong sneered, then straightened his lips and asked, “What do you think of this situation?”
Huo Xian put down the teacup and said, “Someone is stirring things up from behind the scenes. This plague appeared strange, and it might not be as simple as a natural disaster. The treasury was simultaneously robbed, causing delays in disaster relief. This person is exploiting the time it takes for the court to discuss and allocate funds, spreading rumors about the Longevity Palace, inciting conflicts between the people and the court. And that’s not all.”
Zhao Yong asked not because he couldn’t think of it himself, but because he wanted Huo Xian to speak openly. Huo Xian continued, “Since the gambling house incident, news about Crown Prince Huaijin has spread widely. Some even say it would have been better if he had succeeded in his coup back then. Even without evidence to clear his name, the people don’t care.”
In other words, if Crown Prince Huaijin were still alive today, he could become the people’s hope. Compared to an incompetent emperor and rampant Jinyiwei, what does a tarnished name matter?
Zhao Yong blew away the foam floating on the tea and asked, “Who do you think is behind this?”
Almost immediately, Huo Xian thought of Lou Panshun. “It’s hard to say. It could be the old supporters of the Crown Prince, or someone else using his name to cause trouble.”
Zhao Yong closed the tea lid and, with eagle-like eyes, gazed at the rain outside. “This uprising in the capital could be a turning point. I fear the heavens are about to change.”
He stood up and said, “Go back. During this period, avoid frequently entering the palace. If anything goes wrong in the palace, it would only make things worse.”
Huo Xian acknowledged this and left.
On the way out of the palace, he remained eerily silent. His eyes were fixed on the empty palace road, appearing calm, but there seemed to be a storm brewing beneath the surface. Mounted on his horse, he didn’t move, allowing the rain to wash away the unpleasant smell of herbs from his body.
Nanyue hesitated before finally asking, “Master, is the General really still alive?”
When Huo Xian saw Ji Yuluo’s silver ring and confirmed Lou Panshun was alive, Nanyue, although incredulous, was excited. However, this also meant that the person behind Cuixue Tower was likely General Lou. Considering the current situation, could this plague also be the General’s doing?
Nanyue’s question was essentially asking if the plague was really caused by the General.
But he didn’t dare to ask directly.
Who was Lou Panshun? He was Huo Xian’s mentor, closer than a father! All of Huo Xian’s hope and faith came from this man. Nanyue couldn’t fathom what it felt like to have one’s beliefs shattered, but he felt a chill from the current wind.
After a long time, even the light breeze couldn’t stand it, the horse’s hooves kept moving restlessly. Finally, Huo Xian said, “Let’s return to the residence.”
–
During the plague, the Huo residence was also lifeless. Without the joy of shopping, even the little maids were bored, squatting under the eaves making nets. They whispered, “Today, the old lady asked me to deliver food to the master. That Qinghe District is like a mass grave, really scary. When will this plague end? The rain won’t stop, it’s so frustrating.”
Ji Yuluo listened by the window and asked Hongshuang, “What’s the situation outside?”
Hongshuang said, “The Jinyiwei are guarding strictly, keeping the plague mostly contained in the Qinghe District area. In comparison, the Longevity Palace incident is causing more trouble. These people are already suffering greatly, and hearing about the Emperor’s cultivation palace, they went crazy, gathering to cause trouble, even fighting with the Jinyiwei.”
Ji Yuluo pondered for a moment and said, “This must be the master’s doing.”
When the Ministry of Revenue had issues, the first person she thought of was Shen Qingli. Thinking about the things Shen Qingli stole from Qin Wei’s mansion, he couldn’t be unrelated to this matter. But for something this significant, the mastermind could only be Xie Subai.
Hongshuang lowered her head, “The master sent me to protect you, my lady. He didn’t tell me about the other matters.”
Ji Yuluo didn’t respond, unsure if she believed it. She propped her chin, looking out the window, unable to stop thinking about Xie Subai.
He had the appearance of an exiled immortal, speaking gently and softly. He brewed tea, played the qin, and read books. Every action he took was elegant to the extreme. When Ji Yuluo first met him, she mistook him for a virtuous gentleman.
But Xie Subai was not. She had seen the darkness and ferocity in his eyes, like a demon shackled, his soul imprisoned in the depths of hell, clawing and roaring, yet eerily silent.
The reason he showed such an expression was that she had accidentally seen his legs.
Unlike his flawless face, his legs were hideous and terrifying, with skin and flesh burnt into a ghastly color, layered with scars like countless ravines. It was these ravines that permanently confined him to a wheelchair.
The rumors about the Crown Prince Huaijin were caused by the gambling house incident. Ji Yuluo originally did not understand why Xie Subai was so hostile towards the court for no reason, but now, thinking about those legs, some things began to make sense.
And that was why one of those two paintings was in Huo Xian’s possession.
Ji Yuluo was lost in thought when suddenly a shadow fell over her. The person she hadn’t seen for several days suddenly appeared before her, drenched in heavy rain, with the badge of the Imperial Guards (Jinyiwei) hanging from his waist. Raindrops fell rhythmically from his chin, making one even want to reach out and catch them.
For some reason, Ji Yuluo felt an oppressive gloom around him, yet there was a hint of broken emotion. Before she could grasp what it was, it vanished the moment he raised his hand.
His fingers were too cold. As he brushed away the stray hair at her temple, the rainwater touched her cheek, leaving a streak as it slid down.
Ji Yuluo was even prepared to face his questioning, but to her surprise, he said, “Burning charcoal while opening the window to let the wind in is a waste of charcoal.”
With a “bang,” the window was slammed shut right in front of Ji Yuluo.
“…”
Author’s Note:
A small touch, marking the first step in their emotional journey.
Their relationship progresses very slowly, but once they break through the barrier, it will advance at rocket speed.
