Of course, Xie Jing could not possibly wear his former official uniform to court, even though he received Lu Lingcong’s affirmative reply and was told that all the clothes he had left in the Prince’s Mansion had been properly stored and were even taken out to be aired on sunny days, which sounded like a huge undertaking.
After all, being young and fond of finery and having Suzhou embroidery and Yun brocade readily available, he never slighted himself in terms of clothing, and when idle, he even enjoyed dressing up the whole family.
“Once I couldn’t find Qing’er anywhere and finally discovered him asleep inside that big wardrobe in the East Wing. When I asked him why, he said that there were many of your clothes inside, which carried your scent, and it was just like having you next to him.”
Xie Jing had no concept of his own scent, but clearly Lu Lingcong and the children had the ability to accurately distinguish it. He remembered that occasionally when Lu Suning fell asleep and he had to leave temporarily, he would give her a piece of clothing to hold so she could sleep more soundly.
The secret chamber was only one room in total, with a bed separated by a screen. It was not as large as the Prince’s Mansion, but it was just big enough for two people to sleep. Xie Jing was only wearing sleeping attire when he came, and due to the high level of mental tension during the day, he felt somewhat weak. After standing and saying a few words, he moved to the bed, burrowed under the covers, closed his eyes to rest for a while, and then asked:
“Did you go to see Mother again after leaving Shenlong Hall? Did Ningning feel shy or nervous in the palace?”
Lu Lingcong lay down with him, encircling him from behind, and answered in a lowered voice, “With Mother and Zhenzhen looking after them, you can rest assured.”
Xie Jing sighed: “I’ve been worrying about them for ten years; how can I just let go? Today, I was sitting outside the hall, and after just a couple of sentences, my mind turned to the little ones, thinking about whether they had eaten lunch and if it suited their tastes. I was so absorbed in my thoughts, and Wang Shu kept chattering beside me, I nearly asked him what he had for lunch.”
“I ate with them. It was the same old dishes that the Mingluan Hall kitchen often makes,” Lu Lingcong asked again. “I haven’t asked you yet. What did Wang Shu talk to you about?”
“Nothing new, it was all pre-arranged stuff. I just gave you a good scolding.”
Lu Lingcong laughed, then asked, “Did he believe it?”
Xie Jing thought for a moment: “He believed that you are heartless and unjust, but he didn’t believe I could truly be cruel enough to hurt the children. He also asked if there was a new favorite in the Prince’s Mansion.”
After speaking, he turned over, buried his face in Lu Lingcong’s embrace, and felt that his ability to distinguish Lu Lingcong’s scent was definitely no worse than the other’s.
“Then it seems he understands you very well and understands me very little.” Lu Lingcong concluded.
“More or less. In his eyes, I was probably the loose and ignorant birth mother of the Imperial Eldest Grandson, who only knew how to revolve around my children every day,” Xie Jing paused. “But that’s not wrong either.”
“Did he mention what official rank His Majesty will grant you? Will he allow you to attend court?”
“I should be allowed to attend the court. What specific role it will be depends on how much Wang Shu believes. He said a decision would be made at tomorrow morning’# court.”
“You just said Zhenzhen is in the palace?” After a moment of silence, Xie Jing suddenly asked, “Why didn’t I see her today? I didn’t see Teacher either.”
“She hasn’t left the palace these days. Because of the marriage alliance matter, it’s inconvenient to make it public. But I don’t know about Grand Tutor Zhang. Perhaps he’s getting old and his legs are inconvenient.”
“Is there any follow-up on the marriage alliance matter?”
“His Majesty did not mention it. The next step still requires a wait-and-see approach. Although we don’t have any early advantages, it may not be entirely beneficial for the palace either. Letting Zhenzhen marry into an alliance is indeed cutting off my arm in the capital. However, as long as she manages things slightly after marrying there, it will be a source of aid for me in Northen Desert. The palace must understand this logic so they won’t easily allow this matter to proceed.”
Xie Jing nodded and sighed with regret, “It’s fortunate that Teacher didn’t come. Otherwise, upon hearing those words from Qing’er, he would have been worried.”
Lu Lingcong entwined his fingers with Xie Jing’s, holding them tightly: “You shouldn’t take it to heart either.”
“The words were taught by me, it shouldn’t be…” Xie Jing paused, then laughed, “Never mind, I admit it. Hearing those words spoken by him is truly different from writing them on paper. I hadn’t expected it, but it was still a little hard to bear.”
Lu Lingcong comforted him: “He’s been pestering me with questions about every little detail all afternoon. Ultimately, your own flesh and blood cares about you the most.”
Xie Jing curled up slightly and said quietly, “His voice has changed too. When he was little, it was slow and deliberate like a kitten humming. The way he spoke today was quite intimidating. It’s just that I didn’t get to see his face directly, only caught glances in my peripheral vision.”
Speaking of this, he looked up at Lu Lingcong and said with certainty, “I estimate he must be up to my shoulder now. What do you think? Is he taller than when you left the capital?”
Lu Lingcong went along with him: “Yes, his bones are also sturdier. At this age, he changes every day.”
Xie Jing raised his hand to gesture: “He was just tiny back then, lying on my belly while basking in the sun with his arms and legs spread out.”
He recalled Lu Shuqing’s young appearance, lying in his arms like a small hibernating animal, his cotton-like fluffy body gently rising and falling, emitting soft, subtle sighs. Once he fell asleep, he was completely unaware, and no matter how much he was kissed or moved around, he would not open his eyes until he had slept enough.
Lu Lingcong gently pressed Xie Jing’s lower abdomen: “So soft, who wouldn’t like to use it as a pillow?”
Xie Jing found the touch ticklish and leaned up, letting out a light laugh. Lu Lingcong drew his shoulder closer, and their noses barely aligned as they shared a quiet kiss for a moment; without passion, merely a fleeting brush of intimacy. Their warm breaths intertwined, making Xie Jing drowsy.
The reason he hadn’t attended court for so many years was that he didn’t want to get up early. If he didn’t go back soon, he might truly fall asleep on this bed tonight.
Xie Jing did not want to separate from Lu Lingcong, but he knew too well that if he said, “I’ll just close my eyes for about fifteen minutes,” he definitely wouldn’t be able to move for the rest of the night. He was worried that if he fell asleep, fearing he might miss the morning court, Lu Lingcong would stay awake next to him all night. So he gently pushed the other away, ending the kiss first, forced himself to sit up, grabbed the empty porcelain cup from the bedside to splash his face and wake up, then jumped off the bed to put on his shoes.
Lu Lingcong asked, puzzled, “Not resting here? Are the covers uncomfortable?”
Xie Jing turned back and pushed him twice: “You go back too, go back and sleep soundly until dawn. You’ve finally come home, get some solid rest to make up for the sleep you’ve missed these past few months.”
Lu Lingcong said, “Shall I walk you back?”
Xie Jing bent down and blew out the candle before pushing him around the screen toward the other door, “I won’t get lost on this single path. If you walk me back, you’ll lose over half an hour of sleep. Don’t waste the effort.”
He urged Lu Lingcong to open the door and step out. The latter turned back, cupped his hand around Xie Jing’s nape, and rubbed it, saying, “Then I’ll go first. Put on the outer robe from the back of the chair.”
Xie Jing waved his hand at him: “Go now. See you in the palace tomorrow.”
After seeing off the reluctant Lu Lingcong, he extinguished all the candles in the room, put on the robe, exited through the other door, locked it securely, and turned to return the way he came.
The next day at the morning court, Xie Jing still wore plain clothes and walked into the palace on foot, making him particularly conspicuous among the official robes and carriages of the civil and military officials. However, even when he dressed like everyone else before, anyone who saw him in court would also glance his way, let alone now. The officials who had followed at the very end of the Emperor’s entourage yesterday and hadn’t seen him clearly were all secretly fixing their gazes upon Xie Jing.
However, although the officials had anticipated the unusual nature of today’s court session and sensed the fluctuating atmosphere of court politics, they had not expected such a drastic turn of events—
The Emperor, citing the reason of showing filial piety to his relative, commanded Prince Zhao to remain in the capital. The Prince’s thirty thousand Tiger Division cavalry were temporarily allocated: over five thousand men each to the North, South, East, and West Grand Camps, with the remaining eight thousand permanently stationed and encamped at the foot of Mufu Mountain and permitted to retain the Tiger Division designation.
Xie Jing was granted the rank of Third-Rank Yinqing Glorious Grand Master and temporarily put in command of these eight thousand troops.
Simultaneously, the Tiger Tally was not recalled from Prince Zhao’s hands. Should the nation face a crisis, he could use this tally to recall all divisions of the Tiger Division to quell the barbarians.
The Imperial edict announced by the eunuch used only a few brief words, but the signal conveyed within had a very strong inclination. The Yinqing Glorious Grand Master was not a substantive post; it was traditionally an honorary concurrent office. However, the meaning of the imperial decree was clear: Xie Jing was promoted from his former rank of fourth-rank Court Attendant of the Department of State Affair to such a nominal position, meaning his specific duties were not restricted, while power was simultaneously granted to him.
Today he could be assigned the duty of leading eight thousand Tiger Division troops; tomorrow, he could be assigned another completely unrelated task. He was indeed high in rank and power, but every one of his actions directly represented the will of the superior. Whenever the Emperor wished to interfere in a matter, he only needed to command Xie Jing to “temporarily lead” or “provisionally govern,” thus earning himself a good reputation for “listening to all sides.” Otherwise, as a convicted official and a civilian by background, military authority would never have fallen into Xie Jing’s hands.
This signaled to the court and the public that the former Princess Consort Zhao, who had just returned from the frontier, had quickly chosen a side—effectively becoming a prominent figure, a brick that the Emperor’s subordinate could move wherever needed.
However, not recalling the Tiger Tally from Prince Zhao’s hands meant that even when there was no fighting at the borders, Lu Lingcong still had the authority to command the remaining Tiger Division troops stationed at the foot of Mufu Mountain.
The Tiger Division, once a military force outside the control of the Ministry of War, had maintained a delicate balance with the court for three years, but this was now completely broken. The thirty thousand elite cavalry, which the capital previously tacitly agreed not to touch, were now divided and scattered. Although it was announced that they were being integrated into other divisions, it essentially meant they were completely marginalized and rendered like horses dying in their stables.
When Prince Zhao’s military command was stripped under the absurd yet conventionally proper reason of “serving his mother,” he did not show obvious resistance. Instead, it was Grand Tutor Zhang, who had been staying indoors in his residence for many days, who suddenly stepped forward to firmly object, strongly arguing the disadvantages of splitting the Tiger Division.
Zhang Yan had been in office for nearly forty years, and everyone knew he did not favor one faction or attack another; he simply could not tolerate injustice. However, the current emperor maintained an unwavering firmness without visible change in expression. He acknowledged and praised every point in Zhang Yan’s memorial, awarded and commended his loyalty, and did everything to appease him, yet he did not change a single word of the imperial edict.
It was only when the Emperor authorized Xie Jing to take over the Tiger Division that Lu Lingcong’s expression subtly changed, and he spoke: “Regardless of merit or fault, whether Minister Xie can command these eight thousand men or not is still questionable.”
Official A stepped out to refute: “Minister Xie contributed greatly to the several campaigns in Yongzhou, and there is documented evidence from the Prefect of Yongzhou to prove this as well. Moreover, these troops are garrisoned within the capital, not on the front lines. The focus is naturally on quartering the troops, with military command being secondary. At worst, the Tiger Tally is still In Your Highness’s hands; if Minister Xie is incapable, no one prevents Your Highness from intervening.”
Official B agreed: “Furthermore, whether Minister Xie truly has the capability to command troops or not, Your Highness ought to know better than all of us.”
The previous official was still subtle; this one was being deliberately provocative. Everyone with discerning eyes could see that the Emperor’s refusal to recall the Tiger Tally was to divide the authority over the Tiger Division. On one hand, he was using Prince Zhao to counterbalance Xie Jing, who had not yet fully gained the emperor’s trust. On the other hand, he was using this “deposed Princess Consort” to admonish Prince Zhao: the person you summarily dismissed and cut ties with can be reinstated with a single imperial edict, moving from convicted to high-ranking in one night, and not only that, he will also share power with you.
Whether Prince Zhao was disgusted was unknown, but the ministers, imagining themselves in his position, were first so sickened they shivered.
Lu Lingcong did not argue further, only saying, “Since it is so, then everything depends on Your Majesty’s decision. Now that this minister is free, this minister will naturally stay in the capital for a long time to serve my mother,” he paused. “And also to properly select a good husband for the Eldest Princess.”
The marriage alliance was only an issue previously placed on the court agenda; there was no written edict, and the ultimate goal, “to make Prince Zhao return to the capital,” had already been achieved. This matter had not been formally communicated to Lu Lingcong. Although everyone knew it was impossible for him not to be aware, his explicit mention of it implied his stance: he made a concession on military authority on the condition that the marriage alliance matter be shelved.
The Emperor did not respond directly, only agreed: “That is natural. Zhen only has this one sister and will certainly arrange the most comprehensive marriage for her.”
Zhang Yan could not persuade the emperor to retract his command, so he attempted to signal Xie Jing to resign from this position. However, after receiving the decree and expressing his gratitude, Xie Jing stood straight at the foot of the steps, not glancing sideways, and completely ignored the murmurs and discussions.
Grand Tutor Zhang had missed the scene outside the city yesterday and only heard the news of Xie Jing’s return to the capital late last night. He rushed into the palace early, intending to secure a better future for Xie Jing in court. However, at this moment, he suddenly realized belatedly that this young man, who was both his student and the mother of his other student, seemed to have already made a decision that he could not comprehend.
After the court session, he still wanted to find Xie Jing to speak with him privately for a few words, but the other party was directly invited onto a horse outside the palace gate, without any attempt to avoid suspicion, and departed in full view of the public, following the Prime Minister’s carriage.
Xie Jing was informed that “Prime Minister Wang has some matters to convey to Minister Xie.” He followed the Wang family’s carriages openly all the way, but upon stepping into the Prime Minister’s mansion and being led to sit in a certain inner room in the back courtyard, Wang Shu was nowhere to be seen at all.
But Xie Jing asked nothing. He knew he hadn’t come to the Prime Minister’s mansion as a “guest” and hadn’t been invited for tea or pleasantries either. Openly, by riding that carriage, he had essentially chosen a side, confirming the suspicions of the officials, as the emperor stood behind the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Covertly, Wang Shu had granted his request from yesterday, giving him both power and position. Now was the time for him to pay the price.
It was nearly an hour later when he heard footsteps behind him, but the sound was not heavy or rushed and was even accompanied by the rustling of garment hems and the soft clinking of pearl ornaments. Xie Jing turned his head, saw the arriving figure, froze for a moment, and frowned.
He had thought of many possibilities, but he had not expected to be waiting for this person.
