Chapter 99: The Abandoned Little Emperor (3)
Hearing his saccharine tone, Xiao Miyun felt a surge of disgust. She was distracted by thoughts of Su Mingxiu.
Although the mad king was unpredictable and often overly affectionate, she usually wouldn’t act so disgustingly without provocation.
Lost in thought for a moment, she saw the Xu family’s eldest son open his arms.
Xiao Miyun subtly avoided his embrace, glancing at the slightly open palace door behind him, and asked with feigned concern: “Brother Xu, did you see anyone on your way here?”
Unable to get close and only catching a whiff of the faint dragon “ambergris”, a rare and precious fragrance on her, Xu Yan felt a pang of regret. But this little emperor was undeniably beautiful, pampered with the finest food and clothing in the palace. It was hard to find such a beauty in the entire Xiao Zhou dynasty after the ravages of war.
Thinking of his family’s plan, and captivated by Xiao Miyun’s beauty, Xu Yan suppressed his desire and put on a gentle façade, reassuring her: “Don’t worry, I’m always discreet.”
Sensing his predatory gaze soften slightly, Xiao Miyun moved closer, but she maintained a certain distance, making him feel like she was within reach, yet he didn’t dare to pull her into his arms, only watching her longingly.
Xiao Miyun knew that the Xu family was considered a traitor to the former dynasty. Not only had they fled before the fall of the capital, but they had even sent envoys to Su Mingxiu’s rebel army to pledge their allegiance—
Unfortunately, their timing was poor, and they hadn’t earned Su Mingxiu’s trust, not even contributing to the final victory.
She listened to Xu Yan’s plan. As long as she helped the Xu family regain their position in the court, they would offer their privately trained soldiers as her personal imperial army.
Xu Yan’s words were sugar-coated, his gaze fixed on Xiao Miyun in the dimly lit side palace. “Then, we won’t have to meet like this anymore. I’ll enter the court as Prime Minister and help you achieve great things.”
Xiao Miyun was deeply moved, her eyes meeting his, tears welling up. But inwardly, she was thinking, I wonder how your Xu family, the masters of switching sides, would act before the Zhenbei Manor.
But it didn’t matter. The Xu family wasn’t a particularly powerful force among the aristocratic families. With Su Mingxiu’s current status, she probably wouldn’t be interested in such sycophants.
But their three thousand privately trained soldiers…
…were exactly what she needed.
As the sky outside the Tangquan Palace darkened, Xiao Miyun bid farewell to the Xu family’s eldest son and left the side palace. She met the palace maid who was always waiting outside. This was someone she had shown kindness to in the past, responsible for her daily needs, one of her own. When Su Mingxiu was around, to avoid this maid being executed for any perceived slight, which would require her to train a new confidante, Xiao Miyun never let her attend their meetings, protecting her until now.
Xiao Miyun wasn’t one for elegant names, simply calling her “Ayue.”
Ayue told her that no one had passed by earlier. Xiao Miyun nodded and left the palace with her. Before they even reached the imperial carriage, her shoes and socks were soaked from the snow on the secluded path, but she didn’t show it. Only after returning to the Qian Yuan Palace did she call for warm water.
After changing her socks, Xiao Miyun glanced at the snacks beside her, casually picking one up and taking a bite. She suddenly asked: “Is this a new creation from the imperial kitchen?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Bring another plate. The Imperial Tutor, Dr. Cheng, will be arriving in a moment. I remember his grandmother loves sweets, have him take some with him when he leaves.”
Ayue lowered her eyes and praised in a timely manner: “Your Majesty is so kind and thoughtful, Dr. Cheng will be deeply grateful.”
A smile appeared on Xiao Miyun’s lips, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
This Imperial Tutor, Cheng Qing, was one of the few remaining scholars from the former Xiao Zhou dynasty. His grandfather, when Su Mingxiu’s rebel army entered the capital, had declared his unwavering loyalty to the former emperor and chosen death, martyring himself for the fallen dynasty.
The Cheng family had been scholars for generations, remaining loyal even during the previous emperor’s incompetent reign, earning the emperor’s disfavor. Cheng Qing’s father had also died unjustly due to the emperor listening to the eunuchs’ slander.
Now, the Cheng family had fallen from grace, with only Cheng Qing remaining as the direct descendant. When Su Mingxiu enthroned Xiao Miyun, he was the first to offer his support. Now, as a Grand Scholar, he had become a pillar of the scholarly faction. No one knew what he was truly thinking.
But it was foreseeable that many would criticize him behind his back, accusing him of betraying his family and calling him a traitor.
Xiao Miyun thought about all this, then about this silent, unsmiling Grand Scholar. Although she knew he was difficult to please and, having experienced such a drastic change in his family’s fortunes, was probably a scheming person, he was still a capable official, someone she could try to win over.
As long as they weren’t those who had risen from the ranks with Su Mingxiu, Xiao Miyun wouldn’t let go of any potential allies. She would not only befriend Su Mingxiu’s enemies but also those within Su Mingxiu’s own faction.
Cheng Qing, courtesy name Wanli.
When the young man arrived at the Qinzheng Palace, Xiao Miyun had just returned from outside. After greeting him politely, she showed none of the timidity she displayed before Su Mingxiu, nor the subtle seductiveness she used with Xu Yan. She was even more courteous than the students at the Imperial Academy.
Cheng Qing, like most scholars, had a scholarly air about him. After greeting the little emperor, he began his lesson, not treating her differently because of her gender or age, his manner proper and respectful.
However…
After finishing his lecture on imperial history and assigning homework, the inkstone before Xiao Miyun had long dried. Because of her special status, Su Mingxiu hadn’t assigned her any study companions.
And the palace maids attending her weren’t allowed to listen to these lessons. So, in the Qinzheng Palace, in this space designated for her studies, Xiao Miyun always ground her own ink and prepared her own paper.
Now, as Xiao Miyun leaned forward, one hand holding her sleeve, the other carefully grinding the ink stick, her lowered head and focused expression, accentuated by her light makeup, gave her a youthful, almost childlike appearance, like a child trying to act mature.
It was endearing.
But the more she tried to appear strong, the more she resembled a little kitten when she accidentally broke the ink stick, splashing ink on her nose, then hurriedly wiping it away, leaving a smudge.
Cheng Qing, seeing her slightly embarrassed apology, suddenly remembered a small kitten he had seen outside the Cheng residence when he was young. Smaller than his palm, thin and weak from the cold, it had huddled in a corner, shivering in the wind, meticulously licking every inch of its fur clean.
Xiao Miyun replaced the broken ink stick with a new one, holding her sleeve and slightly raising herself on tiptoe to reach the inkstone. The smudge on her nose had already dried.
But she didn’t notice. Cheng Qing, however, watched her for a long time. As she started writing, he silently took over the inkstone and started grinding the ink for her.
The little emperor seemed startled. She put down her brush, wanting to do it herself, but Cheng Qing simply said: “Focus.”
So Xiao Miyun could only watch his movements, her eyes wide. She picked up her brush again, her writing now faster, but her handwriting was still neat and elegant.
The howling wind and snow outside had stopped at some point, the palace lanterns illuminating the courtyard. After finishing her homework, Xiao Miyun instructed a palace maid to bring the pastries and watched as Cheng Qing’s figure disappeared down the path, a trail of footprints left on the snow-covered ground.
Ayue had been waiting outside the palace. Now, seeing her emerge, she silently draped a cloak over her shoulders. Noticing the slight curve of Xiao Miyun’s lips, she couldn’t help but comment: “Your Majesty seems to be in a good mood today.”
“Yes,” Xiao Miyun touched the bright red fox fur cloak, her breath forming a white mist in the air. “It was like ‘mountains and rivers doubtlessly end the road’—” (A line from a famous poem)
This Cheng Qing was like a stone, difficult to win over.
Unexpectedly, today, it was like “the willows darken, then flowers brighten another village.” (The next line from the same poem, meaning a sudden turn of events leading to a brighter future)
Xiao Miyun, having managed to crack a stone, felt a sense of accomplishment. After dinner, she decided to go out and “tease the cats and dogs” to aid her digestion. But these “cats and dogs” were in the Liuyun Palace on the west side of the imperial palace.
This was the residence of Sun Feiyan, the commander of the imperial guards, whose official rank was only fifth grade. But because she was Su Mingxiu’s confidante, her influence extended throughout the entire palace, making her status far more significant than her rank suggested.
To put it bluntly, if Su Mingxiu wanted to dispose of her, the puppet emperor, she only needed to give an order, and Sun Feiyan could enter the Qian Yuan Palace and take Xiao Miyun’s head while she was sleeping.
Xiao Miyun couldn’t quite grasp Su Mingxiu’s temperament, but she had gleaned some clues from her madness. She had carefully studied the stories of the Prince of Zhenbei, knowing that her life experiences had made her hate the Xiao Zhou dynasty. But the Su family’s unwavering loyalty must have left some mark on her…
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have placed Xiao Miyun on the throne after overthrowing the previous dynasty, instead of claiming it for herself.
The little emperor knew that everything she had was bestowed upon her by Su Mingxiu, giving her this chance to taste ultimate power. But having ascended to this position, who would willingly return to the dust?
She didn’t dare to rely entirely on Su Mingxiu’s unpredictable mercy. She could only strengthen her own wings while the mad king still had some affection for her.
Xiao Miyun didn’t want to live a life at another’s mercy again.
“General Sun, your swordsmanship is impressive.”
Now, standing outside the Liuyun Palace, having watched Sun Feiyan practice the Sun family’s sword technique in the empty courtyard, a lonely clap echoed in the air.
Sun Feiyan turned around and, seeing her, couldn’t help but frown. She was a meritorious official who had followed Su Mingxiu since the rebellion, but because she was too straightforward and not good at socializing with officials, Su Mingxiu had placed her in this position.
Now, seeing the little emperor, she felt a headache. The new emperor, who spoke to the Prince of Zhenbei with a voice sweeter than a songbird, had never shown such a good temper to her. She acted like the most spoiled child in the world, often making Sun Feiyan’s hand itch with the urge to draw her sword.
But this wasn’t someone she could touch.
So she could only endure.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.” Sun Feiyan gave her a proper salute in the snow. The sweat from her warm-up hadn’t dried yet, and her knees landed directly on the wet ground.
Xiao Miyun waited for her to kneel for a while before casually saying “You may rise,” then praised the Sun family’s swordsmanship with a smile. Then, she changed the subject, talking about the nightmares she had been having recently in the Qian Yuan Palace.
Sun Feiyan, impatient by nature, had no patience for her rambling. After figuring out what she meant, she said directly: “I will strengthen the security around the Qian Yuan Palace and have soldiers guard you at night, Your Majesty. You needn’t worry.”
“Soldiers can only protect me in the real world, how can they protect me in my dreams?” The little emperor asked with a smile.
“Uh…” Sun Feiyan closed her mouth obediently, waiting for the inevitable request.
As expected, Xiao Miyun continued slowly: “Why don’t you teach me the Sun family’s sword technique, General Sun, so I can defend myself against those evil spirits in my dreams? How about it?”
Not good.
Sun Feiyan’s frown deepened, her heroic face clearly showing her reluctance.
“What, do you think Zhen is not worthy of your family’s sword technique?”
The smile on Xiao Miyun’s face disappeared.
The female general, her head lowered, instinctively replied, “I wouldn’t dare.” She didn’t want to agree to Xiao Miyun’s whim, but she couldn’t find a reason to refuse either. After a while, she only managed to say: “Swords are dangerous… Your Majesty is… too precious…”
“Pfft,” Xiao Miyun was amused by her clumsy attempt at formality. She walked closer, arms crossed, the faint scent of flower petals from her bath, mixed with the dragon ambergris incense, assaulting the general’s keen sense of smell. “I understand, you’re afraid of injuring Zhen, and Zhen will go complain to the Right Chancellor, is that it?”
The bright moon shone through the clouds, illuminating the heavily guarded west side palace.
It also illuminated the little emperor’s face, making it even more radiant. The fiery red fox fur contrasted with her delicate features. Sun Feiyan could even see the cunning glint in her eyes.
She unconsciously held her breath.
Then, she felt a pain in her knees.
She didn’t know if it was from kneeling in the snow earlier or because she remembered the hundred lashes she had received at the palace gates during her first month in the palace, after the little emperor’s whiny complaints, which had aggravated an old injury.
Sun Feiyan quickly lowered her eyes, refusing to look at the little emperor, and replied calmly: “I wouldn’t dare.”
Hmph.
Xiao Miyun thought, These generals are so straightforward, even their lies are so clumsy… If only Su Mingxiu, who also came from a military family, was this easy to deceive.
Thinking of this, she raised her chin. “Then I shall reward you by learning the Sun family’s sword technique. You should cherish this honor, General Sun, not everyone has this privilege.”
“Uh…” Sun Feiyan knew that she had no choice but to accept this loss, so she stopped struggling and started explaining from the basic horse stance, intending to let the little emperor experience the hardship of martial arts training.
But soon, when the little emperor questioned if she was deliberately making things difficult, General Sun could only try to break down the movements.
“Ah!”
When Xiao Miyun’s cry rang out, as she twisted her foot, Sun Feiyan thought with a deadpan expression, How many lashes will I get tomorrow?
Her instincts were faster than her thoughts. She squatted down, wanting to check Xiao Miyun’s injury, but Xiao Miyun stepped on her shoulder, pushing her into the snow. Looking at the stained armor, Xiao Miyun burst out laughing: “Hahaha, just kidding!”
She probably wouldn’t play such a prank on anyone else. But this Sun Feiyan was the one who had charged into the palace and tried to kill her, the descendant of the previous dynasty, with a sword—
Satisfied with her “teasing the cats and dogs” achievement for the day, she turned and left, returning to the Qian Yuan Palace.
Sun Feiyan, looking at the half boot print on her shoulder, remained silent, her sword in hand, her expression hidden in the shadows of the courtyard.
The little emperor, humming a tune, returned to the warm Qian Yuan Palace. She hadn’t felt the cold while playing outside, but now, enveloped by the warmth, she realized that her fingertips were icy. She touched her face and, not seeing Ayue, instinctively felt something was wrong.
But she had already entered the palace. Under the candlelight, she saw a long shadow by the bed. Before the smile on her face could fade, her gaze met those deep, unfathomable black eyes.
“R-Right Chancellor.”
Xiao Miyun’s throat tightened, whether from the cold outside or something else, her voice slightly hoarse.
She was wondering, when did Su Mingxiu enter the palace?
And it was so late, in the middle of winter, why wasn’t this woman resting at her manor, but here in the Qian Yuan Palace at this hour?
The sudden change in temperature made Xiao Miyun’s body tense. She forced a smile, suppressing her anxiety, and asked softly: “Why has the Right Chancellor come to the palace so late at night?”
Su Mingxiu, who had been leaning against the bed with her eyes closed, slowly opened them upon hearing Xiao Miyun’s arrival. Now, she looked Xiao Miyun up and down, her gaze lingering on the bright red fox fur coat and the wet marks on her boots. After a long while, she finally replied slowly: “Enjoying the snow on a winter night, Your Majesty has such refined tastes.”
Xiao Miyun could only force a laugh and, following Su Mingxiu’s lead, started rambling about the winter plum blossoms in the palace.
Su Mingxiu, who knew that Xiao Miyun preferred peonies, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes, seeing that Xiao Miyun was still standing there, said softly: “Come here.”
Xiao Miyun, pretending to be affectionate, approached her. The fox fur coat, still cold from the outside, brushed against the bed, a beautiful red tail dangling down.
Only when Su Mingxiu grabbed her ankle did she step back in a slight panic. No matter how much she pretended to be close, she was still afraid of the Prince of Zhenbei deep down. Her voice stammered: “S-such trivial matters, let the servants do it.”
“The Right Chancellor is a pillar of the state, how can—”
“Shh…” A faint smile appeared on Su Mingxiu’s lips. Her grip on Xiao Miyun’s ankle tightened, making Xiao Miyun speechless from the pain.
Her bloodless fingers, pinching the delicate, white ankle, felt cold and painful.
Even though Su Mingxiu was the one who had entered the palace first, enveloped by the warmth of the heated floors, she was like unmelting ice and snow, making Xiao Miyun instinctively want to struggle, yet she didn’t dare to resist too much. Her body stiffened, only her eyelashes trembling, betraying her unease.
Under the flickering candlelight, the woman, holding her ankle, leaned closer, her nose stopping just before Xiao Miyun’s cheek, her voice like a sigh, reaching Xiao Miyun’s ear, still carrying a hint of amusement.
“Little kittens who carry too many scents from outside will be abandoned when they return to their nest.”
Xiao Miyun felt like her ankle was about to be crushed. The pampered little girl trembled, realizing two things from Su Mingxiu’s words, which disregarded their difference in status:
First, what she had done had probably… been discovered.
Second, the Prince of Zhenbei had probably gone mad again.
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