The Child Emperor

The heavy rain at Hangu Gate did not spread to the Capital. In the Imperial Palace, Han Ruzi temporarily put Yang Feng out of his mind. He could not just wait; he had to do something to save his and his mother’s lives.

The real conflict was between the Shang-guan and Cui families. However, no matter which side won, the puppet Emperor would be the sacrifice. While the Cui family wanted to establish Prince Donghai as the new Emperor, the Empress Dowager also wanted to quickly replace the young puppet Emperor. After much consideration, Han Ruzi realized that he had no other choice but to see the Empress Dowager and explain the situation to her. It was the only way he could alleviate the impending disaster.

Ironically, even though Han Ruzi went to see the Empress Dowager every morning at the Cishun Palace and often listened to political affairs at the Hall of Diligent Administration together with her in the morning, they were always separated by a wall and rarely met face-to-face.

On further thought, Han Ruzi believed that the Empress Dowager had been intentionally avoiding him. If the words of the Grand Consort could at least somewhat be believed, he was the subject of hatred and jealousy from this consort of the former Prince Donghai since before he had been born.

Han Ruzi spent the night at Qiuxin Palace and gently woke the empress the next morning.

He no longer needed to keep the promise he made to Prince Donghai and could now touch the Empress, but that was all he did. Neither of them had any other thoughts, and they chatted until late at night before falling asleep.

The Empress woke up drowsily, forgetting for a moment that she was in the palace and thinking that she was at home. She murmured, “Mother, let me sleep a little longer…” After lying down for a while, she realized where she was and quickly opened her eyes. Her face turned red, but fortunately, the room was still dark, which concealed most of her shyness. “Your Majesty… is awake.”

Strictly speaking, this was the first time that the two of them had slept in the same bed. Previously, Han Ruzi had only slept on a couch and would only climb onto the bed for a short while in the morning.

“Did you sleep with your mother in the past as well?” Han Ruzi recalled recalled his childhood life. It was all several years ago, and in a daze, he felt he had grown up a lot.

“No, I was accompanied by a wet nurse. Mother… was very busy, and I had many siblings.”

“Oh.” Han Ruzi’s face turned slightly red. “Me too… I want to ask you something. Are you able to meet the Empress Dowager?”

“Of course. Aren’t you going to meet the Empress Dowager with me later?”

“I mean, to meet face-to-face and talk.”

“Mm. Since entering the palace, I’ve met the Empress Dowager a few times and spoken to her, but we did not speak much. Every time, she sent someone to summon me.”

“The next time the Empress Dowager summons you, could you convey a message for me?”

“Sure. What do you want me to say?” The Empress didn’t know much about the situation, but she vaguely guessed that the Emperor was in danger, and her duty was to do everything possible to help.

“I want to meet the Empress Dowager and tell her some truths.”

“Okay.” The Empress agreed a little reluctantly, not because she didn’t want to, but because she was confused. She slowly sat up, with the blanket blocking in front of her. “Your Majesty, can you tell me what is going on? If it’s about the Cui clan…”

The thought of breaking with her own family made the Empress hesitate again.

After the conversation last night, Han Ruzi completely believed in the Empress. But he didn’t want to tell the truth because the truth was too cold. It was like a sharp sword that would hurt innocent people. Only those who were fully armed and prepared for battle, like the Empress Dowager, could bear it.

“I’m sorry. There are many things I cannot say because…they are just my own speculations, and they could be completely wrong. Only the Empress Dowgaer can uncover the truth.”

“Your Majesty does not need to say more. I understand. When I receive another summons from the Empress Dowager, I will convey your message.” The Empress did not think that this matter would be too difficult.

“Thank you,” Han Ruzi said sincerely. He truly appreciated anyone who could help him now.

The Empress’s face turned slightly red, and she whispered, “Your Majesty, you need not stand on such ceremony with me.”

A loud voice came from outside the door. “The Emperor’s virtue is holy. It begins in the East, rising with the sun, setting with the sun. Diligent to the realm, virtue is spread in the four cardinal directions…”

“Come in,” Han Ruzi shouted.

This was the only way the outside voice could be be stopped. He then whispered to the Empress, “I really want to meet this person. His voice is so loud… unlike that of a eunuch.”

The Empress shrugged and laughed. After entering the palace for so long, she finally felt like the wife of the Emperor.

When they visited the Empress Dowager at Cishun Palace, Han Ruzi had an impulsive to rush into the room to see the Empress Dowager. But he did not do so. There were many eunuchs such as Zuo Ji surrounding him, and the Grand Consort and several female attendants stood by the door. Such an action would only be seen as insanity, or even enmity towards the Empress Dowager.

Han Ruzi completed the entire ceremony in its proper way.

The Empress was sent back to Qiuxin Palace. Han Ruzi was just about to head to the Soaring Clouds Pavilion, when Zuo Ji stopped him. He pointed in a different direction and said, “Your Majesty, this way, please.”

The Empress Dowager’s latest round of punishment had not yet ended. Han Ruzi had to admit that the move made by the Grand Consort and Luo Huan-zhang was indeed clever. Now, he could not gain the trust of the Empress Dowager at all. Even if he met with her, what he said would very likely not be taken seriously.

As he walked out, Han Ruzi realized that he was not being taken to the Emperor’s Taian Palace, but to the Grand Consort’s Cining Palace.

He was placed under house arrest again, and this time it was in the Grand Consort’s palace.

In the backyard of the Cining Palace, Zuo Ji gently touched the scar on the corner of his mouth and said to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, please rest here and gather your strength. The Empress is young, and Dong Qing E is dull and uninteresting. I will select better people to teach Your Majesty the ways of husband and wife. This time, Your Majesty will not hesitate again. Oh, Your Majesty is really blessed but doesn’t know it. To visit the land of tenderness is the dream of all men in the world.”

“Is it your dream too?” Han Ruzi asked. Other eunuchs and palace maids did not follow them, so he did not have to constantly show a submissive attitude.

Zuo Ji’s face sank, his finger stopping at the scar. “I am not a man. My dream is different from Your Majesty’s. Your Majesty doesn’t seem to have learned your lesson yet. Did Maiden Wang…”

“I have learned my lesson,” Han Ruzi said.

Zuo Ji hummed in satisfaction and turned to leave, but Han Ruzi suddenly said, “Don’t you want to know who told me about Heavenly Music Pavilion?”

Zuo Ji slowly turned back, squeezing out a smile tinged with pain. “That’s more like it. After all, I’m not Your Majesty’s enemy. What good is there in opposing me? Tell me.”

Han Ruzi closed his lips tightly and stared straight at Zuo Ji.

Zuo Ji did not understand the Emperor’s intentions and gradually became angry. He took two steps forward and whispered, “That’s enough. Don’t think that just because I call you ‘Your Majesty’ that you are a true Emperor. You’re not even a puppet, just an ornament. I can easily deal with you.”

Han Ruzi looked back at Zuo Ji, wanting to see if he was really as powerless as an “ornament”.

Zuo Ji didn’t make a move, but instead stepped back. The ferocity in his eyes gradually disappeared, and he hummed a few times in his mouth, putting up a show of bravado.

It wasn’t until then that Han Ruzi spoke again. “I’ve already told you the answer. You just have not realized it yourself.”

Zuo Ji was startled for a moment. “The answer? When did you…?” Suddenly he understood something and looked around nervously, as if there were outsiders hiding in the room. “You mean… this is impossible… no, very possible. She was jealous of me taking away the Empress Dowager’s favor, her gaze…”

Zuo Ji stopped talking to himself, gave the Emperor a fierce look, and turned around.

Han Ruzi could not guess how the eunuch would retaliate against the Grand Consort, but he only knew one thing: in all the plans made by everyone else, he would be the ultimate loser. Since that was the case, then it would benefit him to inject chaos into all these plans.

For the Grand Consort, everything went smoothly. She came to check on the room in the evening and said before leaving, “Your Majesty has returned to your old residence, is it still comfortable?”

“Very good, thank you for your concern. I will have to continue to trouble you in the future,” Han Ruzi said respectfully, his expression telling the Grand Consort that he was entrusting everything to her.

The Grand Consort smiled, “Rest assured, Your Majesty.”

Han Ruzi watched the Grand Consort leave and felt a chill run down his spine. At the same time, he felt a little gleeful at the troubles the Grand Consort was about to face, and really wanted to know the outcome of the fight between Zuo Ji and the Grand Consort.

A servant-girl came in to tidy up the room and help the Emperor get into bed. Han Ruzi was sad to have lost Zhang Youcai and Dong Qing E, but after the lights went out and the attendants left, those two returned.

Han Ruzi didn’t know at first, until one of them touched the side of the bed and tremblingly called out “Your Majesty”. He immediately sat up in bed, “Dong Qing E… are you alright? What about Zhang Youcai?”

The voice of the little eunuch came from outside the door, his voice deliberately lowered. “I’m here, Your Majesty, listening to see if anyone is outside.”

Both of them were very cautious and discreet, which made Han Ruzi feel more at ease. He needed them now more than ever. “Did Zuo Ji cause trouble for you?”

Dong Qing E was still shaken and her voice trembled as she spoke. “He sent people to lock us up, saying that they would come to deal with us later tonight. But they only asked a few questions and then had us sent to Cining Palace. I thought…”

She could not go on, so Zhang Youcai at the door added in a low voice, “We thought we would never see Your Majesty again. Your Majesty, did you help us again?”

That was not untrue, but when Han Ruzi was sowing discord between Zuo Ji and the Grand Consort, he was not thinking about rescuing them. He did not know that these two were arrested not had he paid special attention to their whereabouts, so he felt a little guilty. Nevertheless, he said, “Mm, I redirected Zuo Ji’s anger towards someone else. That person deserves it.”

Dong Qing E by the bed and Zhang Youcai at the door both exclaimed at the same time. It was just as as they had expected. In the eyes of others, Han Ruzi was still a puppet emperor, but in their hearts, the image of the Emperor was growing taller and more impressive.

This was precisely the moment when their gratitude and awe was needed. “You said that there are channels for the palace servants to communicate. I want to know more.”

Zhang Youcai walked to the bedside without anyone noticing and said, “Is Your Majesty planning a palace coup?”

The boldness of the little eunuch sometimes surprised the Emperor, but Han Ruzi did not have such big ambitions, nor did he think a palace coup could succeed. He smiled and said, “Not to that extent.”

Zhang Youcai didn’t give up and continued, “Does Your Majesty remember Qiu Jizu and Shen Sanhua?”

Han Ruzi was even more surprised. “I remember. They were assassins.”

“Qiu Jizu was indeed an assassin, but Shen Sanhua was not. We palace servants all know this and want to avenge him. Only Your Majesty can help us, and we are willing to serve Your Majesty.” Zhang Youcai said.

Han Ruzi was greatly shocked. “We… who are included in this ‘we’?”

“Us eunuchs and servant-girls also want to live, Your Majesty. We are a group of unfortunate people.” Zhang Youcai said.

The little eunuch spoke a little too fluently. Han Ruzi could not help but suspect that someone had taught him those words.

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