CH 52: Earthquake

On the 3rd of July, Year 1 of the Gongcheng era, at around 1.45am, an earthquake struck the Capital. Walls were damaged and buildings were ruined, and casualties numbered in the thousands. Subsequent seismic tremors lasted until dawn before finally ending. In the hundred and twenty-odd years since the founding of the Chu Empire, this was not a particularly serious earthquake. However, it was worth a mention in the history books.

As the ones experiencing it, the people of the Capital and its surrounding areas suffered distress that cannot be described easily.

Yang Feng reached Hangu Gate in the night, carrying with him the Emperor’s edict and the papers issued by the Ministry of War authorizing his passage through the gate. He changed horses and did not rest before continuing his journey. He was like an urgent messenger, rushing like his life depended on it.

After travelling around four miles past the Gate, Yang Feng stopped his horse and turned back. The followers behind him threw their prisoners onto the ground, all tied up.

Cui Hong and his guards stopped as well, cooly watching events unfold.

Yang Feng shouted, “Your so-called brothers in arms in the pugilist world have not come to rescue you. It seems like you are fated to die here.”

The night sky was clear, and the stars shone brightly. Du Motian and his grandson stood tall despite being bundled up. Ironhead Hu San’er was injured, so he remained lying on the ground.

“Since we ended up being captured, I have nothing to say, whether you choose to slice me or to dice me. In fact, I am reassured that my friends have not come. Chuanyun, are you afraid?”

“I am not!” The youth said the words without hesitation, standing tall and straight. He was rather far from Yang Feng and could not see him clearly, so he turned around to glare angrily at the follower who had thrown him off the horse.

“Heh…” Yang Feng was about to laugh coldly, when Du Motian shouted, “My good grandson! You have not brought shame to your grandpa!”

Yang Feng did not seek to outtalk them. He ordered his followers, “Send them to their deaths.”

Three followers dismounted and drew their blades as they strode towards the prisoners.

Ironhead Hu San’er tried his best to struggle while cursing. The youth, Du Chuanyun, neared his grandfather and said, “Grandpa, you have done something wrong.”

“You brat, trying to find fault with me even though death is near! What did I do wrong?”

“In the waystation, you should have broke through the roof and escaped. Then you would be able to avenge me.”

“Hah! It can’t be helped — I am an old man and I cannot watch you die before my very eyes. I’d rather die with you.”

“Then you should reincarnate first. In the next life, I would still be your grandson.”

“Yes, that’s a promise.”

The two spoke to each other fearlessly. Ironhead Hu San’er who was lying on the ground interjected, “What about me? Shall I be the father?”

“Pah! You shall be a big black horse in your next life, and you shall carry us as we go adventuring in the pugilist world!” Du Chuanyun had a quick tongue, and was not willing to lose out on any verbal exchange.

By now, the three followers had walked behind the prisoners. They raised their blades high, waiting for Yang Feng to give the orders.

It was at this time that the earthquake struck.

Yang Feng was not a softhearted person. He had hesitated as he thought that these three men were somewhat worthy of roping in, but time was of the essence. He had already decided to kill the three, but before he could give the order, the ground quaked and the mountains shook.

Everyone was shocked, but none more shocked than the horses. They went into a frightful neigh and galloped away, throwing more than ten riders off their backs. The others had to assert all their strength to sit steadily on their steeds.

Yang Feng and Cui Hong were both thrown to the ground. Yang Feng’s followers rushed to help but Cui Hong guards drew their blades to stop them from going close. The natural disaster was yet to be over, and the men were already at each other’s throats.

Yang Feng got up on his own and shouted, “Hold your hands! Figure out what is going on first!”

The truth could not be clearer. The ground shook a second time, and a few more horses ran away in fright. One of Cui Hong’s guards did not remove his feet from the stirrup in time, so he was dragged away by the horse, as he screamed into the distance.

Nobody cared about him. Everyone was in shock.

Cui Hong got up with the assistance of one of his guards. He looked at the mountains around him in fear, and he suddenly shouted, “Fate seers! The fate seers are prescient! Bu Hengru had said that if the aura of the Son of Heaven was unable to rise to the heavens, the world of man would be shaken up!”

“It is just an earthquake.” Yang Feng swiped the dust off his clothes. “If every earthquake was caused by the aura of the Son of Heaven being suppressed, then there would be too many Sons of Heaven.”

“You don’t understand!” Cui Hong was usually a steady person, but he now acted like a maniac. He pushed his guards away and charged towards Yang Feng, “Has anyone ever predicted an earthquake? Bu Hengru did!”

Yang Feng creased his brows. “Grand Tutor Cui, calm down. Even if the fate seer’s predictions came true, it also means that Prince Donghai is not meant to be Emperor.”

Cui Hong was stunned. Indeed, what Bu Hengru said was that if the aura of the Son of Heaven did not reach the heavens, the lower realm would be shaken.

Yang Feng strode towards the three prisoners. Ironhead Hu San’er was still lying on the ground, not daring to make a sound. The Du grandfather and grandson were pale, clearly shocked by events. Du Chuanyun was young and fiery, so he spit at Yang Feng, a ball of phlegm reaching Yang Feng’s chest.

Yang Feng took out a handkerchief from his sleeves to wipe the filth away. He asked, “Do you wish to live or die?”

Du Chunayun had wanted to spit again, but he swallowed when he heard those words. He turned and looked at his grandfather.

Du Motian was momentarily stunned. “What do you mean?”

“This earthquake might truly signify something to come. But it has nothing to do with the Emperor, and in fact might have something to do with you three.”

“Us?” Du Motian was confused. People of the pugilist world were very proud, but they were not so proud as to believe that they could affect the entire earth.

“I can give you a chance. The reason why wish to take revenge for Zhao You is because he had helped you before, and so you believe that he was a hero.”

“He helps those in danger and in dire need. He was a hero.” Du Chuanyun quickly said.

“Fine. If you behave yourselves, I shall take you to the Capital. There, you shall see what kind of people those fate seers whom Zhao You gave refuge to are. After you see them for yourselves, and if you still wish to take revenge for Zhao You, then fine, find some accomplices — I shall be waiting in the Capital.”

Ironhead Hu San’er, lying on the ground, was not yet convinced. “Let me go, let us fight now…”

Du Motian violently kicked him. He stared at Yang Feng and said, “So you are not killing us?”

“Not this time. But you must quietly follow me to the Capital, and not cause trouble on the road there. After seeing the likes of the fate seers, you may decide what you wish to do.” Yang Feng paused as he looked at the mountains in the dark. The ground under his feet started to shake again, but less violently than the first two times. Everyone’s expression darkened, including the three pugilists. Only Yang Feng remained at ease. “After all, we should show some respect to the earthquake.”

Du Motian was already convinced, but he still made a display of thinking deeply. “Fine, we shall follow you to the Capital.”

“Let them go.” Having said that, Yang Feng turned and walked to Cui Hong. “Let us return to Hangu Gate and get new horses. We will surely make it back to the Capital before nightfall tomorrow.”

“This earthquake…” Cui Hong had not fully calmed down.

“If Prince Donghai truly has the assistance of the gods, then all the more you need not worry.” Yang Feng did not wish to argue. He looked towards the west towards the Capital, but he could only see hills and mountains, not the Capital. He grew increasingly worried about whether the Emperor could survive this ordeal. According to precedent, the Emperor was responsible for natural disasters. Even though previous Emperors needed only to symbolically accept blame and responsibility, a puppet Emperor might well suffer true punishment.

Five hundred li away, the outskirts of the Capital was the true epicenter of the earthquake. But it was the imperial palace that people focused on the most.

In Cining Palace, the Emperor and his two attendants sat down at the same time, in a great panic. After the ground stopped shaking, Zhang Youcai asked tremblingly, “Is this the Heaven helping Your Majesty?”

Dong Qing E thought the opposite. “This is Heaven warning us! Because we are planning to act against our superiors!”

“His Majesty is the most superior.” Zhang Youcai said, unconvinced.

When the ground shook for the second time, the two of them frightfully fell prone to the ground, not daring to speak further.

Han Ruzi had initially believed in some supernatural connection between Heaven and Man, but the words of the eunuch and servanr-girl caused him to doubt that: Who caused the earth to quake? The Emperor or the Empress Dowager? According to the old teachers, the Emperor lacking virtue, the court being dominated by a woman, imperial in-laws overstepping their boundaries, or officials being treacherous, were all things that could cause punishment from the Heavens.

As matters stood, Han Ruzi did not believe that he was responsible for the earthquake.

But that was just what he alone thought.

Not long after the second tremor, the door was pushed opened. A large group of eunuchs and servant-girls rushed in, crying out “Your Majesty!”. In the chaos, Zhang Youcai was stepped on a few times and also reprimanded for not leaping to shield the Emperor from danger. This was a grave dereliction of duty.

Han Ruzi was ushered out of the room by the servants. No matter how many times he said that he was fine, or even tried to use his position as Emperor, nobody paid any heed to him. He was like the most precious treasure in a burning room, wrapped up and carried away.

The Grand Consort was in the front yard, dressed impeccably in the chaos, only her hair being a little messy. Her expression was unusual as well, but she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the Emperor.  “It is good that Your Majesty is fine.”

Not long later, Prince Donghai was escorted to the same place. He had been staying in the back quarters of Cining Palace, close to the Emperor. But people only thought of him after the Emperor had been “rescued”.

Prince Donghai was highly dissatisfied. He stood next to Han Ruzi and slammed against him a little. He said softly, “It seems that you have not done very well as Emperor. Even Heaven is angered and has sent a calamity to punish you.”

If he were a few years older, Han Ruzi might have been able to keep his cool. But for now, he felt that things were already in motion, so what he said was not important. He said softly, “For all we know, you are the one being punished. And the Grand Consort.”

The Grand Consort was standing next to the Emperor, but she was busy giving orders to the servants and did not hear the Emperor. Prince Donghai was stunned, and then his expression changed sharply. He wished to say something, but then closed his mouth again. After a while, he shrugged. “Whatever you might have guessed is no longer important. This earthquake is only to my advantage. Don’t be so worked up, dawn is coming.”

The ground shook again, but it was not severe this time. Nevertheless, the eunuchs and servant-girls rushed forward to protect the three masters. Han Ruzi’s heart was shaken up as well. Prince Donghai and the Grand Consort were about to take action — had Cui Hong already returned to the Capital?

Han Ruzi looked at the group of people. Zhang Youcai and Dong Qing E had been pushed to somewhere he could not see.

Several eunuchs came by in a hurry. The one in the lead did not have time to kneel and pay his respects as he said, “The Empress Dowager has ordered that His Majesty and Prince Donghai be taken to Cining Palace.”

“Tell the Empress Dowager that His Majesty shall proceed once he has changed into something proper,” the Grand Consort said. The eunuchs left, but the Grand Consort remained standing around, not ordering anyone to bring a change of clothes for the Emperor or Prince Donghai.

The Empress Dowager still trusted the Grand Consort, not harboring any doubts.

Han Ruzi finally located Dong Qing E. She was at the periphery of the group of servants, anxiously trying to find a gap in the crowd. Han Ruzi could only occasionally see her, and did not have any chance to speak to her.

The sky grew lighter. There were still aftershocks, but they were subsiding. The Empress Dowager sent someone to hurry the Emperor, and the Grand Consort continued to merely pay lip service.

Yet another group of eunuchs walked towards them. There were twenty to thirty of them, and they brusquely shoved the eunuchs and servant-girls present as they walked straight towards the Grand Consort. Everyone else was initially angered, but after seeing the Grand Consort’s expression, nobody dared resist.

The Grand Consort looked relieved.

The eunuch in the lead was around forty years old. He had a thin appearance. If it were not for the fact that he did not have a beard,[1] he would look as dignified as a hidden martial arts master. He knelt before the Grand Consort and said, “Bu Hengru is here to protect the Emperor, as ordered.”

“Let us head to Cishun Palace,” the Grand Consort said.

Han Ruzi did not know who Bu Hengru was, but he knew what was going on. He tried finding Dong Qing E and Zhang Youcai, but he was shoved by Prince Donghai. “Let’s go, Your Majesty.”

[1] Adult men in ancient China were expected to have beards as shaving or cutting one’s hair was regarded as something unfilial under Confucian ethics: the body, skin and hair being given by the parent, ought not be damaged by the child. But eunuchs were one group which did not have beards.