CH 54: Fortunes

“You are a prisoner, just like us.” Han Ruzi could not discern what conspiracy the fate seer had in mind, but he could tell that Bu Hengru and the Empress Dowager did not take Prince Donghai seriously. A person with even a slim chance of becoming Emperor would nevertheless have countless sycophants. Han Ruzi had a deep understanding of this, and from the perspective of a bystander, he could see things more clearly.

Prince Donghai was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. He leaned towards Bu Hengru and said, “The Great Chu Emperor is a puppet and thinks everyone else is a puppet too. Don’t blame him; he grew up with his mother and didn’t even have a teacher.” Bu Hengru smiled and nodded, yet still did not follow Prince Donghai’s command to go to the Hall of Diligent Administration.

Prince Donghai’s laughter became somewhat awkward, but he did not continue to ask Bu Hengru to obey. Instead, he shrank in his chair.

The Empress Dowager looked at Han Ruzi for a moment, seemingly surprised that he could say such things. Then she looked at Bu Hengru and said, “I never thought that the great Chu Empire would be defeated by a few fortune-tellers.”

Bu Hengru simply smiled and did not say anything more. There was a moment of silence in the room, the only sound being that of the lone servant-girl grinding her teeth. The Empress Dowager waved her hand lightly and said, “Get out.”

The servant-girl knelt with a thud, not out of gratitude but out of fear. She managed to squeeze out a “Yes” as she struggled to stand. She ran towards the door but was stopped by the four eunuchs. Bu Hengru stared at the servant-girl for a while before stepping aside and opening the door for her to leave.

Prince Donghai looked at Bu Hengru again and said, “You said that I have the aura of an Emperor and that if I can’t become one, my aura would not reach the Heavens and that would cause chaos in the world.”

Bu Hengru nodded, indicating that he did say such a thing.

“My teacher, Luo Huan-zhang, will enter the palace soon. He… He will protect me. You better… understand this.” Prince Donghai finally became angry. He got off his chair, strode towards Bu Hengru, and said sternly, “You are just a wandering sorcerer of the pugilist world. If not for the Cui clan, you would probably still be wandering in the slums, unable to even afford a decent robe.”

“The Cui clan has indeed been gracious to me.” Bu Hengru smiled and habitually raised his hand to touch the beard under his chin, only to remember that he had disguised himself as a eunuch and had to shave his beard clean. “But I have also repaid the Cui clan. Not only have I found many talented individuals from the martial world for the Cui clan, but I have also given them many ideas.”

“Those ideas were thought up by me!” Prince Donghai said angrily, raising his fist, but not striking. In any case, Bu Hengru was not afraid.

“Even if they were thought up by you, it doesn’t matter.” Bu Hengru lazily replied.

The attitude of the fate seer made Prince Donghai even more angry. “I want to go out. I want to find my teacher.”

Bu Hengru did not move aside. “He will be here soon. And don’t you remember? It was Luo Huan-zhang who introduced me to the Grand Tutor.”

Prince Donghai took a step forward, still wanting to force his way out. The other three eunuchs promptly showed their short knives, causing him to retreat several steps before stopping. “What’s the meaning of this? Teacher Luo would not deceive me, nor would he deceive the Cui clan…”

Bu Hengru smiled without saying a word.

After about an hour, Luo Huan-zhang arrived. He stood upright and entered, bowing first to the Empress Dowager and then to the Emperor. Although he did not kneel, his etiquette was still adequate. As for Prince Donghai, he only nodded his head.

“Teacher Luo, Luo Huan-zhang, what is going on?” Prince Donghai was furious. The past hour had been more difficult to endure than the past months of humiliation he had experienced in the palace. “This guy…this guy…” Prince Donghai pointed at Bu Hengru first, but then suddenly turned to Han Ruzi. “He said that I am a prisoner as well!”

Luo Huanzhang bowed again to the Emperor. “Your Majesty is wise, but unfortunately born in the wrong times.”

Han Ruzi remained silent. He had been sitting on a round stool under the window, observing everything with an indifferent attitude. His mood was not tense, but he occasionally glanced at his mother, not understanding why she had been staying by the Empress Dowager’s side.

“He is not wise! He is talking nonsense. Teacher Luo, tell me, is he talking nonsense?”

Luo Huan-zhang sighed, “We’ll talk about you later. Let me talk to the Empress Dowager first.”

Prince Donghai sensed trouble and sat in his chair with his hands covering his face and muttering to himself. But no one could hear what he was saying, nor did anyone care.

Luo Huan-zhang looked at the Empress Dowager and said, “The senior officials have refused to allow the Grand Consort to listen in on state affairs and have barred her from entering the Hall of Diligent Administration.”

Upon hearing this, Prince Donghai stopped muttering and looked at the Empress Dowager in surprise.

“Mm.” The Empress Dowager had learned to ask questions without giving answers.

Bu Hengru, who had been smiling all along, changed his expression. “Why have the officials barred the Grand Consort? Was there a problem with the Empress Dowager’s edicts?”

Luo Huan-zhang shook his head. “The senior officials did not even bother to look at the edicts. They only wish to see the Empress Dowager. They demanded that either the Empress Dowager go to the Hall of Diligent Administration or that Chancellor Yin Wuhai come to the palace to receive the edict from her personally.”

Bu Hengru was stunned, while Prince Donghai was dumbfounded, finally understanding the true meaning behind the Empress Dowager’s words: “If something goes wrong here, then I would have failed as Empress Dowager.”

Luo Huan-zhang bowed to the Empress Dowager, “It seems we underestimated you. How did you persuade those senior officials? They were united today — even Chancellor Yin and General Han spoke out for you. These two haven’t been so agitated in years.”

The Empress Dowager seemed unwilling to answer and after a while, she said, “I made a mistake entrusting the entire Imperial Palace to the Grand Consort. But I have been able to concentrate on dealing with the ministers as a result. The court has its established procedures, and I am a part of those procedures. Without my approval, the officials dare not make any decisions because they know that whoever departs from proper procedure will face the death penalty.”

“Less than half a year has passed, and the Empress Dowager has achieved so much. It is truly admirable.” Luo Huan-zhang said sincerely.

“I learned a lot from the four years of the Graceful Emperor and Thoughtful Emperor’s reign,” the Empress Dowager replied.

Luo Huan-zhang once again bowed, “I did not expect to misjudge the situation.”

“Teacher Luo is a renowned scholar, but unfortunately has never served as an official. Fate seers are adept at deception, but the Imperial Court in the Capital is not like the courts of minor fiefdoms. Consort Cui is intelligent, but her vision has been narrowed from being indoors for so long.”

Prince Donghai thought the Empress Dowager would talk about him next, so he waited eagerly with his mouth open, but she paused briefly and spoke about someone else. “In the Cui clan, only the Grand Tutor knows how officialdom works, and is one of the leading officials in the Hall of Diligent Administration. That’s why I had to send him away from the Capital.”

“I see,” Luo Huan-zhang nodded in admiration. “The Empress Dowager’s words are very true. Alas, I have read many books of the sages, but in the end, it was all just theory.”

“Teacher Luo has great insights, while I am but a small woman who knows how to play politics. Yet I wonder: why did you abandon benevolence and righteousness and turn to cunning schemes? This is not the Luo Huan-zhang I remember. There are only two people I have misjudged: one is the Grand Consort, and the other is you.”

Luo Huan-zhang did not immediately answer this question, but asked, “What if I invite the Empress Dowager to the Hall of Diligent Administration…”

“Then you would be executed before nightfall.” The Empress Dowager did not bother to hide her disdain.

The ignored Prince Donghai couldn’t help but sneer, “Ha, I’m afraid you will be the one to die first.”

The Empress Dowager ignored him, nor did Luo Huan-zhang praise his student. Instead, he raised his hand to signal to Prince Donghai to be quiet. After thinking for a moment, he said, “It seems that I have to persuade the Empress Dowager first.”

“I believe in your eloquence. Please speak,” said the Empress Dowager.

“Well, there are many things to consider, and it’s hard to know where to start. Perhaps you have questions?”

“I do have a few questions.” The Empress Dowager took a cup of tea from Maiden Wang’s hand, took a sip, handed the cup back, and continued. “I understand that given your talents, you may not wish to serve as an official in the court. But I am surprised that you have associated with sorcerers of the pugilist world.”

“Because the sorcerers have convinced me. Chunyu Xiao – let’s just use this name for now – is an extraordinary person. He made me realize that what I have been teaching as benevolence and righteousness was of minor importance, and that there is a greater way. I won’t go into the details, but in short, Chunyu Xiao convinced me. I have no other motives in participating in this matter than to save the people of the world and practice the Great Way.”

The Empress Dowager evidently had no interest in the so-called “Great Way”. She pointed to the Emperor and Prince Donghai with her hand. “These two brothers are the only descendants of the Graceful Emperor. You wish to depose the Emperor but do not wish to enthrone Prince Donghai. Who are you serving?”

Han Ruzi did not react, but Prince Donghai could not help but tremble. He said in a trembling voice, “Teacher Luo, is it true that you do not intend to enthrone me?”

Luo Huan-zhang continued to ignore him and said to the Empress Dowager, “The Han clan’s fortunes are exhausted. We wish to appoint Chunyu Xiao as Spiritual Leader and gradually entrust powers of state to him. Therefore, we have no intention of deposing the Emperor for the time being.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to the emperor by the window. Han Ruzi was stunned and then said, “So, not only am I to be a deposed Emperor, but also the last Emperor of the Chu dynasty.”

“Your Majesty… is very smart, sometimes too smart.” Luo Huan-zhang stared at the Emperor for a while, before turning to Prince Donghai. “Sorry, but you can’t become the Emperor. The Cui clan cannot continue to hold power. The Empire is already terminally ill and cannot save itself without the courage of a hero. The Cui clan is a serious infection and must be removed.”

“But my imperial fortunes…” It was like Prince Donghai was struck by a heavy blow, and he could hardly stand up from his chair.

“If there really is such a thing as imperial fortune in this world, it is held by the Spiritual Leader, Chunyu Xiao.” Luo Huan-zhang turned his gaze back to the Empress Dowager and said, “It will take three to five years for powers to be vested in the Spiritual Leader, and then the feudal lords of Guan-dong will need to be eliminated. So even more time may be required. Your position as Empress Dowager will be preserved for life, even after the abdication of the Last Emperor.”

Luo Huan-zhang was proposing conditions in exchange for the Empress Dowager’s cooperation.

The Empress Dowager seemed to seriously consider it and took a deep breath. “Having tasted the rarest and freshest abalones, can a person tolerate the stench of salted fish? Teacher Luo, you and Chunyu Xiao are too naïve about seizing power.”

Luo Huan-zhang was about to speak, but Prince Donghai suddenly sprang up and rushed towards his teacher, shouting, “You lied to me!”

Bu Hengru was about to step forward to stop him when a sudden commotion came from outside. Someone had shouted, “The Unfortunates are here to save the Emperor!”

No one understood what this meant except for Han Ruzi.