CH 68: The Study Room

The gates of the Weary Marquis’ manor were tightly shut. Not long after noon, the eight guards outside were withdrawn, as they were palace guards and not permitted to serve as guards for the marquis’ manor.

Yang Feng gathered everyone in the residence, assembling them in the courtyard to take a headcount.

In total, there were fifteen eunuchs, eight palace maids, Han Ruzi, Yang Feng, and the thirteen “friends” that Yang Feng had brought along, amounting to thirty-eight people.

Yang Feng addressed the group, saying, “You have all voluntarily chosen to follow Marquis Juan out of the palace. I presume you have already been warned that the journey outside will not be smooth sailing…”

“We are not afraid!” Zhang Youcai shouted, his voice rather loud as he struggled to control himself when excited.

“Afraid or not, we are all standing here together. Since we share the same fate, I will not conceal the truth from you: our current situation is very dangerous.” No one responded, and Yang Feng surveyed the crowd before continuing, “As we all know, the Empress Dowager genuinely wishes for Marquis Juan to abdicate, and that is all. However, those outside are unaware, and they will speculate based on their own thoughts. Some may overthink the situation and attempt to use the Marquis’ head to earn merit with the Empress Dowager. Such an incident has not occurred in our dynasty, but it has happened in the previous one. After the court selects a new emperor, there may be even more people seeking to earn merit that way.”

“Can’t the Empress Dowager send someone to protect Marquis Juan?” A eunuch in the crowd asked softly.

“No, a group of palace guards stationed at the entrance of the marquis’ residence would only arouse more suspicion about the Empress Dowager’s true intentions. We must protect ourselves. As long as we endure the first few days, people’s suspicions will gradually dissipate, ensuring the safety of Marquis Juan and ourselves.”

The eunuchs and palace maids exchanged glances. They had indeed been warned before leaving the palace that following the deposed emperor would entail certain risks. However, this was discussed only in general terms. Now that the danger had truly arrived and so soon, they were somewhat panicked.

Again, Zhang Youcai spoke loudly, “What is there to fear? We have all experienced the upheavals of the palace. Are we afraid of a few petty thieves outside?”

Everyone echoed in agreement, and Yang Feng waited for the crowd to finish speaking before continuing, “You need not worry too much. Your duties are simple: guard the gates diligently. Without the permission of the Marquis or myself, do not let anyone in. If there are any reckless intruders, I will deal with them.”

The thirteen “friends” Yang Feng had brought were all tall and sturdy men, armed with blades and bearing intimidating gazes that struck fear into the heart. However, their presence as protectors of the residence provided a sense of security.

The eunuchs and palace maids felt more reassured.

The marquis’ residence was rather large, so Yang Feng ordered people to lock all the gates to the rear garden and the third and fourth courtyards. Everyone stayed in the first two courtyards.

Han Ruzi was settled in a side chamber, which had previously been a study with a writing desk and bookshelves, but not a single book.

Han Ruzi sat behind the desk, swinging his legs, as Zhang Youcai busied himself wiping away dust. Frowning, he said, “Your Majesty… No, Master, should you really stay here? There isn’t even a bed. Might Yang Feng have exaggerated the danger? We are along the Hundred Prince Street in the Capital, where many nobles reside. Who would dare cause trouble here?”

Han Ruzi was lost in thought, smiled but did not respond. A voice came from the doorway, “People have dared to break into the palace, let alone Hundred Prince Street?”

Zhang Youcai jumped in fright and stuck out his tongue, “Lord Yang, you’re here. I’m sorry, I was just…”

“Address me as Steward’,” said Yang Feng indifferently. “You may leave for now; your presence is not needed here at the moment.”

Zhang Youcai put down the cloth and hurriedly walked out. When he reached Yang Feng’s back, he turned around and made a gesture to the Emperor, indicating that he would be just outside the door, ready to attend to him at any moment.

Yang Feng did not notice the actions of the young eunuch. He glanced around and said, “Shortly, someone will bring a simple bed for you. You’ll have to endure the situation for a few days.”

“This place is quite nice; it would be even better if it were filled with books.”

“Mm, there will be in the future.”

“Have you ever heard of this saying? ‘A study is the sanctuary of the man of the house.'”

Yang Feng was taken aback. He did not expect the Weary Marquis to be in the mood for idle conversation at a time like this. Shaking his head, he said, “I have not heard of it; what does it mean?”

“It was my mother who said it. She said: ‘A study is the sanctuary of the man of the house. He hides inside, pretending to engage in highly important tasks. He would have good to prohibit their wives and children from entering. In this space, they can daydream, indulge in wild thoughts, and enjoy their favorite possessions, temporarily abandoning the roles of husband and father.'”

Yang Feng was again taken aback, but he nodded. “I used to have a study as well… Indeed, I didn’t just read there; I also lazed around, and no one in my family ever found out. Was Maiden Wang referring to the Graceful Emperor?”

“She might have been. I have never been in my Lord Father’s study. My mother also said that because the study is so secluded, men often devise schemes there.”

Yang Feng was surprised for the third time. “What has Maiden Wang taught you?”

“There is much that my mother has taught me, and I am still slowly pondering over it all. I like this study.” Han Ruzi patted the armrest of the chair and touched the smooth surface of the writing desk, which was empty. Naturally, the items in the marquis’ manor were not as exquisite and luxurious as those in the palace. The surfaces were somewhat worn, but he truly liked it. “Sitting here, I can feel that this room belongs to me.”

Yang Feng bowed deeply. This young man often surprised him, and with each surprise, his expectations grew. “Do hold on to this feeling.”

Han Ruzi nodded and formally asked, “Is it true that there are those who want to kill me?”

“News of your abdication has already spread far and wide. In recent days, I have been investigating the situation and trying to persuade senior officials in the court to believe that the Empress Dowager has no intention of harming you.”

“But they do not believe you.”

“They neither believe me nor disbelieve me; they are watching. It cannot be helped. Only a few senior officials have had contact with you. They have an excellent impression of you, but they cannot publicly advocate for you. Most people can only make judgments based on rumors, and the rumors are not very favorable to you.”

“Do they think I was once an imbecilic ruler?”

“Many unfavorable incidents have indeed occurred within the court in the past few months.”

“I understand. An emperor is an emperor, and outsiders do not care whether you are a puppet; in any case, the mistakes of the court are the emperor’s mistakes.”

“Exactly.”

“Who will come to kill me?”

“It will not be the senior officials, as they would prefer to stay away from court disputes. The common people living peaceful lives won’t either, as there’s no benefit for them. However, there are two types of people in the Capital who might: one, local ruffians who can be bought by anyone, and two, nobles who are deprived or declassed. In order to gain benefits, both types are willing to take risks.”

Han Ruzi thought of the noble attendants he had in the palace. They all had promising futures and probably would not risk killing an abdicated emperor.

Yang Feng continued, “This morning, I received news that a group of young ruffians in the city are itching for action. They don’t want to please the Empress Dowager, but rather, they want to kill you to make a name for themselves and then sell your head for a high price. These people are easy to deal with; we just need to block them at the door and not let them in. However, the situation with deprived nobles is uncertain. They would not reveal their schemes, nor would we know if they would hire martial experts.”

Han Ruzi showed no fear; on the contrary, his mood was good. “But we’re not afraid.”

“Why not?” Yang Feng asked the question this time.

“You said that both types of people are risk-takers. ‘They start with high spirits, but once they find that things do not go as planned, they become greatly disappointed.'” Han Ruzi smiled and directly quoted the words Yang Feng had used to describe Luo Huan-zhang, “As long as we fend off their provocations a few times and there are no other hints from the Empress Dowager’s side, they will back off and everyone will believe that the Empress Dowager truly has no intention of killing me.”

Yang Feng nodded.

Han Ruzi put away his smile and asked seriously, “Does the Empress Dowager really have no intention of killing me?”

“As far as I know, she does not.” Yang Feng answered cautiously, “We can only act on this assumption.”

Han Ruzi moved his finger back and forth on the table and asked again, “It’s strange, isn’t it? The Empress Dowager is the true emperor of Chu, but she has no way of clearly expressing her intentions.”

“She cannot do it, nor does she want to do it. There’s no benefit for her to do so. Whoever kills you, she will kill them and put an end to the matter once and for all.”

“So, it seems that the risk-takers who come to kill me are quite unlucky, aren’t they? They harbor great expectations, but if they fail, they end up with nothing. If they succeed, they’ll be punished with death.”

“Those who understand the truth will not be risk-takers. You can consider a question: As supreme ruler, how can one clearly express his intentions?”

“Merely relying on edicts won’t work, as everyone will interpret them in their own way…” Han Ruzi suddenly realized that Yang Feng was assigning him a task like before and could not help but ask, “Will this still be useful?”

“If it’s not useful, you would have wasted a little idle time. If it is useful, you’ll be able to grasp opportunities more tightly than anyone else.”

Han Ruzi smiled, “Having you by my side is like having a great general. Since the Empress Dowager sent you to me, I believe that she truly has no intention of killing me.”

Yang Feng held up a finger and shook it twice, “Flattery is a great skill to have. You should learn it well in the future.”

Han Ruzi stood up, supporting himself on the table, “There’s a lot to learn, but we have time. Is it time for dinner now?”

Lunchtime had long passed, and the sun set early in winter, making it dusk outside. Han Ruzi did not eat much for breakfast and had not seen any lunch.

“Zhang Youcai!” Yang Feng called out, knowing that the young eunuch was waiting outside the door.

Zhang Youcai immediately entered, “What can I do for you, Steward Yang?”

“Why hasn’t dinner been served?”

Zhang Youcai looked surprised, “Dinner? Where would dinner come from?”

Yang Feng, who was full of talent and capable of handling matters in both the court and the pugilist world, was somewhat lacking when it came to household management. Slightly irritated, he said, “Obviously, it would be food cooked by you all. Do you all not know how to do anything after leaving the palace?”

“We do have a couple of cooks, but we have no rice, flour, vegetables, or meat. What are we supposed to make dinner with?” Zhang Youcai spread his hands, “We entered the manor last night and have not had a single grain of rice. We only drank some well water, thinking that everything would be taken care of when you arrived. Turns out, you didn’t bring any food either.”

Yang Feng was stunned, “I overlooked that… It’s a bit late today. Everyone, please bear with it. I’ll send someone to buy rice and flour first thing tomorrow morning. This should have been the responsibility of the Nobility Management Department in the Ministry of Rites. They selected the manor but didn’t even prepare food?”

“Maybe they’re also trying to figure out the Empress Dowager’s intentions,” Han Ruzi said, rubbing his stomach, “I can endure another night.”

Zhang Youcai pursed his lips, having already endured one night, “Fine, but I’ll have no strength for a fight.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a swordsman entered, not even looking at Han Ruzi. He spoke directly to Yang Feng, “They’re here.”