Klares Wasser und wunderschöne Berge

Kapitel 116

On the way back to the palace, he severely reprimanded me for my rash behavior, pressing me to explain why I suspected the wine was poisoned. I naturally wouldn't reveal Deng Duzhi's involvement, only saying that I had overheard a few words between him and the two ladies in the pavilion. He sighed, "Since you've heard it, I won't hide it from you. Originally, Lady Miao did indeed want His Majesty to bestow poison upon the驸马 (imperial son-in-law), but His Majesty found it difficult to decide and consulted the Empress. The Empress, upon hearing this, said: 'Your Majesty, back then, out of gratitude for Empress Dowager Zhangyi's kindness, feeling unable to repay it, thought of bestowing favor upon his maternal uncle's family, allowing Li Wei to marry the princess. Why would you now have such a thought? If Li Wei is killed, how will you face Empress Dowager Zhangyi's spirit in heaven when you visit the ancestral temple and the imperial tombs?' Ren Shou..." Zhong, who was with the Emperor and Empress at the time, chimed in, "The Empress's words are indeed reasonable. Moreover, if the Prince Consort were to die suddenly, the world would likely become suspicious, and the censors would cause even more trouble." Upon hearing this, the Emperor abandoned his plan to administer poison. The Empress then ordered someone to fetch Yingyu wine and asked me to take it to the Prince Consort, to comfort him, and to patiently wait for the princess's return. I took the wine and was talking to the Prince Consort when you came running in a panic…

Back in the palace, Wang Wuzi and I told the Emperor, Empress, and Miao Xiandao what had happened. I also showed them the painting that Li Wei had asked me to present to the princess. The Emperor was deeply moved and looked ashamed. The Empress remained silent in thought, and Miao Xiandao's indignant expression when Li Wei was mentioned had subsided considerably. He stared at Li Wei's painting, shaking his head and repeatedly saying, "Alas, what a tragedy, what a tragedy..."

The princess was still not well and was rarely lucid. I didn't dare to show her the painting immediately, fearing she would have another violent reaction. So I put the painting away for the time being and waited for a more suitable time to give it to her.

I thought I would be punished for going to the Prince Consort's Garden to report the matter without authorization, but the result was very different from what I expected.

The next day, both Deng Baoji and Ren Shouzhong came to me with good news. They said that the Emperor had just summoned them and the Inner Palace Attendants, telling them that Wang Wuzi had been dismissed from his post as the Princess's attendant and that I would be allowed to return to the Princess's residence with her, where I would continue to serve as an attendant. The Emperor also ordered them to arrange all related matters.

As is customary, I should have entered the Funing Palace to express my gratitude, but upon entering, I requested to resign, explaining that I was a disgraced official who had been demoted and should not hold such an important position, and that Mr. Wang should remain. The Emperor shook his head and said, “Wang Wuzi is ruthless and unscrupulous, almost putting me in a difficult position. If he remains in the princess's residence, he will undoubtedly continue to sow discord and create more trouble. Although you have made mistakes before, you have fortunately maintained a pure heart, and even in this situation, you still know to cherish the life of the prince consort. Therefore, I am willing to trust you, to believe that while protecting the princess, you will also respect Panama and persuade both sides to reconcile…” He paused, then asked me with emphasis, “You will not fail my trust, will you?”

I remained silent for a long time before finally kowtowing and bowing: "Your subject obeys the decree..."

Before I could utter the word "thank you," a slight commotion arose outside the hall, as if people were arguing about something. The Emperor and I both looked out of the hall and saw a eunuch rushing over to report to the Emperor: "Sima Guang, the Associate Censor, is outside requesting an audience with Your Majesty."

The Emperor frowned in displeasure: "Tell him that the morning court session has ended, and that officials who offer advice are not allowed to enter the court at this time. Any matters should be discussed in the palace tomorrow."

The eunuch said, "I have already spoken to him, but he refuses to leave, insisting that this matter cannot be delayed and that he must speak to the emperor today."

The Emperor asked, "What will he discuss?"

The eunuch glanced at me and whispered, "He said that the Emperor ordered Mr. Liang to return to the residence of Princess Yan to continue his business dealings."

Before the eunuch could finish speaking, Sima Guang called out loudly from outside the hall: "Your Majesty, I, Sima Guang, have important matters to discuss with you and humbly request an audience!"

After waiting a short while and receiving no reply from the emperor, he repeated the same sentence over and over again.

The Emperor rubbed his forehead, seemingly suffering from a severe headache. Sima Guang continued his incessant pleading, each request louder than the last. Finally, the Emperor pointed to a curtain to one side, indicating that I should move behind it, and then said to the eunuch, "Summon him in."

Sima Guang strode in, performed the proper greetings, and then got straight to the point, bringing up my matter: "I previously submitted a memorial stating that Liang Huaiji, the former official in charge of the residence of Princess Yan, had committed grave offenses and requested that he not be recalled, but Your Majesty did not grant my request. Unexpectedly, today we have heard that Your Majesty has summoned the Chief of the Inner Palace Attendants and the Attendant-in-Ordinary to the palace, and Liang Huaiji has gone to the princess's residence to continue his duties. The news has spread, causing an uproar and astonishment among the public."

The Emperor smiled wryly and said, "You all seem to have ears that can hear the wind; you are very well-informed."

Sima Guang bowed and said, "It is our duty to care about Your Majesty's affairs of state and family, and we dare not slack off."

Raising his hand high, he began to cite classical texts to persuade the emperor: "I have heard that during the reign of Emperor Taizong, Yao Tan served as the Imperial Attendant to the Prince of Yan. Whenever the Prince of Yan made a mistake, Yao Tan would offer advice and urge him to correct it. The Prince of Yan and his attendants were therefore very wary of him. Later, those attendants instigated the Prince of Yan to feign illness and not attend court for over a month. Emperor Taizong was very worried and summoned the Prince of Yan's wet nurse to the palace to inquire about the Prince's condition. The wet nurse said, 'The Prince was not ill, but Yao Tan was too strict with him, and the Prince could not move freely, so he became depressed and ill.' Emperor Taizong was furious upon hearing this, saying, 'I selected virtuous men to serve as the Prince of Yan's officials in order to teach him to be good, but now he...'" "He was able to accept advice and remonstrance, yet he feigned illness to try and force me to expel upright and righteous men so he could act on his own. How could I, Teng, tolerate such behavior! The Prince of Yan is young and couldn't have devised such a scheme; it must have been you who taught him." Emperor Taizong then ordered the Prince of Yan's wet nurse to be dragged to the back garden and beaten with dozens of strokes of a cane. He then summoned Yao Tan and offered him kind words of comfort. Did Emperor Taizong not love his son? It was precisely because he loved his son that he treated him strictly and guided him towards goodness. If he indulged his desires and couldn't bear to reprimand him, it would be tantamount to harming him. Now, the Princess of Yan is being sown apart by palace officials and is at odds with her husband. Your Majesty should follow Emperor Taizong's example, instruct the princess, and severely punish the offending officials, so that the princess may repent and her family may be at peace."

The Emperor said, “The Prince of Yan is the son of Emperor Taizong. If he behaves improperly, he may hinder the stability of the country. Naturally, he should be strictly instructed. Although the princess is my beloved daughter, she is still just a woman. Even if she makes a mistake, it is only due to her girlish nature and is not a big deal. I will admonish her in private. It is inappropriate for you to compare her to the prince.”

"Whether princes or princesses, they are all sons of the emperor, and their every move is watched by the world. Their actions will be recorded in the national history for future generations to observe!" Sima Guang retorted. He quickly recalled another example: "Princess Xianmu of Qi was the daughter of Emperor Taizong, the sister of Emperor Zhenzong, and Your Majesty's aunt. She was of the highest nobility in the land. Yet Princess Xianmu was benevolent, filial, humble, and respectful, like a woman of humble birth. She also fulfilled all the virtues of a wife in serving her husband, the Li family, loving and respecting him without any jealousy. To this day, when people mention virtuous women, they invariably cite Princess Xianmu as the foremost example. Princess Xianmu could not have been unaware of this..." Though of noble birth, she remained humble, thus preserving her fortune and ensuring her virtuous reputation would endure for eternity. I humbly believe that Your Majesty should educate the princess according to the example of Emperor Taizong; and that the princess should serve her husband with propriety according to the example of Princess Xianmu. In this way, Your Majesty's virtuous family traditions will surely spread far and wide, and the good reputation of Your Majesty and the princess will be passed down to posterity. Now, Your Majesty indulges the princess's whims without restraint of propriety, leading to her fearlessness, capriciousness, and even threats to her life against her sovereign and father. She also disregards her husband and fails to uphold the virtues of a wife. If Your Majesty continues to indulge her, how can you promote the virtues of benevolence, filial piety, and propriety throughout the country, and serve as a model for future generations?

After delivering his impassioned speech, the Emperor remained silent. Sima Guang then stepped forward, knelt near the Emperor, and solemnly made his request: "Your Majesty is different from ordinary people; your conduct will serve as a model for the world. Therefore, family discipline is strict, and you cannot rely solely on benevolent rule. I humbly request Your Majesty to dismiss Liang Huaiji and allow him to return to his former place of exile. If those around the Princess wish for Your Majesty to recall Liang Huaiji, it means they intend to teach the Princess to do wrong. They should all be punished and exiled, and a more gentle and cautious person should be chosen to fill the void."

The Emperor responded with his usual stalling rhetoric: "I understand your meaning perfectly well. I will certainly consider your matter carefully. Please return now, and we will discuss it again in court tomorrow."

Sima Guang, however, did not budge. He bowed again, holding his tablet, insisting that the Emperor make a decision immediately: "Your Majesty, I have heard that Liang Huaiji has been reappointed as the eunuch in charge of the Princess's residence, and this is to be done today. If Your Majesty is willing to accept my loyal advice, you should take advantage of this moment before the imperial edict is issued to recall the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Palace and the Attendant, and rescind the oral edict of appointment. Otherwise, once the imperial edict is issued, it will inevitably arouse more discussion inside and outside the court, and then there will inevitably be another court dispute in the court."

The Emperor was displeased, his tone tinged with anger: "To bring up such a trivial matter in my household to argue in court, isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?"

Sima Guang declared loudly, “No matter is insignificant in the family of the Emperor; family affairs are state affairs. If Your Majesty cannot govern your family, how can you govern the country and bring peace to the world?”

These words left the emperor speechless. Sima Guang then softened his tone and continued to advise, "Your Majesty should make a decision immediately. If this matter is discussed in court tomorrow, it would be inappropriate for people to discuss the princess's minor conduct in front of everyone."

This was indeed a situation that would make the current emperor hesitate. He pondered this for a long time and finally had no choice but to compromise with Sima Guang. He summoned the eunuchs to bring in the Chief of the Imperial Household Department and the Attendant, and announced that the matter of restoring him to the position of eunuch in charge of the residence of the Princess of Yan State still needed to be considered and was temporarily put on hold.

Upon hearing this, Sima Guang immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise." He then gave his final piece of advice for the day: "I hope Your Majesty will admonish the princess, for the law is a public instrument of the realm. The princess has repeatedly disobeyed imperial edicts and disregarded the rules. Even though she is the son of the emperor, Your Majesty cannot show favoritism. Your Majesty should strictly admonish her and urge her to follow the virtuous path. Only in this way can the princess forever enjoy good fortune and maintain her good reputation. Otherwise, public opinion is a fearsome thing, and the dignity of the nation and the princess's good name will surely be ruined in an instant."

The Lonely City Closed (The Princess Who Fell in Love with a Eunuch) Long smoke, setting sun, the lonely city closed, licking one's calf

Chapter word count: 3441 Update time: 09-07-05 10:45

licking one's calf

(3206 words)

Like me, His Majesty sensed that Sima Guang's attempt to prevent my reinstatement was only the first step; he would surely continue to petition His Majesty to banish me from the capital once more. Therefore, His Majesty spoke privately with Consort Miao in the Yifeng Pavilion for a long time, presumably discussing how to transfer me away from the Princess. However, Consort Miao strongly objected, suddenly standing up and saying sadly, "We cannot let Huaiji leave again! He is like an anesthetic for the Princess now; with him, she has some peace. If he's gone, the Princess will be in excruciating pain!"

Perhaps the current emperor also agrees with this view, because he fell silent and did not mention the matter again.

Consort Miao said indignantly, "That Sima Guang is a real troublemaker. He keeps focusing on the princess's affairs and pressing her relentlessly. It's suffocating! Your Majesty should send him away to a distant place, the farther the better, so he won't cause any more trouble and harm our daughter!"

The Emperor sighed, “Sima Guang is loyal and upright, and his virtue is impeccable. How can one find even the slightest fault in him! Sending him away without cause will surely cause an uproar in the court and among the people, and will stir up an even bigger storm.”

Consort Miao said tearfully, "Will the Emperor still have to be mindful of his feelings when dealing with the princess in the future?"

After thinking it over, the Emperor said, "I'll transfer him out of the Censorate. If he's not in that position, he might speak less."

Therefore, he issued an edict promoting Sima Guang to the position of Imperial Edict Drafter. The Imperial Edict Drafter and the Hanlin Academician were collectively known as the "Two Drafters," responsible for drafting imperial edicts and decrees respectively. This was a prestigious and easily attainable position, and all officials in the imperial academy considered it an honor to be in one. Moreover, the Imperial Edict Drafter's salary was far greater than that of a remonstrating official. Therefore, everyone assumed Sima Guang would gladly accept the appointment. However, Sima Guang repeatedly submitted memorials declining, stating that he lacked talent and literary skill and was unfit for the position of a remonstrating official, earnestly requesting the emperor to retain him in the Remonstrance Bureau and allow him to continue serving as a remonstrating official.

At first, the Emperor thought Sima Guang's resignation was just a routine polite remark before his promotion, and that he would not change his mind and would urge him to take office. However, Sima Guang submitted five or six more memorials in succession, his attitude resolute, repeatedly stating that writing imperial edicts was not his forte and that he dared not accept the decree. Finally, the Emperor showed his thick stack of resignations to Consort Miao, and the two looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

The Emperor was always frowning, only showing a gentle smile to the Princess when he was lucid. The way he gazed at the Princess finally made me understand what "a mother's love for her child" meant—his gaze was like a soft hand, always trying to soothe his daughter's invisible wounds.

Besides worrying about my situation, they were also concerned that Li Wei would inquire about the princess's return date. They didn't know how the princess's marriage with Li Wei could be maintained under such circumstances. Suddenly, Li Wei took the initiative to propose a solution: he submitted a memorial impeaching himself, saying that he had failed to serve his master properly and that his sins were unforgivable, and earnestly requested that the emperor send him to a post outside the capital.

Consort Miao was overjoyed and strongly urged the Emperor to grant her request. After consideration, the Emperor agreed and announced that Li Wei, the Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, would be appointed as the Prefect of Weizhou. His mother, Lady Yang, would be sent to Li Wei's elder brother, Li Zhang. Princess Yan would move into the Forbidden City, and the palace officials of the Princess's residence would return to the palace with her. All other attendants would be dismissed.

In this way, the princess was effectively separated from Li Wei. Although they were not divorced, it allowed the princess to temporarily escape from the marriage she hated.

After the Emperor made this decision, Consort Miao secretly told the Princess the news. The Princess stared blankly at her mother, and it took several repetitions for her to seem to understand. Leaning against the pillow, her faded red lips curved into the arc of a crescent moon, yet her expression was bitter.

I could have imagined that the censors would not calmly accept the Emperor's decision, but their reaction was more intense than I expected.

When His Majesty had this edict read aloud in the palace, I was chatting with the Princess and Jiaqingzi in the Yifeng Pavilion. At my suggestion, Consort Miao summoned Jiaqingzi to the palace to accompany the Princess for two days. Jiaqingzi brought several scrolls of Cui Bai's paintings and some interesting trinkets he had made, which he laid out before the Princess for her to admire. There was a brocade box she didn't open; she glanced at me, seemingly hesitant, while the Princess went straight to it, briefly opened the lid to look inside, and then placed it beside her, not as if she intended to show it to me. I assumed it was something a young lady kept, so I didn't ask further. As for them admiring the other items together…

A moment later, an eunuch came from the Chuigong Hall, where the Emperor was holding court, and said to me, "His Majesty requests that Mr. Liang come to the hall immediately."

I was taken aback; I never expected the emperor to summon me to the palace during his court session.