Chapter 2 The Second Day

The next day, in the afternoon, the spring sun was bright and dazzling. Zhao Jiu, having changed into more casual clothes and finished his midday snack, was pacing in the back garden.

From where the Zhao Emperor was in the back garden, one could clearly see a huge, spherical object that clashed starkly with the surrounding scenery. It was swaying between the southern halls – the hot air balloon dragged back from Guoqiao Town the night before by several large carts. It had been restarted early this morning, but this time it was securely fastened to the corridor in front of Xuande Tower with thick ropes on all sides. Whenever it lacked power and swayed, someone would climb a ladder to add charcoal to maintain its 'ascending' posture.

Under these circumstances, the spectacle at Xuande Tower was self-evident. In fact, even from so far away in the back garden, one could almost hear the commotion there.

In theory, or according to the original plan, Emperor Zhao should have been on Xuande Tower yesterday after the experiment to explain the concept of temperature to those court officials who understood or didn't understand… This was a systematic result that had been brewing since the previous article about the three states of matter in Lü Benzhong's small newspaper.

Water freezing at zero, water boiling at one hundred, establishing a new standard of measurement, and even foreshadowing a combination with the previous concept of air pressure from the Magdeburg hemispheres… Anywhere, this could be recorded in the history of science and technology.

Moreover, this was Zhao Jiu's first time deciding to publish his original scientific research results in his own name, which was of great significance.

However, after yesterday's gift incident, the Emperor was not in the mood to give the lecture himself and simply had Lü Benzhong, a second-rate talent, handle the publicity.

As for Zhao Jiu, who had something on his mind, he was now in casual clothes, strolling in a secluded part of the harem with only a few guards… And unknowingly, he crossed the fish pond, turned out of the northwest corner gate, entered Yanfu Palace, passed the martial arts training ground where he usually shot targets in the morning without entering, and unknowingly climbed to Xinggang, the highest point of the harem. Then, he stood with his hands behind his back next to the thatched pavilion on the summit and looked around.

But his thoughts were undoubtedly still on what had happened yesterday.

There were many possibilities for what happened yesterday, and it was destined to be a Rashomon with no definite answer:

Thinking about it simply, it was very likely that Consort Pan was making a clumsy attempt after secretly establishing the heir, but encountered a sycophant's clever betrayal – Cai Mao probably smelled something, knowing the huge advantage of the eldest son, Yuan Zuo, and Wu Shi. So, after reaching Emperor Zhao through Consort Pan, he directly kicked Consort Pan away and chose to take the risk of turning to speculation.

Thinking about it complicatedly, it could be that Cai Mao was a master strategist, using this method to stimulate the Emperor and sow discord, wanting to plant a thorn in Zhao Jiu's heart about the eldest son's 'popularity'.

Of course, according to Zhao Jiu, the former was more likely.

Because if it were the latter, then Cai Mao should be considered a high-level player, but if such a high-level person did this, what could he gain? Did such a high-level person not know that Consort Pan's son, De Zuo, still had little chance?

Besides, a baby in swaddling clothes was when the father-son relationship was at its purest. How much effect could discord have?

In addition, it could be seen from Lü Benzhong's attitude that Cai Mao himself was indeed not a high-end person… There were not many people whom Lü Benzhong could look down on to their face.

Of course, there was another possibility, even less likely… That this 'Yuan Zuo Mian Chang' was simply Consort Pan's own idea, or she knew the principle of praising to kill from the beginning, at least knew that this 'Yuan Zuo Mian Chang', neither she nor Cai Mao betrayed the other.

However, not to mention how low this possibility was, even if it were true, someone must have instigated it. If that were the case, Zhao Jiu would only feel more guilty, because he knew very well that Consort Pan had come to this point today, and he had an unshirkable responsibility.

It was his indulgence and indifference that had led Consort Pan to be so clueless in politics.

Moreover, compared to Consort Wu, he felt an extra layer of slight guilt towards Consort Pan.

"Your Majesty…"

A voice awakened Zhao Jiu from his thoughts. Turning around, it was none other than Yang Yizhong.

"What is it?" Zhao Jiu turned back and asked solemnly.

Yang Yizhong glanced at the imperial guards on both sides and remained silent.

Zhao Jiu came to his senses, waved his hand, and the surrounding guards immediately left the mountaintop, descending a few dozen steps.

"As I said before, I am guilty…" As soon as the others left, Yang Yizhong bowed awkwardly. "It was my oversight."

Zhao Jiu sighed, surprisingly not forgiving him, but instead saying with a sigh, "I am even more guilty."

The two men's words seemed incomprehensible, but there was a reason.

Originally, the contact between Consort Pan and Cai Mao was not a secret thing, and Yang Yizhong and his Imperial City Division had definitely noticed it.

But the problem was that Yang Yizhong did not pay attention to this matter at all, let alone report it in detail. Although Zhao Jiu received a rough piece of relevant information, he did not react much.

Why was that?

The reason was simple. Don't forget that Consort Pan had once lived in Yangzhou when Zhao Jiu was in Nanyang and in the early days of his return to Tokyo, accompanying Empress Dowager Yuanyou, until the imperial heir was frightened to death before she returned to Tokyo after repeatedly requesting permission… In other words, Consort Pan and her family should have had a deep vested interest with Empress Dowager Yuanyou and this last group of exiled nobles from Yangzhou. It would have been abnormal if they didn't have a relationship or didn't contact each other after returning.

Therefore, before the Lantern Festival, Empress Dowager Yuanyou arrived in Tokyo, and the last group of former nobles followed suit. It was completely expected and even semi-public that Consort Pan, her family, and these people had contact… Yang Yizhong knew about this, but he didn't care at all and just gave a general report, which was a normal response.

In fact, Zhao Jiu himself had noticed a possible political risk in this general report, and he was prepared in his heart, but he still chose to ignore it, or even deliberately indulge it… After all, he always thought it would just be a matter of getting a red silk robe, but he never expected that there would be a jade seal that truly touched his emotions.

"How does this matter concern Your Majesty?"

Yang Yizhong heard something wrong and quickly reiterated his responsibility. "It was my oversight that I could not see the details, which led to such negligence. In fact, the meeting between Cai Mao's wife, Feng Jing's daughter, and the Consort in the Consort's home was very obvious. As for Your Majesty, these days you have been busy with that flying lantern…"

"Is that what they call it outside?" Zhao Jiu interrupted.

"Yes."

"There's no originality." Zhao Jiu sneered, but then became melancholy. "You don't have to say any more about this. It is indeed my responsibility… Zhengfu, there are some things I can't say to outsiders, because even if I said them, they themselves probably wouldn't understand."

Yang Yizhong was stunned. He was about to continue his report, but he swallowed the words back, and his whole body relaxed, because he suddenly realized that the Emperor didn't want to discuss how to deal with this matter now, but more to find someone to confide in.

"I know what's going on now. It's because of my repeated indulgence. If I had been stricter before, or given those people a public warning, would there be this situation today?"

Zhao Jiu turned around with his hands behind his back and paced back and forth slowly under the apricot tree next to the thatched pavilion.

"But this kind of thing, which looks like pampering and indulgence, is actually a kind of indifference. People with ulterior motives may be able to detect the meaning behind it, and may even think that I am 'restraining Duan Yu in Yan'!"

Yang Yizhong didn't speak, but he nodded slightly… because that was what he thought.

"However…" Zhao Jiu didn't look at Yang Yizhong, nor did he notice the other's nod, but continued to sigh. "They only think I am indifferent, but they don't know that I do this because I sincerely think it is good for Consort Pan… Zhengfu, do you know that compared to the present, what I fear more from the bottom of my heart is that Consort Pan and Consort Wu will become virtuous consorts and wise empresses like Empress Cao, Empress Gao, and Empress Xiang! This fear is both political and personal."

Yang Yizhong instantly felt a trace of astonishment, but this astonishment immediately disappeared, replaced by an emotion that was absurd but reasonable.

This Emperor had a fundamentally different view of some things from the public.

"In fact, I have thought about completely pulling them to the other side, but the problem is that they themselves feel that this kind of puppet-like result is right, even if it conflicts with their nature, they still vaguely regard those puppet clay figures as role models and goals in their hearts… Because from childhood to adulthood, everyone has told them this."

"And I happen to be a so-called Emperor, standing there motionless is a vortex, and every move involves thousands of things, making things worse…"

"So, as things progressed, I found that the more I tried to pull them out, the easier it was to push them over, pushing them to the position of 'virtuous consort and wise empress'… The most obvious is Consort Wu. I actually liked her liveliness in Nanyang, but as soon as she returned to Tokyo, her father, a smart man, brought his family to rely on her, but instead made her immediately become a puppet. The more opportunities I gave her, the faster she became 'virtuous and wise'." At this point, Zhao Jiu shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Back in Nanyang, when she was tired from work, she knew how to complain secretly, so much so that she wiped her tears at night. When she arrived in Tokyo, she never complained to me again… Learning from the past, I had a dilemma when dealing with Consort Pan… It can be considered my selfishness."

Yang Yizhong simply didn't know how to respond.

"Of course." At this point, Zhao Jiu finally stopped, standing still with his back to Yang Yizhong, but his tone became even more melancholy. "To put it bluntly, it's because my mind is not in the harem at all… Half of the year I spend in the military camp, and when I return to the capital, my mind is also on the court's personnel affairs, raising funds for the Northern Expedition, and when I'm free, I want to write half a chapter of *Water Margin*, create a flying lantern… When and where have I really put my energy and feelings into them? Little Wu has gradually become a virtuous consort, and Consort Pan has gotten to this point today. In fact, it's still because I haven't taken responsibility for them, treating them as objects."

"Your Majesty is working hard for the country… Some things are inevitable for the sake of the overall situation." Yang Yizhong finally managed to find a chance to interject.

However, he himself realized that he shouldn't have interrupted this topic in the first place. Even if there was room to interject, he shouldn't have. Interjecting was a mistake.

However, Yang Zhengfu was the first time he had seen the Zhao Emperor's emotions so low, and he really couldn't allow himself not to react.

The Zhao Emperor still shook his head with his back to him. "In fact, I should have realized it long ago… It's not just me who has encountered such a thing. In recent history, wasn't Emperor Renzong and his concubines similar? The result of turning into a clay figure like Empress Cao, where the relationship between husband and wife is like acting in a play, is certainly a tragedy, but is it a good result if Consort Zhang dies so early?"

"It won't come to that…" Yang Yizhong was startled and quickly responded, but he immediately realized that he really shouldn't have spoken again this time.

In this way, the two men were silent at the same time. It was quiet inside and outside the thatched pavilion for a long time. For a time, only the spring breeze swayed the apricot tree branches that had just turned green, bringing a slight movement.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhao Jiu finally calmed down and looked back at him. "Now that things have come to this, there's no point in saying more. Since some things have come out, we have to respond… I'll trouble you, Zhengfu, to stir up the waters and catch this group of people in one fell swoop!" At this point, Zhao Jiu suddenly became serious, and his voice returned to its usual high and bright tone. "The country needs a windfall, villains like Cai Mao need to be punished, and Consort Pan also needs to receive a formal and serious warning! Do you understand what I mean?"

Yang Yizhong immediately nodded. "I already have a clue. Last night, as soon as I returned, some smart people saw an opportunity. Wang Shuzhan, the former Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, found me and said that these people from Yangzhou wanted to interfere in the establishment of the crown prince. He probably heard some rumors… It seems that Cai Mao and others are preparing to unite and ask to establish the eldest son of the legal wife in order to flatter Wu Shi… He is willing to get a list and facilitate things!"

"This group of people are all smart… Only Consort Pan is stupid!" Zhao Jiu frowned. "Tell Wang Shuzhan that I am a reasonable person. If he succeeds, I will give him a good assignment… Let him first transfer to the Ministry of Public Works and become the president of the Shipping Company… If he can manage this assignment well for me before the Northern Expedition, it may not be impossible to supplement him as a Vice Minister in the future and grant him the identity of the Secret Pavilion."

"Yes!" Yang Yizhong bowed in response.

Then, the two men were silent again. After a moment, Yang Zhengfu took the initiative to say goodbye cautiously.

Zhao Jiu watched the other leave Xinggang, and then stood with his hands behind his back again under the apricot tree next to the thatched pavilion, but his expression could not help but become melancholy again—as his most trusted person, he could say many things in front of Yang Yizhong that he could not say in front of others, and reveal many emotions that he could not reveal in front of others, but some words, some things, and some emotions, even in front of this person, could not be fully revealed.

Just now, Zhao Jiu was silent and his emotions were so low. On the one hand, it was indeed because of his guilt towards Consort Pan and Consort Wu, and he felt sad for not being able to prevent these two people from being swallowed step by step by so-called feudal ethics, and being assimilated by things like virtuous consorts and wise empresses, that is, gradually becoming so-called fish eyes… On the other hand, wasn't it drawing inferences from one instance, thinking of himself?

Had he, Zhao Jiu, been swallowed by this era?

Had he been assimilated by this Emperor's identity?

If so, in this process, had he, like those two women, developed some kind of willing, or rather, agreed emotion?

Was it worth it?

It seemed to be worth it, because there was the overall situation of the world.

Zhao Jiu stood there all afternoon, and finally went back, and deeply hid today's melancholy and shame in his heart.

He became that Emperor who controlled everything again.

The next day, Cai Mao was promoted to Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and Ma Shen, the Minister of Justice, was given an additional assignment to inspect the spring plowing in Jingxi.

Three days later, as more and more people relied on Cai Mao, faint rumors spread, and Consort Pan began to panic visibly, at a loss.

Fortunately, Emperor Zhao stayed in Consort Pan's palace almost every day, which gave the latter some comfort.

Ten days later, in late January, the weather gradually warmed up. Zhao Jiu, who spent his days shooting arrows, listening to intelligence reports, and writing original academic articles, saw that Consort Pan's emotions were fluctuating violently and did not want to delay any longer. He simply used the weather as an excuse and could not wait to have Yang Yizhong take action.

It can only be said that with Cai Mao's promotion and the Emperor's intentional or unintentional ambiguous attitude, plus the so-called establishment of the eldest son of the legal wife, the small group that advocated for the eldest son had become very strong… But these people were caught in one fell swoop by the Imperial Guards after a Cuju match. There were more than seventy people, from more than fifty families, and eighty percent of them were old people who had returned from Yangzhou. They were all imprisoned on charges of alienating the royal family and plotting wrongdoing. They were then tried and convicted by Kaifeng Prefecture. Cai Mao was beheaded immediately, and the rest were exiled and their homes were confiscated.

The total amount of money obtained was more than two million strings of cash.

Among them, hundreds of thousands of strings of national debt bonds were still returned to women and children as usual.

After this case, Empress Dowager Yuanyou was frightened for a while and almost asked to have her title removed, but Emperor Zhao had brought Consort Pan to pay her respects early in the morning, and invited the other two Empresses Dowager, Duke Lü Haowen, and the four councilors. When the three Empresses Dowager and five Dukes arrived, Emperor Zhao presented the jade seal he had obtained that day on the spot, explaining the whole story. He declared that it had nothing to do with the Empress Dowager, but was the work of a villain named Cai Mao, who had taken advantage of the crown prince to seek profit. Consort Pan was foolish and had been used by him.

The Emperor spoke so frankly, and the other two Empresses Dowager strongly persuaded her, and Empress Dowager Yuanyou was finally relieved.

Then, the Emperor took a mace and smashed the jade seal in public. Ignoring the surprise of the three Empresses Dowager and five Dukes, he took the pale-faced Consort Pan's hand and told her that everything was fine. He would never betray her for her kindness in following him in Mingdao Palace, otherwise, he would be as resolute as this seal.

After a while, just as Consort Pan was in tears, Zhao Jiu again asked the three Empresses Dowager for instructions on the spot, and with Duke Lü Haowen conveying the message, he immediately stripped Consort Pan of her title of Consort and demoted her back to Worthy Consort.

The five councilors left, embellished the news, and announced it to the public. The court and the public rejoiced, all praising the Emperor for being wise, harmonizing the harem, and stabilizing the world.

It's hard to say what the relationship between harmonizing the harem and stabilizing the world is, but the fact is that before the unstable factors in the harem were exposed, the whole world already had a vague sense of stability and prosperity… This point did not seem to change because of this incident. Ma Shen, the Minister of Justice, only flared up a little after returning to the court and realizing that he had been sent away, and there was no substantial trouble.

In the spring of the eighth year of Jianyan, the world was stable, and the overall situation was in sight. It seemed that after another two or three years, the court would accumulate enough wealth and military supplies to launch a large-scale Northern Expedition and achieve unprecedented achievements… At least on the surface.

ps: Thanks to slyshen for the Silver Alliance! Thanks to Not Top-Notch Not Soaring to the Clouds for the Upper Moe.

By the way, there are book fan circle activities this month, linked with Ji Cha's *This Is My Planet*. Everyone go to the book review area to take a look… Finally, I wish you all a happy New Year!