Longzang

Chapter 325 Trampling
After the autumn hunt, a grand banquet was held for the officials, followed by various routine rewards and honors.

Wei Yuan ranked first in the autumn hunt and, as usual, received some gold and silver as a reward. Then, the Prince of Jin bestowed upon him a precious sword. This sword was merely a top-grade magical artifact, but it had many intricacies associated with it, such as seeing the sword being equivalent to seeing the Prince of Jin, granting the ability to execute without prior approval, and the power to execute all officials, and so on. Of course, if Wei Yuan truly believed these claims, then that was Wei Yuan's problem.

Although the King of Wei's entire army was wiped out, he at least opened a treasure trove and happened to obtain a bit of the nation's fortune, which made his complexion much rosier. After all, among the three princes, he was the only one who obtained a bit of the nation's fortune, and although it wasn't much, it was something he could talk about.

The remaining rankings for the autumn hunt were: Lü Wenbai, the military governor of Yunxiang, second; and the fifth prince, the Prince of Wei, third.

After the autumn hunt, Wei Yuan had finally met the Emperor. At this point, he was still quite a distance from the Hall of State Affairs, and he wasn't yet qualified to participate in truly important military and national affairs, nor even to hear confidential matters. Therefore, after the Prince of Jin held a grand banquet for his officials, Wei Yuan prepared to pack up and return to his domain.

Now, he was covered with the national fortune like a spider web, and he felt uncomfortable all over. He urgently needed to return to the realm so that Qingming could cleanse him properly.

Just then, Liu Quangong, the Grand Eunuch, arrived at the post station and said to Wei Yuan, "The Imperial Concubine Yuan requests an audience!"

Wei Yuan immediately bathed and changed clothes according to the Jin Dynasty etiquette, quickly tidying himself up before entering the palace with Liu Quangong. The two boarded a special carriage and sat facing each other.

This was Wei Yuan's first close encounter with Liu Quangong, the current leader of the eunuch faction and a powerful eunuch. Liu Quangong had a delicate and fair complexion, a refined appearance, long eyebrows and narrow eyes, and a kind and gentle demeanor; otherwise, he was just an ordinary person.

If you don't know the history of the Western Jin Dynasty, you would never imagine that he was behind two major cases involving more than 10,000 people thirty years ago.

On the way to the palace, Wei Yuan openly handed over a box of immortal silver and asked, "Summoning me to the palace can be done by sending a mere eunuch. Why bother Eunuch Liu?"

With a flick of his sleeve, Liu Quangong's silver sword vanished without a trace, and he smiled, saying, "Governor Wei's status is now different; he is responsible for the safety of the nation. It is only right that I make this trip. The capital has been rather unsettled these past few days, with many petty villains lurking around. Therefore, I must personally guard this section of the road to ensure my peace of mind."

Wei Yuan probed, "What kind of villain is so arrogant as to dare cause trouble in the royal city?"

"They are nothing more than those few groups of rebels."

Which rebel groups? Liu Quangong's question was essentially meaningless. At this moment, with the Northern Liao army pressing in, the Western Jin Dynasty was actually relatively stable, and Wei Yuan had not heard of any large-scale rebellions.

The carriage was both steady and fast, and soon arrived at the palace. Upon entering the palace gates, Liu Quangong alighted from the carriage and left on his own. The carriage then continued carrying Wei Yuan to Chunhua Palace. This Grand Eunuch truly only escorted Wei Yuan from the post station to the palace.

The carriage stopped at the gates of the inner and outer palaces, where maids were already waiting. They led Wei Yuan into the inner palace, through corridors and across bridges, until they arrived at Chunhua Palace.

Chunhua Hall is made of glazed bricks, and you can faintly see the firelight flowing below. The brick surface is slightly warm, and walking on it in the deep autumn season with its heavy chill is indescribably comfortable.

Wei Yuan kept his head down the whole way, not daring to look around casually. He was led into the hall, then knelt on one knee and said, "Your subject Wei Yuan pays respects to Your Highness Consort Yuan."

"Keep your head up."

The familiar sound came from above, but now it was clear, cold, and distant, as if standing on a snow-capped mountain, giving it a different flavor.

Wei Yuan looked up and saw Consort Yuan sitting gracefully on the throne.

She wore a dress embroidered with phoenixes dancing in the sky and clouds and fairy mountains as the background, and it was covered with various gemstones and jewels. Each jewel was just right to become an indispensable part of the whole pattern. Although it was dazzling, it did not appear ostentatious at all.

It could also be because it was worn by Consort Yuan.

The throne was equally magnificent, as if every exposed part of it were inlaid with pearls and jade. When Consort Yuan wore such a dress and sat on such a throne, it was as if she were sitting on a small mountain of pearls and gems.

This should have been a vulgar scene, but with her, it seemed perfectly fitting. Only such a mountain of jewels could complement her beauty.

However, judging from the Tang rituals that Wei Yuan had learned, everything in this palace was beyond the bounds of regulations.

Before Wei Yuan could get a closer look, he suddenly sensed a sharp, restrained aura emanating from the maids. Two maids stood to the left and right of the Empress's throne; at first glance, they appeared to be ordinary people, but Wei Yuan felt a strange pressure. They were actually both Dharma Aspect cultivators.

Just as Wei Yuan looked up, before Consort Yuan could speak, a clear child's voice came from the side: "Mother! I just wrote a piece of calligraphy, please take a look and see if it's good!"

Ignoring the palace maids' attempts to stop him, a small figure rushed into Chunhua Palace. It was none other than the young Prince Fu. Holding a scroll of calligraphy with the ink still wet, he excitedly said, "This is what I wrote after practicing our family's 'World-Suppressing Heart Sutra.' What do you think of my understanding?"

Consort Yuan remained seated and said, "It's alright. Let your Uncle Wei take a look."

Little Prince Fu glanced at Wei Yuan and said, "What does a barbarian like him know about calligraphy?"

With a swift movement, Little Prince Fu snatched the paper, glared fiercely at Wei Yuan, and dashed away.

Wei Yuan clearly saw the look in that glance: hatred, resentment, grievance, and humiliation—all were present. It was hard to imagine that a child could have such clear and intense hatred.

However, being born into royalty, with his mother being from the Zhao royal family and belonging to both the Lü and Li clans, the young Prince Fu had no shortage of refined skills, so his precocious intelligence was to be expected. Even during the unified examinations, Bao Yun and Li Zhi were already adept at forming alliances and strategizing.

Wei Yuan suddenly realized that the little prince's glance contained a warning.

Why warn yourself? The rules of the Western Jin palace were not strict, and the Empress Yuan often summoned ministers to the Chunhua Palace. In addition, the Queen and other imperial concubines also did similar things.

However, since the Queen and Consort Yuan became irreconcilable enemies, no one has entered the palace to see the Queen, otherwise Consort Yuan might take notice of them.

Since entering the palace for an audience wasn't a problem, why did the young Prince Fu still warn him? Wei Yuan's mind raced as he quickly pondered whether it was because he had outshone him during the autumn hunt. But the main reason for this was that the young Prince Fu had chosen such an incompetent person.

Aside from that, Wei Yuan and the Little Prince Fu had never met, and Wei Yuan couldn't figure out why the Little Prince Fu disliked him. Could it be that, like him, he simply didn't like the other person?
Lost in thought, Wei Yuan heard Consort Yuan ask, "What does Lord Wei think of my child?"

"Clever and quick-witted, with extraordinary talent!" Wei Yuan said without hesitation.

Consort Yuan covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Since Lord Wei likes him so much, how about we have him acknowledge you as his godfather so he can listen to your teachings at all times in the future?"

Wei Yuan was shocked. He had been spending day and night with the brat. Could there be a more terrifying nightmare than this?

"Your Majesty, I am of limited talent and learning! No, I am utterly ignorant and incompetent! I am full of barbarian habits and would never dare to mislead the young! I beg Your Majesty to find someone more capable!" Wei Yuan spoke hastily and quickly, almost without thinking.

Consort Yuan laughed and said, "Remember to speak properly in the future, and don't speak without thinking or making things up."

Sweat beaded on Wei Yuan's forehead as he quickly agreed. He wasn't afraid of anything else, but Consort Yuan's move had truly struck at his Achilles' heel. "Actually, the main reason I summoned you to the palace this time was out of curiosity. I wanted to see what kind of person the soaring Wei Sanqiang was. Seeing you today, I can see that your demeanor is indeed extraordinary."

Wei Sanqiang?
Wei Yuan was a little confused. This title should refer to himself, so why were the maids laughing so strangely? However, the title "Three Shots" wasn't quite accurate; he only needed one shot to kill an enemy. "A Plum Blossom Blooms Twice" was one shot, and "A Pear Blossom Overwhelms a Crabapple" was also one shot.

"Before we get down to business, we need to settle some loose ends." Consort Yuan turned her head slightly and asked, "How did Prince Fu get in? Who's escorting him now?"

The maid replied, "Your Majesty, it is Eunuch Wang. He was just replaced the day before yesterday."

"Bring him here."

A moment later, an elderly eunuch entered Chunhua Palace and knelt on the ground as soon as he entered. He appeared to be in his fifties, with half-gray hair and a Dao Foundation cultivation level. Judging from his attire, his rank was not low.

Consort Yuan picked up the soup bowl beside her, took a small sip, and said, "Did you instigate Prince Fu to trespass into Chunhua Palace?"

The old eunuch was shocked: "How dare I?! Didn't Prince Fu used to be able to enter Chunhua Palace at any time? I just..."

Before he could finish speaking, a maidservant used magic to seal his mouth and shouted, "Answer whatever you are asked. Are you trying to show off your cleverness in front of the Empress? Are you tired of living?"

Consort Yuan gently closed the bowl lid, making a clear "ding" sound, and said, "Prince Fu is still young. In the past, His Majesty spoiled him too much, so he is inevitably a bit arrogant. All of you who follow him around also let him have his way. Do you want to become his favored ministers in the future, or do you intend to guide him so that he will act recklessly, make a big mistake, and be eliminated early?"

The old eunuch was greatly shocked. He wanted to explain, but his mouth was sealed shut, and he couldn't utter a single word. He could only kowtow repeatedly.

Consort Yuan put down the soup bowl and said calmly, "Sink into the pond."

The maidservant appeared behind the old eunuch, lifted him up like a chick, and asked, "Which pond did you sink him in?"

"Let the water in Consort Dai's palace be clear, so let it sink there."

The maid's figure vanished in a flash, reappearing behind Consort Yuan a few breaths later. If Wei Yuan hadn't witnessed the entire process, he would have found it hard to believe that an eunuch could be gone in the blink of an eye.

Consort Yuan said calmly, "The palace is actually full of intrigue and danger. Some people see that this child is favored, and that the Crown Prince has been somewhat unsuccessful in recent years, often being reprimanded by the King, so they have set their sights on him. In fact, anyone who knows the inside story should be betting on the Fifth Prince. You came to the city to study the history of Jin, which clearly shows that you are a restless person, and you should be aware of that."

"Your subject is very well-behaved! Extremely well-behaved!" Wei Yuan hurriedly defended himself, knowing that the Empress's evaluation of him could not be leaked to outsiders.

The Prince of Wei was the fifth in line, so Consort Yuan referred to him as the Fifth Prince.

Before entering the capital, Wei Yuan was carefree, able to advance or retreat at will, and could easily withdraw and leave. At worst, he could fight another battle with Yue Jinshan's northern cavalry. But now, carrying the fate of the Jin Kingdom, he was truly bound to overcome the difficulties together with the nation.

With heavy responsibilities on his shoulders, Wei Yuan became much more restrained and no longer as flamboyant as before.

Ignoring Wei Yuan's self-justification, Consort Yuan continued, "Actually, it's obvious what kind of people would be willing to bet on Fu'er. Apart from the few idle people around me, it's just those who can't even get through the Fifth Prince's door. Heh, the Fifth Prince's threshold is much lower than the Crown Prince's."

Wei Yuan sensed a hint of bitterness beneath Consort Yuan's calm voice. When he first arrived in the Western Regions, the Western Jin Dynasty did not have any factions based on the empress's family.

It was only after Sun Chaoen's introduction that Wei Yuan joined, and that a faction was barely formed. This was after the complete annihilation of Yue Jinshan's 10,000 iron cavalry.

After joining, Wei Yuan discovered that among the imperial relatives, only Consort Yuan and himself held real power. As for Sun Chaoen, he was a man of integrity with a bright future and a good reputation, so he would never stoop to such a lowly position to join Wei Yuan's side.

Consort Yuan sighed softly and said, "This child always thinks that everything I have will naturally be his in the future. In addition, he is spoiled too much and is becoming increasingly difficult to discipline. So the best way is..."

Wei Yuan instantly sensed something was wrong and made up his mind not to respond.

"...Naturally, we should have another one."

Wei Yuan was initially relieved, but upon further reflection, he felt increasingly uneasy.

"Alright, it's time to get down to business." Consort Yuan gracefully rose and came to Wei Yuan. Suddenly, her skirt fluttered, and a round, snow-white leg flew out, kicking Wei Yuan over and then stepping on him!
She wasn't wearing shoes or socks, and when she was stepped on, Wei Yuan's first thought was: So soft.

Consort Yuan's legs were long and shapely, so white they seemed to glow, like they were carved from warm jade. Wei Yuan looked up along her legs and suddenly realized that, if you didn't count the outer skirt, she was actually back at the beginning of her life, at the moment she was born.

This was so sudden that Wei Yuan was stunned: there were two maids beside him, and countless palace maids and eunuchs outside the hall!

Wei Yuan had to lower his voice, struggling and exclaiming, "In broad daylight, in front of everyone, how could this be..."

At this moment, the skirts fluttered, the phoenix soared into the sky, its tail feathers and wingtips sparkling, and layers of immortal mountains overflowed, transforming into the color of water and sky, like the prosperity of this world, slowly falling and covering Wei Yuan.

Sunset West Mountain.

The gates of Chunhua Palace opened, and Wei Yuan stepped out. As he descended the steps, he missed a step and nearly fell. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and grabbed a pillar, preventing himself from making a fool of himself.

The cold, icy voice of Consort Yuan rang out in the hall: "Help Lord Wei out."

As night fell, Wei Yuan returned to his lodgings at the post station and slowly sat down. The lamp was nearby, but he didn't even want to lift his hand.

Just then, an official from the post station came to report that someone was requesting an audience. Wei Yuan barely managed to muster a wisp of his Dao power, pointed a finger, and lit the lamp in the room.

An old scholar strolled into the room. Upon seeing him, Wei Yuan immediately felt a little guilty and quickly straightened up, respectfully inviting him into the room.

This old gentleman was the renowned scholar who accompanied Princess Ningguo on her mission that day. He had intended to test Wei Yuan, but ended up leaving himself with only his underwear. At that time, Wei Yuan was a bandit, so he was naturally unrestrained. Now that he had suddenly met his nemesis, how could he not feel guilty?

The old gentleman looked Wei Yuan up and down, stroked his beard and smiled, "The new generation surpasses the old. Lord Wei is young and promising, and his horsemanship is superb. I truly admire him."

Wei Yuan's face flushed slightly; this was a sarcastic remark about him impersonating a bandit.

Fortunately, the old gentleman did not take it too far. After a light, sarcastic remark, he straightened his expression and said, "I have come here on behalf of Princess Ningguo to invite you to my residence for a talk by candlelight tonight!"

(End of this chapter)