Tang Dynasty Puppet Doctor

Chapter 8 Meeting the Empress

"Ah Huan, that young man is so strange. He has a strange young face but white hair. His speech is also strange. And why did the proprietress of Baihua Tower arrange a room for us with only a door between us and that young man's room? Why did she kick it open?"

Sitting in the carriage, Ah Shu talked incessantly about what she had encountered in Baihua Tower. For a country girl who had never left the mountains, everything she encountered in Luoyang City was new and novel.

Especially when talking about the white-haired man, his face was full of fascination.

"Well, it's strange, but why are your eyes so dark?"

"Huh? Dark?"

Ah Shu took a mirror and looked at herself, and sure enough, she saw two dark circles outside her eye sockets, and she looked extremely tired.

"That young man is so handsome! I couldn't help but stare at him all night last night, so I didn't sleep well. But, Ah Huan, don't you think that young man is handsome?"

In fact, she not only looked at the white-haired man all night long, she originally wanted to sleep next to Murong Huan, but was kicked down by Murong Huan in her nightmare, so she simply stayed by Murong Huan's bed all night.

"Isn't it just two eyes, a nose, and a mouth?"

Ah Shu was stunned and then discouraged.

"Forget it, Ah Huan really seems to be different from ordinary people. I always feel like something is missing."

The carriage quickly drove out of Sigongfang and headed towards Luonanlifang area in the morning and evening light.

Looking at the increasingly winding roads and the river that stretched like a white rainbow, Murong Huan suddenly asked, "Ah Shu, do the Su family know that I'm a girl?"

Ah Shu thought for a moment and said, "Well, it seems like they know. At least the Duke knows. Whether the old lady knows or not, Ah Shu has no idea. But... Ah Huan, don't worry. We have the keepsake left by your father and the letter from the Duke. The Su family will not disown you!"

……

"My dear, why did you tell your real name to a little girl of unknown origin? And you even stayed here all night guarding two little girls. This is really not like you."

In Baihua Tower, after watching Murong Huan and Ashu leave, the young man in black asked half-jokingly.

Xiao Muchen just said slowly: "It's a good thing to have people remember your name forever. It's better than no one remembering you at all!"

The young man in black couldn't help but sneer, "I'm afraid that the person who can remember your name wants to kill you. Just last night, she almost strangled you to death. Did you know?"

"I know, but she can't strangle me to death!" Xiao Muchen smiled and continued to brew tea. He looked at the stunned young man in black clothes beside him, "Xuan Yu, do you know who her father is?"

"how could I know?"

"Her father, Su Minghe, was once the most outstanding doctoral student in the Imperial College. If it weren't for a small accident, he would have been appointed as the Prime Minister of the Secretariat by now. It's a pity..."

Having said that, he changed the subject and continued, "Although you don't know her father, you must have heard of her grandfather's name: Duke Xing, Su Dingfang!"

"Duke Xing, Su Dingfang?" Xuan Yu was genuinely surprised. "Is he the famous general who, on par with Li Jing, destroyed Baekje?"

"Yes, it's him!" Xiao Muchen nodded. "He pacified the Pamirs, vanquished Baekje, and conquered Goryeo. He conquered three kingdoms and captured their leaders alive. He can truly be called a rare general, worthy of being enshrined in the Temple of Martial Arts!"

"What does that have to do with that little girl? Could it be that because she has an amazing grandfather and a father who might become amazing in the future but had a minor accident, you look at her differently?"

"Of course not, but have you ever thought about this? Su Dingfang had such great military achievements and was renowned far and wide, but why were his descendants so mediocre that they didn't even inherit the title of Duke of Xing? The current head of the Su family, Su Qing, only received the title of Duke of Wuyi County, right?"

Xuan Yu continued to shake his head and cooperated with him to sell Guansi.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Muchen actually said, "I don't know either. So, this is why I'm curious about this little girl."

Xuan Yu widened his eyes, looking speechless.

"Is that why you stayed in someone's house all night?"

"Of course not. I'm also curious about her as a person. Also... she said my hair turned white due to illness..."

When Xuan Yu mentioned this, he frowned solemnly: "My dear, would you like me to invite this little girl to your home and tell you what disease this is?"

Xiao Muchen's face darkened and he glared at him coldly and fiercely.

Xuan Yu quickly changed his tone, "My dear, please do as you please. However, this little girl is really strange. She was fine just last night, innocent and cute like a little cat. How could she suddenly turn hostile and want to kill people after turning hostile? It's so scary, she's like two different people now!"

"Because...she's sick too!"

After saying this, Xiao Muchen fell silent, and the cup that was brought to his lips suddenly paused.

"somebody is coming!"

The door was gently pushed open, and the figure of a woman in official uniform came into view.

She has a delicate forehead and beautiful eyebrows, skin like spring snow, a face like the morning glow, eyes like autumn water, and her whole body is filled with the elegant charm of books, like a gentle spring breeze, or a lone crane in the clouds.

She is a female official beside His Majesty the Holy Emperor, specializing in drafting imperial edicts and is deeply trusted by His Majesty.

Xuan Yu immediately bowed respectfully and said, "Shangguan Daizhao?"

Shangguan Wan'er glanced at Xuan Yu, then turned her gaze to Xiao Muchen: "Xiao Zhongcheng, the Saint wants to see you!"

...In today's Great Zhou, although the capital is still in Chang'an, the empress moved the political center to Luoyang in order to get rid of the control of those aristocratic families and built the majestic Ziwei City Palace there.

A year ago, His Majesty the Holy Emperor ascended the throne in front of the Zetian Gate, the south gate of Ziwei City.

To this day, a cold and murderous atmosphere still condenses in front of this gate, with countless guards wearing Ming Guang armor and holding spears and halberds standing in front of it.

Xiao Muchen followed Shangguan Wan'er through the Zetian Gate and walked all the way into the depths of the palace until they arrived at the Qianyuan Hall.

The empress was already wearing a loose crown and robes and was waiting in the hall.

The empress, who is over sixty years old, has taken good care of herself and does not look old at all. She even looks majestic without even being angry, and she exudes a cold and murderous aura.

"Your servant, Xiao Muchen, pays homage to His Majesty the Holy Emperor!"

Xiao Muchen was about to kneel down when he heard the empress say, "Stand up! No need for these empty formalities!"

"Here!"

"I heard that you stayed in the Baihua Tower in Sigongfang for the entire night last night?"

"Yes!"

"Why? I've never heard of you here before?"

"I was returning home late last night when I met two homeless girls on the way. I felt pity for them and invited them to stay at Wanhua Tower for one night. I was just bored and wanted to have some fun."

"Oh? What is this Baihua Tower? They don't know, but you don't know either? How dare you take two little girls to stay there for a night?"

"The brothel is under the jurisdiction of the Jiaofangsi!"

Seeing the young man's serious answer, the empress laughed angrily.

"Alright, why do I need you to tell me?" The empress said, then she helped Shangguan Wan'er stand up and continued earnestly, "Zicheng, you were personally cultivated and promoted by me, and you are the only one of my Northern Gate Scholars who remains. Since you were twelve years old, I have painstakingly taught you for eight years. Now that you have just come of age, I will let you take on the position of Chief Censor, to monitor all officials and recruit talented individuals. But you must also strictly control yourself and don't give the ministers any leverage over you!"

"Here, follow the teachings of the saint!"

The empress pondered for a moment, then suddenly changed the subject: "How's the investigation into Pei Judao's case going? Things haven't been peaceful in the Divine Capital lately!"

Pei Judao was the father-in-law of the "Emperor Xiaojing", the late Crown Prince Li Hong. He was born into the prominent Hedong Pei family. Since the founding of the country by Emperor Taizong, the Hedong Pei family had produced several prime ministers, and Pei Judao was one of them. However, when the empress became emperor, most of the Hedong Pei family stood in opposition to the empress. Like Pei Yan, Pei Judao was framed by cruel officials such as Zhou Xing and Qiu Shenji, and was executed on charges of treason.

The reason why this case is mentioned again now is because someone reported the matter to the emperor and brought up the old case of the late Crown Prince Li Hong and Pei Judao again. In addition, there have been rumors about this in Luoyang city recently, and the empress is a little uneasy.

In fact, it was not just Pei Judao. Several ministers in the court were imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice by Zhou Xing and were enduring inhuman torture.

Xiao Muchen pondered for a moment, then said, "Several ministers are already suspected of involvement in this case, and I am also investigating!"

The Empress pondered for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I'm bringing up this old case again because someone is dissatisfied with me. What I want to know is the person behind this!"

"Here!"

"Go down!"

……

As soon as Xiao Muchen left, the empress sighed softly and said to the female official beside her, "I still remember that when this child was young, he obeyed my orders and was very well-behaved and sensible. Now that he has grown up, not only has he got a deceptive appearance, but his heart has also begun to confuse people. I find it increasingly difficult to understand his thoughts."

"If the Saint is worried, why not have the secret guards monitor Xiao Zhongcheng's whereabouts?"

The empress hesitated for a moment and finally waved her hand.

"Forget it, it's time to let go of the child I raised with my own hands!"

……

As soon as Xiao Muchen walked out of Ziwei Palace, Xuan Yu hurriedly came up to him and whispered in his ear:
"My dear, everything was done, but Minister Le still committed suicide in the imperial prison because he couldn't bear the humiliation!"

Xiao Muchen's steps suddenly stopped, with a hint of regret in his eyes.

After a long while, he whispered, "Have you found out who the informer is?"

"A petty official from the market named Lai Junchen was once beaten 100 times by the King of Dongping for falsely accusing him. Now, King Dongping Li Xu has also committed suicide at home for the crime of treason!"

Xiao Muchen was silent for a moment before he said, "Ever since the Saint ascended the throne, he's become more trusting of the words of villains like Zhou Xing and Lai Junchen. I'm afraid he's also starting to become suspicious of me. I need to be extra careful in the future!"

"Here!"

"As for what happened last night, find someone to go to the Su family and report everything that happened there to me!"

"Su family? Why?" Xuan Yu was puzzled.

"Just do as I say, don't ask so many whys!"

"Here!"

(End of this chapter)