Ya She

Chapter 46 Haechi Crown

1 BC, Chang'an
Early summer has just arrived, and golden sunlight filters through the leaves, creating dappled patterns on the ground. In the somewhat neglected courtyard, birdsong and insect chirps rise and fall, creating a scene of joy and peace.

As Wang Yan quietly carried the food box through the courtyard corridor, she noticed a brightly colored butterfly stuck to a spiderweb, struggling desperately. Although some of the spider silk had broken off, half of its wings were still trapped inside.

With a soft exclamation, Wang Yan looked around, picked up a broken twig from the grass, and rescued the poor butterfly from the spider web.

Watching the butterfly stumble and fly away, Wang Yan remembered that she still had to deliver food to her father, so she lifted her skirt and quickened her pace.

The Wang family was a large clan, so large that it was beyond the imagination of outsiders, all because the Empress Dowager of the current dynasty was surnamed Wang.

The first thing Emperor Cheng of Han did after ascending the throne was to promote Wang Feng, the uncle of the Marquis of Yangping, to Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, concurrently holding the position of Minister of the Imperial Secretariat. This was an even more prestigious position than the Chancellor, truly second only to the emperor. Soon after, Emperor Cheng enfeoffed five more of Wang's uncles as marquises in a single day. The Wang family instantly became the new elite in Chang'an, wielding immense power and influence, unmatched by anyone. Eventually, all the Wang brothers were enfeoffed as marquises, and the descendants of the Wang clan divided power among themselves. Gradually, there weren't enough officials in Chang'an, and even many local officials bore the surname Wang.

The Wang family became the most powerful clan in the court. Their mansions and residences stretched for miles within Chang'an, with countless concubines and servants. The Wang brothers treated the palace as their own, freely entering and staying overnight. Some Wang family members even dared to breach the city walls, diverting water from the river outside into their mansions to create a huge pond for boating. Some even built palaces within their courtyards identical to the White Tiger Hall in Weiyang Palace, a blatant act of usurpation, which was ultimately left unpunished by Emperor Cheng of Han. The high-ranking officials and nobles of Chang'an all knew that even if you offended someone surnamed Liu, you couldn't afford to offend someone surnamed Wang. This was because the Liu family princes and nobles were all enfeoffed in various territories outside Chang'an, while those surnamed Wang all had indirect connections with the Wang family.

In the extravagant and decadent Wang family, Wang Yan felt that her father lived like an anomaly.

Because her grandfather died young and missed the opportunity to be enfeoffed as a feudal lord, Wang Yan's father lived the poorest of the family, taking turns living in his uncles' homes from a young age. Perhaps because he was dependent on others, her father was humble, meticulous, and lived a simple and frugal life. After the family divided its property, he supported his mother and widowed sister-in-law, and treated his elder brother's orphaned son better than his own. In addition, he was resilient, studious, respectful to elders and kind to the young, humble and polite. Compared to the group of spoiled young men in the Wang family, he quickly became a role model and his reputation spread far and wide.

Wang Yan knew many people praised her father, but she could tell that some praise was genuine, while others were laced with sarcasm and mockery. Her family was indeed poor; even though her father had previously held the high-ranking position of Grand Marshal, his salary and rewards were used to help his subordinates and commoners. Wang Yan was now nine years old and wore no jewelry whatsoever. Her mother had even been mistaken for a maidservant of the Wang family by a subordinate who came to visit her father, demonstrating just how simply she dressed.

Her right hand, which had been carrying the food box, was getting tired, so Wang Yan switched it to her left and used her right hand to lift the hem of her skirt. To save money, she had made her dark green dress a little too big, anticipating her growing stature; the hem dragged on the ground, making it difficult to walk. Usually, it was her mother who brought food to her father, but since her second brother's death, her father and mother had completely fallen out, and her mother had never given her father a kind look again.

Thinking of her beloved second brother, a look of sorrow appeared on Wang Yan's face. Even though more than half a year had passed and her family had moved back to Chang'an from the new capital of Fengguo, Wang Yan could never forget that incident.

With the death of Emperor Cheng of Han and the ascension of a new emperor, the Fu family, a new powerful maternal relative, rose to prominence. The Fu family, wanting to replicate the glory of the Wang family, naturally first had to deal with several prominent members of the Wang family. Wang Yan's father resigned in disgrace and went into seclusion in the new capital of his fiefdom. Although they had left the bustling city of Chang'an, their family had long been accustomed to this quiet and low-key life, but some others were not so comfortable with it.

Even dogs will bully others, let alone people.

Her mother was always gentle and mild-mannered, and her father's household was simple. She and her four brothers were all her children, so managing the household required no special methods. However, the servants around her father were obsequious in his presence, but behind his back, they revealed their vicious and cruel nature. Even after they moved to the new capital of the fiefdom, far from Chang'an and surrounded by commoners, they became increasingly arrogant and domineering. Her second brother, Wang Huo, once witnessed a servant bullying the common people and nearly driving an innocent woman to her death. His long-suppressed anger erupted on the spot; he threw a punch, and the servant fell to the ground, unfortunately hitting his head on a brick, and died instantly.

Ultimately, this wasn't a big deal. In the Han Dynasty, slaves were the property of their masters. The number of slaves a household owned was registered in the household register like horses, cattle, and sheep, and was subject to taxation. It was like owning a bowl; if it broke, it broke—who cared whether it was accidentally broken or intentionally? Besides, that slave deserved to die. When Wang Yan heard about it, she only paused for a moment, not taking it seriously.

But in her father's eyes, this was a huge deal.

He rebuked Wang Huo not with harsh words, but with various sage-like pronouncements that Wang Yan couldn't understand. This enraged Wang Huo, who was already filled with remorse for accidentally killing someone, and he committed suicide that very night.

Wang Yan still remembers that night. Her father preferred to believe others' one-sided stories rather than his own son, insisting on his own Confucian and Mencian doctrines and the principle of punishing evil and promoting good.

But what is good and evil? Is refraining from killing good? Is indifference good? Is sacrificing one's own family for the greater good good?

Ironically, because her second brother paid for the life of a servant, her father gained the attention of the high-ranking officials and nobles in Chang'an, who all suggested that he be reinstated. They returned to Chang'an soon after, but Wang Yan was not happy at all; it was at the cost of her second brother's life, and she would rather not have it.

Because of her second brother's situation, her mother stayed indoors, her two brothers became estranged from their father, and the servants in the Prince's mansion were trembling with fear, not daring to approach them for fear of incurring the wrath of her other brothers. So now, only she could deliver meals to her father.

Wang Yan walked through the desolate courtyard and arrived at her father's study. She knocked on the door with practiced ease, and after receiving permission, she pushed the door open and entered. She bent down and placed the food box on the table, and unsurprisingly saw her father holding a hair ornament and examining it.

That was a xiezhi crown.

Wang Yan and her father had always been close, and she knew that the Xie Zhi crown was a gift from her father's tutor. Legend has it that the Xie Zhi was a mythical beast. During the reign of Emperor Yao, a Xie Zhi was kept in the palace. It could distinguish between good and evil, and upon discovering a wicked official, it would use its single horn to knock him down and devour him. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it is said that King Wen of Chu also possessed a Xie Zhi, and later, a crown modeled after it was made and worn on his head. Thus, the Xie Zhi crown became fashionable in Chu. Later, during the Qin Dynasty, law enforcement censors wore Xie Zhi crowns, and the Han Dynasty inherited this practice. In common parlance, it was called a "law crown," a crown worn by law enforcers.

Wang Yan's father was not an imperial censor, so he never wore the xiezhi crown. He only played with it in his study to remind himself to distinguish right from wrong and punish evil and promote good. Wang Yan used to feel reverence when she saw the xiezhi crown, but after her second brother passed away, she found it amusing, though she couldn't show it.

"Yan'er." Wang Mang put down the xiezhi crown in his hand and beckoned to Wang Yan affectionately. Wang Mang had a beautiful beard and a refined, scholarly air about him. Moreover, his gentle and humble personality made him seem approachable.

Wang Yan knelt obediently beside her father, raising her face and smiling serenely.

Wang Mang gently stroked the top of her head and sighed, "You are very well-mannered. If it weren't for the fact that the current emperor doesn't care for women, I would definitely consider sending you to the palace."

Wang Yan lowered her eyes, staring at the mud stain on her skirt, indifferent to it. Her father was truly confused; she was only nine years old, far from the age of coming of age. And the current emperor was already twenty-five. Even if he were to be fond of women, he wouldn't be interested in a little girl like her!
After his second son committed suicide, his wife and children became estranged from him. Wang Mang could only talk to his daughter, not even expecting her to understand.

Bored, Wang Yan glanced around with her downcast eyes and discovered that the xiezhi crown on the table had unexpectedly flown away, replaced by a small white lamb the size of a palm!
Wang Yan blinked hard a few times in disbelief, almost thinking she was dreaming, but her father's nagging voice kept coming to her ears, while she could clearly hear another voice in her heart.

"Girl, can you see me, the one I am?"

Wang Yan stared in shock at the little sheep that had suddenly appeared on the table; to be precise, it wasn't actually a little sheep.

"Yan'er, what's wrong?" Wang Mang became alert to his daughter's unusual expression and quickly followed her gaze, only to find that she was looking at the xiezhi crown beside him.

"N-nothing..." Wang Yan realized that her father couldn't see the suddenly appearing lamb at all, so she asked curiously, "Father, what does a xiezhi look like?"

“The Xie Zhi is a divine sheep. Its body is that of a sheep, its head is that of a Qilin, and it has a single horn on its forehead.” Wang Mang rarely saw his daughter asking him questions, so he showed great patience.

It had the body of a sheep, a head like a qilin, and a single horn on its forehead… As Wang Yan listened to her father's description, she compared the lamb's appearance to the animal, growing increasingly horrified. This was clearly a xiezhi!
"Does Yan'er know the character '善' (shàn, good)? The character '善' has the '羊' (yáng, sheep) radical on it. The Xie Zhi (獬豸, a mythical beast) can distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong; it is a divine sheep." Wang Mang had forgotten that he had told Wang Yan about the origin of the Xie Zhi crown before, so he explained it to her in detail again, without noticing that his daughter was listening absentmindedly.

"He's right, but those who can see the true form are all extremely virtuous people." The Xie Zhi blinked its black eyes, and Wang Yan could actually see a hint of a smile in them.

But Wang Yan felt a chill run down her spine. She didn't think it was a good thing to be able to see a divine beast. Otherwise, why had she never seen one before, but only today? She... was not a virtuous person at all.

But why can't Father see the Xie Zhi? Isn't even he a perfectly virtuous person?

Your father is a hypocrite; he naturally regards me as nothing.

Wang Yan was somewhat shocked to see that the Xie Zhi could know what she was thinking, but then she thought that the other party was a divine beast, so what was this little bit of supernatural power? But when she heard the other party say that her father was hypocritical, she was not happy at all.

The mythical beast chuckled and continued, "When your father was young, he would receive praise for even the slightest show of humility towards his elders. He was obsessed with praise, suppressing his true nature. Such acts of kindness performed for the sake of praise are not true kindness, but hypocrisy."

Wang Yan was stunned. She didn't want to believe Xie Zhi's words, but every word it said pierced her heart.

Why did my father remain poor and alone? Why did he insist on keeping himself pure and upright? Why did he choose to force his own son to his death so that everyone in the world would praise him?

Was it all just a publicity stunt...?

[A good deed done by one person can be evil done by another. I saw you save that butterfly, but didn't the spider, who painstakingly wove its web, starve to death because of you? Both are living beings; the spider is ugly while the butterfly is beautiful. Why did you save the butterfly while harming the spider? If it weren't for the dying butterfly, but a mosquito caught in your web, what would you have done? Would you have saved it or not?]

Wang Yan was overwhelmed by the Xie Zhi's barrage of questions, and she didn't even know how she managed to say goodbye to her father and leave.

All she remembered was that on this early summer evening, as she stumbled through the corridor, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the tattered spiderweb, with only messy spider silk scattered and dancing in the wind.

The mythical beast Xie Zhi, which only she could see, became Wang Yan's nightmare.

It would often appear silently around her, and although it would no longer communicate with her, its dark, eerie gaze always sent chills down her spine. It made her think twice before doing anything, debating whether it was good or evil.

But after a short while, Wang Yan came to terms with it. She was neither a god nor a saint, so how could she be perfect? ​​She tried her best to pretend that the ever-present Xie Zhi did not exist, but because of what the other party said, her filial piety towards her father had diminished considerably.

In the summer of that year, Emperor Ai of Han died young without leaving an heir. Dong Xian, the Grand Marshal who was favored by Emperor Ai, also died alongside the emperor. Wang Yan's father was reinstated as Grand Marshal and installed the young Prince of Zhongshan as emperor. The new emperor was the same age as her.

With a weak ruler and powerful ministers, even though Wang Yan didn't understand politics, she knew that her father must have absolute power.

But her father always valued his reputation, and with his absolute power, he certainly wouldn't leave any room for criticism. It's said that from bestowing favors upon royalty and nobility to caring for widowed, orphaned, and lonely commoners, he spearheaded disaster relief efforts, earning him widespread praise from both the court and the public, who hailed him as a reincarnation of the Duke of Zhou. Who can't do good deeds? Moreover, in his position, sometimes all he needed to do was make a gesture, and people would readily follow suit.

Wang Yan silently accompanied her mother in doing needlework in the still simple and dilapidated house, occasionally staring blankly at the elusive Xie Zhi. Time quickly slipped away like water through her fingers.

The new emperor was already twelve years old, the age for marriage according to the Zhou Rites. Wang Yan heard that her father had issued an edict to select six women from prominent families across the land to be chosen as empress. Moreover, to avoid suspicion, her name was publicly crossed out. This action, however, sparked strong protests from the public. Many officials felt it was unfair, and every day people crowded at the palace gates or the prince's residence to submit petitions.

Wang Yan initially thought her father was right, as she had never wanted to enter the palace as empress. However, when she saw the seemingly smiling yet amused gaze of the Xie Zhi lying on the prayer mat, she was suddenly startled.

Is this another of the father's methods?
When she heard the crowd outside the courtyard shouting, "We wish to have your daughter as the mother of the world," she knew that she was truly destined to be the empress.

Wang Yan didn't actually want to marry. She had fantasized about her future husband, but never imagined it would be the emperor. However, she couldn't refuse. Her elder brother, Wang Yu, rebelled against their father, believing their father's insistence on his own way would offend the new emperor. He secretly tried to help the emperor's maternal family avoid being banished. But word got out, and her father ruthlessly arrested and imprisoned her brother, personally serving him poisoned wine. He also implicated the emperor's maternal family, using this as a pretext to eliminate them all. The court's attitude, however, was that her father had upheld justice and selflessly sacrificed his own family for the greater good.

Therefore, Wang Yan had no choice but to marry, as it must have been her father's wish.

The father has already obtained the same power as the emperor, so even if he cannot sit on that position, he wants his descendants who have his bloodline to sit on it.

However, when Wang Yan sat in Weiyang Palace for the first time in her life, adorned from head to toe with gold hairpins and jade pendants and thick makeup, in the most beautiful attire of her life, she knew that she could not bear the emperor's child.

Because he wouldn't let her get close at all.

It seems that the other party is also fully aware of the father's thoughts.

Just like the wise and powerful Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, who also had the nickname Liu Zhi, the royal family members, like ordinary people, would have rather crude nicknames in the hope that they would be easy to raise.

Before being given the name Liu Kan by Wang Mang, Liu Kan was called Liu Jizi. This name didn't refer to the constellation Ji (箕), but rather to a winnowing basket used for holding rice or garbage. Fortunately, given Emperor Wu of Han's nickname "Liu the Wild Boar" (刘野博), Liu Kan was actually quite satisfied with his childhood name.

But now his name is Liu Kan. This name was given to him by the person he hated most. Liu Kan, Liu Kan—did that person want to kill him? It has no meaning of happiness or peace at all! Looking at his current situation, from his name to his empress, everything was arranged by him. How can he possibly be happy and at peace?
Liu Kan was feeling stifled in the palace, so naturally he wouldn't give Wang Yan a friendly look. From the second day after Wang Yan married into the palace, she washed away her makeup, took off her heavy formal attire, and went back to wearing simple, old clothes. The palace maids had warned her that this wouldn't please the emperor, but Wang Yan remained calm. The emperor disliked her because of her father. She couldn't change her birth, so whether she dressed beautifully or not made no difference. Why make herself uncomfortable?

Besides, with her father around, which of the palace maids would dare to secretly climb into the emperor's bed? They'd be courting death. Even the young emperor himself probably wouldn't dare to appoint a wife or take concubines without authorization.

Moreover, Wang Yan felt powerless to help the young emperor.

Liu Kan was the same age as her, but his health was poor. He often suffered from symptoms such as heartache, chest pain, and shortness of breath, which were said to be ailments he had been born with. This was probably why her father chose Liu Kan from among countless members of the Liu clan; being young and sickly meant he posed no threat whatsoever.

Seeing the young emperor's feigned coldness and hardness but actually weak appearance, and even when he was arguing with her, he would clutch his chest and gasp for breath halfway through the argument, looking as if he would be blown away by a gust of wind, Wang Yan couldn't help but feel sympathy from the bottom of her heart. Regardless of his cold face, she always treated him gently and served him with care.

Having been accustomed to independence since childhood, Wang Yan never allowed palace maids to serve her, doing as many things as she could herself as possible. Consequently, she also took meticulous care of Liu Kan. Wang Yan had a younger brother, but since her second brother's death, her parents had never spoken to each other. Her father quickly took concubines, but Wang Yan never acknowledged the children born to those concubines as her siblings, nor did she ever show them any kindness. She treated Liu Kan like her own brother, caring for him wholeheartedly regardless of his sarcasm or disdain.

"There's no need for the Empress to do anything." This was a phrase that Liu Kan often said.

But Wang Yan pretended not to hear, personally taking care of Liu Kan's every need. Liu Kan, a member of the royal family, was naturally handsome. Although young, short in stature, and frail, he already possessed a remarkable charm. Sometimes, when Wang Yan was tying his robes, she couldn't help but stare at him in a daze. How could there be such a handsome person in the world?
The boy's thin body was no match for the heavy imperial robes, only revealing a hint of royal majesty and evoking feelings of pity in others.

This is her husband, her everything.

Wang Yan became even more dedicated. Although she knew that her father would not be able to take action against the young emperor so soon, she personally inspected everything that was to be eaten and tasted it before it was served to Liu Kan.

Liu Kan was not heartless. As they spent more and more time together, the young emperor and empress became like two teenagers who had just met, and their feelings for each other deepened day by day.

However, in the three years since Wang Yan married into the palace, Liu Kan's health has deteriorated. The Imperial Physician and several assistant Imperial Physicians diagnosed him with a painful heart ailment, a condition that, despite being pampered with fine food and clothing, was ultimately incurable. Wang Yan held a bowl full of medicinal food, and as was customary, tasted it first before offering it to the bedridden Liu Kan. But the latter simply waved his hand, smashing the medicinal food on the ground.

Wang Yan, without changing her expression, summoned a palace maid to clean up and ordered the kitchen to prepare another bowl of medicinal food.

"Tch, this kid must suspect you of poisoning him. Aren't you going to explain?" The Xie Zhi lazily rolled around on the luxurious and comfortable couch, continuing its sarcastic remarks about Wang Yan and Liu Kan's relationship. In its view, Wang Yan's kindness towards Liu Kan was completely unnecessary; she could obviously live a happier life and not care about Liu Kan's life or death, especially since Liu Kan was so ungrateful.

Wang Yan knew that explaining would be useless. Liu Kan was already in a difficult situation, so it was impossible for him not to be suspicious. In addition, his illness was getting worse, and his temper was becoming more and more irritable. Sitting by the bedside, watching Liu Kan cough so hard, Wang Yan could only quietly light a stick of benzoin incense. Watching Liu Kan gradually calm down and fall asleep in the swirling fragrance, Wang Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"The people of the world only know the princes and dukes, but not His Majesty." The Xie Zhi strained its voice, imitating the tone of the eunuch, and then found it amusing, laughing heartily.

Wang Yan glanced at it, knowing that this creature wasn't some divine beast capable of distinguishing good from evil, but rather a troublemaker. Luckily, only she could see it; otherwise, who knows what kind of chaos it would cause. However, she'd rather not have this kind of luck. Thinking this helplessly, she walked to the bedside and covered Liu Kan with the blanket. Suddenly, Wang Yan heard a commotion outside the hall.

Not wanting to wake Liu Kan, who had finally fallen asleep, Wang Yan frowned and stepped outside the palace, silencing the palace maids and eunuchs who were causing a disturbance. Although she was not yet sixteen years old, she had already been empress for three years. Despite not wearing any fine silks or satins, and only casually wearing a phoenix coral hairpin in her hair, her presence alone commanded respect. Seeing that the palace maids had quieted down, Wang Yan asked in a low voice with displeasure, "What's causing this commotion?"

"Your Majesty, there is an assassin!" The palace maids knelt on the ground trembling and reported the news they had heard in detail.

Wang Yan's delicate brows furrowed even more. To be precise, it wasn't an assassin who broke into the palace, but a thief. A thief had infiltrated the Empress Dowager's palace and ransacked her bedchamber. But Wang Yan's great-aunt had always been a model of frugality; if the thief had the ability to infiltrate the palace, why would he choose the least lucrative palace? Could it be that the thief wanted a specific treasure belonging to the Empress Dowager? Wang Yan suddenly remembered that the Imperial Seal of the State and the He Shi Bi jade were kept by her great-aunt, so she specifically inquired whether any items were missing. Only after receiving a negative answer did she nod in relief.

Instructing the guards to be on high alert, Wang Yan walked back into the palace, lost in thought. She had only just passed through the layers of curtains when she heard voices coming from inside. Only the sleeping Liu Kan was inside; who else could be there? Startled, Wang Yan remembered the thief from before and almost cried out. But fearing the thief had already kidnapped Liu Kan, she forced herself to listen intently.

A clear male voice said, "...You mean we're in the Han Dynasty now? Well, that makes sense, there aren't even any tables or chairs here. And no owner either... Wait, holy crap! This little lamb on the soft couch is actually alive! Its head looks like a Qilin, and it even has horns on its forehead! What kind of mythical beast is this? Did it come out of the Classic of Mountains and Seas?"

Wang Yan paused, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, suddenly calmed down for some reason. Although the Xie Zhi was always unreliable, she still believed its claim that those who could see it were the most virtuous people.

At this moment, another, more composed male voice spoke up: "Keep your voice down. Can't you see someone is asleep on this bed? Do you want to wake them up and have the guards arrest us? Also, what little lamb? I don't see it."

"...Can't you see it? Okay. Maybe it's some strange mythical beast that came out of the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Ignore it... Huh? Speaking of which, this person wearing this has a congenital heart disease! Look at him, his lips, nose, and cheeks are already cyanotic. He must have difficulty breathing or fainting from time to time."

"You still want to punish him?"

"It's incurable. In modern times, a minor surgery would solve it, but in this era..."

Wang Yan clutched her chest, too distressed to speak. She couldn't hear what the two people behind her were saying. She didn't know their background or why one of them could clearly see the Xie Zhi, but she could tell that Liu Kan's condition wasn't optimistic.

Quietly wiping away her tears, Wang Yan waited until she regained her senses before realizing that the bedchamber had returned to tranquility. She tiptoed inside and, as expected, found no one else in the room except for the sleeping Liu Kan.

The Xie Zhi lay thoughtfully on the soft couch, facing Wang Yan's questioning gaze, and slowly yawned.

The incident of the thief breaking into Weiyang Palace caused a sensation, but in the end, it was left unresolved.

As the weather grew colder, Liu Kan's health deteriorated, often suffering from sleepless nights and his complexion rapidly turning ashen. Towards the end of the year, numerous banquets were held in the palace, which Liu Kan missed several times. Finally able to get out of bed one day, he disregarded Wang Yan's advice and forced himself to attend a banquet despite his illness.

Wang Yan could understand Liu Kan's competitive spirit. After all, he was the emperor, yet he no longer had the energy to attend court, let alone host palace banquets on his behalf. His great-aunt, the Empress Dowager, was too old to attend any palace banquets, and Empress Dowager Fu, having failed in her power struggle, also lived a secluded life in the inner palace. Wang Yan herself often took care of Liu Kan and rarely appeared on such occasions. In fact, women in the Han Dynasty wielded considerable power; even if she wanted to influence the court, she could attend court and participate in politics, let alone attend a banquet like this. Ultimately, Wang Yan was still worried, so she changed into formal attire and accompanied Liu Kan to the banquet.

The father remained as gentle and refined as ever, humble and polite, even standing up to toast Liu Kan with a sincere and earnest attitude...

All eyes in the hall were on the young emperor sitting at the highest point, but no one stood up to say that the emperor's health was not suitable for drinking.

Wang Yan sat to the left of Liu Kan, knowing that the heavy imperial robes were almost crushing his body. Watching his weak hand tremble as he held the wine cup, she suddenly remembered, for some reason, a beautiful butterfly she had seen many years ago, on a summer afternoon, struggling to survive on a spider web.

Wang Yan gracefully stood up, walked to Liu Kan's side, and, amidst the astonished gazes of the court officials, naturally took the wine cup from Liu Kan's hand. With a serene smile, she said, "Father, the Emperor is unwell; I will drink this cup in his place." With that, she tilted her head back and drank it all in one gulp.

The wine cup made a soft, crisp sound as it hit the table. Wang Yan's already pretty face flushed red from the alcohol, as if she had applied a layer of fine rouge. She looked at her father, who remained expressionless at the bottom of the steps, and then at Liu Kan beside her, whose eyes were filled with indescribable pleasure. She knew that she had made the right choice today.

Everyone present knew that the wine couldn't possibly be poisoned. If her father wanted Liu Kan dead, he would never have used such a foolish method that would invite gossip and criticism. Her father probably just wanted to give the struggling Liu Kan a warning. A cup of wine might cause the ailing Liu Yan to toss and turn in agony for days, but he would have to swallow it with a heavy heart and endure the humiliation. Having learned his lesson, Liu Kan would likely lie obediently in his bedchamber and never again attempt to appear before the officials.

But she helped him out of that predicament, even at the risk of bumping into her father. For the first time, she made her stance clear, under the watchful eyes of the entire court.

Wang Yan lowered her eyes and smiled self-deprecatingly. He was her husband, how could she possibly abandon him?
The banquet ended in an eerie atmosphere. Back in her bedchamber, Wang Yan sat before the bronze mirror, removing the hairpins from her hair, pondering whether she should post a notice seeking the most renowned physicians in the land. After all, the imperial physician in charge might very well be her father's subordinate; what if Liu Kan's illness had been misdiagnosed...?

Concern leads to chaos.

Looking at the shattered amethyst hairpin on the ground, Wang Yan felt a sense of bewilderment for the first time.

"Disobeying your father, you are truly unfilial." The mocking voice of the Xie Zhi came from the soft couch. It had clearly not stepped out of the bedchamber, yet it seemed to have witnessed everything.

If she is unfilial, then isn't she no longer a truly virtuous person? But why can she still see the Xie Zhi? Wang Yan had already gotten used to treating the Xie Zhi as if it didn't exist, but she still couldn't help but refute it in her heart.

"Good and evil are not so easily distinguished." The Xie Zhi blinked its black eyes and continued softly, "What is good for one person can be evil for another."

Wang Yan felt a sharp pang in her heart. She suddenly remembered that her second and eldest brothers had both been ruthlessly driven to their deaths by their father, who could even be so heartless as to kill his own son…

As if cursed, the moment Xie Zhi finished speaking, cries of alarm came from the main hall. Such commotion was common in Weiyang Palace; Liu Kan must have fainted again.

However, this time the commotion seemed rather large, and the faint sound of palace maids weeping could be heard.

As if she had a premonition, Wang Yan bent down and picked up the amethyst carved hairpin that had been broken into several pieces on the ground, her heart filled with despair.

On the Bingwu day of the twelfth month of the fifth year of the Yuanshi era, Liu Kan died in Weiyang Palace due to a relapse of his illness. He was fifteen years old at the time and was posthumously honored as Emperor Xiaoping.

The flower called love in Wang Yan's heart was ruthlessly destroyed by fate when it had just begun to bloom, quickly withering and turning to ashes.

She became Empress Dowager at the age of fifteen, but the one who ascended the throne this time was not her son, but a two-year-old child chosen by her father from the Liu clan.

Wang Yan felt fortunate that if her father had chosen an innocent child as emperor, she wouldn't have been able to marry Liu Kan. Although it only lasted three short years, she felt it was the happiest three years of her life.

Despite her supreme status, Wang Yan chose not to meddle in politics. She knew she was indeed kind-hearted, but she was also self-aware. Sometimes, having a kind heart doesn't necessarily mean that one's good deeds are good deeds for others. The words that Xie Zhi always spoke of were not unfounded. She coldly watched as her father, after three years of forbearance, finally couldn't resist deposing the child emperor and taking his place.

Her guilty father bestowed upon her the title of Princess Huang, and she kept the palace doors tightly shut, leaving only a few palace maids to serve her. She refused to see anyone and lived a secluded life.

Actually, she wasn't too bored. When the Xie Zhi (a mythical beast) was bored out of its mind, it would chat with her and tell her stories. Legend has it that Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, started his rebellion by slaying a white python. This white python was also a spiritual creature, and it spoke human language, saying that Liu Bang would eventually face retribution. If he cut off its head, it would usurp the Han throne; if he cut off its tail, it would usurp the Han throne. In the end, Liu Bang cut the white python in two with a single sword stroke, which is why the Han Dynasty was destined to encounter problems in its middle period.

Wang Yan did not take Xie Zhi's idle talk as casual remarks. She also knew that her father's foundation for usurping the Han throne was unstable and that sooner or later the Liu family would regain power.

In fact, Wang Yan knew that although her father was ambitious, regardless of whether hypocrisy had become a habit, he genuinely wanted to do good deeds. He attempted to restore the corrupted ritual system of the Western Zhou Dynasty by reviving the Zhou ritual system. Therefore, the new policies he implemented were entirely modeled after the Zhou Dynasty system.

But the system of rites and rituals was already outdated. Qin Shi Huang's legal system and Emperor Wu of Han's Confucian system were able to unify the country. Her father was truly hypocritical to the extreme, completely unaware of the immense harm his promotion of the system of rites and rituals would bring to the court, the people, and the common folk. It was like releasing a land tortoise into the water instead of a land tortoise—a good intention that resulted in a terrible deed.

Wang Yan watched coldly as her father walked down a dead end, knowing that no matter what she said, she couldn't persuade him to come back.

The time did not last long. When the rebels overthrew the new dynasty, stormed into Weiyang Palace, and set it on fire, Xie Zhi stood on the head of the bronze crane in front of the palace, watching Wang Yan walk towards the sea of ​​fire without looking back.

[Can you regret it?] The deep black eyes of the Xie Zhi reflected the raging flames. At this moment, Wang Yan was in the prime of her life. The first ten years of her life were spent in hardship and loneliness, and although the following ten years were spent in the most luxurious palace, she was still lonely and miserable.

Wang Yan's feet did not stop. Did she regret it?

Perhaps if she had chosen to stand by Liu Kan's side earlier, it would have brought him disaster sooner, but she still doesn't regret her choice back then.

Although she couldn't distinguish between good and evil in this world, if she could return to that summer afternoon and choose again, she would still save the butterfly. Its death throes made it impossible for her to remain indifferent, even if she should have sided with the spider. Unfortunately, her power was only enough to save that tiny butterfly for a fleeting moment…

Wang Yan's slender figure was quickly engulfed by the flames, and the Xie Zhi stared at the sea of ​​fire, falling into a long silence.

In its long life, many people cannot see it, some can, and some go from being able to see it to not being able to. But no one has ever been like Wang Yan, who let it watch her go.

To follow one's true nature is the ultimate good.

Did this woman maintain a heart of utmost kindness from birth to death?
The Xie Zhi nimbly leaped down from the tall bronze crane, and the world lost another person who could see it.

With a flick of its body, it easily found the dusty xiezhi crown in the corner of the storeroom, lazily yawned, rolled back into the crown, and fell into a deep sleep...

AD 2013

"Huh? So, the boy we just saw was Emperor Ping of Han, Liu Kan?" The doctor lay on a rosewood recliner in the Silent Cottage, scrolling through web pages on his phone, researching information. "Wang Mang usurped the Han throne, and some people say he was the reincarnation of the white python that Liu Bang slew, hence the name Mang. When Liu Bang started his rebellion, he cut the white python in two right in the middle, and the Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties each lasted two hundred years. Wow, how amazing! Could that white python be related to Bai Lu...?"

Lu Zigang didn't pay attention to the doctor's rambling; he was busy looking up information.

A body like a sheep, a head like a qilin, a single horn on its forehead… Is that a xiezhi?! And why can the doctor see it when he clearly sees nothing? Is the rumor that only the most virtuous can see xiezhi true?

Lu Zigang smiled. "What 'perfect goodness'? It must be referring to a pure-hearted fool, right? That does fit the doctor's personality quite well. Besides, the rumors about unicorns exist in both the East and the West, and they are surprisingly consistent: unicorns are said to be able to distinguish right from wrong and good from evil, and they are fond of girls who are pure in body and mind."

But only fools in this world can be truly pure and selfless, right?
His selfish motives...

Lu Zigang clenched the object in his hand; if the doctor looked in his direction, he would find it extremely familiar.

Because that was the very thing he had worn for twenty-four years.

The white jade longevity lock has been inlaid with gold thread.

(End of this chapter)