The Splendor of the Five Dynasties

Chapter 125 Winter Plum
A few wintersweet blossoms are in full bloom despite the wind and snow.

As soon as Xiao Yi entered the hall, he felt very warm. He noticed that there were several incense burners hanging in the hall, but not many charcoal braziers.

The wool blanket had been washed and was spotless.

Empress Dowager Li emerged from behind the screen, not even glancing at him, and sat down comfortably on the prayer mat, appearing dignified.

"Pour me a glass of water...and take off your boots."

Although he didn't know if this was in accordance with palace etiquette, Xiao Yi did as instructed. The fine linen footwear felt surprisingly warm on the bluestone slabs, apparently because there was underfloor heating underneath. He just didn't know how it was done.

The water in the kettle was just warm. He poured himself a cup, and as he did so, he felt Empress Dowager Li glance at him. He turned his head and saw her reading a memorial.

In the past, when she handed over the water cup, Empress Dowager Li would not even look up and would say indifferently, "Doing it a lot will indeed make you skilled."

"This humble general will not be able to serve the Empress Dowager many more times."

"What do you mean?" Empress Dowager Li blurted out, then changed to a condescending tone, saying, "You did not bring the heir apparent here."

"Liu Yun betrayed the country and abandoned the people, fleeing to Hedong without authorization. I have already captured him."

Whom does Guo Wei want to install as his successor?

"My lord originally intended to return to the capital to discuss matters with the Empress Dowager and the officials, but when he reached Xiangzhou, a mutiny broke out in the army. They draped a yellow flag over my lord and proclaimed him emperor. This is what the people want..."

"You dare?!"

Empress Dowager Li suddenly turned around, her face full of intimidation.

She must be truly shocked now.

Xiao Yi took out Guo Wei's memorial and handed it to her, saying, "This is Lord Ming's memorial of apology."

Empress Dowager Li refused to accept it, remaining as still as a statue.

Gradually, her breathing became heavier due to anger, and her chest heaved.

"Fifteen years, Guo Que'er has served Emperor Gaozu for fifteen years. Has he forgotten the scene when he cried out, 'The only one who has been kind to me is Lord Liu'? I have repeatedly called him a loyal minister. Is this his loyalty?!"

When she got angry, she suddenly threw a water glass at Xiao Yi. The glass landed on the carpet but didn't break.

But the Han dynasty had long since crumbled into pieces.

If we really get down to it, it was Liu Chengyou and Li Ye who broke the rules first. Empress Dowager Li must know this perfectly well, so Xiao Yi didn't elaborate and only gave three words.

"ended."

Empress Dowager Li's eyes immediately reddened.

Xiao Yi said, "The victor is king, the loser is villain; the dust has settled. Since the Empress Dowager has done her best, she need not worry about power struggles and scheming from now on; she can live out her remaining years in peace..."

"What life is left?!"

Empress Dowager Li suddenly flew into a rage, rose up, lunged forward, and tore the memorial in Xiao Yi's hand.

Xiao Yi raised his hand to prevent her from reaching it, so she punched his chest and tugged at his shoulder.

Perhaps once the nation falls, she will no longer need to maintain her dignity, and will instead cry out, plunder, and vent her frustrations like a madwoman.

"I was forcibly taken as a wife at sixteen, and how have I survived ever since? You dare to rob me?!"

Xiao Yi grabbed her hands, which were trying to strangle him.

Empress Dowager Li struggled but could not break free, and cried and cursed.

"You think you snatched the throne from the dead? I'm still here! Liu Zhiyuan was just a stable boy at thirty-eight, barely literate. It was me who painstakingly built this empire over twenty years. This country is mine! You took my life and now you say I have a life left? Die!"

Xiao Yi disagreed, believing that she was prejudiced against Liu Zhiyuan.

From what he learned in Guo Wei's army, he could roughly piece together the story of Liu Zhiyuan's rise to power: a groom who seized the throne in just over a decade, certainly with some extraordinary encounters, such as risking his life to save Shi Jingtang. But more importantly, he was brave, loyal, and rallied a group of highly capable men, seizing the opportune moment of an era where the strongest army ruled. Empress Dowager Li certainly played a significant role, but she amplified her own influence, which ultimately led to her greater suffering.

"Your Majesty overestimates yourself. You deserve credit for the founding of the nation, but what about the contributions of Ming Gong, Shi Hongzhao, and Wang Jun? The nation belongs to all the people, and they have already made their choice. There's no use in making a fuss like a child."

To be honest, it seemed to shatter Empress Dowager Li's last bit of pride.

Xiao Yi felt the wrist he was holding go limp.

He let go, and Empress Dowager Li collapsed to the ground, finally ceasing her madness.

"Fine, the victor is king and the loser is villain, I have nothing to say."

Suddenly, a flash of cold light appeared.

But Empress Dowager Li took out a dagger from under the prayer mat and slashed it at her own neck.

Xiao Yi quickly kicked out and knocked the dagger away.

A few drops of blood fell on the white wool carpet, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

Empress Dowager Li closed her eyes and collapsed.

"Queen Mother?"

Xiao Yi leaned down and saw a red wound on her snow-white neck, but it wasn't deep. She must have fainted from exhaustion and excitement.

"Somebody come!"

He called out twice towards the outside of the hall, but no palace servants came.

Xiao Yi sensed something was wrong, so he took out the medicine he always carried and sprinkled it on the wound. He then cut two strips of cloth from the edge of her plain dress and wrapped them around her neck twice.

She poured another glass of warm water and sprinkled a few drops on the lips that had no color.

After a while, Empress Dowager Li's eyelashes fluttered a few times.

She opened her eyes, staring blankly at him. After a long while, she spoke softly, her voice weak, her heart ashen.

"It's no use trying to save me, I'm exhausted."

"Queen Mother..."

"Don't call me Empress Dowager, I am no longer Empress Dowager."

"My lord wishes to regard you as his mother, but you are still too..."

Xiao Yi realized halfway through his sentence that these words would not comfort her but would only hurt her more, so he changed his words and said, "You are still too young. When Emperor Gaozu was your age, he had not yet begun to rise to power."

Empress Dowager Li turned her head to the side and murmured, "I don't want to mention them anymore."

"Yes."

"I'm appointing you as a Palace Attendant, which elevates your rank by at least three levels. If you're grateful for my favor, will you do me a favor?"

"But it doesn't matter."

"After I die, I do not wish to be buried in Ruiling Mausoleum. Cremate me and scatter my ashes in Mingli Village, Yuci County, Bingzhou. There is a plum grove on the mountain behind the village; consider it sending me home."

Why must the Empress Dowager seek death?

“I told you, don’t call me Empress Dowager, I’m tired of it. Call me ‘Third Sister’ or ‘Li Hanmei’ if you want, but don’t let the palace servants sing ‘Li San Niang, the plum blossom in the snow, reflects my Liu Lang’s bright future.’ I hate that poem. I accept that it was taken away, but I don’t want to marry, I just don’t want to marry.”

"Okay." Xiao Yi could understand. A young girl was taken as a wife by an old coachman for no reason. Even though the old coachman later became emperor, the fear of being taken away was always a shadow over her life.

Only at this moment did he realize that the woman before him was not the Empress Dowager, but Li Hanmei.

Seeing her curled up, seemingly in a state of helplessness, he went around the screen, picked up a thick blanket, and covered her with it.

Li Hanmei turned her head and met his gaze. Although she didn't say anything, she asked a question.

"You...understand?"

"Ah."

Two lines of tears inexplicably flowed from Li Hanmei's eyes.

She wiped her face and said sarcastically, "Even my grandparents and the whole family always say, 'What do you want? You've become a very important person.' It's utterly ridiculous."

"Some people adorn themselves with flowers, while others watch; these people cannot understand the feeling of having a flower branch broken."

"God knows how disgusted I was when I first saw him... I thought all of this was compensation for me, ha, twenty years have passed like a dream."

"Who isn't like that? Wasting a lifetime, in the end it all comes to nothing."

Li Hanmei fell silent upon hearing this.

Xiao Yi simply sat down on the futon and waited for her to calm down.

After a long while, he felt Li Hanmei looking at him. He turned around and saw that she did not look away, but stared straight at him.

His eyes were deep, and indeed, they carried a hint of probing.

"You haven't agreed yet."

"what?"

"Bury my ashes back in Yuci."

"You're in the prime of your life, do you really intend to die?"

"First, will you agree or not?"

"it is good."

"swear."

"If Li Hanmei dies, I will bury her ashes back in the plum grove of Mingli Village. If I break this vow, may I be struck by lightning."

Li Hanmei's eyes brightened, and she regained some of her former empress-like demeanor. She said in a deep voice, "Yuci belongs to Bingzhou and is Liu Chongzhi's base of operations. Are you willing to go there?"

"I will be able to go someday."

"We can't go now, because Liu Chong is still alive."

Xiao Yi thought to himself, "This woman is indeed as her name suggests. She has the resilience of a winter plum blossom. She seemed to have broken down emotionally just a moment ago, but in reality, her fighting spirit has not been extinguished."

Her words just now came from the bottom of her heart, and her brilliance lay in her attempt to win him over with sincerity.

Unfortunately, her predictions about the course of history were far inferior to his.

"Give up. Liu Chong will not sincerely welcome you, and this man is no match for you, my lord."

"I'm not betting on Liu Chong, but... you."

"I?"

“From Li Siyuan to Guo Wei, including the Liao emperor, and Liu Chong who was destined to become emperor, I have seen ten emperors. I trust my judgment of people.”

"so?"

"You have lofty ambitions, don't you?"

"Trying to harm me? It's no use. You know I'm pure of heart and won't fall for your tricks."

“He underestimated you. I’ve always underestimated you too, but now, I genuinely want to help you.”

"Help me become emperor?"

"Don't rush to refuse, let me finish. I can take you as my adopted son, and you can be my inside man to contact Liu Chong to destroy Guo Wei, and then eliminate Liu Chong. I will make you my successor, and for twenty years, you and I, mother and son, can share the world."

Xiao Yi chuckled and said, "Now I believe you really want to die."

"Why laugh? This matter is not impossible. If it succeeds, who else can I give a high position to besides you, my adopted son?"

Xiao Yi couldn't help but chuckle.

Li Hanmei sat up cross-legged, straightened her posture, and adopted a dignified demeanor, speaking in the tone of the Empress Dowager: "What's so funny?"

The more serious she became, the more ridiculous Xiao Yi found her.

"Do not lose your composure in front of the Emperor. If you have any concerns, just speak them."

"That's pretty childish."

"what?!"

"I said, I won't agree."

"Is he unwilling to contact Liu Chong, or is he unwilling to be my adopted son?"

"Neither."

"Scared?"

"It's no use trying to provoke me. Let me put it this way: in my past life I lived a few years older than you and knew the future of the world. Why would I agree to your request?"

"Teasing me?"

Where Xiao Yi's gaze fell, Li Hanmei's eyes were filled with majesty, trying to suppress his aura with her gaze. He did not give in and met her gaze frankly.

She wore no makeup and even deliberately tried to appear older to show her dignity, but she had a natural, unassuming air about her, and the more you looked at her, the more charming she became...

Li Hanmei finally averted her gaze, turning her head to look dejectedly out of the hall. For her, her final counterattack had ended in failure.

She underestimated him.

"Well, what do you want?"

"Then please follow the will of Heaven and the people, and issue an edict to pass on the throne."

"Okay." Li Hanmei closed her eyes, and after a while, she said calmly, "Let's talk again tomorrow."

"Why bother?"

"Just think of it as... I want to die a little slower."

As Xiao Yi left, he glanced back at the winter plum blossoms in the courtyard one last time, thinking to himself that once this snow was over, the flowering season would be over.

(End of this chapter)