Nine Nights Owl Song

The fifth day of the third month in the nineteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the imperial city.

Two days have passed since the Crown Prince's coup attempt. The bloodstains in the capital have been cleaned up, the rebels' corpses have been removed, and the breached palace gates have been repaired.

Everything returned to normal, as if the battle that night had never happened.

But everyone knows that everything has changed.

Great court meeting.

Emperor Yong'an sat on the dragon throne, his face even more aged than three days ago, his eyes sunken, his cheekbones high, like an oil lamp about to burn out—the flame still flickered, but could be extinguished at any moment. Overnight, only the sixth prince remained.

"Issue the decree." Emperor Yong'an's voice was hoarse.

Gao Dequan unfolded the imperial edict.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Crown Prince Xiao Jingrui harbors treacherous intentions and has raised an army in rebellion. His crime is unforgivable. Effective immediately, he is deposed as a commoner and imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court for life."

No one speaks.

This result was expected by everyone.

Treason is a capital offense; the emperor's decision not to kill him is already an act of leniency. He is spared his life but imprisoned for life.

This was the last bit of kindness a father could show his son.

Emperor Yong'an looked at the empty palace.

He recalled how happy he was like a child on the day his eldest son was born, holding the swaddled baby and spinning around the imperial study three times, saying he would make him the crown prince and give him the best of everything.

He gave him the position of crown prince, the best tutor, and everything he could give.

He thought he would be a good emperor, but he wasn't.

He became the first son to raise an army and force the emperor to abdicate, and he destroyed himself with his own hands.

Emperor Yong'an closed his eyes.

"The second decree."

Gao Dequan unfolded the second imperial edict.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Sixth Prince, Xiao Yan, has rendered meritorious service in saving the Emperor. He is of noble character and closely resembles the Emperor. He shall be established as the Crown Prince from this day forward."

A whole group of people knelt in the imperial court.

"Long live the Crown Prince!"

Xiao Yan knelt at the front, his forehead touching the ground.

He was a good-for-nothing for over twenty years, and everyone called him a spoiled brat.

Today he knelt here to receive the crown prince's seal. He didn't want to be crown prince, but he had to.

The Emperor is getting old, and the court cannot be without a crown prince.

The crown prince was deposed, the second prince left, the fourth prince was far away in Jiangnan, and only he was left.

"The third decree."

Gao Dequan's voice echoed in the hall.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: General Su Jiuge of Anxi has rendered meritorious service in pacifying the southern border. Effective immediately, he is hereby promoted to Marquis of Zhennan, with a fief of three thousand households, and is bestowed with a set of golden armor and a jade belt."

Once again, everyone in the imperial court knelt down.

"May the Marquis of Zhennan live a thousand years!"

Su Jiuge knelt beside Xiao Yan, her forehead touching the ground.

Marquis of Zhennan, she was the first woman to be granted a marquisate since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty.

She didn't smile; her face was expressionless.

But Xiao Yan knew that only he could see the slight curve at the corner of her mouth.

After the court session ended, Su Jiuge walked out of the Golden Palace.

The sunlight was blinding, so she squinted.

Xiao Yan walked beside her.

"You have been granted a title of nobility."

"Um."

"The first woman to be granted a marquisate since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty."

Su Jiuge looked at him.

"You've become the crown prince. You're the first prince in the history of the Great Liang Dynasty to actually become the crown prince by pretending to be a good-for-nothing."

Xiao Yan laughed, but then his smile faded.

"Su Jiuge, thank you."

Su Jiuge looked into his eyes.

"What are you thanking me for?" Xiao Yan thought for a long time.

"Thank you for coming back."

Su Jiuge did not answer.

She reached out and took his hand.

The two walked side by side on the palace path. Sunlight shone down from the top of the red wall and fell on them, casting long shadows.

The Marquis of Dingyuan's Residence.

Madam Shen stood at the door, Uncle Fu stood beside her, the old drunkard stood on the threshold, and dozens of people from the Marquis's mansion stood there in a dark mass.

Su Jiuge got off the carriage.

When Shen saw her tears fall, she quickly walked to her daughter, cupped her face, and looked at her again and again.

"You've lost weight." Madam Shen choked back tears.

"The food in the South is not good."

Su Jiuge looked at her mother.

"Mother, I've been granted a title of nobility."

Shen's tears flowed even more fiercely, and she nodded vigorously.

"Mother knows. Mother has heard. The Marquis of Zhennan, my daughter is the Marquis of Zhennan."

The old drunkard stood on the threshold, his gourd of wine forgotten in his hand. Tears welled in his cloudy eyes, but they didn't fall.

The girl he raised, the child he picked up from the snow, is now the Marquis of Zhennan.

Su Jiuge walked up to the old drunkard.

"Old drunkard, I've been granted a title."

The old drunkard's lips were trembling.

"Girl." His voice was hoarse.

"When I picked you up from the snow back then, I never imagined this day would come. I don't have many skills, I can't teach you much, except how to drink."

Su Jiuge looked at him.

"You taught me more than just how to drink. You taught me to read, to fight, and to live. Without you, I am nothing."

Tears streamed down the old drunkard's face.

He tried to wipe it with his sleeve, but it wouldn't dry.

Su Jiuge reached out and wiped away his tears.

Three large tables were set up in the main hall.

Shen prepared a table full of dishes, and Su Jiuge ate a lot, finishing all the dishes that Shen put on her plate.

Su Chengzhi poured her a glass of wine.

"I salute you, elder brother."

Su Jiuge picked up her wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Su Chengxun blushed and said, "Sister Jiuge, you're amazing."

Su Wan'er picked up a piece of pork rib for her.

Su Jiuge ate it.

The old drunkard drank a lot of alcohol, his face flushed red, and he held onto Su Jiuge's hand tightly.

"Girl, I'm happy." Su Jiuge helped the old drunkard up.

The old drunkard was asleep, leaning back in his chair, still clutching his wine gourd in his hand.

Su Jiuge gently took the wine gourd from his hand and placed it on the table.

Qian Shaoqing stood in the study of Prince Zhao's residence, took out the letter he had kept close to his body for many days from his bosom, and handed it to Xiao Yan with both hands.

"Your Highness, my father asked me to deliver this to you." Xiao Yan took the letter and opened it.

The letter was short, only a few lines long.

Qian Shigui's handwriting is vigorous and powerful, each stroke like it was carved with a knife.

"Sixth Prince: Qian Shigui of Qingjiang is willing to be loyal to the court for generations. This young man, Shaoqing, has never left home since he was a child. He is cold and doesn't like to talk, but he is not a bad person. Your Highness, please be lenient with him. If he makes a mistake, Your Highness should punish him accordingly. Qian Shigui bows."

Xiao Yan put down the letter and remained silent for a long time.

He saw a father's reluctance between the lines of Qian Shigui's words.

He didn't say "Take good care of my son," nor did he say "Don't let him suffer."

He only said, "Your Highness, please be lenient," and "Punish him if he deserves it."

This letter is a pledge of loyalty, a declaration of my determination to hand my son over to the imperial court.

Qian Shaoqing stood there, and Xiao Yan folded the letter and put it into his sleeve.

"I received your father's letter. You can focus on your work in the Dark Pavilion; I'll take care of your father."

Qian Shaoqing knelt down and kowtowed.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhao Ying stood outside the door, watching Qian Shaoqing's back as he knelt on the ground.

He suddenly thought of his father, wondering where he was, what he looked like, and whether he was still alive.

He had never thought about these things before, but he did today.

That night, Zhao Ying carried a jar of fine wine to Qian Shaoqing's room.

"Brother Qian, let's drink." Qian Shaoqing looked at the jar of wine.

"Good wine?" Zhao Ying grinned.

"Good wine. It's from Old Zhang's family in Luojing East City, not the kind sold in general stores." Qian Shaoqing's lips curved slightly.

The two men sat facing each other, drinking wine, with the moonlight shining brightly outside the window.

March 5th, the 19th year of Yong'an.

The crown prince was deposed and imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court.

Xiao Yan was made crown prince, and Su Jiuge was enfeoffed as Marquis of Zhennan.

The affairs of the imperial court have also been settled.

The world is at peace for the time being, but Su Jiuge knows that peace is not something that comes by waiting, but by fighting.