The Child Emperor

There was a shift in the atmosphere in the Hall of Diligent Administration. At first, the senior officials would generally maintain silence and profess ignorance. They looked incompetent, but they were actually making a show of strength to the Empress Dowager, letting her see that the Imperial Court could not function without the senior officials. When it was clear that Prince Qi would be defeated, the senior officials became more lively, competing with each other to provide suggestions, to show that they were not truly incompetent. Now, they were cautious of each other and careful with their words, as they did not want to be implicated in Prince Qi’s rebellion.

A ruler has zero tolerance for rebels, and would not be merciful in exacting vengence. That was the way for countless dynasties and generations. Some Emperors would even commit slaughter to prevent the seeds of rebellion from even germinating. The senior officials could accept such things, and sometimes would even take the chance to eliminate their political enemies.

However, the Empress Dowager’s ambitions exceeded that of most previous Emperors. After issuing an edict that appeared to be forgiving, she strictly supervised the prosecution of Prince Qi’s allies. The situation appeared to be getting more severe, and even the cruelest prosecutors could not make the Empress Dowager happy. She kept asking for more details and issued more edicts, ordering that every person who participated in the rebellion be dug out, dead or alive, noble or common, no exceptions.

What caused the senior officials most unease, was that a new person began attending at the Hall of Diligent Administration.

The Hall of Diligent Administration was where matters of state were discussed and imperial edicts were drafted. Those who worked here were part of the inner circles of power. There was no fixed number here, ranging from one to more than ten. Usually, the Chancellor would surely be one, and then the others would be other officials appointed by the Emperor.

Ever since the Graceful Emperor had ascended to the throne, the makeup of the Hall of Diligent Administration had not changed much. The Five Trusted Officials appointed by the Martial Emperor would be present, and sometimes other officials would be summoned for some speicific matter and dismissed after the matter is resolved.

Shang-guan Xu was the Empress Dowager’s brother who had risen to the rank of Grand Marshal of the Southern Army in one step. But he had been present in the Hall of Diligent Administration for only a few days before he went to take his position at the army camp. Grand Tutor Cui Hong and Chief Censor of the Left Shen Zhiming had left the Capital under orders, and other officials had taken their place in the Hall, but those officials would eventually leave and were not permanent officials of the Hall.

The Empress Dowager changed the makeup of the Hall by introducing someone new.

Han Ruzi did not know many senior officials, but this was one of them — the Minister of Rites Yuan Jiuding. He had once personally shown the Emperor how to perform the ceremonies of ascension, and had received the Emperor’s first “secret edict” — after which he promptly handed the note to Yang Feng.

Yuan Jiuding had disappeared for a period of time, and Han Ruzi had thought that he had gotten into trouble. But instead, he had become an official trusted by the Empress Dowager.

As a newcomer, Yuan Jiuding spoke little. Most of the time, he just simply nodded. But the other officials were on tenterhooks. They knew that someone new coming in, meant someone old was going out.

Han Ruzi would usually sit in the Hall of Diligent Administration for half an hour, just as a matter of procedure. In this short time, he could feel the nervousness and suspiciousness that the senior officials felt towards one another.

The Empress Dowager was putting on the pressure. Perhaps there were truly officials who supported the Emperor, he thought, feeling better about things.

The Grand Consort was also present. Usually, she would walk out from the side-chamber and ask a few questions on the Empress Dowager’s behalf. she would also be the one who handed Jing Yao, the Director of Palace Attendants, a stack of edicts. Jing Yao’s position was at the door of the side-chamber where there was a desk, on top of which was the imperial seal.

Han Ruzi’s heart beat a little faster. He could not help but have some admiration for the Grand Consort. She did not reveal any sign of nervousness, and casually put the edicts down. After Jing Yao stamped the edicts with the imperial seal, she casually picked them up, checked them cursorily, and then handed them off to different eunuchs. The eunuchs would hand them to the officials, and the officials would check them again, and then the clerks would check them, and only if there were no probelsm would they be sent to the various departments of the imperial bureaucracy.

Other than the Empress Dowager who was in the side-chamber, everyone’s actions in the hall was conducted in full view of everyone else. Han Ruzi did not understand how the Grand Consort was able to pull off her stunt.

Soon, Han Ruzi could no longer concern himself with the Grand Consort and Yuan Jiu-ding. He had his own mission, this day.

The Emperor was just an ornament in the Hall of Diligent Administration; hardly anyone paid any attention to him. Only newcomers would occasionally glance at the Emperor.

Minister of Rites Yuan Jiuding, on one such quick glance, discovered that something was off. But he did not dare make a sound and quickly diverted his gaze, reverting to nods and grunts of agreement. But the seeds of curiousity were already buried in his heart, and he could not help but throw a second glance, and then a third glance. He felt that he could no longer pretend that nothing was going on.

Yuan Jiuding jabbed the Minister of Personnel, Feng Ju, and said, “His Majesty…”

Feng Ju was irritated but when he looked towards the imperial throne, he could no longer remain clam. He jabbed Chief Commander Han Xing, and Han Xing jabbed Chancellor Yin Wuhai.

Yin Wuhai had great powers of focus. He acted like he had felt nothing and continued speaking. Only when he was jabbed for the third time did he slowly turn around and look up, squinting his eyes and saying nothing.

The officials did not dare say anything, but their strange behavior had drawn the attention of the eunuchs.

The Hall of Diligent Administration once had many eunuchs surrounding the Emperor, preventing officials from getting near. Now, there were just seven or eight of them, even fewer than the clerks in the hall. They were in charge of looking after the Emperor.

Zuo Ji was seldom in the hall. Nearest the Emperor was a middle-aged eunuch. When he turned around, he had a huge shock. His knees went weak and he nearly fell onto the ground. Soon, he cried out like a little child, “Ah…! Lord Jing, Lord Jing!”

Finally, everyone looked towards the Emperor.

The Emperor was sweating profusely. Even though the summer had come, it was still chilly in the hall. The bean-like beads of sweat on the Emperor’s face was definitely not caused by hot weather.

The officials could pretend not to notice, but Jing Yao could not. He gestured to a eunuch to inform the Emrpess Dowager, before quickly running to the Emperor’s side. He spoke in a strange tone of voice and asked, “Your Majesty… Are you not feeling well?”

Han Ruzi pressed his hand against his belly and said mutedly, “Stomach… hurts…”

“Stomach… Why is your stomach hurt?” Jing Yao’s voice was trembling. If the Emperor’s pain was caused by someone, then it would be a grave error for him to be so close. If the Emperor collapsed in the hall, it would cause a huge ruckus, and he did not know if he would be able to survive.

“It’s okay.” Han Ruzi squeezed out a smile. His pain was genuine. Ever since he ate the pills Meng E had given him, he would often experience symptoms like stomach pains and hiccups. Only the first two times were the symptoms more severe. After he became familiar with breathing against the flow, the symptoms became almost unnoticeable. But starting from the previous night, he had stopped breathing against the flow in order to cause stomach pains, which reached their peak after he entered the Hall of Diligent Administration.

From the look of things, he did not seem “okay” at all.

Jing Yao did not know what to do, and he stood there helplessly. He did not dare ask further, afraid that the Emperor would say something which he ought not to know about.

The Grand Consort briskly walked out of the side-chamber and went before the Emperor. She asked in concern, “What’s going on?”

The Grand Consort did not understand what the Emperor was doing, and the concern she displayed was genuine.

Han Ruzi’s brows creased. “My stomach hurts. It’s okay, it’s not the first time. It’ll be fine after a while.”

“Not the first time? When was the last time?” the Grand Consort asked in a raised pitch.

“More than a month ago, I think. It should be… a few days before the Empress entered the palace.” Han Ruzi curled his back, unable to speak properly in the pain.

The Grand Consort’s brows grew more furrowed. She turned to Jing Yao and said, “Why was the Empress Dowager not informed of such an important matter?”

Jing Yao was confused. “I did not know of it. Perhaps the servants of the Emperor’s chambers failed to report it?”

Han Ruzi shook his head vehemently. “It was not in my chambers… It was at the Soaring Clouds Pavilion… They are not to blame. We did not wish for the Empress Dowager to worry. Ow…”

The pain was too much to bear. Han Ruzi could not help but start breathing against the flow as pitiful sounds came from his mouth.

Finding that the Emperor’s pain seemed to have nothing to do with any conspiracy, the officials started coming forward and kneeling in a semi-circle around the throne, mumbling words of concern.

“Summon the imperial doctor,” the Grand Consort ordered. From then on, everyone’s reactions went back to normal and two eunuchs ran out of the hall.

“Why did Your Majesty bear wtith the pain alone?” The Empress Dowager came out from the side-chamber, and the kneeling officials and eunuchs made way for her.

Han Ruzi lifted his head and looked at the Empress Dowager. He really wished to charge at her and ask her where his mother was, but he could only say in a weak voice. “I can… still bear it… It was just a short moment of pain… I did… not want to cause you to worry… Ow…”

The Empress Dowager walked to the base of the pedastal of the throne and looked at the Emperor. She then turned around and said, “Summon Zuo Ji.”

Zuo Ji had already heard about what had happened in the hall, and was waiting outside. When he heard the Empress Dowager’s summons, he went in on his knees. His four limbs on the ground, he crawled forward and knocked his head on the ground continuously, while saying repeatedly, “This servant was wrong.”

The officials and eunuchs started to get nervous again.  Everyone knew that Zuo Ji was highly trusted by the Empress Dowager. That he had hidden the Emperor’s first episode of having stomach pains seemed to have the whiff of conspiracy.

“What an insolent servant. Why did you not report it if you knew it would be wrong not to?” The Empress Dowager was truly angry. The officials and eunuchs kneeling on the ground drooped their heads even lower, curling their bodies even more than the Emperor.

“It was not Lord Zuo’s fault… It was I who… insisted…” Han Ruzi spoke in defence of Zuo Ji.

Zuo Ji could not defend himself. This was the Hall of Diligent Administration, and senior officials were present. It would only be an even greater crime if he pushed the blame onto the Emperor. “This servant was wrong. This servant had a lapse in judgment. This servant thought that His Majesty just occasionally…”

“You thought? Are you an imperial doctor?” The Empress Dowager was even more angry. She had managed to get the political situation under control after much efforts, and would definitely not allow some minor thing to raise everyone’s suspicions. “Slap him. Slap him viciously.”

In the Imperial Palace, nobody dared to touch Zuo Ji. But in the Hall of Diligent Administration, he was just a eunuch with a complicated background. Immediately, two eunuchs walked forward. One pressed down on his shoulders, the other started slapping him.

Soon, Zuo Ji’s face was covered in blood while he muffledly mumbled, “I deserve this.”  He knew that the Empress Dowager had to punish him harshly before everyone in order to stem their criticism.

But he did not understand why the Emperor’s one-off stomachache had returned, and why it had returned precisely when the Emperor was in the Hall of Diligent Administration.

The imperial doctor soon arrived. He first paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, before kneeling before the Emperor and taking his pulse. “What did Your Majesty eat for breakfast?”

Han Ruzi’s stomach pains were receeding but his voice still sounded weak. “We do not remember. It was probably the same as the usual.”

“Mm, Your Majesty’s inner flow seems to be in disarray. It may be because of indigestion and overexhaustion. In the next few days, have blander foods and rest more. I shall write a prescription for a few medical concotions and the pains should not return.”

“Is there something wrong with the food?” the Grand Consort asked. She was more concerned about the Emperor’s safety than anyone else.

The imperial doctor did not dare give a definitive answer. “Probably not, but I shall have to check with the imperial kitchens to be sure. His Majesty should not stay here. He should return to his chambers to rest.”

Several eunuchs began to carry the Emperor out of the hall. Soon, a sedan arrived. Han Ruzi usualy walked back the palace — this was the first time he got to ride a sedan.

The Emperor’s stomach pains caused some waves, but what pleased Han Ruzi the most was the reactions of those around him.

That night, Zhang Youcai and Dong Qing E knelt before him sincerely for the first time, with awe in their eyes.

Han Ruzi finally had two people whom he could use.