Trampled

The Autumn Hunt drew to a close. What followed was a grand banquet for the assembled court, followed by the customary distributions of rewards and honors. Having placed first in the hunt, Wei Yuan was granted gold and silver according to precedent, along with a precious sword bestowed by the King of Jin himself. The blade was merely a top-grade magical tool, but it carried plenty of grand pronouncements—to see the sword was to see the King of Jin, its bearer could execute first and report later, execute court officials, and so on. Naturally, if Wei Yuan actually took any of that seriously, that would be his own problem. Although Prince Wei's force had also suffered total annihilation, he had at least unlocked a vault and happened to secure a trace of state fortune. This restored a healthy flush of color to his complexion. After all, among the three princes, he was the only one who had obtained any state fortune at all. Small though it was, it gave him ample bragging rights. As for the remaining rankings in the Autumn Hunt, Lü Wenbai, the Military Commissioner of Yunxiang, took second place, while the fifth prince, Prince Wei, took third. With the Autumn Hunt over, Wei Yuan had formally completed his imperial audience. At this point, he was still a far cry from the Hall of Political Affairs. Genuine matters of state and military strategy were far beyond his station; he lacked the standing even to hear confidential reports. Thus, once the King of Jin's banquet concluded, Wei Yuan set about packing his belongings to depart for his domain. At present, he was draped in state fortune like sticky cobwebs, making his entire body feel utterly uncomfortable. He urgently needed to return to his domain and let Qingming thoroughly wash it away. Right at that moment, Liu Quangong, the Chief Steward of Ceremonies, arrived at the courier station and said to Wei Yuan, "Consort Yuan has summoned you to an audience!" Wei Yuan immediately bathed and changed his clothes in accordance with Jin court etiquette, tidying himself up as quickly as possible before following Liu Quangong into the palace. The two boarded a dedicated carriage and sat facing each other. This was the first time Wei Yuan had encountered this current leader of the eunuch faction, the grand eunuch of immense power, at such close quarters. Liu Quangong possessed a delicate, fair complexion and an air of cultured refinement. With long eyebrows and narrow eyes, he exuded a kindly, benevolent demeanor; beyond that, he seemed entirely like an ordinary man. If one were unfamiliar with the history of Western Jin and judged him purely by his appearance, no one would ever suspect that thirty years ago, two massive purges involving over ten thousand people had both been orchestrated by his hand. Along the way to the palace, Wei Yuan casually and openly slipped over a box of immortal silver, asking, "To summon me to the palace, dispatching any supervising eunuch would have sufficed. Why trouble your noble self, Eunuch Liu?" Liu Quangong merely pointed his sleeve, and the immortal silver vanished into thin air without the slightest stir of breath or magic. He smiled faintly and said, "Commissioner Wei's standing is different now. The nation's security rests upon your shoulders, so it is only fitting that this humble servant run the errand. The royal city has been rather unsettled these past few days, with many petty scoundrels watching for an opportunity. This servant can only rest easy by watching over this stretch of road personally." Wei Yuan probed, "What manner of petty scoundrels are so brazen as to stir up trouble in the royal city?" "Nothing more than those few bands of rebels." Which bands of rebels? Liu Quangong's words explained nothing at all. At this moment, with Northern Liao's armies bearing down on the border, Western Jin's interior had actually stabilized. Wei Yuan had never heard of any rebels of significant scale. The carriage was both swift and steady, arriving at the palace grounds in no time. Once through the palace gates, Liu Quangong stepped down and took his leave, allowing the carriage to carry Wei Yuan onward toward Chunhua Hall. This Chief Steward truly had escorted him only for that stretch between the courier station and the palace gate. The carriage halted before the gates dividing the outer palace from the inner quarters. Maidservants were already waiting at the entrance, leading Wei Yuan into the rear palace. Winding through covered corridors and crossing bridges, they finally arrived at Chunhua Hall. Chunhua Hall was paved with tiles of colored glaze, beneath which faint flickers of firelight could be seen coursing along. The surface of the tiles was slightly warm; walking upon them in the biting chill of late autumn brought an indescribable sense of comfort. Keeping his head lowered, Wei Yuan did not dare glance about idly. Led into the hall, he dropped to one knee and said, "This subject, Wei Yuan, pays his respects to Lady Consort Yuan." "Raise your head." The voice that drifted down from above sounded familiar, yet it was now cool, distant, and elevated, as if she stood atop a snowy mountain, carrying a distinctly different flavor to the ear. Wei Yuan raised his head and saw Consort Yuan seated serenely upon her throne. She wore a gown embroidered with a heavenly phoenix dancing across the nine heavens against a backdrop of rosy clouds and immortal peaks. It was encrusted with jewels and jade of every color, every gem falling into place as an indispensable part of the overall design. Despite its dazzling splendor, it did not appear the least bit gaudy. Perhaps this was simply because it was Consort Yuan wearing it. The throne was just as opulent, every exposed surface seemingly set with pearls and precious stones. Clad in such a gown and seated upon such a throne, Consort Yuan looked as though she were perched atop a small mountain of jewels. It should have been a scene of unbearable vulgarity, yet with her there, it seemed only natural. Only a mountain of jewels could match such breathtaking beauty. However, judging by the Tang etiquette Wei Yuan had studied, nearly everything in this hall exceeded proper imperial sumptuary codes. Before Wei Yuan could take a closer look, he suddenly sensed a sharp aura held tightly in reserve, emanating from the maidservants. Flanking Consort Yuan's throne on either side stood a maidservant. At first glance, they appeared ordinary, yet Wei Yuan could sense an inexplicable pressure—they were actually dharma idol cultivators. Wei Yuan had barely raised his head, and Consort Yuan had yet to speak, when a crisp, childish voice rang out from the side: "Mother! I just finished a piece of calligraphy. Take a look and see if it's good!" A small figure dashed into Chunhua Hall, ignoring the supervising eunuchs and maidservants who tried to stop him. It was little Prince Fu. Clutching a sheet of paper with wet ink, he said excitedly, "I wrote this after feeling inspired while cultivating our family's World-Stabilizing Heart Scripture. See how good my comprehension is!" Consort Yuan sat still and said, "Not bad. Show it to your Uncle Wei." Little Prince Fu cast a glance at Wei Yuan and sneered, "He's just a barbarian. What would he know about calligraphy?" With a snap, little Prince Fu rolled up the paper, glared viciously at Wei Yuan, and sprinted away. Wei Yuan caught the look in that glare clearly: hatred, venom, grievance, and humiliation, every bit of it present. It was difficult to imagine a young child harboring such clear and fierce enmity. Yet, born of the royal house, with a mother from the royal clan of Zhao, and uniting the two great aristocratic houses of Lü and Li, little Prince Fu had no shortage of cultivation arts and body-cleansing methods. Precocious intelligence was only natural. Back during the general examinations, Bao Yun and Li Zhi had already known how to forge alliances and plan grand strategies. Wei Yuan suddenly realized that little Prince Fu's glare also carried a warning. Yet what was he warning him about? Restrictions within the Western Jin palace were not strict; Consort Yuan often summoned ministers to audiences in Chunhua Hall, and the Queen and other noble consorts frequently did the same. However, ever since Consort Yuan and the Queen had become as incompatible as fire and water, no one entered the palace to see the Queen anymore, lest they draw Consort Yuan's vengeful notice. Since an audience in the palace was nothing out of the ordinary, why had little Prince Fu warned him? Wei Yuan's thoughts raced. Could it be because he had outdone the prince in the Autumn Hunt? But when it came down to it, little Prince Fu could only blame himself for picking useless men. Beyond that, Wei Yuan and little Prince Fu had never even met. He truly could not fathom why the boy hated him. Could it be like his own reaction—simply finding the other person an eyesore? As his mind wandered, Wei Yuan heard Consort Yuan ask, "What does Lord Wei think of this child of mine?" "Intelligent, clever, a talent that will astonish the world!" Wei Yuan blurted out without missing a beat. Consort Yuan covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "Since Lord Wei is so fond of him, how about having him take you as his adoptive father, so he can listen to your teachings day and night from now on?" Wei Yuan was terrified. Spending day and night with an unruly brat—could there be any worse nightmare than that? "This subject lacks learning and talent! No, I am utterly uneducated! I am steeped in barbarian habits and truly dare not lead the young prince astray! I beg Your Ladyship to seek a better candidate!" Wei Yuan spoke so hurriedly and desperately that he became incoherent. Consort Yuan burst into laughter. "Remember to speak properly in the future. Don't blurt things out without thinking, telling brazen lies with your eyes wide open." Sweat beaded on Wei Yuan's forehead as he hurriedly voiced his assent. He feared little else, but Consort Yuan's move had struck his fatal weakness. "The main reason I summoned you to the palace this time was simple curiosity. I wanted to see what Lord Wei Three-Spears, who soared into prominence overnight, truly looks like. Seeing you today, you indeed possess extraordinary bearing." *Wei Three-Spears?* Wei Yuan was slightly bewildered. The moniker clearly referred to him, but why were the maidservants smiling so strangely? Still, "Three-Spears" was inaccurate; killing an enemy took him only one spear thrust. Plums Blooming Twice was one thrust; A Pear Blossom Over the Begonia was also one thrust. "Before attending to proper business, there are a few loose ends to deal with." Consort Yuan turned her head slightly and asked, "How did Prince Fu get in? Who is looking after him now?" A maidservant replied, "In response to Your Ladyship: it is Eunuch Wang. He was replaced only the day before yesterday." "Bring him here." A moment later, an elderly supervising eunuch entered Chunhua Hall, dropping to his knees the instant he crossed the threshold. He appeared to be around fifty years old, with greying temples and a Dao Foundation cultivation. Judging by the color of his robes, his rank was not low. Consort Yuan lifted the soup bowl beside her, took a gentle sip, and said, "Did you instigate Prince Fu to barge into Chunhua Hall without permission?" The old eunuch was terrified. "How could this old slave dare?! In the past, wasn't Prince Fu allowed into Chunhua Hall whenever he pleased? This old slave merely..." Before he could finish, one of the maidservants sealed his mouth directly with magic and snapped, "Answer only what you are asked! Trying to play clever before Her Ladyship—are you tired of living?" Consort Yuan gently lowered the lid onto the bowl, producing a clear *ding*, and said, "Prince Fu is still young. In the past, the King spoiled him excessively, so he inevitably turned somewhat arrogant and willful. You people around him indulge his temperament at every turn. Do you hope to become his favored ministers in the future, or are you deliberately guiding him to act recklessly, commit a grave blunder, and knock him out of the running early?" The old eunuch was frightened out of his wits. He desperately wanted to defend himself, but his mouth was sealed shut, unable to utter a single sound. He could only knock his head repeatedly against the floor. Consort Yuan set down the bowl and said faintly, "Drown him in the pond." The maidservant flashed behind the old eunuch, lifting him like a chick, and asked, "Which pond shall we drown him in?" "The water in Consort Dai's palace is clear. Drown him there." The maidservant's figure flickered and vanished. A few breaths later, she reappeared behind Consort Yuan. Had Wei Yuan not witnessed the entire process with his own eyes, he would have found it difficult to believe a high-ranking eunuch had been wiped out in the span of a single breath. Consort Yuan said placidly, "The palace is actually fraught with hidden blades and clashing swords at every turn. Some see how favored this child is, while the Crown Prince has fallen on hard times in recent years and suffered repeated rebukes from the King, so they set their sights on him. In truth, anyone with a bit of inside knowledge knows that if one wants to place a wager, they ought to bet on the Fifth Lord. You read the Jin history the moment you entered the city, which shows you are not one to sit still. You should understand this well enough." "This subject is very well-behaved! Extremely well-behaved!" Wei Yuan hurriedly defended himself. Consort Yuan's assessment of him definitely could not be allowed to leak outside. Prince Wei was the fifth-ranked son, which was why Consort Yuan referred to him as the Fifth Lord. It could be said that before arriving in the capital, Wei Yuan had been carefree, able to advance or retreat, ready to withdraw whenever he wished; at worst, he would simply fight another battle against Yue Jinshan's Northern Border Iron Cavalry. But now that he was saddled with Western Jin's state fortune, he was truly bound to share the nation's trials and tribulations. With heavy responsibility on his shoulders, Wei Yuan had restrained himself considerably, no longer acting as brazen as before. Ignoring Wei Yuan's attempts to clear his name, Consort Yuan continued, "In truth, if you think about it, you can easily tell what kind of people would place their bets on Fu'er. Apart from the few idlers around me, they are people who cannot even squeeze through the Fifth Lord's front gate. Heh, the Fifth Lord's threshold is already far lower than the Crown Prince's." Wei Yuan detected a hint of bitterness beneath Consort Yuan's calm tone. When he first arrived in the Western Regions, if one were to speak of political factions in Western Jin, maternal relatives had no faction to speak of at all. It was only when Sun Chao'en brokered the connection and Wei Yuan joined that a faction could barely be said to exist—and that had happened only after Wei Yuan wiped out Yue Jinshan's ten thousand iron cavalry. Yet after joining, Wei Yuan discovered that the only maternal relatives who held any weight were Consort Yuan and himself. As for Sun Chao'en, he was a member of the pure-stream faction, with a grand future and an untarnished reputation; he naturally would not stoop to associating openly with Wei Yuan. Consort Yuan sighed softly. "This child always assumes that everything of mine will naturally belong to him in the future. Add to that the excessive pampering, and he is growing harder to discipline by the day. Therefore, the best solution..." Wei Yuan instantly sensed trouble and resolved not to take the bait under any circumstances. "...is naturally to have another child." Wei Yuan initially breathed a sigh of relief, but the more he thought about it, the more alarming it seemed. "Alright, time for proper business." Consort Yuan rose gracefully and stepped toward Wei Yuan. Suddenly, her skirts flared, revealing a shapely, snow-white leg that kicked Wei Yuan over in a flash, pinning him underfoot! She wore neither shoes nor socks. Being stepped on, the first thought that rose in Wei Yuan's mind was, shockingly: *So soft.* Consort Yuan's leg was slender and curvaceous, gleaming white like carved warm jade. Glancing upward along her leg, Wei Yuan abruptly realized that beneath this outer gown, she was essentially as bare as the moment she had entered the world, wailing as a newborn. This happened so suddenly that Wei Yuan was stunned. There were still two maidservants standing nearby, and countless palace maids and supervising eunuchs just outside the hall! Wei Yuan had to keep his voice down, exclaiming in panic even as he struggled, "In broad daylight, under everyone's watchful eyes, th-this... how can this be..." At that moment, the skirts spread wide. The heavenly phoenix took flight, its tail feathers and wingtips scattering points of brilliance, while layers of immortal peaks unfolded, turning into azure sky and gentle waters. Like all the splendors of this world, they descended slowly, cloaking Wei Yuan beneath them. *** The sun sank behind the western hills. The doors of Chunhua Hall swung open, and Wei Yuan emerged from within. Stepping down the stairs, his foot caught nothing, and he stumbled, nearly falling flat on his face. Fortunately, quick of eye and hand, he grabbed a pillar along the veranda, barely saving himself from humiliation. From within the hall came Consort Yuan's voice, icy and clear: "Help Lord Wei out." As night fell, Wei Yuan returned to his quarters at the courier station and slowly sat down. The lamp was not far off, yet he did not even wish to lift his hand. Just then, an official from the courier station came to report that someone was requesting an audience. Wei Yuan barely mustered a thread of Dao force, flicking his finger to light the lamp in the room. An elderly Confucian scholar strolled inside. The moment Wei Yuan laid eyes on him, guilt seized his heart; he hastily gathered his wits and respectfully welcomed the guest into the room. This old gentleman was the very Confucian scholar who had accompanied Princess Ningguo on her diplomatic mission. He had intended to test Wei Yuan back then, only to end up tested until he had nothing left but his undergarments. At that time, Wei Yuan had operated under the guise of a horse bandit and acted without restraint; now, suddenly confronted by his victim, how could he not feel guilty? The old gentleman looked Wei Yuan up and down, stroked his beard, and laughed. "The waves of the great river drive the waves ahead; the new generation surpasses the old. Lord Wei is young and capable, with superb horsemanship. This old man is truly full of admiration." Wei Yuan's thick face blushed faintly; this was clearly a mocking jab at his masquerading as a horse bandit. Fortunately, the old gentleman did not press the matter. After that light, offhand barb, his expression straightened, and he said, "This old man has come on behalf of Princess Ningguo. She invites you to her estate for a nighttime conversation by candlelight!"