Chapter 104: Inexplicable

The court officials arrived at the palace and waited for the imperial decree at the Wucheng Hall. Before long, an attendant announced that Empress Wu was feeling unwell and did not wish to move, so the morning assembly would be held at the Changsheng Hall, her private quarters.

The officials’ expressions varied, but none dared to make a sound. They formed an orderly procession, moving north from the Wucheng Hall like a vast, magnificent cloud.

"Your ministers pay homage to the Heavenly Empress. We humbly wish you divine peace."

"All ministers, rise and take your seats."

Once the formal exchange of greetings between the sovereign and her subjects concluded, Quan Ce stole a glance at the Empress, who sat regally upon her throne. Her face appeared as smooth and radiant as a silver platter; her complexion was vibrant, and her voice was robust. There was no trace of aging or illness. As his gaze drifted, he caught sight of Shangguan Wan'er. Her expression was complex—shifting from anxiety to a sorrow she could not hide. The sheer weight of these emotions, poured out toward him, caused his heart to sink further.

"I am slightly indisposed. Chancellor Cen, you shall preside over the proceedings," the Empress commanded. The officials were taken aback. Quan Ce’s heart stirred, wondering if she were suffering from an internal ailment that she kept hidden from the public eye.

Cen Changqian rose from his seat and bowed to accept the order. As he shook out his purple robes, brushing off the envious or contemptuous stares of others, he addressed the assembly: "My fellow officials, the Heavenly Empress, in her remembrance of the sages, has proposed bestowing posthumous titles upon Confucius and Mencius. As ministers, we must honor Her Majesty’s benevolent heart and deliberate carefully. The Confucian teachings have endured for ages and remain the foundation of our civilization; we must not treat them lightly. Minister Li, this matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites. Do you have any suggestions?"

Li Ruochu, still dazed, was nudged by Wu Youxu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, who sat behind him. Startled back to reality, Li stumbled into the center of the hall and knelt. "I have failed to maintain decorum. I beg for the Empress’s punishment."

The Empress glanced at him briefly before staring blankly into the distance, ignoring his plea.

"Minister Li, the Empress is magnanimous, but please remember your duty as a minister in this hall," Cen Changqian remarked with a pointed jab. "Do you have any wisdom regarding the posthumous title for Confucius?"

"My humble opinion is..." Li Ruochu had spent enough time in the imperial court that, even when distracted, he possessed the skill to ramble on endlessly. Once he started, it was difficult to find a flaw in his logic, yet impossible to stop him.

The censors sat to the side of the throne, while the other officials stood in rows. Quan Ce observed Li Ruochu’s expression. While his mouth moved on autopilot, his face was grim and hinted at a sense of defeat. If he had offended anyone recently, it was the Li clan of Zhaojun, whom he had forced—under the Empress’s authority—to marry their daughters to the cruel henchmen of the secret police. It was a deep-seated grudge.

However, to retaliate against him by fabricating a scandal in the imperial examinations would inevitably implicate Li Ruochu. A wise man would not sacrifice a high-ranking official he had painstakingly cultivated just to vent his anger. If that wasn't the case, why was Li Ruochu in such a dismal state today?

Quan Ce also reflected on his own recent conduct. Without the pressure of life-or-death trials, he had grown complacent, succeeding in his schemes and becoming reckless. He had been friendly with Hou Sizi, the Wu family members, and various sycophants. Even he himself, looking back, felt he had become a member of the Wu faction. Could it be that someone in the Li imperial clan could no longer tolerate him and had decided to strike?

Quan Ce bit his lip, his heart filled with dread. If the Li clan were behind this, the situation would be impossible to rectify.

***

The court was in disarray. There was no dispute over the title of Duke for Confucius, but the specific honorific title was highly contentious. Wu Chengsi insisted on including the character for "abdication" (*chan*) in the title, arguing that since Confucius’s successors, Zeng Shen and Yan Hui, were of different surnames, the term aligned with the Buddhist concept of "Zen" (*chan*), suggesting that heaven intended for Buddhism and Confucianism to coexist.

This touched upon the core of Confucian orthodoxy. Even knowing that the character *chan* would please the Empress, the officials stood their ground. They criticized Wu Chengsi relentlessly. Even the Chancellor Fan Cili, himself a scholar from the North Gate, rolled up his sleeves and denounced Wu Chengsi as a traitor to Confucianism.

Quan Ce listened with satisfaction as the officials grew indignant. Wu Chengsi, realizing he could not prevail, sneered and stared at Cen Changqian, demanding a ruling.

Quan Ce suddenly realized: Wu Chengsi’s move was intended to flatter his aunt, but the true trap was set for Cen Changqian. It was a classic case of "the swordsman performing a dance with the intent to strike the guest."

Cen Changqian remained unfazed. "If the Counselor has read the classics, he should know that a gentleman has things he will do and things he will not. Bestowing a title upon the Sage is a matter of great importance. Success wins the hearts of scholars, but failure invites their disdain. Does the Counselor seek to win their hearts, or their disdain?"

The hall fell silent, though in his mind, Quan Ce could hear the roar of applause. Cen Changqian’s words were double-edged, reaching straight to the heart with a magnanimity that was peerless. He had displayed the perfect poise of a Chancellor who governs with the fluidity of water.

Defeated and humiliated, Wu Chengsi retreated. Yet, looking up at the throne, Quan Ce saw the Empress nodding in approval. She was clearly pleased with Cen Changqian’s performance, which left Wu Chengsi seething with suppressed rage.

Cen Changqian continued the proceedings, quickly settling on the title "Duke of Daolong" for the Sage.

The remaining issues were resolved smoothly. When Cen Changqian finished and knelt to return the decree, the Empress leaned back, looking relaxed. "Minister of Rites Li Ruochu, Censor Quan Ce, and Investigating Censor Yan Baili, present your cases."

Yan Baili, the accuser, spoke first. "My memorial from two days ago is entirely true. Quan Ce has acted lawlessly and committed fraud in the imperial examinations. I beg the Empress to investigate."

As the same old accusations were repeated, Quan Ce remained calm, glancing at Li Ruochu to see if he would speak. But silence followed. It seemed Li Ruochu was waiting for him.

For a moment, Quan Ce’s expression turned defiant, then bitter. *It’s the Li clan of Zhaojun and the Li imperial clan. I will take the fall; perhaps that will appease them, and I can escape.*

"Your sinful subject, Quan Ce, submits..." Quan Ce began. He did not notice that as soon as he uttered the words "sinful subject," the Empress’s expression turned cold as a blade, and Shangguan Wan'er’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, began to tremble.

"I have never harbored treasonous intent, as heaven and earth can witness. However, I have been careless in my conduct and associated with scholars, creating the appearance of forming a faction and an intention to manipulate the examinations. The examinations are strictly organized, and though I failed to achieve any result, my heart has been tainted." Quan Ce struggled to confess to a crime he had never even dreamed of, while subtly speaking in Li Ruochu’s favor.

"A tainted heart, is it? What else do you have to say? Speak it all at once!" The Empress stood up abruptly, her voice booming with rage.

***

"I... I impeach Investigating Censor Fu Youyi. His conduct is vile, and he is greedy and lecherous. He is unfit to serve in the judiciary." Quan Ce hesitated but spoke, hoping to distance himself from his past allies and pray that the Li clan had no further tricks up their sleeves.

"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" The Empress threw her head back and laughed, her voice shaking the hall. After a long moment, she stopped. "Li Ruochu, what about you? What do you have to say?"

"Your sinful subject was overcome by greed. I accepted bribes and assisted Quan Ce in the examination fraud. I beg the Empress for punishment." Li Ruochu’s face was filled with sorrow. As he bowed to confess, he looked at Quan Ce, his expression blank.

Upon hearing this, the strength drained from Quan Ce’s body. The world spun. He glared back at Li Ruochu. *I confessed to shield you, and you go and confess to something else entirely?*

*Greed and bribery? I have plenty of wealth, but have I ever given you a single cent?*

*This is wrong. If he confesses, not only is the fraud confirmed, but I am also guilty of deceiving the sovereign. This is a fatal blow.*

*What is going on here? Is the Li clan of Zhaojun really prepared to burn everything down together?*

"Is there anyone who wishes to plead for Quan Ce?" The Empress stood with her hands behind her back, her voice sounding as if it came from the heavens.

After a long silence, no one spoke.

"Guards, take Quan Ce into custody. Interrogate him strictly at the Lijing Gate."

Han Zhai, the commander of the Qianniu guards, sighed softly as he stepped forward, grabbed Quan Ce by the arms, and dragged him out of the Changsheng Hall.

Quan Ce’s mind was in chaos, his only remaining thought spinning uncontrollably: "Why did they not arrest Li Ruochu?"