Chapter 146: Director of the Palace Wardrobe (Part Four)

After lingering on Mount Song for five days, Empress Wu finally set off on her return journey to the Divine Capital of Luoyang.

Due to this grand fengchan ceremony, the senior civil and military officials at court experienced massive shifts in their positions. Wu Chengshi was elevated to Senior Counselor of the Wenchang Bureau, becoming the foremost chancellor second only to Cen Changqian; Ge Fuyuan was appointed Minister of the Earth Office, serving as a joint administrator of official matters alongside Luntai Siling Le Sihui and Fengge Siling Ren Zhigu; the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Di Renjie, was promoted to Minister of the Autumn Office; Prince of Jianchang Wu Youning became the Censor of the NA; and Prince of Jianan Wu Youiyi was made the Commandant of Chang'an. Meanwhile, the former Minister of the Earth Office Wu Siwen and Vice Minister of the Winter Office Pei Xingben were stripped of their offices and exiled.

Aside from these, Empress Wu made several other eye-catching moves. She dispatched a Junior Supervisor of the Palace Bureau bearing spring and autumn local tributes from both capitals to Fangzhou to inquire after the Prince of Luling, Li Xian. Under the pretext of his indulgence in sensual pleasures and his failure to properly fulfill filial duties, she issued an imperial edict severely reprimanding the Imperial Heir, Li Dan, and stripped Li Dan's eldest son, Li Chengqi, of his title as Imperial Grandson.

If matters ended here, it would merely signify a slight stirring of the imperial heart—perhaps a recollection of her eldest son and a lingering dissatisfaction with the younger one right under her nose. After all, emperors always favored their eldest; distant things smelled sweeter while nearby ones grew stale, and since they were both brothers of the Li family, such occurrences were commonplace.

However, only a few days later, Empress Wu issued an order bestowing upon Wu Chengshi's eldest son, Wu Yanji, the title of a commandery prince along with a stipend equivalent to that of a亲王 (imperial prince of the first rank), putting him on par with his own father, Wu Chengshi. Comparing the two, it seemed the imperial heart had secretly settled: the younger generation bearing the surname Wu found greater favor in the Empress's eyes, and Wu Chengshi's branch in particular held a very promising future.

This rapid sequence of moves caused a sweeping transition between the old and the new at court, stirring up tumultuous waves and fierce undercurrents. The gates of the Prince of Wei's mansion belonging to Wu Chengshi were thronged with carriages and horses. From dawn till midnight, the bustling never ceased, and officials and gentry from both the capital and the provinces flooded the streets and alleys before his doors to pay their respects with lavish gifts.

At the Princess Taiping's mansion, Quan Ce nestled in his small courtyard, observing the rising and falling tides before him. He could not help but marvel at Empress Wu's mastery of political manipulation. With a light flick of her fingertips, the dynamics of the Li family's internal struggles and the conflict between the Li and Wu clans had already been cast in stone. Supported by her, the Wu clan had grown immensely powerful, while the Li clan remained deeply rooted. With both factions evenly matched, she sat securely in the center to arbitrate, moving forward and backward with ease, keeping the reins of absolute power firmly in her grasp.

As long as the plush seat beneath her plump hips remained steady, she cared little whether these close relatives of royal blood fought to the death or plunged the world into a catastrophic flood.

Quan Ce was disappointed. Empress Wu possessed a grand vision and had firmly established the supreme order; clearly, she did not deign to look upon a mere Director of Imperial Vestments. Even upon discovering that Wang Tongjiao was a man of the Prince of Luling Li Xian, she simply chose to ignore it.

Such being the case, Quan Ce had to devise alternative measures. Fortunately, the current political situation was turbulent and people's hearts were unsettled, making it much easier to execute covert maneuvers. His eyes drifted over the official gazette, pausing on the name of Wu Yanji. He had once ordered the Plum Blossom Inner Guards to detain Wu Yanji, yet had exceptionally released him afterwards; among the nobles of the Wu clan, Wu Yanji was one of the very few possessing a sense of justice. Murmuring to himself, Quan Ce muttered, "An upright gentleman—and a gentleman can be easily deceived by his own rectitude."

The following day, Quan Ce joined the throng seeking an audience outside the Prince of Wei's mansion, ostensibly representing the Princess Taiping's estate to deliver congratulatory gifts.

Despite his low official rank—merely a humble seventh-rank petty official—he had previously stirred up tremendous storms in the presence of Empress Wu, so his weight was undeniably different. Moreover, he still carried the prestigious golden signboard of a master of poetry and painting. Many officials before the gate took the initiative to step forward, offering courteous greetings and engaging him in conversation until he found himself surrounded at the very center.

Everyone spoke of how long they had admired him, and those who claimed they had missed him for ages were particularly distinctive. Quan Ce maintained a warm smile, casting a glance at those officials clad in green robes. The foremost among them was shrewd enough to notice that Quan Ce did not quite recognize them. He stepped forward and introduced himself, "This humble subordinate is Lin Gu, a serving official and a tribute scholar from the first year of Tianyou. Along with my peers, I was once favored by the mentorship of Lord Quan and Brother Ge, a kindness I have always kept engraved in my heart."

Quan Ce came to a sudden realization, feeling a rather strange sensation in his heart. He had entered the prison of the Lijing Gate under the indictment of imperial examination fraud—an inside story that could not be concealed from the highest echelons of the court, yet these lower-ranking green-robed officials remained entirely in the dark, taking the matter quite seriously. During every festival, they unfailingly sent tokens of their regard to the Princess Yiyang's mansion. The last time he celebrated his birthday, more than twenty members of this group currently in the capital had pooled their resources to send a heavy gift to his doorstep.

Quan Ce had no intention of claiming undeserved credit. "Lord Lin speaks too highly of me. All of you are individuals of supreme talent and character, having leaped over the dragon's gate to become disciples of the Son of Heaven. I only hope you will govern well, bring prosperity to the common people, and put aside any talk of favors or mentorship."

"We shall firmly engrave Lord Quan's teachings in our hearts," Lin Gu replied with a deep, respectful bow, his voice ringing clearly. "Lord Quan possesses literary brilliance and military achievements renowned throughout the world. You have endured humiliation to uphold the righteousness of the realm. To be connected with Lord Quan is the greatest fortune for us all."

Quan Ce felt a mild surprise. As he swept his gaze over the group, he understood the situation. Whether the talk of mentorship was genuine or false probably mattered little to them; what they truly needed was simply an excuse to establish a connection with him and huddle together for mutual support, for navigating the treacherous waters of the officialdom in the Divine Capital as newcomers was truly no easy feat.

"Lord Quan, my eldest young master has come out to welcome you," announced the gatekeeper, interrupting the harmonious atmosphere.

Wu Yanji was dressed in a dark blue casual robe, standing with his hands clasped behind his back upon the stone steps before the entrance. Although he had not yet established his own household and estate, his status as a commandery prince was there, preventing him from being overly warm with people. Besides, he had no desire to be warm toward Quan Ce; his approach to matters was simple, drawing a clear line between right and wrong, and he disliked those who harbored schemes and conspiracies—among whom, in his eyes, Quan Ce was a prime exemplar.

Quan Ce stepped forward briskly, paying his respects according to protocol. Wu Yanji forced a smile and extended his hand to formally invite the guest inside.

Once the host and guest were seated, Quan Ce brought up the past without beating around the bush. "Several months have passed, and Your Highness's imposing demeanor has only grown, which is truly a joyous occasion. During the Ghost Festival last year, Your Highness suffered a grave injustice, and the bitter ordeal remains vividly etched in my memory."

Hearing these words, Wu Yanji's expression clouded over. As the first and only member of the Wu clan to be detained by the Plum Blossom Inner Guards, although he had not suffered severe torture, he had tasted plenty of the misery of pitch-black days, coarse fare, and cold, cutting words. Making no effort to conceal his feelings, he smiled with zero sincerity, "My great-aunt once mentioned that it was thanks to Lord Quan's mediation that I regained my innocence, a favor I have yet to properly thank you for."

Quan Ce waved his hand dismissively, muttering a few polite phrases of "a mere trifle, hardly worth mentioning," before smoothly shifting the conversation. "The reason Quan Ce has come to call today is precisely to ask a favor of Your Highness."

Hearing this, Wu Yanji felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles. Though his rank was high, he held no substantive post, nor was he as favored at home as his third brother Wu Yanxi, meaning his actual influence was quite limited. However, since the other party had spoken of a kindness before making a request, a flat refusal would inevitably smack of ingratitude. Thus, he spoke with candid resignation, "Please state your request, Lord Quan. If it lies within my power, I shall certainly do my utmost; if not, I am still willing to lend all possible assistance."

Quan Ce smiled. "The Director of Imperial Vestments, Wang Tongjiao, spoke out in a moment of righteous indignation to slander me, and subsequently got into a fistfight with my cousin Wang Hui. Because of this, he has come under considerable pressure. Finding myself in an awkward position, I could not easily intervene myself without bruising the pride and goodwill of my colleagues and elders, and so I have come to beg Your Highness. With Your Highness's prestige, if you could submit a memorial of recommendation or two, then regardless of whether it succeeds, I imagine his troubles would be effortlessly resolved."

Wu Yanji pondered for a moment. This matter was exceedingly simple; for him to step forward and recommend a fifth-rank unassigned official presented no great difficulty. Tactfully, however, he remarked, "I have heard of the man—indiscriminate, prone to hearsay, and reckless in his actions. How could he possibly be worthy of Lord Quan personally stepping forward to plead for him?"

Quan Ce adopted a solemn expression. "Although the man is somewhat pedantic and rash, his character is upright and he is well-read in poetry and history, making him a fine gentleman all the same. If he were to be buried in obscurity because of me, my heart would find no peace."

Unconvinced that Quan Ce's actions could be so utterly straightforward, Wu Yanji probed further, "Might you wish me to inadvertently let Wang Tongjiao know of this painstaking effort on your part?"

Quan Ce waved his hand in refusal. "Today, Quan Ce is merely representing Her Highness Princess Taiping to deliver congratulatory gifts and celebrate Your Highness's joyous occasion; nothing else is involved."

Though still harboring lingering doubts, Wu Yanji reviewed the sequence of events and realized that Quan Ce's posture was entirely that of someone doing a good deed without seeking recognition, showing not the slightest trace of selfish motives. "After this matter is settled, Your Highness's debt of rescue..."

Quan Ce covered his face with his sleeve, feigning deep shame. "Let past matters be wiped clean at a single stroke. For Quan Ce to be so presumptuous as to leverage a favor for a reward fills me with utter shame and a sense of having nowhere to hide."

Accustomed to dealing with things in a straightforward manner, Wu Yanji saw that the conversation had reached a point where further evasion was impossible. "Very well, I shall take charge of this matter and certainly find Wang Tongjiao a fine official post to set your mind at ease."

Quan Ce rose to express his gratitude and immediately took his leave without lingering. All told, he had spent less than half an hour inside the Prince of Wei's mansion, truly resembling someone who had merely come to drop off a gift.