Chapter 151: Where to Go From Here (Part Two)

In mid-June of the second year of Tianshou, Quan Ce's sense of disillusionment and frustration reached its peak.

During that day's morning court session, relying on the Empress Dowager's favor, Li Zhaode managed to secure an imperial decree bestowing a marriage upon a member of his own clan, who was still a commoner. While a few passing lines in the decree mentioned the bride and groom—a clansman of the Longxi Li family and the eldest daughter of the Yun household—the vast majority of the text was dedicated to praising Li Zhaode's noble character, commending him for never forgetting his humble origins upon attaining wealth and power, and for constantly harboring a grateful heart. Couched in parallel prose, the edict spun a fairy tale of a poor young man from the Longxi Li family who, supported by his kin, rose swiftly to prominence and subsequently repaid their kindness. Li Zhaode's political maneuver was brilliantly executed; not only did it leave the Prince Gao'an's Mansion with grievances too bitter to voice, but it also allowed Li Zhaode to secure both his substance and his prestige completely.

Yet, having just ascended to the post of chancellor, he acted with such high-profile aggression that it drew sidelong glances from many. In particular, Cen Changqian and Wu Chengsi, who ranked first and second in power respectively, wore extremely grim expressions.

Furthermore, before the morning assembly concluded, the Empress Dowager, in a foul mood, voiced her dissatisfaction with the current layout and cultural atmosphere of Shendu. She declared that Shendu fell short of Chang'an, defied common sense, and failed to match the magnanimity and grace of the Great Zhou Celestial Dynasty; therefore, it required a massive overhaul to befit its status as the capital of the Great Zhou.

Quick-witted as ever, Li Zhaode immediately put forward two proposals: the expansion of Shendu's outer city and the relocation of hundreds of thousands of commoners to populate the metropolis. These two undertakings were a package of poison and honey. Relocating the populace was immensely prone to destabilizing the hearts of the people and sparking turmoil, and even if by sheer luck it succeeded, there were professional fault-finding censors waiting in the wings. Conversely, expanding the outer city was a mountain of gold and a sea of silver; embezzling even the cheapest bricks would yield enough wealth to sustain three generations of descendants.

"Minister Li's proposal is excellent. My lords, who among you can shoulder this heavy responsibility?" The Empress Dowager's expression cleared slightly as she looked down upon her officials.

The civil and military officials in the court all wished to swallow the honey while shunning the poison, and thus hesitated. Among them, however, there was an exception: Censor-in-Chief Lai Junchen. Fearless of poison, he strode out from his mat, came to the center of the hall, and earnestly said, "This subject, nurtured by Your Majesty, often feels ashamed of my inability to render effective service. I am willing to expend all my strength to add luster to Shendu's prosperity."

"Mmm," the Empress Dowager nodded slightly, turning her head to the right. "What do my lords think?" These "lords" did not refer to the court officials, but rather to the chancellors seated to the right of the throne.

Cen Changqian sat upright, rigid as a clay sculpture, offering not a single word. Wu Chengsi's face twitched as if swallowing down a bitter breath. The rest not only dared not speak, but scarcely even dared to breathe heavily. Li Zhaode was currently at the zenith of his power; to steal his thunder was to court trouble. Lai Junchen was the leader of the ruthless officials; to provoke him meant risking one's life. Remembering this, they could not help but harbor a grievance against Quan Ce: when he was weeding out that faction of ruthless officials, why had he deliberately omitted Lai Junchen?

Yet they failed to consider: without the Empress Dowager's tacit consent, who would dare to touch her hounds?

Without a trace of modesty, Li Zhaode stepped into the center of the hall and said, "This subject believes that Censor Lai is courageous in undertaking duties and is highly suitable. However, this relocation of citizens is on a massive scale and will require local cooperation. I request that Luoyang Vice Magistrate Wang Lu be assigned to assist Censor Lai."

At these words, Lai Junchen's face instantly turned as dark as pitch, the muscles along his jaws trembling uncontrollably. Not far behind him, Minister of the Xia Office Lou Shide also wore a grim expression. If you wanted to slap Lai Junchen down, you could do it on your own terms—what was your hidden motive in dragging my man into it?

"Request granted," the Empress Dowager uttered lightly, leaving all the complicated intrigues suppressed in everyone's bellies. "Minister Li, who shall be tasked with the construction of the city walls?"

"Your Majesty, Minister Lou of the Xia Office previously presided over the building of fortifications in the borderlands and must have considerable experience." Li Zhaode's honeyed date was offered right to the target's face.

Lou Shide, however, was not someone to be manipulated at will. He stepped out of the ranks and replied, "This subject does not dare accept this. Building fortifications in the borderlands is vastly different from constructing the capital city. Chancellor Li previously directed the affairs of the Winter Office and surely possesses more experience in engineering matters." With that, he flatly refused.

Li Zhaode's eyebrows twitched slightly, but unperturbed, he said, "In that case, this subject dares to be so bold as to recommend himself."

"Very well. For a chancellor of your eminence to undertake construction duties—methinks our divine capital of Luoyang will soon present a magnificent and flourishing spectacle." Giving her assent, the Empress Dowager did not forget to issue an imperial decree instructing the Earth Office, the Winter Office, the Luoyang Municipal Office, and other government bodies to properly cooperate and coordinate.

Numerous officials stepped out together to receive the order, harboring silent complaints in their hearts. Even without this explicit reminder, they would not dare to slacken on any task assigned by Li Zhaode; after all, he was a ferocious figure who had dared to shaft both Lai Junchen and Lou Shide.

After Wang Xu's numerous lobbying efforts proved fruitless and the Empress Dowager issued the decree bestowing the marriage, a heavy and gloomy atmosphere settled over the Prince Gao'an's Mansion. Quan Ce's sense of disillusionment stemmed solely from hatred of his own powerlessness to protect his loved ones, whereas Wang Hui's despair concerned his entire future. Although he forced a smile before others, he had lost his usual cheerfulness and frequently fell into silent trances.

Quan Ce hosted a banquet at the Princess Taiping's Mansion, forcefully dragging Wang Hui along simply to help him clear his mind and relieve his melancholy.

The guests hailed from all walks of life. Among them were people he knew well: colleagues and old friends such as Cui Rong, Li Qiao, Du Shenyan, Song Zhiwen, and Zhang Shuo. Hou Shizhi had invited his uncle-father-in-law Li Zicai; Lu Zhaoyin had brought Lu Zhaoren, a core figure of the Fanyang Lu clan; Lai Chong had brought his cousin's husband, Fan Yunxian, Grand General of the Right Yuqian Guard and Palace Attendant. There were others he was scarcely acquainted with, such as Gao Jian, Junior Supervisor of the Bureau of Astronomy, and Cui Shi, Scholar of the Hanlin Academy.

There was also someone who was a familiar stranger: Zheng Jingsi, the heir-grandson of the Xingyang Zheng clan. He had met Quan Ce before, but they met now as if for the very first time.

In fact, not only Zheng Jingsi, but figures from aristocratic clans like Lu Zhaoren and Li Zicai attended this gathering largely out of respect for Princess Taiping's prestigious reputation. This could be clearly seen from how they fawned upon Cui Shi far more than they flattered Quan Ce himself.

Amidst the clinking of goblets and the swirling dance of sleeves, Quan Ce merely accompanied them with polite smiles, small talk, and wine, refusing to compose any poetry. The others, however, abandoned themselves to merriment, especially Cui Shi, who excelled in such settings and was intentionally flattered by interested parties until he grew pleasantly intoxicated, losing all sense of time and place.

Before his eyes lay endless splendor and gorgeous luxury, yet Quan Ce gradually felt a creeping sense of isolation.

"Dalang," a heavy weight descended upon his shoulder as Wang Hui pressed his hand there, his tongue thick and reeking of alcohol. Seizing a moment when his gaze cleared, Wang Hui instructed him, "Remember to send me back to the mansion. I have trouble sleeping on unfamiliar beds, especially after drinking. If I'm not careful, my back and shoulders will be sore by tomorrow morning, and I still have military drills—I cannot afford any delays."

Quan Ce agreed. It was better if Wang Hui was drunk; it would help him forget his vexations.

Only when a person was drunk did their heart grow truly clear. Indeed, this was not his home, and this prosperity did not belong to him. That storm-tossed, sorrow-shrouded Prince Gao'an's Mansion was his true home.

Quan Ce drained the wine in his cup. The alcoholic haze gradually blurred his vision. In dreams, one forgets one is a traveler, snatching a moment of stolen joy; but now, the long dream ought to be broken.

"Master Quan, Attendant Shangguan has arrived at the banquet." The gateman did not dare to bar Shangguan Wan'er's way. Even as the steward made the announcement, Quan Ce saw Shangguan Wan'er's graceful figure stepping lightly into the courtyard.

He struggled to his feet, his balance somewhat unsteady, and raised his hands in a welcoming salute. Squinting for a moment to search through the crowd, he found Cui Shi, who had taken the lead among the guests in rising to welcome Shangguan Wan'er. "Your arrival as Attendant brings honor to my humble dwelling," Quan Ce said. "However, the banquet is already drawing to a close, and I hope you will forgive us. Lacking in capacity for wine, I must ask Brother Cui to act as host in my stead."

Shangguan Wan'er waved her hand, stopping Cui Shi in his tracks as he stepped forward. She brushed aside Hou Shizhi and the others who were trying to support Quan Ce, and personally half-supported and half-embraced him, completely ignoring the strange looks of the onlookers. "Since Dalang is drunk, he should wash up and rest first. Where is the bedchamber?"

The latter half of her sentence was addressed to the servants of Princess Taiping's Mansion. The servant was perceptive enough to turn around immediately without a word, directly leading the way.

Behind them, many wore complex expressions. Cui Shi, who ought to have reacted the most, simply continued drinking and reciting poetry as if nothing had happened.

The moment they entered the bedchamber, the alcohol in Quan Ce's system completely faded. It was not that he had been feigning drunkenness earlier; rather, he had been struck by shock.

Once inside the bedchamber, Shangguan Wan'er dismissed the servants and stripped off all her garments, revealing a porcelain-white body that gleamed softly under the lamplight.

"Dalang, Wan'er has long been willing to give you everything, a thousand times over, even to become your hidden concubine in some secluded chamber," Shangguan Wan'er said, large teardrops welling up in her eyes and spilling over. "I should thank you, Dalang, for avenging me. Do you know why Xue Huaiyi was flogged that day? It wasn't simply because the giant Buddha was not made of human blood and his lies deceived the sovereign; it was because that beast broke into the palace at night and violated me..."

At these words, she choked with sobs, pointing to her own body. "It has been so long since we spoke our hearts in private. Do you know what she has endured? Wu Chengsi rises swiftly to power while Wu Sansi burns with grievance—do you know how Her Majesty pacifies them?"

Unable to bear listening any longer, Quan Ce stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace. With his stature, it was not difficult to enfold Wan'er within his arms, yet deep in his heart, he felt increasingly small and insignificant. He was not only heartless, but cowardly.

The Empress Dowager had repeatedly rebuked him for being incapable of major undertakings, and Princess Taiping had frequently reprimanded him for lacking the bearing of a ruler. Yet he had dismissed all of it, believing himself to be in the right. In order to survive, he thought, one must inevitably stoop to compromises. Looking back now, however, those were mere excuses. Along this journey, bloodshed and sin had piled up; in his obsessive single-minded quest to stay alive, when had he ever truly cared for his family and friends? When had he ever truly shouldered responsibility?

All the suppressed reflection of the past few days surged forward at once. Quan Ce wept softly, crystal-clear tears rolling down the bridge of his nose to land upon Shangguan Wan'er's snow-white back, poignant and beautiful as a painting.