Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 72

In the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue.

A single smiling remark from the Emperor sent a jolt of alarm through Wei Xiu. The shock was so sudden that she had no time to mask it, her eyes fixed on the Emperor, filled with both astonishment and hesitation. “Your Majesty… what… what is the meaning of this?”

When not plotting or scheming, the Emperor was a reasonably amiable man. Seeing her rare loss of composure, his mood lightened, and he chuckled. “Sir, you know full well. Why must you ask Us again?”

Within a few short breaths, Wei Xiu came to her senses. For a moment, her heart pounded like a drum, and a ringing filled her ears, leaving her even more flustered than before. She scrambled to think of a response. She couldn’t deny it; Her Highness was in the palace, and for the Emperor to be so certain, he must have already received confirmation from her. But if she admitted it, an imperial decree of marriage would not be far behind.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, a tangled skein of thread. As she focused, trying to think, a thought suddenly shot through her mind. How did the Emperor find out? Her Highness would never have told the Emperor privately without discussing it with her first. Therefore, it must have been someone else. Could it be that someone in the princess’s residence had truly betrayed their mistress, secretly reporting the household’s affairs to the Emperor?

Wei Xiu’s heart leaped. If that were the case, the princess’s residence would become a treacherous place, where secrets could be leaked at any moment, placing the princess in peril at any time. She pondered for a moment, but her concern for Puyang ultimately won out. She decided not to rush a denial, but instead asked directly, “Did Her Highness tell Your Majesty of this matter?”

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively. “It wasn’t Seventh Lady. It was the Prince of Yuzhang.”

The Prince of Yuzhang… Wei Xiu first felt a wave of relief—it was good that the leak hadn’t come from within Her Highness’s residence. This was immediately followed by a surge of irritation. She had intended to use this man merely to sow chaos in the Song kingdom, not expecting him to be so meddlesome as to concern himself with the princess’s affairs. The thought that this man had once coveted the princess only deepened Wei Xiu’s displeasure.

The Emperor, meanwhile, glanced at Wei Xiu’s legs, a slight frown creasing his brow. If not for this shortcoming, Wei Xiu would be a perfect match as Seventh Lady’s consort. Alas, nothing in this world was ever perfect. Fortunately, at the rank of a princess’s consort, there were very few things one needed to do personally; for common trifles, there would be plenty of servants willing to handle them. And what was most important for a man was not physical wholeness, but the ability to achieve great deeds, to be ennobled as a prince or marquis, and to shoulder great responsibilities. Otherwise, a man with a strong physique but no accomplishments was no different from a useless person.

There was another matter, one the Emperor had mentioned to no one. Over the past year, the various princes had grown increasingly restless, attacking one another in court day after day. If their squabbling could produce a result, if one son proved ruthless and capable enough to rise above the rest, the Emperor would have been pleased. Character aside, at least he would have ability. The Emperor had seized the throne himself and learned much along the way. He believed that to be the Son of Heaven, ability was paramount, all else secondary. Whether it was expanding the borders or cautiously defending what was established, as long as a ruler could do one, he could preserve the dynasty’s foundation.

Unfortunately, not a single one of the princes had any real talent. They bickered endlessly day after day, all with their vulgar, low-level schemes. During Wei Xiu’s last audience, when speaking of the Crown Prince of Song, she had made an offhand comment that reminded the Emperor that he had not only sons, but grandsons. Who said it had to be a prince? Thus, for the past month, he had been observing his imperial grandsons. Looking them over one by one, the Eldest Imperial Grandson was the most pleasing to the eye, and he was still young, with room to be taught.

If he were to name an imperial grandson as heir, the princes were powerful and their foundations deep. The new monarch would be weak, of a lower generation, and would need capable people to support him for a time.

The Chancellor wouldn’t do; he was even older than the Emperor. He had largely suppressed the imperial clan, and none had the necessary resolve. In court, the ministers all had their own leanings and considerations. There was no guarantee that something unexpected wouldn’t happen.

Weighing his options one by one, Wei Xiu stood out as a bright spot. When a princess marries, although it is called marrying out, Wei Xiu was not close to her clan and had no power base to speak of, making it little different from marrying into the imperial family. Wei Xiu would then be an imperial relative. She was unwilling to serve as an official, but she would surely not refuse to help a family member, and with Seventh Lady as an intermediary—and Seventh Lady herself being quite capable.

Thinking it over, it seemed like a good plan. However, supporting a new monarch was a major undertaking. One person and one family were too few; he would need to find more support. He could take his time looking for the rest.

The Emperor’s thoughts ran deep, but in truth, while he was moved by the idea of appointing his grandson, it was still just a preliminary notion. The situation at court was ever-changing. And though the Emperor was loath to think about it, he knew that all men have a finite lifespan. If he lived another ten years, he would be considered long-lived. The Imperial Grandson might not have time to grow his wings.

But once the idea took root, the Emperor would ponder it from time to time. What if it came to that? It was truly because his sons were so disappointing.

For a son not to resemble his father is truly one of life’s great regrets!

After Wei Xiu finished her thoughts on the Prince of Yuzhang, she saw the Emperor’s gaze lower slightly, as if he were contemplating something. A thought stirred in her mind, and she did not rush to speak. She picked up her tea. It had long since gone cold, radiating a stark chill. Wei Xiu held it for a moment before setting it back down. The Hall of Containing Light was not far from here; Her Highness should be arriving soon.

In the course of a single day, so much had happened. Wei Xiu missed Puyang dearly.

The Emperor, having finished his deliberations, looked at Wei Xiu before him. The Son of Heaven had always been fickle. When he hated someone, he wished for their immediate death; when he found someone pleasing, he felt they were excellent. At this moment, he found Wei Xiu pleasing and wanted to hear what this person, who stood outside the court’s politics, thought of his imperial grandson. He spoke as if casually, “Dewen is the first among my grandsons, and the Prince of Yan is gone. It is only natural that I dote on him and look after him more. I sincerely wish to engage you as Dewen’s tutor, to teach him the ways of conducting himself in the world. Just now, you said you were worried for the princess and could not attend to other matters, so you refused Us. Now that the princess is safe, you might as well reconsider.”

He was still speaking of Xiao Dewen, but Wei Xiu quickly discerned the difference in the Emperor’s tone and words. If his earlier mention of Xiao Dewen was bait to test her, his current words were a genuine inquiry into her opinion of the boy.

For him to ask her, a commoner from the mountains with no official rank, in private meant that he had already begun to place great importance on Xiao Dewen. This was exactly what Wei Xiu wanted. She did not show any delight, but said coolly, “The Prince is young and seldom appears before others. Since my arrival in the capital, I have only seen him once at a banquet. Without deep contact or hearing any anecdotes, I dare not comment on the Prince at will. As for the position of tutor, it is not that I am unwilling, but that I am truly not competent for the role. I hope Your Majesty will understand.”

The Emperor listened carefully. When he heard that she did not know Xiao Dewen well, it occurred to him that an imperial grandson not yet ten years old and without a father to protect him would naturally be obscure. It was normal for Wei Xiu not to know his character; if she had known him inside and out, that would have been suspicious.

Just as the two were conversing in a manner that seemed casual and plain but was in fact laden with hidden meaning, the hall doors were pushed open from the outside.

The princess had arrived. Wei Xiu instinctively turned her head to look.

The doors opened, and light from outside streamed in. Puyang soon appeared in that light, her breathing slightly quickened from her hurried pace. Only after stepping into the hall did she slow her steps. From the moment Puyang appeared, Wei Xiu’s gaze was fixed on her face, scanning her from head to toe. Seeing her radiant expression and bright smile, with nothing else amiss, Wei Xiu’s own brow relaxed.

Upon entering the hall, Puyang also looked first to Wei Xiu. Seeing Wei Xiu dressed in her black robes with wide sleeves, looking as elegant and refined as ever, she knew she had safely passed the Emperor’s test. Her anxious heart was finally, completely at ease.

The two were not being overtly obvious, but in the Emperor’s eyes, it was extremely grating. He rested a hand on his forehead and waved his other hand dismissively. “Go, go. She’s gone for one night and you come looking for her all the way to my doorstep. How could I dare keep her any longer? Go on, go on.”

With the situation settled, Puyang was no longer in a hurry. She placated the Emperor for a while before taking her leave with Wei Xiu.

The Emperor shot her an annoyed glance but gave a slight nod, signaling that he remembered the matter of the marriage. A bet was a bet, and he would honor it.

Puyang’s lips curved into a small, barely perceptible smile.

The two left the palace and returned to the residence.

They didn’t speak on the way. Upon returning, Puyang led Wei Xiu to the small sitting room outside her bedchamber. It was a world away from the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue, where one felt solemn and apprehensive no matter how amiable the Emperor was. This place was small, with windows on all four sides, making it very bright. A brazier had been lit, filling the room with a cozy warmth.

From yesterday evening until now, less than a day and a night had passed, yet it had been a tumultuous and terrifying time.

Puyang first told Wei Xiu what had happened the day before, then asked how the Emperor had tested her today. Wei Xiu held nothing back and recounted her side as well. All in all, it was a scare, but no real danger.

“In the Hall of Containing Light, every day felt like a year. I was so afraid Father would harm you,” Puyang said with a sigh of relief. “I had already decided that if you failed Father’s test, I would come to save you, no matter what.”

Relying on the memories of her past life, she knew of several personnel changes among the palace staff in the Hall of Proclaimed Virtue and had taken the opportunity to plant someone by the Emperor’s side. This was an extremely secret move, a piece she would never use unless it was a matter of great importance. It was with this assurance that she had been willing to obey the Emperor and allow herself to be confined in the Hall of Containing Light.

She spoke with such firm resolve about saving her. Wei Xiu thought of how, not long ago, she had considered abandoning the princess, severing their bond for good. A bitter taste filled her mouth. She asked, “Is Your Highness so certain that I have no ulterior motives?”

“Do you, Sir?” Puyang asked in return.

Wei Xiu lowered her gaze slightly, not daring to meet her trusting eyes, and slowly uttered two words: “I do not.” The moment the words left her lips, they felt like a sharp whip lashing her heart.

Puyang smiled faintly, a shallow smile. Her eyes were as clear as autumn waters, tinged with a gentle, coquettish reproach, as if chiding Wei Xiu for asking such a meaningless question, yet also filled with a bright confidence, as if she had known all along what the answer would be.

She trusted her so purely. Wei Xiu couldn’t help but be drawn to her, and couldn’t help but feel guilty.

She could no longer tell whether she felt guilty toward her family, buried deep beneath the earth, for falling for the daughter of her enemy, or guilty toward Puyang for her deception and ulterior motives. This confusion only made her heart suffer more lashes. She was slowly becoming a person who had wronged everyone.

Wei Xiu tried hard to conceal her turbulent emotions. Her gaze was so gentle, full of affection and reluctance, as she softly pressed, “What if, by some chance?”

Puyang didn’t know why she was so insistent on this, but since she asked, she gave it some serious thought. After a moment, she understood and replied earnestly, “If, by some chance, you truly have ulterior motives, and your feelings for me are just exploitation and deceit,”—even though she knew it was just a hypothetical, Puyang still felt a pang of sadness, but her voice remained both serious and resolute—“I would not allow anyone else to humiliate you, Sir. For the sake of the joy and happiness we have shared, whether to kill or to punish, it should be done by my own hand.”

She spoke each word with determination. Love was love, and hate was hate; she would never mix the two. Wei Xiu listened intently. If it came to that, she thought, it would be for the best. At least it would allow Her Highness to vent her anger.

But after speaking, Puyang suddenly smiled. She turned to look at Wei Xiu and said, a little shyly, “I thought that would be in line with my character. But thinking about it carefully, if it were you, Sir, I probably couldn’t bring myself to do it. I love you so much. If that turned to hate, how deep would that hatred be? But I love you so much… even if I hated you, how much could I truly hate? How could I bear to lay a hand on you?”