Chapter 1: The Dream-Fulfilling Traitor |
Third watch, Sheng'an.
The entire imperial capital had entered curfew, pitch black everywhere, with only the round moon in the night sky casting a hazy, dim light.
On the central imperial avenue of the palace city, six riders galloped forth, followed by a single-horse carriage.
The six riders dismounted before the main gate of a sprawling estate.
All six wore black Flying Fish robes, black gauze caps adorned with gold, and curved moon-shaped sabers with gold inlay at their waists.
The leader had an eagle-like piercing gaze and a tall stature with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Beside him stood a deputy holding a night lantern.
The lamplight illuminated the plaque hanging above the main gate: "Sima Estate."
The man gave a look, and his deputy grabbed the door knocker and rapped on the door.
After a while, footsteps sounded from within. A doorman in blue robes, about twenty-something years old, pushed open the estate gates. Upon seeing the group and the curved sabers at their waists, his impatient expression instantly vanished, replaced by terror.
The leader displayed his waist token, then said in an indifferent tone: "The Emperor summons Lord Sima to the palace."
"..." The doorman froze, then quickly nodded in response. "This lowly one will go inform the master immediately."
Just as he turned around, Shen Kang called out: "Tell Lord Sima there's no need to hurry—change clothes and straighten his cap before leaving."
"This lowly one understands!"
The doorman spoke a bit too loudly, and Shen Kang raised a finger, making a 'silence' gesture.
The man covered his mouth with his hand, then hurriedly went to make the announcement.
About a quarter-hour later, an elderly official wearing deep crimson robes with hidden floral patterns, gaunt in build with gray hair at his temples, walked out as quickly as possible, though his steps were stiff and he appeared extremely flustered.
"Lord Sima."
Shen Kang stood upright and cupped his hands in salute.
Sima Yu forced a smile and returned the salute with cupped hands: "What brings Lord Shen in person at this hour?"
"Lord Sima, please."
Shen Kang didn't answer, extending his hand in invitation.
Sima Yu asked no more questions and was tremblingly led to the carriage.
Then, with three riders before and three behind, they escorted the carriage straight along the palace city's imperial avenue until reaching the palace complex.
After Sima Yu descended from the carriage, a eunuch with a plump, kindly face, about the same age as him, was already holding a lantern and waiting.
After the body search was complete, the eunuch led him into the palace.
Between the towering walls on both sides, the old eunuch supported Sima Yu as they walked swiftly.
"Eunuch Chen." Midway through, Sima Yu finally couldn't restrain himself and said in an almost pleading tone, "Why has His Majesty summoned me in the dead of night?"
Late at night, an urgent summons, and the Jinyiwei personally coming to his door.
Such a display would frighten anyone.
One could even say it exceeded the protocol for a fourth-rank official.
At this moment, Eunuch Chen stopped walking and looked at him, his kindly expression becoming somewhat grave: "This old servant cannot say too much."
"Please enlighten me, Eunuch."
Sima Yu bowed.
After he raised his head, Eunuch Chen looked at him and said: "It's an urgent matter, a major matter."
Having said that, he fell silent.
And Sima Yu was even more terrified than before asking.
Then he was continuously led to the Xuanyu Hall.
After one final body search and inspection, he lowered his head and slowly walked into the hall.
From around a screen divider, the inner chamber lay beyond.
From his bowed perspective, the first thing that entered his view was a bronze tiger foot warmer.
Upon the bronze vessel, a pair of feet as rough as tree bark rested.
"This subject Sima Yu pays respects to Your Majesty."
Upon entering, Sima Yu immediately prostrated himself in obeisance.
Before him, a thick and powerful palm slowly lifted.
Eunuch Chen at the side said: "Lord Sima, please rise."
Sima Yu slowly stood up.
Before him sat a man wearing a bright yellow sleeping robe, with frosted sideburns like halberds, drooping eyes yet sharp as a crouching tiger—sitting with the imposing presence of Mount Tai.
The Emperor glanced at Sima Yu and said: "Grant him a seat."
Then Eunuch Chen brought over a round wooden stool.
"This subject thanks Your Majesty." Sima Yu sat at the side, still filled with trepidation.
But seeing the Emperor's mood was calm, he relaxed slightly.
"Zhen had a dream."
The Emperor suddenly spoke.
Sima Yu looked toward him: "What kind of dream did Your Majesty have?"
His expression grave, the Emperor slowly began: "In the dream, Zhen sat in the great hall. The Imperial Grand-grandson, covered in blood, ran in and grabbed Zhen's leg, crying and calling out, 'Imperial Grandfather, save me.' Behind him, a person held a sword in one hand and a severed head in the other."
"..."
Hearing these words, Sima Yu's entire body stiffened. It was the first time he'd seen the Emperor's face show not anger or agitation at such an inauspicious dream, but even a trace of 'fear.' Thus, he spoke: "Your Majesty, do you remember the appearance of the sword-wielding person in the dream?"
"What of it?" the Emperor asked.
"If you know the appearance, have an artist paint a portrait of the person from the dream and distribute it to all provinces and commanderies. Anyone with a similar appearance... execute them all."
"What if I didn't see the face clearly?"
"Then did they speak?"
"He didn't, but the person behind him spoke."
"The person behind him?" Sima Yu asked in confusion. "What did he say?"
"He said."
Slowly turning his head to look into Sima Yu's eyes, the Emperor said expressionlessly: "Your Highness, the struggle for Crown Prince has always been thus."
"..."
As soon as the words fell, Sima Yu hurriedly rose. Then he prostrated himself completely on the ground, his voice trembling: "This subject begs Your Majesty's forgiveness and asks to retract his previous words!"
"Raise your head." the Emperor said.
Trembling, Sima Yu raised his head.
"Zhen wants you to tell me—who is that 'Your Highness'?" The Emperor raised his finger, pointing at Sima Yu.
"This subject doesn't know!"
"Then guess."
"This subject doesn't dare to guess!"
"If you don't guess, Zhen will have you killed."
"..." The imposing gaze without anger frightened Sima Yu nearly to death. After struggling internally for a while, he shook his head vigorously: "Your Majesty, this subject doesn't dare to guess!"
"As the Director of the Imperial Observatory, isn't dream interpretation your specialty?"
The Emperor stared at him, his tone fluctuating for the first time: "Zhen wants to know right now what this dream means."
Kneeling with his head raised, looking up at the Emperor, Sima Yu, after much internal preparation, knowing he couldn't remain uninvolved, boldly asked: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Grand-grandson in the dream is?"
Over a decade ago, after the 'Crown Prince Rebellion' case, the Emperor had never established another Crown Prince.
If there was no Crown Prince, how could there be an Imperial Grand-grandson?
The Emperor shook his head: "Zhen only knows he is Zhen's Imperial Grand-grandson."
"Then whose head was the sword-wielding person carrying?"
"It should be the Crown Prince."
"Then did Your Majesty see clearly who it was?"
"He looked somewhat like the Prince of Jin, and somewhat like the Prince of Wu..."
"This subject presumes to ask Your Majesty not to guess first."
Sima Yu stammered.
The reason was simple.
Whose head it was meant who would lose the chance to become heir apparent.
Otherwise they would suffer a curse—if he became Crown Prince, he would be beheaded, and the Imperial Grand-grandson would also be hunted down.
At this moment, as long as he himself showed no reaction, if the capricious Emperor let this slip out, the Prince of Wu and Prince of Jin would chop him into mincemeat...
"So that sword-wielding person is also Zhen's son?" the Emperor asked bluntly.
"According to the dream... it's possible."
Sima Yu dared not be perfunctory and answered honestly.
"As long as we kill this prince, we can avoid the rebellion of forced abdication." The Emperor speculated on his own.
"But Your Majesty doesn't know which prince it is..."
The Emperor suddenly thought of something and said: "In the twenty-seventh year of Jiarui, when Consort Chen gave birth, the male infant she carried came out legs first. After enduring torment, Consort Chen still died of hemorrhaging. Zhen gave him the name Wusheng at that time, meaning 'born in defiance.' To commit such a heinous act of great treason... who else but him?"
"But we cannot confirm it's the Sixth Prince..."
Because of the 'Wusheng' matter, of the Emperor's seven princes, six had been enfranchised as princes, but only Wei Wusheng had no noble title.
Thus officials, nobility, and commoners all called him the Sixth Prince.
"Then kill him."
Suddenly, four emotionless words crashed down.
Just kill him.
If it is him, this cursed dream would be resolved.
If it's not?
Dead is dead.
"Your Majesty, killing an innocent prince without cause is greatly inauspicious, greatly inauspicious!"
Seeing this, Sima Yu kowtowed forcefully, doing his utmost to remonstrate.
But it seemed to have no effect.
His withered brow furrowed, the Emperor increasingly felt that person should be Wusheng.
"Your Majesty."
Suddenly, Sima Yu raised his head. For such a sensitive matter, he spoke proactively: "The key to this dream lies in that 'Your Highness's' confidant. He incites the prince... as long as we kill the treacherous minister who spreads seditious words, this dream can be resolved."
What does 'clearing the sovereign's side' mean?
The ruler and heir apparent are true dragon and young dragon—they cannot be attacked.
Therefore, you can only attack the minion with taunt.
"Can you cast a divination and calculate who this person is?" the Emperor asked.
"Your Majesty, after this person appears, he will begin to bring chaos to the court. But now the court is stable, the realm is at peace, and national power is flourishing. This indicates this person hasn't appeared yet. If someday someone attempts to shake the foundation of the state... that person will be the dream-fulfilling traitor."
The establishment of the Jinyiwei had already made all high officials in the court fearful for their lives.
If word got out that among them was a great traitor...
The capital's officials would have no way to survive.
"Furthermore."
Raising his finger, the Emperor added to Sima Yu's words: "Whoever colludes with a prince is the dream-fulfilling traitor."
"Yes."
Sima Yu affirmed.
At least this current batch of officials was temporarily safe.
Although killing the Emperor-despised 'Wusheng' sounded more efficient.
But what if after killing Wusheng, the Emperor continued having that dream?
Given the sovereign father's authority, he might very well say something like: Seems we killed the wrong one, so you compensate Zhen with a son.
After receiving this response, the Emperor seemed to gradually accept it.
At this moment, Sima Yu asked: "Your Majesty, have you told this dream to anyone else besides this subject?"
"Yes."
Although Eunuch Chen beside him had also heard, he obviously couldn't be counted among people.
He was the Emperor's extension.
With both hands on the ground, the sixty-year-old Sima Yu swore resolutely: "This subject will carry this dream to the Yellow Springs!"
………
………
Headache.
Pain, pain, pain.
Song Shi'an lay on the bed, feeling his head splitting with pain.
At this moment, a stern man in luxurious robes walked in. Seeing the youth lying on the bed and the woman sitting beside him with a mournful expression, he suddenly cursed furiously: "Has this beast finally died?!"
"..." Hearing this, the woman stood up and threw herself on him, sobbing: "Master, this is your own son!"
"I don't have such a son."
Pointing at the youth lying on the bed, the man said through gritted teeth: "To actually get so drunk at a wine house drinking flower wine a few days before the provincial exam that he fell into the river—what's the point of such a disgraceful thing continuing to live?"
"Shi'an was led there by those wealthy young masters... He has poor alcohol tolerance to begin with. Those people insisted on teasing him, so he got drunk and fell into the river. How can you blame him entirely, Master? Even if he bears the primary responsibility, don't those people share the remaining fault?"
"Then why didn't anyone else fall in the water, just him?"
The man, thinking of this matter, couldn't help his rage, his cheeks flushing red with anger.
"Master, he has to take the exam tomorrow. After he wakes up, please don't scold him first..." the woman pleaded.
"Exam? From fourteen years old until now, he can't even pass the provincial exam to become a juren. This father became a jinshi at twenty. How could such an idiot, such a beast, be born from me?"
Taking the juren exam was indeed somewhat difficult for ordinary people.
But with a jinshi father and an official family, failing repeatedly—that was shameful.
The woman could only continue playing the family card: "Master, however slow-witted Shi'an may be, he's still your son..."
"Song Ce is my son. This disgraceful beast—when he wakes up, tell him to get the hell out of the Song estate."
The man finished speaking, then pushed away the woman clinging to him: "If you keep talking, you can get out too."
With those words, the man stormed out of the room in fury.
The woman then collapsed beside Song Shi'an and burst into tears: "Shi'an, oh Shi'an, wake up quickly. If you don't live, Mother won't live either..."
So heavy, so noisy.
Song Shi'an felt pressure on his body.
He remembered he should have finished a meeting in the city, seen some friends, then driven through the night back to town.
Right, the eleven PM national highway.
He was driving normally and was normally crossing through a green light when an oncoming hundred-ton truck with covered plates, not slowing down at a red light, turned...
His memory ended there.
Did he luck out?
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
Overhead, there was no stark white ceiling.
Instead, several rough solid wood beams supported a triangular roof...
Inside the room, everything was completely unfamiliar.
Unlike an old countryside house, it resembled a period drama set in Hengdian, but even more rudimentary—everywhere revealing an ancient simplicity.
"Son, you're awake?!"
As soon as he opened his eyes, a woman cried out in surprise.
Simultaneously, a face covered in tear tracks forcibly occupied his entire field of vision.
The woman cried miserably and tragically, her eye bags swollen from weeping.
"Shi'an, can you hear me? Mother is here. Tell Mother whatever you want to say."
The woman showed a delighted expression, her tone extremely excited.
Mother.
And 'Shi'an.'
I am indeed named Shi'an.
But my mom doesn't look like this?
Suddenly, a flood of memories forcibly poured into his mind.
Various scenes flashed past like a revolving lantern.
Of course, this included the identity of the person before him.
Most importantly, an absurd worldview and identity appeared.
Yu Dynasty?
The illegitimate son of the Sheng'an Magistrate, Song Shi'an?
"Shi'an, say something quickly, you're killing Mother with anxiety!"
His thoughts interrupted by the voice, Song Shi'an looked at her for a long while, then spoke: "I'm hungry."
