Chương 53: Chapter 51 Interlude 10

A woman with a stern face and piercing gaze stops a few steps from the imposing gates of the Imperial Palace, her eyes sweeping over the imperial inscription that crowns the main gate, an ancient symbol of the Mandate of Heaven. Her name is Xu Qiaolian, Nei Shiwei of the Nei Wei who guard the Zhāohuán and Guifei Xiang, and she cannot help but think of the two years that have passed since her regiment was ordered to accompany the Zhāohuán and the Guifei into exile. However, her nostalgia is brief and almost a lapse.

She has orders, and as the vermilion rooftops rise before her like the back of a sleeping beast, she presses her lips together with determination and raises a hand, signaling to her squad and telling them "Form up. We are advancing toward the palace and let it not be said that we have lost our discipline while we have been away."

The squadron's footsteps sound firm and disciplined, as one, as they advance to the gates, where two lines of guards in ceremonial armor lower their halberds with a precise gesture as they approach.

"Halt and state your purpose as you approach the Imperial Palace", demands the captain of the guard, without moving an inch. Xu Qiaolian steps forward and, without losing an ounce of composure, presents her identification.

"Nei Shiwei Xu Qiaolian, member of the Nei Baihu Liang Xue regiment, with orders to deploy as an escort for the Zhāohuán", Xu Qiaolian tells them.

"I am here with an urgent order from the Zhāohuán for the Yushitai." The guard captain's eyes narrow as he looks at the documentation, but he simply takes the document, glances at it briefly, and then nods slightly as he returns it, saying "You are granted passage. Walk with honor."

"Serve with honor", Xu Qiaolian replies without lingering longer than necessary, after which she orders her squad to advance, and they pass through the gates of the Imperial Palace. Once inside, the change is immediate. The inner avenues of the Imperial Palace are flanked by high walls and golden roofs that glisten in the sun, all filled with officials dressed in silks and the symbols of their rank, mingling with maids laden with baskets hurrying to carry out their masters' orders.

Xu Qiaolian and her squad make their way deeper into the palace toward the Yushitai as some heads turn, just for a moment, as they watch Nei Wei's small group pass by. Soon she hears some whispering, realizing that someone has recognized them and that the countdown has begun for the news that a squadron from the Zhāohuán's escort has arrived at the palace to reach ears it shouldn't. So she tells her squadron "Straight ahead, without stopping. Let's take the shortest route to Yushitai."

The path leads them through a labyrinth of courtyards, covered walkways, and pavilions adorned with sculptures from bygone eras, while every turn and every shadow seem to be watching them, but Nei Wei's squad marches like arrows shot from a bow, oblivious to everything around them. Soon they reach the Yushitai building, where Xu Qiaolian gives a hand signal as she tells her squad "Wait outside. If anyone comes and asks, follow protocol and wait for me to come out."

Her subordinates bow briefly and take their places on either side of the door with the steadfastness of stone sentinels as she enters alone. The interior of the Yushitai is austere, and in the lobby, several groups of people are conversing in hushed tones, but they fall silent upon seeing a stranger enter the building. Xu Qiaolian glances around briefly and approaches the person closest to her, asking politely "Could you tell me where the Personnel Department is? I have an urgent order to deliver to them."

The person she asks seems to hesitate for a moment, but quickly notices her uniform and rank insignia, so they reply immediately "Yes, of course, ma'am. The Personnel Department is at the end of the hall, second door on the right."

"Thank you", Xu Qiaolian replies, bowing slightly as is proper, after which she enters the building as her boots make a muffled sound on the carpets and the noise of conversation echoes once more in the lobby behind her. Upon reaching the indicated door, she pushes it open without hesitation and enters.

The room is occupied by six officials, each focused on a mountain of documents, while in the background, a middle-aged man with a large belly and fingers adorned with rings leans languidly back in his chair, observing the scene as he sips tea from a blue porcelain cup. Certain that he is the supervisor, Xu Qiaolian strides forward decisively and stops before his desk, whereupon the official's gaze slowly shifts toward her, his disdain unhidden, as he asks "How may I assist you?"

"I have an urgent personnel transfer order to be processed by the head of the Personnel Department", she replies bluntly as she pulls the papers Guifei Xiang gave her from inside her armor. The man doesn't even bother to reach out, he simply makes a vague gesture with his fingers toward the clerks as he says "Give it to one of them. I'm busy."

"With all due respect, I cannot do that", Xu Qiaolian replies in a voice that remains calm but has grown sharper, like a drawn blade.

"This order is signed directly by Zhāohuán, and my instructions are that I must hand-deliver it to the person in charge of personnel transfers at Yushitai." The silence that follows Xu Qiaolian's words is brief but intense. For a moment, the incessant scratching of quills on paper in the room stops, as if the room were holding its breath while a faint rustling of parchment is heard.

Then, as if obeying a tacit order, the scribes resume their work, though now their gazes are fixed on their tasks, not daring to lift their heads. Across from her, the official sets his teacup down on a saucer as he turns his face, swollen from comfort, toward her to look at her. This time, his expression has shifted from disdain to one of calculated discomfort.

His small, sunken eyes slowly scan the face of the armed woman who stands her ground without hesitation, and a brief standoff of gazes forms between them, cutting through the air like a bolt of lightning before a storm. Finally, the official shifts in his seat and murmurs in a voice steeped in condescension and irritation that he makes no effort to hide "What you are asking for is highly irregular, Nei Shiwei. Personnel transfers are not usually handled with this degree of urgency.

Much less sent with the imperial army." Xu Qiaolian doesn't bat an eye at his tone, as she, too, has her orders regarding any potential resistance she might encounter.

"I have orders as well", she replies with the icy composure that only soldiers who know their backs are covered can possess.

"That if I am unable to deliver this document to you personally, I must seek out Neingjun Liu Yan and inform her that I have been prevented from completing my mission." After uttering those words, Xu Qiaolian immediately senses the impact. The official blinks as one of his hands tenses on the table and a slight tremor crosses his lips. For a second, the color seems to drain from his face, but he soon manages to compose himself with difficulty.

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"That won't be necessary", he murmurs after clearing his throat uncomfortably, trying to hide the sweat that suddenly beads on his forehead.

"Hand me the documents." Xu Qiaolian nods solemnly and hands him the papers he was holding, which the official takes without looking, placing them on his desk with an impatient gesture, almost as if they were burning his fingers.

"Furthermore", Xu Qiaolian adds in the same sharp tone "I have orders to obtain confirmation that the Personnel Department has received this order." The official's expression hardens again, and he frowns with barely contained bitterness, as if the demand were a personal insult. Still, he says nothing, as if unwilling to engage in a lost battle, and with a barely audible sigh, he takes a blank sheet of paper, dips his brush in the inkwell, and begins to write.

The strokes are careful, almost excessive, as if with each stroke he were trying to recover some of the dignity that the situation has robbed him of, and after a few minutes he sets down the brush, takes the cylindrical seal lying next to the inkwell, dips it firmly into the red ink, and stamps it with a sharp thud onto the paper. Then, with a defiant look, he hands her the document. Xu Qiaolian takes it and reads it carefully, making sure every detail is as it should be.

After verifying the content and the legitimacy of the seal, she tucks the acknowledgment of receipt under her armor, in the same place where she took the papers Guifei Xiang handed to her.

"Thank you for your cooperation", Xu Qiaolian says with measured formality to the department head, after which, without waiting for a reply, she turns on her heel and leaves the room with firm steps. As she exits the Yushitai building, her subordinates instantly stand at attention, and Xu Qiaolian speaks without delay.

"Mission accomplished", she informs them in a firm tone.

"We're returning to Xi'An immediately." A chorus of stifled groans escapes from the ranks of the squad.

"Nei Shiwei", one of them says.

"Not even a little free time? A short break? It's been almost two years since we set foot in the capital." Xu Qiaolian raises an eyebrow at the question.

"And tempt fate?" she asks in a serious voice, though she isn't angry at the question, as she understands it.

"You all know how the Imperial Palace works. If we stay longer than we should, someone will show up with an order to detain us. Or something worse. And we don't have the luxury of allowing that." The women look at one another and then nod with resignation. The orders are clear, and at least they know that the exile of the Zhāohuán is nearing its end.

"Let's go", Xu Qiaolian orders before anyone else has a chance to complain. And like a perfectly oiled machine, the squad sets off, leaving the heart of the Empire with the same precision with which they entered, their silhouettes receding down the inner avenues and vanishing behind the palace walls. Meanwhile, Li Zhongcai, head of the Yushitai Personnel Department, watches the door close behind Xu Qiaolian. His chin trembles slightly, still furious over the humiliation he suffered before his own subordinates.

As soon as the footsteps of the arrogant Nei Shiwei are no longer heard, Li Zhongcai takes the stack of documents and spreads them out on his desk, forcing himself to read the contents that have prompted such a display of force and threats. But as he reads the papers, his disbelief grows, as does his anger, as he realizes that what he is reading is an order to permanently transfer the escort assigned by the Yushitai to the Zhāohuán to serve under her permanently as part of her staff.

Li Zhongcai's fingers tighten around the papers in his hands as he realizes that all the humiliation he has suffered in front of his staff, all the loss of face he will endure once word of what happened spreads, is because that Zhāohuán brat has taken a fancy to a mere bodyguard.

A snort of contempt escapes Li Zhongcai's nostrils as his anger boils beneath his skin, and he makes a move to tear the papers in two, but he stops suddenly in a moment of clarity amid his rage when he realizes that even in their exile, Zhāohuán and Guifei still retain their titles, and if anyone finds out that I have destroyed an order signed by them… No, his neck isn't worth that much.

So with deliberate slowness, Li Zhongcai simply sets the documents down and slides them to the left side of his desk, where a pile of pending matters awaits a day that may never come.

"They'll get processed eventually", he mutters sarcastically to himself. He picks up the teapot and pours himself another cup, letting the steaming liquid wash away the bad taste of forced obedience. And a slow, venomous smile appears on his face as he takes a sip of his tea and thinks about how someday someone will put that girl in her place.

In a secondary audience chamber of the Imperial Palace, Emperor Sun Hao, dressed in casual dark blue brocade robes, sits on the chamber's informal throne with his back straight, his elbows resting on the carved armrests, and his fingers crossed in front of his mouth. His gaze, cold yet attentive, is fixed on the man kneeling several paces away. Jin Duwei Liang Zhen, chief of the fifteenth imperial prince's escort, keeps his head bowed and his back stiff despite the hours that have passed.

Before him, the new Taijian Lu Jianjun, with his affected voice and studied mannerisms, presides over the interrogation as if it were a theatrical performance. Sun Hao narrows his eyes, impassive. Were it not for the absence of his son Sun Chao, he would find the scene comical and even entertaining, especially the part where his daughter grew a backbone and stood up to Sun Chao. But his disappearance and the involvement of the scions of multiple noble families cast a shadow over everything.

In the room, the three consorts who have been permitted to be present remain silent. Fei Lan, the first consort and mother of Sun Chao, is dressed in white and purple, her eyes fixed on the floor, her lips pressed together. Fei Xi, the eighth consort and a member of the Wei family, elegant and icy as a sculpture, keeps her gaze fixed on Liang Zhen without blinking. Fei Qiao, the sixth consort and a member of the Gao family, with her fingers interlaced and a slight tremor in her hands, barely breathes.

Behind them, an elderly man with a white beard and black robes represents the Zhang family, surely calculating how to make the most of the situation. Sun Hao stifles a sigh and looks back at Taijian Lu Jianjun, watching the scene unfold as if it were a play, while telling himself, once again, that removing Li Ming was necessary. The old eunuch had been too close to Sun Quiming. Too willing to ignore what he was supposed to report, and he could not allow such a shadow to remain near the throne.

Taijian Lu Jianjun is about to continue, but Sun Hao raises a hand and says "Enough, Taijian. From this moment on, we will handle this. Withdraw." Taijian Lu Jianjun blinks, surprised, but quickly regains his composure, bows, and steps aside as the fan vanishes into his sleeves with an elegant gesture, leaving the spotlight on the throne. Sun Hao sits up slightly and rests his arms on the armchair with a regal gesture.

"So, Jin Duwei Liang Zhen", he says, his voice resonating with unquestionable authority.

"You're saying that Guifei Xiang refused to tell you what happened at the Celestial Fragment of the Sands." Liang Zhen lifts his head just enough to answer clearly "Yes, Son of Heaven. She told me that there are elements involved that are classified at a rank too high for people of my level to be authorized to know." A faint murmur ripples through the room. Sun Hao raises an eyebrow upon hearing the answer and asks "Were those her exact words?" Liang Zhen nods without hesitation.

"Yes, Son of Heaven. Those were her exact words." Sun Hao leans back slowly as his eyes wander for a moment over the ceiling decorations. The kind of language Xiang has used is not that of a frightened consort, it is that of someone who knows high-level secrets, secrets like the ones he already knows regarding his daughter's matter.

"And did she tell you who was high-ranking enough to receive that information?" he asks, as the answer would clarify the situation. Liang Zhen hesitates for the first time as the silence thickens like a brewing storm.

"Yes", he finally says, though his voice drops a notch.

"I asked her that question, Son of Heaven."

"And what did she say?" Sun Hao demands, this time with a hint of impatience. Liang Zhen swallows hard, his forehead glistening with sweat despite the room's mild temperature.

"That throughout the entire Empire, the only person of sufficient rank to know those details is the Emperor", Liang Zhen replies, his voice trembling. A murmur erupts in the room, this time unstoppable, as the consorts exchange fleeting glances and the representative of the Zhang, behind them, frowns upon hearing Liang Zhen's words. A headache begins to throb in Sun Hao's left temple, like a dull stab.

Because if Xiang is talking about secrets that only the emperor can know, then Sun Chao's disappearance isn't a simple accident, and that always spells trouble.

"Silence!" he exclaims suddenly, standing up. Everyone present immediately kneels like a single, multi-headed figure. Sun Hao steps forward onto the marble platform where the throne stands, his robe billowing slowly around him, as if even the air were parting.

"Send a messenger to the city of Xi'An", he orders in a firm voice.

"The exile of Guifei Xiang and Zhāohuán is revoked. Let them return to the Imperial Palace to be interrogated by direct order of the Son of Heaven."