novelAbuy Chapter 1473 Seeking Nothing, Yet Seeking Something
Chapter 1473 Seeking Nothing, Yet Seeking Something
Chapter 1473 Seeking Nothing, Yet Seeking Something
In the fourteenth year of the Yanxi era of the Han dynasty, and the first year of the Jianxing era of the Wu dynasty, in June.
Wu's Chancellor Zhuge Ke secretly colluded with Wei's Sima Zhao, and the matter was exposed to the Han.
The Han emperor was furious and raised an army to defend the border, cutting off trade and supplies.
From high-ranking officials to ordinary citizens, everyone in Wuzhong was terrified.
General Sun Jun of the Imperial Guard then launched an attack during the court assembly, questioning the officials in front of the palace.
Although Ke was quick-witted and eloquent, the evidence was overwhelming, and he could not refute it. He could only prostrate himself and beg for forgiveness.
General Wei Teng Yin and General You Lü Ju tried to smooth things over, saying, "Although Yuan Xun has acted arbitrarily, his heart is with the country. He should be punished lightly to observe his future behavior."
Emperor Liang ascended the throne at a young age but was unable to make a decision, so he entrusted the administration to Jun.
He then issued an edict:
Chancellor Ke was reassigned as the Governor of Xiling. All state affairs were entrusted to General Jun of the Imperial Guard.
After Jun seized power, he secretly colluded with Princess Quan in the palace, controlling both the inner and outer courts.
Fearing that the officials would not be satisfied, he reinstated the old system of the Imperial Censorate and appointed the Pingzhun Office to concurrently oversee the trade markets.
From this point on, power in Jiangdong shifted.
A later historian named Shanxiong Diting commented:
Ke was entrusted with great talent, but his arrogance brought disaster upon himself. Though his arguments were eloquent, they could not conceal the irrefutable evidence. Jun used external forces to quell internal troubles, a risky tactic. However, with a young ruler and powerful ministers, the seeds of disaster had already been sown; was Ke solely to blame?
In June, the twilight in Jianye is like the first splash of strong tea.
The Qinhuai River, carrying the last rays of the golden sunlight, flows slowly eastward.
The stone city walls lay silent like a giant beast in the rising humidity.
As soon as Lü Yi's carriage came to a stop in front of the mansion gate, the old gatekeeper hurried forward and reported in a low voice:
"My lord, Mr. Mi has arrived and is waiting in the side hall. Since he is a regular guest, this old servant has taken the liberty of inviting him into the mansion first."
Lu Yi's somewhat tired face suddenly lit up: "Mr. Mi? Quickly, lead me to see him!"
He hadn't even changed out of his court robes when he walked through the corridor, stirring up a gust of wind.
Pushing open the carved wooden door of the side hall, one sees Mi Shiyi Lang standing with his hands behind his back, admiring the "Jiangbiao Scenic View" painting on the wall.
Hearing the noise, he turned around, dressed in a simple blue robe and shoes, his smile as warm as ever.
"Lord Lü, congratulations." Mi Shiyilang cupped his hands, a smile in his eyes. "Although I did not witness the events in the court the other day, the streets of Jianye are already buzzing with discussion."
"The School Affairs Office has regained power and taken over the control of the price stabilization and trade; this is a triple blessing."
The joy on Lü Yi's face only flashed for a moment before turning into a bitter smile.
He waved his hand to dismiss those around him and personally closed the door: "Mi Jun, please come with me."
The two walked through a dark corridor and entered an inconspicuous side room deep in the backyard.
The doors and windows here are all covered with thick felt, and there are artificial hills and flowing water outside, which is where Lü Yi secretly discussed important matters.
After the servants served tea and refreshments and left, Lü Yi sighed and placed the newly acquired "School Affairs Inspector" bronze seal on the table.
"I am happy, but I have some concerns in my heart."
He then looked at Mi Shiyilang and said, "If Mr. Mi doesn't come soon, I'll have to find an opportunity to go see him tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Mi Shiyilang laughed and said, "Three joyous occasions have arrived, yet Lord Lü shows no sign of happiness. Could it be that he has something on his mind?"
Lu Yi stroked the cold xiezhi pattern on the seal knob and sighed, "I do have something on my mind."
He pointed to his chest, "Mi Jun, I feel uneasy."
"Feeling uneasy?"
Lü Yi sighed:
“Mi Jun, look at Zhuge Yuanxun two days ago. What kind of person was he? Wearing a purple robe and jade belt, he held the reins of the court. His victory at Dongxing shook the Jianghuai region. How illustrious he was when the late emperor entrusted his son to him!”
"But once the matter was exposed, he was demoted from the position of prime minister to the governor of Xiling after only half a day of court meetings. All his years of hard work were in vain."
He paused, his fingertips unconsciously tracing patterns on the seal's surface:
"I was standing outside the palace when I heard the last 'Your subject obeys the decree'... Ah, it sent chills down my spine. The word 'power' is as thin as spring ice, freezing in the morning and dissipating by evening."
Lü Yi raised her head, her eyes filled with deep weariness and wariness:
“If Yuan Xun is like this, what about me, a mere clerk in the government office? Sun Jun is willing to use me today because I am useful to him.”
"If they find me an eyesore tomorrow, or need to win people's hearts, who knows if they won't follow Zhuge Ke's old trick and take action against the School Affairs Office?"
"Even when the late emperor was alive, although he did not abolish the title of the Office of Inspectors, he ordered us to focus solely on trading, rendering our supervisory power virtually meaningless..."
He raised the bronze seal, a complex light appearing in his eyes:
"This bronze seal, today it is power, but tomorrow it may be a death warrant."
"Lord Mi, tell me, how can I possibly feel at ease?"
The room fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of flowing water outside the artificial hill.
Mi Shiyilang listened quietly, picked up his teacup but did not drink, only staring at the tea stems floating in the cup.
After a long while, he put down his teacup, the porcelain bottom touching the rosewood table with a crisp sound.
Look up and smile slightly:
"What Lord Lü was worried about was reasonable, but he did not see the whole picture."
I've seen this expression on Mi Shiyi Lang's face more than once.
Every time Mi Shiyilang showed this expression, Lü Yi knew that she was saved.
"Sir, sir, please teach me!"
Mi Shiyilang said softly:
"Although Sun Jun was listed among the five ministers entrusted by the late emperor, he was the last in rank and had no outstanding achievements or great reputation."
"With a single act of rebellion, we can overthrow Prime Minister Zhuge Ke and seize all power..."
He paused, then looked at Lü Yi, "Lord Lü, it's just the two of us here... Ask yourself honestly, do you think Sun Jun's claim is legitimate?"
Lü Yi was taken aback.
"It would be the same if it were Sun Jun; he himself would certainly not feel at ease."
Mi Shiyilang lowered his eyes, tea leaves floating in them. "Zhuge Ke has made contributions to the expansion of Dongxing, and Lü Ju has commanded the army for many years and has made considerable military achievements."
"That is Teng Yin. Although he was a northerner who migrated south, he married a princess and was related to the late emperor by marriage, thus becoming a link between the two dynasties. In the past, he had many achievements in governing the region."
"These three are all among those entrusted with the care of the young emperor. In terms of seniority and prestige, none of them are inferior to Sun Jun?"
He counted them on his fingers, as if reciting a familiar story:
Although Zhuge Ke was demoted to Xiling, he still led the military affairs of the three commanderies, and his old troops were not dispersed; Lü Ju was promoted to General of the Cavalry and concurrently managed the affairs of the Western Palace; Teng Yin seemed silent, but he was a foreign official from the north and had connections with the imperial family.
"Furthermore, Teng Yin is related to Zhuge Ke by marriage, and Lü Ju has a very close relationship with Zhuge Ke. If Teng and Lü harbor disloyal intentions, it could shake up the court..."
At this point, Mi Shiyilang looked directly at Lü Yi:
"Lord Lü, if you were Sun Jun, wouldn't you feel like you were sitting on pins and needles while sitting in the Prime Minister's seat right now?"
"Have you ever wondered how to deal with Lü Ju, who controls the Western Palace Guards, if he were to secretly visit the capital at night?"
"Teng Yin is a representative of the Northerners. If he is secretly colluding with Xiling, how can we detect it? Will those civil and military officials who were promoted by Zhuge Ke seize the opportunity to retaliate?"
His fingertips tapped lightly on the table, as if gently tapping on Lü Yi's heart:
"Suspicion breeds demons, and demons need a yaksha to suppress them—the Imperial Secretariat is Sun Jun's yaksha. Lord Lü, what do you think?"
Lu Yi's eyes brightened, but he hesitated: "But if time goes on, and he secures his position..."
“Then we won’t let him sit still.” Mi Shiyi Lang interrupted him, a hint of coldness in his smile:
“Lord Lü, if the Office of the Imperial Censorate wants to last, it must make Sun Jun believe that his suspicions of the officials are justified.”
Lü Yi felt he was vaguely grasping the meaning and asked eagerly, "What does this mean?"
"At Zhuge Ke's place in Xiling, we can send a capable officer to disguise himself as a merchant and infiltrate the trade market to observe his military discipline, examine his staff, and record his comings and goings."
"Whether it is Teng Yin or Lü Ju, their staff, students, former officials, guests and activities can all be recorded in detail."
At this point, Mi Shiyilang picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and waited anxiously for Lü Yi before continuing:
"No matter how small the matter, report it all to the Prime Minister. No one is perfect, who can be without fault? Especially a disgraced minister or a resentful general?"
“Secret meetings at midnight, secret letters at dawn, drunken ramblings, unusual movements in the army… any one or two abnormalities are clues to ‘plotting something sinister’.”
The more Sun Jun saw, the deeper his suspicions became; the deeper his suspicions became, the more he could not leave the watchful eyes of the Imperial Academy.
Lü Yi finally understood completely, nodded repeatedly, and exclaimed "Oh—":
"Excellent! In that case, Sun Jun will know that the Office of the Directorate of Education has eyes and ears all over Jiangdong and is indispensable. Even if he wants to discard it after it has served its purpose, he will have to ask his own paranoia first!"
"That's exactly right." Mi Shiyilang raised his cup. "Doubt is the key to power. With Lord Lü holding this key, what worries do you have about your future?"
The two drank together, but the tea had already gone cold.
The night outside the window was as dark as ink, and Jianye City was fast asleep.
Lü Yi began to examine the bronze seal again, his expression now relaxed and at ease.
Suddenly, he asked, "Since Lord Mi has helped me so much, I wonder if Lord Feng... has something he wants from me?"
Mi Shiyilang's smile remained as gentle as ever:
"Lord Lü is joking. What the Xinghan Association seeks is nothing more than smooth trade routes and mutual benefit."
"The Office of School Affairs oversees all officials, protecting Sun Jun's power and stabilizing the situation in Jiangdong—the more stable this situation is, the easier it will be for us to do business."
After saying this, he stood up and bowed, saying, "It is late, so I will take my leave. I wish you, Lord Lü, continued success and advancement."
-
Just as Mi Shiyilang and Lü Yi met, in a side room of Zhaoyang Hall in the imperial palace of Jianye City, two other people also met.
The bronze incense burner emitted a sweet, cloying fragrance of styrax, while the brocade curtains hung low, obscuring the deepening twilight outside the window.
Princess Quan leaned back on the brocade couch, her fingertips idly fiddling with the copper chain of the goose-foot lamp on the table.
The candle flames on the lamp stand swayed with her movements, making the clouds and cranes painted on the wall seem to come alive, as if they were about to take flight.
Today she wore a dark blue blouse with a folded hem, the neckline embroidered with fine gold thread intertwining branches, which made her neck appear even longer and whiter.
A eunuch announced from outside the gate: "The Prime Minister requests an audience."
"Come in," she replied lazily, but did not move.
Sun Jun pushed open the door and entered, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, his steps steady.
He stopped three steps in front of the bed, bowed, and said, "Your subject Sun Jun greets Your Highness the Princess."
His posture was respectful and impeccable.
Princess Quan then looked up at him and waved her hand, "All of you, step back and stand guard outside the door. Don't let anyone disturb my meeting with the Prime Minister."
The palace servants filed out, and the last one gently closed the door behind him.
Before the door had even closed with a soft click, Sun Jun had already straightened up, his previous respectfulness vanishing instantly, replaced by a dark fire burning in his eyes.
He strode forward and reached out to embrace the person on the bed.
His palm rested on the jade belt around Princess Quan's waist, the phoenix pattern embroidered in gold thread twisting and deforming under his fingers.
“Aunt…” Sun Jun’s voice was deep and trembling, filled with the exhilaration of triumph, “From this day forward, Jiangdong… belongs to you and me…”
Princess Quan raised her hand, her fingertips touching his chest.
Her fingernails, stained with bright red nail polish, stood out starkly against the dark brocade of her purple robe.
"What's the rush?" Her eyes were alluring, almost dripping with moisture, as her fingertips slowly moved upwards, tracing the taut line of his jaw.
"Ziyuan, who gave you this position of Prime Minister today?"
Sun Jun grasped her wrist; his palm was burning hot.
He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her ear:
“Of course…” he chuckled softly, his voice low and carrying a dangerous intimacy, “Your Highness, Aunt.”
The last four words were pronounced very softly, as if in reverence, but even more so as blasphemy.
He deliberately emphasized the word "aunt," as if savoring the secret pleasure brought about by this incestuous relationship.
Princess Quan chuckled softly, buried her face in his neck, and gently bit him with her teeth.
"In the future, do not forget your words today..."
"How could I forget?" Sun Jun pressed her down into the brocade quilt, his fingers already slipping inside her clothes. "But Your Highness summoned me to the palace today, perhaps not just to remind me of this..."
Power is the best aphrodisiac.
With Zhuge Ke gone, the court was cleaned up, the young emperor was in power, and the prime minister and the eldest princess were on their beds.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by a eunuch knocking urgently.
"Your Highness! Your Highness, please forgive me... His Majesty has woken up and is crying terribly. He says he dreamt of the late Emperor and insists on seeing Your Highness..."
The two people on the couch froze.
The lust in the princess's eyes instantly cooled, replaced by a hint of irritation and wariness.
Sun Jun clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction and tightened his grip: "Let the wet nurse soothe her..."
"No." Princess Quan pushed him away abruptly, quickly straightened her clothes, and lowered her voice: "Liang'er is timid. If he gets sick from the fright, those old fogies in the court will have something to say."
Sun Jun propped himself up, his chest heaving, the restlessness of his interrupted desire surging in his eyes.
He stared at the princess's hurried figure as she tied her sash, his desire burning beneath the purple robes undiminished, only intensified by the interruption.
Before meeting Princess Quan, he had already taken a secret bedroom medicine brought from Shu – this hard-won medicine was what allowed him to satisfy his aunt in bed.
At this moment, the effects of the drug took hold, making him feel increasingly hot all over. He suddenly ripped open his shirt, his chest heaving.
Finally, unable to contain himself any longer, he got up and pulled in a young palace maid who was standing outside the door.
"Your Highness, please go and comfort His Majesty." His voice was hoarse, but his gaze was fixed on the trembling palace maid. "Your subject... will wait here."
Princess Quan glanced back at him, her gaze sweeping over the palace maid's pale face. She didn't say anything, but simply tidied her hair and pushed open the door to leave.
The door closed again.
The side room was quiet, with only the wisps of smoke rising from the incense burner.
Sun Jun's gaze fell on the palace maid—she wore a light purple palace dress, had a slender waist, and her neck showed a delicate curve when she lowered it.
"Prime Minister, Prime Minister..."
The sound was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
Sun Jun did not answer, but instead pulled her onto the bed.
Before the brocade curtains had fully fallen, the sound of the fabric tearing as he ripped open the lotus-colored palace dress was particularly jarring in the silence.
The faint sounds of Sun Liang sobbing and Princess Quan's gentle, coaxing voice could be heard outside the palace.
The sound drifted into the inner room, mingling with suppressed breathing and the rustling of fabric, twisting into an eerie harmony.
Sun Jun closed his eyes, his body overlapping with the trembling young body beneath him.
Power is both an aphrodisiac and a poison.
He had already drunk poison to quench his thirst and could no longer stop.
After an unknown amount of time, he let go.
The young palace maid collapsed to the ground, her snow-white skin covered in lotus-colored fragments, like a flower torn apart by a storm.
Sun Jun straightened his robes, glanced at her, and said in a calm voice:
"If you leave out even a single word of what happened today, I will exterminate your entire clan."
After saying that, he stepped over the pile of tattered fabric and pushed open the door to go out.
Night had completely enveloped Jianye, and the palace lanterns under the corridor lit up one after another, illuminating the folds of his purple robe clearly.
Princess Quan walked from the direction of Sun Liang's bedroom, her face already powdered, so there was no trace of makeup.
The two met under the corridor, their eyes meeting briefly before parting.
"Is Liang'er asleep?" Sun Jun asked.
"Hmm." Princess Quan responded lightly, her gaze sweeping over a faint rouge stain on his lapel. "Prime Minister, you should return to your residence. There is a court assembly tomorrow."
Sun Jun nodded and turned to leave.
A gentle breeze rises, and the wind chimes on the eaves of the palace occasionally tinkle, as if counting the long nights of this imperial capital.