Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 39 Meeting Empress Wu

The place where Empress Wu summoned him was her bedroom, the Lizheng Hall.

This place belonged to the inner palace and could only be used to summon inner court attendants, female officials, and members of the royal family. It was not a place for formally receiving officials. Therefore, this summons was more of a mother summoning her son.

Li Xian had visited this place many times to pay his respects, so he knew the way very well. However, the furnishings on both sides of the road had changed. Li Xian remembered that the place used to be full of peonies, but now there were some iron trees instead.

The peonies had probably already withered by winter.

Li Xian followed the palace maids to the front of the hall, where the maids stopped and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager is waiting for you inside the hall."

Li Xian nodded and walked into the Lizheng Hall.

The Lizheng Hall was very spacious. Li Xian hadn't noticed it before, but ever since he and Xiu Niang had squeezed into the small courtyard in Bazhou, he now felt that the place was too spacious, so spacious that it felt somewhat desolate.

Empress Wu's figure was hidden behind layers of curtains, and her true face could not be seen, but Li Xian knew that Empress Wu must be watching him.

Two kneelings and six kowtows—these rituals, ingrained in Li Xian's very being, were never forgotten. Li Xian proclaimed, "Your subject, Li Xian, respectfully beseeches Your Majesty the Empress Dowager for peace and well-being. May Your Majesty enjoy health, happiness, and long-lasting blessings from Heaven!"

"Mingyun..." came Empress Wu's voice from ahead, her emotions calm and unhurried, ethereal as if untouched by worldly affairs.

"Your Majesty bestows your teachings, I humbly obey!" Li Xian maintained his kneeling posture with his head bowed and responded loudly.

After a moment of silence behind the curtain, Empress Wu said, "Mingyun, no need for formalities. Come forward and sit with your mother."

Li Xian then stood up and walked around the layers of curtains.

Empress Wu was leaning back on her couch, on which sat a table with fragrant tea and an incense burner, from which wisps of smoke rose and swirled together.

"His Majesty issued an imperial edict to execute Qiu Shenji, and the officials in charge of the Baocheng Post Station were also sentenced to exile. Bazhou, as the place where the auspicious omen was discovered, was also exempted from taxes for three years. Li Mingshi, the governor of Bazhou, was rewarded with three thousand taels of gold for his meritorious discovery of the auspicious omen. All of these were not written in the imperial edict that was given to you."

Empress Wu's voice remained ethereal, making it impossible to discern her intentions.

Li Xian was puzzled and could only bow and express his gratitude: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!"

"You should be grateful. The treason case back then was questionable, but it couldn't be overturned. His Majesty overruled the objections and sealed the case, while restoring your status as Prince of Pei. This matter... has already caused quite a stir." Empress Wu still maintained her nonchalant demeanor.

But Li Xian suddenly understood what Empress Wu had said.

Compared to Empress Wu, Liu Jianjun's words were even more enigmatic.

"Your Majesty, I will certainly share your burdens! The past is long gone, and overturning the verdict is as difficult as climbing to heaven, which I understand! I am more than satisfied with the restoration of the title of Prince of Pei!"

Li Xian suddenly understood Liu Jianjun's words; whether the treason case was true or false was not important.

The matter of clearing one's name is not as important as one might imagine.

The important thing is what the people in charge think.

Empress Wu glanced at Li Xian with surprise.

This was the first time she had shown a change in expression since Li Xian entered the palace, but she quickly composed herself, nodded, and praised, "Mingyun has suffered some hardships and has also grown."

This time, Empress Wu's voice carried a hint of affection, which Li Xian would not have even noticed if he hadn't been on high alert.

But at this moment, he kept Liu Jianjun's words firmly in mind: "No matter if that woman Wu threatens you or gets close to you, you have to keep your composure!"

Li Xian didn't understand what Liu Jianjun meant by "keeping a straight face." Liu Jianjun explained it this way: "Remember how you felt when you yelled 'Caoqiu Shenji's asshole'? It was that kind of feeling, but you had to try your best to control that emotion."

Li Xian tried to find that feeling.

He felt wronged, resentful, and indignant, yet these emotions were forcibly suppressed by reason. Empress Wu quickly noticed these feelings, and a look of surprise crossed her face: "Mingyun harbors resentment?"

At this moment, Li Xian admired Liu Jianjun to the point of complete awe.

"You'll notice a very obvious opportunity to release your emotions! Don't hesitate, unleash the same energy you had when you yelled 'Kazunari's mother's asshole'!"

Right now, this is the opportunity that Liu Jianjun was talking about!

Therefore, no matter how absurd Liu Jianjun's words were, Li Xian still did as he was told.

He took a deep breath, his voice filled with resentment and indignation, got off the bed, stood to the side, clasped his hands in a fist and straightened his body: "Mother, your son would like to present you with a poem!"

Empress Wu looked surprised, then nodded: "Mingyun, please recite it for me?"

Li Xian remembered that emotion vividly, and spoke each word with resounding force: "Plant melons under the Yellow Terrace, the melons ripen and the seeds scatter. One picking makes the melons good, a second picking makes them sparse. A third picking is still acceptable, but picking them all leaves only the vines!"①

Empress Wu's face showed surprise, but quickly, she rebuked him as if she were angry: "Mingyun! Do you know what you're saying!"

Li Xian could no longer hold back his grievances. He stood up straight, tears welling in his eyes: "Mother! Do you know what you are doing! Your son is also your own child! He was also raised on your breast milk! Even tigers don't eat their cubs, why do you treat your son like this!"

"You..." Empress Wu seemed stunned.

Li Xian didn't speak, but stared into her eyes, his heart pounding in his throat, yet he maintained his indignant expression.

His body was trembling, partly due to his earlier emotional excitement and partly due to his nervousness.

Half of what he said just now came from his heart. He truly didn't understand why his mother, as a mother, would chase after and kill her own son.

If I'm in her way, what about Li Xian? He's the Crown Prince now. Will the Empress Dowager treat Li Xian the same way she treats me?
Liu Jianjun's words echoed in Li Xian's mind: "Xianzi, remember, stay alert! If you stay alert, we'll be safe for a while."

Li Xian didn't understand, but he knew that Liu Jianjun treated him more sincerely than his biological mother.

Therefore, he chose to believe Liu Jianjun.

They remained locked in a stalemate for a long time.

Empress Wu suddenly sighed, her voice carrying a rare hint of kindness: "Mingyun... there are things you don't understand. You may leave now. Don't spread these words any further. Imperial matters are not for outsiders to discuss."

Li Xian paused for a moment, unsure whether Empress Wu's words were sincere or another test.

He recalled the seriousness with which Liu Jianjun said "stay tight," and felt that even if it was risky, he should "stay tight" a little longer, because it concerned his own and Liu Jianjun's safety.

"Mother!" Li Xian's voice rose slightly.

"go out!"

Empress Wu shouted angrily, interrupting Li Xian's words, her gaze filled with that familiar sternness as she stared intently at him.

This time, Li Xian was certain that Empress Wu truly wanted him to step down.

His expression changed several times before he faced Empress Wu and retreated to the palace gate, then turned around.

"Your humble servant respectfully bids farewell to Your Majesty the Empress, and humbly wishes you boundless blessings and peace."

……

　①: "The Song of the Yellow Melon", written by Li Xian on the eve of his demotion to commoner status. The plot is fictional and should not be taken literally.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)