Outside the Tiger Division’s main tent, chaos reigned. Veteran soldiers, well-versed in the nature of warhorses, crowded around Yi Yun, their voices overlapping in confusion as they urgently tried to devise a desperate way to save her. Xie Jing repeatedly stroked Yi Yun’s mane while pressing his forehead against her head. Yet no matter how he nudged her, Yi Yun would no longer open those moist eyes or lean in with her usual gentle affection.
Gradually, the crowd came to realize that all efforts were in vain. The commotion subsided, and they stood in silence, watching him, as an indescribable sorrow seeped through the air.
After a long while, Xie Jing asked in a hoarse voice, “How will you all… handle her?”
At first, no one dared to answer. Finally, an official spoke up, “According to regulation, warhorses that fall in battle are buried where they lie.”
Upon hearing this, Xie Jing said vacantly, “…’Where she lies’? Where is that to be? Do you mean to leave her here? Buried outside the pass of Yongzhou, amidst these surrounding snow-capped mountains, or beneath the Great Wall?”
That official clearly understood the thought in Xie Jing’s heart and added with a pained expression, “Though the winter is cold, the body will not last the journey across the Yangtze River. To bring her back to Jinling is… almost impossible. Please… restrain your grief.”
Xie Jing remained frozen in place. Yi Yun’s body was almost indistinguishable from the pristine white snow; she was vigorous, beautiful, and yet so ethereal. But no matter how extraordinary she was, she was ultimately just a creature of flesh and blood. She possessed no spiritual powers, no ability to divine the secrets of Heaven, and certainly no way to have known in advance that Lu Lingcong would endure such a trial.
She simply possessed too much of a human spirit; she knew her family too well. She had witnessed Lu Lingcong’s grief and guessed that Lu Lingzhen, who had not visited her stall for so long, might truly never return. She had seen the officials of the Tiger Division come to the stables to select elite mounts and find out that war was afoot once more. She saw the lingering sorrow of Lu Shuqing and his sister and knew that the one heading to the front was Lu Lingcong, for whom they feared. She had waited anxiously for Xie Jing to rush to Yongzhou, because only Xie Jing had the right to take that scarlet cloak imbued with Lu Lingcong’s scent; only he could give her the chance to follow that trail and go, without a second thought, to find the master who had been her companion for twenty years…
An unknown amount of time passed before Xie Jing wiped the remaining trace of crimson from his lips and stood up. He refused the assistance of the Xu brothers as they stepped forward to steady him, and he stumbled back into the main tent.
The military physicians had already administered ginseng decoction to Lu Lingcong. A cursory examination revealed no fatal external wounds, and his breathing had stabilized enough for the tension in the tent to momentarily ease.
Xie Jing remained by his side throughout. He turned his head and instructed Xu Jia, “Prepare the carriages and luggage immediately. In a day or two, once his condition has settled, we set out for the capital at once.”
The attendants and physicians had not dared to touch the Son of Heaven without permission. Only after Xie Jing’s nod did they begin to remove the armor and the layers upon layers of clothing. However, when they reached the innermost shirt against his skin, the physician’s hand suddenly froze in midair. His eyes widened, his movements ceasing entirely as if he had seen something impossible.
Xie Jing’s heart tightened instantly. Fearing he might obstruct the treatment, he did not dare stand too close, so he could not see the situation clearly for the moment.
The physician and several officials exchanged looks, each staring at the other in stunned silence. They turned back toward Xie Jing with their mouths opening as if to speak, yet no words came out.
“Whay is it?” Xie Jing demanded urgently. “Speak ah!”
The military physician rose before holding Lu Lingcong’s blood-stained inner shirt in his hands and presented it to him.
At first, Xie Jing’s mind was still in a muddle. At a glance, he saw only the chaotic mingling of red and white upon the fabric, and a wave of dizziness struck him; he feared Lu Lingcong had been mortally wounded. However, once he took the garment and looked closer, he realized with a start that while there were bloodstains, they were not merely stains.
Struck as if by a bolt of lightning, he murmured, “This is…”
The physician said in a firm voice, “To the Empress: these are His Majesty’s own words.”
As soon as those two words left his mouth, the tent erupted into an uproar with voices breaking into heated discussion. Although Xie Jing’s status as the principal consort had never truly been questioned within the Tiger Division, “princess consort” and “empress” were entirely different matters—ones that implicated the court and state affairs far away across thousands of miles, especially at a moment when Lu Lingcong’s life and death remained uncertain.
Xie Jing’s hands felt weak as he slowly shook out the cloth before smoothing it flat upon the table. The crowd hurried forward to look, only to discover that it was an imperial edict; written with a finger for a brush, blood for ink, and fabric for paper. It was a decree for the investiture of an empress:
“In accordance with the will of Heaven and the mandate of time, Zhen declares that Xie Jing, son of the late Marquis Xie Wengjie of Chenliu, has followed Zhen since his youth, never parting from Zhen’s side for even a day or night. In ethics, we are husband and wife; in spirit, we are soulmates. You served Zhen personally in the Hidden Palace and provided deep comfort to Zhen during Our humble beginnings. Suddenly beset by turmoil and rebellion, we were like drifting phoenixes; for these past three years, you suffered the dust of the world and trapped within a nest of traitors. Now the position of Empress lies vacant, and the Eastern Palace gazes upon the clouds in longing. Zhen, too, holds a heartfelt and unwavering affection, never daring to forget it, whether by day or by night. Therefore, Zhen proclaims to all within the seas that you are granted the seal and ribbon of the Empress, to fulfill Zhen’s old promise and to slightly ease the guilt Zhen felt for abandoning you in years past. Be reverent and comply.”
The tent fell into a long silence. It was unclear who recovered their wits first to lead the way, but the officials hurriedly knelt, bowing their heads and shouting, “Long live the Empress!”
Xie Jing seemed not to have heard a single word of the shouting. He remained fixated on that blood-written edict, lost in a long, hollow silence. Lu Lingcong had clearly written these sentences in extreme haste; the handwriting was scrawled and chaotic with several characters so blurred that Xie Jing could only guess their meaning through context and shape.
He murmured to himself, “Lu Zifeng, what is the meaning of this? Huh?”
The onlookers watched as Xie Jing suddenly rushed to the bedside. He reached out as if to shake Lu Lingcong but pulled back for fear of aggravating his injuries before finally settling for cupping the man’s face in his trembling hands.
“What are you trying to do? Why write all these…” Xie Jing choked, his voice shaking. “Why write all these words of deep affection and vows of sharing life and death, of sleeping in the same bed and sharing the same grave? From the very beginning, did you already intend to meet me only in the underworld, even binding me to your side in the next life and the life after that? Is this meant to be your final decree to me?!”
Seeing the situation spiral out of control, the attendants hurried forward to comfort Xie Jing, attempting to lead him away from the bedside. Li Qi also said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. You still needed to oversee the situation here. Do not let grief overwhelm you and unsettle your judgment!”
From beginning to end, Lu Lingcong kept his eyes tightly shut as if in a deep sleep, offering Xie Jing not a single word of explanation.
Several days later, Jinling.
In the deep winter night, damp cold seeped through the air; all vegetation stood bare and desolate. The Canglong Gate on the eastern side of Taichu Palace opened and closed once, and a carriage slipped through in the darkness, rolling in silently before coming to a halt outside Shenlong Hall. Not long after, Yin Chou and Imperial Physician Qin, along with a full contingent of imperial physicians, had already assembled in the rear hall.
Lu Lingcong’s blood-stained edict had already spread throughout the capital. Those outside, unaware of the inner workings, merely remarked on the unpredictability of imperial will, concluding perhaps that “new clothes are never as good as old ones, nor new companions as faithful as the old.” They said the emperor, who was still far away on campaign, had at last remembered the virtues of his first wife.
Yin Chou had been in the palace accompanying Lu Shuqing and Lu Shuning. Having already received Xie Jing’s letter and knowing the inside story, she was in no hurry to see Lu Lingcong. Instead, she lightly held Xie Jing’s wrist to feel his pulse, “I heard that the Empress rescued His Majesty from the heavy snow. Did you suffer from any frostbite or catch a cold?”
Xie Jing shook his head, “Fortunately not, perhaps because I was dressed warmly. It is just that… losing Yi Yun was heartbreaking, and I coughed up some blood.”
Yin Chou showed sorrow on her face, and she let out a long sigh, “Your pulse is normal. It seems it was a case of extreme grief attacking the heart; it shouldn’t cause any major issues. However, the Empress must take care of your health. Even if you are worried about His Majesty and the children, you must make sure to recuperate properly.”
Xie Jing agreed, asked Yin Chou a few questions about the children’s recent situation, and then told her to go back and rest. Before long, palace attendants invited him into the rear hall. Imperial Physician Qin came forward and bowed, “This minister has examined His Majesty. His Majesty is still young and has always been in good health; the external wounds will heal within ten days to half a month. However, after several days of trekking through snow, his strength has been severely depleted. Cold energy has entered his body, and his internal organs are obstructed; this is why he remains in a deep sleep.”
The hall was filled with the heavy scent of medicine. Xie Jing stood a few steps away while looking at Lu Lingcong on the bed, and asked, “When will he wake up?”
Imperial Physician Qin hesitated for a moment but spoke plainly: “This minister will prepare medicine for His Majesty every day. The physical wounds are not difficult to heal; however… if His Majesty suffers from an ailment of the heart, or has lost the will to live, then no divine remedy in the world will be of any use.”
After hearing this, Xie Jing neither agreed nor disagreed, only saying, “I must trouble Imperial Physician Qin to look after His Majesty for a while. I have some urgent matters to attend to and will return shortly.”
He changed out of his dust-covered outer robes and, while walking toward the main hall, instructed his attendants, “Do not disturb the Empress Dowager or the Princess. Go to the Eastern Palace, wake Qing’er, and bring him to the front hall to see me.”
Lu Shuqing had not been asleep for long when he was roused from his light slumber by a palace attendant, who whispered into his ear, “His Majesty and the Empress have just returned to the palace. A decree has come from Shenlong Hall, requesting Your Highness to go there immediately.”
“What Empress?” Lu Shuqing woke up quickly, frowning as he asked.
The attendant stammered: “…Empress Xie.”
Lu Shuqing was momentarily stunned. When Xie Jun had suddenly returned to the capital a few days ago and he asked about his mother’s whereabouts, his cousin had only said, “There are still some miscellaneous matters delaying him in Chen Commandery.” But now, his mother, who was supposed to still be in his hometown, had returned to the palace alongside his father, who had been far away in Yongzhou. There were surely significant implications behind all of this.
Without even taking care of his appearance, he hastily dressed and rushed out of the Eastern Palace. The lanterns in Shenlong Hall burned dimly, and the atmosphere was eerily quiet; there was no visible sign of the emperor’s return. It seemed the situation was critical; everything being handled in secrecy behind closed doors.
Outside the main hall, two rows of eunuchs stood with their hands lowered; they silently pushed open the heavy bronze doors.
Lu Shuqing immediately caught sight of Xie Jing standing tall in the hall with his back to him. However, wary of eavesdroppers, he could only offer a formal greeting first, “Mother.”
Xie Jing turned back, his eyes obscured in shadow, his expression unreadable. He said in a clear, commanding voice, “All of you, withdraw. Tonight, without Bengong’s orders, anyone who dares approach Shenlong Hall will be executed without mercy.”
From outside came the sound of a neat, respectful response. The palace doors closed, and in an instant, the eunuchs had all departed without a sound.
Lu Shuqing immediately hurried forward before throwing himself before his mother: “Mother, when did you return? Where is Father? Is he injured? I’m going to see him!”
Xie Jing, however, gazed at him fixedly: “…Listen, Qing’er, you do not need to see him. If you want to see your father, when the time is right, you will eventually see him.”
Lu Shuqing froze, his eyes full of confusion. Before he could even begin to process the implications hidden in those words, Xie Jing grabbed him by the wrist. His mother practically pulled him toward the imperial throne.
A translucent, lustrous, and flawlessly white jade seal sat quietly on the desk before the dragon throne.
Xie Jing pressed down hard on Lu Shuqing’s shoulders from behind, pointed out the Heshi Bi to him, and said solemnly, “Do you see it? Qing’er, this is the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. No one can forge or fake it. This is the Heshi Bi for which Bian He suffered the shame of amputation; this is the Heshi Bi that Lin Xiangru returned intact to Zhao; this is the Heshi Bi that the First Emperor of Qin carved into the Seal of Mandate; this is the true Heshi Bi that the heroes of the late Han fought over!”
He took Lu Shuqing’s hand and, with firm determination, led him to cover the cold silhouette of the jade seal, “My son, hold it tight.”
Lu Shuqing’s hand trembled beneath his mother’s warm palm, subconsciously resisting the contact between his skin and the jade, “Mother, I… why…”
Although the Lantian jade counterfeit had already been publicly destroyed, Lu Shuqing knew all too well the disasters the “Heirloom Seal” had brought upon his family, his maternal clan, and his life. He understood perfectly what kind of status one must hold to possess this fossil of power; and he understood even better that, as of today, only under a one-in-a-million, extremely specific set of circumstances would he himself become the master of the Heshi Bi.
Lu Shuqing’s mind was in a haze. He wanted to ask, “What exactly happened to Father?” but looking at his mother’s sharp, bloodshot eyes, he found himself unable to utter a word.
“Do not be afraid; things have not yet reached the worst possible state. It is just that Mother has suffered too many lessons of helplessness and must teach you to prepare for the worst. If-if your father really—”
Xie Jing’s eyes lost their focus. He tried his best, but in the end, he could not bring himself to finish that hypothetical. It was only when his gaze fell back upon Lu Shuqing that his vacancy momentarily vanished, replaced by the maternal instinct to protect his young.
He pushed Lu Shuqing’s back gently yet indisputably, forcing him to climb the jade steps to the dragon throne one by one, whispering:
“You only need to walk forward step by step and sit securely upon that throne in peace; you need not concern yourself with anything else. Your maternal family, your aunt and uncle, Lu Ai and Yi Yun there is already too much bloodshed in the past. I will never again relinquish the butcher’s knife to others. Even if the dragon throne must change hands, it will only be for you—or, if not you, then your sister. Those who stand in your way, Mother will clear them away one by one, and I will never let your hands be stained.”
“Qing’er, I stand by what I said before: I do not require you to have great achievements nor do I care whether you are wise or incompetent. Those are not things a mother should consider. I only want you to live. Only by being the Son of Heaven can you live.”
Lu Shuqing sat alone on the dragon throne. The gold was cold and hard, mercilessly allowing the chill to soak through his clothes and sweep over his entire body. Since childhood, he had entered and exited this hall countless times, yet this was the first time in his life he had ever sat in a place so high.
So it turns out his ancestors and his father; generation after generation of the supreme Sons of Heaven, had looked down upon all living beings from such a height.
“If sitting here,” Lu Shuqing spoke, “means I can protect Mother, Ningning, and Grandmother, then living like this… isn’t so bad after all.”
Xie Jing stared into his clear eyes, and in the end, the bitterness in his heart became unbearable. He dropped to one knee, pulled Lu Shuqing’s hands to his cheeks and nuzzled them for a moment before pressing several kisses onto the backs of his hands.
Fourteen years ago, when Lu Shuqing was nothing more than a tiny sprout in his womb, amidst the sunset by Yanzi Ji, Lu Lingcong had said to him: “I hope that your possession of him brings you joy, just as his possession of you brings him joy.”
Possessing his children, the children belonging to him and Lu Lingcong, was the greatest fortune and the greatest joy of Xie Jing’s life.
Xie Jing looked up slightly, gazing at Lu Shuqing, “My good son, tell Mother; have you been happy having had your father and me by your side all these years?”
The tip of Lu Shuqing’s nose grew sharp with sorrow, and his vision clouded with mist. He said nothing but simply leaned forward to embrace his mother while burying his face in his shoulder.
“That is our only wish, and yet, it is so very difficult, Qing’er.”
Xie Jing patted Lu Shuqing’s back rhythmically, whispering, “One day, your parents will leave this world before you. By then, those who remain by your side will be your sister, your beloved, and your children. But you must understand this: in this mortal world, a person’s life is as fragile as paper, and death as light as a feather; only the word ‘love’ carries a weight greater than ten thousand tons.”
“A person of deep feeling, one who loves profoundly, usually has no regrets at the moment of departing this world.”
