After Xie Bufeng’s ascension, he had no intention of changing the era name.
If not for the constant petitioning of his officials, he would likely have continued using the previous era name “Tianchu.”
But this year, as soon as Wen Qingci returned to Yongdu, Xie Bufeng immediately set about changing the era name.
Though it wasn’t yet year-end, making this somewhat improper according to tradition,
The court seemed to have grown accustomed to Xie Bufeng’s ways.
Finally, early on the day of the Autumn Equinox, the Wei dynasty officially changed the era name to “Qing’an.”
Everyone knew this era name was changed by His Majesty for Physician Wen, who had just returned to Yongdu.
Logically, changing an era name was a significant matter that even an emperor couldn’t do on a whim.
But this time, not only did the civil and military officials and common people not object, they didn’t voice even the slightest dissent.
-The events at Lianhe had spread throughout the Wei dynasty.
Over the past half year, Wen Qingci had not only taught “Relieving Calamity in the Apricot Grove” to the imperial physicians, but had also spread the entire book among the common people.
And General Anping, the first to undergo surgery, had not only recovered from his illness,
But after a few months of recuperation in Yongdu, he had mounted his warhorse at year’s end and returned to guard the northern border.
When people learned of this, they all marveled.
The talk in Yongdu’s marketplace that day was not an isolated case.
Now, throughout the Wei dynasty, people privately said that Wen Qingci was a celestial immortal who had descended to earth to save the suffering.
With this divine reputation, Wen Qingci’s theories spread rapidly throughout the Wei dynasty.
All of this, of course, was quietly facilitated by Xie Bufeng behind the scenes.
*
In the blink of an eye, it was again the transition from winter to spring.
The She Festival was finally approaching.
The ceremony to worship heaven and earth would be held at the foot of Yi Mountain.
The people of Taishu Palace had arrived a day early.
Inside the dark gold carriage, a thick fur rug was spread.
The four walls were padded with cotton, keeping out both the cold air and extraneous noise.
No incense burned in the carriage, yet a faint bitter fragrance lingered in the air.
“…Your Majesty, have we arrived?” Wen Qingci opened his eyes groggily to find that the carriage had stopped. All around was silent, with only the soft sound of falling snow.
He had somehow fallen asleep, leaning gently against Xie Bufeng’s shoulder.
Xie Bufeng put down the memorial in his hand and pulled up the fox fur that had accidentally slipped from Wen Qingci’s shoulders.
“We’ve arrived. Rest a bit longer, my beloved,” Xie Bufeng picked up the ginger soup that had been warming on the brazier and placed it in Wen Qingci’s hands. “It’s snowing outside, be careful not to catch cold.”
Gently lifting the carriage curtain, Wen Qingci saw-Yi Mountain, dark blue and covered in snow, standing like a deity at the edge of the sky.
Clouds danced low in the sky, like splashes of ink and water.
Between the wind and snow, a low hill was faintly visible.
There were no trees on the small hill; the exposed brown soil looked somewhat desolate.
Though Wen Qingci had been to Yi Mountain during the feng and shan sacrifices, at that time there were many people and ceremonial canopies everywhere. As a physician who couldn’t move about freely, he hadn’t noticed this feature in the surroundings.
“What is that?” Wen Qingci couldn’t help but ask.
Xie Bufeng’s fingers slowly slid through his hair: “It’s Chen Mausoleum.”
“…So this is Chen Mausoleum.” Wen Qingci remarked softly.
The deposed emperor had begun massive construction projects from the beginning of his reign, building his own mausoleum.
Unexpectedly, after more than twenty years, before the tomb was completed, he had died in the Yin River Grand Canal.
Xie Bufeng’s gaze followed Wen Qingci’s toward the window.
The young emperor, dressed in a black cloak, gently massaged Wen Qingci’s neck while frowning slightly: “Standing there, it’s somewhat of an eyesore. Perhaps we should level it.”
After speaking, he moved his gaze back, not bothering to look at it again.
To his surprise, Wen Qingci slowly sat up straight and shook his head: “Chen Mausoleum wasn’t easy to build. It would be a shame to level it. Let’s just leave it there.”
Over the past half year, Wen Qingci’s most important task wasn’t teaching “Relieving Calamity in the Apricot Grove” to the imperial physicians, nor preparing for sacrifices, but recovering his health.
Under the watchful eyes of Xie Bufeng and Song Junran, he had barely passed through the city gates of Yongdu a few times.
Like any modern person, Wen Qingci was curious about the structure of ancient imperial tombs.
After a few seconds, he couldn’t help saying to Xie Bufeng: “I’d like to go take a look. Would Your Majesty care to join me?”
As he spoke, those ink-black eyes suddenly brightened.
Look at Chen Mausoleum?
Xie Bufeng frowned. Having grown up in a mausoleum, he had no interest in viewing the deposed emperor’s tomb.
But if Wen Qingci wanted to go, how could he not accompany him?
“Of course.”
…
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xie Bufeng helped Wen Qingci down from the carriage.
The heavy snow hadn’t stopped; the weather was cold.
Besides his cloak, Wen Qingci also wore a fox fur coat.
The cream-colored fur at the collar covered most of his chin.
Only his jet-black eyes and the bright red cinnabar mark were visible.
Wen Qingci had come here merely out of curiosity, but upon arriving near Chen Mausoleum, he discovered-before him, the Empress Dowager had already arrived.
She was now standing there, holding Xie Fuyin’s hand.
Besides Mingliu, there were two other people beside the Empress Dowager.
One of them was actually Steward Zhao, who had already left the palace, and the other woman was somewhat unfamiliar.
Seeing Xie Bufeng and Wen Qingci approach, they immediately bowed.
Upon noticing the woman’s slightly short hair, Wen Qingci finally recognized her as the former Concubine Wen-the mother of the deposed emperor’s youngest fourth son.
Concubine Wen’s family, the Zhong’an Marquis Household, had been implicated in the aristocratic rebellion, collapsing overnight like a great mansion with all its sparrows gone.
She herself had been sent to the imperial monastery by Consort Lan, where she had taken the tonsure and become a nun.
If he hadn’t seen Concubine Wen today, Wen Qingci would have almost forgotten such a person existed in the palace.
Now her black hair had grown to her shoulders, suggesting she had left the monastery some time ago…
When a new emperor ascends the throne, there is traditionally a general amnesty.
Wen Qingci guessed she had regained her freedom at that time.
…However, the rebellion hadn’t affected the imperial harem.
At that time, the deposed emperor’s other consorts from noble families had retained their original ranks.
Only Concubine Wen had been sent to the imperial monastery by the Empress Dowager on the grounds of “offending the imperial presence.”
But now… not only did Concubine Wen not resent the Empress Dowager, she was even holding an umbrella for her, appearing very intimate.
Though puzzled, Wen Qingci didn’t show it.
However, the Empress Dowager seemed to guess his confusion.
She didn’t speak directly, but instead cast her gaze at the entrance of Chen Mausoleum, at the dragon-blocking stone that hadn’t yet been put in place.
Then, stroking the head of Xie Fuyin, who was waving at Wen Qingci and Xie Bufeng, she turned and asked: “Does Physician Wen still remember, not long after you entered the palace, a palace maid died in the inner palace?”
Wen Qingci certainly remembered this incident.
The maid’s body had been thrown into a well, frightening many people at the time.
When the deposed emperor learned of this, he flew into a rage and ordered an investigation.
However, in the end, nothing was discovered, and it became an unsolved case.
“I remember,” Wen Qingci nodded.
As he spoke, his gaze fell on Steward Zhao.
Wen Qingci’s mood suddenly grew tense.
He had always wondered how Steward Zhao had connected with Consort Lan.
One was a consort, the other an imperial attendant close to the emperor.
Both were very cautious by nature… no matter how he looked at it, they didn’t seem like people who would casually share regicidal plans with each other.
…From the looks of it, today he would probably learn the answer.
Sure enough, the Empress Dowager suddenly let out a long sigh, and after a pause said: “To be honest, this matter was not only related to me, but closely connected to all the consorts.”
“Mother, what do you mean?” This time, Xie Bufeng, who had been silent, also spoke up.
The Empress Dowager slowly closed her eyes, as if lost in memories: “Does Physician Wen remember where that palace maid was stationed?”
“Baiqiao Tower.” Though years had passed since the incident, everything was still deeply etched in Wen Qingci’s mind.
“Yes, precisely Baiqiao Tower, where the design drawings for Chen Mausoleum were kept.”
With that, the Empress Dowager finally opened her eyes.
Looking at the dragon-blocking stone in front of her, she said gravely: “Chen Mausoleum was not only built by the deposed emperor for himself, but also for us. I only learned by accidentally seeing the drawings that the deposed emperor had always intended to have his consorts buried with him.”
As she spoke, she tightly clutched the silk handkerchief in her hand, her face turning somewhat pale.
The Empress Dowager came from a noble family; her father was the Minister of Works, and her brother was the Chief of Imperial Construction.
Having been immersed in such an environment, she naturally could understand the blueprints of Chen Mausoleum.
Therefore, when she accidentally saw the blueprints in Baiqiao Tower, she realized: this mausoleum was excessively large, and the emperor had even reserved places for all his consorts’ coffins…
Most importantly, Chen Mausoleum had three dragon-blocking stones.
These stones, which could only be lowered once, not only prevented outsiders from entering the tomb but also prevented those inside from getting out…
Xie Zhaolin wanted all his consorts to be buried with him!
After speaking, she suddenly turned and nodded to Steward Zhao, then continued in a hoarse voice: “When I accidentally discovered this, I was extremely frightened. Fortunately, Steward Zhao appeared and helped me conceal it…”
The Empress Dowager’s voice became somewhat dry.
Xie Fuyin, who had been quite lively earlier, also quieted down after sensing this unusual atmosphere.
Steward Zhao was responsible for the emperor’s meals and daily care, and he had also gone to Baiqiao Tower that day.
Consort Lan, who had realized the intent behind the mausoleum’s construction, turned deathly pale with cold sweat on her forehead, not only trembling but barely able to speak.
Upon seeing Steward Zhao, she thought her end had come, but unexpectedly, he suddenly knelt down, bowed, and proposed to cooperate with her.
The emperor had kept the Yin River Grand Canal affair well-hidden.
Until that day, she only learned the whole truth from Steward Zhao’s mouth.
“So that’s how it was…” Wen Qingci murmured.
No wonder the deposed emperor, even after going mad, kept thinking about Baiqiao Tower and frequently went in to look at the blueprints.
So everything… had begun from Baiqiao Tower.
Steward Zhao, who had been silent until now, spoke softly: “At that time, no one could say when the deposed emperor would die, so to be fully prepared, I often copied the blueprints in Baiqiao Tower behind his back.”
Chen Mausoleum had been under construction for over twenty years, and there were hundreds of blueprints.
Copying them couldn’t be done overnight.
“Unexpectedly, that day… a palace maid stumbled upon me and threatened to report to the emperor.”
If the emperor had learned that Steward Zhao was copying the blueprints, he would certainly have investigated thoroughly, which would have caused a massive upheaval in the inner palace.
His voice, carried by the wind and snow outside Chen Mausoleum, sounded particularly hoarse.
But every word reached Wen Qingci’s ears clearly.
So the palace maid that day had been killed by Steward Zhao.
…Every event that had occurred since he entered the palace was related to this.
After he finished speaking, Wen Qingci noticed that Mingliu, who was following the Empress Dowager, was holding a thick stack of papers.
-These must be the construction blueprints for Chen Mausoleum.
After Steward Zhao finished speaking, the Empress Dowager finally stepped forward, took the blueprints, and bent down to burn them one by one in front of Chen Mausoleum.
Orange-red flames shot up, illuminating the white snow.
The dense drawings on the papers disappeared in that moment, ultimately reduced to flying ashes, scattered by the wind.
Wen Qingci couldn’t help but cough lightly.
“My beloved, the wind is strong here. Let’s go elsewhere,” Xie Bufeng frowned, holding the umbrella in front of Wen Qingci.
But the person beside him slowly shook his head and said: “Please wait, Your Majesty. Let me stand here with you a while longer.”
The blueprints were burned to ashes one by one.
The last puzzle in Wen Qingci’s mind was finally completely solved in this moment.
It had been nearly two years since the deposed emperor was executed by Xie Bufeng.
But only now did everything from the past finally dissipate like smoke along with the blueprints turned to flying ashes.
Drifting away from his heart.
——————————
“What good is such a lavish mausoleum?” After the blueprints were burned, Concubine Wen finally couldn’t help but speak up, “In the end, he was still buried beneath the river.”
After speaking, she couldn’t help but sneer.
“Dowager Consort Du, mind your words,” the Empress Dowager frowned and reminded her.
Dowager Consort Du?
Wen Qingci thought for a moment before realizing that Concubine Wen’s real name was Du Qingyun.
As the mother of the fourth prince, she was automatically elevated to Dowager Consort after the deposed emperor’s death.
And… Xie Bufeng, for whatever reason, not only made his name taboo in the country,
But even his own name had become taboo.
The character “Wen” sounded the same as “Wen” in Wen Qingci, so after becoming a Dowager Consort, she could no longer use this character.
Du Qingyun, already full of resentment toward the deposed emperor, simply went by “Dowager Consort Du.”
Coming from a noble family and being an only daughter, she spoke without much restraint.
“Alright, alright, I’ll listen to Sister Su!” Dowager Consort Du laughed.
“Sister Su?” This time, the curious one was Xie Fuyin.
In all her years, she had never heard anyone address her mother this way.
“Isn’t that right?” Dowager Consort Du bent down to tell the little princess, “Sister Su’s family and mine were old friends, and I always called her that. Besides, Sister Su… even saved my life.”
“Wow-” Xie Fuyin’s eyes widened, “How did Mother save you, Dowager Consort?”
Children her age are at their most curious, wanting to get to the bottom of everything.
Not only did Xie Fuyin want to know, but Wen Qingci was also curious.
He saw Dowager Consort Du sigh lightly and say: “At that time, no one knew when the burial would take place. Leaving the palace and escaping the identity of a consort was the safest option…”
Dowager Consort Du’s family had been purged, and she had once tactlessly pleaded for the Zhong’an Marquis heir in front of the emperor.
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager, who was then Consort Lan, immediately used this as an excuse to send Dowager Consort Du out of the inner palace to become a nun.
After shaving her head, she severed all worldly ties.
She was no longer the emperor’s wife or concubine, nor a consort, but a disciple under the protection of Buddhism.
The matter of being buried alive with the dead (xunzang) no longer had anything to do with her.
“I see…” Xie Fuyin nodded, seeming to understand yet not fully comprehending.
Though naturally intelligent, at only a few years old, she still found these matters difficult to grasp.
At the foot of Yi Mountain, the snow fell heavier and heavier.
After hearing the story, Xie Fuyin immediately shifted her attention, running back and forth, catching snowflakes with her hands.
The weather was poor today, so after gazing at Chen Mausoleum, Wen Qingci’s group began walking back under their umbrellas.
“Achoo!” As the cold wind blew, Xie Fuyin, running at the front, suddenly let out a big sneeze.
Seeing this, Wen Qingci quickly stepped forward, bent down to hand her a silk handkerchief, then reached out to tighten her cloak: “Your Highness, be careful not to catch cold.”
After speaking, he noticed her brocade boots were half wet.
“Your Majesty,” after a pause, Wen Qingci turned to look at Xie Bufeng who was holding an umbrella behind him, and said with perfect naturalness, “the Princess’s shoes are wet, you should carry her.”
The Empress Dowager and Dowager Consort Du wore elaborate clothing, making it difficult to walk in the snow, and Steward Zhao was elderly.
Looking around, Xie Bufeng, as her brother, seemed most suitable.
As he spoke, a snowflake gently landed on Wen Qingci’s eyelashes.
His eyes were full of expectation and tenderness.
Xie Bufeng’s heart trembled slightly in that instant.
“All right.” Xie Bufeng opened his arms and steadily lifted Xie Fuyin.
His movements were proper and practiced.
Wen Qingci took the umbrella, holding it up with his right hand, walking alongside them.
Xie Fuyin’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement.
“Your Highness, why are you so happy?”
“Brother hasn’t carried Fuyin for a long time!” She happily stretched her hand outside the umbrella, trying to catch snowflakes, while blinking her round, light amber eyes and asking, “Brother is so tall, can Fuyin grow this tall when she grows up?”
“You can,” Wen Qingci naturally replied, “as long as Your Highness eats well.”
“Great!” Xie Fuyin’s eyes instantly brightened even more, “Then Fuyin wants to eat food made by Physician Wen!”
Wen Qingci smiled, but before he could nod, he saw the man carrying Xie Fuyin frown and say: “Physician Wen is too tired daily. Whatever you want to eat, I’ll make it for you.”
It was now late winter, the time when magnolia flowers have their final bloom.
Yet Xie Bufeng never mentioned wanting to taste magnolia flower porridge.
Wen Qingci had thought that as emperor, he was no longer interested in things from his youth.
He never imagined this would be the reason.
“Brother can cook?” Xie Fuyin hugged Xie Bufeng’s neck, looking at him curiously.
“Yes,” Wen Qingci smiled and answered, “His Majesty is very talented.”
“Then next time when brother cooks, can you call me? I also want to taste it with Physician Wen~”
“Of course,” Xie Bufeng nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something and said, “From now on, don’t call Qingci ‘Physician Wen,’ it sounds too formal.”
In his heart, Wen Qingci and he were already family.
It felt strange for Xie Fuyin to call Wen Qingci “Physician.”
“I understand…” Xie Fuyin couldn’t help but purse her lips, conflicted, “Then what should I call him?”
Physician Wen was male, so she couldn’t call him sister-in-law.
What should she call him then?
As Xie Fuyin pondered deeply, Wen Qingci, standing to the side holding the umbrella, suddenly smiled and said: “Your Highness, this subject is over twenty years old, so naturally you should call me-”
Before he could finish, His Majesty suddenly turned, looking into those ink-black eyes, interrupting the unfinished sentence: “Is Qingci deliberately trying to claim seniority and take advantage of me?”
Wen Qingci couldn’t help but clear his throat, lowering his head guiltily.
Xie Bufeng turned to his sister and instructed: “Call him Brother Qingci.”
“Hahaha, good! Brother Qingci!” Xie Fuyin’s laughter was exceptionally crisp, like a small silver bell, echoing across the vast snowy plain.
Holding the umbrella, Wen Qingci also began to laugh, and looked up to say: “Why doesn’t Your Majesty follow the Princess and call me this as well?”
He swore he hadn’t intended to take advantage of Xie Bufeng earlier.
But once the emperor mentioned it, Wen Qingci couldn’t help but joke.
Wen Qingci’s voice still carried its usual gentleness and clarity.
But his tone was rarely so relaxed.
“All right,” unexpectedly, Xie Bufeng actually agreed, turning to look deeply at Wen Qingci, saying in a low voice, “I will address my beloved this way in private, how about that?”
His tone was as calm as usual.
But his slightly upturned intonation seemed to hint at something, disturbing Wen Qingci’s composure.
And causing his cheeks to instantly flush red.
Wen Qingci coughed lightly twice, as if nothing had happened, and turned to look at the snowy plain, admiring the scenery.
The magnolia-painted paper umbrella wasn’t large, barely enough for two people to stand under.
Now their bodies pressed closely together under the umbrella.
And gently bumped with each step.
A smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of Xie Bufeng’s lips.
The fierce aura around him instantly dissipated by half.
He was tall with long legs, and usually walked with large strides.
But today, he couldn’t help but slow down a bit, then slow down a bit more…
Though sometimes afraid of her brother, Xie Fuyin was after all a child, not as concerned with propriety as adults.
Seeing Xie Bufeng smile, Xie Fuyin, carried in his arms, finally couldn’t resist reaching out to secretly grab a handful of snow from the umbrella.
Before her brother could react, she smeared it on his face.
Xie Bufeng’s cheek, as if smeared with cake, instantly turned white.
He immediately stopped in his tracks.
Large snowflakes fell from the sky, and everything before them was hidden in the vast snowy mist.
Xie Bufeng instinctively frowned, reaching up to wipe away the snow on his face.
-Would this appearance ruin his image in Wen Qingci’s eyes?
He reflexively looked toward Wen Qingci.
Seeing his serious expression, Xie Fuyin finally remembered her brother’s status and froze in place, anxiously withdrawing her hand.
“Um… Your Majesty, I, I…”
Oh no, had she made him angry?
Just as Xie Fuyin was preparing to apologize, Wen Qingci, standing to the side, couldn’t help but laugh.
He suddenly imitated Xie Fuyin, grabbing some snow from the umbrella and, catching him off guard, smeared it on Xie Bufeng’s other cheek.
Just as Wen Qingci was about to repeat the trick, Xie Bufeng suddenly reached out and gently gripped his wrist.
His gaze instantly became profoundly deep.
As if he wanted to devour Wen Qingci whole.
“…Your, Your Majesty?” Sensing danger, Wen Qingci instinctively stepped back, standing outside the umbrella.
At that moment, Xie Bufeng’s fingers slowly slid across Wen Qingci’s palm.
A subtle tickling sensation instantly traveled from his palm to his entire body.
Wen Qingci’s body trembled slightly at his touch.
“Oh my!” Xie Fuyin, held in Xie Bufeng’s arms, covered her eyes.
In the next moment, Xie Bufeng took the snow he had just gathered from Wen Qingci’s palm and gently smeared it on the tip of his nose.
Then he pulled Wen Qingci back under the umbrella, bringing his lips close to his ear and whispering: “Be careful not to catch cold, brother.”
##
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
