The Child Emperor-Chapter 345: Trapped

Maiden Wang, desperate to save her son, became increasingly difficult to deal with. Every time Yang Feng returned to the palace, he had to hide and avoid meeting the Empress Dowager, as he could not explain his plan to Maiden Wang or make any guarantees.

He could not tell a grieving, angry, and anxious mother: “What truly needs protection is Great Chu, not the Emperor himself.”

In fact, he could not say such words to anyone, though the ministers understood this tacitly and could cooperate seamlessly with him.

Yang Feng returned to his palace quarters at dawn. After all, he could not ignore the imperial palace entirely and had to handle some affairs. This time, what he received was not an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, but an invitation from the Empress.

Yang Feng sighed and had no choice but to go see the Empress. In his eyes, the Empress was somewhat more reasonable than Maiden Wang.

Cui Xiaojun had not expected that the Emperor’s suffering was far from over. She had quietly cried herself dry these past days, and upon seeing Yang Feng, she could no longer cry but could only kneel and plead.

Yang Feng hastily stepped aside and also knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly, not daring to accept such a great courtesy.

The Empress rose with the support of her attendants, while Yang Feng remained kneeling on the ground.

“Lord Yang…” Cui Xiaojun had a thousand words in her heart but did not know how to speak them, yet could not remain silent. “Why must His Majesty endure such suffering?”

“Great Chu is fortunate that it is the our emperor who endures this suffering. Among all the emperors of Great Chu, probably only the Founding Emperor and His Majesty could bear it.”

If Maiden Wang had heard such words, she would have immediately flown into a rage. The Empress, however, forced a smile and took Yang Feng’s words as sincere praise. “Yes, only His Majesty can bear it, but… are you truly saving His Majesty?”

Yang Feng kowtowed, saying: “I do my utmost and dare not slack in the slightest. It is only due to my stupidity and incompetence that I have not yet lifted the siege of Jincheng.”

Cui Xiaojun fell silent for a while. Deep in her heart, she felt that Yang Feng and the court ministers’ approach was not wrong, but the one besieged was the Emperor, the person she deeply loved. She could not remain calm and composed. “I heard that the Great Chanyu has accepted the peace negotiation conditions and is willing to lift the siege, as long as…”

“As long as Great Chu abandons vast territories and restores the former state of Qi.”

The Great Chanyu had proposed many conditions, but these two were the most fatal.

Cui Xiaojun said with anguish: “If it could secure Your Majesty’s safe return to the Capital, wouldn’t all this be worthwhile?”

Yang Feng raised his head without standing up, but his expression became serious. “The key lies here – His Majesty will not return.”

“What? The Great Chanyu won’t release him?”

“If the Great Chanyu feels secure, he might lift the siege. It is His Majesty himself who would be unwilling to return.”

The Empress fell silent.

Yang Feng was not the person who had spent the most time following the Emperor, but he was the one who understood the Emperor best. He continued: “Your Majesty was once a puppet for a period and deeply detests this. What the Great Chanyu wants is precisely a puppet, and one who is willing and conscious of being so. His Majesty would find this absolutely unacceptable. Even if the court ministers agreed to all the Xiongnu conditions, they would still need to be sent to Jincheng for His Majesty’s approval. I know His Majesty will not agree.”

Cui Xiaojun finally began to cry. After crying for a while, she took a handkerchief from an attendant, gently wiped away her tears, and asked solemnly: “Is there truly no solution at all?”

“The current plan is to make the Great Chanyu ‘treasure’ His Majesty and thereby lower his negotiation conditions, perhaps allowing His Majesty to compromise.”

“So you enfeoffed the Martial Emperor’s great-grandson as a marquis, and will next enfeoff him as a prince, correct?”

Such a major matter could not be hidden from the palace. Yang Feng could only kowtow.

“I understand. If there is another Great Chu emperor in the capital, the Great Chanyu will feel nervous and think it more in the Xiongnu’s interest to hasten negotiations with His Majesty.”

“The Empress sees clearly.”

“But no one can fathom the Great Chanyu’s thoughts. What if he feels His Majesty is no longer useful and simply… simply decides to fight to the death?”

Yang Feng could only continue kowtowing. Between him and the ministers, there was a final plan that none dared speak aloud: if the Xiongnu remained unmoved and refused to lower their negotiation conditions, the Emperor’s return to the Capital would be essentially hopeless. They would then have no choice but to enthrone a new ruler, even if this new ruler was unqualified – it would still be better than a state without a sovereign.

Cui Xiaojun sat down dejectedly. Maiden Wang was right – aside from the two of them, there was no third person in this world who wholeheartedly wished for the Emperor’s safe return to the Capital. Yet she also felt that perhaps the others’ actions were not entirely wrong.

“His Majesty regards Lord Yang as his teacher, entrusting the entire Capital, the palace, and the court to you…”

“Please believe that I do not make this decision lightly, but I have no choice. Even if I become a sinner for all eternity – let the blame fall on mealone.”

Cui Xiaojun alternated between wanting to rage, to weep bitterly, and to plead. In the end, she said flatly: “What do you need me to do?”

“Comfort His Majesty’s mother, ask her not to… never mind, just comfort her.”

Lady Cui nodded, knowing this task would be far from easy. Maiden Wang had already reached the edge of madness, and the Empress’s composure might well be seen as disloyalty. “Lord Yang… have you thought about the future?”

Yang Feng was momentarily stunned, then understood. If the Emperor could not return, it would actually be beneficial for him. When the new ruler ascended the throne, he would surely depend on Yang Feng. Maiden Wang would have no possibility of becoming Empress Dowager, and even if she harbored resentment, it would be futile.

The most troublesome scenario would be the Emperor’s safe return, with Maiden Wang being granted the title of second Empress Dowager and truly wielding power. She would probably not easily forgive Yang Feng and the others for their actions.

“A subject does not cherish his own life. I have no regrets.”

The Empress said nothing more. Yang Feng took his leave, handled several official matters, and finally made up his mind. At dawn, he consulted with the ministers and, in the Empress Dowager’s name, conferred the title of Prince of Qi upon the Martial Emperor’s great-grandson. Since he held the Empress Dowager’s seal, the matter proceeded smoothly.

The news immediately spread eastward, causing shock wherever it reached. The subjects of Great Chu now truly believed that the Capital was about to enthrone a new ruler. Officials and nobles from various regions hurriedly sent people back to the Capital to gather intelligence and prepare to establish connections with the emerging powerful family.

In Luoyang, Ugly Wang found it increasingly difficult to supervise the grain distribution. Without the Emperor as his backing, the weight of the title “Ugly Wang” was greatly diminished. But he did not give up. When the Prefect of Henan and the merchants refused to contribute money and effort, he used his reputation to borrow from here and there, determined to see the matter through successfully.

Regarding the Emperor’s safety, he never mentioned a word to anyone.

Upon hearing that the new Prince Qi had been enfeoffed, the scholar of the College of National Scions, Qu Zixi, let out a long sigh and said to his disciples in Luoyang: “All officials have their duties. Some rescue the sovereign, while others die in service. Since His Majesty became trapped, we have only heard of soldiers sacrificing themselves fearlessly, but no scholars have put their lives at risk. I am incompetent and cannot turn the tide, but I can personally go to Jincheng to share hardships with His Majesty.”

At noon that day, Qu Zixi set out on the road. Seventeen disciples followed uninvited, claiming to see him off, but they never turned back.

The news continued eastward to Qi, where the rebels finally realized they had been deceived – the Prince Ying in their hands could never ascend the throne. So they marched north with great fanfare, intending to join the Xiongnu in attacking the Chu forces.

Upon receiving this news, Cui Hong flew into a rage, thinking the Cui clan would again lose the Empress’s position.

Chai Yue and Palace Secretariat Drafter Zhao Ruosu came to persuade him, spending great effort to make Cui Hong understand that fighting the Xiongnu seriously was the most important matter at present. If they won this battle, Jincheng might still have hope. Even if the worst happened and the Capital had to enthrone a new emperor, the victorious Grand General would wield greater power.

Han Ruzi, trapped in Jincheng, knew nothing of these developments. He had sent off Minister of Personnel Feng Ju and entrusted the city’s defense to Fan Zhuangshan and Cai Xinghai. He found himself with nothing left to do, having already employed all his measures. He could only wait to see whether the Great Chanyu would take the bait and how he would respond.

From that moment on, he regained his initial composure and could once again focus on reading. He summoned the musician Zhang Zhuhe alone and commanded him to play the zither – sometimes stirring, sometimes melancholy, sometimes transcendent, sometimes proud and aloof. The more emotional the music became, the calmer he grew.

He even resumed practicing martial arts, saying to Meng E: “Not for any other benefit, but simply because it can lift one’s spirits, internal cultivation is worth pursuing.”

Meng E was more silent than before, but taught even more earnestly.

“Look, you wanted to learn the art of emperorship, but what you see instead are the troubles of emperorship.”

“I have learned more in these past days than at any other time.” Meng E felt no regret at all, and even secretly felt fortunate that she had escaped Linzi in time. Otherwise, she would now be worrying about Jincheng City from hundreds of miles away.

“If the city falls, you must find a way to escape.” With only one day remaining until the Great Chanyu’s ultimatum deadline, Han Ruzi felt he must make arrangements for certain matters.

Meng E looked at the Emperor with confusion. She had never considered escaping alone.

Han Ruzi sighed: “Family matters are difficult to resolve. If I return safely to the Capital, the person who needs protection is the Empress. If I cannot, then it will be my mother who needs protection. She is very strong and will not suffer persecution. I only hope you can tell my mother on my behalf that I died in Jincheng without regret. Please ask her not to be too sorrowful, and not to harbor resentment against anyone. This is my choice and has nothing to do with others.”

Meng E thought for a moment, then nodded. After a long while, she said quietly: “I may not be able to escape.”

Han Ruzi smiled slightly. At a time like this, there was nothing he could demand.

After dawn broke, Han Ruzi presided over the morning court session. It was brief, and the officials had little to discuss. When it concluded, Han Ruzi rose and ordered the eunuchs to bring wine, which was distributed to everyone. Then he said: “Let all of you drink this cup together. To be able to defend Jincheng alongside you all, We do not regret this journey.”

Regardless of whether they were civil or military officials, everyone donned armor. No one knelt and kowtowed, nor did anyone break down in tears. They all raised their cups and drank together, then withdrew from the prince’s mansion to take their respective positions.

Han Ruzi made a circuit of the city walls. Wherever he passed, people shouted “Long live!” All able-bodied men in Jincheng had already mounted the walls for defense, barely managing to gather eight thousand men. With insufficient weapons and armor, many could only fight bare-handed, but they had prepared stones and iron balls and could still give battle.

Returning to the prince’s mansion, Han Ruzi toasted the accompanying eunuchs, guards, and others. Influenced by the Emperor and the atmosphere throughout the city, none of the eunuchs dared to weep.

Han Ruzi said to Cui Teng: “We bestow upon you the musician Zhang Qinyan. We hope you do not think it too late.”

Cui Teng had already drunk several cups of wine with the Emperor and was filled with heroic spirit. He said: “Not too late. One night of spring is worth ten thousand gold pieces. I, Cui Teng, have long had no regrets. Everything else is left to Your Majesty.”

Han Ruzi smiled and shook his head, then asked Prince Donghai: “What wish do you have?”

“I have no wishes, only regrets.”

“What regrets?”

“That I could not bid farewell to my mother.”

Consort Cui had died in the palace, and she had not seen her son for many days. In these final moments, Prince Donghai cared only about this matter. Regarding the Tan family, he had nothing to say.

Han Ruzi sighed softly. He too had not bid farewell to his own mother. Prince Donghai smiled: “But I have nothing to worry about, since I will see her again eventually.”

The Emperor and everyone around him also donned armor and climbed the southern wall, where they ate lunch together with the soldiers atop the city. All the banners were brought out, so numerous and densely packed that they nearly encircled the entire wall.

Outside the city, large numbers of Xiongnu cavalry gathered near the siege engines. They were only waiting for nightfall, only awaiting the command, before they would launch their final assault on the city.

If you are reading this on an aggregator site, do consider visiting https://tuzhitranslations.wordpress.com/ to support this translation project by leaving a comment.

← CH 344