The Child Emperor

Chapter 223: Losing the Seal

Han Xing, the Grand General, made many excuses to avoid the trouble that came to his door. First, he claimed his official seal wasn’t with him, then he said troop deployment was too complicated for him to decide alone. Finally, he had to reveal his true thoughts.

“This is asking me to risk my life and fortune to support the Weary Marquis. Who would fall for such a trick? If the Champion Marquis becomes emperor, he’ll surely deal with me first. Even if the Weary Marquis ascends the throne, he’ll be wary of my power. I understand the dangers of having too much merit before one’s ruler.”

As a military commander, Han Xing had reached the pinnacle of his career with no room for advancement. Like Chancellor Yin Wuhai, he hoped to spend his later years peacefully, away from major upheavals.

“But Father, you’ve already recommended the Weary Marquis. People already consider you his supporter. Most of the imperial clan members decided to secretly support him because of this,” said Han Xing’s only daughter, who was deeply cherished. After marriage, she had two sons – one took her husband’s surname, while the other took the Han surname, nominally adopted by Han Xing’s nephew but actually meant to continue Han Xing’s family line.

Han Xing could only smile bitterly. Facing his daughter, he couldn’t hide the truth anymore. “Actually, this was the Champion Marquis’s idea. Rather than forcing the Weary Marquis into a corner where he might take a chance on rebellion, it’s better to give him a chance to participate in the emperor selection and keep him in the Capital where he’s easier to deal with…”

Han Xing’s daughter was dumbfounded. “Father, I thought… I’ve been sincerely helping the Weary Marquis, your son-in-law as well…”

Han Xing said helplessly, “Don’t worry. With me here, the Champion Marquis won’t trouble you after he ascends the throne.”

“What about the others – the imperial clan, the nobles… Lady Ping’en…”

Han Xing sighed deeply, “When Crown Prince Ju was killed back then, the imperial clan didn’t plead for him. Instead, they all criticized him for being unfilial. The Champion Marquis has kept this in mind…”

“That was over a decade ago, and… and it was the Martial Emperor who wanted to kill Crown Prince Ju. No one dared oppose him.”

“There’s no help for it. When emperors ascend the throne, they always eliminate certain people. Avenging Crown Prince Ju would probably just be an excuse. The Champion Marquis wants to use the Weary Marquis to identify which imperial clan members are dissatisfied with him. I can only ensure your family’s safety. Stay here for a few days until the Capital stabilizes, then go back.”

Han’s daughter turned pale. “Several marquises came with me. What should I tell them?”

“Put all the blame on me. Opening the granaries is absolutely impossible – it’s meant to be a grand gesture of imperial benevolence after the Champion Marquis ascends the throne. How could it happen beforehand? The Weary Marquis is too young, and those scholars think too simply.”

The Champion Marquis wouldn’t ascend the throne for several months, and during this time, no one cared about the lives of the victims of disaster. Neither the Grand General nor his daughter cared; they only wanted to protect themselves amid the turbulent times.

Han Xing’s daughter took her leave, both shocked and somewhat relieved that her father had at least arranged an escape route for her family.

It was deep into the night, and the small Shang County had few large mansions. Han Xing’s daughter called her shivering maid and headed to her room. She needed to think of suitable excuses to answer Lady Ping’en and others’ questions.

“Why are you shaking so much?” Han Xing’s daughter asked disapprovingly. Though it was cold outside, the maid’s trembling was unseemly.

The maid stammered, “My lady… there’s a ghost in the courtyard…”

“Nonsense! The ghost is in your mind. Say such foolish things again and I’ll tear your mouth apart.”

The maid dared not speak further, trying to control her body and forget the “ghostly shadow” she’d seen, thinking that ghosts wouldn’t bother with someone as lowly as her.

Indeed, the “ghost” had no interest in a mere maid.

After five full days away from the Capital, having overheard the conversation between Han Xing and his daughter, Meng E felt ready to act.

Grand General Han Xing’s residence was heavily guarded, but that was only on the outside. The inner quarters where the women lived had no soldiers patrolling.

Because of the many guards, Han Xing felt secure and hadn’t even bolted his door.

After waiting half an hour, Meng E gently pushed open the door to the Grand General’s bedroom. With a sweep of her silk handkerchief over his nose, the General’s snoring stopped. Being a light sleeper, he was having his first deep sleep in years. Moments later, his personal attendant also fell into deep slumber.

Though Han Xing claimed his official seal wasn’t in Shang County, Meng E didn’t believe it. When Han Ruzi had sent her out, he’d said: With the Southern and Northern armies in standoff, the Grand General’s power is at its peak. He wouldn’t let the seal leave his side.

Meng E first searched Han Xing’s bed but found no seal box. After thinking for a moment, she searched the attendant’s bed, still finding nothing. She thought again, then reached for the attendant’s pillow. Finding a seam, she realized it wasn’t just a pillow but a rectangular box.

Though the sleeping drug induced deep sleep, too much movement would still wake them. Meng E rolled up the attendant’s outer clothes, quickly moved the pillow, and placed the clothes under his head.

The attendant turned over, mumbled something, and continued sleeping deeply.

Meng E took the pillow and felt it carefully, confirming it was indeed a locked wooden box.

Holding the box, she went directly to Han Xing to look for the key, correctly guessing it hung around the Grand General’s neck.

She held her breath, carefully took the key, and slowly found the keyhole in the darkness. With a click, the box opened.

What followed was simple. Inside the wooden box was another case, unlocked, containing a seal. Meng E took it out, replaced it with another seal of similar size, then restored everything to its original state.

The fake seal was very different from the real one and would be obvious at a glance. Meng E’s action was only meant to deceive temporarily.

The next morning, the scholar Qu Zixi came to bid farewell to the Grand General. He had tried his best to persuade, speaking of the Weary Marquis’s trust, the people’s survival, the court’s stability, and the empire’s expectations. The Grand General acknowledged each point but still wouldn’t cooperate.

At Han Xing’s daughter’s urging, the noble ladies who had come to Shang County stopped pressing their husbands. They weren’t really concerned about opening the granaries, feeling it wouldn’t help much in the Weary Marquis’s bid for power.

By noon, Han Xing finally discovered the seal had been switched. Both shocked and angry, he immediately sent troops to pursue Qu Zixi who had left that morning, closed the city gates, surrounded the residence, and searched all guests, regardless of gender.

To reassure her companions, Han Xing’s daughter was the first to submit to a search, followed by other noble ladies and maids. Meng E and the other three burly maids were searched most thoroughly. Lady Ping’en apologized while trying to mediate, but nothing was found. Meng E expressed understanding and swore she hadn’t stolen anything.

The guests were staying in the county office’s back courtyard. Even the county magistrate and his family were searched, making everyone terrified, but still nothing was found.

The usually good-tempered Han Xing was truly angry. Wearing full armor and holding his sword, he sat in the county office’s main hall with guards lined up on both sides, waiting for Qu Zixi to be brought back. Such a scholar couldn’t run fast.

Before dark, Qu Zixi was pushed into the hall by soldiers. He too was angry and stood before Han Xing without kneeling. “Such impressive authority, Grand General. Is this how you treat guests?”

Han Xing said coldly, “Perhaps Scholar Qu should reflect on how to be a proper guest.”

Two guards stepped forward and searched Qu Zixi thoroughly. Others brought in his luggage and scattered its contents. Qu Zixi laughed, “So you suspect me of theft. Though I’ve studied for years, in the Grand General’s eyes I’m just a thief. I cannot live with such a reputation!”

With a scholar’s stubborn temperament, Qu Zixi pushed away the guards and stripped naked right in the main hall, loudly reciting passages from the Analects and Mencius to demonstrate his innocence.

Han Xing’s sharp edge dulled, and he began to regret his rashness. He knew Qu Zixi’s standing among scholars and how difficult they could be when angered. Years ago, when the Martial Emperor was killing indiscriminately, the imperial clan was silent and officials bowed to his will. Only scholars from the Hanlin Academy, Imperial University and the College of National Scions dared submit memorials criticizing the Martial Emperor. Beatings, dismissals, and imprisonment couldn’t change their minds; instead, more joined in. In the end, though the Martial Emperor didn’t change his ways, he released all the scholars without executing any – an unprecedented concession.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Han Xing left his seat, personally helped Qu Zixi put on his robe, severely reprimanded the soldiers who had caught him, then invited him to the back quarters and apologized again.

Qu Zixi said little, only repeatedly emphasizing how his reputation had been damaged and that he would definitely seek justice from the court upon returning to the Capital. He persisted until midnight before finally forgiving the Grand General and was escorted back to his room.

Han Xing couldn’t sleep. His attendant was his confidant, yet even he suffered a day of torture and severe injuries. Yet he revealed nothing.

In the late night, Han Xing received a visitor he least wanted to see.

A fate seer was in Shang County, delivering messages from the Champion Marquis while also monitoring the Grand General. After a full day’s observation, the fate seer was suspicious: “Has the Grand General’s seal really been lost, or… is this just a show? At this time, loyalty matters most. The Champion Marquis trusts the Grand General and hopes for loyalty in return.”

Han Xing was at his wit’s end, swearing that the seal had truly been stolen and that he was loyal to the Champion Marquis, vowing to recover it. “The seal alone is useless – without me, the Grand General’s office won’t issue military orders. Tomorrow morning I’ll return to Hangu Pass and personally take command, giving no one any opportunity.”

“With the Grand General personally in command, the Champion Marquis should be reassured. However, the lost seal remains troublesome.”

“What must I do to prove my loyalty to the Champion Marquis?” Han Xing was backed into a corner, nearly ready to kneel and beg.

“The seal theft was clearly ordered by the Weary Marquis’s people. The Grand General’s reluctance to take harsh action has led to this predicament. Each day’s delay lets the seal get further away. The Grand General must act decisively.”

Han Xing was stunned. According to the original plan, after the emperor selection, the Weary Marquis would concede defeat, and the Grand General would set an example by acknowledging the Champion Marquis as emperor, satisfying all parties. Now he had to break with the Weary Marquis early, throwing away his lifetime’s reputation. But without recovering the seal, it would remain a major liability.

Han Xing secretly blamed the Weary Marquis for ruining things and resented the Champion Marquis and fate seer’s pressure, but he had no choice. He could only choose the stronger side.

“Very well,” Han Xing went to the door and told a guard: “Go summon the four maids from the Weary Marquis’s residence.”

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