Chapter 122: Taking Command in a Crisis

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After many days, Chu Jinyao finally returned to Ciqing Palace. The palace servants from Changhe Garden had already been sent back ahead of her. Hearing the commotion outside, they rushed out to greet her: “Crown Princess!”

 

Chu Jinyao was still wearing the same old clothes, which were dull and gray, completely out of place in the opulent palace and nearly disrespectful in such a formal setting. But no one in Ciqing Palace dared to show even the slightest hint of disapproval.

 

At such a critical moment, anyone who dared to offend the Crown Princess would either be blind or foolish, clearly courting death.

 

Jiegeng looked at Chu Jinyao and tearfully said, “Crown Princess, it’s a relief that you’re safe.”

 

Yesterday’s situation was urgent, and Chu Jinyao took as few people with her as possible, leaving behind everyone except Dingxiang and Linglong. However, staying behind was actually safer in this case. With a garden as large as Changhe, there were plenty of places to hide.

 

Chu Jinyao had made this decision as a precaution, and it turned out she was right. General Hu had used the guise of protection to attempt to hold her hostage. When he learned the Crown Princess wasn’t there, he immediately sent his men to pursue her, leaving no time to deal with a few palace servants. It was an unfortunate situation, but Chu Jinyao was unharmed, and these few maids were only frightened, not injured.

 

No injuries meant the best news. Seeing how exhausted Chu Jinyao looked, Linglong immediately suggested, “Let’s hold off on talking for now. The Crown Princess has been on the road all night. She should rest first.”

 

Chu Jinyao was indeed mentally and physically worn out. After staying awake all night and going through so much, she had been keeping herself going out of worry for Qin Yi. Now that she had returned to familiar surroundings, her body finally began to give in to fatigue. The maids immediately fell silent, carefully assisting Chu Jinyao to bed. After removing her rough clothes, she didn’t even bother washing up before sinking into the pillows and falling into a deep sleep.

 

She slept straight into the afternoon. When she opened her eyes, golden light from the setting sun was casting a warm and peaceful glow across the bed, making everything seem unchanged. Chu Jinyao shifted slightly, and the maids waiting outside quickly parted the curtains and entered: “Crown Princess, you’re awake?”

 

“What time is it?”

 

“It’s the evening hour (between 5 and 7 pm).”

 

“I’ve slept this long? Where is the Crown Prince?”

 

“The Crown Prince returned this afternoon. He saw that you were still asleep and told us not to disturb your rest. Shortly after, he was summoned by a eunuch again.”

 

Chu Jinyao nodded. At a time like this, with the court on the verge of collapse, there were countless matters for Qin Yi to attend to. Supported by the maids, she sat up. Linglong, now dressed in fresh clothes, stood outside the bedchamber and asked, “Crown Princess, the kitchen has been keeping food warm for you. Would you like to eat first?”

 

Chu Jinyao had intended to bathe, but after remembering that she hadn’t eaten all day and that it wouldn’t be good for her or the child to bathe on an empty stomach, she changed her mind and nodded: “Yes, serve the meal.”

 

While the maids outside were preparing the food, Chu Jinyao asked about other matters: “How are my sister and Lu Ge’er?”

 

“The eldest young lady sent word earlier saying that they are both well and that you should rest assured and focus on your health. The Zhao family also sent some nourishing items for you.”

 

When Qin Yi returned to the capital with Chu Jinyao, he had sent another group to escort Chu Jinxian and her child back to the Zhao family. Now that Chu Jinyao knew her sister and nephew were safe and well, she felt reassured and nodded.

 

It was strange—Chu Jinyao had been away from the palace for over a month, yet returning felt entirely natural, as if her life had always been this way. Even though, when she first married, she had found the place oppressive, with the red walls and green tiles of the Imperial Palace almost suffocating her.

 

Unbeknownst to her, Chu Jinyao’s life had already intertwined with the grandeur of the palace, becoming inseparable, sharing its breath and destiny.

 

During the time Chu Jinyao slept, significant events had unfolded outside. Setting aside court affairs for the moment, the news about Chu Jinyao and her sister had spread throughout the capital, making them both famous.

 

When the Crown Prince first returned to the palace with the Crown Princess, there had been some whispers about her mismatched attire. But once the story of what had happened the previous night spread—that the eldest young madam of the Zhao family had risked her life to divert the pursuers and that the Crown Princess had nearly died to protect the nation—those gossipers quickly shut their mouths, no longer daring to say a word.

 

Such fierce loyalty and righteousness left even the most virtuous and reputable families with no room for criticism. Stories of the sisters’ high moral character quickly spread across the noble families of the capital, from the scholarly Hanlin families to the prominent military clans. People praised the heroic deeds of the two sisters, and by the time Chu Jinyao woke up, their story had already been passed from one to ten to a hundred, almost becoming the subject of a new legend about virtuous and heroic women.

 

Because Chu Jinxian had risked her life to draw the pursuers away from Chu Jinyao, Qin Yi treated her with great respect. Today, he had not only ordered valuable rewards to be sent to the Zhao family but had also personally chosen a courtesy name for her son, Lu Ge’er. Considering Chu Jinxian’s care for Chu Jinyao in times of danger, Qin Yi felt no amount of reward was too much for them.

 

However, at this moment, Chu Jinyao was still unaware of all this as she absentmindedly stirred the clear soup in front of her. The palace kitchen had specifically prepared this light meal because she had just woken up and it wasn’t suitable for her to eat anything too greasy. After taking a sip to moisten her throat, she asked, “Where is the Crown Prince eating? Did he have anything for lunch?”

 

The servant hesitated: “The Crown Prince didn’t have time for lunch. He was summoned by the eunuch before he could eat.”

 

“That won’t do,” Chu Jinyao immediately grew angry. “Is this how you’ve been doing your jobs while I’ve been away? Allowing him to skip meals? He was out in the cold wind all night, and now he’s discussing court matters with the ministers. How can he keep going without eating? Quickly, tell the kitchen to prepare something warm and easy to digest. Pack it up and send it to the Wenhua Hall, and prepare extra portions. The ministers likely haven’t eaten either.”

 

The eunuchs carefully carried the food to Wenhua Hall. Before they even entered, they could hear the sounds of a heated argument from inside. This made them even more cautious, ensuring their footsteps were silent as they approached. As they drew nearer, the voices of the argument became clearer: “…I warned His Majesty against going to war with all my strength. If it hadn’t been for that treacherous Eunuch Liu whispering lies in His Majesty’s ear, how could he have suffered such disgrace?”

 

This was no longer just about disgrace. The emperor had confidently led an army of 300,000 troops on a campaign, with many capable ministers, talented sons, and nearly half of the court’s civil officials accompanying him. But in the end, this was the result. The emperor had been captured by the Xuanfu, the Marquis of Ying and Marquis of Fuguo had died in battle, Princess Ru Ning’s husband, the young general Chai, had fought to the death, and two marquises, five earls, the ministers of revenue, military affairs, and civil affairs, along with numerous other officials, had all perished in the chaos.

 

At a time like this, it was pointless to debate whether they had died in battle or taken their own lives. The emperor had been captured alive, and any surviving officials who returned would be tarnished with shame. It would have been better for them to have died in battle, at least allowing them to be remembered as heroes.

 

No one could have imagined that an army of 300,000 elite soldiers could lose to a mere few thousand Xuanfu troops. Even if there had been poor leadership, such a swift and total collapse seemed impossible.

 

With the capital’s elite forces lost at Xuanfu, the Yan Empire’s years of accumulation had been destroyed overnight. And now, the capital faced an even more pressing issue. The battlefield at Xuanfu was less than 200 miles from the capital, a distance an army could cover in a day of forced marching. With the capital’s protective forces wiped out, leaving only old and weak soldiers, how could they defend against the enemy? To make matters worse, what would they do when the Xuanfu brought the captured emperor to the battlefield? Would the Yan army attack or hold back?

 

The mere thought of these questions gave Qin Yi a headache. The capital, now stripped of its protective military, was like a child holding a precious treasure, defenseless and at the mercy of anyone who wished to take it.

 

Yet in the midst of this crisis, the ministers were busy arguing and blaming one another. The court, once strong, had been brought to ruin overnight, and no one could bear the shock. They were all riled up, and the more they argued, the more agitated they became. Some were even wailing in grief, clutching their heads in despair. The crying seemed to spread, and Qin Yi watched as normally composed ministers beat their chests and wept. His headache worsened, and he pressed his hand to his forehead, unable to bear it any longer.

 

While some ministers were overcome with grief, others, more aggressive and combative, were growing even more agitated. One of them said, “The emperor had no intention of going to war. It’s all the fault of those treacherous eunuchs who flattered and deceived him into it. The failure of leadership on the battlefield is also their fault.”

 

Many others echoed this sentiment. Eunuch Liu, who had first proposed the campaign, became the target of everyone’s anger. At some point, his adopted son was dragged forward, and one man kicked him to vent his frustration. Others soon joined in, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.

 

Qin Yi’s expression had completely frozen over. At a time like this, no one was willing to listen to reason. The Eastern Palace guards quickly moved to shield Qin Yi from the out-of-control ministers. He stood to the side, watching the chaotic scene before him, anger welling up in his heart. But he knew that these civil officials were overwhelmed with grief and frustration. If they weren’t allowed to vent this anger, no one would be able to focus on what to do next. For this reason, he held back from stopping the disgraceful brawl before him, standing by and enduring it.

 

This disaster had come so suddenly, and for no clear reason. If it had been caused by natural disasters, war, or even man-made calamities, the ministers might have been able to come to terms with it. But this? This seemingly senseless defeat was impossible for anyone to accept.

 

Aside from Qin Yi, the members of the Zhenbei Marquis’s household stood far off, avoiding attention. It would be more accurate to say they were hiding, trying not to make a sound for fear of drawing the ire of the crowd.

 

Yes, it was true that Eunuch Liu had been the first to propose the campaign, but it was none other than the Empress Xiao Qi who had sealed the emperor’s decision.

 

As the Empress Xiao Qi’s maternal family, the Zhenbei Marquis’s household felt as though they were walking on needles, barely able to stand.

 

But while they tried to keep a low profile, the other ministers hadn’t forgotten. They were furious enough to want to tear Eunuch Liu apart, but how could they ignore the one who had added the final push? Still, with the Qi family’s connection to the late Empress Wenxiao, the ministers held back out of consideration for the Crown Prince, refraining from lashing out at the Zhenbei Marquis.

 

But as the saying goes, death might be forgiven, but punishment would not be avoided. If the Empress Xiao Qi did not pay some price for her role in this disaster, it would be a disgrace to the 300,000 soldiers who had perished and the very foundations of the Yan Empire.

 

The ministers, overwhelmed with emotion, knelt in unison, begging the Crown Prince to take charge of the government and punish the traitors. Seeing that the situation was turning against them, the Zhenbei Marquis quickly stepped forward, offering to resign from his position. But before he could finish his sentence, a censor from the Ministry of Justice spat at him: “How convenient for you, to resign and possibly be reinstated later. But can the 300,000 troops at Xuanfu, or the two censors from the Ministry of Justice who died in battle, be brought back to life?”

 

The Zhenbei Marquis’s expression turned awkward, and he was left speechless. Qin Yi knew that if he didn’t make a decisive statement now, these ministers, driven to madness, wouldn’t let it go.

 

Qin Yi also felt the weight of the injustice borne by the fallen soldiers. Empress Xiao Qi’s wicked schemes had harmed not only the harem but had now indirectly cost the lives of 300,000 soldiers. These lives were not just a number.

 

After a moment of thought, Qin Yi spoke: “The Empress has overstepped her role, conspiring with the Eunuch Liu faction to disrupt court affairs, and has lost the virtues required of an Empress. She is no longer fit to manage the Phoenix Seal or the affairs of the Six Palaces. From now on, the Phoenix Seal is revoked, and all state ceremonies are suspended. The Empress is to be confined to Kunning Palace to reflect on her actions.”

 

The removal of the Phoenix Seal meant stripping her of all authority over palace affairs. Suspending her participation in court ceremonies stripped her of her remaining dignity as Empress. A figurehead Empress without any power over state or court matters—she was, in all but name, deposed.