EMHTC -Chapter 36 Your grandmother could be ninety! And…

Night. Wu Ying Palace.

The old emperor surveyed the second-rank ministers below him with a solemn expression, as if facing a matter of national extinction.

Prime Minister Dou furrowed his brows in thought, the six ministers wore distressed expressions, and the newly appointed Left Censor-in-Chief, along with the 69-year-old Right Censor-in-Chief, both had sweat beading on their foreheads. The front, rear, left, right, and central military commanders exchanged glances before the Central Commander took a bold step forward and, with an air of confidence, declared: “Your Majesty! My eighteen adopted sons will personally guard Xiao Baize’s right flank!”

Initially, “Xiao Baize” was merely a private nickname, but once it became public, everything changed.

“My eighteen adopted sons, each over nine feet tall, are extraordinarily brave. The eldest possesses the strength of nine bulls and two tigers, with excellent martial prowess! I will ensure they protect Xiao Baize’s safety at all costs!”

The Front Military Commander stood abruptly, snorting: “I don’t know all the details, but my 49 household guards are stationed right next to Baize’s residence. They’re elite soldiers, and anyone who wants to harm him will have to get past them first! Each one is skilled in riding and archery! I’ve even equipped them with firearms. Anyone who dares attack Baize will be riddled like a beehive!”

The Minister of Revenue wasted no time: “The residents near Xiao Baize’s home must be relocated. The Ministry of Revenue will cover the expenses.”

The Minister of Works smiled and said: “We won’t touch Xiao Baize’s house, but we can renovate, reinforce, and fortify the surrounding properties. This matter is the responsibility of the Ministry of Works, but…”

The Minister of Works trailed off, looking at the emperor, signaling that the next steps depended on his decision.

The emperor leaned over a map of the capital laid out before him, tracing a line with his finger. “This entire area—complete reconstruction.”

The Minister of Works stepped forward, studied the map, his eyes flashing with astonishment before bowing and withdrawing without a word.

This behavior piqued the curiosity of the other second-rank ministers, who approached with the emperor’s permission. When they saw the area marked by his finger, their eyes widened—it was the entire Southern Thirty-Six Districts!

The Central Commander couldn’t help but exclaim: “Your Majesty! Are you evacuating the entire Southern Thirty-Six Districts? Do you realize how many people that involves?”

The emperor hadn’t spoken yet when Prime Minister Dou, fearing the emperor might hesitate, urgently stepped forward: “Your Majesty! My estate in the southern district can be demolished and rebuilt as new housing for the people!”

At his age, Prime Minister Dou sought nothing but a spotless reputation. If Xu Yanmiao were to die and the entire world learned about his multiple concubines, his bedroom habits, and how many of his descendants were honorable versus unscrupulous, he might as well die of shame!

The thought of his political rivals, his cherished juniors, and his respectful subordinates knowing such things was unbearable. He was determined to preserve his reputation!

Prime Minister Dou’s tone grew even more resolute: “Your Majesty, relocating the residents of the Southern Thirty-Six Districts is not a bad thing! The area is old and in need of repair. My estate spans hundreds of acres and can be demolished to provide new, spacious housing for the displaced residents. If the Ministry of Revenue lacks funds, I’m willing to donate!”

This relocation project must proceed! Anyone who tries to obstruct it will face his wrath!

The Minister of War became equally impassioned: “Your Majesty! I request that 20 of my household guards be stationed around Xiao Baize’s home, standing vigil day and night! We swear to protect his safety at all costs!”

The Minister of Works raised his voice: “Your Majesty! I propose leveling the entire Southern Thirty-Six Districts for reconstruction. We can’t risk Xiao Baize stumbling and injuring himself. If he were to—”

The Minister of Personnel cut him off sharply: “Shut up! Don’t jinx it!”

The Minister of Works quickly backtracked: “Yes, yes! I was wrong! That doesn’t count!”

The Left Commander stepped forward: “Your Majesty! I believe mere household guards and servants aren’t enough. Let me personally move next door to him! If anything happens, I’ll be the first to die in his place!”

Outside the palace, other officials were also in an uproar. Everyone had secrets they couldn’t afford to be exposed. Even if their lives weren’t at stake, their reputations certainly were!

Upon hearing the emperor’s intention to relocate the Southern Thirty-Six Districts, they unanimously submitted petitions in support, even offering to donate funds to ensure its success.

Some families volunteered their household guards or sons to reside in the area. These individuals, skilled in riding, shooting, and armed with muskets, swore to protect Xiao Baize with their lives.

Any corrupt officials or enemies plotting against Xu Yanmiao would have to face this formidable defense first. They vowed that not even a hair on Xu Yanmiao’s head would be harmed before they all perished.

Meanwhile, Yongchang Marquis, a veteran of the emperor’s conquests, began preparing to relocate with his 80 adopted sons: “Whoever harms Xiao Baize is my enemy! Anyone daring to use underhanded tactics will have to step over my dead body first!”

In the midst of this commotion, the Ministry of Works began urgent preparations, aiming to relocate all residents of the Southern Thirty-Six Districts except Xu Yanmiao as quickly as possible. Until then, the 36 households surrounding Xu Yanmiao’s home had already been replaced, with generous compensation provided for their relocation.

The emperor also stationed numerous imperial guards and soldiers among them, creating a mixed presence to prevent anyone from exploiting the situation to stage a rebellion in the capital.

“The Southern Thirty-Six Districts will retain its name for now,” the emperor decreed. “Once the new area is completed, it will be renamed ‘Liuqing District’—the Clear Reputation District!”

This decision was final.

Turning to Empress Dou, the emperor recounted the situation with lingering fear: “I suspected this might happen but didn’t expect it to escalate like this. Thank heavens I didn’t truly imprison or kill him back then.”

Otherwise, it would have been a disaster—everyone’s secrets would have been exposed, and life would have become unbearably stifling.

Empress Dou listened quietly as the emperor shifted topics, summoning several prepared portraits: “Empress, look at these illegitimate sons of Xian’er. Which one do you like best? Whichever you choose, I’ll make him the crown prince!”

Pointing to the portraits, the emperor began introducing them one by one: “This is Xian’er’s eldest illegitimate son. The imperial guards investigated him and found…”

Day… This is Xian’er’s third son… This is Xian’er’s fourth son… and here’s the fifth son! This child is only seven years old, but don’t underestimate him because of his age. A few days ago, while traveling with the guards, they encountered mountain bandits from Yi tribes. This child grabbed his bamboo sword, stepped out of the carriage, and scolded them: ‘The might of China is here—how dare you barbarians not flee!’

The old emperor had given up on the current heir apparent—after all, his crown prince was adamant about not letting the crown princess give birth to a fifth child due to her complications during childbirth. Since he couldn’t hope for a legitimate grandson, any other son would do for succession.

Thinking of this, the emperor felt distressed. “You tell me, how could Xian’er say something like ‘I don’t want to be crown prince’ so casually? And now he says it doesn’t matter if his wife has more children or not. He’s the firstborn—who am I supposed to pass this empire I worked so hard to build to, if not him?”

The Empress Dowager Dou sighed, “Back in the day, poverty forced me to have a child at the age of fourteen. It damaged my body, but worse, it made Xian’er frail and sickly from birth. Although martial arts have strengthened him enough to run and jump, he’s still fundamentally weak. Xian’er fears that if he ascends the throne and dies unexpectedly, it will bring disaster upon Da Xia.”

The old emperor’s hands rested on his knees, trembling uncontrollably.

The Crown Prince was known to fall ill easily in winter, and he was often exempted from attending court during the season. Two years ago, he caught a winter sickness that lasted two months, only recovering in the spring.

He often suffered from a lack of appetite, throat pain, or stomachaches. When the pain flared up, his stomach would feel cold. These ailments had become routine for the Crown Prince. The most alarming incident occurred in the seventeenth year of Emperor Tian Tong’s reign when the Crown Prince was inspecting the population registry in Linying County. Midway through the inspection, he suddenly vomited blood and collapsed. Guards rushed him back to the capital.

The hall was silent, with only the sound of heavy breathing.

After a long pause, Empress Dou spoke softly, “Xian’er has long said that his health is not suited for the role of Crown Prince. It has always been us who forced him to stay in the position, raising the Crown Grandson to stabilize his status.”

The old emperor clenched his trembling hand into a fist. “Hmph! So what if we’re forcing him? I’ll force him anyway! If the Crown Prince is weak, I’ll assign more palace attendants to him. I’ll even create an inner cabinet for the Eastern Palace to handle official duties on his behalf. All the Crown Prince needs to do is give his seal of approval! As for the Crown Grandson, once Xian’er ascends the throne, the Grandson will become the Crown Prince. It’s only natural for him to assist with state affairs!”

He quickly regained his resolve. “The throne belongs to Xian’er, and no one else can take it!”

As for the troublesome Crown Grandson, the emperor had a plan. Before deciding on a new heir, he would observe him for a few more days to see if anyone else dared to stir up trouble. If they did, he’d deal with them all at once.

With that, there was no need to throw the Crown Grandson into the dungeons to “hone his temperament” again.

But the emperor regretted not throwing that troublesome boy back into the dungeons when he had the chance.

On New Year’s Eve—also called “Year-End,” the emperor hosted a banquet for the court officials and celebrated the night with them. The ministers, in turn, were not allowed to return home to celebrate with their families.

Palace attendants stacked piles of firewood, millet stalks, and pine branches into a bonfire. With a “whoosh,” they lit it ablaze, and the flames danced brightly. This tradition, called “Banquet Blaze,” was a spectacle for Xu Yanmiao, who was seeing it for the first time.

On the steps of the palace, candles and lamps illuminated the hall as though it were daytime. The emperor, empress, and concubines wore ceremonial attire, feasting and reveling in the festivities.

The tables were laden with New Year delicacies, including spiced wine, Tusu wine, and an assortment of symbolic dishes said to ward off illness and extend longevity.

The entertainment began with performances.

Twenty-four boys aged twelve to sixteen, wearing masks and red costumes, performed in rows of six. Drums thundered, and horns blared, exuding a raw and primal beauty.

The master of ceremonies wore a four-eyed golden mask, a bearskin cloak, and a black and red robe, holding a ceremonial “banner.”

The performance involved singing, drumming, and horn-blowing, with someone chanting the names of deities.

The atmosphere was lively.

In the surrounding pavilions, officials and their families clapped and cheered. Even commoners were allowed to attend this special event to witness the exorcism ceremony.

Scholars recited poems to celebrate the occasion, hoping to catch the attention of influential figures and achieve instant fame.

Xu Yanmiao, however, was focused on snacking.

He munched on various treats like candied lotus balls, honeyed ginger beans, and almond pastries. While others played, he ate.

When the exorcism performance ended, the dance segment began. Finally lifting his head from his feast, Xu Yanmiao noticed that the lead dancer was Qin Zheng.

Leading a folk dance troupe under the guise of celebrating New Year’s Eve, she performed the “Birds Flock to the Phoenix” dance. Throughout her performance, her eyes never left the Empress Dowager. She even smiled at her several times.

【Oh my!】 Xu Yanmiao thought, biting into his pastry and glancing at the old emperor.

【Oh wow, the old emperor looks furious!】

Then he looked at the Crown Grandson.

【Oh, the Grandson is shocked! His dear Qin Zheng hasn’t looked at him once, hahaha!】

【Well, no wonder! Qin Zheng prepared this dance for the Empress Dowager, not him. She wants to show the Empress Dowager that she’s doing well, dancing when she wants, studying medicine when she wants, and even learning from a female tutor to enrich herself lately.】

At the head of the hall, the Empress, holding the phoenix seal, smiled faintly as she listened.

Beside her, the emperor’s face darkened further.

Below, the Crown Grandson called out, “A-Zheng! A-Zheng!” His officials even tried to explain, “Your Highness, it’s clear Qin Zheng only admires the Empress Dowager…”

“Impossible!” The Grandson fumed. “My grandmother is already sixty years old!”

Unfortunately, as he shouted this, the dance ended, and the hall fell silent. His loud remark, “My grandmother is already sixty years old!” echoed across the chamber.

The old emperor slammed his cup down with a loud “bang.” Finally, the enraged emperor, who felt his wife was being coveted, found his target. With a face darker than ever, he roared, “Sixty? So what! Your grandmother could be ninety, and she’d still be a peerless beauty!”