Chapter 32: A Pitiable Midnight Audience
Chapter 32: A Pitiable Midnight Audience
Yang Xin followed Xu Xianchun all the way to the outside of the Qianqing Gate. The latter entered the gate, while Yang Xin was led away by a eunuch.
He had to practice the proper rituals first.
That is, how to bow before the Wanli Emperor.
Also, his current clothes weren’t suitable. The eunuch took him to a nearby room, fetched an ordinary dark blue cloth Daoist robe for him to wear, and then a Tang-style headscarf. This gave him a somewhat immortal and dignified appearance. Paired with his good looks, it made the eunuch’s eyes gleam…
“This little brother is quite handsome!”
He said with a smile.
“You flatter me, sir. It is you who possesses extraordinary handsomeness and elegance.”
Yang Xin said.
“What a smooth talker!”
The eunuch said, beaming with joy as he raised a hand with a delicate gesture.
Next, he had Yang Xin practice the rituals. This wasn’t very difficult; it was just going through the motions. After all, this wasn’t an official audience in the main hall, and Yang Xin wasn’t a foreign tribute envoy. It was just to let him know the basic etiquette. After the practice, he was taken back outside the Qianqing Gate. Although it was the Emperor who summoned him, when he would actually be seen was still uncertain. He had to wait here. Fortunately, he didn’t wait too long. After about ten minutes, Xu Xianchun came out and brought him through the Qianqing Gate, walking all the way to the front of the Qianqing Palace. A eunuch was waiting there. Yang Xin followed the eunuch up the steps…
Of course, the Wanli Emperor wouldn’t receive him in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace. He wasn’t entitled to that level of treatment.
He was to be received in the Hongde Hall.
Yang Xin obediently followed the eunuch through a small door, along a long corridor, and arrived at this inconspicuous side hall. To be precise, it was actually a study. He stood outside the door and waited. The young eunuch went in and shortly came out to bring him inside. As soon as Yang Xin entered, he saw an elderly man who somewhat resembled Fang Shihong standing there. Beside him, reclining on a short couch, was a sickly-looking man in his fifties, wearing a blue Four-Round Dragon Robe and a black yishan crown. On his shoulders were embroidered a red sun and a white moon. Next to him sat an old woman in splendid robes…
The one who should be Fang Congzhe gave him a fierce glare.
Yang Xin quickly lowered his head.
“Your Majesty, the treasure presenter requests an audience!”
The eunuch announced.
Then he quietly poked Yang Xin.
“Your humble commoner Yang Xin pays his respects to Your Majesty and to Her Majesty the Empress!”
Yang Xin said.
Fang Congzhe’s expression changed immediately.
“Empress? What empress is here?”
The old woman said.
“Aren’t you the Empress? Ever since I lost my memory, I asked people which sage reigns over the Great Ming to have brought about such a glorious age. Everyone I asked said that the Great Ming now has two sages: one is the current Son of Heaven, and the other is the Empress who is a motherly model for the world. It is precisely because of these two sages that their grace shines upon the land like the sun and moon, making all corners sing of this prosperous age. Your Majesty the Empress, were these people wrong?”
The shameless Yang Xin said with feigned surprise.
“Hmph!”
Then the old woman shot a rather pleased glance at Wanli.
“Glib tongue!”
Wanli snorted and said.
“Rise!”
He then said.
Yang Xin hurriedly stood up, keeping his head bowed as he waited.
“Fang Qing said that this Great Ming Eight Directions Unity Instrument was taught to you by a divine being. Then tell us, what did this divine being look like?”
Wanli said.
“Your Majesty, the divine has no form!”
Yang Xin said.
“The divine has no form?”
Wanli asked, puzzled.
“Your Majesty, the divine has no form, yet it also has form. The divine can take countless shapes. It could be an old man hobbling on the street, a child playing in the countryside, even a tree, a mountain, or even a beam of light in the sky. So, for mortals, does it matter what the divine looks like? When the divine wants us to know something, we will know. Does the divine need to walk up to us, look at us, and tell us? Similarly, when I came to know everything, I truly did not see a divine being walk up to me. But I suddenly knew all these things in an instant. So, other than a divine being, who else could have made me know these things?”
Yang Xin said.
“That does make some sense!”
The old woman, who could also be called Imperial Consort Zheng, said with a laugh.
Clearly, Yang Xin had brought her pleasure. This woman, who had wanted to be empress all her life but, due to the firm opposition of the ministers, had remained only an Imperial Noble Consort, felt a head-to-toe delight upon hearing ‘Her Majesty the Empress,’ much like how Yang Xin felt when eating that bowl of snowflake dessert.
“All nonsense!”
Wanli said.
“Did that divine being ever say whether immortality can be achieved?”
He got straight to the point.
“Your Majesty, has there ever been anyone who truly achieved immortality since ancient times? All mortals must die. However, death is not the end. The Heavenly Emperor created all things in the universe, establishing three realms: the celestial realm, the mortal world, and the underworld. After mortals die, their souls return to the celestial realm to be judged by the gods. Those with sins enter the underworld to suffer eternal torment. Those without sin enter the cycle of rebirth. Those who have rendered great service to Hua Xia reside in the celestial realm to enjoy eternal blessings. Mortals are merely passing through the mortal world. Why cling to immortality? It is better to strive in the present, to seek eternal blessings in the celestial realm like Taizu.”
Yang Xin said.
“What is the celestial realm? Who are the gods?”
Wanli asked.
“The celestial realm is the paradise opened by the Heavenly Emperor. The gods are all ancestors of Hua Xia. The Heavenly Emperor created the various peoples of the mortal world, appointing the Hua Xia people to rule over it, with the Son of Heaven as their master. From ancient times to the present, all wise rulers of Hua Xia and famous ministers like Wumu have entered the celestial realm to become gods.”
Yang Xin said.
“Can someone like me enter the celestial realm?”
Wanli said.
“I don’t know!”
Yang Xin answered bluntly.
“You don’t know?”
Wanli said.
“Your Majesty, I am just a messenger. Do you think I am qualified to know such things? All I know is what the divine beings allowed me to know. What they didn’t allow me to know, you could chop off my head, and it still wouldn’t be there! I am just a mortal, and what’s more, a fugitive who accidentally took a life. I was almost caught by the Five City Military Inspectorate tonight. After Your Majesty finishes with me, I still have to go to the execution ground. The Five City Military Inspectorate is still waiting outside to arrest me!”
Yang Xin said as if breaking down.
“Presumptuous!”
Fang Congzhe said angrily.
However, Wanli suddenly laughed.
“Fang Qing, this is just a simple country fellow. There’s no need to argue with him. But I also heard that you are promoting something called Heliocentrism, that the earth under our feet revolves around the sun?”
Wanli said with interest.
“There cannot be two suns in the sky, nor two masters for the people. Since all the people honor Your Majesty as their sovereign, naturally, the stars must also revolve around the sun!”
Yang Xin said righteously.
“Haha!”
Wanli finally laughed happily.
“Your Majesty, please stop bullying him. He is just a simple countryman, merely used by the divine beings to present the treasure and deliver a message. However, being chosen by the divine beings means he is a fortunate man. In my humble opinion, that charge of accidental manslaughter should be pardoned! It was just an accident anyway. He doesn’t seem like a malicious evildoer; otherwise, the divine beings wouldn’t have chosen him. Give him some official position as well, considering his merit in presenting the treasure.”
Consort Zheng said.
“Thank you, Her Majesty the Empress!”
Yang Xin said with an eager expression.
“Don’t talk nonsense. I am an Imperial Noble Consort. I am not entitled to be called ‘Her Majesty the Empress’!”
Consort Zheng said.
“In the hearts of this humble person and the common people outside, you are Her Majesty the Empress. You will always be Her Majesty the Empress. However, Your Majesty the Empress, this humble person dares not take an official post. I am just a country bumpkin who can barely recognize a few characters. Holding office would cause trouble. It is enough for me to remain a commoner under Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.”
Yang Xin said.
“You do know your place!”
Wanli said.
This somewhat surprised him as well.
“Where is your registered residence now?”
He asked.
“Replying to Your Majesty, I have forgotten everything from my past. A merchant by my side claims to be my uncle. He says I am from Renqiu, orphaned at a young age, and followed him in trade. I fell into a river, lost consciousness, and woke up like this. But after I accidentally caused that death, I was afraid and fled to the capital. My uncle has a sworn brother named Wei Jinzhong who works at the Jiazi Storage. I went to find him, hiding the fact about the accidental death. For now, I am temporarily living in his house.”
Yang Xin said.
“You may withdraw for now.”
Wanli said, sounding somewhat disappointed.
Clearly, he did not get what he wanted. As an emperor, it was hard to avoid fantasizing about immortality. Those like Hongzhi, who were trapped by emotion and saw through life and death, were extremely rare. His grandfather was a typical example, though his grandfather never had the chance in his lifetime. Suddenly encountering someone supposedly connected to divine beings, whether true or false, he had to give it a try. Yet, Yang Xin only brought him disappointment again. However, Yang Xin’s theory about the celestial realm still offered him a little comfort. He could at least fantasize about ascending to the celestial realm after death. Of course, he might not truly believe it, but this theory still gave him a sense of novelty.
Yang Xin obediently withdrew from the Qianqing Palace and returned outside the Qianqing Gate. However, he did not leave in a hurry. After waiting for about half an hour, Fang Congzhe also emerged from the Qianqing Gate.
“Grand Secretary Fang!”
Yang Xin hurried forward.
“Go back and wait. I will speak to the Five City Military Inspectorate.”
Fang Congzhe said.
“Grand Secretary Fang, it’s just that tonight I resisted arrest again and injured quite a few of their men!”
Yang Xin said, very embarrassed.
“Were those three poems really written by you?”
Fang Congzhe said with a speechless expression.
“Grand Secretary Fang, I admit I am a bit impulsive, but that doesn’t affect my love for poetry. My pursuit of literature has nothing to do with my personality. Just like Master Dong, who excelled in both painting and calligraphy, didn’t he also provoke the ‘People’s Uprising Against Dong the Eunuch’ incident?”
Yang Xin said.
“You sure know how to make analogies!”
Fang Congzhe said.
“As for the Five City Military Inspectorate, it depends on whether anyone died. If no one died, it’s easier to handle. But if someone really died, then it probably still can’t be settled easily. Their superiors are the City Patrol Censors, and the City Patrol Censors belong to the Censorate. These censors are the hardest to deal with. If they really insist on pursuing it, even His Majesty might be powerless. After all, you did break the law, and our Great Ming must uphold the law.”
He hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“I have nothing more to say. I caused all this trouble. I dare to do it, so I dare to face the consequences. I’ll accept it even if they behead me. But I have a friend who was completely innocently dragged into this. He is a soldier from Xuanzhen, truly a Peerless Warrior. Could you first resolve his matter?”
Yang Xin said.