Chapter 480 — Remediation

The commissioner nodded like a pestle pounding garlic. "If I speak a single false word, may Heaven strike me with five thunderbolts and may I die a horrible death!"

The Director glanced at a Depot guard, who sheathed the dagger, and then the guards set upon the commissioner with a sound beating.

The commissioner wailed, and yet in his heart he counted himself lucky.

Thank goodness he had repeated exactly what the masked man who had leapt into his bedchamber the night before had told him to say; otherwise, if the Emperor suspected him of colluding with palace eunuchs to pilfer from the Inner Treasury, he had not heads enough to lose.

For now, all he had to do was cling to his story with all his might.

Even the Embroidered Uniform Guard, if they wanted to make away with an official of the court, would have to find some high-sounding pretext, let alone men of the Western Depot!

He wailed all the louder, and as he wailed he cried out that he had been wronged.

Seeing that nothing more could be gotten out of him, the Director of the Western Depot turned and went to Song Tongchun's quarters.

Hearing that this matter had some connection to Song Yan, Song Tongchun thought that a flat denial would surely offend Song Yan; but then it occurred to him that the man interrogating him was the Director of the Western Depot, and he felt it best to think of some way to clear himself.

One moment Song Tongchun said it was him, the next that it was not; back and forth he went, until it seemed plainly that he was trying to shirk responsibility.

The Director of the Western Depot did not make things hard for him either, and returned to the palace to report.

The Emperor mused, "It is a breach of the regulations, after all. Song Tongchun is a timid man who fears trouble, so it is only natural that he should babble and contradict himself."

With this he believed Wang Yuan, and came to feel somewhat displeased with Wang Ge, who was forever muttering in his ear.

Seeing this, Wang Yuan was so delighted he could almost have laughed aloud.

This was truly a blessing in disguise!

Song Yantang had casually buried Wang Ge in a pit!

That fellow was truly full of schemes, cunning and treacherous!

The thought had scarcely passed when Wang Yuan felt a little uneasy again.

He did not seem to have ever offended Song Yantang in any way, had he?

He was turning this over in his mind in the side chamber when the Empress arrived.

Wang Yuan hurried forward to attend her.

But the Empress smiled warmly and said, "Eunuch Wang is the Emperor's to command; I would not presume. Let Wang Ge attend at my side."

Wang Yuan withdrew with an ingratiating smile, while inwardly cursing the Empress roundly.

We shall see how long you can stay so smug.

Once the Crown Prince ascends the throne, we shall see whether there is still any place for you to speak in this palace.

Still—if the Prince of Liao should take the throne...

then Wang Ge would be shitting on his head.

To be stabbed in the back by his own adopted son, he would be the first among all the eunuchs in the palace. His name would be fragrant for ten thousand generations!

Wang Yuan felt as if a cat were clawing at his heart. He gave a kick to the little apprentice rubbing his legs and said, "Go, and hear what the Empress Dowager said to His Majesty."

The little apprentice darted out like a wisp of smoke.

After about the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, the cry "The Empress departs" rang out from the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Wang Yuan hurried out.

The Empress's carriage had already gone far, and Wang Ge was still standing at the gate, peering after it.

Wang Yuan spat "Bah!" at Wang Ge and went back to the side chamber.

His little apprentice returned: "The Empress Dowager spoke with His Majesty about the matter of moving the palace, and also said that although His Excellency Song's duties have come off smoothly enough without mishap, they still keep one on edge, and it would be better to give His Excellency Song an experienced deputy. His Majesty said that His Excellency Song is young, and that to have brought the matter off at all is no small thing, and far better than many men of His Excellency Song's years; as for the matter of the Imperial Insignia Guard, let His Excellency Song go on handling it himself. After a few more tumbles, he will no longer make mistakes. He also said that who does not err in his youth, and that His Excellency Song is already doing exceedingly well. Hearing this, the Empress Dowager said nothing more, and fell to speaking with His Majesty about the first birthday of the third Imperial Grandson."

The wasp's sting is in its tail, but the cruelest thing is a woman's heart.

If His Majesty had still been young, as in former years, then at a single word from the Empress, even if he wished to promote Song Yantang, he would have followed her counsel and placed some seasoned man at Song Yantang's side to keep watch over him.

Wang Yuan sneered. Back in his own dwelling, he drank three great bowls of wine in a row; and thinking that Yuan Heng's first birthday was close at hand, he had the silver shop fashion a set of solid gold bowls and saucers and quietly sent them over.

Song Ke curled his lip in disdain. "That ought to have tamed Wang Yuan at last."

Dou Yan pressed her lips together, smiling. "How many birds would you call that with one stone?"

Song Dan said, "However many birds fall, that's how many birds I count."

Dou Yan could not hold back her laughter.