Chapter 3: Left and Right-Hand Men
It had been nearly a decade since Liu Rong had lost his temper in front of his mother for the first time, and he felt very displeased.
But as soon as he thought of the future, how he would suffer a miserable end because of his foolish mother, an inexplicable wave of irritation washed over Liu Rong.
He had originally thought that everything he had done over the years would cause his mother to change and become more restrained.
It wasn’t until today, when his mother, just as in the historical timeline, rejected Liu Piao’s offer of marriage, that Liu Rong finally realized with a delayed understanding: Consort Li hadn’t changed.
And she couldn’t change.
Consort Li was still that Consort Li.
It was as if no matter what Liu Rong did, he couldn’t escape that ‘old dog’ remark in the future that would almost shatter the heavens…
“Sigh~”
“What sin have I committed…?”
“In my previous life, I wasn’t some wicked, heinous person, was I?”
“Why did I end up with such a foolish mother?”
Returning to the rear hall, Liu Rong lay exhaustedly on the rocking chair, feeling a throbbing in his temples.
He raised a hand to rub them, found it useless, then irritably got up and pushed open the window.
Looking out the window at the palace servants walking through the Weiyang Palace, Liu Rong’s heart slowly sank to the bottom…
“Big… Big Brother?”
A timid whisper came from behind him, but it didn’t capture Liu Rong’s attention.
He merely turned slightly, glanced at his two younger brothers out of the corner of his eye, then let out a long, turbid breath towards the window;
After adjusting his emotions, he turned back and sat down on the rocking chair, casually waving a hand to his side.
“Sit.”
Calling for his two younger brothers to sit down, Liu Rong’s gaze swept over them in order.
Just as Liu Rong had said: Consort Li’s greatest fortune was undoubtedly giving birth to Emperor Qi’s three eldest sons as a concubine.
The eldest, Liu Rong, the second, Liu De, and the third, Liu Yu.
There was no need to say more about Liu Rong; as the much-anticipated Crown Prince, he had naturally developed the unique nobility and gentle affability of the imperial family early on.
And at this moment, the two younger brothers sitting beside Liu Rong, the second, Liu De, loved literature, always had a book in hand, and swayed his head, looking exactly like a little master.
It must also be mentioned: although Liu De was not old, his reputation was already considerable, especially his profound understanding of The Book of Songs.
As for the third, Liu Yu…
“You are already frail and sickly, so use less tea and do not interfere with your medicine.”
“Go, fetch a bowl of warm honey water.”
He reached out and took the tea bowl from Liu Yu’s hand, then called out to the palace servant attending nearby;
Once only the three brothers remained in the hall, Liu Rong took a deep breath and turned his gaze to his second brother, Liu De.
“How is it?”
“Were there any changes at the morning court today?”
Noticing the faint hint of ferocity in his elder brother’s brows, Liu De instinctively felt a trace of apprehension;
Seeing his elder brother bring up serious matters, he couldn’t help but secretly let out a sigh of relief, took a sip from his tea bowl, then nodded and said: “Father Emperor issued an edict to end the national mourning, which Big Brother should already know.”
“Immediately after, the Director of the Imperial Clan reported: King of Liang repeatedly requested an audience in Chang’an to mourn his father.”
“Father Emperor granted it…”
“—So soon?”
Before Liu De finished speaking, Liu Rong’s slightly relaxed brows instantly furrowed again;
Upon hearing the last phrase, ‘Father Emperor granted it,’ he blurted out: “So soon?”
“Emperor Gaozu decreed: within half a year after a national mourning period, feudal lords are not permitted to attend court in Chang’an.”
“How could Father Emperor so easily grant the Prince of Liang’s request?”
As the words left his mouth, Liu Rong already vaguely guessed something.
A moment later, Liu De’s bitter smile and subsequent words confirmed Liu Rong’s suspicion.
“They say that in recent days, Royal Grandmother has been on a hunger strike…”
Upon these words, the hall fell into complete silence; even the third brother, Liu Yu, who had received his warm honey water, unconsciously lowered the bowl from his lips, afraid of making a sound.
Emperor Gaozu’s decree that feudal lords were not allowed to attend court in Chang’an during the national mourning period was naturally to ensure the stable transition of power.
But the Han family’s greatest rule now, arguably even greater than heaven, was the character ‘filial piety’.
Even the posthumous titles of emperors had the character ‘filial piety’ added before them, such as ‘Emperor Xiaohui’ Liu Ying, and the recently deceased ‘Emperor Xiao Wen’ Liu Heng, which clearly demonstrated this.
According to the system, Emperor Qi naturally should not have granted the King of Liang’s request—even though the deceased Emperor Xiaowen was also the King of Liang’s father.
But when his mother, Empress Dowager Dou, resorted to a hunger strike, even Emperor Qi, who had been on the throne for over two decades, and had overseen the regency as Crown Prince for many years, his wings already fully grown, could only obediently bow his head.
Even after bowing his head, Emperor Qi still could not escape the infamy of ‘disobeying his mother and forcing her to go on a hunger strike’.
“The old man isn’t having an easy time of it, either~”
“He’s just ascended the throne, the imperial seat isn’t even warm yet, and Royal Grandmother has already given him a hard time.”
Ultimately, it was Liu Rong’s seemingly casual remark that broke the silence in the hall.
Hunger strike?
Perhaps;
Perhaps Empress Dowager Dou truly symbolically ate a few bites less to express her dissatisfaction with her imperial son.
But having just seen his grandmother, Empress Dowager Dou, Liu Rong was certain that he hadn’t seen any sign of the languor of someone who had been starving for days and was on the verge of dying of hunger on his grandmother’s person.
—At least when Empress Dowager Dou was scolding her daughter Liu Piao by alluding to others in front of Liu Rong, she was still full of vigor.
Frowning in thought for a moment, he raised his hand and rubbed his furrowed brows open a bit, then Liu Rong said wearily: “The Prince of Liang’s request to attend court in Chang’an is only human nature.”
“—Whether Father Emperor grants it or not, the Prince of Liang’s posture of ‘eagerly rushing to mourn his father’ is something that must be done, and will certainly be done.”
“Logically speaking, the Prince of Liang earnestly pleads, and Father Emperor painfully refuses—that would be normal.”
“But Royal Grandmother has to butt in, making a false show real, and the Prince of Liang is truly coming to Chang’an…”
The keen intuition developed over many years, along with the foresight of a transmigrator, made Liu Rong vaguely sense something abnormal.
Not wanting to explain too much to his two younger brothers, he simply made arrangements directly.
“The Prince of Liang has always enjoyed literary compositions, and he has countless scholars and literati under his wing.”
“When the Prince of Liang arrives in Chang’an, it will be hard work for the second brother to move around more, and under the guise of exchanging literary compositions, sound out the Prince of Liang’s intentions.”
“—Especially the people around the Prince, you must pay close attention.”
“I always feel that there are treacherous people instigating the Prince of Liang;”
“The Prince of Liang’s visit to Chang’an this time means no good…”
Upon receiving the instructions, Liu De immediately cupped his hands in acknowledgment, secretly pondering the deeper meaning of Liu Rong’s words.
The younger Liu Yu, being younger, clearly didn’t think as deeply, just eagerly waited for his elder brother to assign him a task as well.
“There is a strategist by the Prince’s side, named Han Anguo, who should already hold the official title of Grand Master.”
“Try to see if you can place an informant near this person; perhaps you can uncover something.”
Also receiving a task, the third brother Liu Yu was overjoyed and was about to pat his chest in acceptance, but then quietly furrowed his brows, seemingly troubled by the task details.
Liu Rong naturally understood his two younger brothers’ inner thoughts but didn’t interfere too much;
He instructed his second brother to prepare early, and also briefly mentioned his third brother’s poor health, telling his second brother to look after him more, then got up from the rocking chair and walked out of the hall with his hands behind his back.
—Outside the hall door, a Si Ren stood smiling, bowing to Liu Rong from afar.
Thus, Liu Rong could only drag his weary body and follow the Si Ren’s steps towards the highest hall in the Weiyang Palace.