Chapter 128: Empress

Xu Xiao, accompanied by only a few Northern Liang retainers, left the Xiamawei post station, traveling extremely light. During the dog days of summer, the capital was incredibly hot, and the incessant cicada chirping was irritating. A hazy, white heat shimmered in the air above the rooftops, and the road was scorching hot underfoot. Dressed as a wealthy merchant, Xu Xiao walked and stopped, and during a break, he ordered a bowl of tofu from a small stall. The small porcelain bowl was refreshingly cool, pleasant to hold in his hand. Like this bowl of almond tofu, all the snacks in the capital were renowned for their pure and distinct flavors; cold dishes had to be ice-cold, almost with ice shards, while hot dishes had to be scalding, never lukewarm.

Xu Xiao, slightly hunched, sat inconspicuously at the stall among the common people of the capital who were cooling down with large bowls of iced almond tofu for a few coppers. He took his spoon, scraped a small piece of the translucent, beautiful tofu from the porcelain bowl, put it in his mouth, tasted its authentic flavor, and smiled faintly. This almond tofu was not about wealth or status; it wasn't tastier just because wealthy families added more osmanthus syrup. It had to have a subtle, lingering bitterness to truly conform to the ancient saying, "Summer brings much bitterness." Xu Xiao ordered two bowls and ate every last bit. He stood up, paid five coppers for the bill. It was three coppers for one bowl, but two bowls cost five.

Xu Xiao continued his journey, walking for a full hour until he stopped upon seeing the Astrological Observatory, which was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. In the past two decades, this was one of the very few times the only non-imperial king in the dynasty had visited the capital, but he had never before come to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, where celestial observations were made and calendars issued for the Emperor.

The entrance was heavily guarded by imperial guards; not only were unauthorized individuals barred from entry, but even approaching would lead to arrest and interrogation. Behind Xu Xiao were three retainers, including Wang Xiu's junior martial brother, the Spear Immortal. As Xu Xiao approached the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, his aura suddenly surged, and for a moment, the imperial guards dared not step forward presumptuously. Not until Xu Xiao was within ten paces of the gate did an imperial guard silently level his spear. Without Xu Xiao needing to speak, Liu Yanbing, the foremost master of spear techniques in the world, roared, "How dare you!"

Wielding a spear before Liu Yanbing was truly a joke. And to block the Northern Liang King, who was permitted to wear his sword into the Imperial Court, was naturally an even greater joke. However, it was the guards' duty, and being under the Emperor's direct rule, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau guards were accustomed to visitors' deference. Even after being reprimanded, they remained resolute, holding their spears. Some even slowly drew their swords. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau was a vital strategic location for the dynasty; even high-ranking officials and powerful figures from aristocratic families could not, and dared not, trespass.

From a group of visitors traveling as lightly as Xu Xiao, a plain-looking young woman stepped forward and gently said, "Do not be rude to the Northern Liang King." After the imperial guards clearly saw the young woman's face, they dared not look again. They instantly knelt down, every one of them. Just as they were about to speak, the woman softly said, "You are excused." Xu Xiao turned to look, slightly surprised. Perhaps due to his existing hunchback, it was unclear if he bowed or not. He calmly stated, "Xu Xiao respectfully greets the Empress."

Moreover, Xu Xiao no longer looked at the Empress, arguably the most dignified woman in the entire dynasty, but instead shifted his gaze to a young woman with charming freckles on the tip of her nose. He smiled and said, "Princess Suizhu, how did you suddenly become such a grown-up young lady? I remember last time I saw you, you were just a little girl with pigtails." The princess seemed quite familiar with Xu Xiao. She made a playful face, stepped forward, took Xu Xiao's hand, and softly said, "Uncle Xu, do you remember last time you took Xiaoya to eat almond tofu? After I returned to the palace, I had the imperial kitchen make it, but it just didn't taste the same. I wanted to go out again to find it, but without Uncle Xu to guide me, I couldn't. I cried so much back then!" Xu Xiao burst into laughter, deliberately exhaling. "Smell this," he said. "I just had two bowls. Does it all smell like almond tofu?" Princess Suizhu pinched her nose and grumbled, "It smells bad, Uncle Xu is tricking me!"

Xu Xiao's attitude towards the most renowned woman in the dynasty (the Empress) was undeniably casual and blunt, yet he appeared remarkably affectionate towards the notoriously mischievous young princess before him. Given Xu Xiao's standing, if he liked someone, he liked them; if he didn't, a scolding would be considered lenient. One needed considerable standing to even earn a few curses from this "Butcher of Men." Why would he bother with pretense? In his lifetime, Xu Xiao had openly cursed the old Grand Tutor, who was the current Grand Preceptor Zhang Julu's mentor; he had cursed General Gu Jiantang, cursed the Prince of Huainan, and even beaten the Prince of Jing'an. As for the official he beat half to death with a scabbard outside the palace during this trip to the capital, although he was still languishing on his sickbed, his reputation had paradoxically soared within the dynasty. Everyone now praised him as a loyal and indispensable pillar of the state. One must remember that previously, this same man had been criticized for his improper conduct by the capital's purists and the thirty thousand students of the Imperial Academy. Now, however, they were all singing his praises in unison. It was clear that being beaten or cursed by Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang and Grand Pillar of the State, was not only survivable but could even lead to great profit, provided one didn't die.

Xu Xiao allowed the Empress to enter the Imperial Astronomical Bureau first, while he held Princess Suizhu's hand and followed behind. He glanced up at the imperial plaque inscribed with "Through Subtle Wonders, Into Excellent Realm," and scoffed, "What subtle wonders, my ass!" The Empress, walking ahead, subtly frowned but only offered a faint smile. Princess Suizhu, holding Xu Xiao's arm, emphatically nodded in agreement, "Excellent realm, my ass!" Xu Xiao chuckled, "Xiaoya is still to Uncle's liking. These days, I'm constantly surrounded by an irritating bunch, and to avoid looking at them, Uncle doesn't even know where to put his eyes." Princess Suizhu, who seemed to revel in chaos, gave a mischievous grin and made a cutthroat gesture—where she learned it was anyone's guess—and whispered, "It would be so satisfying if Uncle Xu just took care of all of them." Xu Xiao sighed, "What a pity. If only I had a daughter-in-law like you. When we go back, Uncle must hang Fengnian up and whip him to vent Xiaoya's anger. Not only is that boy unlucky, but he also angered Xiaoya on Wudang Mountain. He deserves a beating!" The princess hummed in agreement, "Since Uncle said so, whether it's a real beating or a fake one, Xiaoya won't bother with that guy anymore." Xu Xiao earnestly advised, "Xiaoya, it's best not to bother with that fellow Fengnian. Next time you visit Northern Liang, please don't skip the Prince's Mansion again. It's not that much extra effort, and you can ask Fengnian to show you the sight of ten thousand carp leaping—it's truly beautiful. Xiaoya, Fengnian's name contains 'Feng' (phoenix), and yours contains 'Feng' (wind). This shared character means no small fate between you two." Princess Suizhu, Zhao Fengya, giggled.

The Empress did not lead Xu Xiao to the Heavenly Observatory, where officials of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau gathered, but instead to the Altar of State. This altar was paved with five colored soils: green for east, red for south, white for west, black for north, and yellow for the center. Nowadays, these rare tribute soils all came from the domain of the Prince of Guangling. The Prince of Guangling was universally reviled throughout the dynasty as a greedy, living glutton. Yet, when it came to this specific soil, he dared not even secretly keep a small handful for himself. The Empress softly called out, "Ya'er." At her age, Princess Suizhu still dared to demand that His Majesty the Emperor crawl on his hands and knees like an ox or horse to carry her on his back, and it was said that the supreme ruler could only plead with his daughter with a bitter expression. However, when it came to her own mother, the Empress, she became obedient. She immediately released Grand Pillar Xu's arm and discreetly, yet respectfully, departed, claiming she was going to the Heavenly Observatory to seek knowledge from Supervisor Nan Huai.

The Empress looked at the not-so-tall Altar of State and said in a calm tone, "Over the years, Ya'er has always remembered the Grand General's advice. She likes to walk barefoot in her room and often eats coarse grains. Her health is indeed much better than when she was younger." Xu Xiao, with his hands clasped behind his back, calmly replied, "All that nonsense about weather descending, earth energy rising, and gathering the world's vital essence—those are just empty words from those useless scholars at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Xu Xiao only knows that the barefoot are not afraid of the shod. My children were raised this way from a young age, which is why they're still lively and strong today." The Empress seemed unfazed, perhaps genuinely not understanding the underlying meaning of his words, or simply changing the subject. She softly said, "I heard about what happened in Jiangnan Province. The one who wrote 'Lessons for Women' has been sent to Changchun Palace by His Majesty." Xu Xiao remained silent. Changchun Palace, though named "Everlasting Spring," was in fact the cold palace of this dynasty. For the imperial concubines, it was the most dreadful prison in the world. This woman, who governed half the imperial palace, still maintained a cool demeanor, showing no trace of emotion. The common people of the dynasty only knew of her gentle virtuousness, but only the noble families understood her formidable power. Xu Xiao turned his head to look at the Heavenly Observatory and let out a cold snort. "Sending Xiaoya there, are you afraid I might lay hands on Nan Huaiyu, who was just a minor ninth-rank official back then? Xu Xiao didn't bring a knife today, Empress, you worry too much." The Empress remained silently, seemingly acquiescing. Xu Xiao turned and walked directly towards the Heavenly Observatory. She neither turned her body nor her head, still gazing at the top of the Altar of State, but her words finally held a hint of urgency. She said in a deep voice, "Grand General!" Xu Xiao did not stop. He sneered, "Zhao Zhi, have you perhaps forgotten how she treated you back then, and how you treated her?" The Empress, called by her given name, said coldly, "Enough! Xu Xiao, what if you lose a mere honorary title like Grand Pillar of the State? What if you lost the Two Liaos? You gained hereditary succession, which goes against our dynasty's ancestral system!" The hunchbacked, limping Xu Xiao calmly stated, "The court wants the Two Liaos; Zhang Julu wants reforms and to be the pillar of the state. If he says so directly, Xu Xiao will give it, no nonsense. What harm is there in handing the title of Grand Pillar of the State to him? But what is Gu Jiantang? Does he think he can ride roughshod over me? As for Zhao Heng, that madman, without someone backing him, how dare he shamelessly strike a junior?" The Empress said calmly, "Only I have heard these words." Xu Xiao continued walking. She did not stop him. Instead, she walked onto the Altar of State, and her cool voice slowly drifted over. "When Xu Fengnian first embarked on his journey, the King of Yanfu sent nine Jade Hook assassins. I personally used eighteen lives to stop them because, at that time, I still believed Xu Fengnian and Ya'er might have a chance at marriage." Xu Xiao stopped walking, just in time to see the lively Princess Suizhu standing on the outer corridor of the pavilion, leaning over the railing and waving. Xu Xiao smiled. He then left the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Empress Zhao Zhi sighed softly. Standing midway up the Altar of State, she turned to gaze at his now aging back, lost in thought. She vaguely remembered seeing the then-young and vigorous general with her own eyes, his face full of an honest smile, kneeling on the floor in a room, personally putting on a pair of handmade layered-sole cloth shoes for the incomparably graceful Sister Wu. And that white-robed woman, whose swordsmanship was already transcendent, had smiled with immense happiness just for a pair of rough cloth shoes.