Chapter Eighteen: Chaos Unleashed

Empress Dowager Wen and Zhao Yizhen had been chatting aimlessly for quite a while, neither able to advance the Buddhist scriptures nor themselves; the tea had gone from fragrant to bland and colorless.

Empress Dowager Wen had drunk her fill, yet she detected not the slightest hint of concession in Zhao Yizhen’s words, and anger welled up uncontrollably within her.

It was all those civil officials who, at every turn, recklessly charged into danger and died, who had spoiled the emperor!

Among them, the one surnamed Gu was the most detestable!

He was always spouting about family, country, and state, invoking rigid laws and rituals, until the listeners’ ears were calloused.

They could neither be killed nor scolded effectively!

What of it? She, a woman, had supported the young emperor for so many years; if not for merit, then at least for effort—her hair had turned white from exhaustion—should that be considered a crime?

Moreover, the emperor had only been married for just over a year, even if it were ten years, what the Empress Dowager said must be heeded!

Setting down her cup with a gentle clink, her voice calm and unreadable, she said, “Your Majesty, regarding the burning of the Jade Purity Zhaoying Palace, what does the emperor intend to do?”

Zhao Yizhen also set down his cup and replied steadily, “I have already dealt with the entire Ministry of Works staff involved, as well as the palace personnel and guards who failed to extinguish the fire effectively that day—a total of one hundred and twelve people.”

The Empress Dowager lifted her eyelids slightly. “Your Majesty’s imperial edicts, the crown prince’s edicts, and the title edicts of this old body were all consumed by the flames. This is Heaven’s wrath. Punishing a few officials cannot appease it. Emperor, will you continue to be stubborn? Will you wait for another calamity to descend?”

Her words were weighty and unyielding.

Zhao Yizhen pressed his thin lips tightly, his face calm, but his chest rose and fell violently, betraying his inner unrest.

He gripped the armrest tightly, releasing it only after a moment, his tone growing colder and more detached: “Mother, you worry too much. I have conducted myself with the rites and laws of our ancestors, and served the people and the state well below. I am without guilt and without fear.”

“Without guilt and without fear, indeed!” The Empress Dowager suddenly laughed, but the laughter did not reach her eyes. “I am tired. Emperor, you may take your leave.”

Zhao Yizhen made no further argument. He bowed and departed.

In the side chamber, Li Xubai lay for a while but soon could bear no more. Pretending to have just awakened, he limped and pushed open the door.

A guard stood vigilantly at the door. Seeing Li Xubai emerge, he hurried to support him, attentively fussing over his condition, fearful something might go wrong.

This was someone even the Chief Steward Yu had ordered to be well looked after!

Li Xubai felt somewhat undeserving. “Brother, I am fine. Just twisted my ankle. I’ll rest a bit and be fine.”

The guard produced twenty taels of silver, pressing it into Li Xubai’s hand. “Young master, you were startled. This is from the family head to compensate you. The family head has other matters and cannot meet you now, but hopes you will accept this.”

Li Xubai had watched many costume dramas, where palace guards were all arrogant and haughty.

Yet this guard, whether new to the role or because the guards in this era were different, was surprisingly kind and approachable.

Holding the unexpected gift, Li Xubai sighed quietly.

Those costume dramas had misled him greatly.

Actually, he had overthought things.

Those who could become imperial guards all had strong backgrounds and exceptional skills; naturally, they could be somewhat arrogant.

But they were not unreasonable.

With Emperor Jing’s special favor and Yu Zhong’s orders, no matter how fierce the guards were, they would not deliberately make things difficult for a commoner they probably would never meet again.

Clutching his unexpected windfall, Li Xubai felt less regret over missing the fifty taels from Gu Shiyan and resolved to take the rare opportunity to visit the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple before descending the mountain.

The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple was truly a venerable temple that had survived two dynasties.

Within its solemn grandeur lay subtle touches of exquisite luxury.

The main hall was adorned with sculpted beams and painted rafters, and the Buddha statues bore majestic solemnity.

Deeper into the temple, there were strange stones arranged into scenic landscapes, lush bamboo groves, and cascading water flowing over the rocks, forming a unique waterfall.

Along the narrow winding pebble paths, broad green banana leaves stood on either side.

The green appeared as if freshly washed, like condensed jade.

Li Xubai wandered and sighed.

When it came to leisure and pleasure, the ancients’ ingenuity was truly remarkable.

Modern folk, glued to their phones, could hardly muster such care in creating a garden.

Even if they did, they lacked the funds and space.

Suddenly, as Li Xubai was enjoying his stroll, two young ladies appeared before him, their faces stern and glaring.

One, dressed in a light yellow gown, questioned him arrogantly, “Who are you? How dare you trespass the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple?”

Li Xubai scoffed, “Did your family own this temple? You decide who may enter? Why not set up a stool at the gate and charge admission?”

The two girls did not understand his words but caught the mocking tone, and instantly flared with embarrassment and anger.

“You’re asking for a beating!” The girl in yellow glared fiercely, her brows arched sharply as she took three strides forward, about to confront Li Xubai.

The girl in pink quickly grabbed her arm and whispered, “Second sister, this is a place of Buddhist peace. If we disturb Mother, we will be punished. It’s better to let it go.”

Mentioning “Mother” only made the girl in yellow angrier.

“Afraid of her?” She shoved the girl in pink away. “If you’re scared, then go tattletale somewhere else and get out of my sight!”

“Miss,” a maid nearby hurriedly intervened, “I heard His Majesty has entered the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. He might be nearby strolling in the garden.”

The girl in yellow’s eyes brightened. She appraised Li Xubai with disdain and said, “Fine, I’ll spare you because you look pitiful. Kneel and kowtow to apologize, and I won’t pursue this further.”

“Kneel and apologize?” Li Xubai stared at her as if she were a fool. “Are you suffering from brain atrophy?”

Even the fool could hear the insult in Li Xubai’s words. Furious and flustered, she shoved the maid: “Go, beat him to death!”

The girl in pink glanced sideways and quickly embraced the girl in yellow, pleading, “Second sister, don’t be impulsive. Mother is already angry. If she finds out, she might send you down the mountain.”

Li Xubai nearly laughed aloud.

Brilliant—this girl in pink was crafty.

She knew all too well that this “Mother” was a sore spot for the yellow-gowned girl, yet she kept bringing her up repeatedly, clearly provoking her into rash mistakes and punishment.

Though crude and laughable, this tactic was foolproof with a dimwit.

Feeling a bit sorry for the yellow-gowned girl, Li Xubai deftly avoided the maid’s slap and kindly warned her, “You’re aiming for the emperor. The emperor isn’t stupid—one is refined and well-mannered, the other looks like a madwoman. Who do you think he’ll choose? Unless the emperor is blind, why would he pick someone like you?” He glanced at the girl in pink and leisurely added, “She isn’t as pretty or elegant as you, yet she dares to run out with you to meet the emperor. Think about why.”

“Brains are a good thing, too bad you don’t have any!” Li Xubai sighed deeply.

The girl in yellow froze, turning to glare fiercely at the girl in pink.

“Second sister, I’m not—I didn’t,” the girl in pink felt uneasy.

Behind the broad banana leaves, Zhao Yizhen and Yu Zhong watched the drama with great interest.

“This young master is quite interesting—a master at shifting blame,” Zhao Yizhen praised with a smile.

Yu Zhong, however, was frightened.

Such blasphemy—calling the emperor stupid and blind—was punishable by death ten times over.

This person must be a fool.

And had the nerve to call others brainless!