"Again with that line," Xiao Hongshen interrupted impatiently, "Every time it’s the same line. Aren’t you tired of saying it? How much longer must I wait! Do you know what that dog Emperor did to me today? He actually threw a bowl of silver fungus soup at my head..."
"Child," the man, facing Xiao Hongshen’s rage, remained very gentle, "Haste does not bring success."
"Currently, Xiao Pingfeng is no longer in the palace, both the Township Manor and General Residence have fallen, apart from the Sun Family’s eldest son, Sun Hongxuan, the rest are all women..." Xiao Hongshen’s eyes were filled with shadows, "How much longer do I really have to wait?!"
"The lesson you suffered today at Yan Wanqing’s hands, wasn’t it clear enough that the centuries-old foundations of both the Yan and Sun families are not so easy to topple? If you still trust me, just continue to wait patiently; Dawei will be yours. If you do not trust me, there’s nothing else I can do." The man sighed, pulling a snake-shaped dagger from his bosom.
He opened the dagger and then closed it again before setting it on the stone table in the pavilion.
"I’m giving this to you, it may save your life at a critical moment."
With that, he left the pavilion directly.
Xiao Hongshen picked up the dagger from the table, touched the blade, and quickly a drop of blood appeared on his fingertip.
It was a peerlessly sharp blade capable of cutting through iron like mud.
He watched the man’s retreating figure, his eyes filled with deep thoughts.
By now, it was already well into the day. The funerals at the Township Manor and General Residence must have already ended.
Just then, he suddenly heard a thunderous noise from the sky, deafening. Xiao Hongshen’s heartbeat sped up; he quickly exited the pavilion and grabbed a palace attendant by the arm, "What’s happening? Who is beating the Gong of Appeal!"
The palace attendant was as pale as paper, "Your Highness, Prince Seven, it’s—it’s Princess Anping!"
"What?!" Xiao Hongshen released the palace attendant and stood there, frowning.
Yan Wanqing had actually struck the Gong of Appeal.
Outside the palace gate, Yan Wanqing, in plain clothes and without makeup, had a calm expression and repeatedly struck the Gong of Appeal.
She usually had the privilege to enter the palace directly.
But now, she chose not to use it; she wanted to approach the Emperor as an ordinary citizen.
Behind her were the sisters from the Yan Family.
One strike after another.
But the palace gate remained tightly closed, with no one daring to come and inquire about the reason.
Because of the Gong of Appeal’s special position and direction, facing straight toward the inner courtyard of the Imperial Palace, each strike seemed to hit directly on the Emperor’s heart, leaving him neither able to sit nor stand.
"It’s simply outrageous for Anping to strike the Gong of Appeal!" Since the last court assembly, he had not seen Anping, let alone spoken a few words to her, only hearing that she had been quiet like a proper lady in these powerless years. Yet why today did she suddenly go mad to dare strike the Gong of Appeal?"
An eunuch bent over and approached the Emperor, speaking with resignation, "Perhaps today’s actions of Prince Seven have disheartened the Princess, prompting her to act this way."
"I knew it!" The Emperor paced back and forth in the Imperial Study, agitated by the noise of the drum, feeling extremely dizzy.
Just then, a palace attendant reported from outside the Imperial Study that the Empress had come.
The Emperor quickly ordered Zhang Lanyi to be brought in.
As Zhang Lanyi entered, she saw the Emperor pacing restlessly and straightaway walked up to him, her face showing great worry, "Your Majesty, what’s happening? I am so frightened."
"Don’t be afraid, Empress," the Emperor embraced the charming Empress into his arms, her fragrance soothing his mood a bit, "It’s Anping who is striking the Gong of Appeal."
"The Gong of Appeal?" The Empress exclaimed as if hearing it for the first time, covering her mouth, "Only significant matters warrant striking the Gong of Appeal. But didn’t Your Majesty let me handle today’s affair with a decree? The Princess usually knows the greater picture. Could it be that Prince Seven did something else to anger the Princess?"
The Emperor then revealed what had been found today in the Township Manor—a Dragon Robe.
Zhang Lanyi’s eyes flickered with a trace of coldness upon hearing this, but she masked it very well, cooing, "Previously, the seventh prince accused the Township Manor of colluding with the enemy and committing treason, and now he claims the Township Manor is harboring a Dragon Robe with intentions of rebellion. The truth of these matters... we too are unclear."
"Yan Guozhong is a straightforward man. How could he possibly engage in rebellion?" the Emperor said decisively.
Upon hearing this statement, a shadow passed through the beautiful eyes of Empress Zhang Lanyi. She did not speak but burrowed into the Emperor’s embrace, concealing her gradually chilling expression.
The Emperor assumed she was frightened and consequently softened his voice. "I will handle these affairs. You need not worry, my Empress."
"With Your Majesty by my side, your servant indeed rests easy," Zhang Lanyi giggled softly, "But having the Gong of Appeal struck continuously is no solution. The Commandery Princess is currently enraged, and her health isn’t good. If this continues incessantly, the loyalty of the Township Manor, cultivated over a century, might truly dishearten the scholars across the land."
Empress Zhang Lanyi expressed her concerns, aligning with what the Emperor was thinking.
This ensured that the Emperor wouldn’t direct his anger towards her.
Sure enough, upon hearing her words, the Emperor sighed, "How long has it been now?"
The eunuch beside him promptly responded, "Your Highness, it has been three quarters already."
"Three quarters..." The Emperor observed the darkening sky outside, yet the noise from the gong showed no signs of abating. "She really can keep at it."
Being able to continue for three quarters, her physique doesn’t seem frail at all.
"Your Majesty might as well summon Princess Anping to the palace. Sooner or later, this issue must be addressed. If the seventh prince indeed has committed any wrongdoing, you could punish him in her presence. Princess Anping is a rational person who wouldn’t make it overly embarrassing."
The Emperor gazed at Empress Zhang Lanyi, contemplating the words she had spoken.
After mulling over it a couple of times and seeing some logic in it, he beckoned an eunuch, "Follow the Empress’s suggestion. Let her come in and call the seventh prince as well."
The issue must eventually be resolved, and delaying wouldn’t help.
Outside the palace, Yan Wanqing, exhausted from knocking, passed the gong mallet to Yan Hongzhao, and then it was Yan Lingzhen’s turn.
The three sisters took turns striking the Gong of Appeal.
Finally, the palace gates opened.
Yan Wanqing recognized immediately that the eunuch was a trusted confidant of the Emperor.
Seeing her continue to strike, eunuch to cover his ears, he approached her.
"Commandery Princess, the Emperor invites you inside the palace now," he said.
Yan Wanqing then ceased her tapping, placed the mallet on its stand, "I appreciate your guidance, eunuch."
The eunuch glanced over her shoulder at Yan Hongzhao and Yan Lingzhen, "Are they both coming into the palace as well?"
Yan Wanqing shook her head decisively, "This Commandery Princess alone suffices."
Today, she had been intent on striking the Gong of Appeal, seeking the Emperor’s explanation in front of everyone.
Yet, she hadn’t informed her younger sisters that the one striking the gong must tread through immense hardship, and only those who survive can stand in front of the Emperor to present their grievances.
Clad in plain clothes, she followed the eunuch through the palace gates. As they closed, she faced her sisters’ panicked expressions, a comforting smile curling at her lips.
The eunuch behind her sighed softly, "Commandery Princess, there is still time to turn back."
"One cannot retrieve the arrow once it is released from the bow," Yan Wanqing observed the path paved with shards of porcelain, silently shed her shoes, and stepped directly onto it.
Instantly, blood seeped through her socks, staining the porcelain shards beneath her feet.