Chapter 23: Those Past Days

One wondered if it was because the past had been mentioned.

Mo Zhen also had a dream.

She hadn't dreamed in a very long time.

Even in the dream, she was lucidly aware that she was dreaming.

Because she dreamed of Old Eunuch Zhang.

Old Eunuch Zhang was still wearing palace attire, breathing rapidly, stumbling as he ran forward.

And she was held in Old Eunuch Zhang's arms.

She looked around; towering palace halls with upswept eaves, the sound of weeping and killing echoing in her ears.

This must have been when she was two years old and taken out of the palace.

Does a two-year-old have memories?

Anyway, she had never recalled them while awake.

Even if she did, it was probably the same as her later memories—just being locked away, hidden, never seeing the light of day.

Although her father was the Emperor.

But in this palace, in this realm, the one calling the shots was the Emperor's maternal grandfather, Zhao Tan.

She almost wasn't born.

Zhao Tan married his ten-year-old granddaughter to the Emperor. The Empress was too young to bear children, so Zhao Tan forbade the Emperor from favoring other concubines, lest a royal heir not of the Zhao bloodline be born.

But the Emperor was a man in his twenties. Though raised to be a puppet since childhood, he occasionally harbored thoughts of breaking free, so he still visited other women.

A music girl who played the zither.

The music girl became pregnant. Knowing discovery meant death, she hid until she was about to give birth, only to be found out.

Zhao Tan flew into a rage, wanting to beat the music girl to death, then cut open her belly and smash the infant to death.

Zhao Tan's strategist stopped him.

Because the situation in the realm was deteriorating; more and more people were secretly contacting the Emperor, inciting him to remove Zhao Tan.

The Emperor was an adult after all, becoming harder to control. The strategists suggested preparing a royal heir to maintain better control.

So she was allowed to be born.

Only they didn't expect a baby girl.

But Zhao Tan didn't kill her, because he could no longer tolerate the Emperor. With a newborn heir, he could send the Emperor poisoned wine.

Although he had already decided to usurp the throne himself, he still had to keep up appearances before the world. So holding this heir, he staged a play of the Emperor's deathbed entrustment and abdication, speaking pretty words about returning the throne once the child grew up.

So this Princess had to be a Prince.

Zhao Tan said so, and no one dared verify her gender.

After Zhao Tan ascended the throne, her usefulness ended. But Zhao Tan didn't kill her immediately; he raised her in isolation, never seeing the sun, waiting for the world to forget her.

She didn't even have a name.

The name Mo Zhen was one she gave herself later. "Mo" was the surname of the Great Zhou Emperors; "Zhen" was for her birth mother, the music girl who played the zither.

She was confined in the palace until age two, when the capital fell and Zhao Tan fled with remnant troops.

Everyone in the palace was fleeing for their lives.

The palace woman who raised her also wanted her to survive; she pulled her out from under the floorboards and threw her before the unfortunately passing Old Eunuch Zhang.

"Please, please save her."

In the dream, Old Eunuch Zhang seemed to fall. Mo Zhen felt herself crushed beneath him, but then immediately turned over.

"Oh dear, don't cry." Old Eunuch Zhang swayed, coaxing her.

Mo Zhen couldn't help but smile: "Grandpa Zhang, why did you save me?"

Old Eunuch Zhang sat hunched on a stool, busy carving a little wooden horse. Hearing the question, he looked up.

Mo Zhen looked at that aged face: "Is it loyalty to the sovereign? Reverence for this Son of Heaven's bloodline?"

Old Eunuch Zhang laughed, his face lined with wrinkles: "If I were truly loyal to the Son of Heaven, I should have committed suicide to follow the late Emperor when Zhao Tan usurped the throne."

"Instead of continuing as Zhao Tan's eunuch, serving this usurping thief."

"Your Highness, don't think so much. I have no grand designs. I just wanted you to live a few more days, live a few good days."

Old Eunuch Zhang placed the finished wooden horse on the ground; it rocked unsteadily.

"To be reincarnated as a human and not live a few good days—what a waste."

"Live a few more days, live a few more good days."

"Nothing else matters."

He looked up at Mo Zhen and smiled, reaching out a hand.

"Your Highness, I've been a waste all my life, good for nothing. But I saved you, let you live..."

His withered fingers spread, as if counting her age.

"...let you live ten more years. Worth it."

Mo Zhen smiled faintly.

Taken out at age two.

When Old Eunuch Zhang died, she was twelve. That was ten more years of life.

But now, another five years had passed.

"Grandpa Zhang." She looked at Old Eunuch Zhang's withered, wrinkled, somewhat blurry face, reached out to correct his fingers. "Now it's... fifteen more years of life."

Mo Zhen's eyes snapped open, feeling the boat rocking, hearing the water, the night wind.

She raised her hand, signaling fifteen.

Yes, fifteen more years of life.

The corner of her mouth curved. Good, she remained lucid even in the dream.

Mo Zhen glanced at Yang Luo sleeping soundly on the small cot opposite. Yang Luo slept peacefully, no longer struggling with nightmares.

She already knew from this girl's precognition that she was supposed to die.

But before death arrived, she would keep striving to live.

She placed her hands before her and closed her eyes.

……

…….

Night shrouded the earth. Fire snakes slithered across the land, quickly reaching a city.

"Open the gate!"

"Embroidered Uniform Guard on official business!"

Hearing the shouts of the horsemen at the gate, seeing the robes they wore and the tokens in their hands, the gate guards didn't dare delay in the slightest and opened the city gate.

Dozens of Embroidered Uniform Guards escorted Wei Jiao in at a gallop, leaving the gate guards terrified, wondering which household in the city would be raided and exterminated.

However, what relieved the half-awakened officials was that the Embroidered Uniform Guard wasn't there for a case, but for lodging.

Camping outdoors was impossible; relay stations were too much trouble. Knocking on the nearest city and staying in the government office was Wei Jiao's habit.

The government office was brightly lit. Officials large and small stood respectfully, watching Wei Jiao seated in the main hall.

Wei Jiao raised a sleeve to yawn, the corners of his eyes stretching.

"I'm just borrowing a place to stay. My lords, no need for excessive courtesy. All of you, go rest." He said with a smile.

If they truly didn't treat him with courtesy, he would smash their doors down and drag the officials from their homes.

"His Majesty pacified the realm, gave the people peace, gave you salaries and posts. You see His Majesty's token and show such disrespect—are you plotting rebellion?"

Though it was their first time seeing this Captain Wei, the officials had long heard of his fame and knew his conduct was arrogant.

Hearing Wei Jiao speak, the officials withdrew.

Sleep would be impossible tonight.

Who knew if Wei Jiao would wake up and interrogate someone?

A group gathered in the Prefect's quarters, discussing the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"They don't even need evidence. Whoever they say is guilty is guilty."

"When Wei Jiao arrested people in Fuyang, the Governor merely asked if there was evidence, and was charged with bribery, perverting justice, and disrespect to His Majesty, and arrested along with them."

"They accuse others of disrespecting His Majesty at the drop of a hat. Him? If he were actually solving cases it would be fine, but he treats government offices as his own bedroom."

"When actually investigating, he never uses the government office, only sets up private prisons."

"Is it us who disrespect His Majesty, or him?"

The Prefect listened to the complaints and waved a hand: "Respect or disrespect is for His Majesty to decide."

And over these years, His Majesty had never reprimanded the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The officials looked at each other, helpless.

They couldn't speak ill of His Majesty.

"This Wei Jiao has a good father." An official snorted. "Years ago when Shu was in turmoil, Wei Cui suppressed it and recovered the land. But there were still tribal threats, and it was thanks to Wei Cui's assistance guarding the southwest that it stabilized. They say His Majesty even wants to enfeoff Wei Cui as a King of a Different Surname, so naturally he favors Wei Cui's son."

Hearing this, an official hesitated, then couldn't help but whisper: "I heard... this Wei Jiao might not be Wei Cui's son."

(End of Chapter)