Chapter 85: The Cui Manor

Chapter 85: The Cui Manor

Cui Xiaojun did not have to go back to her maiden home to gather information. On the third day of the first month, the tactic used by the Grand Tutor Cui Hong against the Empress Dowager became public. As Yang Feng said, he had already made his move, it just hadn’t been recognized by outsiders at first.

Since the Empress Dowager’s older brother, Shang-guan Xu, had lost his position as the Grand Marshal of the Southern Army, he had been staying idle at home with the honorary title of General. Just before the new Emperor’s ascension, he was recommended for a new position by several officials.

Among those recommending him were both officials of the central government and local officials. It was hard to say who among them wanted to curry favor with the Empress Dowager and who were acting on the instruction of the Cui clan. Regardless, the recommendation memorials were delivered to the Hall of Diligent Administration through various channels. While not many, they were enough to draw the attention of the senior officials.

Han Ruzi saw these memorials in the court bulletin. He didn’t pay special attention, only looking at the response from the Hall of Diligent Administration, ie the Empress Dowager’s response. The Empress Dowager had rejected the first few memorials, but on the second day of the new Emperor’s reign, she agreed to the last one, appointing Shang-guan Xu as the Captain of the Guard, in charge of the imperial palace’s security.

Even after being betrayed by her own sister, the Empress Dowager had no choice but to trust her older brother. With a series of incidents happening within the palace, she couldn’t entrust its security to outsiders anymore.

Liu Kunsheng, who had only been Captain of the Guard for half a year, was transferred to be a Commandant of the Northern Army. His rank was raised by half, but it was a demotion in terms of prestige and importance.

Until this moment, not many people saw the intention behind these memorials. Perhaps even the Empress Dowager herself hadn’t figured it out.

Like most people, Han Ruzi thought that these recommendations came from the Empress Dowager’s instructions or tacit approval.

On the third day of the first month, the true intention of recommending Shang-guan Xu was revealed. An official of the fifth rank from the Imperial Censorate submitted a memorial, first praising the Empress Dowager’s correct choice, as there were precedents of Imperial In-laws being appointed as the Captain of the Guard. Then, he bluntly pointed out a problem: the Empress Dowager’s brother, Shang-guan Xu, was ennobled, while the current Emperor’s maternal uncles were still stuck in the humid southern regions. This was unfair, and they should be immediately transferred back to the Capital.

The new Emperor Han Xu was born into great adversity, his parents both deceased, and his maternal uncles of the Wu clan were demoted to the south. They had not been in contact for many years, and now they were being remembered.

This memorial hadn’t been published in the court bulletin yet. That evening, Yang Feng brought back a copy of the memorial and said to the Weary Marquis, “This is Cui Hong’s masterstroke.”

“Cui Hong wants to use the new Emperor’s uncles to confront the Empress Dowager?” This was Han Ruzi’s first reaction.

Yang Feng shook his head, “The Wu clan has been away from the Capital for too long. They have no base in the court. Even if they come back, they will not pose much of a threat to the Empress Dowager.”

Yang Feng was not going to reveal the answer directly, so Han Ruzi could only continue thinking. After a while, he finally understood, “The real meaning of this memorial is to announce to the world that Shang-guan Xu is not the new Emperor’s uncle!”

Yang Feng nodded.

“Prince Donghai and I are sons of the Graceful Emperor, so it’s entirely correct for us to honor the Empress Dowager as mother. However, the new Emperor is the orphan of Crown Prince Yong, and has no relation to the Empress Dowager. Everyone is aware of this, but no one dares to break the silence. This memorial has started it. Once the Wu clan returns to the capital, the wind direction will be even more unfavorable for the Empress Dowager.”

“Correct, so the Empress Dowager must retaliate. Think about what the Empress Dowager will do?” Yang Feng posed a new question.

“Refuse the Wu clan’s return to the capital? Punish the officials who submitted the memorial?”

“If the Empress Dowager held undisputed power, she might do so. But she is currently seeking the support of senior officials, and the officials must stand on the side of rites and decorum.”

“Rites? Decorum?'”

“The ruler acts as a ruler; a subject acts as a subject; the father acts as a fathers; a son acts as a son. Confucian rites and decorum dictate what people of various status should and should not do. Among all, the officials care about Confucian rites and decorum the most. They use it to control the common people below them, and use it to restrain the sovereign who stands above them.

“But don’t the officials also have to follow rites and decorum?”

Cui Sheng seemed relieved, immediately got up, affectionately hugged the newcomer’s shoulder, and introduced, “Lord Marquis, this is my second younger brother, Cui Teng. You two are about the same age, get to know each other.”

Cui Teng was fifteen or sixteen, his face still bore a lot of youthful innocence. He was half a head taller than his older brother, his body round and plump, not exactly fat nor muscular, just evenly distributed flesh, like an oversized baby.

Han Ruzi stood up and was just about to speak when Cui Teng stretched out his hand and pushed him back into the chair, saying, “Give me back my sister.”

Han Ruzi finally realized the benefit of etiquette and convention. However, since the decorum official was not present, he could only figure out how to handle this awkward situation himself. So he sat there, smiling, and said, “Your sister is in the back courtyard, visiting with Elder Laojun...”

“I’ve seen her already, I asked her to stay here, but she disagreed and insisted on leaving with you,” Cui Teng said angrily. His face turned red, like a ripe apple. It would have been a pleasing color, but on the face of a teenager, it seemed somewhat odd.

Han Ruzi was genuinely worried that Cui Teng would spit on him.

Cui Sheng hurriedly pulled his brother aside, “Our sister is married, she’s not a part of the Cui family anymore. I’ve never seen you care so much about her before.”

“What I care about isn’t her, it’s Prince Donghai. Now that sister has gone with him, Prince Donghai...”

Cui Sheng angrily interrupted, “Second brother, what kind of talk is that? This is not proper!”

“How is it not proper? He is a deposed emperor, why are we still appeasing him? When our father leads the troops...”

Cui Sheng reached out to cover his brother’s mouth, Cui Teng resisted, and the two started to scuffle in front of their guest. Two servants at the door were now looking down, pretending they couldn’t see or hear.

Cui Xiaojun had once said that everyone in her family was unseemly, with only her father striving hard to hold everything together. Han Ruzi now finally understood what she meant. No wonder Cui Hong admired his nephew, Prince Donghai, so much.

Cui Teng backed off a few steps, “Big brother, don’t stop me, I’m not here to fight.”

“Go, go find your good-for-nothing friends and play,” Cui Sheng said impatiently.

Cui Teng stared at the Weary Marquis, “Let’s roll a dice. If you win, I won’t say a word. If you lose, leave my sister here.”

Cui Sheng’s face turned even redder with anger than his brother’s, he pushed him towards the door, “Go on, you worthless fellow, how dare you stake our sister in a bet!”

Cui Teng was pushed out, Cui Sheng sternly told the two servants, “Don’t let him in again, he’s disgracing our family!”

The servants responded, but they knew very well that they couldn’t stop the wild young master of their household.

“Marquis, please forgive my younger brother. He’s been spoiled since he was a child and still has the temperament of a child even in his teens. Once you get to know him better, you’ll see that he is a good person. He even has more friends outside than I do. Everyone says he is generous and has a spirit of justice, that he could become a great hero in the future.”

Han Ruzi managed a non-committal smile. Going by Yang Feng’s classification, Cui Teng could at most be considered a strongman relying on his status to bully others.

Just when they were about to lapse into another round of endless silence, a man rushed in from outside. He was almost stopped by the servants at the door, who initially mistook him for the young master. When they realized that he was an official sent from the Bureau of Imperial Clan Affairs, they quickly stepped aside.

The decorum official, having just drunk a few cups of hot wine and being anxious, rushed in with a flushed face, forgetting basic etiquette, and directly said, “The Empress Dowager urgently summons you, Lord Marquis. She has ordered you to enter the palace immediately.”

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