Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Xie Chengze was extremely pleased with the letter.
He turned to Xie Zimiao. “Zimiao, write another letter to Father for your brother.”
Xie Zimiao said, “Oh.” As he spread a sheet of paper across the desk and weighted it down, he asked in confusion, “But Second Brother, why do you always like having me write your letters?”
Every letter was written in Second Brother’s name, so why was Xie Zimiao always the one putting brush to paper?
“Hm?” Xie Chengze was wrestling with the inkstick, his sleeves rolled up. He answered without thinking, “Because your handwriting is beautiful, Little Zimiao~”
Xie Zimiao blushed faintly.
He did not know what had gotten into Second Brother lately. He was always praising him now, so much that it made him a little embarrassed.
But he remembered that Second Brother’s handwriting was clearly more beautiful. It had been ugly when he was little, and both Consort Hua and Father had teased him for it. Later, however, Second Brother practiced calligraphy day and night. His writing became elegant and orderly, even more beautiful than the Crown Prince’s.
Still, if Second Brother did not want to write the letter, Xie Zimiao would write it for him!
Xie Zimiao diligently lifted his brush and began setting down the words.
The general contents explained how to use blasting powder, requested special authorization to establish a gunpowder factory in Yizhou, and proposed dividing the production process among different workers to prevent the formula from leaking. It also stated that Xie Chengze had acted first and reported afterward by already gathering tight-lipped craftsmen to begin the work; if Father disapproved, he could always stop the project, though Father had better approve unless he wanted to go seven years without seeing his beautiful, outstanding son, and so on and so forth.
The blasting powder formula came at the end. Halfway through writing it, Xie Zimiao refused to continue and pushed the brush into Xie Chengze’s hand.
“Second Brother, you write the rest.” Xie Zimiao might have been innocent, but he was no fool. He knew knowledge of such a thing could not be acquired casually. Sometimes, knowing too much only brought greater danger.
Xie Chengze did not make things difficult for him. He took the brush and completed the remaining contents.
After checking everything one final time and finding no problems, he stuffed the thick stack of pages into an envelope. He placed it together with the blasting powder inside a moisture-proof wooden box and ordered Wuji to deliver it secretly to the capital.
The matter was too important for him to trust the post-station couriers. Only Wuji could carry it personally. Xie Chengze also emphasized solemnly: There was no hurry. Take your sweet time delivering it!
…
Emperor Jian received the two letters two months later.
With Xie Chengze absent from the capital and famine afflicting many regions, Emperor Jian’s lack of enthusiasm had even led him to cancel that year’s autumn hunt. Every day at court, he wore a foul expression. Whenever an official displeased him, he accused the man of failing the Second Prince, who was suffering far from home, and docked half a year’s salary for disaster relief. The court officials suffered beyond words.
That day, another urgent report arrived from the frontier. Taking advantage of grain shortages in the northern camps, the Xiongnu had repeatedly invaded the Jian’an border counties, burning, killing, and plundering the people. Their equipment was excellent and their weapons appeared improved, forcing the Jian’an army into retreat after retreat. The city gates had nearly fallen. Military funds, provisions, and other support were desperately needed.
The civil and military officials chattered endlessly without reaching any conclusion. Enraged, Emperor Jian overturned the imperial desk and thundered, “A pack of incompetents! Why do I keep any of you? My sons are suffering one after another far from home, while all of you stand here unable to devise a single solution!”
“Your Majesty, the treasury is truly empty!” The Minister of Revenue began pleading poverty. “Famine has struck region after region, and we have sent relief grain and silver again and again. We wish to help, but lack the means!”
“Your Majesty, increasing reinforcements is no lasting solution. The Xiongnu are already large, powerful horsemen skilled in guerrilla warfare. Now that their weapons have been improved, almost no one survives a hit. If we confront them head-on, our army has no chance of victory. We will only send men to die!” The Minister of War stepped forward, his expression grave. “Our first priority must be peace negotiations with the Xiongnu…”
“Peace negotiations?” Emperor Jian sneered. “How are we to negotiate? The Xiongnu have coveted the Central Plains for years. Their practice of sustaining war through plunder has consumed untold numbers of my soldiers! If the Xiongnu had been incorporated into our territory long ago, my Chengze would not have been forced to travel all the way to Yizhou without an army escort!”
The Minister of War: “…”
He had grown accustomed to Emperor Jian invoking the Second Prince whenever he had an episode. Calmly, he said, “Your Majesty, history offers successful examples of peace with the Xiongnu. The Hanxi Dynasty once secured peace along its borders through a marriage alliance. If we offer the Xiongnu other benefits at the same time, we can seize their method of improving weapons. Once our military strength has grown, we may break the agreement and wipe them out in one stroke!”
“Impossible!” Emperor Jian slammed the imperial desk and roared, “You want my daughter to marry those fierce Xiongnu? How is that different from sending her to her death?”
“Your Majesty! The people along the border are innocent as well! A princess enjoys every luxury within the palace. She therefore bears a duty to protect Jian’an’s people and share Your Majesty’s and the court’s burdens!” another official declared as he stepped forward in righteous indignation.
“Indeed, Your Majesty! Our national strength is unstable. In responding to a Xiongnu invasion, caution must come first. We should not go to war!”
Official after official stepped forward to persuade him. Emperor Jian’s head spun with rage. He slapped the desk and burst into laughter. “Excellent! Very good! Instead of devising a way to strike back at the Xiongnu, the civil and military officials of my entire court are forcing a woman to sacrifice herself – and my daughter at that. What splendid men you are!”
“Your Majesty, if you are unwilling to sacrifice a princess, I hear Chanyu Lie, the Xiongnu king, is also rather fond of men…” An official seized the opening, only for a memorial flung by Emperor Jian to strike his hat in the very next second.
Emperor Jian’s powerful, furious curse thundered through the entire Golden Throne Hall. “Insolence! You even wish to sacrifice my Chengze?!”
The other officials cast their colleague respectful glances: Brother, our court may speak freely, but you really dare say absolutely anything, don’t you?!
That official: Wait, what? I never said the Second Prince!
Emperor Jian rose to descend from the dais and beat the official himself. Eunuch Zhao desperately wrapped both arms around his waist and pleaded, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please calm down! The court historians are recording everything right beside you – ”
Only then did Emperor Jian calm down a little. But only a little. He snatched up several memorials, rounded the imperial desk, and advanced on the official –
The entire court retreated, terrified of being caught in the disaster.
Eunuch Zhao cried, “Aiya!” and ordered someone to stop the emperor, but not a single person dared move. His last thread of hope died. All he could do was pray that someone or something would halt Emperor Jian’s madness.
At that moment, a eunuch’s shrill, drawn-out cry of “Re-port – ” entered the hall. The young messenger eunuch hurried in, dropped smoothly to his knees, and raised a weighty bundle of letters. “Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the Second Prince!”
Emperor Jian’s raised hand stopped. He looked up in delight. “Chengze sent me a letter?”
Eunuch Zhao released a breath of relief and hurriedly ordered, “Present His Highness’s letters at once!”