Xiao Heng finished flipping through the stack of invitations, matching the names of those who sent gifts with the officials from Xiao Huan’s memory. “Why hasn’t the family of the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat, Wang Muchuan, come to deliver an invitation?”

Xiao Heng had a relatively deep impression of Wang Muchuan. First, because he was the descendant of Wang Boyan, one of his trusted and capable officials. Second, when Emperor Jianing Xiao Huan had just ascended the throne, Wang Muchuan had been the prime minister. At that time, there was a rebellion in Hebei, and the rebel forces were about to march to Luoyang. Xiao Huan, terrified, packed up his opera troupe and wanted to “tour” to Sichuan. It was Wang Muchuan who stopped him, telling the emperor not to panic, as the King of the North’s loyal army had already crossed the Taihang Mountains and could block the rebels at the front. Wang Muchuan then actively sent out proclamations, calling on the local lords to suppress the rebellion. However, after the rebellion was quelled, due to his direct manner of speaking, Wang Muchuan offended the lieutenant of the Imperial Guard, An Youliang. An Youliang used the excuse that Wang Muchuan had stepped into the palace with his left foot first to have him removed from office and demoted to Deputy Minister of the Secretariat.

After Xiao Heng married Duan Yunfeng as a princess, many of the former officials of the Yan dynasty, who remained in the court, were eager to use him as a stepping stone to connect with Duan Yunfeng. However, the one person who had not sent someone to visit was the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat, Wang Muchuan.

Li Jinxi said, “It is said that after Li Jichang proposed moving the capital, Wang Muchuan sent his family out of Luoyang overnight, leaving only himself behind. It seems he is preparing to… offer a death petition.”

Xiao Heng stacked the invitations on the table. “Before tomorrow’s court assembly, go and meet this Deputy Minister of the Secretariat.”

---

The next day.

It was just at the start of the morning, with the first light of dawn.

Under the imposing plaque of the Wang family ancestral hall, a thin wisp of blue smoke rose. In front of the old rosewood altar, there were twenty-one ancestral portraits, nine of which belonged to those who had been prime ministers.

Wang Muchuan, dressed in his carefully ironed crimson court robes, raised his head to gaze at the solemn faces that had accompanied the Yan dynasty through its rise and fall. He slowly lit the last incense stick, his solitary figure shrinking into a small black dot under the grand and desolate eaves of the mansion.

“Let’s go,” he said after offering the incense. He was about to give orders for the sedan chair to be prepared when a servant hurriedly reported, “Master, there is a distinguished guest outside asking to see you.”

Wang Muchuan was slightly surprised. “Who?”

The servant replied, “It is Princess Zhaoyi from General Duan’s household.”

Wang Muchuan was taken aback. He had never met Princess Zhaoyi, but he had heard that the heir of the King of the North had fallen in love with her at first sight and married her. Though he couldn’t fathom her intentions, he immediately said, “Quickly, bring the princess into the main hall.”

He then hurriedly went to the main hall with his attendant. A short while later, a figure dressed in plain clothing walked in slowly. She wore a veil that covered her face, and her attire seemed deliberately simple. Only one eunuch accompanied her, but her bearing and demeanor couldn’t conceal the nobility surrounding her.

Wang Muchuan cupped his hands in greeting. “I greet the princess. I wonder what brings Your Highness here unexpectedly?”

Xiao Heng sat in the armchair and raised a hand, signaling for him to dispense with formalities. He then exchanged a look with Li Jinxi, who immediately understood and said, “Her Highness has a few words she wishes to speak with the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat privately. Could we have pen and paper?”

Wang Muchuan hesitated for a moment. “…Of course.”

He masked his confusion and ordered his attendants to bring the writing materials, then dismissed the servants from the room.

Once Li Jinxi had exited and closed the door, Xiao Heng picked up the brush and wrote:

— Why are there no other people in the Deputy Minister of the Secretariat’s residence?

Wang Muchuan saw the writing and gave a bitter smile. “I am ashamed to admit, I feared that my words in court might bring trouble to my family, so I had my wife and children leave the capital in advance.”

Xiao Heng wrote again:

— Is this about the proposal to move the capital?

Wang Muchuan, startled to see his thoughts laid bare, paused for a moment before replying, “Indeed.”

Xiao Heng:

——The rise and fall of a dynasty, like the alternation of the sun and moon, is the natural law. Now that the fate of the Great Yan has come to an end, it is the will of heaven. Why does Deputy Minister Wang not accept the will of heaven and remain loyal to the new ruler? By doing so, you can protect yourself and maintain the honor of the Wang family. Even if you sacrifice yourself to oppose the new ruler in the court today, what storm could you stir? King Chu has already made up his mind to move the capital, so why bother provoking him? Why act like those stubborn scholars, only to end up with bloodshed? Is it just to preserve a clean name for your descendants?

Wang Muchuan never expected such words to come from the mouth of a Great Yan princess. In an instant, he was both embarrassed and angry, thinking that she must have been sent by Duan Yunfeng as a messenger.

He was ashamed because, at this point, he had no power to turn the situation around, and could only offer his life in service to the country. He was furious at the betrayal of Prince Duan Yunfeng and Li Jichang, who were acting as traitors. Yet, the princess was speaking in defense of those two traitors.

Wang Muchuan’s lips trembled with anger, his face pale as he shouted, “Li Jichang is nothing more than a petty farmer, who, relying on some military achievements, was granted a noble title and rebelled against the imperial family, plotting to harm the royal clan and steal the throne! Such a disloyal and unjust person does not deserve to be the new ruler! When he entered Luoyang, how many innocent civilians did he plunder? He is no different from those rogue bandits! I once thought the King of the North still had some integrity and passion for the Great Yan, but to my surprise, his son is willing to associate with such a traitor. Princess, you don’t need to speak on their behalf. Even if I were to pledge loyalty to a dog, I would never acknowledge Li Jichang as the new ruler!”

After venting his anger, Wang Muchuan suddenly realized that his words had been crude and improper. He stood there stunned for a moment before quickly lowering his head, his neck stiff as he said, “I apologize for my disrespect earlier…”

Just then, he heard a faint laugh from the person in front of him.

Wang Muchuan looked up in surprise and saw Xiao Heng writing:

——Deputy Minister Wang, it was only the result of your emotions, and there is no need to apologize. But you misunderstand me—I did not come here as a messenger. The King of the North and his son do not support the proposal to move the capital either.

Wang Muchuan looked at Xiao Heng’s words, noticing her calm demeanor as if everything was expected. He felt a shock in his heart… Was her earlier speech simply a test of him?

Xiao Heng:

——Li Jichang is not invincible, and the King of the North still wishes to support the Yan dynasty. The court still needs loyal ministers like Deputy Minister Wang, so why not reconsider your stance?

Wang Muchuan now understood that she was persuading him not to die in vain. He sighed deeply, “I never intended anything but to follow the example of loyal ministers in history and serve the court. But now that the emperor’s whereabouts are unknown, and several of the princes have fallen victim to Li Jichang’s cruelty, my heart is filled with sorrow. I fear there is no place for me to serve…”

Ever since that day when the brothers of Emperor Jianing were thrown into the Luo River by Li Jichang, Wang Muchuan felt like a wisp of smoke in an incense burner. Even though he still harbored a vain hope of restoring the Great Yan, he deeply felt powerless, and everything he did seemed futile.

Without the emperor, who could he be loyal to?

Xiao Heng:

——What if I told you the emperor is still alive?

Wang Muchuan froze, his eyes suddenly lighting up with anticipation. He asked eagerly, “What… Where is His Majesty?!! How did the princess learn this?”

Xiao Heng:

——He was captured by An Youliang and taken to Fengxiang. Through his trusted aides, he sent a secret imperial edict to the capital, calling for the King of the North and his heir to immediately go to Fengxiang to protect the emperor and bring him back to the capital.

Wang Muchuan looked at Xiao Heng with great urgency. “Where is the edict now, Princess?”

Xiao Heng:

——You must write the edict yourself now, and once it’s finished, have someone send it to the court.

“This?” Wang Muchuan froze for a moment. He stared wide-eyed at Xiao Heng, stunned for quite a while before finally reacting. “Princess… are you asking me to fake the imperial edict?”

“Bang—”

The person in front of him removed her veil and placed it upside down on the table, revealing her face. Xiao Heng raised his brows slightly and spoke sternly, “My words are the imperial decree.”

The atmosphere suddenly became heavy.

Wang Muchuan stood there in a daze. After clearly seeing Xiao Heng’s cold and stern expression, his pupils trembled. He froze in disbelief, and after a few moments, as if waking from a dream, he came to his senses. Wang Muchuan, almost trembling, kneeled down.

“Your Majesty… I pay my respects to you!”

Xiao Heng watched as the other man nearly buried his head into the ground and said, “Get up.”

Wang Muchuan bowed to Xiao Heng again before standing up straight. His gaze fell on Xiao Heng, dressed in women’s clothing, and then, with a start, he quickly averted his eyes in fear. Emperor Jianing had always been indecisive and fond of theater. Wang Muchuan remembered that the emperor had once worn strange clothes to court, but now, seeing Xiao Heng dressed as Princess Zhaoyi, he realized that it wasn’t actually Princess Zhaoyi who was married to the heir of the King of the North, but… the emperor himself. Wang Muchuan suddenly felt as if he couldn’t breathe. His hand trembled as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his official robe. “So… Your Majesty… and the heir of the King of the North… are… are… are…?”

What was going on?

Xiao Heng’s lips twitched slightly. He explained indifferently, “He didn’t know my true identity. On the day he entered the palace, he mistook me for the princess. Currently, aside from you, no one knows my real identity.”

Wang Muchuan instinctively let out a long sigh and murmured, “Thank goodness, it’s… it’s fine…”

It wasn’t the worst-case scenario.

He quickly pushed away all the bizarre thoughts that had flashed through his mind—about dragon-loving habits^[1]gay love, forbidden pleasures, coercion, male concubines, humiliation, and so on.

Xiao Heng didn’t hear what he was muttering. He only looked at Wang Muchuan’s face, which kept changing color, as if he were about to faint at any moment. Xiao Heng frowned. “What are you saying?”

“Nothing… nothing at all,” Wang Muchuan slowly lifted his head. Though the person in front of him was dressed in women’s clothing, the imposing aura that emanated from Xiao Heng was vastly different from his impression of the dim-witted Emperor Jianing. He quickly controlled his wandering gaze and cupped his hands. “I am just so overjoyed to see Your Majesty safe, and didn’t expect you to visit in the identity of the princess. Just now…”

Xiao Heng cleared his throat. “I did this only to conceal my identity.”

Wang Muchuan blinked. “I… understand.”

Xiao Heng emphasized, “I do not have a habit of wearing women’s clothes.”

Wang Muchuan: “Yes… yes.”

He lowered his head slightly, adopting an expression of “You are the emperor, so whatever you say is true.”

Xiao Heng remained stern. “As for me and the heir of the King of the North…”

Wang Muchuan readily responded, “Your Majesty dressed as the princess and married him only out of necessity. There is nothing between you two, and I will keep this matter strictly confidential. I will not reveal a single word of what I’ve seen or heard today.”

Xiao Heng’s expression softened slightly. “As long as you understand.”

Wang Muchuan, now calming down after the shock of learning the emperor was still alive, recalled the mention of the imperial edict and asked curiously, “But Your Majesty, since the King of the North is willing to support the court, why not reveal your identity directly and take control of the capital?”

Xiao Heng: “Duan Yunfeng has stationed tens of thousands of troops around the capital, has he not?”

Wang Muchuan: “Thirty thousand.”

Xiao Heng: “What about Li Jichang?”

Wang Muchuan hesitated. “He probably has seventy to eighty thousand.”

Xiao Heng: “The surrounding areas of the capital—Ruzhou, Huaizhou, Zhengzhou, and the southern and eastern borders with Henan and Hebei—are all under Li Jichang’s control. How do you assess him? If I give you three thousand elite soldiers, do you have confidence in defeating him? If I give you thirty thousand troops, do you have confidence in controlling the capital?”

“I… do not,” Wang Muchuan remained silent for a moment before shaking his head. “Li Jichang is cautious and highly suspicious. He is always on guard, and his personal army is everywhere in Luoyang. It’s not wise to strike rashly.”

Seeing this, Xiao Heng countered, “Wang Muchuan, you are loyal to me, willing to die for the Yan dynasty, yet even you are not fully confident. How can I trust Duan Yunfeng’s loyalty? His loyalty is probably not even one-tenth of yours. What do I have to gamble with?”

Even if Duan Yunfeng were a great general, and the Northern Iron Cavalry were fierce, what of it?

Willingness to fight and die in battle was not the same as merely knowing how to fight.

If Xiao Heng were to reveal his identity now, he feared Li Jichang would immediately send one hundred assassins after him, and Duan Yunfeng would certainly increase his vigilance.

Xiao Heng concluded, “Firstly, the King of the North and Li Jichang have not fallen out. I need to probe his position. If the King of the North still has some loyalty to the Great Yan, his son, Duan Yunfeng, is only supporting the Yan dynasty to balance Li Jichang and to take down An Youliang. But as the emperor, I have no army that can counter them. Revealing my identity now would make me no different from livestock waiting to be slaughtered.”

“Moreover, Luoyang is now a battlefield from all sides. To the west, there is An Youliang, and to the southeast, Li Jichang has his forces, surrounding us. Even if Duan Yunfeng were loyal to me and could seize Luoyang, defending the city would be much harder than taking it. Besides, An Youliang is heading towards Fengxiang, and he likely holds the royal bloodline as a bargaining chip. If he supports a new emperor and establishes a new Yan dynasty, what will you do, Wang Muchuan?”

After listening to Xiao Heng’s analysis, Wang Muchuan could only feel shock and admiration. “Your Majesty… what you say is absolutely right.”

He gazed at the emperor sitting before him with deep emotion. The man who had never personally reviewed a memorial before now faced overwhelming storms with such composure and insight. Wang Muchuan’s eyes grew warm, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your Majesty has truly grown!”

Xiao Heng: “…”

---

lhaozi’s note: Do not be confused if Xiao Heng sometimes refer to himself as her then him, because if the ‘her’ was used its because people around him knows him as the princess, when the ‘him’ was used its means he is referring to himself, he used him because he knows he’s a man and people around him knows he is a man.