Chapter 128: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 128: She Refused
Chang Suining followed the palace attendants into Ganlu Hall, first catching sight of Ming Luo, who was dressed in her official attire.
"Follow me," Ming Luo said, walking ahead without casting another look back at her.
Chang Suining followed her into the inner hall.
Inside, large basins filled with ice had been set to cool the room, and palace maids waved fans to bring a refreshing breeze. The lingering summer heat dissipated shortly after entering.
There, she saw the holy Emperor sitting on the dragon throne, her gray hair pulled into a topknot and clad in a bright yellow dragon robe.
As she had done countless times in the past, standing in this very palace, she greeted her with a new formality.
"Your Majesty, your humble servant, Chang Suining, pays respects."
The holy Emperor's voice rang from above, casual in tone. "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chang Suining stood with her eyes lowered, quietly waiting.
"Although I saw you several times before at Dayun Temple, I’ve yet to take a good look at you," the holy Emperor remarked, examining the young woman. "Lift your head and let me see you clearly."
The girl looked up at her . Her fair face was slightly sunburned, with traces of sweat dampening the strands of hair at her temples. Her clear, dark eyes looked as though washed in spring water, steady and calm, devoid of any excess emotion.
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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Seated above her, the holy Emperor gazed into those composed eyes and asked slowly, "You do not fear me?"
"Your Majesty is just, and I am without fault," she answered steadily. "Thus, I revere you, but do not fear."
"A good answer—'revere but do not fear.'" A faint smile seemed to touch his eyes. "And a bold statement that I am just, and you without fault. It seems you’ve guessed my summons relates to the incident at Dengtai Tower."
Chang Suining did not deny it. "I have."
The holy Emperor did not immediately bring up the Dengtai Tower issue. Instead, he looked at Chang Suining and nodded. "Indeed, they call you the most beautiful woman in the capital… a rare blend of beauty and talent."
"Your Majesty flatters me."
The holy Emperor observed her calm, unaffected demeanor. "I’ve heard that as a child, you were once saved by the late Crown Prince, Li Xiao."
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"Ah Xiao was dear to me," the holy Emperor's voice softened slightly. "It seems, then, that we have some degree of connection between us."
Chang Suining lowered her gaze respectfully. "It was only by chance that the late Crown Prince saved me. I revere him as a benefactor, but I wouldn’t dare assume a connection."
Ming Luo looked up at her.
The holy Emperor's intentions were often hard to fathom; her mention of "connection" could be considered a great honor. Yet if she had seized upon it eagerly, she would only appear sycophantic and insincere. Chang Suining, however, clearly understood the subtleties of restraint and tact.
In the past, Ming Luo had been misled by the girl’s tendency to resolve disputes with a quick temper, but now she saw there was likely far more to her than first met the eye.
"You are, indeed, one who knows gratitude," the holy Emperor praised. she let the matter of their "connection" pass and said instead, "Sit and answer my questions."
Chang Suining obeyed, moving to sit on a stool to the side.
The holy Emperor then asked, "In your view, how should Madam Jie be dealt with?"
Chang Suining said calmly, "Madam Jie holds the esteemed title of a first-rank noblewoman, personally granted by the holy Emperor. It is not for me to presume to decide her fate."
The holy Emperor’s question was not truly seeking her opinion on what to do.
If one only listened to her words superficially, they might not realize the dangers that lurked beneath.
"Her reputation and authority have been thoroughly shattered, and there is no way to restore it. In truth, this alone could be seen as a considerable punishment for her," the holy Emperor said, her tone vague.
Chang Suining replied, "But I do not believe this is enough."
The holy Emperor looked at her.
"I believe that the loss of her reputation and authority is the inevitable result of her malicious actions being exposed. It can only be seen as accepting the truth, not as a punishment."
The holy Emperor raised an eyebrow. "So, you think it isn’t enough?"
"It is not enough," Chang Suining said. "But it is not I who believe it is insufficient; it is Your Majesty who likely finds it so."
The holy Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly.
She continued, "Now that this matter is known to all, Your Majesty’s wisdom should not be tainted by Madam Jie's mistakes."
The attendant, who had been standing silently with his head lowered, visibly flinched. This Chang family lady... her words were shockingly bold. At first, it almost seemed as though she was trying to pressure the holy Emperor into punishing Madam Jie.
Chang Suining, however, did not perceive her words as audacious.
If it were truly an attempt to coerce her, the holy Emperor would not be unable to recognize it. The question had been raised by her to see how she would respond. If he were the kind of man to be displeased by two words, the one sitting on the dragon throne would have been someone else.
Ultimately, these exchanges were mere tests.
But what came after the tests?
The holy Emperor’s intentions remained unclear to her.
Logically, given her ambiguous motives, it would have been wise to feign ignorance and avoid any sharp remarks. But she knew that the holy Emperor had already seen through her every action; pretending to be naive now would only raise suspicion and provoke further unnecessary trials.
Therefore, she might as well be a little more clever and bold, staying true to her usual manner.
After a brief silence, the holy Emperor nodded slightly. "You are right. I need to give the people an explanation. Justice cannot stop at merely revealing the truth."
The matter of Madam Jie had become too public.
Madam Jie had attempted to use a public poetry event to ruin the young woman’s reputation, but instead, the attention from the event had backfired, damaging Madam Jie’s own image.
The holy Emperor’s voice grew stern. "Let it be announced that Madam Jie’s conduct was inappropriate, and she can no longer serve as a model for other women. She will be stripped of her first-rank noblewoman title and demoted to a fifth-rank countess. She is to reflect on her actions in solitude and await further judgment."
"Your orders will be carried out," the eunuch who had been standing by the holy Emperor’s side said before retreating.
The hall fell into a brief stillness.
Ming Luo glanced at Chang Suining.
Finally, after a pause, Chang Suining said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"You need not thank me," the holy Emperor replied. "As you said, it is I who must do this."
Ming Luo felt a chill in her heart.
The holy Emperor’s words were not an admonishment, but a sign of appreciation, a "candor" born of admiration.
Because she admired her, she no longer saw the need for empty formalities of courtesy.
This answer filled Ming Luo with a sense of foreboding.
And in the very next moment, her fears were confirmed.
"Truly, you’ve grown up alongside Chang Kuo. You are clearly different from the typical sheltered young ladies... You have more experience, more courage, and some rare talents. I like intelligent women. Had I met you earlier, I might have taken you into the palace like I did with Gu An to raise you."
Chang Suining was silent.
Taken into the palace?
Thankfully, Ah Li’s temperament had not caught anyone’s attention.
"But it is not too late," the holy Emperor said, gazing at the young woman seated on the stool. "I currently need a female official to assist with the imperial documents. Would you be willing to join the palace?"
Ming Luo felt a jolt of surprise.
A female official?
Becoming a female official required an extremely rigorous selection process, and to become one who assisted with the holy Emperor’s documents was an even more demanding position. Yet, the holy Emperor had casually offered it to Chang Suining?
Now, everything made sense. She understood why he had been testing her with those questions.
The holy Emperor was not seeking entertainment from a young woman in the palace. If he summoned her, wasting words on her, there were only two possibilities: either he found her harmful, or he found her useful.
It was clear that he saw her as useful.
Those who were harmful were swiftly disposed of, but those who were useful were nurtured.
"Take your time to consider," the holy Emperor continued when she did not immediately respond. "You may speak with Chang Qing when you leave the palace and make your decision afterward."
This young woman had courage, intelligence, and, most importantly, she had become famous among scholars after the Dengtai Tower incident.
If there was a woman worth nurturing, the holy Emperor was more than willing to do so. The process for selecting female officials was simple enough, as long as the number remained within the prescribed limits, and the officials of the previous dynasty had no say in it.
Moreover, life as a female official was difficult. While it brought honor, it also came with many challenges, and it was hard to form alliances with the male officials. But with a little trust from the holy Emperor, women often proved more loyal than their male counterparts, rarely betraying her.
The young woman before her, unwilling to remain confined to the inner chambers, was undoubtedly an excellent candidate.
As Chang Suining stood and respectfully bowed, everyone in the hall expected her to express deep gratitude. Instead, her voice calmly said:
"Your Majesty's kindness overwhelms me, but I do not aspire to such a position."
Chang Suining’s tone showed no hesitation; the brief pause earlier was all an act.
As for becoming a female official, Wei Shuyi had mentioned it to her before, and she genuinely had no interest in it.
The holy Emperor's suggestion had come, of course, not out of any supposed affection, but simply because he saw her as someone useful. To put it bluntly, she was nothing more than a pawn.
A useful pawn's place and role could be determined entirely by the will of the one who moved it.
Moreover, being a female official was different from being an official in the past dynasty; these women would be more dependent on the female emperor, leaving them with almost no room to say "no."
She had yet to fulfill her grand ambitions of revenge—why would she rush to become a bird in a cage?
Though the world was governed by emperors, and the world itself was a vast prison, it was wiser to remain in the larger cage for now.
Another consideration was this: If they spent too much time together, she feared she might unknowingly reveal a flaw that Ming Luo would seize upon. At that point, she wouldn't need to worry about being a bird in a cage anymore—she'd likely end up as a dead sparrow.
"Is this how you reject me?" The holy Emperor’s voice did not carry any anger.
It was beneath an emperor to become angry over the rejection of a mere young woman.
"I am only fifteen," Chang Suining said. "I have just begun my studies under my teacher, and have barely begun to read. My temperament is still unsettled, and I feel I have much to improve. If I enter the palace now, I would surely fail at the task and only disappoint Your Majesty’s favor."
The holy Emperor smiled faintly.
She couldn’t fully believe her modest words.
This young girl had a distinct air of resistance to restraint, and she didn’t hide it well.
Did she not want to enter the palace and be constrained? Was she reluctant to be restricted at every turn?
Desiring freedom like a bird was a natural desire for anyone.
"Your modesty and desire for self-improvement are admirable," the holy Emperor said warmly. "I will not press you. When the time comes, when you feel you are ready for such a responsibility, you may come to find me."
At that time, if she still piqued her interest.
The world’s situation was ever-changing.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Chang Suining replied.
"Rise," the holy Emperor said.
Chang Suining rose in response.
The holy Emperor had already prepared a reward to comfort her for the shock she endured at the Dengtai Tower event.
Ming Luo stepped forward, presenting a box containing the reward to Chang Suining.
After thanking the holy Emperor, Chang Suining took the box.
As they exchanged the box, Ming Luo’s gaze lingered on Chang Suining’s face for a moment, seemingly calm, but her mind was far from still.
Her aunt’s willingness to appoint Chang Suining as a palace official had surprised her.
But her refusal had surprised her even more.
What was Chang Suining’s true intention?
Had she gone through all this trouble, mimicking the late Princess Chongyue’s manner, just to attract the holy Emperor’s attention?
If she didn’t want to become a female official, then what was her goal?
At this moment, Ming Luo found it hard to fathom what Chang Suining was truly after.
Just then, a eunuch came in with a message: "Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince requests an audience."
The holy Emperor nodded and then looked at Chang Suining.
She understood, performed a bow, and left.
The holy Emperor watched her retreating figure.
To want freedom, but not possess the power to protect oneself, and yet refuse the constraints of relying on others for protection... it wasn’t easy to be a bird that sings beautifully yet remains free.
Chang Suining encountered a young boy accompanied by a eunuch as he entered the inner hall.
The robes the boy wore were the same ones she used to wear often.
Chang Suining stepped aside to make way.
The boy's gaze seemed to linger on her for a moment, likely out of curiosity, but he did not stop and proceeded into the inner hall.
Only then did Chang Suining lift her eyes to look at the boy's back.
This must be Prince Li Zhi.
Though he was only thirteen, he was tall and slender, his height not much shorter than that of Chang Suining, a sixteen-year-old girl.
She didn’t get a good look at his face, but his skin was fair, and there were few unattractive members in the Li family royal line.
Chang Suining didn’t linger, and left Ganlu Palace with the eunuch.
Halfway down the palace path, a palanquin approached from the opposite direction, and Chang Suining stepped aside with the eunuch.
“Stop.”
As the palanquin passed in front of her, the person inside suddenly spoke.
It was a young man’s voice.
And it was a voice Chang Suining recognized, so she looked up and greeted him, “Prince Rong’s heir.”
“It is really you, Miss Chang. I thought I must have been mistaken... Miss Chang still remembers me.” The heir of Prince Rong smiled slightly. He seemed to want to step down from the palanquin to speak with Chang Suining, but upon seeing the palace attendants lifting the palanquin, he appeared to hesitate, worried about troubling them with his repeated ascent and descent, so he stayed where he was.
Instead, he remained seated on the palanquin and said, “I heard about the matter at Dengtai Tower the other day. As for the painting of the mountain tiger, I went to see it last night. Truly, it is a masterpiece. It’s enough to make one…”
As he spoke in a gentle tone, Chang Suining suddenly looked towards the palace path behind him.
The next moment, the sound of galloping hooves grew louder.
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