ROSES OF BLOOD

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

             Han Touzhou in his study Lin Xue walked up to him while he happened to be reading one of his books.
            "Your Excellency, something urgent has happened." He said to him.
            "What could it be at this time?" He asked.
            "Peng Zishou has been demoted to the position of Magistrate of the Yu prefecture." He replied.
            "How come?" Han Touzhou inquired.
            "I only heard that he petitioned to His Majesty admonishing you of course and his Majesty furious it seemed that he was rather defending Master Zhu Xi and the Neo-confucianists." Lin Xue replied.
            "He's one person that wouldn't do a thing that is too stupid." He mention.
            "It's true Your Excellency but you know his personality well enough as he is very much a direct man that finds it rather hard to hide what he is thinking." Lin Xue replied.
             "He must have said something very bad to His Majesty to have him lash out this severely at him." Han Touzhou pointed out.
             "I heard that he claimed that During the Yuanfu reign period [1098-1100], because Xiang Zongliang and his brothers colluded with foreign emissaries and leaked the state secrets, Chen Guan memorialized the emperor and impeached them, saying, 'Ever since the ancient times, signs of a declining dynasty start to manifest when state power begins to be encroached upon by imperial relatives as it was for the Empress Xiang, and the reason for a failing empire is rooted in the fact that court policies are interfered with by the emperors' kin. Policy-making at the level of prefectures and counties is also the same. All in all the power must be firmly controlled by the governors and If a kin or relative is allowed to conspire with government officials, then wicked persons will be encouraged and good officials will start to complain.' These words truly cannot be unheeded. Now what Your Excellency is doing is even worse than that of Xiang Zongliang, but there is no Chen Guan in the court who dares to come out and remorse you. During the reign of His Majesty's father, when Jiang Teli was first promoted, the ministers at court were still capable of driving him out of office. Later when Yuan Zuo was used, the censors could still make him fear their words. But to my surprise, as bright and perceptive as His Majesty was at the beginning, he could still allow a person as wicked as you to stay in your court, and no one dared to criticize him. Thus your power over the court is indeed notable." Lin Xue said.
            "I see." Han Touzhou said.
            "What is it?" Lin Xue inquired.
            "The Emperor is angry not because it is me that he trusts but rather that Peng Zishou made him seem incompetent a monarch, compared him to the previous Emperor and if he wouldn't punish him serious perhaps the others would say that he very much agrees with his perception of the Courtiers." Han Touzhou replied.
             "Now that you say it, Yu prefecture isn't so distant from the capital." Lin Xue muttered, "is this His Majesty's way of protecting Peng Zishou?" He asked.
             "His Majesty studied with him and he is close, as it may so seem he would have lost his head and if he stayed in the Imperial Court long enough there would have been so much turmoil." Han Touzhou replied.
             "It was best to force him to lay low for a moment." Lin Xue concluded.
             "It was safest to see it at that." Han Touzhou confirmed.
              Empress Li in her Chambers Liu Zhan announced the Imperial Prince Zhao Jun and permitting him to enter the young boy made his way up to her.
              "Your Highness." He offered his respects to the old woman who smiled at him.
              "I see that you look as dignified." She remarked.
               "I heard that you had done well my dear in your classes and I wanted to inform you beforehand." She said.
              "What is it Your Highness?" He inquired.
              "His Majesty consented to your investiture as the Crown Prince of the Great Song and I was hoping to tell you first that the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial observatory concluded that the most auspicious day to hold the ceremony is tomorrow." Empress Li muttered.
              "Yes." The young boy replied but wearing a sombre expression on his face she noticed it immediately that she expressed her concern.
              "You don't look happy." She said while he took a deep breath and sighed for a moment she guessed what he was thinking at the moment.
              "Are you worried about your mother?" She asked.
              "Yes Your Highness." The young boy replied, "it's already been months but I wonder how she is doing." He said and the Empress Mother smiling at him she pulled from beneath her sleeve an envelope which she set on the table.
             "What is this Your Highness?" He inquired.
             "I was worried that you might feel uneasy and I decided to secretly get your mother to write to you in advance and I trust that you'll hear her out." She replied that the young boy excited he immediately tore the envelope open and pulled out the paper that was inside and he studied it.