He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Sixty Four - Serpents Move Through Death and Birth

Not two months before the First Prince would celebrate the beginning of the eighth year since his birth, the third Prince was born. Wáng Ya Bao born of the Tài Zi Fēi, Huang Lei He was heralded into the world screaming loudly for all of the Water Lotus and White Orchid Palaces to hear. The boys did not have much of an opinion on his birth, they knew that this infant brother of theirs would be placed first in the selection for the throne once their father ascended it and they were already cautious towards to schemes of Huang Lei He. Even then, her power was still too little to bring to fruition her plots.

At least that was the matter until four months passed and their grandfather finally succumbed to his great age. The funeral was grand, all wore white and the boys were brought to the Imperial Gates by Feng Chun to watch as the procession took their Grandfather's bones to the Imperial Mausoleum. Tài Zi Fēi was not pleased by their presence. She stood beside her husband as he watched the procession in an act of filial responsibility. As the coffin berth was lifted by ten slaves, all but the Crown Prince and those involved in the procession knelt and bowed until their foreheads touched the hard ground.

And then the slaves followed the attachment of palace guards, while they were followed in turn by the three consorts who had survived their husband, each carried in a palanquin and accompanied by three maids a piece. The consorts were pale, dressed in white robes of finest silks and with silver headdresses adorning their black and grey hair.  The maids carried small trays with gems and jade ornaments.  A few Eunuchs also followed, carrying vases and treasures, as did another attachment of guards. With the exception of the guards, none of those involved in the procession would return; the Emperor required them at the spring.

Wáng Jie Long glanced through shuttered lashes as he watched them walk through the gates of the Imperial Palace. In ages past, he had read, there might be old warriors who chose to accompany the Emperor on his journey, but no soldier had honoured the Emperor's this way in several generations.  He could not help but wonder if he was Emperor, would any accompany him to the spring?

Wáng Yu Long was also studying matters as he knelt respectably, but he was examining the cruel depths of Tài Zi Fēi. There was murder in her heart.  He silently considered ways in which to thwart her.

*****

Following the palaces traditional 27 days of initial mourning, the new Emperor came to sit on the dragon throne. As he took to court that first morning, ministers held hopes that he would guide and lead the Empire in a way that his father had not the past few years. His first instructions were for his living brothers, who held positions in the court, releasing them of their duties in order that they could continue the three year mourning period. This was not an unexpected move; many Emperors chose to do the same. These three years could strip a man of influence and secure better the Emperor's position upon the throne.

But after listening to the ministers speak of matters of state for a while, the Emperor chose to simply have them continue as they knew best. He also mentioned that he had a few 'in house' matters to deal with and therefore he might not be able to attend court for some time. The ministers were astounded and disappointed, but all bowed respectably, many began to plot in their hearts. Three feet of ice is not the result of one cold day.  There were three years of mourning, in this time they might see the worth of their new Emperor and see if he is a worthy dragon to guide them or a figurehead that they might use. If he was neither...

Wáng Yi Jun's 'in house' matters involved 'tidying his unkempt gardens'. There were simply too many imperfect concubines, he needed to clean house. All, whose had stomachs lined from pregnancy, were the first to be sent away from the Imperial Compound. Were any of families of high standing, there might have been great complaint at such harsh treatment, being returned to their families these girls were bringing back with them disgrace. Might be better to hand them yards of white silk! But the Emperor did not care for the whining of dogs. Girl children were sent with their mothers, but Feng Chun, worried that the Emperor had only one Prince as true heir, convinced him to keep his other sons. In fact he had an unexpected ally in this, Huang Lei He.