Chapter Eighty-Seven
In the Crown Prince's residence, guards stood every five paces and pavilions every ten, with elite soldiers stationed at the main gate of the central courtyard and the east and west corner gates. The entire mansion was encircled so tightly that祁Xiao could not leave without an imperial summons. He had taken to spending his days in the inner study, drinking tea and admiring flowers.
At the Outer Yi Gate, Princess Dun Su descended from her carriage with the support of her maidservant. She coldly surveyed the layers of imperial guards before her and snapped, "I am unaware of what great offense I have committed against the Emperor lately that I can go nowhere, that everywhere I wish to go you must guard and block. Does His Majesty find me odious, deliberately causing me repeated humiliation?"
The commander of the guards wrung his hands internally. Under heaven, who else would dare speak so disparagingly of the Emperor but this princess? The last time he had stopped Princess Dun Su at the side gate of the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor, to preserve the princess's face, had afterward comforting her, turned around and dressed the commander down severely. He understood the Emperor had deliberately used him as a scapegoat to show Princess Dun Su a lesson, so he had not taken it to heart. Yet only half a month had passed, and here he was facing the same situation again.
The commander stepped forward and bowed, forcing a smile. "Your Highness, please quell your anger. This humble subject merely follows orders. The Emperor himself said that without imperial decree, no one may enter the Crown Prince's residence. This rule is not directed at Your Highness—others who come are treated the same. In truth, had it not been for Your Highness, we would not have dared let anyone through the main gate. To allow you through this Outer Yi Gate is already a breach of protocol on my part."
Princess Dun Su冷笑ed. "So I should thank you for this? Hmph, spare me such pleasantries. Do not worry—I am neither a spy from Lingnan nor a scout from the Western barbarians! I have merely come to see if my rebellious nephew, shamed beyond endurance, has taken his own life in fear of his crimes!"
The commander was at his wits' end. He hastily knelt to beg forgiveness. "Your Highness, please be calm. Though His Majesty has placed the Crown Prince under house arrest, it was precisely to protect him. At present, not even a fly can enter this residence—the Crown Prince surely cannot come to any harm whatsoever."
Princess Dun Su fixed the commander with a cold stare. "You truly mean to bar me?"
The commander dared not respond. Princess Dun Su laughed bitterly. "Very well, very well. I knew it. Now I am the one despised and avoided. The Emperor finds me loathsome and lets me go nowhere. The Crown Prince is sick of me too, refuses my guidance, deliberately defies heaven and brings this catastrophic disaster upon himself, only to hide and avoid seeing me. Very well! I understand perfectly well!"
The commander could only force a smile. "Your Highness speaks as if... surely everyone knows..."
"Do not waste breath on such empty words!" Princess Dun Su turned to the female official attending her and announced loudly, "Bring the item!"
A female official behind her presented an ornate brocade box. Princess Dun Su opened it to reveal a layer of bright yellow silk, upon which lay a crimson whip. She touched the whip and shook her head slowly. "This morning I went personally to the imperial ancestral temple and obtained this family discipline from our ancestors. The Emperor, in his benevolence, has only placed that wretch under house arrest. I, however, cannot stand by and do nothing while that monster runs wild!"
Princess Dun Su turned to the commander. "This is a family matter of the Qi household—none of your concern, Commander. This is the ancestral family discipline. Do you mean to block me even now?"
The commander was rendered utterly speechless. He stammered, "This... this humble subject would never dare, but... may I ask if His Majesty is aware of this matter?"
Princess Dun Su led her retinue through the Outer Yi Gate and up the stone steps. After several paces, she turned and looked down at him imperiously. "He is not. That is why I must trouble you, Commander, to go immediately and inform the Emperor. Tell him that the Crown Prince has once again acted without authorization, committed grave errors, provoked the Emperor's wrath—truly disloyal and undutiful. Today I will beat him to death! Tell His Majesty there is no need for him to intervene! After all, the Emperor does not have only this one son—there are many who might succeed to the throne!"
Having spoken, Princess Dun Su turned and strode away. The commander, horrified, hastily dispatched a man to the palace.
In the inner study,祁Xiao heard the commotion outside. He immediately set aside his book and walked out. The moment he emerged into the inner courtyard, he saw Princess Dun Su's retinue.祁Xiao smiled. "Aunt, what brings you here?"
Princess Dun Su broke into bitter laughter. "Ah, excellent—excellent indeed! Our magnificent Crown Prince! Our valiant General! How you've grown in capability! And who do you think you are? Wen Yu's secret dealings with the King of the Western Barbarians—this is an enormity! You dared, presuming yourself invincible, to make that decision on your own!"
祁Xiao's brow furrowed briefly, then he smiled with practiced ease. "When the general is beyond the frontier, military orders sometimes cannot be followed."
Princess Dun Su flew into a rage. "Excellent! Well spoken! This is precisely what I came to hear! Men, remove his nine-dragon golden crown! Strip him of his coiling-dragon robes! Today I too shall issue an order that need not be obeyed by the military! After I beat this monster to death, I will personally go to the ancestral temple and beg forgiveness from our forefathers!"
The guards exchanged uncertain glances. Princess Dun Su bellowed, "Have you all gone deaf? Do you not hear me?!"
The men had no choice but to comply. They approached祁Xiao and removed his outer garments.祁Xiao submitted to their actions, and soon he stood stripped of his finery, wearing only a pair of black satin trousers. The guards hesitated and looked to Princess Dun Su. She barked, "What are you waiting for?! Bind his hands! Hang him from that tree! Begin the beating!"
They could not disobey. They followed orders and bound祁Xiao's hands, suspending him from the tree. Inside, Jiang Deqing had been personally brewing tea to serve to Princess Dun Su. When he rushed to the inner courtyard and saw the situation, he dropped his teacup with a clatter. He stumbled forward and threw himself to his knees. "Princess, pray contain your anger! The Crown Prince is young and easily confused. You are his elder—guide him as you will. Why resort to the family discipline?!"
Princess Dun Su flung off his hand. "Young?! He is twenty years old! What principle does he not understand? He knows full well what he did, yet deliberately committed this grave error—surely intentionally! The Emperor, in his generous mercy, intended this house arrest as a time for reflection. And you—have you seen even a trace of remorse in him? Today I shall teach him a lesson, make him understand the height of heaven and the depth of earth!"
Jiang Deqing wept openly, kowtowing repeatedly. "Princess! This old servant has attended the Crown Prince for twenty years! If he has erred, it is because my service has been lacking. If Your Highness insists on punishment, then punish me instead! It is all my fault—I did not serve him well enough..."
Princess Dun Su hardened her heart. "When masters err, servants are punished—that is palace custom. But in my household, those who transgress must bear the rod themselves, only then will they learn! Do not overstep your bounds, Old Servant—this ancestral discipline is not for just anyone to receive!"
Jiang Deqing kowtowed ceaselessly. "This old servant understands, I understand. If Your Highness will not consider twenty years of diligent service, then at least... at least consider..." The courtyard was empty of outsiders, so Jiang Deqing made no further pretense. He choked with sobs. "Consider the face of his deceased father and mother! Spare the Crown Prince this once!"
At these words, tears spilled down Princess Dun Su's cheeks. She looked at祁Xiao—his eyes had reddened as well. She turned her face away. Jiang Deqing, seeing her heart soften, wept all the harder. "Princess... how many years have passed? Have others forgotten those two, and have you forgotten them too?! Princess, how can you be so merciless, how can you raise a hand against him?"
Princess Dun Su fought to suppress her anguish. After a long moment, she哽咽said, "I have not forgotten! I remember everything... Before Empress Xiao Xian passed, she took my hand... and asked me to treat Xiao'er as my own child. She said... she did not wish for him to become a glorious sage-king like his father, did not wish for him to conquer the four seas and expand the empire as his father did. She only wished for him... peace and joy..."
"Empress Xiao Xian's words echo still in my ears. If I fail her even in this small matter, where can I find my place in this world?!" Princess Dun Su turned to Jiang Deqing and cried out hoarsely, "But look at him! He must reach for the stars themselves! And now he acts as if nothing matters—what choice do I have but to punish him?! There is nothing more to say—even if the Emperor himself came today, I would not listen!"
Princess Dun Su steeled her heart and shouted sharply at the man holding the whip. "What are you waiting for?! Beat him! Beat him with all your strength!"
The man had no choice but to comply. He raised his arm and struck. "Crack!"—a vivid red welt instantly appeared across祁Xiao's lean, taut chest!
Jiang Deqing, like an old hen whose chick has been snatched by a hawk, leapt up and threw himself over祁Xiao to shield him. He pleaded and wailed, "My life is worthless! Princess, strike me instead!"
祁Xiao's eyes were bloodshot. He lowered his gaze and spoke softly to comfort him, "Old Servant, step aside. It doesn't hurt at all..."
Jiang Deqing shook his head and turned to kneel, kowtowing repeatedly. "Princess, spare the Crown Prince... To others he may appear unharmed, but who knows the anguish in his heart? Your Highness does not know—since the Crown Prince returned, he has never once entered his bedchamber. He sleeps only in the inner study, night after night without sleep, staring blankly into space. Others may not understand, but this old servant does! Everything has changed... The Crown Prince suffers in silence. And when he released the young lord, he did not do so willingly either..."
祁Xiao drew a deep breath and said solemnly, "Old Servant, you are advanced in years and cannot bear such extremes of joy and sorrow. Someone, escort Old Servant back to his quarters."
The guards dared not disobey. They gently led the pleading Jiang Deqing away.
Princess Dun Su wiped her tears and hardened her heart. "Continue! Beat him as I commanded! Beat him thoroughly!"