From CEO to Concubine-Chapter 120: Rumour Has It
Once Xiao De shut the door behind Hua Zhixuan’s back and Shuangxi started bustling about preparing the tea, it felt just like the good old days back in Zheshan Palace.
An indiscernible sigh slipped past Yan Zheyun’s lips. Who would have thought that he hadn’t seen the glory of the inner palace in all four seasons yet? It seemed as though he was slowly losing track of time, every waking moment divided between Liu Yao and all the plotting, scheming, and strategising he seemed to do from dawn to dusk each day.
Even now, seated across from Hua Zhixuan sipping quietly from their cups...this should be a peaceful time for them. They’d had many of these in the past, even when the coal had been insufficient and they had huddled together for warmth, laughing about the ridiculous antics of the peacocks in the yard below hoping to strut in front of the emperor’s nose. But now, Yan Zheyun’s robes were of the finest southern silks and the table Hua Zhixuan was idly resting his elbows on was made of purple sandalwood.
Where they had once discussed how to protect themselves in this place that swallowed the foolish and the naive without spitting the bones back out, they’d now moved on to bigger things.
"Supervisor Liu and Great General Pan?" This was the first Yan Zheyun was hearing about what Hua Zhixuan had witnessed on the night of the Luming Banquet. He’d called Hua Zhixuan to his chambers to discuss a separate issue but Hua Zhixuan had chosen to bring this up first, rocking his stool idly with none of his usual easy-mannered decorum, as though he was excited to be indulging in some of the harem gossip for once.
"I don’t claim to be an expert in love," Hua Zhixuan said expansively, an impish smile sliding onto his face and giving his scholarly air a vibrancy that Yan Zheyun knew some unmentionable individuals out there had a hard time tearing their eyes from. "But if you were there, Brother Yan, you would have agreed that there was no mistaking the look in Great General Pan’s eyes."
This surprising piece of news did put things into perspective. Yan Zheyun didn’t have definite answers and he certainly wasn’t present to observe Great General Pan’s behaviour towards Liu Suzhi. But he could recall seeing a glint of something through the haze in those half-lidded eyes, something raw and vulnerable and so unlike Liu Suzhi that Yan Zheyun couldn’t bear to pry into its deeper meaning.
Liu Suzhi had mentioned once using drugs to help him see—dream about that man.
Had he been talking about Great General Pan?
If so, Pan Liqi’s aversion towards him—and his disdain for beautiful men—made a lot more sense.
It was truly an interesting thought. Yan Zheyun could ponder on it later when he had more time to think it through. But for now, he had other things to ask Hua Zhixuan that could make or break the little sapling of an idea that had planted itself in his mind when Liu Yao had been troubled about pushing his newest recruitment policy out.
"Brother Hua, how does the Hua Family treat its daughters?" he asked.
Hua Zhixuan blinked at the non-sequitur. It was understandable that he was confused; Yan Zheyun had rather abruptly derailed his ’melon seed eating’ (1).
"Um, not too poorly? In what way does Brother Yan mean?" He twiddled his fingers. "If we’re talking about marriage, naturally no daughter, whether she is from the main branch or not, would marry off too badly with the clan’s name and status right there..."
Yan Zheyun hummed. "I was referring to how the daughters in the Hua Family or indeed, the other noble clans are raised. Do they have the same access to education?" For a while now, Zhao Qiaoting had been at the forefront of his mind, but not for any reason that would have the green pastures of the northern grasslands roll over Liu Yao’s head (2). Yan Zheyun had hardly had much chance to speak to the girl but from what he’d observed and heard, she was a remarkable poet and one of the most learned women in the kingdom when it came to the arts. It was obvious that the Zhao Clan, though they were also one of the old noble clans, made it a point to invest effort and money into refining more than just their sons.
If this were the case with the other noble clans, Yan Zheyun’s strategy to have the ’inside cooperate with the outside’ (3) wouldn’t be too far-fetched...
But unfortunately, Hua Zhixuan shook his head. "Lady Zhao is the exception to the rule, I’m afraid." His eyes sparkled with the light of a young dreamer, an idealist, as though just ruminating on the possibility of a large societal revolution was enough to brighten up his day. But when he spoke, it was with solid rationale and logical reason. "The girls of the Hua Family are also raised to be proper young women. However, their education would serve them well as mistresses of a household but it wouldn’t suffice for morning court."
This was a possibility of course and Yan Zheyun knew it. "No possibility at all that there would be one or two influential families out there who might have raised their daughters as sons?" They didn’t even need to be from the old noble clans. Yan Zheyun could recount one or two female figures from history who had been brought up reading the Four Books and Five Classics. Two even studied martial arts and went on to become military generals (4). 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Yan Zheyun’s very 21st-century soul was aching for some equality. If his Lixin had been unlucky enough to transmigrate with him, he would have forcibly sat her down to burn the midnight oil until she trashed all the other scholars in the imperial examinations and did herself proud.
Hua Zhixuan, though, had a real-world view to offer him. With a despondent sigh, he slumped onto the table bonelessly and peered up at Yan Zheyun with woe. "As much as I share Brother Yan’s vision, it’s not an easy task," he said. "I don’t even Lady Zhao received the formal education required to sit for the imperial examinations."
"But you agree that they’re more than capable of rivalling men in the intellectual front if given the opportunity."
He received an enthusiastic nod. "I don’t doubt that in the slightest," Hua Zhixuan replied. "But at the end of the day, society perceives a woman’s role as that of serving her family and taking care of her household so that her husband may better earn a wage outside without having to concern himself with the affairs of his inner courtyard. As liberal or doting as Left Prime Minister Zhao may be, even Lady Zhao was groomed for marriage, not for politicking."
Yan Zheyun raised an eyebrow and waved a hand grandiosely to indicate both Hua Zhixuan and himself. "A man’s role is that of breadwinner and to bring glory to the family through an illustrious career in the emperor’s court? This is the viewpoint of the very same families that have gift-wrapped us nicely to serve a man in bed?"
Hua Zhixuan let an ungainly snort out. Yan Zheyun couldn’t help but judge him for that because he knew that if Gracious Consort Yao were present, his ’precious little bunny’ wouldn’t let such an unattractive noise escape any orifice of his, let alone so loudly.
"You say that as though you don’t want to serve this particular man in bed," Hua Zhixuan teased.
Yan Zheyun refused to acknowledge that with a reply. He chose to straighten his back and sip at his tea archly, using behaviour alone to point out that Hua Zhixuan too was responsible for many an instance of hypocrisy when it came to matters of the heart.
"But I can see why Brother Yan is so enamoured," Hua Zhixuan continued with a happy little noise at the back of his throat. "That person treats you so well, it’s so obvious that everyone in the palace can see it."
Yan Zheyun played with the rim of his cup. Liu Yao did do right by him, gave him more leeway and respected him as an equal as much as he could. But...
"People have been talking?" Yan Zheyun would have thought that his favour with Liu Yao was old news by now, worthy only of a couple of salty glances as and when he was in the presence of the other concubines. Indeed, no one has seen fit to bring up any huge issues to his face but he was starting to think that this was because of his new rank.
Sure enough, Hua Zhixuan gave him a meaningful look. "Hasn’t Brother Yan seen how even Lord Chen’s attitude towards you has morphed into something more placid?"
Yan Zheyun has but he had always assumed this was because of his promotion.
"They’re saying you’re going to become empress. That it’s a sooner or later thing."
The languid relaxation in Yan Zheyun’s stance seeped out slowly, replaced by a chill deep in his bone. His gaze hardened into agates, his voice naturally falling into a murmur that would be hard for any prying ears outside the door to detect, not that there would be any since Xiao De was standing guard. But this cautiousness had become ingrained in his subconscious after those hectic weeks of helping Liu Yao keep his secrets.
"Don’t speak of such things lightly," he said lowly.
Hua Zhixuan glanced at him strangely. "Brother Yan," he said with a hint of hesitation. "You haven’t heard about this? It’s a widespread rumour, I assumed His Majesty wasn’t bothered by it and hence neither were you."
Because otherwise, it wouldn’t be allowed to continue for as long as it had.
Yan Zheyun frowned. He knew what Liu Yao’s eyes and ears were capable of. The inner palace was the emperor’s backyard, something as blatant as speculation about the identity of the next empress, which could have devastating repercussions, would not have gone unpicked up by the emperor.
What was Liu Yao intending? Or were Liu Yao’s hands tied in some way?
"Tell me where you first heard this from," Yan Zheyun said seriously.
He could already imagine what the front court must think; a male empress and one who used to be a slave? Even those officials who used to be on Liu Yao’s side would have a hard time stomaching this.
It was too preposterous.
——————————
"Preposterous! Utterly ridiculous! His Majesty has lost his mind!"
The speaker was quickly hushed by his furtive colleagues lest some boot-licking literary official overheard them and submitted an edict against them in morning court tomorrow denouncing their disrespect against the throne.
But a mere pause later, the chorus of dissent started up again.
"This old official cannot believe this is happening, after I end my years, I would be too ashamed to see the late emperor in the underworld..."
"It’s absurd enough that His Majesty is infatuated with a man, let alone a—a—"
"If you won’t say it, I will. That Yan Yun as we all know is a fox demon in disguise, see what he’s done?! This dynasty is going to be ruined because of him! How did His Majesty turn out like that?"
Whoever asked this question reminded everyone else that the emperor technically did have a teacher. They slowed down their walk through the administrative area of the imperial palace to search around for the grand preceptor.
Grand preceptor, grand tutor, and grand protector. Where the latter two were responsible for the emperor’s education in both his studies and his military training, the former was the most senior and oversaw both teachings as well as the emperor’s management of the country.
One day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father (5). This was why even the emperor had to pay the officials of these esteemed positions a modicum of respect.
It hadn’t taken long for the rumours that had blazed through the harem to make their way to the ears of the court, especially since said ears were pricked and ready to pick up even the slightest wind from behind those red palace walls.
Most people thought that the emperor had finally gone too far and if there was anyone left who could change his stubborn mind, it would be of the three teachers—oh, two now, since Grand Protector Li had already been executed...
It was convenient for them to forget that not too long ago, Emperor Xuanjun had just executed one of the members of the Grand Secretariat, one of the five members in whom the power of the court was consolidated.
Ren Hao watched dispassionately as his idiotic colleagues flocked around the wizened old man stroking his beard with a sagely air that he knew was calculated to be pretentious. The old man Du Yi gave everyone the misconception that he was already in semi-retirement, too old and transcended to care about worldly affairs, but Ren Hao knew better.
Grand Preceptor Du Yi was sharp like a knife that had lodged itself in Ren Hao’s throat. Although Ren Hao had come out on top as the right prime minister, a title worthy of the envy of others, he had spent decades fighting against Du Yi’s infuriating support for the throne and had to admit that he hadn’t always won.
Right now, Du Yi must be seething inside as well, no matter how well he tried to hide it. He was refusing to weigh in on the matter of Emperor Xuanjun’s empress and heir, even though this was arguably as much a matter for the court as it was the personal life of a man.
Ren Hao’s smile was cold. He’d thought that he’d underestimated Emperor Xuanjun but perhaps he hadn’t after all. If that boy thought that getting rid of one measly Grand Protector was sufficient to prove that he held absolute sway over his court, then he was about to be very disappointed.
You started it first, Your Majesty, don’t come crying to this old subject later on.
