The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  During the day, when Wang Chong was leaving, he had turned and bowed to Gao Lishi. At the time, they had been separated by only a few centimeters, and in that moment, Wang Chong had inserted something into Gao Lishi’s sleeve.

  Chapter 1946 - Meeting at Spring Rain Lake!

  Chapter 1946: Meeting at Spring Rain Lake!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The item was Wang Chong’s paper slip.

  Wang Chong had been so furtive that even though the other eunuchs had been near them the entire time, they failed to spot it.

  Gao Lishi had been holding this paper slip for a very long time, but he had hesitated to make a decision.

  “Haaah…”

  With a long sigh, Gao Lishi shook his wrist, obliterating the paper slip, letting its crumbs flow through the space between his fingers.

  After a long while, Gao Lishi finally spoke into the darkness.

  “Little Li, go to the King of Foreign Lands Residence for me.”

  ……

  Some time later, in the King of Foreign Lands Residence, Wang Chong received Eunuch Gao’s reply and smiled.

  Seventeen li outside the capital, at Spring Rain Lake, the Mountain Water Pavilion…

  The vast surface of the lake was as smooth and clear as a mirror. Green lotus leaves studded the surface like stars, and the red flowers blooming from them and swaying in the wind were like elegant palace ladies.

  As the gentle winds blew, the green lotuses bobbed on the surface, the red flowers dancing with them.

  In the center of the lake, an ancient, gilded pavilion proudly stood.

  The pavilion was connected to the shore by means of a long corridor that appeared like a dragon from a distance.

  This was a famous scenic spot outside the capital. In another few months, during Buddha’s Birthday, this place would be packed with tourists. Countless tourists in the capital would take lotus lanterns and release them upstream, and these lanterns would eventually float down to Spring Rain Lake.

  The sight of those tens of thousands of lanterns floating down to this lake was truly grandiose.

  But as this season had yet to arrive, Spring Rain Lake was almost deserted.

  Yet at this moment, the pavilion at the center of the lake was welcoming its two most important guests.

  An ancient table carried a jar of yellow wine, two tea cups, and several small dishes. Wang Chong sat on one side of the table and smiled across at Eunuch Gao.

  Gao Lishi was the eunuch director of the inner court and the Sage Emperor’s trusted aide. He could enjoy all the most rare and exotic foods in the world, so Wang Chong should have laid out for him a banquet of rare delicacies.

  But Wang Chong knew that Eunuch Gao enjoyed the yellow rice wine and appetizers enjoyed by ordinary people.

  When people of high status like Eunuch Gao were alone, they would often yearn for the life of an ordinary person.

  As for Spring Rain Lake, when Eunuch Gao found himself with some rare free time, he liked to visit this place.

  Surprisingly, Gao Lishi was a Buddhist, and each year, on the day of Buddha’s Birthday, he would leave the palace to preside over the lighting of the candles that took place here.

  “It’s been oppressively tense in the Imperial Palace as of late. The Mountain Water Pavilion at Spring Rain Lake truly relaxes the mind.”

  Gao Lishi closed his eyes, taking in the aroma of the lotuses and allowing the breeze to caress his face.

  “Then Sir Eunuch should take a longer stroll around,” Wang Chong said.

  Gao Lishi smiled and put this topic aside. He quickly turned to the jar of yellow wine on the table.

  “King of Foreign Lands, thank you for your consideration!”

  Gao Lishi smirked, and Wang Chong merely smiled in reply.

  An influential figure like Gao Lishi would receive many gifts from high officials and nobles, all of them hoping that he would put in a good word with the Sage Emperor so that they could get a high position. Even if they couldn’t, getting acquainted with someone as influential as Gao Lishi was certain to have benefits in the future.

  Gao Lishi was called the Maitreya Buddha of the Great Tang, and he never refused these gifts. But afterward, he would put them on a shelf and forget about them or turn them over to the Imperial Household Department.

  As time passed and the officials learned what became of their gifts, they understood that Gao Lishi was an upright and incorruptible figure, so they stopped sending him gifts.

  Very few people knew that Gao Lishi wasn’t someone who disliked gifts. It was just that those people had not given Gao Lishi any gifts he liked.

  Whoosh!

  As Gao Lishi spoke, he took the wine jar and one of the small cups, and poured himself a cup. He brought the cup to his lips and took a long sip. His eyes squinted, and an intoxicated look appeared on his face, completely changing his demeanor.

  It was as if it was not plain yellow wine in the cup, but nectar from the heavens.

  “Good wine! Good food!”

  After drinking the yellow wine, he used his chopsticks to take some braised beef. His expression was satisfied and content, not at all like the revered eunuch director of the inner court and more like a regular person.

  Wang Chong could only mentally sigh at this sight. He had not imagined that the desires of the mighty Gao Lishi would be so simple.

  After finishing off his cup, Gao Lishi turned to Wang Chong and got straight to the point.

  “Your Highness, please speak. You should not have invited me today merely to treat me to some wine.”

  “Sir Eunuch, forgive Wang Chong for being rude. Wang Chong truly does have a matter that he requires Sir Eunuch’s guidance on!”

  Wang Chong’s smile faded and his face turned somber.

  “Was it about your audience with the Sage Emperor yesterday?” Gao Lishi lightly said, but his eyes were not fixed on Wang Chong.

  “Precisely! Forgive this Wang Chong’s foolishness, but this one still does not understand the Sage Emperor’s words from the game of chess during yesterday’s audience. Sir Eunuch, please clear up my confusion!” Wang Chong respectfully said.

  The mind of a sovereign was difficult to fathom, and the Sage Emperor’s mind encompassed all of society. Only a scant few could guess at what he was thinking, but things were different for Eunuch Gao. He was perhaps the only one who could dispel the fog and explain the incidents in the palace, including yesterday’s chess match.

  The eunuch director of the inner court who had served the Sage Emperor for decades was perhaps the only one who could answer all the questions on the minds of the officials.

  After a long period of silence, Gao Lishi said, “What is it that you want to know?”

  Wang Chong stared at Eunuch Gao and bluntly said, “Is the Sage Emperor the Sage Emperor?”

  Gao Lishi deeply frowned at this question.

  “Why would you ask a question like that?”

  “Sir Eunuch, a person does not inexplicably change without reason. The officials developed an impression of the Sage Emperor long ago, and there can be only two explanations for such a major shift in behavior. The first is that they were stimulated by something, and the second… is that the appearance is the same, but not the person!”

  Wang Chong stared at Eunuch Gao, taking in even the subtlest of movements.

  The Eastern Palace incident, the Peace Pavilion affair, the selection of talented women, and even the Sage Emperor’s demand that Yang Zhao open up the imperial treasury had ceased to be secrets. In private, some people had even begun to wonder if the Sage Emperor was really the Sage Emperor.

  But as these were treasonous conjectures, no one dared to say it out loud. Moreover, this was a minority view. However, in both this life and the last, these conjectures had existed.

  Even as early as the Great Qin, there had been cases of someone pretending to be royalty, so who could say that it was not happening now?


  “Well, King of Foreign Lands, what do you think?” Gao Lishi asked back as he stared at Wang Chong.

  Wang Chong fell silent. He naturally did not believe it. Would a fake Sage Emperor be able to stop his True World ability, or still have the loyalty of the eternally faithful Eunuch Gao?

  Eunuch Gao’s presence had been a crucial factor in the lingering unpopularity of the fake Sage Emperor theory.

  “This one naturally does not believe!”

  Wang Chong quickly broke out of his stupor and shook his head.

  “But if the Sage Emperor was still the Sage Emperor, what is the reason for the major shift in behavior? Sir Eunuch, please enlighten me!”

  Gao Lishi’s sharp eyes gradually turned soft and gentle. Glowing with wise and profound light, they flashed with countless inscrutable thoughts.

  After a long silence, Eunuch Gao finally replied, “For this question, I also cannot answer you.”

  Wang Chong found it hard to hide his disappointment over this undesired answer. If Eunuch Gao was not willing to speak, no one would be able to answer the question.

  At this moment, Gao Lishi began to speak again.

  “…Your Highness only needs to know that His Majesty is still His Majesty. Everything has its reason. This should be enough!” Eunuch Gao sternly said.

  Wang Chong was taken aback, and then he let out a long breath.

  Although Eunuch Gao had still not given a definite answer, to hear with his own ears that ‘His Majesty is still His Majesty’ was enough.

  At the very least, this would calm the panicked officials!

  But for Wang Chong, this explanation only made him more confused.

  “If Sir Eunuch does not want to say, this one will not force you,” Wang Chong said after a brief pause. “But in the inner hall, His Majesty seemed to be implying something that Wang Chong still does not understand. Sir Eunuch, please enlighten me.”

  Other than the incidents in the palace, Wang Chong’s concern was also on the Sage Emperor’s words during the chess match.

  Wang Chong had been deeply uneasy ever since then. And if Gao Lishi was right and the Sage Emperor was still the Sage Emperor, those words were even more disconcerting.

  “His Majesty is in the prime of his life, so what need is there to ask for my pledge? Moreover, even if the Sage Emperor’s reign comes to an end, there is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and all the officials to protect the people. For what reason did His Majesty ask Wang Chong alone about this matter? In addition…”

  Wang Chong paused, and then he took out the double fish jade pendant and placed it on the table.

  “The Sage Emperor gifted me this jade pendant and said that when the time came, the pendant would give me all the answers. What time is the Sage Emperor referring to? What is this jade pendant? I’ve gone through all my books, but I’ve found no record of this jade pendant!”

  Starting from yesterday, Wang Chong had mobilized a great deal of his resources, including Lu Ting and the great clans he was closest with, to scour the records, but they had not found any records on this double fish jade pendant.

  The pavilion seemed to grow much quieter. Outside, the lotuses swayed as a gentle breeze blew across the lake.

  Chapter 1947 - Xu Qiqin’s Analysis!

  Chapter 1947: Xu Qiqin’s Analysis!

  Gao Lishi quietly looked at the double fish jade pendant on the table, and gradually, a ripple of emotion tinged with grief appeared in his eyes. But a moment later, those ripples of emotion faded away.“The Sage Emperor has told you everything he can. Since the time His Majesty spoke of has not arrived, I also cannot tell you anything yet. This would be defying His Majesty’s will!”Gao Lishi’s rejection was much more straightforward this time.A subject could not defy the sovereign. The Sage Emperor had been explicit in the rear hall, so he could not reveal the Sage Emperor’s secrets before the appointed time.If Wang Chong really thought he would so easily answer the question, then he had truly been suffering from a case of wishful thinking.Wang Chong’s heart sank and his brow creased.All of the court and the Great Tang were worried about those incidents in the palace, and Wang Chong had the additional worry of the meeting in the rear hall.Wang Chong had believed that since Eunuch Gao had agreed to come out of the palace to meet with him, he would at least answer a few questions, but to his surprise, Eunuch Gao completely avoided discussion on both topics.This was extremely different from what Wang Chong had anticipated.Wang Chong was deeply disappointed, and he was still somewhat unwilling to let things be.“Sir Eunuch, Wang Chong is not being overly concerned. If this were Wang Chong’s private concern, Wang Chong would completely understand if Sir Eunuch refused to answer, but everyone in the palace is beginning to panic, and His Majesty’s brief appearance in yesterday’s court session not only failed to resolve the problem, his rejection of all the memorials only made the officials uneasier.“A country cannot be without a sovereign for a single day. The sovereign is the treasure of the country, and if he is not stable, the entire country is restless. Will Sir Eunuch simply sit on the sidelines and allow the situation to worsen?“Moreover, since yesterday’s meeting, Wang Chong has felt an intense unease. I do not believe that Sir Eunuch does not have the same feeling. If that were really the case, would Sir Eunuch have still come to today’s meeting?” Wang Chong hastily said.Eunuch Gao was unmoved by his first few sentences, but upon hearing the last few lines of Wang Chong’s entreaty, he finally showed a hint of emotion.Wang Chong was right. If his mind was really set on saying nothing, why did he even come to this meeting?It was exactly because he was uneasy that he had decided after long thought to come here, in the hopes that he could change something.“Haaah…”Gao Lishi sighed and shot Wang Chong a complicated glance.“Wang Chong, I understand your mindset, but there are some things that I simply cannot talk about. I can only say that His Majesty is a benevolent and righteous sovereign. No matter the time, you must always believe in and trust His Majesty!“No matter what he does, he must have a reason. There are some things that cannot be avoided. I know what you are worried about, but all I can tell you is that things are far from over. In the future, we will see many more things that we are unwilling to see, and the cause behind them is not necessarily the Sage Emperor!”Gao Lishi’s last sentence carried heavy implications, and Wang Chong trembled in shock and stared.“Enough. It’s about time for me to leave.”Gao Lishi sighed, but he gave no more time for Wang Chong to ask any more questions. He finished off the wine in his cup and looked to the sky. A large bird was flying from the direction of the capital toward him.Gao Lishi reached out to receive the bird. After looking over the letter it had delivered, he flicked his finger, obliterating the paper.“Your Highness, thank you for the invitation!”After saying this, Gao Lishi stood up and left, leaving Wang Chong alone in the pavilion with his thoughts.Spring Rain Lake was quiet, but Wang Chong’s mind was in disarray. He thought that he could get some answers from Gao Lishi in this meeting, but in the end, rather than answering any questions, he had only added to the pile.“In the future, we will see many more things that we are unwilling to see…”Wang Chong muttered Gao Lishi’s parting words.“What does that mean? Is he implying something there? And what did he mean by believing in His Majesty? What was Gao Lishi trying to signal or tell me? What is he hiding?”Wang Chong felt like he was surrounded by fog so thick that it was impossible to see the road ahead.As he looked around at the empty pavilion, his eyes gradually became tinged with confusion.Whoosh!After some time, while Wang Chong was still lost in thought, the sloshing of waves as a boat cut through the water shook him from his daze.Turning his head, he saw an elegant figure wearing a bamboo hat with a white veil rowing a small boat up to Mountain Water Pavilion.Amidst the scattered lotus flowers and leaves, she appeared like a woman who had come to pick lotuses.In this season, it wasn’t rare to see this sort of woman at Spring Rain Lake.But when Wang Chong saw the white-veiled woman, his eyes brightened and his lips curled into a smile.“Qiqin!” Wang Chong c
alled out, quickly standing up and walking to the edge of the pavilion, grabbing hold of the young woman’s arm and lightly pulling her onto the pavilion.“What? Has our liege encountered some difficulty and needs the service of a young maiden?”Soft laughter came from under the veil, and an arm that was like a fine lotus root plucked off the bamboo hat to reveal the young and gorgeous face of the Queen of Logistics, Xu Qiqin.“You heard it all?” Wang Chong whispered as he pulled Xu Qiqin to a seat.“Of course!”Xu Qiqin smiled as she proudly raised her head.“Although my cultivation is worse than yours, I’m still at the Imperial Martial realm. To hear a conversation between two people on the small Spring Rain Lake is no problem at all. Moreover, didn’t that Eunuch Gao not mind my presence?”Xu Qiqin fluttered her eyelashes mischievously.When Wang Chong arranged to meet Eunuch Gao here, the lake’s surroundings were placed under heavy guard. But Xu Qiqin was fine, as she had dressed herself as a lotus-picking girl and drifted about the lake.She had heard every word of their conversation.“Heh, you were certain that Eunuch Gao wouldn’t mind your presence!”Wang Chong shook his head and smiled.Xu Qiqin craftily smiled, a hint of smugness on her face.Gao Lishi was at least a peak Saint Martial realm cultivator, perhaps half-step Subtle realm or even higher. This level of expert could sense a ripple of water or a resting fly within a distance of several thousand meters. Not even an insect crawling underground could escape their notice.Xu Qiqin on her little boat with her bamboo hat naturally couldn’t hide from his senses. As no effort had been taken to isolate the pair, Gao Lishi had clearly not minded Xu Qiqin listening in.“Did you notice anything?”Xu Qiqin was the smartest woman in his circle. This meeting with Gao Lishi was extremely important, and as he had run into Xu Qiqin, Wang Chong had decided to invite her as a consultant.“Gao Lishi is the Sage Emperor’s trusted aide, and since the Sage Emperor did not explain himself, Eunuch Gao naturally cannot overstep his bounds and would not dare to speak of many things. Did you not already expect this?”Xu Qiqin grabbed an exquisite teapot, took the cup offered by Wang Chong, poured herself a cup of tea, and took a sip.The two of them had talked before the meeting, and they had predicted Eunuch Gao’s reply.“But we come away with nothing like this and have no progress at all, then.”Wang Chong slightly frowned.Just because they had already predicted what Eunuch Gao would say didn’t mean that Wang Chong hadn’t been clinging to a thin sliver of hope that he might obtain some explanation on what was going on from Eunuch Gao, but he had evidently failed.“Heh, who said Your Highness has failed? Didn’t Eunuch Gao already tell you something?”Xu Qiqin softly chuckled as she placed her cup back on the table.Wang Chong trembled and focused on Xu Qiqin.Participants were befuddled while bystanders had a clear view.He knew that Xu Qiqin and her intelligence would be able to extract something useful out of the conversation.“Eunuch Gao actually made three points. First, there are some things he can’t talk about. In other words, Eunuch Gao knows the truth behind the situation in the court, including why the Sage Emperor’s personality is changing so much.”Xu Qiqin smiled as she extended three slim fingers in front of Wang Chong.“Second, Eunuch Gao said that we should trust in His Majesty no matter what. This means that the Sage Emperor has a keen understanding of his own situation, and there is a high chance that he’s made plans. His Majesty is a wise and mighty sovereign, and in normal circumstances, he would avoid situations like this. That this situation has occurred can only mean that it is inevitable and not even His Majesty can stop it.”Buzz!As if a gale had swept past and thunder had rumbled in the sky, the lake of Wang Chong’s mind was instantly covered in ripples. It felt like a lantern had been lit in the darkness, and he could finally make out the outlines of the chaotic situation.Xu Qiqin’s words had cleared away much of the fog shrouding his vision.Xu Qiqin confidently smiled. “But what worries me the most is the third point. In my view, Eunuch Gao came out of the palace primarily for this third point!”“What!?” Wang Chong blurted out in shock.