Chapter 4
Qi Junmu's illness this time was more a matter of the heart. It came on quickly but was not critical, yet recovery was slow. These past few days, all court affairs had been handled jointly by the Left and Right Chancellors and the Six Ministries.
After Qi Junmu ascended the throne, the former Left Chancellor Su Mo submitted a memorial requesting retirement due to old age, and the Emperor granted it. Now, his maternal uncle Lin Xiao held the position of Left Chancellor.
Lin Xiao stood by the bed and read Shen Nian's memorial aloud to him. Most matters in the memorial could be discussed and decided among Lin Xiao and other high-ranking court officials. However, Shen Nian's case was different—his memorial sparked great controversy at court, so Lin Xiao presented it to Qi Junmu for a final decision.
It took nearly four days for Shen Nian's memorial to reach the capital from the North Frontier. Normally, with a special courier riding at full speed, it would have arrived in two days. The courier explained that heavy snow had fallen on the North Frontier, making travel difficult and causing the delay.
In his memorial, Shen Nian requested permission to mourn his father at the northern border for seven days before returning to the capital with the coffin. He also expressed gratitude to the Emperor, stating that Shen Yi had died without regret.
In other words, Shen Yi had seen the Emperor's decree recalling him to the capital before he died, and Shen Nian was thankful.
The court officials debated two main points. First, Shen Nian's memorial carried a hint of pressure on the Emperor. Since the memorial had taken several days to reach the capital, the Emperor would feel compelled to approve it whether he wanted to or not.
Second, it was well known that Emperor Jing had disliked Shen Yi. He had even declared that Shen Yi, alive or dead, should never return to the capital. Now, Qi Junmu's insistence on bringing Shen Yi back was already an immense act of grace toward the Shen family.
Given that Shen Yi had rendered great service to Da Qi, the question arose: how should his posthumous affairs and legacy be handled?
Qi Junmu knew very well that all the officials standing in the court were old foxes watching to see how he would handle his first major matter, hoping to gauge his true intentions.
In his previous life, when he first sat on the throne, he had been terrified, fearing that the war on the North Frontier would threaten his unstable position. When he issued the third decree to the North Frontier, he had still rejected Shen Nian's request and crushed Shen Yi's hopes.
He had planned to recall Shen Yi to the capital only after his seat on the throne had steadied. But who knew that Shen Yi's injuries were too severe, and he died not long after? In this life, when he awoke, he calculated the dates and realized the third decree had already been sent. He ordered a messenger to chase it down at full speed and retrieve it, then drafted a new decree and sent it overnight to the North Frontier, genuinely hoping Shen Yi would see it before he died, so he could rest in peace.
Qi Junmu had his reasons for doing this. Even if he wanted to be a carefree, dissolute sovereign, he still needed capable people around him. His father had ruled with cruelty and violence, yet he still had loyal ministers by his side.
Those who controlled the empire's military power and finances were also Emperor Jing's men. Whatever Emperor Jing wanted to do, he had armies and silver to back him.
Qi Junmu also needed to cultivate his own faction. The reason he had singled out Shen Nian, besides his reputation on the North Frontier, was that Shen Nian was bold and audacious.
He dared to break every rule and restriction in the world. After returning to the capital, he had once talked back to his own mother so fiercely that she fainted from rage. He had also broken his younger brother Shen Qing's leg.
In the end, Shen Nian was exposed and impeached for something utterly heinous he had allegedly done on the North Frontier.
Shen Yi had died on the North Frontier, and according to the imperial decree, his body should have been buried there. But Shen Nian—instead of obeying—only buried Shen Yi's clothes and hat, then cremated the body and brought the ashes back to the capital. This was a clear defiance of the imperial decree. Moreover, as a son, reducing his father's body to ashes was an act of supreme unfilial conduct.
At that time, the court officials attacked Shen Nian over this, branding him a thoroughly wicked and unforgivable man. Shen Nian naturally denied all charges, insisting that someone was framing him.
In response, some officials submitted memorials requesting that Qi Junmu send an investigator to the North Frontier to verify the matter.
Verification meant digging up the grave to prove that there was no body inside—only clothes and a hat.
At the time, Qi Junmu was eager to take military control of the North Frontier away from Shen Nian. Yet, for certain special reasons, he ultimately did not allow anyone to dig up Shen Yi's grave. He also directly shut down some officials' hopes of having Shen Nian executed, thus defending Shen Nian on that occasion.
Later, Shen Nian voluntarily handed over his military command and noble title, separated his household from his brother's, and left the capital alone on a single horse. Some said they later saw him indulging in the gentle pleasures and soft luxuries of Jiangnan; others said he was defending the northern border and ultimately died in battle.
After that, many people continued to argue endlessly over whether Shen Nian had truly cremated Shen Yi. All in all, Shen Nian's time in the capital was not long, yet legends about him persisted everywhere in the capital until Qi Junmu's death.
In the previous life, the world's opinions of Shen Nian were mixed. But now, Qi Junmu found him rather interesting. He believed that, for the time being, Shen Nian would be a good collaborator.
He needed someone like that by his side to serve as a blade.
Their situations were somewhat similar: both had brambles to cut through, and both had dangers waiting on the road ahead.
"Your Majesty?" Lin Xiao's voice came, tinged with inquiry. Qi Junmu snapped out of his reverie. He had been holding Shen Nian's memorial for some time, which in the eyes of an outsider would naturally appear as hesitation over the matter.
Qi Junmu placed the memorial on the small sandalwood table beside the bed and tapped it with his slender fingers. "Uncle, what do you think should be done?"
Lin Xiao bowed respectfully and answered honestly: "Your subject believes that if Your Majesty had not already granted favor to the Shen family, that would be one thing. But since Your Majesty have already shown such grace, it would be better to approve this small request."
Lin Xiao had his reasons for saying this. He was the one who had originally advised the Emperor to keep Shen Yi inside his fortress and avoid rash actions, thereby protecting the Emperor's interests to the greatest extent.
Now that the Emperor regarded Shen Nian differently, Lin Xiao naturally had to go along with that and push things in that direction.
Of course, the key point was that even if the Emperor disapproved, there was little he could do to stop Shen Nian from mourning for seven days on the Northern Frontier. If Qi Junmu forcefully forbade it, he would appear too heartless and risk chilling the hearts of the northern officers and soldiers.
It was better to go with the flow. That way, Shen Nian would receive imperial favor, and the Emperor's own standing would be enhanced.
Qi Junmu let out a noncommittal "Mm" in agreement. He was still feeling somewhat unwell, and his manner was rather languid.
With the official business concluded, the solemnity on Lin Xiao's face gradually faded, replaced by warmth. His eyes crinkled with a smile. "Your Majesty, the weather has turned cold. You must take good care of yourself. Being ill is no pleasant experience."
Qi Junmu lifted his gaze and smiled at Lin Xiao. His brows and eyes curved slightly, and the faint smile softened the coldness on his face, lending him a touch of warmth. "Uncle, the same goes for you."
Lin Xiao felt a surge of emotion. He had watched Qi Junmu grow up. Emperor Jing had always been distant and unapproachable, while the Empress Dowager was strict. In the young Emperor's heart, this maternal uncle held great weight—both a minister and a relative, sometimes even taking the place of Emperor Jing as a father figure.
That was why there were things Lin Xiao could say and ask.
Lin Xiao voiced the question on his mind: "Your Majesty, why the sudden change of heart regarding General Shen?"
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