Chapter 36
"What rumors could possibly spread?" Qi Junmu asked, looking puzzled. "Your son already heard about this from Shen Nian before coming here. The one who pulled Yueqing out of the water was your eunuch, and the one who saved Cousin Lin En was Shen Nian. Shen Nian grew up on the frontier—his manners may be a bit rough, but he's an upright man. I trust he would never do anything to ruin anyone's reputation, let alone go around talking about this. Imperial Mother, you're worrying too much."
"How am I worrying too much?" The Empress Dowager's face showed irritation and impatience. Her brows knitted with concern. "Just now, so many eunuchs and imperial guards saw Lin En, Shen Nian, and Yueqing in the water. Those two are young men after all—people will wonder why they jumped in. Did they touch Yueqing? Rumors aren't something you can just forbid and make go away."
Qi Junmu frowned and said slowly, "Imperial Mother, I still don't understand what you mean. The truth is right in front of us—Imperial Mother, the Empress, and Aunt were all there watching. So why would anyone make up stories? If you have something to say, just say it plainly."
Seeing him so clueless, the Empress Dowager felt a surge of frustration, silently annoyed that Qi Junmu wouldn't follow her lead.
But then she thought again—Qi Junmu had grown up studying the classics under renowned scholars. Now the rear palace had only the Empress, and he had yet to know a woman. It was only natural that he wouldn't think too much about the twists and turns of the inner palace and noble families.
So the Empress Dowager softened her tone and said, "Your Majesty, Yueqing is a princess, but she is also a woman. Today she fell into the water, and Lin En and Shen Nian were in the water with her. Never mind that she was rescued by a eunuch—once this gets out, people will make all kinds of wild assumptions. A woman's chastity is the most important thing. Won't people wonder why Shen Nian jumped in to save her? Could he have seen something he shouldn't have? If rumors like that spread, wouldn't that be as good as killing Yueqing?"
Qi Junmu still looked confused. "Imperial Mother, I still don't see what this has to do with Shen Nian. He saved Lin En. Even if rumors do spread, they'd only involve Lin En, since he was the one who jumped in to save Yueqing. Besides, if something that happened in the palace gets twisted into such gossip, that means someone is deliberately stirring trouble. There were only so many servants and guards present today—it would be easy enough to investigate."
"I know all that, but the very reason I'm bringing this up is that I don't want Lin En's name linked with Yueqing's," the Empress Dowager said coldly after the Emperor finished. "The match between Lin En and Fuhua was approved by me and your uncle on behalf of the Lin family. It's only been delayed because of your father's passing. If rumors about him and Yueqing surface at this critical moment, what happens to Fuhua?"
Seeing that the Empress Dowager had finally spelled it out, Qi Junmu sneered inwardly but kept his face completely composed.
He looked at her, blinked, and then put on a look of sudden realization. "Imperial Mother means—to keep Lin En from getting caught up in such gossip, you want to pin this on Shen Nian first?"
The Empress Dowager fell silent.
And silence at such a moment meant consent.
Though Qi Junmu had guessed this would be the outcome, he still found it utterly absurd. He said flatly, "Imperial Mother, I cannot agree to this."
"What?" The Empress Dowager hadn't expected that after laying everything out so plainly, Qi Junmu would cut her off with such finality.
For a moment, she sat there stunned, speechless.
Qi Junmu continued, "Lin En is my savior and my cousin. The Lin family is my maternal relatives. I have not forgotten what my uncle has done for me, and I am willing to consider many things that benefit the Lin family. But what you are proposing is utterly preposterous."
"Never mind Shen Nian's status—just look at this matter itself. Don't you think it's excessive? No rumors have even spread in the palace yet, and your first thought is already Lin En's reputation. How do you even know rumors will surface? Would those eunuchs and maids who rescued Yueqing dare to speak out of turn? In the end, Imperial Mother only has Lin En in her heart, without a thought for anyone else—or for me."
"Shen Nian is Marquis Zhenbei, having inherited his father's title. He has rendered outstanding service and, more than that, held back the Northern Barbarians from invading Da Qi. Right now, both inside and outside the court, people are saying that I want to eliminate a meritorious official. I can't even quell such talk—and you want to pour oil on the fire?"
"Since the founding of Da Qi, no man who marries a princess may hold official rank. If we were to force Shen Nian and Yueqing together, he would lose both office and title. I have only been on the throne for half a year, my position is far from secure—and if I strip Shen Nian of his title like that, the North Frontier Army will fall into disarray. How can I sit steady on this throne?"
Hearing this, the Empress Dowager could not help but say, "What does this have to do with your throne? Shen Nian ruined the princess's chastity. If the imperial family does not execute him and instead grants him a marriage to the princess, that is already heavenly grace. Would he dare refuse?"
Qi Junmu sneered, "Imperial Mother makes it sound so simple. If he had actually done those things, fine—but he did nothing of the sort. Are all those witnesses blind? You fear rumors will slander Lin En over something that never happened, but if we fabricate something that did happen, won't that also spread like wildfire? Afterward, the entire court will say that today's scene in the imperial garden was a trap I set—not only to seize Shen Nian's military power, but also to bind him through marriage to a princess."
"Shen Nian is at the height of his glory. Since returning to the capital, he has rendered great service and his name resounds across the realm. I cannot touch him easily. I will not slander him with false charges, nor do I wish the world to call me a muddled and incompetent ruler."
"Imperial Mother and Uncle have always taught me to be an enlightened sovereign. Is this what an enlightened sovereign would do?" By the end, Qi Junmu was clearly angered—his tone had sharpened and his way of referring to himself had changed.
[Before, he had been referring to himself as "your son," but now he switched to the imperial "I"]
Faced with such a blunt question, the Empress Dowager's face darkened. She shot back, "Does Your Majesty not intend to take back the military power in Shen Nian's hands? All that you have done these days—wasn't it all for that power? I am only trying to help you!"
Qi Junmu fell silent and stared at her fixedly, until she felt guilty and averted her gaze. The Empress Dowager knew that some things were best left unspoken—saying them out loud only made everyone lose face. To speak openly of taking back power from a meritorious general made the Emperor seem underhanded. If such words ever leaked out, he would truly appear a petty man.
Qi Junmu looked away and said calmly, "If that is what Imperial Mother thinks, I have nothing to say. Shen Nian is in mourning, and I have already drawn criticism by insisting he attend court. Now I will never allow anyone to use such means to burden him with such a reputation. If Imperial Mother insists on going down this path, then I will simply issue an edict today marrying Lin En to Yueqing."
"You—" The Empress Dowager grew anxious. "Are you trying to anger me to death? You know full well that I have always wanted to compensate Lin En. Because of you, he can never hold office or enter the court. I wanted to marry him to Fuhua so that he would have some standing—so that others would not look down on him. And now you say such things! He became what he is today—neither man nor ghost—because of you. Now that you are emperor, you cannot forget his lifesaving grace. If you do this, are you not afraid of breaking the Lin family's hearts?"
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