Chapter 45
A vague unease began to creep into Shen Nian's heart.
That unease soon became reality. Not long after the commendation for the West Frontier was issued, word came from the North Frontier that Chang Sheng had vanished without a trace from the northern territories.
When word reached the capital, the entire court and all under heaven were thrown into uproar.
Shen Nian raised his heavy gaze to the Emperor, who sat unmoved upon the dragon throne.
Qi Junmu sat upon the dragon throne as he always did—calm, composed, and unruffled.
After the initial uproar in the court came utter silence, and following that silence, a roaring clamor. Many officials whispered to one another, every other sentence carrying words like "North Frontier," "Chang Sheng," and "Marquis Zhenbei."
Most eyes turned toward Shen Nian—some doubtful, some incredulous, some malicious, and a few coolly restrained. Surrounded by so many stares, Shen Nian kept his gaze straight ahead, fixed on the emperor sitting steadily on the dragon throne.
He wondered: had the emperor known all along that Chang Sheng would disappear? Or had this been orchestrated by the emperor himself from the very start? The emperor had never trusted Chang Sheng, so naturally it was best to eliminate him once and for all.
Whether Chang Sheng had died or gone missing in the North Frontier, the news would stir conflict between the North and West Frontiers. The Emperor, seated high in his court, could then sit back and profit from the quarrel—like a fisherman who waits while two fish fight, and reaps the reward.
In due time, the North and West Frontiers would bicker over this matter, trading accusations and eroding each other's trust—and the emperor would tighten his grip on both armies.
And that suggestion he himself had made back then? Even if he hadn't spoken it, the emperor had already been thinking the same thing. His proposal had only made it all the more convenient.
Shen Nian could not help but wonder: had his words that day been nothing but a joke to the emperor—a joke spoken by his own lips?
A general who held military power and an ambitious emperor who wanted to seize that power—they were never destined to coexist in peace.
The emperor had used Chang Sheng's mission to the North Frontier as a means to take his life, and all the blame would fall upon the North Frontier soldiers. And he, Marquis Zhenbei, could not escape suspicion—just as in this very moment, everyone doubted him. Even if some believed in his innocence, they would still take the chance to step on him while he was down.
Before the emperor had made his final decision, he had already shouldered all of this for the North Frontier Army.
Some things were better left unthought—because the longer he turned them over in his mind, the colder his body grew and the chillier his heart became.
Upon careful reflection, if he were the emperor, he would likely do the same.
Though Shen Nian tried hard to convince himself of this, the heart was not so easily governed by the mind.
Even as he reasoned with himself, scenes from every moment since he first met Qi Junmu flashed through his mind—especially those from recent days, playing over and over again.
The emperor's words, his furrowed brows, the invitation to bathe in the palace, the walk up the pavilion to view the scenery—had all of that been advance compensation, because the emperor knew this day would come?
At the thought, Shen Nian's heart felt as if it were being squeezed and kneaded by an invisible hand, as though it might be crushed or burst apart. His whole body ached with a deep, suffocating pain.
He wanted to curl up, to wrap himself tight and block out the unbearable pressure. But as he had just reminded himself, the heart never listens to the mind. In the end, all he could do was stand upright in the court, watching coldly as others whispered their guesses around him.
Lin Xiao was the first among the ministers to recover—this matter had been discussed between him and the emperor before.
But things had taken an unexpected turn. Chang Sheng had been sent to the North Frontier by the emperor himself, and his disappearance there had triggered a cascade of complications. The most pressing issue was that people would certainly question why Chang Sheng—who had been stationed peacefully in the West Frontier—had suddenly appeared in the North Frontier.
After all, Chang Sheng's rank was such that he could not leave his post without an imperial edict.
If mishandled, this could invite serious criticism against the emperor. Yet as with all risks, there was also opportunity—if dealt with properly, it could turn into an advantage.
Lin Xiao had no intention of letting things go that way. Still, he held his tongue. Sometimes speaking first gave a man the upper hand—other times, it only put one at a disadvantage.
The first to break the silence on this matter was the elderly Censor Shi—the same man who had first impeached Shen Nian, only to narrowly escape disaster by pleading an eye ailment at just the right moment.
His subordinate, Guan Han, had died, and the exact cause of his death remained unknown.
Censor Shi was advanced in years, and usually turned a blind eye to whatever could be overlooked. But this was different—if mishandled, it could destabilize both armies.
So with a stern face, he declared, "Your Majesty, I humbly request a full investigation into why General Chang Sheng left the West Frontier without authorization. To abandon one's post without an imperial edict is a grave crime that shakes the morale of the army. Moreover, he traveled all the way from the West Frontier to the North Frontier, and yet no one knew of it. This is no ordinary matter, and I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict for a thorough investigation."
The moment Censor Shi opened his mouth, Lin Xiao's brow twitched.
Censor Shi's words not only questioned Chang Sheng's unauthorized departure—they also insinuated that someone in the North Frontier was stirring trouble, and finally, they hinted at whether the emperor himself had known of this all along.
Before Lin Xiao could interject, Su Ren—the Prefect of the Capital, who had never seen eye to eye with Shen Nian—stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this humble subject believes that since this incident occurred in the North Frontier, Marquis Zhenbei cannot escape responsibility."
"How so?" The emperor spoke his first words from the dragon throne.
The emperor's tone betrayed neither pleasure nor displeasure, but Su Ren felt a rare flicker of joy. In his mind, the emperor was surely displeased with Shen Nian. If he could take Shen Nian down in accordance with the emperor's will, that would be a great achievement indeed.
So Su Ren pressed on with his reasoning: "Your Majesty, whatever reason Chang Sheng had for appearing in the North Frontier, the fact remains that he disappeared there. Until we find him, we cannot know what truly happened. In the North Frontier, Marquis Zhenbei knows the land best. And when Chang Sheng appeared, the North Frontier Army could not possibly have been unaware. The marquis holds the North Frontier military tally—all troops obey his command. I find it hard to believe that he knew nothing of this."
Having said this, he shot Shen Nian a smug, insincere sneer. Many officials chimed in agreement with Su Ren, and Wen Zhuo was naturally among them.
Ever since Wen Yao had suffered at Shen Nian's hands, Wen Zhuo had been waiting for any chance to make trouble for him.
Now that everyone was leaning toward Shen Nian's guilt, of course he would join in to kick him while he was down.
Shen Nian stood there, his expression perfectly calm, offering not a single word in his own defense against Su Ren's accusations.
If the emperor wished to protect him, then speaking or remaining silent would make no difference. And if the emperor chose to abandon him, then even if he cut out his own heart—engraved with the word "loyalty"—and offered it up, no one would spare it a second glance.
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