"Lord Su!" A voice pulled Su Yi out of his reverie. When he looked up, he realized he had unconsciously walked to the Heaven Facing Gate. The eunuch assigned to guide him stood at the entrance, smiling warmly.
"Lord Su, I’ve been waiting here for a while," the eunuch said with a bright smile.
Su Yi walked over and gave him a polite bow. "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Li."
"No trouble at all, my lord. It’s my duty," Eunuch Li replied with a smile, giving Su Yi a friendly look. "The Crown Prince is already waiting in the Academy Hall. Let’s proceed." With that, Eunuch Li led the way.
Su Yi followed behind, somewhat lost in thought as he watched Eunuch Li’s figure ahead of him.
Since becoming the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, his teaching days at the Hanlin Academy had become fewer. However, on the few days he was able to visit, the academy’s teachers greeted him warmly, unlike the indifference or disdain they’d shown before.
Even Chief Cao was now polite to him and always exchanged pleasantries whenever they met. Invitations to poetry gatherings and literary feasts also started arriving regularly, sincerely inviting him to attend.
Initially, Su Yi was puzzled by the names on these invitations, wondering who these people were. After attending a few, he gradually realized that the officials in the capital knew he was a prominent young scholar, so they sent their sons to associate with him.
How did young scholars socialize? They held poetry gatherings in flower workshops, invited distinguished guests, and called on courtesans to liven things up. The gatherings were supposed to foster friendships through poetry, yet, at heart, they were simply excuses for their indulgences.
Su Yi understood these social intricacies well. When he was merely a Hanlin Scholar, he hadn’t been important enough for such attention. A single imperial edict had changed everything.
Now, he was the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and when the Crown Prince eventually ascended the throne, he would be the imperial teacher. Given his young age, his future achievements were boundless.
On second thought, perhaps these people were simply doing what they felt was necessary. When officials saw others ingratiating themselves with him, they would also try to build connections, hoping that he would remember them someday. Now, even the eunuch guiding him through the palace knew to foster goodwill with him. The experienced ministers knew how these things went as well.
Every time he thought about it, Su Yi felt a mix of amusement and bitterness, unsure whether to feel proud or disappointed. Suddenly, he began to understand a little more about Ye Fan’s parting words... Were these people ingratiating themselves with him, Su Yi, or was it the official robe he wore that they revered?
"Lord Su... do you have something on your mind?" Eunuch Li’s voice pulled Su Yi back from his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh... it’s nothing," Su Yi replied with a dry laugh, his expression somewhat distant.
Eunuch Li asked with concern, "Are you unwell, Lord Su? You look a bit pale. Shall I call for the imperial physician?"
Su Yi quickly waved his hand. "No need, but thank you for your concern, Eunuch Li. I probably just didn’t sleep well last night... Let’s hurry. The Crown Prince must be waiting."
Eunuch Li nodded in agreement and refrained from saying more, continuing to lead the way.
As they passed the imperial study, Su Yi noticed eight golden-armored guards standing upright on either side of the door. When he walked by, he faintly heard voices from inside.
Su Yi paused, stopping involuntarily. He whispered to Eunuch Li, "Is that?"
Eunuch Li glanced at the guards by the door and answered in a low voice, "Yes, His Majesty is handling state affairs."
Su Yi nodded and was about to leave. But just as he took a step, he suddenly heard a faint voice from within, sounding like Eunuch Yue.
"Your Majesty... the war report from the border... sent urgently... has just arrived..."
Su Yi felt a jolt, as if his heartbeat had momentarily slowed. The foot he had just lifted instinctively retracted as he strained his ears to listen to the conversation within.
One of the golden-armored guards at the door cast a sidelong glance at Su Yi, then looked at his official robe. In the end, the guard said nothing, pretending not to notice anything.
Su Yi held his breath, afraid that any noise might make him miss something. When Eunuch Li, leading the way ahead, noticed that no one was following, he turned back to see Su Yi standing blatantly outside the imperial study, eavesdropping.
The sight startled him so much that he nearly jumped. He quickly trotted over and, in a hushed voice, tried to pull Su Yi back. "Su Yi, Lord Su! What do you think you’re doing..."
Before Eunuch Li could finish, Su Yi sharply raised a hand, signaling him to stop talking. Su Yi’s eyes narrowed slightly, brow furrowed as he strained to listen intently, though no sound came from inside.
Just as Su Yi felt puzzled, a loud crash echoed from inside, as if something had been knocked over. Su Yi was startled, but the guards by the door reacted quickly, placing their hands on their swords, ready to charge in.
At that moment, an enraged voice from within bellowed, "Qi! Zong! Bi!"
Then came Eunuch Yue’s voice: "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your health is paramount!" He sounded flustered and helpless.
Another heavy object hit the ground.
"Damn that Qi Zongbi!"
Hearing the furious curses of the most powerful man in the nation, Su Yi couldn’t help but tremble. Only now did he fully grasp the terrifying reality of being in proximity to the wrath of the emperor.
The guards outside exchanged glances, hesitated for a moment, then obediently stayed at their posts without entering the room.
Su Yi felt he should leave, yet his legs had turned weak, and he found himself unable to move.
The sounds from inside continued.
"He actually! Cough, cough— He dares to deceive his sovereign!"
"Please calm down, Your Majesty!"
"That old dog Qi Zongbi! cough, cough... I, I will... ugh—"
The voice abruptly cut off.
Su Yi froze, then heard Eunuch Yue’s frantic voice.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! What’s wrong, Your Majesty!"
The door burst open from within, and Su Yi barely saw a blur of motion before someone slammed into him. He felt as if he had been struck by an ox, as his whole body was hurled into the air. Mid-air, he heard Eunuch Yue’s desperate voice, echoing through the entire imperial city!
"Physician! Call the imperial physician, now!"
Su Yi landed heavily on the ground, feeling as though his entire body had come apart. He lifted his head slightly and found himself facing the open door of the imperial study.
The door stood wide open, revealing a mess within. The table had been overturned, and memorials of various colors lay scattered across the floor.
Su Yi saw the elderly man in dragon robes slumped in his chair, their gazes meeting. The frail man’s face was ashen, and blood leaked from his mouth, staining his golden dragon robes a glaring crimson.