From the day of the field trials, Jiang Sanyi began to pay close attention to Zuo Canglang.
On this day, it was Gan Xiaoru’s birthday, and many civil and military officials came to the Gan residence to offer their congratulations. Although Jiang Sanyi was no longer in office, the Gan residence was a place he could not afford to skip. He knew Gan Xiaoru was Murong Yan’s confidant—though "confidant" was perhaps not the most accurate term.
Gan Xiaoru’s faction was more like Murong Yan’s lapdogs; as long as it was something that could please the sovereign, they would not care about the consequences. Thus, with just a look from Murong Yan, they could grasp his intent and tear into arguments with conservative veteran officials like Bi Chengjing.
Jiang Sanyi remained very polite toward him. Currently, the matter of Jiang Bilan’s investiture as Queen had not been formally raised by Murong Yan. If it were brought up, the veteran officials in court would surely oppose it. He might need this man’s support. Although Jiang Sanyi had old acquaintances in court, he was currently out of power, and those people were of little use.
Therefore, Jiang Sanyi had prepared a generous gift to celebrate the birthday.
Just as he arrived outside the residence gates, Gan Xiaoru came forward to meet him. "Brother Jiang, for such a humble birthday of mine to trouble you to come—this younger brother is truly overwhelmed by the honor." Before his voice had even faded, he had already stepped forward to walk arm-in-arm with him. Jiang Sanyi repeatedly demurred, yet entered the residence alongside him.
Just as the two entered, a loud voice announced from outside: "Marquis Dingguo of the Wen Residence arrives to offer birthday greetings!"
Gan Xiaoru was startled and hurriedly said to Jiang Sanyi, "Brother Jiang, please take a seat first. This younger brother will come to accompany you shortly."
While saying "Please, go ahead," Jiang Sanyi watched the residence gates. Sure enough, Gan Xiaoru hurried over to welcome the guest. Furthermore, he personally escorted Marquis Dingguo, Wen Xingye, all the way to the banquet and seated him by his side. Jiang Sanyi smiled and asked in a casual manner, "Did Brother Gan not invite General Zuo? Why have I not seen her at the feast?"
Gan Xiaoru gave a bitter smile and said, "How could I possibly move General Zuo to attend? With the Marquis and all of you lords present, my humble abode is already graced with immense splendor."
Jiang Sanyi glanced at Marquis Dingguo, Wen Xingye, lost in thought. According to common logic, no matter how Murong Yan bestowed titles upon the Wen family, they were merely empty honors. The Wen family had been loyal to Murong Yuan; Wen Qi had once ridden alone out of Pingdu Pass and died at the hands of West Jing. The root cause, of course, was the loss of Suye City, failing Murong Yuan’s trust.
It was impossible for Murong Yan to trust the loyalty of Wen Qi’s old subordinates. Yet now, Wen Xingye, who should have been idling at home, was treated with such deference even by a close confidant like Gan Xiaoru.
Why?
In the entire Wen clan, the only one still in court was Zuo Canglang. What else could it be for?
Gan Xiaoru was a first-rank civil official. For his birthday, even Bi Chengjing had sent a gift. Zuo Canglang, a military official of the lower-first rank, simply didn't show up, and Gan Xiaoru didn't dare express any dissatisfaction. Who was backing her?
Upon returning from Gan Xiaoru’s residence, Jiang Sanyi said to Lady Zheng, "Prepare a generous gift. I need to make a trip to the Wen residence."
Lady Zheng was puzzled. "The Wen residence? My Lord, the Wen residence now only has the elder Master Wen. General Wen has passed, and since you were a follower of the Prince of Yan, it is best not to have dealings with them at this time."
Jiang Sanyi said, "What do you know? I have been misjudging one thing all along! Go and prepare quickly; some ginseng and deer antler will suffice."
Lady Zheng complied and ordered the servants to prepare the gifts.
Jiang Sanyi arrived at the Wen residence the following day.
At that time, Wen Xingye was watering flowers. Seeing him arrive, he was quite surprised. "Lord Jiang, how do you have the leisure to visit?"
Jiang Sanyi bowed deeply and said, "Elder Master Wen, I should have come to pay my respects sooner. However, having just returned, the trivial matters of my household were overwhelming, and I could not get away. Now that I have finished, I hurried over. I hope you will not take offense."
Wen Xingye said, "What are you saying, Lord Jiang? Please, enter the hall for tea."
Jiang Sanyi sat in the main hall, looked left and right, and asked, "Is General Zuo not in the residence?"
Wen Xingye replied, "She received a bow from His Majesty a few days ago. At this moment, she is likely off hunting with someone. Young children simply cannot stay still in the house."
Jiang Sanyi smiled and said, "General Zuo is a person of high status and many affairs, unlike the Marquis and myself. Come to think of it, we were both close ministers of the Prince of Yan. I once thought that by dedicating a heart of loyalty to the sovereign, I would not fail this life. Who would have thought there would be a time to serve a second master?"
Wen Xingye also felt some sentiment and said, "Is it not so? *The kingly aura of the mountains and rivers vanishes through a thousand tribulations; the peach and plum blossoms in the spring breeze mark another year.* These lands..."
Jiang Sanyi said, "The lands remain, yet we are idling at home."
Wen Xingye said, "Why does Lord Jiang say such things? His Majesty’s affection for your daughter is unwavering; you will be heavily relied upon sooner or later. Your future is limitless, Lord Jiang. How can you be compared to an old, decaying man like me?"
Jiang Sanyi laughed and said, "The Marquis jests. My daughter is but a weak girl of the inner chambers; how can she compare to your daughter-in-law, General Zuo, who is so brave and skilled in battle? It is also rare for His Majesty to look upon General Zuo with such favor. To be so young, yet possess such illustrious military achievements."
Wen Xingye said, "Though Ah-Zuo is clever, she is young after all. In the future, she will still need much guidance from you in court, Lord Jiang."
Jiang Sanyi repeatedly claimed he was unworthy of such a task, while carefully observing the man's expression. He did not seem to be in the know. After sitting for a while longer, Jiang Sanyi rose to take his leave.
Leaving the Wen residence, Jiang Sanyi felt somewhat more certain. If Wen Xingye did not know about the relationship between Murong Yan and Zuo Canglang, then Murong Yan likely had no intention of making it public. Otherwise, given his character, the first person to understand would surely be Wen Xingye.
Wen Xingye placed extreme importance on family reputation. If he knew, his expression would certainly not have looked good when the matter was mentioned just now.
If Murong Yan did not intend to go public, then the two were merely involved privately. With Zuo Canglang constrained by her status as the "Wen family's daughter-in-law," she likely wouldn't threaten his daughter’s position as Queen.
Feeling more settled, he returned to his residence and went to see Jiang Bilan again. Jiang Bilan still refused to speak to him, but he didn't mind, merely asking Lady Zheng, "What did the physician say?"
Lady Zheng whispered, "There are no major issues anymore, but she still needs to recuperate for a few days. At the very least, we must wait until the lochia is clear to avoid arousing suspicion."
Jiang Sanyi nodded and said, "The imperial physicians in the palace are highly skilled; it is better to be careful. Do not leave any leverage for others."
Lady Zheng nodded. Once they left the room, Jiang Sanyi added, "Since Lan'er's health is no longer in danger, that girl Wei Zhu cannot be kept."
Lady Zheng was startled, then immediately understood his meaning. Jiang Sanyi said, "Find a way to deal with it. It must be done cleanly."
The next day, Wei Zhu was found dead in the Jiang family well. In a grand estate, the death of a maid was something no one would notice. Only Jiang Bilan, upon waking, found that the maid who had always served her was gone. She asked Lady Zheng, who simply said, "She went back to her hometown. She reached the age where she ought to be married off."
Jiang Bilan was about to believe it when Jiang Sanyi, standing nearby, said, "She is dead."
Jiang Bilan’s eyes widened. "Dead? But she was fine yesterday..."
Lady Zheng cried, "My Lord!" Jiang Sanyi’s expression was indifferent as he said, "Once you are invested as Queen, you will truly take charge of the inner palace. With your current naivety and stupidity, how could you sit securely on that throne?"
Jiang Bilan asked, "You killed her?"
Jiang Sanyi replied, "Yes."
Jiang Bilan slowly retreated to the corner of the bed, her fingers tightly gripping the quilt. "Just because she knew I carried the child of the deposed Crown Prince?"
Jiang Sanyi said, "Yes."
Jiang Bilan said, "Father. Why don't you kill me too? Right, you still need to keep me to find a solid backer for the Jiang family. Correct?"
Jiang Sanyi gave a cold snort, turned, and left her room.
At the end of the eighth month, the height of summer was fading but not yet gone.
Murong Yan formally proposed the investiture of Jiang Bilan as Queen. Had he proposed this two months earlier, the court officials would surely have been incensed. But after two months of cooling off, everyone had prepared themselves mentally. Now, only the Minister of the Imperial Clan and a group of veteran officials were still arguing based on principles.
Bi Chengjing stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Jiang lady was, after all, the formal consort invested by the deposed Crown Prince with the golden book and seal. She is a married woman. If you establish a married woman as Queen, where will Great Yan’s dignity remain?"
He Xu, the Minister of the Imperial Clan, also stepped forward in agreement. "Your Majesty, since ancient times, how important has a woman's reputation been? If you establish the Jiang lady as Queen now, will it not cause Great Yan to be ridiculed and criticized by foreign nations?"
In truth, everyone knew his mind was made up; opposing him now was futile. Nevertheless, Bo Zhengshu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, since ancient times, the dignity of the Heavenly House is of utmost importance. If... if Your Majesty must establish the Jiang lady as Queen, you could change her name and surname... at least then it wouldn't leave people with such a pretext for gossip!"
The court fell silent. Murong Yan said in a deep voice, "The Jiang lady’s marriage to the deposed Crown Prince was a matter of forced helplessness. It was the deposed Crown Prince who lacked virtue; what does that have to do with her? I establish her as Queen precisely because I value her dignity, purity, and virtue. My mind is made up on this matter; there is no need for further discussion."
That afternoon, the edict of investiture was delivered to the Jiang residence. Jiang Sanyi and Lady Zheng looked at each other, the heavy stone in their hearts finally falling to the ground.
On the day of the grand investiture ceremony, the autumn mood was thick. Wild geese flew south, and yellow flowers bloomed in succession. Below the sacrificial altar, the civil and military officials were lined up on both sides. Jiang Bilan was in full ceremonial dress. The sunlight shone upon the dragon-and-phoenix pearl-and-emerald crown on her head. Her crimson phoenix robe, embroidered with gold, shimmered faintly, and her ceremonial cape was adorned with golden dragons and phoenixes, decorated with Eastern pearls. The solemn and brilliant makeup masked the haggardness on her face; happiness and shyness made her radiant.
Murong Yan had specially built the Moon-Reaching Terrace for her. The terrace was twenty-seven *zhang* high, with white jade steps reaching straight into the nine heavens, high enough to embrace the moon. This was the only high terrace built since Murong Yan’s ascension, and it became an immortal poetic legend of a generational emperor and a peerless beauty.
Murong Yan took her hand and ascended the steps. That jade-like hand held in his palm felt as soft as if it had no bones. A gentle breeze blew, and beneath their feet was a path of red silk. Jiang Bilan’s skirt was magnificent and complex; Murong Yan turned slightly to lift the hem for her.
The officials below the terrace were silent. In truth, before this, almost no one believed that this man had raised an army in rage and turned his blade against his own father and brother solely for a woman.
But at this moment, everyone suddenly began to believe that a large part of the reason he raised his army was for love.
*In the north, there is a beauty; one look from her can topple a city.* The legends of toppling cities and nations were likely no more than this.
Step by step, Murong Yan trod across the white jade steps and ascended the Moon-Reaching Terrace. The beauty’s long silk sash occasionally brushed against the back of his hand, delicate and cool. He slowly turned around. The officials below knelt and bowed, shouting, "Long live, long live, long live the King!"
Murong Yan scanned the crowd, his gaze stopping in the middle of the throng. That person was dressed in the court robes of a high-ranking military official, kneeling and kowtowing with the rest. His gaze lingered briefly before he said loudly, "Rise, my ministers."
The officials shouted "Long live" once more and slowly rose.
Murong Yan was about to speak when suddenly, the sound of mechanical triggers rang out from the building behind the terrace! He turned his head instantly, almost instinctively shielding Jiang Bilan behind him. On the twenty-seven *zhang* high terrace, in front of the Moon-Reaching Tower, dozens of feathered arrows suddenly tore through the wind!
The Forbidden Palace guards on the terrace fell one after another. Murong Yan drew a blade at random, parrying several arrows. Below, chaos erupted instantly. Someone shouted, "Assassins! Protect the King! Protect the King!"
Zhou Xin and Feng Ping’s faces turned deathly pale. The two of them were responsible for the security and defense of this investiture ceremony. For such a thing to happen was a capital offense.
The two rushed forward. Murong Yan, using one blade to block numerous arrows, was naturally struggling. Moreover, Jiang Bilan was in full ceremonial dress, her movements restricted; she was practically a living target. As a wave of arrows whistled toward them, Jiang Bilan’s hair ornaments fell to the ground, and her long hair became disheveled!
Murong Yan’s brow furrowed. Suddenly, someone approached from behind. He did not look back, yet he knew it must be Zuo Canglang. Of the thousand stone steps, only she could have come so quickly. And only she *would* come so quickly.
Sure enough, as soon as that person approached, she blocked a wave of arrows for him. He said in a deep voice, "Capture them alive. I want to know who has the audacity to do this!"
Zuo Canglang stood behind him, drawing her bow and loosing arrows. Every shot found its mark, instantly killing several assassins who hadn't had time to hide. The assassins quickly realized her archery was terrifying and immediately shifted their target to her. Jiang Bilan was still in a panic, completely at a loss. Zuo Canglang did not look back, only saying one sentence: "Leave this place."
Jiang Bilan shook her head. "No! Brother Yan, I want to stay here with you!"
A smile touched Murong Yan’s lips, but *if you stay here, you will only be a burden to me.* At this moment, he truly preferred the person beside him to stay. But... fine, I accept your sentiment. *In this life, I am willing to pour out all the splendor to weave a dream, to spare you from wandering, to spare you from hardship, and to spare you from fear.*
The rain of arrows grew denser. The enemies knew Zuo Canglang’s archery was superb and began to hide within the tower.
Murong Yan said, "Cover me, I’m going over."
Zuo Canglang said urgently, "My Lord! Wait for the Forbidden Guard!"
On the thousand-plus steps, the Forbidden Guard was already rushing up in a frenzy. Before Murong Yan could speak, seven people suddenly lunged out from the tower. Seven swords pierced toward him simultaneously, fast as flowing light! Jiang Bilan screamed. She was a daughter of the inner chambers; when had she ever seen such a perilous situation? She instinctively ducked behind Murong Yan.
These seven were by no means ordinary assassins. Their swords were as fast as light. Murong Yan, constrained by Jiang Bilan, could not dodge in time. Seeing the sword-wind approach, he could almost smell the scent of blood upon that cold gleam. What was even more terrifying was that this Seven-Exquisite Sword Array was a linked formation. Once one sword struck, the subsequent strikes would be impossible to evade.
His brow furrowed. Suddenly, a figure flashed beside him. Zuo Canglang used her bowstring to entangle the first sword, and with a forceful pull, three swords behind it missed their mark. However, the sword array was not broken. The remaining three swords were like fading rainbows, each one stabbing into her body.
For the first time, Zuo Canglang felt powerless before true masters. She had no way to dodge. Not to mention she had no other weapon in hand; even if she did, she would have no chance of victory.
This terrifying sword array—who exactly were these assassins?
In the flash of a second, she only had time to avoid her vital organs. The sword array struck once, and she was hit three times. Blood flowed incessantly from her wounds, yet she did not retreat, facing the second wave of the sword array head-on. Murong Yan stood right behind her; her shoulder even pressed against his chest.
Her blood flowed out, staining him. In an instant, it had soaked through his complex robes. Yet she never thought of retreating. Because he was behind her, it could only be a fight to the death.
With just that moment of obstruction, the Forbidden Guard arrived. No matter how high the skills of the seven assassins, they could not contend with nearly ten thousand Forbidden Guards. Zhou Xin ordered the archers to fire, forcing the seven back into the tower. The Forbidden Guard surrounded the Moon-Reaching Tower.
Assassinating someone here carried great risk. On a tower a hundred feet high, once surrounded, there was no path to heaven and no door into the earth.
Zuo Canglang felt waves of dizziness. She didn't even notice how many wounds were on her body; the places where she was bleeding simply couldn't be covered. In her ear, Wang Yunzhao shouted loudly, "General Zuo is injured! Quickly, call the imperial physicians!"
However, that voice was also blurred. She crouched down, and with just one cough, blood surged from her wounds. Murong Yan reached out, pressing down on her injury. The blood stained his hand, yet it did not bring any loathsome discomfort. He waited until the imperial physicians arrived and handed Zuo Canglang over to them. Then he stood up.
By now, both on and off the terrace was in total chaos. The officials were panicking. Murong Yan helped Jiang Bilan up, rearranged her hair, then picked up the fallen hairpins from the ground and personally adorned her with them. Jiang Bilan still had lingering fears. "Brother Yan, are you alright?"
Murong Yan shook his head, helped her stand, and said to the ritual official who was already beside himself with terror, "Continue."
"Wha—" The ritual official almost thought he had gone mad, but in an instant, he understood. He loudly proclaimed the decree of investiture. The civil and military officials were all stunned, but in an instant, they too understood and hurried to stand according to protocol.
After the ritual official finished reading the decree, the Master of Ceremonies unsealed the orders from the table of the golden book. The investiture ceremony was tedious and complex. However, Wang Yunzhao was a capable man after all, and his preparations had been quite meticulous. Soon, everything was back in order.
Murong Yan stood upon the Moon-Reaching Terrace, side-by-side with his beloved. Only the place on his chest stained by blood felt a little cold. He turned his head and saw that the imperial physician had already stopped Zuo Canglang’s bleeding. He intended to find someone to carry her down, but she refused. The physician could only support her as she walked, step by step, down the more than one thousand jade steps.
On her purple military court robes, the bloodstains were not prominent, appearing like water marks.
Jiang Bilan felt as if she were dreaming. Before her eyes, the officials kowtowed; in her ears, the crowd shouted "Long live." She raised her shimmering eyes; the man she loved most was by her side. Murong Yan held her pair of hands, as delicate as water chestnuts, and stood by the sacrificial altar looking down. Birds passed through the clouds, streaking across the gates of heaven like falling stars. Below the long white jade staircase, the masses bowed their heads.
"From now on, you are the Queen of Great Yan." His fingers tightened slightly. "The wife of Murong Yan."
Jiang Bilan’s beautiful eyes lowered, tears gradually filling them. "Brother Yan, I do not care about being the Queen of Great Yan." She sniffled, a smile appearing on her jade-like face, and in his pupils, the spring flowers of March seemed to bloom. She said with a smile, "But I love being Murong Yan’s wife."
The two looked at each other, their affection palpable. *The bright moon shines on the high tower; the flowing light lingers. I wish to be the southwest wind, passing away into your embrace.*
That day, Jiang Bilan officially moved into the Phoenix-Resting Palace, becoming the Queen of Great Yan. At this time, Murong Yan had not taken a single wife or concubine; the entire Palace of Yan did not have a single consort. When had such glory ever existed? The Sovereign of Great Yan had promised that from the three thousand miles of water, he would only take one ladle to drink.
That night, the red candles burned bright. The King and Queen were newly wed, a dragon and phoenix in harmony.
Amidst the festive red, Jiang Bilan hugged Murong Yan’s waist and said softly, "Brother Yan, hold me tight. I am so afraid I am only dreaming."
Murong Yan embraced her tightly, the force causing her some pain. She smiled through her tears. "Brother Yan, even if it is just a dream, I will not wake up. I will just stay like this, drunk unto death in the dream, drunk unto death in your arms."
Murong Yan’s eyes, however, were clear. The brilliant red was reflected in his pupils. He smiled. "Silly words." After saying this, he held her in his arms again. "Fine, then be drunk unto death in my arms."
Within the magnificent brocade curtains, their shadows became one.
By midnight, Feng Ping and Zhou Xin returned to beg for forgiveness, kneeling outside the palace gates. Murong Yan rose. Wang Yunzhao stepped forward to serve him as he dressed. Jiang Bilan opened her hazy, sleepy eyes and asked, "It is so late; must you go see them?"
Murong Yan said, "I wish to interrogate the assassins. You go back to sleep."
Jiang Bilan nodded. She looked up at him and, seeing his robes were not yet tied, her face reddened again. Murong Yan gave her a light kiss on the cheek, then frowned slightly. The powder on Jiang Bilan’s face was naturally of the finest quality, carrying a faint, dark fragrance that lent a touch of elegance to the bed curtains. But, in truth, he did not like it.
As he stepped out of the Phoenix-Resting Palace, the moonlight was like frost.
Wang Yunzhao was leading Murong Yan toward the place outside the palace where Zhou Xin and Feng Ping were, when Murong Yan suddenly asked, "How is Ah-Zuo?"
Wang Yunzhao was startled and hurriedly said, "The imperial physicians have already treated her. They say the other injuries are not serious, but the one near the lung is truly perilous. Currently, several physicians are keeping watch at the Wen residence."
Murong Yan turned to look at him and said, "The Wen residence?"
Wang Yunzhao’s heart skipped a beat. "Your Majesty..."
Murong Yan said, "You are truly becoming more and more 'capable' at handling affairs."
Wang Yunzhao quickly knelt and said, "Your Majesty, General Zuo has always disliked being served by servants, and there isn't a single close maid to attend to her in the Nanqing Palace. This servant only thought that if she were at the Wen residence, at least there would be the elder Lady Wen..."
Murong Yan said in a deep voice, "So, after being the Palace Attendant for so long, you cannot even pick out a few reliable palace maids in the entire palace?"
"Your Majesty, forgive me!" Wang Yunzhao prostrated himself on the ground. Murong Yan gave a cold snort and left the palace. Zhou Xin and Feng Ping were both kneeling outside the palace; Murong Yan walked past them without a word, heading straight for the Wen residence. It took Wang Yunzhao quite a while to stumble after him.
His late-night arrival caused a bit of a stir at the Wen residence. Murong Yan simply said, "All of you, rise. There is no need for ceremony." Without stopping, he went straight to Zuo Canglang’s room. She was still asleep, her long hair spread across half the pillow. A servant brought a brocade stool, and Murong Yan sat by the bed, asking the physicians, "How is she?"
The head physician, Physician Zhao, said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the General’s wounds are not in vital areas, but she has lost too much blood. She still needs quiet rest and recuperation."
Murong Yan took Zuo Canglang’s hand. The expressions of everyone present suddenly became very strange, especially Wen Xingye and his wife. Wang Yunzhao hurriedly reached out to feel Zuo Canglang’s forehead as well, saying, "Your Majesty, the General does not seem to have a fever. Now that she has finally fallen asleep, it is best to leave her to the care of the physicians."
Murong Yan gave an "un" of acknowledgment and released her hand naturally.
Perhaps because she had taken medicine, Zuo Canglang slept very deeply and never woke. Murong Yan stood up and turned to the Wen family. "Since General Zuo’s condition is stable, I am relieved. Take good care of her. Any needs can be coordinated through Wang Yunzhao."
Wen Xingye and the others complied. As Murong Yan stepped out of the Wen residence, he suddenly said, "Have Zhou Xin and Feng Ping interrogate the assassins overnight! If they get results, they may redeem themselves through service. If they cannot provide a result that satisfies me, they need not come to beg for forgiveness again."
Wang Yunzhao said, "Yes!"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
明月台 | Moon-Reaching Terrace | The high terrace built for Jiang Bilan's investiture.
七绝剑阵 | Seven-Exquisite Sword Array | A specialized, lethal sword formation used by the assassins.
栖凤宫 | Phoenix-Resting Palace | The residence of the Queen.
南清宫 | Nanqing Palace | Zuo Canglang's residence in the palace.
中常侍 | Palace Attendant | Wang Yunzhao's official title (Eunuch official).
恶露 | Lochia | Postpartum/post-miscarriage discharge mentioned regarding Jiang Bilan.
宗正 | Minister of the Imperial Clan | An official in charge of the affairs of the imperial family.
制命 | Investiture Decree | The formal imperial command to appoint a Queen.
