Luo Wei wanted to plead for Long Xiang, but he could only wait until after the morning audience to do it.

“You may rise,” Emperor Xing Wu only took a single look at Long Xiang kneeling there, “This time Wei Er helped your case by asking for forgiveness, if you do this next time, it won’t blow over so easy!”

Long Xiang pressed his forehead to the ground to give thanks, but he’d been kneeling for too long and couldn’t stand, so Zhao Fu had to go up to help him.

“Go back to your hall,” Xing Wu waved his hand to dismiss Long Xiang, “Stay in your own chambers for these next few days and don’t go out, make sure you study some of the Confucian books in the Imperial Study the next time you go!”

Long Xiang staggered as he walked out of the hall. Zhao Fu was already doing his best, but he lost attention for one moment and accidentally let Long Xiang stumble. The prince’s entire body fell to one side.

Luo Wei quickly stepped up, wanting to help.

“Get away from me!” Long Xiang saw Luo Wei’s hand reaching for him, and pushed Luo Wei back.

Luo Wei didn’t have his guard up, and with Long Xiang’s shove, he fell to the ground.

“Insolence!” Emperor Xing Wu stood as soon as he saw Luo Wei fall back, cursing Long Xiang as he walked around his desk so see if Luo Wei was okay.

“Your humble servant simply lost his step,” Luo Wei saw that Emperor Xing Wu was about to let Long Xiang have it, so he quickly got up and explained himself to the emperor before him.

“I don’t need you to pretend to be nice!” Long Xiang didn’t want Luo Wei to help him. He tossed a dirty look to his former friend.

“You insolent idiot!” Emperor Xing Wu was ready to strike Long Xiang with a raised hand.

“How does my Imperial Father wish to punish me?!” Long Xiang lifted his head, making a pose as if ready to be hit, looking untamed as he stared at the emperor, “I accept it!”

“Fine, I’ll grant you your wish!” Emperor Xing Wu pointed at Long Xiang, ready to do something drastic.

“Your Imperial Highness,” Luo Wei can’t keep watching while Long Xiang and Emperor Xing Wu went at it like this, both hardheaded. He felt guilty about Long Xiang’s circumstance, “Even if you and His Imperial Majesty are father and son, you are also a servant to the crown.”

“How d–!”

“You need to think of His Imperial Highness the Second Prince and Consort Liu,” Luo Wei didn’t let Long Xiang finish. Long Xiang wasn’t afraid of Emperor Xing Wu when it came to himself, but he won’t be inconsiderate of Consort Liu and Long Xuan.

As expected, after Luo Wei brought up these two people, Long Xiang lost the feral look in his eyes, lowered his head, as to not let anyone else see his face while he knelt before Emperor Xing Wu, “Your humble son recognizes his mistakes.”

“Wei Er, you can head home first,” Emperor Xing Wu said to Luo Wei. Luo Wei had just come back from Yun Guan, it wouldn’t be fair of him, as an emperor, to ask him to take up residence in the Hall of Eternal Light for too long. Besides that, what he didn’t want Luo Wei to witness even more was the sight of him teaching Long Xiang a harsh lesson.

Luo Wei left the Hall of Eternal Light. He didn’t know what kind of punishment Emperor Xing Wu had in mind for Long Xiang, but he knew enough to know that Long Xiang wouldn’t be able to escape this one unscathed.

Outside the hall, Shang Xi was waiting for Luo Wei. Seeing that he’d left the hall doors, the eunuch quickly walked up to him, bowing his respects, “This humble servant greets the young master.”

“Does Her Imperial Majesty wish to see me?” Luo Wei asked.

“Young master,” Shang Xi followed closely behind Luo Wei, speaking quietly, “Consort Liu has gone to see Her Imperial Majesty.”

“To seek mercy?” Luo Wei asked.

Shang Xi nodded, “Consort Liu is crying up a storm right now.”

“Has Her Imperial Majesty agreed to clemency?”

“Her Imperial Majesty is in tears with her,” Shang Xi answered, “Young master, you know our empress has always been soft-hearted.”

“Then find a chance to remind our empress that the wives and concubines of the emperor are not allowed to put their hands in matters of state.” Luo Wei was again reminded of Long Yu’s letter, and felt another wave of annoyance, “Consort Liu’s business is not up to her, she can’t help her.”

“But Her Imperial Majesty agreed to help.”

Luo Wei sighed, “His Imperial Majesty doesn’t have much interest in going to the Back Palace these days, Mister, you should take advantage of the chance and talk to Her Imperial Majesty as soon as you can.”

Shang Xi responded, “Perhaps it’d be best if the young master went to talk to Her Imperial Majesty himself. Words from a simple servant like myself… I don’t know if Her Imperial Majesty has the mind to listen.”

“I don’t know how much my words would mean either,” Luo Wei said, “I’ll ask my father to come to the palace tomorrow and visit her. Don’t worry too much about this, mister, go back and attend well to our empress.” Luo Wei spoke as he tucked a banknote(1) into the eunuch’s pocket. He didn’t want to go and see Luo Zhi Yi today. Luo Wei was honestly afraid that if he saw the empress, he might not be able to hold back his anger. The empress and the crown prince, both mother and son, were good enough people, but how laughable!

FOOTNOTES:

1. banknote – A historical version of currency in historical China, literally translated as “silver ticket”, which stands for a certain amount of silver. People are able to take these paper tickets to banks and cash out the amount of silver indicated, or give them to others as payment.