Ruan Jinyu gave a wry, frustrated laugh, though he allowed no trace of his inner turmoil to reach his face. He had listened to Shen Changlang’s ramblings, but he was used to letting such noise drift past his ears. What truly exasperated him was the man himself.
“They say the great Commander Shen is a thousand-cup drinker who never gets drunk. You’re clearly in your right mind, so why are you trying to play me?”
He didn’t quite believe that this small amount of wine could truly topple Shen Changlang, despite the crimson flush creeping up the Commander’s neck.
Shen Changlang dangled half a jar of wine between two fingers, managing to point a spare index finger at Ruan Jinyu with a lopsided grin. “Who’s playing you? Honestly, drinking with you is a bore. General Xue… now, he knows how to drink.”
“But General Xue is far too cold,” Shen continued, his thoughts jumping tracks. “I… I can’t compare to him.”
Ruan Jinyu had always known that General Xue enjoyed a stellar reputation, which was only natural. Yet it was surprising to see that even among the bickering ministers, the General was held in such high regard. For a man like Shen Changlang—a prideful warrior—to openly admit “I am not his equal” was no small feat.
Ruan Jinyu offered no reply. He finished his own cup; he was not a man for excess, and since Shen had invited him, they had mostly been drinking in their own separate worlds.
“Commander Shen, the Right Prime Minister requests your presence.”
A young attendant had arrived. Even after delivering the message, he didn’t leave, clearly under orders to wait and escort the Commander. It seemed the Right Prime Minister had made this a mandatory summons.
The court was held together by the two Prime Ministers, Left and Right. The Left Prime Minister’s fame currently eclipsed the entire court; he had been a staunch supporter of Prince Xian since the latter was the Crown Prince, and he made no effort to hide it.
The Right Prime Minister held less power than his counterpart, but he was still one of the two pillars of the civil administration. He had avoided blatant factionalism until the new Emperor took the throne, at which point he had begun to draw closer to the Empress Dowager. Since he had family ties to the Empress Dowager’s clan, the shift was considered reasonable. He wasn’t known for power-grabbing, and aside from his royal connections, he kept to himself.
Hearing the title “Right Prime Minister,” Ruan Jinyu’s mind immediately connected the dots. The Empress Dowager had sought him out regarding the military power of the Imperial Guards; if the Right Prime Minister was calling for Shen now, the two matters were undoubtedly linked.
Shen Changlang, however, gave no face to the summons. “I’m not going. Go back and tell your master that I am currently overwhelmed with duties. I’ll find time to offer my apologies once we return to the palace.”
He was using the Sovereign’s authority as a shield to reject the Prime Minister without so much as a meeting. The attendant looked distraught, unwilling to return empty-handed and face the consequences of a failed mission. He bowed lower; his hands clasped. “Commander Shen, my master truly wishes to see you. I hope…”
“I said I’m not going!” Shen’s face was now a deeper shade of red. He waved his wine jar, cutting the boy off.
Ruan Jinyu watched this play out, unsure if Shen was truly drunk or merely using the alcohol as an excuse to be blunt. He lowered his eyelids, his mind racing. He set his cup down firmly. “I must admit, I am curious about your relationship with the Right Prime Minister.”
Seeing Shen’s absolute refusal, the attendant looked ready to weep. He was about to retreat in despair when another voice pulled him back.
“It is hard on you,” Ruan Jinyu said softly to the boy. “It just so happens that the Prime Minister invited me for tea and a chat some time ago, and I never found the right moment. If he is free now, perhaps I could pay him a visit?”
The attendant’s sorrow vanished, replaced by a surge of relief. With the Imperial Preceptor there, he wouldn’t be returning in total failure. He couldn’t hide the joy on his face.
Ruan Jinyu rose from his seat, intending to follow the boy. Shen Changlang let out a long, heavy sigh and tossed his wine jar aside. “Fine. I’ll go.”
He stood up as well. “You just love sticking your nose into everything, don’t you? Think you’re so capable.”
Ruan Jinyu watched Shen stride past him. “I wasn’t trying to be difficult,” he said with a straight face. “It’s not such a monumental matter.”
The Right Prime Minister was staying in the temporary palace quarters. The attendant led them there, his worries now completely vanished.
Ruan Jinyu hadn’t originally intended to enter the hall with Shen, but given Shen’s current state, he was afraid the Commander might reach the door and simply turn around and bolt. Helplessly, he followed him inside.
The Right Prime Minister was clearly surprised to see Ruan Jinyu but said nothing of it. “This is my son. I believe you have both met, so I shall dispense with the introductions,” he said, indicating the young man standing beside him.
Ruan Jinyu had noticed the younger man immediately; he looked enough like the Prime Minister for the relationship to be obvious. Ruan Jinyu had likely seen him before, but they had never had reason to interact. He had heard the son was quite talented, and it was no surprise he was attending the hunt.
Ruan Jinyu offered a polite nod to the young man—Zhou Tianshu—but then noticed something odd. Shen Changlang hadn’t looked at the son once. He had paid his respects to the Prime Minister and nothing more.
Do they have a grudge? Ruan Jinyu wondered. Shen’s attitude was far from pleasant. His face had stiffened, and he skipped all pleasantries. “The Prime Minister sought me out. What is the matter?”
The Right Prime Minister remained warm and composed, offering a deep smile. He glanced at his son. “Commander Shen, it has been some time since our last meeting. My son happened to join the hunt today, and I thought it was only right for him to see you.”
Shen Changlang gave a laugh that held no warmth. “Is the Prime Minister speaking for him, or for yourself?”
The words were sharp and lacked any shred of goodwill. Shen seemed to grow more irritated by the second. He suddenly stood up from the seat he had just taken, ready to leave.
“The Empress Dowager,” the Prime Minister said, his voice softening and losing its formal edge as he ignored the snub. “I truly wish to speak with you today.”
“The Empress Dowager has long been concerned with my son’s marriage. Now that she knows of the… connection… between my son and your elder sister, she has told me herself that she does not care for differences in family status.”
At the mention of his sister, Shen Changlang’s face fell completely. He didn’t want to stay for another second. He turned to the door.
“I have given my consent!” the Prime Minister called out.
At this, Shen Changlang lost his control. He spun around and marched back to the center of the hall, stopping right in front of the Prime Minister. His brow was furrowed in fury. “Who do you think my sister is? I don’t need your consent!”
Shen usually lacked decorum, but it was rare to see him this genuinely enraged—so angry he didn’t care whom he was speaking to.
The Right Prime Minister watched him calmly. “And what does your sister think?”
Before Shen could answer, Zhou Tianshu stepped forward. “Regardless of anything else, you know your sister and I are of one heart. You know this.”
“Is that not so?”
Perhaps the Empress Dowager had instructed them, or perhaps Shen’s blunt nature made them feel they didn’t need to hide, but neither the Prime Minister nor his son made any effort to exclude Ruan Jinyu from the conversation.
Ruan Jinyu had heard enough to piece it together. Shen Changlang had dealt with the Right Prime Minister before because of his sister. Everyone knew Shen’s background was simple; he was a village boy who had fought his way up. He had only one relative: an elder sister who had raised him. Now, it seemed his sister and Zhou Tianshu were “of one heart.”
Looking at Shen’s reaction, Ruan Jinyu knew it wasn’t that simple. Zhou Tianshu was the only son of a powerful family with ties to the Empress Dowager. Compared to Shen’s sister, the gap in status was a chasm. Now, the Prime Minister was claiming he would grant her the title of “primary wife,” and he had used the Empress Dowager’s name to seal the deal.
Ruan Jinyu understood now. The Empress Dowager was going to great lengths to secure the military power of the guards. He felt a pang of guilt; if he had known this was the situation, he never would have persuaded Shen to come. He had effectively led Shen into a trap.
He let out a laugh that sounded jarringly out of place in the tense hall. “The one discussing marriage is the sister of the Shen house, not the great Commander Shen.”
“Prime Minister, I fear I am a bit too intoxicated to think clearly,” Ruan Jinyu said, rising and walking to the center of the hall. His expression was serious. “Commander Shen has also had too much to drink. Discussing matters now might lead to mistakes. Perhaps I should take the Commander back to sleep it off? We can talk another day.”