Chapter Ten: A Visit

The Empress’s gaze narrowed slightly, but what followed was not severity, but a glimmer of maternal warmth. She was truly more than satisfied with this nephew who had just returned home.

"Command the Hundred-Rider Division to dispatch thirty armored men to accompany you," she paused, then added, "You have the authority to act as you see fit."

The fish-tally, which granted command over the Hundred-Rider Division, had been delivered to Wu An’s hand the previous night. The Empress had no fear that he would be unable to command his subordinates, yet she still felt a touch of concern: "The Hundred-Riders are the imperial bodyguards, mostly men of great valor. You must lead them with caution."

"I understand."

The Empress nodded slightly and gestured toward the outside. "Go tell him what you are about to do."

A sense of irony washed over Wu An—it felt like a soldier ordering a war dog to bite someone. This was the result of both sides "skipping the formalities" entirely. Having bypassed the cumbersome steps of recruiting talent, the polite exchanges, and the subtle hints, all that remained was a simple, mechanical process: deliver the merit, and the reward is spat out. The situation is here, the target is here; if you can resolve the former, I will give you the spoils.

Wu An stood up and bowed once more. The Empress tapped her desk lightly and said calmly, "Bestow the armor."

A soft sound of footsteps echoed nearby. Several palace servants lifted a massive tray, upon which lay a complete set of heavy armor. As Wu An prepared to move, Shangguan Wan'er passed by him, reached the tray, and struggled to lift the armor, intending to help him don it.

A sharp glint flashed in Wu An’s eyes when he saw the gear. He walked over and gently pushed Shangguan Wan'er aside. His fingers brushed across the cold plates of steel, a flicker of obsession in his gaze, and then he began to don the armor with practiced ease.

During his six months of service in Hexi, unless under special circumstances, soldiers were rarely allowed to keep their armor and weapons at hand. Only when a campaign began would the central command order the armories opened to distribute them. When the banners were furled and the men donned their iron, it meant they would fight to the death.

To don armor... was to kill.

Once Wu An was fully armored, the honest, simple-hearted aura he had previously exuded vanished completely. Light spilled through the window onto the surface of the armor, casting a cold, metallic sheen. His broad shoulders and sturdy frame supported the weight of the armor perfectly.

Shangguan Wan'er watched him in silence, a sudden chill creeping into her heart as she recalled the rumors she had heard. Wu An flexed his wrists, took his helmet from a servant, and as he turned to leave the hall, the Empress spoke from behind him:

"Commandant of the Valiant and Determined."

"I am here."

"What is your surname?"

"My surname is Wu." Wu An’s voice was sharper than ever.

...

"Absurd... simply absurd! Have you palace slaves forgotten your own surnames?" Hao Chujun stared at the old eunuch, saying in a deep voice, "I shall not leave until I see the Sage."

He had served in the court for decades, having witnessed the golden age of Emperor Taizong's reign, and now suffered the sorrow of seeing the current Emperor so frail that he allowed a mere Empress to share the mandate of the empire. Hao Chujun believed he represented the wisest and most orthodox line of officials in the Great Tang—men who were loyal to the throne from beginning to end and would never bow to a mere woman.

The old eunuch remained unruffled, repeating mechanically, "His Majesty’s migraine returned yesterday; he is currently consulting with eminent physicians. If the Left Chancellor truly wishes to see him, he must wait until tomorrow or the day after."

Standing before the Empress’s hall and shouting to see the Emperor—even for a man as esteemed as the Left Chancellor, such behavior was inappropriate. Hao Chujun’s brow furrowed deeper. Several officials beside him shouted sternly:

"You castrated slave, how dare you be so insolent to the Left Chancellor!"

"Tomorrow we shall submit a memorial to the Three Departments; let us see if the rules of this court were written by the likes of you eunuchs!"

One official, overcome with rage, even rolled up his sleeves and climbed the steps, intending to strike the old eunuch. Fortunately, the armored guards nearby were quick to intervene and block him.

The old eunuch watched their chaotic bickering with a serene expression. Suddenly, his ears twitched as he heard movement behind him. The sound of clashing scale armor accompanied by heavy footsteps echoed out. A moment later, a shadow loomed over the top of the high stairs.

Hao Chujun stared blankly at the figure above, his aged face filled with astonishment. "She... how could she, a woman, be so audacious?"

Watching the high-ranking officials in purple robes fall silent below, a flash of satisfaction crossed Wu An’s mind. He began to understand one thing: the current Empress possessed power enough to be considered "one of the two Sages."

Wu An took the silver fish-tally from his waist and held it high: "Hundred-Rider Division, take heed!"

In an instant, the hundred-plus armored men in the courtyard turned to face the sturdy figure on the steps, raising their hands in a formal salute.

"By the Empress’s command, open the imperial stables, mobilize thirty armored men from the palace, and follow me to carry out an assignment!"

Wu An gestured casually, and dozens of soldiers immediately stepped out of the ranks to stand before him.

*Clack...*

Wu An walked slowly down the steps, his rhythmic footfalls echoing clearly until he stood once more before Hao Chujun and his group. He looked up at the old man and said softly, "This subordinate greets the Left Chancellor."

Hao Chujun frowned, coldly spitting out one word: "Boor."

He straightened his slightly stooped back, stood with his hands behind his back before the young man in black armor, and said calmly, "Raising falcons and hunting dogs is merely the result of gaining favor in one's youth. When you grow old, you will inevitably face the fate of the 'cooked dog after the rabbit is caught.' However, I am not lecturing you, because a boorish ignoramus like you cannot comprehend what a nation is, nor what true justice for the realm means!"

"The Tibetans have invaded, and one hundred and eighty thousand Tang soldiers are fighting for their lives in Hexi. Yet you, a boor, return to Chang'an at such a time, obsessed with hounding the Tang commander, Li Jingxuan."

Hao Chujun truly carried the demeanor of a gentleman. Setting aside his initial loss of composure, he gradually returned to his usual steady aura and said deeply, "Regardless of your grievances or your intentions, I must tell you this: you are but a common soldier. Li Jingxuan hails from the Zhaojun Li clan; he is a Chancellor of this court and a commander at the frontier. If something happens to him, what will become of the one hundred and eighty thousand soldiers at the border? Who will lead them?"

He waved his long sleeves and shouted angrily, "You came from Hexi yourself! Can you not think of your comrades? Think of what will happen to them if they lose Li Jingxuan!"

"Why can you not just shut up?"

"Why... can you not consider the bigger picture?" Hao Chujun’s voice sounded weary.

"Is this not the simplest of truths?"

"You think I am throwing my weight around, that I am forcing your hand, but I tell you, that is not the case." He stared at the young man, saying earnestly, "Although I am on good terms with Li Jingxuan, today’s actions are not for his sake. I have always known how to separate public duty from private matters!"

Faced with his righteous questioning, Wu An listened without comment, then leaned in slightly closer to Hao Chujun.

Wu An was not angry; he simply said calmly, "I am now going to the Left Chancellor’s estate to search for evidence of treason. I ask that the Left Chancellor lead the way."