15 years ago
The capital was a busy place. One can always spend the entire day in the capital, and still left with a lot of things to explore. It was an enticing place for Xiao Song who hailed from Shen province where food were scarce and drought occurred frequently.
However exploring the capital was not his intention . In fact, it was far from it. Xiao Song was sent by his father to the capital as their family representative to seek audience with His Majesty. Shen province was located at the south of Tang empire. It was a warm place that had always facing almost year long drought that caused food shortage and limited crops yield.
His father, the duke of Shen province was a sickly, elderly man. Hence, the burden of managing the province was placed on Xiao Song's - the oldest son- shoulder. He was chosen by his father to seek help from the emperor.
"Would His Majesty help us father?" Xiao Song asked his father when he was first instructed to go to the capital. "I heard numerous unpleasant stories about him from the palace"
His father was clicking his tongue as he listened to his son's protest. He chided his son's resentment tone while talking about the esteemed emperor.
"Why don't we try first? We will never know if we have not put any effort in realizing it" he tried to coax his son. With a heavy heart, Xiao Song and his younger brother Xiao Zhan, embarked on a horrendous three days journey to the capital.
Similar to the trip, requesting an audience with the emperor was not as easy as a walk in a park either. They had to wait for almost a month to get the permission to meet the emperor.
Once he stood in front of the man who hold the biggest power in the entire empire, the young and inexperienced Xiao Song could not help but to unknowingly reveal his loath and resentment toward the emperor openly.
The gaunt looking old man was reek of alcohol. His eyes were red and he speech was slurred during their entire conversation. It seemed that he did not really have his mind on the issue that Xiao Song was presenting as he was busy eating grape from his concubine's fingers.
'Bringing a woman while receiving official audience is unacceptable'.
Xiao Song found it difficult to believe that the despicable emperor was once his father's best friend. Or that his father was one of his loyal supporters. Rumors had it that the emperor had all ministers in the court favoring him over other princes when he was appointed as the crown prince.
Xiao Song is lucky as he is currently in position where the emperor could not see his facial expression. However, an experience politician would know how Xiao Song felt about him when they heard the tone of voice that he used while addressing the problems that the people in Shen Province was facing to the emperor just now.
After a brief silence, the emperor instructed the eunuch to inform the finance ministers to prepare a large sum of financial aid specifically for Shen province. He also particularly addressed that the aid should be covering both long term help that encompass several aspect to combat the drought, and the short term help such as food and medicine. He then motioned for everyone in the room to leave both of them alone in the royal court..
Xiao Song was quite surprised to witness how thorough and thoughtful the emperor was in offering solution for the issue that he presented to him a few minutes ago. He was imagining that the emperor would dismiss him without any second thoughts as he was appeared to be half intoxicated on the throne.
"Were you surprised?" the emperor questioned the young man.
Being caught red handed was the most humiliating thing could happen to a man. What more, by an emperor to boot. Xiao Song was flustered for a while before he managed to compose himself.
"This subject seek mercy from Your Majesty" he then proceed to prostrate on the floor.
His respond evoke a hearty laughter from the emperor. He appeared to be genuinely amused by his honest response.
" Ahahahahahaha!!! You really resembled my good friend when he was young . That righteous man was the easiest open book to be read. You may want to learn a bit here and there on how to conceal your emotion by using the right facial expression " He suggested.
" My father…..?"
"Yes. Your father ,was my one and only good friends. But birds with good feathers flock together and unfortunately your father and I were not cut out from the same clothes." his eyes were gazing affectionately to Xiao Song.
" He left my side as soon as he realized that I was a goner case. That I was nothing but a mentally unstable emperor who would rather dwelling in booze and women than facing a court filled with the equally disgusting ministers" he chuckled.
"Your father was never meant for politics. He was a too pure to even rub shoulder with the lots of us in the capital. Therefore, he decided to quit politic and resettled quietly at Shen province. I never heard from him anymore until today"
" My father never told me about this"
"Of course. Who'd wanted to associate themselves with this despicable emperor!" He exclaimed gleefully. It appeared that the emperor knew very well about the gossip that had been circulating around the country. He knew about them and did not mind that it was spread even to the end of the country. After all, it was the truth!
Xiao Song, however, flinched at the word 'despicable' that was uttered by the emperor. That was Xiao Song's first impression toward the emperor and he hit the right spot.
Xiao Song had always wonder, why his righteous father always defending the emperor and forbid him from badmouthing him. It turned out that the emperor was not entirely an incompetent emperor. The way he was addressing the needs to carefully laying out aids to Shen province was a proof that he was - at least- had a good mind on his shoulder. Was the stories about his revolting character was merely a baseless rumors?
"It was not a rumors"
"Er…pardon me Your Majesty?"
"All the talks about me wasting the taxpayer money on booze and women were not not rumors. It is the truth and I am not particularly proud of it." He turned his head to the side, gazing at the beautifully decorated wall. His face shown an inscrutable expression.
"Then, If I may be so bold, may this lowly subject asked the esteemed emperor on why did you choose this route?"
The emperor turned his head toward the intrepid young man who was bowing in front of him. Given any other person, he or she would definitely lost their head after they uttered the question. However, this is his beloved friend's son. His face, his voice and his manner reminded the emperor of his beloved friends who was also his distant relative.
"Young man, listen up. People changed. I was no longer the idealistic 18 year old crown prince. The 20 year old me was also different from my 58 year old current self. Things happen along the way and I turned out into this repugnant state. It was not my choice to end up disappointing a lot of people. Especially your father" he spread out both of his arm wide open.
"If I were you…." The unassuming Xiao Song suddenly interjected. This sudden interruption made the emperor to focus on him keenly.
".…If I were you, no matter what happen, I would not disappoint people who had been rooting for me. I would not disappoint my loved ones. I would fight till I find the way to righted the situation!" a glimmer of determination and bravery shone from his eyes. The emperor was momentarily stunned to see this intrepid young man spouting the exact same thing he used to say a long time ago. For a brief moment, the royal court was eerily quite as both of them were too shocked with the dauntless statement. Even Xiao Song himself was mentally slapping himself for being making an audacious criticism toward the emperor.
" How long you are going to be here?" The emperor's frail voice broke the silence.
"Ahhh….. er..now that we had acquire the aid, I will depart from the capital on the day after tomorrow"
"Stay here"
"Huh….??"
"I said stay here. I would send a messenger back to your father explaining about this. I would like to enjoy your company for a while. I lost my two sons already and my crown prince was as useful as a wall. I need to interact with someone with a good brain like yours" He explained nonchalantly.
The rest of the day went quite blurry for Xiao Song. The conservation ended there as the emperor retreat back to his place to take his afternoon nap.
As Xiao Song strolled along an alleyway after the meeting in the palace, he stumbled upon his younger brother who perusing something in front of accessory stall.
"Xiao Zhan, what are you doing here?" He called out for his brother.
Looking as if he was caught trying to steal a hairband in his hand, his younger brother's face went pale. He was rendered immobile while held tightly onto the colourful hairband. Amused with his reaction, Xiao Song snatched the hairband from his brother's hand.
"You're buying a hairband? For whom?" He was gleefully teasing his younger brother. Xiao Zhan's face went as red as a tomato. He tried to seize back the hairband but to no avail . The taller Xiao Song naughtily raise his hand that was holding the hairband away from Xia Zhan flailing hands.
"Give me back"
"Tell me to whom you intended to give this hairband to"
"I'm not going to tell you!" Xiao Zhan shouted at his brother loudly. Everyone was looking at them, attentively, expecting Xiao Song to retaliate. This caused him (Xiao Song) to feel embarrass for being childish in the middle of the street. He had never seen his meek younger brother reacted this strongly toward his harmless joke. Seems like Xiao Song had crossed the line today.
"I'm sorry" he apologized as he put the hairband back into Xiao Zhan's trembling hand. His brother was breathing heavily trying to content his anger. He grabbed the hairband and proceed to pay the money to the stall owner. Without saying anything to Xiao Song, he left his older brother who was still standing at the same spot.
Xiao Song had no intention to follow after his younger brother. He had done something horrible to him and they needed the space to cool themselves off. He lowered his face while thinking about his original plan coming to this street.
He was initially planning to have lunch together with his brother but now he had to have lunch alone as there is no way Xiao Zhan would want to eat with him after the incident.
A tap on his shoulder startled him . Xiao Song turned around and was surprised to see a familiar face smiling at him.
"Lu Zheng!" Xiao Song was astonished. To find a familiar face in the sea of strangers was a blessing to him.
"Xiao Song" the man greeted him.
"What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here? I lived in the capital. Well, what are YOU doing here?"
" I was sent by my father to the capital to meet the emperor. It was a long story and I'm quite hungry. Let's find a place to eat. I'll tell you everything once we have finished our lunch." Xiao Song was rubbing his stomach gesturing how hungry he was.
Upon hearing the invitation, Lu Zheng, the good friend of him, insisted to have their lunch at the most popular tea house in the capital. Xiao Song refused as he did not have that much money to spend on a lunch in such an expensive tea house . Lu Zheng offered to pay their lunch, but the honest Xiao Song - as expected - decline the offer.
Finally, Lu Zheng had to came up with a scheme to get his best friend to the tea house.
"Hear me out. Why don't you come to my house tomorrow and help me to broil new medicines. That way, you are paying back the cost of today's lunch". He offered a solution. After mulling over for a while, Xiao Song finally accepted the offer.