Chapter 43 A Silent Move

In the Taiji Hall of the Luoyang Palace, all the dignitaries had gathered.

Emperor Cao Huan sat upon the dragon throne, keeping a stern and expressionless face. The atmosphere within the grand hall was solemn and chillingly severe.

"The Great General has rendered meritorious service to the state. He is now enfeoffed as the Duke of Jin, granted the Nine Bestowals, and advanced to the rank of Chancellor.

Present him with the robe of the Duke of Jin and the seal of the Chancellor."

A eunuch's shrill voice rang out, echoing through the vast hall.

Two junior eunuchs carried wooden trays bearing the robe and the Chancellor's seal, presenting them before Sima Zhao.

"I thank Your Majesty for this gracious bestowal."

Sima Zhao took the wooden trays and departed from the Taiji Hall, carrying them just like that. In the plaza outside the hall stood a carriage, guarded by dozens of armored sentries.

The Nine Bestowals included: a chariot and horses, official robes, a set of ritual music instruments, red-lacquered gates, rising steps, tiger-guarded guards, battle axes and halberds, bows and arrows, and black-millet fragrant wine.

The chariot and horses were right before his eyes, the tiger-guarded guards stood by his flanks, and whatever else could fit into a carriage was loaded accordingly. As for things like "red-lacquered gates"—which required painting the doors of one's own mansion bright red—they naturally could not be demonstrated here.

A smug smile broke out on Sima Zhao's face. He handed the trays in his hands to an attending servant and leisurely climbed into the carriage.

Upon returning to the Grand General's Mansion, he had someone invite Yang Huiyu to the study. The moment they met, Sima Zhao said to her, "Sister-in-law, today I was enfeoffed as the Duke of Jin, granted the Nine Bestowals, and advanced to the rank of Chancellor!"

He looked exceedingly excited, tinged with no small amount of self-satisfaction. Yet Yang Huiyu merely replied with calm detachment, "Then I offer my congratulations to the Duke of Jin."

"Sister-in-law, are you not happy?"

Sima Zhao asked, frowning slightly.

"Happy, of course I am happy."

Yang Huiyu forced a smile, speaking insincerely; she did not care in the slightest about what Sima Zhao had just announced.

"Sister-in-law, now I am the Duke of Jin, and in the future, I shall be the Emperor!

I can confer upon you the title of Imperial Noble Consort! From then on, we shall truly be family!"

Sima Zhao reached out to grasp Yang Huiyu's sleeve, but she deftly shook him off, his hand grasping only empty air.

"Sister-in-law, over these past years you have truly... suffered. In the future, you will no longer need to endure such hardship."

Sima Zhao refused to give up. He stared intently at Yang Huiyu's face, his expression a mix of sentimentality, heartache, a trace of greed, and a desire for possession.

Naturally, this was not out of burning impatience to bed her immediately, but rather to resolve the issue concerning Sima You's true lineage. Once this hidden trouble was settled, the next generation of the Sima family—and even the generation after that—could successfully inherit the legacy!

"Great General, let me speak plainly.

A long time ago, I indeed harbored the thought that it would have been wonderful if I had married you back then, sparing myself from having my youth delayed by your elder brother.

Yet twenty years have flashed by, matters have turned out as they have, and everything is in the past. Those former thoughts have become utterly negligible.

You understand this, Wang Yuanji understands this, and I understand it too.

Bringing this out into the open today is also a way of expressing my gratitude to the Great General. However, those deluded thoughts belong to a bygone era, and there is no need to speak of them further.

From now on, there is no need to mention them again."

Yang Huiyu showed no mercy. She finally pierced that layer of window paper, exposing the regret buried deep within Sima Zhao's heart that he could never voice to a living soul.

In truth, she had known everything all along, and in the past, she had continuously utilized Sima Zhao's secret affections to secure benefits for her younger brother, Yang Hu.

"Sister-in-law, over the years you have truly helped me a great deal. I had no wish to kill Cao Mao, but he died all the same, leaving me no choice but to conquer Shu to establish my achievements.

If I can ascend the throne in the future, I will at least grant you the title of Imperial Noble Consort.

Putting everything else aside, I merely want to give you this status—is even that unacceptable?"

Sima Zhao stepped forward with a degree of agitation, but Yang Huiyu retreated three steps in succession, maintaining her distance. Her attitude was resolute, leaving no opening for Sima Zhao to harbor any illusions.

"Take good care of yourself, Great General. I have no desire to be any Imperial Noble Consort.

Such matters are best discussed with Wang Yuanji; the position of Empress is rightfully hers."

Yang Huiyu said coldly, her heart now as still as stagnant water. She turned directly and walked out of the study.

Her purpose in coming here today was to make a clean break with Sima Zhao so that her mind and heart would forever remain clear and unburdened.

Yang Huiyu had always understood that the reason Yang Hu was able to continuously rise through the official ranks was not entirely due to the influence of the Yang clan.

It was also because Sima Zhao had always harbored a complex web of feelings toward her—his widowed sister-in-law—a mixture of familial affection, romantic longing, and raw desire. Yet, unable to commit an act that violated human ethics, he had chosen to compensate Yang Huiyu in this manner.

Of course, far more important than this was the issue surrounding Sima攸 (Sima You)—that was the greatest pain in Sima Zhao's heart! The identity of Yang Huiyu as his step-sister-in-law made Sima Zhao feel immensely ill at ease; that connection had to be erased!

With everything spoken aloud, this malformed relationship came to an end today.

Although Yang Huiyu would lose a great deal—at the very least, she would no longer be able to use Sima Zhao to advance her own affairs as she had in the past—she felt that... it was all worth it.

***

Deep in her heart, Yang Huiyu thought: *I have already been molded into the shape belonging to Master Shi. What use is it for Sima Zhao to speak in such roundabout ways now? I care nothing for it.*

***

A few days later, Sima Zhao sent someone to deliver an invitation to Yang Huiyu, stating that the Grand General's Mansion was hosting a celebration banquet and requesting that she and Taichang Yang Dan attend together.

However, Yang Dan came, but Yang Huiyu did not show up, leaving Sima Zhao deeply disappointed.

Today, he had prepared everything, intending to invite Yang Huiyu to drink wine in the study of the Grand General's Mansion. He had planned to find a way to dismiss Yang Dan, figuring that once the wine had made them slightly intoxicated, he could pull that stunningly beautiful and youthful sister-in-law into his arms and dote on her.

Sima Zhao's heart burned with anticipation; if he could win her over, it would settle a lingering matter in his mind, and Sima You's problem could be conveniently resolved along the way. Yet, in the end, the person who arrived was not Yang Huiyu, but his principal wife, Wang Yuanji.

After Yang Dan left, Sima Zhao and Wang Yuanji had quarreled fiercely. Wang Yuanji had flicked her sleeves and stormed out, leaving Sima Zhao in a state of extreme depression.

When night fell, Sima Zhao returned home in low spirits, only to find his wife, Wang Yuanji, trimming the flowerbeds in the courtyard upon entering the gates.

Sima Zhao forced a smile and said, "The servants can easily tend to the flowerbeds. What is the point of you bustling about here in the dead of night?"

"Hmph, I merely felt these flowers were somewhat an eyesore and wished to prune them."

Wang Yuanji replied indifferently, her words laden with sarcasm. With a sharp snap of the scissors in her hand, she snipped off a flower.

Sima Zhao let out a dry, awkward laugh and scurried back to his study, feeling rather guilty.

Although nothing had actually happened that day, and Sima Zhao hadn't even caught a glimpse of Yang Huiyu, his petty little schemes had been seen through completely by his wife, Wang Yuanji.

Of course, since nothing untoward had transpired, and after their fierce argument, Wang Yuanji's anger had largely subsided.

***

The night grew deep, yet the courtyard of Shi Shouxin's residence in the suburbs of Luoyang remained brightly lit.

House servants were busy in the courtyard preparing materials for papermaking, while Housekeeper Aunt Wu supervised the work, instructing the servants on how to sort, pick through, and box the crucial ingredients.

Tomorrow, a fresh vat of pure white paper would be produced.

Their family's papermaking workshop operated on a principle of "hunger marketing"—they produced only a fixed amount each month, and buyers could take it or leave it. Because this paper was uniformly snow-white, it remained in constant high demand, outstripping supply.

In the study, Li Wan, who had just coaxed the children to sleep, was organizing her husband Shi Shouxin's manuscripts, notes, and writings.

Suddenly, Aunt Wu led a young woman into the room. Li Wan looked closely and was startled to discover that it was Xu Ying, Yang Huiyu's personal maid!

"Lady Xu, why have you come at such a late hour? My husband is not at home, so you have made a wasted trip."

Li Wan teased with a smile, evidently in high spirits.

Xu Ying walked forward with a solemn expression and whispered a few words into Li Wan's ear. Upon hearing what she had to say, Li Wan nodded and silently retreated into the bedchamber.

A short while later, Yang Huiyu walked lightly into the bedchamber, draped in a heavy black cloak and wearing a wide-brimbed hat to obscure her appearance. She unfastened the cloak and removed the hat, her dark hair cascading freely over her shoulders, a faint smile gracing her lips.

Wearing no makeup and dressed in simple, unadorned robes, she still possessed an extraordinary and captivating charm.

"Please sit, Lady Yu."

Li Wan invited Yang Huiyu to be seated.

"Ah, I apologize for disturbing you tonight, but circumstances left me with no alternative."

Yang Huiyu sat down and let out a gentle sigh.

"Think nothing of it. You may stay here tonight, and no one will come to disturb you."

Li Wan nodded, not minding in the least. Although there was still a lingering sense of awkwardness between them, they both knew there was no malice whatsoever.

Li Wan ladled a bowl of their household's home-brewed sweet rice wine for Yang Huiyu. Yang Huiyu did not stand on ceremony; she finished it in one breath, and even drank another half-bowl before stopping.

"Tomorrow I shall return to my maiden home in Yan Province. I will no longer stay in this cesspool of right and wrong that is Luoyang, and in the future, I shall likely reside in Taishan Commandery."

Yang Huiyu shook her head helplessly, a bitter smile on her face.

"Has something happened?"

Li Wan asked with a puzzled expression.

She knew very well that, given the status of this "widow of Sima Shi," there were very few people in the entire city of Luoyang who could truly threaten her—so few that they could be counted on a single hand.

"After the Great General was enfeoffed as the Duke of Jin, his grand enterprise was achieved, and he no longer has any reason to hold back. He harbors improper desires toward me, and I fear he will soon make a move. I cannot escape him, so I intend to return to my maiden family to avoid this disaster."

Yang Huiyu did not hide the truth from Li Wan, stating directly why she was in such a rush to leave.

Hearing this, Li Wan turned pale with shock. Was such a deep secret something that a humble woman like her was even permitted to know?

Li Wan looked Yang Huiyu up and down, thinking that this widow of the Sima family... was truly extraordinarily alluring!

Her charm had not faded in the slightest; no wonder that old fogey Sima Zhao had also begun harboring crooked ideas.

A string of muttered thoughts ran through Li Wan's mind.

***

"Previously, Sima Zhao still cared somewhat for appearances, but after I broke completely with him a few days ago, he grew somewhat exasperated out of shame.

If the campaign against Shu had failed, it would have been one thing, but now news of the victory has reached Luoyang. With Sima Zhao enfeoffed as the Duke of Jin and his grand enterprise accomplished, he no longer intends to keep up pretenses.

Since he is someone destined to ascend the throne, naturally he cares nothing for conventional morality. Since ancient times, noble households have always been rife with scandal and strife.

The matter involving Xu Ying is merely a drop in the ocean."

Yang Huiyu said in a heavy tone.

Li Wan did not dispute this assertion.

For people of such high power and status, anything was permissible; the only question was whether they *could* do it, not whether they *wanted* to.

Just like the incident Shi Shouxin had encountered while on official business at the Lü family estate, where the newlywed sister-in-law Xu Ying had almost been forcibly seduced by her own brother-in-law, right under her husband's nose.

Such sordid affairs in wealthy and influential households were dime a dozen.

"What Lady Yu says is entirely true. As long as you return to your maiden family to avoid this calamity, Sima Zhao has so many affairs to attend to that if things prove too troublesome, his desires will likely fade."

Li Wan concurred with Yang Huiyu's perspective.

A younger brother's coveting of his elder brother's wife stemmed from the fact that she was "the possession of a powerful elder brother."

Furthermore, Yang Huiyu was Wang Yuanji's close friend, distant cousin, and Sima You's stepmother.

To Sima Zhao, Yang Huiyu's identity was plastered with all sorts of ambiguous, romantic labels. Pulling back just one of those labels could yield a full family ethics drama, and the sheer level of scandalous entanglement one could imagine was staggering.

Sima Zhao was no longer young; most of the time, these impulses arose from a passing whim of excitement or a desire to satisfy certain hidden delusions.

If Yang Huiyu continued to reside in Luoyang, basking in the triumphant euphoria of the victory over Shu, Sima Zhao might well dispatch someone to summon this stunning sister-in-law to his study for wine, and then, emboldened by alcohol, seize the opportunity to strip her bare and carry her to bed.

The probability of that happening was exceedingly high.

However, to formally dispatch people on a journey of a thousand miles to Yan Province's Taishan Commandery, and under the watchful eyes of the entire Yang clan, drag Yang Huiyu back to the Grand General's Mansion to be ravished—that was absolute fantasy.

To be frank, it simply wasn't worth the trouble for him.

Of course, once Sima Zhao officially ascended the throne as Emperor, he could play however he pleased; he might even officially incorporate Yang Huiyu into his inner palace. But that would be a story for another day.

"There are some things I wish to say to you."

Yang Huiyu suddenly looked at Li Wan with a solemn expression.

"Your husband, Shi Shouxin, is upright, public-spirited, chivalrous, and exceptionally capable. I hold him in high regard."

As soon as Yang Huiyu spoke, she nearly frightened Li Wan half to death.

Looking at the honest and kind-hearted Li Wan before her, Yang Huiyu sighed inwardly: *Master Shi has truly found a fine wife. No wonder this woman remains so firmly fixed in Sima Yan's thoughts.*

Seemingly concerned about being misunderstood, Yang Huiyu continued, "As a woman, and the widow of Sima Shi, my actual circumstances in both my maiden and marital families are perilous indeed. Your husband is my right hand—or rather, a person I deeply trust. You come from an official background; do you understand what I mean?"

It sounded like she understood, yet it also sounded like she didn't.

Li Wan nodded non-committally.

"For instance, if the Sima clan wishes to force me to remarry, how should I conduct myself? If the members of the Yang clan pressure me to remarry, how should I respond? As a woman, it is inconvenient for me to show my face in public; I need capable people at my disposal. Do you understand now?"

Yang Huiyu explained further.

At this, Li Wan understood completely!

Just as Yang Hu had once pulled Shi Shouxin out of a prison cell upon the commission of Li Wan's father, Li Yin.

In other words, there were matters that Li Yin was unsuited to handle personally, so he could entrust them to someone else.

If one were to set aside Yang Huiyu's gender and view her as a political entity aligned with the Sima family, then her previous words became crystal clear.

"So that is why you recommended my husband to participate in the campaign against Shu to gain military merits, is it not?"

Li Wan finally came to her senses.

"Precisely."

Yang Huiyu nodded. She disliked speaking with fools, and fortunately, the wife of Shi Shouxin sitting opposite her was far from dull.

"After your husband returns to Luoyang, I will arrange for him to be posted outside to Yan Province to avoid this disaster. Naturally, you will accompany him to Yan Province as well; I will not allow husband and wife to be separated."

Only then did Yang Huiyu reveal her ultimate plan. Had it not been for this matter, she would never have needed to lodge here for the night.