16 Somniloquy
“By doing this, will the Xiongnu truly give up?” Shinian sat on the floor of the sleeping chamber, tilting his head upwards to ask.
Liu Che stood by the window with his hands behind his back. Night had fallen, and the imperial palace was quiet, as if the chaos from that afternoon had never occurred. “The Xiongnu need grain, and besides the Great Han court, no one else can supply such a vast amount. They have no other choice but to agree.”
“What if they get angry and throw caution to the wind...?”
“Throw caution to the wind and fight? Impossible. Not to mention that the scuffle this afternoon likely scared Getu and his men. Even without such intimidation, there’s little need to worry. You think only our ministers want war? The Xiongnu nobles don’t want it either. Apart from a very small faction eager for battle, most would rather enjoy the beauties and treasures sent from Han and live comfortably. Especially since they’ve just suffered a disaster recently, they dare not act rashly.”
Shinian suddenly understood. “So, even if they later discover the grain was seized by Han, without absolute confidence, they won't start a war easily—no wonder you dare to use such a tactic without fear of exposure!”
He smiled slyly. “They might already suspect it, but suspicion is useless.”
The man’s expression was so smug, like a cunning fox who has pulled off a trick. Shinian watched him for a moment and wrinkled his nose. “Sly.”
After a brief silence in the chamber, the flickering sound of the candle flame could be heard. Liu Che suddenly said, “Come, let me see.”
Shinian was stunned for a moment, then slightly raised her head upon realizing his meaning. Under the pale yellow light, a few reddish-purple marks were visible on her neck. The imperial physician had already examined them and said it was nothing serious, but he still couldn’t fully relax.
Liu Che leaned forward, his fingertips brushing over her injury. His finger pads bore thin calluses, remnants from horseback archery training. Shinian inhaled softly, noticing his face had darkened. “If it weren’t that I cannot yet openly confront the Xiongnu, I would have that Xiongnu woman die ten times over.”
His grim voice made Shinian shudder. “Why say such terrifying things? I wasn’t really hurt. The imperial physician said it’s just a minor injury.”
He asked, “Did it hurt just now?”
“No...” Shinian’s cheeks flushed slightly, embarrassed to admit it wasn’t pain but itchiness.
He looked at her blushing face, and a sudden warmth surged in his chest. Recalling the afternoon when he saw her trapped by enemies, unable to tell anyone, he had truly felt fear in that moment.
His fingers moved upward, cupping her face gently, thumb brushing over her rosy lips.
Then, he lowered his head, inching closer.
Shinian felt as if spellbound, watching his face come nearer, his breath clearly audible, yet she couldn’t move...
“Hah, it seems I have interrupted the emperor’s private moment.”
Liu Che suddenly turned his head. Not far from the chamber, the Grand Empress Dowager stood holding her cane, smiling coldly.
Shinian snapped awake, thinking, “Oh my god,” and immediately knelt to pay respects. The Grand Empress Dowager paid her no attention. Shinian looked at her expression and knew the events of the day had reached her—this formidable figure of Han’s Cixi had come to reprimand them.
Shinian grew nervous. The Grand Empress Dowager still held great power; if she couldn’t be appeased, even the Xiongnu agreeing to halt the marriage wouldn’t guarantee success.
Liu Che rose calmly. When the Grand Empress Dowager approached, he cupped his hands respectfully. “Grandmother.”
“You still remember I am your grandmother!” The Grand Empress Dowager said, swinging her cane. Made of sandalwood, with a dragon head embedded with gold and jade, the cane was impressively heavy, and when wielded, it whipped the air fiercely. Yet Liu Che did not block it, taking the blow squarely.
The Grand Empress Dowager knew his skill well and did not expect to truly hit him. Seeing his reaction, she was slightly startled. Liu Che grunted but still smiled. “Grandmother, do you feel better after that?”
The Grand Empress Dowager swallowed her anger. She had been resting in the Palace of Eternal Joy all day due to illness and only learned of the upheaval at Weiyang Palace that afternoon after nightfall.
The emperor had declared in front of the Xiongnu envoy the cancellation of the marriage alliance, and the two sides had even fought!
She came in anger, but that cane strike had drained half her momentum. She paced twice before saying, “I know you never wanted this marriage alliance, but have you considered the consequences? Do you truly think your father was weak, your grandfather was weak, and that your grandmother is weak as well?!”
“Your grandson knows well that neither my father nor grandfather were weak, only that the Han was weak then and had to submit to the Xiongnu. But after decades of rest and recovery under grandfather and father, the Great Han is now prosperous and strong, capable of standing against the Xiongnu.”
“Just because you have the strength to fight, does it mean you must fight? Marriage alliances stop wars to ensure border peace and the people’s wellbeing...”
Liu Che interrupted sharply, “Marriage alliances to stop wars? That’s the view of incompetents! Submission and begging for mercy never bring peace; they only make our enemies stronger, until one day they swallow us whole! Does grandmother not understand the danger of nurturing a tiger? Moreover, the Great Han is a mighty empire; why should we fear the Xiongnu barbarians? I am the Son of Heaven of Han and should not beg the Xiongnu. You think sending a princess is just a gift, but in truth, it damages the blood and dignity of our Han men!”
He had never spoken so fiercely. The Grand Empress Dowager wanted to retort but found no words. Liu Che continued, “Today, I acted out of necessity and agreed to provide the Xiongnu with grain. But grandmother, I promise you, one day soon, the one I send to the Xiongnu will not be a princess, nor treasures or grain, but the iron hoof of Han and the thousands of our troops!”
Her grandson’s voice was young and confident. The Grand Empress Dowager suddenly felt dizzy. She recalled decades ago, in the same season, when Xiongnu envoys came to Chang’an, and her usually wise and steady son wept for the first time. He knelt before her, saying, “How I wish that the army, not a princess, would go to the Xiongnu…”
Because the nation was weak, he endured. Now, her grandson had grown up and was ready to fulfill his father’s wish.
Liu Che’s eyes sparkled as if he already saw the day the Han’s iron hoofs would trample the Xiongnu, his voice resolute, “I will show you, the Han people, and the Xiongnu, and let history remember what Han men truly are!”
Seven days later, at a court meeting, the Xiongnu envoy Getu publicly announced that their shamans had foretold that the present was not an auspicious time for marriage, requesting the cancellation of the alliance. The demand was baffling, especially since the Xiongnu had been staying in Han territory for over a month. Yet the Han emperor acquiesced without resistance, not only agreeing but also proactively gifting them grain to alleviate their post-plague shortages.
The court buzzed with rumors, but no one dared question. The great upheaval at Weiyang Palace had already spread; the emperor’s resolve was firm, even the Grand Empress Dowager kept silent, and no official dared speak against it.
Getu kowtowed in thanks.
In the same front hall of Weiyang Palace, with all officials watching, the last time he had come to challenge Han’s authority. This time, he bowed his head in defeat, abandoning the princess he had journeyed thousands of miles to wed.
While Getu endured humiliation at court, Shinian was breaking down.
She grabbed her hair and yelled at the two before her, “So, the Xiongnu have backed down, bringing us back to square one. How do we get Liu Che to marry Wei Zifu, ahhh?!”
Lu Zhiyou covered his ears from the noise and shouted back, “You should know! Isn’t matchmaking something women are good at?”
“So I have to do everything? When that Xiongnu woman grabbed my neck, why didn’t you say fighting is a man’s job?”
Shinian was deliberately picking a fight. After all, Nie Cheng and Lu Zhiyou had been in charge of commanding the imperial guards to surround Shitai that day, and she had known in advance.
Lu Zhiyou retorted, “But you said you had a way to make Liu Che like Wei Zifu. What, did it fail?”
Shinian thought of her plan—having Wei Zifu tell Liu Che about the Xiongnu plague—and didn’t know which link had gone wrong to provoke his anger. Since that failure, she hadn’t dared mention Wei Zifu in his presence. It had been quite miserable.
Nie Cheng studied her expression and suddenly asked, “You seem really anxious. Is there something I don’t know?”
Shinian was startled and turned her head away.
She recalled that night in the Xuanshi Hall, when Liu Che suddenly leaned close, and she... hadn’t moved away!
Shinian felt she must not be crazy to have any thoughts about Emperor Wu of Han. She could only say the atmosphere was very pleasant, and Liu Che was undeniably handsome. But this incident was a warning—she really needed to complete her mission and leave soon. Otherwise, if Liu Che made... certain demands, she wouldn’t know how to refuse!
After all, she was his concubine now!
Shinian tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Eventually, she took out her Kindle and began reading historical records. Recently, she had discovered this was a great way to fall asleep; whenever she couldn’t rest, she’d start reviewing the materials Su Geng had prepared. Usually, she would lose consciousness before finishing the third page.
Thinking of Wei Zifu, Shinian opened her biography casually. Sure enough, five minutes later, her head tilted, and she drifted into dreams.
Shortly after she fell asleep, the door was pushed open. Liu Che, dressed in dark clothes, entered.
Seeing Shinian sleeping awkwardly, he smiled and raised an eyebrow. He went over and tucked her in properly. A black board rested on her chest. He picked it up and tapped it; its surface was smooth as a mirror but gave no response.
Bored, he put it down and looked around the room. Suddenly, his eyes brightened. In the corner of a shelf on the right side was a black stick. He picked it up and examined it closely, curiosity unreadable on his face.
Could this be the strange tool she had used to win before? How should it be used?
“Hmm...” a sound came from the bed.
He thought she was awake, but when he looked closer, her eyes were still closed, and she murmured indistinctly, “Wei Zifu...”
He was stunned, his smile fading as his dark eyes fixed on her deeply.
If anything intrigued him more than her origin, it was her odd passion for Wei Zifu. She seemed to care deeply about her life, paid special attention to Wei Qing, and was very eager to bring Wei Qing and Wei Zifu together...
He had scolded her about this before, but now he only felt puzzled. What exactly was her purpose?
Even as a spy, this mission seemed strange. Was she trying to use a beauty trap on Wei Zifu for him? She could have done it herself...
Shinian muttered something again, but he didn’t catch it and asked casually, “What did you say?”
She turned over and hugged the quilt, saying, “...Wei Zifu, the second empress of Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che.”
Liu Che’s pupils contracted sharply.
The room was so quiet that Shinian’s voice was crystal clear, yet he doubted his own ears.
As if sensing his doubt, Shinian continued, “In the second year of Jianyuan, the Wei family entered the palace. In the first year of Yuanshuo, she gave birth to the emperor’s eldest son.”
“On the Jiazi day of the third month the same year, Emperor Wu recognized her contributions and established her as empress...”