The Left Chancellor in Red - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I still remember the last time my brother was demoted. It was because he supported the Right Chancellor’s reforms.

This time, he was demoted because he did not support the Right Chancellor’s reforms.

After being demoted so many times, Song Qing’an had long since lost his initial panic.

At first, he would sob and beg in his letters.

“Sister, the rice here is too hard, and the food is too spicy. Your brother can’t get used to it. I’m going to starve to death out here.”

“Sister, please. I’m begging you. Save me.”

Now, Song Qing’an simply dashed off a few flamboyant words:

“Sister, Lingzhou’s feng shui truly nourishes a man. I’ve fallen for a wildling girl from the opposite riverbank. When I return to the capital next time, I’ll bring you back a wildling niece.”

The room fell into dead silence.

I closed my eyes, and an image surfaced in my mind of Song Qing’an holding hands with a wildling girl while wearing a grass skirt.

The Song family was truly finished.

Only after a long while did the page dare to speak.

“My lord, is there anything you can do?”

I was already the youngest Left Chancellor in Great Zhao. It could be said that I stood above all but one.

“What can I possibly do?”

I sneered. “Am I supposed to sit on the dragon throne myself?”

That night, I had nightmares until dawn.

As a result, when I attended court the next day, I was somewhat distracted, staring blankly at the dragon throne.

A colleague asked me in a whisper, “Is the Left Chancellor worried about Lord Song?”

“Lord Song is blessed by heaven. Last time he returned to the capital from Lingnan, he’d gained two whole circles of weight.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Another colleague chimed in, “Lord Song is the Left Chancellor’s own elder brother, and His Majesty values the Left Chancellor so highly now. Surely the day Lord Song returns to the capital isn’t far off.”

Everyone was rushing to curry favor with me. Only the Right Chancellor turned his head away and gave a cold snort.

That man was petty to the core. Song Qing’an hadn’t supported his reforms, so he now held a grudge against my entire family.

After exchanging a few perfunctory pleasantries, I turned to leave.

Suddenly, a eunuch hurried up behind me.

“Left Chancellor, please wait.”

His Majesty wanted to see me. My first thought was: that bastard Song Qing’an had caused trouble again.

My expression was not pleasant.

But when I arrived in the hall, His Majesty had changed out of his court robes and was reviewing memorials.

Seeing me enter, His Majesty lifted his eyes and smiled.

“Minister Song, sit.”

I sat as if on pins and needles, as if thorns were pricking my back and a fishbone was lodged in my throat.

The present emperor was a smiling tiger.

Back when I was still a lowly minor official, half the ministers in court had thrown their lot in with the Third Prince, while the other half followed the Fifth Prince.

A colleague had quietly asked me which one I would choose.

The Third Prince was arrogant. The Fifth Prince was timid.

No matter which of them ascended the throne, Great Zhao would be finished.

I casually glanced over the Late Emperor’s sons.

“Let’s choose the Seventh Prince.”

“The Seventh Prince? How is that possible?”

Behind him, there was neither a powerful maternal clan nor influential ministers lending him their full support.

And yet it was this seemingly unremarkable Seventh Prince who ultimately ascended the throne.

I still remember the day the Seventh Prince was enthroned. I was promoted along with him.

Later, when I asked about it with great trepidation, the young emperor set down the memorial in his hand, his eyes smiling.

“Minister Song, Our eyes are everywhere in this palace.”

I had no idea how I returned to my estate that day. Cold sweat soaked me from head to toe.

Something said by a lowly minor official like me had still reached the ears of His Majesty, who at the time was merely an unfavored prince.

One could imagine just how deeply he had hidden himself.

Afraid that my secret of disguising myself as a man would be discovered, I once considered resigning and taking my whole family away to live in seclusion.

The moment that thought crossed my mind, Song Qing’an was demoted.

Helpless, I could only come back and fish him out.

Without realizing it, I glanced toward the dragon throne.

Surely the young emperor hadn’t found out the moment I had that thought too, had he?

As if sensing something, the young emperor finally set down the memorial in his hand and looked toward me.