The next day.
Three in the morning.
Qu Dubian was woken by Ye Xiaoyuan.
He was so sleepy his eyes were teary and blurry, only becoming slightly more alert after splashing his face with cold water.
Morning court began between five and six. Since they lived outside the imperial palace, they had to arrive early to wait, lest they be late.
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Your Highness, which court robe will you choose?"
Qu Dubian rubbed his eyes, "Just... the prettiest one."
Without him pointing, Ye Xiaoyuan accurately picked out the most flamboyant set, in red, gold, and blue.
Wearing a ponytail to court would get him impeached by the censors for impropriety before the Emperor, so for the first time, he wore his hair half-up, secured with a hairpin through a small crown specifically for those not yet of age.
Once everything was properly arranged, he picked up the small food box Ye Banban had prepared for him and boarded the carriage.
The carriage was spread with a soft rug and also held a small pillow specially sent by the Fourth Prince after a banquet.
Only when Qu Dubian rested his head on it did he realize how comfortable a small pillow could be at this hour.
He wondered how his fourth brother, with his love for sleeping in, had adjusted his schedule when he first started attending court... How tragic.
Three to four in the morning.
The imperial city gates were not yet open.
Along both sides of the Long Corridor Bridge outside the palace walls, many vendors had already set up their stalls.
Selling steamed buns, soy milk, milk tea, stuffed pancakes... Steam rose in billows, white mist filling the air. Ministers from various ministries parked their carriages outside the Long Corridor Bridge and, after alighting, gathered in small groups.
Owners of red, purple, and blue robes—official garments of different ranks—all sat at the small stall tables, waiting for the same ordinary porridge and rice.
There were no hawking cries; the atmosphere was harmonious.
Not a trace could be seen of the cold, confrontational, and merciless demeanor they had displayed in court.
Carrying his small food box and smelling the aroma of meat pies in the air, Qu Dubian thought that if morning court didn't start so early, he could set up a stall here to earn money.
Selling jianbing guozi and scallion pancakes.
The Fourth Prince waved to him from a distance: "Little Seven, over here."
Qu Dubian went over and saw not only him, but also the eldest, second, fifth, and sixth brothers were there.
Well, the eldest and second brothers could actually sit at the same table now?
He placed his small food box on the table, flicked his robes, and sat down with a sigh.
"I really lack experience attending court. Had I known there were so many delicious things here, I wouldn't have had Ye Banban prepare snacks. Could've slept a bit more."
The Eldest Prince shook his head with a smile: "When we first started attending court, we also brought food. Only later did we learn it wasn't necessary."
Qu Dubian pretended to be angry: "Well then, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
The Second Prince raised an eyebrow: "This is it. All us brothers went through this; we couldn't let you skip it."
"Finally, we get to sample your court breakfast," the Sixth Prince said eagerly, "Let me have a taste. Last time they ate all of mine and didn't leave a single piece for me!"
The Fifth Prince explained to Qu Dubian: "An old tradition."
"Come on, let's try."
Qu Dubian's small food box was opened. He himself managed to grab two fruit jam yam cakes; the rest all ended up in his brothers' mouths.
He looked at the spotlessly clean plate: "..."
Was it really necessary?
As if they'd never tasted good food before.
The Sixth Prince drank a bowl of hot soy milk contentedly: "Food snatched from others truly tastes exceptionally delicious."
Qu Dubian, still hungry, paid extra to buy a stuffed pancake.
Just as he finished eating, the palace gates opened, and a call came from within: "Summon all officials—!"
At that call, the previously relaxed atmosphere vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity.
The ministers straightened their collars, wiped oil and the scent of pancakes from their lips. Civil and military officials divided into two columns, not entering through the main gate but through the left and right side gates respectively.
Princes and imperial clansmen stood at the front; they could go either way, depending on their mood.
The night was still deep, with sparse stars and a waning moon.
The courtiers who had been harmoniously mingling just moments ago now fell into a strict hierarchy. Those in vermilion and purple robes led, followed by those in cyan and green, filing in one after another.
The morning bell atop the Meridian Gate tower sounded.
Dong—
Its heavy, solemn reverberations echoed through the quiet night.
Qianji Palace.
Qu Dubian stood with his fourth brother.
Their positions were very close to the front, akin to seats where a teacher easily spots mischief during class.
They waited for quite a while, but Emperor Chongzhao did not arrive.
Qu Dubian heard some whispering.
"Could His Majesty have overslept?"
"Do not speak recklessly."
"Quiet, if the censors hear you, they'll impeach you for sure."
"..."
Qu Dubian leaned in to whisper: "Does His Majesty often run late?"
The Fourth Prince shrugged: "Rarely."
Just as they spoke, Chief Eunuch Yu arrived at the front, announcing, "His Majesty arrives!"
All civil and military officials bowed with cupped hands: "We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"
Emperor Chongzhao sat on the dragon throne above, glanced down, and accurately caught sight of a dazzlingly bright color. He cleared his throat: "All may rise."
Qu Dubian heard his sixth brother suck in a breath and mutter under his breath.
"Did Father shave his beard?"
Qu Dubian looked up for a glance.
The Old Geezer looked the same as ever, just a bit older.
He whispered to the Sixth Prince: "When did he grow a beard?"
The Sixth Prince: "About a year ago. It looked quite good. It was still there yesterday." But without the beard, he did look a tiny bit younger.
Although there was a rule against directly gazing upon the Emperor's face, after seeing each other day after day, everyone was familiar and would sneak glances. Not only the Sixth Prince noticed; other officials also observed that their Emperor looked particularly spirited today at court.
Grand Tutor Fang glanced at the Seventh Prince whispering with his brother, then at Emperor Chongzhao.
He clicked his tongue inwardly a couple of times.
However, Emperor Chongzhao's minor change was not the focus; state affairs were.
Emperor Chongzhao said: "Yesterday, the governors of Qingzhou and Jizhou jointly submitted a memorial requesting the court dispatch a special official to suppress bandits."
"What insights do my esteemed ministers have?"
Two years ago, three prefectures suffered disasters. Despite court relief efforts, many refugees fled to other prefectures and counties, settling down as bandits, burning, killing, and plundering villages.
Qingzhou and Jizhou, located adjacent to the three disaster-stricken prefectures, suffered the most severe banditry. Over the past year and a half, the two governors had repeatedly sent forces to suppress them, with little effect.
Now, the two governors could no longer hold out and submitted a joint memorial, indicating that the bandit menace had become quite troublesome.
By submitting this now, they somewhat intended to shift responsibility upwards to the court, but the court could not stand idly by and needed to find someone to take charge.
Grand Tutor Fang and the other two who assisted with government affairs had long known this matter would be raised in court today. Other well-informed officials were also mentally prepared.
Suppressing bandits across two provinces, if successful, would be a significant military achievement.
Furthermore, suppressing bandits allowed the selection of elite troops from the two provinces to form a dedicated anti-bandit force. This kind of intervention in military affairs was fiercely coveted by both the Eldest Prince's and the Second Prince's factions.
Their respective partisans recommended the candidates they had long selected.
"In terms of commanding troops, the second-place scholar of the military examinations two sessions ago, the current Zhaozuo Commandant, Lord Chu, is capable of undertaking this important task."
"Nonsense! A mere commandant, whose rank isn't even equal to that of the local governors, how could he command respect? It would be better to directly transfer General Zhuge from Yunzhou."
"General Xia was also at the rank of Colonel before going to the northern border. In just over a year, how many provocations in the northern border did he quell? We should give more opportunities to the young people."
"Sending a general from Yunzhou to Qingzhou and Jizhou? Isn't this trampling on the dignity of the two states?"
The court was in an uproar, with everyone trying to push their own people into power.
The eldest and second princes remained quiet, as if the actual competition wasn't between the two of them.
Emperor Chongzhao rapped on the table. "Be quiet."
"This is the court, a solemn place. What do you all look like!"
The court officials: "..."
They usually bickered like this too.
"Besides the people you mentioned just now, are there any others?"
Emperor Chongzhao pondered for a moment. The person recommended by the second prince's people was young, but he had also shown remarkable achievements in the past two years. He was originally one of the candidates the emperor had in mind.
"If there are no others, after the court session, summon Colonel Zuo to the Zichen Hall..."
"Your Majesty."
A familiar young voice interrupted him.
Emperor Chongzhao was slightly taken aback.
Qu Dubian took a step to the left and bowed. "Your subject also has someone to recommend."
The second prince cast a sidelong glance.
The tense expression on the eldest prince's face relaxed a bit.
Emperor Chongzhao shifted his body and leaned forward slightly. "Well, go ahead."
Qu Dubian didn't notice his small movement and spoke out the prepared words. "This is my first time attending the court session, and I haven't been appointed to any official position yet. Today, upon hearing the concerns of Lord Lin and other court officials about the banditry in Qingzhou and Jizhou, I also feel worried."
"Two years ago, I was in Xianghe County and heard about the sufferings of the common people. Due to natural disasters, they were displaced and resorted to banditry. It was indeed wrong, but... it was also inevitable. This matter originated from the natural disaster in Xianghe. The person who takes over the task of suppressing the bandits needs to have personally experienced the sufferings of the bandit people and empathize with them in order to use both kindness and might to solve the problem at its root."
Grand Tutor Fang stroked his beard. "Well, this old official thinks that what His Highness the Seventh Prince said makes sense."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Then who do you want to recommend?"
Qu Dubian: "Your subject is willing to go to the two states to suppress the banditry!"
The court officials were in an uproar.
"This..."
"His Highness the Seventh Prince has no experience in leading troops."
"This is just nonsense."
"He's only sixteen and has just established his own mansion..."
"His ambition is too big..."
Qu Dubian seemed not to notice. He knew that if he couldn't get this bandit - suppression task this time, when there was a change in the northern border in the future, he would face even greater resistance if he wanted to go to the northern border.
Emperor Chongzhao also began to frown. "Do you know what you're saying?"
Qu Dubian: "Your subject is not unprepared. As soon as the news of the banditry in Qingzhou and Jizhou came out, I started preparing two things. If these two items are equipped on our dynasty's soldiers, our dynasty's combat effectiveness will be greatly improved, whether in mountain forest battles or against the northern border cavalry."
Let alone mountain forest battles, but against the northern border cavalry?
Emperor Chongzhao was intrigued by his words. "What things?"
Qu Dubian smiled slightly and looked at the Minister of Works. "Please trouble Your Excellency the Minister to explain."
Emperor Chongzhao raised his eyebrows slightly.
No wonder the old fellow didn't react when the Seventh Prince said he wanted to go to suppress the bandits just now. It turned out that he had known about this long - planned move in the court today.
The Minister of Works stepped forward. "According to the requirements of His Highness the Seventh Prince, two things were made, both of which belong to the crossbow category."
Deputy Minister Shu: "Crossbow category... Our dynasty is not short of crossbows. Is there any difference between what His Highness the Seventh Prince mentioned and the ones our dynasty currently has?"
"The first one is the Divine Arm Crossbow," the Minister of Works said. "This crossbow has such great power that it can penetrate armor, and its effective range is four hundred meters."
Upon hearing this, the eldest prince was puzzled. "Our dynasty also has city - guarding crossbows with a range of five hundred meters. Isn't the Divine Arm Crossbow redundant?"
"Not so. As its name suggests, the Divine Arm Crossbow is not a large - scale crossbow that requires multiple people to operate. It is only as big as an adult man's arm, and soldiers with greater strength can all be equipped with it!"
Even though he already knew about the Divine Arm Crossbow, the Minister of Works was still a bit excited when he actually said it.
"What?!"
Emperor Chongzhao said seriously. "Is there a physical object?"
Qu Dubian: "Naturally, there is. It has been submitted to the Ministry of War, and the officials of the Ministry of War have also tested it."
"Lord Chai, is it true?"
The Minister of War: "Yes. His Highness the Seventh Prince handled things very properly. He came to me several times the day before yesterday to confirm that the test results were stable before daring to report to Your Majesty. However, the cost of making this thing is more expensive than ordinary crossbows, so it can only be equipped to some elite soldiers."
However, this was already very good.
Emperor Chongzhao was excited. "What about the other one?"
The Minister of Works: "The other one is called the Composite Bow. It is made of ordinary wood. Its range is the same as other bows, within two hundred meters, but it is very labor - saving. It requires half the effort of a bow made of the same material and is more accurate."
In this way, ordinary soldiers who couldn't pull a bow before could now pull it.
These two weapons directly elevated the combat effectiveness of the Great Zhou soldiers in city - guarding battles and mountain forest ambush battles by a large margin.
Especially the Divine Arm Crossbow. If an elite infantry unit was trained and equipped with this weapon in the northern border, it would definitely give the northern border cavalry a big blow!
"Good!" Emperor Chongzhao was overjoyed. "Very good!"
He had originally thought that his youngest son, who was always late for court, would give him a big surprise on his first day!
The second prince smiled broadly. "This is truly a blessing for our Great Zhou. Congratulations, Father. Congratulations, Seventh Brother. I didn't expect Seventh Brother to have such talents."
"So amazing..." The sixth prince was shocked.
He remembered that Seventh Brother's school graduation exam results were only a little better than his. How could he have researched two weapons with double the power?
Qu Dubian: "Second Brother also knows that I've been practicing martial arts for more than a decade, so I naturally have quite a lot of research on weapons."
"Seventh, you've made great contributions by presenting these weapons! What reward do you want?" Emperor Chongzhao asked.
Qu Dubian's expression became solemn. He knelt down and requested an imperial edict.
"Your subject has spent two years researching and obtained these two weapons in order to defend our Great Zhou's territory! In the past, I was still young. Today, I'm attending the court after being appointed an official. I don't ask for any rewards. As I said before, your subject is willing to go to Qingzhou and Jizhou to suppress the banditry."
"Please grant your subject's request, Your Majesty!"
The Minister of War: "Your Majesty, I think it's very good. His Highness the Seventh Prince has ambition and is good at martial arts. Just like the adults who recommended Colonel Zuo just now, we should give opportunities to the young people. Isn't His Highness the Seventh Prince even younger?"
The Minister of Works: "This humble official also thinks so."
The second prince's faction, who had recommended Colonel Zuo: "..."
How could this be the same?!
Damn it. The Ministers of the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War were both speaking well of the Seventh Prince. Were those two crossbows really that important?
The eldest prince was glad that the second prince's candidate wouldn't get the job, but he also didn't want the task to slip away for no reason.
He said, "Father, your subject thinks that Seventh Brother is too young and has no experience in leading troops. This matter needs further consideration."
"Eldest Brother is right. Your subject is also worried about Seventh Brother. After all, Seventh Brother was in such poor health before." The second prince said with concern.
Qu Dubian: "Thank you, two elder brothers, for your concern. However, my health has improved a lot in the past year and is no longer as weak as in my childhood. This decision to lead troops is also a well - thought - out one."
He looked up slightly. "If Your Majesty is worried, you can send Lord Zuo Tianlang to accompany your subject."
Zuo Tianlang, the leader of the imperial guards, is now semi-retired and is a confidant of Emperor Chongzhao. He is a genuine imperial loyalist.
Involving him in this matter is equivalent to Prince Qi voluntarily placing an eye of the emperor beside himself. Everything he does is right under Emperor Chongzhao's nose.
At the same time, it completely excludes the forces of the First Prince and the Second Prince.
The Fourth Prince said, "Father, I think we can let the Seventh Prince have a try. After all, there is still Commander Zuo."
Emperor Chongzhao gently tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingertips.
"This matter, after all, you haven't..."
Qu Dubian said, "I'm willing to issue a military order. If the bandit problem is not cleared within a year, I'm willing to never hold an official position again and never attend court."
The Fifth Prince frowned and said, "Seventh Brother, don't be impulsive."
With all the civil and military officials present, how could a military order be issued casually?
Emperor Chongzhao swallowed back the words he was about to say.
He frowned tightly and said, "Let me think about it. You go back and wait for the news."
Qu Dubian stood up and said, "Yes."
After saying that, he stood obediently to the side and didn't say a word.
Emperor Chongzhao was a bit annoyed when he saw Qu Dubian not even looking up after saying what he wanted to say.
The followers of the First Prince and the Second Prince in the court looked at each other and then returned to their positions.
The atmosphere became a bit strange for a moment.
Many court officials didn't react at all. They never expected that the task of suppressing bandits, which was being contested by the two major prince parties, would be snatched away by the Seventh Prince on his first day in court.
And he snatched it so aggressively.
It wasn't until after the court session ended.
Qu Dubian walked up to the Minister of War and said, "Thank you, Minister Chai, for speaking up for me in court."
Minister Chai grinned and said, "What about the detailed drawings of those two weapons?"
Qu Dubian said, "The compound bow can be sent to the Ministry of War, but the divine arm crossbow can't be sent yet."
"Okay! One is fine too."
Minister Chai had never taken sides. He helped Qu Dubian just because he wanted to study the drawings.
Compared with the compound bow, the structure of the divine arm crossbow is more complex. These two things are not the drawings provided by the simulator.
He pestered the simulator for a long time to open a back door for him. In the end, what he got from the lottery was only the general structure and rough numerical values of the divine arm crossbow. All the details were worked out bit by bit later.
Qu Dubian was more familiar with the compound bow. In his previous life, he participated in a variety show and played at a shooting range. He remembered the structure.
After seeing off Minister Chai, before his elder brothers surrounded him, Qu Dubian quickly slipped away and went straight back to his mansion.
In the Zichen Palace.
Zuo Tianlang stood with his head down.
Emperor Chongzhao paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, holding a memorial.
Eunuch Yu felt dizzy just watching him walk back and forth.
Emperor Chongzhao said, "He insisted on going to suppress the bandits and came up with two weapons, which made the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War speak up for him. In the end, he even brought you up and issued a military order."
Zuo Tianlang sighed and said, "Yes, His Highness the Seventh Prince is determined. However, if the Seventh Prince goes, Your Majesty won't have to worry about the dispute between the First Prince and the Second Prince."
Emperor Chongzhao glanced at him and said, "You talk too much."
Zuo Tianlang immediately shut up.
Emperor Chongzhao paced for a long time and finally sat down at the desk and took a sip of cold tea.
Eunuch Yu said softly at the right time, "Maybe, His Highness the Seventh Prince wants to prove himself to Your Majesty."
These words pulled Emperor Chongzhao back to that evening when he had an argument with his youngest son.
["I'll go and fight in the northern border. In three or five years, I'll give you a stable border."
"What makes you think you can go and fight? Why should I trust you? You're only fourteen this year and haven't even attended court. How can you convince the officials in the court who advocate peace through marriage? How can you suppress the generals on the border!"]
Those firm words filled with anger and pleading had echoed in his mind from time to time in the past two years.
Making crossbows to suppress the northern border cavalry and issuing a military order to suppress bandits as soon as he attended court.
That boy had never given up his plan to go to the northern border.
Emperor Chongzhao was silent for a moment.
"Then I'll grant his military order and see if he really has the ability."
That afternoon.
An imperial edict was sent to the mansion of the Seventh Prince.
The Seventh Prince was appointed as the General Commander for Suppressing Bandits in two prefectures, and Zuo Tianlang was appointed as his deputy. He had one year to clear the bandit problem and was to set off for Qingzhou in three days.
In the evening.
The Fifth Prince came to see him.
"Silent for a long time, then make a stunning appearance. Seventh Brother, on your first day in court, you snatched a piece of meat from the mouths of the First and Second Brothers," he said with a wry smile. "Aren't you afraid that they'll join forces to deal with you first?"
Qu Dubian said calmly, "If you want to snatch something, you have to be prepared to be targeted. You just need to figure out how to get out of it safely. Didn't I bring Commander Zuo here?"
As a genuine imperial loyalist, he did everything openly. Even if there were schemes, Zuo Tianlang would block seven out of ten of them.
The Fifth Prince said, "However, wasn't it a bit reckless for you to issue that military order? The problem that two prefectures couldn't solve shows how tricky it is. It might take two or three years to suppress the bandits. If you can't do it in one year, it won't be good when you come back."
Qu Dubian took a sip of warm water.
"It's okay."
If he couldn't even do this, how could he talk about leading troops to the northern border? He might as well take back the words he said two years ago, forget about his elder sister and Concubine Guo who shed tears, forget about the powerlessness of not being able to hold onto anything at that time, cut out his heart and lungs, and just muddle through his life.
The Fifth Prince said, "You don't have to worry about the Second Brother. Although I'm not sure about his specific actions, he should be able to bring the First Brother down. He's been preparing for this for two years."
Qu Dubian said, "Just tell me like this? This kind of news should be top-secret, right?"
The Fifth Prince said, "The Second Brother can't hear. It's okay."
"Still, be more cautious."
Since ancient times, double agents have never had a good end.
"I'm just telling you this to let you know," the Fifth Prince looked at him and said, "Brother has the ability to help you.
"The peace through marriage that no one could stop two years ago has become a regret in your heart. Your changes have been seen by me and the Fourth Brother. Don't take on everything by yourself. Both the Fourth Brother and I are here."
Qu Dubian poured him a glass of water and burst out laughing. "These words were taught to you by the Fourth Brother, right?"
The Fifth Prince said awkwardly, "You can even tell that?"
Qu Dubian said, "Come on, we brothers aren't suitable for such emotional words. I'll come to you if there's something."
As the news that the emperor sent a congratulatory gift for the establishment of the mansion and that the Seventh Prince was appointed as the General Commander for Suppressing Bandits in two prefectures spread one after another, a large group of scholars would gather outside Qu Dubian's mansion every day.
They held up self-recommendation letters, hoping to meet the Seventh Prince and show their talents, and become the Seventh Prince's advisors in the mansion.
For a while, the stone lions outside the Seventh Prince's mansion were rubbed smooth by people, and the gatekeepers were surrounded by these people until their eyes went blank and they looked hopeless.
Soon, the Seventh Prince had someone carry out a stand with a large wooden board hanging on it: Those who love arithmetic and growing vegetables and are proficient in arithmetic and good at growing vegetables should leave their names. When this prince returns from suppressing the bandits, he will surely welcome you with open arms.
"Arithmetic?"
"Growing vegetables??"
A group of scholars in Confucian robes and blue shirts were stunned in front of the Seventh Prince's mansion.
And the Seventh Prince they had been trying so hard to see had left the capital half a day earlier with Zuo Tianlang.
The Ministry of Works was working overtime to manufacture a batch of compound bows, which would be sent to Qingzhou in one or two months.
Their entourage consisted of two hundred people. Once they reached their destination, they would form a special anti - bandit army according to the situation. The upper limit of this anti - bandit army was two or three thousand people, and it was all under the command of Qu Dubian.
Considering that they would be away for a long time, Qu Dubian took Ye Xiaoyuan with him.
He couldn't live his daily life without Ye Banban!
Riding on his horse, Zuo Tianlang said, "We'll travel during the day and rest at night. We should reach Qingzhou in about seven days."
Qu Dubian replied, "Well, there's no need to rush."
After leaving the capital's territory, they were stopped by someone.
The person wore a hat with a veil covering their face, so it was hard to see their features. Zuo Tianlang frowned and asked, "Who are you!"
Qu Dubian tapped his palm with his horsewhip, sized the person up and down, understood who it was, then joked, "Do you need me to dismount and lift your veil, young master?"
They were so familiar with each other, yet still playing this mysterious game.
The person gave a snort of laughter and voluntarily took off the hat.
It was really Xi Zixing.
He smiled and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, Your Highness, on your promotion to the general of two states. Perhaps you need a strategist?"