[The Sudden Turmoil at the Martial Arts Arena]
Inside the Kunning Palace, silence reigned as the banquet concluded.
Empress Xu had returned to her palace late, and upon her arrival, she received news from the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince had returned in a foul mood and had remained silent.
“The Crown Prince has locked himself in his chambers, saying he wishes to calm his mind and that no servants are to disturb him,” the palace maid reported.
Since returning, the Crown Prince had even thrown a tantrum—a truly rare occurrence. Those in the Eastern Palace were used to his genial mask; this was the first time they had seen him lose his temper.
Empress Xu poured some hot tea. Listening to the maid’s report, her finger traced the rim of the cup. “The weather is cold. Have someone bring him an extra cloak.”
The servant left quickly, leaving only the Empress’s personal confidante behind.
“Regarding the Crown Prince seeking out a jade carver—how was I not informed?” the Empress asked.
The maid replied, “His Highness kept it from everyone in the palace, saying he wanted to give Your Majesty a surprise.”
‘A surprise… That was indeed something the boy would do.’ However, for an event as significant as the birthday banquet, Empress Xu’s gaze darkened slightly as she took a small sip of tea. “Is that so? Those who deceive their superiors and hide the truth from their masters have no place staying in the Kunning Palace.”
The maid fell silent at those words. The Empress had always been this way. When she gave birth to the Crown Prince, it had been a life-and-death struggle; the imperial physicians said the fetus could not be saved. The Emperor had ordered them to save the Empress at all costs, using potent medicine. Fortunately, the outcome was good—the Crown Prince was born safely and without issue. However, the birth damaged the Empress’s health, making further children a difficult prospect. Back then, when the Empress first regained consciousness, she stared at the infant Prince for a long time. From that moment on, her temperament changed drastically; she became meticulously protective of him.
When the Prince fell seriously ill as a child, she prayed in a temple for an entire month. Since then, she had devoted herself to Buddhism, praying for the Prince’s peace and safety. Where the Crown Prince was concerned, though she did not show it on her face, she handled every detail herself.
She had spent a long time preparing the tributes for this birthday, and the Xu family had even begun spreading word of the Prince’s filial reputation. She never expected the Prince to act on his own authority. Even so, the Empress did not abandon him; she simply told Senior Minister Xu that the Prince was still young and needed more tempering.
For a long time, everyone in the palace said the Empress had attained a Buddha-like nature through her devotion. In truth, it was simply that they hadn’t touched upon matters concerning the Prince. Once the Crown Prince was involved, the Empress was more ruthless than anyone.
The palace was deathly still. Some servants had already been sent out, and soon, screams could be heard from outside. Empress Xu remained indifferent. Her elegant hand tapped against the teacup, one beat after another, like the rhythmic striking of a wooden fish.
“Was the gift prepared by Consort Ning?” Empress Xu asked.
“The tribute came out of the Weiyang Palace, so it should have been prepared by Consort Ning,” the maid replied with increased respect. “I have looked into it; Consort Ning gave orders for the servants to prepare the gift. The Sixth Prince has always obeyed Consort Ning in all things, so her hand must be behind this tribute.”
“She certainly put thought into it,” Empress Xu said simply. “Have someone send a few stalks of ginseng over. Since His Majesty has granted a reward, the Kunning Palace must follow suit with the proper etiquette.”
The banquet had only just ended, but the palace was already buzzing with rumors. The news that the jade beast statues specifically prepared by the Prince were inferior to the Sixth Prince’s gift had already spread. Other consorts had sent many people to scout near the Kunning Palace, all trying to eavesdrop on the situation at the Eastern Palace. Tonight, His Majesty did not come by, leading some to say the Emperor had grown distant from the Crown Prince because of the banquet.
“The Senior Minister has sent a message.”
The maid handed a secret letter to Empress Xu. As the banquet ended tonight, Senior Minister Xu had someone deliver it.
The Xu family rarely sent messages into the palace, especially with the Emperor having just returned to the capital; any slight movement would draw attention.
Empress Xu opened her eyes slightly and took the letter. When she saw the contents, her expression paused. The letter briefly recounted recent developments within and outside the court. When a particular character, “沈 [1] Shen jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1502817_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1502817_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });,” was emphasized, she tightened her grip on the paper. There had been several shifts tonight: first the Soldiers’ Shrine, then the Ning family. If the Ning family hadn’t stepped up, that task would likely have fallen to the Minister of Rites. The Minister of Rites was closely connected to Prince Yongjia. By giving the task to the Ning family now, it seemed the Emperor had other plans.
As for the Shen family, that could only mean Shen Changcun, the current Vice Minister of War. This man was impartial in court—a firm member of the neutral faction. His Majesty had returned to the palace early tonight, and now her father was mentioning the Shen family…
“The situation is not peaceful,” Empress Xu remarked. “Pay closer attention over the next few days.”
The maid complied.
After the secret letter was completely destroyed, Empress Xu’s peripheral vision shifted, noticing an object resting on the side table. “What is that?”
“The Sixth Prince brought it over.” Noticing the Empress’s gaze, the maid remembered and said hurriedly, “Your Majesty, have you forgotten? When you saw the Sixth Prince was frail, you ordered me to give him a hand warmer. Afterward, the Sixth Prince returned it and included a sachet.”
Reminded of the incident, Empress Xu seemed to recall it. She looked at the sachet handed over by the maid; one look told her it was a blessing sachet from a temple in the capital, containing incense ashes. The sachet felt soft and light in her hand, but after the events of tonight, her initial goodwill had begun to dissipate. “The Sixth Prince is indeed attentive.”
The sachet fell lightly onto the table, landing in a splash of spilled tea.
Empress Xu closed her eyes, no longer caring about it. “Dispose of it.”
Ying Fusheng ran a persistent low-grade fever for two days before his condition finally eased.
Song An noticed that His Highness had been very proactive about taking his medicine these past few days. After the palace banquet, news had spread quickly, and many eyes were fixed on Cining Palace. Yet, His Highness remained calm; he focused entirely on his recovery, showing more willingness to take his medicine than usual. Aside from giving his daily morning greetings to the Empress Dowager, he never stepped foot outside.
After the banquet, rewards arrived from Qianqing Palace, and Consort Ning also sent several items. All the gifts from the various palaces were piled to one side. His Highness only asked a few questions before putting away the imperial gifts; he kept the valuable items for Song An to use for “social greasing” and ordered the useless items to be sold off as needed.
On the night the banquet ended, His Highness had instructed him to return the hand warmer. Unusually, Empress Xu had also sent health-restoring tonics specifically to Cining Palace. His Highness didn’t ask many questions and simply told him to accept them.
Song An actually wanted his master to keep more of the treasures, but His Highness seemed indifferent to such things. He preferred gold, ordering Song An to save it all, saying it would be of great use later.
“Your Highness, gold isn’t necessary for greasing palms in the palace,” Song An said. Having grown up frugal, it pained him to think of spending gold this way.
Ying Fusheng tapped him lightly on the forehead. “These cannot be used for social favors inside the palace, but the world outside is different. Power is important, certainly, but in some matters, money is more useful than authority.”
Song An paused. ‘His Highness is currently in the palace—why is he thinking about matters outside?’ Nevertheless, he obediently followed the orders, cataloging the items from the various palaces and moving them into storage.
It was as if their situation had improved drastically after a single banquet. The servants of Cining Palace were as kind as ever, and even Consort Ning had sent a wealth of items, as if all the care missing from previous years had arrived at once. Other palaces were waiting to see how Weiyang Palace would react, but the Empress Dowager refused Consort Ning’s inquiries and kept the Sixth Prince at Cining Palace. This move baffled most people, who wondered what kind of secret agenda was at play.
While others probed, Ying Fusheng remained unmoved, focusing on his health until the day he was awakened by a commotion outside the palace gates.
Several unfamiliar faces appeared at the door. Among them was a clean-shaven head eunuch with pale skin, wearing a deep purple python robe. The surrounding eunuchs deferred to him completely. He stood in the shadows, composed, though a flash of sharpness flickered in his eyes whenever he looked up. He had clearly been waiting for some time. Seeing Ying Fusheng emerge, he bowed and said, “Your Highness.”
Seeing Auntie Yu’s reaction, Ying Fusheng’s mind raced as he realized who this was. Only someone from his Imperial Father’s side at Qianqing Palace could make the Cining Palace servants stand so formally on guard.
In Qianqing Palace, the highest-ranking eunuch by the Emperor’s side was surnamed Rong.
Eunuch Rong’s voice was not loud, but his words were clear and steady: “Is Your Highness’s health any better?”
“Thanks to Imperial Father’s concern, I am much better,” Ying Fusheng replied, masking his deeper thoughts.
Hearing this, Eunuch Rong stated: “The Emperor has issued an oral decree: the Sixth Prince is to proceed to the martial arts arena to observe the exhibition.”
Ying Fusheng’s movements slowed slightly as he processed this. He quickly understood. “This son obeys the decree.”
Servants from Qianqing Palace rarely came to deliver decrees directly. The oral decree arrived just as his health improved—everything was perfectly timed. In the past, such matters would have gone directly to Weiyang Palace or been ignored entirely; after all, his status hadn’t been enough to merit his father’s special attention. But with Eunuch Rong coming in person, added to the gifts from the various palaces over the past few days, he knew the palace banquet had achieved its goal.
Suppressing his suspicions, Ying Fusheng keenly sensed the atmosphere within Cining Palace. Song An had already nimbly fetched the appropriate court robes; he held out his arms as Song An helped him dress.
“The Empress Dowager has already headed to the arena. She specifically instructed that if Your Highness goes, you must dress warmly,” Auntie Yu said, bringing over a fox-fur cloak.
Ying Fusheng replied, “Thank you, Grandmother.”
The martial arts arena was on the outskirts of the Imperial City, not far of a journey. As one of the dedicated royal training grounds, the Capital Camp was stationed here. Before they even arrived, Ying Fusheng could see the solemn atmosphere from afar. The infantry in the formation were perfectly synchronized, their thrusts and withdrawals crisp and precise to the beat of the drums, their weapons gleaming in the sunlight.
In his memory, there was no such event as observing a martial arts exhibition—or perhaps there was, and he had simply been too ill to know. One thing was certain: his performance at the banquet had caught his father’s eye; otherwise, Eunuch Rong would not have come in person.
The palanquin stopped. Ying Fusheng stepped down, leaning on Song An’s hand. The sharp, martial energy of the arena seemed to press in like a whistling cold wind. He cleared his mind and followed the guide toward the interior.
At the high viewing platform, the Emperor had already arrived, along with the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Ying Fusheng arrived late. As he entered, gazes from all directions quickly swept over him. Not far from the Emperor, the Crown Prince sat in magnificent robes. His expression shifted slightly upon seeing Ying Fusheng, though he quickly regained his composure. However, the Eighth Prince beside him couldn’t hide his feelings; his face was filled with disgust, his hostility toward Ying Fusheng laid bare.
“Why did he come?” the Eighth Prince grumbled.
The Crown Prince soothed him, his gaze deepening. “Eighth Brother, watch your words.”
Ying Fusheng’s seat was near the Eighth Prince, and many people nearby cast glances at him. In the Great Yuan Imperial Family, both princes and princesses were encouraged to study and practice martial arts without restriction.
Ying Fusheng glanced around and noticed that the imperial offspring present were mostly around his age. Their looks were mostly like the Eighth Prince’s—blunt and unrefined, the directness of those who had not yet grasped political maneuvering. They were disdainful yet curious… Ying Fusheng ignored them and instead cast a solemn look at the Crown Prince.
Although the Crown Prince remained calm, maintaining his usual hypocritical exterior, his fist involuntarily tightened when he met Ying Fusheng’s gaze.
From the high seat, the Emperor scanned the crowd. Seeing everyone seated, he spoke: “I called you all here today for no other reason than this: I see you are growing older, and it is time to select several children from noble families to enter the palace as your study companions.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the imperial children and clan members changed. For the past few years, the Emperor had been busy with wars and had rarely concerned himself with the harem or his offspring. Usually, when selecting companions, each palace would submit a list for review, and those deemed suitable would be chosen—or the Emperor would personally appoint them.
“A selection for companions… we haven’t had this before.”
“The Crown Prince doesn’t have a companion; the Emperor is doing this for him.”
Many people immediately looked at the Crown Prince. It was no secret that he lacked a companion. Many in court had expressed interest to Senior Minister Xu or the Empress to gain favor, but because the Senior Minister was a veteran of two reigns and the Empress was thorough in her dealings, the matter had never been settled. Those with keen eyes could tell the Xu family was waiting for the Emperor’s personal appointment.
Ying Fusheng froze, the hand pouring his tea stopping abruptly until the warmth of the cup pulled his thoughts back. This never happened in my past life… He remembered the Crown Prince’s companions; after the Crown Prince gained fame at the banquet in his previous life, the Emperor had appointed two companions for him. Those two, along with the forces behind them, eventually became part of the Crown Prince’s faction and were instrumental in his ascension.
As the Emperor’s voice fell, Eunuch Rong announced the entry of the various families for the audience.
“Call forth—Zhou Qingyuan, son of the Minister of Works, Zhou Bingjun!”
“Call forth—The son of the Minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, Liu Yunshi…”
…
Youths of similar age walked out from the side of the arena and performed their salutations. Those who could make the list of companions were either from powerful clans or families of high scholarly reputation.
As the palace servants announced the names, Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted. Among these young, naive faces, he felt a faint sense of familiarity. His gaze landed on a youth in the distance—dressed in moon-white scholar’s robes, with a handsome face and a unique calmness in his eyes. His bow to the imperial children was elegant and neither servile nor overbearing, hinting at the prominence he would hold in the future.
That was Zhou Qingyuan, the young son of Minister Zhou Bingjun. This boy was a child prodigy, brilliant to the point of being uncanny, and was one of the companions the Emperor had personally appointed for the Crown Prince in the previous life.
The Crown Prince didn’t show it, but his mind was racing upon seeing some of the candidates. His gaze toward Zhou Qingyuan, in particular, was exceptionally warm.
It wasn’t just the Crown Prince; all the imperial children had their own thoughts—especially the Seventh Prince. The Seventh Prince was the youngest son of Consort Yun, who had given the Emperor two sons. The First Prince had already left the palace to establish his own manor, and the Seventh Prince was now of school age.
Just as it was now, while the other consorts had not arrived, Consort Yun was seated at the high table. The Yun family had fought alongside the late Emperor for years; they were a distinguished clan present since the founding of Great Yuan, with deep roots and connections among the high nobility. After the First Prince left the palace, he had been quite successful in the Ministry of Revenue and maintained close ties with the nobility, his influence subtly rivaling the Crown Prince’s faction.
The struggle between the scholarly Qingliu and the established nobility had continued into the next generation. However… Ying Fusheng retracted his thoughts. He was thinking of something else. This selection didn’t happen in his past life. Given his father’s regard for the heir, there was no need to go through this process.
At this thought, he couldn’t help but look at the Emperor.
The Emperor was composed, but after mentioning the companions, he gave the Crown Prince a pointed look. The Crown Prince didn’t seem to notice; he was lost in thought about the selection, entirely unaware that the Emperor was observing him.
In this seemingly balanced selection, the forces behind the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince each had their own schemes.
Ying Fusheng withdrew his gaze. The only variable was the banquet. The Emperor was dissatisfied with the Crown Prince’s performance and hadn’t made a direct appointment, choosing a selection process instead… but was that all?
As he pondered, the announcement voice changed:
“Call forth—Shen Yunfei, son of the Vice Minister of War, Shen Changcun!”
Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted when he heard the name. Certain pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked into place.
A faint stir went through the seats. As he looked over, many people were staring at the boy. He looked to be about twelve, his face youthful but showing signs of exhaustion. Shen Yunfei was the young son of Shen Changcun. In recent years, Shen Changcun’s career had flourished; he was known for his integrity and independence, often disregarding the overtures of the powerful clans in court.
Furthermore, the Minister of War was about to retire. Once he did, the position would be vacant, and Shen Changcun was the most suitable candidate.
That was until a major event occurred in court a few days ago. After the Emperor granted a general amnesty, he ordered a thorough investigation into the Ministry of War. An old case was uncovered—someone had suppressed military reports and embezzled funds during the war, causing delays that nearly led to a frontline defeat. Afterward, several batches of military funds had vanished. The Emperor was furious, ordering the Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Censorate to investigate. Shen Changcun, as an official who had handled the matter, was implicated and had yet to clear his name.
No one expected Shen Yunfei to be in the selection. If the Shen family hadn’t been in trouble, everyone would be trying to win them over, but now even Minister Shen himself was in a precarious position. Since he was appearing here now, regardless of the Emperor’s intentions, no one else dared to approach him.
Song An, seeing the whispering around them, couldn’t help but ask, “Is this Young Master Shen very impressive?”
Ying Fusheng suddenly understood. He said simply, “I fear no one will want to choose him.”
Shen Yunfei performed his salutations to the Emperor. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked toward the Crown Prince as if he had something to say.
Upon seeing Shen Yunfei, the Crown Prince’s face darkened slightly. Usually, a Crown Prince has at least two companions. Earlier, the Xu family had already selected companions for him, waiting only for the Emperor’s appointment—and that list had included Shen Yunfei. But that was before the Shen family was embroiled in the embezzlement case.
Ying Fusheng set down his teacup. The hot tea gradually warmed his fingertips as he took everything in. No wonder there’s a selection. By gathering all the eligible imperial children here, his father had deep intentions.
A dozen candidates for companions stepped forward. A gentleman is tested on the “Six Arts.” Great Yuan prized martial strength; it was no simple matter that the Emperor had set the selection at the martial arts arena. Soon, the presiding official stepped forward. A large area of the arena was cleared, and horses and targets were prepared. Clearly, the test was riding and archery!
Shen Yunfei’s academic talents were average, but his martial skills surpassed the others. With the Shen family in trouble lately and the Emperor refusing to see his father, and his father’s former colleagues not daring to help, being chosen as a companion was his only chance. If he performed well and became the Crown Prince’s companion, he would have a chance to see the Emperor or gain help from the Xu family.
As the servants brought the horses, Shen Yunfei’s heart raced with excitement. He didn’t notice the flash of ruthlessness in the servants’ eyes. He leaped onto his horse. He didn’t dare claim to be first in other areas, but in riding and archery, he could create a gap between himself and the others—and then he would still have a chance.
The gong sounded, and Shen Yunfei immediately galloped forward. His horse raced, sand and dust flying, instantly igniting the atmosphere.
The Seventh Prince cried out “Good!” and couldn’t help but leave his seat to watch, pushing aside a few servants.
“Little Seventh is quite the child,” the Emperor remarked with a smile.
Beside him, Consort Yun covered her smile with a silk handkerchief. Seeing the Eighth Prince also stand up to watch the exhibition, her beautiful eyes rested briefly on Empress Xu. She laughed softly, “He is still young and can’t stay still. The Eighth Prince is the same—young and full of playfulness.”
Empress Xu sat upright, ignoring Consort Yun’s provocation.
On the field, the performance grew more intense. Shen Yunfei led the pack, with only Zhou Qingyuan managing to keep up.
Suddenly, a general watching from the side frowned, hesitating: “That lead horse is a bit strange… Oh no!”
As Shen Yunfei’s horse rounded a corner of the range—whether it was loose sand or the fluttering flags outside—a flash of light seemed to gleam in the distance. The horse stumbled at high speed, its front hooves giving way!
Shen Yunfei, having just finished his archery, was caught off guard by the sudden loss of balance. He began to fly outward. Gasps erupted all around. At the critical moment, Shen Yunfei used his core strength to force himself back onto the horse, but then a sudden change occurred!
The out-of-control horse crashed through the railing, charging straight toward the viewing area of the imperial children. The event was so sudden that the surrounding soldiers immediately cried out: “Protect the Emperor!”
At the edge of the seating area, the horse was charging directly toward the Seventh Prince. Because he had moved closer to watch, the Seventh Prince—accustomed to getting his way—was completely unprepared for this.
The Emperor stood up instantly, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the range. Beside him, Empress Xu’s expression shifted, and her grip on her prayer beads loosened.
The runaway horse reared its front legs, looking as if it were about to trample the Seventh Prince. Shen Yunfei immediately pulled the reins, yanking the horse’s head aside at the last second, forcing its hooves to land elsewhere and avoiding the Seventh Prince.
Under such conditions, Shen Yunfei had actually managed to control the horse!
Just as everyone thought the crisis had passed, the horse’s leg suddenly snapped. The balance Shen Yunfei had fought so hard to maintain vanished instantly. Before he could pull the horse to a stop, its momentum was unstoppable. The veering horse crashed into a flagpole, and the banner snapped, wobbling precariously!
The Eighth Prince was frozen in place, terrified. Shen Yunfei couldn’t reach him in time. Just then, a figure appeared in his vision—a youth leaning forward, grabbing the Eighth Prince and shoving him out of the way.
It was the Sixth Prince!
“The banner!”
The flagpole couldn’t hold and crashed toward the seating area. Shen Yunfei fell from his horse, his face drained of all color!
In the nick of time, a figure blurred past, faster than the falling banner. Moving like a shadow, he kicked the flagpole in an instant, forcibly changing its trajectory.
Ying Fusheng took two steps back, watching the falling banner, then stopped abruptly. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed before his eyes.
A youth landed with agile grace. His age—fourteen or fifteen—did not hide his capability. As he moved, he carried the tempered resilience of the frontier sands. Dressed in black martial attire, he brought an undeniable sharpness as he drew near, as if he had pierced through wind and snow—like a cold, unsheathed blade.
Most people instinctively looked at the fallen banner. Only Ying Fusheng, standing beside the wreckage, calmly raised his head. His gaze met the young general’s for a brief moment in the air. The fleeting glimpse at the palace banquet was nothing compared to this direct encounter.
Qi Hanzhou turned around, meeting the other boy’s pale face. However, those eyes held no fear or panic; he was in the midst of it, yet seemed to stand apart from it all.
Extremely strange.
References[+]