[The Prince is Missing]
On the other side of Huguo Temple, the sound of the night rain grew heavier. The temple acolytes had withdrawn, and Consort Ning was lighting the lamps.
“Your Highness!” Bi Zhu offered a tactful reminder.
Consort Ning watched the flickering flames before her. “I know.”
She was using the excuse of lighting a lamp for the Sixth Prince to play her part in the drama of maternal devotion, but only now could she secretly confess her sins before the Buddha and quietly swap the slip of paper containing the name and birth dates to pray for her biological son.
When Vice Minister Ning entered, he saw her actions and frowned slightly. He ordered the servants to go out and keep watch before entering the hall.
Since the Crown Prince was punished, Consort Ning had sent him several messages urging him to find a way to help. Vice Minister Ning approached under the cover of the rain’s noise and whispered, “Many officials have been dismissed recently, and Senior Minister Xu is involving himself less in court affairs. Everyone else is avoiding the topic of the Crown Prince; do not cause unnecessary trouble at a time like this.”
“But am I to just let my son be grounded in the palace? If the duty of praying at the Soldiers’ Shrine had fallen to my son, the reputation for virtue currently being praised outside would be his.” Consort Ning had been suppressed in the palace for too long. During the procession to Huguo Temple today, she had heard so many people praising the Sixth Prince’s sincerity and the First Prince’s efficiency; every word stung her ears. “That wild seed has become increasingly sinister since he fell into the water. He hasn’t even returned to Weiyang Palace yet. I don’t want to keep him anymore.”
Vice Minister Ning, who had been trying to soothe her, was shocked. “What do you think you’re doing!”
“Father, I feel very uneasy,” Consort Ning said after a moment of deep thought. “Don’t worry, at most I’ll make it so he can’t get out of bed; it won’t affect your grand design…”
Vice Minister Ning could not allow this. “Nothing can happen to Ying Fusheng. He is useful to us kept alive.”
Consort Ning’s face shifted, her voice nearly failing her. “He receives imperial favor while my son is grounded—by what right?”
Vice Minister Ning paced back and forth. Because of the Soldiers’ Shrine affair, his status in court was entirely different. The Ning family had been dormant for a long time due to their past crimes; having finally risen again through the Sixth Prince, how could he let such an opportunity slip? He frowned in thought and vetoed her decision. “There is no ‘by what right.’ It simply won’t do.”
“Father!” Consort Ning cried out urgently.
“The Sixth Prince is useful to our Ning family. The more he is favored by the Emperor, the more important the Ning family becomes in His Majesty’s eyes. The Ning family needs imperial favor right now. I have further plans for the future; without power and influence, how is our family to compete?” Vice Minister Ning’s eyes darted; the Ning clan could not let this chance go. “Do not speak of this again.”
Seeing the resentment in her eyes, he added, “As for the Crown Prince, you needn’t worry. I have been in contact with others and received news recently. Senior Minister Xu’s retreat regarding the Prince and the Empress’s lack of contention are actually signs of feigned weakness. After the military pay case, Shen Changcun is out, but the position of Vice Minister of War is vacant, and His Majesty has yet to choose a successor… He may be observing.”
Consort Ning looked surprised. “What does that mean?”
“The Ministry of War is highly valued by His Majesty. Many in court are watching that vacancy… Among the candidates His Majesty is considering is a student of Senior Minister Xu.” He looked at her and glanced outside the room before whispering, “If a Xu family protégé enters the Ministry of War, it will be a massive support. His Majesty’s recent iron-fisted methods against the Crown Prince hurt the Empress and the Prince, so the grounding is also a way of ‘retreating to move forward.'”
Consort Ning’s brow, which had been furrowed in worry for so long, finally cleared. “Then isn’t that…”
Seeing her relax, Vice Minister Ning breathed a sigh of relief. “On the surface, our Ning family has a prince. If you ask me to help the Xu family now, they won’t appreciate the favor. We must wait. We wait until the Ning family grows strong, and then, once the Sixth Prince is ‘disposed of,’ we can naturally pledge our service to the Crown Prince.”
Consort Ning gradually calmed down. “I understand what you mean now.”
“Wan’er, you have endured in silence for so long; you might as well wait a little longer.” Vice Minister Ning comforted her, “The Ning family’s opportunity is coming…”
Inside the hall, shadows flickered as the father and daughter whispered.
Song An held the medicine, standing quietly in the corridor. Bi Zhu had checked the decoction he brewed and was satisfied. “Don’t be late; deliver it to the Sixth Highness soon.”
Song An kept his head down, his peripheral vision catching Master Ning, who had not emerged for a long time. He walked toward the back courtyard under the cover of the rain. Holding the tray, he returned to the princes’ quarters with a plan in mind. At the corner of the corridor, he suddenly changed direction and headed toward the guest rooms on the other side.
Before brewing the medicine, the Prince had instructed him: if he had not returned by the Hour of the Dog [1] 7–9 PM jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_1502836_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_1502836_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, it would be time to act.
The rain persisted. This was where the princes and consorts resided; only a single wall separated the Sixth and Seventh Princes’ quarters. Steeling himself, Song An burst into the Seventh Prince’s courtyard, startling the guards. “Who goes there! This is the residence of the Noble Consort and the Prince. Unauthorized persons are forbidden!”
Song An wore a face of frantic anxiety and shouted as he stopped.
Inside the room, Noble Consort Yun, who was about to rest, frowned. “Who is making such a racket outside?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, it is the personal servant of the Sixth Prince from next door. He seems to have lost his way—it appears the Sixth Prince has gone missing!”
……
The mountain slopes grew dim as the rain gradually intensified. Members of the Imperial family and the officials’ households had settled into the temple for the night, protected by the Imperial Guards stationed throughout the mountains. With the Eastern Palace absent this time, the security of Huguo Temple fell to the First Prince. Several guards exchanged messages: “The First Prince has ordered absolute vigilance tonight. Do not disturb the nobles’ rest.”
Patrols spanned the mountainside. Just as the guards passed, several figures dressed in black, lurking in the darkness as if they had long understood the patrol patterns, flitted like ghosts through the gaps in the defense. In the blink of an eye, they had infiltrated the temple grounds.
“Someone has entered. Should we report to Master Qi?”
After the dark shadows vanished, several men in embroidered python robes paused in the darkness.
Their leader frowned slightly. “Has the party sent to receive Master Hu arrived?”
“They have. Master Hu enters the capital tomorrow.”
Only upon hearing this did the leader speak: “There will be significant movement tonight. Split into two groups. Do not alert the Imperial Guards unless absolutely necessary.”
“Understood!”
Outside, thunder rumbled, and the sound of rain lashing against the window frames grew louder.
Inside the Buddhist hall:
“How did the rain get so heavy all of a sudden!” Startled by the thunder, the Eighth Prince turned to look outside. The lamps lighting the stone steps had been extinguished by the downpour. Outside was pitch black; only the interior of the hall, filled with offering lamps, remained bright.
Ying Fusheng stood in the hall, noticing that Madam Hu and her daughter were glancing outside frequently, appearing restless. The Eighth Prince, who had intended to show Ying Fusheng the lamps, tried to call for a young monk but found the place eerily quiet. Not a single monk was in sight. “Strange, why is there no one outside?”
“When we came over just now, we didn’t see any monks. Perhaps it’s because of the rain,” Ying Fusheng said.
The Eighth Prince muttered an “I see,” but Madam Hu’s pupils constricted upon hearing Ying Fusheng’s words. She pulled her daughter a few inches closer into the hall, her eyes scanning the darkness outside with sharp alertness.
Ying Fusheng hummed in agreement with the Eighth Prince while listening intently to the growing storm. Suddenly, a slight anomaly surfaced amidst the sound of the rain. He looked up abruptly. Above the eaves outside the window, a black hunting falcon swooped down. Its wings fluttered and tucked as it landed amidst the rain. In the night, a pair of sharp eyes looked down from above. Ying Fusheng’s pupils shifted. ‘This falcon… was mine.’
Behind the doors, in the shadows of the altar, a figure leaned against the back of a Buddha statue, silently watching them.
The youth was dressed in everyday clothes, clutching a sword to his chest. His half-lidded eyes moved slightly, tracking every movement in the hall, especially the mother and daughter.
When Ying Fusheng looked up, the youth’s brow furrowed. In the next instant, his fingers resting on the hilt of his sword stilled.
Ying Fusheng suddenly grabbed the Eighth Prince’s hand. The Prince froze just as a thunderclap shook the air. Simultaneously, a sharp thwack echoed through the hall as an arrow shattered the window and flew inside. The candles were instantly snuffed out!
Lightning flashed. In the strobe-like light, several figures leapt into the hall, their blades charging straight toward Madam Hu and her daughter in the corner!
Ying Fusheng’s pupils shrank.
At that moment, a shadow swept through the hall. As Ying Fusheng retreated, he heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed. Between the flickering light and dark, a flash of steel erupted; the assassin’s blade lunging toward him was snapped clean in half. A masked young swordsman pushed the stunned Eighth Prince to the other side of the hall. He turned slightly, his gaze meeting Ying Fusheng’s.
With just that one look, the youth thrust his sword forward. The blade whistled past the side of Ying Fusheng’s face, instantly striking down the short blade of an enemy appearing from behind. In the hall, Madam Hu and her daughter were pale with terror. The youth barked an order: “Get to the back!”
With that, he spun around and leapt outside, pulling the doors shut behind him.
“A-Assassins!” The Eighth Prince was white as a sheet, about to scream for help, but Ying Fusheng grabbed him. A hand smelling strongly of medicine clamped over the Eighth Prince’s nose and mouth, silencing him instantly. The boy’s eyes widened as he stared at his Imperial Brother, who was similar in height to him.
Ying Fusheng’s breathing was ragged. He dragged the Prince into the narrow space behind the Buddha statue, stepping forward to shove him inside: “Get in.”
There was a small compartment behind the statue, just large enough to hide a child.
“What are you—” The Eighth Prince started to speak, but Ying Fusheng had already pulled an object over to block the opening, concealing him completely.
The remaining three had nowhere to hide. The clash of blades was drowned out by the rain. Ying Fusheng glanced toward the exterior. The Eighth Prince had been out for a long time; the servants must already be looking for him. These assassins were in a rush.
Shadows flickered against the windows—there were more of them outside.
This hall was secluded, used only for offering lamps, so few people came here. The torrential rain provided the perfect cover for an assassination. But the target of these assassins wasn’t the Prince. As the shadow of a blade drew closer, Ying Fusheng made sure the Eighth Prince was secure before turning to look at Madam Hu and her daughter. Madam Hu held her daughter tightly, maintaining a moment of forced composure amidst her panic. Behind her was a small side door to the hall.
Madam Hu had already spotted the door and was about to head out.
Ying Fusheng checked to ensure the Eighth Prince was silent, then looked at Madam Hu, who was peering outside. In a voice audible only to those standing right next to him, he said: “If I am not mistaken, Master Hu has secretly entered the capital, hasn’t he?”
Madam Hu looked at the Prince in shock, only to see him step closer and whisper a few more words into her ear.
Outside the hall, the rain fell in sheets. The youth’s sword descended, and an assassin collapsed.
In the mountain forest, a man in white, wearing tactical gear, landed and intercepted an assassin leaping from the woods. Two groups clashed in the forest. The dozen or so assassins had clearly not expected an ambush; several were cut down instantly. Qi Hanzhou pulled back an assassin’s mask to reveal a face distorted by a hideous scar. A deputy approached to report: “Master, twenty in total. They took poison and are dead.”
“Death soldiers. We won’t get any information… they moved incredibly fast.” Qi Hanzhou let go of the mask and cleanly slit the corpse’s throat. “Clean this up before anyone notices.”
The subordinates dragged the bodies into the depths of the forest.
With blood dripping from the tip of his sword, Qi Hanzhou walked to the front of the hall. He wiped the remaining blood from the blade with a flick of his fingers before sheathing it and stepping inside.
The interior was in slight disarray—but it was completely empty!
“Master, they have more men in the mountains,” the deputy reported hurriedly.
Almost simultaneously with the report, sounds erupted from outside.
“Eighth Highness— Sixth Highness—”
The secret guards exchanged sharp glances. Qi Hanzhou looked toward the Buddha statue, and his deputy immediately rushed over. He lifted the panel behind the statue—inside was the Eighth Prince, who had fainted! He was uninjured and had been well-protected; he had likely passed out from extreme terror while hiding inside.
“Is it the Imperial Guards searching for the princes?” the deputy asked.
“More than that.” Qi Hanzhou thought of the two princes who had arrived suddenly and unattended, and that look Ying Fusheng had cast outside just before the assassination… as if he had known something all along.
In the wind and rain, under the cover of night, it was difficult to distinguish protector from assassin.
The secret guards looked to Qi Hanzhou for orders, but he was staring past the Buddha statue. At some point, a small side door had been opened. Rain was seeping through the crack. The guards’ expressions shifted instantly as they looked toward the depths of the mountain forest. A diversion… that was an area outside their defensive perimeter!
On the mountain, news of the missing princes spread, and the detachment of Imperial Guards escorting the royals to Huguo Temple mobilized immediately. Upon inquiry, they learned that the Eighth and Sixth Princes were supposed to be in the Buddhist hall, but they had slipped away to play while the servants were distracted.
The mountains were full of wild beasts; staying within the temple was fine, but if they accidentally wandered into the wilderness, it would be a major disaster.
Consort Ning was startled by the news. Upon hearing Ying Fusheng was missing, she first struggled to hide her joy, but when she heard the Eighth Prince was also gone, her heart leaped into her throat. “The Eighth Prince is missing too?”
She would love nothing more than for something to happen to Ying Fusheng, but the Eighth Prince was a different story. The Zhao family behind him was destined to be the Crown Prince’s right and left hand. She hurried to the scene, only to find Empress Xu standing in the Buddhist hall; the Empress frowned slightly at her brash entrance.
The room was filled with kneeling servants, and even the Empress Dowager had been alerted.
The Empress Dowager’s face was grim as she listened to the reports. “The Eighth Prince is restless by nature; did you all not know this?”
“The servants were guarding the front of the hall, but the two princes ran out through a small side door. That door is usually locked, but for some reason, it was open today.” The servants had indeed been on guard, but they hadn’t accounted for the small door in the back. They watched the front, and in the blink of an eye, the princes were gone.
Fortunately, not much time had passed before Noble Consort Yun discovered it and ordered a search. “When the incident happened, I wonder where Sister Ning was. She didn’t even notice the princes were missing. Luckily, my people have sharp ears; they heard the commotion and came out to find them.”
The Empress Dowager cast a cold look at Consort Ning.
“At the time… I was praying for my son.” Hearing that Noble Consort Yun was the one who found out, Consort Ning was instantly displeased, but she could only offer her thanks. “Sister is indeed thoughtful.”
Noble Consort Yun looked at the Empress. “Sister, do not worry. Those two children are clever. My son the First Prince has already ordered a lockdown; they are likely sheltering from the rain in some other courtyard.”
Consort Ning grew nervous. Catching the Empress’s gaze, she quickly suppressed the strange look on her face.
The Empress noticed her expression. Her hand gripping the prayer beads paused. “The rain is heavy tonight. Have hot water prepared, and summon the Imperial Physicians in advance.”
Everyone suddenly remembered: the Eighth Prince was young, and the Sixth Prince was frail—neither could afford to stay out in a rainy night for long!
In an instant, Huguo Temple was ablaze with lights. The First Prince ordered a rapid search, commanding that the two princes be found at all costs. As the sound of footsteps grew chaotic, the mountains became crowded with searchers—
“Where are they?”
“I saw them coming this way, but now they’re gone!”
“There are footprints here; it seems they fled into the mountains.”
The storm intensified. As the distant footsteps faded, Madam Hu and her daughter hid in a tiny woodshed. This was a dilapidated shack where monks chopped and stored firewood, located on a rarely traveled path. Rain leaked through the cracks in the walls. They hid among the clutter, listening to the light but deadly footsteps outside that sounded like a funeral knell.
Amidst her terror, Madam Hu looked at Ying Fusheng, who sat alone by the door. She had fled the hall with her daughter, but it was the Sixth Prince who had intercepted them here. Otherwise, had they fled into the mountains, they would now be corpses under those assassins’ blades.
Ying Fusheng sat quietly. He seemed oblivious to the biting chill of the rain, even though half his robes were soaked in mud. He blocked the gap in the door. As lightning flashed through the cracks of the shed, it illuminated their faces in the dark.
“Someone sent you a message saying that Master Hu had made arrangements in the temple, and that if anything happened, you should flee through the small door to be met by someone in the mountains.” Ying Fusheng spoke only after the footsteps had faded. Seeing Madam Hu’s face turn pale, he knew he was right. “But Madam, the moment you left through that small door, the people Master Hu secretly arranged would have truly been unable to protect you.”
“Mother, I’m scared,” the daughter whispered.
Madam Hu comforted her daughter before looking steadily at Ying Fusheng. “Thank you for saving our lives, Your Highness. This humble woman…”
She made a move to kneel, but Ying Fusheng stopped her with a slight wave of his hand. “It is best if Madam moves as little as possible. The assassins’ senses are sharper than average, and they haven’t gone far yet.”
Madam Hu froze and peered out cautiously, her behavior now extremely guarded.
The three of them huddled in the cramped corner. Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes, his thoughts racing in the dark.
Hu Buyu—he seemed to be one of the Emperor’s trusted men, but in reality, he was a clever man who knew how to judge the tides.
In Ying Fusheng’s past life, the military pay case had not been resolved like this. The Shen family was convicted, and Shen Changcun was imprisoned. The position of Vice Minister of War became vacant, and the court factions naturally wouldn’t let it go. Whether it was the Xu family’s protégés, the hidden hands of the nobility, or those lurking in the shadows, everyone wanted to place their person in that seat. His Imperial Father had hesitated, seemingly torn between the two factions, but in reality, he had already arranged for someone to enter the capital.
That person was Hu Buyu.
Unfortunately, Hu Buyu never sat in that chair. For various reasons, he defied the Emperor’s will, and a Xu family protégé eventually took the post. It wasn’t until many years later, when Ying Fusheng was obsessed with throwing the court into chaos, that he noticed Hu Buyu in his calculations. By then, Hu Buyu was a cynical, scheming fox, his heart filled only with hatred.
Only then did Ying Fusheng learn the truth: Hu Buyu had accepted a secret imperial order to enter the capital, but his wife and daughter—sent ahead for Embroidered Uniform Guards protection—had met with an “accident.” His wife died in the mountains, and his daughter vanished. It was a blatant threat; he had been forced to resign for his daughter’s sake. By the time his daughter was returned, she was mentally broken, and later died after accidentally falling into water.
He had lost his wife and daughter, spent half a life in misery, and entered the capital for revenge… his path had coincided perfectly with the later Ying Fusheng.
This time, the Vice Minister of War position was vacant again. The opportunities for the Hu family to meet with an accident were few… Those people had indeed made their move, and luckily, it was at Huguo Temple.
Ying Fusheng could feel Madam Hu’s subtle scrutiny. He didn’t speak, waiting for her to weigh the situation.
Even in this critical situation, Madam Hu maintained a baseline of wariness toward Ying Fusheng. After hesitating repeatedly, she finally spoke: “That person was a trusted confidant who has served my husband for years. He told me my husband had already entered the capital and instructed me to keep myself safe within Huguo Temple, as someone intended to assassinate my daughter and me. He said if disaster truly struck, he would protect me within the temple.”
Ying Fusheng smiled thinly. “Madam is wise. Master Hu is a cautious man; he never sends messages unless absolutely necessary. When he writes to those he trusts, he always attaches a tuft of fox fur—white signifies the truth, while orange signifies a falsehood. When the informant spoke with you this time, the fur in the letter was likely multicolored, making it impossible for you to distinguish.”
Madam Hu’s expression shifted; her heart was in a state of absolute turmoil. In her correspondence with her husband, he did indeed always attach fox fur. This recent letter had arrived in a hurry, and it did contain fur, but it was indeed a mix of colors… leaving her uncertain. However, because the sender was her husband’s confidant, she felt she had no choice but to trust him.
These details were things only her husband’s closest aides or family could know. Looking at the Prince before her, Madam Hu felt a sense of absurdity; had he not been a prince and currently sharing this danger with her, she would not have believed a single word. “Sixth Highness, how could you possibly know this?”
“How I know is not important. What matters is that someone wants you dead.” Ying Fusheng looked her in the eye, his voice calm, yet every word struck at the heart of Madam Hu’s defenses. “And as long as Master Hu remains in the capital for even one day, they will not rest.”
*Boom.* Thunder followed in quick succession, and a more dense clamor erupted outside. Someone in the distance seemed to be shouting. Madam Hu looked out through the corner of her eye and saw the Imperial Guards stationed at the temple on the move. Seeing them, her instinct was to look closer, but Ying Fusheng suddenly spoke.
“Madam had best stay right here until those people are gone,” Ying Fusheng said.
“Do you know how many people are out there? There are the Embroidered Uniform Guards responsible for your protection, the Imperial Guards searching for the princes, and the secret security forces in charge of the temple… My eighth brother and I are missing; the outside world has descended into chaos.” Ying Fusheng pulled his robes tighter. His rain-soaked clothes clung uncomfortably to his skin. He peered through a crack in the door and continued: “Killing someone amidst chaos is the easiest path for them. Madam, do you know who is trying to harm you? Do you know which of those men outside are truly Imperial protectors?”
He found a more comfortable position to sit and added: “You and I are unarmed and have no strength to resist. If we go out now, we are simply walking into a trap.”
Madam Hu snapped out of her shock and suddenly realized that he was just a young boy—not even as old as her daughter. Yet, his words and actions compelled her to trust him. She halted her steps. If her husband’s own confidant could betray her, then if someone were hiding among the Imperial Guards, stepping out now would be like walking into a tiger’s den.
The three fell silent. The sounds outside rose and fell, moving from near to far.
“Sixth Highness—!”
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