[Secret Schemes]
Consort Ning felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar; her body moved before her mind could, stepping forward to shield Ying Fusheng from view.
Only when there was no further movement behind her did she stealthily glance toward Empress Xu. Seeing the Empress merely smoothing the Eighth Prince’s quilts, her racing heart finally began to steady.
“Sister, what is the matter?” Consort Yun spoke up at that moment. “The Sixth Prince is in distress and calling for you…”
Consort Ning snapped back to her senses. Seeing Consort Yun standing behind her and hearing Ying Fusheng’s weak murmurs, she hurried over. Yet those murmurs felt like a biting wind, seeping into her very marrow. As she looked at the semi-conscious Ying Fusheng, a sense of impending crisis threatened her soul. When she reached out to touch his face, she unintentionally applied too much pressure.
“Your Highness!” the maid Bi Zhu cried out in alarm.
In his stupor, the Sixth Prince let out a pained whimper. Consort Ning jolted, realizing she had actually gripped him with force.
This disturbance drew the eyes of everyone in the room. The imperial physician looked at Consort Ning with disapproval, while Consort Yun covered her face with a silk handkerchief, chiding softly, “How could you be so careless, Sister? The Sixth Prince is ill; you cannot afford to be so distracted right now.”
Nearly everyone was watching her. Consort Ning was desperate to explain herself, but the words died in her throat when she saw Empress Xu walking toward them.
As the Empress approached, Consort Ning, haunted by what she had just realized, instinctively lunged forward to block the Empress’s line of sight. This impulsive movement caused her to stumble against the edge of Ying Fusheng’s bed.
Empress Xu’s eyes flickered with a strange light, a hint of suspicion deep within them. However, hearing a sound from the Eighth Prince nearby, she suppressed her doubts for the moment and went to check on his condition.
Consort Ning was paralyzed with panic. Realizing her actions had been highly improper, she tried to console herself with the thought that the Empress hadn’t noticed, but as she stood up, she was met with a sharp rebuke.
“Consort Ning is so overcome with worry for her son that she has lost her composure,” the Empress Dowager said coldly. “Please escort Consort Ning out to rest.”
Consort Ning opened her mouth to defend herself, but a chill ran down her spine as she met the Empress Dowager’s icy gaze. “It is not… I am simply worried for my son.”
For a moment, she was utterly unable to vindicate herself.
Ying Fusheng opened his eyes, a look of dazed confusion within them. He reached out, attempting to grasp the hem of Consort Ning’s robe, but in her haste to explain herself to the Empress Dowager, she didn’t spare him a single glance, and his hand brushed past her uselessly.
Witnessing this, Empress Xu instinctively frowned. “Consort Ning.”
Several people noted the scene. The Sixth Prince had already been traumatized by the assassins’ pursuit; yet, instead of protecting and comforting him, his mother seemed triggered and mentally scattered. Before the Sixth Prince had even been brought in, Consort Ning had been at Empress Xu’s side showing excessive concern for the Eighth Prince—yet now that her own flesh and blood was here, her behavior was consistently bizarre.
Summoned by the Empress, Consort Ning turned back only to find Ying Fusheng watching her with open eyes. She realized the weight of her impulsive mistakes.
“This child is truly piteous,” Consort Yun said, walking dutifully to Ying Fusheng’s side. “If his attendant hadn’t happened to stumble into my courtyard, who knows if anyone would have even realized he was missing?”
As soon as Consort Yun spoke, the Empress Dowager’s fury reached its breaking point. It was a grave matter for two princes to be endangered; the Eighth Prince at least had guards who reported the incident immediately, while Ying Fusheng had only a single personal attendant. Empress Xu handed the Eighth Prince over to her maids, and with a slight nod, the palace attendants outside understood and stepped in.
“Your Highness, this way please,” an attendant said.
Consort Ning still tried to plead: “I…”
Empress Xu did not give her so much as a glance. She didn’t need to say another word; the attendants stepped forward and led Consort Ning out without ceremony.
The onlookers watched in silence as the Empress Dowager and Empress punished Consort Ning. Empress Xu turned to the physician. “The Sixth Prince’s fever is still high. We rely on your expertise.”
Consort Yun chimed in, “Indeed, why are you still standing there? The prince is burning up!”
Ying Fusheng’s consciousness hovered on the edge of darkness, but Consort Ning’s panicked blunders and Consort Yun’s strange behavior had all been seared into his mind. He spared a meaningful glance at the Noble Consort as if confirming a suspicion, before gradually slowing his breathing and allowing his consciousness to sink into a nightmare.
……
This night at Huguo Temple was nothing short of total chaos.
For an event as grand as an imperial prayer ceremony to be disrupted by an assassination attempt on the heirs was a grave matter. The First Prince led his men to swiftly eliminate the remaining assassins and fortify the defenses. Fortunately, both princes were safe, suffering only from shock and the cold. The imperial physicians were ordered to stay on duty through the night.
The guest rooms were brightly lit, surrounded by a specially mobilized guard detail patrolling to protect the two princes. It was not until the Sixth Prince’s breathing stabilized that those keeping watch were able to rest. As the first light of dawn began to peek through, only a few drowsy attendants remained in the room.
A figure entered the inner courtyard soundlessly, moving like a phantom past the patrolling guards.
Qi Hanzhou flipped inside without disturbing the sleeping attendants in the slightest. He walked to the bedside in a few short steps. The person who had been so incredibly sharp during the night was now sleeping quietly. Qi Hanzhou reached out to check his breathing; the scorching heat of the air burned against his fingertips. ‘He really is feverish, and quite seriously ill.’
The wound on Ying Fusheng’s neck had been bandaged. That fragile neck—it would only take one stroke to end it all.
Qi Hanzhou stared down at him, his brow furrowed with wariness.
In the end, he did not strike.
Within Huguo Temple, news of the princes’ assassination attempt reached the capital overnight. The First Prince had the corpses of the slain rebels dragged aside, and the Imperial Guard cordoned off every corner of the temple grounds. The Emperor ordered the First Prince to investigate thoroughly, commanding him to root out every last traitor and granting him special authority to mobilize the Imperial Guard.
When Noble Consort Yun returned to her courtyard, the First Prince was already waiting. Seeing her arrive, he asked, “Imperial Mother, how are things with the Empress Dowager and the Empress?”
“The Eighth Prince was being mischievous; he shook off his attendants and took the Sixth Prince to the Lantern Hall, which happened to coincide with the assassins’ attempt on the Hu family.” Noble Consort Yun walked into the room. “The Sixth Prince had no one else by his side. If that attendant hadn’t stumbled into my place, who knows how this would have ended. As for the Empress… she is the same as ever. The Xu family’s motives are always hard to guess. It’s Consort Ning whose attitude toward the Sixth Prince is truly strange. How is the Hu family?”
“Suffering from extreme shock; they have retired for the night.” The First Prince was deep in thought. Upon hearing the Consort’s question, he hesitated briefly. “This timing is actually perfect.”
Noble Consort Yun asked tentatively, “Is this Hu Buyu truly that formidable?”
Anlong was a vital strategic location; the military funds and provisions transported to the Northern Frontier all had to pass through it. Hu Buyu had held his position there for over a decade; based on that alone, his ability and shrewdness could not be ignored. It was rumored that many had tried to win him over to no avail. To serve as a Prefectural Magistrate in a place like Anlong—that alone made him worthy of the court’s attention.
“Mother, you may not know, but many eyes in the court are on him. Stationed in Anlong, he held mastery over many things. Now that Imperial Father has recalled him to the capital… there are many who do not want him back. I didn’t expect that before I could even make a move, someone else would strike first.”
Noble Consort Yun’s expression turned solemn. “Are you planning…?”
The First Prince looked pensive. “Let me think on it further.”
At that moment, someone came to report from outside—
“Your Highness, Madam Hu says she has an urgent matter and requests an audience!”
The moment the words fell, Noble Consort Yun and the First Prince exchanged a look.
A thoughtful look appeared on the First Prince’s face as he murmured, “This Sixth Brother of mine… he seems to be a lucky star.”
……
Once the morning passed, the prayer ceremony at Huguo Temple continued.
The matter of the assassins was not to be publicized. The families of the high officials and the other consorts only knew of some “minor disturbances” last night; none perceived the true anomaly.
When Ying Fusheng woke the following day, it took a moment for his consciousness to settle. He cast his eyes around the room. “After I fainted last night, did anyone come by?”
Receiving no answer, he turned his head to see Song An with red, tearful eyes. It made Ying Fusheng somewhat uncomfortable. “If you act like this and Bi Zhu sees you, she will become suspicious.”
“Your Highness should take better care of your own body,” Song An said, handing him his medicine.
Ying Fusheng looked away. “I’m not dead yet.”
Song An wanted to say more, but Ying Fusheng placed a steadying hand on the back of his servant’s. He shifted to another matter: “The task I entrusted to you yesterday—is it settled?”
“It is settled. There seems to be movement on Noble Consort Yun’s side today,” Song An reported. “But why did you go out of your way to leak the information to her side, Your Highness?”
Ying Fusheng finished his medicine, a trace of calculation flickering in his calm eyes. “Master Shen’s carriage driver should still be at the Huguo Temple mountain gate right now, shouldn’t he?”
Since Shen Changcun became the Junior Minister of the Court of Imperial Horses, Ying Fusheng’s contact with Shen Yunfei had lessened. However, arranging the imperial travel carriages was the responsibility of this former Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.
“The mastermind failed to kill Madam Hu, and Hu Buyu entered the capital today.” Ying Fusheng set down the medicine bowl and looked at Song An. “If I were the mastermind, now would be the time to kill Hu Buyu.”
Song An gasped. “Then shouldn’t we send people to protect Master Hu!?”
“The Embroidered Uniform Guards are watching; Qi Hanzhou has plenty of methods… but those aren’t the priority.” Ying Fusheng smiled faintly. “Tell me, my Imperial Brother has fought the Crown Prince for so long. Now that the Crown Prince is finally grounded, and an opportunity to earn someone’s deep gratitude is dangling right in front of him, do you think he will act?”
Outside, someone hurried in to report. A young monk stopped and said, “Your Highness, a carriage driver at the mountain gate asked me to deliver this letter to you.”
Song An was stunned and immediately looked at Ying Fusheng.
The letter was opened; it contained only one sentence: ‘The horse has gone ahead.’
“Madam Hu is intelligent; she understood the matter of the assassins clearly. That is why I suggested a plan to her—a strategy that will allow Hu Buyu to establish himself securely in the capital.” Ying Fusheng’s expression relaxed slightly. “See? Someone has already taken action.”
While the guest room remained quiet, undercurrents surged elsewhere in Huguo Temple.
In the outskirts of the capital, a group was pursuing a carriage. The Embroidered Uniform Guards were protecting it from the shadows, waiting for the pursuers to be subdued, when they heard the thunderous approach of a cavalry unit—it was the Imperial Guard!
Currently, the only person authorized by the Emperor to mobilize the Imperial Guard was the First Prince!
“What’s the situation?” The Embroidered Uniform Guards lurking in the shadows were shocked. ‘Isn’t protecting Master Hu supposed to be a secret operation? Why is the Imperial Guard here!’
Qi Hanzhou had just reached the outskirts when he saw the grand procession in the distance. His deputy immediately sent men to investigate and found that the First Prince was leading the team himself, surrounding Hu Buyu’s carriage without a word.
“Master Hu’s route into the capital was a secret. How did the First Prince find out—” the deputy said, bewildered.
“Naturally, someone told him.” Qi Hanzhou immediately thought of the key person. From the moment that person appeared in the small Buddhist hall, everything had changed completely. “What a brilliant scheme.”
The mobilization of the Imperial Guard startled the citizens both inside and outside the capital.
The Hu mother and daughter had been ambushed and were under the First Prince’s protection. Madam Hu had hurried to the First Prince for help, claiming her husband, Hu Buyu, was entering the capital to seek aid and feared an assassination attempt. Appalled, the First Prince immediately mobilized the Imperial Guard to protect the Anlong Prefectural Magistrate. Sure enough, they captured a group of thugs intent on murdering a court official!
The protection of the Imperial Guard was like a wall of bronze and iron; forget an assassin, even a mosquito couldn’t fly through.
This journey was conducted with such brazen fanfare that the “secret” was out instantly. The moment the Imperial Guard set out, every hidden eye in the capital knew of Hu Buyu’s arrival and the First Prince’s heroic feat of protecting him.
Amidst the city-wide gossip, Ying Fusheng followed the Imperial Guard back to the palace.
His health had not fully recovered. Furthermore, because Consort Ning had angered the Empress Dowager at Huguo Temple, she was grounded in her quarters upon returning to the palace. That night, only a few physicians and consorts were present, but everyone saw Consort Ning’s dazed state. After the Sixth Prince woke up, he asked about her several times. The physicians didn’t dare speak plainly and kept their answers vague. Fortunately, the Sixth Prince didn’t press them; hearing that Consort Ning was unsettled, he even asked the physicians which calming incense was best.
For the past two months, Imperial Physician Chu had been visiting Cining Palace frequently. The Sixth Prince’s health had been fluctuating, sometimes improving and sometimes worsening. When the physician heard that even in his illness, the prince was still sending calming incense to Consort Ning, he was deeply moved by his filial devotion. “Your Highness must not overthink. We have checked Her Highness’s pulse and she is safe. It is Your Highness who has been sleeping poorly lately; you must pay more attention to yourself.”
The Empress Dowager, listening nearby, stopped clicking her prayer beads. “You slept for an entire day; the physicians almost had to use needles on you… If your health is poor, do not go wandering about.”
Hearing the rebuke, Ying Fusheng honestly admitted his fault, habitually showing weakness: “The mountains were so quiet; I had never seen such a thing and wandered too far. I won’t do it again.”
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager’s anger dissipated upon hearing this. She looked at this grandson who had been plagued by illness since the eleventh month, and her tone softened: “What is there to see in a mountain? Once you are fully recovered, the Great Yuan territory is vast—where is there not a beautiful view?”
Ying Fusheng was stunned. He had prepared himself for a lecture or an interrogation, but he hadn’t expected her to say that. Before he could speak, the Empress Dowager had already risen, ordering Aunt Yu to add two more stoves to the side hall to prevent his cold from worsening.
From then on, Ying Fusheng was ordered to recuperate in bed. Aunt Yu, the Empress Dowager’s head maid, came three times a day to watch him drink his medicine, exempting him from his daily morning greetings.
Perhaps due to Physician Chu’s superb skills, within two days, Ying Fusheng’s worsened cold was mostly cured.
Once his health improved, he asked Song An about the situation at Huguo Temple. He had been semi-conscious at the time and remembered little. When Song An mentioned Empress Xu ordering the attendants to take Consort Ning away, he glanced at Ying Fusheng. Ying Fusheng showed no reaction, merely listening to the end. “That should be about enough, then.”
Song An asked, “Is Your Highness concerned about the Xu family?”
Ying Fusheng looked at him. Though Song An was young, his ability to read people was sharp. “Senior Minister Xu holds an extraordinary position; why wouldn’t I be concerned? Empress Xu is a sharp woman. She appears to handle palace affairs with simplicity, but that doesn’t mean she misses anything. For her to step in and punish Consort Ning is a significant matter.”
Even during the banquet at Moon-Viewing Pavilion back then, Empress Xu had relied on others to handle matters, yet after Consort Ning made a mistake, she managed to arrange everything in perfect order, leaving no room for further errors.
Song An looked at him in confusion.
Ying Fusheng said indifferently, “Song An, you cannot just look at the surface of things.”
“There are many fools, but there are even more clever people.”
Not long after Ying Fusheng recovered enough to leave the hall for his studies, Eunuch Rong arrived at the Cining Palace. The last time they met was when Rong came to summon him to the martial arts field. This eunuch, who managed many of the internal palace affairs, still wore a smiling face.
Eunuch Rong: “Your Highness, this servant has come to invite you to the Qianqing Palace.”
The Qianqing Palace was the Emperor’s private residence; no one could enter without a summons. Song An hurried to drape a cloak over the Prince’s shoulders. The palanquin outside was already prepared.
“Why has Imperial Father suddenly summoned me?” Ying Fusheng asked.
Eunuch Rong observed this prince who had recently garnered much attention. Seeing a flash of joy cross his face at the mention of the Emperor’s summons, Rong hid his scrutiny. “Perhaps His Majesty simply misses Your Highness.”
Before long, they arrived at the Qianqing Palace.
As soon as Ying Fusheng reached the Qianqing Palace, he saw several memorials being tossed out of the entrance. The entire palace was deathly silent, save for the faint sound of rebuking voices from within. He came to a sudden halt. Eunuch Rong signaled an attendant to go inside and announce them, soon leading Ying Fusheng into the hall.
Upon entering, Ying Fusheng saw two officials kneeling before the throne. He had caught a glimpse of them once at a palace banquet and managed to recognize one as the Minister of Works, Zhou Bingjun—a veteran official of two reigns whose son served as a study companion to the Crown Prince.
“The details of the military pay this time were handled by Master Xu. He is meticulous; every oversight on my part was pointed out by him,” the Minister of Works stated. “I dare not take the credit.”
Hearing this, the Emperor remarked, “Master Xu’s work is indeed thorough. But what about the Ministry of War?”
The Emperor’s wrath was not so easily appeased. He turned to the Minister of War and roared, “The vacancies in the court remain unfilled, and the mess from the military pay scandal hasn’t been cleaned up! I ordered you to investigate, yet only the Ministry of Works has delivered results. What about the rest of you? I see no further need for you to remain as the Minister of War!”
The Emperor brushed his hand dismissively, a memorial striking the Minister of War in the face. “I will give you a few more days. Now, get out!”
The Minister of Works ventured, “Your Majesty, since the position of Vice Minister of War is currently vacant, I recommend—”
“We shall discuss it later,” the Emperor waved him off.
The two officials had no choice but to retreat. One other person remained in the hall: the First Prince, who stood to the side, clearly representing the Ministry of Revenue.
Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes, seeing the floor strewn with memorials.
Compared to the disheveled Minister of War, Zhou Bingjun of the Ministry of Works seemed much more composed. The military pay case involved multiple offices; for the Ministry of Works to perform so well now naturally changed their standing in his Imperial Father’s eyes. Recently, the Crown Prince had been behaving himself and the Xu family had been cautious. This display of “weakness,” combined with the Minister of Works’ recommendation, meant that the list of candidates for Vice Minister of War on his father’s desk likely featured the Xu family’s proteges.
Because the Hu mother and daughter had not died, the mastermind could no longer control Hu Buyu, and thus they had grown desperate. To influence his Imperial Father’s decision, they needed to pile up political achievements. The “Master Xu” recommended by the Minister of Works was exactly a disciple of the Xu family. With the current shortage of personnel, the Emperor had his own candidates while others in court had theirs; the selection for Vice Minister of War was becoming a difficult choice.
The Emperor looked over. As Ying Fusheng was about to bow, the Emperor waved his hand slightly and beckoned him forward. “If your health is poor, do not bother with formalities. Come here.”
Since the palace banquet and the incident at the Wenhua Hall, Ying Fusheng had rarely been this close to him. He moved a step or two closer but maintained a calculated distance.
The Emperor noticed this subtle movement. “Why don’t you come closer?”
Ying Fusheng paused, then took a few more steps. In his past life, he almost never had the chance to see the Emperor; the only time he did, he was demoted to the Cold Palace by an imperial decree. Meeting him now, he was unsure of the proper boundaries.
The First Prince, standing nearby, observed Ying Fusheng’s demeanor. “Sixth Brother was startled; he likely hasn’t recovered yet.”
The Emperor asked, “Regarding the assassination attempt the other day—you weren’t frightened, were you?”
Ying Fusheng’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightened slightly. This was a probe regarding the events at Huguo Temple. This wasn’t the first time; previously, when the Crown Prince was punished, his father had summoned him to the Wenhua Hall to test his attitude toward the Shen family. Now, with the incident at Huguo Temple, the Embroidered Uniform Guard, being the emperor’s personal force, had a clear understanding of the assassination attempt on Madam Hu and her daughter. However, Ying Fusheng’s presence at that location was far too coincidental, even if he had used the Eighth Prince as a shield.
By calling him here today to witness the officials’ meeting, the Emperor was signaling his suspicion. Too many coincidences meant the suspicion wasn’t directed at a ten-year-old child, but at the forces behind him.
The Emperor looked at Ying Fusheng with a searching gaze. Ying Fusheng stood there with a pale face, remaining silent for a long time. The bandages were still wrapped around his neck, making him look as if he were truly terrified by the mention of the temple—as if haunted by a nightmare.
“Your Highness?” Eunuch Rong reminded him.
Ying Fusheng seemed to snap back to reality, trying his best to steady his voice: “I… I am not afraid. Imperial Brother saved me that night. If not for him, I, I…”
The First Prince consoled him: “Do not fear, those rebels have already been executed.”
As the Emperor grasped Ying Fusheng’s hand, he saw several bruises on his arms caused by the scuffle. Much of the doubt in his eyes dissipated, replaced by a focus on Ying Fusheng’s frail wrists. Ying Fusheng seemed to relax slightly and, after a moment of hesitation, asked, “That day, I was running in such a hurry, and a lady saved me… Is she alright?”
“Sixth Brother is talking about Madam Hu. She is fine and is already resting at home,” the First Prince said.
Ying Fusheng nodded, standing there as if still gripped by lingering fear. The Huguo Temple incident seemed to have unraveled his inner courage.
The Emperor noticed his gaze lingering on the desk, where a small jade qilin sat. “Do you like it?”
Ying Fusheng shook his head, retreating from his fear. For every question the Emperor asked, he gave but a single response.
Looking closely, the Emperor realized that while the child seemed humble and polite, he was somewhat careless in his ways. He couldn’t stop glancing around upon entering the hall, only withdrawing his gaze when questioned. His personality seemed a bit cowardly. But then, even his younger brother, the Eighth Prince, was well-traveled and knowledgeable, whereas the Sixth Prince acted as if he had never seen the world just by going to Huguo Temple.
“If you like it, take it,” the Emperor handed it to him.
Ying Fusheng was somewhat at a loss, taking the smooth jade ornament from the Emperor’s hand.
“You are close with that child from the Shen family. Let him take you out more; do not stay cooped up in the palace all day,” the Emperor said.
Ying Fusheng replied, “Yes.”
Having no intention to probe further, the Emperor waved his hand. “Escort the Sixth Prince back.”
As Ying Fusheng turned to leave, his peripheral vision lingered on the First Prince. The First Prince returned a warm smile, and only then did Ying Fusheng seem to find his composure as he followed the attendants out.
“Sixth Brother has lived in the inner palace for a long time; it seems Huguo Temple truly terrified him,” the First Prince remarked.
As the attendants hurried to escort Ying Fusheng back, the Emperor’s expression softened. He looked at the First Prince, who had been performing well: “You’ve done a good job at the Ministry of Revenue, and the Huguo Temple incident was handled well thanks to you. Your brother is frail; look after him when you can.”
“I heard you settled the Hu mother and daughter; that was well done,” the Emperor praised. “Hu Buyu was indeed summoned to the palace by me. I didn’t expect some people to remain so persistent in their malice as to try and harm him. It’s thanks to your quick action this time. Mobilizing the Imperial Guard was indeed reckless, but the job was done well.”
The First Prince had been worried about how to bring up Hu Buyu, but thanks to his Sixth Brother, his father had raised the topic first. Before he could even weigh his words, his father continued: “Hu Buyu solved many of my headaches when he was in Anlong. His wife is in poor health, and Anlong is no place to recover from an illness. I intended to summon him to the capital with his family, but I didn’t expect them to be caught up in an assassination attempt.”
The First Prince felt a surge of joy. His Imperial Father had never discussed government affairs with him in such a manner before. Suppressing his excitement, he asked, “Does Imperial Father have something weighing on his mind?”
The Emperor glanced at him, the sharp look vanishing in an instant. “You are quite observant.”
“It is my duty to share my Father’s burdens,” the First Prince said, carefully watching the Emperor’s reaction. To his surprise, his father actually tacitly allowed this attitude. “Is it regarding the vacancy for the Vice Minister of War?”
The Emperor looked at him with interest. “In that case, do you have a candidate to recommend?”
At this question, the First Prince suppressed his inner thoughts. The Ministry of War was also his target. It had been like a wall of bronze before, but with Shen Changcun’s fall, such an important position had finally opened up. The Xu family wanted to push their disciple into the role, and he naturally had someone he wanted to promote as well.
However, his candidate’s political achievements didn’t quite match up to the Xu family’s. Furthermore, because of the Crown Prince’s recent punishment, his father seemed to be leaning slightly toward the Xu family… Rather than fighting the Xu family to a bitter end where both sides lost, it was better to align himself with the candidate his father already had in mind.
The First Prince adopted a thoughtful pose and finally said, “I believe the military pay case has already implicated many court officials. Rather than promoting Master Xu, I feel it would be more appropriate to transfer someone from outside the capital…”
……
Outside the Wenhua Hall, the atmosphere was solemn. As Ying Fusheng walked a distance away, the cowardice and panic on his face gradually dissipated. The jade ornament in his hand was made of “warm jade.”
Even after leaving the palace, it still retained a lingering warmth.
Ying Fusheng looked down at it, tucked the ornament away, and caught a glimpse of the bruises on his arm. He supposed he should be grateful that this body bruised so easily; otherwise, as a defenseless prince who had been hunted by assassins, it would have been suspicious if he were too “clean.”
‘I need to be more careful when performing these acts in the future,’ he thought. ‘Even if I am just a child, I can still become a target of Imperial Father’s suspicion.’
He touched the side of his neck. He really ought to thank Qi Hanzhou for that blade; were it not for that, he truly would have invited doubt.
Song An was waiting outside. Seeing his master emerge, he hurried forward to attend to him. Ying Fusheng tilted his head, looking in a different direction, and spotted a man in official robes in the distance.
Outside the Wenhua Hall, Hu Buyu felt a sensation as if he were being watched. He looked over and saw a figure in plain-colored robes passing by in the distance. He had seen the palanquin outside; it was a prince.
“Master Hu, His Majesty requests your presence.”