Struggle

The Emperor departed for the palace first, taking Pei Rusong with him. Since they had decided to act in secret, Lu Shuo's identity could not be exposed for the time being, before the case was settled. He was also not suited to live long-term in the Princess Manor, so the matter of his placement was handed over to Wen Chan to handle.

Late at night, Pei Rusong, draped in wind and dew, stepped into the manor. He found the lights in the room were still on, so he pushed the door open with practiced ease, smoothly approaching her for a coquettish embrace. "It's so late, Your Highness is not yet asleep. Were you waiting for me?"

Wen Chan let him use her as a flower stand, her tone still indifferent. "Is His Majesty planning to grant Xiao Dingfang the title of Empress? Does it take until now to write an edict?"

Pei Rusong immediately hugged her tighter, whining and complaining, "Isn't that the truth. Your Highness didn't see it, but His Majesty found me particularly displeasing to the eye today. He had me revise one edict four or five times back and forth, only to use the first draft in the end."

Wen Chan felt a little guilty and raised a hand to pat him. "It's not your fault. I suppose it's because I asked His Majesty for authority today, and he's not very happy about it."

Pei Rusong chuckled softly by her ear, "It wasn't just His Majesty; even I was surprised. When has Your Highness ever made any requests of His Majesty? To break that rule for me today, it must have been a true display of emotion brought on by burning anxiety..."

Wen Chan expressionlessly slapped his hand away.

Like a tightly shut clam suddenly opening a tiny crack, Pei Rusong took great pleasure in finding evidence of Wen Chan's care for him in every nook and cranny. Naturally, he wouldn't let her off the hook so easily. "It's not as if I haven't gone out before. The situation in Wuyuan is similar to Gu Prefecture's, so what is Your Highness worried about?"

His eyelashes were long enough to cast a shadow on the side of his nose, but they couldn't hide the bright, twinkling smile in his eyes. He leaned close to her, intimate and natural—a scene that had never occurred in their previous life.

In truth, it wasn't that she hadn't been worried back then, just not as deeply as she was now. Besides, the Pei Rusong of that time had not yet calmly accepted a life confined to the position of a Prince Consort, seemingly noble but devoid of real power. Compared to being a respected but idle official at court, he would rather go to the remote and perilous Northern Border to fulfill his ambitions. To outsiders, Wen Chan was arbitrary and tyrannical, but in reality, she was fulfilling Pei Rusong's wishes.

"Too many things have changed, beyond what you and I could have predicted." Wen Chan said pensively, "Although His Majesty is only sending you to investigate incognito, you'll be on someone else's turf, investigating a deadly business. If you encounter an unexpected situation, I really can't count on the Imperial Guard to protect you well. His Majesty doesn't know, but I know your capabilities, so you must get command authority. If you accidentally alert the enemy, just deal with what needs to be dealt with on the spot. Prioritize your own safety above all else. If His Majesty is displeased, I will handle it. You don't need to have any misgivings."

"Your Highness..."

Wen Chan: "What's with that look?"

"Your Highness was glowing just now, so dazzling." Pei Rusong pretended to wipe away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes. "Your Highness has me in your heart. I'm truly so moved..."

"Glowing from behind means you're about to ascend to immortality," Wen Chan said helplessly. "Stop clutching your chest and feigning illness. Let's go to sleep."

But Pei Rusong refused to quit while he was ahead, stammering hesitantly, "Um, after I leave, Lu Shuo, he..."

Wen Chan cut him off bluntly, "Can you not say it like you're arranging your funeral affairs?"

"Lu Shuo cannot stay in the manor!" Pei Rusong demanded sternly. "And Your Highness must not go to see him often! Didn't His Majesty say to let him go to a temple to pray to Buddha? In my opinion, it would be better to just send him directly to a Chan monastery to recuperate."

"You might as well build him a golden statue..." Wen Chan frowned, slapping him on the forearm and scolding softly, "Stop being so pointlessly jealous. One more word of nonsense, and I'll move into Fuyao Palace tomorrow."

Pei Rusong thought of Consort Xu, whose imperial favor had been growing daily in the palace recently, causing many officials from the families of other consorts to become anxious. He shivered instantly, thinking to himself that it was truly like having a wolf at the front door and a tiger at the back—absolutely deadly. He gazed eagerly at the Princess while following her silently like a duck with its beak pinched shut.

The next day, the imperial court issued a decree summoning Xiao Dingfang to Pingjing to present his victory. The day after, Pei Rusong set off north for Wuyuan, with twenty elites from the Yulin Army sent by the Emperor to accompany him.

On the thirteenth day of the third month, the Thousand Autumns Festival, all nations came to offer congratulations, and the military and civilians celebrated together. The Duke of Xu, Xiao Dingfang, entered the court to present his victory. The Prince of Yue and the Prince of Yan also rushed back to Pingjing from the northern frontier to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. The Emperor hosted a banquet for all his ministers in Xixiang Palace. The main hall was filled with all sorts of rare and exotic treasures sent from various regions and foreign lands. During the banquet, the imperial princes presented their birthday congratulations and treasures to the Emperor one by one. The Crown Prince, unable to leave his post guarding Zhaojing, sent a Crown Prince's Retainer to present a gift on his behalf.

The Emperor looked at the life-sized jade tree and the copy of the Classic of Filial Piety personally transcribed by the Crown Prince, nodded slightly, and praised, "The Crown Prince is virtuous and filial," ordering the ritual official to bestow wine, food, and colorful silks. Immediately after, the Prince of Yue stood up and spoke of his achievements in pacifying the people of Gu Prefecture. He then had people present locally produced grains, animal hides, various precious stones, and even a rubbing of a stele erected by the naturalized local people in praise of His Majesty.

The Emperor saw him dressed in the ceremonial robes of a prince, standing spiritedly at the foot of the steps and speaking with eloquence. Having returned from his tempering experience abroad, his manner of speech was vastly different from before, making him seem like a graceful and talented young hero. With Yuan Shuye adding his praises from the side, the Emperor was immensely gratified. He called him forward to personally bestow wine, placed a hand on his head, and offered gentle words of encouragement. Then and there in court, he issued an edict appointing the Prince of Yue as the Shepherd of Guzhou.

In the current dynasty, the highest official of each prefecture was called a prefect, with only Zhaojing's being called a "magistrate". A Shepherd of a prefecture, however, ranked above a prefect, holding military and political power over an entire prefecture. This position was usually held by a prince in name only, but this time, the Emperor had granted the Prince of Yue a substantive enfeoffment, which was equivalent to giving him a fiefdom. Even though Gu Prefecture was a barren and bitter land on the border, lacking both manpower and money, the Prince of Yue was the first prince of his generation to receive a substantive enfeoffment. His status was already a cut above that of his other brothers.

Today, the Prince of Yue shone brilliantly. Neither the Crown Prince before him, nor the Prince of Yan and the other imperial princes after him, could outshine him. Even within the court, different political winds began to stir faintly.

When the news reached Zhaojing, the Eastern Palace fell into a state of dejection.

Su Yanjun looked at the maidservant standing at the door holding a tray. "Is His Highness the Crown Prince still refusing to eat?"

The maidservant's face was filled with difficulty as she pleaded in a low voice, "Young Master Su, His Highness has locked himself in the hall and hasn't eaten or drunk all day. If this continues, His Highness's body won't be able to take it. Please, persuade His Highness."

Su Yanjun's clear, dark eyes shifted, fixing on her face. He commented ambiguously, "You are quite loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince."

The palace maid froze, not knowing what he was up to, and stammered, "It is this servant's duty..."

Su Yanjun's tone was gentle, and he asked softly, as if bewitching her, "There is something that, if you do it, His Highness will get better. Are you willing?"

"What is it?"

"To die for the Crown Prince."

"..."

With a thud, the maidservant fell to her knees, her lips trembling with fear, unable to speak. Su Yanjun watched her coldly, then turned to the eunuch beside her. "And you?"

The eunuch backed away repeatedly, tripped on a step, and tumbled wretchedly into the courtyard. He felt that the Eastern Palace was having a run of bad luck, suffering one blow after another. From top to bottom, every last one of them had gone mad.

Su Yanjun sneered coldly. He ignored the two and, without being announced, pushed open the hall doors and walked straight in. "Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Get out."

"Your Highness, this subject has a plan..."

"We told you to get out!"

Along with the Crown Prince's furious rebuke, an object flew out from the depths of the palace and squarely struck Su Yanjun on the temple, drenching half his body in wine. His official robes were soaked through, showing shades of varying colors.

"Instead of thinking about how to bring down the Prince of Yue and how to win back His Majesty's favor, is Your Highness hiding in here drinking morosely alone?"

Su Yanjun raised a sleeve to roughly wipe the wine from his face and strode into the hall. Seeing the Crown Prince slumped on the floor in disheveled clothes, he had a mind to pick him up and shake the water out of his brain. "So what if His Majesty gave the Prince of Yue a substantive enfeoffment? Since he didn't make him the Crown Prince, Your Highness still has a chance. It is too early to be despondent. I implore Your Highness to pull yourself together, gather the officials of the Eastern Palace, and discuss how to respond."

"He..."

Su Yanjun: "What?"

The Crown Prince curled his body up tightly and let out a moan that was half-sob, half-laugh. "He doesn't like me, so why did he make me the Crown Prince... I've tried, but I don't know what to do to make him see me..."

He had been the Crown Prince for over a decade, yet he still held such naive fantasies about the Emperor. Su Yanjun took a deep breath and tactfully advised, "Your Highness, in the order of heaven, earth, sovereign, parent, and teacher, the sovereign comes before the parent. His Majesty is first and foremost His Majesty, and only secondarily your father. Instead of craving a father's affection, what you should be thinking about now is how to gain His Majesty's regard, win the support of the court officials, and prevent the Prince of Yue's power from growing..."

"It's so tiring."

The corner of his forehead where he had been struck was throbbing with pain. The pain made Su Yanjun feel inexplicably irritable, and a sense of foreboding was quietly creeping up his spine.

"I'm so tired, Ziye."

The Crown Prince murmured, "I don't want to fight anymore..."