Chapter 35

Chapter 35

The following day, the Sixth Prince came to visit with the Twelfth Prince.

Xue Fuguang, of course, couldn't just leave them out in the cold, especially with the presence of the Twelfth Prince.

He ordered his servants to host them properly in the flower hall, where the serene Princess Jingrong had arrived before him to attend to the guests.

The Sixth Prince had met Princess Jingrong before, but it had been years since their last encounter.

The bright and confident lady greeted them with poise and grace. After exchanging pleasantries with him and the Twelfth Prince, she calmly arranged for snacks and tea to be served, and then sent someone to hurry Xue Fuguang along.

She seemed every bit the house manager, long accustomed to being the decision-maker in household matters.

It was hard to imagine anyone else in the imperial city more suited to be the mistress of a household than her.

The Sixth Prince observed her for a long moment, contemplating in his heart that perhaps she would not be an unsuitable wife for him.

Princess Jingrong, sitting beside them and noticing the Sixth Prince's gaze, offered a faint smile.

In no time at all, Xue Fuguang arrived.

Only then did the Sixth Prince retract his gaze.

The Twelfth Prince was genuinely delighted, his cheeks dimpling with a smile as he eagerly commanded, “Cai Yi, quickly present the gift to the Young Master.”

Xue Fuguang smiled, gesturing to Shao Jing to accept it: “Your Highness is too courteous.”

The Twelfth Prince was somewhat disappointed not to hear his name being used; the formality created a sense of distance.

Nevertheless, with a brief wrinkle of his nose in frustration, he quickly perked up: “The Young Master gifted me a piece of ink, so naturally, I should reciprocate. Besides, this gift isn't of great value. It’s just that I lost the eagle painting you previously gifted me at the Imperial Academy and would ask for your understanding.”

Xue Fuguang immediately understood his intention and readily agreed: “No trouble at all. If Your Highness truly likes it, I shall paint another one in a few days and have it sent to you.”

Having said this, he took a seat next to Princess Jingrong.

With Princess Jingrong and the Twelfth Prince present, the Sixth Prince couldn't linger on the conversation and, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, took his leave with the Twelfth Prince.

In the end, Princess Jingrong commented with a smile, “The Twelfth Prince is truly of a pure and sincere nature.”

Xue Fuguang, cradling his tea, slowly concurred: “Sister speaks the truth. The Empress Dowager and the Sixth Prince are quite protective of him, shielding him from the darker secrets of the harem. It’s quite remarkable how they’ve managed to preserve his character over the years.”

Especially since the Twelfth Prince lost his mother at a young age.

Growing up pure-hearted within the confines of the deep palace is indeed extraordinary.

Princess Jingrong shook her head: “Fortunately, our current Emperor doesn't have many consorts, nor an excess of heirs.”

Xue Fuguang's lips curled into a smile: “Speaking of which, sister, do you not favor the Sixth Prince? It seems you’ve hardly met before.”

Princess Jingrong blinked, her skirt fluttering as she spoke: “I saw him a few times when I was young, accompanying my father to the palace. But he has changed a lot since then.”

Xue Fuguang's interest was piqued: “In what way has he changed?”

Princess Jingrong explained: “In the past, he resembled the Twelfth Prince to some degree. Now, he presents himself with dignity and grace, yet the calculative nature in his eyes is almost too conspicuous, which is off-putting.”

The Sixth Prince is a master of outward appearances, much better at feigning than the Crown Prince.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to maintain such a facade under the Emperor's watchful eye until now.

Xue Fuguang understood immediately; it seemed the Sixth Prince had underestimated Princess Jingrong, letting his guard down enough for her to discern the truth.

What could the Sixth Prince possibly scheme from his sister?

The grandest scheme would concern his sister’s marital affairs.

Xue Fuguang propped his chin in his hand, deep in thought.

The sight of him lost in thought, eyelids lowered, amused Xue Wanxi.

She reached out and gently poked Xue Fuguang's forehead: "What's on your mind?"

Xue Fuguang looked up, a hint of jest and seriousness twinkling in his phoenix eyes: "Just thinking, if my sister were to marry one day, how heartbroken I'd be. Perhaps you should emulate the princesses of the former dynasty and cultivate a host of adorers. Whatever type of man you desire, I’ll find him for you, so there's no need to endure any in-law's mistreatment."

Xue Wanxi couldn't help but laugh: "Look at you, taking up your sister's worries. What kind of in-laws could possibly oppress someone as clever as your sister? That's simply unthinkable."

Xue Fuguang opened his mouth, his brows and eyes curving in agreement: “That’s true.”

In this life, she has her elder brother.

And she has him.

Once he brings down the Ming family and ascends to the highest seat in the Jing Kingdom, naturally, no one will be able to bully his elder sister.

……

The epidemic spread through several provinces, and aside from the areas surrounding the imperial city, the hardest hit were Shun State and Yun State, with Ding State slightly better off.

Since Ding State was the primary source of tonggen, controlling the epidemic there was relatively easier.

Shun State and Yun State thus became the areas most severely affected by the epidemic.

To control the outbreaks in these two states, the Sixth Prince and the Crown Prince split their forces, each personally overseeing the containment efforts.

The Crown Prince was dispatched to Shun State, accompanied by a host of subordinates and advisors.

Feng Wenhua was among those who followed.

The epidemic in Shun State was grave, with many succumbing to the illness; the smoke from burning bodies rose daily outside the city.

The Crown Prince, unable to sleep at night, worried he would mishandle this critical task.

As one of his advisors, the pressure was even more acute, exhausting every effort to outshine the Sixth Prince and recover lost ground.

Feng Wenhua seized the opportune moment to volunteer, leveraging his identity as a native of Ding State to gain the Crown Prince's trust.

He then oversaw the massive collection of tonggen within the city, directing the imperial physicians to brew several large pots of medicine. Diluted, it was distributed to the people throughout the city.

Those who could endure it would recover.

Those who could not were cast out of the city to await death, and then turned to ashes in the funeral pyres.

Such decisive actions were taken without heeding the imperial physicians’ admonitions.

Although numerous people succumbed to the disease, his measures indeed eradicated the epidemic in Shun State before the Sixth Prince could.

To ensure thoroughness, Feng Wenhua suggested a citywide search, sparing no one showing signs of the epidemic. They were to be removed from the city, and only allowed to return if no worsening symptoms appeared after half a month.

Such relentless efforts resulted in a comprehensive resolution.

By contrast, Yun State, under the responsibility of the Sixth Prince, saw recurring outbreaks.

He even nearly contracted the disease himself.

Fortunately, he had some tonggen left, and shortly after the Crown Prince returned to the capital, he too made his way back to the imperial city.

The next day at the morning court, the Sixth Prince received several words of praise from the Emperor.

The Emperor then said: "Nevertheless, you still have much to learn from your elder brother. It was your keen insight that detected the onset of the epidemic. Yet, your handling of Yun State was unsatisfactory, falling short of your brother’s decisive actions."

The Sixth Prince’s expression remained unchanged as he bowed respectfully: "The Emperor’s teachings are most just; I shall take them to heart and strive to emulate my brother, bettering myself henceforth."

A minister stepped forward to say: "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the Sixth Prince's contribution to managing the epidemic was indeed remarkable."

"Your Majesty, I concur. The Sixth Prince's approach in Yun State embodied the compassionate spirit of our royal house. In contrast, what I heard of the Crown Prince's actions in Shun State seemed exceedingly ruthless, which unavoidably fosters resentment among the populace."

"On the contrary, I believe that the Crown Prince’s immediate and decisive actions were necessary. Matters of an epidemic are no trifling play; the slightest delay can lead to a catastrophe. Sacrificing a few to save the majority is a painful, yet necessary decision. How can this be wrong?"

"Indeed. What the Crown Prince did exemplifies true royal benevolence and compassion for the people."

The two factions argued incessantly.

The Emperor’s eyes grew heavy with contemplation.

Indeed, this Sixth Prince seemed to harbor aspirations for the throne beneath him.

The Emperor raised his hand.

The chief eunuch at his side immediately called out, "Silence—"

In an instant, the grand hall returned to stillness.

The Emperor massaged his temples, "I believe the Crown Prince has performed exceptionally well. Thus, I have instructed the Sixth Prince to learn from him. My dear officials, do you have any objections to this?"

The courtiers quickly lowered their tone, "Your humble servant wouldn't dare! Your Majesty speaks most wisely!"

The Emperor raised his hand again, "Then that's settled. Starting tomorrow, both the Crown Prince and the Sixth Prince will join the Ministry of Works to deal with the resettlement of the displaced populace."

"This audience is dismissed."

"We respectfully see off His Majesty—"

The Sixth Prince's expression remained unchanged as he left the grand hall.

The Crown Prince followed at his side, "Thank you, younger brother."

The Sixth Prince smiled, "Why would you say that, brother?"

The Crown Prince said, "In my retinue is a man named Feng Wenhua. For the upcoming mission to Shunzhou, I intended to test his usefulness. If he proved ineffectual, I would find an excuse to have him executed. Unexpectedly, he has been very useful indeed. Had it not been for you sending him to me, I would have been at a loss this time."

The Sixth Prince had not anticipated his defeat at the hands of Feng Wenhua; his face darkened for a moment, and he nearly failed to maintain his composure.

"As long as brother finds him to be of service, that is good. However, I hope that in the future, this product of a bandit's lair does not turn on its master."

The Crown Prince clapped him on the shoulder, "That is for me to worry about, not you, younger brother. After all, a well-trained wolf can also be a loyal hound."

"Brother speaks truly."

The Crown Prince left in high spirits, striding away with a smile.

A cold look flickered in the depths of the Sixth Prince's eyes.

He closed his eyes, clenched his teeth tightly, calmed himself for a moment, and then murmured in a low voice, "Just wait."

He did not believe that Xue Fuguang would send anything beneficial to the Crown Prince.

Feng Wenhua did possess a certain cleverness.

Since Xue Fuguang had presented him to the Crown Prince, he was surely a viper lying in wait, biding his time to strike a venomous bite when the day comes.

A bite that would ensure his victim could never rise again!

……

The Crown Prince returned to the Eastern Palace in high spirits.

Feng Wenhua was there, standing guard.

He followed the Crown Prince into the inner chamber, listening to the affairs of the court that the prince relayed.

Yet his gaze settled on a small sachet beside the Crown Prince's pillow.

As the Crown Prince looked over, Feng Wenhua diverted his eyes.

After the Crown Prince finished speaking,

Feng Wenhua suddenly spoke up, "Your Highness, I haven't been in your service for long and know little. But I've heard in the teahouses about your search for a young master some time ago?"

The Crown Prince looked up abruptly, "Who told you this?"

Feng Wenhua replied, "Though I am new to the Imperial City, I've heard many rumors in the teahouses about Your Highness and this young master. Even the Emperor was furious with you over this matter."

The Crown Prince's face darkened, his voice icy, "I am asking you, who told you this?"

Feng Wenhua responded, "I have a way to locate this young master without alarming His Majesty. Would you be willing to give it a try?"

The Crown Prince snatched a jade pillow from beside him and hurled it at Feng Wenhua, then rose swiftly to kick him squarely in the chest, "I'm asking you, where did you hear it, and from whom?"

His eyes brimmed with thin threads of blood.

When it came to Xiu Jin, the Crown Prince had no trust to spare for anyone.

Especially not for this man before him, a pawn inserted into his palace by the strategies of the Sixth Prince.

Clutching at his chest, Feng Wenhua coughed incessantly, a salty metallic taste rising in his throat, "I have no double intentions towards Your Highness, nor any thoughts of harming the young master. May I dare to ask, Your Highness, is the young master's name 'Xiu Jin'?—a name suggesting wisdom and splendid brocade."

"Years ago, Young Master Xiu Jin saved my life in Dingzhou—he is my benefactor! Your Highness, can you truly bear to see his whereabouts unknown, at risk of falling prey to some harm?"

"I wish to pledge my loyalty to Your Highness and also to repay Young Master Xiu Jin for his life-saving grace!"

Author's note: The lady's perspective is broadening.

See you tomorrow~