Chapter 164: Palace Intrigues and Unspoken Love

Chapter 159: Nameless

Yao Wenyu's medicine had been tampered with, and the physician from the Pan household could not explain why. This was undoubtedly connected to Pan Yuan, who had been in charge of Yao's care. Princess Chiyue later investigated the Longyou merchant who had repaid Pan Yuan's debts, but the man had vanished without a trace. Not long after Yao Wenyu left, Pan Yuan met his demise in a horse-riding accident. The identity of the one who had poisoned Yao also disappeared with him, but Pan Lin held Xue Xiuzhuo responsible, causing tensions between their factions in Qidu to escalate.

Gao Zhongxiong sensed the growing solemnity in the room. Recalling his acquaintance with Pan Yuan, he grew restless, fearing that Yao Wenyu might hold him accountable. Unable to bear the silence, he said, "Although I knew Pan Yuan, we were not close associates. Our social interactions were out of necessity." Not being skilled in flattery, he stumbled over his words, "I must admit, I admired Yuan Zhuo's talent... During the Xiande era, when we met at the poetry pavilion, his extraordinary demeanor captivated all who saw him..."

After Gao Zhongxiong finished speaking, Yao Wenyu replied calmly, "Past events are but fleeting dreams, not worth dwelling upon. The fact that we have reunited alive in Cizhou is a testament to fate. Now that I've found a worthy master, I wonder what plans you have for your future?"

Gao Zhongxiong glanced at Shen Zechuan and said, "Having fallen so far, I have no plans left." A bitter smile crossed his face as he continued, "What I did today will only be a source of ridicule... All those years of studying in seclusion, and it amounts to nothing."

With a folding fan concealed in his sleeve, Shen Zechuan felt the chill in the room and thought it was time to have a hot water bottle prepared. In an instant, he regained his composure, tilting his jade-like eyes slightly as he addressed Gao Zhongxiong politely, "Given the current unstable situation, heroes from all walks of life are vying for power. Since Mr. Divine Might has arrived in Cizhou, it would be wise to stay temporarily at my residence and make plans at your leisure."

Gao Zhongxiong was deeply moved by Shen Zechuan addressing him as "Mighty Sage." He had endured much hardship along the way and encountered none but unfavorable masters. At this moment, he stood up and gave Shen Zechuan a deep bow, leaving him even more tongue-tied. Shen Zechuan offered some comforting words, and after another half-hour, Gao Zhongxiong finally withdrew.

Yao Wenyu observed the hanging bamboo curtain, waiting until Gao Zhongxiong had left the corridor before remarking, "Does the Deputy Governor find this person entirely useless?"

Even if Shen Zechuan truly thought this way, he couldn't say it outright. Instead, he said, "You must see something exceptional in him to recommend him so strongly."

"Indeed," Yao Wenyu replied, "Gao Zhongxiong goes by the courtesy name Shenwei and is well-known in the Imperial Academy as the 'Pen of Sharpness.' When Xi Hongxuan stirred up turmoil in the capital, he chose Gao precisely because of his writing skills. Gao entered the capital as a student in the fourth year of Xiande. At that time, Zhongbo had just suffered a defeat, leaving six provinces ravaged. After a night of drinking, he composed the 'Lament Over Tea and Stones,' which sparked a craze among the students and eventually reached Cen Yu's hands. It moved Cen Yu to tears by candlelight, filled with deep emotions."

Shen Zechuan sipped his tea and said, "I see now."

The turmoil at the Imperial Academy, orchestrated by Xi Hongxuan, was actually instigated by Shen Zechuan. Gao Zhongxiong, leading a group of students to question Shen Zechuan's departure from the temple, was forcefully suppressed by Pan Rugui and Ji Lei, causing the students' stance to abruptly shift, turning it into a conflict between Pan's faction and the rest. This caught Ji Lei and others off guard, thus losing their opportunity to attack Shen Zechuan proactively.

Shen Zechuan understood that the key to the unrest lay in appealing to the masses, as seen in the subsequent uproar instigated by Xue Xiuzhuo. They all utilized persuasive speeches and writings to sway public opinion. Yao Wenyu's message was clear: Gao Zhongxiong's pen held such power to incite a frenzy, and now, Shen Zechuan desperately needed such a pen.

"Your trip to Tea State has already garnered recognition, but due to your association with Shen Wei, it's insufficient for you to lead the masses openly and honorably," Yao Wenyu paused momentarily. "Even if the truth about the military defeat is eventually revealed, Shen Wei will still bear significant responsibility."

A name without proper authority carries no legitimacy, and this was an issue Shen Zechuan could not evade.

Presently, the Wing King of Fan State was drafting documents to criticize Chrysanthemum State, repeatedly mentioning the military defeat. Shen Wei's cowardice in battle was a fact, leaving no room for Zhou Gui to refute. Firstly, Shen Zechuan was indeed Shen Wei's eighth illegitimate son, and as his biological son, the supposed "lack of favor" could not appease the masses. Blood ties were involved, unlike Fei Sheng, who belonged to a distant branch of the family, unable to convince the world with mere words. Secondly, the military defeat was a tragedy caused by Hua Siqian and others due to the empty treasury. However, all evidence had been destroyed, Shen Wei had burned himself, Hua Siqian died in prison, and Wei Huaigu had poisoned himself. The collusion with Border Sands cavalry to sell Great Zhou's defense maps had left no trace.

This shadow constantly loomed over Shen Zechuan, posing his greatest threat. Why was he struggling to attract talent in Chrysanthemum State? Because the capable people of the world refused to join him; they would rather follow a grass-roots hero like the Wing King of Fan State than align with Shen Zechuan.

"Today, your execution of Chrysanthemum State's advisors was justified through a public trial, avoiding any backlash," Yao Wenyu observed Shen Zechuan's composed expression as he fiddled with his folding fan, knowing he had already considered this. He continued, "As Chrysanthemum State grows stronger, and with Tea State's submission, for you to advance further, you must first shed the title of 'Deputy Governor.'"

Yao Wenyu hinted no more, and both understood the unspoken message.

Shen Zechuan could be addressed as "Deputy Governor" or "Inspector," titles he once held in the Imperial Guards, but which were void when he left the capital. Now in Chrysanthemum State, where Zhou Gui was the governor, if he continued using these old titles, it would imply he was still a guest, and Zhou Gui was the host. The reason the offending advisors remained untouched during today's incident was that they still saw Zhou Gui as the ruler of Chrysanthemum State, believing they did not fall under Shen Zechuan's jurisdiction, maintaining a clear boundary between them.

Only Kong Ling had been aware of the problem early on. He had warned Zhou Gui before their previous trip to Tea State and again before this journey to Huai State, but Zhou Gui was ignorant of the inner workings and failed to grasp the situation.

Shen Zechuan couldn't declare himself king – not yet, at least. The establishment of Fan State's Wing King was too early, making him nothing more than prey standing in front of Qidong. Qi Zhuyin had recovered from her setback; with the border region secured, she now had the strength to march into Zhongbo, and her first target would be these uncouth mountain kings.

"There are advantages to being unknown," Shen Zechuan leaned back slightly. "At least Qi Zhuyin lacks justification for bypassing the other five states to attack Chizhou."

Chizhou was free of bandits and rogue kings. The Eight Great Bases were pursuing Xiao Chiye, who led the Imperial Guards, while Shen Zechuan could only be labeled an "escapee." Chizhou was merely "harboring an escapee." Zhou Gui hadn't openly raised a rebel flag. He remained the "state government" within his territory, ignoring Qidong's orders and using the excuse of distance to evade responsibility. Because of this, Qi Zhuyin had no grounds to invade Chizhou—unless she pretended to suppress bandits, marched westward to Chizhou, and then used the pretense of needing passage to justify entering Chizhou. However, such maneuvers would require more troops and double the military expenditure, which Qidong might not afford. The best option was still to have the Eight Great Bases launch an attack. With Dancheng's grain supply nearby, they could justify invading Chizhou under the pretense of capturing Shen Zechuan. But Han Jin's haste had allowed Xiao Chiye to scatter them, leaving them too stunned to retaliate, resulting in the Eight Great Bases retreating.

This state of affairs couldn't last.

The Eight Great Bases would inevitably return, especially once stability was achieved in Qidong. The Ministry of War would then select new commanders. To counter this, Xiao Chiye and Shen Zechuan had bought Beiyuan Hunting Grounds from Zhou Gui to use as a camp for the Imperial Guards. Thus, the 20,000 Imperial Guards became a shield on the western border of Chizhou, specifically to defend against the Eight Great Bases. However, once the Imperial Guards returned to Chizhou, Qi Zhuyin could use the pretext of eliminating rebels to directly attack Chizhou.

Therefore, Shen Zechuan wasn't in a rush to eliminate the Wing King of Fan State. He wanted the Wing King to become a mountain blocking his path to Qidong, but he couldn't allow the Wing King to grow too powerful.

"I suggested earlier that the Censor-in-Chief should swiftly take Fan State, but the time is no longer opportune," Yao Wenyu said, his tea now cold. "If the Censor-in-Chief wishes to nurture the Wing King, he must first cut off the hand reaching northward."

"Several months ago," Shen Zechuan's eyes were clear, "Lei Jingzhe was sent back to Luoshan by Cezhen, becoming the target of all arrows and losing control over the bandits, causing chaos within Luoshan and divisions among factions. Now, the Wing King wants to form an alliance with Luoshan. Lei Jingzhe, determined to rise again, won't miss this chance."

Yao Wenyu's eyes flickered. "You mean…"

Shen Zechuan suddenly snapped open his folding fan, half-concealing his face behind it. With a faint smile in his eyes, he spoke slowly, "I will lend him a helping hand."

Outside the window, the wind picked up, signaling an impending downpour.

* * *

Han Jin's fingers had grown calloused from scraping at the wall. He had been imprisoned in Zizhou jail for almost three months, wasting away to a mere shadow of his former self, all while enduring insults. At first, he couldn't bear it and would often weep, but as time passed, he became desensitized.

"Time to eat!" The jailor carried a bucket and rapped on each cell door with a wooden spoon, bellowing, "Dinner is served!"

Skilled in their task, they swiftly ladled the soup and rice into the bowls, filling them to the brim without spilling a single drop. Hearing the sound, Han Jin hurried to the cell door, stretching out his hand to reach for the bowl. However, a prison guard passing by kicked the bowl away, sending the mixture of soup, rice, and bits of dirt rolling across the floor.

Han Jin's stomach was so empty that it burned with hunger. He knelt down, using his fingers to pick up the food from the ground, forcing it into his mouth. The mixture contained sand and small pebbles that painfully grated against his teeth. He pressed his forehead against the cell door and reached into his mouth with his dirty hands to extract the stones.

Just as he was exerting himself, he noticed a pair of feet stop outside the cell door.

Han Jin cautiously raised his gaze, glancing outward in evasion.

Gao Zhongxiong had no idea that Han Jin would be in such a state; he had originally come to visit his former master.

Han Jin, the younger brother of Han Cheng, was also a prominent figure in the capital for his dalliances. He succeeded Xi Guan as the commander-in-chief of the Eight Great Banners and had been involved in the Gouguan Case. Back then, he had held Xiao Chiye in high regard.

Gao Zhongxiong's throat constricted, and he struggled to speak several times but failed.

Staring blankly at Gao Zhongxiong, Han Jin suddenly pounced forward, grabbed the railing, and asked through sobs, "Has my brother come? Is it my brother who has arrived?"