Chapter 20: Discipline

Chapter 20: Discipline

Empress Luo had been in the palace for many years and thus had her fair share of allies. With some effort, she managed to convey the news about Princess Yi Yang's distant marriage to Prince Jingbei to the crown prince. The next day was the princess's departure for Jingbei, and the emperor placed great importance on it. The wedding procession was grand, with the escort consisting of imperial guards and a third-rank Minister of Rites as the chief envoy, while an imperial eunuch oversaw all the internal affairs.

Upon receiving the news, Crown Prince Yuan Jun felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow. He was momentarily speechless.

Of course, he was aware of the intentions behind the message and what Empress Luo was thinking. However, he still stepped into that trap filled with thorns and spikes.

When Emperor Chengping, Yuan Zixu, heard that Crown Prince Yuan Jun was kneeling outside his sleeping quarters in a plain robe with disheveled hair, he didn't say much. Instead, he embraced two Taoist nuns, practiced their dual cultivation techniques, and then retired for the night.

Rising the next day for meditation and tranquility, the Emperor heard that the Crown Prince was still kneeling outside his palace. Unperturbed, he summoned Daoist Chong Xiao to give a lecture on scriptures before lazily ordering the prince to be brought in. "I have made significant progress in my cultivation. I've already told you all not to disturb my spiritual pursuits unless it's necessary. Moreover, I recall your lack of diligence in your studies. I punished you to read in seclusion, so why are you kneeling here today?"

Yuan Jun lifted his gaze to see his father, the Emperor, dressed in a saffron-colored daoist robe, lounging indolently on a couch. Two beautiful nuns knelt beneath him, massaging his knees and legs, while a luxurious fragrance filled the air. He lowered his eyelashes. "Your son humbly requests that Your Majesty revoke the imperial edict sending Elder Sister to marry far away."

Yuan Zixu didn't even raise an eyebrow, responding lazily, "Yi Yang has already consented. Now you're objecting? A king's word is law, and the King of Northern Peace is not someone to be trifled with."

Yuan Jun said impassively, "Your son is willing to personally go to the King of Northern Peace's residence to apologize."

Yuan Zixu replied, "As the Crown Prince, you know well the consequences if the King of Northern Peace's estate continues in its current state, with neither proper respect for the emperor nor loyalty. Your Imperial Sister has always been different from other women, possessing great ambition. She often laments being born female, wishing she were a man to achieve greatness. Now, I am giving her the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and earn glorious feats. As her brother and the heir apparent, how can you not support this decision?"

Yuan Jun whispered, "The Prince of Jingbei is a man of unwavering resolve, not one to be easily swayed. If Elder Sister were to marry him, it would be no different from throwing herself into the jaws of a tiger. Our mother passed away early, leaving Elder Sister to act as a mother to me, guiding and instructing me in achieving greatness, just like a man, through honest means or by navigating the halls of power, or by conquering battlefields. Elder Sister is a woman of exceptional talent and heroic spirit, with a genuine heart. How could I allow her to sacrifice her life for me? As a true man, it's my duty to protect women and children, yet now I'm asking Elder Sister to step forward for me – that's a sign of my incompetence."

Yuan Zixu chuckled coldly. "You're showing your weakness as a woman. In your opinion, how would you tame the Prince of Jingbei if you were the king?"

Yuan Jun replied, "If one's virtue reaches across the seas, all will naturally submit, even the barbarians will come to pay tribute."

Yuan Zixu glanced at him and sneered. "You've clearly read too many books, infected by the sour poison of those stale scholars!"

Yuan Jun bowed deeply. "If there are any who defy, I would subdue them with force, using military might to bring them to heel. It would be shameful for me, as a true man, to hide behind women while I sit securely in the halls of power. That's not the way!"

Clatter!

A loud crash echoed as a porcelain incense burner shattered in front of Yuan Jun, its fragments sharp and scattered.

Yuan Zixu looked at him with a cold gaze. The Taoist nun beside the couch trembled in fear and knelt deeply on the side.

Yuan Jun remained composed. "Since I am unworthy to be the crown prince, I request to abdicate my position. But I beg Elder Sister to stay in the capital."

Yuan Zixu stared at him for a moment before suddenly laughing. He instructed the little eunuch dressed as a Taoist disciple nearby, "Fetch the box by my bedside and give it to the prince."

The little eunuch's face was ashen, and he trembled as he entered. Soon, he returned with a box, presenting it before Yuan Jun. He opened it to reveal a dark red pill.

Yuan Zixu stared at Yuan Jun with icy, piercing eyes.

The emperor had unexpectedly sent food, in such an icy atmosphere. The anger of the Son of Heaven could lead to rivers of blood. What was this red pill? Poison?

But Yuan Jun didn't seem to consider any of these possibilities. He merely glanced up at Yuan Zixu, lowered his eyelids, and took the red pill with a steady hand, swallowing it without a hint of fear, hesitation, or trepidation.

Yuan Zixu watched him take the pill for a long while before his expression turned cold once more. " Summon the Imperial Guards. Escort the Crown Prince back to the palace under strict confinement for studies. Have the Palace Guards stand watch. No one is allowed to visit him. The Crown Prince's tutor should teach him daily until he learns his lesson. All the Crown Prince's teachers will have their salaries suspended for a year, and his expenses will be halved. Any further disobedience will be met with severe punishment."

The Crown Prince had angered the emperor, so he was confined to Baohuan Palace, guarded by the Palace Guards, and his expenses were cut in half – almost like imprisonment. Although his title remained intact, the fact that the emperor had punished him so harshly showed just how displeased he was. For a moment, the entire court was filled with speculation.

Princess Yi Yang paused in her act of holding a floral hairpin when she heard the news. After a while, she slowly applied it to her hair, maintaining a calm expression. Rong Bi was combing her hair behind her, while Mei Xiang asked worriedly, "Will Princess go to the palace to plead for the Crown Prince? After all, you're about to be married far away, so the emperor should give you some face, right? You can say it's a farewell before you leave?"

Princess Yi Yang replied coolly, "He'll have to walk his own path from now on. Not seeing him would be the best thing for him."

That night, the heir of Duke Ding suddenly arrived.

Princess Yi Yang was taken aback. At this point, Song Xiang should be avoiding suspicion. After some thought, she still asked for him to be admitted, leaving Rong Bi to stand by her side. Through the screen, she smiled at Song Xiang and said, "Prince Song, has Lord Duke sent you here with some instructions?"

Song Xiang made no comment but knelt on one knee, saying, "Princess, your journey across thousands of miles will be arduous. Please take care of yourself. As for His Highness the Crown Prince, I'll remain loyal."

Yi Yang's eyes reddened slightly, and she was momentarily at a loss for words. After a while, she smiled and said, "Young Prince – I've always treated you as my younger brother. The Crown Prince... has his own destiny. In my absence, please accompany him more to lift his spirits and advise him not to defy or anger our father, the Emperor. I know what to do; he needn't worry about me."

Song Xiang replied softly, "Understood."

He lifted his gaze to glimpse the faint silhouette of the woman behind the beaded curtain, his elder sister-in-law. This strong and brilliant woman, who had deliberately cultivated a reputation for dalliance with talented men to protect her husband's younger brother's name, had only pretended in front of him to be courting powerful officials. He alone knew how soft-hearted and emotionally invested she truly was.

Their fate was shallow.

He didn't say anything more, simply bowed again and left.

In the Phoenix Chirping Palace, Empress Luo was meeting with her brother, Luo Shiming.

Luo Shiming was speaking to her, "Why did the Emperor suddenly become angry with the Crown Prince? Father found it odd. When he made a mistake the other day, didn't he ask you, Your Majesty, to bear with it for now and plan slowly, so as not to provoke the Emperor?"

Empress Luo replied, "I understand that, but I can't help but resent that Yi Yang should have been the Princess of Northern Peace. I sent word to the Crown Prince about her impending marriage. He couldn't control himself when he heard the news. I've heard that the Emperor flew into a rage and broke a jade vase on the spot. I plan to send Yi Qing to plead tomorrow, volunteering to replace Yi Yang in the marriage."

Luo Shiming frowned and asked, "Do you know the specifics? What did the Crown Prince say that enraged the Emperor?"

Empress Luo said, "It's unclear, but it seems the Emperor was enraged when he learned that the Crown Prince would rather give up his position for Yi Yang. It's said that he even had thoughts of executing him on the spot and then gave the Crown Prince a red pill to consume."

Luo Shiming was startled. "A medicinal pill?"

Empress Luo replied, "The Emperor has many pills brewed in his palace, batch after batch. Prisoners are often made to test them in large quantities, sometimes even those concubines serving at the Taoist temple. But apparently, the atmosphere was very tense back then, and the Emperor was genuinely furious. After the Crown Prince took that pill, the Emperor ordered someone to escort him back to the palace under strict supervision."

Luo Shiming pondered before shaking his head. "I advise Your Majesty not to let Third Princess appeal on behalf of the Crown Prince. The Emperor is now suspicious."

Empress Luo was taken aback. "Suspicious of me? Of course, I naturally hope my son becomes the Crown Prince. What's there to suspect?"

Luo Shiming shook his head. "No, he's worried that the Crown Prince is pretending. Pretending to be kind and righteous, which is why he gave the pill to test him. If the Crown Prince truly is hypocritical and hesitates to take it, or pleads for mercy, it would confirm the Emperor's suspicions, and he'll surely despise him. If that's the case, coupled with the thread he's laid out in Jinzhou Harbor, the Crown Prince won't be able to recover. We might have our chance then."

"But the Crown Prince consumed the pill, and the Emperor has him under watch, just like how he sent Princess Yi Yang to marry Prince Jingbei for their own good. Unfortunately, all our efforts have come to naught. The Emperor wants this sense of nostalgia, so he won't feel threatened – every emperor hopes for a kind and obedient heir."

Empress Luo considered this and sneered. "So that's the case. I thought his paranoid tendencies had changed, but as they say, one's nature is hard to alter. Yet, how can the Crown Prince, so foolish and weak, be fit to be the successor? He only remembers how kind and benevolent Shen Muhua was, but he fails to consider if his character can bear the weight of the world?"

Luo Shiming said, "Although the Emperor has been engrossed in Taoist practices these past few years and appears oblivious, he's actually quite clear-headed. Your Majesty, don't mistake his indulgence as dementia. Now it seems we've merely paved the way for Yi Yang in vain. If she truly wins over Prince Jingbei, we won't be able to touch the Crown Prince."

Empress Luo scoffed. "Her? A second-time widow with a notorious reputation for keeping lovers. The Prince Jingbei might just kill her soon enough – I've heard rumors of him throwing people into a beast park to be torn apart alive. How many men would appreciate Yi Yang's temperament?"

Luo Shiming let out a soft sigh, not saying anything. His sister had been raised in seclusion, with propriety deeply ingrained in her heart. Being young and newly entered into the palace, she naturally wouldn't understand that Princess Yi Yang, with her untamed vitality and elevated status, was also a highly captivating woman. After all, wasn't it often said that wildflowers were more fragrant than those in one's own garden?

He whispered a word of caution to Empress Luo: "The Emperor's mind is made up. At this point, with the Crown Prince imprisoned, even the deepest bond of fatherly love can grow cold with daily absence. Once the Emperor forgets about him, we can start planning our next move. Since the Emperor favors those who value loyalty, let Second Prince and Third Princess both go before him and plead for the Crown Prince's and your sake."

Empress Luo replied, "I understand, brother. Please rest assured – but pleading for mercy won't be easy. The Emperor is currently obsessed with cultivation, not even meeting his own officials, let alone us." She scoffed. "Surely you don't expect me to degrade myself by dressing in a Taoist robe to seduce him?"

Luo Shiming fell silent. Seeing her brother's unspoken disapproval, Empress Luo secretly regretted her words. "Very well, brother, please don't worry. With the Crown Prince imprisoned, matters concerning the Crown Princess will have to wait. As long as he hasn't established his own prince's residence, there's still time for everything."