Chapter 72 – Planning the Course

Chapter 72 - Planning the Course

Grand Tutor Ge Chengxuan had been impeached by an imperial censor for allowing his servants to occupy farmland. An imperial edict was issued to place him under house arrest, ordering the officials to discuss the matter. The news quickly sent shockwaves throughout the court.

At this time, Yuan Jun was meeting with the third-ranked scholar, Zheng Changyuan, at the Jichu Pavilion in the capital. Upon hearing the news, Yuan Jun's expression changed slightly. Zheng Changyuan sighed and said, "The old Grand Tutor has long since distanced himself from court affairs. The last time he participated in policy discussions was regarding the pacification of the north. This sudden order to investigate him might be aimed at the Crown Prince."

Yuan Jun's face turned cold. "The Crown Prince is currently devoted to his spiritual cultivation and pays no attention to worldly matters."

Zheng Changyuan replied, "His Majesty is overly suspicious—indeed, there are already rumors circulating in the court that he might be losing his mind. Lately, during court sessions, he behaves unpredictably, sometimes berating his ministers at length, and at other times, he's indifferent, only occasionally laughing to himself."

No subject wishes to serve a mad king, and the emperor, consumed by elixirs, has imprisoned his own son, whimsically changing policies and temperamental. It seems he is teetering on the brink of madness, and this very situation presents an opportunity for the prince—the courtiers yearn for a rational, wise, and compassionate ruler.

This is the very reason why he has shifted his stance in favor of the Crown Prince and Princess. With an emperor unable to communicate, everyone aims merely to avoid mistakes, aspiring for a passive governance that allows things to run their course. The court is sliding into an abyss, with the dregs of society rising to the surface, beyond redemption.

He gazed at the young maiden before him, disguised as a man, holding her teacup with lowered lashes and a furrowed brow, deep in contemplation. In her moments of stillness and strategic planning, she resembled the Crown Prince in her elegant demeanor and tranquil nature. Yet, when in motion, she commanded the battlefield with archery skills that seemed almost divine. At merely twenty years of age, such a woman, if born a son, would have surely achieved astounding feats!

Yuan Jun suddenly spoke in a solemn voice, "No matter how suspicious he is, he would never touch Ge Chengxuan. He's testing the Crown Prince."

Zheng Changyuan said: "If the Fourth Master can find a way to send a message to the forbidden palace, it would be best to advise the Crown Prince not to act rashly, but to continue to devote himself to the worship of the gods. After all, the Grand Tutor was promoted by the late emperor, and such a minor matter of land acquisition cannot shake the foundation."

Yuan Jun said, "With the palace's isolation from news, the Crown Prince would naturally feel at ease seeking divine intervention. However, since the Grand Tutor is elderly, we must take care to ensure he doesn't suffer in prison."

Zheng Changyuan nodded. "That's easy. We can entrust someone to send some silver and tokens of the Emperor's goodwill to the Grand Tutor's relatives. With the Emperor's intentions clear, it's unlikely the prison officials will give him a hard time."

Yuan Jun shook his head. "Once he's in the Imperial Prison, political foes will seize the opportunity to create trouble, even fabricating crimes if necessary, just to cater to the Emperor's whims. No one is perfect, so who wouldn't be afraid? We need to create a distraction quickly to divert the Emperor's attention away from the Crown Prince."

He frowned and spoke coldly, "We need to create something for the Emperor." It was better than having the Emperor's cunning mind constantly focused on them siblings! Now that the old Grand Tutor was implicated, what would be the next test? The Shen residence? The Song residence? How long could they keep retreating and allowing the Emperor to probe their limits and weaknesses?

Zheng Changyuan asked, "Fourth Master Yuan is known for your strategic brilliance. Do you already have a plan?"

Yuan Jun replied, "Luan Ji."

Zheng Changyuan was taken aback. "Luan Ji has already sailed overseas, and I, Zheng, have no knowledge of her whereabouts."

Yuan Jun said, "We don't need her in person. A beautiful woman with mismatched eyes, wandering the capital seeking protection from a noble, accidentally revealing her talent for ventriloquism, then being hunted down and abducted, leading to her disappearance. The noble, feeling aggrieved, reports to the authorities... Imagine if the Emperor learns of this. What do you think his reaction would be?" Having heard about Luan Ji before, he had been contemplating how to exploit the situation, and now he had a comprehensive plan.

Zheng Changyuan was startled but then clapped his hands, saying, "A brilliant scheme! The Emperor will surely suspect the authenticity of that initial fortune-telling prophecy! But the question remains, who should we choose as this noble? If too experienced, they might be seen through, and if too young, the Emperor might not believe them."

Yuan Jun replied nonchalantly, "The Third Prince has always been known for his charm and chivalry towards women."

Zheng Changyuan pondered for a moment and chuckled. "Indeed, an excellent choice. If we stage another act, the woman will surely fear the Second Prince and the Luo family... However, this play will be difficult to execute. It must be kept extremely secret, and I'll need to find a woman with heterochromia. Given the urgency and need for discretion, it may be hard to find the right person."

Yuan Jun deliberated before suggesting, "It doesn't necessarily have to be true heterochromia... We only need the Third Prince to believe it is so. I can try playing the part myself, but since he has seen me before, I'll have to conceal my appearance somewhat."

Zheng Changyuan replied, "I have a maid skilled in disguise. With makeup and the right lighting, she should be able to conceal your identity."

Yuan Jun nodded slightly and let out a cold laugh. "Empress Luo's schemes have made the princess and crown prince live in constant fear for the past two years. Now, it's time for her to taste her own medicine!"

Surprised by the young lady's icy tone as if she shared their resentment, Zheng Changyuan smiled reassuringly. "Ji Chu Hall is one of my establishments. I've heard that Lord Rong is quite knowledgeable about cuisine. Would you like to try this steamed vinegar-marinated beef? Each dish here has been personally selected for its uniqueness."

Preoccupied with her thoughts, Yuan Jun had no appetite for such pleasures. She merely nodded and picked up her chopsticks to sample the food casually. After a light meal, she put down her utensils, sipped her tea, and then resumed discussing the details of their plan with Zheng Changyuan.

Zheng Changyuan was slightly taken aback by the young lady's unpredictable nature but maintained his smile as they finalized their strategy.

===

Yuan Zixu watched from the sidelines as Daoist Chong Xiao instructed the child servant to ignite the furnace.

Today happened to be the day to check on the previous batch of pills. The test subjects were already waiting in a side hall. Yuan Zixu observed impassively as the furnace was opened, releasing an exotic fragrance. Daoist Chong Xiao personally retrieved the pills and placed them on a white porcelain plate. Nearby, little attendants carried the pills away to administer them to the test subjects. The remaining pills were sealed, labeled with the date, and stored back in the inner chamber under guard. No one else would be allowed access.

Daoist Chong Xiao knew that this batch of pills would not succeed. He calculated that the next batch would take seventy-seven days to prepare. Testing the pills afterward would take even longer. The crown prince only showed effects after consuming the pills for a while... But spending so much time confined in the palace would be unbearable. If the pills couldn't be produced, it seemed he would be trapped within the palace walls indefinitely.

Trembling with unease, the Emperor used to share trivialities with him but no longer mentioned anything about the mystical alchemy for spiritual emptiness. The Taoist nuns who had served in their dual cultivation practice had vanished without a trace. The Emperor personally oversaw Chong Xiao blending the new batch of medicinal ingredients and placing them into the furnace, saying calmly, "Order more furnaces to be set up. Burn one every third day, and after forty-nine days, reduce it to one furnace every three days."

Reverend Chong Xiao acknowledged respectfully. Yuan Zixu gave him a meaningful glance before turning away.

Exiting Tianyi Pavilion, he noticed the scattered plum blossoms in the imperial garden. He asked Li Dongfu, who was attending to him, "How is the Crown Prince today?"

Li Dongfu promptly replied, "After rising, the Crown Prince practiced a set of Tai Chi for exercise and only consumed some vegetarian dishes and bean porridge. He then resumed his usual meditation as usual and has yet to leave his meditation chamber."

Yuan Zixu remarked, "The Crown Prince is now on a vegetarian diet?"

Li Dongfu replied, "Not really, he has some meat porridge for lunch, but it's mostly vegetarian and light. The imperial physician did mention that the Crown Prince's health is quite weakened, so a lighter diet would be beneficial."

Yuan Zixu snorted coldly. "Let the imperial physicians give the Crown Prince a wellness examination." He then added abruptly, "Ge Chengxuan is the Crown Prince's mentor. How can the Crown Prince ignore his situation in the imperial prison?"

Li Dongfu inwardly criticized the Crown Prince's lack of action, knowing that the Emperor might become suspicious if he intervened. However, he kept his thoughts to himself. Yuan Zixu walked a few steps before continuing, "After all, Ge Chengxuan was a favored minister of the previous emperor. His mere occupation of peasant land hardly warrants punishment. At worst, his title might be revoked."

Remaining silent like a clam with its mouth shut, Li Dongfu said nothing. Yuan Zixu didn't need an answer, anyway. As he strode briskly, he harrumphed, "Does he truly transcend worldly affairs, having no interest in mundane matters? Hah, it's just an illusion, a coincidence."

A fire burned within him, driving him to expose the Crown Prince's naivety and misguided trust. From Daoist Chong Xiao's expression, Yuan Zixu could tell that even he had no confidence in refining the elixir that could allow one's consciousness to leave the body. That miraculous pill might have been a stroke of luck or required extremely stringent conditions, such as the preservation of one's virginity or facing a life-or-death deadline.

A faint foreboding lingered in his heart, hinting at the futility of his quest for immortality. Throughout history, countless emperors had attempted to seek the secrets of immortality, only to meet with disappointment.

Yet, he clung to a sliver of hope, desperate for this elusive divine destiny. Could it be that the Crown Prince was the one who brought him ill fortune? That his ascension to immortality was doomed as long as the prince received the blessings of the heavens? The paranoid emperor, with his erratic moods, failed to notice how his courtiers and attendants were gradually growing fearful of him.