Chapter 41: Good Ah Ruan, Truly Ruthless

Chapter 41: Good Ah Ruan, Truly Ruthless

Imperial City, Cuiwei Palace.

By the window, a few peonies were inserted into a pink porcelain vase, while in the corner, a three-legged beast tripod burned with dragon brain incense. A gentle breeze brushed past the light red perfumed silk, creating ripples layer by layer.

The hand coated with kohl gently caressed the jade-encrusted gold bracelet on her wrist as Imperial Concubine Zhen spoke in a faint tone, "Does my son still remember what Cuiwei Hall looked like more than twenty years ago?"

Prince Zhu Bin certainly knew.

Peonies, the national flower, were rare and difficult to cultivate. It was impossible for the women of the harem to casually pick them and place them in vases. The dragon brain incense used in the palace was specially made, and due to its high quality ingredients, it was extremely expensive. One needed the Emperor's favor to be granted some. As for the color red, the women of the palace could not wear it casually, as it symbolized the Empress, the main wife. Wearing even a bit of red would be considered an overstep.

But his mother, the imperial concubine, liked red.

Her appearance was bright and beautiful, perfectly suited for golden-red hues. Unfortunately, she could not enjoy these colors freely. In her early years, the portion of goods she received could not highlight her advantages. From her clothing and grooming to her diet and daily life, nothing was satisfactory. She had a fiery temper and often harbored resentment in her heart, falling ill several times from holding in her emotions.

"My son remembers, everything was very simple."

"But Empress has everything."

Imperial Concubine Zhen looked at the peonies in the vase by the window. "Among the sisters who entered the palace at the same time as this palace, some had excellent family backgrounds, some had stunning appearances, and some never lacked for silver. But now, none of them stand beside this palace, either having been buried or died in the cold palace."

Zhu Bin lifted his robe and knelt down. "My son is where he is today all because of Mother Consort. You gave birth to me, raised me, protected me, and assisted me. Your grace is greater than the heavens, and my son will never forget it—"

Imperial Concubine Zhen did not call him up but stared at her son instead. "In this imperial city, power is everything. I thought you understood that, yet it seems you only remembered to be kind-hearted and soft-handed, hmm?"

Zhu Bin not only knelt but also pressed his forehead to the ground.

Imperial Concubine Zhen said, "This palace bore only one son. If you don't strive, do you want this palace to die with you!"

Zhu Bin replied, "My son dares not!"

He knew what his mother was reminding him of.

It was said that imperial power brought wealth, but the cruelty of the struggles within the palace was unimaginable elsewhere. It was akin to an arena, not just for the imperial consorts and princes, but even for the palace maids and eunuchs. The victor reigned supreme, while the loser faced defeat. If you could struggle your way out and climb to the highest position, you would wield the power of life and death. You could make anyone die if you wished. However, if you failed, there was no room for leniency; only death awaited.

Power, that highest position, was not only the ambition he had tasted and the desire that haunted him in the dead of night, but also the fear of not wanting to die and the unwillingness to give up.

Every step forward must be taken firmly, sharply, and with intimidation. There could be no room for playfulness. Yet during this period, he had relaxed too much. He had accomplished none of the things he wanted to do, even daring to think of using a conciliatory strategy to bring Meng Weiyi into his fold...

Now, reflecting back, he was drenched in cold sweat. How could he have been so careless? Was it because he felt that Third Brother's methods were too low-level to warrant caution, or did he believe that the external environment posed no threat, allowing him to indulge for a moment?

Imperial Concubine Zhen said, "Just as this palace will never forget how the Empress and Crown Prince met their end thirteen years ago, you should not forget—His Majesty's sons are not just you and Third Prince."

Zhu Bin closed his eyes. "...Yes."

"You have already grown up and have your own thoughts and intentions. This palace has never intended to sway you, merely to remind you. Enough, get up and go to the front to pay respects to your father the Emperor. Return to the mansion."

Zhu Bin straightened his clothes and bowed. "My son takes his leave."

As his figure disappeared at the entrance of Cuiwei Hall, the dismissed palace attendants had not yet returned. Only his trusted old nanny quietly approached to replace Imperial Concubine Zhen's tea with a hot cup.

"He doesn't resemble me at all, nor does he resemble His Majesty."

Imperial Concubine Zhen's phoenix eyes were sharp, her long eyebrows raised. "If he isn't decisive and fierce, how can he make others fear him? Instead of learning good qualities, he insists on imitating the fake sincerity of Tangli Palace, pretending to be full of benevolence and righteousness. That's something even her own son despises!"

Tangli Palace.

Crystal curtains swayed, pearls shimmered, and a gentle Lingling incense burned in the incense burner. Freshly picked lotus flowers from the imperial lake were inserted into a sweet white porcelain vase, creating a warm and relaxing atmosphere.

Consort Rou's features were gentle, her skin extremely fair. Dressed in a light lotus-pink gauze robe, her demeanor appeared soft and pitiable. The white jade bracelet on her slender wrist only added to the impression that one would hesitate to speak harshly to her.

"My son works so hard, exhausting himself for the sake of the people of Da Li Dynasty and the peace of the world. It's laughable that outsiders don't understand and submit frivolous memorials... Sigh, there are many foolish people in the world. Don't be upset, Fu'er. It's precisely because of these fools that someone wise like my Fu'er needs to take control."

Zhu Fu sat in the chair to the left, his clenched fists still tight, the sharp corners of his eyes still filled with anger, and his hooked nose appearing even more dominant. "But Father doesn't believe in me."

Consort Rou said, "Pampering a child is akin to killing him. High expectations lead to strict demands. Even a street vendor is most enthusiastic towards customers who nitpick their goods, engaging in price negotiations and refusing to let them leave. They know that those who criticize are potential buyers."

Zhu Fu's frown gradually eased. "Mother Consort makes a valid point."

Consort Rou smiled. "The moon waxes and wanes, tides rise and fall. If perfection persists, it becomes frightening. Without vigilance, one might not even realize how they've fallen."

"Like Consort Xia thirteen years ago..."

Zhu Fu's thin lips curled into a smile. "No matter how arrogant or how well they argue, it's all superficial. Imperial favor is the foundation, and imperial power is everything. Just like Cuiwei Palace now, looking down on everyone else, no matter how much they vie for favor, what matters most to Father is always the place that makes him comfortable."

Such as Mother Consort's Tangli Palace.

Consort Rou smiled softly. "My son is wise, truly good."

Temporary wins and losses need not be calculated. Those who walk until the end are the ones who have walked best.

Zhu Fu stood up, adjusted his sleeves and robe, and bowed deeply in a kneeling salute. "For the road ahead, I also need Mother Consort's assistance."

"Get up," Consort Rou's eyes flashed subtly. "Good child, I have only one son. If not for you, then for whom?"

Exiting the palace hall, Zhu Fu reflected on his past actions and realized he had been too focused on trivial matters with Second Brother. Why did he have to compete with Second Brother over insignificant things? When Second Brother pursued something, he followed suit. When Second Brother disliked something, he discarded it like a rag. Why allow himself to be led around by the nose? His dear Second Brother's perspective was limited. He couldn't reach higher or think further. And now, the situation was such that Second Brother was determined to win over Meng Weiyi, while he insisted on making equal agreements and protecting someone of similar standing like Wu Fu. What he should be striving for was to move higher up, targeting Jing Ji, the Deputy Chancellor, Gongyang Bo, the Chief Minister, Feng Yi, the Censor-in-Chief, and Yuan Weiang, the Grand Secretary.

Chen Yongan was a good talent, but unfortunately, he didn't obtain him. Instead, because of this incident, he lost the Pan family, whose relationship with him was only decent. Pan Qiantian was only a direct descendant within the family, and greater power was still held by the elders. However, due to this incident, the Pan family suffered significant repercussions. The branch of Pan Qiantian was uprooted, and the elder of the Pan family, the highest-ranking official in court, was forced to resign. The court was left with only one vacant position.

He wanted to protect small fry like Wu Fu simply to fill this position and increase the number of his allies in court. But if he could gain the support of someone in a higher position...

On the side of Qinghua Hall, the sixth prince, who was being punished to face the wall and reflect, was unaware that his fiancée had run away. Bored, he played chess with Shi Muyun.

Shi Muyun touched the chess pieces while barely able to hold back his laughter, snorting repeatedly.

Zhu Yan raised his eyes. "Is this all you aspire to? Are you satisfied with this?"

"It's not 'just this', Your Highness is truly remarkable, we all admire you to the point of prostration. It's pitiful that those fools outside still think it's mere coincidence up until now!"

Shi Muyun was genuinely impressed; in these past few days, the Sixth Prince had accomplished significant feats.

Firstly, there was Meng Weiyi, the Censor-in-Chief. The old man had impeached someone, and it was none other than his own fiancée. No matter how crazy or eccentric the Sixth Prince was, he was still a dragon's son. Could he afford to lose face? With just a slight action, the House of Wen would have to submit a memorial to apologize, and at the same time, they would have to reorganize Wen Ruan's dowry list, making it public for everyone to see... the increase wasn't merely twofold.

But no matter how much compensation there was, no matter how much was made up for, losing face was still losing face. Everyone couldn't pretend not to see it, could they?

Thus, the Sixth Prince went crazy again, wanting everyone to lose face together. Since he couldn't bear it alone, he openly exposed the weaknesses of the Second Prince and the Third Prince's households.

From the wives they married to the daughters they sent off, from the families they allied with through marriage to the maternal family of their mothers in the palace... he didn't miss a single one, poking every hornet's nest.

The Second Prince and the Third Prince hated this, but they also knew that when the Sixth Prince went crazy, he didn't distinguish between friend and foe. Moreover, over the years, the Second Prince and the Third Prince were accustomed to attacking each other. They knew how many times they had exposed each other's weaknesses, grasping a handful of each other's pigtails. They had practiced crisis management routines to perfection. In short, they first shifted the focus elsewhere and then minimized their presence. After some time, everything would be fine.

But this time was different. The wind blew stronger and stronger, the fire burned brighter and brighter, even involving the imperial concubines. There were signs of collusion with the previous dynasty... This was what the Emperor hated the most. Thirteen years ago, he had learned a lesson from this, which could cause a crisis. So, without distinguishing right from wrong, he punished everyone.

This led to Imperial Concubine Zhen being confined to her quarters in Cuiwei Palace for a month, Consort Rou in Tangli Palace having her monthly allowance cut for half a year, the Second Prince being strictly required to handle his household affairs well and warned by the Emperor not to overreach, and the Third Prince being ordered to copy ten scrolls to calm his mind and scolded by the Emperor for not learning to be as obedient and gentle as his mother, the concubine...

In an instant, the entire imperial palace was filled with foul air, and everyone suffered a setback. Even the Sixth Prince was summoned to face the wall and reflect on his actions for two days, to better understand the four words "brotherly love and fraternal respect."

Perhaps the Emperor felt that the situation had escalated to such a degree due to his earlier indulgence. How could he not know about the rivalry between the Second Prince and the Third Prince? But since his sons fought fiercely, they needed him, their father, to maintain order. His existence was supreme, the most awe-inspiring. But now, seeing how low they had sunk, lacking any royal dignity, he decided to add more gunpowder to the mix, to spur his sons' spirit.

He conferred the title of Prince Jian upon the Sixth Prince.

Yes, the princely title that he had been holding back, not granting to anyone, was now easily bestowed upon Zhu Yan, despite him not having achieved any merit.

Could the Second Prince and the Third Prince be in a good mood about this?

Taking advantage of this favorable wind of congratulations, Shi Muyun was able to smoothly request an audience with Prince Jian, coming to Qinghua Hall to play chess with the Sixth Prince.

"In the information I've received, although the Second Prince and the Third Prince are very jealous of Your Highness being conferred the title of prince, and privately their eyes are terrifying, they do not view Your Highness as a competitor. What they care about the most is each other, and who they want to step on the most is still each other... Prince Jian, Your Highness, your methods are truly masterful."

Prince Jian remained silent, casually picking up a chess piece and placing it on the board.

Shi Muyun: "This time, the Second Prince suffered particularly severe losses. I say... could it be that you're harboring resentment towards the Second Prince's strategist for bullying the young master, deliberately dealing such a harsh blow?"

Zhu Yan still said nothing, only after placing the piece did he eat six of Shi Muyun's pieces in succession.

"Hey, hey, don't be so fierce, you're petty!" Shi Muyun couldn't retrieve his pieces, grinding his teeth in anger, "I only said one sentence, I haven't even spoken ill of your little darling, how could you bear to eat so many of my pieces! That move doesn't count!"

Zhu Yan: "My little darling?"

Shi Muyun: "Isn't he adorable?"

Zhu Yan expressionless: "Adorable, but you can't say that."

As he spoke, he placed another piece, eating another six of the opponent's pieces.

Shi Muyun: ...

This damned game of chess, can we stop playing already!

"Remarkable, Prince Jian," Shi Muyun said sarcastically, "the only prince in our dynasty, but so what? Still under house arrest until the end of today, if you want to see your little... young master, you'll have to wait until nightfall!"

Zhu Yan's features were composed, exuding elegance: "Mm, I'll be able to see him tonight."

Shi Muyun: ...

"Just hold it in, I don't believe you can still hold it in when you see the young master!"

"That's my business."

"But the young master will definitely be delighted, then—"

"Certainly, he will laugh."

The newly minted Prince Jian had already anticipated that scene. To deal with these trivial matters, he hadn't seen Ah Ruan for several days. Tonight, going home would likely be a surprise. Would Ah Ruan be so happy that he would rush over...

Zhu Yan's long brows arched, warning Shi Muyun: "You're not allowed to speak nonsense."

Shi Muyun: ...

Fine, fine, you tell your little darling about your surprise yourself, okay!

Angry, he couldn't continue the game. Anyway, he had already finished his business, so he took his leave, ignoring this overly smug and flamboyant man.

As the sun set and twilight descended, Zhu Yan left the imperial city, mounting his horse and asking Lan Tian, "Where is he?"

He didn't elaborate, but Lan Tian knew whom he was referring to: "The young master seemed to have some leisure time today, entering the city. He had a meal with Young Master Huo, sat idly for a short while after lunch before leaving. He didn't return to the House of Wen but left the city again."

That meant he returned to the villa.

Zhu Yan spurred his horse forward, changing direction and heading straight out of the city, toward the villa.

Twilight was fleeting, and the road to the villa was slightly long. Not long after galloping, the sky gradually darkened. The wind was strong around him, the hooves of the horse swift, matching the palpably loud heartbeat. Perhaps it was because summer was too hot, the person on the horse's back felt their heart pounding intensely, hard to calm down.

Finally, they arrived at the villa.

Zhu Yan directly rode across the low fence, rushing toward Wen Ruan's courtyard... but found the lights off. Was he asleep?

Upon listening closely, there was no sound of breathing inside.

Wasn't he here?

"Your Highness—Sixth Highness—" Liu Dahai chased after him frantically, but alas, two legs couldn't compete with four. The Sixth Prince was too fast, and it wasn't until he reached the young master's courtyard that he followed like a dog, hands on his knees, panting for breath, trembling as he raised his hand to offer an envelope, "Y-young master said, t-to give this to Your Highness."

He sensed something was amiss with the atmosphere. After delivering the letter, he stuck close to the side of the corridor, not daring to breathe loudly, trying to hold his breath while panting.

The Sixth Prince was too terrifying, especially the look on his face after seeing the letter. It was as if he wanted to kill someone! Goodness, it was better to stay far away... but this was a task entrusted by the young master, there was no way around it. He had to do it. Didn't it show that he, Liu Dahai, held a high position? Finally, he had broken into the young master's inner circle, right? Otherwise, why would he entrust him with delivering such an important letter instead of giving it to the House of Wen? He was the closest!

"Good Aruan, truly ruthless."

The Sixth Prince's voice blended with the night wind, the trailing tones lingering long, like a sigh.

Lan Tian: "…Your Highness, shall we pursue him?"

Liu Dahai's eyes widened, his eyeballs nearly popping out. What prince? Who was the prince? Had the Sixth Prince been made a king? If so, wouldn't his young master become a prince consort? And wouldn't he, Liu Dahai, be the prince consort's trusted aide, the future head of the royal household, and the person in charge of external affairs?

His feet felt light, and subconsciously, he started to walk away, intending to offer congratulations for good luck and perhaps receive some rewards. But when he saw the Sixth Prince's face... he froze mid-step, not daring to move.

"Why should we chase after him?" Zhu Yan's voice was icy, as were his eyes. "Naturally, we should cool off and teach him a lesson, let him know that some things cannot be done."

If he learned to leave without saying goodbye today, would he run away from home another day? In time, he might even forget about his husband!

Dear me, this gaze, this tone—where was the cold warning? It looked like someone was ready to kill!

Young master... my dear young master, what kind of deity have you provoked! You must take care!

...

At midnight, Wen Ruan suddenly woke up from a nightmare, his heart racing, unable to calm down. He got up, dressed, and opened the cabin door.

Outside, the water rippled under the starlight and moonbeams, but looking around, all he could see was an endless expanse of water, no riverbank, no trees. Even the vast and beautiful waters appeared somewhat eerie in the dark.

He was on a ship, one of the Huo family's own fast ships, built large and stable enough to withstand unfavorable winds. Despite the poor conditions, they could still reach Sizhou within three days.

"Aruan? Can't sleep?"

A gentle knock came from the adjacent cabin wall; it was Huo Xuning. He hadn't slept well either, and upon hearing movement, he asked.

Wen Ruan: "Nothing, just restless with matters on my mind."

"I'm also a bit... I think I slept too long before dusk, and now I feel wide awake at night."

Young Master Huo came over to Wen Ruan's cabin, carrying a thin blanket. Without lighting any lamps, they chatted idly, swaying gently with the waves outside.

"What happened? Why did you suddenly wake up in fear? Did you dream of something?"

"Dreamed of being caught by a monster, who said they'd eat me raw, without even bothering to cook me. It was just too uncivilized."

Young Master Huo: ...

Only good brothers could critique nightmares so uniquely.

"Do you have a destination in mind yet? Our information is insufficient. Although we sent carrier pigeons before departure, we're on the ship now and can't receive replies. We'll have to gather and summarize everything once we arrive. With no clear direction, where should we dock the ship?"

Wen Ruan had a plan: "Why don't we visit an old friend?"

For Young Master Huo, it didn't matter where they went, since they had a ship. However, he added, "That place is on the outskirts of Sizhou, not a bustling area, and quite poor. Accommodations and meals might not be very convenient."

By inconvenient, he didn't mean there was nowhere to stay or no food to be found, but rather that the conditions were limited, lacking luxuries.

Wen Ruan considered: "Let's see first. It won't waste much time, and if it's useless, we'll leave immediately."

Young Master Huo glanced at him: "About the Sixth Prince... Is everything really alright?"

"What could possibly happen?" Wen Ruan shook his head dismissively. "Are you hungry? Would you like a late-night snack?"

Young Master Huo shook his head: "No, thanks. I don't want to overeat and feel uncomfortable. But... a bit of wine might help us sleep better."

...

When the two disembarked, it was a quiet morning.

On the outskirts of Sizhou, in a small village, docking the ship was very convenient. After all, there were no other boats or people around, allowing them to dock wherever they pleased.

As they entered the village, it was eerily quiet, almost too quiet.

Bright sunlight shone on the ground, but every house in the village was closed, and there were many empty houses. There were no people on the streets, no sounds, few vendors doing business, and no children playing or crying. Only after walking for a while could they spot one or two villagers, but these villagers seemed absorbed in their own world, busy with their own affairs, not paying much attention to others' greetings.

"Don't you find... this place unusually quiet?"

Quiet to the point of being strange.

Young Master Huo muttered: "I visited here three or four years ago, and it wasn't like this... Aruan, did you notice? We've been walking for so long, and we've seen a few men, elders, and even a child, but not a single young woman!"

"Hmm."

Wen Ruan also noticed that at the entrance of each household in the village, there was a small stone altar, some more rudimentary, with a small piece of cloth hanging or an image painted—a lotus seat, a gauze hairpin hat, willow branches, and a jade vase, resembling the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy holding a vase.

Young Master Huo slowly noticed this as well: "This this this... What does this mean? Does everyone here believe in Buddhism?"

Not exactly.

After exploring the area, they discovered that there were indeed Buddhist temples nearby, but they lacked incense offerings and were in disrepair, devoid of monks.

If they truly believed in Buddhism, how could they neglect their temples?

Wen Ruan pondered: "The Bodhisattva and the Buddha can be separate matters."

Young Master Huo wanted to examine the images on the altars closely, to identify which Bodhisattva they represented. Buddhism had many Bodhisattvas, but the villagers' artistic style was unique and rough, making it impossible for him to recognize which one it was. He struggled to even replicate the drawings himself, as the lines were too unclear.

Wen Ruan: "In any case, it's a woman."

The lotus posture, hairstyle, dress, and hands, no matter how crude, revealed the gender.

"Just say," Young Master Huo was utterly perplexed. "They worship the Bodhisattva, so they should have a particular fondness for women. Why can't we see any young women in the village?"

Wen Ruan pursed his lips: "Let's go. First, we'll visit Chi Jianglong's territory."

Young Master Huo, relying on his somewhat hazy memory and the help of a map at hand, led Wen Ruan to the gate—

"Go and deliver a message, say someone is here to see your boss."

"Do you even know who our boss is to be spouting nonsense?" The gatekeeper clearly wasn't willing to cooperate, making a gesture with his hand. "Who do you think you are, some random cats and dogs? Our boss is not someone you can just meet whenever you want."

Wen Ruan: ...

He didn't quite understand this gesture. Normally, when someone was hinting for a tip, they would lightly rub their thumb and index finger together, but this person not only rubbed them but also made a gesture akin to a flower.

Young Master Huo didn't understand either. Had he been away from Sizhou for just a few days, and there were already new things to play with?

"What are you staring at! Do you know the rules! Without any tribute, you dare to ask me to deliver a message. I think you're just here to scam us!"

Tribute? What kind of thing was that?

Young Master Huo and Wen Ruan exchanged a glance; they really didn't know.

"That's right, your father is indeed here to scam you!"

Not understanding didn't stop him. Young Master Huo lifted his foot, kicked the gatekeeper out of the way, and incidentally broke the gate open. Gathering his breath deep in his abdomen, he shouted, "Chi Jianglong! Are you looking for death, disrespecting everyone like this!"