Chapter 125: Subtle Clues

Chapter 125: Subtle Clues

Upon hearing Du Yunse's words, Qiu Huanian couldn’t help but hold his breath.

Many previously overlooked details began to fall into place.

It turned out that the Yuanhua Emperor pretended to confine the crown prince not only to protect him but also to safeguard the other two princes.

He might have wanted to target the forces behind the throne struggle, but he did not want the second and third princes to lose their lives. However, if the crown prince were allowed to act, fratricide could quickly get out of hand.

Once the crown prince ascended the throne, he would inevitably seek the deaths of the other two princes.

That was why he temporarily confined the crown prince, limiting his power, hoping to handle everything more delicately himself.

But as Du Yunse said—

The crown prince only wants them dead.

Logically speaking, it is not wise for the crown prince to oppose the emperor. What could be the reason for the crown prince's unyielding position?

Qiu Huanian suddenly recalled what Su Xinbai had mentioned before: the crown prince's poor health was not due to illness but to being poisoned from the womb, a conclusion made by the now-retired Imperial Physician Gu in Xiangping Prefecture.

If the poisoning occurred before birth, the pregnant mother naturally could not avoid it. Was the late empress’s death truly due to illness?

And who quietly orchestrated such a critical move before the Yuanhua Emperor ascended the throne?

"Hiss—" Qiu Huanian inhaled sharply, feeling overwhelmed.

"The late emperor grew senile and corrupt in his later years, and the chaos of the princes’ power struggle caused the people of the Yu Dynasty to suffer greatly. With enemies raiding the borders and corrupt officials oppressing the common folk, there were even reports of cannibalism in many places..."

Du Yunse's voice was low and steady. "The current emperor was initially a weak and unfavored prince. He managed to revive the nation during its peril and, after more than twenty years on the throne, restored peace and prosperity to the land, earning the title of a wise ruler."

"But the situation back then was too chaotic, and the urgency of the situation pushed him to act hastily, leaving behind many hidden problems that are now deeply rooted, affecting everything at the slightest provocation."

Unlike modern society, where the history of the dynasty is clearly documented and easily accessible, the events Du Yunse spoke of, though only two decades ago, involved the highest levels of power struggles, and Qiu Huanian was hearing them for the first time.

"When the late empress was pregnant with the crown prince, the emperor was trapped at the border, winning battles but having all his supplies cut off. In the freezing cold, the army began to mutiny. At that time, most noble families and factions had already chosen sides. To get them to fully support a prince who was not in a favorable position, he had to demonstrate potential and offer irresistible rewards."

Du Yunse patiently explained the cause and effect to Qiu Huanian. Previously, in Xiangping Prefecture, they could avoid these matters, but now living in the capital, Brother Hua would be at a disadvantage if he remained ignorant.

Qiu Huanian quickly grasped the situation. "Was the reward the future throne?"

Du Yunse nodded. "Lady Wen's father, Bi Yongshi, was already a high-ranking official in the court, and Lady Ying came from the prominent Xie family in the north. Both married the emperor, then still a prince, as concubines and soon gave birth to sons."

"So the crown prince and the second and third princes are close in age."

The carrot the Yuanhua Emperor dangled before these forces was the possibility that the future emperor would carry their bloodline, making them the maternal family of the new emperor.

This was far more enticing than mere loyalty.

In this way, the late empress and the crown prince, who held the legitimate and eldest positions, became obstacles in their path.

"Before the emperor married Lady Wen and Lady Ying, he secretly made three vows to the late empress."

This matter was almost unknown, and only Du Yunse, as the crown prince's confidant, had heard it from the crown prince.

"What vows?"

"First, he would protect the late empress and the crown prince still in her womb; second, after overcoming the difficulties, he would no longer take concubines; third, once he ascended the throne and stabilized the realm, he would abdicate in favor of the crown prince and live a simple life with the late empress away from the palace."

"..."

In hindsight, none of these three promises could be fulfilled.

The late empress died young under mysterious circumstances. Despite the Yuanhua Emperor’s repeated hints and assurances that the throne will eventually be his, the Crown Prince remains skeptical.

The earlier confinement, though the Crown Prince understood its hidden motives, likely froze the father-son relationship.

Qiu Huanian now fully grasped the meaning of "The Crown Prince only wants them dead."

Beyond avenging his mother and eliminating all suspects, it stemmed from deep insecurity, fueling an obsessive need for control and a refusal to tolerate any threats.

"How much certainty does the Crown Prince have?"

"Three winters ago, a major case falsely accused the Crown Prince. Had the Emperor not intervened abruptly and confined him, the Crown Prince would have uncovered and executed the mastermind."

"..." Qiu Huanian shook his head after a long pause. "The Crown Prince is the spitting image of the Emperor—their thirst for control is uncanny."

Qiu Huanian had met the Crown Prince at the imperial estate and instantly sensed his enigmatic nature.

When the late empress passed away, the Crown Prince was not yet ten years old. How did he grow up in such a treacherous palace, quietly amassing power, yet earning widespread praise for his kindness?

Even with the Yuanhua Emperor’s silent support, it’s hard to fathom.

Qiu Huanian couldn't help but ask Du Yunse, "Do we really need to be part of this?"

Du Yunse lowered his eyes. "This is the path the Emperor has laid out for me. Besides, the Second Prince is foolish and arrogant, while Prince Jin is foolish and cruel. Aside from the Crown Prince, there’s no fit candidate for a wise ruler."

Qiu Huanian recalled asking Du Yunse in Du Village who he truly served. Du Yunse had replied that he was loyal only to a wise ruler of the Yu Dynasty.

Qiu Huanian also remembered that soon after they met, Du Yunse had shared his ambition: to cultivate himself, manage his family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world. That was when Qiu Huanian truly began to fall for him.

Du Yunse’s involvement in the throne struggle wasn’t just due to the Yuanhua Emperor’s push or the glory of backing the future emperor. At his core, he embodied the Confucian ideals of caring for the nation and its people, driven by a sense of justice and a refusal to let the late emperor’s chaos resurface in the Yu Dynasty.

Qiu Huanian cradled Du Yunse’s face, gazing up and spotting the guilt in his eyes.

Qiu Huanian smiled. "Then go for it. I’ll always have your back."

"Don’t feel indebted. This is my choice as well. If our efforts can improve most people’s lives, why wouldn’t we?"

"Huanian..."

Du Yunse could no longer hold back and leaned down to kiss Qiu Huanian's lips.

Qiu Huanian, mindful of Du Yunse’s upcoming Enrong Banquet, held back, but Du Yunse bit his lips repeatedly, deepening the kiss as if to consume him.

After the kiss, Qiu Huanian’s clothes were messy, his lips visibly bitten, looking thoroughly ravaged, while Du Yunse was barely winded.

Qiu Huanian shot Du Yunse a fierce glare, but it lacked menace, coming off more as a playful rebuke.

"What are your plans for the next few days?"

"Tomorrow I'll rest. The day after, I'll lead the imperial examination graduates to present a memorial of gratitude, then visit the Temple of Confucius to pay respects to the sages and erect a monument."

"Good." Qiu Huanian gritted his teeth. "You’re in for it tonight."

Du Yunse accepted it all, thinking that at least he had something to look forward to during the tedious and troublesome Enrong Banquet in the afternoon, his steps becoming a bit lighter.

After seeing Du Yunse off, Qiu Huanian continued to handle household affairs.

The most important task is to hold a "Tail-Burning Banquet" in a few days, inviting people from the capital to celebrate Du Yunse’s achievement as the Zhuangyuan.

This is not just a celebration but also a chance to network. It’s the new Zhuangyuan’s debut in the capital’s social scene, so it must be organized beautifully and quickly.

Among the new servants, some have experience preparing similar banquets. Qiu Huanian called them over, asking questions while making a list.

The banquet will mainly be held in the main courtyard, with the front courtyard hosting officials and the inner courtyard hosting family members. The garden will be tidied up for guests to enjoy the scenery and stroll around. The Bamboo Courtyard will also be prepared so that if any guests feel unwell and need to rest, they can go there for a while.

These areas need to be monitored by staff. As for the two courtyards and the library on the east side, they will be locked to prevent anyone from sneaking in and causing trouble.

This is a precautionary measure. Qiu Huanian wants to avoid any scandalous gossip during the banquet.

The capital is full of nobles, and banquets are common. Many aspects have already developed into turnkey services. Qiu Huanian just needs to finalize the menu and hire a professional chef team.

In addition, opera performances are a staple at capital banquets. Qiu Huanian needs to hire a famous opera company to set up a stage in the garden and perform a few shows.

"Since the master has become the Zhuangyuan, we can’t just hire any opera company for the Tail-Burning Banquet, lest we be looked down upon. The most famous opera companies in the capital are favorites of the major noble families, and they have big egos. We are short on time, so it might be difficult to hire them."

In his previous life, when Qiu Huanian worked as a PR in a big company, he had contact with many celebrity teams. Some popular stars were indeed very difficult to deal with, even having specific requirements for the brand of bottled water in the restroom and the appearance of accompanying staff. If they were not satisfied, they would refuse to cooperate with filming and events.

Qiu Huanian remembers one time when a celebrity team specifically requested that he, the person in charge, not appear in the camera frame or be in the same frame as the artist, leaving him utterly confused.

It seems such things have existed since ancient times. Qiu Huanian felt a bit nostalgic.

Of course, he has also encountered stars with both virtue and talent, who were consistent in their actions and words. The last event he handled before leaving his job went smoothly, with pleasant communication throughout with the new film emperor Shen Yu.

Qiu Huanian’s thoughts wandered for a while before returning to the present.

"What exactly does having a big ego mean? Will I have to avoid them?"

The servant being questioned laughed, "Township Lord, you must be joking. You are Lady Qishu, the Zhuangyuan’s husband. No matter how high and mighty the opera performers are, they wouldn’t dare disrespect you."

"The main issue is time; the opera company might dodge or decline. It would be best if the Township Lord could find someone familiar with the troupe leader to mediate."

Qiu Huanian pondered but couldn’t think of anyone suitable.

They are new to the capital and don’t have many acquaintances here. Min Leyi and Min Leyi don’t seem like the type to have connections with those popular opera companies.

The Crown Prince said Qiu Huanian could turn to him for help in the capital, or to sixteen if he’s busy.

Should he ask sixteen to help contact an opera company?

Qiu Huanian worried he’d find the opera performers tied up in his garden the next day.

"...Let’s talk about this later. Go ahead and prepare the venue, buy supplies, and hire chefs." Qiu Huanian looked at the servant who seemed knowledgeable. "What’s your name?"

The servant quickly smiled and said, "I’m Quan Yu. My wife, Yinchuan, works in the kitchen. Our two daughters were graciously named Hongfei and Bicui by the Township Lord."

Qiu Huanian nodded, "Bai Quan will attend the master, and Xing Mi will assist me. You’ll need to focus more on the banquet preparations."

Quan Yu agreed and left happily.

The others, seeing this, realized that skill could earn them recognition from the Township Lord. They eagerly brainstormed and set to work.

After rallying the household, Qiu Huanian had water boiled and brought in. He closed the door to research matters best kept private.

The birth control medicine Du Yunse drinks is personally prepared by Old Physician Gu and is almost harmless to the body. However, Qiu Huanian still adheres to the belief that all medicine has some toxicity and doesn’t want him to drink too much.

At this time, various ancient contraceptive methods came in handy. Fish bladders need to be fresh each time, which is inconvenient. Sheep intestines, on the other hand, can be made in large quantities at once and softened with hot water when needed. This was devised by the royal physician of that eccentric French king to curb his illegitimate offspring.

Qiu Huanian took out the small box that he didn't allow anyone to touch and checked it. Unfortunately, he found that due to temperature changes, almost all the small tools he brought from Xiangping Prefecture were broken. After picking through them, only one remained intact.

Asking someone to prepare sheep intestines now would be both too late and a bit embarrassing.

People in ancient times were far less modest about such matters, often having servants listen by the side during intimate moments, and even inviting them to join in when the mood struck.

Qiu Huanian, as a modern man, couldn't do this and felt very repulsed by it. He always insisted the servants keep their distance, and never left anyone to keep watch in the outer room at night. No wonder Du Yunse thought he was "thin-skinned."

Would their plan for another "wedding night" tonight fall through?

Qiu Huanian ground his teeth in frustration, his gaze falling on the table.

If they were careful, one should be enough, right?

Should it?