Chapter 75

Chapter 75

When he heard it was yet another military report, Emperor Chengwu pressed his fingers against his temples, his face darkened with anger, his voice heavy with anger: "Military reports, military reports, yet another military report. This Fourth Prince surely brings nothing good."

Thinking of the news from the northern border brought by the Second Prince's military report, and then considering the Fourth Prince stationed at the southwestern frontier, the Crown Prince felt a headache coming on.

Seeing Emperor Chengwu suppressing his anger, fearing he might overexert himself, the Crown Prince quickly comforted: "Your Majesty, please calm down. A six-hundred-li urgent report is better than an eight-hundred-li one; at least it’s two hundred li shorter."

Emperor Chengwu glanced at the Crown Prince, somewhat helpless: "You still have the nerve to joke about this."

The Crown Prince smiled, turned to the door, and called out loudly: "Bring it in."

Kang Yuande entered with the military report, handed it to the Crown Prince with both hands, and then quietly withdrew.

The Crown Prince took the military report, quickly opened it, read it carefully, and then handed it to Emperor Chengwu with both hands, his expression serious: "Your Majesty."

Seeing the Crown Prince's expression, Emperor Chengwu knew he had guessed right, too tired to read it himself, he waved his hand: "Go on."

The Crown Prince frowned deeply: "Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince's military report states that a band of over ten thousand bandits has suddenly appeared in the Qianzhou area. These bandits are well-armed and ruthless, having robbed a county town a few days ago, killing over a hundred civilians and the county magistrate. The Fourth Prince is concerned about the safety of his fief and requests permission to delay his return to the capital."

Emperor Chengwu laughed bitterly, his tone mocking: "Good, very good. Originally just mountain bandits, after years of suppression, they've turned into roving bandits, and their numbers have only increased."

A thought suddenly crossed the Crown Prince's mind—cultivating bandits to bolster one’s position.

But this was something he couldn't say, and of course, there was no need to say it. The Emperor understood this better than anyone, otherwise, he wouldn't have made that earlier comment.

Emperor Chengwu took the military report and read it again himself, then threw it to the ground: "One after another, they’re trying to outsmart me."

The Crown Prince: "Indeed, since Daxuan’s founding, although there have been minor disasters and troubles, overall it has been relatively stable. For all these issues to arise at this time, I also find it unusual."

"Your Majesty, do you think someone might have leaked A Tong’s information?"

Emperor Chengwu snorted coldly: "No doubt about it."

Emperor Chengwu grew angrier the more he thought about it, his ears buzzing. He pressed his fingers against his temples and slowly massaged them: "I clearly ordered Liang Quan to keep a close watch on all the palaces, yet someone still managed to send the information out. I’m not sure whether to commend your brothers for their cunning or admit I’m too old to be effective."

Hearing the anger and frustration in Emperor Chengwu's words, the Crown Prince quickly comforted: "Your Majesty, within the palace, not counting the palace masters, there are over ten thousand maids and eunuchs. Liang Quan only has a few hundred men under him. No matter how capable the secret guards are, no matter how closely they watch, there will always be moments of oversight."

Emperor Chengwu's face remained dark, silent.

The Crown Prince tentatively asked: "What should we do about the Fourth Prince?"

Emperor Chengwu showed signs of weariness: "You decide."

The Crown Prince carefully chose his words: "Then I’ll approach this matter with suspicion."

Seeing the Crown Prince speaking so cautiously, Emperor Chengwu sighed: "Eldest Son, in front of me, speak your mind directly. Don't always beat around the bush, it tires me."

The Crown Prince nodded in agreement, worried: "I believe that the banditry in Qianzhou may or may not be related to the Fourth Prince. If he is behind this, then his obvious goal is to avoid returning to the capital."

"Not wanting to return to the capital means he has something to hide." Emperor Chengwu slammed the table in anger: "Ambitious schemer."

The Crown Prince: "I believe that if we force him now, the bandits' massacre of civilians is likely to happen again, and next time, it might not be just a hundred or so people. It might be best to let him remain in his fief for now."

Emperor Chengwu was silent for a moment, calming his anger: "I understand your concerns, but have you considered that if the Second Prince refuses to return to the capital citing the Wula people's invasion, and the Fourth Prince uses the bandits as an excuse to also not return, if I allow both, then likely the Third Prince, the Sixth Prince, the Tenth Prince, and the others will follow suit. What do we do then?"

The Crown Prince was troubled and sighed: "I also have this concern."

Emperor Chengwu: "Then, draft an edict for me, officially allowing him to postpone his return to the capital."

Since Eighth Prince has a grudge against Fourteenth Brother, let him lead troops as an imperial envoy to suppress the bandits. I want to see what excuse Fourteenth Brother will use to delay his return to the capital if Eighth Prince eliminates all those bandits.

The Crown Prince: "This is an excellent plan. However, Father, how many troops should Eighth Prince bring? Also, if he has to return to his fief to mobilize troops, it might cause some delay."

Emperor Chengwu: "No need for that hassle, just assign him troops from the Five Military Camps."

The Crown Prince: "Yes."

Emperor Chengwu rubbed his head and pointed at the military dispatch on the ground: "That, how many bandits did Fourteenth Brother report in the military dispatch?"

The Crown Prince: "More than ten thousand." After saying this, he bent down to pick up the military dispatch.

Emperor Chengwu: "Then assign thirty thousand cavalry from the Five Military Camps to Eighth Prince, and have him wipe out all the bandits, mountain thieves, and other troublemakers from Fourteenth Brother's fief, or he won’t be allowed to return."

"Also, give him my long sword and grant him the authority to act first and report later. Anyone who dares to hinder the suppression of the bandits will be killed without mercy, no matter who they are."

The Crown Prince acknowledged: "Then I’ll handle this right away."

Emperor Chengwu added: "By the way, keep Eighth Prince’s wife in the capital. Tell Eighth Prince not to go sightseeing but to focus on the task at hand. He can only return to see his wife when the task is completed."

This was a harsh move for Eighth Prince, but it was effective. The Crown Prince couldn't help but laugh: "I’ll carry out your orders."

Emperor Chengwu felt his head heavy and his chest tight. He waved his hand: "I’m tired, go and attend to your duties."

After saying this, he walked into the inner chamber and saw the Empress sitting on the couch arranging flowers in a vase. He walked over and lay down on the couch: "Empress, I will lie down for a while. Before the sky falls, keep any disturbances away from me."

The Empress held the vase and stood up to walk out: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I’ll keep watch outside for you."

Recently, Emperor Chengwu was essentially handling government affairs there. He left the Fengyi Palace and headed towards the Chongzheng Hall, instructing Ding Ming: "Go and summon Prince of Lu, tell him I have urgent matters to discuss."

Ding Ming acknowledged and called for a competent and quick-footed eunuch to quickly find him.

The Crown Prince arrived at the Chongzheng Hall and had just sat down when Eighth Prince strode in. As soon as he stepped through the door, his loud voice rang out: "Big Brother, did you call for me?"

The Crown Prince smiled and nodded, letting him sit down, then explained the matter of the bandits in Fourteenth Brother's fief and conveyed Emperor Chengwu's decree.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had appointed him as an imperial envoy to lead thirty thousand cavalry from the Five Military Camps to suppress the bandits in Fourteenth Brother's fief, Eighth Prince immediately slapped his thigh and laughed heartily three times: "Heaven has smiled upon me, giving me this chance to settle scores with Fourteenth Brother."

The Crown Prince glared at him, warning: "This is official business, do not speak carelessly. When you see Fourteenth Brother, do not act recklessly, and certainly do not seek personal revenge."

Eighth Prince quickly stifled his laughter, patting his chest and speaking earnestly: "Yes, yes, Big Brother is right. I, Shen Fei, am not someone who would mix personal and public matters."

Seeing his insincerity, the Crown Prince smiled and shook his head, thinking of the Emperor's true purpose in sending Eighth Prince, and did not say more.

Eighth Prince was in high spirits and continued: "My fourth brother's fief is beautiful with clear waters and green mountains. This time I can take A Zhi along for a tour."

The Crown Prince smiled: "Eighth Prince, I was just about to mention this. The Emperor's intention is that the journey is long, and you are going to suppress bandits. Those fierce bandits are extremely cruel, so A Zhi need not follow you on this arduous journey. Let her stay in the capital to accompany Noble Consort."

Upon hearing that he would have to separate from his wife, Eighth Prince was furious and stood up abruptly, angrily saying: "Big Brother, what does the Emperor mean by this? Does he not trust me? Does he want to keep A Zhi as a hostage?"

The Crown Prince stepped forward and patted his shoulder: "Calm down, the Emperor does not mean that. Besides, if we are talking about hostages, is A Zhi the only one you care about? What about Noble Consort, Fourteenth Brother, who can you bear to part with?"

Eighth Prince sat down grumpily, full of resentment: "That makes sense, but what exactly does the Emperor mean?"

The Crown Prince: "The Emperor knows you love to play, and he is afraid that taking A Zhi along will delay official business. A Zhi stays in the capital, and you finish your task quickly and return soon. Moreover, you are leading troops to suppress bandits, and it will be a dangerous journey on horseback. Can you bear to let A Zhi travel thousands of miles with you, enduring hardships and constant travel? No matter how much A Zhi loves martial arts, she is still a lady."

Eighth Prince scratched his head, feeling aggrieved: "I just can’t stand being apart. Since we got married, we haven't been separated for a single day."

The Crown Prince smiled: "Then go quickly and return soon, finish your official business early, and reunite with A Zhi as soon as possible."

The Eighth Prince was unwilling. “Elder Brother, can’t you ask Father to reconsider?”

The Crown Prince shook his head. “Father’s decisions are final.”

The Eighth Prince pleaded, “Elder Brother, Father seems to heed your advice now. Please help me—I don’t want to be apart from A Zhi.”

The Crown Prince patiently explained, “It’s not that I won’t help you, but Father’s kindness toward me stems from guilt over past events. If I overstep, who knows how he’ll react?”

The Eighth Prince thought for a moment and nodded. “Fine, but I’m still concerned about A Zhi. What if she faces any hardship while I’m gone?”

The Crown Prince nearly laughed. With a wife like yours, if she doesn’t bully others, it’s a blessing. Who would dare mistreat her?

Seeing the Eighth Prince’s dejection, he patted his shoulder. “Go and focus on your duties. A Zhi will stay in the capital, and your sister-in-law and I will ensure she’s well cared for. She won’t face the slightest hardship.”

The Eighth Prince stopped pressing, stood, and clasped his hands. “Thank you, Elder Brother and Sister-in-law. When I return, I’ll bring you some Qianzhou delicacies.”

The Crown Prince smiled. “Good, then I’ll thank you in advance.”

He handed Emperor Chengwu’s sword to the Eighth Prince. “Father has given you the authority to act first and report later. But with the Fourth Prince, show restraint. No matter what he’s done, don’t act rashly—just bring him back to the capital, and your task will be done. As for how to deal with it afterward, leave it to Father to decide.”

“I understand, Elder Brother,” the Eighth Prince replied solemnly, taking the sword and securing it at his waist. “I’ll take my leave now—A Zhi is waiting.”

The Crown Prince couldn’t help but laugh. “Go on.”

---

The Eighth Prince returned to Consort Xian’s palace and informed her of his urgent mission to Qianzhou to quell the bandits.

Consort Xian listened, her heart heavy with worry. But with the imperial decree issued, there was no choice. Suppressing her fears, she smiled. “My son, you’ll surely accomplish His Majesty’s task and return safely.”

The Eighth Prince smiled. “Thank you for your auspicious words, Mother.”

The Eighth Prince’s Consort also smiled. “Mother, don’t fret. I’ll be here too.”

Consort Xian smiled with relief. “Yes, with A Zhi here, I’m reassured. But the journey to Qianzhou is long and arduous.”

The Eighth Prince’s Consort smiled. “Mother, don’t worry. I actually feel freer when I’m traveling.”

Consort Xian smiled with loving eyes. “You’re just like the Eighth Prince—a free spirit.”

Both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law couldn’t help but laugh.

The Eighth Prince, seeing them chatting so happily, didn’t want to spoil their mood, so he kept silent until they finished laughing, then he took his wife’s hand, looking worried. “A Zhi, Father said you should stay in the capital to accompany Mother this time, while I go alone.”

Consort Xian and the Eighth Prince’s Consort were both stunned, not quite understanding the emperor’s intentions.

The Eighth Prince explained the Crown Prince’s reasoning to them, and Consort Xian looked at her son and daughter-in-law who were usually inseparable, nodding to show that she understood.

Indeed, if the Eighth Prince were to take his wife with him, it would be their first time in Shu, and they would surely find opportunities to go sightseeing, and might really delay the official business.

Although the Eighth Prince’s Consort also wanted to go, seeing the Eighth Prince so extremely depressed, she smiled and comforted him. “It’s fine. Once you relinquish your military power and become a leisurely prince, we’ll have plenty of time to travel wherever we wish. This moment isn’t everything.”

The Eighth Prince was stunned, first looking at Consort Xian, then at his wife. “You both think so too?”

Consort Xian sighed and nodded. “Given His Majesty’s stance this time, he’ll likely reclaim the military power from the Feudal Princes. Son, when the time comes, we must hand it over obediently. Don’t follow the Second and Fourth Princes, who defied His Majesty.”

The Eighth Prince replied, “I don’t mind. After all, my Elder Brother will be emperor. Whether I have military power or not, he won’t treat me poorly.”

“Besides, Daxuan’s lands still need our family to defend them. As long as I can lead troops, I’ll have my role.”

“Besides, being a leisurely prince isn’t so bad. Then A Zhi and I can travel across Daxuan, exploring every corner, right, A Zhi?” The Eighth Prince said, looking at his wife.

The Eighth Prince's Consort laughed heartily, "That's exactly right."

Seeing the Eighth Prince so open-minded, the Virtuous Consort felt a weight lifted from her heart and also smiled, "My son is wise."

Having said what needed to be said, the Eighth Prince pulled the Eighth Prince’s Consort to her feet, "Mother Consort, I will go to the Five Armies Camp to lead the troops tomorrow and set off the day after. Time is tight, and A Zhi and I still have some business to take care of, so we will leave the palace now. When I return after completing my mission, I will properly fulfill my filial duties to you."

The Virtuous Consort smiled, "Go, my son, travel safely and come back soon."

The Eighth Prince bowed and led the Eighth Prince’s Consort out, heading towards the palace exit.

The Eighth Prince’s Consort was puzzled and whispered, "What’s left to do? I don’t remember any."

The Eighth Prince leaned close to her ear and whispered something, causing her cheeks to flush immediately. She raised her hand and slapped his back twice, "You’re asking for trouble, saying things like that in the palace."

The Eighth Prince laughed heartily and dodged.

The Eighth Prince’s Consort pointed at him, "By the way, you jerk, Eighth Prince, before I entered the palace, did you call me an 'idiot'?"

The Eighth Prince's smile froze, and he looked shocked, immediately denying, "How could I possibly say that about you?"

The Eighth Prince’s Consort sneered, cracking her knuckles menacingly, narrowing her eyes, and speaking with a threatening tone, "Really didn’t say it?"

The Eighth Prince looked wary, walking backward, "Impossible, absolutely impossible."

The Eighth Prince’s Consort said, "Fourteenth and Wei Qing can both testify. Should we call them over to ask directly?"

The Eighth Prince slapped his forehead, "I knew those two troublemakers wouldn’t let me get away with it." With that, he turned and ran.

The Eighth Prince’s Consort was quick, chasing him in two steps, grabbing his collar, "Shen Fei, you’ve got some nerve, running away like that."

The Eighth Prince lowered his head, "Wrong, wrong, I was wrong, My lady, have mercy."

The Eighth Prince’s Consort slapped his back twice again, the first slap firm, but the second one gentler, thinking he was about to leave.

The last light slap made the Eighth Prince laugh heartily. He took his wife's hand, holding it tightly, and hurried out of the palace at a brisk pace.

---

After handling the urgent affairs of the day, the Crown Prince went back to the Eastern Palace. After sitting down and drinking a cup of tea, he mentioned the bandits causing chaos in the Fourth Prince’s territory, and how the Emperor sent the Eighth Prince to deal with the bandits, forcing the Fourth Prince to return to the capital.

After listening, the Crown Princess was somewhat worried, "Your Highness, are you saying the Fourth Prince orchestrated the bandit trouble?"

The Crown Prince nodded, "The Emperor and I both suspect so."

The Crown Princess said coldly, "This Fourth Prince, will do anything to get what he wants. It's just pitiful for those innocent commoners, how many families will be torn apart again. Did the Emperor order the Fourth Prince to comfort those affected people?"

The Crown Prince nodded, "Rest assured, I drafted the decree in the Emperor’s name, and the Ministry of Revenue has allocated funds for relief."

The Crown Princess nodded, "That's good."

Then she asked worriedly, "But with the Eighth Prince going, could something go wrong? I’m not afraid of the Eighth Prince doing something to the Fourth Prince, but it’s the Fourth Prince’s territory. If they really clash, won’t the Eighth Prince be at a disadvantage?"

The Crown Prince said, "It’s fine, the Eighth Prince is leading thirty thousand cavalry, and although his temper is explosive, he’s not stupid."

The Crown Princess said, "That's good."

The Crown Prince also told the Crown Princess about Monk Liaoxin’s death. The Crown Princess was shocked, "The monk just died like that? Then this lead is cut off? Do we know who killed him?"

The Crown Prince said, "Not yet, the Eleventh is still investigating."

Then, leaning on the table, he moved closer to the Crown Princess, lowering his voice, "Because of the horizontal stroke left by Liaoxin before his death, the Emperor suspects it was the Second, Third, or Fourth Prince, but the Emperor forgot, the names of the princes starting with 'Shi' also begin with a horizontal stroke."

The Crown Princess was puzzled: "What do you mean, Your Highness? Do you know who it is? But among the princes whose names begin with 'Shi', except for the Tenth who has already left for his fiefdom, starting from the Eleventh, they are all still in the capital. A Tong has already checked them out and found no connection between any of them and Monk Liaoxin."

The Crown Prince: "I'm not suspecting the Tenth and the others, I'm just saying that nowadays, whenever there's a slight disturbance, His Majesty immediately suspects the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes. This attitude lacks the calm and rationality expected of an emperor."

The Crown Princess frowned: "Your Highness, are you afraid that His Majesty will punish them too harshly? But if they have indeed committed such heinous acts, even if His Majesty sentences them to death, it would be well-deserved. Look at the underhanded deeds of Imperial Noble Consort Rong and Noble Consort Wan, and since the Empress Dowager's birthday celebration, the Imperial Noble Consort has been falling ill repeatedly and has not shown her face in front of Nuo Er."

"Your Highness, think about it, if it weren't for A Tong, how tragic our family's fate would have been!"

"If the Second, Third, and Fourth Princes are indeed the masterminds behind the plot to harm our family, even if they haven't succeeded yet, Your Highness must not show mercy for the sake of a reputation for benevolence."

"Our family has managed to survive thanks to Nuo Er and A Tong. Your Highness, just watch, they must have been up to no good behind the scenes."

As the Crown Princess spoke, she became more and more agitated.

The Crown Prince patted her hand: "Don't worry, if they killed my mother, my wife, and my children, and destroyed my family, I, Shen Xu, would be unworthy of being a man if I didn't seek revenge. Even for the sake of a reputation for benevolence, I, Shen Xu, am not foolish enough to feel compassion for my enemies."

The Crown Princess pressed on: "Then if it is indeed found that the Second and the others are the masterminds, how does Your Highness plan to deal with them?"

The Crown Prince's eyes turned cold: "Kill."

That's more like it. The Crown Princess finally relaxed, her expression softening: "Then what did Your Highness mean by those words earlier?"

The Crown Prince sighed: "I'm afraid that His Majesty's methods are too harsh, and it might push the Second and the others to rebel prematurely. And His Majesty's health is deteriorating day by day, I'm really afraid that one day, His Majesty might suddenly fall ill, and then I'll have to deal with this huge mess."

The Crown Princess tightly grasped the Crown Prince's hand: "Your Highness, as long as our family is alive and well, there's nothing that can't be solved. No matter what, I'll be by your side, and the children will be by your side too."

Hearing this, the Crown Prince smiled: "You're right, with you and the children by my side, what is there to fear?"

The couple smiled at each other.

The Crown Prince looked around the quiet room: "Where are the children?"

The Crown Princess couldn't help but laugh: "Nuo Er led a group of older children to play outside, and now the Eighteenth Princess is following them every day. But that's good, the Eighteenth Princess has had a tough time before."

The Crown Prince: "Yes, that child is too sensible."

---

Shen Zhinuo held General Di's hand, leading her older siblings and Little Auntie, a group of big tails, and wandered around the palace, passing by a bunch of insignificant maids and eunuchs until their legs were sore.

Just when they thought they would return empty-handed again, they finally encountered someone who might have a bit of a plot, the 17th Princess.

They met the 17th Princess on their way out of the Imperial Garden. Although the 17th Princess's mother is Jia Concubine, just a concubine, she was the eldest, so the Eighteenth Princess took the lead and went forward to greet the 17th Princess.

The 17th Princess smiled and let everyone rise, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then, full of affection, went forward and touched Shen Zhinuo's head: "Nuo Er, where are you off to?"

Shen Zhinuo looked up with her little head and smiled: "We're playing, 17th Auntie, do you want to join us?"

The 17th Princess smiled and nodded: "Sure, I'm free now, let's walk together."

Shen Zhinuo said okay, and continued walking while holding General Di's hand.

The Eighteenth Princess, walking behind the chubby girl, leaned close to the 17th Princess, took her arm, and whispered: "17th Sister, you came for that matter, right?"

The 17th Princess nodded and whispered: "Yes."

Shen Zhinuo didn't know that her two aunts were whispering behind her, and in her heart, she said: "Doggy, go and check out my 17th Auntie."

Hearing this, the 17th Princess's expression turned serious, and one of her feet that had just been lifted froze in mid-air.

The Eighteenth Princess quickly pinched her hand secretly, signaling her to relax.

The 17th Princess finally settled down and continued walking, but the next few steps were so awkward that she walked in an uncoordinated manner, making the 18th Princess turn away to stifle a laugh.

The little black dog responded, leaping from Shen Zhinuo's shoulder to the 17th Princess, quickly circling around her before returning: "The 17th Princess also died in the end, Young Master. What else would you like to know?"

Shen Zhinuo asked without hesitation: "First, tell me how my 17th aunt died."

The system: "Last year, the 17th Princess left the palace to set up her own household. In the second half of this year, she chose a candidate for her husband. By the end of the year, when it was time to discuss marriage, the palace was already in chaos. The Old Emperor was bedridden and had long delayed her marriage, so the 17th Princess's wedding plans were put on hold."

"Later, the country descended into chaos, and the capital was breached several times by different forces. The 17th Princess managed to escape the first few attacks, but when the new emperor surnamed Bao conquered the capital and sought to eliminate the royal family, even the princesses were not spared. With a heavy bounty on her head, someone successfully found the 17th Princess."

"But in fact, it was her maid, Lingzhi, who was found, not the 17th Princess herself."

Thinking of the 18th Princess's situation, Shen Zhinuo asked first: "Was it that maid named Lingzhi who voluntarily took the place of my 17th aunt?"

The system: "Young Master, you guessed wrong this time. It was the 17th Princess who didn't want to die, so she exchanged clothes with her maid Lingzhi and ordered Lingzhi to impersonate her and die. She said it was Lingzhi's honor, as a servant, to die in her place as a princess."

In this era where masters were masters and servants were servants, with clear hierarchies, there were indeed many people who thought like the 17th Princess.

Shen Zhinuo couldn't help but sigh and continued to ask: "What happened later?"

The system: "Later, after that maid went out, she indeed admitted that she was a princess, but when she spoke to the person registering identities, she claimed to be the 18th Princess."

Shen Zhinuo became somewhat excited: "I understand now. At that time, it was said that two people took the place of my 18th aunt to die. One was the maid Gu Yu from Luomei Pavilion, and the other was this maid named Lingzhi, right?"

The system: "That's correct."

The 17th Princess's face darkened.

The 18th Princess, Shen Weiqing, Princess Wen'an, and Princess Huayue all knew about this and were puzzled in their hearts, wondering why Lingzhi would do such a thing.

As they were pondering, Shen Zhinuo asked the question on everyone's mind: "Then why did Lingzhi say she was my 18th aunt? Was she angry that her master abandoned her and just said it randomly?"