Chapter 26

Chapter 26

With the arrival of the imperial officials, the Three Dynasties Mutual Market kicked off with great fanfare.

To facilitate trade, the first order of business was building roads.

In Prince Su's study.

The spot where a screen had been was now occupied by a massive framework, from which hung a large map of Yongzhou stretching to Tong Pass. Mountains, lakes, and marshes were depicted in interwoven shades of green and blue, shimmering under the window light with the faint, rippling luster of silk.

The map was double-sided.

Zhu Qinghou sat behind the map, while officials were debating on the other side.

Along the central axis of the study, officials from the capital, led by the Supervising Censor, were seated on the right, while local officials from Yongzhou were seated on the left. At the head sat Prince Su.

From where Zhu Qinghou sat, if he glanced up, he could see the slanting view of Li Zhen's pitch-black, severe robe hem hanging below the desk, pure and unblemished, dark as ink.

Propping his chin on his hand, he sat in a round-backed chair, lazily watching that piece of clothing while half-heartedly listening to the officials from Yejing and Yongzhou debate how to build the roads and the trading posts.

From Yongzhou to beyond Tong Pass, a distance of nine hundred li, trading posts were to be established, divided into eastern and western ones, facing Eastern Wei and Western Wei respectively.

If the roads for the two were too close, trouble was likely to arise; if they were too far apart, coordination would become difficult.

The officials argued endlessly over this, talking over each other until the study grew livelier than a marketplace.

Mindful of Prince Su, they kept their voices low, as if afraid of disturbing something, making their chatter sound like the buzzing of insects at night—clamorous yet indistinct.

After listening patiently for a while, Zhu Qinghou grew tired of it. He lowered his head and idly played with the talisman plaque around his neck, tracing the characters "Li Zhen" engraved on it.

Suddenly, someone slightly raised their voice:

"The cost for the eastern and western trading posts is enormous. Coupled with road construction, the tens of thousands of taels from before likely won't be enough."

"...Not enough?" Xiao Shengjue hesitated. "This official will draft a memorial to request funds from the court."

He had already used all the silver at his disposal and even asked his father to send silver notes. As for the Eastern Palace, building the trading posts was ultimately a huge expense, and he was still debating whether to persuade the Crown Prince to contribute.

Controlling the trading posts was equivalent to having a source of revenue, but if this source ended up in someone else's hands—what if they built everything only for it to fall into Prince Su's control? What then?

Zhu Qinghou lowered his hand and opened his eyes, thinking, *Is Xiao Shengjue backing out now?*

*No, I must find a way to squeeze silver out of the Eastern Palace no matter what.*

In the past, his father had spent countless sums, both openly and covertly, to support Li Jue's rise to power, maneuvering and greasing palms at every level.

He wanted Li Jue to spit it all back out.

After everyone had left, Zhu Qinghou walked out and leaned against the edge of the map, still holding the talisman plaque and playing with it casually.

"Xian Pu, they're worried about working hard only to end up making a wedding dress for someone else."

It was laughable, really. Hadn't the Zhu family been the same?

After all the painstaking effort to put Li Jue on the throne, they ended up with the fate of the cunning hare dying and the hunting dog being cooked.

Putting aside these unpleasant thoughts, Zhu Qinghou walked up to Li Zhen. Too lazy to move his own round-backed chair over, he simply leaned against Li Zhen's armrest and sat down sideways, resting against Li Zhen's shoulder.

Feeling the warmth of his skin, Li Zhen stiffened for a moment, remaining motionless as if nothing had happened.

Zhu Qinghou didn't notice his stiffness and continued pondering.

After not seeing them for a while, the Crown Prince's faction was still as timid and fearful as ever. Even when facing a feudal prince who had been blind for years, they remained highly vigilant and suspicious, unwilling to take the next step.

Since they were suspicious...

Why not confirm their suspicions? Better yet, scare them so much they couldn't sleep at night.

"Xian Pu, I have a good idea," Zhu Qinghou said, his voice carrying its usual charming, mischievous lilt. "But... are you afraid?"

Li Zhen raised his eyes and tilted his head slightly to "look" at Zhu Qinghou sitting on the armrest. His vision remained dark and indistinct.

He didn't say he was afraid, nor did he say he wasn't. He simply asked, "What is it?"

Zhu Qinghou didn't explain. Instead, he asked casually, "Do you know what my dear cousin fears most?"

Crown Prince Li Jue feared many things, but the one he feared most was—

"Prince Su wants to send people beyond the pass to find medicine for his eyes?"

Xiao Shengjue, who had been pacing back and forth, suddenly stopped, his expression turning grave.

There was no guarantee that the Two Weis wouldn't have miraculous eye medicines. What if Prince Su actually found one...

Remembering the Crown Prince's temperament, Xiao Shengjue felt a headache coming on.

He resolved that he must keep control of the trading posts. Even if Prince Su one day found the medicine, he absolutely could not let them bring it back!

An official nearby, observing his expression, asked, "Should we report to the Eastern Palace and request funds from the Crown Prince?"

Xiao Shengjue said urgently, "Go! The sooner, the better!"

That Li Zhen wanted to restore his eyesight was no secret, but flaunting it so openly was bound to arouse the wariness of those with ulterior motives and even invite their attacks.

That was why Zhu Qinghou had asked Li Zhen if he was afraid.

After hearing his explanation, Li Zhen's expression remained utterly unmoved, calm as still water. He asked softly, "Is that all?"

These four calm words brushed aside the potential onslaught of open and covert attacks as if they were nothing, showing complete indifference.

This reaction was within Zhu Qinghou's expectations. Since his youth, Li Zhen had always been this unflappable, undisturbed even if the sky fell.

The study fell silent for a long moment. Zhu Qinghou stared at the map, lost in thought, and unconsciously reached out a fingertip to lightly trace a few spots.

Before Li Zhen lay a map pricked with needle holes. He stroked it gently but firmly and suddenly asked, "...Do you truly believe he fears me so much?"

The illustrious Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, fearing a blind feudal prince like a tiger.

If word got out, the whole world would surely laugh.

"Naturally. Among all the princes, he fears you the most," Zhu Qinghou replied absently, still studying the map without much thought. As the words left his mouth, his tone faltered slightly, realizing something amiss.

Among all the princes, Li Jue did indeed fear Li Zhen the most.

That was why, during the struggle for succession, he had dealt with Li Zhen most ruthlessly, attacking from both the court and the inner palace, sparing no extreme measure.

At that time, Li Zhen had suddenly lost his sight, leaving him unprepared and suffering immense pain.

Remembering those years, Zhu Qinghou unconsciously curled his fingertips. The fingers that had once endured the finger-press torture spasmed instinctively.

That year, it was with this hand that he had passed the wine to Li Zhen.

The atmosphere in the study grew subtly tense. Outside the window, the rustling of pine waves ebbed and flowed, while beneath the eaves, a wind chime spun in circles, swaying gently. The faint tinkling sound drifted into their ears.

Zhu Qinghou, ever stubborn, fell silent for a brief moment before speaking. "Back then, I fought hard, pulling strings repeatedly to secure you the position of Prince in Jingzhou. Yet you refused, wasting my goodwill for nothing."

At that time, the struggle for the throne was a life-and-death struggle. Knowing that Li Jue, once crowned Crown Prince, would surely seize the chance to target Li Zhen, Zhu Qinghou had used the influence of the Zhu family to mediate strenuously, trying to get him a rich territory.

He had even been called out by the Crown Prince's faction for being disloyal and putting an outsider first.

Hearing those words at just eighteen, he had merely smiled, changed into plain clothes, and hurried to Consort Cui's spirit hall, eager to share the news with Li Zhen.

The Emperor's enfeoffment of princes was a matter of great importance, not easily swayed by outsiders. He had expended immense effort and paid a heavy price to secure Jingzhou.

Jingzhou was such a fine place—a wealthy, tranquil region of rivers and lakes.

Moreover, it was close to Yejing. If the opportunity arose, they could meet again.

Harboring such thoughts, the young Zhu Qinghou felt his heart was pounding like a rabbit's. He softened his footsteps and cautiously entered the spirit hall.

The shadows of the funeral streamers and white drapes stretched long, dense, almost engulfing the figure dressed in white kneeling before the hall. The wind swayed the shadows, and everything was utterly silent.

No one made a sound. Their faces were blank, yet etched with unmistakable hostility. From under the white funeral hangings, they lifted their heads, their dark eyes silently fixed on him.

Under the weight of those hateful gazes, Zhu Qinghou's steps grew slower and slower. He walked up behind Li Zhen and softly called out, "Xian Pu."

Li Zhen remained kneeling, his figure slender and upright, his white robes hanging loosely. He resembled bamboo stripped of its leaves, or a patch of snow.

Anxious and uneasy, Zhu Qinghou gathered the hem of his robe and knelt beside Li Zhen amidst the icy stares. He glanced at Consort Cui's memorial tablet, then quickly lowered his head.

Li Zhen seemed to finally notice his presence. He turned his head, revealing a pale face adorned with a white mourning band on his forehead. A plain white silk blindfold covered his eyes, folded into two layers, hiding his expression behind it.

A flicker of joy stirred in Zhu Qinghou's heart—at least he had turned around. He would acknowledge him now.

But when Li Zhen spoke, his words were:

"...Who let him in?"

Zhu Qinghou was dumbfounded by this calm, cold statement... What did it mean?

From behind him, someone stepped forward to pull him up, demanding he rise and forbidding him to kneel beside Li Zhen any longer. The grip was strong, the movement forceful, clearly born of extreme aversion.

Zhu Qinghou, who had never been treated this way, wrenched his arm free, stood up on his own, took two steps back, and turned to leave. He took a deep breath, his back to Li Zhen. "His Majesty has designated Jingzhou as your fief. Gather your belongings and prepare."

Jingzhou—the most prosperous fiefdom of the Jin Dynasty, vast and populous.

Somehow, Zhu Qinghou did not mention the twists and turns involved, nor did he utter a single word about how much effort he had truly expended.

As soon as he spoke, Zhu Qinghou sensed a subtle shift in the gazes directed at him—from pure hatred to hatred tinged with a trace of doubt.

...Would Li Zhen be pleased?

He had once said he only wanted the people under his rule to live well. Jingzhou was wealthy, its people content—far better than those remote, impoverished regions.

The young Li Zhen's face showed no emotion. He remained kneeling, turning his head toward Zhu Qinghou through the white silk.

"I don't need it."

Li Zhen said softly.

He covered the map with his palm, his expression as calm as it had been back then, his brows and eyes cold and stern. He had completely shed the naivety of his youth, becoming increasingly inscrutable.

"Your goodwill—I never needed it, not from the beginning, not now."