Chapter 19

Chapter 19

On the other side of the Guardian Temple, the sound of rain grew heavier as night fell. The young temple attendants withdrew, and Consort Ning began lighting lamps.

"Your Ladyship!" Bi Zhu reminded her tactfully.

Consort Ning gazed at the flickering flames before her. "I know."

Using the excuse of lighting lamps for the Sixth Prince, she performed a facade of maternal devotion, but it was only now, before the Buddha, that she could confess in secret, quietly swapping the slip of paper bearing his name and birth characters, praying for her own child instead.

When Vice Minister Ning entered, he saw Consort Ning engaged in this act. He frowned slightly, ordered the servants to keep watch, and then stepped inside the hall.

Since the Crown Prince had been punished, Consort Ning had repeatedly sent him messages urging him to find a way. Vice Minister Ning approached through the sound of rain, lowering his voice: "Recently, many officials have been dismissed from court, and Grand Secretary Xu has rarely involved himself in state affairs. Everyone else avoids discussing the Crown Prince’s matter. Don’t stir up trouble at a time like this."

"Then am I to let my son remain confined to the palace? If the honor of praying at the military shrine had fallen to him, the praises sung outside now would be his." Consort Ning had been stifled in the palace for too long. Today, during the procession all the way to the Guardian Temple, she had heard countless voices praising Ying Fusheng for his sincere devotion and lauding the Crown Prince’s thorough arrangements. Every word rang in her ears. "That bastard has grown more and more sinister since he fell into the water. He still hasn’t returned to Weiyang Palace. I don’t want to keep him any longer."

Vice Minister Ning had been trying to soothe Consort Ning, but when he heard her say this, he was instantly alarmed. "What are you planning to do!"

"Father, I feel very uneasy." Consort Ning spoke after deep thought. "Rest assured, at most I’ll make it so he can’t get out of bed. It won’t affect your plans..."

But Vice Minister Ning could not allow her to act. "Ying Fusheng must not be harmed. Keeping him alive is useful."

Consort Ning’s expression shifted slightly, nearly losing her composure. "He is favored, while my son is under house arrest. How is that fair?"

Vice Minister Ning paced back and forth. Because of the military shrine matter, his position at court had become distinctly different. The Ning family had been silent for a long time due to previous offenses, and they had only just managed to rise again through the Sixth Prince. How could he let such an opportunity slip? He frowned in thought, rejecting Consort Ning’s decision. "There’s no ‘how’ about it. It’s simply not allowed."

"Father!" Consort Ning grew anxious.

"The Sixth Prince is useful to our Ning family. The more the Emperor favors him, the more important the Ning family becomes in His Majesty’s eyes. Right now, the Ning family is in desperate need of imperial favor. I have further plans ahead. If we lack power and influence, how can we compete?" Vice Minister Ning’s gaze shifted. The Ning family could not afford to miss this opportunity. "Don’t mention this matter again."

Having said this, Vice Minister Ning noticed the unwillingness in Consort Ning’s eyes, then continued, "As for the Crown Prince, you need not worry. I have been in contact with others and recently received some news. Grand Secretary Xu has stepped back because of the Crown Prince’s matter, and the Empress does not contend—this is a sign of weakness. After the military funds case, Shen Changcun has fallen, but the position of Vice Minister of War remains vacant. His Majesty has not yet chosen a successor... He may be waiting."

Upon hearing this, Consort Ning’s eyes showed a hint of surprise. "What do you mean?"

"The Ministry of War is highly valued by His Majesty. With the post of Vice Minister vacant, many at court are watching... Among the candidates His Majesty favors, there is a disciple of Grand Secretary Xu." Vice Minister Ning looked at Consort Ning, scanning the area outside the side room, and lowered his voice. "If someone from the Xu family enters the Ministry of War, that would be a great advantage. Recently, the Crown Prince has been confined, and His Majesty’s iron hand has hurt the hearts of the Empress and the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s house arrest is also a retreat in order to advance."

Consort Ning frowned for a long time, but this news finally relaxed her brow. "Doesn’t that mean..."

Seeing that Consort Ning’s attitude had softened, Vice Minister Ning knew she finally understood, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "On the surface, our Ning family has a prince. If you ask me to help the Xu family now, they won’t accept the favor. We need to wait—until later, when the Ning family has grown strong, and if the Sixth Prince falls, then we can smoothly serve the Crown Prince."

Consort Ning gradually calmed down. "I understand your meaning."

"Wan’er, you have swallowed your pride for so long. Why not wait a little longer?"

Vice Minister Ning comforted her. "Our Ning family’s opportunity is about to come..."

In the Buddha hall, shadows flickered as the father and daughter of the Ning family spoke in hushed tones.

Song An carried a bowl of medicine, quietly standing guard before the corridor. Bi Zhu glanced at the medicine he had brewed and nodded with satisfaction. "Don’t delay. It’s almost time to deliver it to the Sixth Prince."

Song An kept his head down, his gaze sweeping toward Lord Ning, who was still inside the hall. Taking advantage of the rain screen, he headed toward the princes’ courtyard. Clutching the tray, he returned to the prince’s quarters, a thought stirring in his mind. At the corner of the corridor, he abruptly changed direction and walked toward another side chamber.

Before brewing the medicine, the prince had instructed him: if he had not returned by the hour of xu, he should act.

The sky was rainy. The imperial princes and consorts were lodged here. The Sixth Prince’s and Seventh Prince’s residences were separated by only a wall. Song An steeled himself and suddenly burst into the Seventh Prince’s courtyard, startling the guards who had been waiting there. "Who goes there! This is the residence of the Consort and the Prince. No unauthorized persons are allowed!"

Song An wore a flustered expression, hurriedly stopping and shouting.

Inside the side chamber, Consort Yun, who was about to rest, frowned slightly. "Who is making a racket outside?"

"Your Ladyship, it’s a servant from the Sixth Prince’s residence next door. He wandered in by mistake. It seems the Sixth Prince next door has gone missing!"

...

The mountain grew dark, and the rain became heavier. The imperial family and the families of ministers lodged in the temple. Imperial guards protected the mountain. Since the Eastern Palace had not come out, security for the Guardian Temple fell to the First Prince. Several guards relayed messages to each other: "The First Prince has ordered that tonight’s defense must be cautious. Do not disturb the honored guests’ rest."

Patrols spread throughout the mountain. Just after the guards passed, several black-clad figures lurked in the night. They seemed to have already anticipated the patrol routes, slipping through the gaps in the defense like phantoms, and in the blink of an eye, they infiltrated the Guardian Temple.

"Someone’s gone in. Should we report to Lord Qi?"

After the shadows disappeared, several men in python robes halted in the darkness.

The leader frowned slightly. "Have the men sent to receive Lord Hu arrived?"

"They have. Lord Hu will enter the capital tomorrow."

Upon hearing the report, the leader said, "There’s a lot of commotion tonight. Split into two groups. Do not alert the imperial guards unless necessary."

"Yes!"

...

Outside, thunder rumbled. Rainwater beat against the window sills, the sound growing louder.

Inside the Buddha hall.

"How has the rain suddenly gotten so heavy!" The Eighth Prince was startled by the rain. He turned to look outside, only to see that the lamps set on the green stone steps had been extinguished by the rain. The outside was dark, lit only by the lamps inside the hall.

Ying Fusheng stood in the Buddha hall, noticing that Madam Hu and her daughter kept glancing outside, looking uneasy. The Eighth Prince had intended to bring Ying Fusheng to see the lamps and wanted to summon a young monk, but he found the place strangely quiet—not even a monk in sight. "Strange, why is no one outside?"

"When we came just now, we didn’t see any monks. Perhaps the rain has driven them away," Ying Fusheng said.

The Eighth Prince muttered in acknowledgment, but Madam Hu’s pupils constricted at Ying Fusheng’s words. She pulled her daughter closer inside, her gaze wary of the Buddha hall’s entrance.

Ying Fusheng responded to the Eighth Prince’s chatter, but he had already been listening intently to the rain outside. Suddenly, amid the sound of rain, there was an unusual noise. He looked up sharply, his gaze passing through the doors and windows. On the high eaves outside the hall, a black hunting falcon swooped down, its wings folding as rain splashed. In the darkness, a pair of sharp eyes looked down from above. Ying Fusheng’s pupils moved slightly—that falcon... was his falcon.

Behind the lamp-lit Buddha hall, a figure leaned against the door behind the statue of the Buddha, silently watching them.

The youth wore only plain clothes, a sword hugged to his chest. His half-lidded eyes moved slightly, focusing on every movement inside the Buddha hall, especially the mother and daughter.

At the moment Ying Fusheng looked up, the youth frowned, and in the next instant, his fingers, resting on the sword, stopped.

Ying Fusheng suddenly grabbed the Eighth Prince’s hand. The Eighth Prince paused, hearing thunder outside. In that moment, a sound rang out inside the hall—an arrow shattered the window, and instantly, the candle flames went out!

A thunderclap flashed. Under the lightning, several figures leaped into the Buddha hall, swords and blades aimed straight at Madam Hu and her daughter, who cowered in the corner!

Ying Fusheng’s pupils contracted.

At that moment, a shadow swept through the hall. As Ying Fusheng stepped back, he heard the sound of a sword being drawn. In the flickering light, a sword gleamed, and the horizontal blade of the assassin rushing forward shattered in two. The young swordsman, his face covered by a black mask, lightly pushed the stunned Eighth Prince to the other side of the hall. He turned his head, meeting Ying Fusheng’s gaze.

Just one glance, and in the next instant, the youth suddenly thrust his sword, the blade passing by the side of Ying Fusheng’s eye, cutting down the enemy’s short blade that had appeared behind him. Madam Hu and her daughter had already lost their composure, when the youth shouted, "Go to the back!"

With that, he spun around, closed the hall door behind him, and leaped outside.

"A—An assassin!" The Eighth Prince, pale with fright, was about to call for help. But Ying Fusheng grabbed his hand, pressing his medicine-scented palm over the Eighth Prince’s nose, instantly silencing him. The Eighth Prince stared wide-eyed at his brother, who was roughly his age.

Ying Fusheng breathed heavily, pulling him into the narrow space behind the Buddha statue. He took half a step forward and shoved the prince inside. "Get in there."

Behind the Buddha statue was a small compartment, just big enough for a child.

"How could you—" the Eighth Prince wanted to say more, but Ying Fusheng had already blocked the opening with something, hiding the Eighth Prince's figure.

The remaining three had nowhere to hide; the clashing of blades was drowned by the rain, and Ying Fusheng turned to look outside the Buddha hall.

The Eighth Prince had been missing for a long time; the attending eunuchs should already be searching for him, and these assassins were impatient.

Layer upon layer of window shadows; there were still people outside.

This Buddha hall was remote, only used for offering lamps, and few people came here to light them; outside, it was pouring rain, convenient for assassination.

The assassins' target was not the princes; as the blade's gleam approached, after settling the Eighth Prince, Ying Fusheng turned to look at the distant Hu Shi and her daughter.

Madam Hu was tightly protecting her daughter, maintaining a moment of calm amidst panic, and behind her was a small door of the Buddha hall.

Madam Hu had already found that small door and was about to go out.

Ying Fusheng turned back to see the Eighth Prince silent, looked at Madam Hu, who kept glancing toward the door, and said in a voice only audible nearby: "If I am not mistaken, Lord Hu has secretly entered the capital, hasn't he?"

Madam Hu looked at the prince in shock, but saw him come over and whisper a few words in her ear.

Outside the Buddha hall, rain poured down; a youth's sword fell, and the assassin in front of him collapsed.

In the mountain forest, a white-clothed figure in tight hunting gear landed, blocking the assassins leaping out of the mountain; two groups of people fought in the woods, and about a dozen assassins, not expecting an ambush here, had several killed immediately.

Qi Hanzhou lifted the assassin's mask, revealing a scarred and ferocious face; his adjutant approached and reported: "Sir, twenty in total, all died by swallowing poison."

"Death warriors... can't extract information... fast indeed," Qi Hanzhou let go of the mask and swiftly slit the assassin's throat, and ordered: "Clean up before anyone finds out."

The subordinates, upon hearing this, dragged all the bodies into the mountain.

With blood on his sword tip, Qi Hanzhou walked to the Buddha statue, wiped the blade clean with a finger, then sheathed it and stepped into the Buddha hall.

The hall was somewhat messy, but utterly empty!

"Sir, they still have men in the mountains," the adjutant reported hastily.

Almost simultaneously with the report, a sound came from outside: "Eighth Prince—Sixth Prince—"

Several shadow guards exchanged glances; Qi Hanzhou looked at the Buddha statue, and the adjutant went over to inspect, lifting the panel behind it to reveal the Eighth Prince who had already fainted!

The Eighth Prince was unharmed and well protected, likely having fainted from fright in hiding.

"Is it the Imperial Guard searching for the princes?" asked the adjutant.

"Not only," Qi Hanzhou thought of the two princes who had arrived suddenly without escort, and the Sixth Prince's gaze outward just before the assassination—as if he had known something in advance.

In the stormy night, it was hard to distinguish between guards and assassins.

All the shadow guards looked to Qi Hanzhou, who instead looked beyond the Buddha statue at a small door that had somehow opened; rain seeped in through the crack, and the shadow guards' expressions changed as they immediately looked into the deep mountains—a diversion to lure them away from the mountain, a place beyond their defense line!

In the mountains, news of the princes' disappearance spread, and the squad of Imperial Guards escorting the royal family to Huguo Temple immediately mobilized, searching everywhere.

Upon inquiry, they learned that the Eighth Prince and Sixth Prince had been in the Buddha hall but took advantage of the servants' absence to go off somewhere to amuse themselves; with many wild beasts in the mountains, if they accidentally entered the wilderness, the problem would be huge.

Consort Ning was startled upon hearing the news—first she could barely conceal her joy at Ying Fusheng's disappearance, but then when she heard the Eighth Prince was also missing, her heart tightened: "The Eighth Prince is also missing?" She wished for something to happen to Ying Fusheng, but involving the Eighth Prince was different, as behind him was the Zhao family, future right-hand man of the Crown Prince; she hurried over and saw Empress Xu standing in the Buddha hall, frowning at her hasty manner.

All around were kneeling servants, and even the Empress Dowager had been alerted; she looked stern, listening to the report: "The Eighth Prince is usually active; didn't you watch him?" The eunuchs explained: "The servants were indeed guarding, but they couldn't guard against the small door in the back. They had been keeping watch, and in the blink of an eye, the princes were gone."

Luckily, it wasn't long before Consort Yun discovered it and ordered a search. "When the incident occurred, I wonder where my sister Consort Ning had gone. She didn't even notice the princes were missing. Luckily, someone in my courtyard had sharp ears and heard the ruckus, so they came out to look for them."

The Empress Dowager cast a cold glance at Consort Ning.

"At that time... I was praying for my son," Consort Ning said. Upon hearing that Consort Yun was looking for people, she immediately felt displeased inside, but on the surface she could only thank her: "Elder Sister, you are so thoughtful."

Consort Yun looked at the Empress. "Sister, don't worry. Those two children are clever. My son has already ordered a blockade. They are probably taking shelter from the rain in some courtyard hall."

Consort Ning grew nervous. When she met the Empress's gaze, she quickly concealed the strange expression on her face.

The Empress noticed her expression. Her hand holding the prayer beads paused slightly. "The rain is heavy tonight. First, have people prepare hot water, and also summon the imperial physician in advance."

Only then did everyone remember that the Eighth Prince was young and the Sixth Prince was frail. Neither of them could stay out long in the rainy night!

For a time, the Huguo Temple was brightly lit. The First Prince ordered a swift search, demanding that the two princes be found.

When the footsteps became chaotic, the number of unauthorized people in the mountains increased—

"Where are the people?"

"I saw them coming this way, but now I don't see them!"

"There are several footprints. It seems they fled into the mountains."

As the wind and rain grew heavier and the distant footsteps faded away, Madam Hu and her daughter hid in a small woodshed. This was a dilapidated hidden spot where monks chopped and burned firewood, located just off this rarely traveled path. Rainwater seeped through the cracks in the walls. They hid among the clutter, listening to the light footsteps outside, which rang like death knells.

Madam Hu, terrified, looked at Ying Fusheng, who sat alone at the woodshed door. She had fled from the Buddhist hall with her daughter, and it was the Sixth Prince who had stopped them here. Otherwise, if they had fled into the mountains, they would have been cut down by that group's blades.

Ying Fusheng sat quietly. The rain brought a hint of chill, but he seemed oblivious. The hem of his robe was already half-covered in mud. He covered the gap in the door. When lightning flashed through the gaps in the woodshed, it illuminated their faces in the darkness.

"Someone sent you a message, saying that Lord Hu had made arrangements in the temple. If something happened, you could escape through the small door, and someone in the mountains would receive you." Ying Fusheng spoke only after hearing the footsteps fade away. Seeing Madam Hu's expression gradually change, he knew he was right. "But once you leave through that small Buddhist door, the people Lord Hu secretly arranged will be unable to protect you."

"Mother, I'm scared," Madam Hu's daughter said softly.

Madam Hu comforted her daughter, then calmly looked at Ying Fusheng. "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving our lives. Your servant..."

She made as if to kneel, but Ying Fusheng gently waved his hand to stop her. "Madam, it's better to move less. The assassins' ears are sharper than ordinary people's. They haven't gone far yet."

Hearing this, Madam Hu stopped and looked outside with great concern, acting cautiously.

The three of them hid in the cramped corner. Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes, lost in thought.

Hu Buyu appeared to be one of the Emperor's trusted officials, but in reality, he was a shrewd man who assessed the situation.

In his previous life, the military pay case had not been resolved the way it was now. The Shen family got into trouble, and Shen Changcun was imprisoned... The position of Vice Minister of War became vacant. The factional struggles in the court naturally would not let go of this position. Whether it was Xu family's protégés, the hidden hands of the powerful, or those lurking in the shadows, almost everyone wanted to place their own person in this position. His father the Emperor had been slow to decide, seemingly caught between two factions, but in fact he had already arranged for someone to enter the capital.

That person was Hu Buyu.

Unfortunately, Hu Buyu ultimately did not secure the position of Vice Minister of War. For various reasons, he went against the Emperor's will, and in the end, a protégé of the Xu family took office. It was not until many years later in his previous life, when Ying Fusheng was obsessed with stirring up chaos at court and scheming, that he noticed Hu Buyu... By then, Hu Buyu had become a cunning old fox, his heart filled only with hatred.

Only then did Ying Fusheng learn that back then, Hu Buyu had accepted the Emperor's order to secretly enter the capital. His wife and daughter, who had been sent to the capital earlier under the protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, met with an accident during an outing. His wife died tragically in the mountains, and his daughter's whereabouts were unknown... It was a blatant threat. For his daughter's sake, he had no choice but to submit a letter of resignation. In the end, when his daughter was returned, she was already mentally disturbed, and later she accidentally fell into the water and drowned.

And he, having lost his wife and daughter, lived in grief for half his life, then entered the capital to seek revenge... This coincided with the later Ying Fusheng's own path.

This time, the position of Vice Minister of War was also vacant. The timing of the incident involving Madam Hu and her daughter was one of those rare moments... Those people indeed made their move as well. Fortunately, it happened at Huguo Temple.

Ying Fusheng could sense Madam Hu's subtle scrutiny. He did not speak, waiting quietly for her to weigh her words.

Madam Hu remained wary of Ying Fusheng even in this crisis. After hesitating many times, she finally spoke: "That man is a confidant my husband has trusted for many years. He told me that my husband had already entered the capital and ordered me to keep myself safe at Huguo Temple. Someone is trying to assassinate me and my daughter. If something really happens, he will protect me in the temple."

Ying Fusheng smiled. "Madam is clever. Lord Hu is a cautious man; he does not send messages unless necessary. When he communicates with someone he trusts, he always attaches a fox hair—white for genuine, orange for false. This time, the informant who spoke with you must have given you a letter with mixed colors, making it hard for you to distinguish."

Madam Hu's expression shifted slightly, her heart was in turmoil. In her correspondence with her husband, he always attached fox hair. This letter, sent in haste, did have fox hair, and indeed it was mixed colors… making it difficult for her to discern. But the other party was her husband's trusted confidant; under duress, she had no choice but to trust.

Only her husband's closest confidants, or even family, would know such details. Madam Hu looked at the prince before her, finding it absurd. If he were not a prince and sharing this danger with her, she wouldn't have believed a single word. "Sixth Prince, how do you know this?"

"How I know is not important. What matters is that someone wants your life," Ying Fusheng said, looking into her eyes. His tone was calm, but each word pierced Madam Hu's defenses. "And as long as Lord Hu remains in the capital, they will not let this go."

Thunder boomed one after another. Outside, sounds grew more intense; in the distance, someone seemed to be shouting. Madam Hu glanced sidelong and saw the imperial guards stationed at Huguo Temple stirring. At the sight of the guards, she instinctively tried to get a better look, but Ying Fusheng suddenly spoke.

"Madam, it's best you stay here until those people leave," said Ying Fusheng.

"Do you know how many people are outside? The Jinyiwei (imperial secret guards) protecting you, the imperial guards searching for the princes, the hidden guards of the temple… My eighth brother and I have lost contact, and chaos has already broken out outside." Ying Fusheng wrapped his robes tighter; the rain-soaked clothes clung uncomfortably to his body. He peered through a crack in the door and continued, "Killing amidst chaos is the easiest for them. And do you know who wants to harm you? How can you tell who among those outside is truly a royal guard?"

He found a comfortable spot to sit and continued, "You and I are unarmed, powerless to resist. If we go out now, we would be walking into a trap."

Madam Hu snapped back to reality in astonishment, realizing that he was just a boy, even younger than her daughter. Yet his words and actions made her trust him involuntarily. She halted her steps. If her husband's trusted confidant could harm her, then if someone was hidden among the imperial guards, going out would be like walking into a lion's den.

The three fell silent. Sounds from outside continued, growing fainter as they moved away.

"Sixth Prince—"