Chapter 23

Chapter 23

The carriage of the First Prince gradually faded into the distance, and the alley fell silent.

Outside the seemingly tranquil Hu residence, a figure emerged from the shadows. Watching Hu Buyu and his servant enter the mansion, then glancing at the First Prince's carriage retreating into the distance, the figure turned and hurried toward another location on the same street.

In the main hall of the Xu residence, an elder sat with his hands tucked into his sleeves in a large armchair, looking composed and at ease.

Before the elder lay a chessboard, but there was no opponent—he played both sides, the battle on the board revealing fierce contention. Lost in thought as he placed a stone, a servant rushed in from afar, and the elder withdrew his focus from the game, casting a sidelong glance at the distance. A man dressed as a young servant entered, bowed, and greeted the elder, "Grand Secretary."

The elder raised his eyes slightly, recognizing him. Returning his attention to the chessboard, he said, "Hu Buyu has returned to his mansion."

The surrounding attendants were dismissed, leaving only the elder and the young servant, who then spoke cautiously.

"Yes, as you anticipated, Your Majesty summoned Lord Hu for about an hour." The young servant lowered his voice and continued, "But Lord Hu entered the First Prince's carriage and stayed there for two hours before returning home."

The servant reported everything he had witnessed on the street up to Hu Buyu's return.

Grand Secretary Xu put down his chess piece, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and looked out the window, which was quiet as if nothing had happened. "Lately, things have been unfavorable. It's not a time for ostentation, yet the First Prince is quite flashy."

The young servant understood the Grand Secretary's meaning. Many in the court were watching Hu Buyu, trying to discern the intent behind the emperor's summons. Only the First Prince had secured an advantageous position in this matter—he had saved the lives of Hu Buyu's wife and daughter and had welcomed Hu Buyu into the capital, openly showing his protection. No one would believe there was nothing peculiar about this; and yet, while everyone else was caught off guard, the First Prince had seized the initiative.

This move must have been orchestrated by someone.

The young servant asked, "Do you mean, Grand Secretary, that the First Prince has someone backing him?"

Grand Secretary Xu did not answer directly. Instead, he placed another stone on the chessboard. "What about the Eastern Palace?"

The young servant replied, "Your mother, the Empress, sent a message asking you to keep an eye on the Ning family. She said that during the visit to the Huguo Temple, Consort Ning behaved suspiciously."

Hearing this, Grand Secretary Xu’s gaze turned hesitant as he pondered.

He asked, "How is the Crown Prince doing lately?"

Seeing this, the young servant immediately reported on matters within the palace and added, "The Crown Prince is still young and has realized his mistake. These days, he has been tempering his temperament in the palace. As you instructed, he has copied the Sutra of Stillness a hundred times."

Grand Secretary Xu sighed slightly. The Crown Prince, though inexperienced in the past, had never made mistakes until now. But he had acted on his own at the palace banquet and even went after the Shen family. "She has been too good to this child. A doting mother spoils the son. If he could restrain himself, he would never have committed such a reckless act as the one at the martial arts field."

He was indeed young, but as the Crown Prince, he could afford no mistakes.

Grand Secretary Xu suddenly thought of the other prince he had seen at the Wenhua Hall that day—similar in age but vastly different. "The Crown Prince's character still needs tempering. Let him reflect in solitude for another month. When the time is right, I will personally plead with His Majesty for his forgiveness."

He changed the subject: "By the way, you said Vice Minister Ning has been submitting frequent visiting cards lately?"

The young servant nodded. "As you ordered, all were rejected."

The Ning family, the Sixth Prince, Noble Consort Ning... This was truly unexpected.

Grand Secretary Xu said, "If he comes again, don't refuse him anymore."

...

The First Prince's carriage finally stopped near the Shen residence. Ying Fusheng thanked the First Prince and alighted, only to see Shen Yunfei hurrying out of the Shen mansion. Recently, Ying Fusheng had kept his distance from him, barely interacting even after the lectures at Wenhua Hall. This was the first time he saw Shen Yunfei leave the palace to come to the Shen residence.

"Your Highness, why are you here?" Shen Yunfei asked.

Ying Fusheng said, "I came out of the palace to find you."

Shen Yunfei was about to say something, but Ying Fusheng waved his hand slightly, and as he spoke with Shen Yunfei, his eyes glanced around the area outside the Shen residence. The moment he stepped out of the carriage, the spies who had been tailing him arrived as well. As for putting on an act—of course, it had to be done thoroughly.

The last time he visited the Shen residence was during the chaos of the assassination case. Now that Ying Fusheng was here again, the atmosphere at the Shen house was completely different from before. Although Shen Changcun had been demoted, as the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud, he still maintained some social connections in the court.

Shen Yunfei said, "Father hasn't returned yet. I'll send someone to inform him."

Ying Fusheng looked at him slightly. "I came here for you, not for Lord Shen."

Shen Yunfei understood immediately and stopped the servant from delivering the message. "I was being presumptuous."

For a moment, he was unsure of Ying Fusheng's intention. "Then, Your Highness...?"

"Naturally, I came to have fun with you," Ying Fusheng said.

Shen Yunfei was stunned. Fun???

The Shen residence immediately fell into a flurry. The Sixth Prince had come out of the palace without any guards, only a personal attendant, and had specifically come to find Shen Yunfei to play. The mistress of the Shen household quickly arranged for several guards to accompany them, making meticulous preparations for fear of any oversight. Shen Changcun had not informed the rest of the family, but his wife, Lady Shen, knew and promptly gave orders.

Ying Fusheng had come to find Shen Yunfei merely as a pretense, but he hadn't expected that within moments of entering the mansion, Lady Shen would have everything arranged—a carriage, food, guards, and even several extra hand warmers, as if she had considered Ying Fusheng's frail health.

"Going out with the Sixth Prince—be sharp, got it?" Lady Shen instructed earnestly.

Shen Yunfei didn't need reminding; he knew.

When the two boarded the carriage, Ying Fusheng glanced at the slightly uneasy Shen Yunfei. The carriage was stocked meticulously with all sorts of provisions. Ying Fusheng picked up the hand warmer Lady Shen had prepared—though not as luxurious as those in the imperial palace, it had been specially preheated and felt just right in his hands. Shen Yunfei felt his mother was making too big a fuss and was afraid of disturbing the Sixth Prince. "My mother's behavior is a bit..."

Ying Fusheng said, "You have a good mother. Cherish her."

Shen Yunfei was momentarily taken aback. Before he could respond, Ying Fusheng had already shifted his gaze out the window. In recent times, this was the first time he had served as a companion scholar. At Wenhua Hall, he had observed the relationships between other princes and their companions. Though his relationship with the Sixth Prince seemed good on the surface, their interactions often felt overly clear-cut in terms of favors and interests.

Holding the hand warmer prepared by Lady Shen, Ying Fusheng looked out the window at the unfamiliar streets. This was the capital.

Unlike the confines of the palace, the capital was a melting pot of people, with the eyes of various forces mingling within it. In his past life, Ying Fusheng had strategized from behind the scenes; that person had gathered information from all sides, while he remained a hidden pawn deep in the palace. He had only seen the world's myriad facets in writing, which was far less vivid than what he now witnessed with his own eyes.

Saving Shen Changcun was an accident, but also a calculated move.

In his past life, Ying Fusheng had seen Shen Changcun's record at the Ministry of War. The Ministry of War had been the most stable department under his father’s rule. The Minister of War was old, and most of the actual duties fell on Shen Changcun. If it weren't for that, his father wouldn't have spared Shen Changcun after the military pay scandal broke. Shen Changcun was not adept at courtly intrigue, but he was exceptionally sharp when it came to the minutiae of documents. The person orchestrating the military pay scandal from behind the scenes was eager to remove Shen Changcun precisely because he was a threat.

The position of Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud—ostensibly a menial job managing carriages and horses—actually controlled the movements of all factions, both within the capital and beyond. Whether it was royal nobles or government officials, all travel depended on the Imperial Stud. Otherwise, how could the military pay scandal have been quietly unraveled at this very node?

Such a flow of information, if exploited, could form a vast network.

Shen Changcun was the man Ying Fusheng needed.

Much of what Ying Fusheng knew from his past life came from later summaries. The various details were tangled and chaotic, and he could only use some of them, not all. To fully grasp the situation, he needed the overlooked minutiae—and intelligence was paramount.

Shen Yunfei watched Ying Fusheng, who seemed to be observing the street scene while his mind wandered, not daring to disturb him.

After a short while, Ying Fusheng turned to him. "You've been very quiet lately."

Shen Yunfei replied seriously, "Father told me I should curb my playfulness... Now that Father is the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud, he's very busy with official duties. I should work hard at martial arts, take the military exams soon, and be able to help Your Highness."

Since his family's upheaval, Shen Yunfei had grown somewhat more restrained. Ying Fusheng knew that in his past life, this person had also been like this—after the Shen family was wronged, he fought his way back into the court, opposing the Crown Prince at every turn. But now, this young man was barely fifteen, at an age when others would not be on guard against him.

"We've arrived," Ying Fusheng said.

The carriage stopped. Shen Yunfei looked out in surprise and saw that they had finally halted in front of a restaurant.

The establishment was one of the capital's most luxurious venues, a diverse crowd, with singing girls at the entrance luring customers. Ying Fusheng alighted first, and Shen Yunfei quickly followed. As soon as they entered, he sensed trouble—from a distance, he spotted several familiar faces.

"Shen Yunfei!"

The one who called out was none other than a rich playboy.

As soon as he spoke, many eyes in the vicinity turned to look—all of them were young masters indulging in revelry.

Though the former Vice Minister of War, Shen Changcun, had been demoted, the fact that he wasn’t dismissed from office after being caught up in such a major affair was itself a sign of imperial favor. Furthermore, Shen Yunfei had become the current Sixth Prince’s study companion—a distinction almost unmatched among these wastrel friends.

At this moment, the crowd noticed the other young gentleman beside Shen Yunfei, who looked particularly refined. His skin was exceptionally fair, and standing there, he seemed utterly out of place in the entire tavern, his probing gaze giving him an innocent, naive look. It was precisely this unique demeanor that caught the eye of a few of the rich wastrels.

Ying Fusheng asked Shen Yunfei, “Are they your friends?”

Bringing a prince before a bunch of wastrels—Shen Yunfei was afraid his father might break his legs. Hastily, he tried to deny it, but before he could, those so-called friends of his swarmed forward.

“Yes, yes, yes.” The one called Fatty stepped forward, squinting as he sized up the newcomer: “We’re Yunfei’s friends. Which family’s young master are you, little sir? He’s a stranger to me!”

Hearing this, Ying Fusheng put on a smile: “I’m acquainted with Yunfei and came here with him to have some fun. Since we’re all friends, why not hang out together?”

At these words, the wastrels immediately agreed. Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, Shen Yunfei quickly called over a familiar attendant, arranged for a private room, and wasted no time ushering the group inside.

Fatty sidled up to Shen Yunfei and asked, “Where did you get this new friend? This young master’s an unfamiliar face!”

“That’s the Sixth Prince!” Shen Yunfei said with a wry smile.

Hearing this, the group instantly lost their nerve. Usually, jokes didn’t matter—everyone was of similar background and had grown up together. But this was a prince! If they said the wrong thing and offended him, it could mean losing their heads.

The wastrels, arrogant as they usually were, now looked at each other, at a loss. They couldn’t help glaring at Shen Yunfei, unable to come up with a plan: “How could you bring a prince here?”

Seeing these young men cowering like scared quails, Ying Fusheng called a waiter over and ordered some food for himself. Noticing them still standing, he asked, “Won’t you sit?”

The wastrels all took their seats. Seeing that Ying Fusheng showed none of the aloof prince air but was instead quite amiable—as if he truly were just a new friend brought along by Shen Yunfei—they sat casually beside him and curiously asked about his background.

“Back there, you were playing a game. How does it work?” Ying Fusheng inquired.

Fatty replied, “The prince wants to learn! Did you all hear that?”

Seeing that the prince had no objection to such things, the wastrels taught him right there how to roll dice and demonstrated all the usual games they played. Every time they showed a new trick and saw Ying Fusheng’s curiosity piqued, they grew more confident that the prince was genuinely interested, and so they elaborated a bit more.

Ying Fusheng sat among them. In front of him were no wine, only a few cups of tea and some pastries. The wastrels were well-versed in all manner of pleasures, and he seemed curious about each one. Whenever someone mentioned something, he would humbly ask further.

Which prince had they ever seen like this? The wastrels pulled out all the stops.

When they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, they casually let slip some street gossip. As the drink went to their heads, they loosened up even more.

“Your Highness, you wouldn’t know—take that fellow over there who looks so proper and upright. Just the day before yesterday, he took a concubine, and today he’s already here in the tavern looking for song girls!”

“Is that true?”

“Of course it is! Our sources are very well-informed, Your Highness. Whatever you want to know, we can tell you!”

…

Qi Hanzhou sat in the tea house across the street, taking in the entire scene in the private room. The wastrels chattered and laughed, while Ying Fusheng sat composed among them, as if entertained by their chatter. Every expression, every smile was perfectly polished, leaving no flaw to be found.

A prince who had long resided deep in the palace, encountering novelty for the first time—he played the part of curiosity and hesitation perfectly.

“Second Young Master Li, Third Young Master Chen…” The deputy general reported beside him, having gathered some intelligence: “I approached and overheard—these are Shen Yunfei’s usual friends. They are minor noble youths of the capital, fond of horseplay and pleasure-seeking, with rather poor reputations.”

He nearly called them outright good-for-nothings. They had tailed the Sixth Prince here, only to find this precious young prince being led by his companion into a tavern. If this news reached the palace, it would be a huge deal.

“This Shen Yunfei is also unreliable, daring to bring a prince to such a place,” the deputy general said. “I thought he was a good son who pleaded on his father’s behalf, but it seems his idle nature hasn’t changed.”

Qi Hanzhou glanced at him. “If even you think so, then he has truly covered all his tracks.”

The deputy general paused, realizing he had misspoken: “Could Shen Changcun have taught him this?”

Qi Hanzhou watched the young prince sitting by the window. The open window seemed to invite prying eyes. He had chosen the tavern owned by the First Prince—from the moment he stepped inside, everything changed. The coachman left at the entrance of the Huguo Temple was Hu Buyu’s trusted man. The Brocade Guard had dealt with him before, knowing that Hu Buyu had a mole by his side, but they never expected that mole was a confidant who had been with Hu Buyu for over a decade. This had nearly caused the Brocade Guard’s guard to slip.

He had only taken charge of the Brocade Guard for a few months, yet that man clearly knew who the traitor was and had stopped Madam Hu in advance.

The coachman had already been taken to the Imperial Prison for interrogation, but he had swallowed a drug that rendered him mute, so extracting information would take time.

And what about Ying Fusheng?

How many faces did he have to the outside world?

Not long after, the Sixth Prince seemed to notice that it was getting late. He stood up, preparing to leave.

Qi Hanzhou frowned, grabbed his sword, and turned to go.

“Junior General, what about this side?” The deputy general looked toward the group of wastrels and the Shen family’s young lord.

Qi Hanzhou swept his gaze over them, as if losing interest, his lingering glance settling on Ying Fusheng: “Keep an eye on the others’ moves.”

…

In the tavern, after a hearty meal and drinks, the wastrels were thinking of covering the bill. But the tavern keeper himself came out to see them off, saying that the First Prince had specially arranged for them to eat and drink to their hearts’ content. Seeing this, Ying Fusheng still had Song An take out silver to pay the bill. “Even though this is my elder brother’s establishment, the money must still be paid.”

His modest and proper manner was met with a beaming smile from the keeper, who quickly had some pastries packed up. “Let me see you off, Your Highness.”

Ying Fusheng bid farewell to the wastrels. His shy smile as they parted left them somewhat at a loss, suddenly feeling as if they had led a prince into trouble. Fatty patted Shen Yunfei on the shoulder: “This Sixth Prince is actually pretty easy to get along with. No attitude at all.”

Shen Yunfei wanted to tell him to mind his manners, but remembering the prince’s instructions, he could only bite his tongue: “You should also be a bit restrained. Don’t go blabbing about this, alright?”

“Of course. Who do you take me for, brother? Next time you bring the prince out for drinks, count me in!” Fatty said with a grin.

Ying Fusheng watched Shen Yunfei joking with his wastrel friends. Beside him, Song An had already drawn back the carriage curtain. Once he was seated and settled, the carriage headed back to the palace. Then, he glanced at the eaves outside. The falcon that had been trailing them the whole way was now gone, as if its owner had lost interest.

“Your Highness, it’s cold.” Song An draped an extra cloak over him.

Ying Fusheng paused for a moment, then gathered the cloak and set down the hand warmer he’d held the whole drive. “It’s alright. Not as cold anymore.”

By the time they returned to the palace, dusk was falling. It was the first time he had been out so long with Song An. The first thing he did upon returning to Cining Palace was to pay his respects to the Empress Dowager. He had expected her to interrogate him, but she simply had the imperial physician check his pulse and ask casually, “How was your outing today?”

His heart gave a slight lurch. As a boy his age would, he recounted one or two things. The Empress Dowager’s expression gradually softened. She did not ask more and simply told him to rest early.

“Grandson brought back some pastries.” Ying Fusheng had Song An present them.

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and said no more.

Once he had left, she continued fingering her prayer beads and said to Lady Yu, “Pull back the men sent to protect him.”

Lady Yu acknowledged the order and picked up the pastry box.

The Empress Dowager said, “As for the pastries, leave them.”

The Cining Palace was serene at night. Ying Fusheng returned to the side hall. A cold wind blew, causing him to cough uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Song An quickly handed him a warm hand warmer and ordered medicine to be brought. “Your Highness, the window was left open in the tavern today, letting in a draft. Your Highness only just recovered from a cold; it was truly too risky.”

“So you’re scolding me now?” Ying Fusheng took the bowl of medicine.

Song An: "I wouldn't dare!"

"I didn't say you were wrong," Ying Fusheng looked at him. "When it's just you and me, there's no need for this master-servant formality. Song An, without you, I would have died long ago."

Song An quickly said, "Your Highness, please don't speak of life and death. May Your Highness live long."

Hearing the words "a thousand years," Ying Fusheng's mind wandered for a rare moment, his gaze seeming to pass through the window to the high eaves beyond. His gaze paused, the warmth of the hall enveloping him layer by layer, as if the bone-deep pain of his past life had eased. He came back to himself and murmured, looking at this hard-won favorable situation, "Yes, I was meant to live long."

With that, his eyes gradually turned sharp, and he said to Song An, "Changes are coming soon."

"I wonder whether my dear mother consort is enjoying that calming incense I sent her."

-*

The capital was rife with change. The incense at the Temple of Guardians and the Shrine of Warriors burned brightly, and with it came new news from the court—

The position of Vice Minister of War, left vacant for a long time after the former Vice Minister's demotion, was brought up by the First Prince during this morning's court session. He strongly recommended Hu Buyu, the Prefect of Anlong summoned to the capital, for the post of Vice Minister of War. It was well known that though the title was merely Vice Minister, the Minister of War intended to retire to his hometown, and whoever caught the Emperor's eye now could become the next Minister of War.

No one expected the First Prince to recommend Hu Buyu at this time, and the Emperor was greatly impressed, actually following the recommendation by appointing Hu Buyu as the new Vice Minister of War on the spot in court.

The First Prince and Vice Minister Ning were praised by the Emperor in court for their excellent work on the Shrine of Warriors affair, and the First Prince's reputation soared. During this time, the Emperor did not pay much attention to the Crown Prince, but instead the First Prince was thriving, causing the courtiers to sense an undercurrent of tension.

As soon as court was dismissed, the news spread throughout the court and the realm.

"Wasn't it said that His Majesty favored Lord Xu? Lord Xu hasn't made a move."

"Don't mention it. Didn't you see Lord Zhou's dark face when he left court? Who would have thought a nobody like Hu Buyu would appear, and the First Prince elevated him?"

When the news reached Weiyang Palace, Bi Zhu was even more cautious as she brought tea into the hall. The hall was filled with the scent of calming incense, and Consort Ning sat on the couch with her hair loose, with shards of a broken teacup scattered around the edge of the couch.

Since returning from the Temple of Guardians, Consort Ning had been confined to the palace by the Dowager Empress. Rumors had also sprung up in the palace that no matter how kind Consort Ning once was, she must have committed some great moral offense to be confined repeatedly by the Dowager Empress.

Bi Zhu had managed to keep the news from the Consort, but couldn't stop the gossip from reaching the hall.

They said that Consort Ning's kindness and gentleness over the years were all just imitations of the Empress.

Consort Ning had always valued her reputation. In these years in the palace, she had been cautious, not contending for anything. Even when other concubines flaunted their status before her, she gritted her teeth and endured it. At most, when she could no longer bear it, she would drug the Sixth Prince to vent her anger.

Now, being confined twice by the Dowager Empress had nearly destroyed her reputation built over the years, and she was even accused of being a clumsy imitator.

Over this period, quite a few items had been smashed in the palace.

"My Lady, have some calming tea," Bi Zhu said as she approached.

Consort Ning directly threw away the tea cup. "Has my father not replied yet? What's going on? Didn't he tell me that the Vice Minister of War was a protégé of the Xu family? Who is this Hu Buyu who came out of nowhere?"

"I have already sent a letter to the Ning residence," Bi Zhu soothed. "Court matters, Lord Ning surely has his own plans."

At that moment, a palace attendant rushed in and announced, "My Lady, the Sixth Prince has arrived."

Consort Ning was startled and abruptly looked toward the hall entrance.