Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Conferring a princely title—none of the current emperor’s sons had yet been made princes. Since the founding of the Dayuan Dynasty, there had been a precedent under the late emperor for princes to leave the palace, establish their own residences, and be enfeoffed. Several years ago, after returning from his campaigns, the current emperor had intended to enfeoff his sons but, for unknown reasons, it was repeatedly postponed. Later, when the Crown Prince was deposed and the position of crown prince remained vacant, the matter of enfeoffing princes was rarely mentioned again.

Yet now, the Sixth Prince had voluntarily gone to the southern border, stabilized Jiangling, and alleviated the natural disaster. Such merits in saving the people were truly unmatched among the princes currently in court. Even the eldest prince, who had been in court for many years, had no such achievements. The court officials were astonished that the emperor would make an exception for the Sixth Prince.

The factions exchanged glances, each filled with surprise.

As for the Jiangling matter, the court had received urgent reports. But among the common people, especially in the southern regions, the disaster-stricken refugees all praised the Sixth Prince’s feat of personally going to Jiangling to provide disaster relief. Through this event, the Sixth Prince’s reputation among the common people in the south had grown significantly, and rumors from a few years ago about his being an incarnation of an auspicious star began to spread again.

Such merit, though not enough to stabilize the nation, was still the greatest achievement praised by the people in the past decade.

Court officials turned to the Minister of Rites, who stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, if a prince title is to be bestowed, a title name must be determined.”

“Now that the Jiangling flood has subsided, the rivers are clear, the seas calm, the seasons harmonious, and the harvests abundant. Let him be Prince Yan,” the emperor declared.

Prince Yan—this title carried immense weight!

An official immediately stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, the affairs of the three southern prefectures are not yet settled. Using this character for his title is inappropriate.”

When enfeoffing a prince, the choice of character carried great weight.

The factions each had their own considerations. One person stepped forward to object, and soon several others followed. Some officials suggested using Jiangling as the title, calling him Prince of Jiangling, while others proposed alternative characters. Xiao Yan watched their maneuvers and knew exactly what was on their minds.

Now that this matter had been accomplished, the Sixth Prince’s reputation among the people had soared. Even if the factions had objections to enfeoffing a prince, they could only consent. The Sixth Prince was not an imperial commissioner subject to the court, but a prince by birth. If his title were too modest, any future prince seeking a similar title would only need to surpass his achievements—but achieving such a feat of disaster relief and saving the people was not easily done.

They had no choice but to accept the enfeoffment.

Acceptance was one thing; the choice of title determined its significance and status. A heavier character meant a different meaning.

With a subtle hint from Xiao Yan, a censor stepped forward to speak and said, “Your words are inappropriate. Now that the Jiangling matter is concluded, it is only through the Sixth Prince’s efforts that Jiangling is stable and the refugees are not running amok.”

The speaker was an old censor whose words carried authority: “In my opinion, the character ‘Yan’ is most fitting. With the Jiangling matter settled, the court’s attitude toward the Sixth Prince also demonstrates its stance toward the southern border. At this time, using the meaning of ‘seasonal harmony and abundant harvests’ to reassure the three southern prefectures aligns with heaven’s will and will stabilize the people’s livelihood.”

The Sixth Prince had accomplished such a great deed; all the people of Jiangling, even those in the south, were watching.

Thus, a generous reward was necessary to show the court’s concern for the people’s welfare. This character had to be weighty.

Others wanted to debate further, but the emperor’s gaze hardened. “The Elder Xiao speaks wisely. This matter is decided.”

The emperor pressed on, brooking no dissent: “The Sixth Prince is unwell. He is permitted to stay in Jiangling to recuperate. Let the Imperial Medical Academy dispatch another physician south. During this time, Jiangling affairs shall be handled by the Sixth Prince on an interim basis. The corrupt Jiangling officials and the unauthorized granaries shall be judged and decided upon. The edict shall be delivered by the Ministries of Personnel and Rites.”

That day at court, the joyful news spread far and wide.

As soon as court was dismissed, the news that the Sixth Prince had been made Prince Yan spread from the court to the common people.

Word reached Cining Palace, and the Empress Dowager visited Huguo Temple. Upon returning, she ordered someone to go to the Imperial Medical Institute.

Within a day, the news of the Jiangling relief effort also reached the capital. The Sixth Prince enjoyed high prestige among the common people in the capital. Hearing about his work in Jiangling, teahouses and taverns buzzed with talk. Merchants, led by Liu Dafu, voluntarily donated grain and sent it to the three southern prefectures, an act that earned praise from the people.

Seeing his growing fame, the court officials could only hold their tongues.

“The Sixth Prince’s actions in Jiangling cannot be hidden from His Majesty,” Shen Changcun said. “The enfeoffment is settled, but what about the fief?”

Hu Buyu replied, “His Majesty granted only the title, without any mention of a fief. He also allowed the Sixth Prince to remain in Jiangling to handle affairs personally. He did not explicitly say that Jiangling was granted to the Sixth Prince, but in effect, as long as the Sixth Prince remains in the south, Jiangling and the surrounding disaster zones are his territory.”

“Do you mean His Majesty still wants the Sixth Prince to return?” Shen Changcun was doubtful. “When a prince is enfeoffed, he should have a fief. Not granting a fief but giving authority over a territory is against ritual propriety. Will Prince Yongjia accept that?”

“This is about balance of power,” Hu Buyu said. He had known this emperor since they were young and understood what he intended to do now. “Conferring a prince title without a fief serves three purposes: first, it stabilizes the other prince factions at court; second, it protects the ailing Sixth Prince; third, it sends a warning to officials in Jiangnan and Shu.”

The Sixth Prince’s illness reminded everyone in the court that no matter how talented this prince was, as long as his health was weak, the emperor would have reservations. Thus, for them, enfeoffing him wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Since he was recuperating in the south, beyond the reach of the court, he needed some foundation to stand on.

But a fief would grant clear authority, widening the gap between him and the other princes in the court. Not to mention the other princes; even the eldest prince could not sit still.

Although Shen Changcun could not guess the emperor’s specific intentions, they knew that from the moment the Sixth Prince stabilized Jiangling, his position in the court was no longer that of a sickly, marginal prince. The factions would see him as a rival to suppress, and the ministries most credited in the Jiangling affair—Public Works and War—would be seen as the Sixth Prince’s faction.

Not granting a fief but bestowing a prince title elevated the Sixth Prince’s status in the emperor’s eyes. This was actually a warning to others: if any prince at court had the makings of a crown prince, the Sixth Prince could remain in the south and later seek a fief; if the princes in the court were unfit, even if the Sixth Prince was ill, the emperor could call him back from the south.

Meanwhile, in Jiangnan and Shu, the various princes and marquises would have to reckon with the new Prince Yan.

“Now we’ll see how things change in Jiangnan. This illness came at an opportune time and is not necessarily bad.” Hu Buyu had never spoken directly with Ying Fusheng, but through a few letters, he had developed great fondness for this prince, whose talent had been remarkable since his youth. “If not for this frail body, today’s court session might have been different.”

“A man so devoted to the people—his fate is too cruel.”

In the southern regions, news of the stabilized Jiangling disaster area had spread to surrounding areas. Among the common people in Jiangnan and Shu, word spread about the Sixth Prince’s swift repair of the embankment, disaster relief, and control of the epidemic.

The people knew the special nature of the Jiangling area. If something went wrong there, with the sick spreading to other places, it would be a calamity affecting all regions.

But now, more than a month had passed since the disaster struck. Apart from the flooding affecting Jiangnan, no refugees or epidemic from Jiangling had spread elsewhere. Moreover, a large number of disaster-stricken refugees had been taken in. The people did not believe the news at first, but when they saw merchants traveling from Jiangling spreading the word, they realized how much the Sixth Prince had done in Jiangling.

“The Sixth Prince truly is a lucky star incarnate. Years ago, he saved the three prefectures from a snow disaster.”

“I hear relief grain is still being handed out in Jiangling… This winter won’t be so bad!”

……

In Jiangling, the epidemic formula proved effective in the sick ward. The condition of the ill refugees gradually stabilized, and the Jiangling prefectural government sent several doctors with the formula to other disaster-stricken counties. The refugees’ fears of food shortages never materialized. The Jiangling government continued to provide for them. Some refugees whose farmlands had receded from floodwaters returned to cultivate; others who were homeless could continue to work on the embankment. Those who performed well could even receive a craftsman’s license through the government.

The refugees never expected the government to care about their survival after a disaster. Not only did they reduce the taxes for this year moderately, but they also provided a place for those who lost their homes to settle.

“I heard that prince hasn’t recovered yet… The government has been searching for aged medicinal herbs these past few days, said to be for the prince,” the refugees discussed. “Doctor Chen has been watching over him day and night; he can’t step away.”

Among the crowd, a ruddy-faced old man, sitting by a medicine stove, overheard this and thought coldly: no matter how aged the herb, if they aren’t used according to syndrome differentiation, they’re just ordinary decoctions.

That Sixth Prince’s appearance—seemingly born weak—was actually one of deficiency.

He perked up his ears, listening to the refugees’ chatter. When he heard that the prince could barely eat and needed assistance even to take medicine, he frowned deeply, his fanning hand slowing down.

Surrounding him were medicinal herbs sent by the government; thanks to these herbs, the refugees’ lives were saved.

The ruddy-faced old man stared at the herbs for a long time. Looking up, he could see recovering refugees being helped out. In the distance, refugees returning from the embankment work made the whole camp vibrant. He watched for a long time, then looked down at his lame leg. A strange glint flickered in his cloudy eyes. Finally, he took the crutch beside him and stood up.

“Grandpa, where are you going? The medicine isn’t ready yet!” a boy next to him called.

The ruddy-faced old man stood up, “You stay here. Grandpa is going out for a while.”

Jiangling was a mix of people. Qi Hanzhou’s Jinyiwei maintained order. Jiangnan officials tried repeatedly to interfere in Jiangling affairs, but were rebuffed with the excuse of awaiting the court’s decree. The officials had no choice but to wait for news from the court. They all knew that the Sixth Prince would be recalled to the capital in time; they just hadn’t expected that after seven days, imperial envoys would arrive.

The court sent officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel. When they heard that the envoys had come directly from the court, bypassing Yingtian Prefecture, the Jiangling officials sensed impending doom. Among the arrivals was the current Minister of Personnel, Meng Jinyuan.

The charges of bribery and corruption in Jiangling Prefecture and the private construction of granaries—any one of these was a serious crime if made public.

When the Minister of Personnel arrived in person, before announcing the charges, he first delivered the edict: the Sixth Prince had been made Prince Yan.

A prince title—this was the first among the current emperor’s sons to be made a prince.

“Prince Yan?!”

The Jiangnan officials present all shifted expressions slightly upon hearing this news. The arrival of court officials from the Ministry of Rites, along with the Minister of Personnel, sufficiently demonstrated the emperor's high regard for the Sixth Prince. Not only was he made a prince, but he was also authorized to oversee Jiangling's affairs and allowed to recuperate here. What did this mean?

There were many princes and marquises in both Jiangnan and Xishu. Apart from the court's fiefs, other areas were governed by local officials. Jiangling's geography was unique; it had previously been under Jiangnan's jurisdiction, so all matters had to be reported to Yingtian Prefecture. Now, the court had issued a special decree, without explicitly granting this land to Prince Yan, but in effect, it had given him the authority to handle it.

That is to say, from now on, all subsequent affairs related to Jiangling could only be decided by the Sixth Prince. Even the Jiangnan Yingtian Prefecture could not act beyond its authority. The charges against the group of officials in Jiangling Prefecture would have to wait for the Sixth Prince to recover and pass judgment.

The Jiangnan officials discreetly glanced at the Minister of Personnel to read his expression and wanted to ask further, "This Sixth Prince, Prince Yan, is still ill. Jiangling's affairs cannot be delayed."

The official from the Ministry of Rites said, "Everyone, His Majesty has decreed that if there are any objections, we must await Prince Yan's decision."

Qi Hanzhou looked at Meng Jinyuan. Meng Jinyuan showed no intention to intervene; he merely inquired, as was routine, about the officials who had accompanied Ying Fusheng to Jiangling. This was the Ministry of Personnel's duty, and he had no authority to interfere. However, he still instructed Ye Xuanjiu to keep a close watch on the Minister.

"Everyone, His Highness is still ill. As for other matters, we should wait until later to discuss them," Weng Yanqing proactively said. "Furthermore, there are still some matters involving Jiangling Prefecture officials that have not been fully investigated. The Imperial Guards are also here. If anyone wishes to transfer personnel, they will have to wait until the interrogation is concluded."

The officials of the Jiangnan officialdom had waited several days, intending to take away some officials, but they were caught off guard by this decree. Jiangling was not just home to a deeply connected network of corrupt officials but also had that hot-potato hidden granary in the mountains.

Now that the emperor had dumped the problem on Prince Yan, no one could meddle in it.

The Jiangnan officials left Jiangling Prefecture with strained smiles. Vice Prefect Xu and others were stunned, realizing that their fate now rested entirely on Prince Yan's decision. Even if Yingtian Prefecture wanted to deal with them, they would have to wait until His Highness recovered.

Weng Yanqing followed Qi Hanzhou. After the others left, he slightly bowed to Qi Hanzhou.

Qi Hanzhou looked at him.

After Ying Fusheng collapsed, Weng Yanqing managed Jiangling's affairs admirably. He discovered that some officials intended to contact Yingtian Prefecture and handed them over to Vice Prefect Xu for discipline. Weng Yanqing was meticulous in everything; even though Ying Fusheng had not had time to give instructions for what came next, he managed these matters properly. In recent days, the negotiations with the personnel sent by Yingtian Prefecture were also handled by him and Wang Guanzhi.

Before the court issued any special decree, Qi Hanzhou maintained control over Jiangling Prefecture, allowing Weng Yanqing to handle matters smoothly.

Unlike his recklessness during the imperial examination case a few years ago, after several years with Shen Changcun, he had become someone who could take charge independently.

Weng Yanqing thought about Qi Hanzhou's help to the Jiangling situation during this period. After some thought, he said, "His Highness had considered pretending to be sick. The matters in Jiangling could not be concealed. Once the court knew, it would inevitably summon His Highness back and send someone else to take over. At that time, it would be difficult for His Highness to continue investigating the Jiangnan officialdom. So he had sent letters to several key officials in the capital."

Once he returned to the capital, it would be difficult to have another chance to go down to Jiangnan.

It was just unexpected that Ying Fusheng actually fell ill before his plan could be implemented, and the emperor even ordered that he be made a prince.

This was unexpected, but the outcome was good.

"The Jiangling situation is now stable. His Highness said that from now on, Lord Qi knows what to do," Weng Yanqing said.

Upon hearing this, Qi Hanzhou walked out. Not far away, the imperial physician, who had just arrived from court, came out drenched in sweat after checking his pulse. Others only knew the emperor's apparent intentions; in fact, this was also a delaying tactic. The matter of Ying Fusheng going down to Jiangnan to deal with the Jiangling officials would inevitably cause dissent at court. If there were a mastermind behind the scenes, they could use this to make trouble.

But Ying Fusheng was ill and could not leave Jiangling. Now that the emperor had issued the decree, everything had to wait for Ying Fusheng to recover and handle.

Now that the Jiangling situation was stable, compared to handing it over to the Jiangnan officialdom, delaying was actually a good thing.

During his illness, Jiangling became a thread for the Imperial Guards to pull. If Ying Fusheng had calculated this step from the beginning, then he had been gauging the emperor's intentions all along. And his gamble paid off: as long as he remained ill and Jiangling's affairs were not handed over to the Jiangnan officialdom, the Imperial Guards, bearing the emperor's will, could continue investigating cases in Jiangnan.

Qi Hanzhou's gaze deepened... as if suppressing a pent-up fire, determined to expose the mastermind and everything, bringing the truth to light.

After Ying Fusheng collapsed on that day, he had intermittent fevers, sometimes improving and sometimes worsening. Feeding him medicine daily was a troublesome task. The conditions in Jiangling were nothing like the palace. Previously, Song An and other palace attendants had taken care of him. In Jiangling, with its simple conditions, the medical apprentices handled everything very carefully. In the end, Qi Hanzhou came every day to help with tasks that Song An couldn't manage.

Qi Hanzhou thus stayed at the Jiangling Prefecture. Other people came and went to the refugee camp daily. Chen Xuqiu was worried about the epidemic outside spreading in, so except for a few specific people, no one else was allowed into the chamber. During this time, Ying Fusheng woke up a few times, but the periods of consciousness were short, and he soon fell asleep again. However, compared to being unconscious day and night, being awake for a while was already a stroke of luck.

Chen Xuqiu had to keep watch day and night. Qi Hanzhou, after finishing his daily work, would come every night to feed him medicine.

"Is there no possibility for his condition to improve?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuqiu—she was a wandering physician from the martial world. Although her ancestors were famous doctors of the previous dynasty, she had specialized in rare and difficult diseases over the years. She could remove the poison from Ying Fusheng's body, but by the time the poison was extracted, his body would truly be depleted. "The poison is not a problem now. I can handle the detoxification. The difficulty lies in building up his constitution and restoring his vitality."

When Ying Fusheng fell into a coma from poison at the age of fifteen, Chen Xuqiu and the Imperial Hospital exhausted every means to keep him alive, exhausting every method available.

The most important thing now is to restore his depleted body; otherwise, at the slightest exertion, illness will inevitably strike.

Chen Xuqiu said, "Chu Taiyi is the best at regulating the body, but as the chief of the Imperial Hospital, he cannot leave the capital. Although the other imperial physicians are skilled in nourishing care, the Sixth Prince's condition is unique. For him to live a long life, the key is recuperation... I have already sent word to my grandmother. He is more skilled than I in this area. He is currently in Jiangnan and will need a few more days to arrive... I have also contacted several medicine merchants in Jiangling to procure herbs that can nourish Qi and fortify the constitution."

As he spoke, a commotion arose at the doorway. A magistrate's officer approached and said, "Lord Qi, Doctor Chen, the people from Jiangling are outside."

Qi Hanzhou looked in the direction of the sound and saw many commoners gathered outside the gate, some carrying items, craning their necks to peer inside. Someone recognized Chen Xuqiu and called out, "Doctor Chen!"

"The commoners have gathered to ask about the Sixth Prince's condition and have brought many gifts. We couldn't stop them," the yamen runner said. "Some have even set up a prayer tablet for the Sixth Prince in their tents. In recent days, more people have been going to the temples to pray..."

Jiangling was gradually improving, and the refugees were being resettled in various places, but the Sixth Prince's health had not recovered.

The Sixth Prince acted with swift and decisive measures, and his efforts stabilized Jiangling.

The people recognized his kindness.

That day, when an official inadvertently revealed news of his illness in front of the refugees, some commoners set up a tablet and prayed for his recovery. Every day, people came to the Jiangling yamen to inquire, hoping the Sixth Prince would get better. Many brought herbs they had gathered from the mountains. After the authorities repeatedly declined and returned them, they would leave the herbs at the gate and run off.

"Doctor Chen, we've brought you the herbs," said several folk doctors among the crowd.

These doctors had been of great help during this period. Given the unusual nature of Ying Fusheng's condition, Chen Xuqiu and the imperial physicians had sought folk remedies and asked some doctors for methods to fortify the constitution and replenish Qi, and also asked for some medicines to fortify the foundation. As a wandering practitioner, he knew that there were many excellent medicines among the people, so he was not shy about seeking advice from these doctors.

However, Ying Fusheng's illness was such that these folk doctors, skilled in treating common ailments, found the severe depletion to be a rare case. Chen Xuqiu thanked them, acknowledging the preciousness of the herbs and the kindness of their gesture. "You have all been very thoughtful."

Qi Hanzhou watched quietly. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a heavy cane and turned to see someone making their way toward the entrance from the side.

Among the crowd, a peculiar person appeared.

A red-faced old man leaning on a cane. Because of his burnt and hideous face, some people stepped back from him.

He walked with a limp. The officials dared not push him away. He took a few steps forward and called out loudly, "Is that prince poisoned?"

At these words, Chen Xuqiu paused in his steps, and Qi Hanzhou's expression sharpened.

"Old man, don't talk nonsense!"

The runner retorted, "Heaven will bless the prince."

Qi Hanzhou waved the runner away and looked at Chen Xuqiu.

Chen Xuqiu recognized the man by his half-burnt face. He remembered seeing him in the infirmary; he seemed to be a medicine servant at some pharmacy, responsible for decocting medicine, and he had a young child with him. However, during this time, he had not seen him treat anyone. Previously, his ugly face had caused disputes with the refugees, making him seem like a man of irritable temperament.

The true nature of Ying Fusheng's illness was known only to the imperial physicians and Chen Xuqiu. Even the folk doctors who had recently come to help were unaware. This red-faced old man had not even seen the patient, yet he accurately pinpointed the key issue—poison.

"I am not mistaken," the red-faced old man insisted. Leaning on his cane, he stood up straight and, when agitated, kept tapping the ground with his cane. "His body and spirit are damaged, Qi and blood are insufficient—these are the signs of chronic poison exhaustion."

He said, "I can cure him."