Chapter 101

Inside Prince Jin's residence, Song An walked with quick, short steps and found his way to the infirmary, where Chen Xuqiu and Old Man Wu were present, along with two Light Garment Guards disguised as medicine apprentices. The falcon, which had not been released, was held by Song An as he nodded affirmatively to the two physicians, his gaze resting on the motionless Wang Guanzhi.

Wang Guanzhi's expression tightened as he looked at Song An, who handed the falcon to him.

Then Song An spoke: "His Highness says we can proceed."

"Isn't that risky? His Highness is trapped in Huaizhou City, and outside..." Wang Guanzhi hesitated.

"Lord Wang," Song An said calmly, "This is just Huaizhou City. When His Highness was still in the palace, he could destroy the Xu family. Now, with the sky vast and the sea wide, no prison can hold him."

Outside the prince's residence, as the Fei family ordered the city sealed, the hidden power struggle within Huaizhou City began. Using official authority, the Fei family conducted a citywide search for underground establishments, fabricating a three-day-long hunt for a supposed culprit. Under this pretext, they attacked those who disagreed with them across Huaizhou.

News from Huaizhou City was trapped within its walls. The news released by Assistant Prefect Fei reported the arrest and imprisonment of officials under Zhang Wuyong's command. Meanwhile, within Prince Jin's residence, the prince made no overt moves. Prince Yan hadn't left his residence for several days, with rumors spreading that his illness had relapsed and he was resting from overexertion.

"Prince Yan is very cautious. Any medicine he takes is first tested by Doctor Chen by his side," a subordinate reported.

Fei Xun said, "No need to poison him. Given his caution, such things won't reach his lips. As for the medicine he brought to Huaizhou, it will run out eventually. We'll strike then."

Yet as Fei Xun pondered, something felt off. Ying Fusheng was too quiet.

Compared to his previous open strategies, his recent behavior was abnormal. Instead of reducing his defenses, he had added a squad of personnel to keep watch.

"It seems someone is trying to enter the city. Suspicious individuals have been spotted at the city gates in recent days, including traces of the Brocade Guard."

Fei Xun's expression tightened upon hearing this. "Block them at the gates, whether they are Prince Yan's or Prince Jin's people."

"The citizens are growing anxious over the city lockdown and are panic-buying grain."

"Should we handle this?" the subordinate asked.

"Notify the grain stores. It's just panic—calm them down," Fei Xun replied.

When the orders reached the gates, city defense patrols became more intensive, making entry and exit procedures stricter. Even grain merchants with legitimate business faced multiple checkpoints. Huaizhou was a large city; a lockdown meant food shortages were inevitable. Aware of this, the Fei family instructed their merchants to sell grain at fair prices or provide relief grain to ease the crisis.

Soon, the city's residents praised the Fei family's charitable acts. Some lauded Assistant Prefect Fei for sleepless for days and capturing criminals every day, while others hailed the Fei family as righteous merchants serving the people. Public opinion gradually tilted in favor of the Fei family. Outside the Fei family's grain stores, crowds gathered; acts of charity filled the city. In a tavern in Huaizhou, several merchants were conversing.

"Lord Fei's benevolence is beyond our reach," one wealthy merchant remarked.

"My grain has sunk. There's no reserve in the city—business must still go on," Merchant Liu sighed. "The Fei family has deep reserves, able to sell grain for so long. Unlike us, our stores can't keep up with the demand."

"Of course, Assistant Prefect Fei is partial to the Fei family. I hear grain carts sneak in at night," another said. "They claim to investigate collusion between officials and merchants, yet Assistant Prefect Fei's favoritism toward the Fei family... Doesn't that count as collusion? Brother Liu, why don't you appeal to Prince Yan?"

"Don't say that. The fact that Huaizhou hasn't descended into chaos during the lockdown is all thanks to Lord Fei's efforts."

Merchant Liu hurriedly said, "Grain prices are rising, yet the Fei family sells at fair prices—this is great charity. It's already a lot that Prince Yan is willing to seek justice for me... If you're in trouble, just mention my name. Perhaps the gate officials will grant you some convenience."

"Thank you, Brother Liu!" the merchants rejoiced.

The merchants, already unable to do business due to the lockdown, acted on his advice, but mentioning Merchant Liu's name brought no convenience; instead, their goods were seized for "strict investigation."

"Prince Yan sent us—" one merchant stammered in defense.

Hearing Prince Yan's name, the gate guards redirected the grain shipment. "Wait over there."

The merchants grew restless. The Fei family's carts entered freely, but goods linked to Merchant Liu and Prince Yan could not enter. It was clear the Fei family was profiting from the lockdown.

When the Fei family heard of the merchants' grievances, they ordered their grain stores to make a token show of concession, allowing a few grain merchants to pass. This caused grain prices in the city to rise. Those who didn't get the benefit had to go beat the drum at the court.

At the beat of a drum, the people of Huaizhou City gathered.

The city had been sealed for seven days, yet the bandits had not been found, and grain prices were climbing ever higher.

Hearing the merchants' words outside the government office, the common folk suddenly understood what was going on. They had gotten used to the Fei family's kindness. They were grateful that the Fei family sold grain at fair prices during the lockdown. Yet they forgot that without the lockdown, the streets would be full of grain merchants offering fair—or even cheaper—prices.

Indeed, why did so many grain merchants have no grain, while the Fei family was unaffected? The murmurs among the vendors grew louder, all talking about corruption between officials and merchants. If the grain issue was true, wasn't it just a scheme to profit from them under the guise of the lockdown? And those grains sold by the Fei family even included old, stale grain!

"Trouble, Young Master! Something's happened in the city!"

"Some merchants have gone to the government office to accuse Lord Fei of corruption, allowing grain carts into the city in secret. Prince Jin, to calm public anger, has detained Lord Fei and announced a public trial tomorrow."

Fei Xun frowned. It had only been seven days, and Huaizhou was still stable. Even if discontent were to arise, it shouldn't happen now—especially since they hadn't secretly let in grain carts. These rumors were clearly stirred up by someone.

Ying Fusheng... He wants the people to force the city to lift the lockdown.

He abruptly rose and headed for Prince Jin's residence. "Make our move. Prince Jin's stance is clear now."

"But he's a prince! Wouldn't this completely burn bridges?"

"How could the bandits who attacked those two princes possibly be my Fei family?" Fei Xun said softly.

Besides, their original goal was to slay Prince Yan south of the river.

Since the gentle approach failed, he might as well resort to force.

By day, the spies stationed outside Prince Jin's mansion received their orders. The waiting coachmen, the drunken vagrants, the passing pedestrians all shed their disguises at once and drew blades from their sides.

The mansion guards saw this and shouted, "You—"

"Bandits!!!" Cries of "Bandits!" echoed through the estate.

Blood splattered as the Fei family's assassins surged into Prince Jin's mansion, wearing masks, charging straight for the quarters of Prince Jin and Prince Yan. The guards shouted "bandits" and drew their swords to defend. Light-footed assassins vaulted over walls into Prince Yan's courtyard, where two Light Garment Guards, disguised as medical officers, emerged to protect him.

Ying Fusheng sat inside the room. When the door burst open, Fei Xun stepped in: "Prince Yan, a clever scheme indeed."

The room was empty of others; before Ying Fusheng lay only a messy chess game. He didn't even glance up as the assassins stormed in.

The Light Garment Guards shielded Ying Fusheng, the floor covered with the bodies of fallen assassins. As more assassins closed in, most of Ying Fusheng's Light Garment Guards had already been sent out; only a few remained by his side, the rest were guards sent by Prince Jin.

Fei Xun looked at Ying Fusheng. "Even staying within the mansion, you can stir up the populace. It seems this place doesn't suit you. I've come to invite you elsewhere for a chat, to show you hospitality."

The air was thick with the smell of blood. Ying Fusheng didn't look at him but gazed outward instead.

Fei Xun smiled at this. "Prince Jin needs time to call in his troops. Do you think reinforcements will get here faster than I can move?"

"You never intended to win Prince Jin over," Ying Fusheng stated plainly.

Fei Xun's expression remained flat. "My family sealed the city. With Prince Jin, there were only two outcomes—and this is the latter."

Indeed, Huaizhou City was Prince Jin's territory, but after days of lockdown, he had remained inactive.

Ying Fusheng's open strategies had repeatedly disrupted their plans. The move to seal the city meant either Prince Jin would take a stand, or relations would deteriorate completely.

"You think I didn't act against Prince Jin's people during the lockdown?" Fei Xun had prepared for such moves in Huaizhou. His actions, defying Imperial Power, left no room for retreat—and this had always been their aim. "At the risk of stirring public anger, I had to make it count. Dismantling Prince Jin's control over Huaizhou—the troops stationed at his suburban mansion probably haven't even heard the news from within the city."

Having failed multiple times to spark local unrest, Prince Jin remained a stumbling block for the other princes and marquises.

If winning him over failed and relations soured completely, then Huaizhou would become the fuse for conflict between regions. By controlling both Prince Yan and Prince Jin, the wavering princes and marquises behind Prince Jin would have no choice but to pick a side.

“Eager to stir up internal strife, you have other plans,” Ying Fusheng said.

Fei Xun paused briefly, then laughed delightedly. “Sixth Prince, a man too clever cannot be allowed to live.”

“Is that so?” Ying Fusheng looked up at him. “The people inside the city can’t get out, but what about those outside?”

“Young Master, we’ve lost contact with the city gate,” the assassins reported.

Fei Xun’s expression shifted, and he immediately turned to Ying Fusheng. The latter’s face remained calm, as if he had anticipated this all along.

The disturbance caused by the commoners had diverted some of the city’s defenses; now most of the city’s populace gathered in front of the Huaizhou prefectural office. By the time the assassins rushed here, the city gates had become the weakest point. When he incited the commoners, he had already foreseen that the assassins would besiege Prince Jin’s residence.

But where did the troops come from? Prince Jin’s men were unable to act, and Prince Yan’s message couldn’t be sent out?

Unless this man had prepared a contingency plan from the very beginning.

“Strike,” Fei Xun said, feeling an absurd sense that things were slipping out of control. “Leave no one alive.”

He could not let this man live.

Ying Fusheng calmly looked out the window. With Song An covering him, he retreated.

He pushed Song An behind him, trying to shield him. Chen Xuqiu and the others had been sent away ahead of time, leaving few people in the residence. By his calculations, the timing should be about right.

The assassins pressed forward. The two Light Garment Guards protecting Ying Fusheng were about to give way.

Suddenly, the guards’ weapons were swept aside. Ying Fusheng was taken aback for a moment, and he turned to see three assassins had found a gap.

He quickly stepped back, only to find himself cornered.

The flash of blades and the sound of weapons cutting through the air came from behind.

In the nick of time, the window of the side room shattered. The long cry of a falcon pierced the sky, and a figure leaped before Ying Fusheng.

Ying Fusheng suddenly found himself airborne.

Qi Hanzhou grabbed Ying Fusheng around the waist, his long sword horizontal to block three descending blades. The force was so great that it pushed his body downward. But the next moment, he shielded the man behind himself, twisting his right wrist to turn his sword to intercept all the attacks coming at them.

With one sweep of his sword, he swept them aside.