Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Outside the courtyard, Qi Hanzhou lingered behind. When the door to the guest room closed, he approached Wu Lao and Chen Xuqiu. "How has His Highness's health been lately?"

"It's inevitable that he overexerts himself, and having a fever is normal." Compared to last year, the months of strengthening his constitution after Jiangling paid off—at least he no longer fell into a stupor after excessive mental strain. She added, "For now, he still needs recuperation, and the detoxification can only proceed slowly."

Wu Lao chimed in, "Recurring low-grade fevers are also part of the body's adjustment process."

After they finished speaking, they noticed Qi Hanzhou showed no sign of leaving. He then slightly raised his eyes to look into the distance.

In the distance, under Qi Hanzhou's signal, the Light Garment Guards silently dispersed to guard the courtyard's perimeter.

"Both of you know that's not what I meant." Qi Hanzhou withdrew his gaze and continued, "His mental state isn't good."

Hearing this, the two physicians exchanged glances. Chen Xuqiu looked at Wu Lao—they had only discovered this through pulse diagnosis, but how had Qi Hanzhou found out? They looked at each other, and Wu Lao pondered for a moment before speaking cautiously, "When did you notice?"

Qi Hanzhou had previously assumed Ying Fusheng's nightmares might be due to the poison affecting his mind. He had known since the capital that Suihongzi could impact one's mental state. But now that his body was gradually improving, his nightmares and spells of absent-mindedness haven't improved much. "Over the past few years."

Years, not just a day or two.

Such keen observation.

Wu Lao was somewhat surprised.

Both were physicians, and all aspects of Ying Fusheng's symptoms during diagnosis were within their scope of observation. Chen Xuqiu stepped forward and said cautiously, "Let's talk in the pharmacy."

"I've been observing His Highness's condition since I took over his case a few years ago," Chen Xuqiu explained. "What sets him apart from other poisoning victims is that he was poisoned by Suihongzi since childhood. Detoxification can reduce the poison's effects, but the damage to his mind is irreversible. Logically, he should have gone mad."

But he hadn't. He seemed barely affected by Suihongzi—which itself is suspicious.

According to past cases of Suihongzi poisoning, patients usually went insane. This prince, however, merely suffered from frequent nightmares and spells of absent-mindedness—the only abnormal symptoms.

This might be due to Consort Ning's method of administering small doses over time. It damaged his body without destroying it completely, so the poison never fully entered his brain. But accumulated over time, the effects were inevitable.

"So we suspect Suihongzi has caused him harm, but His Highness conceals it well." Chen Xuqiu sighed. "His Highness is clever enough that sometimes he hides it too well. We can only infer his condition from his pulse and complexion."

Concealment is a deliberate act, something only someone aware of their own condition would do.

Qi Hanzhou thought of the different Ying Fusheng during his nightmares, when he would let down his defenses and expose his hidden flaws. "Can this be treated?"

"Miss Chen and I can treat the nightmares and absent-mindedness," Wu Lao said, noticing Qi Hanzhou's expression shift. "But if there are pent-up emotions in his pulse—a heart ailment—then it's hard to cure. Do you know the most terrifying outcome of a mind-affecting poison like this? Over time, the patient can't distinguish reality from illusion. Every day feels like torment. Even if the symptoms can be relieved, the underlying knots remain hard to resolve."

Qi Hanzhou was silent for a long time after hearing this. Finally, he said gravely, "Does the imperial physician in the palace know about this?"

"The pulse might show some differences, but without other evidence, they'd likely attribute it to Suihongzi's effects," Chen Xuqiu said. She knew the imperial physicians had little knowledge of the former dynasty's secret poisons, so some things could be glossed over. "Rest assured, Elder Wu and I understand."

The potential fallout from this matter is even more dangerous than his short-lived constitution.

Now that the Southern Border had barely maintained stability, this couldn't fall into others' ears and become ammunition for attacking His Highness at court.

"If there are any further abnormalities, please inform me." Qi Hanzhou bowed deeply.

With that, he left with a grave expression. Wu Lao's gaze followed Qi Hanzhou's retreating figure until he was out of sight before asking, "Does Prince Yan trust this man of the Qi family that much?"

Chen Xuqiu looked at him questioningly. "Elder Wu, do you have reservations about the Junior General?"

"No. His Highness's condition is known only to the three of us. The Qi family is the blade of Imperial Power. Qi Shen's firm hold on the Northern Border relies on more than just the royal family's trust."

Wu Lao packed his medical kit and let the matter drop, but Chen Xuqiu said, "No. If he wanted to harm His Highness, he's had plenty of chances before."

Chen Xuqiu had been by their side for several years. She knew that Junior General Qi was a steadfast ally of the Sixth Prince. There have been many life-or-death moments when killing him would have been easy. If the Junior General had meant to strike, he could have let His Highness die at the Northern Mountain hunting grounds two years ago. Why would he still care and come to save His Highness at Prince Jin's mansion in a critical moment?

Wu Lao hobbled away on his cane, murmuring, "May the Southern Border stay stable..."

...

When the Fei family case from Jiangnan reached the court, it caused upheaval. Every old fox at court knew how deep the waters of Jiangnan officialdom ran. But now that the Fei family was exposed, the first to be affected were scholars across the land. Fei Gong was still imprisoned, but his disciples were as widespread as the Xu family had been a few years ago.

Within two days at court, the Ministers of War and Works led the charge, submitting memorials demanding the dispatch of an imperial envoy to Jiangnan. The Censorate, led by Xiao Yan, submitted joint memorials, presenting past inspection irregularities across Jiangnan together with Prince Jin's secret reports.

"You've been preparing these for a long time, haven't you?" the Emperor asked, reading the Censorate's memorial.

Xiao Yan replied, "Your Majesty, do you recall the death of Concubine Ruan?"

Concubine Ruan, the birth mother of the Third Princess. Her unexpected death had sparked ominous rumors before the Grand Sacrifice. Xiao Yan continued in a measured tone, "Concubine Ruan's father was a surveillance censor in Jiangnan. During this investigation, we discovered irregularities in the files he left behind."

The court knew there were problems in Jiangnan, that the local government in Yingtian Prefecture was troubled.

But they hadn't expected the severity: a local gentry daring to massacre a city and implicating two princes. Such treason was utterly outrageous. The Censorate, as the Emperor's eyes and ears, needed to trace the threads. Starting from Concubine Ruan's death to her father, Censor Ruan...

The court's files on Jiangnan were incomplete, possibly even tampered with.

"Your servant investigated this matter due to Concubine Ruan's death. Censor Ruan on his own wouldn't have dared to conceal the Jiangnan files," Xiao Yan continued. "The reason he concealed them was related to the disgraced official Xiao Yao. Previously, someone within the Censorate was covering for him."

Xiao Yao was a corrupt minister who had taken bribes, causing the Censorate to lose its proper function and become a loophole for criminals.

The Emperor looked up at Xiao Yan. The Xiao family had been purged, the Xu family was gone, and Xiao Yao had been convicted.

But this Censor Ruan still dared to hide the Jiangnan files, indicating there was still someone in the court covering for him—someone of no low status.

"I grant you, the Censorate, complete authority to investigate Concubine Ruan's matter by any means necessary," the Emperor said.

Xiao Yan immediately responded, "Your servant will stop at nothing."

On the desk lay all the secret reports on the Jiangnan officialdom. The Emperor's gaze swept over them, including one from Ji Wuming of the Embroidered Uniform Guard about Prince Yan's actions in Huaizhou City, describing how he forced back the troops of Marquis Cen'an. If that report had arrived half a month later, the Marquis's troops would have camped at the Jiangnan border.

"Xiao Yan, what do you think of my sixth son?" the Emperor suddenly asked.

Xiao Yan paused. When he looked up, the weight of the Emperor's gaze pressed down on him. "Your Majesty, your servant is of the Xiao family, so my words may carry bias."

"Speak freely, no harm," the Emperor said.

Xiao Yan replied, "The Jiangling flood and the Jiangnan officialdom—these two matters would be hard for even your servants to resolve adroitly. Prince Yan is exceptionally shrewd. With his abilities, if aided by an imperial envoy, the Jiangnan problem that has long plagued Your Majesty might be solved."

The Emperor smiled at this. "You think highly of him."

"Do you think he has the makings of a Crown Prince?"

At these words, the Qianqing Palace was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Even Eunuch Rong, standing nearby, bowed his head.

Xiao Yan's brow twitched. The composed expression on his face showed a hint of surprise as the Emperor's pressure bore down on him.

The Emperor noted Xiao Yan's silence. He had only asked on a whim. After a moment, just as he thought the man would dodge the question, "I told you, speak freely."

The official lowered his head in contemplation before answering directly, "Your servant believes it could go either way."

"There are reasons to say yes, in terms of ability and strategic skill, His Highness ranks among the top princes; but reasons to say no, as he is frail in body. Dayuan is vast and demands great exertion," Xiao Yan said, his tone shifting. "Dayuan was founded on military strength. If the heir lacks robust health, it will be difficult to sustain Dayuan's golden era."

The Emperor looked at him, somewhat taken aback by this answer.

"Your Highness's abilities can relieve His Majesty of worries and resolve difficulties. The situation in Jiangling and Jiangnan is seen by all officials and commoners in the court," Xiao Yan said, lowering his head. He listened intently, catching every subtle change within the Qianqing Palace, and calmly added, "Rather than being constrained in every matter, it is better to act with full freedom."

"I believe Your Highness can become a minister who ushers in a prosperous era."

A minister worthy of a prosperous era.

In the court these past few days, debates over rewards for Prince Yan had been heated. Following the Jiangling affair, he was granted a princedom, and the rewards had already reached this level. How to proceed next was crucial for the other princes. The confidential reports from Jiangnan had arrived in the capital for days, yet the Emperor had not given his approval, deliberately waiting to make a decision.

The Qianqing Palace fell into a long silence.

Finally, the Emperor did not detain him further.

When Xiao Yan emerged from the palace, cold sweat still clung to his back. The Emperor had sent several princes out on assignments, intending to see who could achieve what Jiangling had accomplished and to test the loyalties of the factions behind the First Prince and the other two princes. Today's question had made the result clear.

At that moment, Xiao Yan turned and saw a distant silhouette.

"Your Excellency?" his subordinate asked.

Withdrawing his gaze, Xiao Yan said, "Send a confidential letter about today's matters to Lord Shen."

The court was abuzz with talk of his short life, yet it could not overshadow his brilliance in the southern border. Perhaps years ago, when he spearheaded the purge of the Censorate, the dawn of Dayuan's prosperity had already begun to show. Now, all the Xiao family could do was pave the way for this prince.

The title of 'lord' was too heavy; it was the role of 'minister' that could clear the path.

Outside the Qianqing Palace, a palace attendant hurried away, quickly making his way to the Kunming Palace.

He reported in detail about Xiao Yan's audience with the Emperor. Empress Xu sat before her mirror, her white hair cascading down, silently gazing at her reflection. "The Xiao family is clever. They have already traced it back to the Ruan family. When necessary, push Concubine Xian before him."

The attendant paused. "Since the Jiangnan incident, the Second Prince has been visiting the palace more frequently. If the old scholar's archived letters and secrets are true, then the Second Prince is indeed..."

Empress Xu's gaze flickered, and the attendant immediately fell silent.

"Send this letter to Jiangnan, and instruct Prince..."

She picked up a letter from her dressing table to hand to the attendant but stopped mid-sentence.

Sending a letter now would only cause unnecessary worry. Besides, that child did not know.

"Your Majesty?" the attendant asked.

Empress Xu said nothing, only raising her head to gaze at the bright moon above.

Was the moon over Jiangnan equally bright?

...

Spring in Jiangnan brought pleasant scenery. Ying Fusheng had been ill for several days, and Censor Xiao dared not visit until he heard that his fever had completely subsided. Only then did he huff and puff his way from Yingtian Prefecture to Huaizhou.

As soon as he entered, he saw Wang Guanzhi pushing a brand-new wheelchair. Wang wore a sour expression, as if someone owed him silver. Seeing Censor Xiao, his brow furrowed tighter, as if asking why this man had come now.

"Who offended him?" Censor Xiao whispered to those nearby.

Others shook their heads, but only Song An reminded him, "Two days ago, Prince Jin came. Yesterday, it was Lord Zhang... Lord Wang specifically chose today to come."

Censor Xiao: "..."

So he was the one who got caught, right?

Ying Fusheng's wheelchair had been damaged during the incident at Prince Jin's residence. It didn't matter much—he rarely left the courtyard anyway, and the wheelchair was just for appearances. But Lord Wang thought otherwise. After leaving Prince Jin's residence that day, he received two aged tea cakes personally sent by Song An, Prince Yan's eunuch. The next day, he couldn't sit still and began crafting a new wheelchair for the prince.

If this weren't Prince Jin's residence, he might have brought men to level the threshold.

The threshold hadn't been leveled yet, but the stream of visitors was threatening to wear it down entirely.

Many in Jiangnan officialdom wanted to see Ying Fusheng—those with guilty consciences, those seeking to pledge allegiance, and those probing for information, all coming in an unending stream. Not long ago, when the urgent reports reached the capital, the capital had not punished Old General Chen's unauthorized actions but instead lavished rewards on him. All those who had rendered meritorious service in this Huaizhou campaign received substantial rewards.

The Emperor's determination to rectify Jiangnan was evident to all, and this time, public sentiment sided with the incorruptible officials of Jiangnan.

Ying Fusheng was somewhat surprised to see the two enter together. Song An had already served them tea, preventing them from standing idly. When he saw Wang Guanzhi's wheelchair, his expression softened slightly. "Thank you, Lord Wang."

"If Your Highness has any other needs, just send word to your servant," Wang Guanzhi said, flattered as he accepted the teacup. Setting it down, he stood and added, "I am familiar with the areas around Huaizhou—I would be honored to serve Your Highness."

Censor Xiao waited until Wang Guanzhi had finished his pleasantries with Ying Fusheng before speaking. He had brought over matters concerning the intricacies of Jiangnan officialdom. Over the past half-month, Zhang Wuyong had imprisoned several officials, many of whom had previous connections to the Fei family. He also delivered several transcribed archives.

"Is it appropriate for me to see these?" Ying Fusheng asked.

Censor Xiao replied, "Lord Zhang had them sent. There are murmurs from the court that His Majesty has allowed Your Highness to oversee the self-inspection of Jiangnan officialdom on his behalf."

The imperial commissioner had not yet arrived, but Jiangnan was hardly devoid of connections to the court.

From the lavish rewards onward, the Emperor's stance had tacitly approved of Prince Yan's actions. Zhang Wuyong, reading the situation, understood that if internal strife in Jiangnan was to be avoided, everyone must align with the court's attitude. On this point, Zhang Wuyong was quite straightforward, no longer evasive as before.

Ying Fusheng recalled Zhang Wuyong's demeanor during his visit yesterday. He hadn't raised the matter himself but had sent Censor Xiao to broach it, revealing that this Yingtian Prefecture administrator was quite shrewd.

He could see that Zhang Wuyong's attitude actually reflected the stance of Jiangnan's officialdom.

After reporting for about half an incense stick's time, a figure appeared faintly outside the room.

Ying Fusheng saw Qi Hanzhou approaching, and in the distance, Ji Wuming parted ways with him, stopping at the courtyard entrance. Ji Wuming had been spending much time with Prince Jin recently and seemed to be investigating something important with Qi Hanzhou, all very secretive.

Seeing Qi Hanzhou arrive, Censor Xiao quickly pulled Wang Guanzhi up. "I'll return for the remaining matters later."

Wang Guanzhi's tea was unfinished, but seeing a Brocade Guard approaching, he could only take his leave. The two brushed past Qi Hanzhou, who looked toward the person seated inside.

The young man's face showed less pallor. When he looked up, the interplay of light and shadow made his eyes sparkle.

Qi Hanzhou couldn't help but pause, hearing him say—

"Push me out for a walk," Ying Fusheng said. "Otherwise, Wu Lao will start nagging again."

Back in Jiangling, Wu Lao had been concerned about his health but hadn't insisted on daily reminders. However, since his fever subsided, Wu Lao made sure he walked a few steps every day, saying that sitting too long was bad. Ying Fusheng didn't like moving much after his illness, but he couldn't argue with Wu Lao and Chen Xuqiu, so he paced back and forth in the yard.

Song An came to help, but Qi Hanzhou extended a hand and easily lifted the wheelchair over the threshold.

He instructed Song An to prepare medicine and pushed Ying Fusheng outside for a stroll.

"I'll return to the capital in a few days," Qi Hanzhou said.

The wind blew in their faces as Ying Fusheng looked up at him. "Will you come back?"

Without a special decree, Ying Fusheng would not return to the capital.

But the Brocade Guard were the Emperor's personal guards. Given the current situation in Jiangnan, it was unlikely that both commanders would remain here.

"Do you want me to come back?" Qi Hanzhou asked.

Ying Fusheng frowned. After a moment, he said, "Ji Wuming is seriously injured. With his injuries, he can no longer risk his life. My father will probably keep him here, but the matter of the Prince of Qin in Western Shu involves the military pay from the military pay case and the grain he sent from Jiangnan. With troops and supplies, my father knows what he intends to do."

He looked at the distant scenery and continued, "If you report this, my father's options for a suitable candidate will be limited."

Qi Hanzhou lowered his head, listening to the other's occasional advice, as if being taught how to behave before the emperor.

But within the words, the situation in Jiangnan was revealed.

Marquis Cen'an and the power behind him had not yet made a move; the incident in Huaizhou City provided him with an escape route, but it was only a matter of time before the fire would reach him. His connection with the Fei family could not be easily concealed. At present, they had yet to discover how Fei Xun had evaded the authorities and vanished without a trace. The only possibility was that the mastermind had deliberately prepared an escape route for him.

"Marquis Cen'an has colluded with the Prince of Qin. Once the imperial envoy comes down to investigate, it's only a matter of time before it's uncovered."

When that time comes, it will be Marquis Cen'an's death sentence, Ying Fusheng said. "Within two months, they will certainly take further action."

Qi Hanzhou looked at him. In the past few days, Ying Fusheng had not experienced nightmares, as if that moment of distraction had merely been due to fatigue.

But Qi Hanzhou still remembered the ramblings he had uttered in his sleep—about the Xu family, the Northern Border, and other places. It was as if in his eyes, every development had an alternative possibility, one that could lead to catastrophic outcomes. Was he so weighed down by his thoughts that the scenarios he imagined had an even more extreme counterpart in his nightmares?

"Qi Hanzhou," Ying Fusheng called.

Qi Hanzhou snapped back to reality. High above, flowers fell with the wind, landing on both of them.

Prince Jin's mansion was filled with flowers in bloom, their fragrance especially rich. He reached out to pick off a petal that had fallen on his head. Ying Fusheng turned to look at him, a hint of confusion in his gaze, as if asking whether he was listening. Yet he did not feel that the act of removing the petal was an overstep.

A long time ago, Ying Fusheng had felt an indescribable familiarity with him.

"What is it?" Ying Fusheng asked, seeing the petal in his hand.

Qi Hanzhou closed his palm around the petal. "Do you want to take the initiative? Or are you suspecting the Prince of Qin?"

"I'm thinking about who is behind it all," Ying Fusheng said softly.

Speaking of the mastermind, they had been plotting for years, step by step from the capital to this point, all in hopes of uncovering who the remnants of the former dynasty were, who in this southern region had incited internal strife, and who was hiding in the shadows.

If what Prince Jin said was true—that the power behind Marquis Cen'an was the Prince of Qin of Western Shu—then some things could be logically deduced: why the military funds from the Deposed Crown Prince case had vanished without a trace in these two places. It was because the Prince of Qin's influence was so vast, his network so far-reaching, that no matter how many people the court sent, they could not uncover the truth.

"The land of Western Shu is a place for raising troops," Qi Hanzhou said, seeing it more clearly than he did. If the Prince of Qin had hidden troops deep in the mountains of Western Shu, without an insider, it would be difficult to get to the bottom of it. "When the late emperor was still alive, the Prince of Qin was the first to be granted a fief in Western Shu. His power is the deepest-rooted in the southern region."

Qi Hanzhou was not wrong. Before coming to the southern region, the two nobles with the most extensive influence and greatest suspicion were the Prince of Qin and Prince Jin.

Now that Prince Jin could be ruled out, the most likely suspect was the Prince of Qin. Furthermore, there was clear evidence pointing to a close relationship between Western Shu and Jiangnan, with the Prince of Qin interfering in Jiangnan's governance.

The mastermind was most likely the Prince of Qin.

"The Fei family's deep roots in Jiangnan, with numerous disciples, were not built in a few years," Ying Fusheng said, having pondered this ever since his conversation with Prince Jin that day. If that were truly the case, it meant the nobles in Jiangnan had long been colluding with the Prince of Qin. With their ability to infiltrate the capital, Jiangnan should have long been under the Prince of Qin's complete control.

But it was only in recent years that Prince Jin lost his grip on the balance of power in Jiangnan's officialdom…

"I wonder—what if the Prince of Qin only got involved in Jiangnan after the snow disaster?"

Then who was supporting the Fei family before the Prince of Qin?