Chapter 128

Chapter 128

The court squabbled over disaster relief for ages without ever settling on a plan.

That day, the Fifth Prince, Prince An, hosted a banquet for Prince Jing at Duanjiang Tower.

Up in the pavilion, beauties sang and danced, languid zither music filled the air, and fragrant smoke curled upward.

No amount of wind or bitter cold outside could chill the warm, rosy glow inside.

Prince An drank alone, his round, pudgy face already flushed red, with a look of resentment and displeasure.

Prince Jing watched him coolly, and only after a long while asked, "I see you like this, brother—are you trying to drown your sorrows?"

Prince An knocked back his drink in one go, slammed the cup down, and heaved a sudden sigh.

Seeing that Prince Jing remained silent, Prince An said, "It's not just sorrow—I'm more upset than that."

Prince Jing gave a faint smile, "Who's got you this worked up, brother?"

Prince An raised his eyes and gave a wry smile, "Sixth Brother, do you know where Father's sending Big Brother to handle disaster relief this time?"

Just after asking, he let out another light laugh, "Well, I guess that was a stupid question."

"You and Big Brother share the same mother—you must've heard the news way before I did."

Prince Jing's brow furrowed slightly, "Disaster relief is entirely up to Father—how dare we speak out of turn?"

Prince An gave a derisive snort, "That's true, but I'm feeling stifled—can't I even say one thing?"

Prince Jing raised his cup and took a small sip.

Prince An leaned in and said, "It's Jiangnan."

Prince Jing's hand trembled, rattling his cup, "Jiangnan?!"

Suddenly, Prince Jing let out a soft laugh, "Father really does spoil Big Brother."

"No kidding," Prince An complained in a low voice, "Jiangnan's always been wealthy, and the damage there this time isn't even that bad. Sending Big Brother to Jiangnan—that's not disaster relief, it's obviously giving him a chance to..."

Line his pockets and build connections.

But Prince An didn't dare say that out loud.

The two left it at that and drank in silence.

Prince An's birth mother was low-born, and even though Prince An was a smooth operator with real talent, the Emperor still looked down on him.

Prince Jing's birth mother was a noble consort, but he still had a more brilliant elder brother, Prince Su, above him.

He had no legitimate son, and the princess he'd married was from a neighboring country.

Whether as princes or as lords, both were on the fringes. So they felt a kind of kinship with each other.

Prince Su was born when Guifei Rou was at the peak of her favor, and was doted on by both the Emperor and Guifei Rou.

By the time she was pregnant with Prince Jing, Guifei Rou had already lost favor, still hoping to win back favor through Prince Jing.

But the emperor's favor was like water under the bridge—gone for good.

Naturally, she took out some of her frustration on Prince Jing.

Especially after the Emperor married the peace-offering princess off to Prince Jing, all but crushing his hopes of vying for the throne, Guifei Rou lost all hope in Prince Jing.

From then on, Guifei Rou pinned all her hopes on her eldest son, dreaming of one day moving into Shoukang Palace in grand style.

Prince An looked at Prince Jing, thinking about how similar their situations were—Prince Su got to go "relieve" the wealthy Jiangnan, while Prince Jing was stuck with remote, desolate Yunzhou.

Suddenly, he didn't feel so bad about his own lot.

He reached over and gave Prince Jing a heavy pat on the shoulder, "Drink up!"

Prince Jing silently knocked back the rest of his wine.

When Prince Jing was helped out, half-drunk, Prince An waved a hand.

The dancers and singers dispersed, and the musicians filed out.

Prince An's strategist stepped up, "Your Highness, you told Prince Jing the news—how'd he take it?"

Prince An chuckled lightly, "He says he doesn't care, but he sure put away the wine."

Prince An lounged back in his chair, "So he's got a grudge against Prince Su too."

"Just a grudge?"

Prince An glanced at the advisor, "Isn't a grudge enough? You want him to off his own brother?!"

It was said as a joke, but there was a warning in it.

Prince An could discuss royal matters with his advisor, but he'd never allow him to get any wild ideas.

The advisor dropped his voice, "Your Highness, I happened to come across something that might make Prince Jing and Prince Su sworn enemies."

"If the two brothers have a falling-out before Prince Su heads to Jiangnan, maybe it'll make the Emperor change his mind."

Prince An's gaze hardened, "Out with it!"

The advisor said, "Does Your Highness know that a Shu Fei in Prince Jing's household recently gave birth, but someone schemed against her, and she nearly died in childbirth along with the baby?!"

Prince An's face stayed blank, "I didn't know that."

As a prince, he'd have to be pretty damn bored to keep tabs on a Shu Fei's childbirth in his brother's house.

The advisor continued, "Prince Jing recently had three new sons—one was born premature at under eight months, another was born weak, and recently breathed in charcoal fumes and hurt his lungs..."

Prince An arched an eyebrow, "You're saying someone doesn't want Old Sixth to have a normal son?"

But inside, he thought, damn, that's ruthless.

Prince Jing didn't have a legitimate son in the first place—if he can't even have a healthy son, how's he supposed to compete with them?

This isn't just about keeping Prince Jing from the throne—it's about wiping out his bloodline!

As Prince An mulled it over, his eyes suddenly lit up, "You're saying this has something to do with Prince Su's household?!"

The advisor nodded and murmured in Prince An's ear for a good while.

After a moment, he said, "If Your Highness can get this info onto Prince Jing's desk, I'm afraid these two brothers will be at each other's throats for good."

Prince An clapped his hands and laughed heartily, "Excellent, excellent, excellent!"

"It's truly your keen perception that can uncover clues in the smallest details!"

Prince An's delight was something Prince Jing knew nothing of.

Half-drunk, he sat in the carriage, eyes slightly lowered, neither fully drunk nor fully awake.

"Elder Brother is going to Jiangnan to handle disaster relief?"

Prince An assumed it was because the Emperor held Prince Su in special favor that he had been given such a fine assignment.

Yet he failed to see the danger hidden behind this good fortune.

The reigning Emperor was suspicious and ruthless; the Jiangnan relief mission was merely a test.

If Prince Su truly took the opportunity to build his own power base, what awaited him upon returning to the capital would be the Emperor's merciless blade.

It was precisely because Prince Su knew this clearly that he had repeatedly declined, trying to seek a sliver of a chance to survive.

Prince Jing knew full well that the collapse of the Zichen Hall was the work of his own elder brother.

Before long, the Eighth Brother would likely be in trouble too.

The Emperor wasn't blind; if he found even a trace of evidence, the capital would surely erupt into bloodshed!

Stuck in the middle, Prince Jing would inevitably be dragged into it!

After a moment's thought, he suddenly said, "Turn around—head to Prince Su's residence."

Shi An stammered, "Your Highness, we're already at your doorstep..."

Prince Jing suddenly opened his eyes and said coolly, "Didn't you hear what I said?"

His pitch-black eyes fell upon Shi An, making cold sweat trickle down his back.

Earlier, Shi An had worried that his prince was fuddled with drink.

Now he realized the prince wasn't just sober—he was sharp as a tack!

The next day, news that Prince Jing had made a late-night visit to Prince Su's mansion, had a blazing row with Prince Su, and stormed off in a huff spread like wildfire across the capital.

At first, everyone just dismissed it as gossip.

Later, someone spread the word that the reason for the quarrel between Prince Jing and Prince Su was that Princess Su had plotted against Prince Jing's pregnant Shu Fei.

A sister-in-law plotting against a pregnant sister-in-law—and in the imperial family, no less!

The more one pondered it, the more intriguing it became!