Chapter 165: Conspiracy

Zheng Fan said, "It's really getting colder and colder."

The Princess Consort answered, "General, please come inside and warm yourself."

"Then—many thanks, Princess Consort."

"The General is too courteous."

The Princess Consort walked ahead.

Zheng Fan followed behind.

They left the pavilion and headed toward the rear courtyard.

Outside the pavilion, Prince Fu's heir watched his mother and Zheng Fan walking toward the rear courtyard.

His entire body trembled.

His fingernails had already dug into the flesh of his palms.

Then, his gaze suddenly fell upon several maids and eunuchs nearby.

Those maids and eunuchs were staring with surprise as well.

At that exact moment, the Blind Man, Bei, spoke.

"There are Silver-Armored Guard agents among them.

"Kill them all."

Instantly, dozens of armored soldiers drew their weapons and hacked toward the eunuchs and maids.

Within moments every one of those maids and eunuchs had been killed.

Prince Fu's heir let out a long breath.

The Blind Man walked over and stood beside him.

"Your Highness.

"Even if you do not trust my General—you should still trust the Princess Consort."

"This..."

Prince Fu's heir bit his lip.

"I...

"I wasn't..."

"My General likely has highly confidential matters to discuss with the Princess Consort.

"Or perhaps it is the Princess Consort who has highly confidential matters to discuss with my General.

"As for what they intend to discuss—

"I believe Your Highness should already have some idea."

Prince Fu's heir seemed to realize something.

His breathing began to quicken.

"Your Highness.

"Everything happening inside Chuzhou City tonight is being handled by my General.

"My General is highly valued by the Great Yan's Marquis of Zhenbei, Marquis of Jingnan, and His Majesty himself.

"His current rank may not be high—but his future prospects are already beyond measure."

"I...

"I..."

"Your Highness needs to mature somewhat.

"Do not let others read your thoughts so easily."

"Many thanks... many thanks for the General's instruction.

"Yuannian has learned from it."

"Your Highness flatters me.

"Oh.

"One more thing.

"These armored soldiers are all my General's own men.

"Not one word of what happened here tonight will be spread outside.

"Your Highness may rest easy on that point."

"Good.

"Good."

The Blind Man returned to his previous position and stopped speaking.

The "little friend" beside him was simply too low-level.

He did understand a little about swallowing humiliation for a greater cause.

But in the end he was only the son of a Feudal Prince.

Compared with imperial Princes raised from childhood within the depths of a palace the gap was enormous.

Still perhaps people like this were easier to support onto a throne.

Tch.

Zhong Wendao's daughter.

Zhong Wendao's grandson.

Heh.

This matter was becoming interesting.

...

The Princess Consort personally pushed open a door and entered a room.

Braziers were already burning inside.

There was not a single servant present.

Zheng Fan walked over to a chair and sat down.

The Princess Consort knelt before him.

Between his legs.

Then, she personally lifted one of Zheng Fan's boots.

Removed it.

Then, with the same gentle movement, removed the other.

Afterward, she carefully placed Zheng Fan's boots beside the brazier.

Every movement was natural.

Zheng Fan sat there naturally.

The Princess Consort worked naturally.

"General.

"Are you tired?"

As she spoke, she began massaging Zheng Fan's legs.

Zheng Fan enjoyed the service.

Then bent slightly forward.

Bringing his face closer to hers.

The brazier's firelight painted a faint flush across the Princess Consort's features.

"I'm curious.

"Businessmen always like calculating investment and return.

"Is what you're doing now really worth it?"

"The General jokes.

"This concubine has heard of the General's name.

"Including the matter of how you crippled an imperial Prince in Yanjing.

"This concubine heard of that too."

Hearing this, Zheng Fan leaned back against the chair.

He half closed his eyes.

Then said, "I have to admit—your proposal truly is tempting.

"But I still don't believe doing it this way is particularly necessary."

The Princess Consort asked, "Why?"

"There are three reasons.

"First—can Prince Fu's residence actually stand up?"

Throughout history, when Feudal Princes inherited the throne, there were usually only two situations.

One the main imperial line died out.

Something like the Jiajing Emperor inheriting the throne after the Zhengde Emperor.

Otherwise the only path was rebellion.

But Prince Fu's residence had spent so many years living cautiously and quietly.

Forget secretly raising private troops or building relations with civil and military officials.

Prince Fu's household likely did not even possess much genuine prestige inside Chuzhou City itself.

"General.

"You should understand that Prince Fu's residence merely possesses the Zhao Clan's name.

"The true foundation lies with my father—and with the Western Army's military families."

The Western Army was Qian's strongest military regional bloc.

And Zhong Wendao stood as leader of its many military households.

"That is exactly the problem.

"The Zhong Clan became leader of the Western Army long ago.

"Yet you were still married to a Feudal Prince.

"That means—you were probably not a legitimate daughter of the Zhong Clan's main wife."

"The General is correct.

"This concubine was indeed born of a concubine."

In this era the distinction between legitimate and concubine-born children was enormous.

"So.

"You believe your father—

"Lord Zhong—would cast away the reputation for loyalty to sovereign and state that he spent nearly an entire lifetime building—for one concubine-born daughter, and for the grandson born from that concubine-born daughter—then defect to the Great Yan?"

"If one does not try—how can one know?"

The Princess Consort's hands gradually moved farther inward.

Zheng Fan reached out and stopped them.

Thanks to accompanying the Fourth Lady in "needlework" every day—

Zheng Fan possessed fairly strong resistance in this area.

Especially now.

This was absolutely not the right moment to let lust take over his brain.

"This isn't a question of trying.

"You and I both understand—even if Prince Fu's heir were established as Emperor, his only purpose would be to divide Qian.

"In the end, he would still have to abdicate.

"At most, he might be granted the title of Marquis.

"Oh.

"You should understand that under Great Yan institutions, Marquis is already the highest noble rank beneath a Prince of the imperial clan.

"Even if His Majesty made an exceptional concession and finally granted him the title of Prince—he would still be nothing more than a hollow Prince without real power.

"What does Lord Zhong gain from that?

"If that was truly what he wanted—wouldn't it be easier for His Majesty simply to grant Lord Zhong the title Prince Who Pacifies the West?"

"This could still create suspicion between my father, the Western Army, and Qian's court."

"True.

"It could have that effect.

"It could drive a thorn between sovereign and minister.

"But I've already discovered that not every Chancellor inside Qian's court is an idiot.

"Especially now, during a war between states.

"Once we did this—no matter what those Chancellors privately thought, no matter what the Qian Emperor privately believed—outwardly, they would instead heap more honors onto the Zhong Clan.

"At the same time, they would grant the Zhong Clan more authority and more public trust.

"Once you calculate it that way—the Great Yan actually loses."

The Princess Consort's hands stopped moving.

Zheng Fan continued.

"The third reason—and this isn't simply arrogance from a Yan barbarian like me.

"I admit the Western Army is a force capable of fighting.

"But I do not believe the Western Army can truly stop the Great Yan's iron cavalry.

"If the problem can be solved with blades—why take off your trousers just to fart?"

The Princess Consort's face darkened slightly.

She was a clever woman.

But her limitations were still substantial.

Zheng Fan closed his eyes.

His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh.

He was giving the Princess Consort time to think.

The reason he had chosen to come into this room with her the reason he sat here and said so much was naturally not because he was searching for reasons to reject her.

Instead—

Zheng Fan had plans of his own.

After a while the Princess Consort raised her head.

Looked at Zheng Fan.

Her eyes were wet with tears.

Pitiful.

Beautiful enough to make a man ache for her.

Then she said, "General.

"Please teach me."

Zheng Fan opened his eyes.

Seeing the woman's expression, he did genuinely feel a trace of pity.

But emotion was emotion.

Business was business.

Zheng Fan said, "For the Great Yan to establish your son as Emperor of Qian and support his rise—at least right now, the timing is not ripe.

"I can tell you responsibly—whether the two Marquises personally leading troops in this campaign or His Majesty far away in Yanjing—none of them would do such a thing at this moment.

"We Yan people trust the sabers in our hands far more than these hollow, winding schemes.

"What you want becomes possible only after the Great Yan's offensive suffers a setback.

"But that creates another problem.

"If the Great Yan's offensive suffers a setback—and your son lacks the protection of Great Yan's iron cavalry—even if he ascends the throne—can he actually sit firmly on that dragon throne before it has even warmed beneath him?"

The Princess Consort bit her lip with white teeth.

Hard enough that blood nearly appeared.

Zheng Fan reached out.

He picked up a lock of her hair and slowly wound it around his fingers.

The Princess Consort looked at Zheng Fan.

Her expression mournful.

Right now, she hated.

And after spending so much time around seven Demon Kings with bizarre personalities—

Zheng Fan had become exceptionally good at noticing such details.

He could see hatred in her eyes.

He had killed her husband.

Yet she now had to deliberately seduce the very same man.

And the thing she wanted under his words had nearly collapsed entirely.

She hated that her husband had died so inexplicably.

She hated that in order to avoid arousing the court's suspicion, her husband had cut off his own limbs of influence early and shut himself entirely inside Prince Fu's residence.

She hated that right now aside from this body that had not yet aged she seemed to possess nothing worth making the man before her take a second look.

"You are a clever woman," Zheng Fan said.

"And a very beautiful woman."

The Princess Consort watched him.

Waiting for him to continue.

"Let me tell you one more thing.

"At the latest, the day after tomorrow—our army will withdraw from Chuzhou City."

This was no longer any real secret.

They would be moving soon anyway.

Even if the Princess Consort leaked the information, it held little value.

Perhaps other Yan cavalry groups were already driving even deeper into Qian's interior at greater speed.

"Most importantly—you need patience."

Zheng Fan rose from the chair.

Then continued, "You and your son both need to live well.

"Only by staying alive can you wait for opportunity.

"Only the living possess the qualification to wait.

"Right now, your son has no chance to become Emperor.

"But that does not mean he will never have that chance.

"I believe—that day will not be far away.

"As long as you believe me."

Zheng Fan said believe me.

Not believe the Great Yan.

"General..."

"I can promise you that opportunity.

"When the time is right—you may wait for me to return.

"I will push your son onto the imperial throne."

Zheng Fan smiled.

"Of course.

"You do not have to believe me.

"Right now, I'm merely a small Garrison Commander.

"But all you need to do is wait and watch.

"You lose nothing by doing so.

"Treat today's meeting as the two of us becoming familiar with one another in advance—laying some groundwork for future cooperation.

"Of course, you can also find another general and tell him what you want.

"But believe me—you will not receive the result you hope for.

"Instead—you will lose my patience.

"I think... perhaps the reason your husband died at the hands of my people... was proof of the fate between you and me."

"Hiss..."

Outside the room the Blind Man's teeth ached when he heard that sentence.

Listen to this.

I killed your husband.

That proves you and I are fated.

How shameless does a man have to be to say something like that?

Zheng Fan's hand moved.

He failed to restrain himself completely.

His fingers brushed across the Princess Consort's smooth cheek.

She did not resist.

In truth, she had already prepared herself.

In troubled times, the fate of a Princess Consort was often even more miserable than that of an ordinary commoner's daughter.

Their former nobility could instead transform them into toys over which the victors traded and competed.

Zheng Fan drew a deep breath.

Then exhaled heavily.

In the end Garrison Commander Zheng managed to control himself.

His mind remained clear.

"General.

"What you said just now doesn't sound like something a loyal subject should say."

"Coming from the Princess Consort—that is amusing.

"As though what you said earlier sounded like something a Princess Consort of Qian should say."

"General.

"Then this concubine will wait for you.

"Or perhaps—you could first accept a little of this concubine's sincerity?"

"Master."

The Blind Man's voice sounded inside Zheng Fan's mind.

"What?"

"There's a third person outside this room.

"Behind the wall."

Zheng Fan's steps abruptly stopped.

A third person?

"Yes, Master.

"She only just snuck over."

"What the hell are you doing, then?"

"This subordinate is already standing behind her."

"............" Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan turned his head and looked at the Princess Consort standing behind him.

He frowned slightly.

Then said, "I'm not in a hurry."

"This concubine truly cannot enter the General's eyes?"

"No.

"I already told you.

"You really are very beautiful."

"Then even my status fails to move the General?"

"A little."

"The identity of a Princess Consort doesn't interest the General?"

"Still somewhat inferior to an Empress Dowager."

"Hehehehehe..."

The Princess Consort covered her mouth and laughed.

Zheng Fan smiled too.

Inside his mind, however, he asked, "You've confirmed there's no danger?"

"This subordinate is watching her."

"Who is she?"

"Judging by her clothes—she should be an honored woman of the Prince's residence.

"Possibly one of Prince Fu's younger wives."

"Then I'm going out?"

"Master may rest easy.

"This subordinate will handle the aftermath."

"Good."

Zheng Fan waved toward the Princess Consort behind him.

Then pushed open the door.

And walked outside.

After Zheng Fan emerged, Prince Fu's heir cupped his hands toward him.

His expression and posture looked distinctly awkward.

Perhaps because Zheng Fan's current "identity" to this young man had become far too complicated.

"Your Highness.

"Please take good care of yourself."

"General—you as well."

Zheng Fan smiled.

Then walked past Prince Fu's heir.

The armored soldiers around him began forming up.

They escorted Zheng Fan away from Prince Fu's residence.

After leaving the residence, Zheng Fan continued wandering through the streets.

Not long afterward he saw the Blind Man emerging from the shadows of a side alley.

"Handled?" Zheng Fan asked.

The Blind Man nodded.

"Who was that woman?"

"The heir's wife."

"Heh.

"The Qian Emperor really does enjoy distributing wives to the people beneath him.

"Hahahaha."

Zheng Fan paused.

Then asked, "Where is she?"

"Dead."

"How?"

"Drowned in a pond."

"Couldn't you choose a slightly gentler method?"

"This subordinate did not kill her."

"Mm?"

"After Master left—the Princess Consort summoned the heir.

"It was the Princess Consort who ordered the heir to drown his own wife in the pond behind the residence."

"Mm.

"She truly is a ruthless woman.

"Looking at it this way—our Fourth Lady really is adorable."

The Blind Man drew in a breath.

The scene of the Fourth Lady torturing people earlier that night surfaced in his mind.

Then, he answered with complete sincerity.

"Naturally."

(End of Chapter)