Chapter 685: Little Sixth's Trump Card

Life for the Prince of Jin Residence in Yanjing was actually quite comfortable.

Ji Chengjue had taken the knife to the honored nobility with ruthless enthusiasm, yet he alone had left the Prince of Jin Residence untouched.

No matter what... the Yu Clan still had to be allowed some dignity.

And the Yu Clan treasured that dignity.

After entering the capital, the former Emperor of Jin, now Prince of Jin, lived a smooth and peaceful life. He read books, practiced calligraphy, kept a few scholars in the residence to play Go, compose poetry, and engage in leisurely conversation, and even maintained a private opera troupe that sang melodies in the old Jin style.

For a wealthy and noble household, there really was nothing to complain about.

During the first two years after entering Yanjing, the residence had kept a low profile. Aside from entering the palace by imperial command or accompanying the Emperor of Yan to formal ceremonies, the Prince of Jin Residence had almost no dealings with outsiders, and outsiders did not dare interact with it too closely either.

Now things had loosened considerably.

One of the Prince of Jin's sons had even been betrothed in childhood to the daughter of a Vice Minister of Rites in the capital. The two fathers both loved music, and after an especially satisfying session of playing the qin and trading verses, they had simply settled the marriage on the spot.

The Prince of Jin himself had also taken several secondary consorts over the years, some of them daughters of honored households in Yanjing.

That, too, reflected how much Great Yan's upper circles had come to accept this former sovereign of Jin.

In truth, the very fact that the Prince of Jin Residence dared send someone to invite Marquis Pingxi over for a banquet already showed how much its mentality had changed.

The main gates of the residence opened.

The carriage carrying Marquis Zheng went directly inside.

Although it was called a banquet, there were very few guests.

The people invited to accompany a guest had to be of matching status.

And if you invited Marquis Pingxi, finding a large group of people qualified to sit at the same table was genuinely difficult.

Forcing together a crowd of lesser men instead would only look like deliberate disrespect.

So one of the residence stewards personally came out carrying a lantern to welcome him.

They passed the front hall and entered the inner courtyard.

There, Yu Ciming, Prince of Jin, came out personally to receive them. He wore a plain green robe and looked more like a scholar than a former Emperor.

"This humble Prince greets the Marquis of Pingxi."

The Prince of Jin saluted Marquis Pingxi.

A Prince saluting a Marquis was not especially unusual in Great Yan.

Zheng Fan smiled and stepped forward to help Yu Ciming upright.

At the same time, his gaze drifted toward the Queen Mother of Jin standing inside the hall behind him.

She had still been quite young when she gave birth to Yu Ciming.

Now... she was only around forty.

An age when a ripe peach had just begun showing a deeper blush.

"Marquis, please."

"Your Highness, please."

This was a family banquet.

So aside from two maids who served dishes and poured wine, only Yu Ciming, the Queen Mother, Zheng Fan, and the Sword Saint were present.

After exchanging formal greetings, everyone took their seats.

They had barely sat down, and their host had not even begun the usual polite remarks, when the Sword Saint lifted his wine cup and looked toward Yu Ciming.

Yu Ciming froze briefly.

Then he nodded and picked up his own cup.

Before he could even stand... the Sword Saint drained his wine in one swallow.

Then... he put the cup down.

Left the table on his own.

And walked outside.

He had come only to look at the former Emperor of Jin.

At the supreme figure of the Yu Clan.

Now that he had seen him... that was enough.

Sit down and exchange pleasantries?

Ask after one another?

Share memories of the old homeland?

There was no need.

And no meaning in it.

Yu Ciming smiled somewhat awkwardly and said to Marquis Zheng:

"Marquis, please forgive me. When you visited previously, this humble Prince was observing rites in the ancestral temple and could not come out to greet you. I hope the Marquis will pardon me."

Zheng Fan waved a hand.

"Your Highness is being too polite."

The two drank a cup together.

What followed... was an extraordinarily dull stretch of ceremonial conversation.

The Prince of Jin expressed his concern for his old homeland and the people of Jin.

Marquis Zheng assured him that he would certainly guard the territory and govern the people well, and asked the Prince not to worry.

The Queen Mother smiled from the side, maintaining the demeanor of an elder.

Just when Zheng Fan was beginning to feel that the family banquet was becoming unbearable...

Yu Ciming rose.

He walked to the entrance of the hall and spoke to the Sword Saint, who was standing outside enjoying the wind.

"I have his memorial tablet here, and some of his belongings."

He.

Naturally, he meant the Sword Saint's younger brother.

Back then, the Sword Saint's younger brother had been the commanding general responsible for the lands around the Jin capital.

His relationship with Yu Ciming, then Emperor of Jin, had been exceptionally close.

Perhaps it could even be called something truly belonging to the old spirit of Jin.

The Sword Saint nodded.

"Please."

Yu Ciming led the Sword Saint toward a side courtyard.

That left only Zheng Fan, the Queen Mother, and the two maids in the hall.

"Go bring the soup."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Go urge the kitchen about the pastries."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

There.

The two maids had been sent away as well.

Zheng Fan could not help finding the situation rather amusing.

What exactly were this mother and son planning?

True, back in his own rear residence, Marquis Zheng liked hearing Ruqing call him Uncle.

True, he had always found this Queen Mother of Jin extremely attractive.

And true, the two of them had even shared that peculiar connection through Mr. Horn, which naturally added a faint layer of ambiguity.

But Zheng Fan was not the sort who enjoyed forcibly pushing that kind of situation.

Especially not inside someone else's home.

Her son was only a short distance away.

Though, admittedly... her son might even approve.

Might even have arranged the opportunity deliberately.

Still, Marquis Zheng was no Dong Zhuo.

And besides, his Eastern Jin Army had not entered the capital.

It was not yet his turn to behave without restraint.

The Queen Mother rose.

The Queen Mother picked up the wine pot.

The Queen Mother bit her lower lip.

The Queen Mother walked toward him on her own.

Zheng Fan raised one hand.

"Sit."

The Queen Mother sat down.

She visibly relaxed.

"Ciming doesn't know."

"Doesn't know what?"

"There are no eyes watching us here now," the Queen Mother said.

For one thing, the Prince of Jin Residence had lived here for a long time and had gradually figured out the people around them.

For another, the Secret Intelligence Department had probably eased its surveillance somewhat after seeing how obediently peaceful the residence had remained.

Even so...

Marquis Zheng reached inside his clothes and placed a small red stone on the table.

He tapped it lightly with one finger.

The Blind Man was absent.

So he would use the child to listen instead, in case the walls had ears.

The Demon Child trembled once.

Then settled down.

"What exactly do you want to say?" Zheng Fan asked.

"I told Ciming that I had something to ask the Marquis. So Ciming only knows that I stayed behind to ask you a few questions. He does not know about... about you and me..."

"You and me what?"

"You and me..."

"You and me?" Zheng Fan pointed at himself, then at the Queen Mother. "Do you and I have some relationship?"

"No. No, of course not. It's just... just..."

Zheng Fan did not believe for an instant that after seeing him once in the Jin imperial palace and once more during his previous trip to Yanjing... this Queen Mother had somehow fallen deeply in love with him.

The reason she deliberately discarded so much restraint and Queen Motherly dignity to behave this way... was obviously because she wanted something.

Only... doing this sort of thing clearly did not come naturally to her.

Perhaps in her son's eyes, Yu Ciming had merely gone to distract the Sword Saint and draw away some of the eyes within the residence, giving his mother and Marquis Pingxi a chance to speak privately.

But Yu Ciming did not know that between his mother and Marquis Pingxi... there was still Mr. Horn.

Once that sort of matter entered a relationship between a man and woman... either everything became unbearably awkward... or suddenly nothing was awkward at all.

"Don't speak yet. Let me guess."

The Queen Mother nodded.

"Choosing a side?"

Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Heh-heh-heh... hahahahaha..."

Marquis Zheng burst into laughter.

The Queen Mother looked puzzled.

At last, Marquis Zheng stopped laughing and asked:

"Is life in the Prince of Jin Residence not good right now?"

Choosing a side meant betting on the future sovereign.

Did the Prince of Jin Residence have any value in such a bet?

Did it possess the qualifications to take a side?

Actually... yes.

Do not forget that although they now lived in Yanjing, and although Yu Ciming had gone from Emperor to Prince... his ancestors had once been mighty.

More than eight hundred years ago, their forebears had expanded the frontiers together with the Ji and Xiong clans.

So if the Prince of Jin Residence publicly stood behind a particular imperial prince, or even merely expressed support... that prince would absolutely be happy.

Even Ji Chengjue would be pleased.

It was like receiving a blessing from the ancestors.

Of course... that was all it was.

A blessing.

The Barbarians liked having priests dance before battle.

The Savages of the snowfields liked letting their Star Envoys divine omens.

That had never stopped the Zhenbei Army and Jingnan Army from repeatedly beating them senseless.

Everyone liked a good omen.

But a good omen did not actually accomplish much.

The same was true of the present Prince of Jin Residence.

Did it have soldiers?

No.

Did it have wealth?

On that subject, Marquis Zheng was probably the most qualified man alive to speak.

Back in the Jin imperial palace, he had even scraped gold from the statues in their ancestral temple and hauled it away.

What damned wealth could this Prince Residence possibly have left?

As for influence... the Yu Clan's influence in Jin was genuinely far weaker than Prince Cheng Residence's.

Even some random orphan claiming descent from the Helian or Wenren clans would carry more weight there than the Yu Clan.

Quite a few bandits and rebels in Jin did not even bother raising banners claiming kinship with the Yu imperial family.

Because Jin people saw that banner and felt it was unlucky.

It could not mobilize anyone.

If anything, it made their own followers feel there was no future in the cause.

"What exactly does the Prince of Jin want?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Ciming... he just wants... he just wants..."

"I really don't understand. Is life in the Prince of Jin Residence not good enough? Why insist on jumping into muddy water like this? Even if you win some merit for supporting the future Emperor, what exactly can that merit buy?"

They had no power to protect themselves.

No ability to raise the stakes.

Not even the qualifications to divide the winnings.

Were they genuinely trying to embody the phrase:

The important thing is participating?

Use the merit of backing the future sovereign so Yu Ciming could return to Jin and serve as an official?

As a Commandery Governor?

Did they truly think Yan people were idiots?

"Ciming's thought is... to plan for the next generation. He hopes the next generation might have a somewhat better future."

Zheng Fan shook his head helplessly.

Then... he extended one hand.

And placed it on the table.

The Queen Mother froze.

She looked at Marquis Zheng's hand.

Then at Marquis Zheng.

Then back at his hand.

Zheng Fan crooked his fingers.

The Queen Mother drew a deep breath.

Then placed her hand in his.

Marquis Zheng showed no courtesy.

Once he caught her hand, he began stroking it.

He was not some degenerate who ignored all propriety and indulged every desire.

But a little flirtation like this... he could accept.

Treat it as his consulting fee.

"Take my advice. As things stand right now, even I don't know who's going to win. Tell our son... Ah, no. Tell your son to behave himself. Don't forget the loss he suffered last time."

Last time...

Yu Ciming had also wanted to gamble.

He had not wanted to remain a puppet Emperor of Jin forever, waiting until the three great clans finished carving up the state completely and forced him to abdicate.

But the result of that gamble... was the complete collapse of the Jin state that still nominally belonged to him.

Hearing this... the Queen Mother's hand began turning cold.

Fortunately, Marquis Zheng's hand was quite warm.

"I know. I understand."

The Queen Mother nodded.

"Take care of yourselves."

Marquis Zheng released her hand.

Reluctantly.

But he still let go.

He picked up the Demon Child.

Rose.

And walked to the entrance of the hall.

He waited there for a little while.

Then the Sword Saint and Yu Ciming returned.

There were traces of tears on Yu Ciming's face.

He had obviously cried.

The Sword Saint's expression, however... remained calm.

"Your Highness, it is getting late. This Marquis will return first."

"This humble Prince will see the Marquis out."

"No need. Your Highness should not make things difficult for this Marquis. I have no desire to be impeached by some Censor in a few days for acting arrogantly."

Then...

Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint returned to the carriage.

The carriage left the Prince Residence.

This time... they truly were going home.

Inside the carriage...

Marquis Zheng looked at his own palm.

The Sword Saint was first to speak.

"Meaningless."

"Let me guess. Did he appeal to your emotions and reason?"

"More or less."

"The Queen Mother asked me which imperial prince would win."

Hearing that, the Sword Saint laughed.

Zheng Fan laughed too.

Zheng Fan raised one hand to stop himself.

Then said:

"It's actually rather interesting. Spend every day dealing with human spirits, and then suddenly meet a fool. Only then do you remember that this is still the mortal world."

"It's all in the past," the Sword Saint said.

He had long since abandoned any thought of restoring Jin.

Even though his surname was Yu.

"Tomorrow, the First Prince returns. He and I are peers, so I should go outside the city and welcome him."

Prince Zhenbei and the Prince of Jingnan would not go.

"Today was rather full," the Sword Saint remarked.

He had not drawn his sword even once.

Yet he still felt somewhat tired.

"Tomorrow is the last calm before the storm."

There would be another palace banquet tomorrow night.

By then... there would inevitably be singing and dancing.

The ministers would all be seated.

The Emperor and the two Princes would perform for everyone what a true Iron Triangle alliance looked like, what it meant to support one another, what it meant to serve as the Pillars of Great Yan.

The imperial princes would sit together too, raising cups in celebration and drinking to Great Yan's future.

The ministers would offer one wave after another of flattery and praise.

Everything... would be beautiful beyond words.

Then... at the grand court audience the following morning... the true slaughter over the succession would begin in the coldest and bloodiest way imaginable.

Ji Chengjue had said earlier that without their father constantly tilting the board... those brothers of his were not enough for him to fight.

He had never launched everything in the past.

He had always advanced step by step, building positions and securing each camp.

Because even if he launched his full offensive, once his father's will descended at the end... all the effort and spirit he spent would simply have been wasted.

Marquis Zheng was looking forward to it.

Very much so.

He was looking forward to seeing Ji Chengjue's methods fully revealed the day after tomorrow.

As for going to welcome the First Prince tomorrow... that had nothing to do with Ji Chengjue.

Because in this struggle over the throne, the First Prince occupied essentially the same position Zheng Fan himself had once occupied.

If the Emperor, Prince of Jingnan, and Prince Zhenbei sat in high-backed chairs watching the gladiators fight below, with maids holding parasols behind them and tables of tea and snacks at their sides... then Zheng Fan and the First Prince would be the ones leaning barefoot against the rail, watching the spectacle and grinning stupidly.

He was going to welcome the First Prince purely because of their old friendship.

Back when Snow Sea Pass had been taken, the reason they had managed to hold it... was because the First Prince had contributed enormously.

He had carried the fake radish-seal Xue San carved and deceived tribe after tribe across the snowfields.

A prince of the Ji bloodline had even been forced to accept Savage women into his bed.

Then when he returned... for the sake of the larger situation and friendship between Yan and the Savages, he had brought back two entire cartloads of Savage women.

For that alone...

Marquis Zheng had to go outside the city and welcome him.

The Sword Saint suddenly asked:

"Fighting for the throne, fighting for the throne. Why can't they simply make it more straightforward?"

Zheng Fan knew exactly what he meant.

Kill the rival.

Then you win.

Why bother using factional struggle in the grand court audience?

That was probably the most natural way a jianghu man approached problems.

"It's different. But yes... of course there is that method. It's simply the final resort."

Zheng Fan smiled.

"Don't be fooled by how that bastard acts around me. No proper bearing. No airs. Like some street hoodlum. In his bones... he's vicious as hell."

"Like you?"

"..." Zheng Fan.

The Sword Saint raised one hand.

"Continue."

"More or less. Whatever you can think of, he certainly planned long ago. And if things truly reach that stage, he won't show mercy. Back then, when Ji Chengjue was serving as a constable in Nan'an County and took the He family's daughter, he had already made up his mind. He wanted to return to Yanjing. Guess what happened?"

"What?"

The Sword Saint wanted to hear the rest, so he played along.

"Little Seventh was still very young. One day, while flying a kite inside the palace, he fell into the water and caught a chill. His Majesty went to visit his youngest son. And the kite Little Seventh flew that day... was the whistle-kite Ji Chengjue had given this younger brother years earlier."

The Sword Saint nodded.

"The Fifth Prince is now busy reinforcing riverbanks and repairing floodworks. He spends almost every day on the embankments. Remember when we left Fengxin City this time? Before crossing the Wang River, we passed Yupan City. Who had become Garrison Commander there?"

"Ran Min. The one who killed his wife to climb upward. I remember," the Sword Saint said.

"Ran Min is from Nan'an County. Back then, he was sentenced to death. Ji Chengjue originally wanted to maneuver him into my Shengle Army. Something went wrong, and it didn't happen. But the man himself had ability. He clawed his way back up. I don't believe Ji Chengjue truly forgot a death-row prisoner who once drank with him in the county yamen. And even if he'd forgotten him originally, he should have remembered him again by now. Then... Ran Min became Garrison Commander of Yupan City. He has several thousand cavalry under him. If necessary, one message is enough. Follow the Wang River upstream or downstream... and that Fifth Prince standing on the riverbank... heh."

The Sword Saint nodded again.

"The Fourth Prince controls a military camp. Originally, with the Deng Clan ruined, his maternal family had already declined. But they still had some people left inside the Ministry of War willing to help him. People are realistic. Officials are realism distilled to its purest form. After the Deng Clan became stinking dogshit because of the first defeat on the Wang River, and with the Fourth Prince already pushed to the edge of the present struggle between the Crown Prince and Sixth Prince... who would genuinely still remember old favors and remain loyal to him? And yet... former Deng Clan officers still voluntarily came to him and helped him maintain that camp. He himself doesn't find it strange. A player cannot see the board. He thinks that since he was once powerful, and since the Deng Clan used to be a towering tree, then even after the tree fell and the monkeys scattered, a few nostalgic monkeys would naturally remain. But he doesn't know... those monkeys did not stay because they wanted peaches. They stayed because they wanted human flesh."

Marquis Zheng opened the expensive snuff bottle Ji Chengjue had left in the carriage.

He waved it around him a few times.

Then continued:

"And Wen Yin, the man the Crown Prince previously used to gather jianghu people around himself... was Ji Chengjue's sleeper agent. Wen Yin suddenly died of illness for reasons no one understands, but with his main rival, I don't believe Ji Chengjue only planted one Wen Yin. Before Ji Chengjue was even ten years old, His Majesty had already held him in his arms, laughed, and said this son resembled him most. When the Min Clan was exterminated... the other imperial princes were still busy acting cute and obedient to please their father. He had already swallowed his tears and started taking control of the wealth the Min Clan left behind. Imagine it. A bunch of bigger brats and smaller brats are playing together. And one tiny brat is already using gold and silver to buy off the trusted followers around the bigger brats. Even planting his own people beside them. Heh-heh-heh. Isn't it interesting? The Sword Maid was born with the perfect foundation for swordsmanship. Ji Chengjue has no talent for martial arts. But his mind truly was that of a child prodigy from birth. Or perhaps... he was simply born a cheap bastard. And there's another reason I believe what he said. That without His Majesty tilting the board, those brothers of his are not enough to fight him. Because... if we ignore the possible variables created by the Secret Intelligence Department and the Lu household's hidden force... then Ji Chengjue... possesses enough ability... in a single instant... to make every last one of those brothers... drop dead."

[End of Chapter 685]