Chapter 797: Crown Prince

The fighting itself had taken less time than the journey there.

They had marched from Zhennan Pass, crossed Shanggu Commandery, and driven west, exploiting cavalry mobility and battlefield concealment to the absolute limit. It had been a long-distance raid that left men and horses exhausted.

So much preparation.

So much trouble.

So long spent pushing forward at full speed.

And in the end... all of it had culminated in that one explosive release south of Fan City.

Afterward... there was only emptiness.

The return journey took even longer than the journey out.

Once the release was over, someone still had to clean up the mess. They could hardly pull up their trousers and simply walk away.

So by the time Marquis Zheng’s ship reached the docks neighboring Yingdu and he came ashore, the spring rains had already begun to fall in fine, endless threads.

The bite of winter had retreated.

The gentleness of spring had become unmistakable.

The moment he stepped ashore, Marquis Zheng received two pieces of news.

The first was that the imperial commissioners responsible for his investiture as Prince, together with the enormous procession carrying everything required for the ceremony, were still on the road.

Yes.

Receiving news during the return journey had been inconvenient, but Little Sixth had truly treated him generously.

The Emperor had not summoned him back to Yanjing. Instead, he intended to hold a grand investiture ceremony for him in eastern Jin itself.

The second piece of news was that the Crown Prince’s procession was already waiting in Yingdu.

Truthfully, ever since becoming Marquis, Zheng Fan had deliberately avoided entering Yingdu unless necessary.

His status had risen too high.

Inside eastern Jin, that was not much of a problem.

Outside his own territory, however, openly displaying his identity could easily provoke unnecessary speculation.

And Yingdu, as a former imperial capital, became especially sensitive when paired with someone like him.

But he had been the one who sent word instructing Yingdu to let the Crown Prince rest there after arrival and wait until he could personally receive the boy and escort him across the river into eastern Jin.

His nephew had come.

As the boy’s uncle, naturally he had to show some enthusiasm.

...

Yingdu had also endured several days of fine rain.

But the hearts of Yingdu’s noble and powerful classes had been burning hot.

Xu Wenzu had long since completed his reform of Yingdu’s original bureaucratic and aristocratic establishment.

Yet removing one group of people only meant other people would rise to fill the empty positions.

What Xu Wenzu could guarantee was that no one would obstruct his administration, while those aristocrats still dreaming of the old state had been expelled from the circle of power.

What he could not remove... was not even that particular group.

It was the human instinct to curry favor with power.

After the late Emperor of Yan ascended the throne, he had almost never left Yanjing. The farthest he traveled was the Rear Garden outside the capital.

Since the new Emperor’s enthronement, there had likewise been no rumor that he intended to tour the Great Yan Dynasty.

Most likely, he would follow the late Emperor’s habit and remain in the capital.

So the Crown Prince’s arrival in Yingdu was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Yingdu had belonged to Yan for several years.

Marquises had come.

Princes had come.

But this was the first time a direct and orthodox heir of the imperial line had arrived.

Yan rule over Jin was becoming more stable by the day.

Jin people were becoming increasingly accustomed to living beneath it.

And Marquis Pingxi had just won yet another great victory.

So from top to bottom, Yingdu had gradually begun accepting that the Yan court would continue ruling here for the foreseeable future.

For the sake of themselves and their families... who knew how many people spent every day thinking about how to gain an audience with the Crown Prince?

Unfortunately, the Crown Prince was staying inside the Prefectural Yamen.

The gates remained shut.

No outside guests were received.

Countless people could only pace anxiously outside, scratching their ears and cheeks, with no idea how to make contact.

What surprised many people was Prince Cheng Residence.

Its reaction to the Crown Prince’s arrival in Yingdu was extraordinarily flat.

The steward of the residence delivered gifts and conveyed greetings on Prince Cheng’s behalf.

After that...

Prince Cheng Residence seemed to sever all connection with the Crown Prince.

Instead, the Crown Prince’s procession later sent people to the residence.

The message was that, in accordance with the Emperor’s decree, the Crown Prince intended to visit Stone Mountain and pay respects to Situ Lei, founding Emperor of Great Cheng.

He invited Prince Cheng to accompany him.

The residence was tempted.

Then... the residence refused.

The excuse was that Prince Cheng had vowed to devote these years to study, could not leave the city, and had made some great aspiration to that effect.

Someone unaware of the truth might genuinely believe it.

He might even wonder why the son refused to accompany the Crown Prince in paying respects at his own father’s tomb.

But some sharp-eyed men in Yingdu who had lived through enough storms understood the real reason.

Years ago, Marquis Pingxi had issued a confinement order in Yingdu.

The person confined... was Prince Cheng, Situ Yu.

In ordinary life, the rule could be relaxed somewhat.

Prince Cheng could travel incognito, drink a bowl of lamb offal soup on Yingdu’s streets, or even sneak into a red tent to hunt a little “wild game.”

If word leaked out, it was unlikely Marquis Pingxi would bother punishing him over such things.

But if Situ Yu openly raised Prince Cheng’s banner and did something in that capacity... then he would be violating Marquis Pingxi’s order.

If Marquis Pingxi Residence had already entered decline, naturally that restriction could simply have faded away with it.

But the problem was...

Marquis Pingxi had just won another great battle.

He captured Great Chu’s Grand General alive.

He killed another Pillar of State.

And news had already reached Yanjing that the court intended to enfeoff him as Prince.

His prestige was burning hot.

Under those circumstances... the golden hoop Marquis Pingxi had placed around Prince Cheng Residence only became more terrifying.

...

The rear compound of the Prefectural Yamen had been completely refurbished.

Xu Wenzu had moved out early and handed over his own residence for the Crown Prince’s use.

So the men standing guard inside the Yamen now were Imperial Guards who had escorted the Crown Prince here from the palace.

The people hurrying back and forth were eunuchs and palace maids assigned by the inner court.

Several Eastern Palace instructors were also present to oversee the Crown Prince’s daily lessons.

It was practically a miniature Eastern Palace.

Once today’s lessons ended, Crown Prince Ji Chuanye rose and saw off the instructor who had entered officialdom through the imperial examinations.

After sitting down again, he ignored the plate of pastries Little Eunuch Zhang brought over and first began massaging his wrist.

“Instructor Liu is even stricter than he was inside the palace.”

Little Eunuch Zhang smiled.

“Master, that is because you are his student. Instructor Liu does not want Marquis Pingxi to think he taught you poorly. Instructor Liu specializes in poetry and literary composition, while Marquis Pingxi may spend most of his time fighting wars, but the few poems and lyrics he writes in his leisure are all exceptional works.”

Ji Chuanye nodded.

Then silently pulled out a copy of *Zhengzi’s Art of War* from underneath the desk.

This was the new edition of *Zhengzi’s Art of War*.

Marquis Zheng had no time.

The Blind Man had no time either.

So officials inside Great Yan’s Ministry of War had expanded the old text.

Under each stratagem in *Zhengzi’s Art of War*, they annotated historical examples drawn from records across the ages, making the book far more vivid.

Many of the examples were taken directly from Marquis Pingxi’s own victories.

Ji Chuanye greatly admired Marquis Pingxi.

He could hardly put the book down.

“Uncle Zheng won another battle.”

“Yes, Master. By the timing, Marquis Pingxi should return very soon. You’ll be able to see him then.”

“Yes.”

Ji Chuanye seemed to remember something.

He closed the book.

“Prince Cheng Residence said Elder Brother Situ Yu will not accompany me to Stone Mountain to pay respects to the... founding Emperor of Great Cheng. That was his title, right?”

“Yes. Marquis Pingxi once placed him under confinement.”

“But Instructor Xue taught me that among a hundred virtues, filial piety comes first. Heaven is great, Earth is great, but filial piety is greatest. If Elder Brother Situ Yu refuses to pay respects to his own father, does that make him unfilial?”

Little Eunuch Zhang thought for a moment and carefully organized his words.

“Prince Cheng Residence is simply more afraid of Marquis Pingxi.”

Ji Chuanye blinked.

“Little Zhang.”

“This slave is here.”

“I produced Father Emperor’s decree, and I also have my Crown Prince seal that Father Emperor gave me and which you keep for me. Yet none of that could make Elder Brother Situ Yu leave the city and accompany me to pay respects to his father. Does that mean... in Elder Brother Situ Yu’s eyes, Marquis Pingxi is more frightening than I am? Perhaps even more frightening than Father Emperor?”

Ji Chuanye spoke with frequent pauses.

He was still young.

Speaking while thinking naturally made him stumble.

But he was thinking very seriously.

Cold sweat instantly covered Little Eunuch Zhang’s back.

He dropped to his knees.

“Master, you must never think that way. You must never think that way.”

You were being sent to Prince Pingxi Residence!

Ji Chuanye looked at the eunuch kneeling on the floor.

“Little Zhang. Get up.”

“This slave... this slave...”

“What I mean is... could Elder Brother Situ Yu be deliberately trying to make me... think that way?”

“...” Little Eunuch Zhang.

“Mother said that when dealing with outside affairs, I have to think things over carefully. One round isn’t enough. Add another round, and only then is it harder for someone to catch you like a little shrimp.”

“Catch you like a little shrimp” was a common phrase Empress He had brought with her from among the common people.

Clearly... her son had learned it too.

Ji Chuanye reached up and tapped his own forehead.

“Master. Master...”

Little Eunuch Zhang immediately rose.

He took a small vial from his sleeve, poured out one pill, and helped Ji Chuanye swallow it.

It was an Essence-Nourishing Pill.

The Crown Prince was young.

But his thoughts were heavy.

The Emperor had already noticed.

Back in the princely residence, Ji Chuanye had never been like this.

Everything had begun after the struggle for the throne at Lu Residence.

At such a young age, Ji Chuanye had personally witnessed certain things.

After that day... some marks that should never have belonged to a child of his age seemed to have been carved into him.

“Whew...”

Ji Chuanye released a long breath.

“I still get dizzy so easily.”

“Master must take good care of your health.”

Back when he served inside the princely residence, Little Eunuch Zhang had once heard Marquis Zheng tell the man who had not yet become Emperor that the Heir of Prince Jingnan Residence was robust as an ox and had never been sick even once from childhood onward.

Perhaps... that was another reason His Majesty had sent the Crown Prince there.

Maybe Marquis Pingxi had some method for strengthening the Crown Prince’s physical foundation.

“Little Zhang.”

“This slave is here.”

“Do you think Elder Brother Situ Yu was thinking that way?”

“This slave... this slave does not know.”

“Father Emperor said Uncle Zheng is a good man. That means anyone who says bad things about Uncle Zheng is not a good man. Elder Brother Situ Yu is still a little bad. Cough, cough...”

“Master, catch your breath. Catch your breath. No more reading today. You need to rest. You need to rest.”

...

“Son.”

“Father Emperor.”

“Call me Father.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Father is going to tell you something now.”

“Please instruct me, Father. Your son will remember it.”

“Father is preparing to send you to Marquis Pingxi Residence. Remember this. Once you enter Marquis Pingxi Residence, your Uncle Zheng will be, for the rest of your life, the person in this world most worthy of your trust. He will also be the person you can rely on more than anyone else.”

“There is Mother too.”

“Your mother already has your little brother. In the future, she will probably have more younger brothers and sisters.”

“There is Father too.”

“Call me Father Emperor.”

“Yes, Father Emperor.”

“A father who is also an Emperor... is the least reliable thing of all.”

[End of Chapter 797]