Qi Heng responded, “I don’t know.”
“You should know,” Emperor Jin Yuan stared at him and then had another fit of violent coughing as if it was tearing at his very organs.
“Please, Your Majesty, calm yourself,” Qi Heng said, bowing again.
Emperor Jin Yuan ignored him, pushing aside the thin blanket covering him and revealing his emaciated body beneath. His inner robe hung loosely on him, emphasizing his extreme thinness.
Emperor Jin Yuan walked slowly to a couch in an adjoining room, and Qi Heng followed. A eunuch assisted Emperor Jin Yuan in putting on an outer robe. Exhausted, Emperor Jin Yuan waved his hand and said, “Go, have Lin Dahai bring the items.”
Qi Heng remained silent.
“Doesn’t my brother have any curiosity?” Emperor Jin Yuan chuckled briefly, but then his expression grew serious, and he gazed into the distance.
“There have been countless times when I contemplated harming you,” Emperor Jin Yuan continued.
Qi Heng raised his eyes slightly, and his thick eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings. “Because of the Tiger Seal?”
Though his tone carried a hint of inquiry, his gaze was resolute.
Emperor Jin Yuan let out a self-deprecating smile. “As a king, how could I allow someone to sleep soundly by my side?”
“On the day you left, I thought, if something were to happen to you on the battlefield, it would be best if you were left with a disability. That way, all the problems could be easily resolved.”
A prince with a disability was destined not to pose a threat to his position.
“But perhaps even the heavens couldn’t overlook my lack of brotherly affection for my own blood brother—”
Emperor Jin Yuan coughed again, and at this moment, Lin Dahai walked in holding a long box. He knelt in the center and raised the box above his head, saying, “Your Majesty, the item has been brought.”
Emperor Jin Yuan looked weary. He had soiled another handkerchief, “Open it yourself.”
Lin Dahai’s knees trembled slightly as he held the box, positioning his body toward Qi Heng, “Your Highness.”
The lock on the box was hanging on the outside. Qi Heng picked up the lock and opened the box, revealing a bright yellow scroll inside.
An imperial edict.
Qi Heng untied the red silk ribbon that bound the imperial edict and slowly unfolded it. It was covered in the handwriting of the Emperor, with a lengthy message written in large characters. However, the central idea was condensed into a single sentence.
Qi Heng was to be appointed as the Regent, and henceforth, all affairs of the court would be decided by the Regent.
Qi Heng closed the imperial edict, his eyes filled with astonishment, “Your Majesty, you…”
Emperor Jin Yuan, though gravely ill, had no reason to appoint a regent to take care of the royal heirs. The eldest prince was already at the age to enter the court, and the other princes were not too young either. Ordering the prince with the Tiger Seal to become regent at this time seemed like an attempt to make it more difficult for the princes to succeed.
It wasn’t simply appointing a Regent; it was as if he was putting a roadblock in front of his sons.
“Now that you’ve understood, accept the edict with gratitude,” said Emperor Jin in a calm tone.
“I find it unacceptable,” Qi Heng responded.
“I know you don’t believe in it,” Emperor Jin raised his hand, looking at the handkerchief stained with blood.
“I don’t have much time left,” he continued. “With internal and external troubles, the princes are still too young to take the throne. While we have managed to suppress external threats for now, Jin cannot afford any more internal instability.”
“Ever since I ascended the throne, I’ve worked tirelessly to protect the kingdom. However, I never expected to be brought down by the intrigues of the palace women.”
Qi Heng had heard from his communication with Zheng Er about Emperor Jin’s actions, such as punishing the family of his favorite consort, likely related to the poisoning incident. That consort had been using a fragrant ointment made from mandrake, which she applied daily without knowing that when mixed with musk, it became highly toxic.
“A monarch’s responsibility extends beyond safeguarding the realm,” Emperor Jin looked at Qi Heng with a penetrating gaze. “Being a competent ruler also means finding a suitable successor—one who is beneficial to the realm, its people, and its future.”
“Your Majesty, I…” Qi Heng began.
Emperor Jin raised his hand to interrupt him. “This expedition to Anling provided me with an opportunity to assess your decision-making. If you had failed at Anling, I would have had a valid reason to reclaim the Tiger Seal. If you succeeded, it would be considered passing my test.”
Qi Heng wanted to say more, but Emperor Jin, visibly fatigued, waved his hand. “You may leave now. My body can hold on for at most another half-month. Prepare yourself.”
Qi Heng lowered his head, slowly exiting Emperor Jin’s chambers.
The quietness returned to the chamber.
“Lin Dahai, do you think I’ve gone mad?” Emperor Jin Yuan asked.
Lin Dahai was taken aback. “Your servant would never dare to think so.”
“I can tell. The way Heng looks at me, it’s as if he’s questioning my sanity,” Emperor Jin Yuan said and then chuckled.
Lin Dahai cautiously replied, “Perhaps it’s because it’s uncommon for an Emperor to pass the family legacy to his brothers, especially in the eyes of the common people.”
Emperor Jin Yuan lowered his gaze. “After all, I am a monarch first and a brother second. The welfare of the realm is intertwined with the monarch’s role, and it should be filled by the most capable.”
Emperor Jin Yuan’s foremost criteria for the most capable individual was that they must bear the Qi surname, and carry the bloodline of the Qi family. If it were an outsider, he wasn’t mad enough to easily relinquish the ancestral legacy of the Qi family, which had been built over centuries.
However, even with this in mind, Emperor Jin Yuan couldn’t help but curse in frustration, “A bunch of useless people. I worked so hard to secure the throne, and now among my sons, not one of them can hold onto it.”
“Never mind, at least Heng is my true blood,” thought Emperor Jin Yuan. As Qi Heng shared his bloodline, in a sense, Qi Heng’s descendants would be equivalent to his own.
The sense of frustration in Emperor Jin Yuan’s heart lessened.
“You all may leave. Lin Dahai, go fetch a pot of hot tea,” he instructed.
Lin Dahai quickly got up from the floor. The palace attendants and eunuchs retreated outside the chamber. Lin Dahai bent over and picked up the teapot from in front of Emperor Jin Yuan. Soon, he replaced it with a fresh pot of hot tea.
Lin Dahai poured tea for Emperor Jin.
“Qin Shi can’t stay,” Emperor Jin Yuan suddenly spoke, causing Lin Dahai to tremble, spilling a bit of tea.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty,” Lin Dahai promptly knelt down.
“Get up, I’m not dead yet,” Emperor Jin Yuan rubbed his temples. Lin Dahai got up, muttering under his breath, “Your Majesty’s illness will surely improve.”
“I remember the Empress Dowager isn’t feeling well. Let Qin Shi stay in the palace for two more days to accompany the Empress Dowager.” Emperor Jin Yuan had no intention of allowing Qin Shi to return to the Prince’s Mansion just yet. A woman with ulterior motives was not fit to become the Empress who would symbolize the nation, let alone the mother of the future crown prince—even if her ulterior motives were directed at him.
“Spread my decree: Qi Yuyao, the daughter of the Regent, is gentle, virtuous, and intelligent. She shall be granted the title of Gentle and Virtuous County Princess and bestowed with a fief of fifteen hundred households.”
With the decree in hand, Lin Dahai hurried to the Shoukang Palace. However, when he left Emperor Jin Yuan’s chambers, he found the Crown Prince still waiting outside. Upon seeing him, the Crown Prince eagerly stepped forward to intercept Lin Dahai.
“Master Lin, has Father summoned me?” He had been away for several months, and he couldn’t believe his father had no desire to see him.
“Where is Prince Qi and General Qin?” Lin Dahai asked tactfully.
“Uncle has gone to the Shoukang Palace. General Qin said that since Father didn’t have time to see him, he left the palace directly.”
Lin Dahai smiled and encouraged him with his gaze. Qi Shao stopped and pointed to his own face, “Master Lin, are you suggesting that Father didn’t have time to see me?”
It seemed he wasn’t entirely clueless.
Lin Dahai nodded, “Your Majesty has already retired for the night. The Crown Prince should come tomorrow.”
But on the second day, Qi Shao was too preoccupied to think about why Emperor Jin Yuan didn’t see him when a royal decree written by Emperor Jin himself shocked everyone. The decree appointed Prince Qi as the regent.
Qi Shao watched as the newly appointed regent, dressed in royal attire and wearing a crown, slowly approached the dragon throne. He stood there in a daze.
“We pay our respects to the Regent,” the courtiers knelt down, but Qi Shao remained standing in his place.
He couldn’t understand; did none of these courtiers disagree with this decision?
“Rise,” Qi Heng’s cold gaze swept over Qi Shao, who quickly realized that the courtiers had all stood up, providing a shield for him. He immediately stepped back into the ranks.
The morning court proceeded with Qi Shao lost in his thoughts until he heard Qi Heng call out.
“I believe that for this campaign against Wei, General Qin is the best choice.”
“I’m sorry, but General Qin is only good at using force. He can’t match you gentlemen with your eloquent tongues,” Qin Yue said dismissively, crossing his arms.
He was a straightforward man – good at fighting but not at diplomatic negotiations.
“Well, I have another candidate in mind,” someone stepped forward and said.
“Oh?” Qi Heng looked at him, and the courtier appeared excited, believing that his suggestion would surely meet the Regent’s approval.
“I nominate the Crown Prince,” the courtier declared.
Qi Heng shifted his gaze to Qi Shao, a subtle smile playing on his exceptionally handsome face. “Crown Prince, what do you say?”
“Huh?” Qi Shao was lost in thought and instinctively responded, thinking Qi Heng was asking for his opinion on state affairs. He quickly replied, “Uncle, you are the Regent; your decision is final. I have no objections.”
“It seems the Crown Prince has no objections,” Qi Heng’s lips curled slightly. A foreboding feeling crept into Qi Shao’s heart because whenever Qi Heng was about to torment him, he wore this mischievous expression.
As expected, Qi Heng’s icy voice delivered the news Qi Shao least wanted to hear.
“In that case, the responsibility for the upcoming diplomatic negotiations with Wei will be entrusted to the Crown Prince.”
Qi Heng concluded, and seeing Qi Shao staring wide-eyed, he offered an encouraging word, “I believe that with the Crown Prince’s abilities, he will handle this matter excellently.”
Now, it remained to be seen how the Third Prince of Wei, who was soon to be crowned as the Crown Prince, would react when he met Qi Shao.
“No, I won’t—” Although Qi Shao wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to do, the moment he heard ‘going to Wei,’ he immediately understood that Qi Heng intended to send him to his death.
Considering the number of Wei soldiers they had killed outside Anling City, if he, as the Crown Prince of Jin, went to Wei for diplomatic negotiations at this moment, wouldn’t it be like voluntarily offering himself as a sacrificial lamb?
“I won’t go to Wei—”
Qi Heng’s fingers moved slightly, pressing a pressure point on Qi Shao’s throat, and Qi Shao gasped for air, realizing that he couldn’t make a sound.
“Let it be known. Morning court adjourn!” Lin Dahai waved his dust brush dramatically and called out with an extended tone.
“We take our leave,” the courtiers once again kneeled, then rose and exited the hall.
But I have something important!
Qi Shao couldn’t speak, feeling a mixture of urgency and anger. He held his throat and could only watch everyone leave, leaving him isolated.
“Qi Shao.” A cold and merciless voice echoed from above. Qi Shao shivered; it seemed Qi Heng hadn’t left yet.
Summoning his courage, Qi Shao met Qi Heng’s gaze, attempting to convey his determination through his eyes. He would absolutely not go to Wei.
Qi Heng furrowed his brow. “I forgot; I haven’t released your pressure point yet.”
“I won’t go to Wei!” Qi Shao exclaimed with surprise, touching his throat. “I can speak now!”
However, he quickly realized the implication of Qi Heng’s earlier statement.
“Uncle, did you trigger my mute acupoint?” Qi Shao was furious. In the short time he had lost his voice, he had considered many reasons for it, even thinking that he might have accidentally ingested some poison that affected his voice.
However, he did not expect that it was Qi Heng who had ordered this dumb point.
It’s too much!
Qi Shao tried to make the other person feel ashamed and self-reproachful with angry eyes.
“What did you just say?” Qi Heng remained unmoved, slowly stepping down the stairs, approaching Qi Shao from a position of superiority. “You don’t want to go to Wei State?”
At the mention of this, in the face of his own life, Qi Shao immediately put aside the trivial matter of having his acupoint pressed and nodded vigorously.
“But, I’ve already said it in front of the courtiers.” Qi Heng seemed a bit troubled. “It’s just a trip to Wei State, why don’t you…”
“Uncle, I am your nephew after all.” Qi Shao knelt on the ground with a thud, tears and snot streaming down as he hugged Qi Heng’s legs, crying bitterly.
“In view of the days we shared in Fufeng City, enduring hardships together, Uncle, please spare me. How about sending the Second Prince instead? The Second Prince even said a while ago that you look like a beautiful woman with no trace of a true man.”
Qi Shao ruthlessly began to expose the flaws of his own brothers.
“And there’s the Fourth Prince. He stepped on that favorite peony of yours last time.”
Qi Heng never expected that Qi Shao would resort to clinging to his legs like this, and for a moment, he was brought uncomfortably close.
“Let go,” Qi Heng pulled his right leg, but Qi Shao clung tightly. “I won’t go to Wei State. If I go to Wei State, I’ll die.”
Qi Heng used a bit of skill, loosening the grip on Qi Shao’s wrist and subtly taking two steps back. “You have a good relationship with the Crown Prince of Wei, he won’t harm you.”
“The Crown Prince of Wei?” Qi Shao attempted to reach for Qi Heng’s clothes again but found he couldn’t reach them. He gave up and slumped onto the ground resignedly.
“When did I become friends with the Crown Prince of Wei State? Wait, who is the crown prince of Wei State?”
Standing on the steps, Lin Dahai couldn’t help but cover his face and sigh. The Crown Prince didn’t seem to have absorbed a single word during the morning court meeting. No wonder His Majesty—
“Your Highness, the Prince of Wei State is the Third Prince of Wei,” Lin Dahai reminded.
“The Third Prince of Wei?” Qí Shào suddenly realized, “You mean Wei Chao?”
He then shook his head frantically, “That’s even worse. If he finds out I’m the Prince of Jing and I’ve deceived him, I’ll be in even more trouble.”
“No, no, I’m not going.”
“Don’t worry, he won’t take your life,” Qi Heng’s voice was cold, seemingly filled with countless murderous intentions, “If you don’t go, then you also have no reason to stay here.”
“I’ll go.” A strong will to survive prompted Qí Shao to make a decisive choice. He couldn’t help but feel that Qi Heng’s last words implied he had no reason to live anymore.
Whether it’s death in front or death in the back, it’s better to go and test Wei Chao’s conscience. Judging by his performance in Fufeng City, at least Wei Chao’s conscience hasn’t darkened as much as Qi Heng’s.
“Since you’re willing to go, find Zheng Er on your own.”
“Why do I need to find Zheng Er?” Qi Shao got up from the ground. He had been sitting for a while, and his legs were a bit numb. Qi Shao couldn’t help but tap them lightly.
“If you have someone in mind, I won’t force you,” Qi Heng said casually.
Oh? So Uncle Chen assigned his trusted assistant to him?
It seems that Uncle Chen’s conscience hasn’t turned completely black. With Uncle Chen’s person around, he has an extra layer of protection for his life.
Qi Shao was overjoyed and walked outside with a smile, “Thank you for the arrangement, Uncle. I’ll go find him now.”
“Wait,” Qi Heng suddenly spoke, “What did you just say? ‘Looks like a beautiful woman with no trace of a true man’?”
Qi Shao felt a chill down his spine. He quickly turned around and raised his hand, swearing, “It absolutely wasn’t me who said that. It was the Second and Third Princes whispering to each other when I ‘accidentally’ overheard.”
Of course, Qi Shao didn’t accidentally overhear them. He just thought those two were up to something secretive that they didn’t want anyone to know, and he wanted to find some leverage by catching them in the act.
Qi Heng let out a cold laugh. Qi Shao thought he didn’t believe him, so he immediately swore, “I didn’t tell a single lie just now, and if I did—”
“I’ll… I’ll be forever barred from encountering beautiful women in my life!”
Qi Shao didn’t dare to gamble his life with an oath, so he settled for the next best thing. He staked his pride as a man of many years, hoping that Uncle Chen would believe him.
Qi Heng glanced at him, his gaze traveling from top to bottom, and Qi Shao suddenly felt a slight chill below.
“Have the Second Prince write ‘looks like a beautiful woman’ five hundred times, and they must not seek help from others.”
This statement confirmed Qi Shao’s words, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The crisis had passed, and thinking about the punishment the Second Prince was about to face, Qi Shao couldn’t help but feel a bit of schadenfreude1feeling pleasure or satisfaction from the misfortune or suffering of others. He wished he had wings to fly to the Eternal Happiness Palace right away.
“Uncle, I’ll go tell the Second Prince right now and make sure to recite your words to him verbatim2to repeat something exactly as it was said or written, word for word, without any changes or omissions” Qi Shao paused for a moment, then cautiously glanced at Qi Heng, “So, what about the Fourth Prince? He stepped on that peony you liked the most last time. Should he also receive… some ‘education’?”
True brothers should share both joys and sorrows. He couldn’t forget about the Fourth Prince.
Qi Heng looked at him steadily. Just when Qi Shao was worried that his attempt to influence him might be seen through, Qi Heng spoke.
“Since the Fourth Prince enjoys stepping on things so much, from tomorrow onwards, add an extra hour of basic martial arts training for him.”
Basic martial arts training typically involved exercises like stances and horse stances, which were both strenuous and monotonous.
With Qi Shao achieving his goal, he promptly found a polite excuse to step back. Once outside, his spirits lifted, and he prepared to visit the Eternal Happiness Palace—not to cause trouble, but to convey Uncle Chen’s instructions.
Qi Heng rubbed his forehead and, glancing at a stack of memorials, decided to head to the Shoukang Palace to pay his respects to the Dowager Empress.
Yesterday, the palace attendants had mentioned the Dowager Empress was not feeling well, and Qi Heng hadn’t had a chance to visit her yet. Besides, Qi Yuyao and Zhao Yan’er had stayed in the palace for quite a while; it was time to bring them back to the Prince’s Mansion.
“My Lord?” Lin Dahai spoke up as he saw Qi Heng heading out.
“I’m going to Shoukang Palace,” Qi Heng paused his steps, “You can go back to attend to the Crown Prince. No need to accompany me.”
“The servant will have a palanquin prepared.”
“No need,” Qi Heng spoke up, “I’ll walk there myself.”
For someone well-versed in martial arts, the short distance posed no effort at all, and riding in a palanquin was slower than walking.
…
Wei State Imperial Palace.
The recently appointed Crown Prince Wei Chao was receiving hands-on guidance from Emperor Wei on how to review memorials.
“Father?” Wei Chao noticed the sudden silence around him and looked around curiously.
“Take a look at this,” Emperor Wei placed a confidential report in front of Wei Chao. As Wei Chao examined it closely, he read, “The Crown Prince of Jin has been sent to negotiate cooperation with us?”
“In a situation where Jin’s army burned so many of our soldiers alive, they still sent a prince to discuss cooperation with us. What do you think, Chao, is the motive behind Jin’s actions?” Emperor Wei’s lips curved into a mysterious smile, and he added, “The message from the secret channels reveals that Jin is currently under the rule of Regent Prince Qi Heng.”
Wei Chao frowned in thought, “Father, do you mean that this Regent Prince is ambitious and wants to use us to eliminate this Crown Prince?”
“But, Emperor Yuan of Jin and Prince Chen are blood brothers—”
“For the sake of power and status, your Second Brother is a prime example,” Emperor Wei remarked casually.
Wei Chao wanted to point out that he and his Second Brother weren’t blood siblings, but judging from his father’s demeanor, he decided to keep quiet.
In just one month, the revelation of his Second Brother’s involvement in the assassination attempt against him, along with his clandestine connections with the Lord of Qi State, had taken a toll on his father’s health. The Emperor had grown both angry and distressed, with more than half of his hair turning white, and his physical condition deteriorating.
“As for the visit from the Jin envoy, let Chao handle it this time,” Emperor Wei said as he walked down the steps with his hands behind his back, “If Jin agrees to our terms, it wouldn’t hurt to give the Regent Prince some face.”
This implied that when necessary, they could eliminate the Crown Prince of Jin.
Wei Chao’s sympathetic gaze fell on the five words, “Crown Prince Qi Shao,” and he wondered whether this Crown Prince knew he had become a pawn.
Meanwhile, Qi Shao, who had his life hanging in the balance, was currently sitting in a carriage en route to Wei State, anxiously contemplating the metaphorical armor that might soon be stripped from him.
The diplomatic convoy entered the territory of Wei State.
