“The envoy from the State of Jin enters the hall.”
One sound after another reached Qi Shao’s ears. Qi Shao tugged at Zheng Er’s sleeve, feeling his legs go a bit weak.
“Brother Zheng Er, you must protect me.”
“You protect me, and when I return, I’ll immediately send you seven or eight beauties.”
Zheng Er furrowed his brows, “Your Highness, it’s time for you to go in.”
“Don’t think I didn’t notice the envy in your eyes the day Zheng Yi was granted marriage,” Qi Shao said, moving very slowly. But no matter how distant the steps, they all had an end. They soon arrived at the palace specially prepared by the State of Wei to receive envoys.
Qi Shao’s legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead as he walked toward the hall. Along the sides of the hall, there were low tables covered with fruits, and behind those tables sat the ministers of the State of Wei. In the middle, a red carpet extended to the top of nine-tiered steps, where the Emperor of Wei and his crown prince, Wei Chao, were seated.
Qi Shao took difficult steps, making his way from the entrance to the center of the grand hall.
“Hmph!” someone disdainfully huffed, a person with a strong presence, clearly a martial artist of rough and bold nature.
He couldn’t afford to fight here; this was someone else’s territory, and they would surely protect their own.
Qi Shao weighed the pros and cons, choosing to ignore it. Along with the other envoys, he bowed and said, “Greetings to the Emperor of Wei.”
“The Crown Prince has come from afar as a guest; there’s no need for excessive courtesy,” the Emperor of Wei extended his hand, palm up, pointing to an empty spot nearby. “Crown Prince and the envoys, please take your seats.”
Qi Shao sensed a scrutinizing gaze, and his heart quivered. He dared not look up and, along with Zheng Er and the others, took his seat in the empty spots.
Soon after, the State of Wei’s prepared song and dance began.
The performance was beautiful, and the dancers were exquisite. But being in the palace of an enemy state, Qi Shao dared not entertain any other thoughts. He didn’t even touch the wine glass in front of him.
“Why does the Crown Prince seem to dislike the banquet I’ve prepared?” the Emperor of Wei asked calmly, showing no surprise or anger.
“No, not at all,” Qi Shao forced a smile. “It’s just that this Crown Prince is not skilled in drinking.”
“Is that so?” the Emperor of Wei squinted, then suddenly smiled. “I’ve heard before that the Crown Prince has always enjoyed fine wine and beautiful women. It seems the information I received was incorrect.”
“Father, since the Crown Prince can’t drink, why insist on him having to?” Just as Qi Shao was racking his brain for an excuse, a familiar voice suddenly spoke, coming to his rescue.
Qi Shao subconsciously recognized it as the voice of Wei Chao.
Could it be that he, he was recognized???
The Emperor of Wei glanced at the Prince of Jin, noticing that he was bowing his head and hadn’t realized what was happening above. He slightly turned his head toward his son, Crown Prince Wei Chao, and asked, “Chao, why did you suddenly speak up for him?”
Clearly, they had agreed before the entry of the Jin envoys that they would give these people from Jin a show of strength.
Wei Chao: “…”
How could he have ever imagined that the Crown Prince of Jin would turn out to be his little brother? At the moment when he saw the Jin envoys enter the hall, he was so shocked that he almost dropped his wine glass.
However, Brother Wang and Zheng Er were both present here. What about Young Master Wang…?
—Wait, if Brother Wang is the Crown Prince of Jin, where does he have an elder brother?
Wei Chao’s face briefly showed confusion. However, when his gaze landed on Zheng Er, he quickly put his worries to rest. Zheng Er was Young Master Wang’s subordinate, and his presence here indicated a connection between Young Master Wang and the Crown Prince of Jin.
Perhaps, Young Master Wang’s true identity was something like a cousin of the Crown Prince of Jin.
As the song and dance continued, Qi Shao’s brows concealed his restlessness. He hadn’t forgotten his purpose in coming to the State of Wei, but there was no sign that the State of Wei intended to bring it up. Every time Qi Shao tried to speak, the people of Wei would find an excuse to intercept.
After a few times, Qi Shao had a faint guess in his mind.
“Emperor of Wei, we would like to talk to you about the previous matter in Anling…”
The Emperor of Wei suddenly raised his hand to his temple, and then he looked apologetically at Qi Shao. “I’ve had a bit too much to drink, and I have a headache. Crown Prince, you all continue to enjoy; I’ll rest for a while.”
Qi Shao was taken aback. “Emperor of Wei, please, listen to what I have to say—”
“Emperor of Wei is leaving now,” Zheng Er set down his wine glass. “Hasn’t the Emperor of Wei considered reclaiming the Sishui region that’s occupied by Northern Qi?”
The Emperor of Wei, who was about to leave, hesitated. He sat back down, his gaze sharp as he looked at Zheng Er. “What did you just say?”
“Special envoy Zheng Er of the State of Jin pays his respects to Emperor of Wei.” Zheng Er stood up and bowed. “As far as I know, the State of Wei has lost the Sishui region for several decades now. I’ve heard that in these years, the people of Wei have suffered from the oppression of the Qi army. The once formidable Sishui, known as Wei’s natural sanctuary, has now… with the ruthless methods of the State of Qi, Emperor of Wei, can you truly guarantee the safety of your homeland, while you choose to cooperate with wolves to attack my State of Jin?”
The loss of Sishui Pass has always been a great taboo of the Wei royal family. The efforts of several generations of Wei monarchs have always aimed to reclaim the Sishui region. The attack on Anling was also a result of Qi’s pressure through Sishui, although they failed to take Anling and wasted so much of their military strength. Thus, when the Emperor of Wei heard this, his expression immediately changed.
After a brief pause, the Emperor of Wei looked at Zheng Er with a serious expression. “So, do you have a way to help me reclaim Sishui Pass?”
“As long as the Emperor of Wei is willing to cooperate with my State of Jin, then there is a way,” Zheng Er replied calmly.
Qi Shao looked at Zheng Er, who suddenly became resolute, and then at the seemingly hopeful Emperor of Wei. He couldn’t help but feel perplexed. Weren’t they here to negotiate? How did the discussion turn to attacking the Northern Qi?
“The letter from the State of Jin doesn’t mention your visit to form an alliance with Wei.” The Emperor of Wei stared at Zheng Er. At this moment, he instantly understood that the Crown Prince of Jin was just a façade, and the real decision-maker was this person with the surname Zheng.
“Is this your own initiative, or—”
Zheng Er took a letter with a gilded seal from his chest and presented it. “This is a letter handed over to me by the Regent.”
Emperor of Wei raised his hand to signal the eunuch by his side to come forward. Zheng Er handed the envelope to the eunuch who was responsible for delivering it, patiently waiting for the Emperor of Wei to read the letter.
Emperor of Wei opened the envelope, took out the letter, quickly skimmed through it, and then his face changed drastically. He hurriedly, with trembling hands, carefully folded the letter back into the envelope and sealed it.
“Is the Emperor of Wei satisfied with the sincerity of our Regent?” Zheng Er already had some answers in his mind.
How could the Emperor of Wei refuse? The plan outlined in the letter, detailing how the alliance between Jin and Wei would coordinate to attack the Northern Qi, was meticulously crafted. Emperor of Wei immediately realized the feasibility of the plan described in the letter.
Furthermore, in order to secure the alliance, the letter promised that the State of Jin’s envoy could stay in Wei as guests until Wei reclaimed Sishui Pass.
With the promise of hostages and a highly promising alliance plan, the Emperor of Wei was immediately convinced to a great extent.
Furthermore, this plan was written by the Regent, Qi Heng. The man who led just a dozen people but managed to ambush and defeat fifty thousand Qi soldiers.
Emperor Wei closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and considered that Jin was not as aggressive and ruthless as Qi. The people of Jin were known for their integrity, and he had no reason to worry about them stabbing him in the back.
With a partner like this, the Emperor of Wei had almost no room to refuse.
“Very well, I will write a letter to the Regent for a private discussion immediately,” the Emperor of Wei said, clapping his hands. “For these days, please allow the Crown Prince’s group to be our guests in Wei and let us, as hosts, extend our utmost hospitality.”
Huh?
Qi Shao, who was suddenly mentioned, was so startled that even the hand holding his wine glass shook. So, Qi Heng, the ruthless one, had indeed sent him as a hostage.
“Chao, you and the ministers stay here with the Crown Prince to enjoy the music and dance. I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll leave first.”
“Your command is my duty,” Wei Chao stood up, and the Emperor of Wei rose as well, leaving with his entourage.
“Farewell, Your Majesty,” Qi Shao and his group also put down their wine glasses, stood up, and respectfully bowed.
After a hearty meal and drinks, both guests and hosts were pleased.
Qi Shao was so drunk he had no sense of direction and was assisted by three or four eunuchs to a palace specially prepared for resting.
“Crown Prince,” Wei Chao gently nudged Qi Shao’s arm.
Qi Shao made a sound and opened his eyes. His face was slightly flushed, and his gaze was unfocused, indicating he was still not fully sober. Wei Chao called his name a few times but got no response.
“Forget it, we’ll have some sobering soup prepared for the Crown Prince Jin later,” Wei Chao ordered.
“Yes,” a nearby palace maid replied with a bow.
After Wei Chao left the room, the rest of the Jin envoys had already left the palace, leaving only Zheng Er behind with Qi Shao.
Wei Chao stopped in his tracks and looked at Zheng Er. “What should I call you? Master Zheng or Mister Zheng?”
“I dare not.” Zheng Er bowed. “I am but a humble guard, far from deserving the title of ‘Mister’ from His Highness.”
“A humble guard,” Wei Chao’s refined and gentle face suddenly softened. He recalled that Young Master Wang had mentioned that Zheng Er was their guard. “At least you haven’t deceived me on this point.”
“I have another question,” Wei Chao said.
Zheng Er bowed and replied, “Please, Your Highness, go ahead.”
“Where is Young Master Wang now? Has he also come?” Wei Chao asked. “Back then, when I received my father’s decree, I had to leave in a hurry and didn’t have a chance to bid farewell to Young Master Wang.”
Later, when he heard the news from Fufeng City, it was already during the Jin-Wei conflict, and Sun Hua had fallen into Qin Yue’s trap. Overconfident, he led his army into a disastrous situation, and they ended up in a rout, abandoning their armor and fleeing.
In the Battle of Anling, the State of Wei suffered significant losses, with the annihilation of seventy thousand soldiers, leaving no bodies behind.
He heard that the idea of using fire and ambushing the Qi army was provided by the Prince Regent, who was overseeing Anling at the time. Thinking about the descriptions of that massive fire in the reports, Wei Chao couldn’t help but shudder at the ruthlessness of the Prince Regent.
Zheng Er’s expression seemed somewhat strange, and he answered with a touch of awkwardness, “My master is quite busy and can’t leave the capital of the State of Jin.”
“So he didn’t come,” Wei Chao expressed slight disappointment. However, upon further thought, it made sense. Young Master Wang was, after all, not a prince. It was quite normal for him not to accompany Qi Shao because he was just one of his cousins and held no official position.
“I have another question,” Wei Chao seemed a bit nervous. “I want to know what Young Master Wang’s name is.”
However, unexpectedly, Zheng Er refused.
“Your Highness, even if my master isn’t here, his name is not something I can casually reveal,” Zheng Er replied.
Wei Chao was taken aback for a moment, and then he nodded in understanding. “I just wanted to know if Young Master Wang is a cousin or a blood relative of the Crown Prince. Let me ask you this: is Young Master Wang part of the Jin royal family?”
Zheng Er nodded with a complex expression, thinking that with your approach, you’d never find out about the so-called elder brother of the Crown Prince.
“Could he be a son from one of the noble Wang families?” Wei Chao pondered. However, the Jin Emperor had no other brothers, only Prince Chen.
However, the materials that his father had shown him earlier seemed to mention that Prince Chen’s residence only had a fifteen-year-old princess. Could it be that Prince Chen’s wife was extremely jealous and he had a mistress on the side?
But Young Master Wang’s demeanor and his astonishing swordsmanship didn’t seem to fit someone born from a mistress.
A sudden realization crossed Wei Chao’s mind, and he abruptly looked at Zheng Er. “Could it be that he isn’t actually the Crown Prince’s elder brother?”
Zheng Er’s expression changed slightly, and he was about to explain, but Wei Chao interrupted him with a clap of his hands. “I get it now. I always found it strange. Young Master Wang looks a bit more mature than Brother Wang.”
“Young Master Wang and Brother Wang are both Jin princes, but, in fact, Young Master Wang is the younger brother, isn’t he?”
Zheng Er: “…”
How thick was the Third Prince’s filter? While the Crown Prince had grown a small beard during his time in Fufeng City, he still looked quite youthful. Any normal person wouldn’t think he was older than Young Master Wang.
Zheng Er sighed in helplessness. “My master is not a prince…” He is a royal highness.
But he didn’t finish the second half of his sentence, and he saw Wei Chao’s clearly surprised expression. “Could it be, Young Master Wang… he is really your Regent’s—?”
Zheng Er, seeing that Wei Chao had figured it out, didn’t hide it any longer. He bowed and said, “Your Highness, my master is indeed—”
“He is truly the child of your Regent’s mistress?”
“Cough, cough, cough!” Zheng Er choked on his breath for a moment. He coughed several times, his face growing cold. “Your Highness, please don’t make jests.”
“Or not?” Wei Chao’s expression turned serious. He thought for a moment, then showed an incredulous look again. “So that leaves only the last thing, which is impossible?”
“Yes,” Zheng Er nodded. Yes, you got it right. The Young Master Wang you mentioned is the recently appointed Regent.
“I can’t believe it. I really can’t believe it… I never thought that the royal family of Jin would believe in such absurd superstitions,” Wei Chao exclaimed. He had heard before that some families in the common people believed that raising boys as girls to deceive fate and ensure their safety.
However, Wei Chao didn’t expect that Prince Chen, as a royal prince, would also believe in these popular beliefs. Wei Chao thought of Young Master Wang’s face, as cold and unfeeling as a deity, and he felt a tinge of sympathy.
Clearly a man, but because of the ignorance and superstitions in Prince Chen’s residence, he had been raised as if he were a girl, constrained and restricted. It was no wonder that Young Master Wang was so reserved.
Zheng Er thought that the Third Prince of the State of Wei seemed to have some issues with his thought process. He couldn’t understand the meaning behind his words at all. Zheng Er tried to recall but couldn’t remember saying that their master believed in any superstitions.
“Your Highness,” a palace maid approached them and bowed to both. “Greetings, distinguished envoy.”
“What’s the matter?”
“The Emperor requests your presence,” the palace maid replied, her head lowered, revealing her snow-white neck, which seemed quite dazzling.
Wei Chao frowned and adjusted his attire. “Where is my father now? I will go over.”
“The Emperor is with the Empress,” the palace maid replied.
Zheng Er stepped back. “Since Your Highness has matters to attend to, I won’t detain you.”
Wei Chao nodded. “When the Crown Prince has sobered up tomorrow, I’ll come and find him.”
He wanted to inquire more about Young Master Wang, but Zheng Er was like a clam, answering one out of every ten questions. He couldn’t extract any useful information, and he believed it was because of Wei Chao’s status as the Crown Prince.
Inside the room, after drinking the sobering soup, Qi Shao heard the conversation. He immediately closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep, even adjusting the blanket.
‘Rest assured, you won’t be waiting for the Crown Prince to sober up today. Tomorrow, as soon as it’s daylight, he’ll leave the palace and return to the inn.’
Qi Shao muttered to himself for a while, all the while harboring resentment towards Qi Heng.
Leaving him here as a hostage was one thing, but the fact that Qi Heng was also involved in deceiving people with false identities in the first place left him bitter. Now, they had sent only him and Zheng Er to face the consequences from their hosts.
On this day, with a firm determination, Qi Shao pretended to be asleep.
The next day, after some courteous words of thanks and pleasantries with Emperor Wei, Qi Shao requested to return to the inn.
All of Jin’s envoys were staying at the inn. Emperor Wei naturally agreed, knowing that with the city under heavy security, nobody could leave without his permission.
“Father.”
As Qi Shao was about to take his leave, he suddenly heard Wei Chao’s voice from outside the hall. His body froze.
“I heard that the Crown Prince is here, and since Father mentioned yesterday to extend our hospitality, I came to look for the Crown Prince,” Wei Chao said, wearing the typical attire of a Crown Prince in apricot color, a warm smile on his face as he stepped into the hall.
