The new concubine of the Crown Prince was named Du Hongdie, the legitimate daughter of the chief scribe of the Ministry of Works. She possessed exquisite beauty, a charming disposition, and a gift for pleasing people. Under normal circumstances, Qi Shao would have been delighted with such a match.
However, Du Hongdie’s situation was different. He had been tricked and knocked unconscious by someone who had thrown him into the women’s quarters of the Du family. When Du Hongdie woke up and discovered him, Qi Shao had poisoned her to ensure her silence, threatening her not to reveal the incident.
Little did he know that shortly after returning to the Prince’s residence, he received an imperial edict. Qi Shao was summoned to the palace and scolded harshly by the Emperor. In the end, he had no choice but to take Du Hongdie as his concubine. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the eldest son of the Emperor, to have his first concubine be a seventh-ranked official’s daughter.
Qi Shao felt deeply wronged. On the night he had taken Du Hongdie as his concubine, it was clear that she was not a virgin. He distinctly remembered that when he had awakened after being knocked unconscious, his clothes were still intact, let alone touching Du Hongdie.
However, the marriage had been bestowed by Emperor Jin Yuan. Qi Shao couldn’t possibly admit that he had been given a woman who had lost her chastity before marriage. Doing so would only confirm the rumors that he was being abandoned by the Emperor. After much contemplation, he had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill silently.
But just this month, Du Hongdie became pregnant, and she was already one and a half months along. Although it was highly likely that he was the father, Qi Shao didn’t want this child to survive. In the past few days, he had intentionally kept the news suppressed within the residence. He even silenced the female physician who had examined Du Hongdie, all in an effort to secretly abort this untimely child.
However, now, all his plans had gone awry. All because of one sentence from Prince Chen.
Qi Shao looked up with resentment in his eyes. His malicious intent was evident as he sneered, “Prince Chen, your information travels fast. You even know about the pregnancy of the Crown Prince’s concubine, while I only found out yesterday.”
He was blatantly accusing Qi Heng of planting spies in the Crown Prince’s residence. The imperial censor’s eyes gleamed with anticipation, hoping that the Crown Prince would say more so they could accuse Prince Chen of manipulating events.
Qi Heng remained calm and composed. “It was a maid attending to the Crown Princess who inadvertently learned of it. She happened to see people from the Crown Prince’s residence purchasing pregnancy-stabilizing herbs at the Jing’an Hall while she was out fetching medicine. She casually inquired about it.”
Qi Shao’s face turned so dark it seemed like water might drip from it. Just then, Lin Dahai, the chief eunuch, announced that the Emperor had arrived. Qi Shao quickly adjusted his demeanor and knelt down with many other courtiers.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Jin Yuan was evidently in a good mood. He walked briskly to the dragon throne and took his seat, jubilantly saying, “Rise, all of you.”
“Thank you for your favor, Your Majesty.” The courtiers rose one by one, adjusted their hats, and stood at attention.
Qi Heng set down his teacup, adjusted his robes, and turned towards the Emperor. With hands clasped together, he bowed deeply. “I pay my respects to Your Majesty, my elder brother.”
“No need for formalities, younger brother.” Emperor Jin Yuan smiled warmly.
Qi Heng straightened up and returned to his seat. As Lin Dahai began his report, the hall buzzed with discussions.
“Your Majesty, the State of Wei has repeatedly launched attacks on Anling and Zhao Pass. Recently, they have been mobilizing troops extensively. Anling and Zhao Pass are in imminent danger, and Your Majesty should dispatch someone to defend them promptly.”
“I am already aware of this matter,” Emperor Jin Yuan replied, his smile fading. “However, I am currently unable to find a suitable candidate.”
A moment of silence fell over the court. Emperor Jin Yuan turned to Qi Heng and asked, “Do you have a suitable candidate, younger brother?”
Qi Heng lowered his gaze for a moment and then locked eyes with Emperor Jin Yuan, his gaze as sharp as a torch. “If Your Majesty is asking me, I’m afraid you must have had a plan in mind.”
Emperor Jin Yuan hadn’t actually considered sending Qi Heng to the battlefield; after all, on the battlefield, swords and spears had no eyes. As brothers, he wouldn’t force Qi Heng into a situation where he might lose his life. His true aim was to use this opportunity to make Qi Heng hand over the Tiger Seal so he could command the troops.
After the war was over, the Tiger Seal would naturally return to his possession, which seemed like the most reasonable and fair solution.
“Since you put it that way, I naturally cannot let Your Majesty down,” Qi Heng began to speak slowly. However, before he could finish his sentence, a voice from below interrupted him.
“Father.” The voice of the Crown Prince, clear and confident, suddenly rang out. He stepped forward from the ranks and knelt on one knee. “Although I may not be as capable as Prince Chen, I am willing to share the burden with Your Majesty. In these difficult times for the borderlands and the people, as a prince, I am willing to go to Anling and stand together with the soldiers to defend against the enemy.”
His words were sincere, and the courtiers displayed changing expressions, surprised by the Crown Prince’s dedication during this critical moment.
Qi Heng also revealed a slightly moved and contemplative expression.
Seeing his plans about to be realized, but being disrupted by his foolish son, Emperor Jin Yuan was infuriated. He glared at Qi Shao, saying, “Shut up! The battlefield is no child’s play. Do you think it’s a game?”
“I genuinely wish to share Your Majesty’s burdens, please grant me the opportunity to serve you,” Qi Shao knocked his head as a sign of respect. He glanced in the direction of Prince Chen. He had snatched the chance for Prince Chen to gain merit, and now Prince Chen must be furious.
Qi Shao let out a sigh of relief, feeling quite satisfied with himself.
As for going to the battlefield, the Wei State had always been timid and had a habit of retreating after just a couple of probing attempts. He wasn’t worried in the least.
“Shut up,” Emperor Jin Yuan’s brows were furrowed, and he felt like his foolish son was pushing him to the edge.
“The Crown Prince’s courage is admirable. It actually makes me, as Prince Chen, feel ashamed,” Qi Heng stood up and bowed to Emperor Jin Yuan, saying, “I, your younger brother, am also willing to go to the border to relieve Your Majesty’s concerns. I have some knowledge of martial arts and can protect myself.”
Qi Heng spoke up, and some courtiers who had already secretly sided with him began to express their support, along with a few others who were still unaware of the situation. For a moment, nearly two-thirds of the courtiers were voicing their agreement, leaving Emperor Jin Yuan in a difficult position.
“Please grant your consent, Your Majesty,” Qi Heng said again.
Emperor Jin Yuan, filled with frustration, finally said, “Very well, let General Qin Yue lead the troops, with Prince Chen as the commander, and Crown Prince Qi Shao as the assistant. Depart for Anling immediately.”
“I obey your command,” Qi Heng replied with a bow.
“I accept the command,” a man with a bronze complexion stepped forward from the group of military officers. He approached behind Qi Shao and bowed respectfully.
As he stood up, he exchanged a glance with Qi Heng while no one was paying attention.
Qi Shao, feeling a little shorter, was internally irritated, but he had requested this himself and had no room for regret. He could only bow and say, “I accept the command.”
Emperor Jin Yuan closed his eyes briefly, and Lin Dahai, who was at his side, immediately announced loudly, “With this, the court session is adjourned.”
The courtiers exchanged glances, realizing that there were no more petitions, and they stood up straight.
“Adjourned.”
“We respectfully send off Your Majesty.”
Emperor Jin Yuan rose from his dragon throne, and Lin Dahai assisted him as they left. The palace maids and eunuchs followed closely behind.
The courtiers had not moved yet, and since Qi Shao had not been summoned by Emperor Jin Yuan, he remained kneeling in the middle. Qi Heng descended the steps at a leisurely pace and said, “The Crown Prince’s performance today truly impressed this prince.”
Qi Shao stood up and chuckled strangely, “Thank you for the praise, Uncle Chen. However, Uncle Chen, due to your advanced age, I am genuinely concerned whether you can withstand the hardships and jolts on the journey to the border.”
As he spoke, he intended to look at the expression on Prince Chen’s face. However, he suddenly locked eyes with the prince’s cold, aloof, and otherworldly countenance, which left him momentarily speechless.
From head to toe, there was not a trace of aging on Prince Chen’s body. Qi Shao’s sarcastic comment now seemed like a joke.
The courtiers standing by sympathetically glanced at the Crown Prince and then at Prince Chen, who radiated an aura of elegance and beauty that was out of the ordinary. Comparing the two, with the Crown Prince’s stubble and Prince Chen’s pristine appearance, the courtiers collectively sighed in their hearts.
What a pity, a good prince who didn’t even look in the mirror, and now his eyesight was failing at such a young age.
“Instead of worrying about this prince, Crown Prince, you should go find a martial arts instructor and practice more,” Qi Heng looked at him with indifference, “The battlefield is dangerous, and it doesn’t rely solely on words.”
With that, without waiting for the Crown Prince’s response, he took his leave and walked away. He didn’t have time to linger here; Yuyao was waiting for him, and his spiritual connection with Prince Chen had reminded him several times.
“Safe travels, Your Highness,” the courtiers quickly bid farewell. As they saw Prince Chen leave, they also left in groups.
“Farewell, Crown Prince,” one of the courtiers passing by Qi Shao said, but Qi Shao was lost in thought and didn’t respond. It wasn’t until his legs felt numb from standing that he snapped out of his daze and angrily muttered to himself, “Damn, is he sick? Why is he throwing flirtatious glances at this Crown Prince in court?”
He absolutely refused to admit that he had lost himself while looking at Prince Chen’s face.
Zhao Jing “woke up” in the eastern wing of the Purple Bamboo Courtyard. The maids waiting outside the door were unaware that the person inside had already regained consciousness. They were still quietly discussing the fact that Qi Yuyao had entered the palace early in the morning.
A flash of resentment crossed Zhao Jing’s eyes. She couldn’t understand it. In this lifetime, she had seized every opportunity and tried her best to gain favor with Qin Shi and the Empress Dowager. They were clearly favoring her even more than in her previous life, but all her efforts were in vain. She had been expelled from the Prince Mansion ahead of schedule.
So much so that she had to pretend to have amnesia to gain Qin Shi’s sympathy and remain in the Prince Mansion.
“How long do we have to keep pretending with this fake County Princess?” a maid’s complaint drifted into the room. “I really don’t understand what the Prince’s Consort is thinking, being so good to a fake. I heard that the County Princess went to see the Consort yesterday and got scolded.”
“Lower your voice,” another voice reminded her.
“What are you afraid of? She’s not the real County Princess of our Prince now,” the first maid intentionally spoke loudly. “I heard from my sister who serves in Tingxi Courtyard that the County Princess has a great temper. She has never scolded or hit them, and she even gave them some silver yesterday. I envy them.”
A sound of something falling to the ground came from inside the room, and the two maids’ voices abruptly stopped. Then they pushed the door open and walked in.
Zhao Jing stood on the ground, and in front of her, she had shattered a teapot. The maids looked momentarily guilty, trying to please her, one of them asked, “Miss Zhao, you’re awake. Would you like something to eat?”
Zhao Jing walked expressionlessly toward the two maids, then raised her hand and struck hard at the left maid’s cheek.
The maid was knocked to the ground, her face quickly swelling. She covered her face, and Zhao Jing crouched down, reaching out to grab her chin.
“If you want to go to Tingxi Courtyard so badly, I’ll grant your wish.”
