Not far away from King Lu’s Mansion, several shops had already opened. As Xie Cheng Dong cast his glance around the area, he saw that several shops that sold wantons and hot pastries. He randomly chose a restaurant and strolled in.
Just as Xie Cheng Dong arrived at the entrance, a waiter who wore thick outer robes welcomed him, "Guest, would you like some wantons?"
"I wish for some wine and to warm myself before I order other dishes. Serve me some wantons too. Is there any space for me to sit upstairs?" Xie Cheng Dong asked.
"Guest, there is space on the second floor. Please, this way." The waiter led the way. Xie Cheng Dong noticed that there were several other patrons seated on the second floor as well. He chose a seat by the window that overlooked King Lu’s Mansion.
"Guest, we shall serve you soon." The waiter turned around to leave.
When he opened the window, a gust of wind blew in, as several snowflakes landed on him, yet Xie Cheng Dong didn’t seem to mind. When he looked across the street, everything seemed normal, but he frowned, "I wonder what is wrong?"
The wine came immediately and he noticed that it had been heated nicely. Xie Cheng Dong poured himself a cup and drained it, he felt a nice warmth course through his body. His internal organs felt immediate relief from the cold. He then had several dishes.
Xie Cheng Dong had worked the entire night and his stomach was empty. Despite the fact that he was somewhat troubled, he ate very well. All of a sudden, he heard the hooves of horses down below.
He hurriedly looked down in shock and saw a large army as they marched. They looked extremely strict as their footsteps could be heard from above.
"It’s the Emperor’s army!" Xie Cheng Dong looked and could tell immediately. He knew that something wasn’t right, considering that there were at least 300 men within the army. They were all gathered outside King Lu’s Mansion and stood in formation. The soldiers looked extremely intimidating and yet majestic. The soldiers remained completely silent.
A general rode on horseback until he saw that the soldiers had halted. He then leapt off his horse and examined their formation. Without speaking a word, he waved his hand as the soldiers stepped forward and marched, they surrounded the walls of King Lu’s Mansion.
"The Emperor’s soldiers? Why would they surround King Lu’s Mansion?" Xie Cheng Dong didn’t speak, and felt a sense of uneasiness creep up throughout his body. He then trembled slightly.
Right at this point, he heard the next table speak, "Don’t you know? Something major happened last night. The Crown Prince came under attack and several imperial guards even died as a result."
"There was a lock down in the middle of the night and many people couldn’t return home. They had to spend the night in nearby inns."
"Looks like these soldiers are here to protect King Lu then."
"Crown Prince was attacked?" Xie Cheng Dong’s expression fell. As soon as he found out about the major incident last night, he sucked in a breath of fresh air and collected himself. He then placed some money on the table. "Keep the change."
After his words were spoken, he turned around to leave. The waiter was filled with surprise. After all, he only had a few bites and just decided to leave like that?
However, he had paid for the meal and thus there was no cause for worry. The waiter then mumbled under his breath, "What a rich young master."
He then picked up a piece of roasted chicken from the table and looked out of the window. He then saw the soldiers who gathered outside of King Lu’s Mansion and was startled.
"Not good, there are soldiers surrounding King Lu’s Mansion." The waiter shouted out, which attracted the attention of the patrons who hadn’t noticed the commotion yet. Everyone rushed towards the window and looked down.
All of them inhaled deeply.
"Don’t spout rubbish, the only thing coming out from your mouth is disaster." The boss scolded the waiter, "Why haven’t you cleaned up yet?"
Crown Prince’s Palace, Main Hall
The Crown Prince had already changed into a fresh set of robes and joy could be seen on his face. However, he was still slightly pale, having witnessed the generals who slaughtered the imperial guards. He felt rather guilty about it. However, his plan had succeeded.
Pei Zi Yun was on his right and the Grand Princess sat across from him. She held up a teacup with intricate floral designs and as she drank some tea. The beast skinned lantern emitted heat, which caused the entire hall to be well heated and comfortable.
Today, Pei Zi Yun was dressed in a white floral robe. A red sash hung from his waist as he drank a cup of tea as well.
"This plan worked so well. I wonder if King Lu will face punishment from Father Emperor?" The Crown Prince seemed to be lost in thought, as though he found the events of yesterday hard to believe.
The Grand Princess exhaled deeply after finishing her cup. She then stood up, "Speaking about this, I think there will be a high-ranking official coming to visit you to ask about your health."
"The Crown Prince came under attack last night, it’s impossible that the Emperor will not bother to ask you how you’re doing. Or maybe a doctor will be sent here instead. After all, they will have to resolve the matter right now." the Grand Princess thought out loud.
"Aunt is right. What views do you have on this?" The Crown Prince then turned to Pei Zi Yun and asked. It was evident that his trust in Pei Zi Yun had increased immensely after last night.
Hearing the Crown Prince’s question, Pei Zi Yun took some time to think before he replied, "With something like that happening, it’s unlikely that the Emperor will have no doubts. That’s the first thing."
"Next, as a father, he would do everything in his power to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control. He would always try and keep things amicable, so that relationships aren’t strained. Regardless of how ferocious a tiger is, it will never devour its own cubs. It’s just a matter of how much he prefers one over another. At this point, whoever surpasses the other in terms of endearment by the Emperor will achieve victory."
"As for the matter of the assassination, although the Crown Prince was the victim, you have to play the part properly so as not to incite suspicion."
"This is especially true since the Emperor has very few heirs. He only has three adult heirs and thus would find it hard to severely punish any of them. Hence you must never force him to do something he doesn’t wish to do. The Emperor will definitely interrogate you. You have to tell the Emperor that you and King Lu are after all brothers. This matter of assassination was probably planned by someone else and that you disagree to any punishments meted out to King Lu."
"If you say this to the Emperor, he will be able to make the decision, and pluck out King Lu’s men within the city so as to prevent something like this from happening again. If the Crown Prince should insist on a punishment for King Lu, the Emperor will be upset and might even defend him. The lines would inadvertently be blurred."
"Crown Prince, think about it this way, you are a father too, and you’ve built an entire dynasty for your sons. Don’t you wish that both brothers would live harmoniously together? Wouldn’t you want the victorious son to at least save his brother some dignity?"
When the Crown Prince heard this, he sighed and replied, "Indeed, you are right."
Pei Zi Yun then laughed, "You are the Crown Prince and are already the heir apparent to the throne. You don’t even need to kill King Lu and ensure that he dies before you can rise up. All you have to do is to hold your position strongly, and ensure that King Lu doesn’t manage to rock you, and you shall win. As for other matters, wait for your ascension to the throne. With the power of the dynasty in your grasp, what can King Lu do to you?"
The Crown Prince nodded his head as he sat down gradually. He then picked up a his cup of tea and took a sip before he spoke, "That is logic, this is true logic."
"Crown Prince, Your Majesty. Prime Minister Lian Yuan Zi seeks an audience." As soon as their discussion ended, a eunuch announced.
The Crown Prince listened to Pei Zi Yun and still contemplated his words. Several seconds later, he snapped back and replied, "Alright, I shall come right away."
He then stood up and left in a hurry. When the Grand Princess saw this, she frowned before she turned to Pei Zi Yun, "Do we have to exert more pressure? Why do I feel this sense of dread?"
"There’s no need. With this matter, those people who are against King Lu will naturally stand up and do everything they can!" Pei Zi Yun spoke regretfully, "The Crown Prince is the heir apparent. After coming under attack, this would shake the foundations of the nation. There are only a few people who can withstand the implications of this incident."
"The first group would be King Lu’s men, nothing more needs to be said."
"The next group of people are those who have insufficient authority to press charges against someone. Likewise, this is self-explanatory."
"There’s also the group of people who are excessively cautious in their actions."
"As for this group of people, they can be arranged into groups and observed in clusters across all levels of society. When you examine them, the answer will present itself naturally."
The Grand Princess listened attentively, but wasn’t very interested in this. She hesitated for a while before she spoke, "Oh, as for what you said earlier, were you being serious?"
This matter had involved the Grand Princess too and she had to be cautious.
"Of course, I am. The Crown Prince would have to put on a front that expresses how much he cares for his brother. Doing that would be sufficient. Ever since the stabilizing of the dynasty, having a kind hearted and sensible monarch are the traits expected of an Emperor."
"With an attitude like this, the Crown Prince will win over the Emperor in no time. But if the Crown Prince takes on an aggressive stance against King Lu, he will force King Lu to retaliate, and cause the Emperor to be furious. This is a sure way to lose the battle, and might cause everything to be revealed."
"Since the Crown Prince isn’t around, I shall explain further. After being placed in such a situation, King Lu would’ve taken a huge blow. When the Crown Prince finally ascends the throne, dealing with King Lu would only take a simple imperial edict. He doesn’t have to kill him off now. Why would the Crown Prince do that, and risk hurting the Emperor?"
"The Emperor is the Emperor after all. If he really wanted to expel the Crown Prince from succession and strip him of all authority, he could do it, and nobody could stop him. As long as he’s willing to pay the price, he can do it. This is an important point we all must remember."
"Truly, we don’t have to do much more. After this instance, the Crown Prince’s position is relatively stable." The Grand Princess sighed and spoke, "It would take a massive slip up and a twist of fate for King Lu to ascend the throne instead of the Crown Prince."
Pei Zi Yun looked at the Grand Princess and didn’t reply. According to the original owner’s memories, the Emperor will pass away next year. After this incident, King Lu would’ve suffered a severe blow to his chances. How much more strength can Dark Altar Sect lend King Lu’s camp?
Outside the Hall
Prime Minister Liang Yuan Zi was led by the eunuch along the corridors. Within the palace, several guards instructed the servants to sweep up the snow. When they saw the pair walking together, they all stopped to pay their respects and allowed them to cross.
Liang Yuan Zi cast a glance around and noticed that there were several strange snowmen lying around. Apart from that, everything was normal. He thus ignored it and continued walking. They went past several more walkways before they crossed a man-made mountain and walked into a hall beside the pond.
Seeing that Liang Yuan Zi had entered the hall, the Crown Prince stood up to receive him. Realizing that Liang Yuan Zi was about to bow, he hurriedly held him and prevented him from bowing, "You are the Prime Minister, and the bridge between us and the Emperor, how can I ever let you bow to me this way? Please take a seat."
The Crown Prince looked at Liang Yuan Zi’s sunken and hollow face and then spoke, "After the new year, you look to be in rather good shape. Only your hair is becoming whiter!"
"We get older with each passing year; how can my hair not turn white? The Crown Prince looks to be prosperous, and I’m relieved to see this. It seems like you’re not hurt from the incident yesterday?" Liang Yuan Zi scrutinized him. The Crown Prince’s eyes resembled the Emperor. Although his face was much paler and looked wearier, with several eyebags. Apart from the marks of exhaustion, the Crown Prince looked in good health.
"I am alright, the assassins didn’t manage to get close." The Crown Prince laughed as he spoke, "Although if you were to ask if I was startled, I was a little. This was the first time I’ve been so near a fight, and saw people being killed before my eyes. But I’m truly fine. After returning to my palace, I calmed myself down, had some soup, and everything was back to normal."
After he said this, he then asked, "Since the Prime Minister came from a meeting with the Emperor, what command does he have for me?"
"The Emperor was deeply worried about the Crown Prince and was unable to sleep a wink the entire night. When day broke, he requested for this humble official to pay you a visit. Since the Crown Prince looks fine, can I request for you to visit the palace, to quell the Emperor’s worry?" Liang Yuan Zi asked.
"Prime Minister is right. I wanted to visit him this morning, after my Emperor Father woke up. But since my Emperor Father hasn’t slept an entire night, I shouldn’t let him wait any longer. Let’s go right away!" The Crown Prince spoke as he stood up.
Liang Yuan Zi seemed to nod his head subtly, thinking to himself that the Crown Prince had indeed matured.
Although he said to leave at once, he had to change his clothes.
He dressed in his Crown Prince robes, a red colored robe with golden dragons embroidered around it. He wore his jade fur cap and black shoes to go along before he followed Liang Yuan Zi out. The pair walked out and noticed that the sun had risen some time ago, and the snow had stopped as well. A gust of wind blew against them, and it felt like the prick of a needle all over their bodies.
"Let’s take my carriage, it’s warm in there." The Crown Prince said and Liang Yuan Zi didn’t refuse. The pair got in and made their way towards the Imperial Palace.