Chapter 27#

A Special Grace Banquet turned out to be even more boisterous than the Winter Solstice Banquet.#

Emperor Shunyuan wore a hint of rare delight on his face.

Throughout his years of rule, he had always been under the suppression of other states. Due to that great defeat back then, he was not only forced to send Shen Zheng to Nanping as a hostage but also had to offer large quantities of silk, tea, and jewelry every year, just to buy a chance to catch his breath.

His princes beneath him seemed to have each inherited his shortcomings, none possessing the heroic and martial bearing of Ancestor Emperor, who once trod the nine provinces on horseback.

He himself was never meant to ascend the throne; it was truly because his brilliant and mighty elder brother was murdered, and the loyal ministers and good generals under the late Emperor forcefully recommended him that he was compelled to take this position.

They pledged allegiance to him on one hand, yet looked down on him on the other.

He relied on them on one hand, yet feared them on the other.

He had thought it was already a foregone conclusion that Great Qian would decline into decay in his hands. But over the past ten years, Jun Dingyuan, the son of the Marquis of Yongning, emerged like a bolt from the blue. In the southern border, he led five thousand troops to a great victory over Nanping, not only bringing back Shen Zheng, who had been stranded for ten years, but also forcing Nanping to abolish the tribute system.

Then, after Shen Zheng returned for just over a month, his actions and deeds actually made him look at him with new eyes.

Shen Zheng became a hostage at the age of eight, yet never forgot Great Qian. As soon as he returned to court, he saw through Nanping’s conspiracy. At this Special Grace Banquet, he stunned everyone again, overpowering the Eight Veins state’s players with a divine-level game.

In a daze, Emperor Shunyuan even seemed to see the shadow of Ancestor Emperor.

Perhaps it was just as the Imperial Observatory said: the spiritual aperture had returned to its place, protected by divine forces.

Emperor Shunyuan was so overjoyed that he could hardly contain himself. In front of all the courtiers, he allowed Shen Zheng to attend court hearings, and ordered a reward of a hundred taels of gold, comforting him for his ten years of hardship.

But Shen Zheng lived up to expectations by getting drunk during the second round of toasts from the ministers. His forehead rested on the table, unconscious, one arm lying in a vegetable dish. He didn’t even hear Emperor Shunyuan granting him permission to attend court.

At this, Emperor Shunyuan just coughed and laughed, saying, “My son’s capacity for wine neither follows mine nor the Marquis of Yongning’s.”

The Marquis of Yongning had also rushed over upon hearing the news. Upon hearing this, he quickly rose: “Your old servant’s capacity for wine is not so good anymore either.”

The hour of Chou had already passed. Emperor Shunyuan really couldn’t hold on any longer. He ordered people to send Shen Zheng back to the Prince’s Quarters to be properly settled, then had Eunuch Liu Quan support him back to the inner palace to rest.

The attending imperial clansmen, royal relatives, princes, and ministers were also stumbling and falling over. Three young eunuchs supported one person each, sending them out of the palace gates.

The moonlight was clear and quiet, the stars gradually fading, and the sky was already turning a hazy blue.

Ukan, who had been feigning drunkenness the entire time, was carried out, staggering to the palace gate.

The three Mu family members followed closely behind, showing no signs of fatigue throughout the night, their eyes still wide and round like pearls.

But their complexions seemed even worse. After one person’s nose bled, another opened his mouth to eat, and his teeth were already smeared with blood.

A low-ranking official sitting nearby saw this and almost vomited the beef in his mouth.

Before the young eunuch could help Ukan into the sedan chair, Gu Weizhi hurriedly chased after them, smiling at the three men and saying, “Eunuchs, I share the same lodging with Envoy Ukan at the guesthouse. Just hand him over to me.”

The three men sized up Gu Weizhi, exchanged glances with each other, then bowed and said, “We’ll trouble you, Lord Gu.”

Having worked all night, they also wanted to rest early.

But Gu Weizhi did not help Ukan into the guesthouse’s official sedan. Seeing that no one was around, he let the three Mu family members wait where they were, while he half-supported, half-helped Ukan toward a small sedan painted with red lacquer.

When Ukan saw Gu Weizhi, he gritted his teeth with hatred. He hadn’t brought any damn chess game records at all, and he had no idea why Gu Weizhi claimed to have found them in his room. In the end, it made the Great Qian chess players united in their anger, and Nanping’s reputation at the Spring Terrace Chess Tournament plummeted, losing all face.

Now that he saw few people around, he suddenly shook off Gu Weizhi, glaring angrily.

Gu Weizhi, caught off guard, almost fell but steadied himself by holding onto the palace wall. Yet he wasn’t angry; instead, he clapped his hands and laughed, “So the envoy wasn’t drunk after all.”

“What exactly does Lord Gu want to do!” Ukan’s eyes were wide with rage, his finger bones cracking from clenching.

Just then, the sedan curtain lifted, revealing Wen Zhuo’s face, as pure as the bright moon. His brows also carried a hint of weariness, but this tiredness only made people feel pity for him.

Wen Zhuo smiled lightly. Seeing that Ukan was already like a trapped beast, he slowly spoke, “I want to save your life.”

Ukan was stunned, but still full of caution.

Ever since that day at Huiyang Gate, when he was forced to make that deal with Wen Zhuo, he could no longer look at this person as if he were a beautiful ornament.

He could sense the sinister scheming beneath this beautiful skin—something far beyond the reach of ordinary mortals.

Ukan sneered coldly, “Why would I need anyone to save me?”

“Don’t you?” Wen Zhuo leisurely peeled a longan he had smuggled out of Baohe Hall. His fingers were slender and fair as snow, beautiful as a painting. “You return without success this time, yet you’ve united the hearts of Great Qian’s people and spread His Majesty’s virtue far and wide. I’m afraid someone in Nanping won’t let you off.”

Ukan trembled with anger at his leisurely demeanor, but he had to admit that what was before him was truly a rare beauty hard to come by in a lifetime.

“Does Director Wen mean to tell me the reason behind those three chess game records?”

Wen Zhuo smiled. He ate the longan to replenish some lost energy before saying, “Talking about the three chess games now is like mending the pen after the sheep are lost—too late. With last night’s self-play, His Fifth Highness’s game is destined to shake the world. What virtue does Nanping have to compare with it?”

Ukan fell silent.

He knew clearly that everything Wen Zhuo said made sense. He hated this man, yet couldn’t help but believe that he could truly save his life.

Seeing that the time was right, Wen Zhuo put away his smile and said solemnly, “Our Emperor feasted you today. According to etiquette, you should bid farewell to His Majesty before leaving Great Qian. But His Majesty is not feeling well, so he will probably have Liu Quan, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, act on his behalf. At that time, you only need to ‘accidentally let slip’ while chatting with Eunuch Liu, saying that Nanping went through all this trouble to participate in the Spring Terrace Chess Tournament merely to ask our Emperor to be magnanimous and allow General Jun Dingyuan to display the treasure in his camp to the world. You’ve heard that General Jun’s five thousand elite troops are invincible precisely because of the blessing of this treasure.”

“Treasure?” Ukan was completely baffled. He had never heard of any treasure. That man Jun Dingyuan was naturally brave and used troops like a deity, which shook the morale of Nanping’s soldiers, leading to their heavy defeat.

Wen Zhuo ignored him and continued, “When you return to Nanping, tell your Emperor that although you failed to disrupt Great Qian this time, you can atone for your crime with merit. There is a prince among Great Qian’s princes who harbors disloyal intentions. He secretly contacted you and told you that the reason Jun Dingyuan won was entirely due to a precious treasure hidden in his camp. If you send spies to infiltrate the camp and destroy the treasure, Great Qian can be defeated without a fight.”

Ukan was now utterly shocked. Cold sweat almost instantly soaked his back.

“Does Director Wen know what he is saying! If these words are true, you are colluding with the enemy and betraying your country. If they are false, I am deceiving my sovereign to save my own life!”

Wen Zhuo said lightly, “These words are of course false. Is there any treasure in this world that can decide the fate of a nation? Didn’t you still lose even with that red evil drug?”

“Then you—”

“It’s just that your Emperor would probably rather believe Great Qian’s victory was due to luck. Besides, you don’t need to worry. I will naturally have General Jun Dingyuan cooperate with you to create the illusion that he has a hidden treasure.”

Ukan narrowed his eyes and studied Wen Zhuo, trying to find any flaw in his face.

But Wen Zhuo was as calm as ever, not revealing a single emotion to him.

Ukan: “Why are you saving me?”

Wen Zhuo’s tone was flat: “I have my own purposes, no need to trouble the envoy with that. For this matter to succeed, every link is indispensable. I hope the envoy’s sobriety is genuine.”

Ukan was silent for a long time.

For him, if he didn’t cooperate with Wen Zhuo, he would probably face death when he returned. If he believed Wen Zhuo, there might be a glimmer of hope. At this point, he had to take a gamble.

Ukan sneered reluctantly, “Director Wen is always so calculating. Aren’t you afraid that too much cleverness will lead to an early death?”

Gu Weizhi, who had been listening on the side, immediately became displeased. He rushed forward and retorted, “Our Director has the Mandate of Heaven on his shoulders, heavy responsibilities on his back, divine protection, and profound blessings. He is not comparable to ordinary mortals like you. You could die twice over, and he would still be healthy and worry-free!”

But Wen Zhuo didn’t care. He curled his lips and said, “I’ll take that as your agreement. Let me give you one more piece of advice, envoy: the incompetent bark, while the determined act in silence.”

With that, he dropped the sedan curtain, and that bewitching, jade-like face disappeared.

The feast in the palace had already dispersed. The palace maids silently cleaned the floors and tables. Fortunately, the Emperor had called off court the next day, so they could have some leisure.

Shen Chen returned to his bedchamber in a daze, throwing his outer robe fiercely at his eunuch attendant. He had drunk a lot of wine, but now he had no sleep at all.

Today’s Special Grace Banquet had completely become Shen Zheng’s personal canonization ceremony. Even the Crown Prince and the Worthy Prince had become dim supporting actors on the sidelines, let alone him, a prince who had always been inconspicuous.

Shen Chen was unwilling, indignant, and angry. Could it be that whoever Wen Zhuo chose would become the emperor?!

Absurd! Absurd!

The two of them, a group of heaven-born nobles, had fallen to the point of being controlled by a minister!

Shen Chen raised his leg and kicked the nearby heating stove. With a “clang,” the incense ash inside scattered all over the floor.

Just as the eunuch came to help, Shen Chen looked up and roared, “Get out!”

The eunuch trembled with fright and quickly lowered his head and left.

Shen Chen let out a long sigh, and a wave of sadness washed over him. Originally, the entire Great Qian was in his grasp. Originally, he should have been the one sitting in the highest position. The princes, ministers, imperial clansmen, and royal relatives at the palace feast should have all regarded him as the sole chosen one by Heaven. How could they ignore him like today?

Perhaps driven by the alcohol, he had a sudden impulse to rush to Emperor Shunyuan and confess everything—that all of this was Wen Zhuo stirring up trouble behind the scenes!

But he knew well that once these words were spoken, he would also die. Wen Zhuo relied on this very fact to fear no one among the other reborn individuals.

The palace door was gently pushed open, and Consort Yi walked in, wearing an outer robe. She had heard that Shen Chen had advocated for a self-play session to liven things up in the hall, and she had been restless ever since. Even she could analyze that the Emperor would not be happy about it. How dared Shen Chen say such a thing?

But then the situation changed rapidly. Shen Zheng had produced a divine game and caused a sensation, making it seem as though Shen Chen had coordinated with him.

Consort Yi was full of doubts. She and her son had endured humiliation and borne burdens beside Consort Liang all these years. Could it be that they were just making a wedding dress for her son?

As soon as she entered the room, she nearly tripped over the knocked-over heating stove.

“Chen’er, what on earth happened in the hall today? I couldn’t sleep, so I waited for you to come back and explain.” Consort Yi gave a look to the two maids, signaling them to leave.

Shen Chen glanced back at Consort Yi.

In his previous life, Consort Yi, as soon as she became Empress Dowager, wanted to get rid of Consort Liang. But hindered by the fact that the Marquis of Yongning and Jun Dingyuan had contributed to Shen Chen’s ascension, Shen Chen worried it would cause turmoil in the court, so he made her wait.

But she couldn’t wait. She secretly sent someone to push Consort Liang into the water. Who would have thought Consort Liang was skilled in martial arts and beat the guard half to death instead. This almost aroused Jun Dingyuan’s suspicion, and Jun Dingyuan still held 200,000 troops.

At that time, Shen Chen was fully occupied impeaching Wen Zhuo. When he heard this, he broke out in a cold sweat.

For this short-sighted mother of his, he could only say she was more of a hindrance than a help.

“There’s nothing wrong. Mother, please go back.” Shen Chen raised his hand to wipe his eyes, his tone cold and unwilling to say more.

Consort Yi knew nothing about his state of mind and experiences. Seeing him dejectedly wiping his tears, she only felt angry at his lack of ambition. She couldn’t help but complain, “Shen Chen, a few days ago you said that using the self-harm stratagem could exchange for Wen Zhuo’s support, but then there was no follow-up. Later, you said the Spring Terrace Chess Tournament could win the Jun family’s backing, but I see no results yet. Today, you even helped Shen Zheng at the Special Grace Banquet. What exactly are you busy with!”

“…”

Shen Chen felt a pang in his heart and almost suffocated.

“Mother knows nothing!”

“Then let me know so I can plan with you. Are you and I, mother and son, not as close as that Vice Minister Xie you trust?”

Shen Chen didn’t want to tell her about his rebirth, so he had to change the subject, asking in a deep voice, “Mother, do you remember? Shen Zheng was born dull, suffered great humiliation in Nanping, and even on the way back, he was inarticulate and timid as a mouse. But why has his temperament changed so drastically now? He’s quick-witted, as if protected by the gods, and he actually created an extraordinary game that surpassed the Eight Veins, startling everyone.”

If all of this was orchestrated by Wen Zhuo, it seemed a bit far-fetched.

What about Zhuge Liang? He assisted the dull Adou, but still lost the Han dynasty.

If Shen Zheng was just a piece of mud that couldn’t be plastered onto a wall, no matter how brilliant Wen Zhuo’s strategies were, he wouldn’t succeed.

But it just so happened that this piece of mud was turning into gold.

Consort Yi thought for a moment, then suddenly her expression flickered, her face turning pale. She stepped back and said fearfully, “Could it be the return of his soul?”

“What?” Shen Chen frowned impatiently.

He had hoped to get some clues from Consort Yi—maybe details he had overlooked in his childhood, or any unusual behavior from Consort Liang. Instead, he heard such superstitious nonsense.

But Consort Yi was very serious. She cautiously looked around the hall again before speaking solemnly to Shen Chen, “Back when Consort Liang was about to give birth, I was also pregnant. I heard she gave birth to a prince, so I hurriedly wrote to an old acquaintance in Nanzhou. That person was well-versed in the ways of spirits and ghosts. He did a divination and said that child had the wisdom of a top scholar, with boundless prospects! I feared that with the support of the Marquis of Yongning, he might be made Crown Prince in the future, posing a threat to you and me. So I begged the old acquaintance to perform a ritual and draw out his soul…”

Recalling the scene from over a decade ago, Consort Yi was still so nervous that her hands were sweating: “I took advantage of Consort Liang’s nap to steal a lock of Shen Zheng’s hair and a piece of his childhood clothing. I secretly sent them out of the palace to the old acquaintance. He then gave me seven incense sticks and told me to burn them beside Shen Zheng every night. Trembling with fear, I stuffed the incense into the burner and performed the ritual in coordination with him for seven days…”

Shen Chen couldn’t help but interrupt her, “What nonsense is this, Mother? Have you forgotten the lesson of Emperor Wu of Han? How can you believe in such witchcraft and curses!”

Consort Yi retorted anxiously, “But Shen Zheng indeed could not speak at three, only started to run and jump at four, and could recite poems at six. He was early abandoned by His Majesty. Doesn’t that prove the witchcraft was useful!”

Shen Chen: “That’s because he was naturally dull!”

Consort Yi pressed, “If he was naturally dull, how do you explain today!”

Shen Chen was momentarily speechless.

Consort Yi said slowly, “My old acquaintance said he would send that soul to the farthest place, making it impossible to find its original body. But if he meets someone of equal cultivation who sees that fate has been tampered with, that person might correct the error and draw the soul back into Shen Zheng’s body. Do you think, on his way back to the capital, he might have encountered that soul?”

Shen Chen: “What soul, what cultivation? I am the chosen one! Mother, I don’t have time to listen to these tales now!”

Consort Yi had wanted to consult the old acquaintance again, but seeing Shen Chen’s attitude, she also got angry: “Suit yourself if you don’t believe!”

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Shen Chen’s mind: “Could it be that the real Shen Zheng died long ago, and someone found a perfect double to replace him?”

But the moment the thought arose, he dismissed it. Wen Zhuo had returned with them. When would he have had the time to find someone to swap with Shen Zheng?

Besides, he didn’t believe there was anyone in the world who looked exactly alike.

He had once secretly sent someone to push Shen Zheng off the Phoenix Terrace to his death. During the struggle, Shen Zheng scratched the eunuch’s throat. The eunuch said Shen Zheng’s fingers were longer than ordinary people’s, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to hurt him.

Today at the banquet, he observed carefully. Shen Zheng’s fingers were indeed longer than normal.

The sky was turning a pale blue-gray. Dawn was breaking. Shen Chen took a deep breath and gradually calmed down.

Thinking about why Shen Zheng had changed so much was now meaningless. Fight, then. Whether it was the return of his soul or a substitution, let him fight. He, Shen Chen, was born into the imperial family, with ambitions burning. He had never been afraid of a fight!

Perhaps Wen Zhuo had forgotten that he still held a deadly card in his hand.

Since the Marquis of Yongning could not be used by him, then he might as well send him to his death!

As for the strategy of leveraging power that Wen Zhuo had offered, he didn’t have to use it on Shen Zheng; he could use it on the Crown Prince.

If the Crown Prince was deposed, apart from him, who else could Gong Zhiyuan support?

With the backing of the Gong family, he might still have a chance to fight!

At the beginning of the hour of Si, the sun had already climbed to the top of the palace walls. Golden light spilled over the golden tiles and red steps, a flow of shimmering brilliance.

Several palaces had been cleaned spotless, and the various halls were peaceful and serene.

Suddenly, a hasty commotion broke the tranquility within the palace walls—

Shen Zheng bounced up from the brocade couch like a spring, his face still bearing the drowsiness from drunkenness. But he didn’t bother to sober up, nor did he wait for the servants to attend to him. Hastily, he grabbed the brocade robe beside the bed and the leather belt at his waist, hurriedly putting them on, not willing to waste a single second.

These ancient clothes were truly cumbersome. He remembered how, back in the day when he had to rush for early morning classes, he could dress neatly in twenty seconds, finish washing in three minutes, and dash out of the dormitory with great agility.

The young eunuch beside him was astonished. While urging someone to bring water, he asked, “Your Highness, you only returned at the hour of Chou last night, dead drunk. How can you only sleep this little?”

Shen Zheng, while fastening his belt, replied rapidly, “Granny Wang at Huiyang Gate will stop selling ‘cat treats’ soon!”

The young eunuch had gotten used to Shen Zheng calling the date cake “cat treats.” He scratched his head in confusion, “Your Highness is as precious as gold. Is it just for this?”

“I promised someone.”

“There are plenty of places to buy date cakes in the capital. Why not just switch to another vendor? Ordinary people can’t tell the difference anyway.”

Shen Zheng fastened his jade belt and put on his boots. Before leaving, he patted the young eunuch’s shoulder: “Either don’t make promises, or if you do, don’t half-ass them. Otherwise, you’ll be in big trouble.”

With that, he threw down the cloth he used to wipe his face, spat out a mouthful of mouthwash into the bronze basin, and disappeared in an instant.

Shen Zheng had indeed woken up late. Last night’s socializing couldn’t be taken lightly. He had drunk cup after cup, getting drunk for the first time.

Fortunately, the Father Emperor had rewarded him with many things. Relying on the power of money, he managed to buy the last piece of date cake from Granny Wang.

It was still warm, with a fragrant aroma seeping into his nose. He tucked it into his sleeve and headed straight for the Wen residence.

After knocking on the door, he learned that Wen Zhuo hadn’t woken up yet.

Shen Zheng strode in with the date cake: “How come your master wakes up even later than me? Let me go see him.”

Liu Qiying reached out to stop him but missed: “Your Highness! The master hasn’t changed clothes yet, it’s inconvenient!”

Shen Zheng said shamelessly, “The teacher and I are both men. What’s inconvenient about it?”

Liu Qiying: “…” Damn it, how exactly should he explain this!

Wen Zhuo had spent a long time crouching outside the hall in the cold wind last night. Before returning to the residence, he had also schemed against Ukan. By the time he actually fell asleep, the sky was already bright.

He was utterly exhausted, so much so that he didn’t even notice Shen Zheng coming to his bedside.

“Your Highness.” Liu Qiying followed closely, whispering, “Last night, our master remembered something urgent and said he must go to the palace to see you immediately. Did you two discuss it?”

Shen Zheng was taken aback: “Didn’t he go to watch my chess game last night?”

Liu Qiying shook his head, then took out a small cloisonné box from his sleeve, a deep worry in his eyes: “When I was tidying up this morning, I noticed the cabinet had been moved. Upon closer inspection, one of the red pills in the box was missing.”

Liu Qiying opened the box, revealing a single pill as deep red as blood, exactly the kind the three Mu family members had eaten.

“Before the master left, he said if he didn’t think about it now, it would be too late. But whenever he thinks about it, he gets a headache. I’m afraid…”

Shen Zheng’s heart sank instantly. To have ruined the bodies of the three Mu family members to that extent, this drug was probably an ultra-high-dose central nervous system stimulant.

Wen Zhuo was already frail and prone to illness. Wouldn’t eating this stuff shorten his lifespan?

Jiang Mannü was terrified upon hearing this, and the basin of water in her hands almost slipped: “What! You mean the master—”

Wen Zhuo was startled awake by her loud shout. Dazed, his consciousness was still floating in the clouds, not yet descended.

He stared blankly at a spot, trying to gather his wits, when he felt a strong force lift him up and sit him upright.

Wen Zhuo’s hair was disheveled, his clothes in disarray. Blinded by the sunlight slanting through the window, he blinked a few times before making out Shen Zheng’s extremely serious face.

Shen Zheng reached out to brush away the stray hairs clinging to his lashes, and asked in what could only be described as a gentle voice, “Teacher, did you take this drug?”

Wen Zhuo’s gaze dropped, and he saw Shen Zheng’s other hand holding the last red pill.

He didn’t know where Shen Zheng had found it; he just stared blankly, his brain still half-asleep.

“I’m going to make you drink saltwater to flush your stomach in a bit. It’ll be a little uncomfortable, so bear with it.” With that, Shen Zheng’s fingertips applied slight pressure, crushing the last red pill into powder. He said in a calm but heavy voice, “If I need the teacher to take this drug to assist me, then I am no better than a waste, not worth it.”

Wen Zhuo shivered for no reason. Although Shen Zheng’s voice remained gentle, he could distinctly detect anger in it.

He murmured, “I didn’t take it. Yesterday, when you won, I wanted to come up with it. I never intended to take it in the first place.”

As he spoke, his drowsiness had completely dissipated, and his mind was fully clear.

He looked at his proper sitting posture, looked at Shen Zheng’s tight jawline, and then at the pile of red pill fragments on the floor.

Wen Zhuo lifted his neck slightly, stared at Shen Zheng in disbelief, and suddenly pressed his lips together: “Are you yelling at me?”

The solemnity in Shen Zheng’s eyes instantly melted away, replaced by an easygoing smile: “How would I dare yell at you, teacher? I’m just afraid you won’t get to eat the date cake while it’s still hot.”

With that, he gently shook his sleeve, and a fragrant oil-paper package rolled out, landing with a “thud” in front of Wen Zhuo.