Chapter 30#

On this otherwise ordinary day, news of the divine game at the Special Grace Banquet had already spread through every street and alley of the capital.#

Emperor Shunyuan’s word was law. From then on, Great Qian would no longer have only Eight Veins, but Nine Veins. The founder of the Ninth Vein, the Gate of Meng, was the Fifth Imperial Prince, Shen Zheng.

When the news first spread, the entire city was in uproar. The many self-important chess players of the capital, as well as the high officials, wealthy gentry, and local magnates who had come from various prefectures, all scoffed at it.

The nineteen-year-old Nanping Trio defeating the chess players of Great Qian was already absurd enough. This Fifth Imperial Prince had been a hostage for ten years and was only eighteen now. To say he could establish his own vein was nothing short of a fantasy.

It was nothing more than the old emperor loving face and trying to boost his own son’s standing!

“Pfft. This year’s Spring Terrace Chess Gathering was an utter mess. Unspeakable.” An old chess player slammed the table heavily, shaking his head and sighing.

Someone nearby chimed in: “Isn’t that so? The imperial court has already become like this, officials helping Nanping cheat, and now a ‘divine game’ pops up. Fine, one younger than the other. What kind of outlook does Great Qian even have anymore?”

“Yeah. In that environment at Nanping, I don’t believe the Fifth Prince could have comprehended a divine game. It’s probably some high-ranking official from the Eight Veins who helped him cheat again.”

“Shh, keep your voice down. Aren’t you afraid the Five City Military Patrol will come for you?”

“I can’t swallow this anger. I’m going to say it. I heard this Fifth Imperial Prince was born dull-witted, which is why His Majesty abandoned him and sent him as a hostage. Now they want to say he’s exceptionally gifted?”

While the crowd was bickering heatedly, someone suddenly pointed to the center of the chess hall: “Wait, come look!”

In the center of the main hall of every chess house in the capital, a huge public chessboard had been erected. The board surface was light brown, the grid lines deep red, and the pieces were the size of fists.

This was a century-old tradition of the chess houses. Whenever a chess game of such exquisite quality emerged—worthy of being passed down through the ages—this public board was set up, inviting chess players from all over to view the game for free and preserve it for posterity.

As stones were placed on the board one by one, black and white seemed like two dragons locked in a deadly struggle. Black used every trick in the book; white wielded its forces like a divine general. On that spotless board, a brutal, bloody battle of clashing armies seemed to unfold.

When White captured one of Black’s stones, the crowd below sighed in regret. When Black used force to break through, they applauded and gasped in cold sweat.

Until finally, Black lost by two points, falling from the heavens. The onlookers felt as if they were watching a great general in his twilight years, and they rose in silent respect.

After a long silence, someone suddenly exclaimed in praise: “A fine game! A marvelous game! Truly the greatest chess game of Great Qian!”

“Just this one game is enough for us to study for a year. It’s practically flawless. Both black and white stones could be deified!”

Another chess player gasped: “This game doesn’t follow the techniques of the Eight Veins. It truly establishes its own vein. Who still dares to call this cheating? I dare say not a single person among the Eight Veins could play such a game!”

“In Great Qian, chess players are won over by chess. No matter who this person is, how old they are, or what their status is, they deserve the title ‘Chess Saint.’ Their skill surpasses all!”

The chess house manager jumped onto a small platform, brimming with excitement, and shouted out the inside story of the Special Grace Banquet to the public: “Do you all know? At the Special Grace Banquet, the Nanping envoy caused trouble again, claiming that Great Qian’s case of secret dealings was false and wanting to overturn the verdict for the three sons of the Wood clan. It was the Fifth Imperial Prince who stepped forward. In just one hour, he laid down this shocking game, leaving the Nanping envoy speechless and utterly ashamed!”

“So such a thing happened? The Fifth Prince answered the call in a time of crisis and upheld the dignity of Great Qian’s chess players!”

“Could it be that the Fifth Prince is truly wise in seeming foolish? Heaven blesses Great Qian! First his maternal uncle, Lord Dingyuan, defeated Nanping, and now the Fifth Prince glorifies our nation’s might!”

The manager added mysteriously: “The Fifth Prince said that two non-human forms were playing chess in his mind and left behind this game. The Imperial Observatory immediately observed the celestial signs and discovered that the Fifth Prince’s spiritual aperture had returned and he was protected by the gods!”

“No wonder. Without divine protection, how could he have produced such a game?”

“The Fifth Prince is truly chosen by heaven. As the saying goes: when heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it first must torment his mind and will and exhaust his body. So the Fifth Prince tempered himself for ten years before startling the world with his brilliance.”

“Brother, you shouldn’t say things like that carelessly. If it gets out, they’ll say you have malicious intent.”

“The celestial signs show it. Can they stop the mouths of the masses?”

…

Even Shen Zheng himself didn’t know that by now, he had become the Chess Saint in the people’s hearts—one who had propped up the collapsing pillars and turned the tide against the odds.

At this very moment, he was nervously preparing for his first-ever audience at court.

Strictly speaking, as a prince bearing the name of a hostage, his mere existence was a slap in the face to Emperor Shunyuan. The emperor had no desire to see him again, let alone have him at court.

But now, things were different. He was a meritorious statesman who had endured humiliation and kept Great Qian in his heart. He was a hero protected by the gods who had crushed Nanping. The more Emperor Shunyuan looked at him, the more he felt honored.

However, this favor of attending court had come too early. Shen Zheng hadn’t yet learned all those tedious court protocols.

He now felt a sense of déjà vu—like defending his thesis and spouting nonsense in front of industry big shots.

Inside the Martial Valor Hall, the officials had arrived early. Emperor Shunyuan hadn’t come yet. Shen Zheng stood among the cluster of princes, utterly bored.

So he decided to find someone to chat with.

He shuffled forward a few steps and lightly tapped on the broad, steady back in front of him. Addressing the man who stood as firm as Mount Tai, he said, “I sat far away at the Special Grace Banquet and didn’t get a good look. Elder Brother, you’re eight feet tall, with a cheetah’s head and round eyes, extraordinary and heroic. You must be the Crown Prince, right?”

As soon as he said this, the court officials seemed to have their throats cut. They fell silent, stopped gossiping, stopped adjusting their court robes. Their eyes and brows all carried a hint of eagerness for a show.

Prince Xian hadn’t paid much attention to this younger brother he hadn’t seen in ten years. Who would have thought he’d shine so brightly at the Special Grace Banquet, making their father extremely happy, earning repeated praise?

Prince Xian, stuck in a high position and relegated to a supporting role, actually felt a bit sour. But he had always been an amiable prince, always maintaining an appearance of magnanimity. Unlike the Crown Prince, who had been cursing with his faction as soon as they left the Hall of Preserving Harmony.

Regarding Shen Zheng, Prince Xian was still in a wait-and-see state. Whether he would be a threat or an ally in the future remained unknown. So he hadn’t rashly approached Shen Zheng.

Who would have thought that today, Shen Zheng would come in and shower him with praise, especially that remark about looking like the Crown Prince—it flattered him immensely, making him feel light and carefree.

Prince Xian chuckled softly and turned around: “It’s been many years, so it’s no wonder the Fifth Brother doesn’t recognize me. I am the Eldest Brother.”

Shen Zheng’s face showed no awkwardness. In fact, he had already guessed as much: “Oh, Eldest Brother. How are you, Eldest Brother?”

He almost started singing.

Prince Xian found this quite soothing. He reached out and patted Shen Zheng on the shoulder, fully embodying his title of Prince Xian (the Virtuous): “I’m doing well, thanks for your concern, Fifth Brother. You’ve just returned. If you ever run into any trouble in the capital, feel free to come to me.”

Shen Zheng was full of sweet talk and immediately shifted the topic: “I’m new here. Yesterday I heard that the wall in the study of my maternal grandfather’s mansion has cracks. It probably needs to be torn down and rebuilt. The old man has lived there for so many years—he wants to do a proper renovation. I’ll need quite a bit of material. Can the Construction and Maintenance Department of the Ministry of Works approve it?”

In Great Qian, the scale of construction for official residences was strictly regulated. If a residence exceeded the allowed size, even a prince’s mansion could be forcibly demolished by the Construction and Maintenance Department.

Even if the secret passage was short, it would still require a fair amount of material, which would inevitably draw the attention of the Ministry of Works. And the Minister of Works, Shang Zhiqin, was a man of Prince Xian.

Prince Xian laughed heartily: “Well, it’s good that Fifth Brother has such filial piety. That’s no problem. Just have Minister Shang inform the lower offices. The Marquis’s residence is decades old now; it’s time for a renovation.”

Such a small favor, Prince Xian was happy to grant.

Shen Zheng clasped his hands in pleasant surprise: “Thank you, Eldest Brother. You’ll always be my brother.”

Then his gaze shifted to another figure—an arrogant, unapproachable silhouette: “And this one here—big ears, a square face, a round belly, and looking hale and hearty—must be the Crown Prince.”

The term “hale and hearty” was usually used to describe someone old but strong. When the Prince Xian faction in the court heard this, they couldn’t help pulling up their sleeves to cover their mouths and snickering. They didn’t know whether to blame the Fifth Prince for his inappropriate phrasing or the Crown Prince for looking so old.

As for Crown Prince Shen Zhen, it was as if someone had splashed a bowl of chili oil in his face. His complexion turned red, and he gnashed his teeth.

“Fifth Brother certainly has a silver tongue.”

“Not at all. If I were as lucky with food as the Crown Prince, I wouldn’t be so skinny.” Shen Zheng bowed modestly, a threefold act of humility.

Since he had just flattered Prince Xian, it didn’t matter if he offended the Crown Prince.

The worst thing a person can do is want to have it both ways, trying to please everyone and likely ending up pleasing no one.

Besides, the Crown Prince had just rolled his eyes almost out of their sockets. Shen Zheng decided to retaliate.

As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze turned to the Third Prince, Shen Ting. Shen Ting, caught off guard, twitched.

He had been quietly watching the spectacle, but now Shen Zheng was turning his sights on him. He forced a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes: “Fifth Brother, I’m your Third Brother. I’m really happy you’re back.”

Better to shut him up before the idiot says something incoherent.

Shen Zheng looked down and noticed that Shen Ting was leaning on a crutch. But it wasn’t because one leg was longer than the other. His left leg was skewed outward, his knee joint visibly bent, which made his legs appear uneven.

He suddenly clapped his hands, feigning enlightenment: “Third Brother, this is… this is a calcium deficiency!”

This remark sparked curiosity throughout the hall. The Third Prince’s leg condition was due to his mother’s fright during pregnancy, which had compressed his leg. What did “calcium deficiency” mean?

“How old are you, Third Brother?” Shen Zheng asked with concern.

Shen Ting was startled by the question. Thinking that Nanping might have some knowledge about this, he replied hesitantly: “Twenty-six.”

Shen Zheng’s urgency suddenly vanished, and he said euphemistically: “After eighteen, there’s no cure.”

“…”

Shen Ting’s breath caught in his chest. He couldn’t exhale, and even his crutch began to tremble slightly.

With these three having set the example, the remaining princes became more proactive than ever, each eager to avoid becoming the next laughingstock on the court.

Shen He was the fairest-skinned among the princes. His brows were clear and wide, slanting toward his temples. He gave off an air of carefree ease.

Patting his belly in front of Shen Zheng, he said with a smile: “If Fifth Brother is looking for good food, just come to the Fourth Brother. I know every delicacy in the capital like the back of my hand.”

Shen Chen, standing at the end of the line, was rather short and seemed restrained. Fortunately, his features were delicate, and his eyes were exceptionally clear, like autumn waters, overflowing with sincerity.

“The day before yesterday, Fifth Brother crushed Nanping. I went back and told Consort Yi about it. She was thrilled and clapped for you. Over the years, she and Consort Liang have been burning incense and praying daily, hoping for your early return. Now, it’s truly a dream come true.”

Shen Chen’s words were so warm. Everyone knew that Consort Yi and Consort Liang were sisters. It was only natural that he would be close with Shen Zheng.

“How thoughtful, you lily-livered jerk.” Shen Zheng smiled wryly. If he hadn’t known that Shen Chen wanted him dead and had taken his place, he might have thought this kid was a sweet little brother.

Shen Chen blinked, full of confusion: “Fifth Brother, what does ’lily-livered jerk’ mean?”

Shen Zheng: “It means ‘a gentle breeze ripples the spring water, where good birds perch at dusk.’ It’s a compliment.”

Shen Chen smiled sweetly and cupped his hands: “Thank you, Fifth Brother. It’s quite poetic. Very pleasant to hear.”

When Wen Zhuo, dressed in a bright red court robe, stepped into the Martial Valor Hall, Shen Zheng was in the middle of his antics.

At that moment, most of the officials were sizing up this Fifth Prince. Wen Zhuo could also take the opportunity to look at him openly.

He had to admit, standing among the other princes, Shen Zheng’s bearing and posture were the most outstanding.

Once, he had been so timid and submissive that it dimmed much of his heroic spirit. But now, with his confidence and vitality, he was truly a pleasure to behold.

It was just that he had been swallowing eggs and lifting stones every day, so his body was much more muscular than when they first met. Sharing a sedan chair was now very cramped. They had to snuggle together.

Perhaps they should get a roomier sedan chair one of these days.

While Wen Zhuo was idly musing, Xie Langyang felt a deep bitterness in his heart.

He had already removed the tassel from his waist. Now, dressed simply, he looked just as he had when they first met.

But since entering the hall, Wen Zhuo’s gaze had stuck to Shen Zheng, not glancing over at him even once. He didn’t even care whether Xie Langyang was wearing someone else’s gift.

Soon, a herald’s voice rang out from outside the hall. Eunuch Liu Quan was supporting Emperor Shunyuan as he entered.

The emperor had drunk too much two days ago, and his legs had become even more unsteady, numb and weak. He could only walk by leaning on Liu Quan.

The hall instantly fell into dead silence. The officials bowed.

Emperor Shunyuan pinched his brow and scanned the crowd. His tone was slow but authoritative: “This court now seems much more spacious than before. It’s quite pleasing to the eye. Recently, I ordered you to recommend officials. But some of you have ulterior motives, recommending either your own disciples or old retainers. Are you trying to form factions and covet imperial power?”

At this, the Crown Prince’s faction and Prince Xian’s faction were startled. They quickly knelt down: “We dare not! We have no such intention!”

Emperor Shunyuan gave a cold snort: “In this regard, you could learn from Wen Wanshan. He handled the Spring Terrace Chess Gathering case with great diligence and even fell ill from overwork. I asked him to help recommend talent. He recommended only learned scholars who had been overlooked. These people have no connection with him and have never visited the Hanlin Academy. But his former subordinate, Gu Weizhi, was recommended by Xue Chongnian, who has a sharp eye for talent. I see that Gu Weizhi has indeed rendered meritorious service in Bozhou. He is a promising talent. Wanshan—”

Emperor Shunyuan shifted his tone, speaking earnestly: “I must also say this to you: when recommending the worthy, you should not avoid your acquaintances. You shouldn’t have left out your old associate.”

Wen Zhuo lowered his eyes and bent his knees to kneel. His voice carried a hint of shame: “I thought Your Majesty wanted recommendations for capital officials, so I neglected talented people from other regions. In this regard, I am not as thorough in my thinking as Lord Xue.”

Xue Chongnian quickly stepped forward, waving his hands repeatedly: “No, no! I merely had a flash of inspiration. I thought Lord Gu had rendered service to the state and deserved to be promoted. It’s not that I have deeper insight than Minister Wen.”

Emperor Shunyuan hadn’t intended to blame Wen Zhuo anyway. His indifferent attitude toward his old subordinates was actually reassuring.

But seeing Wen Zhuo always with his head down, seemingly truly remorseful, the emperor felt a twinge of sympathy.

“I’m not blaming you. Get up. Mm… Minister Wen has performed meritorious service in recommending talent. Bestow: one set of official kiln jade ware, two sets of each of the four treasures of the study, five jin of Pre-Rain Longjing tea, and ten bolts of cloud-pattern brocade silk.”

An official from the Ministry of Revenue quickly recorded the list. The total value of these rewards was several times richer than what Xue Chongnian had received for actually recommending Gu Weizhi.

But Xue Chongnian had no complaints. Instead, he secretly worried whether the emperor’s tactic of praising one to demean another might make Wen Zhuo uncomfortable.

This scene did not escape Shen Chen’s notice. While no one was looking, he rolled his eyes dramatically.

This Xue Chongnian was an idiot, being sold by someone and still counting the money.

He didn’t even need to investigate to know that Gu Weizhi had been recommended by Wen Zhuo. Wen Zhuo had just manipulated Xue Chongnian into acting as the front, so he could play the role of an isolated minister before the emperor.

“Now that this matter is settled and the war has subsided, order Jun Dingyuan to return triumphantly to court. On that day, all my ministers and I will welcome the meritorious general together on the Imperial Hall’s Long Street!”

With his final words, Emperor Shunyuan withdrew and went to rest.

Once the emperor had left, the ministers kowtowed and then gradually departed from the Martial Valor Hall.

Wen Zhuo dusted off his knees. The earlier remorse was completely gone. He caught a glimpse of Xie Langyang looking distracted and burdened, and he knew that Shen Chen had given him another task that went against his conscience.

A sudden idea struck Wen Zhuo. Taking advantage of Xie Langyang’s presence, he walked straight toward Shen Chen, who was about to leave: “Sixth Prince, please wait.”

Hearing this voice, Shen Chen stiffened slightly. His expression shifted multiple times before instantly turning into an innocent smile as he turned around: “Minister Wen?”

Xie Langyang’s heart tightened. He quickly focused his attention.

In this court, no one knew the entanglements and secrets between the three of them. Now that they were finally facing each other, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Wen Zhuo smiled at Shen Chen: “So the Sixth Prince is already able to attend court again.”

Shen Chen blinked his round eyes, looking shy: “Thanks to Father Emperor’s grace and your concern, Minister. It was permitted at the banquet that day.”

He still had to pretend he hadn’t been reborn, to put Wen Zhuo off guard. So he showed great respect toward Wen Zhuo.

But Wen Zhuo raised an eyebrow: “I wasn’t concerned about you. That day, Director Xie pleaded for you, but I denied it. The Sixth Prince won’t hold a grudge, will you?”

Shen Chen’s smile nearly faltered. He was gnashing his teeth in his heart, but he dared not show it on his face: “How could I? I truly misspoke.”

Wen Zhuo nodded: “The Sixth Prince is so understanding. That reassures me. Since ancient times, love between men has often been false, full of broken vows and betrayals, utterly untrustworthy. This court has worked hard to restore order. I hope the Prince will henceforth avoid such reckless remarks, lest they disrupt the ethos of Great Qian and cost you your father’s esteem.”

Shen Chen’s molars ached. He forced the words out through clenched teeth: “Thank you for the reminder, Minister.”

These words stabbed into Xie Langyang’s heart like a sharp knife, causing him unbearable pain.

He knew that Wen Zhuo was saying this to him—mocking him, taunting him, reproaching him for betraying a true heart.

But now he wanted to make amends. He had already noticed the mistakes he had overlooked in his past life. He had already tasted the heart-wrenching pain of Wen Zhuo being imprisoned.

Xie Langyang couldn’t help but step forward, his voice hoarse: “Wanshan… I…”

Wen Zhuo looked at Shen Chen, then at Xie Langyang. He let out a derisive laugh and suddenly asked: “On the day of the Imperial Hall’s Long Street, did the Sixth Prince also return?”

His voice was very low, but it struck like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, instantly altering Xie Langyang’s expression and freezing Shen Chen’s blood.

But Shen Chen reacted quickly, hurriedly pretending to be confused: “What did you say, Minister? I didn’t catch it.”

Xie Langyang took several deep breaths. His gaze flickered nervously between Shen Chen and Wen Zhuo. Finally, he shook his head with difficulty: “… No, I didn’t. Wanshan, why would you mention this here!”

Wen Zhuo smiled. The smile carried a reckless, unrestrained defiance. Since Shen Chen said he hadn’t heard, Wen Zhuo leaned in closer and spoke in a voice only they could hear—

“I once taught you that the essence of strategy is to confuse the opponent and arbitrage the price difference. Now, there are two possibilities: one, you’ve returned, but you convinced Xie Langyang to keep it from me and put on an act; two, you don’t know anything, but Xie Langyang told you everything. But in truth, whether you’ve returned or not, whether you’re acting or not, it doesn’t matter. Because every step you can think of is merely a choice I’ve given you. From this day forward, no matter how you struggle, you will only end up in utter ruin.”

Xie Langyang stood frozen in shock. He never imagined that Wen Zhuo would so directly expose the matter of rebirth!

The muscles on Shen Chen’s face twitched. He began by putting on a bewildered, startled, and confused expression. Even as Wen Zhuo started speaking, he had already prepared a script.

But by the time Wen Zhuo had finished, Shen Chen’s face was devoid of any expression. He just stared coldly at this former mentor, now mortal enemy.

His earlier show of a smiling welcome and feigned innocence had become a colossal joke.

What he had thought was gaining the upper hand was, in Wen Zhuo’s eyes, nothing but a clumsy performance.

“I knew it.” Seeing Shen Chen’s eyes revert to their cold and calculating gleam, Wen Zhuo knew his guess was correct. “Truly, as the saying goes: times change, and retribution cycles around.”

Shen Chen smiled coldly. With his hands behind his back, he left behind a sinister remark: “We’ll see, Minister Wen.”

Then he flicked his sleeves and walked away.

Xie Langyang was shocked and panicked. He grabbed Wen Zhuo’s sleeve and urged him in a low, urgent voice: “I already begged His Highness to let you return to your hometown peacefully this time. Why must you confront him like this!”

Wen Zhuo violently shook off his hand, his tone full of scorn: “What dream is Director Xie having? I, Wen, have reached the pinnacle of officialdom. I don’t need his permission.”

Xie Langyang’s palm was empty, his heart empty. He fell silent.

He thought to himself: Wanshan doesn’t know that Shen Chen is already planning to strike at Jun Dingyuan.

Today, at court, Shen Zheng had spoken recklessly and had already offended the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince would inevitably go after the Jun family relentlessly.

The Third Prince’s foundation was far weaker than the Crown Prince’s. In this life, the Jun family would likely have a harder time escaping danger than in the previous one.

Shen Chen had probably already calculated this in advance.

Oh well. When this matter is settled and the Fifth Prince has lost all chance of inheriting the throne, he would talk to Wen Zhuo properly.

Xie Langyang turned and left, disheartened.

Wen Zhuo had tricked Shen Chen into revealing his true face. Knowing that the ungrateful brat would be furious enough to make his lungs ache, Wen Zhuo felt immensely pleased, a smile in his eyes.

But as he slightly turned his head, he saw Shen Zheng standing there, gazing at him quietly.

The Martial Valor Hall was now nearly empty, but it was still not the right place to talk. Although Wen Zhuo sensed that Shen Zheng’s expression was off, he could only look away, steady himself, and walk out.

As soon as he left the Imperial Hall’s Long Street and stepped into his sedan chair outside the palace gate, the curtain lifted and Shen Zheng followed him inside.

A few sedan chairs were still leaving. Whether they noticed or not, Wen Zhuo was startled. He quickly lifted the curtain to check. Seeing no one spying, he breathed a little easier.

“Your Highness, why are you following me?”

Shen Zheng’s expression was still calm, but it was a calm that bordered on sadness. He didn’t squeeze next to him or hold him as he usually did. Instead, he just smiled and asked: “Minister, were those words you said just now sincere?”

Wen Zhuo could tell that Shen Zheng didn’t really want to smile. There was no joy in his eyes.

“What words?”

“Since ancient times, love between men has often been false, full of broken vows and betrayals, utterly untrustworthy.” Shen Zheng repeated his earlier words, staring into his eyes, quoting verbatim.

Realizing that Shen Zheng hadn’t heard the rest of the conversation, Wen Zhuo breathed a sigh of relief and replied: “Of course. Such conduct is against the court’s principles, contrary to ethics.”

Shen Zheng’s eyelashes suddenly drooped. After a long pause, he said faintly: “Alright.”