Chapter 78#
A warm sensation came over the back of his hand. Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted slightly, the drowsiness on his face swept away. His eyes moved away from the documents and landed on their overlapping hands beside the page. He saw the old scar at Qi Hanzhou’s tiger’s mouth; the wound had faded until it was almost imperceptible, but upon closer inspection, the scars that had lingered on this hand for years were visible.
Before coming to the capital, Qi Hanzhou had spent many years on the battlefield…
Thinking of this, Ying Fusheng suddenly asked, “Was that scar from the battlefield?”
Qi Hanzhou paused. Ying Fusheng’s head was slightly bowed, strands of black hair falling onto the bedding, his gaze fixed precisely on their overlapping hands. He observed without restraint, somehow brushing against the scar at his tiger’s mouth. “This one is very old, isn’t it?”
“From practicing martial arts as a child, not knowing my own strength.” Qi Hanzhou paused, then silently pulled the documents away. Ying Fusheng, before he could read further, found his hands empty and looked at him in confusion. “I haven’t finished reading yet.”
“It’s getting late. You should rest.” Qi Hanzhou placed the documents on the side table. “Your Highness has entered the court, and there are no few chaotic affairs among the officials. With the enemy in shadow and us in the light, if Your Highness wishes to find the person behind the scenes, your health must be nurtured well.”
Qi Hanzhou walked very quickly.
In the palace, he had never walked this fast.
After Qi Hanzhou left, Song An from outside the courtyard came in to tidy up his things. It was indeed time for him to rest. He suddenly asked, “Any movement from the palace?”
Song An had left the palace city, but his connections within the palace remained. He had been keeping people watching the movements of the rear palace. “Your Highness, rest assured. The ones you instructed us to watch are all being monitored. For now, everything is as usual.”
Youzhou City. The tragedy of Youzhou City in the northern border back then—because reinforcements arrived too late, the defending generals and the entire city’s populace perished tragically, leaving it a city of ghosts. Qi Hanzhou had been in the Embroidered Uniform Guard for many years and had been investigating this matter all along. His past life was the same. The specifics of the military funds case pointed to Jiangnan and Western Shu. The truth of Youzhou City back then must be inseparable from the person committing crimes behind the scenes.
Too slow.
Ying Fusheng couldn’t wait to see him slip up.
Too much hatred—hatred of his origins, hatred of his ailing body… and countless karmic debts that couldn’t be settled in two lifetimes.
-*
The Emperor specially permitted the Sixth Prince to skip court when he was unwell. Given the mess the Ministry of Works was in at present, the old foxes all knew the Emperor was doing this deliberately. Liu Yunshi, the Minister of Works, smoothed things over right up to the court. Faced with others speaking about the Ministry’s situation, he agreed with everything, but when it came to important matters, he suddenly played dumb and said they needed to consult with the Supervisor of Works, pushing the matter back onto the Sixth Prince.
The Sixth Prince’s entry into the Ministry of Works truly made him the ministry’s universal shield.
A frail but upright prince, paired with a slick, feigning fool of a minister, somehow managed to hold together the shambles of the Ministry of Works.
The Lingxiao Terrace, this massive project that everyone seemed to interfere with, was in fact completely controlled by Liu Yunshi, the Minister of Works, himself.
Inside the Second Prince’s residence, in a secret chamber within the study, a sand table occupying almost the entire room was placed there. Every single palace path within the capital’s palace city, down to every alley in the capital, was displayed on the sand table with extreme detail. Several markers were placed on the site of the Ministry of Works’ official building.
He listened as the subordinate beside him reported the covert movements of court officials. Because of the Lingxiao Terrace matter, many had realized the importance of this Sixth Prince. The First Prince had already begun thinking of drawing him in, and during this time, he had visited him many times under this pretext.
“The burned brain has become an excuse,” the advisor said. “This way, the other princes won’t be wary of him, but will instead see him as someone to recruit. Your Highness, this is disadvantageous to us.”
Not just the princes—even the Emperor would prioritize using the Sixth Prince as a convenient pawn.
The Supervisor of Works at the Ministry, and the Yun family had even built momentum for the Seventh Prince, waiting for him to leave the palace and establish his own residence next year to push things forward.
Before the Sixth Prince appeared, the Second Prince had intended to secretly insert several people into the Ministry of Works. The Xu family had collapsed too quickly, preventing some of their strategies from being implemented. Now, this excellent opportunity at the Ministry of Works had been ruined by the Sixth Prince… So wouldn’t everything they had prepared go to waste?
The advisor looked at the composed Second Prince. The First Prince was searching for a perfect solution, but faced with such a change, the Second Prince showed no ripple of emotion, as if he had long known that the Sixth Prince’s entry into court would lead to this. Watching this prince who had repeatedly escaped from whirlpools, he understood that what he plotted was far from petty immediate gains.
The Second Prince’s expression shifted slightly. “Let the Ministry of Works be chaotic. The Ministry of Personnel must not be moved, at all costs.”
He tossed something casually, landing it on a certain spot on the sand table—exactly on the palace city. “Taking advantage of the chaos, we can accomplish what we want.”
…
July. In the Imperial Garden within the palace city, coinciding with the start of the Flower-Viewing Banquet, musicians played at Wangyue Pavilion.
It was a rare family banquet in the palace. High up in the pavilion, Consort Yun sat beside the Empress Dowager, chatting and laughing, coaxing the Dowager into a rare, light laugh.
At the start of the Flower-Viewing Banquet, when Ying Fusheng entered the palace, many people had already gathered in the princes’ seating area. Princes who had left the palace would return less often; only such royal banquets could bring them together. He paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, and Consort Yun beside him was very warm in her manner toward him.
He avoided the crowd and arrived to find the Eighth Prince.
“Sixth Brother, how have you been feeling lately?” The Eighth Prince was already thirteen, noticeably taller, standing slightly above him.
During the year Ying Fusheng was ill, the Eighth Prince sometimes visited him. But compared to his former naughty and naive nature, he had become much steadier that year, studying especially diligently at Wenhua Hall. Ying Fusheng had heard the Grand Tutor praise him.
Empress Xu had gone to Huguo Temple, so meetings with the Eighth Prince became fewer.
This child seemed to have been forced to grow up after the Beishan Hunting Ground incident, keeping distance from the Xu family remnants. Apart from visiting Empress Xu, he spent the rest of his time buried in Wenhua Hall and the martial arts training grounds.
Ying Fusheng said softly, “Much better.”
“I’ve been practicing martial arts in the outskirts of the capital recently.” The Eighth Prince spoke a bit more quietly than usual when standing in front of him. “My horsemanship has improved a lot.” He didn’t continue. The memory of the Beishan Hunting Ground incident was too deep for him. If not for his sixth brother, he might have truly died in that hunting ground… Actually, he wanted to say that now he could protect him.
He quietly positioned himself on the windward side, shielding Ying Fusheng from the breeze.
“I’ve heard about the Ministry of Works,” the Eighth Prince said. “If Sixth Brother needs help, you can come to me.”
Ying Fusheng knew what he meant—besides the Xu family, there was also the Zhao family.
The Xu family affair hadn’t affected the Zhao family. To win over the remaining Xu faction, two Zhao civil officials had been promoted by the Emperor. He averted his gaze. “In court, if you say something like that, the civil officials will remember it and call it forming a clique.”
The Eighth Prince grew anxious and was about to explain.
“These things have nothing to do with us.” Ying Fusheng paused before speaking. “Stay within your bounds. If you make any unusual moves, who will protect the Zhao family and the Empress?”
“But…” The Eighth Prince heard his sixth brother say this for the first time. Just as he was about to explain, a sound suddenly came from nearby. He startled: “Who’s there!”
Perhaps the voice was too loud. Soon, a small figure approached timidly. She seemed a bit shy but still tried her best to come forward. Ying Fusheng looked—it was the Third Princess. He gestured for the Eighth Prince to calm down, then approached: “What are you doing here?”
The Third Princess glanced at the Eighth Prince but said nothing. She quietly walked behind Ying Fusheng and tugged at the hem of his robe.
The Eighth Prince saw it was the princess. “Why is she here?”
Ying Fusheng looked around but didn’t see Consort Ruan. “She must have wandered here by mistake.”
He saw a palace maid in the distance, apparently searching for the Third Princess.
When she spotted her here, she hurried over. The maid curtsied to both of them before approaching the princess: “Your Highness, how did you get here?”
“Where is Consort Ruan?” the Eighth Prince asked.
The maid was about to explain when suddenly a sharp cry came from a distance.
The cry came from outside the pavilion, instantly alarming all the consorts at Wangyue Pavilion. The imperial guards stationed outside rushed to investigate. They saw a concubine running forward in panic, her steps frantic, as if someone were chasing her. She looked toward the Wangyue Pavilion ahead, as if desperately trying to run there. “H-Help—”
Before the cry could finish, she suddenly slipped and fell into the water.
“Save her!”
The Imperial Garden was vast. For the Flower-Viewing Banquet, many flower-shaped palace lanterns had even been placed in the pond.
By the time the imperial guards arrived, it was too late. The concubine’s figure had disappeared beneath the pond’s surface. Guards who were good swimmers had no choice but to jump in to search.
When they finally brought her up, she was already dead.
At that moment, the Emperor’s procession was just approaching from a distance. The imperial guards immediately sealed off the area.
The Emperor arrived in the pavilion. When the body was pulled up, it was wearing splendid palace attire. Ying Fusheng and the Eighth Prince drew near. Seeing the corpse of the woman, Ying Fusheng immediately covered the Third Princess’s eyes—
It was Consort Ruan.
The First Prince seemed not to expect such an incident at the palace banquet. He quickly stepped forward to inquire about the situation. Ying Fusheng looked through his fingers and saw the Second Prince not far away. The Second Prince looked slightly surprised, his expression consistent with those around him, as if this incident was also beyond his expectations.
But when he noticed Ying Fusheng’s gaze probing, a meaningful smile suddenly appeared on the Second Prince’s face.
Ying Fusheng’s gaze tightened. Turning his head, he saw the Emperor’s expression darken. Then a white cloth was draped over Consort Ruan’s corpse, blocking the surrounding view. The imperial guards and the palace coroner arrived, but the situation was basically as the witnesses had seen—Consort Ruan had fallen into the water and died on her own. This eerie circumstance frightened the surrounding consorts into retreating.
“Just like that time…” An elderly consort dowager suddenly covered her mouth, her face terrified. “Just like that time.”
The Emperor immediately cast a cold glance. “What are you standing around for?”
Corpses could easily frighten the consorts. The imperial guards quickly handled it.
Before long, the perfectly fine Flower-Viewing Banquet was forced to end prematurely due to Consort Ruan’s accidental drowning.
“Elder Brother…” The Third Princess’s voice was timid. She seemed to have heard something, her whole body trembling.
Ying Fusheng said calmly, “Don’t be afraid.”
Consort Ruan, the Third Princess’s birth mother, was a concubine with a fair amount of presence in the palace. She often accompanied Consort Yun and the Empress Dowager, and was someone who knew how to read the situation. Someone like her should have attended the Flower-Viewing Banquet, but tonight she hadn’t arrived early and had died in the Imperial Garden outside Wangyue Pavilion.
The nearby palace maid had already come to soothe the Third Princess. The imperial guards were questioning others about the situation. But Ying Fusheng was intrigued by what the elderly consort dowager had just said. Same as what time? And why had his Imperial Father’s reaction been so strange?
When Qi Hanzhou arrived, the Emperor turned and left. He exchanged a glance with Ying Fusheng and quickly followed.
Yu Guoguo walked over, taking the Third Princess from Ying Fusheng. After that, the Empress Dowager’s expression became somewhat grave. He knew it wasn’t the right time to ask further. As a prince who had left the palace, once the Flower-Viewing Banquet was dismissed, the Emperor ordered them to leave the palace.
“Your Highness,” Song An said.
Ying Fusheng turned back, his expression darkly ominous: “Investigate the palace situation thoroughly. Tell Qi Hanzhou: Consort Ruan’s hair ornament had no flower.”
The next morning, the cause of Consort Ruan’s death couldn’t be concealed. “Fell into water accidentally” was seen by many, and her behavior had been strange. The Emperor ordered this matter not to be publicized and sent people to comfort the Ruan family. But after this matter ended, in less than two days, during the prayer ritual for the Grand Sacrifice in September, anomalies occurred one after another. At the ceremony site, an official inexplicably caught fire while lighting a candle!
Such a bizarre event was immediately intercepted by the Minister of Rites.
But the prayer ritual was public, and many commoners had seen it, all saying it was an ill omen.
By the time the news reached Ying Fusheng, rumors were already spreading among the people.
The Grand Sacrifice was jointly organized by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Works had a mixed crowd, and since Chen Yuanli’s death, the Ministry of Rites had been almost entirely the Emperor’s confidants—the minister and deputy ministers were all the Emperor’s people. He hadn’t expected trouble to arise in the Ministry of Rites… or rather, the trouble wasn’t the ministry itself, but an ordinary official within it.
Palace secrets were easy to investigate. Song An questioned several old palace nannies and quickly learned the details.
During the late Emperor’s reign, a Flower-Viewing Banquet was held in the palace. The daughter of a Vice Minister of War was suspected of being chased and fell into the water and died during that banquet as well. The circumstances were almost identical to Consort Ruan’s death last night. At the time, a wandering sorcerer claimed that the late Emperor had overthrown the former dynasty and incurred wrongful killing, thus causing frequent anomalies, and even spread the rumor that the late Emperor was not the chosen true Dragon Son of Heaven.
However, the late Emperor had an iron will and suppressed the remnants of the former dynasty with military force, eventually reclaiming all the former dynasty’s territory. The matter was dropped.
That was why the elderly consort dowager had panicked and blurted out those words.
When Qi Hanzhou arrived, Ying Fusheng was sitting at his desk, his expression solemn. Only half of the medicine bowl had been drunk.
“The cause of Consort Ruan’s death,” Ying Fusheng said, looking up at him.
Qi Hanzhou said, “Her hairpin flower wasn’t found in the pond.”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard had searched underwater. They had nearly turned over every item in the Imperial Garden’s flower pond from that day. But Ying Fusheng had reminded him about the hair ornament. During the Flower-Viewing Banquet, palace consorts would wear flowers in their hair. It was normal for Consort Ruan’s flower to have fallen off when she fell in, but Qi Hanzhou had still ordered a thorough search, retrieving every flower from the Imperial Garden that day.
The stems of concubines’ hairpin flowers were specially treated. Compared to ordinary flowers, they seemed normal, but not a single one of Consort Ruan’s hairpin flowers was found in the pond. This meant someone had taken the flower.
No one would panic and fall for no reason, especially in a manner that looked like they were being chased.
But if hallucinogenic flowers had been used, that would be a different story.
“There’s someone among the imperial guards,” Ying Fusheng said. “Pay attention to the imperial guards on duty that night.”
Qi Hanzhou: “We’ve already sent people to handle it, but it’s probably impossible to get anything out of them.”
They had seen abandoned pieces like this too many times.
Before the Grand Sacrifice, first a consort’s death, then a self-immolation during the ceremony… Discontent arose both in court and among the people. The situation was urgent, and it was clearly aimed at the Emperor.
They were undoubtedly using omens to challenge the Emperor’s status as the Son of Heaven.
“How will Imperial Father handle it?” Ying Fusheng asked.
“At court, the Imperial Observatory said the state astrologer observed celestial patterns and suspected changes in the heavens, but they couldn’t determine if it was good or bad,” Qi Hanzhou said.
The Imperial Observatory.
Ying Fusheng thought back to the palace lanterns. At that time, the problem had been directed at the Xu family’s Ministry of Works. The Imperial Observatory hadn’t revealed any suspicious points. Even in his past life, the Imperial Observatory hadn’t interfered in court politics. “Was proposing to postpone the date a suggestion from court officials?”
“Yes. The two incidents were too bizarre, so some officials suggested choosing another day.”
Qi Hanzhou said, “His Majesty didn’t agree. Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s thorough investigation found some traces on the official who self-immolated at the Ministry of Rites. It may have been homicide, so it could be man-made.”
The Emperor didn’t agree. The date of the Grand Sacrifice had been determined by the previous state astrologer’s calculations and was long established as an auspicious day. He neither feared nor heeded the Imperial Observatory’s words, but instead ordered the Grand Sacrifice to proceed as planned. If it was suspected to be man-made, that proved someone was deliberately making an issue of this. Why would the Emperor retreat?
“His Majesty has been on the throne for many years. When the late Emperor passed away, the provinces were in chaos and foreign enemies invaded. He ascended the throne as the Crown Prince, handled court affairs, and personally led troops on several campaigns.” Qi Hanzhou knew the Emperor’s character well. “According to my father, his temperament is somewhat similar to the late Emperor’s. Even if there were rumors among the people, he would never tolerate such things happening.”
This was a challenge to imperial authority. Naturally, the Emperor wouldn’t tolerate it.
If the Emperor showed fear, it would easily leave the impression on the people that he was afraid. But Ying Fusheng didn’t understand: if they wanted to create these omens before the Grand Sacrifice, they could do so among the people. Why kill Consort Ruan in the rear palace?
Suddenly, he thought of the Second Prince’s meaningful smile at the Flower-Viewing Banquet.
Lost in thought, he realized something.
At that moment, a sudden noise came from outside the window.
The next instant, the lamp in the bedroom was blown out by a cold wind!
Qi Hanzhou quickly pressed down on Ying Fusheng’s movement. Several black figures passed by outside the window. But as those shadows moved, the guards at the Sixth Prince’s residence responded to the sound. By the time the assassins reached Ying Fusheng’s main courtyard, the hidden guards pre-positioned within the residence struck together, in unison.
Scarlet blood splattered against the window, staining the paper.
Qi Hanzhou drew his sword and went out. Ye Xuanjiu had already dragged the two dead assassins into the courtyard. Chen Xuqiu was there identifying them. After looking them over, she turned to Qi Hanzhou: “Jianghu people.”
Qi Hanzhou frowned. Behind him, Ying Fusheng wrapped a robe around himself and walked out. Seeing the blood everywhere, he narrowed his eyes slightly. “Dispose of the bodies cleanly.”
Ying Fusheng frowned. “They came deliberately.”
“These bodies need to be dealt with quickly. They can’t stay in the capital.”
Qi Hanzhou gave orders. At this sensitive time, having corpses at the Sixth Prince’s residence was too problematic.
“Send them out through the back courtyard, secretly to the restaurant. Tomorrow they can leave the city with the swill…” As Ying Fusheng finished speaking, he suddenly thought of something. His expression changed.
As soon as the commotion started, the sound of horse hooves was heard from outside the residence. The direction of the sound was from the palace city. Ying Fusheng’s residence was close to the palace city, so soon the sound of hooves stopped right outside. At that moment, Song An hurried over from the front courtyard: “Your Highness, it’s the patrol guards from the street. They say they saw shadows entering the residence and came to ask if Your Highness was alarmed?”
The corpses on the ground hadn’t been dealt with yet. Qi Hanzhou’s expression shifted slightly: “How did the patrol guards come all the way here?”
“What did a frail prince do to deserve consecutive assassination attempts? Sometimes, they don’t need me to die. They only need to make the Emperor suspicious of me, and that’s enough to tip the balance.” Ying Fusheng understood what these people had come for. “He wants to pin me down, to render me unable to act before the Grand Sacrifice.”
Qi Hanzhou looked at the young man before him, who had grown slightly taller and leaner. Such assassination attempts had happened in the palace too.
During the year he was ill, no fewer than several assassins had tried to sneak into Wanchun Hall.
But those people were cautious. If they failed, they retreated, never leaving any trace for the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the hidden guards. Qi Hanzhou hadn’t fully reported this matter to the Emperor.
In the palace, one could still say it was the remnants of the former dynasty retaliating after the Crown Prince’s death. But outside the palace, it was another matter. The previous killing attempts could be explained as the deposed Crown Prince trying to kill Empress Xu’s son to hide an identity. But the continuous attempts on Ying Fusheng’s life after the deposed Crown Prince’s death, once or twice could be explained… but if this killing intent was ceaseless, especially at this time, it would arouse the Emperor’s suspicion.
First stirring up dissent among the people before the Grand Sacrifice, then causing trouble at the Sixth Prince’s residence… Qi Hanzhou frowned. The corpses were still in sight. As long as the Imperial Army entered, no matter what, they wouldn’t be able to explain this problem.
“There must be something wrong with the Imperial Army… The priority now is to keep them from discovering these bodies.” Qi Hanzhou’s eyes were cold and sharp. Beside him, Ye Xuanjiu understood and acted immediately. Qi Hanzhou instructed Chen Xuqiu and the others to protect Ying Fusheng, and was about to take a detour out over the wall—
At that moment, Ying Fusheng suddenly grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”
“The Imperial Army coming here is no coincidence.” Qi Hanzhou had a way to stop them from entering.
“His goal is to pin me down. And ‘pinning me down’—since he knows my methods, does he think a mere Imperial Army patrol would hold me back?” Ying Fusheng looked at the bodies. He said coldly, “Have you noticed? The Imperial Army isn’t forcing their way in.”
“They were lured here.”
First Consort Ruan’s death, pointing at the Imperial Army.
Then the assassins, pointing at the Imperial Army again.
Both incidents were clearly making them focus on the fact that there was a plant in the Imperial Army. Someone was using the Imperial Army to create ghostly illusions, making them divert their attention to the existence of a mole within the Imperial Army.
“He’s testing us. Since the deposed Crown Prince’s incident, we haven’t taken any action. He knows we don’t know about his other arrangements, knows we’re waiting for him to slip up.” Ying Fusheng grabbed Qi Hanzhou’s sleeve. Song An had already run to the front gate. “If a target appears before us at this time… our attention will be diverted.”
The Imperial Army was one of the Emperor’s claws. Investigating the Imperial Army would undoubtedly bring us into the Emperor’s sights at this time.
These calculated risky moves were all forcing them into a dead end.
“There’s nothing wrong with the Imperial Army. Then where is the problem?”
Ying Fusheng looked into Qi Hanzhou’s eyes. He knew the other also realized the gravity of the situation. “We’ve been focusing all our attention on him using the Grand Sacrifice to create ghostly illusions and shake imperial power, focusing it on my Imperial Father.”
“Besides the Emperor, someone else is also watching the Grand Sacrifice… the princes and nobles of the Great Yan.” Ying Fusheng spoke a chilling possibility: “When omens appear, the Emperor absolutely refuses to postpone the Grand Sacrifice platform ceremony. And he frequently sends secret agents to explore various places in Jiangnan and Western Shu… Such actions, along with my Imperial Father’s emphasis on civil governance—what would those princes and nobles think?”
Qi Hanzhou was a military man. He immediately thought of the only possibility—
“Using the Grand Sacrifice to reclaim military power.”#
title: “Chapter 78”
weight: 780
date: 2026-07-03T03:50:26.005132+00:00#
Chapter 78#
A warmth spread across the back of his hand. Ying Fusheng’s expression shifted slightly, his weariness vanishing. He lifted his gaze from the documents, letting it fall upon their overlapping hands beside the page. He saw the old scar at Qi Hanzhou’s tiger’s mouth—a wound so faint it was barely noticeable, yet upon closer inspection, it revealed the marks of many years.
Qi Hanzhou had spent years on the battlefield before coming to the capital…
At that thought, Ying Fusheng suddenly asked, “Was that scar from the battlefield?”
Qi Hanzhou paused. Ying Fusheng tilted his head slightly, dark strands of hair spilling onto the bedding. His gaze rested precisely where their hands intertwined. Unrestrained, he observed, somehow brushing against the scar at his tiger’s mouth. “This one’s been here for a long time, hasn’t it?”
“I was young when I practiced martial arts and didn’t know my own limits,” Qi Hanzhou said. He paused, then silently withdrew the documents. Ying Fusheng, his hands now empty, looked at him in confusion. “I haven’t finished reading yet.”
“It’s late. You should rest.” Qi Hanzhou placed the documents on the side table. “Now that Your Highness has entered the court, there is no shortage of chaos among the officials. With enemies hidden and us exposed, if Your Highness wishes to find the one behind it all, you must first take care of your health.”
Qi Hanzhou walked away quickly.
Even in the palace, he had never moved that fast.
After Qi Hanzhou left, Song An came from outside the courtyard to tidy up. It was indeed time for him to rest. Ying Fusheng suddenly asked, “Is there any movement in the palace?”
Song An had left the palace city, but his connections within the palace still remained. He had been keeping watch on the rear palace’s activities. “Rest assured, Your Highness. The ones you instructed us to watch are all being monitored. For now, everything is as usual.”
Youzhou City—the tragedy that had turned the northern border city into a ghost town. The garrison commander and the entire city’s populace had perished because reinforcements arrived too late. Qi Hanzhou had spent years in the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigating this matter, just as in his previous life. The details of the military funds case pointed east and west, but the truth behind Youzhou City’s destruction was surely tied to the villain pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Too slow.
Ying Fusheng was eager to see them slip up.
Too much hatred—hatred of his origins, hatred of his broken body… and the endless debts of vengeance that spanned two lifetimes.
The Emperor specially permitted the Sixth Prince to skip court when unwell. Given the chaos in the Ministry of Works, the old foxes all knew the Emperor was doing this deliberately. Liu Yunshi, the Minister of Works, smoothed things over in court, agreeing with everyone’s complaints about the ministry’s state, but whenever something important came up, he feigned ignorance and insisted on consulting the Supervisor of Works, shifting the burden back to the Sixth Prince.
Thus, the Sixth Prince became the universal shield for the Ministry of Works.
A frail but upright prince, paired with a slick, feigning fool of a minister—together they somehow held together the shambolic Ministry of Works.
The Lingxiao Terrace, a grand project in which everyone seemed to meddle, was in fact entirely controlled by Liu Yunshi himself.
Inside the Second Prince’s residence, in a secret chamber within the study, a model of the entire capital—every palace path, every street and alley—was laid out in meticulous detail. Markers were placed here and there on the site of the Ministry of Works.
He listened as his subordinate reported the covert movements of court officials. Thanks to the Lingxiao Terrace affair, many had come to realize the importance of this Sixth Prince. The First Prince had already begun trying to win him over, visiting him frequently under various pretexts.
“Having his brain damaged turned out to be an excuse,” the advisor said. “This way, the other princes won’t be wary of him; instead, they’ll see him as someone to recruit. Your Highness, this is unfavorable to us.”
Not just the princes—even the Emperor would treat the Sixth Prince as a convenient pawn.
The Yun family had even been building momentum for the Seventh Prince, waiting for him to leave the palace and establish his own residence next year to further their plans.
Before the Sixth Prince appeared, the Second Prince had intended to secretly place his own men in the Ministry of Works. But the Xu family’s fall had been too swift, leaving some of their strategies unfinished. Now, this golden opportunity at the Ministry of Works had been ruined by the Sixth Prince… Would their preparations all go to waste?
The advisor looked at the unruffled Second Prince. The First Prince was desperately seeking a perfect solution, but faced with this upheaval, the Second Prince showed no ripple of emotion, as if he had long foreseen the Sixth Prince’s entry. Watching this prince, who had repeatedly slipped out of treacherous currents, the advisor understood—what he planned was no small matter.
The Second Prince’s expression shifted slightly. “Let the Ministry of Works be in chaos. The Ministry of Personnel must not be touched.”
He casually tossed something onto the model, landing it precisely in the palace city. “It’s when things are chaotic that we can accomplish what we want.”
…
July. In the Imperial Garden within the palace city, the Flower-Viewing Banquet was in full swing, with musicians playing in the Wangyue Pavilion.
It was a rare family banquet. Consort Yun sat beside the Empress Dowager, chatting and laughing, eliciting an unusually light laugh from the Dowager.
When the banquet began, Ying Fusheng entered the palace to find many guests already gathered in the princes’ seating area. Princes who had left the palace seldom returned except for such events. He paid his respects to the Empress Dowager, and Consort Yun treated him warmly.
He avoided the crowd and encountered the Eighth Prince.
“Sixth Brother, how have you been feeling lately?” The Eighth Prince was now thirteen, noticeably taller, standing slightly above him.
During the year Ying Fusheng was ill, the Eighth Prince visited him occasionally. But he had become much steadier, no longer the mischievous child he used to be. He studied diligently at Wenhua Hall, and Ying Fusheng heard the Grand Tutor praise him.
Empress Xu had gone to Huguo Temple, so visits with the Eighth Prince grew rarer.
The boy seemed to have been forced to grow up after the Beishan Hunting Ground incident, keeping his distance from the Xu remnants. Aside from visiting Empress Xu, he immersed himself in Wenhua Hall and the training grounds.
Ying Fusheng said softly, “Much better.”
“I’ve been practicing martial arts on the outskirts of the capital,” the Eighth Prince said, his voice lower than usual. “My horsemanship has improved a lot.” He didn’t elaborate. The memory of the Beishan Hunting Ground was seared into him—if not for his sixth brother, he would have died there. He wanted to say that he was now strong enough to protect him.
He quietly positioned himself upwind, shielding Ying Fusheng from the breeze.
“I heard about the Ministry of Works,” the Eighth Prince said. “Sixth Brother, if you need help, you can count on me.”
Ying Fusheng knew what he meant—not just the Xu family but also the Zhao family.
The Xu affair hadn’t touched the Zhao family. To win over the remaining Xu faction, the Emperor had promoted two Zhao civil officials. Ying Fusheng looked away. “If anyone overheard you say that in court, they’d accuse you of forming a clique.”
The Eighth Prince grew flustered and tried to explain.
“These things have nothing to do with us,” Ying Fusheng said after a pause. “Stay within your bounds. If you make any rash moves, who will protect the Zhao family and the Empress?”
“But—” The Eighth Prince had never heard his sixth brother speak like this. Before he could continue, a sound came from nearby. He started. “Who’s there!”
His voice was perhaps too loud. A small figure timidly approached—it was the Third Princess. She seemed shy but forced herself forward. Ying Fusheng gestured for the Eighth Prince to calm down, then asked softly, “What are you doing here?”
The Third Princess glanced at the Eighth Prince but said nothing. She quietly walked behind Ying Fusheng and tugged his sleeve.
“Why is she here?” the Eighth Prince asked.
Ying Fusheng looked around but didn’t see Consort Ruan. “She must have gotten lost.”
He spotted a palace maid in the distance, apparently searching for the princess. When she saw her here, she hurried over and curtsied. “Your Highness, how did you end up here?”
“Where is Consort Ruan?” the Eighth Prince asked.
Before the maid could answer, a sharp scream came from outside the pavilion.
It startled everyone at Wangyue Pavilion. The guards rushed to investigate and saw a concubine fleeing in terror, as if someone were chasing her. She looked toward the pavilion as if trying desperately to reach it. “H-Help—”
Before she could finish, she stumbled and fell into the pond.
“Save her!”
The garden was vast, and the pond was decorated with flower-shaped lanterns for the banquet.
But by the time the guards arrived, it was too late. The concubine had sunk into the water and disappeared. The best swimmers jumped in to search.
When they finally pulled her out, she was dead.
At that moment, the Emperor’s procession was approaching from afar. The guards immediately sealed off the area.
When the Emperor arrived, the body was laid out—clad in ornate palace robes. Ying Fusheng and the Eighth Prince drew near. Upon seeing the corpse, Ying Fusheng quickly covered the Third Princess’s eyes.
It was Consort Ruan.
The First Prince, seemingly shocked, stepped forward to ask for details. Ying Fusheng glanced at the Second Prince, who wore a look of mild surprise, just like everyone else, as if this incident was also beyond his expectations.
But when he noticed Ying Fusheng’s gaze, a meaningful smile flickered across the Second Prince’s face.
Ying Fusheng’s eyes narrowed. Turning his head, he saw the Emperor’s expression darken. Then a white cloth was draped over Consort Ruan’s corpse, blocking the view. The guards and coroner arrived, but the situation was clear to the witnesses—Consort Ruan had fallen into the water and drowned. This eerie event frightened the surrounding consorts, who all stepped back.
“It’s like that time…” an elderly consort murmured, covering her mouth in terror. “Just like that time.”
The Emperor shot a cold glance. “What are you standing around for?”
The corpse was quickly removed to avoid frightening the consorts.
Shortly after, the Flower-Viewing Banquet was cut short due to Consort Ruan’s drowning.
“Big Brother…” the Third Princess’s voice trembled. She seemed to have heard something, her entire body shaking.
Ying Fusheng said calmly, “Don’t be afraid.”
Consort Ruan, the Third Princess’s mother, was a concubine of moderate presence in the palace. She often accompanied Consort Yun and the Empress Dowager, a woman who knew how to read the situation. Someone like her should have attended the banquet, but tonight she hadn’t arrived early and had died in the Imperial Garden.
The palace maid came to comfort the Third Princess. The guards were questioning witnesses. But Ying Fusheng was intrigued by the elderly consort’s words. “Like that time”? And why had the Emperor reacted so strangely?
When Qi Hanzhou arrived, the Emperor was leaving. They exchanged a glance, and Qi Hanzhou quickly followed.
Yu Guoguo came to take the Third Princess from Ying Fusheng. The Empress Dowager’s expression was grave. He knew this was not the time to ask questions. As a prince who had left the palace, once the banquet ended, the Emperor dismissed them, ordering them to leave the palace.
“Your Highness,” Song An said.
Ying Fusheng turned back, his face dark. “Investigate the palace situation. Tell Qi Hanzhou—Consort Ruan’s hair ornament had no flower.”
The next day, the cause of Consort Ruan’s death was unavoidable news. “Accidental drowning” was witnessed by many, and her behavior had been strange. The Emperor ordered the matter not to be publicized and sent people to comfort the Ruan family. But after this, only two days passed before the prayers for the Grand Sacrifice in September were plagued with abnormalities—during the ritual, an official inexplicably caught fire while lighting a candle!
Such a bizarre event was immediately suppressed by the Minister of Rites.
But the ritual was public, and many commoners had seen it, calling it an ill omen.
When the news reached Ying Fusheng, rumors were already spreading.
The Grand Sacrifice was jointly organized by the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Works was a mixed bag, and since Chen Yuanli’s death, the Ministry of Rites had been packed with the Emperor’s confidants—the minister and vice ministers were all his men. He hadn’t expected trouble to come from the Ministry of Rites… or rather, not from the ministry itself, but from an ordinary official.
Palace secrets were easy to uncover. Song An questioned a few old palace nannies and quickly learned the details.
During the late Emperor’s reign, a similar incident had occurred at a Flower-Viewing Banquet. The daughter of a Vice Minister of War had also been chased and drowned in a pond, under nearly identical circumstances. At that time, a wandering sorcerer had claimed the late Emperor had incurred blood debts from overthrowing the former dynasty, causing frequent omens—even spreading the rumor that the late Emperor was not the true chosen Son of Heaven.
But the late Emperor was iron-fisted. He suppressed the former dynasty’s remnants with force and eventually reclaimed all lost territories, letting the matter fade away.
That was why the elderly consort had panicked and said those words.
When Qi Hanzhou arrived, Ying Fusheng was sitting at his desk, looking grave. Only half of the medicine in his bowl had been drunk.
“Consort Ruan’s cause of death,” Ying Fusheng said, looking up.
Qi Hanzhou said, “Her hairpin flower wasn’t found in the pond.”
The Embroidered Uniform Guard had searched the entire pond that day, turning over every item. But Ying Fusheng had pointed out the hair ornament. During the Flower-Viewing Banquet, consorts always wore flowers in their hair. It was normal for Consort Ruan’s flower to fall off when she fell, but Qi Hanzhou still ordered a thorough search. They retrieved every flower from the Imperial Garden that day.
The stems of concubines’ hair flowers were specially processed; compared to ordinary flowers, they seemed normal. Yet not a single one of Consort Ruan’s flowers was found in the pond. That meant someone had taken them.
A person wouldn’t panic and drown for no reason, especially not while looking like they were being chased.
But if hallucinogenic flowers were used, that would be a different story.
“There’s a plant among the guards,” Ying Fusheng said. “Keep an eye on the guards on duty that night.”
Qi Hanzhou: “We’ve already sent people, but it’s unlikely we’ll get anything.”
They had seen such abandoned pieces too many times.
Before the Grand Sacrifice, first a concubine’s death, then a self-immolation during the ritual… discontent spread both in court and among the people. This was clearly aimed at the Emperor.
It was an attempt to use omens to challenge the Emperor’s status as the Son of Heaven.
“How is Imperial Father handling it?” Ying Fusheng asked.
“The Imperial Observatory said the court astrologer observed celestial signs and suspected changes in the heavens, but couldn’t tell if it was good or bad,” Qi Hanzhou said.
The Imperial Observatory.
Ying Fusheng thought back to the palace lanterns. At that time, the problem had been directed at the Xu family’s Ministry of Works. The Imperial Observatory hadn’t shown any suspicious signs—even in his previous life, they hadn’t interfered in court politics. “Was proposing to postpone the date the idea of court officials?”
“Yes. The two incidents were too bizarre, so some officials suggested choosing another day.”
Qi Hanzhou continued, “His Majesty didn’t agree. Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard found traces on the self-immolated official at the Ministry of Rites—it might have been homicide, which means it could be man-made.”
The Emperor didn’t agree. The date of the Grand Sacrifice had been set long ago by the previous astrologer as an auspicious day. He neither feared nor heeded the Imperial Observatory’s words, but ordered the ritual to proceed as planned. If it was man-made, someone was deliberately making an issue of it. Why would the Emperor retreat?
“His Majesty has been on the throne for many years. When the late Emperor died, the provinces descended into chaos and foreign enemies invaded. As the Crown Prince, he ascended the throne, handled court affairs, and personally led troops on several campaigns.” Qi Hanzhou knew the Emperor’s character well. “My father said his temperament is somewhat similar to the late Emperor’s. Even if rumors spread among the people, he won’t tolerate such things.”
This was a challenge to imperial authority. The Emperor wouldn’t tolerate it.
If the Emperor showed fear, it would leave the impression that he was weak. But Ying Fusheng didn’t understand—if they wanted to create omens before the Grand Sacrifice, they could do so among the people. Why kill Consort Ruan in the rear palace?
He suddenly recalled the Second Prince’s meaningful smile at the banquet.
Lost in thought, he realized something.
At that moment, a commotion came from outside the window.
The next instant, the lamp in the room was blown out by a cold wind!
Qi Hanzhou pressed down on Ying Fusheng’s movement as several black figures darted past the window. But as soon as they moved, the guards at the Sixth Prince’s residence reacted. By the time the assassins reached the main courtyard, the hidden guards stationed in advance struck.
Blood splattered across the window, staining it crimson.
Qi Hanzhou drew his sword and went out. Ye Xuanjiu had already dragged the two dead assassins into the courtyard. Chen Xuqiu was examining their identities. She looked up at Qi Hanzhou. “They’re from the martial world.”
Qi Hanzhou frowned. Behind him, Ying Fusheng wrapped his robes and came out, seeing the blood. He narrowed his eyes. “Dispose of the bodies cleanly.”
Ying Fusheng frowned again. “They came deliberately.”
“These bodies need to be removed quickly. They can’t stay in the capital.”
Qi Hanzhou gave orders. At this sensitive time, having corpses in the Sixth Prince’s residence was too dangerous.
“Send them out through the back courtyard, secretly to the restaurant. Tomorrow they can leave the city with the slops…” As Ying Fusheng spoke, he suddenly thought of something. His expression changed.
Outside the residence, the sound of horse hooves came from the direction of the palace city. The residence was close to the palace, so soon the hooves stopped outside. Song An hurried over. “Your Highness, it’s the patrolling imperial guards. They say they saw shadows entering the residence and came to ask if Your Highness is safe.”
The bodies on the ground had yet to be disposed of. Qi Hanzhou’s expression shifted. “How did the imperial guards come all the way here?”
“What reason does a frail prince have to be repeatedly attacked? Sometimes, they don’t need me dead—just letting the Emperor suspect me is enough to tip the balance.” Ying Fusheng understood. “He wants to pin me down, to keep me from acting before the Grand Sacrifice.”
Qi Hanzhou looked at the young man before him, who had grown slightly taller. Such assassinations had happened in the palace too.
During his year of illness, no fewer than several assassins had tried to enter Wanchun Hall.
But those people were cautious—if they failed, they retreated, leaving no trace for the Embroidered Uniform Guard or hidden guards. Qi Hanzhou hadn’t fully reported this to the Emperor.
In the palace, one could still claim it was the remnants of the former dynasty retaliating after the deposed Crown Prince’s death. But outside the palace, it was another matter. The previous attempts could be explained as the deposed Crown Prince wanting to kill Empress Xu’s son to hide his identity, but after the deposed Crown Prince’s death, the continuous attempts on Ying Fusheng’s life—once or twice could be explained… but if the killing intent persisted, especially at this time, it would arouse the Emperor’s suspicion.
First stirring up omens before the Grand Sacrifice, then causing trouble at the Sixth Prince’s residence… Qi Hanzhou frowned. The bodies were still there. If the imperial guards entered, no matter what, they couldn’t explain it.
“There must be something wrong with the imperial guards… For now, the priority is to prevent them from discovering these bodies.” Qi Hanzhou’s eyes hardened. Beside him, Ye Xuanjiu understood and acted immediately. Qi Hanzhou instructed Chen Xuqiu and the others to protect Ying Fusheng, and was about to jump over the wall to intercept them—
At that moment, Ying Fusheng suddenly grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”
“The imperial guards coming here is no accident.” Qi Hanzhou had a way to keep them out.
“His goal is to pin me down. But if he knows my methods, does he think a mere imperial guard patrol can hold me back?” Ying Fusheng looked at the bodies. He said coldly, “Have you noticed? The imperial guards aren’t forcing their way in.”
“They were lured here.”
First Consort Ruan’s death—pointing to the imperial guards.
Then the assassins—pointing to the imperial guards again.
Both incidents were making them focus on the idea that there was a plant in the imperial guards. Someone was using the imperial guards to create specters, to divert their attention.
“He’s testing us. Since the deposed Crown Prince’s incident, we haven’t moved. He knows we don’t know about his other arrangements. He knows we’re waiting for him to slip.” Ying Fusheng grabbed Qi Hanzhou’s sleeve. Song An had already run to the front gate. “If a target appears before us now, our attention will be diverted.”
The imperial guards were one of the Emperor’s claws. Investigating them at this time would bring them directly into the Emperor’s line of sight.
These calculated risks were forcing them into a dead end.
“There’s nothing wrong with the imperial guards. Then where is the problem?”
Ying Fusheng looked into Qi Hanzhou’s eyes, knowing the other also realized the gravity of the situation. “We’ve been focusing all our attention on him using the Grand Sacrifice to create omens and shake imperial power. On my Imperial Father.”
“But besides the Emperor, someone else is also watching the Grand Sacrifice—the princes and nobles of the Great Yan.” Ying Fusheng spoke a chilling possibility. “When omens appear, the Emperor refuses to postpone the Grand Sacrifice. He frequently sends secret agents to explore Jiangnan and Western Shu… Such actions, and my Imperial Father’s emphasis on civil rule—what would those princes and nobles think?”
Qi Hanzhou was a military man. He immediately thought of the only possibility—
“Using the Grand Sacrifice to reclaim military power.”