The Child Emperor

Riding on horseback, Du Chuanyun carried Prince Ying, who sat in front, excitedly shouting “giddyup” while Du Chuanyun held the reins. This was Prince Ying’s first time on horseback, and even a moderate pace was enough to fill him with joy.

Prince Donghai and Han Ruzi rode behind them. “The life of the common people isn’t bad. I’m almost getting used to it,” Prince Donghai said.

Without an entourage or commoners hurriedly making way and standing at attention, Prince Donghai felt this was truly commoner’s life. Though he claimed to be used to it, he couldn’t help but sigh, “This also shows our lives aren’t important anymore, and our so-called dignity is worthless… Look, that fellow is glaring at me!”

Prince Donghai pointed his riding crop at a pedestrian who was indeed looking in his direction. After a moment, the man smiled and waved – he had actually been looking at someone familiar behind Prince Donghai.

This upset Prince Donghai even more. “He doesn’t even recognize me! My clothes, my hat – isn’t everything obvious? Sometimes you really need an entourage to make a grand display for these people to even take notice…”

Prince Donghai complained the whole way while Han Ruzi just listened without comment.

They traveled slowly, with someone running ahead to deliver their calling cards to the Chancellor’s residence. By the time they reached the alley entrance, a large group had come out from the Chancellor’s residence to welcome them.

Prince Donghai nodded with satisfaction. “Now that’s more like it. The Chancellor understands proper etiquette better than commoners.”

To show respect, the visitors dismounted, though Prince Ying wanted to keep riding. Du Chuanyun lifted him down, and seeing the crowd, the child’s attention quickly shifted. As Prince Ying was the elder, Han Ruzi and Prince Donghai were happy to defer to him, protecting him as they walked. The many servants made way, even kneeling and kowtowing, only rising to follow after the three had passed.

Prince Ying clapped and laughed, “The Chancellor’s home is so fun! Are they all here to welcome me?”

“Of course, you are the Martial Emperor’s son after all,” said Prince Donghai, looking at the crowd filling the alley with a hint of envy in his eyes. “No wonder all the officials want to become Chancellor. Look at this grandeur – it rivals the Cui clan at their peak. Even princes can’t compare. Well, at least the princes remaining in the capital can’t compare – they say the princes who go to their domains have even grander displays…”

Han Ruzi also silently lamented that his years as an imperial prince and grandson had been wasted – except for the few times he saw grand displays while emperor, most times were far more modest than the Chancellor’s residence.

The Chancellor’s residence had over a hundred officials and servants just to welcome them at the main gate – almost equal to the entire population of the Weary Marquis’s residence.

Yin Wuhai couldn’t refuse their visit or hide, so he opted for a grand reception.

Outside the Chancellor’s residence main gate, Yin’s two sons, five grandsons, and many relatives with titles or official positions had been waiting respectfully. Upon seeing the three royal descendants, they immediately came forward and performed a perfect formal greeting that even the Minister of Rites and Decorum couldn’t have found fault with.

As they entered the residence, Prince Donghai spoke over Prince Ying’s head: “The old fellow was well-prepared.”

Having served as an official for many years and managing to rise to Chancellor during the Martial Emperor’s most brutal later years was no easy feat – Yin Wuhai certainly had the ability to handle unexpected situations.

In the guest hall, Yin’s eldest son personally served tea, thanking the three for visiting his father. He then introduced the clan members one by one, who either clasped hands or knelt and kowtowed according to their rank – not a single ritual was omitted.

The Yin family was clearly stalling for time. Both Han Ruzi and Prince Donghai noticed but couldn’t refuse. As they were internally speculating about the reason, someone entered to announce: the Champion Marquis had personally come to inquire about the Chancellor’s health.

Han Ruzi and Prince Donghai exchanged glances, having to admire the old fox’s quick thinking. With four royal descendants competing for the throne visiting simultaneously, outsiders would be unable to guess the Chancellor’s true position, allowing him to maintain his neutral stance.

The Champion Marquis had clearly rushed over after receiving news, his face slightly flushed. Upon entering, he immediately bowed to Han Ruzi and the others, exchanging pleasant greetings as if they had planned to meet here.

Prince Ying was even happier – he loved crowds, the more the better, especially when everyone treated him as an honored guest, surrounding and flattering him.

“Champion Marquis, did you distribute grain?” Prince Ying still remembered the previous incident – in his memory, grain distribution and the Champion Marquis were one and the same.

“Yes, yes, not a single grain was kept,” the Champion Marquis smiled.

“Oh good. If you need grain, you can ask me for some,” Prince Ying said seriously.

The fate seer Lu Congxin hadn’t accompanied the Champion Marquis. After chatting in the hall for a while, Yin Wuhai’s eldest son invited the guests to the inner quarters, repeatedly apologizing, “With such honored guests visiting, my father’s poor health prevents him from personally welcoming you – this is truly disrespectful…”

The number of servants following decreased with each courtyard they passed. After several gates, only Yin Wuhai’s eldest son remained to guide the four royal descendants. The laughter and familial atmosphere had disappeared. Prince Ying didn’t understand why and looked around, thinking that something in the environment wasn’t good.

A woman who appeared to be a concubine opened the door. Prince Ying unhesitatingly entered first. Han Ruzi and the Champion Marquis exchanged courtesies before the Champion Marquis went in, with Prince Donghai last, wearing a smile. In the past, he would never have accepted such an arrangement, but now he could only endure it.

Chancellor Yin Wuhai was already dressed in his court robes. Supported by two maids, he tremblingly performed a grand bow, apologizing for his discourtesy.

Another long round of greetings and pleasantries followed. Han Ruzi had to admit their surprise visit had completely failed – Yin Wuhai remained unmoved, and the Champion Marquis’s advantage hadn’t diminished.

Prince Ying began to yawn. Not only was the Chancellor old and boring, but the room was also filled with a suffocating medicinal smell that he didn’t like at all. He kept looking at Prince Donghai, hoping to be taken away.

As lanterns were being lit, Yin’s eldest son and several concubines withdrew. Chancellor Yin Wuhai sat on a soft couch and proceeded to give the four visitors a “lecture.”

“I’m old now and no longer up to such heavy responsibilities. I have only one wish – to see the Great Chu dynasty stable and prosperous, with peace for both country and people. Then I can return my seal of office and go back to my hometown, farm a few acres, plant some flowers, enjoy time with my grandchildren, and savor family life for a few years. After that, I can face the Martial Emperor and Graceful Emperor, bow in apology and say ‘This unworthy Chancellor was incompetent, held office without merit, and brought heaven’s wrath and people’s resentment – but it had nothing to do with the emperors on earth.'”

Yin Wuhai heaved a long sigh, tears streaming down his face. “I know there are all kinds of rumors outside, making it sound as if I, Yin Wuhai, control everything and can perform impossible feats. But I am merely the Chancellor of Great Chu. A Chancellor’s role is like a lake – when the river rises, it diverts the flow; when it falls, it returns it. A Chancellor does nothing more than share the Emperor’s burdens. If occasionally given heavy responsibilities, we handle them with utmost caution, as if treading on thin ice, waiting only to return these duties at the first opportunity. For a Chancellor, this is the highest honor.”

Prince Ying could no longer contain himself and let out a huge yawn, saying to Prince Donghai, “Let’s go, he’s about to die.”

Yin Wuhai laughed heartily, then coughed twice. “This old man is dull, I beg Prince Ying’s pardon.”

Though Han Ruzi was reluctant, he had no choice but to stand and take his leave, asking the Chancellor to rest and focus on recovery.

Prince Ying had been waiting for these words and immediately pulled Prince Donghai toward the exit, with Han Ruzi and the Champion Marquis following.

“The Weary Marquis really knows how to use people,” the Champion Marquis remarked with a smile after they left.

“Prince Ying? He came on his own.”

“No, no, I meant Yang Feng. I never expected he’d left so many clever strategies for the Weary Marquis. It seems I was incompetent – Yang Feng never intended to use his full abilities in my service.”

Han Ruzi smiled slightly. Yang Feng wasn’t that loyal – he had actually chosen to serve the Weary Marquis again only after comparing his options. If he could have gained an important position with the Champion Marquis, this ambitious eunuch would never have chosen the weaker side.

The Champion Marquis disagreed, believing everything had been predetermined and that Yang Feng had never been truly loyal to him.

Prince Ying and Prince Donghai had already run out the main gate, with Yin’s family members following at a distance, not daring to get too close. The Champion Marquis still couldn’t let go of the Yang Feng matter and said, “Regardless, Han clan members shouldn’t fight each other. The Weary Marquis can make whatever moves you want – as long as they don’t break the rules, I can accept them all. In the future, I’ll even make you a prince. You seem skilled at warfare, so I’ll grant you a princedom in the northern frontier to help Great Chu hold back the Xiongnu. Yang Feng doesn’t have the Han surname – he’s just a eunuch. Please tell Yang Feng that there is no place for those with divided loyalties in the entire world.”

Han Ruzi smiled and said, “The Champion Marquis is mistaken. You just said Yang Feng saved all his clever strategies for me, which proves his unwavering loyalty in supporting me. How can you speak of ‘divided loyalties’?”

The Champion Marquis’s face turned cold. As Han Ruzi departed with a flourish, he sighed inwardly. The Champion Marquis was easy to deal with, but the officials were the real problem. They would rather support the mediocre Champion Marquis than restore a deposed emperor. The more capable the deposed emperor appeared, the more the officials feared him.

Winning over Xiao Sheng wasn’t enough. Han Ruzi needed to show even more magnanimity to convince the officials that when the deposed emperor returned to the throne, he would not take any retaliatory measures. The key was how to make the officials believe this. Han Ruzi decided he needed to have a good discussion with Yang Feng about this issue tonight.

A small commotion broke out beyond the main gate. Prince Ying jumped on his horse and, under Du Chuanyun’s protection, broke through the crowd and galloped away. Several people ran behind, begging the prince to stop, then hurriedly found horses and mounted them, giving chase.

Prince Donghai smiled and said, “Yuan Zifan just arrived.” Then he lowered his voice, “He really is quite…”

Among the shouting voices in the street, one belonged to Yuan Zifan, and it was indeed noticeably more shrill than the others.

Han Ruzi’s mind stirred, but he said nothing. He mounted his horse with Prince Donghai, bid farewell to the Yin family members, and after leaving the alley, said to Prince Donghai, “Is it possible that Yuan Zifan isn’t actually a fate seer at all?”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Going with the flow – that’s the most common trick of fate seers. There might only be very few genuine fate seers. Others, like Yuan Zifan and Lu Congxin, might have special backgrounds that got them recruited, and only then received the title of fate seer…”

“I see what you mean, it makes sense… Yuan Zifan and Lu Congxin clearly lack eloquence, though Lin Kunshan is slightly better…”

Suddenly, a series of screams came from up ahead.

Though it was just after nightfall, there were still many people on the street. The screams quickly spread, and pedestrians rushed toward the source of the commotion.

Han Ruzi and Prince Donghai rode quickly forward, with Prince Donghai’s whip clearing a path.

In the middle of the street, a horse lay fallen, pinning two people beneath it.

Yuan Zifan and several servants had arrived first and stood there dumbfounded. Yuan Zifan turned to look at the Weary Marquis and Prince Donghai, suddenly saying, “This is all your doing!”

The two people trapped under the horse lay motionless. Someone brought a lantern, illuminating the street. Everyone could see blood slowly flowing from beneath the two bodies, mixing with the melting snow.

If you are reading this on an aggregator site, do consider visiting https://tuzhitranslations.wordpress.com/ to support this translation project by leaving a comment.

← CH 229