The Child Emperor

Prince Donghai rushed in, panting. He poured himself a cup of cold tea, and drank it in one gulp. Frowning, he returned to the doorway and loudly ordered his attendant to fetch wine. Turning back, he said, “What rotten luck! Could you have imagined something like this happening?”

Han Ruzi sat alone behind his desk, completely silent.

Prince Donghai found a place to sit, looking thoroughly exhausted as he slumped in his chair, unwilling to move. Soon, servants from the residence brought wine and dishes – the wine was hot, the food was cold. Prince Donghai dismissed the servants and served himself. After three cups, his energy had largely returned.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Prince Donghai asked.

“Did you catch up to Yuan Zifan?”

“No, he ran fast and knew the roads better than me.”

“You were quite bold to chase after the fate seer alone. Those assassins could have been his companions.”

“I thought you were all following behind me- wait, I hear it in your voice – are you suspecting me?” Prince Donghai grew alert.

“If you were the one who ordered Prince Ying’s assassination-“

“Let me finish. Anyone could be responsible. I’m just making a hypothesis.”

Prince Donghai continued glaring angrily at Han Ruzi but didn’t interrupt again.

Han Ruzi continued: “What benefit would assassinating Prince Ying bring you? The succession struggle becomes chaotic, the Champion Marquis and I suffer greatly, while you could fish in troubled waters.”

Prince Donghai laughed coldly, “Ah yes, how clever of me to risk everything to assassinate Prince Ying just to fish in troubled waters. But have you considered that we’re all sons of the Graceful Emperor? If you fail in your bid for the throne, the ministers would rather choose someone else than make me Emperor-“

“This is just speculation. We’ll know the true benefits to you once things become clearer.”

Prince Donghai drank another cup of wine and said angrily: “Speculation, is it? Fine, then let’s speculate that you ordered Prince Ying’s assassination. What benefit would you get?”

“If I could direct suspicion of the assassination toward the Champion Marquis, that would be the greatest benefit for me.”

Prince Donghai was taken aback, his anger subsiding slightly. “Is the Champion Marquis suspicious?”

“We don’t know yet, but after being repeatedly defeated by me, he might do anything in his anger. He knew Prince Ying was at the Chancellor’s residence and knew his route after leaving. Besides, Prince Ying might not have been his only intended target.”

“Right! The Champion Marquis thought Prince Ying must be with us two. When Prince Ying ran ahead, the assassins were forced to act early-” Prince Donghai shuddered, his expression changing. “You actually let me chase Yuan Zifan alone!”

“As I said, this is just speculation,” Han Ruzi said calmly.

“Fine, let’s continue speculating.” Prince Donghai thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “Actually, we don’t need speculation. By your logic, the person least suspected is most suspicious, because while others’ reputations would be damaged or even lose their eligibility for the throne, they could reap the benefits.”

Han Ruzi nodded.

“You don’t believe some people just have good luck?”

Han Ruzi shook his head. At times like these, only the most ignorant would believe in luck.

Prince Donghai fell silent for a moment. “There’s also the Empress Dowager and Cui Hong, and your private soldiers – they could all possibly have assassinated Prince Ying.”

“Private soldiers?”

“I believe the assassination wasn’t your idea, but haven’t your private soldiers returned to the Capital? They’re very loyal to you but not very clever. Perhaps they thought they were helping you.”

“Then they should have assassinated the Champion Marquis.”

Prince Donghai grunted in agreement, eliminating that possibility. “Cui Hong is actually quite suspicious. Among the four contenders for the throne, three have close ties to the Cui clan. Only Prince Ying is the exception- no, Prince Ying’s power base is the weakest. Cui Hong had no need to eliminate him-“

“Perhaps Grand Tutor Cui hoped to see the Capital fall into chaos.”

“Hmm, that would indeed benefit him greatly. But Prince Ying’s assassination is not significant enough to bring in the Southern Army, unless things escalate further- is Prince Ying dead?”

“We don’t know yet. I’m also waiting for news.”

“I should go out and gather information. The Tan family usually has good intelligence.” Prince Donghai stood up but didn’t leave immediately. “After all this discussion, the person who benefits most is actually the Empress Dowager!”

“Hmm.” Han Ruzi remained noncommittal.

“Prince Ying isn’t an ordinary person. Who will investigate the assassination? First, the Guanghua Tigers – they’re all the Empress Dowager’s people. Then there’s the Eight Palace Guard Camps-” Prince Donghai’s expression changed again.

“The Empress Dowager has gone mad,” Han Ruzi reminded him.

“What if she isn’t sick at all and is just pretending? All the throne contenders are trapped in the Capital. Using this assassination, the Eight Palace Guard Camps can openly take control- which means the Guanghua Tiger might also be deceiving the Tan family-“

Prince Donghai ran off.

Han Ruzi remained motionless. The entire Capital was like a pond – Prince Ying’s assassination had stirred up the waters, raising the sediment. Big fish and small fish all rushed in, chasing and biting each other, making it impossible to distinguish who was a pre-planned enemy and who was an opportunist taking advantage of the chaos.

In the late night, Yang Feng returned.

“Prince Ying and Du Chuanyun were hit by poisoned darts, but thanks to quick treatment, they should be fine.”

Han Ruzi felt slightly relieved, but immediately sensed an ill omen. “Poisoned darts?”

“Yes, the kind of weapon favored by those in the pugilist world. Du Chuanyun was alert and shielded Prince Ying, so it didn’t hit any vital spots.”

“What about the assassins?”

“Still under investigation. The shopkeeper said there were six or seven youths loitering in front of the shop who disappeared after the incident. Lian Chenzheng is looking for these people.”

“And the fate seers?” Han Ruzi asked.

“Yuan Zifan and Lu Congxin have disappeared. Huangfu Yi is in the palace, status unknown. Lin Kunshan is still at Prince Donghai’s residence.”

“Lin Kunshan didn’t flee?” Han Ruzi was very surprised.

“No.”

Han Ruzi was confused. He looked at Yang Feng and after a while asked, “Has Shang-guan Sheng made an appearance?”

“Not yet. Lian Danchen has three days to investigate. If there are no results, then Shang-guan Sheng will step in.”

“He’s really keeping his composure. Master Yang, is there anything else you need to tell me?”

“The Weary Marquis should rest. Tomorrow, people will likely come to question you.”

Han Ruzi nodded. “It was the Empress Dowager, wasn’t it?”

Yang Feng remained silent for a moment. “What makes the Weary Marquis say that?”

“Prince Ying was recommended by the Empress Dowager, yet he received little support. Looking back now, Prince Ying’s only purpose was probably to be assassinated as a throne contender, giving Shang-guan Sheng a reason to directly intervene in the succession dispute. When Prince Ying was attacked, I suspected the Empress Dowager, and so would the Champion Marquis, but the rest of the world wouldn’t. They only see harm done to the Empress Dowager’s candidate, making them think we are the culprits behind it.”

“Aren’t we?” Yang Feng asked in return.

Han Ruzi stared at Yang Feng for a while, then lowered his gaze. “This matter will probably never be fully investigated, right?”

“Get some rest, Weary Marquis. You’re thinking too much.”

After Yang Feng left, Han Ruzi lay down fully clothed and rested in the study. Though he thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep, he fell into dreams as soon as he closed his eyes.

The next morning when he was awakened, Han Ruzi was reluctant to get up. At that moment, even getting the throne didn’t matter – he just wanted to keep sleeping.

But he sat up anyway, quickly becoming alert.

Zhang Youcai wasn’t as panicked as the night before, and even showed a slight smile. “Why did master sleep in these clothes? I’ve brought new clothes, please change into them.”

Han Ruzi followed instructions like a puppet. After changing clothes and washing up, he was more awake and said, “You were quite frightened yesterday, weren’t you?”

“It wasn’t too bad, just very sudden. I thought-“

“Thought what?”

“That someone wanted to kill you and Prince Donghai,” Zhang Youcai said quietly.

Han Ruzi smiled slightly. Zhang Youcai was a palace eunuch – even if he suspected the Empress Dowager, he wouldn’t dare say it.

“Du Chuanyun should be fine.”

“I heard. That fellow will get himself killed one of these days.”

“Aren’t you concerned about him? You’re friends.”

“Friends?” Zhang Youcai showed some anger. “I shouldn’t say this-“

“There’s nothing you shouldn’t say in front of me.”

Zhang Youcai’s face reddened slightly. “On just the second day after I returned, Du Chuanyun said he was welcoming me back, but ended up taking Ni Qiu and me to that kind of place.”

“What kind of place?” Han Ruzi didn’t understand.

“A brothel.”

Han Ruzi was stunned, then burst out laughing. He could believe Du Chuanyun would do such a thing.

“He said, ‘Even if you can’t eat pork, you should at least watch pigs run. Can’t eunuchs visit brothels? Some eunuchs even get married and adopt children.’ Just listen to that nonsense!” Zhang Youcai said indignantly.

Han Ruzi shook his head with a smile, not defending Du Chuanyun. He understood clearly that Zhang Youcai was using anger to suppress his concern – the two were still best friends.

While tidying the room, Zhang Youcai continued complaining, “Even if I didn’t mind, there was still Ni Qiu. How old is he? Yet Du Chuanyun took him there too. Fine, the food and wine there were indeed good, and the courtesans knew how to sweet talk, but this was too much. Master, regardless of what you think, I must say that Du Chuanyun’s love for wine and women will be his downfall someday-“

By late morning, Prince Donghai hadn’t come as usual. Instead, the judicial clerk Lian Danchen paid a visit.

Yang Feng personally led Lian Chenxin to the study, while several officers who came with him remained in the front courtyard, hosted by the manor clerk.

As soon as Lian Danchen entered, he knelt and kowtowed to express his apologies.

Han Ruzi asked him to rise, exchanged pleasantries, then Lian Danchen took out paper and brush and began asking the Weary Marquis about details about the previous night.

Han Ruzi had nothing to hide and told everything from start to finish.

“Prince Ying visited suddenly, without prior notice?”

“Yes.”

“So not many people knew Prince Ying had left his residence.”

“When we went to visit the Chancellor, many people came out of the Chancellor’s residence to welcome us. That’s probably how the news spread.”

“Hmm, but that wouldn’t be enough time to plan an assassination. Those people were well-prepared, definitely not acting on impulse.” Lian Chenxin didn’t continue his analysis, respectfully presented the written statement, and asked the Weary Marquis and Yang Feng to sign and seal it.

After Lian Danchen put everything away, he showed no intention of leaving. Yang Feng tactfully walked out of the study and waited outside.

“Doesn’t the Weary Marquis have a former palace guard?”

“Yes.”

“Named Meng E?”

“Correct. What about her?”

“Please be careful, Weary Marquis.” Lian Danchen bowed and took his leave.

Han Ruzi understood – the assassination technique and hidden weapons must have been very similar to those used by the Meng siblings.

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