Chapter 4: Prince Su

“The Prince Su, as the only royal member of a different surname in this dynasty, has controlled the court and the people for many years, wielding military power and harboring ambitious intentions. We must be on guard against him!”

On the night when she entered the Eastern Palace, the stern admonitions of her mother still echoed in her ears, every word filled with resentment.

Zhao Yan had imagined it many times, but she never imagined that the Prince Su, who caused the whole court to tremble and whom her mother hated so much, would turn out to be such a seemingly gentle and extraordinarily handsome young man.

The man approached with a graceful stride, his thick black hair and tall figure exuding an air of elegance.

After the snow cleared, the faint sunlight poured into the palace, casting his shadow to stretch long. Zhao Yan stood amidst this shadow, watching him stop in front of her with wide eyes.

The man slightly bowed, his dark cloak fluttering, his crimson official robe contrasting with his cold, pale skin, reminiscent of the snow stained with blood beneath the palace gates. His demeanor was elegant and composed, as if he had casually strolled here instead of executing a high-ranking minister at the palace gates just moments ago.

Zhao Yan inexplicably felt breathless. Without looking in the mirror, she knew her complexion was not good at this moment.

“Has this humble one… disturbed Your Excellency’s peace again?” She regretted her previous judgment based on appearance, her voice hoarse.

Hearing this, Wen Renlin smiled as if melting snow under the spring breeze. “The Crown Prince jests. Liu Zhong, the Chief Censor, believed slanderous words and said things he shouldn’t have said and did things he shouldn’t have done. This humble one was only following His Majesty’s orders to silence him forever, not worthy of the term ‘peace’.”

He uttered “Liu Zhong” lightly, but to Zhao Yan, it sounded like thunder.

The Yong Prince’s faction, who had bowed before the throne just a few days ago, a fifth-ranked official, was now nothing but a corpse at Wen Renlin’s feet.

Zhao Yan should have felt schadenfreude, but she couldn’t muster any joy because Wen Renlin’s gaze upon her was no different from that towards the corpse, equally calm and indifferent.

She knew she shouldn’t say more, but the fear in her heart couldn’t be calmed.

If her brother were here, even if he were weak, he wouldn’t stand idly by—

That fool was notorious for meddling in other people’s business.

“The palace gates are not an execution ground; there’s no need to execute here,” she said, her breath trembling.

Wen Renlin said softly, “Without this, it cannot deter the courtiers.”

Using a knife to kill, today it’s a political enemy, tomorrow it could be the Eastern Palace. Anyone could be the target of the knife. Suddenly, Zhao Yan covered her mouth with her sleeve, turned her head, and coughed. She discreetly grabbed the wrist of Prince Su, whose fingertips were slightly cool.

Prince Su returned the gesture discreetly, understandingly saying, “Your Highness has just recovered from a serious illness. It’s best not to catch a chill again. Please rest in the carriage first.”

The young prince nodded hastily, his face as white as the snow behind him, as if he could faint at any moment.

Earlier in the warm chamber, this young man had a calm and self-satisfied demeanor, as if he had changed completely. Why was he suddenly so frightened?

“It was my negligence that disturbed Your Highness. It was truly unforgivable.”

Wen Renlin said “unforgivable,” but there was no trace of guilt on his handsome face. His smile even deepened slightly. “But judging by Your Highness’s reaction, could it be that you realized my true nature on the first day?”

His words held a deeper meaning, causing Zhao Yan’s heart to skip a beat.

She pinched her fingertips tightly, trying to force a smile. “The Prince Su’s actions, no matter how many times I see them, are difficult to bear.”

Wen Renlin’s eyes captured her petite figure, calm yet unfathomable.

He acknowledged her words and gestured to the attendants behind him. “Quickly clean up here.”

The body was dragged away, leaving a trail of dark red on the snowy ground, a shocking sight.

After muttering in a hoarse voice, Zhao Yan lowered her gaze, avoiding Wen Renlin’s gaze, and leaned on the carriage wall, exhaling deeply as if she had just survived. Releasing her tightly clenched fingers, four deep nail marks stretched across her palm, slightly pale.

Liu Ying whispered to the accompanying guards and brewed another cup of hot tea, handing it to Zhao Yan, whose face was now pale. With a serious tone, she asked, “Has Your Highness ever met the Prince Su?”

Zhao Yan drank the hot tea in one gulp, feeling warmth spreading in her stomach, gradually soothing her cold limbs.

She licked her lips, moistened by the water, and propped her forehead. “The person I saw in the warm chamber that day, avoiding the snow, was him.”

This time it was Liu Ying’s turn to be shocked. “Has Your Highness ever…”

“Don’t rush to interrogate me.”

Zhao Yan adopted a posture of settling scores after the autumn, going on the offensive, saying, “I want to ask, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell… what?” Liu Ying was taken aback.

“About… his face,” Zhao Yan continued, “You never once reminded me that Wen Renlin wears such a deceitful face.”

It led her to believe that the Prince Su was a terrifying figure, almost causing a catastrophe by not recognizing him in the warm chamber.

Liu Ying was stunned, as if realizing this for the first time.

When it came to the Prince Su, people always thought of his ruthless and unpredictable methods, overlooking the fact that he actually had a highly deceptive appearance.

“It’s the negligence of this servant. I’m willing to accept punishment.” Liu Ying stood up and bowed, admitting her mistake with her head lowered.

Seeing Liu Ying looking as if she wanted to die to apologize, Zhao Yan suddenly lost her temper. After all, she had served Zhao Yan for many years, and her temperament was just as rigid and dull as his.

“Forget it, why are you so serious? No one is going to punish you.”

Zhao Yan softened her tone and gently patted her chest, saying, “Luckily, I was able to adapt to the situation and came out unscathed.”

Although she said so, the turmoil in her heart did not subside for a long time, and she still felt lingering fear. The more wicked and evil a person was, the less likely it was that their face would reveal their true nature. This was the first lesson she had learned since returning to the palace.

The winter night was bitterly cold, and the hall was so quiet that only the sound of charcoal cracking could be heard.

Wrapped in blankets, Zhao Yan closed her eyes and all she could see in her mind were vast expanses of crimson snow, and the side profile of Wen Renlin wiping his knuckles absentmindedly.

The wind howled, and she tossed and turned all night without sleep.

The next day, when she got up early to attend classes at the Chongwen Hall, Zhao Yan had faint dark circles under her eyes. She listened to the Grand Tutor Wen’s old-fashioned and conservative lectures on “the Analects” with a drowsy mind.

She propped her chin with her hand, and the precious purple brush in her hand left a winding ink mark on the paper. Her eyelids were heavy, and suddenly, there were two abrupt and hoarse coughs.

Zhao Yan suddenly snapped out of her daze and saw the Grand Tutor Wen holding a crystal monocle in front of her, his exaggerated eyes magnified behind the lens, looking particularly ridiculous.

Without changing her expression, she replaced the dirty paper with a clean one and smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Grand Tutor. I didn’t sleep well last night, and I’m a bit tired.”

The whole Xuan Dynasty knew that the Crown Prince was the most diligent and studious, a model for all the youths in the world. The Grand Tutor Wen had been teaching the Crown Prince for over a year and knew that he never put down his books, even when he was on his sickbed.

It seemed that he had been studying late into the night, worrying too much, and that’s why he was so tired.

The Grand Tutor Wen couldn’t help but feel sorry and said anxiously, “At the beginning of resuming studies, Your Highness can’t keep up with the lessons, which is understandable. Please prioritize your health and don’t overexert yourself.”

This time, Zhao Yan was speechless.

She didn’t expect that Zhao Yan’s status would have such benefits, with someone eager to find excuses for him even when he fell asleep during class. Zhao Yan raised her hand to touch the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye, feeling a mix of guilt and envy in her heart.

Beside the palace road, hidden under the snow, the carriage swayed.

Liu Ying firmly lowered the curtain and presented a stack of folded scrolls. “Your Highness, the roster you ordered yesterday has been collected properly.”

“Very good, you work quite fast.”

Zhao Yan yawned lightly and took the scrolls to look through them roughly.

These scrolls were collected by Liu Ying yesterday after encountering Wen Renlin. They contained information about the background, temperament, and facial features of the courtiers, making it easier to distinguish them in future encounters and avoiding being caught off guard like yesterday.

When she turned to the page about the Prince Su, Zhao Yan’s gaze paused.

There were only a few lines about Wen Renlin’s life, recording: In the tenth year of Tianyou, during the Battle of Yanluo Pass, General Wen was trapped in the solitary city with a hundred thousand troops, and almost the entire army was wiped out, leaving only one surviving young son.

That surviving young man was Wen Renlin.

“The tenth year of Tianyou…”

Zhao Yan murmured to herself, recalling the time she was expelled from the Huayang Palace, hearing rumors of the fierce battle along the way.

Later, when Wen Renlin was escorted into the capital, the emperor, impressed by his family’s loyalty and sacrifice, granted him his father’s official position. Six months later, the seventeen-year-old Wen Renlin was granted permission to reclaim lost territories to the north. With unstoppable momentum, he began to control the military and political power of the court. From then on, wielding authority over life and death, he dominated the court and the people. He gradually ascended from the orphan of loyalists to a position of power, truly embodying the saying “holding the emperor hostage to control the court.”

However, the specific methods he employed and the hidden forces behind him were scarcely mentioned in the records.

Zhao Yan flipped through the documents several times, her fair and beautiful face creasing into a frown. “Why is there so little information?”

Liu Ying, feeling embarrassed, replied, “Prince Su’s actions are cautious and meticulous. With numerous eyes and ears in the capital, this… is already the limit of what we can uncover.”

“With such outstanding achievements, he shouldn’t be so mysterious.”

Zhao Yan rested her chin on her hand, asking, “Does Father Emperor trust him so much?”

“He bestows the utmost favor upon him.”

Liu Ying continued, “The Crown Prince also advised against it, but His Majesty ignored all counsel.”

“To the point of such blindness.”

Zhao Yan found it hard to believe, her brows furrowing as she pondered something.

Could it be that Brother’s death… also has something to do with Prince Su?

Her heart suddenly sank like a stone, sending a shiver down her spine. If that were true, her days in the Eastern Palace wouldn’t be easy. Fortunately, the Eastern Palace didn’t involve itself in court affairs. At most, she would attend lessons in the Chongwen Hall, presumably with no further interaction with Wen Renlin…

With these thoughts in mind, Zhao Yan’s tense heart finally relaxed, seeing through the clouds to the sun.

The Mansion of Prince Su.

Snow fell from the bending branches, instantly crushed under someone’s hurried steps.

Deputy General Zhang Cang strode through the courtyard, holding a confidential letter, and stopped in front of the study, respectfully knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

With permission granted, Zhang Cang pushed open the door.

The so-called study in the mansion resembled more of a vast library. Bookshelves lined the walls, reaching up to the ceiling, with stairs spiraling upward to the second floor. The tip of the iceberg revealed was already magnificent, not to mention the deep secret chambers hidden behind the bookshelves.

The surroundings of the study were dimly lit, with only a pair of golden crane-head candle lamps casting a warm yellow halo on the floor.

Prince Su sat in the center of that halo, meticulously wiping a thin, water-like blade with a piece of cloth. His deep blue attire made him look even more handsome and profound.

Zhang Cang took off his boots and entered, closing the door behind him. He bowed and presented the confidential letter in his hand. “The list of candidates suitable for the Crown Prince’s tutor and companion is here for your decision, Your Highness.”

Although the Emperor had commanded the selection of a tutor and companion for the Crown Prince to study in the Chongwen Hall, the decision had been delayed. It was a perfect opportunity to insert someone into the Eastern Palace’s circle. Therefore, various factions in the court were vigorously recommending candidates, but the final decision depended on the prince’s preference.

Only those favored by the prince would be successfully recommended to the Emperor.

Prince Su put down the cloth and picked up the letter from Zhang Cang’s palm with one hand.

The letter did not linger in his sight.

With a flick of his finger, the letter lay across the candle flame and ignited with a soft “crackle.”

Zhang Cang looked surprised. “Your Highness, this…”

“Mediocre talents unworthy of important tasks.”

The flames danced in Wen Renlin’s eyes, his exquisitely handsome face divided into light and shadow by the flickering light.

Zhang Cang asked, “Does Your Highness already have more suitable candidates in mind?”

As the letter burned to ashes, Wen Renlin lightly blew away the paper dust.

His slender fingers gently rotated the knife.

On the sharp blade, reflecting his deep and distant eyes, were traces as sharp as frost.

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