Chapter 12: Pushing

Zhao Yan, still inexperienced and not versed in worldly affairs, how could he be interested in such improper books?

Wen Renlin was clearly taking advantage of last night’s incident to cause trouble, showing extreme cunning. Zhao Yan understood this clearly in her heart, but she couldn’t show it on her face. She just sat there, sleeves gathered, staring blankly ahead with innocent eyes.

Wen Renlin didn’t buy her act of ignorance. With a casual gesture, he recited slowly, “The man sits cross-legged, the woman straddles his thighs, her hands around his neck.” It was the posture used by the crown prince last night.

Zhao Yan was initially ignorant, but hearing Wen Renlin’s straightforward and vivid description, her ears began to burn.

Although the hall was not hot, an inexplicable heat rushed to her cheeks and spread to her limbs.

Leaning back in his chair, Wen Renlin’s calm and handsome face showed no hint of frivolity. It seemed as if he was just discussing some difficult academic problem: “The crown prince has always been knowledgeable and quick-witted. How could he pretend to be foolish now?”

Zhao Yan lowered her head, choosing the most suitable excuse according to Zhao Yan’s temperament: “Master Wen once taught me that a gentleman should uphold propriety and virtue, and should study the teachings of sages. Therefore, I have never read such idle books.”

Wen Renlin nodded faintly, “So, the crown prince is self-taught.”

Embarrassed, Zhao Yan listened as the cunning Wen Renlin continued, “Although this posture may be easier for men, the crown prince is still young and delicate. Indulging too much in it may stunt his growth.”

Blushing, Zhao Yan stared at the chessboard in front of her and replied, “I will take your advice.”

Then, she lifted her head, blinked her peach blossom eyes, and asked, “Does the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince also oversee such matters?”

Of course, the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince would not oversee such matters. It was merely the twisted taste of a spiteful person.

Wen Renlin rested his forearm on the armrest of the chair, and the excellent quality fabric of his sleeves flowed down smoothly, without a wrinkle. After scrutinizing the little crown prince’s struggles with a sense of satisfaction, he casually tapped the chessboard.

A eunuch immediately came forward to rearrange the black and white chess pieces, swiftly and silently, without making a sound.

Li Fu, who had been following Zhao Yan, saw this and picked up a cup of hot tea from the nearby stove, preparing it for her.

The tea had been tampered with to temporarily disrupt the pulse, allowing Zhao Yan to feign illness while also concealing her true female pulse. It was prepared by Zhang Xu from the Imperial Hospital for emergencies.

However, this couldn’t go on forever.

Luckily, Zhao Yan had practiced the “Yanwei Formation” with Liu Ji last night. Although she was still inexperienced, she had enough skill to deceive superficially. After all, as the “Crown Prince,” losing to the formidable Prince Su, who held power over the world, was not considered a flaw.

As expected, she was defeated miserably. The so-called “Yanwei Formation” couldn’t even withstand seven moves in front of Wen Renlin.

Zhao Yan conceded obediently, feeling relieved as if she had passed through a trial. She flipped through the military strategy she would discuss tomorrow, fully utilizing her ability to multitask. While Zhao Yan appeared repentant and meek, her eyelashes trembled uncontrollably. 

Wen Renlin pointed to the top right corner of the board with a book, and the dark iron ring on his finger reflected a chilling light.

He said, “The Crown Prince only sees immediate gains. With just a little temptation, he falls into a trap. When did he become so focused on quick success?”

Zhao Yan lowered her head and replied softly, “It’s just that playing chess with someone as formidable as the Grand Tutor makes me a bit nervous.”

Wen Renlin glanced over and noticed the mole at the corner of her eye. After a moment of contemplation, he said in a slow voice, “One wrong move in chess, and you can start over. But if the Crown Prince makes a wrong move within the imperial city, there won’t be a second chance.”

Leaning back in his chair, Wen Renlin lightly tapped his palm with a book and said, “Please return to the palace, copy a chapter of ‘He Zong’, and temper your character.”

“As the winter festival approaches, the court will have seven days of rest. The Crown Prince doesn’t need to come to the Chongwen Hall these days.”

Wait a minute!

Zhao Yan’s scattered eyes suddenly focused, and she looked up at Wen Renlin.

Could such a good thing really exist in the world?

“That’s really… such a pity…”

Zhao Yan shook her head with a sigh, as if all the sorrows in her life had passed through her mind in that moment, barely suppressing the excitement in her heart.

Wen Renlin smiled with a slight warmth at the corner of his mouth, too lazy to expose her.

The bell rang timely, signaling the end of the lesson.

Zhao Yan gathered her sleeves, bowed to bid farewell to the Grand Tutor, and only when the footsteps faded away did she lift her eyes from her gathered robes and signaled to Li Fu, “Has he left?”

Li Fu took the chilled tea cup and retreated, glanced outside the door, and said, “Yes, he’s gone.”

Zhao Yan came alive.

As the year-end approached, the sky over the capital was mostly cloudy, with little sunshine. The snow had not yet melted for nearly a month, and the north wind carried a faint chill of ice and snow.

The only one who was in high spirits was Zhao Yan, her lips couldn’t help but curl up on the way back.

Thinking of Liu Ji’s matter, Zhao Yan returned to the Kun Ning Palace to report her safety, telling her mother the truth about Liu Ji assisting her in dealing with Prince Su, to put her mother’s mind at ease.

Returning to the Eastern Palace at dusk, Zhao Yan got off the sedan chair carrying a gilded hand stove, and from a distance, she saw the commander of the Eastern Palace guards, Gu Xing, standing under the Yongfu Gate.

Clearing her throat, Zhao Yan instructed Liu Ying, “Prince Su ordered me to copy the military book ‘He Zong’. Go and fetch it for me.”

Liu Ying did not doubt her, and went to carry out the task.

Zhao Yan went to the study, dismissed the attending eunuch, and waited for less than half a cup of tea before Gu Xing arrived with a seemingly inconspicuous bundle.

“Your Highness.”

He bowed and carefully presented the contents of the bundle, “You ordered me to fetch paper, ink, and books. They are all here.”

Zhao Yan calmly asked, “Did you disturb anyone?”

Gu Xing replied, “I only said I was going home to get something, without letting others know. At Mingde Pavilion, I personally sorted and organized everything.”

“You are diligent in your work.” Zhao Yan was quite satisfied.

Gu Xing hurriedly lowered his head, “This is just my duty, I dare not claim credit.”

He was diligent and cautious in his work, and his honesty and loyalty made him a reliable person. Zhao Yan secretly approved of him.

“Go on with your tasks. There will be more places where I need your assistance in the future,” Zhao Yan signaled for Gu Xing to leave.

She quickly glanced through the books, most of which were for study purposes, filled with annotations in red ink, showing the diligence and seriousness of the person who wrote them. There were few remaining letters. Taking advantage of Liu Ying’s absence, Zhao Yan hid the bundle in her large fox fur cloak and silently brought it back to her sleeping quarters.

With the night quiet, Liu Ying came to check the sleeping quarters as usual, tucking in the corners of the bedclothes for the master, extinguishing extra candles, and then drew the curtains and left.

Listening carefully until the door closed and the footsteps faded away, Zhao Yan threw on her cloak, picked up the small silk lamp used for night activities from the bedside, and went to the small room behind the screen.

She pressed down the hidden compartment at the bottom of the bookshelf and retrieved the letters and documents from Mingde Pavilion stored there during the day. Sitting on the floor, Zhao Yan held the few letters left by her brother close to her chest, sighed deeply, and opened them with a slight melancholy tinged with homesickness.

In the dim light of the night lamp, she was accompanied only by her own shadow.

【To His Royal Highness, from Gongsheng Wang Yu】

【From Gongsheng Cheng Jixing, a personal report】

【In the own handwriting of Shen Jingming】

A few sparse letters expressed concise opinions on ritual, law, and current affairs, signed by scholars from Mingde Pavilion, presumably the same group of people who had enjoyed conversations with Zhao Yan. Among them, Shen Jingming appeared most frequently, followed by Wang Yu and Cheng Jixing.

Shen Jingming was already deceased, but the identities of the remaining two were unknown. Zhao Yan recorded their names on a piece of paper.

At the bottom were two folded letters, and when she unfolded them, she saw the handwriting of her brother Zhao Yan. Presumably, these were the replies he wrote to the scholars, but they had not been sent out and remained piled up here with the books.

Zhao Yan moved the lamp closer and continued reading.

【Letters from the scholars, I have read them all. As you said, without wealth, there is no army; without an army, the country is weak. The system of the Great Xuan Dynasty is outdated and cumbersome, the root of accumulated problems. At the beginning of the founding of the country, the Emperor personally rewarded hundreds of meritorious generals. However, dukes, marquises, counts, and officials, with their descendants inheriting titles for generations, have now exceeded thirty thousand. These aristocratic families enjoy lavish lifestyles, covered in jewels and precious stones, while the national treasury is like water in a pond, more going out than coming in. In three years, it will surely be depleted…】

The more Zhao Yan read, the more awake she became. From skimming at first to chewing over every word at the end, her peach blossom eyes were filled with undisguised astonishment.

In her impression, Zhao Yan was a person with such a gentle temperament that he bordered on being weak. His writings must have been flowery and elegant, more decorative than substantive.

However, looking at this letter, every word was profound and powerful, penetrating through the paper, exposing the long-standing corruption and decay of the Great Xuan Dynasty under the pen.

Her mother’s partiality towards him was not entirely unreasonable.

If Zhao Yan were still alive, he would surely become a wise and benevolent ruler.

But unfortunately, such a person died in mysterious circumstances, not even worthy of knowing the truth. With these thoughts in mind, Zhao Yan clenched the silk paper in her hand, emotions swirling and conflicting within her, endlessly.

Should she bring this item to see Liu Ji?

No, she decided to wait. Zhao Yan quickly dismissed the idea.

Liu Ji is currently wary of her and the Eastern Palace, and she won’t reveal everything right away. Zhao Yan needs to give her some time, observe her attitude. When Liu Ji has figured things out and is willing to cooperate sincerely, then Zhao Yan can reveal her own cards.

Calming down, she carefully folded and arranged the letters, placing them back in the hidden compartment.

On this night, the north wind whimpered, and amidst the rustling of snowflakes, the winter festival quietly arrived.

The Great Xuan Dynasty had always attached great importance to the winter festival. Even the poorest people would put on new clothes on this day, paying respects to their ancestors and visiting friends. In the palace, the festivities were grand, with the emperor hosting banquets to reward officials, and nobles and dignitaries bringing their wives and legitimate sons to attend. The banquet stretched from the main hall of the Yonglin Palace to beneath the corridors.

It was said that the governor of Liangzhou, who governed various regions including Bashu, also sent his deputy to the palace to discuss matters concerning the pacification of the Sichuan army. Amidst the joyous atmosphere of the grand feast, there was a layer of mysterious and sinister shadow.

In such a situation, Zhao Yan, as the “Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace,” naturally had to be present.

The carriage stopped under the Changqing Gate, and Zhao Yan, dressed in purple robes and a golden crown, draped in a moon-white cloak, portrayed the delicate and noble demeanor of the Eastern Palace Crown Prince to perfection.

“Do you remember the portraits and names of the officials in the booklet, Your Highness?” Liu Ying confirmed repeatedly.

Zhao Yan had been observing this booklet placed by her bedside every day, and it wasn’t easy to remember the faces of dozens of people just by looking at their portraits. Fortunately, she came up with a unique method, extracting distinctive features from each person’s facial features and giving them a nickname, making it much easier to remember.

She gathered her sleeves and said, “It’s almost done. If there are any omissions, you can remind me.”

Liu Ying nodded, “I will remember, Your Highness.”

She then added, “There are many factions in the court, and it’s not easy to handle them all. After the ritual, Your Highness can find an excuse to leave.”

Zhao Yan mumbled, “Hmm,” and walked through the left court towards the palace corridor.

She was still thinking about the matter of “accompanying study,” intending to take this opportunity to understand the situation and select suitable targets. Of course, this matter couldn’t be discussed with Liu Ying.

Lost in thought, she suddenly heard a harsh laughter coming from ahead.

Zhao Yan looked up and saw a group of noblemen dressed in luxurious clothes walking towards her. The leader, about the age of twenty, had a sleek and powdered face, thin eyebrows, and a sly and sharp look, draped in a coat of feathers and glitter, looking like a colorful fighting cock among the crowd.

Seeing this cocky face, Zhao Yan remembered: Ah, isn’t this the Prince of Yong, Zhao Yuanyu?

As the younger brother of the Emperor, the Prince of Yong was the second in line to the throne after the Crown Prince, a fact that was indisputable in the court. The Prince’s son had been treated on equal terms with Zhao Yan since childhood, which had nurtured his arrogant and domineering character. Unfortunately, Zhao Yan’s soft temperament had allowed Zhao Yuanyu to ride roughshod over the Eastern Palace several times.

If something were to happen to Zhao Yan, the direct beneficiaries would be the uncle and son of the Crown Prince of Yong. Zhao Yan stopped in her tracks and quietly observed.

Zhao Yuanyu apparently also noticed the young prince standing in the corridor, and his eyes immediately darkened.

He sneered mockingly, not only did he not give way but instead walked straight towards Zhao Yan, taunting with a low voice full of schadenfreude, “Oh, the Crown Prince is still alive, what a blessing.”

More than six years had passed, but his face was still so nauseating.

Zhao Yan lifted the corner of her lips and retorted, “Indeed. If I were to meet with any misfortune, the Prince of Yong would be the prime suspect, facing extermination of his entire clan. Now that I am perfectly fine, the Prince’s Mansion can also be perfectly fine. Of course, it’s something for the Prince to celebrate.”

Zhao Yuanyu’s taunts were all turned back on him, leaving him red-faced and furious.

Now he looked even more like a fighting cock.

“Like a shrew, using your tongue to show off! You’d be better off staying in your Eastern Palace and studying, doomed ghost.”

Zhao Yuanyu’s malicious curse was uttered very low, but Zhao Yan heard it clearly. The smile at the corner of her mouth faded, and her fingers tightened around the hand warmer.

The palace corridor was not spacious, and Zhao Yuanyu, seeing that the usually weak and polite young prince didn’t make way for him, became even more irritated.

He decided to push his way through, intending to forcibly push aside the prince. However, as soon as his arm touched the hem of the prince’s robe, his feet stumbled, and he knocked his head against the red lacquered pillar, immediately seeing stars.

His followers rushed forward, helping him up and shouting, attracting officials and their families passing by.

Clutching his forehead, Zhao Yuanyu glared angrily and pointed at Zhao Yan, “You…”

But Zhao Yan had already fallen to the ground, leaning against a nearby railing with one hand on her forehead, showing a look of concealed pain.

“Your Highness!”

Liu Ying frowned anxiously, supporting Zhao Yan and turning to face Zhao Yuanyu, speaking sternly, “Prince of Yong, even if the Crown Prince obstructed your path, you shouldn’t resort to such heavy-handed shoving!”

Zhao Yuanyu’s eyes widened.

“I didn’t push him! No, I didn’t use any force at all!”

His face turned crimson as he looked at his attendants beside him, “You all saw it, he tripped himself!”

The attendants looked at each other, none daring to speak out easily.

They did indeed see the Prince of Yong try to push the Crown Prince, but his own strength caused him to stumble, and then the Crown Prince fell lightly. However, they were all making a living under the roof of the Prince of Yong’s mansion, so it was not easy to speak the truth, nor could they help insult the Crown Prince. Therefore, they remained silent and evasive.

Zhao Yan pressed her lips tightly, propping herself up with the railing, “It was indeed my own carelessness that caused the fall, nothing to do with the Prince of Yong.”

Zhao Yuanyu laughed loudly, “Did you all hear that? He admitted it himself!”

But who would believe him?

The power disparity between these two was obvious to even a blind person.

Unfortunately, the “Crown Prince” had a good temper, smiling weakly at the surrounding courtiers, looking as if he were making light of a serious matter, “It’s true, it has nothing to do with the Prince. Let’s forget about it. It’s a good festival today, let’s not upset Father…”

His words were sincere and touching.

In comparison, the Prince of Yong appeared hateful.

“The Crown Prince has just recovered from a serious illness, how could he withstand such a shove from the Prince?”

“Yes, even if he gains power, he is still a subject. How can he speak disrespectfully to the heir apparent!”

Among the onlookers, there were many righteous individuals, who stepped forward to comfort and reassure the Crown Prince. Those with a strong sense of justice even directly criticized the arrogance of the Prince of Yong’s mansion.

Zhao Yuanyu’s eyes turned red, and with a final “Just you wait,” he brushed past the crowd and left with a flick of his sleeve.

On the bridge ahead, the curtains swayed in the wind, and the tassels danced lightly.

Wen Renlin stood by the railing, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, taking in everything with satisfaction.

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