The eighteenth year of Hongchang.
The year was Renyin.
The twenty-third day of the fifth month.
Dark clouds veiled the moon, and all was silent.
A carriage draped in black cloth stopped at the rear gate of Prince Qin's residence.
When the guards on duty saw the old man step down, they did not dare obstruct him in the slightest and hurried into the residence to report.
Upon hearing that Zhang Zhengyang had come calling in the dead of night, Prince Qin Zhao Yuan guessed that something momentous had happened. He hastily invited him into the study and ordered the guards to clear away all servants. No one was permitted to approach!
Zhang Zhengyang had come alone. The first words he spoke after entering the study made Zhao Yuan's face turn pale.
"His Majesty has passed away. Two hours ago!"
"Ah! Father Emperor..."
Zhao Yuan cried out and sprang to his feet, then said dejectedly, "Father Emperor even concealed news of his death. He must have made arrangements."
"Indeed."
Zhang Zhengyang nodded. "The late Emperor left behind an imperial edict appointing this old man and three others as regents, to assist the Sixth Prince in governing the realm."
"Then why did you...?"
Hope flashed through Zhao Yuan's eyes. The bells of Shangyang Palace had not rung, and news of the Emperor Hongchang's death had not spread. Perhaps there was still room to turn things around.
Zhang Zhengyang said, "When the ruler is young, his ministers grow doubtful. The Sixth Prince is unruly by nature and does not look like the makings of a sovereign!"
Zhao Yuan nodded slightly and waited for what followed. "Does not look like a sovereign" was merely a pretext; there had to be some other reason for Chancellor Zhang to risk defying the late Emperor's edict.
"The other three regents are an eunuch dog from within the palace, an ignorant woman, and a boorish noble!"
Zhang Zhengyang said, "How can the great affairs of the state be left for such people to decide? The late Emperor wore himself out from dawn to dusk before achieving this restoration. This old man absolutely cannot stand by and watch it be ruined in the hands of a child!"
"Chancellor Zhang speaks wisely!"
Zhao Yuan could guess the identities of the other three. He admired his father's arrangements in the imperial edict immensely.
The eunuch dog within the palace was Eunuch Wang, who controlled the Brocade Guard outside and the Secret Memorial Office within. The Sixth Prince's mother, Imperial Concubine Sun, had brothers and fathers in her clan commanding the Capital Garrison. Duke Cheng was over eighty years old and possessed the greatest prestige and seniority among the nobility.
Chancellor Zhang had controlled court affairs for nearly twenty years. His followers spread throughout Shenjing's court and the provincial prefectures, and he was nearly as formidable as the Dragon Rebel of old.
Only these three powerful and influential regents, who did not belong to the court's civil officials, could restrain Chancellor Zhang in mutual balance, giving the Sixth Prince enough time to grow and seize power.
Along with his admiration, Zhao Yuan felt resentment rise in his heart.
The current Empress had only one son. After the Crown Prince was stripped of his position for treason, Zhao Yuan became the eldest son.
So why should the throne fall to the Sixth Prince?
Zhao Yuan could understand his father's painstaking intentions in using the imperial edict to curb Chancellor Zhang's power, but that did not mean he would obey them!
Zhang Zhengyang said, "Those three are in the imperial palace right now, and the edict has not yet been issued to the Six Ministries. If Your Highness has such ambitions, this old man is willing to assist you with all his strength!"
"Has Chancellor Zhang forgotten the urgent report from the northern frontier?"
Zhao Yuan abruptly changed the subject and reminded him, "At such a time, fighting for power may delay the war effort. If the northern frontier is defeated..."
"So what if the northern frontier is defeated? At worst, we cede land and pay indemnities; we can fight to reclaim them later. But there is only one throne. Miss this chance, and there will never be another!"
An old fox of several decades, Zhang Zhengyang could naturally tell that Zhao Yuan had already been tempted. He added fuel to the fire. "A defeat on the northern frontier may not be a bad thing. After Your Highness ascends the throne, you can use the war to divert the court's conflicts and easily secure your position."
"Father Emperor ascended the throne from the title of Prince Qin. Now I am Prince Qin; it is only fitting that I become his successor!"
Zhao Yuan finally stopped concealing his ambitions and promised, "After I ascend the throne, Chancellor Zhang will remain Chief Minister and oversee all affairs within and beyond the court."
Zhang Zhengyang bowed at once. "This subject thanks Your Majesty for your boundless grace!"
"Chancellor Zhang need not stand on ceremony."
Zhao Yuan hurried forward to help him up, though his heart was on high alert. Zhang Zhengyang had betrayed his father for power without hesitation. Once he ascended the throne, the first thing he would do would be to uproot Zhang Zhengyang's faction.
"Time waits for no one. We must settle the overall situation before the imperial edict is proclaimed!"
Zhang Zhengyang said, "This old man has already gathered the servants of my residence and won over Commander Lin, who guards the eastern gate of the imperial palace. He fully supports Your Highness. Enter the palace swiftly and seize control of the situation."
"Excellent!"
Zhao Yuan ordered the commander of his guards to gather men, then summoned the Prince's Residence Chief Clerk and had him use his waist token to command several martial arts halls in Shenjing to hurry to the eastern gate of the imperial palace and assemble there.
These martial arts halls were all secretly controlled by Zhao Yuan. While the Crown Prince still held his position, they had merely been businesses for making money. Now, in the blink of an eye, they had become a force in the struggle for power.
Or rather, every prince would nurture a hidden force in preparation for unforeseen need!
Speed was the soul of war; opportunity could not be lost.
Less than an hour had passed since Zhang Zhengyang entered the prince's residence when Zhao Yuan arrived at the eastern gate of the imperial palace with over a thousand men.
Clad in armor and armed with blades and spears, they formed a dark, imposing mass.
When Commander Lin saw Chancellor Zhang accompanying him, he immediately ordered the city gate opened.
"Greetings, Your Highness. The ministers are still in Shangyang Palace!"
"Commander Lin has rendered great service this time. After I ascend the throne, you may be granted a marquisate."
Zhao Yuan's lavish rewards sent the morale of those following him soaring. All believed that once they entered the imperial palace, the overall situation would be settled.
Shangyang Palace.
The palace was brightly lit.
The Sixth Prince lay sprawled over the dragon bed, weeping softly.
The imperial family was not without affection, especially for a child of merely ten years who had been the Emperor Hongchang's most favored son.
Eunuch Wang, Duke Cheng, and Zhang Zhengyang stood before the bed waiting in silence, exhaustion written across their faces.
Imperial Concubine Sun sat to one side and summoned an attendant to ask, "What time is it now?"
"Reporting to Your Ladyship, it is already the fourth quarter of the Tiger hour."
The attendant knew what Imperial Concubine Sun wished to ask and answered voluntarily, "There is less than half an hour until the civil and military officials attend court."
Imperial Concubine Sun glanced at Chancellor Zhang, who appeared calm and unruffled, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps he truly did not care about gains and losses of power, and was a great minister of the age, genuinely loyal to his sovereign and devoted to the state!
Not long ago.
The Emperor Hongchang had passed away late at night. Before his death, he issued an edict appointing four regents to assist the Sixth Prince.
Imperial Concubine Sun and the others understood at once that the Emperor Hongchang was dividing Zhang Zhengyang's power, lest a young ruler and powerful minister destabilize the realm.
Thus, when Zhang Zhengyang prepared to leave Shangyang Palace to proclaim the edict, the other three regents spoke up to stop him.
Zhang Zhengyang had held court affairs in his grasp for nearly twenty years. No one knew how many hidden forces he had in the capital. If he used the darkness of night to gather his allies and stir up rebellion, the other three would have no power to resist.
After several rounds of drawn-out negotiations, the four established a rule.
Before dawn, no one could leave Shangyang Palace. The death would remain temporarily unannounced until the court officials arrived, at which point the edict would be proclaimed.
Imperial Concubine Sun's confidant left the city to notify the Capital Garrison, while Eunuch Wang ordered the palace attendants to summon the Brocade Guard. Once the edict was announced at morning court, they would have enough strength to confront Zhang Zhengyang.
Only Duke Cheng remained calm and unruffled, as though he did not care in the least about the great affairs of the state.
Suddenly.
A commotion arose outside the palace gates, followed by a string of miserable screams.
Imperial Concubine Sun hurriedly sent someone to investigate what had happened outside.
Duke Cheng glanced at Zhang Zhengyang. Seeing that the other man remained expressionless, as though the disturbance outside had not surprised him at all.
The attendant returned with a face full of terror. "Your Ladyship, Prince Qin and Chancellor Zhang have led troops in by force. They are killing everyone they see..."
Mid-sentence, he suddenly froze. Together with everyone else in the palace, he turned to look at Zhang Zhengyang.
Zhang Zhengyang remained silent. Slowly, he raised a hand to grip the skin behind his ear and tore away a layer of aged face, revealing his true appearance.