Prince Zhou's Mansion stood on the western side of the inner city, surrounded for the most part by the mansions of various feudal princes staying in the Capital City.
After receiving their fiefs, the feudal princes were all sent away from the Capital City to take up residence in their domains. In recent years, only the current Emperor and the former Prince Cheng had possessed fiefs yet remained in the Capital City.
Still, that was hardly a good thing.
Not far from Prince Zhou's Mansion stood another estate, its gate bearing the plaque of the Duke of Qian. Duke of Qian Mu Bin lived within. Ever since inheriting his title, he had remained in the Capital City, only occasionally being ordered back to Yunnan to comfort the soldiers and common people.
He was called the Duke of Qian, but in truth, the Mu Family had always received the treatment of a commandery prince.
His father and grandfather had both been posthumously granted princely titles. Barring any surprises, he would be as well.
Though the feudal princes never said it aloud, they all knew that Mu Bin remained in the Capital City not only because the Emperor valued him, but also because he served as a check upon the Mu Mansion in Yunnan.
After all, Yunnan had been at war ever since the late Emperor's time. Hundreds of thousands of troops had been poured into it without end, so the Capital City needed someone who could reassure the Emperor as a hostage.
Compared to him, the other feudal princes, who held no military authority, had it far easier. The moment they arrived in the Capital City, they began visiting one another.
They were relatives who had not seen each other in many years, even if several generations of blood stood between