Prince Jiujiang's Heir

Prince Jiujiang's Heir, Xiao Jing, was forty-two this year, in the prime of his life, with plenty of fire left in his belly.

He had a handsome, rugged face, with sharply defined features. Long accustomed to a life of comfort, he carried himself with mature, restrained poise, his dignity and authority lending him the charm of a middle-aged man.

Ever since the True and False Crown Prince Case broke out, he had thought Xiao Qianyu was a spent piece on the board. He had immediately submitted a memorial proclaiming his innocence, then pushed the Heir's Consort out as a scapegoat.

Why was he so brazen? Of course, it was because his own father was the most powerful vassal prince in the Great Xi Dynasty. His fief was Jiujiang Prefecture, where he controlled most of the vast, fertile lands of Jiangnan and maintained an army of two hundred thousand.

If he so much as stirred, half the Great Xi Dynasty would be thrown into chaos.

If the court punished him, it would be punishing Prince Jiujiang's Estate. His Father King was sitting comfortably in the palace at Jiujiang Prefecture. If the emperor wasn't afraid of Father King raising an army in rebellion, he was welcome to punish him.

As expected, Emperor Yongchang didn't dare utter a peep. He had simply given him the lightest of punishments—confinement—and let the matter drop.

He had initially regretted that a piece he had cultivated for twenty years was about to bear fruit, only for everything to fall through at the last moment. He hadn't expected the tide to turn in the blink of an eye: his son had become one protected by Heaven, the Son of Heaven chosen by the Mandate.

Ha ha ha! That was right—Xiao Qianyu was his "son." After all, he had personally arranged the switch between the true and false imperial princes all those years ago.

For so many years, he had quietly watched Xiao Qianyu grow up, step by step drawing closer to that supreme throne. He had watched everyone dance in the palm of his hand, and reveled in it.

The only thing he regretted was that the wet nurse who had escaped back then had emerged to cause trouble, even bringing the true Imperial Prince back to the palace.

She had ruined his plans. Even if that wet nurse hadn't killed herself, he would have made sure she died without a proper burial.

Fortunately, the tide had turned, and the game had come back to life on its own.

In the study of Prince Jiujiang's Estate in the capital, Prince Jiujiang's Heir rubbed his hands excitedly and paced back and forth a few times before turning to look at his assembled advisors.

"The Crown Prince will be bringing the Heir's Consort back shortly. What if I tell him the truth outright?" he asked, seeking their opinions.

He knew Xiao Qianyu was his son. The people who had been involved in the switch and were still alive knew it too. He suspected Emperor Yongchang harbored doubts as well. But Xiao Qianyu himself had no idea!

Others probably thought this was a heavenly miracle proving beyond doubt that Xiao Qianyu was of the Royal Bloodline. But perhaps the miracle also pointed to another possibility: Emperor Yongchang was unworthy of his position, and the throne should pass to Prince Jiujiang's branch of the family.

How thrilling! Their line was surely destined to rule the realm. He could become emperor—or, at the very least, the retired emperor.

So they absolutely couldn't let Xiao Qianyu mistake his identity and go on thinking he was the legitimate son of Emperor Yongchang and the Empress.

They had to tell him the truth at once. It was time to cultivate their father-son bond, too.

The advisors at Prince Jiujiang's Estate exchanged glances, then nodded in unison. "We agree that the Crown Prince should be told the truth. We mustn't let him go on taking his enemy for his father."

Xiao Qianyu was about to soar through the clouds and ascend to the ninth heaven. They hadn't backed the wrong master, and their futures were bright, with wealth and honor assured. Of course they wanted to grow familiar with Xiao Qianyu as soon as possible and build a bond with him, so that in the future they could seize their chance to make great things happen.

Still, Advisor Fang Zheng cautioned, "The Heir should be careful in how he speaks about the switch. Don't let the Crown Prince grow resentful or misunderstand, thinking the Heir never cared for him. And there's the Heir's Consort. She may harbor grievances, so the Heir should think carefully about how to handle her."

Truth be told, Prince Jiujiang's Heir had been a terrible father. For the sake of his ambition, he had sent his own son away. If Heaven hadn't sent down a miracle, the Crown Prince would already have died on the Execution Platform.

And the Heir's Consort—both mother and son had become sacrifices for Prince Jiujiang's Estate.

Would they not harbor resentment and bitterness?

If Prince Jiujiang's Heir wanted to win the Crown Prince over and earn his wholehearted trust, he would have to work hard at it.

Prince Jiujiang's Heir pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Mr. Fang is right to remind me. I know what to do. The Heir's Consort has suffered a great deal this time. I'll make it up to her properly. As for the Crown Prince, I'll be completely open with him. Whatever he wants, if it's within my power, I'll agree. It's all for the great cause of Prince Jiujiang's Estate. The Crown Prince is a clever man; he'll understand me."

Fang Zheng felt somewhat worried, but seeing the confidence on Prince Jiujiang's Heir's face, he said no more.

That was true. Once the truth came out, the Crown Prince would surely side with Prince Jiujiang's Estate and understand who he could rely on.

Even if he was dissatisfied, the Heir wasn't a fool. He would surely put his heart into resolving things.

Thinking of it that way, Fang Zheng suddenly felt clear-headed and refreshed, as if he could already see the splendid future in which Emperor Yongchang was driven from the throne and the faction of Prince Jiujiang's Estate occupied the court.

With the matter settled, the advisors withdrew, leaving Prince Jiujiang's Heir alone.

A moment later, a beauty emerged from the secret chamber hidden within the study. She walked toward Prince Jiujiang's Heir with delicate, measured steps, wrapped her arms around him from behind, and murmured coquettishly, "My lord!"