The Heir Apparent

The carriage was rather luxurious, decorated with black lacquer and gold powder. Even the horse's bit was inlaid with gold and silver, its golden patterns exceedingly intricate. It was clearly the carriage of a wealthy family.

Which noble household did it belong to?

Yan'an Prefecture was, after all, the Great Shun's secondary capital. It was normal for nobles to come and go, but it was unusual to see one come to this Clock and Watch Shop.

Chen Wu approached the entrance, but a man who looked like a guard reached out to stop him.

"There's someone inside. Wait before you go in!"

"The shopkeeper is my great-uncle." Chen Wu had long since learned to lie without batting an eye.

"Then wait anyway!"

"Who is it?" someone inside called out at the voices outside.

"Your Highness, the heir apparent," the guard immediately replied. "Someone wants to come in. He says he's a relative of the shopkeeper."

"Let him in!"

The guard glared at Chen Wu and gave him a look, signaling him to go inside.

Chen Wu entered the Jinheng Watch Shop. A young man wearing a blue Great Shun military uniform sat by the table, legs planted wide apart, while Old Liu stood before him, bowing and scraping as he said something to him.

As soon as he saw Chen Wu come in, Old Liu hurriedly pulled him over. "This is a distant nephew of mine. He's a little green and has offended you."

As he spoke, he motioned for Chen Wu to bow.

Chen Wu was just about to bow when the young man impatiently waved him off. "Oh, never mind, never mind. Just tell me, can this thing be repaired?"

Chen Wu glanced over. On the table sat a square clock made entirely of copper, decorated with mother-of-pearl, rubies, and diamonds. Unlike the clocks commonly used in Great Shun, whose dials marked the twelve double-hours, this clock's face was covered in Roman numerals.

But what made it most unusual was the handle at the top. It seemed the clock could be hung somewhere.

Old Liu looked troubled. "Your carriage clock is genuine French merchandise, not made here in Great Shun. I can't say for certain just yet whether our shop has parts that will fit."

"I heard you have an old master here, the finest watchmaker in Yan'an Prefecture. Where is he?" The heir apparent grew even more impatient. "I came for the master. Why haven't you called him out?"

"Oh, what terrible timing!" Old Liu's expression grew even more obsequious. "The master went back to his hometown yesterday. He won't be back for a while."

Hmm? He hadn't come to the Clock and Watch Shop for two days, and now the shop's owner was gone. Who knew what he'd gone off to do?

"Damn it!" The heir apparent looked displeased, but for a moment didn't know how to vent his frustration. "I knew Yan'an Prefecture was a cursed place!"

Just then, the servant standing behind him handed over a saber, and the heir apparent snatched it up at once.

Bang—

He slammed the saber, scabbard and all, onto the wooden table, leaving a dent. Old Liu's eyelids twitched at the sight.

Seeing that the heir apparent seemed ready to smash it again, Old Liu hurriedly spoke up. "Your Highness, I may not be as skilled as that master, but I've repaired clocks and watches for many years. Let me examine your carriage clock, and I can give you an answer tomorrow."

"You'd better give me an answer tonight!" The heir apparent had calmed down a little. "If you can't fix it, I'll have to send it back to the capital for repairs as soon as possible."

A flicker of displeasure passed through Old Liu's eyes. "Of course, of course. I'll do it as quickly as I can."

After much coaxing, they finally calmed the heir apparent down. Muttering curses, he climbed into his carriage and left for the time being.

"Do you think anything might happen to the Duke Chen's heir apparent?" Li Zheng asked. "He's a spoiled young master. He wouldn't let our people follow him and only brought his own guards. Who knows where he's gone off to fool around now?"

"Have you forgotten what I told you before?" Wu Ze said. "When it comes to our superiors, it's best to play dumb! He's just a rich young master looking for a bit of fun. There's no need to worry too much!"

Li Zheng understood, then brought up something else. "Duke Chen came to our office and looked through some files—the files on the 'Jade-Faced Killing God.'"

"I already know about that. Just don't spread it around." Wu Ze pointed up at the sky. "As I said, it's best to play dumb!"

Li Zheng could hardly hold back any longer. "Chief Constable, could you let me in on something? You're always so cryptic. I can't take it anymore."

"Very well," Wu Ze said. "Then I'll tell you."

"I suspect the Grand Patriarch's affair is connected to the Old Five Battalions and Wude Palace."

"The Old Five Battalions?"

"That's right! People at court have been floating the idea of abolishing the Old Five Battalions' privilege of taking the Wude Palace entrance exam and scrapping their reserved quotas, so that everyone takes the same exam on equal terms."

"That'll set the whole place ablaze!" Li Zheng immediately understood how serious it was. "And the Grand Patriarch...?"

"He supports it! He's one of the leading proponents!"

"No wonder..."

"So don't ask about this again!" Wu Ze said earnestly.

"Thank you, Chief Constable!"

Li Zheng bowed deeply.

"That Duke Chen's heir apparent seems rather innocent," Chen Wu remarked as he watched the carriage disappear into the distance.

"Hahaha!" Old Liu laughed. "That kid's a good-for-nothing. All he does is fight crickets, walk dogs, and spend his nights with courtesans."

"Why did he come here in person? It's just a clock repair. He could've sent a servant."

"That carriage clock was originally a gift from Louis XVI, the king of France, to Duke Chen when the duke went on a diplomatic mission to France," Old Liu said. "But that brat stole it to show off, went on a spree with his worthless friends, and broke it."

"He was afraid Duke Chen would punish him when he found out, so he sneaked over here to get it repaired. I asked him how it broke, but he just stammered and made excuses, thinking he could fool me!"

"Can you fix it?"

"Of course! I took a quick look. The fusee chain is probably broken!"

Chen Wu was astonished. "Then why did you make it sound so difficult just now?"

"If I didn't, how could I squeeze a little more money out of him?" Old Liu wore a sinister grin. "You can't let such a fat sheep get away."

Chen Wu rubbed his forehead, realizing he was still a little too innocent.

"By the way, I asked around about the Grand Patriarch for you, like you requested."

Old Liu brought it up out of the blue. Chen Wu immediately grew serious.

"The Grand Patriarch is pushing to abolish the Old Five Battalions' privilege of taking the Wude Palace entrance exam. He wants to open up their reserved quotas at Wude Palace to everyone."

Chen Wu drew in a sharp breath!

The Great Shun's Old Five Battalions were the founding troops who had risen alongside Li Zicheng. After the Great Shun was established, their descendants were granted a great many privileges.

They had first pick of military households to receive stipends, received extra rewards every year, and had schools of their own. Wude Palace also set aside places specifically for them to take the entrance exam. These were called the Old Five Battalions' reserved quotas.

The Grand Patriarch actually wanted to abolish those quotas?

He was practically asking for death! Chen Wu couldn't help thinking of the saying.

Strangely, why would the Grand Patriarch want to target the Old Five Battalions, those staunch royalists?

"They're short on money," Old Liu answered at once when he heard Chen Wu's question. "The Great Shun Dynasty has spread itself too thin, and its finances are badly strained. Supporting the Old Five Battalions costs too much."

"In the past, the Old Five Battalions' descendants practiced martial arts and had considerable fighting strength, so they were worth the expense. But these days, wars are won with powerful guns and cannons. The money it takes to support one Old Five Battalions soldier could raise ten riflemen. The Great Shun Dynasty no longer wants to keep supporting them."

So that was it!