Chapter 21

As soon as Chu Huaiyin left, Meng Zhou's slight shoulders suddenly slumped. He slapped the bundle of medicine against Jiang Xin and said weakly, "Hold this for me."

Jiang Xin took it and sniffed it. "Do you need to take your medicine now? I'll ask Master Huang to brew you a dose."

Master Huang had once been an army physician. Meng Zhou instantly snatched the medicine back in alarm, detached one packet, and headed for the kitchen. "No need to trouble Uncle Huang. I'll do it myself."

Jiang Xin was especially eager to help. "Let your uncle help you, my dear nephew."

Meng Zhou poured out the brownish-yellow liquid and drank it while pinching his nose. Jiang Xin promptly offered two candied fruits, only for Meng Zhou to stuff them back into his mouth. "I don't need them."

His mouth and tongue were numb, but the bitterness in his heart was worse.

After drinking the medicine, Meng Zhou drained the dregs and tossed them into the stove, burning them to ashes along with the dry firewood.

Jiang Xin scratched the back of his head. He kept feeling that his dear nephew was acting rather strangely tonight. Drinking a bowl of medicine had turned into destroying a body and all traces of evidence. Wasn't that something only the emperor's harem did in plays?

"The medicinal smell is too strong. Burning it gets rid of it." Meng Zhou patted his shoulder and brainwashed him.

"Really? Why didn't I smell anything?"

"There's something wrong with your nose. Have Uncle Huang take a look when you have time."

"Oh, no wonder..." Jiang Xin believed him without question. If Meng Zhou said something was wrong, then something was wrong. But if the medicinal smell was so strong, why wouldn't he eat his candied fruit...? He chewed the fruit in puzzlement. So sweet.

Ji Yang sent word back. He had led troops to encircle Chongling and found large quantities of weapons and laborers in seven excavated caves.

The villagers were rescued and sent home, dispelling the rumors of the "God of War's conscription" without further effort. The families whose men had been press-ganged were profoundly grateful. Now they recognized only one God of War-Chu Huaiyin.

Ji Yang had been lucky and encountered no ghost soldiers on his way in. After he had tied up the culprits and was preparing to return to the capital to report, winds rose in the mountains, accompanied by thunder and rain. Someone was playing supernatural tricks in an attempt to rescue the rebels. Remembering Meng Zhou's instructions, Ji Yang picked one route and fought his way along it. When the storm abruptly ceased, the ghosts and gods revealed their true faces. Corpses littered the ground; this time, they really had become ghosts and gone to meet the King of Hell.

Ji Yang transported several large carts of prisoners and confiscated goods into the capital, openly leaving half his troops stationed behind and taking over the fruits of the labor in the caves along the way.

At court, Chu Huaiyin brought up an old matter, saying that the military funds embezzled by the Wang Family five years ago remained unaccounted for. "I found it highly suspicious and took it upon myself to investigate further. Sure enough, I rooted out a band of rebels for our Great Wei!"

Emperor Tianyuan's health had been declining more rapidly lately. His head was muddled and his eyesight blurred; only the word "rebellion" could command his full attention.

"Who!"

Chu Huaiyin named him. "Liu Hongbao."

Liu Hongbao's fat body shook. He dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed. "Your Majesty! My loyalty to you is unwavering, as heaven and earth can bear witness! Before my father died, he told me that he could never repay Your Majesty's kindness to the Liu Family in this lifetime and wished to serve you again in the next. I have followed my father's final wishes and stand ready to lay down my life for Your Majesty. How could I ever betray you!"

Emperor Tianyuan did not believe it either. Liu De had been his most trusted subject, closer to him even than his two sons.

"Liu De was honest and guileless. In the thirteenth year, when an assassin got close to me, Liu De took a poisoned blade in my place. His loyalty was plain to see... Later, when I put him in overall command of the Five-City Military Command, he declined several times. Even the slightest personnel change sent him to the palace to consult me. Could there be some misunderstanding here?"

Liu De had been quite skilled at playing the fool. He stuttered, spoke little, and walked to court every day, stepping only on the same few paving stones. Once, heavy rain washed one of them loose and left a puddle. He still stepped straight into it, too wooden to go around. A colleague witnessed this and told Emperor Tianyuan about it as a joke at court. Far from disdaining his stupidity, Emperor Tianyuan trusted him all the more.

To put it plainly, Emperor Tianyuan worried even in his dreams that his two sons would force him from the throne. Thus, he had always kept the capital's defenses in the hands of the Liu Family, letting Liu De's son inherit his position after his death. Getting him to face this problem would be difficult. He was more inclined to suspect that Chu Huaiyin had ulterior motives and was deliberately framing the Liu Family to seize military control of the capital.

Chu Huaiyin summoned the principal culprit from Chongling before the throne. The shackled prisoner's face was filthy, but his resemblance to Liu De was easy to see.

He was unmistakably a blood relative of the same lineage.

Emperor Tianyuan's old eyes were dim, and before he could speak, the second prince's expression changed and he lost his composure. Since the fall of the Wang Family, the family of the former right chancellor, the Liu Family had become his last trump card. Watching Chu Huaiyin lay out the evidence piece by piece, the second prince naturally grew anxious. At the very least, he could not let Emperor Tianyuan suspect them today. The capital was their territory. Chu Huaiyin's sudden attack had caught him off guard, but with just a little more time, he was confident he could destroy the evidence and overturn the case.

"Father, Liu De served the nation loyally. There must be some misunderstanding!" Turning sideways, he rebuked Chu Huaiyin with righteous indignation. "Five years ago, when you led troops to the northern frontier, Commander Liu cared nothing for fame or gain and yielded the battlefield without a word. Now, before his bones are even cold, you make baseless accusations in this great hall. Won't that chill the hearts of the other ministers?"

The other ministers echoed him. The second prince's faction was thoroughly practiced at pinning charges on Chu Huaiyin.

Chu Huaiyin shot him a cold, sneering glance. Baseless? He had already brought the witness here. His skill at playing blind was impressive indeed.

Right Chancellor Yan Xiang stepped forward. "Large quantities of weapons have flowed into the capital from Mount Chongling. This is a grave threat. I ask Your Majesty to order a thorough search of the capital and uncover their hiding places!"

Emperor Tianyuan's bearing was imposing even without anger. "The left chancellor will handle this matter. Meng Fushan, receive the decree."

Meng Fushan, who had been avoiding the dispute all along, stepped forward to receive the decree, still unaware that his father-in-law was also one of the principal culprits.

Now there would be a good show.

Yan Xiang secretly rejoiced, though he still had to look dejected and remorseful at Emperor Tianyuan's lack of trust in him.

The second prince and Liu Hongbao exchanged a glance and hurried out of the palace as soon as court ended.

The principal culprit brought before the throne had gone limp all over. He was accustomed to helping the wicked and throwing his weight around in Chongling, but everyone in the imperial audience hall was of such exalted status that he was reduced to a spineless weakling beside them. He wiped away his sweat, and his features actually changed a little. He no longer looked quite so much like Liu De-one might even say he did not resemble him.

He was indeed Liu De's younger brother and had been stationed in Chongling for over a decade. Even Liu Hongbao could no longer clearly remember his face. Chu Huaiyin had ordered someone to make him look more like Liu De precisely to provoke the second prince.

Finding a scapegoat for the Chongling affair would be all too easy. Training troops for the court or training a private army was merely a matter of how one phrased it. Everything depended on whom His Majesty believed.

But with the second prince speaking up for Liu De in his panic, Emperor Tianyuan's suspicious nature would turn his suspicions away from Chu Huaiyin and toward the second prince.

Prince Huai's Residence.

As Chu Huaiyin changed out of his court robes, he told Ji Yang, "Keep watch throughout the capital. Arrest anyone who makes a suspicious move immediately."

Emperor Tianyuan was now feigning ignorance despite knowing full well what was happening, enthusiastically muddling through in hopes of making both sons obey him and beg him to name a crown prince.

From the outset, Chu Huaiyin had never expected Emperor Tianyuan to resolve this matter. The second prince was now in disarray, making this the perfect opportunity to follow their movements and uproot their strongholds in and around the capital one by one, leaving no future trouble.

"Where's Meng Zhou? Why has he been so quiet lately?" Chu Huaiyin took a sip of tea. He had not seen him for several days.

"Er, the Court of Judicial Review has a great deal of tedious work..." Ji Yang said. The shadow guard following Meng Zhou was only responsible for protecting his life in a crisis, not monitoring him. It felt rather strange without Meng Zhou taking the initiative to come around.

"Send him a message. He should go out less these next few days and stay away from the excitement."

Remembering that Meng Zhou had still been ill the last time they met, he added, "Tell him to eat properly. Hmm, just have the food prepared here and take it over."

Reduced to an errand boy delivering meals, Ji Yang said, "...Yes."

"Never mind. I'll go myself." Chu Huaiyin put down the brush he had just picked up and rose, adding to Ji Yang, "He won't listen to you."

That boastful tone.

Ji Yang: "..." Whatever you say.

His teeth ached.

They had just left the residence when a black shadow suddenly landed in front of them.

"Your Highness, I have failed in my duties and lost Lord Meng," Ying Jiu said, getting straight to the point. "Please punish me!"

"Wait, lost him? With Meng Zhou's skills, how could you lose him... Unless some expert abducted him-" Ji Yang speculated irresponsibly.

"Explain." For an instant, Chu Huaiyin's chest seized as though he were drowning. His thoughts instinctively went to the worst possibility-Meng Zhou had run into Liu Hongbao. During the ritual last time, Liu Hongbao had watched Meng Zhou like a hawk, unwilling to let matters rest. Liu Hongbao was now busy moving weapons, while Meng Zhou happened to love meddling in the Mount Chongling affair. If they crossed paths, the consequences would be unthinkable.

"Yes. Today, Lord Meng entered a ready-made clothing shop. Remembering Your Highness's instructions, I kept watch from a distance. But when Lord Meng failed to emerge for a long time, I went inside to look for him. It was as though he had vanished into thin air. The shop assistant also said he hadn't seen him leave."

On the battlefield, with five thousand men against fifty thousand enemy troops, Chu Huaiyin had dared to lead a breakout without waiting for reinforcements. Yet at this moment, he did not dare take the slightest risk. He could only choose the safest course.

His voice sank as he gave a decisive order. "Close all four gates and search the entire city. Keep a particularly close eye on Liu Hongbao and everyone around him."

"Your Highness, reconsider," Ji Yang protested in alarm. This was the best time to root out the second prince's faction. Not only would this alert the enemy, exposing His Highness's true strength too early would be tantamount to pushing Emperor Tianyuan toward the second prince. Besides, there was no evidence that anything had happened to Meng Zhou. This course of action was far from rational.

Chu Huaiyin paused, a fierce resolve flashing through his eyes. Since they would be alerting the enemy, they might as well catch them all in the trap.

"Ji Yang, take troops and guard all four gates under the pretext of searching for weapons. Thoroughly inspect everyone leaving the city. Ying Jiu, we're going to the clothing shop."

Lately, Meng Zhou had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep at night. He constantly worried that someone would discover his pregnancy, fretting so much that he could not even concentrate on reviewing case files.

After three days of this, he finally decided-to make preparations to flee.

Since Chu Huaiyin refused to willingly let him leave the capital, he could only find his own way out.

He had mentioned wanting to leave the capital to his wet nurse. She had doted on him since he was little and immediately offered to take Li Wenle and go with him. Having a doctor along would make it easier to look after him on the road.

But Meng Zhou thought of how his wet nurse was too old for arduous travel. Li Wenle's clinic was in the capital, and their lives were gradually settling down. How could he ask them to abandon everything and follow him to some unknown backwater?

He laughed it off with his wet nurse. The old woman was far too insistent, so arguing was pointless. In any case, when he disappeared one day, they would at least have some idea why.

He counted his remaining silver. Altogether, he still had a thousand taels.

After Meng Huaihan's scheme to drug him backfired on her, Meng Huaidao had ignored Lady Zhou's objections and resolutely left the capital to return to his previous post. No one knew why. The night before he left, he secretly slipped Meng Zhou five hundred taels and an apology behind Lady Zhou's back. Meng Zhou had always regarded Meng Huaidao separately from the rest of the Meng Clan. He did not know why Meng Huaidao had apologized; perhaps he was making amends on behalf of his mother and younger sister.

He had to avenge Jiang Yao and the original owner of this body. If he accepted Meng Huaidao's money, things would become muddled. Meng Zhou had refused him and could tell that he was somewhat disappointed.

With his left hand, he picked up a silver ingot. Stamped on its underside was the mark of Prince Huai's treasury. It was left over from the seven thousand taels he had borrowed from Chu Huaiyin.

With his right hand, he drew out a banknote. It came from selling Prince Huai's ginseng.

Why was it all Chu Huaiyin's?

Like some sucker.

Meng Zhou puffed out his cheeks and tilted his head, feeling faintly guilty.

After a long moment, he slapped the table imperiously. Prince Huai ought to contribute something toward the milk powder money!