Making Plans

He said to Zhang Yunchi, "As the older brother, you're not even as ready to take responsibility as your younger sister."

"Grandfather, I..."

"Grandfather."

Zhao Huiluan tilted her head back and called out to him. Zhang Tai bent down slightly, a kindly smile on his face.

"Brother Yanli is very good too. He took all the blame before Father Emperor and didn't say a single bad thing about Jianjian'er."

Hmph. At least he had a bit of a conscience.

Zhang Yunchi lifted his chin with a proud little air.

Zhang Tai said, "That's what he should have done."

A servant came in carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.

Zhao Huiluan said, "Let Jianjian'er do it."

The servant looked at the marquis. Only after Zhang Tai nodded did he hand her the bowl.

"All right, then. You two have a good talk. Your uncle and I will go to the front hall."

Zhang Tai turned to look at his grandson, the smile fading from his face.

"No bullying Jianjian'er."

Once Zhang Tai and his son had left, Zhao Huiluan sent Xichun to wait in the courtyard as well.

She set the bowl of medicine down in front of Zhang Yunchi, then turned and sat on the low couch by the window.

She swung her legs and, seeing that Zhang Yunchi wasn't moving, said, "Drink it yourself. Surely you don't really expect me to wait on you?"

Zhang Yunchi laughed.

"I wouldn't dare."

He picked up the bowl and gulped down the medicine.

He'd known Zhao Huiluan was putting on an act in front of his grandfather and father!

He closed his eyes and waited for the bitterness of the medicine to pass.

"What are you looking at?"

He had thought Zhao Huiluan would laugh at him for being afraid of bitter medicine, but she was simply gazing quietly out the window.

Her delicate profile, as if made of powdered jade, made her look like a pretty porcelain doll.

Zhao Huiluan asked him, "Can you shoot a bow?"

A row of weapons stood in Zhang Yunchi's courtyard: sabers, swords, spears, and lances. There were targets set up for archery too.

"Yes," Zhang Yunchi answered readily.

"How good are you?"

"In the Northern Frontier, nobody my age is better than me."

"You certainly aren't modest."

Zhang Yunchi raised his brows, pleased with himself. "My mother taught me archery. I can't be bad at it."

Zhao Huiluan had heard something about that.

It was said that the heir's consort of Marquis Jingwu's Residence had no equal under heaven with a bow. Back then, she had subdued Zhao Huiluan's hot-tempered uncle with her skill at hitting her mark with every arrow.

"Brother Yanli, I just thought of a wonderful idea."

The little girl blinked, her smile perfectly harmless.

Zhang Yunchi suddenly felt a chill run down his back.

Zhao Huiluan looked at his back, her gaze moving down bit by bit until it rested on the place where his flesh had been torn open. Enunciating each word, she said, "Brother Yanli, I'm afraid you won't be going back to the Northern Frontier."

"Back to the palace."

Looking to be in a good mood, Zhao Huiluan walked out of the room and called Xichun to leave with her.

Behind her came Zhang Yunchi's furious roar, like a beast with its hackles raised.

"Zhao Huiluan, you're a treacherous, scheming, shameless scoundrel!"

Xichun said uneasily, "Your Highness, the young heir..."

"Pay him no mind."

Zhao Huiluan went to the front hall to take her leave of her grandfather and uncle, then boarded the carriage back to the palace.

"You want the Zhang boy to teach you archery?"

In Tianji Hall, the Yongzhao Emperor had just finished meditating. He found Zhao Huiluan's request somewhat hard to believe.

"Why would a girl like you want to learn that?"

Putting on an air of mystery, Zhao Huiluan said, "Whether I learn archery isn't important. Father Emperor, please agree!"

"Oh? Then what is important?"

The Yongzhao Emperor knew his daughter's thoughts were easy to read, so he took the opportunity to draw her out.

"Doesn't Zhang Yunchi like the boundless Gobi and deserts, and the vast, untamed plains? Doesn't he want to be an eagle soaring through the skies? I won't let him have his way."

"I've thought it over. Grandfather and Uncle will have to return to the Northern Frontier sooner or later. Once they leave, Zhang Yunchi will be the only one left in Yan Capital. I want to turn that eagle into a lone goose and make him my follower."

Zhao Huiluan pretended to speak without thinking, but the Yongzhao Emperor, as expected, took her words to heart and fell silent.

She didn't dare urge him. This was the only way she could think of to sacrifice the chariot to save the general.

But he really was taking too long to consider it.

"Father Emperor?"

The Yongzhao Emperor came back to himself. "Go back for now. Let me think it over."

"All right."

Zhao Huiluan pouted, looking rather unhappy. Inside, however, she was frantic.

She had to calm herself down and sort through her thoughts.

At this point in her previous life, her uncle had already been thrown into the imperial prison. In this life, because of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's divination of the stars, Father Emperor had temporarily held back the memorials impeaching him, so her uncle was still safe and sound for now.

That was right. In her previous life, her grandfather had returned to the Northern Frontier around this time.

Yes! There should have been a secret report about the northern barbarians mustering their troops.

By her reckoning, it should already have reached Yan Capital. Why had there been no word?

Had the Grand Secretariat held it back?

Zhao Huiluan paced back and forth in the room, frantic with worry.

"Xichun, have someone keep a close watch on the Grand Secretariat."

"Yes."

She quietly steadied herself.

No matter how bold that old villain Wen Hong was, surely he wouldn't dare sit on news as serious as a barbarian invasion for too long.

"Your Highness."

Xichun had only just gone out when she came back.

"The Grand Secretariat submitted another batch of memorials impeaching the heir today."

Zhao Huiluan picked at her fingers and murmured, "The Wen Faction is making its final struggle. I wonder what Father Emperor's position is?"

She feared everything she had done would come to nothing and the Zhang family would still meet the same end as in her previous life.

She had a sleepless night and only closed her eyes as dawn approached. Before long, Xichun woke her again.

There was news.

Chapter 8: Making Plans

"Your Highness, at the beginning of the mao hour, Minister Yang of the Ministry of War entered the palace to see His Majesty. Soon afterward, Grand Secretary Wen followed. The two of them started arguing outside Tianquan Palace."

"What happened?" Zhao Huiluan was still a little groggy from sleep.

"Minister Yang accused Grand Secretary Wen of harboring evil intentions and withholding what he knew. Grand Secretary Wen angrily accused him of spouting malicious lies, saying he had only just received the news and had immediately rushed to see His Majesty."