The strategist’s eyes widened the more he heard. At the end, he was looking at Qin Yining with a worshipful expression. “Miss Qin is the daughter of Wise Pan An alright! Such a plot puts this old man to shame.”
“Not at all. I’ll be relying on your mastery of disguise in this.”
“What I do is just a parlor trick. Thankfully it can be put to good use in helping the prince.”
Qin Yining nodded with a smile.
Xie Yue also smiled when he thought of the fourth miss’ plan. The resentment and irritation from earlier had all but disappeared, and he now treated the girl with utmost respect.
The group entered camp only after Xie Yue disguised Qin Yining’s appearance. She was turned into a young man with ordinary features and also changed into a Valiant Tiger uniform.
Lian Xiaozhou was astonished by the change. She kept tugging on the unknown young man’s hand.
Qin Yining smiled comfortingly at the child. “Be good, Xiaozhou. Bad guys want to plot against big sister right now, so I have to change into this. When we enter the campground later, you have to pretend not to know me or say anything, understood?”
Lian Xiaozhou nodded repeatedly and covered her mouth with her small hands, purposefully looking away from Qin Yining. “I won’t say anything.”
The adorably childish actions teased Qin Yining into chuckles. She patted Xiaozhou’s head. “What a good girl. Come find me later when there’s no strangers around. Follow this uncle for now. Do you know what to say if someone asks who you are?”
Lian Xiaozhou nodded heavily. “Yes.”
The Qin fourth miss then inserted herself into the search party that’d brought her back from the mountains. They’d only found the young daughter of a hunter today. There was no sign of the one that the Faithful Prince of the First Rank had obsessed over for so many days.
……
Zuo Jinwei had long since seen the fire in the mountains and heard the dozen whistling arrows. He’d been standing at the entrance of the campground, frostily glaring at the Valiant Tigers who were busily pretending he was air.
How dare the Faithful Prince of the First Rank!
The emperor had stripped the prince of his command and turned over these troops to him, Zuo Jinwei! How dare Pang Zhixi defy an imperial order and send out troops for his own use? How dare he stick his nose into Zuo Jinwei’s army??
Zuo Jinwei’s report to the emperor had yet to result in a response, and things felt increasingly off the more the commander thought about things. He turned to his confidante. “Send another report that Pang Zhixi has privately deployed the troops. Send it with due haste!”
“Yes, General!” His attendant ran off to carry out the orders. [1]
Looking around at the orderly Valiant Tigers within the tent, Zuo Jinwei extended his gaze to the rest of the camp with a cold snort. Pang Zhixi was here somewhere, in one of these tents. If Zuo Jinwei got his hands on the prince, he’d give him what for!
Delight suffused his heart when his thoughts traveled here.
When he was enjoying some food and wine that dusk, a vice general suddenly reported in.
“General! High Highness would like to see you!”
Zuo Jinwei shot to his feet, not even registering that his wine pouch had fallen to the ground.
“Well isn’t this something! Wasn’t he hiding himself well? Why does he want to see me now?”
“This subordinate doesn’t know either. But I heard just now that the prince seems to be gravely ill. He looks to be in very poor health.”
“Very ill? Does he miss his little lover so much that he’s fallen ill after so many days of not finding her?” Zuo Jinwei brayed with mocking laughter. “To think that a killing machine like the Faithful Prince of the First Rank would be such a lovestruck fool!”
His self-satisfied laughter could be heard miles away from the tent. He’d been kept down for far too long and could finally vent his feelings with this rare opportunity.
“Well then! This general shall see what kind of tricks he’s up to now! First he hides from me, now he wants to see me!”
The vice general laughed along when he saw the high spirits that Zuo Jinwei was in. “Perhaps he finds himself powerless in certain matters and wishes your help.”
“Oh?” Zuo Jinwei thought about it briefly and made the connection to His Majesty. It looked like the prince knew that his actions would certainly anger the emperor and was deathly afraid of imperial temper. Maybe he wanted Zuo Jinwei to put in a few good words for him?
The general left the tent with these thoughts and strode over to Pang Xiao’s tent, his vice general in the lead. They were greeted by the bitter smell of medicine as soon as they lifted the door curtain flap.
‘Pang Xiao’ was lying on the military-issued bed, his hair bedraggled and his complexion so very awful. There were three thick layers of blankets wrapped around him, but he still seemed very cold.
A small, skinny, and slightly hunchbacked youth was waiting off to the side, having placed a handkerchief on Pang Xiao’s forehead.
Zuo Jinwei retracted his arrogance from moments ago and bowed with cupped fists. “This general greets Your Highness. Having not seen you over the past few days, this general thought you were avoiding me!” A jeering upturn curved his lips.
The Pang Xiao on the bed shook his head weakly. “This prince is here with imperial orders to mobilize the troops for training exercises, but unexpectedly fell sick after arriving here. It looks like the exercises must be foregone. This prince has the will, but not the way. We’ll have to trouble General Zuo to lead the men back to the capital.”
His voice was so hoarse that it barely seemed human. It was quite faint as well, and he started coughing as soon as he finished. His complexion turned even more pale and wan.
Zuo Jinwei sniggered inwardly. It’d be best if he croaks just like this! However, a concerned expression still hung on his face. “Please do take care of yourself, Your Highness. This humble official will take care of leading the troops back.”
“Then, our thanks.” Another fit of coughing.
Zuo Jinwei didn’t want to keep smelling the pungency of medicine and dismissed himself. His vice general exited the tent as well.
When they returned to their own, Zuo Jinwei guffawed with carefree laughter.
“How laughable! Pang’s not changing his tune even at a time like this! What imperial order for military exercises? He’s just trying to pull the wool over my eyes! He’s falsifying an imperial decree!”
“Indeed, to think that the prince would be so bold. Defying imperial orders, privately deploying troops, falsifying the emperor’s decree… I say he wants to rebel!”
Zuo Jinwei nodded emphatically. “This won’t do. I can’t rest since I’ve discovered his ruthless ambitions. The emperor must know of this!”
The commander readied paper and brush to draft a quick missive, carefully describing how Pang Xiao had faked imperial orders moments ago. “The Faithful Prince of the First Rank grows prideful in his enjoyment of imperial favor and masks dark intentions. He continues to style himself as the commander of the Valiant Tigers and sends the troops out for personal business. A falsified imperial decree is his flimsy excuse and contempt of authority his true intention. Please be on your guard, Your Majesty!”
He put down the brush, sealed the envelope with wax, and had a messenger bring it to the capital.
“The emperor won’t tolerate him this time!” Zuo Jinwei felt quite gratified at having plucked out the thorn in his side. He happily threw back a cup of wine and flashed a wide grin.
* * *
1. Commander is being used in the more generic sense here, rather than the actual title.
Chapter 299: Reveal of True Character (I)
Back in the tent, ‘Pang Xiao’ flung off three layers of blankets to take a look at himself in the reflection of a water basin. He turned back to Xie Yue. “Sir Xie is stunning indeed! Your art of disguise is absolutely magical! You ca
n even change voices with the help of medicine!”
The one who’d received Zuo Jinwei and delivered the nonsense about military exercises was naturally a disguised Qin Yining.
Xie Yue waved a hand and responded humbly, “You praise me far too highly. This is all just smoke and mirrors. Thank goodness you remained lying down. The gig would’ve been up had you sat upright, as there is no method available to disguise height.”
Qin Yining smiled. “No worries. I’ll claim that I’m sick once we start moving. I’ll take a carriage back to the capital. Judging from General Zuo’s expression just now, it looks like he’s already sent out the secret report criticizing the prince for falsifying imperial orders.”
“Indeed.” Xie Yue wore an answering smile. “I gave specific orders for it not to be stopped. Both reports have gone out, entrapping Zuo Jinwei firmly into your plot.”
“His Majesty is a cautious person and won’t do anything without firm proof. Even if he receives word, he’ll be concerned that it’s a trap and won’t easily search the prince’s manor. The second report will confirm that the prince isn’t at home. His Majesty will want both person and evidence, so the time he spends waiting for this absolute certainty is our opening.”
“Precisely.” Xie Yue agreed with approval. “Miss Qin has a most excellent plan. The time in which His Majesty hesitates is enough for His Highness to return home and continue pretending sick. Even if the manor is searched, we will be fully prepared.”
“And if His Majesty doesn’t search the manor and believe Zuo Jinwei’s second report that the prince is in the camp? He’ll wait for the twenty thousand Valiant Tigers to return to the capital and catch him in the act of deploying troops for his personal use!
“But how would I possibly let them do that? I’ll get rid of the disguise when we return to the capital. They won’t be able to find the prince even if they turn the entire camp inside out. We’ll see who’s committed the crime of deceiving the emperor then!” Qin Yining laughed darkly.
What, would she wait for someone else to protect the one she’d chosen, instead of take action herself? Whoever wants to scheme against Pang Xiao has to get through me first!
Zuo Jinwei wants some easy pickings in the form of the Valiant Tigers? He’d first have to prove that he had the ability to do so!
Xie Yue was completely, utterly, and absolutely won over. He bowed respectfully to Qin Yining. “His Highness was in too much of a hurry to give much thought to any plans. With Miss Qin’s stratagem, we’re in no danger of anything going wrong!”
He was well and truly accepting of the Qin fourth miss now. I knew that the prince had a good eye of character! What daughter of an enemy? The Qin miss was obviously the best candidate for a sage wife! With her wits, she’d be able to entrap the prince himself if they weren’t careful!
At the head of twenty thousand Valiant Tigers, Zuo Jinwei returned to the capital triumphantly with those he’d rescued. Adrenaline coursed through his veins the entire time. He fixated his eyes on Pang Xiao’s carriage, deeply afraid that the slippery fellow would run off halfway.
But Pang Xiao behaved himself on the trip back. Perhaps due to his severe sickness, he didn’t even leave the carriage. He only kept a young commandant by his side, and a young girl they rescued in the mountains was the one in charge of his medicine.
Zuo Jinwei once summoned the little girl for an interrogation, but she turned out to be mute and only knew to stare skittishly at people. The naive air of a simple person from the woods wreathed about her, fully quashing any interest the general had in questioning her.
……
At the same time in the capital, the Zhou emperor Li Qitian was barely suppressing his anger after reading the second report from Zuo Jinwei. He flung the report onto the table and picked up the white porcelain teacup next to his left hand.
In his rage, the teacup lid rattled in his hand, almost spilling the tea within. He flung the teacup to the ground with high emotion. “Who made this tea? How are We to drink it when it’s so hot??”
“Please forgive this servant, Your Majesty!” A maid off to the side dropped to her knees and kowtowed.
Everyone knew that it was impossible for that cup of tea to be too hot. In serving the emperor, they had to perfectly handle every last detail. The tea would’ve been the perfect drinking temperature. The emperor was being this way simply because he’d encountered something that made him unhappy and was taking it out on them.
Head eunuch Li Guanwen immediately walked up with a bow. “My deepest apologies, Your Majesty, it is this servant’s oversight.” He glared at the maid. “Get the hell out for your punishment!”
The command frightened the maid out of her wits and she almost tumbled to a sitting position on the ground. This was a thunderbolt of disaster out of the blue for her, an unforeseen bout of calamity!
But what other thoughts dare she have? She might not even have the life to undergo punishment if she said any more.
“Forget it, it’s not a big matter.” Li Qitian sighed after calming down. “You’re all dismissed. Li Guanwen, you remain.”
“Understood, thank you for Your Majesty’s favor!” The maid sighed with relief and kowtowed thrice, grateful tears streaming down her face, before fearfully backing out.
The eunuchs and maids serving in the imperial study where all Li Qitian’s confidantes. He used only those he trusted in his private spaces. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to relax even in his own territory. What he was doing now was just another way to buy hearts.
The eunuch was very used to the emperor using both carrot and stick at the same time. Li Qitian didn’t speak until only the two of them were left.
“Do you know what was in the report?”
Li Guanwen brought over another cup of tea with a smile. “What a question, Your Majesty. This servant only knows to serve at your side everyday, what would I know about the outside world? If Your Majesty wants me to know, I will naturally know.”
Li Qitian flung the report over. “You sly fox, take a look.”
Li Guanwen held up the paper with both hands and took a close read, his expression changing drastically. “Does the Faithful Prince of the First Rank… want to rebel?!”
“Hmph! There’s never a quiet day with these fellows! They all think We’re an easy target. He’s handed the Valiant Tigers command token over, but still acts like this!”
Li Guanwen bent low and didn’t dare say a word until he was certain that imperial anger had abated somewhat. “It looks like the prince is true towards the Qin fourth miss. Look at the panic he was thrown in when something happened to the convoy of surrendered Yan officials. All he can think of is charging there with troops. It looks like the old saying of ‘even the most valiant of heroes will fall to a beauty’ is true.”
An involuntary smile blossomed on Li Qitian’s face when he heard a eunuch analyzing beauties and heroes. “You know quite a bit for a castrated man.”
Li Guanwen smiled diffidently and changed the topic. “Your Majesty, it’s too dangerous to have the Valiant Tigers camped outside the city. You need to have preparations in place.”
Li Qitian thought for a moment. An amiable curve upturned the lips of a normally affable face. “Where is Ji Lan now?” [1]
“In response to Your Majesty, the Marquis of Northern Stability is still kneeling outside. He’s been out there for a full day and night.”
Li Qitian sighed. “Though he was brash this time and created quite a spot of trouble, he did this out of utmost loyalty. He even knew to come back and admit his guilt. Have him rise and come see Us.”
“Understood, this servant will go immediately.”
Li Guanwen departed the imperial study with a bow, helping the kneeling Ji Zeyu to his feet. The head eunuch first had a junior massage the marquis’ legs and apply ointment to the bruises on his knee before conveying respectfully, “Your Grace, His Majesty would like to speak with you.”
jay heaved an inward sigh of re
lief and thanked the eunuch with a frosty expression before entering the imperial study.
The eunuch made to follow, but the emperor dismissed him as well. No one knew what the two men discussed.
Meanwhile, having secretly returned to his manor, Pang Xiao had also received word that Ji Zeyu had returned to the capital and requested an audience to admit his guilt.
The prince’s brow was furrowed. He remained silent for a very long time.
* * *
1. Looks like ‘Lan’ is Ji Zeyu’s secondary name.
Chapter 300: Reveal of True Character (II)
“Your Highness,” began Huzi. “You really did take too much of a risk this time. Even if it was for the fourth miss, you shouldn’t… Though you’ve made it back now, that doesn’t mean His Majesty is completely in the dark. He definitely knows exactly what’s happened, and he’ll make use of this to cause a lot of trouble for you. What will you do then?”
How would Pang Xiao not know this?
But when he wanted to do something from the depths of his heart, it didn’t matter what the consequences were. At least now, he could be certain that Qin Yining was still alive. He could finally be relieved from daily nightmares of a corpse lying by the side of the road.
Pang Xiao wasn’t afraid of anything beneath the heavens, save for Qin Yining suffering or getting hurt. But this time, he really hadn’t fully considered everything. Then again, who would’ve fathomed that Ji Zeyu would be so impulsive as to ignore imperial orders and go attack the surrendered convoy!
But upon further thought, some wryness swelled in Pang Xiao’s heart. Was Ji Zeyu really just seeking revenge for a good brother?
With their long-running relationship, he knew Ji Zeyu to be a highly shrewd, sharp, and deep individual—on par with the emperor. As the commander of the Dragon Riders, he dominated the north and had a death grip on the Tatars. How would someone with such bravery and astuteness be the sort to rush into something without thinking of the consequences?
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