Ji Chengjue, barely twenty years old, lifted the carriage curtain and disembarked.
"Your Highness, be careful of the cold wind outside," Master Zhang immediately said, taking the fur he was wearing and draping it over Ji Chengjue.
Ji Chengjue didn’t mind that it belonged to a eunuch; on the contrary, he clutched it tightly with both hands.
Just then, the ragged man broke through another contingent of iron cavalry!
Ji Chengjue smacked his lips and asked, "Master Zhang, what do you think your chances would be if you fought against him?"
Upon hearing this, Master Zhang’s face puckered with grievance, like a delicate daisy. He said, "Oh dear, my Prince, are you trying to flatter this servant or insult King Guli? My paltry skills might be enough to handle petty thieves in the Royal Mansion. But against a character like that, this servant could only sacrifice himself to delay him for a few breaths, just so Your Highness could get as far away as possible."
"Hahahaha..." Ji Chengjue burst into laughter.
At this moment, Chen Guangting spoke up, "Your Highness, there is something I do not understand."
"Feel free to speak, Master Chen."
Master Zhang promptly gestured for the guards of the Royal Mansion to move further away to secure the perimeter, lest they overhear the ensuing conversation.
Chen Guangting gave Master Zhang a grateful look, then said, "I heard that Your Highness personally requested this task of offering birthday congratulations from His Majesty?"
"I don’t understand. Your Highness has always detested such mundane affairs. Why..."
"Because I wanted to come and see this elder sister, the County Princess from the Earl of North Border’s estate, first."
"Your Highness, are you perhaps..."
"Master Chen, you’re overthinking it. This County Princess is not someone I can afford to trifle with. Father intends her for Second Prince; she is, in father’s heart, the chosen future Primary Consort for the Crown Prince of Yan."
Hearing this royal secret, Master Zhang clicked his tongue and said, "The Second Prince has a gentle disposition. This County Princess, however, doesn’t seem like an easy person to get along with, character-wise."
Master Zhang had clearly understated the matter significantly, but everyone present understood the implications.
A young woman, single-handedly managing the affairs of an Earl’s estate, making an example by ’killing the chicken to scare the monkeys,’ and, when she struck, annihilating an entire clan, leaving no one alive, not even chickens or dogs.
A woman ... is to be chosen as the Crown Princess Consort?
Throughout history, those consorts who eventually wielded immense power in the imperial harem, at least when they first entered the palace, were innocent, naive, and carefree young girls. They needed years of tempering in the depths of the palace, growing step by step, to truly command the court with a phoenix’s authority. But this County Princess is like a max-level character even before entering the palace!
"It’s precisely because Second Prince’s disposition is too gentle, his conduct too upright and modest, that father feels he needs such a Crown Princess Consort to support him," Ji Chengjue explained. "She’s resourceful, cunning, and ruthless enough. Externally, she has the backing of the family of the Earl of North Border, from Yan’s most important strategic town. Tsk, tsk. In the future, when Second Prince ascends the throne, who would dare bully the two of them?"
These were highly disrespectful words, but Master Zhang and Chen Guangting merely exchanged a glance and pretended not to have heard.
"This time," Ji Chengjue continued, "I haven’t only brought birthday gifts for the old matriarch. In the years since my investiture, I’ve also managed to acquire some silver and prepare some gifts specifically to curry favor with this good future sister-in-law of mine. One must always lay the groundwork. Who knows, perhaps one day something might happen to Second Prince’s health, and he might... well, you understand. Then, if my good sister-in-law decides to stage a ’hen crowing at dawn’—usurping power, that is—when she starts to deal with the Royal Family, she might remember the goodwill I’ve shown her now and spare me."
"Your Highness, outsiders say you are wild and unrestrained, but I know your wisdom and foresight are unparalleled. So I truly don’t understand why Your Highness doesn’t..."
"Master Chen, let’s not speak of this anymore." Ji Chengjue shook his head and continued, "After a generation of a powerful and ambitious ruler, a successor who maintains the status quo is often chosen. Second Prince is father’s most favored candidate. How should I put it? Second Prince’s temperament is suited to cleaning up any messes and allowing the realm to recuperate after father’s ’grand talents and bold strategies.’ I, on the other hand, wouldn’t just sit dutifully on that throne doing nothing. Believe it or not, if I were to show the slightest inclination to contend for the throne, the Spy Bureau would be able to dig up a Dragon Robe from my Royal Mansion by tomorrow!"
"Does Your Highness mean His Majesty still has plans for military action? Towards the south, or the north?"
"Master Chen, I am tired."
Chen Guangting immediately knelt. "I misspoke! Please, Your Highness..."
"Chen Guangting, get up, quickly, for us!!!!!!!!!’" Master Zhang shouted, his voice strained with urgency.
"No, if His Highness does not forgive me, I will not rise! Your Highness..."
"Chen Guangting! That barbarian... is charging towards us!!!!!!!!"
Chen Guangting immediately scrambled to his feet and ran.
"Alright, let’s pack up. Everyone to their positions." Zheng Fan leaped down from the roof of the tent, with Siniang and Ding Hao close behind.
"My lord, what are we doing?" Ding Hao asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Going to save royalty."
Zheng Fan nodded, pointed to a campsite in the distance, and said, "See that Black Dragon flag?"
"I see it. That should be a prince who came to offer birthday congratulations."
Although Ding Hao was still somewhat bewildered, he gripped his long spear, ready to accompany Zheng Fan.
"Uh... Ah Hao, you shouldn’t go."
"Does my lord distrust this subordinate?" The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel⚑fire.net
"No, it’s that *he* doesn’t know you."
Zheng Fan patted Ding Hao’s shoulder, made a square gesture with his hands, and said, "If you don’t want to end up in a little box on our way back, don’t come with us."