What was going on? After the Crown Prince’s incident, the Crown Grandson’s misfortune, then the Hubei affair, and the Mid-Autumn Festival disaster when over a dozen shops on Vermillion Bird Avenue burned down, they had finally celebrated Emperor Jianzhang’s birthday festivities with joy and were preparing for His Highness the Crown Grandson’s grand wedding. Yet suddenly, a thunderbolt struck from the heavens—Prince Gong had actually been kidnapped.
Song Chengru himself was shocked. He exchanged a silent glance with Chief Minister Chang, both tactfully looking away, returning home with heavy hearts, only to hear that Old Madam Song had sent someone to inquire.
He went to Old Madam Song’s Ningde Courtyard, first removing his official robes and changing into casual clothes. After Song Jue, Song Chuyi, and the others had all arrived, he coughed twice: “You’ve all heard about Prince Gong’s disappearance, haven’t you?”
Song Jue and Song Chuyi exchanged glances. They had just been discussing how Prince Gong was likely colluding with Han Zhengqing, and immediately afterward heard that Prince Gong had vanished. This truly confirmed Mr. Qingfeng’s words—Prince Gong would never let the matter rest so easily.
The claim that he’d been kidnapped by remnants of Ma Yuantong’s gang nearly made the Song siblings laugh their heads off. Thinking about it now, Lai Chenglong’s trip to the imperial mausoleum must have been to arrest Prince Gong and bring him back to the capital—he must have received some intelligence.
But Prince Gong had still managed to escape.
Song Jue coughed once: “What disappearance? This is clearly a case of the thief crying ‘stop thief,’ attempting to cover up the truth.”
Song Chengru lowered his eyes and coughed. Indeed, those like them who understood clearly could certainly see through this affair. Who would dare be so audacious, who would have the capability to kidnap someone from the Imperial Guard’s hands? Clearly there was only one possibility—Prince Gong had fled of his own accord.
Old Madam Song frowned, feeling as if her soul was floating in midair, her whole person dizzy: “How could Prince Gong be so audacious? By doing this, he’s left himself with absolutely no room to turn back!”
Emperor Jianzhang had originally intended to spare his life, merely sending him to guard the imperial mausoleum. With this escape, Emperor Jianzhang would only be furious beyond measure—how could he possibly still consider their father-son relationship?
Song Chuyi tugged at the corner of her mouth: “His Highness Prince Gong was never someone content with merely staying alive. Moreover, as Mr. Qingfeng said before, even if His Highness the Crown Grandson truly didn’t intend to make him pay a price, he himself couldn’t possibly feel at ease. Though His Majesty spared his life, after experiencing His Majesty’s rejection, his reputation is already completely ruined. Any hope of ascending to that position has become impossible. Now that the three months are up, if he truly returned to the capital, having been demoted to commandery prince, the most likely outcome would be going to his fief in Taiyuan to be watched and placed under house arrest as a prince in name only. Or he might be confined by His Majesty, never able to return to his fief. Either possibility is unacceptable to someone like Prince Gong.”
If Prince Gong were truly someone willing to retreat again and again, he couldn’t have fought the Crown Prince to the death.
In Prince Gong’s view, he had already reached a dead end. Since returning to the capital meant living a life worse than death, fighting with his back against the wall couldn’t be any worse—especially when he had an escape route.
Song Yan, who had been silent until now, glanced at his grandfather, then at his brother and sister, asking somewhat hesitantly: “Throughout all under heaven, there is no land that is not the Emperor’s; to the borders of the earth, there is no one who is not the Emperor’s subject. If Prince Gong has fled, where could he flee to?”
Old Madam Song slowly picked up the thread: “Moreover, Prince Gong’s heir and younger son are still in the capital, aren’t they?”
After such an incident, barring any accidents, after a few more days of investigation Chen Ping would conclude—Prince Gong must have been killed by remnants of Ma Yuantong’s gang.
In other words, from now on, there would be no more Prince Gong in this world.
What was his aim? And where had he fled?
Mr. Qingfeng clicked his tongue, shifting his gaze to Song Jue and Song Chuyi. Just days ago he’d been discussing theatrical plots with these two siblings, yet unexpectedly this drama had been staged so quickly.
Song Jue and Song Chuyi simultaneously straightened their backs. After exchanging glances, Song Jue looked toward Old Master Song and carefully shared his speculations and conjectures. In conclusion, he added: “We always feel that Marquis Jinxiang and Prince Gong likely had an understanding long ago, and Marquis Jinxiang cannot escape responsibility for the Crown Prince and Crown Grandson’s affairs. But the northwest is so far away, and this matter only came from Wei Yansheng’s lips—we don’t know if it’s true or false. Even if we asked Uncle to investigate, with just the matter of one ginseng root, there’s nowhere to investigate…”
Indeed, there was absolutely no way to investigate. Not to mention that young eunuch was already dead—even if he weren’t, even if he claimed Duke Dongping gave it to him, Duke Dongping could deny it. Han Zhengqing could naturally follow suit and retract his statement. In the end, nothing would be discovered, nothing could possibly be discovered. This was simply a mistaken case.
As Old Madam Song listened, she couldn’t help but tense even her toes. If Prince Gong truly was colluding with Han Zhengqing, had he fled to the northwest?
When he returned to the capital, Emperor Jianzhang wouldn’t take his life. But he simply refused to return, which meant he wasn’t merely seeking to preserve his life. So, letting such a person escape to the northwest, while Marquis Jinxiang was guarding Datong…
Everyone simultaneously felt chilled to the bone.
“Though this incident has occurred, it’s not entirely a bad thing.” Song Chengru reacted extremely quickly, having already thought from Prince Gong’s matter to another consideration: “His Majesty originally intended to spare Prince Gong’s life, but now, this can be considered thoroughly abandoning that notion.”
Regardless of whether Emperor Jianzhang had previously suspected Zhou Weizhao benefited too much from this affair, what Prince Gong had done thoroughly extinguished Emperor Jianzhang’s lingering thoughts, and even more thoroughly extinguished Empress Lu’s hopes. Now, Empress Lu need no longer be torn between difficult choices.
Because their son Prince Gong had already died.
Song Chengru’s gaze suddenly turned sharp: “I will send word to Shaoting, have Shaoting investigate.”
If Prince Gong truly went to the northwest, then he could only be allowed to die in the northwest, turning this theatrical performance into complete reality. Speaking of which, if Prince Gong truly was in league with Han Zhengqing, it wasn’t without solutions. In the northwest, Cui Shaoting had long been sharpening his blade—dealing with a Han Zhengqing, there would certainly be methods.
Chief Minister Chang’s thoughts aligned perfectly with Song Chengru’s. His gaze heavy, he looked at Cen Biliang who had come to his door late at night, his excellently maintained beard quivering: “This matter has many suspicious points. We as subjects naturally know only the two words ‘loyalty to the sovereign.’ Henceforth there will be no more Prince Gong in this world. Of His Majesty’s legitimate sons, one was deposed, one has died…”
The implication was that news of Prince Gong’s death would likely be proclaimed before long. Since Prince Gong was already dead, Crown Grandson Zhou Weizhao would be even more the sole legitimate heir. Even if Prince Gong had escaped, even if he truly succeeded, so what?
By then he would be even more illegitimate than now. Even if he raised a rebellious banner, the people of the realm would still revile him!