This year’s Lantern Festival was especially cold. Even wrapped in cotton robes and cloaks, one couldn’t ward off the bone-chilling cold. It didn’t feel like being in the capital at all, but rather like being in the south—no matter how many thick garments one wore, coldness still seeped through the cracks between one’s bones.
Emperor Jianzhang’s illness came suddenly and fiercely. Very soon it had developed to the point of unconsciousness. He had clearly been in the Grand Secretariat discussing matters with all the ministers, but for no reason at all while doing nothing in particular, he suddenly collapsed straight down. This frightened Grand Secretary Chang so much that even at seventy-six years old, he stumbled and crawled on all fours to have people summon the imperial physicians and notify Qingning Hall.
All those who had been discussing matters in the Grand Secretariat were at a loss, looking at each other in bewilderment.
But even worse news kept coming in streams—another military dispatch had arrived from Xibei. The garrison troops of Hebei West Road couldn’t provide aid in time. More than half of the thirty thousand soldiers defending Zijing Pass had been lost. They were just one step away from breaking through Zijing Pass. Now only a single investigating censor was left struggling to hold on at Zijing Pass.
Fortunately, Grand Secretary Chang, Minister of War Cen Biliang, and Minister of Personnel Song Chengru were all steady. They immediately made decisions, ordering the garrison troops of Hebei West Road to hasten reinforcements and dispatching the Capital Garrison Drill Army and Henan Garrison Drill Army to defend the capital.
The Nine Gates Infantry Command patrolled day and night, tightening city defenses. The nine gates were under martial law.
On the other hand, Grand Secretary Chang, representing the Grand Secretariat, memorialized requesting that the Grand Consort take charge and oversee state affairs.
Empress Dowager Lu was so panicked she was nearly crying herself blind. Hearing the Grand Secretariat report up requesting the Grand Consort oversee state affairs, she immediately agreed. If Emperor Jianzhang truly met with misfortune, at least Zhou Weizhao could still shoulder responsibility alone. She watched Crown Princess Lu arrange palace affairs and arrange the consorts who would attend the sickbed. Seeing Princess Rongcheng’s utterly distraught appearance, she reached out and squeezed her hand. “No need to worry… there’s still Weizhao…” But she herself was already haggard and worn, as if she could collapse at any moment.
“How could it be that easy?” The Crown Prince, who had improved considerably, spoke his first complete sentence. His gaze was complex as he looked at Prince Dongping before him. “He…” His speech still required long pauses before he could express a sentence clearly. “He hasn’t had time to thoroughly beat the pro-peace faction to death. How could Prince Gong and Han Zhengqing possibly let this go?”
If Emperor Jianzhang had collapsed a bit later, at least he could have thoroughly convicted Zheng Sansi and these pro-peace faction officials, then held on until the twenty-first of the second month when Zhou Weizhao’s Grand Consort investiture ceremony concluded. Then Zhou Weizhao overseeing state affairs now would be proper and justified.
But Emperor Jianzhang had to collapse at this moment. The Crown Prince’s face bore undisguised anger. “Shameless!”
Prince Dongping knew he was cursing Prince Gong and Han Zhengqing for bribing court officials, having their planted agents choose to create this pro-peace farce under circumstances of Xibei’s fall to provoke Emperor Jianzhang. He stepped forward and patted his back to help regulate his breathing, then helped him turn over and began massaging his fingers. Though somewhat flustered, he hadn’t completely lost his composure. “Father need not worry too much. The Grand Secretariat has already decided that the Grand Consort will take charge of state affairs and oversee the government. Originally, the Grand Consort was already the proper and justified heir apparent. Now that he can act freely, it’s actually more convenient.”
The Crown Prince coldly twitched the corner of his mouth, a cold light flashing in his eyes. “No…” He gasped roughly, supported by Prince Dongping to sit leaning against the large pillow. “Something’s going to happen… the situation is going to change drastically…”
Prince Dongping sat up straight and looked at the Crown Prince, very confused. “Father…”
The Crown Prince stared straight at him and said, “Go, go remind him… be careful of people tampering… with things…”
Compared to Zhou Weizhao, he naturally still preferred his son Prince Dongping more. Zhou Weizhao was truly too unfamiliar to him. Affection was built through spending time together. The total time he and Zhou Weizhao had spent together probably didn’t exceed three months—what affection could there be? But even so, compared to that insane younger brother Prince Gong, he certainly still hoped Zhou Weizhao would stand firm more—for no other reason than that even if Zhou Weizhao detested him, bound by propriety and law he still had to respect him as Retired Emperor. But for Prince Gong, he would be nothing at all.
Prince Dongping’s heart plunged straight down. His entire person was so shocked he jumped up. The dinner he had just eaten seemed to be churning in his stomach. Could the thing he feared most still have happened? He looked at the Crown Prince. “Father’s meaning is, Imperial Grandfather’s illness…”
The Crown Prince nodded. Prince Dongping sucked in a cold breath and stood up, somewhat at a loss.
He had already warned Zhou Weizhao and also warned Song Chuyi. With these two people’s methods and capabilities, plus Zhang Tianshi being especially careful, how could anyone still take advantage and frame them?!
He immediately stood up. Upon leaving, he ran head-on into a fire tender. Seeing the fire tender kneel on the ground kowtowing repeatedly, he waved his hand dismissively to leave, but was grabbed by the clothing again.
He frowned, about to lose his temper, when he saw the fire tender lift his head and stare straight at him. “Your Highness, quickly come with me. Something’s going to happen in the palace.”
Prince Dongping raised his eyebrows in surprise and retreated a step. The fire tender shuffled forward on his knees two steps and nimbly stood up. “Your Highness, your status is awkward…”
Another one of Han Zhengqing’s people! Prince Dongping suppressed his inner disgust and revulsion, asking impassively, “Oh, how is my status awkward?”
The fire tender laughed once. That laugh was quite unbridled. “Why the status is awkward, Your Highness and I both know in our hearts. Why must you expose it? Your Highness, now we’ve truly reached a critical moment of survival. They’ve been driven to desperation like cornered dogs—they could do anything. You absolutely must not throw childish tantrums anymore. Otherwise when the time comes…”
Prince Dongping stepped forward and grabbed his collar, pulling him back. “Otherwise when the time comes, what? What exactly do you people want to do?”
The fire tender smiled in a way that made people extremely uncomfortable. He even had martial arts skills. In just a blink he had broken free of Prince Dongping’s hand and glanced in the direction of the Crown Prince’s sleeping chamber. “Otherwise when the time comes, the Crown Prince and Grand Consort who learn they’ve been cuckolded will probably take it out on you…”
He sighed. Their Marquis had given them orders on pain of death—they must protect Prince Dongping. But Prince Dongping truly didn’t know what was good for him. He wouldn’t respond to soft approaches, so he could only try hard ones.
In any case, Emperor Jianzhang was already unconscious now, and Zhou Weizhao was about to face disaster. No one could punish the awkwardly-positioned Prince Dongping. He simply exposed Prince Dongping’s true parentage to the Crown Princess and Crown Prince.
Seeing Prince Dongping gnash his teeth, he smiled oilily. “Your Highness needn’t glare at me like that. You weren’t the Crown Prince’s son to begin with. You’ve fulfilled filial duties before him for so long—that’s enough. You can’t possibly even collect his corpse…”
The words became more and more unpleasant, the very picture of a vile person reveling in success.