Shen Yang’s lecture on Liu Yan’s reform of the grain transport system consisted of only a few sparse sentences before he became unwilling to elaborate further.

Not to mention Yang Yuanpu and those who disliked studying like Feng Yi and Kong Xirong—even Li Chong listened in a fog, knowing what was said but not understanding why.

When Li Chong returned home that night, he summoned the Confucian scholars supported by his household, but none could explain the principles thoroughly.

When he came over this morning, he still had no way to answer the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu’s questions, yet unexpectedly, Han Qian, during the archery practice break, actually explained the entire cause and effect clearly.

Seeing the Third Prince look at Han Qian with eyes brightening with admiration, Li Chong felt sour and uncomfortable inside, but what could he say?

Should he claim that Han Qian had gone home yesterday and only understood all this after hearing his father Han Daoxun’s explanation?

Even if that were true, his previous claims before the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu that Han Qian was unlearned and useless had been too excessive.

Yang Yuanpu had initially been displeased that Li Chong described Han Qian so poorly, but afterward showed no further reaction. During archery practice, seeing Li Chong’s exquisite archery skills, he still applauded with delight, showing no trace of awkwardness—after all, Li Chong was the only minister he could openly associate with at this time.

Han Qian took the yellowwood great bow from Li Chong’s hands and shot an iron arrow across a hundred paces into the target, missing the bullseye by three or four inches. However, this was sufficient to demonstrate that his archery had improved rapidly during this period, and his strength was not much inferior to the fierce soldiers in the army.

“In this freezing weather, instead of studying in the warm pavilion, Your Highness runs to the archery range to endure this cold wind. If you catch a chill, how will this servant explain to Madam?” Song Xin, who rarely appeared at the archery range, walked over wrapped in a rose-red brocade cloak, reached out to grab the hunting bow Yang Yuanpu had already taken in hand, and stopped him from continuing to shoot.

Yang Yuanpu was, after all, still a youth not yet fourteen years old and actually couldn’t wrest the hunting bow back from Song Xin’s hands, his face flushing red with anger.

Qian Wenxun and the guards standing at the edge of the archery range all turned their heads aside.

Although Song Xin was a palace maid who had always served at Imperial Consort Madam Wang’s side and had attended to the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu’s daily needs since childhood, everyone knew she was someone sent out by Anning Palace.

Moreover, Song Xin held an official rank. Even Li Chong didn’t dare step forward on Yang Yuanpu’s behalf at this moment to rebuke and dismiss Song Xin.

“Today is the beginning of midwinter. I want to keep Li Chong and the others for a banquet in the inner residence. Have you prepared everything properly?” Yang Yuanpu ultimately suppressed his anger and didn’t try again to snatch the hunting bow back.

“How can Li Chong and the others casually come to the inner residence for a banquet? This servant has specially arranged a table of food and wine in the study hall. Let them eat and then each return to their manors,” Song Xin glanced at Han Qian and said, “Your Highness should first return to the inner residence with this servant and not catch a chill. Otherwise, when Administrator Guo returns, he will blame this servant for not knowing how to serve Your Highness properly!”

“I want to speak with Li Chong a while longer,” Yang Yuanpu said stubbornly.

“Your Highness really! Together all day long—what more is there to say to Young Master Li?” Song Xin chided him as if scolding an ignorant child, but she didn’t force Yang Yuanpu to immediately follow her to the inner residence. She handed the hunting bow to the Guard Battalion adjutant and left first.

Seeing Song Xin cast another glance in his direction as she left, Han Qian’s brows furrowed slightly.

Song Xin rarely came to the front courtyard and archery range. Han Qian had only seen her three or four times. He noted her voluptuous beauty and apparent age of only twenty-five or twenty-six, but the eyes that glanced over were quite severe. She must have just watched from some corner as he spoke privately with Yang Yuanpu quite extensively today and couldn’t help jumping out to stop it.

Han Qian secretly nursed a headache—Yang Yuanpu was surrounded entirely by Anning Palace’s people.

Even in the Guard Battalion, the vast majority were unreliable.

Feng Wenlian still knew to deliberately spread news unfavorable to the Third Prince to demonstrate his innocence to Anning Palace. Han Qian didn’t want his father to become Anning Palace’s first target for suppression, but he also couldn’t avoid the eyes and ears of people like Song Xin and Guo Rong. Future private communication with the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu would be problematic—what could he accomplish?

“Feng Yi, you and Xirong collect the archery targets!” Han Qian sent Feng Yi and Kong Xirong away, squatted on the ground pretending to organize the bows and arrows, and said to the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu, “Does Your Highness dare to kill?”

“…” Yang Yuanpu was slightly stunned, not expecting Han Qian to ask him this.

“Your Highness is ultimately the Emperor’s son. If Your Highness dares to kill, you won’t be bullied by servants!” Han Qian saw Song Xin walking toward the inner palace, still not forgetting to look back in this direction. He could only lower his head and speak to Yang Yuanpu while pretending to organize bows and arrows. “When Your Highness needs this subordinate to respond to something, even in front of Administrator Guo and the others, this subordinate will ‘have no choice but to comply.'”

“I dare to kill, but if I kill someone, I’m afraid I’ll never again have the opportunity to handle swords and bows,” Yang Yuanpu had obviously considered this problem himself. The key was that Anning Palace suppressed him and his mother at every turn—how could they possibly allow him to kill someone to establish authority?

Han Qian didn’t concern himself with whether Yang Yuanpu’s claim of “daring” was merely something he imagined in his heart, and continued, “If Your Highness accidentally kills a servant and afterward shows remorseful contrition, even Anning Palace cannot punish Your Highness!”

Li Chong stood there stunned, never expecting Han Qian would actually dare to teach the Third Prince such a dangerous stratagem to establish authority. Lowering his voice, he said, “Your Highness, you must not listen to Han Qian’s words. All matters require careful consideration—you absolutely cannot act so recklessly and rashly!”

No matter how deep Yang Yuanpu’s scheming, he was still only a thirteen or fourteen-year-old youth.

Upon leaving the palace to establish his own manor, he had fully expected to breathe the air of freedom. Who would have thought he would still be constrained at every turn by servants? The resentment pent up in his heart was even greater than when he was in the palace. How could he possibly maintain his composure at this moment?

“Palace Secretary Song, I’ll return with you!” Yang Yuanpu caught up with Song Xin and walked together toward the inner palace.

“If you ruin things, watch out for your life!” Li Chong saw that the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu ultimately didn’t trust him due to his slandering Han Qian behind his back and no longer believed in him. The eyes he fixed on Han Qian were full of resentment and hatred, as if he wanted to draw his blade and stab Han Qian straight through the chest.

“…” Han Qian looked at Li Chong coldly. He figured Li Chong wouldn’t dare do anything to him.

“Why bother with him?” Feng Yi and Kong Xirong walked over after collecting the archery targets. Seeing Han Qian and Li Chong glaring at each other angrily, not knowing why they were like this, they immediately pulled Han Qian away to avoid him getting into conflict with Li Chong and being bullied. They didn’t forget to mock coldly, “That person is now fawning desperately over His Highness. In the future, he’ll surely have overwhelming power and influence—we must guard against being viciously bitten by him!”

Li Chong was so angry his chest ached, but he could only suppress his breath and walk toward the front courtyard through the side passage.

Han Qian walked slowly with Feng Yi and Kong Xirong to the front courtyard, seeing Li Chong standing at the courtyard gate between the study hall and the main hall, speaking with one of his accompanying household soldiers. Not knowing what he was instructing, they then saw that household soldier from Xinchang Marquis Manor hurriedly leave Linjiang Marquis Manor.

Han Qian guessed that Li Chong ultimately didn’t dare use the dangerous stratagem, fearing the situation would spiral out of their control. But he couldn’t stop Yang Yuanpu either—this must be sending someone back to summon reinforcements, right?

Song Xin had said she wouldn’t let Han Qian and the others enter the inner residence for the banquet. Now seeing palace attendants carrying food boxes out, it was indeed as expected—they were preparing a separate table of food and wine for them in the front courtyard.

Today was the beginning of midwinter, the Great Snow solar term. Even without keeping Han Qian and the others at the manor for a banquet, the feast prepared by the manor was exceptionally sumptuous, with two pots of warmed jujube wine from Xinghuang Tower sent over.

Guard Battalion Commander Chen De had disappeared somewhere this morning. When the feast here was ready, he ran out and also pulled over Qian Wenxun, who was on duty today, along with Deputy Palace Attendant Supervisor Guan Bao to drink together. Not seeing the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu emerge, he asked, “Wasn’t it said His Highness was inviting everyone for drinks—where is His Highness?”

“Palace Secretary Song specially prepared a feast in the inner residence. His Highness is in the inner residence,” Qian Wenxun said.

“…” Chen De wrinkled his nose and muttered a low curse, then said nothing more.

Even though Feng Yi and Kong Xirong regarded their reading companion duties as drudgery and were determined to distance themselves from the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu, they now felt that the servants sent by Anning Palace to Linjiang Marquis Manor were truly excessive.

Li Chong’s mind was uneasy, while Han Qian leisurely drank wine and sampled the table full of delicacies.

If the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu truly dared to do something outrageous today, Anning Palace would most likely believe it was Li Chong’s instigation—he wouldn’t feel any psychological pressure.

The meals in Han Qian’s own household were far better than ordinary civilian families, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat never lacking daily. But no matter how suppressed the Marquis of Linjiang was by Anning Palace, he remained one of Emperor Tianyou’s only three sons. His food, clothing, and expenses were all excellent. This feast before Han Qian and the others included fresh shrimp with pork hock, braised goose feet, chicken skin winter bamboo shoot soup, mandarin duck fried tripe, chicken sauce eggplant cubes, lamb tongue skewers, and roasted roe deer leg.

Such a feast was refined delicacies that even Han Qian rarely ate a few times in Xuanzhou.

“Ah!”

After finishing two pots of jujube wine, Feng Yi showed no signs of intoxication. Seeing Chen De also hadn’t had enough, he wanted to encourage Deputy Palace Supervisor Guan Bao to fetch more wine from the back. At that moment, several screams came from the inner residence, shattering the tranquility of Linjiang Marquis Manor!

The over two hundred people inside and outside Linjiang Marquis Manor, regardless of their various thoughts, absolutely didn’t dare be negligent at this time. If something truly happened to the Third Prince, no one could escape responsibility.

Hearing the shrill screams, not knowing what had happened in the inner residence, everyone couldn’t care about drinking. They dropped their wine cups, grabbed swords and bows, and ran toward the rear residence.

Zhao Kuo, Fan Dahei, Lin Haizheng, and the household soldiers of Feng Yi and the others were all guarding the courtyard in the southwest corner. At this time, they also didn’t know what had happened, but they didn’t dare randomly rush into the inner residence. Chen De had them stand guard in the front courtyard area.

Following Chen De, Qian Wenxun, and Guan Bao through halls and courtyards to reach Xiaoxiang Pavilion where the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu usually resided, Han Qian saw a palace attendant lying on the ground screaming shrilly, both hands clutching his lower abdomen as he struggled. A pair of scissors was deeply embedded there. The attendant appeared to be eighteen or nineteen years old. His robe was soaked through with blood that continued to seep out, pooling on the ground. His eyes were full of terror, as if something inconceivable had occurred.

Although the poisonous stratagem had been offered by Han Qian, and although he had previously borrowed Zhao Wuji’s hand to shoot and kill Fan Wucheng, seeing this bloody scene again still gave him a shocking, disturbing feeling. Standing at the front of the courtyard with his heart churning uncomfortably, he steeled himself to follow behind Chen De, Qian Wenxun, and Li Chong inside.

The Third Prince Yang Yuanpu stood in a corner of the courtyard. A dagger had rolled to his feet. His left arm had been slashed open with a wound, blood staining half the sleeve red. His face was pale, his eyes showing bewildered panic…

Seeing this scene, Han Qian instantly guessed that Yang Yuanpu intended to frame this palace attendant for attempted assassination, but Yang Yuanpu had actually failed to kill the person and left a living witness. This matter was somewhat troublesome.

Han Qian drew in a sharp breath. Seeing Li Chong pushing forward from behind, his face also showing shock and suspicion, Han Qian pushed him from behind and shouted loudly, “This person is an assassin who tried to kill His Highness—Li Chong, quickly capture this assassin and don’t let him harm His Highness again!”

Li Chong was pushed by Han Qian and nearly fell, but turning it over in his mind, he understood that Han Qian wanted him to leave no living witness.

Li Chong had grown up following his father and brothers in the military and had bloodstains on his hands. He wasn’t afraid of killing, but to have him now go help the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu finish the kill and clean up after the poisonous stratagem Han Qian had devised—his heart felt extremely aggrieved.

However, no matter how clumsy finishing the kill might be now, it was better than leaving a living witness.

The palace attendants and maids of the manor crowded around in panic. Seeing this bloody scene, they were all at a loss. The usually arrogant and imperious Manor Secretary Song Xin hadn’t yet figured out what had happened at this time. When Han Qian shouted about an assassin, she looked again at Yang Yuanpu’s wounded left arm and the chaos all around, fearing there might be accomplices of the assassin still in the courtyard. She called out delicately for the guards and servants to surround and protect the Third Prince Yang Yuanpu.

“We’ll go protect His Highness!” Han Qian pulled back Kong Xirong and Feng Yi, who were about to apprehend the wounded palace attendant, and walked toward Yang Yuanpu, facilitating Li Chong’s silencing of the witness alone.

Li Chong cast Han Qian a resentful glance but could only steel himself and run over to flip the palace attendant’s body, pressing his face down firmly to the ground. Then with one hand he choked the throat, causing whimpering wails but preventing speech. With the other hand he twisted back the limbs, using his knee to press against the lower back, immediately causing the scissors to pierce through completely.

“Leave him alive!” Manor Secretary Song Xin thought of leaving a living witness, but saw that palace attendant pressed down by Li Chong, his legs convulsing violently several times before going limp and collapsing there. Whether from excessive blood loss or from Li Chong choking his throat too tightly causing suffocation, he ultimately died.