This scene was nothing unusual, and neither the Emperor nor the Crown Prince were angry.
“Really so noisy,” the Emperor said. “Aren’t scholars supposed to be refined?”
The Crown Prince laughed: “Father Emperor, have Third Brother stop reading so many books and find him some archery and riding instructors instead. Then he won’t have the energy to make noise.”
The Emperor looked at him and sneered coldly: “Archery and riding instructors?” He grabbed his other shoe and threw it. “Just because archery instructors have strength, does that mean they can beat court officials? If you dare turn my Golden Throne Hall into a martial arts arena again, I’ll make you be an archery instructor for the rest of your life.”
The Crown Prince raised his hand to catch the shoe: “Yes, yes, this son understands.” He crawled over on his knees and put the shoe on the Emperor. “Father Emperor, you’ve always been good-tempered and have spoiled those officials. Sometimes they’re really too much. A good beating would fix them.”
The Emperor kicked at him.
The Crown Prince was robust, and the Emperor couldn’t budge him at all. The Crown Prince himself laughed and sat back, turning to call Xiao Xun: “Axun, you come talk to His Majesty. Only you don’t anger His Majesty.”
Xiao Xun smiled: “At home I often anger my father the Prince. My father only gets angry with me. When others want to anger him, he can’t even be bothered with them.”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily: “You really do know how to talk.”
The Emperor looked at Xiao Xun, his expression somewhat wistful: “You look very much like your father the Prince.”
Xiao Xun touched his own face: “My mother often says I’m not as handsome as my father the Prince, especially these eyes—too small, like my mother’s. I didn’t get eyes as large and spirited as father the Prince and Your Majesty.”
The Emperor laughed heartily, and the Crown Prince laughed loudly too.
“My eyes do resemble Father Emperor’s,” he said, pointing at himself. “They’re not like Mother Empress’s.”
The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince, his gaze somewhat disdainful: “Your mother the Empress’s eyes were beautiful. If you had taken after her, your appearance would be better too.”
Besides disdain, there was also some wistfulness as he thought of the Empress who had died young—they had been a young married couple but hadn’t been able to accompany each other into old age.
“I can barely remember what she looked like anymore.”
“Father Emperor,” the Crown Prince raised his arm, displaying his strength. “What use is appearance? Strength is useful. Being strong and healthy is better than anything.”
The Emperor was angry again: “What about brains? Don’t you need brains to govern the realm?”
The Crown Prince said frankly: “Father Emperor, one person’s brain is never enough. As long as I can make good use of all the people in the realm who have brains, that will suffice.”
The Emperor fell silent, stopped paying attention to him, and looked at Xiao Xun, asking: “How is your father the Prince now? Does his leg still hurt often?”
Xiao Xun shook his head: “He’s fine at other times, it only hurts a bit on rainy days.” He smiled again. “Father the Prince is in very good spirits. He can eat, sleep, and enjoy himself. My greatest worry is that father the Prince is really too fat, and I want to get him to eat a little less.”
The Emperor laughed heartily again: “What are you afraid of? Are you worried your father the Prince will eat through the fortune he’s leaving you? Don’t worry—however much your father the Prince eats, I’ll compensate you double.”
Xiao Xun smiled: “I thank Your Majesty. Then I hope father the Prince eats more.”
The Emperor laughed so hard he had to press his hand to his chest to avoid getting a stitch in his side. The Crown Prince also laughed, quite impressed: “I told you—Axun makes Father Emperor happiest. You should come live in the capital more often.”
“Elder Brother,” Xiao Xun used the childhood form of address between brothers and said with a smile, “Fragrance from afar, stench from near. If I stay before His Majesty too long, His Majesty will get annoyed. It’s better to stay at a distance so His Majesty always remembers my good points.”
The Crown Prince and Emperor laughed again.
“All right, all right,” the Emperor waved his hand and yawned, as if laughing had exhausted him. “Since you’ve come, stay in the capital a few more days.”
The Crown Prince said: “That’s right. Come with me to the martial arts grounds. I’ll show you something fun.”
The Emperor glared at him: “What martial arts grounds?” He pointed with his finger. “Axun can go to Third’s reading gathering. Although those things are completely useless, at least it will be lively.”
Though he cursed verbally, the Emperor still remembered the Third Prince’s request. The Crown Prince’s eyes flickered slightly as he smiled: “That’s good. Third Brother doesn’t like me coming, but he’ll definitely welcome you.”
Since the Emperor had spoken, Xiao Xun naturally bowed his head and assented.
Seeing that everything had been discussed, the eunuchs stepped forward and said with smiles: “Your Majesty, it’s time for your medicine.”
The Emperor waved at the Crown Prince and Xiao Xun: “All right, you may withdraw. When you’re free—when you’re free and idle, don’t come looking for me either.”
The Crown Prince answered yes with a smile, watching the eunuchs bring the pills, and couldn’t help but say: “Father Emperor, actually you don’t need to take all these pills. If you follow me every day for archery and riding—”
Before he could finish, the Emperor picked up the pill jar’s lid and threw it at him.
“Get out!”
……
……
Xiao Xun declined the Crown Prince’s invitation to go riding and archery together and returned to the courier station by himself. When he reached the palace gates, he ran into an acquaintance.
“Lord Deng,” Xiao Xun quickly called out.
Deng Yi stopped and bowed to Xiao Xun: “World Heir.”
They had traveled together on the road. Deng Yi didn’t talk much and hadn’t shown particular enthusiasm toward him, but since they had met, Xiao Xun would still greet him—if it were that Chu Zhao, Xiao Xun would pretend not to see her.
Though, perhaps that girl would pretend not to see him first, or simply turn around and walk away.
Xiao Xun couldn’t help but smile.
“The World Heir is in good spirits,” Deng Yi said. “You just saw His Majesty?”
Xiao Xun nodded with a smile: “Yes, I saw His Majesty with the Crown Prince.” It wasn’t convenient to say much about matters involving the Emperor, so he asked casually, “Does Lord Deng have official business?”
Deng Yi said: “No, I went to give gifts.”
Xiao Xun was stunned. Was this a joke or the truth?
He had always considered himself comfortable in dealing with people and the world, but after encountering Deng Yi and Chu Zhao, something always seemed off.
Deng Yi raised his hand in salute: “Safe travels, World Heir. This official takes his leave.”
Xiao Xun nodded and watched as Deng Yi passed by him heading toward the Western Garden of the imperial city, where the Six Ministries and court officials were located. Could he really be going to give gifts?
Standing in place, Xiao Xun couldn’t help but smile. This trip to the capital had truly shown him all manner of strange and unusual things.
……
……
The courier station wasn’t far from the imperial city, and Xiao Xun’s carriage quickly returned. After washing and changing clothes, he sat inside resting when a scholar in a green robe entered. Seeing this, Tie Ying walked out to stand guard by the door.
“World Heir, did you see His Majesty?” the green-robed scholar asked.
Xiao Xun nodded: “Not only did I see His Majesty, I saw the Crown Prince and Third Prince as well.”
The green-robed scholar asked again: “What does the World Heir think?”
Xiao Xun held a white porcelain teacup, looking at the clear tea water within.
“The same as when I was young. His Majesty is suspicious and favors the Third Prince. The Crown Prince is arrogant but also knows how to remind His Majesty to cherish himself. The Third Prince is cunning and inconsistent in word and deed.” Xiao Xun shook his head. “With the capital like this, why did father the Prince insist I come? Wouldn’t people with our status be in more danger?”
Not only were the Son of Heaven, the princes, and imperial relatives mad—even minor officials like Deng Yi and a young woman like Chu Zhao were full of strangeness.
This capital appeared prosperous, but it was like a pile of dry kindling—a single spark could cause it to burst into flames.
In such a dangerous place, shouldn’t they stay even further away?
“Today His Majesty even asked about father the Prince, and the Crown Prince even wanted to keep me in the capital as a hostage. They still haven’t let down their guard against father the Prince.”
The green-robed scholar said: “World Heir, the more dangerous the place, the more likely there are unexpected opportunities.”
Unexpected opportunities could mean many things for ordinary people, but for someone of Prince Zhongshan’s status, the meaning was only one.
Xiao Xun gripped the teacup tightly, silent for a moment, then said softly: “Axun is willing to pray for father the Prince.”