Wangchun Garden was brightly lit, though unlike the hunting ground, the clamor here was much more refined.

Music played continuously, dancers moved gracefully, appearing and disappearing among pavilions, towers, and waterside halls—like a paradise on earth.

Before the main hall, over a hundred low tables spread out for the scholars, who were now deep in wine and food. Many already showed drunken expressions on their faces. However, drunk scholars didn’t brawl or cause disturbances—they remained refined and cultured. At most, they loosened their hair and clothing. Some wielded brushes to splash ink in painting, while others held wine pots aloft, loudly composing and reciting poetry.

On the corridor before the hall, the Third Prince also sat on the ground, without a trace of princely arrogance, joining everyone in wielding brushes and composing poetry.

“Third Prince is a model for us scholars!” many voices called out in unison.

The Third Prince laughed heartily and raised the brush in his hand: “May we study together with all under heaven!”

A eunuch approached with a smiling face to refill the Third Prince’s wine, saying in a low voice: “The road has been cut off. We can make our move.”

The Third Prince raised his wine cup and nodded with a smile at a scholar toasting him, then drained it in one gulp. He stood up, flung the cup away, his wide sleeves swaying, chanting poetry as he moved gracefully.

The scholars laughed and joined in the chanting, drowning out the music and dance, their voices soaring to the heavens. Both observers and participants among the scholars were intoxicated—such an elegant spectacle was rarely seen.

The Third Prince continued chanting as he walked, arriving at the rear of the hall where his uncle Minister Zhao waited with a smile.

“Your Highness composed that poem extremely well,” he praised, then asked, “Shall we act now?”

The Third Prince looked up at the night sky with a smile. The night sky had neither moon nor stars—black as ink.

“Truly a moonless night for murder,” he sighed, then turned to look at Minister Zhao. “Tonight the Crown Prince will surely revel until dawn. At least he’ll enjoy himself before death.”

Minister Zhao smiled in acknowledgment: “With Your Highness being so considerate, your brotherhood will not have been in vain.”

The Third Prince tied up his sleeves and said: “Let’s go. I’ll personally see my imperial brother off.”

A eunuch beside him stepped forward to wrap a belt around the Third Prince’s waist.

Uncle Zhao stood by with his hands tucked in his sleeves, saying with a smile: “After this parting, may you never meet again in the next life.”

The Third Prince laughed heartily.

Uncle Zhao said: “However, not everyone accompanied the Crown Prince. Quite a few remain in the city.”

According to the original plan, they would strike within the city—close the gates, surround with crossbows, set fires, and not one would escape.

But now the Crown Prince’s family had gone to the hunting ground, forcing them to divide their forces. This way, they could only deal with the main followers.

Like the Yang and Xie families.

“That’s enough,” the Third Prince said without concern. “Once we deal with the Crown Prince, what do the rest matter?”

That was all they could do. Uncle Zhao thought it over and decided to add one more person.

“Remember to set a fire at Chu Garden while you’re at it,” he instructed his attendants.

It was all that young woman’s fault, interfering. If not for her, there would have been no Chu Garden literary gathering, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have gotten leverage to arrest people at will, and the Crown Prince wouldn’t have taken the opportunity to show off with this hunting event, disrupting their plans.

The Third Prince’s long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled, putting him in excellent spirits. He was no longer so angry at that young woman.

He smiled, his pale pointed chin prominent: “Uncle, don’t rush. That young woman—in the future, we’ll make her beg for death. Killing her now would be too easy on her.”

With that, he took the cloak a eunuch handed him and swept it over his shoulders.

The cloak had a large hood that covered his head and face.

His entire figure instantly merged into the night.

……

……

The night was deep, but the clamor outside grew deeper still. Even the thick tent walls couldn’t block it out.

Fortunately, the child had played all day and was exhausted, sleeping soundly.

The Crown Princess arranged the thin blanket her son had kicked off, her gaze falling inside the blanket where she saw the bamboo tube was also there—she didn’t know what treasure it contained. The eunuchs had quietly told her that the young prince had originally intended it for the Crown Prince.

Though the Crown Prince neglected this son, the son still deeply depended on his father. The Crown Princess could understand this—she had always educated and raised her son this way. After all, this father wasn’t just a father but also a sovereign.

She didn’t disturb the bamboo tube, carefully studying her son’s sleeping face, her eyes full of indulgence.

A palace maid beside her said with a soft laugh: “The young prince resembles you more.”

The Crown Princess smiled: “His Highness the Crown Prince isn’t ugly either.”

The palace maid smiled with pursed lips. Without the palace’s prying eyes everywhere, mistress and servant could speak more freely.

“Let the young prince sleep,” she said quietly, helping the Crown Princess to her feet.

The two walked out of the tent, and the clamor crashed over them. Looking toward the firelight and dancing figures ahead, the Crown Princess couldn’t help pressing her forehead.

“Your Highness,” the palace maid said in a low voice, “you should rest. The Crown Prince’s side will certainly go all night.”

This hunting event lasted three days. The first day went all night, the second day was for rest, the third day another banquet. The couple would probably exchange a sentence or two.

In the palace or outside—what difference did it make?

A trace of gloom flashed through the Crown Princess’s eyes. Though she had long grown accustomed to it, coming out this time, she had still harbored some hope—hope that the family of three could talk together.

She shouldn’t have held such extravagant expectations.

The Crown Princess lowered her eyes and turned around. The next moment, remembering something, she turned back.

“Why haven’t the people sent to Yanfang returned?” she asked.

Though Yanfang didn’t often come see her, when she sent people over, there was always a reply.

The palace maid said: “It’s so late—Master Three must have kept them for the night. They’ll come together in the morning.”

That was fine too. In any case, she had given Xie Yanfang his instructions, so she needn’t worry. The Crown Princess smiled, her spirits lifted. Whether the Crown Prince kept her company or not didn’t matter, but when Yanfang came, the Crown Prince definitely wouldn’t ignore him.

That was enough.

The Crown Princess didn’t glance once more toward the Crown Prince’s side and entered her tent with a smile.

Though Xie Yanfang wasn’t present at this moment, the Crown Prince was speaking of him.

The Crown Prince was telling those around him about past events.

“At the time, Xie Yanfang was still a child in my eyes, but when that arrow flew, it really had considerable force,” he said with a smile.

The strongmen around him all shouted: “The Crown Prince truly cherishes talent!” “The Crown Prince is magnanimous and can accommodate all under heaven!” “As long as you have real ability, the Crown Prince will treat you well!” “With such a Crown Prince, Da Xia has nothing to worry about!”

The Crown Prince waved his hand. He had heard too much of such flattery. Surely everyone thought this way. His gaze swept over the assembled people. There was drunkenness in his eyes, but more clarity.

“Actually, when I was young, no one praised my strength,” he said with a smile. “Especially Father Emperor. Whenever anyone said I was strong, he would say, ‘Ha! I’ve raised a wastrel prince!'”

Most of the strongmen were uncultured brutes. Someone curiously asked, “What’s a wastrel prince?”

Someone beside him quickly signaled him to be quiet and explained in a low voice what “wastrel prince” meant.

The Crown Prince continued laughing heartily.

“Father Emperor waited every day to see me crushed to death,” he said, then stood up. “Today, Third Brother holds a literary gathering to show Father Emperor his scholarship. I hold a hunting event to show Father Emperor that I won’t be crushed to death.”

He raised his hand and called out.

“Someone, bring it up.”

Everyone quickly stood as well, watching four strongmen carry a bronze cauldron into the center.

This—he was going to—

The venue instantly erupted in clamor.

Eunuch Qi lifted his foot to rush before the Crown Prince. As the Emperor’s attendant, he had the most authority here to stop this.

“Crown Prince, you must not—”

But Eunuch Zhu blocked him, saying with a smile: “Don’t worry, His Highness knows his limits.” He lowered his voice. “His Highness has been practicing for over a year. The cauldron was selected as the most suitable—he can definitely lift it, and it’s the safest—”

But that was a cauldron being carried by four men! Eunuch Qi frowned: “This is reckless!”

Eunuch Zhu held him fast, saying in a low voice: “Don’t you understand? More carriers shows it’s heavy. Actually, only two people are needed to lift it.”

But— Eunuch Qi’s face remained full of worry. Cheers already rang out all around.

“Crown Prince is mighty!” Everyone was cheering. “Crown Prince is mighty!”

Eunuch Zhu chuckled quietly: “Everyone knows—they’ve all rehearsed before.”

So this was all staged for him to see? Eunuch Qi seemed to understand.

The Crown Prince also looked at Eunuch Qi at this moment and called out loudly: “Eunuch Qi, watch! Go back and tell Father Emperor—I’m not a wastrel prince, and Da Xia won’t have another King Wu of Qin!”

Ai, this child. Eunuch Qi felt helpless. Already this old, still holding onto that grudge.

The Crown Prince had already stepped before the cauldron. He removed his upper garment, exposing his robust bare torso, bent his knees, reached out to grasp the cauldron. The surroundings instantly fell silent. The next moment came an angry roar—the Crown Prince lifted the cauldron.

The Crown Prince held the cauldron aloft with both hands, standing steady as a mountain on the ground.

The surroundings fell silent for a moment, then erupted like crashing waves.

“Crown Prince is mighty!” “Crown Prince is mighty!”

Eunuch Qi smiled helplessly, then quickly raised his hands and shouted: “This old servant saw it! Saw it! Your Highness, quickly put it down!”

His voice was insignificant amid the crashing waves of sound.

The Crown Prince held the cauldron aloft but didn’t keep it raised. He tensed his strength with a shout, then turned his feet, preparing to lower it.

But at this moment, among the cheering crowd, a strongman crouched down. His finger flicked, sending a small stone skimming along the ground toward where the Crown Prince stood.

The Crown Prince slightly lifted his foot to turn. It seemed soundless, yet also seemed to make a thud—the stone struck the arch of the Crown Prince’s foot.

The Crown Prince felt as if his heart had been stabbed. His foot instinctively twisted. In an instant, it was as if lightning had struck him. His entire body split apart.

No good—his foot had twisted!

No, this wasn’t just bad. What was worse—

The Crown Prince raised his head to look above. Above him, it was as if the heavens were collapsing down on him.

It was over!

……

……

Eunuch Qi stood in place, witnessing this scene with his own eyes—like mountains crumbling and earth splitting. In that instant, he could hear nothing.

In his heart was only one thought:

Who was truly to blame—the Emperor for his poisonous words provoking the Crown Prince to show off, or the Crown Prince for his narrow-minded arrogance?