The Crown Prince’s and Prince Yan’s health improved day by day.
The Emperor’s fury over the assassination attempt gradually subsided as well. Even so, no small number of people had been implicated in the affair this time. Countless others had been secretly put to death. The Commander of the Imperial Guard, Yang Wei, and his deputy, Sun Yi, were both stripped of their posts.
Worst off of all was Consort Li—her corpse, after being exposed to the sun for three days, was wrapped carelessly in a straw mat and buried without ceremony. Even after death, she was denied a place within the imperial mausoleum.
A month later, the Emperor set out to return to the capital.
The Crown Prince and Prince Yan both returned to their respective residences to recuperate in peace. No one could say how many tears the Crown Princess and Prince Yan’s consort shed upon seeing their husbands again.
The Emperor resumed attending court and handling state affairs. Since both the Crown Prince and Prince Yan needed to recover from their illnesses and could not take part in governance, the Crown Grandson took up the heavy burden in their stead, assisting the Emperor with court affairs every day.
Though the Emperor was still inclined to attend diligently to his duties, his health was poor, and he could not afford to overexert himself. He simply had the Crown Grandson take up permanent residence in the palace.
The Crown Grandson, young and vigorous, proved extremely diligent, handling state affairs decisively and efficiently—even surpassing the Crown Prince in this regard. Watching this, the Emperor felt considerable satisfaction in his heart.
To know that the realm had a worthy successor—how could a Son of Heaven not be pleased by this?
But before long, the Emperor’s pleasure would not last.
The official sent to summon Prince An to the capital went missing before he ever reached Prince An’s fief. The whole party, including the escort of guards, numbered several hundred people in all. Yet they had simply vanished without a trace, leaving no word behind!
With no one left to deliver the decree, Prince An naturally never received the summons to the capital. He remained in his fief as before, going about as lively as ever.
“This is utterly absurd!”
Upon receiving the report, the Emperor flew into a towering rage. “How could so many people simply vanish into thin air like that? No one has seen them alive or dead! Is this the work of ghosts?”
“What a Prince An he is! What outrageous nerve! He even dares to lay hands on the men sent to deliver an imperial decree—is there anything in this world he wouldn’t dare to do!”
“This wretched beast—I will never forgive him!”
The Emperor cursed through gritted teeth, his eyes burning red.
The several ministers who had come to discuss state affairs exchanged glances, and for a moment no one dared speak up to console him.
The Emperor was in the heat of his anger, cursing Prince An without restraint. But no matter how one looked at it, Prince An was still the Emperor’s own son. The Emperor might curse him as he pleased, but the ministers could hardly add their own insults so freely. Better to stay out of it and say nothing!
After cursing for a long while, the fire in the Emperor’s chest only grew hotter still. His breath nearly caught in his throat, his chest heaving unsteadily.
A hand reached out to steady him: “Grandfather, please don’t let your anger harm your health!”
The Emperor turned his head, and the Crown Grandson’s composed, cool face came into view. The fire of his temper subsided strangely at once, and, supported by the Crown Grandson, he settled himself down to sit.
The Crown Grandson took up the report lying nearby, read through it carefully, and then spoke up: “For so many people to vanish without trace for no reason is simply impossible. This must be Prince An’s doing. Since that is the case, Grandfather need have no more reservations. Why not issue a decree proclaiming to the whole realm that Prince An attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince and is plotting treason and rebellion—and that if he does not personally come to the capital to confess his crime, the court will send troops to crush him by force!”
At these words, everyone present was startled.
Once such an edict was issued, only two paths would remain for Prince An. Either he would bow his head and confess his guilt, or else he would simply rise up in open rebellion.
The Minister of War cleared his throat. “Your Majesty, please think this through carefully. Such a course of action would all but force Prince An into rebellion even if he had no wish to rebel. Our great Zhou dynasty has enjoyed peace and stability, with quiet borders, for many years now without war. Should fighting break out, I fear the common people would be driven from their homes, with no peace to be had.”
“That is not so!” The Crown Grandson immediately spoke up to counter him. “If we simply let the matter rest, it would only be coddling the wicked and letting evil flourish unchecked. Prince An has already dared to send men to assassinate Father, and dared to kill the officials Grandfather sent to deliver the decree. In time, he will dare to raise an army as well.”
“Rather than sit and wait for that day, it would be far better to act first—to root out this menace while Prince An’s strength has not yet fully matured. That is the only way to truly secure the people’s peace!”
This speech left the Minister of War with nothing to say in reply.
In his younger days, the Emperor too had been a man of decisive, ruthless action, who had once personally led troops into battle. Hearing the Crown Grandson speak with such bold, unflinching spirit, far from displeasure, he felt only admiration.
This was exactly how a ruler ought to be!
“Very well! I will personally issue a decree to proclaim this to the whole realm, and see just how much nerve this unfilial son truly has. If he comes to the capital to confess his crime, I will still spare his life and let him go to guard the imperial tombs. But if he harbors thoughts of rebellion, then he cannot blame me for being ruthless.”
…
The next day, the Emperor’s edict was proclaimed throughout the realm.
The decree enumerated Prince An’s crimes one by one, and ordered him to come to the capital at once to confess his guilt.
This edict spread with the greatest possible speed to every government office and county seat across the great Zhou dynasty. Within five days, it had reached Prince An’s own fief. With all eyes upon him, Prince An had nowhere left to hide.
Prince An’s response came as no surprise to anyone. On one hand, he submitted a memorial defending himself; on the other, he secretly gathered his forces and seized several prefectures and counties surrounding his fief.
Upon receiving word of this development, the Emperor, after a fresh round of furious cursing, swiftly made his decision. He dispatched Duke Ying and his son to lead an army of one hundred thousand on a punitive campaign, with the Crown Grandson accompanying them to oversee and supervise the troops!
When the Crown Prince learned of this, he earnestly urged the Crown Grandson: “Whatever you do, do not let eagerness for glory push you into rash, reckless action. With the court’s military strength, supplies, and wealth, it can easily sustain a war. Prince An may be ambitious, but in the end he holds only a single corner of the realm, far inferior to the court’s might and wealth. As long as you hold the situation steady, Prince An’s defeat is only a matter of time. The credit for quelling this rebellion will be yours, and no one will be able to take it from you!”
The Crown Grandson answered in a clear, resounding voice, his eyes full of resolve: “This unworthy son will respectfully obey Father’s command, and will never let Father down!”
No amount of scheming could compare to the prestige and ambition that would come from the glory of putting down a rebellion!
Prince Yan favored scheming and treachery! Then he, the Crown Grandson, would crush him in return with open, upright strategy!
He would simply let Prince Yan, recovering from his wounds in his own residence, watch helplessly as he himself rose to glory, won the respect of all the officials, and earned the Emperor’s deepened favor and regard!
…
In Prince Yan’s residence.
A guard reported in full detail all the news he had gathered to Prince Yan: “…The great army is to depart tomorrow. His Highness the Crown Grandson had originally been residing in the palace, but the Emperor has specifically issued a decree allowing him to return to his residence for one night.”
Hearing this, Prince Yan’s expression darkened.
That fool of a Prince An—how could he have rebelled so quickly!
To his own bitter regret, he had, for the sake of appearing convincing that day, taken that sword blow meant for the Emperor squarely upon himself, and the wound had been severe indeed. Having lost so much blood, even an iron-forged body could not hold up easily.
Now, over a month later, he could barely manage to get out of bed and walk a little. Let alone volunteering to lead troops on campaign—he couldn’t even attend court. Unable even to show his face before the Emperor meant he had no opportunity at all to curry favor.
If he could only delay matters by three more months—no, even two months would do—he could still seize this chance to claim the achievement for himself first.
If only he had two more months!
The Crown Grandson, too, had clearly seen this very point, and had deliberately goaded the Emperor into issuing the decree that forced Prince An’s hand into rebellion.
What a masterstroke of open strategy!
He understood perfectly well what was happening, yet he was powerless to stop it. All he could do was remain stuck in his residence, frustrated and humiliated, watching helplessly as the Crown Grandson rode off to war in high spirits!