Han Zhengqing watched his overly excited manner and felt like laughing. Unconcerned, he picked up the wine pot beside him and poured several gulps down his throat, then wiped the wine foam from the corners of his mouth with his hand, his tone quite mocking: “I already told you, I know exactly what calculations this whole bunch of people are making in their hearts. Haven’t you heard that saying? Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll never be defeated in a hundred battles. They’re all in the palm of my hand—they can’t escape.”
Zou Yanzheng had no time to pay attention to his contempt and disdain. He waved the letter in his hand at him: “Since the letter has arrived, doesn’t this mean the Grand Prince hasn’t died, and the Crown Prince is going to turn on him like dogs fighting?”
Han Zhengqing glanced at him and nodded listlessly. This manner of his reminded Zou Yanzheng of Han Zhi, the heir of Marquis Jinxiang. No wonder people say sons take after their fathers—these two were identical in their disregard for human life. Though he thought this in his heart, Zou Yanzheng didn’t dare show it on his face. His expression still wore a warm and ingratiating smile: “Then being that case, shouldn’t we make our move here? Since the Crown Prince in the capital has run into trouble, it’ll be even easier for us to deal with the Fan family here—Yang Xuan is a ready-made piece of evidence. When the time comes, we’ll pin the crimes of privately trafficking warhorses and ordering Yang Xuan to commit murder and silence witnesses on the Fan family, and they’ll be completely finished.”
This was also why he had been waiting in Datong. He hadn’t come to wait for news—what he wanted was what the news would bring. Once the Crown Prince truly fell from power and the Eastern Palace was in crisis, they could smoothly and without obstruction completely seize the businesses in the Northwest that originally belonged to the Crown Prince. This was a major source of income—who wouldn’t want it? Back then, the Crown Prince had cut off Prince Gong’s financial resources, so now he would pay with his own money-making methods. It was only fair.
Someone urgently came from outside requesting an audience. Han Zhengqing raised his hand to stop Zou Yanzheng’s words and lazily had the person brought in.
“What is it?” When he saw who it was, his previously casual expression changed slightly. He straightened up, his attitude becoming somewhat subtly grave: “Didn’t I tell you not to come out unless it’s urgent?!”
The person before him lowered his head. His complexion in the flickering lamplight was unclear, but his voice was unexpectedly clean and forceful: “My lord, Lord Cui’s side probably can’t hold out much longer. You should make a decision early.”
Behind the screen, Zou Yanzheng nearly stamped his feet in approval—this was exactly what he had come to Datong for! If not to pull the Northwest commercial route over to their side, why would he endure Han Zhengqing’s sarcastic birdæ°” here?
But Han Zhengqing only grunted, fell silent for a long while, then told the person to go back: “Go back and wait for my message. If I don’t come looking for you, don’t ever come to me privately again.” He spoke very sternly, his brows and eyes revealing his displeasure at this rash behavior. The visitor lowered his head even further, but his voice remained steady as he quietly acknowledged with a yes.
After the person left, Zou Yanzheng couldn’t wait to come out, immediately asking Han Zhengqing: “My lord! Now that Yang Xuan is dead, you were clever in your arrangements back then—the one who bribed Supervising Censor Lin Yuanchong was the Fan family, and it has nothing to do with you at all. The Fan family members have now gone trading again. As long as you let them leave the pass and reveal their delivery location to Lord Cui, won’t everything be settled? How come you just now…” He saw Han Zhengqing looking over and couldn’t help but pause, then felt somewhat bewildered. He went over what he had just said again, felt there was nothing wrong with it, and continued: “Didn’t you say that once things in the capital were certain, we could make our move here, that attacking from both sides would be most secure? Haven’t we already received news from the capital saying the Crown Prince was poisoned and the Grand Prince was assassinated? This is news sent by our own people, all trustworthy people from His Highness’s side. What are you still waiting for?”
Zou Yanzheng didn’t want to stay in Datong any longer. Han Zhengqing wasn’t easy to get along with. He always felt Han Zhengqing exuded something strange all over, even more chilling than his son Han Zhi. What’s more, there was Cui Shaoting, who made his heart tremble with fear just looking at him. He had never seen anyone get the better of Cui Shaoting. Now Prince Gong wanted to make money in Cui Shaoting’s territory, and he truly had no confidence at all. He just wanted to quickly complete his assignment, then leave the rest for Han Zhengqing to worry about so he could hurry back.
Han Zhengqing looked at him impatiently and shut his mouth with just one sentence: “Weren’t you the one who said that girl from the Song family was somewhat strange? In all matters, wait until the dust settles before acting. Otherwise, if there’s a change midway, do you not want your head?”
Zou Yanzheng shuddered, his expression strange as he held back again and again. In the end, he didn’t dare say anything more. Shaking his head and sighing, he returned to his lodgings, lay on the bed facing upward, and prayed in his heart that the capital would quickly send more definite news.
While praying this way, he turned over, thinking of Han Zhengqing’s confident attitude, and felt a few sparks of hope rekindle—after all, Han Zhengqing had truly served the Crown Prince for so many years and must know the Crown Prince’s habits inside and out. If he said the Crown Prince would definitely pin the poisoning on the Grand Prince, then it must be so, right?
Though their news traveled fast, running countless horses to death, it still couldn’t keep up with the speed of changes in the capital. Just as they received news that the plan was proceeding as agreed, the capital had long been undercurrents surging.
Imperial Physician Yan and Attendant Hu and others had been busy all night, releasing who knows how much poisoned blood, finally managing to pull the Crown Prince back from the gates of death for the time being. The Crown Prince barely opened his eyes when dawn broke, then fell back into unconsciousness.
Even so, this made Attendant Hu breathe a sigh of relief—as long as he opened his eyes, his life was temporarily saved. Fortunately, Imperial Physician Yan had arrived in time. He discussed with Imperial Physician Yan how to administer medicine, then deliberated over prescriptions with Imperial Physician Liang and others. Only then did he come out gasping for breath and drenched in sweat to report to Empress Lu. After finishing this round of work and saying so much, he felt his entire body was weak.
Empress Lu and Princess Rongcheng, who had been by her side the whole time, exchanged glances. The expressions on both their faces were somewhat subtle, but Empress Lu finally smiled, collapsed in her chair in relief, and quickly said to Minister Xie: “Go report quickly! Tell His Majesty that the Crown Prince is temporarily out of danger.”
Attendant Hu inexplicably felt the atmosphere was somewhat off, but having worked around the clock for a day and night, he no longer had the energy to investigate further. He bowed deeply to the Empress and Princess Rongcheng: “We have already done our utmost. Although His Highness has opened his eyes now, we must wait until he can regain consciousness before tonight to truly say his life is saved.”