A fire smoldered in Zhu Zhaowei’s heart. At present, he was too lazy to waste more words with Zhu Yiheng. He sat down in the wisteria armchair in the center of the hall and said, “When court opens on the fifteenth, you will return to Guangxi.”

The hall fell silent. Taking advantage of this moment, the servants outside came in to clear away the shattered teapot fragments.

Zhu Yiheng stared at the undried water stains on the floor. After a long while, he asked, “Does Seventh Brother still remember? In the twenty-first year of Jingyuan, Seventh Brother came to visit Tenth Brother once in Guilin Prefecture.”

That was three or four years ago. Zhu Zhaowei remembered.

At that time, Guangxi suffered natural disasters. After three consecutive years of severe drought, the people’s livelihood could not continue, so he was commanded by Emperor Jingyuan to go inspect Guangxi.

Passing through Guilin, Zhu Zhaowei stayed briefly at Zhu Yiheng’s residence. He had originally thought that even though this tenth brother of his had been insignificant since childhood, at least he was a vassal prince—his manor should at least be better than those crude lodgings arranged by the officials.

Who knew that the grand Tenth Prince’s Manor only had an imposing and magnificent main gate. Looking inside, it was surprisingly dilapidated beyond recognition.

The buildings were so simple they could no longer be called pavilions. A large patch of wasteland at the back had not been built with pavilions and waterside gazebos, but had instead been cultivated, planted haphazardly with half-dead vegetables and fruits. The vast prince’s manor, let alone having troops, didn’t even have many servants.

Zhu Zhaowei was a person of deep thoughts. Upon seeing this scene, before he could even feel a few traces of sympathy, he became suspicious, finding it truly strange that Zhu Yiheng had fallen into such destitution. After returning to the capital, he ordered Qian Zhihuan to examine all of Guangxi’s account books from recent years, investigating Zhu Yiheng thoroughly from top to bottom.

The results of the investigation were even more astounding—Zhu Yiheng had been enfeoffed early. When he first arrived in Guangxi, Zhu Jingyuan had actually ordered the Ministry of Finance to allocate a large sum for settlement. Zhu Yiheng initially did use this money to construct his manor and recruit troops.

Who knew that later, when the funds were exhausted and natural disasters continued year after year, not only could he not afford to keep servants and troops, but Zhu Yiheng also had to supplement with his own monthly stipend every month. He truly lived in an impossible state.

Later, after Zhu Zhaowei returned to Fengyang, he soon received a letter from Zhu Yiheng. The words in the letter were full of undeserved shame, the general meaning being that Seventh Brother had gone through such trouble to visit him, yet he had failed to fulfill his duties as host.

Zhu Zhaowei was the kind of person who, as long as his own interests were not touched, would yield when he could. Upon receiving such a letter, he recalled the scene before his departure when Zhu Yiheng disbanded his troops outside the manor gate.

Originally over a thousand troops were disbanded by Old Ten batch after batch, until finally fewer than thirty remained. Yet Zhu Yiheng was still afraid they would have no livelihood after leaving him, so he scraped together two qian of silver for each dismissed guard.

Thinking of these two qian of silver, Zhu Zhaowei felt a small, harmless compassion. When he replied to the letter, he not only enclosed a banknote but also rather obliquely reminded him that although the court’s relief silver was for the common people, Tenth Brother, you are at least a vassal prince, the face of Guilin Prefecture. If you yourself cannot maintain order, when will this vast Guangxi province ever recover?

The letter sank like a stone in the ocean. It was not until the following spring that Zhu Zhaowei received Zhu Yiheng’s reply. The letter asked after his well-being with both intimacy and respect. At the end, it included an account ledger—precisely for that banknote from the previous year.

Zhu Zhaowei smiled and dismissed it without looking closely, but this account ledger seemed to give him a reminder. From then on, every year he ordered Qian Zhihuan to investigate Guilin Prefecture’s situation thoroughly through the Ministry of Finance’s account books.

Thinking of this, Zhu Zhaowei’s tone softened somewhat. “What are you trying to say?”

Zhu Yiheng said, “Since Seventh Brother has been to Guilin Prefecture, you should understand that Tenth Brother’s position as vassal prince is just an empty shell. I have no power, no wealth, no influence, no troops. Someone like Liu Yun—Seventh Brother, you also saw that even the Embroidered Uniform Guard is willing to follow his orders. Why would he ally with me?”

Zhu Zhaowei laughed. “That is something you should ask yourself.”

“Moreover, having nothing, I am even more careful and cautious when encountering matters. I always have to think several steps ahead more than others, and I have more schemes.”

As Zhu Yiheng spoke, he seemed to smile helplessly. “But precisely because of this, Liu Yun could not possibly choose me.”

“I know what Seventh Brother is thinking—that perhaps Liu Yun wants to support a powerless and influential prince so he himself can be the true master of this realm. But Seventh Brother, think carefully. If Liu Yun wanted to do this, why would he choose someone like me with deep thoughts and many schemes? Wouldn’t he fear that once I obtained the imperial throne, I would secretly betray him? For him, wouldn’t it be better to support a prince with simple thoughts and young age?”

Only then did Zhu Yiheng sigh. “Seventh Brother, think carefully about today’s events. Your suspicion of Tenth Brother is precisely what allows the person who truly can reap the benefits to catch their breath.”

The tea fragrance filled the room undispersed. With Zhu Yiheng’s words, it was suddenly drawn into Zhu Zhaowei’s nose and mouth. The mass of doubts in his belly was dispersed by this tea flavor, and his thoughts became much clearer—

Just now Zhu Yiheng had used a specific word—not “wants to” reap the benefits, but “can” reap the benefits.

That’s right. Right now, Liu Yun’s seizure of power was already a foregone conclusion. However, even if Liu Yun and Zhu Yiheng joined forces, once his Fengyang troops arrived, the two of them would be unable to contend with him. Among the remaining people, only Old Nine and Old Four were left…

Only then did Zhu Zhaowei raise his eyes to look at Zhu Yiheng. “You mean for me to guard against Old Four?”

Zhu Yushen, as the Fourth Prince, was already not weak in strength. He was Consort Qi’s son and commanded fifty thousand valiant troops at the northern border. If he had not been constantly burdened by border conflicts, he should have long been a powerful contender with him, Zhu Zhaowei, for the imperial throne.

Zhu Yiheng shook his head. “I don’t know either.” He paused and looked at Zhu Zhaowei. “Seventh Brother, do you know what my first thought was when I returned to the palace today and saw Minister Liu?”

“What?”

Zhu Yiheng’s handsome eyes were tinged with doubt. “Wasn’t he still ill?”

Hearing these words, Zhu Zhaowei unconsciously raised his hand to stroke the “Plum and Snow Contending for Spring” placed on the table. The jagged texture of the lingbi stone made his fingertips ache. After a long while, Zhu Zhaowei said, “This prince understands. You may leave first.”

Zhu Yiheng’s eyes showed worry, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. He clasped his hands in acknowledgment and turned to leave.

Soon another servant brought in freshly brewed tea. Zhu Zhaowei poured himself a cup to drink, then thought better of it and handed it to Zhu Qiyue, who had been silent at his side. “Twelve, what do you think?”

Zhu Qiyue said, “The meaning of Tenth Brother’s last words is that the person truly allied with Liu Yun is Ninth Brother?”

Yes, Liu Yun was ill.

But Liu Yun fell ill because at the New Year banquet he was assassinated by someone sent by Old Three. Later, although Old Three protested his innocence several times, because he had been taken away by Old Nine at the time, he could not argue his case.

At that time, Zhu Zhaowei had been suspicious—why would Old Nine be at Liu Yun’s beck and call?

Zhu Zhaowei set the teacup down on the table with a thud, his eyes showing a sinister look. “I don’t know. One moment he says the person I should most guard against is Old Four, the next moment he says the person allied with Liu Yun is Old Nine. Yet every single statement is so reasonable and well-founded that one cannot help but believe it. I’m nearly confused by this Zhu Yiheng.”

Zhu Qiyue said, “Didn’t Tenth Brother say he has an ally at the Censorate? Why doesn’t Seventh Brother ask exactly who it is?”

“Does that even need asking?” Zhu Zhaowei said. “He already made it clear he couldn’t reach up to Liu Yun. In the end, it’s not Zhao Yan or Su Shiyu. Among the rest, besides Qian Yueqian, who else could it be? If this prince were to press the question, whether true or false, he would first bring out Qian Yueqian to muddy the waters. Wouldn’t that make this prince appear utterly foolish?”

Zhu Qiyue said, “In that case, Seventh Brother should follow the previous plan and have Tenth Brother return to Guangxi after court opens on the fifteenth.”

“No, this prince has changed his mind,” Zhu Zhaowei said.

He looked toward the open hall door. The tree shadows and tower platforms were stirred by the night into vague indistinctness. “This Zhu Yiheng’s skill at muddying waters can be called the pinnacle of perfection. I want to keep him in the capital. After killing Thirteen, the next one this prince wants to kill is him.”

Hearing these words, Zhu Qiyue’s eyes could not help but darken. “Is Seventh Brother determined to kill Thirteen? Wouldn’t it be better to let him return to Nanchang?”

Zhu Zhaowei laughed in disbelief. “Do you think Zhu Nanxian is like Old Ten, someone who can be dismissed at will? He is inherently a military talent. In Nanchang Prefecture he has fifty thousand elite troops, and the Northwest Army also follows his orders. If I let him go, it’s like letting a bird fly high in the sky and a fish leap freely in the vast sea. When he has gathered his troops and horses, he’ll come back to take my head.”

At this point, he seemed somewhat weary. “Let’s not discuss this anymore.” He pointed to the lamp-hanging chair on his left, his tone becoming particularly gentle. “Qiyue, sit. Seventh Brother has some private words to ask you.”

Zhu Qiyue sat down as instructed.

Zhu Zhaowei smiled and said, “Seventh Brother asks you—in your heart now, do you still have feelings for the Qi family’s fourth young lady, Qiling?”

Upon hearing these words, Zhu Qiyue’s swallow-tail-like eye corners trembled slightly, and his ear roots actually floated with a touch of red. “Seventh Brother, please don’t joke. I’ve been married to Huanhuan for several years now. She’s very good. I’m just about to start liking her.”

“‘Just about to’—the last time Seventh Brother asked you, and the time before that, your answer was ‘just about to,’ ‘slowly learning to like her.’ “

Zhu Zhaowei looked at Zhu Qiyue and sighed. “Seventh Brother knows you are a person of deep and lasting affection. How could you so easily change your heart? Seventh Brother has always kept your matter in mind. If you find it difficult to speak of this, when spring warms and Qi Huan comes, this prince will bring it up with her and with the Qi manor—to have Qiling become your secondary consort. After all, she and Qi Huan are two sisters. Making them like the legendary sister-wives Ehuang and Nüying would also be a fine tale. What do you think?”

Just as Zhu Qiyue was about to speak, he was suddenly stopped by Zhu Zhaowei raising his hand and calling out, “Mingnu.”

A woman appeared outside the hall in a moment. Her charming eyes and brows were surprisingly seven parts similar to Qiling’s. She lowered her garment and curtsied, softly calling out, “Your Highness.”

Zhu Zhaowei said to Zhu Qiyue, “You’ve been tired these past days. Stay at Seventh Brother’s manor tonight and let Mingnu attend to your rest.” Without waiting for Zhu Qiyue to decline, he said to Mingnu, “Why don’t you hurry and escort this prince’s twelfth brother away?”

Upon hearing this, Mingnu moved with lotus steps to Zhu Qiyue’s presence and curtsied again. When she raised her hand to take away the teacup from his hand, her sleeve revealed a section of snow-white skin with a cold plum blossom painted on it, emitting waves of clear fragrance.

Whether it was the cold plum on the snow-white skin that was too moving, or the subtle fragrance entering his nose reminded him of youthful matters, Zhu Qiyue’s limbs and bones suddenly rose with an indescribable heat.

He almost somewhat awkwardly pushed away Mingnu as she leaned close, and said to Zhu Zhaowei with clasped fists, “Thank you for Seventh Brother’s kind intention. I will not stay longer tonight.” Without looking back, he left.

Mingnu watched Zhu Qiyue leave, the bewilderment on her face gradually turning to panic. She hurriedly knelt before Zhu Zhaowei. “Mingnu is guilty. I actually failed to keep Twelfth Prince. Please punish me, Your Highness.”

Zhu Zhaowei looked at the direction Zhu Qiyue had left, then at the tea water he had just spilled all over the floor, and said coolly, “No need. This is enough.”

“Yes.”

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Zhaowei added, “Since he has already recognized you, then two days from now at the Eastern Palace condolence ceremony, the important task of poisoning and killing Zhu Thirteen will be entrusted to you.”

“Yes, Mingnu will certainly do everything in her power and not disappoint Your Highness.”