The famous performer on stage finished singing, replaced by a martial artist for combat scenes.
Amid the booming drums and the melodious, soaring vocals, Yan Xiaoying spent half a day organizing all the accounts Mu Hanjiang had brought.
When finished, Xiaoying tossed the brush aside and sprawled in her chair: “I’m exhausted… no matter what sweet words you offer in the future, I will never help again.”
Mu Hanjiang stared at the youth’s lazy demeanor as he stood up, and examined the accounts by the dim candlelight before finally closing them with satisfaction: “This task was completed successfully thanks to Your Highness’s assistance. What do you think, should I inform His Majesty…”
Xiaoying shot up: “No! I beg Young Master to show mercy with his words and not treat our earlier oath as child’s play! My ambitions are modest—I only wish to be my father’s obedient son, marry a virtuous consort someday, raise some children, and enjoy a carefree life listening to opera and playing with birds. This investigation is entirely your achievement, Young Master, and has nothing to do with me!”
Mu Hanjiang seemed disbelieving and replied meaningfully: “Your Highness… is the Crown Prince! You are destined not to be an idle prince.”
Yan Xiaoying wore a look of longing: “During my four years of confinement, this was the dream I held. Fate lies in human hands—if my heart remains steadfast, who knows if such a day might come?”
She wasn’t lying—these were likely her brother’s dreams. Unfortunately, he didn’t know he wasn’t Emperor Chunde’s biological son and didn’t need to bear so many burdens of fate.
She would help her brother realize his dreams through other means.
For now, neither of the siblings was free, and Yan Xiaoying only wanted to protect herself, navigating among these tigers and wolves, avoiding the whirlpools of power struggles at court.
She no longer concealed her talents and displayed some of her brilliance to help Mu Hanjiang, unafraid of Emperor Chunde finding out.
As long as she didn’t align with the Tang family, her good memory and small skills like using an abacus were mere sideline tricks, not the strategies of a ruler.
In Emperor Chunde’s heart, Feng Qiyuan had never been the best candidate for Crown Prince.
What she said was also meant to let the Emperor’s confidant know—the Crown Prince’s ambitions didn’t lie in court affairs, which explained why he had been hiding his talents.
As for how His Majesty and his confidant moved their chess pieces, they could do as they pleased.
And in this grand game of chess, Feng Qiyuan would not participate!
Mu Hanjiang had originally thought the young Crown Prince would use this accounting task to win him over, since he managed the important Dragon Scale Shadow Guards on behalf of his father, a force not to be underestimated.
He never expected that before the task was even completed, Feng Qiyuan would want to distance himself.
The Crown Prince’s current actions followed no conventional pattern. Mu Hanjiang realized he had previously underestimated this youth.
This youth, who played the fool, remained inscrutable to him.
Yan Xiaoying had stirred up the stinking sewers of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, disrupting the Empress and her half-brother’s well-laid plans!
The task complete, it was time to return!
After the Crown Prince departed with satisfaction, Mu Hanjiang continued watching his retreating figure, then lowered his head to look at the accounts in his hand.
Among them, one stood out conspicuously, placed alone to one side.
This account was deliberately included by Mu Hanjiang. It had nothing to do with corruption in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but was related to Meng Zhun’s rebellion and military rations case from seven years ago.
Mu Hanjiang opened this account. The figures remained untouched—the Crown Prince hadn’t modified them—but on the last page was written in tiny characters: “Cannot withstand scrutiny.”
Mu Hanjiang looked up at the departing carriage. His speculation was correct; this Crown Prince did have some connection to Meng Zhun.
Yet despite knowing he was implicated in the jailbreak at Yicheng, the Crown Prince’s attitude remained calm, leaving such an ambiguous message on the ledger Mu Hanjiang had used to test him.
What kind of connection could exist between the lofty Crown Prince of a nation and a treasonous rebel?
This time, he owed Feng Qiyuan a favor and would keep his promise not to inform His Majesty.
As for the Crown Prince’s words about staying in his place… Mu Hanjiang didn’t believe a single word.
In the palace, one either advanced or retreated, and Feng Qiyuan’s situation left no room for retreat. If he were intelligent, how could he just wait for death?
…
Meanwhile, Xiaoying, having watched opera the entire day, returned to the palace with the evening sun’s glow.
When the carriage approached the palace gate, before the wheels could enter, guards who had returned early had already reported to Empress Tang that the Crown Prince had slipped out to watch opera.
“You didn’t go closer to see what the Crown Prince was doing in the private box?” Song Ao questioned.
The guard hastily replied, “That eunuch called Jin Zhong blocked the stairs. I couldn’t go up, but I watched from a distance. His Highness stayed in the private box listening to opera, drinking tea, and eating snacks. I didn’t see anyone else.”
Empress Tang rubbed her forehead, truly wishing she could send someone to drag that troublesome wild girl to the riverside outside the city, raise a knife, and send her to join her long-dead mother!
“Has she returned? Call her here!”
When Yan Xiaoying entered the Empress’s chambers, Empress Tang waved for everyone else to withdraw. She then rose and paced to the girl’s front, asking calmly: “Was today’s opera good?”
When Xiaoying nodded with a grin, Empress Tang raised her hand to deliver a slap.
The damned thing was becoming more and more unruly, truly believing herself to be the Crown Prince!
Today, she dared to sneak off to enjoy opera without notice; wouldn’t tomorrow mean she would refuse to obey orders?
This wild girl needed to know what thunderous punishment was, to be shocked into submission!
But before the slap could reach her face, Yan Xiaoying grabbed Empress Tang’s wrist.
“Your Majesty, what are you doing? Have I done something wrong again?” The girl’s expression was innocent, but her grip was like a vise, causing the Empress to stagger in pain.
Song Ao rushed over to pull Xiaoying away, shouting angrily: “How dare you lay hands on Her Majesty!”
But before she could touch her, Xiaoying had already nimbly released her grip and gracefully moved to sit in a chair nearby: “This is the palace. Even if someone is to be struck, Your Majesty needn’t do it personally, given your status… what’s the need?”
Nonsense! If not for being explicitly warned by His Majesty not to physically punish the Crown Prince, why would Empress Tang dismiss everyone and raise her hand personally?
Empress Tang was furious, leaning on Song Ao, pointing at Yan Xiaoying: “You… do you truly believe I wouldn’t dare kill you?”
Yan Xiaoying smiled calmly: “What’s wrong with Your Majesty? Why these unprovoked threats of beating and killing?”
Empress Tang took a deep breath and said coldly, “I don’t keep useless people! You’re always causing trouble—what use are you?”
Xiaoying laughed: “Your Majesty, you’ve been so busy lately, are you confused? The troublemaker is your brother Tang Zhen! Officials at the Imperial Household Department are now secretly cursing Master Tang for allowing his advisors to embezzle, creating a mess of accounts that gives them no peace. Their resentment falls on me, making snide remarks at every opportunity. I dislike seeing their faces, and feeling unwell, I thought to clear my mind with some opera. Besides, the Crown Prince is known only for enjoying music and entertainment. I’m faithfully playing his role, doing what he should do—where have I erred?”
“You…” Empress Tang was rendered speechless by the girl’s words.
At this, Xiaoying’s smile disappeared, and she said flatly: “You’re not angry elsewhere and taking it out on me, are you, Your Majesty?”
Empress Tang knew this girl had a somewhat reckless temperament, responding to kindness but not to force. She still needed to use this girl, so she tempered her anger.
Yan Xiaoying sneaking out to watch opera wasn’t a serious matter. This pleasure-seeking girl had always been cunning and deceitful, which wasn’t surprising.
Empress Tang composed herself, allowing Song Ao to help her sit, and said coldly, “I ask you, why didn’t you inform me about Mu Hanjiang coming to visit? Such an important matter!”
Xiaoying glanced smilingly at Jian Hu standing behind Song Ao, knowing she had reported on her again.
But she had already prepared an excuse and calmly said: “It wasn’t anything important, just a sick visit. He asked in passing if I’d heard Tang Mingquan mention anything about settling accounts for the governors of Jiangsu and Zhejiang while I was at the Imperial Household Department. How would I know? I just said I wasn’t clear and asked him to inquire with Minister Li.”
Since Tang Mingquan from the second branch had hanged himself in the Court of Justice prison, he made a convenient scapegoat.
This time, Tang Zhen had already arranged for all the blame to fall on Tang Mingquan.
Learning that Mu Hanjiang had come to question Yan Xiaoying about this, Empress Tang relaxed slightly: Tang Mingquan was dead and couldn’t testify.
Which great family didn’t have one or two wastrels? Tang Mingquan, a son from a secondary branch, couldn’t damage the main branch’s reputation.
Now, her brother’s planted men had already smoothed over the accounts at the Imperial Household Department without keeping backups. If someone wanted to check for discrepancies, it would take a month or so.
By then, her brother could leisurely erase all traces, unafraid of Mu Hanjiang’s continued pursuit.
With this thought, Empress Tang’s mind finally settled. Too lazy to waste more words on a wild girl, she gave a mixed rebuke of gentle and harsh words before waving her away.
Just as Xiaoying turned to leave, she saw a guard captain hurriedly arriving to see the Empress.
Xiaoying recognized this man. During those days of monitoring next door at Tianlu Palace, she often saw this guard standing in the courtyard, inspecting and giving orders to servants!
Only this man could enter the room where her brother was confined!
His coming at this time… did something urgent happen with her brother?
Shortly after leaving the Empress’s chambers, Xiaoying touched her waist and exclaimed aloud: “Oh no, where is my water-patterned jade pendant? Jian Hu, have you seen it? It’s a tribute item, very valuable!”
Jian Hu and Jin Zhong, following behind her, immediately turned to look around.
But when Jian Hu looked up again, the false Crown Prince who should have been behind her had disappeared…
Yan Xiaoying hadn’t gone far, but had slipped into the bushes beside the path and doubled back to the Empress’s chambers.
Apart from the Empress’s confidants, the other servants in the Empress’s chambers didn’t know this Crown Prince was fake.
When the Crown Prince said no announcement was necessary, that he had lost his jade pendant and was returning to search in the courtyard, no one suspected anything, and all helped the Crown Prince search.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Xiaoying effortlessly jumped across the corridor to the window outside the back of the Empress’s chambers, listening to the conversation inside.
“The Wenxing Hall in the outer palace has fallen into disrepair over the years. Somehow, a pillar suddenly broke, and half the great hall collapsed the night before last, causing the adjacent hall to teeter on the brink of collapse. The Department of Works reported to His Majesty, hoping to enter and clean up for a few days. From His Majesty’s meaning, he intends to order the Department of Works to clean up and then renovate the outer palace, opening up the dividing walls between palaces. In a few days, people from the Department of Works will go to inspect Wenxing Hall. Although they shouldn’t come to this side where the Crown Prince is temporarily residing, with craftsmen coming and going, there will be many eyes and ears around. Your Majesty, should we… perhaps move to another location?”
If any other hall collapsed, it might be left derelict. But Wenxing Hall was different—it was where the Grand Emperor of Dafeng once received worthy talents. The Grand Emperor had said that as long as Wenxing Hall stood, talented people would never cease in Dafeng.
This hall, recorded in the history books with its associated legend, could not be left collapsed. It had to be restored.
The Empress had many worries lately, and now another was added. This damned broken hall, collapsing at such an inconvenient time.
She thought for a moment and said: “Then move before the craftsmen arrive, to a more secluded place. But didn’t the Department of Works say they lacked funds and couldn’t start work these days? Act quickly, find a hidden, quiet place, and report back to me…”
Xiaoying’s heart sank as she listened.
What they were discussing was relocating her brother’s hiding place.
If he were truly moved, it would be much more difficult for her and Uncle Hai to find him again.
Xiaoying circled back from behind the hall to the front door, pulling out the jade pendant from her waist, indicating to the servants that she had found it, and then left.
It seemed she had only a few days to devise a way to rescue her brother! Time was pressing, and she would have to risk a night infiltration.
It didn’t matter if Jian Hu watched closely. Fortunately, when the Second Prince sent someone with sleeping incense last time, Xiaoying had kept some for herself.
When night came, it all proved useful. Xiaoying lit some candles in Jian Hu’s room.
Coming from the Second Prince, it must be of excellent quality. This incense was enough to make the Empress’s spy sleep through the entire night.
Besides this, some was also put in the copper kettle where the guards outside drank water, to help them rest peacefully, too.
By nightfall, snores filled the rooms inside and out.
Having done all this, Xiaoying changed into a black training outfit. She didn’t leap across rooftops, but cleverly timed the patrol changes, blending with the night, moving steadily toward the palace lake.
These past days, she had become familiar with the route, walking confidently even in the night.
When she crept to Tianlu Palace, the guards outside were again absent from their posts, having gone somewhere to slack off in the darkness. Nearby, one great hall indeed showed severe damage.
By her calculation, Xiaoying hadn’t come here for almost half a month.
Perhaps due to this negligence, as soon as she nimbly entered the courtyard and turned, a fist came swinging toward her.
This situation resembled her first visit.
Xiaoying initially smiled, thinking A’Yuan was angry she hadn’t visited and was throwing a tantrum. Fortunately, she had specially brought him a roast lamb leg wrapped in oiled paper; once he ate it, his anger would dissipate.
But gradually, she couldn’t smile anymore.
This time, the attacking fists were no longer disorderly and crude, but skillful moves designed to dislocate joints and capture opponents.
Each strike carried force, familiar yet vicious, all techniques she had taught with her full effort.
After not seeing him for just over ten days, this taciturn young man seemed to have experienced an epiphany, his movements fluid, even incorporating some astonishingly self-created variations. His foundation was solid, his techniques seasoned—certainly not the result of mere months of practice…
Xiaoying defended with all her might, but her opponent also had brute strength. With her current skill level, she couldn’t withstand ten moves.
This bastard! He likely had martial arts training all along. During their first encounter, he deliberately concealed his abilities, and being unfamiliar with close combat, was momentarily outmaneuvered by her.
Previously, when A’Yuan sparred with her, he probably deliberately appeared clumsy and vulnerable, pretending to be pitiful to induce her to teach him everything…
Having studied with her for many days and thoroughly grasped her techniques, he had completely compensated for his weaknesses and finally revealed his fangs!
Damn it! He was an even more devious master of concealment than she was!
This realization came a bit late. Just as Xiaoying was about to draw her homemade dagger, her upper arm went numb—the sinister fellow had already dislocated her arm.
Her body was simultaneously flipped, face pressed to the ground, unable to move.
This completely resembled their first encounter, except this time it was Xiaoying whose arm was dislocated.
A’Yuan pulled out a rope woven from rat skin and, in a few moves, tied her up like a rice dumpling.
Xiaoying knew she had lost through carelessness. She could only endure the pain, breathing slightly, raising her head to glare at the person crouching before her.
The Grand Prince was cleaner this time. Over ten-plus days, he must have bathed regularly. His body carried the fresh scent of the soapwort she had brought, and his teeth had been cleaned with the bamboo salt she provided.
His thick hair was tied high in a ponytail with a strip of cloth, falling messily to one side of his handsome face. The skin covering the intertwined muscles beneath his slightly open collar was also clean, with only large beads of sweat sliding down, dangerous and nimble like a black panther.
However, those slightly deep eyes were unfriendly, staring at Xiaoying with intense aggression.
Xiaoying, bound and unable to rise, had no interest in admiring male beauty. Enduring the pain, she smiled: “What are you doing? Is this necessary?”
The Grand Prince finally stood up and lit an oil lamp, then crouched in front of Xiaoying. Mimicking her previously frivolous actions, he extended two fingers to grip her chin without speaking.
This fellow’s desire for revenge was strong! He was paying her back one by one!
Xiaoying didn’t dodge. With clear eyes, she admiringly curled her lips: “Well done! After three days apart, I see you with new eyes!”
Sweat still adorned her face, her skin like congealed cream covered with a faint candle glow, resembling a brilliant night-blooming cereus in the dusk…
The man stared at her intently, only slightly coming to his senses when Xiaoying winced in pain.
The dislocated arm was too painful. Although bound, Xiaoying struggled to sit up, unceremoniously leaning against him to find a comfortable position.
“You’re the strongest now, I can’t beat you, and you’ve vented your anger. Why not untie me? I haven’t come for many days, I’ve missed you.”
“…Lies.” A’Yuan suddenly spoke coldly.
“Huh?” Xiaoying didn’t quite react, still self-critiquing where her flattery had fallen short.
A’Yuan mercilessly exposed the truth: “If the Department of Works wasn’t renovating this place, and you weren’t desperate to investigate next door, you wouldn’t have come again…”
Caught in her lie, Xiaoying could only smile helplessly. She couldn’t tell this man about her affairs outside, but he was being difficult. How could she coax him?
As they spoke, A’Yuan looked up. His cold, handsome face was no longer obscured by messy hair, and a murderous aura spread unrestrained across his high nose and thin lips.
He drew a sharpened iron piece from his waist with one hand, sliding the blade toward Xiaoying’s leg…
This fellow wanted to repay her in kind, harboring resentment for his wounded thigh, intent on completing the whole set by giving her a cut on the leg too?
Madman! She should have realized earlier that even a normal person confined in such an environment for ten years would undergo a severe personality change!
Facing a martial artist with unpredictable intentions, she had been far too careless!
Unable to confront him directly now, she quickly softened her tone: “No! Grand Prince, I have eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai. If I’ve offended you, please tell me where I’ve erred!”
A’Yuan lowered his gaze to her face, his high nose bridge emanating coldness: “Five Finger Mountain… what you told me was wrong…”
Fearing she might trigger his madness with the wrong words, Xiaoying cautiously asked, “What was wrong?”
“Whether the person trapped under the mountain can be saved depends not on the destined one, but on whether they have value worth saving. Useless waste… deserves only to be suppressed under rubble and dust, to rot and decay!”
The madman’s words made sense. If Wukong hadn’t possessed extraordinary abilities to protect Tang Sanzang on the journey to retrieve scriptures, he would never have had his day of redemption and Buddhahood.
But had he gone to all this trouble just because she had told the story incorrectly?
While Xiaoying’s mind wandered, A’Yuan had already raised his blade and struck, cutting through the rat skin ropes binding her.
Then he raised his hand with a crack, resetting Xiaoying’s dislocated arm, before nonchalantly helping her to her feet.
Xiaoying forcefully pushed away his hand, warily retreating, puzzled by his severe treatment followed by gentle release.
Could it be that he had a childish mentality, going through all this to prove he was stronger than her?
A’Yuan’s hand paused in mid-air, then slowly lowered: “One sparring match to earn a few honest words from you. Am I… qualified now?”
Xiaoying looked at A’Yuan with some surprise, finally understanding his aggressive intent tonight.
It seemed her previous dismissive attitude, treating him like a foolish child, had made the Grand Prince feel she wouldn’t take his words seriously.
Today’s show of force had established his dominance perfectly!
She shook her recently restored shoulder, nodding in admiration, and readily asked: “What do you want to say?”
A’Yuan said, “Each gets what they seek. You help me with one matter, and I’ll help you with another.”
Xiaoying laughed: “What do you want me to help you with?”
A’Yuan walked to the wall where he recorded time, carefully examined the marks, then turned back: “Two days from now, at the waterfall on Mount Qiuming north of the capital, there will be a person. I need you to deliver a letter to him for me.”
Two days later? Wasn’t that the day marked with an orchid? The death anniversary of his mother…
Yan Xiaoying raised her eyebrows: “Now is the time when mountain flowers bloom wildly. There will be many people touring the mountains. Which one are you looking for?”
A’Yuan lowered his gaze: “He will carry many wine jars and pour all the wine into the waterfall…”
So the madman was looking for another madman. Such a waste of good wine.
A’Yuan had completely dropped his facade today. After lying dormant and enduring for so many years, it was time.
He had planned for a long time, using ropes woven from rat skin to climb out of Tianlu Palace, breaking the pillar of the abandoned hall, originally intending to escape outside the palace amid the chaos.
This youth, who had fallen from the sky, was outside his original plan.
But now that she had entered the game, his initial plan needed adjustment. He clearly understood that if the person next door was moved, this “Tang Sanzang” who appeared every few days would no longer come.
“Tang Sanzang” might recite salvation sutras. But the one to be saved was never him!
The collapse of the hall that drew her here was meant to force her into this transaction with him.
Xiaoying probed: “So… do you know who I am?” This person was far smarter than she had imagined; perhaps he held some leverage over her.
“That you can help me is enough. As for the rest… what does it matter to me?”
Xiaoying greatly appreciated A’Yuan’s lack of curiosity and wisely didn’t continue, instead asking: “You ask me for a favor. What will you offer in exchange?”
A’Yuan had already thought this through, his eyes unwavering: “You seem eager to enter the courtyard next door. Help me deliver the letter, and I will help you enter the yard.”
“…Do you know what I want to do in that courtyard?”
A’Yuan didn’t want to complicate matters, shaking his head to indicate he didn’t know and wasn’t interested.
This man, imprisoned for ten years, was a skilled gambler.
Without a single chip, he had gradually accumulated enough capital to approach the table, forcing others to wager against him.
Yan Xiaoying had always admired capable people. His offer perfectly aligned with her wishes, and with time pressing, Xiaoying decisively said: “Deal!”