Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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That night, inside a tent outside the city, the Minister of War and the General Zhenyuan were having a secret talk.
Even on his way back to the capital, rumors about the Ninth Prince had reached General Zhenyuan’s ears. He wanted to go into the city to ask the Minister of War where these rumors came from, but unexpectedly, the Minister of War rushed out of the city to find him and explained what he had witnessed at Changchun Temple that day.
If what the Taoist nun said back then was true, then the one spreading the news now must be the emperor himself.
Otherwise, if the Emperor hadn’t condoned it, how could such rumors have spread so widely right under the nose of the Imperial City?!
After the Minister of War learned the truth about Lu Huan’s background by chance at Changchun Temple, he secretly sent people to investigate the matter without making a sound, while keeping the news under wraps and secretly sending people to protect the nun.
But to his utter surprise, before his plans could even be put into action, the Emperor had already begun to suspect something during the assassination attempt in Yunzhou.
Although the Emperor’s thoughts were unfathomable, there were clues to be found at this moment. He first spread rumors and then summoned Lu to the palace late at night. It was likely that he had already decided to announce it to the world in the Golden Palace tomorrow.
The Minister of War had mixed feelings and said, “Tomorrow at court, things are likely to change.”
Both he and General Zhenyuan knew how significant the impact of a prince suddenly appearing in the palace— or rather, the restoration of a prince’s status— would be on the entire court.
Now, those in the court who chose to take sides either stood with the Crown Prince or the Fifth Prince. There were originally some people on the Second Prince’s side, but ever since the Second Prince repeatedly claimed to be ill and avoided the war in the north, showing that he had no ambition and only sought to protect himself, his presence had become increasingly dim.
The emperor’s thoughts were always unfathomable. He employed a balancing act, suppressing any prince who showed the slightest prominence, and vigorously supporting any who fell behind. This made it impossible for the civil and military officials to understand his true choice for the throne.
But now, the youngest ninth prince had suddenly appeared, who was actually the child of Consort Qing, who once made the entire palace silent. Judging from the emperor’s actions, he was quite biased towards this ninth prince.
Although the Emperor summoned him to the palace in secret tonight, there were no secrets in the capital. If the Minister of War could receive the news, other officials must have received it as well.
Therefore, by tomorrow, civil and military officials would likely be eager to curry favor with Lu Huan.
The sudden emergence of the Ninth Prince had shaken the position of Crown Prince and overshadowed the reputation of the Fifth Prince among the common people. These two princes must be very uncomfortable. Although the other princes were not at the center of the game, they would also be greatly affected.
Therefore, the game in the capital was likely to be reshuffled.
Who knows which faction or whose people will be involved or affected?
General Zhenyuan was a military officer who fought on the battlefield for many years. He was not good at the intricacies of the court and his thoughts were much simpler than those of the Minister of War. When he heard from the Minister of War that Cavalry Commandant Lu Huan might be the ninth prince left behind by Consort Qing, he was shocked, but then he was overjoyed.
“Why worry unnecessarily? The people have suffered for years. Anyone capable of sitting in that position deserves our assistance! I was worried that although I had found him to inherit my mantle, as a subject, no matter how talented he was, he would not escape the same fate as me— being suspected by the emperor, ultimately dying either on the battlefield or at the emperor’s hands. But I never expected that he would be the ninth prince. In that case, what he can do for the people is far more than what I, a mere warrior, can do!”
The Minister of War was impressed by General Zhenyuan’s dedication to serving the people. However, after much deliberation, he still felt that something was amiss.
He then said to General Zhenyuan, “I also admire the Cavalry Commandant. He is the best candidate for the Ninth Prince. However, in recent months I have investigated his actions in the year and a half since he entered the court and found that whether it was helping the sick at Yong’an Temple, running farms in Kaifeng, or marching to fight and procuring provisions, until the Emperor later discovered his background, everything went a little too smoothly.”
“It’s like—” The Minister of War frowned and paused, then said, “It’s like there’s been a hand pushing all of this from behind the scenes.”
Yes, one thing after another, it all seemed to be designed from the very beginning to send him back to his position as the Ninth Prince.
Moreover, they were all very thoughtful.
First, he used the guise of a young divine physician at Yong’an Temple to treat refugees, thus winning the hearts of the people. Then, he entered the Imperial Academy through the autumn hunt at Qiuyan Mountain, and through Grand Commandant Yun, he entered the Ministry of War. By managing the Ministry of War and showcasing his horsemanship and archery skills at the archery range, he gained the appreciation of both himself and General Zhenyuan. He also accomplished several major feats that won the hearts of the people, such as procuring provisions, establishing farms, and providing disaster relief to three prefectures. With this groundwork laid, the assassination attempt in Yunzhou seemed less like an accident and more like— someone who knew all along and used this opportunity to get close to the emperor and let him discover his true identity.
One scheme led to another, winning the hearts of the people, amassing immense wealth, and gaining supporters such as himself, General Zhenyuan, and Wan Sanqian.
Once their background was revealed, it was as if everything was ready, just waiting for the unveiling.
At this moment, in the Emperor’s eyes, he was not just the child left behind by Consort Qing, nor was he simply the Ninth Prince. He was also “the young divine doctor who saved the people at Yong’an Temple,” “the unknown divine merchant who distributed grain to relieve disaster and was deeply grateful to the people,” and “the young cavalry captain who returned from the battlefield and made great contributions.”
With so many political achievements, how could the emperor not be eager to restore his status, thereby establishing the royal family’s reputation and winning over the hearts of the Yan people?
If all of this were gone, a year and a half ago, when he was still just a son of a concubine in the Ning Wang’s mansion, if someone had told the emperor that he was the premature son of Consort Qing, the emperor probably wouldn’t have believed it at all and would have punished him severely! Even if he had believed it, he probably wouldn’t have so easily restored his status as the Ninth Prince.
No matter which link in this chain of events he thought about, it seemed impossible that Lu Huan could have accomplished this alone. Even if he was a young genius, what about the planting techniques and greenhouses that gradually emerged in the Yan Kingdom? Could he have invented those as well?
So, in other words, Lu Huan and the people behind him had already planned this whole thing from the time of Yong’an Temple and Qiuyan Mountain.
However, Lu Huan’s astonishment upon learning about his own background at Changchun Temple did not seem feigned, as the Minister of War witnessed it firsthand. Therefore, Lu Huan was completely unaware of his background before that.
So, from the very beginning, who was really pushing things along…?
The Minister of War was completely baffled and could not find any clues that Lu Huan had someone behind him, so he had no choice but to keep his doubts to himself and not mention them for the time being.
….
Meanwhile, in the Imperial Garden, Su Xi was utterly flustered by Lu Huan’s gaze, her face burning as if she were a boiled duck. She looked away, trying to change the subject, but Lu Huan continued to stare at her intently, causing her brain to freeze and leaving her completely at a loss for words.
At this critical moment, Su Xi’s phone suddenly went black, its battery dead and it shut down automatically.
Su Xi: !
The screen went black, and she could no longer see Lu Huan’s stubborn expression and those eyes that made her heart race. Instead, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Su Xi quickly stood up and slapped her phone, exclaiming dramatically, “Out of battery? Oh my god, out of battery! Oh no, it’s out of battery!”
“My child, can you still see me?!” She waved her hand in the air and said regretfully, “My phone is dead, so I guess I have to log off now. Waaah, be careful on your way back from the palace!”
Lu Huan, still standing in the Imperial Garden: “…”
The charger is on your right.
After observing her world for a while, he noticed that she often used a white wire to connect her brick to the socket. Gradually, he also learned the names of these things. Many electrical appliances needed chargers, such as hot water bottles and mobile phones.
Su Xi tossed her phone aside, rushed into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on her burning cheeks.
Lu Huan stood in the Imperial Garden for a long time until the chill of the night seeped into his neck. Only then did he loosen his clenched fingers, which were almost white, and head out of the palace along the winding pebble path.
He had been yearning, suppressing, and restraining himself for far too long.
He spent half a year gaining some understanding of her unknown world, and with the 200 points within reach, he was certain he would see her. On this point, he wouldn’t allow any accidents to happen… Or perhaps, it was the presence of so many other people around her lately— the “school heartthrob” blocking the door, the letters slipped into her drawer, and her childhood sweetheart— that brought a sense of crisis, making him acutely aware—
He could no longer proceed slowly.
He had been very nervous just now. Seeing the relieved look on her face after she turned off the screen, he felt helpless and disappointed… But no matter what, Lu Huan was the kind of person who never knew what backing down meant, and he would wait even if it took forever.
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