Chapter 41 Vortex

Cen Yan had an arrow wound that hadn't fully healed. He wanted to change into his official robes, but the eunuch delivering the imperial decree stopped him, saying that His Majesty had given special permission for him to wear comfortable everyday clothes. He was practically a child who had grown up in the palace, so there was no need for such formalities.

Upon hearing this, Cen Yan quickly tidied up and got into the car.

I had considered entering the palace after my injuries healed, but I never imagined...

Cen Yan: "If I haven't returned by dinner time, I'll probably stay in the palace today so he doesn't have to wait for me."

Liu Qi was taken aback for a moment, "Then shall I follow you into the palace, Master?"

If Cen Yan were to stay overnight, he would need someone to serve him.

Cen Yan replied, "You stay in the manor; I'll take one attendant with me to the palace."

Realizing something, Liu Qi agreed.

The carriage wheels rolled on, and the eunuch Cen Yan, who was familiar with the procession, kept a close eye on Cen Yan's health along the way. Cen Yan only needed to listen casually with one ear to discern the hidden meanings in the words.

First, His Majesty fell seriously ill and was unable to attend court. A palace coup was launched not only by the deposed crown prince whom he had personally raised, but also by the death of Consort Shu. His Majesty was so heartbroken that he was bedridden. During this time, the rumors and gossip from the outside world never entered the main hall; they were all handled by the cabinet ministers, and His Majesty was completely unaware of them.

This completely deflected the blame placed on him by the Third Prince's faction.

He also said that His Majesty's health had improved somewhat, but upon learning that Cen Yan had been bitten, he was extremely worried, unable to eat or sleep, and inquired about it every day...

The chatter was so annoying that Cen Yan lifted the carriage curtain, feeling utterly fed up.

Zhuang Dongqing is more pleasing to the eye when she's sleeping or focused on eating.

They were all shrewd people. Halfway through the conversation, the eunuch noticed the impatience in Cen Yan's gestures and paused, then handed the conversation over to him.

Cen Yan only asked one question, "I've been recuperating at home lately and haven't been involved in external affairs. I wonder if there's been a decision regarding the deposed crown prince?"

The eunuch was speechless.

Now that he understood Cen Yan's dissatisfaction, he stopped arguing and the rest of the time was relatively peaceful.

The carriage entered the palace through a side gate with great fanfare, and many court officials saw it.

They tumbled and rolled all the way into the palace, almost reaching the main hall, and still didn't stop.

According to custom, carriages are not allowed to travel that deep into the palace. The eunuch said it was a favor from His Majesty, considering that Cen Yan had just recovered.

After receiving Cen Yan's polite refusal, he forcibly got out of the car where he was supposed to stop and walked all the way to the bedroom.

"How has Your Majesty been feeling lately?"

Before entering the hall, Cen Yan finally asked a question.

The eunuch forced a smile, a bitter one. "The imperial physician said she's feeling better, but as you know, Your Highness, so many things have happened. Consort Shu is gone, and the deposed crown prince is causing His Majesty a lot of trouble. Even though she's feeling better, she's still heartbroken."

Cen Yan nodded.

He knew, of course, that if His Majesty hadn't been unwilling to deal with the deposed crown prince, there wouldn't have been the matter of the third prince impeaching him to divert the attention of the court officials.

Upon entering the inner hall, one is immediately struck by an extremely strong medicinal odor, which is masked by incense but not completely concealed. Together, the two create a strange and peculiar smell.

The bedchamber had been like this for the past two years, and Cen Yan had long been used to it.

Upon entering the inner hall, one sees a person dressed in bright yellow sitting on a soft couch, holding a folding book, wearing a warm hat, and with a thin blanket draped over their lap for warmth.

It's already summer, yet she's dressed so neatly, which shows how weak she is.

Cen Yan knelt down to pay his respects.

He acted quickly; before Emperor Shengwu could even utter the words "No need for formalities," the grand ceremony was already halfway complete.

"Rise," Emperor Shengwu said with a sigh after bowing.

“Ayan, you’ve just recovered from a serious illness, there’s really no need for you to be so reserved.”

The elderly person's voice was hoarse and unsteady; due to prolonged illness, each word was difficult to hear.

Cen Yan stood up, lowered his eyes, and said only, "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty, but etiquette cannot be disregarded."

Emperor Shengwu examined him for a while and then offered him a seat.

After Cen Yan sat down, Emperor Shengwu also sat up, coughed twice, and asked, "Is A-Yan blaming me?"

"Your subject dares not."

The answer, neither too firm nor too soft, made Emperor Shengwu sigh again.

After a short while, he announced, "Summon the imperial physician, I want to see how you are feeling."

He paused, then said with a hint of pity, "It's fortunate that you pulled through. If anything had happened to you, how could I face your father in the future?"

Cen Yan simply lowered his head, neither humble nor arrogant.

The imperial physician arrived, took his pulse, and examined the wound.

The knife and arrow wounds on his body were real. Emperor Shengwu looked at them without saying a word, but his eyes softened considerably.

When he lifted up his trouser leg and saw the bite marks that were extremely similar to those on Consort Shu's body, Emperor Shengwu's pupils contracted. He stood up and moved closer. After the imperial physician pressed on the marks and confirmed that they were real, he took a deep breath.

Emperor Shengwu: "Really bitten?"

Highly venomous insects and snakes usually have their own characteristics. This kind of venomous snake is not large in size, grayish-black in color, and looks unremarkable. However, its fangs are deeply interlocked, and once it bites you, even a great immortal would find it difficult to save you.

“Yes.” Cen Yan said, “At the time, I thought I was going to die for sure, but I didn’t expect to survive.”

The image of Consort Shu at her last moments appeared before Emperor Shengwu's eyes once again.

He slowly closed his eyes and said, "You are a blessed child."

Cen Yan: "Perhaps it is my father's blessing from heaven."

"...Yes."

After the imperial physician left, the room remained silent for a long time.

After a short while, Emperor Shengwu spoke first, inquiring about Cen Yan's health, and the emperor and his minister finally exchanged pleasantries.

After exchanging greetings, the topic turned to the Third Prince. Emperor Shengwu simply advised, "He's always been a troublemaker since he was a child, so don't take it to heart."

"I know, but the Third Prince has disliked me since childhood. When he was young, he even tried to drag Liu Qi to be castrated, saying that there could be no men among the servants in the palace. Fortunately, His Majesty was merciful and gave the order, so he gave up."

Emperor Shengwu was in the wrong, "...he's a complete idiot."

Cen Yan: "I'm afraid it's because I offended him before, and he's taking this opportunity to get revenge."

Emperor Shengwu gestured for Cen Yan to continue.

Cen Yan: "When handling the corruption case, the Left Censor was somewhat negligent and wrongly convicted the wrong person. I corrected it. I heard that the Left Censor was close to the Third Prince during that time, and I am terrified."

Emperor Shengwu remained silent.

Cen Yan stopped there and said no more.

The matter did indeed occur. The Censorate had been slow to investigate Zhuang Xingchang. A brief investigation revealed that during that period, numerous of the Crown Prince's cronies had fallen from power, and the remaining princes were secretly making some moves, trying to take the opportunity to bestow favors and win over some useful people. Zhuang Xingchang, an inconspicuous figure, happened to become the scapegoat. The Left Censor wanted to use him to replace another official, but Cen Yan interrupted him.

This matter was also discussed openly with the emperor.

However, Cen Yan never took sides. He never mentioned the princely power behind several officials who were morally corrupt.

Of course, Emperor Shengwu was not unaware of who was behind them.

But hearing him repeat it so confidently again, I must have had a completely different feeling.

Emperor Shengwu conquered the country on horseback. In his youth, he controlled the army and held great power. In his later years, when he was old and frail, he valued the power he held even more and was unwilling to relinquish it even slightly.

Therefore, forming cliques and engaging in private activities was a major taboo in Emperor Shengwu's mind.

The reason why the deposed crown prince was deposed is undoubtedly related to his faction's widespread influence in the court.

Emperor Shengwu said softly, "I understand."

Then she changed the subject, "The matter of Cheng'er's handling is being discussed in the court every day. You two grew up together, what's your opinion?"

Knowing that Emperor Shengwu had taken the matter of the Third Prince to heart, Cen Yan did not bring it up again. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "This matter is both a matter of state and a family matter."

The Cheng'er mentioned by Emperor Shengwu was Li Cheng, the deposed crown prince.

"If we consider this a matter of national importance, we should follow the Cabinet's advice." Execute.

"If we're talking about family matters, then it all depends on what His Majesty thinks."

In the end, they didn't offer any of their own advice.

Emperor Shengwu then understood that Cen Yan was unwilling to get involved.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Shengwu slowly asked, "Have you sent word to the fiefdom that the poison has been cured? Don't let your mother worry."

"Prepare well before reporting to the fiefdom."

Emperor Shengwu replied, "But your mother already knows."

Cen Yan frowned slightly, and then heard Emperor Shengwu say in a kind tone, "Two days ago, your mother wrote a letter saying that she was far away in her fiefdom and could not take care of you. She was worried all day long, so she thought of asking me to choose a princess for you, so that someone would take care of you."

Cen Yan simply bowed his head respectfully.

Emperor Shengwu: "Oh right, there are still two memorials. Your mother wrote one, and your third brother's birth mother, Consort Tao, also wrote one, hoping that you can get married soon and have children for the royal family."

Upon hearing this, Cen Yan slowly raised his eyes.

"What do you think, Ayan?" Emperor Shengwu asked with a smile.

Cen Yan smiled and said, "I am sorry for your concern, Mother and the Dowager Consort. It is my fault."

The smile didn't reach her eyes.

"All these years have passed, and it is I who have delayed you. Speaking of which, has Ayan found a woman he likes?"

After a slight delay, Cen Yan slowly spoke and answered.

*

Not long after Cen Yan left, a messenger from the fiefdom arrived at the Prince's residence.

Zhuang Dongqing wandered around the garden, feeling uneasy. He wondered if the old emperor's summons to Cen Yan would be for something. Unable to calm down, he got up and walked around.

Before long, they bumped into Liu Qi, who was walking hurriedly, in the garden.

When he called out but received no response, Zhuang Dongqing, having nothing else to do, followed Liu Qi to see what was going on.

Unexpectedly, they followed him all the way to the main gate and saw Liu Qi opening the letter.

As soon as Zhuang Dongqing approached, he saw Liu Qi, who was reading the letter, suddenly change his expression and mutter, "Oh no!"

Zhuang Dongqing: "?"

Liu Qi looked up and noticed Zhuang Dongqing, who had been following him all the way. "Young Master? What brings you here?"

"I saw you in the garden, but you didn't answer. Seeing that Manager Liu looked rushed, I thought I'd come and check on you, but I didn't expect..." Zhuang Dongqing's gaze slowly fell on the envelope, and she hesitated, "What happened?"

Liu Qi opened his mouth as if to speak, but then, remembering something, he glanced around warily and swallowed his words.

He simply said, "If young master wants to know, then come with me."

"oh oh."

They followed him into the study in the west wing. Zhuang Dongqing asked, "Would it be inappropriate for me to come in?"

Especially since Cen Yan wasn't even at the Prince's residence at this time.

Liu Qi wasn't on guard against him, "It's nothing."

"Young Master, please have a seat."

Zhuang Dongqing found a chair nearby and sat down.

Liu Qi quickly read the letter again, sighed, and went to her desk to look for today's news. She found it and, sure enough, it was late; it hadn't been placed on the table when Cen Yan left.

Liu Qi opened it, and after reading it, his head started to ache.

Zhuang Dongqing didn't know what had happened. Seeing Liu Qi's appearance, he sat up even more straight, with his hands obediently placed on his thighs, sitting like a student.

Liu Qi said helplessly, "Young Master, perhaps we shouldn't wait for the Prince for dinner tonight."

To be honest, "If the prince were to return, I'm afraid he wouldn't be in a very good mood."

Zhuang Dongqing asked, puzzled, "Can I ask why?"

After thinking it over for a while, and remembering Cen Yan's instructions, Liu Qi finally spoke up and said, "It's not that I can't tell you, but the details involve the old affairs of the Prince's Mansion. I'm afraid it would be better if Master told you."

"I can only give you a general idea."

Liu Qi: "Actually, His Majesty's summons of the master to the palace this time should be a way for him to give the master a warning."

"But as I told the young master, the relationship between ruler and subject is one of checks and balances, however..."

However, they were a step too late; this time, His Majesty was one step ahead.

Liu Qi moved a chair and sat down in front of Zhuang Dongqing. He suddenly said, "After learning that the master had been bitten by a snake, the royal mansion actually made many plans. The worst-case scenario was that the master would die from the snake, and we would take the young master back to our fiefdom to raise the child and let him inherit the throne."

The conversation took such a sudden turn that Zhuang Dongqing didn't immediately grasp the connection, but she listened anyway.

"At your age, if it weren't for the turmoil and the fact that you've been deeply involved in these past few years, you should have a princess by now."

"The princess is already married, and the old princess has urged the master many times, both openly and secretly. However, as you should know now, young master, the master does not like women. In short... by a series of coincidences, this matter has been delayed until now."

"I just received a letter from the fiefdom today. The old princess has learned of the master's poisoning and has written from the fiefdom to request Your Majesty to select a princess from the capital for the master."

Fearing Zhuang Dongqing might misunderstand, he quickly added, "Of course, Master will certainly not agree, but the old Princess's actions..."

"The relationship between the old princess and the master is rather special, as you will learn in the future, young master."

Zhuang Dongqing knows this.

I've read the book.

It's quite simple: Cen Yan wasn't the Empress Dowager's biological son.

However, it was indeed a bit difficult for Liu Qi to tell him such a secret.

Zhuang Dongqing pretended not to know, nodded, and prompted, "Aren't you close?"

A single sentence brought Liu Qi to his senses: "Yes, yes, the relationship isn't close."

"So, the Empress Dowager's request is actually the same as what I said before about the worst-case scenario that the Prince's Mansion was considering at the time."

The words were a bit convoluted, and Zhuang Dongqing thought about them for a moment.

"Are you saying that the Dowager Consort wants an heir?" he asked uncertainly.

Liu Qi couldn't help but grit his teeth.

Yes, this petition actually has little to do with whether or not the princess is the princess. It's just that they're worried that Cen Yan has no children. If something goes wrong, the old princess only has one daughter, and the main branch of the royal family will have no successor, and the throne will fall into the wrong hands.

If he could see it, then his master must also be able to see the old princess's true intentions.

Really...

Liu Qi said gravely, "This will surely dishearten the Prince."

Zhuang Dongqing thought about it and agreed.

They've just rescued her, and her injuries haven't even healed yet, and they're already pressuring her to have a baby? What do they think she is?

Tools? Stud? Whatever it is, it's not the right attitude towards a son.

Liu Qi: "But that's not the most important thing. The most important thing is..."

"When the old prince was alive, he had only one queen and one concubine. This time, the Dowager Consort not only submitted a petition to request the imperial decree, but also dragged in Dowager Consort Tao, who was the old prince's concubine, to request the imperial decree to establish a queen for the master."

Zhuang Dongqing let out a soft "Ah".

Liu Qi: "The relationship between Master and Consort Tao is a long story. I can only say that Consort Tao's relationship with Master is more than just that of a consort."

Zhuang Dongqing also knows this.

Biological mother.

They are indeed different.

Liu Qi: "The princess's request was more tactful, but when it came to Consort Tao, it was too direct."

"Consort Tao directly wrote that she hoped the master would get married soon and have children for the royal family."

As she spoke, Liu Qi took out the copy that had been included in the message.

Indeed... straightforward.

Liu Qi put it rather tactfully.

They should get married as soon as possible to have children and continue the family line. Otherwise, if something were to happen to them in the future, they couldn't let the royal family's lineage end... The above is all the content of the petition.

Zhuang Dongqing also glanced at the rest of the long discourse. The first part was a summary, and the second part was a side discussion. Although not a single word was mentioned, every sentence was inseparable from the main idea.

Oh, this.

"She...she didn't even ask how the prince was feeling?" Zhuang Dongqing was speechless.

Liu Qi said bitterly, "Young Master has hit the nail on the head."

"The fiefdom is so far from the capital, the news is bound to be delayed. Now that we have received the letter, if we trace back... when the letter was submitted, it must have been when the prince had just begun to 'improve'."

"Huh? Does that mean we're afraid someone might die?"

Liu Qi flipped through the back of Consort Tao's memorial and showed it to Zhuang Dongqing, who was speechless.

So you've actually considered that?!

No, it can't be that bad.

Compared to the later phrases like "bringing good luck" and "fearing that Cen Yan will be bedridden and die soon, hoping that he can leave behind an heir for the Prince's mansion before he passes away," the words "bringing good luck" seem less malicious.

"..."

Zhuang Dongqing looked at Liu Qi and received the same helpless look from Liu Qi.

Zhuang Dongqing sighed.

Liu Qi also sighed.

Zhuang Dongqing asked sincerely, "Was your prince raised in such a harsh environment?"

Liu Qi was speechless for a moment before replying, "It was better when the old prince was around."

Zhuang Dongqing persisted, "Did they ask about Cen Yan's health?"

Surely there can't be nothing at all?!

Liu Qi: "Yes, there is one line."

"Let them send a message to the fiefdom, and then we won't mention the matter of the marriage to bring good luck."

Zhuang Dongqing: "..."

I was so worried, but I'm finally completely devastated.

Liu Qi spoke earnestly, "Your Highness has recently been at odds with His Majesty, and His Majesty couldn't win against you. This time, summoning him to the palace is surely to give him a warning. These memorials will likely be shown to Your Highness as well..."

"So, young master, you'll have dinner alone in the east wing tonight."

"Don't come again."

*

As the sun began to set, the same carriage brought Cen Yan back.

Liu Qi waited cautiously, saw off the palace people, and then followed Cen Yan back to the mansion.

Upon seeing his expression, Cen Yan said with certainty, "The letter from the fief has arrived, hasn't it? You already know about it."

Liu Qi: "..."

Liu Qi lowered his eyes. "I've come. I came right after you left, Master."

Cen Yan: "That's normal, it should have been stopped in the middle."

To strike a snake, strike its vital spot; if you're going to hit it, it has to hurt.

We certainly won't let him know the news in advance.

Liu Qi cautiously glanced at Cen Yan, and seeing his expressionless face, she felt a chill run down her spine. "Master..."

Cen Yan interrupted him, saying, "It's nothing."

"This isn't the first time."

Liu Qi's heart clenched even more.

Knowing that Cen Yan wouldn't listen to any comforting words at this moment, she could only anxiously follow behind him.

As Cen Yan remained calm and composed throughout the journey, just like always, Liu Qi felt increasingly tormented.

Having been master and servant for many years, Cen Yan was the kind of person who rarely showed his true feelings when something was wrong, but right now...

Just as Liu Qi was at a loss, Cen Yan suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Liu Qi also stopped, looked up, and froze.

He... saw Zhuang Dongqing and Liu Fu standing at the west wing entrance.

Actually, Zhuang Dongqing was also very conflicted before coming.

On one hand, she felt she should listen to Liu Qi and not meddle in other people's business to avoid getting into trouble; on the other hand, she felt that Cen Yan was too pitiful and she should go and see him.

After much deliberation, caught in a dilemma, and struggling to make ends meet... it finally came.

Zhuang Dongqing decided to give the choice to Cen Yan.

"Your Highness."

Zhuang Dongqing called out hesitantly.

Cen Yan responded calmly, "Mm."

Zhuang Dongqing pretended to glance at the sky, his left hand tucked into his sleeve as he fidgeted with his right. "Well, it's getting late, it's time for dinner..."

"I said this morning that I would have dinner in the west wing. Are we still going to have dinner together?"

When their eyes met, he stammered slightly.

Zhuang Dongqing lowered her head and whispered, "I'm hungry."

Sensing that Cen Yan was acting differently than usual, she began to have second thoughts.

If Cen Yan refuses, he will leave immediately.

The kind of person who walks away without looking back...

Feeling Cen Yan's gaze lingering on her for a while, Zhuang Dongqing couldn't help but ask, "If it's inconvenient..."

Cen Yan also spoke up, "That's true."

It's as if I just remembered it.

"Come in."

Zhuang Dongqing: "...Okay."

It was Cen Yan who didn't want him to leave.