Chapter 39 The Assassin's Divine Opportunity
Prince An was born to Consort Hui. He was the same age as Qi Jingxuan, but three months older.
Logically, Qi Jingxuan should call him Sixth Brother, but the two were not on good terms to begin with. After Consort Hui was demoted from Consort to Concubine because of Consort Shu, their relationship deteriorated even further. It was considered good if they didn't fight when they met, so how could they greet each other properly?
Seeing his sarcastic tone, Prince An immediately retorted, also exclaiming, "Isn't this Prince Ping?"
The emphasis on the title "Prince of the Second Rank" was a deliberate reminder to Qi Jingxuan that he had been demoted from a prince to a prince of the second rank.
Qi Jingxuan didn't care about the title at all. He looked Prince An up and down and clicked his tongue twice: "Sixth Prince, you usually love to dress up, why are you dressed so ugly today?"
Prince An's face twitched, and he said irritably, "My clothes are ugly, but what are you dressed like?"
The Dragon Boat Festival cruise is about sharing the joy with the people, unlike the New Year's festivals and sacrificial rites where formal attire is mandatory. Except for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, whose attire is prepared by the palace, everyone else can prepare their own, as long as it is appropriate to their status and does not violate etiquette.
Prince An and Qi Jingxuan are wearing the exact same clothes today, only with slightly different accessories. If Prince An's clothes are ugly, then Qi Jingxuan's clothes are naturally ugly as well.
Qi Jingxuan disagreed, puffing out his chest and saying, "I'm good-looking, I'd look good even if I wore a burlap sack, but you're different..."
He didn't say how it was different, but the meaning in his words couldn't be clearer.
Prince An was already annoyed because he was wearing the same clothes as him, and being pointed out to his face like this made him even more furious. He wished he could immediately go back to his carriage and change his clothes.
When a prince travels, especially on such an important occasion, and on a ship, it is natural to prepare a change of clothes in case of emergency.
But if he goes to change now, wouldn't that just mean he thinks he's less handsome and has lost to Qi Jingxuan?
Although Prince An knew his own appearance, he was unwilling to lose face in public. He could only stand there with a stiff upper lip, thinking that he would find an opportunity to pretend to get his clothes dirty later and then change them.
After exchanging a few words, the two heard the sound of carriages approaching from afar. It was the Crown Prince's carriage, so they both shut their mouths and stopped talking.
The Crown Prince is the son of the Empress and is twenty-one years old this year. Because the eldest prince died young, he became the oldest among the princes. He has been carefully taught since childhood and is very composed in his actions.
The eunuch helped the Crown Prince out of the carriage, and the Crown Prince then turned around and helped the Crown Princess down. The two walked hand in hand towards the shore.
The master of ceremonies stepped forward to greet them and led the two onto the ship. The others stood on both sides and, after the Crown Prince and Crown Princess boarded the ship, they also boarded the giant painted boat that was three stories high on the shore.
Aside from the princes and princesses, only high-ranking officials and their families could board this painted boat. Therefore, many people considered it an honor to board this painted boat. Even those who were not entitled to ride on it would take the opportunity to board a sampan and take a walk when the painted boat was moored in the middle of the river.
Qi Jingxuan was preoccupied with leaving the ship to play later, and his mind was not on this at all. After boarding the ship and bowing to the Crown Prince with everyone else, he found a quiet place to stay, waiting to sneak away when no one was paying attention.
Prince An was quite resentful after being mocked by Qi Jingxuan, so he took the opportunity to change his clothes shortly after boarding the ship.
The new clothes weren't as satisfactory as the sky-blue set, but he had to put up with it so as not to appear in front of others wearing the same clothes as Qi Jingxuan.
People came and went on the boat, clinking glasses and exchanging toasts. As the hour drew near and the dragon boat race was about to begin, everyone left the cabin.
Prince An was about to go out as well, but as he stood up, he subconsciously straightened his clothes and couldn't help but think of Qi Jingxuan again.
He looked around but couldn't find Qi Jingxuan. He scoffed, "That brat has probably gone off to hide somewhere again."
To avoid suspicion, these princes usually avoid getting too close to powerful and influential families. However, in order to have a place in the court and to have someone who can speak for them after they go to their fiefdoms, so that they won't be completely forgotten once they leave the capital, they inevitably need to have some connections of their own.
Opportunities like the Dragon Boat Festival cruise, which allow one to openly associate with prominent families, are something no one else would miss, but Qi Jingxuan is completely indifferent to.
Because he was favored by the emperor, his fiefdom had already been decided, and it was one of the most prosperous places in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.
As long as he obediently stays in his fiefdom as a prince, doesn't rebel, and doesn't cause trouble, he can live a life of luxury and ease.
It's impossible for the other princes not to be envious, but what can they do even if they are?
The Emperor doted on Consort Shu, who had only one child, Qi Jingxuan. Naturally, she was showered with affection. Apart from the Crown Prince born to the Empress, who could compare to her? It was the Ninth Prince, also born to the Empress, but because he was not the Crown Prince, he did not receive as much favor as Qi Jingxuan.
Thinking of all this, Prince An felt increasingly frustrated. Just as he was about to leave the cabin, he stopped, his eyes darting around, a slight smile playing on his lips, and whispered a few instructions to the servants beside him.
The servant paused slightly upon hearing this, his expression hesitant: "Your Highness, there are many people coming and going on this pleasure boat. What if someone happens to see Prince Ping and testifies for him, then..."
“No,” Prince An said confidently. “Seventh Prince has never liked these kinds of occasions. He always shows his face in front of people and then finds a secluded place to hide, only to come out again when he’s about to leave.”
"Even if someone sees him, they'll just say hello and leave. Who has the time to stay with him all the time?"
Unless someone stays with Qi Jingxuan the whole time, no one can testify for him.
On an occasion like today, those friends who are usually close to Qi Jingxuan are either not qualified to board this pleasure boat, or if they do board, they have to stay obediently by their elders' side and cannot stay with Qi Jingxuan.
You should know that today, the people on this pleasure boat are all princes and princesses or high-ranking officials and nobles. If you accidentally bump into someone, you might cause a lot of trouble.
Those shrewd old men usually let their sons run wild with Qi Jingxuan, but they wouldn't let them wander around like this.
Seeing his resolute attitude, the servant had no choice but to agree and quietly withdrew.
A moment later, the man returned to Prince An's side.
Taking advantage of a moment when there were few people around, Prince An asked in a low voice, "Is everything arranged?"
The servant nodded, and Prince An nodded in satisfaction, chuckling, "This is no wonder; he was wearing the same clothes as me. A golden opportunity indeed, it would be a shame to miss it."
………………
In Yangliu Hutong, since she didn't have to rush to the Yanliang River to take a painted boat, Shen Yan, as usual, had a leisurely breakfast and carefully tidied herself up before going out.
Shen Mingshan was on leave today. After having dinner with his wife and daughter, he carefully instructed Shen Yan before she left: "I heard that there are a lot of people by the Yanliang River at this time of year, and many people take pictures of flowers. You must be careful and stay away from any suspicious people you see."
Shen Yan nodded obediently: "Father, don't worry, I will be careful."
Having been sent to the Shen family for some time, Physician Zhou already knew that Shen Mingshan and his wife valued their only daughter, Shen Yan, highly. Hearing the conversation between the father and daughter, he couldn't help but shake his head with a smile.
"Lord Shen is overthinking it. Miss Shen went out with Prince Ping and had someone with her. How could anything happen to her?"
"Besides, those child predators always target young children. Chen is too old to be easily fooled, so she's unlikely to be targeted."
Shen Mingshan didn't refute what Physician Zhou said. He just smiled, patted his daughter's shoulder, and waved to her, "Go on, come back soon."
Shen Yan nodded, then looked at Madam Su standing beside him and said with a smile, "When my younger brother and sister are born next year, our whole family will go to the Yanliang River to watch the dragon boat races."
Because Shen Yan had nearly drowned as a child, her family was worried about her going to the river alone. When they heard that she was going to watch the dragon boat races on the Yanliang River during the Dragon Boat Festival, Madam Su originally wanted Shen Mingshan to accompany her. However, when she heard that Qi Jingxuan would come down from the painted boat to go with her, she gave up on the idea.
Ms. Su was only three months pregnant and her pregnancy was not yet showing. Upon hearing this, she smiled and nodded, "Okay, let's go as a family next year."
My daughter's wedding to Prince Ping is on May 22nd, and by next year's Dragon Boat Festival, it will have been almost a year since their marriage. If the truth comes out within this year, they may already be divorced.
Thinking of this, Madam Su felt a little better and together with Shen Mingshan, they saw Shen Yan out of the house.
Although Qi Jingxuan went directly from the Prince's Mansion to the Yanliang River early in the morning, he left a carriage at Yangliu Hutong. Accompanied by two maids, Shen Yan got into the carriage and headed straight for the Yanliang River.
Yanliang River and Yangliu Alley are not very close, about half an hour's drive apart. Before the carriage even reached the Yanliang River, Shen Yan heard a commotion.
She lifted the curtain and peered out, only to see a large crowd gathered along the riverbank, as lively as if it were Chinese New Year.
Her eyes brightened slightly, and when the crowd ahead became too congested for the carriage to move forward, she jumped off and walked ahead on her own.
Although she had heard of the magnificent scenery on the Yanliang River during the Dragon Boat Festival every year, Shen Yan was still greatly amazed to see it with her own eyes.
The wide river was dotted with painted boats, crowded together, each one exquisitely crafted and newly painted, looking brand new. Some of them were even two or three stories high.
Those painted boats and multi-story ships resembled mobile homes, and when connected together, they formed a small town. They were moored on the Yanliang River, occasionally weaving in and out of the water, which was quite interesting.
Shen Yan guessed that Qi Jingxuan should be on the highest and most exquisite painted boat in the middle of the river, but because of the distance, she could only vaguely see the shadowy figures on the boat and could not see the faces of the people on the boat.
Because she was afraid of the water, she dared not get too close to the shore. When she went out, she specially brought the clairvoyant she had won at Yafeng Garden, so that even if she was far away, she could see the magnificent scenery in the river.
Shen Yan raised the Thousand-Mile Eyes and placed them in front of her eyes. Sure enough, she was able to see the situation in the river in an instant.
From the exquisite patterns on the painted boats to the clothing and appearance of each person, this all-seeing eye can see almost everything clearly.
She held up her telescope with great interest and looked around for a long time, even glancing at the tallest and largest painted boat. However, since the dragon boat race had not yet started, apart from the boatmen and servants, everyone else was basically inside the cabin, so she did not see any familiar figures.
She knew it was still early and Qi Jingxuan wouldn't get off the pleasure boat so soon, so she just glanced at it and quickly looked away from the Thousand-Mile Eyes, looking elsewhere.
But as she looked around, she suddenly spotted a familiar figure darting through the "town" of countless painted boats and pleasure boats.
The man was dressed in a sky-blue robe. Wherever he went, boats and pleasure boats of all sizes would set up their sampans to allow him to pass, so he traveled smoothly on the Yanliang River as if walking on flat ground.
Shen Yan blinked and murmured, "Is that the prince?"
The maid looked in the direction she was looking, but because there were too many painted boats and people on the river, and unlike Shen Yan who had eyes that could see a thousand miles, she did not see Qi Jingxuan.
Shen Yan handed over the telescope in her hand. The maid hesitated before taking it, examined it carefully, and exclaimed in surprise, "It really is the Prince!"
The eyesight is so clear! And... why did Your Highness get off the pleasure boat so early? Aren't you afraid of being discovered?
Shen Yan was also a little puzzled, so she quickly followed her maid in the direction Qi Jingxuan had gone, lest she miss him.
Qi Jingxuan had long been impatient to stay on the boat, so he quickly went ashore. He thought he would have to go to the agreed restaurant to see Shen Yan, but as soon as his feet touched the shore, he heard someone in the crowd calling out, "Your Highness, Your Highness, over here!"
Today, the older imperial heirs are all on the pleasure boat, and the younger ones are in the palace. Who else but him is still on the shore?
Qi Jingxuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw a woman dressed as a maid waving at him. Standing next to this woman was Shen Yan.
His eyes lit up, and he strode towards Shen Yan: "Aci, what a coincidence, I just got ashore and ran into you."
Shen Yan smiled and waved the telescope in her hand at him: "I saw the prince. He's been chasing after me all the way here."
Qi Jingxuan was surprised that she had brought this. He took it and scanned the surroundings, and saw that he could indeed see the painted boats on the river.
"So you saw how I got on the pleasure boat just now, right?"
Shen Yan nodded: "I saw it."
Shen Yan had been puzzled earlier. Since he had boarded the painted boat, how could he sneak off without the boat docking?
Qi Jingxuan had kept her in suspense, saying she would find out in time, and now she had indeed found out.
Qi Jingxuan chuckled and pointed to the painted boats and pleasure boats, saying, "Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, there are a lot of boats on the Yanliang River. If someone really has an emergency and needs to go ashore, they can't wait for other boats to gradually clear the river before they can dock. That would take forever. So, for convenience, in case of an emergency, boats will put sampans together."
"A small boat's sampan is made up of several planks pieced together, while a large boat's sampan is just a small wooden boat. When they are connected together, they form a passageway. No matter which boat you want to go on, as long as the other party agrees and is willing to lower their sampan, you can get on."
As a prince, it was naturally not a problem for him to borrow someone else's boat to pass through.
Shen Yan had been watching him for a long time and had clearly seen his journey off the ship, so she knew what was going on.
Unfortunately, she was afraid of water and could only watch; she didn't dare to experience walking on the river herself.
Fortunately, the riverbank was also lively today, with many fun things to do. She and Qi Jingxuan soon stopped looking at the painted boats on the river and started strolling along the bank.
On ordinary days, people often set up stalls along the Yanliang River, but today the entire riverbank was packed with people. Some had set up colorful tents, while others had set up stages to perform operas. As soon as a shout rang out, cheers came from the other side, making it difficult for people to see where to go.
Squeezed through the crowd, Shen Yan looked around and asked Qi Jingxuan, "Didn't Your Highness say we couldn't get off the painted boat until just before the dragon boat race started? Why are we here so soon?"
Qi Jingxuan followed beside her, smiling smugly: "What a coincidence, Lao Liu and I are wearing the same clothes today. With people coming and going on the pleasure boat, who can tell if it's him or me in a fleeting glance? If they can't tell, they'll just think I'm still here."
"Such a golden opportunity, I should come down as soon as possible, otherwise it would be a pity."
When Shen Yan heard him say "sixth prince," she didn't react at first, but after thinking for a while, she realized that he must be referring to the sixth prince, Prince An.
"Is this... alright? What if someone comes looking for you, or they've changed their clothes?"
Even if two people are wearing the same clothes, wouldn't it be obvious who it is as soon as they get a little closer?
“No way,” Qi Jingxuan said confidently. “No one ever asks me for this kind of occasion. Besides, I made a few sarcastic remarks to Lao Liu before I boarded the ship, saying that he didn’t look as good as me in that outfit.”
"If he changes, wouldn't that mean he's admitting I'm right, admitting he's uglier than me, so he definitely won't change?"
If it were him, he definitely wouldn't switch; whoever switches loses!
Shen Yan was speechless for a moment, not knowing what to say.
Qi Jingxuan, however, didn't care at all: "It's alright, don't worry. I've already shown my face. Even if I'm discovered to have run away halfway, at most I'll be scolded by Father. It's no big deal."
After saying that, he pulled Shen Yan and walked towards the crowded and lively area. They looked around and stopped when they got tired to find a stall selling sour plum drinks and have a bowl.
As they walked and stopped, and seeing that it was almost 9 AM and the dragon boat race was about to begin, the two headed towards Sibaozhai.
Located on the east bank of the Yanliang River, Sibaozhai is one of the most famous restaurants in the capital. Not only are its dishes exquisite and delicious, but its various pastries and preserved fruits are also exceptional.
"His boss is a shrewd businessman. He said that since they run a restaurant, not a dim sum shop, in order not to overshadow the restaurant, the dim sum and dried fruit are limited every day and are available on a first-come, first-served basis."
"With such a gimmick, even more diners went to his restaurant."
Qi Jingxuan was a regular customer of Sibaozhai and introduced it to Shen Yan as they walked.
Shen Yan nodded and said, "It is indeed very delicious."
Sibaozhai is not close to Yangliu Hutong, and Shen Yan has never been there before. However, the box in Qi Jingxuan's carriage contains his pastries, which are changed daily. Therefore, although she has never been there, she has tried almost all of his pastries and candied fruits.
"Since it's a daily limited quantity, wouldn't you have to send someone there early every morning, otherwise you won't be able to buy any?"
Shen Yan asked.
Qi Jingxuan waved his hand and said, "No need for such trouble. Just give us more money and let us know in advance what we need for the next day, and they will prepare it accordingly."
After a moment's thought, Shen Yan understood the key point and nodded with a light smile: "This boss is indeed a shrewd businessman."
The so-called daily limited quantity is just a gimmick. The purpose of this gimmick is to make money. If it attracts the wrong people, then this gimmick will not only fail to make money, but will also cause trouble, which would be a loss.
Therefore, for nobles and high-ranking officials like Qi Jingxuan, they have a different method: unlimited, but prior notice is required and extra money must be paid.
As a result, everyone gets used to doing it this way, and those who don't follow the rules will appear eccentric and easily become the subject of gossip, and may even be looked down upon for not being able to afford it.
Which wealthy and powerful family would be willing to be looked down upon for a few pastries and a few taels of silver, so naturally they wouldn't make things difficult for Sibaozhai.
Qi Jingxuan wouldn't think that much about it. He wasn't short of money, and anything that could be solved with money wasn't a problem for him.
The reason he chose to bring Shen Yan here today is because Sibaozhai is located by the water, and the second and third floors have large platforms built near the windows, facing the Yanliang River, offering excellent views and making it perfect for watching the dragon boat races on the Dragon Boat Festival.
It just so happened that the princes, princesses, and high-ranking officials were all on the painted boats on the river today, so no one was competing with him. He reserved this excellent spot, waiting to go up to the tower with Shen Yan to watch the dragon boat race.
This was the first time in all these years that Qi Jingxuan had seen the dragon boat race from this angle. He was quite happy about it, and his steps became lighter.
When the two arrived at Sibaozhai, the lobby on the first floor was already packed, and many people were standing in front of the windows by the shore.
The waiter recognized Qi Jingxuan at a glance and hurriedly went up to greet him, leading the two to the third floor.
Compared to the lobby, the third floor was much quieter, not only because this floor consisted of private rooms with fewer people, so everyone could close the doors and not disturb each other, but also because Qi Jingxuan had booked all the private rooms connected to the viewing platform to enjoy the view all to himself.
At this time, there were many people standing on the second-floor platform, while only the two of them and a few servants accompanied them were on the third-floor platform.
"I had the tables set up outside, thinking we could enjoy the scenery while drinking tea, so we wouldn't have to make a special trip outside when the dragon boat race starts."
"If you think this is good, we can have lunch like this, and then go for a walk elsewhere. If you don't like it, we can go to a private room to eat when it's time to eat."
Qi Jingxuan said.
Shen Yan thought it was fine as it was, and nodded with a smile: "Let's use it outside, the view from here is really good."
At a glance, the entire Yanliang River can be seen, with large and small painted boats and dragon boats of all colors clearly visible.
Seeing that she was satisfied, Qi Jingxuan smiled as well. Before the dragon boat race started, he carefully explained to her how many dragon boat teams there were in the capital, which ones were more famous, and which teams had the best chance of winning first place.
Shen Yan listened with great interest, but she couldn't quite tell which team was paddling which dragon boat.
Qi Jingxuan watched the dragon boat races on the painted boat almost every year and knew a lot about it. However, although the view was good, it was not as close to the dragon boat team as it was on the painted boat. He could only see the colorful dragon boats and could not distinguish them. So he had to use Shen Yan's Thousand-Mile Eyes to see and then hand it back to her so that she could compare them.
The two exchanged glances from time to time, and when they had finished talking, the sound of drums echoed from the river.
The drumbeats came from the tallest and largest painted boat on the river, signaling the official start of the competition.
After the drumbeats, the ten dragon boats at the forefront of the river began to move, gradually increasing in speed until they shot off like arrows, cutting through the water to the beat of their respective drums.
There are over a hundred dragon boat teams in Beijing. Every year before the Dragon Boat Festival, a selection process is conducted, and exactly one hundred teams will ultimately participate.
These 100 teams are divided into 10 groups. The top team from each group will advance to the finals. The top three teams in the finals will be awarded prizes, with the crown prince personally bestowing the prize upon the champion.
Qi Jingxuan had long lost interest in the sport, and while Shen Yan watched the dragon boat race with great enthusiasm, he pondered where to take her that afternoon.
As he was thinking, his gaze swept over a large tree not far from here.
To get a better view of the dragon boat race, many people, mostly young men or children, stand on the trees along the Yanliang River every year.
Qi Jingxuan was used to this, but when he saw a figure in the tree, his heart skipped a beat.
"Aci, Aci, lend me your clairvoyance!"
He said urgently, his voice trembling slightly.
Shen Yan was puzzled, but seeing that he was in a hurry, she quickly handed him the telescope.
Qi Jingxuan, his hands trembling, aimed his telescope at the tree and carefully examined the person standing on it, but he did not see the figure from before.
"Your Highness, what's wrong? What's going on over there?"
Seeing that his expression was not good, Shen Yan asked him.
Qi Jingxuan didn't speak, but adjusted the angle of his telescope slightly and carefully examined the tree and the people around it many times. He still couldn't see the person from before, so he shook his head and said, "No... nothing."
He then handed the telescope back to Shen Yan.
He seemed to have seen a man standing in the tree just now, the man was facing away from them, and there was a bluish-black mark on the exposed half of his forehead.
But when he looked again, he saw that many people on the tree had mottled shadows on their faces, but they were not marks, but rather the shadows cast by sunlight on the branches and leaves.
Qi Jingxuan initially thought he had misjudged the situation due to his overreaction, and breathed a sigh of relief. However, he was still somewhat nervous, so much so that he completely forgot about where he wanted to go in the afternoon. It wasn't until after lunch that he remembered the matter and had to ask Shen Yan, "Where does Aci want to go?"
Shen Yan usually doesn't dare to walk near the river. This is the first time she has come to this area since she came to the capital. She plans to wander around the area and go back later.
Qi Jingxuan readily agreed and followed her out of Sibaozhai, heading towards the surrounding streets.
Although the dragon boat race had ended, the banks of the Yanliang River were still bustling with activity. As the two walked along the riverbank and were about to turn into a street, Qi Jingxuan suddenly saw a man in a blue robe standing at the corner ahead.
The man stood sideways to them in front of a peddler carrying a shoulder pole, a clear bluish-black mark on his forehead.
Qi Jingxuan's mind went blank for a moment. He turned around and tackled Shen Yan to the ground, shouting, "Aci, be careful! There's an assassin!"
The shout startled the servants, who quickly surrounded the two and protected them.
At the same time, some "pedestrians" who were originally strolling on the street suddenly drew their hidden weapons and rushed over to protect the two of them. They stared at the surrounding crowd with predatory eyes, as if they would immediately draw their swords if anyone made any unusual moves.
The commotion startled the surrounding tourists, some of whom fled in panic, while others hid in nearby places. Many vendors' tables and baskets were overturned.
Amidst the chaos, the man with the dark blue mark on his forehead stood upright, his shoulders and back tense like the soldiers protecting Qi Jingxuan and Shen Yan. He vigilantly surveyed his surroundings, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, one hand resting on his waist.
Qi Jingxuan held Shen Yan and lay on the ground. After listening for a while without any sound of capturing the assassin, he couldn't help but look up.
Upon closer inspection, he saw the mark on the man in blue's face and shuddered in horror. He quickly pointed and shouted, "What are you standing there for! It's him! Arrest him! Hurry!"
The man in blue was on guard against possible "assassins" appearing around him when he was suddenly surrounded by more than ten people, leaving him completely bewildered.
His gaze fell on Qi Jingxuan and Shen Yan, who were still lying on the ground, and then he glanced at the dozen or so people surrounding him. After hesitating for a moment, he finally lowered his hands from his waist and chose to surrender.
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A note from the author:
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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