Chapter 83 Openly
At noon, Luoyang went to the east gate.
As the flow of carriages and horses continued, the guards, conducting their legal inspection, suddenly saw a stream of people surging out of the city. A procession of men and horses emerged in a long line. The two men in the foreground were dressed in hunting garb, riding their horses slowly. Though they lacked court robes and imperial crowns, their awe-inspiring demeanor was undeniable, the dignity of a royal prince.
The eunuchs guarding this gate were daily immersed in the majesty of the imperial family; how could they not recognize it? They immediately led the others in prostrating themselves, saying, "Greetings to His Royal Highness the King of Donghai! His Royal Highness the King of Langya!" The eunuchs were sharp-eyed and had just examined the documents, already handing them back with both hands. With a smile, they said, "The day is bright and the wind is gentle. Your Highnesses, if you go hunting, you will surely capture an auspicious sign! Please!"
The King of the East Sea twirled his beard and smiled, "No hurry, let's wait for someone."
The official was startled as the sound of hooves rolled in from behind like muffled thunder. Amidst the rising dust, another cavalry team approached, their black armor gleaming in the sunlight, their imposing presence imposing. Upon recognizing the leader's face, the official felt a cold sweat break out on his back—it was His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi! This upstart, who had aided the Prince of Zhao in eliminating his enemies, was now a highly sought-after figure at court, and he could not afford to neglect him even a little.
The soldiers were busy checking the documents, their waists almost bent in the dust.
The King of Qi didn't even look at them. He just nodded slightly to the King of Donghai and the King of Langya, and said in a cold voice, "Do you two also have such a refined taste?"
"How can we let such a good time go to waste?" The King of Donghai said with a smile.
A faint smile crossed the corners of the King of Qi's lips. He spurred his horse to a close bridle with the King of Donghai, his gaze darting towards the wilderness beyond the Great Wall like a hawk: "Such fine weather is indeed perfect for hunting deer in the mountains and forests."
Suspicions welled up within the official. The fact that several of his highnesses had lingered behind closed doors was already odd, and these words seemed to carry a hidden meaning. Just as he was feeling bewildered, he suddenly heard the Prince of Langya laugh out loud, "Wow! What a grand spectacle!"
The guards turned hurriedly to look. Smoke and dust obscured the sun on the post road outside the pass. A well-organized cavalry unit, escorting a gilded and jade-decorated four-horse carriage, was approaching the city gate in a mighty procession.
On either side of the king's chariot stood a noble young man with wide sleeves and a wide belt on the left, and on the right a mighty commander in iron armor, his sword drawn. Behind the chariot stood thirty-seven mounted guards, their black armor gleaming coldly, their long halberds pointed skyward. An air of solemnity and murderous intent washed over them, like a triumphant army!
It was the peak hour for entering the city, and the magnificent procession startled the common people into retreating to the side of the road. Upon seeing the "Huainan" banners fluttering from the royal carriage, the crowd erupted in cheers, instantly prostrating themselves in adoration. His Majesty the King of Huainan! This noble, renowned for his military prowess and virtuous character, held the hearts of the people!
The guarding officer stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning. How could the Prince of Huainan, whom the King of Zhao had secretly ordered to be arrested, dare so brazenly enter the capital? But then he thought: the Prince of Huainan was a resident prince, and returning to his own residence was perfectly natural. How could he possibly have publicly announced the secret order? Furthermore… He stole a glance at the three princes behind him: the Prince of Langya clapped his hands and smiled, the Prince of Donghai had an unfathomable expression, and the Prince of Qi held the reins with a steely coolness—were these three princes truly here for the hunt, and were they “just” waiting there?
Just as the palace official was in a state of panic, the gilded carriage of the King of Huainan had already come to a steady stop in front of the city gate. The curtains of the carriage were slightly raised, but the King of Huainan did not dismount. Instead, he sat upright in the carriage, his gaze calmly scanning the three princes standing side by side through the window.
There was a brief silence, the air seemed to freeze. Inside and outside the city gate, countless eyes were focused on this.
The Prince of Donghai was the first to break the silence, a warm smile on his face. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for those near the city gate to hear clearly: "Oh my, what a coincidence! The Prince of Langya, the Prince of Qi, and I were just about to leave the city to seek some fun, but we unexpectedly met the Prince of Huainan returning here."
Prince Langya also interjected at the right moment, smiling brightly, "That's right! Prince Huainan's journey is quite long!" He glanced toward the carriage window with concern, "I heard you were unwell a few days ago. I wonder... has that nagging foot ailment improved?"
Inside the carriage, the Prince of Huainan remained composed, nodding slightly in greeting. His voice was steady and clear, "Thank you, Prince Langya, for your concern. My foot ailment is almost healed." He paused, his tone tinged with just the right amount of praise, "Mr. Song Hezi, you are truly worthy of being called the modern medical sage. Your miraculous healing skills have brought us back to health."
"A miracle doctor... Good, good!" The King of Qi finally spoke, his voice still cold and hard, but the subtle curve at the corner of his lips seemed to deepen slightly. He shifted his gaze from the King of Huainan's face to the distant wilderness, and added, as if muttering to himself, "There should be some miracle doctor in Luoyang who can perform the miracle of rejuvenation."
These seemingly casual, homely greetings, however, struck the guards like thunder! The Prince of Donghai's "chance encounter," the Prince of Langya's "concern" about his "foot ailment," the Prince of Huainan's reassurance that he was "almost well," and especially the Prince of Qi's pointed words, "I need a hand to restore my youth"... How could these be ordinary greetings? They were unspoken declarations, a tacit understanding woven beneath the surface of swords!
The official felt the cold sweat on his back soaking through his undershirt. He froze in place, forgetting even to breathe. He could only watch helplessly as the three princes on horseback and the Prince of Huainan in the carriage, as if they had practiced it, completed this "chance encounter" and "greeting" in broad daylight, at the Upper East Gate of Luoyang, in front of thousands of civilians and soldiers.
After the greetings, there was no more conversation.
The Prince of Donghai raised his hand with a smile, the Prince of Langya beamed, and the Prince of Qi, expressionless, pulled the reins. The three of them rode side by side, slowly clearing the road. The Prince of Huainan's carriage restarted, flanked by Feng Yanyuan and Commander Xiao, and followed closely by thirty-seven personal guards. Amidst the spontaneous cheers of the people and under the gaze of the three princes, the magnificent and awe-inspiring procession entered Luoyang City in a grand and majestic manner.
The guards, especially the leading eunuch, seemed frozen in place, watching in stunned silence as the Huainan King's carriage disappeared into the long street within the city gate. Then, the procession of the three princes, departing for their "hunt," quickly vanished into the dusty hustle and bustle that led to the suburbs. The Upper East Gate returned to its usual bustle, as if the terrifying scene had never occurred. Only the eunuch's hand, still trembling, rested on the cold hilt of his sword.
King Huainan sat upright in the carriage and let out a long sigh.
Last night, Feng Yanxuan had clearly analyzed the complicated situation in Luoyang City. The King of Huainan not only wanted to return to the city, but also wanted to return openly.
There are three reasons:
It was a matter of course. The King of Huainan was known for his loyalty and righteousness, and the King of Zhao had no leverage over him. Therefore, all the robberies and killings along the way were secret orders, and even Gongsun Baihu's feigned surrender at the pass was a cover-up—on the surface, the Imperial Guards didn't interfere. If the King of Huainan truly perished in Luohun Gorge, it would be presented to the court officials as nothing more than a "natural disaster."
Secondly, he had the advantage of location. This robbery and murder could be carried out anywhere, but not in Luoyang. He couldn't stop it openly, and assassination was even more dangerous. A dignified prince was murdered in the capital, a crucial region now controlled by the Prince of Zhao. Was it because the Prince of Zhao harbored ulterior motives? Or was he incompetent in commanding his troops? Either way, it was a tsunami too great for the Prince of Zhao to bear.
The third is to gain the support of the people. The King of Zhao has great power in the court, but he is not popular. The royal nobles have long been secretly obeying his orders, but they have not found the right opportunity, and no one is willing to be the first to take action.
The Prince of Huainan who returned to the city was exactly the knife these princes had been waiting for.
Not to mention, over seven hundred sharp swordsmen are hidden within Luoyang City! These top-tier swordsmen, capable of defeating the enemy with a small force, could overturn half of Luoyang in an instant if they were to change course! At worst, it would be a situation where both sides would perish together. This would be a perfect opportunity to expose the hypocritical facade of the King of Zhao and legitimately declare to the world that he was plotting to murder his own son and covet the throne!
Therefore, Feng Yanxuan quietly returned to the city that night. Through Ruan's undercover agents, he first delivered the secret letter to the prudent and orthodox King of Donghai, and the resentful King of Qi, who had long suffered from the power reduction by the King of Zhao. He also prepared a magnificent carriage for the King of Huainan outside the city—since infiltrating was a dead end, he would return to the city openly as a prince!
The three princes were also on good terms. A "hunting trip" coincided with the Prince of Huainan's return to Luoyang—a move that saved him the trouble of explaining himself to the King of Zhao and served as a kind of invisible protection for the Prince's entry into the city. The guards were terrified, and the imperial guards dared not move without warning.
"Even if Prince Zhao heard the news, he would probably just smash his teacup in anger in the Prime Minister's residence."
Feng Yanxuan's playful laughter was still ringing in his ears, and the King of Huainan couldn't help but shake his head and smile. He turned his head and lifted the curtain inside the carriage. The girl sleeping on the brocade couch was peaceful and comfortable, her face slightly flushed, and her breath was steady and long.
The King of Huainan gently lowered the curtain and lifted the carriage curtain.
The midday sun poured in.
Feng Yanyuan lowered his head and looked over. "Does the prince have any instructions?"
"I've heard that the Feng family has inherited the art of war, and they're adept at both civil and military tactics. I've gotten to see it in action over the past few months." A flicker of approval flashed in the King of Huainan's eyes. "Young Master Xuan's arrangements were flawless, yet nothing was left out. He's quite like your father."
Feng Yanyuan's lips curled up slightly, his eyes casually sweeping across the surrounding eaves and buildings. He smiled and said, "He loves to join in the fun even more than my father does. He even trained himself to have super hearing and super vision for this purpose. I wonder if he's hiding somewhere high up right now, admiring the stage he built with his own hands."
Before he finished speaking, the King of Huainan laughed out loud, and the brocade curtains fell down.
On the observatory, Feng Yanxuan gently waved his dust-whispering fan, his snow-white horsetail gleaming silver in the sunlight. From his perch, he watched the Huainan Prince's carriage slowly pass through the checkpoint where the Three Princes had stationed their horses, traverse the bustling streets, and finally stop in front of the deserted Huainan Prince's Palace. He took in the guards' surprised and bewildered kneeling greeting, the solemn atmosphere as the carriages and horses filed in, and Commander Xiao's hasty return trip with the Imperial Hospital's carriage—it was all there.
But those peach blossom eyes, which usually smiled, now held a frost that could not be melted. The dust-tail fan suddenly paused. "Since you're here, why are you hiding?" Feng Yanxuan spoke without even turning his head.
Feng Wu appeared from behind the sundial platform: "Master Xuan, please forgive me. Feng Wu was afraid of disturbing you..."
"Stop talking nonsense." Feng Yanxuan frowned slightly, knocking his fan bones impatiently on the railing, "Brother, is there something wrong?"
Feng Wu clasped his fists and bowed his head. "The eldest son asked, about that matter... have you told Young Master Yuan?"
The fan bone made a crisp sound between his fingers. Feng Yanxuan closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was full of fatigue. "Go back and tell big brother, I can't say this... I can't say it. Let him do it."
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