The palace attendants nodded meekly, no longer daring to utter a word of dissent. Even if there were those who harbored thoughts of assassination or mischief, the ruthless iron-fisted methods of Nan Ruohuai and the overwhelming might of Qian Ye made it clear that any foolish action would only result in more lives being lost.
Those with insight thought deeper: Qian Ye was the true mastermind. What use would it be to merely kill Nan Ruohuai? If Qian Ye simply pulled out another prince or princess, they could easily claim the throne. If he were to be provoked, he might very well annihilate the entire royal family and then just pick someone at random, claiming them to be the illegitimate child of King Zheng. Who would dare to say otherwise?
Moreover, internal strife for the throne in the State of Zheng was not uncommon. The people in the palace had seen countless such incidents.
Someone tried to clean up the bodies, but Nan Ruohuai raised his hand to stop them. “Leave it as it is! I want everyone to see what happens when they oppose me!”
The eunuch’s body was half-embedded in the hard bluestone floor, yet his upper half remained unharmed, a testament to the terrifying skills of the assailant. Moreover, as the strongest martial artist in the palace, this would certainly deter any others with ill intentions.
With his orders given, Nan Ruohuai ignored his mother and sister, who were still trembling in fear, unable to stand. He bowed respectfully to Qian Ye and said, “Uncle, please follow me!”
Qian Ye gave a cursory nod and followed Nan Ruohuai past the screen wall. First, they passed the king’s chambers, and beside it was the residence of the queen, now occupied by Dowager Shu.
This layout gave Qian Ye a strange feeling. He wondered if Nan Ruohuai had a legitimate wife, but realized that the report from Song Lun provided no information on this. Thus, he put it aside. The two palaces were not large, but they each had courtyards and gardens, a mix of luxury and roughness.
After a cursory inspection, Nan Ruohuai led Qian Ye to a small courtyard. The plaque above the gate read “Yixiang Palace” in exquisite calligraphy, though the inscription was merely passable. The sign was signed by an unknown Zheng king.
The courtyard gates were tightly shut. Nan Ruohuai’s face turned livid, and he charged forward, delivering a kick that shattered the wooden doors into pieces. From within, cries of pain and wailing were heard.
Nan Ruohuai strode in to find a court lady lying on the ground, her face bloodied and badly injured. With his near-battle prowess, the force of his kick was not something an ordinary person could withstand.
Nan Ruohuai glared at the court lady and growled, “You fool! How dare you lock the door on your king! Guards, take this wretch away and throw her into the water dungeon!”
Two eunuchs came forward and dragged the court lady away, her cries and wails fading into the distance.
At this moment, a woman emerged from the main house. Her cold beauty was typical of an ice queen, though a closer look revealed some signs of age, likely in her early thirties.
Her eyes were filled with anger, but she forced a smile. “It’s the Thirty-first Prince. Why so angry today? You’re taking it out on my foolish maid?”
“Prince?”
“Not yet accustomed to changing titles, I should address you as Your Majesty.”
Nan Ruohuai finally nodded. “If you’re so smart, why can’t you get used to the change? If it’s so unwilling, then just call me by my name. It’s just a title, after all.”
The woman bit her lower lip. “I’ve realized my mistake. I hope Your Majesty will not take it to heart.”
Nan Ruohuai’s face darkened. “Since you know your mistake, how should you address yourself?”
“…Your humble servant.”
“That’s right. And how should you greet me?”
Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes as she slowly bent her knees and knelt. Her head lowered, and a few tears fell into the dust.
Satisfied, Nan Ruohuai turned to the eunuch. “Throw that court lady into the Cold Palace, no need for the water dungeon.”
The woman suppressed her sobs and forced a “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Nan Ruohuai turned to Qian Ye. “This is Grand Consort Xue, Father’s favorite concubine during his reign. We usually call her Aunt Xue, though she never really cared for us. If it weren’t for today, she probably wouldn’t even remember the Thirty-first Prince.”
Nan Ruohuai addressed Grand Consort Xue. “Rise.” Then he led Qian Ye directly into the bedroom. Grand Consort Xue watched their retreating backs, her face pale, barely holding back her sobs.
Nan Ruohuai didn’t stop in the parlor but went straight into the bedroom, casually picking up and examining some trinkets. He then opened a side cabinet. Whether intentional or not, the compartment was filled with women’s undergarments. Nan Ruohuai’s expression remained unchanged as he even picked one up for a closer look.
Grand Consort Xue, following them in, blushed and paled, trembling uncontrollably, unsure of what to do.
Nan Ruohuai tossed the undergarment aside and asked Qian Ye, “What do you think of this place? Would you like to stay here tonight?”
Qian Ye stood by the bedroom door, hands behind his back, his expression indifferent. He shook his head.
“Very well, let’s move on. There are four grand consorts in the palace.”
After sending off the unwelcome guest, Grand Consort Xue breathed a sigh of relief, but Nan Ruohuai, just before stepping over the threshold, turned back and gave her a glance that made her face turn ashen.
As they walked, the palace housed four grand consorts and several other consorts. The palace itself was not large, and the harem was even smaller, with a cramped garden squeezed in. The grand consorts’ palaces, though grandly named, were actually small courtyards, with a modest main house and side rooms for attendants. The courtyards also featured tiny flower beds and some furniture, packed tightly.
The other consorts shared similar conditions. Those of higher status shared accommodations, while those of lower status lived in groups of four in a single courtyard.
Learning from the incident with Grand Consort Xue, the other consorts did not dare to close their doors, greeting Nan Ruohuai and Qian Ye with smiles and enthusiasm that seemed more fitting for hostesses than noblewomen.
After a thorough inspection, the four grand consorts were indeed more beautiful than Dowager Shu. The rest of the consorts were lesser, and it seemed that, besides birth, the king’s favor was crucial. However, these women, confined to such a small space, seemed like caged birds, with nothing to do but vie for the king’s affection.
The harem was indeed small, and even with a careful inspection, it didn’t take long to finish the tour. Qian Ye said to Nan Ruohuai, “Let’s talk in the front hall study.”
Since Qian Ye had no interest in lingering in the harem, Nan Ruohuai did not insist and led him to the study. Qian Ye sat in the large chair, while Nan Ruohuai stood respectfully beside him.
Qian Ye said thoughtfully, “Offering the harem to me so openly, aren’t you afraid of being recorded in history?”
Nan Ruohuai replied, “Everything I have now is because of you. In the entire State of Zheng, anything you desire is yours. Without you, who would know of a Thirty-first Prince? You have bestowed great grace upon me, and the harem is nothing compared to that.”
Qian Ye neither confirmed nor denied this. “How is your father?”
“He hasn’t been found yet. My second brother, along with a few other brothers, secretly moved him out of the palace and hid him somewhere. This is a secret matter, and unless we capture their leaders, it’s unlikely to extract any information from their followers. However, I believe he is still within the capital.”
Qian Ye was slightly surprised. “They protected the king because of my challenge to the state preceptor?”
Nan Ruohuai sneered. “You overestimate them! My brothers wouldn’t do such a good deed. I questioned my father’s close attendants and learned that he had left the palace a month ago. The second brother took control of the government, supported by the state preceptor, virtually acting as regent. They are afraid that if Father regains his senses, he will resume governance. If he chooses another brother as the heir, what will they do? Could they really rebel? Unlike me, they care about what history says.”
Qian Ye was genuinely surprised. “You mean they imprisoned your father while he was still alive?”
If he were already under house arrest, the old king’s fate was sealed. If he doesn’t recover, he might die naturally. If he does, he might still end up “dying without illness.”
Qian Ye gained a new perspective on the State of Zheng. Compared to this, Nan Hua’s nature was much better.
“How do you plan to handle this?”
Nan Ruohuai thought for a moment. “First, I must find my father, which means controlling the capital and conducting a thorough search. My second brother’s remaining followers will likely resort to extreme measures to harm Father and pin the blame on me. But I cannot let his body fall into their hands.”
“True. What next? Several key cities are still in the hands of your brothers. What do you intend to do?”
Nan Ruohuai appeared confident. “I have already secured most of the Imperial Guard, and the city guard has sworn allegiance to me. The Imperial Guard is the most elite force in the State of Zheng. With the Imperial Guard at my disposal, eliminating my brothers’ forces will be easy. I can handle this, no need for you to worry.”
Qian Ye smiled faintly. “So, you plan to pacify the State of Zheng yourself?”
Nan Ruohuai flinched, his confidence waning. “Isn’t that what you want, for me to achieve something on the throne of Zheng?”
Qian Ye’s expression remained unchanged. “If that’s what you think, it’s fine. It’s late. We’ll discuss this further tomorrow.”
Nan Ruohuai said, “Shall I arrange a place for you to rest in the harem?”
Qian Ye shook his head. “No need. I’ll return to the warship. I also need to discuss some matters with Song Lun and the others.”
Disappointment flashed in Nan Ruohuai’s eyes, but he respectfully escorted Qian Ye to the palace gates, watching the carriage drive away before turning back.
Returning to the study, Nan Ruohuai instinctively moved to sit in the side chair, but halfway through, he realized his mistake and marched to the desk, sinking heavily into the chair Qian Ye had just vacated. The action was almost like falling into it.
An old eunuch serving in the room approached, his voice low and mysterious. “Your Majesty, it’s a pity that person didn’t stay in the palace.”
Nan Ruohuai was somewhat dazed. “Yes.”
The old eunuch lowered his voice further. “The palace has an ancient formula, creating a colorless, odorless poison. It shows no effect initially, but after an hour, it becomes extremely deadly. Even a master of great cultivation cannot survive for more than half a minute.”
Nan Ruohuai’s heart raced, his mouth dry. “This… this poison…”
“This poison has a unique property: the longer it is stored, the more potent it becomes. The palace has a bottle that has been kept for fifty years!”
“You mean…”
“Your Majesty already holds great power, with the Imperial Guard’s loyalty. The situation is stable. Your brothers can’t stir up any trouble. So, why should you be constrained by others?”
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