Everyone echoed their agreement.
By stepping back, the focus shifted to Prince Yu and the Emperor. Prince Yu would have to negotiate with the Emperor if he wanted to keep his position.
Yan Shifan considered the situation several times and felt it was manageable, but there was one aspect he couldn't afford to neglect: Prince Jing.
He had been searching for Prince Jing for days but couldn't find him. The Emperor seemed aware of spies within the Chaotian Temple and hadn't placed Prince Jing there. He wasn't in the palace either. In the vast capital city, once Prince Jing arrived, all news of him vanished.
“Old Luo has gone to handle his business, but you shouldn’t be idle either. We still need to find Zhu Xue. Don't let him collude with others and betray us.”
He wasn't worried about other things, only that Zhu Xue might become as resolute as Prince Jing. If he conspired with the Emperor, it would be a major problem.
Zhao Wenhua said, “Don’t worry, Young Grand Secretary. My subordinates have already sent people to search all the Taoist temples and large compounds in the capital. He can't escape us. If all else fails, we can spread rumors that this Prince Jing is a fake. Then he’ll have no choice but to come to us.”
Good!
Excellent!
Yan Song nodded and said, “That’s right. Putting more thought into it shows talent.”
At this moment, he felt truly gratified. In the past two years, it was only now that he felt his subordinates were truly capable. If these individuals performed well in this grand play, victory would surely be theirs.
Meanwhile, in the backyard of a brothel in the capital, the large red gate was tightly shut. Separated only by a narrow alley from the brothel, it felt worlds away from the mundane. In the courtyard, bathed in the warm afternoon autumn sun, a pale and slender young man was stretching his limbs, while two imperial physicians nodded in satisfaction beside him.
This young man was, of course, Prince Jing, Zhu Zaizhen. Despite the capital's vastness and the Yan family's overwhelming influence, no one could have imagined that the esteemed Prince Jing was not in the palace, the Chaotian Temple, or the residences of princes and ministers, but was instead hiding in the backyard of a brothel.
Of the two imperial physicians, the younger one was Li Shizhen, and the other was Tao Zhongwen’s nephew, named Tao Anliang.
For the past few days, they had been eating and living in the courtyard, tending to Prince Jing daily. All errands for medicine and supplies were handled by the brothel’s errand boys, naturally avoiding any suspicion. Furthermore, the surrounding residential houses, including the brothel itself, were under the surveillance of the Eastern Depot. Hidden amidst the bustling city and under strict protection, the arrangement was considered foolproof.
Prince Jing had been recovering rapidly over the past few days, not only regaining his senses but also gradually regaining strength. Feigning madness for so many years had caused immense damage to his mind and body. Although he had endured it, there was little difference between him and a truly madman.
At this moment, after completing a set of Baguanjin, he felt refreshed, but his anxiety only grew. After all, with his recovery, the Emperor would soon summon him. His deep ambition now made him somewhat fearful, as the timing was not yet optimal. Although Prince Yu was already faltering, he was still a step away from falling. Prince Jing knew his Taoist father’s character all too well; until the last moment, no one could predict any reversals. To expect to be enthroned immediately was wishful thinking, not only illusory but also extremely dangerous. If the Taoist Emperor perceived his ambition, all his efforts would be in vain.
As for the Yan family, it was inconvenient to meet them frequently, especially since he was impersonating Zhu Xue. Too many meetings could easily lead to discovery.
These were manageable, but Prince Yu was the most dangerous!
He understood his third brother very well. That man possessed a stubborn resilience and would dare to do anything if pushed to the brink. He could say with certainty that the person who most wanted him dead right now was Prince Yu. It was possible that Prince Yu was currently searching for him all over the city. Among everyone, he still respected Zhu Mo. The last time at the Prince of Anluo’s mansion, he wondered how Zhu Mo and Xu Wei had arrived. Xu Wei had not noticed anything, but Zhu Mo seemed to have caught on to something. However, this young man was exceptionally deep in thought and had not revealed a single clue. If this person was indeed a member of the royal family, as the rumors suggested, then he would be the greatest enemy…
From this point onward, he needed to be even more cautious and proceed slowly. Therefore, his condition should not fully recover yet; he needed to retain a trace of illness to buy time. Then, he would have to find an opportunity to go out and contact his former subordinates, preparing them to be his assets when the time came…
With this thought, he deliberately swayed, appearing to be lacking in vitality, and weakly said, "Doctor Li, I, I feel a bit dizzy…"
He was accustomed to feigning madness. Now, his breathing became weak, and even his pulse grew faint. Li Shizhen felt his pulse for a while, then shook his head. "Anliang, this illness still has a root… His vital energy cannot be too weak, nor too strong, as either extreme could affect the heart's chronic condition…"
Nodding, Tao Anliang, although also an imperial physician, was far inferior to Li Shizhen. His presence here was merely to assist. He immediately nodded and said, "Doctor Li, shouldn't we report this to the Emperor without delay?"
Li Shizhen replied, "No hurry. Eunuch Lü said that the patient must have the root of his illness removed. Given the frequent relapses, how can we report it?"
Their joy turned to concern, and they began discussing the illness again. Prince Jing, however, secretly smiled. He leaned back on the reclining chair, closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep after a brief period of swaying.
As night fell, he subdued a young servant, stuffed his mouth with cloth, tied him up, and locked him in the wardrobe. He then changed into the servant’s clothes, disguised himself with pillows and bedding, and, carrying a basket, left the residence with the other laborers.
Li Shizhen and Tao Anliang, being medical officials, had instructed that the patient should not be disturbed during his rest. Thus, no one entered the inner chambers. The Eastern Depot agents hiding in the surrounding darkness saw no activity in the residence and naturally did not intervene. Consequently, in the entire courtyard, no one knew that Prince Jing had left.
Prince Jing had lived in the capital for over ten years and was extremely familiar with it. He navigated through alleys, and within half an hour, he arrived at a small courtyard. Turning into a deep alley, he soon spotted an unpretentious residence with a black, unadorned gate. Only a faint light flickered within.
Prince Jing knocked a few times. An old man with a hunched back, holding a lantern, slowly approached. With a creak, the gate opened. Upon looking up, the old man exclaimed as if he had seen a ghost, grabbed Prince Jing’s arm, and said in a raspy voice, "You, you, you are… that person?"
Tears welled up in Prince Jing’s eyes, and he choked out, "Eunuch Ge, it's me…"
The old man was Ge Jing, who had managed the Directorate of Imperial Furniture and also supervised the Nine Gates Imperial Guard. When the capital garrisons were reorganized, the Imperial Guard was returned to Lü Fang's personal command. He then resigned from his post at the Directorate of Imperial Furniture and retired to his home. Unknown to many, Ge Jing had been extremely fond of Prince Jing in his youth and had taken great care of him. Prince Jing also regarded him as family. It could be said that in this vast capital, Ge Jing was the first person Prince Jing thought of as family.
At this moment, Ge Jing held up his lantern and examined him for a long time. Although the person was dressed as a servant, his features were clearly recognizable. Wasn't this the mischievous child from years ago?
What kind of person was he? He had weathered countless storms in his life. He immediately thought of the recent rumors and knew the immense tragedy that had befallen this child years ago. He had somehow survived through hardships and was now well. Ge Jing was immensely grateful. Moreover, this child had always been the most astute; it would truly be strange if he appeared in a serious manner. At this thought, tears streamed down his face, and he choked out, "Your Highness, you have a great life! Woo woo woo!"
Prince Jing suppressed his tears, helped him in, gently closed the door, and followed the bamboo path.
Ge Jing had served as a record keeper, a position second only to elders like Lü Fang and Huang Zhong. However, he lived a frugal life and did not command servants. His household was managed by only three or four solitary individuals. He had no children and did not associate with many people, though he had a few friends who rarely visited.
He led Prince Jing to a seat, personally poured tea, and asked about the entire ordeal. Prince Jing regarded him as the most reliable person and confided everything. As Ge Jing listened to the more painful parts, they both wept and sobbed. After a long conversation, Prince Jing finally stated his purpose, saying, "Esteemed Ge, I need a few reliable people now. There are things I must guard against."
Ge Jing nodded and said, "This old servant understands, understands."