Huo Ling fulfilled his promise, and Huo Can finally entered the Imperial Guards. However, it wasn't because of Huo Ling's theory of "how can he know pain if he never hits the south wall?" to King Anle, but because King Anle got his promise.
As the Crown Prince, Huo Ling decided to put Huo Can in the Imperial Guards, making him a member of the yet to be added Yiluan Division. Huo Can put on the flying fish uniform and held the embroidered spring knife, but the "crusades" he had anticipated had nothing to do with him.
Meeting Huo Can's request and not offending King Anle, Huo Ling felt particularly smart — he was indeed a good Crown Prince who would neither hold grudges nor care for his companion.
Feeling great about himself, Huo Ling didn't notice the complex and subtle emotional changes in Huo Can. When he saw Huo Can on duty at the palace, he patted his nephew's shoulder and imitated the Emperor's concern for Huo Can, "Alright, nephew, do well!"
"I've arranged for you a good position. You might catch the Emperor's eye sometime and step straight into the peak of life, instead of being just a mere companion to me."
"See, how good I am to you?" Huo Ling even winked at Huo Can.
Huo Can: "..."
Indeed, Huo Ling had arranged a good position for Huo Can. Otherwise, King Anle wouldn't have given Huo Ling a gift after the fact. However, what Huo Can wanted was not this kind of life. But before he could articulate his real wish at home, his family members, appearing self-righteous, replied with "Haven't you already entered the Imperial Guards? What more do you want?" and blocked everything he wanted to say. In the end, Huo Can could only choose to remain silent.
Gradually, Huo Ling began to adapt to life in the Yiluan Division and became satisfied with the routine.
Until that day —
It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining and no clouds in sight, and Huo Can happened to be on duty at Qianqing Palace. As he heard the Palace Guards quietly discussing how long the Crown Prince would "hang around," just as he was about to join in and express, "I think the Crown Prince can last half an hour," the wind suddenly calmed.
The sky and earth seemed to still, and the scent of blood wafted in the air.
The Palace Guards beside him suddenly stiffened, with a few who boasted about seeing blood beginning to tremble, and those who remained had visibly paled. Huo Ling followed their gaze and turned his head, his pupils involuntarily shrinking.
In the highest-grade black flying fish uniform, Ye Xiao was expressionless as he held the embroidered spring knife in one hand and the still-bleeding head of a person in the other, walking calmly towards them.
Despite holding a knife and a head, there was no one to stop him.
Ye Xiao's demeanor was stern, without a trace of murderous intent, as he strolled leisurely through the solemn and imposing imperial palace.
At that moment, Huo Can suddenly understood why people turned pale at the mention of the Imperial Guards. As he watched Ye Xiao pass by without looking sideways at them, and heard the breath of the people around him relax noticeably as Ye Xiao departed, he instinctively placed his hand on his chest.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The strong heartbeat could be felt through his palm placed on his chest, coursing through his blood and marrow, resonating in his soul, one beat after another. Even his gradually cooling blood began to warm up.
As he watched Ye Xiao's figure, Huo Can slowly lowered his eyes and finally made a firm decision.
On the other hand, Ye Xiao had no idea that his presence had become a turning point for someone's fate. He was simply following the Emperor's command, carrying the head of a criminal executed earlier that morning, nonchalantly entering the hall.
"Look at your cousin. With someone like him protecting you, what do you have to fear?" The Emperor pointed to Ye Xiao, who even when kneeling seemed imposing, and spoke to Huo Ling with obvious impatience. "Aside from Ye Xiao, there are people secretly protecting you. I'm sending you to rise up, not to die. What are you afraid of?" Having been driven to forget all decorum by Huo Ling's actions, the Emperor was no longer careful with his words.
Having the fortune to hear the Emperor speak in such a manner, Ye Xiao thought, "..." What had happened before he arrived? Why was the Emperor so angry?
Asserting himself, Huo Ling said, "I'm afraid of dying, what's wrong with that?"
Despite the Emperor's continued intention to have Huo Ling oversee the Yellow River conservation project, Huo Ling, who always trusted his intuition, felt that something would go wrong if he went. Moreover, he was someone who would avoid trouble whenever possible. As soon as he thought about all the trouble associated with going far away, no matter how much the Emperor assured him, Huo Ling simply refused to go.
With so many capable officials, why did they want him to take the lead?
The unapproachable Huo Ling couldn't understand the Emperor's good intentions. Whenever he spoke frankly, he became difficult, and when he spoke lightly, he immediately became more demanding, forcing the confused Emperor to come up with a method that made the executor feel inexplicably strange — letting Ye Xiao demonstrate his "cruelty" to Huo Ling to explain the logic of "having Ye Xiao, what are you afraid of."
Thus, what Huo Can saw outside Qianqing Palace was all an illusion.
Without the permission of the emperor, which Jinyiwei would dare to bring a sword into the palace without being stopped? As for the few Imperial Guards who turned pale because of the presence of Ye Xiao, it was not only because of Ye Xiao's imposing manner, but also because Ye Xiao had left a psychological shadow on them... Under various coincidences, this led to Huo Can's misunderstanding.
However, all of this had nothing to do with the people inside the palace who were arguing loudly.
Huo Ling's gaze swept over the knife in Ye Xiao's hand and the unyielding head of the deceased, muttering in dissatisfaction, "Father, didn't you promise not to let my cousin protect me closely?" In addition to discussing whether to go or not with his own father, Huo Ling also didn't forget about what the emperor had promised.
"Did I ask him to protect you closely?" Once again, Huo Ling's logic derailed the emperor, who then continued, "I asked him to be responsible for your safety."
"Is there a difference?"
"I say there is." With that, the emperor finally reacted, looking at Huo Ling as if he hadn't done anything, and Huo Jian, furious, laughed, "One word, yes or no?"
"No!"
"You're not going? This is disobedience!"
Always mindful of the lazy fish... oh, no, the dream of idle king, Huo Ling said, "Then just abolish my title as crown prince!"
"Why do I have a son like you?"
"I also want to know."
Happening to witness the interaction between the emperor and Huo Ling, Ye Xiao thought, "..." How could his well-behaved Huo Ling be so "stubborn"?
No one answered Ye Xiao's doubts. As the most "cruel" figure in the palace, Ye Xiao had no presence at all.
The father and son started arguing again, while the steward on the side looked helpless. After persuading the emperor and then trying to calm down Prince Huo Ling, all they wanted was for the two to calm down and avoid doing anything that would hurt each other. However, trying to please both sides resulted in making no one happy, with one person glaring at him and saying, "Do you still remember your identity?" while the other turned his head and gave him a light smack on the head, leaving him speechless with a nonchalant "Oh."
Among the three people, there was a lively atmosphere.
Ye Xiao, who had no presence at all, looked at the head in his hand... no, he glanced at the head in his hand, then cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report to you."
The emperor was still angry and did not hear Ye Xiao's words.
Unfazed, Ye Xiao repeated, "Your Majesty, I have something to report to you."
"Your Majesty?"
"Your Majesty!"
Several "Your Majesty" finally made the Emperor, who was busy persuading (arguing with) Huo Ling, realize that there was a person named Ye Xiao in the hall. He cleared his throat uneasily and pretended that his "wise and martial" demeanor had been there all along, "Oh, you're still... cough," swallowing the word "here," Huo Jian sat back on the throne and asked indifferently, "What do you have to report?"
Ye Xiao seemed as if he hadn't seen or heard anything just now. He glanced at Huo Ling, who was still pouting with his arms crossed, and found that the Emperor had no intention of asking Huo Ling to leave, so Ye Xiao withdrew his gaze and continued, "Your Majesty, there is news about the illegitimate child of Prince Zhao."
The Emperor's expression suddenly turned cold, "Where?"
"In the Yinan region."
The Emperor's plan to send Huo Ling to Yanchi County was in the Yinan region.
Huo Ling, on the other hand, was a bit out of it. He looked from the Emperor to Ye Xiao, completely puzzled by their stern expressions, until the steward reminded him in a low voice. Only then did Huo Ling fully realize - the illegitimate child of Prince Zhao referred to his third brother, who had died a miserable death.
Could it be that Li-ge's news was actually true? Then, was the death of the former Crown Prince also because of his third brother?
Before he could continue thinking, Huo Ling shook his head to stop his own thoughts. Realizing that the place the Emperor had sent him to was indeed in the Yinan region, he felt he had every reason to speak up, "Father, I said I definitely wouldn't just be overseeing the Yellow River's management when I went there. You still don't believe my instincts and accuse me of finding excuses." While complaining casually, Huo Ling added, "If the illegitimate child of my third brother is already known, wouldn't news of the rebels be far behind?"
"What did you say?"
Perplexed, Huo Ling blinked, "Did I say something just now?"
Standing up with his hands on the desk, Empoer Huo Jian stared at Huo Ling intently, his voice cold and stern, "Repeat what you just said."
"I said... if my third brother has an illegitimate child, shouldn't news of the rebels be far behind?" Huo Ling tilted his head, "What's wrong? I was just saying it casually, don't take it seriously, I was just talking nonsense." Fearful that the Emperor would take him seriously, Huo Ling hurriedly added, "Really, I was just talking nonsense."
The Emperor slowly withdrew his gaze from Huo Ling and locked eyes with Ye Xiao, who had just looked up.
The reclusive Princess Anyang, the half-disappearance of Zhao Wang's forces after his death, and the so-called "illegitimate child" - in an instant, all the clues lined up.
Perhaps, it really was as Huo Ling had said?
Author's note:
1. "Yiluanfu," the name of an official office. In the first year of the Kai Ping reign of the Later Chus (Southern Dynasties), the office of the Tung Ho-yuan was changed to the Yiluanfu, which was in charge of maintaining records of the imperial larder and ordnance. The Shangshu temple of the Song Dynasty housed the Yiluanfu, which was in charge of the emperor's sacrificial rites and the imperial court. In the early Ming Dynasty, it belonged to the office of the General of the Guards (who oversaw the Yiluanfu and was in charge of managing the emperor's ceremonial procession and guarding). It was abolished in the fifteenth year of the Hongwu era (1382) and replaced with the Jinyiwei.
The Jinyiwei in this story is different from that of the Ming Dynasty. It is a department established by the founding emperor, Huo Xin, in times of emergency, with functions similar to those of special forces. During peacetime, the Jinyiwei of the Great Zhou Dynasty became more like a "convenient tool" (what a weird description?) - wherever there was a need, they would be there, whether for trivial matters or for wiping out families... In general, it was not as exaggerated as the Jinyiwei of the Ming Dynasty, but it still had a certain intimidating aura.
The hall suddenly fell silent, and the Emperor and Ye Xiao turned to look at Huo Ling simultaneously, which made him feel present again, but... why did the gazes of the Emperor and his cousin make him so nervous? Huo Ling couldn't help but shrink back, "Did I ask an inappropriate question?"
"No," the Emperor, approving of Huo Ling's new line of thinking, couldn't help but show a hint of approval. "You asked a good question." With that, he instructed Ye Xiao, "Investigate An's."
"Yes."
As Ye Xiao was casually ordered, the Emperor, his peripheral vision noticing Huo Ling, who was being praised and massaging the back of his head with a grin, brought to his mind a question he had often pondered but never found an answer to: is the Crown Prince truly foolish or just acting?
Just as the Emperor was about to ask Huo Ling's opinion to test him, feeling both hungry and unwilling to continue staying, Huo Ling, as if generously stretching, expressed, "Since you, Father, are not planning to let me go far, I won't disturb you any longer."
The Emperor: "..." Even though he didn't give any indication, he still didn't want to admit that Huo Ling was truly "foolish."
Before the Emperor could speak, Huo Ling very conscientiously reached out and hooked the Chief Steward An's shoulder, "Dearest Chief Steward An, kindly 'escort' me out."
The Chief Steward An instinctively stole a glance at the Emperor above, and finding no objection or hindrance, he then rolled his eyes and smiled at Huo Ling, and then proceeded to "escort" him out of the Dry Clear Palace.
After Huo Ling and the Chief Steward An had both left, the Emperor, seated at the top, looked at the pile of accusations against the Crown Prince on the table. Supporting his aching head with one hand, he muttered, "Crown Prince, is there still a way out?" He wasn't sure if he was asking himself or Ye Xiao standing below.
The respectful Ye Xiao pursed his lips and, in disagreement with the Emperor's thoughts, felt it necessary to speak up for his cousin, "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much."
"Oh?"
"The Crown Prince is so well-behaved, he will definitely satisfy you."
"…?"
Seeing Ye Xiao's sincere thoughts, the Emperor suddenly felt at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he changed the subject directly, "Do you think Huo Yang's matter involves Huo Huan's interference?"
Although Ye Xiao wanted to say a few more words in support of Huo Ling, he ultimately swallowed his original intention, for whatever reason the Emperor didn't show any strange reactions. After pondering the question the Emperor asked, he then expressed his analysis to the Emperor, who was sitting quietly at the top, with an inscrutable expression.
As Ye Xiao analyzed, the furrowed brows of the Emperor gradually relaxed. With the information Ye Xiao had found, the Emperor had already started considering replacing Huo Ling and sending someone else to administer the Yellow River in Yanchi County.
However—
During the morning court, just when everyone was still debating who would go to Yanchi County, before the Emperor found the right time to intervene, almost half of the ministers in the court felt that the Crown Prince Huo Ling was the best choice.
A didn't like B, B didn't like C, and C had conflicts with A. In addition to this, although the Emperor had not shown his stance, he had hinted at some intentions—unbeknownst to the public that Huo Jian had changed his mind, in a situation where some suggested and others fueled the fire, Crown Prince Huo Ling, who had no vested interest with any party, became the best choice for the ministers.
Many ministers, who considered themselves loyal to the Emperor and the people, proposed and agreed that the Crown Prince should lead the Yellow River project. However, after the Crown Prince was confirmed as the leading figure, there were still many issues that needed the unified opinion of the ministers, such as—whom should the Crown Prince take with him?
Considering the Crown Prince's abilities, coupled with their own vested interests, the ministers who were gradually unifying their opinions and supporting the Crown Prince started bickering again.
Sitting on the throne, watching the lively debate below, the Emperor couldn't help but curl his lips lightly. Even though he did not show his stance or make a sound, the court was just as "interesting" as ever.
His gaze swept over Li Gongming, the Director of Works, who was the first to propose having the Crown Prince lead the Yellow River project. He couldn't judge the man's intentions. Then, his gaze fell on where Huo Ling, who should be standing, was, but now he was not there. The Emperor supported his aching head with one hand and leaned against the throne, closing his eyes to rest, letting the ministers below "quarrel" as they pleased.
"Your Majesty?"
As the ministers grew excited and raised their heads, they suddenly saw the Emperor, who was resting his eyes on the throne, and the sound of the argument instantly stopped.
With this "Your Majesty," some ministers also came to their senses, instinctively falling silent.
The hall returned to calm, and the Emperor, now opening his eyes, scanned the entire hall before coldly saying, "What's the matter? Don't stop arguing on my account."
He had intended to give Huo Ling some golden touches, but after recommending his son, the court had started discussing whether the Crown Prince was suitable, and then they began planning what the Crown Prince should do and who he should take with him. Did he really have so little influence?
Why had things turned out this way?
Apart from their vested interests and positions, the reason was also that Crown Prince Huo Ling was not the former Crown Prince, Huo Li.
Huo Jian once again realized—Huo Ling could not fall before he was able to stand on his own.
With that thought, the Emperor straightened up, and with a cold tone, asked the bickering ministers, "Continue, make a decision after you've finished arguing. I, as the Emperor, don't need to exist."
The Emperor didn't erupt in anger, but all the ministers who had been looked at by him couldn't help but shiver, and the next moment, they quickly knelt down to ask for forgiveness, "Your Majesty, forgive us."
In succession, the hall was filled with apologies. At this perfect moment, the Crown Prince, who had arrived late, walked in.
Upon seeing the grand scene, Huo Ling, who shifted back a little at the sight, subconsciously wanted to turn and leave, but the Emperor, who was seated high and had already noticed him, called out directly, "Crown Prince."
Pausing his steps, Huo Ling realized he couldn't avoid it and dutifully turned back. Navigating through the prostrate ministers who were unaware of the situation and appeared relaxed, he walked past his father-in-law, Liu Yuanjie, and even gave him a wink.
Completely undisturbed by the atmosphere in the hall, and without any awareness of being late, Huo Ling walked to his usual position and cleared his throat, as well as politely greeted the Emperor sitting at the top.
That casual and relaxed demeanor almost made it seem like he was about to ask, "Have you eaten?"
This "greeting" directly changed the cold atmosphere in the hall, and as the Emperor relaxed his brows, many ministers heaved a sigh of relief.
Without allowing the kneeling ministers to rise, the Emperor, looking at the seemingly relaxed Crown Prince below, asked carefully, "They think you are very suitable. Crown Prince, what do you think?"
—Regardless of whatever decision you make, I will support you.
Although this was not said directly, even the often misguided Huo Ling easily understood his father's intention.
However, to avoid inadvertently trapping himself, Huo Ling felt it necessary to first understand the situation before speaking, "What do I think? But I don't know anything. How can I have an opinion?"
"So, can someone brief me on the situation?"
No one answered Huo Ling's question.
The Emperor furrowed his brows and gazed wordlessly at Huo Ling—so you just walked into the hall without knowing anything? Was the person I specifically arranged outside the hall, An De, just standing guard for no reason?
Huo Ling shrugged and looked back at the Emperor with a candid gaze—He didn't want to hear An De's ramblings, and didn't he just come as an unobtrusive observer? Why did he need to know so much?
Locking eyes with the Emperor, Huo Ling, who was eyeing his dream of "lying flat"… no, his kingly dream, hadn't forgotten it even today.
The Deputy Supervisor, who felt like crying outside the hall: "... I didn't expect His Highness to be so fast, I couldn't catch up with him even when I tried."
All the momentum collapsed under Huo Ling's calm demeanor.
Pressing the sudden pain in his temple, Huo Jian leaned back on the dragon throne, tiredly waving his hand, "Li Gongming, since you suggested it first, you talk to the Crown Prince."
Huo Ling then looked at Li Gongming and grinned at him, seemingly genuine but also a bit foolish in Li Gongming's eyes.
Considering Huo Ling's reaction since he entered the hall, Li Gongming couldn't help but doubt himself at this moment, wondering if he recommended the wrong person.