Chapter 2, Brothers
Do you not have it
Several officials entered the palace again, and the King of Donghai became increasingly pleased with himself, speaking at length about the rewards and punishments he would dispense as emperor. Suddenly, he fell silent, hurried back to his chair, sat upright with a serious expression, his face filled with sorrow, instantly transforming from arrogance to timidity and sadness
Han Rizi thought that the King of the East Sea would jump up and cheer for victory, but unexpectedly, the King of the East Sea seemed to have changed into a different person. He stood up and, with a voice choked with tears, said: "Your Majesty's brother has unfortunately abandoned the royal family and left the ministers. We are both ignorant young men. If there is anything that can alleviate the Empress Dowager's sorrow, I earnestly hope that you will remind us. May I ask how to address you, Your Excellency?"
The Empress Dowager regards the two princes as her own sons; ordinary people do not have the privilege to stay here. " Zuo Ji smiled slightly, "The Empress Dowager is in the warm chamber across the way; she is very sensitive to noise, so please, the two princes..." Zuo Ji made a gesture to indicate lowering their voices, "If you have any needs, just knock gently on the door.
Han Rizi no longer wished to heed Yang Feng's reminder and quietly said: "The current emperor has not killed the two of us."
Zuo Ji guided the two individuals into the warm chamber to the west. The warm chamber was spacious, with a large bed placed against the wall, complete with bedding. Beneath the window was a long couch.
My mother
Han Rizi stood on the ground, glaring angrily at the King of the East Sea, his cheeks flushed with rage
In the main hall stood seven or eight eunuchs and palace maids, yet there was no sign of the Empress Dowager. Even Han Ruzhi felt that something was amiss. The gaze of the King of Donghai wandered around, and he attempted to inquire several times but ultimately refrained from doing so.
"That is because I have not yet become the emperor." The King of Donghai turned to glance at Han Ruzi, not understanding what was so puzzling about this.
However, the King of the East Sea reassessed Han Rizi, saying, "I see that you are quite decent and relatively honest. Perhaps I can spare your life. I will find a secluded corner in the palace to keep you for a few years. Once my position is stable, I could even grant you a title... No, I cannot make you a king. You shall remain in the palace so that I can see you at any time. Why not become a eunuch instead?"
The King of Donghai furrowed his brow and said, "So what? The Central Attendant is merely a minor official in the palace. I know Yang Feng; he served the Emperor diligently for several years when he was still the Crown Prince. Once the Emperor dies, he will be nothing but a stray dog. However, you have reminded me; once I ascend the throne, I will definitely deal with Yang Feng."
The two half-brothers met like this, without any outsiders, without introductions, and even without familial affection, scrutinizing each other— the later-arriving youth observed a bit more, while Han Rizi quickly lowered his head
General Han Xing, he is a high-ranking member of the royal family and also an honest man. In terms of seniority, he is our great-uncle, just like Prime Minister Yin Wuhai, who dares not take action and can only maintain the status quo. Once I become emperor, I will send him back to the countryside. Although the position of General is merely nominal, it is still a first-rank position that must be entrusted to the most trustworthy person within the royal family, and it certainly will not be you
The King of Donghai jumped down from the chair, placed his hands on his hips, and stood in front of Han Ruzi, "From now on, you must learn to please me, otherwise I will still kill you"
Haha... The King of the East Sea laughed so hard that tears came out, "Are you a fool? In the struggle for power, I am the king, and you are the defeated. Where is your home? You should think about how to please me instead."
Han Rizi was feeling quite perplexed when the door opened, and a young and handsome eunuch entered. He respectfully bowed to the two princes, straightened up, and revealed a faint smile tinged with sadness. "Please, Your Highnesses, follow me. The Empress Dowager has summoned you."
Han Rizi could hardly believe his eyes and felt that he should say something, but in the end, he could not think of a single word, so he had no choice but to follow behind King Donghai and walk outside together
Zuo Ji stood at the door and said softly: "The Empress Dowager is physically and mentally exhausted and cannot meet anyone for the time being"
"Left Inspector Xiao Sheng, haha, he is one of our Cui family members, and he is a sworn enemy of Shen Mingzhi, so he will definitely support me"
Do you have a master
Han Rizi made a sound of acknowledgment, which held no particular meaning. However, the King of the East Sea was enraged, saying, "Do you doubt my words? Our Cui family has held power in the court for over ten years. My grand-aunt was Empress Wu, and had she not passed away early, she would now be the Grand Empress Dowager, and even Empress Shangguan would have to heed her. You have provoked me, and as soon as I ascend the throne, I will have you killed, along with Yang Feng; you are both treacherous ministers."
The King of Donghai stood there in a daze for a while and murmured, "Damn it, dead eunuchs and filthy whores, they have put us under house arrest!"
The ministers wish to establish me as emperor outside the palace, but their courage is too small; they actually sent a group of inexperienced fellows to cause trouble
Han Rizi remained silent for a while, then quickly raised his head and cast a glance at King Donghai, saying, "The Central Attendant Yang Feng brought me into the palace."
Han Rizi was stunned for a moment and then walked ahead
"But you said that the Empress Dowager summoned us," the King of Donghai could not hide his dissatisfaction
The young eunuch smiled and led the two princes away from the west wing, walking along the corridor towards the main hall. The courtyard was empty, and faint sounds of an argument could be heard coming from the east wing across the way
The King of Donghai could no longer hold back, "Lord Zuo, Empress Dowager..."
Please proceed, elder brother. The King of the East Sea humbly stepped aside
"How long do we rest? Are we going to sleep here?" The King of the East Sea was taken aback.
Han Rizi did not want to appear too ignorant, so he interjected, "It should be the Empress Dowager."
This statement further enraged the King of the East Sea, who abruptly turned around, glaring fiercely, "You are truly an annoying fellow, both foolish and inarticulate. Who told you that the Empress Dowager can decide everything? Was it your mother? You both are equally dim-witted. The Empress Dowager's authority derives from the Emperor. Once the Emperor passes away, she can only rely on her own family members. The Shangguan family has been Empress for three years and Empress Dowager for less than half a year, and their relatives in the court have not yet established a solid foundation, lacking even the qualifications to discuss major matters. Unlike our Cui family, whose descendants have been spread throughout the court since the reign of Emperor Wu."
The King of the East Sea scoffed, "Then you don't recognize many characters." After saying this, he turned around to continue observing outside the house. Before long, he excitedly tapped on the door, "My uncle has finally arrived. Cui Hong, you must have heard of him, the Grand Marshal of the Southern Army, half of the military in the capital is under his command. Now I can rest assured, and my master should be at ease as well. Once I ascend to the throne, I will definitely make him the Chancellor sooner or later."
Ah, in today's world? He has already passed away, he has died. He was the only son of the Empress Dowager, and he was also of advanced age, being the legitimate eldest son. None of us can compete with him, so there was no need for him to eliminate all threats. We are different; by birth, I am much more noble than you, and by age, you are slightly older than me, perhaps just a few days. With the death of the Empress Dowager's legitimate son, I should ascend to the throne, but there will always be a few pedantic individuals who speak of 'order of seniority,' causing confusion among the people and forcing me to deal with you.
Zuo Ji exited the room and closed the door behind him
Han Rizi nodded, feeling that the words of the King of the East Sea held a certain degree of truth
The King of the East Sea suddenly fell silent, jumped off his chair, and hurried to the door, peering through the crack to look outside. "The Chancellor Yin Wuhai has arrived; he is a cunning and shrewd character who never steps into the limelight. I expect he will accomplish nothing. Once I become emperor, I will certainly demote him. Of course, I must not be too hasty; I have to wait at least half a year, unlike my father who was too eager for quick results."
Han Rizi shook his head; he held no ill feelings towards the eunuchs, yet he understood that it was a lowly profession
The King of the East Sea thought this was an apology, his feelings somewhat calmed, and his tone softened, "This is all taught to me by my master"
I thought I would encounter a formidable opponent, but you have disappointed me. The voice of the King of the East Sea carried an unexpected maturity and coldness, as he did not glance at his brothers beside him but focused intently on his boots. However, once I become emperor, I will still have to kill you, or at the very least, imprison you, so that you will never see the light of day again. 'Bian He is innocent, but possessing a jade is a crime.' You must understand that as long as you are the son of the emperor, you are a threat to me.
Han Rizi looked at King of the East Sea in astonishment once again
Han Rizi's anger subsided, and he sat back down in his chair, quietly listening. When King Donghai finally fell silent, he asked: "Why did the disciples of the Taixue stop you from entering the palace at Dongqing Gate?"
The King of Donghai spoke incessantly, listing a long string of relatives. According to him, the entire Great Chu Dynasty was supported by the Cui family.
The Right Censorate Shén Míngzhì has arrived, and everyone says he is upright and unyielding. In my view, he is brave but lacks strategy; sometimes, reading too much is not beneficial. He speaks incessantly of grand principles, and he may support you simply because you are a few days older than I am. Do not be complacent; Shén Míngzhì has a very poor reputation in the court, and everyone fears him, yet no one agrees with him. The more he supports you, the less likely you are to become emperor.
The arrival of the two princes in the palace is the greatest comfort to the Empress Dowager. My name is Zuo Ji, and I am merely an ordinary servant within the Empress Dowager's palace
Han Rizi did not raise his head, and after waiting for a while, he said softly: "I want to go home"
"Yang Feng is a treacherous minister. You have no idea how many heinous acts he has committed, enough to warrant execution ten times over." The King of Donghai scoffed disdainfully and returned to his chair, "You truly are ignorant, but I cannot blame you; after all, your mother holds a lowly status, and your father, the Emperor, does not care for you at all... What is it?"
You just said that he does not love to hold an official position
There is no Empress Dowager in the warm chamber
So far, we can consider it a draw; do not be complacent, as it is not these few individuals who will truly determine who can succeed to the throne
The young man is another prince, the King of the East Sea. Although he was also "driven out" of the palace three years ago, he seems to be quite familiar with this place, feeling as comfortable as if he were at home. He walked a few steps to another chair, nestled his body against it, and gently swung his feet off the ground.
The King of the East Sea has been standing at the door, peering outside; he is quite knowledgeable and recognizes all kinds of people
Han Rizi gently swayed his legs, "No wonder you know so many people"
This is the result of being unappreciated. My master is a renowned Confucian scholar in the world, with countless disciples; at least ten of his disciples are now high-ranking officials of the third grade or above. He himself does not enjoy holding an official position, and it was my uncle who had great difficulty in inviting him here. You have no master; who taught you to read and write
The two princes are already in the Empress Dowager's chamber, this is considered a summons. Please let the two princes rest here properly
You must get used to hearing the truth. The King of Donghai is not at all afraid of his elder brother, who is a few days older than him. The fact is, your mother was once a palace maid, and she has no relatives outside. Our family, the Cui family—do you know who my maternal grandfather is? He was the chancellor during the reign of Emperor Wu. My maternal uncle is now the Grand Marshal of the Southern Army, and half of the military forces in the capital are under his command. As for my second uncle...
Han Rizi shook his head
Having heard too many threats, Han Rizi became less afraid. He even wanted to ask a question—why did the King of the East Sea also enter the palace alone? But he held back, becoming increasingly convinced that it was not this boastful "Imperial Brother" who decided everything