Chapter 81 Everyone Has Secrets

If the military defeats in Suzhou and Changzhou brought a sense of relief and satisfaction to Han Xizai, then Sun Sheng was undoubtedly the person who profited the most from the aftermath. Feng Yanji was forced to step down from his post as chancellor, and Sun Sheng was appointed in his place, taking charge of vital affairs. This elevation allowed Sun Sheng to finally hold his head high. Ever since the first year of the Baodai era, when the crown prince ascended the throne and Li Jingsui secretly plotted against him, leading to Sun Sheng's demotion as the Military Governor of Shuzhou, he had harbored a deep resentment toward the Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui.

Consequently, Sun Sheng was a staunch supporter of Li Hongji, the Prince of Dongping. Given Li Jingsui's attitude toward him, if that man were to become the heir apparent or even the sovereign, would Sun Sheng ever know another peaceful day? This time, Han Xizai had secured a resounding victory; the faction of Feng Yanji saw its members demoted or forced to resign in droves, and the seat of the chancellor was surrendered without a fight. Only the old fox Song Qiqiu remained, still struggling tenaciously to hold his ground.

Sun Sheng felt the need to press the advantage, secure further victories, and accumulate greater influence to pave the way for the Prince of Dongping to seize the legitimate succession. He already had several notions taking shape in his mind, but they required discussion with Li Hongji, which brought him to the Prince's residence. However, upon his arrival, Li Hongji was nowhere to be found.

After a brief moment of thought, Sun Sheng decided to wait in the side parlor. As a frequent guest at the Prince of Dongping's mansion, he was well-known to the household staff, who simply allowed him to proceed as he pleased. Servants brought in tea, and a steward stayed to keep him company in idle chatter. Before long, Li Hongji arrived, a faint smile gracing his features.

"The Prince of Dongping appears in high spirits; might there be some auspicious news?" Sun Sheng asked with a chuckle, stroking his graying beard.

Seeing a cup of tea on the small table, Li Hongji hastily picked it up and drained it in a single gulp before replying, "That Zeng Yiling of the Xiaoxiang Pavilion truly harbors suspicious motives."

Sun Sheng blinked in surprise and asked, "What kind of suspicious motives? This old minister has heard rumors that Your Highness holds a certain romantic interest in her. Is there any truth to that?"

"I do indeed hold a certain interest in her, but not in the way you imagine." Li Hongji laughed, a strange and eerie laugh bearing no resemblance to his demeanor of barely an hour prior. Noticing Sun Sheng's perplexity, he continued, "I suspect that Zeng Yiling is connected with the remnants of the former dynasty."

"The remnants of the former dynasty?" Sun Sheng inquired.

"Indeed, the remnants of the former dynasty." Li Hongji repeated, his voice growing solemn. "Three years ago, I received intelligence that a secret gathering place of the former regime's remnants existed within the city. Unrepentant, they harbored delusions of overthrowing the imperial court. Armed with this intelligence, I secretly led troops to surround the location, only to find that the scoundrels had been tipped off and fled beforehand, rendering all my efforts fruitless at the very threshold of success. Over the years, I have continuously tracked their movements, and from all appearances, Zeng Yiling is highly likely to be one of them."

Sun Sheng drew a sharp breath; these revelations left him deeply shaken. Had Li Hongji truly undertaken such an endeavor in the past? Not only was he unaware of it, but in all likelihood, very few people knew.

"That Zeng Yiling's origins remain obscure. Much like that fellow Yang Lian, information regarding her is exceedingly scarce. She appeared in Jinling quite abruptly, and her movements are shrouded in strangeness. How could one fail to be on guard against her?" Li Hongji added.

Sun Sheng narrowed his eyes, stroking his beard in deep contemplation as he searched for a strategy to defeat the Prince of Qi, Li Jingsui.

Li Hongji went on, "Not long ago, I spotted Zeng Yiling and Yang Lian together at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, locked in what appeared to be a clandestine discussion. Viewed in this light, the two of them share secrets that cannot bear the light of day."

Sun Sheng was deeply moved, and he ventured, "Does Your Highness mean to suggest that this Yang Lian is none other than the former crown prince, Yang Lian?"

"This Yang Lian's facial features differ from that person's; perhaps he is not." Unconvinced in his own mind, Li Hongji replied, "Even though the probability of him being that person is low, one crucial detail demands our attention: not only is he acquainted with Zeng Yiling, but his association with the Prince of Qi runs remarkably deep."

Nodding, Sun Sheng said, "This old minister comprehends Your Highness's intent. To strike at Yang Lian is to sever the Prince of Qi's left and right arms, rendering him powerless to spread his wings. Furthermore, since Yang Lian and Zeng Yiling appear to share a deep bond and are likely accomplices, we might well begin our approach through Zeng Yiling."

Li Hongji nodded in agreement and asked, "Precisely so, Chancellor Sun. Do you have any sound counsel to offer?"

After a brief reflection, Sun Sheng proposed, "Zeng Yiling's superficial identity is merely that of a courtesan at the Xiaoxiang Pavilion. If she were to be detained, it is quite likely that quite a few hidden figures would reveal themselves out of panic."

Li Hongji pursed his lips in thought. Sun Sheng's proposal certainly possessed practical merit, but who should carry it out? Although Li Hongji possessed a certain standing within the military, deploying military forces to execute this scheme would expose his true strength prematurely—an unwise move. Moreover, if the official entrusted with the task lacked high rank, he might fail to suppress Yang Lian or the forces standing behind Zeng Yiling.

Hesitating for a brief moment, Li Hongji ultimately chose to shake his head and dismiss the idea. "While this might indeed flush out those standing behind Zeng Yiling, for the time being, it offers me no significant advantage."

Unwilling to relent, Sun Sheng insisted, "Your Highness, one cannot make omelets without breaking eggs; a resolute man of action must be decisive and never falter in hesitation!"

Li Hongji nodded. "I have already formulated a plan for this matter; execution should take place within the next few days."

At that moment, Han Xizai hurried into the room. Startled to find Sun Sheng already present, he exclaimed, "Chancellor Sun, have you too received the news?"

Frowning, Sun Sheng asked, "What news?"

Stroking his beard with a grave expression, Han Xizai replied, "It would appear that His Majesty has reached a final decision."

Confused, Li Hongji asked, "What on earth is this news?"

Collecting his thoughts, Han Xizai said, "An hour ago, His Majesty summoned me and discussed the matter of establishing the heir apparent."

Sun Sheng's smile vanished, and Li Hongji's countenance grew equally solemn. The succession—those two simple words were enough to tense the hearts of both men. Had all their strenuous efforts not been directed solely toward securing victory in the succession struggle?

Both men stared intently at Han Xizai, hoping the news he brought was favorable.

Instead, Han Xizai shook his head and said, "His Majesty summoned me today with the intention of designating the Prince of Qi as the Imperial Younger Brother, and he asked for my opinion."

"How did you respond?" Sun Sheng demanded urgently, while Li Hongji's breathing turned ragged.

Waving a hand, Han Xizai replied, "What else could I say? His Majesty's inclination has not formed overnight. I merely submitted to His Majesty that since His Majesty and the Prince of Qi are roughly of the same generation, and given the Prince of Qi's gentle disposition, he is ill-suited to serve as crown prince in these turbulent times."

Clapping his hands in delight, Sun Sheng smiled and said, "An excellent reply! It neither directly defied His Majesty's intention nor failed to voice your own perspective."

Li Hongji, whose primary concern lay in his imperial father's ultimate decision, hastily pressed, "How did the Emperor respond?" If his father had heeded Han Xizai's advice, Han Xizai would undoubtedly be crowned the greatest contributor to his cause.

"His Majesty did not speak. However, judging by his expression, he appeared somewhat shaken." Han Xizai offered a dry chuckle, though he remained inwardly uncertain and could only use such words to console himself.

Li Hongji could not suppress his impulse to clench his fists. This was a glimmer of hope. Where there was hope, there must be effort. The succession struggle would surely end in his triumph. Once his imperial father passed away in the future, he would ascend the supreme throne as the sovereign of nine-five. He would lead the armies of Tang across the realm, unifying the empire, and emerge as a ruler akin to Emperor Taizong of Tang—his illustrious name immortalized in historical annals forever.

Meanwhile, Yang Lian strolled at a leisurely pace. Zeng Yiling's performance had left him profoundly astonished; how could she possibly have known his true identity? Although Yang Lian had never acknowledged his authentic background, Zeng Yiling seemed genuinely familiar with him and had even made mention of Princess Yongxing.

Even though he had denied it and Zeng Yiling had not pressed the matter further, he was forced to ponder how to neutralize this latent crisis.

Before he realized it, his steps had brought him to the banks of the Qinhuai River. The river waters surged onward as boats darted back and forth. Yang Lian stood by the bank, gazing fixedly ahead as layer upon layer of ripples rolled forward. It was much like the relentless wheel of history: generation after generation of proud heroes gradually grew old, while the succeeding generation of outstanding figures stepped onto the stage. The old was constantly replaced by the new!

"Ah, is this not Young Master Yang?" Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out from behind him.

Yang Lian turned his head and could not help freezing in surprise. Zhou Ehuang was dressed in male attire; though her chest was bound, it still failed to completely conceal her exquisite figure. With her bright red lips, white teeth, and graceful posture standing right there, she resembled a pristine lotus flower emerging untainted from the mud.

"So it is Young Master Zhou." Yang Lian smiled. Since Zhou Ehuang maintained her disguise as a young man, he had no intention of exposing her.

With a joyful expression, Zhou Ehuang looked at Yang Lian and said, "His Majesty held a temporary hunting competition at Zhongshan, and Young Master truly won the championship as desired. It is truly cause for rejoicing."

Smiling, Yang Lian reached up to untie a piece of jade from his neck, placed it in the palm of his hand, and said, "This was all thanks to Young Master Zhou's auspicious blessing."

A slight blush touched Zhou Ehuang's cheeks as she explained, "The day Young Master saved my father and me, Ehuang felt an unending depth of gratitude. This piece of jade is a token of fortune, and I sincerely hope it brings Young Master a brilliant and boundless future."

"Thanks to Young Master Zhou's jade, my journey proceeded smoothly all the way to claiming the laurel crown," Yang Lian joked with a smile.

Zhou Ehuang laughed heartily and said, "During the competition at the time, very few people held any expectations for Young Master. When you advanced through the preliminary rounds, quite a few gossips claimed that others had deliberately yielded to you."

Retrieving the jade and tucking it away, Yang Lian replied, "Thanks to their good intentions, I actually won a considerable sum of silver this time."

"You won a considerable sum of silver?" Zhou Ehuang widened her liquid, limpid eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering rapidly.

Hearing a man speaking in such a delicate, feminine tone while looking as pretty as a palace youth, the tourists lingering along the Qinhuai River hurriedly stepped aside, fearing they might attract bad luck.

With a faint smile, Yang Lian recounted how the military men had initially looked down upon him and how he had secretly placed heavy wagers to win a massive fortune.

Zhou Ehuang burst into laughter, her eyes curving into crescent moons of indescribable beauty. Yang Lian froze momentarily. To appreciate beauty is human nature; as a normal man, how could his heart remain entirely unmoved upon beholding such a radiant and charming woman? After all, Yang Lian was flesh and blood; even while remaining acutely aware of his ultimate objectives, he could not help but momentarily surrender to the enchantment of the moment.

Catching sight of the intense, luminous gaze fixed upon her by Yang Lian, Zhou Ehuang lowered her head in bashful shyness, her voice dropping to a near-whisper as she murmured, "Why do you—why do you look at me like that?"

Yang Lian chuckled. "You have something smudged on your face."

"Ah?!" Zhou Ehuang raised her hand, scrubbing fiercely at her cheek with her sleeve. A young maiden naturally treasured her appearance; how could she not panic upon learning there was dirt on her face? Besides, she was scheduled to gather with her female companions shortly.

Watching her flurry of anxious actions, Yang Lian laughed and said, "It has already been wiped clean. There is no need to scrub further, or your skin will turn red."

Dropping her hand, Zhou Ehuang looked at Yang Lian with earnest scrutiny and asked, "Has it truly been cleaned?"

Nodding emphatically, Yang Lian assured her, "It is genuinely clean."

Gazing down at her clean sleeve, Zhou Ehuang suddenly realized something, her face flushing like a brilliant sunset—at that moment, her breathtaking beauty defied description.