The Child Emperor

Spring suddenly arrived, the ice and snow melted, and water droplets dripped continuously from the eaves as if even the roof was melting.

Han Ruzi barely noticed such obvious changes. He was too busy, with one matter after another and guests arriving in waves.

Prince Donghai came at dawn and left only after sunset, introducing and receiving guests for Han Ruzi, willingly serving as an advisor. Yang Feng, on the other hand, rarely appeared, only talking with the Weary Marquis briefly in the evenings.

The most frequent visitors were the sons of noble families. Though they were secretive in the first two days, they soon became open about their visits. They came to chat, deliver messages, express respect to the Weary Marquis on behalf of their fathers and brothers, and explain situations for certain officials.

Though scholar-officials and nobles looked down on each other, there wasn’t a clear divide between them. Marriages and family connections happened frequently. While they competed and schemed against each other, sometimes they needed mutual support – like wild beasts tied to opposite ends of a rope, fighting over food but having to cooperate when hunting.

Han Ruzi gradually understood how difficult it was to be the real emperor.

Due to the battle at Shattered Iron City, Prince Donghai’s reputation among noble families was extremely poor. Not wanting to add to Han Ruzi’s troubles, he took the initiative to reconcile with various families, sending people to express condolences and sharing his regrets with visiting noble sons. Ultiamtely, he was Prince Donghai – even if he was worthless, few people truly wanted him as an enemy. Thus, he received forgiveness, even more easily than Han Ruzi received forgiveness from the Chai family.

In the spring of the second year of the Wuwei era, the wind changed direction. The Weary Marquis increasingly showed the bearing of a throne contender, and everyone waited for Chancellor Yin Wuhai’s reaction.

Yang Feng’s strategy put Yin Wuhai, who had been feigning illness at home, in a precarious position. The reason officials only communicated secretly with the Weary Marquis rather than visiting openly was that they were waiting for the Chancellor’s move.

Yin Wuhai remained silent and didn’t leave his residence, as if the Chancellor’s gate could really block out the storms of the Capital. But this situation couldn’t last long – silence was also a stance, and would be seen as lacking confidence in the Champion Marquis, or even as betrayal.

Han Ruzi only needed to wait. During this time, he wanted to do one thing: help Meng E without leaving any traces.

One afternoon, two chief officers from the “Guanghua Tigers,” Lian Danchen and Zhang Jing, came to pay their respects to the Weary Marquis. This was their first public visit, a kind of statement. They brought gifts representing their colleagues’ respect – though they had no right to choose the emperor, many law enforcement officials were willing to stand with the Weary Marquis.

The host and guests had a pleasant conversation. Han Ruzi took the opportunity to inquire about a small matter: “As law enforcement officers, do you often deal with people from the pugilist world?”

“Inevitably,” Zhang Jing, the clerk from the Ministry of Punishments, had automatically adjusted his status, showing just enough flattery to highlight the other’s noble position. “The pugilist world is full of fugitives, but there are also many heroes and-” Zhang Jing quickly shut his mouth, suddenly remembering that “heroes” wasn’t a good term in the eyes of a potential emperor. He had revealed too much.

Han Ruzi didn’t mind and asked, “Have you heard of Tailor Kuang from Three Willow Lane?”

Zhang Jing looked at Lian Danchen. As a judicial clerk under the Capital Prefect, Lian Danchen was more familiar with the Capital’s streets and lanes. He immediately said, “I’ve heard of him. Tailor Kuang had some reputation in the Xiaochun district. He was killed by his enemies last year.”

Tailor Kuang had died right in front of Han Ruzi. Lian Danchen must have known this, but being older and more cautious, he absolutely wouldn’t mention irrelevant details.

“Didn’t he secretly work for you?”

Lian Danchen was startled and didn’t answer immediately. Prince Donghai beside him smiled and said, “Lian Danchen, do you also evade questions like this before the Empress Dowager?”

Lian Danchen hurriedly said, “I wouldn’t dare. I just- Tailor Kuang had contacted my subordinates, saying that- but he didn’t accomplish anything before he was killed.” After speaking, Lian Danchen felt a slight shock. As one of the Empress Dowager’s agents, he had inevitably been an enemy of the Weary Marquis before. He thought he was about to face retribution.

Han Ruzi smiled and said, “I have a request. Can you help me, Lord Lian?”

“The Weary Marquis need only command,” Lian Danchen stood up, feeling slightly relieved upon realizing the Weary Marquis wasn’t investigating past events.

“Have your people spread word that Tailor Kuang had surrendered to your side.”

Not only Lian Danchen, but Prince Donghai and Zhang Jing were also startled.

“Just that?” Lian Danchen asked.

Han Ruzi nodded, “Make sure especially that people in the Xiaochun district know this. That’s all I ask.”

Lian Danchen repeatedly agreed, feeling even more relieved.

After the two law enforcement officers left, Prince Donghai immediately asked, “What scheme is this? Does Yin Wuhai have connections with the pugilist world?”

“It has nothing to do with the Chancellor. I’m just helping a friend.”

“A friend? Listen to how you talk – as if you were from the pugilist world yourself. An emperor has no friends, nor does he owe favors. Rather, the world owes the emperor. Besides, Tailor Kuang was working for the government-“

“It’s nothing important,” Han Ruzi didn’t want to discuss it further.

Lian Danchen acted efficiently. The next evening, a cook arrived with a food box, saying it was a meal ordered by the Weary Marquis. After being announced, the guards let him in.

Everyone thought the Weary Marquis was getting closer to the throne, but Reckless’s fearless attitude hadn’t changed at all. After putting down the food box, he stood without kneeling and coldly asked, “What does the Weary Marquis mean by this?”

Prince Donghai had left, and there were no outsiders in the study. Han Ruzi smiled and said, “You helped me before, so of course I should help you too.”

Reckless had killed Tailor Kuang to help the Weary Marquis. Han Ruzi had once seen a group of pugilists at the Drunk Immortal Restaurant causing trouble, wanting to avenge Tailor Kuang. Now it was Han Ruzi’s turn to help Reckless.

“I wasn’t helping you, I was helping Yang Feng. Why are you meddling in the business of others?”

Some bold pugilists didn’t accept the hierarchy set by the imperial court – this was what made them most feared by officials. Han Ruzi didn’t mind, at least not now. “If we became friends, it won’t be meddling in the business of others anymore.”

Reckless stared at the Weary Marquis. “No. Except for Yang Feng, I don’t owe favors to anyone-“

“How did you come to know Lord Yang?” Han Ruzi asked curiously.

Reckless gave a cold laugh. “The Weary Marquis doesn’t need to beat around the bush. If you want me to do something, just say it. For Yang Feng’s sake, I might not refuse. Why play these games?”

Han Ruzi put away his smile. “Because I also don’t want to owe favors. You’ve helped me greatly, and this small gesture hardly makes up for it, but it’s a start.”

“No, let’s end this quickly. I’ll help you one more time, then we cut ties. You be your Weary Marquis or emperor, I’ll be my cook. Whatever debts between us can be settled through Yang Feng, alright?”

“Mm, fine.”

“Speak. I really don’t understand – did you think such small tricks could buy my loyalty, make me your faithful servant?”

“I have faithful servants. What I need are your skills and judgment.” Han Ruzi paused briefly. “I have a guard who killed a fate seer at Grand General Han Xing’s place and hasn’t returned. The fate seers claim they want revenge. If I ignore it, this guard will be isolated. If I openly provide help, the fate seers will have reason to strike back using the Champion Marquis’s power.”

“You want to resolve this through pugilist methods?”

Han Ruzi nodded. That was exactly what he meant. It wasn’t time to openly confront the Champion Marquis yet. “What I hope you’ll do is very simple – go warn this guard, and if necessary-“

“I understand.” Reckless turned to leave.

“I haven’t said who it is.”

Bushi stopped. “There are no hermits in the pugilist world, Weary Marquis. The fate seers have underestimated their opponent this time. Your guard has quite a background. They probably don’t need my help, but I’ll go check anyway.”

Bushi left, leaving the food box on the ground.

Zhang Youcai, who had been waiting outside, came in. “Was that cook from the Drunk Immortal Restaurant? I thought he was a disguised prince or royal grandson.”

Zhang Youcai opened the food box and took out a roasted chicken, sniffing it. “His cooking skills don’t match his arrogance.”

“Take it and eat it,” Han Ruzi said with a smile, sitting there thinking. Meng E was quite mysterious too. She claimed to be a descendant of the King of Qi, Chen Lun, but she had never said where she learned her martial arts, nor mentioned whether she had any helpers besides her brother Meng Che.

Yang Feng returned and said as soon as he entered the study, “The Champion Marquis is going to move against the Northern Army.”

“Hmm?” Han Ruzi was already used to Yang Feng’s sudden entrances and wasn’t surprised. “The Champion Marquis wants to use the Northern Army to force me out of the Capital?”

Yang Feng nodded.

Han Ruzi and the Champion Marquis were bitter enemies, but the Northern Army was their common foundation. There were many rumors about whom the Northern Army supported, or rather whom they supported more. Even the Northern Army soldiers themselves weren’t clear. Using these rumors, both Han Ruzi and the Champion Marquis had expanded their influence.

Once the Northern Army clearly took a side, one party would suffer heavy damage. If they supported the Weary Marquis, the Champion Marquis’s foundation would be shaken. If the opposite happened, Han Ruzi would suffer a fatal blow – the Northern Army was more important to him than to the Champion Marquis.

“What does the Champion Marquis plan to do? He can’t leave the Capital either.”

“They say he’s appointed a new Northern Army Adjudant.”

Yang Feng had been the previous Northern Army Adjudant. After he left the Champion Marquis, the position remained vacant.

“Without an imperial edict, can he appoint officials?” Han Ruzi asked.

“This isn’t a formal appointment, but a temporary assignment that can be retroactively approved.”

“Who’s the new Adjudant?”

“Wu Xiu.”

Han Ruzi was slightly startled. He had met Wu Xiu, who was the current emperor’s uncle. He had previously guarded Divine Hero Pass but abandoned his seal and secretly returned to the Capital when he heard the emperor was gravely ill, causing many problems. “He’s sided with the Champion Marquis?”

“It seems so. Can Chai Yue handle him?”

As the emperor’s uncle and head of the Northern Army’s civil officials, Wu Xiu would indeed be a tough challenge for Chai Yue.

“I should ask the Grand General to promote Chai Yue,” Han Ruzi said.

“No good. Although the Grand General cooperated with the Weary Marquis in releasing grain from the granaries, he hasn’t sent any letters, showing he’s still watching and waiting. We can’t ask him for anything at this time.”

“Then what should we do? Chai Yue doesn’t even have a military position in the Northern Army, relying entirely on the Northern Army’s Captain Liu Kunsheng’s support, and Liu Kunsheng isn’t particularly reliable.”

Yang Feng unconsciously tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “Perhaps there’s someone who could help, and we could use this chance to pressure Yin Wuhai again.”

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