CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 40 PRINCE DAI’S PLAN

The night was deep.

In the hostel located dozens of miles away from the capital, Prince Dai burned the letter he had just finished reading over the candle flame.

The warm candlelight did not dispel the chill on Prince Dai’s face. Fu Zhong cautiously spoke, "Your Highness, has something happened in the capital?"

With a cold expression, Prince Dai said in a grim voice, "There has been a change regarding adding jewels to my crown." He was set to arrive in the capital the next day, but the matter of adding jewels to his crown had yet to be finalized. He had originally thought it would be done before his return to the capital.

"Did the Emperor disagree?" For some time, there had been no imperial decree to add jewels to His Highness’s crown, so Fu Zhong had a bad feeling that the matter might fall through. He hadn’t dared to bring it up in the past few days, fearing it would anger His Highness.

Prince Dai’s eyes darkened, and his expression was extremely unpleasant: "Except for the Crown Prince’s faction, all court ministers support adding jewels to my crown. These days, my uncle and others have been putting pressure on the Emperor, but he simply refused to agree. What on earth is he thinking?"

Seeing Prince Dai in a rage, Fu Zhong shyly retracted his neck. He gathered his courage and comforted, "Your Highness, perhaps the Emperor wants to surprise you. When you report to court tomorrow, perhaps the Emperor will honor you with jewels."

Hearing Fu Zhong’s words, Prince Dai’s stern face relaxed a bit.

"The Emperor wants to surprise me?"

"Your Highness, hasn’t such a thing happened before? Three years ago, when you returned from suppressing a rebellion in Qingzhou, the Emperor gave you a big surprise by gifting you the treasured sword he wore in his youth. You still carry it with you, don’t you?"

At these words, Prince Dai turned his gaze to the sword placed on a nearby rack, and his face brightened considerably.

"You’re right, father does like to surprise me."

Seeing Prince Dai’s mood improve, Fu Zhong let out a long breath of relief inwardly. He continued, "Your Highness, you’ve achieved so much this time—surely the Emperor won’t stint on rewarding you. That he hasn’t yet agreed to add jewels must mean he’s planning a surprise."

Prince Dai felt that what Fu Zhong said made a lot of sense. An expectant smile appeared on his face: "That must be it." In his heart, Prince Dai hoped Fu Zhong’s words were true.

"The Emperor likes to tease you. This time is surely the same," Fu Zhong said, becoming more confident in his reasoning, "First, he pretends not to agree, disappointing and distressing you. Then, when you enter the palace, he adds the jewels, taking you by great surprise."

"Father really is capable of doing such a thing." His father loved to joke around, and Prince Dai had been tricked by him more than once.

"Your Highness, you should act as if you know nothing. When you enter the palace tomorrow and the Emperor grants you the jewels, you must play along well."

"Of course," Prince Dai’s bad mood over the past few days was completely dispelled by Fu Zhong’s words.

"Your Highness, after your victorious return to the capital, the Emperor may not send you elsewhere to suppress rebellions anytime soon, so you should take this opportunity to rest," Fu Zhong said, "You haven’t had a proper rest in months after quelling the rebels in Liangzhou. You’ve lost so much weight. When you return to the capital, Noble Consort will surely be heartbroken to see you."

"I plan to go to Yangzhou."

"Yangzhou?" Fu Zhong exclaimed in surprise, "What do you want to do in Yangzhou?"

"Suppress a rebellion."

Fu Zhong then recalled that the rebellion in Yangzhou had yet to be quelled. He further remembered that it was the Crown Prince’s uncle who was sent to suppress it. Suddenly, he understood Prince Dai’s intention.

"Your Highness, you mean..."

"It’s a great opportunity to humiliate the Xie family and embarrass the Crown Prince. How can I miss it?" Prince Dai smiled maliciously, "Xie Shi has been trying to suppress the Yangzhou rebellion for months without success, and father is already displeased. When I return to the capital, I’ll volunteer to suppress the Yangzhou rebellion. Given my skills, it won’t take a month to subdue the rebels there, thus greatly shaming the Crown Prince and the Xie family while further enhancing my fame."

"Two birds with one stone!" Fu Zhong said with admiration, "Your Highness is wise!"

Prince Dai laughed, "This opportunity for humiliation was delivered to me by the Xie family and the Crown Prince, how could I not seize it? Even God wouldn’t tolerate it."

"Your resounding victory has already shown the ministers and the people your capabilities. If you further suppress the Yangzhou rebellion, which the Xie family couldn’t, the ministers and the people will think higher of you and support you even more, comparing you favorably against the Crown Prince."

"That’s the result I desire."

"It’s very demanding on you," Fu Zhong said with heartfelt concern, "You’ve just returned from Liangzhou and haven’t rested properly before rushing off to suppress the rebellion in Yangzhou."

"This hardship is nothing," Prince Dai said, with a meaningful smile, "The ministers and the people will witness my dedication."

"Your Highness is indeed wise."

"I have another reason to suppress the rebellion in Yangzhou."

"What reason?"

"Yangzhou has always been a prosperous land. Even after numerous conflicts, it’s still the richest place among the nine regions," Prince Dai said. "More importantly, there are many renowned scholars in Yangzhou."

Prince Dai believed he was not inferior to the Crown Prince, even considering himself superior. He had gained the support of most military officers through his meritorious achievements in recent years; however, few intellectuals and scholars supported him.

These scholars emphasized the importance of primogeniture. Zhao Xuan, being the legitimate firstborn, had been designated the Crown Prince since childhood. As a son of a secondary consort and a younger son, despite his great contributions to the Great Zhou, the scholars were reluctant to support his bid for Crown Prince.

In the past, he had dismissed these scholars as a group of weak individuals indulging in lofty rhetoric. But in the past two years, as his father increasingly valued these scholars, he realized that if he wanted to replace the Crown Prince, he would need their support.

It was said that Yangzhou was home to many reclusive great scholars. These scholars were greatly admired by the intellectuals and respected by prestigious families; even emperors held them in high regard. His father once told him that a world-renowned great scholar could wield more influence than an emperor.

If he could gain the support of Yangzhou’s scholars, or even just one great scholar, he would have a legitimate claim to replace Zhao Xuan as Crown Prince in the future.

"Your Highness, didn’t you always disdain those scholars?"

"Indeed, I look down on them, but if I want to become Crown Prince rightfully, I need their support," Prince Dai understood well. "I also need a good reputation. These scholars excel at creating reputations. Moreover, Zhao Xuan remains the Crown Prince, and has not been deposed, largely thanks to these scholars."

"You are right, Your Highness," Fu Zhong acknowledged, "Your Highness, are you planning to win over these scholars in Yangzhou?"

"When it’s time to win over, we must win over," Prince Dai said with a deep and meaningful smile, "I must become a person who values talent, winning the allegiance of Yangzhou’s scholars, and having them offer me strategies and advice."

"Your Highness, this strategy of yours is truly brilliant. I am in awe," Fu Zhong said.

"If Zhao Xuan can show appreciation for talent, so can I," Prince Dai said.

"You’ve always been more skilled than the Crown Prince," Fu Zhong said, still feeling aggrieved on Prince Dai’s behalf, "If the Emperor hadn’t allied through marriage with the Xie family, Noble Princess Consort would have been the Empress, and you would have been the Crown Prince."

This matter had always been a thorn in the hearts of Noble Princess Consort Rong and Prince Dai, filling them with resentment whenever they thought about it.

"Soon, I will restore everything to its rightful place," Prince Dai said, determined that his mother would reclaim her rightful position as Empress and he would take back his rightful position as Crown Prince.

Meanwhile, in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince, unusually, eagerly awaited Prince Dai’s return to the capital the next day.

Earlier, the words of Duke Zhen had completely reassured the Crown Prince. He no longer worried about Prince Dai returning to the capital to receive jewels. He hoped that Prince Dai’s return would be even more formidable, ideally trampling him, the Crown Prince, underfoot.

At the morning court meeting the next day, he planned to propose to his father, the Emperor, that he personally ride out of the city to welcome Prince Dai’s triumphant return.