CHAPTER 684: CHAPTER 664: REBELLION

Xie Jue was the best performer among this group of boys, and so he earned a chance to accompany the steward on a procurement trip. Due to two male workers in the kitchen being on leave because of illness, the steward selected two boys to go along, and Xie Jue was one of them.

It was Xie Jue’s first time getting a clear look at Fox City. On the day they entered the city, it had been too dim to see clearly. The Beiman lands were vast, but their population barely exceeded a million. There were only two major cities, as the tribal communities lived together in clusters. Due to the harsh weather, very few people lived in remote, deserted areas, as accidents would be frequent and rescues difficult. Thus, the Beiman people were tightly-knit and highly unified.

Fox City was therefore enormous, even more solidly constructed than the Capital City. The streets were paved entirely with bluestones, without a single uneven spot. After summer, the weather in Beiman sharply declined into bitter cold, and snow was now falling heavily. Fresh vegetables were almost impossible to find. During autumn and winter, the Beiman largely survived on beef and lamb from herds raised in Qianling Town. The lands surrounding Fox City were unsuitable for farming during the winter, making resources extremely scarce during the cold months.

Most of the Beiman people’s food went to supplying the front-line armies. The civilians in the rear had to tighten their belts to get through autumn and winter. Since arriving in Beiman, Xie Jue had been eating yellow flour and meat; the thought of it made his stomach churn. Back in Beining, meat was the fare of the wealthy, a luxury for large households. Yet in Beiman, meat was the most common food while fruits and vegetables became priceless treasures. Some civilians ventured deep into the mountains to gather wild greens and fruits that grew in the winter, which were sold at exorbitant prices in the market.

Xie Jue observed the lives of the commoners in Fox City intently. Their habits weren’t too different from those in Ningzhou, except that the Beiman people, regardless of gender, were all exceptionally tall and robust. It was rare to see women with the petite and delicate frames of Beining ladies here—only young girls bore any resemblance.

They followed the steward to the market and procured a batch of fresh fruits and vegetables when they suddenly spotted a group of Beiman men exiting a tavern. One among them, though tall and broad, was coughing frequently. The leading Beiman man had sharp features and a strong build. He patted the coughing man on the shoulder and said, "Sixth Brother, if you’re not feeling well, stop exposing yourself to the cold wind and stay in your manor. If you catch a chill, and Father blames me, I won’t be able to handle it."

The men beside him burst into hearty laughter. The coughing man seemed as though he might cough up a lung. After taking a few more breaths of the cold wind, he appeared even more uncomfortable but still smiled. "Second Brother, Third Brother, forgive me. My body is simply too weak against the cold. I won’t be seeing you off, brothers."

"Sixth Brother, go back inside. I’ll send you a batch of mountain ginseng another day. The Yanyang people claim ginseng strengthens the body. We can eat it like snacks. Take good care of yourself!"

"Many thanks for your kindness, Second Brother. I’ll keep that in mind."

Still coughing, the man was helped onto a carriage. From the markings on the carriage, Xie Jue immediately identified his identity—the Beiman Sixth Prince, born of the Third Princess Consort. The men next to him were likely the Second Prince and Third Prince, the sons of the Great Queen.

Beiman King’s sons all took turns going to the battlefield. Both the Second Prince and Third Prince had fought in battle, though Xie Jue had never faced them directly. They were reputedly brave and skilled in combat. Presently, the Crown Prince fought alongside the Beiman King on the battlefield, while the Second and Third Princes managed Fox City at the rear to ensure resources reached the front. Each had a clear role.

The Crown Prince, like the Beiman King, was renowned for his valor and combat prowess, considered a national hero and the recognized successor to the throne. Xie Jue had heard the steward praise the Crown Prince’s heroic deeds before. Among the princes, the Crown Prince also enjoyed the highest popularity among the common people.

Xie Jue was a patient hunter. He wasn’t anxious to showcase his abilities, nor was he foolish enough to purposely draw attention to himself in front of the princes. Instead, he silently committed to memory the appearances and temperaments of the various princes.

The steward and maidservants were very satisfied with Xie Jue’s obedience. He received the best treatment among the boys, and when it came time for assignment, he was chosen to serve under the mild-tempered Sixth Prince, becoming a servant in the Sixth Prince’s manor.

The Third Princess Consort had borne the Sixth Prince, Dugu Shi, the Ninth Prince, Dugu Jing, the Sixth Princess, Dugu Hongying, and the Thirteenth Princess, all of whom were still young. The Sixth Prince, now twenty-three years old, was married and had children. The Ninth Prince, Dugu Jing, was still training in the army and had yet to make a name for himself.

On the tenth day of serving in the Sixth Prince Mansion, Xie Jue accidentally spilled a cup of hot tea on Dugu Shi. Before Dugu Shi could say anything, the Princess had already flown into a rage, ordering Xie Jue to kneel in the snow as punishment for an hour.

Kneeling in the frozen snow, Xie Jue endured sharp, piercing pain in his knees. Beiman viewed servants from Qianling Town as akin to slaves; mistakes often led to casual beatings or scolding, without concern for their lives. As it so happened, the Second Prince and Third Prince arrived at the Sixth Prince Mansion to discuss the recent army grain supplies. They noticed Xie Jue kneeling in the snow. Xie Jue briefly met the Second Prince’s gaze before quickly lowering his head.

The Second and Third Princes paid him no mind. They wouldn’t bother with the punishment of a servant. Their presence cut short Xie Jue’s time in the snow, sparing him further suffering. By the time he returned to the servant quarters, his knees were numb. Pressing a warm towel against them, Xie Jue fell into deep thought. This punishment had been a deliberate ploy. A few days earlier, the Second Prince had come to the mansion and witnessed the Princess reprimand him, casually remarking on the strict rules in the Sixth Prince Mansion.

Xie Jue had intentionally exposed himself to the Second Prince because he had already chosen his target. He wanted to enter the Second Prince Manor and become one of his advisors. He didn’t consider the Sixth Prince a viable option; the Sixth Prince’s depth of character made him difficult to manipulate. Although the Princess appeared dominant and the Sixth Prince weak and detached from daily affairs, Xie Jue had observed that the Sixth Prince silently assessed his surroundings, maintaining a passive but strategic position. Currently, the power struggle among the Crown Prince, Second Prince, and Third Prince was the most intense within Beiman King’s family.

The Sixth Prince was an attractive ally courted by both sides. To divide the Beiman forces, Xie Jue couldn’t remain in the Sixth Prince Mansion. The Second Prince Mansion or the Crown Prince Mansion were his most strategic options. However, the Crown Prince was frequently on the battlefield, leaving his rear defenses understaffed—a poor fit for Xie Jue’s ambitions. He sought to pit forces against one another, and the Sixth Prince was too challenging to control. If Xie Jue were genuinely loyal to a prince, he might have chosen the Sixth Prince. Without that loyalty, however, he saw no reason to stay.

Soon, Xie Jue’s opportunity arose.

Beiman and Ningzhou had been at war for years, with no shortage of prisoners on either side. Beiman often sent Ningzhou Iron Cavalry prisoners to work in the mines, subjecting them to inhumane abuse. Most died there. Some, unable to endure the hunger, cold, and beatings, defected to Beiman. Even so, the Beiman didn’t trust defectors unless they offered valuable information.

Xie Jue overheard the Second and Sixth Princes discussing a situation at the mines. A prisoner had defected and was willing to provide Ningzhou Iron Cavalry’s border defenses. Hearing the mention of border defenses, Xie Jue immediately knew who had betrayed them.