Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 21

When the Prince of Jin returned to his residence, he was confined for reflection and could not send anyone out to gather news. Although the ministers who supported him were anxious, they were constrained by the imperial edict and dared not visit rashly.

Thus, the Prince of Jin was unaware that the matter of his reprimand at the city gate had spread rapidly. Many were already speculating about His Majesty’s merciless action, wondering if the Prince of Jin had fallen from favor. Yet, just as the Prince of Jin himself had thought, while he had indeed handled his task poorly, no great disaster had occurred. It was not enough to completely negate his character over this single incident. What’s more, His Majesty had dispatched the Prince of Jing, a clear sign that he was cleaning up the Prince of Jin’s mess.

On one hand, it seemed His Majesty was displeased with the Prince of Jin, hence the public humiliation. On the other, it appeared His Majesty still cherished the Prince of Jin, thus stepping in to clean up after him. For a time, no one inside or outside the court could fathom the Emperor’s true thoughts.

The Prince of Zhao was delighted to hear that the Prince of Jin might have lost his standing. He dispatched censors to submit memorials attacking the Prince of Jin for his harsh disaster relief methods, claiming he had driven several hundred armored soldiers into a place of certain death. If not for the Minister of Justice, Zhang Daozhi, noticing something amiss and stopping it in time, several hundred more lives would have been lost to the flash flood. At the same time, he actively sent people to contact Zhang Daozhi, hoping to obtain evidence of the Prince of Jin’s illegal activities from him.

Although the Prince of Jin was in confinement, his power base at court remained intact. As soon as the Prince of Zhao’s men submitted their memorials, they spontaneously began to defend the Prince of Jin. As for Zhang Daozhi, he was even more tactful, offering only evasions and refusing to give a straight answer.

The court argued over the Prince of Jin’s affair for several days, but because the Emperor refused to make a decision, there was never a resolution.

At its root, this was a struggle between the two princes.

The arguments at court were fierce, but they had little to do with Puyang. The waves she wanted to stir were not on this front. Early this day, she changed into a simple set of nomadic-style clothes and went to the training grounds to practice archery.

These training grounds were where the Feathered Forest Guard drilled. It was a day of rest, so there were few soldiers present. Finding it dull to be alone, Puyang dispatched a servant to Princess Pingyang’s residence to invite the princess for some shared amusement.

Princess Pingyang was five years Puyang’s senior and the best at riding and archery among all the princesses. Inviting her was perfectly reasonable.

The autumn sky was high and the air was crisp. Wild geese flew south. The changing of the four seasons did not exist for humanity, nor did it change for them.

The nomadic-style clothing, with its narrow sleeves and crossover lapels, was extremely convenient for movement. Puyang tucked her hair into a net cap and styled it into a man’s topknot. Looking dashing and capable, she mounted her horse and first rode two laps around the training grounds to warm up.

The archery targets were already prepared. Puyang casually drew her bow and let fly three arrows with a swish, swish, swish. One struck the target and fell off, while the other two barely managed to pierce the target very close to the bullseye, yet they too were teetering precariously.

Truly, only the accuracy remained. In her previous life, Puyang had spent a great deal of effort on riding and archery. In both accuracy and strength, she was a standout among the imperial clan, not necessarily losing even when facing an ordinary general. But now, while the accuracy was still there, her lack of physical strength diminished the effect by more than half.

Puyang was not discouraged, however. She had come here to practice her archery for several reasons: the autumn hunt was in a few days, and she did not wish to embarrass herself; she planned to personally train a contingent of soldiers; and she was preparing to meet someone here.

It was still early, and Princess Pingyang had not yet appeared. Seated on her horse, Puyang first focused on drawing the bow, stretching her arms until they were loose before she began shooting again.

After she had shot more than thirty arrows, the sound of hoofbeats suddenly reached her ears. The hoofbeats were mixed and disorderly, indicating that more than one person was approaching. Puyang’s limpid, watery eyes suddenly turned sharp, a dark and cold cruelty filled with killing intent at their depths. She drew her bow, aimed at a distant target, the bowstring bent, poised to strike. The hoofbeats stopped not far from her. Puyang did not turn back. She fixed her gaze on the bullseye, and with a whoosh, the arrow flew from the string.

The few people present all stared intently at the formidable arrow. It was only for an instant, but their focused attention seemed to stretch time, as if a long while had passed before the arrow struck the red center with unwavering stability. Its momentum was domineering, its accuracy perfect. The sound of applause came from beside her. “Excellent! Seventh Lady’s archery is extraordinary!”

Puyang turned her head to look at the person who had spoken, revealing a shy and gentle smile. “I invited Fifth Lady. How is it that Fourth Brother has come along as well?”

Puyang never went out of her way to make things difficult for people, but among the princes and princesses, none dared to take her lightly. No matter how kind a smile she wore, neither Princess Pingyang nor the Prince of Dai dared to underestimate her.

“I am borrowing Fifth Lady’s light,” the Prince of Dai said, slowly urging his horse forward.

Princess Pingyang did the same, explaining, “Seventh Lady, please don’t take offense. It’s so rare to receive an invitation from you. I thought that with just the two of us, both women, practicing archery wouldn’t be as enjoyable. So I sent someone to ask Fourth Brother, and as it happened, he was also free, so I dragged him along.”

How could Puyang possibly take offense? The person she wanted to see was the Prince of Dai. He was Princess Pingyang’s full brother. At a time when the Prince of Zhao was doing his utmost to topple the Prince of Jin, how could the Prince of Dai not be tempted? He was already planning to be the fisherman who profits from the conflict, just waiting for the Prince of Zhao to bring down the Prince of Jin so he could take advantage of the vacuum.

But before he could take advantage, he had to gauge the Emperor’s thoughts, and Puyang was the best place to probe for information. Therefore, Puyang knew full well that if she invited Princess Pingyang, the Prince of Dai would definitely tag along to sound her out.

“What is Fifth Lady saying?” Puyang smiled and had someone bring them bows and arrows.

The three of them then began to ride and shoot in earnest, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Princess Pingyang’s accuracy was not as good as Puyang’s, but her strength was greater, loosing arrows in rapid succession with a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Puyang, on the other hand, shot one arrow at a time, aiming for stability and ferocity, hitting the same spot seven out of ten times, as if determined to shoot the target down.

The Prince of Dai, for his part, was very conscientious in instructing them from the side.

After shooting for a whole morning and working up a sweat, Puyang and the Prince of Dai were still fine, but Princess Pingyang’s makeup was ruined and her clothes were stained with dust. She took her leave first to return to her residence and freshen up.

The Prince of Dai then volunteered to escort Puyang back to the palace.

Both were on horseback, riding through the city markets. Their servants followed closely behind, while four guards cleared the path ahead, so there was no fear of them being jostled.

It was nearly noon, so the Prince of Dai said, “If we rush back to the palace now, I’m afraid you’ll go hungry. My residence is not far from here. Seventh Lady, why not come to my place for a meal?”

Puyang thought for a moment, then said, “Very well, then I shall trouble Fourth Brother.”

The Prince of Dai couldn’t have been more pleased. Just as he was about to lead the way, he saw Puyang summon a eunuch and instruct him, “Hurry to the palace and inform His Majesty that I will be dining at Fourth Brother’s residence this afternoon. Please ask His Majesty to eat a little more rice and not go hungry.”

The Prince of Dai was taken aback. “What’s wrong with Father?” He remembered that Seventh Lady had always been free to do as she pleased. Since when did she have to specially report to their father for not returning for lunch?

Puyang sighed. “It’s all because of what Third Brother did. That, and the change of season, has given Father a poor appetite.”

The Prince of Dai’s vigilance soared. He had just been pondering how to steer the conversation in this direction, and here it was. He quickly cleared his throat and said with a solemn expression, “Ah, I really shouldn’t speak ill of my brother, but Third Brother has truly gone too far, upsetting Father like this.”

In what way had the Prince of Jin gone too far? It was merely that his ability was insufficient, and the Emperor was no longer willing to give him chances, wanting to see what others could do instead. The Prince of Dai couldn’t see through this, but he understood that this was an opportunity.

“He’s not that angry. Fortunately, we have Sixth Brother.” Puyang smiled, occasionally glancing at the goods for sale by the roadside. During this time, she even had a servant buy one or two interesting trinkets.

Her casual attitude made the Prince of Dai as anxious as if he were scratching an itch.

“Indeed, it’s fortunate that Sixth Brother is always helping Third Brother.”

“Isn’t it,” Puyang said as she accepted a small ornament presented by a servant. It was a piece of Shoushan stone of decent quality. “If Sixth Brother weren’t busy with Third Brother, it would be a disaster.”

A disaster? The Prince of Dai was confused. How would it be a disaster? If the Prince of Jing didn’t help the Prince of Jin, wouldn’t that be perfect for dragging the Prince of Jin down, allowing the other brothers to divide the spoils?

A pity. Though the quality was good, the shape was not very appealing, and it was too small. Otherwise, it could have been gifted to Sir to carve a seal. Puyang casually bestowed the stone upon the servant who had just run the errand.

Puyang herself didn’t know why she always thought of saving good things for Wei Xiu. But she was adept at reflection, and after thinking it over a few times, she felt it must be that the influence of her past life was too strong. And that person, who could overturn the heavens and earth, now belonged to her.

As she was lost in her own world, the Prince of Dai grew conflicted. On one hand, he wanted to press further, but on the other, he worried that asking too much would arouse Seventh Lady’s suspicion.

In the end, after they had finally arrived at the Prince of Dai’s residence, eaten their meal, and had a pot of tea, it was not until she was taking her leave that the Prince of Dai tentatively asked, “Sixth Brother always follows Third Brother. He wouldn’t abandon him at a time like this, would he?”

“That would be for the best. Otherwise…” Puyang glanced from side to side. The Prince of Dai quickly and tactfully leaned his ear closer, and Puyang whispered, “Otherwise, Second Brother will gain another powerful enemy.”

After saying this, she gave the Prince of Dai a deep look. That pair of gentle and lively eyes made his heart tremble. It took him a long moment to realize: could this be Seventh Lady’s hint that she favored him? The Prince of Zhao and the Prince of Jin had spent so much effort trying to win her over, yet she had never taken a side. Could it be that she had favored him all along?

The Prince of Dai was stirred, on the verge of asking more, but when he turned his head, Puyang was already gracefully departing. This left him full of regret. Why had he dawdled so? If he had spoken up earlier, he wouldn’t be left here guessing wildly. If he could gain Seventh Lady’s assistance, it would be a powerful alliance, stronger than anything else!

The Prince of Dai remained half-convinced and half-doubtful about whether Puyang favored him, but he had taken her words to heart. He went back and mulled them over for a long time, feeling they made a great deal of sense. The Prince of Jing was powerful; he could not be allowed to turn against the Prince of Jin. It would be best to let the Prince of Jing be dragged down by the Prince of Jin, so they could both be brought down together. He could no longer remain in the shadows; he had to find a way to rise to the next level.

To what extent he could manage this was still uncertain. Puyang had merely given him a push along the way. If the Prince of Dai could succeed, she would win her bet.

While the court was in an uproar, the Emperor was secretly taking action against those few famous scholars.

To say it was taking action was not quite right; it was more of a deterrent.

These famous scholars all came from great families. They refused to serve as officials for the new dynasty, but their clans still had to plan for their futures by having members enter officialdom. The Emperor thus took the most promising young men from these few families, promoted them in name, and then transferred them out of the capital.

If this had happened to only one person, it would be hard to say, but it happened to several families in the same way. When they each looked at the similarities, a cold sweat broke out on everyone. The Emperor, after years of tolerance, was now no longer willing to indulge these dissolute scholars.

For a time, the families were all in a panic. If the Emperor were to deal with those few scholars, then so be it. In any case, they were what they were, and might even gain a fine reputation for not fearing power. But the ones sent out of the capital were the talents of each family. Great families had many members, but talent was rare. The Emperor had issued the edicts without so much as a word of warning, and he had given their former positions to several other great families—all good positions, which those who had benefited would not be willing to give up.

The Emperor’s meaning was very clear: if he was not satisfied, those men need not ever return to the capital. Not only that, but other members of their families would also be implicated. The other great families who had benefited also helped the Emperor apply pressure.

“It’s as it should be,” Wei Xiu said with a placid expression after Puyang finished speaking. “Among these scholars who harbor loyalty to their old master, how many are truly sincere? They are merely trying to win prestige for their families. I imagine the Prince of Runan would not have liked them acting this way either.”

She had not denounced them with great force, but Puyang sensitively detected the dislike in her words. Wei Xiu rarely expressed her likes and dislikes directly, which struck Puyang as strange. Although these scholars were posturing, using their old master to add luster to their own families, what did it have to do with Wei Xiu? Why did she detest them so?

Puyang knew that even if she asked, she would likely not get an answer, so she made a mental note of it. Then she said, “Has Sir packed everything? You can come with me to the capital now.”

Three months had passed. The residence was built, and the furnishings inside were all arranged. Puyang had come this time to escort Wei Xiu to the capital. She had already sent someone three days in advance to ask Wei Xiu to pack her belongings. With her coming in person to welcome her today, Wei Xiu was naturally packed and ready to go.

She turned her wheelchair, her brow once again clear and open. “I have troubled Your Highness to make this trip.”

Puyang naturally walked behind her and began to push. “Sir and I need not be so polite.”

She was always so considerate. Wei Xiu said no more, only, “Thank you, Your Highness.” Then she remembered something. “It has been over two months since the Princess and I made our wager. I wonder if there has been any progress?”

Puyang’s hand trembled, and her face flushed crimson. Fortunately, she was standing behind Wei Xiu, who could not see.

In the imperial court these past few days, the Prince of Dai had been very active, earning much praise from the various ministers. The Prince of Jing had returned to the capital, his mission accomplished brilliantly, and the Emperor had rewarded him generously. Yet for some reason, he and the Prince of Jin had not grown distant in the slightest; on the contrary, their relationship had become even better.

As things stood, she was about to win, yet Puyang felt very guilty. She was well aware of the hand she had played in this, a victory that was far from honorable.

When Wei Xiu heard no reply for a long moment, she turned her head. Puyang also stopped, and the two looked at each other. Two different gazes, one high and one low, became entangled. Puyang took in the sight of Wei Xiu, feeling as if a certain place in her heart was also about to open.

Wei Xiu’s eyes showed confusion. “Is there something inconvenient to speak of?”

Puyang returned to her senses. She gave a light cough, averted her eyes, not daring to look at Wei Xiu again, but her tone remained calm. “There has been progress. Based on current developments, I’m afraid Sir is about to lose.”

Author’s Notes:

Princess: Sir is about to lose and must honor the promise.

Scholar: …

Princess: Sir is about to lose, so I’m the better one.

Scholar: Mm, you are the best.

Princess, smug for several days: ∑(っ °Д °;)っ How could this be?

Scholar (patting her head): It’s alright, you’re still the best.

Princess: T^T

Scholar: Your Highness must honor the promise.

Princess: (>_<)