Chapter 522 — Princess

The Crown Prince's words reminded Song Yan of something.

He asked the Crown Prince, "Has the cause of the Liao Prince's eldest son's death been clarified?"

"It has," the Crown Prince said irritably. "His Majesty sent men to investigate personally. Word is that when the Liao Prince's household heard the Fifth Brother was in the capital attending on the Emperor's illness, they knew the game was up. But they could get no news of the Fifth Brother, and the men the Fifth Brother had once recruited began fleeing one after another. Those who stayed had no heart to protect their master, and the Liao Princess Consort hanged herself. My nephew, frightened out of his wits, took to his bed and never rose. The household's Chief Steward, fearing the Emperor's wrath, thought to wait a few days before sending word of the death and the illness to the capital—and that delay has brought us to the pass we are in now!" He added bitterly, "It is all these petty men who ruin everything."

He could deal with one, with ten—but could he possibly deal with a hundred, a thousand?

At that thought the Crown Prince slumped into the grand armchair and waved Cui Yijun off. "Withdraw for now. I have matters to discuss with Yantang. If this place of his is not safe, then there is no safe ground left under heaven."

Cui Yijun glanced at Song Chu with a smile, but as he turned away his face betrayed a certain obscurity.

Song Yantang was worthy of ancestors who had once served as the imperial family's adopted son—he had come over halfway like this, and already the Crown Prince favored him beyond the ordinary!

Song Yan could not be bothered with what Cui Yijun was thinking.

In the past, with Wang Yuan—who had entrenched himself in the Qianqing Palace for a lifetime—still there, he had managed to plant several of his own men in the Qianqing Palace. Cui Yijun had only just moved into the Qianqing Palace; if he thought to match wits with Song Yan, Song Yan could turn around and join forces with Wang Yuan to strip him of all power.

Still, the Emperor's sun was setting in the west. Even if Wang Yuan wished to retire peacefully to guard the imperial tombs, he too would have to keep his wits about him—and Song Yan could seize the chance to place a few men in the Qianqing Palace...

Thinking this, Song Yan lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then asked the Crown Prince with concern, "What has happened?"

The Crown Prince thought for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I wanted Cui Yijun to pass a message to Wang Yuan, but Cui Yijun said it would be unwise to tell Wang Yuan, lest His Majesty think I am directing the eunuchs around him and misunderstand me all the more. Tell me—should I send word to Wang Yuan or not?"

Song Ke sighed with feeling.

Having been through so much, the Crown Prince was no longer as weak and yielding as before; he had learned to use his head and find a way.

"I think Steward Cui's words make excellent sense," Song Yan said. "From now on you should not only keep your distance from those around His Majesty, but put on a show of it: whoever dares bring His Majesty's affairs to your ears is to be beaten to death on the spot with clubs."

The Crown Prince nodded thoughtfully.

The room fell dead silent, without a sound.

Suddenly a clamor of voices came from outside.

Song Yan frowned and called out loudly for Wuyi. "Who is making that racket outside? Such a lack of discipline! Tell my lady wife to have the matchmakers brought in and have them all dealt with."

Wuyi hesitated, and did not turn and withdraw at once as he usually did.

The Crown Prince was curious and asked Wuyi, "Is there some urgent matter that cannot wait?"

Being questioned by the Crown Prince, even Wuyi—who had lived through the upheaval at the Yingzhen ducal household—felt his legs go weak with nerves. He dropped to his knees and stammered, "It is the heir, my lord—he had us keep watch on the Yunyang Earl's household... Today the Yunyang Earl's household suddenly moved all of Young Master Gu's belongings to their country villa in Daxing. I fear Young Master Gu is about to come off badly... and Young Master Gu is still in Tianjin Guard, helping our heir run the boats..."

"Gu Yu?" murmured the Crown Prince, who had been run off his feet of late, and then he gave Song Yan a bitter smile. "You are a constant friend indeed—even in such a state as this, you still look out for Gu Yu."

Song Yan rose hastily. "I beg Your Highness Zhaohua's pardon..."

The Crown Prince waved a hand, cutting Song Yan off. "I was thinking what good fortune Gu Yu has, to have a friend like you." He sighed with feeling and instructed Wuyi, "Go and tell the people of the Yunyang Earl's household that the late Empress was never unkind to the Shen family—am I to be less generous than a mere woman? Tell them not to trim their sails to the wind and make things hard for Gu Yu." He added, "Your word alone may not carry enough weight. I will have Cui Yijun go with you!"

Song Yan hastened to thank him on Gu Yu's behalf.

Wuyi knocked his head nine times on the floor before withdrawing.

The Crown Prince sighed. "In this world there are many who add flowers to brocade, but few who send charcoal in the snow."

Song Yan could only console him. "Few, yes—but not none. Set your heart at ease for now; things will get better day by day."

After talking with Song Yan for a while, the Crown Prince felt much better in spirits.

Song Yan then said, "Have you ever thought of granting Gu Yu a marriage?"

The Crown Prince started, then seriously began to consider the question.

The Empress and the Liao Prince's eldest son were dead; he must not only put on a show of great grief, but also show favor to Gu Yu, whom the Empress had regarded as her own child... This was indeed a fine idea!

He could not help growing excited.

"And there is Jingyi. Her match with the Xingzhen ducal household fell through last time, and she is still unwed. With the Empress gone, she must be terrified—there will be no one to look after her at all. I will go and discuss it with His Majesty and have him choose a good match for her himself. His Majesty will surely perk up at that; it is a fine topic..." The more he thought, the better he liked Song Yan's idea.

Seeing matters at last turning in the direction he had wanted, Song Yan smiled slightly and said, "Speaking of Princess Jingyi—do you think it might be possible to have Gu Yu marry Princess Jingtai?"

The Crown Prince was taken aback. "Marry a princess?"

"This is my thinking," Song Yan said. "If we grant Gu Yu a marriage, a family of too high a station would likely refuse; a family of too low a station would seem to lack sincerity. Better to have him marry a princess and later inherit the Yunyang Earl's household, living as a comfortable nobleman—and it would set Consort Shu's heart at ease as well."

Consort Shu was a woman of infinite tact in the palace. If he arranged a marriage for Jingtai, her cleverness would ensure she spoke a few good words for him before the Emperor.

"Excellent!" the Crown Prince said eagerly. "We shall do just that. I will return to the palace at once, first to comfort His Majesty, then to move from Jingyi's plight to Jingyi's marriage, and then to Jingtai..."

He had shown brotherly affection; the Emperor would surely be pleased.

The Crown Prince rose and left as hurriedly as he had come.

Song Yan let out a long breath. Once back inside, he gave Dou Chu a hug and said with a smile, "It was you who had Wuyi bring me the message, wasn't it?"

The Yingzhen ducal household was no impoverished clan, and the rules of Yizhi Hall were stricter still. Never mind that the Yunyang Earl's household had merely moved Gu Yu's belongings out—even if they had been hunting Gu Yu down, there could be no question of bursting in to report it while the Crown Prince was paying a visit.