Volume One, Chapter 11: Losing More Than You Gain Trying to Steal a Chicken

That night proved to be a sleepless one for Song Yiran.

The next day at noon.

The Great Chu Imperial Palace.

“Brother, you must help me. I heard that Prince Su has petitioned Father again, insisting that I be sent for a political marriage,” Princess Changle said anxiously, tugging at Crown Prince Chu Neng’s sleeve.

Chu Neng furrowed his brow. After a moment’s thought, he guessed, “Don’t worry, sister. I will go see Father right away.”

He was about to leave for the Hall of Tranquil Heart but stopped after a few steps and turned back.

“What is it, brother?” Princess Changle asked curiously.

“I can’t just go like this. Father is very averse to my involvement in the peace talks with the Northern Barbarians. I need a good excuse,” Chu Neng said, then clapped his hands. “I’ve got it!”

He quickly walked to the writing desk and copied down what Fang Yang had said.

“Sister, I’ll go find Father and ask him to help correct my newly practiced calligraphy,” he declared, leaving without looking back.

Princess Changle waited anxiously alone in the Eastern Palace.

At the same time, besides the Crown Prince, another person hurried to the Great Chu Imperial Palace seeking an audience with the Emperor. That was none other than Marquis of Yongping, Xie Lin, who had been swindled out of five hundred taels by Fang Yang just the day before.

Meanwhile, Emperor Chu Xiong of Great Chu was in an extremely foul mood.

He casually placed the memorial he was reading onto the desk and sighed helplessly. “The nation is in dire straits. The provinces of Dongshan and Xishan have suffered great disasters. The Northern Barbarians are watching us like hawks. They demand our princess in marriage, along with tribute of currency, tea, salt, ironware, silk — all amounting to a million taels of silver.”

The emperor rubbed his temples, feeling utterly tangled and unsure where to begin.

The treasury was empty, and the Minister of Revenue lamented poverty daily.

A eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs saw this and hurriedly brought over a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup.

“Your Majesty, please rest assured. Our Great Chu is blessed with talented people and a prosperous reign. Our officials are diligent and capable. All these problems will be resolved.”

“Hmph!”

Emperor Chu Xiong snorted coldly. He enjoyed hearing about talented people and a flourishing realm, but the claim that officials were diligent grated on him.

Those so-called diligent officials never dared act when the emperor needed them. Even the annual border inspections lacked volunteers. If not for Fang Jingsheng stepping forward, the emperor’s dignity would have been trampled by these scholars and Prince Su.

But recalling that younger brother who had been trailing behind him two decades ago and was now finally willing to take responsibility, the emperor felt a small comfort.

He remembered Fang Jingsheng telling him, “Crown Prince, when you become emperor, I will serve as your grand general and sweep the world clean!”

He had smiled and replied, “Very well! As long as you dare to act, I will appoint you Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces!”

These thoughts brought a rare smile to Chu Xiong’s face.

Just as he reached out to accept the lotus seed soup from the eunuch, a messenger announced, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience.”

“The Crown Prince?” Chu Xiong frowned. “Let him in.”

Chu Neng entered the Hall of Tranquil Heart and respectfully bowed. “Your humble son pays respects to Father.”

“Rise. What brings you to me, Crown Prince?” Chu Xiong asked slowly.

“Father, I have recently practiced some calligraphy. I feel there may be something wrong with it. Please help me take a look,” Chu Neng said respectfully.

“Oh? Your calligraphy has always been praised by your instructors. You find fault now? Let me see it,” the emperor raised his brow.

The Crown Prince handed the writing to a eunuch, who carefully placed it on the emperor’s desk.

After a glance, Chu Xiong suddenly stiffened, then furrowed his brows and sat up straighter.

“Did you write this?” After a long pause, he looked at Chu Neng with a frown.

“Yesterday, at a poetry gathering outside the city, I happened upon Fang Yang, son of Duke Chengguo. These words are his. I thought them excellent and wrote them down,” Chu Neng replied calmly.

“I never expected that prodigal son to have such talent,” Chu Xiong remarked, then shifted tone with a cold snort. “Hmph! You didn’t come to me to have me critique your writing, did you?”

“I acknowledge my mistake,” Chu Neng knelt immediately.

“Oh? Explain. Where did you err?” the emperor asked indifferently.

“I left the city without permission, which was wrong. Then, during your busy schedule, I asked you to critique my calligraphy, distracting you from affairs — that was wrong as well. I beg your forgiveness,” Chu Neng said frankly.

“You’re clever, focusing on the minor faults. It was Princess Changle who sent you here, wasn’t it?” Chu Xiong asked.

“No, sister did not send me,” Chu Neng denied firmly.

“That matters little. Tell the girl not to worry. Our Great Chu has not yet relied on marriage alliances with women to seek peace,” the emperor said slowly.

Chu Neng’s face brightened instantly. “Father, your wisdom shines!”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. If you truly thought me wise, you wouldn’t have come to me with this writing,” Chu Xiong shot him a glance.

“I know my error. I should not have questioned you, Father,” Chu Neng hastened to admit.

“Enough. Wang Bao, have this piece mounted and hang it here in the Hall of Tranquil Heart. It is a gift from my Crown Prince to me,” Chu Xiong said expressionlessly.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Chu Neng was speechless and whispered, “Father, I...”

“Enough. If you have nothing else, go back. Don’t obstruct my sight here,” Chu Xiong waved dismissively, clearly wanting to avoid him.

Chu Neng prepared to take his leave but before he could go, a small eunuch’s voice rang out again.

“Your Majesty, Marquis of Yongping, Xie Lin, requests an audience.”

Chu Xiong frowned. “It’s lively today. The Marquis of Yongping as well.”

He called out, “What is the matter?”

“They say the son of Duke Chengguo is lawless. He beat my son and even abducted him as a servant. I intend to impeach Duke Chengguo for poor parenting and his son for lawlessness,” Xie Lin said.

Chu Neng’s eyes flickered. He stepped aside silently.

Chu Xiong frowned deeply. “Let him in!”

Marquis of Yongping Xie Lin entered respectfully, followed by a small eunuch, and bowed.

“Minister Xie Lin pays respects to Your Majesty, and greets the Crown Prince.”

After bowing, Xie Lin burst into tears, weeping bitterly, “Your Majesty! You must do justice for me! This son of Duke Chengguo, Fang Yang, is truly lawless. In broad daylight, under the heavens, he struck my son and abducted him to the Duke’s mansion. His actions are outrageous!”

Chu Xiong’s brows knitted tightly.

After a long silence, he said, “Marquis, the state is burdened with many matters. The two provinces suffer great disaster, and the Northern Barbarians loom. With so much to handle, you bring me petty quarrels between second-generation nobles?”

Xie Lin was stunned. His tears dried instantly. Had he lived in modern times, he would have won an Oscar for that performance.

He lowered his head in fear and said, “Your Majesty, I acknowledge my fault!”

“Enough. Let me see the memorial,” Chu Xiong ordered.

A eunuch quickly took the document from Xie Lin and handed it over.

After a brief glance, the emperor’s frown deepened.

“That Fang Yang! Truly incorrigible!”

He was well aware of Fang Yang’s misdeeds — the last time, the boy had urinated in the wine jar of the Academy’s dean, which infuriated the scholarly dean so much he filed a formal complaint with the court.

“Your Majesty, Fang Yang’s misdeeds don’t end there,” Xie Lin wanted to add.

But before he could finish, Chu Xiong interrupted sharply, “Wang Bao!”

“Yes, your servant is here,” Wang Bao replied respectfully.

“You are always inquisitive. Tell me, what has Duke Chengguo’s son Fang Yang been up to these days?” Chu Xiong asked slowly, his expression unreadable.

His casual glance toward Xie Lin prompted Wang Bao to look at the crouching man next to him.

In an instant, Wang Bao understood what the emperor sought.

He began to recount the recent events in vivid detail.

“You say Fang Yang mortgaged the Duke’s lands to open a tavern?”

Chu Xiong’s brows twitched violently.

“Yes, Your Majesty. From what I’ve heard, he sold the land to fund the liquor business. His shop is close to the Marquis of Yongping’s. That explains the rumors circulating outside,” Wang Bao confirmed.

“So Fang Yang’s actions were entirely because of a bet with Xie Ping?” Chu Xiong asked deliberately.

“Yes, Your Majesty. That is the talk throughout the capital. Anyone who inquires can learn the truth. The Marquis of Yongping is here; perhaps he can confirm,” Wang Bao added.

With a cold sweat breaking out, Xie Lin felt faint. His memorial painted his son as the victim, yet Wang Bao laid out the full story and even suggested the emperor verify it himself.

It was clear he feared the emperor’s disbelief.

“Marquis of Yongping,” the emperor called coldly.

Xie Lin snapped back to attention and instantly kowtowed. “Your Majesty, I beg your pardon!”

“Hmph! You admit guilt, yet deliberately concealed the truth. What? Do you think to deceive me?”

Xie Lin’s scalp tingled. He hadn’t expected the emperor to accuse him directly of treason.

He wailed, “Your Majesty is wise and just. I wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh? Then how do you explain this memorial?” Chu Xiong’s tone was icy.

“I did not grasp the full situation. I was careless. I beg Your Majesty’s pardon,” Xie Lin said, drenched in cold sweat.

This matter could be serious or trivial.

If pursued, treason could send his entire family to prison.

Chu Xiong looked down at Xie Lin prostrate on the ground.

A cold smile curved his lips.

Xie Lin was aligned with Prince Su’s faction.

The emperor said icily, “For such trivial matters, you trouble me. Marquis, you truly have too much time on your hands!”

Xie Lin dared not utter a word. He kept his head bowed and his rear tightly clenched, fearing the emperor would brand him a traitor.

“Marquis Xie Lin, you failed to investigate properly. You are hereby docked half a year’s salary. If there is a next time, you will be stripped of your rank and title, then banished from Xuantu Prefecture!”

“Yes! Your servant thanks Your Majesty’s mercy!” Xie Lin hastened to respond.

He had not expected his scheme to backfire so thoroughly.