Chapter 39: The Thirteenth Prince Pays a Personal Visit

The office of the Left Patrol Battalion is situated outside the Chaoyang Gate, a critical transportation hub in the capital and a key area for maintaining public order in the eastern suburbs.

Within the high, grey-washed walls, a flagpole stands bathed in the glow of the setting sun, flying the banner of the Left Patrol Battalion. Even the breeze stirring the flag seems to carry a hint of chilling austerity. While He Yun was still on his way to the Prince Zhongyi’s Mansion, Cheng Xu had already arrived at the battalion office to report the situation in detail to Wang Ziteng.

Upon hearing the report, Wang Ziteng’s face turned ashen, a mix of shock and fear gripping him.

"He is on close terms with the Thirteenth Prince? It is actually the Thirteenth Prince?"

Wang Ziteng began to think that Jiang Nian might not have been speaking with arrogant bravado. This was not entirely unexpected. Deep down, he had already harbored a suspicion that Jiang Nian might possess a prominent background, though he had previously dismissed the thought. Now, with Jiang Nian invoking someone as specific as the Thirteenth Prince, and when combined with the detailed report from Cheng Xu, that once-denied intuition surged within him with renewed intensity.

"To have accidentally caused the death of Qin Ye, and with Jiang Nian possibly enjoying the favor of the Thirteenth Prince... the situation has become troublesome. What should be done?"

Wang Ziteng’s brows knitted together as his mind churned in turmoil. He knew Qin Ye. His own brother-in-law, Jia Zheng, was also a Vice Director in the Ministry of Works and shared a similar temperament to Qin Ye; the two were both colleagues and close friends despite their age gap. He also knew that although Qin Ye held no high office and possessed little political acumen, he was renowned for his integrity, and having served as an official for decades, he held a respectable reputation at court.

Wang Ziteng was a trusted confidant of the Retired Emperor, the Jingning Emperor, and the two figures he feared most were the reigning Taishun Emperor and the Thirteenth Prince.

"If I claim Qin Ye died from a fall, there were so many witnesses on the scene!" he thought with inward resentment. "If I continue with the arrests of everyone in the Jiang household, and it turns out Jiang Nian truly is close to the Thirteenth Prince, today's affair will be even harder to resolve."

He clenched his fists. "For now, I shall wait and see. Even if Jiang Nian is close to the Thirteenth Prince, and even if Qin Ye was killed inadvertently today, it is not a grave offense for me, Wang Ziteng. The Thirteenth Prince cannot bring me down, and even if he were to appeal to the Emperor, the Emperor would likely not punish me over such a trivial matter! Besides, I still have the protection of the Retired Emperor."

With this realization, Wang Ziteng took a deep breath, suppressed his anxiety, and made his decision: wait. He would stay at the Left Patrol Battalion office while ordering Cheng Xu to return to the Jiang residence to keep watch.

***

Twilight had descended.

The vermilion gates of Prince Zhongyi’s Mansion shimmered with a dark, reddish luster under the setting sun, appearing solemn and imposing. The brass bells hanging from the corners of the eaves swayed gently in the evening breeze, their tinkling sounds whispering of the mansion’s majesty.

To avoid showing disrespect, He Yun reined in his horse as he approached the gates and dismounted, leading the horse by the bridle. As the rhythmic clatter of hooves against the bluestone pavement echoed, he reached the gates, the sweat on his brow already cooled by the wind. This was his second visit to the mansion that day.

"His Highness has not yet returned," the guard responsible for the gate gave a reply that caused He Yun’s heart to sink.

"Since His Highness is not in, I ask to see the Chief Clerk. I have a matter of extreme urgency," He Yun said, bowing with a respectful yet desperate tone, pinning his hopes on the Chief Clerk, Gao Zhuan.

A personal guard went inside to report, only to return a moment later. "The Chief Clerk is busy and has no time," he said.

Gao Zhuan, the Chief Clerk, had always held Jiang Nian and He Yun in contempt, and He Yun had not offered him a bribe. Previously, he had only dispatched the sixth-rank Ceremonial Officer, Ke Shijie, to lead He Yun to the housing in the eastern suburbs, and he had no intention of receiving him again today. Even if He Yun claimed it was a matter of urgency, in Gao Zhuan's eyes, nothing concerning He Yun could ever be important.

He Yun knew that had he bribed Gao Zhuan, the situation might have been different. But he was representing Jiang Nian; how could a son of the Taishun Emperor easily stoop to bribing a mere Chief Clerk? Moreover, to move a man like Gao Zhuan, the bribe would have to be substantial.

Clenching his fists and sighing inwardly, He Yun prepared to head to Changchun Garden to seek out Prince Zhongyi or request an audience directly with the Taishun Emperor, though he knew this would be time-consuming.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves and carriage wheels grinding against the stone pavement reached his ears. He Yun turned to see a carriage approaching slowly, escorted by a retinue of attendants. It was a dignified and ornate carriage, glowing brilliantly in the sunset.

He Yun knew at a glance that the occupant was likely Prince Zhongyi himself, and he felt a surge of joy. The guards at the mansion gates stepped forward respectfully to welcome the arrival. Seeing that the carriage was about to enter and that the occupant would not be dismounting at the gate, He Yun rushed forward, immediately drawing the wary shouts of the guards: "Who goes there? How dare you approach His Highness! Step back!"

He Yun knelt on the ground and shouted toward the carriage: "Your Highness! I am He Yun, and I have a matter of great urgency to report!"

The curtain of the carriage was lifted gently, revealing a face with clear, slender features—a countenance slightly worn with fatigue. It was indeed Prince Zhongyi. He looked at He Yun through the window with a scrutinizing gaze before his expression returned to calm.

He Yun shouted again: "Your Highness, I, He Yun, have a matter of extreme urgency to report!"

Prince Zhongyi recognized He Yun and knew that this "urgent matter" must be related to the illegitimate son of his fourth brother. He raised his hand slightly, and a third-rank first-class guard of the mansion stepped to the window. After listening to a whispered command, the guard led the attendants away.

Prince Zhongyi beckoned to He Yun, who understood, walked respectfully to the window, and bowed his head. Prince Zhongyi offered a faint smile, his tone calm. "What is it you wish to report?"

Following Jiang Nian’s instructions, He Yun lowered his voice and recounted in detail the events involving Jiang Nian, the Xue family, and Wang Ziteng. He spoke of the encounter on the Qinhuai River, the Xue family’s trouble at the Jiang household caused by Xue Pan, Jiang Nian’s rescue of the Xue family from water bandits on the Grand Canal, Xue Baochai’s promise to become a concubine, and finally, Wang Ziteng’s dissatisfaction, his failed attempt at intimidation, his mobilization of troops to surround the courtyard in the eastern suburbs to arrest everyone, and the tragic death of Qin Ye.

He spoke with clarity and order. Finally, He Yun said with a heavy tone, "Young Master Nian has ordered me to seek your aid, Your Highness. If you do not intervene, everyone in the household will be taken away, and Wang Ziteng may even plot to harm Young Master Nian!"

"So this Jiang Nian expects the Xue family to offer their daughter as a concubine in return—how interesting!" Prince Zhongyi raised an eyebrow, a curve appearing at the corner of his mouth, followed by a cold smile. "I will go with you and see this Jiang Nian for myself!"

He was willing to do so not merely to protect this illegitimate son of the Taishun Emperor, but for other, deeper reasons.

He Yun was overjoyed. Not only had he been lucky enough to meet Prince Zhongyi upon his return, but the Prince had actually agreed to visit the eastern suburbs in person. If Jiang Nian were here now, he would surely say that fate was at work.

At that moment, the Chief Clerk, Gao Zhuan, hurried to the gate, intending to welcome the Prince back to the mansion, only to be stunned to find the very man he despised, He Yun, speaking to the Prince through the window, with the guards and attendants all kept at a distance.

Even more astonishing to Gao Zhuan was that the Prince immediately ordered the carriage to turn around, and with his retinue, he departed in a hurry, following He Yun under the setting sun.

Gao Zhuan stood frozen in place, utterly shocked and filled with regret. "This fifth-rank Longjin Lieutenant and his Young Master Jiang... are they truly on such close terms with the Prince?"