Chapter 2: Farewell

The next day, Zhao Bin donned the new attire of the Prince of Yan and went to the imperial palace to bid farewell to the emperor and his mother, the consort. In the main hall of the morning court, Emperor Zhao Wuju of the Great Xia Dynasty sat upright on the dragon throne, listening as ministers reported various matters in turn.

Fang Shutong, Minister of War, presented his report: “With autumn approaching, the Xiongnu and Jie tribes from the north annually raid border counties, pillaging villages and towns. Currently, one hundred thousand troops have been withdrawn from the two hundred thousand stationed near the capital, to be dispatched to defend the borders. I seek Your Majesty’s approval.”

“Approved. The border must not be left vulnerable. Arrange supplies accordingly with the Ministry of War.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Fang replied respectfully and returned to his place.

“Your Majesty, I have a matter to report,” Liu Shangjin, Left Assistant Minister of Revenue, stepped forward. “The flood disaster in Jiangnan has been controlled, but we still require the allocation of eight hundred thousand dan of grain for relief.”

“Eight hundred thousand more? Wasn’t one million dan already distributed? Why is there still such a need?” Zhao Wuju frowned.

Liu Shangjin calmly explained, “The flood affected two provinces, with many victims. Although relief grain was dispatched earlier, it remains insufficient, and large numbers of displaced people have yet to be properly settled.”

Zhao Wuju sighed, “The annual national tax yields eight million dan of grain; nearly a quarter of that is now consumed by just two provinces. That seems excessive. The autumn harvest has not yet come in, and the treasury is low. We must also supply the border troops. Allocate three hundred thousand dan for now; we’ll reassess after the harvest.”

His reluctance stemmed from knowing that the million dan should have sufficed for relief, but likely, powerful clans and officials were colluding to embezzle and resell the grain. Yet, the court depended on those influential families for support, making it difficult to act against them.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Liu Shangjin replied and withdrew. He came from the prestigious Liu family of Jiangnan, which monopolized officialdom both locally and at court. Where the Liu clan did not govern, their vassals did, rendering imperial appointments ineffective.

Zhao Bin, weary of hearing about the corruption and factional machinations of these aristocratic clans, suddenly stepped forward and knelt, prostrating himself with his head bowed.

Zhao Bin did not think himself extraordinary for having traveled from the modern world; he understood the old chairman’s words well—that power stems from the barrel of a gun and that truth lies within the range of artillery.

But he understood even more the harsh reality of being powerless, where one is merely prey to others’ knives and forks.

Therefore, he knew when to act humble.

Kneeling in the hall, Zhao Bin poured out a torrent of words: he would depart for Yan the next day, heartfelt gratitude for his father’s eighteen years of upbringing, his inability to repay such kindness, the pain of parting. His speech grew so emotional that he began to weep openly in the hall, tears streaming.

Emperor Zhao Wuju and the ministers stared at Zhao Bin in bewilderment and surprise.

In their minds, the third prince was always proper and well-mannered. Though his maternal uncle was a military man, he was known for his decorum. This sudden display left them taken aback.

Zhao Wuju turned to his chief eunuch quietly: “Last time the imperial physician examined the prince, was there any mention of mental impairment?”

The eunuch hurriedly replied, “No such thing was said, but there have been rumors at the prince’s residence that he sometimes suffers hysterics and utters incomprehensible words. Nothing else.”

Zhao Wuju glanced down at Zhao Bin and whispered, “Very well, assign two imperial doctors to accompany him to Yan.”

“As you command, Your Majesty,” the eunuch responded softly.

“All right, all right, I understand your feelings. Just remember not to cause trouble in your fief. Before you leave, go see your mother.”

“Your humble son bows to take his leave, wishing the emperor good health,” Zhao Bin said respectfully, then exited the hall and slowly made his way to the inner palace. Along the way, palace maids and young eunuchs all bowed in greeting, to which Zhao Bin smiled and replied cheerfully, “Hello, hello!”

The eunuchs and maids looked utterly baffled.

Consort Ding Gui resided in Qingxin Palace, located in the central western section of the inner palace. She had risen in status due to her son, and with the former General Ding’s prestige in the military, her position was relatively secure.

However, after General Ding fell in battle, she had faced considerable pressure in the palace, especially from the two dominant factions led by Empress Zhang and Consort Xue, both backed by powerful clans.

This was Zhao Bin’s first time meeting his so-called mother consort after crossing into this world. She was about thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, tall and dignified, wearing a crown ornament. Her delicate face bore two elegant eyebrows and a pair of almond-shaped eyes.

Though middle-aged, a sharp gleam shone in her gaze. Clearly a trained martial artist, no surprise given her military family background and lifelong exposure to martial arts.

Consort Ding was not a nagging woman; she merely inquired about Zhao Bin’s recent injuries and recovery, then admonished him to remain vigilant even after leaving the capital for his fief. After a few words, she dismissed him, which somewhat surprised Zhao Bin.

Once outside the palace, Zhao Bin boarded a carriage heading to his mansion. He gazed thoughtfully at the sandalwood box in his hand. Consort Ding had entrusted him with it, instructing him to open it only in dire circumstances.

Though the Prince of Yan’s residence held no great treasures, it contained many valuable items. A few days prior, under Zhao Bin’s orders, Wang Wu and several guards had sorted through possessions, pawning or selling what could not be carried, converting the rest into silver.

Early the next morning, five hundred Imperial Guards appeared at the gates of the Prince of Yan’s mansion. These troops were assigned by the court as the prince’s personal guard from then on.

Cui’er looked at the empty mansion and said to Zhao Bin, “My lord, is what we’re doing really right? When we return, we’ll have to live here again.”

Zhao Bin glanced back at the few people left behind: one guard, three maids, plus one eunuch. The rest had been sent away.

The three maids had been sent earlier by Consort Ding and were trustworthy. The eunuch, Chunxi… well…

Just the previous night, Zhao Bin and Wang Wu had a serious talk with Chunxi.

Wang Wu rested his hand on the sword at his waist, nostrils flaring, casting a sidelong glance at Chunxi.

Zhao Bin sat in a chair, wearing a fierce expression as he looked at the standing Chunxi. “Chunxi, I already know everything about you.”

Chunxi looked confused. “My lord, what do you mean?”

“Hmph, don’t play dumb! I’m giving you one last chance to confess. When did you start working for the Crown Prince and Prince Qi? Speak honestly, or else…”

Chunxi immediately dropped to his knees, begging, “My lord, I’m innocent! I have always been loyal to you and have never done anything for the Crown Prince or Prince Qi. Please judge fairly!”

“If I were not perceptive, how would I know you were colluding with outsiders?” Zhao Bin snorted angrily.

“My lord, since entering the mansion, I have been loyal and have never contacted the Crown Prince or Prince Qi. How could I serve them?” Chunxi said, then kowtowed repeatedly.

Upon hearing this, Wang Wu suddenly drew his large blade with a clang and rolled up his sleeve. “Good! Death is at your door, yet you still dare deny it?”

Zhao Bin was startled by Wang Wu’s sudden move, glaring at him and shouting, “What the hell are you doing? You scared me!”

Wang Wu said, “My lord, don’t stop me. If he doesn’t tell the truth, I will cut him down.” He brandished the blade and made slashing motions as if about to strike Chunxi.

Seeing this, Chunxi cried out desperately, “My lord, spare me! I really haven’t worked for the Crown Prince! Even if you kill me, I’m telling the truth!”

Zhao Bin waved his hand to stop Wang Wu and asked, “Is it true?”

“Every word is true, my lord. My family is poor with no prospects, so I became a eunuch. The other eunuchs in the palace often beat and scolded me. Within a year, the Internal Affairs Office sent me to serve in the Prince of Yan’s mansion. Here, I finally had some dignity and no longer suffered abuse. How could I possibly work for others?”

After hearing this, Zhao Bin suddenly stood and helped Chunxi up, showing a look of sympathy. “Ah, Chunxi, I didn’t expect you to be a poor soul as well. It seems we share the same hardships. Don’t worry, from now on you’re like a brother to me.”

Chunxi immediately knelt again, shouting, “My lord, I dare not!”

“Get up, get up! When I say so, it’s so,” Zhao Bin said, helping him up. “Don’t blame me. You know I’m only taking trusted men with me this time. This was just a test. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lord. Rest assured, Chunxi will be loyal to you for life. I would rather die than betray you,” Chunxi replied solemnly.

“I believe you. Alright, don’t mention this to anyone else. Go pack your things. We depart at dawn.”

Zhao Bin turned his thoughts away and said to those present, “We’ll deal with future matters in due course.”