Chapter 33
Chapter 33
[The Real and Fake Heiresses – 3]
Lady Tan, wife of the Heir Apparent, came from an eminent family. Before her marriage, she had been pampered and raised to compose poetry about the breeze and moonlight. Afterward, she had no patience for mundane affairs, leaving everything to her husband and the senior maidservant who managed her household. Zhu Yuanzhang’s kick to the chest in the command tent had left her struggling to breathe. Before she could shed more than a few tears, her mouth was gagged, she was dragged outside, and the thirty strokes of the military cane began.
She had always lived in luxury. When had she ever endured such suffering? There was no need for her to weep or make a scene now. The terrible pain drained every trace of color from her delicate face, and she fainted without another word.
The old servant beside her, Nanny Zhang, had originally been assigned to Ma Changyan by his mother, Lady Wen, Ma Boxing’s wife. Knowing that his own wife had no grasp of everyday affairs, Ma Changyan later sent Nanny Zhang to serve at Lady Tan’s side. Since Nanny Zhang had once attended Lady Wen, she enjoyed a measure of respect in Ma Boxing’s eyes.
Now that Lady Tan had lost consciousness under the beating, her maids and servants were frantic with panic.
She was the Heir Apparent’s beloved wife and the mother of the Hereditary Grandson. If anything happened to her under their care, how could they possibly survive when those two masters demanded an accounting?
They sprang into action. Some threw themselves over Lady Tan to stop the army guards from continuing the punishment. Others wept to Nanny Zhang, “When has she ever suffered like this? Thirty strokes will kill her! The King of Wu has punished her and vented his anger. Surely that is enough. If they keep beating her and take her life, what will happen when the Heir Apparent finds out? Father and son will fall out over it! Nanny Zhang, you once served the Princess Consort of Wu. Please go and beg the King of Wu for mercy!”
It was precisely because Nanny Zhang had once served the Princess Consort of Wu that she understood the King of Wu’s temperament better than the rest. She shook her head at once. “You all heard how furious the King of Wu was in the command tent. I am only an old servant. How could I persuade him? Nothing is more taboo in an army than changing an order as soon as it is given. Every general and strategist in that tent heard the King of Wu’s command with his own ears. Pleading now would accomplish nothing. It would only pour oil on the fire.”
Lady Tan’s two dowry maids saw that she refused to intercede, and resentment flashed in their eyes. As they sobbed, the guards administering the punishment dragged them off Lady Tan and ordered soldiers to hold them back. The military cane fell once more.
Lady Tan was already unconscious, yet even through her haze she could not help groaning in pain. The two dowry maids shoved forward, nearly blinded by their tears, but several soldiers blocked them and would not let them near.
“Stop at once!”
An outraged shout rang from the distance, threaded with unmistakable anguish. The two maids looked back, and their tears flowed harder. “Heir Apparent, what took you so long?!” They collapsed to the ground and sobbed too hard to stand.
The Heir Apparent of Wu had been supervising troops near Jiangzhou. When he learned that his second son had fallen into Dong Han’s hands, he was shocked and terrified, yet unable to leave his post. Upon hearing that his father had already set out for Jiangzhou, he sent an escort to take his wife there, with strict orders that she must preserve their beloved son’s life.
But he knew his father’s temperament. He feared that circumstances might change, that his father would disregard his grandson’s life, and that his wife would fail to dissuade him. After agonizing over the matter, he entrusted his duties to his subordinates and traveled light to Jiangzhou himself. He had barely arrived when he found a trusted retainer looking grim. The King of Wu, the man told him, had failed to take Jiangzhou after repeated attacks and had already ordered the army to storm the city without regard for his grandson’s life.
No one knew better than the Heir Apparent what sort of woman his beloved wife was. She was a delicate creature made of water who would weep at the prick of a needle. Thirty strokes of a military cane would all but flay her alive.
He did not dare pause. After learning where the punishment was being carried out, he galloped there. The soldiers had reservations about beating the wife of the Heir Apparent in full public view, so they had chosen a secluded place. It took him a little time to find it. When he arrived, the clothes across his wife’s back were soaked in blood. Her lovely face was deathly pale, her hair damp with cold sweat, and she lay unconscious on the ground. The sight was too horrifying to bear.
Agony tore through his heart. He scarcely dared touch his beloved wife. He dismounted in a daze and nearly pitched face-first onto the ground.
“Mother!” A wail suddenly sounded beside him. It came from his daughter Baozhu, who had traveled with him. She rushed to her mother’s side as tears streamed down her face. “Mother, open your eyes. Please look at me…”
Lady Tan had not received all thirty strokes, but more than twenty had already landed. Even a grown man would have suffered terribly, let alone a pampered noblewoman like her.
Her fine brows drew together in her sleep, and a groan escaped her through the pain. Her lashes trembled several times, but she did not wake. Cold sweat slid silently from her forehead and soaked the pearl-studded embroidered shoes of Ma Baozhu.
At the sight of her mother’s battered state, Ma Baozhu’s eyes blazed red. She drew the saber from a retainer’s waist and lunged at the two soldiers who had carried out the punishment. “You dared beat my mother! I will kill you two vile slaves!”
The two soldiers were horrified. They did not dare fight her and hurriedly dodged aside, only to find their retreat blocked by the Heir Apparent’s attendants.
Baozhu knew a little rudimentary martial arts, but in her fury, she swung the saber without any technique. The two men did not dare strike back, and before long, both were bleeding.
When they realized that Ma Baozhu truly meant to kill them and that the Heir Apparent of Wu had no intention of stopping her, they no longer dared keep dodging. They drew their own sabers to defend themselves and protested desperately, “We were carrying out the King of Wu’s command…”
The Heir Apparent looked at his beloved wife lying on the ground, barely alive, the grief in his eyes almost spilling over. When his icy gaze swept across the two soldiers, it blazed with murderous intent. He glanced at the guards beside him without speaking.
The guards understood their lord’s wishes. They immediately drew their sabers and joined the fight. “Insolence! How dare you show disrespect to the County Princess!”
The two soldiers had no chance to explain themselves and could not hope to stand against so many opponents. Anger and despair filled them. Then a horse whinnied in the distance, followed by the clatter of hooves and a man’s rough laughter.
“What a lively scene! Elder Brother, you are here too? Ah, what happened to Sister-in-Law?!”
A shadow flashed through the Heir Apparent’s eyes. His wife could not be moved after the beating, so he ordered his attendants to find a stretcher and a physician. Only when everything had been arranged did he force a faint smile onto his face and nod. “Second Brother.”
The Prince of Changshan was tall and broad, standing straight as a pine. His full beard gave him a strikingly martial air. He looked slightly younger than the Heir Apparent. As full brothers born to the same parents, they naturally resembled one another around the eyes and brows.
The Prince of Changshan turned toward the two soldiers. His face darkened and he thundered, “What audacity! You dared subject the wife of the Heir Apparent to private punishment? You must be eager to drag your whole families into the grave with you!”
Without looking at the Heir Apparent, whose face had suddenly gone cold, he waved a hand. “Why trouble Elder Brother to act? Men this insolent and disrespectful deserve death. I will have them sent on their way at once!”
The two soldiers served under the King of Wu and were no fools. They immediately dropped to their knees and pleaded, “That is not what happened! Prince of Changshan, please save our lives!”
The King of Wu had issued the order to give the wife of the Heir Apparent thirty strokes. The two of them had merely obeyed. But now County Princess Baozhu wanted to kill them to vent her rage, and the Heir Apparent had silently allowed it. No matter what happened after today, they could expect no mercy from him. They might as well cast their lot in with the Prince of Changshan and beg him for protection.
In a few sentences, they explained everything that had happened. Still indignant, they said, “We acted on the King of Wu’s command. A military order is absolute. What did we do wrong that the Heir Apparent should have us privately executed? Your Highness, please save us!”
The Prince of Changshan laughed inwardly, but his expression changed at just the right moment. Frowning, he said, “Elder Brother, you are in the wrong here. You know Father’s temper. When he gives an order, who dares pretend to carry it out? These men cannot be blamed. If you kill them today to vent Sister-in-Law’s anger, what do you think will happen when Father learns of it? Sister-in-Law will suffer for it, and you will be dragged down with her!”
The Heir Apparent understood the logic perfectly well. But his beloved wife lay before him covered in blood and barely breathing. How could he suppress his anguish and pity?
He knew his younger brother had coveted the position of Heir Apparent for years, and he had no intention of handing him leverage. Drawing a deep breath, he turned to the two soldiers with a trace of apology in his expression. “I lost control of myself in the heat of the moment and caused offense. Please forgive me…”
Then he looked sternly at his furious daughter. “Baozhu, apologize to these two guards.”
“Father!” Hurt and fury mingled in Ma Baozhu’s sobs. “Look what they did to Mother! It is bad enough that we are not killing them. Now you want me to apologize?”
Pain stabbed through the Heir Apparent’s heart, but his expression remained severe. “Will you no longer listen even to me?!”
Ma Baozhu shed several more tears. Her eyes scarlet, she glared at the two men, then reluctantly bowed. “I offended you just now. Please do not be angry.”
The two soldiers hastily protested that they would never dare take offense and behaved with the utmost humility. What they truly thought was another matter.
Ma Baozhu withdrew her gaze resentfully. Suddenly sensing something, she turned and found her second uncle studying her with a meaningful expression. An odd, shrewd light gleamed in his eyes.
She had never liked the second uncle who competed with her father for the succession, and she liked his wife even less. Her second aunt was forever showing off and trying to outshine her mother. Displeased, Ma Baozhu edged closer to her father, lifted her chin, and demanded, “Second Uncle, why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason. I simply thought our Baozhu had grown prettier again.” The Prince of Changshan laughed. “Your second uncle wanted a closer look to see whether you resemble your father or your mother more!”
The brothers exchanged a few more words, each concealing his own schemes. Then the Prince of Changshan mounted his horse and took his leave. “Elder Brother, stay and look after Sister-in-Law. I must report back to Father.”
“Report back?” The Heir Apparent of Wu’s expression changed sharply. “You took Huaizhou?!”
The Prince of Changshan laughed. “Tian Feilong and his rabble were no more than clay chickens and pottery dogs. They could not withstand a single blow!”
The Heir Apparent’s face fell. Only after a long silence did he force a smile. “With Huaizhou taken, the gateway north lies open. Father will certainly be delighted when he hears the news.”
The Prince of Changshan laughed again. “As sons, it is our duty to ease our father’s burdens. We cannot be getting on in years and still making him angry, can we, Elder Brother?”
The Heir Apparent returned a painfully fake smile.
The Prince of Changshan said nothing more. He gave his brother a nod, then rode away with the two soldiers who had carried out the punishment.
The smile dropped from the Heir Apparent’s face, leaving a faint shadow of menace between his brows. Just then, the neigh of a horse approached once more. The Prince of Changshan had doubled back. With sympathy on his face, he said gently, “I heard what happened to Huayao. Elder Brother, you have my condolences.”
The Heir Apparent’s face turned livid. It took every ounce of restraint he possessed not to lunge forward and punch him.
The Prince of Changshan savored the barely contained hatred on his brother’s face, smiled faintly, then urged his horse away.
…
The two soldiers accompanied the Prince of Changshan into the Jiangzhou government offices, but they did not enter together. The soldiers went in first to report, while the prince waited outside to be summoned.
Zhu Yuanzhang had just finished drinking a victory toast with his generals and aides. Reeking of wine, he was heading behind the main hall to rest when he heard that the two men had returned. He asked casually, “Did you finish the beating? Is she dead?”
The men hesitated, then dropped to their knees together. “We are guilty. King of Wu, please punish us!”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s face shifted. “What happened? Tell me everything from beginning to end.”
They recounted how the Heir Apparent had come to stop the punishment. At the end, they carefully added that County Princess Baozhu had tried to kill them to vent her rage.
The good mood Zhu Yuanzhang had only just begun to enjoy vanished at once. He looked down at the pair. “My second son brought you back?”
They did not dare conceal anything and hurriedly admitted that he had.
“That little bastard! He has already brought you before me to tell this tale, so why is he still putting on a show outside? Does he think those petty schemes of his can fool me?!”
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. “Tell him to come in!”
Ma Boxing had several sons, but only three reached adulthood. All were born to his late wife, Lady Wen. Unfortunately, the brothers had turned against one another. Their struggle for the position of Heir Apparent of Wu had left them on poor terms.
The eldest was capable, but his talents lay more in governing than in warfare. On top of that, he had a useless wife constantly dragging him down.
The second was somewhat less gifted in civil affairs, but his martial ability took after his father. Unfortunately, he was the second son and had less legitimacy on his side.
As for the third, the third was simply a great hulking fool. All his nourishment had gone into growing his arms and legs. He was a fierce general in battle, but his brain might as well have been eaten hollow by worms. The realm could never be entrusted to him.
Before naming an heir, Ma Boxing had considered the choice for a long time. In the end, he selected his eldest son, Ma Changyan. Now the same question stood before Zhu Yuanzhang, and he found himself hesitating, his resolve beginning to waver.
The third was only there to make up the numbers. He could be kicked aside and ignored. But between the eldest and the second, which should he choose?
Zhu Yuanzhang discussed it with his old companions. “The eldest is still the eldest, and ruling a realm does not depend entirely on martial skill. He may turn stupid whenever his wife is involved, but he is not muddleheaded in other matters. He has his merits.”
Ying Zheng said, “Deposing the elder to install the younger? You had better think it through.”
Li Shimin felt personally attacked.
“What is so special about being the eldest? Does being born first automatically make someone the best? The second son refuses to accept that, and I say second sons are all outstanding!”
As if someone had stepped on his tail, he sprang to his feet. “You cannot judge heroes by birth order alone. You have to give everyone a fair chance to compete. Do you have any idea how many grievances an excellent second son suffers while growing up?!”
Ying Zheng: “…”
Liu Che: “…”
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. “Let him try rebelling! If that little brat dares revolt against me, I will skin him alive!”
Li Shimin spread his hands with an aggrieved look. “It is not that the second son wants to rebel. You have to give him a fair chance. If the referee starts fixing the match for the favorite, what is the point of playing? I was holding four twos and both jokers, a perfect hand, and my father insisted I throw all six down together. Was that not bullying? I could not swallow that grievance! No, just thinking about it hurts. I want to cry!”
“…” Liu Che looked puzzled. “So that is why you launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident, imprisoned your own father, and killed your elder brother, younger brother, and nephews, making sure the whole family went together?”
No one knew where Liu Che had found a fan. He waved it as he curled his lip. “Well, well. Li Number Two has two faces after all!”