Chapter 36

Chapter 36

[The Real and Fake Heiresses – 6]

News that the King of Wu had deposed his heir sent a genuine shock through the lands south of the Yangtze.

After all, this was the Heir Apparent of Wu!

He was heir to the King of Wu, who controlled half the realm. Even if he did nothing but preserve what his father had won, he could establish a kingdom south of the Yangtze. One day, he might even ascend the imperial throne. Yet now he had been deposed without warning?

What in the world had happened?

The conversation between Zhu Yuanzhang and the Deposed Heir in the study could not remain secret. With Zhu Yuanzhang’s tacit permission, it soon spread outside. The generals and strategists were stunned, but none reacted too strongly.

The Deposed Heir excelled at civil administration and had few close ties with the military commanders, though he enjoyed a fine reputation among civil officials and strategists. But his wife had been so aggressive in the command tent that day that she drove Xu Hongwen to draw a blade against himself. The strategists regarded Lady Tan as arrogant and unreasonable, and also knew that when the lips were gone, the teeth felt the cold. Thus, when they heard that the King of Wu had deposed his heir, not one was willing to risk offering counsel on his behalf.

There was even less need to speak of the King of Wu’s personal guards. They were his trusted men to begin with, so the Deposed Heir had never dared form close ties with them. Then he had silently allowed Ma Baozhu to kill the soldiers who carried out the punishment, making enemies of the guards. There was nothing more to say.

Instead, the King of Wu’s second son, the Prince of Changshan, now held every advantage.

By legitimacy, he was the second legitimate son. With the Deposed Heir brought down, he was next in line. He was also a valiant warrior who took after his father. His wife, Lady Bai, was the daughter of one of the King of Wu’s generals, and he himself was an accomplished commander with considerable prestige among the military officers.

The Prince of Changshan feared provoking his father’s suspicions, so he rarely associated with civil officials or strategists. His wife, Lady Bai, however, was shrewd, capable, and socially adept. She practiced diplomacy among the ladies of the inner households and moved easily through circles of noblewomen. Her relationships might not have been exceptionally close, but they were certainly not poor. She effortlessly outclassed Lady Tan, the lofty sister-in-law who spent all day mourning spring and grieving over autumn.

Lady Bai was also remarkably fertile. She had given birth to three sons and four daughters, seven children in all. When the Princess Consort of Wu was alive, Lady Bai had been her favorite daughter-in-law. Her natal family was capable as well, and all of this earned her considerable standing before the King of Wu.

He might scold his second son, but he never scolded his second son’s wife.

Now that the former heir had been deposed, the goodwill the Prince of Changshan and his wife had cultivated revealed its value. The Deposed Heir and his wife outside the city received almost no visitors, while the Prince of Changshan found himself facing a thick stack of calling cards.

He knew better than to meet any of them. Unless he was leaving to handle official business, he saw no one. The excuse was ready-made: Jiangzhou had only just fallen, and there was work everywhere. He could not get away. His family was not here, and none of them even had residences in which to receive guests. Why create needless trouble?

The eldest had only just been deposed. If the Prince of Changshan started jumping about in excitement now, Father would certainly be displeased. He might even invent a reason to strip him of rank as well!

…

The weather had begun to turn cold, and the chill deepened late at night.

Two trusted men stood respectfully below Zhu Yuanzhang and delivered their report. They described the movements of the generals, strategists, and civil officials within Jiangzhou, then recounted the Prince of Changshan’s recent conduct. Having reported everything truthfully, they lowered their heads and waited for the King of Wu’s orders.

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back in his chair and stretched his hands toward the fire. “At least they are clever enough not to dig the earth above my head.”

He narrowed his eyes, then suddenly asked, “What is the eldest doing?”

One of the men replied, “The commandery princess developed a persistent fever after her punishment. The commandery prince has remained at her side and has not gone out. However, he visits Mr. Xu’s command tent every day, confesses his failings at length, and has apologized several times.”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned for a moment, then relaxed again. “What about Lady Tan? Can she be saved?”

“Her fever would not break on the night of the punishment. Once she survived that night, she began to improve. The physician says the ordeal damaged her vitality and she will need to rest and recover carefully.”

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted. “Scourges live a thousand years.”

The two trusted men did not dare comment. They stood respectfully with their hands lowered and said nothing.

Together, they answered, “Understood!”

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, remembrance and nostalgia entering his eyes. “From this day forward, you will be known as the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You will answer to me alone. In urgent circumstances, you are specially authorized to execute first and report afterward!”

Answer to the King of Wu alone, with authority to execute first and report afterward?

What intoxicating power!

The two men understood how much force those words contained. Struggling to suppress their excitement, they bowed. “We will not fail the trust our lord has placed in us!”

…

Zhu Yuanzhang remained in Jiangzhou for several days. Once he had reorganized the military and civil administration, he ordered the army to advance north toward Huaizhou. He also mobilized provisions in the name of the King of Wu and began preparing for the northern expedition.

After Ma Changyan was stripped of his position as Heir Apparent of Wu, he did not panic. Outside the city, he devoted himself to caring for his beloved wife. He also visited Xu Hongwen’s command tent three times a day, apologizing with complete sincerity. He persisted for so many days that even Zhuo Ming, Xu Hongwen’s dearest friend, could no longer bring himself to complain.

Zhu Yuanzhang had not permitted him to enter the city, and the Deposed Heir naturally did not dare go into Jiangzhou. Yet every day, he sent someone inside to ask after his father, and every three days, he submitted a letter of apology. His posture could not have been humbler.

One of the Prince of Changshan’s trusted men worried privately, “If the Deposed Heir continues this performance, the King of Wu may soften. Then all our efforts will have been wasted…”
The Prince of Changshan merely sneered. “Do you think Father’s heart is made of dough and will soften if you knead it a little? It is not that simple. My sister-in-law is recovering more every day. As long as she is there, do not expect the eldest and Father to live in harmony. If we actually interfere, we will only hand others leverage against us. Better to wait and see what other trouble Sister-in-Law can stir up and how many more messes my elder brother can clean up for her.”

“To tell the truth, I sincerely hope Sister-in-Law makes a full recovery, lives to a hundred, and grows old beside my elder brother.” He stroked his chin and chuckled. “If there were not truly no record of it, I would suspect she was an agent our side planted beside the eldest.”

The trusted man: “…”

My lord makes an excellent point. I cannot refute it!

After laughing, the Prince of Changshan continued, “Huaizhou is easy to defend and difficult to attack. We will most likely be stationed there for a long time. Father has already ordered the families of the military officers and civil officials relocated to Huaizhou. Choose someone reliable to make the trip back and tell my wife to prepare. She should pay extra attention to any household with many elderly people, women, or children and take good care of them on the road. She should also keep an eye on the children’s studies. Father cares about that.”

The trusted man accepted the order and left. The Prince of Changshan turned toward the land beyond the city, and the faintest cold smile touched his lips.

…

When word spread that the Heir Apparent of Wu had been deposed, the two people most shaken were not the generals or officials, but Lady Tan’s two younger brothers.

The brothers knew exactly what sort of men they were. They also knew what had kept them alive after all the trouble they had caused. When they heard that their brother-in-law had lost his position as Heir Apparent, they nearly fell flat on their faces. Then they learned that their elder sister had angered the King of Wu, been dragged outside and given thirty strokes of the military cane, and was now close to death. How could they sit still? They prepared two fast horses and raced toward Jiangzhou.

The Deposed Heir and Lady Tan had two sons and a daughter, and all three looked down on their worthless uncles. If the brothers depended on those children for support, they would probably starve in the street. They still needed the great tree that was their elder sister and the generous care of their brother-in-law.

If the worst happened and their sister died, then before she went, they had to make her give their brother-in-law a few final instructions. He absolutely could not take a new wife. If he remarried, how could they still have the nerve to turn up at his door and freeload?

When the Tan Family brothers reached Jiangzhou, they did not pause before heading straight to the command tent where Lady Tan lay.

The two of them were shrewd enough to know what would move their sister most. They arrived dusty from the road, weathered and exhausted, their eyes red and their faces full of anxiety. The Deposed Heir did not care much for his two brothers-in-law, but even he offered a few words of comfort at the sight. In doing so, he forgot one crucial matter.

Lady Tan had always been delicate. After thirty strokes of the military cane, she had nearly failed to survive. The Deposed Heir feared she would blame herself and harm her recovery if she learned that he had defied his father for her sake and lost his position. He had therefore ordered everyone around her to keep the matter secret. But when her brothers arrived from afar, he forgot the danger. He let the three siblings talk for a while, until a servant came looking for him and reported that the truth had come out. The commandery princess wished to see him.

The moment the Deposed Heir entered the command tent, he saw his beloved wife leaning against a maid’s shoulder, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. When she saw him, her sobs deepened. Filled with guilt, she cried, “Why did you not tell me? Why did you keep hiding it? Did you think that was being good to me? Do you know how much it hurt when I heard them speak of it today?”

Losing his position as Heir Apparent had cut the Deposed Heir to the heart. Yet now, seeing his beloved wife in such distress, he could not bear to show it. He clasped her frail hand tenderly and soothed her. “Father is only angry for the moment. It will pass. You need only focus on recovering. Do not let this weigh on your heart…”

To meet such a man in this life, she could truly die content.

Tears streaming down her face, Lady Tan threw herself into his arms. “Husband, you treat me so well. How can I ever repay you?”

The Deposed Heir held her and smiled. “There is no need to speak of repayment between us. I treat you well because you deserve it, not for any other reason.”

The couple clung to each other so intimately that there seemed no room for a needle between them. The Tan Family brothers broke out in gooseflesh, but beneath their discomfort, they were reassured.

Look how capable our elder sister is. She certainly knows how to train a husband.

When they first heard that their brother-in-law had quarreled bitterly with the King of Wu over her and even lost his position as Heir Apparent, they had feared he might take his anger out on their sister. Now that they saw how dearly the Deposed Heir still loved her, those worries vanished at once.

Besides, their brother-in-law was the King of Wu’s eldest legitimate son. The King of Wu had deposed him in a moment of anger. Given time, it would all blow over.

Could a father and son truly remain estranged until death?

With that thought, the Tan Family brothers felt reassured. The King of Wu happened to issue orders that the army would depart for Huaizhou in three days, so they simply remained in the camp and planned to travel with their sister and brother-in-law.

The Deposed Heir decided that keeping his brothers-in-law under his eye was better than letting them wander off and cause trouble. After a little thought, he nodded and agreed.

Two days before the army departed, Zhu Yuanzhang held a banquet at the Jiangzhou government offices and invited the military officers, civil officials, and strategists. Even the Deposed Heir outside the city received notice that he was to attend and drink at the compound.

After so long in silence outside the city, the Deposed Heir had finally received permission from his father to enter. His delight was easy to imagine.
The Deposed Heir returned to his room to compose his appearance and deliberated again and again over what to say when he saw his father. Once everything was in order, he prepared to ride into the city.

The Tan Family brothers had been cooped up in the camp for several days and were thoroughly bored. When they saw him preparing to enter the city, they hurriedly mounted their horses and followed. “Brother-in-Law, take us along and let us broaden our horizons!”

The Deposed Heir considered that quite a few people would be attending the banquet. Even ordinary soldiers had received rewards, while minor officials had been granted favors. Bringing two brothers-in-law would attract no attention. He put on a stern face and warned them, “Do not cause trouble! The old man already dislikes the two of you. If you make a scene right under his nose, he will flay you alive, and I will not be able to save you!”

The Tan Family brothers were slippery, not stupid. With the living King of Hell that was the King of Wu present, how could they knowingly stir up trouble?

They immediately promised, “Do not worry, Brother-in-Law. If we cause trouble, we will accept death. You will not need to plead for us!”

“Why keep talking about death? You have no sense of what should not be said.”

The Deposed Heir laughed, cracked his whip, and urged his horse forward. “Let us go!”

…

After losing his title, the Deposed Heir occupied an awkward position. He could no longer be addressed as Heir Apparent. When civil and military officials met him, they had no choice but to politely call him Commandery Prince.

The son of the King of Wu was naturally a Commandery Prince.

But Commandery Prince of where?

Unlike the Prince of Changshan, he had never received a proper title from his father.

So they could only address him vaguely as Commandery Prince.

When the Deposed Heir reached the government offices, someone led him inside. From some distance away, he heard his father laughing heartily, his voice strong and full of cheer.

He relaxed slightly. If the old man was in a good mood, everything could be discussed.

An attendant announced from outside that the Commandery Prince had arrived. The conversation within seemed to pause for an instant. In the sudden silence, the laughter and banter between his father and second brother sounded especially grating.

It was as though a needle had been driven into his brain. Sharp pain lanced through him. Then his father’s indifferent voice sounded. “He is here? Let him in.”

The Deposed Heir took a deep breath, removed his boots at the door, and followed an attendant into the inner hall. The guests sat in order at separate tables, while maids moved among them carrying dishes and cups of wine. The atmosphere was exceptionally warm.

He walked toward the center to bow to his father. His gaze swept inadvertently over the place where he usually sat, and his pupils contracted. Even the motion of bending at the waist went rigid.

His father was the King of Wu, and he had been the Heir Apparent of Wu. At every banquet, he had always sat to his father’s right, with the second son in the next place. Yet today, the Prince of Changshan openly occupied the seat at his father’s right. The empty place below him had plainly been reserved for the Deposed Heir.

Knowing that times had changed was one thing. Seeing and feeling the difference with his own eyes was another.

The Prince of Changshan seemed not to have noticed his arrival. Holding a cup of wine, he spoke with great enthusiasm. “The mountains were full of wild beasts, Father. Wolves everywhere, and plenty of black bears. Your son personally hunted a bear with pure white fur, not a single dark hair on it. Mother loved white furs most. Unfortunately, we could never find anything fine in those days. She had to go without. I had the bearskin sent home and told Shanyi to burn it before Mother’s grave.”

The words stirred Zhu Yuanzhang’s memories. Approval entered his eyes, and he said with pleasure, “It is rare to see such filial devotion. Yes, when your mother was alive, Shanyi was always her favorite…”

The words stabbed the Deposed Heir where it hurt.

Everyone knew that Lady Tan and her mother-in-law, Lady Wen, had never gotten along.

He felt humiliated, but did not dare show it. He put on a false smile and let the moment pass.

The Prince of Changshan then instructed the servants pouring wine, “Why have you not filled the Commandery Prince’s cup?”

He said to the Deposed Heir, “The wind was cold on the road, Elder Brother. Have some hot wine and warm yourself.”

The Deposed Heir forced a smile in return. “Thank you for your concern, Second Brother.”

“Come now.” The Prince of Changshan waved expansively and laughed. “We are one family. There is no need to speak as though we were two!”

From the moment the Deposed Heir entered, the laughter in the hall had quieted. Every gaze, openly or covertly, traveled across the faces of father and sons, studying the smallest trace of emotion.

The Deposed Heir had expected his father to say something to him. He had expected a lecture, and perhaps, if the old man’s temper flared, even two slaps across the face.

But there was nothing.

No beating, no scolding, and scarcely more than a few words.

He knew the old man’s temper. If Father hit or scolded you, if he rolled up his sleeves to teach you a lesson, it meant he still saw some merit in you and considered you worth correcting. If he truly ignored you, then he had given up on you entirely.

The braziers in the hall did not burn warmly enough. The Deposed Heir felt cold from head to toe.

The wine, however, was fiery. It ran down his throat, burning through his gullet and organs, until it pooled into three parts resentment and seven parts terror.

And one thing more.

Never before had his second brother’s voice sounded so unbearably shrill.

It was a funeral bell.

Every peal told him the same thing: You are finished.