Chapter 44

Chapter 44

## The True and False Heiresses 14

The second Tan brother was dead, but given the killer’s identity, the matter could never be allowed to grow into a public scandal. If Lady Tan learned the truth and said something she should not in a fit of outrage, even the Deposed Heir would be unable to protect her.

He issued an order of silence and erased every trace of what had happened. The official story was that the second son of the Tan Family had been killed by bandits. Lady Tan was told the same.

The old man offered no opinion. Upon hearing the news, he merely shook his head and sighed. “He was still quite young, wasn’t he? What a pity.”

The Deposed Heir forced a smile and dared say nothing more.

Lady Tan also believed the story without suspicion. But after coughing up blood, she sank into profound guilt and self-reproach.

If she had not always indulged her brothers, sending every good thing she received back to her maiden family and handing them great bundles of banknotes, perhaps the bandits would never have been drawn there and her brother would not have died.

The Deposed Heir tried repeatedly to comfort her, but nothing helped.

Lady Tan had never been healthy. This final blow ruined her constitution completely. The physician had once said she might live another ten years at most. Now, even five would be difficult.

But the sutras she had promised to recite still had to be recited.

No one got to leave a debt unpaid to Old Zhu. A promise made had to be carried through.

…

Not long after the second Tan brother’s death, the northern campaign officially began.

The King of Wu took command of the army. The Prince of Changshan and his younger brother, the Prince of Wu’an, led from the front. The Deposed Heir, meanwhile, rallied and steadied the rear. He coordinated the transport and allocation of provisions, as well as the production and supply of military uniforms, weapons, and armor.

The King of Wu’s grown sons each performed their proper duties and complemented one another. Within two months, they had pushed the battlefront as far as Shouzhou, situated between the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. The northern warlords were thrown into panic. Weaker men fled at the mere rumor of the army’s approach, while many others opened their gates and offered surrender. The few powerful warlords who remained shut themselves inside their cities, where every rustle in the wind set nerves on edge.

The war at the front proceeded smoothly, while everything in the rear operated in orderly fashion.

Before departing, the King of Wu had entrusted all military and civil affairs in Huaizhou to his trusted aide Wang Cheng, with Mr. Cai assigned to assist him. For the Deposed Heir, this was by no means a good sign.

In the days when father and son had worked in harmony, the King of Wu had often left the heir in command of the rear while he led campaigns in the field. Now, although the Deposed Heir remained in Huaizhou, military and civil authority had been entrusted to a strategist and a general. The former successor, once praised by ten thousand voices, had plainly fallen from favor.

Yet no disappointment showed on the Deposed Heir’s face. He accepted his father’s orders calmly, treated Wang Cheng and Mr. Cai with the utmost respect, and managed his assigned duties with perfect order. He never reached for authority beyond his sphere. Though the Prince of Changshan and Prince of Wu’an repeatedly distinguished themselves at the front, the Deposed Heir relied on his own ability and achievements in the rear to turn the tide by sheer force. Little by little, he raised his reputation from the depths to which it had fallen.

Lady Tan continued reciting sutras in the Buddhist shrine, but the succession of blows had left her health far worse than before. The slightest shift in temperature made her cough through the night without sleep. She drank medicine from morning until evening, yet even that brought no improvement.

The Deposed Heir was powerless to remove his beloved wife from the shrine. After finishing his official duties at night, he often went to visit her. Lady Liu saw the depth of his affection for Lady Tan and had no intention of throwing an egg against a rock. Every day, she personally prepared Lady Tan’s medicine and behaved with exceptional deference. She also frequently urged the Deposed Heir to visit Lady Tan more often.

“The Commandery Princess is in poor health. Her eldest son and daughter are not at her side, and her brother from the Tan Family has… She must be deeply distressed. The Commandery Prince ought to spend more time keeping her company and offering comfort.”

The Deposed Heir was warmed by her words and deeply moved. “You truly are a virtuous woman.”

Then he remembered the medicinal tonic Lady Liu had drunk for several days and felt a flicker of guilt. After considering the matter, he promised, “I understand your devotion and will never betray it. Once this year has passed, I will formally grant you the rank of Secondary Consort.”

Tears of emotion welled in Lady Liu’s eyes. She wrapped her arms around his waist with a look of utter attachment and buried her face against his chest, the corners of her mouth rising soundlessly.

She was not Lady Xu. She had neither a powerful maiden family nor the rank of the foremost secondary consort beneath the principal wife. If she refused to cling to the Deposed Heir, and instead insisted on confronting the woman dearest to his heart head-on, would that not be courting death?

Lady Tan had lost the King of Wu’s favor, and her health was thoroughly ruined. The Deposed Heir did not even dare spend the night with her for fear of the King of Wu. In the end, would he not have to return to Lady Liu?

She lost nothing!

Ultimately, however, it would still be best to have a child to rely upon.

Lady Liu nestled meekly against the Deposed Heir, hope filling her face as she stroked her belly.

Lady Bai heard in passing that the Deposed Heir had taken Lady Liu as a concubine, but paid the matter little mind. What did a new woman in her elder brother-in-law’s household have to do with her? She merely instructed the servants to add an extra share to the monthly allowance for his courtyard, which was enough to satisfy appearances.

She was preparing for another matter. Lady Wang, wife of the King of Wu’s third son, the Prince of Wu’an, and thus the younger full brother of the Deposed Heir and the Prince of Changshan, would soon arrive in Huaizhou. As the woman managing the residence and Lady Wang’s elder sister-in-law, Lady Bai ought to hold a welcoming feast for her.

The King of Wu and the Princess Consort of Wu had three sons. The eldest excelled at strategy, the second at martial skill, and the third had used every scrap of nourishment to grow his limbs. He possessed little political sense, but extraordinary courage and martial prowess reminiscent of the Hegemon-King of Western Chu.

He had one further virtue: he knew his own measure. He understood that he lacked the brains for politics and had two elder brothers above him, so the position of heir would never fall to him. He therefore refused to involve himself and devoted himself to being an idle prince of wealth and leisure. He obeyed his father’s orders, struck wherever he was told to strike, and surrendered military command as soon as the battle ended. Then he drank fine wine and took concubines, living more freely than an immortal.
The King of Wu and the Princess Consort of Wu both understood this son’s temperament, so they chose his wife with particular care. A woman too ambitious would clash with him, while one too meek would be unable to manage the household. In the end, they selected Lady Wang, a daughter of a collateral branch of the Wang Family. The young woman had a face blessed with good fortune, went through every day with a cheerful smile, and was remarkably capable at managing a household.

The Deposed Heir and the Prince of Changshan fought openly and secretly over the position of heir. Seeing the situation remained uncertain, the Prince of Wu’an never chose a side. Whenever anyone questioned him, he said he obeyed Father. If they pressed further, he wept for his dead mother. The tactic never failed. Lady Wang followed her husband’s lead precisely and never showed the slightest preference. However, because she could not get along with Lady Tan, her eldest sister-in-law, she was closer to her second sister-in-law, Lady Bai.

When Lady Bai and the families of the generals and strategists first traveled to Huaizhou, Lady Wang should have accompanied them. At the time, however, she was pregnant and close to delivery, making a long journey far too dangerous. Only after safely giving birth and recovering for several months did she set out for Huaizhou.

Lady Wang was the younger sister-in-law, so Lady Bai had no need to meet her outside the city gates. She ordered the kitchens to prepare Lady Wang’s favorite dishes, then sent someone to ask whether Lady Tan had time to join them.

Lady Tan refused, as anyone could have predicted.

Lady Bai paid it no mind. When a servant announced Lady Wang’s arrival, she went to the front of the hall to greet her personally. After studying her closely, she smiled and said, “You have recovered beautifully. Your cheeks are rosy, there is wind in your step, and you look a little more pleasantly rounded than before.”

“Oh, let it be,” Lady Wang said with a helpless laugh. “I was the same after giving birth to Chen’er. It will pass in a few months.”

Lady Bai took her hand and led her inside. “And the little girl? Was the journey hard on her? I had two physicians skilled in children’s ailments summoned, along with several wet nurses of verified good background. They have already been taken to your courtyard, so you will not be overwhelmed in an unfamiliar place.”

Lady Wang had always known this sister-in-law to be thoughtful, yet even she could not help bowing in gratitude. Her knees had barely begun to bend when Lady Bai helped her upright.

Upon entering the room, she saw that the meal had long since been prepared. Yet the room itself was empty. Apart from the servants standing to one side with towels, grooming articles, and fragrant tea, there were no other guests.

Lady Bai drew her into a seat and explained with a smile, “Eldest Sister-in-law has business today and cannot come. The children have gone to their lessons, so it will be just the two of us.”

At the phrase “Eldest Sister-in-law has business today and cannot come,” Lady Wang nearly rolled her eyes.

Her husband’s two elder brothers were fighting for the position of heir, and the outcome remained unclear. Her husband did not want to become involved, and neither did she. They had never coveted the supreme position. All they wanted was for their family to live safely and prosperously. The three men were full brothers, and her husband had never stood in either brother’s path. No matter which one ultimately won, surely he would be allowed a peaceful end.

Yet their miraculous eldest sister-in-law had steadily forced Lady Wang’s scales to tilt toward the second sister-in-law.

Forget all the wretched incidents of the past. Consider only today. Your husband’s own younger brother’s wife had traveled a great distance to arrive, bringing a niece only a few months old. The date had been set long ago. As the eldest sister-in-law, could Lady Tan truly not spare a moment to share a meal and converse with the other women of the family?

Even if she was far too busy to come, would it kill her to send someone with an apology, so everyone could preserve a little dignity?

Lady Wang had not been in Huaizhou, but she knew everything worth knowing. As she ate and talked with Lady Bai, she suddenly said, “I hear Eldest Sister-in-law angered the old man.”

Lady Bai glanced at her. “I refuse to believe you knew nothing before you came.”

Lady Wang smiled and slowly swallowed the food in her mouth before replying, “I heard the broad outline.”

After a brief pause, she added, “My uncle also sent word, and his message mentioned the matter.”

The uncle she referred to was Wang Cheng, whom the King of Wu had entrusted with all affairs in Huaizhou. Both belonged to collateral branches of the Wang Family, and Wang Cheng had arranged Lady Wang’s marriage to the Prince of Wu’an. Because of that connection, they remained in regular contact.

Lady Bai had no desire to criticize her eldest sister-in-law before her third sister-in-law. None of the women were blind or deaf. They could certainly uncover whatever they wished to know. If Lady Bai chattered on now, she would only look petty, as though she delighted in another’s misfortune and gossiped behind her back.

She smiled without speaking.

Lady Wang smiled as well and lifted a bite of bean sprouts to her mouth. Inwardly, she recalled the letter her husband had sent from the front, saying that his father treated his second brother with great favor. Her uncle had also written that although Mr. Cai had once taught the eldest brother and was now entrusted with the important duty of overseeing Huaizhou alongside Wang Cheng, he had never favored his former student or accepted any of his invitations.

The northern expedition swept through all resistance. Few obstacles remained on the road to supreme power. The old man was no longer young. Once he took that position, his first priority would surely be to choose a successor.

The final hour was approaching.

Lady Wang chatted cheerfully with Lady Bai, exchanging amusing stories about the children, while recent events and others from the more distant past flashed swiftly through her mind.

The former Hereditary Grandson had treated her Chen’er with such arrogance. Ma Baozhu had snatched things from her daughter as though entitled to them. Her eldest brother-in-law had apologized afterward, but none of them had changed in the slightest.

And then there was her eldest sister-in-law.

Never mind. The less said, the better.

Lady Wang’s sympathies gradually found their direction. As she continued speaking with Lady Bai, her manner grew noticeably warmer. Over the following days, the two sisters-in-law often met to talk, taught the children together, or jointly hosted banquets at the residence for the wives of Huaizhou’s generals and civil officials.

The Deposed Heir knew Lady Wang had arrived, but as her elder brother-in-law, how could he rashly seek a private meeting with his younger brother’s wife and try to win her support?
Even with Lady Bai present, it would hardly be proper for him, a man, to stand around among the women.

When he learned that Lady Wang and Lady Bai had been getting along especially well of late, the taste in his mouth grew more bitter still.

“Lianfang, did you know Third Sister-in-law has arrived?”

A trace of reproach entered the Deposed Heir’s voice. “Even if the two of you are not close, you should still visit her and exchange a few words.”

Lady Tan’s face was pale. She said wearily, “Since you know we are not close, why force me?”

The Deposed Heir choked on his reply. Displeasure rose within him, but seeing how haggard she looked, he could not bring himself to criticize her too harshly. After a pause, he tried again with some hesitation. “If you do not wish to see her, then do not. But you cannot keep yourself shut away forever. When Second Brother’s wife holds banquets for the ladies, doesn’t she send someone to invite you? It would do you good to go out, see people, and talk for a while.”

“I do not want to see them.” Lady Tan sounded exhausted. “What would be the point? They all have both sons and daughters. I lost one son, and my two remaining children are not even at my side.”

She looked utterly devoid of any desire to live. Only the curl at the corner of her mouth revealed a trace of mockery. “Besides, didn’t you tell the old man that I must eat vegetarian meals and worship the Buddha to atone for my sins? How could I simply go out whenever I pleased?”

The Deposed Heir suppressed his frustration. “Lianfang!”

Lady Tan closed her eyes and remained kneeling in the Buddhist shrine. She said nothing more.

The Deposed Heir looked at her with dejection. Sitting on a prayer cushion beside her, he sighed soundlessly.

…

Several months later, news arrived of another great victory in the northern campaign. The Prince of Changshan had advanced into the capital as the vanguard. The last emperor of the previous dynasty fled in haste with his palace consorts and closest ministers, only to be captured by the Wu army before they had gone far. They were bound together to await inspection by the King of Wu.

With the capital occupied, the realm was as good as theirs. The scattered warlords remaining in other regions no longer posed any meaningful threat.

Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed by the news. Abandoning his miserly habits for once, he ordered rewards distributed throughout the three armies and bestowed favors from the highest ranks to the lowest. Because the Prince of Changshan and the Prince of Wu’an had repeatedly distinguished themselves in battle, while the Deposed Heir had planned and coordinated matters in the rear with great skill, he ordered all three men richly rewarded and granted many additional treasures to their children.

The opportunity the Deposed Heir had long awaited had finally arrived. He immediately sent a letter to the army, every word earnest. He wanted no treasure or lavish reward, he wrote, only the reunion of his family. Ma Hualiang and Ma Baozhu had spent more than half a year away, eating vegetarian meals, worshiping the Buddha, and repenting of their faults each day. They had surely learned their lesson. He begged his father to show mercy and, in the joy of this great victory, extend his grace and forgive those two unworthy children.

He also enclosed the sutras and letters of repentance Ma Hualiang and Ma Baozhu had copied over the past six months. They filled an entire chest and had all been written in the children’s own hands. There could be no deception.

Zhu Yuanzhang was quite moved after reading the letter. He picked up his brush, wrote the word “Approved,” and ordered the reply sent back. He then sighed to those around him, “That child truly values love and loyalty.”

Only after returning to his command tent did his smile fade. He asked a trusted subordinate, “Have you found her?”

“Yes,” replied the Embroidered Uniform Guard who had come to report. “The young woman is about the same age as Miss Baozhu. Her mother was the midwife who delivered the Commandery Princess’s child all those years ago. But after years of warfare, the people could scarcely survive. The midwife moved away with her entire family to seek refuge with relatives, while population and household registrations fell into disorder. That is why it took us so long to find them.”

Zhu Yuanzhang was not unreasonable and did not demand the impossible. He nodded lightly, only to see the Embroidered Uniform Guard hesitate before saying, “There is one complication.”

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, “What is it?”

“While investigating the matter, this subordinate discovered that another group was looking into it as well.” The guard’s voice dropped slightly. “They were sent by the Princess Consort of Changshan. This subordinate did not dare act without orders and asks my lord for direction.”

“Second Son’s wife?”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s first thought was that Lady Bai might be involved in the switch between the true and false daughters. But after a moment’s reflection, the idea did not seem right.

Lady Bai had already married into the family when Lady Tan gave birth, but she had no reason to engineer such a scheme.

Lady Tan already had two sons. What did it matter whether her third child was a boy or a girl?

Lady Bai had no need to undertake something so difficult and thankless.

Besides, if she truly had arranged the switch, she would certainly have kept close watch over the real daughter. How could she have allowed the girl to wander outside for years, only to search painstakingly for her now?

Zhu Yuanzhang’s first instinct was to say there was no need to interfere. When the time came, they could simply bring the true daughter home and drive the false one out. Then he reconsidered and abruptly changed his mind.

“Have Lady Bai’s people found the girl?”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard answered, “Not yet.”

“In that case, give them a little help. Deliver the young woman into their hands, then arrange for several people to watch from the shadows.”

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, stroking his chin as a subtle smile touched his face. “My eldest son’s wife is an impossible drama queen, unworthy of her position and certainly unfit to become mother of the realm. I would very much like to see what my second son’s wife does once she learns the full truth.”

The Embroidered Uniform Guard’s heart tightened. The guard bowed with utmost respect. “Yes!”