TPATTHU Chapter 17

Chapter 17: To His Highness

The heavy snow in the nineteenth year of Shuncheng arrived too early, freezing the grain and causing an influx of refugees. The imperial court opened granaries in time to provide relief, managing to stabilize the people’s hearts.

But the good times didn’t last.

By April, the granaries were running low, and urgent reports piled up. A chorus of grief arose from the common people and officials alike.

No fewer than one hundred thousand people starved to death, every household hung white silk, and every family cried to the heavens. Some even resorted to cannibalism, and the people were filled with fear.

Just then, a rumor started circulating among the people, claiming that the continuous disasters were due to the Emperor lacking the virtue to rule. As it spread, it morphed into the claim that the current Emperor was not of royal blood and had caused this calamity in his ambition for the throne.

The Emperor was furious and sent court officials to investigate the truth and arrest those spreading the rumors, leading to unrest and conflict everywhere.

While chaos reigned in the front, the rear palace remained untouched.

Since Shen Zhejiang’s death, Xiao Zhinian had been indulging in pleasure, spending his days drunk in Yanqing Palace. Outside, it was freezing and thousands were starving, but inside, it was like spring with singing, dancing, and a rosy atmosphere.

It was a scene of utter chaos.

A wine pot with red tassels rolled down the steps from the high platform, gurgling and spilling wine as it bumped into blue cloth cotton shoes.

Han Zitang bent down, picked it up, held it in his hand, and looked at Xiao Zhinian, who was lying askew on the soft couch. “Your subject Han Zitang greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

Xiao Zhinian opened his blurry, drunken eyes and stared at the ceiling painted with colorful patterns for a long while before he finally reacted. He said slowly, “Ah… it’s you. This Prince remembers you… This Prince always hated that Teacher associated with you. But, it’s all in the past now. Come, drink!”

He reached out and groped around on the low table, randomly grabbing one of the wine pots lying on its side and pouring it into his mouth, smacking his lips a couple of times, but there was none of the expected taste.

He shook it, and it was empty, already drained.

“It’s gone? Liu Bao, bring more wine,” Xiao Zhinian’s listless voice sounded ethereal and unreal amidst the singing and dancing. He called out twice more, but no one answered him. Instantly, the alcohol rose to his head, and he raised his voice, “Where is everyone? Where have you all gone?!”

Xiao Zhinian didn’t remember that he had just sent Liu Bao out to get more wine.

“Your Highness,” Han Zitang stood in the center of the hall and said, “Your subject was entrusted by Shen Zhejiang before his death to bring you a message.”

From that day on, the three words “Shen Zhejiang” had become a forbidden phrase in Yanqing Palace, not even allowed to be said separately.

The last time a palace servant carelessly uttered the word “Jiang,” Xiao Zhinian heard it and had him beaten to a pulp on the spot, dying his last breath.

Suddenly, the singing and dancing stopped abruptly, leaving an eerie silence.

The whistling wind blew in through the window frames, causing the hanging beaded curtains to collide with each other, making clanging sounds.

“Shen Zhejiang, ah…”

At this moment, hearing the long-absent name after several months evoked a different feeling.

Xiao Zhinian savored it slowly in his mouth, then laughed, scaring the palace slave kneeling next to him and feeding him fruit. The slave’s face paled, and he quickly knelt down and trembled.

“A lonely ghost from the underworld, why mention him? Don’t you think so?”

Xiao Zhinian raised his foot, his toes bare, and tapped the palace slave’s head lightly, making it shake, sending shivers down the slave’s spine.

The palace slave shrank back, his face filled with terror, and nodded repeatedly in agreement, “Y-Your Highness is right…”

“Right? Right my ass! Get out!”

A fierce look flashed across Xiao Zhinian’s face, and he kicked the palace slave away.

Unable to withstand the force, the palace slave fell down the steps, his forehead covered in blood, but he didn’t feel the pain. Before Xiao Zhinian could get angry again, he got up and knelt down again.

Han Zitang saw it all, but didn’t say a word. He hadn’t expected that Shen Zhejiang’s death would lead to such a terrible situation.

“Get out! Didn’t you hear what This Prince said?! I told you all to get out!!”

Xiao Zhinian suddenly stood up, roaring like a young beast who had lost its loved one, so ferocious, so sorrowful.

The dancers and singers retreated in fear, afraid of further angering the Crown Prince.

Han Zitang didn’t leave. He paused and said, “Shen Zhejiang entrusted your subject to tell Your Highness that he always hoped that Your Highness could occupy his position and fulfill his duty. As the Crown Prince, Your Highness should have the proper appearance of a Crown Prince.”

Perhaps the word “proper appearance” had stimulated Xiao Zhinian.

He looked ferocious, his eyes bloodshot, and roared, “You get out too! What This Prince does has nothing to do with Shen Zhejiang! If he has the ability, he should come and tell This Prince himself! It’s been so long, and he still hasn’t come to This Prince’s dream! Why! This Prince also wants to know if he’s cold, if he’s become thinner again? Why… why doesn’t he tell This Prince…”

It was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.

More than anger, it was resentment.

“Your subject has conveyed what Shen Zhejiang wanted to say,” Han Zitang said coldly. “Your subject also has a few words to say to Your Highness. Does Your Highness know how Zhejiang has been living these years? The Shen family was confiscated, and Zhejiang spent ten years working tirelessly to overturn the verdict. He accumulated illnesses and his body was already weakened. Do you know how much suffering and struggle he endured to put aside his hatred and use his clear and just mind to teach you everything he had learned in his life?”

“What Shen family was confiscated? When was the Shen family confiscated? What are you talking about?” Xiao Zhinian was half-sober.

“It happened ten years ago. If Your Highness doesn’t know, you can look it up in the history books.”

Han Zitang knew that Shen Zhejiang would rather swallow the pain himself than involve Xiao Zhinian in these matters, but things had reached this point, and the truth had to come out eventually.

Moreover, with Xiao Zhinian’s help, they might be able to find the mastermind behind the attempt to assassinate Shen Zhejiang.

Xiao Zhinian shook his head, repeating, “Ten years ago… Liu Bao!!”

Liu Bao, who had returned with the wine, rushed to Xiao Zhinian’s side upon hearing the call, and hurriedly put down the wine pot, “What are your orders, Your Highness?”

“Go and find out everything about the Shen family’s affairs ten years ago, don’t miss a single word! Go quickly!” Xiao Zhinian said.

“Yes, yes!”

Liu Bao hadn’t even caught his breath before he ran off again, busy running errands. It was truly difficult for him.

Han Zitang, seeing that everything that needed to be said had been said, bowed and said, “Your subject will take his leave first and not disturb Your Highness.”

“Wait,” Xiao Zhinian stepped on the steps and hurriedly stopped Han Zitang, “Did Teacher leave anything behind…”

Saying “legacy” didn’t seem appropriate.

Xiao Zhinian racked his brains, clenched his fingers, and finally resigned himself to fate and said, “Did he leave anything for This Prince?”

Han Zitang glanced at him, took out a thin letter from his sleeve, held it in his hand, and returned it to Xiao Zhinian along with the wine pot, “Take good care of it.”

On the simple envelope, vigorous strokes of ink and brush clearly wrote –

“To His Highness personally”

It was Shen Zhejiang’s handwriting.

After Han Zitang left, Xiao Zhinian held the letter in both hands, as if the weight of a mountain range was pressing down on it, and stood there in a daze for a long time.

So long that his feet began to ache.