Ashes to Crown

Chapter 51: Chapter 15: Separate Paths

While the Crown Prince discussed state affairs in his palace, the Third Prince was ransacking the Royal Book Collection Pavilion.

The Third Prince directed his attendants to carry out stacks upon stacks of books, piling them so high on the carriage there was no room left for him. He simply sat on the outside and drove the carriage himself.

”Third Prince.” The officials from the Book Collection Pavilion stood by, not daring to stop him. They could only say carefully, ”Let us prepare a carriage to deliver them for you.”

The Third Prince raised a hand, refusing. ”Don’t you touch my books. I know how you people are—you’re sure to lose some or leave some behind.” Before the officials could speak again, his deathly pale face twisted with malice. ”And another thing, next time anyone dares to ask me for books, don’t blame me for being uncivilized!”

The officials were at a loss. ”Your Highness, you’re practically emptying the entire library.”

The Third Prince sneered. ”So what if I empty it? My father is giving the entire world to the Crown Prince. What’s one library to me in comparison!”

What could they say to that? The officials didn’t know how to respond. They could only watch as the Third Prince drove his carriage away.

The Third Prince had a wild, erratic temperament and was openly disrespectful to the Crown Prince. But with the Imperial Concubine’s backing, the Emperor turned a blind eye. Any official who impeached the Third Prince would face retaliation from the Zhao Family—they would either be demoted or thrown into prison. For the past few years, the officials had all learned to keep their eyes and mouths shut.

The Empress Clan, the Yang Family, was entrenched in the key departments of the court and was not to be trifled with either.

As the two sides tore at each other, innocent bystanders were the ones who suffered.

Take Liang Siqing, for example.

Although it was just a small tea stain on his shoulder, there were no secrets at court. The news spread like wildfire.

The Emperor spilling tea on him was the result of the struggle between the Zhao and Yang families.

”Actually,” an official chimed in, ”I heard it was because of Chu Ling’s daughter—”

The officials had, of course, all heard about the matter between Chu Ling’s daughter and Miss Liang from their own families, but—

”That’s a trivial matter,” they said, waving their hands dismissively.

Whether it was Chu Ling or his daughter, they were both insignificant. The squabble between two young ladies was also an insignificant matter. Behind the incident with Liang Siqing, there had to be a major issue involving the Yang and Zhao families, as well as the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.

Chu Ling was a man of no consequence.

As for his daughter, she was but a speck of dust in the Capital City.

Brushing aside the dust, the officials continued their hushed discussion about the great figures of the court and their great affairs.

”What is the Third Prince planning to do by holding this literary gathering?”

”Is he trying to rally scholars to build momentum?”

”That would really stir things up.”

...

...

The Third Prince drove the carriage with the driver sitting beside him, speeding away from the Imperial City.

”Your Highness,” the stoic driver said in a low voice, ”Your uncle asks why His Majesty lost his temper. Does he need to do anything?”

There were no secrets in the Imperial City. With the Imperial Concubine by the Emperor’s side, the Emperor had even fewer secrets. He had barely finished his tantrum before the Imperial Concubine’s brother knew about it.

The Third Prince’s face showed none of its earlier madness. A slight smile played on his lips. ”No need. Tell my uncle it was I who made His Majesty angry. I deliberately brought up how Chu Ling offended my father with that memorial years ago.”

The driver was a bit confused. ”Your Highness, is it that you dislike this Chu Ling?”

The Third Prince scoffed. ”Who does he think he is to be worthy of my attention? My mother said this Chu Ling is about to die anyway. I’m just helping him die a little faster. As for Luocheng, we need to get our hands on it.”

The driver understood. ”Rest assured, Your Highness. Your uncle is aware of this and has already sent men over. Even if Chu Ling doesn’t die, we will make sure to plant our people there.”

”Good. Tell my uncle not to worry about such insignificant people and trivial matters,” the Third Prince said, smoothing his wind-tousled hair and revealing a sinister look in his eyes. ”The real show is about to begin.”

With that, he cracked the whip hard. The horse neighed and charged forward as if it had gone mad.

The guards were long used to this. They promptly cleared the streets, ordering the crowds to step aside. The people on the roadside were also accustomed to it and quickly got out of the way, watching as the Third Prince flew past, his clothes and hair flying wildly.

The affairs between the royal father and sons were matters for behind closed doors. The Imperial City remained quiet on this spring afternoon.

In a duty office in the West Garden, after a long wait and a long conversation, Deng Yi finally handed over a piece of paper.

The official took it, squinting as he held it up. It seemed to be a pawn ticket, but it was actually a voucher to retrieve assets from a pawnshop.

”Ah, Deng Yi, I’m taking a real risk by accepting this from you. Who told you to offend both the Yang family and the Zhao family? And now you’ve given them leverage over you on this assignment. Of course Zhou Weiqing is going to give you a hard time,” he said.

Deng Yi nodded. ”I know. Giving the money is never the risk; taking it is. I will remember your kindness, Sir.”

The official laughed. ”You, you... you’re clearly good with words and at getting things done. Why must you insist on offending them?”

Deng Yi smiled. ”I truly didn’t mean to offend them. I did everything I was supposed to, sent all the gifts I was supposed to send. My abilities only go so far. If they are still not satisfied with me, there’s nothing I can do.”

’What ”abilities only go so far”?’ the official thought. ’It was just a polite way of saying he didn’t want to sell his life and soul to them.’ The official understood. The Zhao and Yang families were constantly fighting, both openly and in secret, forming factions. While most officials at court had chosen a side, some preferred not to. They just wanted to hold onto their official posts and live quiet lives of their own.

”Well, you’ll just have to endure some hardship then,” the official said, tossing an appointment document onto the table. ”You could have had a comfortable post at the Weiwei Mansion, but now you can only guard the palace gates. This is the most respectable job I could pick for you. It’s better than patrolling the city with the Imperial Guard.”

Deng Yi reached out for it and cupped his fists in a salute to the official. ”Thank you for being so principled, Sir.”

The official flicked the pawn ticket in his hand and laughed heartily. ”Don’t mention it, don’t mention it! No wonder they say doing business with you, Deng Yi, is always a pleasure.”

’To take so much money and still be called ”principled”... Not bad, not bad at all. He’d be happy to be this ”principled” a few more times.’

Deng Yi bowed and took his leave. Walking through the Imperial City again, the few officials who recognized him all turned their heads, pretending not to see him.

Deng Yi, the Minister of the Imperial Guard, had bribed his way into the Capital City and secured a respectable official post. In the end, he was dismissed in less than a year.

’The man is truly incompetent and a troublemaker.’

”Second Master, Second Master,” someone called out in a low voice from a corner by the palace gate.

Deng Yi saw his family’s young servant and hurried over. ”What is it? Is something wrong at home?”

Deng Yi took his family with him wherever he went, and coming to the Capital City was no exception. His family was simple: just a blind old mother and a young servant.

The young servant said aggrievedly, ”The Old Mistress wanted to eat, but we found there’s no rice left at home, and no money either.” He then looked at Deng Yi reproachfully. ”We just got a lot of money, Second Master. Did you throw it all away again?”

Deng Yi smiled and took off the old cloak he was wearing. ”The weather is getting warmer anyway. Take this and pawn it for some rice.”

The young servant took it with a sigh, a mix of resignation and habit. Shaking his head and muttering to himself, he clutched the cloak and ran off. ’Food is the top priority! I have to pawn this for rice immediately.’

A passing official overheard what the master and servant were saying and quickly spread the news. The stares from those around them grew even more contemptuous.

Deng Yi paid them no mind. He walked calmly out of the palace gate in his thin shirt, glanced in the direction of the Weiwei Mansion, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

’I’ve bribed my way here, building connections as I went. I’ll use those connections to climb even higher. As long as I’m on this grand road in the Capital City, I can eventually reach the heavens.’

’So what if I’m a nobody, as insignificant as a speck of dust? When given the chance, even dust can blot out the sun.’