Chapter 135: Strife Among the Princes

After being summoned to the palace, Prince Huai felt a sense of profound shock upon learning the news. In the preceding days, he had indeed heard of the arrival of several fine Ferghana horses at the stables, and he had personally gone there to select a few. He had never expected to stumble into such a predicament.

However, a seed of suspicion had already taken root in the Emperor’s heart. He could not simply believe that the Prince had gone there solely to choose horses. Why, then, was the corpse of a Chu man found at that very location? Moreover, the entire affair bore the hallmarks of a frame-up. At the inn, Yuwen Hong had met with Prince Huai privately, and their encounter had been cordial—a fact the innkeeper could attest to. From that moment on, one might question the Prince’s motives, let alone now, with so many bizarre circumstances surrounding the case.

The Emperor demanded an explanation from Prince Huai, though for now, it remained mere suspicion. If Yuwen Hong were intentionally stirring up internal strife within the Qing Kingdom for his own gain, the consequences of falling into such a trap would be dire. High Official Gao understood this well. With the Emperor’s authorization to investigate the case, he was finally free to act.

Yet, was the matter truly as simple as they surmised? The Crown Prince of Chu would surely not stop here. His purpose in orchestrating these events in Luojing was to gain the upper hand in future negotiations. But how could the reigning Emperor be swayed by such threats? He preferred to watch coldly from the sidelines.

Prince Huai, now under the Emperor’s scrutiny, felt a sudden sense of dread. He was already struggling to compete with his third brother, and now that his father harbored dissatisfaction toward him, the future seemed increasingly precarious.

"Brother Han, I need your help," High Official Gao said. He was a straightforward man; once he realized a problem was difficult to solve, he immediately sought assistance.

"You want me to investigate a prince? I lack the standing for that," Han Qing replied, shaking his head. It was patently absurd; an ordinary official would have no such opportunity.

"The Emperor has granted me special authority to get to the bottom of the Chu corpse case," he said calmly.

It was not that the task was overly troublesome, but it was momentarily delicate, especially with others potentially interfering.

"But Prince Huai is not the murderer. Investigating him will lead you nowhere," Han Qing added.

"What?" High Official Gao froze, stunned. He found it unbelievable. "Are you certain? All the evidence points to Prince Huai."

The other man spoke with hesitation. The situation certainly appeared clear, but often, when the truth is thrust before you, it is merely a facade designed to conceal.

"He has no reason to do this. He spent a long time chatting with the Crown Prince of Chu at the inn purely to seek some advantage; there is no possibility he would harm an ordinary Chu citizen," Han Qing explained slowly.

"Then who do you think it is? Who else is competing with Prince Huai?"

The matter now entangled two princes. High Official Gao could no longer proceed with the investigation. He reported the details to the Emperor, as these were royal affairs, and a simple resolution would suffice. Ultimately, they settled on a convenient excuse and arrested the staff of the inn. Since they had failed to monitor when the Chu man escaped, they were punished, and the matter was left to fade away.

However, the Emperor stripped a portion of power from both princes and ordered them to refrain from interfering in other court affairs. Yet, the Crown Prince of Chu was not one to back down. Having intended to use this incident to stir trouble, only to be suppressed, he was naturally displeased.

"Surely the Emperor isn't just using a flimsy excuse to close the matter?"

"Crown Prince Yuwen, this outcome is the best resolution for both our nations. Unless, of course, your visit here was not for peace, but to provoke conflict?" Official Cao asked coldly.

"Not at all. It was merely my personal suspicion. I hope His Majesty will not take offense," the Crown Prince replied, maintaining his composure. He knew better than to say too much on foreign soil.

In the end, both sides exchanged their intentions and reaffirmed a treaty of friendship and non-aggression. This would constrain the border populations while opening channels for trade, thereby increasing economic and cultural exchange—a win-win solution.

But was it truly that easy? While the populace was excited by the new laws, they were hardly sustainable in the long run. Young Master Zhu arrived, brimming with enthusiasm, sharing his belief that many products would soon flow into other regions. The man before him, however, remained unmoved.

"Do you find these agreements unreliable?"

"The ambition of the Chu people is known to all. When things have reached this point, why maintain this hypocrisy?" Han Qing said dismissively.

It was likely that he was not the only one who saw through it; the Emperor must have understood as well. But this was not the time for war, and the people could not be subjected to such unprovoked disaster. Thus, they would preserve the status quo for now, while slowly making it clear that some people were not to be trifled with.

"Furthermore, the treaty mentions sulfur and saltpeter. While they may be scarce in their lands, these are the essential ingredients for gunpowder," Han Qing added.

This realization shocked Young Master Zhu. They had never considered this, assuming the materials were needed for crafts. Now, the truth was clear: this was a calculated move to seize cities. The calm before the storm was always the most profound.

"Then why not suggest this to the Emperor?"

"I am but a tribute scholar with a nominal title. There is no need to cause such a stir. Besides, nothing has happened yet, has it?"

That was true. To voice such suspicions without proof would only incur the Emperor’s wrath. Only on the day the enemy truly acted would there be a justification for military intervention.

Having been idle in his residence for several days, Han Qing decided to pass the time by preparing some simple food.

"Care to taste the cooking from my estate?" Han Qing invited him.

"What? Have you hired a master chef from the finest restaurant?" Young Master Zhu teased.