Chapter 7

Who would have thought that the matter of the "Prince leaving the palace" would lead to such a falling out between Emperor Zhao Yuansi of the Great Wei and the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun?

In the end, Zhao Yuansi stormed back to the Chui Gong Hall in a fit of rage.

"How can this be! As a son, how dare he defy his own father? This is truly outrageous!"

Inside the Chui Gong Hall, the Great Wei Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, his face full of anger.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health," the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian said, trying to calm the Emperor while secretly giving the three Chancellors a meaningful look.

The three Chancellors exchanged glances, thinking to themselves that this was a matter of the imperial family, and they certainly shouldn't meddle without permission.

However, after some thought, they realized that if they let the Emperor continue to be angry, it might harm his health. Thus, Chancellor He Xiangxu, the Chief Chancellor, reluctantly spoke up.

"Is it because Your Majesty does not want the Eighth Prince to be involved in the succession?"

According to the ancestral rules of the Great Wei, a prince could only leave the palace and establish his own household after turning fifteen, before being granted a title and a fief. This was why the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun had not been included in the list of potential successors by Emperor Zhao Yuansi.

Of course, He Xiangxu did not really think that the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun was unqualified to compete for the throne. He was just trying to open up the conversation, because if they couldn't discuss this openly, they would have no standing to advise the Emperor to calm down.

Sure enough, Emperor Zhao Yuansi fell for it, giving He Xiangxu a cold look and sneering, "Compete for the throne? If that boy really wanted to compete for the throne, it would be a different story!... Does he think I don't know? That little brat just finds the palace boring and wants to move out!"

'Old man, you're really something...'

Lin Yuyang and Yu Ziqi looked at He Xiangxu with admiration.

He Xiangxu smiled slightly, stroking his gray beard, and asked in a feigned puzzled tone, "Why does Your Majesty not allow the Eighth Prince to move out of the palace?"

'Isn't this just asking a known question?'

The Great Wei Emperor gave He Xiangxu an unhappy look.

In fact, the root of the matter was quite simple. The Emperor had gradually grown fond of Zhao Hongrun, a prince who had always been overlooked. Given their past distant relationship, the Emperor wanted to be closer to him in the future.

By all logic, this was a great honor, and any prince would be willing to be close to his father, as it would increase their chances of becoming the heir. However, the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun was different. He had no interest in being the heir; he only wanted to play and naturally did not care about his father's favor.

This was hard for the Great Wei Emperor to accept. It was always the princes who schemed to get close to the Emperor, not the other way around.

However, after calming down, Zhao Yuansi sighed, blaming himself for boasting and making that promise to Zhao Hongrun.

Now, Zhao Hongrun had boldly accused the Emperor of breaking his word, a charge of high treason. As the Great Wei Emperor, Zhao Yuansi could not refute it and could only leave in a huff.

"Does this boy really disdain being close to me?"

Zhao Yuansi asked the three Chancellors in disbelief.

"This is a good thing," He Xiangxu said with a smile. "It shows that the Eighth Prince is open-minded, with no excessive desires or unrealistic ambitions."

"That's true..." Zhao Yuansi frowned, hesitating, "So, what do you three think? Should I grant his request?"

"No!"

"Yes!"

The three Chancellors spoke in unison, but their opinions were not the same.

Chancellor He Xiangxu and Left Chancellor Lin Yuyang believed that a prince should not leave the palace before the age of fifteen, while Right Chancellor Yu Ziqi supported the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun.

"Chancellor He, please state your opinion first."

"Of course." He Xiangxu bowed and formally said, "According to the ancestral rules of the Great Wei, a prince can only leave the palace and establish his own household after turning fifteen, before being granted a title and a fief."

Yu Ziqi frowned, about to argue, but He Xiangxu suddenly changed his tone, smiling and saying, "This is just what we tell outsiders. A genius like the Eighth Prince is an exception. It's not a big problem to be a bit lenient. After all, in the past, there have been princes who left the palace and were granted titles before turning fifteen. ... I'm just worried that this royal seed, which will surely grow into a towering tree, might grow crooked due to the Emperor's indulgence." He looked up at Zhao Yuansi and said in a serious tone, "If this seed grows crooked, the Emperor will have no face to meet the ancestors!"

The people in the hall fell silent, as He Xiangxu had hit on what Zhao Yuansi was most worried about.

The Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun had always been criticized for being mischievous and not studying. Even in the palace, he couldn't cause much trouble, but if he moved out, it would be "far from the Emperor's reach." Zhao Yuansi might not be able to see him again.

"I also think so," Left Chancellor Lin Yuyang bowed and said, "The Eighth Prince has a broad vision and deep thoughts, far beyond our understanding. I boldly ask the Emperor to strictly guide him, so he can become a pillar of the Great Wei. If so, it will be a great blessing for the Great Wei. ... If not, it would be a great loss!"

While Zhao Yuansi was thinking, Right Chancellor Yu Ziqi did not argue with his colleagues. Although he supported the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun, believing that the Emperor should keep his promise, he also understood the Emperor's and his colleagues' concerns for the Great Wei.

Was the Emperor's promise more important, or was it more important to cultivate the Eighth Prince into a pillar of the Great Wei? The choice was not difficult.

Yu Ziqi hesitated and decided not to support Zhao Hongrun. He was impressed by the Eighth Prince's bold ideas and did not want to see this talented prince lose his natural talent due to childish playfulness.

However, he still had to speak his mind.

"The Eighth Prince will not give up easily!"

"..." The Great Wei Emperor and He Xiangxu, Lin Yuyang turned to look at Yu Ziqi.

Indeed, a prince with high intelligence, meticulous thoughts, and the courage to accuse the Emperor of breaking his word, would he really give up his due promise because of his father's anger?

"Hmph! I don't believe that boy can turn the sky upside down!"

The Great Wei Emperor coldly snorted and turned to the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian, saying, "Pass my order to the Zongfu to reduce the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun's monthly allowance by... um, two-tenths, as a warning!"

"Yes!"

"Also, remove the 'Xiaoyao Pavilion' sign from his residence and restore the old name 'Wenzhao Pavilion'!"

"..." Tong Xian hesitated, then said carefully, "If the Eighth Prince resists..."

"Send the Imperial Guards!"

"Yes..."

As the Grand Eunuch Tong Xian hurried out of the Chui Gong Hall, the three Chancellors shrank their necks, sensing a strange premonition.

The war between the Emperor and the Eighth Prince was about to begin.

Just an hour later, the Imperial Guards, following the Emperor's order, removed the 'Xiaoyao Pavilion' sign from the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun's residence and replaced it with the old 'Wenzhao Pavilion' sign.

The Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun stood on the corridor, watching coldly.

Noticing his master's dark expression, his trusted guard, Mu Qing, whispered, "Your Highness, don't act rashly. They are the Imperial Guards..."

He turned to look at the crowd of black-clad soldiers on the square below.

'Damn, a whole battalion of Imperial Guards... Is this necessary?'

Ten guards surrounded their master, fearing that he might really fight the Imperial Guards.

Although they had fought the Imperial Guards before, this time there were too many—five hundred in a battalion.

With only ten of them, how could they possibly win?

The ten guards exchanged glances, suspecting this was a warning from the Emperor.

"By the Emperor's order, the Eighth Prince Hongrun, for violating the ancestral rules and changing the name of his residence without permission, showing disrespect to the ancestors, is fined two-tenths of his monthly allowance for the first offense."

An Imperial Guard captain bowed to Hongrun.

Zhao Hongrun looked up at the 'Wenzhao Pavilion' sign, then at the five hundred Imperial Guards on the square.

"Your Highness, I will take my leave."

After replacing the sign, the captain quickly left. Who didn't know that the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun was notorious in the palace? Although this was the Emperor's order, he didn't want to be remembered as an enemy by the prince.

Watching the five hundred Imperial Guards quickly retreat, Zhao Hongrun looked up at the 'Wenzhao Pavilion' sign again and silently entered the hall.

The ten guards followed, their heads hanging low.

The main hall of the Wenzhao Pavilion was used for receiving guests, with only low tables for guests to kneel, no chairs.

Zhao Hongrun sat silently in the host's seat, his eyes scanning the ten guards kneeling before him.

"Mu Qing, Shen Yu, Wei Jiao, Chu Heng, Gao Kuo, Zhong Zhao, Lu Mu, Zhu Gui, He Miao, Zhou Pu..."

Zhao Hongrun called out the names of the ten guards.

These were not ordinary guards but personal guards assigned to Zhao Hongrun by the Zongfu.

They were all descendants of loyal Great Wei military families, taken in by the Zongfu due to poverty, trained in martial arts from a young age, and assigned to the princes as personal guards when they grew up.

Though they were guards, they were actually considered the princes' retainers, close confidants, sharing the princes' glory and disgrace. If the prince became emperor, they would rise to become powerful generals.

This was the ancestral rule of the Great Wei.

"We are here, Your Highness."

The ten guards knelt, their eyes fixed on their master.

Zhao Hongrun's face was expressionless as he said, "War is coming!"

The ten guards looked at each other, their heads hanging low, and followed their master into the hall.

The main hall of the Wenzhao Pavilion was used for receiving guests, with only low tables for guests to kneel, no chairs.

Zhao Hongrun sat silently in the host's seat, his eyes scanning the ten guards kneeling before him.

"Mu Qing, Shen Yu, Wei Jiao, Chu Heng, Gao Kuo, Zhong Zhao, Lu Mu, Zhu Gui, He Miao, Zhou Pu..."

Zhao Hongrun called out the names of the ten guards.

These were not ordinary guards but personal guards assigned to Zhao Hongrun by the Zongfu.

They were all descendants of loyal Great Wei military families, taken in by the Zongfu due to poverty, trained in martial arts from a young age, and assigned to the princes as personal guards when they grew up.

Though they were guards, they were actually considered the princes' retainers, close confidants, sharing the princes' glory and disgrace. If the prince became emperor, they would rise to become powerful generals.

This was the ancestral rule of the Great Wei.

"We are here, Your Highness."

The ten guards knelt, their eyes fixed on their master.

Zhao Hongrun's face was expressionless as he said, "War is coming!"