Chapter 49: The Crown Prince is Incompetent

Inside the grand hall, the charcoal fire burned brightly, dispelling the chill brought back from the imperial palace. A maidservant brought in a bowl of hot broth. Lady Cui personally took it, tested the temperature, and then handed it to Liu Chen.

"Your Highness has grown rather thin; the journey outside must have been arduous," Lady Cui said softly, her gaze tracing the contours of his face.

"It is nothing. The war is over, and I have returned," Liu Chen replied briefly. He took the bowl and took a sip; the warmth traveled straight to his stomach, comforting his entire body. He had no wish to speak of the bloodshed on the front lines or the treacherous currents at court, for these should not taint the peace of this haven.

Lady Wang and Lady許 sat quietly in the lower seats, their gazes never leaving him. The children were also permitted to stay in the hall, and little Liu Ying had even quietly crept over to sit on the rug beside his father's couch, looking up at him.

Liu Chen set down the bowl and looked at his eldest son: "Jun'er, how are your studies progressing lately? Have you been slacking off?"

"Mother instructs me every day, so this son dares not slack off in the slightest," Liu Jun replied hastily.

"Good," Liu Chen nodded, admonishing, "Civil and military arts must both be cultivated. Our Great Han was founded on martial prowess; though we have attained temporary peace, formidable enemies surround us on all sides, and we must not forget warfare for a single day." His tone unconsciously took on the sternness of a military camp.

"This son will firmly bear Father's teachings in mind!" Liu Jun answered loudly.

Liu Chen then looked at his second son: "And Yan'er?"

Liu Yan rose, his voice somewhat gentler: "Replying to Father, this son has recently been reading the *Zuo Zhuan*."

"The *Zuo Zhuan* is good; through it, one can understand the rise and fall of states and discern gains and losses." Liu Chen nodded, his gaze finally falling upon the youngest son who had crept closer, his tone softening further: "Ying'er, how many characters have you learned by now?"

Seeing that his father had finally addressed him, Liu Ying immediately scrambled up, puffed out his little chest, and said with a touch of boastfulness: "Father, I know over a hundred characters! I can even recite the first few lines of the *Memorial on the Expedition*!"

Seeing his youngest son's appearance, Liu Chen finally revealed a genuine smile: "Oh? Let me hear you recite it."

Liu Ying then began to recite, swaying his head from side to side. Though he occasionally stumbled, he made a respectable showing of it. The atmosphere in the hall instantly relaxed considerably, and Lady Cui and the others covered their mouths and smiled lightly.

"His Majesty is hosting a banquet at the Jiade Palace tonight. You must bathe first."

Liu Chen turned to Lady Cui and said, "I must ask the Princess to prepare."

"This concubine obeys."

Lady Cui's expression turned serious, and she hurriedly ordered servants to prepare hot water.

Qiang Zhou, filled with trepidation and a lingering shred of hope, hurried toward the garrison of the Feathered Forest Guards. The closer he got to the imperial palace precinct, the stronger his unease became. The familiar checkpoints and patrols of the Feathered Forest Guards were nowhere to be seen; in their place were squads of unfamiliar soldiers in gleaming armor, with stern expressions and entirely different standard-issue equipment. These soldiers had sharp gazes and strict discipline, exuding the fierce aura of battle-hardened veterans—they were by no means comparable to the pampered Feathered Forest Guards of the past.

Qiang Zhou's heart sank heavily. Putting on a brave face, he attempted to request an audience with Xiang Yi, but was unceremoniously blocked by the duty officer.

"This is a vital precinct of the imperial palace; unauthorized persons are not permitted to approach! Xiang Yi? The Feathered Forest Guards have already been redeployed to the suburban camp for retraining. The internal palace guards have been taken over by the Heavenly Strategy Army under the command of His Highness the Prince of Qin!" The officer's voice was icy, leaving no room for negotiation.

Like a basin of ice water poured over his head, Qiang Zhou instantly felt chilled to the bone. His worst-case scenario had become reality! Not only did Liu Chen know, but he had also seized the initiative, relieving Xiang Yi of his military command with lightning speed, and directly replacing him with his own trusted troops! Their plot had been thoroughly exposed and completely undermined at the roots even before it could be launched.

Panic gnawed at his heart like a poisonous snake. He dared not ask another question and turned away, practically stumbling as he fled, with only a single thought in his mind: Hurry! The Crown Prince must be informed immediately! The plan has been exposed, and the blade is already at their throats!

This Liu Chen was truly sinister; the moment he returned to Chengdu, he had his men take control of the imperial palace.

Daring not take a carriage, he brought only a single trusted attendant, carefully avoiding the main avenues and cutting through alleys, rushing toward the Eastern Palace with a burning anxiety. Along the way, he felt as though invisible eyes were watching him from the shadows, and the gaze of every passerby seemed suspicious.

With great difficulty, he reached the Eastern Palace. Guided secretly by a trusted eunuch, Qiang Zhou met with Liu Xuan in the Crown Prince's study, where the prince was still somewhat in the dark. Seeing Qiang Zhou's pale face and ragged breath, the Crown Prince felt a tightening in his chest and waved his attendants away.

"Grand Director of Ceremonies, why such panic? Has the arrangement for tonight's banquet been settled?" Liu Xuan asked with a lingering trace of anticipation.

"Your Highness! We are ruined!" Disregarding all etiquette, Qiang Zhou's voice trembled as he cried out, "It's over! Our plan has leaked! Xiang Yi has been stripped of his military command, the Feathered Forest Guards have been removed from the palace, and the entire palace precinct is now under the control of Liu Chen's Heavenly Strategy Army!"

"What?!" Struck as if by a thunderbolt, Liu Xuan leapt up from his couch, his face instantly turning even paler than Qiang Zhou's as he cried out, "H-How is this possible? W-When did he return to the city? Why was there not the slightest rumor?"

"This subject does not know either! But the rotation of the palace guards is indisputably true! This subject tried to go and confirm it with Xiang Yi, but was turned back by the Prince of Qin's men! Your Highness, Liu Chen must already know the entire plan! Tonight's banquet is likely... likely a Feast at Swan Goose Gate!" Qiang Zhou's voice was filled with despair.

Liu Xuan felt the world spin before his eyes, his limbs turning weak as he stumbled and collapsed back into his seat, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead. Apprehensively, he thought: *H-He knows everything? Then... then Your Majesty... does Your Majesty know as well?*

The thought that Liu Chan might know he had intended to assassinate his younger brother and coerce the throne filled Liu Xuan with a terror bordering on suffocation. For such a treasonous crime, even as Crown Prince, he would undoubtedly find no way to survive!

"Whether His Majesty knows, this subject dares not presume to judge. But since Liu Chen has already taken control of the palace guards, he must have made foolproof preparations. Your Highness, you and I... we are already fish on the chopping block!"

At this moment, Qiang Zhou's mind was also in utter chaos; his formerly lofty discourses on the "Mandate of Heaven" and the "Grand Trend" appeared so pale and ridiculous in the face of cold reality.

The study fell into a deathly silence, broken only by their heavy, terrified breathing. The shadow of failure and the impending horrific consequences pressed down upon them like a mountain, making it hard to breathe.

After a long while, as if clutching at a final straw, Liu Xuan suddenly grabbed Qiang Zhou's sleeve and rambled incoherently: "Director! You are a renowned scholar, your disciples and old associates fill the court, you must think of a way! C-Could we perhaps confess our guilt to His Majesty? We could say we were deceived by villains! Or... or we could claim illness and refuse to attend the banquet?"

Qiang Zhou wore a bitter, ghastly smile: "Your Highness, to claim illness at this moment—would that not be tantamount to a confession? As for confessing... if His Majesty does not yet know, perhaps it could be tried, but if His Majesty already knows..."

He shook his head, leaving the implication unspoken. Under circumstances where Liu Chen already held absolute military power, any defense would appear futile and ridiculous.

"Then... are we simply to sit here and await our doom?" Liu Xuan's voice took on a crying tone, filled with despair and unwillingness.

"Your Highness need not worry. As long as we take no action, His Majesty will not punish us." Qiang Zhou, being older after all, quickly found an excuse.