Chapter 109: Volume 1, Chapter 109: Counterattack

"What exactly is the use of this seal?" Rong Luoge did not quite understand the ancients' reverence and longing for such things; that kind of faith was probably something she, as a person from a later era, could not easily comprehend.

She had always believed in goods delivered and payment settled, neither side owing the other; this sort of showing up at someone's door with a token to make demands did not work with her.

"It is said that before the former king of Qingxuan, besieged in the royal palace, took his own life, he used himself as bait to send his son and daughter out of the palace. The Crown Prince carried a seal with him, reportedly carved personally by the former king as a gift for his son, and this seal was tied to the treasure and private army the former king had left for his son."

Rong Luoge:...

This melodramatic formula was exactly like something out of those TV dramas; she couldn't even find a better angle to mock it.

Meeting Rong Luoge's bizarre expression, Han Xinglan suddenly found himself unable to continue. After a pause, he said, "Though I don't know whether this news is true or false, the current king of Qingxuan has been searching for the former Crown Prince and his sister as well as this seal for all these years. Moreover, it is said that when the current king opened the royal inner treasury, both the national treasury and the emperor's private stores were indeed empty."

Rong Luoge:...

She felt like she had transmigrated into some melodramatic romance court-intrigue drama she had never watched before. Based on her years of experience reading books and watching shows, the treasure was most likely fake, the private army had probably all scattered, and in the end, the so-called former Crown Prince and former Princess, even if they gathered their old retainers with the seal, would only be a ragtag band of defeated soldiers. And the treasure they eventually found would probably be nothing surprising either.

"What kind of person was the former king of Qingxuan?" Rong Luoge looked at Han Xinglan and asked.

Han Xinglan kept feeling that Rong Luoge's earlier expression had been very bizarre, but he couldn't figure out why. Hearing her inquire about the former king, he said, "If he had been a wise ruler, how could his kingdom have fallen?"

"Exactly. So since he was a foolish ruler, how could he possibly have left any treasure behind? He must have squandered it all himself. Since he squandered it, isn't it perfectly normal for the treasury to be empty?" Rong Luoge spread her hands and said.

In novels and television, when the so-called treasure was finally opened, there would often be a scene that shocked everyone, because it was empty.

Why was it empty?

After everyone put their heads together, they ultimately had to admit with aching hearts that it had simply been squandered by the former king. The so-called treasure was probably a rumor deliberately spread by the former king, who simply did not want to bear the blame of being a wastrel who lost his kingdom.

Han Xinglan was struck by Rong Luoge's bizarre line of reasoning, but thinking it over carefully, he actually felt it could be right.

True enough—the former king had been so useless that he was overthrown and lost his kingdom. With a father like that, if the son he raised had any talent, he wouldn't have remained completely silent for over a decade since the kingdom's fall.

There was only the Qiongchuan merchant caravan active and bustling about everywhere, very likely just as Rong Luoge said—not necessarily to support the former Crown Prince's restoration, but quite possibly after the treasure.

But what if the treasure was fake?

That scene would be too gruesome to behold, even the Crown Prince wouldn't want to look.

Han Xinglan had known of this seal's existence for years and had even sent people to search for it. Whether treasure or private army, for him both were things that could be converted into useful assets.

But with Rong Luoge's analysis, that beautiful prospect fell apart in an instant—it was simply too ghastly to contemplate.

Han Xinglan laughed. Yes, external forces were ultimately illusory; only what was held in one's own hands was real.

He had lived these years walking on thin ice, yet now he could not see as clearly as a woman.

Truly, one gradually loses oneself when caught in the middle of the game; fortunately, there was someone to deliver a sharp wake-up call.

Han Xinglan was in an excellent mood and pulled Rong Luoge into an enthusiastic session of baby-making.

Rong Luoge:...

The Crown Prince's trigger for excitement was a bit off.

Han Xinglan opened his eyes when the time came; after so many years, it had long become habit. He turned his head slightly to look at Rong Luoge, who was still sleeping sweetly. When awake, she was like a blazing sunflower, so bright and gorgeous that one could not ignore her; when asleep, she was quiet, like a serene, beautiful, exquisite porcelain doll.

His gaze traced along her fair, white skin from the side of her neck to her collarbone; the scattered red marks were covered by the brocade quilt. Thinking of last night's events, Han Xinglan found it hard to stay in bed.

He sat up, took a deep breath, and only then lifted the curtain and walked out.

The hibiscus curtain was warm through a spring night, and from then on the king held no morning court. Beauty was indeed a blade; even though he had always prided himself on having ample self-restraint, when facing her, he always wanted to go further, and further still, wishing he could keep her by his side at every moment.

Han Xinglan was startled by his own thoughts; he broke out in a cold sweat early in the morning.

If Luoge found out, she would probably kick him right off the bed. Imagining that scene, he suddenly felt amused again.

Why people were so intent on finding a kindred-spirit partner was probably like him—thinking of her, missing her, she was everywhere.

The word "love" was the most poisonous thing in the world.

He had once dismissed it as nothing but an excuse from those who lusted after beauty.

Now he no longer thought so. When someone lived on the tip of your heart, moved by her every joy and sorrow, even if she were the most poisonous cup of wine in the world, he would gladly drink it down.

Han Xinglan went to court in a pleasant mood to continue playing the puppet, only to receive the news that His Majesty had canceled the morning court session.

It wasn't as if this hadn't happened before, but lately, his good imperial father had been canceling court sessions rather frequently.

Han Xinglan went straight back to the Dong Gong and summoned his aides to discuss matters.

"Have the results of the last assassination attempt come out?" Han Xinglan asked.

"The first thing Lord Xiao did upon taking office was receive His Majesty's order to investigate this matter thoroughly. Rest assured, Your Highness—everything is under control," Yu Yan replied.

The emperor was increasingly indulging in women, now spending entire days at the Daoist temple. Just the day before, a new batch of beautiful palace maids had been sent into the temple. A place of Daoist spiritual cultivation was now filled with ceaseless decadent pleasures.

Given the emperor's age and health, carrying on like this night after night—if someone said there was nothing strange going on, who would believe it?

Zhen Yun, seeing that His Highness the Crown Prince's expression was displeased, thought for a moment and said, "I know Your Highness wishes to use the assassination attempt to eradicate the Daoist temple and those charlatan priests from His Majesty's side, but the time is not yet ripe. I ask Your Highness to endure a while longer."

The Crown Prince was a benevolent ruler, always filial to His Majesty. Knowing that His Majesty's current situation at the Daoist temple was amiss, he wished to clear away the sycophants around His Majesty.

But they, his aides, did not think this way. His Majesty favored Prince Qi, and now Xiao Shen controlled the Imperial Dragon Guard. They only needed to endure a while longer, until Xiao Shen presented the pill diagram and fully gained His Majesty's trust, until His Highness could easily control the inner court—then they could talk about fatherly kindness and filial piety.

Only, they dared not raise these words before His Highness. His Highness was purely filial and would likely not agree with their approach.

But Han Xinglan had long since lost any father-son affection for the emperor. How could he not know about the debauchery at the Daoist temple? Though he would not actively do anything about it, neither would he try to dissuade him.

Prince Qi's entry into the Imperial Dragon Guard as Vice Commander had already severed the last shred of regard between him and his imperial father.

From this point on, it was time for him to counterattack.