Chapter 1207: Liu Fang's Next Steps

Somewhat to Liu Fang's surprise, the visitor was a palace eunuch from Qiuhua Hall, an attendant of his mother the Worthy Consort, sent on orders to bring him back to the palace, saying she missed her son—this was hardly Lady Zhe's style.

By the time he returned to Ziwei City, it was already late, dusk deepening. Before the bedchamber, he saw the chief eunuch Yan Tuo of the palace sharply berating an attendant. Liu Fang understood—his imperial father must have favored his mother with a visit, and summoning him back was likely Emperor Liu's wish as well.

"What offense has this man committed, to provoke such fury from Chief Eunuch Yan?" Watching Yan Tuo's somewhat imperious manner, Liu Fang curled his lip and stepped forward to ask.

Hearing the question, Yan Tuo turned around, and upon seeing Liu Fang, immediately changed his expression, greeting him deferentially with a cupped-fist bow and explaining: "This humble one pays respects to Your Highness the Duke of Zhao! His Majesty has set a banquet here, and this lazy servant, clumsy of hand and foot, actually knocked over the soup—I had no choice but to reprimand him!"

Liu Fang nodded, offering no opinion on the matter, merely feeling that this eunuch, so obsequious before him, seemed somewhat prone to throwing his weight around on imperial favor.

Of course, as one of the two highest-ranking, most favored eunuchs in the Han palace, the chief among all the palace eunuch offices, Yan Tuo had the confidence and capital for it, and his origins in the old Jinyang residence added further to his credentials.

Over all these years, Yan Tuo had become a eunuch boss whom even Zhang Dejun of the Palace City Office greatly feared. But no man is perfect, and being a eunuch to begin with, aside from serving Emperor Liu with all his heart, he was not without an air of arrogance. In thousands of years of dynastic history, eunuchs renowned for "worthiness" were rarer than phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

"Where are my father and mother?" Liu Fang seemed to ask a pointless question.

Yan Tuo replied: "His Majesty is conversing with the Worthy Consort lady!"

Acknowledging this, without waiting for him to announce his arrival, Liu Fang went straight inside—this was not Chuigong Hall, so there were no great restrictions on him. Within the hall, a banquet table was already nearly set, the food and wine still steaming, evidently timed to be served.

At the seats, besides Emperor Liu and Lady Zhe, there were also Liu Yun, Liu Ai, and Liu Xiao, his three full brothers, summoned to attend as well. Emperor Liu had long since established a new rule: once an imperial prince reached eight years of age, he was to live apart from his mother and reside together in the Dragon Abyss Pavilion of the inner court.

Of the four sons Lady Zhe had borne, the youngest, the eleventh prince Liu Xiao, was now nearly ten years old. Liu Fang entered and paid his respects; he had returned in haste, not even changing out of his military uniform, which only added to his martial bearing. The masculine, resolute temperament Liu Fang carried was also what Emperor Liu loved most.

Being a family banquet, the atmosphere was very harmonious. In Emperor Liu's arms sat a young girl, his sixth princess, also born of Lady Zhe, named Liu Lei, born in the fourteenth year of Qianyou.

"Rise! Take your seat, we're just waiting to begin!" Emperor Liu sized up Liu Fang for a moment—his temperament had grown ever more refined during his time in the army—and the smile at the corners of his mouth grew gentler.

"Yes!" Liu Fang did not stand on ceremony.

Lady Zhe sat beside Emperor Liu. He was nearly forty now, and she too was middle-aged, no longer the dashing figure of her youth, but all the more dignified. Emperor Liu now preferred voluptuous, alluring women, but he only liked their bodies; his favor toward the two consorts Gao and Zhe was invested with genuine emotion, second only to the elder Lady Fu, the Empress.

This situation of only their family of six dining together was rather rare, and the scene carried an added warmth; Lady Zhe could not have been more satisfied. She had only mentioned it, and Emperor Liu had immediately sent someone to summon Liu Fang back for a family meal.

In the education of her children, Lady Zhe's attitude was the most open-minded—not as strict as Noble Consort Gao, nor as severe as the elder Lady Fu, always relatively lenient—but she placed great weight on character and virtue. Thus, her children, even lively ones like Liu Fang and Liu Yun, always carried a streak of righteousness.

When Liu Fang returned to the palace, the most excited was the fifth prince Liu Yun, as if he had found someone to pour out his grievances to. Now that the four senior princes each had their own duties, he was the highest-ranking one in the palace.

And Liu Yun was nearly seventeen, likewise wanting to spread his wings, but unlike his elder brothers, he received no special consideration—instead, he felt constrained on every side.

Liu Fang could understand some of Liu Yun's feelings, having had similar ones himself back then, so he only gave him a sympathetic look and expressed his helplessness.

In comparison, Liu Fang was more concerned about his eleventh brother Liu Xiao, who had been frail since childhood and never in good health; as his full elder brother, he had always looked after him.

However, precisely because of his health, Liu Xiao had always been introverted and spoke little. Thus, when Liu Fang asked after his health, a flicker of discomfort and even unease crossed Liu Xiao's thin face as he answered in a voice like a mosquito's buzz, expressing his thanks.

Watching Liu Xiao's shy demeanor—like this even before his own brothers—one could imagine how timid he was before others. Emperor Liu felt like giving him a lesson or two, but ultimately held back, sighing inwardly, his gaze carrying a trace of pity.

Among the lower-ranked princes, the one who moved Emperor Liu's heart most was the eleventh son—sickly children draw more pity. As for the eighth prince Liu Ai, aside from his looks, he had nothing remarkable or outstanding about him, nearly unknown among the princes; only in this kind of atmosphere did he speak a few more words, though his light was still overshadowed by his two elder brothers.

The family enjoyed a harmonious dinner together, and that night, Emperor Liu naturally lodged with the Worthy Consort. However, Emperor Liu kept Liu Fang behind alone, clearly having something more to say.

"Getting used to life in the army?" Father and son sat facing each other over tea, and looking at his increasingly sturdy son, Emperor Liu asked casually.

"Very well! Just sometimes rather dull!" Liu Fang answered honestly.

"Want to go to war?" Emperor Liu smiled faintly.

Liu Fang blurted out: "If not for war, why join the army?"

"If you join the army only for war, then you'll forever be just a general, never a commander!" Emperor Liu immediately rebuked.

Liu Fang was slightly taken aback—his way of thinking naturally had its limitations. Seeing this, Emperor Liu softened his tone and said: "Have you ever considered why I sent you to the imperial army as a mere squad leader?"

Liu Fang ventured: "To let me share food and quarters with the soldiers, to understand the situation of the lower-ranking officers and men?"

Emperor Liu only nodded slightly, then revealed a smile, a trace of reminiscence crossing his face as he said with feeling: "You are luckier than I was. When I was entrusted by your grandfather with the post of Army Commander of the Longqi Army and entered the camp to lead troops, it took no small effort before I could barely subdue those proud soldiers and fierce generals..."

"I have heard of your deeds, Father. At sixteen you took command of the army, and with bold strokes, vigorously reformed it; in barely half a year, you made the Longqi Army entirely new, a strong force of Hedong. I naturally cannot compare to you—even merging into a mere squad of men, I find it no easy task." Liu Fang flattered him a little.

Hearing this, Emperor Liu chuckled: "We are father and son, we can be frank. The stories spread by the Pacification Commission are not to be fully believed, nor fully taken. Even now, thinking back, I feel those methods were too rash, and many things were handled improperly. Had your grandfather not long intended to train the Longqi Army and supported me from behind, I would have been driven out by dissatisfied soldiers long ago..."

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Liu Fang could hardly believe it: "With your brilliance and martial prowess, would anyone dare to defy and rebel?"

"I wasn't a god back then either—just a young lad of the Taiyuan Prince's household. Who would really take me seriously?" Emperor Liu said with an easy expression: "Proud soldiers are hard to control, and warriors rule the state. What the army was like in those days, I fear you cannot comprehend. When you have time, you can go ask Sun Li what his attitude and opinion of me as Army Commander were back then—he has the most say on the matter..."

After this digression, Emperor Liu turned serious and said directly to Liu Fang: "You've been in the Longjie Army long enough. It's time to come back!"

"You want to transfer me out?" Liu Fang seemed somewhat reluctant.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Emperor Liu countered.

Liu Fang said: "I have just now become one with my squad, officers and men as one body. To leave like this, I am unwilling."

Hearing this, Emperor Liu could not resist lecturing again: "A proper imperial prince, Duke of Zhao—do you truly think I only sent you there to be a mere squad leader?"

Liu Fang was somewhat unconvinced: "Even if I'm to be promoted, I'd rather earn merit on the battlefield at once!"

"Then you'd have to start as a common soldier!" Emperor Liu said at once: "No—even a single soldier of the imperial army is not casually selected!"

"Even starting as a common soldier, I can be selected!" Liu Fang said.

Hearing this, Emperor Liu was not annoyed; rather, he rather appreciated this spirit of his, but he gave him a look that said "you're too young." Liu Fang felt uncomfortable under that gaze, and his momentum weakened.

"If you remain a squad leader, there's not much room for advancement!" Emperor Liu said.

Liu Fang fell into serious thought, and after a long while, cupped his fist and said: "Then please arrange a position where I can continue to be tempered—even if it means guarding the frontier, that's fine!"

"Sending you to guard the frontier—I could bear it, but could your mother?" Emperor Liu's gaze flickered toward the inner bedchamber.

"Enough!" Emperor Liu waved his hand and said firmly: "This year I plan to make another northern tour. You have two tasks ahead. First, go to the Longqi Army and hold the military post of Chief Inspector. I've already spoken to Liu Guangyi—you follow him and learn well how to command a great army. Second, you're not young anymore—prepare to marry!"