Chapter 2129: Kangzong Chronicles 15: The Hidden Dragon in the Deep

The warm chamber felt like spring, fragrant scents pervading the air. On the bed, the Prince of Linzi—or rather, His Highness the Prince of Jing, Liu Wenji—lay like a patient at death's door, his complexion heavy and dull, his spirits low, his beard and hair disheveled, even his gaze carrying a naturally ineffable "sickness."

Liu Wenji had been nursing his illness for years now, intermittently, recurring again and again, with the condition worsening only in the past few months—to be precise, after the Crown Prince Liu Jiye's untimely death. Landing at such a juncture carried no small measure of significance.

Of course, were it not for the three subordinates silently attending at the bedside, Liu Wenji's illness might have appeared somewhat more genuine.

The three at the bedside were Chief Administrator Cao Liyong, Military Advisor Xiao Gong, and Army Commander Xiao Hui—all trusted ministers of the utmost confidence.

Xiao Hui had been mentioned previously; he was a young talent trained by Consort Dowager Xiao, and after arriving in Jiangnan, Liu Wenji had entrusted him with important duties, placing him in charge of the princely residence's guard training and defense matters.

Xiao Gong likewise came from the Xiao clan, raised in the Central Plains, studying Chinese classics from youth. He placed seventeenth in the Yongxi tenth year metropolitan examination, and had served as County Magistrate of Sanyuan and Administrative Assistant of Yaozhou, earning considerable merit in governance. Later transferred to serve at Liu Wenji's side, his profound insight and vision won him great esteem from Liu Wenji, who kept him close at all times, consulting him on confidential matters and relying on him heavily.

As for Cao Liyong, his father Cao Jian had served under Xiao Siwen in the Court of Dependencies, forging a bond of goodwill, and later used this connection to pledge service to Liu Wenji, who accepted him. The man was eloquent and persuasive, generous with grand ambitions, and possessed notable administrative talent.

Over the past years, quietly and without fanfare, Liu Wenji had already built his own core talent base—low-key and unassuming, modest in scale, but filled entirely with capable men. And such recruitment of talent and accumulation of strength beneath the surface of the water could clearly not be preparation for going overseas to his fief. (Liu Wenji's fiefdom was also in the Philippine Islands.)

If at first it had been merely a feeling of unwillingness to accept his lot, or perhaps an unconscious behavior, then after all these years, as the Great Han Empire reached the sixth year of Pingkang, the goal of this political group centered on Liu Wenji had already become quite clear.

Whether it was the shifting situation at court, or the Emperor's willful neglect of governance, whether it was the personnel structure of the imperial house, or the state of the Emperor's bloodline—too many factors were driving Liu Wenji and his subordinates to think in directions that were impossible, daring, and unthinkable.

Whether Liu Wenji himself, or ministers like Xiao Gong, Cao Liyong, and Xiao Hui, they were all men of insight, and over the years had long formed a consensus: with the Son of Heaven so willful and capricious, he could hardly hold the realm.

If the current sovereign lost the realm, then who could gain it? This question was beyond doubt—looking across the world, only the Prince of Linzi.

Therefore, when news of the two-year-old Crown Prince Liu Jiye's death reached Jiangnan, Liu Wenji's illness worsened, while Xiao Gong and the others were greatly invigorated. Someone like Cao Liyong even directly told Liu Wenji that this was heaven-granted opportunity for the Prince.

At this moment, here in the lakeside villa on the shores of West Lake, Liu Wenji had already received the edict enfeoffing him as Prince of Jing and appointing him as Inspector of Huguang. The lord and his ministers naturally could not avoid discussing the matter.

Yet thinking carefully, for Liu Wenji and the others, there was in truth not much room for discussion, because no matter what tricks the Emperor played, what they could do was actually limited—they could only respond to moves as they came, defend indirectly, with direct confrontation excluded from their options.

And the Emperor's intent, to Liu Wenji who was in the midst of it all, was frankly obvious.

Just as before outsiders, Liu Wenji's face showed no ripple, his pair of focused eyes calm as still water. Holding the edict in hand, he pondered for a long while before raising his head to instruct: "Zijing, draft a letter of thanks for me, and at the same time, citing grave illness that makes it difficult to attend to affairs, politely decline the Huguang appointment!"

"Yes!" Xiao Gong, radiating an air of uprightness, responded composedly.

Liu Wenji then looked to Xiao Hui and said: "Boren, gather your men and prepare to head to Huguang. No fanfare—the escort need not be too large, around a hundred men will suffice! Also, find me a large vessel, specially refitted and decorated, suitable for a gravely ill person to travel in."

At this, Xiao Hui was slightly surprised, unable to help raising his head to glance at Liu Wenji, but seeing his calm expression, his mind turned and comprehension dawned. He clasped his fists: "Yes! Your servant will see to it at once!"

"Yongzhi, you remain in Jiangnan. Notify all the subordinates and former officials to act with caution, devote themselves to scholarship and governance, and serve the court loyally!" Liu Wenji looked toward Cao Liyong, who wore a three-strand beard, and gave his instructions: "Keep a close watch over Loujiang Academy for me; as for the rest, let things take their natural course!"

"Yes!" Cao Liyong, unlike his usual glib self at this moment, responded only with deference.

Under the careful management of Academy Head Wang Xuexin and others, along with Liu Wenji's covert support, Loujiang Academy had already found its footing. Though the number of students accepted each year remained small, they were all individuals of exceptional aptitude—and of course, this aptitude encompassed both innate talent and acquired cultivation.

Meanwhile, as batches of students graduated and were recommended to posts in Su, Xiu, and Shang prefectures and other counties, the "Loujiang Faction" began to rise steadily in the southeastern officialdom. In total, over eight hundred people had been successfully recruited by various local governments.

Though they were merely minor officials, combined with Liu Wenji's identity and influence, they were enough to move the Jiangnan political scene—at least in Su, Xiu, and Shang prefectures. At the same time, this group of "academic faction" officials had become a refreshing current in Jiangnan politics, highly valued by Liu Wenji, who even relied on them as his foundation.

"Your Highness!" After the discussion concluded, having gauged Liu Wenji's expression and deliberated for a moment, Cao Liyong still took the initiative to remind him: "The imperial physician Zhu Hong is a loophole that must be guarded against. I beg Your Highness to be cautious!"

Hearing this, Liu Wenji's face finally showed a slight ripple. Looking at him, he asked: "What do you suggest?"

A hint of ruthlessness appeared on Cao Liyong's face. Cupping his hands, he said: "Better to eliminate him!"

At these words, Liu Wenji's brow furrowed involuntarily. Burying his head in thought for a moment, he asked Xiao Gong: "What does Zijing think?" Like Cao Liyong's ruthlessness, Xiao Gong's stance was equally resolute. He replied: "Your servant believes we must not! For Your Highness, the most dangerous moment was after Zhu Hong examined you and before he reported. At present, if he dares to waver, he himself cannot escape the crime of deceiving the sovereign.

Moreover, the Consort Dowager has long advised that Your Highness should remain still and steady, and on this matter especially so. Any rash move would instead easily invite suspicion."

Seeing Xiao Gong actually refute him, Cao Liyong was displeased and immediately said: "How can we place Your Highness's safety in the hands of an unpredictable man?"

Xiao Gong was steady, Cao Liyong was fiery; the two held divergent views, and arguing before Liu Wenji was hardly the first time.

Seeing the two about to argue again, Liu Wenji this time did not sit and listen. He waved his hand to stop them, pondered for a moment, and said in a firm tone: "The world is unpredictable, and human hearts are hard to fathom. Yet if you suspect a man, do not employ him; if you employ a man, do not suspect him. If one wishes to accomplish great things, how can one avoid taking risks?

This matter—no more discussion!"

"Your Highness is wise!" Xiao Gong clasped his hands in a bow, then after thinking, added a suggestion: "Zhu Hong reported to Your Highness out of gratitude for kindness received. Your Highness should bestow further favor upon him to win him over!"

The imperial physician Zhu Hong and Liu Wenji had originally had no connection whatsoever. Had the Emperor not sent him to diagnose Liu Wenji's illness this time, it would have been impossible for their paths to ever cross.

And the reason Zhu Hong was willing to cover for Liu Wenji was simple—repaying a debt of gratitude, repaying the kindness Consort Dowager Xiao had shown him in the palace in earlier years. Perhaps to the Consort Dowager it had been a casual act, perhaps even long forgotten, but Zhu Hong had always kept it in his heart.

And before departing, the Emperor's "special" instructions had alarmed Zhu Hong, but also delighted him that the time to repay his debt had come. Without any hesitation, he firmly chose to protect Liu Wenji, and revealed the Emperor's intentions in full.

Heaven helps those who help themselves! With Zhu Hong's cooperation, Liu Wenji naturally avoided a great deal of trouble, and Consort Dowager Xiao's assistance to him was clearly all-encompassing.

"Above is paradise, below are Suzhou and Hangzhou." Hangzhou, under the rule of the Great Han Empire, certainly lived up to this reputation. The not-so-vast West Lake was set into the outskirts of the city like a pearl, and around the city, rivers crisscrossed like silk ribbons, bringing developed irrigation and convenient water transport.

The mountains and forests around the city were not tall—all low hills, with terraced fields in their harvest stage spreading from the foothills to the summits. Everything radiated an air of "abundant goods and prosperous people."

Yet it was precisely such a prosperous and powerful realm that was ruled by a wanton emperor like Liu Wenpeng. As a son of Taizong, Liu Wenji was not only aggrieved but also felt a deep ache. Shizu and Taizong had labored through two generations to found and maintain the empire—no matter how wealthy the nation, how long could it withstand such ruin?

Therefore, Liu Wenji genuinely believed that what he pursued was not personal ambition or extravagant hopes, but for the rivers and mountains of the Great Han Empire, for the ancestral legacy.

One who would accomplish great things must first deceive even himself!

Even in autumn, the shores of West Lake were thronged with visitors. Liu Wenji sat in a palanquin, his gaze bleak as he observed the somewhat desolate autumn scenery of the lake.

Beside him accompanied a guest of special status—Chen Yaozuo, Administration Commissioner of the Liangzhe Circuit. Sitting calmly, enjoying the autumn view together, Chen Yaozuo's peripheral vision nevertheless remained fixed on Liu Wenji, this newly elevated Prince of Jing, and he felt inexplicably tense in his heart.

"Governor Chen!"

Hearing himself addressed, Chen Yaozuo immediately clasped his hands: "I dare not presume! What instructions does Your Highness have?"

"Instructions I dare not presume either!" Chen Yaozuo was courteous, and Liu Wenji was equally reserved. After a moment's deliberation, he asked: "Tell me honestly, how much money did the Liangzhe Circuit expend for this imperial reception?"

"This..." Chen Yaozuo's brow furrowed tightly as he regarded Liu Wenji with slight puzzlement.

Noticing Chen Yaozuo's hesitation, Liu Wenji coughed twice and changed his approach: "Would the cost of the imperial reception have been enough to reinforce the Jianggan levee once more, and to dredge and widen the Qiantang dikes again?"

Hearing Liu Wenji ask this, an embarrassed look couldn't help but appear on Chen Yaozuo's aged face. After pondering briefly, looking at Liu Wenji's poor complexion, he said with a sigh: "Your Highness's question shames this humble official!"

In the eighth month of autumn in the sixth year of Pingkang, the Prince of Jing, Liu Wenji, departed from Hangzhou, traveling west by boat toward the two lakes region.

Just as expected, the Emperor did not agree to Liu Wenji's modest refusal, and still entrusted him with the post of Inspector of Huguang, sending him to Jiangling to recuperate, take up his duties, and work for the nation.

As for the Emperor Liu Wenpeng himself, he remained in the southeast until mid-spring of the seventh year, having toured everywhere and grown weary of play, before finally setting out on his return north.