Chapter 1417: Regarding Life and Death with Indifference, Entering the Tiger's Den

"Your Holiness, the Young Master has already reached Hami Garrison."

Sanbao Lama, the "Monastic Chancellor" of the Dzungar Kingdom, stood with utmost deference before Fulin, who had shed all imperial bearing and now looked no different from an ordinary monk.

The "Young Master" Sanbao Lama spoke of was of course Jin Xuanye. Although Fulin and Meng Guqing had another son named Ben Shi, everyone still regarded Xuanye as Fulin's heir — because Xuanye had been Emperor of the Great Qing for twelve hours! His very existence spared Fulin from being the ruler who lost the empire.

The Great Qing did not fall in Fulin's hands — it fell in Xuanye's hands. The unfilial descendant who failed his ancestors was not Fulin, but Xuanye!

He was emperor for only twelve hours and managed to lose the entire Great Qing — utterly disgraceful!

Fulin, who was not the ruler who lost the empire, was now in his thirties. From years of vegetarianism, he was somewhat lean. Perhaps from reciting sutras so much, his whole bearing had taken on a quiet, serene quality, as though he had truly seen through the mortal world.

Hearing that Xuanye had arrived at Hami Garrison, Fulin showed no surprise. He merely studied Sanbao Lama with an impassive glance and said nothing.

Sanbao Lama added, "The news came from a newspaper."

As he spoke, he produced a newspaper and handed it to Fulin with both hands: "Your Holiness, this is a paper run by Fu Shan, military adviser to the Dai Kingdom, called Observing the World. The reports it carries are fairly reliable. Your disciple and Mingzhu Lama have placed informants in the trading town. As soon as a new issue comes out, we buy it at once and send it by fast horse to the Stone Fort royal city."

Fu Te took the paper called Observing the World and leafed through it. He finished in no time and handed it back to Sanbao Lama.

Sanbao Lama received the paper with both hands and was about to ask Fulin's purpose in coming when Fulin spoke first: "I am going to the Dai Kingdom."

"To the Dai Kingdom?" Sanbao Lama was taken aback. "Your Holiness, do you intend to—"

"I want to go and see Xuanye," Fulin said. "I have barely ever seen the child. These years cannot have been easy for him. Last time in Yingtian Prefecture, I had meant to go and see him and his mother, but in the end I did not dare! Now that I think of it, I truly regret it. If I do not see him this time, who knows whether there will ever be another chance?"

"Your Holiness, you must not!" Sanbao Lama was already somewhat alarmed. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot are certain to have followed you here, waiting to seize Your Holiness! If Your Holiness goes, I fear... you will fall into the hands of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot."

Fulin smiled: "I am not afraid. I have cultivated for so many years that I have long since learned to regard life and death with indifference. What is there left to fear?"

"Your Holiness, you must look on the bright side..." Sanbao Lama was truly anxious now. "As long as the green hills remain, there is no fear of running out of firewood!"

Shunzhi had perfected his cultivation, so of course he could regard life and death with indifference. But Sanbao Lama had not reached that level — and moreover, he had attained the "pinnacle of life" under Sengge. He was now the "Monastic Grand Secretary" of Dzungaria, in other words the chancellor of the realm.

He was thoroughly enjoying being chancellor of a realm — how could he bear to accompany Shunzhi to his death?

If Shunzhi were captured and put to harsh torture, would he not confess everything? Then both he and Mingzhu would lose their heads. Was this fine life of theirs about to come to an end?

Fulin looked at the flustered Sanbao Lama and smiled: "Songgotu (Sanbao Lama is Songgotu), set your mind at rest. Though I regard life and death with indifference, I am not going to hand my head over for someone to chop off. So I have my own channels to keep the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Eastern Depot agents from finding me!"

So Fulin had not seen through things quite that thoroughly after all!

Sanbao Lama frowned: "What channels could there possibly be?"

Fulin smiled: "Of course there are!"

"Where?" Sanbao Lama asked.

Fulin smiled: "You, the Monastic Chancellor Sanbao, are the channel!"

"Me?" Sanbao Lama's mouth fell open. "How would I have such ability?"

Shunzhi smiled: "You have it. It was your Ama who devised the plan for me — have you take me with you to the Dai Prince's residence in the trading town, to seek out Fu Shan, military adviser to the Dai Prince Zhu Cijiong."

"When the time comes, you will say I am your most trusted junior fellow disciple and have me stay in the prince's residence. Then I will be able to see Xuanye."

Sanbao Lama thought to himself: Has my Ama gone senile? I do know Fu Shan, but we are not close. Why would Fu Shan allow my man to stay in his prince's residence?

Shunzhi looked at Sanbao Lama's baffled expression and said with a smile: "Your Ama says... the Dai Prince stirs up all this trouble because he wants the precious territory of the Chu River Prefecture."

"And if he wants to take the Chu River Prefecture without shedding blood, he is certain to want to win over you, the Monastic Chancellor Sanbao. So if you deliver me to the Dai Prince's residence, they will surely treat me as an honored guest. As long as I am an honored guest of the Dai Prince's residence, the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot will not dare investigate me."

The old ginger is indeed the spiciest! The Dai Prince Zhu Cijiong was not someone the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot could afford to provoke.

Sanbao Lama Songgotu let out a long breath and smiled: "Your Holiness, this plan is workable. Your disciple will arrange your journey to the trading town as soon as possible... We leave tomorrow!"

By the time Shunzhi and Sanbao Lama Songgotu arrived together at the trading town, Zhu Cijiong and Fu Shan were also preparing to go out.

The two of them were going to Yining City, where the Beiting Protectorate was headquartered, and there they would await Zhu Cihuan, Jin Boguo, Jin Xuanye, Galdan, Pengsuke, the Grand Lama, and the others.

The Three Feudatories of the Snowy Region would also send someone — most likely Li Dingguo's son or some other trusted man.

Once all parties were gathered, it would be up to Zhu Cihuan to find a way to smooth things over...

Toward the arrival of Sanbao Lama and his fellow disciple, the Third Crown Prince Zhu indeed showed ample friendliness, coming out of the prince's residence in person to welcome them.

He treated both Sanbao Lama and Fulin as honored guests and invited them into the residence.

After some pleasantries, Zhu Cijiong asked about the war situation on the Middle Yuzi front.

"Great Prince," Sanbao Lama said with a frown, "at present our Dzungar Kingdom is fighting on four fronts — east, south, west, and north! To the east are Anusha Khan in the Fergana Basin and the Uzbeks and Turkmens who follow him."

"To the south are the Persians, the Turkmens, and the main force of the Khanate of Khiva."

"To the west and north are the combined armies of Russia and the Kazakhs!"

"Because the enemies are a bit too numerous, our Dzungar Kingdom is somewhat stretched thin. To crush all the enemies in one blow is impossible, so we can only set priorities."

The Dzungar Kingdom's situation was indeed somewhat perilous — the enemies were simply too many... and its two allies were unreliable.

The Khoshut were a useless teammate — this time Galdan marched on Kashgar, and was it not all to support the Khoshut on the snowy plateau?

As for the Dai Kingdom, its intentions were unfathomable...

Fu Shan, who was helping Zhu Cijiong receive the guests, interjected: "So Russia and the Kazakhs are the low-priority enemies?"

"Of course not..." Sanbao Lama said with a bitter smile. "It is simply that we truly cannot cope with them! The Great Prince wishes to first pacify Fergana, and then deal with the other enemies."

"But now there are also the Three Feudatories of the Snowy Region!" Zhu Cijiong said. "Not one of them is a fuel-saving lamp! What exactly does King Sengge plan to do?"

"Our kingdom's Great King Sengge..." Sanbao Lama said slowly, "hopes that Your Highness will act — send troops into the Yuzi Steppe and the Chu River Prefecture to jointly resist Russia and the Kazakhs!"

"Truly?" Zhu Cijiong could scarcely believe his ears. Was this not success without the slightest effort?

Sanbao Lama smiled: "Great Prince, would this humble monk be the sort to speak in jest?"

"Good!" Zhu Cijiong slapped his thigh. "With this prince here, Russia will never get its way!"

"Prince Gong, Marquis Yan'en, good news! My third brother is arranging for Galdan and the Duke of Rong to come together to Yining City for a meeting. Whatever needs to be said can be said clearly in Yining!"

In the residence at Hami Garrison, Zhu Cihuan was telling Jin Boguo and Jin Xuanye the "good news" he had just received.

But hearing this good news, Xuanye somehow suddenly felt that something was not quite right!

This Third Crown Prince Zhu, Galdan, Wu Yingxiong... all gathered together — could that possibly be good news for Kangxi? The only one missing was the head of the Zheng family!

Moreover, the current Kangxi is very weak — any one of these three could crush him to death.

(End of Chapter)