Chapter 196: Struggle of the Imperial Princes [Combined!]

Before Fengtian Hall.

The Empress Dowager's imperial palanquin came to a silent halt.

Beside the litter, a Captain hurried forward, his voice tinged with urgency:

"Your Imperial Highness the Empress Dowager and General Lu, scouts report that the Feathered Forest Army is advancing in force through Wumen Gate—numbering as many as four thousand!"

At these words, it was as if thunder cracked the sky, echoing instantly through the gathering.

All present exchanged glances, expressions varying—shocked, yet tinged with disbelief.

The Empress Dowager, upon hearing this, flickered a moment of surprise, then spoke calmly:

"Understood. Withdraw."

Though Lu Lu's face betrayed a flicker of astonishment, his inner composure swiftly returned.

He mused inwardly: Why had none of the hundreds of elite troops at Wumen Gate sent word yet?

Yet even so,

he felt no great alarm. Though the Feathered Forest Army numbered eight thousand, within the imperial city, the combined forces of the City Gate Captains, the Palace Light and Honor Guard, and the Palace Guard still held the advantage.

Why would the Feathered Forest Army suddenly intervene?

If they truly meant to aid Zhou Zhen, they would have arrived long ago—why wait until now?

Their arrival now smells suspiciously of opportunism!

And they risk alienating both sides—gaining nothing but trouble!

Zhou Jinyu, the Empress of Daqing, today looked even more radiant, her beautiful eyes half-lidded.

Upon hearing the news, she fixed her gaze intently on Chongan Gate.

This turn of events did not concern her.

She had already planned for the Feathered Forest Army's involvement—only they had been delayed.

Now they were late.

Soon!

A clatter of hooves drew near, and a troop surged forth from the gate like dragons leaping and fish leaping—magnificent to behold.

This force was none other than the elite Imperial Guard—the Feathered Forest Army—four thousand strong, mounted on towering steeds, winding forward like a great dragon.

Behind them followed four thousand infantry, clad in gleaming "Mercury Ring Mail," their steps perfectly synchronized, their presence awe-inspiring and terrifying.

It was said the Feathered Forest Army's superior equipment and generous pay stemmed from the backing of a mysterious patron—the wealthiest man in the capital, owner of Penglai Tower.

His name was Liu Wen. His origins were unknown, yet he was a business genius, a master of manipulation who, within just over a decade, dominated the capital's commercial world, swallowing nearly every sector save those monopolized by the imperial court, thriving beyond measure.

He had contributed significantly to the capital's prosperity, transforming it into a golden age where all nations paid tribute and all trades flourished.

Once, Zhou Jinyu had intended to entrust Liu Wen with the northern jade trade—surely it would have soared further.

Unexpectedly!

This smooth-talking Liu Wen had flatly refused her.

From then on, Zhou Jinyu bore resentment toward Liu Wen, yet she could not deny that it was precisely this enigmatic merchant's support

that allowed Zhou Zhen to rise swiftly, forging his own private army in the capital.

It was this foundation that gave him the audacity to seize power from the Empress Dowager today, setting the stage for this upheaval.

Even more astonishingly, Liu Wen's alliance with Zhou Zhen had been orchestrated by Xie Chunan.

It was Xie Chunan's steady, step-by-step patronage that enabled Zhou Zhen to establish himself among the southern clans, quell rebellions, and truly secure the throne.

Since then, Xie Chunan had earned Zhou Zhen's complete trust.

Now, the sudden arrival of the Feathered Forest Army was baffling—its intent unclear.

The big picture was settled. The dust had settled.

Zhou Jinyu smiled faintly. The Golden Guard had been decimated—this turn of events was irreversible.

No chance of reversal!

She turned her gaze to the elegant middle-aged man leading the Feathered Forest Army, and a strange sense of familiarity stirred within her.

Outside Fengtian Hall, the atmosphere grew tense, charged with anticipation.

All eyes of the Golden Guard fixed on Chongan Gate, where the Feathered Forest Army was slowly approaching.

"It's the Feathered Forest Army!"

The Golden Guards' eyes widened instantly, their breaths quickened—as if spotting a lifeline in utter despair.

"The Imperial Guard has come! The Imperial Guard has come!"

This electrifying news spread like wildfire through the Golden Guards outside the palace, voices rising in clamor, growing louder and louder.

A Golden Guard inside the hall rushed to report, startling Zhou Zhen and Dong Jie.

Lu Yu could barely conceal his excitement—he knew the arrival of the Imperial Guard meant the tide could turn, victory still uncertain.

As long as troops remained, he feared none of Lu Lu's ilk.

Even outnumbered tenfold, he would still charge into battle!

Zhou Zhen stepped swiftly out of the hall.

He had known—Xie Chunan would never betray him.

Amid solemn silence,

every gaze was locked upon the slowly advancing Feathered Forest Army.

As the column drew nearer, the elegant middle-aged man atop his towering steed stood out unmistakably.

Lu Lu stood beside Zhou Zhen, his eyes fixed on the leader.

At first, he felt a surge of relief—this was indeed the Feathered Forest Army.

But then his brow furrowed tightly, his face filled with confusion.

Among this force, he saw neither Xie Chunan nor the Feathered Forest Army's original commander—the general he knew well, fiercely loyal to his master Zhou Zhen.

This leader, though vaguely familiar, eluded Lu Lu's memory—he could not place him.

As Lu Lu strained to recall, a cold laugh suddenly echoed beside him—Zhou Zhen's voice, layered with complex, indescribable emotion.

"Eighth brother has come."

Lu Lu turned sharply, startled, to his master Zhou Zhen—whose face had darkened instantly upon seeing the Feathered Forest Army, as if calm before a storm, brimming with boundless fury and ice.

His utterance of "eighth brother" left all present bewildered.

The Empress Dowager, standing nearby, froze the moment her gaze met the elegant man—her body trembling as if struck by a deep memory.

Yet immediately!

She regained her composure, her aged face revealing an unfathomable mix of emotion as she softly whispered: "Old Eighth has come."

"Eighth brother" and "Old Eighth"—these two terms echoed in the ears of all.

Zhou Jinyu finally recognized the middle-aged man—Prince Jing, Zhou Cheng.

How could Prince Jing be here?

This defied all logic—unbelievable.

How could Prince Jing enter the capital at this moment, leading the Feathered Forest Army?

Lu Lu muttered beside him: "Eighth… Prince!"

His eyes, too, brimmed with shock and confusion.

Although Zhou Cheng's face had changed drastically—his time in the Imperial Clan Court had altered him beyond recognition—Lu Lu still recognized the features of the Eighth Imperial Prince from long ago.

He was utterly baffled: Why would Zhou Cheng openly bring the Feathered Forest Army into the palace?

Dong Jie was speechless with astonishment—he could not fathom how Zhou Cheng had come with their own troops.

This surpassed all his understanding!

At this moment!

Zhou Zhen stepped out of the hall, his gaze first sweeping past the ranks of Captains to land on the Empress Dowager and Zhou Jinyu.

A cold smile curled on his lips—filled with too many emotions: anger, resentment.

Zhou Jinyu, sensing this, met Zhou Zhen's gaze—this Emperor of Daqing—

with undisguised contempt and mockery.

Though husband and wife, they were enemies.

At this moment!

Zhou Cheng led his troops forward, flanked by a gray-robed Daoist and Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's presence—as Zhou Cheng's personal eunuch—confirmed the identity of the arrival.

Prince Jing, Zhou Cheng.

Lu Lu finally saw the Prince's true face—he looked far older than Zhou Zhen.

Zhou Zhen was a few years older.

Yet his bearing was now more composed, dignified, commanding without a word.

Prince of the North, the Eighth Imperial Prince of old!

When still some distance away, Zhou Cheng halted, bowing respectfully from afar to the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager gazed at Zhou Cheng—the youngest of her sons, yet the most handsome, once her most cherished child.

Proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting—most refined and talented.

Now, gazing at this "Old Eighth," so altered in appearance,

the old woman's eyes welled with tears, which she quickly wiped away.

The Feathered Forest Army halted with Zhou Cheng's stop, and the entire scene fell into brief silence.

Around the Empress Dowager, elite soldiers of the Five City Gates guarded tightly—over four thousand strong, their presence majestic.

Lu Lu had prepared long in advance; he had already recalled his other troops, and now joined forces with the Five City Gates, bringing total strength to over twenty thousand, fully arrayed and ready.

The weakest among them was the Jinwu Guard, reduced to just over a thousand men. Seeing the Yulin Army arrive, their morale surged—they believed reinforcements had come.

Three factions!

At this moment, all maintained an unusual calm, refraining from immediate action.

The air was thick with a tense, delicate atmosphere, like a taut string ready to snap.

Zhou Cheng, the Prince of Jing, long absent, finally returned to the imperial palace where he had grown up.

He gazed toward Fengtian Hall, and at his second brother, Zhou Zhen, now fallen into ruin.

As a child, his second brother's favorite place had been here; Zhou Zhen often spoke of achieving accomplishments surpassing those of his ancestors.

Ridiculous!

Zhou Cheng smiled, his expression complex, and called out loudly:

"Second brother, we meet again!"

Inside Fengtian Hall, Zhou Zhen burst into wild laughter, his expression revealing madness:

"Little eight, little eight—you dare return? Don't you fear I'll lock you away in the Clan Office again, and make you relive those 'Pig Emperor' days?"

Chen Ji's face darkened; anger flared on his brow.

The Empress Dowager sighed softly; she understood perfectly well Zhou Zhen's past deeds and the humiliations Zhou Cheng had suffered in the Clan Office.

Yet she did not intervene!

In the struggle for the throne, the loser must bear the consequences.

Dong Jie understood at once: the feud between the Emperor and the Prince of Jing was irreconcilable.

The arrival of the Yulin Army was no act of goodwill—the danger still lurked.

He knew the Prince of Jing was fierce and unyielding; the Eighth Prince had enforced strict justice in Jiangbei.

Old grudges and new grievances—how could the Prince of Jing ever let this go?

The soldiers of the Jinwu Guard were bewildered; the shifting tides within the palace left them lost. Weren't the Yulin Army their own?

Why did they seem at odds with the Emperor?

Zhou Cheng feigned concern:

"Over these years, if I claim second in worrying over your health, Second Brother, no one dares claim first—not even your wife." His smile was cold; he shifted tone:

"But I fear more that you might meet some sudden misfortune—that would truly be a gift to you."

"I rushed here, filled with dread, only because I dread you dying too easily."

Zhou Zhen, upon hearing this, burned with rage and roared:

"Zhou Cheng! Do you know who you're speaking to? You face the Son of Heaven, the reigning Emperor!"

He shouted furiously.

"Show proper respect! Call him 'Your Majesty'!"

"Son of Heaven?"

Zhou Cheng's smile dripped with contempt and mockery. "Is this what you call a Son of Heaven? No authority in the army, no allies in court, not even control over your own harem. Your so-called Emperor is but an empty shell."

Zhou Zhen trembled with fury.

"You lie! You spout nonsense!" he screamed in protest.

"I established the Eastern Depot to oversee officials, counterbalance the Jiangnan aristocrats, revised the state history, elevated the Hongwen Academy's focus on education, reduced punishments, quelled rebellions, and founded the Jinwu and Yulin Armies to secure the capital…"

Zhou Cheng listened coldly, shaking his head slightly, his tone heavy with disappointment.

"Even now, Second Brother, you still dream your grand illusions, fooling yourself."

He spoke slowly: "Without the Western Depot's backing from the Empress Dowager, how could you have balanced the officials? When revising the state history, why did you dare not record the truth of the Three Kingdoms during the Northern era?"

"And how many true scholars remain in your so-called Hongwen Academy? Who truly controls today's imperial examinations?"

"As for quelling rebellions—if not for the aid of the Jiangnan clans, how could your Jinwu Guard, then barely five thousand strong, have accomplished anything?"

"Without Xie Chunan helping you balance internal and external affairs—Brother, Brother—could you even sit securely on this throne?"

Each of Zhou Cheng's words was a sharp blade piercing Zhou Zhen's heart.

He turned, pointing to the Yulin Army behind him, and asked coldly:

"Second Brother, look at my Yulin Army—do they recognize you as Emperor?"

These words struck like a sledgehammer, shattering Zhou Zhen's last psychological defense.

His face turned pale; his rage surged inward, and he staggered backward.

"You… you…"

He could not utter a single word!

Dong Jie rushed forward, catching Zhou Zhen, his voice filled with alarm:

"Your Majesty—are you all right?"

Dong Jie's voice was frantic, but Zhou Zhen seemed not to hear; he stared blankly ahead.

Zhou Cheng watched this scene, his face cold with mockery.

He spoke slowly: "You've made a miserable failure of being Emperor. Did you think the Jiangnan aristocrats chose you because of your talent?"

"Wrong, Second Brother—you're merely a man of grand ambitions but weak ability, timid and incompetent."

"Ten years as Emperor—have you still not woken from your dream?"

The Empress Dowager now spoke:

"Little eight, no matter how you see your second brother, it doesn't matter."

"But you hold territory for yourself, dividing the realm—have you honored your ancestral legacy?"

Zhou Cheng only smiled.

PS: Too rushed!

This is the final tremor in the capital—I'll write a standalone piece to explain.

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(End of Chapter)