Chapter 548: First Volume, Chapter 548: Boiling Wine in Long Conversation

First Volume, Chapter 548: Boiling Wine in Long Conversation

The Seventh Prince slipped on his shoes and socks, snatched his cloak from the bed, and stepped out the palace gate under Xiao Zhuozi's escort.

Since the National War began, the Seventh Prince had not taken a single step outside his palace gate.

Merely this kind of perseverance filled Xiao Zhuozi with profound admiration.

"Your Highness, the Second Prince harbors deep suspicions toward you; the moment you step out, he sends men to shadow you, inevitably sparking another conflict."

"To avoid disrupting the National War, you've remained locked inside."

"Yet no one knows of this."

"Your Highness, among the Folk there's a saying: talking without doing is fake skill; doing without talking is foolish skill; doing and talking together is true skill."

"If even the Emperor doesn't know your contributions to Shedynasty, how could he possibly favor you when choosing the heir?"

The Seventh Prince pulled his cloak tighter and walked slowly toward the Second Prince's Bedchamber.

Listening to Xiao Zhuozi's endless chatter, he felt no annoyance.

After all, this boy truly had his best interests at heart.

The Seventh Prince spoke with solemn gravity: "Xiao Zhuozi, who do you think lives inside the Imperial Palace?"

Though he didn't understand the Seventh Prince's meaning, Xiao Zhuozi blurted out: "The imperial family."

Hearing Xiao Zhuozi's answer, the Seventh Prince smiled faintly and said with solemn gravity: "That's only part of it."

"Anyone who can endure long-term within the Imperial Palace isn't an ordinary person."

"Not even the Emperor, but even a lowly Imperial Consort in the Hou Gong has ears and eyes everywhere."

"Everything must unfold naturally, like water finding its course."

"What secrets can possibly exist in the Imperial Palace? Some things, even if you clutch them tightly to your chest, still leak out—let alone trivial matters?"

Only after this explanation did Xiao Zhuozi begin to vaguely understand.

In the Hou Gong, whether you speak or stay silent doesn't truly matter.

Even if you don't speak, others will still know.

If you do speak, it seems deliberate—and deliberate actions appear false.

Silence, by contrast, can achieve remarkable results.

Xiao Zhuozi's eyes glowed with renewed awe; his admiration for the Seventh Prince rose another notch.

"By the way, Your Highness, isn't it against protocol to sneak off to the Second Prince's Bedchamber without announcement?"

"Huh? How did we end up walking this way without realizing it?"

Xiao Zhuozi suddenly came to his senses.

No wonder he'd felt something was off earlier—he'd only just realized it now.

He and His Highness had unknowingly arrived outside the Second Prince's Di Tang.

Just moments ago, His Highness said he wasn't in a hurry—so why had he rushed over so impatiently now?

Impossible to fathom!

Xiao Zhuozi shook his head, gave up on straining his poor brain, and simply followed his Prince.

Meanwhile, in the Rear Flower Hall of the Second Prince's Bedchamber.

A Wine Pot of cloudy wine sat atop a charcoal brazier, slowly steaming.

The White Clothes man stood by, while the Lute Player lifted the warm Wine Pot and poured a cup each for the Second Prince and Qin Feng.

The Second Prince smiled faintly: "Qin Feng, it's still a bit early to be boiling wine—the weather isn't cold enough yet."

"Sitting beside this hot charcoal brazier is rather uncomfortable."

"Still, boiled wine is excellent—it enhances flavor and drives out internal cold. Try some."

Qin Feng raised his Wine Cup with his right hand, covered it with his sleeve, brought it to his nose to sniff, then touched his tongue to the surface.

This series of actions made Qin Feng himself chuckle.

"What am I doing? I'm no Physician, I don't know poisons—even if there really was poison, I couldn't taste it."

Qin Feng shook his head, his face filled with self-deprecating amusement.

He took a small sip of the wine, then set the cup back down.

Even if it were truly poisoned, such a tiny sip wouldn't kill him.

"Fine wine—could this be one of Your Highness's treasured vintages?"

The Second Prince glanced at Qin Feng's Wine Cup.

The cloudy wine inside had barely diminished.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly.

This Qin Feng—call him timid, yet he led just Two Hundred men into enemy territory and returned victorious.

Call him bold, yet he won't even take a sip of wine.

"Qin Feng, are you afraid I've poisoned your drink?"

"Rest easy—I would never do such a thing. Three reasons."

"First, your achievements are too great; your glory hasn't faded yet. Acting against you now would invite suspicion of 'killing the dog after the rabbit is dead.'"

"Second, I've always had high hopes for you—why would I want to kill you?"

"Third, poisoning is too troublesome. If I want someone dead, I simply cut them down with a sword."

No wonder he was the Second Prince.

This speech carried both barbs and honey—soothing, recruiting, and threatening all at once.

All along, Qin Feng had kept his distance from the Second Prince.

Because he was too much like the Liang Emperor.

Skilled in scheming, he cares only for the power in his hands, and when it's time to be ruthless, he never hesitates.

"Your Highness, you are a Prince—how can you speak so constantly of violence and killing? You are a Prince, half a sage; you must uphold noble virtue."

Facing Qin Feng's insincere flattery, the Second Prince let out a light laugh: "When it's time to be ruthless, you must be ruthless."

"What became of the sage who was so decisive in slaughter? How many among the Manchu Civil and Military truly feared the sage?"

"If the Three Dukes unite, they can depose the sage."

"If more than half the civil and military officials of the Imperial Court join in impeachment, they can remove the sage."

"This is the Imperial Ancestral Precedent, left as a warning to constrain future sages."

"Yet it is also a curse, constantly threatening the throne, leaving every sage restless and sleepless."

Hearing this, Qin Feng silently lifted his Wine Cup and let his tongue tip touch it again.

Yet inside, he felt a wave of surprise.

He hadn't expected the Second Prince to speak so bluntly now.

It seems he's desperate, impatient to claim the Crown Prince position.

After a moment, Qin Feng set down the Wine Cup and asked casually, feigning ease.

"Even a sage so decisive in slaughter struggles to hold Heaven in check. According to Your Highness, what should be done?"

The Second Prince's eyes narrowed, his voice turning sharp: "It only proves the sage isn't ruthless enough!"

Feeling the Second Prince's aggressive gaze.

Qin Feng replied calmly: "Then how ruthless is ruthless enough?"

"With the Imperial Ancestral Precedent in place, even if you slaughtered every official of the Manchu Civil and Military and appointed new ones, it would be no different."

"Today's loyal minister may be tomorrow's traitor."

"On this Imperial Court, whether one is loyal or treacherous, strong or weak, has nothing to do with the sage's will, and nothing to do with the minister's nature."

The Second Prince had never heard such a claim before—he grew suddenly interested: "Then what does it depend on?!"

Qin Feng blurted out: "The sage's supremacy over Heaven rests solely on the hearts of the people!"

"To Your Highness, the Imperial Ancestral Precedent is a curse; to me, it is a double-edged sword."

"Used well, imperial power remains unshakable; used poorly, impeachment and deposition are only natural."

"With the people's support, no one will even entertain the thought of impeaching or deposing the sage."

"Without the people's support, whether loyal minister or traitor, they are all the same!"