Chapter 25

Superstition has always been about choosing to believe what you want to believe, and doubting what you don't want to believe.

The Zhou Wang was already superstitious; Pan Yun demonstrated her abilities, and what she said struck right at his heart—what was originally only six-tenths belief became nine-tenths after he pondered it.

The Zhou Wang firmly believed Zhu Zijin was his son, just unknown why he had been reborn into the second son's household; he urgently said, "Go fetch the Wang Fei—this matter must be told to her."

The personal attendant smiled and agreed, going to fetch the Wang Fei.

Upon hearing the Zhou Wang's repeated words, the Wang Fei's face showed astonishment, smoothly replying, "Could it be so?"

She clenched her handkerchief and said, "Now that you mention it, I remember—I had a dream before Zhu Zijin's birth, a fetal dream. So he was meant to be our child…"

The Zhou Wang: "Yes, yes, I remember too—you had so many dreams back then, always waking up startled at night."

Wasn't that a lot of dreams?

The eldest son of the former Zhou Wang had given birth to his first grandson, yet his most beloved eldest son remained silent—back then, the Wang Fei was under immense pressure and nearly every night dreamed.

Whether or not they were fetal dreams? That was up to her to say.

With the Wang Fei's agreement, the Zhou Wang became even more certain that Zhu Zijin was his destined child; any notion of incompatibility was pure nonsense.

The Wang Fei seized the opportunity to say, "The Emperor dislikes Zhu Youlan—could someone in court oppose Zhu Zijin being registered under our name?"

"I'll write letters to my other brothers and nephews, urging them to pressure the Imperial Clan Court," the Zhou Wang said. "This is my family matter—only the Imperial Clan Court has authority over it. They all have sons to filially serve them; why deny me my son?"

Of course, the Zhou Wang could no longer write these letters himself—he could no longer hold his brush steadily—so he found a scribe from the Wang Fu to write them.

He wrote over twenty letters, sending them all at once to his close brothers, cousins, and nephews.

The Zhu family, apart from him, were all prolific breeders.

The scribe's eyes grew blurry from writing; he stayed overnight in the main courtyard and spent another full day finishing them.

When finished, the Zhou Wang had the personal attendant sort them out and sent them off.

Zhu Youjue had already learned the contents of his elder brother's letter; his insides burned. "In half a day, how did he suddenly become so adamant about registering him?"

Previously, he had merely sent Zhao Yuansong to bribe the Imperial Clan Court—there was still considerable room for maneuver.

They could bribe; so could he.

Making something happen is incredibly difficult, but destroying it? Easy.

If he could just stall it—no progress before his elder brother's death—then Zhu Zijin would be nameless and unreal; he could keep him off the imperial genealogy, make him not even an heir.

With Zhu Youlan as his biological father, he had countless ways to ensure he never became this heir.

So he wouldn't do anything as stupid as ambushing Zhao Yuansong halfway.

That would be handing direct evidence straight to the Zhou Wang.

As long as he committed no fundamental error, and Zhu Zijin wasn't officially registered, the most likely successor after his elder brother's death would be him.

But if the Zhou Wang could persuade those princely clan members to plead on his behalf…

The Imperial Clan Court was the institution managing the imperial clan; eight out of ten people inside bore the Zhu surname—in short, it was family managing its own affairs.

But now the Imperial Clan Court hardly managed anything; most matters had been transferred to the Ministry of Rites—perhaps they could be targeted instead…

The Zhou Wang was also speaking with Zhu Zijin about the Ministry of Rites: "Since Emperor Taizong, most Imperial Clan Court affairs have been handed over to the Ministry of Rites, but matters like registering names on the genealogy—those are still firmly within the Imperial Clan Court's authority. I've asked many clan members to intercede; you should record their names. If they help, remember to repay them later."

Zhu Zijin agreed.

The Zhou Wang said, "Tomorrow I'll summon all the estate managers—I want you to meet them."

Zhu Zijin looked at the Zhou Wang in surprise—he had returned half a year, and this was the first time the Zhou Wang had mentioned family matters. Before this, he had only two duties.

Caring for the Zhou Wang's meals and daily needs, and finding his son.

The Zhou Wang looked at him gently: "Ke'er has been found. You should now shift your focus to other family affairs—the Wang Fu will rely on you to hold it up."

Zhu Zijin, eyes red, agreed.

After glancing at the time, he said, "Father, let me help you rest."

The Zhou Wang waved him off. "Let the servants handle this."

Zhu Zijin said nothing, went out, brought warm water, dismissed all servants, then personally wrung out a cloth and carefully washed the Zhou Wang.

He knew the Zhou Wang disliked servants washing his body—even if their faces showed no expression, their hands moved unevenly, and their hearts deeply resented it.

Not just the Zhou Wang—he knew the servants disliked serving him too.

Zhu Zijin, with heartfelt gratitude, tended to the Zhou Wang, changed two basins of water, dressed him in clean undergarments and trousers, helped him lie down, felt the blankets to ensure they were neither too cold nor too hot, then withdrew.

In the dim yellow light, the Zhou Wang sighed softly—yes, Zijin was born to be his son.

The second son was the one truly incompatible with him, the one who clashed with his destiny.

Pan Yun and the other two temporarily stayed at the Zhou Wangfu, visiting the Zhou Wang daily and playing with Zhu Tongqie—the days slipped by quickly.

Pan Yun spent most of each day in cultivation; every time she visited the Zhou Wang, she always received gifts.

She was happiest when receiving real gold and silver; jade pendants and gems she didn't mind either—but she hated receiving anything bearing imperial marks.

They were valuable, yes, but hard to convert into cash. Not impossible—black markets could probably sell them, and she wouldn't be held accountable.

Pan Yun carefully stored all these items, counted her money, and planned to send some to her father soon.

Master Xuanmiao seemed to sense her intention and said, "If you want to send things, wait until you leave the Zhou Wangfu."

Pan Yun thought for a moment and understood: "You fear someone is watching me, tracing back from me to my father, suspecting my identity, and uncovering the Embroidered Uniform Guard affair?"

Master Xuanmiao: "There are countless people eager to please Wang Zhen. Your father offended him—even if he's forgotten him, others will keep reminding him, and keep suppressing your father."

"Didn't their search of the Pan household and your killing of the Embroidered Uniform Guard officer both stem from this?"

"And now, power struggles within the Zhou Wangfu are fierce. We returned Zhu Tongqie, snatching meat right from their mouths—how could they not hate us?" Master Xuanmiao said. "We're inside the Zhou Wangfu now. Once we leave, not only will we be watched—we might lose our lives."

Anything is dangerous when there's a flaw, when connections can be drawn.

She was formidable—Pan Yun decided to listen to her.

She had seen it clearly during this time: though Master Xuanmiao spoke little and avoided speech when possible, her calculations were precise, her foresight deep—far superior to the dim-witted Tao Ji.

And since childhood, she had lived secluded within inner chambers, her knowledge of the outside world drawn only from her father and brothers—knowledge vastly incomplete. So she decided to follow Master Xuanmiao.

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The Zhou Wang, whom the princely household physicians had declared was preparing for his funeral, survived another two months under Tao Ji's care, even causing Zhu Youjue to return prematurely to Xiangfu County.

But few knew that the two months had brought the Zhou Wang to the very limit of his body's endurance.

Tao Ji spoke seriously with the Zhou Wang, then inserted needles to render him unconscious, preserving his bodily functions until definitive news arrived from Jingcheng, at which point he would be awakened.

Zhao Yuansong carried the Zhou Wang's memorial and letters through Jingcheng, but not only could he not petition to enfeoff Zhu Zijin as Wang Shizi, he could barely secure even a formal record of his name.

Because from the Emperor down to the Ministry of Rites officials, all remembered how wildly Zhu Youlan had once fought to seize the Zhou Jue.

The Emperor despised him, while the Ministry of Rites officials and the Imperial Clan Court feared the trouble it would bring.

Now, if they followed the Zhou Wang's dying wish and Zhu Youlan later reappeared to disgust them, the Emperor would blame them—Zhou Wang would be dead and done with it, but what would become of them?

So no one was willing to risk taking this step.

Only when other imperial clan princes and Commandery Princes wrote letters pleading on his behalf did the Imperial Clan Court relent—but even then, some opposed it.

Thus, the matter dragged on.

Zhao Yuansong knew that to petition for the Wang Shizi title, he must first restore the heir's formal registration—only then would it be legitimate.

He took the Prince's final letter, gritted his teeth, and still requested an audience with the Emperor to personally deliver the letter.

The young Emperor now grew weary at the sight of the Zhou Wangfu's Chancellor, his expression darkening.

The Zhou Wang had long claimed he was dying, yet for years he had refused to die.

Zhao Yuansong knelt on the ground weeping, "Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from Kaifeng: the Prince has fallen into unconsciousness; the princely household physicians say it is merely a matter of days. This is the Prince's final memorial."

The young Emperor glanced at the nearby Embroidered Uniform Guard, who quietly withdrew.

A young eunuch took the letter from Zhao Yuansong and presented it to the Emperor, who, as he unsealed it, said sympathetically, "The Zhou Wang has lapsed into unconsciousness again?"

Soon the Embroidered Uniform Guard returned and whispered a report into the Emperor's ear.

The Emperor paused, grew serious, and frowned as he opened the letter.

It was a letter penned by Pan Yun, copied by the Zhou Wang—by then he had already written one; this second letter's script was even more hasty and trembling.

The Emperor felt a heaviness in his chest and asked, "The Zhou Wang Fei has no sons. Did the Zhou Wang deeply cherish her?"

Zhao Yuansong replied, "Yes," and seized the opening, quickly describing how the Zhou Wang and Wang Fei had loved each other, shared hardships, and sustained one another.

The Emperor: "If the Zhou Wang and Wang Fei were so deeply devoted, why did she refuse to die with him?"

Zhao Yuansong trembled, bowing his head tightly, "The Wang Fei naturally wished to, but the Zhou Wang could not bear it; moreover, the heir is still young and needs her guidance, so the Prince did not wish her to be buried alive."

The Emperor, moved, thought of himself, of his father's deep love for his mother, and of his mother's tender care for him; at fifteen, the young Emperor finally spoke: "If this was the Zhou Wang's dying wish, then honor his desire."

Zhao Yuansong rejoiced, kowtowing repeatedly, "Thank Your Majesty's great grace, thank Your Majesty's great grace."

With the Emperor's word, the Ministry of Rites moved swiftly; the Imperial Clan Court, no longer deadlocked, ceased its internal struggle, and Zhu Zijin's name was formally restored under Zhu Youdun and Gong Shi.

With this document from the Imperial Clan Court, Zhao Yuansong seized the opportunity during court to propose the formal establishment of the Zhou Wang Shizi.

The Emperor had been worn thin by their petitions for two months; since Zhu Zijin had already been re-registered, father's death, son's succession—this was natural law. Once the Emperor consented, the court agreed.

The Ministry of Rites promptly proposed a decree to exempt Gong Shi and others from burial alive.

Someone in the Imperial Clan Court immediately objected, "You speak as if the Zhou Wang is already dead—he's not dead yet! Why bring up burial alive?"

"Exactly! Burial alive is ancestral tradition left by the Laozu—how can it be changed so lightly?"

The Emperor frowned, "This is the Zhou Wang's dying wish. We change it only for his household, not others. If his own family agrees, that is enough."

The ten lucky numbers for this chapter are those ending in 9; screenshot as proof, screenshot time until next chapter update

(End of Chapter)