Chapter 22: Righteous and Unshakable

He stepped out the door, ordered someone to guard the study and bar all entry, then headed toward the front hall.

Moments later, he entered the hall and saw a eunuch seated, sipping tea; upon seeing him, the eunuch hurriedly rose and bowed: “Your servant Tian Xi pays respects to His Royal Highness the Prince.”

Zhao Ti nodded: “The Empress Dowager summoned me?”

The eunuch said: “The Empress Dowager’s verbal order commands His Royal Highness to enter the palace, as she has matters to inquire about.”

Zhao Ti smiled faintly: “Let’s go now.”

Two quarters of an hour later, he returned to the imperial palace, entering once again through the Left Side Gate, but this time not toward Cining Palace—rather, he headed for Ciming Palace.

Ciming Palace was where Empress Dowager Xiang resided; it was no smaller than Cining, and Empress Dowager Xiang’s domineering nature made her unpopular among the palace women, yet Zhao Ji, due to his mother Lady Chen’s circumstances, relied upon her.

Upon entering the palace, Zhao Ti saw Empress Dowager Xiang seated centrally, while Zhao Ji sat beside her whispering; upon spotting him, Zhao Ji immediately fell silent, turned his face aside, deliberately ignoring him.

Zhao Ti remained expressionless, bowed to Empress Dowager Xiang, and asked: “Auntie summoned me?”

Empress Dowager Xiang’s face was unreadable: “Prince Yan, Prince Duan came to me complaining that you forcibly broke into his residence, extorted and plundered his belongings, showed no brotherly affection, and threatened and intimidated him—is this true?”

Zhao Ti blinked, then shook his head: “There is no such thing.”

“You—you’re lying!” Zhao Ji instantly turned his face, furious: “Auntie, he’s lying! He brought men into my residence like bandits from Li Shan or outlaws from the green woods—my guests all fled in terror; not only did I lose face, but he ultimately stole over a dozen of my cherished possessions and left!”

Empress Dowager Xiang’s expression darkened: “Prince Yan, are you still hiding the truth from me?”

Zhao Ti said: “I’m not hiding it—I never extorted or intimidated Prince Duan. It was Prince Duan who first came to my gate and beat my gate guards and servants, acting arrogantly, recklessly, and outrageously; that’s why I went to demand medical compensation—reasonable and justified.”

“What’s reasonable and justified!” Zhao Ji snapped: “You injured many of my men too—why should your men get medical fees while mine get nothing?”

Zhao Ti rubbed his chin: “Prince Duan could have asked me for it himself—why didn’t you ask from the beginning?”

Zhao Ji froze, then gritted his teeth: “Then pay me now! You injured so many of my men—the medical fees must be doubled!”

Zhao Ti said: “Fine.”

Zhao Ji asked: “When will you pay?”

Zhao Ti shook his head: “I won’t.”

Zhao Ji stared, then turned red with rage: “Prince Yan, are you mocking me?”

Zhao Ti said: “I only told you to ask—I never said I’d pay. How is that mockery?”

Zhao Ji’s face turned livid; he turned to Empress Dowager Xiang: “Auntie, please uphold justice for your son—this Prince Yan is utterly intolerable…”

Empress Dowager Xiang coldly said: “Prince Yan, this is your fault. I need not ask for the full story—since both sides suffered injuries, why did you alone go demanding medical fees? Prince Duan didn’t chase you around your own mansion, losing all dignity, nor did he extort your belongings—does this comport with the conduct of a prince?”

Zhao Ji added: “Auntie, I never agreed to his extortion—I glared at him coldly, and he drew a blade swift as a gale, threatening me with a fearsome look, forcing me to hand over my belongings!”

Zhao Ti’s lip twitched: “A blade swift as a gale? Prince Duan, have you watched too many operas or read too many romances? Where did this come from?”

Zhao Ji said: “Regardless, you stole my things. Now that Auntie presides over justice, you must return everything—and compensate me!”

Zhao Ti said: “I won’t.”

“You!” Zhao Ji tried to rush forward to argue, but fear held him back; he turned to Empress Dowager Xiang: “Auntie, see? Prince Yan is nothing but a bandit, an outlaw…”

Empress Dowager Xiang snorted: “Prince Yan, is this not wicked conduct? Return Prince Duan’s belongings at once and go home!”

Zhao Ti frowned: “Auntie, your words are too harsh. You ignore the cause and demand only the result, favoring Prince Duan, and rashly label me as wicked—I cannot agree.”

“Prince Yan, what did you say!” Empress Dowager Xiang’s face darkened with anger: “I have no children of my own—you are all illegitimate sons. I treat you all equally—how could I possibly favor one?”

“You favor Prince Duan,” Zhao Ti said calmly.

“Then tell me exactly where I favor him! If you cannot prove it, I’ll take you to the Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager—they’ll hear your insolent, unfilial words—and ask if they suit a prince’s dignity!”

Zhao Ti spoke slowly: “Prince Duan paid my men’s medical fees willingly, without coercion. Now he reneges, and you stand by him—isn’t that favoritism?”

“You!” Empress Dowager Xiang shot up from her chair with a bang: “How dare you imply I’m extorting you?”

Zhao Ti said nothing, his expression plainly saying: Exactly that. He didn’t care about offending Empress Dowager Xiang—during Emperor Shenzong’s reign, she oppressed palace staff, including his mother, Lady Xing, punishing nearly everyone except her own confidants.

If Zhao Xu weren’t alive, and if there were no direct heir, the eldest would inherit; Empress Dowager Xiang would surely find faults with him and elevate Prince Duan. The direct heir is undisputed, but the eldest is unreliable—history has proven this. Back then, he and Prince Duan were bitter enemies.

Now, even if Gao Taotao died, she could do nothing to him. Zhao Xu had taken personal rule and granted her not an ounce of power; their relationship was poor, for Empress Dowager Xiang had also punished Zhao Xu’s mother, Lady Zhu, more than once.

“You forcibly extorted Prince Duan’s belongings and refuse to return them—yet when I uphold justice, you turn it into me extorting you?” Empress Dowager Xiang, furious, slammed her hand on the table.

“Auntie, I already said: those were Prince Duan’s voluntary payments for my men’s medical fees—settled in full, no debts left. I never expected him to renege and seek revenge afterward—unworthy of a gentleman, and I’m ashamed to be his brother,” Zhao Ti said slowly.

“I don’t want to be associated with a bandit like you!” Zhao Ji snapped.

“Prince Yan, you keep claiming ‘mutual consent’—you’re just speaking nonsense, yet you dare call Prince Duan ungentlemanly?” Empress Dowager Xiang was livid.

Zhao Ti looked at the two, then let out a soft laugh, reached into his robe, and pulled out a sheet of paper; he unfolded it—white paper, black ink, a vivid red fingerprint, unmistakably clear.

He said calmly: “Auntie, this is the written receipt Prince Duan gave me when the payment was settled—clearly stating his voluntary payment as medical compensation, signed and sealed with his fingerprint—evidence is overwhelming!”

Empress Dowager Xiang stiffened, glanced at the paper, then turned to Zhao Ji with a face like iron: “Prince Duan, is this your signature and seal?”

Zhao Ji stared at the document, then suddenly realized Zhao Ti’s intent when he’d forced him to sign it—he flew into a rage, shouting: “Prince Yan, you heartless bandit! You schemed to make me sign this just for this moment! You’re a Sima Zhida…”

Zhao Ti snorted: “Evidence is here—no need for further words.”

Empress Dowager Xiang remained silent, her face black as ink. Zhao Ji opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off with a cold command: “Shut up!”

Zhao Ti smiled faintly: “Auntie, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” Without waiting for her reply, he turned and walked out of the palace.

Behind him, Zhao Ji stamped his foot in fury: “Auntie, Auntie! This brute is so disrespectful—this cannot end like this!”

Empress Dowager Xiang took a deep breath, suppressed her rage, and sat back down, speaking coolly: “You signed and sealed it yourself—how can it not be final?”

Zhao Ji said: “Even if I give up those things, I can’t swallow this insult—he broke into my mansion, drove away my guests, chased and terrified me—how can I let this pass?”

Empress Dowager Xiang fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a low voice: “It’s fine. I’ll have the Grand Office of Clan Affairs handle this—there’s no way he’ll walk away unscathed and smug.”

Zhao Ti returned to his mansion as dusk fell; he fetched his long and short swords from the study, summoned Zheng Fu, Bai Zhan, and others, gave them instructions, then went to the secret chamber.

The secret chamber was spacious—his usual training ground, large enough for full movement, with tables, chairs, and a bed; he could rest there when tired.

He sat on the stone bed at the far end, pulled out the book containing the Illusion Yin Finger technique, gathered his focus, and gently opened it.