Ashes to Crown

Chapter 143: Chapter 97: The Night Deepens

’So close, so close, yet still no answer.’

Xiao Yu looked past the Firelight Guard and the thronging crowd to see the Crown Prince seated in their midst—

It had been so long since he had spent any time with his father.

He had been overjoyed when his father brought him along on this hunt.

He had imagined so many things: riding horses together, drawing their bows together, chasing prey through the forest together, sleeping on the ground together, and gazing at the stars together—

But in reality, none of it had happened.

He could still only watch his father from a distance, and his father didn’t even have a moment to glance his way.

”—Young Highness, what are you holding there?” Eunuch Zhu, catching a meaningful look from Eunuch Qi, understood at once. He beamed at the bamboo tube clutched in the young prince’s hands. ”Is it a gift for His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Xiao Yu took a step back, clutching the bamboo tube tighter. He shook his head. ”No, it’s my toy.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

Eunuch Zhu looked at Eunuch Qi, stunned. Eunuch Qi gave him a helpless shrug and turned to follow Xiao Yu.

’Kids are all like that, so fickle,’ Eunuch Zhu thought, not dwelling on it. He hurried back to attend to the Crown Prince—any delay meant those little bastards would seize the opportunity to snatch his position.

Clutching the bamboo tube, Xiao Yu burst into a luxurious tent.

The heavy flaps fell shut behind him, blocking out the clamor. A light, fragrant incense filled the lavishly decorated tent, where only a few women were present.

The Crown Princess Consort, seated in the center, was bent over some needlework, but her needle and thread had been still for a long time. The Palace Maids beside her stood quietly, as if they hadn’t noticed.

The scene in the tent was like a painting—beautiful and frozen.

Xiao Yu’s entrance tore the canvas.

”Yu’er,” the Crown Princess Consort said, quickly reaching out, her face wreathed in smiles under the lamplight.

Xiao Yu ran over with his bamboo tube. Just as he was about to throw himself into his mother’s arms, a Palace Maid beside her quickly warned, ”Be careful.”

Only then did the Crown Princess Consort realize she was still holding her needle. She had nearly pricked Xiao Yu. Laughing, she quickly set it down. ”I was making you a pair of socks.”

As the Crown Princess Consort, she had no need to do needlework, but she had always been in the habit of making personal garments for the Crown Prince and her son.

’In truth, besides needlework, his mother had nothing to do.’ Even as a child, Xiao Yu could surmise this. His father had married his mother and made her the Crown Princess Consort, but he showed her little affection. His father preferred the company of the Mounted Archery Officers and the other women of the Eastern Palace. Those women could drink, sing, and make merry without restraint—activities unbefitting his mother’s station.

’His mother was like a decoration in the Eastern Palace, expected only to sit there quietly and properly.’

’But his mother was a person, after all.’

That was why when his Grandfather wanted him to live and study in the Imperial Palace, he had been reluctant to go.

”I want to stay with Mother,” he had said.

But his mother had been both amused and exasperated. ”What would you do staying with me? You are the Imperial Grandson. You must go study and learn. If you are to accompany anyone, it should be His Majesty.”

His mother had stroked his head, her touch gentle and full of expectation.

”Yu’er, all of your mother’s glory in this life rests upon you.”

The young child roughly understood. His mother didn’t need his company; she only needed him to bring her glory.

”What is that?” the Crown Princess Consort asked curiously, looking at the bamboo tube her son was hugging.

Xiao Yu quickly hid the bamboo tube behind his back. ”It’s a treasure I found.”

The Crown Princess Consort smiled and didn’t press to see it. Her son was always accompanied by so many eunuchs and guards; there would be no issue with what he ate, used, or played with.

”You’ve been running around outside all day. Did you have fun?” the Crown Princess Consort asked with a smile, looking at her son’s flushed face and the dust and grass clinging to his hair and clothes.

He looked completely different from when he was in the Imperial Palace.

’Although he can’t be as obsessed with martial arts as the Crown Prince, he must still learn mounted archery to build up his strength.’

”You must get some game during this hunt to present to your Grandfather when we return,” the Crown Princess Consort said. ”When your uncle was your age, not only was he an excellent scholar, his mounted archery was also—”

Normally, Xiao Yu loved hearing stories about his uncle, but today, just as the Crown Princess Consort began to speak, he yawned. ”Mother, I’m sleepy.”

The Crown Princess Consort quickly stopped herself and caressed her son’s face. ”You must be tired from running around all day.” She looked up and called out, ”Quickly, attend to Yu’er. Help him wash up and get to bed.”

The Palace Maids and Eunuch Qi hurriedly answered in affirmation.

Xiao Yu got up, still clutching his bamboo tube, and followed the Palace Maids and Eunuch Qi out. But in the end, he couldn’t help but turn back and ask, ”Mother, will Uncle come see me tomorrow?”

Seeing the anticipation in her son’s eyes, the Crown Princess Consort felt a pang of guilt and nodded emphatically. ”Yes, he will. He definitely will. Today, on your father’s orders, he attended your Third Imperial Uncle’s literary gathering, so he can come over tomorrow. It couldn’t be helped. You know how brilliant your uncle is; everyone knows it, so he couldn’t miss the gathering. But he is skilled in both literature and martial arts, so tomorrow he must come to your father’s hunt to show off his abilities.”

At this, she smiled and gave her son a wink.

”He’s also prepared a gift for Yu’er—a bow he made with his own hands. He asked me to keep it a secret to surprise you, but I’m telling you now. So you have to pretend you don’t know, okay?”

Xiao Yu’s eyes filled with laughter as he nodded happily. ”I will! Don’t worry, Mother, I definitely won’t let Uncle find out!”

The little boy turned and skipped away, hopping with joy.

Only after her son had left did the smile fade from the Crown Princess Consort’s face. She summoned a Palace Maid. ”Go. Have someone see Yanfang immediately. Tell him he must come tomorrow, no matter what. And tell him I have already promised a gift to Yu’er on his behalf.”

The Palace Maid assented and turned to leave.

The gates of the Capital City were already closed for the night, but for the Crown Prince’s men, that was hardly an obstacle.

Two Imperial Guards escorting two eunuchs soon arrived at the city gate, having ridden from the distant Hunting Ground.

The city gate was brightly lit against the dark night, and looking up, one could see patrolling Soldiers walking along the top of the wall.

As soon as they appeared at the foot of the gate, they were spotted by the guards on duty.

”Open the gate.”

The leading eunuch shouted before the gate guards could even ask.

”Eastern Palace Eunuchs!”

After shouting this, the eunuch paid no more mind to the gate guards, turning to speak to the eunuch beside him. ”After we see the Third Young Master, just stay in the city. Tomorrow, we’ll go together to—”

The other eunuch nodded, then couldn’t help but glance at the gate. Ordinarily, upon hearing the words ”Eastern Palace Eunuchs,” the gate would open immediately, and the commanding General would respectfully welcome them—

But the gate—

He looked over. The tall, heavy city gate remained shut, unmoving. ’What was going on? Didn’t they hear?’ He looked up, about to shout again, when a group of soldiers appeared, crossbows in hand—

The instant his gaze met the crossbows, a sharp WHIR split the night sky as streaks of cold light flew toward them.

The two Imperial Guards and two eunuchs below had no time to react. They cried out in agony as they fell from their horses, and in the next moment, a rain of arrows descended upon them.

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Behind the high walls of the Capital City, inside the Xie family residence, the sleeping Third Young Master Xie suddenly snapped his eyes open.

Dark figures moved outside his bed curtains, and a low, urgent voice could be heard.

”Young Master, something isn’t right.”