Ashes to Crown

Chapter 228: Chapter 51: Deep Down

The old grudges between the King of Zhongshan and the court were seared into the heart of everyone in the Prince Zhongshan Mansion.

But at this moment, Tie Ying was more concerned with the situation at hand.

”Who arranged for this man?” he asked in a low voice, his eyes glinting coldly as he watched the scholar who was still eloquently spouting nonsense about the strategic layout. ”Deng Yi or Xie San?”

Xiao Xun, however, wasn’t bothered. ”We can spread rumors, and so can others. Whether it’s Deng Yi or Xie San, they’re both our enemies now.”

There was never that much idle gossip in the world, especially at a time like this. Stirring up the people or placating them—it was all, of course, deliberately arranged.

Tie Ying said hatefully, ”Xie San is one thing, but Deng Yi is a truly shameless scoundrel. He took our money and broke his promise. It’s a shame Your Highness destroyed that imperial edict. If we hadn’t, we could have shown it to the world, told everyone Deng Yi wrote it, and seen how long he could hold on to his position as Grand Tutor!”

’That edict...’ Xiao Xun gently pressed a hand to his chest and smiled. ”Since we know he’s a scoundrel, nothing a scoundrel does should be surprising. There’s no need to be angry. In the future—” He stood up. ”—we’ll just take back what he owes us.”

Tie Ying quickly followed, walking out with Xiao Xun.

People came and went in the teahouse, but no one paid any attention to the two young men.

One young man boarded the carriage, while the other took the reins, driving slowly toward a walled city in the distance.

This was the most important checkpoint in Zhongshan County. Compared to before, there were even more soldiers, packed together layer by layer like a forest, their eyes fixed on every person who passed. Even the chickens and ducks in baskets were pulled out for inspection.

Many people were stopped here. When they asked for a reason, they were given none. If they asked again, a soldier would draw his blade and demand, ”Are you a spy from Western Liang or a remnant of the Zhao Family?” looking as if he would cut them down on the spot.

The atmosphere at the city gate checkpoint was tense.

Amidst this tense atmosphere, Tie Ying drove the carriage slowly, drawing ever closer to the city gate. His expression betrayed not the slightest hint of nervousness, right up until a Guard stopped him.

”Get out of the carriage,” a few Guards ordered coldly.

Before Tie Ying could speak, a General standing nearby stepped forward and glanced at the insignia hanging on the carriage.

”This carriage belongs to the Prefectural Governor’s family,” he told the Guards. ”The young master is frail and sickly. He’s just returned from seeking medical treatment and cannot be exposed to the wind.”

The Guards looked conflicted, glancing at the General. Just then, another General walked over and greeted Tie Ying, ”Back so soon? The Prefectural Governor was just asking about you yesterday.”

Tie Ying replied in a low voice, ”It’s not safe outside. The physician fled, so we couldn’t find him.”

”What a shame—” The General’s face was full of regret. ”You’ll just have to find another famous physician.” With that, he gestured for them to pass. ”The young master should hurry back.”

Since both Generals had spoken and seemed to be well-acquainted with the person in the carriage, the Guards no longer insisted on an inspection. ’An inspection is never truly absolute,’ they thought. ’You always have to give some face to the local bigwigs. Besides, you can’t hide that many people in a single carriage.’

The Guards cleared a path, and Tie Ying drove the carriage slowly through the throng of grimly armored soldiers.

’So what if the court’s armies have us surrounded? Zhongshan County has belonged to the King of Zhongshan for decades. He is the true master here. As long as these outsiders don’t dare to declare a new master, they will remain just that—outsiders.’

When Xiao Xun returned to the Prince Zhongshan Mansion to see the King of Zhongshan, he found his father entertaining a guest in the hot spring pool.

Steam billowed from the hot spring pool. Maids in summer dresses, their clothes soaked through by the vapor, were wrapped in the fabric like it was a thin veil, leaving them practically naked. However, neither of the two men in the pool paid the beauties any mind.

One man had his eyes closed in repose, focused on gently stroking his goatee with his hand.

On the other side, a female attendant placed a warm towel over the King of Zhongshan’s eyes. The King leaned back against a jade pillow and let out a comfortable sigh. ”This king will rest for a moment—”

”Father,” Xiao Xun’s voice came from the side.

The King of Zhongshan sounded somewhat exasperated. ”Couldn’t you have waited a moment before calling out?”

Xiao Xun chuckled and crouched by the edge of the pool. ”Father, Western Liang’s invasion has given the court the perfect opportunity to deal with us. With all this talk of ’investigating Western Liang spies,’ I suspect it won’t be long before we’re all arrested as Western Liang spies ourselves.”

Before the King of Zhongshan could reply, the man with the goatee across from him spoke up.

”Young Master, we of Great Liang are not invading,” he said, his voice tinged with an accent. In truth, even without the accent, his use of the name ”Great Liang” was enough to prove his identity.

”We have merely come to pay homage to the Emperor of Great Xia,” he continued, then lamented, ”Ever since the true line of succession was lost, the dynasties of the Central Plains have become increasingly barbaric and unruly.”

Xiao Xun laughed out loud. ”My dear sir, if not for us, where would you be soaking in a warm pool right now? You’d be in a government iron cell, wishing for death. One who receives help should be grateful. That is the foremost rule for any respectable person.”