Chapter 49: Reunion After Long Division

If the Prince of Qi were stripped of his position as Chancellor, his influence would be drastically diminished. Conversely, for the Crown Prince to enter the central administration and participate in state affairs would carry a natural legitimacy and the weight of public expectation. Within a few years, his position would be so firmly rooted that he would be impossible to shake.

The Prince of Qi’s expression remained impassive. He bowed candidly and said, "This subject will strictly obey the Imperial decree."

Everything he possessed was tied to the Empress. To argue would be to seek a momentary gain at the cost of his standing in her heart, a consequence far more severe.

The Empress, as if having long anticipated the Prince of Qi's reaction, remarked, "So be it. You may both withdraw."

Without offering the Prince of Qi any superfluous consolation, the Empress finalized the matter and dismissed them.

The Prince of Qi and the Crown Prince offered their salutations and exited the grand hall together. Once outside, the Prince of Qi’s face turned somber. He sneered, "Your Highness, state affairs are complex and taxing. Do take care of your health; do not overwork yourself."

The Crown Prince replied coolly, "With the Prince of Qi constantly concerned for my well-being, I imagine I shall be quite fine."

"This world is truly full of talented people," the Prince of Qi retorted. "Since Your Highness is the hope of the people, you surely have extraordinary men and masters protecting you. Who am I to intervene? It seems I was being meddlesome." With that, the Prince of Qi strode away.

Left alone, the Crown Prince descended the jade steps slowly. He stumbled slightly, but a young eunuch quickly steadied him.

Inside the grand hall, the Empress sat upon the dragon throne, her gaze piercing through the architecture as if she had witnessed the entire scene.

The Crown Prince’s stumble was clearly a sign of his unsettled state of mind. Had the young eunuch not been there to catch him, he would have made a fool of himself and become a laughingstock; it all seemed rather convenient. A faint, inscrutable smile played on the Empress's lips; she found this son of hers increasingly interesting.

Her gaze finally rested on the snow-white paper bearing the last two lines: "Without meeting a master to reveal the secret technique, one speaks in vain until the tongue is parched." If not for this profound realization, she would have had to struggle through these machinations of imperial power for a lifetime. But now, this vast landscape and the seat of supreme power were merely tools. Who could truly know what she desired?

Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Zhao Xiang hurried to greet him. Once father and son were in the quiet room, Zhao Xun finally allowed himself to laugh. Though not overly loud, his triumph was unmistakable.

It was the first time Zhao Xiang had seen his father like this. Once the laughter subsided, he asked, "Father, what is the cause of such joy?"

"After today, I can finally sleep soundly," Zhao Xun replied, the warmth of his smile lingering.

"Was the prescription truly effective?" Zhao Xiang asked. "What exactly was written on it?"

Zhao Xun shook his head. "The prescription was merely a catalyst. It allowed the Empress and me to be open with one another. The Empress is, at heart, a compassionate person; she will not drive us to ruin. Her decree today to remove the Prince of Qi from the central administration and allow me to participate in state affairs is a move meant to settle the court and the public. Although we must remain cautious, we have secured peace for the next three to five years."

He felt immense admiration for Shen Lian. What keen insight he possessed to perceive the Empress's true intentions and, by combining that with the political climate, use a single poem to make everything fall into place.

The Empress had not been on the throne long. Although she had suppressed the rebellion of the Prince of Qinghe, dark currents still surged beneath the surface. She had appointed Zhao Xun as Crown Prince to give hope to those still longing for the previous dynasty, while simultaneously promoting the Prince of Qi to serve as a warning to Zhao Xun.

This move, while intended to use the Prince of Qi to balance the Crown Prince, merely increased internal friction. It was, however, a necessary step to transition the people’s nostalgia from the old dynasty to the new.

Now, by stripping the Prince of Qi of his chancellorship and bringing the Crown Prince into the government, the Empress signaled her desire to end the political chaos and unify the hearts of her subjects to strive for a stronger nation.

That was why Zhao Xun spoke of three to five years of peace. Even if the Prince of Qi were to attempt an assassination, it would not truly drive him to despair. In the Divine Capital, only the Empress could decide his fate; if she ever deemed him an obstacle, he would not survive regardless.

His stumble today was half-feigned and half-real—a gesture to the Empress, signaling that he remained entirely within her control.

Zhao Xiang, having not experienced the brutal rivalries of the palace, had not understood the considerations of a mature politician until his father slowly analyzed them for him. Only then did he realize he had long underestimated his father.

Because of this, he found Shen Lian all the more unfathomable. It was not just his mysterious methods, but a wisdom that left one truly stunned.

***

As for wisdom, Shen Lian was not necessarily superior to the world’s greatest minds. It was simply that the imperial court was a chessboard; by standing outside the game and observing with a cold eye, he naturally saw more clearly than others. Furthermore, having seen the histories of countless dynasties in his past and present lives, he had summarized more than enough lessons on the art of ruling.

Ruoxi saw that her brother was in high spirits today and had begun practicing calligraphy. On a standard sheet of rice paper, he had written eight characters: "Things long divided must unite; things long united must divide." After staring at them for a long time, he picked up Ruoxi and kissed her.

Ruoxi huffed, "Brother, I’m grown up now. Don't kiss me."

"When you grow as tall as my shoulder, then you can say that," Shen Lian replied.

Ruoxi pouted, then added, "Brother, you are very happy today."

"Because a matter that has troubled me for a long time has finally found its way," Shen Lian said with a relaxed smile. Although he could not yet balance the eight energies, he had found his direction.

He gently set Ruoxi down. The little girl was somewhat reluctant; her brother had a pleasant scent, like fresh grass after rain. Sometimes she wondered if her brother would taste as good as he smelled.

Shen Lian, of course, remained oblivious to the girl's strange thoughts.

A man arrived outside. His clothing was made of high-quality material, yet it was the attire of a servant. He had a thin mustache on his lip. His face was decent enough, but his eyebrows were uneven, giving him a somewhat awkward appearance.

The man’s footsteps were light, indicating he possessed martial arts skills of no small measure. He entered without knocking, which was quite rude.

The man with the uneven eyebrows spotted Shen Lian and smiled. "You are the owner of this clinic?"

"What do you think?" Shen Lian glanced at him. He was a martial artist from the underworld, but his confidence was a bit too inflated.

"Can you really bring the dead back to life?" the man asked.

Shen Lian laughed, a look of inscrutable amusement on his face. "You want to know?"

The man chuckled. "Curiosity is only natural, isn't it?"

"Then I shall strike you dead, and if I bring you back to life, you will know," Shen Lian said calmly. Beneath his plain words, a chill of killing intent was unmistakable.

The man suddenly felt the temperature in the clinic plummet. Shen Lian’s figure seemed to swell while he himself shrank, as if the man before him had become a deity descended into the mortal realm.