Following Li Fengqi's instructions, Zhu Lie swiftly spread the false news that Li Zong was critically injured and dying.
Spreading information required skill and strategy. Directly broadcasting the news would be a poor choice. Anyone with half a brain would think twice upon hearing it, and wonder if it might be a trap set by the Prince Yong'an.
People would often only believe what they "saw" for themselves.
So Li Fengqi had Zhu Lie secretly visit Qiao Hairen, the Imperial Secretary; Qi Shao, the Minister of War; Wang Jie, the Minister of Dali Temple; and others in private.
To other court officials, these people were seen as close allies of the Prince of Yong'an. Now, seeing Li Fengqi send Zhu Lie to meet them secretly, well-informed courtiers began to wonder what was going on.
Soon after, someone noticed that late at night, a group of riders quietly left the Yong’an Palace. After exiting the city, they galloped northward without delay. Meanwhile, the gates of the Yong’an Palace remained shut tight for several days, guarded heavily and shrouded in an air of solemnity, as though some major event had happened.
At this sensitive time when the emperor himself had been seriously injured during battle, the Prince of Yong'an's actions—secretly meeting officials and sending people north—were hard not to ponder deeply.
The emperor's court officials were secretly panicked. As far as they knew, Li Zong had been injured in an ambush but wasn't in danger of dying. He was already on his way back to Shangjing. Yet Prince Yong'an's actions made it seem less like he was preparing for the emperor's return and more like he was waiting for the emperor to die so he could seize power.
These officials were restless. They decided to go ask Han Chan for news.
At the Taifu’s Mansion, Han Chan sat at the head of the table, looking coldly at the anxious officials. "What do you all want?"
The Minister of Revenue, who had led them there, couldn't hold back any longer, and spoke after some hesitation. "We heard that His Majesty was injured. We're worried about his health and came to ask for information from you, Imperial Tutor. There hasn't been any news from the Zaohe River either. Is... is His Majesty doing well?"
His words set off a flurry of agreement among the other officials. Others echoed, "If His Majesty is fine, then we need to stop those rumors outside. When two armies fight, each will have its own winners and losers. If we let these lies spread unchecked, it may tarnish His Majesty's reputation."
"That's right. There are rumors spreading outside that His Majesty is actually..."
"..."
The officials below spoke one after the other, jostling to be heard first. Meanwhile, Han Chan looked down at the tea leaves floating in his tea cup, not saying a word.
The officials argued back and forth for a while before noticing that Han Chan, seated at the head of the table, hadn't said a single word. He had been completely silent. They finally realized something, and reluctantly quieted down.
Han Chan finally looked up and scanned the room. In an emotionless tone, he asked, "What exactly are you all worried about?" With a soft chuckle, he voiced their concerns bluntly: "Are you afraid His Majesty might not recover from his injuries, throwing the court into chaos? Or... perhaps you're worried that your own official positions might be in jeopardy?"
His words were too direct; the officials felt embarrassed. One of them retorted, "We're only concerned for His Majesty's health!"
"Then there's no need to worry." Han Chan put his teacup heavily onto the table, so forcefully that the ceramic lid clattered loudly against the cup. "Whether he lives or dies will be known as soon as he returns. It'll happen within the next couple of days."
His attitude was dismissive, as if he didn't care at all whether the emperor lived or died.
The officials vaguely sensed a change, but none dared accuse Han Chan of treasonous behavior. They exchanged glances for a long moment before finally admitting begrudgingly that they wouldn't get any answers from him. Their only choice now was to rise uneasily and take their leave.
They had come hoping to put their minds at ease. After all, the emperor always relied on his Taifu, who would undoubtedly know his condition best.
But when they arrived, they found that the situation was even more complex and dangerous than they'd imagined—the emperor might truly be in serious trouble.
What's more, Imperial Tutor Han Chan didn't seem to be on the same page as the emperor.
The group of officials left, full of anxiety. Han Chan watched them go with a cold eye, unable to hold back a sneer.
He sat for a moment, then brushed his sleeve aside and got up, heading towards the rear courtyard.
Along the way were few servants. The vast Taifu Mansion was terrifyingly quiet.
Han Chan entered his bedroom, locked the door, and walked to the innermost room. He turned a jade carving on the display shelf, revealing a hidden door in the wall and a set of winding stone steps leading down.
Picking up a candle, Han Chan descended the stairs. The hidden door closed behind him, leaving no trace of its existence.
The stairway was narrow—only one and a half meters wide. It was pitch-black except for the faint light of the candle. Despite the narrow space and darkness, Han Chan's footsteps never faltered. It seemed that he had walked this path thousands of times before and was familiar with it.
Soon, he reached the bottom of the stairs. He raised a hand and pressed a blue brick on the wall, and what appeared to be a solid surface split open in the middle, revealing a narrow doorway just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Han Chan blew out the candle and stepped inside. The narrow door closed behind him.
Compared to the pitch-black corridor, this room was much brighter. Han Chan set the candle aside, straightened his clothes carefully, then walked past a screen into the inner room.
The inner room was brightly lit. Along both walls stood nine-tiered candlestands, and rows of white candles that were as thick as arms were burning quietly. In the very center, facing Han Chan directly, stood an altar tablet.
--- This was a memorial hall.
Han Chan approached with light steps, as if afraid to disturb the resting soul. He lit three incense sticks, stood still for a moment, then spoke softly. His voice was slightly hoarse, different from its usual cold tone.
"News came from the Yin Clan that Li Zong took an arrow in the chest. It didn't kill him on the spot, but with such a wound, he probably won't last long."
His gaze was unfocused, seeming to stare at the altar tablet yet also looking beyond it. "I've been teaching and training him since he was three years old. I even took the trouble to help him seize the throne, but I never expected him to harbor such filthy thoughts... I didn't want to kill him, but his actions have become increasingly arrogant lately. He will surely be an obstacle on my path to revenge...
"Thus, he must die!"
The vacant look in his eyes suddenly turned cold, the last trace of warmth extinguished. Han Chan raised his hand, studying the chaotic lines on his palm for a moment before picking up the small knife from the altar table. He cut a strip of fabric from his sleeve and tied it to the frame on the wall.
The white strip of cloth hung down, representing a life about to be lost.
On both sides of this strip, countless others dangled, varying in length and width. Each one had been personally tied by Han Chan himself over the years.
He stared at the nearly-full rack of white cloth strips for a while, then looked away, his face devoid of any emotion.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to visit Your Highness for a long time.” After speaking, he bowed three times with hands cupped respectfully, then turned and left. The torn sleeves cast a silent shadow in the candlelight, carrying an air of old time past.
--
After leaving the dark room, Han Chan went straight to Prince Duan's residence.
By seniority, Prince Duan was Li Zong's uncle. Emperor Chengzong had few children, with only four sons in total. After the Crown Prince passed away, the second prince, Li Qian, became the new crown prince. He later ascended to the throne as Emperor Xianzong. The remaining two princes were titled Prince Duan and Prince Rui respectively.
Prince Rui died young, so now only Prince Duan remained.
Prince Duan was old and held a ceremonial position at the Imperial Clan Office but took no part in court affairs. Instead, he spent his days at home doting on his grandchildren.
Han Chan and Prince Duan had never crossed paths before. This sudden visit to the Prince's estate caused many to speculate: Prince Duan was known for being lazy and disinterested in politics. The only person that might catch Han Chan's eye was his three-year-old grandson.
Sure enough, after Han Chan left, Prince Duan's estate suddently closed its gates and turned away all visitors—a move that seemed to confirm everyone's suspicions.
Many officials grew uneasy, secretly wondering if something had indeed happened to the emperor. It felt like... the heavens themselves might be about to shift.
--
The Yong’an Palace had naturally heard about the events of the past two days.
When Ye Yunting heard Zhu Lie mention that Han Chan had already approached Prince Duan, Ye Yunting felt it was hard to believe. "Why act so quickly?"
Li Fengqi was also a little surprised; Han Chan, that old fox, wasn't someone who usually lost his patience. Other court officials had been misled into thinking Li Zong was near death, but they also knew to wait patiently for confirmation from Han Chan. So why did Han Chan suddenly become so impatient?
But then he considered another possibility and dismissed his initial thought. "Han Chan isn't one to act recklessly. If he moved this fast, there must be other information he received that convinced him that Li Zong is dying."
"Is it Yin Xiaozhi?" Ye Yunting asked.
Li Fengqi nodded. Apart from Yin Xiaozhi, he couldn’t think of anyone else.
Originally, Li Zong's decision to lead the army himself was part of a scheme set up by Han Chan and Yin Xiaozhi. Yin Xiaozhi pretended to retreat in order to lure Li Zong into a trap, planning to take advantage of the situation to kill Li Zong as revenge for his son. Meanwhile, Han Chan likely planned to install a young master that was easier to manipulate into the throne.
However, something went wrong along the way. Not only did Li Zong survive, he managed to use this trick to turn the tables. He faked severe injuries to lure them into a trap. And judging by how things looked now, he'd succeeded brilliantly—even deceiving Yin Xiaozhi and others involved in the action. They passed on incorrect information to Han Chan.
He had seen through Li Zong's scheme early on and refused to take the bait. Instead, he stirred up trouble, throwing more "bait" at other people in an attempt to muddy the waters and give Li Zong a headache. He never expected that his haphazard approach would actually help Li Zong catch a big fish by accident.
He wondered what expression Li Zong would have when he returned to the capital and discovered Han Chan's actions.
Ye Yunting thought about it and said with certainty: “I’m afraid he’ll go crazy.”
Considering Li Zong's extreme personality, learning that Han Chan was already picking a successor before he even died might truly drive him insane.
The question was if Han Chan could handle it when that moment came.
=== Author’s Notes ===
77: I’m eating melons, watching the show, and picking up leaks.
Li Zong: ??? I knock your mother!
=== Translator’s Notes ===
The enemy of my enemy is… not my friend, but it’s nice that they’re also enemies..
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