Chapter 10: 10

The Grey Wolf (4.2)

Chu Qianyu’s efforts paid off. When Zhao Yanzhou was fourteen years old, he was lauded as a child prodigy. By the time he was sixteen, he was admitted into the Grand Archive as an edict attendant. Then, he sat for the Imperial Examination at the age of twenty and was appointed as a province secretary. He was an exemplary young man, and with hard work, he would definitely have a bright future.

However, three years ago, when Chu Qianyu was convicted, Zhao Yanzhou narrowly escaped prosecution by not being a member of the Chu clan. Still, he disregarded his lowly status, braved all dangers and voiced the truth daringly. This was what had set him back from advancement.

Zhao Yanzhou and Chu Ning grew up as siblings. She knew that he was talented, and that he was saddened by what happened to Chu Qianyu. As such, she recommended him to Xiao Yu and secured for him the position of the Supervisor of the East Palace.

A supervisor was in charge of general matters of the East Palace and was one of the Crown Prince’s closest attendants. This placed him on the same level as Xu Rong, the Attendant of Learning. However, as he had not joined them for long and was someone introduced by Chu Ning, the Crown Prince still had some reservations about him.

Chu Ning was long used to Zhao Yanzhou’s quiet nature, so she did not mind it. As they walked, she asked him about Fang’s condition and was informed that although he was still unsound, his illness had improved. Chu Ning was a little relieved.

Then she remembered what Xiao Yu said to her in the early morning, so she said, “His Highness knew that we had found Fang, but I don’t think he knows about the letter. If Xu Rong sent someone to investigate, you know what you have to do.”

Zhao Yanzhou agreed to her instructions quietly and without any questions.

After dealing with a few minor matters concerning the East Palace, Chu Ning finally asked him something that she really wanted to know, “About the Prince of Qin, do you know what kind of person he is?”

Although Xiao Kezhi was a prince, he was left forgotten in Ganzhou for ten years. Other than knowing that he was Emperor Gaozong’s youngest son and the Crown Prince’s sixth uncle, Chu Ning didn’t know anything else about him.

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Chu Ning knew that she was not alone in this. All the nobility and ministers in Chang’an probably didn’t know much either and were now trying to find out about him themselves.

Soon, both of them reached a pavilion. Chu Ning went in and leaned against the railings to look at the fishes swimming in the pond. Zhao Yanzhou stood outside the pavilion consciously and reported what he found out in the past two days.

Chu Ning listened to him quietly and considered them in silence. She asked a couple questions before sending him away to return and rest. Chu Ning remained by the pond. She watched the glowing red sun in the distant west as she organized her thoughts on what she had just heard.

Xiao Kezhi was Emperor Gaozong’s youngest son. His mother was an ordinary palace maid, whose surname was Wei. She was suddenly favored by the Emperor while he was drunk. When she gave birth to a son, she was granted the title, Lady.

Lady Wei had a lowly background. She was not beloved by Emperor Gaozong and had a gentle demeanor. She never argued or fought and yielded in everything. By doing so, she barely managed to carve a corner for herself in the palace. Perhaps she had seen the then Empress’s ruthlessness and greed and wanted to keep her son from harm. So before she died, she pleaded with the Emperor to send her eleven-year-old son to the border.

The Emperor took into consideration that she was dying and granted her request. He granted the young Xiao Kezhi the title of the Prince of Qin and sent him to Ganzhou.　

Ganzhou was located in the north west border of Great Liang. It had violent sandstorms and a harsh environment. It was also frequently attacked by foreign forces. The eleven-year-old prince was forced to leave his dying mother and be sent to such a place by himself.

It was said that when the young prince set off to Ganzhou, the construction for the prince’s residence in Ganzhou had not even begun.

Everyone thought that Lady Wei was too cruel to her son.

Chu Ning thought about it carefully and believed that Lady Wei had great foresight. By staying in Ganzhou for fourteen years, the Prince of Qin had not only escaped the then Empress’s persecution of Emperor Gaozong’s princes, but he was also able to gather forces in secret and obtain prestige in the military.

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