Chapter 21: 21

Liu Kang wondered whether serving such an unpredictable Emperor was a blessing or a curse.

Xiao Kezhi seemed to know what he was thinking and asked, “Do you know why I chose you to be the Head Imperial Eunuch?”

The Head Imperial Eunuch was responsible for the Emperor’s daily life and was considered above all eunuchs. Liu Kang entered the palace when he was ten years old and had endured for more than twenty years in Ye Ting Palace. He was just a minor attendant until Xiao Kezhi came into the palace recently and promoted him to his side.

He had thought for a long time and could never understand how he caught the new Emperor’s attention. As such, he could only shake his head honestly, “Your Majesty, I don’t know. I pray for your guidance.”

Xiao Kezhi stood up and went to stand before Liu Kang. He looked at him with a stern gaze that carried a measure of sadness, “When my mother was still alive, she was spurned by the Empress Dowager. All the eunuchs and palace maids were rude to her, but only you treated her with respect. You did not bully the weak and flatter the powerful. I remember this clearly.”

Liu Kang looked up in astonishment. He gazed at the prince who had grown tall and valiant and gradually recalled what happened ten years ago. However, he replied with shame, “Your Majesty, I must confess something. I am ashamed of myself. Back then, my intention was to not offend anyone. I just thought that there is a possibility that Lady Wei and you might have a change of fortune one day.”

No one expected that the neglected Sixth Prince would lay low for ten years and come back as the new Emperor!

Xiao Kezhi patted Liu Kang’s shoulder and said, “That’s enough. I will only remember your kindness from the past. From now on, you must always remember my trust towards you.”

Liu Kang’s heart rose upon hearing him. He felt all his suspicion and fear for the new Emperor disappear. He said quickly in tremendous gratitude, “Your humble servant will always remember your trust and will never forget.”

“Good. Can you tell Jin Jiang to come see me?”

Xiao Kezhi instructed and went to the writing table on the other side of the room to write something.

Soon, Jin Jiang came, dressed in full armor. He made an obeisance to Xiao Kezhi.

Jin Jiang was the commander of security for the prince’s residence in Ganzhou. Now, he followed Xiao Kezhi to Taiji Palace and was put in charge of the defense of the palace and the city. He was truly one of Xiao Kezhi’s most trusted men.

“I need you to investigate these people. If there is anything suspicious about them, try to collect evidence.” Xiao Kezhi gave him a list of names.

There were more than ten people on the list. Two of them worked for the Empress Dowager while the others were the Crown Prince’s allies.

Jin Jiang took the list and read through it. He knew that Xiao Kezhi was planning something, so he hid the list carefully and replied, “Understood.”

“I have asked someone to write down a decree naming Xiao Yu as my successor. Tomorrow, you shall deliver it to the Palace of Eternal Spring yourself.”

“Your Majesty?” Jin Jiang was shocked. He couldn’t understand why he did not take the chance to get rid of the Crown Prince. Instead, he continued to keep the dangerous enemy near him. He wondered if he wouldn’t remove the Crown Prince due to their blood relation.

Jin Jiang struggled internally for a moment and decided to say something. “Although the Crown Prince is your nephew and has submitted himself to you for now, he is not without greed. Your Majesty must never underestimate him. Furthermore, you are still in your prime. You may get married and have a son soon. Why is there a need to give the Crown Prince position to him?”

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“I understand your concerns.” Xiao Kezhi listened to him patiently and let him finish speaking. “Jin Jiang, you have been with me for many years. You know very well how I lived all those years.”

Jin Jiang paused and immediately recalled what happened in Ganzhou years ago.

Back then, the eleven-year-old Prince of Qin headed to the northwest border alone. He had to face thick sandstorms and did not even have a proper place to live in. The prince’s residence had barely begun construction before it was stopped deliberately.

Ganzhou was far from the capital, so the people there did not know the matters of the capital. Initially, the prefectural governor was respectful to Xiao Kezhi on the account of him being the Emperor’s son. However, once he knew that his mother had died, and he was an abandoned prince, the governor gradually grew cold towards him.

Although he was the Emperor’s son, his living conditions at the border were sorely lacking. Meanwhile in the capital, the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and other members of the royal family lived a life of luxury and abandoned him on the sandy frontier.

They were unworthy of forgiveness.

Jin Jiang gradually calmed his concerns. He knew that Xiao Kezhi always had great foresight and would never allow himself to be affected by emotions.

“I was thinking too much. Your Majesty must have good reasons.”

Xiao Kezhi did not explain but gestured for him to leave.

Jin Jiang was only half correct.

Xiao Kezhi decided to keep Xiao Yu alive to calm the people for now. It was not mercy from being blood-related. However, only he himself knew of this other secret reason.

This secret reason was due to a woman. That woman was Chu Qianyu’s daughter, the Crown Princess, Chu Ning.

When he first entered Chang’an, he saw her from afar standing beside Xiao Yu. She was respectful, gentle, and fearless in the face of great upheaval.

He was amazed by her and kept an eye out for her. Then, he remembered that she was Chu Qianyu’s daughter.

That gentle, innocent, and carefree little girl had now grown up to become a beautiful, delicate, and elegant woman.

He raised his left palm under the lamp and brought it close to his nose to take a sniff. He could vaguely recall her light fragrance when she came close to him at the Palace of Eternal Spring.

He had beautiful dreams in the past two days. They made him feel restless.

Although he didn’t know what the restlessness meant, instinct told him that it had something to do with his nephew’s wife.

He had been alive for twenty five years. Even though he had spent many years at the border, it was not as if he had never seen a woman before. However, in the past, he was completely focused on the barracks and horse training. This was the first time he felt something for a woman.

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