Chapter Fifty-One: The Imperial Edict

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Prince Zhao Yu, for your diligence, frugality, and outstanding abilities, I am greatly pleased. I hereby appoint you as Military Commissioner of the Bao’an Army, Acting Grand Commandant, and Administrator of the Liangzhe Circuit. You are also entrusted with an imperial inspection tour of the South, effective immediately. This is my will!”

“Your son accepts the decree!”

Zhao Yu rose from the ground and respectfully received this baffling edict from Li Yan. Many princes, including Crown Prince Zhao Huan, held honorary titles such as Military Commissioner or Acting Grand Commandant, but Zhao Yu’s appointments—Military Commissioner of the Bao’an Army and Administrator of the Liangzhe Circuit—were peculiar. The Bao’an Army was stationed near the border, not far from Yanmen Pass, while the Liangzhe Circuit lay far to the south—two places in opposite directions. It was a decree riddled with contradictions.

With a wry smile, Li Yan said, “Your Highness, it was not that I didn’t wish to plead your case, but Cai You’s slander has touched a nerve with His Majesty…”

Li Yan then recounted to Zhao Yu everything that had transpired earlier in the Imperial Study. It turned out that Zhao Kai had spoken up for Zhao Yu at a crucial moment, suggesting that Zhao Yu be sent south to recover the rare stone, thereby proving with deeds that he had no connection to the Manichaeans.

It was now mid-September, and Zhao Yu’s wedding to the daughter of Liu Wenguang was set for late October. If Zhao Yu failed to complete his mission swiftly, the wedding would be postponed. Whether the Emperor truly forgot this, or deliberately omitted to mention it, was unclear; but what he didn’t know was that this affair had worn away what little filial affection Zhao Yu still held for his father.

Zhao Yu sighed deliberately and said, “It’s my own poor choice of friends that has led to this. Once I leave the capital, I must rely on you, Lord Li, to handle matters here.”

The plan to use the ball game to raise funds had long been agreed upon with Li Yan and his imperial father. But what neither knew was that Zhao Yu’s main source of wealth was the underground betting rings. Thus, he had no qualms about handing the stadium over to Li Yan, since the profits he let them have were paltry.

In truth, Zhao Yu knew that even if he hadn’t said as much, Li Yan would seize the stadium for himself as soon as it was clear Zhao Yu couldn’t return to the capital—because that was his nature.

Li Yan also sighed. “No one could have foreseen things would come to this. I can only wish Your Highness success and a safe return.”

They were speaking in Zhao Yu’s study. As Li Yan finished, Zhao Yu suddenly called out, “Clear the area outside. No one is to approach without my order!”

Only after Yan Qing, standing guard at the door, confirmed, did Zhao Yu turn back and retrieve an item from the cabinet.

“After many days of investigation, I have not failed in your trust. I have finally discovered a clue about the theft at your residence.”

With this, Zhao Yu handed a brocade box to Li Yan.

“This—this is the stolen item from my home! Where did Your Highness find it?” Li Yan asked eagerly as soon as he took the box. He could tell without opening it that the jewels inside were gone.

“At your request, I mobilized all the roughs and ruffians in the city to investigate any households with large sums of wealth moving in or out. We found that Wang Fu’s household had been acting very strangely—unknown people coming and going, and not long ago, dozens of chests were sent to Liang Shicheng’s mansion. To avoid alarming anyone, I bribed a guard in Wang Fu’s house, and this box was discovered in the room of one of Wang Fu’s concubines.”

Anyone can plant evidence, but to make a lie convincing, there must be proof. Li Yan was at odds with Liang Shicheng, and Wang Fu was Liang’s adopted son, so the story fit perfectly.

Just as Zhao Yu expected, without the brocade box, Li Yan would have been skeptical. But with this evidence, he instantly believed Wang Fu was the culprit.

It was over a million taels of silver! Just thinking of it made Li Yan’s heart ache. Before Zhao Yu could even finish, Li Yan’s anger flared. Face red, neck bulging, he spat, “Wang Fu, Old Thief Liang, I swear I’ll never let you be!”

“My lord, you mustn’t act rashly. Those two still carry considerable weight with my father.”

“Rest assured, Your Highness. I know what to do. Since you are leaving soon, I won’t trouble you further. Farewell!”

Li Yan all but ground his teeth as he spoke, then saluted and took his leave.

Watching Li Yan’s hurried departure, a cold smile flickered across Zhao Yu’s lips. He closed the study door and turned back to take out the stone everyone was after from the cabinet.

How could he let such an important thing fall into others’ hands? He had forged a copy long ago, and ordered Shi Qian—who had just returned—to swap it at the palace as soon as he could.

Lü Shilang and Zhang Shun thought their movements were discreet, forgetting what kind of man Zhao Yu was. To put it bluntly, not even a mouse could escape his notice in the capital. He knew exactly what they’d been up to during their recent absence.

Zhao Yu was no immortal, but he had already anticipated what the Emperor’s reaction would be once the theft was discovered.

The ball game was about to begin, and Zhao Yu was constantly busy. No one seemed to notice that Yang Xu, who should have been by his side, was nowhere to be seen.

Even Yang Xu himself didn’t quite understand why Zhao Yu had sent him to secretly acquire property in Taiyuan. Perhaps once he learned of the imperial edict Zhao Yu had received, he would understand Zhao Yu’s intentions.

After carefully wrapping the stone, Zhao Yu summoned Shi Qian once more. Someone would eventually put the pieces together, so the stone couldn’t stay with him.

“Brother, I’ll have to trouble you and Brother Lu this time. When we meet again, we’ll drink and celebrate as brothers.”

Yang Xu was in the first group, Lu Zhishen the second. Lu Zhishen was tasked with transporting all Zhao Yu’s assets from this period—over a million and a half taels.

“Rest assured, Your Highness. With Prefect Lu escorting it, nothing can go wrong.”

Shi Qian slung the package on his back, saluted Zhao Yu solemnly, and strode away.

Shi Qian’s trip south was brief. Upon arrival, he found there was no need for investigation—Zhu Mian had already ruined the region, the Manichaean faith was spreading everywhere, and all manner of factions were stirring. Chaos was imminent.

Still, Shi Qian did gain something: he learned the identity of the deputy leader of the Canal Guild, who, as it happened, was currently in the capital at Prince Zhao Kai’s residence.

When Shi Qian gave Zhao Yu the man’s name, Zhao Yu was startled.

The man’s name was Wu Jialiang, but he was better known as Wu Yong, the Resourceful Star.

Ever since he discovered that Zhang Shun and the Ruan brothers were involved in the southern Canal Guild, Zhao Yu had begun to seriously doubt the history he thought he knew. So, on hearing Wu Yong was the deputy leader, he was only momentarily surprised before his thoughts shifted elsewhere.

How could Wu Yong, deputy head of the southern Canal Guild, be at Zhao Kai’s house? Advisor? Tutor? Who would believe that?

Zhao Yu was increasingly convinced that Zhao Kai was the hidden wolf lurking in the dark. Looking back, he realized Zhao Kai’s shadow lay behind nearly every incident—from the near arrest by his own father at Li Shishi’s, to countless others. And as for Zhao Kai’s motive, Zhao Yu hardly needed to think to understand.

With everything clear, Zhao Yu prepared to leave. Bianliang was a fine city, but too small for him. The only one he truly worried about leaving was Empress Zheng, who had always treated him as her own son…