The old cripple squinted, waiting for Fang Jie's answer, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. He was becoming increasingly interested in this seemingly useless young man, because a closer look revealed many endearing qualities in him.
Fang Jie was an interesting person. When he needed to understand, he understood better than anyone; when he needed to be confused, he was confused by everyone. He wouldn't deliberately feign weakness, perhaps out of disdain, or perhaps because someone like him couldn't convincingly play the fool. Or perhaps he felt he wasn't qualified.
Some people might enjoy playing dumb to outsmart others, but this young man deeply understood that he wasn't a pig, so he couldn't convincingly play the fool, much less devour a tiger. In this world, playing dumb to outsmart others was a game played by those so ruthless as to have almost no taboos. Fang Jie wasn't a strongman; he didn't have the resources to do so.
Fang Jie picked up a piece of cooked meat and put it in his mouth, pondering for a moment as he mentally prepared his words.
"If we analyze it logically, this matter isn't difficult to guess."
He shoveled the meat in his mouth down with a mouthful of spicy Northwest-style roasted meat, savoring its fiery flavor.
"That person was the only prince who stood by His Majesty's side throughout the struggle for the throne among the seven princes. Perhaps he was also the only prince who never harbored any covetousness for the throne. This is common knowledge among the people of the Sui Dynasty; ask any old man on the street, and he can recount that story clearly."
"When His Majesty was still the fourth prince, he wasn't actually favored by the late emperor. At that time, the third prince, Yang Ji, was the most promising candidate to inherit the imperial seal based on prestige. The third prince, Yang Ji, was adept at social interaction and eloquent, not to mention the court..." Even in the martial arts world, there were many heroes willing to die for him. He was generous and righteous, never hesitant to use his privileges to help others. Therefore, Yang Ji had a very good and high reputation in the court and among the common people.
"Another powerful prince who could rival Yang Ji for the throne was the eldest son, Yang Xiong. He was the eldest son of the Empress, who favored him greatly. With the Empress's family backing him, he naturally had many ministers assisting him. The Empress's family held great prestige in the army, so the eldest son, Yang Xiong, was more favored than the well-connected Yang Ji." "He was confident of inheriting the throne."
"However, Yang Xiong was very arrogant, and relying on the support of the Empress's family, he became somewhat unrestrained. As a result, the Emperor gradually grew increasingly disgusted with this eldest son who had secretly bullied men and women. It was only through the Empress's strenuous efforts that Yang Xiong didn't completely collapse."
"Because of the Emperor's dislike of Yang Xiong, the Third Prince, Yang Ji, stood out even more."
Fang Jie took a sip of wine, smiled, and said, "This story is known even to the people of the border town of Fan Gu. But how much of it is true, and how much..." "Whether it's true or not is anyone's guess. But it's undeniable that the Sui emperors never concealed the selection of their crown princes; they preferred their children to compete based on their own abilities. Therefore, many stories have been passed down, unlike in previous dynasties where everything was done in secret."
The old cripple smiled and said, "Most of these stories are true, just as you said. The biggest difference between the Sui imperial family and the previous dynasty's imperial family is that they don't preach benevolence and morality while secretly engaging in dark and ruthless acts. The history of the Sui Dynasty..." "Whenever the emperor chooses a crown prince, it's always a fair and square selection of the most outstanding son. The emperor even encourages his sons to compete, but only openly and based on their true abilities."
Fang Jie nodded and said, "Undoubtedly, at that time, no one believed the current emperor would be able to sit on that chair. The late emperor was seriously ill and had not yet chosen a crown prince before his death. The eldest prince, Yang Xiong, who was leading troops to guard the eastern border and negotiating border demarcation with the Eastern Chu Kingdom, learned of the late emperor's critical illness and led 5,000 armored soldiers back from the eastern border day and night."
"And at that time, the third prince was already..." Victory was assured, and even some of the most favored ministers at the late emperor's bedside sided with him. Upon learning of the First Prince's return with his troops, the Third Prince sent His Majesty, who had also sided with him, to intercept him. His Majesty stormed into the Taiji Hall of the Forbidden City and took the military tally. He ordered the elite Left Guard of the Six Armies to intercept the First Prince, but they were overtaken by the Seventh Prince, Yang Qi, halfway there. No one knows what Yang Qi said to His Majesty, but perhaps it was at that moment that His Majesty made his decision.
"His Majesty, with the elite Left Guard, intercepted the First Prince halfway, in defiance..." The Emperor detained the First Prince on the pretext of unauthorized return to the capital with troops. He then immediately led his troops back to the capital. The Third Prince ordered all city gates closed, but the Seventh Prince, with 260 servants, held one gate, fighting a bloody battle until His Majesty returned with his troops. In that battle, only 19 of the 260 servants survived. The Seventh Prince suffered 13 serious wounds, three of which were penetrating.
"His Majesty led his troops straight into the Taiji Hall, trapping all the officials. The old Grand Councilor Su Wei asked at the late Emperor's sickbed who would inherit the throne. Just then, His Majesty entered in full armor..." The late emperor glanced at the Third Prince, then at Your Majesty, and pointed at Your Majesty.
"Although the old ministers preferred the Third Prince to succeed to the throne, the late emperor's dying wish could not be disobeyed. Therefore, Your Majesty ascended the throne, and the Third Prince was demoted to commoner status and exiled to Ning'an Tower to guard the border. The First Prince was demoted to Marquis of Disobedience and permanently stationed in Xinshui City in the southern border, forbidden from leaving the city. Luo Yao has been stationed in the southern border, and may well have a mission to monitor the First Prince."
"The Seventh Prince, Yang Qi… is the owner of Hongxiuzhao, right?"
After saying this, Fang Jie glanced at the old cripple.
The old cripple sighed and said, "These things are not something any random old man on the roadside could tell you… Fang Jie, how did you know?"
…
…
Fang Jie knew all of this from what Emperor Li Xiaozong had told him. In the border city of Fangu, Fang Jie was the only one who could sit down and drink and chat freely with Emperor Li Xiaozong. Although Li Xiaozong was only a son born out of wedlock in the Li family, it wasn't too difficult for him to know these inside stories. With the seven princes vying for the throne so fiercely contested, which aristocratic family could remain uninvolved?
In truth, the struggle for the throne among the princes was ultimately a contest of the strength of their backers.
The reason Li Xiaozong knew such detailed information was because Li Luan, the Left Guard General, was one of the few who stood by the Fourth Prince, Yang Yi.
Otherwise, it would have been incredibly difficult for Li Luan to elevate the Li family to the ranks of first-rate aristocratic families based solely on his military achievements.
His Majesty has always been a man of repaying kindness and exacting revenge.
When Li Xiaozong spoke of these matters to Fang Jie, he never imagined that one day they would become mortal enemies. At that time, he was wholeheartedly trying to cultivate Fang Jie into his trusted confidant. Li Xiaozong was a man of great ambition, and Fang Jie, though young, certainly possessed the ability to win his favor.
So this was a secret that could hardly be called a secret anymore, and by recounting it, he could make himself appear to trust Fang Jie.
Fang Jie explained to the old cripple, then smiled and said, "Speaking of which, it's undisputed that the greatest credit for His Majesty's selection by the late Emperor at the last moment belonged to the Seventh Prince, Yang Qi. If Yang Qi hadn't run a thousand miles alone, killing two warhorses to catch up with His Majesty, if he hadn't led his servants to defend the city gates to the death, His Majesty... wouldn't be His Majesty."
He spoke very softly, not daring to let others hear.
Who knew what trouble such things might bring if others overheard? The old cripple grunted and said, "After His Majesty ascended the throne, his first act was to bestow upon the Seventh Prince the title of Prince Zhongqin, placing him at the head of all princes and ministers. His stipend was three times that of other princes, his fiefdom ten times that of other princes, and he could even command three thousand soldiers completely loyal to him. Such a grand favor was unprecedented in the hundred-year history of the Sui Dynasty. Even the nineteen surviving servants who fought valiantly to defend the city gates were all granted the title of county magistrate! Their descendants would be forever exempt from military service and taxes!"
He paused and continued, "But no one expected that just as His Majesty..." On the third day after his ascension to the throne, Prince Zhong resigned from all his military posts, refused to attend court or participate in politics, and did not return to his fiefdom. Instead, he opened a singing and dancing brothel called Hongxiuzhao in Chang'an. The emperor issued seven imperial edicts summoning him to court, but he defied them. The empress even personally hosted a banquet to persuade him; he drank one cup of wine offered by the empress, and after sixteen cups, he drank all sixteen, remaining half-drunk and half-awake, yet refusing to appear in court even once more.
Fang Jie sighed, "There is no one more wise than this."
"But his influence was immense. During the reign of the previous emperor, Prince Zhong had led troops on several campaigns..." He was invincible, winning every battle. Moreover… he was the eldest prince's younger brother. After the eldest prince lost power, the imperial family could only place their hopes on him. Therefore… it was inevitable that he would attract suspicion, even though his decisions had already made his stance clear."
Fang Jie said, "That's why I say, on the surface, the fact that Prince Zhong left Chang'an ten years ago and disappeared without a trace, and that Hongxiuzhao was expelled by another prince, all seem inextricably linked to His Majesty. If His Majesty had any sentimental attachment, how could he possibly remain completely indifferent to Hongxiuzhao's affairs?"
The old cripple heard this… He couldn't help but frown slightly and ask, "You mean, this is just what it appears to be on the surface?"
"From what I've heard over the years, His Majesty, while the most mild-tempered emperor in the history of the Sui Dynasty, is by no means indecisive. If he wanted to take action against Prince Zhong, he wouldn't have resorted to such a naive tactic as making someone disappear, and then immediately and hastily expelling Prince Zhong's properties from the capital. Don't you think that's too obvious?"
Fang Jie recalled the scene he witnessed in the town outside the capital where the red-robed Taoist priest pointed at the ground, causing it to sink. He was even more certain that his idea was correct. How could an emperor who could calculate everything flawlessly have made such a basic mistake? "If he wanted to get rid of Prince Zhong, he would have eliminated him completely... and he wouldn't have used such a low-level method."
The old cripple paused, then thought for a moment and said, "Prince Zhong's family has always lived well, and his fiefdom hasn't been touched. His Majesty bestows many rewards every year, although only a group of old servants remain in Prince Zhong's fiefdom. I always thought it was because the Emperor felt guilty..."
"Guilty?"
Fang Jie laughed, "How could someone capable of such a thing feel guilty?"
The old cripple hummed in agreement, his face turning somewhat grim.
Fang Jie pondered for a moment and said, "Back then, Hongxiuzhao was forced to leave the capital city because of another prince. The emperor didn't stop it, perhaps because he simply didn't have time. That prince had Prince Zhong keeping him in check; even if Prince Zhong didn't attend court or participate in politics, it wouldn't be his turn to step forward. So, after Prince Zhong disappeared, he thought he had seized the opportunity. By the time the emperor wanted to intervene, it was too late. And to protect the face of his other younger brother, the emperor couldn't invite Hongxiuzhao, who had been banished from the capital, back."
After carefully considering it in his mind, he said, "Perhaps this is the true…" "The dismissal of Hongxiuzhao was just a stupid thing some idiotic prince did to show his loyalty and climb the ranks. He thought that with Prince Zhong gone, the Emperor would take the opportunity to eliminate Prince Zhong's power, but he didn't expect... his flattery backfired."
The old cripple's expression changed, and after a moment's hesitation, he said, "It seems... the prince who banished Hongxiuzhao from the capital back then, His Majesty hasn't used him all these years. Although he still holds the rank of prince, he's truly a powerless idler."
"Everything, if you're willing to look carefully, you should be able to see clearly."
Fang Jie concluded smugly.
Having finished his wine and meat, the conversation was complete, just right.
"Come to the backyard of Hongxiuzhao first thing tomorrow morning, and I'll teach you a sword technique."
The old cripple stood up, slightly drunk, so he walked a little unsteadily.
Fang Jie stood up, not drunk, and walked steadily.
But the one who is slightly drunk is actually not drunk, and the one who looks not drunk is really drunk.
Fang Jie spent a lot of time for that sword. He had never been a drinker, and such a big wine gourd was empty.
Xi Huamei glanced at Fang Jie who was walking away, and then at the old cripple who was belching wine.
"Want to help him?"
she asked.
The old lame man chuckled: "The rapport, the temper... He is a waste with no cultivation, and he is not allowed to be beaten into a pig's head casually when he enters the martial arts competition? After all, he came from Fan Gu. After losing every match and being beaten into a cripple, I am also embarrassed... The Yishi sword has not been used for a long time, and it is time to see the light of day."
"This is a great gift."
Xi Huamei said seriously.
The old cripple waved his hand indifferently, leaned against the door frame and fell asleep quickly. He murmured a few understated words in a very soft voice. Whether it was drunken ramblings or a dream, it was nonetheless somewhat intriguing.
"No wonder the seedlings are crooked because the soil is dry and cracked; water them more and sprinkle some manure... there's still hope."