Chapter 49.2
After Qingsi and returning to his mansion yesterday, all the mansion’s Menkes received this message, and thus discussed countermeasures overnight.
“The Third Prince is back? It’s absolutely true.”
“Now with such an appearance, presumably there’s nothing much to fear. Even if there are the Prime Minister Pei and Old Xue, it is impossible to confer a blind person as the crown prince.”
“It’s hard to say, there are contingencies in everything. All the imperial edicts have been issued from the palace, I just don’t know if it can be cured.”
When Zong Luo had nothing happening to him before, many of the other Menkes regarded the Third Prince as a formidable enemy.
In the final analysis, it was still for the sake of military power.
Although no longer favored, but with real military power, and with the Xuan Cavalry that was stationed in the suburbs of the capital, unlike the Fifth Prince’s Mansion presenting gifts to the Northern Army, just to deploy troops across a long distance, the day lily would be cold before arriving.
(t/n from “The day lily is cold”-It means that the time is missed and everything is late. It is often used as a euphemistic criticism for those who are late)
Thus last year, when the news came that the Third Prince had died in the Hangu Pass, all the Menkes breathed a sigh of relief.
“The Third Prince’s return at this time, it was really unexpected.”
“Not only the Sixth Prince, but the Fourth Prince’s “lie in wait” is also deep enough. We even forgot about this one earlier.”
“Fourth Prince? Just relying on his background, it’s better to let the Sixth Prince have a try first.”
****
Candlelights flickered inside the guest room, lengthening and elongating everyone’s shadow, setting off noisy conversations, and making people perturbed.
Zong Yuanwu sat on the main seat, his eyes were empty, and it was unknown where his thoughts had flown.
As for the Lord’s appearance, the Menkes were also accustomed to seeing such a thing. (TL: Lord here was referring to ZY, as the people and Menkes on his side already regarded him as the next monarch. Just like how Gongsun You addresses ZL)
They were advisors invited by the Dingbei Marquis Mansion, and they only needed the instructions from the old general to do everything.
In all fairness, Zong Yuanwu was not good at strategizing, a one track-minded person, and in terms of martial arts, was also mediocre, he was really not a good candidate for an allegiance.
Is no match for Zong Yuanwu’s mother’s clan with a large population and a huge family business. (TL: must’ve what he thought why he was pulled for an allegiance)
Even if Zong Yuanwu didn’t do anything, these people would help him take care of other things, not needing him to do even a little bit.
He just needed to follow the path that had been arranged, so as not to hold back and obstruct others.
Zong Yuanwu, who was distracted, suddenly remembered what happened when he was a child.
He had liked to learn martial arts since he was a child. When he was young, he went to a Shangshu’s house carrying a storybook every day. He dreamed of becoming a martial arts hero one day, wielding a sword in the Eight Desolation. (TL: Shangshu=Minister)
(t/n: Eight Desolation are actually eight directions, namely east, west, south, north, southeast, northeast, southwest, and northwest, or the eight corners of the earth.)
He read the storybook in class every day, and the Shao Fu also didn’t dare to try to persuade him. Among the princes of Great Yuan in the past, there were not many with both civil and military skills, but there were quite a few students who were inclined to only one subject. Especially Zong Yuanwu, after he showed his great enthusiasm for martial arts, he spent all day in the martial arts arena.
(t/n: Shao Fu-served as the official of the monarch and the assistant minister.)
Both the mother concubine and the martial arts instructor praised him for his extraordinary talent. In the future, he would surely become like his father emperor, and a general.
First emperor, then general, the meaning was abundantly clear.
Zong Yuanwu never told anyone that he didn’t want to be an emperor, nor did he want to be a general.
But after growing up and being sensible, when thinking of these young things, he just smiled.
Born in this position, there was not much room for Zong Yuanwu to choose from.
Granted that he learned from his childhood, then ran away with a bundle and never came back, and just handed over the throne to Zong Yongliu, after Zong Yongliu ascended the throne, the first thing he would do would be to dig the ground three feet to find this imperial brother and kill him, he would never let him go.
There were so many people in Dingbei Marquis Mansion, as well as his mother concubine in the palace. A slight mistake, and it would be beyond redemption. Zong Yuanwu was no longer a child, even a one track-minded person, and he wouldn’t do such a white eyed wolf thing either. (TL: ungrateful and vicious person)
Therefore Zong Yuanwu willingly joined the fight for the crown prince position.
He was not as ruthless and resolute as the sixth and fourth, he could use everything around him just for that position, yet Zong Yuanwu still harbored brotherhood in his heart.
Especially for the Third Imperial Brother.
Zong Yuanwu didn’t know how much he envied his Third Imperial Brother. Powerful in martial arts and fighting, not hiding anything, except for the swordsmanship that wasn’t passed on outside of the Ghost Valley, everything else was given to him.
It’s just that he himself was not made to lead troops into battle, and when seeing the overwhelming enemy army, his hands and feet would go soft.
After the news of the battle at Hangu Pass last year, Zong Yuanwu only felt a thunderbolt out of a clear sky, and even secretly sent troops to look. (TL: metaphor of suddenly shocking accidents or disasters)
Just like now, he was happy about the Third Imperial Brother’s return, but he also couldn’t help being sad.
Tianjia has no father and son, and Tianjia has no siblings.
Now that he has stepped into the fighting for the crown prince position, he is doomed to stand against all the princes.
(TL: didn’t find any meaning to it, this is purely my understanding. “Tingjia” refers to the title of the emperor or the imperial family, therefore my understanding above is that-an emperor disregard father and son relationship, and an emperor also all the more disregard sibling relationship, especially during the seizing of the throne)
Copying was still going on in the guest room.
“Enough.”
He suddenly stood up from the main seat.
The discussion of the Menkes in the entire room instantly fell silent for a moment.
Zong Yuanwu rubbed his lips a few times, remained silent for a long while, and said dejectedly, “You guys discuss, this Prince is a bit tired.”
“Respectfully sending off the Lord.”
After the Menkes bowed their heads one after another and paid tribute, they started discussing with everyone again.
Some suggested to take the opportunity to win over the Third Prince, some suggested to quietly observe any changes, and some suggested to draw disaster to the east. (TL: use certain means to prevent oneself from suffering losses, and to let others bear the losses instead of oneself)
No matter how fierce the discussions were now, by tomorrow, they would have come up with a feasible plan, and then at that time, they simply only needed to comply.
Across a door panel, Zong Yuanwu felt extremely tired.
He rubbed his eyes, bluntly in no mood to do anything at all, and fell asleep after returning to the bedchamber.
Then, he had a dream.
In that dream, someone persuaded him in a low voice, “Your Highness, cease your anger, Your Highness, cease your anger.”
Zong Yuanwu raised his head dimly, and numerous silhouettes filled the entire room.
Smashed pieces of porcelain were scattered on the ground, and the surroundings were in a mess. That was his favorite porcelain.
Under the main seat, Menkes whispered while kneeling on the ground. “Now that the Third Prince has received the message, has already returned from the border, if the Third Prince returns with the Xuan Cavalry, the consequences will be disastrous!”
“This is a great opportunity to intercept midway. This subject knows that His Highness keeps old friendships in mind, but this matter is of great importance. A slight mistake, and it would be beyond redemption. Before His Majesty wakes up, requesting His Highness to make a decision as soon as possible!”
The tops of their dark and dense mass of heads laid on the ground, like an unbearable heavy burden mountain.
Zong Yuanwu suddenly sat up from the bed.
He was trembling all over and was shedding cold sweat on the back.
