Chapter 939 – Settling the Three Cities We Owe (Part One)
This year’s autumn hunt was destined to be eventful.
First, the “Deer Hunting” incident dragged the Eldest Prince, Second Prince, and Third Prince into the fray, and then the “Sickly Zheying” affair dragged the remaining princes down as well. The Zheying is a revered divine eagle among the three clans of the Northern Border and serves as the symbol of the Northern Border royal family.
The Seventh Prince acquired a truly majestic Zheying from the trading house, which he adored immensely, but ultimately, he reluctantly gifted it to his favorite, the Eighth Prince. Of course, the Eighth Prince was also enamored by the eagle’s might; however, upon recalling the recent temperamental and suspicious behavior of the Northern Border King, he dared not keep such a fine creature for himself. After conferring with the Seventh Prince, they decided to present the Zheying during the autumn hunt.
If they could win the Northern Border King’s favor during the autumn hunt, their standing at the royal court would rise significantly.
To ensure the Zheying was in perfect condition, they invested considerable effort.
The day before the presentation, the Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince even went to check on the Zheying, which appeared to be in excellent spirits.
Who would have thought, the Zheying unexpectedly fell ill and died!
When the Eighth Prince and the Seventh Prince jointly presented the Zheying, they found it on the verge of death, barely clinging to life.
The Northern Border King’s smile froze on his face, morphing swiftly into anger.
He rose, unsheathing the knife from its stand, preparing to slaughter both of his sons.
The Northern Border King, feeling weakened and unable to satisfy the harem, had taken Cold Food Powder to regain his former vigor.
He firmly believed that the Cold Food Powder could prolong his life and maintain his strength.
If it weren’t for aging and feeling powerless, which man would willingly consume ferocious drugs?
And now?
His two good sons had just complimented him as the Eagle King of the Northern Grasslands, only to turn around and present him with a near-death Zheying!
The Northern Border King was the master of this place, a ruthless character who commanded absolute authority.
For power and status, he had climbed over the corpses of brothers and fathers, leading the Northern Border from weakness to strength.
To him, status and power were paramount; if his sons dared to get involved, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill them.
After two troublesome incidents in quick succession, the Northern Border King was seething with rage, his right hand shaking uncontrollably.
Everyone expected him to murder both sons on the spot, but unexpectedly, he rolled his eyes and fainted from anger.
When the Northern Border King awakened, his wrath had diminished, tempered by a measure of rationality.
“Investigate! Get to the bottom of who is scheming behind my back!”
Even if the Seventh Prince and Eighth Prince were fools, they wouldn’t dare openly present a dying Zheying to curse him.
The only possibility was that they had been set up.
Upon investigation, shocking revelations emerged.
All of the princes were implicated, with varying degrees of involvement—some acted intentionally, while others were unwittingly embroiled.
Now, good luck to the King, as he chastised all nine sons in one go.
The Fourth Prince knelt for two whole days before being allowed to leave.
After tidying up, he performed a ritual bath and solemnly met with Sun Wen in secret.
“Sir, you are an unparalleled talent; please allow this prince a bow in your honor.”
The Fourth Prince was not fond of Han culture, but he was adept at reading people and could skillfully flatter others to win their favor.
“The Fourth Prince need not be so courteous; I am merely executing my lord’s orders,” Sun Wen said, avoiding the matter and helping the bowing Fourth Prince up.
The Fourth Prince’s eyes flashed with sharpness at those words.
He admired Sun Wen for being brainy yet powerless, thus allowing him to keep the man under his control.
However, he harbored deep disdain for Halencha, wishing ill on him.
Halencha was a high-ranking minister of the Northern Border, currently toying with the royal princes.
Once he inherited the Northern Border King’s throne, the Fourth Prince would surely utilize Sun Wen while eliminating Halencha.
That was precisely Sun Wen’s intention.
He planned to use the Fourth Prince to eradicate the other princes, then incite conflict between the Fourth Prince and Halencha, aiming to eliminate the Fourth Prince before his influence could truly take hold, leaving only Halencha and the Ninth Prince behind.
At that point, Sun Wen had other plans.
He ensured the complete extinction of the Northern Border royal family!
As he considered this, a faint otherworldly smile graced Sun Wen’s aged face, perfectly fitting the occasion.
“I thank you for your guidance, sir, but there is one thing I do not understand.”
The Fourth Prince rubbed his knees discreetly, a wave of sharp pain coursing through him, making it impossible to kneel comfortably; he had to sit on a small stool.
Sun Wen replied, “Please, Fourth Prince, speak on.”
The Fourth Prince continued, “Sir, with your extraordinary talent, you could certainly extricate me; why must I endure this suffering?”
Two whole days of kneeling was one matter; simply holding in his bladder for two days was unbearable.
“Self-dirtiness is also self-preservation,” Sun Wen chuckled, “You should learn well from your elder brother in this regard. If everyone is involved, and you alone stand out, aren’t you merely inviting disaster? Thus, suffering this hardship is your only option.”
The Fourth Prince sighed internally; he was not unaware of this truth and could not reproach Sun Wen for his actions.
“Are you saying that my elder brother dirties himself to seek self-preservation?”
The Fourth Prince’s eyes widened in surprise.
“The Han tradition emphasizes legitimacy and primacy. The Eldest Prince’s mother is the King’s original wife. As both the legitimate son and the eldest son, he is not only the oldest in age but also has had the longest time managing influence, while his maternal family remains low-profile yet strong. Though Han customs are not all the rage in the Northern Border, there are still high officials who favor legitimization. At this moment, the Eldest Prince is the prime target. Just a little outstanding performance, and the other princes, and even the King, will not spare him. To safeguard himself and scheme for the future, he has no choice but to dirty himself as a tactic of retreat!”
Though the Fourth Prince was skeptical, Sun Wen’s points were convincing enough for him to believe it.
He recalled how outstanding the Eldest Prince had been in his youth.
“Thank you for your guidance, sir.”
Now, he had to keep an eye on that elder brother.
The Fourth Prince spent half an hour with Sun Wen, feeling like he’d struck gold.
Unbeknownst to him, this man, who seemed wholly devoted to strategizing for him, was actually a spy all around.
Truly loyal to Liu Xi, outwardly subservient to Halencha, while secretly colluding with the Fourth Prince, and even deeper, conspiring with the Ninth Prince.
Juggling four different boats effortlessly? That’s a talent!
As the atmosphere was ripe, the two transitioned from Northern Border’s internal affairs to border issues.
Speaking of borders, one couldn’t help but mention the troublesome Liu Clan from Chongzhou that was a thorn in the Northern Border’s side.
First came Liu Zhi, now a more formidable Liu Xi—it seemed the Northern Border had indeed been cursed these past few years.
The Fourth Prince scoffed, dismissively saying, “That Liu Xi woman, who knows what her true colors are.”
Sun Wen replied, “Whether she is good-looking or not is not the point; the key is she wields power and troops.”
The Fourth Prince glanced at Sun Wen and said, “You don’t understand, sir.”
“Don’t understand what?” Sun Wen asked with a chuckle.
The Fourth Prince was open with Sun Wen and even shared a few jokes now and then.
He spoke meaningfully, “For a man, nothing is more thrilling than conquering a woman who is hard to conquer.”
The harder to conquer, the more gratifying it is.
Sun Wen simply hummed an acknowledgment.
He understood the Fourth Prince’s implications but also felt a tinge of disdain.
A barbarian’s child, hard to become great.
