The Child Emperor-Chapter 260: Furious Shang-guan Sheng

Shang-guan Sheng had a hundred reasons to be angry but couldn’t find anyone to vent his rage upon, until Lin Kunshan and Xiao Sheng conveniently presented themselves.

Without the court officials paying their respects, the Tongxuan Hall felt too empty and eerie. Shang-guan Sheng disliked it there, so he chose the smaller Hall of Diligent Administration as the venue for receiving visitors.

Prince Ying was dozing on the throne while Shang-guan Sheng stood beside a large table in the center, his left hand resting on his sword hilt – he had granted to himself the special privilege of carrying weapons in the Hall of Diligent Administration.

When Lin Kunshan and Xiao Sheng were led into the hall by the guard soldiers, they immediately realized from Shang-guan Sheng’s posture that this would not be an equal negotiation.

While the Left Chief Censor had more experience in currying favor, the fate seer was more unencumbered. Xiao Sheng had been contemplating how to face Prince Ying and Shang-guan Sheng the entire way, but Lin Kunshan didn’t think twice. Upon seeing Shang-guan Sheng’s unfriendly expression, he quickly stepped forward, knelt down, and performed a kowtow toward the distant throne, loudly declaring, “This humble commoner Lin Kunshan pays respect to Your Majesty.”

Prince Ying was startled awake and hurriedly straightened himself. “Oh, I think I recognize you.”

“This humble commoner Lin Kunshan once attended the succession rules announcement with Prince Donghai.”

“Ah yes, that’s right. Where is Prince Donghai? He said he would take me out to play, but I haven’t seen him for days.”

“Prince Donghai has been thinking of Your Majesty constantly. Upon hearing Your Majesty was unwell, he didn’t want to disturb you and sent me to check on you instead.” Lin Kunshan could say anything with ease, not feeling he was lying at all, and expertly adjusted his forms of address to suit the situation.

Xiao Sheng suddenly felt awkward. After standing for a while, he also knelt down, mumbling and stuttering, unable to bring himself to say “Your Majesty.”

Prince Ying didn’t mind. He patted his small chest, coughed twice, and said eagerly, “Look, I’m better now, and I’ve become Emperor. Let Prince Donghai come to the palace, I’ll appoint him… General Shang-guan, what rank is higher than prince?”

Shang-guanSheng also felt awkward and said, “Has Your Majesty forgotten? Prince Donghai is a bad person, he is Your Majesty’s enemy who wants to steal your throne.”

Prince Ying pressed both hands on the throne. “Right, you told me that Prince Donghai and Cui Hong rebelled, surrounded the palace, and wouldn’t let me out. Quickly arrest him, I want to ask him clearly – why does he want to steal my throne!”

Shang-guan Sheng made a gesture, and a eunuch standing beside the throne bent forward, whispered something in Prince Ying’s ear. The prince nodded and was carried by the eunuch to rest in the side chamber.

Lin Kunshan and Xiao Sheng finally stood up, both feeling more at ease.

Shang-guan Sheng’s suppressed anger flared up again. He slammed the table hard and said harshly, “Among the four succession candidates, the Weary Marquis left the city, Prince Donghai poisoned the Champion Marquis, only Prince Ying was innocent. His inheritance of the throne is perfectly reasonable!”

Xiao Sheng, forced to come to the palace, was not responsible for negotiations, so he remained silent with his head down. Lin Kunshan sighed, “Ah, what a fine succession selection this could have been, following ancient precedent and setting an example for ten thousand generations. If it had succeeded, wouldn’t that have been wonderful?”

Shang-guan Sheng snorted heavily. Though he despised the fate seer’s flattery, he was quite pleased inside.

“However, speaking of who is most qualified to be Emperor, I’m afraid opinions vary widely and no conclusion can be reached quickly. Why not…”

“Establishing legitimate succession is the court’s top priority. We cannot be careless or waste time. Prince Ying is Emperor – who has any objections? What say you, Censor Xiao?”

This was the question Xiao Sheng dreaded and feared most. Head lowered and brows furrowed, he made a long “uh” sound, as if about to deliver a lengthy discourse or release a long-brewing sneeze, but couldn’t utter a single word for quite some time.

Shang-guan Sheng was furious. What angered him most wasn’t Prince Donghai or Grand Tutor Cui, nor was it the fate seer, but rather the court officials. Prince Ying had been Emperor for two or three days, yet not a single official had come to pay respects at court – they were all feigning illness at home. If he hadn’t been busy fighting the Southern Army, Shangguan Sheng would have already sent soldiers to drag these “gravely ill” officials into the palace one by one.

“Censor Xiao, you are a high official of the court with supervisory duties. Do you not care at all about the turmoil in court and these demons running wild?”

“Well… I only came to escort Master Lin to the palace. As for other matters…” Xiao Sheng regretted getting involved so deeply. Otherwise, he could have been like the other officials, hiding at home and quietly observing the situation.

Lin Kunshan stepped forward and smiled at Shang-guan Sheng across the wide table: “Indeed, the nation cannot go a day without a ruler. Who becomes Emperor is not only the court’s top priority but also the entire realm’s most pressing matter. If General Shang-guan wishes to discuss…”

“This is not up for discussion,” Shangguan Sheng coldly corrected. “This is fact. Whether you accept it depends on if you’re a loyal subject of Great Chu.”

“I am a commoner, but also a loyal subject,” Lin Kunshan’s smile remained unchanged. “However, stating facts takes time. When the Weary Marquis enters the Capital, he will be the one stating the facts.”

Shang-guan Sheng frowned, “The Weary Marquis? What right does he have to enter the capital? He left the city, which means he withdrew from the succession.”

Shang-guan Sheng was singularly focused on acknowledging only the results of the succession struggle, dismissing everything else as irrelevant.

“The Weary Marquis sees a different reality. He believes he was previously Emperor, and his abdication was forced, therefore invalid. So he seeks to restore his position, not compete for it.”

Shangguan Sheng slammed the table again, “The Weary Marquis lacks virtue, his abdication was justified and witnessed by all under Heaven. How dare he speak such treasonous and utterly shameless words about ‘restoring his position’?”

“The Weary Marquis alone wouldn’t dare say it, but with 100,000 Northern Army troops and 40,000 Southern Army troops entering the Capital, he can say whatever he wants.”

Shangguan Sheng was furious but no longer stared at Xiao Sheng. Instead, he turned northward and shouted, “I refuse to believe Heaven is blind. If the Weary Marquis dares bring troops into the Capital…”

Lin Kunshan interjected: “Does General Shang-guan wish to invite him to the palace to state the ‘facts’?”

The words carried a mocking tone. Shang-guan Sheng’s expression turned cold. “What did you say?”

“I mean, rather than letting the Weary Marquis enter the city to state the ‘facts,’ why not go out and tell him a ‘fact’ instead?”

Shangguan Sheng sneered, “You want me to leave the city to give Prince Donghai and Cui Hong an opening?”

“Grand Tutor Cui is willing to commit 40,000 troops, leaving only 10,000 in the city. General Shangguan can also leave 10,000 in the city and deploy however many remain.” Lin Kunshan casually offered these numbers as if Grand Tutor Cui had arranged it all.

That’s exactly what Shang-guan Sheng thought. “Cui Hong clearly brought 60,000 men. Where did the other 10,000 go?”

“The wounded and sick remained outside the city. They never entered,” Lin Kunshan answered.

“Only 10,000 men in the city… Are you suggesting I send 90,000 troops out to battle?” Shangguan Sheng casually inflated the Palace Guard to 100,000 men.

Lin Kunshan didn’t expose the lie, smiling instead: “To completely eliminate the Weary Marquis in one stroke requires striking with overwhelming force. No number of troops would be too many.”

“How do I know Cui Hong isn’t tricking me into deploying my forces so he can attack?”

“We can exchange officers to monitor each other. Neither side can exceed 10,000 troops in the city.”

Shangguan Sheng pondered for a long while, then suddenly sneered, “Prince Donghai and Cui Hong worry about the Weary Marquis having Northern Army support because they are isolated and won’t last long. What do I have to fear? The entire realm supports His Majesty. More and more righteous armies will come to his aid. Today alone, one army arrived and is stationed outside the east gate.”

Though these reinforcements’ refusal to enter the city already showed their wait-and-see attitude, Lin Kunshan still didn’t expose this facade. He smiled and said, “Why let a small problem grow into a big trouble when it can be solved easily in advance? Moreover, the Capital is the Emperor’s seat. The sooner we clear it, the more it will enhance His Majesty’s prestige.”

Shang-guan Sheng said coldly, “Cui Hong really looks down on his sons-in-law. He poisoned one, and now wants to kill another. If he would just submit to the current Emperor, all problems would be solved.”

Lin Kunshan smiled without speaking, letting Shang-guan Sheng contemplate whether Cui Hong would surrender.

Shangguan Sheng took a deep breath and said, “We can consider it.”

“Hesitation in critical moments leads to disaster. The Weary Marquis claims the Northern Army will arrive in three days, but they might come earlier. If we don’t eliminate them tomorrow, they’ll become a major threat the day after.”

Pressed for action, Shang-guan Sheng grew suspicious. “A threat to whom?”

Lin Kunshan, aware of the suspicion, chuckled and glanced at Xiao Sheng beside him. “Lord Xiao seems tired. Perhaps you need some rest?”

“Oh? I… I am indeed a bit tired.”

Shang-guan Sheng had summoned Xiao Sheng to reprimand him, but after the fate seer directed attention to the Weary Marquis, his desire to scold the minister had faded. “Censor Xiao may leave the palace. Please consider whether you deserve the position of Left Chief Censor.”

Xiao Sheng retreated with a red face, realizing Prince Donghai was his only remaining option.

In the Hall of Diligent Administration, Lin Kunshan dropped his smile and asked directly, “Has General Shang-guan found the Imperial Seal?”

Shangguan Sheng’s expression changed drastically. “How did you know…”

“Of course I know. With three parties vying for the throne, whoever holds the Imperial Seal can issue edicts. Whether the other two sides acknowledge them or not, the ministers will.”

“Hmph, what use are the ministers? They’re all hiding at home watching from the sidelines. Once I’m free, I’ll deal with them one by one.”

“Ministers may not be useful now, but what if the struggle for the throne continues? After the Weary Marquis falls, there’s still Prince Donghai. I don’t know much about warfare, but I’ve heard that in battle, the first three days test troops’ strength and numbers, the next five days test morale and strategy, and beyond that, victory depends on supplies. The Capital has many wealthy households with stored grain we can requisition. Even if we last ten days, after that we’ll need to transport supplies. Without imperial edicts and ministerial cooperation, acquiring provisions will be extremely difficult unless we resort to looting – hardly befitting an imperial army.”

Shangguan Sheng was moved and said resentfully, “The Imperial Seal should have been in my possession, but the Empress Dowager…” He dared not criticize her further. “I suspect Yang Feng has hidden it and refuses to hand it over.”

“Is Yang Feng still in the palace?”

“Yes.”

“Give me half a day. Before midnight, I’ll make him surrender the seal.”

Shang-guan Sheng grew wary again. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because the palace is under your control, General. At worst, I won’t find the seal. If I discover any leads, how could I possibly escape?”

“You didn’t come to negotiate?” Shang-guan Sheng asked puzzled.

“I did come to negotiate. If the Weary Marquis isn’t eliminated, the throne will be his within days, and then the seal won’t matter. General Shang-guan should immediately send someone to discuss joint attacks against the Weary Marquis with Grand Tutor Cui. The sooner we act, the better. I’ll remain in the palace as a hostage and help find the Imperial Seal.”

Shang-guan Sheng should have consulted others, but he no longer trusted the Empress Dowager and had to decide alone. After long consideration, he said, “Very well, we’ll eliminate the Weary Marquis first. We can attack tomorrow at dawn. Find me the Imperial Seal by midnight tonight.”

At the mention of the seal, Shang-guan Sheng’s suspicions about attacking the Weary Marquis clearly diminished. Lin Kunshan nodded with a smile. “Let me meet with Yang Feng. If I can persuade him, it will be a great achievement for the fate seers.”

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