Chapter 5: Collateral Damage

At noon, the Crown Prince's palace received a visitor: the current Chancellor, Gongsun He.

Crown Prince Liu Ju received Gongsun He in the central hall.

"Uncle, what brings you to visit me so suddenly today?"

Liu Ju expressed his confusion at Gongsun He’s arrival. Gongsun He spoke with a grave expression, "Your Highness, a few days ago, the Commandant of Waterways and Canals, Jiang Chong, impeached and investigated the household slaves of Princess Guantao and those of the Crown Prince's palace one after another."

"His Majesty has handled everything according to Jiang Chong's wishes, either sending them to the northern frontiers for military service or confiscating their wealth."

"Jiang Chong is a henchman of His Majesty. If not for the Emperor's directive, how would he dare to investigate the Crown Prince's household slaves? Tell me, has His Majesty summoned you to the palace in recent years?"

Liu Ju shook his head slightly, a trace of disappointment on his face.

Gongsun He continued, "Last year, the Gouyi Palace was completed. In recent times, His Majesty has continuously promoted Liu Quli and Li Guangli. What is the intention behind this?"

Liu Ju fell into deep thought. The former was a signal to the outside world that Liu Fuling was highly likely to inherit the throne, while the latter, promoting Li Guangli—the uncle of the Prince of Changyi, Liu Bo—and his brother-in-law Liu Quli, seemed to be a way to test whether the Prince of Changyi might be capable of taking up the mantle.

Regardless, Emperor Wu of Han’s attitude toward the Crown Prince’s palace had become increasingly cold; it seemed that the deposition of the Crown Prince was only a matter of time.

"Alas!" Liu Ju sighed softly, not knowing how to ease the relationship with his father. He did not even know where he had gone wrong—was it simply because of his gentle and cautious nature?

"Uncle, surely you did not come all this way just to tell me these things?"

Gongsun He nodded. "I wish to see Jin'er."

"Ah?"

"Why?"

Gongsun He shook his head. "I have some questions to ask him. In short, it is very important."

"Very well!"

Liu Ju did not press further and immediately ordered someone to summon the Imperial Grandson, Liu Jin.

Liu Jin entered the front hall of the Crown Prince's palace, looking suspicious. He bowed and said, "Greetings, Uncle-Grandfather."

Gongsun He nodded slightly and smiled. "Did you leave the palace this morning, Jin'er?"

Liu Jin nodded. "Yes, I sat in the outskirts for a while."

Gongsun He was momentarily stunned, then asked, "I heard from the Crown Prince that you invented the Dragon-Bone Water Lift, benefiting the country and the people. With such a great achievement, did His Majesty not summon you?"

Liu Jin shook his head. "No."

*This is not right,* Gongsun He thought, filled with questions. He asked again, "Your Highness, how long has it been since His Majesty last saw Jin'er?"

This question left Liu Ju stunned. Indeed, how long had it been since the Emperor last saw his grandson? Even he, as the father, had almost forgotten.

"A long time. Perhaps... more than ten years?"

*Lacking in virtue! Cold-blooded and heartless!*

Gongsun He cursed internally. If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't speak ill of the Emperor openly, he would have vented his fury at Emperor Wu for being unfit to be a grandfather.

However, he had obtained the result he wanted. He looked at Liu Jin with profound meaning, then smiled at Liu Ju. "Your Highness, there may still be a turning point."

"Oh? Where does this turning point lie?"

Gongsun He pointed at Liu Jin and said, "In the Imperial Grandson, Liu Jin!"

"In me?"

Liu Jin pointed at himself, bewildered. Liu Ju felt the same; Jin'er had already created a miracle device for irrigation, and even with such a heavenly merit, he hadn't received a summons from the old man. How could the turning point be him?

When they pressed Gongsun He further, he only said mysteriously, "Heavenly secrets must not be revealed."

*Now you're playing the "heavenly secrets" card?*

Liu Jin was speechless. He cautioned, "Uncle-Grandfather, I have heard that my cousin often frequents the Forbidden Palace. This is an act of overstepping his bounds. Given the sensitivity of the current times, you must keep him in check."

"Heh heh." Gongsun He smiled kindly. "Jin'er has grown up. Very well, I will discipline your cousin. Do not worry."

"Understood."

...

In the afternoon, Emperor Wu of Han walked to the Gouyi Palace with his hands behind his back. Recently, he had been frequenting the palace to favor Lady Zhao.

There were many eyes in the palace, and every move of the Emperor was closely watched. Lady Zhao, not having seen the Emperor for several days, smiled and threw herself into his arms. "Your Majesty, you haven't visited for a long time."

Emperor Wu smiled slightly. "The government affairs in the Outer Court are busy. I am the only one who can shoulder the major affairs of the state. How could I not be busy?"

Lady Zhao said, "Go and see little Fuling. He has been restless and crying for several days; I fear he misses you, his father."

"Very well!"

Emperor Wu approached Liu Fuling with a smile. The little one had been screaming outside the door just moments ago, but when the Emperor entered, he immediately stopped crying.

It was not that Emperor Wu possessed any magical power; it was mainly because Lady Zhao knew the Emperor was coming and had deliberately left Liu Fuling hungry, then ordered a maid to feed him inside the room just before he entered, which was why the boy had stopped crying.

"You see, I told you the little one was missing his father."

Emperor Wu’s face beamed with joy.

"Fuling, grow up quickly and share the burdens and troubles for your father!" Lady Zhao gently picked up the child.

"Has the little one eaten today? Hurry and feed him."

"Yes."

Lady Zhao ordered a maid to fetch goat's milk.

"Why not feed him breast milk?"

Lady Zhao gave Emperor Wu a side-eye and pouted, "Your Majesty, you still have the nerve to ask!"

*Uh.*

Emperor Wu smiled awkwardly.

The Chief Eunuch, Su Wen, walked over cautiously and said, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Grandson Liu Jin requests an audience. He says he needs to discuss something important with you."

"Several eunuchs tried to stop him outside the Weiyang Palace, and he... he actually struck them!"

*Tsk tsk.*

"Is he alone?" Emperor Wu asked.

"He is alone."

*The boy knows a bit of martial arts, then. I am increasingly surprised.*

"How impudent!" Emperor Wu frowned. "Drive him away!"

"As you command!"

Su Wen hurried off.

Lady Zhao remarked, "This Imperial Grandson, Liu Jin, usually keeps such a low profile, yet he is so violent and lacks any etiquette. How is he being taught in the Crown Prince's palace?"

Emperor Wu said with profound meaning, "That is not called violence; that is called having spirit, is it not?"

"Ah?"

Lady Zhao was slightly taken aback.

Emperor Wu spent the rest of the afternoon with Lady Zhao, and it was not until sunset that he rose from her bed, exhausted.

Just then, a maid walked in, beaming with joy. "Your Majesty, it is raining! It is raining!"

Emperor Wu was slightly startled.

Lady Zhao, quick-witted, immediately said, "I was wondering why the little one was crying incessantly today, only stopping when his father arrived. It turns out to be a double blessing—the little one had foreseen it!"

"Wouldn't you agree, Your Majesty?"

Emperor Wu seemed not to hear her. He stared blankly at the weather outside and muttered to himself, "How can it be raining? How can it actually be raining?!"

*Hiss!*

How could that boy have known it would rain this afternoon?

"Your Majesty, what is wrong?" Lady Zhao asked, looking at him with curiosity.

Emperor Wu waved his hand. "Nothing."

"I am returning to the Weiyang Palace."

"Respectfully sending off Your Majesty."

Lady Zhao thought to herself, *You truly are the type to leave as soon as you're full, pulling up your pants and refusing to recognize anyone.*

On the way back to the palace, the Embroidered Guard Bao Shengzhi said softly, "Your Majesty, at noon, several eunuchs accidentally injured the Imperial Grandson."

"Accidentally injured?"

Emperor Wu's face darkened. He reached out and said, "Bring me my horse whip!"

"Make those wretched slaves kneel outside the Weiyang Palace!"

"As you command!"