Screaming Deaths
"Advisor Fang! Master Lin! Master Jin!"
The young eunuch bowed in turn to the Crown Prince's three advisors.
"His Highness the Crown Prince says that the matter of the Liang King is to be handled however Advisor Fang wishes. Whatever is not recorded in the Crown Prince's household register, he says Advisor Fang may write as he pleases!"
Zhen Xiangzhi frowned as he watched Advisor Fang's eyes glitter and sparkle. What in the world was the man planning?
"Please convey my gratitude to His Highness for his trust," said Advisor Fang, stroking his beard and ordering the scribes not yet registered with the Crown Prince's household to be brought in.
"Advisor Fang, what are you intending to do?" Lin Shijie rose hastily from his seat to ask.
While they waited for the scribes, Advisor Fang laid out his plan. He briefly explained that he intended to spread a rumor that the Liang King had defiled the Gaoyi Commandery Princess's honor, thereby setting the Zhenguo Commandery Princess against the Liang King.
"The Bai Manor used to be guarded by an ironclad retinue of personal troops, but now the household has moved to Suyang and the guards have all gone with it. It won't be difficult to slip in and out of the manor."
It seemed matters were unfolding exactly as he wished, and the smile would not leave Advisor Fang's face.
"Think it through. If the Zhenguo Commandery Princess, who dotes so desperately on the Gaoyi Commandery Princess, breaks both of the Liang King's legs, that will be a very tidy ending indeed. Surely His Majesty would never install a legless prince as his heir, would he?
Most important of all, this matter will have nothing whatsoever to do with our Crown Prince's household! The Zhenguo Commandery Princess is bold and fearless by nature — she would never stand by and watch the Gaoyi Commandery Princess be married off to the Liang King! And the Dong family, being kin to the Bai Manor, would naturally refuse to send their daughter to the Liang King's side if such a thing happened. Two birds with one stone, no?"
"Absolutely not!"
Zhen Xiangzhi's heart leapt into his throat, and he shot to his feet in agitation.
Advisor Fang glared at him, displeasure written in the deep lines of his scowl.
Zhen Xiangzhi reminded himself that Advisor Fang regarded his own dignity the way other men regarded life itself. Gritting his teeth, he performed a full obeisance to the elder advisor before speaking again.
"Advisor Fang, do not be so hasty — hear me out. His Highness the Crown Prince went to great lengths to make the Zhenguo Commandery Princess his own. She is an exceedingly clever woman. If she learns this matter was scheme of the Crown Prince's household, she will turn against us — that much is certain."
Advisor Fang stared at the floor and said nothing. What he wanted was not for Bai Jingyan and the Crown Prince to become outright enemies, but for Bai Jingyan to drift somewhat away from His Highness all the same. The advisor enjoying the Crown Prince's confidence had to be him and him alone.
And yet Zhen Xiangzhi's righteous objections felt like a slap to his face. Part of him also worried that Zhen Xiangzhi might go straight to the Crown Prince to plead his case.
Zhen Xiangzhi glanced once at Advisor Fang, then continued in an even more deferential tone.
"Advisor Fang, no one reads men better than you do! You know full well that the Zhenguo Commandery Princess has a fierce, unyielding temperament. If, heaven forbid, she learned the truth and took the Liang King's side, it would spell disaster for His Highness."
Seeing that Advisor Fang seemed to waver, Zhen Xiangzhi added one more stroke.
"You, Advisor Fang, are devoted heart and soul to His Highness — there is nothing you would not give for him. But not everyone will pour out their guts and gall for the Crown Prince as you do. Advisor Fang, think once more on whether my words are right or wrong."
Lin Shijie raised his eyebrows and studied Zhen Xiangzhi. A man of such lofty principle as Zhen Xiangzhi had always found Advisor Fang's underhanded schemes deeply distasteful — so why was he now hoisting the man up on his shoulders like this?
As Zhen Xiangzhi's flattery continued, Advisor Fang's mood improved markedly. Stroking his beard, he replied,
"You speak truly, Master Jin. If the Zhenguo Commandery Princess does learn the truth, I will be the first to step forward and declare the matter has nothing to do with His Highness — that I alone schemed the whole of it. For the Crown Prince's sake, I would gladly leap into a pit of fire!"
Zhen Xiangzhi clenched his jaw and turned the problem over in his mind, searching for a way to persuade him.
"But His Highness the Crown Prince cannot do without you, Advisor Fang."
Advisor Fang narrowed his eyes and regarded Zhen Xiangzhi. Something felt off to him as well. Was the man trying to shield the Gaoyi Commandery Princess?
Then, as if struck by a sudden revelation, Advisor Fang's face brightened with understanding, and he looked down at Zhen Xiangzhi and asked,
"Master Jin... don't tell me you've taken a fancy to the Gaoyi Commandery Princess?"
Zhen Xiangzhi nearly spat in the man's face. What on earth went on inside that muddled old head? Zhen Xiangzhi was old enough to be Bai Jinchi's father — indeed, plausibly so. Was he likely to nurse feelings for a girl that young?
"Advisor Fang, it is nothing of the sort. The sole reason I oppose this plan is that it can only harm the Crown Prince's household."
"His Highness has already given his approval — there is no need to argue further!"
Advisor Fang declared, as if sealing the matter, and curled his lip in scorn at the mention of the Prince's permission.
"Master Jin, do not forget — you are an advisor of the Crown Prince's household. You must never let word of this leak. If such a thing comes to pass, I will have no choice but to report it to His Highness."
Zhen Xiangzhi clenched his fist tight. Then Advisor Fang's earlier remark came back to him — that the Liang King had privately tried to draw the Han King into his scheme.
"Advisor Fang, the reason I press against this plan is that there is a better candidate."
Advisor Fang lifted his teacup and said,
"Then let's hear it."
"What of the County Mistress of Nandao, Liu Yafu?"
Zhen Xiangzhi stepped forward and bent at the waist beside Advisor Fang.
"The Gaoyi Commandery Princess holds no military authority in her hands — but the Han King of Nandao commands an army! And the Han King has only one child: the County Mistress of Nandao. If the Liang King were to defile Liu Yafu's honor and then propose taking a daughter of the Dong family as his wife instead, what would His Majesty think? Did you not say yourself, Advisor Fang, that reading the Emperor's mind is the most important thing of all?"
Advisor Fang conceded the point had merit. Even if Bai Jingyan — whom both the Crown Prince's household and the Emperor despised — were to become their enemy, there was nothing to fear, but she would be a considerable headache.
"And if this incident leads to the County Mistress of Nandao being married off to the Liang King, he gains the Han King's backing! The Han King holds military power in his hands!"
Advisor Fang had indeed once considered Liu Yafu himself, but he had concluded that if she truly became the Liang King's consort, matters would only grow more tangled.
"Then let the Liang King defile the County Mistress of Nandao's honor — but ensure the match between them never comes to pass! This rumor only needs to reach the ears of His Majesty and the Dong family. The County Mistress has a betrothal with the State of Liang, and with peace negotiations with Liang at hand, His Majesty will not want such an ugly rumor spreading now. So there will be no question of marrying the County Mistress off to the Liang King."
Standing at Advisor Fang's side, Zhen Xiangzhi turned the scheme over in his mind as he pressed on.
"Moreover, the County Mistress of Nandao is no pushover by temperament. She is hardly a woman to lose her heart to the Liang King. And if the Han King learns of the Liang King's impure intentions, does Your wisdom think he will sit idly by?
Advisor Fang, consider this. The Gaoyi Commandery Princess is a woman of such martial skill that she has commanded troops on the battlefield. Yet the Liang King reaches into the Zhenguo Commandery Princess's own household — if she catches wind of it... Have you forgotten her archery? Our man may not come back alive. But Liu Yafu is a pampered noble daughter, raised in silk and idolized — far easier to handle than the Gaoyi Commandery Princess."
Lin Shijie, having given the matter his own thought, finally spoke.
"In that case, targeting the County Mistress of Nandao rather than the Gaoyi Commandery Princess... would be the greater benefit to the Crown Prince's household. What say you, Advisor Fang?"
Advisor Fang clenched his fist. Master Jin was right — the County Mistress of Nandao was the more fitting choice.
And yet the real reason Advisor Fang had chosen the Gaoyi Commandery Princess was that, while he genuinely wished to aid the Crown Prince, what he truly desired was to see Bai Jingyan and His Highness drift apart. Only once she was estranged would the Crown Prince follow his word alone.
Sensing the elder advisor's hesitation, Zhen Xiangzhi pressed the advantage, shaking his resolve once more.
"If you hesitate only because you fear His Highness will rebuke you for so sudden a change of strategy, then allow me to go to him in your stead. I will tell His Highness that after long and careful deliberation among the three of us, we judged Liu Yafu the better choice. Of course, it would be better still if you, Advisor Fang, were willing to shoulder that burden yourself and make the visit!"
Zhen Xiangzhi's meaning was plain. If Advisor Fang feared bearing the responsibility, then Zhen Xiangzhi would go himself and present it as a conclusion reached after discussion among all three — but if Advisor Fang agreed that switching to Liu Yafu was the wiser course, then the entire credit would be heaped upon him, so he should be the one to call on His Highness directly.
Advisor Fang looked long at Zhen Xiangzhi, who had not offered counsel to the Crown Prince in quite some time. Just then, a guard ushered the scribes inside. Only then did Advisor Fang answer, slow and deliberate.
"The three of us all serve the Crown Prince's household. Only when we work for His Highness with one heart and one mind can we truly accomplish great things! Do you understand this duty, Master Jin?"
"Of course I do! You are my senior by many years, Advisor Fang. If I have given any offense, I beg your generous forgiveness."
Zhen Xiangzhi bowed himself low, then lifted the teacup from the table and pressed it into Advisor Fang's hand.
Advisor Fang nodded with a smile.
"I will go to His Highness at once and present your thinking."
"It was you, Advisor Fang, who first proposed this plan — Master Lin and I merely polished it a little. How could I dare call it my own..."
Zhen Xiangzhi spoke with his head bowed low, his voice creeping like a man crawling on the ground.
Advisor Fang regarded Zhen Xiangzhi, suddenly so quick-witted, then hurried off toward the Crown Prince's residence — there was no time to lose.
Once Advisor Fang had departed with the six scribes in tow, Lin Shijie turned a smiling face to Zhen Xiangzhi.
"That is the way of it, Master Jin. Advisor Fang has served His Highness far longer than we, and he is the eldest among us. He may seem somewhat haughty, but if we who came later pay him proper respect, he will take note of it."
Watching Advisor Fang's retreating back, Zhen Xiangzhi crushed his fist shut inside his sleeve.
Lin Shijie had counseled him this way before, and every time, Zhen Xiangzhi had been reluctant to comply.
When he had been summoned here on the pretext of discussing some matter together, Zhen Xiangzhi had intended only to come, listen, and feign agreement. Had she not been a hundred noble daughters worth of a girl, he would never have bowed and scraped to Advisor Fang at all.
Zhen Xiangzhi was a man who prized integrity above all else.
Once before, he had watched with bitter contempt as men bent their principles to the Liang King and the two advisors who fawned upon him. But how had that ended?
The screaming deaths of his entire family.