Chapter 466
Chapter 466
She studied Ying Zheng for a long moment. She had decided to become his mother for several reasons. First, he had saved her life; second, she pitied him; and third, he was a good person. But she had never imagined this child possessed such a sense of responsibility.
Most people in this world are blinded by greed. Who could refuse such a great temptation when it was right before their eyes? Yet, faced with immense personal gain, Ying Zheng suppressed his own desires, calmed himself, and then made a choice. He seemed a bit naive, perhaps, but it spoke volumes of his character, virtue, and resolve. Shen Lang was extremely, extremely intelligent, but also very arrogant. Still, his judgment of people might not be so bad after all. If Shen Lang had chosen Ying Zheng, then Ying Zheng must have qualities that set him apart from others.
Consort Bian, too, had composed herself. As Ying Zheng had said, if he chose not to enter the struggle for the throne, there would be no issue with her adopting him as her son. She would only need to ensure he was not bullied and received the treatment he deserved. But since Ying Zheng had decided to contend for the throne, she could not simply make him her son. Such an act would send the wrong signal to the world. Everyone would assume the Bian Clan supported Ying Zheng's bid for the throne, which would have severe consequences for the entire State of Yue.
At least for now, the Bian Clan had not sided with any of the princes in the succession struggle. Moreover, Consort Bian was not qualified to represent the Bian Clan in supporting any prince. The law dictated that the inner court must not interfere in state affairs, and she would truly not meddle in any political matters. There was only one person who could represent the Bian Clan’s decision: her brother, Bian Wu.
Consort Bian gazed at Ying Zheng for a long time before speaking.
“Zheng’er, I see you in a new light. You are not just a good child; you have a sense of responsibility, and you possess excellent character and virtue. That makes me very happy.”
Ying Zheng bowed his head, unable to say a word.
“However, as you said, now that you have decided to contend for the throne, I cannot declare my stance. But…”
She paused for a moment before continuing.
“But I have grown to like you even more.”
Ying Zheng bowed deeply.
“Thank you, Mother Bian.”
“That is enough. You may go.”
***
When the King heard Consort Bian’s account, he was momentarily stunned. Ying Zheng had refused Consort Bian’s offer and shown such a responsible side? A man who aspired to be a monarch naturally needed ambition, but he must also learn to refuse temptation. Because, in many cases, the temptation of profit was a trap.
Ning Yuanxian asked, “Did Shen Lang teach him to say that?”
“Impossible!”
The King, too, quickly realized it was impossible. The night Shen Lang met with Ying Zheng, three people had monitored and recorded their conversation. Shen Lang had not had another opportunity to meet Ying Zheng since that day, let alone teach him anything.
Consort Bian said gently, “The law states that the inner court must not interfere in state affairs, so I will absolutely not involve myself in the struggle for the throne. However, I will never allow anyone to bully Zheng’er.”
***
After leaving the royal palace, Ying Zheng returned to the prison of the Imperial Clan Court. The next day, however, the King summoned him. It was likely the first time the King had ever formally summoned him.
Ning Yuanxian asked, “Ying Zheng, what are your thoughts on the matter of you killing several officials from the Supreme Court?”
Ying Zheng answered calmly, “Even royalty, if they break the law, should be punished just as the common people are.”
Upon hearing this, Ning Yuanxian frowned. He detested this kind of righteous talk. Who couldn't spout such empty words? Ning Yuanxian sneered, “In that case, should I have you beheaded?”
“However, I killed the Supreme Court officials to save a life.”
“What do you mean?”
“At the time, the Supreme Court officials were trying to forcibly take away the two maids of the Yu family. Shen Lang’s concubine, Bing’er, blocked them, shielding the two girls behind her. But the Supreme Court officials deliberately attacked her, intending to harm the child in her womb. To protect herself and her unborn baby, she was forced to act. Therefore, her killing them can be considered justified. At most, it was excessive self-defense.”
“So, was it you who killed them, or Shen Lang’s concubine?”
Ying Zheng hesitated for a moment, then said, “I killed them.”
Ning Yuanxian stared at his son for a long while before nodding.
“I understand. Guards, take Ying Zheng back to the prison of the Imperial Clan Court. Order the Imperial Clan Court and the Supreme Court to jointly try this case.”
***
The next day, the Supreme Court and the Imperial Clan Court formally tried the murder case of the Fifth Prince, Ying Zheng. After three sessions of trial, the full truth was revealed.
Soon after, the Fifth Prince, Ying Zheng, was publicly punished, receiving thirty lashes. The whip tore his skin, leaving him a bloody mess. By the time the punishment was over and he was sent home, he had already fainted and had to be carried back.
***
Three days later.
The King issued an edict, enfeoffing Ying Zheng as the Marquis of Changping and granting him permission to establish an official office and recruit a thousand private soldiers. Furthermore, he bestowed upon Ying Zheng the Marquis Zhenyuan's Estate, which had been built within the capital.
Upon receiving the edict, Ying Zheng shed silent tears. It had been a difficult road. It had been over three years since he had come of age, and while his other brothers had long been enfeoffed as dukes or marquises, his turn had finally come. His title was a rank lower than his brothers’, but Ying Zheng was more than satisfied.
Of course, the edict did not surprise many. Everyone assumed the enfeoffment was the King’s reward for Ying Zheng’s merit in giving blood to Consort Bian. He was still the King’s least favored and most disliked son. Moreover, although the King had granted him the Marquis Zhenyuan's Estate in the capital, most of the mansion had already burned down.
Ying Zheng did not even consult an auspicious day to move. The day after receiving the edict, he relocated to the new Marquis of Changping's Estate. The former Marquis Zhenyuan's Estate, now the Marquis of Changping's Estate, was mostly in ruins, but the remaining part was still immense, covering over three hundred *mu*—several times larger than Ying Zheng’s original residence.
Only one family came to congratulate them on the move: Zhang Chong’s son, Zhang Xun. Consort Bian sent people to deliver a large quantity of gifts and furniture. Ying Zheng’s entire household, along with Shen Lang’s, moved in, but all together they numbered just over a hundred people, making the estate feel vast and empty.
Shen Lang formally resigned from his position as the Lord of Zhenyuan City to the King and became the Chief of Staff of the Marquis of Changping's Estate. This caused some to be inwardly surprised.
‘What does this mean? Has Shen Lang completely thrown in his lot with Ying Zheng?’
With that, the first step of Shen Lang assisting the Fifth Prince, Ying Zheng, in establishing his own government was successfully completed.
***
The current Marquis of Changping's Estate was little more than an empty shell. Establishing the structure of civil and military officials was important, but the most crucial task was recruiting a thousand private soldiers. To be more precise, Ying Zheng’s marquisate needed to recruit three Registrars, one Commander of a Thousand, and ten Commanders of a Hundred. Normally, such personnel would be assigned by the King, but he had not given Ying Zheng a single soldier or official. Ying Zheng and Shen Lang had to recruit them themselves.
Shen Lang personally went to the Martial Academy and the Imperial Academy to recruit talent for the Marquis of Changping's Estate, but to no avail. He then went to Xuanwu Avenue to recruit, but still had no success. For three whole days, not a single person was willing to join Ying Zheng’s Marquis of Changping's Estate. People enjoyed lighting a fire in a cold stove, but Ying Zheng wasn't just a cold stove; he was a hole in the ice. You couldn't light a fire in it by pouring oil, let alone using charcoal. Anyone who jumped into that pit was certain to have no future.
‘Shen Lang, you’re the live-in son-in-law of the Count of Xuanwu's Estate, so you’ll enjoy wealth and glory no matter what, but that’s not the case for us. Any talented person has long since pledged themselves to the Crown Prince or the Third Prince. You want us to go to your Fifth Prince’s estate and be treated poorly until we die?’
After a full eight days, Shen Lang still hadn't recruited a single person. This was because his requirements were high. The three Registrars the Fifth Prince's marquisate was recruiting had to be *Juren* or students of the Imperial Academy with equivalent scholarly honors. The Commander of a Thousand had to have the title of Martial *Jinshi*, and the ten Commanders of a Hundred needed to be Martial *Juren*. But why would anyone with such honors work for the Fifth Prince? Not only the civil and military *Juren*, but even the scholars had no such intentions. However, since Shen Lang set up his recruitment stall every day, he became quite well-known in the area.
On the ninth day, Shen Lang did something that made the onlookers jump in astonishment. He unfurled a vertical banner.
“Recruiting ministers to follow the dragon! Recruiting ministers for the Hidden Residence!”
Not only were these words written in large characters, but Shen Lang also had Big Dummy shout the two phrases. In that instant, everyone in the capital felt as if they had been struck by lightning so intense it had left them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
‘Shen Lang, are you uneducated? Do you even know what ‘ministers to follow the dragon’ or ‘ministers for the Hidden Residence’ means? In this country, only the Crown Prince’s residence can be called a Hidden Residence.’
Of course, even that was incorrect. To be precise, only the residence where a monarch lived before ascending the throne could be called a Hidden Residence. After all, even a Crown Prince was not guaranteed to become king. That day, Shen Lang was publicly recruiting at the Imperial Academy when a student finally sneered and asked him.
“Shen Lang, do you know what the term ‘Hidden Residence’ means? Could it be that His Highness the Fifth Prince also intends to contend for the throne?”
Hearing this, Shen Lang laughed and replied, “Oh? How did you know? Our Fifth Prince is indeed preparing to contend for the throne!”
The student who had been taunting him was so shocked he nearly wet himself, and then he burst out laughing. A crowd of students from the Imperial Academy swarmed out, surrounding Shen Lang and asking.
“Shen Lang, is the Fifth Prince really going to contend for the throne?”
“Yes. It’s true.”
At his words, everyone roared with laughter, looking at Shen Lang as if he were a fool. Not only the students of the Imperial Academy, but even the teachers laughed until their sides hurt.
‘How utterly ridiculous. The Fifth Prince, Ying Zheng, is contending for the throne? The short, ugly, stuttering Ying Zheng, the one the King detests the most, the one with absolutely no power, is contending for the throne? Could there be a more absurd joke in this world?’
This couldn’t even be described as ‘a toad lusting after a swan’s flesh.’ If the throne was the swan’s flesh, Ying Zheng wasn’t even a toad.