Chapter 68 — TVF Chapter 68

The Table-Flipping Old Father (8)

When Qin Jingzhou saw Prince Haicheng’s reaction, he immediately understood that the prince was not completely clueless—in the past, as the most favored prince, even if he had not personally experienced all the dirty tricks out there, he had at least heard about them.

It was just that Prince Haicheng hadn’t expected the Emperor to be this ruthless.

In fact, for the Emperor to allow his beloved daughter Princess Anyang to bring Yang Shi as a tool to harm Prince Haicheng, he must have already steeled himself for the possibility that his cherished daughter would never return… Compared to the Emperor, Prince Haicheng was indeed somewhat “soft-hearted.”

Yet no matter how soft Prince Haicheng might be, when the Emperor was now bent on his destruction, how could he possibly endure?

Qin Jingzhou patiently waited for Prince Haicheng to finish venting. Then he drew from his sleeve a small book he had deliberately aged, and solemnly offered it to the prince. “Please, your highness, look this over.”

Qin Jingzhou had always been taking in disciples, and spreading the word that he would buy all sorts of martial arts manuals at high prices.

His disciples had grown at lightning speed in just over a year’s time; a few of the inner gate disciples were nearly on par with Prince Haicheng’s own personal guards. Word spread, and those seeking to become apprentices or to sell their ancestral manuals flocked to his door.

Whenever he bought a manual, he would carefully copy it, returning the original to the seller along with the copy. The sellers went home pleased and, from the bottom of their hearts, helped advertise Qin Jingzhou’s name. With this virtuous cycle established, his reputation soared.

Prince Haicheng had heard of Qin Jingzhou’s penchant for collecting books, but he had always looked down on these scattered martial arts manuals from the common people. Not being a meddler by nature, he never bothered to intervene, simply letting it go with a smile… Now, however, as he accepted the booklet and flipped straight to the carefully dog-eared page, he stared intently and was instantly dumbfounded. Then, in utter disbelief, he cried out, “Good heavens!”

It had to be known that a complete martial arts manual not only taught techniques and formulas for cultivation, but often also included recipes for common medicines and instructions for handling various injuries.

Qin Jingzhou leveraged this as a reason for having his disciples go out to provide benevolent free clinics focused on external injuries. No one, from the “local tyrant” Prince Haicheng to the common people—or even among the Wang household—ever questioned it.

That was why Qin Jingzhou had carefully prepared this booklet, making it look old and well-used, and filled it with several uncommon methods for detoxification—leaving it to Prince Haicheng to connect the dots himself.

After a while, Prince Haicheng managed to calm himself. He put away the booklet and said to Qin Jingzhou, “You’re most thoughtful, my friend. I will repay you handsomely.”

Qin Jingzhou replied with subtle meaning, “Your Highness is too polite. After all, if things go well for you, they go well for all of us.”

A faint smile played at the corner of Prince Haicheng’s lips. Just as he was about to reply… that strange feeling, impossible to put into words, surged up within him. He threw his head back and forced through gritted teeth, “My friend, please leave—”

Qin Jingzhou sighed, muttering insincerely, “Forgive me, Your Highness.” Swiftly, he stepped forward and jabbed the Dazhui acupoint at the base of the prince’s neck.

He’d tested this on his own disciples. The most naturally gifted people in this world could cultivate a sliver of innate internal force.

Using this internal force, he could jolt Prince Haicheng’s central nervous system, enabling him to suppress both the physical and mental discomfort through force of reason.

Steadying the preoccupied prince, Qin Jingzhou said, “Your Highness, it’s time you started martial training.”

When Prince Haicheng recovered his composure once more, only then did Qin Jingzhou take his leave.

As for the discussions that must have gone on between Prince Haicheng, his two sons hidden in the secret chamber, and his trusted advisors regarding him, Qin Jingzhou didn’t worry much at all.

If he was truly going to make a splash, he naturally had to be fully prepared.

Who would think, with just a hundred and some disciples, he was plotting to seize the realm? No one with a sane mind would believe such a thing… Prince Haicheng and the others likely figured he intended to become Imperial Preceptor.

Before he thoroughly finished imparting his teachings to his disciples, Prince Haicheng had little chance to “kill the donkey after the millstone is done.”

Of course, if Prince Haicheng really decided to act rashly, Qin Jingzhou had ways to deal with him, too.

Just as Qin Jingzhou expected, he spent several more days in the Prefecture Capital, during which Prince Haicheng summoned him five times.

Once Prince Haicheng’s condition had fully stabilized, Qin Jingzhou was finally able to return to his base at the Si Family Fortress, halfway up the mountain.

The prince’s gift of gratitude arrived the very next day, and arriving with it were his two sons, including the First Prince’s Third Son. After formally becoming disciples, the two noble sons trained in martial arts at the Si Family Fortress alongside the others.

Whatever the future might hold, Qin Jingzhou and these two princes had now established a formal master-apprentice relationship.

A year passed. The two princely disciples, who came to train ten days each month, had become true initiates—they could each manage a few rounds against their father’s personal guards. Even if the guards were holding back, they could genuinely hold their own in a bout.

Everyone could see the progress made by the princely apprentices, so the noble families stopped hesitating and began sending their own sons to the Si Family Fortress.

Qin Jingzhou welcomed all comers. After accepting their training fees, he handed the new apprentices over to his own disciples for instruction.

After more than two years of hard work, Si Dalang, Erlang, Third Miss Si, and his son-in-law Han Xuanfeng had all developed significantly. The fortress population had grown by over three hundred, nearly doubling, yet everything remained in perfect order.

Incidentally, the poison the Emperor had reserved especially to deal with Prince Haicheng worked on both the mind and the body.

Following the methods outlined in the booklet Qin Jingzhou had sent, the famous physicians gathered at Prince Haicheng’s residence devised a customized recovery plan for him. Come the following year, when both Qin Jingzhou and Si Chenghui’s mourning periods ended, Prince Haicheng seemed almost completely recovered… at least his mental condition was stable, though the damage to his body was another matter. His health would certainly suffer; his lifespan, at the very least, was shortened.

As if Prince Haicheng could possibly swallow this humiliation! He recuperated while quietly planning his revolt.

There was no denying the Emperor’s maneuver was a brazen one: to threaten a powerful member of the royal clan, he simply “gifted” them with a poison beauty trap. Even if these other influential princes didn’t have an unforgettable white moonlight, few could withstand this sort of Emperor’s strategy.

Thus Prince Haicheng reached out to his fellow royals—his call received a resounding, if not yet public, support. None were willing to stick out their necks first, but once Prince Haicheng raised the banner, they would respond.

With this result, Prince Haicheng was already quite content.

Just as Prince Haicheng’s mood was still fair, his beloved little princess married Si Chenghui.

Three months after the wedding, Prince Haicheng issued a declaration to the world, calling for a “righteous rebellion against an unworthy sovereign.”

There was a minor episode here—the prince’s men had interrogated Princess Anyang, but she refused to say anything, enduring torture without ever uttering a word.

After all, as an imperial daughter, Princess Anyang could only be interrogated within limits—a few strokes of the rod were the most she could suffer, very different from the fate of Yang Shi, who, after losing the prince’s favor, was brutally tortured until she was covered in wounds and barely any unbroken skin remained… aside from that face so very like Lady Dugu.

Yet Prince Haicheng still needed a confession from Anyang.

Anyang bit her tongue and stayed silent, which troubled Prince Haicheng for several days. When Si Chenghui heard of it, he hesitated for days, but with his wife’s encouragement, finally stepped forward to offer his help in persuading the princess.

When Princess Anyang saw Si Chenghui in her cell, her eyes went red. “How dare you come here!”

In the past, Si Chenghui had endured her toadying for the sake of career advancement. Now, after marrying the Marquis’ Daughter… his wife was far easier to please than Anyang, and with his uncle’s support, he’d gained a decent foothold in the prince’s household. He spoke with new confidence, “You still can’t see how things have changed. The Emperor never intended for you to return.” His eyes smiled as he said, “The times have changed.”

Si Chenghui’s words were by no means sharp—he, too, needed to leave himself a way out.

After all, as an imperial daughter, if Anyang were to come around and switch allegiance to Prince Haicheng, the prince would want to make her an example, treating the surrendered princess kindly… If Si Chenghui had gone out of his way to offend her, how would he get by in the future?

Still, whatever he said hit Princess Anyang right where it hurt.

She’d been anxious and angry for a long time, especially after the sting of betrayal by her own father—the feeling festered: great men should not be constrained by petty feelings… but she did not wish to be the one sacrificed, let alone get mocked to her face by a former male concubine she had once discarded!

Princess Anyang lowered her head and gripped her skirt so hard her knuckles turned white.

Si Chenghui decided the timing was right for a final blow. “You really think the Emperor loved Empress Dugu, then doted on you out of affection for her? In truth, you were always a tool prepared in advance to deal with Prince Haicheng. It’s just that, as a girl, you used to resemble Empress Dugu, but as you grew, you became more and more like the Emperor…”

Princess Anyang shot to her feet, flinging herself forward to grip the bars. “You’re lying!”

Si Chenghui’s smile didn’t falter. “If you think I’m lying, why are you so agitated?” With that, he turned and strolled out, leaving Princess Anyang howling behind him—impotent fury.

Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out of the cell, he found his wife waiting. “You still don’t trust me, do you?”

Her radiant smile answered him, “It’s not that I don’t trust you. I was just worried she might hit you.” In fact, she’d overheard every word her husband had exchanged with Anyang: it turned out her husband really had been involved with the princess! With her older brothers and the prince’s own guards still learning martial arts from the teacher, all she could do was lay low… she’d make her plans after their child was born. The Si family’s wealth… just those valuable manuals her teacher-in-law had amassed, alone, made them worth fighting for.

Whatever their private calculations, on the surface the young couple was all harmony and affection. And, just as predicted, once Si Chenghui had seen the princess, after several sleepless nights of tossing and turning, Princess Anyang finally decided to open up.

Princess Anyang had had quite a few male concubines, but not all of them were like Si Chenghui and Wang Daren—incidentally, it had just been a year since Wang Daren’s sudden death. A few of her concubines actually cared for her, including some sons of prominent generals.

This allowed Prince Haicheng to make contact with several other important figures. Since Anyang had rendered merit, the prince truly released her, letting her reside in a large residence beside the prince’s mansion—the newlyweds, Si Chenghui and his wife, lived next door.

Now that she was out and her life no longer in danger—though she had no future hopes—Princess Anyang seemed determined that if she must suffer, so should others.

She gave up on trying to seduce Si Chenghui—having failed, she shifted her attention to his uncle, widowed for years.

When Qin Jingzhou heard the princess had come in person to the foot of the mountain, he couldn’t help but be a bit surprised. “She’s quite ambitious, isn’t she?”