Volume One: The Hidden Dragon in the Abyss Chapter 104: Temperament

Lately, Wang Chuan's eyelid had been twitching constantly, and his mind was weighed down by a myriad of troubles, though perhaps time would dull their edge. He felt as if he had overlooked something, as if some crucial matter had slipped his mind.

"Your Highness," Zhong Jie called out, noticing him spacing out.

Wang Chuan nodded, then continued with them into the palace, walking leisurely at the front. "Let us go."

"Regarding the events of that day, I must ask Your Highness to keep it in strict confidence," Zhong Jie requested from behind him.

"Which day? What events?" Wang Chuan asked, slightly bewildered. "Never mind. I will not pry into your affairs. If you trust me, speak of it no more, and simply focus on what you must do."

Wang Chuan had his own considerations; he was indifferent to everything else, feeling it mattered little.

Ah... Zhong Jie seemed to sense this and nodded. "Thank you for your indulgence, Your Highness. I am deeply grateful."

"A minor matter," Wang Chuan said indifferently.

"The nine gates of heaven open to the palace; ten thousand nations in ceremonial robes bow to the imperial crown," Zhong Jie suddenly murmured. As they ascended the long flight of stone steps, their emotions were complex.

"I have forgotten what the morning court was like. I have always wished to witness the grand spectacle described in your poem, Your Highness. What a pity," Zhong Jie sighed again.

"When I first attended court, someone also told me that ascending these steps one by one requires the utmost caution. If one slips, the consequences are unthinkable," Wang Chuan remarked. "Walking here with you today, Lord Zhong, fills me with deep emotion. It must be an exhausting, arduous climb, and the burden on your shoulders is heavy indeed—carrying both the state and the common people. Ever since your Emperor stopped holding court and neglected state affairs, the imperial authority has largely fallen into the hands of the Prime Minister. Looking at this path now, I see only countless trials and obstacles."

"As expected of someone like you, Your Highness. To write poetry that endures through the ages, and to possess a deep understanding of human nature and reason that few can match." Zhong Jie's tone grew noticeably more respectful. "I used to wonder what kind of person you were. Meeting you in person has far exceeded your reputation."

"Old Zhong, even a man of your upright, rugged appearance can speak such words," Wang Chuan could not help but smile.

They ascended the long steps and made their way to the inner palace, toward the Emperor's bedchamber. For years, the Emperor had eaten, slept, and lived in this single place, never once moving his nest, let alone shifting his seat.

It was said the Emperor could meditate in cultivation for over ten hours at a time. Wang Chuan could not help but admire such devotion to Daoist practice, though he wished these two men could swap roles. The negligent Emperor ought to attend court properly, while someone like Zhong Jie should focus on the martial path to break through to the Grandmaster realm, which would also extend his lifespan.

As the palace doors swung open, the scent of musk greeted them first. The Lord of Xia was already eagerly approaching to welcome Wang Chuan.

"Wang Chuan, do you think I can truly achieve the Dao and attain immortality?"

Wang Chuan noticed that the Emperor's spirit seemed much improved compared to before. Even if he did not eat regular food, he had elixirs refined from precious herbs by the Imperial Academy of Medicine. He only hoped the Emperor's body would not reject the excessive nourishment. He paid little attention to anything else.

"Your Majesty, what did you just say?" Wang Chuan asked earnestly.

Uh...

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Zhong Jie bowed to him.

"If you have business, speak quickly and leave!" The Lord of Xia waved his sleeves impatiently. "Make the decisions yourselves. Do not keep coming to disturb my peace."

"Your Majesty, this is a matter of grave importance. Someone is trafficking military grain in Huazhou and Shizhou, harming the state and the people. I beg Your Majesty to issue an imperial decree to dispatch loyal and upright officials to investigate and uphold the law of the land," Zhong Jie pleaded, kneeling.

"Shizhou? Is that not Yuan Lianji's hometown?" the Lord of Xia remarked.

"Yes! We suspect someone is pulling the strings from behind the scenes. We beg Your Majesty to issue a secret decree to investigate, so as to clear the Prime Minister's name and ensure justice!" Zhong Jie said.

Wang Chuan's brow twitched. He saw through the scheme. Though they framed it this way now, their blades would ultimately be pointed at the Prime Minister. Otherwise, if someone from the Prime Minister's faction were sent, they would merely put on a show, and all efforts would go to waste. They were practically sharpening their knives, ready to strike the Prime Minister down directly.

The Emperor was actually no fool; Wang Chuan had never thought him one.

"Wang Chuan, what is your view?" the Emperor suddenly asked, looking at him.

"Your Majesty, it is not fitting for me to comment on the affairs of your state. I trust Your Majesty will make the right decision," Wang Chuan said, shaking his head. "I ought to excuse myself."

"You are already here, and you were the one who brought him," the Lord of Xia said. "I wish to hear your thoughts."

"I have heard that the Prime Minister is also the Grand Tutor, and decades ago he served as the Crown Prince's tutor. He was once your respected teacher, was he not, Your Majesty?" Wang Chuan said. "Thus, Your Majesty places immense trust in him."

"Exactly. With the Prime Minister managing the court, I can focus on my cultivation without worry, achieving immortality early to watch over the Great Xia Dynasty for thousands of generations," the Lord of Xia smiled, filled with anticipation.

"And what does Lord Zhong think of the Prime Minister?" Wang Chuan asked him.

"The Prime Minister..." Zhong Jie pondered seriously before replying. "As the head of the officials, he holds great power and prestige, and his capability is plain for all to see. I once admired him greatly. If only he would do more to seek the welfare of the common people."

In other words, he wished the man were not so greedy and did not act so shamelessly. Unlike other corrupt officials who merely drew their salaries while doing nothing, the Prime Minister was known since Zhong Jie's youth as someone who took bribes but actually got things done. It was a reality that left one both exasperated and somewhat relieved.

"Then Your Majesty must understand very well. Long ago, I heard a king obsessed with achieving immortality say, 'The so-called realm of rivers and mountains is but a name, not the physical rivers and mountains themselves.' The ruler is not the mountain, and the subjects are not the river. The ancients called the Yangtze the River, and the Yellow River the Canal. The waters of the Yangtze are clear, while the waters of the Yellow River are muddy. Yet, both flow. An ancient proverb says that when a sage appears, the Yellow River runs clear. But when has the Yellow River ever been clear? The waters of the Yangtze irrigate the fields of several provinces along its banks, and the waters of the Yellow River do the same. One cannot favor the clear water and discard the muddy, nor can one abandon the muddy water because of its turbidity. It has been so since ancient times," Wang Chuan said slowly, his tone calm and measured.

"Lord Zhong, perhaps you still do not understand. It is impossible to use only the Yangtze and discard the Yellow River. Once the Yellow River floods, it must be dredged. Conversely, if the Yangtze floods, the ruler must also control it. The Prime Minister is like a great river flowing across the state of Xia. Unless he causes a catastrophic flood, how can he be lightly cast aside? Without Yuan Lianji, who in the current court do you think could serve as Prime Minister? Would you have His Majesty personally manage the state?"

Zhong Jie's eyes widened upon hearing this. He stood dazed, falling into deep thought.

"However, the Prime Minister is advanced in years. He must consider his legacy. Since he is Your Majesty's teacher, he should not be treated poorly," Wang Chuan added.

"Zhong Jie, do you understand now?" the Lord of Xia asked him.

"I understand!" Zhong Jie nodded earnestly. His admiration for Wang Chuan grew even deeper. Indeed, this was Prince Wang Chuan, who possessed an uncanny understanding of human nature. He had never even met Yuan Lianji, yet he could speak such words.

"Do you truly understand?" the Lord of Xia asked again.

Uh...

Zhong Jie bowed. He felt a sharp gaze boring into him, sending a chill down his spine. Combined with Wang Chuan's words, it seemed he was being advised to show mercy to the Prime Minister and not lose his sense of propriety. In truth, there was no need to push things to the extreme. The offenses did not warrant death; dismissal from office would suffice. For some reason, he also wanted to hear Wang Chuan's opinion on the matter.

"I understand!" Zhong Jie repeated.

"Very well. If you wish to investigate, then go. I shall grant you the decree," the Lord of Xia said. As he watched the Emperor draft the imperial decree, Zhong Jie felt a thousand words of gratitude toward Wang Chuan swell in his heart, but in the end, he simply bowed deeply.

Wang Chuan, however, was wondering: *Did he truly understand?* Seeing Zhong Jie leave with the decree, it was not convenient to ask further. As the palace doors slowly closed once more, the last thing Zhong Jie heard was the Lord of Xia's voice.

"Wang Chuan, do you think I can truly achieve the Dao and attain immortality?"

***

"Lord Zhong has returned, but His Highness seems to still be in the palace," Yang Hao came to report. He had accompanied Xu Wei to Zhong Jie's residence to pass the time. Wang Chuan's route to the palace passed by this area, so they were waiting for him here.

Zhong Jie's eldest son was already married, and his child was about three or four years old. Xu Wei was very popular with children; she had chased the little one around for half the day until the child grew tired and went to sleep. Zhong Yuqing, however, was far too quiet. Xu Wei had originally come to play with her, but the girl was constantly writing or reading, making it hard for Xu Wei to sit still for long.

Zhong Jie's father had already passed away, but his mother, the elderly matriarch, was still alive. Xu Wei had pulled up a small stool and loved listening to her tell tales of wild mountains, ghosts, and strange anomalies.

"His Highness Wang Chuan and you, Princess, are both so down-to-earth. It is this old woman's good fortune. In the past, it was rare to meet noble people, let alone those who would not find me tedious and listen to my ramblings," the elderly matriarch said with deep gratitude and emotion.

Wang Chuan had come along with them earlier. Before entering the palace with Zhong Jie, he had suddenly stopped to speak with the elderly matriarch for a while. In the end, he mentioned that she reminded him of his own imperial grandmother.

"Please do not say that, Matriarch. It is just that I was bored, and there was no one to play with me," Xu Wei replied.

"Qing'er is not like you. She has a reputation, but she is clumsy with her words. Every time she tries to keep me company, she cannot think of anything to say and just sits beside me. I have run out of stories to tell her, and she only replies when I ask her something direct," the matriarch sighed.

Most of the time, the grandmother and granddaughter simply basked in the sun together in the courtyard, sitting in silence all day. Occasionally, she would have the girl read some books. She had no interest in orthodox classics but loved unofficial histories. It was wonderful to have someone like Wang Chuan around, who was patient with the elderly and willing to converse with them.

"Aren't all young ladies from noble families like that?" Xu Wei asked. Suddenly realizing something, she stuck out her tongue. In any case, they certainly should not be like her. The matriarch could not help but laugh.

"But this child worries me. She is not like Lingyan. You have met her, right? Bold, high-spirited, and filled with chivalrous righteousness!" the matriarch said.

"Yes, Sister Lingyan is amazing." Xu Wei was envious. Practicing martial arts was too exhausting; otherwise, with Wang Chuan's guidance, she would have been formidable by now. If only she could study diligently. Chen Lingyan truly trained through the hottest days of summer and the coldest days of winter, pushing herself just as hard as Wang Chuan did.

"Yes, someone like her will be fine," the matriarch sighed again. "And she is not like you, Princess, who can distinguish right from wrong, understand reason, and have met your benefactor."

"I am not that good," Xu Wei said, blushing slightly.

"When Jie'er was young, he met a master and learned martial arts," the matriarch continued. "Later, after Qing'er and the others were born, I suggested they learn martial arts, but my son refused to teach them. He felt that in times of peace, there was no need to carry weapons for self-defense. Yet, when Chen Ying brought his daughter to plead with him, he taught her instead. As for Qing'er, the child has grown increasingly weak, which worries me. A man like Jie'er cannot look after his family; he has not even properly arranged his own daughter's marriage."

"But a woman must marry in the end. If she entrusts herself to the wrong person, how miserable her later years will be."

Xu Wei thought for a moment and quickly reassured her. "Grandmother, you need not worry. Sister Qing is such a wonderful person, pure and intelligent. A girl like her will be cherished by many. How could she spend her life lonely and desolate?"

"She is too weak; she cannot protect herself. If anything happens, she will surely swallow her grievances in silence. If such a person meets someone who treats her with genuine sincerity, she can lead a happy life. But how can I not worry?" the matriarch said. "I have carefully scrutinized those who came to propose marriage, and very few of them give me peace of mind. As you must understand, Princess, some people can be known at first glance. I am an old woman with one foot in the grave, and I have seen many people in my time. Though a person's temperament might change, most of the time, they remain who they are."

Hearing this, Xu Wei could not help but nod in agreement.