Recently, the focus of Gao Village had shifted heavily toward the sea, as fleets moved, cannons roared, and influence expanded across waves that once belonged to foreign powers, leaving the mainland montarily quieter but no less tense beneath the surface.
On land, however, the atmosphere was anything but calm.
Inside the imperial court, Zhu Youjian was in a state that could only be described as barely contained fury, pacing like a man who had lost control of a board ga where every piece suddenly started moving on its own.
"Where is Cao Wenzhao?" he demanded, his voice sharp enough to cut through the air. "I ordered him to deal with Zheng Zhilong's fleet, so why has there been no report for so long? Did he vanish into the sea along with his ships?"
Beside him, Cao Huachun bowed slightly, his tone cautious yet steady, clearly experienced in navigating the emperor's temper.
"Your Majesty, the sea is vast and unpredictable, unlike land warfare where movents are easier to track. Once a naval force sets out, it is not unusual for months to pass without news."
Zhu Youjian clicked his tongue in frustration, clearly dissatisfied but lacking a better target for the mont, so his anger simply shifted direction like a storm changing course.
"Zheng Zhilong truly cannot change his bandit nature," he snapped, slamming his palm against the table. "Not only did he refuse to submit properly, he actually dared to support Zhu Yujian and openly rebel. Back then, we should never have accepted his surrender. Who was the one who vouched for him?"
Cao Huachun hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering.
"The Governor-General of Liangguang, Xiong Wencan."
"Strip him of his position imdiately," Zhu Youjian ordered without hesitation, as if cutting off a diseased limb.
Cao Huachun quickly raised his head, this ti speaking more firmly.
"Your Majesty, that would not be wise. Zheng Zhilong still has strongholds along the Fujian coast, and the Fujian administration alone cannot suppress him. We need coordination from Liangguang to gather sufficient military strength. Removing Xiong Wencan now may disrupt the entire campaign."
Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes, suspicion flickering.
"And what if he is already colluding with Zheng Zhilong?"
Cao Huachun forced a small, awkward smile.
"A Governor-General of his standing would not go that far… most likely."
Before the conversation could settle, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, followed by the sudden appearance of Wang Cheng'en, the emperor's personal attendant, his face pale with urgency.
"Your Majesty, sothing terrible has happened!"
Zhu Youjian's heart sank slightly, though his expression remained tense.
"What now?"
Wang Cheng'en swallowed before speaking.
"The son of Prince Fu, Zhu Youzhong… has rebelled. He is using the sa slogan as Zhu Yujian, accusing Your Majesty of ruining the country and even claiming that he could rule better himself."
For a brief mont, silence filled the room.
Then Zhu Youjian inhaled sharply, almost choking on his own breath.
"Prince Fu? That three-hundred-jin glutton?" he blurted out in disbelief. "He is terrified of death, yet his son dares to rebel? How does that even make sense?"
Wang Cheng'en looked just as helpless.
"Your servant… does not know either."
Zhu Youjian forced himself to think, though his thoughts were beginning to scatter.
"What about the Henan Governor, Fan Shangjing? Prince Fu only has five hundred guards. This should be crushed imdiately."
Wang Cheng'en lowered his head further.
"Fan Shangjing… has declared his support for Zhu Youzhong."
That single sentence hit harder than any battlefield defeat.
Zhu Youjian staggered backward several steps, as if the ground beneath him had shifted.
Even Cao Huachun fell silent, because just monts ago he had confidently claid that high officials would not betray the court, only for reality to slap that statent into irrelevance.
"Has he gone mad?" Zhu Youjian muttered, his voice trembling between anger and disbelief. "Calling an incompetent ruler? If that fat pig's son sits on the throne, he will be even worse."
Cao Huachun carefully corrected him.
"Prince Fu may be… like that, but Zhu Youzhong is not the sa."
"Mobilize the army," Zhu Youjian suddenly roared, his composure snapping. "Send troops imdiately. What forces are available in Henan? Who opposes Fan Shangjing?"
Cao Huachun answered quickly.
"General Gao Jie of Henan has long been at odds with him."
"Where is Gao Jie now?"
"At Dalinghe, awaiting Your Majesty's command to attack Shenyang."
At that mont, sothing subtle shifted in the air.
Because everyone knew why Gao Jie had been waiting for so long.
The emperor himself had delayed the order.
No one said it out loud, yet Zhu Youjian felt as if the entire room was whispering it.
He glanced around.
Cao Huachun seed to be saying it.
Wang Cheng'en seed to be saying it.
Even the pillars, the walls, the roof, every tile above his head seed to echo the sa silent accusation.
"Incompetent ruler."
The words grew louder in his mind until they drowned everything else.
"Enough!"
Zhu Youjian shouted, his voice cracking.
"Get out. All of you, leave . I need silence."
Cao Huachun imdiately lowered his head and pulled Wang Cheng'en out with him, both retreating as quickly as possible.
The mont they stepped outside, the sound of sothing shattering echoed from within the room.
---
anwhile, in Luoyang, inside Prince Fu's residence, the atmosphere could not have been more different.
Zhu Changxun, the famously overweight prince, was happily eating without a single trace of concern, fully imrsed in the simple joy of food.
Today's dish had an unusual na.
"Shrimp Balls."
The packaging even claid it was a specialty from Chengdu, though the advisors from Chengdu present in the residence all insisted they had never heard of such a thing.
Zhu Changxun did not care in the slightest.
If it ca from Dao Xuan Tianzun, then it must be heavenly food, and if it claid to be from Chengdu, then it was surely from so celestial version of Chengdu far beyond mortal knowledge.
As he ate with great enthusiasm, Fan Shangjing walked in, smiling casually.
"Your Highness, still eating as always. Have you gained more weight recently?"
Zhu Changxun sighed dramatically, though his hands never stopped moving.
"Another twenty jin, unfortunately. I truly wish to lose weight, but these heavenly foods are simply too good. There is no end to them. Would you like to try one?"
Fan Shangjing shook his head.
"I am here to discuss sothing important."
Zhu Changxun paused slightly, finally looking up.
"Important? I have already sold all my land to the village committee at a low price, and now I only have this residence left. I was even considering investing in a private railway with Zhu Cunji. What more is there to discuss?"
Fan Shangjing smiled faintly.
"This is not a discussion. It is a notification."
Zhu Changxun blinked.
"A notification?"
Fan Shangjing spoke calmly.
"You are now a rebel."
Zhu Changxun froze.
Then he nearly choked.
"What do you an I am a rebel?" he exclaid, his voice rising sharply. "I have done nothing wrong. I have been obedient to Dao Xuan Tianzun, I have not hard anyone, how could I suddenly beco a rebel? Are you trying to fra ?"
Fan Shangjing waved his hand dismissively.
"Not against Dao Xuan Tianzun. Against the court."
A slow question mark seed to appear above Zhu Changxun's head.
Fan Shangjing continued.
"Your son, Zhu Youzhong, has rebelled. You did not know?"
Zhu Changxun imdiately spat out a piece of food in shock, forcing Fan Shangjing to step aside.
"Watch it," he said with a frown. "That is unpleasant."
Seeing Zhu Changxun's genuine confusion, Fan Shangjing chuckled.
"I suspected you had no idea, which is why I ca personally. Your son studied at Gu Yanwu's school and beca quite the radical reforr. A few days ago, he gathered a group of students and openly denounced the emperor, even declaring that he would govern better."
Fan Shangjing folded his hands behind his back, looking quite satisfied.
"Frankly, I found his argunt rather convincing, so I decided to support him."
Zhu Changxun blinked several tis, processing this information in his own unique way.
Then he suddenly relaxed.
"Oh, so he is rebelling against the court, not against Dao Xuan Tianzun," he said, patting his chest in relief. "You nearly scared to death. If it is just the court, then let him rebel as he pleases. What does that have to do with ?"
He imdiately pushed the plate forward again.
"Co, try one. This Shrimp Ball is excellent."
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