The Child Emperor

It was Du Chuanyun’s arrival which solidified Han Ruzi’s resolve to return to the Capital immediately.

Du Chuanyun had long been ordered to go back to the Capital, but the roads were no longer as safe as before. He had been delayed and only reached the Capital after some time. Rushing back to Divine Hero Pass, he arrived a day later than the Left Chief Censor and brought no letter, only a message: “The lady says, once the border is stabilized, the Weary Marquis should return to the Capital as soon as possible.”

Because of this message, Han Ruzi could no longer stay put.

When Left Chief Censor Xiao Sheng invited the generals of the Northern Army, Han Ruzi changed into the armor of an ordinary soldier and left the city at dusk, accompanied only by Meng E and Du Chuanyun. Few within the city knew of this, and the soldiers guarding the gates did not suspect the trio, never imagining that the Northern Protection General was “hidden” among them.

While Chai Yue was engaging in polite conversation with Xiao Sheng, Han Ruzi and his companions had already reached the first waystation within the pass. Du Chuanyun presented an urgent document, had it stamped by the stationmaster, changed horses, and set off again, pausing for less than a quarter of an hour.

Han Ruzi and Meng E waited on the official road outside. Han Ruzi noticed obvious signs of damage to the waystation’s gate—a remnant of the bandit attacks from a few days earlier. The station had strengthened its defenses, increasing the number of soldiers from fewer than five to over twenty.

“If internal strife continues, it will drag Great Chu into ruin,” Han Ruzi said softly. Since negotiating peace with the Great Chanyu, he had felt uneasy, occasionally thinking he had made a grave mistake. Now, his unease was somewhat alleviated. Internal and external threats could not be resolved simultaneously. There were thousands of waystations within the Chu empire; even if only half of them increased their defenses, it would tie up a large number of Chu troops, weakening their ability to fight external enemies. Conversely, to thoroughly defeat the Xiongnu would require a significant increase in troops, leaving internal defenses empty.

Meng E glanced at him. “If others heard you speak like this, they might think you were the emperor traveling incognito.”

Han Ruzi smiled slightly. Even after abdicating, he maintained the mindset of an emperor, always feeling an inescapable responsibility for the realm.

Du Chuanyun and two station soldiers brought out the horses. The three mounted and continued their journey through the night. Not far along, Du Chuanyun asked, “Weary Marquis, can you manage this? Riding day and night would be exhausting even for a martial arts master.”

Du Chuanyun had just completed a long-distance mission and had rested for less than two hours at Divine Hero Pass. Though he looked energetic, he was worried the Weary Marquis might not endure.

“I’ll rest when I can’t go on,” Han Ruzi replied. He had slept a bit during the day, so staying up all night was manageable.

Early the next morning, while Xiao Sheng began rallying the generals at Divine Hero Pass, and Chai Yue and others quietly advanced their plans, Han Ruzi reached the second waystation.

The soldiers stationed there were even more numerous, about fifty, and appeared tense. The gate was tightly shut and only opened after knocking. Upon hearing that the three soldiers from Divine Hero Pass were only changing horses and not personnel, the stationmaster was delighted, as he had no extra manpower to spare. “If there’s any trouble from the nearby rebels, they’ll surely attack the waystation first. We’ve already been burned once, but luckily not completely…”

The stationmaster was a bit long-winded but quick in action. A quarter of an hour later, Han Ruzi and his companions set off again, having breakfast and lunch on horseback.

Before noon, they passed the first county town along the official road. Although it was winter, the streets seemed too deserted, with virtually no pedestrians. Most shops had their doors half-closed, uninterested in doing business. Even the government office’s gate was shut, leaving only a side door open, with a few runners peeking out anxiously at the three “post soldiers” riding by. In such times, the faster the post soldiers ran, the worse the news they carried.

While still in Shattered Iron City, the Chu soldiers had all wanted to return quickly to the safety within the pass, not expecting that the interior was no longer the peaceful world it once was.

Three days after leaving Divine Hero Pass, as Left Chief Censor Xiao Sheng stood dumbfounded outside the governmental office, Du Chuanyun also felt immense surprise. They stopped by the roadside for some dry rations, all appearing a bit listless, especially Du Chuanyun, who had not rested well and seemed dizzy. “Weary Marquis, don’t you need to rest?”

Han Ruzi was very tired but did not want to rest. He only wanted to keep moving, to join the contest that had already begun as soon as possible.

“The allure of the imperial throne is truly great,” Du Chuanyun could only conclude, not daring to admit his own fatigue.

On the fourth day, they had to stop. The stationmaster informed them that a group of rebels was attacking a military camp not far ahead. Their strength was also at its limit, so they slept for a night. The next morning, hearing the battle had ended, they immediately set off again.

The attackers were not bandits but genuine “rebels,” armed mostly with hoes and pickaxes, dressed in rags, and emaciated. Their combat strength was predictable. The two or three hundred soldiers in the camp had initially been too frightened to fight. After a few probes, they realized the enemy was weak and launched a massacre.

As Han Ruzi and his companions rode past, they saw the aftermath. The rebels had already scattered, leaving hundreds of corpses strewn across the road and hillside. The soldiers were excitedly inspecting bodies and collecting heads. A bearded officer waved a clean, smooth saber, shouting, “We’ve achieved merit! No survivors, only heads! Someone, take my saber and dip it in blood; from now on, it will be a treasured blade. Just dip it, don’t use it to chop, it’ll damage my saber.”

The three “post soldiers” were almost stopped by the overly excited troops. Du Chuanyun was furious, nearly drawing his sword, but Meng E stepped forward first, roughly identifying herself. The soldiers then let them pass. As they moved away, they could still hear the officer’s triumphant laughter.

“We shouldn’t have slept last night; we should have… should have…” Du Chuanyun didn’t know what they could have done. He turned to Han Ruzi, “You must become emperor and save the people. They are only starving; the soldiers who took their food killed them too.”

Han Ruzi nodded, saying nothing.

The journey continued relentlessly. Apart from changing horses, they rarely stopped. Even during snowfall, they only slightly slowed their pace. As they neared the Capital, signs of unrest decreased, and the towns they passed began to show some signs of life.

Finally, in a town called Baiqiao, they were about to enter the Capital’s outskirts but encountered an insurmountable obstacle. This obstacle was not a natural barrier, bandits, or rebels, but a contingent of Chu troops.

Baiqiao had a white stone arch bridge. Crossing the bridge meant entering the capital’s jurisdiction. On clear days, one could see the towering city walls from a high point. However, Baiqiao belonged to Huai Tomb County.

A detachment of Southern Army soldiers had occupied Baiqiao. The main street was heavily guarded with sentinels every ten steps and patrols every five. The bridgehead was fortified with multiple layers of fences, and hundreds of soldiers guarded it. Though they were lax about those leaving the Capital, they treated those entering as if facing a major enemy. Every traveler was personally inspected by at least ten officers.

Han Ruzi had traveled without rest. News of his departure from Divine Hero Pass likely hadn’t reached here, but the Southern Army was already prepared. He suspected this had something to do with Prince Donghai.

Han Ruzi dared not enter the town. The Southern Army was likely there specifically to intercept him, and some soldiers would surely recognize him. Meng E couldn’t go in either; her disguise and voice were flawless, but a body search would reveal the truth.

Du Chuanyun removed his armor, changed into ordinary clothes, and entered the town alone. He returned shortly, shaking his head. “No good. I saw several servants from the Cui household mingling with the soldiers at the bridgehead. They would recognize the Weary Marquis for sure.”

They stopped at a bend outside the town, surrounded by snow-covered woods. Moving forward or backward was both risky, and staying there was conspicuous. Han Ruzi decided to backtrack and find a place to rest, planning to cross the river at night.

He and Meng E removed their helmets and donned long robes over their armor, looking less like soldiers despite the odd attire.

Not far from the town was an abandoned temple. Han Ruzi and Meng E rested inside while Du Chuanyun scouted the woods for a way to cross the river.

The small temple was drafty on all sides. Han Ruzi sat on a toppled stone incense table, his back to a half-remaining deity statue, feeling nervous about returning to the Capital for the first time.

At Divine Hero Pass, he had his private army, Chai Yue as a follower, and a somewhat loyal group of soldiers. Even when facing high-ranking officials, he could easily prevail. Here, he was stopped by a detachment of Southern Army soldiers, unable to move an inch.

Meng E stood at the door, looking towards the official road, and asked without turning her head, “Do you regret it?”

“I don’t regret it. Divine Hero Pass may be safe, but it’s not a long-term solution. Chai Yue and others want to support me as emperor, but they haven’t considered one thing: if the court officials establish a new emperor or if the current emperor overcomes his difficulties and resumes court, will the Northern Army still support me? These are extraordinary times, and people’s minds are unsettled; anything is possible. Once the opportunity passes, even if the Martial Emperor were reborn, he wouldn’t gain much support. For the Northern Army’s support to help me, I must return to the Capital. And my success in the Capital will, in turn, strengthen their support.”

Meng E couldn’t think of that much. She was just keeping Han Ruzi company and could sense he needed to talk.

“But in the Capital, what will you rely on to seize the throne?”

“Well, the Champion Marquis returned first, supported by ministers. Prince Donghai has the Southern Army. What do I rely on? I trust Xiaojun. She has a reason for calling me back to the Capital and wouldn’t let me take unnecessary risks. Also, my mother, and… Yang Feng.”

Saying “Yang Feng,” Han Ruzi felt reluctant. In his list of trustworthy people, the eunuch had fallen far down the ranks. Except for recommending Fang Daye, Yang Feng hadn’t conveyed a single word for a long time, stating he would only support the most likely candidate for the throne.

“Most importantly, I trust the Empress Dowager.”

“The Empress Dowager?” Meng E turned to look at Han Ruzi, knowing the Empress Dowager and feeling even more surprised.

“She occasionally still goes to the Hall of Diligent Administration to listen to court affairs, which means she is still alive,” Han Ruzi paused. “When the Empress Dowager intervenes, how much of the Champion Marquis and Prince Donghai’s advantage will remain?”

Only when the powerful contend fiercely do the weak have a chance.

Han Ruzi worried about one thing: he might not even make it into the Capital.

Tonight, no matter what, they had to find a way to cross the river. Just as Han Ruzi was about to speak, Meng E whispered, “Someone’s coming.”

Han Ruzi got up and walked to the door, seeing a squad of cavalry approaching from the direction of Baiqiao.

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