Chapter Five: The Caged Bird

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Memories of Prince Huai Zhu Zigui surged within Ren Ye’s mind, but they lacked vivid images or everyday details; rather, they resembled the inner monologue of a participant recalling past events.

Before the bronze mirror, Ren Ye slowly regained his composure, muttering uneasily, “I am Prince Huai… The eldest uncle mentioned in the memories must be the emperor, and my father was the previous prince? And this emperor has been secretly searching for someone with a heavenly pardon and destined fate?”

At this thought, Ren Ye shuddered slightly. What does this dog emperor want with me?

Moreover, the original owner, Zhu Zigui, was utterly useless. From the “self-narrated memories,” he wasn’t even a proper wastrel—he only knew how to chase women and nothing else. Currently, he was under house arrest by the court.

As Ren Ye pondered, a cold voice echoed again in his ears.

[Initiate Mysterious Inheritance Quest—Act One: “The Spy”]

[Story Introduction: The power struggle for the throne of the Great Qian Dynasty has ended. The prodigal son Zhu Zigui has inherited the title of Prince Huai but is currently confined within the prince’s mansion by the court. The emperor, cautious and suspicious by nature, has not killed you for reasons unknown. Instead, he has sent ten spies to secretly infiltrate the Prince Huai’s residence to gather intelligence.]

[Ten Spies: Played by ten different players, currently divided between the Court faction and the Fence-sitter faction.]

[Your Identity Card: Prince Huai, belonging solely to the Prince Huai faction.]

[Identity Card Trait “Royal Edict”: You may defect two players at will to join your Prince Huai faction, but this requires personal charisma, and the defected players must swear allegiance.]

[Token Item—Imperial Brush: A relic left by the founding emperor of Great Qian. On his deathbed, the old emperor gifted it to you. The brush is inscribed with: “With this brush I compose immortal works; I ascend the stage to paint the rivers and mountains.” Currently, the brush is dusty and holds no supernatural power. It is said the old emperor once wrote a secret edict with it, which your father kept in the mansion.]

[Special Item—National Sword: The national treasure of the Great Qian Dynasty, long entrusted to your father. After your father’s death, the sword wailed mournfully for three days before its brilliance faded, now no different from an ordinary weapon, lacking any supernatural power. Legend has it that the National Sword only recognizes those destined for special fate.]

[Current Task One: Survive 72 hours.]

[Current Task Two: Find a way to restore the supernatural power of the Imperial Brush, possibly by locating the secret edict left by the old emperor.]

[Current Task Three: The emperor has long sought one with heavenly pardon and destined fate; you must protect your identity to avoid annihilation. Furthermore, for every spy’s true identity you uncover, you will receive a huge reward.]

[Special Rule: During this act, players may kill each other and seize others’ tokens.]

[Special Warning: The current emperor is naturally suspicious and ruthless. If he detects any “strange occurrences” within the Prince Huai’s mansion, all present may die! All will die! All will die!]

[Countdown to Departure: 71:57:32]

[Blessing of the Star Scar Gate: Historically, the princes who had their powers curtailed have met tragic ends. Hopefully, you will be the exception…]

The cold voice gradually faded, and Ren Ye’s dazed eyes regained clarity, a strange excitement stirring within him.

So this is the Star Gate mission Huang Wei mentioned—isn’t it just beginning now?

After calming his thoughts, Ren Ye strolled slowly through the private chambers, beginning to contemplate the details.

It was clear this was a role-playing inheritance quest. Aside from himself, there were ten other players, and the gameplay would be factional confrontation.

Alas, it was a pity that the second-generation Prince Huai he portrayed was such a useless figure—no ability, no allies, no brains.

Most importantly, he commanded a faction all on his own. Judging from the current situation, he might face ten opponents at once right from the start.

Difficult!

Too difficult!

Ren Ye’s heart filled with anxiety.

According to the second task’s hint, the priority was to find a way to restore the Imperial Brush’s supernatural power, thereby strengthening his hand. Clues suggested this was related to the secret edict left by the old emperor.

The third task—identifying the spies hidden within the mansion—was lower priority. With so few cards in hand, he had to lie low and avoid exposing himself.

After pacing several circuits, Ren Ye’s thoughts gradually cleared. He clasped his hands behind his back and surveyed the interior of the chambers, trying to familiarize himself with the surroundings.

“Tap, tap!”

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached.

Ren Ye turned toward the sound and saw a maid with a panicked expression rush to the door, trembling as she knelt and called out, “Trouble, Your Highness!”

He looked at the maid, memories automatically surfacing in his mind.

Huh, I’ve slept with this woman before…

The maid, Lian’er, on a dark and stormy night, was shamefully dragged to bed by Zhu Zigui after he had drunk some cat’s urine wine.

Hmm? Why aren’t there any detailed scenes of us sleeping together?

I want to see the details, the details!

Ren Ye adjusted his mood slightly and deliberately put on an air of authority. “What is the matter?”

“The officials from Qingliang Prefecture, the Chief of the Changshi Department, the Qingzhou Guard, the Spy Corps, the Imperial Household Department, and others have all gathered at the Cunning Heart Hall, requesting Your Highness to adjudicate a case,” the maid bowed as she knelt. “The princess has already gone to Cunning Heart Hall and sent me to invite Your Highness to join her.”

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“What case? What are we adjudicating?” Ren Ye looked bewildered.

“These officials claim that the commander of the Imperial Guard, Wang Jingzhong, is plotting rebellion. He has been caught red-handed and in possession of evidence. They request Your Highness to preside over the judgment,” the maid replied.

Ren Ye was momentarily stunned, then instantly recalled the events of last night.

The Imperial Guard’s commander, Wang Jingzhong, was a trusted general who had accompanied the late king on many campaigns. He was one of the few “loyal ministers” still near Zhu Zigui.

Last night, the two of them drank together. Zhu Zigui wept bitterly, pleading with Wang Jingzhong to secretly try to defect the commander of the Spy Corps, to quietly gather strength for a rainy day, to ensure self-preservation. Wang Jingzhong had readily agreed.

He’s been arrested?

It must mean Wang Jingzhong’s attempt at defection failed and the officials turned on him. After all, the Prince Huai’s mansion was now filled with the emperor’s lackeys.

Could Wang Jingzhong have betrayed me as well? Ren Ye felt an inexplicable unease.

“How many officials have arrived at Cunning Heart Hall?” Ren Ye asked.

“More than forty.”

“...!” Ren Ye was speechless at the number.

This was clearly the breaking point for the faction of court lackeys—a forced palace coup driven by outrage. There was no way he could avoid it.

Suppressing his thoughts, Ren Ye helplessly ordered, “Go to Cunning Heart Hall.”

…

Leaving the chambers, Ren Ye strode briskly. Along the wide corridor, maids bowed their heads and knelt to greet him.

“Greetings, Your Highness!”

“...!”

Their shouts echoed, and Ren Ye glanced to either side, his heart suddenly shaking.

Huh, I’ve slept with this woman.

Hmm, and this one too?

Damn! I’ve slept with this one as well?!

“...!”

Ren Ye cast a rough glance around and realized that all these young and beautiful maids had had passionate, pure connections with him.

He thought to himself, impressive.

So this young Prince Huai was basically an assassin, never doing any serious business, just randomly poking around everywhere.

Every maid along this corridor was involved—none were innocent. Even one older “honey peach” over thirty-five years old hadn’t been spared...

The original owner was not just a simple useless man, but a useless man with a certain talent.

The emperor had his knife at his throat, yet he was so indiscriminate in his lust—such a bold heart.

…

After about fifteen minutes, amid a crowd of eunuchs and servants, Ren Ye arrived by carriage at the Cunning Heart Hall of the Prince Huai’s mansion.

This was the place where the prince handled official affairs—blue tiles and red walls, majestic and imposing. On the left side of the main entrance stood a thirty-meter-long Nine-Dragon Wall. In front of it was a reflecting pool with rippling waters, where nine dragons’ reflections seemed alive.

In Great Qian, a prince’s domain was like a country within a country. Simply put, the prince was the sovereign here, enjoying treatment akin to the second emperor. But Zhu Zigui was an exception—he had long been stripped of power, and any high official beneath him lived better than he did.

After alighting, Ren Ye entered through a side door and lifted his gaze to see over forty officials standing with their backs to the main entrance, heads bowed.

At their center knelt a stout man over fifty, his hair streaked with gray, bound tightly and covered in injuries.

This man was none other than Wang Jingzhong, commander of the Imperial Guard.

“Prince Huai has entered,” a young eunuch standing at the side door announced loudly.

“Greetings, Your Highness, Prince Huai,” the officials chorused.

Ren Ye feigned calmness, expressionless as he swept his eyes over the assembly. He was about to approach the throne when he noticed a stunningly beautiful woman seated to the side.

She appeared about twenty years old, with delicate and refined features like a lotus blooming unstained by mud. Her bright, clear eyes, though, betrayed a noble aloofness, and her slender figure was alluring.

Yet strangely, she wore no luxurious or solemn attire—only a loose, simple Daoist robe. Her jet-black hair was pinned with a wooden hairpin, enhancing an inner coldness and detachment.

She was the Princess Consort of Prince Huai, Xu Qingzhao.

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Huh, I haven’t slept with this woman?

This Zhu Zigui really was useless—he hadn’t even tamed his own consort, yet he spared no maid over thirty.

From the memories, the Princess Consort was the legitimate daughter of the current Prime Minister. Their marriage was purely political, devoid of affection. Especially after the prince was placed under house arrest, their relationship had cooled to near zero.

Moreover, Xu Qingzhao, though in the prime of youth and beauty, was devoted to Daoist cultivation and never involved herself in court politics. Within this high-walled compound, she was more of an outsider.

Ren Ye paused momentarily before ascending the dais and sitting in the main seat.

The princess consort sat nearby, her face cold and elegant, eyes indifferent, not even acknowledging her husband.

In truth, she had lived at her natal home for over half a year and returned from the capital three days ago. Since entering the mansion, she had not met Prince Huai.

In the solemn Cunning Heart Hall, Ren Ye’s eyes scanned the officials, deliberately frowning and remaining silent.

As someone from the bureaucratic system, although the ancient court differed from the modern one in some ways, the essence was the same: when confused, do not speak first—wait for others to act.

Sure enough, after a brief silence, an official stepped forward.

He bowed and said, “Your Highness, Commander Wang Jingzhong of the Imperial Guard attempted last night to defect the Spy Corps’ commander Wu Asi. There is ample evidence and witnesses. We respectfully request Your Highness to immediately apply severe punishment, interrogate him harshly to uncover his accomplices and thoroughly eliminate the threat within Qingliang Prefecture.”

Ren Ye glanced at the speaker—Ji Shan of the Changshi Department—responsible for remonstrance and recording every word and deed of the prince.

Since the founding of Great Qian, each prince’s mansion had a Changshi Department, acting as the emperor’s eyes and ears, likely reporting even the prince’s nightly habits.

Dressed in a crimson robe, Ren Ye sat upright and mimicked ancient phrasing: “Liu Ji Shan, Wang Jingzhong is commander of the Imperial Guard, a man of high rank and many merits, having fought alongside my late father in campaigns since he was eighteen. What motive could he have for rebellion?”

“Qingliang Prefecture borders the southern frontier. Wang Jingzhong’s intent to rebel naturally implies collusion with southern border states. Had this not been discovered early, Your Highness’s safety would be at risk.” Liu Ji Shan bowed deeply, his gaze sharp and lips curling in a sinister smile. “We urge Your Highness to apply severe punishment at once!”

“Your Highness, last night Wang Jingzhong met with me under the pretense of drinking. After several tests, he promised great rewards and proposed secretly colluding to seize control of Your Highness’s former quarters. This is clearly treason. We request harsh interrogation!” The Spy Corps commander stepped forward. “My maid and the guards can both testify.”

Hearing this, Ren Ye’s heart sank. He had hoped to protect Wang Jingzhong. Being a puppet prince starting out, he had few trustworthy allies. Keeping Wang Jingzhong alive would be useful later.

But now it seemed not only was Wang Jingzhong doomed, Ren Ye himself might be next.

Note that Liu Ji Shan and the Spy Corps commander both urged severe punishment and investigation, but not execution.

What did that mean? Clearly, they wanted Wang Jingzhong to publicly betray Ren Ye in the hall.

If that happened, it would no longer be about losing face; it would be about whether Ren Ye could survive.

After a moment’s thought, Ren Ye’s face broke into a smile as he looked toward a middle-aged man in the hall.

The man was tall, with graying temples, dressed in a black python robe, and had remained silent.

He was the Chief of the Changshi Department, Li Yan, in charge of the mansion’s affairs and the emperor’s top spy on Ren Ye.

The frenzy of Liu Ji Shan and others today was undoubtedly instigated by him.

“Chief Li, I have important matters to discuss with you. Shall we confer privately in the side chamber?” Ren Ye attempted direct communication with the emperor’s lackey.

Li Yan lowered his head without even lifting his eyelids. “No matters of rebellion exist. Please punish Wang Jingzhong.”

Communication failed.

Ren Ye gritted his teeth and scanned the officials again. His gaze finally rested on the princess consort’s exquisite profile. “Does anyone dissent?”

The princess consort silently accepted a tea cup from the maid, her face lazy and indifferent, ignoring Ren Ye’s look.

The hall was silent; one could hear a pin drop. No one stood to speak in Ren Ye’s defense.

Liu Ji Shan looked at Ren Ye with a sinister glare and stepped forward, shouting again, “Your Highness, please apply severe punishment and investigate Wang Jingzhong’s accomplices!”

“Tap, tap...!”

At those words, over forty officials stepped forward together, shouting in unison, “Your Highness, please apply severe punishment and investigate Wang Jingzhong’s conspirators!”

Ren Ye watched the aggressive officials approach, despair nearly overwhelming him.

You, Zhu Zigui, are not only a caged bird under house arrest but utterly foolish!

With such incompetence, could you please stop making things worse? The only loyal minister with military power—you sent him to defect others? And he got reported!

Are you an idiot?!

You’ve created such an unmanageable mess—what do you expect me to do? I ask you, what am I supposed to do?!

At that moment, the princess consort sipped her tea, her star-bright eyes calmly gazing at the bound Wang Jingzhong kneeling on the ground.