Chapter 42: Empathy

Lu Song had practiced martial arts since childhood and possessed a robust build with high-bulging temples, immediately giving the impression of someone with formidable skills. His eyes were filled with vigilance; had Zhu Hao not mentioned his son, he would never have taken the risk of visiting him in person.

Everyone in the Prince Xing's Estate knew that Zhu Hao hailed from the Brocade Guard family surnamed Zhu. Prince's Estate Historian Yuan Zonggao had issued strict orders to guard against Zhu Hao. If someone found out about a nocturnal visit like this, how could it fail to arouse suspicion from outsiders?

"Guard Commander Lu, to be frank, I have been in Prince Xing's Estate for five days now, yet in these five days, I haven't even been able to step foot into the inner courtyard. I'm watched like a common thief, trapped here every day just like being in prison... Can Guard Commander Lu understand how I feel?"

Zhu Hao's tone of voice bore no resemblance whatsoever to that of a seven-year-old child.

Lu Song remained silent.

Why should anyone else care to understand your feelings?

"Guard Commander Lu's recent situation should be quite similar to mine."

The words Zhu Hao uttered next caused alarm bells to ring wildly in Lu Song's heart.

Lu Song frowned and said, "Young Master Zhu, I heard you come from the Brocade Guard Zhu family. What is your purpose in coming to the Prince's Estate?"

Was this an attempt to force Zhu Hao into confessing his "crimes"?

Of course, Zhu Hao could not grant Lu Song his wish. There were some matters he could not yet be certain of. Even if Lu Song truly had dealings with Commander Lin, what if Prince Zhu Youyuan already knew and had actually instructed Lu Song to act as a double agent?

"Guard Commander Lu, today I met a person surnamed Lin. He asked me many questions, and as soon as it was over, he hurried out. Do you know about this?"

Zhu Hao maintained complete control over the rhythm of the conversation.

Upon hearing this, Lu Song's expression changed drastically. The look he directed at Zhu Hao flickered with uncertainty... Instead of using his status as an adult to trap Zhu Hao, he had fallen headfirst into a trap himself.

Zhu Hao continued, "To be ashamed, I wasn't clear about it at first, but it turns out he didn't even know that I, Young Master Jing, and your esteemed son were chosen as study companions for the Prince's Estate. Through my explanation, he will certainly connect some dots and send someone to verify the facts. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and did not reveal anything further."

Lu Song's hand had already rested upon the hilt of his saber, his gaze turning ferocious and murderous at the slightest disagreement.

A brief glance from Zhu Hao was enough to assess his current predicament; he had to stabilize the situation before Lu Song was driven to desperate measures.

"Guard Commander Lu, please set your mind at ease. Your identity within the Prince's Estate is currently unknown even to the Zhu family. Besides, we share the same objective, so there is no reason for me to betray you... I haven't mentioned my suspicions to my family, but I have recorded the relevant circumstances, primarily to protect myself in case of an accident within the Prince's Estate. When that time comes, my family will naturally find what I have written..."

Hearing this, Lu Song stared fixedly at Zhu Hao, clearly disbelieving that such maneuvering could be possessed by a child.

Zhu Hao remarked, "Last night, the scoundrels plotted in secret to harm me, and today Guard Commander Lu acted righteously to teach them a lesson. Therefore, I believe Guard Commander Lu still wishes to complete his mission and escape this bitter sea sooner rather than later, am I right?"

This was merely a probing statement from Zhu Hao, yet Lu Song openly admitted it: "It was I who exposed their dishonest hands. I didn't expect to catch solid evidence when searching, so you could say it was a coincidence."

In this manner, both parties had effectively laid all their cards on the table.

Lu Song truly was a spy planted by the Brocade Guard inside Prince Xing's Estate.

At present, Lu Song's predicament was far more dangerous than Zhu Hao's. He had to work for the imperial court while fearing that the court would expose his identity. Most importantly, having already gained the trust of Prince Xing's Estate, he longed to break free from the control of the Brocade Guard...

Understanding Lu Song's conflicted psychology allowed Zhu Hao to navigate his advances and retreats with even greater composure.

"Guard Commander Lu, why don't we sit down and talk in detail? There are some meat pies here; shall we enjoy them together?"

...
...

The elder and the younger sat down facing each other.

Mutual caution remained between them. Lu Song might have previously harbored murderous intentions, but Zhu Hao deduced that this man was well-read in poetry and literature without ever having set foot on a battlefield; an abundance of book-learning often bred a scholar's pedantry and cowardice.

Perhaps after his father's death, Lu Song had never intended to work for the Brocade Guard again. Unfortunately, having been tracked down by his superiors after years of hiding, he had no choice but to prevaricate and play along.

"Guard Commander Lu, for now, it seems the imperial court has no intention of making things difficult for Prince Xing's Estate. As long as we can smuggle intelligence out on schedule—especially concerning matters regarding the young prince—the court will not trouble us."

Zhu Hao initiated the conversation to demonstrate his sincerity. "However, for me, the current situation remains somewhat perilous."

Lu Song picked up a meat pie, just about to shove it into his mouth, but lowered it upon hearing these words. "This is a place of right and wrong. Since you come from the Brocade Guard Zhu family, Prince Xing's Estate has long been on guard against you. You had better leave."

This was tantamount to telling Zhu Hao to stop struggling; his background had been thoroughly investigated by the others. He was different from Lu Song—Lu Song could conceal his identity, but if Zhu Hao stayed, would he merely be awaiting a tragic execution?

Zhu Hao replied, "And yet... I am unwilling! Once I leave Prince Xing's Estate, I will be confined by my family. In the future, I will have no opportunity to study books, let alone practice martial arts... Entering Prince Xing's Estate is my final way out."

"Huh!?"

Lu Song looked at Zhu Hao with an incredulous gaze.

Is the internal strife within your Zhu family really this severe?

Could this brat be trying to trick me?

"Actually, before entering the Prince's Estate, I had already interacted with the young prince and the young princess. We could be considered kindred spirits." Zhu Hao dropped yet another unbelievable piece of news upon Lu Song.

Lu Song sprang to his feet, crying out involuntarily, "This... how is that possible?"

Zhu Hao explained, "They referred to themselves as Zhu San and Zhu Si. The older one is presumably the young prince's elder sister, around eight or nine years old. I met her when I sold rabbits to her... As for Zhu Si, he is of an age similar to mine and should be the young prince himself... Am I correct?"

"Ah?"

Lu Song was dumbfounded.

His shock was proof enough that he had long known the true state of affairs within the Prince's Estate. Zhu Hao estimated that Lu Song had never even reported such vital intelligence to Commander Lin.

"Rest assured, Guard Commander Lu, I have merely kept records of these matters and have not reported them upward... If you inquire later, you will find out. My mother has been bullied by my grandmother, and my family keeps a tight grip on us at all times. Entering the Prince's Estate is largely my attempt to win an opportunity to stand out and get ahead. Serving the Zhu family or working for the imperial court pales in comparison to plotting for one's own future."

Zhu Hao laid his heart bare: "The current Emperor has no sons... Guard Commander Lu, you have been in the Prince's Estate for many years, and your wife is the young prince's wet nurse. You have always avoided dealings with people from the imperial court, presumably out of consideration for your personal and familial future... Can you understand what I am saying?"

Just moments earlier, Lu Song had been debating whether to kill this youngster who had learned too many secrets, thereby preventing the affairs of the Prince's Estate and his own secrets from reaching Commander Lin or the Zhu family.

Only after listening to Zhu Hao did he realize that Zhu Hao was truly no ordinary person, possessing an intimate understanding of the situation inside the Prince's Estate. For a moment, it felt almost surreal.

"What wet nurse are you talking about? Young Master Zhu, some things cannot be spoken of carelessly."

Lu Song furrowed his brow, the look he cast at Zhu Hao carrying a faint hint of threat.

Zhu Hao smiled and said, "Then consider it unsaid. But I still believe that staying in the Prince's Estate is far better than returning to the Zhu family... Just as Guard Commander Lu thinks, scheming for the future here is surely much better than returning to the Brocade Guard to become an obscure nobody living under someone else's thumb, isn't it?"

Zhu Hao's words struck squarely at Lu Song's soft underbelly.

The Brocade Guard represented the imperial court.

Yet even if one served them wholeheartedly and performed great deeds, the absolute limit for Lu Song would be inheriting his father's post as a superior titular officer, perhaps eventually aiming for a company commander position. Becoming a deputy battalion commander would already be exceedingly difficult, let alone a thousand-household commander of the Brocade Guard.

Conversely, staying in Prince Xing's Estate offered a strong likelihood of securing founding merits for a new regime in the future. His wife was the young prince's wet nurse, his son had now become a study companion to the heir apparent, and he himself served as a guard commander in the estate...

"Our minds are aligned; both of us are staying in Prince Xing's Estate. Therefore, when it comes to matters harmful to the estate, we must keep secrets whenever possible rather than reporting them outside... You feel the same way, don't you?" Zhu Hao asked with an eager expression.

Lu Song hesitated for a long time before finally nodding, exposing his true inner thoughts before a child.

Having his current predicament accurately articulated by a child and even eliciting emotional resonance, he found himself able to trust Zhu Hao's words.

"Guard Commander Lu, since our objectives are the same, we shouldn't guard against each other. In the future, we can help one another: you assist me in becoming a study companion to the young prince, and I will help you conceal the identity records of you and your family. If the young prince achieves... great things in the future, we might soar to high positions. That is surely better than working for the Brocade Guard, isn't it?"

At this point, Zhu Hao carefully observed Lu Song and noticed that the guarded look on the man's face had diminished considerably.

This was how Zhu Hao mastered Lu Song's psychology, knowing what the other party anticipated most. Coupled with the fact that Zhu Hao shared the exact same mindset, mutual sympathy naturally arose.

Lu Song asked, "Young Master Zhu, could it be that... someone of great wisdom has been guiding you?"

"Mm."

Zhu Hao could only nod and admit it.

No one would ever suspect that a mere child could conceive of so much on his own.

"Guard Commander Lu can find out by simply asking: after my father died in battle, the family constantly sought to reclaim the property he left behind. Even my entry into Prince Xing's Estate was arranged by the family; they intentionally pushed me into a fire pit... The wise mentor behind me said that only by relying on Prince Xing's Estate can I shake off the family's control and make something of myself in the future... I am not deceiving you."

"I believe you."

Lu Song's attitude finally softened. "How would you like me to help you?"

These words fully demonstrated that Lu Song was not entirely ignorant of the Zhu family's background.

Knowing full well that the Zhu family shared the same objective as Commander Lin—his own handler—how could he not have investigated the Zhu family's background?

Zhu Hao was delighted. Holding a clandestine meeting alone with Lu Song had been fraught with danger, but the progress and rewards thus far appeared quite favorable. He promptly stated, "I hope Guard Commander Lu can help me gain a foothold in Prince Xing's Estate and protect my safety."

"Mm," Lu Song nodded.

Zhu Hao continued, "Furthermore, I wish to use your esteemed son's mouth to convey a message to the young prince and the princess, letting them know my true situation here."

Lu Song reached out a hand to interrupt Zhu Hao: "Right, you haven't explained yet—how did you come to know... Zhu San and Zhu Si?"

"We caught rabbits together... There is a secret passage inside the estate allowing people to sneak out, and I ran into the two of them at the bird and flower market. Later on, we became very good friends... Come to think of it, I was the one who prompted the two of them to suggest to Prince Xing that study companions be selected..."

Originally, Lu Song had harbored doubts about Zhu Hao's words.

Yet now that this little fellow even knew about Zhu San and Zhu Si raising rabbits, coupled with the verifiable fact that it was indeed Zhu San and Zhu Si who had proposed recruiting study companions to Prince Zhu Youyuan, all the circumstances aligned perfectly, leaving him with no choice but to believe.