Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Prince Dai Returning to the Capital is Not a Bad Thing Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping learned that the Emperor had summoned Prime Minister He, Grandmaster Liu, and General Song alone, and they speculated in their hearts that it must be about Prince Dai's conferment of pearls. At this time, in the Eastern Palace, Duke Zhen was speaking with the Crown Prince. While they were talking, the Chief Eunuch Lv Cong, who was close to the Crown Prince, walked in and respectfully reported to the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen: "Your Highness, Duke, Prime Minister He and the others have not yet come out of the Imperial Study." The Crown Prince exclaimed in surprise: "It's almost noon, why haven't they come out yet?" After the morning court session, the Emperor had called Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu and the others to the Imperial Study. It was almost noon, and the Emperor had not let them out. What could the Emperor and the three of them be discussing all morning? Duke Zhen asked: "Were you able to find out why the Emperor summoned Prime Minister He and the others?" Lv Cong bowed his waist and said with his head lowered: "Duke, the people in Chengguang Hall are very tight-lipped, we can't find out any news at all." Duke Zhen was also aware that it was very difficult to get information about the Emperor from the people in Chengguang Hall. "Were there any sounds of dispute in the Imperial Study?" Lv Cong replied: "No, from what the people in Chengguang Hall say, the Emperor and the three of them were chatting happily, with laughter constantly coming from the Imperial Study." The Crown Prince was stunned: "Laughter constantly?" "It seems the Emperor is in a good mood." Duke Zhen looked at Lv Cong and instructed, "Go and probe again." "Yes, Duke." Lv Cong respectfully withdrew. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂 "Grandfather, could it be that Father meeting Prime Minister He and the others wasn't for the conferment of pearls on Prince Dai?" Duke Zhen stroked his beard and said, "The matter of Prince Dai's conferment of pearls has been a point of contention for days now, and with Prince Dai soon to return to court, there needs to be a conclusion to this. The Emperor's summons today was definitely about Prince Dai's conferment of pearls." The Crown Prince asked again, "Do you think Prime Minister He and the others will agree to confer pearls on Prince Dai?" "Prime Minister He, Grandmaster Liu, and General Song, I don't think they will agree to confer pearls on Prince Dai," Duke Zhen said with a smile, "In the past few days, Marquis Xuanping has been sending people to visit Prime Minister He and the others, hoping to get their agreement on Prince Dai's conferment of pearls, but Prime Minister He and the others have kept their doors tightly shut, seeing no one." "Prime Minister He and the others have always stayed out of the struggle between me and Prince Dai." The Crown Prince had always tried to win over Prime Minister He and the others. If only they supported him, he wouldn't have to worry about Prince Dai. Unfortunately, he had not succeeded. Duke Zhen said, "Prime Minister He and the others don't involve themselves in the struggle between you and Prince Dai, but secretly they do support you." "Support me?" The Crown Prince exclaimed in surprise, "When did Prime Minister He and the others ever support me?" In the court, Prime Minister He and the others never showed any signs of supporting him, nor did they express any inclination towards him. "You are the Crown Prince, the nation's heir. Prime Minister He and the others would not support the conferment on Prince Dai." In recent days, there have been heated arguments in court over whether or not to confer pearls on Prince Dai. The faction supporting Prince Dai presented an unstoppable momentum, leaving many of the Crown Prince's supporters anxious and uneasy, but Duke Zhen remained very calm throughout, because he knew that even if the Emperor agreed to confer pearls on Prince Dai, Prime Minister He and the others would never agree. "Prime Minister He and the others understand the harm that would come to the court if Prince Dai were conferred pearls. While Prince Dai has indeed rendered significant military service on the battlefield over the years, no amount of military merit can allow him to surpass you. Not only are you the Emperor's eldest son, but you are also the legitimate son, while Prince Dai is a concubine's son." "Back then, it was Prime Minister He and the others who recommended the Emperor to appoint you as the Crown Prince; in a way, you were chosen by them as the Crown Prince. As long as you don't commit a grave sin, Prime Minister He and the others will never agree to Prince Dai replacing you." Upon hearing Duke Zhen's words, the Crown Prince felt a lot more at ease. "That's why you told me to do nothing." Duke Zhen nodded slightly: "Yes, at this time doing nothing is the best course of action." "But, Grandfather, Father has always favored and heavily relied on Prince Dai, and his great victory in Liangzhou this time is more significant than any previous achievement. Father cannot possibly reward him with nothing. He's already received all the rewards he deserves over the years, even the size of his fiefdom grows year by year, and there's nothing left for Father to reward him with except for the conferment of pearls." For the past few years, Liangzhou had been restless, with rebels from the previous dynasty continually harassing Liangzhou. Before Prince Dai went there, other generals had gone to suppress the unrest and had achieved victories, driving the rebels from Liangzhou. However, peace lasted only a few days before the rebels returned in force. Liangzhou's unique geography, with its treacherous and winding terrain, numerous mountains, and forests, allowed the rebels to flee into the mountains after each defeat. It was truly challenging to completely eliminate them; they could only be beaten when they emerged. Over the years, the rebels in Liangzhou had been playing a cat-and-mouse game with the imperial troops, frustrating the court greatly, but unable to completely eradicate them. The rebels had long been hiding and not developed much strength. However, unexpectedly, last year, their forces suddenly expanded considerably, swelling to two or three hundred thousand troops. Initially, in the eyes of the court, the rebels in Liangzhou were nothing more than a band of rogues. Although they were detestable, they weren't sufficient to become a significant threat to the court. But when the rebels in Liangzhou grew into an army of two to three hundred thousand strong, they became a substantial threat to the court. Neither the Emperor nor the ministers would allow the rebels in Liangzhou to grow any stronger, nor would they allow them to take control of Liangzhou. Liangzhou is located right next to Yong State, which means it's on the doorstep of the capital. If Liangzhou were to fall under rebel control, it would be like having a knife at the capital's throat. More importantly, Liangzhou is rich in resources, whether it's food, minerals, or horses, all are plentiful there. Losing Liangzhou would be a devastating blow to the court, so the Emperor sent Prince Dai to suppress the rebellion in Liangzhou. Before Prince Dai departed, the Emperor gave him strict orders to thoroughly eradicate the rebels in Liangzhou. Prince Dai did not disappoint the Emperor. As soon as he arrived in Liangzhou, he first gave the rebels a powerful shock. In the ensuing months, Prince Dai clashed repeatedly with the rebels, defeating them repeatedly and preventing them from regrouping. The rebels did not expect that although Prince Dai was young, his combat abilities were extremely formidable, outmatching previous generals sent to suppress unrest in Liangzhou. They were completely no match for Prince Dai. This great victory in Liangzhou was a complete and decisive victory, uprooting the rebels who had long been hiding in Liangzhou, not leaving a single one behind. Prince Dai's complete resolution of the rebel problem in Liangzhou removed this significant threat to the court, making his achievements significant. "Prince Dai's accumulating achievements are substantial, and his arrogance is growing, almost overshadowing you. If pearls are conferred upon him, it will only make Prince Dai more arrogant and pleased with himself, which would ultimately lead to problems in the court and disrupt peace across the land—something Prime Minister He and the others don't want to see," Duke Zhen said with certainty. "Prime Minister He and the others will never agree to confer pearls on Prince Dai." "I'm just worried about Father..." The Crown Prince smiled bitterly, recalling the favoritism and trust the Emperor had shown Prince Dai over the years. "Grandfather, you know that whatever Prince Dai has wanted in recent years, Father has given him. Father has always said that Prince Dai resembles him the most, and it's feared that in Father's heart, he might already wish to replace me with Prince Dai." "Even if the Emperor thinks so, he wouldn't dare to act on it," Duke Zhen reassured the Crown Prince. "You are the Crown Prince appointed personally by the Emperor. As long as you don't commit a crime of high treason, the Emperor wouldn't dare to depose you. Besides, Prime Minister He and the others wouldn't agree. You shouldn't worry about the pearl conferment on Prince Dai." "Grandfather, once Prince Dai returns to the capital, our situation will become dangerous." The Crown Prince squinted slightly, a cold intent flashing in his eyes. Duke Zhen understood the Crown Prince's implication. He waved his hand disapprovingly. "Prince Dai has accomplished great things this time, and he absolutely cannot come to any harm on his way back to the capital. If anything happens to him, you'd be the first suspect, and your reputation would be ruined." "I... really don't want Prince Dai to return to the capital." Once Prince Dai returns to the capital, his position as Crown Prince will become awkward. "Prince Dai's return to the capital is not necessarily a bad thing," Duke Zhen said meaningfully. "Let him suppress you, let him be arrogant." The Crown Prince was taken aback by these words and asked in surprise, "Let Prince Dai suppress me? Grandfather, haven't I been suppressed enough by Prince Dai over the years?" "Strategic retreat can yield unexpected outcomes..." Duke Zhen said quietly to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was initially dumbstruck as he listened. As soon as he comprehended, he revealed an expression of sudden understanding, then joyfully said, "Grandfather, your strategy is indeed brilliant." "Let's just wait for Prince Dai to return to the capital."