Jiapingguan Chronicle

"What's so strange about that? That's always been his style of speaking." Chu Han glanced at Shen Cha. "You've met him before, what did you think of him?"

“I feel…” Shen Cha thought for a moment, “Actually, we’ve all met him, but we haven’t had much interaction and don’t know him very well. But last time I went to Linhuang Prefecture, I met him at the palace at His Majesty’s request, and it felt quite strange.”

"Strange?" Xiao Fengqi raised an eyebrow. "What's strange about it? I've never heard you say that before!"

“It’s just my own feeling, he seems different from before.” Shen Cha spread her hands. “He’s very thin, and he was barely holding on when he saw us, as if he could lose his breath at any moment. But even like that, he still speaks gently. Although he sounds weak, you can tell that his words are not aggressive at all.”

"What about before?"

“Hmm,” Shen Cha looked at Chu Han, “I just feel that everything he says has a hidden meaning, but no matter what, he has never said a harsh word. Even when facing me, with whom he has clashed countless times on the battlefield, he is very polite, as if I were really his junior.”

“That’s true, and he is indeed a junior.” Chu Han smiled. “However, there’s one thing I agree with: he never speaks harshly, not even when he’s furious.” He sighed and said, “When he found out there was a mole in Linhuang Prefecture, he was really angry. His face turned red, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. But even so, after calming himself down, he discussed with us going back to investigate the mole, without saying anything else.”

“The most terrifying people are those who never lose their temper, but when they do, they are the ones who truly provoke it,” Jin Miaomiao sighed, “and similarly,” “people who seem gentle but are actually quite clumsy are, to a large extent, not to be trifled with.” She spread her hands towards everyone, “and later events proved that right, didn’t they?”

“That’s true.” Xiao Fengqi nodded. “What you said is basically the same as what my great-aunt said. She said that the Regent is definitely not as simple and honest as he seems. He’s a very cunning person, and we must be careful. I was skeptical of this, thinking it couldn’t be that absolute, but…” He pursed his lips helplessly, “reality slapped me in the face.”

“This kind of person is particularly terrifying because he is deceptive,” Jin Miaomiao said, cupping her face in her hands. “People will be slowly led astray by him, fall into his trap, and then be completely controlled by him.”

“Yes!” Chu Han nodded. “Isn’t this just like a seemingly weak little white rabbit that is actually a big gray wolf with sharp teeth?”

“Grand Uncle is right.” Shen Cha looked at Chu Han, then at Xiao Fengqi. “Those two little princes probably didn’t take the Regent seriously from the beginning, which is why they brazenly led their private troops to besiege the Prince’s mansion. If they had any fear of him, they wouldn’t have done something so stupid. People like the Regent are not to be trusted; you have to stay far away from them.”

"So, those two little princes, along with the Rong family, were all fooled?"

"After the two of them, accompanied by their private soldiers, completely surrounded the Regent's Palace, they personally went up and pounded on the door, yelling inside, demanding things like, 'Hand over Young Master Lan! Stop pretending to be dead in there!'" Xiao Fengqi shrugged. "They've been pampered for too many years, used to everyone, young and old, bowing and scraping before them." He paused, blinking. "Oh, that word might not be entirely accurate, but that's the gist of it." "I understand," Shen Cha nodded. "It's because of their status that people treat them with great respect, but they take that respect for fear, or something else entirely. It's given them the illusion that they're superior, that everyone should fawn over them and treat them with utmost reverence. At most, they show some respect to their father and mother, and even their maternal grandfather and uncle probably don't receive that kind of treatment."

“The Grand General is indeed the Grand General; his words are always to the point.” Xiao Fengqi nodded. “That’s what they think. In their minds, the Regent’s Palace is no different from the residences of other ministers in Linhuang Prefecture. They can barge in whenever they want and do whatever they want. As long as they don’t force the emperor to abdicate or rebel, their father won’t do anything to them.”

“That’s their Achilles’ heel.” Shen Haolin sneered. “They are all terrified of the power they hold, yet they are still arrogant and think they can snatch Young Master Lan away with the Rong family’s private soldiers.”

"No, no, no, Duke, you're mistaken. They don't want to take Young Master Lan away. They want to do it right in front of the Regent," Xiao Fengqi wiped his neck, "that's what they want to do. That way, the potential rival for the throne will really be gone, and the next battle for the throne will be between the brothers. No matter who has the last laugh, it will be a victory for the Rong family."

"Didn't they consider that Young Master Lan was also the son of the late King of Liao? If they killed the King of Liao's son, wouldn't their entire family be implicated and punished?"

"With their brains being so easily fooled by Consort Rong and their maternal grandfather and uncle since childhood, they would never have thought of this."

“You definitely wouldn’t have expected this, Brother Yaojia.” Shen Cha sneered. “Because in their hearts, Young Master Lan is not their brother, but their enemy. Moreover, they stubbornly believe that the late King of Liao would not have treated Young Master Lan as a son. Otherwise, they would never have treated Young Master Lan like that over the years.”

“That’s right.” Xiao Fengqi nodded. “They believe that Young Master Lan is the source of their panic and fear this time. As long as the source is eliminated, everything will be fine. So, they smashed and kicked the door of the Regent’s Palace, and even organized people to crash into the gate of the Regent’s Palace, trying to break it down.”

"Goodness, they're really serious." Xia Chen couldn't help but exclaim. "Whether it's A or B, their judgment is correct; neither of them is the best candidate for the throne."

“That’s right.” Xiao Fengqi nodded. “After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, a heavily armored elite army suddenly stormed in and surrounded the two young princes and the Rong family’s private soldiers. The two young princes were shocked by this turn of events and were about to confront the general leading the elite army when the Regent’s Palace doors opened, and the Regent, dressed in military attire and with a solemn expression, walked out, holding the golden sword bestowed upon him by the late king.”

(End of this chapter)