Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The brief "calm" in the court did not allow Xiao Chen to relax in the slightest.

He knew all too well that neither the Prince of Yong's temporary retreat nor the Emperor's "balancing" move could change the cold, hard fact that he was far away in the northern border, while his birth mother, Lady Lin, was still living in seclusion in the depths of that cannibalistic palace in the capital, her life, death, honor, and disgrace all dependent on the whims of others.

Previously, he was weak and alone, barely able to protect himself, and could only bury his worries and helplessness deep in his heart. Now, with Han Yuan's foundation gradually stabilizing and his wings growing stronger, and with Night Owl's intelligence network lurking in the shadows, Xiao Chen finally has the ability, and must begin to act.

"Zhao Tie, what's the situation in the capital regarding my mother?" In the study, the candlelight cast a dim light on Xiao Chen's young face, which was already showing signs of angularity.

Zhao Tie's expression turned solemn, and he said in a low voice, "Your Highness, since the Emperor recovered from his illness, the supervision of the palaces seems to have relaxed. The 'Jingsi Garden,' where Consort Lin resides, is still heavily guarded, but it is no longer a monolithic entity. Our people went through several twists and turns and bribed an old eunuch in charge of purchasing and a palace maid who does menial work in the garden. According to the fragmented information they conveyed, Consort Lin's health is still okay, but she has been depressed for many years and her spirits are low. Moreover... it seems that someone is secretly taking care of her. Although she is not lacking in food and clothing, her situation is only slightly better than that of ordinary concubines in the Cold Palace."

"Secretly protecting us?" Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed. "Do you know who it is?"

"The old eunuch and the palace maids are of low status and cannot be approached. But I vaguely heard the head eunuch in charge of the palace mention that someone 'above' had given instructions not to treat them too harshly. Night Owl is trying to find out who this 'above' is. It might be... someone from the Empress's old palace, or an old palace person with some connection to the Lin family," Zhao Tie speculated.

With the Empress gone, there were no powerful concubines in the palace. Anyone who could "greet" someone in the Cold Palace was no ordinary person. Was it someone from the Crown Prince's mother's family? Or some old palace elder with a fond memory? Or perhaps... the Emperor himself? Xiao Chen's mind raced with thoughts.

"No matter who it is, if Mother stays there, we will ultimately be at their mercy."

Xiao Chen's voice was icy, "We must find a way to get her out."

Zhao Tie looked troubled: "Your Highness, this matter is of utmost importance. Although Jingsi Garden is remote, it is still within the palace grounds, and the guards are all imperial guards. Smuggling a living person out of the palace while avoiding the eyes and ears of Prince Yong, the Crown Prince, and other forces is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Once exposed, not only will all our previous efforts be in vain, but it will also give others ammunition to endanger the lives of Your Highness and Consort Lin."

I know it's difficult.

Xiao Chen tapped his fingers unconsciously on the table. "So we can't force it, nor can we act hastily. We need a meticulous plan, an excellent opportunity, and someone to cooperate from the inside and outside."

He pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "First, have Night Owl's people in the capital do everything in their power to find out who the 'higher-ups' secretly protecting my mother are, whether they are friend or foe, and what their purpose is. At the same time, continue to infiltrate Jing Si Garden, targeting the lower- and middle-ranking eunuchs and maids who are on night duty or have access to the garden's gate keys, and even... the head eunuch. Use both coercion and enticement; I need a relatively reliable internal channel."

"Yes."

"Secondly, find a woman of similar build and age to my mother, who is seriously ill and near death. She should have a clean background, preferably someone without relatives or friends. Arrange for her to 'die of illness' and prepare for her replacement. This will take time and opportunity."

Zhao Tie nodded and noted it down. This was a substitution trick, risky but the only way to possibly deceive everyone.

Third, wait for the right opportunity.

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Father's illness has not yet healed, and the court appears calm on the surface but is actually tense. The next major upheaval, whether it's a relapse of Father's illness or a renewed conflict between Prince Yong and the Crown Prince, will be our opportunity. There will inevitably be loopholes in the palace at that time, and that will be the time to act. This opportunity will be closely monitored by Night Owl, who will be ready at any time."

"Understood."

Zhao Tie responded in a deep voice, knowing that this was something the prince had planned for a long time and was bound to do. Although it was risky, he had to give it his all.

"There is one more thing," Xiao Chen paused, his tone becoming even more serious, "about my mother's family, the Lin family of Jiangnan back then."

The Lin family came from a prominent family in Jiangnan. Their father, Lin Wenyuan, once served as the Vice Minister of Revenue and was known for his integrity and competence.

Many years ago, the Lin family was implicated in a shocking case of embezzlement of grain, which led to the confiscation of their property. Lin Wenyuan died in prison, the male members of the Lin family were exiled, and the female members were sent to brothels or enslaved, resulting in their complete downfall.

As a result, Xiao Chen's birth mother, Lady Lin, fell out of favor and was banished to the Cold Palace. This matter remained another thorn in Xiao Chen's side, and the biggest mystery and source of humiliation in his background.

He had been unable to investigate in the past, but now it was time to get to the bottom of it.

"The Lin family's case back then is rife with doubts. My maternal grandfather was an upright man, skilled in finance and grain; how could he have been so easily implicated in such a massive case? The case was quickly closed after it broke, and the Lin family was wiped out in an instant—it's all too suspicious. I want you to use all of Night Owl's resources to reinvestigate this case!"

"Unearth every single file, witness testimony, and physical evidence from back then, even the slightest clue! Focus on investigating the officials in charge of the case at the time, the factions that benefited from it later, and... whether this case is connected to any of the princes in the court, especially Prince Yong!"

Xiao Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling edge. He suspected that the Lin family's downfall wasn't a simple corruption case, but rather a political infighting, perhaps even the prelude to a conspiracy targeting his mother and ultimately him! If that were the case, then the mastermind behind it all…

Zhao Tie sensed the chilling killing intent in the prince's words and his heart tightened. He solemnly replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will personally oversee this matter. Although Jiangnan is in chaos, not all those from the past are dead. We will also have access to the files in the capital. We will definitely get to the bottom of this!"

"Be careful, it's better to be slow than to expose yourself," Xiao Chen instructed. "Both of these matters are fundamental, so they must be kept secret."

"yes!"

Zhao Tie accepted the order and withdrew, and the study returned to silence. Xiao Chen sat alone under the lamp, watching the flickering flame. Before his eyes appeared the haggard face of his mother within the high walls of the cold palace, and the Lin family's old home, long since reduced to rubble, in the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Bringing one's mother out is not only a way to fulfill filial piety, but also a way to cut off the sword hanging over one's head.

Investigating the Lin family's old case is not only to clarify the mystery of his origins, but also to one day reclaim the humiliation and conspiracy inflicted on his maternal clan, his mother, and himself, with interest!

The undercurrents, deep within unknown depths, began to surge even more violently.

The tentacles of Han Yuan have quietly reached out to that seemingly unreachable imperial city and to the long-buried past.