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

The day Zhou Zheng, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, arrived in Hanyuan was exactly the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

In northern China, there is a custom of drinking Laba porridge on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Although Hanyuan was poor, Uncle Fu still managed to gather some mixed grains, cooked a large pot of porridge, and distributed it to all the people in the city.

Each person gets a bowl, piping hot, to ward off the cold and warm the heart.

Zhou Zheng's convoy entered the city amidst the aroma of porridge.

Thirty carriages and one hundred guards, a truly imposing sight.

Zhou Zheng sat in the most luxurious carriage, lifted the curtain and looked out, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

The streets were clean, the houses were tidy, and although the people were dressed in worn clothes, their faces were rosy and their eyes were bright.

Children played in the street, their laughter ringing out. An old man sat in his doorway, basking in the sun, his expression serene.

How could this be the "people suffering and resentment" described in the memorial to the throne?

They clearly live in peace and contentment, enjoying a harmonious and happy life.

"Stop." Zhou Zheng called for the parking line and got out of the car.

An old man was squatting at the doorway, holding a bowl of porridge and drinking it.

Seeing Zhou Zheng come down, he quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "My lord."

"Old man," Zhou Zheng said kindly, "was this Laba porridge distributed by the government?"

"It was sent by the Prince."

The old man grinned, "The prince said that we should drink porridge on Laba Festival to ward off illness and disaster. One bowl for everyone, as much as you want."

"How is the prince treating you?"

"Great! Excellent!"

The old man was thrilled. "The prince gave us land, grain, and schools, and even provided free medical care! Where can you find such a good prince!"

Medical treatment is free?

Zhou Zheng's heart skipped a beat.

"Free medical treatment? What kind of good deal is that?"

"Yes, it really exists!"

The old man pointed to the west of the city, "The Huimin Medical Clinic, opened by the prince. People go there for headaches, fevers, and injuries. The medicines are cheap, and there's no consultation fee. If you're a soldier, craftsman, or miner, you can even get your medicine for free."

Zhou Zheng looked in that direction and indeed saw a newly built clinic with the four characters "Huimin Medical Clinic" written on the plaque above the door.

There was a queue at the entrance, including elderly people, women, and children.

"Grandpa, would you please take me to see this place?"

"OK!"

The old man led Zhou Zheng toward the clinic, and along the way, people kept greeting them.

"Uncle Wang, are you having some porridge?"

"Aunt Li, is your son's leg feeling any better?"

"Much better! Dr. Zhang gave me a few acupuncture treatments, and I can get out of bed now!"

Zhou Zheng listened silently, his mind in turmoil.

The memorial stated that Xiao Chen was levying exorbitant taxes and levies in the northern border, treating human life as worthless, and causing widespread resentment among the people.

But the scene before us clearly shows a harmonious and prosperous society, with the people supporting us.

Who is lying?

Upon arriving at the clinic, it was even more bustling.

There were more than a dozen beds in the lobby, with some patients lying in them.

Some had fevers, some had fallen and injured themselves, and some had coughs. Two elderly doctors were on duty, with several young people assisting them. One of the women, dressed in coarse cloth but with an extraordinary air about her, was bandaging a child's wound.

"Dr. Zhang, are you busy?" Old Wang greeted him.

"Uncle Wang is here." The female doctor looked up, saw Zhou Zheng, and paused for a moment. "And this is...?"

"Lord Zhou from the capital wants to see our clinic," said Old Man Wang.

The female doctor rose and bowed: "This humble woman, Murong Xue, greets Lord Zhou."

Murong Xue?

Zhou Zheng felt the name sounded familiar, but couldn't remember where he had heard it before.

"Is Miss Murong a doctor at the clinic?"

"Yes."

Murong Xue nodded. "His Highness said that doctors have the hearts of parents. Hanyuan is bitterly cold and lacks doctors and medicine, so he opened this clinic. I know a little about medicine, so I came to help."

"Is medical treatment really free?"

"No consultation fee required, medication will be charged at cost."

Murong Xue said, "If you really don't have money, you can keep an account and pay it back with work points later. Military households, artisans, and miners will be exempted from this because of their merits."

"Where do the medicinal herbs come from?"

"Some of them were picked from the mountains, and some were bought from Yulin Town."

Murong Xue pointed to the medicine cabinet, "The prince also taught us some prescriptions using common herbs to treat common illnesses. They are quite effective and inexpensive."

Zhou Zheng walked to the medicine cabinet, opened a few drawers and looked inside.

Although the medicinal herbs were ordinary, they were clean and tidy.

Several sheets of paper were also pasted on the wall, listing the symptoms and treatments of common diseases. The handwriting was neat and easy to understand.

"These are..."

"It was written by the prince."

Murong Xue said, "The prince said that most people are illiterate, so if it's written simply, they can understand it. It says what to eat when you have a headache, what to do when you have a fever, and how to treat sprains and bruises."

Zhou Zheng looked at it carefully and found it to be simple and easy to understand.

"Your prince is also skilled in medicine?"

"Your Highness is learned."

Admiration flashed in Murong Xue's eyes. "His Highness taught us how to treat external injuries, how to disinfect them, and how to prevent them from festering. He also taught us to recognize and collect herbs. In the past, many people in Hanyuan suffered from frostbite in winter, and many of these wounds festered. Now, using the methods His Highness taught us, using herbal remedies from the grasslands, they heal quickly and don't leave scars."

Herbal remedies from the grasslands?

Zhou Zheng's eyes narrowed.

"You dare use recipes from the grasslands?"

"dare."

Murong Xue said frankly, "Medicine knows no north or south; if it can cure illness, it is good medicine. The prince said that whether it is a prescription from Great Xia, a prescription from the grasslands, or a prescription from Northern Yan, as long as it works, we will use it. The lives of the people are more important than anything else."

Zhou Zheng remained silent for a long time.

"Take me to see your prince."

"Yes."

Murong Xue led Zhou Zheng toward the city lord's mansion.

On the way, Zhou Zheng asked many more questions: land, taxes, the army, workshops, and schools. Murong Xue answered them one by one, neither humble nor arrogant, and with clear and logical reasoning.

The more Zhou Zheng listened, the heavier his heart became.

The memorials were all lies.

Han Yuan not only did not "plot any evil deeds," but also governed the area well and won the hearts of the people.

How could such a seventh prince be a "traitor"?

Upon arriving at the city lord's mansion, Xiao Chen was already waiting.

"Your humble servant Zhou Zheng greets Prince Jingbei." Zhou Zheng bowed, this time with genuine sincerity.

"Lord Zhou, there's no need for such formalities." Xiao Chen offered a slight gesture of support. "You've come from afar; you must be tired. Please sit and have some tea."

Zhou Zheng sat down and carefully examined Xiao Chen.

This sixteen-year-old prince was even younger than he had imagined.

But his eyes were sharp and his demeanor was calm, making him seem nothing like a teenager.

He was wearing a worn-out prince's robe, and his hands were calloused, making him look like a farmer who had worked hard all year round.

"Lord Zhou, are you here on imperial orders to investigate a case?" Xiao Chen asked bluntly.

"Yes."

Zhou Zheng did not hide anything, "The Prince of Yong submitted a memorial stating that Your Highness was privately mining in the northern border, gathering troops, colluding with foreign enemies, and plotting rebellion. Your Majesty has ordered me to investigate thoroughly."

"Then investigate."

Xiao Chen was quite frank. "Coal mines, iron mines, arsenals, the army, accounts—whatever Lord Zhou wants to see, he can see. Whoever he wants to ask, he can ask. I, Xiao Chen, am upright and honest, and I'm not afraid of being investigated."

"Your Highness," Zhou Zheng hesitated for a moment, "This humble official... this humble official has observed along the way that the people of Hanyuan live in peace and prosperity, and are deeply grateful to Your Highness. This is not... not like the rule of a traitor."

"What does that look like?"

"Like...like under a wise ruler." Zhou Zheng gritted his teeth and told the truth.

Xiao Chen smiled.

"Lord Zhou is a wise man. I, Xiao Chen, came to the Northern Border for only three things: to ensure the people have food to eat, clothes to wear, and land to cultivate. As for illegally mining, it's for smelting iron and making farm tools. Gathering people to train troops is to defend against the grasslands and protect the border. Colluding with foreign enemies? That's utter nonsense. Northern Yan is an enemy country; how could I collude with them?"

"But the memorial states that the Prince has dealings with the Left Wise Prince of Northern Yan..."

"We have contact, but it's not collusion."

Xiao Chen said solemnly, "Northern Yan is powerful, while Han Yuan is weak. A head-on confrontation would be like an egg hitting a rock. Therefore, I want to negotiate peace and replace war with trade. We can exchange our coal and iron for their horses and furs. Each side gets what it needs, and neither side will interfere with the other. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Zhou Zheng remained silent, lost in thought.

"Lord Zhou," Xiao Chen stood up, walked to the window, and pointed outside, "Look at this Hanyuan City. Three months ago, it was a dead city, littered with starving corpses, and nine out of ten houses empty. Now, it has four thousand people, schools, clinics, workshops, and an army. The people have land to cultivate, food to eat, children can go to school, and the sick can receive medical treatment. Which of these things I've done is something a traitor should do?"

Zhou Zheng was speechless.

"The Prince of Yong's memorial is an attempt to put me to death."

Xiao Chen turned around and looked at Zhou Zheng. "But Lord Zhou, you are the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, an official appointed by the court, and the eyes and ears of His Majesty. You should see who is lying and who is harming the country."

Zhou Zheng took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed deeply.

"This humble official... understands. Your Highness, rest assured, this humble official will report to His Majesty truthfully. Not a single word of what Han Yuan saw and heard will be omitted."

"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Zhou." Xiao Chen returned the greeting.

"This humble official takes his leave."

Zhou Zheng left, his steps heavy.

He knew that this trip back to Beijing would be fraught with trouble.

But he doesn't regret it.

Because he told the truth.

After Zhou Zheng left, Xiao Chen summoned Murong Xue.

"You did a great job today."

"Your Highness flatters me." Murong Xue lowered her head. "I was merely telling the truth."

"The truth is the most powerful," Xiao Chen said. "Zhou Zheng is an upright man, and he will report the truth. Prince Yong's conspiracy has been half foiled."

"And the other half..."

"The other half is in Northern Yan," Xiao Chen said. "With peace talks imminent, we can't let our guard down. Make preparations, and after the New Year, we'll go to Bailu Plain."

"Yes."

Murong Xue withdrew, and Xiao Chen stood alone in the courtroom.

On Zhou Zheng's side, things have stabilized for the time being.

But Prince Yong would not give up.

Next, there are still tough battles to fight.

"Your Highness," Uncle Fu walked in, "all the Laba porridge has been distributed. The people are all expressing their gratitude, saying it's the sweetest porridge they've ever tasted in their lives."

Xiao Chen smiled.

"Uncle Fu, when spring comes, let's plant more grain and cook sweeter porridge. Let the people of Hanyuan have this day every year, and may every year bring them joy."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Outside the window, snowflakes started falling again.

But inside Hanyuan City, warmth prevailed.

The Laba Festival has passed, and the Lunar New Year is approaching.

Spring will mark a new beginning.

Xiao Chen gazed at the snow falling from the sky, his heart filled with hope.