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

When the news of Qingyunzi's exhaustion reached Xiao Chen's ears, he was having tea with Tuoba Hong and Aguda at the post station.

"Your Highness, I've heard that things haven't been peaceful at the Yong Prince's residence lately."

Tuoba Hong said with a half-smile, "Your household hired a Taoist priest to refine elixirs, but he ended up knocking himself out. How...interesting."

Aguda also laughed and said, "Does Prince Yong want to live forever? Unfortunately, Heaven is not on his side."

Xiao Chen took a sip of tea and said calmly, "The two envoys are joking. Prince Yong is compassionate towards the people and wanted to refine some elixirs to help the poor. It's just that the Taoist priest's skills were not up to par, and something went wrong. It's nothing serious, nothing serious at all."

The three looked at each other and smiled, their understanding unspoken.

At this moment, Zhao Tie hurriedly entered and whispered a few words in Xiao Chen's ear.

Xiao Chen's expression remained unchanged; he simply nodded and said to Tuoba Hong and Aguda, "My envoys, I will be departing for the Northern Territory tomorrow. What are your plans?"

Tuoba Hongdao said, "I must also return to Northern Yan to report. Your Highness's visit to the capital this time has demonstrated the power of Great Xia and the strength of Hanyuan. After the Left Wise King learns of this, he will surely be even more determined to form an alliance with Your Highness."

Aguda also said, "The grasslands will keep their promise and remain brothers with the prince forever."

"That's good."

Xiao Chen stood up. "I will leave the city at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow. If it is convenient for you two, you may travel together."

"I couldn't have gotten it."

After seeing the two off, the smile on Xiao Chen's face disappeared.

"Your Highness, Night Owl found this in Qingyunzi's alchemy room." Zhao Tie handed over a small porcelain bottle containing some white powder.

"Arsenic?"

"Yes. Enough to poison ten people. And this—"

Zhao Tie then took out another letter, "It was found under Qingyunzi's pillow. It's a letter from Prince Yong, instructing him to 'refine a colorless and odorless poison as soon as possible,' with a reward of a thousand taels of gold upon completion."

Xiao Chen took the letter, glanced at it, and sneered.

"Prince Yong is desperate. Having failed with poison, he's resorting to open force. However, this letter and the arsenic are irrefutable evidence. Has the Censorate made any move?"

"Yes," Zhao Tie said. "Night Owl has already leaked the news to Zhou Zheng, the Imperial Censor, the same Zhou who went to Hanyuan last time. He is upright and incorruptible, and is already preparing to submit a memorial impeaching Prince Yong."

"Alright." Xiao Chen nodded. "However, impeachment alone won't do any good. Prince Yong is a prince; without solid evidence, we can't touch him. We need to add some more evidence."

"How do I add it?"

Xiao Chen pondered for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Didn't Qingyunzi collapse from exhaustion? Let him 'die of illness.' Then, Ye Xiao will find an opportunity to 'accidentally' discover Yong Wang's secret letter and poison in his room. After that, have someone 'report' Yong Wang for murdering his brother, and with witnesses and evidence, there will be no way to protect him, even if Father wants to."

Zhao Tie gasped.

This is going to ruin Prince Yong!

"But... will Qingyunzi cooperate?"

"He will," Xiao Chen said calmly. "Tell him that if he cooperates, I'll spare his life and send him away from the capital. If he doesn't cooperate, someone will find him 'suddenly dead' tomorrow. He's a smart man; he knows what to choose."

"yes!"

That night, Qingyunzi's "condition" suddenly worsened; he vomited and had diarrhea, and fell into a coma. Prince Yong summoned the imperial physician, who said it was due to "accidental ingestion of poisonous herbs" and prescribed several doses of antidote, but his condition did not improve.

The next morning, Qingyunzi "died of illness".

When the news reached Prince Yong's residence, Prince Yong's face turned ashen. He knew this was definitely not an accident. But he had no evidence, so he could only swallow his anger and suffer in silence.

However, things are not over yet.

Three days after Qingyunzi's death, the Prefect of Jingzhao received an anonymous tip that Qingyunzi had been instructed to secretly concoct poison in an attempt to assassinate the Prince of Zhenbei. Poison and a secret letter were found at Qingyunzi's residence.

The secret letter was written by Prince Yong. Although it wasn't explicitly stated, the words were full of hints. The poison was arsenic, enough to kill ten people.

Both witnesses and physical evidence are available.

The Prefect of the Capital City dared not conceal the truth and immediately submitted a memorial.

The imperial court was in an uproar once again.

"Your Majesty!" Censor-in-Chief Zhou Zheng stepped forward, holding a memorial in his hands. "Prince Yong, Xiao Jing, has been found guilty of secretly concocting poison with the intent to murder his brothers. The evidence is irrefutable. According to the law, he should be stripped of his title and imprisoned to uphold justice!"

"I second that proposal!"

"I second that opinion!"

This time, not only members of the Yongwang faction but also neutral parties stepped forward. To murder one's own brother is a grave taboo. If they can harm the seventh prince today, they can harm the other brothers tomorrow, or even the emperor.

Prince Yong knelt in the hall, his face deathly pale.

"Father, I am innocent! This letter is a forgery, and the poison is a frame-up! I have never written such a letter, nor have I ever asked Qingyunzi to concoct poison! Someone is framing me!"

"A frame-up?" Zhou Zheng sneered. "The handwriting on the letter has been authenticated by the Hanlin Academy and is indeed Prince Yong's own. The poison was found at Qingyunzi's residence, as testified by the Prefect of the Capital and the Ministry of Justice. With both witnesses and physical evidence, does Prince Yong still intend to deny it?"

"I..." Prince Yong was speechless.

The handwriting was genuine, the poison was genuine. He was utterly speechless.

On the dragon throne, Xiao Yan's face was ashen.

He didn't actually want to punish Prince Yong. Although Prince Yong was ruthless, he was capable and resourceful, and was a pawn he used to control the court officials. Moreover, Prince Yong was one of his favorite sons.

But this matter has blown up too much. The entire court is watching, and if it is not dealt with, the people will not be satisfied.

"Fourth Prince," Xiao Yan spoke slowly, "do you know your crime?"

Prince Yong trembled, knowing that his father was about to abandon him.

"Your subject... knows his crime." He prostrated himself and kowtowed, "But your subject never intended to harm your seventh brother. It was that Qingyunzi who spread his heretical words and confused your subject for a moment, that's why..."

"Enough." Xiao Yan interrupted him. "As a prince, you should be cultivating your character instead of engaging in such despicable acts. If I do not punish you, how can I uphold the law? Issue an edict—"

He paused, then said, word by word: "Prince Yong, Xiao Jing, is of questionable character and acts eccentrically. He is hereby stripped of his princely title and demoted to a county prince, confined to his residence for three years, and not to leave without imperial decree. All officials under Prince Yong's command are to be dismissed from their posts and never to be employed again."

He was stripped of his title of prince, demoted to the rank of county prince, and confined to his quarters for three years

The punishment was neither light nor heavy. At least, his life was saved, and he retained his title.

Prince Yong breathed a sigh of relief and kowtowed, saying, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

Xiao Yan waved his hand, signaling him to step back.

Prince Yong stood up and staggered out of the main hall. As he passed Xiao Chen, he glanced at him, his eyes filled with deep-seated hatred.

Xiao Chen remained expressionless, but inwardly he sneered.

Prince Yong, this is just the beginning.

After the court session, Xiao Chen was kept behind by Xiao Yan.

Only the father and son were in the imperial study.

"Seventh son," Xiao Yan looked at this increasingly unfamiliar son, "you were the one who did what happened to your fourth brother, weren't you?"

Xiao Chen answered frankly, "Yes."

Why?

"Because he was ruthless, I acted ruthlessly," Xiao Chen said. "He tried to kill me time and time again. If I hadn't fought back, I would have been dead long ago. Father, is it wrong for me to only want to live?"

Xiao Yan remained silent.

He knew, of course, what Prince Yong had done to Xiao Chen. But he turned a blind eye because, in his heart, Prince Yong was more important than Xiao Chen.

But now, Xiao Chen has proven with his strength that he is more useful than Prince Yong.

"You brought envoys from Northern Yan and the grasslands with you to the capital this time, which is a show of force against me," Xiao Yan said.

"Yes." Xiao Chen nodded. "Your Majesty, I want you to know that the Northern Border is now under my control. If the court treats me well, I am willing to guard the Northern Border forever and protect the peace of the Great Xia. If the court forces me, then the Northern Border may no longer be the court's Northern Border."

This is a blatant threat.

But Xiao Yan wasn't angry; instead, he smiled.

"Good, you have guts, just like I did when I was young," he said. "I can promise you that you will have full authority over the affairs of the Northern Border. But you must also promise me that you will never rebel and never be an enemy of Great Xia."

"Your subject agrees."

"Furthermore," Xiao Yan paused, "your fourth brother may be useless, but he is still your elder brother. How about sparing his life?"

Xiao Chen looked at his father, the once majestic emperor who was now old and frail.

He knew that his father was pleading for Prince Yong. Although Prince Yong had been punished, his father still wanted to protect him.

"As long as Fourth Brother doesn't provoke me again, I won't do anything to him," Xiao Chen said.

"Alright." Xiao Yan nodded. "You shall return to the Northern Border tomorrow. I will issue an edict to formally confer upon you the title of Prince Zhenbei, giving you overall command of the military and political affairs of the three northern prefectures. You will also have full authority over the affairs of Northern Yan and the grasslands. But remember, you are a subject of Great Xia, and a prince of Great Xia."

"Your subject understands."

Leaving the imperial study, Xiao Chen let out a long sigh of relief.

He won this round.

The Prince of Yong was stripped of his title and confined to his quarters, and the northern border was officially placed under his jurisdiction. Moreover, with the alliance between Northern Yan and the grasslands in place, the imperial court dared not easily touch him.

Han Yuan is finally safe.

But Xiao Chen knew that this was not the end.

Although Prince Yong has fallen, he is not dead. He will surely seek revenge.

Although the imperial court has compromised, it will not compromise forever.

Although the Northern Yan and the grasslands are allies, they are also hungry wolves.

The road ahead remains arduous.

But he wasn't afraid.

Because he has the Cold Abyss, the people, the army, and... the future.

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie waited outside the palace gate, "Night Owl has news that after Prince Yong returned to his residence, he smashed a lot of things. But he secretly sent people to contact several border generals, and it seems he is plotting something."

"As expected," Xiao Chen said calmly. "Have Night Owl keep an eye on things. Also, send orders back to Cold Abyss to put the entire army on high alert and prepare for battle."

"yes!"

Prince Yong, if you want to play, I'll play with you to the very end.

Let's see who laughs last.