Thinking of the second prince’s carefree nature, he was probably recommending the book written by Zhang Fang to the emperor. The crown prince didn’t pay much attention, but to emphasize his presence, he decided to join the conversation and chat with the emperor.
Upon seeing the crown prince join the discussion, the third prince looked at him with a half-smile and said, “Second brother really admires this scholar and even recommended him to study at the National Academy.”
Hearing this, the crown prince’s smile faltered slightly before returning to its natural state. He replied with a smile, “The National Academy is the greatest institution in the world; talented individuals can naturally enter the academy based on their abilities.”
The crown prince understood the implication behind the third prince’s words. It was merely a warning, reminding him to be cautious of the second prince. The second prince was a careless playboy, only occupied with food and entertainment, and clearly lacked ambition.
Even if the second prince harbored some intentions, without any supporting forces behind him, he wouldn’t have the ability to contend with the crown prince! The second prince’s maternal grandfather was the former General who pacified the west, wielding the military power of 200,000 soldiers. Due to collusion with foreign enemies, with indisputable evidence, the Liu family was executed. The second prince’s biological mother, the beloved Concubine Liu, committed suicide in the palace. The second prince was left dazed for several years, only regaining his sanity at the age of ten, but his studies were in shambles; he only cared for indulgence.
If the Liu family were still around, the second prince would undoubtedly be the crown prince’s greatest rival. However, the Liu family had long since fallen; with such a relative behind him, it was a lifelong blemish, and he wouldn’t dare contend, nor did he have the capability to. Hence, the crown prince didn’t take the second prince seriously at all.
Seeing the crown prince appear indifferent, the third prince sneered and inwardly planned to send someone to win over the scholar named Zhang Fang.
The crown prince exchanged calm glances with the third prince, showing a faint smile.
It seemed like brotherly affection, but beneath the surface, there were turbulent undercurrents.
The crown prince had already taken note of Zhang Fang’s reputation, but he wasn’t in a hurry to win over this person. He intended to wait until Zhang Fang entered the capital for the imperial examination to befriend him. He hadn’t expected that today the second prince would mention Zhang Fang to the emperor. Since the emperor expressed a wish to meet Zhang Fang, the third prince would undoubtedly find ways to draw him to his side. The crown prince also needed to take the initiative to court Zhang Fang.
Although the emperor was chatting with the second prince, he kept a watchful eye on his other two sons. This was intentional; he wanted to see whether the so-called noble Zhang Fang would yield to power and how the third prince and the crown prince would contend for this person.
After the crown prince arrived, the second prince wanted to end the topic and stop talking about Zhang Fang with the emperor. However, the emperor insisted on discussing Zhang Fang. The second prince felt inexplicably uneasy, glancing furtively at the crown prince and the third prince from time to time. These two appeared quite normal, but the second prince sensitively detected an unsettling undercurrent in the air. Could it be that upon hearing the emperor wanted to meet Zhang Fang, they began to have some intentions regarding him?
The second prince thought to himself: This is bad!
He had brought trouble to his idol!
Feeling anxious and guilty, the second prince had no heart to continue chatting with the emperor. Suddenly, he covered his head, feigning a headache, and painfully said, “Father, I am feeling sudden head pain…”
Ever since Concubine Liu committed suicide, the second prince had been dazed for several years. Even though he was later treated and returned to normal, he frequently suffered from headaches, which hindered him from concentrating on his studies. The emperor had no expectations for this son and even seemed indifferent. Seeing him distressed, he allowed the second prince to leave the table and rest.
After leaving the palace, the second prince quickly wrote a letter, instructing his trusted aide to deliver it to Zhang Fang as soon as the city gates opened the next day.
The guards didn’t understand why the second prince became so anxious after the banquet and tentatively asked, “Your Highness, were you troubled at the banquet today?”
“I have put Zhang Lang in danger! I am guilty!” The second prince’s expression was fraught, and he pulled at his hair, sighing helplessly.
The guards were puzzled and inquired, “Your Highness recommended Zhang Fang to study at the National Academy, which is a great blessing for him. I do not understand why you think you have harmed him.”
“Tonight, I brought up Zhang Lang in front of Father, and he said, in front of the crown prince and the third prince, that when Zhang Lang comes to the capital, I should bring him to the palace! The crown prince and the third prince must have gotten some ideas; they will definitely try to recruit Zhang Lang! I have brought trouble upon Zhang Lang!” The second prince was already pulling his hair into disarray, starting to rub his face.
In the power struggles for succession, this was an exceptionally dangerous affair. This was undoubtedly akin to roasting Zhang Fang on a fire!
The guards wore a complex expression, uncertain of what to say and could only remain silent.
Several factions in the capital secretly stirred, heading towards Dou County.
Zhang Fang returned to the village, shedding his brilliance to become a humble teacher with a clear conscience. Daily, many outsiders came to meet Zhang Fang, but they were stopped by the villagers, fearing these individuals would disrupt Zhang Fang or affect the village children’s education.
Since Zhang Fang passed the scholar examination, the villagers showed him even more respect. Whenever Zhang Fang spoke, everyone would listen. Many believed that as long as their children studied with Zhang Fang, they would also achieve success in the future! Therefore, the villagers were particularly protective of Zhang Fang and his family!
In the past few days, Zhang Fang received several letters.
One was the admission notice from the National Academy.
Another was a letter from Xu Chang, congratulating Zhang Fang for being recommended to the National Academy by the second prince. In the letter, Xu Chang hinted that Zhang Fang had already caught the attention of powerful figures in the capital. He also briefly discussed the factional situation in the court, praising the third prince’s talents, undoubtedly signaling to Zhang Fang that he aligned himself with the third prince’s faction!
Thus, Zhang Fang also became aware of the forces backing Xu Chang.
The second prince’s letter arrived two days later than Xu Chang’s. In it, the second prince sincerely apologized to Zhang Fang and clarified the events of the Mid-Autumn family banquet. The second prince assured Zhang Fang that if he was unwilling to take sides, he need not do so. The trouble was caused by the second prince, and regardless of the cost, he would always protect Zhang Fang.
After reading the second prince’s letter, Zhang Fang revealed a profound smile.
If one wishes to cleanse the murkiness in the water, one must plunge into it. From the very beginning, Zhang Fang had set the stage for this game. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hurried to make a name for himself. Gaining fame was to attract attention from the capital and immerse himself in the political turmoil.
Zhang Fang wasn’t clear about the crown prince’s faction, but he had already gained a preliminary understanding of the third prince’s faction. Most importantly, Zhang Fang was still concerned about the second prince. The Liu family’s downfall due to collusion with foreign enemies was a major case that was resolved within a month. Zhang Fang had feigned casual discussion with others about this incident, but many avoided the topic. Only Mu Qing had discussed it in detail with Zhang Fang. This case was evidently a deliberate smear by someone, and it seemed to be the emperor’s intention.
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