The Child Emperor-Chapter 325: Reporting

Han Ruzi could no longer distinguish between day and night, fell into slumber at any moment. When a thought arose, he might suddenly sit up and ask a baffling question that seemed like the result of deep contemplation to him, but sounded completely incoherent to others.

“Where did they come from?” Han Ruzi sat up and asked. His whole body was covered in a layer of sweat, his face slightly flushed, and his spirits high. Before long, this burst of energy would disappear, and he would become confused and weak again.

Zhang Youcai stayed by his side almost constantly. When tired, he would rest his head on the table for a brief nap. When the Emperor woke, he woke too, ready to answer any question, though he didn’t always know the exact answer. “What came from where?”

“That relief force. Didn’t you just say a relief force arrived and was annihilated by the Xiongnu?”

“Right, right.” In complete contrast to the Emperor, Zhang Youcai was always in a dazed state when he woke up, needing time to gradually clear his head.

“I want to know where they came from.” Han Ruzi hoped he could remember this army.

“Well… according to the generals’ observations, that force might have come from Mayi City.”

Han Ruzi fell silent for a moment. “Between Mayi City and Jincheng City lies a Great Wall checkpoint. The Xiongnu deliberately left the checkpoint undefended, allowing the relief force to enter.”

“I suppose so.” Zhang Youcai didn’t understand much about military matters.

“Could it have been relief forces sent by Zhuo Ruhe?”

Hongnong Prefect Zhuo Ruhe was currently beyond the frontier, mobilizing troops in his capacity as imperial envoy. Who knew if he had received the imperial edict?

“Possibly.” Zhang Youcai answered perfunctorily. He really didn’t understand the situation.

Han Ruzi found it difficult to concentrate. He rubbed his stomach, and his thoughts suddenly drifted to two years ago. “The porridge and pickled vegetables were very good.”

“Ah? Your Majesty… are you hungry?”

“Why do street snacks taste better than home-cooked meals?”

“Because… because we don’t eat them often?” Zhang Youcai suddenly remembered what the Emperor was talking about. It was when they had just moved from the palace to the Weary Marquis’s mansion, when the household had no rice or flour, and Cai Xinghai had bought porridge and pickled vegetables from the street to feed everyone.

“I’ll go get some right away!” Zhang Youcai glanced at Meng E in the corner, nodded to her, and hurried outside. The Emperor finally had some appetite, and he would find delicious food no matter what.

The night was deep. During the day, Jincheng’s streets were already deserted, but now they were completely silent. Zhang Youcai didn’t care. He would find Chief Overseer Liu Jie, find the servants in the prince’s mansion, find Jincheng City’s officials, find anyone he could to prepare capital-style porridge and pickled vegetables for the Emperor.

Han Ruzi stared blankly for a while. “Youcai? Zhang Youcai? How does he appear and disappear like a ghost…”

“Your Majesty sent him on an errand,” Meng E said.

“Oh, I forgot.” Han Ruzi began to feel drowsy again but didn’t want to sleep. “I don’t think I’ve heard the zither music for a while.”

“It’s been several hours. I had the musician stop. Your Majesty doesn’t need to listen to the zither now.” 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

“Very well.” Han Ruzi was actually losing interest anyway. The zither music sounded more ordinary the more he listened to it, having long since lost its initial magic.

Various thoughts rose and fell in his mind like a group of chattering children. Han Ruzi suddenly asked, “Meng E, are you trying to control me?”

“Yes, and I’m about to succeed,” Meng E replied.

Han Ruzi felt he should be surprised, even angry, but he was disheartened and felt nothing. He tried to grasp this thought and continue questioning, but when knocking sounded outside, his mind wandered again.

Liu Jie entered. “Prince Donghai and Cui Teng request an audience with Your Majesty. They say it’s urgent.”

“Mm.” Han Ruzi nodded, feeling that among the noisy children in his mind were these two.

Prince Donghai entered first, bowed to the Emperor, then stood to one side without saying anything. Cui Teng, however, was impatient and opened his mouth to speak, but seeing Meng E in the corner, he closed it again. After thinking, he said, “Your Majesty, I have urgent business that must be told to you privately.”

Han Ruzi nodded again. After a while, he looked up at Prince Donghai. “You may withdraw first.”

Prince Donghai was startled and turned to look at Cui Teng. Cui Teng quickly said, “Not Prince Donghai – Your Majesty’s bodyguard.”

“Bodyguard? What bodyguard? The bodyguards are all outside.”

Meng E walked to the Emperor’s side. “The bodyguard is me. I’ll be outside, ready to come at your call.”

“Good.” Han Ruzi felt he wanted to ask something, but couldn’t remember what it was.

Cui Teng couldn’t contain his impatience and said to Meng E, “Ready to come at call means don’t come unless called.”

Meng E walked out of the room without looking sideways.

Prince Donghai reminded, “Be careful. If it really comes to a fight, neither of us is a match for her.”

Han Ruzi’s body slowly tilted. Prince Donghai hurried forward to help the Emperor sit upright. “Your Majesty, sleep later. Cui Teng has brought important news.”

“Mm, I won’t sleep.”

Cui Teng stepped forward two paces. “Your Majesty, I’ve discovered who poisoned you.”

“Who?”

“The female bodyguard who just walked out.”

Han Ruzi was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed aloud. “Meng E? No, it wasn’t her.”

“Your Majesty shouldn’t trust her too much. I have evidence…”

“Who told you this?” Han Ruzi asked.

“Ah? That’s not important. The key thing is…” Cui Teng had received a warning and was reluctant to mention the zither master and his daughter in front of the Emperor.

“It’s very important.” Han Ruzi still looked sickly, his body swaying slightly, appearing frail and weak, yet his words still carried unquestionable authority.

Cui Teng immediately knelt down. “It was Zhang Zhuhe, but I truly have found evidence.”

“Zhang Zhuhe…” Han Ruzi’s thoughts drifted again. “What a strange name indeed.”

Cui Teng crawled forward on his knees, coming before the Emperor, and looked up. “Never mind the name, Your Majesty. Before Your Majesty fell ill, that female bodyguard bought many medicinal ingredients through palace servants, several of which were poisonous! I’ve brought that servant here – he’s outside in the courtyard and can be called in for confrontation.”

“Meng E… I’ll ask her personally. No need for confrontation.”

“She won’t tell Your Majesty the truth. What if she becomes desperate…”

“She won’t.” Han Ruzi said with certainty. Though his thinking was somewhat confused, he wasn’t muddled. Some things he could see clearly, just couldn’t articulate the precise reasons at the moment.

Cui Teng wanted to say more, but Prince Donghai said, “Don’t rush. Let His Majesty consider it further. This isn’t something that happened suddenly anyway – there’s no need to resolve it tonight. The other matter, however, requires His Majesty’s immediate decision.”

“There’s something else?” Han Ruzi asked.

Prince Donghai nodded. Before he could speak, Cui Teng had already said, “Deng Cui wants to betray Your Majesty and surrender to the Xiongnu.”

Han Ruzi yawned greatly. “Do you have evidence for this too?”

The Emperor appeared so nonchalant that Cui Teng was greatly disappointed. He looked to Prince Donghai for help. Prince Donghai said, “You started this, continue.”

Prince Donghai had no interest in accusations. He preferred to observe the Emperor’s every move at close range, especially the Emperor’s expression. Judging by his complexion alone, the Emperor’s condition was indeed getting worse.

Cui Teng had no such concerns and said, “General Fan found the evidence. He’s always suspected Deng Cui, so he sent people to secretly watch the Deng residence. They discovered a female servant sneaking out of the mansion after dark to secretly meet with two male servants from Prince Dai’s residence!”

“Mm.” Han Ruzi showed even less interest in such matters.

“After they separated, General Deng’s men captured the female servant. Upon questioning, they learned the servant was acting under orders. Deng Cui had given the two male servants a city exit permit, telling them to leave the city at the fourth watch to surrender to the Xiongnu!”

Han Ruzi grew increasingly drowsy, feeling his head heavy as a mountain. At this moment, even if the sky fell or the Xiongnu lifted their siege, he couldn’t muster any excitement. He pushed away Prince Donghai’s supporting hand and said, “Prince Donghai, you handle this. I feel things aren’t so simple. Deng Cui doesn’t seem like he would…”

Han Ruzi fell asleep as soon as he decided to, though he slept restlessly. In his dreams he continued speaking to Prince Donghai, saying he didn’t quite believe Deng Cui would betray them, that there was likely another reason, and they must investigate thoroughly.

Cui Teng said bewilderedly, “What does His Majesty mean by this?”

Prince Donghai suppressed his inner excitement and said in an indifferent tone, “You heard him. His Majesty told me to handle it.”

“Handle what?”

Prince Donghai wanted to say “everything,” but restrained his impulse and said, “Deng Cui and Meng E’s betrayal.”

Cui Teng stood up, confused. He had clearly been the one speaking all along – how had the authority to handle matters fallen to Prince Donghai? But His Majesty had indeed spoken very clearly, and he could find no flaw in it. He could only sigh, “His Majesty’s illness grows worse. His mind is already confused.”

“Even so, His Majesty’s words are still imperial edicts.”

Cui Teng snorted and said irritably, “Fine, you handle it. What do you say we should do?”

“Regarding Meng E, we must wait.”

“Wait until she succeeds before acting?” Cui Teng glanced at the sleeping Emperor.

Prince Donghai smiled and shook his head. “Of course not. We must first determine whether Meng E still has accomplices in the city, then capture them all in one net and force them to hand over the antidote.”

Cui Teng reluctantly nodded. “Very well, we’ll do as you say. What about Deng Cui?”

“Fan Zhuangshan is a crude fellow. I must personally interrogate that maidservant from the Deng residence.”

“What about these two from Prince Dai’s mansion?”

“Let them leave the city.”

“What?”

“The fourth watch isn’t far off. Let them leave the city. Arresting them now would be difficult to prove anything. Let them go meet the Xiongnu, then see what Deng Cui will do.”

“What will he do? Open the city gates and surrender, of course.”

“Deng Cui is the commanding general defending the city. We must have the most direct evidence – preferably catch him in the act.”

Cui Teng considered for a moment. “Very well, I’ll listen to you on this too. I still think His Majesty was somewhat confused just now and called the wrong name.”

“An imperial edict is an imperial edict. It’s not for you to speculate wildly. Come, let’s not disturb His Majesty’s rest.”

The two men left the room. Zhang Youcai came running in carrying a food tray with steaming rice porridge and pickled vegetables. A restaurant in Jincheng that hadn’t opened for several days had summoned several renowned chefs specifically to prepare this simple meal, though regrettably their skills couldn’t be fully displayed.

Seeing that the Emperor had fallen asleep again, Zhang Youcai sighed softly, placed the food tray on the table, tucked the covers around the Emperor, and feeling drowsy himself, sat for a while before falling asleep with his head on the table.

Meng E entered silently, walked to the Emperor’s side, and bent down to observe him for a moment. With one hand she gently lifted the Emperor’s head, while with the other she placed a small pill into the Emperor’s mouth, then softly stroked his chest to help him swallow it before retreating to a corner as if nothing had happened.

After a while, Han Ruzi slowly opened his eyes. Without sitting up, he lay there and asked quietly, “What did you feed me?”

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