Volume One, Chapter Four: I Am a Hidden Dragon in the Abyss—How Could I Not Know?
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Chen Fuzi paused for a moment, wearing a faint smile that perfectly resembled an NPC assigning a quest—never one for unnecessary words.
“Alright, alright! This prince will see what kind of schemes the Marquis of Anyang is up to.”
At the Marquis of Anyang’s residence, Xie Zheng and the Marquis locked eyes.
“Your Lordship, what did you say? This prince is a hidden dragon in the depths, destined for great success?”
The latter smiled and nodded.
Such an absurd statement. Xie Zheng had expected a formal discussion upon arriving at the Marquis’s residence—at least a few polished words, some indication of your cunning... no, your strategic acumen.
How could the opening line be so ridiculous?
“Prince Liu, there’s no need to rush. The world sees you as nothing more than a frivolous royal, but in truth...”
“In my view, your choice to step aside during the struggle for succession is not incompetence but rather wisdom.”
The sly old Marquis of Anyang stroked his beard with solemn seriousness.
Xie Zheng was dumbfounded. Wisdom? Since when?
Qin Yuan remained silent beside him, listening attentively. She too was curious why her father, such a formidable figure, would favor Xie Zheng—a prince considered utterly useless.
By now, the officials at court had informally chosen their preferred princes, betting on who would ascend the throne and who would rise accordingly.
Of course, there were exceptions!
The Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Anyang, for instance.
The Marquis of Zhenbei was a military man, brave and skilled in battle, stationed at the northern border for years, too busy to engage in court politics; thus, he had yet to make a choice among the princes.
The Marquis of Anyang was a civil official, clever and resourceful, balancing the great families at court—he was highly watched but reluctant to choose easily.
Yet this time...
Father had chosen the least promising—the Sixth Prince.
She was astonished.
The Marquis continued, “The Sixth Prince’s withdrawal from the succession struggle is the clarity of an observer, not the blindness of a participant. As an onlooker, he can better discern the current state of the court.”
“The emperor is vigorous and well-established; maintaining the court for decades is no issue. Therefore, contesting the succession has little effect. It’s wiser to cultivate power quietly and then, when the time comes, strike unexpectedly to turn the tide.”
“Prince Liu, do I speak truly?”
What a wise gaze! What an inspiring story!
But I, Xie Zheng...
Am not that kind of person!
I withdrew from the succession because I knew my limits—I couldn’t compete with my elder brothers. As for quietly cultivating power, I have cultivated thirty-six courtesans. Does that count as my power base?
Xie Zheng disliked strife and didn’t overthink things.
Yet the Marquis’s unwavering conviction—did he really believe Xie Zheng had the ability to change the game?
“Your Lordship, speak plainly. Why do you want me to marry the princess?”
Xie Zheng preferred directness. Why drag me into your life-or-death game?
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Pulled back to the topic by Xie Zheng’s bluntness, the Marquis of Anyang, a man with years of habit, wanted to say more, but Xie Zheng had long seen through this top civil official of Da Ning—how much nonsense he could spout.
“Cut to the chase, Your Lordship. No more empty words!”
This made the Marquis smile before nodding.
“Very well, I will speak plainly...”
At this moment, Qin Yuan perked up.
“The Marquis of Anyang and the Marquis of Zhenbei have been at odds since history began. Outsiders see them as civil and military forces clashing like fire and water, but in truth...”
Xie Zheng frowned.
Here comes the key point!
The Marquis calmly continued, “In reality, we are close friends who admire each other.”
Alright, more nonsense!
“But at court, there can only be one emperor above and officials below, so the two of us are inevitably opposed!”
“Therefore, when the Marquis of Zhenbei came to propose marriage, I could not consent. I had to reject it and find another match for Yuan’er.”
Xie Zheng began to understand.
“So, Your Lordship, by choosing a seemingly useless prince that no official supports, you declare your stance against the Marquis of Zhenbei?”
“A truly wise prince!”
Xie Zheng: “...”
Qin Yuan understood too—fire and water, civil and military, this was the true balance.
Breaking this balance would topple both families and destabilize the court.
No wonder Father refused the Marquis of Zhenbei and chose the Sixth Prince!
But...
She knew Xie Zheng too well—how could he shoulder such a heavy responsibility?
Catching the princess’s glance, Xie Zheng clearly saw her disbelief and doubt.
Quite natural!
He didn’t mind and asked, “Your Lordship, why not choose one of my elder brothers? He is also unmarried, a military fanatic, and far more capable than I, the youngest and weakest!”
He remembered being the youngest prince and the most inept.
The other five were undoubtedly formidable.
“The Fifth Prince, Xie Yuan, is indeed impressive. Ranked second in the academy above Yuan’er, he was considered!”
“But...”
“Still not suitable!”
The Marquis shook his head, displeased.
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Xie Zheng’s eyes widened. “Your Lordship, my fifth brother was praised by Chen Fuzi as the most promising at his age—partnering with him would surely be more effective!”
This was undeniable reality.
But the Marquis’s reply struck Xie Zheng’s soft spot.
“He does not command the Twelve Banners Divine Martial Army, but you do!”
After this revelation, Qin Yuan immediately stood in shock.
“Father, do you mean the famed Divine Martial Army of the Marquis of Zhenbei has fallen under Xie Zheng’s command?”
Qin Yuan looked at her father, who only smiled silently, then at Xie Zheng with disbelief.
“Really?”
Xie Zheng was silent.
By now, he realized this was a layered trap—one after another. Judging by the Marquis’s smile, the Twelve Banners Divine Martial Army was surely his idea to propose to Father.
The Marquis was truly using him as a tool to counter the Marquis of Zhenbei.
But in this game of chess...
Dragging me into it is shameless!
Yet he had no choice in the matter—how could he refuse?
A silence fell in the hall, until Qin Yuan spoke first.
“Father, even if Xie Zheng commands the Twelve Banners Divine Martial Army, given the Marquis of Zhenbei’s nature, he will surely sabotage it. With his abilities, how could Xie Zheng hold onto this military power?”
Not lying would hurt, but the truth was too harsh!
Xie Zheng nodded.
Then the Marquis revealed more, shocking even the protagonists.
“Yuan’er, appearances can be deceiving. The Sixth Prince you think you know may not be the real Sixth Prince.”
Xie Zheng and Qin Yuan were both puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
The Marquis smiled. “Behind the Sixth Prince lies the Yichun Pavilion, home to thirty-six courtesans. Do you know their origins?”
Qin Yuan glanced at Xie Zheng with disdain.
“How dull!”
But the Marquis continued, “These thirty-six courtesans are orphans from noble clans of the previous dynasty, each of remarkable status! To put it bluntly, these thirty-six women are like an army of thousands!”
“Yuan’er, do you now understand why I chose Prince Liu?”
Qin Yuan’s wide eyes stared at Xie Zheng in astonishment.
“Xie Zheng, your depths are truly hidden!”