Chapter Thirty-Two: The Solution

Zhu Yunxuan was stunned once again. He had assumed Yang Shiqi would accept the offer with alacrity, never expecting the man to ask if he could refuse.

Just then, sounds came from outside. The wine and dishes had been prepared. He ordered them to be brought in and set out one by one. The two men sat down separately. Once the servants had withdrawn and there was no third party left in the dungeon, Zhu Yunxuan picked up the wine pot, poured a cup for Yang Shiqi, and then one for himself.

He raised his cup, downed it in one go, and smiled: "You will not refuse."

Yang Shiqi asked, "Why is Your Highness, the Prince of Wu, so confident?"

"I have heard of what you have done in the imperial court, Your Highness. You are brave and act in ways that are unexpected, which is truly admirable. But you must know that your current situation is precarious; one might even say you are standing on the edge of a cliff. If I were to become your tutor and follow you from this day forth, it would be a life of nine deaths and one survival. A gentleman does not stand under a crumbling wall. I still have an elderly mother to serve, and I must cherish my own life."

Zhu Yunxuan poured another cup of wine but did not drink it. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks to sample the food. Upon tasting it, his eyes lit up. He had to admit, the chef at the Duke of Kaiguo’s residence was excellent. The food looked exquisite, and though he did not know what rare delicacies had been used to prepare it, the flavor was superb. Chang Sheng was truly a dutiful son of Chang Yuchun; he certainly knew how to enjoy life!

"You lost your father in childhood. Later, your mother remarried, and your stepfather was sent to guard the borders for offending the powerful, eventually dying in a foreign land. Since then, you and your mother have lived a life of displacement and hardship. Despite this, the ambition in your heart has never been extinguished. A gentleman holds high aspirations and remains unmoved even in poverty and lowliness! But although you have talent, the imperial examinations are never just about talent. Open the history books, and you will find countless men of great intellect and vast learning who failed the examinations repeatedly."

"Furthermore, even if you were fortunate enough to pass, to become a scholar or even the top graduate, you would merely be crossing the threshold of the bureaucracy. The political seas are treacherous. Without power, influence, or backing, and with no one to promote you, how could you hope to rise? For others, just becoming a small magistrate would be enough. To govern a region and command a territory—how grand that would be! But for you, I fear that would only be a source of deep disappointment. You would not be content to waste your life in such a way. A man born between heaven and earth should strive to accomplish great things."

Zhu Yunxuan drank another cup of wine and smiled. "Without power, influence, or connections, relying only on yourself to walk the path of the imperial examinations, even if you managed to enter the officialdom, you would find it hard to achieve anything of note in this lifetime. Join my household and become my tutor."

"Help me win the position of Crown Prince. When the day comes that I ascend the throne, you will be the Imperial Tutor, a high-ranking official whose name will be recorded in the annals of history. Only in this way can you fulfill your ambitions and make your time in this world worthwhile."

He paused, staring at Yang Shiqi, and said word by word: "Therefore, no matter how great the risk, you will not refuse. Where in this world is there a perfect solution? Without risk, where would the reward come from?"

The expression on Yang Shiqi’s face shifted, finally settling into a hearty laugh. "Your Highness is cleverer than any ordinary person. You have seen through my heart at a single glance. I am impressed, truly impressed."

He stood up, bowed low with his hands cupped, and performed a deep, respectful obeisance.

Zhu Yunxuan smiled: "So, you intentionally said you would refuse earlier because you were worried that if I took you on as a tutor, I would be unwilling to listen to your advice and plans?"

Yang Shiqi nodded gently: "That is precisely what worried me most. Your Highness is young, exceptionally talented, and gifted with a brilliance rarely seen throughout history. However, those of great talent are often arrogant, and the clever are often self-satisfied. I feared that because Your Highness is so confident, you would be unable to listen to the words of others. Only by making Your Highness clearly understand that you are already in a perilous situation—that one misstep could send you falling into a bottomless abyss—could I ensure that you act with extreme caution. This was not out of arrogance or a desire to emulate Zhuge Kongming by forcing you to invite me three times to raise my status; it was simply a necessity. I hope Your Highness does not take offense!"

Zhu Yunxuan laughed: "Not at all! I am well aware of my own situation. On the surface, things look fine, but anyone with a discerning eye can see the problems. The entire court is filled with officials and scholars, yet no one is willing to be my tutor. You know these men—they are always the most slippery, skilled at betting on both sides, and careful not to offend anyone, let alone a Prince of the blood and the Emperor's own grandson. It is simply because, although I succeeded in preventing my Imperial Grandfather from establishing a Crown Prince in court, they still do not favor my prospects."

"The struggle for the succession is exceptionally dangerous. The high officials in the court all want only to find a way to stay out of it. Only those who have yet to rise, like Huang Zicheng or Fang Xiaoru, would be eager to take a stand and support my second brother, the Prince of Xian, in hopes of gaining a chance to soar."

"It is inevitable that you would have reservations." Zhu Yunxuan poured another cup of wine, stood up, and said: "Drink this cup. From now on, you are my tutor. We are one, master and student, advancing and retreating together, sharing in both honor and disgrace."

Yang Shiqi looked at him, took the cup, and drained it. He knelt on the ground and said: "I, Yang Shiqi, having received your grace and recognition, am willing to serve you from this day forward. We shall advance and retreat together, sharing honor and disgrace, bound by life and death. May the sages hear this oath, may the sun and moon bear witness, and may heaven and earth judge us both!"

A smile appeared on the corner of Zhu Yunxuan's mouth. He helped him up and bowed deeply in return.

"Student Zhu Yunxuan pays his respects to his master!"

The two looked at each other and laughed heartily. With the apprenticeship complete, the atmosphere became much more relaxed. They sat down together to drink and talk.

Yang Shiqi smiled: "If I had truly refused Your Highness earlier, what would you have done?"

Zhu Yunxuan glanced at him and smiled: "Given your situation, you had absolutely no reason to refuse." He took a bite of food before adding: "My Imperial Grandfather has long since decreed that if a scholar does not serve the imperial court, they are to be beheaded and their family assets confiscated! I believe my Imperial Grandfather is wise. As his grandson, I should uphold his will."

Yang Shiqi’s chopsticks froze in mid-air. Then, he burst into laughter. The two continued to drink and eat.

After three rounds of drinks, Yang Shiqi said: "Your Highness’s current situation is indeed not very favorable. Although I am not an official, I have heard rumors in the streets recently, all saying that His Majesty should appoint Your Highness as the Crown Prince to ensure peace under heaven. One can imagine the hidden motives behind such talk."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded: "I heard the same thing outside when I came today. What is your take on this, Master? Is there a solution?"

Yang Shiqi shook his head: "The enemy is in the shadows while we are in the light. There is no need to rush this; we should investigate secretly first."

Zhu Yunxuan said: "I have already ordered my uncle, the Duke of Kaiguo, to investigate. However, given his capability, it will likely come to nothing. I intend to use him as a decoy to attract the enemy's attention while I send others to investigate in secret."

Yang Shiqi replied: "Build the boardwalks in the open while secretly crossing the Wei River. That is a very prudent strategy; Your Highness has done well." He continued, "Your Highness’s biggest problem right now is not actually there, but rather with your uncle, the Duke of Kaiguo, and your great-uncle, the Duke of Liang. However, as I have not been in the court, I am not familiar with the details. I hope Your Highness can recount everything that has happened since the day they petitioned for the Crown Prince in court, so that I may advise and analyze it for you."

Having become Zhu Yunxuan's tutor, Yang Shiqi immediately took on his responsibilities.

"You are right. My great-uncle is truly a headache." Zhu Yunxuan recounted everything that had happened over the past few days, leaving no detail out. In the spirit of "do not suspect those you employ, and do not employ those you suspect," since he was going to use Yang Shiqi, he could not hide anything from him.

After finishing, Zhu Yunxuan asked: "The most difficult problem right now is this puzzle posed by my Fourth Uncle. Does Master have a way to solve it?"

Yang Shiqi smiled: "He is using an overt strategy. No matter what you do, it will be wrong; you will fall into his trap. It is indeed formidable! It seems there is an expert advising the Prince of Yan!"

Zhu Yunxuan cursed bitterly: "No need to guess. A sinister plot like this must have been cooked up by that demonic monk, Daoyan."

Seeing him so certain, Yang Shiqi was curious as to why, but he did not ask further. He smiled: "However, even though this strategy is brilliant, the method to solve it is not something I need to teach you. His Majesty has already told you."

Zhu Yunxuan’s eyes widened: "My Imperial Grandfather told me?"

"Yes!" Yang Shiqi said: "His Majesty is deep in his calculations. Even before the Prince of Yan took action, he had already neutralized it. The words Jiang Huan said to you that night were His Majesty telling you the solution. There was no formal edict because this is also His Majesty’s test for you. Only by passing this hurdle will Your Highness truly possess the qualifications to compete for the position of Crown Prince!"