Volume One, Chapter 8: The Prince Jing’s Residence

"Brothers of the same blood? Are you not afraid of making people laugh with such words?" The Ninth Prince sneered inwardly. Born into the imperial family, he dared not entertain any notions of brotherly affection; besides, he could not recall any such bond between them.

His expression grew complicated. "Tenth Brother, surely you jest? As I remember… we have never been close."

"You need not worry, Ninth Brother. I have my own reasons for doing this. Just take it as your younger brother acting out of kindness, wishing to ease your troubles and save you from that bitter, frigid land." Li Tianqing was the picture of sincerity, without the slightest sign of deception.

The Ninth Prince stared at Li Tianqing for a long moment, trying to glean something from his demeanor, but Li Tianqing remained calm and open, betraying no flaw.

The Ninth Prince snorted inwardly; he certainly did not believe Li Tianqing’s explanation.

Li Tianqing’s words only proved he had other motives, though what those were, the Ninth Prince could not yet guess.

Still, even if he could not unravel the truth, he felt a measure of relief—at least he would not have to go to Northern Yan.

After a brief silence, the Ninth Prince spoke slowly. "Whatever your purpose, I am indebted to you this time."

With that, he turned and left, his figure receding into the distance.

Li Tianqing watched him depart, a faint smile curving his lips.

This Ninth Brother was clever, asking little and saving him much effort.

Li Tianqing gazed thoughtfully in the direction the Ninth Prince had gone.

He returned alone to the residence of the princes...

At dawn the next day, Li Tianqing received the imperial decree.

"By mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Prince Li Tianqing, gifted with wisdom, possessing both virtue and talent, brings great comfort to My heart. I hereby confer upon you the title of Prince of Tranquility, grant you a residence, ten thousand acres of good land, ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of fine silk, and urge you to continue aiding Me and serving the Great Zhou with utmost devotion. Thus is My command!"

After accepting the decree and expressing his gratitude, Li Tianqing began to gather his belongings, preparing to leave the palace for his new residence.

Although he had lived in the princes’ quarters for years, he possessed very little. He had but few attendants, and was accustomed to solitude, so there was not much to take.

After a simple packing, Li Tianqing departed with two guards.

Outside the palace walls, he gazed up at the sky, took a deep breath, and felt an indescribable exhilaration.

Leaving the palace… was the first step to controlling his own fate!

Li Tianqing mused to himself, "The road ahead is long and arduous; I shall seek my way high and low!"

Nothing in this world is immutable, Li Tianqing firmly believed. He would not allow himself to become anyone’s pawn; he would be master of his own destiny.

"Your Highness, we have arrived."

With the guard’s loud announcement, Li Tianqing returned to himself as the carriage slowly came to a halt.

He looked up to see an imposing and magnificent residence before him, a golden plaque above the entrance inscribed with the three characters: "Prince of Tranquility’s Residence."

Perhaps the Zhou Emperor felt a measure of guilt, for this residence far surpassed most others in its grandeur.

The Prince of Tranquility’s Residence occupied a vast expanse, with pavilions, towers, bridges, streams, rock gardens, and all manner of amenities, servants and guards in abundance.

Li Tianqing nodded in satisfaction.

He thought to himself, "Truly, the imperial family spares no expense."

With a faint smile, he strode inside.

Within the residence, the steward awaited with a group of servants at the gate.

No sooner had Li Tianqing entered than a crowd approached, led by an elder.

The old man stepped forward and bowed. "Your servant greets Your Highness, Prince of Tranquility."

Li Tianqing looked up to see that the elder’s hair was silver, his face lined with wrinkles, and he radiated a gentle warmth.

"You need not be so formal, elder," Li Tianqing said, quickly helping him to his feet. "May I ask your name?"

"Your Highness, you honor me too much. I am surnamed Lin, with the single given name Fu. I am the steward of this residence," Steward Lin replied, humble and respectful.

"With Your Highness’s trust, I shall manage the residence with utmost diligence," Lin bowed.

"So you are Steward Lin. I must rely on you for the affairs of the residence," Li Tianqing said, producing a silver ingot from his sleeve and handing it to Lin.

"Your Highness, I dare not accept; I am unworthy," Lin protested, hastily declining.

"This is a token of my appreciation. Take it for some tea," Li Tianqing said, patting Lin’s shoulder with a smile.

Li Tianqing’s demeanor was warm and approachable.

Seeing his sincerity, Steward Lin could no longer refuse and accepted the silver, bowing again. "Thank you, Your Highness. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to ease Your Highness’s burdens."

"Then I leave it in your hands," Li Tianqing smiled, surveying his surroundings.

Everyone in the residence bowed in greeting.

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Li Tianqing waved his hand, indicating they need not be so formal.

The crowd responded in unison, then dispersed to their respective tasks.

The Zhou Emperor was indeed generous; with so many male and female servants, their numbers exceeded a hundred. Li Tianqing glanced around and was secretly astonished.

"Steward Lin, I am new here and unfamiliar with the residence. Could you show me around? Also, where are the fifty Imperial Guards and fifty Feathered Forest Guards bestowed by my father now stationed?" Li Tianqing asked in a gentle tone.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Guards and Feathered Forest Guards are in the martial training grounds. If you wish, I can take you there," replied Lin.

Li Tianqing was very interested in these guards; he had heard that each of the hundred was highly skilled, elite among elites.

With these guards, Li Tianqing now had some means of self-preservation.

He smiled faintly and followed Steward Lin towards the training grounds.

Yet...

All these men belonged to the Zhou Emperor.

This thought unsettled Li Tianqing somewhat.

Nominally, they were under his command, but in reality, they were the emperor’s eyes and ears.

With this in mind, his gaze toward Steward Lin grew more probing, a faint shadow flickering deep within his eyes.

Without betraying his thoughts, Li Tianqing withdrew his gaze and continued to follow Steward Lin.

Before going to Northern Yan, he needed a way to gather his own people.

This journey to Northern Yan would be fraught with danger; he must be fully prepared.

As he walked, Li Tianqing pondered, and before he knew it, they had arrived at the training grounds.

There, all manner of weapons were arrayed—sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, hooks, forks—everything one could imagine.

The Imperial Guards and Feathered Forest Guards were engaged in training, their cries echoing, their momentum fierce.

Watching from the sidelines, Li Tianqing could not help but secretly admire them; they were indeed an elite force.

Compared to ordinary soldiers, these men were far more robust, each powerfully built, evidently veterans of many battles.