"LONG LIVE THE KING!"
A magnificent greeting echoed throughout the grand palace hall as everyone gathered bowed in unison before the King.
All the ministers and princes were present, including Prince Li and Prince FengEr. They had assembled for the weekly court meeting, but everyone knew that today's gathering would be different from the usual ones.
The Crown Prince had returned.
The King had not yet reached old age, but his health had noticeably deteriorated. His face was pale, and his body appeared frail. Nevertheless, his eyes remained lively and sharp, like those of an eagle.
He surveyed the ministers and princes before finally speaking.
"Today, the heavens have blessed our kingdom with good news. I have received word of a great victory from our borders..."
The King nodded toward his trusted eunuch, signaling him to make the special announcement.
"INVITE THE CROWN PRINCE TO PRESENT HIMSELF!"
The eunuch's loud voice echoed through the hall.
Everyone turned toward the entrance as a figure dressed in extravagant battle armor strode into the hall.
It was the Crown Prince.
With an air of great dignity, he walked toward the King and stopped before the throne. The expressions among those present were divided. Some looked at him with admiration, while others could barely conceal their displeasure.
Prince Li and Prince FengEr belonged to the latter group.
The Crown Prince knelt before the King and bowed respectfully.
"Your son has returned, Fu Huang, bringing victory and glory to our kingdom!"
The King smiled with satisfaction.
"Arise!"
The Crown Prince stood up.
"You have successfully defeated our enemies and returned with a great victory. In recognition of your achievement, I hereby reward you and your regiment with ten thousand gold!"
The Crown Prince responded enthusiastically.
"Thank you for your generosity, Fu Huang!"
Among the ministers, Minister Hua stepped forward and respectfully requested permission to speak. Once granted, he began.
"Your Majesty, first of all, allow me to congratulate the Crown Prince on the great victory he has brought to our kingdom.
"However, our war with the Han has continued for far too long and has cost us countless lives and resources. Now that we have weakened their forces, perhaps this is the right time to offer them a peace treaty?"
His suggestion immediately stirred murmurs among the ministers.
Some appeared to agree with his proposal, while others clearly disagreed.
Another man, a general in his fifties, stepped forward and requested permission to speak.
He was General Chou, a veteran commander who had spent many years fighting against the Han. Now, he had been entrusted with overseeing the kingdom's internal defense affairs.
"Your Majesty, I don't believe Minister Hua's suggestion is wise.
"The Han are an aggressive and ruthless people. For years, they have attempted to invade our kingdom. Their king is hungry for power and will never give up his ambition to conquer us.
"Countless lives have already been lost in this war. Our brothers and fellow soldiers have sacrificed themselves on the battlefield. Now that the Han have been weakened, this is our opportunity to launch a counterattack and destroy them once and for all!"
"But General Chou, how much longer must we continue this war?" Minister Hua immediately challenged him. "It isn't only the lives of our soldiers that are at stake. Ordinary people are suffering as well! How many more years must they endure the consequences of this endless conflict?"
"But we are not a cowardly kingdom, Minister Hua!" General Chou retorted. "We cannot give those people an opportunity to stab us in the back! We must never trust those barbaric Han!"
Their argument grew increasingly heated, and the hall became filled with noisy discussions.
"SILENCE!"
The King raised his voice, only to be interrupted by a sudden coughing fit.
"Ukh... ukh..."
Everyone immediately fell silent.
After regaining his composure, the King turned his attention toward an elderly minister who had remained quiet throughout the discussion.
"Minister Zhang, I would like to hear your opinion."
Minister Zhang was already in his seventies. As one of the kingdom's most respected senior officials, he was also considered the King's second most trusted minister after Minister Hua.
He stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Your Majesty, I believe both Minister Hua and General Chou have valid concerns regarding what is best for our kingdom.
"Indeed, this war with the Han has continued for too long and has cost us dearly. Countless lives have been sacrificed, and the people have suffered greatly. A peace treaty may indeed be a wise solution.
"Nevertheless, we must never lower our guard. Even a wounded tiger can still be dangerous, Your Majesty."
The King nodded thoughtfully.
"So, according to Minister Zhang, should we continue allowing our people to suffer through this seemingly endless war?"
Minister Hua clearly remained determined to push for a peace treaty.
General Chou, however, was unwilling to change his position.
"Minister Zhang understands the risks involved in such a treaty, but I still believe we cannot trust the Han! Those barbarians are thirsty for blood!"
Once again, the King raised his hand to calm the ministers.
"Among everyone here, I believe the Crown Prince is the one who has faced the Han on the battlefield for many years. Why don't we hear his opinion?"
Everyone turned toward the Crown Prince.
His answer could have a significant influence on the King's final decision.
The Crown Prince stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Fu Huang, after years of fighting against the Han, I have come to understand their nature. Every time we engage them in battle, we manage to defeat their forces, yet they always find a way to counterattack and trouble our kingdom again.
"This time, however, we have a golden opportunity to defeat them completely."
General Chou nodded approvingly.
The Crown Prince continued with confidence.
"We must not fear them. We must conquer them and make them understand that they are beneath us!"
Several ministers appeared to agree with his words.
Prince Li and Prince FengEr, however, merely exchanged a brief glance and remained silent.
They both knew that this was not the right moment to reveal their suspicions.
The King did not seem entirely satisfied with the Crown Prince's answer.
"Very well. I shall consider this matter carefully before making a decision. We will discuss it again later.
"Crown Prince, you have only just returned, so you deserve some rest. Fortunately, your return has come at the perfect time. We will soon be celebrating your Grandmother the Queen's birthday, and your victorious return will make the occasion even more delightful."
The King then turned toward Prince FengEr, seemingly changing the subject.
"FengEr, how are the preparations for the celebration progressing?"
Prince FengEr stepped forward and answered politely.
"Everything is going well, Fu Huang. I assure you that I won't disappoint you."
"Of course we trust you, my brother!"
The Crown Prince suddenly chimed in with a cheerful smile.
"Isn't organizing delightful parties your greatest talent? Well, I certainly look forward to seeing what you have prepared!"
Although his tone sounded warm and encouraging, everyone could sense the hidden meaning behind his words.
He was implying that Prince FengEr had no remarkable abilities beyond organizing celebrations.
In the Crown Prince's eyes, there was a clear distinction between them. He was the victorious Crown Prince who commanded armies, while FengEr was merely someone good at entertaining guests.
Prince FengEr didn't show any obvious displeasure. Instead, he returned a faint smirk.
"Thank you for your praise, Yi Huang Ge."
He deliberately addressed the Crown Prince as his elder royal brother rather than using his official title.
It was a subtle act of disrespect. Some of the ministers might not have noticed it, but the Crown Prince certainly did.
His expression darkened slightly as he stared at FengEr.
The King, however, seemed pleased with Prince FengEr's response. He then shifted his gaze toward Prince Li, who was standing beside him.
"Li Er, I also heard that you and HuaMuTan will be performing at the celebration. I'm glad to hear that your relationship is improving. I hope the two of you will give your Grandmother a delightful performance."
It seems everyone already knows about the performance...
Prince Li sighed inwardly.
There was little he could do now except accept the arrangement.
"I understand, Fu Huang."
Upon hearing HuaMuTan's name, the Crown Prince glanced toward Prince Li with an unpleasant expression.
He still held a grudge against HuaMuTan for rejecting him in the past and choosing Prince Li instead.
The King suddenly broke into another coughing fit.
"Ukh... ukh..."
Seeing that His Majesty was growing tired, the head eunuch immediately stepped forward to assist him.
The King finally dismissed the meeting and returned to his chambers, accompanied by his trusted head eunuch, Eunuch Jing.
As the King departed, the ministers and princes began leaving the hall, each carrying their own thoughts about the matters discussed that morning.
*Fu Huang = calling for the king from his children.
*The Han = Han People, an enemy country.
*Yi Huang Ge= First royal brother.