The Child Emperor

Chapter 118: The Future and the Present

More than a hundred soaked government troops walked into the village with fear. They were surprised to find that the mysterious enemy that had just defeated them was nothing more than a group of ragged peasants. Along with their astonishment, regret overwhelmed them as they realized they had already surrendered their weapons and were now defenseless.

The victors were jubilant, forgetting all about forming lines. They crowded along the sides of the road, teasing the defeated soldiers.

It was a complete victory; the rebel forces suffered no casualties, while a large number of government troops fell into the water, some injured by their own comrades.

Chao Hua and the other commanders walked among the crowd, giving strict orders for everyone to regroup. Simultaneously, they inspected their own men, demanding reports for any discrepancies in numbers or unfamiliar faces.

As expected, some men tried to escape. There was a squad of tens of men which fled together with their captain. Many rebel fighters were mere spectators or opportunists, unwilling to risk their lives when a real uprising occurred. They cared little about who was emperor; they seized any chance to escape danger.

For Han Ruzi, it saved him the trouble of feeding dozens of people for lunch, and he could share some provisions with the captives.

The last group of rebels returned to the village, bringing with them a horse and a terrified infantry officer. He pleaded for mercy from anyone he encountered, calling them “Great King.”

With insufficient rooms in the village, the captives were locked up in pigsties, the pigs having been consumed the day before.

Han Ruzi didn’t bother meeting the captives. He ordered the meal to be served, rotating the squads to guard the prisoners. Although some rebels had escaped, he wasn’t particularly concerned, trusting that those who stayed would be more loyal.

The chief clerk, Chao Yongsi, had to redo the record of names, and the thickness of the door panel had been scraped off by two inches.

And so, another afternoon passed.

Prince Donghai observed coldly without urging anyone. As the evening approached, Lin Kunshan couldn’t hold back and approached Han Ruzi. After politely asking the guards to leave, he sighed, “Your Majesty, what exactly are you worried about?”

“I worry that this militia was formed too quickly. When it truly faces the battlefield, it might crumble under the slightest pressure.”

“I may not understand military formations, but I know that training an army takes at least half a year. Even if Your Majesty never rests, it would be impossible to turn these people into proper soldiers in just a few days.” Lin Kunshan took a few steps forward, speaking in a low voice. “The key to this uprising lies in public sentiment, not in these few hundred people. The more people respond to Your Majesty’s call, the safer it will be in the future. Even if the Cui clan controls the Southern Army, they can’t stand against the entire realm.”

Han Ruzi fell silent for a moment and asked, “Do you know about the ten-year agreement proposed by Prince Donghai?”

Lin Kunshan nodded.

“Do you believe it?” Han Ruzi asked.

After a moment’s hesitation, Lin Kunshan shook his head.

“That’s exactly what worries me,” Han Ruzi smiled. “I haven’t encountered many scams myself, but I’ve read about some in historical records. To sum it up, there are countless deceitful tactics, but one common factor stands out.”

“Oh?” Lin Kunshan showed a curious expression.

“Scammers always trade the promise of immense future benefits for minor immediate benefits for themselves. Once the deceived are captivated by the prospect of substantial rewards, they forget about the present and willingly hand themselves over to the scammer.”

Lin Kunshan burst into laughter but didn’t respond.

Han Ruzi continued, “Take Chunyu Xiao, for example. He incited and princes into rebellion by promising them great benefits after they become emperor. At such times, would care about the minor benefits he gets from being an honored guest of these noblemen?”

Lin Kunshan looked slightly embarrassed. “Your Majesty, such words seem to belittle my teacher.”

“‘Belittling’ or reducing things to their essence makes things simpler. Like in my case. I promise everyone wealth and glory once I succeed, but what I actually demand is their loyalty and even their lives at this moment.”

“Your Majesty sees yourself as a scammer?” Lin Kunshan said in surprise.

“It depends on the outcome. If Prince Qi had succeeded in seizing the realm back then, Chunyu Xiao would have been seen as prophetic. If Prince Qi had failed, your teacher would undoubtedly be considered a scammer. I’m no different. If I become emperor, I succeed. If I fail, I’m just a scammer, a joke.”

Lin Kunshan chuckled awkwardly. “So, we’re all scammers.”

“Yes, we’re all scammers, at least until success is achieved. We’re all trading the elusive future for tangible gains in the present,” Han Ruzi laughed. “What I want in the ‘present’ is this small army, and what Prince Donghai wants in the ‘present’ is my reputation. He won’t let me be emperor for ten years. I might perish in this uprising, perhaps at the moment when the palace gates open for me.”

“The fate seers will help Your Majesty, preventing Prince Donghai’s plan from succeeding.”

Han Ruzi pointed at Lin Kunshan. “That’s the ‘present’ the fate seers desire, isn’t it?”

“What does Your Majesty mean?” Lin Kunshan looked visibly puzzled.

“I’ve seen the records of the fate seers and have always been curious. What exactly do you want?” Han Ruzi asked.

“In broad terms, we hope for peace throughout the realm. On a smaller scale, we hope that our art of divination can be used for the benefit of the country. We aim to establish ourselves in the Astrological Directorate,” Lin Kunshan explained.

Han Ruzi shook his head. “You’re talking about the ‘future.’ I’m talking about the ‘present.'”

“The present?” Lin Kunshan inquired.

“In fact, you’ve already obtained what you wanted in the ‘present,'” Han Ruzi smiled.

Lin Kunshan also laughed. “Your Majesty’s words are becoming increasingly perplexing.”

“You just mentioned wanting to help me, but I know that the fate seers are not only helping me but also helping the Cui clan. And the fate seers helped those nobles and princes before. Without me saying a word, you’ve already helped me build a good reputation among the people. That’s an unexpected but significant assistance.”

“Don’t you want this assistance, Your Majesty?”

“I do, but the benefits to the fate seers are even greater. In the process of assisting me, the fate seers are gaining more and more control over the public sentiment. Yes, you’re spreading my fame, but what about the spreader itself? Haven’t you also gained the favor of the people?”

Lin Kunshan remained stunned for a while. “Your Majesty’s thoughts… are truly unique.”

“Is that so?” Han Ruzi’s thoughts were actually inspired by Yang Feng. Once he imagined the fate seers as a “faction” in and of itself, many of his doubts could be easily resolved. “Cui Hong is a high-ranking court official, and Prince Donghai has lived in the imperial palace since childhood. How did they establish contact with the mad monk Guangding? Guangding has been hiding in temples for many years and probably wouldn’t want to reveal his true identity to officials.”

“Well, um, yes, I played a role in connecting them. The fate seers are also considered part of the pugilist world.”

“Will you be going to meet Guangding in the north?” Han Ruzi asked.

“Of course.”

“And you will stand by my side and Prince Donghai’s.”

“If Your Majesty doesn’t wish…”

“No, no, you can stand by my side. I’m just wondering, when the eccentric monk Guangding sees the three of us from a distance, who will he truly trust and admire? I guess it will be you, a highly skilled fate seer.”

Lin Kunshan laughed heartily. “My teacher has reminded me many times, saying that although Your Majesty is young, you possess both wisdom and courage. But I keep underestimating Your Majesty. I truly am foolish.”

“Mm… I feel like you still haven’t revealed the whole truth.”

Lin Kunshan put away his smile and locked eyes with Han Ruzi for a moment. “Yang Feng, we know of his existence, and we know he is actively hunting fate seers. My teacher admires him and hopes to reconcile with him. Yang Feng values Your Majesty and is even willing to leave the palace to assist you. My teacher says that the fate seers must compete with Yang Feng for Your Majesty.”

“Yang Feng did not leave the palace willingly, nor is he by my side now.”

“Someone like Yang Feng, no matter what detours he takes, he always ends up back where he started.”

After some thought, Han Ruzi said, “Now I’m starting to believe you a bit.”

“Is there anything else Your Majesty wants to know?”

“Fate seers have been operating in secret for decades, from the court to the pugilist world. They should have gained a lot, right?”

“I can’t answer that question. I’m only responsible for the area around the capital, dealing mostly with people from the pugilist world, with minimal contact with officials in the court.”

“But even in the pugilist world, you haven’t disclosed all your contacts. I don’t trust Prince Donghai. I don’t believe anything he says. I need your assurance, something tangible you can provide right now.”

Lin Kunshan scratched his head, smiling wryly. “Your Majesty really wants to squeeze everything out of me.”

“Those with nothing to lose can’t help but be a bit greedy. Please understand.”

“Alright, since we’ve come to this point, I’ll make the first move.” Lin Kunshan showed a determined expression. “Right here in this village, there are twenty martial arts experts, all recruited by me. I’ll call them over later to serve as guards for Your Majesty.”

“No need.”

“What exactly does Your Majesty want? I really have nothing more to assure you unless my teacher appears immediately.”

“There’s one thing you can do.”

“Your Majesty, please speak.”

“Tomorrow morning, after I meet with the mad monk Guangding, I intend to send Prince Donghai to the north of the Capital.”

Lin Kunshan was greatly surprised. “The north of the Capital is not safe…”

“That’s why I need you to do this. Guangding listens to you. Please ask him to do everything in his power to ensure Prince Donghai’s safety. I don’t want Grand Tutor Cui to lose hope at a time like this.”

Lin Kunshan thought for a while, reluctantly saying, “Alright, let’s go with Your Majesty’s plan. I’ll try my best to keep Prince Donghai away from the battlefield.”

“And then you must go to see Cui Hong, convince him that Prince Donghai is alive and well.”

“That’s easy. I understand. Your Majesty wants to safely reclaim the throne. Without seeing Prince Donghai, the Cui clan wouldn’t dare harm Your Majesty easily.”

“I hope so.”

“But this doesn’t eliminate the Cui clan.”

“My ambitions aren’t that great. As long as I’m alive, I don’t need to be emperor for ten years. Just one year, and I won’t fear the Cui clan or Prince Donghai anymore.”

Someone knocked on the door. Lin Kunshan smiled and took his leave. “As Your Majesty wishes. I hope that Your Majesty will remember everything the fate seers have done in the future.”

“The fate seers have flourished and could be a force to rely on. How could I forget?” Han Ruzi responded.

Lin Kunshan left the room.

Han Ruzi felt deeply fatigued, unsure whom to trust and what to believe anymore.

The person at the door entered. It was Jin Chunzhong, who had been in contact with the cook called Reckless in the Capital. He looked dusty and sweaty, clearly having undergone a long and hasty journey.

Han Ruzi was initially pleased but quickly lowered his expectations because Jin Chunzhong seemed somewhat bewildered.

“Have you met him?” Even though there were no outsiders in the room, Han Ruzi didn’t want to casually mention people related to Yang Feng.

Jin Chunzhong nodded. “I did.”

“And then? What did he say?”

Jin Chunzhong was confused. “He gave me a glance, and didn’t say anything. He just went back to cook.”

Han Ruzi was stunned. “He didn’t ask who you were?”

“No, he didn’t say a word. I even said a few more words when I caught up with him, but he didn’t look at me.”

“You really met Reckless?”

“I asked three people, and when I called him Reckless,’ he didn’t deny it.”

That’s how it was. Han Ruzi felt disappointed. It seemed that Reckless would only pass on the message if he went in person. He was indeed very cautious but also frustrating for the current situation.

Not wanting to show strong emotions in front of Jin Chunzhong, Han Ruzi was about to thank him when he sensed something wrong. “Do you have anything else to say?”

Jin Chunzhong still looked bewildered. “Huh? In the city… I heard some news.”

“What news?”

“The Xiongnu and the Chu empire have gone to war. The Chu army suffered a major defeat.”

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