My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

As the sun sets in the west, its afterglow illuminates the capital city.

Prince An led three hundred black-armored cavalry, bursting out like an undercurrent, shattering the tranquility of the moment.

He was dressed in black armor, with iron cavalry following closely behind.

The horse neighs, whip cracks, treads on frost-covered dust, its armor gleaming coldly, swiftly passing the setting sun. (Note)

The rapid hoofbeats shattered the last rays of the setting sun before finally stopping outside the capital city.

Prince An had no meritorious service and requested to return to the capital. Naturally, the emperor would not lead all civil and military officials to the city gate to welcome him back.

He reined in his horse and looked up at the city gate of the capital, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.

However, he was quite surprised when he saw a conspicuous gap in the eastern city wall.

Could the outrageous news I heard earlier be true?

The three hundred cavalrymen were not allowed to enter the city, so the soldiers temporarily found an open space outside the city to set up camp.

Prince An, accompanied by several trusted confidants, passed through the city gate and entered the city.

As the streetlights came on, Prince An and his entourage, dressed in black armor, exuded an imposing aura, drawing the attention of passersby.

The King of Qin had already learned of the Prince of An's return to the capital, so he sent someone to invite him.

Prince An was delighted and went straight there without hesitation.

Inside the Qin Prince's mansion, the lights were bright and the atmosphere was warm and inviting.

The King of Qin personally went out to greet the King of An. The two smiled at each other and went inside together.

Upon entering the hall, the host and guests took their seats.

Several delicate dishes and two jugs of fine wine were already laid out on the table. Plum blossoms were in full bloom in the courtyard, their subtle fragrance mingling with the aroma of wine, creating an intoxicating atmosphere.

The two men discussed current events over wine, enjoying a few small dishes as they drank and chatted.

"Brother An, the borderlands are desolate, and the wind is biting cold. You must be exhausted." The King of Qin raised his cup, his expression showing a hint of concern. "How is the war on the frontier?"

Prince An downed his drink in one gulp and sneered, "Those Rong tribes are nothing but a rabble, not worth mentioning. Once my Zhenbei Army is deployed, they will surely flee at the mere sight of us."

A complex emotion flashed in the King of Qin's eyes: "It seems that the hardships on the frontier are nothing compared to the treacherous winds and turmoil in the capital."

Upon hearing this, Prince An frowned slightly and asked, "What changes have occurred in the capital recently? I heard on the way here that even the Duke of Zhenguo was not spared, his title was stripped and his property confiscated?"

The King of Qin sighed softly and began to recount the events in detail, from the changes that occurred on the day of the snow appreciation banquet to the terrifying demon attack on the city yesterday, describing everything impartially.

Although Prince An was far away on the frontier, he could not possibly be completely unaware of the important events in the capital. Pretending not to know and asking Prince Qin was merely a way to test his attitude.

Inevitably, the name "Chu Lengyu" was mentioned several times in the King of Qin's words.

Prince An sneered, his face full of disdain: "What abilities could a woman possibly have? The only reason she dares to act so recklessly in the capital is because the emperor favors her. I'd like to see how long she can remain so arrogant!"

"Chu Lengyu is indeed extraordinary," the King of Qin reminded him.

"Hmph." Prince An snorted coldly, his emotions rising. "I think she's nothing but a vixen, bewitching the emperor and disrupting the court. It's utterly absurd!"

He slammed his wine glass on the table, his voice filled with anger: "Is it because of her that the emperor dares to oppose us?"

When the King of Qin saw that the King of An was truly angry, he quickly advised him to calm down.

After hearing his words of comfort, Prince An calmed down a little and said in a deep voice, "Brother Prince Qin is right. How could I lose my composure because of a mere woman? But this is a matter I really can't swallow."

The King of Qin smiled slightly and poured a full glass of wine for the King of An: "Come, let's drink. The affairs of the world are determined by fate. It's rare for us to get together like this, so let's not talk about these things and just drink to our hearts' content."

"Haha, good, let's drink!" Prince An laughed heartily.

The two raised their glasses again, clinking them together with a crisp sound.

Prince An drank it all in one gulp, and as the effects of the alcohol took hold, his mood gradually relaxed.

Night was gradually falling outside the window, and the wind and snow were desolate.

……

The next day.

The morning breeze grows colder, and the bell tolls have already faded.

Civil and military officials set off from their respective residences, walked through the quiet streets, and converged on the palace.

Prince An was no exception.

He was dressed in court robes, wearing a jade crown, and riding in a carriage, slowly making his way towards the palace.

Inside the carriage, Prince An closed his eyes to rest, but in his heart he was calculating. Today's court assembly was different from usual. He wanted to take this opportunity to let the emperor know that the four kings and eight dukes were not made of clay.

It's one thing to strip the Duke of Zhenguo of his title, but if the emperor goes after other princes and nobles, don't blame him for being ruthless!

As the carriage arrived at the palace gate, Prince An leisurely stepped down.

His gaze was cold as he slowly swept across the surroundings, pausing for a few breaths on the wooden execution ground that had not yet been dismantled.

When the other officials saw Prince An, they all stepped forward to pay their respects, some out of respect and others out of fear.

Prince An nodded slightly in response.

Upon entering the court, he saw that all the civil and military officials were already standing in order. Prince An found his place and stood quietly.

Soon after, the emperor, led by a eunuch, slowly entered the court.

The crowd shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The court assembly began with several ministers reporting on the political affairs and situations in various regions.

Prince An listened patiently until a minister mentioned the matter of pacifying the people yesterday, at which point a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Seeing that the time was right, Prince An stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Prince An, what brings you here?" The Emperor looked at Prince An with a questioning look in his eyes.

“Your Majesty, I returned to the capital yesterday and was shocked to see the city walls destroyed. I believe this is no small matter. The destruction of the city walls is a minor issue; the safety of the capital is of paramount importance.” Prince An’s voice was firm and resolute, each word powerful.

“What Prince An said is very true,” the ministers agreed.

In their view, the breached city wall was not only unsafe, but also a disgrace.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, looking down at Prince An, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

Before he arrived at the morning court session, he had already seen Chu Lengyu's latest diary, which also included several pictures.

Furthermore, Chu Lengyu had already investigated and collected evidence in a short period of time, confirming his suspicions.

The Zhenbei Army not only chronically defaulted on its military pay, but the proportion of soldiers receiving pay without working was even more severe than in the capital and Jiangnan!

Desertion is a real phenomenon, but those soldiers are truly driven to desperation. Military commanders even allow soldiers to desert, concealing the truth to collect more pay without actually working!

(Embezzlement: Suppose a military camp should have one hundred men according to its establishment, and the imperial court should issue military pay to one hundred men according to the establishment. But in reality, there are only fifty men or even fewer in the camp. The extra military pay that no one is paying is embezzled and distributed by the camp's management.)

In the event of war, there will be numerous vacancies at the lower levels, resulting in a severe shortage of living soldiers, which will seriously affect the commanders' judgment and the final outcome of the battle.

_______________________

Note:

The first two sentences are excerpted from:

Where has the neighing horse gone, whip cracking? Dawn birds sing, frost covers the trees. — Niu Xiji, "Visiting the Golden Gate: Autumn is Late"

Horses trod through frost-covered dust, the moon shines bright on the hilltop road. — Liu Yuxi, "Early Departure on the Road"

The inspiration for rewriting the last two sentences came from:

At dawn, the sun rises in the southeast, its cold light gleaming against the iron armor of the desert. — Li Yi, "Two Poems on Crossing the Pone Sandbar"

The horse swiftly flies past the birds, the sky reaches its end as the sun sets. —Cen Shen, "Sending Off Judge Liu Dan to the Anxi Camp at Wuwei, Presented to Prefect Gao"

Reading classical Chinese poems is a very enjoyable experience, but my memory isn't what it used to be, so I can't memorize them all. I can only write them down line by line, hoping I'll be able to use them someday.

I've been reading Eileen Chang's books lately and can't help but marvel at how beautiful her writing is.

Moreover, her choice of words and sentence structure differs from modern literature, so there's always something to learn from her.