Chapter 42 – Settling Yin Dynasty Affairs (3)

Approaching Hengzhou City, Yi Shang spotted a dense crowd gathered at the city gate from a great distance, and nearly thought the Governor had set up an elaborate reception waiting for her.

A rider came galloping forward and dropped to his knees. “Upon hearing that Her Highness the Imperial Princess is arriving, the Governor has led the entire city’s populace out to welcome you. Please, Your Highness, proceed forward.”

Led the entire city’s populace?

What was that old man scheming?

Yi Shang’s eyelid twitched, but she was not particularly afraid.

“We respectfully welcome Her Highness the Imperial Princess!”

The voices of tens of thousands rose to shake the sky. Yi Shang looked at the old Governor with neither joy nor anger. “Governor Qian has gone to great lengths.”

Governor Qian wept tears and snot freely. “You are the last one remaining of the Yin Dynasty’s rivers and mountains. Today, this old vassal has finally seen you come — I could die with no regrets, no regrets at all!”

Yi Shang’s heart tightened, and just as she was about to comfort this old retainer, the Registrar beside him also burst into tears. A moment later, the welcoming cries faded and were replaced by a tide of weeping.

She twitched the corner of her eye. What were they trying to do?

“Your Highness,” Governor Qian tugged at her sleeve, weeping and lamenting, laying bare his heart of loyal devotion.

But Yi Shang gleaned something entirely different from his words.

He was negating — negating the current young Emperor, even negating the missing Crown Prince, and pushing her toward the position of sole legitimate heir.

More than that, he wanted her acknowledgment: acknowledgment that the young Emperor was a pretender, acknowledgment that the Crown Prince was dead, acknowledgment that she would shoulder the rivers and mountains of the Yin Dynasty.

Yi Shang raised her hand and placed it over the rough back of Governor Qian’s hand, gazing into his clear and burning eyes. “Does the old official think I am suited for this?”

“Your Highness, it is not a matter of whether I think you are suited,” the old man replied. “It is a matter of whether you are willing.”

Yi Shang gripped the back of his hand tightly as countless emotions churned within her. “I have never coveted the imperial throne—”

“But,” she grew steadily resolute, as though finding her own vision amid a thousand tangled threads, “I want to end the wars. I want a world of clear rivers and tranquil seas. I want an enlightened and prosperous age.”

“If I entrust it to another’s hands, I cannot rest easy,” Yi Shang said in a low voice. “In that case, I have no choice but to contend for it.”

“Your Highness once quelled uprisings and drove back the barbarians, saving three provinces from fire and flood. Your name for virtue and wisdom has long been known throughout the world. Now, in this age of chaos, the common people are waiting for you to reclaim the old rivers and mountains and start anew — please do not sell yourself short!”

Yi Shang’s expression softened. “This sovereign understands. This sovereign will certainly return a peaceful and prosperous age to the world.”

A commotion broke out not far away. The Governor bellowed, “What is happening!”

The crowd parted to reveal a path leading to the churning river waters.

The Si River stretched before Hengzhou City, serving as the city’s natural barrier. Dozens of zhang wide and of immeasurable length, it ran through nearly half the territory of the Yin Dynasty and was the mother river worshipped by tens of millions of people living along its banks.

“Your Highness, let us go and have a look.”

“Very well.” She wondered what surprise the old man had in store for her this time.

The river surged and the waves rolled. Looking closely, there seemed to be something beneath the water.

“Hey, what is that!”

“Look quickly, it’s surfacing!”

“Heavens, how can there be such a massive turtle!”

Yi Shang was also astonished. By her estimate, the circular diameter of the turtle in the water was a full three chi, and there appeared to be inscribed markings on its back — truly strange.

Governor Qian said, “This turtle is quite peculiar. Quickly, bring it ashore.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion; none of them had ever seen a turtle so large in their entire lives.

Some said it was a sign of auspicious fortune — Heaven’s mercy!

The great turtle came ashore, stretching its neck and lazily sizing up the crowd. On a whim it took two steps forward, drawing cries of shock and admiration from the people. Some even knelt down in reverence, muttering things about the River God descending.

Yi Shang narrowed her eyes to make out the characters on the turtle’s back. “Heavenly Strategy.”

Governor Qian’s expression turned solemn. “Who would dare use the word ‘Heaven’ to speak of strategy? Your Highness arrives today, and a mysterious turtle delivers a strategy — this is truly the will of Heaven, the trend of the great tide!”

“Quite right, quite right, Governor Qian is absolutely correct!”

“We implore Your Highness to follow Heaven’s mandate — if you do not become Emperor, it would defy all natural order!”

Before Yi Shang could say anything, Governor Qian swept aside his robes and knelt. “This old vassal earnestly implores Your Highness to take up residence in Hengzhou and lead the people to peace and prosperity!”

“Your subjects (and common people) earnestly implore Your Highness to take up residence in Hengzhou!”

Yi Shang helped Governor Qian to his feet. “To seek well-being for the people is a duty this sovereign cannot shirk. Please, everyone, rise!”

After a back-and-forth between sovereign and vassals, they finally entered the city.

Yi Shang supported the old Governor as they entered the estate. The old Governor was moved to grateful tears. “You truly are going to be the death of this old vassal from embarrassment.”

“The old official has worked hard and accomplished much — this honor is well-deserved.”

The Governor nodded, deeply moved, then tugged at his sleeve. “About that — Your Highness, I can walk on my own now.”

He turned and caught Yi Shang watching him with a half-smile. His heart gave a jolt.

“Did the old official enjoy today’s performance?”

The Governor chuckled awkwardly. “What is Your Highness talking about? This old vassal’s mind has not been very sharp lately; I cannot quite follow.”

“Then take me to the person who can!”

When the Imperial Princess and General Who Conquered the South was angered, that killing aura was not something one old man could withstand. Governor Qian immediately cowered. “Your Highness, please don’t be hasty, please don’t be hasty — the person hasn’t gone anywhere; they’re right in the back courtyard.”

Yi Shang simply disliked the winding intrigues of politics — that did not mean she failed to understand them. From Xifeng City to Jinzhou, then to Hengzhou — if she were told there was no one behind the scenes pulling the strings, she would sooner die than believe it.

Just thinking that the fall of Xifeng City might also have been engineered by that little scoundrel sent rage roaring upward in her chest. If you’re so capable, why not just ascend to the heavens while you’re at it?!

The Great General’s eyes tilted upward at the corners — those phoenix eyes so similar to Zhan Changfeng’s, sharp and fierce. She seized her Long Spear and charged straight toward the back courtyard, fully resolved to give that utterly unhinged wretch a thorough beating. The old Governor couldn’t stop her even if he tried.

In the end the Governor didn’t bother trying to stop her at all. He let out a sigh. Ah, family matters, family matters — let the Crown Prince resolve this personally.

The back courtyard was desolate and empty — not even a guard or servant in sight. Yi Shang was momentarily puzzled, thinking she had come to the wrong place. She wound her way past the artificial mountain and winding paths, and a gust of wind blew through — fallen leaves swirled and danced in a flurry.

It was clearly the height of summer’s vitality, yet this place was as bleak and forlorn as autumn or winter. She even felt a faint chill.

Fallen leaves blanketed the ground. A figure stood beneath the covered walkway, smiling softly. “Imperial Aunt, you’ve come.”

Yi Shang felt as though she had been struck over the head. The anger she had worked so hard to stoke dissolved into a dull, aching grief the moment she truly laid eyes on the girl. She stepped forward and knelt on one knee at the stone step, her fingertips carefully touching the scars on the girl’s face.

The pale, frail complexion, the steadfast and gentle expression — she took it all in. This was the person she had cherished and treasured since childhood, held at the very tip of her heart.

She should have been the most noble and radiant person of all.

“I’ve come.” Yi Shang set down her Long Spear and embraced Zhan Changfeng.

Zhan Changfeng said softly, “I’m sorry, Imperial Aunt.”

Sorry for what — sorry for not saving the imperial grandfather, sorry for not holding the Yin Dynasty together, sorry for the fall of Xifeng City, sorry for stirring up even deeper turmoil?

The rare guilt that Zhan Changfeng felt was not toward the Yin Dynasty, not toward the world — it was toward her. Sorry for using her as an important piece on the game board.

Yi Shang had no time to dwell on this. She only noticed something amiss in her embrace. She reached to take hold of the hand beneath the wide sleeve — and what she touched was nothing but cold, hard…

White bone.

“What is the meaning of this!” Yi Shang was both shocked and panicked. She moved to lift the girl’s robe, but was gently pushed away.

“As you can see, Imperial Aunt.” Zhan Changfeng stood with her hands clasped behind her back, composed. “I can no longer be counted as fully human. But I am fine.”

This was fine?!

“What in the world happened to you?!” In her shock and fury, Yi Shang brought her Long Spear down with a slam, driving it three cun deep into the stone-slab ground.