The Innocent Heart - Chapter 62

In the following days, the superficial calm of Chang’an seemed to testify to the accuracy of Huo Qubing’s deductions.

Except for Zhang Tang and Du Zhou, who became increasingly busy in corners unnoticed by others, today’s Chang’an appeared no different than it had been a few days prior. Huo Qubing felt quite certain of his guesses, but until the dust truly settled, he remained slightly on edge, finding it difficult to maintain focus during training.

Guan Yueyao, however, remained as carefree as ever. Seeing no movement the next day, she simply tossed the matter aside and threw herself wholeheartedly into her training.

Still, she couldn’t let go of her worry for the two sisters. After training finished the following day, she returned to the sheep market. But the spot beneath the eaves where the sisters usually knelt was now empty. Pedestrians flowed by like weaving silk; no one spared the spot a second glance. It was as if it had always been that way—as if that pair of beautiful, tragic sisters had never existed at all, but were merely an illusion conjured by Guan Yueyao’s imagination.

As for the other two involved in the incident, Li Gan had heard no wind of anything unusual; he truly believed the youth they fought that day was merely an arrogant out-of-town dandy who didn’t know his place. As for Chen Zhi, having a grandmother with influence that reached the heavens, he naturally knew the reason behind it all. However, he had been sternly cautioned that neither the Emperor nor the Prince of Jiangdu wished to publicize the matter, so he obediently kept his mouth shut.

The Heir of Jiangdu, Liu Jian, suffered in silence. His plan to enjoy himself in the capital had soured; once his wounds healed at the prefect’s office, he slunk back to his father’s fiefdom.

However, what Zhang Tang and Du Zhou did not expect was that this ordinary case of a street brawl would implicate another person they had both failed to anticipate—Liu An, the Prince of Huainan.

“That Liu An lets his daughter visit the capital for fun all the time, so why can’t I?!” The youth’s resentful and overbearing interrogation still rang in their ears, causing cold sweat to pour down the faces of Liu Che’s two capable subordinates.

They pretended not to believe him, and as expected, they managed to coax more information out of Liu Jian’s mouth.

What exactly did Liu An intend to do? To go so far as to indulge his daughter, the Wengzhu (Princess) Liu Ling, in visiting the capital every single year?!

This was far more serious than Liu Jian’s mistake. Zhao Yu, having long managed criminal trials and seen all sorts of people, had judged Liu Jian’s character after only a brief meeting and a few words.

“Master Zhao, this matter is of great importance. I believe we must report to His Majesty immediately,” Zhang Tang said, his face clouded with worry.

“Boqin is correct. Liu Jian himself is nothing to fear. What I worry about is the Prince of Huainan harboring treacherous intentions…” Zhao Yu agreed deeply with Zhang Tang’s concern. Daring not to delay for a moment, the two hurried to organize their files and rushed toward Weiyang Palace.

“What did you say?! Liu Jian said he only wanted to visit the capital because he heard the Prince of Huainan allows Wengzhu Liu Ling to come every year to enjoy herself?!”

In the Xuan室 Hall, Liu Che was shocked upon hearing their report. “For so long, and you all noticed nothing? What on earth is the Right Nei-shi (Governor of the Capital) being paid for?!”

The two men kneeling below buried their heads even lower, fearing that the Emperor, currently in a towering rage, would vent his wrath upon them.

The sound of hurried pacing echoed in the hall, striking their ears like a drum and causing their hearts to flutter with anxiety. After an unknown amount of time, the Son of Heaven finally seemed to calm down. The pacing and the rustle of his robes abruptly stopped.

“Zhang Tang, you are to oversee this matter with full authority. Station men to keep a tight watch on the Prince of Huainan and every move within his kingdom. And do not let that Liu Ling slip by either. I want to see what business a Peer Prince’s daughter has in the capital when she should be staying in her own fief!”

By the end, his tone carried a chilling, ruthless edge.

“As you command.” The two men, bodies trembling slightly, backed out with extreme caution.

Liu Che looked fiercely at his desk, where the “Nine Matters” memorial submitted by Zhu Fu Yan two years ago lay. He had remembered it yesterday and ordered it to be retrieved.

“The large vassal states span provinces and command dozens of cities. The power of the princes is already great… the small ones are dissolute and lawless, while the great ones are alienated and rebellious, leading to the destruction of their own persons and their kingdoms.”

The words Zhu Fu Yan had once offered him surfaced in Liu Che’s mind, and he fell into deep thought. Because of the suspicious movements of Liu An, the Prince of Huainan, Liu Che’s thoughts regarding the princes were stirred once more. Yet, the Rebellion of the Seven States during the previous Emperor’s reign served as a constant reminder: aggressive action might not bring the desired results.

He needed to plan more cautiously. Currently, he still hoped to achieve great feats in the war against the Xiongnu—merit that no successor could ever surpass. The internal stability of the Han must not be disrupted now… Thinking this, Liu Che’s desire to immediately deal with those restless princes gradually subsided.

There is a time for everything. He would first settle the score with the Xiongnu before turning back to deal with them.

The undercurrents of the court did not affect the lives of the teenagers. As the date of the Du Shi (metropolitan military trials) drew closer by the day, they no longer even had the leisure to seek out street food after training.

This year’s military trials were exceptionally grand due to the participation of elite warriors from across the nation. Even the Emperor arrived with his close ministers to watch the competition. Every contestant was putting forth their best effort, hoping to showcase their skills before the Son of Heaven and the generals to secure a bright future.

Guan Yueyao looked at the rows of military experts standing beside her and felt a surge of excitement. Through Huo Qubing’s strict guidance over the past weeks, her horsemanship and archery had improved significantly. Her archery, in particular, was quite accurate—while not yet at the level of “piercing a willow leaf from a hundred paces,” she could maintain good aim as long as she stayed calm and overcame her impatient nature.

The first test of the trials was horsemanship. Before the competition, Huo Qubing had analyzed it for her: it wasn’t just about the horse’s quality or the rider’s skill; the coordination between man and horse was vital.

Chizhou was a fine horse but had a gentle temperament; it lacked the explosive power of horses like Benxiao. Of course, this might also be because Guan Yueyao, as a rider, still lacked total confidence in her own skills.

“A-Yao, don’t worry. Believe in yourself. Your riding is already better than that of an average light cavalryman. With Chizhou at your command, even if you don’t take the top spot, you certainly won’t fall to the bottom!” Before the match began, Huo Qubing gripped his friend’s shoulders tightly to encourage her.

“Right! I’ll do my best!” To say she wasn’t nervous would be a lie. Fortunately, Guan Yueyao had plenty of competition experience and had her own ways of adjusting her mindset. She gave her friend a reassuring smile, took Chizhou’s reins, and walked toward the arena without looking back.

Huo Qubing returned to the viewing stands. Because of the Emperor’s favoritism, this youth—who was still relatively unknown at the time—had a place by the Emperor’s side. This was the best vantage point in the entire arena.

Guan Yueyao’s heat was the third one, and there was some time before it started. Huo Qubing stayed obediently by the Emperor’s side, listening to him critique the contestants on the field, but he didn’t absorb a word of it.

I probably wouldn’t be this nervous if I were the one competing, Huo Qubing thought, sneaking a glance at the Emperor. The Emperor was in high spirits and did not notice the youth’s distraction. Huo Qubing breathed a sigh of relief, focused his mind, and waited patiently for Guan Yueyao to appear.

Finally, he saw her. Guan Yueyao had changed into the armor he had gifted her—silver plates over red robes. Under the midday sun, she appeared radiant. Her hair was tied back in the ponytail she favored, which she said was “convenient and saved trouble.”

Before Huo Qubing could get a better look, a rapid roll of war drums sounded—the signal for the start—followed by a sharp whistle.

In an instant, the riders who had been standing at the starting line spurred their steeds, shooting forward like sharp arrows. Some riders with poor skills or poor coordination with their mounts were blocked by the hurdles across the track and slowed down. Huo Qubing’s gaze was locked firmly on Guan Yueyao’s back, ignoring everyone else.

Liu Che soon noticed Huo Qubing’s loss of composure. This youth, whom he considered quite steady, was now gripping the railing with both hands, his upper body almost leaning over the edge.

He quickly guessed the reason and asked with a smile, “What? Is it Guan Yueyao’s turn?”

“Your Majesty.” Hearing the Emperor’s voice, Huo Qubing instinctively turned and bowed.

“Alright, no need for formalities. Watch the race.” Liu Che waved him off with a smile and stood by the railing with him, looking out over the arena.

“A-Yao!” Suddenly, Huo Qubing cried out. Liu Che saw a blurred figure on the field; because the horse had failed to clear a hurdle, its front knees buckled, and the rider was being thrown toward the ground.

It was Guan Yueyao.

Fortunately, she was agile. She rolled upon hitting the ground and was not injured. On both sides of the track, several other soldiers were in similar situations. Since only the top three of each group would advance, most saw no hope and simply sat waiting for the military medics to check their injuries.

Only Guan Yueyao stood up, remounted Chizhou, and spurred the horse once more.

“Chizhou, let’s go! We still have a chance!” Guan Yueyao leaned into her “partner’s” ear, lightly patting its neck to soothe it, and set off once more.