RPAGF Chapter 25 The Struggle for the Throne
Chapter 25 The Struggle for the Throne
Zhao Heng listened and couldn't help but laugh.
"You two need not be so nervous. In truth, those who believe will continue to believe, and those who do not believe will find it useless to argue. Brother Dan and Brother Zheng, you should just keep it to yourselves and not worry too much, lest you reveal your true intentions."
Despite this, Yan Dan's brows did not relax; instead, they furrowed even more, and she asked in confusion:
"Since Aheng knows that Zhao Yan orchestrated this scheme to make you make a mistake and lose your eligibility to compete, why... did you still insist on entering? Isn't this exactly what they wanted?"
He emphasized his words.
"Don't blame Dan for speaking so bluntly. If this matter attracts even fiercer attacks from Zhao Yan's faction, I'm afraid it will really be as Dan just said, implicating Brother Zheng."
Ying Zheng was also puzzled, but he was no longer curious at the moment. He simply sat upright, looking at Zhao Heng intently, waiting for an explanation.
Zhao Heng picked up the earthenware pot, filled the cup with water, slowly took a sip, and then, following Yan Dan's train of thought, began to speak:
"Brother Dan is absolutely right. If it were merely out of fear of Zhao Yan's schemes, or out of cherishing my friendship with Brother Zheng, I really shouldn't have come here today. If I were to come, it should be to say goodbye to Brother Zheng in person, to draw a clear line, and to never have any contact with him again, never to set foot in Weifeng Lane again."
Yan Dan nodded.
This is exactly what he can't understand: knowing it's a trap, why would he still jump in?
"But I've come, and I don't intend to sever ties. Why?"
Zhao Heng looked at Yan Dan, and then at Ying Zheng.
"A couple of days ago, when my teacher was instructing me, he had me read the Six Secret Teachings." He recalled briefly: "It says in it... 'One must see the yang and also the yin to know the heart; one must see the exterior and also the interior to know the intention; one must see the distant and also the close to know the feelings.'"
Yan Dan listened intently. Ying Zheng was also completely absorbed in the conversation.
"Inspired by this, I couldn't help but think: Zhao Yan wanted to get rid of me because I might threaten his throne. But I was just a child, without soldiers or power, and without prestige. The real threat to his throne was my father. As long as King Zhao was still alive, and as long as my father could return to Zhao safely, even if Zhao Yan ruined my reputation, he would not be able to shake my father's position, and the throne would still be out of reach."
Zhao Heng looked at the two of them and asked:
"Then, please consider this: if you were my uncle, and you wished to completely eliminate any future troubles and end the struggle for the throne forever, what would you do?"
Silence fell in the room once again.
Yan Dan frowned, deep in thought. Ying Zheng, on the other hand, lowered his eyes slightly, his expression unreadable.
But just a moment later, Ying Zheng raised his head, a sharp glint in his dark eyes that was beyond his years.
"We will certainly find a way to prevent Lord Chunping from returning to his country."
Zhao Heng nodded, not surprised by Ying Zheng's answer, but then asked:
"Then, please consider this carefully. Is there something that, if accomplished, could both cause me, Zhao Heng, to lose power and solidify the charge of colluding with Qin, while also greatly increasing the likelihood that my father would be unable to return to his homeland, or even permanently extinguishing his hope of returning to Zhao?"
A flash of inspiration struck Yan Dan.
What would prevent Lord Chunping from returning home...? Unless Lord Chunping dies in Qin? Or offends the King of Qin and is imprisoned? Or... a dramatic change occurs in the State of Zhao, rendering his return meaningless or impossible?
Then, in an instant, he turned his head sharply to look at Ying Zheng, his face turning ashen.
In fact, in that instant, Ying Zheng's face had also turned pale.
"If Zheng were to encounter trouble in Zhao..." Yan Dan said urgently, "he might die... Qin and Zhao would surely reignite their war... At that time, as the crown prince of Zhao, there would be absolutely no chance that Qin would release him!"
The moment those words were spoken, the room fell into a deathly silence. An invisible chill seemed to be quietly spreading through the air.
"Wait a minute..." Yan Dan suddenly came to her senses. "If that's really the case, then Aheng, shouldn't you have come even less? Shouldn't you have stayed even further away from politics?"
Zhao Heng nodded, then shook his head.
"However, Brother Dan, please recall your words of self-pity just now—'I fear that even if I return to the country in the future, there will be no place for me in the palace, and the bond between father and son... will also be weak.'"
Yan Dan was startled and looked up at Zhao Heng.
"Brother Dan, you've been away from the country for four years, and you already have this worry." Zhao Heng looked at Ying Zheng: "Then what about you, Brother Zheng, who was born and raised in Handan, and has never set foot in Xianyang?"
Ying Zheng clenched his fist, his dark eyes fixed on Zhao Heng.
"As the eldest son of the Duke of Qin, if the Duke of Qin were to ascend the throne one day, you would be the first choice for Crown Prince of Qin. Is this position a blessing or a curse for you?"
Before Ying Zheng could answer, Zhao Heng continued:
"I, Zhao Heng, have already brought about my death because of an uncertain 'possibility.' So, Brother Zheng, how will your almost certain status as the 'future crown prince of Qin' be viewed by those ministers, eunuchs, and even other princes and their maternal families who have served the Duke of Qin for many years and finally gained a foothold by his side?
"Do they all eagerly await your safe return to Qin as the 'eldest son'? Or... do some see you as an obstacle that must be removed, just as Zhao Yan saw me?"
Ying Zheng's face completely lost its color.
His hands, resting on his knees, were clenched so tightly. He was clearly frightened by Zhao Heng, yet he stubbornly kept his head down and refused to utter a sound.
He recalled his mother's occasional sighs, her words that "your father's life in Qin is not easy," and the vague rumors about Xianyang. He had never considered this possibility, or rather, for him and his mother, there was no need to consider it at all.
Mother said that Father would definitely come to pick them up...
Yan Dan was completely speechless.
The sheer volume of information in Zhao Heng's words left him momentarily bewildered, his thoughts a jumbled mess, unsure where to begin or what to say.
Zhao Heng took a slight breath, seeing the two speechless with shock. After all, he was still in the body of an eleven-year-old, and the lengthy analysis, coupled with the deliberate control of his tone and rhythm, had indeed taken a considerable toll on his mental energy.
Fortunately, he possessed the Guigu breathing technique, which relieved his fatigue with a few breaths. He then dipped his finger in the water in the cup and drew a circle on the table, before enclosing an even larger circle around it.
"I am in this vortex."
He tapped the edge of the water circle.
"Brother Zheng, you are also caught up in it." Zhao Heng's finger moved towards the inner circle. "And even without me, you would have already been trapped in it."
He raised his eyes, looking at Ying Zheng's pale face, and then at Yan Dan, who was still immersed in shock.
"What we can do now is not to struggle separately and face the undercurrents from Zhao or Qin alone. Instead, we should join hands, combine our strength, act as each other's eyes and ears, and provide mutual support. Only then is it possible to break free from this increasingly treacherous vortex and even... find a way out."
After he finished speaking, no one spoke.
Yan Dan was speechless. Ying Zheng pursed his lips. Zhao Heng was also momentarily silent.
But just a moment later, Ying Zheng suddenly raised his head and stared straight at Zhao Heng.
His movements were so fast that even Yan Dan was taken aback.
"What should we do?"
Zhao Heng was taken aback, and Yan Dan also turned his head in surprise. The two of them saw that Ying Zheng's usually gloomy and calm black eyes were now shining brightly.
"Does Brother Zheng trust me?" Zhao Heng couldn't help but laugh, then asked softly, "I'm only a year older than you."
Ying Zheng simply stood up solemnly, about to speak.
However, at that moment, a commotion came from outside the courtyard.
Yan Dan's servant returned carrying the purchased vegetables and meat, waiting respectfully outside the door. Then Zhao Ji's gentle voice came from the kitchen: "The vegetables are ready, gentlemen..."
She walked to the doorway and saw the solemn expressions on Ying Zheng and Yan Dan's faces inside. Her smile froze, and she seemed somewhat at a loss.
Zhao Ji suddenly approached, and Ying Zheng, who had just stood up solemnly, fell silent again. He lowered his hands, which were slightly curled up in his sleeves, and swallowed back the words that were about to come out.
Yan Dan was also stunned and hadn't recovered yet. He was still immersed in the shock brought by those words and looked at Zhao Ji with a somewhat blank gaze.
Fortunately, Zhao Heng quickly regained his bright smile, stood up, and said in a light tone, "Madam, you've worked hard. The spring scenery is beautiful today. Why don't we move the table to the courtyard for dinner? It would surely be more spacious there."
Zhao Ji was already feeling somewhat embarrassed by the simplicity of the room and her perceived lack of hospitality, but after Zhao Heng spoke up to defuse the situation, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief and nodded hastily, "That's very good, I'll get ready right away."
Yan Dan also seemed to be awakened and came back to her senses. She temporarily suppressed the turmoil in her mind and somewhat absentmindedly asked the servants to come in and carry the table.
Ying Zheng lowered his head, his small face hidden in the shadows, lost in thought.
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"Prince Dan of Yan was the eldest son of King Xi of Yan. When he was young, he was a hostage in Zhao and lived in Handan. At the age of fourteen, he was open-minded, valued his promises, and had a close relationship with Zheng, the hostage of Qin."
At that time, Emperor Taizu, accompanied by his entourage from Qin, visited Weifeng Lane and encountered Dan at the table. Dan was surprised by his frequent visits and asked why. Emperor Taizu said that all three of them had left their fathers to live as guests, and should cherish their personal friendship. Dan initially believed him.
While seated, Zheng occasionally rose to go to the kitchen to assist Zhao Ji. Dan then dismissed his attendants and privately asked Emperor Taizu, "Common Qin items are rarely seen in Handan. Where did you obtain these utensils, my lord?" Emperor Taizu smiled and replied, "Considering that Prince Zheng has been away from his homeland for a long time and misses it dearly, I sent my men to search the entire city of Handan. After half a month, we finally obtained these few items." Dan remained silent. Later, when Dan returned to Yan, he once said to his attendants, "Prince Zheng of Zhao is no ordinary man." — *New Book of Zhao*, Volume 33, Biography of Dan of Yan (Wei Wuji)