Chapter 8: Abandoned Crown Prince
The grandfather and granddaughter were greatly alarmed. They dared not enter prefecture cities or county towns along the way, only buying a few things in small towns, and were completely unaware of such a major event.
Grandpa Ling busily inquired about the situation. At this moment, a peddler mysteriously pointed to the sky and lowered his voice, saying:
“They say the Crown Prince angered Heaven’s punishment. Just wait, the Emperor has already deposed the Crown Prince, and this flood will pass soon.”
Grandpa Ling hurried forward to pour tea for the peddler, feigning the demeanor of a small-town person eager to hear news from Chang’an, and pressed:
“Sir, you are indeed well-traveled. I, an old Taoist from this small place, have not heard a single bit of news about the major events in Chang’an.”
The peddler chuckled, “Don’t you Taoists know how to divine?”
Grandpa Ling smiled obsequiously, “We can divine minor worldly matters, but who dares to divine the affairs of the Imperial Family!
What is this about the deposed Crown Prince? Sir, please tell me more.”
Other customers in the shop also curiously leaned in to listen. The peddler, enjoying the attention, recounted all the news he had heard in the city.
It turned out the Crown Prince was born to the late Empress who had passed away early. He was designated heir from childhood, trained in the military camp upon reaching adulthood, was skilled in both civil and military arts, and enjoyed considerable renown among the populace.
However, the Crown Prince had reached adulthood while the Emperor was still in his prime, and the two sons born to the current Empress had also grown into men.
The Royal Family, you see, does not value familial bonds; it values calculations for imperial power. The mutual destruction of fathers and sons, and brothers, is a common occurrence.
The common folk were unaware of the inside story, only hearing that the Crown Prince intended to rebel and had led troops to force their way into the palace, only to be apprehended by the Emperor.
Unable to bear killing his son, he merely deposed the Crown Prince, demoted him to Li King, and exiled him to the borderlands.
The Emperor did not kill the Crown Prince, but many officials and powerful people who followed the Crown Prince in rebellion were executed, from Dukes down to minor officials of Seventh Rank.
The executions at the Vegetable Market Mouth in Chang’an caused rivers of blood to flow, with corpses piled high.
At this point, someone asked in surprise:
“I heard the current Empress is the sister of the late Empress, and thus the Crown Prince’s maternal aunt. Such close relatives, and yet they scheme against each other?”
Someone sneered, “How can a nephew be as reliable as a son? For the sake of the throne, don’t even fathers and sons scheme against each other?”
Someone else asked, “What about the Duke Gu’s family? The Crown Prince’s maternal uncle and maternal grandfather, which side did they take?”
The peddler whispered, “Naturally, they sided with the living daughter. How much affection can there be for a deceased daughter?”
Someone else asked, “Wasn’t it said that the Crown Prince’s fiancée was the daughter of General Lin? Did the Lin family not help the Crown Prince?”
The peddler shook his head, “Miss Lin is now betrothed to Prince Yu. She broke off her engagement with the deposed Crown Prince in the first month.”
Everyone began to discuss in low voices. The affairs of the Imperial Family, to the common folk, were like listening to tales of Immortals, too distant from their lives.
However, such a major event was rare even in many years, and upon hearing of it, they naturally engaged in Gossip.
Grandpa Ling whispered to Jinsui with a sigh:
“Indeed, every family has its own difficult troubles, and the Imperial Family is no exception. However, the deposed Crown Prince is too pitiful.”
“His own father, maternal aunt, maternal grandfather, maternal brothers, and even his fiancée, all wanted to harm him.”
Jinsui asked in surprise, “Grandpa, why do you assume others harmed him? Wasn’t it said he rebelled and tried to force his way into the palace?”
Grandpa Ling scoffed, “If he truly tried to force his way into the palace, would they have spared his life? It’s just to deceive the world. Only the Imperial Family knows the truth.”
Jinsui then thought of something and asked in a low voice, “Grandpa, do you think my Father might have been implicated in this matter?”
Grandpa Ling shivered and realized, “Highly likely!”
He hurried to ask the peddler, “You said even minor officials of Seventh Rank were implicated. Do you know the names of those implicated minor officials?”
The peddler spread his hands, “How would I know that! The list of executed officials is longer than my inventory list. Who would read it all!”
Grandpa Ling realized that the peddler was merely repeating what he heard, spreading rumors, and actually knew nothing of the inside story.
However, another remark from the peddler caught their attention.
“Not only is the list of executed officials long, but the list of those exiled is even longer. Many daughters of official families have been sent to the music houses, and quite a few have been exiled to Yandi.”
“I heard there was a flood in Luocheng. If these exiles travel slowly, they might get trapped in Luocheng.”
The shopkeeper shook his head and sighed:
“If they go to Yandi, they might still have a chance to live. If they are truly trapped in Luocheng, then there is no hope at all!”
Jinsui quickly asked, “Why?”
The shopkeeper glanced at the delicate and handsome young Taoist and smiled,
“Floods need people to manage them! The local official slaves’ lives are not enough to fill the need. Aren’t these new official slaves just what they need?”
Jinsui and Grandpa Ling were both horrified. Although this possibility was extremely low, even if it was just a slim chance, they could not afford to be careless.
Grandpa Ling repeatedly confirmed that there were no ships going to Jiangnan recently.
He immediately took Jinsui to the nearest town to inquire extensively about the flood in Luocheng and the situation in Chang’an.
They spent half the day in town, though the information remained inaccurate.
It was clear that the matter involved the Imperial Family, and there was intentional concealment. Only merchants traveling to and from Chang’an knew some details.
However, two points were certain: first, Chang’an city was in great turmoil due to the case of the deposed Crown Prince.
Second, many people had died in the flood in Luocheng, and it would be some time before they could travel by boat to Jiangnan, so they could only travel by the official road.
Grandpa Ling calculated the time and distance and quickly made a decision:
“Suisui, Grandpa will find a Taoist Temple to settle you in. Don’t wander off, wait for me to return.”
Jinsui immediately understood, “Grandpa, you’re going to Luocheng alone?”
Grandpa Ling nodded, “I won’t be at ease until I find out clearly.”
Jinsui said calmly, “Grandpa entrusted me to the Jiang Family, and I was almost sold. Do you think a Taoist Temple is more reliable than the Jiang Family?”
“Didn’t we agree to travel together and never be separated again? Does Grandpa want to abandon me again so soon?”
Grandpa Ling quickly said,
“It’s not about abandoning you. It’s just that if Luocheng truly arrests able-bodied young people to manage the flood, my old bones are not afraid, but what about you?”
Jinsui stubbornly said,
“You just go! The moment you leave, I’ll follow. I might even get to Luocheng before you.”
Grandpa Ling looked at her helplessly. What had happened to the gentle and obedient granddaughter he had before at the Jiang Family? Why had her temperament changed so much?
He could only say, “Alright, we’ll go together, Grandpa and granddaughter. But you must listen to Grandpa.”
Jinsui giggled, “When has Suisui ever not listened to Grandpa? Don’t worry, Grandpa, I’ll do whatever you say.”
Grandpa Ling’s injuries had not yet healed; how could she rest assured with the elderly man traveling alone?
She had the Space as her trump card. No matter how perilous the situation, she would have a way to cope.
Besides, even if she wanted to avoid danger and live a peaceful life in the Taoist Temple, the Original Owner’s Obsession would not agree!
Hearing that two Taoists were going to Luocheng, no carriage in town was willing to take them.
Everyone said that now only the people near Luocheng were fleeing south; who would go towards Luocheng? Were they seeking death?
Jinsui planned to buy a donkey, but Grandpa Ling disagreed, saying that traveling by donkey for the two of them would be like offering Food to bandits and water thieves.
Time was of the essence, so Grandpa Ling, in an unprecedented move, spent a large sum of money, hiring a carriage for five taels of Silver to take them to Xuchang.
Beyond that, no carriage driver was willing to go further, no matter the price, so they would have to walk.
Before, they had always traveled on foot, and Jinsui found it very tiring. She had always wanted to ride in a carriage.
Now that she was truly traveling by Carriage, she realized it was equally tiring.
The road was extremely bumpy, and the carriage was old. Grandpa Ling was anxious and kept urging the carriage driver to hurry.
If the old horse didn’t need to rest, Grandpa Ling would have wanted to travel through the night. The carriage driver complained incessantly because his food and lodging on the road were also the responsibility of the guests.
As a result, Grandpa Ling refused to stay at a Post Station, opting to camp in the Wilderness, and their meals consisted of the most ordinary coarse grain cakes.
