Chapter Thirty-One: The Perilous Journey of Wei Jizhong and Little Xizi (1)

Faced with the doubts of his father, the Prince of Han, Zhu Zhanhe did not answer directly.

"Father, I cannot speak of this matter yet. It requires time to find someone to witness it, or rather, to bring back the protagonist of this affair. Would you be willing to send a trusted confidant to make the journey? It must be someone absolutely loyal, someone you trust with your life," Zhu Zhanhe said, his eyes bright as he looked steadily at his father.

"Finding the right person is no problem. I can send someone to you. How many do you need?" The Prince of Han looked at his serious son, pondered for a moment, and agreed. Regardless of what his son was planning, the fact that he was no longer trying to persuade him to abandon his rebellion and was instead taking initiative in his own plans touched the Prince deeply. He asked in earnest how many men were required.

"The fewer, the better. This cannot be known by too many people; one or two are enough to handle it. The more people who know, the greater the risk. Furthermore, everyone who goes must carry my token. I don't have that many to give out," Zhu Zhanhe said, taking the peach-wood ruyi he had toyed with for years from his waist. He flicked it before his father’s eyes and spoke languidly.

"Everyone needs a token? Is it that important?" The Prince of Han frowned, looking back and forth at his son, trying to discern some clue. His son had grown up by his side and had never left his sight—could he have secretly cultivated some hidden power? The Prince speculated silently.

"Father, this is of the utmost importance! Currently, I am the only one who knows this secret—not a second soul. And please, do not try to guess; you would never fathom it," Zhu Zhanhe said, feeling pleased that his father had not questioned his rationale and had agreed to send men.

"How much time will it take?" the Prince asked cautiously.

"Thirty days at most. Regardless of whether there is a result, you only have one month. If it fails, have them return and try again, but each trip must last no longer than a month. Exceeding that time will lead to disaster," Zhu Zhanhe gave a firm answer after a moment of silent calculation.

*Only a month? This matter seems rather complex,* the Prince thought to himself, though he chose not to probe further.

"I will send your Uncle Wei Jizhong. He is absolutely loyal to the manor, would never betray us, and is reliable in his dealings. What do you think?" The Prince proposed a man he trusted implicitly, yet he deferred to his son, showing him full confidence.

"Uncle Wei is perfect," Zhu Zhanhe agreed. He knew his uncle was beyond reproach. In these times, while an uncle on the father's side might covet your inheritance, a maternal uncle would almost always support you. History had proven this truth time and again.

"And who are you sending with him?" The Prince asked, sitting in his chair and staring fixedly at his son.

The Prince wanted two men to go, partly to test his son's judgment.

"Let Xiao Xizi go. It will be a chance to see if his loyalty is genuine. If there is any problem, I will have to trouble Uncle Wei to handle it," Zhu Zhanhe replied, unfazed by his father's gaze. He calmly handed a cup of tea to his father. The implication was clear: if Xiao Xizi showed any disloyalty, Uncle Wei Jizhong was to eliminate him.

"Good. No problem." The Prince was satisfied with his son's decisiveness. A leader must have such ruthlessness. "Someone, summon Steward Wei!"

A moment later, the attendant announced, "Your Highness, Steward Wei has arrived."

"Enter," the Prince commanded.

Wei Jizhong, dressed in a black steward’s uniform, entered and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Your Highness, Heir Apparent."

"Rise," the Prince said.

"Get up, Uncle Wei," Zhu Zhanhe added.

"Does Your Highness have any orders?" Wei Jizhong asked, rising slowly and maintaining a respectful posture.

"It is not my business this time, but the Heir Apparent's. He needs someone absolutely trustworthy to handle a matter. I have recommended you. He will explain the details," the Prince said, knowing his brother-in-law's loyalty was beyond question.

"I await your instructions, Heir Apparent," Wei Jizhong said, bowing toward Zhu Zhanhe.

"Uncle Wei, no need for formalities. This mission requires a trip to the vicinity of Taicang Port. You will have to find the exact location, but it won't be far off. Understand this: only by following my instructions will you remain safe. If you deviate, it will be extremely dangerous—you could lose your life at any moment. Furthermore, after you return and before this matter is made public, you must keep a low profile and remain hidden within the manor."

"Two people will go. The other is my attendant, Xiao Xizi. Keep a close eye on him during the journey; if he makes any suspicious move, act immediately! You will know who to contact once you arrive. You must act only at night, as they will not acknowledge you during the day."

"Take this. It is my token. They recognize only the token, not the person. Tie it to your body; if it falls, there will be danger. You have only thirty days. Whether you succeed or not, you must return within that time. If you exceed it, the token becomes useless, and you will be in mortal danger."

Zhu Zhanhe handed the wooden ruyi to his uncle. He then noticed a ruler on his father's desk, grabbed it, and handed that to his uncle as well.

Wei Jizhong received them with a bow.

"The ruyi is the token; it concerns your life and the success of this mission. Do not make a mistake. Keep the ruler with you; you will know how to use it when you meet them. Go and prepare; today is within the thirty-day limit," Zhu Zhanhe instructed again.

"Yes, Heir Apparent. I have noted it. Unless I die on the road, there will be no problems," Wei Jizhong replied firmly.

"Then go and prepare, Uncle. I must go find Xiao Xizi," Zhu Zhanhe said with a smile.

"This humble servant takes his leave," Wei Jizhong bowed and retreated.

"Father, you will have to explain this to Mother. I am going to arrange things with Xiao Xizi," Zhu Zhanhe said, running off before his father could react.

The Prince of Han was left alone, his mouth twitching as he wondered how he would explain this to his wife.