Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1033 - 101: The Han Princess on the Grasslands (Part 2)

Song Dachuan inquired with a respectful bow, "To which location?"

"The Royal Court."

"Mr. Ji and his party have already scouted the Royal Court repeatedly, yet they have failed to uncover the item," Song Dachuan noted.

"I recall there is an ethnic Han concubine residing within the Royal Court, is that not correct?"

"Indeed." Song Dachuan’s eyes widened as realization struck, "Are you implying that she is keeping watch over the object?"

"It remains a possibility, though I cannot definitively confirm her involvement."

"Surely Mr. Ji would have identified her as a lead by now if she truly held it?"

"Do not underestimate the craftiness of women, especially one surviving amidst the Xiongnu," Zhao Yao said with a curt dismissiveness, "Instruct your men to forward this intelligence and conduct a rigorous, follow-up investigation."

Song Dachuan appeared skeptical, "This information feels insufficient. If I relay this, they will likely discard it as mere hearsay."

"You are mistaken. They will treat it with gravity and launch a fresh inquiry," Zhao Yao insisted with unwavering conviction, "Simply ensure the information reaches them."

Swayed by Zhao Yao’s firm demeanor, Song Dachuan’s doubt began to wane. He reasoned that passing along the message carried no personal risk.

"I shall carry out your request." The methods of His Highness Prince Han remained shrouded in mystery; perhaps his intuition held merit.

"Adhere strictly to my instructions," Zhao Yao said, his tolerance for hesitation wearing thin.

Feeling a sudden jolt of unease, Song Dachuan bowed, "As you command, Your Highness."

"Has there been any recent intelligence, or have you received specific directives from the Southern Wei camp?"

"No major news, but the capital has issued orders for Duan Jiangcheng and me to conduct a search within Lingnan..." He paused, his expression twisting into one of deep awkwardness.

Zhao Yao prompted, "A search for what exactly?"

Song Dachuan managed to choke out the answer: "An... an aphrodisiac."

"An aphrodisiac?" Zhao Yao stared at him, bewildered, "Why would the capital insist on procuring such a thing?"

"It is for..." Song Dachuan faltered, "for the lord."

"Eighth brother?" Zhao Yao’s voice rose in disbelief, "They want you to secure aphrodisiacs for him?"

"That is correct."

Zhao Yao furrowed his brows deeply, "To what end?"

"The lord has yet to produce any heirs," Song Dachuan explained, "and, furthermore, he shows zero interest in the company of women."

"So they intend to force a union through illicit means to ensure he sires an heir?"

Song Dachuan dipped his head, "Yes. The lack of an heir has caused great panic among the factions in the capital."

Zhao Yao quickly gathered the implications: the Southern Wei loyalists sought an heir not to secure the bloodline, but to forge a chain with which to bind the prince. An heir would represent the prince's greatest vulnerability.

"Aphrodisiacs are common enough. Why demand one from the distant reaches of Lingnan?"

"Previous attempts to drug the lord were foiled because he caught on quickly. The rumors suggest that this particular agent, known as the Immortal Elixir, hails from abroad and Lingnan; it is potent, colorless, and odorless."

"The Immortal Elixir?" Zhao Yao found the name fitting for such a devious concoction, "Have you managed to acquire it?"

"It is a rare foreign secret, and I have already dispatched agents to search beyond our borders." Noticing Zhao Yao’s icy glare, Song Dachuan shuddered, "I cannot afford to defy the capital’s direct orders."

Zhao Yao mused, "Continue your search, but notify me immediately once it is in your possession."

"Understood." Song Dachuan hesitated, looking as if he were wrestling with a delicate question.

Recognizing the hesitation, Zhao Yao signaled him to continue, "Speak plainly."

"Your Highness, might the lord’s disinterest in women stem from... a preference for men?"

Zhao Yao remained composed, exhibiting no signs of shock at the suggestion.

"If eighth brother were truly inclined toward men, the capital would have flooded his quarters with them long ago. Perhaps they already have."

Song Dachuan pondered this and realized that apart from a single attendant, Yu Hai, no men resided in the prince's inner circle.

"He is indifferent to women and uninterested in men. Could he be suffering from some hidden ailment?"

"Do you truly have the nerve to vocalize such a suspicion to his face?" Zhao Yao asked dryly. The man was practically calling eighth brother incapable.

Song Dachuan paled and rapidly shook his head, "Certainly not!"

"Eighth brother is a man possessed by the goal of the throne; matters of passion hold no weight for him." Zhao Yao sighed, understanding the lengths to which the Southern Wei elements would go to exert control. "You know as well as I how much the crown means to him."

"The lord must succeed. It is our only path."

Zhao Yao harbored a grimmer thought: If eighth brother failed, his life would surely be forfeit at the hands of the Southern Wei.

"Enough. I have no more tasks for you; you may depart." Zhao Yao gestured for Tong Xi to see the man out.

Once the room was empty, He Lianfang stepped out from the shadows of the study.

"What gambit are you playing now? I thought you deemed that Han princess a useful pawn. Why point the Southern Wei toward her regarding the Imperial Jade Seal?"

"She has outlived her utility." Zhao Yao’s face hardened, his gaze sharpening with lethal intent, "Her ambitions extend far beyond the Xiongnu; she has her sights set on the Great Zhou as well."

He Lianfang looked rattled, "Are you suggesting the Xiongnu's southern invasion was incited by her?"

Zhao Yao replied cryptically, "She has been a favored guest for many years."

He Lianfang grasped the implication, "So, you intend to have the Southern Wei dispose of her for us?"

"They provided the support that kept her alive on the steppe in the first place," Zhao Yao said without emotion, "and she has demonstrated enough cunning to remain in the good graces of the new Modu Chanyu."

"There is more to this, is there not?"

Zhao Yao whispered only two words: "Prince Han."

He Lianfang gasped, "You believe she is in league with Prince Han?"

"It is a strong suspicion, and one I believe to be accurate."

"What links a princess to the prince in this way?"

"She is the most glaring anomaly." Zhao Yao lacked concrete proof, but his gut feeling had rarely led him astray. "Uncle, do not underestimate this woman; she is deeply dangerous."

"How deep does this collusion go?"

"The investigation is underway," Zhao Yao returned to his usual relaxed posture, "we shall discover the truth soon enough." He had previously disregarded the Han concubine in the Xiongnu court while tracking Prince Han, failing to realize that like the prince, she had cloaked her true nature beneath a veneer of fragility and innocence for years.