Geng Jing got back to the Inspectorate and called Pan Yucheng in at once, and told him to take his men and go.
“And Ning Chen?”
Geng Jing said, “Ning Chen goes with you. But remember — his safety is to be guaranteed… That is an imperial order.”
Pan Yucheng frowned. “What exactly is Ning Chen to His Majesty?”
Geng Jing lowered his voice. “I suspect Ning Chen is His Majesty’s illegitimate son.”
Pan Yucheng was astonished. “Is that possible? Isn’t Ning Chen Lord Ning’s son?”
“Er… no, it isn’t possible. But the favor His Majesty shows him is no less than he shows a prince.”
Geng Jing said it and waved a hand. “Enough. Is His Majesty’s business ours to discuss? Go and get ready… Ah — and send Ning Chen in to me.”
Pan Yucheng’s mouth went sideways. You were going at it harder than I was a moment ago. Then he turned and left.
Geng Jing waited a while, and Ning Chen came in.
“Ning Chen. His Majesty will not permit you to go to Zhenyuan County.”
Ning Chen’s face froze on the spot.
Geng Jing went on. “However, the crown prince spoke for you, and in the end His Majesty agreed to let you go.”
Ning Chen had no answer to that.
Christ… could you not draw breath in the middle like that? I had the whole thing planned out for slipping off to Zhenyuan County on my own.
“Ning Chen. His Majesty permits you to go, and told me to pass this on to you: look into it to the bottom… Once you’re there, no acting on your own. Every move is Pan the Gold Coat’s to give. Understood?”
Ning Chen’s head filled with question marks. Pan Yucheng was leading, every move was his to give — and yet His Majesty had sent word through Geng Jing that it was to be taken to the bottom… What was that supposed to mean?
He turned it over a while and got nowhere, and nodded. “Yes.”
“Don’t just say it quickly. Keep it in your head.”
Ning Chen looked as obedient as anything. “Yes, sir.”
“That’ll do. Go and get ready.”
Geng Jing waved a hand and drove him out.
When Ning Chen got back he found Pan Yucheng already counting off men.
Sixteen of them were going: Pan Yucheng and fifteen silver coats.
Apart from Ning Chen, every one of those fifteen was a man who could hold off a hundred.
Pan Yucheng gave the silver coats going to Zhenyuan County half a day’s leave, to go home and put their affairs in order.
“Ning Chen. Aren’t you going home to tell them?”
Pan Yucheng asked it, curious, seeing Ning Chen sitting where he was.
Ning Chen smiled. “No need… If I die out there, it’ll be a mercy if they don’t beat drums and gongs about it.”
Pan Yucheng’s brows drew together. It seemed Ning Chen was not on good terms with his family… but that was his own business, and it would not have been proper to ask.
Just then a red coat came running in.
“Ning the Silver Coat. Someone outside for you.”
That stopped Ning Chen. “For me?”
The red coat nodded.
Ning Chen went out, not understanding it, and found a gorgeous carriage standing at the Inspectorate gate.
He knew it at a glance. It was the crown prince’s carriage.
He didn’t hesitate. He turned to go back in.
That devious sod. Last time he had me running for my life and nearly eaten by wolves, and put me half a month in the cells… The man is a curse. Stay well clear of him.
“Ning Chen?”
At the sound of it Ning Chen’s feet stopped and he looked back… The crown prince had lifted the carriage curtain and was watching him.
There was nothing else for it. He turned and came back.
“Ning Chen. Get in.”
Ning Chen said, “I have an assignment shortly. There isn’t time—”
“A few words only. It won’t keep you long.”
The crown prince cut him off, smiling.
Ning Chen let out a breath and climbed up.
Only once he was inside did he find it was not just the crown prince. The Ninth Princess was there too.
“Ning Chen presents himself to His Highness the crown prince, and to the princess.”
With the crown prince there, Ning Chen had guessed she was a princess. Which number, he had no idea.
The crown prince waved a hand. “Ning Chen. No ceremony. Sit.”
Ning Chen sat.
The crown prince pointed at the food box beside him. “I knew you were going a long way, so I had this put together for you.”
“Your Highness. I’m going on an assignment, not on an outing.”
The crown prince smiled without much in it.
The Ninth Princess’s fine brows drew in. “Ning Chen, you have some nerve. Don’t presume on a little talent and carry yourself as though the world owes you for it… My brother the crown prince gives you something and you dare refuse it? Shall I give you thirty strokes of the rod first, and see?”
The cold sweat came out on Ning Chen’s forehead. He took the food box quickly, meek and downcast about it. “Thank you for the gift, Your Highness.”
The crown prince’s expression went odd. It seemed Ning Chen was a little afraid of Huai’an.
Ning Chen was afraid of her, certainly… There is a saying worth remembering: sooner fight a clever man than exchange one more word with a fool.
This princess was still a small child, and her judgment had not come in. If she said she would beat you, she would beat you… and she was a princess, so you took the beating and swallowed it.
Besides, Ning Chen had noticed it at their last meeting: this princess did not seem to think much of him… Better not to walk into her bad luck.
If he really did take a set of strokes, he would not be going to Zhenyuan County at all.
Seeing Ning Chen so quick to read the room, the Ninth Princess lifted her sharp little chin in triumph, like a proud pullet.
“Your Highness. Princess… anything else? If not, this small man has work to get to.”
The crown prince nodded. “Go… I only came because I knew you were going a long way, so I wanted to see you. Officialdom is more frightening than a battlefield. Take care when you get to Zhenyuan County.”
On a battlefield the blades and spears are out in the open. In officialdom it is all arrows from cover.
Ning Chen bowed over clasped hands. “Thank you for the warning, Your Highness… And thank you for speaking for me.”
“Then this small man will withdraw.”
The crown prince nodded slightly.
Ning Chen picked up the food box and was about to go, and then stopped.
The crown prince looked at him, not following. “What is it? Is there something?”
Ning Chen hesitated. “There is one thing, as it happens. I’d like to ask the crown prince to put in a word with the Fifth Princess for me. Ask her to stop making trouble for this small man.”
The crown prince’s face went blank. “The Fifth Princess? How have you offended the Fifth Princess?”
“I don’t know myself…”
Ning Chen went through the whole thing, thoroughly depressed about it.
When he had finished, the crown prince looked equally baffled.
The corner of the Ninth Princess’s mouth — fine as something carved — went up very slightly, and something sly went through her big black-grape eyes.
“You’re sure it was the Fifth Princess?”
Ning Chen had nothing left to say. “Made to kneel a full four hours, and then sent a ghost mask to frighten me… How could I have gotten that wrong?”
The crown prince frowned. “But the Fifth Princess is gentle and well-mannered. It doesn’t sound like anything the Fifth Princess would do.”
“All right. I’ll ask the Fifth Princess about it when I go back, and see whether you offended her somewhere without meaning to.”
Ning Chen bowed over clasped hands. “Thank you, Your Highness. This small man will withdraw.”
The crown prince made a sound.
Once Ning Chen had gone, the crown prince turned his head and looked at the Ninth Princess.
“Huai’an. You’re the one who’s been playing tricks on Ning Chen, aren’t you.”
The Ninth Princess’s expression stiffened for a moment, and then her whole face went injured. “Brother. How can you suspect me? Ning Chen and I have no quarrel between us. Why would I play tricks on him?”
The crown prince made a sound. “First. Daring to pass yourself off as the Fifth Princess is a capital offense… Nobody but you has that much nerve.”
“Second. A small trick of that kind is something only you would think of… And don’t forget, you have a record. You frightened me with a ghost mask once yourself.”
Seeing herself found out, the Ninth Princess stopped acting and laughed. “That’s right. I did it.”
“Why did you play tricks on Ning Chen?”
Huai’an pushed out her red little mouth and made a small indignant sound. “Because I don’t like him… Presuming on a little talent, carrying himself as though the world owes him for it, and talking like somebody’s grandfather. He’s perfectly hateful.”
The crown prince shook his head and gave it up.
(End of Chapter 49)