"There’s another son?" Prime Minister He exclaimed, "Isn’t this new Modu Chanyu ruthless? Didn’t he kill everyone related to the previous Chanyu? How did he leave the former Chanyu’s son alive?"
Grandmaster Liu asked pointedly, "What is special about this son?"
"I’ve heard he is a sickly child, born with poor health and taking medicine every day, spending hundreds of days a year bedridden. It’s said he won’t live to twenty." The Emperor laughed softly, crossing his hands to support his chin, "So, the new Modu Chanyu spared him, letting him linger on in pain."
Prime Minister He inquired, "Is he truly sickly?"
Grandmaster Liu said, "I fear he might be faking it."
"I’ll tell you a secret, this sickly child’s mother is a Han."
"What, a Han?" Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu gasped, "What is going on here?"
"Kun Ruo said the sickly child’s birth mother is a Han living among the Wusun, offered by a Wusun to the former Chanyu." The Emperor shifted his position, resting his face on his right hand, "It’s said the former Chanyu was very fond of this Han concubine and extremely loved this son who was born weak."
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu understood the third option the Emperor had mentioned earlier.
"Your Majesty, is this Han concubine still alive?"
"Yes, the new Modu Chanyu did not kill the mother and son." The Emperor suddenly smiled ambiguously, "Why do you think he spared them?"
Prime Minister He chuckled softly, "The allure of beauty."
Grandmaster Liu sighed, "To think there were Han within the tribe of the Luandi, truly heaven supports us."
"It’s now up to Song Hongjie." The Emperor smiled, "I hope he can stir the Luandi Tribe into utter chaos."
Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu stood and said, "Your Majesty is wise."
The Emperor raised his hand, gesturing for Prime Minister He and others to sit down.
"This method is not a long-term plan, there is only one way for true peace at the border," said the Emperor, pausing with a glint of sharpness in his eyes, "and that is to fight the Xiongnu so they dare not covet the Central Plains again nor dare to move southward."
"Your Majesty, do you intend to attack the Xiongnu?"
The Emperor nodded slightly, "The Xiongnu must be fought sooner or later, and this battle must render them incapable of retaliation, discouraging them from contemplating moving south for decades or even a century."
Prime Minister He hastened to advise, "Your Majesty, we currently lack the strength to battle the Xiongnu."
"I know, I’m not saying to attack the Xiongnu now." The Emperor’s fingers tapped lightly on the imperial desk, "The Xiongnu have always been a threat at the border, during my reign, I must eliminate this grave concern from our hearts."
"Your Majesty is right, the Xiongnu must eventually be dealt with, or the Great Zhou’s border will constantly be threatened by the Xiongnu."
Prime Minister He reminded the Emperor, "Your Majesty, it can’t be done within these five years." In these years, the policy of rest and rejuvenation has finally shown results, becoming prosperous, but still short of their anticipated outcome. The next five years are crucial. "If you plan to attack the Xiongnu, you must at least wait five years, no, better ten years."
Neither the Emperor, nor Prime Minister He or Grandmaster Liu ever thought of resolving the Xiongnu problem through marriage alliances. As for ceding land and paying tribute to the Xiongnu, that was simply impossible.
"Prime Minister He, I don’t have the patience to wait until ten years later," the Emperor said with a smile, "At most five years later. Of course, it’s also possible that we won’t even have five years, after all, when the Xiongnu decide to invade our Great Zhou is not for us to decide. To prevent the Xiongnu from invading, we must always be prepared."
Prime Minister He sighed lightly, "I hope Song Hongjie succeeds, so we have enough time to prepare."
As they spoke, the ordinary man dressed in guard uniform entered again. He first saluted the Emperor respectfully, then reported, "Your Majesty, His Highness has already left."
The Emperor, upon hearing this, raised an eyebrow slightly with surprise, "That rascal didn’t stay for dinner? That’s not like him." Knowing one’s child best, the Emperor was well acquainted with his youngest son Zhao Yao. With his shameless personality, he would surely have stayed for dinner with that person.
"General Song’s son was waiting outside the residence, so His Highness didn’t stay." The ordinary man dressed in guard uniform continued, "That person already knows His Highness’s identity and believes you intentionally arranged for His Highness to approach him."
The Emperor chuckled lightly, "I arranged no such thing."
"His Highness and that person agreed to visit him again the day after tomorrow, and he agreed."
The Emperor said with interest, "Didn’t he think it was arranged by me for my youngest to approach him? Why did he agree to let him visit again?"
"I believe that person does not dislike His Highness’s approach."
The Emperor nodded and then waved the ordinary man dressed in guard uniform away.
"I take my leave." The ordinary man dressed in guard uniform withdrew.
Prime Minister He was astonished, "The tenth prince went to that residence?"
Grandmaster Liu asked, "Your Majesty, did you arrange it?"
"I arranged nothing; it was that rascal who went on his own."
"How did the tenth prince end up at that residence by himself?" Generally, people cannot find that residence, and even if they could, they wouldn’t dare approach it.
Grandmaster Liu said, "Your Majesty, if you’re not planning for the tenth prince to approach that person now, you will arrange for him to meet that person in the future, won’t you?"
The Emperor did not deny it, "I intended to wait until Xiao Shi grew older before arranging for him to meet. Little did I expect that he would meet him first."
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister He understood the Emperor’s intention and asked with a frown, "Your Majesty, you plan on using him?"
"I do want to use him, but he is unwilling to be used by me," the Emperor said with a troubled expression, "If he could be used by me, what Xiongnu would I have to worry about?"
Grandmaster Liu said sharply, "So you plan to use the tenth prince?"
The Emperor glared at Grandmaster Liu, "Lao Liu, your words are unpleasant, I have no intention of using my son."
Grandmaster Liu said nothing but displayed a look of disbelief.
"Keeping him at that residence is such a waste," the Emperor sighed slightly, "He does not wish to be used by me, so let him be used by Xiao Shi."
Prime Minister He disapproved of the Emperor’s plan, "Your Majesty, knowing that person’s nature, I don’t need to say more, you should understand." He continued, "Also, you should be aware of that person’s capabilities. Once you let him out of that residence, aren’t you afraid of releasing a fierce tiger back to the mountains?" Even if his legs are crippled, he’s still a fierce tiger. "He surely has deep hatred for you."