The Frontier Prince: Starting From Scratch - Chapter 2 - The Return of the King

“Your Highness, what are you doing with the inkstone?”

Zhang Han noticed the bloodstains on the inkstone and was instantly terrified, stammering as he spoke.

“Someone, the prince has gone mad again! Seize him!”

His words were abruptly cut off as Zhao Xu struck him on the forehead with the inkstone.

With a “thud,” Zhang Han’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground, blood oozing from his head, leaving it uncertain whether he was dead or alive.

Feng’er and Luan’er looked on in horror, retreating several steps.

To them, it seemed that Zhao Xu’s madness had returned, and they feared they might be next.

Zhao Xu paused for a moment.

To ease the awkwardness, he flashed a toothy grin.

These two young maids, one with a peach blossom face and almond-shaped eyes, exuding charm.

The other with apricot eyes and an oval face, radiating innocence, both with skin as fair as snow, graceful and slender.

But Zhao Xu was unaware that his smile appeared more like a killer’s grin to them.

So, they huddled together like frightened rabbits.

“Feng’er, Luan’er, what’s wrong? Am I really that scary?” Zhao Xu spread his hands, realizing he was still holding the inkstone, and tossed it aside.

“Your Highness…”

Feng’er and Luan’er were stunned and incredulous.

Since the ninth prince’s madness, he hadn’t uttered a single coherent word, only making “ah ah ah” sounds.

“What? My madness has healed, and you’re not happy?” Zhao Xu sat down in the chair.

He needed to declare to the entire Prince’s Mansion that he was neither mad nor foolish anymore.

Only then could he naturally reclaim his authority as Prince Yan.

“Your Highness can speak!” Feng’er clutched Luan’er’s arm tightly, Zhao Xu’s normal words bringing tears to their eyes.

They had no family, and in this distant frontier, only the ninth prince accompanied them.

Even a slight improvement in the prince’s madness would bring them joy for days.

Now, the ninth prince was speaking normally.

Feng’er, braver than the rest, took a few steps forward, her eyes filled with hope, and asked, “If Your Highness is truly cured, do you know your identity?”

“I am Zhao Xu, the ninth prince of the Dasong Dynasty,” Zhao Xu replied with a smile. “If you don’t believe me, ask me something more private.”

Upon hearing this, their cheeks flushed.

Maids differ from one another.

Those who clean, boil water, and cook are merely servant maids.

But they were closer, responsible for Zhao Xu’s daily needs.

“Quick, quick, quick…”

Suddenly, a chaotic sound of footsteps echoed from outside.

The servant Zhao Xu had knocked out earlier was clutching his head, leading seven other servants in blue uniforms as they rushed in.

“Lord Chief Counselor!”

The servant guarding Zhao Xu saw Zhang Han lying in a pool of blood and cried out in despair.

Pointing at Zhao Xu seated in the chair, he turned to the other servants and barked fiercely, “What are you waiting for? Seize this mad prince!”

The servants thought it was another of the mad prince’s usual antics and prepared to charge forward.

“My madness is cured. If you’re not afraid to die, come at me,” Zhao Xu shouted, assuming a regal posture.

In times of crisis, one must not falter.

The situation in the Prince’s Mansion was perilous, and he had to go all in.

“Your Highness can speak!”

Upon hearing this, the servants looked as if they’d seen a ghost, retreating several steps.

“How dare you! Everyone, leave at once. His Highness is perfectly fine now,” Feng’er scolded sharply.

They would no longer allow these people to lock the ninth prince in his bedchamber.

“Nonsense! If Prince Yan’s madness is cured, how could he have attacked Lord Chief Counselor like this?” The household guard was instantly flustered.

He knew all too well how he and Zhang Han had treated Zhao Xu behind the backs of everyone in the Prince’s Mansion over the past three months.

If Prince Yan returned to his senses, he would surely be doomed.

So it was best for Prince Yan to remain mad; if not, he must be made to seem mad. Under no circumstances could he be allowed to regain control of the Prince’s Mansion.

“Hmph, you wretched cur, how dare you wag your tongue and twist the truth before me! You have repeatedly humiliated me during my illness, which is a capital offense. Seize him!” Zhao Xu bellowed angrily.

“Hahaha… Can the words of a madman be trusted? These two wenches must have used the mad prince to harm Lord Chief Counselor and seize power in Yan Prefecture. Arrest them all!” The household guard’s eyes gleamed with malice as he stepped forward to grab Zhao Xu.

But before he could take a second step, there was a dull thud.

The household guard fell straight to the ground.

Standing behind him was a young servant in his twenties, with a square face and a complexion like dates, holding a stick still raised in the air.

“Bah, a mere servant daring to offend Prince Yan, courting death,” the young servant sneered.

Everyone in the bedchamber was momentarily stunned.

Zhao Xu came to his senses and asked with a smile, “What’s your name? You have potential. From today on, I appoint you as a senior servant in the Prince’s Mansion, to serve by my side.”

Having a servant choose to stand by him greatly boosted his confidence.

He immediately rewarded him to sway the others’ loyalty.

“My name is Liu Fu. Thank you for your grace, Your Highness.” The young servant beamed with joy, dropped the stick, and knelt to express his gratitude repeatedly.

Seeing this, the other servants exchanged glances, rolled up their sleeves, and began to pummel the household guard with all their might.

This household guard had often acted arrogantly in the mansion, relying on Zhang Han.

Now that the tide in the mansion was clearly turning, it was time to settle old scores and show loyalty to Prince Yan.

“Those who know how to adapt are wise. Not bad. I also promote you to senior servants. As long as you remain loyal to me, there will be rewards for you,” Zhao Xu gave them a knowing look.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” The servants knelt and bowed their heads.

Prince Yan’s sharp words confirmed he had returned to normal.

“Take Zhang Han and this wretched cur away and execute them the day after tomorrow,” Zhao Xu waved his hand.

He had gambled correctly; a sane prince in the mansion was indeed formidable.

“I wonder how much damage Zhang Han has done to the fief?”

As he watched the servants leave, he suddenly recalled his current predicament.

Reflecting on his memories, Zhao Xu realized he had arrived in a parallel world. While some ancient myths and legends were similar, the history and contemporary events here were entirely different. There was no Qin Shi Huang¹ unifying the six states, no Emperor Wu of Han² driving the Xiongnu³ north, and no prosperous Tang Dynasty⁴. This world had its own unique developmental trajectory.

Thus, it was impossible to judge this world’s history through the lens of contemporary history. After all, historical development is often accidental; the choices of a single historical figure can propel a civilization forward or set it back. And this world’s history was indeed populated by quite a few eccentric characters.

“The Dasong Dynasty has been established for over 240 years, with imperial power and powerful clans jointly ruling the realm. Now, imperial power is waning, and authority is nearly entirely in the hands of the eight powerful clans,” Zhao Xu recalled from his memories.

Two hundred years is roughly the lifespan of a dynasty. The Dasong Dynasty was no exception; after over two centuries, entrenched problems were hard to eradicate. Land consolidation had reached its peak, with the wealthy owning vast tracts of land while the poor had nowhere to stand.

In recent years, the Wang, Dou, Ma, Han, Liang, Fan, Xie, and Xiao clans were showing signs of regional division. Meanwhile, in the north, a Jurchen tribe called Beidi was rising, harboring ambitions to conquer the central plains. In the northwest, a Xianbei tribe named Xiliang was in constant conflict with the Dasong Dynasty. Southwest Tubo, southern Jiaozhi tribe, and Biao tribe were equally troublesome.

At sea, pirates from Dongying and Gaoli were rampant, and it was rumored that privateer ships equipped with cannons from the West were marauding the seas. To prevent coastal merchants from colluding with pirates to plunder the coast, the Dasong Dynasty had imposed a maritime ban a century ago.

Given all these challenges, the Dasong Dynasty was like a house leaking in a storm, constantly on the brink of collapse. Unfortunately, Zhao Xu’s fief was caught in one of these conflict whirlpools, and it was the most dangerous one.

The Dasong Dynasty comprised twenty-one provinces, each with seven prefectures. Zhao Xu’s Yan Province, Yan Prefecture, was located at the northernmost edge of the Dasong territory, directly facing the Beidi, who claimed to have a million cavalry.

Although the Dasong Dynasty had natural barriers that temporarily prevented Beidi from breaching the northern border, every autumn and winter, large groups of Beidi cavalry would enter Yan Province through the Yan Mountains, pillaging extensively.

To the west of Yan Province, Xiliang had already encroached upon Jin Province, which bordered Yan Province. If Jin Province fell, Yan Province would be besieged from two sides.

In such a place, Zhao Xu’s fief was not only impoverished due to the plundering but was also at risk of changing hands soon. “This starting point is way too difficult…” Zhao Xu was bewildered; compared to the current crisis, Zhang Han was merely a small fry.

The distorted history had left the Dasong Dynasty’s technological level akin to that of the Song and Yuan Dynasties⁵. However, the West already had warships equipped with cannons, resembling the technological advancement of the seventeenth or eighteenth century.

As he muttered to himself, Zhao Xu suddenly felt a jolt in his head, and an eruption of data, formulas, diagrams, and technical processes flooded his mind like a volcano. “Biological chip!” Zhao Xu was astonished.

It turned out to be a cutting-edge scientific research project, more advanced than brain-machine interfaces. This biological chip stored all knowledge from ancient to modern times, along with the most advanced technology. Once the chip was linked to the human brain, the brain essentially became a hard drive, mastering all the knowledge within.

“So the experiment wasn’t a hoax after all.” Zhao Xu’s heart raced uncontrollably; without a doubt, the knowledge in the biological chip had transmigrated with him. With this, perhaps things weren’t as dire as they seemed.

Footnote:

1. Qin Shi Huang(秦始皇):Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) was the first Emperor of China, who reigned from 221 to 210 BC. He is known for unifying the various warring states into a single empire and initiating major projects like the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army.
2. Emperor Wu of Han(汉武帝):Emperor Wu of Han (汉武帝), also known as Liu Che, was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty, ruling from 141 to 87 BC. He is celebrated for expanding the Chinese empire through military conquests and for promoting Confucianism as the state philosophy. His reign is often regarded as a high point in Chinese history.
3. Xiongnu(匈奴):A nomadic confederation that dominated the eastern Eurasian steppe from the 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE, frequently clashing with Han China.
4. Tang Dynasty(唐朝):A golden age of Chinese civilization (618–907 CE) renowned for its cultural flourishing, military power, and cosmopolitan capital Chang’an.
5. Song and Yuan Dynasties(宋元时期):The Song Dynasty (宋朝, 960–1279) and Yuan Dynasty (元朝, 1271–1368) were pivotal eras in Chinese technological history, marked by advancements in gunpowder warfare, naval architecture, and mechanical engineering.