Chapter Five: Catch the Notorious River Bandit

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Emperor Huizong, Zhao Ji—a master of calligraphy and painting whose identity as emperor only served to distract from his true talents. Aside from making a mess of ruling, there was hardly a pursuit at which he did not excel. Like attracts like, and just as the man is, so are his ministers; it is no wonder that the wealthiest dynasty under heaven, the Song, should meet its end in the hands of this father and son.

“Your son greets the Emperor, Father!”

At the sound of the attendants’ announcement, Zhao Yu hurried to the palace doors, kneeling at once to pay respects to his imperial father. Empress Zheng also rose to greet her husband, her face alight with joy at the rare visit. Her delight seemed to shave years from her appearance.

“Yu’er, you’re here too! You may rise; within our household, there’s no need for such ceremony.”

Emperor Zhao Ji, in the prime of life, maintained his appearance well despite his days spent among women; aside from a pallor that betrayed a lack of health, his bearing was altogether spirited.

“What brings Your Majesty to visit me today?” asked Empress Zheng, supporting her husband as he took her seat.

He chuckled. “It’s nothing of consequence. Cai You just came to me to propose a marriage for his youngest son with Jinluo. I happened to be thinking of you, my beloved, so I came over directly.”

Empress Zheng, clever as ice and snow, could see from her husband’s expression that he was pleased with this match. Jinluo, her eldest daughter, was now of marriageable age and had been titled Princess Zhuangde. As her mother, Empress Zheng had no reason to object.

Zhao Yu, however, frowned in silence. Cai You was the eldest son of Cai Jing. Though father and son did not get along, neither of them were upstanding. If his sister married into their family, she might one day find herself embroiled in their misdeeds. Still, with his father’s consent already given, how could Zhao Yu object, especially in matters beyond his control?

“If Your Majesty approves, it must be a good match. I have no objections,” replied Empress Zheng. “By the way, you’ve come at just the right time—look at this.”

She handed a wanted notice to her imperial husband.

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Zhao Ji glanced at the notice, then up at Zhao Yu, and laughed. “To be honest, this artist’s skill is impressive. If I didn’t know he was my son, I might almost believe it. Pay no mind to this nonsense; the innocent need not defend themselves. As if the Prefecture of Kaifeng would dare frame anyone!”

At these words, Empress Zheng chided him softly, “You’re always defending your ministers. I suspect there’s more to this—Your Majesty must remain vigilant.”

Zhao Ji shook his head with a smile. He was no fool; his wife’s little schemes were no secret to him. But such things were best left unspoken.

Zhao Yu stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Father, I wish to visit the Prefecture of Kaifeng myself. I find it hard to believe there could be another who so closely resembles me.”

Zhao Ji frowned. In his view, the wanted notice was simply about a notorious robber who looked like his son—no political intrigue involved. Still, if his son went, trouble might arise.

At that moment, the head eunuch, Li Yan, spoke at the door: “Your Majesty, allow this old servant to accompany His Highness to Kaifeng.”

To hold such a high post in the palace, Li Yan was undoubtedly trusted by the emperor. Hearing his suggestion, Zhao Ji felt reassured—Li Yan clearly understood his concerns.

“Very well,” Zhao Ji agreed. “But do not interfere with the investigation.”

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will see to it.”

Zhao Ji was correct in his assumptions, but he did not know that Li Yan had his own motives. Li Yan and another powerful eunuch, Liang Shicheng, were bitter rivals—and Liang Shicheng was aligned with the Crown Prince, Zhao Huan. Li Yan knew well the ever-shifting sands of imperial favor. If the Crown Prince ascended the throne, Liang Shicheng would surely turn against him. While Huizong still reigned in good health, Li Yan needed to secure his own future.

Everyone knew Empress Zheng’s ambitions. Until today, Li Yan hadn’t given them much thought, but Zhao Yu’s sudden predicament spurred him to action. With the Empress’s backing and alliances among those at odds with the Crown Prince, perhaps there was something to be done. As Li Yan saw it, even the powerful Prime Minister Cai Jing was no friend to the prince...

Seeing Li Yan volunteer, Zhao Yu felt a smile tug at his lips. He had been wondering how to approach the eunuch—and here he was, offering himself.

After breakfast in the palace with his father and mother, Zhao Yu set out for Kaifeng in Li Yan’s company. To foster camaraderie, he chose to ride beside Li Yan rather than travel by carriage.

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“With your generous assistance, Lord Li, I am deeply grateful. When might you have a moment to spare? Allow me to treat you to a drink.”

At Zhao Yu’s invitation, Li Yan beamed. This prince knew how to play the game—he had come to curry favor, surely at the Empress’s urging, to ingratiate himself with a trusted imperial servant. Pleased as he was, Li Yan feigned humility. “Your Highness is too kind. It should be this old servant who hosts you, not the other way around. There’s no time like the present—how about this evening? I hear a new chef at the Star-Plucking Pavilion on Imperial Avenue is quite skilled. Let me treat Your Highness to a taste.”

“That would be perfect,” Zhao Yu replied.

Ah, this fellow is even more eager than I am! If I don’t make him pay dearly for his enthusiasm, it would seem ungrateful...

The two, each with secrets of his own, exchanged a knowing glance and laughed together—an old fox meeting a young schemer, neither besting the other.

As their party neared the gates of the Prefecture of Kaifeng, a commotion broke out. Someone by the roadside shouted, “Look! Isn’t that the notorious bandit Little Yu? Quick, catch him and claim the reward!”

Startled, Zhao Yu and Li Yan turned to see several imperial guards gesturing and shouting in their direction. If not for the guards and attendants with Zhao Yu and Li Yan, the soldiers might have rushed over at once.

“Are you blind? Look carefully—this is Prince Yi! Which of you dares act rashly? Who is your commanding officer? Get him out here!”

In a world where civil officials outranked the military and as a trusted servant of the emperor, Li Yan seized the chance to display his loyalty to Zhao Yu. His eunuch’s shrill voice silenced the crowd that had gathered at the commotion.

The wanted posters had been plastered all over the city. With the shouts, every eye was fixed on Zhao Yu. Could it really be him? How brazen, to swagger about with the city on alert for his arrest!

If not for Li Yan’s sudden outburst, the people might have truly believed Zhao Yu to be the wanted criminal. Yet now, confusion only deepened—how could Prince Yi be the spitting image of the notorious bandit?

The soldiers, eager a moment before, now stood dumbfounded. Who would have thought the man they sought was none other than Prince Yi? The resemblance was uncanny, as if they had been cast from the same mold...