Player - The Legend of Emperor Jiajing (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Wang Haijiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
Under the bright moon and sparse stars, the world is silent. Walking under the shimmering silver light, shadows dance gracefully, ethereal and light—truly a time to seek dreams. The Prince of Xingxian, Zhu Youyuan, was carefree in his dreams, at ease and joyful. Suddenly, a sudden swirl of mist rose from the ground, transforming into a humanoid figure. With a flip, it drifted into the secret quarters of his beloved concubine, the Lady Jiang—Fengxiang Palace. Who would dare? The Prince rubbed his dim eyes,ging the figure under the moonlight—it seemed to be his old friend, Chudao Taoist. Chudao Taoist? A shepherd in a Taoist robe, daring to intrude into the Queen's private chambers! Who in this city of Ying didn’t know that the old Taoist was a renowned figure at the Xuanmiao Temple in the southern suburbs. Meanwhile, the Lady Jiang was the first wife of the Prince of Xing, Zhu Youyuan, the younger brother of the current Emperor, Zhu Houzhao. A lone old Taoist intruding into the Queen’s chambers—what could he be plotting? And especially while the Prince was away from the mansion—was he planning to molest the Queen or commit other crimes? He was after all a close friend of the Prince of Xingxian. As the so-called "highly accomplished Taoist," Chudao Taoist drifted before the Queen, drooling and with lecherous eyes, grinning mischievously: "Your Majesty, this old Taoist is dying for you." As he spoke, he reached out to touch the Queen’s oval cheek, attempting to commit indecency. The Prince of Xingxian was furious, his anger surging as he raised his arm to stop him, but felt weak and powerless. With no other choice, he roared with all his might: "Where is that villain?" And then he awoke. He looked around—where was the moonlit night? It was now a scorching day under the blazing sun. Upon reflection, he realized it had all been a dream. Drenched in cold sweat, Zhu Youyuan looked up at the royal mansion. Suddenly, the sky was illuminated with red light, filled with colorful clouds and auspicious mists, as if good fortune was rising. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled. The nearby townsfolk, however, were even more astonished. Some believed it was a sign of good fortune, while others thought it was ominous. Speculations ran wild. Just then, a palace maid rushed in to report: "Congratulations, Your Highness, the Queen is about to give birth." Hearing this news, Zhu Youyuan wiped his face, still not fully awake. But another maid, frowning, came to say that while the Queen was in labor, it was a difficult birth. Upon hearing this, he snapped out of his confusion, straightened up, and stood. He glanced at Chudao Taoist, who was still curled up, sleeping soundly. The Prince of Xingxian thought of his nightmare and still harbored resentment toward the old Taoist. But upon hearing the maid’s report, his mind whimsically linked the Queen’s difficult labor to the Taoist’s curled leg. He thought, perhaps this was a good omen—why not take this chance? Instantly, he felt secretly pleased that his close friend, Chudao Taoist, had intruded into the palace and attempted to molest the Queen. He muttered to himself, "Let me wait and see." He firmly believed the Queen’s difficult labor was connected to the Taoist’s curled leg. So he stood up and gently pulled the Taoist’s curled leg. The Taoist rolled over with a groan and lay straight in the shade of a tree. Fearing he might wake him, the Prince didn’t dare move him. Just then, a cry echoed from the palace, announcing the birth of a new life. Soon after, palace maids indeed ran to the tree to report: "Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations! The heir has been born successfully." Thinking of Chudao Taoist entering the Queen’s chambers and the Queen giving birth to a son with a "handle" on his thigh, Zhu Youyuan felt even happier. Ah!? The old Taoist had molested the Queen, yet the Prince was overjoyed? Yes. This day was the tenth day of the eighth month in the second year of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty (1507 AD). It might not have meant much for the palace or ordinary people, but for Zhu Youyuan, the Prince of Xingxian, who was enfeoffed in Anlu Prefecture (now Zhongxiang City, Hubei Province), it was a day of both sorrow and joy. The Prince had been enfeoffed in Anlu for years, ruling as a vassal prince with endless wealth and luxury. But who knew that despite having two sons and two daughters in his youth, one son and one daughter had died young. Now, well past thirty, he still had no heir, and his frail younger daughter, the Princess of Shanhua, was always a source of worry. Although Zhu Youyuan was a renowned scholar and benevolent prince, the pain of childlessness was evident on his face. Yuan Chonggao, who had followed him from Beijing to serve as the Chief Secretary of the Xing Palace, had once hinted, "Although Your Highness is a scholar of great learning, you must also consider the well-being of future generations. As the saying goes, more wives and children bring prosperity. Perhaps Your Highness should take another concubine." Before Yuan Chonggao could say the word "concubine," Zhu Youyuan immediately waved his hand to stop him. Unwilling to give up, Yuan Chonggao boldly declared, "Since ancient times, which nobleman hasn’t had three wives, four concubines, and eight or nine mistresses? Moreover, Your Highness is a direct descendant of the imperial family—why not consider the continuation of the imperial line?" Hearing this, Zhu Youyuan immediately retorted sternly, "Chief Secretary, do not speak further. The Zhu family has always flourished, with our princes scattered across the land—how could we not continue our lineage?" Realizing he had gone too far, Yuan Chonggao fell silent. He knew the Prince, though a member of the imperial family, adhered to the principles of conduct, swallowing his grief and longing for an heir silently. Time passed swiftly, as days and nights flew by. One day, the Prince noticed that the Queen, Lady Jiang, had a swollen belly. Rubbing her belly and listening carefully, he concluded that it was the reincarnation of his heir. The Prince, still in a state of joy, embraced the Queen and kissed her passionately. That day, the Prince’s excitement was still fresh when he received an invitation from his friend, Chudao Taoist of the Xuanmiao Temple, to play a game of chess at the "River of Chu and Han" by the large ginkgo tree in front of the temple at noon. Chudao Taoist was a renowned and accomplished Taoist in the hundred miles around Xingzhou, usually not engaging in games of chess with others, but his relationship with the Prince of Xingxian, Zhu Youyuan, was exceptional—they had long been close friends. Their shared interest in chess was rare, and now, playing against each other, it was truly a joy they couldn’t pass up. Zhu Youyuan of Xingxian ate his lunch early and came to the towering ginkgo tree, ready to play chess with Chudao Taoist. At first, they were polite and respectful, but as the game progressed to the mid-stage, the "riverbanks of Han and Chu" suddenly turned into a battlefield of gold and iron, with smoke and flames rising. One advanced a pawn, the other moved a soldier; one sent a horse, the other adjusted a cannon. They captured each other’s generals, drew the other’s king—both players fought with fierce determination, taking the game very seriously. Soon, Chudao Taoist won two consecutive games. As he looked set to win again, the smug Taoist held up the last piece, ready to capture the Prince’s "general." He lifted a "chariot" into the air, as if intentionally or unintentionally mocking: "Forgive me, Your Highness, today, this old Taoist has conquered the world." Hearing this, Zhu Youyuan felt deeply offended. This was the Zhu family’s world, yet this old Taoist dared to speak such arrogance—too much to bear. He frowned, as if annoyed, and said, "I won’t play anymore. I won’t play anymore." As he pushed the chessboard away, he was about to stand up when he felt his body go weak, unable to move. Soon after, he fell asleep on the stone bench under the shade of the tree. Zhu Youyuan never imagined that the palace maids were frantically sweating over the Queen’s labor. Meanwhile, the Prince of Xingxian lay under the shade, drenched in coolness, lost in confusion—thus, the scene at the beginning unfolded. Upon learning that the heir had been born successfully, the Prince hurried back to the palace. As he walked, he saw a rainbow stubbornly rising into the sky above Fengxiang Palace, heading north. Coincidentally, as the Prince’s footsteps entered the palace grounds, a young Taoist from the Xuanmiao Temple rushed in to report, "Your Highness, Chudao Taoist—he