Chapter 65 — TVF Chapter 65

The Table-Flipping Old Father (5)

The natural environment of Prince Haicheng’s domain could almost be compared to the Sichuan Basin, while the protagonist’s original hometown, Sanjia Village, truly had the charm of the “Jiangnan beyond the Great Wall.”

With such favorable conditions and abundant resources, and with relative peace after Prince Haicheng’s resettlement, the local people within several hundred li were generally living well. Many farming households had more than enough to eat and even a bit of surplus.

Qin Jingzhou spared no expense, and in just three short months, the Si Family Fortress halfway up the mountain had already begun to take shape.

After boldly buying up the nearby mountainside, he instructed his eldest son to recruit more workers, to build a road connecting the village directly to the Si Family Fortress on the mountain, making it easier to transport timber and stone.

Everyone understood how important a road was.

Even if Qin Jingzhou intended to keep to himself, focusing on farming and development in the mountains, sooner or later he would have to lead his people down, and he still needed to go about his daily business and trade with those below.

But this mountain road didn't need to accommodate carriages. It only had to follow the existing dirt trail, compacted and adjusted for slope and angle.

During the day, there were hired workers for roadwork, and from afternoon to dusk, Qin Jingzhou would lead his newly recruited disciples down the path, each with a stone hammer, pounding and leveling the road as they went.

By the time the Third Son of Prince Haicheng arrived in Sanjia Village with a thousand guards to "suppress bandits,” the Si Family Fortress already had some defensive capability, and the newly improved road up and down the mountain was wide enough for two horses side by side.

Half a year or so was plenty for Qin Jingzhou to train a group of disciplined disciples with some practical skills.

So, when Prince Haicheng’s third son and the strategist Si Chenghui led troops out of the city, the spies left in the prefecture capital and nearby county towns promptly got word and passed it along. Qin Jingzhou, who usually stayed in the mountains, called his sons, daughters, and sons-in-law to discuss the news.

It wasn’t unusual for local aristocratic families to build strongholds in their home regions.

Qin Jingzhou knew full well that Prince Haicheng and his son didn’t even spare a glance at his currently meager force of around one hundred. As the undisputed local tyrant, Prince Haicheng’s true target was the three mountain bandit dens, each over a thousand strong, hidden deep in the mountains.

To become a mountain bandit force of over a thousand, right at the edge of the thriving and stable domain of Prince Haicheng, and rise to power within just a few years—there was no need to say out loud whose backing was behind them.

Qin Jingzhou told his family, “There are plenty of lords who ignore imperial orders, but the Emperor only regards Prince Haicheng as a thorn in his side. It’s clear Prince Haicheng is holding something out of the ordinary in his hand.”

There was a mention in the plot: Prince Haicheng holds the Former Emperor’s Secret Edict, which alone could depose the Emperor.

Han Xuanfeng, his son-in-law, wasn’t interested in why the Emperor targeted Prince Haicheng. What mattered was that Prince Haicheng had resolved to fight back. “Prince Haicheng sending his son and guards is probably to train troops, and to get some payback for how the Emperor once attacked his trading caravans. But, Father… are we really going to help Prince Haicheng?”

Qin Jingzhou smiled. “Just pointing the way. Not really helping. We have to keep living under Prince Haicheng’s nose. If he values us and offers good terms, we’ll graciously accept.”

Sons, daughters, and sons-in-law exchanged glances and broke into a smile.

Truth was, Prince Haicheng’s reasons for sending his son boiled down to three: investigation, testing the Emperor’s “private troops,” and training the favored son.

The Third Son was born to Prince Haicheng’s most beloved concubine, and before setting out, had already deduced his father’s intentions. So, when Clan Elder Si Jingzhou from Sanjia Village offered allegiance—especially with his mountain stronghold—he readily accepted.

Seeing the Third Prince deal so amiably with his cousins, Si Chenghui nearly lost composure: In his view, it wasn’t strange that his uncle kept his guard up, but decisively returning home and building a fortress with both defensive and offensive potential… maybe he had the guidance of some “expert.”

If Uncle had allied with one of the three Emperor-backed bandit clans, Prince Haicheng would surely know. If they had already sworn allegiance to Prince Haicheng, why bother having cousin and brother-in-law stage a show? Most likely, his earlier guesses were wrong. But without guidance from an “expert”… then was Uncle reborn, or had he transmigrated like him?

Si Chenghui sat beside the Third Prince, silently pondering: he leaned toward thinking Uncle was reborn. After all, if Uncle were a transmigrator, after grasping the situation, even if he didn’t seek revenge right away, he’d still use his advantage to join Prince Haicheng soon—if nothing else, Prince Haicheng seemed more like a wise ruler than the Emperor.

He’d been favored by Princess Anyang, and had the chance to rise with her support. Moreover, the Emperor being a muddle-headed ruler gave him more room to maneuver; otherwise, he’d be cozying up to Prince Haicheng by now.

At this, Si Chenghui frowned slightly. He was on Prince Haicheng’s turf. Besides “murdering family” as leverage, what else could the Emperor and Princess use against him?

Before leaving the prefecture capital, he thought the Emperor and Prince Haicheng were all of a kind—all bastards—but after reflection, Prince Haicheng, though still demanding loyalty and some proof of intent, didn’t ask for any real token of allegiance!

Thus, the next afternoon, Eldest Brother and Han Xuanfeng brought the “repentant” Si Chenghui and the Third Prince’s trusted aide to meet Qin Jingzhou.

After hiring so many young men from below the mountain, the location of Si Family Fortress was hardly a secret.

Qin Jingzhou personally showed the advisor around the stronghold, sincerely proffering his own preliminary plans, then escorted both advisor and Si Chenghui down the mountain.

On this trip, Si Chenghui confirmed from manner and attitude that his uncle had indeed “changed as a person.” His purpose attained, he went back obediently to report.

The advisor reported that the Si Family Fortress was well built, but only just that.

The Third Prince was rather mild. “Given that bandits on the opposite mountain press closer by the day, it’s not easy to guarantee their own safety.”

The advisor continued, “The Si family is willing to act as guides.”

The Third Prince smiled, “That’s very good.” His father had given him only a thousand men. Even if they were elite, he had no intention to square off with all three major mountain bandit groups at once. But with the Si family volunteering to lead his men to the lesser outposts rather than just the obvious strongholds, he had no reason to refuse.

He remained at Sanjia Village under the tight guard of his personal guard, while his trusted aide and Si Chenghui set off into the mountains with members of the Si family.

Which left all the pressure squarely on Si Chenghui.

Si Chenghui knew: If the Third Prince returned with nothing, Prince Haicheng would curse him a few times at most; if he came back empty handed, he’d never marry the Marquis’ Daughter—without that marriage and unable to touch Prince Haicheng’s family, his best outcome would be as Princess Anyang’s plaything. When the Princess grew tired of him, some “accident” would befall him on the road to his next post.

After weighing it all, he chose to take a chance: come clean with his uncle, and as transmigrators, propose honest cooperation.

Truth be told, Qin Jingzhou wasn’t surprised when Si Chenghui took the initiative to reconnect.

But when Si Chenghui directly admitted he was a transmigrator, that he’d always worried about exposure, and that upon entering the capital and winning third place in the exams, he boldly asked Princess Anyang to help dispose of his original family… Qin Jingzhou had to marvel: this kid’s got quite the ruthless streak.

Si Chenghui’s expression grew grave. “This isn’t our hometown. This isn't a law-governed society! The old couple and my so-called parents—only care for profit. If they ever learned the truth, they'd be an even greater threat to me than Princess Anyang.” It seemed as much a reminder for himself, “Only the ruthless survive.”

That wasn’t exactly wrong.

Qin Jingzhou massaged his brow. “With your new top scholar status, you’re not planning to just play both sides, are you?”

Si Chenghui gave a bitter smile. “Uncle, you already figured me out.”

Uncle seemed to have eyes and ears in both the prefecture and county towns. He’d know about the contacts with the Marquis’ Daughter. Come to think of it, Prince Haicheng’s beloved daughter was indeed more generous than the Emperor’s.

Qin Jingzhou waited a bit, then smiled and asked, “Have you decided whom to choose?”

Uncle still refused to outright admit his own identity. What a pity.

Si Chenghui was slightly disappointed, but still probed, “I’ve thought through it… This time, I’ll side with Prince Haicheng. Just like you.”

Qin Jingzhou made no pretense, “Then let’s help the Third Prince this time.”

Due to his situation, Qin Jingzhou’s combat ability in this world wasn’t great, but after half a year he’d thoroughly mapped the area.

Aside from the “mountain bandits”—really just the Emperor’s border troops, numbering over three thousand—he’d scouted nearly all the smaller outposts. He handed a map to his eldest son and had Han Xuanfeng lead the way, showing Prince Haicheng’s elite men several of the hidden bases.

With only a thousand at hand, wiping them all out wasn’t in the cards. The Third Prince sent word back to Prince’s Household and kept men tailing those particularly well-hidden outposts.

Though Prince Haicheng had given his son few men, they included all manner of capable experts.

The most patient among them, skilled in surveillance, spent seven days waiting, and it paid off: a “hunter” left one of the bases, took an ox cart, and headed straight for the county town.

It so happened that the cart driver was Qin Jingzhou’s newly accepted disciple—his own father.

In the off-season, this burly, honest-faced man would drive people and goods to and from county towns and villages for extra income—though he was clever and alert beneath the rustic exterior. As the “hunter” boarded, a guard and a Si clan youth used the opportunity while paying fare to exchange eye contact and gestures with the driver. Worried the “hunter” might notice, they both got off together at the next town.

The driver proceeded calmly to the county town with a cartful of passengers. Watching the “hunter” get off, he used buying wine as an excuse, and—just as arranged—delivered the unusually bulky string of coins to the head clerk at the largest rice shop in town.

Naturally, the biggest rice shop belonged to Prince Haicheng.

So when the “hunter” finished selling his furs in town and prepared to leave, he and his “buyer” were both rounded up by Prince Haicheng’s closest men.

The “hunter” might be tough, but his “buyer” and colleague were not.

Interrogation was barely underway before the “buyer” divulged everything: they had orders to assassinate Prince Haicheng during the end-of-year festival season, and if they couldn’t kill him, they were to target his children. The prefect, two noble families in the capital, and even the newly ranked scholar Si Chenghui would assist them.

When Prince Haicheng learned of this, he was first furious, then delighted. After speaking with his beloved daughter, he decided to grant the pair’s wish and betroth his daughter to Si Chenghui.

As he saw off Si Chenghui, who had come personally to tell the good news, Qin Jingzhou chuckled, “Now I finally understand how Prince Haicheng died in the original storyline.”