I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 93

Chapter 93

At first, Song Lian couldn’t figure it out either, but eventually, he began to understand.

That Duan Wang had always been fond of strange and unusual inventions. Uncle Ping had once mentioned that the craftsmen in Duan Wang’s workshop were working on some peculiar projects.

Tuoba Jiu had spoken of it as well. He had heard that these craftsmen were highly valued by Ming Yu. They had created a crystal-clear substance, much like water, which they called “glass mirror”—a mirror so flawless it reflected every detail. There was also another invention called “Thousand-Mile Eye,” a device that supposedly allowed one to see things from a thousand miles away. When asked for more details, Tuoba Jiu admitted he had only heard about it—he had never actually seen it himself.

At first, Song Lian had dismissed the stories with a laugh, finding them too outlandish to believe. How could there be an object that allowed one to see a thousand miles away? Such a thing was like something out of a fairy tale. If people heard about it, they would only take it as a joke. But now, he wasn’t so sure. A seed of doubt had taken root in his mind—could these things actually exist?

That day, the cavalry Duan Wang had stationed on both flanks had behaved strangely. They hadn’t rushed into battle immediately. Instead, they had thrown some unknown objects into the midst of the enemy ranks from a distance.

Some soldiers had seen them hurl fist-sized bottles. At first, they were puzzled. Then, moments later, the deafening sound of thunder erupted. Explosions tore through the battlefield, sending flames shooting into the sky. What followed was pure horror—deep craters appeared in the ground, debris flew in all directions, and those nearby were blasted away, their bodies left mangled and lifeless. Horses, terrified beyond control, bolted in all directions, throwing their riders off. Nearly everyone had been paralyzed with shock.

Having gathered consistent accounts from many soldiers, Song Lian was now convinced that those bottles were the key. Whatever was inside them had caused the devastation.

After listening to his theory, Tuoba Ren remained silent in deep contemplation. He still couldn’t fathom what kind of bottle could explode with such force, accompanied by flames and thunderous noise. Could such a thing truly be man-made? But regardless of whether it was human ingenuity or something else, they had to uncover the truth. Without a proper explanation, his soldiers would remain haunted by this fear.

“Perhaps we could send someone to investigate the craftsman’s workshop. There might be some clues to be found,” Song Lian suggested.

Tuoba Ren sighed and shook his head. “We’ve just stirred up trouble in Liangcheng. Duan Wang will surely be on high alert, cracking down on any intrusions. Now is not the time to act. We should wait until things settle before making our move. Cough, cough…”

He coughed a few times and lamented, “It’s a pity Tuoba Jiu’s cover was blown. If he had remained hidden, he might have uncovered something useful.”

Song Lian, however, shook his head. “The craftsman’s workshop is heavily guarded. The core members are all people who followed Duan Wang from the capital. The rest are mere laborers who have no access to the real secrets. Even though Ninth Young Master was inside, he likely had no idea what was truly being created.”

At the mention of Tuoba Jiu, Tuoba Ren’s expression darkened with impatience. Though Tuoba Jiu was a son of the former king, none of the royal family considered him their equal. A son of a Han woman dares to think he can stand on the same level as us princes? Hmph! If not for his eldest brother’s generosity, Tuoba Jiu would never have been allowed to return to the royal court as a minor prince.

Thinking of his brother, Tuoba Hongze, Tuoba Ren’s face turned grim. This mission had ended in failure. How was he supposed to report back to his brother? He had promised to capture Duan Wang and bring him back, yet not only had he failed to even see the man, but he had also suffered heavy losses. The old men in the royal court would surely mock him behind his back.

Believing he had upset Tuoba Ren, Song Lian quickly reassured him, “Wang Ye, rest assured. Once things have settled, I will find a way to uncover the truth.”

Tuoba Ren, now weary, merely grunted in acknowledgment. His body had yet to recover from his illness, and exhaustion quickly set in.

Song Lian helped him settle down to rest before stepping out of the carriage. Gazing toward the distant southern sky, an inexplicable sense of bitterness welled up in his chest. He clenched his fists tightly. This… is a road of no return, isn’t it?

….

The emperor’s grand birthday celebration was an event that required meticulous planning, with the entire empire joining in the festivities. The streets and alleys of the capital had long been adorned with colorful silk ribbons and decorative flowers. On the day of the celebration, the emperor would rejoice with his people, and the city would be filled with joy and merriment.

Ming Yu’s long procession entered the city gates, escorted by the Jingwei Imperial Guards on their towering warhorses, exuding an imposing and awe-inspiring presence.

People along the roadside murmured among themselves, all curious about which noble prince’s entourage this was. It looked so grand and imposing.

“You don’t know, do you?” someone with inside information couldn’t resist sharing, “This is the carriage of the current emperor’s fourteenth son, Duan Wang.”

“Duan Wang? You mean the fool—the fourteenth prince who was sent to Liangcheng last year?” Someone was clearly astonished.

“Who else could it be? Just look at his guards—they’re none other than the elite Jingwei Imperial Guards of the emperor himself.”

“Tsk, tsk! Such an extravagant display! How could a mere prince be allowed to use the emperor’s Jingwei Imperial Guards? This… this is impossible!” someone muttered in disbelief.

“Ha! If I told you, you wouldn’t believe it. My uncle in the Imperial Guards said the emperor personally decreed that these guards be assigned to Duan Wang. A full thousand of them! Tell me, besides the emperor’s youngest son, who else in the world could receive such favor?” The man bragged smugly, taking great pride in his well-informed uncle. His uncle was so well-connected that he even knew which concubine the emperor had spent the night with.

Most people had no idea about this, so curiosity grew, and they eagerly pressed for details. The man, enjoying the attention, picked and chose what to reveal, giving them a rough summary. The crowd was filled with envy—truly, a fool’s luck! The emperor’s love for his “foolish” son was beyond question. Even the crown prince himself probably didn’t enjoy such favor!

“Do you see that? The carriages at the back—those crates are filled with goods from the Western Regions!”

As soon as those words were spoken, the crowd erupted in excitement. Goods from the Western Regions? Those were treasures! Everyone still remembered the commotion from last time, and now he had returned with even more. Who knew what kind of storm this would stir up again?

From the balcony of a luxurious tavern overlooking the street, a man in fine robes held a cup of wine, lazily leaning against the railing. He watched the grand procession below, let out a cold snort from his nose, then tilted his head back and drained his cup in one gulp.

“What’s wrong, Third Brother?” At a nearby table, a younger man was leisurely picking at his food while listening to a singer’s soft melodies. Noticing the other man’s displeasure, he asked curiously.

The man walked over, set his cup down heavily on the table, and sneered, “That fool, Fourteen, is back.”

The younger man was momentarily stunned, his mind turning before he finally reacted. “Third Brother, you mean the Fourteenth who was sent to Liangcheng has returned?”

A servant stepped forward to refill the wine, but the young man frowned, waving a hand to dismiss everyone. The music halted abruptly, and all the attendants filed out of the room.

Once the doors were locked, the younger man lowered his voice, “Given the timing, it makes sense that Old Fourteen would be back by now. What’s wrong? Third Brother, are you still upset about him?”

The two men in the private room were none other than the emperor’s third son, Ming Tao, and the eleventh son, Ming Zhen. They were full-blooded brothers, both born of Imperial Concubine Hui, and had always shared a strong bond.

Ming Tao felt stifled. He hadn’t expected that, even after being exiled to the frontier, that man could still receive the emperor’s favor. Just look at his escort—every one of them was a Jingwei Imperial Guard who personally protected the emperor. Even he, the emperor’s own son, had trouble getting close to those men on a regular day.

Yet, not only had his father continued to favor him, but he had even gifted him a thousand Jingwei Imperial Guards. Just look at that grand display—how could he not feel bitter?

“We are all sons of the Emperor. Why is he the only one treated differently?” Ming Tao said angrily, snatching up a cup of wine and downing it in frustration.

There were no outsiders now, so there was no fear of his words being overheard. Ming Zhen personally picked up the wine jug and refilled Ming Tao’s cup, smiling as he said, “Third Brother, you’re mistaken. Ming Yu is a simpleton. Why would you even compare yourself to him?”

Ming Tao slammed his palm heavily on the table. “Precisely because he’s a fool! And yet, Father dotes on him so much that no matter how great a mess he causes, he’s always shielded! Look at us—even the slightest mistake earns us nothing but scoldings and punishments. It’s infuriating!”

Ming Zhen took a bite of food and nodded. “You have a point. But let’s not forget—Fourteenth may be a fool, but he has something we don’t: a mother who was once an Empress. Just because of that, we, as sons of concubines, are forever a step beneath them.”

At those words, Ming Tao’s fury burned even hotter. The Crown Prince was nothing more than a coward—timid, indecisive, and completely unfit to rule. In terms of intelligence, bravery, and resilience, he, the Third Prince, far surpassed that useless Ming Ye. He had worked so hard to prove himself, yet his father refused to see it. It was ridiculous! The older his father got, the worse his eyesight became!

Now, thanks to this fool, the Crown Prince had profited greatly from the Western Region trade, gaining wealth and prestige like never before. Ming Tao still resented his father’s favoritism—refusing to let him take part in the operation. If he had been allowed to handle it, he would have done far better than the Crown Prince.

“What a pity… why didn’t the barbarians just capture and kill him?” Ming Tao muttered in frustration.

Seeing those dozens of carts loaded with goods trailing behind the convoy, he immediately thought that these must be items from the Western Regions again. The frenzy caused by the last shipment was still fresh in his memory. Those furs, treasures, spices, and glass—each one was a rare commodity. Not to mention that glassware was worth a fortune and nearly impossible to obtain, even that spice called pepper was now as valuable as gold.

But all of it belonged to the Crown Prince! Since he couldn’t get a share, he had thought at least the Crown Prince shouldn’t either. The goods brought back by Ming Yu technically belonged to the Great Yan court. Wouldn’t it be better if they were confiscated for the national treasury instead? That way, the Crown Prince wouldn’t benefit.

Yet when he proposed this idea to his father, the Emperor merely gave him a glance before rejecting him outright:

“These were brought back through Old Fourteenth’s efforts. How could I just seize them for the treasury? Since he entrusted them to the Crown Prince, let him handle it. Old Fourteenth himself has no complaints—why should you be so concerned? Just focus on your own duties.”

With a single sentence, his father had silenced him.

And now, with a second batch of goods arriving, the impact would be even greater. How could he not be jealous? No, he had to think of a way—he couldn’t let the Crown Prince reap all the benefits alone.

Ming Zhen understood his brother’s frustrations, but discussing this further would be unwise. Cleverly, he changed the subject. “Enough of this. You’re not the only one who can’t stand him—I can’t either. Now that he’s back, I’ll invite Twelfth over one of these days. We’ll teach him a lesson.” He cracked his knuckles, his meaning clear—he was planning to stir up trouble for Ming Yu.

Back when Ming Yu lived in the palace, they never got along. To be precise, they simply couldn’t stand him and would often bully him. But despite being a fool, the little brat had a vicious streak—whenever they tormented him, he would put on a pitiful act and run to their father to complain. In the end, instead of him suffering, they were the ones who got punished.

Twelfth Brother had suffered at his hands numerous times and had sworn to get revenge. But before he could, Ming Yu had been sent away to Liangcheng, leaving him no chance.

Now, with Fourteenth back in the capital, wasn’t this the perfect opportunity? This time, he could instigate Twelfth to go after him. Surely, Twelfth would be more than happy to make Ming Yu’s life miserable.

Hearing this, Ming Tao felt slightly better. His younger brother truly understood his thoughts. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to act directly in this matter—having Eleventh Brother handle it was the perfect solution. No matter what, he still had to maintain the appearance of brotherly respect and harmony. At least on the surface, he needed to let everyone see that the Third Prince was a man of upright character.

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