Chapter Fifteen: The Fifth Prince's Night Assault on the Second Prince

“Which of these princes do you think will win the competition?”
“I believe it will be the eldest prince! He mastered a B-level martial skill early on.”
“That’s not certain. The fifth prince is no less formidable.”
“The third prince is the most cunning among them all.”
The ministers debated animatedly, the hall alive with excitement.
The Emperor of Song watched quietly, unmoved by the discussion. He welcomed such debates, for they revealed the princes’ standing in his ministers’ eyes.

“Look, the fourth prince,” someone suddenly called out from the crowd.
A chorus of surprise followed.
“What’s with the fourth prince? While the others are earning points, he’s hiding in the forest.”
“Has he given up on the competition, planning to just stay hidden?”
“The fourth prince, alas…”
“I knew it—he’s useless in martial arts, and lacks intelligence as well.”
The crowd’s voices grew, filled with disdain and mockery.

At that moment, Long Yu sat quietly with five hundred soldiers in the forest.
Several centurions urged him repeatedly, but he paid them no heed.
Eventually, the centurions gave up, convinced their prince had abandoned the contest, and saw no need to persuade him further.
Even the emperor, witnessing this, felt disappointed in his son and shook his head in secret.

Elsewhere in the arena, the fifth prince pondered his next move when a centurion stepped forward.
“Your Highness, I have a talent for tracking others. Might you grant me an opportunity?”
“You say you can track people?”
The fifth prince’s eyes brightened. Such a man would let him strike from the shadows while his enemies remained exposed.
He rejoiced inwardly, yet remained wary, unwilling to trust the man before him.
The struggle between princes was always bloody; trust was a luxury he could not afford.

Even if these soldiers were handpicked by his father, they could still be bribed by others.
Sensing the prince’s skepticism, the man spoke again, “I know you don’t trust me, but I have no way to win the fourth prince’s trust either.
You can have someone watch me—if I deceive you, let them kill me. Or I can demonstrate my skill, and if you remain unconvinced, there’s nothing more I can offer.
But if you do trust me and grant me a chance to prove myself, I only ask you not to forget me when you rise to power.”

The fifth prince stared intently at him, as if trying to pierce the man’s intentions.
Seeing the man’s confident demeanor, the prince scrutinized him for a long time but found nothing amiss.
He relaxed somewhat, yet decided to test him further.

“You—go hide somewhere,” he instructed a random soldier.
Twenty minutes later, guided by the centurion, they found the soldier concealed atop a tree.
Had the centurion not spoken, the prince admitted he would never have found him.
Satisfied, he followed the centurion’s lead.

Soon, the centurion discovered traces near a pool, and following them, the fifth prince’s party quickly came upon the second prince and his men resting beside a hill.
The opposing group was clearly alert, with sentries both visible and hidden stationed upon the hill.
The fifth prince signaled his men to rest and gather strength for a nighttime assault.
By now, it was past five in the afternoon, and there was little time left to wait.

Outside, many officials who attended the competition had departed, leaving only those responsible for its supervision and the emperor, who would remain until the end.
A maid brought the emperor a tray of exquisite pastries, which he ignored.
The old emperor’s mind was wholly occupied by the contest below—this event would shape the empire’s future, and he could not afford to be careless.

As midnight approached, the emperor retired to the palace atop the Stargazing Terrace, prepared especially for him.
Long Yu and his men, except for those on guard duty, had also settled down to rest.
The party atop the hill with the second prince was asleep as well.
The fifth prince and his men crept silently up the hill, dispatching the sentries one by one before they could make a sound.

When they were less than a hundred meters from the second prince’s tent, a few hidden sentries finally noticed the intruders.
“Ambush! We’re under attack!”
Their raspy voices cried out with all their strength.

Roused from sleep, the men stumbled out from their tents.
Seeing the failed ambush, the fifth prince cursed loudly, and his soldiers charged.
While their opponents were still dazed, they aimed to annihilate them in a single blow.
The second prince’s soldiers, still befuddled, were quickly overwhelmed, their formation falling apart.

Yet, these soldiers were well-trained; they soon realized the situation and organized a defense.
But their enemies were prepared, and their resistance was short-lived before they began to break.
The second prince’s party had no choice but to retreat, but not far before they realized, to their despair, that they had been surrounded.

Enclosed within the crowd, the second prince glared furiously at his younger brother.
“Fifth brother, I thought you were honorable, but you’re nothing but a sneak attacking coward.”
The fifth prince did not respond with anger, but instead laughed heartily.
“Second brother, do you think this is child’s play? Winning is all that matters—honor means nothing. Are you still a child, believing in such things?
Should I challenge you openly, one-on-one?”

The second prince’s face flushed with rage, but he could not find words to retort.
“Second brother, you might as well surrender and spare me the trouble,” the fifth prince said with a malicious smile.

“If you want me to surrender, you’re dreaming. Even if I lose, you won’t win easily.”
Determination flashed in the second prince’s expression—he intended to fight his brother to the bitter end, refusing to let him have an easy victory.
“It seems you refuse to accept reality. Don’t blame me for being ruthless. If you end up with broken limbs, it’s your own fault.”
The fifth prince’s face grew dark.

“Go! Teach them a harsh lesson, and make sure to take special care of my dear brother.”
He emphasized the word “brother” with biting force.