There was no morning court today.
At a quarter past five, the morning mist had not yet fully dispersed, and the bluestone paved road of the East Main Street in the capital was permeated with biting damp cold.
A nanmu carriage drawn by four Ferghana horses crushed the white frost on the ground and slowly came to a halt in front of the red-lacquered, brass-studded gate of Earl Chengyi's Manor.
The carriage wheels and axles engaged with a dull thud.
The main gate of Earl Chengyi's Manor opened with a loud crash. Li Sheng led more than thirty courtyard guards and servants, lining up from the steps.
Even though the Xu family was now favored by the Emperor, in the face of the strict imperial power of the Great Qian Dynasty, rules were like a knife resting on one's neck.
Li Sheng lifted the hem of his robe, knelt heavily on one knee on the cold dew-covered stone slab, his forehead touching the back of his hand, and his loud voice pierced through the thin mist: "Commoner Li Sheng, together with the entire household of Earl Chengyi's Manor, respectfully welcomes the Third Highness."
The surrounding servants knelt in unison, not daring to breathe loudly.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Xiao Jingyan stepped down the footstool. He didn't wear a python robe, only a dark blue kesi cloak. His gaze swept over Li Sheng's bowed back without stopping, and he stepped straight over the high threshold.
Xu Youde was wearing the third-rank official uniform with cloud geese and golden pheasants, while Xu Qinghuan wore an elegant cyan ruqun.
Seeing Xiao Jingyan enter, the father and daughter bowed in full accordance with etiquette.
"Earl Chengyi, dispense with the formalities. Commandery Princess Ci'an, please rise."
Xiao Jingyan walked to the main seat and sat down, casually untying the sash of his cloak. The attendant behind him immediately stepped forward to catch it.
Xu Youde, his face full of smiles, bowed and presented newly brewed Wuyi Da Hong Pao tea.
Xiao Jingyan didn't touch the teacup, tilting his head slightly. Two attendants stepped forward holding a red sandalwood box and flipped open the lid.
A clear scent mixed with pine soot and musk spread in the hall. In the box lay several ingots of ancient ink and a stack of snow-white paper.
"Out-of-print ancient ink of Li Tinggui from the Southern Tang Dynasty, plus Chengxintang paper stored in the inner treasury of the previous dynasty."
Xiao Jingyan tapped his fingertips on the table, looking at Xu Qinghuan.
"When we first met in Taoyuan County, this Prince already saw that the Commandery Princess had the talent for commerce and statecraft. After yesterday's gathering at Shichahai, I realized that the title of the number one wondrous woman in the world is truly deserved by the Commandery Princess."
"This Prince came in a hurry and only prepared some refined stationery items, treating them as a congratulatory gift for the Commandery Princess."
Xu Qinghuan lowered her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the box.
Xiao Jingyan's words were both a probe and a hint.
By mentioning Taoyuan County, he was reminding her that there was already past acquaintance and calculation between the two; by mentioning Shichahai, he clearly indicated that he had seen through the Xu family's layout of establishing themselves through literary giants.
The information gap between the two sides was smoothed over by this box of ink and paper.
"Your Highness flatters me. Qinghuan is merely borrowing flowers to offer to the Buddha, just being clever," Xu Qinghuan's voice was cold and impeccable.
The smile on Xiao Jingyan's face gradually faded. He waved his hand, and all the attendants in the hall retreated under the eaves of the corridor.
The door of the main hall was gently closed.
Xiao Jingyan picked up the teacup at hand, skimmed the floating foam with the lid, and spoke in a casual tone.
"Let's skip the pleasantries. This Prince came today to deliver a great gift."
"An eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from the Northern Frontier was quietly suppressed by the Ministry of War as soon as it entered the capital. The Emperor still doesn't know."
Xu Youde was startled.
The obsequious smile originally hanging on his face suddenly froze.
Xiao Jingyan put down the teacup, his voice echoing slowly in the spacious hall.
"Lord Xu, your Second Brother is in the Northern Frontier, and he probably hasn't had an easy time lately."
Just this one sentence.
It made the air in the main hall instantly drop eight degrees.
He knew the methods of those civil officials in the Ministry of War too well.
Civil officials kill without using a knife. This was not ordinary suppression; this was clearly aimed at the Xu family's vital point!
Xu Youde leaned forward, forcefully suppressing the panic in his voice.
"What exactly does Your Highness mean by these words?"
"My Second Brother is fighting bloody battles against the enemy in the Northern Frontier. How could he not be having an easy time?"
Xu Qinghuan sat on the other side, her fingers tightly pinching the edge of the teacup.
The tea in her hand shook slightly for a moment.
But soon, she steadied her mind.
Second Brother.
That Xu Zhan, who licked blood from the edge of a knife, was most likely being used as a scapegoat by those civil official vermin.
The Third Prince coming specially today was definitely not out of good intentions to deliver a message.
He was using her second brother's life as a bargaining chip for negotiation.
Xu Qinghuan closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The churning coldness and worry in her heart were forcibly suppressed by her.
She released the teacup, drew a handkerchief from her sleeve, and slowly wiped dry the water stains on the web between her thumb and forefinger.
"Your Highness."
Xu Qinghuan stood up, bypassed the overturned round stool, walked in front of Xiao Jingyan, and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Since this secret report was suppressed in the Ministry of War, yet Your Highness was able to get it."
"This means that Xu Jie's people haven't had time to silence anyone yet, and Your Highness has your own informants in the Ministry of War."
Xiao Jingyan looked at her with interest.
"Your Highness visiting today is not to offer condolences, so naturally, it is to discuss a deal."
Xu Qinghuan rested her hands on the back of the chair.
"To break this situation, the Xu family needs to act, and Your Highness wants to reap benefits."
"Your Highness, how do we trade?"
Xiao Jingyan smiled. He rubbed his jade thumb ring with the pad of his finger and didn't speak.
He was waiting for the Xu family to state their price.
Xu Qinghuan didn't waste words either; every word hit Xiao Jingyan's sore spots.
"First, my father is the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of money and grain."
"This year's autumn grain is entering the warehouses, and the tax silver from Jiangnan is also to be transported to the capital. My father can balance the accounts, intercept three hundred thousand taels of ready silver from it, and directly allocate it to Your Highness's people through hidden channels."
Whether it's for raising private soldiers or bribing the Nine Borders, no one will be able to trace this money."
Xiao Jingyan's fingers paused.
"Second, regarding the official salaries and military supplies allocation for the officials under The First Prince and the Fourth Prince, the Ministry of Revenue has plenty of pretexts to block them."
"Delaying for a month or so is still not a problem."
Xu Qinghuan leaned forward slightly, full of oppressive presence.
"Third, Your Highness's biggest weakness is the legitimate reputation among the pure stream."
"To put it unpleasantly, the civil and military officials of the entire court only know that the Third Prince is mediocre and studious, but no one treats you as the Crown Prince."
"After the battle at Shichahai, the Grand Chancellor of the Directorate of Education and the leading figure of Jiangnan are both in closed-door meditation to comprehend the things I left behind."
"As long as the Xu family throws out a pretext to stir up the Imperial College students in the world, the reputation of this pure stream can blow into the Hall of Mental Cultivation and firmly land on the head of the Third Highness."
Money and power, political enemies, reputation.
Every move drew blood.
The smile at the corner of Xiao Jingyan's mouth faded.
In the struggle for succession, one wrong step meant eternal damnation.
"Three hundred thousand taels. Commandery Princess Xu, what a big tone."
Xiao Jingyan's voice was low, feigning the cold and steady demeanor unique to the royal family.
"But do you know that the Ministers of the Bureau of Operations and the Bureau of Military Appointments in the Ministry of War are die-hard loyalists of Xu Jie, and the Left Vice Minister is a dog raised by The First Prince."
"For this Prince to intervene in the military affairs of the Northern Frontier now is tantamount to pulling teeth from the mouths of The First Prince and Xu Jie."
"If something goes wrong, they will bite back, saying that this Prince is colluding with border generals with rebellious intentions."
He leaned forward, pressing his gaze on Xu Qinghuan.
"Failure means death."
"Is one life of your Xu family worth this Prince risking his entire net worth to gamble? The appetites of those corrupt supervising censors and deputy generals are bigger than you imagine."
"Are three hundred thousand taels enough to gag them, or enough to buy your second brother's life?"
Xiao Jingyan calculated this account very shrewdly.
Xu Qinghuan did not shrink back in the slightest, meeting his gaze.
"Your Highness indeed lacks sufficient cards on the table," Xu Qinghuan said, her tone icy.
"But I know that since Your Highness was able to intercept the secret report at the Ministry of War, you must hold hidden pieces that others are unaware of."
"So, the Xu family will provide the money, and Your Highness will provide the manpower."
She tapped her finger on the table three times.
Xiao Jingyan narrowed his eyes.
The Xu family was ready to tear off all pretenses and directly mobilize their hidden forces. What a bold move for a solitary, loyal minister.
The two stared at each other for a long time.
Beside them, Xu Youde was sweating profusely from anxiety, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
After a long moment, Xiao Jingyan stood up from his chair.
He neither explicitly agreed nor refused, simply looking down to adjust the cuffs of his casual robe.
"Three hundred thousand taels. I want to see real gold within a month."
"As for the detailed intelligence on the Northern Frontier, in three days, my people will leave it under the incense burner in the Earth-grade room at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion."
The deal was struck.
Xu Qinghuan's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
Xiao Jingyan stepped outward. As he crossed the threshold of the main hall, his steps paused.
Outside the door, the wind swirled fallen leaves around the courtyard, while eyes hidden in the shadows remained locked fixedly on their direction.
Xiao Jingyan suddenly turned his head and looked at Xu Qinghuan.
The gloom on his face vanished completely, replaced by a humble and gentle expression. He suddenly raised his voice.
The volume was just loud enough to carry through the courtyard's floral wall and fall into the ears of the spies.
"I shall conclude my inquiries for today. I look forward to seeking the Princess's guidance on literary matters again in the future."
These words were not meant for Xu Qinghuan; they were meant for all the eavesdropping wolves and jackals throughout the capital.
Xiao Jingyan's tactic of borrowing influence was played to absolute perfection.
Having said that, he strode out the main gate.
Outside, Li Sheng shouted at the top of his lungs, "Respectfully seeing off His Highness!"
