No one answered.
The ministers of the central offices and the censors in the front ranks all lowered their heads until their chins nearly touched their chests.
Who would dare step forward at a moment like this and say even half a word of dissent? That would be courting death.
Yet if anyone were the first to leap out in support and take on the task of moving the capital—a measure that threatened the very foundations of the northern great families—then the moment he walked out of the hall, the nobles throughout the capital would tear his backbone to pieces.
Upon the dragon throne, Emperor Tiansheng rested his left hand on the gilded dragon-head armrest, his index finger rising and falling.
At the very front of the imperial clansmen and military commanders stood the First Prince, Xiao Jingxing. His eyelids lowered as the corner of his eye swept over the pack of cowering civil officials opposite him.
The five fingers hidden within the broad sleeve of his princely robe had been clenched tightly into his palm. Now, little by little, they relaxed.
He had lost everything in Jiangnan. The Chen and Fang families had fallen, three million taels had gone up in smoke, and that old dog Xu Youde had not only survived—he had taken advantage of Yang Boyan’s defection to turn the land of Jiangnan upside down.
Did it hurt?
It felt as though even his internal organs were twisting in agony.
Since his imperial father had already used the Astronomical Bureau to reveal the plan for a temporary palace at Nanjing in such an unmistakable manner, anyone who dared openly oppose it now would become the next Chen Shichang.
If he wanted to stop this chariot hurtling southward, he first had to give it a push in the direction it was already going. Once it had gathered speed, he could then shove rocks beneath its wheels!
Xiao Jingxing’s eyes shifted slightly, crossing the imperial avenue before settling on Minister Yang, the Vice Minister of War at the front of the civil officials’ ranks.
Vice Minister Yang had been watching the First Prince’s side from the corner of his eye all along.
When he saw Xiao Jingxing’s sleeve move ever so slightly, followed by that veiled glance in his direction, Yang Tinghe clenched his back teeth and drew in a deep breath laden with the heated scent of dragon’s-blood incense.
Steadying the ivory tablet of office in both hands, he stepped out of the line of officials.
Every official in the hall turned his eyes toward him.
Yang Tinghe walked to the exact center of the imperial avenue, swept up the front of his official robe, and raised the ivory tablet high above his head.
“Your Majesty, I, Yang Tinghe, Vice Minister of War, prostrate myself in congratulations!”
His voice was full and powerful, rolling through the silent hall.
“Jinling in Jiangnan commands the Yangtze, with waterways and roads stretching in every direction. It is the hub of the empire’s abundant tax revenues!”
“Tonight, the Astronomical Bureau observed the heavens and saw purple qi soaring from the Southern Dipper and Ox Mansions. This is surely a heavenly blessing upon Great Qian, an auspicious sign unseen in ten thousand years!”
“Your Majesty’s wisdom shines like the sun, and you have discerned the will of Heaven. Constructing a temporary palace in Jinling is truly a magnificent undertaking that accords with Heaven and the people and will extend Great Qian’s imperial fortune for ten thousand years!”
“I, your servant, support the southward relocation!”
When his words fell, the great hall remained silent for two full breaths.
Several censors standing toward the rear had yet to comprehend what they had just heard. They exchanged baffled looks.
Wasn’t Yang Tinghe a frequent guest at the First Prince’s residence?
The First Prince’s power base lay entirely in the north and along the Nine Frontier Garrisons. How could the blade of southward relocation have barely fallen before a man under the First Prince’s command was the first to leap out and cheer it on?
In the ranks of the Ministry of Rites, Right Vice Minister Song Zhiyuan narrowed his old eyes.
Hearing Yang Tinghe deliver such a speech, Song Zhiyuan’s thoughts raced.
Regardless of what scheme the First Prince was pursuing, now that even a high-ranking minister from the northern faction had taken the lead in kneeling, the direction of the wind was unmistakable.
If he did not follow now, when would he?
Song Zhiyuan immediately straightened his robes and hurried out of the ranks, kneeling beside Yang Tinghe.
“I, Song Zhiyuan, Right Vice Minister of Rites, support the proposal!”
His voice was equally booming. “Since ancient times, all sage kings have followed the seasons and responded to the terrain in order to bring peace to the realm!”
“Now that the dragon qi of Jinling has revealed itself, and Minister Xu has purged the long-standing parasites in Jiangning, freeing up ten thousand mu of fertile land, this is an opportunity Heaven has granted Great Qian!”
“Your Majesty’s foresight is profound and far-reaching. Constructing a southern capital to stabilize the fortune of Jiangnan is truly a blessing for the people and a boon to the state!”
With two vice ministers taking the lead and setting the tone, the ranks of officials immediately sprang to life.
The Left Vice Minister of Revenue had already been emboldened by Xu Youde’s reversal of fortune in Jiangnan. How could he be willing to fall behind now? He nearly ran from the line, throwing himself onto the imperial avenue with a loud thump.
“I, Left Vice Minister of Revenue, prostrate myself in congratulations to Your Majesty! Jiangnan is rich and fertile. If Your Majesty’s heavenly presence graces the south, the flow of tax revenues between north and south will be unobstructed, and the treasury will soon overflow! Your Majesty is wise!”
“I, Minister of Works, support the proposal! Jinling possesses abundant timber and stone, with convenient water transport. The construction of a palace city is an undertaking for the ages!”
“I, Academician Reader of the Hanlin Academy, offer my congratulations to Your Majesty! This undertaking will be recorded in the annals of history and bring glory for generations to come!”
Crash—
It was as though the officials of the entire court had finally found an outlet for their pent-up feelings. Row after row of black official caps dipped toward the floor.
From the ministers of the Six Ministries and the Nine Chief Offices, to the officials of the various courts and bureaus, and even the censors of the Censorate and the scholars of the Hanlin Academy who usually loved nothing more than to find fault, a vast sea of them fell to their knees.
“Your Majesty possesses extraordinary talent and vision! Your wisdom shines like the sun!”
“The grand plan of moving south will earn merit for a thousand autumns and bring benefit for ten thousand generations!”
“Long live His Majesty! Long live! Long live!”
The waves of praise rose higher and higher.
Everyone scrambled to spill the beautiful phrases they had stored up all night, afraid that if they were even one step too slow, the man above would record their names in his little ledger—and they would follow in the footsteps of the Chen and Fang families.
Grand Secretary Xu Jie merely watched the spectacle with an amused expression.
The Xu girl had sent Xu Zijin to write a letter and deliver it overnight to the Prince of Jing’s residence.
Xu Jie understood the situation perfectly.
Now that the First Prince’s people had taken the lead in stirring the waters and the entire court was climbing onto the same pole, how would this Third Prince—who had pretended to suffer from a cold for half a month while eating lavish feasts at home every day—respond to the move?
Once the cries of “Long live” within the hall had subsided somewhat, Xiao Jingyan moved.
Today he wore a dark-purple ceremonial robe befitting a prince. Instead of seeming imposing, it lent him the gentle dignity of a man who had spent his time recuperating and gathering his strength.
Xiao Jingyan walked unhurriedly out of the imperial clansmen’s ranks, then bowed solemnly toward Emperor Tiansheng upon the dragon throne.
“Father, your son has a few words from the heart. I wish to add another line to Father’s grand design for the ages.”
The officials kneeling on the floor all fell silent, maintaining their prostrate positions as they strained to listen.
Xiao Jingxing, standing slightly ahead to the side, shot the Third Prince a sidelong glance. A faint scoff escaped his nose.
Add another line?
On the dragon throne, Emperor Tiansheng lowered his eyes to study this third son, who ordinarily kept such a low profile. He raised a hand.
“Speak.”
Xiao Jingyan wore an expression of deep contemplation.
“Just now, the various ministers all spoke of Jinling’s purple qi soaring into the heavens and its abundant waterways and fertile lands. They say this is the right time and place for establishing the empire’s foundation in Jiangnan.”
Xiao Jingyan suddenly changed tack, as though he had just come to a realization.
“But in your son’s view, Father’s decision to move south is certainly not intended merely to enjoy the wealth of a corner of Jiangnan. Rather, it is meant to use Jinling’s position as a hub to fully open the great arteries through which Great Qian may draw upon the four seas, command the world, and inspire awe in every nation!”
At these words, Xu Jie’s brows lifted slightly.
“Great Qian has stood for more than a century. The north is bitterly cold, and wars have raged year after year. The military provisions of the Nine Frontier Garrisons all depend on grain shipments transported north from Jiangnan, at enormous cost.
“Yet some time ago, Princess Wanping Xu Qinghuan presented the Illustrated Gazetteer of the Four Seas and Ten Thousand Nations before the Hall of Heavenly Audience, proposing that the Maritime Trade Offices open the seas and develop overseas colonies!”
“The silver of Iwami Ginzan and divine grains yielding dozens of shi per mu overseas—all of it lies beyond the Eastern Sea!”
The Jiangnan-born officials kneeling in the hall, particularly Xie Miheng and the others, wore expressions of utter satisfaction when they heard the words “Iwami Ginzan.”
Xie Miheng recalled how things had been in the past. Had it not been for this relocation of the capital to Silver Mountain, he would have fought it tooth and nail!
But now…
“If the central government remains entrenched in the north, hampered by the rough winds and high waves of the Northern Ocean, and lacking both good harbors and large ships, then anyone sailing eastward must first head south and make use of the waterways of Songhu and Ningbo. Those routes are ten thousand li from the capital—far beyond the reach of the imperial court!”
“There is only one solution: move south to Jinling!”
“Jinling commands the Yangtze. Once the treasure ships are launched from the Longjiang Shipyard, they can sail straight down the river into the Eastern Sea and reach Hirado in Dongying after only a few days under full sail!”
“By moving the central government to Jinling, Father Emperor will place the might of the Son of Heaven directly upon the boundless maritime frontier! He will place it upon Jiangnan’s shipbuilding workshops and the silver vaults of the Maritime Trade Offices!”
“When that time comes, Jiangnan will build great ships, naval strongholds will rise across the islands, and the central government will sit in Jinling, directing everything as easily as moving one’s arm and fingers!”
“Silver from overseas and divine grain will pour endlessly into the Yangtze. They can be transported north to strengthen the armies guarding the borders, and sent south to nourish the common people and secure the foundation of the realm!”
Xiao Jingyan bowed once more, raising both hands high as his voice shook the roof tiles:
“In this way, the Jiangnan navy, the silver mountains overseas, and the imperial government will become one inseparable whole! Father Emperor’s decision is not merely in accordance with the will of Heaven. It is also an attempt to establish an unprecedented and supreme hegemony for Great Qian—one that surpasses every dynasty of the past and truly makes all nations part of the imperial inner court!”
“Your son congratulates Great Qian! Your son congratulates all the people of the realm!”
Echoes rang throughout the grand hall.
Every official within it, without exception, was left utterly speechless.
When had the third son become so eloquent?
That flattery had landed squarely in the deepest part of the emperor’s heart. At the same time, it had firmly elevated the achievements of Princess Wanping of the Xu family!
High upon the Dragon Throne, the eyes of Emperor Tiansheng, which had been half closed, suddenly lit up.
A smile blossomed across his dignified face.
“Good! Well said!”
Emperor Tiansheng threw back his head and laughed. “What a fine phrase—‘directing everything as easily as moving one’s arm and fingers’! And what a grand vision—‘making all nations part of the imperial inner court’!”
He leaned forward and pointed at Xiao Jingyan, his voice filled with undisguised approval. “Third son, I hear that you came down with a slight chill some time ago and shut yourself away in your residence to recuperate for half a month.”
“But now it seems that this illness did you some good! Sitting in your residence, your thoughts have grown all the more clear and far-reaching. You can even see through the connection between the vast maritime frontier and the southward relocation of the central government!”
“You understand My heart perfectly! Perfectly!”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingyan was delighted inwardly. He immediately lowered his head and replied with humble composure:
“Thank you for Your Majesty’s praise! Your son merely followed Father Emperor’s sacred intentions and glimpsed a fraction of them. How could he claim any credit?”
Beside him, the First Prince, Xiao Jingxing, was also somewhat impressed.
Usually, the man put on the appearance of a dull, taciturn fool. Yet at this crucial moment, he had somehow produced such a grand and righteous treatise, snatching all the glory and Father Emperor’s favor for himself!
He really had some ability…
Seeing the smile on Emperor Tiansheng’s face grow broader and broader, and noticing that the civil and military officials were now looking at Xiao Jingyan with a measure of awe, Xiao Jingxing knew he could wait no longer.
He forcibly suppressed the murderous rage churning in his eyes and drew two slow breaths.
Then he stepped out from the ranks of officials and stopped three feet from Xiao Jingyan’s side. Standing shoulder to shoulder with his Third Brother before the emperor, he proceeded to bow deeply toward the Dragon Throne.
“Your son, Xiao Jingxing, congratulates Father Emperor!”
Xiao Jingxing raised his head, forcing a trace of sincerity and obedience onto his face.
“Everything Third Brother said just now was brilliant. Even your son was stirred to the core by his words!”
“Father Emperor has received the protection of Heaven itself. You possess both the auspicious purple aura of Jinling and the opportunity to open the seas and expand our colonies.”
“To move south to Jinling and rule over the four seas is indeed the only way to strengthen the nation, enrich the people, and extend the fortunes of the imperial house! Your son is wholeheartedly in agreement!”
After he shouted those words, many officials in the hall secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Even the First Prince had bowed his head and admitted defeat, joining in with the song of praise. It seemed that the matter of moving south would pass smoothly today, without giving rise to any bloody turmoil.
However, just as Emperor Tiansheng nodded in satisfaction and prepared to settle the matter once and for all, the First Prince abruptly twisted the conversation in another direction.
“However…”
Xiao Jingxing furrowed his brows, a hint of doubt in his voice.
“Father Emperor, while the entire court celebrates, your son still has one concern in his heart.”
“This concern bears upon the safety of Great Qian. It has lodged in my throat like a bone, and your son truly cannot keep it inside any longer!”
The officials, who had been immersed in the atmosphere of praising the emperor, stiffened as well.
Beside him, Xiao Jingyan lowered his eyes, concealing the flicker of insight that passed through them.
Here it comes!
On the high platform, the pleased smile gradually faded from Emperor Tiansheng’s face.
“Oh?” Emperor Tiansheng drew out the word, making the hearts of every official in the hall tremble. “The entire court is congratulating Me. Even your Third Brother has described a glorious vision of all nations coming to pay tribute.”
“Yet you alone, First Prince, have reservations.”
Emperor Tiansheng raised one finger and pointed vaguely at Xiao Jingxing.
“Tell Me, then. What is it that gives you cause for concern?”
