They can be considered representative treacherous ministers of a chaotic era, each receiving a 'prominent' mention in history books, essentially leaving a name that stinks for ten thousand years!
Whenever these four are mentioned, one certainly cannot forget their 'patron,' Prince Kang.
Ji Hongming, who had already begun silently wondering in his heart where these four were currently serving, felt that as the predecessor who had been ousted and replaced by the 'notorious' Qian Yi, he too would undoubtedly be frequently mentioned alongside Prince Kang!
Had he hitched a ride on Qian Yi's coattails to achieve posthumous fame?
But this was not the way he wanted to be remembered!
Feng Tang's heart was currently in turmoil. This Qian Yi seemed to be serving in his very own Censorate right now!
He had been promoted by his predecessor, Zhao Xu. Feng Tang had been wary of this man and thus hadn't entrusted him with important duties. It seemed his instincts were right; this man indeed had major problems!
Dong Qianli from the Ministry of Revenue was also breaking into a cold sweat. Chen Boyuan seemed to be in his department. Would he end up like his old rival Ji Hongming, being ousted and replaced by his subordinate?
In the officialdom, it wasn't just the imperial family that had a throne to inherit. In the eyes of their subordinates, the positions under these heads of ministries were also tempting pieces of fat meat.
Dong Qianli silently shifted closer to Yu Chongshan standing behind and to his left. He must cling tightly to the golden thigh of the Junior Mentor—it could save his life!
The Minister of Works, Lu Qi, raised an eyebrow at his subtle movement. Was he eyeing someone from their Ministry of Works?
But the benefits of clinging to the Junior Mentor's golden thigh were truly plentiful. The technical assistance went without saying. Just in helping their Ministry of Works root out spies, he had caught no fewer than five recently, one of whom was the milk-brother of Prince Qi.
As for that Li Shang hiding in their Ministry of Works, he couldn't make waves before, and now it was even more impossible.
He had plenty of excuses to deal with that man.
The Minister of Ceremonies, You Mingmin, narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. During His Majesty's recent birthday celebrations, a man named Qu Tongwen in their Court of Diplomatic Relations had been particularly active.
He had become quite chummy with several foreign envoys, even questioning whether the gifts in return to these nations were too frugal.
He had secretly incited others to raise objections about this matter, and it was said he had accepted many benefits from the envoys.
Was he already engaging in corruption and incitement this early on?
"What good does it do them to bring down Dayan? The high officials of this court are the greatest beneficiaries during the existence of the Dayan dynasty, aren't they?
As a beneficiary himself, what does he gain from doing this?"
Indeed, the emperor and officials of Dayan also silently asked in their hearts: What do they gain? As officials and ministers, they are supported by the populace; their good days exist only while Dayan exists.
If Dayan falls... Gu Yutong thought of being trampled to death by horses, Zhao Zhifeng thought of dying from cold and hunger...
When the great edifice of Dayan collapses, the tall ones are hit first. Every single one in this court, without exception, is a 'tall one.'
[Qian Yi was not the humble scholar he claimed to be. His original name was Yi Qian, and his ancestral home was in the Kingdom of Nanyue. You understand now, Master? He had Nanyue standing behind him.
As for Li Shang, Chen Boyuan, and Qu Tongwen, it was purely because Qian Yi could bring them benefits in the early stages. Later, the four were bound too tightly, making it difficult to cut ties.
More importantly, they had already discerned Dayan's decline. The duck knows first when the river warms in spring. If a dynasty is about to fall, being in central, key positions, wouldn't they be the first to sense it?
They were merely securing their next patron in advance.
However, apart from Qian Yi, who was half-Nanyue, the others who surrendered did not meet good ends in their later years, and it brought disaster upon their descendants as well.
The wheel of heaven turns; retribution, though delayed, always arrives.]
"These imperial relatives are nothing but hindrances, one after another, offering no help and only causing trouble!"
Emperor Mingxi deeply agreed. Aside from coveting the chair under his rear end, it was all about coveting the chair under his rear end.
Among the imperial clan, supported by the populace, no one ever thought of doing something useful for this dynasty to preserve the Xie family's chair.
...
Yue Fuguang returned to the Yu residence only after eating and drinking her fill at the Empress Dowager's palace. Passing by the West Flower Hall, she heard lively conversation from inside from afar.
She couldn't help but curiously crane her neck, trying to see inside. What was happening that was so lively?
After all, in high-status households, such loud talking that carried outside the courtyard usually only happened during banquets.
Even if people were quarreling, for the sake of face, they wouldn't make such a commotion.
Unfortunately, she was small and short-legged. Apart from the bamboo grove, white snow, and festive colored silks, she saw nothing of interest.
Cuizhu suppressed a laugh and said to Yue Fuguang, "Miss, shall I lift you up to see?"
Yue Fuguang refused without a second thought. Did she have no face to lose?
Besides, being held by Cuizhu, who looked to be less than five feet tall, she probably wouldn't see much anyway.
System: So the main issue isn't about face, it's that even being held up, she still can't see the excitement, right?
"Cuizhu, what's going on in the West Flower Hall that's so lively?"
"Didn't Miss have several stoves made in our Bright Moon Pavilion a while ago?"
Yue Fuguang nodded. The heated kang in the east wing room of her courtyard was very warm. Later, she remembered that stoves were convenient and meant she wouldn't have to run to the small kitchen every time she wanted something hot to eat.
So she drew up plans and had stoves made, conveniently sketching out the matching honeycomb briquette press at the same time.
Grandfather was quite reliable. In less than a day, the stoves and briquette press were ready. At the same time, a large pile of coal dust and a small pile of yellow earth appeared in the woodshed next to her courtyard's small kitchen.
Cuizhu continued, "The Old Madam and the Madam saw the stoves in our courtyard and thought they were excellent. So now, all the rooms of the masters and the favored servants in the entire mansion have been fitted with stoves.
They are probably installing a large stove in the West Flower Hall here as well. Tomorrow is the Master's birthday banquet, after all. The Madam likely had stoves installed in all the reception halls.
That way, the guests attending the banquet tomorrow will be warmer too."
Yue Fuguang looked up at the snowflakes beginning to flutter down again and thought that tomorrow was Grandfather's birthday, so she didn't have to attend court.
Yes, she had requested leave from Emperor Mingxi using this reason.
The day after tomorrow is a rest day, so no court attendance either. It meant she finally had a two-day weekend!
Her mood instantly lifted, and the smile on her face became a few degrees more genuine. She pointed to the red plum blossoms blooming by the covered walkway and said to Cuizhu, "Break off a few branches of these to put in a vase."
Cuizhu smiled and agreed, although Cuiyun had already picked the best blooming branches for the young miss's bedroom first thing in the morning.
Flowers? The young miss never had too many.
Everyone in the mansion knew the Seventh Young Miss loved these flowers and plants. The flowers in the vases in her room were changed daily, never repeating, and were never absent.
The flowers from the Old Madam's and the Madam's hothouses, which they had been reluctant to pick even a single stem from before, now all ended up in her young miss's vases. And those two ladies were only happier for it.
Not only was her own greenhouse filled with flowers, but even in that beautiful glass conservatory, the new plants with small white flowers that the young miss had planted were all in fine large white porcelain vats.
Only their young miss could be this extravagantly bold.
Cuizhu didn't know yet that the things her young miss was growing in those large white porcelain vats would soon turn into golden nuggets, objects that the most powerful people in the Dayan dynasty would wish to enshrine on altars.
