This year’s summer floods brought joy to some and misery to others.
Every memorial from Qianzhou requesting imperial relief made the Crown Prince tremble in the Eastern Palace.
For months, he had been eating poorly and sleeping fitfully. Even his once imposing, round belly had grown flabby and dispirited.
“Grand Secretary, what are we going to do? Gu Weizhi refuses every offer, whether soft or hard. This, this, this…” Shen Zhen crouched before Gong Zhiyuan, sobbing miserably. He was well over thirty, yet he wept like a grief-stricken child, as though a single leaf drifting down from above would be enough to crush him completely.
Gong Zhiyuan was furious, both at the situation and at Shen Zhen’s lack of sense. “Crown Prince, why did you order the Cao family to move against Gu Weizhi without consulting me? His Majesty may be ill, but he is not confused! If something happened to Gu Weizhi as soon as he arrived in Qianzhou, wouldn’t that make it obvious to everyone that something was wrong?”
Shen Zhen spread his arms and collapsed onto the floor with a loud thud, wailing, “We couldn’t buy Gu Weizhi’s loyalty. Grandfather said that if we killed him, Father would send someone else—someone more easily swayed—and we would still have a glimmer of hope. But who could have imagined that even a minor official like Gu Weizhi would have people protecting him along the way? I don’t think Marquis Yongning is any good either. He must have been bought off by Prince Xian! He must have!”
“Alas!” Gong Zhiyuan let out a heavy sigh.
The Cao faction had reached the end of its road and was beginning to take desperate risks.
They knew full well that the grand secretaries would treat them the same way they had treated Cao Fangzheng: abandoning a pawn to save the commander. So long as the Crown Prince remained the Crown Prince, there would still be room to turn things around, no matter how many relatives had to die.
But everyone in the Cao faction was already steeped in crime. One careless step, and they would be doomed beyond redemption.
To protect themselves, they had no choice but to move against Gu Weizhi.
This was an internal conflict within the Crown Prince’s faction.
“Crown Prince, there is no need to panic. Cao Fangzheng is already dead. Even if they discover irregularities in the disaster relief funds, we can simply push everything onto him. Besides, His Majesty once publicly commended Cao Fangzheng. If the matter is pursued, the emperor’s own dignity will also suffer. Anyone who continues to bite down on Cao Fangzheng at a time like this may well lose the emperor’s favor,” Gong Zhiyuan analyzed in a low voice.
Shen Zhen wiped away his tears and asked tentatively, “Are you saying that Prince Xian will suffer a hidden setback as well? That he and I will both gain and lose from this?”
“Prince Xian?” Gong Zhiyuan repeated. A trace of mockery curled across his lips. “Yes. Prince Xian.”
The Prince Xian faction certainly would not let this opportunity to bring down the Crown Prince pass them by. Losing a little of the emperor’s favor in exchange would be worth it.
Still, a thread of unease lingered in his heart. What frightened him was the possibility that they were all merely paving the way for someone else, allowing a third party to reap the rewards.
Luo Mingpu pondered for a moment. “I hear the evidence Gu Weizhi collected has already been submitted to the Ministry of Revenue. He is personally escorting the witnesses to the capital. I wonder what sort of evidence it is.”
He then looked up. “Crown Prince, give me a straight answer. Of the five million taels of disaster relief funds, how much did Cao Fangzheng actually embezzle?”
Shen Zhen’s conscience faltered. His swollen eyelids fluttered several times, and his voice came out as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
“Th-three million.”
“What?” Luo Mingpu shot to his feet. The veins on his forehead bulged three times, nearly bursting through his skin.
The prison overseen by the Ministry of Justice had been in disrepair for years and was overrun with rats. He had requested three thousand taels from the Ministry of Works to calculate the cost of repairs, then asked the Ministry of Revenue to release the funds—but the Ministry of Revenue simply refused. Above him sat a minister who was all compromise and self-preservation, dragging his feet whenever trouble arose. Luo Mingpu was so troubled that sores broke out on his lips, and he could scarcely sleep at night.
Three million taels. How many common people’s livelihoods could that sustain?
Qianzhou might never have rebelled in the first place if Bozhou had not taken in the displaced refugees and cleaned up the mess Cao Fangzheng left behind.
Luo Mingpu’s vision swam several times before he finally managed to suppress his anger.
Shen Zhen was still complaining. “Over the years, I’ve had to fight Prince Xian for influence. There are countless places where money was needed. What did I have? Prince Xian controls the Ministry of Revenue! I had no choice!”
Liu Chenming suddenly spoke, his voice grave. “What if Cao Fangzheng kept a private ledger detailing where the money went? He came to the capital for the Chuntai Chess Gathering, only to be unexpectedly caught up in this affair and thrown into prison. He should have undergone a thorough interrogation, but His Majesty ordered him beaten to death immediately. He never had a chance to tell us what he had left behind in Qianzhou.”
The Hall of Literary Brilliance fell instantly silent. It was as though even a speck of dust falling to the ground could make the very foundations tremble.
After a long while, Gong Zhiyuan sighed. “We still have the Grand Tutor. With the Grand Tutor here, he will not allow this matter to damage the Crown Prince’s foundation.”
In his heart, he thought that the worst outcome would be for the emperor to use this opportunity to suppress the Cao faction, kill a few people to reassert imperial authority in his later years, and clear away the influence of the maternal relatives before the Crown Prince ascended the throne.
As for abolishing the Crown Prince, that was unlikely. The choice of heir was a matter of national importance. Besides, given Emperor Shunyuan’s health, he no longer had the energy or time to assess another potential heir.
While gloom hung over the Crown Prince’s faction, the Prince Xian faction was already eager to celebrate with wine.
“Hahahaha.” Bu Zhangyi stroked his beard and laughed heartily. He had spent the past two days bent over his desk, working until he had developed enormous eye bags like two fish bubbles. But his efforts had paid off: he had almost completely solidified the logic of the case.
“The Crown Prince’s faction would never imagine that Cao Fangzheng had secretly kept a ledger. When his steward realized that the situation was turning against him, he actually took the ledger to Gu Weizhi of his own accord. That ledger is in my hands now. Three million taels—he truly had the nerve to embezzle that much!”
Tang Guangzhi asked, “Does the ledger state that the money was given to the Crown Prince?”
Bu Zhangyi shook his head. “Not exactly. It says it was given to the Cao family in the capital. But what else could the Cao family have used it for? Isn’t that obvious? Once we throw the Duke of Cao into prison, are we really afraid we won’t be able to interrogate the truth out of him?”
Tang Guangzhi said, “I’m only afraid that the Duke of Cao will shoulder all the blame and stubbornly insist that the Crown Prince knew nothing about it.”
“His Majesty is no fool,” Shang Zhiqin said. “The Cao family must have done something with the money. Could three million taels simply vanish into thin air?”
Tang Guangzhi still had his reservations. “In recent years, His Majesty’s methods of governance have become somewhat more lenient than they were in the past. When corrupt officials were involved before, he would always pull up the entire radish, mud and all, and deal with everyone connected to the matter. Nowadays, he seems content to stop at the surface. I’m afraid…”
Bu Zhangyi’s expression darkened. “Then it is up to us to make this case airtight. We absolutely cannot give His Majesty the chance to hesitate.”
Prince Xian sat at the head of the room, listening in silence. Only at this point did he cover his face with an expression of grief and say, “All of you are delighted to see the Cao faction on the verge of collapse, but I can feel nothing except heartbreak. The million people of Qianzhou—how much suffering must they have endured all these years? The Crown Prince and I fought one another, and in doing so brought calamity upon the people. I, too, bear crimes too numerous to record.”
The other three hurriedly cupped their hands and praised him. “Your Highness is benevolent and compassionate, with the people’s welfare at heart. We are deeply ashamed by comparison.”
Prince Xian waved a hand, pretending to wipe away the tears at the corners of his eyes. He straightened his back and said quietly, “For the sake of the people under Heaven, I cannot allow the Great Qian realm to fall into the hands of someone so incompetent.”
While the two factions within the palace took turns performing their respective acts, Shen Chen remained in the Imperial Sons’ Residence, feeling like a mantis stalking a cicada while an oriole waited behind.
With the Cao faction brought down and the Crown Prince deposed, Gong Zhiyuan would inevitably become his man. With Gong Zhiyuan serving as the intermediary, he might be able to absorb the Crown Prince’s former supporters completely. If that happened, his position at the beginning of this life would be even smoother than it had been in his previous one.
The Prince Xian faction was determined to bring down the Crown Prince. They would inevitably reveal their true colors, and those faces would not be pretty. They were not merely forcing the emperor to depose the Crown Prince—they were forcing him to become wary.
A Prince Xian who had toppled a Crown Prince who had sat securely for seven years—what kind of power did that represent? Would it one day threaten his own life?
After this incident, Prince Xian will surely fall out of favor with the emperor. If he follows the proper path, he will have no chance of succeeding to the throne.
The Crown Prince's faction may think that Marquis Yongning has defected to Prince Xian and that Prince Xian now holds the military power. But only Shen Chen knows that Marquis Yongning is actually protecting Shen Zheng. All Prince Xian has is a military commander from Liangzhou, which won't cause much of a stir.
Gu Weizhi has been secretly sheltered by the Marquis Yongning's Mansion. The Crown Prince's faction hates him to the core. Now, before the Crown Prince is deposed, he is going to offer this great gift in a timely manner to eliminate three obstacles at once: the Crown Prince, Prince Xian, and Shen Zheng.
Wen Zhuo, Wen Zhuo, even if you are extremely shrewd, can you change the situation today?
"Xie Qing, Jun Dingyuan is about to arrive in the capital. Prepare a generous gift and go to see Mo Shu on my behalf. Thanks to his heroic sacrifice in the previous life, everyone was saved." Shen Chen was holding a small pair of red - string scissors. With a snap, he cut off a wild - growing zephyranthes.
The slender branch fell to the ground, fluttering like an insignificant life.
Mo Shu.
He was really a pity.
In the scorching midsummer, Xie Langyang felt a desolate chill.
He vaguely remembered that when they first met, it was at the Marquis Yongning's Mansion. That man was sitting quietly under the eaves, never putting down the book in his hand. When he turned around, his demeanor was as elegant as an orchid, and his glances were radiant.
"Assistant Minister Xie, the general is still changing his clothes. Please wait a moment." He said.
If Mo Shu could have survived, he would surely have been a pillar of the court and a man of great talent. It's a pity that he was doomed not to live.
Even someone as calculating as Wen Zhuo couldn't save him.
Xie Langyang examined his own conscience and felt extremely ashamed. He had to admit that Wen Zhuo's helplessness in the previous life gave him a little comfort.
Even if he didn't do this, didn't trigger this event, Mo Shu couldn't be saved, and Jun Dingyuan was destined to lose his dear friend.
"What if Wen Zhuo had informed Mo Shu in advance to hide in the mountains and disappear before this matter was discovered?" Xie Langyang asked in a deep voice. There was still a glimmer of hope, or perhaps a trace of worry in his tone.
Shen Chen smiled and said, "If he was willing to hide in the mountains, he wouldn't have fought on the battlefield with Jun Dingyuan."
Seeing Xie Langyang's silence, Shen Chen came back to his senses, put down the small scissors, and said considerately, "If you can't bear to see him or feel sad, you don't have to. Anyway, as long as you go to Jun Dingyuan's camp, this matter will go smoothly."
"I understand, Your Majesty."
Xie Langyang bowed stiffly and backed out of the prince's residence.
He stood under the scorching sun, enveloped in the strong light, but still felt like a stain that could never be washed away and a shadow that could never be illuminated.
It turned out that once one stepped onto this treacherous path, every step was taken out of necessity. The words of sages and the books of the wise that he had read in the past would constantly pierce his chest and backfire on himself.
Wen Zhuo had walked this path once and then pushed him out. And he had never understood Wen Zhuo's state of mind or appreciated his efforts.
He had gotten everything in his life too easily, so he took everything for granted.
When Gu Weizhi's caravan entered the capital in a dusty state, Jun Dingyuan's army was also stationed at the foot of Qingping Mountain.
Dusk was approaching. Wen Zhuo received the news that Jun Dingyuan had arrived in the capital in the Imperial Academy. He quickly rolled up the classics on his desk and threw them into a cloth basket. Without caring about the ink stain on his fingers, he grabbed his official robe and rushed out.
Gong Weide, a compiler, came in with a book in his hand. Seeing Wen Zhuo in a hurry, he had a sudden thought: "Director, where are you in such a hurry to go?"
A few months ago, his father had specifically told him to keep an eye on Wen Zhuo, to see who Wen Zhuo associated with and if he had any private contact with any prince.
He kept it in mind and secretly paid attention, but he never noticed anything unusual.
Wen Zhuo turned his head and saw Gong Weide with a furtive look. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind.
Wen Zhuo seemed to be completely off - guard and casually replied, "Oh, a few days ago, the Sixth Prince asked me some questions. I didn't have any ideas at that time, but now I've come up with a solution, so I'm in a hurry to tell him."
"The Sixth Prince?" Gong Weide's heart skipped a beat.
Wen Zhuo pretended to knock on his head and showed a suddenly enlightened expression: "I remember that the Sixth Prince is your brother - in - law, right, Weide?"
"Uh..." Gong Weide's face stiffened.
How could he tell Wen Zhuo that his father hated his eldest sister for her improper behavior and missing the chance to be the Crown Prince's concubine, and had unilaterally severed the father - daughter relationship?
Wen Zhuo smiled and patted him on the shoulder: "Then it doesn't matter. I'll leave a little earlier. Don't tell anyone else."
"..." Gong Weide watched Wen Zhuo leave with his own eyes, and his heart was in turmoil.
It was actually the Sixth Prince.
The one having private contact with Wen Zhuo was actually the Sixth Prince!
As his father had said, the Sixth Prince indeed had ulterior motives. He was secretly trying to win over important officials and compete with the Crown Prince!
No, he must inform his father of this matter as soon as possible!
The stone roads at the foot of the imperial city were gilded with a warm glow.
Wen Zhuo walked in a hurry. When he reached the mottled palace wall, he looked around, and then an unremarkable red - lacquered sedan chair quietly slid up to him.
He lifted the curtain and got in. His robe corner crossed the shaft of the sedan chair, and he ordered, "Go to Guang'an Gate."
After the morning court today, he sent Ge Wei to give Consort Liang a note, which read:
"Tell His Highness that I need to see General Jun before he meets the emperor."
This message had to be delivered at this time to make it seem like an impromptu idea rather than a long - planned one.
The sedan chair left Guang'an Gate. Outside the city, the wind suddenly rose, swirling sand and dust against the curtain of the sedan chair.
Not long after, the sound of urgent hoofbeats was heard. A white horse galloped through the dust.
Shen Zheng was wearing a black riding suit, with a black scarf covering his face and his hair tied up high. He and his horse cut through the twilight.
In the past few months, his riding skills had become even more excellent.
Shen Zheng leaped off the horse, pulled off the scarf, revealing a handsome face with thick eyebrows and deep eyes.
He looked up at the sun that was about to set behind the mountain. The afterglow made the sweat on his forehead shine. He gasped slightly and asked Wen Zhuo, "Teacher, why do you suddenly want to see my uncle? The sun is almost down. Does it have to be so urgent?"
"General Jun will meet the emperor tomorrow morning. I've thought it over and decided to give him a few words of advice." Wen Zhuo said calmly, "The emperor has always been wary of meritorious generals. Although this great victory has made him very happy, we mustn't let him become wary again because of something General Jun says wrong tomorrow."
Shen Zheng nodded, thinking it made sense. But Wen Zhuo's hurry to run out of the city was a bit ridiculous. He could have just sent a letter a few days ago to give the advice.
As he was thinking, he saw Wen Zhuo quickly take out a carrot from his bag and feed it to the horse Tashaisha, which was pawing the ground. Then Wen Zhuo turned around and seriously stretched out his two arms: "Your Highness, please help me mount the horse."
Wen Zhuo hadn't ridden a horse for several months and was a bit scared again.
"Wait a minute."
Shen Zheng laughed. He took out a pair of smaller fingerless gloves, dark blue in color, from his bosom as if by magic.
He stepped forward, put his arms around Wen Zhuo's fair and delicate wrists, and carefully put the gloves on for him. His fingertips accidentally brushed against Wen Zhuo's cool skin.
"I prepared these specially for you, Teacher. You always won't let me out, so I haven't had a chance to give them to you."
During the wild ride from the imperial city, Shen Zheng had inevitably worked up a sweat, so the fingerless gloves in his bosom were also warm.
Wen Zhuo looked at the gloves covering his hands, and his heart skipped a beat. Did Shen Zheng plan to take him horse - riding in the future that day?
But if it weren't for the urgent situation, how could he always do such improper things?
Just as his thoughts were in a mess, he suddenly felt his official robe's leather belt being tightly held by a pair of strong hands. There was no room for his waist to move, and then a strong force lifted him up steadily.
In a hurry, he stepped on the stirrups and swung his robe over as he mounted the white horse.
His bright red official robe spread out on the snow - white horse's back, making the glow of the setting sun at Jintai Pale in comparison.
Shen Zheng leaped onto the horse, wrapping the red - robed figure in his embrace. He lifted the reins with both hands and urged the horse, Taibasha, forward. "Hold on tight, Teacher."
Wen Zhuo forced himself to speak, his voice trembling in the wind. "Guang'anmen closes with the bell at the Hour of the Pig. We must be back before then. Qingping Mountain is still some distance away. Your Highness, go faster."
Shen Zheng tilted his head slightly, about to ask him something. Seeing Wen Zhuo instinctively shrink his neck and tilt his ear, he was especially kind and didn't let his breath touch the other's ear bone. Instead, he said to the front, "Can Teacher endure it if I go faster?"
He had to endure it even if he couldn't! Time was pressing.
Wen Zhuo took a deep breath, trying to straighten his back to encourage himself. "I'll try my best."
Seeing Wen Zhuo's body stiff as a board, his fingernails turning white from gripping tightly, and his face losing all color as if he was going to a heroic death, Shen Zheng's heart softened completely.
He gently stroked Wen Zhuo's back through his fingerless gloves and coaxed, "Let me hold you tighter, okay?"
"All right."
"If you feel uncomfortable, just shout. Don't hold it in."
"Okay."
Shen Zheng tightened his arms, protecting him more closely. Then he whipped the horse, and the horse's hooves crushed the setting sun, kicking up a cloud of sand.
Wen Zhuo wasn't as reserved as he thought he'd be. Soon he curled up into a ball, pressing tightly against Shen Zheng's chest. All he could hear was the young man's deep breathing and feel the dampness on his throat.
He didn't care about his preference for men or proper etiquette anymore. He felt as if his internal organs were about to be shaken to pieces, and the oncoming wind felt like a fine - edged knife.
It wasn't until his closed eyes could no longer sense the crimson of the twilight that Taibasha stopped. Wen Zhuo's limbs were numb, his heart pounding wildly, and he couldn't even walk properly.
It was completely Shen Zheng who carried him off the horse.
He held onto Shen Zheng's arm to ease the numbness in his legs. When he looked up, he saw under the blue sky, rows upon rows of military tents stretching as far as the eye could see, like a long dragon lying on the wild land.
The flags fluttered in the evening breeze, making a loud flapping sound, more magnificent than the overlapping green mountains.
Wen Zhuo had spent his short life confined to Mianzhou, Bozhou, and the capital city. He had never seen such a majestic sight before.
For a moment, he forgot the panic on the horseback. He only felt his heart stirred, and the excitement lingered for a long time.
This was the Great Qian.
This was the foundation and the root of the Great Qian.
He composed himself, tidied his hair bun, and straightened his clothes. Accompanied by Shen Zheng, he walked towards the heavy gray tents.
He said in a loud voice, "Wen Zhuo, the Director of the Imperial Academy, requests an audience with General Jun Dingyuan."
