Chapter 424 Requires Long-Term Planning

Inside the imperial study, after the heads of the three provinces and six ministries had left, the emperor stared intently at Pu Tonghe, who was kneeling on the ground, and asked in a deep voice, "When did you and the Prince of Lingnan begin to collude?"

Upon hearing this, Pu Tonghe abruptly looked up, but upon meeting the emperor's sharp gaze, he hurriedly lowered his head again, his body trembling uncontrollably, remaining completely silent. At this moment, he finally understood that the reason the Duke of Chu had suddenly investigated him lay with the Prince of Lingnan. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, spreading into a small, damp patch, yet he still gritted his teeth and refused to speak. Now, he knew he could not escape death; whether he spoke or not, the outcome would be the same.

Seeing that he was determined to resist, the emperor's face grew even more gloomy, and he pressed further, "Was it before or after you took the imperial examination?"

Pu Tonghe pressed his head to the ground, remaining silent. The emperor gazed at this minister he had personally promoted and trusted for many years, and the thought that he might have been working for the King of Lingnan from the very beginning fueled his uncontrollable rage. But he also knew that now was not the time to kill Pu Tonghe; he could only endure it for a while longer.

With his fingers clenched into a fist under the imperial desk, the emperor let out a heavy, cold snort: "While you're doomed whether you speak or not, the manner of your death will be different. Pu Tonghe, are you truly determined to fight to the bitter end?"

These words made Pu Tong tremble even more violently, his body still prostrate on the ground. Having served as an official in the court for many years, how could he not know the extreme punishments used to execute prisoners? Even the strongest will cannot withstand the fear of death, let alone those excruciatingly painful ways to die. Yet, even though he was so terrified that he almost lost control of his bladder, he gritted his teeth and refused to utter a single word.

The emperor behind the desk narrowed his eyes, then suddenly seemed to think of something, a sinister smile creeping onto his face: "Take him away!"

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, guards entered and dragged Pu Tonghe out. The emperor then turned to Jiang Yu and asked, "Minister Jiang, do you think the Prince of Lingnan will come to the capital?"

Jiang Yu pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "Since the King of Lingnan already knows that the imperial court possesses powerful firearms, he dares not easily consider starting a war. He knows that with Lingnan's current military strength, there is no chance of winning in a head-on confrontation."

Her gaze fell on the files on the imperial desk, and her tone became increasingly calm. "Moreover, we also have concrete evidence that he privately printed banknotes and disrupted the national treasury's monetary laws—once this evidence is made public, it will be irrefutable proof of treason."

After a brief pause, Jiang Yu looked up at the emperor and continued, "The King of Lingnan is cunning and calculating. He certainly doesn't want to completely break with the court at this moment and force Your Majesty to take military action. Therefore, going to the capital in person to plead guilty is his only option. This way, he can both put on a show of 'submission' to avoid the limelight and take the opportunity to test Your Majesty's bottom line."

"Hehehe!" The emperor suddenly chuckled coldly, his voice as sharp as ice. "Perfect! On the very day he arrives, we'll dismember Pu Tong and Wu Ma!"

He spoke the last few words through gritted teeth. Clearly, he was utterly enraged by Pu Tonghe's deception. To have Pu Tonghe's key spy, planted in the court, torn apart by five horses on the day the Prince of Lingnan arrived in the capital was undoubtedly the greatest show of force inflicted upon the Prince of Lingnan.

Jiang Yu lowered her gaze to her fingertips, her face expressionless. From the perspective of her past, being torn apart by five horses was far too cruel, completely contrary to modern notions of "humanity." Just imagining that scene sent chills down her spine. But she knew clearly that she was now in the Great Gan Dynasty, not a modern society that valued "humanity." The emperor's will was intertwined with the law, and the rules of the court did not allow her, a transmigrator, to question them.

When she looked up, her face remained calm and composed. She simply replied softly, "Your Majesty is wise. This action can both uphold the law and intimidate the vassal states."

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, gestured for Zhao Fuquan to serve tea to Jiang Yu, and took a sip himself. Thinking of the threat the Prince of Lingnan had posed to the court over the years, his eyes grew increasingly somber. Setting down his teacup, he looked at Jiang Yu and asked, "Minister Jiang, do you think we can take advantage of the Prince of Lingnan's visit to the capital to eliminate this threat in Lingnan?"

Jiang Yu's brows remained furrowed, and his tone carried a hint of caution: "I'm afraid it won't be easy. The Lingnan Prince's Mansion has been operating in Lingnan for over two hundred years, and its foundation is already deeply rooted. Whether it's the deployment of local military power, the control of people's livelihood resources, or the clan forces and spies secretly planted, none of these can be shaken in a short time."

She paused briefly, her gaze darkening. "Moreover, the King of Lingnan is a shrewd and calculating man. Since he dared to come to the capital in person, he must have made thorough preparations. Either he has a backup plan in the capital in case of unforeseen circumstances, or he has secretly instructed his trusted confidants to stabilize the situation in Lingnan. He would never allow himself to fall into a situation where 'once you come, you can't go back.'"

Jiang Yu looked up at the emperor, his tone more composed: "Although we currently have evidence of his illegal printing of silver notes and the deterrent effect of firearms, we are not yet ready to completely bring him down. If we act rashly, we may only push Lingnan to the brink. After all, if he makes trouble in the capital, or if the Lingnan garrison takes the opportunity to cause trouble, it will only increase the variables and lead to a greater disaster."

These words made the emperor frown, his fingers tapping rhythmically on his desk. The "tap-tap" sound echoed in the silent imperial study, adding to the oppressive atmosphere. After a long while, he looked at Jiang Yu, his tone tinged with resentment: "But this is still a golden opportunity. When he's not in Lingnan, it's the most vulnerable time for Lingnan!"

The emperor paused in the tapping of his fingers, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "The Lingnan Prince's Mansion has been in operation for two hundred years. No matter how deep its foundation is, it still needs his personal presence to keep things under control. Now that he's away from his territory, even if his subordinates are loyal, they will find it difficult to act with the same composure and coordination as when he was in charge. When problems arise, they may not be as decisive and swift as when he was here."

Jiang Yu frowned even more deeply upon hearing this. The emperor's words were not without reason, but if this matter was not carefully planned, the people would ultimately suffer the most once war broke out. After a moment of contemplation, she said, "Your Majesty is right, but this matter needs to be considered carefully."

The emperor nodded in satisfaction: "Good! Go back and plan this matter carefully. I will also discuss it with Marquis Chengen and Prince An, and then we will make a decision together."

"Yes," Jiang Yu replied, cupping his hands in greeting.

The Emperor glanced at her, lowered his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "After Pu Tonghe was imprisoned, the position of Minister of Personnel became vacant, and a suitable candidate cannot be found for the time being. I would like to temporarily appoint Marquis Anyuan as the new Minister. What does Minister Jiang think?"

Jiang Yu was taken aback, then stood up, cupped his hands, and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your consideration! My maternal grandfather has often said in recent years that he is getting old and his energy is not what it used to be. He has been thinking of retiring and returning home to enjoy his grandchildren and some leisure. But if Your Majesty needs him, given his loyalty to the court, he will certainly do his best to manage the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel and will not allow any mistakes in the transition of government affairs."

She paused briefly, then bowed again, her posture even more respectful: "Your Majesty's trust and care for the Duke of Chu's Mansion and the Marquis of Anyuan's Mansion are deeply appreciated by your subjects and the entire household. In the future, your subjects will certainly perform their duties with even greater diligence, and your maternal grandfather will also keep to his duty. Only in this way can we repay Your Majesty's favor in some way."