Golden Palace Mistake

As Jiang Heng read the letter to the end, feeling gratified by the harmony between the army and the people, he noticed a simple sketch of a horse at the end. Upon closer inspection, it did resemble Chi Xiao. The childlike handwriting was truly amusing, making Jiang Heng chuckle. A maid called out several times from outside the door, and seeing no response, she called out "Young Master Jiang!" before finally getting a response. Jiang Heng folded his undergarment, then picked up his outer coat and put it on. Once he was dressed in his official robes, he opened the door and walked out nonchalantly, eliciting sighs from the maid.

Upon seeing Zhao Chen, Jiang Heng was directed to a side hall. Jiang Heng walked over and saw a large mirror inside, reflecting his entire body. His official robes, custom-made by Zhao Chen, were a deep lake blue with gold thread stitching and subtle orchid patterns. His belt was made of common leather. Because Jiang Heng was on probation and had no achievements to show for it, he was not allowed to wear ornaments or a robe. Jiang Heng straightened his clothes and respectfully returned to the main hall. After Jiang Heng had stood still, Zhao Chen spoke: "You are new here. You don't need to speak today. Just follow me to familiarize yourself with the procedures, and then meet with the military and civil officials." Jiang Heng bowed, thinking to himself that today would be a mentally taxing day.

Stepping onto the golden steps again brought a different feeling—once he was utterly humiliated by the blinding sunlight, today the imperial canopy blocked out the sun, providing cool shade wherever he went. While the others discussed matters, Jiang Heng only needed to observe. The emperor sat high on the throne, beside him stood his favored concubine, adorned in silks and brocades more fragrant than clouds; Jiang Heng recognized her at a glance as Tang Yao. He then looked towards the seat closest to the emperor, where a woman with golden hairpins adorned herself; this must be the Imperial Preceptor, Fu Qinxiang. Below Fu Qinxiang, five seats were arranged: Guo Zheng, Director of the Bureau of Talent Management; Chen Zhusheng, Director of the Bureau of Talent Acquisition; Xu Liaoxiang, Director of the Bureau of All Affairs; Liu Guanhua, Director of the Bureau of Finance Collection; and Xie Yihang, Director of the Construction Bureau. Guo Zheng naturally paid no attention to a mere youth like Jiang Heng, but Chen Zhusheng, seeing the son of an old friend, thought it was fortunate he hadn't been taken away by Fu Qinxiang, otherwise he would have no face to face Jiang Zhong. Upon seeing his uncle, Jiang Heng was filled with vivid memories of their childhood poetry recitations, and seeing his uncle's graying hair, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. He then glanced at his classmate Xu Liaoxiang, whose manners and appearance were impeccable in school, making him an ideal candidate for handling diplomatic affairs. Liu Guanhua's gaze was fixed on Fu Qinxiang, but whether from exhaustion or excessive worry, he didn't look well. Jiang Heng noticed that Xie Yihang was the youngest, seemingly the same age as himself, but his fixed gaze and slightly clumsy persistence suggested he would be focused and dedicated in his work.

Looking down the steps to Zhao Chen's side, Zhao Peiming's seat had already been filled with dust. Below him were Qian Ruinian, the Prefect of Zhenyou Prefecture; Li Yan'an, the Chief of Fuyuan Temple; and Yue Fengren, the Chief of Tongxiao Hall. Of the three, only Li Yan'an had a somewhat familiar face. The other two had thin lips, slanted eyes, and brows that pressed down on their eyes, their glances seeming to carry a thunderous force. "Indeed, the Ministry of War has many military officers," Jiang Heng thought.

"Your Majesty rarely summons me here. May I ask what Your Majesty commands?" Zhao Chen said, bowing. He had already guessed that the Emperor would inquire about the war situation, so it was better to bring it up himself sooner rather than later. The Emperor then looked at Zhao Chen, but instead of answering, he first scrutinized the new face. "Is this your new attendant?" the Emperor asked unhurriedly. Jiang Heng stood up, bowed, and lowered his head. "Yes, this man is named Jiang Heng. He was selected a month ago to serve as a close attendant, and today is his trial period." Upon hearing this, Fu Qinxiang looked at Jiang Heng warily. Compared to Fu Chengxi's description, the young man was more arrogant, showing no fear even when nominated by the Emperor. He was just a newborn calf unafraid of tigers. "Not bad, did you pass the provincial examination?" "No, but I was admitted to the palace examination ahead of schedule and ranked first in the entire examination." Upon hearing this, the emperor was filled with disbelief and nodded, saying, "Jiang Heng, is it 'jade with a stroke added to it'?" "Yes, Your Highness." "...Jiang Zhong's son." Although the emperor had only recently ascended the throne, Jiang Zhong was more famous in the court than other officials, and his son Jiang Heng had naturally heard of him. For a moment, he was somewhat dazed.

"I summoned you here today to inquire about your son's progress in the battle." All eyes turned to Zhao Chen. Zhao Chen prostrated himself, saying, "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duty to discipline my son. This brat's first subordinate reported that his soldiers have deserted and are planning a surprise attack. I fear… his fate is uncertain." Jiang Heng also knelt, appearing more composed in comparison—he was fully aware of Zhao Peiming's current actions, but in court, this was considered a retreat. Furthermore, Banrihua was not within the clearly defined borders of Dazhao. Revealing Zhao Peiming's whereabouts immediately would be detrimental to him, Zhao Peiming, and Zhao Chen. A deathly silence fell over the hall; everyone remained silent, lost in thought.

"Your Majesty, the Governor-General's elite troops have suffered countless losses. Should we consider executing such defeated generals according to military law?" Fu Qinxiang asked Zhao Chen calmly, glancing sideways at him. Zhao Peiming's whereabouts were unknown, and immediate execution was unrealistic; the aim was merely to test the Emperor's attitude. Jiang Heng thought to himself, the Zhao family had produced many famous generals, but now only the fourth son remained. It was possible that Fu Qinxiang's actions were intended to silence him. "...We only learned of the falconry preparations at Shajie Pass from the letter. Even a few elite cavalrymen couldn't have foreseen the outcome and avoid defeat," Qian Ruinian said, bowing. He looked up to meet Fu Qinxiang's gaze, winking and raising an eyebrow, showing no fear. "Minister Zhao, please rise. Since Peiming may have died for his country, I will not punish a loyal minister," the Emperor gestured for the eunuchs to help Zhao Chen up. At this moment, Zhao Chen's eyes were bloodshot, and his brows were furrowed. Fu Qinxiang understood the Emperor's reaction, but Jiang Heng's calm demeanor was perplexing.

The Emperor seemed unconcerned and changed the subject, saying, "Choosing Princess Yunrong to marry into the Shajie tribe was indeed the best policy. Now that the Shajie tribe has voluntarily ceased hostilities and clarified the border, the north is finally at peace. Minister Xu's efforts in handling the formalities were indispensable, and you will certainly be rewarded handsomely." Jiang Heng was startled by these words. No wonder the swift cavalry had traveled so smoothly; it turned out that the Great Zhao had sent a princess for marriage, ending the war. "Your Majesty is wise. It is already a great blessing that my humble efforts could add to this glory," Xu Liaoxiang hurriedly stepped forward and bowed in gratitude.

"How is the garden renovation progressing?" the Emperor asked to himself. Xie Yihang suddenly froze. Should he speak? He was only nineteen, and the official robes he wore, which had originally concealed his thin body and meager family fortune, now weighed him down, making it hard to breathe. The golden light of the main hall made him dizzy, and his heartbeat echoed clearly in his ears. The ambergris incense seemed to burn his chest with each breath. Liu Guanhua's smugness was natural; who was he? The eldest son of a family of high-ranking officials for generations, and the closest subordinate of the Imperial Preceptor. And what about himself? Born into poverty, his parents had sold their land to support his studies. If he couldn't speak up for the people after ten years of hard study, how was he any different from those despicable people? He was going to speak, and if he did, his head would be on the ground, and he would have no more regrets. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Forgive my youth and ignorance," he said, swallowing twice to suppress a cough, "It was not my intention to delay the work for several days, but the tax revenue allocation has been slow to come, and even with all the parts collected, it is difficult to start the work!"

The Emperor's face was ashen. He gently twirled his teacup. Seeing Xie Yihang so frightened, he looked at Liu Guanhua with a hint of satisfaction at his imperial authority and said, "Minister Liu, what is your explanation?" Liu Guanhua glanced at Fu Qinxiang with a fawning expression. Seeing that she didn't react, he forced a smile and said hesitantly, "Your Majesty is unaware that although merchant ships from Jiangnan seem to be arriving in droves, the rice paddies have been plagued by pests in recent months. Chenping and Yangyu prefectures have almost no harvest. I... really cannot bear to impose taxes!" With that, Liu Guanhua took out a few withered rice leaves from his sleeve and respectfully asked an eunuch to present them to the Emperor. Fu Qinxiang was somewhat surprised. She had never seen Liu Guanhua show such things before, yet now he knew how to justify himself.

Amidst the swirling smoke of incense, the Emperor's gaze grew increasingly unreadable. A distant, cold laugh could be heard: "Ha, pests? Then I ask you, is there no tribute from the Central Plains? Confess the truth!" Seeing the Emperor's unwavering tone, Liu Guanhua knelt and kowtowed, saying, "To be honest, Your Majesty, the Sa Taqi have long colluded with powerful families on the border, smuggling salt and iron to Ganjiang! Forcibly collecting taxes might alert them. I had discussed with the Imperial Advisor waiting for the right opportunity to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Now, I volunteer to go to the Ganjiang border to atone for my crimes!" These words shocked the entire hall. Zhao Chen had long known Liu Fu was a traitor, but he hadn't expected him to be so confident in framing the Sa Taqi; he must have come prepared. Jiang Heng knew it was a lie, but the problem was that the Sa Taqi's current whereabouts were unknown. If they were discovered in Banrihua, anyone involved would likely be implicated. Thinking of this, he devised a plan. Xie Yihang, having been glared at fiercely by Liu Guanhua, was too weak to kneel properly and was practically sprawled on the carpet. His hands and feet were ice-cold, and his expression was stiff. Only after receiving a look from the emperor did the attendant rush forward to help him up. Fu Qinxiang glanced at Xie Yihang and smiled with narrowed eyes.

The Emperor frowned and said, "Since Minister Liu has brought this up today, then Minister Fu will oversee the investigation and ensure this matter is thoroughly investigated. Until everything is clear, I will not show favoritism to anyone!" Fu Qinxiang agreed, and Liu Guanhua was helped up by the eunuchs, feigning to wipe away tears with his sleeve. Taking advantage of this moment, the Emperor whispered to three assassins to secretly go to the two southern prefectures and the border of Ganjiang to investigate, specifically requesting that their arrival time be different from Liu Guanhua's. Fu Qinxiang, of course, wouldn't really oversee it; she would only pretend, leaving the rest to Liu Guanhua. She didn't actually want the Sa Taqi to suffer too much, after all, Zhao Peiming still needed to be tamed and might become her iron arm in the future. With Liu Guanhua doing this, now she could only rely on Tang Ying's army.

After court, Zhao Chen, his lips pale and half-conscious, was helped down the steps by his guards. Fu Qinxiang followed quickly, another guard holding an umbrella beside him. She leaned closer to Zhao Chen and said, "So you're so fond of this Jiang Heng. Trying to steal him from my men, are you starving and finally ready to pounce?" She and the guards chuckled, "You should be thinking about how to collect your Fourth Master's corpse." Zhao Chen was furious, but knowing Fu Qinxiang's sarcastic nature, he kept his distance and ignored her. Jiang Heng, hearing this, clenched his fists but remained silent. Now that Zhao Chen was being suppressed, his three subordinates were finding it even harder to get things done; they needed to turn the tide as soon as possible.

Liu Guanhua didn't actually go. He only regretted withdrawing his informant too early. Seeing Jiang Heng's thriving career, he feared the "Half-Day Flower" case might actually have been fabricated. Now, all he needed to do was kill the entire family to silence them, and then extort a little money from wealthy merchants under the guise of "investigating smuggling." He could make a profit even if he had to rebuild the Golden Steps, let alone build the Imperial Garden. As for the "Half-Day Flower," someone else would take care of the investigation. As for the "Sa Ta Cavalry," their soldiers were currently scattered, and if this crime was proven, they would never be able to rebel against the court again, which would be less of a threat to Fu Qinxiang—at least that was his plan. Upon returning to the Liu residence, Liu Guanhua became troubled. His younger sister was still in the tiger's den. If he wanted to bring her back quickly, he had to make a contribution to Fu Qinxiang. He looked up at the torn sachet on his bookshelf, then at the burned letters, and sighed slightly.