The aftermath

Qiu Sheng's imprisonment and the canal transport scandal were like a bucket of cold water poured into a boiling pot of oil, shaking the entire capital. On the surface, it appeared that the Seventh Prince, Xiao Jingche, had acted decisively to bring down the corrupting influence of the state, earning him widespread acclaim as a "wise and wise" individual. However, beneath the surface, the power struggle between various factions intensified.

Although the Third Prince's faction had lost a crucial chess piece, Qiu Sheng, they remained relatively unscathed. Instead, they quickly dissociated themselves from the situation, shifting most of the blame onto Qiu Sheng and several of his closest associates, attempting to sacrifice the rook to save the king. At court, the struggle for the position of Grand Canal Governor and the related vacant positions immediately became the new focal point. Although Xiao Jingche had capitalized on this situation, his foundation was still shallow, and in personnel appointments, he was still at a disadvantage compared to the Third Prince, who had been managing the situation for many years.

These court disturbances naturally reflected themselves in the social interactions among the women in the imperial harem. The seventh gathering of the Jinxiu Poetry Society was held in this delicate atmosphere.

This time, even the usually lively Wei Linlang seemed a little silent. She sat down next to Lu Qinglan and whispered, "Sister, brother sent another letter. He said that although the court urgently allocated a batch of grain and fodder due to the grain transport case, which solved the immediate problem, the follow-up... is still worrying. Moreover," she lowered her voice, "brother said that there seem to be signs of scouting activities by the Northern Di at the border. It's not peaceful."

Lu Qinglan's heart trembled. Unstable borders and turbulent internal affairs were definitely not good news. But even crises harbor opportunities. She gently patted the back of Wei Linlang's hand, "Don't worry, sister. His Majesty has taken this seriously and will ensure supplies at the border. General Wei is a pillar of the nation and will surely stabilize the situation." Her words soothed, but she was already calculating how to transform the pressure at the border into further support for Xiao Jingche and a blow to the Third Prince's line.

Lin Wanru arrived a little later today, looking considerably calmer than their last encounter, though the lingering gloom between her brows remained. As she bowed to Lu Qinglan, she cast a complex glance and whispered, "Thank you, Sister Lu, for your words that day. My father... has a plan in mind." It seemed that Father Lin had chosen to play it safe in the canal transport case, perhaps even secretly extending some goodwill to the Seventh Prince's side.

Lu Qinglan nodded slightly, saying nothing more. She understood Lin Wanru's situation. Struggling between family interests and personal will was a common fate for these noble ladies. Whether Lin Wanru could break free from this shackles remained unknown.

The most surprising thing was the presence of several unfamiliar young ladies from official families at this gathering. These were all families whose fathers and brothers had, either actively or passively, sided with the Seventh Prince after the canal transport case. Their attitude toward Lu Qinglan was marked by obvious deference, even a touch of cautious flattery. Su Yueming navigated the gathering with increasing skill and attentiveness, becoming the indispensable "housekeeper" of the poetry club. However, a subtle glint of envy and calculation would occasionally flicker in her glances at the new noblewomen.

After three rounds of tea, a new young lady, whose father worked in the Ministry of Works, smiled innocently, as if to show off, saying, "I heard that His Highness the Seventh Prince is currently recruiting capable officials to restructure the grain transport system. My father often praises His Highness for his unique vision and ability to appoint the right people to the right positions."

These words seemed to be flattery, but in fact they were testing whether Lu Qinglan knew the inside story, or whether he could have a say in front of the Seventh Prince.

Lu Qinglan held the kettle steadily as she refilled her tea, her tone calm and composed: "Your Highness is concerned about state affairs and has his own considerations when employing people. We ladies in the boudoir should talk more about poetry and embroidery." She once again lightly changed the subject, neither responding nor denying it, maintaining an aloof and mysterious image.

Seeing her tight-lipped, everyone tactfully stopped asking questions and instead turned their attention to the patterns and jewelry styles popular in Beijing. However, Lu Qinglan could sense that invisible, awe-filled gaze lingering around her.

After the gathering, Lu Qinglan returned to Hengwu Courtyard and Fu Yu handed him a secret letter that Chen Xing had sent through Shen Chong's channels.

The letter mentioned that after the canal transport incident, Yunshang Pavilion's business had inexplicably improved. The families of officials associated with the canal transport were particularly polite when they came to make purchases, and some even subtly inquired about Miss Lu's preferences. Meanwhile, Chen Xing, following Lu Qinglan's previous instructions, had established connections through business contacts with two mid-level canal transport officials who had been vacated by Qiu Sheng's downfall. While their positions weren't high, they were at a crucial point, providing them with access to the latest news.

"Tell Chen Xing to keep these people steady. Don't rush for success. You can be somewhat lenient with money, but be careful not to give them leverage," Lu Qinglan instructed. The economic base determines the superstructure, and she must firmly grasp this increasingly abundant source of wealth.

"Also," she pondered for a moment, "have Zhao Tieshou pay attention to whether there have been any merchant caravans from the Western Regions in the capital recently, or... anyone with features similar to that of 'Manager Hu'." The clue to Bingpo Roland cannot be lost, as it is related to the cause of her death in her previous life.

"yes."

After dealing with these, Lu Qinglan walked to the desk. On the desk was spread out the set of "Shanhe Yutuzhi" sent by Xiao Jingche, and next to it was a short note he had just sent today. The wording was still polite, only asking if she had any "free thoughts" on the subsequent rectification of the canal transport, with an extremely humble attitude.

Lu Qinglan dipped her pen in ink, but didn't directly address the grain transport issue. She slowly wrote on a plain piece of paper, "I've heard the north is cold, and the soldiers are toiling. With the new grain transport system open, military supplies are paramount. A stable border ensures national security."

She offered no specific suggestions, merely pointing out the connection between the "border" and "grain transport," as well as the principle of "military supplies first." This served as both a response to the information revealed by Wei Linlang and a clever way of transforming the pressure on the border into a guide for Xiao Jingche's direction in reorganizing the grain transport. As long as Xiao Jingche prioritized ensuring border supplies, he would need to appoint truly capable individuals with good ties to the border troops in his grain transport personnel arrangements. This would further reduce the Third Prince's influence in the grain transport system and, at the same time, encourage border commanders like Wei Zheng to support him.

After writing, she sealed the letter and handed it to Fu Yu: "Send it to the Seventh Prince's Mansion."

She doesn't need to personally handle everything; she only needs to gently nudge the direction at key moments. This is how a true ruler should act.

Outside the window, the autumn rain has just stopped, revealing a corner of the washed blue sky.

The thunder of the canal transport case had already sounded, but the aftermath was still lingering, and new undercurrents were brewing. Lu Qinglan knew that this was only the beginning. The Third Prince would never sit idly by and watch Xiao Jingche grow stronger. A greater storm was yet to come.

And she has quietly placed more chess pieces in this complex situation, waiting for the next storm to strike, so that she can make her move and shake up the world.