Chapter 61 Jinling Cangyue (Part 7) "An imperial edict ordered the Crown Prince to temporarily reside in the south..."

Inside the Suzhou prefectural government office, the officials who had just finished their meeting were walking out of the hall, chatting amongst themselves in small groups, each with a different expression. Normally, with the Crown Prince's decree issued and the capital's approval granted, the local officials should simply follow the established procedures. However, the different situations in each region meant that problems were bound to arise during implementation.

Zhou Jing was suddenly suspended from his post pending impeachment, supposedly for colluding with local gentry and seizing farmland. It was unclear who reported him or who investigated the matter. Although there had been some rumors about him before, Judge Zhao was not surprised by the incident, but he felt that something had been missed.

Luo Yingke paused, then put his arm around his shoulder and walked forward together. After a few steps, a cough was heard, followed by a light, casual remark: "He's just been pushed out as a warning to others."

Who pushed you?

"He brought this on himself." Luo Yingke clearly didn't want to say more.

Zhao Zhizhang was filled with mixed emotions. Could it really be that Zhou Jing had simply misspoke in front of the Crown Prince that day, revealing his true colors and causing his subordinates to fawn over him?

The magistrate of Changshu County walked at the very back, looking worried.

Lin Zhanyi's "On the Convenience of Taxation and Labor Services in Jiangnan" was approved by Governor Zhu and even highly praised by His Highness the Crown Prince. It spread throughout Jiangnan and even caused a stir in the capital. Subsequently, relevant policies were quickly implemented, and various prefectures and counties responded actively. Although some conflicts arose, the overall situation was positive.

However, Lin Zhan will inevitably offend many people as a result, and he, as the county magistrate, will also be implicated. In the past two days, some local gentry have come to inquire about his intentions, and he doesn't know how much longer he can hold out.

Previously, Governor Zhu had met with him privately, and later Lin Zhan was reinstated to his original position. He could keenly sense that the people involved behind Lin Zhan might be more powerful than he had imagined. If the higher-ups had really started fighting again, and the repercussions spread like wildfire, it would be quite troublesome.

He prayed inwardly: I don't ask for no merit, but I just want to avoid making mistakes. Even if Lin Zhan is transferred away, at least I can stay safe in my own territory.

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Lan Huaien had been in Suzhou for several days and had only met Yan Chao once. At that time, he was only allowed to stay temporarily after much pleading and assurances.

Yan Chao was usually too busy with official duties to pay attention to him, and fearing that he might cause trouble or do evil when he was idle, he simply assigned him some tasks as well. When he was busy, he could have some peace and quiet.

As a result, in the streets and fields of Suzhou Prefecture, some "idle people" would occasionally appear randomly, either inquiring about taxes or inspecting farmland. Wherever they passed, even the tyrannical and cruel officials would become much quieter without realizing it.

When it finally aroused the suspicion of some people, they found that no source could be found, and the person's movements were irregular, appearing and disappearing without a trace. They also realized that perhaps someone from higher up was secretly observing the people's conditions, and they became even more cautious and discreet.

Lan Huaien quite liked this job. In particular, he would wander around during the day and return at night under the guise of reporting back to Yan Chao, embellishing a few important matters. For example, he would mention corrupt officials who had surveyed the fields, petty officials who had embezzled and accepted bribes, and displaced people who had suffered injustice. Yan Chao would then give them a warning the next day, and the officials below would naturally understand.

This seemingly omniscient attitude often yields twice the result with half the effort.

Yan Chao then corresponded with Nanjing. While Li Shihuai was reforming the Nanjing officialdom, he also intensified his supervision of several prefectures and states under the jurisdiction of Southern Zhili. For a time, the officialdom of the entire Jiangnan region was cleaned up.

However, many problems are deeply entrenched and difficult to resolve completely in a short period of time. Even Lan Huaien said, "Eliminate one meridian, and there will be countless other deeply rooted meridians."

“Eradicating it is not so easy.” Yan Chao, tired from reading documents, pressed his temples, closed his eyes, and sighed softly, “If things really get chaotic, pulling one hair will affect the whole situation…”

"His Highness understands all this, yet he acts without restraint, causing so much trouble because of Lin Zhan. Even Grand Secretary Li dares not abandon his duties here." Lan Huaien chuckled inwardly as he thought of Li Shih-huai's reaction.

“Since I have come to Suzhou, I am looking for this ‘one move’ that will affect the whole situation.”

Lan Huaien knew she had a plan, so he said no more. He stepped forward to pour her tea and then said, "With Governor Zhu in charge here in Suzhou, there shouldn't be any problems. When does Your Highness plan to return to Nanjing?"

"Let's wait a little longer."

The tax and labor service reform started in Suzhou Prefecture, which is a key area and needs to be monitored closely. As for the others, it's not that I don't trust Zhu Yongxing, but the Lin Zhan matter has not been completely resolved, and we need to be wary of unforeseen circumstances.

Besides, Nanjing is not as carefree as Suzhou.

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This wait lasted for more than half a month.

The reforms generally went smoothly. Lin Zhan had previously provided excellent strategies for the reforms, and subsequently many talented officials also offered their advice. In addition to specific measures to restore people's livelihoods and reduce taxes and transportation, some reforms were also made in the collection of taxes and corvée labor. When implemented, these reforms were tailored to local conditions and were well supported by the local people.

The new law has only been in effect for a short time, and some of its measures have already shown immediate results, but many more will require a long period to see their benefits.

Of course, some obstacles will inevitably be encountered along the way, but they are insignificant compared to the overall situation.

Yan Chao had accompanied Zhu Yongxing and others on incognito inspections of several prefectures and counties, and what she saw and heard differed more or less from what Lan Huaien had said earlier. Later, she met with Lin Zhan alone. Lin Zhan always spoke his mind, but officials were constrained by local power, and sometimes even Zhu Yongxing was helpless.

She had already witnessed Zhu Yongxing's methods: a combination of kindness and severity in his reforms, sometimes harshly suppressing, sometimes decisively promoting. Even when faced with conflict, though shrewd and calculating, he ultimately had no choice but to tolerate or ignore it when absolutely necessary. The prefectural magistrate, Zhao Zhizhang, was straightforward and honest, meticulously verifying land acreage and compiling registers, and even uncovering and severely punishing a large number of corrupt officials. However, the impact was ultimately limited.

She wasn't unaware of the saying, "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish." The power struggles among officials and their factions in the capital were far more complex than this, especially closer to the central government, where right and wrong became less important. And what officials like the governor, far removed from the central government, feared most was suspicion, which was why Yan Chao was willing to trust Zhu Yongxing completely.

She just felt a little bit unwilling.

This sense of resentment may gradually fade as the Crown Prince returns to Nanjing.

Several days before her departure, Lan Huaien had already taken his leave, seemingly to attend to some matters, only mentioning that it was a secret decree issued by the emperor. Yan Chao naturally did not inquire further.

Upon returning to Nanjing, as was customary, he was first summoned by officials.

In fact, during the time Yan Chao was away, she did not lose contact with Nanjing. In addition to sending official documents, there were also some secret exchanges of information, so she was quite clear about the situation in Nanjing.

At present, Nanjing's government affairs are still reviewed by the Crown Prince and Grand Secretary Li as usual, with matters related to taxation, water conservancy, and official governance being particularly important. However, the taxation reform that started in Suzhou has shifted the focus of power and attention in the entire Southern Zhili region to the Crown Prince and Governor Zhu Yongxing.

But Li Shih-huai was Li Shih-huai after all. He had his own methods for reforming officialdom, and at least in Nanjing's official circles, he was highly respected, with the garrison command practically headed by him. Yan Chao didn't feel that she had lost sight of the bigger picture; her gains in Suzhou over a month had been considerable.

After all the officials had paid their respects, Li Shih-huai requested a private audience.

Yan Chao was not surprised. But she had to be on high alert. She had always suspected that Cui's affair was related to Li Shihuai, but she had never had any concrete evidence.

She also knew that Cui had returned to Jinling to visit her family, so she set up spies near the Cui family to keep an eye on them, but she did not find anything unusual.

It's nearly halfway through August, and the westerly winds haven't arrived yet. In Jiangnan, the weather is sometimes scorching hot with blazing clouds, and at other times, it's overcast and gloomy with floating clouds. These past few days, the weather has been relatively mild.

According to the laws of the dynasty, summer taxes should not be levied after August; after August, the river conditions in Jiangnan and Jiangbei will stabilize. Yan Chao thought to himself, feeling uneasy.

After the palace servants served tea, they withdrew, and the atmosphere in the hall became very quiet.

"Your Highness's journey has taken you through various regions, personally visiting fields and implementing reforms, demonstrating your ability to recognize and appoint capable individuals, prioritizing the people's welfare, and bringing blessings to all. Having a crown prince like Your Highness is truly a blessing for the people and for the Great Qi!"

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. We are here by imperial decree to relieve the people's suffering and share the emperor's burdens. This is our duty. Moreover, Your Excellency has also made great contributions by rectifying official corruption and supervising government affairs." Yan Chao looked at Li Shihuai with a gentle expression, still appearing shrewd and capable.

The two men spoke with veiled meaning, neither willing to reveal their true intentions, whether they understood or not.

Li Shihai was slightly disappointed to learn that Zhu Yongxing had not returned with him. He had not had much contact with Zhu Yongxing and did not know his character, and more importantly, the emperor trusted him.

Li Shihai briefly reported some matters to Yan Chao, and then finally asked about Lin Zhan out of curiosity. Lin Zhan was an unexpected turn of events in his plan, completely changing the course of things. He hadn't had a chance to see Lin Zhan, so he had to at least ask him about it.

"I'm sure you've heard about him," Yan Chao said, taking a sip of tea. "He is loyal, diligent, and extremely talented. His memorial was truly a masterpiece. It's a pity that his talent has been buried for many years. Fortunately, it's not too late to discover and utilize it now."

Li Shihuai said, "Now is the time when we need talented people. Lin Zhan has such great talent and should be given important responsibilities. Fortunately, His Highness is magnanimous and forgiving, which is why he has the opportunity to redeem himself through meritorious service."

Yan Chao paused slightly as she put down her teacup. She raised her eyes and looked at Li Shihai with a calm gaze, without saying a word.

Since she had been able to remain calm before, she wouldn't necessarily resort to open conflict now. But Li Shih-huai was clearly too smug. Where did his confidence come from? Was it just from Cui Shi and Lin Zhan, those two "handles"?

Yan Chao couldn't help but become suspicious, but fearing that acting too hastily would alert the enemy, he secretly sent Duan Shou and others to investigate the Cui and Lin families, but they found nothing unusual.

Several days later, Yan Chao vaguely realized where the coincidence lay.

The Crown Prince's southern tour, besides examining the successes and failures of governance and the well-being of the military and civilians, also carried the responsibility of quelling rebellions, dealing with disasters, and bringing peace to the people. To appease the scholars and common people, Yan Chao first inspected the Nanjing Imperial Academy and then visited Jingxian Academy.

Jingxian Academy was built by Zheng Heng, who served as the Supervising Censor of Education in Nanjing during the Yongping era. The name of the academy is derived from the phrase "to emulate the virtuous and strive to become a sage." The academy takes "to manifest virtue, to love the people, and to attain the highest good" as its motto. It welcomes students from all over the country and invites renowned scholars of the time to teach. The academy has a profound cultural heritage and a pure academic atmosphere.

When the academy was first built, it was small in scale with only a few dozen students. Later, it was expanded with donations from successive officials and local gentry, and now it can accommodate hundreds of students.

Jingxian Academy has produced one top scholar (Zhuangyuan) and five Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) in the past, and is now the most prestigious academy in Jiangnan.

The arrival of the Crown Prince was an immense honor for everyone at the academy.

After meeting the lecturers and students of the academy, Yan Chao went to the rear hall to pay homage to the sage Confucius. The academy reveres sages and holds a sacrificial ceremony every February and August, which Yan Chao had already missed. He then proceeded with the usual worship according to the established rites.

The main hall for worshipping Confucius is the most solemn and magnificent building in the entire academy. According to a teacher at the academy, it was built with donations from the Cui family of Jinling. The Cui family also contributed a lot during the expansion of the academy, and everyone in the academy is very grateful to the Cui family.

Afterwards, Yan Chao met with the headmaster of Jingxian Academy alone. The headmaster was over seventy years old and had difficulty moving around due to a leg ailment, so Yan Chao excused him from the formalities.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two mentioned the Cui family of Jinling. The headmaster suddenly sighed, "Speaking of which, I had a close relationship with Master Baohe during his lifetime. He was a humble and unassuming man, and his scholarship was profound. After returning to Jinling, I wanted to invite him to lecture at Jingxian Academy, but he declined due to his advanced age and poor health. Later, he donated books and funds to the academy... Master Baohe was deeply troubled after returning home, and he passed away a few months later. The younger generation of the Cui family are also quite ambitious. Even though they did not achieve official rank, they are all upright and sincere."

Baohe was the pseudonym of the patriarch of the Cui family. He was also the father of Empress Wenhui and the maternal grandfather of Yan Chao.

She hadn't heard anyone mention him in a long time. Yan Chao felt a little dazed; the white-haired old man before her somewhat resembled the kind grandfather who had held her in his arms in her memories. She sighed silently and quietly poured another cup of tea.

Why was my maternal grandfather so troubled? It's easy to understand. The emperor had issued an edict that nearly ruined the future of the Cui family. As the head of the family, how could my grandfather not be worried and heartbroken?

The sun's shadow shifted, and dusk approached. Just as Yan Chao was about to leave the academy, as the group passed the lecture hall, a sudden shout rang out:

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw two students supporting a student who had collapsed to the ground, pale-faced. The others, as if already used to it, immediately went to fetch a doctor.

When the prince stopped, the attendant explained, “Your Highness, this boy is named Cui Jinglan. His father, Cui Gan, is an official who has been away from home for many years. Cui Jinglan is diligent and studious and is very intelligent, but unfortunately he is weak and sickly and lacks energy. After passing the county-level examination, he has found it difficult to make any further progress. Now, he is also struggling to study at the academy.”

Yan Chao nodded and instructed them to take good care of him.

She knew Cui Gan; in terms of kinship, he was her third maternal uncle, a full brother of Empress Wenhui. She had heard that Cui Gan had only two sons, the elder of whom was frail and the younger of whom had died young.

After the Yan Dynasty, he went to the Cui residence incognito. The style of the residence was quite different from that of the Anping Earl's Mansion. It had more of the elegance and tranquility of a Jiangnan courtyard, or perhaps it could be said to be desolate and bleak.

The old lady of the Cui family is still alive, but she is old and her mind is not clear. She is sometimes good and sometimes bad. Among her male offspring, only her second son, Cui Han, serves her. The rest are all serving as officials.

Cui Han was reinstated after being dismissed from his post, but in the last two years he resigned and returned home on the grounds of his mother's illness. He has been diligently taking care of her ever since and has never mentioned his career.

Yan Chao roughly guessed what it meant: this second uncle was probably disheartened and disillusioned.

However, Cui Han had an excellent reputation and often associated with famous scholars. He was known for his filial piety and literary talent.

Yan Chao met his daughter, Cui Lanzhi, who had just returned to her parents' home. She was indeed gentle, dignified, and had an extraordinary bearing. She suddenly thought of Cui Lanruo, the woman Shen Wei liked. Perhaps this was the kind of woman he was looking for—a perfect match made in heaven.

Cui Lanhui was already engaged and did not come out to pay her respects today due to illness, but Yan Chao saw her very quickly.

Just as the group left the front hall, Cui Han and his family were about to pay their respects when a dart-like object suddenly flew towards them. The guards beside him were the first to react and quickly stepped forward to block the hidden weapon.

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized it was just an ordinary bamboo dragonfly. The guards remained wary, but seeing that Cui Han's expression was not good, they coughed lightly, bent down to pick up the bamboo dragonfly, skillfully folded its wings, and held it back in their palms, apologizing to Yan Chao.

"This is my humble creation, not a weapon, and I have no intention of harming anyone. I apologize for disturbing Your Highness."

The guards stepped forward to inspect it and found it to be an ordinary bamboo dragonfly, but its craftsmanship was extremely exquisite. The stem and wings were carved with patterns, and the shape was polished to be smooth and fluid, with no sharp edges. The connection and assembly seemed to have a hidden mechanism; when unfolded, it was a bamboo dragonfly, and when fully closed, it resembled a huge beetle.

Yan Chao was seeing such a little gadget for the first time and couldn't help but smile: "Which cousin is it?"

Cui Han had no choice but to call out Cui Lanhui, who was also restless in the backyard even when she was "sick," to apologize.

Yan Chao was even more intrigued to see that it was a girl. She had met Cui Lanhui before, but had long forgotten her due to the passage of time; her personality was completely different from what she had imagined. The emperor had previously mentioned that the two were a good match, and their contrasting personalities—one quiet and the other lively—were indeed quite interesting.

Then, she couldn't help but feel relieved that the engagement hadn't gone through; it would have been a real shame for someone with Cui Lanhui's temperament to enter the palace. Even birds aren't free within the palace walls.

Cui Han reprimanded her with a stern face, but Cui Lanhui quickly admitted her mistake and bowed to Yan Chao, saying, "I have offended Your Highness and am willing to accept the punishment. Why don't I offer the bamboo dragonfly to Your Highness as an apology?"

Finally, with a heavy heart, she added, "I see you like it quite a bit, so please don't throw it away, okay?"

Cui Han, who was trying to persuade him with all his heart: "..."

Yan Chao didn't mind, nodded in agreement, and never mentioned whether her illness was real or not.

Two hours ago, when Cui Lanhui heard that the Crown Prince was coming, she was still complaining to her mother: "It's because of the Crown Prince that I'm in such a hurry to get married. I haven't even met my fiancé yet. His Highness the Crown Prince rejected the marriage proposal. He must not like me very much, or he must dislike the Cui family. I don't want to go over there and just become a laughing stock."

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Two days later, Yan Chao received his first "gift" from Li Shihuai.

The imperial edict was rushed from the capital to Nanjing, where the Crown Prince and the Grand Secretary received it together: the edict ordered the Crown Prince to temporarily reside in Nanjing; the Minister of Revenue, Li Shihuai, was to return soon and resume his duties as before.

The unexpected turn of events left Yan Chao momentarily at a loss. Jiangnan was a place of freedom, but it was far from the imperial court, and if news didn't arrive in time, many things would slip out of his control.

Undoubtedly, this was the work of Prince Xin's faction. Although the emperor may occasionally make impulsive decisions, there is always a reason behind it. This time, it was clearly aimed at her, and it seemed to be an expression of his dissatisfaction.

Given the current situation, regardless of what memorial Li Shih-huai submitted or what happened in the capital, she could only stay obediently in Nanjing.

Li Shih-huai made a swift escape, packing everything up that very day before bidding farewell and heading north.

Yan Chao then received news from the capital that Li Shih-huai had previously submitted a memorial praising the Crown Prince's wisdom, virtue, and effective governance. It also seemed that Consort Ming, still enjoying great favor, had whispered in the Emperor's ear.

Yan Chao had no choice but to calm down and handle government affairs as usual.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Yan Chao wrote two letters home, one presented to the Emperor as usual, and the other sent to Yongning Palace. Accompanying her to the capital were some specialties from Jiangnan. As for the routine rewards from the palace, she gave all the necessary instructions to ensure that everything was taken care of.

In previous years, when the emperor celebrated the festival in Yanjing, he would usually hold a family banquet, enjoy the moon and eat cakes, pick crabs and drink wine. The concubines, princes and grandsons of the emperor would all gather together, and it seemed like a very happy occasion.

The Nanjing Imperial Palace was extremely deserted. There were not many palace servants to begin with, and even fewer who knew each other. They had learned to entertain themselves, gathering in groups after receiving their rewards, drinking or admiring the moon, rarely indulging in such unrestrained behavior.

Yan Chao held a small banquet at Chunhe Palace. At first, only the accompanying officials attended the banquet, but after the banquet was in full swing, even the servants joined in and shared the fruit, cakes, crabs and wine.

After the banquet ended and everyone dispersed, Lan Huaien quietly stepped forward, intending to test how drunk Yan Chao was. Before she could speak, she suddenly heard her say, "Will you have a few drinks with me?"

Lan Huaien blinked and looked directly at her: "This place is so boring. It's still early, Your Highness, why don't you go out of the palace and take a look?"

"It's not like we haven't seen it before, why bother going through all this trouble?"

“We’ll go secretly. Your Highness can go incognito with just a small sedan chair.” Lan Huaien bent down and took the wine cup from her hand.

Gazing quietly into the frosty moonlight, the light and shadow outlined her gentle and refined features. The closer her profile, the more it resembled a mirror opened from a dusty box, a bright pavilion on a spring night. Her cheeks were barely flushed, yet her expression remained detached, her eyelashes trembling and drooping, attempting to suppress all her thoughts. Only her solitary back refused to easily yield to the moonlight.

"Your Highness is not alone, I will accompany you."

Yan Chao's heart suddenly skipped a beat: Could Lan Huaien actually guess what she was thinking? But she was indeed not very interested.

"With Lan Huai'en here, it's alright to have fewer people accompanying him."