Undercurrents are swirling, and conspiracies are brewing once more.
Shen Qingci's swift and decisive measures to reorganize the army, while making the Great Jing's military strength grow stronger day by day, also stung the vested interests deep within the court. Those redundant officials he dismissed and generals whose sources of income were cut off secretly colluded with remnants of the previous dynasty and collateral branches of the imperial family, weaving a vast web of conspiracies against him.
The seeds of rumors first spread quietly among the common people. Some said that Minister Shen was privately raising assassins on the border, and that half of the newly manufactured weapons in the armory had ended up in private hands; others vividly described how he had become sworn brothers with the leaders of ethnic minorities on the border, intending to coordinate an attack from within. At first, these were just scattered rumors, but some people deliberately fanned the flames, and in less than half a month, the saying that "Shen Qingci is holding military power and plotting a rebellion" had spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital, and could even be heard clearly within the palace walls.
The emperor sat on his dragon throne, his hand stroking the military reform memorial Shen Qingci had previously submitted, his brow furrowed. It wasn't that he doubted Shen Qingci's loyalty—from his return from exile to clear his name, to reforming the bureaucracy and guarding the frontiers, every step Shen Qingci took was on the right path for the country and its people. But the heart of an emperor is most wary of those whose power overshadows his own. Now, Shen Qingci held the position of Minister of War, wielding immense military power and deeply loved by his soldiers; if he were to harbor disloyalty, the consequences would be unimaginable. Several senior officials in the court had already seized the opportunity to speak, not openly impeaching him, but their words subtly implying the need to check and balance Shen Qingci's power.
When the news reached the Ministry of War, Shen Qingci was reviewing the roster of the new batch of recruits. He slammed the roster down on the table, his knuckles turning white from the force. He was well aware of the origins of these rumors. Those corrupt officials he had severely punished, those conservatives who opposed military reform, had long considered him a thorn in their side. He just hadn't expected them to frame him with such a heinous charge as "treason."
"My lord, should we go to the palace immediately to see the emperor and prove ourselves?" Deputy General Zhao Wu asked anxiously. He had just returned from the military camp outside the city, and the rumors he had heard along the way had made him furious.
Shen Qingci closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, he had regained his composure: "There's no need to rush. The more flustered you are, the more doubts people will have." He picked up his pen and wrote a memorial, each word resounding. He not only explained his original intention in reorganizing the army and detailed the achievements since the reforms, but also frankly stated his willingness to temporarily hand over military power to the Ministry of Personnel and accept a full investigation by the censors sent by the emperor, all in the hope of clearing his name and ensuring that the military foundation of the Great Jing remained unshaken.
The memorial was delivered to the palace, and the emperor remained silent for a long time after reading it. The censors he sent to investigate brought back testimonies of Shen Qingci's integrity, self-discipline, and strict military discipline—the armory accounts were clear, and all newly manufactured weapons were stored away; the border soldiers revered Shen Qingci like a god because he was fair in rewards and punishments and shared weal and woe with his soldiers; the so-called "secret alliance with foreign tribes" was nothing more than normal diplomatic relations he had engaged in to appease the border and jointly defend against enemies.
The emperor's doubts gradually dissipated, and he immediately issued an edict reprimanding the officials who spread the rumors and ordering a thorough investigation into their source. Little did he know that this was merely the prelude to a much larger conspiracy. Seeing that the rumors had failed to bring down Shen Qingci, the masterminds had already prepared an even more ruthless weapon, waiting only for the opportune moment to deliver a fatal blow to Shen Qingci in the imperial court.
Although Shen Qingci had temporarily averted the crisis, he dared not let his guard down for the slightest. He knew that as long as he continued to push forward with reforms and continue to encroach on the vested interests, this power struggle would never end. He secretly instructed Zhao Wu to strengthen the defenses of the military camp, while also asking Su Yunqing to keep an eye on any unusual activity around the Shen residence. The couple once again found themselves in an invisible danger.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
