Chapter 97: Every move the Crown Prince makes is a killing move.
Both were so eager to meet that He Zhiju saw Shen Yujiao shortly after the tea was served.
"Your Highness—"
Seeing him stand up, Shen Yujiao quickly waved her hand, "Brother, there's no need for such formalities."
As the words fell, the front hall door was closed. Watching Mu Jin close the door herself, He Zhiju breathed a slight sigh of relief, took a few steps forward, and lowered his voice: "The musketeer cavalry battalion is complete."
"What my brother said..." Shen Yujiao grabbed He Zhiju's robe excitedly and asked in a low voice, "Did the entire camp meet the standard?"
"yes."
He Zhiju's face was serious, his expression solemn, and his deliberately lowered voice revealed a slight, uncontrollable tremor.
The musketeer cavalry battalion was almost the most important part of their plan. Originally, it was expected that the entire battalion would reach the target level only after Prince Huan led his troops to the northern frontier. However, He Zhiju had now advanced the training results by at least a month.
"There is no better time than today to assess the results. With drums and gongs resounding at the city gate, no one will notice the sound of muskets..."
He Zhiju spoke faster and faster. Although he didn't show it, he was not as calm as he appeared on the surface, and naturally he overlooked his younger sister's little actions.
Therefore, when Jiang Chen entered, his face darkened immediately.
“Chen, Jiao, Jiao—” he called out to Shen Yujiao through gritted teeth, “Give me your hand, let go.”
"Huh?" The two siblings, who were standing opposite each other, were stunned and stared at each other.
It was He Zhiju who first noticed the impropriety. He quickly bowed to Jiang Chen and said respectfully, "It was my fault, Your Highness. Please forgive me."
Even now, Shen Yujiao still hadn't realized what tricks the two of them were playing. She stepped forward and pulled the sulking Jiang Chen into the hall: "Good news, I have some great news to tell you."
Holding hands with Shen Jiaojiao and listening to her soft whispers in his ear, Jiang Chen's jealousy from when he came in had largely dissipated. He put his arm around the waist of the person in his arms and pondered what he had just said.
"In that case, we can speed up the progress of the plan."
Time always flies when people are talking about serious matters. At first, Shen Yujiao stayed by Jiang Chen's side and listened attentively to their discussion, but as the conversation went deeper, she felt increasingly choked up and decided to sit down alone and start fiddling with the tea set.
"Yes, Your Highness understands. I will certainly not disappoint you."
The two seemed to have finished discussing important matters, and the seriousness on their faces faded considerably. Jiang Chen was about to suggest having dinner together when he turned his head and saw Shen Yujiao looking at them with a half-smile: "Finished talking? Come and moisten your throats."
“Since we can’t act rashly right now, there’s no need for you to rush off, brother. I just heard you consider all aspects, but there’s one person missing.”
He Zhiju watched as Shen Yujiao's lips opened and closed, his expression completely vanishing.
As the moon rose above the treetops, Jingtan Pavilion was unusually visited by a young eunuch from the front courtyard. Chu Rou received the order with an almost blank expression: "Your Highness the Crown Prince, come over tonight."
With a forced smile, A-Jun saw the young eunuch off, then turned to her mistress with a bitter expression: "Consort..."
If this had happened a year ago, when Liangdi had just entered the household, Ajun would probably have been so excited about tonight that she would have already dragged her mistress to bathe, change clothes, and perfume herself. But now, after experiencing all this, even if she was foolish, she would have become more perceptive.
She knew her master's thoughts better than anyone else, and she also understood that in the Eastern Palace, the three masters had two different stances, and everyone was clearly distinct. On ordinary days, Jingtan Pavilion was very respectful and kept to itself, while the main courtyard did not interfere with each other.
What is His Highness the Crown Prince thinking? He actually sent someone tonight to say he wants to stay overnight at Jingtan Pavilion?
Ah-Jun was completely baffled, not knowing what the Crown Prince was thinking, but Chu-Rou had just returned from the main courtyard that afternoon and could guess about seven or eight parts of the Crown Prince's intentions.
"You...go and check on Qi Zheng. Stay with him tonight."
This child is easily flustered by concern. When she went to see him today, Qi Zheng dragged her around and asked her about the King Huan's expedition. If Chu Rou hadn't known the news beforehand, she probably would have taken pity on him and taken him to see the Crown Prince or the Crown Princess.
Having grown up in a military camp, Qi Zheng's affection for General Qi far surpasses that for his older brothers. Now that she has been out of contact with her father for a long time, she dares not imagine what Qi Zheng might do when he is emotionally agitated.
"My lady, what do you mean?"
"Let him sleep soundly."
Upon hearing this, Ah-Jun, though surprised, did not ask any further questions. After receiving the order, she went to the side courtyard. Chu-Rou slowly sat down, her hands resting on the table. The Crown Prince had come to see her to deliver an answer.
"This humble servant greets Your Highness, Your Highness, may the Crown Prince be well..."
"Ziwang was determined to defend the northern frontier to the death."
Chu Rou paused halfway down her body, and after a moment, she finished the curtsy with a slight sway: "Your Highness, may you be well."
"Get up. I came here today for the Crown Princess. She has always been looking out for you, so I naturally want to ask for your thoughts."
"...You are probably aware of the current situation in the Northern Frontier. King Wu and King Huan have led their troops out to war one after another, but Ziwang knows the Northern Frontier camp best. He estimates that neither of them can hold it. Therefore, he has been urgently training musketeer cavalry. Now the entire camp has reached the required standard. In other words, the He family army now has a surprise force at its disposal, ready to go out to war at any time, or rather, ready to help him return to the Northern Frontier camp at any time."
Chu Rou's pupils dilated. She hadn't expected that He Zhiju, who had only been back in the capital for a little over a year, had already rebuilt his strength. Now, he held a sharp blade in his hand and had the support of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess behind him. He was no longer the naive boy who could only be manipulated and threatened by the Emperor.
Such strategic planning and ruthless tactics make him seem like a completely different person from the Yunqi General who had just returned to the capital.
Chu Rou could imagine how that gentle and humble gentleman had firmly uttered the words "defend the northern frontier to the death." The identity of the young master of the He family had long since vanished into the mists of time. Now, He Zhiju was the young wolf king who had returned from the northern frontier after fighting bloody battles.
The northern frontier is his snowy land. He will lead two armies, a heavy cavalry battalion and a musketeer cavalry battalion, back to vindicate the He family, the northern frontier camp, and the Xia army.
Facing the Crown Prince's gaze, Chu Rou was unusually distracted. For some reason, she suddenly thought of her conversation with the Crown Princess that afternoon, and she felt a sense of empathy for the "struggle" the Crown Princess had mentioned.
"Although this is a last resort, given the current situation, if the military situation at the front collapses, the Crown Prince will lead the army into battle. At that time, there will be countless things to manage in the capital. I need your help..."
I didn't want him to take risks, but I also knew it was his responsibility.
"This concubine... will certainly assist the Crown Princess in fulfilling her duties in the capital."
Upon hearing her answer, Jiang Chen unconsciously frowned slightly: "You know perfectly well what I'm asking."
"The Chu family is my family, and I cannot abandon them."
She and He Zhiju were essentially the same kind of people. He Zhiju chose to go to the northern frontier, while she chose to stay in the capital. One was for the He family, and the other was for the Chu family.
"Are you truly content to be merely a concubine in the Crown Prince's palace with only a title?"
"yes."
Chu Rou's long eyelashes cast a shadow in the candlelight. In fact, she had more to plan than just these things. Judging from the current situation, as long as the crown prince was established, even if the princes fought each other, his chances of winning were really high.
As a concubine of the Crown Prince, she had no other choice. The Chu family would fully support the Crown Prince's faction. When the Crown Prince ascended the throne, her status would be at least that of a concubine. If the Crown Princess was willing to give her face, she might grant the Chu family the position of a Noble Consort.
The Chu family raised her to adulthood, so she should always give back to the Chu family in some way.
That was her answer.
"I see."
Standing at the alley entrance, He Zhiju was shrouded in shadow. He nodded upon hearing this, a smile playing on his lips. This was the first time Jiang Chen had seen him smile in months, and he thought the man had gone mad.
How could He Zhiju still smile when it was clearly a rejection?
He Zhiju bowed to Jiang Chen, then mounted his horse and disappeared into the night. Others might not understand, but Chu Rou's rejection made the heavy weight on his heart disappear without a trace. For them, there were many things more important than feelings.
Even though she had pushed the other person away with her own hands, He Zhiju felt that her heart had never been so close to Chu Rou's.
The moment of truth is about to be revealed, and the future is uncertain, yet this time, he is more confident than ever before.
King Huan's departure from the capital took not only the army with him, but also the attention of the capital.
The northward march of the army brought a slight easing to the tense atmosphere in the capital, which had been gripped by fear and unease recently. Although the bustling prosperity of the past was not restored, the capital still presented an image of peace and prosperity, much like before.
Beneath this facade, the Eastern Palace resembles an inverted hourglass. The city is silent during the day, but it quietly comes into operation after nightfall. People from all sides enter through the East Corner Gate and exit through the West Corner Gate. In the unnoticed night, fine sand slowly falls and accumulates into a tower.
On April 18th, King Huan led his troops out.
On April 30th, the army, without stopping, arrived in northern Xinjiang.
On May 2nd, the Northern Di army attacked again. The Xia army defended the border. The Xia army, which had previously retreated again and again in the face of the enemy's strong attack, finally held its territory, and the morale of the Northern Frontier army was greatly boosted.
On May 7, the two armies clashed on the border, and the battle lasted for several days, with the situation remaining tense.
On May 13th, the protracted war between the two armies ended in a stalemate, and each side retreated a hundred miles to regroup.
On May 19th, news of the northern frontier's military situation reached the capital, sparking a debate in the imperial court.
On May 23, a bloody case caused a huge uproar in the capital early in the morning, and the entire city was in an uproar. The morning court session was in complete chaos.
"Li Lu, the Minister of Revenue, embezzled public funds from the national treasury, seized farmland and resources from the people, and withheld military pay from border troops. The amount involved was as high as one million taels of silver."
“Li Lu, the Minister of Revenue, abused his position to manipulate official transactions such as the transfer, promotion and demotion of officials in the Six Ministries, and misappropriated public funds from the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War for private use.”
"Li Lu, the Minister of Revenue, was corrupt in his official duties. He abused his power to bully others, while the women in his family lent money at exorbitant interest rates. He also allowed his sons to humiliate the common people, which led to the tragic deaths of eight members of the Lu family in Qingquanfang."
"Minister of Revenue Li Lu and his sons and nephews embezzled other people's property, persecuted others' lives, and forcibly abducted women, causing several tragedies. Afterwards, they ordered the officials in charge of criminal justice to cover it up, and this situation has been going on for several years now."
......
In the imperial court, officials and censors, as if to achieve their political goals, stood up one after another to impeach Li Lu, the Minister of Revenue, with each charge seemingly reiterating the laws of the Great Xia Dynasty.
At first, the court was as silent as a stagnant pool, but as more and more officials stepped forward, discussions gradually arose. What began as whispers turned into open murmurs, and eventually, the discussions became public. The officials of the Ministry of Revenue all had ashen faces, while Li Lu, who stood at the head of the Six Ministries, remained calm.
"His Majesty......"
"His Majesty......"
"His Majesty......"
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, watching the ministers in the hall, some with indignant expressions, others arguing vehemently. But in any case, the current situation was beyond his control. He didn't even have a chance to call a halt. The imperial ceremony made him unable to do anything as undignified as smashing a teacup while sitting on the dragon throne.
The Crown Prince's gaze fell upon Jiang Chen.
If there were any rational people left in the hall at this moment, then besides Li Lu, only the Crown Prince remained. The two of them seemed to be completely detached from the matter. The Crown Prince stood there like a pine tree, indifferent to his own feelings.
The confusion that had plagued the emperor for months suddenly became clear. He instantly understood the Crown Prince's series of unusual actions, including the intriguing act of recommending Prince Huan for the expedition.
As expected of the crown prince he had groomed, he didn't make a move until he did, and once he did, he completely disrupted the game. The crown prince never hesitated; he had a well-thought-out plan. Whenever he made a move, he was thinking of a killing move. He didn't care about the power and influence behind Li Lu, the reputation of all the noble families who were dragged into the mess, or whether Li Lu was acting on his orders.
Every move was deadly; what a fine prince he was!
The emperor narrowed his eyes and a sarcastic smile appeared on his lips. At this moment, he didn't even want to speak. He wanted to see how long the play arranged by the crown prince could last if he didn't call a halt.
Jiang Chen seemed to sense the gaze from the person in charge. He slowly raised his head to meet their eyes, his expression calm and his smile indifferent.
"Report! There's trouble outside the palace. Someone jumped off the palace wall. A huge blood-written letter is hanging on the north wall outside the palace. The people are talking about it. The Imperial Guards are worried about the people being hurt, so we've come to ask for instructions on what to do."
The emperor's knuckles, gripping the dragon throne, were turning slightly white. He asked in a deep voice, "What words are written in the blood?"
The messenger, his hands on the ground, knelt with trembling legs, and cried out, "Li...Li Lu killed my whole family..."
Instantly, the hall erupted in uproar. The emperor's face had turned so grim that no one dared to breathe loudly. To accuse Li Lu in blood outside the palace walls, and to do so in such a gruesome way—by leaping off the walls and splattering blood—was practically a blatant disgrace to the royal family and the court.
The imperial majesty seemed like a joke at this moment.
At this moment, in such a solemn atmosphere, the Crown Prince stepped forward and bowed to the Emperor: "Father, I also have something to report."
"Crown Prince!"
The emperor could no longer contain himself; the scene was far too unsightly. If he didn't call a halt soon, the royal family would become the laughingstock of the entire Great Xia Dynasty. But he had clearly underestimated Jiang Chen's resolve—
The Crown Prince, who always understood the importance of the situation, lifted the corner of his robe, knelt on one knee, and took out a memorial from his robe, holding it high above his head:
"Your Majesty, I impeach Minister of Revenue Li Lu for colluding with enemy spies and betraying military intelligence, causing tens of thousands of our Great Xia soldiers to die tragically on the battlefield. Furthermore, dozens of generals, including He Guangling, He Jinghuan, He Jingyan, Zhou Chang, Zhao Ziqing, and Li Rongzhao, have been falsely accused and their heroic souls have perished. This has disrupted the morale of our Great Xia army. Li Lu's crime of colluding with the enemy has destroyed the foundation of our Great Xia for generations. I beg Your Majesty to punish him severely!"
The bright red memorial came into view, and the emperor felt a surge of heat rush to his head—with a "plop," red splattered all over the imperial desk, and his vision was immediately shrouded in darkness.
"His Majesty--"
The scene instantly spiraled out of control. Officials and attendants urgently called for the emperor, while the princes, led by the King of Thailand, rushed forward, shouting "Father!"
Of all these, only the Crown Prince remained kneeling in place. He seemed to have lost his instincts due to excessive grief, his eyes were red, his lips were trembling, and the memorial had fallen to the ground at some point. He also lowered his head and wept.
Jiang Chen's confident smile was reflected on the gleaming black tiles of the main hall. The sarcasm on his lips seemed particularly out of place in the current situation, but the louder the noise behind him, the more intense the mockery in his eyes became.
A cacophony of voices—that's what makes chaos.
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