Chapter 325 A spy? Useless!
Yan Shuqin put down his teacup and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks a lot."
"What are you saying, Master? Besides completing the tasks you assigned, this matter is always for the sake of the people and the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is my duty."
Li Chen quickly bowed to Yan Shuqin.
"What have you found out in the Ministry of Rites over the years?"
Li Chen, a student of Yan Shuqin, served in the Ministry of Rites for more than ten years.
He should have been selected for the cabinet two years ago.
Because of Yan Shuqin's words, Yun Qi became wary of Li Chen and did not transfer him to the cabinet.
Li Chen took advantage of these two years to review the rituals and ceremonies of the past years at the Ministry of Rites.
Until last year, when the Prince of Jin got into trouble.
The emperor's paranoia grew stronger, and Yan Shuqin had no choice but to find a way to transfer Li Chen into the cabinet.
In the past two years, Yan Shuqin has tried to minimize contact with his students.
This was to dispel the emperor's suspicions.
Even he didn't expect that the prince who was once respectful of his teachers would now be so suspicious.
It's like no one believes you, and everyone is suspicious.
I don't know what he's afraid of.
"My teacher had previously asked me to investigate the festival ceremonies of recent years, and I have already done so."
The Lian family had previously produced five Directors of the Imperial Observatory, who, with the assistance of the Ministry of Rites,
The Lian family has presided over sixteen Wanchaohui ceremonies, the most recent one being ten years ago.
It was after that ceremony that the case of the King of Loulan colluding with the Western Frontier in an attempt to rebel came to light.
In a shocking case, the Lian family was impeached by the censor and dismissed from their posts for errors in the sacrificial ceremony agenda.
Speaking of the Lian family, Li Chen added, "Actually, the students had someone look at the agenda back then."
They also discovered some errors, but the incense used to pay homage to the ancestors during the ceremony was not lit.
In addition, a series of incidents followed, and rumors gradually spread among the people that the Imperial Astronomical Bureau's selection of auspicious days was inauspicious.
The agenda violated a taboo, which is why the Lian family was implicated in the case of the King of Loulan back then.
Yan Shuqin's heart sank.
The Lian family was ultimately connected to the case of the King of Loulan.
"News has come from Yuzhou that since Lord Yuan returned to his hometown, he has often closed his doors to visitors, as if he were hiding from someone. Master, what is going on?"
Li Chen didn't understand why his mentor would suddenly ask him to investigate the Lian family lineage.
Yan Shuqin looked out the window.
The pitch-black night sky resembled a giant vortex, swallowing people up.
"Do you still remember when the late emperor suddenly passed away, he summoned me to the palace as his teacher?"
"Of course I remember."
"At that time, the late emperor said that he suspected there was something wrong with the case of the King of Loulan, and ordered me to find someone to investigate it privately."
There was something else that he found strange, but he needed to investigate further.
They will tell me then that later, the late emperor summoned His Majesty, who was then the second prince.
It was at this time that His Majesty issued his will, designating the second prince as crown prince.
This process is strange no matter how you look at it.
This is also why Yan Shuqin has wanted to thoroughly investigate the matter over the years.
He and the late emperor were childhood friends. At the late emperor's request, he gave up high-ranking official positions and generous salaries to raise the late emperor's princes and princesses and find pillars of the state.
They pledged to work together to build a prosperous Zhou Dynasty and restore the glory of their ancestors.
However, his childhood friend died young, and strangely, he passed the throne to a prince he did not have high hopes for.
If the reasons are not investigated, Yan Shuqin will have no face to face the late emperor.
"Does my mentor believe that all of this is related to the case of the King of Loulan?"
Li Chen was somewhat taken aback.
Even if the King of Loulan was truly wronged in the case of the King of Loulan, what does that have to do with the death of the late emperor?
"Perhaps. There are many clues I haven't sorted out yet. The most important thing right now is..."
Let's deal with the Zhenyuan General matter first. You need to keep a close eye on the Ministry of War's actions.
If any problems arise, report them to His Majesty immediately, and do not delay the opportune moment for the war in the north.
Yan Shuqin pinched his brow, looking somewhat tired.
As he's gotten older, he's often found himself lacking the strength to keep up.
"Rest assured, teacher, I will keep a close eye on things."
Li Chen nodded quickly.
The two discussed some more details, and then the gong sounded at midnight, at which point Yan Shuqin left the Li residence.
A few days later, the King of Yue finally learned that the court had stopped allocating military funds to the northern border.
"Isn't he worried about the fall of the North?"
The King of Yue paced anxiously in place.
Over the years, whenever he's short of money, he pulls this stunt.
In the case of Marquis Ningqian last time, he failed to seize the initiative and lost his military power in the Northwest.
All the money he had spent before was wasted.
In addition, due to Yan Shuqin's frequent return to the capital last year, there was a sudden need to establish a new system of censors to control maritime trade.
Yang Jingyan quickly brought the canal transport in the Jiangnan region under his control.
Over the course of the year, he lost a considerable amount of money.
They had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time and were planning to make a fortune.
How come he stopped falling for it all at once?
"No news from the Ministry of Revenue?"
He asked.
"No, this time it was Li Chen from the Cabinet who went directly with the Emperor's edict."
His Majesty did not mention this matter at the court meeting the next day, but the Ministry of Revenue brought it up on the third day.
The emperor then explained that he was worried about another natural disaster after the spring planting season.
Given the severe losses suffered in Jiangnan last year, and in anticipation of future problems, the Ministry of War has been ordered to closely monitor the war in the northern border.
The more this happened, the more uneasy the King of Yue became.
"It's been so long, and there's still no new news from Tingyu Pavilion?"
When Tingyu Pavilion was mentioned, the men under him all looked increasingly embarrassed.
"Your Highness, have you read last month's report?"
"What's the meaning?"
Of course he didn't watch it.
Aren't these things just a formality?
"Speak your mind directly. Do I have to investigate this myself?"
Everyone: ...
Does he never read these reports about relationships?
"Your Highness, before the New Year, Tingyu Pavilion suddenly terminated its cooperation with Yanyu Tower, and even stole a lot of Yanyu Tower's business in the capital and Jiangnan region."
"What?! Why didn't you say so sooner?!"
The King of Yue's expression changed drastically. He turned around and walked to the table, trying to retrieve the original report.
However, they found that no matter how hard they searched, they could not find the report.
"Are you sure the report has been submitted to me?"
"Your subordinate confirms."
His subordinates immediately began to have doubts.
In the past, it's probably not the Imperial Concubine who sent Lord Chen to read all the reports, right?
Last month, Lord Chen was unwell and took leave for almost two months. Has he really stopped reading anything?
It has to be said, people really need to learn how to be born into the right family.
King Yue was such a pig-brain; if he hadn't been born into such a good family with such a shrewd mother and uncle...
He would have been finished long ago if he had relied on himself.
"Impossible, could it be..."
He turned around and scanned the people in front of him one by one.
He has spies around him!
"Has the princess returned from her visit to her parents' home?"
He asked abruptly.
Everyone: ...
Your wife, ask them?
"A bunch of useless trash!"
The King of Yue shouted a rebuke and walked out.
Just as he stepped out of the study, his subordinate rushed in to report.
"Your Highness, the Imperial Concubine has come in person!"
"Is Mother here?"
The King of Yue was somewhat taken aback.
Why are you sneaking over here at this time? Could it be that something happened to my uncle?
He hurriedly pulled his outer robe tighter and strode towards the front yard.
From afar, he saw his mother, dressed as a palace maid, walking toward him with a furious expression.
My mother didn't even have time to change her clothes, something terrible must have happened!
His heart sank, and he hurriedly went to meet him.
"Mother, something has happened..."
"Smack!"
Consort Lin slapped the King of Yue across the face with such force that his entire face twisted to the side.
"waste!"
Consort Lin rebuked angrily.
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