Chapter 29
Ever since the day Cui Wen returned from the palace and relayed the emperor's admonition, an invisible, oppressive cloud has hung over the Cui residence. The joy and commotion brought by the successful return of the "Kunpeng" ship have been silently swallowed up by this invisible pressure.
Cui Yunshu knew that a storm was coming.
She simply hadn't expected that this storm, personally instigated by the emperor, would come so quickly, so fiercely, and... so grandly.
Three days later, the emperor convened a grand court assembly in the Taiji Hall under the pretext of "commendating the merits of opening up the sea and rewarding the ministers who presented auspicious omens."
The day was bright and sunny.
Cui Yunshu, dressed in an elaborate and magnificent princess's court robe, knelt at the very front of the women's seats. Behind her were all the noble ladies of the first to third rank in the capital, their gazes, whether filled with envy, jealousy, or awe, were all subtly focused on this fourteen-year-old girl who was already radiant with glory.
Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Civil and military officials, dressed in their respective rank robes, stood on both sides, their expressions solemn. Crown Prince Tang Jingcheng, Second Prince Tang Jingming, and Tang Pu, the young prince of the Anjun Prince's Mansion, were all among them.
Cui Yunshu lowered her eyes, staring at the gleaming gold-brick floor before her, her heart filled with a cold calm. She knew that today's court assembly, seemingly held to honor her, was far from a simple reward. It was more like a trap, a grand scheme of "praise to kill" meticulously prepared by the emperor on his throne for her and the Cui family.
Sure enough, after a series of tedious rituals, the high-pitched yet loud voice of the eunuch in charge of ceremonies resounded throughout the entire Taiji Hall.
"Summon Princess Cui Yunshu of Anping to the palace for an audience!"
Under the watchful eyes of the entire court, Cui Yunshu slowly rose, straightened her skirt, and with steady yet courteous steps, walked up the high imperial steps to the center of the main hall.
"Your subject, Cui Yunshu, pays her respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" She performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows, her movements flawless and her voice clear and melodious like the clinking of jade.
"Rise, and take a seat." The emperor's voice, filled with laughter, sounded exceptionally gentle as he sat on the dragon throne.
The eunuch immediately brought over a beautiful embroidered stool.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
After Cui Yunshu took her seat, the emperor began his well-prepared, lavish praise.
"I have summoned all my officials today to give full praise to this extraordinary woman of my Great Qin in front of the whole world!" The emperor's voice was loud and powerful, full of imperial majesty and... an unquestionable "favor".
"Princess Cui Yunshu of Anping, despite being a woman, braved hardships and dangers to explore the sea frontier, bringing back endless wealth for our Great Qin. This is a great achievement for enriching the country!"
"She presented auspicious omens and made public the seeds of a high-yield crop that yields thousands of kilograms per mu, so that the millions of people of our Great Qin can be freed from the suffering of famine. This is a meritorious deed that benefits the people!"
"With these two great achievements, you should serve as a role model for all subjects of our Great Qin!"
The emperor's voice echoed in the solemn hall, each word like a magnificent tall hat firmly placed on Cui Yunshu's head. Imperial edicts of reward followed one after another.
"...award Princess Anping ten thousand taels of gold, one hundred pearls from the South China Sea, and ten coral trees from the East China Sea..."
"...I bestow upon Princess Anping a royal estate in the suburbs of the capital, along with a thousand acres of fertile land..."
The generosity of the rewards and the grandeur of the favors bestowed upon the officials present drew their attention. Even the Second Prince, Tang Jingming, had to suppress the jealousy and resentment in his eyes and force a smile of pride.
Cui Yunshu rose, knelt, and expressed her gratitude again and again, her face displaying a perfect blend of overwhelming flattery and tearful thanks. However, with each "reward," her heart sank deeper and deeper.
She knew that the higher one is lifted, the harder one falls. The "sweeteners" the emperor offered were merely to make the knife he was about to wield seem less cold and piercing.
After the chorus of praise and shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" gradually subsided, the Emperor finally changed the subject and got to the real topic of the day.
"My esteemed ministers," he raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, his face still bearing that warm smile, "'The success of the Kunpeng' has opened a door to a new world for us. It has shown us that beyond the deep blue sea, there are endless territories and countless treasures."
"Such a great undertaking, such a grand plan concerning the rise and fall of the nation, would be too much of a burden and too much of a waste of talent if it were undertaken solely by Princess Anping and the Cui family."
It's here!
Cui Yunshu's heart clenched, and she clenched her hands hidden in her sleeves.
"After much deliberation," the emperor's voice became incredibly solemn and majestic at this moment, "in order to better manage maritime trade, to more effectively expand our maritime territory, and to ensure that the might of our Great Qin extends to every corner of the four seas and eight wastelands, I have decided... to follow the example of previous dynasties and establish the 'Great Qin Maritime Trade Office' in the capital!"
"The Maritime Trade Office shall be in charge of all matters related to the maritime trade, fleet construction, and route exploration of our Great Qin!"
Upon hearing this, a murmur of discussion immediately arose in the imperial court. Establishing the Maritime Trade Office and nationalizing overseas trade was undoubtedly a wise move to strengthen central authority and replenish the national treasury. Logically, no one could refute it.
At that moment, Cui Wen's face turned deathly pale. He knew that the emperor's sword had finally fallen.
"Your Majesty is wise!" A group of officials, led by the Second Prince, immediately stepped forward to echo him, their faces revealing undisguised schadenfreude.
Crown Prince Tang Jingcheng frowned slightly. Although he agreed that establishing the Maritime Trade Office was a beneficial move for the country, he felt a vague unease in his heart.
Before anyone could react, the emperor made his second, and even more fatal, decision.
"I believe that the Cui family's 'Kunpeng' is the finest treasure ship of our time, and should rightfully be a national treasure and a model for the Qin Navy." He looked at Cui Yunshu with gentle eyes, but his words left no room for argument. "Therefore, I have decided to bring the 'Kunpeng' and all the ships that the Cui family is currently building under the jurisdiction of the Maritime Trade Office, to serve as the backbone of the Qin Royal Fleet!"
He paused, then added, "Of course, I won't let the Cui family suffer any losses. Although the fleet belongs to the state, the Cui family can still enjoy 30% of the profits to recognize their contribution in donating the ships. Minister Cui, Princess Anping, what do you... think?"
He asked, "What do you think?" but his tone and his eyes clearly said, "My mind is made up, how dare you disobey?"
This is an open conspiracy. In front of the entire court, using the most important banner of "national righteousness," they force you to "willingly" hand over your most core assets.
Cui Wen swayed, almost losing his balance. He opened his mouth, but no word came out. What could he say? Say he was unwilling? That would be to contend with the state for profit, to harbor treacherous intentions!
In the end, it was Cui Yunshu who stepped forward. She knelt down again, her voice devoid of any emotion: "This humble woman... obeys the decree. It is an honor for this humble woman and the Cui family to be able to contribute our meager strength to the Great Qin and to Your Majesty."
"Excellent! What a wise and righteous Princess Anping!" The emperor laughed with satisfaction.
He then began announcing personnel appointments for the Maritime Trade Office.
"I hereby appoint Qian Qian, Minister of Rites, as the Director of the Maritime Trade Office, to oversee all affairs!"
Qian Qian, an old minister nearing seventy, conservative in his thinking, and known for seeking only to avoid mistakes rather than make contributions, was, most importantly, the emperor's most loyal old dog. Appointing him to oversee the Maritime Trade Office was tantamount to putting the heaviest iron lock on this giant ship about to set sail.
However, this is not the end.
After appointing the officials, the emperor's gaze fell on Cui Yuanjue and Tang Pu, and a fox-like, amiable smile appeared on his face.
"The Maritime Trade Office is newly established and everything needs to be rebuilt. Minister Qian is getting on in years and needs capable young people to assist him." He said slowly, "Cui Yuanjue, the tutor of the Crown Prince, is quick-witted and has performed outstandingly in the case of the Grand Canal transport; Tang Pu, the young prince of the Prince of An's Mansion, is both wise and brave and has also made great contributions in the reorganization of coastal defense and the suppression of Japanese pirates."
"Today, I bestow upon you two the honor of serving as Deputy Commissioners of the Maritime Trade Office, assisting Minister Qian, and together we will create a glorious era in which all nations pay tribute to our Great Qin!"
Upon hearing this decree, Tang Pu's face instantly darkened.
Cui Yunshu, on the other hand, was completely plunged into despair.
She understood.
She understood everything!
The emperor's move was a triple win!
He not only nationalized her fleet, but also packed her brother and her most important allies into this new power structure controlled by his confidants!
This is no favor! This is clearly surveillance! It's a division of power! It's binding them all firmly to his chariot, making them restrain and wear each other down, so that they can no longer form a united force that he can feel threatened!
What a clever "sweet shackle"!
"Your subject (daughter)...accepts the imperial decree and expresses her gratitude!"
Cui Yunshu kowtowed deeply, burying her face in the cold, hard gold brick floor. Her heart was filled with despair.
On this day, under the witness of the entire court and amidst the hypocritical atmosphere of praise and celebration, her "Noah's Ark," built with countless efforts and resources, was bound by the heaviest and most inescapable royal shackles.
Her escape plan was thwarted at the last minute, just before it was about to succeed!
Instead of escaping this vortex of power, she was dragged to the very center of it by an even stronger force!
As she slowly raised her head, her gaze swept across the entire hall, meeting Tang Pu's, whose expression was equally solemn, in mid-air.
She saw in his eyes the same shock, resentment, and... deep solemnity as she had.
However, Cui Yunshu thought bitterly to herself that their reasons for being so solemn were probably completely different.
Her meticulously planned "escape plan" failed, leaving her family deeply troubled as they were dragged into an even deeper quagmire.
And he...
They must be feeling heavy-hearted because of their "rebellion" which suffered heavy losses before it even began, and because of their "core force" that was seized by the emperor through open conspiracy as soon as it took shape.
At this moment, the road ahead became more unpredictable and fraught with danger than ever before.
A game of chess, personally orchestrated by the Emperor, targeting the Cui family, has quietly begun.
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