Chapter 67
After the remaining forces of the Duke of Ying's government were wiped out, the situation in the capital was completely stabilized. Emperor Tang Tai was very satisfied with the performance of Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu, and not only rewarded them, but also bestowed upon them a portion of the Duke of Ying's property.
In the council hall of the Prince of An's residence, Tang Pu looked at the imperial edict in his hand, a smug smile on his face. He said to Cui Yunshu, "Master Strategist, look! His Majesty not only rewarded us but also bestowed upon us so much wealth. Now, our power is growing stronger and stronger, and we are getting closer and closer to our 'great cause'!"
Cui Yunshu sat to the side, watching Tang Pu's excited expression, but felt no joy in her heart. She knew that the emperor's commendation and rewards, seemingly a sign of trust and promotion, were actually intended to make them work even harder for the Qin Dynasty, while also using these means to firmly control them.
"Tang Pu, don't be too smug," Cui Yunshu said calmly. "His Majesty's commendation and reward are good things, but they also mean that our responsibilities are heavier. Moreover, His Majesty's suspicion of us will not lessen as a result. We must be even more careful in the future."
Tang Pu paused, his smile fading. Though somewhat impulsive, he knew Cui Yunshu was right. The emperor's mind was unfathomable; they couldn't afford to be careless.
"Master strategist, you're right," Tang Pu said gravely. "So, what should we do next?"
Looking at the memorial in her hand, Cui Yunshu said calmly, "Now that the Duke of Ying's mansion has fallen, the situation in the court has also changed. The struggle between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince has become even more intense. What we need to do now is to remain neutral and not favor either side. At the same time, we must also take advantage of this opportunity to further strengthen our own power."
She paused, then continued, "First, we must accelerate the development of the Royal Maritime Trading Company, expand the scale of overseas trade, and accumulate more wealth for us. Second, we must strengthen the construction of the East China Sea Security Company, improve their combat capabilities, and make them our true trump card. In addition, we must strengthen our ties with the Northern military and strive for more support."
Tang Pu nodded, agreeing with Cui Yunshu's reasoning: "Alright! We'll proceed according to your plan. I'll arrange these things as soon as possible."
Over the next few months, Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu began to expand their power as planned. The Royal Maritime Trading Company's overseas trade continued to grow, bringing them enormous wealth; the East China Sea Security Company's combat capabilities also improved significantly, becoming the most powerful armed force in the East China Sea region; at the same time, their ties with the Northern military became increasingly close, gaining the support of many Northern generals.
As their power grew, Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu's status in the court also rose. Both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince wanted to win them over to increase their chances of seizing the throne.
In the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince Tang Jingcheng sat in his study, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at the intelligence report in his hand. He said to Cui Yuanjue beside him, "Yuanjue, your sister and brother-in-law are becoming increasingly formidable. Their influence is growing stronger, and they have become a force to be reckoned with in the court. We must find a way to win them over to our side."
Cui Yuanjue nodded and said firmly, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will contact my sister and brother-in-law as soon as possible and persuade them to support Your Highness."
Meanwhile, at the Second Prince's residence, the Second Prince, Tang Jingming, sat in his study, his face grim. He said to his advisor, "Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu are really going too far! Their power is growing stronger and stronger, threatening our position. We must find a way to suppress them and prevent them from continuing to grow stronger."
The strategist nodded and said in a sinister tone, "Your Highness, I have a plan. We can use the Royal Maritime Trading Company's overseas trade to create some trouble and make His Majesty dissatisfied with Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu. At the same time, we can also secretly contact some officials who are dissatisfied with them and work together to suppress them."
Tang Jingming's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly, "Great! We'll do it your way. I'll make Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu pay the price!"
In the Prince An's residence, Cui Yunshu sat in her study, a cold smile playing on her lips as she reviewed the intelligence report in her hand. She was fully aware of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince's schemes. They were both trying to win her over or suppress Tang Pu, to increase their own bargaining power in the struggle for the throne.
"Master strategist, both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince are secretly targeting us. What should we do?" Tang Pu walked into the study, looked at Cui Yunshu, and asked in a solemn tone.
Cui Yunshu shook her head and said calmly, "Don't worry. They don't dare to do anything to us right now. The Crown Prince needs our support to fight against the Second Prince; although the Second Prince wants to suppress us, he is also afraid that we will side with the Crown Prince, so he doesn't dare to go too far. For now, we just need to remain neutral, sit on the sidelines and watch the tigers fight, and wait for the best opportunity."
She paused, then continued, "However, we cannot remain completely passive. We must secretly gather evidence of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince's crimes, so that we can use this evidence to retaliate if they make a move against us. At the same time, we must also accelerate the construction of the 'Divine Machine Ship' and complete our escape plan as soon as possible."
Tang Pu nodded, agreeing with Cui Yunshu's point: "Alright! I will have people secretly collect evidence of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince's crimes, and at the same time, I will speed up the construction of the 'Divine Machine Ship'."
Cui Yunshu looked at Tang Pu, silently praying. She hoped the "Divine Machine Ship" could be completed as soon as possible, so she could take her family and escape this capital city full of intrigue and danger.
However, unbeknownst to her, a far greater crisis was brewing. Emperor Tang Tai, while outwardly trusting and heavily relying on her and Tang Pu, was in reality growing increasingly suspicious of them. He feared that Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu's growing power would threaten his rule, and might even lead to a rebellion.
In the imperial study, Emperor Tang Tai sat on the dragon throne, looking at the memorials in his hands, his face gloomy. He said to the eunuch beside him, "Issue my decree to summon Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu to the palace immediately."
"Yes!" the eunuch quickly replied and turned to convey the order.
At the Prince An's residence, Cui Yunshu and Tang Pu felt uneasy after receiving the imperial edict. Why had the emperor summoned them to the palace at this time? Was it to reprimand them, or did he have some other purpose?
"Master strategist, His Majesty summoned us to the palace at this time. Could it be for..." Tang Pu asked with a worried tone.
Cui Yunshu shook her head and said solemnly, "I don't know. But we cannot disobey the imperial decree and can only enter the palace to see His Majesty. Don't worry, no matter what His Majesty says, we must remain calm and adapt to the situation."
Tang Pu nodded, and together with Cui Yunshu, they boarded the carriage and headed to the palace.
As the carriage traveled along the stone-paved road leading to the palace, Cui Yunshu's heart was filled with unease. She didn't know what awaited her and Tang Pu upon entering the palace this time.
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