Chapter 337 The Emperor's Chess Game
Ji Wensheng arrived at the door at dusk three days later.
A horse-drawn carriage with a green canopy was parked under an old locust tree outside the general store, hardly attracting any attention.
Jiang Ling has been preoccupied these past few days, feeling that things are not so simple.
Just then, Ji Wensheng arrived, and he was able to answer many of her questions.
“Boss Ji.” Jiang Ling was slightly taken aback, put down the ledger and stood up.
He was still dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, his posture upright, but his brows showed a more composed expression than usual.
Upon seeing Jiang Ling, he bowed respectfully, his demeanor composed: "Mr. Jiang, I heard of your return and came to pay my respects."
Xiao Qiu cleverly served tea and then quietly slipped out.
Ji Wensheng took the teacup, but did not drink it immediately. His gaze lingered on Jiang Ling's face for a moment.
"After more than a year apart, Mr. Jiang has lost some weight, but he looks well, which puts my mind at ease."
"Thank you for your concern, Boss Ji." Jiang Ling smiled and sat down opposite him. "I just got back not long ago, and I'm grateful for the Ji family's help with everything in the village. As for the perfume workshop, Xiao Qiu told me about it, and we're relying on Boss Ji and the Song family's efforts."
"It's just my duty, nothing to brag about. Thanks to Boss Jiang's floral water and canned fruit, the Ji family was saved from dire straits. The villagers of Jishui Village have been kind to me, and I, Ji, will naturally repay them." Ji Wensheng's smile deepened.
His words were solemn and earnest, without the slightest embellishment.
It is often said that businessmen value profit over parting, yet many businessmen step forward when the country is in peril.
Jiang Ling stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point: "I've been away for over a year and have heard about many things that have happened in the capital. I would like to ask Mr. Ji for some answers."
Ji Wensheng took a sip of tea, looked up at her, and said, "Xiao Ran must have told you something about what happened in the capital."
Jiang Ling held the slightly hot teacup, her fingertips turning a little white: "I've heard some things. The Emperor is seriously ill, the Crown Prince is regent, the Marquis of Wu'an died in battle, Cheng Fang inherited his title and is stationed at Zhenbeiguan... and so on,"
She paused, then lowered her voice, "The eldest prince died in battle."
Ji Wensheng remained silent for a moment, as if he were carefully considering his words:
"Actually, I don't know much either, but if Miss Jiang wants to know, I will definitely tell you everything I know."
The light of the sunset shone through the window, illuminating their thoughtful faces.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Ling looked up, stared directly at him, and asked the question that held the deepest meaning:
"Who was behind all of this?"
Ji Wensheng looked at her, and through her eyes, he guessed who she suspected. He shook his head, not answering directly.
"The Marquis of Wu'an is already old, and logically speaking, it's not his turn to lead the charge. Although Cheng Fang is a talented general, he is still young and has been entrusted with the important task of guarding the northern border, which has drawn criticism from the court. Zhao Jingxing has made great military achievements, but after being enfeoffed as a marquis, he was immediately transferred to Jiangnan to train troops, far away from the capital and military power. And those who have changed positions in the court are mostly officials who have close ties with the Cheng family..."
With each word he spoke, Jiang Ling's heart sank a little deeper.
"As for the eldest prince..." Ji Wensheng's voice grew even deeper.
"He already has a distinguished military record and his position is rising higher and higher. There are many rumors in the capital that he should replace the crown prince. Why should we send him to the front lines at the last moment?"
The evening breeze suddenly became a bit chilly.
Jiang Ling felt a chill slowly creeping up his spine.
"What Boss Ji means is..."
Ji Wensheng spoke slowly, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth rim of the cup. "Your Majesty's health has been poor for over a year now. However, the news has been kept tightly under wraps. The Crown Prince's regency is not a recent event; in fact, it has been going on for more than half a year. As for Marquis Wu'an... the Cheng family is deeply rooted, with disciples and associates throughout the court and the military. Both father and son hold military power, the Empress is a daughter of the Cheng family, and the Crown Prince is Marquis Wu'an's nephew. This weight is far too heavy."
He had already risked being beheaded by saying all that.
The scattered fragments in Jiang Ling's mind were pieced together by Ji Wensheng's words. After understanding everything, she smiled speechlessly:
"So all of this is a scheme orchestrated by the current emperor?"
Before he ascended the throne, he needed to rely on the Cheng family's power, but after he became emperor, he began to fear the Cheng family's power.
How could an emperor allow his subjects to become so powerful that they overshadow him?
Sending Cheng Jiaojiao to marry into the Cheng family was also intended to provoke them, and perhaps they also included her as an exception in their calculations.
It was also a deliberate arrangement to create a situation where the eldest prince and the crown prince would compete, in order to see just how many hidden forces were behind the Cheng family.
Qin Qian... from beginning to end, was just a pawn destined to be discarded.
No matter how well he performs, he has no chance of replacing the crown prince.
Because the emperor has always been in control of this game.
He knew he would not live much longer, and the crown prince was young and inexperienced.
He wanted the crown prince to succeed to the throne smoothly, but he was also worried about interference from the maternal relatives.
Therefore, the feigned support for the eldest prince and the allowance for the spread of rumors were all for the purpose of investigating and eliminating the forces behind the Cheng family.
Ji Wensheng tacitly agreed:
“What His Majesty desires is a peaceful and efficient court where there are no longer any threats to the Crown Prince or powerful maternal relatives to hinder him. The Cheng family is both a pillar and a hidden danger. The First Prince…”
He paused, sighed, and said, "The eldest prince lost his mother at a young age and has no powerful maternal family. He is resourceful and capable, making him the most useful knife in His Majesty's hands, and also... the most suitable whetstone."
Whetstone.
Jiang Ling closed her eyes.
What a grand strategy!
The mind of an emperor is as deep as a frozen pool. Subjects, soldiers, and even one's own flesh and blood can all be treated as children.
Qin Qian's face, tinged with a hint of helplessness, as he spoke of "yearning for the ordinary," appeared clearly before my eyes.
From beginning to end, he was a pawn placed in the open.
His struggles, his efforts, and the resentment and ambition he vaguely revealed were all predetermined and calculated.
She suddenly felt sorry for him.
The blazing fire and the dazzling display of flowers are ultimately all part of a calculated scheme.
The helplessness on his face at that moment must have indicated that he had already guessed his fate.
Jiang Ling regretted not going along with him when he said he wanted to live an ordinary life, so that he could be happy for a few more days.
Ji Wensheng's voice pulled her back to reality: "None of this was what the Crown Prince wanted. He only realized these things after Cheng Jiaojiao was married off to a foreign power."
Even the crown prince is just a pawn on this chessboard.
Jiang Ling curled her lips into a sneer: "What a fine... imperial scheme! Everything can be calculated, truly befitting the title of 'lonely ruler'!"
Ji Wensheng looked at Jiang Ling, his tone carrying both comfort and warning.
“Miss Jiang, some things are better left unsaid once you see them clearly. Now that the dust has settled, the Crown Prince’s position is secure, the Cheng family’s power has been largely eliminated, and the border has been replaced by a new general… This game is over.”
Dusk had completely enveloped the courtyard. The tea had gone cold.
Jiang Ling sat on the stool, remaining motionless for a long time.
She remembered Qin Qian's figure as he rode up on horseback, the warmth of his fingertips when he handed her the pistol, and the light in his eyes when he said, "Wait until I pay off my debts."
It turns out he had already guessed it back then. Knowing that he was just a pawn in his own father's chessboard from the very beginning, how desperate he must have felt.
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