Capital, Xie Mansion.
A letter came from the Northwest.
The housekeeper didn't waste a moment, took the letter and hurried to see Xie Mao, the head of the Xie family.
"Master, there's a letter from Northwest Old Nine."
"Bring in Lao Jiu's letter quickly."
Lao Jiu is Xie Mao's spy planted in the northwest, and he is also the most hidden spy.
Lao Jiu just sent me a letter some time ago, how come half a month later, another letter came.
Did something happen in the northwest? Or was it that he had accomplished what he had instructed?
Xie Mao took the letter, tore open the seal and took out the letter.
Xie Maoxian quickly glanced at the contents of the letter, then took a book from the bookshelf and read it against the letter.
It turned out that the letter sent by the spy named Ajiu was a secret letter.
It must be decrypted to know what the letter really says.
After some effort, Xie Mao finally finished reading the letter.
At this moment, his face was ashen and his eyes were wide open.
Bang!
Xie Mao slammed his hand on the table and said angrily, "Gu Zhili is going too far. This is really going too far."
Gu Zhili is Lord Gu.
The content of the secret letter said that Lord Gu sent people to capture the spy that Xie Mao had planted in Jinzhou.
Seeing this, the housekeeper was worried and couldn't help asking, "Master, is there any trouble in the northwest?"
Xie Mao was so angry that he paced back and forth in the study, "Gu Zhili has gone too far, even arresting all the people I stationed in the northwest.
Does he really think I dare not touch him? If he disregards the relationship between our two families, then don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
The housekeeper was horrified when he heard this. "Master, our people have been arrested. What should we do now? The Marquis of Lu's Mansion..."
Xie Mao snorted coldly, "Ajiu will find a way to deal with the matter with Marquis Lu. If that doesn't work, we can only implement the second plan. Currently, the one who bears the brunt of the consequences is Gu Zhili. If he dares to ruin my plans, I will definitely make him pay."
Xie Mao was so angry that he wanted to cut Lord Gu into pieces.
The spy in the northwest had been operating for more than ten years, but was uprooted by Gu Zhili one day. How could he not be angry and heartbroken?
What made him shudder even more was how Gu Zhili had accurately obtained the list of spies from the northwest. Could it be that someone had confessed under torture?
However, no matter what the reason, the feud between the Gu and Xie families has been formed.
"Master, something bad has happened!"
The doorman hurried to the study.
Xie Mao's face was stern. "What happened? The sky hasn't fallen yet, why are you in such a hurry?"
The doorman took a breath and said, "Sir, the prefect of the capital, Mr. Zhang, has been arrested by the Praetorian Guards."
"What?"
Xie Mao was horrified.
Lord Zhang, the prefect of the capital, is the Empress's cousin and an important member of the Crown Prince's faction.
The Praefectus Urbi was the emperor's lackey, and acted according to the emperor's will.
Once the Praefectus Urbi was dispatched, everyone in the capital felt insecure and the situation changed dramatically.
Over the years, no official arrested by the Praefectus Urbi has been seen to come out intact.
Either they died directly in the Praefectus Prison, or their property was confiscated and they were exiled.
In short, no one has a good ending.
The prefect of the capital, Lord Zhang, was captured by the Praetorian Guards, which meant that someone had slandered the emperor and was plotting to harm the Crown Prince.
Xie Mao was very clear from the beginning that there was a powerful anti-prince force in the capital.
Over the years, the two sides have been fighting back and forth, and the battle is evenly matched.
Even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can often maintain the upper hand.
But since the Queen became seriously ill, the situation has changed suddenly.
The prince's situation became dire.
Before this, several people who supported the crown prince had already been dismissed from their posts. Fortunately, those people were not important figures.
However, Lord Zhang, the prefect of the capital, is different.
Lord Zhang, as the official in charge of the capital, seems to be bullied everywhere, but in fact he secretly gives great convenience to the prince's people.
If this position were replaced by someone who was against the prince, it would not only be a loss for the prince's faction, but even Xie Mao would be restricted in every way.
Therefore, the prince's faction must not lose the position of prefect of the capital.
In any case, he must seize the position of the prefect of the capital before the anti-prince forces take action.
Xie Mao made a prompt decision, "Prepare the horses, I want to go to the East Palace to meet the Crown Prince."
The butler obeys the order.
Xie Mao changed into casual clothes, went out, got on a carriage, and headed to the East Palace.
After entering the East Palace, Xie Mao asked the eunuch, "Where is His Highness now?"
The eunuch bowed and said, "Your Excellency, His Highness is currently discussing important matters with the other adults in Bowang Garden."
Xie Mao hurried to Bowang Garden.
Several core members of the Eastern Palace have arrived and are waiting for Xie Mao.
"Thank you, my dear, please sit down."
Crown Prince Liu Xian was a middle-aged man in his forties, slightly plump, and very kind. He looked like a scholar, not a powerful crown prince.
Everyone in the court said that the prince was a kind person.
Over the years, no one in the Eastern Palace has been convicted and imprisoned, let alone had their property confiscated or beheaded.
Even if someone made a mistake, the most they would do was be sent away from the Eastern Palace.
Compared with His Majesty the Emperor, who would kill people and behead them, and confiscate their property and exterminate their families at will, the Crown Prince truly deserves the reputation of being magnanimous.
However, the prince’s success was due to his generosity, and his failure was also due to his generosity.
Everyone in the court knew that the biggest reason why the emperor disliked the prince was because the prince was weak and too lenient.
Xie Mao sat down on the chair and asked, "Has everyone heard about Lord Zhang being arrested by the Praetorian Guards?"
Everyone nodded.
Then everyone started discussing it.
"Let's go to see His Majesty and plead for mercy on behalf of Lord Zhang. What has Lord Zhang done wrong? Why do the Praefectus Urbi, like their hawks and dogs, arrest people?"
“It’s said to be corruption.”
"Humph! Nonsense. Lord Zhang comes from a wealthy family, with numerous servants and countless farms. Why would he be corrupt?"
"It's clearly a trumped-up charge."
"Your Highness, please make up your mind. If you delay, Lord Zhang might be in danger."
Everyone looked at Crown Prince Liu Xian.
Crown Prince Liu Xian looked hesitant and obviously undecided.
Even when it came to going to see His Majesty the Emperor to plead for Lord Zhang, the prince subconsciously wanted to back off.
Although the prince is over forty years old, he is still afraid of his father.
Especially since the death of the Crown Prince's uncle, the Duke of Zhenguo, the Crown Prince has become increasingly afraid of His Majesty the Emperor.
Crown Prince Liu Xian even imagined that if he went to plead for mercy, his father, the Emperor, would stare at him with a look of disappointment. In anger, he might even pick up a sword or a knife and throw it at him.
He couldn't hide, so he had to endure it. He also had to be scolded by his father, the Emperor.
As a man in his forties, the prince felt uneasy and extremely sad at the thought of having to bear such pressure.
It’s not easy to be the crown prince.
Xie Mao remained silent.
Crown Prince Liu Xian couldn't help but look at him, "Thank you, my dear minister. If you have any ideas, please feel free to tell me."
Xie Mao glanced at everyone in the room and said in a resounding voice, "Master Zhang has been captured by the Praetorian Guards. At this moment, instead of thinking about how to rescue him, we should think about how to prevent the position of prefect of the capital from falling into the hands of the enemy.
Everyone here, you should all know that the position of the prefect of the capital may seem like a punching bag, but it has indeed provided us with great convenience over the years.
If you lose this position, everyone in the Eastern Palace will be restricted, and even Your Highness will be implicated."
"Master Xie, do you mean not to save Master Zhang?" Master Liu, the prince's guest, questioned Xie Mao.
Xie Mao snorted coldly, "Of course I want to save people. But as for those who have been captured by the Praetorian Guards, who among you is sure you can rescue them?"
And as far as I know, when the Praefectus Urbi arrests people, they always have real evidence.
Doing something when you know it is impossible is not bravery, but stupidity.
You asked His Highness to plead for mercy before the Emperor, but have you ever considered His Highness?
Once Your Highness opens his mouth, what will the Emperor think and what the consequences will be? Don’t you know?
Knowing that doing so would bring His Highness the Emperor's censure, you still persist in forcing His Highness to do so. This is truly disloyal and unrighteous."
"Thank you, sir, for your kind words. We are also concerned about our colleagues. It would be a shame to abandon Master Zhang just like that."
Xie Mao sneered, "What you do is just to show your own justice. But who has ever thought about His Highness?
As the saying goes, one should be loyal to the emperor while eating his salary. Now that we are in the East Palace, what we should discuss is not how to rescue Lord Zhang, but how to reduce the losses and how to relieve His Highness's worries.
Everyone, ask yourselves, His Highness has been so kind to you, but have you ever truly considered His Highness's well-being?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Liu Xian was deeply moved.
Xie Aiqing really did have his heart set on him. This is what a true loyal minister looks like.
On the other hand, he was somewhat disappointed by other people's reactions to this matter.
Knowing that he could not save Mr. Zhang, he still forced him to plead before the emperor. This was clearly putting him on the fire. This was not the behavior of a loyal minister.
Seeing that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Liu Xian showed obvious admiration for Xie Mao, some people became anxious.
He immediately jumped up and angrily scolded Xie Mao. "Xie Mao, don't think you are the only loyal minister, we are all treacherous ministers.
When your colleagues are in trouble, you don't show any sympathy or compassion. How heartless and ungrateful you are.
Don't forget, Lord Zhang used to take good care of you. If you watch someone die without helping, are you still a human being?
How can you be a loyal minister when you are so heartless and ungrateful?"
Xie Mao stood up, head held high and chest puffed out, speaking righteously, "If Lord Zhang were here, he would definitely agree with what I'm doing.
Lord Zhang is a loyal minister. He certainly does not want to see the position of prefect of the capital fall into the hands of the enemy because of his own reasons.
He must be hoping that we can seize the time, come up with a good strategy, and always keep this position firmly in our hands.
Everyone, don't you want the position of prefect of the capital?"
Some people were dissatisfied and wanted to challenge Xie Mao. They couldn't let Xie Mao be the only one to show off in front of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
Unfortunately, the Prince's Secretary Xu stepped in and stopped the quarrel.
"That's enough, everyone, stop talking."
"Please enlighten me, Master Xu."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Liu Xian also said, "Teacher, please tell me how to deal with this matter."
Lord Xu stroked his beard and said, "Your Highness, I think what Lord Xie said makes some sense.
For now, we can put Mr. Zhang's affairs aside for now. What's most important is the position of the prefect of the capital city, which must not fall into the hands of the enemy."
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Liu Xian nodded and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he is not asked to go to the emperor to beg for mercy, everything will be fine.
Crown Prince Liu Xian said, "Your Majesty ordered the Imperial Guards to apprehend Lord Zhang in order to shake up the capital. If I were to recommend one of your own at this time, Your Majesty would surely disapprove. It might even anger Your Majesty and lead to punishment."
Everyone nodded in agreement, His Highness was right.
Everyone, you look at me and I look at you.
The Crown Prince's guest, Lord Liu, frowned and said, "Your Highness cannot recommend one of your own. Are you going to watch helplessly as the position of the prefect of the capital falls into the hands of the enemy?"
Lord Xu looked at Xie Mao and asked, "Lord Xie, do you have any ideas?"
Xie Mao stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, the position of prefect of the capital city is destined not to fall into the hands of our people, but it also cannot fall into the hands of the enemy. There is only one way to resolve this situation."
"What method? Thank you, my dear minister, please tell me quickly." Crown Prince Liu Xian was a little excited.
Xie Aiqing was indeed a loyal minister. He not only helped him out of the predicament, but also came up with a solution for him.
Xie Mao thought of Lord Gu Zhili, who dared to ruin his good deeds, so he decided to roast Lord Gu over the fire.
The position of prefect of the capital city is not a popular one.
Gu Zhili, just wait for me, I will let you know the consequences of offending me.
Xie Mao paused for two seconds before saying, "The solution is to give the position of prefect of the capital to a middleman. That way, His Majesty will definitely not object. Even the enemy might not object."
"middleman?"
“Who is the middleman?”
Crown Prince Liu Xian hurriedly asked, "Thank you, my dear minister, please stop keeping us in suspense. Tell us who this middleman is."
Xie Mao's eyes swept over everyone's face, and finally he said solemnly: "The middleman I'm talking about is Mr. Gu Zhili, a member of the direct lineage of the Marquis of Pingnan and the current governor of Jinzhou."
Huh?
Everyone stared at Xie Mao, waiting for his next words.
Xie Mao walked to the center of the hall and spoke eloquently, "Lord Gu Zhili is neither one of us nor one of our enemies. He has served in local government for decades and has sufficient experience and background. Most importantly, Lord Gu married my sister. So, our two families are relatives after all. It shouldn't be difficult for relatives to do things in a convenient way."
Crown Prince Liu Xian did not rush to express his opinion, but looked at Lord Xu.
Lord Xu, the Crown Prince's Secretary, asked, "Lord Xie, can you guarantee that Lord Gu will listen to you? Will he side with the Crown Prince?"
Xie Mao smiled confidently and said with certainty: "I have a way to make Lord Gu stand on our side."
Lord Xu nodded secretly, "It would be great if there is a way."
Crown Prince Liu Xian asked, "So, everyone agrees with Lord Xie's proposal?"
Everyone present exchanged glances with each other.
Finally, the Crown Prince's Secretary, Lord Xu, stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, I think this is feasible."
The others nodded in agreement.
Crown Prince Liu Xian thought for a moment and said, "I am not in a position to propose that Lord Gu be appointed as the prefect of the capital. My dear ministers, how do you think this should be handled?"
Lord Xu pondered for a moment and said, "Why not ask the Empress to come forward and lend a hand to Your Highness?"
Crown Prince Liu Xian frowned immediately, "My Queen Mother is seriously ill and can't get out of bed. How can I trouble her at this time?"
Lord Xu said with a firm expression, "It is precisely because the Empress is seriously ill that Your Majesty will not refuse the Empress's proposal."
Xie Mao stood up to support Lord Xu, "Your Highness, I think what Lord Xu said is reasonable. The person who is in charge of this matter must be the Queen."
Crown Prince Liu Xian frowned, "I'll think about this matter again."
Xie Mao said loudly, "Your Highness, time waits for no one. If we are late, the position of the prefect of the capital will be taken away by the enemy, and the consequences will be disastrous."
Lord Xu also said, "Your Highness, this matter must be handled urgently. We must not give the other party any breathing space. Please make a decision quickly."
"Your Highness, please make a decision quickly."
Inside the hall, everyone shouted in unison, forcing Crown Prince Liu Xian to make a decision.
Crown Prince Liu Xian was in a dilemma and could only nod and agree, "Okay, I will go to see the Queen Mother today."
"Your Highness is wise." Everyone shouted in unison again.
Crown Prince Liu Xian was anxious to see the Empress, so everyone stood up and said goodbye.
Lord Xu walked with Xie Mao and asked quietly, "Lord Xie, what kind of person is Gu Zhili?"
Xie Mao thought for a moment and said, "He's a scholar."
Master Xu laughed immediately. "It's good to be a scholar!" Scholars all like fame.
Now all the fame in the world is in the East Palace, so there is no need to worry that Gu Zhili will not get on board the prince's boat.
Lord Xu smiled and said, "As for Lord Gu, please thank Lord for your concern."
"Don't worry, Master Xu. I'll take care of this matter."
Lord Xu nodded, "That's very good."
Xie Mao left the Eastern Palace and got into a carriage.
He went over his subsequent plans and instructed the housekeeper, "Prepare a generous gift and personally deliver it to the Gu family. I heard that Mr. Gu took a new concubine a few days ago. Tell him that I congratulate him on this."
"As you command."
The old man Gu that Xie Mao mentioned was none other than Lord Gu’s father and Gu Jiu’s grandfather.
This old man Gu, though not a man of many talents, was a womanizer, and loved women the most. Even at such an advanced age, he still had a concubine who was only a dozen years old.
In the past, Gu Jiu’s grandmother, Old Lady Gu, was in charge, so Old Man Gu knew to be more restrained.
Since Mrs. Gu passed away more than ten years ago, Mr. Gu has become more and more outrageous when it comes to women.
There was no one in the family who could control him. Even Mr. Gu’s eldest brother, Marquis Pingnan, could do nothing about him and could only let him continue to act ridiculously.
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