Xu Zhi thought about it carefully and said in surprise, "Jiang Zhaoming? Isn't that my aunt's husband's uncle?"
Xu Di was surprised that Xu Zhi remembered who this person was so quickly. He nodded and said, "It is indeed him. Moreover, he was able to get in touch with the Third Prince because of my aunt's mother-in-law. I really didn't expect that my aunt's mother-in-law was so capable. She dragged a perfectly good official into trouble. When the Emperor found out, he was furious. Jiang Zhaoming was later transferred back to the capital and given a sinecure in one of the Six Ministries."
Thinking of the messy things that happened in her aunt's family, Xu Zhi asked Xu Di, "Won't these things affect my aunt and my cousin?"
Zhao Sixing passed the imperial examination and was ranked second. His aunt Xu Shao had been living with Zhou Junhong and their children on a farm in the suburbs for the past two years. If it weren't for the three children, Xu Di felt that Xu Shao would have divorced Zhao Ziqi long ago.
Xu Di shook his head and said, "His Majesty is a benevolent man. Jiang Zhaoming worked diligently in his early years and did a lot of things for His Majesty. Otherwise, how could he have been given such a place to retire? However, my aunt's mother-in-law is in a bad situation. I heard that her sister-in-law from her maternal family brought people to her door and caused a big commotion."
Xu Zhi nodded and said, "It's only right to come knocking. Otherwise, a good official with a bright future would lose his career like this. Who wouldn't be anxious and upset? It's also his own fault. What temptation did he have to betray his master? I think all those classic books he read since childhood have gone to waste."
Xu Di said with a smile, "Everyone has desires. It's very common to want more after getting what you want. Jiang Zhaoming probably wanted to find an investor because he's getting old. It's just a pity he chose the wrong place."
Every year at this time, there are always bloody battles and upheavals. A new emperor brings a new court, but before the emperor is established, who to choose is the focus of everyone's attention. It is a high-stakes gamble that many people risk their lives for. If they win, they will enjoy endless wealth and glory; if they lose, their families may be destroyed and their descendants may be wiped out. This has been the case in every dynasty, and to many people, it is a very common occurrence.
Xu Zhi sighed and said, "That's what many people think. At worst, they'll just gamble on this one bet. What if they win? If they're lucky and win, they'll be second only to the emperor and above thousands of others. That would be incredibly prestigious."
Xu Di picked up the wine cup, took a sip, and said, "It's not that easy. It's a very dangerous road with many forks in the road. If you take the wrong step, you could fall into an abyss. Xiao Jiu, we are all in this together. We can only do our best to make sure that the path we take is the right one."
Xu Zhi quietly looked at Xu Di, listening to her brother speak to her in a low voice. Perhaps because they would be parting again tomorrow, Xu Di felt unusually sad.
Seeing that Xu Di was getting more and more upset, Xu Zhi advised, "Brother, it's getting late, stop drinking and get some rest."
Xu Di put the wine cup aside and said, "Xiao Jiu, there are some things I need to make clear to you now, so that you can make your own judgments when you encounter problems in the future."
Seeing Xu Zhi's serious expression, Xu Zhi couldn't help but sit up straight.
Xu Di placed his right hand on the table, his index finger lightly tapping the table. Xu Zhi had been with Xu Di since childhood and knew that this was an unintentional gesture when he was thinking about something. Whenever this happened, Xu Di was thinking about some extremely dangerous things.
Xu Di paused slightly in his movements and said, "Xiao Jiu, the capital city seems peaceful now, but it is actually turbulent inside. His Majesty is a benevolent ruler and is quite tolerant of the princes. Since he cannot control the princes in other ways, he focuses on their finances. The eldest prince has a powerful maternal family, and his money is all in General Wang's hands, so he has not suffered any losses. The second prince is born to the empress, but unfortunately, the empress comes from the Gu family, which is a family of upright officials and not very wealthy. The third prince, on the other hand, relies on the Wan family and made a lot of money in previous years. However, in recent years, His Majesty has tried to take over the money from the princes."
Xu Zhi listened attentively. She knew that the events in the capital were the background to many other events in various places. Only by understanding the broader context could she analyze the situation clearly in the shortest amount of time.
Xu Di continued, "The Third Prince has done a lot of things in secret, especially the matter of sending concubines to some low-ranking officials. As far as I know, it's not just one or two, but many. One of the Third Prince's advisors is in charge of this matter, and he has been operating this matter for many years. He selects some pretty young girls, gives them special training, and when they reach the right age, he sends them to the homes of some officials, and then they slowly interfere in the affairs of the inner quarters."
Xu Zhi was horrified. Who was this person who had been plotting for so many years and controlling so many officials?
Xu Di paused for a moment and said, "These are all things that one of the two people I captured last year told me. Last year, Bo Yuan and I captured two people who came from the capital to make contact with the Japanese pirates. After we captured them, they refused to confess, so I locked them in a secret room in a house and gave them only water and steamed buns every day. A few days ago, that scholar couldn't hold back any longer and secretly told me a lot of things."
Xu Zhi was surprised to hear such a thing and asked, "Brother, is what that scholar said true?"
Xu Di nodded and said, "I sent people to verify it, and it's all true. Xiao Jiu, for the past few years, I've always felt that since we started in Hexi, many things seem to be manipulated by someone behind the scenes. I just haven't known who it is. Now I've found some clues, and maybe we'll find out who the real culprit is soon."
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