Chapter 100: Shen Shuzhi's Scheme and Acting Skills - A Great Success! ^……
"Achoo!" When the court session ended, Shen Shuzhi couldn't help but sneeze. Several officials from the Third Prince's faction walking beside him immediately stared suspiciously at their surroundings.
One person looked very unhappy: "Who's insulting us now?"
Since the princes have just married, the power struggle has only just begun. The current loyalists of the Third Prince, or more precisely, the loyalists of the Minister of Rites, are having a very difficult time after the Lunar New Year this year.
The Sixth Prince, being the legitimate heir, suddenly went on a trip with the Empress Dowager. The Third Prince's biggest fear was having everyone's attention focused on him and the First Prince, but now there was nothing he could do. The Seventh Prince was too young and lacked the necessary status; even if they tried to drag him out, it wouldn't work.
The eldest prince and the third prince had inevitably become locked in a bitter rivalry, their eyes practically bloodshot from the fighting, with frequent clashes between their officials. It was a common understanding that the Minister of Rites was nearing retirement, and the third prince's faction was secretly plotting to have Shen Shuzhi lead the charge. These past few days had been particularly difficult for him; he might even be shoved and stumbled after court by someone he didn't know.
"This is an insult to civility!" another official exclaimed angrily.
"Forget it, don't bother with such trivial matters," Shen Shuzhi advised with a bitter face. He had been looking miserable lately, as if he had been digging for wild vegetables for years.
Last year, Shen Shuzhi was just an insignificant minor official. This winter and spring, the Minister of Rites fell ill several times, leaving all the important matters to Shen Shuzhi. This suddenly propelled him into a prominent and delicate position, where attacks and impeachments, both overt and covert, became commonplace. The affairs concerning the Third Prince, which he had been trying to avoid the most, were about to become a hot potato in his hands as his teacher retired to the second line.
Everything seemed to be unfolding just like in my past life...
He's been planning this for over half a year; shouldn't its power be showing now?
As they were talking, three or four officials with solemn faces and an unusual aura came over from a distance. One was the Vice Minister of Works, one was the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and there were two others they did not recognize.
Unaware of their purpose, the Third Prince's men composed themselves and exchanged bewildered glances.
The Vice Minister of Works bowed to Shen Shuzhi first, and without any pleasantries, said with a cold face: "Lord Shen, our Mountain and Sea Poetry Society has some private matters to attend to. Everyone is waiting for you to have a drink at the restaurant."
"Lord Shen, this...?" The colleague frowned, his hesitant gaze shifting between the Vice Minister of Works and Shen Shuzhi, offering a questioning look. Was this the attitude of someone extending an invitation? His tone was icy, his face stiff.
Could this be someone hostile to them? I've never heard that the Vice Minister of Works is also one of the Crown Prince's men.
"I understand." Shen Shuzhi seemed unsurprised. She apologized to her colleagues, shook her head to indicate that it was alright, and then left with the three or four people. "These are my club members. Excuse me for being rude. I'll take my leave now."
As the official watched Shen Shuzhi's departing figure, he was about to say something more when the other man, who was staring intently at them, suddenly recognized him: "I knew he looked familiar... Don't you recognize him?"
"What?"
He lowered his voice: "The Minister and Lord Shen, including the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, are all from Hedong."
"Oh—" The others realized what was going on, and they exchanged knowing glances.
To put it bluntly, these people from the same region banded together to survive in the officialdom, forming an unbreakable interest group. But this was a very sensitive matter, so they could never look at each other directly, especially in the capital. Hence, a more elegant term emerged: "association."
They could form societies based on poetry, painting, music, and so on.
The officials present were all members of the Third Prince's faction, but among them, only the Minister of Rites and Shen Shuzhi were important officials in Hedong, namely the two generations of leaders of the so-called "Shanhai Poetry Society".
Shen Shuzhi was surrounded by three or four people, as if she were being escorted as a prisoner, and they remained silent the whole way.
He was in a good mood, as if he had finally waited for the tree in front of his house to bear fruit.
The group arrived at the restaurant and entered a private room. Inside, five or six people were packed tightly together; at a glance, they were all high-ranking officials from various departments of the court, prominent figures, but their expressions were grim, and the atmosphere was tense. The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and three or four others went straight to their seats, clearly having already discussed something and were just waiting for Shen Shuzhi to speak.
This is a trap.
Shen Shuzhi glanced around discreetly, even noticing a reborn official sitting in the hall. He walked to the front of the group and bowed respectfully, saying, "I'm late today, causing you all to wait. I'll punish myself with three cups of wine first—"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a Grand Scholar spoke up, seemingly politely but without any attempt to conceal his true intentions: "Doctor Shen, I've heard that you've been getting quite close to the Third Prince lately. Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
"What makes you say that?" No matter how you look at it, Shen Shuzhi was determined not to accept these words. He did not hesitate to distance himself from the situation. "After all, my teacher's status is... As his disciple, I am only doing my filial duty. I would not dare to do anything more than that."
A slight commotion arose in the private room.
Several people looked much better.
If Shen Shuzhi had only said platitudes like "officials are not allowed to associate with princes without permission, that's just nonsense," they would have been in trouble. But what he said now was more truthful.
"If that's the case... that would be for the best." The Grand Secretary's tone was ambiguous, neither confirming nor denying. He sincerely advised, "Doctor Shen, in recent years the Minister has become increasingly incapacitated. Don't make a mistake for yourself."
"What can I learn from you, sir?" Shen Shuzhi asked humbly, though her mind was in turmoil.
They've arrived.
Things have finally come to this point.
Last year, he feigned illness several times, first using the opportunity to escape the crucial task his teacher had given him to help the Third Prince, and then busying himself with getting his son out of trouble and sending him to the Imperial Guard for training. But he knew that as his teacher's prized disciple and the de facto leader of the Shanxi faction—now called the Hedong faction—he could not sever ties with the faction even if he wanted to back down or switch sides.
To truly disengage from the Third Prince's faction, a decisive opportunity is needed; otherwise, continued ambiguous distance is tantamount to no change. Even if his reborn colleagues understand his true nature, it won't help.
Now, the opportunity has arrived.
The people in the private room exchanged glances, as if secretly communicating or urging someone to speak first. Finally, an official who had spoken out before reluctantly said, "Lord Shen, let's be frank. Since the Third Prince's marriage, the Minister of Rites has been making constant moves. We people from Hedong... have instead incurred His Majesty's suspicion. Isn't that inappropriate?"
"Those people from Jiangnan have gained His Majesty's favor," the Vice Minister of Works said in a low voice, his tone indignant. "They're hopeless, they're determined to fight us. This is an extremely critical moment!"
"Shen Langzhong, if you are as stubborn as the Minister, then no matter how reluctant I am, I will have to make an exception and take on a disciple as well." The Grand Secretary concluded the discussion, not threatening anyone, but looking at Shen Shuzhi with genuine heartache and regret.
Within the Hedong faction at court, leadership isn't determined by who holds the highest rank, but rather by who possesses superior political acumen, keen political savvy, the ability to discern subtle cues and understand the Emperor's intentions, and the capacity to sense danger in life-or-death crises and promptly bring people back. It also depends on whether one can shoulder the responsibility, leading the Hedong people—this united interest group—to go further, providing mutual protection.
Don't be fooled by how easy it sounds; finding a truly satisfactory politician who is well-rounded and quick-witted might take decades. Most of the time, there's no choice but to pick the best among the worst.
The current leader, the Minister of Rites, is considered a top performer in this field. Although Shen Shuzhi, the designated successor, may not be as talented as his teacher, he is still outstanding among the younger generation. That's why he was taken in as a close disciple early on, gaining a significant advantage and a visibly smooth path ahead. He is unanimously recognized by everyone in the Hedong faction.
But what about now?
Since the beginning of spring this year, Shen Shuzhi's several public appearances have all seemed to be inextricably linked to the Third Prince.
The attention from the people of Hedong was quite startling:
The Minister of Rites is a relative of the Third Prince. Because of his own selfish motives, he now wants to bring this wealthy and powerful ship to the Third Prince's shore. At least he wants to bring Shen Shuzhi over, and then the others will be in his grasp. At least it will create a good connection.
Officials from the Hedong faction are scattered throughout the court, many holding high positions. This wouldn't have been a problem in itself, but now that they're involved in the struggle for the throne—specifically, the Third Prince—would the Emperor be pleased? Their Hedong faction's previously advantageous network of connections has turned into a disadvantage that they are feared.
What is this? This is the contemporary head of the Ministry of Rites using their "public" power to enrich themselves!
Seeing that Shen Shuzhi was also about to be won over, the people of Hedong could no longer sit still, which led to today's banquet. The Grand Secretary's words just now meant that if Shen Shuzhi followed his teacher, the Minister of Rites, the people of the Hedong faction would abandon the two of them, preferring to painfully choose dull and untrained newcomers rather than use them.
"No, no, no, I...I was only devoted to His Majesty and caring for my ailing teacher. I had no other intentions!" Shen Shuzhi hurriedly denied. His expression shifted for a moment, a mixture of guilt and resolve, before he slowly closed his eyes. "It seems...it's no longer appropriate for me to handle matters at my teacher's residence. I should leave it to my younger brother, Tong."
—Soudi is the teacher's biological son and the third prince's cousin.
Shen Shuzhi calmly and righteously said, "I have some talent in water management. It's the season of abundant rainfall again, so I should make some efforts and go out to inspect for a while."
The group exchanged glances and nodded in satisfaction.
First, they avoided that matter, and then, to avoid hurting feelings, they went out for a while—this attitude was clear enough. In truth, some of them were quite interested in the Third Prince. But these feelings couldn't be expressed openly, especially since the relationship between the Minister of Rites and his apprentice was too complicated…
"Come on, let me toast everyone!" Shen Shuzhi slowly smiled and raised her glass with them, and the atmosphere warmed up as they clinked glasses.
Speaking of his previous life... his teacher succeeded in his plan.
Because most of the Shanxi faction members were used to high positions and had become complacent, they were completely unconcerned—if there were any crises, it should be the leader who first reminded them. But what if the crisis was brought about by the leader himself? They were completely unaware of the danger and were thus swept up by the Minister of Rites, who subtly tried to win them over into the Third Prince's faction.
But Shen Shuzhi's elaborate plan this time was precisely to legitimately distance himself from the image of the Third Prince's faction.
So it was he who took the initiative to orchestrate several transfers of officials from Hedong, subtly mentioning the high regard for people from Jiangnan, and thus subtly reminding everyone that His Majesty was wary and tolerant of them at this time, and that their seemingly glorious situation was actually precarious and on the verge of collapse.
He jumped out this year, making himself a glaring target when the early power struggles in the court were least harmful, so as to provoke the dissatisfaction of the people of Hedong and force them to publicly swear an oath to withdraw from public life.
It was also he who inadvertently stirred up the teacher's restless ambition at the beginning, which led to the other party's frequent small actions this year, and the accumulated dissatisfaction among the people, which eventually triggered all these conspiracies and schemes.
In the end, he succeeded in his plan.
"..." Shen Shuzhi didn't feel guilty; he knew that what he was doing now was the best course of action.
Before the abscess turns into necrotic flesh, it's better to puncture the hidden pain quickly than to let it drag on. This will discourage the teacher and prevent him from developing ambitions that could lead to bigger trouble and a bad end...
This was the last and most painstakingly devised method of preservation that he had come up with after exhausting all his efforts as the tutor of the Third Prince's maternal family.
well.
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Author's Note: Shen Shuzhi: Let's see who dares to call me a fence-sitter from now on!! (Aura of imposing presence) (Head held high, looking down with disdain)
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