Chapter 212 Counterattack Against Old Deng's Predicament...
At that time.
No matter how Emperor Hongren thought about it, he had to admit that his test had failed.
"The Imperial Examination..." The old emperor dismissed the others and muttered to himself alone in the dimly lit side hall. The faint candlelight, unlit, grew even dimmer, highlighting the old man's face, which shifted between benevolence and ferocity. He murmured to himself, "As long as he handles this well, this is the final test..."
“Chengming—Ming’er, as the eldest son, is the crown prince I have chosen.” He said softly, as if he had convinced himself, and his expression finally calmed down. “This is all my expectation and training for him… Don’t let me down.”
'A final test? Ha, impossible!'
Qi Chengming watched the surveillance footage with a blank expression, thinking coldly to himself.
At first, Qi Chengming thought the old emperor was simply suspicious and wanted to test him because he worried about his perceived favor. Later, Qi Chengming realized it was purely the emperor's lust for power. Who would admit to being old? Who would willingly hand over their power to a junior they disliked, watching helplessly as the other rose to power while they gradually lost it?
Emperor Hongren, having been raised under the tutelage of Grand Secretary Mu, knew he should choose a worthy successor. However, he secretly disliked Qi Chengming and was reluctant to relinquish imperial power. Just look at his repeated struggles and indecision under surveillance!
Even when Qi Chengming heard the old emperor secretly resolve to make him crown prince, his expression remained completely unchanged. Because even if the old emperor made him crown prince, he would still test him and be wary of him in this way!
"I have to think of a way..." Qi Chengming's gaze darkened as he paced a few steps in the study.
Even if he was a weak and passive prince, he couldn't just wait for the emperor to make a move all day. As it turned out, after he returned to the capital, no matter how humble he was, how hard he tried to suppress his arrogance, or how aggrieved he felt, he couldn't get past Emperor Hongren.
If they won't take the soft approach, then take the hard one.
We have to teach Old Deng a lesson he won't forget.
"..." Song Gu waited calmly to the side, leaning slightly forward, awaiting His Highness's instructions.
He wasn't oblivious to His Highness's strange, vacant gaze, as if he could see things happening far away, across time and space. He felt a pang of anxiety, fearing that His Highness might become depressed and one day pass away and return to heaven. However, Song Gu remained oblivious, focusing his attention on his breath, not wanting to disturb His Highness's thoughts.
Qi Chengming slowly clenched the jade pendant he wore at his waist; the cold, sharp touch made him make up his mind.
"I remember that besides Liuzhou, there were a few other places that created their own currencies back then?" the young prince asked slowly.
This is a rhetorical question. In order to thwart Emperor Hongren's plot to seize the ticket system, he had prepared a backup plan in Liuzhou, and in recent months he had reinstated the companions, preparing to stir up trouble. So he couldn't possibly be unaware of this.
Song Gu bowed slightly and replied knowingly, "Yes, those who dare to create new banknotes are all well-known clans and a branch of the royal family that has settled in Chang'an."
These were just the major players. In reality, as merchant caravans traveled to and from Jiangnan, they witnessed a flurry of new, shady currencies emerging from various regions, one after another. Everyone wanted a piece of the pie from this decree, since it wasn't their interests at stake, and there were always others to bail them out. If they didn't seize the opportunity now, who knew if they'd have another chance?
The common people lived in poverty and chaos, and perhaps bartering had long since developed into a practice, as caravans had witnessed many such transactions. But things in the capital were certainly peaceful and stable, with not a single word leaking out.
"What do you think of the aristocratic families?" Qi Chengming asked another tricky and sensitive question.
If it were anyone else, they would at least try to be vague, but Song Gu spoke the truth without hesitation: "His Majesty has disliked them for a long time, but there's nothing he can do about it."
“We’ll give him a suggestion.” Qi Chengming narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the frozen image of Emperor Hongren’s aged appearance in the surveillance video. He was weighing in his mind how much determination Emperor Hongren still had to confront this stubborn disease head-on.
"Your Highness means..." Song Gu was quick-witted and realized the new emperor's meaning in a moment. He was both surprised and worried. "Your Highness plans to use a certain aristocratic family as a backup plan to force His Majesty to deal with them?"
This never happened in my past life.
According to Song Gu, during the reign of Emperor Hongren, the capital city changed the name of the currency many times. It seems that names that were easy to confuse, such as "pawn tickets" and "silver tickets," were used. In the end, the results were not satisfactory, and the people were in a state of panic.
Song Gu vaguely remembered that when the retired emperor abdicated to the new emperor a few years later, the new emperor made his first major move by taking office by reclaiming the right to mint coins and cracking down on the currency chaos in various places, vigorously eliminating deep-seated malpractices.
Countless people were cursing the new emperor, and resistance was rampant. The most vehement resistance, of course, came from the powerful clans who had benefited from the new regime, and the very foundation of the state was nearly crumbling. The new emperor, however, was extremely shrewd. He spoke of "economic calculations," cleverly defeating the leading clan with a bizarre and inexplicable setback, while simultaneously dispatching troops to suppress the unauthorized minting of coins. Through a combination of firmness and leniency, he gradually quelled the petty activities of those illegally minting coins.
The new emperor used his reputation to issue new currency. Strangely enough... no matter how bad the new emperor's reputation was in private, the people bought it. They worked tirelessly for a long time, exhausting their energy, before finally managing to turn the tide and fill this huge hole.
In his previous life, Song Gu hadn't thought much about it, but in this life, seeing His Highness's strategic moves, he finally realized some subtle nuances:
When the new emperor ascended the throne, his abdication was remarkably swift, a stark contrast to the fearful reaction he had witnessed from Emperor Hongren throughout his life. Furthermore, the new emperor's first act upon taking office was to overturn his father's command—it is said, 'To remain faithful to one's father for three years is true filial piety.'
The new emperor did it so readily, and the retired emperor and his people showed no sign of anger or fierce opposition, nor did they criticize the new emperor for his lack of filial piety...
Song Gu had a bold and rebellious guess in his mind: "..."
The veins on his clenched hands stood out. He slowly exhaled a deep breath to calm himself and continue strategizing with the new emperor: "Your Highness, what should we do if His Majesty is unwilling to confront them?"
“At that point, he won’t have a choice,” Qi Chengming said quietly.
Song Gu thought of the actions of the retired emperor in his previous life, and his voice lowered as he reminded him, "But Your Highness should still be careful that His Majesty may not be able to handle the situation in the end... and push you out to settle things."
"This is something that was bound to happen," Qi Chengming said matter-of-factly.
His fingers toyed with the jade ring at his waist, listening to its clear, clinking sound. He seemed to see a heavy string of coins, or perhaps the dazzling open-pit silver mine of Silver Island. Qi Chengming put the jade pendant away, strode briskly out of the study, his tone now leaving no room for argument:
“The powerful families are the ones I intend to deal with, but if my good father wants to push me out… well, that depends on how much benefit he can offer me.”
He will eliminate what should be eliminated, and he will also take all the benefits that are due.
It's only natural for the crown prince to ascend the throne, isn't it?
"Let them vent after the imperial examination. I'm afraid it will cause trouble if we drag it out any longer." Qi Chengming was holding his breath. He had wanted to make things difficult for Emperor Hongren for a long time, but he had been hesitant to do so, afraid of causing further harm to the already struggling people. But now it seemed that the longer it dragged on, the bigger the festering sore would become.
"Yes." Song Gu calmly replied, then suddenly turned around, lifted the hem of his robe, and went to Yinquan Courtyard to plot with several princes and their companions.
Emperor Hongren wanted to gain a reputation for benevolence by stepping on the new emperor, just like in his previous life, and leave the mess to his successor... but that depends on whether they agree! So many ministers in the capital are pretending to be deaf and dumb; it's time for them to get up and make some moves!
Just because he doesn't contact them regularly doesn't mean he knows nothing.
In mid-March, the spring breeze was gentle and the weather was gradually warming up.
The streets were several times more bustling than usual, filled with scholars and their families on their way to the imperial examinations. Some looked relaxed yet tense, clearly having spent a long time preparing. Others looked anxious, probably having traveled too far and arrived a little late, still searching for an inn.
This month, the Ministry of Revenue received an extra 1.5 million taels of silver from the newly built shops and stores in the suburbs of Beijing. After privately sharing the profits with Emperor Hongren, they were eating their fill of greasy food and remained silent when questioned.
Qi Chengming recalled how he had swallowed his pride and bribed the local prefect and governor in Liuzhou in order to consolidate his power. He remained calm and continued to observe from the sidelines.
The good news is that Huang Dong's confidant, Li Fuqing, finally returned from Yindao Mansion after a long journey. He secretly took over the "outdoor generator" and also transported the precious "hand-cranked generator" over without anyone noticing. Now, this small, dark mechanical product is quietly placed in the side room of the main courtyard of Prince Rui's Mansion, next to the radar.
"You've had a tough time. How's it going on the island?" Qi Chengming was surprised to see the person.
He had met Li Fuqing once before; back then, the man was a handsome, spirited young sailor. This time, not only was he tanned and looked haggard, at least ten years older, but his demeanor was also weathered and composed. He looked like a fisherman who had lived by the sea for decades.
How could things have changed so much?
"Everything is fine on the island. Lord Huang appointed me and a few others, including Yanbu, as generals. We have now subdued three towns where the forces are located, and there are still some remnants that are not worth worrying about," Li Fuqing said respectfully, with a hint of annoyance.
He was eager to make a name for himself, so he put all his effort into quelling the unrest on the island. He had planned to completely bring order to Silver Island Prefecture in the next two years and then report his success to the Prince. But unexpectedly, Lord Huang had given him an important secret mission to complete by himself... Oh no!
He came to see the prince looking like this!
Li Fuqing's heart was in turmoil, but his face remained respectful and proper.
Li Fuqing hadn't eaten or slept well throughout the journey, even dreaming of keeping one ear open as a lookout, terrified of messing up the mission. How could he not look even more disheveled?
Although Qi Chengming generally knew that Huang Dong often communicated via MP4, he was unclear about the details. He simply seized Li Fuqing and questioned him thoroughly until he was satisfied. Finally, he gave a wink to Xiao Chengzi, who had suddenly appeared at the door, seemingly wanting to say something but then hesitated.
"...You've worked hard, go and rest."
A second-class palace maid, quick to notice, came over to lead Li Fuqing to the door. Xiao Chengzi, suppressing his anxiety, waited until everyone had dispersed before stepping over the threshold and urgently saying, "Your Highness! Sister Gantang sent a message to our people saying that Aunt Anxiang has suddenly developed a fever these past two days, and the head maid insists on moving her out! The beauty sent someone to our office, saying she knows all the details..."
Qi Chengming was taken aback.
At this crucial juncture, just before the spring imperial examinations begin, what a coincidence...
It must have been someone acting in secret.
"Let's go, into the palace." Qi Chengming hitched up the carriage, his heart pounding with each turn of the wheels.
He had a premonition that he was about to unravel this long-standing mystery. But he also wondered if he could remain calm and composed as the truth emerged at this crucial juncture, and whether he could properly preside over the upcoming imperial examinations.
Qi Chengming raised his eyes and saw Xiao Chengzi sitting outside the carriage, looking worried and hesitant to speak.
He calmed down.
Regardless of whether this was a scheme orchestrated by someone in secret, only he himself knew that he was not the Second Prince.
This isn't enough to defeat him.
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