The bright red paper-cut window decorations that were pasted up for the New Year on the windows of Song Yue's study had only been torn down not long ago, and now they shone faintly in the night.
A stove was lit inside the house, and the charcoal was burning bright red.
The desk, wall cabinet, antique shelf, lotus leaf patterned incense burner, nine-jointed calamus on the high table, plaque inscribed with the four characters "Knowledge is Ultimate, Sincerity is Enlightenment"... just as before, all of these furnishings are now quietly bathed in candlelight.
The servant came in, served three cups of hot tea, and then closed the door and left.
"I rushed here as fast as I could, I was so thirsty." Zhao Qiran was still panting when he picked up the covered bowl, blew on it a couple of times, and took a couple of sips before it cooled down. He then said, "So many things have happened one after another lately, what's going on? The Gu family and the Crown Prince were perfectly fine, how could they suddenly stage a coup?"
He continued, "In my opinion, there are too many suspicious points in this matter. It must be the Xu faction's doing, trying to sow discord between the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Alas, the Emperor is quite angry. Although the claim of a coup is still unconfirmed, the Crown Prince's lectures at the Wenhua Hall have been suspended, and Marquis Ningyuan, Gu Ru, has been imprisoned in the imperial prison awaiting trial. There is a morning court session tomorrow morning. How long has it been since the palace held a morning court session? It seems that the Emperor has quite a knot in his heart this time."
“The Crown Prince cannot be harmed. If something happens to the Crown Prince, then Xu Yan and Consort Zheng are in cahoots, and I'm afraid they will try to change the heir apparent in the future... If they succeed, then the Ming Dynasty will completely fall into Xu Yan's hands.”
Zhao Qiran spoke rapidly and urgently, and after he finished, he looked at the two people sitting opposite him and said, "...Why am I the only one talking? You two are both smarter than me, so say something."
“Indeed.” Song Yue gently raised his hand and looked at him, saying, “Calm down. Haste makes waste.”
Qingchen, who had been gazing at the candlelight in deep thought, also looked up at him.
Zhao Qiran looked at Song Yue, then at Qingchen, “This… I’m not like you guys, with your heads full of ideas. This happened so suddenly, and Xu Yan is such a cunning old fox. There are only a few hours left before the morning court session. I’m an impatient person, and I want to calm down, but I just can’t… Qingchen, I find that you are so much like your teacher.”
When his name was called, Qingchen glanced at Song Yue, who looked back at him gently, and then said to Zhao Qiran, "Alright. Let's talk about tomorrow's morning court."
“If this was indeed Xu Yan’s doing, then at tomorrow’s morning court session, many members of Xu’s faction will surely submit memorials, taking the opportunity to impeach Marquis Ningyuan, Gu Ru,” Song Yue continued. “Given Xu’s faction’s past practices, this charge of ‘forcing the emperor’s abdication’ is only one aspect; there will certainly be other fabricated charges as well. Usually, they will be divided into two groups: one group will use tactful and persuasive language, while the other group will use sharp and vehement words to incite the emperor’s anger. Once they have confirmed Gu Ru’s guilt, the crown prince will also be implicated, and it remains to be seen how the emperor will handle the situation.”
Zhao Qiran immediately followed up, "Then we should also submit a memorial. Tonight I will mobilize more people to write the memorial overnight, and tomorrow we will all plead for His Highness the Crown Prince."
Upon hearing this, Song Yue shook her head, the candlelight on her jade-like face swaying gently.
"Why?" Zhao Qiran asked anxiously, then glanced at Qingchen.
Qingchen was looking down, carefully considering what Song Yue had said.
"Indeed, I ask you, why was the Emperor so enraged this time?"
"Naturally, it's because they suspect the crown prince is forcing them to abdicate."
"Then let me ask you again, if the Crown Prince were all alone, would he be capable of forcing the emperor to abdicate?"
Zhao Qiran shook his head, "How can one person force someone to abdicate? Naturally, one must form a party to do so."
“That’s right. This shows that what makes the Emperor suspicious and angry is actually the formation of factions, not the attempt to force the Emperor to abdicate.” He continued, “If so many of us speak up for the Crown Prince at tomorrow’s morning court, wouldn’t that tell the Emperor that we are all his cronies?”
“This…” Zhao Qiran was stunned and speechless.
Qingchen glanced at Song Yue. As expected of the Second Grand Secretary of the Ming Dynasty, he was meticulous, calm, and wise, and he saw through the whole situation at a glance.
Song Yue continued, "His Majesty held a special court assembly for this matter, probably to see how many people would speak up for the Crown Prince. If we all plead for the Crown Prince, it would only confirm the Crown Prince's crime of forming cliques and attempting to force the emperor to abdicate."
“Xu Yan is an old fox. This plan is so meticulously crafted, how could he not have taken into account what will happen in the court tomorrow? The reason he has stood firm in the court for so many years is because he understands the emperor. Therefore, the more people plead for the crown prince tomorrow, the more heated the argument in the court, the more it pleases him.”
"Sometimes, killing doesn't require a knife, and conviction doesn't require evidence. It's enough to arouse the monarch's suspicion."
"What a cunning old fox, Xu Yan! This scheme of using someone else to kill is both insidious and vicious." Zhao Qiran gasped. "I was too anxious and overlooked this point. Fortunately, you were here. Otherwise, if I had submitted a memorial tomorrow to plead for mercy, I would have pushed the Crown Prince into a pit of fire."
"It's not too late to know now."
"In that case, as the second-in-command, you hold a high position and wield great power, so you are even less able to speak up for the Crown Prince."
Song Yue nodded. "Neither you nor I can. Tonight you still have to run errands and convey this message to everyone. Let's do our best to ensure that there are as few people pleading for the Crown Prince in court tomorrow."
"Don't worry, I'll take care of this." Zhao Qiran thought for a moment, then said, "But that's not right. The fire has already started. Not pleading for the Crown Prince is just stopping the fire from getting out of control, but it won't put it out. The Crown Prince and the Gu family will still be wronged, and Xu Yan will still get away with it. If we don't plead for the Crown Prince, then who will?"
"I'll do it." Qingchen finally spoke after a long silence.
Zhao Qiran paused, then looked at Qingchen, "You?"
Qingchen nodded. "I can."
Song Yue didn't speak, but her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her gaze was filled with complex emotions.
“Old Song?” Zhao Qiran said, “Qingchen is riding high these days, and his future is bright. If we all keep quiet and he's the only one who steps forward, won’t he become the target of Xu’s faction? If the Emperor gets angry and implicates others… his future might be ruined!”
Song Yue didn't look at him. After a moment of silence, she simply gave a faint "hmm".
“Hmm?” Zhao Qiran was a little puzzled. “Can’t it be someone else?”
“Lord Zhao,” Qingchen explained calmly, “I am the most suitable person to plead for the Crown Prince.”
Firstly, she was personally placed by Zhu Rui to be by Zhu Yuluo's side, and she enjoyed Zhu Rui's greatest trust. Secondly, she came from a poor family and had no power behind her, so even if it was the Crown Prince's faction, she was not a threat at all.
In other words, the only person who could speak to Zhu Rui without arousing his suspicion was her.
After hearing this explanation, Zhao Qiran nodded. "Only you could do it. But this matter is quite dangerous. Have you thought it through?"
"I've thought it through."
Looking at her resolute face, Zhao Qiran sighed, "I still think... sigh. Old Song, say something, isn't there any other way?"
Song Yue didn't answer him. Instead, he picked up the covered bowl, took a sip of tea, and looked at Qing Chen, "What do you plan to do?"
No one wanted her to give up the idea more than him, but he also knew that her method was the best, and she never easily changed her mind once she made a decision.
He submitted a memorial to the emperor.
Zhao Qiran asked, "Whom are you impeaching?"
"Myself."
...
After the meeting, Zhao Qiran left.
Song Yue looked at Qing Chen and said softly, "Stay here tonight. I'll have someone fetch your father."
"Um."
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