"Your humble servant greets Prince Chen!" It was not yet time for the morning court session, and the ministers were still staying in the side hall where they usually held political meetings. When they saw Prince Chen stepping through the threshold, they all saluted towards Jiang Muchen!
But compared to the usual tranquility, the palace seemed a bit depressing today. All the ministers had solemn expressions on their faces. Only a few important ministers were still sitting calmly by the side, sipping tea and admiring the expressions of others!
Jiang Muchen was already accustomed to other people's greetings. He walked to the seat in the front with a stern expression and slowly sat down. The palace maid immediately served him fragrant tea and then retreated silently and politely!
"Your Highness, have you heard?" At this time, Qu Fu cautiously walked to the side of Prince Chen, and asked Jiang Muchen in a low voice. Although there was a look of worry on his face, the gloating in his eyes was not something he could hide from Jiang Muchen's eyes no matter how hard he tried!
"What did you hear? When did Minister Qu become so hesitant? Is there an oversight in the Ministry of Revenue's accounts?" How could Jiang Muchen not see through Qu Fu's little tricks? Just because Chu Feiyang refused to negotiate with Nanxun, did Qu Fu think such a small matter could affect Chu Feiyang's prestige in the court? If Chu Feiyang hadn't made a plan in advance, how could he be so bold? What's more, Chu Feiyang had accepted the imperial edict and was ordered to go to Nanxun for peace talks. If this matter failed to be negotiated, it would not only be an insult to Chu Feiyang's ability, but also a disguised disobedience to the imperial edict! How could someone as shrewd as Chu Feiyang not see through this? I'm afraid he had already made preparations. Those who were waiting to see the King of Chu make a fool of himself are likely to be disappointed!
Qu Fu carefully observed the tone and expression of Prince Chen. Seeing that his expression was no different from his usual cold demeanor, his heart couldn't help but relax a little. He then moved closer to Jiang Muchen and spoke, "Early this morning, urgent news came from Youzhou! Prince Chu is refusing to negotiate with Nanxun! Your Majesty, has the Prince of Chu gone mad? The Emperor sent him to Nanxun to facilitate peace talks, but he refuses to negotiate at this moment. If Nanxun is angered and a war breaks out between the two countries, the money will flow out like water! After last year's war with Northern Qi, coupled with the conferment ceremony and the marriage of Princess Heshun, the national treasury of Western Chu is becoming increasingly scarce. If another war breaks out, we really can't afford it! What's more, the Prince of Chu's trip is also funded by the national treasury, which is also a considerable expense!"
Qu Fu did not accuse Chu Feiyang of disobeying the imperial order, but simply used his identity as the Minister of Revenue to explain the matters on the Ministry of Revenue's books. His frown showed his worry about the financial affairs of the Western Chu treasury, and he looked completely selfless and calculated for the court!
Jiang Muchen picked up the hot tea at hand and took a sip with a calm expression. Even though Qu Fu spoke so emotionally, he still couldn't hide his inner slander towards Chu Feiyang and others!
However, this song is too cunning and not smart enough!
The reason why Chu Feiyang was ordered to go to Nanxun this time was to solve the trouble caused by General Hu Wei!
Lu Xin is Emperor Yugan's man. Qu Fu's slander of Chu Feiyang is an indirect accusation against Lu Xin, which is equivalent to an invisible slap in the face of Emperor Yugan!
Putting down the teacup in his hand, Jiang Muchen glanced fiercely at the ministers in the side hall at the moment, only to see Hai Chenxi sitting aside with a calm expression, while Qu Lingao and Qu Changqing were sitting opposite Hai Chenxi, both of them were equally calm as water, and it was impossible to tell that their emotions were fluctuating!
Prince Duan sat on the other side of him, but he didn't say a word and just drank tea!
Among the six ministers, except Qu Fu and Qu Changqing, the others sat below these people in order. However, compared with the calmness of the others, their faces were more or less solemn, and their slightly tense faces showed how seriously they valued this matter!
As for the other officials, they were scattered in various corners of the side hall, discussing in very low voices!
"What does Minister Qu want to say? Does he want to point out to the emperor that the King of Chu is disobeying his orders? Don't forget, for whom did the King of Chu go to Nanxun?" To Qu Fu's surprise, the King of Chen actually spoke for Chu Feiyang today!
However, after being surprised, Qu Fu came to his senses. It would be more accurate to say that Chu Feiyang was cleaning up the mess for Emperor Yu Gan rather than for Lu Xin. If he rashly impeached King Chu, he would be the one who would be in trouble!
Fortunately, he received guidance from King Chen. Although Qu Fu was frightened and broke out in a cold sweat, he couldn't help but feel relieved in his heart. Fortunately, he asked King Chen for his opinion before going to court, otherwise he would have made a fool of himself in the hall!
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your advice! I'm grateful for your guidance!" Qu Fu bowed deeply to Jiang Muchen and exhaled deeply. The shrewdness in his eyes resurfaced as he whispered again, "Your Highness, Prime Minister Qin has taken sick leave again today!"
But Jiang Muchen just nodded indifferently and then stopped talking!
Seeing that Prince Chen looked a little cold, Qu Fu stopped trying to embarrass himself and walked to the Shangshu's seat. Seeing that only the seat next to Qu Changqing was empty, he sat down with a sneer!
Noticing the smugness in Qu Fu's eyes, Qu Changqing sat upright in his seat, not at all affected by Qu Fu's provocation. His calm and composed demeanor caused a flash of disgust in Qu Fu's eyes. He then spoke in a sarcastic tone, "My Lord and Minister Qu must also know about the King of Chu's matter!"
When the others heard what Qu Fu said, they all looked over here, only to see the three men of the Qu family sitting together, but Lord Qu and the Minister of Justice had calm expressions, while the Minister of Revenue had a look of anticipation. They knew that this was an internal matter of the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion, and they had no interest nor courage to get involved, so they turned their eyes away and waited silently for the morning court!
"Minister of Revenue, do you think you are qualified to manage the affairs of the King of Chu?" Qu Changqing would have been fine if he hadn't spoken, but once he spoke, he put the other party in a situation where he had nothing to say!
The King of Chu is among the princes, while the Minister of Revenue is only a second-rank official. Which one is more important? Even if Qu Fu is confused, he will not make a mistake about the weight between the two!
Qu Changqing's words were just a reminder to Qu Fu not to get into trouble just because he wanted to speak quickly! What's more, at this moment, Prince Chen and Prince Duan sitting in the hall did not comment on Chu Feiyang's affairs. What qualifications did Qu Fu have to discuss it openly?
Being pushed back by Qu Changqing, Qu Fu looked a little embarrassed, but he also knew that if he showed too much, he would probably end up like Su Yuan at that time, with his head and body torn apart!
Furthermore, he had just tested Prince Chen, but he didn't seem to have any intention of making a big deal out of this matter. This forced Qu Fu to reflect deeply. Perhaps Prince Chen's silence today was closely related to Yun Qianmeng. After all, if Prince Chu was convicted, Yun Qianmeng, as his wife, would naturally be blamed! And Prince Chen's silence was probably because of that girl, Yun Qianmeng!
His mind was in turmoil for several times, and Qu Fu calmed down for a moment and stopped talking. However, he was speculating in his heart about how the various forces would respond to Emperor Yu Gan in the hall later!
"Go to court!" After a brief silence, the eunuch's loud shout was heard outside the hall!
All the people were seen standing in rows, led by Prince Chen, Prince Duan, Yun Xuanzhi and others, walking towards the Golden Throne Hall with court steps!
"Your Highness, we pay our respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!" After everyone stood in line, Emperor Yugan, supported by Eunuch Yu, walked steadily along the red carpet towards the throne. All officials immediately knelt down and kowtowed. The sound of the salute echoed throughout the hall and reached the sky!
"My dear ministers, please stand up!" Walking up the jade steps, Emperor Yugan stood behind the dragon table, raised his hands slightly, and spoke in a loud and majestic voice!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" They stood up in unison, and all the officials stood quietly, waiting for Emperor Yugan to speak!
Emperor Yugan glanced calmly at the officials. Seeing that the faces of the first few were calm and unperturbed, while some ministers in the back had a slight look of worry on their faces, he slowly spoke, "I believe you all have heard that the King of Chu has refused to negotiate with Nanxun since a few days ago!"
Everyone didn't expect that Emperor Yugan would mention the matter of King Chu right away. They looked at each other in confusion, not knowing how to respond!
After all, the King of Chu has too great a reputation in the court. If the King of Chu's mistakes are pointed out this time, I am afraid that it may not be able to shake Chu Feiyang's power in the court!
But if the King of Chu is allowed to abuse his power for personal gain, he will probably offend Emperor Yugan. After all, they receive salaries from the court and are officials of Emperor Yugan!
For a moment, the hall was as quiet as midnight, and the crisp sound of an embroidery needle falling to the ground could be heard!
Seeing his courtiers feigning deafness and dumb again, Emperor Yugan's eyes flashed with coldness, but he spoke calmly, "My Lords, please feel free to speak! The King of Chu was ordered to go to Nanxun to negotiate peace, but he never expected the Nanxun Princess to be so audacious as to attempt to kill the Princess of Chu. It's no wonder the King of Chu is furious! However, the love between the King and Queen of Chu is truly a model for our dynasty, but if they fail to distinguish between public and private matters and delay important court matters, that's another matter!"
Emperor Yugan said two things in one thing. One was to praise the relationship between the King of Chu and his wife, and the other was to imply that Chu Feiyang did not distinguish between public and private affairs, and actually delayed important matters in the court for the sake of his own backyard affairs!
After he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan's gaze paused on King Chen's face. He saw that Jiang Muchen was unusually calm today. Unlike in the past when he was eager to find fault with Chu Feiyang, the calmness on his face was intriguing!
After listening to what Emperor Yugan just said, the ministers understood a little bit. Although the emperor admired the King of Chu for getting angry for his wife, he did not agree with the King of Chu relaxing state affairs for his wife!
After all, in everyone's mind, a man should put the country and the people first, but it is really rare for the King of Chu to abuse his power for personal gain. What's more, this is a major event between the two countries. How can we allow him to do as he pleases?
But Emperor Yugan's words made Qu Lingao and Qu Changqing's eyes flash with displeasure. Although the emperor's words just now did not explicitly point out that the King of Chu had delayed state affairs for Meng'er, they clearly made the ministers understand that this matter was indeed Chu Feiyang's fault! How could a man with great ambitions be stopped by a woman? Moreover, Chu Feiyang represented Western Chu and should not make such a rash move!
Although no ministers had come forward to accuse Chu Feiyang of his mistakes at this time, Qu Lingao and Qu Changqing knew that Emperor Yugan was probably trying to use this incident to destroy Chu Feiyang's prestige in the hearts of the people in the court!
"Your Majesty! I have something to say!" Qu Changqing followed his father's hint and spoke loudly, standing out in a steady manner!
"Speak!" Emperor Yugan retracted his gaze from King Chen, and when he saw that it was Qu Changqing, he nodded slightly to signal him to speak!
"Yes!" After a moment's silence, Qu Changqing slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, this time it was the Princess of Nanxun who was at fault! Since ancient times, envoys were not killed when two armies confronted each other. Moreover, the King of Chu and his wife were ordered to go to negotiate peace, and there was no war between the two countries. Yet, the Princess of Nanxun actually plotted to murder the Princess of Chu. This is not something that happened in the King of Chu's backyard! This matter is enough to be presented in the court. It is obvious that Nanxun does not take Western Chu seriously and actually plotted to kill the Princess of Chu! If the King of Chu still pretends that nothing has happened and enters and leaves the Nanxun Palace to negotiate peace with them, how will the King of Chu maintain his dignity? How will Western Chu maintain its dignity? Do we have to drink and chat with the enemy just because our people are being killed? Moreover, the Princess of Chu is not an ordinary citizen. She is an envoy on this mission to Nanxun. How can she allow herself to be bullied by Nanxun like this?"
Qu Changqing frowned slightly and expressed his opinion in a deep voice, but it hit the nail on the head!
How could one not fight back when being beaten? Moreover, Xi Chu was stronger than Nan Xun, so why should they be so afraid of Nan Xun?
All the officials listened and nodded slightly, intuitively feeling that what the Minister of Justice said made sense!
Emperor Yugan saw Qu Changqing's righteous words, but he did not get angry. A slight smile appeared on his originally serious face, and he said calmly, "Minister of Punishment, I know that the Princess of Chu is your cousin, and it is natural for you to be partial to her! But have you ever considered that even if Nanxun is not as good as Western Chu, if the two countries go to war because of something like this, it will be the people of both countries who will suffer! What's more, Nanxun is not as vulnerable as you think. The Regent of Nanxun is a man of both civil and military talents. He is not only resourceful but also well versed in military tactics. General Huwei has suffered losses at his hands several times. It is obvious that you should not be so arrogant as to avoid regrets in the future! Moreover, if you send troops to Nanxun because of something like this, how will the people of Western Chu view the court?"
As soon as these words were spoken, whispers were heard in the court. The ministers were also very conflicted. On the one hand, it was a matter of face, and on the other hand, it was a matter of the stability of the country. Rashly sending troops to Nanxun would indeed arouse the resentment of the people. If the battle line was prolonged, the people's taxes would certainly increase. Perhaps if they failed to capture Nanxun, they would have to face resistance from their own people again!
"Your Majesty is absolutely right! But this matter was also caused by General Hu Wei! If he had not rashly raised an army to capture Nanxun, there would not be the current dilemma for Your Majesty! Your Majesty's words just now, which were for the sake of the people, really moved me, but General Hu Wei's actions are contrary to Your Majesty's wishes! Now that the King of Chu has returned, I ask Your Majesty to severely punish General Hu Wei, so that this man will not hold his own troops and forget Your Majesty's usual reprimands to us!" Unexpectedly, the always silent King Chen spoke at this time!
He did not comment on Chu Feiyang's behavior, but kept harping on the matter of Lu Xin!
Lu Xin was originally a man of Emperor Yugan. He was so bold as to lead an army to attack Nanxun. One reason was that he had suffered a loss at the hands of Nanxun and wanted to get revenge. The other reason was probably because of Emperor Yugan's indulgence!
Moreover, when Jiang Muchen said this, he was pointing out that General Hu Wei ignored the people of Dawn in Western Chu for his own selfish reasons. Not only did he continue the righteous words that Emperor Yu Gan had just said, but he also cut off Emperor Yu Gan's way to exonerate Lu Xin, and shut him up with Emperor Yu Gan's own words!
As soon as Prince Chen said this, the whispers in the court suddenly disappeared. Everyone lowered their heads and stood up straight again, no longer participating in the conversation between Prince Chen and the Emperor!
Even though Emperor Yugan was waiting for Prince Chen to speak, he did not expect him to say such words!
It seems that he is determined to punish Lu Xin, but in fact he is helping Chu Feiyang!
This made Emperor Yugan's eyes hidden behind the tasseled crown suddenly flash with a fierce light. It seemed that his previous words had no effect on Jiang Muchen's heart, or perhaps, Prince Chen really had real feelings for the Princess of Chu and actually spoke for Prince Chu in the court!
“Prince Chen, do you know why Princess Nanlan behaved like this? If Princess Chu was virtuous, generous, and willing to share a husband with Princess Nanlan, such a headache-inducing thing wouldn’t have happened today!” Emperor Yu Gan was shocked to reveal such an inside story!
Everyone in the hall was shocked. They only knew that the Princess of Nanxun had framed the Princess of Chu, but they didn't expect that there was such a story behind this!
So, was all of this caused by the Princess of Chu herself? A princess of a great country was willing to share the King of Chu with her, but she refused. No wonder she was so furious that she decided to kill him!
"Just because the princess's wish was not fulfilled, does he have to kill the Princess of Chu? How is that logical? It seems that the princess of Nanxun Kingdom is really narrow-minded and vindictive! If this woman comes to Xichu, who knows what kind of storm she will stir up! Your Majesty might as well say that the Princess of Chu has a keen eye for people and recognized the true face of the Princess of Nanxun, so he rejected her on behalf of the King of Chu! Besides, it is normal for the Princess of Chu to reject the Princess of Nanxun. Nanxun has always been mysterious. What if the princess comes to Xichu with evil intentions, and something happens, threatening the safety of the emperor, wouldn't that be inviting a wolf into the house? In this way, the Princess of Chu has eliminated potential dangers for Xichu!" Little did they know that the seemingly taciturn King Chen, today, spoke with pearls of wisdom, and his eloquence impressed all the ministers in the hall!
What surprised them even more was that Prince Chen was determined to offend Prince Chu and Princess Chu today!
However, I don’t know how the emperor will react after hearing these words!
Yun Xuanzhi glanced sideways at King Chen at this moment, only to see that his expression was as cold as ever, but when he mentioned Yun Qianmeng, a hint of warmth flashed across his eyes!
Just because of this fleeting warmth, Yun Xuanzhi let out a sigh of relief!
If Prince Lian Chen also wants to severely punish Prince Chu and Princess Chu today, then his good days are over!
Once Chu Feiyang falls, I will be the first to be implicated. Fortunately, King Chen still has some feelings for Meng'er, otherwise it would be difficult to get through this hurdle today!
As the father of the Princess of Chu, he naturally could not offer help at this time, otherwise he would be like Naqu Changqing, who was blocked by Emperor Yugan and had nothing to say. At that time, he would be charged with the crime of "sheltering"!
"Your Majesty, I also think what Prince Chen said makes sense! This is originally a matter between two countries, but the princess actually murdered the Princess of Chu out of personal vendetta. Not only is this disrespectful to the Prince and Princess of Chu on this diplomatic mission, it also blasphemes our dynasty's intentions for peace talks!" Seeing that Emperor Yugan and Prince Chen were in a stalemate, Prince Duan suddenly spoke up, "And the Prince of Chu went to Nanxun for peace talks. How could he ignore state affairs and focus on the matter with the Princess of Nanxun? Besides, Lord Chu is still bedridden at this time. How can a son marry a wife when his father is seriously ill?"
Seeing Prince Duan stepping forward to smooth things over, Emperor Yugan's expression improved slightly, his eyes no longer fierce and sinister, but his tone remained displeased. "Prince Duan's words do make sense! However, this stalemate is not a long-term solution. Do you have any good ideas, my dear ministers?"
When asked by Emperor Yugan, everyone began to lower their heads and remain silent, trying to guess the emperor's intentions in their hearts. They didn't understand whether Emperor Yugan wanted to punish the King of Chu or had other intentions!
"Your Majesty, there is an urgent letter from Youzhou eight hundred miles away!" At this time, Eunuch Yu whispered a reminder in Emperor Yugan's ear!
"An urgent letter from Youzhou eight hundred miles away? Who wrote it?" Upon hearing this, Emperor Yugan glanced at Eunuch Yu beside him, but the name Han Shaomian crossed his mind!
"Your Majesty! This was written by the King of Chu himself, and it is stamped with the seal of Minister Han! The messenger is waiting outside the palace!" Seeing that Emperor Yugan seemed to be venting his anger on others, Eunuch Yu immediately lowered his head and reported the truth!
"Announce!" After he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan glanced at Prince Duan vaguely!
"Your humble servant pays homage to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!" When the messenger heard the announcement, he immediately ran into the hall carrying Wen Han on his back, bowed his head and kowtowed to Emperor Yugan who was sitting on the dragon throne!
Eunuch Yu immediately walked down the jade steps, took the sealed letter from his hand, then quickly walked back to Emperor Yugan and respectfully placed the letter on the dragon table!
Emperor Yu Gan withdrew his gaze, looked at the large and flamboyant characters on the letter and Han Shaomian's seal, then he opened it expressionlessly and read the contents inside!
All the ministers stood in the main hall waiting for Emperor Yugan to tell them the content of the letter, but they waited for a long time and still saw Emperor Yugan not speak. They couldn't help but feel a little panicked. Could it be that something else had happened in Nanxun?
At this time, Emperor Yu Gan picked up the brush at hand, wrote a few words in red on the document, and then asked Eunuch Yu to hand the document to the messenger!
"My dear ministers have not answered my question yet! How should the matter of the King of Chu be resolved this time?" Just as everyone was watching the messenger leave the hall, Emperor Yugan's voice rang out again!
Seeing that Prince Chen had already spoken on behalf of Prince Chu, and now that Emperor Yugan had asked about it, Qu Fu boldly stepped forward and tentatively said, "Your Majesty! I heard that Emperor Feng Jing of Nanxun has already ordered Princess Nanlan to be demoted to a commoner. This is also an explanation to Prince Chu. Why not just let this matter go to waste and avoid further complications?"
Listening to Qu Fu's proposal, Emperor Yugan nodded slightly and then asked, "Any other suggestions?"
At this moment, Qu Lingao stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I would like to ask if the King of Chu's memorial just now mentioned any solution to the problem."
Although Emperor Yugan was not very emotional before and after, it can be seen from his expression as he patiently waited for everyone's answers that the King of Chu's letter just now must have mentioned a solution that satisfied Emperor Yugan, otherwise he would not easily let go of the problem he was holding on to!
Qu Lingao's guess of the emperor's intention was extremely accurate. Before he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan's loud laughter rang out in the hall!
"Lord Qu is truly a master of foresight! The King of Chu's letter does indeed contain a solution! However, it's probably far different from what you all imagined!" Emperor Yugan was in a very good mood, his face full of satisfaction. "I'm sure what you all were thinking was either asking the King of Chu to take a step back, or leading the troops to capture Nanxun!"
After he finished speaking, he saw that most of the ministers lowered their heads, which showed that Emperor Yu Gan was right!
"And yet the King of Chu's message just now mentioned a vassal state! If we take this incident as a starting point, without sacrificing a single soldier, making Nanxun a vassal state of Western Chu, wouldn't that be a huge relief to the people?" As an emperor, how could one stick to the old ways? Only by expanding territory can one achieve hegemony!
Although the territory passed to Emperor Yugan was already the largest of the four kingdoms, who would be satisfied with the status quo? And what emperor would not want to unify the world?
Therefore, after seeing Chu Feiyang's writing, Emperor Yugan was in a good mood. Moreover, he believed that with Chu Feiyang's ability, he would not let him down!
At this time, the expressions of the ministers in the hall were colorful, especially that of Prince Chen. He was sure that Chu Feiyang did it on purpose this time!
With his ability, how could he let Lu Xin's memorial reach Emperor Yugan first?
I'm afraid he guessed that the content of Lu Xin's report would cause disputes in the court, so he deliberately arrived one step late to meet his own Wen Han!
Chu Feiyang's purpose was probably to make it easier for Emperor Yugan to accept Nanxun becoming a vassal state!
After all, this is easier than directly sending troops to capture Nanxun, and it will be a war without casualties!
But he was so concerned that he became confused and interceded for his enemy for Yun Qianmeng!
Thinking of this, a trace of annoyance flashed across Jiang Muchen's eyes. He was afraid that all the civil and military officials in the court, including Emperor Yugan, had been tricked by Chu Feiyang!
"Your humble servant congratulates the emperor!" Yun Xuanzhi took advantage of Emperor Yugan's good mood and immediately congratulated him!
The other ministers immediately put aside their thoughts and followed Yun Xuanzhi in saying, "Your Majesty, we congratulate you!"
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Qin is now seriously ill. I'm afraid he won't be able to take on the position of Left Prime Minister in the short term. I wonder what Your Majesty has to say?" Looking at the empty seat next to him, Yun Xuanzhi spoke again!
Qin Huo is the oldest person in the court. Now that he is ill, it is likely difficult to cure him. Even if he forces himself to go to court, he will not be able to get anything done!
It would be better to take the opportunity to replace Qin Huo with someone else. This would also be a happy thing for Yun Xuanzhi!
Seeing Yun Xuanzhi mention Qin Huo, Emperor Yugan glanced towards the entrance of the main hall, then frowned and instructed Eunuch Yu beside him, "Have the head of the Imperial Hospital go to the Qin Mansion to see Prime Minister Qin! As for the position of Left Prime Minister, Prime Minister Qin will take it for the time being. I will consider it carefully before making any further decisions! If there is nothing else, I will adjourn this court session!"
After he finished speaking, Emperor Yugan stood up from the dragon throne and led Eunuch Yu down the jade steps towards the harem...
"Your Highness, we respectfully send you off!"
Seeing Emperor Yugan leave, everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, but King Chen's face was so cold and icy that no one dared to approach him!
Hai Chenxi turned and walked out of the hall with the other ministers. He glanced at King Chen with a hint of sneer in his eyes. Today in the court, King Chen really acted like a clown. He tried so hard to help, but he had already made plans! Fortunately, he didn't say anything just now, otherwise he would have made a fool of himself!
"Prince Hai is in a good mood?" Although he was annoyed, it did not affect Prince Chen's observation of the surrounding situation! Especially the mocking look in Hai Chenxi's eyes, which aroused his anger!
"Your Highness, you are joking! How dare I, a prince, laugh at you!" Hai Chenxi smiled facing the morning sun outside the palace. His smile was very restrained, but with a hint of wisdom!
"Prince Hai is the most cherished son of the Sea King. How can he be described as 'what virtue and what ability'? But I am curious why the Sea King's Mansion did not kick someone when he is down this time!" Chu Feiyang rejected Hai Tian and let Hai Tian marry far away in Northern Qi. Hai Quan must have hated Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng in his heart, but he didn't expect that Hai Quan did not instruct Hai Chenxi to attack Chu Feiyang this time!
Upon hearing this, Hai Chenxi smiled carefreely. It was not known whether it was because King Chen guessed right or wrong, but Hai Chenxi's smile contained an emotion that was hard to guess!
"Your Highness, the journey to the Sea Palace is long, so I will go ahead!" After he finished speaking, Hai Chenxi took the horse led by the guard, jumped on its back, and then ran towards the palace gate!
Prince Chen watched Hai Chenxi's figure disappear at the palace gate, and saw that Eunuch Yu was indeed leading the head of the Imperial Hospital towards the palace gate, so he took the horse led by Ning Feng and headed towards Prince Chen's Mansion!
At this time, in the Youzhou Posthouse, Han Shaomian came to the East Garden and sat at the same table with Xiahou Qin and Rong Yunhe!
"I didn't expect that Master Rong would come to Youzhou!" The Rong family has a special status. Although Han Shaomian is willing to believe the King of Chu, it is still better to be cautious!
Rong Yunhe calmly accepted Han Shaomian's scrutiny, his eyes meeting Han Shaomian's sharp gaze in mid-air without any evasion. Then he slowly spoke, "If there is a chance to develop in Youzhou, the Rong family will naturally not let it go! I hope Lord Han can understand!"
As he spoke, Rong Yunhe picked up the teapot on the table, filled tea for the three people in turn, picked up the teacup in front of him, and took a sip calmly!
"The Rong family is an imperial merchant, so why should they care about Youzhou?" Han Shaomian could never forget the scene when he saw Rong Yunhe rushing out of the East Garden and wanted to ask Guard Xi about the Princess of Chu!
I guess Rong Yunhe came to Youzhou this time to assist the King of Chu and the Queen of Chu!
"Alas! It's boring enough for this prince to face Yunhe, a wooden stake, all day long, but I didn't expect Minister Han to have such a stern face! Don't you know that a smile makes you look ten years younger? Besides, you two are not very old, why do you want to imitate those old scholars in the court?" Xiahou Qin frowned, a gleam in his eyes, and then spoke to help Rong Yunhe, "Imperial merchants also need food, clothing, shelter and transportation! How can they stay standing if they don't expand their own territory? What if the Rong family fails and cannot pay the silver to the court on time, the whole Rong family will be implicated! Isn't that right, Minister Han?"
Han Shaomian always had respect for Xiahou Qin. This prince of the Xiahou clan was no ordinary person. On his way to Youzhou, he had witnessed Xiahou Qin's perseverance! This was also the reason why the Xiahou clan could become the leader of all the clans in Luocheng!
Rong Yunhe always looked extraordinary, but the black hair made Han Shaomian shudder slightly. Then he slowed down his tone and said, "I hope Mr. Rong doesn't mind! I am just asking a routine question!"
Hearing this, Rong Yunhe put down the teacup in his hand and turned his gaze to Han Shaomian's overly upright face. He said calmly, "I came to Youzhou this time because of the request of the King of Chu and the Queen! Lord Han has been in Youzhou for several days and must have some understanding of the situation there. The officials in Youzhou are all protecting each other. Even if they want to intervene, I'm afraid it will be difficult to find an opportunity! With their cover, the Xie family will naturally prosper! Instead of a stalemate, why not let the Rong family give it a try? Perhaps there will be a new breakthrough!"
As soon as Rong Yunhe said this, Xiahou Qin's expression suddenly changed. He did not expect Rong Yunhe to tell the truth!
Xiahou Qin's eyes were slightly gloomy, and his hands were fiddling with the teacup in front of him. He seemed to be leisurely and carefree, but in fact, he was full of mystery!
Han Shaomian also did not expect Rong Yunhe to tell the truth, and the surprise in the depths of his eyes was obvious, but seeing Rong Yunhe's expression of not avoiding anything from the beginning, he knew that Rong Yunhe had told him the truth!
For a moment, Han Shaomian felt a little hesitant!
Rong Yunhe's truth was equivalent to pulling him into the King of Chu's camp. Although all this may have nothing to do with the King of Chu, it is inextricably linked!
"Mr. Rong, aren't you afraid that I will report all this to the court?" It must be said that Han Shaomian admired Rong Yunhe's courage at this moment!
Rong Yunhe smiled gracefully, a fairy-like smile appearing on his handsome face. He then asked, "Lord Han is well aware of the affairs of Youzhou, and he is also well aware of the affairs of Nanxun and General Huwei. Otherwise, why would he assist the prince? Moreover, Yunhe only came here to do business and has never violated the laws of Western Chu. Even if Lord Han wanted to report to the court, he would definitely have to find a good excuse!"
"Besides, although Lu Xin went to Nanxun, his first deputy general stayed in Youzhou. Lord Han has to deal with Lu Xin's people on the one hand, and investigate the Xie family on the other. This prince does not think that he can accomplish everything perfectly by doing two things at the same time! It would be better if officials deal with officials, and businessmen deal with businessmen, and we each play to our strengths. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?" Xiahou Qin spoke slowly, and his analysis was also very logical!
Although Han Shaomian was not someone who would be led by the nose, he had to admire the two people in front of him. One was the eldest grandson of the Rong family, who was smart enough to have seen through the current situation long ago; the other was the prince of the Xiahou clan, who forcefully proposed a method of dividing the situation into two, which made Han Shaomian feel a little restless!
"I wonder what Lord Han thinks?" Rong Yunhe did not force Han Shaomian to agree. After all, some things are up to fate, and he has no right to ask others to obey him completely. He just tried his best to attract talents for Yun Qianmeng and Chu Feiyang!
"Mr. Rong, you want to know how much jade mines the Xie family has purchased from the government!" Being favored by Emperor Yugan, Han Shaomian is naturally no less impressive. Since he already knows their plans, and they also have someone to deal with in common, why not join forces to save him from having to deal with those headache-inducing account books!
Hearing this, Rong Yunhe and Xiahou Qin exchanged a smile. They both put down their teacups, and the vague smiles on their faces faded, replaced by a sincere smile. Then they slowly spoke, "Lord Han really impresses me. He guessed our thoughts in an instant!"
They had secretly visited many places in the past few days, but they had not found out how many jade mines the Xie family had. The only book that recorded it was stored in the government office in Youzhou! Now that Han Shaomian had come to them, how could they not make good use of it?
Seeing the two shrewd men smiling like children, Han Shaomian couldn't help but smile too. He then shook his head and said, "That's easy. I'll have someone send it over! However, I've already checked the booklet, and I'm afraid the number recorded is far from the actual number!"
"Perhaps the real booklet is either in the Chu Mansion or in the Xie Family!" Xiahou Qin's eyes lit up. Now that Han Shaomian was on their side, he didn't have to worry every day about Han Shaomian finding out that he had someone hidden in the East Garden. This would allow him to show his skills and avenge his aunt!
"Lord Chu is unconscious now, I'm afraid the booklet will not be in the Chu Mansion! But Xie Yingping is definitely not a simple character! I'm afraid the real booklet has already been hidden!" Looking at Xiahou Qin's expression, Han Shaomian knew that he wanted to make a big fuss, but Youzhou is not Luocheng, he is unfamiliar with the place and it is easy to suffer losses. When necessary, Han Shaomian will remind him to be careful!
"Of course, this matter needs to be carefully planned!" Upon hearing this, Xiahou Qin waved for the two to come closer. The three of them gathered together and whispered, constantly putting forward new suggestions!
Nanxun, inside the posthouse!
A few days after the memorial was sent out, Chu Feiyang stayed in the post house for a few days, and General Hu Wei also stayed in the post house every day, following Chu Feiyang wherever he went!
But this made the officials of Nanxun suffer. They did not expect that Princess Nanlan's self-assertion would put them in such a passive situation. Now that Nanlan was dead, the King of Chu still did not change his mind. The morale in the court was once extremely low. Emperor Feng Jing announced that he was unwell at this time. All the important affairs of the court in recent days were handed over to the Regent!
"Uncle Wang, you must handle this properly and don't let my father down!" Nan Hongye walked past Nan Yijun, and the coldness in his tone made the eunuch beside him lower his head tightly!
At this moment, a guard quickly walked towards Nan Yijun and whispered a few words in his ear. Nan Yijun's expression instantly changed. Without saying a word, he walked past Nan Hongye and headed towards the palace where Emperor Feng Jing was resting...
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