Frost Blade First Encounter
After the Cold Dew, autumn deepened, and the white marble steps before the Golden Throne Hall were chilled to the bone. The atmosphere during the regular court session that day was even more stagnant than usual. Beneath the red steps, civil and military officials stood in awe, their heads bowed, their eyes focused on their noses, their noses on their hearts, their ears perked up, catching every subtle sound and movement from the emperor on the throne.
Xiao Jingche sat high on the dragon throne, his face sullen. He held a memorial from Han Mingyuan. It wasn't a direct impeachment, but rather, under the guise of "auditing old military supply cases in the northern border and clarifying the accounts for consultation," it contained a seemingly scattered but shocking collection of documents. Several batches of military equipment and fodder transferred to the northern border in specific years showed inexplicable discrepancies between the recorded losses and replenishments and the actual amounts received by the border troops. Even more striking was that the officials handling these batches of supplies with these inconsistencies were, in some way, closely related to the recently popular Xiaoqi Wei, Zhao Kai, either from the same hometown or at the same age.
Han Mingyuan, holding a tablet, stepped out of the line and bowed. His voice was steady, yet every word carried weight: "Your Majesty, the soldiers of the Northern Frontier have fought bravely to defend their country. Military supplies and fodder are their lives, and the very lifeblood of the imperial court. Since there are doubts about the accounts now, I dare not neglect them. I implore Your Majesty to issue an order to thoroughly investigate the entire process of military supply allocation and verification in the relevant years, in order to reassure the troops and uphold the laws of the land."
He didn't directly accuse anyone, only demanding an audit. But the word "audit" sounded like a thunderbolt at that moment.
The hall was completely silent. You could hear a pin drop.
Several officials who had been vaguely named had sweat on their foreheads. Zhao Kai stood among the military commanders, his face livid, his hands clenched into fists within his sleeves, his knuckles white. He felt the gazes from all around him, some probing, some gloating, like countless needles piercing his body.
Xiao Jingche's gaze slowly swept across His Highness's courtiers, finally landing on Han Mingyuan. "What Mr. Han reported concerns the vital importance of border defense and must be carefully examined. According to your report,..." He paused, his gaze seemingly passing casually over Gu Zhao, then to the officials from the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple. "Instruct the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to collaborate with the Dali Temple to set up a special task force to review the old military supply accounts in the Northern Frontier. All personnel involved, regardless of rank, must cooperate with the investigation."
"We obey your order!" Several ministers who were named stepped forward to receive the order.
This decree, seemingly fair, actually threw a hot potato. Xiao Jingche wanted to seize the opportunity to crack down on any corrupt forces, especially those connected to "Ninth Brother," but was unwilling to personally confront the nobles and military commanders. He needed to observe who was behind this: Han Mingyuan's own "integrity," or... another precise move by Kunning Palace?
The bell rang to signal the end of court, and all officials, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, filed out in silence. Zhao Kai hurried away almost immediately, attempting to avoid any prying eyes. However, as he left the palace, he was stopped by a young eunuch.
"General Zhao, please stay." The eunuch lowered his eyebrows and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito, "The Imperial Concubine asks you to move to Yonghe Palace for a conversation."
Zhao Kai's heart trembled. Concubine Lin? Why was she looking for him at this time? He didn't dare to neglect it. He suppressed his doubts and followed the eunuch towards the harem.
Inside Yonghe Palace, a warm fragrance permeated the air, a world apart from the autumn chill outside. Lin Wanru, clad in a brocade palace gown embellished with hundreds of golden butterflies and floral patterns, sat at the center of the palace, her demeanor graceful and elegant. Compared to her youthful innocence upon entering the palace, she now possessed a newfound grace and depth.
"General Zhao, there's no need to be so polite. Please take a seat." Lin Wanru's voice was soft, with just the right amount of concern. "The general was frightened in the court just now."
Zhao Kai bowed and thanked her for taking a seat, then replied cautiously, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. I act in an upright and honest manner and am not afraid of investigation."
"General, you are loyal to your country. Your Majesty and I can certainly trust you." Lin Wanru smiled faintly, her fingertips lightly brushing the edge of the teacup. "However, in this world, people's hearts are unpredictable. Sometimes, right and wrong are reversed, which is also a common occurrence. General, do you know who has brought up these old accounts?"
Zhao Kai raised his head, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes: "I don't know, but if I knew, I would never let him go!"
Lin Wanru sighed softly, her voice thick with emotion. "Even within the inner palace, I've heard some of the rumors. It's said that the 'clue' Lord Han has recently received is rather strange, seemingly... delivered anonymously." She deliberately slowed her speech, observing Zhao Kai's reaction. "And recently, he's had some disagreements with the general, has access to some old documents, and is happy to see the general get into trouble... Doesn't the general have no one in mind?"
Her words, like the tongue of a poisonous snake, guided Zhao Kai's thoughts.
Zhao Kai was no fool. He immediately thought of the several former subordinates of Wei Zheng whom he had recently impeached in connection with Wei Zheng's assassination, and... that Empress, who was clearly protecting her former subordinates and possessing extraordinary power! Yes, it had to be the Empress! She was seeking revenge! Using Han Mingyuan as a weapon to eliminate dissidents!
Seeing the rage and hatred igniting in Zhao Kai's eyes, Lin Wanru knew the seeds had been sown. She lifted her teacup, hiding the coldness from her lips. She didn't need to do anything herself; all she had to do was gently pluck the strings at the right moment, and someone would naturally play the music she desired. Her father was right; in this deep palace, using the opponent's strength to counter the opponent's was the best strategy. His Majesty needed a knife to deal with the Queen, and she, Lin Wanru, would be happy to help sharpen it.
At the same time, in Kunning Palace.
"Your Majesty, Lord Han has submitted a memorial in court, and His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation of the old military supply case. After Zhao Kai left the court, he was invited to Yonghe Palace by Concubine Lin's people." Fu Yu reported in a low voice.
Lu Qinglan was sitting in front of a broken chess game. Upon hearing this, he picked up a black piece and gently placed it on the corner of the board, making a crisp sound. "As expected. Lin Wanru is so impatient, she can't wait to act as a pawn."
"Your Majesty, do we need to make some preparations? If Zhao Kai is pushed into a corner, he might do something desperate."
"Jump over the wall?" Lu Qinglan chuckled, her gaze still fixed on the chessboard. "I'm afraid he won't. The higher he jumps, the more exposed he is, and the easier it will be for the people behind him to reveal their true intentions." She paused, then added, "Have our people 'accidentally' leak some of the evidence we found regarding contact between Ruichanglonghuang Merchants and Beidi merchants to the nuclear clearance task force. If you're going to investigate, muddy the waters thoroughly. I want to see just how many demons and monsters are hiding beneath this surface."
Her voice was calm, yet it carried the composure and decisiveness of someone in control of the situation. The military supply case was the trigger she had lit, not only to strike back at Zhao Kai, but also to expose the shocking secret of the Huangshang Group's collusion with the Northern Di, completely shedding light on the vast reach of "Ninth Brother"'s power.
The frosty blade was unsheathed, its sharpness tested for the first time. This first direct confrontation in the court, seemingly centered around military supply accounts, actually tugged at the nerves of countless individuals—the emperor and empress, generals and ministers, officials within the court, loyalists and treacherous figures. A more ferocious storm was quietly brewing beneath the blazing autumn sun.
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