The king's heart is hard to predict
The bloody incident in the courtroom was like a bucket of cold water poured into a boiling pot of oil, instantly exploding, its aftermath reverberating throughout every corner of the court. Emperor Xiao Jingche's wrath hung heavy over the Forbidden City like a tangible dark cloud. The Imperial City Bureau's cavalry was on the move, their movements frequent. Overnight, the residences of several officials who had previously had close ties with the Duke of Cheng'en's residence were infested with numerous unidentified "spies."
Duke Cheng'en Lin Zhaoren, Lin Wanru's father and the current emperor's father-in-law, was kneeling on the cool, golden-bricked floor of the imperial study. He was over fifty, and his well-maintained face had lost its former rosy glow, appearing gray and fearful. His forehead was pressed against the ground, not daring to lift it even a fraction.
Xiao Jingche didn't ask him to stand up. He just threw a secret report from the Imperial City Bureau in front of him and said in a voice so cold it could freeze the air: "Father-in-law, give me an explanation."
Lin Zhaoren trembled as he picked up the secret report and quickly scanned it. It listed the names of several underworld gangs and their intricate financial ties with the shops and farms under the Cheng'en Mansion. It even hinted that one of these gangs had been involved in a "visit" to the Han assassin's family. His heart was filled with shock. How had the Imperial City Bureau uncovered these secret connections?
"Your Majesty! I am innocent!" Lin Zhaoren banged his head on the ground, his voice filled with tears. "I have been blessed by the emperor for generations, how could I do such a heinous thing? Someone must have framed me! These... these gangs, or they rely on the mansion's properties for a living. I... I really don't know how they dare to be so bold, Your Majesty!" He never mentioned any direct connection with the assassination, but only put the blame on his subordinates' poor performance and the frame-up by others.
Xiao Jingche looked down at him, his gaze sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to cut through his carefully disguised skin. "Framed? Does the father-in-law mean that the Imperial City Bureau's investigation was wrong? Or is it that my in-laws have become a soft persimmon that others can easily frame and accuse?"
These words carried great weight. Lin Zhaoren was so frightened that he trembled all over and kept saying, "I dare not! I don't mean that at all! It's just...it's just that a big tree attracts the wind, and it is inevitable that some villains will be jealous and take this opportunity to stir up trouble, intending to sow discord among the royal family and shake the foundation of the country, Your Majesty!" He cleverly tied himself to "royal family affection" and "the foundation of the country."
Xiao Jingche remained silent. The only sounds in the imperial study were Lin Zhaoren's heavy, panicked breathing. He knew full well that Lin Zhaoren's words were full of falsehood. But he also knew that if he attacked the Cheng'en Mansion at this moment, the consequences would be widespread, Lin Wanru's position within the palace would be jeopardized, and even the nobles would panic, detrimental to the stability of the court. However, the poison needle in the court, the assassin who had been silenced, were like two poisonous thorns, deeply piercing his heart, challenging his unquestionable imperial authority.
"Get up." After a long while, Xiao Jingche spoke slowly, his tone unable to tell whether he was happy or angry. "I will continue to investigate this matter in detail. Until then, the father-in-law will reflect on his mistakes in the mansion. There is nothing else to do, so there is no need to attend the court."
This was a disguised form of house arrest. Lin Zhaoren felt a chill in his heart, but he didn't dare to raise any objections. He could only kowtow in gratitude and stumble out of the imperial study.
When the news reached Yonghe Palace, Lin Wanru accidentally knocked over the official kiln teacup beside her, and the broken porcelain mixed with tea splashed onto the hem of her gorgeous palace dress. Her father was under house arrest! Although he hadn't been imprisoned, this signal was already dangerous enough. His Majesty was truly furious this time.
"Your Majesty, what should we do now?" the trusted palace maid asked tremblingly.
Lin Wanru forced herself to calm down, her nails digging deep into her palms. "What's the panic? Father is only temporarily confining me. His Majesty, out of respect for our mother's family, won't easily touch the Cheng'en Mansion." She seemed to be comforting the maid, but more like trying to convince herself, "The most important thing right now is to maintain stability! Get all our people to retreat and refrain from any further movement! Also..." A fierce glint flashed in her eyes, "That surviving piece of trash must be dealt with as soon as possible! We can't keep him here any longer!"
"But, Madam, the Jingzhao prison is now guarded like an iron barrel. Our people can't get in at all..."
"If you can't get in, think of another way!" Lin Wanru lowered her voice, almost gritting her teeth, "Poison! Bribe the jailer! No matter what method you use, don't let him speak!"
However, they were still a step too late. Even after the bloody incident in the court, Lu Qinglan had already suggested, through Han Mingyuan, to one of the presiding judges, the Dali Temple, that the sole survivor be secretly transferred from the Jingzhao Prefecture prison to a secret cell known only to a very few and under the direct control of the Dali Temple, citing the need to "prevent further incidents." Meanwhile, Han Mingyuan's men were slowly and covertly trying to pry him open again.
In Kunning Palace, Lu Qinglan heard that Xiao Jingche had only placed Lin Zhaoren under house arrest, and did not investigate further, with no surprise on his face.
"Your Majesty is ultimately concerned about old friendships and the stability of the court." Her tone was flat, and it was hard to tell whether it was sarcasm or a statement. "However, this thorn has been planted, and it will only grow deeper with time."
Fu Yu whispered, "Your Majesty, should we add fuel to the fire? Throw out the more solid evidence we found earlier about Rui Changlong's dealings with Bei Di?"
Lu Qinglan shook her head. "No need. The timing isn't right yet. If we bring it up now, His Majesty will just think we're taking advantage of the situation to attack Duke Cheng'en's mansion. That's too obvious. Now is the perfect time to let His Majesty investigate and resolve his suspicions. What we need to do is protect that person alive, and..." She turned her gaze slightly, looking out the window at the desolate courtyard, "Let Wei Zheng start making some moves."
"Duke Wei?"
"Yes. With no fighting at the border for so long, some people might have forgotten Wei Zheng's brilliance. Under the pretext of 'recovering from injuries' and 'rectifying military affairs', have him investigate any officers in the Northern Frontier Army who have had contact with the imperial merchants, especially... those with ties to Zhao Kai. It doesn't have to be drastic, but it needs to be known that he's not someone to be bullied."
She wanted Xiao Jingche to see that he was trying to suppress and make him suspicious, not only of her, the empress, but also of the border commander, the pillar of the country. The emperor's suspicion needed to be fed with more anxiety until he found himself gradually trapped in a lonely situation.
A king's heart is like the sea, unfathomable. But even the deepest seas will inevitably have undercurrents, and eventually the banks will be broken. Xiao Jingche tried to maintain balance, to control, but he didn't realize he was standing on a constantly ripping rift. And Lu Qinglan's goal was to transform this rift into an all-consuming abyss.
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