The Mystery of the Jade Ring
The half-piece of dragon-patterned jade ring shone with a cold, dim light in Xiao Jingche's palm. He rubbed it repeatedly, trying to salvage fragments of it from the depths of his memory. The jade quality and the carving were definitely not ordinary, and even differed from the common specifications of the inner court, carrying an ancient and mysterious aura.
"Investigate! Search the entire inner treasury for me. All records of dragon-patterned jade rings, especially those with broken parts!" Xiao Jingche ordered Cao Jin, who was standing beside him. His voice was hoarse from days of anxiety. "Also, find all the former concubines of Empress Dowager Duanhui's palace. Even if they are scattered across the world, find them one by one!"
"Your Majesty, I obey your command!" Cao Jin bowed and accepted the order, but hesitated, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager Duanhui has been dead for many years, and it may be difficult to find her former friends in the palace. Moreover... the affairs of the late emperor's later years involve many people. Should we..."
Xiao Jingche's eyes turned cold: "I asked you to investigate, don't you understand?" The uneasiness in his heart became stronger and stronger. The "one in the palace" in Feng Chuang's mumbling and this strange jade ring were like two pieces of a puzzle, which seemed to be piecing together a horrifying truth that pointed to the depths of the palace and might even shake the foundation of the royal family.
Cao Jin didn't dare to say anything more and quickly retreated to make arrangements.
Meanwhile, in the Prime Minister's study, Gu Zhao, looking at the jade ring pattern copied by his staff, was also overwhelmed with emotion, unable to calm down for a long time. This jade ring... he had indeed seen it before! In the late emperor's later years, at a very secret palace banquet, he had seen one of Xiao Jingche's uncles, then a prince, wearing a jade ring very similar to this one around his waist! That uncle was the current Prince Jing, Xiao Jinghong! The late emperor's younger brother, Xiao Jingche's uncle, was a respected figure, but because he had chosen the wrong side in the succession struggle, he had always been neglected, living in the capital, seemingly at peace with the world.
If this token truly was connected to Prince Jing... Gu Zhao didn't dare to dwell on it. If this prince of such high rank was truly the core of "Ninth Brother," his plans would surely be dire! He immediately crafted a secret memorial, using extremely cryptic language to warn the emperor to pay attention to the royal family, especially those of high rank who might harbor resentment towards the government.
Meanwhile, in Kunning Palace, Lu Qinglan's suspicions deepened after receiving Gu Zhao's ambiguous feedback regarding the jade ring. She knew more than Xiao Jingche and Gu Zhao—information from the Zuoxian King of Beidi had mentioned that "Ninth Brother" had promised Beidi a more "obedient" emperor. A neglected, motivated, and highly respected prince perfectly met all the requirements!
"Prince Jing, Xiao Jinghong..." Lu Qinglan whispered the name. Fragments of vague memories from her past life surfaced. It seemed Prince Jing had indeed engaged in some unusual behavior during the later years of Xiao Jingche's reign, but she had already lost power by then and hadn't been able to delve into it. It turned out the root of the trouble had already been sown.
"Have our people fully investigate Prince Jing. All his public industries and personal connections, as well as all his covert channels and financial transactions, especially those related to the Grand Canal!" Lu Qinglan ordered. Feng Chuang's mention of "Grain Canal Day on the third day of the third lunar month" was no mere fabrication.
The investigation quietly unfolded. On the surface, the Prince Jing's mansion appeared calm, like a stagnant pool of water. But a deeper investigation revealed countless clues. While Prince Jing didn't directly control the canal, his concubine's family controlled several small-scale docks and shipping lines along the canal. More importantly, by tracing several shell companies that had secret financial transactions with "Rui Yuxuan," the ultimate flow of funds vaguely pointed to several properties under the name of Prince Jing's mansion!
Time passed in a tense atmosphere, winter turned to spring, and the canal thawed. Only half a month remained until the third day of March.
On this day, two pieces of almost identical important intelligence were delivered to Xiao Jingche's imperial desk and Lu Qinglan's palace respectively.
Intelligence indicates that a large "caravan" has quietly assembled in the south, ostensibly transporting silk and porcelain, and is scheduled to arrive at the Tongzhou Canal Dock in the capital around the third day of March. However, this "caravan" boasts a significantly larger escort and employs numerous skilled sailors. The warehouse where it plans to unload its cargo is located near a dock controlled by the family of Prince Jing's concubine.
Almost immediately, Cao Jin, after countless hardships, finally tracked down an old maid who had once served as a personal companion to the Empress Dowager Duanhui. The maid, now in her twilight years, recalled, under coercion and inducement from the Imperial City Administration, with trembling voices, that the Empress Dowager had indeed favored white camellias, and that Prince Jing... had often visited the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager in his youth, and that the Empress Dowager had once jokingly promised him her most beloved pot of white camellia... As for the jade ring, she vaguely remembered that the late Emperor had gifted Prince Jing with some ancient jade, some of which seemed to... have a similar dragon pattern...
All the clues have now converged into a turbulent undercurrent, targeting Prince Jing Xiao Jinghong!
Xiao Jingche looked at the intelligence gathered in his hands, his face gloomy enough to drip water. His uncle! He was actually the core of the "Ninth Brother" plotting treason and attempting to usurp the throne! A surge of anger at being betrayed by a loved one, mixed with the violence of having his imperial authority challenged, surged in his chest.
"What a great Uncle Jing! What a 'Ninth Brother'!" Xiao Jingche gritted his teeth, "Cao Jin!"
"The servant is here!"
"Secretly mobilize all reliable imperial guards to monitor all movements within Prince Jing's mansion! Notify Zhou Zhen, the garrison commander of the capital, to secretly block the main roads around Tongzhou Wharf. Without my order, not a single fly can be released! On the third day of March... I will make sure they can't come or go!"
"I obey your orders!"
Inside Kunning Palace, Lu Qinglan received the same information. She stood by the window, gazing at the newly blossoming forsythia in the courtyard, her gaze cold and resolute.
"Finally, the truth is revealed." She whispered to herself.
"Empress, how should we deploy?" Fu Yu asked.
"Notify Wei Zheng and have his men prepare for my orders on March 3rd. Focus on Prince Jing's mansion and the Tongzhou docks. We must prevent Prince Jing from causing chaos in the capital, and we must also intercept that 'merchant caravan' and capture them red-handed." Lu Qinglan's thoughts were clear. "Also, have our men in the Censorate and the Imperial Academy be prepared. If anything happens, we must immediately report to His Majesty, requesting that the traitor be severely punished and the remaining criminals be eliminated!"
She wanted to take this opportunity not only to eliminate "Ninth Brother", but also to use this momentum to completely establish her own authority and leave Xiao Jingche with no power to fight back.
The mystery of the jade ring has been revealed, pointing to the hidden prince. The grain transport on the third day of the third lunar month is no longer just a regular merchant caravan, but the destination of a meticulously planned conspiracy to overthrow the country, and the final showdown between justice and rebellion.
The net has been cast, and it's time to reel it in.
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