Chapter 70 The Difficulty of the Shu Road (Part 4) "In the past two years, I have increasingly felt..."
News of Du Youjin's unexpected death quickly reached the Li family. Upon hearing this, Li Shihai was alarmed. When he learned that the government had intervened, he feared that the matter would escalate and uncover something. He immediately ordered his men to burn all the goods in Du Youjin's possession.
Still feeling uneasy, he instructed his wife, Madam Cheng, "Write a letter to Brother Cheng to inquire whether things are stable in Yazhou. If there are any hidden dangers or problems, we can make alternative arrangements in time."
Just as Li Shihuai was considering whether to privately contact the yamen to expedite the case, a servant suddenly announced from outside that His Highness Prince Xin had come incognito and urgently needed to see him to discuss important matters.
Li Shih-huai could roughly guess the purpose of Prince Xin's visit, and while pondering this, he walked towards the front hall. He hadn't gone far when he bumped into Prince Xin, who had come looking for him impatiently. Li Shih-huai could only hurriedly bow and lead Prince Xin back to his study.
"Uncle, have you heard about what happened at Suiyun Tower in Dengshikou last night?" Prince Xin asked directly.
Li Shihai nodded and said he understood. He poured tea for him and then sat down to analyze the situation he had learned of. This was also to calm Prince Xin down and prevent him from losing his composure.
“It’s hot, Your Highness, please calm down.” Li Shihai raised his eyes slightly, slowly stroking the armrest of the rosewood chair with his hand, coughed, and said in a low voice, “We know nothing about the Crown Prince’s condition, so we cannot act rashly.”
"Shi Xi definitely cannot be allowed to stay."
“It’s not just Shi Xi who can’t be kept. We can’t get involved in the Eastern Palace for the time being, and doing anything now would only expose us. We can only tidy up outside the palace first. Even if the Crown Prince has suspicions, it’s useless if we can’t find solid evidence.”
“That’s right. Du Youjin is dead and there’s no way to verify the truth, but Eunuch Ma… if we can use this to stir up a conflict between the Crown Prince and the Eastern Depot, that would be quite interesting.” A glint of cunning flashed in Prince Xin’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but feel a little eager to try.
At this point in the conversation, a difference of opinion emerged between the two. Prince Xin, having just come up with an idea, had not yet given it much thought. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "It is indeed possible. However, the capital is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from Shu. Even if we were to investigate, it would probably take quite some time."
Li Shihai knew that Prince Xin's focus was still on the batch of Mengding Dew, and he sighed inwardly. What worried him was the rebellion in southern Sichuan in recent days, which involved many people and was quite complicated. If the Crown Prince discovered any mistakes, it would probably ruin the grand plan.
“These are all just precautions. We can’t know for sure what the situation will be.” Li Shihai picked up his teacup, then put it down again. He said in a deep voice, “Now that His Majesty is often in the West Garden, although he seems to be far away from politics, nothing in the court can escape His Majesty’s eyes. The conclusions are usually based solely on His Majesty’s will. However, His Majesty does not hold court all day. Although he has a wide range of information, he is still inevitably prone to being misled by biased information.”
Prince Xin sighed, “The only people who can speak in front of the Emperor are a few eunuchs, and they are all suppressed by Lan Huaien. The people we have planted cannot show their talents too much for the time being. I originally wanted to use the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but Qiu Cong is upright and rigid, and he is not easily persuaded.”
Li Shih-huai stroked his beard and continued, "The Crown Prince also set his sights on the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and even tried to arrange a marriage between the Shen and Zhang families. Unfortunately, his wishful thinking failed. Once the incident in southern Sichuan occurs, the Sichuan governor Shen Yue will be implicated, and his son is even less significant, holding a position in the palace but merely having a nominal title."
Prince Xin listened to his clear explanation and could only nod silently. The scorching sun outside the hall had already receded, and the last vestiges of heat before dusk were quietly dissipated in the evening breeze. Without realizing it, he walked to the window and stood there motionless.
.
When Prince Xin returned to his residence, it was already completely dark. He had just sat down and picked up his teacup when he suddenly remembered something. He jumped up and raised his hand to call for someone. But halfway through his sentence, he realized it was late, sighed, and sat down again.
The eunuch Zhou Ze, who was attending to the prince, was also caught off guard and hurriedly asked, "Did Your Highness give any instructions?"
Prince Xin waved his hand: "The palace gates are already locked, there's no need."
Upon hearing that Prince Xin had returned to the residence, Princess Xin hurried to the front hall. She had gone to the palace earlier that day to visit the imprisoned commoner, Lady Li, a once-glorious imperial concubine whose current situation was quite dire. Aside from her desolate dwelling and meager food and clothing, Lady Li no longer recognized Princess Xin when she entered to pay her respects.
"My mother already had an eye ailment, and she had been imprisoned without receiving treatment, and now she is completely blind." The princess recalled the dried, black bloodstains on Li's eyes, which were truly shocking.
Prince Xin asked in surprise, "How come she can't get treatment? Didn't we entrust Physician Yao to take care of Mother Consort?"
"Food and clothing shortage? Even the palace servants are well-fed and clothed. Doesn't the mansion often send things in? Could it be that someone in the palace is deliberately cutting back on Mother Consort's allowance?"
“Your Highness, why would you need to be so concerned?” The Princess Consort finally choked up. “The palace has always been a place of fawning on the powerful and bullying the weak. Once Mother Consort lost power, those below naturally changed their tune. After His Majesty moved out of the Forbidden City, the affairs of the harem were managed by Consort Ning and Consort Jing. You can imagine their attitude towards Mother Consort. No matter how much the manor sends, it can’t always be there for her. When I went there today, I also asked someone to summon the imperial physician to examine Mother Consort. The physician said that Mother Consort is almost at the end of her life…”
Prince Xin's eyes were red, and he gritted his teeth and shed tears: "My mother has served my father for many years, bearing him children and managing the six palaces. She has worked so hard, and now she has fallen to such a state!"
He slammed his fist hard on the table, the loud bang startling the princess. She quickly helped Prince Xin up, but could only manage to utter the words "calm down." Prince Xin pursed his lips, his face turning pale.
He knew his father no longer valued his mother, and after so much time, even the last vestiges of pity might have vanished. He was well aware of the emperor's cold-heartedness. And his uncle, Li Shih-huai, would certainly not care about his deposed concubine sister in the palace.
His mother could only rely on him, her son. He knew that there was only one way to truly save his mother from her suffering.
The room was as still as a stagnant pool. Prince Xin paced back and forth, hesitant and indecisive. Finally, he said, "Tomorrow, I will go to the West Garden and ask my father to allow me to bring my mother into the palace to take care of her."
"Your Highness, please take Tang'er with you as well."
Prince Xin nodded, paused for a moment, then turned to ask, "I heard that Lady Wei was ill a few days ago. Has she recovered now?"
“Sister Wei was just slightly unwell and has long since recovered.” Princess Xin lowered her eyes, understanding the implication: “Let her serve Your Highness tonight.”
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Just past noon, a dozen officials arrived one after another at Renshou Palace in the West Garden under the scorching sun. Half an hour earlier, the imperial eunuchs had delivered an imperial decree summoning all the court officials to a meeting. However, when the officials rushed over, they were told by the eunuchs that the emperor was still asleep and asked to wait in a side hall.
Grand Secretary Yang Ren wiped the sweat from his face and glanced back at the hall with concern.
Since the beginning of summer this year, the emperor has not returned to the inner palace, let alone held court. Memorials are frequently sent to the Western Garden, but whether the emperor reads them or how many he reads is another matter. As for Yang Ren, when summoned to an audience with the emperor, there are sometimes situations where the emperor suddenly changes his mind and the audience cannot be held.
He secretly pondered: regarding the rebellion in southern Sichuan, the joint petition submitted by the cabinet had been rejected by the emperor; he had heard that the Embroidered Uniform Guard had been mobilized, but he wondered what for; the Sichuan governor, Shen Yue, was now suspended from his post pending impeachment, and if the matter were to be investigated thoroughly, it would likely implicate many people…
He glanced around casually, his gaze lightly sweeping over He Shu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. After the incident in southern Sichuan, the Eastern Palace had actively followed up and participated in handling some procedures; however, the Crown Prince was not present at this summons.
About an incense stick's time later, a eunuch came to deliver a message, and everyone, each with their own thoughts, entered the main hall. The hall was filled with the scent of incense, something the imperial courtiers and several court officials who frequently visited the Western Garden were already accustomed to. A few officials were entering this main hall for the first time, and after bowing and paying their respects along with the others, they still couldn't see the emperor, which aroused their curiosity.
Until the emperor's voice came from behind the curtain, and it was even clear that the emperor was in good spirits: "What do you think of the rebellion in southern Sichuan?"
Minister of War Cai Yan stepped forward, bowed, and respectfully replied: "The Tianquan Six Barbarians Pacification Commission was established in the early years of the Jianning era, under the jurisdiction of the Sichuan Regional Military Commission, with its seat in Yazhou. From the end of the Qingyuan era to the present, the chief pacification commissioner has always been Yu Chufeng, and the deputy pacification commissioner has been She Ning. They pay tribute once every three years. In the early years of the Xuanning era, Yu Chufeng petitioned the court to allow him to recruit local people as soldiers to guard the border, and the court granted his request. Later, Yu went to court to petition for the Tianquan Six Barbarians Pacification Commission to be changed to a military post, and the court still granted his request. However, he did not appreciate the emperor's grace and was ambitious, so he gathered his subordinates to raise an army in an attempt to control southern Sichuan. Such a fierce and disloyal person must be severely punished to uphold the law and appease public anger. There is really no need to show him any leniency. I believe that he should be eradicated as soon as possible."
Ren Lu, the Vice Minister of War, also seconded the proposal, saying, "The various barbarian tribes in southern Sichuan frequently invade and cause constant friction and conflict with the border, which has long been a burden on the local people. Moreover, in recent years, the usual tribute has been delayed and even stopped altogether. These mere barbarians are ungrateful and have wolfish ambitions. Where do they place the majesty of our Great Qi? Even if the Yu family has deep roots in southern Sichuan, their small territory cannot withstand the imperial army. Your subject, Ren Lu, volunteer to go and quell the rebellion!"
Ren Lu, a native of Shandong, was a burly man with a booming voice. Standing among the assembled civil officials, he was like a crane among chickens. His slightly dark face was taut, and his solemnity was intimidating. After delivering his impassioned speech, the official beside him subtly took a small step to the side. At the same time, the emperor behind the curtain at the head of the table couldn't help but reach up and press his ear.
A moment of silence fell over the hall, the echoes of which seemed to linger. No one spoke for a time. The emperor ignored him, looking down at the memorials at hand, and then changed the subject, asking, "Since tribute is mentioned, what does the Ministry of Revenue say? I recall there was a change three years ago."
Li Shihuai reported, "Your Majesty, the old annual tribute of Wucha from the Six Barbarian Expeditionary Command was 50,000 catties, which was directly transported to the Diaomen Tea and Horse Office for the exchange of horses. Later, an imperial edict ordered an additional 2,200 catties of bud tea. Three years ago, Yu Chufeng submitted a memorial stating that the mountains and forests were deep and the land was barren, making procurement difficult. Your Majesty graciously granted permission for them to only procure bud tea. This year, it should have been delivered as tribute, but the Expeditionary Command reported a few months ago that the tribute was robbed en route, and officials from the Yazhou area have been dispatched to investigate and suppress the mountain bandits in order to recover the tribute."
The emperor yawned: "Still haven't found out? It's one thing that Yazhou is in a remote area, but what about the governor of Sichuan? I read the memorials they submitted, saying that the rebels are fierce and difficult to suppress, but this situation has been going on for more than just a day or two."
This time, it was a censor who replied: "Your Majesty, last year when Sichuan suffered a severe drought, the Sichuan Provincial Inspector, for personal gain, concealed the fact that the disaster had occurred. However, reporting disasters in years of famine is the responsibility of the local governors and inspectors. Some officials impeached Governor Shen Yue for being a mere figurehead, but those officials were subsequently implicated in the summer tax case and punished, and the matter of Governor Shen Yue was ultimately dropped. Now, there is a rebellion in southern Sichuan, and Shen Yue not only suppresses the provincial inspector's memorials, but even the Sichuan Provincial Treasurer dares not utter a word, which shows that he is tyrannical and can control everything."
Once someone started it, the others seized on the topic, debating the handling of the rebellion in Yazhou and attacking local officials like Shen Yue. The atmosphere in the hall became heated, almost erupting into argument. Only when a eunuch shouted "Silence!" did the crowd quiet down.
The emperor's head ached from listening, and a young eunuch beside him massaged his temples. He recalled the report from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs that there had been many impeachments against Shen Yue in recent days, and he felt somewhat irritated.
At this moment, Grand Secretary Yang Ren spoke up: "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to send troops to suppress the rebellion. The rest can be investigated by the relevant authorities after the rebellion is quelled before they can be punished."
Cai Yan rejected his hesitation: "Hesitation will only lead to more trouble. Simply appeasing and showing leniency will only embolden the Yu clan, making them even more demanding. A combination of suppression and appeasement is the proper course of action. From the moment the Yu clan began their rebellion, they have proven unfit to be a commander-in-chief. Now they are bandits. If the Yu clan is not eliminated, the various tribes will be difficult to pacify, and endless troubles will follow. However, the local mountain people should be appeased to reassure them. If any ignorant and stubborn people remain unrepentant, they should be executed as a warning to others. But the work of appeasing the people cannot be rushed; it must be done gradually..."
"Alright," the emperor interrupted, clearly exhausted, but patiently added, "Ren Lu can go if he wants, and an imperial censor named Huang Yi will also go with him. The rest of the arrangements are up to the cabinet."
The officials received the decree and were about to bow and take their leave when a sudden cry of "Your Majesty!" came from behind the curtain. A eunuch rushed out to fetch the imperial physician. A flurry of activity erupted in the hall; the officials exchanged bewildered glances, holding their breath in a tense but reassuring silence.
After a while, Lan Huaien emerged from inside, gave a barely audible bow to the assembled officials, and conveyed an imperial edict: "His Majesty is unwell, all of you may leave. Chief Minister Yang, please stay for now, His Majesty has other instructions."
The group took their leave, but as soon as they stepped out of the hall, they were immediately exposed to the scorching sun. After only a few steps, beads of sweat appeared on everyone's foreheads. Walking back on foot would surely lead to heatstroke, if not exhaustion. Chen Xiu looked around and asked the eunuchs for a few umbrellas to provide shade, but with so many people and so few umbrellas, several people crammed under one umbrella were hardly any better off.
Chen Xiu and He Shu walked together in silence, each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Once they were some distance from the others, He Shu spoke softly: "Grand Secretary Chen, is the memorial presented to the Emperor regarding the rebellion in southern Sichuan really over?"
Chen Xiu smiled slightly: "Does Wei Zhong have other ideas?"
He Shu said he dared not, but said frankly, "This morning when we were discussing matters in the Wenhua Hall, His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned that Yu Chufeng's uprising seemed to have some ulterior motives."
Chen Xiu shook his head: "His Majesty has already issued the decree in the palace just now. These minor details have little impact. Now it's all up to Vice Minister Ren and Imperial Censor Huang."
He Shu opened his mouth, wanting to say that Ren Lu's style of doing things probably wouldn't care about such details. But he swallowed the words back and silently sighed.
Chen Xiu guessed his thoughts and reminded him, "Isn't there Huang Yi? He was recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince, and he seems very reliable to me. If he handles this mission well, he will have a very bright future."
Inside the Renshou Palace's sleeping quarters, the imperial physicians, having examined the emperor's pulse and performed acupuncture, confirmed that he was out of immediate danger and were gathered together to discuss treatment. The emperor slowly awoke and, with the help of a eunuch, sat up. He pointed to the door, and the eunuch hurried to fetch water, but Lan Huai'en, ever alert, summoned Yang Ren closer.
The emperor nodded and ordered his men to leave.
Yang Ren knelt down before the bed, listening to the emperor's still somewhat weak voice: "Si Cun, why perform such a grand ceremony..."
Yang Ren even sounded slightly tearful: "Your Majesty has fallen ill from overwork. As a minister, I have been unable to share your burdens. This is my fault!"
The emperor gazed at him deeply, rarely showing signs of weariness and aging: "These past two years, I've increasingly felt my strength failing me. Si Cun, you can see I'm getting old, but my time isn't up yet, I won't pass away so soon..."
Yang Ren's face turned pale, and he immediately kowtowed heavily, saying, "Long live Your Majesty!"
The emperor grunted, took the water and drank it slowly, regaining some of his energy. He then waved for him to rise and speak.
"I asked you to stay because there is something I need to tell you privately."
"yes."
"I have no intention of showing leniency regarding the matter in southern Sichuan. Those disloyal tribes are ultimately a hidden danger, which is why I sent Ren Lu there. Although he is a civil official, he is capable of leading troops into battle. At that time, the prefectural government, the garrison command, and the troops stationed at the thousand-household level will all be at his disposal, so there is no need to worry too much. As for the local officials found to be treacherous, such as Shen Yue, they will all be severely punished."
The emperor was clearly struggling to speak so much in one breath. He paused for a moment before finally adding, "As for the rest, you and the crown prince can arrange it as you see fit."
Yang Ren responded that he obeyed the decree, bowed, and took his leave, saying, "I earnestly hope that Your Majesty will take good care of your health."
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