Chapter 37
On the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, pomegranate flowers bloom in vibrant red, marking the transition from spring to summer and the lingering monsoon rains.
Inside the Prime Minister's residence in the capital, a man hurried along, holding an oil-paper umbrella. Maids along the way bowed in greeting. He walked under the eaves, closed the umbrella, stopped a maid, handed her the umbrella, and asked, "Where is the Prime Minister?"
The maidservant curtsied and said, "Young Master, the Prime Minister has been in the study all day."
Song Yanqi nodded and waved his hand. The maid curtsied and stepped aside, only standing up after Song Yanqi left.
Song Yanqi walked through the eaves to the study, raised his hand and knocked on the door. Song Yunzhou's steady voice came from inside: "What is it?"
Song Yanqi pushed open the door and went in, handing over the letter with both hands, saying, "Father, there is a letter from my younger sister."
"Did your little sister say anything in the letter? Never mind..." Song Yunzhou took the letter and read it himself, his brows furrowing more and more as he read on.
After a long pause, he placed the letter on the table: "What are your thoughts on what your younger sister said in her letter?"
Song Yanqi paused, then said carefully, "While rice hulling is indeed beneficial to the people, the relationship between the two factions is becoming increasingly tense, and His Majesty is incompetent and tyrannical. It is not a good time to promote it."
Song Yunzhou stood with his back turned, pondered for a moment, and nodded.
Song Yanqi waited for a while, but his father did not continue. He asked in confusion, "Are we just going to ignore this? If the Changwang faction finds out about this, they will inevitably gain the upper hand, which will probably be even more disadvantageous for us."
“You’re right, find a reasonable excuse to bring the person into the capital first and then make further plans.” Song Yunzhou paused, then continued, “Remember to be careful and find a reliable person to do it.”
"Father, why don't you let her do it..." Song Yanqi glanced at his father's expression. That person was sent by his father to protect his younger sister. He had been trained by his father since childhood and could be considered a reliable person.
Song Yunzhou turned his back to the window, looked at the rain falling outside, and sighed: "I'll leave this matter to you. Also, keep a close eye on the situation in the palace. It was Father who misjudged people and chose such a foolish emperor. He really has let down the late emperor."
“Father…” Song Yanqi was about to say something when Song Yunzhou waved his hand, so he had no choice but to give up and bow as he left the study.
After a moment of silence, Song Yunzhou's thoughts inevitably turned to his youngest daughter. His daughter was in poor health, yet she was also well-behaved and sensible, which made him feel even more sorry for her. He wondered whether sending her to Linyang County would be a blessing or a curse.
Leaving the study, Song Yanqi left the Prime Minister's residence with two personal guards. He rode his horse at full speed and entered a separate courtyard. The courtyard was a two-section courtyard. He knocked on the door and was greeted by a guard.
Song Yanqi: "Is everyone here?"
Guard: "Yes, they're all waiting in the front hall."
Song Yanqi passed through the hanging flower gate and strode into the front hall. There were already six people sitting in the front hall, and the hall fell silent as soon as he arrived.
"General Song, why hasn't the Prime Minister come?" one of them asked.
Song Yanqi glanced at the main seat and sat down: "Father has other important matters to attend to. This time, I will discuss this with you gentlemen. The late emperor passed away without leaving any heirs. The current emperor was chosen by Father and the ministers from among the imperial relatives. Who knew that after His Majesty ascended the throne, he became licentious and immoral, causing widespread suffering in less than a year. Furthermore, some vassal kings are stirring up trouble under the pretext of purging the court of corrupt officials. I'm sure you gentlemen are more aware of these situations than I am."
Grand Secretary Zhang stroked his beard and said carefully, “Deposing the emperor is a major event, and the matter of establishing a new emperor will be quite complicated. All the officials present have the late emperor’s decree of deposition and enthronement. If even one person opposes it, the matter cannot be accomplished.”
Upon hearing this, Song Yanqi took a sip of tea and said with a half-smile, "Oh, the matter of deposing the emperor is a serious one that naturally requires careful consideration. Don't you all agree?"
As the Grand General of the Imperial Guard, he was used to being decisive in killing, and although he was young, his aura was no less than that of the old men in front of him.
The ministers were momentarily stunned and looked at each other, especially Grand Secretary Zhang, who had just spoken. As long as it did not affect his family's interests, he was willing to do anything. He took a step back, and Grand Secretary Cheng, who was standing next to him, could not help but wipe his sweat and said, "We naturally support the abolition of the emperor, but this matter still needs to be discussed in detail."
“Yes, yes…” the others echoed.
Song Yanqi's expression softened a bit. He looked around and narrowed his long, narrow eyes: "Then let's discuss the matter of deposing the emperor together."
......
As dawn broke and Xiao Yu slept soundly through the night, he opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar bed. In his arms lay a soft, warm body. Several times when they were staying in the carriage, the young lady would hug him when he woke up, but considering the young lady's boundaries and to save her face, he didn't expose her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com