Family and State Affairs 2
After the imperial decree of Chen Duo's transfer was stamped by the cabinet and sent to the Ministry of War and the Northwest at the same time, the big stone hanging in Chen Cong's heart finally fell to the ground.
Now that the emperor is ill and the Empress is weak, Prince Zhao and Prince Ning are eyeing the throne of the Crown Prince.
Although Shen Duo's return to Beijing to serve as Minister of War was a temporary solution, it could at least make the two princes more cautious and restrained, and they would not dare to press the Eastern Palace for a year or two.
"If you ask me, this situation of brothers fighting and killing each other was caused by that person himself." After leaving the palace, Weiqi Hou Xie Lin looked worried. "The Empress Dowager clearly already had a eldest son, but because His Majesty favored Consort Hui, he delayed appointing a Crown Prince."
"Later, the eldest prince died, and Princes Zhao and Ning rose to power. To suppress the Pei and Cui clans, His Majesty remembered that Empress Yan was his legal wife and hastily appointed his youngest son, who was less than six years old, as Crown Prince to maintain balance in the court."
"But father is strong. How can a young dragon be able to defeat two fully grown brothers?" Xie Lin said with a hint of sarcasm at the corner of his mouth.
Thinking of what Lao Long said in Lizheng Hall, his brows became more and more uneasy. "So we, a group of 'loyal ministers', have no choice but to help the prince become the touchstone of the supreme position!"
This was extremely disrespectful. But no matter how disrespectful it was, Xie Lin had already said it in front of Shen Cong, and besides, he had been dissatisfied with their emperor for a long time.
Back then, Marquis Xie, as the prince's tutor, devoted all his family's efforts to helping Old Long secure the throne. However, upon ascending the throne, Old Long felt the Xie family was too powerful, and once he secured his throne, he immediately demoted all members of the Xie clan from the court.
The reason why his old man still retains the empty title of "Marquis of Wei Qi" is nothing more than an imperial tactic to show his grace and generosity to the world.
"Now that the Eastern Palace is established, the hierarchy is clear. It is our duty as subjects to share His Majesty's worries. My Lord, please be careful with your words." Chen Cong gave him a gentle glance, his face calm.
Looking at his elegant and graceful demeanor, Xie Lin felt that the Shen family was really interesting.
Emperors come and go, but aristocratic families remain. Unlike the Pei and Cui families who fought for power and profit, the Shen family has always been known among the literati for its indifference to fame and fortune and its elegant and upright character.
But if we say that the Shen family is indifferent to fame and fortune, a casual look at the family tree will reveal several prime ministers, secretaries of state, and generals. Even the powerful and fame-seeking Cui family does not have as many generals and ministers as their family.
It is also said that the Shen family is of noble character and has participated in many factional struggles for succession throughout the dynasties. However, after doing so, the Shen family was praised by historians as "upright and stern, keeping himself cautious under the imperial power, and having the demeanor of a bamboo."
It's really strange.
Xie Lin folded his arms and looked at his friend with interest: "Anyway, I can't figure you out, and I can't figure your Shen family out either."
"Since you've staked your entire clan on the young prince's plan this time, I think you've also prepared for failure, with your entire clan buried with you, and for your ancestors to curse you in the afterlife."
"But there's nothing to be afraid of. If we lose, it'll be a matter of us both going to hell. If your ancestors scold you then, my father and I will just plead for you."
Chen Cong raised his eyebrows slightly: "You, Lord Xie, don't have the entire Xie family? Are you sure the old marquis and the eldest princess won't scold you?"
Chen Cong said this nonchalantly, but Xie Lin immediately got goose bumps on his arms. He had been beaten with feather dusters by that couple since he was a child, and it had become stressful.
Xie Lin was so angry that he laughed: "Chen Wangxi, killing people and destroying their hearts?"
Chen Cong said nothing, with the corners of his lips slightly curved.
Then the two of them got down to business.
Six months ago, Liu Tongming was ordered to inspect Yangzhou to investigate a case of bribery in the salt transport industry. Before he even arrived in Yangzhou, the news that Master Liu had tragically drowned reached Kyoto.
The emperor was furious and sent Xu Changqiu from the Imperial Censorate with a special amnesty decree. Although Xu Changqiu arrived safely this time, he died at the official post station after accidentally eating black seeds before he could even get a chance to work in the officialdom.
Two important officials of the court died in succession. Even if Emperor Mingde had intended to let Prince Ning go by lifting him high and letting him go gently, Yangzhou's move was tantamount to a provocation and demonstration to the emperor. If Emperor Mingde still cared about the father-son relationship, he would no longer be the heroic prince who stepped on his brothers to ascend to the throne.
"Your Majesty sent me to Yangzhou and told me to investigate thoroughly without worrying about any relationship. But does this thorough investigation mean to overthrow Marquis Jiangyin, or to implicate His Royal Highness Prince Ning?" Xie Lin had a half-smile in his eyes, with coldness and sharpness in his eyes.
The Marquis of Jiangyin was the legitimate brother of Consort Hui, and the maternal uncle of the third prince, Prince Ning. Imperial relatives and the princes had always shared weal and woe, rising and falling together.
Emperor Mingde's attitude towards Prince Ning determined the extent of Xie Lin's actions. However, the superior was vague, knowing that the matter involved the royal family, but still leaving the ministers to figure it out for themselves.
Chen Cong said calmly: "The emperor is guilty of the same crime as the common people, not to mention he is a prince."
"Our emperor doesn't think so. He is old now and tends to be soft-hearted. What's more, he only has three princes, Prince Zhao, Prince Ning and the Crown Prince. It's inevitable that he is deeply affectionate towards his children." Xie Lin sneered.
The reason why this matter fell on him was, firstly, because his uncle, the emperor, felt that he was half royal and of noble status, and Yangzhou would not dare to act rashly; secondly, because of this relationship, he felt that when investigating the case, he would at least take the royal family's reputation into consideration and would not be as careless as Chen Cong before.
"Then sentence Prince Ning to death." Chen Cong raised his eyes and tapped the table with his index finger. "Your Majesty can only choose one between the world and the prince."
We talked about some other things at Xie's house, and it was almost three quarters past midnight when we returned to Yan Xiju.
Ling Wan was still awake, sitting at the desk, staring intently at a blank sheet of paper. Seeing Chen Cong return, she seemed to have spotted a savior. She took out her purple hair brush and placed it in his hand, "Master Shen, quickly write a letter home to your son."
Letter from home?
"Who is it written for?" Chen Cong asked her.
"Huai Jin. I asked Tang Jie'er, Huai'an and Huai Yin to write, and now only you are missing." Ling Wan said seriously.
Chen Cong found it a little funny and asked her jokingly who had said in front of him before, "It's normal that the Fourth Young Master doesn't accept me, I don't like him that much anyway", but why did she start calling him "Huai Jin" in a close manner not long after.
"As your wife, it is my duty to educate our children well." Ling Wan didn't want to feel guilty about telling him that Shen Huaijin looked lonely that day, so she found an impeccable excuse and planned to let it go.
Chen Cong obviously noticed that she was being vague, so he lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Ling Wan, think it over before you speak. Lying will be punished."
Punishment? Chen Yuanyuan's mind suddenly flashed back to the scene of Master Shen "punishing" her a few nights ago, and her face couldn't help but flush.
"Don't mess around tonight. I, I'm telling you." Ling Wan cleared her throat unnaturally.
Although it was a good idea, she really couldn't stand some of the tricks, and she didn't know how this well-dressed second-rank official came up with them.
"Before I said I didn't like Huai Jin, it was indeed because he was rude first, but I'm a petty person and I'm vindictive, so I just wanted us to keep to ourselves and live in peace."
"But then I thought about it carefully and felt that it was wrong. Since I became your wife, I have the title of Second Madam of the Shen family. Although Huai Jin treated me rudely, as an elder, I failed to understand his grief at losing his father at a young age, and I allowed my temper to make me alienated from him. As a mother, I am not much better."
"Besides, he is your eldest son, responsible for the prosperity and decline of the Second Branch and even the entire Shen family. I don't want outsiders to see the joke of our Second Branch's family discord and brothers fighting each other because of my own selfishness."
Ling Wan picked up the letters from Chen Tang and the others and said, "As for why I asked Tang Jie'er, Huai'an and the others to write as well, I do have some selfish motives."
A woman is expected to obey her husband after marriage, but if there is no one in her natal family, she will have to endure the bullying in her husband's family by herself. She really likes Tang Jie'er, so she wants to keep in touch with Shen Huaijin while Chen Tang is still at home, so that if something happens to her husband's family in the future, she will not be without help.
The same thought went for Huai'an and Huaiyin. They were still young, and with such a capable older brother to support them, they would surely endure less hardship and take fewer detours in the future.
"Besides, Huaijin has only just turned seventeen, a young man who hasn't even come of age yet. Since I've taken on the title of his 'stepmother,' whether you believe it or not, I sincerely hope for the best for him."
"This kind of goodness is the same as what I hope for Tang Jie'er, Huai'an, and Huai Yin. I hope they will have a safe and smooth life and get what they want."
It is the responsibility of parents to ensure the physical and mental health of teenagers.
Chen Cong looked at Xu Lingwan thoughtfully. If someone else had said this, he would have thought it was just polite talk.
But when Ling Wan said this, he knew it was true. Ever since she became his wife, everything she did, every word she said, had been completely candid in front of him.
She never hid from him the likes and dislikes of the concubines in his harem, and the loves and dislikes of his children.
Sometimes, seeing her doing her best for Tang Jie'er and Huai'an, he couldn't help but be curious and wanted to ask her why she was so good to them. But if he asked, Mr. Shen knew in his heart that it was probably because "being good to them is what I should do as a mother."
He couldn't find any fault with the words, but he always felt something was wrong.
So when he knew that she was not that nice to Huai Jin, or even that she was indifferent to him, he was actually happy in his heart.
She was only seventeen, a few months younger than Huai Jin. She didn't need to compromise herself just because she was a "wife" or "mother." A little girl should behave like a little girl.
"You seem to be very optimistic about him." Chen Cong smiled and saw her holding him on her lap.
"Of course. With such a father, how could the son be any worse?" Ling Wan said seriously.
Chen Cong couldn't help but touch his nose with his pretended deep look. "Since my wife has said so, I have to write this letter. After all, it's the father's fault for not raising and educating the child, right?"
Hehehe, it really is Master Shen, here we go!
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