Chapter 90 The Prince Who Failed to Revolt
We returned to Kyoto on schedule, traveling day and night.
On the second day, Zhang Xiaojia finally couldn't bear it anymore. She cried and shouted, and refused to continue on the journey.
Zhang Xiaojia clung to a pillar in the post station, refusing to get back on the carriage. "Brother, even animals need to rest. You've been taking the tonic and are in good shape, but women generally can't match men's physical strength. I can't take it anymore. I have to get a good night's sleep in my bed tonight, and stop being jostled around in this carriage!"
The emperor looked at her stubborn look and couldn't help but smile: "There is still a day's journey left. Wouldn't it be better to go back and see Jingwen earlier?"
Zhang Xiaojia shook her head in protest, her eyes filled with fatigue and determination: "No, I really can't hold on any longer."
The emperor waved his hand helplessly: "Fine, let's rest at the post station tonight."
The next morning, Zhang Xiaojia woke up early, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs in high spirits.
However, she found that the emperor was sitting in the hall with a confused look on his face, looking a little dazed.
Zhang Xiaojia felt nervous and thought to himself, I didn’t get up late, so why did the emperor look like this?
She quietly walked over to Eunuch Mai and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with my brother? Why does he look weird?"
Eunuch Mai also lowered his voice and said solemnly: "Yesterday, there was a landslide in the mountain ahead. According to the time, if we had set out yesterday..." He didn't finish his words, but the meaning was already very clear - if they had continued on their journey last night, they would probably have been buried under the rocks now.
After hearing this, Zhang Xiaojia felt a wave of fear in her heart and could not help but look at the emperor. The emperor seemed to have noticed her gaze and raised his head, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
He sighed softly and whispered, "Fortunately, we stopped last night."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded, secretly feeling relieved. She walked to the emperor and whispered, "Brother, it seems that God is helping us too."
The emperor smiled slightly and patted her hand: "Yes, perhaps this is God's will."
Zhang Xiaojia suddenly shook his head and said, "No, it was me. I escaped because I didn't leave. Brother, you should pay for everything I bought in this small border town this time!"
The emperor nodded and said, "Okay!"
Zhang Xiaojia pulled a thick roll of bills from his sleeve, held it in both hands and handed it to the emperor, his eyes glittering with cunning. "I've asked those people in the Western Regions, and they said there's a lot of high-yield seeds. Didn't you lend me and the prince your imperial farm? I'll plant them for you, and if we get high-yield grain, I'll take 40% and you 60%."
The emperor took the bill, and his originally careless eyes suddenly froze when he scanned the total amount.
His slender fingers tapped the bill lightly, his eyebrows raised slightly. "Two hundred and twenty thousand taels of silver?" His voice was filled with a hint of amusement. "I want to see where all this money has been spent."
He pointed to the first item and asked, "What is this 100,000 taels?"
Zhang Xiaojia blinked and said confidently, "Brother, every time you arrive at a military base, you say, 'Propagate my decree: Today, we will reward the three armies and ensure that the soldiers are well fed and well watered!' Do these cost silver?"
The emperor chuckled and moved his fingertips downwards: "What about the thirty thousand taels?"
"Buy a war horse!" Zhang Xiaojia answered decisively.
"Didn't you exchange it for a mirror?" The emperor raised his eyebrows.
Zhang Xiaojia straightened his back and said seriously, "Brother, I meant to give you the craftsman after returning to Beijing. Now that we haven't returned to Beijing, the mirror technology belongs to me, and the money earned by the mirror still belongs to me."
The emperor was amused by her twisted logic, shook his head and continued reading: "Okay, then what about the 50,000 taels?"
Zhang Xiaojia's expression suddenly became serious. "This small town of Xian'an was hit by a plague, so we didn't go there. But when you asked for porridge donation, I gave 50,000 taels of silver to the Wude Division Envoy, specifically indicating that it was a reward from the emperor. When you saw a group of people queuing up to drink porridge, I added 30,000 taels of silver myself so that I could donate to them to help them harvest the porridge."
The Emperor's gaze softened slightly upon hearing this. He continued to look through the bills: "Where's the remaining 40,000 taels?"
Zhang Xiaojia's eyes lit up immediately. "I bought seeds and jewelry, and furs from the border areas were all very cheap, so I bought everything I liked." As she spoke, she pulled out a string of crystal clear glass beads from her sleeve. "Look at this, it's only fifty taels, but it would cost at least two hundred taels in the capital! And these furs," she pointed to the goods piled outside the door, "are all top-quality mink furs. I plan to give one to each of the concubines in the palace."
The emperor looked at her and couldn't help shaking his head and laughing, "You are good at business."
"Of course," Zhang Xiaojia raised his chin proudly. "Brother, don't worry. After we plant these seeds, we'll definitely have a bumper harvest next year. By then, we'll not only make back our investment, but also ensure that the people have enough to eat."
The emperor looked at her high spirits, a trace of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "Okay, I will wait and see your results."
Zhang Xiaojia came closer with a smile: "Brother, these bills..."
The emperor waved his hand and said, "It is approved."
He looked down at the bill in his hand and whispered to himself, "This girl is even better at spending money than I am."
————
Inside the Chuigong Hall, the magnificent and golden palace was now shrouded in a solemn atmosphere.
There was a small rosewood table next to the dragon table and dragon chair. He Fei sat upright with a frown on his face.
He looked at the dragon throne beside him and sighed again. He didn't want to sit on the dragon throne! Your Majesty, please come back soon!
If you go to the border to comfort the troops, his Jiajia will be worried. If you go with him, he will be ordered to supervise the country again.
He is so annoyed!
The mountain of memorials in front of him almost overwhelmed him, and each one seemed to mock him, the unfortunate prince who was forced to serve as regent.
"Can't these ministers be more concise when writing memorials?" He Fei rubbed his temples and casually opened a memorial book.
It begins with a long greeting, interspersed with trivial government affairs, and ends with another long paragraph of compliments.
He sighed. He was afraid of making mistakes if he didn't read these memorials, but reading them gave him a headache.
His Highness's Prime Minister was still chattering away, reporting something, and He Fei could only feel a buzzing in his ears.
He raised his hand to interrupt the Prime Minister: "Your Excellency, this matter is not urgent. The Emperor will be back soon. Could you please wait a few days and discuss it with the Emperor then?"
The Prime Minister looked at the young prince in front of him and smiled helplessly. This Prince Jing really did not covet power and always looked as if he could avoid it when handling government affairs.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the hall.
A commander of the imperial guards walked quickly into the hall and knelt on one knee. "Reporting to Prince Jing, there has been a landslide on Philadelphia Mountain leading to Kyoto! According to your majesty's itinerary, he will definitely pass through this place. Now...now there is no news from your majesty!"
He Fei suddenly stood up from his chair when he heard this, his face suddenly changed. He took a deep breath, quickly calmed down, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes.
"Pass the order!" His voice was steady and powerful, a completely different voice from before. "First, immediately mobilize the imperial guards. Keep all members of the royal family under close surveillance and surround their residence. Anyone leaving without permission will be killed without mercy!"
"Secondly," he turned to his trusted guard, A-Da, "you will personally lead the troops to surround all the palaces in the harem and send all the little princes and princesses to the mother's palace. Immediately take the queen mother to the mother's palace as well and strengthen the guards!"
"Third," he looked outside the palace, "All secret guards, mobilize immediately to search for His Majesty in the area around Philadelphia Mountain. Ensure His Majesty's safety!"
Finally, he turned to the Prime Minister, his gaze piercing, "Prime Minister, until the Emperor returns safely, I ask that all the ministers remain in the palace for the time being. You will be personally responsible for appeasing the ministers. I do not want this matter to spread outside the palace and cause unrest within the court!"
After everyone received the order and acted.
He Fei stood in the Chuigong Hall, his eyes as sharp as torches and his expression stern. He took a deep breath and called out in a deep voice, "Long Yi, come out."
Before he finished speaking, a dark figure flashed from the shadows in the corner of the hall like a ghost. Long Yi knelt on one knee and bowed his head respectfully: "Prince Jing, what are your instructions?"
He Fei's eyes were sharp, and his tone was steady and forceful. "You will personally lead the Dragon Guards and assign them to each city gate to strictly guard it. No one, whether they are royal relatives or nobles, is allowed to leave the city. The situation in the capital must be firmly under our control, and no disturbance will be allowed."
Long Yi nodded slightly, a cold light flashing in his eyes: "I understand, I will do it immediately."
He Fei continued, "Arrange another team to go to the imperial mausoleum and gather the mausoleum guards, Wude Division spies, and the Imperial Guards. Wude Division spies will do their utmost to track down the emperor's whereabouts and make sure to find the emperor's whereabouts as soon as possible. All Imperial Guards will be on standby. Once the spies report any news, they will be dispatched immediately to protect the emperor's safety at all costs."
He paused, a fierce look flashing in his eyes. "The mausoleum guards will all be ambushed on all the main roads in the capital, keeping a close watch on any unsuspecting individuals taking advantage of the situation. Remember, bring knockout bullets this time. The safety of the Emperor is the top priority. If anyone looks suspicious, arrest them immediately. Use knockout bullets and muskets if necessary. We must ensure that nothing goes wrong."
Long Yi replied solemnly, "I will obey your orders and will definitely live up to your trust, Your Majesty."
He Fei nodded, his eyes showing a hint of fatigue, but more of determination: "Go, time is running out, be sure to be careful."
Long Yi saluted again, and disappeared into the hall in a flash.
He Fei looked at the direction he left, clenched his fists, and whispered to himself: "Brother Huang, you must return safely... I will protect the capital for you."
The flickering candlelight in the hall illuminated his resolute face. He Fei was no longer the playful and witty Prince Jing, but a Prince Regent, masterminding strategy and shouldering a heavy responsibility. Every step forward would determine the safety of the entire dynasty.
The Prime Minister hurriedly reentered the Chuigong Hall, his expression grave, a hint of anxiety between his brows. He bowed slightly, his voice low and hurried, "Prince Jing, something is not going well. Word of the Emperor's distress has somehow spread, and all the ministers at court know about it. This is clearly premeditated. I'm afraid someone is deliberately spreading this news to disrupt the court."
He Fei's expression remained calm upon hearing this, his gaze as tranquil as a deep pool. He slowly stood up, his tone firm and composed, "Prime Minister, there's no need to worry too much. I've just received accurate information that the Emperor is safe and well, and is on his way back to the capital. He should arrive in the near future."
The Prime Minister frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes: "Prince Jing, are you serious? Is the Emperor really safe and sound?"
He Fei smiled faintly, his tone filled with unquestionable majesty: "Prime Minister, how could I joke about the safety of the Emperor? The news is absolutely true, the Emperor is indeed safe. However, just in case, I have ordered the capital to be guarded more strictly to ensure that the Emperor's journey back to the capital is safe."
He paused, his gaze sweeping outside the palace, his tone growing colder. "As for those ministers, especially those with little princes at home, the Prime Minister may wish to convey a message to them on my behalf, telling them to rest assured. My brother is safe, but for safety's sake, all ministers must remain in the palace for the time being and are not allowed to leave without permission. Anyone who disobeys will be charged with treason."
The Prime Minister's expression eased slightly upon hearing this, but he was still a little hesitant: "But, if the ministers ask about it, how should we respond?"
He Fei's eyes darkened, and his tone was filled with an unquestionable majesty: "Tell them that this is my order. No one is allowed to act rashly before the emperor returns to the capital. If they have any objections, let them come to Chuigong Palace to see me in person."
The Prime Minister nodded, his expression finally relaxed a little: "I understand, your Highness. I will convey your order immediately."
He Fei nodded slightly, his tone softening a bit: "Thank you for your help, Prime Minister. The situation in the court is complicated, and I still need your attention."
The Prime Minister bowed slightly, a shrewd glint in his eyes, and whispered, "Prince Jing, since someone is deliberately spreading the news that the emperor is in danger with the intention of disrupting the court, why don't we take advantage of the situation, set a trap, lure the snake out of its hole, and catch the person behind the scenes in one fell swoop."
He Fei raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes: "What do you think, Prime Minister?"
The Prime Minister stroked his beard and spoke calmly, "Your Highness, you can announce to the public that the Emperor is indeed in danger, his life or death uncertain. You can even spread the word that a new emperor is about to be appointed. This way, those with ulterior motives will surely be unable to contain themselves and reveal their true intentions. We only need to secretly lay a net and capture them when they make their move."
He Fei pondered for a moment, then a cold smile appeared on his lips: "The Prime Minister is indeed very shrewd. This plan is very clever. It can not only find out the mastermind behind the scenes, but also deter those restless people in the court."
He turned and walked towards the map in the hall, his finger lightly tracing the layout of the capital, his tone gradually colder: "Since that is the case, this king will order the strengthening of martial law in the capital. At the same time, spread the word that the emperor is in danger and the situation in the court is unstable."
The Prime Minister nodded in agreement. "Your Highness is wise. However, we must proceed with caution. The dissemination of news must be just right, neither too obvious nor too subtle. I suggest starting with a few ministers with close ties to the royal family. Let them 'accidentally' learn of the emperor's distress, and then have them spread the news. This will be more effective."
He Fei sneered: "Okay, let's proceed according to your plan. However, this matter must be kept absolutely confidential. Apart from you and me, no third person shall know the entire plan."
The Prime Minister replied solemnly, "I understand. I will proceed with caution."
He Fei's eyes were like torches, and his tone was filled with unquestionable majesty. "Also, Prime Minister, you might as well spread the word that I am exhausted by the emperor's distress and no longer able to handle state affairs, and am considering appointing a new ruler. This way, those with ulterior motives will surely be even more restless."
A glint of approval flashed in the Prime Minister's eyes: "Your Highness, this is a brilliant plan. I will arrange it right away."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
