Suo Xiang also has pig teammates
Soetu watched helplessly as the prince gently placed the rescued memorial back into the brazier. The flames rose, and a puff of smoke rose two or three times before he could recover. It was so sudden that even a seasoned official like Soetu didn't know how to handle it. He could only look up at Yinreng with a blank expression, hoping the prince would suddenly smile broadly, say, "Just a joke, did you get scared?" or, even better, conjure up a memorial like magic...
The above is purely a beautiful fantasy.
The Crown Prince not only didn't smile, but his cheeks contorted slightly, as if someone had stuffed a handful of salt into his mouth. In some ways, Yinreng and Kangxi were quite similar. For example, he desperately wanted Soetu to understand the situation and apply for retirement. That way, he could cry with Soetu and reach an understanding.
Judging from Soetu's condition, the optimal outcome might not be achieved. Yinreng sighed, then turned to annoyance. He had replayed the current situation numerous times: Soetu might readily agree, or he might object, or even turn hostile and walk away. He also knew that it would be difficult to get Soetu to let go now that he had regained his former glory, but he hadn't expected such a refusal. Soetu was practically going mad, as if he were bullying the old man.
Quite unhappy.
Yinreng pursed his lips and was about to say something when Soetu finally regained some consciousness. He pointed at the brazier with a trembling voice and said, "Is it...just like this?"
Yinreng's heart skipped a beat when he saw his gaze. Soetu's appearance was definitely not good, so Yinreng had to encourage himself. He nodded cautiously.
Suo Etu felt dizzy. Not only was the memorial burned, but the Crown Prince's request for his retirement was also true. He was unwilling to do so. He certainly didn't want to. Suo Etu knew that his current state was not suitable for debating with Yinreng. He couldn't even understand why this gentleman's attitude had taken such a 180-degree turn. He needed some time to think it over, or perhaps find someone to discuss it with.
Suo Etu took his leave from Yinreng with some difficulty, speaking very slowly, emphasizing each word: "Prince, please allow me to go back and think about it."
Yinreng didn't want to push him too hard. He even thought he wouldn't mind Soetu causing trouble for Mingzhu and Yinzhi at court if he hadn't been registered with Kangxi as a "tireless protector of the crown prince." Is that even possible? His own mother called Soetu "uncle"! He'd been fooling around with Soetu for years, and Kangxi had already registered that with him.
Yinreng's Adam's apple moved: "Take care."
Soetu's expression seemed to be both crying and laughing, so why would he care about his weight?
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In the days that followed, word reached the outside world that Suo Xiang had taken ill. At this critical moment, the leader of a single party unexpectedly took sick leave, which was devastating news for his team. Naturally, they had to visit him. And all the court officials, whether they were enemies trying to test him, neutral parties expressing curiosity, or those with requests for Suo Xiang, all gathered at Suo Etu's door.
No one suspected that Soetu's illness was entirely due to the Crown Prince. Everyone (including Kangxi) believed Soetu and the Crown Prince were too close. Mingzhu, on the other hand, was convinced the two were inseparably linked. The Soetu clique was waiting, eager for Soetu to receive the Crown Prince's approval, so they could all be credited with a new achievement.
Suo Etu was truly ill, so he was selective in who he would meet with. He simply refused to meet those who were too low-ranking. He wanted to see the members of his own team, so they were naturally allowed in. However, before that, he still had to meet a few people he had to see.
For example, Tong Guowei sent his son to visit him in advance. Tong Guowei and Soetu were merely acquaintances, their relationship bland, even slightly disliking each other. Tong Guowei himself didn't come, but instead sent his eldest son, Longkodo. Longkodo was already the Imperial Envoy and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Zhenglan Banner Mongolian Banner, so a visit to the sick was quite impressive.
He obeyed his father's order, handed over his name card, and was quickly allowed in to observe the purportedly ill Prime Minister Suo up close. When Soetu had previously been jumping around to win over Yinreng's supporters, Longkodo had truly witnessed a travesty. As he was led inside by the servile butler of the Suo residence, he thought, rather unkindly, "Soetu's illness at this critical moment—wouldn't it be a shame?"
Entering the room, he was shocked. No matter how unlucky Suo Etu had been before, he had always been calm and composed, with a confident look that gave him the air of a prime minister. Now, he seemed to have been truly struck down by illness. His eyes were sunken, and the wrinkles on his face were extremely obvious.
Longkodo performed the ceremony of a junior and greeted Suo-etu. Suo-etu smiled wryly and said, "Zhujun (Longkodo's courtesy name is Zhujun) is here? Please forgive my old age and illness."
Longkodo rushed forward, took Soetu's arm and helped him sit down, his surprise not showing off: "How did you become so ill? A while ago, we accompanied the emperor to the frontier, and you were quite energetic. On the way back... you were also in good shape."
Suo Etu was like a dumb person eating coptis root, unable to express his bitterness. He could only mumble: "I am old and useless." As soon as he finished speaking, he remembered Yinreng saying that he was old and wanted him to retire. This time he was really sad.
Longkodo didn't dare stay any longer, seeing this wasn't right. What a joke! When he was young, he'd heard that Soetu was respectful and courteous to others, but once he entered the government, all he heard were his arrogant and domineering exploits. Longkodo had been a guard, and Soetu had been the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, so he knew Soetu well.
This man, whom Longkodo believed to be "capable of anything," was now acting like a frost-bitten eggplant, truly utterly abnormal. Abnormal things are demons, and abnormal people will suffer. It would be best for him to retreat.
Thinking of this, Longkodo said decisively: "Why worry, old man? I think it's just the result of being tired from running around for days. It's the middle of winter and the weather is not good. Just rest and recuperate."
Soetu had already coughed two or three times, and Longkodo seemed restless, shifting his butt back and forth in his chair, as uneasy as a young official meeting his superior for the first time. He was already middle-aged, his son was about to get married, yet it was hard for him to still act so immature.
After the show was over, Longkodo seemed to be extremely concerned about Suo Etu, and said with a hint of annoyance: "It is my fault for disturbing you. As long as you are not seriously ill, I can go back and report to my father so that he will not worry too much."
Suo Etu was in no mood to keep him around to maintain a relationship: "Give my regards to Uncle Tong."
"Junior will take his leave."
Suo Etu sighed: "Who else is here today?"
The housekeeper stole a glance at his face and swallowed his saliva: "Kuixu came to see you on behalf of his father."
"Look, am I going to die?" Soetu's voice was so sinister that the housekeeper flinched. Ever since Soetu had his servants inform on him, he had developed a distrustful attitude towards everyone around him, and his gaze sent a chill down the spine.
"What are you still standing there for? Please ask him to come in!"
Kuixu was now middle-aged, his face serene, like his father, who was outwardly tolerant but inwardly cautious. Suo'etu finished his rant, then acted like a kind elder: "Why do you still need to make this trip? How's your father?"
Huh? This old man looks like he's really sick. Where are the firecrackers? If he dies, I'll go back and set off firecrackers around the city for three days! Kuixu asked with concern, "Why is the old man so thin?"
Soetu could tell Kuixu wasn't sincere, but he wasn't in the mood to argue with him. Years of conditioned reflex had restored some of Soetu's fighting spirit when facing Mingzhu's faction, preventing him from letting his emotions fester. He pulled himself together and addressed Kuixu, "It's just the way it is with age. How's your father? I haven't seen him in a while. Don't let him get sick like me. The court can do without Soetu, but it can't do without Mingzhu."
"You are too kind. The court cannot do without you. You must rest and recuperate, and get well soon."
The back-and-forth, the open and covert sarcasm, had all grown dull. After Suo-etu coughed twice more, Kuixu left in boredom.
Then, some people arrived out of courtesy. Visiting the sick also had its own rules, and the host family followed a specific order of who to see. First the close, then the distant, first the noble, then the humble. This time, Soetu would use a sickly appearance to dismiss the intruders, then gather his core group to discuss a strategy.
Unfortunately, this process was interrupted again. This time, his daughter and son-in-law were here, and he couldn't help but see them. Yisan'a, a fellow Grand Secretary, wasn't a die-hard Soetu Party member. Soetu needed his son-in-law's support and couldn't just turn him away like any other minor official.
Unsurprisingly, Yisan'a also looked as if he'd been kicked by a donkey upon seeing him. Soetu felt like vomiting blood, and the two of them put on silly faces. Why can't I get sick?! He also had to patiently let his daughter and son-in-law ask about his well-being. Wuyunzhu was more sentimental, and facing her frail father, she fully demonstrated her gender characteristics: "Father! How can you not take care of yourself? Bulabula..."
Suo Etu was like Sun Wukong, a monkey under a spell, with a splitting headache. He said weakly to Wu Yunzhu, "Everyone is born, grows old, gets sick, and dies. I'm already this old, so why shouldn't I get sick?"
This finally calmed Wu Yunzhu down. Before Wu Yunzhu left, Xinyu and Fabao came again. Wu Yunzhu met her uncle before speaking to her mother, Tong Jia, and finally let Suo Etu go.
The three groups mentioned above represented the common stance of Ainsworth members. After dealing with them, Soetu had to get down to business.
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The core meeting of the Suo Party was held, and the same people who usually discussed things were present, including the skinny old man, the square-faced man, and so on. As usual, a large part of their information came from Suo Etu.
Suo Etu weakly described Yinreng's performance, and everyone was stunned. The skinny old man was horrified: "With such a good opportunity, why did the prince——"
The square-faced man's concern was more practical. "The memorial was burned?!" After seeing Soetu nod, he began to act furious, leaping from his chair. "How much effort did we put into this? We spent months trying to get those troublemakers to sign, and they finally signed reluctantly. If it had been successful, it would have been fine. They wouldn't have dared to cause trouble because of the Crown Prince's power. Now... I'm really worried they'll retaliate."
Are you kidding me? Don't you know that secret memorials have already reached Kangxi's desk? Those who want to win him over are afraid that Kangxi will find out, so they signed their names and reported the matter. Right now, Kangxi is furious because one of the letters clearly states, "Threatening this servant: Are you not afraid of retribution tomorrow?"
His original words at the time were: "If this great event succeeds, Prime Minister Suo will surely have your good intentions in mind, and the Crown Prince will also know about it. If not...it will be hard to say what will happen in the future."
Of course, the few people in the Suo Mansion didn't know about this yet. Suo Etu was still angry: "Just now, Kuixu came. This guy was promoted from a second-class guard to a reader in the Hanlin Academy last year, and served as a daily record officer. What is a daily record officer?! They are the people who hang around in front of the emperor every day! How could our prince not sense something was wrong? How could the Mingzhu family not take action after getting such an advantage? How could they not have been informed? Shouldn't we seize the opportunity and make things clear before they gain a firm foothold?"
The skinny old man consoled himself, "Could it be like this—" He dragged out his words, trying to keep the others in suspense. He was nearly killed by everyone's stares, so he could only say, "There's a saying in ancient times that goes 'three requests and three concessions'. This…"
"Bullshit!" Suo Etu became excited. "He... asked me to retire."
Huh?! I was truly shocked.
If he was angry with Mingzhu, he could still find a way to get back at her. If Kangxi wiped him out, he could still wait for an opportunity. If the Crown Prince beat him, he could only endure it. The Crown Prince was their trump card, especially when fighting Mingzhu. Soetu had already offended the eldest prince and was no longer favored by Kangxi, so he had no choice but to go along with the Crown Prince's wishes. But he was really unwilling to accept it! He still wanted to struggle! Otherwise, he wouldn't have "escaped due to illness."
"This... can't be true? The prince has always relied on you."
"Could it be that someone is whispering in the prince's ear?"
"What's wrong with the prince?"
Everyone was talking and guessing wildly.
The skinny old man Wen Dai slapped his forehead and said, "Is it the Shi family? They're already making inroads before anything serious has happened! They weren't even on the list when we signed the petition!"
The square-faced man said, "The Crown Prince is their grandson. What good does it have for them to interfere?"
Everyone was speechless.
The skinny old man finally came up with a bad idea: "Since Prime Minister Suo is sick anyway, it's better for him to be sick for a while. Maybe... the prince will figure it out himself. I think we should prepare a second memorial. Prime Minister Suo doesn't have to worry. The prince may just be pretending." He still insisted on his point of view.
Anyone who refuses such a good thing is a fool, so the prince is just being sentimental. Suo Etu has fought hard all his life and is certainly unwilling to give up power in his old age. He can only tell himself that perhaps the prince is really being sentimental? So, feigning illness might be a good way to test the waters.
Soetu decided to continue his illness. The next day, he officially took a long vacation. Yinreng did not rush him, but simply sent someone to pay a routine visit. Unfortunately, the person sent was not the usual number of people, but Gao Sanxie.
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As the head eunuch of Yuqing Palace, it was perfectly reasonable for the Crown Prince to dispatch him to visit a highly important court official. However, Gao Sanxie was not at all pleased, conveying his greetings with a stone face. He had witnessed the entire conversation between Soetu and the Crown Prince, and now Soetu was feigning illness to resist being "retired." It seemed he would have to make another trip to the Qianqing Palace.
Soetu's heart sank, because Gao Sanxie was the one given to Yinreng by Kangxi!
Suspecting and uncertain, Soetu sent Gao Sanxie away, feeling extremely upset. The Crown Prince was becoming increasingly unfamiliar. What he didn't know was that not only the Crown Prince, but also the Emperor was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with his behavior!
This was the first time Kangxi smashed a cup in recent years.
Everyone in the Qianqing Palace dared not utter a word. Wei Zhu stole a glance at the table on the kang. There must be a secret memorial on it. Could it be some bad news? With a gesture, he had two young eunuchs come forward to collect the broken porcelain pieces to prevent them from piercing Kangxi. Then, they quietly replaced Kangxi's cup of tea. He huddled in a corner, fearing his own death, and said nothing.
Kangxi cursed Soetu fiercely in his heart. "An old man who refuses to die is a thief!" He himself was ill, yet he still sent his followers to collude with the four! This revelation struck home with Kangxi. It could be said that Kangxi's reign had been plagued by a series of instability since its inception. There was an older brother, he wasn't the legitimate heir, powerful ministers, rebellious princes, unstable remnants of the previous dynasty, and most recently, the ambitious Galdan. Protecting the throne had become ingrained in him.
Even Kangxi himself hadn't noticed. He...was already wary of the crown prince rising to power. You have to understand, the crown prince was the heir to the throne, written into the constitution. As soon as the emperor died, there was no need for wills, timelines for the release of his edict, excuses about loving grandchildren, or personal upbringing. He could simply ascend the throne. No one could question that; he was the crown prince, and that was all. How could he not be alarmed by Soetu's sudden leap?
Kangxi trembled a little, furious. He scribbled instructions quickly, the bright red cinnabar dripping onto the paper, a frightening sight. "What's there to fear about Suo'etu? Just report back. You ministers are my subjects, not my slaves." He then called for Gao Sanxie, but he arrived some time later.
Kangxi began to scold him: "I sent you to serve the Crown Prince to prevent him from getting close to bandits and being exploited by villains. You were unable to detect this beforehand. How is this any different from Cui Yuzhu?"
Gao Sanxie groaned inwardly. He was the chief eunuch of Yuqing Palace. How could he run to Qianqing Palace right after the Crown Prince finished talking to Soetu? Was he afraid that others would not know about his conspiracy? Especially since the Crown Prince was not bad to him now, he did not want to leave a bad impression on the Crown Prince. He listened to Kangxi's scolding before replying, "Yesterday, Soetu came to Yuqing Palace..." He finished speaking and finally explained, "After Soetu left, I served the Crown Prince until the palace gates were locked and eunuchs were not allowed to move around freely. This morning, I received a message that Soetu was ill, and the Crown Prince sent me to visit him..." It is normal for news to be delayed.
Kangxi lost his temper, but his patience returned. After hearing the last sentence, his rationality returned: "Is he really ill?"
"Yes. It seems that he was quite excited yesterday."
Kangxi's lips curled up. "Go ahead." He felt more confident in Yinreng. A good son wouldn't undermine him. He had a clear mind. Ministers, you simply can't let them form cliques. Well, well done! Soetu can now gather signatures to threaten me, so why wouldn't he threaten you too? Son, you need to be clear-headed!
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The prince was of course clear-headed. Since Suo-etu hadn't come, he didn't show any sign of longing for his return, other than a routine greeting. Instead, he let Suo-etu go and turned his attention to other people.
The prince was chatting with Yarjiang'a in the windy courtyard of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The two of them walked and talked together, eliminating the possibility of anyone eavesdropping.
In response to Yarjiang'a's concerns, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince downplayed them, saying, "Khan Ama hasn't received any memorials from Prince Jian requesting titles for others, has he?" He wasn't worried about Yarjiang'a at all. Yarjiang'a was also confused by the situation, and the Crown Prince could just give him a good deal. "Even if he did, I'd probably be by the side of Khan Ama to review the memorial before he issues the decree. I can't just ask you to come forward, but can't I pull everyone else down?"
Yarjiang'a blinked.
"You are confused. You are the eldest son. It may be a little later at most, but it will be yours eventually. Just wait patiently. The more anxious you are, the more impetuous Prince Jian will feel, which will only make things worse."
Yaerjiang'e felt relieved after receiving the crown prince's assurance. Yinreng was truly too mean, completely cutting off the source of the trouble. But this plan was so good that Yaerjiang'e smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the crown prince."
"You and I are brothers, why do you have to do this?"
Yaerjiang'a was no fool. With a good relationship with the Crown Prince, who wouldn't want to invest more? So, he kindly revealed a piece of news to the Crown Prince: "Although Prime Minister Suo is ill, he's not idle. Someone is looking for someone else. Write a second memorial and ask for the title of Crown Prince..."
Nima!!! Yinreng was furious: "Who are they?!"
Seeing that Yinreng was genuinely angry (given Yinreng's usual behavior, no one thought he had the emotional intelligence to feign anger), and that the conversation was in the wrong place, he couldn't stay any longer, so he recited a string of names without pausing. Yinreng's teeth itched! He wanted to bite!
The author has something to say: Suo Xiang doesn't need to fight back, as long as he helps, it will be enough for the prince to bear...
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