Man-eating birds 7
The next morning, unusually, the emperor arrived at the court even earlier than the prime minister. On his throne, he and his ministers looked at each other for a long time before finally uttering, "Let's wait for the prime minister."
The Prime Minister arrived late, and upon arrival, he knelt down, causing most of the court officials to kneel as well.
"What does the Prime Minister mean by this?"
"I have failed to properly educate my daughter. Yesterday, the imperial physician examined her pulse and concluded that perhaps the lingering effects of her cold had affected her mind, which is why she spoke out of turn last night."
In short, the Prime Minister's words were full of errors, but after he finished speaking, the Jiang family members brazenly followed his lead and pleaded guilty on behalf of the Empress Dowager. Every sentence they said was a plea for forgiveness, but every sentence was an excuse.
Xiao Congzhi, too lazy to watch the drama any longer, said indifferently, "Since it is an illness, then it is not the Prime Minister's fault. Let the imperial physicians prescribe the medicine properly. As a son, I should do my filial duty. There are two transformed ginseng roots in the storeroom. Send them to Changning Palace to keep them in reserve."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The officials thanked him again, and for a time the court was filled with expressions of gratitude.
Seeing this, those in the court who were not of the Jiang clan could not help but feel a sense of unease.
With this matter settled, Prime Minister Jiang stood up, pondering what to say to probe the emperor on the throne. Last night's events had unfolded hastily, and he wasn't sure if his response had been appropriate. But before he could even speak…
"Report—an urgent message!" A man dressed in military uniform rushed into the hall and knelt on the ground. "The Khitans have rebelled, and their army has been brought to the city. We urgently need troops from Yidu to quell the rebellion."
An uproar ensued.
Xiao Congzhi was stunned for a moment.
After everyone had reacted, Qi Ming was the first to step forward and shouted, "Your subject requests to lead the expedition and mobilize the Southern Region Army to resist the Khitan."
Jiang countered, "The Southern Army only has 10,000 men; how can they possibly withstand the Khitan army?"
Qi Ming scoffed, "Prime Minister, you don't know that as a vassal state, the Khitan could not possibly maintain a large army. They would only have about ten or twenty thousand men. The Southern Region Army was originally built to prevent the Khitan from plotting a rebellion, so it can naturally hold them off now."
Jiang Yangze did not want Qi Ming to lead the troops into battle. Military power was already in Qi Ming's hands. If Qi Ming gained more military merit, the court would become a court where the two of them were on equal footing. So he gave his subordinates a meaningful look.
Tao Ran stepped forward first, saying, "I feel this is inappropriate. General Qi has always led troops in the northwest, fighting against the Xiongnu. If he suddenly goes to the south to lead troops, he will inevitably suffer from acclimatization problems."
Feng Jue chimed in, "Furthermore, when General Qi fought the Xiongnu, he mostly forced them to retreat, and he never really won a battle. The Khitan rebellion is no small matter. What if the Xia and Jin dynasties follow suit after the battle is not fought well?"
"You're talking nonsense!" Qi Ming roared, yelling at Feng Jue. "Every time the Xiongnu invaded these past few years, your Ministry of Revenue always said the national treasury was tight, with shortages of food and soldiers. My strategy was simply to force them back! Did I have the money to pursue them after a victory?!"
Jiang Xiang said sternly, "General, be careful what you say."
“That’s not how it works,” Yu Anzhu also stepped forward. “Lord Feng’s words were a bit direct, but the reasoning is correct. I’m afraid General Qi can’t lead the troops in the south.”
Zhang Hesheng, unable to contain himself any longer, stepped forward and challenged, "Then, according to Lord An Yu, who is the one who can lead the way?"
Most of the people in the Sheng Dynasty who could lead troops into battle were related to the Qi family. Naturally, Prime Minister Jiang was unwilling to accept any of them, so he suggested, "I think Commander Shen Zhuo is highly skilled in martial arts, wise and brave, and resourceful. He is very suitable."
"Nonsense!" Qi Ming was furious. "I have no problem with Commander Shen, but Commander Shen has always been in Yidu. Can the Imperial Guard compare to the soldiers in the border city?"
"What do you mean by that, General? The Imperial Guards are all elite troops, each capable of fighting a hundred men. How can they be inferior?"
"General Qi, even if you're itching to fight, you can't treat state affairs like a game."
Sending Chen Zhuo to the battlefield is truly treating national affairs as a joke!
"General Qi, you don't want to hand over the Tiger Tally, do you? Our ancestors said that the Tiger Tally should be kept in the General's Mansion for the time being. If there is a war, it must be given to the general in charge of the troops. To keep the Tiger Tally is a capital offense."
"Nonsense! Why would I care about that?!"
"What does Your Majesty mean?"
"What does Your Majesty mean?"
Jiang Xiang stepped forward respectfully and asked, "What does Your Majesty mean?"
Xiao Congzhi cursed the old fox inwardly, but on the surface he responded calmly, "Since we can't reach an agreement, why not let Commander Mo go? Commander Mo is highly skilled in martial arts, wise and brave, and resourceful. He should be able to defeat the Khitan and restore the prestige of the dynasty."
This sounds familiar; isn't it just a quote copied from Prime Minister Jiang?
An eerie silence fell over the court. The officials pondered for a moment who Commander Mo was, then vaguely remembered that it was the emperor's male favorite surnamed Xie, whose alias was Mo Huan. He was currently in court, albeit standing at the back. Then it dawned on them that Qi Ming and Shen Zhuo would both be fine—either way, they were both of unknown origin… Commander Mo. Wasn't it utterly ridiculous for a subservient male favorite to lead troops into battle?!
It was this male favorite who broke the silence. Xie Mowen knelt down, lifting his robe, and replied firmly, "Your subject is most fortunate."
"This...this is not appropriate!!" Qi Ming was so anxious that he forgot who had made the suggestion.
Immediately afterwards, Feng Jue, Tao Ran, Yu Anzhu, and dozens of others knelt down, begging the emperor to rescind his order.
"I only see you all suffering."
Jiang Xiang immediately said, "I think General Qi is also capable of leading troops."
Qi Ming said modestly, "I now think that Commander Shen does indeed have the look of someone who can lead troops into battle."
Xiao Congzhi: ...
Taking the opportunity, Yu Anzhu quickly said, "Then why not appoint Commander Chen? The court should also cultivate generals who can lead troops."
Prime Minister Jiang made the final decision: "I think it's reasonable."
Xiao Congzhi could only say disappointedly, "Then so be it."
"Why would the Khitans suddenly raise an army?" Xie Mo asked as he closed the doors of the Zichen Palace.
Ge Yun was serving the Empress Dowager, and the entire Zichen Palace had long been emptied out by Xiao Congzhi.
Xiao Congzhi stood in front of the desk, tore off a piece of paper, and began to write with a deep gaze. After he finished writing, he looked up and answered Xie Mowen's question, "There must be Crown Prince Xuan behind this."
"Is this also related to the Xiongnu?"
“The vassal states have long harbored resentment, but the Sheng Dynasty is strong and well-equipped, so they dare not harbor any other thoughts. But the Xiongnu are different. The northwest beyond the Great Wall is vast and they have thousands of elite troops. If it weren’t for what Crown Prince Xuan promised the Khitan, the Khitan would never have caused any trouble.”
"The Khitans... paid homage a month ago, and were the most honest of all."
“Being honest is why Crown Prince Xuan has taken a liking to him.” Xiao Congzhi folded up the paper with the writing on it and handed it to Xie Mowen. “I can’t leave the palace today, so please give this secret letter to Shen Zhuo for me.”
Xie Mowen didn't ask what it contained, took it and put it in his pocket. "Crown Prince Xuan's actions have all been aimed at Prime Minister Jiang, and his deception of the Khitan must also be the case. If this is the candy he wants to give to Prime Minister Jiang... could it be the tiger tally of the Southern Region Army?"
"The tiger tally of the Southern Army or the luring of Qi Ming away from Yidu would be beneficial to Jiang Yangze. The Empress Dowager's inappropriate words and actions are of no consequence; the benefits she has given are indeed substantial. Jiang Yangze is sensible, so the land route should be taken."
"You think he won't give it to me?"
Xiao Congzhi sneered, "Greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. This perfectly describes Jiang Yangze. Crown Prince Xuan's use of both kindness and force demonstrates his own strength, but Jiang Yangze also considers himself clever, thinking he has seen through the political situation. He has gained benefits, but he will not remember the favor."
“But if we do that… Crown Prince Xuan will surely be angered.”
"Yes, so after you give the letter to Shen Zhuo, go to the Ministry of Justice and deliver a message to Sun Rang."
Xie Mowen pondered the intention behind this, then hesitated and asked, "Are you planning to overturn this whole game?"
Xiao Congzhi nodded helplessly, "You should know that I originally wanted to make the transition in the court smooth, but Crown Prince Xuan forced me to stay outside. Rather than let him figure it out on his own, I might as well give him a push and resolve the matter at the same time."
Without further ado, Xie Mowen left the palace to send a message to Shen Zhuo, and also dispatched his men to the border to keep an eye on the Xiongnu royal court. He then went to the Ministry of Justice, openly declaring his intention to see Sun Rang. His identity was unimportant; what mattered was that he was the emperor's man, and his blatant entry into the Ministry of Justice was tantamount to sending a signal.
At the same time, Xiao Congzhi constantly met with court officials in the palace. The Khitan uprising was a major event, and even if it came to a head, the Prime Minister would have to make the decision. Such an important matter could not be discussed without the Emperor's approval. Therefore, Xiao Congzhi needed to set up a table in the Imperial Study and listen to one person after another speak eloquently.
The day passed in such chaos and undercurrents. After nightfall, Xie Mowen returned to the Zichen Palace. Both of them were exhausted. They kissed and touched each other for a while before falling asleep fully clothed.
According to Xiao Congzhi's plan, a grand opera performance would be held at the morning court session the following day.
But the situation is unpredictable, and man's plans are no match for fate...
"Your subject has a report to submit."
Sun Rangwei, who was standing with his head bowed, turned his head slightly to look behind him. To his surprise, the person who stepped forward was Jiang Zeyan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Xiao Congzhi suddenly found it amusing and said loudly, "Granted."
"I wish to impeach Yu Anzhu, the Minister of Personnel, for buying and selling official positions, accumulating wealth for personal gain, and causing chaos in the court."
After he finished speaking, all the officials were terrified.
Caught off guard, Yu Anzhu turned around abruptly, then realized something and looked to Prime Minister Jiang for help.
Jiang Yangze frowned, unable to fathom Jiang Zeyan's intentions. He avoided Yu Anzhu's gaze and stared down at the ground.
Xiao Congzhi, however, sat up straighter and said with interest, "Minister Jiang, do you have any concrete evidence? If it's just empty talk, I can't make a decision."
Jiang Yangze immediately lowered his head even further, his mind filled with a jumble of thoughts, making him anxious and restless.
Jiang Zeyan responded calmly, "Your subject will naturally not come empty-handed." As he spoke, he took out a thick stack of things from his bosom and made as if to hand them to the emperor.
Yu Anzhu panicked and stepped forward, shouting, "Your Majesty, this is nonsense! It is my fault for failing to manage my subordinates properly!"
Sun Rang interjected at just the right moment, "What is false cannot become true, and what is true cannot become false. Why not let His Majesty see the evidence first, and His Majesty will make his own decision."
Yu Anzhu's words caught in her throat; she couldn't say them and dared not, so she could only watch helplessly as Jiang Zeyan presented the evidence.
Xiao Congzhi quickly observed that Jiang Zeyan's evidence was clearly organized, leaving Yu Anzhu with no room for argument. Therefore, Xiao Congzhi feigned anger and threw the evidence heavily to the ground, saying, "How dare you! Disregarding the law! Does Lord Yu have anything else to say?"
Yu Anzhu knelt down in a panic, shouting, "I'm innocent!!"
Xiao Congzhi waved his hand in disappointment and said in a deep voice, "Minister Sun, this matter is yours to handle. Since Minister Jiang has petitioned in court, there is no need to trouble the Censorate to go through it again."
Sun Rang stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."
In just a few words, the matter seemed to be resolved. Before the assembled officials could even process what had happened, the monarch on his throne added, "Does the Prime Minister think this is feasible?"
It's unclear whether this was a request for advice, sarcasm, or a malicious attack.
Jiang Yangze was flustered, so he casually cupped his hands and replied, "It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide."
The political situation at court has been changing daily these past two days, with a sense of impending storm. After the court session, many officials gathered in small groups to chat or exchange a few words.
Xiao Congzhi and Xie Mowen left the palace together.
"Why are you in such a hurry to leave the palace?" Xie Mowen asked.
As Xiao Congzhi helped them put on their casual clothes, he replied, "I need to find out more about Jiang Zeyan."
Xie Mowen fastened his belt and said, "His stance is unclear, but his actions today are exactly what we wanted."
"Whether he did this to help me or for his own selfish reasons, whether it was because of the Khitan uprising, because of the signals I gave about taking power, or because Sun Rang revealed something when he came looking for him, we have no idea. Xie Mowen, I have never encountered anything so elusive before."
Xie Mowen reached out to tie Xiao Congzhi's belt and said calmly, "No matter what, this person cannot be kept alive after the matter is accomplished."
His scheming nature is too deep and unfathomable; keeping him around will only bring trouble.
After getting ready, the two used their light-footed skills to sneak into the Prime Minister's residence.
"Wait a minute." Xiao Congzhi frowned and stopped Xie Mowen. Xie Mowen was also staring ahead with a bad expression.
The Prime Minister's residence was heavily guarded. It wasn't that the two of them weren't confident they could remain silent, but the consequences of being discovered would be severe, and they couldn't afford to take even the slightest risk.
The two turned and went to the servants' courtyard. It was close to lunchtime, and the servants were busy in the front yard, so the courtyard was quiet.
The Prime Minister's residence has over a hundred servants; if one or two manage to sneak in, they won't be noticed for a short time.
"Is that really the case?" Xiao Congzhi asked.
Xie Mowen nodded seriously and explained, "Even if it is discovered, no one will think it is the emperor. It's okay for spies to enter the mansion. Let them guess, just don't involve you."
“But…” Xiao Congzhi still hesitated, not because he was unwilling to wear it, but because… “Where can I find a maid so tall?”
Xie Mowen reached out to unbutton Xiao Congzhi's clothes, saying, "The presence of such large garments here indicates the presence of tall maids."
"Fine..." Xiao Congzhi said helplessly.
When the two emerged from the servants' quarters, they were now two beautiful young maids, their pale yellow silk skirts trailing on the ground, each step a delicate, graceful movement.
Xie Mowen couldn't resist patting Xiao Congzhi and chuckled twice.
Xiao Congzhi took a deep breath, glanced at Xie Mowen, and said, "I didn't know you were interested in this."
Xie Mowen was taken aback, then nudged Xiao Congzhi, "What do you mean? How could you spread rumors?"
Xiao Congzhi squinted and looked Xie Mowen up and down, then down and up again. He was about to greet him with harsh words, but as he looked at him, he softened his tone and said, "A beauty with such a face, she makes one's heart wander."
Xie Mowen was stunned for a moment, then, after realizing what he meant, asked softly, "Then what does the young master mean?"
Xiao Congzhi took Xie Mowen's hand, and when no one was around, he leaned very close and whispered into Xie Mowen's lips, "I want to keep a mistress in a golden house, and I want to party every night."
Xie Mowen turned her head away, saying, "My lord is willing, but I am not. I hope you will not force me."
Xiao Congzhi leaned forward and kissed the fiery beauty's lips. After a brief touch, he laughed and scolded, "So you're still being coy?"
Xie Mowen chuckled and took Xiao Congzhi's hand. The two bumped into each other as they walked toward the front hall. After rounding a corridor, they were stopped by someone calling from behind.
"Hey! Those two in front, aren't they the two who just arrived a few days ago? Don't wander off, the master is serving the meal."
Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi exchanged a glance for a moment, thinking to themselves how coincidental it was. This way, they no longer needed to investigate where the Prime Minister was. With this idea in mind, they turned around and put on a polite smile.
The Prime Minister's residence had a grand procession for serving meals. A dozen or so people carried in exquisitely carved silver platters, filed in one after another, placed the food down, and then stood by, ready to serve at any time.
When they entered the room, Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi lowered their heads and slightly bent their knees to make themselves less noticeable, but their eyes were secretly observing each other.
Jiang Zeyan was indeed there.
"Just leave and go."
This time, however, the prime minister did not leave anyone to serve him and instead sent everyone away.
After Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi left the house, they followed the crowd back to the kitchen, then each found an excuse to leave and returned to the front hall, avoiding the crowd. The two stood silently under the eaves, listening intently to the sounds coming from inside.
At first, they were just having private conversations about trivial things like whether it was hot or cold, the people in the room, and the meals. Suddenly, the Prime Minister threw something on the ground, his tone turning somber, "But what exactly did you mean in court today?"
"Thump—" After the sound of kneeling, Jiang Zeyan calmly replied, "This humble official only wants to find a way out for himself."
"My lord, if you have been stuck in the officialdom for more than twenty years, stuck in the position of vice minister, would you be dissatisfied? Twenty-three years ago, I was full of ambition and became your disciple, and gained your favor. But when Minister Yu was alive, I could hardly even see you."
Jiang Yangze sighed, but did not respond.
"I simply believe that what he can do for you, I can do as well, and even better. Although this is a risky move, how could I possibly wait until Minister Yu retires if I didn't do it this way?"
Jiang Yangze snorted and reprimanded in a deep voice, "The situation is turbulent right now, you shouldn't have chosen this critical juncture."
"I am aware that the situation is unstable, but the more unstable it is, the more you need my help."
"What do you mean?" Jiang Yangze asked directly, but the blame in his words was less intense.
"The Empress Dowager made a slip of the tongue at the palace banquet, followed by the Khitan uprising. The Emperor was repeatedly urged to assume personal rule, but his proposals were repeatedly rejected. He must be unhappy. The other day, he sent that male favorite surnamed Xie to the Ministry of Justice."
"Hmph, just some clumsy little tricks."
"But he does have the rightful status after all. I don't know what that male concubine said, but Sun Rang's behavior this morning suggests that he was wavering."
“Sun Rang is nothing to fear.”
"Yes, Sun Rang is not a threat, but we must be wary of people like him. To my shame, perhaps because I have been quiet these past few years, Sun Rang approached me before, wanting me to help him with his connections here, sir. He is an ambitious man, but alas, his ambitions do not align with yours. There are quite a few people like him in the court."
Jiang Yangze remained silent for a while before replying, "Then what are your thoughts?"
"In my humble opinion, it's better to guide than to suppress. Over the years, Your Excellency has clearly seen that the current emperor has no desire for power. But if we keep suppressing him, he will be unhappy and will inevitably try to influence the court officials. It would be better to go along with his wishes and let him participate more in government affairs and make decisions. Just like today, he is in a good mood and will not engage in such underhanded tactics. But as time goes on, the current emperor will get tired of it and will be even less inclined to take personal control of the government."
Jiang Yangze remained silent, lost in thought.
"Of course, this is just my humble opinion, and it can only be done in the short term."
What constitutes a long-term strategy?
Jiang Zeyan spoke softly, his words carrying a hidden meaning, "According to my opinion, His Majesty should give birth to a son as soon as possible."
Jiang Yangze laughed loudly, "Good! You are more resourceful than Yu Anzhu, who only cares about money. But in the future, you must inform me in advance about things like today."
"Of course! Thank you for your magnanimity, Your Excellency!"
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