Jinling City, the Prime Minister's Residence.
The news of the Jiangyin mutiny, the death of Wu Sanjia in battle, and the change of Emperor Lingwu's surname has not yet reached Jinling City.
But for Qin Ruhui, the prime minister who had dominated the Xin Dynasty court for over thirty years and was by nature wary and suspicious, it was as if he could smell the crisis permeating the air.
At present, the city of Jinling appears peaceful and tranquil, but underneath, undercurrents are surging and dangers lurk everywhere.
The Hongxi regime, which was established by Prime Minister Qin Ruhui, was not recognized by many members of the imperial family and local powerful clans in the south.
Even the governors-general of Hubei and Hunan and the governors-general of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, who were "ordered to come to Beijing," were only superficially on good terms with Prime Minister Qin, and they obeyed orders from the Hongxi regime but not from his actual administration.
Putting aside other examples, let's take Su Chen, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, as an example.
His secret dispatch of his eldest son to cross the Yangtze River at night to the Tiger Warriors' camp in Wu Sanjia on the north bank was discovered that very night by Qin Ruhui's Red-Clad Guards, who immediately reported it to Prime Minister Qin.
Furthermore, Qin Ruhui was also aware that Su Chen, in his capacity as the commander-in-chief of the Battle of Jinling, had allowed the Tiger Fleet on the opposite bank of the river to pass during the naval troop rotation outside Jinling.
The reason Qin Ruhui did not break ties with Su Chen was because he was wary of the 50,000-strong Liangjiang New Army under Su Chen's command.
If Su Chen leads his 50,000-strong Liangjiang New Army to defect, then Jinling City, the base of Qin Ruhui and the Hongxi regime he built, will be in imminent danger.
Sometimes, Qin Ruhui was quite puzzled.
Both were prime ministers, both held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, so why was Cao Mengde able to dominate the Three Kingdoms and ultimately lay a solid foundation for his son Cao Pi to become emperor, while Qin Ruhui, who clearly had a good hand, played it terribly?
Given the current state of the Xin Dynasty court, Qin Ruhui dared not even hope to lay the foundation for his descendants to become emperors.
Whether I can live out my life peacefully is still uncertain.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Just then, a knock on the door of the Prime Minister's study pulled Qin Ruhui back to reality.
A voice came from outside: "Father, you were looking for me?"
It was the voice of Qin Tianchao, Qin Ruhui's eldest son.
"Tianchao, come in!"
Inside the study, Qin Ruhui composed himself and invited his son in to speak.
Creak!
Soon, Qin Tianchao, dressed in a white gown, pushed open the door and carefully closed it behind him.
Looking at his eldest son, Qin Tianchao, who was in his thirties, Qin Ruhui asked with an air of authority, "Tianchao, how are things going with the matter I asked you to handle?"
Qin Tianchao instinctively bowed and replied, "Father, I have finished counting and packing all the gold, silver, and valuables from the Qin family that you asked me to pack."
"The total is 12 million taels of gold, 97 million taels of silver, and countless gold and silver jewelry. Land and other things that cannot be taken with us are not included in the inventory."
Um!
Qin Ruhui squinted and nodded, saying, "Tianchao, after more than thirty years as an official, all I've managed to accumulate is this much wealth for the Qin family's descendants."
"My father's original intention was for you to enter officialdom and succeed me, so as to ensure the long-lasting prosperity of the Qin family."
Eh—
As he spoke, Qin Ruhui sighed and continued, "But you should be aware of the current situation in Jinling City. The Hongxi regime, which your father helped establish, has failed to gain the recognition and support of the southern imperial family and powerful clans."
Even among the civil and military officials in Jinling City, most are not of one mind with Father;
"Therefore, for the sake of the Qin family's future generations, Father has no choice but to make plans and arrangements in advance!"
Qin Tianchao listened meekly to his father Qin Ruhui's teachings, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He had a rough idea of what his father wanted him to do.
Sure enough, Qin Ruhui continued, "Tianchao, while your father still holds some power, take all this gold, silver, valuables, and your family, and go to Chengdu to seek refuge for a while."
"Once the situation in the capital stabilizes, your father will send someone to bring you back!"
"Father, I'm not leaving!"
Qin Tianchao, who had been keeping his head down, finally raised it, looked stubbornly at his father Qin Ruhui, and said firmly, "Father, you need capable people right now."
"These days, every single one of the civil and military officials is busy lining their own pockets; those who can truly provide support and assistance to you are few and far between."
"Although I am a bit weak and cannot fight in place of Father, I can still stay by Father's side and offer advice!"
As he spoke, Qin Tianchao looked at his father earnestly and continued, "Tian Kui and Tian Jiang are both capable of escorting the family members and valuables to Chengdu Prefecture."
"Father, please keep your child!"
Qin Tianchao spoke with heartfelt sincerity, but Qin Ruhui simply smiled kindly and shook his head, saying, "Tianchao, I appreciate your filial piety, but the task of finding a place to stay in Chengdu is entirely yours!"
"Tian Kui and Tian Jiang are still young, and they may not be able to handle many things well. I'm entrusting the Qin family to you because I hope you can carry on its glory."
"In this way, even if Father goes to the afterlife, he can rest in peace!"
"father--"
Qin Tianchao wanted to say something more, but Qin Ruhui waved his hand to interrupt him: "Alright, Tianchao, this matter is decided!"
"To avoid any unforeseen complications, you shall depart tonight by water to Chengdu. Your father has already arranged a boat for you at the dock, and the Red-Clad Guards will personally escort you along the way."
"Remember this: without a letter from your father, you must never return to Jinling City!"
"If this great new dynasty changes hands, you should all go into hiding in Chengdu and live in seclusion until the time is right, then we will rebuild the glory of the Qin family!"
After saying that, Qin Ruhui immediately gave them the order to leave: "Alright, get ready to go!"
"father--"
thump!
With things having come to this, Qin Tianchao no longer insisted. Instead, he knelt down in front of Qin Ruhui with a thud, kowtowed three times to his father, and then left the Prime Minister's study with a lot of back glances.
Watching his eldest son Qin Tianchao's departing figure, Qin Ruhui finally revealed a satisfied smile on his cunning and shrewd face.
snort!
He snorted coldly and muttered to himself, "Whether it's Wu Sanjia or Chen Huai'an, I am no match for either of you in martial arts."
"But even if you two obtain Jinling City, it will be a dead city, impoverished and desolate, where people are starving and unable to make a living. As for restoring its vitality, hmph, let's talk about it in thirty years!"
"What I cannot have, no one else can have either!"
After saying that, Qin Ruhui shouted sternly at the outside of the study: "Guards! Convey my order: all civil and military officials must immediately proceed to the Golden Palace for an emergency ceremony. I have important matters to discuss!"
"Yes, sir!"
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