Chapter 51#

In the silence of the hall, the vast majority of officials finally came to their senses.#

At that moment, Hu Buyu, the Vice Minister of War, stepped forward to break the silence: “Your Majesty, Your servant can immediately send word to the post stations south of the Yangtze River, and at the appropriate time, mobilize silver from the treasuries of the three prefectures to provide emergency relief.”

As Hu Buyu came forward, the Emperor’s gaze fell upon him. “Will the message reach the three prefectures in time?”

If the news was true, mobilizing official silver from the three prefectures would be enough to resolve the snow disaster there.

If this was accomplished, it would even save the court the loss of transporting grain, bringing only benefits and no harm.

“Since the snow disaster, Your servant has ordered all post stations to remain on high alert, alternating between commercial and official roads, so that the message can be delivered before the situation in the three prefectures worsens!” Hu Buyu said methodically. “This matter can be entrusted to the Ministry of War. Additionally, Your servant wishes to request a secret decree from Your Majesty, ordering all prefectures and counties to suppress news of the court’s official grain stocks.”

The reason the grain merchants could be forced to sell at low prices was largely due to the delay in news caused by the heavy snow. If the court wanted to buy this grain to alleviate the immediate crisis, news from the court must not leak out.

“This matter is entrusted to your Ministry of War. Order the prefects and magistrates of the prefectures and counties south of the Yangtze to assist.” The Emperor said coldly.

“Your servant accepts the decree!” Hu Buyu bowed solemnly, then immediately turned and left to carry out the order.

The other officials in the hall kept their heads bowed and remained silent. The Grand Prince’s faction saw Hu Buyu receiving the assignment and the Emperor’s instructions. The Emperor’s gaze swept across the hall: “Furthermore, appoint the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review as Imperial Commissioner, with the same mandate to go south of the Yangtze to handle this matter. Grant him the authority to mobilize silver from the treasuries to purchase grain. If anyone disobeys, grant him the power to execute first and report later.”

The Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was startled by this temporary appointment, but said: “Your servant accepts the decree!”

At the words “execute first and report later,” several officials felt a chill run down their spines.

What the Emperor wanted was never for various departments to shift responsibility onto each other, but for those who could actually get things done and solve problems. Regarding the snow disaster, the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works had been passing the buck back and forth, nearly causing a major catastrophe. If not for the Sixth Prince’s move of sending wealthy merchants south of the Yangtze, which prompted grain merchants to sell off their stocks, the snow disaster south of the Yangtze might not have been resolved so peacefully!

Just then, Eunuch Rong had already walked over and helped Ying Fusheng to his feet: “Your Highness, please rise.”

The Crown Prince’s mind had been in turmoil ever since the grain prices had soared and plummeted. Now, seeing the Ministry of War take over the task, he snapped out of his panic. He looked up and saw the Emperor’s grim expression. “Crown Prince.”

“Your son is here.” The Crown Prince hurried forward.

The Censorate oversaw all officials. Not long ago, the Ministry of Revenue had been severely reprimanded by the Emperor for delaying progress, and it was the Censorate that had uncovered the details. As the Emperor looked at the Crown Prince, Grand Secretary Xu cast a glance at the Minister of Works, Zhou Bingjun, who immediately said: “Your Majesty, the Prince is young. Regarding the road repairs in the Ministry of Works, the Crown Prince even spent his own silver to have the craftsmen work day and night…”

“Minister Zhou, did I ask you?” The Emperor said.

Zhou Bingjun fell silent immediately. The Emperor looked at the Crown Prince: “You speak.”

Supported by Eunuch Rong, Ying Fusheng had steadied himself, his gaze already resting on the Crown Prince.

But the Crown Prince was in a state of utter confusion. Faced with the Emperor’s interrogation, he could only recount everything he had done in the Ministry of Works over the past few days. However, the Emperor’s gaze at him grew colder and colder: “Xiao Yan, show it to him.”

As soon as the Emperor spoke, all the officials turned their attention to Xiao Yan, who was standing nearby.

Since the purge of the Censorate last year, Xiao Yan had been its de facto head, primarily investigating the old cases left over from the previous year. Now he stepped forward and handed a memorial to the Crown Prince.

When Grand Secretary Xu saw Xiao Yan step out, a cold look appeared in his eyes.

After the Crown Prince received it and read its contents, his expression changed slightly. “Your son is unaware of this!”

“The Ministry of Works has too many cumbersome procedures. What could be done in half a day is often dragged out for an extra two hours.” The Emperor looked at him, his eyes seeming to see through everything: “You were the overseer. Where did you oversee?”

The Crown Prince knelt down. He understood now. Since his father could find out about the Ministry of Revenue’s affairs, he could naturally do the same with the Ministry of Works.

He had used the Grand Prince to delay the project, thinking that a delay of an hour or two would go unnoticed, but he never expected his father to be fully aware of it all. Initially, he could have shifted the blame onto his elder brother, but after repeatedly dragging things out, the problem had fallen squarely on him.

With the strategy provided by the Xu family, he had thought victory was within his grasp. But he never expected Ying Fusheng to suddenly appear and throw a wrench in his plans.

Ying Fusheng stood to the side, remaining silent as the Emperor held the Crown Prince accountable.

With such a golden opportunity before him, he didn’t even need to speak. The Grand Prince’s faction wouldn’t let the Crown Prince off the hook.

The Minister of Works said: “Your Majesty, the matter of the Ministry of Works has nothing to do with His Highness. It’s just that…”

“Don’t mention the Ministry of Revenue. Approving official silver is easy, but the procurement is your Ministry of Works’ responsibility.” The Minister of Revenue interjected.

The Emperor cast a cold glance around, and all the ministers in the court fell silent.

Even the Sixth Prince could find wealthy merchants to go south of the Yangtze to buy grain and distribute porridge. Yet the vast apparatus of the court’s Ministry of Works was stuck on snow-road repairs without finding an alternative solution. It was only after the disaster had struck that they sent someone south of the Yangtze to mobilize silver from the various prefectural treasuries to purchase grain.

The officials remained silent. The Crown Prince had only recently started his tenure at the Ministry of Works, but the clearing of snow-covered roads had repeatedly stalled. The old foxes at court knew that the Crown Prince was hoping to establish himself by handling the disaster relief. If it could be resolved in time, all would be well, but unfortunately, the grain prices had gone haywire, and the Crown Prince was unable to manage everything at once, turning a well-intentioned task into a blunder.

Officials loyal to the Crown Prince wanted to speak further, but Grand Secretary Xu took the initiative to step forward: “The Crown Prince has been somewhat remiss in his duties. This matter has not been handled with sufficient prudence.”

The Crown Prince wanted to say more, but the Emperor only looked on coldly. The officials around them watched. The Emperor had always been lenient towards the Crown Prince; when had he ever treated him like this? Even when Grand Secretary Xu spoke, His Majesty showed no intention of listening. Some officials tried to step forward, but the Emperor instead launched a string of reprimands against the officials of the Ministry of Works.

Before anyone else could offer excuses, the Emperor flicked his sleeves, uttered a cold word, and turned to walk into the side hall.

From beginning to end, the Emperor did not speak another word to the Crown Prince.

Eunuch Rong said: “The snow disaster south of the Yangtze is of utmost importance now. I ask all of you to formulate a plan. The grain purchase must not be delayed in any way.”

With that, the remaining officials bowed respectfully.

Just as Ying Fusheng was about to leave, Eunuch Rong stopped him: “Your Highness, His Majesty requests that you stay.”

The side hall was filled with the scent of sandalwood. When Ying Fusheng arrived with Eunuch Rong, his father was reviewing memorials. Having not seen him for several days, upon closer look, Ying Fusheng noticed that his father seemed much more fatigued. Over the past two years, many incidents had occurred at court, easily leading to illness from overwork.

He did not disturb him and waited quietly for his father to finish reviewing the memorials.

“Going south of the Yangtze seems reckless, yet it was a brilliant move. Was this your idea?” The Emperor asked without lifting his gaze from the desk, only glancing up. It appeared to be a question, but the sense of pressure was immense.

“It was not my idea alone; I consulted Minister Shen on this matter. Your son and Yunfei had initially thought to ask wealthy merchants to help with the relief, but fearing it might be too late, we sought Minister Shen’s advice.” Ying Fusheng lowered his head and continued, “Liu Dafu is a wealthy merchant from south of the Yangtze. Upon learning that the snow-road repairs would take time, I thought that if we could arrange for grain procurement there in advance, it might alleviate the immediate crisis.”

With the help of Shen Changcun from the Ministry of War, Liu Dafu was able to head south of the Yangtze so quickly.

Ying Fusheng stood silent. The Emperor put down his brush and fixed his gaze on him. Ying Fusheng stood with his head bowed, appearing submissive, but when he spoke, he lacked the usual naivety, seeming to harbor some concerns, not daring to speak rashly.

The Emperor was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: “Why have you stopped talking?”

“Your son fears that speaking too much may lead to errors.” Ying Fusheng said.

Accustomed to the child’s straightforward remarks, now he seemed to be walking on thin ice, extremely cautious.

The Emperor’s expression softened slightly. He understood that the disaster had made the child fearful. Seeing that the child was keeping his distance, and considering the recent rumors at court, he said: “Come closer.”

When Ying Fusheng approached, the Emperor reached out a hand to touch him, only to see the child avoid his touch.

“Your son is fine standing here.” Ying Fusheng avoided the Emperor’s touch and said softly: “There are strange rumors at court. Your son is tainted with misfortune; it wouldn’t be appropriate to be too close.”

“Mother Consort’s accident and Grandmother’s illness are both true. Regardless of the truth, it is better for your son to keep his distance from Father.”

Ying Fusheng resolutely did not approach. The Emperor’s expression flickered. Ever since the omen of disaster had surfaced, the Jinyiwei had been tasked with investigating the palace lanterns, suggesting that Ying Fusheng’s lantern might have been tampered with. But it was merely a possibility, with no solid evidence, making it seem more like an accident.

After the incident, other officials at court had seized the opportunity to attack, attempting to firmly establish the accusation. Those factions and cliques wanted to trample him down. The child had not said a single word in his own defense, only the Empress Dowager had spoken a few words for him.

He seemed never to think of defending himself, even if he truly might become a jinx.

The Emperor had no choice but to say: “Regarding the matter in Jiangnan, what reward do you want?”

Ying Fusheng said: “Your son wishes to request merit for Minister Shen.”

Again, just like before. Previously, he had petitioned for the Court of Judicial Review, and now for Shen Changcun. The Emperor looked at him: “If it were your two elder brothers, they would already be asking for official positions by now, hoping to contribute to the court.”

“Your son is weak and ill, and cannot handle important duties.” Ying Fusheng said in a faint voice: “Moreover, regarding the disaster relief, I have not done much. The people of Jiangnan are also subjects of the Great Yuan. As a prince, it is my duty to do my utmost. It is within my responsibilities and does not require reward.”

“Rather, Minister Shen and the other officials of the Ministry of War, as well as Liu Dafu and others, deserve the commendation.”

His attitude was resolute, only seeking rewards for others.

The Emperor had no choice but to indulge him and ordered others to draft the decree.

Ying Fusheng thanked him for the decree, and the Emperor dismissed him. He bowed solemnly and left.

After he had gone, the hall fell quiet for a moment. The Emperor looked down at his palm, staring at it for a while, listening to Eunuch Rong’s report beside him.

“The Jinyiwei reported that the Sixth Prince visited the Shen residence, and afterwards, Minister Shen went to the Ministry of War to see Minister Hu.” Eunuch Rong said. “In this matter, the Prince was indeed seeking credit for Minister Shen.”

“It’s true that he sent wealthy merchants south of the Yangtze, but the idea probably came from Hu Buyu.” The Emperor had seen the memorial submitted by Hu Buyu. Over the past few days, Hu Buyu appeared to be working for the Grand Prince, but in reality, he had used the Grand Prince’s influence to accomplish many practical things. Shen Changcun had informed him of this. This former magistrate of Anlong was extremely shrewd, navigating left and right to get things done. “To create such a situation, the news of official grain and the news of wealthy merchants buying it up—there was someone pulling the strings behind it.”

Among the six ministries, the Ministry of War had the fastest information channels.

If Shen Changcun wanted to send a message, he had to go through the Ministry of War. Hu Buyu was using the Sixth Prince’s relief efforts to create the current situation.

The Emperor actually did not like Ying Fusheng’s recklessness, but the child’s avoidance of his touch just now left him with an indescribable feeling.

Everyone was using him, or treating him as a stepping stone, yet he only remembered the merits of others.

This child was simple-minded and sincere, but sometimes exceptionally stubborn… It was both good and bad.

…

The work of the Ministry of Works on repairing the snow roads was halted. The court was now fully committed to purchasing grain for disaster relief, under the supervision of the Censorate. The Court of Judicial Review had even sent an imperial commissioner. Some officials had harbored ulterior motives, but with such a show of force, who would dare risk their necks to engage in treacherous acts?

Originally, the treasuries of the three prefectures had insufficient silver, but fortunately, the Emperor had given orders in advance. The Ministry of War acted swiftly, sending fast horses south of the Yangtze for disaster relief. With the court’s decree and the imperial commissioner present, none of the prefectures dared to be negligent, all offering their support.

When the disaster-stricken people of the three prefectures south of the Yangtze saw that the Liu family’s congee kitchens were struggling to continue, they never expected that after only three days of interruption, the government offices of the three prefectures would open their gates wide for relief. This scene deeply worried the refugees, who feared it might be their last meal. It was only when an official soldier shouted, “Auntie, rest assured! There’s plenty of grain!” that they felt relieved.

Outside the government office, General Chen, who had been ordered to come, observed the situation. The leading general, with his white hair, glanced into the distance. He was not in armor, and his murky eyes were filled with the sight of the common people. Beside him, a shrewd Jinyiwei whispered softly: “General Chen, the Young General says this matter owes much to your assistance. Unable to come in person, he sends his regards.”

Since the military pay case, General Chen had been transferred to Jiangnan. When this incident occurred, the timely communication was greatly aided by the troops under General Chen’s command, who were skilled at traveling swiftly on snowy roads.

“It was the Young General who took a bold risk. I merely did my part. The Chen family’s soldiers have also galloped across the northern border; delivering a few messages is nothing.” General Chen saw the people being settled. He had been transferred from the northern border to Jiangnan two years ago, and the people of Jiangnan were no different to him than those of the north. “By the time those civil officials finish their wrangling, the only ones who suffer are the common people and the soldiers. The Young General is too kind.”

“The Young General says that this matter still needs to be kept secret. If anyone inquires, it has nothing to do with the Chen or Qi families.” The Jinyiwei finished speaking and withdrew.

General Chen watched him leave, then waved for his men to follow the Jinyiwei’s instructions. His strategist said: “General, should we inform General Qi of the northern border about this matter?”

“Taking a bold risk, Han Zhou hasn’t been away from the northern border long. He doesn’t fully understand the situation in Jiangnan, yet he was able to pinpoint me and understand the layout of multiple prefectures, knowing how to stir things up.” General Chen pondered for a moment. “This isn’t entirely his idea. Someone is strategizing for him.”

This Sixth Prince, who had invited wealthy merchants south of the Yangtze, was probably not simple in his righteous act.

In the capital, a storm was likely brewing.

…

In the capital, the two major factions were locked in a fierce struggle. The result was that the Grand Prince was punished, and the Crown Prince was reprimanded. In particular, the Crown Prince’s previous act of using his own silver to repair roads was contrasted with the Sixth Prince’s relief efforts.

Soon, news arrived from Jiangnan.

The snow disaster had been alleviated, and the people of the various prefectures were safe. The news gradually spread to the capital through various channels.

The Emperor issued a decree to richly reward the wealthy merchant Liu Dafu and promoted Shen Changcun, the Junior Chief Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud, to Chief Minister.

When the news from Jiangnan arrived, the common people in the capital finally learned what had happened. They said that the Sixth Prince had instructed the wealthy merchant to buy grain at high prices and then distribute congee for relief. His original intention was only to provide relief, but unexpectedly, other grain merchants, driven by profit, followed suit. Furthermore, due to the news of official grain reserves, they were forced to sell. In the end, the court purchased this civilian grain, sparing the people of the three prefectures from the natural disaster.

At this time, there were still those who brought up the matter of the Sixth Prince being a jinx. Some common people were discontented. The Sixth Prince’s action, though accidental, had led to a good outcome.

For the common people, it didn’t matter who did what. Whoever could do good things for them was a blessing.

The common people spread stories about the Crown Prince being considerate of the people, but in reality, the repairs had been halted, and resources had been wasted on clearing snow roads. It was even said that the Crown Prince had been reprimanded by His Majesty over this matter, and a host of officials from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue had been held accountable. Clearly, there were many hidden schemes!

In contrast, the Sixth Prince had not mobilized any civilian labor. He had cooperated with the kind-hearted wealthy merchant to go south of the Yangtze and brought relief to the disaster. When the people of Jiangnan learned of this, the people of the capital worked hard to dispel the rumors of him being a jinx, spreading instead the story of him being a blessing. The earlier attempts by court officials to manipulate power had not suppressed public opinion; instead, the story of the “blessing” spread even wider.

“I handled my first task in court, and this is how it turned out! What are the people saying about me now?” When news from the common folk reached the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince simply could not understand how such a well-intentioned matter had gone so wrong, and how it had mysteriously involved Ying Fusheng. “Who is helping him behind the scenes? How did he manage to turn even the jinx rumor around?”

The Xu family had barely managed to calm the matter of clearing the snow roads, but it was hard to suppress public opinion. With the arrival of news from Jiangnan, the rumors of Ying Fusheng being a jinx had collapsed on their own. Now, not only among the people but also at court, there were many praising him.

“Father Emperor clearly abhors such matters so much. When the people spread those rumors about Ying Fusheng, he tacitly allowed the ‘blessing’ narrative…” The Crown Prince’s voice suddenly stopped. He saw someone approaching the Eastern Palace.

The newcomer was dressed in the attire of a female official, but just by standing there, she silenced the surroundings. She stepped out from the shadows, revealing herself to be Shuangyue, the personal maidservant of the Empress.

Seeing her, the Eastern Palace attendants quickly withdrew.

Shuangyue spoke: “Your Highness knows to remain composed at court. Venting your anger upon returning to the palace is not entirely imprudent.”

Seeing her, the Crown Prince hurriedly explained: “I was just…”

“Leave it. The Grand Secretary is already aware. The Xu family handled this matter well. If not for the Sixth Prince, things would have succeeded. Your current position is the Crown Prince, the sole son of Empress Xu. The Xu family can only support you.” Shuangyue’s voice was steady. “However, if Your Highness cannot maintain composure, that old fox of the Xu family might have other ideas. The palace is not without other princes.”

“But this matter, the Xu family—” The Crown Prince interrupted anxiously.

“Empress Xu is still at Huguo Temple. The Xu family has remained in His Majesty’s favor for so long not by accident. Grand Secretary Xu has his ways; Your Highness should play along.” Shuangyue said. “As for the Sixth Prince, no matter how high his prestige, as long as he is weak and sickly, he will never sit on that throne… The Grand Secretary already has other arrangements.”

“Who’s there!” A sharp shout rang out. Shuangyue raised her hand, and a hidden weapon shot through the wall!

The weapon passed through the wall, but there was no one outside the window.

…

Outside the Eastern Palace, as the Empress’s personal maidservant disappeared, Ye Xuanjiu, hidden in the shadows of the eaves, narrowly dodged the hidden weapon and swiftly turned and disappeared around a corner. At the moment he left, several dark guards appeared at the Eastern Palace. Seeing no one there, they vanished without a trace.

Ye Xuanjiu moved quickly, using his skills as a northern border scout to evade the watchful eyes one after another, before finally hiding in a secret outpost of the Jinyiwei within the palace.

Qi Hanzhou heard the sound and turned around, only to hear Ye Xuanjiu’s breathless voice—

“Young General, the Eastern Palace is not right.”

Ye Xuanjiu wasted no time and said directly: “There is a squad of death warriors hidden there.”