Chapter 75#

The day Ying Fusheng recovered from his illness happened to coincide with the spring snow melting.#

The Warm Spring Hall was bustling both inside and out.

“Sweeping away the ill fortune, sweeping away the sickness.” Song An directed the palace attendants of the Warm Spring Hall in a thorough cleaning, inside and out, not missing a single spot. The group of attendants worked harder than usual, even sprinkling a bit of salt as they cleaned.

A small banquet was held in the Warm Spring Hall to celebrate Ying Fusheng’s recovery from illness and the dispelling of misfortune. Many of the palace consorts sent gifts. The Dowager Empress came in person, wielding scissors to cut away the ill fortune for Ying Fusheng. When an elder performs such an act, it is said to bless the younger generation with peace and safety year after year.

When Stewardess Yu solemnly handed him a sachet, the scent of incense ash from the National Protection Temple wafted from its surface. She said little, nor did she mention it was from the Dowager Empress, only: “Keep this with you, Your Highness, for peace and safety.”

It was sent by the one from the National Protection Temple.

Two red lanterns were hung high up, even though it was not New Year’s Eve, yet the celebration was livelier than the New Year.

The Dowager Empress left after having lunch with Ying Fusheng. Seeing that Shen Yunfei had specifically come into the palace, she did not disturb their reunion, letting Ying Fusheng accompany him. She only instructed Song An to keep an eye on things and not let them drink.

Ying Fusheng left the palace. A “banquet to dispel misfortune” had been arranged at a restaurant.

“I can’t drink too much; I’m on duty tonight!” Shen Yunfei hurriedly refused. After saying this, he took out several embroidered pouches from himself. “These are from Fatty’s family, and these are from Liu Dafu’s prayers at a temple in Jiangnan. They say they’re especially effective for warding off all calamities. Fatty and his father went down to Jiangnan and haven’t returned yet, so he entrusted me to bring them all—”

Weng Yanqing said, “I can’t drink too much either.”

Ye Xuanjiu said, “I can have a small cup.”

Ying Fusheng was not accustomed to having a crowd fuss over him, but these were things he could not refuse. When he touched his wine cup, Chen Xuli, sitting at a distance, suddenly looked over. He had no choice but to put the cup aside, handing it to Qi Hanzhou.

The action was so casual that Qi Hanzhou hesitated slightly when he saw the cup being handed to him, then heard the person beside him ask, “No duty during the day?”

“I took leave,” he said.

Ying Fusheng gave an “oh,” then turned his head to watch the lively scene at the table.

He watched quietly, listened to the others chattering, and rarely responded.

After the ritual to dispel misfortune, it seemed Ying Fusheng had fully recovered; for an entire month afterwards, he did not summon the imperial physician.

The Imperial Academy of Medicine finally breathed a sigh of relief, loudly praising the heavens for their blessings.

Crown princes of the Great Yuan Dynasty were to establish their own mansions outside the palace at the age of fifteen, a matter not to be taken lightly.

The Sixth Prince’s physical condition required constant medical attention. The Emperor specially permitted the Sixth Prince to occasionally reside long-term in the Warm Spring Hall. Even the location of his mansion outside the palace was chosen to be close to the imperial city. No court official dared to object to such exceptional treatment; everyone knew it was to facilitate the imperial physicians’ frequent visits to the Sixth Prince’s mansion.

In the year the Sixth Prince turned fifteen, most of the physicians from the Imperial Academy of Medicine spent considerable time at the Warm Spring Hall.

The slightest slip-up would result in facing the Dowager Empress’s cold glare. Having spent so long at the Sixth Prince’s side honing their skills, the physicians could now examine the Sixth Prince without blushing or showing the slightest nervousness.

On the day of the move to the Sixth Prince’s mansion, the Dowager Empress arrived in person to lend her support. Gifts from the Emperor and Dowager Empress poured into the new mansion continuously. The occasion was grand, reportedly to drive away the Prince’s sickness. Even the National Protection Temple sent items to ward off misfortune. The Sixth Prince enjoyed considerable prestige in the capital; during his illness, commoners had burned incense and prayed for his recovery. When the mansion was established, many citizens came to show their support.

Song An and several palace attendants left the palace with Ying Fusheng to take up residence in the new mansion. Song An became the steward of the Sixth Prince’s mansion, arranging matters both inside and out in perfect order.

“The outside of the palace isn’t as tightly secured as the inside. The Young General instructed that the mansion guards must be reliable.” Ye Xuanjiu had been assigned a new task by Qi Hanzhou. “Don’t worry, they were all recruited through the Qi family’s connections. Every single one is an expert.”

Chen Xuli said, “If that’s not enough, we could also find some people from the martial world.”

The arrangement of the mansion guards was particularly important. Song An took note of everything, knowing this matter had to be handled well.

Set aside a pharmacy for Miss Chen, prepare a place for Mr. Weng and Mr. Shen to stay… After taking care of these matters, Song An discovered that His Highness had also given special instructions: to set aside a side room in the main courtyard for Qi Hanzhou.

When Qi Hanzhou heard this from Ye Xuanjiu, his figure stiffened. “Set aside for me?”

“The Sixth Prince said, so that next time you come, you won’t have to sneak over by climbing the wall or sneaking through windows. It’s your own courtyard; you’re welcome anytime,” Ye Xuanjiu said.

Qi Hanzhou: “…”

He turned and left to attend to official business.

Ye Xuanjiu hurried after him, quickly catching up to his general’s footsteps. “Wait for me, Young General! The Prince also gave you a pass token. Take it, or you’ll still have to climb the wall.”

Establishing a mansion outside the palace was most convenient for Ying Fusheng when it came to discussing matters with others.

Compared to holding meetings daily in private rooms at restaurants, discussing affairs at home meant no need to worry about being followed at all times. On the day the mansion was established, the Xiao family sent congratulatory gifts after the Dowager Empress. Unlike the jade pendant from before, this time Xiao Yan sent a list. Several years ago, Ying Fusheng had given him a list of suspicious officials in the court; this list was the one he had filtered and returned.

During Ying Fusheng’s year-long illness, Xiao Yan’s movements were minimal.

However, whenever the Emperor purged dissenters from the court, Xiao Yan’s shadow was always present. This man was cautious and thorough. After cleaning up the Xiao family’s mess, he had spent less than two years firmly establishing the Censorate’s foothold in the court, making it the Emperor’s eyes for rooting out factions within the dynasty.

Weng Yanqing watched as the Sixth Prince finished reading the list and quickly threw it into the charcoal brazier to be destroyed. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “This act by Lord Xiao is his pledge of allegiance to Your Highness.”

He waited silently beside the prince. When the pledge in the brazier had completely burned away, he, too, presented a list: “I am not a talented man, but I also offer my pledge of allegiance to Your Highness.”

On it was a list of officials. Looking closely, several names looked rather familiar—they were former students from the Imperial Academy.

In last year’s imperial examinations, these men had passed and entered the court, gradually becoming court officials. Weng Yanqing had played a pivotal role in the examination scandal case of that year, interacting with countless scholars. This list was not only Weng Yanqing’s pledge but also that of those scholars from that year.

When necessary, these men could also serve Ying Fusheng’s purposes.

Ying Fusheng merely read through the list, memorized the names, and then handed it back to him. “Please convey my thanks to all the gentlemen.”

For now, he could not use this pledge from the scholars.

Some men were meant to have a smooth official career; they should not be reduced to sacrificial pawns too early.

“His Majesty’s attitude and the other officials at court have likely already noticed Your Highness’s situation,” Weng Yanqing said. “If so, then those officials in the court who hold a good impression of Your Highness will also refrain from moving.”

Ying Fusheng’s illness had been too thorough. Over the past year, records of his medical treatments had been sent to the Qianqing Palace countless times.

Under Ying Fusheng’s deliberate orchestration, both the imperial physicians and the Emperor’s spies knew that his frail constitution posed almost no threat. Such a prince, with the Xiao family in chaos behind him and only the Shen family to support him, even if he enjoyed considerable popular support, officials would not easily ally themselves with him.

The faction of the First Prince, which had been hostile towards him before the spring hunt, changed their attitude after the spring hunt. When the mansion was established, they sent many congratulatory gifts. This change in attitude was entirely due to his sudden severe illness. The Third Prince, with whom he had little interaction, also sent someone with gifts.

When a prince leaves the palace to establish his own mansion and enters the court as an official, it inevitably means he will compete for power in the imperial court.

Given his physical condition, he posed no threat to these people. Naturally, no one would, like Xiao Yan, send him a pledge of allegiance when he left the palace.

The hidden agents of the mastermind behind the scenes were all within the court, and the Second Prince was particularly deep and unfathomable.

To find clues about the mastermind from the Second Prince, entering the court was necessary to stir things up.

Over the past year, Ying Fusheng appeared to be recuperating, but in reality, he was also allowing Shen Changcun and the others to conserve their strength and hibernate completely.

The mastermind had been lying low for so long. The fall of the Xu family and the Emperor’s purge had cost him dearly. With the Embroidered Uniform Guard closely monitoring every prince, choosing to endure under such circumstances was also a way to advance by retreating. With his plans in disarray and his hidden agents and lines of communication gone, he would only wait for the right opportunity to strike.

Ying Fusheng pondered for a moment. He knew that this year, the mastermind would inevitably make a move.

A perfect opportunity was about to present itself to the mastermind.

Weng Yanqing asked, “Where does Your Highness plan to start?”

Ying Fusheng raised an eyebrow slightly. Waiting passively for events to unfold was not what he wanted. If he wanted to act, he would have to place himself at the center of this chaotic situation in order to better set things right.

“The Ministry of Works.”

…

The Sixth Prince established his mansion outside the palace but, while recuperating, did not hold any official posts and rarely even went to the Grand Court of Justice.

In the fifth month of the year, less than a month after the Sixth Prince left the palace to establish his mansion, the Emperor announced an appointment during the morning court session: the Sixth Prince was appointed as the Inspector of the Ministry of Works, overseeing the various craftsmen of the ministry.

Since the deposition and death of the Crown Prince and the fall of the Xu family, the Ministry of Works had been a coveted territory for various factions in the court. Over the past year, many had recommended candidates to the Emperor, but the Emperor repeatedly postponed making a choice.

Just recently, many in the court had been recommending suitable officials for positions in the Ministry of Works.

Even the formerly powerful Minister of War, Hu Buyu, had recommended someone for the First Prince, which the Emperor rejected. Because of Hu Buyu’s recommendation, when the Minister of Rites raised the matter of the princes’ appointments after leaving the palace, the Emperor assigned Ying Fusheng to the Ministry of Works.

The old foxes in the court could see it clearly: the Emperor was using the Sixth Prince to block the ambitions of the other factions. Everyone in the court knew that the Sixth Prince was in poor health. Ever since he was frightened during the spring hunt, this Prince had been ill for almost an entire year. Gradually, rumors spread within the palace that the Prince had suffered damage to his mind during his illness and might be mentally impaired.

How could such a prince hold such an important position in the Ministry of Works?

The title of Inspector was a sinecure, and it was common for princes to hold such nominal posts.

There were only three princes with official positions in the court. The Sixth Prince had previously held the post of Inspector at the Grand Court of Justice. Now that he had left the palace and established his own mansion, it was no longer appropriate for him to serve as an inspector in one of the Three Judicial Offices.

In short, the court officials all knew that this illness of the Sixth Prince would likely prevent him from ever ascending the throne.

Whether the Sixth Prince could do a good job at the Ministry of Works was unimportant. What mattered was that moving the Sixth Prince out of the Grand Court of Justice and placing him in the Ministry of Works—a den of wolves—was undoubtedly a way to silence the mouths of all the officials.

When the appointment edict came down, the Minister of Works rushed to the Sixth Prince’s mansion in a panic. His carriage was waiting outside the mansion. As soon as he arrived, he was ushered inside.

Song An said, “Please wait a moment, Lord Liu. His Highness has just finished taking his medicine and will be with you shortly.”

Upon hearing that the Sixth Prince was taking medicine like a meal, two beads of cold sweat rolled down Lord Liu’s forehead. He forced a smile and said, “No rush, no rush. His Highness should take his time. He must take his time.”

He had had some unresolved history with this Sixth Prince when they were both at the Grand Court of Justice. The officials under him all praised the Sixth Prince’s kindness and said that thanks to His Highness’s blessings, his own salary had increased considerably. But now that he had come to the Ministry of Works, the good fortune was gone. Every day he entered the court to be scolded by the Emperor, and the moment he opened his eyes, he had to deal with the mess left by the previous Minister of Works.

He was already busy enough, and then he learned that the Sixth Prince was coming to the Ministry of Works.

When the Minister of Works left home that day, his colleagues at the ministry had looked at him with sympathetic eyes.

This Sixth Prince was frail and sickly. If anything went wrong at the Ministry of Works, wouldn’t it be a massive pot of trouble falling from the sky?

When Ying Fusheng came out, he saw Lord Liu pacing back and forth. He spoke softly, “Lord Liu, the Minister of Works.”

Lord Liu hurriedly bowed. “Sixth Prince, the appointment edict has arrived. This humble official has come to escort Your Highness.”

The Ministry of Works’ office. Ying Fusheng had been here once before with Qi Hanzhou, but this was his first time actually entering.

As soon as he entered, he noticed that there were even fewer clerks at the Ministry of Works than at the Ministry of Rites. Even the gatekeepers were fewer than in other departments. Only a few steps in, he felt a sense of desolation. No wonder everyone in the court wanted to slip people in here. Several key positions at the Ministry of Works were still vacant. Whichever faction could get their person in could easily occupy a high-ranking post.

The competition resembled the one for the position of Vice Minister of War under Hu Buyu back in the day.

The Emperor was guarding against hidden factions and would not easily appoint people. The officials at the Ministry of Works were doing the work of two men each. No wonder Liu Yunshi was so worried. This former Chief Minister of the Grand Court of Justice, who had always been smooth and adept at handling situations, was skilled at navigating circumstances. The Emperor had placed him in this position, undoubtedly using him to test the other factions.

Just as they had walked a short distance inside, an official hurried up to them. “Lord Minister, someone from the Ministry of Personnel has arrived.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yunshi suddenly remembered what day it was and realized he had messed up. “Take His Highness on a tour of the place. I’ll go see what’s happening first.”

Ying Fusheng watched as Lord Liu scurried away, taking three steps at a time, then followed the Ministry of Works official as they walked forward.

As he walked, he cast a sidelong glance in the direction Lord Liu had gone, feigning curiosity as he asked, “Where’s he off to in such a hurry?”

“Well, Your Highness may not know this, but today happens to be the day the Ministry of Merit Evaluation comes by,” the Ministry of Works official, seeing the Sixth Prince’s look of curiosity and fearful that the Prince might be displeased with the Minister, quickly explained. “Ever since the Ministry of Works case, His Majesty has ordered stricter evaluations of all officials by the Ministry of Personnel.”

So many officials from the Ministry of Works had been involved in the scandal, colluding with the faction of the deposed Crown Prince, resulting in unclear accounts and even the serious matter of secretly transporting military funds. The Ministry of Merit Evaluation under the Ministry of Personnel was responsible for assessments. A single stain left there could affect one’s entire future career. Just last year, when the Ministry of Merit Evaluation came to conduct assessments, they demoted two senior officials for dereliction of duty in the mismanagement of arrows during the North Mountain Hunting Ground case.

So whenever they came to the Ministry of Works, the officials there were all uneasy.

Even the newly transferred officials feared the Ministry of Merit Evaluation.

After listening, Ying Fusheng paused for a moment before pretending to catch on and asking, “Shouldn’t the Ministry of Personnel be coming later in the year?”

Ministry of Personnel evaluations were usually held in June.

“Your Highness may not know, but this September is the time when lords and princes from various regions will be entering the capital. The Ministry of Works is responsible for hosting the Celestial Terrace, and we are to organize the grand ceremony together with the Ministry of Rites,” the Ministry of Works official, seeing the Sixth Prince’s confusion, explained. “Given that it involves the lords, the Celestial Terrace must be flawless. That’s why the Ministry of Personnel has come ahead of schedule this time to conduct the evaluation on behalf of His Majesty and personally inspect the preparations for the Celestial Terrace.”

“In that case, I’d like to see it as well, later,” Ying Fusheng said.

The Ministry of Works official paused. Why had he gone into such detail with the Sixth Prince? This Prince was not in good health and held a nominal post at the Ministry of Works. But the Minister had said to treat him well—he was a lucky star. The Celestial Terrace was a major affair. The Sixth Prince, new to the court, likely had only a superficial understanding of its intricacies.

But since the Sixth Prince had spoken, he could only comply. “This humble official will prepare the documents later this evening.”

As he spoke, the sound of footsteps was heard from afar—

“Today I learned that the appointment edict for my Sixth Brother had been issued, and knowing he would come to the ministry office.”

The newcomer wore an official’s robe, his features gentle and warm. He stepped slowly across the threshold of the corridor, followed by two Ministry of Personnel officials carrying documents. He nodded and smiled at Ying Fusheng, every gesture exuding a composed and steady demeanor. “What a coincidence to run into you here.”

Ying Fusheng’s gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at the newcomer, then a perfectly appropriate smile appeared on his face.

“Second Brother.”