Chapter 21

Chapter 21

...No, did I hear that right?

The Emperor is actually siding with Lord Jiang?

The Xuan Yin Jailers have always been utterly loyal, never questioning any of Ying Changchuan's decisions.

But at this moment, even they couldn't help but feel uncertain.

Suddenly, the Xiangtai Hall fell into silence.

After a few moments, Jiang Yuxun raised his hand to his forehead in salute: "Your servant obeys the decree—"

The young man's clear voice echoed again and again in the Xiangtai Hall, finally breaking the silence.

Qi Pingsha, the chief Xuan Yin Jailer who had followed Ying Changchuan the longest, immediately turned and knelt on one knee: "Your servant obeys the decree!"

At that moment, his heart suddenly thudded twice.

Those destined for great achievements are inevitably unorthodox.

The Xuan Yin Jailers were accustomed to the Emperor's strategic planning.

Yet, they had inadvertently forgotten that the Emperor, who spent half his life in battle and conquered lands with fewer troops, might have always been a gambler at heart.

...On the surface, the Emperor and Lord Jiang appear to be quite different.

But in reality, they are cut from the same cloth.

Following Qi Pingsha's lead, the rest of the Xuan Yin Jailers also immediately knelt down to receive the order.

The cries of "Long live the Emperor" resonated in the Xiangtai Hall.

Having accepted the task, the words "dike construction, severe blow to Ting Tian Pavilion" suddenly emerged in everyone’s minds.

Reflecting on Jiang Yuxun’s words earlier, even the most conservative individuals couldn’t help but feel their blood stir.

Why not take a gamble!

Before long, a hundred well-equipped horses dashed out of Xianyou Palace like flashes of lightning.

The whistling wind lifted the young man’s long hair and robe. Jiang Yuxun, with a sword strapped to his waist, rode at the forefront.

Seeing this scene, the common people waiting outside the temporary palace were startled—

"Look! Isn't that Minister Jiang and the Xuan Yin Monitor?"

"What are they doing leaving the palace?"

"Could it be because of the issue with the river embankment…"

Logically, since the gold and silver hadn't been excavated yet, they should have kept a low profile.

But upon hearing the commoners' words, Jiang Yuxun actually signaled the Xuan Yin Monitor to announce loudly, "We are ordered by the Emperor to go to the Prime Minister's residence in Zhao Du to search for the river funds!"

...The river funds actually ended up in the Prime Minister's hands?!

Although the commoners had vaguely heard rumors, hearing the Xuan Yin Monitor say it outright still startled them.

The crowd exchanged glances and then rose to leave Xianyou Palace, following the Xuan Yin Monitor's party onto the official road.

They wanted to join Jiang Yuxun in witnessing for themselves where the river funds actually were!

-

Last night's light rain had caused the Yi River to rise slightly.

Fortunately, several critical breaches had been pre-emptively blocked with sandbags, otherwise the nearby villages might have suffered again.

Even though no major disaster had occurred, everything was a constant reminder to the people that emergency repairs to the river were urgently needed.

As they were about to reach Zhao Du, the Xuan Yin Monitor, leading the troops, rode forward and asked Jiang Yuxun loudly:

"Minister Jiang, the Prime Minister owns six manors near Zhao Du and also has an official residence in the city. Where should we start searching first?"

Although Jiang Yuxun knew the Prime Minister was wealthy, he was still surprised to hear this: "That many?"

Qi Pingsha: ?

If Minister Jiang isn’t even clear about these details, how could he confidently take on this task earlier…

His gaze toward the young man suddenly filled with doubt.

Did I really get on the wrong boat by following Jiang Yuxun?

Jiang Yuxun averted his gaze, coughed slightly unnaturally twice, and then asked Qi Pingsha, "Does the Prime Minister have a residence or manor where lotuses are grown?"

"Lotuses..." Qi Pingsha pondered for a moment and said, "Indeed, there is one."

"Where is it?"

"In the ancestral home in the suburbs of Zhao Du."

Jiang Yuxun felt assured: "Good, we'll go there."

Logically, the Emperor had temporarily transferred the command of the Xuan Yin Monitor to Jiang Yuxun.

They just needed to follow the orders and act.

But perhaps because Jiang Yuxun seemed somewhat unreliable, Qi Pingsha finally couldn’t help but ask, "Why is Minister Jiang looking for a place with lotuses?"

Of course, it was because of the location written in the archaeological reports of the future, which is at the bottom of a lotus pond.

Found in the same soil layer as the hidden artifacts were a large number of thousand-year-old lotus seeds.

—Jiang Yuxun silently answered in his mind.

He shifted his gaze, pondering the thoughts of Gong Maotong at that time, while speaking to Qi Pingsha:

"The Ting Tian Pavilion believes that low-lying areas can gather energy and nurture nobility. The Imperial Palace of Zhao Du and the Emperor's sleeping quarters are built on such lands."

Qi Pingsha slowly nodded, finding Jiang Yuxun's explanation quite reasonable.

Since the Prime Minister believed in this concept, he would undoubtedly follow it through.

"Generally, ponds and water edges are located in low-lying areas. And every year from early autumn, the lotus ponds are opened for lotus root harvesting, which is an excellent opportunity to bury gold and silver underground."

Qi Pingsha quickly realized, "I see! Burying it deep in the earth is certainly much safer than blatantly placing it in a room. With many people coming and going in the Prime Minister's residence, taking advantage of lotus root harvesting to dig deep into the pond is the best way to avoid detection."

Persuaded by Jiang Yuxun’s reasoning, he also felt that they should indeed start by searching at the bottom of the lotus pond.

As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Pingsha immediately turned to give orders to the others: "In another five miles, we will leave the official road and ride on horseback!"

"Yes!"

The Xuan Yin Monitor's call resounded, and Jiang Yuxun slowly adjusted his breathing, gripping the reins tightly.

His fingers were imperceptibly trembling.

Although he had the future archaeological reports as a reference, the pressure wouldn’t ease until the hidden treasure was found.

Despite the nervousness, the moment he turned off the official road, Jiang Yuxun took a deep breath and quietly concealed all his tension and unease.

Countless members of the Xuan Yin Monitor regarded him as their leader.

...With so many eyes on him, he absolutely could not lose his composure.

"Let's go!" The young man spurred his horse around, smiling at the crowd, "First, we'll take a look at Gong Datian's ancestral home—"

The river breeze blew, causing the young man's long hair to flutter, his eyes shining brightly.

In an instant, it eased the doubts and anxieties in everyone's hearts.

"Yes!"

The officers of Xuan Yin echoed in unison, their voices resonating powerfully.

-

The imperial guards, already informed, had surrounded Gong Maotong's ancestral house.

Upon entering, Jiang Yuxun and his party headed straight for the lotus pond.

"Minister Jiang, the place you are looking for is right here."

"Good." Jiang Yuxun didn't hurry to dismount but instead looked into the distance from atop his horse—

It was the season when the lotus flowers were in full bloom, their red blossoms burning like fire into the distant horizon, endless to the eye.

Jiang Yuxun: ...!

The beauty was unquestionable, but the problem was... such a vast lotus pond was like finding a needle in the ocean.

"How large is this lotus pond?" Jiang Yuxun asked with difficulty.

Qi Pingsha thought for a moment, then seriously replied, "About two hundred acres."

Damn, I've been careless.

...The Gong family's estate is truly vast.

At this moment, the Xuan Yin Monitor's men and the imperial guards had all gathered near the lotus pond.

Everyone was waiting for his next command.

...Draining the pond to dig deep into its bottom was obviously an impossible task.

Jiang Yuxun glanced at the lotus pond and then turned to instruct the crowd, "There’s no rush. First, bring all the nearby lotus-picking boats here, then we’ll enter the pond to search."

"Yes, Minister Jiang!"

This operation led by Jiang Yuxun was indeed grand in scale.

By sunset, over a hundred lotus-picking boats were brought into the lotus pond.

Meanwhile, countless commoners had gathered in front of the Prime Minister’s ancestral home, waiting to see the river funds found.

By the time all the boats were in the water, night had fallen.

Despite being on the road all day, Jiang Yuxun was still not the least bit tired.

He too joined the others, boarding a boat to search within the pond.

-

Accompanied by the "swoosh" of flowing water, the lotus-picking boats created ripples across the pond.

Tall red lotuses brushed gently past him, lifting his long hair before it slowly fell back down.

Jiang Yuxun was alone in a small boat, navigating through the lotus pond.

As he moved forward, he used a bamboo pole to search the pond’s bottom.

Unbeknownst to him, the day had already reached its zenith.

Tired from a day of rowing, the young man's movements gradually slowed.

Fatigue washed over him like waves.

Just as Jiang Yuxun was contemplating whether to rest for a while, he suddenly heard a commotion from afar.

The next moment, someone shouted loudly, "Minister Jiang, there’s a pottery jar here!"

A pottery jar?!

Jiang Yuxun's spirit instantly revived.

If he remembered correctly, the hidden artifacts were discovered in pottery jars.

"Wait, I'm coming!" His fatigue vanished, Jiang Yuxun immediately rowed towards the source of the voice.

By the time he arrived, a ceramic urn about two feet high had already been excavated from the bottom of the pond and placed on one of the boats.

Meanwhile, others were digging up another urn from the pond's bed.

Logically, the urn wasn't that large, but the boat carrying it sat noticeably deeper in the water than the others, indicating the contents must be extremely heavy.

Upon Jiang Yuxun's arrival, everyone's gaze simultaneously turned towards him.

"Master Jiang, please do the honors of opening it."

Qi Pingsha yielded his place, speaking as the young man gracefully leaped onto the boat.

"Alright."

Unable to resist, Jiang Yuxun crouched down and slowly ran his hand over the urn.

The cold, rough texture under his fingers made his heart beat uncontrollably.

This was it.

Jiang Yuxun regulated his breathing and drew his sword, swinging it forcefully.

Accompanied by a loud noise, the well-sealed urn was broken open.

The sun, now blazing, cast golden light through the gaps in the branches, which happened to fall directly into the urn.

The light reflected a dazzling brightness from within the urn.

While moving the urn, the crowd had speculated, but upon seeing the glittering gold and silver, they couldn't help but burst into exclamations:

"This... this is all money!"

"The funds for the dike repairs were indeed in the Prime Minister's hands."

"I've never seen so much silver in my life..."

While speaking, Jiang Yuxun slowly reached into the pottery jar and pulled out a gold ingot.

Then, he lifted it towards the sunlight to inspect the bottom—

The inscription "Devout Believer Gong Maotong" was clearly etched there!

Jiang Yuxun felt his heart pounding, his breath momentarily disordered.

The lotus pond fell silent in an instant.

Realizing that the gold and silver had inscriptions on the bottom, everyone held their breath and began to check meticulously.

—Devout Believer Gong Maotong.

Every piece of gold and silver ware in the jar was inscribed with these six characters!

For a time, the only sound over the lotus pond was the soft clinking of gold and silver.

After an unknown duration, an exclamation finally broke the silence.

"Your Majesty?!"

A familiar voice rose next to the young man, "It's inconvenient on the boat, no need for formalities."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Jiang Yuxun turned to look behind him.

The Emperor, dressed in dark robes, had unexpectedly arrived there as well.

He casually brushed past a red lotus and looked up at me.

Jiang Yuxun, unable to contain his excitement, exclaimed, "Your Majesty, I have found the evidence!"

"All these gold and silver pieces are inscribed with 'Devout Believer Gong Maotong.' They must be intended as offerings for the Lingtian Platform," he said, turning to grab a gold ingot and leaping towards the boat where Ying Changchuan was.

But the next moment turned from joy to sorrow—

Jiang Yuxun had forgotten he was not on solid ground.

The slight movement of the boat under his feet caused him to lose balance, and he was about to fall into the pond.

！！！

Instinctively holding his breath, he braced for the moment he would hit the water.

However, at that very moment, Jiang Yuxun's wrist was suddenly gripped tightly.

By the time he realized what was happening, Ying Changchuan had already pulled him back onto the boat.

"Be careful."

A faint scent of dragon's saliva mixed with the fragrance of lotus enveloped him from the front.

Unnoticed, Jiang Yuxun had rolled up his sleeves, revealing skin moistened with dew from the lotus.

Without the barrier of clothing, the calluses formed from years of sword handling on the Emperor's hand became particularly evident.

Although this wasn't the first time Ying Changchuan had come to his rescue, unlike the previous urgent situation, Jiang Yuxun now realized—wasn't Ying Changchuan's grip a bit too strong?

The boat rocked gently, then gradually stabilized.

Jiang Yuxun quickly withdrew his wrist from Ying Changchuan's grasp and instinctively said, "Thank you."

...Thank you?

"What kind of remark is that?"

Everyone looked at Jiang Yuxun with puzzled faces, eventually turning to respectful solemnity.

Unprecedented! Someone actually thanked the Emperor in such a manner?

Master Jiang... truly unconventional!

※

The two hundred-acre pond was brimming with red lotuses.

The ceramic urns were buried in the deepest part of the lotus pond, making their retrieval quite challenging.

Most of the Xuan Yin Monitors and the Imperial Guards remained in the lotus pond, continuing their search for the other urns.

Jiang Yuxun and Ying Changchuan, with the two excavated urns, sat in a boat heading out of the lotus pond.

To maintain balance, the two urns were placed at the bow and the stern of the boat.

The official responsible for minting coins had also arrived here with Ying Changchuan.

He was currently examining a piece of cake-shaped silver at the bow, scrutinizing its quality in the sunlight.

After a while, the official carefully placed it back into the urn: "...Your Majesty, this batch of silver ingots was minted last spring. They should be the ones allocated for the dike repairs."

Then, picking up a gold ingot, he began to examine it closely: "As for this gold ingot, it also appears to be minted last year. Its exact origin needs further investigation."

The lotus pond was winding and intricate; the boat couldn't move quickly and was gently rocked by ripples from unknown sources.

Listening, Jiang Yuxun, who had not slept at all the previous night at the stern, finally began to feel drowsy from the swaying.

Sitting at the stern, he pinched himself hard, trying to ward off the sleepiness.

The effect was minimal.

...Ying Changchuan's voice, for some reason, started to sound distant and then near again.

After a while, Jiang Yuxun's head started nodding like a pecking chicken, one nod after another.

At the bow, Ying Changchuan casually fiddled with a gold ingot: "It has been many days since I last saw the two Diviners. Why not take this opportunity to invite them for a small gathering in Zhaodu. What do you think, my dear minister?"

The official knew the Emperor was not addressing him, so he remained silent.

...However, Jiang Yuxun also remained silent.

What is Master Jiang doing?

The official was momentarily stunned, his curiosity piqued, he couldn’t help but glance towards the stern.

The lotus branches, connecting sky and water, swept overhead, conveniently shielding the young man from the sunlight.

...There, under these lotus branches, Jiang Yuxun was seated, leaning against the ceramic urn at the rear of the boat, his eyes heavily closed.

Master Jiang fell asleep?!

How is this even possible?

He blinked hard, making sure he wasn’t seeing things.

Could someone actually fall asleep right under the Emperor's watch?

The official instinctively turned his head back, silently observing the Emperor's expression.

...Ying Changchuan couldn't help but frown.

As the Emperor, he had never encountered such blatant disrespect.

He slowly lowered his gaze, about to order the Xuan Yin Monitors to wake the person.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed that the young man's palm had a scraped wound, which was slowly seeping blood.

Currently, there was also an unmistakable bruise.

Pausing for a moment, Ying Changchuan put down the gold ingot in his hand and turned to the official: "I have taken note of what you said, you may withdraw now."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The official, assisted by the Xuan Yin Monitors, stepped onto another boat, not forgetting to cast a respectful glance at Jiang Yuxun before leaving.

It seemed he regarded the young man as a role model for his own official conduct...

-

Jiang Yuxun was awakened by the sound of water; he rubbed his eyes groggily and looked around.

The verdant pond was full of red lotuses, swaying with the ripples.

Near the shore, a few ducks were gently flapping their wings - the source of the water sounds he heard.

...Why am I still on the water?

Jiang Yuxun was still in a daze when suddenly a droplet of water splashed onto his neck, bringing a chill.

"Damn, this is not a dream!"

A sense of foreboding suddenly surged in Jiang Yuxun's heart.

Instinctively, he turned his head and stiffly looked towards the bow of the boat.

The boat had already reached the shore... Ying Changchuan, clad in dark robes, stood backlit, his gaze lowered towards him.

Eventually, he asked with interest: "Did my dear minister have a good sleep?"

"Not really," Jiang Yuxun answered truthfully, "My back and waist are sore, and my legs feel numb."

After speaking, the young man closed his eyes in despair.

Falling asleep under the watchful eye of the Emperor was one thing, but to wake up and complain?

Ying Changchuan slightly raised an eyebrow.

Such words coming from Jiang Yuxun... he wasn't surprised at all.

Just as the young man was engulfed in despair.

The Emperor in dark robes casually glanced at Eunuch Sang waiting on the shore.

Seeing this, the eunuch immediately stepped forward, smiling broadly as he helped Jiang Yuxun up: "Be careful, my lord. The boat is unstable; don’t fall."

"...Thank you."

Jiang Yuxun said this aloud.

But as he was escorted ashore by Ying Changchuan, his inner thoughts were wishing – why couldn't I just have fallen to my death.

-

That evening, the Emperor returned to Yuyang Palace after a long absence.

The two Diviners of the Lingtian Platform were also “invited” to Zhaodu.

The recent heavy rain had caused severe flooding in Yuyang Palace.

Although the weather had cleared up for a few days, there was still some water accumulated in parts of the palace that had yet to be drained.

Even the chambers spared from the flooding felt somewhat cold and damp.

The lights were bright in the Orchid Pool Hall.

Ministers lined both sides of the grand hall, and the tables were laden with delicacies.

The banquet had begun, but strangely, not a single person had started to eat.

The Prime Minister was being held and forced to kneel in the center of the hall, with the embezzled river funds neatly arranged and displayed.

The silver, illuminated by the light, shone brilliantly.

"Six hundred and thirty million taels of silver, minus the more than one hundred thousand spent on buying sacrifices, should leave over six hundred million. Yet, only a little over one hundred million was found in the urns..."

Ying Changchuan casually picked up a silver ingot and examined it under the light. Finally, he looked at the Prime Minister with interest: "I wonder where the rest of it is, dear Prime Minister?"

Gong Maotong, who had just been brought to the hall, stared blankly at the items on display.

...He had never imagined that Jiang Yuxun would actually unearth the embezzled funds!

Gong Maotong's mouth hung open, but he was unable to utter a sound for a long time.

Instinctively, he turned to look at the chief diviner nearby.

But the diviner, as if anticipating this, shifted his gaze away without a reaction.

Meanwhile, everyone in the Orchid Pool Hall followed Gong Maotong's gaze towards the two diviners of the Lingtian Platform.

The phrase "Devout Believer Gong Maotong" was too revealing in its implications.

—Only items offered to the Lingtian Platform would bear such an inscription.

The Prime Minister sought not only wealth in this life but also aimed to bribe the diviners to speak well of him before the divine, ensuring his prosperity in the next life!

Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, feigning ignorance was no longer a viable option.

A few seconds later, the chief diviner, gritting his teeth, managed to muster a deeply pained expression.

Unable to resist, Jiang Yuxun lifted his teacup, joining the others in watching the chief diviner, anticipating what he would say next.

But who would have thought...

The chief diviner, his face turning red, ultimately could only squeeze out: "I... I was unaware of this matter."

"Cough, cough, cough..." The tea that Jiang Yuxun was about to sip was choked out in surprise.

All this waiting, only to be met with ignorance?

The chief diviner was truly wasting everyone's emotions!

Perhaps out of guilt, the chief diviner was visibly shaken by Jiang Yuxun's coughing, causing his ornaments to clash against each other, creating a jarring, crisp sound.

Paired with his affected look of profundity, it appeared particularly ridiculous.

...Jiang Yuxun!

The chief diviner clenched the ritual instrument in his hand, striving to compose himself, and continued: "I have indeed never seen these silver funds. Although I guide the many shamans of the Lingtian Platform daily, I simply do not have the capacity to attend to each one. Unbeknownst to me, such a scoundrel emerged from their ranks."

He did as he had previously hinted, shifting the blame onto other shamans.

A junior diviner, unobtrusively, lowered his head and sipped his tea.

The chief diviner set down the ritual instrument, sitting upright at the table and took a deep breath: "I hope Your Majesty can rest assured. Give me some time, and I will find the person behind this and provide an explanation to the people."

Due to the special nature of the Lingtian Platform, even the Emperor couldn't easily dispatch someone to search it.

The chief diviner was counting on this fact to make such a promise.

Ying Changchuan suddenly put down the silver ingot in his hand, narrowed his eyes, and asked, "No rush. I am just curious, does the great diviner truly never see a single coin from the court officials?"

The Emperor's tone was playful yet carried an undertone of interrogation.

"Indeed!"

"Good."

Ying Changchuan suddenly gestured, and the leader of the Xuan Yin Monitors, Qi Pingsha, stepped into the hall.

This time he was not empty-handed but held a ledger.

...What is this?

The chief diviner instinctively glanced at the Prime Minister.

To his surprise, the latter also looked puzzled.

Qi Pingsha knelt before the Emperor, presenting the items: "Your Majesty, this is the ledger, letters, and some objects found in the residence and carriage of Tai Pu Luo Qirong, discovered by the Xuan Yin Monitors."

While speaking, several members of the Xuan Yin Monitor entered the hall, carrying a tray of jade artifacts.

A commotion erupted inside the Orchid Pond Hall.

"...These are divination instruments, and by their design, they seem to be of the highest grade."

In all the land, only the Grand Diviner was entitled to use these instruments.

"How did Luo Qirong come to possess these?"

The noise inside the hall didn’t last long, and soon everyone realized—

—These items were what Luo Qirong intended to present to the Grand Diviner before his death.

The Grand Diviner immediately clenched his fists tightly.

He involuntarily glanced towards Shang You.

Unexpectedly, the junior not only didn't help him out of the situation but instead put down what he was holding, looked at him incredulously, and frowned, "Grand Diviner, why have you been collecting these items in secret?"

Bah!

How dare you play this act with me here?

The fear on the Grand Diviner's face almost solidified into reality.

Shang You's words from that day resurfaced in his mind — then I'll leave this matter in your hands.

What does 'leave this matter in my hands' mean?

He clearly intended to use me to handle it!

It's the same old tactic of sacrificing a pawn to save the king.

The difference is, the "pawn" the Grand Diviner wanted to sacrifice was just any shaman.

But the "pawn" Shang You wanted to sacrifice was the Grand Diviner himself.

※

An ordinary shaman of the Lingtian Platform managing to embezzle millions in gold and silver from the Prime Minister behind the backs of both Diviners—

—no one would believe such a tale.

Throughout the banquet, the chief diviner adamantly denied everything.

But everyone had already formed their own conclusions.

Ying Changchuan did not deal with the chief diviner on the spot, instead using the excuse of “the hour being late” to temporarily keep the people from the Lingtian Platform within the palace.

At the hour of Hai, a leaden-colored figure slowly pushed open the tightly closed palace door.

The chief diviner, meditating on the couch, immediately opened his eyes: "Shang You?"

The newcomer nodded gently towards him.

The chief diviner couldn't help but clench his fist.

...How did Shang You manage to open the door when he had locked it securely just moments ago?

"What brings you here?" he asked, feigning calm.

It was the peak of summer, and not a drop of rain had fallen during the day.

Even at midnight, the closed and sealed chambers of the palace remained stiflingly hot and stuffy.

Unnoticed, the chief diviner's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

Shang You smiled and said matter-of-factly, "Naturally, I am here to deal with today's events."

"...What do you mean by this?"

The chief diviner raised his voice, attempting to summon the people who arrived with him into the chamber.

Unexpectedly, the ones who entered were the two shamans who always followed Shang You.

One of them was holding a jug of wine.

Shang You filled a cup for the chief diviner, "The great diviner has amassed a fortune, well aware of his betrayal to the divine and the common people. Reflecting on this, he has decided... to drink poison as an apology."

As he finished speaking, he presented the cup of wine to the chief diviner.

The two shamans accompanying Shang You then stepped forward and firmly held him down.

"You... The chief diviner committing suicide out of guilt? You're disregarding the century-long reputation of the Lingtian Platform!"

The chief diviner struggled violently, his ornamental rings breaking and falling to the floor with a loud 'clang.'

Shang You said with a smile, "The chief diviner being executed by the Emperor would truly be a disgrace."

The chief diviner's heart throbbed painfully.

"Ugh..." He clenched his teeth, refusing to swallow the poisonous wine.

Shang You left the task to the shamans and stepped back into the shadows, speaking in a grave tone: "The death of the chief diviner to preserve a century of glory and reputation for the Lingtian Platform, that is the true service to the divine."

The chief diviner, old in years, struggled with all his might, but the shamans managed to force the poison down his throat.

"Ah—"

As the bitter liquid slid into his stomach, the chief diviner's eyes widened in fury, glaring vehemently at Shang You.

Suddenly, the chamber fell into silence.

Shang You stood impassively at the doorway. After some time, the two shamans finally released the chief diviner.

One of them stepped forward, placing a finger under the nose of the chief diviner.

After a pause, he turned and nodded at Shang You: "He is dead."

"Good..." Shang You finally let out a sigh of relief.

He turned and pushed open the palace doors, walking out as if nothing had happened.

The remaining two shamans jointly lifted the chief diviner onto the bed, picking up and neatly arranging his ornaments.

Half an hour later, they finally exited the chamber, hurrying towards the Chaoguang Hall where the Emperor was.

-

The chief diviner was dead.

At the time of his death, his complexion was dark and bluish, his body covered in red rashes,

No need for a coroner to examine the body; it was evident at first glance that he died from poisoning.

The junior diviner Shang You hurried to the Chaoguang Hall late at night, his expression extremely somber.

"Although the chief diviner is dead, his past actions cannot simply be erased by death," Shang You sighed deeply and said solemnly, "The banks of the Yi River almost broke, which could have led to countless deaths and injuries. I feel deeply ashamed when I think of this."

As he spoke, he timely showed an expression of grief and helplessness.

Compared to the always arrogant chief diviner, Shang You's acting skills were evidently much better.

The candles in the Chaoguang Hall flickered softly, making a quiet crackling sound.

Ying Changchuan, who had been listening with his eyes closed, finally nodded slowly and gestured for him to continue.

Jiang Yuxun, as usual, was taking notes by the light of the lamp, recording the conversation.

"I heard that the chief diviner had amassed over six hundred million taels in embezzled funds?" Shang You inquired.

The head of the Xuan Yin Monitors nodded: "Yes."

"In that case, this money must be compensated by the Lingtian Platform," Shang You said earnestly, seeming truly intent on making amends.

He thought for a moment and added, "As the leader of the Lingtian Platform, the chief diviner's error is a fault of the entire platform. Therefore, in addition to the six hundred million taels, to appease the public outrage and as reparation... the Lingtian Platform will also donate an additional ten million taels of silver for disaster relief and dike construction."

Sixteen hundred million taels of silver!

Such a huge sum of money.

Jiang Yuxun, who had been reluctantly called in for overtime work, suddenly perked up.

His fingers paused, and a heavy blot of ink fell onto the paper.

...Although he knew the Lingtian Platform was wealthy, Jiang Yuxun had not expected the junior diviner to casually mention a sum of sixteen million taels of silver.

Such an amount was not only sufficient for dike construction but more than enough to refurbish the entire Yi River.

At this point, the Emperor finally opened his eyes slowly: "The junior diviner is indeed benevolent and thoughtful for the people. However, there's no rush for this matter."

Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but lower his head, struggling to suppress a smile.

How could the urgent matter of dike construction be "not rushed"?

Ying Changchuan saying this likely meant he intended to extract more from the Lingtian Platform.

As expected.

The head of the Xuan Yin Monitors produced a jade ritual object, shaped round on top and square at the bottom, and gently placed it on the table.

This was a sacrificial vessel known as "Qing Gui," beautifully carved with intricate patterns and slightly smeared with mud—It was retrieved from the Yi River alongside the Tai Pu, and the mud stains hadn't been cleaned off yet.

Ying Changchuan glanced at the Qing Gui and chuckled, shaking his head: "Let's wait until we ascertain how much wealth Tai Pu Luo Qirong gifted to the chief diviner before proceeding."

The death of Tai Pu Luo Qirong was sudden.

Ying Changchuan had already ordered a thorough search of his residence.

Now that even the ledgers were found, how could the amount he offered to the chief diviner not be calculated?

...By tomorrow morning, the news of the chief diviner accepting funds for dike repairs would spread throughout Zhaodu.

Shang You's eagerness to donate silver tonight was to make amends quickly and demonstrate his stance.

This matter couldn't afford any delay.

Clenching his teeth, he said: "The Lingtian Platform conducting the investigation might be more convenient than His Majesty's involvement. Given the current flood season, dike reinforcement and disaster relief cannot be delayed... Therefore, the Lingtian Platform will first compensate four million taels of silver on behalf of the chief diviner."

Combined, that makes twenty million taels.

Ying Changchuan finally smiled, noncommittally responding: "It's getting late, junior diviner, you may rest."

Finally enough.

Shang You let out a long sigh of relief, struggling slightly as he stood up from his seat, nodding and bowing to Ying Changchuan: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Then he was escorted out of the Chaoguang Hall by the Xuan Yin Monitors.

The air in Yuyang Palace was sticky and hot in the midsummer, and upon stepping outside, Shang You couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Yet, it brought no relief.

"Let's go," he said coldly to the shaman beside him, quickly heading towards the back hall.

"Tomorrow morning, we return to the Lingtian Platform... bringing twenty million taels of silver here."

"Yes, Great Diviner."

After saying this, Shang You couldn't help but clench his fist tightly—the loss of twenty million taels of silver was indeed significant.

But for the Lingtian Platform, the real disaster would begin once the chief diviner's matters became public knowledge tomorrow.

……

Thinking about the imminent arrival of twenty million taels of silver, Jiang Yuxun was far from sleepy now.

The lights in the Chaoguang Hall were dim.

After the junior diviner left, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but pick up the white paper on the table and look at it under the moonlight.

Only after confirming that it indeed recorded twenty million taels did he contentedly set down the item in his hand.

"What is my minister doing?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, I wanted to confirm the amount of silver the junior diviner is donating."

It was late, but Ying Changchuan didn't seem in a hurry to leave.

He chuckled lightly: "Does my minister think he is giving too much?"

"Twenty million taels of silver is indeed a significant sum, even for the Lingtian Platform," Jiang Yuxun paused before adding, "But if it can prolong Lingtian Platform's existence and show loyalty to Your Majesty, then it's not a loss at all."

The Lingtian Platform had deep roots; it wasn't something that could be eradicated overnight.

However, the public revelation of the chief diviner's deeds would undoubtedly damage its foundations.

To salvage its reputation, Shang You would surely make donations.

Rather than donating directly to the people, it's better to "offer up" to the court and achieve multiple objectives.

Thinking this, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but remark softly, "He is indeed much smarter than the chief diviner."

Unnoticed, the head of the Xuan Yin Monitors had left, leaving only Jiang Yuxun and Ying Changchuan in the Chaoguang Hall.

The Emperor walked leisurely to the window to look outside.

Built on an elevated part of Yuyang Palace, the Chaoguang Hall overlooked half of the imperial palace.

"How so?"

Jiang Yuxun, while organizing the ink and brushes on the table, replied: "The chief diviner was only concerned with short-term gains, but Shang You has been thinking about enduring for decades, waiting for a future opportunity to restore the Lingtian Platform's glory."

……！

As he spoke, Jiang Yuxun suddenly realized something amiss.

Why did I carelessly mention "decades"...

The young man instinctively held his breath.

Just as he silently prayed Ying Changchuan hadn't noticed what he had just said, he saw the latter turn around and ask: "Decades?"

It's over.

Ying Changchuan really knows how to focus on the key points.

Jiang Yuxun clenched his fist and spoke the truth:

"Since Your Majesty's ascension to the throne, you have suppressed the Lingtian Platform with an iron fist. The reason people like Shang You have endured till now is that they believe such methods can only last one generation. They are convinced that with no successor to Your Majesty, everything will dissipate after your demise."

...Did I just inadvertently curse Ying Changchuan's death?

Unlike when he first arrived, the now proficient Jiang Yuxun struggled to add: "I am in no way cursing Your Majesty."

After speaking, he realized his words seemed to make the situation worse...

The doors and windows of the Chaoguang Hall were wide open.

A gust of night wind suddenly blew in, extinguishing one of the candles.

Jiang Yuxun's vision darkened.

It became harder to discern the Emperor's expression.

He only heard Ying Changchuan softly repeating "no successor, everything dissipating" before falling silent.

Historically, Ying Changchuan did nurture successors from his own lineage, but none of them met his standards in either capability or political views.

He himself had neither a consort nor offspring.

Combining these factors, from any perspective, there was no successor.

After a long wait, Ying Changchuan still did not continue speaking.

In the silence, the young man couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.

For instance, that historical mystery – was Ying Changchuan really asexual as rumored?

Jiang Yuxun initially did not believe this theory.

...But during his time here, he had never seen Ying Changchuan display any romantic interest towards anyone.

Given this, the speculations of later generations might indeed be true.

Jiang Yuxun's eyes had gradually adjusted to the darkness.

Lost in thought, he eventually couldn't resist sneaking a glance at the Emperor.

Unexpectedly, their gazes met at that exact moment.

The moonlight illuminated Ying Changchuan's smoky grey pupils, which were no longer fixated on the thoughts of "no successor, everything dissipating."

At that moment, he stood under the moonlight, looking at Jiang Yuxun with apparent interest.

"Why does my minister look at me with such eyes?" the Emperor asked, puzzled.

"Ah!" Startled by Ying Changchuan's question, Jiang Yuxun paused before confessing, "I was wondering if Your Majesty is truly indifferent to both men and women as the rumors claim, devoid of worldly desires?"

Damn.

Gossiping about the Emperor's private life.

Despair washed over Jiang Yuxun.

...Chief Diviner, just take me away.