Chapter 407: Foster Father

Chapter 407: Adoptive Father

The words sounded harsh, but in reality, they were meant to excuse Jiang Longshou. If his mistakes hadn't caused a major scandal, Jiang Zhixian, as his adoptive father, would handle the punishment.

Making official issues into family matters.

How could an adoptive father punish him? At most, he would give him a spanking, nothing too severe.

Perhaps unintentionally, Jiang Longshou, who had been replaced as a prince and lacked maternal and sufficient paternal love, found both parental figures in Jiang Zhixian.

The emperor treated all his children well, but he had his favorites.

In the original tale, the male lead was more favored by the emperor.

The emperor had not yet decided on the crown prince, and with Jiang Longshou occupying the position of the eldest legitimate son, the emperor pretended to favor the second son to keep the balance.

But the absence of paternal love was as good as none.

In the original tale, the antagonist, the second male lead, was a pitiful character, unloved by either parent.

She was the one favored and trusted by the emperor. He always preferred the stronger child, just like a wolf king favoring the strongest offspring.

Jiang Zhixian unexpectedly gained a foster son, and truly cared for him. Usually, it was others who bribed him, the chief eunuch, but only Bei Jingchu had managed to get a bribe from the chief eunuch.

All his requests were to look after his child.

Bei Jingchu, with the air of a corrupt official, accepted it, her heart bubbling over with joy.

It was funny; that kid was the least of her worries, wasn't he?

He could help out and even warm the bed... well, the bed-warming feature hadn't been developed yet.

He knew his boundaries, was perceptive, and wouldn't overstep.

If not for his past as a scoundrel, he would be perfect.

The little figure in Bei Jingchu's mind gave a thumbs-up, but her face still wore a troubled expression.

Seeing Jiang Zhixian's demeanor, Bei Jingchu sighed, wondering whether the bond of birth or the bond of upbringing was stronger, but the affection this eunuch had for his foster child ran deep.

She returned to her chamber in the temporary palace, ready to consider the plan for replacing the shadow guards, but before she could put pen to paper, Haoyue smiled and said, "Your Highness, Changyan has arrived in the Capital City."

Oh, right, the craftsmen from the underground palace had also gradually moved to the new capital as the capital was relocated.

Who would have guessed they'd arrive today?

Although the court had settled the families of the craftsmen and tried to make their lives in the underground palace comfortable, to protect the secrets of Dayue, they could never leave the underground palace in their lifetime.

The only time they could come out was during the relocation, blindfolded, on the way to the new capital.

Only Changyan could travel between the underground palace and the imperial palace, protected and guarded, with no other path to take.

Changyan came to pay her respects to Bei Jingchu first. The young girl, confined in the underground palace for years, had pale skin and smiled as she bowed, "Your servant wishes Your Highness eternal blessings."

The craftsmen, including Changyan, had been rewarded with official titles for their merits, though without real power, specializing in weaponry.

Changyan had long stopped referring to herself as a servant.

She reported the recent situation as usual: "As per Your Highness's instructions, we've developed a new weapon that doesn't need to be ignited when aiming."

Attach the match to the trigger, which acts as a mechanism. Simply pull the trigger, and the gunpowder inside will ignite.

Bei Jingchu couldn't suppress her smile. Although cannons remain the primary weapon, this crude gun's power still falls short of crossbows.

But that may change in the future. She has always been supportive, gently urging, "Very well, make sure to rest and reward those who deserve it."

Changyan's lips twitched.

"Your Highness, it's not that we don't wish to rest, but creating something can earn us a fortune."

"A craftsman might never see such wealth in a lifetime of labor. To provide for their families, they are giving it their all."

"I've done my best to convince them to rest."

After delivering the good news, Changyan's smile faded.

"On the journey to the new capital, two craftsmen died, perhaps from exhaustion or failure to adapt to the new environment."

Bei Jingchu also stopped smiling and inquired, "How were they handled?"

Changyan hesitated, "This is the first time craftsmen have died since the underground palace was established."

"On the road, there was no time to consult Your Highness, and the Minister of Works was also in the new capital. I took the initiative to purchase two coffins, held a brief ceremony, and arranged for their remains to be sent back to their hometowns."

But Bei Jingchu became uneasy.

"Are you certain they were dead?"

Haoyue seemed startled by her reaction, recalling, "It was difficult on the road, but I checked their breathing, and the imperial physician confirmed there was no pulse."

"We didn't allow the coroner to examine the bodies further, as it would disrespect the dead..."

Before she could finish, Bei Jingchu suddenly called out, "Haoyue!"

"Send word to Commander Jiang to take the coroner and pursue them. He must confirm their deaths, personally cremate the bodies, and then return!"

"Changyan, write down the hometowns of those two."

Changyan trembled with fear, "Your Highness, what's the matter? Did I do something wrong?"

Bei Jingchu realized she had overreacted and quickly composed herself.

She composed herself so others could do the same.

She ordered someone to give Changyan paper and a pen, not allowing her time to think, and commanded, "Write it down now."

Once Changyan finished writing, the letter was sealed, and Haoyue tucked it into her robe, hurrying out without delay.

She only paused to give Changyan a worried glance.

Bei Jingchu comforted her, "From my readings, I know of a condition called suspended animation, where the body remains intact, akin to a turtle in hibernation."

"Given the right conditions, they could revive."

Before Changyan could faint from fear, she added, "Don't worry, this condition is rare. I'm just concerned about the slim chance it occurs, and these two might inadvertently disclose secrets."

"There's no need to panic. Unless it's deliberate scheming, such coincidences are unlikely."