Chapter 35

Chapter 35

This year's summer floods brought joy to some and despair to others.

Every plea for imperial relief from Qianzhou had the Crown Prince trembling in the Eastern Palace.

For months, he had eaten poorly and slept restlessly; even his once-imposing, rotund belly now sagged dispiritedly.

"Chief Grand Secretary, what are we to do? Gu Weizhi wouldn't be swayed by carrots or sticks. This... this..." Shen Zhen crouched before Gong Zhiyuan, bawling like a baby despite being over thirty. It seemed a falling leaf could shatter him at any moment.

Gong Zhiyuan was also furious, exasperated by his incompetence. "Your Highness, why did you order the Cao family to move against Gu Weizhi without consulting me? The Emperor may be ill, but he is not foolish! If something happened to Gu Weizhi the minute he set foot in Qianzhou, wouldn't that be screaming that something was wrong?"

Shen Zhen let his arms fall limply and slumped to the floor with a thud, wailing, "We couldn't bribe Gu Weizhi, so my grandfather said to kill him and have Father send someone more pliable instead. That might give us a sliver of hope. But who could have guessed that a minor official like Gu Weizhi would have protection along the way? I'll bet the Marquis of Yongning is in on it too—he must have been bought by Prince Xian! He must have!"

"Tch!" Gong Zhiyuan heaved a heavy sigh.

The Cao Faction had reached a dead end and was now taking desperate risks.

They knew full well that cabinet ministers like Gong Zhiyuan would sacrifice pawns to save the king, just as they had with Cao Fangzheng. As long as the Crown Prince remained the Crown Prince, no matter how many relatives died, there would still be room for maneuver.

But the Cao Faction was already mired in crime; the slightest misstep could lead to utter ruin.

To protect themselves, they had to silence Gu Weizhi.

This was an internal conflict within the Crown Prince Faction.

"Your Highness, don't panic. Now that Cao Fangzheng is dead, even if embezzlement in the relief funds is uncovered, we can pin everything on him. Moreover, the Emperor once praised Cao Fangzheng; it would make the Emperor look bad too if this scandal drags on. Those who stubbornly pursue Cao Fangzheng now may gradually lose imperial favor," Gong Zhiyuan analyzed gravely.

Shen Zhen wiped his tears and tentatively asked, "Are you saying, Chief Grand Secretary, that Prince Xian will also come out of this with a black eye too? That both he and I will have gains and losses?"

"Prince Xian?" Gong Zhiyuan repeated, then curled his lips in a cold sneer. "Yes, Prince Xian."

The Virtuous Prince Faction would certainly not miss this chance to bring down the Crown Prince. Losing a bit of imperial favor would be a worthwhile price.

Yet, deep down, Gong Zhiyuan felt a flicker of unease. He feared they might all be doing all the work only for someone else to reap the rewards, allowing a third party to profit from their strife.

Luo Mingpu pondered, "I heard Gu Weizhi has already submitted the evidence he gathered to the Ministry of Revenue. He is bringing witnesses personally to the capital. I wonder what evidence he has."

He then looked up. "Your Highness, give me a straight answer: out of the five million taels of relief funds, how much did Cao Fangzheng actually embezzle?"

Shen Zhen's heart sank. His swollen eyelids fluttered several times before he whispered, barely audible, "Th-three... three million."

"What!" Luo Mingpu shot to his feet, veins bulging on his forehead, nearly bursting through his skin.

The prisons under the Ministry of Justice were dilapidated and overrun with rats. He had requested thirty thousand taels from the Ministry of Works for repairs, but the Ministry of Revenue refused to approve the funds. Above him was a Minister who prioritized compromise and avoiding trouble, dragging his feet on every issue. It had left Luo Mingpu so anxious that sores broke out in his mouth, and he lay awake at night.

Three million taels—that could have fed countless families!

It was likely that Qianzhou hadn't erupted in rebellion back then only because Bozhou took in those displaced refugees, cleaning up Cao Fangzheng's mess.

Luo Mingpu's vision swam for a moment before he barely managed to suppress his rage.

Shen Zhen continued to complain, "Over the years, competing with Prince Xian has cost a fortune. Prince Xian controls the Ministry of Revenue—what do I have? I had no choice!"

Liu Chenming suddenly spoke, his voice grave. "What if Cao Fangzheng kept a private ledger detailing where the silver went? He came to the capital for the Spring Terrace Chess Association. Who could have anticipated this sudden incident? He was thrown into prison unexpectedly and should have been thoroughly interrogated, but the Emperor ordered his immediate execution by beating. He never had the chance to tell us what he left behind in Qianzhou."

Silence fell over Wenhua Hall, so profound that even a speck of dust seemed capable of shaking the foundations.

After a long while, Gong Zhiyuan sighed and said, "We still have the Grand Tutor. With the Grand Tutor here, this matter will not damage Your Highness's foundation."

He thought to himself: The worst outcome would be the Emperor seizing this chance to suppress the Cao Faction, executing a few people to show who's still in charge in his later years and clear away maternal relatives' influence for the Crown Prince's succession.

As for deposing the Crown Prince—that was unlikely. After all, it was a matter of national importance. Moreover, given Emperor Shunyuan's health, he lacked the energy and time to evaluate another Heir Apparent.

While they were shrouded in gloom, the Virtuous Prince Faction was already breaking out the wine to celebrate.

"Hahahaha." Bo Zhangyi stroked his beard and laughed heartily. For the past two days, he had buried himself in paperwork, developing puffy eye bags like fish bladders. But his efforts paid off—he was close to nailing down the case.

"The Crown Prince Faction would never expect that Cao Fangzheng secretly kept a ledger. His steward, sensing danger, actually handed it over to Gu Weizhi. Now, this ledger is in my hands. Three million taels—he truly dared to embezzle that much!"

Tang Guangzhi asked, "Does the ledger explicitly state the silver was given to the Crown Prince?"

Bo Zhangyi shook his head. "Not exactly. It records transfers to the Cao family in the capital. But where the Cao family used the funds is self-evident. Once we imprison Minister Cao, we'll surely make him talk under interrogation."

Tang Guangzhi said, "I fear Minister Cao might take full responsibility, insisting the Crown Prince knew nothing."

Shang Zhiqin replied, "The Emperor is no fool. That embezzled silver must have gone somewhere—it couldn't have just vanished into thin air."

Tang Guangzhi still had reservations. "In recent years, His Majesty's governance has become slightly more lenient compared to his earlier reign. In the past, corrupt officials were always uprooted along with their networks. Now, he often stops short. I'm afraid..."

Bo Zhangyi's expression darkened. "Then it's up to us to make this case ironclad. We must not give the Emperor any room for hesitation."

Prince Xian sat in the host's seat, listening in silence until now. He finally covered his face with a look of sorrow. "You all rejoice at the impending downfall of the Cao Faction, but I only feel profound grief. How much suffering have the millions of people in Qianzhou endured these years? The strife between the Crown Prince and me has brought devastation to the people—a crime too numerous to record!"

The three men quickly clasped their hands in praise. "Your Highness's benevolence and compassion for the people humble us."

Prince Xian waved a hand, pretending to wipe away a tear, straightened his back, and said quietly, "For the sake of the common people, I cannot allow the Da Qian empire to fall into the hands of such an incompetent person!"

In the palace, these two factions took turns on stage, while Shen Chen, residing in the princes' quarters, felt like the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

With the Cao Faction's downfall and the Crown Prince's deposition, Gong Zhiyuan would surely serve him. With Gong Zhiyuan as a bridge, the Crown Prince's former followers could all be brought into his fold. This way, his start was even smoother than in his previous incarnation.

The Virtuous Prince Faction, determined to destroy the Crown Prince, would inevitably reveal their true, ugly colors. They weren't just forcing the Emperor to depose the Crown Prince—they were making the Emperor wary of him.

A Virtuous Prince toppling a Crown Prince who had reigned securely for seven years—what kind of power was that? Could it one day threaten the Emperor's own life?

Thus, after this affair, Prince Xian would inevitably lose imperial favor. Following the proper path, he would have no chance of succession.

The Crown Prince Faction might believe the Marquis of Yongning had defected to Prince Xian, giving him military influence. But only Shen Chen knew the Marquis of Yongning was protecting Shen Zheng. Prince Xian only controlled the Liangzhou Regional Military Commissioner—hardly enough to stir up major trouble.

This time, Gu Weizhi was secretly protected by the Marquis of Yongning's estate, earning the Crown Prince Faction's hatred. Now, before the Crown Prince was deposed, Shen Chen would timely deliver this grand gift, eliminating three obstacles at once: the Crown Prince, Prince Xian, and Shen Zheng.

Wen Zuo, oh Wen Zuo, even if you scheme with a thousand tricks, can you reverse today's situation?

"Minister Xie, Jun Dingyuan is about to arrive in the capital. Prepare generous gifts and meet with Mo Shu on my behalf. In my previous life, his fearless sacrifice made everything possible." Shen Chen held a pair of small scissors with a red cord and snipped off a wildly growing orchid branch.

The slender branch fell to the ground, drifting lightly like an insignificant life.

Mo Shu.

What a waste of a man.

In the scorching depths of summer, Xie Langyang felt a desolate chill.

He vaguely remembered their first meeting at the Marquis of Yongning's estate. That man sat quietly under the eaves, a book never leaving his hand. When he turned his head, his demeanor was orchid-like, his gaze brilliant.

"Vice Minister Xie, the General is still changing. Please wait a moment," he had said.

If Mo Shu could have lived, he would surely have been a pillar of the court, a talent for governing the world. It was just a pity his fate was not to survive.

Even as careful a planner as Wen Zuo couldn't protect him.

Xie Langyang looked into his own heart and was mortified. He had to admit that Wen Zuo's helplessness in the previous life had given him some comfort.

Even if he didn't do this, didn't flip this switch, Mo Shu couldn't be saved. Jun Dingyuan was fated to lose his dearest friend.

"This matter hasn't been discovered yet. What if Wen Zuo warns Mo Shu in advance to hide in the mountains and forests, to disappear off the face of the earth?" Xie Langyang asked gravely, still holding onto a sliver of hope, or perhaps a sliver of worry.

Shen Chen smiled. "If he were willing to hide in the mountains and forests, he wouldn't have followed Jun Dingyuan onto the battlefield."

Seeing Xie Langyang fall silent, Shen Chen collected himself, set down the small scissors, and said considerately, "If it's too hard for you to face, you don't have to see him. After all, once you visit Jun Dingyuan's camp, this matter will fall into place."

"I understand, Your Highness."

Xie Langyang bowed stiffly and withdrew from the prince's quarters.

He stood under the blazing sun, enveloped in intense light, yet still felt like an ineradicable stain of guilt, a shadow no light could reach.

So, walking this path riddled with dark schemes, every step was taken out of sheer necessity. The words of sages and the books of virtue he had read in the past would constantly pierce his chest, turning on him.

Wen Zuo had been down this road once, yet pushed him out onto it. And he had never appreciated what he went through or understood his sacrifices.

When Gu Weizhi's convoy entered the capital, dusty and weary, Jun Dingyuan's army was also encamped at the foot of Qingping Mountain.

As dusk approached, Wen Zuo received the news of Jun Dingyuan's arrival in the capital at the Hanlin Academy. He hurriedly rolled up the classics on his desk, tossed them into a cloth bag, and, not bothering with the ink stains still on his fingers, grabbed his official robe and rushed out.

Compiler Gong Weide entered with a book in hand and, seeing Wen Zuo in such a hurry, felt his interest piqued. "Director, what's the rush?"

A few months ago, his father had specifically instructed him to keep a close eye on Wen Zuo, to see who he associated with and whether he privately contacted any prince.

He kept this in mind, observing discreetly, but had never noticed anything unusual.

Wen Zuo turned his head, saw his shifty eyes, and suddenly hatched a plan.

Wen Zuo seemed completely unguarded, answering casually, "Oh, the Sixth Prince asked me about something the other day. I was stumped at the time, but now I've figured out a solution, so I'm in a hurry to tell him."

"The Sixth Prince?" Gong Weide's heart skipped a beat.

Wen Zuo pretended to tap his head, showing a look of sudden realization. "I remember the Sixth Prince is your brother-in-law, Weide?"

"Uh..." Gong Weide's face stiffened.

What could he say? His father hated his eldest sister for her improper conduct, which cost her the position of the Crown Prince's concubine, and had already unilaterally severed their father-daughter relationship?

Wen Zuo smiled and patted his shoulder. "Then it's no problem at all. I'll leave a bit early; don't mention it to anyone else."

"..." Gong Weide watched Wen Zuo leave, his mind reeling.

It was actually the Sixth Prince.

The one privately contacting Wen Zuo was actually the Sixth Prince!

The Sixth Prince was indeed, as his father said, harboring ulterior motives, secretly cultivating important ministers to contend with the Crown Prince!

No, he must inform his father of this immediately!

The flagstone road near the imperial city was coated in a warm gold.

Wen Zuo walked hurriedly to the outside of the mottled palace wall, looked left and right, and an inconspicuous small red-lacquered sedan chair silently slid up to him.

He lifted the curtain and entered, his robe hem crossing the carriage step, and instructed, "To Guang'an Gate."

After the morning court session today, he had ordered Ge Wei to deliver a note to Consort Liang. It read:

"Inform His Highness that before General Jun meets the Emperor, I need to see him first."

This message had to be delivered at this moment to appear as a spur-of-the-moment decision, not something planned for days.

The sedan chair exited Guang'an Gate. Outside the city, the wind suddenly picked up, whipping sand and dust against the curtain.

Not long after, the urgent sound of hoofbeats was heard. A white horse arrived, kicking up dust.

Shen Zheng was dressed in all-black riding attire, his face covered with a black cloth, his hair tied high in a bun. Man and horse cut through the twilight.

His horsemanship had come on leaps and bounds over the past few months.

Shen Zheng leaped off the horse, pulled down the face cloth, revealing a handsome face with deep-set brows and intense eyes.

He looked up at the sun about to sink behind the mountains. The remaining glow made the sweat on his temples glisten. He asked Wen Zuo, slightly out of breath, "Teacher, why do you suddenly need to see my uncle? The sun is almost down. Does it have to be this urgent?"

"General Jun is to have an audience with the Emperor tomorrow morning. After thinking it over, I still feel I must offer a few words of caution." Wen Zuo said without changing his expression. "The Emperor has always been wary of successful generals. This great victory originally overjoyed him. We must ensure nothing said tomorrow reignites his suspicion."

Shen Zheng nodded, finding this reasonable. But Wen Zuo rushing out of the city in such a hurry seemed a bit much. He could have just sent a letter with these reminders a few days ago.

As he pondered this, he saw Wen Zuo quickly pull a carrot from his satchel and feed it to White Sand Treader, who was pawing the ground. Then Wen Zuo turned around, stretched out both arms toward him with a serious expression, and said, "Your Highness, please help your teacher onto the horse."

Having not touched a horse for months, Wen Zuo had lost his nerve again.

"Wait a moment."

Shen Zheng chuckled and, like a magician, produced a pair of slightly smaller, dark blue short-finger guards from his robe.

He stepped forward, encircled Wen Zuo's jade-white wrist, and carefully put the guards on for him, his fingertips inadvertently brushing against Wen Zuo's cool skin.

"I prepared these specifically for you, Teacher. You never let me come out, so I hadn't had a chance to give them to you."

Shen Zheng had galloped all the way from the imperial city, inevitably generating heat, so the short-finger guards he carried were warm.

Wen Zuo looked at the guards covering his hands, his heart stirred. Had Shen Zheng prepared these that day, intending to take him horseback riding in the future?

But unless the situation was urgent, how could he always engage in such a breach of protocol?

His thoughts were in disarray when he suddenly felt the leather belt of his official robe being gripped by a pair of strong hands, his waist held in a firm grip. Then a powerful force lifted him steadily.

He hurriedly found the stirrups with his feet, lifted his robe, and mounted the white horse.

A robe of clear red spread over the snow-white horse's back, making even the golden sunset seem to pale in comparison.

Shen Zheng leaped onto the horse, enveloping this splash of red in his embrace. With both hands, he lifted the reins and urged White Sand Treader forward. "Hold on tight, Teacher."

Wen Zuo steeled himself and spoke, the wind making his voice tremble. "Guang'an Gate closes at the sound of the bell at Hai hour. We must return before then. Qingping Mountain is still some distance away. Your Highness, go faster."

Shen Zheng tilted his head slightly, about to ask him something, when he saw Wen Zuo instinctively turtle his head into his shoulders and turn his ear slightly away.

Shen Zheng, showing unusual mercy, did not breathe against his ear bone but spoke toward the front. "Can you handle it if we go even faster?"

He had to handle it, time was tight!

Wen Zuo took a deep breath, trying to straighten his back to bolster his courage. "...I'll do my best."

Shen Zheng saw him stiff as a board, nails clenched white, his face had lost all color as if ready to march to his death, and his heart melted instantly.

Through his armored gloves, he gently stroked Wen Zuo's back, coaxing, "Shall I hold you a little tighter?"

"...Alright."

"If it's too much, Master, just cry out. No need to endure it."

"...Mm."

Shen Zheng tightened his arms, shielding him more securely, then spurred his horse onward. Hooves shattered the lingering sunset, churning up a cloud of dust.

Wen Zuo was not as reserved as he had imagined himself to be. He soon curled into a ball, pressing tightly against Shen Zheng's chest, the young man's deep breaths and the damp heat of his neck close to his ear.

Thoughts of liking men or maintaining proper decorum were all forgotten. He only felt as if his internal organs were about to be jolted to pieces, and the wind against his face became like fine blades.

Only when his tightly shut eyes could no longer perceive the crimson dusk did White Sand Treader finally come to a halt. Wen Zuo's limbs had gone completely numb, his heart pounding wildly, and he could barely walk.

Shen Zheng had to lift him down from the horse.

Leaning on Shen Zheng's arm to ease his aching, prickling legs, he looked up and saw, beneath the azure sky, military tents stretching endlessly like a long dragon lying across the wilderness, as far as the eye could see.

Banners fluttered and snapped in the evening wind, their grandeur even more overwhelming than the layered green of the mountains.

Wen Zuo's brief life had been confined to Mianzhou, Bozhou, and the capital; he had never witnessed such a scene that seemed to swallow mountains and rivers.

For a moment, he forgot the panic from horseback, feeling only his spirit stirred and agitated, the sensation lingering long after.

This was Da Qian.

It was the cornerstone of Da Qian, the very root and lifeblood of the nation.

Composing himself, he adjusted his hair bun and straightened his robes. Accompanied by Shen Zheng, he walked toward the rows of gray tents.

In a clear, resonant voice, he announced, "Wen Zuo, Director of the Hanlin Academy, requests an audience with General Jun Dingyuan."