Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Something was definitely amiss.

Shen Chen stared at Wen Zuo's elegant, upright back, deep in thought.

Could Wen Zuo truly be so ruthless, using the entire Wen family as a bargaining chip just to push Shen Zheng into a higher position?

Or was this merely a bluff, a desperate move with no other good options?

Beside him, the whispers of two censors drifted into his ears—

"Minister Wen has been idle for years. Who would have thought he'd rise to the occasion in this matter?"

"After all, the Emperor's favor towards him is far greater than towards others. Since the founding of our Great Qian Dynasty, has anyone so young ever risen so high?"

"Well, I don't agree with that. If it were you, would you be willing to donate your entire family fortune for disaster relief?"

"This..."

"You see, you hesitated. Just in terms of this boldness, we are no match for Minister Wen."

"Alright, you have a point, Brother Wei."

The longer Shen Chen listened, the heavier his heart sank.

This was truly strange!

In his previous life, when Wen Zuo assisted him, his reputation worsened day by day. All court officials seethed in silent anger, fearing to offend this exceptionally powerful minister.

That's why, after Shen Chen ascended the throne, impeaching Wen Zuo went so smoothly. By sacrificing one man, he won the allegiance of hundreds.

But in this life, Wen Zuo's reputation was actually getting better and better!

At this moment, the state coffers were empty, desperately in need of contributions from wealthy commoners. With just a few words, Wen Zuo had solved Emperor Shunyuan's pressing issue.

Delighted, Emperor Shunyuan was also generous: "We specially appoint you as the Frontier Inspection Commissioner, bearing the authority of the Son of Heaven to inspect Mianzhou, assisting the Fifth Prince, Shen Zheng, in providing disaster relief in Yingzhou and Jingzhou. From the day you receive this decree, all civil and military officials in Mianzhou, high and low, shall follow your command. Anyone who delays or evades shall be dealt with according to military law!"

Wen Zuo lifted his robe and knelt: "Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust."

"Rise quickly." Emperor Shunyuan repeatedly beckoned, his tone full of concern. "Your constitution has always been frail. This journey is long and arduous; you must take good care of yourself. Whatever you need, do not hesitate to ask Us."

Such personal concern had not even been given to the princes. All court officials looked on enviously, thinking Wen Zuo's imperial favor was truly unprecedented.

Emperor Shunyuan was so engrossed in speaking with Wen Zuo that he completely forgot about Xie Langyang, who stood bowed to the side.

Xie Langyang stood with a stiff back, bowing for a long time. Seeing no signal from the imperial throne, he had no choice but to straighten up awkwardly.

He looked ahead at Wen Zuo, at the center of attention, his feelings complex.

In his previous life, after Prince Xian's downfall, they followed the trail and discovered traces of Wen Yingjing within Prince Xian's network of interests in Mianzhou.

Although the new emperor had ascended the throne and issued a general pardon, there was no guarantee that accounts wouldn't be settled later.

This Wen Yingjing was quite savvy. He immediately donated his entire family fortune to relieve the refugees in Bozhou who were starving due to the locust plague. For this, he earned the title of "Great Sage," forcing Shen Chen to make an exception and let him off.

Xie Langyang could hardly believe that Wen Zuo could be so heartless towards Wen Yingjing.

He had long known that Wen Yingjing was not Wen Zuo's biological father.

Wen Zuo had entered the Wen family when his mother remarried. For many years, he had wanted for nothing, enjoying a respectable life. Moreover, it was because Wen Yingjing invited local great Confucian scholars and sages to teach him meticulously that he was able to pass the Metropolitan Examination at the young age of seventeen, earning the title of Bangyan (Second Place).

Xie Langyang deeply understood the difficulty of the imperial examinations. Born into a prominent aristocratic family, he received the strictest tutelage and often sought advice on essays from past *jinshi* (advanced scholars) to finally achieve the top score, *zhuangyuan* (First Place), at twenty-one.

Wen Zuo was nearly five years younger than him, a testament to how much Wen Yingjing had invested.

How could Wen Zuo feel no gratitude for such nurturing kindness?

Great Qian governed the state with filial piety. Even if he was only a stepfather, Wen Zuo should have been as obedient as the legendary child wearing reed-padded clothes for his mother.

If Wen Zuo truly showed no favoritism towards his parents and brothers and acted strictly according to national law, then their entire scheme would be a complete joke.

Not only would they have used their only advantage to help Wen Zuo overthrow Prince Xian, but they would also have created an opportunity for Shen Zheng to gain merit.

Xie Langyang was beside himself with anxiety but was powerless to do anything. He could only hope his guess was wrong, that Wen Zuo wasn't ruthless to that extent.

"Court is dismissed—" Liu Quan shouted.

The officials immediately straightened their court robes and bowed in obeisance.

Wen Zuo rose to his feet unhurriedly, brushing the dust from his knees. Soon, he was surrounded.

"Minister Wen!" Xue Chongnian's eyes sparkled, his admiration plain to see. "Xue is truly ashamed. I never knew you possessed such noble character and sterling integrity!"

Wen Zuo lowered his eyelashes slightly, smiling and shaking his head. "Don't flatter me. Anyone facing such a national calamity would do the same."

"No, no, no!" Xue Chongnian was very earnest, indignantly declaring, "I can guarantee that in this entire court, there is no second person who would exhaust their family wealth for national disaster relief."

Wen Zuo's expression was reserved. "Minister Xue exaggerates. My official salary remains intact. This time, it's merely about persuading my family to be generous."

"Given our relationship, I'll speak plainly. What can that bit of salary do? You can't even hire a few more servants. Minister Wen, don't be modest." Xue Chongnian went on, this time utterly in awe of him.

As they neared the gate of Wuying Hall, Wen Zuo caught sight of Xie Langyang, who seemed lost in thought.

He deliberately stopped, turned his head, and smiled. "Vice Minister Xie reacted with such quick wit and exceptional talent, able to think of me just now to relieve His Majesty's worries. You must be overjoyed at this moment."

Xie Langyang wore a dejected face, showing not a hint of joy.

He opened his mouth, murmuring, "Wanshan, are you truly—"

Xue Chongnian, who was beside them expressing his admiration, was still present, so Xie Langyang couldn't finish his question.

He wanted to ask Wen Zuo if he could truly abandon the debt of upbringing and rearing, resorting to any means for the sake of the succession struggle.

Wen Zuo took in the loss and confusion in his eyes, a trace of disdain curling at the corner of his mouth. "I am truly pleasantly surprised that such a heaven-sent opportunity exists. Vice Minister Xie, rest assured, I will certainly not disappoint the intentions of you and the Sixth Prince."

"Wanshan, are you deliberately acting out of anger? If you truly exhaust the family wealth, how will your parents and brothers sustain themselves?"

Xie Langyang still refused to believe it. He couldn't even explain to himself whether this deep-seated resistance stemmed from concern for Wen Zuo's elders or from his own fragile self-esteem.

Wen Zuo slowly shook his head, his tone laced with sarcasm. "So, watching mediocre people waste their efforts is actually this amusing."

Xue Chongnian chimed in from the side: "Vice Minister Xie, what do you mean, 'sustain themselves'? It's not like the court won't repay it. You should learn more from Minister Wen's level of understanding!"

Xie Langyang: "..."

Actually, it wasn't surprising these two scoundrels were so shocked. From beginning to end, Wen Zuo had never revealed the true situation at home to them.

When he first met Xie Langyang, Xie Langyang had carried himself like a young master from a prominent family: needing attendants to surround him when going out, requiring high-quality pine oil lamps in his residence, wearing only Yun brocade and silk from Juan Shu Pavilion, and even the paper for practicing calligraphy had to be pure white, soft, resilient, and absorb ink without bleeding.

Seeing Xie Langyang and the other candidates casually hand out tips of several taels of silver, Wen Zuo felt a whirlwind of emotions.

He had to claim he was also from a wealthy family to avoid being snubbed.

Fortunately, he was indeed familiar with the lives of local gentry and affluent households—though that lifestyle had never belonged to him.

It was a fluke; the last shred of pride he had clung to in his previous life had become an unexpected turning point today.

While Xie Langyang and Shen Chen’s venture had collapsed midway—leaving them deeply frustrated—the Virtuous Prince Faction wasn’t faring much better.

Top aides like Bo Zhangyi had temporarily set aside official duties, gathering at the Virtuous Prince’s residence to discuss countermeasures.

Prince Xian sat upright at the head of the room, his knuckles pressed against his brow, his expression grave as he said, “Does anyone feel Shen Zheng has been rising too quickly lately?”

Bo Zhangyi disagreed: “Following the Crown Prince’s mistreatment incident, Your Highness has fallen somewhat out of favor with the Emperor. Thus, it is only natural His Majesty did not select Your Highness this time—not necessarily because Shen Zheng is rising too fast.”

“That’s not right!” Tang Guangzhi retorted immediately. “Then why didn’t His Majesty choose the Fourth or Sixth Prince?”

Bo Zhangyi replied, “It was simply because His Majesty momentarily overlooked the matter—and Eunuch Liu raised the issue, suddenly reminding the Emperor of the Fifth Prince.”

Shang Zhiqin slapped his thigh in frustration. “What’s the point of dwelling on this now? The urgent matter is to stop Shen Zheng from succeeding in disaster relief! If he wins over both the Emperor and the people, what will become of Your Highness, Prince Xian?”

“This…” Tang Guangzhi’s face fell, and he hesitated.

True, they needed to obstruct Shen Zheng—but could they really stand by while millions starved across Ying and Jing Prefectures?

Prince Xian’s gaze swept over the group. Seeing little support for Shang Zhiqin, he instantly adopted a sorrowful expression and shook his head. “No! How could I, for my own selfish ambitions, disregard the lives of thousands of common people?”

Shang Zhiqin urgently interjected, “Your Highness, we cannot afford to let another major threat take root!”

Prince Xian raised a hand, his tone firm. “Let us think of another way.”

Seeing Prince Xian’s resolve, Bo Zhangyi finally exhaled and turned to chide Shang Zhiqin. “Lord Shang is trying to snatch chestnuts from the fire! When people are starving, they grow desperate. If we incite rebellion across the two prefectures, Shen Zheng may lose credit—but how would that benefit Your Highness amid the Da Qian dynasty’s precarious state?”

“Then, in your view, should the Ministry of Revenue simply gather silver and grain and do Shen Zheng a massive favor?” Shang Zhiqin shot back irritably.

“Mianzhou…” Prince Xian’s eyes narrowed sharply. That was his greatest cash cow—and the thought pained him deeply. “Wen Zuo has never involved himself in factional struggles; he shouldn’t deliberately oppose me, right?”

Bo Zhangyi replied, “Your Highness, rest assured. We have always acted with utmost caution and left no trace. However, the Prefect of Mianzhou is likely beyond saving this time.”

Concealing a disaster report is a grave offense. Once Wen Zuo arrived, it would all come to light.

For years, Mianzhou had secretly converted rice paddies into fragrant fields, creating a massive shortfall in grain tax revenue—filled only by purchasing grain from Ying and Jing Prefectures. Its granaries had remained empty for years.

Now that Ying and Jing were struck by disaster and struggling themselves, Mianzhou dared not follow suit and petition the court.

Because once its account books were audited, its decades-long seizure of farmland and accumulation of wealth through illicit means would inevitably be exposed.

A secret letter from Mianzhou already lay at Bo Zhangyi’s residence—but Bo Zhangyi had sent no reply.

After a long silence, Prince Xian slowly said, “Zhongqing is indeed far-sighted. Fortunately, our operation does not hinge on any single prefect.”

Bo Zhangyi accepted the praise but added, “However, for the foreseeable future, we will likely need to tighten our belts.”

-

The last leaf of the ancient locust tree in the palace courtyard was swept away by the cool wind. It had barely landed on the golden bricks when a young eunuch swiftly picked it up. The vast Forbidden City remained immaculately clean.

After court, Wen Zuo went straight to the Hanlin Academy.

The round-trip journey to Mianzhou would take considerable time, so he needed to delegate all academy affairs properly.

Especially given Gong Weide’s incompetence, he had to repeatedly instruct him to prevent mistakes during his service as a reader.

After settling the Hanlin Academy matters, Wen Zuo took a small sedan chair back to his residence. As soon as he stepped through the main gate, Liu Qi hurried forward to greet him. “My lord, His Highness and the others await you at the Marquis of Yongning’s residence.”

Wen Zuo nodded, used a handkerchief to wipe the fine dust from his face, refreshed himself slightly, then opened the secret passage entrance in the backyard.

The stone steps had been neatly repaired, and oil lamps hung along the passage. Upon reaching the bottom, he saw Shen Zheng leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his figure elongated by the lamplight.

Wen Zuo paused. “Your Highness, why are you waiting here?”

Shen Zheng looked up, a deep light burning in his eyes. “I simply wanted to come and wait for you.”

“…”

What kind of reason was that from His Highness!

…Yet strangely pleasing.

The passage was narrow. Walking side by side, their shoulders occasionally bumped, their arms brushing against each other—but neither suggested widening the space.

“Why did Xie Langyang recommend you?” Shen Zheng suddenly asked. “Could it be a trap?”

Wen Zuo chuckled lightly. “What kind of trap could their minds possibly devise?”

Shen Zheng sighed inwardly. The little cat still lingering in the shadows had no idea the Mianzhou assignment was the most difficult—because even if he truly exhausted his family’s wealth, there was no grain to borrow; Mianzhou itself was currently in dire straits.

“Your Highness sought me out, surely not merely for this matter?”

“We’ll discuss it in detail later. Huang Ting and Mo Shu are both here as well.”

“Huang Ting?” Wen Zuo’s steps faltered slightly, his expression hesitant.

“Yes—I summoned him. As the Crown Prince’s Chamberlain, no one understands Prince Xian better. Today, Bo Zhangyi and Tang Guangzhi’s coordinated performance clearly aimed to place Prince Xian in charge of disaster relief. From now on, Prince Xian will likely see me as a thorn in his side.” Shen Zheng smiled faintly, reaching out to steady Wen Zuo’s elbow and gesturing for him to ascend the steps first. “I must know both myself and my enemy to counter their moves.”

“Aren’t you afraid his loyalties remain unsettled—and that he might still be concealing things from you?”

“When you employ someone, don’t suspect them. Besides, who doesn’t harbor a few secrets, Teacher?”

Wen Zuo immediately turned to look at him, his heart tightening slightly, his lips pressed together cautiously—though his eyes concealed his emotions well.

Yet Shen Zheng merely patted his waist with a broad palm and laughed, “Hurry up.”

Emerging from the secret passage, Huang Ting and Mo Shu rose to their feet.

Today, the Marquis of Yongning was absent, and Jun Dingyuan was occupied with military affairs for the Three Great Battalions. Only the four of them remained in the study.

Huang Ting bowed with clasped hands. “So the Hanlin Academy Director is Your Highness’s man. No wonder, on the day I visited on behalf of the Crown Prince bearing gifts, the Director paid me no heed.”

Wen Zuo did not bid him rise. Instead, he smiled and scrutinized him. “After all this time, Chamberlain Huang still remembers that?”

Huang Ting shook his head. “That is all in the past. I, Huang Ting, admit to being proud and aloof—my interpersonal relations are generally poor. But ultimately, I value loyalty and righteousness. Your Highness has treated me well, so I shall certainly be open and honest.”

Seeing no sign of deceit, Wen Zuo finally raised a hand, signaling everyone to be seated. “You came to discuss Prince Xian’s affairs. Do you know how Prince Xian planned this disaster relief operation?”

“Precisely.” Having served the Crown Prince for many years, Huang Ting understood the Crown Prince Faction thoroughly—and viewed Prince Xian with equal clarity. His expression turned serious. “Your Highness, having spent ten years as a hostage, may not know that among court officials, how many are not creatures wallowing in pools of money? Once, Qianzhou and Nanzhou served as the Crown Prince’s channels, while Liangzhou and Mianzhou were Prince Xian’s money bags. Even esteemed Grand Secretariat members famed for integrity possess thousands of acres of farmland with obscure origins. The Ministry of Revenue’s silver is indeed gone—Bo Zhangyi did not lie. Yet Prince Xian’s silver could probably be piled into mountains. Were disaster relief placed under his charge, he would undoubtedly execute it flawlessly.”

Shen Zheng raised an eyebrow. “I’d like to hear the details.”

Huang Ting continued, “Cao Fangzheng’s downfall stemmed entirely from his excessive flamboyance and crude methods of wealth accumulation. I long advised the Crown Prince to rein in the Cao Faction—but regrettably, the Crown Prince proved obstinate and ignored my counsel. In wealth accumulation, Prince Xian’s faction has been far more astute. For Your Highness to topple him would be a hundred times harder than for them to topple the Crown Prince.”

“Oh?” Shen Zheng mused inwardly—recruiting Huang Ting had truly been worthwhile; he seemed to possess valuable insights.

Then Huang Ting shifted topics and asked, “Has Your Highness heard of the Ministry of Revenue’s Granary Commissioner?”