Chapter 284: Preparations

Chapter 284: Preparations

Slightly avoiding the two children, Meng Wan said firmly to Nie Zhiyao, "Yuezheng Qi is a man of the Crown Prince."

Nie Zhiyao was greatly alarmed. "How do you know?" In his mind, Meng Wan was still that clever, low-key young fellow who did business with him. Little did he know that during these six years in Lingnan, Meng Wan had expanded his business larger and larger, and had already become entangled with the imperial family.

"You don't need to know how I found out." Meng Wan picked up his teacup and took a light sip, his eyes going vacant for a moment as if lost in thought. "Yuezheng Qi sending you and Fei-ge'er here was the right call. I've had some troubles on my end these past days and didn't have time to look after you."

Meng Wan had genuinely forgotten—or rather, he hadn't expected that Yuezheng Qi was also an important piece on the board.

Three years ago, when Song Tingzhou went to the capital for an audience, he had already sensed something about Yuezheng Qi's identity. After returning and discussing it with Meng Wan, the pair had assumed he was merely an insignificant figure beside the Crown Prince.

Nie Zhiyao's arrival immediately changed the picture.

Counting the time, not long after the Crown Prince's downfall, Yuezheng Qi had already begun sending his husband and son toward Lingnan.

Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan knew that the capital was about to descend into chaos and had quickly notified Lin Congrong and Wu Zhaoyuan.

But this matter was urgent, and Meng Wan's courier network hadn't yet extended from Lingnan to the capital. Their movements had to be extremely subtle—they could only hope Lin Congrong understood the implication and, for Song Tingzhou's sake, would look out for Wu Zhaoyuan and Zhu Zening a bit.

"Is he going to be in danger in the capital?"

Nie Zhiyao's heart instantly fell into chaos. To avoid frightening the child, he suppressed his voice and asked quietly, "He gave me all our family's belongings. Meng Wan, tell me the truth—will he... will he die?" By the time he reached the last word "die," his voice was shaking uncontrollably.

Meng Wan pressed down on his hand, cold to the tips of his fingers. "Don't panic. This matter... how should I put it... I can't reveal too much to you for now, but there's definitely some risk—though probably not as severe as you imagine. After all, your husband works in the shadows."

In truth, Meng Wan didn't know what arrangements had been made in the capital either. Nie Zhiyao and his son had been placed in his hands, and he had to ensure their safety no matter what. For now, all he could do was calm the man down first.

Meng Wan's words carried weight with Nie Zhiyao. Though he still worried inwardly, at least his expression had returned to normal.

The two didn't dare discuss the matter further, so Meng Wan changed the subject to small talk to distract Nie Zhiyao.

Chang Jinhua came back from outside and saw the carriage in the courtyard being unloaded. Knowing Meng Wan was back, she asked Huang Ye where he was and came to see him.

"Why are you thinner again after going out? Can't Daliang go alone next time? Why do you and Ayan have to go along?" Chang Jinhua sat down beside the soft couch, her eyes fixed on Meng Wan while her hand rested on her grandson's chubby little face.

Meng Wan pinched his cheek. "Have I lost weight? Have I ever been any different?"

Little Fei-ge'er saw Chang Jinhua come in and knelt on the couch to greet her, and Nie Zhiyao also stood up to speak with her.

Even after all this time, Chang Jinhua still wasn't used to this kind of formality. She said, half amused, half exasperated, "Sit, sit—both of you. I've told you, our family doesn't have so many rules. Little Fei-ge'er, get up—Grandma will make you something tasty in a little while."

"Grandma!" Ayan's eyes lit up when he heard Chang Jinhua would cook herself. He grabbed her arm and wheedled, "Ayan wants shrimp dumplings and crispy fish too!"

"All you ever think about is food!" Meng Wan looked at Nie Zhiyao's well-behaved, obedient little boy, then at his own son, and suddenly realized that besides learning to read, Ayan seemed to have a problem with manners.

Common folk in Yuguo usually ate two meals a day, and those from poorer families often got by on just one.

Nobles, on the other hand, ate three meals a day at set times, with fine, rare ingredients and servants in attendance.

The Song family, by contrast, ate pretty casually. Sometimes they'd grab a quick lunch and have a bigger dinner; other times they'd make a big lunch and just snack at night.

Moreover, their ingredients were mostly everyday stuff that regular people ate. Chang Jinhua really liked doing the grocery shopping—whatever she bought, that's what everyone ate. The Song family had few servants, so Chang Jinhua would set aside some of what she bought for them and have the cook make their meals too.

Fresh fish and shrimp were best, so Chang Jinhua headed out again right after getting back. Since everyone was home today, she needed to buy more food. She called Xuesheng and Huang Ye to come help her carry the groceries.

Song Tingzhou was surprised to see Nie Zhiyao when he got back from the yamen. Since Song Tingzhou needed to wash up, Nie Zhiyao took Fei-ge'er to see Chang Jinhua first.

Meng Wan told Song Tingzhou what he suspected. They talked it over but couldn't quite figure out Yuezheng Qi's deal.

Song Tingzhou figured that after Xia Yuan got back to the capital, the court would first send an edict telling the Provincial Administration Commission to move grain from other prefectures in Lingnan to relieve Qinzhou.

Once the disaster in Qinzhou was handled, his post might change again. But with the Crown Prince's mess in the middle, Prince Lian would probably meddle in his appointment. Whether he'd go back to the capital or get sent somewhere else was still up in the air.

Meng Wan looked pretty worried. "If we can avoid going back to the capital right now, that's good—but if he gets sent to Lin'an or Yangzhou, he could be in real danger."

"As long as he hasn't taken the throne, even if he acts bold, he won't go too far—His Majesty is still watching."

Song Tingzhou combed his half-dry hair into a bun and pinned it with a jade hairpin. He fastened his belt, put on the robe Meng Wan had brought from the screen, and took his hand as they headed out.

In May, Lingnan finally saw clear skies. The thick clouds dispersed, allowing sunlight to bathe the earth, ending the misery of dampness, mugginess, and insufficient daylight.

Their two silhouettes joined together under the noonday light, appearing substantial and solid.

—Prince Lian's mansion in the capital, council hall.

In the spacious hall stood over a dozen armchairs made of ghost-face huanghuali wood, the floor covered with a dark red carpet embroidered with auspicious patterns that had taken twenty-five Suzhou embroideresses three years to complete. On the incense stand, a deep purple censer held a small piece of incense worth enough to buy a three-courtyard residence in the finest district of the capital.

At this moment, half the people in the hall were staring at the curling wisps of blue smoke, lost in thought.

"Xia Yuan has entered the palace? Did he say anything before going in?" Prince Lian's eyes held excitement, tension, doubt, and other emotions—so tangled together that his face couldn't maintain its usual composure.

The spy reported, "Lord Xia didn't say a word. Feng Zhu sent me back to report to Your Highness—everything must wait until Lord Xia leaves the palace."

The capital was riddled with informants; every household had its spies. Many matters truly couldn't be discussed openly.

Prince Lian paced restlessly through the council hall.

When any son of the emperor learned he might ascend to that supreme position, who could truly remain unmoved?

"Your Highness, since Xia Yuan has arrived safely in the capital, the matter is already settled. You should steady yourself and think about what comes next." A deep, powerful voice rang out, carrying a note of warning and displeasure.

Among the advisors and officials present, only Prince Lian's maternal grandfather, Duke Dingxiang, dared speak to him in such a manner.

Prince Lian halted his pacing. "Grandfather is right. I was too hasty. Someone, bring tea."

With Duke Dingxiang holding court there, the mansion's usually eloquent advisors fell silent as mutes—either staring at the incense burner in feigned contemplation or bowing their heads as if in self-imposed isolation.

It wasn't that they lacked ability, but this god of war had earned formidable military merits, with countless sins on his hands. Even the emperor treated him with wary respect, let alone these delicate scholars who wielded only brushes. Simply sharing a room with Duke Dingxiang made it hard to breathe.

In this stifling, tense atmosphere, Prince Lian's spy finally brought good news. "Your Highness, Feng Zhu has returned."

The emperor was still on the throne, and Xia Yuan held a second-rank office—not some minor official like those in Chai Commandery. Unless he had a death wish, he wouldn't dare leave the palace and openly visit Prince Lian's mansion.

However, Feng Zhu was Prince Lian's trusted man. He had accompanied Xia Yuan to Lingnan the entire way and witnessed his every move. His arrival carried the same weight as Xia Yuan's own.

"Your servant greets Your Highness—" Feng Zhu had barely begun his salute when Prince Lian impatiently said, "No need for such formalities. Did your trip with Xia Yuan go smoothly? Did you reach Annan?"

Masters of the first rank were rare—even Prince Lian had only Feng Zhu as his sole such expert. His position was unique; he normally took orders only from Prince Lian and rarely revealed himself in public.

But after today, that convention might well be broken.

"Ahem." Duke Dingxiang gave a light cough.

Prince Lian composed himself slightly and said to the assembled advisors, "Gentlemen, you may take your leave. Master Mo, please stay."

Those strategists knew that what followed was a matter of utmost secrecy. They might not have the courage to hear it—or the stomach to die for it. Each slipped away swiftly, vacating the council hall.

Master Mo was a man in his sixties. After hearing Prince Lian's words, he remained perfectly composed, still seated calmly in his chair.

After Prince Lian, Duke Dingxiang, Master Mo, and Feng Chu were the only ones left in the council hall, Feng Chu spoke up on his own with the news Prince Lian most wanted to hear before he could even ask: "Everything went smoothly. Lord Xia and I personally unearthed the Crown Prince's remains in Annam."

"Excellent!" Prince Lian could no longer hold back his laughter. He and the Crown Prince had never gotten along since childhood, and from the moment he came of age, he knew they were destined to be adversaries.

He could hold back, but his mother couldn't afford to let him—not if she wanted to live. The Emperor, on his deathbed, would never allow a consort with a powerful family behind her and a son of her own to live.

Duke Dingxiang would never allow the Crown Prince, who had long sought to curb the influence of noble houses and strip him of his military command, to ascend the throne.

The two of them were locked in a fight to the death. Now that the Crown Prince was dead, he had nothing left to fear—how could he not be thrilled?

Master Mo harbored doubts: "Did you and Lord Xia actually see the Crown Prince's face on that corpse? Could it have been a fake?"

Feng Chu hesitated: "The build matched the Crown Prince's, but the body was already more than half decomposed."

Duke Dingxiang had seen it all. He said dismissively, "Whether Wen Zhao is dead or not, now that His Majesty knows of his death, then he is dead."

Killing one person or ten thousand, a commoner or a crown prince—it was all the same to him. It was just one swing of the sword.

Feng Chu then went on to describe everything he'd seen and heard on the trip to Annam, including Meng Wan's destruction of Cat Ba Island.

If Luo Jining had been there, she'd have caught the inconsistency in a few sentences—the Meng Fulang Feng Chu described could not possibly be the same phony, manipulative person she knew!

Prince Lian's retainers and Duke Dingxiang's private army cost a fortune to maintain, which was why the Luo family's daughter had ended up as his princess.

The destruction of Cat Ba Island infuriated him as well: "Just a boy—if he's dead, he got off easy; if he's alive, once I'm on the throne..."

"Cough, cough." Master Mo choked on his tea. It wasn't loud, but it cut Prince Lian's grand talk short.

Even if everyone here is on our side, there's no need to get ahead of yourself.

Prince Lian didn't have the same patience for his strategists—even the talented ones—as he did for Duke Dingxiang. He asked coolly, "Master Mo, what's your take?"

The royals were naturally arrogant, and Master Mo was used to it by now. Unlike other strategists, his fate was completely bound up with Prince Lian's, so he earnestly advised: "Your Highness, Song Tingzhou's achievements are remarkable. Among all the senior ministers at court, none can rival him except the Duke. A man like this—you befriend him, you don't make an enemy of him."

It was just a small island, after all—a loss of some money and connections. They still had the Luo family; this was nothing.

Even Feng Chu added: "Your Highness, Lord Xia shares the same view."

Xia Yuan really valued talent; otherwise, he'd have taken Song Tingzhou straight to Annam. He put the country's interests ahead of the succession fight, and he kept reminding Feng Chu along the way, worried Prince Lian might do something reckless to a key minister out of personal grudge.

Prince Lian did not care for Song Tingzhou, but with even his own retainers urging him, he had no choice but to suppress his resentment and desire to undermine Song Tingzhou, focusing instead on discussing the next steps with Duke Dingxiang.

Far away in Lingnan, Song Tingzhou was unaware that his reputation had already spread through the court, nor that he and his family had just barely dodged a bullet.

He and Meng Wan still thought of Prince Lian based on the time Song Tingzhou had gone to the capital for an audience, was tested by Prince Lian's men, and the failed attempt to humiliate him in the great hall.

Because the disaster in Qinzhou was severe, the court's orders quickly reached the Provincial Administration Commissioner and Song Tingzhou. However, news of the Crown Prince's death had not yet reached Lingnan—whether because the Emperor did not believe it or was holding off for strategic reasons, no one knew.

Song Tingzhou suspected it was somewhere in between—half-believing, half-doubting—so he sent more men to Qinzhou and prepared other contingencies.

Once one sat in that position, familial bonds mattered far less than the greater picture.

In Lingnan, by nominal rank, the Provincial Administration Commissioner outranked Song Tingzhou, but in actual authority, Song Tingzhou held more power.

Having dealt with disasters in Xiwu Prefecture and Qinzhou before with great experience, he naturally took the lead this time in distributing famine relief grain in Qinzhou.

Song Tingzhou's organizational skills were formidable. He filtered through the available personnel layer by layer and quickly uncovered a County Magistrate who had embezzled relief funds and grain.

The magistrate had been extremely cautious, yet Song Tingzhou still caught him.

Song Tingzhou had even managed to have a superior removed, let alone a magistrate who had committed crimes in plain sight. He had the offending magistrate arrested and imprisoned, awaiting the court's judgment. Execution would be lenient for his crimes; his family would likely be implicated as well.

Having made an example of one troublemaker, the remaining administrative matters went much more smoothly. Song Tingzhou had spent months in Qinzhou before, settling all the disaster victims across the region. Once the relief grain was distributed successfully, the remaining officials could handle the wrap-up, so he no longer needed to stay in Qinzhou.