Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Many events had occurred over the past few months, and with three consecutive cases, the commoners were in an uproar.

Teahouse storytellers had compiled these months' events into tales, vividly recounting everything.

"If you ask me, it's all because of the Sixth Prince!"

"Yes! At the Imperial Academy, the Sixth Prince stood up for the students. At the Censorate, none of the other princes were even there. I heard some Xiao guy tried to wrap up the case way too fast, but the Sixth Prince stepped in to stop him, and only then did the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrive."

"Who says the Sixth Prince is just some rich brat…"

…

The big anti-corruption crackdown kept going. The case files handled by the disgraced official Xiao Yao and other censors were organized by the Censorate and resubmitted to the Court of Judicial Review, which would take the lead, with the Censorate and the Ministry of Justice assisting. This move by the Censorate surprised the court and the country, as if they were handing over all the power to the Court of Judicial Review.

The First Prince got chewed out in court. The Censorate submitted evidence of bribery by his subordinates to Xiao Yao. Even though it wasn't said outright, every official could tell Chen Yuanli's suicide was tied to the First Prince.

The First Prince got a month of house arrest and was temporarily stripped of his job.

The Purist faction took a hit too. Several civil officials got caught embezzling. The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review slapped down evidence of their crimes in court, totally humiliating them, and they were dragged out by the Imperial Guard. And Xu You, the Vice Minister of Justice, got fired and exiled to Lingnan for slacking on the case and secretly protecting Xiao Yao.

In the court, everyone was scared of getting dragged into it.

Then came an imperial decree: for his great work in oversight, the Sixth Prince was given a mansion and made Inspector of the Court of Judicial Review.

As the decree was read, murmurs arose in court.

How old is the Sixth Prince? The mansion the Emperor gave him is right next to the palace. It's unheard of to get a residence before even moving out to set up your own household. And on top of that, he was specially appointed as Inspector of the Court of Judicial Review. Even the Crown Prince hasn't gotten an official post yet, but the Sixth Prince gets this exception.

The Crown Prince's faction in court was about to argue it was against the rules, but then an old minister stepped in to defend it. The senior ministers had seen the Sixth Prince's accomplishments in his tasks. The way he handled the Censorate and won over the public was excellent. The Great Yuan Dynasty had so many rotten apples, all thanks to the relentless investigations over the past few months.

The one speaking was a great scholar from the Imperial Academy, a veteran minister: "Reward people based on their achievements. Achievement is everything."

If it weren't for the Sixth Prince's uprightness, none of this would have happened.

This task was well done. The other princes who had previously completed tasks had also received generous rewards. How could they fail to reward the Sixth Prince? Besides, it's just the Inspector post—he was already assigned to visit scholars anyway.

The Emperor looked at Grand Secretary Xu: "Grand Secretary, any objections?"

"The Sixth Prince is smart. He deserves it," Grand Secretary Xu said.

With the senior ministers all backing it, the other factions couldn't stop it, and the Crown Prince's faction had to shut up.

After court, undercurrents ran through the capital.

"Xiao Yan just handed over power to the Court of Judicial Review like that?!"

"Our side hasn't taken too big a hit. The corruption case will be tried in public, and the Yun family has a huge mess to deal with."

"What's the Sixth Prince doing?"

Xiao Yan is young. Most civil officials have ties to the Xiao clan elders. But after the Censorate mess, the Xiao family shut their doors and wouldn't see anyone. They say the elders who tried to go against Xiao Yan don't even dare to speak now. Burning the Censorate's plaque was a clear warning to the Xiao family: when something involves divine punishment, with public opinion and the Emperor's will on the line, who dares to question it?

Grand Secretary Xu sat with the ministers, all of them on edge.

Since returning from the campaign, the Emperor's moves have been too aggressive, especially in civil governance.

"You were impulsive," said Grand Secretary Xu.

The Crown Prince knew his maternal grandfather had noticed that he had sent people to stir trouble at the Censorate's gate that day. "I just wanted someone to check things out."

"If I hadn't sent someone to stop you, today's court would have seen more than just the First Prince getting impeached." Grand Secretary Xu's voice deepened as he warned, "You're the Crown Prince. Once you turn twelve, the Eastern Palace will take part in state affairs. Before that, if you meddle too much in government, His Majesty will notice."

The greatest fear was arousing suspicion, especially the Emperor's suspicion.

Hearing this, the Crown Prince felt a chill. "I understand."

But what could he do? Now when he leaves the palace and walks the streets, all the commoners and scholars talk about is Ying Fusheng. This guy hadn't really done anything, yet he'd become the people's favorite prince. In contrast, the Crown Prince's own reputation for virtue was nothing compared to Ying Fusheng's.

And on top of that, his father's rewards had already gone beyond what a prince normally gets.

He got a mansion and an official post before even moving out of the palace. The Crown Prince's other older brothers only got official positions after setting up their own households.

As the Crown Prince left, Grand Secretary Xu lowered his eyes and stepped back. "What have you found out about the Empress?"

"Her Majesty the Empress has been looking into things, worried about the Empress Dowager's health," said the palace secret envoy. "She can't let go of the Suihongzi matter. The Empress Dowager has been sick, and most palace business has been handed over to Kunming Palace."

Originally, the Empress Dowager planned to share power with Consort Yun, but after the First Prince's big screw-up, Consort Yun got punished too, and that plan fell through.

"She hasn't handled palace affairs in a long time, but as the Empress, she shouldn't be like this." Grand Secretary Xu ordered, "Let her know about the Sixth Prince's recent matters, as appropriate."

The secret envoy was surprised. "Understood."

Grand Secretary Xu waved his hand, dismissing him.

He could clearly see the worry in the Crown Prince's eyes. First the Imperial Academy incident, then the Censorate. The Sixth Prince seemed to barge in and offend everyone, but every step he took was perfectly calculated.

He never crossed the Emperor's line, yet everything he did pleased the Emperor.

Especially this time—his public standing skyrocketed, and the neutral factions in court started warming up to him.

He had a feeling the Sixth Prince would be a real headache in the future.

…

In the palace, the side hall of Cining Palace had gotten a lot of new stuff.

Some were sent by the Emperor, some added piece by piece by the Empress Dowager. Every day when Ying Fusheng came back from Wenhua Hall, he'd find new things in the palace. The Empress Dowager didn't say much, but Lady Yu was coming and going more often, and even the medicinal meals he ate were made differently each day.

Eunuch Rong delivered the Emperor's rewards along with the appointment letter. When he arrived, Ying Fusheng had just finished his medicine. "His Majesty is considerate of the Sixth Prince's health. Even though you're appointed as Inspector of the Court of Judicial Review, your health comes first."

Ying Fusheng thanked the Emperor for his grace, and Eunuch Rong left with his men.

"Is the Xiao family still sending letters to Grandmother?" Ying Fusheng asked after they had gone.

Song An replied, "Yes, but the Empress Dowager has turned them all down. Only Lord Xiao's letter she kept as she was told."

Many in the court were watching this matter. The Empress Dowager had familial ties with the Xiao family

The imperial carriage was prepared quickly. The moment Ying Fusheng left the palace, news had already spread everywhere.

Qi Hanzhou was slightly surprised when he received the news: "He went on his own initiative?"

Ye Xuanjiu: "Yes! The moment the imperial carriage left the palace gate, those sly old foxes must have all gotten the news."

He couldn't quite figure out the Sixth Prince anymore. After the incident at the Censorate, the Sixth Prince had been pushed into the spotlight. Now, several factions in the court were watching him closely. In such a moment of great attention, he should have lain low to avoid giving these factions any excuse to stir up trouble. Yet here he was, swaggering out.

Qi Hanzhou thought, his gaze drifted to the bustling market.

The Grand Court of Judicial Review was handling corruption cases today, involving several officials from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War... The First Prince and the Xiao family both had people involved.

"He did it on purpose."

Now all of the capital knew of his conflict with the Xiao family.

The streets of the capital were lively and bustling. The imperial carriage from the palace passed through the market, swaying along to the Grand Court of Judicial Review. When the officials there spotted the Sixth Prince’s imperial carriage in the distance, a messenger immediately rushed inside. Soon after, several officials came out to welcome him.

"Your Highness?" an official from the Grand Court of Judicial Review said. "The Vice Minister has ordered me to come and greet you."

Ying Fusheng raised an eyebrow slightly: "Am I that close with your Vice Minister?"

"Oh, Your Highness, what are you saying? Now that you’ve taken the post of Supervisor of the Grand Court of Judicial Review, you’ll be coming to the office often. The Vice Minister instructed us to see to everything for you," the official replied.

If an ordinary Supervisor had been dropped in out of nowhere, their Vice Minister would have put on a cold face immediately.

But this was the Sixth Prince. The Grand Court of Judicial Review could stand tall now entirely because of him, their lucky star.

Their usually aloof Vice Minister had even taken some of his personal salary to order pastries from Zuixue Tower—

For no other reason than that the Sixth Prince liked them.

When Ying Fusheng entered, the court was still hearing a case.

Officials from the court were seated on the side, observing. As he walked in, several officials saw him and rose to bow.

"Please, continue. Don’t mind me, I’m just here to take a look," Ying Fusheng said as he walked straight in, spotting an empty seat and sitting down beside Xiao Yan.

The officials in the court stared wide-eyed in shock when they saw where he sat. There was the Sixth Prince, with Lord Xiao Yan of the Censorate on his left, Lord Hu Buyu, Vice Minister of War, on his right, and the Vice Minister of Revenue beside Lord Hu.

"Your Highness," Hu Buyu rose and bowed, followed by the Vice Minister of Revenue.

Ying Fusheng smiled at him: "Long time no see, Lord Hu."

Then his gaze fell on Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan bowed in return: "Sixth Prince."

"Wait! Who arranged that seat!" an official from the Grand Court of Judicial Review was horrified.

"That’s not where we put it! That’s the seat for Minister Li of the Ministry of Justice!"

The seat had originally been reserved for the Minister of Justice, but the Minister hadn't shown up yet due to official business, and the Sixth Prince had simply sat down.

Who'd dare ask the Sixth Prince to move now?

After sitting down, Ying Fusheng looked at Xiao Yan: "Did you review the case files I had the Grand Court of Judicial Review send over, Lord Xiao?"

Xiao Yan paused, thought for a moment, then said: "The relevant case files have been reviewed by the Censorate and match the findings of the Grand Court of Judicial Review. They have been submitted to the Ministry of Justice, awaiting judgment. As for the other questionable files, the censors will inspect them for a few days, and they'll issue a verdict once the evidence is conclusive."

"That’s good," Ying Fusheng nodded in satisfaction. He then looked at Hu Buyu and the Vice Minister of Revenue: "What do you two think? Anything need re-examining?"

The Vice Minister of Revenue smiled on the surface but was gritting his teeth inwardly. Did this prince really not know what he was doing? He glanced at Hu Buyu beside him, waiting for the emperor's close minister to speak.

Hu Buyu’s expression remained unchanged as he said softly: "All three judicial offices have been thorough. We will follow their arrangements."

"Yes, these matters should be left to the Grand Court of Judicial Review. They understand the law better," Ying Fusheng said.

Hu Buyu gave a faint smile: "What Your Highness says is very true."

Xiao Yan glanced at the two of them.

Ying Fusheng nodded: "Lord Hu is really reasonable."

The Vice Minister of Revenue: "..."

Who could tell him why this little prince, who should have been staying in the palace, had come out?

With an imperial order as Supervisor, the Grand Court of Judicial Review officials had no choice but to finish the first round of hearings and send someone to ask for Ying Fusheng’s opinion.

Ying Fusheng sat there, listening to the proceedings, but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he asked the person beside him: "Lord Xiao, how should this situation be judged?"

Xiao Yan thought for a moment: "For this case, the lightest penalty would be dismissal, the heaviest would be exile."

"I see. Then let’s follow what Lord Xiao said," Ying Fusheng told the official beside him.

The observing officials all fixed their eyes on the four people at the front. Everyone knew that since the First Prince had been punished, most of the officials being tried below were powerful figures closely tied to him. Otherwise, why would the Vice Minister of War be here over a few minor officials from the Ministry of War? It was to persuade the Grand Court of Judicial Review to be lenient in sentencing. But now, with the Sixth Prince sitting there, everyone could see his intent. Asking Xiao Yan question after question—wasn’t that just a way to strike at the Xiao family!

The officials from the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War were getting headaches. Lord Hu was even forcing a smile—could the Sixth Prince not see it as sarcasm!

And it wasn’t over yet. When the Grand Court of Judicial Review came to ask Ying Fusheng for his opinion, he asked the others: "I think it’s fine. What about you all?"

Xiao Yan sat upright, while the officials beside him recorded the testimony.

Hu Buyu set down his tea cup and said with a faint smile that they could follow the Grand Court of Judicial Review’s result.

The Vice Minister of Revenue, sitting behind them, even with the First Prince’s secret orders, didn’t dare speak up now. After what happened at the Censorate, everyone at the Three Judicial Offices knew about the Sixth Prince's sharp tongue. Any ambiguous words could be twisted by his lordship into who knows what.

Chen Yuanli and Xiao Yao were perfect examples!

Everyone finally understood what the Sixth Prince was here for.

He asked about everything, really acting the part of a Supervisor. He didn't act on his own but consulted the officials around him each time—even though he'd offended them all. He didn't care at all. Clearly, he looked down on everyone. This was fine for him to do, but the Grand Court of Judicial Review officials were watching closely.

If anyone raised objections again, and their attitude was even slightly off, things could get serious.

Throughout the entire hearing, the officials were on pins and needles, while the Sixth Prince stayed perfectly calm. It wasn’t until the Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Judicial Review banged the table to adjourn that it ended.

When it was over, Ying Fusheng turned and left. Only Lord Xiao and Lord Hu remained silent, watching things come to a close.

As Ying Fusheng reached the door, he lifted the curtain and saw Ye Xuanjiu sitting inside. Ying Fusheng looked at him: "What are you doing here?"

Ye Xuanjiu didn’t dare say outright that he was there to protect the Sixth Prince: "I was ordered by the Young General to escort you back to the palace. Also, the Young General asked me to give you this."

Ying Fusheng took it, glanced at it in silence. "Why didn’t he come himself?"

Ye Xuanjiu was startled, but before he could explain, Ying Fusheng lifted the curtain again and saw Xiao Yan standing outside the Grand Court of Judicial Review.

"Let's go," he said.

At the entrance of the Dali Court, Xiao Yan saw off the other court officials. His trusted subordinate approached and said in a low voice, "Lord Xiao, with the Sixth Prince present today, should some of the case files be discussed again with the Dali Court? Could the Sixth Prince's visit be on behalf of that person..."

Xiao Yan looked away. "That's not for you to speculate about."

"Whatever the Sixth Prince's intention, this matter will proceed accordingly."

The subordinate was startled. "Lord Xiao, according to the clan, the Sixth Prince is not truly a member of the Xiao family..."

"What do the clan members say?"

Xiao Yan looked at him, as if warning him. "If I hear such words again, I will deal with it according to the Xiao family rules."

The subordinate acknowledged the order. Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings.

As the carriage drove away, the hidden agents also left. Within the entire Court and Country, only the Qi family could deploy such a network of covert operatives around the Dali Court. From the moment Ying Fusheng set foot here, the Qi family's eyes and ears were already like an inescapable net, keeping constant watch over the Dali Court and the various officials.

Ying Fusheng mentioned the case files, but the documents delivered to Xiao Yan's desk were far more than just those from the Dali Court. Among them were some files that had never been made public, with several key court officials highlighted. That was not a request for his opinion; it was a message conveyed through the Dali Court's hands.

What was delivered to him could only be described as a list.

A list of suspects among the civil and military officials of the court. When this was handed over to the Censorate, the young prince was testing his stance.

Xiao Yan looked at his palm, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. "He wants the Xiao family to make a choice."

And indeed, the Xiao family should make that choice now.