Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The Emperor's words fell into utter silence in the hall, and the Crown Prince was utterly stunned on the spot, as if never expecting such words to come from the Emperor's mouth.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger," several officials fell to their knees.

The evidence laid out was ample; the Ministry of Works could not balance its accounts, and now the old military pay case was also implicated. The Eldest Prince exchanged glances with the officials from the Ministry of Revenue. They had been fighting the Crown Prince Faction at court for so long; even when the Crown Prince made mistakes, they had been quietly let slide due to his youth and the Xu family's maneuvering. Who would have thought that a mere artisan case could stir up such a storm?

The other officials thought it was just the Emperor's angry outburst.

But the old foxes at court knew that the Emperor might not be speaking in anger.

"Report—"

"Your Majesty, Kunning Palace has sent accounts for your Majesty's careful inspection."

When the Crown Prince heard that Empress Xu had sent accounts, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. He looked up, but saw that the Emperor's expression did not ease at the arrival of the accounts from Kunning Palace.

The Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review was startled and quickly took the accounts to examine them. "Your Majesty, it states here that Kunning Palace once paid for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet."

A few years ago, when the Crown Prince was young, it was understandable that Empress Xu managed the birthday gifts. Indeed, the accounts recorded the expenditure from Kunning Palace for the Empress Dowager's gift, which included the calligraphy and paintings that had appeared when the Crown Prince presented the Jade Beast Statue. There was a traceable pattern here.

Grand Secretary Xu spoke up at this moment, "Your Majesty, there are indeed omissions in the Crown Prince's accounts."

Thus, these accounts could barely help the Eastern Palace balance its books, but barely—the details could not withstand scrutiny. However, the sharp-eyed officials present knew that the more vague the accounts, the better, as it would provide more room for the Crown Prince's defense. Detailed accounts, on the other hand, would be more prone to errors.

The wise ones present knew the only way now was for each side to admit their mistakes and do everything to settle the matter.

Receiving Grand Secretary Xu's signal, the Ministry of Works officials immediately understood. The accounts sent by Empress Xu were merely a pretext. "Your Majesty, it must have been a miscommunication. The Ministry of Works undertook the carving, and the artisans were ours. The accounting error was our negligence. I am guilty, but the urgent task is to investigate our internal accounts and trace where the jade carving funds ended up."

The Eastern Palace and Kunning Palace had provided funds to the Ministry of Works, entrusting it with the carving task. The Ministry of Works officials directly confessed, taking all the blame upon themselves.

Ying Fusheng listened to the Ministry of Works officials' tearful pleas, expressionlessly watching Grand Secretary Xu and the Crown Prince.

Truly a wily old fox. As soon as Empress Xu's accounts arrived, he knew to evade the serious issues and dwell on the minor ones, trying every means to extricate the Eastern Palace from this maelstrom.

However, from the very beginning, this matter was not just about a jade carving.

Ying Fusheng fingered the hand warmer in his sleeve and calculated that the time had almost come.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, a sudden announcement came from the entrance—

"Your Majesty, Vice Minister of War Lord Hu requests an audience!"

Hu Buyu!

The Emperor looked toward the entrance, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

Grand Secretary Xu was startled for a moment, then saw Hu Buyu walk in from the door.

This official had been specially summoned by the Emperor from Anlong to serve in the capital, precisely to fill the vacancy as Vice Minister after the military stipend case. As soon as Shen Changcun revealed the irregularities in the jade transport documents, this Vice Minister of War arrived, and he was not alone—the officials behind him carried several documents.

When Grand Secretary Xu saw those documents, his composure finally cracked.

It was a backup move. Shen Changcun's investigation of the jade transport route could be attributed to the Court of Judicial Review's case inquiry, but Hu Buyu's appearance indicated that this matter was something the Emperor was determined to investigate!

Qi Hanzhou had been watching Ying Fusheng since hearing about the military stipend case.

Even after the Kunning Palace accounts arrived, Ying Fusheng's expression did not change. He knew the other party had a backup move, and when Hu Buyu appeared, he suddenly understood this man's objective.

He intended to expose the Eastern Palace's dark secrets.

"Your Majesty, after Lord Shen, Minister of the Imperial Stud, submitted evidence of anomalies in the capital's courier station records, I conducted a detailed examination of many dossiers related to the Ministry of Works and found several route documents that were incomplete," Hu Buyu said, presenting the documents. "These are a few of them. I request that the Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review review them."

Lord Liu, the Chief Judge of the Court of Judicial Review, heard this and his hand trembled as he took the dossiers.

Meanwhile, the Emperor had already turned his gaze to the Ministry of Works and Grand Secretary Xu.

The matter of jade transport could be attributed to other reasons, or simply pinned on the deceased Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud. But once it involved more than one issue, it was no longer a simple question of evidence—it meant the Ministry of Works itself was problematic!

The Eldest Prince Faction watched the Ministry of War as if they were heaven-sent reinforcements. First, the Court of Judicial Review requested Shen Changcun's courier station dossiers, then the Ministry of War investigated the Ministry of Works along those dossiers—it was logical and seamless. This series of moves surpassed years of their bickering with the Crown Prince Faction.

Hu Buyu's appearance completely sealed off any avenue of defense for the Ministry of Works.

Being able to destroy courier station records multiple times—the Ministry of Works had a murky connection with the deceased Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud!

Qi Hanzhou glanced over the dossiers, a faint stir in his eyes.

As the dossiers were presented before the Emperor, he threw them in front of Grand Secretary Xu and said coldly, "Grand Secretary, why don't you take a look too?"

Grand Secretary Xu looked at the dossiers, a hint of discomposure in his eyes. Among the things unearthed, two matters were entirely beyond his knowledge. He looked at the Crown Prince kneeling in the hall; the only one who could have bypassed the Xu family was the Eastern Palace.

At this moment, the Crown Prince did not dare to speak. He knelt, as if completely ignorant.

Grand Secretary Xu's heart churned with turmoil. Things had gone far beyond his expectations.

"Xiao Yan, Qi Hanzhou." The Emperor had completely run out of patience.

Xiao Yan stepped forward. "I am here, Your Majesty."

Qi Hanzhou walked out and bowed.

"Thoroughly investigate the Ministry of Works and the Eastern Palace. Give me the results within fifteen days." The Emperor cast a cold glance on the Ministry of Works officials. "Suspend the officials involved. In the meantime, all Ministry of Works affairs will be handled jointly by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel. As for those who deceive their superiors and subordinates, I see no need for them to keep their heads."

The Emperor rose, and the officials below all knelt in fear.

"Father—" the Crown Prince tried to speak.

But the Emperor turned and left, without ever glancing at the Crown Prince.

...

Half a month later, the artisan case rocked the entire court.

With the cases of the Riverside Slope and the artisans, the Ministry of Works' embezzlement through falsified accounts and unauthorized interference with the Ministry of War's affairs were fully exposed. The Emperor ordered a thorough investigation of the Ministry of Works, leading to the impeachment of over ten officials. These officials were once considered incorruptible civil servants at court, almost all of them protégés of the Xu family. This investigation was a heavy blow to the Crown Prince Faction at court, especially on the Xu family.

Previously, Grand Secretary Xu had been temporarily stripped of power due to the assassination case. Now, with the artisan case emerging again, both the Eastern Palace and the Ministry of Works were inevitably implicated.

Audits of the Ministry of War and Ministry of Works accounts revealed that, aside from the jade carving case, there were several murky accounts between the Eastern Palace and the Ministry of Works. Such lack of clarity indicated a closer relationship between the Eastern Palace and the Ministry of Works than was apparent. The Crown Prince could gain experience in the Ministry of Works but could not overstep his authority. This action had completely crossed the Emperor's line.

The Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to be removed from his duties at the Ministry of Works.

The Eastern Palace had always held the right to participate in state affairs, and the Crown Prince had always done so in the name of the Eastern Palace. This removal of authority effectively gutted the entire Eastern Palace of its power. Though he remained Crown Prince in name, the astute officials at court could see that the Crown Prince was a figurehead. When the Emperor permitted, he was Crown Prince; when not, he was just a prince.

Facing such punishment, the Xu family remained silent.

The sweeping purge of the Ministry of Works effectively removed officials connected to the Xu family. Everyone knew that the Ministry of Works was Grand Secretary Xu's base, and most of its officials were his protégés. In the end, only the Minister of Works was barely kept in place by the Xu family. The rest were nearly all stripped of office, demoted, or exiled...

This was a major case that shook both court and countryside!

And the key evidence came from the Ministry of War. After court, the Grand Prince meaningfully detained Hu Buyu: "The Ministry of War did quite well."

Hu Buyu smiled but did not engage deeper with the Grand Prince, instead respectfully bowing to the Third Prince nearby. The Ministry of War had dealings with the Grand Prince, but now the Third Prince was the one the Emperor had assigned to the Ministry. The Third Prince ignored Hu Buyu and turned away.

There were three princes participating in court affairs, but Hu Buyu knew that all these machinations came from that person.

Presenting the evidence—how it was delivered—was entirely a matter of timing. This time, Shen Changcun’s requisition of the official post station records was never concealed from him; in fact, it was done openly. And precisely because of that, the opportunity was handed directly to him.

There was no need for bribes or favors. The Sixth Prince knew that Hu Buyu was doing these things and had handed him the chance at the right moment. Matters concerning the people’s welfare never required deception—just like with last year’s disaster relief, when the timing was right, people would naturally act.

The capital was on the verge of a storm.

When Qi Hanzhou arrived at the tavern, Ying Fusheng had just finished undergoing his poison extraction. He lay in a rocking chair, wrapped in a warm fox-fur cloak, nestled in a private room with the window open, listening to musicians playing tunes downstairs. Beside him, Weng Yanqing was recounting the day’s court affairs.

Upon hearing about the purge in the Ministry of Works—several officials dismissed, some names sounded familiar as key aides to the new emperor in Ying Fusheng's past life—Ying Fusheng noted that the Xu family was nearly stripped of a layer of skin.

"Was Zhou Bingjun spared?" Ying Fusheng asked softly.

The Xu family was wise: they abandoned the other pieces to preserve one major piece on the board, keeping the Ministry of Works possibly still in their hands.

"What about the River Slope incident?" Ying Fusheng continued.

"The Grand Prince reacted quickly, seizing on the River Slope matter," Weng Yanqing said.

The River Slope incident involved the lives of artisans and villagers, making them casualties of factional strife. This case could not be suppressed by the Ministry of Works; the Ministry of Revenue would drag it out repeatedly. For the Grand Prince, it was merely a means to stamp out the Crown Prince.

Ying Fusheng lowered his eyes. "You can give it a push. You have Hu Buyu backing you up now."

Weng Yanqing was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Ying Fusheng to notice his feelings. While everyone else focused on crushing the Crown Prince, he thought of the innocent people caught in these cases—this was their chance at truth. He said sincerely, "Thank you, Your Highness."

What was he thanking him for? Ying Fusheng frowned.

Just then, the door to the private room opened.

Ying Fusheng only then noticed that Qi Hanzhou had arrived. Without acupuncture, his hearing and vision were no longer as sharp; even footsteps took a moment to register. He was considering whether to secretly prepare a few acupuncture kits without Chen Xuqiu’s knowledge, when Qi Hanzhou walked up to him.

Commander Qi seemed to have just come from court, wearing his brocade uniform. Unlike their usual nighttime meetings when he was more relaxed, he now exuded an imposing presence. At first glance, he merged with the figure of the past life’s Secret Guard Commander who held hidden power.

Ying Fusheng came back to his senses and said bluntly, "Congratulations, Junior General. The military funds case has been reopened."

Qi Hanzhou said nothing.

What's wrong? Is he upset again?

Ying Fusheng was puzzled, glancing sideways at Ye Xuanjiu, who was not far away.

Ye Xuanjiu averted his gaze, then pulled Weng Yanqing out of the room, closing the door behind them.

With the door shut, only the faint sound of a tune drifted in from the window.

"Does the Junior General enjoy music?" Ying Fusheng sat up slightly.

But as soon as he sat upright, the cold wind crept through the gaps in his fur cloak, making him shiver.

Seeing this, Qi Hanzhou turned and closed the window. The inner room was warm with a blazing charcoal stove; for a martial artist like him, the room felt stifling, but Ying Fusheng was used to it and couldn’t do without such warmth.

A person like that would not survive three days in the northern frontier—the bitter cold alone would kill him.

Delicate and precious, neither poison nor his sickly body had ever taken away his resilience.

But this man—Qi Hanzhou never thought of him as weak.

"How about some tea?" Ying Fusheng looked at him.

Beside the rocking chair were tea, an unfinished chess game, and an empty medicine bowl.

Seeing this, Qi Hanzhou could only take a sip of tea.

Ying Fusheng suddenly smiled. "This is the first time the Junior General has tasted my tea."

That simple smile reminded Qi Hanzhou of the day of his birthday, when he saw street performers—Ying Fusheng had worn the same expression. He looked at the tea bowl. "There's nothing wrong with drinking it."

"Then you should be more cautious. Not everyone at court knows I’ve found a general to be my backer," Ying Fusheng joked.

He used the word "backer," and Qi Hanzhou’s hand holding the tea paused slightly.

Ying Fusheng leaned closer, wrapped in his fox fur, lying sideways to talk to him. He carried almost none of a prince’s airs; compared to his outward restraint, his current demeanor was languid. "After all, the Eastern Palace hasn’t released a single person."

He meant Qi Hanzhou’s audit of the Eastern Palace’s accounts.

The Crown Prince panicked to that extent in large part because of Qi Hanzhou's investigation of the Eastern Palace.

"Did you find the eyes?" Ying Fusheng pressed on.

When the Eastern Palace’s accounts were searched, the first step for the Brocade Guard was to seal it off. Others might not notice subtle movements, but Qi Hanzhou could. When he and Ye Xuanjiu entered the Eastern Palace, any hidden spies would have given themselves away with the slightest reaction, and the Brocade Guard captured every one of them.

Ying Fusheng knew this, which was why he mentioned the Eastern Palace that night.

"A few," Qi Hanzhou said. "The Brocade Guard has them under surveillance."

"Your goal was never just the Xu family, was it?"

Ying Fusheng looked up.

Qi Hanzhou wanted to figure out what he was really thinking.

Hu Buyu, single-handedly, tied the old case of the Ministry of War to the Ministry of Works. But the chain of events, from the outbreak of the River Slope case, had likely already been placed on this man's chessboard.

The puppet master was hiding behind the Eastern Palace and the Xu family. The puppet master's influence had penetrated the Eastern Palace and would certainly have seeped elsewhere. With Shuang Yue's death, the puppet master lost his foothold in the rear palace and went completely into hiding for several months.

If he wouldn’t move, Ying Fusheng would force him to.

Through the River Slope case and via the Xu family, Ying Fusheng’s goal was never just to expose the Xu family’s dirty secrets. Rather, he wanted to use this incident to investigate more hidden matters—not just the Eastern Palace’s accounts, but also the military funds case that had been hastily closed and buried. He wanted to bring everything into the open and make it legitimate.

Through this, he intended to uncover every move the puppet master had made by borrowing the hands of the Eastern Palace and the Xu family, infiltrating both within and outside Dayuan. That was his true goal.

Qi Hanzhou’s eyes shifted slightly. Ying Fusheng slowly opened his hand, and a black stone lay quietly in his palm, as if it were the final move in this game of chess.

He released it, and the stone dropped into the bowl with a crisp clatter.

"Because I want to make the first move."