Chapter 75

Chapter 75

The day Ying Fusheng recovered from his illness coincided with the melting of the spring snow.

Wanchun Hall was bustling inside and out.

"Sweep away misfortune, sweep away misfortune, to drive away illness," Song An directed the palace attendants in a thorough cleaning, inside and out, not missing a single spot. The attendants worked harder than usual, even sprinkling a bit of salt powder as they cleaned.

A small banquet was held in Wanchun Hall to celebrate Ying Fusheng's recovery from illness. Many consorts in the palace sent gifts. The Empress Dowager came in person, holding scissors to cut away bad luck for Ying Fusheng. With an elder performing this act, it was meant to bless the younger generation with peace year after year.

When Lady Yu solemnly handed him a sachet, the scent of temple incense ash from Huguo Temple lingered on its surface. She didn't elaborate, nor did she say it was from the Empress Dowager. She merely said, "Your Highness, keep this with you for peace and safety."

It was sent by the master from Huguo Temple.

Two red lanterns were hung high, though it wasn't New Year's Eve, the atmosphere was more festive than New Year's Eve.

The Empress Dowager had lunch with Ying Fusheng and then left. Seeing that Shen Yunfei had specifically entered the palace, she didn't intrude on their catching up and allowed Ying Fusheng to leave, merely telling Song An to keep an eye on things and not let him drink.

Ying Fusheng left the palace. A restaurant hosted a banquet to dispel misfortune.

"I can't drink too much; I'm on night duty!" Shen Yunfei quickly refused. After speaking, he brought out several embroidered pouches. "These are from Fatty's home, and this one is from Liu Dafu, obtained from a temple in Jiangnan as a prayer charm. They're supposed to be especially effective in warding off all disasters. He went to Jiangnan with his father and hasn't returned yet, so he entrusted me to bring them all—"

Weng Yanqing said, "I can't drink too much either."

Ye Xuanjiu said, "I can have a small drink."

Ying Fusheng wasn't used to a crowd fussing over him, but he couldn't refuse. When he touched his wine cup, Chen Xuqiu, sitting in the distance, suddenly glanced over. He had no choice but to set the cup aside and pass it to Qi Hanzhou.

The gesture was too casual; Qi Hanzhou, seeing the cup handed to him, hesitated for a moment before hearing the person beside him ask, "Aren't you on duty during the day?"

"I asked for leave," he said.

Ying Fusheng made an "oh" sound, and turned to look at the bustle at the table.

He sat quietly, listening to the others chatter, rarely responding.

After the misfortune was swept away, Ying Fusheng seemed to recover fully. For an entire month, he didn't call for the imperial physician.

The Imperial Medical Academy, for once, burned incense in gratitude, crying out "Heaven be praised!"

According to Dayuan custom, at age fifteen, a prince would leave the palace to establish his own residence, and this requirement was not to be neglected.

Given the Sixth Prince's physical condition, he required constant care from the imperial physicians. The Emperor specially permitted the Sixth Prince to reside in Wanchun Hall for extended periods. Even the location of his residence outside the palace was chosen to be close to the imperial city. Such special treatment raised no objections from the court officials, as everyone understood it was to facilitate the imperial physicians' access to the Sixth Prince's residence.

In the year the Sixth Prince turned fifteen, more than half of the imperial physicians frequently visited Wanchun Hall.

With the slightest mistake, they would face the Empress Dowager's cold expression. After much trial and error under the Empress Dowager, the physicians had improved their skills and could now examine the Sixth Prince with a calm demeanor.

On the day of moving into the Sixth Prince's residence, the Empress Dowager personally attended to show support for the Sixth Prince. Gifts from the Emperor and Empress Dowager poured into the new residence continuously. The event was grand, reportedly to drive away the prince's illness aura. Even Huguo Temple sent items to ward off bad luck. The Sixth Prince enjoyed considerable prestige in the capital. During his illness, commoners had lit incense to pray for his recovery, and many commoners came to show their support.

Song An and several palace attendants followed Ying Fusheng out of the palace and into the residence. Song An became the steward of the Sixth Prince's residence, arranging everything in perfect order.

"Outside the palace, it's not as secure as within the city walls. The Junior General instructed that the residence guards must be reliable." Ye Xuanjiu was assigned a new task by Qi Hanzhou. "Rest assured, they were all recruited through the Qi family's connections—every one of them is highly skilled."

Chen Xuqiu added, "If that's not enough, we can also recruit some Jianghu people."

The arrangement of the residence guards was crucial. Song An noted everything, understanding that this matter had to be handled properly.

Set aside a pharmacy for Miss Chen, and a resting place for Mr. Weng and Master Shen... After sorting through these, Song An discovered that His Highness had specifically instructed him to reserve a side room in the main courtyard for Qi Hanzhou.

When Qi Hanzhou heard this relayed by Ye Xuanjiu, he paused mid-step. "Reserved for me?"

"The Sixth Prince said, so you won't have to sneak over the wall or climb through windows next time. It's your own courtyard—you're welcome anytime," Ye Xuanjiu said.

Qi Hanzhou: "..."

He turned and left to attend to official business.

Ye Xuanjiu hurried after his general. "Hold on, Junior General! His Highness also gave you a pass token. Take it, or you'll still have to climb the wall."

Leaving the palace to establish a residence was most convenient for Ying Fusheng when it came to discussing matters with others.

Compared to constantly meeting in restaurant private rooms, his own residence made it easier to avoid being tailed at all times. On the day Ying Fusheng established his residence, the Xiao family sent congratulatory gifts after the Empress Dowager. Unlike the jade pendant from before, what Xiao Yan sent this time was a list. A few years ago, Ying Fusheng had given him a list of suspicious court officials; this was the one Xiao Yan had screened and returned.

Ying Fusheng had been ill for a year, and Xiao Yan's movements had been barely noticeable.

However, whenever the Emperor purged disloyal elements within the court, Xiao Yan's shadow was always present. This man was meticulous in his thoughts. After cleaning up the Xiao family's mess, he used less than two years to firmly establish the Censorate's foothold in the court, becoming the Emperor's eyes to cleanse the court of dissidents.

Weng Yanqing watched as the Sixth Prince finished reading the list and quickly threw it into the charcoal stove to be destroyed. After pondering, Weng said, "Lord Xiao's action is a letter of allegiance to Your Highness."

He waited quietly by the stove until the pledge was burned to ashes, then handed over another list. "Though I am unworthy, I too offer a token of allegiance to Your Highness."

The list contained a roster of officials. Upon closer inspection, several names looked familiar—they were former students of the Imperial Academy.

In last year's imperial examinations, these individuals had passed and gradually become court officials. Weng Yanqing had played a pivotal role in the exam scandal of that year, and countless scholars had interacted with him. This list represented not only Weng Yanqing's pledge but also that of those former students.

When necessary, these people could also be used by Ying Fusheng.

Ying Fusheng merely read through the list, memorized the names, then returned it to him. "Please thank the scholars on my behalf."

He was not yet ready to use this pledge from the scholars.

Some of these people were meant for a smooth official career and should not be reduced to sacrificial pawns too early.

"His Majesty's attitude, along with the other court officials, has likely already taken note of Your Highness's situation," Weng Yanqing said. "As such, those officials in the court who have a favorable view of Your Highness will not act."

Ying Fusheng's illness had been so severe that over the past year, countless medical reports had been sent to the Qianqing Palace.

Through Ying Fusheng's deliberate actions, both the imperial physicians and the Emperor's spies knew that his frail body posed almost no threat. Such a prince, with the chaos behind the Xiao family and only the Shen family supporting him, no matter his considerable reputation among the common people, officials would not easily side with him.

The Eldest Prince faction, which had shown hostility toward him before the spring hunt, changed their attitude after the hunt. When he established his residence, they sent many congratulatory gifts—all these changes in attitude were brought on by his sudden severe illness. The Third Prince, who had little interaction with him, also sent someone to present gifts.

When a prince left the palace to establish a residence and entered the court as a minister, it meant he would enter the political fray.

Given his physical condition, he posed no threat to these people, so naturally, no one else would present him with pledges of loyalty like Xiao Yan had.

The mastermind's secret agents were all within the court, with the Second Prince especially being hard to fathom.

To find clues to the mastermind via the Second Prince, it was necessary to enter the court and cause a stir.

That year, Ying Fusheng appeared to be recuperating, but in reality, he was letting Shen Changcun and the others conserve their energy and keep a complete low profile.

The mastermind had been lying low for so long. The downfall of the Xu family and the Emperor's purge had caused him great losses. With the Embroidered Uniform Guard closely monitoring all the princes, he chose to endure, which was also a form of retreating in order to advance. With his plans disrupted and his secret lines gone, he would only wait for a suitable opportunity to strike.

After some thought, Ying Fusheng knew that this year, the mastermind would inevitably make a move.

A perfect opportunity was about to present itself to the mastermind.

Weng Yanqing asked, "Where does Your Highness intend to start?"

Ying Fusheng arched an eyebrow. He didn't want to just wait for things to happen on their own. If he wanted to make a difference, he needed to place himself at the center of the chaos to better set things right.

"The Ministry of Works."

...

The Sixth Prince had established his residence outside the palace and was recuperating without taking on any official duties, rarely even visiting the Grand Court of Justice.

In May, within less than a month of the Sixth Prince moving out of the palace, the Emperor made an appointment during morning court: the Sixth Prince was appointed as Supervisor of the Ministry of Works to oversee the Ministry's craftsmen and projects.

Since the Deposed Crown Prince was put to death and the Xu family fell, the Ministry of Works had been fiercely coveted by various court factions. Over the past year, many had recommended candidates to the Emperor for the post, but the Emperor kept putting it off and made no decision.

Recently, many court officials had been recommending candidates for the Ministry of Works.

Even Lord Hu, the Minister of War, who had been on the rise, recommended someone on behalf of the First Prince, only to be rejected by the Emperor. When the Minister of Rites asked about appointing the prince who had just moved out of the palace, the Emperor—perhaps because of Hu Buyu's recommendation—assigned Ying Fusheng to the Ministry of Works.

The old foxes at court could see clearly: the Emperor was using the Sixth Prince to curb the ambitions of other factions. The Sixth Prince's poor health was well known throughout the court. Since being startled during the spring hunt, the prince had been ill for almost an entire year. Gradually, rumors spread within the palace that his illness had affected his mind and he might be unstable.

How could such a prince hold such an important post in the Ministry of Works? The Supervisor post was a sinecure—princes often held nominal roles.

Only three princes held official positions at court. The Sixth Prince had previously served as Supervisor of the Grand Court of Justice, but now that he had his own residence, it wasn't appropriate for him to keep serving as a supervisor in one of the Three Judicial Offices.

In short, the court officials all knew that with this illness, the Sixth Prince was unlikely to be a contender for the throne.

Whether the Sixth Prince could accomplish anything at the Ministry of Works was irrelevant. What mattered was moving him out of the Grand Court of Justice and placing him among the factions eyeing the Ministry of Works, using him to shut up the officials.

When the appointment decree was issued, the Minister of Works rushed to the Sixth Prince's residence. His carriage waited outside, and as soon as he arrived, he was welcomed into the prince's mansion.

Song An said, "Lord Liu, please wait. His Highness just finished his medicine and will be out shortly."

Upon hearing that the Sixth Prince was drinking medicine like meals, Lord Liu broke out in a cold sweat. He forced a smile and said, "No hurry, His Highness should take his time. Really, take his time."

He and the Sixth Prince had some unresolved history from their time at the Grand Court of Justice. His subordinates all praised the Sixth Prince's kindness, and thanks to the Sixth Prince, Lord Liu's salary had even increased. But once he got to the Ministry of Works, his luck ran out. He faced the Emperor's scolding every morning at court and had to clean up the mess left by the previous Minister of Works.

He was already swamped, and now he learned that the Sixth Prince was coming to the Ministry of Works.

When the Minister of Works left, his colleagues gave him sympathetic looks.

The Sixth Prince was frail and often ill. If something went wrong at the Ministry of Works, wouldn't that be a disaster dropping right onto his head?

When Ying Fusheng came out, he saw Lord Liu pacing back and forth. He spoke softly, "Minister Liu."

Lord Liu quickly bowed. "Sixth Prince, the appointment decree has come down. I'm here to escort you to the ministry."

Ying Fusheng had been to the Ministry of Works once before with Qi Hanzhou, but this was his first time entering it officially.

As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed the Ministry of Works had even fewer staff than the Ministry of Rites. Even the gatekeepers were fewer than in other ministries. A few steps in, and he felt a sense of desolation. No wonder everyone wanted to push their own people in—several senior positions were still open. Any faction that got their man in could easily land a high-ranking post.

The competition rivaled that for Hu Buyu's former position as Vice Minister of War.

The Emperor was suspicious of undercover agents and was slow to approve appointments. Officials at the Ministry of Works had to do the work of two people. No wonder Liu Yunshi was so worried. This former Chief Minister, known for being smooth and good at smoothing things over, was a master at reading the room. The Emperor had placed him in this role to probe the other factions.

As the two men walked further in, an official hurried over. "Lord Minister, someone from the Ministry of Personnel has arrived."

Liu Yunshi, Minister Liu, suddenly remembered what day it was. "Oh no. Give the Sixth Prince a tour. I'll go see what's happening."

Ying Fusheng watched Minister Liu rush off and then followed the ministry official.

As he walked, he cast a sidelong glance in the direction Minister Liu had gone and feigned curiosity. "What's the rush?"

"Well, Your Highness, today happens to be the day officials from the Merit Assessment Office come by," the ministry official explained, worried the prince might be upset with the minister. "Ever since the Ministry of Works case, the Emperor ordered the Ministry of Personnel to tighten up evaluations on all officials."

Previously, so many officials in the Ministry of Works had gotten into trouble, colluding with the Deposed Crown Prince's faction, leading to fudged accounts and even embezzlement of military funds. The Merit Assessment Office was responsible for evaluations. A single blemish on their records could ruin an official's career. Just last year, during their assessment, two senior officials were demoted for failure to properly store arrows in the Northern Mountain hunt case.

So whenever the Merit Assessment Office showed up, every official at the Ministry of Works grew uneasy. Even the newly transferred officials feared them.

Ying Fusheng listened, then after a pause, pretended to suddenly realize and asked, "Shouldn't the Ministry of Personnel come later?"

Normally, personnel assessments took place in June.

"Your Highness may not know this, but this September is when princes and nobles from across the realm will arrive in the capital. The Ministry of Works is building the Lingxiao Terrace, and the Ministry of Rites is organizing the grand ceremony," the official explained. "Since it involves princes and nobles, the Lingxiao Terrace must be flawless. The Ministry of Personnel moved up the evaluation to personally inspect the terrace preparations for the Emperor."

"Then show me the files later too," Ying Fusheng said.

The ministry official paused. Why had he gone into such detail with the Sixth Prince? His Highness was ill, and his post at the Ministry of Works was merely nominal. But the minister had said to treat him well—he was a good luck charm. The Lingxiao Terrace was a huge affair. The Sixth Prince, new to court, probably wouldn't fully grasp what was happening.

But since the prince had asked, he could only comply. "Your Servant will prepare it later."

Just then, footsteps echoed from afar—

"I heard today that my sixth brother's appointment decree came down, so I knew he would come to the ministry to assume his post."

The newcomer wore official robes, with a gentle expression. He walked slowly, stepping over the threshold, followed by two clerks from the Ministry of Personnel carrying documents. He nodded and smiled at Ying Fusheng, every gesture exuding calm poise. "What perfect timing."

Ying Fusheng's eyes narrowed. He looked at the newcomer, then put on a perfectly appropriate smile.

"Second Imperial Brother."