Chapter 93

Chapter 93

The news that Prince Yan had regained consciousness spread within half a day, and those who remained in Jiangling Prefecture could no longer sit still.

The imperial commissioners from the court, the officials of the Jiangnan officialdom, and the unresolved mess still left in Jiangling—all of it, due to the court’s decree to enfeoff him as a prince, had to wait for Prince Yan’s decision.

“Please, do as you wish, but His Highness has not yet recovered. If...” said Weng Yanqing.

Prince Yan’s health is so delicate that any slight misstep could cause him to fall ill. He had only been awake for less than half a day, and yet these people were already rushing forward to demand his decisions. If something happened, the imperial physicians who had accompanied the army would be the first to submit a memorial to the throne accusing everyone present. Weng Yanqing didn’t finish his sentence, but looked at the highest-ranking court official present, Minister of Personnel Meng Jinyuan.

Meng Jinyuan listened and nodded. “I shall take my leave for now and return another day.”

Even the Minister of Personnel had said as much. The other officials exchanged glances, each reaching their own conclusions in private.

After Wu Lao’s superb prescription had revived Ying Fusheng, the imperial physicians had not ceased probing for details of the treatment, and among them were those sent to investigate in secret. The imperial commissioners sent to Jiangling to deliver the decree were packed with spies from the court. Because of Ying Fusheng’s prior instructions and Wu Lao’s stubborn temper—always wearing a sour face—the word “short-lived” accidentally slipped out on one occasion and soon fell into the ears of those who would use it.

Neither the imperial physicians nor the famous folk doctor could find a solution, so Prince Yan’s body might still recover, but it was not a constitution suited to exertion.

This conclusion was enough to make the court’s factions temporarily set aside their schemes. With the position of Crown Prince vacant in the court, the meritorious achievement at Jiangling had thrust Prince Yan’s prestige to such a height that if he had the makings of a contender for the throne, he would be their primary enemy. But if his body was so frail that he could not even endure mental strain, then with such a constitution, there was no possibility of his being named heir.

Meng Jinyuan listened to his subordinate’s report as he walked through the streets of Jiangling. If not for the refugee camp still remaining outside the city, who would have guessed that this place had suffered a natural disaster two months ago? He hid his observing expression and stopped for a long time. “No other prince in the court could have achieved this, not even Shen Changcun could have advised him to do this.”

“His Highness has few people around him, but there are a few clever advisors. The person temporarily handling official duties is surnamed Weng,” said the subordinate. “Should we investigate him further?”

Meng Jinyuan shook his head.

“Bold in action and swift in execution.”

Meng Jinyuan stood with his hands behind his back, thinking that although this prince was not a warrior, he bore the manner of the late emperor in many ways.

Not far away, a Light Garment Guard silently followed Meng Jinyuan. Ye Xuanqi turned back and returned to Jiangling Prefecture.

Unable to find the Junior General, he went to the rear compound and saw the Junior General sitting in the inner courtyard. In the distance, Prince Yan was sitting in a wheelchair, basking in the sun. The wheelchair had been made by Wang Guanzhi, along with some craftsmen, in three days, and they had even removed the thresholds along the way to facilitate his movement.

Ying Fusheng thought these people were being a bit overly dramatic, but indeed he had little strength. Wu Lao had told him to get some sun every day. Song An was not very strong, so it was always Qi Hanzhou who carried him. Ying Fusheng didn’t know what was wrong with Qi Hanzhou in the past half month. Previously, whenever he discussed matters with him, Qi Hanzhou reported everything truthfully, but in the last few days, every time he wanted to ask about Jiangnan affairs, Qi Hanzhou refused to discuss it, even colluding with Song An to say that he must not exert himself.

Since waking up, Ying Fusheng learned that he had been enfeoffed as a prince.

Enfeoffment—In his previous life, Ying Fusheng had also been enfeoffed, then as a powerless prince in the capital.

If following the previous life, the enfeoffment should have been decided several years ago. At that time, the emperor, to counter the lingering threats from the late emperor’s enfeoffment of princes and marquises, had sent several princes to various parts of Dayuan. But in this life, because the Crown Prince and the Xu family repeatedly made mistakes, the emperor had not yet made a decision to groom a successor early, keeping the First Prince and the Third Prince in court to this day.

After many twists and turns and a delay of several years, he became the first among his brothers to be enfeoffed.

Some things, even if Qi Hanzhou didn’t say them, he could glean from the changes in others during these days of rest. The officials from Jiangnan and the court refused to leave, probably waiting for him to make a decision.

“Your Highness, Prince Yan.” Ye Xuanqi performed a bow.

Ying Fusheng looked at this face, somewhat similar to Ye Xuanjiu’s, and still wasn’t quite used to being called Prince Yan these days.

He turned to look at Qi Hanzhou.

Qi Hanzhou gave a slight nod, and only then did Ye Xuanqi report the surveillance on Meng Jinyuan.

The Second Prince was now in the Ministry of Personnel. This Minister of Personnel’s stance was ambiguous. After the loss of the Xu family, the person behind the scenes had few planted agents left. The Second Prince was more deep-seated than the Deposed Crown Prince. He had blamed all past affairs on the Xu family and the Deposed Crown Prince, remaining clean himself and enjoying a good reputation among the officials.

So far, except for a few openly acknowledged members of his faction, no one else in the Ministry of Personnel had been identified, nor had any major actions been taken.

As for this Minister Meng, based on his actions, he always appears to act for the court’s benefit.

But since the Second Prince could operate within the Ministry of Personnel and manipulate appointments, he must have known.

After arriving in Jiangling, Meng Jinyuan went out to inspect the city every day. Apart from that, he was more restrained than any other official.

“Some people just can't keep themselves in check.”

Ying Fusheng sipped his medicine and said softly, “No matter what Lord Meng is thinking, the imperial commissioners cannot remain in Jiangling for too long.”

After keeping the officials from both regions waiting for nearly seven days, the convalescing Prince Yan finally summoned them.

Everyone gathered in the main hall of Jiangling Prefecture. As soon as they arrived, they saw Ying Fusheng seated in a wheelchair, appearing before them.

His face was pallid, and he looked tired in the wheelchair, but when the people arrived, he lifted his eyes slightly and smiled. “Everyone, please be seated.”

The one pushing Prince Yan in was Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard Qi Hanzhou. This imperial blade appeared, and the court officials stayed quiet for a moment. The Jiangnan officials, who had been repeatedly obstructed by the Imperial Guard during this time, skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point: “Your Highness, the disaster-stricken counties around Jiangling are acting under Jiangling's direction. Since the incident in Jiangling Prefecture, many affairs have been stalled for days. Now that Your Highness is temporarily managing Jiangling’s affairs, some decisions must be made. The Prefect of Jiangling and nineteen other officials have committed grave crimes and should be dealt with according to the laws of Dayuan. If Your Highness is still unwell, I am willing to handle it for Your Highness.”

“Yes, they should be dealt with.” Ying Fusheng smiled faintly, then said, “According to the laws of Dayuan, how does Lord Meng think they should be handled?”

Instead of stating his opinion directly, he threw the matter to Meng Jinyuan.

“According to Dayuan law, Prefect Liu and his accomplices deserve death, and those connected with him are not to be forgiven,” said Meng Jinyuan.

The Jiangnan officials’ expressions subtly changed. Prefect Liu was the Prefect of Jiangling. If they were to be implicated collectively, the entire Jiangling officialdom would be implicated. For them now, getting rid of Prefect Liu and his like was actually to their advantage. “I have no objection. Please, Your Highness, handle it according to the law.”

Ying Fusheng looked at them, catching the cunning glint in the Jiangnan officials’ eyes.

Then the lead Jiangnan official said, “According to my secret investigation, among those who had close dealings with Prefect Liu, there are several who have not yet been punished according to law.” He named a few names, including Vice Prefect Xu and others, who were still serving in Jiangling Prefecture.

The Jiangnan and Bashu regions belong to the southern region, far from the capital. During the late emperor’s reign, due to the war period, authority was delegated to local princes and marquises. Now, most of Dayuan’s military power was in the emperor’s hands, but the southern region was a special case, with a complex local bureaucracy that was difficult to overhaul. The Jiangnan officialdom was composed partly of court-appointed officials and partly of local officials recommended by hereditary gentry and clans from the late emperor’s time.

Jiangling lay at the border of western Shu and Jiangnan, a strategically important location that many had their eyes on.

The emperor had decreed the enfeoffment and ambiguously given this land to Prince Yan for now, without explicitly declaring it Prince Yan’s domain. Thus, the southern princes and marquises dared not act rashly.

This prince had previously imprisoned most of the officials, and some were still awaiting punishment. This created vacancies in certain positions in Jiangling. The Jiangnan officialdom did not want to let go of this territory, and the court also wanted to insert its own people. The best way was to leave Prince Yan with no one to rely on.

Even if Prince Yan had temporary authority, he could not fully handle matters involving official appointments.

Qi Hanzhou knew these old foxes were testing Ying Fusheng while trying to hollow out Jiangling Prefecture. He looked down slightly and saw the man in the wheelchair looking perfectly composed. He knew that Ying Fusheng had already prepared for this ever since he learned Meng Jinyuan was coming.

Vice Prefect Xu and the others were brought forward. When they knelt on the ground, they knew this day would come.

Even though they had served the people during this time, in the past, they had made many wrongful decisions under Prefect Xu’s tyranny—things for which they could not escape blame.

The Jiangnan officials took the opportunity to present the list of Prefect Liu’s crimes, pinning them on Vice Prefect Xu and the others: “Your Highness, please have a look.”

But when the compiled dossier was handed to Ying Fusheng, he did not take it.

The Jiangnan official’s expression became awkward. Ying Fusheng leaned forward slightly and spoke in a soft voice, but the effect on those around him was entirely different: “I forgot to ask—you are certainly thorough in your work, sir. I’ve been in Jiangling all this time and haven’t been able to get to the bottom of these matters, yet you have so neatly sorted them out.”

The Jiangnan official replied, “After the disaster in Jiangling, Yingtian Prefecture took it very seriously and ordered me to conduct a full investigation.”

“Took it very seriously, indeed.” Ying Fusheng smiled. “Since that’s the case, why not let the common people have their say?”

As soon as Ying Fusheng finished speaking, the officials present were startled. The main gate of Jiangling Prefecture was thrown open, admitting many commoners. The people of Jiangling, hearing that corrupt officials were to be dealt with, had long gathered at the gate. Now allowed in, seeing Vice Prefect Xu and the others kneeling, some emotional individuals cried out, “Your Excellency! Vice Prefect Xu and the others are innocent!”

In a court of law, proceedings follow the statutes—there is no such thing as letting the people judge.

The Jiangnan official was about to remind him: “Your Highness, this is a serious matter.”

"Since it concerns the people, it is indeed a major matter. However, I have no faith in the evidence you present."

Ying Fusheng looked at him, with the clamor of the people outside. He had been ill for days, and now it was time to settle the unfinished business. He spoke as if making idle conversation: "When I arrived in Jiangling, the imperial court had already ordered Yingtian Prefecture to provide disaster relief. Later, refugees gathered here, and Jiangling Prefecture bore the brunt of most victims from the southern border. Yingtian Prefecture's men arrived six days late, and there were also rebels who set fire to the mountain at night. I must ask: does Yingtian Prefecture neglect to inspect the granaries, ignore the rebels, and instead focus on investigating a few officials of Jiangling Prefecture? What does that mean? Are they the rebels?"

"Lord Xu and Lord Wang led us in fighting the mountain fire!"

"Yes, that's right!"

The scroll made no mention of the mountain fire, or rather, there were no rebels setting it; it was simply a fire. The Jiangnan officialdom wanted to pin everything on Prefect Liu and his subordinates, hoping to end the matter in Jiangling. This prince, newly arrived in the southern border, dared to risk offending the Jiangnan faction by bringing this up in front of the people. "Your Highness! The reinforcements were delayed because the three prefectures of Jiangnan were also suffering; Yingtian Prefecture was short-handed..."

"Short-handed, yet they found the manpower to investigate the affairs of Jiangling officials?" Ying Fusheng added. "It seems to Yingtian Prefecture, the disaster victims and the people are less important than a few officials."

The Jiangnan official realized that this Sixth Prince clearly had no intention of punishing these officials; instead, he wanted to protect them.

He was about to explain, but Ying Fusheng’s next words cut him off.

Ying Fusheng said: "Though, it is also possible that Yingtian Prefecture knew long ago what Jiangling Prefecture had done. But oddly, if they knew and delayed reporting, could it be that the breach of the Jiangling dike also hides some secrets?"

"Please, my lord, enlighten me on each point."

Outside the government office were the people of Jiangling; inside the main hall were imperial envoys, and even the Minister of Personnel, who oversaw official appointments.

Yingtian Prefecture only wanted this matter settled, but this sickly prince seemed determined to stir things up, intent on making it a big affair.

"I also heard that the granaries here..." Ying Fusheng trailed off.

The Jiangnan officials grew uneasy. Suddenly, one of them stepped forward. His position among the Jiangnan officials was clearly different, and the others quieted when he spoke: "Your Highness is right."

"All that Yingtian Prefecture has done is for the people. This document is the result of our investigation after arriving here. Yingtian Prefecture was overwhelmed after the Jiangling dike breach, and upon learning of the gathered refugees, they dispatched men, but the roads were damaged by flooding, causing the delay." He reasoned thoroughly, explaining the delay and distancing themselves as much as possible. "As for the mountain fire, that does require investigation. Please, Your Highness, grant Yingtian Prefecture time."

These few words caused the expressions of those present to change.

After he spoke, the other Jiangnan officials remained silent, deferring to him.

The Jiangnan faction had yielded.

"You are all thoughtful." Ying Fusheng waved his hand, and someone brought forward official documents. "Crimes merit punishment, merits deserve reward—this must follow the law."

What was presented was a record of the good deeds done by Vice Prefect Xu and other Jiangling officials during this period, ranging from reporting Prefect Liu’s concealment of relief grain to daily efforts serving the people. When Weng Yanqing recited these deeds, even the kneeling Xu and his colleagues were surprised at how much they had done. Yet each item was now brought before the court; the prince was pleading their case for merit.

"Lord Meng, as the imperial commissioner, you must decide how to judge this matter."

Ying Fusheng said softly: "Father sent you here, likely with his own reasons in mind."

Meng Jinyuan waited at the side. As the Minister of Personnel, being tasked with this by the prince placed him in a difficult position. Under Prefect Liu’s iron fist, what could these officials have done? Now, all of Jiangling’s people were pleading for leniency for Xu and his colleagues—this was the will of the people. If he were to convict them here, popular discontent would erupt immediately.

By Ying Fusheng’s side was Qi Hanzhou, the emperor’s eyes and ears.

After the Grand Sacrifice incident, the emperor placed special importance on the will of the people. The Sixth Prince’s disaster relief in Jiangnan had accumulated such popular support that it nearly dispelled the resentment of the southern border people toward the imperial court. Everywhere, people were praising the court. If they now convicted officials who were the focus of popular support, it would surely stir public resentment.

Between the Jiangnan officialdom and the imperial court, the court obviously took priority.

Moreover, there were complicated connections within the Jiangnan faction, which the court understood.

This newly appointed Prince Yan seemed to seek their opinions at every turn, but in reality, he was hammering home one point.

Today, he was acting in accordance with the people’s will. And the people’s will was what the emperor needed. They must weigh the rewards and punishments accordingly; otherwise, if the people grew resentful afterward, the emperor’s wrath would fall on them.

Meng Jinyuan looked at this prince, a deeper meaning in his eyes: "According to Dayuan law, those who perform great deeds for the people achieve great merit. I came on orders from the court. For Vice Prefect Xu and over ten others of Jiangling Prefecture, I propose a judgment based on both merit and fault: they shall forfeit half a year's pay, and they will be supervised by the local inspector. If they commit any wrongdoing, they will be punished accordingly. If they sincerely serve the people, their crimes will be outweighed by their merits."

"Jiangling is currently under your provisional administration. This is the Ministry of Personnel’s ruling; the final decision rests with Your Highness. As for the likes of Prefect Liu, their crimes are heinous, and I must take them back to the capital for the Supreme Court and His Majesty to decide."

As he said this, he looked at Qi Hanzhou—his words were directed at the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The emperor’s investigations were known to the Guard.

Ying Fusheng smiled at him, thinking, 'You wily old fox,' and said: "Then let it be as Lord Meng says."

Outside, the people asked each other what this meant. A scholar explained—

"It means they won’t punish Lord Xu and the others. They’ll let them keep serving the people. If they don’t do well, we can report to the censor, and then they’ll be punished."

"Great! That’s possible?"

"Brilliant! The officials are brilliant!"

In the hall, Xu and his colleagues were stunned, staring blankly at the assembled high officials.

The people outside cheered. The Jiangnan officials left with cold faces. Ying Fusheng yawned, glanced at them briefly, and was quickly pushed away by Qi Hanzhou. Seeing that the others had retreated, the official who had submitted the evidence asked indignantly: "This Prince Yan is going too far..."

Before he could finish, he received a cold glare from another.

"You nearly ruined everything. Did you think because he's young and inexperienced? But have you considered that someone who could bring stability to Jiangling would let you easily sideline him?"

Among the Jiangnan officials, one had a deeply somber expression. With the imperial commissioner still present, arguing this matter could bring the granary issue into the open, and following the connections could shake the entire Jiangnan officialdom.

There were people outside. This matter could be a game between the court and local powers, but it could not become a major issue aired in public. If it became a matter of public concern, the emperor would have grounds to launch a thorough investigation—and then it would not just be Jiangling; Yingtian Prefecture would also be implicated.

"If you had argued with him further, all he had to do was mention the granary matter, and the blame would shift to Yingtian Prefecture." The official who had voluntarily backed down in the court knew that even though this prince was ill, he had been watching their every move in Jiangling. "With the Jiangling refugees and his popular reputation... even if he said today that the granaries were intended for embezzlement by someone in Yingtian Prefecture, do you think the people would believe him or us?"

Given this prince’s current reputation, even if he said it without proof, the people would believe him.

Several officials realized the seriousness and fell silent.

After everyone had dispersed, the man who had defused the situation in the court said in a low voice: "Send word to our lord: after this, Jiangling will have grounds to pursue the granary issue."

Today, the Sixth Prince had let them off easy, likely because of other reasons. But that did not mean he wouldn’t investigate Jiangnan. For now, they had to limit it to the granary issue and not let him keep probing into the Jiangnan officialdom.

Their plans needed to be accelerated.

...

After the Jiangnan officials left, Ying Fusheng leaned back in his wheelchair, drowsy, and said to Qi Hanzhou: "Keep a close watch on that man from earlier."

"Junior General?" Ying Fusheng looked up when he received no response.

He tilted his head slightly, meeting Qi Hanzhou’s gaze from behind the wheelchair.

Qi Hanzhou saw how he had just taken on a crowd in court, and now, with a slow, innocent air, he handed things over for him to handle, speaking with an air of familiarity. This familiarity, born from his illness, felt different from the capital, yet he still kept a guarded distance. "Your Highness, do you not address me by name today?"

Ying Fusheng paused, realizing he had slipped up a few times: "I was confused due to illness. Forgive me, Junior General."

At the same time, another voice said: "It’s fine."

Both spoke at once, then stopped. Ying Fusheng couldn’t help turning. In the past few days, he felt Qi Hanzhou’s attitude had been getting stranger. He thought the man might be angry, but he couldn’t tell where the anger was coming from.

Before he could ponder this, Qi Hanzhou continued: "You agreed to let Meng Jinyuan take Liu and his people away—you want to test the waters."

Meng Jinyuan's relationship with the Second Prince—we'll see how this person fares once sent to the capital.

In the distance, leaves rustled in the chill wind. There was no snow; Jiangling was approaching winter.

Silence fell between them. Ying Fusheng had not fully recovered yet. When they came to repair the dam, it was still autumn, and now suddenly it was harsh winter. But in the south, winter didn't seem as unbearable as before. The imperial physicians said it was fortunate he had come south; Jiangling was close to Jiangnan, making it a good place for recuperation.

As the wind blew, he felt comfortable, momentarily forgetting to continue speaking with Qi Hanzhou.

Just then, footsteps sounded from behind. Ying Fusheng turned his head and saw Deputy Prefect Xu and the others approaching.

Upon seeing him, the group knelt down in unison. "Thank you, Your Highness, for saving our lives."

With Deputy Prefect Xu and the others still kneeling, Ying Fusheng frowned and said, "Rise."

"It is the people who are asking for you to be commended—human effort can achieve anything..." Before he could finish, he coughed from speaking too urgently. The officials immediately gathered around. Some officials went to call the imperial physician, while Deputy Prefect Xu hurriedly called out to have medicine prepared. They momentarily forgot they were kneeling and crowded around, inquiring about his health.

"Your Highness, you wouldn't believe it, but praying for a longevity tablet really works. I had one made last time, and the next day you woke up. I'll have a few more made."

"Old Man Wu said..."

Perhaps it was the liveliness, or a cool breeze drifting through the courtyard.

Ying Fusheng suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Seeing these officials he had only known for a short time—some of whose names he remembered, now pressing close to him—he felt a slight discomfort.

Qi Hanzhou suddenly pushed the wheelchair forward a step.

Ying Fusheng paused slightly when Deputy Prefect Xu handed him a silk pouch. "My wife had a peace amulet made at a temple known to grant wishes here in Jiangling. May Your Highness recover soon."

A crowd surrounded him, and the imperial physician's shout came from afar: "What are you all doing? Stay away from His Highness! Didn't you all visit the refugee camp today? That's full of sickness! Back up, back up!"

The group hastily retreated.

Amid the lively chatter, Ying Fusheng heard Qi Hanzhou saying from behind him—

"Human relationships aren't just about profit. This is simply a heartfelt expression of gratitude—accept it with grace."