Chapter 258: The Tug-of-War (2)

Chapter 258: The Tug-of-War (2)

Soon, Xiang Zhijie learned what "losing the horse" meant—the old proverb about misfortune turning into blessing.

Xiang Zheng immediately summoned Xiang Zhiyun to the palace for an audience, along with Xiang Zhijie.

Meanwhile, the smiling old fox Chang Yuxing, as soon as he left the palace, had his trusted aide deliver a letter to the Fifth Prince, leaking the bits and pieces he'd overheard in the emperor's presence.

This old minister had always been smooth in his official conduct, a firm believer in keeping his own nose clean, and would only offer a gentle nudge or a convenient out at a critical moment.

As for how much gratitude the person he helped would remember, that was entirely up to their conscience—he neither cared nor insisted.

Just as when he had helped the Sixth Prince, he had merely sent a letter to his obedient grandson as a casual favor.

Chang Yuxing had thought it was nothing more than a little favor.

After all, it was just summoning a soul.

To Chang Yuxing, who had spent a lifetime overseeing sacrificial ceremonies and dealing with endless formalities, this was merely a way to comfort the living.

The dead were gone; the living needed something to hold onto, to keep going, right?

And when his grandson wrote back, he didn't seem to treat it as anything significant either, his tone as dutiful and naive as ever: "Grandfather, the matter is not yet accomplished. Let fate take its course; do not be hasty."

Little did he know he'd helped pull off something huge!

Little did he know that this man could truly win Heaven's favor and return from the dead!

Seeing that the die was cast and there was no taking it back, and since the soul had already been summoned—there was no sense in burying a living man back in the ground—Minister Chang, after a long sigh, could only keep his mouth shut. He went about his business as usual, did out his favors where they were due, and carried on being the good-natured man who never offended anyone.

Xiang Zhiyun, upon hearing the news, entered the palace looking pale.

However, upon hearing Xiang Zheng's decision, his eyes went wide in shock: "...Father?"

"Can't you understand plain words anymore?" Xiang Zheng looked at him coldly. "With Zhang Yue's case, you tried to pull a fast one on me; with the Zhangde Prefecture case, you laid the flattery on too thick. I see you can't handle the Ministry of Justice's affairs—get out of here and go to the Ministry of Revenue to oversee the Imperial Medical Academy's drug development. If you fail again, don't bother showing your face before me anymore."

The scolding came down like a hail of spittle and scolding, yet Xiang Zhiyun was dizzy with a rush of elation.

...Could it mean what he thought it meant?

He stole a glance at Xiang Zhijie, who stood silently with lowered head, and ventured: "Father, am I working alongside Sixth Brother this time, or..."

"Little Six has his own assignment." Xiang Zheng turned to Xiang Zhijie, his tone softening slightly. "Zhijie, since you value practical matters, go train at the Ministry of Works."

Xiang Zhijie's composure was flawless. Faced with the sudden transfer—even demotion—he remained unfazed, bowing in response: "Your son obeys, and will not let Your Majesty down."

Xiang Zhiyun was floating on a cloud of dreamlike joy. Only after drifting out of Shouren Hall and being hit by the hot wind outside did he finally feel the sweat pour off him in relief.

He didn't get why, after screwing up, he'd been promoted instead of demoted.

The answer was plain as day.

He'd just misread a case, that's all.

But someone had stepped on the emperor's sore spot.

Ever since he'd been going head-to-head with Xiang Zhijie, Xiang Zhiyun had hit walls everywhere. This was a rare chance to hold his head high.

In his momentary elation, he couldn't quite keep his trap shut: "Sixth Brother, that capable helper and mastermind of yours—after all that hustling, how'd he end up dragging you down instead?"

Xiang Zhijie had already been tipped off by Le Wuyan about the "lost horse" omen, so he wasn't caught off guard. His mind was already on how to make his mark at the Ministry of Works, so his response came a beat late: "Fifth Brother, what did you say?"

Seeing him so dazed, Xiang Zhiyun felt a flash of satisfaction, but then a strange unease crept in.

...Guess he'd gone too far.

"Nothing, we're brothers, just kidding around—don't take it to heart." He reached out and slung his arm around Xiang Zhijie's shoulder. "Come, let's go to my place for some tea. Since the case went to the Grand Court, I've forgotten a lot of the details. As for that 'sacred tree' and 'ghost shaking its head,' I'm in the dark—you'll have to fill me in, Sixth Brother."

Xiang Zhijie gave a soft smile: "Of course."

...

Inside Shouren Hall, after finishing the last memorial, Xiang Zheng coughed and wheezed slightly—whether it was the draft or something else.

Xue Jie slipped in from outside the hall, quietly swapping the tea on the desk for a bowl of rock sugar pear soup: "Your Majesty, have a sip to wet your throat. Physician Guo will be coming shortly for the usual pulse check."

"You old thing," Xiang Zheng laughed and scolded. "Guo Qing already came this morning for the pulse check. Why are you dragging him back here again?"

Xue Jie: "Your Majesty coughed twice fifteen minutes ago. Physician Guo happens to be on duty today, so I went ahead and asked him to come take another look. If you think I'm making a fuss, then I'll boldly beg a reward—I'm not feeling well myself, and by Your Majesty's boundless grace, I'm asking Physician Guo to come check on me, so I don't slack on my duties serving you."

Xiang Zheng took a sip of the rock sugar pear soup: "Back then, the Empress always praised you for being meticulous and attentive, and I didn't think much of it—you always looked so droopy and lifeless. Over the years... I was wrong about you."

Xue Jie: "Your Majesty flatters me."

Xiang Zheng set down the cup with a crisp clink.

He asked: "They're gone?"

Xue Jie knew what he meant: "They're gone."

"What did the two of them say?"

Xue Jie kept his eyes down and repeated it word for word.

When he heard Xiang Zhiyun's sarcastic remark to Xiang Zhijie, Xiang Zheng's face stayed blank.

But when he heard that Xiang Zhiyun had immediately softened his tone afterward, Xiang Zheng snorted with a laugh: "What a saint!"

Xue Jie looked a little surprised.

"What?" Xiang Zheng's sharp gaze cut over to him.

"Your servant..." Xue Jie could tell the emperor wanted to talk it out with someone, so he picked his words carefully, "originally thought Your Majesty would be displeased by the Fifth Prince's cutting remarks."

"That's no matter. If a young man has no edge, how's he any different from rotten wood?" Xiang Zheng's expression turned grim. "But this Little Five—stabs you in the back first, then rushes to patch you up. Wanting both profit and reputation—how pathetic!"

Xue Jie said softly: "Your servant only observed that the Fifth Prince, after all, is kin to the Sixth Prince, and does harbor brotherly affection."

"Brotherly affection is the cheapest thing in the imperial family!"

Xiang Zheng sneered: "A man who calls himself 'the Lonely One'—to him, brothers are just servants! If everyone were so clingy and sentimental, where would the proper order be?"

"In this regard, Little Six sees things clearly. He could cut off his own brother and go cold—that shows he knows what's important!"

Xue Jie's face changed color at these words, and he dropped to his knees with a thud: "Your Majesty, forgive your servant's grave offense! Matters of state, you alone decide with your divine wisdom. Your servant was truly presumptuous, running my mouth and discussing such weighty matters with Your Majesty!"

Xiang Zheng looked at him with a mix of exasperation and amusement: "You—way too cautious, no fun at all!"

Seeing Xue Jie prostrate and silent, Xiang Zheng was amused by his mule-stubborn silence: "Before Guo Qing gets here, I'll allow you some leeway. What, are you going to just sit there and bore me to death?"

Xue Jie said softly: "Your Majesty still has a long life ahead; it's too early to be worrying about such things."

Xiang Zheng teased: "If I don't think about it, someone else will do it for me. I'd better stay on my toes."

Xue Jie's eyes flickered slightly as he sized up what the emperor was getting at, then said cautiously: "I'll be bold and ask—is this shuffle because of... Lord Wenren?"

That question touched a nerve.

The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes softened: "You sly old fox, stop playing dumb; you're quite sharp."

Xue Jie quickly offered a placating smile: "I was just guessing. But did Lord Wenren mess up his assignment?"

"He's done a fantastic job."

"Then..." Xue Jie hesitated, "Is it because the Sixth Prince is too chummy with Lord Wenren?"

Xiang Zheng went quiet, thinking.

After these days of secret investigation, Wen Renyue's background had only come back cleaner.

The man had indeed lived in this world for over twenty years, and by a lucky break, had shot up the ranks.

On the face of it, Wen Renyue was just Wen Renyue.

Yet that cold, unfeeling Sixth Prince was dead set on that face, and that face only.

Xiang Zheng muttered to himself: "A life-saving favor—no wonder, then."

Xue Jie's thoughts were spinning.

What life-saving grace?

Anyone with eyes could see Wen Renyue looked like Le Wuya.

What His Majesty called a "life-saving grace" must be about that old business between the Sixth Prince and Rebel Le.

He probed: "Was it that time the Sixth Prince fell into a dry well and that lord saved him...?"

Xiang Zheng smiled but said nothing, clearly not wanting to go into it.

Xue Jie quickly changed course: "But Lord Wenren comes from humble origins, unlike the big clans that can back each other up at court... Forgive me for being dense—if the Sixth Prince truly wished to form a faction, why pick Lord Wenren of all people...?"

Xiang Zheng shot him a look of mild scolding: "I said you were playing dumb, and here you are doing it right in front of me! You sat through the whole Zhangde case—can't you see what's what? In this matter, Xiaoliu is blameless, and Wenren Mingke is blameless; only Xiao Wu, that muddle-headed brat, is at fault!"

"So you..."

Xiang Zheng said flatly: "A man who gets too full of himself is asking for trouble."

Xue Jie caught on.

But he was also a bit speechless.

...So the Sixth Prince had just gotten caught in the crossfire for no reason?

"Exactly..."

Xiang Zheng's voice was low and deliberate:

"I want to see whether Xiaoliu, moving from the Revenue Ministry to the Works Ministry, can keep his head down and play by the rules like before. And whether Xiao Wu can shoulder heavy responsibilities, steady himself, and actually get some real work done."

"Keep your ear to the ground at court too. Let me know if anything's brewing..."

At this, he smiled: "Think of it as keeping me amused."

Xue Jie pushed down the faint flicker of fear in his chest.

What did His Majesty really think of his two sons?

Two fighting cocks for his entertainment?

Despite his doubts, Xue Jie's face showed nothing but "respect" as he kowtowed and replied: "Your servant obeys."

...

When word spread that the Fifth and Sixth Princes had been reassigned—one to the Revenue Ministry, the other to the Works Ministry—the court officials were all scratching their heads.

The Revenue Ministry managed the empire's grain and wealth, second only to the Ministry of Appointments in actual clout.

The Works Ministry, however, handled construction, waterworks, and crafts—posts that didn't even require passing the imperial exams; anyone who graduated from the Guozijian and knew a bit of the trade could get in.

The so-called "works" were just "gadgets and gimmicks."

Thus, it was no stretch to call the Works Ministry the "bottom of the six ministries."

Those officials who had just curried favor with the Sixth Prince scrambled for information, only to receive vague answers, leaving them sitting on pins and needles.

Could it be... they'd backed the wrong horse?

Was the Fifth Prince still His Majesty's true choice?

As for the undercurrents at court and the flip-flopping of those fair-weather officials, Le Wuya couldn't care less.

Ignoring Wang Su, whose face was black as a storm cloud, he filed away the case files and evidence, then went home and slept like a log for two whole days.

On the third morning, His Majesty summoned a full court session.

Well-rested, Le Wuya took his sweet time getting up and headed to court.

When he appeared at the Left Gate, the civil officials, though trying to ignore him, couldn't help but be drawn to his face.

Le Wuya lazily fiddled with his court tablet.

He looked great, his face like a peach in full bloom, under the palace lanterns, candlelight, and the gray half-light of dawn—he had a striking, almost lurid beauty.

...Of course, the kind that belonged to a fox spirit that drained blood and devoured hearts.

The officials forced themselves to stay calm, desperately shoving aside thoughts of ghosts and demons, yet no one made the first move to talk to Le Wuya.

Wang Su stood like a clay statue, stone-faced in the front row of civil officials, a living monument—eyes fixed forward, ears shut to everything, so of course he had no time for Le Wuya.

Le Wuya was having a fine time amusing himself when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a Yuan tiger in the military ranks, staring at him without blinking.

Per the Dayu Code, during court sessions, civil and military officials had to stay in their own ranks and couldn't chat privately.

But formal salutes were allowed.

Feeling Le Wuya's eyes on him, Yuan Weiyan boldly clasped his hands in a salute.

Since Yuan Zijin returned home, it was as if he'd been reborn.

As for the credit, three-tenths went to his own son's efforts, and the remaining seven-tenths were entirely due to the person before him.

Just as Le Wuya turned fully toward the ranks of the military officers, a barely perceptible stir arose from the side of the Right Que Gate.

Le Wuya looked back and saw, at the side of the Right Que Gate, a military officer in his fifties standing solemnly beneath it.

He had a cold face and a long beard, with a sorrow frozen between his brows that would not thaw, like a rusted, broken sword, kept upright only by the faded dignity of past glory over his withered frame.

When he noticed Le Wuya looking at him, he turned his face away in a near-frantic, flustered manner.

Someone not far from him deliberately whispered in a voice audible to Le Wuya: "This Le Qianzhang, General Le, has been pleading illness for a while now—it's been years since he last showed up at court."

Le Wuya's expression stayed unchanged; instead, he openly sized up Le Qianzhang, even tilting his head a little, his curiosity plain to see.

Their eyes locked without warning.

Le Qianzhang felt a roar in his ears and his blood running cold.

...Too similar.

Really too similar.

About two years ago, Wenren Mingke was still a seventh-rank county magistrate in the borderlands. When he came to the capital to receive honors, he happened to rescue Huai Jin from the clutches of the former playboy Yuan Zijin.

Huai Jin and Wo Yu then invited him over for a meal at their place, to thank him for his kindness.

Back then, Le Qianzhang had only caught a distant glimpse of that face, and his heart was already torn apart.

Let alone now, when he was so close by?

In an instant, the summer breeze turned into the harsh winds of the frontier, gusting harder and harder, until he couldn't breathe.

It wasn't until Ali, pierced with arrows, was carried into the camp by Pei Mingqi that it hit Le Qianzhang: the boy's self-destructive, self-hating streak ran far deeper than he'd ever imagined.

This ill-fated father-son bond, forced into being, came to a complete end that day.

Now, this child, so strikingly similar to Ali, stood just a few zhang away, alive and breathing.

But Le Qianzhang couldn't even muster the courage to call his name.

"A..."

Le Qianzhang's mouth opened slightly, but before he could make a sound, Le Wuya had already turned back around, calm as ever.

He didn't recognize him.

He recognized his eldest brother, Le Hang, and his second brother, Le Jue. He even recognized Aunt Ye.

But Le Qianzhang? He'd rather go his whole life without ever meeting him face to face.