Not to mention that night, Old Madam Rong never received news from her old soldiers and returned to the mansion in towering rage.
The most nervous was Zhegui Tower. After the inexplicable fire was extinguished, they discovered two officials dead on the couch, but the murderer had already been bound up. When rescued, his hair had nearly burned off completely.
Zhegui Tower cried about their bad luck – they had just recently benefited from the Imperial Daughter’s patronage, gaining enormous fame and excellent business, only to have such a huge disaster crash down in the blink of an eye.
Zhegui Tower wasn’t without backing in the capital – the proprietor was a certain Minister. When this neutral faction Minister heard of the incident, he sighed: “Report it to the authorities.”
The new Junior Prefect of the Capital Prefecture was none other than Mr. Ying Yu, who had previously taught policy essays at Yueli Academy. This gentleman was also a jinshi graduate who had served as a local official for two terms. During the chaotic final years of the late Emperor’s reign, with princes fighting for succession and frequent disasters, his memorial petitions seeking livelihoods for the people repeatedly fell on deaf ears, and he nearly fell victim to false accusations. Disheartened, he resigned and accepted He Zi’s invitation to teach at the academy for many years. Tie Ci had conversed with him and perceived that Mr. Ying’s heart to serve the country hadn’t died, so she sent a letter inviting him to the capital before her return. This time, taking advantage of the spring examination case to strike at the Xiao family, she promoted him to this Junior Prefect position.
Though the Capital Prefecture Junior Prefect wasn’t high in rank, it was an important position controlling civil affairs at the foot of the Son of Heaven, handling diplomatic reception and mediating various relationships. Though Mr. Ying seemed mild, he had backbone, and Tie Ci was reassured by him.
More importantly, Tie Ci personally held the position of Capital Prefecture Prefect.
Da Qian already had the custom of imperial clan members holding the honorary title of Capital Prefecture Prefect, and though it was rare for the Imperial Heir to personally lead, it was still reasonable.
When promoting Ying Yu as Junior Prefect earlier, many opposed, some from public concern, fearing that an old pedant who had taught at the academy for twenty years would struggle with the complex interpersonal relationships in the capital. After all, this was at the foot of the Son of Heaven where dropping a brick could hit three high officials – any random peddler or laborer might be connected to some powerful family with deep background. How could ordinary people handle such situations?
But when Tie Ci said she would personally serve as Prefect, everyone shut up.
With such a great Buddha personally providing protection, who would dare play tyrant before the Capital Prefecture from now on?
Therefore, regarding this case, what no one dared handle in the past, Junior Prefect Ying took on.
When Old Madam Rong heard about it, her furious rage goes without saying. She immediately sent people to the Capital Prefecture, claiming to be framed and slandered, wanting to take away the prisoners, but Junior Prefect Ying unhesitatingly blocked this.
After blocking her, the old madam sent people to visit the prison, but somehow, after one prison visit, those old soldier guards who had originally refused to confess suddenly all gave testimony.
Junior Prefect Ying the next day directly held court to interrogate, publicly announcing the murderers’ identities, causing an uproar among the people.
Old Madam Rong of the Rong mansion had actually sent people to assassinate a performer, accidentally killing two court officials instead?
Junior Prefect Ying subsequently summoned Old Madam Rong to court for confrontation.
She didn’t come, claiming serious illness.
Junior Prefect Ying didn’t force it either. After adjourning court and imprisoning the criminals, he filed a detailed report.
The Xie and Zhang families carried the corpses to the Rong mansion gate, causing citywide sensation and crowds gathering to watch.
The next morning court brought up this case, shocking all officials.
Never mind that the dead officials, though low in rank, held important positions – that Xie Jin was Xie Miao’s nephew and much beloved by him. Xie Miao had no sons, only two daughters, and had always said he wanted to adopt Xie Jin!
This was a junior he regarded as a son, who now died so wretchedly and dishonorably, and died at the hands of the Rong family for whom Xie Miao had always charged into battle. Could Xie Miao, this loyal supporter and in-law of the First Minister, continue following the First Minister step by step in the future?
Naturally not.
Even if Xie Miao didn’t hold grudges, Rong Lushan could never again confide in him completely.
And sensing this estrangement and wariness, Xie Miao would naturally feel disheartened.
Once seeds of discord are planted, they only sprout day by day until they tear open huge rifts.
Court had always been thus – no eternal friendships, only constantly shifting positions and calculations before ever-changing situations.
In court, Xie Miao looked haggard and said nothing, not directly confronting First Minister Rong.
Who knows what compensation the First Minister privately provided.
But regarding the Xie family, the Zhang family, and the court, the First Minister still had to give an explanation.
First Minister Rong immediately submitted a confession memorial and begged for his wife’s life.
Minister Rong and Rong Pu also successively submitted confession memorials, requesting to bear responsibility for their mother and grandmother respectively. Especially Rong Pu, who directly requested to resign his Hanlin position and wished to suffer the law in his grandmother’s place, earning praise from court and public with his fine reputation spreading.
Under tremendous pressure, Old Madam Rong finally appeared in court for confrontation and defense. She denied all the guards’ accusations, only saying she had ordered someone to teach that performer a lesson, but the guards misunderstood what “teaching a lesson” meant and accidentally killed two officials.
That legendary beautiful performer could not be found anywhere by the Capital Prefecture’s officers. The more mysterious things became, the more people’s imaginations ran wild. Soon the capital spread tales of how devastatingly beautiful that male dancer was, with looks comparable to the Imperial Daughter.
The Imperial Daughter expressed: Rumors are mostly wild guesses, but this time they guessed right.
But Old Madam Rong and the Rong mansion’s reputation consequently hit rock bottom. Just because of banquet discord, she ordered killing – such tyrannical behavior was evident.
The Emperor and Imperial Heir weren’t urgent about handling this case, letting the Capital Prefecture investigate thoroughly. After several days, the plaintiffs withdrew charges and quietly gave the bodies proper burial.
Presumably the Rong mansion provided sufficient compensation.
With plaintiffs withdrawing charges, the Capital Prefecture concluded the case as guards’ accidental killing. The guards who acted were sentenced to immediate execution, the rest exiled to Qiongzhou.
Rong Lushan, for lax supervision of family members, was ordered to close doors and reflect. Duan Yande entered the Inner Cabinet as Grand Secretary of Jinshan Hall, occupying the position of Second Minister.
Though Second Minister, with Rong Lushan reflecting, naturally the cabinet now followed his lead.
The Emperor issued an edict of censure, ordering Rong Lushan to properly control his family. Though Old Madam Rong escaped punishment and exile, First Minister Rong had people build a family temple behind her courtyard, sealed off her courtyard, and ordered her to move into the family temple to pray for Da Qian day and night – from now on she couldn’t come out unless necessary.
This meant lifelong Buddhist devotion. Old Madam Rong was hardly someone willing to be confined, but she had no one left to use. Her previously loyal old soldiers either died in this incident or were exiled. The survivors, completely disheartened by the final outcome, went directly to Yongping to join Di Yiwei.
Those old soldiers had visited their imprisoned comrades. According to them, after entering prison, they were poisoned by a nanny from Old Madam’s side under the pretext of visitation, which led to their despair and confession. And in the end, the Old Madam only thought of herself, never attempting to save them.
Even considering General Di’s past kindness, they had repaid it through years of service. Such a master wasn’t worth dying for anymore.
Later, the confined Old Madam reportedly learned of this and cursed it as nonsense. If it was betrayal, then betrayal – why bring up poisoning? Didn’t she know not to push people too far when she needed them?
But regardless of anger or feeling wronged, her greatest support had ultimately scattered.
Reportedly, the day Old Madam moved into the temple, even the wives and young ladies in the Rong mansion straightened their backs considerably.
With family matters handled, at court, the Rong family’s serving descendants still had to show repentance, but the Emperor issued an edict meaning that unless it was treason, parents’ crimes needn’t extend to children. Not only did he comfort them, he also decreed promoting Rong Pu to Hanlin Academy Compiler and, on He Zi’s recommendation, made Rong Pu Director of Yueli Academy, equivalent to Vice Principal. The academy had never had such a young Vice Principal, not to mention the academy’s current incomparable status – due to the Imperial Daughter’s connection, it was implicitly Da Qian’s foremost future Imperial Academy.
With this appointment, everyone immediately felt the Rong mansion’s honored status remained undiminished. Giving a blow then a sweet date – the imperial father and daughter were increasingly skilled.
For the two vacant positions, that very day in court, Tie Ci immediately proposed replacement candidates and they passed without obstruction.
The two selected officials – one was from Yueli Academy, the other was the Laizhou Prefect, namely that drunkard Ziyang County Magistrate from Tie Ci’s earliest training, later promoted by Tie Ci to Laizhou Prefect and now transferred to the Ministry of War’s Arsenal Department.
The former Ziyang County Magistrate was promoted to Laizhou Prefect, with Yang Yixiu taking over as Ziyang County Magistrate.
Other minor changes included most Yueli Academy graduates from this examination being assigned externally. Their official ranks were moderate, but mostly went to important towns, starting as county magistrates. Though positions were humble, they controlled regional livelihood and economy, obviously also bearing responsibility for monitoring important local civilian and military matters for the Imperial Daughter. As long as these people didn’t make mistakes, rising through ranks, controlling regions, or transferring to central government was inevitable.
In normal times, such appointments wouldn’t pass so easily, but with the Xiao and Rong families successively setback and a group of ambiguously positioned fellows maintaining silence, at least now there was no one capable of opposing imperial decisions.
The series of appointments was spirited, though news brought by the Minister of Justice made the court atmosphere slightly tense.
Xiao Bi’an had committed suicide in prison.
This former Yongping Naval Commander, after being caught by Tie Ci and Di Yiwei successively and sent to the capital for trial, had stubbornly denied colluding with pirates to plunder and exploit merchant ships. Originally, with the Xiao family’s influence, clearing his name wouldn’t be difficult, but the problem was that in competing with Di Yiwei for power, the last ocean-going vessel Xiao Bi’an plundered involved multiple big shots. Not only did he touch their interests, but Tie Ci caught evidence. Under such circumstances, naturally those who could help no longer helped, and those who couldn’t simply kicked him. Xiao Bi’an’s treatment deteriorated repeatedly, but he still held hope of being rescued by the Xiao family and refused to confess. Who knew he would suddenly commit suicide?
Whether he heard about the Xiao family’s recent defeat in the spring examination case and lost hope, or for other reasons, was unclear.
The timing of this suicide was quite coincidental.
Originally, Tie Ci planned to follow the Xiao Bi’an line to strike the Xiao family again.
With Xiao Bi’an confessing and accepting punishment, this matter ended with him alone, unable to further implicate the Xiao mansion.
The Minister of Justice also reported that regarding the Dongming Xiao family colluding with county offices to breach dikes, flood, and kill passing merchants, now one Xiao family steward had confessed. Under direction from the second branch’s old master, to help his son compete for family headship and preserve the Xiao family’s thousand-li clan fields, he committed this evil act. Those merchants painstakingly found as witnesses also suddenly changed their testimony, saying they had seen this second old master giving instructions to the steward that day.
Minister Jiang of Justice submitted the testimonies. Tie Ci looked through them – completely overturned, yet done seamlessly with consistent statements.
Thinking of that second branch Xiao young master whose legs were broken on the spot at Sanbai Dike that day, she sighed inwardly.
The second branch truly was a universal scapegoat for home and travel!
The Xiao family just kept fleecing this one branch to death.
“Where are the witnesses now?”
Minister Jiang showed slight shame: “…They left the capital overnight without notifying the authorities. I’ve already sent people to search…”
Naturally they wouldn’t be found.
Tie Ci was somewhat distracted.
Her manpower was still too limited. The entire court had been infiltrated by the Xiao family for years – they had people everywhere. No matter how careful her side was, they couldn’t prevent their interference.
But actually, to topple a great tree didn’t depend on one or two people, one or two cases.
The Xiao family sacrificed one Xiao Bi’an, severed one layer of crisis, pushed out the second branch as scapegoat, and protected Fourth Master Xiao.
Thus, of the three people who openly controlled military power for the Xiao family, two were now gone.
Their vitality was severely damaged.
After all, any family having three promising young generals with real power was extremely impressive strength – also one of the important reasons court officials attached themselves to the Xiao family.
Now in over a year, two of three had fallen to the Imperial Daughter.
Everyone was secretly watching the Imperial Daughter.
The Emperor was also watching the Imperial Daughter.
The Imperial Daughter presided over court, nominally for educational administration, but unlike previous dynasty crown princes, the Imperial Daughter sat beside the hall with advisory rights over all matters discussed in the hall, large and small.
Called advisory rights, it was actually decision-making power.
Officials sighed inwardly – His Majesty the Emperor was controlled by the Empress Dowager for twenty years, now would be controlled by his daughter for another twenty years, yet seemed to enjoy it sweetly. Had he become accustomed to being a puppet?
But clearly, His Majesty the Emperor was quite willing to be his daughter’s puppet.
Tie Ci nodded slightly.
She wouldn’t be hypocritically modest with Father Emperor about such matters. Father Emperor actually wasn’t skilled at handling complex political affairs – he fundamentally enjoyed pleasure. She heard he’d recently been quite enthusiastic about playing with the crickets Murong Yi gave him, even sleeping while holding the cricket jar.
It was just that for decades past he’d been placed on the throne, struggling for survival under that old woman’s shadow, unable to have any self. Only today did she learn what Father Emperor truly liked.
Now she only wished Father Emperor could live more happily.
Even if this led some old ministers to privately criticize her for usurping power, she didn’t care.
The imperial father and daughter who had mutually supported each other through enormous shadows and puppet careers, struggling to emerge, could no longer be separated by worldly criticism and petty rules.
Freedom was the most precious treasure in their hearts.
“If so, handle it according to law,” the Emperor said.
The Minister of Justice received the decree.
Tie Ci glanced at Xiao Chongzi.
Understanding, Xiao Chongzi left the hall to find Xia Houchun, explaining court matters. Xia Houchun immediately understood: “I’ll arrange for people to contact the Xiao family’s second branch.”
The Xiao family’s second branch might not yet know they’d been pushed out as scapegoats by the Xiao family, but they were definitely being controlled.
The Xiao family could secretly maneuver, and Tie Ci could pull the rug out from under them.
When the Xiao family’s second branch learned they’d been sold out by the Xiao family again, what would their feelings be?
Tie Ci looked forward to it.
At court, the Inner Cabinet also submitted a memorial.
It was sent from Yannan, stating that Yannan’s largest waterway, the Fuguang River, had developed a group of water bandits who daily plundered merchant ships and people, causing great harassment locally. Yannan’s water forces were weak and unable to resist, requesting court dispatch of troops for support.
This memorial fell like a boulder in court, immediately causing widespread discussion.
The three great feudal domains had been virtually independent for years, especially economically and militarily, with daily relations with the court merely face-saving. Yannan guarding their own territory was urgent enough – how could they willingly allow court troops into their territory?
Some said this was Yannan’s scheme with ill intent; others said Yannan wouldn’t create trouble without reason – perhaps the new Yannan administrator, facing strong opposition forces, had changed his mind and wanted to ally with the court, borrowing court power to eliminate dissidents. This might be an opportunity to penetrate Yannan, perhaps even a chance to recover Yannan. As soon as these words were spoken, opponents immediately retorted – what the court could think of, couldn’t Yannan’s rulers think of? What logic was there in opening doors for others to march straight in? This was obviously bait, and only fools would take it. The other faction immediately replied that with sufficient strength, why fear bait? With opportunity, swallow it whole – otherwise where would opportunities to recover Yannan come from… For a time, court argued endlessly.
But Tie Ci thought more long-term. If Yannan’s waterways had bandits requiring naval forces, the closest to Yannan should be Xiao Xueya’s troops now stationed in Da Qian’s Nanyue Province.
In just over a year, he had massively built ships, forcing land armies onto vessels for training, forcibly expanding the original Nanyue naval forces threefold. Now it was a powerful military force nearly comparable to the Southeastern Guard Army.
Also the largest force currently in the Xiao family’s hands.
Court officials obviously gradually realized this key issue. The topic changed from whether to send people to whether sending Xiao Xueya was appropriate.
Those saying it was appropriate weren’t necessarily Xiao faction – royalists felt sending Xiao Xueya to tangle with water bandits would help weaken his strength.
Therefore, those saying it was inappropriate weren’t necessarily royalists either.
Tie Yan’s thinking was simpler – Xiao Xueya going to Yannan? What if he colluded with Yannan against his daughter?
He was about to object. Actually, regarding Xiao Xueya going to Yannan had been discussed more than once. Previously Xiao Xueya had submitted memorials saying Yannan seemed to have suspicious movements, requesting to change defense to Lizhou for surveillance. He requested defense change here, and water bandits appeared there – wasn’t it too coincidental?
Tie Yan had disagreed before, and now hearing everyone argue with everyone seeming reasonable, his headache worsened.
But he saw Tie Ci shake her head slightly again.
Tie Yan was startled, unease flashing through his heart, but trust in his daughter made him withdraw his objection.
After everyone finished arguing, Tie Ci said: “General Xiao cares about national security and has submitted memorials several times requesting transfer. Just as Yannan develops water bandits, we’ll approve his petition. The Ministry of War shall immediately deploy Nanyue naval forces. But the Ministry of Revenue needn’t prepare provisions – since Yannan requested support, let them pay first.”
Coordinated laughter arose in court. Regardless of officials’ thoughts, this settled the matter.
Court discussion was nearing its end when Tie Ci seemingly casually said: “I will also tour recently, viewing our Da Qian’s magnificent rivers and mountains. Various ministers’ sons previously trained for a year and reportedly all made considerable progress…”
Ministers who had just relaxed suddenly jolted alert, straightening their backs.
What did this mean?
Selecting people to follow to Yannan?
That wouldn’t do!
Tie Ci’s gaze swept over those obvious or carefully hidden nervous expressions, smiling slightly.
“…We’ll wait until tomorrow’s imperial garden hunt to witness our Da Qian noble sons’ talents.”
Tie Yan also showed anticipation: “Imperial daughter should indeed look carefully.”
Officials silently exhaled long breaths.
Oh, not selecting people to follow to Yannan to die… oh no, for training.
From the Emperor and Imperial Daughter’s meaning, this was to see our families’ talents?
Selecting a fiancé?
That required good performance indeed!