So…
So what?
How hateful to leave him hanging!
Jingrong wasn’t stupid—he naturally realized something.
That terrible idea had actually been in his mind all along. No, to be precise, it wasn’t an idea—it was a suspicion.
Chief Minister Yu hemmed and hawed for a long moment before continuing: “So someone proposed Prince Xian, saying that Prince Xian has been recuperating in the palace for years and has never been involved in politics. But after all, he is also a prince who has been enfeoffed, and it stands to reason he should be granted the favor of attending court.”
“Hasn’t he always been ill?”
“I hear that recently his health has improved considerably. The imperial physicians have gone to examine him many times, saying his illness is gone and he only needs to recuperate well to fully recover. Moreover, with Divine Physician Mo treating him all these years, his condition has naturally improved. After the ministers learned of this, they brought up before the Emperor this sickly prince who has long been deep in the palace without showing his face.”
Jingrong fell silent in contemplation for a moment, then asked: “Which court officials mentioned Jing Xian?”
Answer: “Leading them was Minister Peng from the Ministry of Personnel. Those who echoed him were Grand Secretary Lin Si from the Hanlin Academy, Minister Qu from the Office of Transmission, Minister Jiang from the Ministry of Rites, and those from the Archives Office…”
Before he could finish, Jingrong raised his hand to interrupt.
Chief Minister Yu didn’t understand. “Your Highness?”
“If this Prince remembers correctly, these officials all seem to be students who came from Mingshan Academy, don’t they?”
“Your Highness has a good memory. They are indeed all from Mingshan Academy, though not classmates.”
“This seems rather strange. Why would only they among all the court officials bring this up?”
Chief Minister Yu thought about it and analyzed: “Perhaps because they all came from Mingshan Academy, their thinking is inevitably somewhat similar. Moreover, Prince Xian has indeed resided deep in the palace for many years. If it were anyone else, it would be one thing, but he is after all a prince. The matter of establishing the Crown Prince is also significant, so bringing him up is possible. Perhaps… they simply want to emphasize fairness.”
Brother, isn’t your analytical reasoning a bit too far-fetched?
Chief Minister Yu couldn’t fathom it!
But Jingrong knew it definitely wouldn’t be that simple. Within this, there were probably many more suspicious details awaiting discovery.
Setting these aside for now, he asked: “Then what does Father Emperor think?”
Chief Minister Yu answered: “The Emperor seems to still be hesitating. After all, Prince Xian has never attended court and knows nothing of court affairs. If he suddenly granted permission for him to attend court and participate in politics, there would likely be many inconveniences. So the Emperor listened to half of the ministers’ suggestions and retained the other half, without yet making a decision. But this official believes that in this incident of Prince Yi surrounding the palace, Your Highness performed great merit. If the Emperor were to enfeoff you as Crown Prince, it would be appropriate.”
Just as these words were spoken—
Jingrong became angry: “Chief Minister Yu, there’s no one else here. I don’t blame you for speaking without restraint, but if you go outside and still say what you just said, it won’t just cost you your life—this Prince will also be implicated.”
“Yes, yes, yes. This official spoke without restraint. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”
Chief Minister Yu broke out in a cold sweat. He had indeed been somewhat unrestrained just now. If these words reached the Emperor’s ears, who knows what trouble would arise.
He really deserved to be beaten!
Deserved to be beaten!
“Enough.” Jingrong let out a stifled breath. “You may go back.”
“Then this matter?”
“This Prince has his own judgment.”
“Yes, then this official takes his leave.” Chief Minister Yu departed.
Once he left, Jingrong summoned Lu Jiang, planning to discuss what had just happened.
After all, Lu Jiang was his strategist.
Lu Jiang was slightly shocked and voiced his thoughts: “So Your Highness suspects that the Ministry of Personnel’s impeachment was actually related to Prince Xian?”
Jingrong’s brow furrowed deeply. “The words Jing Yi said before he died, this Prince has kept in his heart. Thinking about it now, isn’t it too coincidental? Why would Jing Yi’s death warriors wear jade pendants on their bodies? He was so careful—he wouldn’t have revealed any traces. And after this Prince was sent away from the capital, the Ministry of Personnel suddenly memorialized, impeaching this Prince for interfering with official appointments. Even more coincidentally, just when all suspicion pointed to Jing Yi, the officials recommended Jing Yi for Crown Prince, which made Father Emperor begin to suspect Jing Yi and issue a secret edict summoning this Prince back to the capital! Everything seemed to be secretly manipulated by someone, deliberately helping this Prince.
Now, officials all from Mingshan Academy are proposing that Jing Xian attend court. Leading them are actually Peng Yuanhai who impeached this Prince and that Minister Qu from the Office of Transmission. It’s too coincidental! Could it be… truly as this Prince suspects, that Minister Peng and Minister Qu were acting on orders from Jing Xian when they impeached this Prince, thereby successfully helping this Prince return to the capital?”
Hmm?
Though this was the suspicion, Lu Jiang felt something strange and said: “But Your Highness, Prince Xian has been in the palace since childhood, basically never leaving Tongren Hall. How could such a person have the ability to command court officials?”
“This is also what this Prince cannot understand.” Jingrong was puzzled. He walked forward a few steps, muttering: “Jing Xian? The Ministry of Personnel? Mingshan Academy? Mingshan Academy… Those officials couldn’t possibly obey Jing Xian’s orders for no reason, unless…”
Uh!
As if discovering a shocking fact!
“Your Highness?”
“Unless someone made them obey Jing Xian’s orders. And the person who could make officials from Mingshan Academy all obey would only be…”
Lu Jiang immediately guessed: “Master Yu!”
“Exactly.” Jingrong’s voice was emphatic, his heart pounding with the force of his words.
That old man was hiding far too deep.
Master Yu had retired from the court and left the capital years ago. It had already been decades. In his old age, he was practically at death’s door. Why would he, in his old age, still meddle in court affairs?
Meddle if he must, but why would he help a prince who had been sick in the palace for years and had no contact with political affairs at all? What was the purpose of doing this? Or rather, by helping Jing Xian, what could he himself gain?
So—
Lu Jiang voiced the suspicious points: “Why would Master Yu help Prince Xian? And why would Prince Xian help Your Highness? If he wants to help Your Highness, naturally he’s a friend not an enemy to Your Highness. Then why this time did he have court officials propose before the Emperor that he attend court? Could it be that Prince Xian deliberately helped Your Highness return to the capital, wanting to use Your Highness’s hand to eliminate Prince Yi so he himself could benefit? From the current perspective, this possibility cannot be ruled out. After all, when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits! If this is true, then that Prince Xian hidden deep in the palace cannot be underestimated. He might bring Your Highness great trouble.”
Great trouble!
Even more formidable trouble than Jing Yi?
Jingrong pondered, actually feeling his heart inexplicably strange and panicked. These questions seemed to place him in a misty forest, unable to feel out or see through the path ahead.
He had not a single clue.
Why would Master Yu help Jing Xian?
What was Jing Xian’s purpose?
After a long while—
Jingrong’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m afraid there’s an enormous secret hidden within all this!”
Within the capital, it seemed a great wind had risen.
Rolling with tremendous force!
Just like countless blades swirling, assaulting the human heart bit by bit.