No emperor could bear such a reputation or shoulder such responsibility as “ignoring the common people to ask about ghosts and spirits.”
Cen Biliang stroked his beard as he looked toward Song Chengru, his tone full of undisguisable disappointment: “That Elder Song would actually place His Majesty in such a predicament—he is truly unfit to serve as a minister and share the sovereign’s worries!”
Emperor Jianzhang coughed lightly. In Taiji Hall there was a long and embarrassing silence. Who knew how much time passed before everyone felt the pressure on their bodies suddenly lighten.
Emperor Jianzhang coughed once, his voice gentle and soothing: “Minister Cen speaks correctly. If Minister Song truly resigned from office for this reason, he would really be regarding me as an emperor who cannot distinguish right from wrong.”
In Emperor Jianzhang’s youth, he had been suppressed too harshly by his brothers and could only place his feelings in gods and Buddhas. Therefore, he actually did truly believe. But matters had reached this point—he couldn’t afford to believe. He laughed heartily: “For the sake of my reputation, Minister Song should still put your official hat back on!”
After court dismissed, Emperor Jianzhang kept Chief Grand Secretary Chang to play a game of go. He sat across from Chief Grand Secretary Chang, his face cold as he asked: “How does Teacher view today’s events?”
Chief Grand Secretary Chang steadily placed a stone, respectfully withdrew his hand, and looked at Emperor Jianzhang, saying softly: “Too coincidental, too hasty.”
Indeed it was too coincidental. Yuanhui had just finished saying Song Chuyi was a star of heavenly calamity and solitary misfortune, and immediately after, the Imperial Observatory joined in the clamor. Then after that, the Song family’s residence had an incident, and even the snow disasters in Jiujiang and Linjiang were all attributed to Song Chuyi.
They were probably just trying to find an excuse for their own dereliction of duty.
He smiled and also placed a stone, asking as if casually: “Which department in the Ministry of Rites oversees matters concerning monks and nuns?”
The next day, a censor from the Censorate submitted a memorial impeaching Vice Minister Wang of the Ministry of Rites for associating with monks, spreading rumors, and inciting public panic.
That very day, Emperor Jianzhang ordered Vice Minister Wang stripped of his official position and sent to the Ministry of Justice prison to await trial. The Director of the Imperial Observatory was imprisoned for the same crime.
Prince Zhennan stroked his beard and sighed at how formidable the Song family was: “To play the game of go to this extent—no wonder the Song family has advanced step by step to this position. Looking at it this way, the Song family’s wealth and honor will probably continue for at least three more generations.”
Ye Jingkuan also admired the Song family immensely, yet felt vaguely wary: “Who exactly is steering the ship for the Song family? This skill at touching the dragon’s whiskers is truly first-rate.” They knew exactly where Emperor Jianzhang’s weak spot lay, had Song Chengru request resignation, and through the mouths of Cen Biliang and the other ministers awakened His Majesty—if he truly believed Yuanhui and the Imperial Observatory Director’s words and thus punished Song Chuyi or even the Song family, then in the eyes of the people under heaven he would completely become a foolish ruler deluded by talk of ghosts and spirits.
More importantly, they awakened Emperor Jianzhang to the fact that someone was plotting behind the scenes, trying to use this to destroy the Song family.
If Emperor Jianzhang still wanted to use Song Chengru, still wanted to use the Song and Cui families, it would be impossible for him to do anything to Song Chuyi because of some fate reading theory.
Ye Jingchuan coughed a few times, rolled up his sleeves, looked at his father and elder brother, and said dryly: “The one who came up with the plan must have been Sixth Miss Song. Back when Yuanhui first spoke of her having some star-illuminated destiny, she already said she would make it so no one would be willing to listen to Yuanhui’s words anymore.”
Making it so that a famously accurate fortune-telling high monk’s words would no longer be believed by anyone? That tone was truly bold enough. Prince Zhennan first wanted to laugh, but thinking of what happened at court and the Vice Minister of Rites and Imperial Observatory Director who were now imprisoned, he couldn’t laugh anymore. Although Yuanhui hadn’t been punished, Emperor Jianzhang’s actions had already thoroughly slapped him in the face. Everyone under heaven would see that Emperor Jianzhang, such a sagely and enlightened ruler, did not believe in such fate reading theories. Since even Emperor Jianzhang didn’t believe, if anyone below still brought up this matter, they would be slapping Emperor Jianzhang in the face.
Prince Zhennan and Ye Jingkuan exchanged glances, both seeing shock and admiration in the other’s eyes. If Sixth Miss Song truly possessed such strategic ability…
Ye Jingkuan’s eyes brightened as he laughed: “A young lady who could devise a plan in Tongzhou to capture all the Tatar troops in one net—it’s not surprising she could accomplish something like this now. This Sixth Miss Song is truly an interesting person.”
Indeed the same as what Emperor Jianzhang said—interesting.
The person who did this interesting thing, Song Chengru, didn’t find it interesting at all. Despite being as deeply calculating as he was, he had nearly been unable to maintain his composure. In Taiji Hall, his heart had nearly jumped out of his throat.
He drank several mouthfuls of hot tea to moisten his throat before finally setting down the teacup and leaning back in his chair with closed eyes to rest.
Not until Old Madam Song quietly and personally came over to drape a blanket over him did he open his eyes and lightly exhale: “Little Sixth’s scheming… even I find frightening.”
They say an emperor’s mind is inscrutable to gods and ghosts, yet Song Chuyi had boldly touched the tiger’s tail—and had even gauged it correctly.
Now that Emperor Jianzhang had made his attitude clear, from now on no one would ever again use Song Chuyi’s fate as grounds for argument, and even less would anyone dare use this point to attack the Song family as lacking virtue and thus incurring heaven’s punishment.
Song Chuyi had already thought through clearly all the moves the opposition would use. Moreover, she had first preemptively submitted her own guilt plea, then had the various ministers and Emperor Jianzhang personally speak in her defense.
Old Madam Song also grasped Old Master Song’s hand and sat beside him: “Xiaoyi has always been deep in thought—we all know this. But what I worry about is that she’s walking too close to His Highness the Grand Prince. That His Highness the Grand Prince would actually be willing to help her with such a favor…”
She was right. After all, Cen Biliang and Chief Grand Secretary Chang were not people just anyone could move. If it had been someone else speaking in Taiji Hall, if it had been someone else kept behind by Emperor Jianzhang, the outcome of the matter might have been completely different.
The favor His Highness the Grand Prince had done carried truly heavy weight.
Old Master Song sighed: “Previously you said it would be good for Xiaoyi to marry Second Young Master Ye, but now thinking about it…”
He didn’t continue his next words. It was still too early to speak of such things now.
Song Chuyi personally filled a cup of tea for Zhou Weizhao. As if relieved, she smiled warmly and thanked him: “Many thanks to Your Highness for helping me with this favor.”
For helping her move Chief Grand Secretary Chang. If it hadn’t been Chief Grand Secretary Chang who had the teacher-student bond with His Majesty, if it had been anyone else saying those words to Emperor Jianzhang, Emperor Jianzhang would have suspected ulterior motives.
Because of that special experience, Emperor Jianzhang hadn’t punished Yuanhui’s crime. But in order not to fall into the reputation of “ignoring the common people to ask about ghosts and spirits,” he would definitely reduce the frequency of seeing Yuanhui in the future and would gradually distance himself from Yuanhui.
Without Emperor Jianzhang’s support, many of Yuanhui’s affairs would no longer be so convenient. Now that Yuanhui’s counter-biting strategy had been dismantled by her, it was already time for Yuanhui to suffer.
Zhou Weizhao reached out to accept that cup of tea. His beautiful eyes curved up, revealing some indulgence that even he himself hadn’t detected.