Although Liang Shicheng had remained silent in the grand hall earlier, he had largely foreseen the day's events.
The only surprise was this fellow named Cai Zhong.
It was Liang Shicheng himself who had selected Cai Zhong and placed him within the Imperial City Department. However, after Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, took over the stewardship of the Imperial City Department, Liang Shicheng severed all contact with Cai Zhong to avoid suspicion.
At this moment, observing Zhao Ji's expression, he could surmise that if the emperor learned Cai Zhong was from the Imperial City Department, Prince Yun himself might face severe repercussions today!
The implications of this matter were so widespread that even Liang Shicheng found himself momentarily indecisive.
"You old fool, are you trying to drive me to my death?"
The more Liang Shicheng hesitated, the more anxious the Emperor became.
It wasn't until Zhao Ji was beating his chest and pacing back and forth in the hall that Liang Shicheng finally made up his mind.
In truth, this matter could not be concealed for long. The Kaifeng Prefecture would investigate, but the Imperial City Department would soon follow suit.
At most, within a day and a night, even if he said nothing, the truth of the matter would be laid bare before the Emperor.
Furthermore, by then, the enraged Emperor might even resent him.
With the thought of "better me than the sect," Liang Shicheng finally spoke.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the fellow named Cai Zhong, he—he is from the Imperial City Department..."
"What did you say?"
Upon hearing Liang Shicheng's words, Zhao Ji's voice suddenly rose by eight octaves.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Ji, as if driven mad, lunged forward and grabbed Liang Shicheng by the collar, saying fiercely, "Explain yourself clearly! How could that brat be from the Imperial City Department?"
Although Chen Dong and Fan Zhengguo had achieved a great victory today, this incident had indeed cost Zhao Ji, the Emperor, considerable face.
Such matters would have been left unresolved by previous emperors, but for Zhao Ji, it was different.
Zhao Ji possessed nearly all the characteristics of a foolish ruler: stubborn, suspicious, and indecisive.
Today's events were like a thorn lodged in his throat, making him restless.
And now, Liang Shicheng informed him that a copy of Cai Jing's suicide note had been leaked by someone from the Imperial City Department. This naturally led to many unpleasant associations.
For instance, what role had Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, who had remained silent throughout this affair, played?
On the surface, Prince Xin, Zhao Zhen, had won popular support and gained immensely from this, but privately, he had completely lost the Emperor's favor.
This matter might not have had a significant impact on the court officials, but it was entirely different for Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, and the Crown Prince!
Silently, a competitor had been eliminated...
He could tolerate his sons vying for power and scheming against each other, but he could not tolerate his sons treating him like a fool, especially in a situation like today!
Often, preconceived notions are terrifying. Once you suspect something, it begins to unfold in the direction of your suspicion...
Even an emperor was not immune to this. Once certain unpleasant associations formed in his mind, Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, who had been observing the conflict from the sidelines, instantly became one of the instigators...
Regardless of what the truth of the matter actually was, in the Emperor's eyes, it had now become a scheme by Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, to secretly collude with these scholars to elevate Zhao Zhen by denigrating him...
"That person was sent to the Imperial City Department by this old servant, but later, to avoid suspicion, all contact with him was severed..."
Liang Shicheng knelt on the ground as he spoke.
He had done what he needed to do and said what he needed to say. As for how the Emperor would ultimately perceive this matter, it was beyond his control.
"Summon the Commander of the Palace Guard, Gao Qiu, to present my token to the Imperial City Department and retrieve all of Cai Zhong's documents from previous years!"
After pacing back and forth in the hall seven or eight times, the furious Zhao Ji finally issued an ominous decree.
"Yes!"
Upon hearing his words, a young eunuch outside the door took the token from him and swiftly departed to find Gao Qiu.
"Your Majesty, perhaps His Highness Prince Yun is also unaware of this matter. I implore Your Majesty to investigate with clarity!"
"Enough, this has nothing to do with you. You may leave now!"
Liang Shicheng was roughly interrupted by the Emperor before he could finish his sentence. His lips parted and closed several times, but Liang Shicheng ultimately said nothing further.
"Yes..."
With a complex mood, Liang Shicheng walked out of the Fu Ning Palace, looking back repeatedly.
Glancing back at the majestic palace, Liang Shicheng suddenly felt a strong sense of unreality.
The events of the past day and night had truly frightened Liang Shicheng. Cai Jing, a prime minister of a nation, had been forced to commit suicide by poison, and had even sacrificed his reputation for a lifetime!
As for Tong Guan, it was even less necessary to mention. With the current turmoil, being at the center of the storm, he would likely be unable to explain himself even if he had a thousand mouths. Moreover, Liang Shicheng knew better than anyone what had transpired in those past events.
The position of steward of the Imperial City Department was indeed a powerful tool for a prince, but everything in the world has its advantages and disadvantages, and this was unavoidable.
After enjoying its convenience for so many years, the bitter fruit had finally appeared. Such retribution now filled Liang Shicheng's already uneasy heart with dread...
Originally, he should have used this opportunity to support Tan Zhen for promotion. But now, he had lost all desire to contend.
As soon as the morning court dispersed, Zhao Kai, consumed by anxiety, rushed back to his residence.
He had no defense for what had happened today. Chen Dong's casual remark had cornered him, and he needed to dispose of Cai Zhong before anyone else discovered him.
"Your Highness, the matter has been handled. The person is in the carriage outside!"
"This is my token. Keep it with you just in case. Handle this matter swiftly and cleanly, do you understand?"
Looking at the man standing before him, Zhao Kai spoke while stealthily retrieving a token from his sleeve and handing it over.
"Your Highness, rest assured. I will handle such minor matters perfectly, and no one will ever suspect Your Highness!"