"Tsk, all this effort planning, and it turns out to be a wedding dress for Prince Yong." Song Ming felt a pang of regret. A Minister of the first rank, just imagining it sounded so impressive.
Meng Changdong, however, was unfazed. "The Emperor's stance is clear. Otherwise, we wouldn't need to scheme privately. Getting rid of that worm Xie Chongjun is good enough."
He had been worried earlier that if Eldest Brother made such a rash move, he might be punished by the Emperor.
Song Ming said, "I'm just feeling sorry for Eldest Brother!"
Situ Yan was also quite philosophical. "This King only hopes the court will pay attention to the training of soldiers. Who trains them is secondary. Xie Mian, the heir of Duke Xie, has fought on the battlefield for over a decade. He should understand the art of troop training better than this King."
The Southern barbarians were not like the Huihe. The battles there were all genuine.
Meng Changdong continued, "Half our goal is accomplished anyway. If the Emperor doesn't want to fulfill the other half, we can't force him. What about Eldest Brother, what about Xie Chongjun? The Crown Prince's men just came looking for him; they must want to plead for him. Are we really going to make an enemy of him?"
"Are we going to let Xie Chongjun go free, then?" Although they had investigated Xie Chongjun with a specific purpose, embezzlement of military funds was not a false accusation. That old fellow had siphoned off far more than they had imagined. "What did the Crown Prince's men say?"
"Your subordinate didn't see them; I made an excuse and slipped away."
"That's why they call you slippery. The evidence was collected long ago. You just go through the motions, and the case will be closed in a couple of days. If the Crown Prince's people come looking, if you can avoid them, do so. If you can't, push it onto this King."
Meng Changdong's face lit up with a smile. His Eldest Brother was indeed his Eldest Brother, always the most steadfast when it mattered.
Since taking over Dali Temple, Situ Yan had been known for his skill in investigations and his impartiality. Xie Chongjun had barely been imprisoned, and those with insider knowledge had already guessed his fate. Various factions were stirring, as the position of Minister of War was certainly worth vying for.
The Crown Prince's face was ashen. After a bout of rage, he could not bear to lose such a crucial general and, under the cover of darkness, went to Rui Wangfu.
Situ Yan treated him to a bowl of beef noodles for a midnight snack. "Second Brother, this is the cook's specialty. I've never tired of it, even after so many years. Please try it; it's no less than the imperial cuisine in the palace."
The Crown Prince was anxious and, on several occasions, steered the conversation towards Xie Chongjun. Situ Yan slurped his noodles, and only after he was half-full did he say, "Second Brother, I understand what you mean, but this matter is difficult to handle. Not a single piece of evidence listed by Censor Cheng is false. If one investigates further, he might be stripped bare. To put it plainly, for such a corrupt official, it's better for you to protect yourself. You can't sacrifice your future for a little acquaintance, can you?"
"Is there no room for maneuver?"
"There is."
The Crown Prince brightened. "Quickly tell me."
Situ Yan took a sip of soup. "Our Father is merciful; he usually only punishes the ringleader. If Xie Chongjun confesses the main culprit and returns all the gold and silver he has embezzled, I believe Father will show leniency and commute the sentence from confiscation of property and execution to exile."
The person behind Xie Chongjun was none other than himself, wasn't it? He had taken no small amount of money from those dealings.
Looking at Situ Yan, who seemed nonchalant opposite him, the Crown Prince fidgeted, feeling as though Situ Yan had seen through everything.
Would this fire eventually burn him? He gave a dry chuckle. "Seventh Brother is joking. The Minister of War is a high-ranking official of the first rank. Who has the ability to order him around from behind?"
"Indeed. To reach such a high position and yet fail to serve the court, instead committing such disheartening acts, how disappointed our Father must be. Second Brother, please eat. Is the taste not to your liking?"
"It is, but Second Brother is not accustomed to eating much at night."
"Oh, then please help yourself. It will be troublesome if you get indigestion from eating too much."
The Crown Prince's complexion visibly worsened.
Heaven and Earth bore witness, Situ Yan said this without any hint of insinuation, but the Crown Prince was too prone to overthinking.
That night, the study of Duke Cao was brightly lit.
The Crown Prince's intention was clear: Xie Chongjun was beyond saving. The best they could do was to keep his mouth shut and ensure he did not implicate the wrong people.
Fu Lingyun remained unwilling. "Is there no leeway with Rui Wang?"
The Crown Prince shook his head. "Grandfather, we must act quickly. Situ Yan has clearly begun to suspect this Crown Prince. If he continues his investigation, it will be nothing good for this Crown Prince."
"The heir apparent is the foundation of the nation. The Emperor will certainly not punish you for such a matter."
The Crown Prince did not share this confidence.
His mother constantly told him how favored Consort Rong had once been, and how the Emperor, loving her, would surely want to elevate Situ Yan. He had not believed it initially, but in just over two years, his and Situ Jue's influence had been severely suppressed, while Situ Yan had risen like bamboo after rain, growing steadily.
He had no maternal or marital clan. If not for the Emperor's support from behind, how could he have gained a foothold in the court so quickly?
Perhaps the Emperor was waiting for an opportunity to remove him and make way for Situ Yan.
In any case, this matter required caution.
Seeing that he had made up his mind, Fu Lingyun knew he could no longer persuade him. While he sympathized with Xie Chongjun, he also felt a sense of anxiety, as if he were seeing his own fate reflected. The Crown Prince was truly too heartless. He couldn't help but wonder, if one day, the Duke Cao's mansion were to fall into misfortune, would the Crown Prince also think only of self-preservation, just as he was doing now?
Xie Chongjun was unsalvageable, but the position of Minister of War was still worth contesting.
After discussing with Fu Lingyun, the Crown Prince decided on a candidate to promote. Situ Jue would also undoubtedly send someone to contend for this position, and it would be a free-for-all, with each relying on their own abilities. The Crown Prince considered himself more skilled and thus focused more of his attention on Xie Chongjun.
The Crown Prince's guess was correct. Situ Jue was indeed very interested in the position of Minister of War. His supporters were already operating among the civil officials, but he had no grasp of military power. His influence had been repeatedly suppressed in recent years, making military power even more distant.
Although his father had given him Ai Sha, he was not content to give up so easily. However, the position of Minister of War could not fall into the hands of the Qi Ying Marquis's mansion. Currently, his wariness of his maternal grandfather outweighed his trust, but due to various reasons, it was not convenient to tear the mask off just yet.
Before Xie Chongjun's crimes were even finalized, factions in the court began to stir. The number of people seeking connections increased. Situ Jue roughly estimated that without at least a hundred thousand taels of silver, the maneuvering would be difficult. In the past, such matters of placing people were handled by the Qi Ying Marquis's mansion, both in terms of money and effort. But this time, he was unwilling for the position to fall into the Jian family's hands, so it was naturally difficult to ask them for money.
But if he were to spend his own money, wouldn't that be like cutting flesh from himself?
After weighing his options, Situ Jue disguised himself and went to Deyilou.
He was definitely not afraid of Ai Sha; he was purely trying to avoid trouble.
That woman, relying on her status as a princess by marriage, acted with impunity. If anything displeased her, she would turn the household upside down. What was even more infuriating was that he couldn't truly do anything to her.
Situ Jue's arrival was sudden. Sheng Ge was stunned for a moment, and her first thought was that the wine Ji Jin had given her could finally be put to use.
"What's wrong, my darling? Are you angry because I left in such a hurry last time?" Situ Jue was confident. Women, after all, were prone to jealousy, especially when interrupted at such a critical moment. Sheng Ge must be quite annoyed.
He took out a box from his embrace. "Don't be angry anymore. I came specifically to apologize to you today."
Sheng Ge: ...
Are all men this confident?
She played along with his train of thought, stomped her foot, and turned away. "Who cares about your gift."
"Yes, yes, yes. My Ge'er cares about me, not these vulgar trinkets. However, since I put effort into choosing it, would you deign to take a look?"