Chapter 1 The Meeting
After exchanging pleasantries, Fu Lingyun asked, "Your Majesty, may I inquire why you urgently summoned this old minister?"
"Brother, I heard that the Princess of Rui has a mine. What's going on? Isn't she just a common merchant's daughter? Don't tell me that mine was given by the Marquis of Pingning's estate?"
"Are you trying to insert someone into the court again?"
Otherwise, how would she have heard about what happened in the morning court? Fu Lingyun couldn't help but feel annoyed. "Your Majesty, the inner palace must not interfere with state affairs. The person you placed last year was just dealt with by His Majesty."
"I will be careful, Brother. Tell me quickly."
"Your Majesty summoned me to the palace just for this matter? Do you know that I had just made an appointment to discuss matters with the Prince of Rui? With your imperial decree, I had to send Yu'er to take my place. What do you think the Prince of Rui will think? How can we discuss anything now?"
"What does Brother want to discuss with him?"
"Don't you have informants? Don't you know what happened in the court?"
The Empress sighed. "I was reprimanded by His Majesty last year. How dare I place anyone in the Golden Palace? This is what the servants outside the palace overheard a few words from the ministers."
Fu Lingyun almost choked. "Your Majesty, next time, if something is not confirmed, can you not issue an imperial decree? Can't a simple message suffice?"
"I, I was just anxious. How about you hurry to him now?"
"Do you know how long the palace road is? Do you think the Prince of Rui has such a good temper that he will just wait for me?"
The Empress muttered softly, "In the end, he's just a son born of a concubine."
"He is still His Majesty's son born of a concubine. He is favored by the Emperor and exceptionally capable. Instead of trying to win him over, you and your son are trying to offend him. What, do you think the position of Crown Prince is too stable?" Fu Lingyun grew angrier as he spoke. Before today, the Prince of Rui had been quite polite to his faction. When Chuan'er went south to fight the Japanese pirates, the Prince of Rui had personally drawn up defense maps and even explained battle strategies.
But after today...
Who knows what kind of rebellious thoughts he might have?
The Empress said, "Brother, that's a copper mine. With money, what can't be done? If he ever harbors ambitions of seizing the throne in the future, won't Yan'er have a formidable rival? Brother, no matter how he got this mine, we must find a way to get rid of it."
Fu Lingyun: ...
As expected, they are mother and son. It's likely the Crown Prince also had this idea, which is why he made such a foolish move.
He took a deep breath. "The Crown Prince submitted a memorial requesting that the Prince of Rui set an example for the local mine owner and voluntarily donate the copper mine to the imperial court."
"Brilliant! Yan'er is indeed quick-witted."
Fu Lingyun almost vomited blood. "When the Prince of Rui was guarding Yangzhou, he only heard of his deeds in robbing pirates, never of being robbed by others. Do you think a memorial will make him obediently comply?"
"He refused?"
"Nonsense, would you be willing if it were you?" Fu Lingyun was so angry that he disregarded his status. He truly didn't know how she managed to stand firm in the Empress's palace for thirty years with such a brain. Moreover, the Emperor didn't seem to favor her that much.
The Empress naturally would not be willing. She was silent for a moment and said dryly, "It has already been brought to His Majesty's attention. Is he not afraid that His Majesty will have an opinion of him for acting this way?"
"He said it is his wife's dowry. The work belongs to the Crown Prince. If someone is to set an example, it should not be the Crown Prince's wife. Why doesn't the Crown Princess first donate a gold mine, and then let the other sisters-in-law follow suit, each offering a copper mine to the imperial court as a token of their sincerity?"
"That's absurd! How can Yingxiao have a gold mine?" Let alone Fu Yingxiao, even she herself did not have one.
"If the Crown Prince can ask him to offer a copper mine, why can't he counterattack? Alright, I still need to go and discuss terms with the Prince of Rui. You think about it carefully. Someone who can't even manage their temper can't achieve anything great." Fu Lingyun flicked his sleeves and took his leave, unsure if his last remark was directed at the Empress or the Crown Prince.
The Empress, only half understanding, was unwilling to let him go. "Brother, what are you going to discuss with him?"
"Of course, it's to make him donate the mine, otherwise, what prestige will the Crown Prince have in the future?" Damn it, a mere copper mine, and who knows how many things will be exchanged for it. The Prince of Rui appears reckless, but he is more cunning than anyone else. Otherwise, how could he have solved so many cases and controlled both the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice simultaneously? Empty promises are likely to be useless this time.
Neither the brother nor sister knew that in the blink of an eye, a Dragon Guard knelt in the Imperial Study, repeating their conversation word for word.
"Your Majesty, the servant who passed information to the Empress has been found. Do you wish to...?" The Dragon Guard made a throat-cutting gesture.
"No need. Find an opportunity to admonish her, and she will naturally know who her master is." Emperor Changwu regretted more than once that he shouldn't have chosen concubines with simple minds back then, only to find them easier to control. It was convenient then, but now he is suffering the consequences. Of the children he has, none of them are particularly intelligent.
Fortunately, Yu Chan is smart, and her son Xiao Qi's mind is much better than that of his elder brothers.