"Do we stop it?"
"Or let Zhu Mo continue to stir up trouble?"
Lu Fang was completely flustered.
Because in the current situation, it was difficult to stop even if they wanted to. Not only Yan Shifan, but Yan Song was also watching.
This way, Xu Jie, that old turtle, wouldn't show himself. Gao Gong was a brute and useless. The remaining Zhang Juzheng wasn't weighty enough...
As expected,
In the almost frozen atmosphere, Yan Song suddenly coughed and said slowly, "Yan Shifan, Yan Maoqing's urgent report from eight hundred li also arrived yesterday... Tell your colleagues, how is the salt inspection going?"
At this moment,
It was so quiet in Yuxi Palace that everyone could hear clearly. And everyone was not stupid; they all understood the meaning—
The matter of raising funds for military provisions would be handled by the Yan family! The money from salt inspection was more reliable than the tricky money Zhu Mo was dealing with!
The subtext was—
Zhu Mo's matter could be stopped!
How could Yan Shifan not understand? He immediately said loudly, "Everyone, Yan Maoqing reported yesterday via urgent dispatch from eight hundred li that this salt inspection was very smooth. By next month at the latest, we will have raised three million taels!"
Yan Shifan, feigning a look of worry, continued, "Everyone, no matter how difficult the court is, we cannot lose our credibility with the world! Don't you think this is the truth? You've all heard some of the rumors in the capital and across the country these past few days... So, the money Zhu Mo raised this time absolutely cannot be used... Of course, the Grand Secretariat understands that some places need money. Didn't Yan Maoqing get three million? Let's discuss how to spend it..."
Yan Shifan finished, a smug look on his face.
At this moment,
Inside and outside the palace, in court and in the country, rumors had already spread like wildfire.
Many officials present had heard these rumors. Listening to the Yan father and son speak again, they understood everything in their hearts, so much so that they dared not even breathe heavily...
And at this moment,
Yan Song's face was cold, his eyes like a wild beast, staring only at Lu Fang.
In Yuxi Palace,
The atmosphere instantly approached freezing!
All the pressure was instantly focused on Lu Fang.
...
Lu Fang felt immense pressure.
Everyone's eyes conveyed one meaning: wasn't it the Directorate of Ceremonial that directly approved the documents back then? Wasn't that "guarantee note" that mortgaged the assets of the Directorate of Weaving signed by your people? Zhu Mo, a mere youngster, has caused trouble this time, see how you deal with it!
He looked at Xu Jie, Zhang Juzheng, and Gao Gong. At this moment, they were all lowering their heads, as if it had nothing to do with them!
These bastards! They wouldn't admit it when trouble arose?
Lu Fang cursed inwardly.
And at this moment,
He secretly glanced at Jiajing in the inner hall and made a startling discovery— the Emperor had turned around at some point and was now with his back to him!
This?!
What did this mean?
Lu Fang was instantly dumbfounded!
This had never happened before...
His back... what did it mean?
Could it be...
His back meant "backing"?
Meaning "taking the blame"?
Hiss!
A chill ran through Lu Fang's heart—
The Emperor wants me to take the blame?
Just then, a scene flashed in his mind: a few days ago, the Emperor was holding that "guarantee note" and playing with it...
Does that mean it all comes down to that "guarantee note"?
At this thought, his mind boomed, and Lu Fang felt a sudden enlightenment—
He understood!
He understood now!
This meant he was to let his godson take the blame!
The person who signed the guarantee note was Yang Jin!
Zhu Mo was the Emperor's illegitimate son, and Yang Jin was one of his four godchildren!
Know this,
Since Liu Jin in the Great Ming, eunuchs have become accustomed to adopting godfathers. Lu Fang had followed Jiajing for forty years and was called "Old Ancestor" by the eunuchs. He actually only had four godchildren, and Yang Jin was the most capable among them!
Hoo...
Lu Fang sighed a long breath—
Alright, if the illegitimate son is a son, then my godson is not a son? To let my godson take the blame for your biological son,
Fine, then let's bear it, old man and son!
...
Lu Fang straightened his expression slightly, his face instantly returning to its usual half-smile, and hummed in his nose, saying softly: httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"Esteemed Minister Yan, Esteemed Minister Xu, and Young Minister... Uh, the Directorate of Ceremonial was not aware of Zhu Mo's entanglement with the Directorate of Weaving in Jiangnan... Yesterday, I also reported to His Majesty... At present, the matter is not yet clear... I reckon it would be like this—
Send people to Jiangnan to investigate immediately! Ascertain the truth, whether Yang Jin signed that so-called guarantee note with Zhu Mo, why he signed it, and what the tricks are behind it... These must all be clarified first... The deadline, with urgent dispatches of eight hundred li back and forth, let's give it one month. Esteemed Minister Yan, Esteemed Minister Xu, what do you think? Is this appropriate?"
Whoa!
Hiss!
Lu Fang admitted defeat!
Damn it...
This was truly an anomaly!
The officials were all shocked—
The Yan family was simply too formidable! They were pushing the Directorate of Ceremonial to the brink! Was what Zhu Mo did really that serious a crime?
And just then,
Qing~!
A crisp sound came from the inner hall.
Everyone immediately tensed up!
...
Jiajing, in his wide sleeves, walked out slowly, chanting:
"Descending from the nine heavens to receive the mandate of heaven,
How can this be borne;
Ruling the four seas and grieving for the common people,
My heart is wounded by it..."
Accompanied by the sound of Qing, the lingering echo filled the air.
This exquisite Qingci poem gave everyone a sense of etherealness at this moment, and the Emperor, dressed in star crown and feather robes, indeed looked like a Daoist practitioner.
"Investigate... of course, we must investigate... we must investigate thoroughly... However, a month is too long, let's make it half a month... Esteemed Minister Yan, what do you say?"
As soon as Yan Song saw Jiajing come out, he secretly cried out "Bad"—
How could this be?
Did that young man have any connection with him?
Impossible!
But why did he insist on protecting that young man?
Know this,
Yan Song had known Jiajing since he was over forty. They had spent more than twenty years together and understood each other very well. They could immediately grasp his thoughts with every move... But this time, Yan Song was truly confused...
Could it be—
He wanted Zhu Mo to manage that official money house?
And how could he have such confidence in that Zhu Mo?
This would take at most a month, could anything be turned around?
Was this young man really related to the royal family?
And at this moment,
He had no time to think further. The Emperor had lowered his stance, how could he dare to resist?
"Whatever His Majesty says is what it is..."
"Hmm... I've always said that all matters under heaven should be prevented before they happen... As for the Jiangnan affair, let him stir up trouble for a while! If there's no trouble, how can we distinguish between loyalty and treachery...? Of course, if trouble arises, punishment is still deserved... Yan Shifan, don't you think so?"
Yan Shifan immediately tensed up, but cursed inwardly—
Who exactly is that young man? Why is he protecting him so much? Are we just grass, and that young man is a treasure?
Despite his inner thoughts, he said respectfully,
"What His Majesty says is..."