Hua Jinrong then concisely narrated the current situation in the capital.
Lin Qingge listened, then clicked her tongue and said,
"Master Hua, is there a problem with your explanation, or am I hearing things? The esteemed Prince and Prime Minister are actually flustered by two mere nursery rhymes and have requested to be dismissed?"
"My Lord, rumors are more ferocious than tigers. Perhaps they have already done something wrong and are too guilty, fearing His Majesty will order a thorough investigation. That's why they had to strike first and resort to this stratagem."
"So, your confidant in the capital, oh no, your friend, wants me to compose another nursery rhyme to counter the current rumors spreading in the capital?"
Hua Jinrong cupped his hands. "Precisely."
"May I ask, what grudge does your friend hold against Prince Wucheng? Must they seek to destroy him?"
"To be honest, my lord, my friend is an official in the court, merely helping to resolve worries."
Although Hua Jinrong spoke very subtly, the street-smart Lin Qingge instantly understood.
Hua Jinrong continued on his own:
"Furthermore, the one who seeks to destroy Prince Wucheng is not my friend, but you, my lord, who has spread the nursery rhymes time and again."
"Me?"
Hua Jinrong nodded, sincerely impressed.
"If not for your two strokes of genius, Prince Wucheng would not have been so utterly defeated. Therefore, in terms of merit, you, my lord, are the greatest contributor."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingge looked as if she had seen a ghost, her eyes widening. "You mean to say, if Prince Wucheng knew that I composed those two nursery rhymes, he would definitely send people to kill me?"
After speaking, she quickly looked around, feeling her voice might have been too loud.
Seeing this, Hua Jinrong smiled. "My lord, rest assured, there are no outsiders here."
Hearing Hua Jinrong's words, Lin Qingge belatedly realized that besides the three of them, there was no one else near this wooden post! Understanding that the other party had come prepared, Lin Qingge shook her head and thought, muttering the rhyme:
"Sick mouse, dead mouse, lie down when you see.
Lie down, burn corpse, plague burns into black ash.
Go out less, ventilate more, friends and relatives, do not visit.
Protect mouth and nose, wash hands frequently, change shoes and clothes when returning home.
Do not gather, do not crowd, the plague can only glare.
Plague stops, Prince Wu is depressed, next year will come out from the imperial mausoleum again.
Declare Emperor's might, Great Xia prospers, forever renowned for a thousand autumns."
"Wonderful, truly wonderful!"
Hua Jinrong couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration after listening. "My lord, you not only incorporated epidemic prevention methods into the nursery rhyme, but also exposed the conspiracy of Prince Wucheng's faction, and even praised His Majesty at the end. It truly makes one even more curious about what's inside your head~"
"Enough, that's enough! As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat. Everyone's heads are filled with the same things, nothing strange about it. However, flattery never goes wrong; saying more good words is always correct, lest I be accused of confusing the court."
Lin Qingge was well aware of her position as an employee. Because of the previous two nursery rhymes, whether she liked it or not, she had already stood against Prince Wucheng. Therefore, clinging to Emperor Xia Xuan's leg was the right thing to do. However, she heard that Emperor Xia Xuan's health seemed to be not very good, and she didn't know how long he could last. But these were not things a ninth-rank sesame official like herself needed to worry about…
Not long after.
Nursery rhymes began to spread again throughout the alleys and streets of the capital. The frequent circulation of nursery rhymes had attracted the attention of various factions. For a time, in the capital, from high officials to common people, the topic of conversation after tea and meals revolved around these nursery rhymes. Dark gambling houses even opened, betting on who wrote the nursery rhymes and when the next one would appear. The popularity was imaginable.
From the content alone, the last nursery rhyme seemed to be an explanatory version of the previous one, conveying more information. Someone, somewhere, fanned the flames, and the last nursery rhyme not only spread like wildfire throughout Shuntian Prefecture, where the capital was located, but even reached other prefectures like Yingtian, Chengtian, and Fengtian. It was almost known by everyone in Great Xia.
In the imperial mausoleum.
Prince Wucheng, who was guarding the spirits of the late emperor and empress, smashed the tea bowl in his hand, his handsome face filled with fury.
"Useless, all of you are useless! How many times have I told you, times are different now. Do not act without absolute certainty! Why do you all refuse to heed my words? Now, I have become a laughingstock for all of Great Xia. Are you satisfied?"
The man in black kneeling on the ground trembled and forced himself to cup his fists. "Your Highness, please calm your anger. Your subordinate has failed in his duties. Please punish me!"
His sinister and cold gaze swept over like a sharp blade. Prince Wucheng, seated at the head, spoke in a low voice, "You indeed deserve punishment. As my confidant, you listened to others' orders. A dog like you, who cannot even distinguish its master, is not too much to be cut into a thousand pieces!"
"Your Highness's teachings are correct. Your subordinate knows his mistake and is willing to accept any punishment!"
Perhaps it was the man in black's sincere attitude in admitting his fault that made Prince Wucheng raise his hand and rub his throbbing temples, his anger considerably reduced.
"Forget it. Since he is my son, he is also half your master. You could not refuse the tasks he assigned you. However, while a death sentence can be avoided, a living crime cannot escape punishment. Considering your many years with me, go to the Hall of Punishment and receive fifty lashes yourself."
"Your subordinate thanks Your Highness for sparing his life!"
After speaking, the man in black respectfully kowtowed to Prince Wucheng. Prince Wucheng tapped rhythmically on the armrest of his chair. "My good brother is truly a masterful player! By so relentlessly ruining my reputation, even if I succeed in the future, my claim will be illegitimate. Go and tell the young master that I know he meant well but did a bad job, and I will not blame him. However, I want him to stay put for a while until the time is right. I will contact him then, and he can simply enjoy the fruits of success. Also, even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find that rat hiding in the shadows who is fabricating these things for me! I want to see which rat from which stinking ditch dares to disturb the "great god"!"
"Yes!"
"By the way, what is the situation at the fiefdom?"
"This..."
Seeing the man in black appear hesitant, Prince Wucheng frowned. "What, has something happened at the fiefdom?"