Chapter 15 Eastern Palace
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It was so audacious of Chu Xie. With irrefutable evidence now, it seemed that he was truly in deep trouble.
Chu Xie, however, did not look at Jiang Yanchi but instead glanced past him to a certain location.
Then, he heard the Minister of Punishments say, “Your Highness, please hand over the evidence to the Ministry of Punishments. This is a major case, and we will conduct an overnight investigation to reveal the truth.”
Jiang Yanchi turned his head slightly, his brows furrowed. He asked, “Wang Shangshu has not spoken yet. When did the Ministry of Punishments take precedence?”
His words were rather impolite.
Minister Guo couldn’t bear the embarrassment on his face, and the Chief Minister spoke up, saying, “Your Highness, you have only recently been conferred the title, and you may not be familiar with the affairs of the court. According to the regulations, this piece of evidence should indeed be handed over to the Ministry of Punishment first…”
In the court, the division between Chu and the imperial faction had never been so evident.
Minister Xue from the Ministry of Personnel coughed heavily and addressed the Chief Minister, “Chief Minister, you are jesting. This matter concerns the current Zhangyin and involves many officials. Shouldn’t the Ministry of Personnel also cooperate in the investigation?”
The Ministry of Revenue had always been known for producing talented individuals and had a reputation for not openly supporting any particular faction.
However, upon hearing Secretary Xue’s words, they took a step forward, cutting off the conversation and stating, “Minister Xue, your argument is flawed. If the Ministry of Personnel wishes to intervene in the investigation for this reason, then considering the substantial amount of money involved, wouldn’t the Ministry of Revenue also have a reason to be involved? It’s better to leave the case entirely to the Ministry of Punishment for proper examination. Do you imply, Minister Xue, that one of the six ministries in our court cannot thoroughly investigate a simple case and is merely for show?”
There was a subtle edge to these words, and Minister Xue, who was advanced in years, could only frown further upon hearing them.
The previously silent court suddenly erupted into a commotion.
Jiang Yanchi looked on coldly, glancing at Chu Xie with the corner of his eye.
Coincidentally, their eyes met.
Those officials from the Ministry of Revenue were quite eloquent and sly, and they teamed up with the Chief Minister to perform a double act, forcefully pushing the case to be handled by the Ministry of Punishments.
Chu Xie’s lips curled up at just the right moment, his eyes filled with sarcasm, and then he withdrew his gaze.
At this moment, Duke Rongguo, who had remained silent all along, stepped forward a few steps and respectfully bowed, saying, “Your Highness, I have a suggestion. If it were just an ordinary transaction involving government positions, it would be fine to leave it to the Ministry of Punishments. But smuggling salt is a serious offense. In my opinion, the Ministry of Punishments may not be able to handle it. How about… we let the Dali Temple conduct the initial investigation and inquiry, and the Ministry of Punishments can handle the second trial? Wouldn’t that be better?”
Jiang Yanchi’s eyes lit up.
Indeed, Duke Rongguo was a veteran of three dynasties, with a century-old ancestral mansion.
In one sentence, he broke the deadlock.
It was indeed a wise move because, given the involvement of salt smuggling, the case should indeed be handed over to the Dali Temple.
Everyone knew that the Ministry of Punishments was tightly controlled by Chu Xie. If this evidence were to end up in the hands of the Ministry of Punishments, it might disappear without a trace.
It wasn’t until the Duke Rongguo pointed this out that Chu Xie’s expression finally changed. His gaze, as sharp as a hawk, stared directly at the Duke, and he said, “Duke Rongguo, you have quite a clever mind.”
“Zhangyin is too kind.”
Chu Xie rose from his seat, resting his hands on the armrests, and cleared his throat with a faint cough before continuing, “It’s getting late. Let’s end here for today.”
However, Duke Rongguo blocked Chu Xie’s path.
“So, should we entrust the case of the Jinhuan Gambling House to the Dali Temple or the Ministry of Punishments?” he asked.
Chu Xie’s expression remained calm, but his eyes were like a hawk’s, peering at the Duke’s neck, as if he could peel off a piece of his skin.
“Let’s discuss that tomorrow, Duke.”
Duke Rongguo stepped back, and Chu Xie was relieved of some of his hostility. He was about to take a step forward.
“What does Your Highness think?”
The Duke turned to Jiang Yanchi.
Jiang Yanchi looked at Chu Xie, who had paused in his steps, and clenched his fists tightly, saying each word deliberately, “Hand it over to the Dali Temple.”
***
Chu Residence.
“Ah, Host, the Jinhuan Gambling House plot has been completed perfectly. The ‘Xu Chunmu’ storyline has been updated! Do you want to check the progress of Xu Chunmu’s point of view in the plot…”
“Check, check, check!”
Chu Xie quickly ran through the newly unlocked plot in his mind, trying to grasp any key clues from Xu Chunmu’s storyline.
Oh, so the original plot of the Jinhuan Gambling House was like this.
Xu Chunmu arrived in the capital early, where he met Crown Prince Jiang Yanchi in the Cold Palace. Subsequently, Xu Chunmu displayed remarkable martial arts skills, assisting Jiang Yanchi in cutting off Chu Xie’s back path through the Jinhuan Gambling House case.
After reading through the plot, Chu Xie breathed a sigh of relief. The general plot was similar, and Xu Chunmu’s character setting seemed to be acceptable.
“Warning! Xu Chunmu’s character alignment is 55%. Below the passing level, please adjust promptly, Host.”
A warning bell rang in Chu Xie’s mind.
“…?!”
Why was it so low?
This shouldn’t be a problem with my professional level.
“Host, maybe there’s something wrong somewhere. I thought Xu Chunmu’s plot was going quite well… Why is the character alignment so low…”
Yes, the plot was basically the same.
Why?
“Host, actually, we have very strict criteria for selecting hosts and binding them to characters… Your ability to bind with Chu Xie suggests an incredibly high compatibility between your soul and his experiences… So, you see, when you follow Chu Xie’s storyline, you’re like a fish in water… What I mean is, you might not be suitable for characters like Xu Chunmu, who are righteous and resolute…”
Who were they scolding? Who were they scolding?
Who had such a high compatibility with this perverted villainous minister’s soul?!
“Host, I must remind you that if anyone’s character compatibility falls below 60%, you won’t be able to be reborn in your original world…”
Chu Xie, annoyed and confused, closed the system.
The steward entered the room and said, “Lord, the case of the Jinhuan Gambling House has been decided.”
“How was it decided?”
Chu Xie held his breath and quickly drank the warm medicine, thinking that the old man from Duke Rongguo Mansion was indeed efficient. He was probably afraid of leaving any evidence that could implicate himself.
“The lead was traced to the Ministry of Revenue, and it stopped there. Minister Wang has admitted to borrowing the Jinhuan Gambling House for smuggling salt. The Lord is only related to bribing minor officials and may temporarily have to give some power in the court. It’s not too big. As for the salt smuggling, it has been cleaned up, and it can no longer be traced back to master. It’s a pity that a good source of income has been cut off…”
Not only did he lose an arm, but he also lost his boundless source of wealth.
Chu Xie sighed.
After sighing, he realized that he should be happy.
After all, he had successfully completed this crucial storyline.
However, he couldn’t help feeling a bit restless and began to worry about the low compatibility of Xu Chunmu’s character.
He opened the system and asked, “What’s the next character’s storyline?”
“Assassinate the Crown Prince.”
“…”
After holding back for a while, Chu Xie resisted the urge to curse.
Rebirth was a must.
No matter how difficult this script was, he had to complete it.
“At the same time, there’s another script for Xu Chunmu: ‘Rescue the Crown Prince.'”
He couldn’t help but mutter, “…F*ck.”
***
Under the strong protection of Duke Rongguo’s residence, Jiang Yanchi successfully ascended to the Eastern Palace.
He became the legitimate Crown Prince.
Chu Xie, in order to avoid trouble, temporarily relinquished his power and even handed over the national seal to the Crown Prince.
On the first night he moved into the palace, Jiang Yanchi found the fireworks and firecrackers that the man had given him.
After lighting them, a beautiful crimson firework bloomed in the night sky. In less than half a cup of tea’s time, the man arrived.
Today, Jiang Yanchi was exceptionally happy. He could smell the refreshing scent of alcohol emanating from the man. He seemed full of vitality, and his entire being exuded an aura of celebration.
He noticed that the other person’s spirits were a bit low, like he was feeling down. Jiang Yanchi immediately approached and asked, “What’s wrong, Ah Mu?”
He took a polite step back.
Jiang Yanchi’s outstretched hand hung in the air for a moment, then he withdrew it and asked with concern, “Is something troubling you?”
There were quite a few troubles.
And most of them were related to you.
Chu Xie smiled faintly, “No, it’s just your suspicion.”
“Have I done something to upset you?” he asked with suspicion.
With such a difficult plot to navigate, I’ve rarely been happy.
Chu Xie continued to smile politely, “No, don’t overthink it.”
“I’ve prepared a feast specially for you.” The Crown Prince tentatively grabbed his right hand and led him towards the table. He looked at the table filled with dishes, with a fragrant aroma wafting in the air. However, Chu Xie had no appetite at all. “Let’s consider it a celebration.”
Chu Xie held a semi-permanent small smile, and said in a caring manner, “You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”
His gaze faintly swept over the table full of delicious dishes.
There was something he wasn’t sure if he should say.
Your Highness, there’s a poisoned dish in your celebration feast.
And it’s deadly.
Upon hearing Chu Xie’s gentle response, Jiang Yanchi’s expression eased, and he looked extremely pleased.
Now, standing closer and taking a closer look, it was true that the Crown Prince had grown a bit taller compared to half a year ago. He was already at the level of his eyebrows.
From this angle, Jiang Yanchi’s eyebrows were thick, and his sharp eyes concealed a compelling sense of sharpness.
Draped in a cloak with a black dragon cloud totem, he stood outside the hall, illuminated by the flickering lanterns. He truly exuded the honor of a Crown Prince.
Back when he had just taken Jiang Yanchi out of the Cold Palace, he was dressed in rags, looking like a little beggar.
The boy was still quite good-looking, and in another two years, he would probably be of marriageable age.
But by then, he should have already died. Unable to see it.
Originally, little Xizi who had guarded the Cold Palace was sent by Jiang Yanchi to serve him when he came to the Eastern Palace. Although the eunuch was young, he was clever and smart. In just a short time, he had managed to tidy up the Eastern Palace quite nicely.
Chu Xie was welcomed into the Eastern Palace like a guest by the Crown Prince. Little Xizi took a quick glance at the Crown Prince, who was gently holding the other person’s hand, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He was about to step forward to serve, but he was stopped by a few words.
The Crown Prince wanted to be alone with this person.
Chu Xie noticed that there were two jars of wine on the table, one of which was already half-empty. The Crown Prince pushed it aside gently, causing it to roll to the side.
Chu Xie never drank alcohol because it upset his stomach.
Obviously, today, Jiang Yanchi was in high spirits. After sitting down, he poured himself a half-cup of wine, hoping to encourage Chu Xie to drink some as well. Chu Xie observed the situation and felt that the Crown Prince had something to say, so he politely declined the offer and used his slender fingers to move the wine cup to the side.
His beautiful jet-black pupils stared unwaveringly at Jiang Yanchi.
Getting a closer look, the Crown Prince’s eyebrow peak was extremely sharp, and the shadow under his brow bone made his gaze appear even deeper. Due to the alcohol, his cheeks had a touch of crimson.
Originally, he was sitting face to face with Chu Xie. Seeing that he hardly touched his chopsticks or wine cup, Jiang Yanchi moved closer and sat next to him. His hand slightly brushed against Chu Xie’s pinky finger, causing him to retract his hand slightly.
“What’s wrong? Don’t these dishes suit your taste?” Jiang Yanchi asked, “What kind of cuisine do you prefer? I can have it made for you. Since you’ve come from the Northern Border, you must enjoy these flavors.”
The Crown Prince’s hand was warm and tender, firmly attached to the back of Chu Xie’s hand, making him somewhat uncomfortable. He wanted to withdraw his hand, but for some reason, when he attempted to do so, the other person held onto it even tighter, as if refusing to let him go.
It seemed that today, the Crown Prince did indeed have something to say.
“Ah Mu, you don’t know how happy I am today. Do you know?” He paused for a moment before continuing, “Minister Wang Qi, the Minister of Revenue, has been exiled. This Wang Qi has always been aligned with Chu Xie, and he’s used to bullying others with his power…”
Before he could finish speaking, he heard a soft interruption from the person next to him.
“Chu Xie is used to bullying others with his power?”
The Crown Prince poured himself another drink and downed it. He said, “Ah Mu, don’t be afraid. I have already taken control of the Eastern Palace… I, I will protect you.”
Chu Xie said, “Your Highness, you are drunk.”
“I’m not.”
“How old are you?” the Crown Prince asked again.
“I was born in the twelfth year of Yong’an,” Chu Xie replied, using the birthdate of Xu Chunmu. After answering, he wondered why the Crown Prince was asking this.
“You have an older brother, right? I recognize your brother. Since you are from the Xu family, why didn’t you learn archery and horsemanship from your father and brother?” Jiang Yanchi asked.
“I was born with a weak constitution and couldn’t learn those things,” Chu Xie answered indifferently, not wanting to continue on this topic.
He hadn’t realized in the past that the Crown Prince was such a nosy person.
But for some reason, Jiang Yanchi seemed to have heard something in his words. His eyes suddenly became dark and unreadable, and he even set down the chopsticks he had just picked up.
“How did you come to the capital? Someone like you, with your family background, shouldn’t have been abandoned by your family.”
“What’s there to be worried about? The men of the Xu family have never feared anything.”
Jiang Yanchi, with a tipsy expression, smiled and asked, “When did you arrive in the capital?”
“About two or three years ago,” Chu Xie replied, thinking that this line of questioning was endless.
The Crown Prince was naturally suspicious, and Chu Xie couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. His fingers curled slightly on the table, making a faint sound.
Jiang Yanchi heard it.
For once, he stopped asking these tedious questions.
Chu Xie didn’t know that at this moment, the Crown Prince was filled with nothing but pity. With just a few words, Jiang Yanchi had already painted a picture of Chu Xie’s pitiable life due to his physical weakness and unjust treatment.
If he really was the precious young heir of the Xu family, how could they let him into the Chu residence, endure such hardships, and be abandoned here in the imperial city? Why would they let him stay by the side of the devious Chu Xie and repeatedly risk his life for him?
Thinking of his older brother, Xu Changling, who was a renowned figure in the capital, married to the legitimate daughter of a high-ranking official, owning several properties within the imperial city, and even holding the title of a marquis, he lived a comfortable and carefree life.
On the other hand, Xu Chunmu had been raised in the harsh and cold borderlands, rumored to command three hundred thousand troops and be a skilled warrior in battle…
It seemed that rumors couldn’t always be trusted.
It was merely a case of favoring the elder son and neglecting the younger.
Jiang Yanchi continued to smile warmly, but there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.
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