Chapter 123
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
“Old Three, How do you explain this?” the Emperor asked coldly.
“Your son… Your son was shocked by the Fourth Prince, so I was delayed for a while…” the Third Prince stammered, clearly flustered.
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly. He had always favored the Third Prince, but this time, it seemed that the Third Prince might disappoint him. While he hesitated on how to handle the situation, Yue Chen spoke up, “It’s okay if you can’t draw. Why not ask directly? If the Third Prince can answer, that’s fine too.”
While these words seemed like helping the Third Prince out of a difficult situation, they actually cut off the Emperor’s potential bias. Yue Chen directly pushed the Third Prince onto the stage.
The Emperor did not refuse and nodded directly.
Yue Chen gestured to the assistant minister to ask a more detailed question about a suggestion the Third Prince himself had proposed in the original drawing…
In the span of a tea ceremony, the Third Prince knelt in the courtyard of the Shiye Hall, crying. Several incense sticks were lit beside him, continuously emitting fragrant smoke. He remained in this position for no less than six hours.
Pei Jin and another study companion knelt beside, while the third study companion, who was deemed the instigator of the Third Prince, became the scapegoat. He received a severe beating of thirty strokes and was carried out of the palace unconscious, stripped of his study companion status.
As the Emperor left with the Fourth Prince and Concubine Mei, he didn’t even spare a glance at the Third Prince. The once favored child now seemed to have earned the Emperor’s disdain.
On the other hand, as Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu left, Pei Jin stared intently at them.
She had realized that she might have fallen into a trap since the day the waterwheel was set up in the Wenbo Pavillion.
The person who suggested the Third Prince contribute the draft for the waterwheel was Pei Jin. At that time, she overheard Yue Chen mentioning that the next lesson would be about the waterwheel. Later, she witnessed the waterwheel in action at the Wenbo Pavillion, and beside it were scattered sheets of messy sketches. A sudden idea struck Pei Jin – with her knowledge of waterwheels, she could craft an impressive draft to present to the Third Prince, earning his favor with the Emperor.
Back then, they were unaware that the Emperor would visit. Their initial intention was to hand it over to Yue Chen, as he would inform the Emperor if he found the draft impressive. Yue Chen, being impartial and focused on teaching, was expected to appreciate good work.
With this in mind, Pei Jin proposed the idea to the Third Prince, who eagerly agreed, thinking that he could shine independently. He entrusted Pei Jin with the task.
Being cautious, Pei Jin intended for the Third Prince to fully grasp the content of the draft she provided. This way, when the Emperor inquired, the Third Prince could answer confidently. However, the Third Prince took shortcuts, only superficially understanding the material and memorizing some basic principles. Once deeper questions arose, his knowledge quickly crumbled.
Despite Pei Jin’s unsuccessful attempts to dissuade him, she eventually gave up. In her opinion, the draft she presented was not an extraordinary piece. Those, like Yue Chen, who understood the subject matter could easily comprehend it without consulting the Third Prince. She never anticipated a situation where they would interrogate the Third Prince to prove his knowledge.
When the Emperor arrived, Pei Jin already had a faint sense of unease. She wanted to stop the Third Prince, but he, seeing the mediocre performances of the others, was eager to showcase his abilities. Ignoring Pei Jin’s concerns, he hurriedly tried to surpass them, leaving her powerless to intervene.
The sudden turn of events left Pei Jin unable to resist, and she could only watch helplessly as their side crumbled.
At the same time, those who had prepared the drawings reaped the greatest benefits. Additionally, considering Lin Qingyang’s words that induced suspicion toward the Third Prince, it can be concluded that everything was related to the three study companions of the Fourth Prince.
They dug a pit, waiting for someone to fall into it, and she discovered the bait on the pit, eagerly jumping in herself, only to find out that she… lost again.
On the other side, the study companions returned to the Wenbo Pavilion.
“You’ve gained quite a bit of attention this time!” Cheng Yi sneered as he approached. “Honestly, the drawings were probably created by you to help the Fourth Prince, right?”
Wang Tong’en happened to pass by and stopped, sizing them up.
“So, the Fourth Prince has proven himself, and you still don’t believe it. It seems you have great confidence in us?” Lin Qingyang, accustomed to dealing with them, halted and teased them, “Unfortunately if I had such abilities, I would have already achieved great things on my own. With this reputation, I guess I could catch up to my father’s position.” Marquis An Nan also served in the Ministry of Works, and in terms of waterwheel renovation, it was considered the ministry’s responsibility.
Wang Tong’en snorted, “Who said it was you? I was talking about the two behind you!”
Lin Qingyang immediately responded, “Who are you looking down on? Moreover, by the same logic, if they could come up with it, they would have taken credit long ago. After all… we are not from prestigious families like yours.”
They were different; they could achieve merit on their own, and break away from the royal family, and such achievements were sufficient for them to establish themselves in court. On the other hand, those from prestigious families had to struggle around a prince. Thus, Lin Qingyang’s statement was reasonable.
However, Lin Qingyang’s tone irritated Cheng Yi and Wang Tong’en, making them unable to resist the urge to confront him. Just then, a eunuch arrived with an imperial decree, bringing rewards. Subsequently, everyone in the Wenbo Pavillion ooked on with envy as boxes of rewards were delivered into the rooms of the three study companions.
Cheng Yi and Wang Tong’en couldn’t stay any longer; each went to find their respective masters.
Lin Qingyang pulled Chu Lishu to happily examine the rewards, while Xu Wenze, looking at those items, became melancholic. Finally, he spoke, “I don’t deserve to take these; you guys take them. I know I’m not involved in this matter; it’s all your credit.”
Xu Wenze’s tone was noticeably off. Lin Qingyang felt awkward and said, “Don’t say that. These are rewards from the Emperor for the three of us. Besides, you actively defended the Fourth Prince just now. When we were researching the water wheel before, you also helped, didn’t you?”
Xu Wenze’s expression turned stern. “But that was just on the surface. Isn’t it completely different from what you guys did privately?”
Chu Lishu looked at Xu Wenze and finally asked, “What do you want to know?”
Xu Wenze’s eyes flickered. “All of this was your setup? You wanted to seek the Emperor’s favor for the Fourth Prince by improving the water wheel? To benefit the Fourth Prince’s faction.”
Chu Lishu decisively replied, “Exactly.”
Xu Wenze took a deep breath and asked, “Did you know the Emperor was coming?”
“We found out well in advance.”
“How did the Fourth Prince achieve this?”
“Very simple, subtly teaching and guiding him, encouraging him to think. He truly understood, learned, and naturally believed that the things guided out were his own ideas. The Fourth Prince does have some talent in this aspect; otherwise, the plan wouldn’t have succeeded.”
“What about the Third Prince?”
“That was Pei Jin’s self-perceived cleverness. We did set a trap to induce someone to come out as a control group. Otherwise, the Fourth Prince’s actions would seem too deliberate. Pei Jin is smarter than Wang Tong’en and Cheng Yi, so he jumped right in.”
Xu Wenze was completely dumbfounded. Calculating the time, Chu Lishu had started planning this scheme shortly after arriving here. Although he always knew that Chu Lishu was very intelligent, experiencing such strategic calculations and schemes for the first time, Xu Wenze truly felt inferior.
“You’ve truly allied with the Fourth Prince,” Xu Wenze sighed.
“Since we’re both study companions of the Fourth Prince, we naturally have to consider our future with him in mind,” Chu Lishu said slowly. “Brother Wenze, this matter wasn’t intentionally kept from you, but as more people know, it becomes complicated.”
Xu Wenze shook his head with a wry smile, “I’m not that petty. You have your plans, and I have mine. It’s not a big deal. In the end, we’re all working together for the Fourth Prince.”
Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but admire Xu Wenze’s magnanimity, but still remarked, “You looked really angry just now; you scared me.”
Xu Wenze sighed and looked at Lin Qingyang, furrowing his brows, “I was angry because I felt this method was too radical. What if, unintentionally, it harms the Fourth Prince? If this turns the Fourth Prince into a prodigy, how will you handle it? Isn’t this like pulling up seedlings to help them grow? Moreover, the Fourth Prince is not suitable to stand out now. Drawing attention is risky. Although your later rhetoric successfully diverted the credit and made the Fourth Prince’s achievements seem less abrupt, it still attracted attention. He’s only ten; he shouldn’t be in such a situation.”
Lin Qingyang was slightly stunned. Initially, he and Xu Wenze shared a similar sentiment. They were probably genuinely compassionate individuals not suited for palace intrigues. However, Lin Qingyang couldn’t play the role of a saint to prevent the male lead. This situation was already much better than the original plot. Lin Qingyang, in comparison to the original plot, considered himself content.
The improved water wheel project did appear in the original plot, occurring around the mid-stage of the story when the three factions showed signs of weakness. At that time, Chu Lishu directly used this tactic to portray the Fourth Prince as a genius, maintaining this illusion throughout.
However, in the current situation, Chu Lishu did not do the same. It was unclear whether Chu Lishu considered it too cruel to manipulate a child who had genuinely supported them or if he thought it was too troublesome to maintain the genius facade from the beginning. After all, the three factions were still watching closely.
Anyway, regardless of the reasons, the current approach is a compromise. Lin Qingyang found it quite satisfactory. After entering the palace, there should be no room for mercy. If you show mercy, others might take your life. The palace is a place of strength and cruelty, where the strong prey on the weak.
However, for someone like Xu Wenze, a gentlemanly figure, this approach might not be suitable. He always believed that the Fourth Prince’s faction could wait, wait for the child to grow up, wait until they had strong support. So far, he had never suspected that the assassination attempt was staged by them.
Chu Lishu naturally couldn’t remind him and only provided another reason.
“Do you think, with the three factions fighting like this, the Fourth Prince can just sit back and reap the benefits? That’s impossible. They haven’t forgotten that the current emperor is still young. When he abdicates, they won’t be young anymore, and the Fourth Prince will be younger and more powerful. Won’t they be afraid? Instead of waiting for the Fourth Prince to grow up, they would prefer to strangle him in the cradle. Especially with Imperial Concubine Mei being favored and Prime Minister Li gaining power.”
Xu Wenze silently looked at Chu Lishu.
Chu Lishu spoke coldly, “Let the Fourth Prince learn early on the dangers of power struggles. He needs to grow up quickly, as no one will wait for him. If he doesn’t compete, others will take his life. Have you forgotten about the assassination attempt?”
Xu Wenze’s expression changed instantly. It’s not that he didn’t understand the darker and more realistic truths, but his inner longing for brightness made him somewhat self-deceptive.
Finally, he lowered his head and said, “I was narrow-minded. Perhaps you see things more clearly than I do.”
Chu Lishu spoke slowly, “You are not suited for this place. You should leave.”
Lin Qingyang glanced at Chu Lishu. It seemed that it wasn’t just his imagination; the male lead’s inner thoughts were indeed changing. In the original plot, Xu Wenze was thoroughly manipulated, but here, Chu Lishu seemed to want to let him go.
Xu Wenze smiled and expressed his gratitude, but leaving was impossible for him. The focus of the family was here, and his elder sister was here. Even if his heart aspired to the sky, it was forever imprisoned in the cage called the family, never able to escape. Thus, he was destined to be manipulated by the male lead.
Seeing that the conversation was winding down, Lin Qingyang quickly switched his mood and focused on sharing the spoils. Receiving rewards was indeed enjoyable, especially since the items inside the palace were more than twice as good as those outside. Opening each box was like unwrapping a surprise, but compared to Lin Qingyang’s excitement, Xu Wenze and Chu Lishu remained calm and accustomed, completely dampening Lin Qingyang’s enthusiasm.
Chu Lishu, observing Lin Qingyang’s transition from excitement to disappointment, chuckled and said, “Alright, it’s time to tidy up. Change your clothes; someone will come to us later.”
“Who?” Xu Wenze asked with confusion.
“Of course, those who are curious about the truth, just like you,” Lin Qingyang replied.
Surprised, Xu Wenze asked, “There will be people asking? I thought you were quietly preparing for the Fourth Prince, and no one would doubt you again.”
“People are not fools; a casual inquiry in private would reveal the truth. It wouldn’t be surprising if they summon us soon,” Lin Qingyang said with a smile.
Indeed, not long after, someone summoned the two of them to the Chui Xue Palace.
The two eunuchs who came to summon felt that Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu were easy to talk to, so they couldn’t help but gossip and inquire about who came up with the idea for the drawing. After all, they had been watching the Fourth Prince grow up and always felt that it wasn’t the Fourth Prince.
Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang naturally played along and dodged the questions. However, Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but glance at the two eunuchs, his eyes flashing. Memories from the original plot flashed through his mind.
When they arrived at the Chui Xue Palace, they didn’t see the Fourth Prince, but instead, faced the stern expression of Concubine Mei, who directly questioned them.
“You guys deceived the Fourth Prince, I know my son could never come up with such a drawing. It’s the two of you who created it. Aren’t you harming the Fourth Prince? What if he can’t answer?” Concubine Mei asserted herself, attempting to pressure Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang.
“Our initial intention was just to help the Fourth Prince better understand the waterwheel, gain more knowledge to handle Assistant Yue’s lessons and receive some praise. We never expected things to turn out like this – the Emperor suddenly visiting, the Crown Prince trying to undermine the Third Prince by implicating the Fourth Prince, and the Third Prince suspecting the Fourth Prince due to jealousy, leading to an investigation. These are beyond our control. As study companions, our duty is to contribute more knowledge to assist the Fourth Prince in his studies, so he can excel. We merely did what we were supposed to do,” Chu Lishu calmly explained.
Lin Qingyang once again witnessed Chu Lishu’s adept skill in presenting a thousand different faces and mouths. If he were the one speaking, Lin Qingyang felt he might reveal many flaws. After all, Chu Lishu provided different details and reasons to the Emperor, Xu Wenze, and Concubine Mei regarding the same incident. While Lin Qingyang could manage with Xu Wenze, things were getting chaotic with Concubine Mei.
He could only console himself, grateful that he knew the whole truth.
The unpredictable events mentioned by Chu Lishu were precisely those he had anticipated in advance, and he had guided the outcomes through subtle means. Even Concubine Mei’s arrival and her inclination to push them forward as shields were all factors Chu Lishu had foreseen.
Faced with Chu Lishu’s explanation, Concubine Mei finally grasped a hint. “According to your previous intentions, wasn’t the plan just to accompany the Fourth Prince in his studies obediently? Why suddenly seek praise for him?”
“Because Fourth Prince treats us well. Previously, at the Wenbo Pavilion, we faced oppression due to not being born into noble families. Fourth Prince often stood up for us. It also made us realize a truth – if the Fourth Prince doesn’t gain the Emperor’s favor, we won’t fare well either. The improved waterwheel draft was our way of repaying his kindness. We just didn’t anticipate that Fourth Prince would memorize it all, resulting in excessive merits and inviting trouble.”
Concubine Mei understood that her son was close to these two, and it was reasonable for him to stand up for them. Thus, it seemed these two were repaying kindness as well.
In fact, she preferred that these two intentionally did things to please them, proving that they were ready to defect. Though risky, the results were truly excellent, leaving her very satisfied. Just now, she intentionally showed displeasure to suppress them. However, they claimed it was an accidental situation, leaving Imperial Concubine Mei somewhat unable to cope.
If it was indeed accidental, their on-the-spot reactions were remarkable. They not only resolved the crisis caused by the accident but also restrained the thought of enjoying the merits alone. They wholeheartedly defended the Fourth Prince, devised a clever explanation to make the Emperor happier, and ensured the Fourth Prince wouldn’t be exposed in the future.
Their loyalty, strategic thinking, courage, and talent impressed Concubine Mei. Such talented individuals were extremely rare, even by her father’s side. Initially, she contemplated pushing them out to take the blame, but now she couldn’t help but regret and feel guilty. She truly hoped that they would defect the very next moment.
Seeing that they remained calm and showed no signs of remorse, Concubine Mei felt a bit frustrated, thinking that they might still be reluctant to involve themselves in the royal succession battle.
Chu Lishu couldn’t let Concubine Mei know about his entire plan. Even though it would showcase his strategic prowess, there was a hidden danger. Even if Concubine Mei couldn’t figure it out, Prime Minister Li might understand that Chu Lishu was too dangerous for Fourth Prince. He could manipulate Fourth Prince into risking himself for personal gain without prior notice. This ability to control the master in the palm of his hand was too risky. They might not dare to use Chu Lishu, and it would contradict the initial idea of defecting passively. Therefore, Chu Lishu chose to mislead Concubine Mei in this way.
Now, Concubine Mei’s mixed feelings of admiration and guilt were exactly what Chu Lishu aimed for.
The formation of this mindset had to be attributed to Chu Lishu deliberately orchestrating the affair involving the Third Prince.
In fact, the Third Prince was not intended to serve as a control group. Chu Lishu knew that only Pei Jin could overcome the challenges. He was also aware that the Third Prince’s temperament was incapable of focusing on studying. Therefore, everything they did was within Chu Lishu’s expectations. The Third Prince would inevitably feel jealous due to the sudden emergence of the Fourth Prince. He would attack the Fourth Prince, who would then suffer injustice. Upon counterattacking and proving himself, the plan would seamlessly achieve the best outcome. To ensure that the Fourth Prince gained favor, they naturally had to undermine another favored son, which was the Third Prince. To make Concubine Mei trust them, they had to first let her misunderstand them. This was a strategy of suppressing first and then rising.
The Emperor, feeling guilty, would treat the Fourth Prince exceptionally well, and Concubine Mei, also burdened by guilt, would begin to trust them. It was a strategy that hit two birds with one stone.
Of course, there’s more to it.
Concubine Mei looked at them with mixed emotions and couldn’t help but say, “You’ve done very well. I will reward you handsomely. If in the future… you are willing to wholeheartedly support the Fourth Prince, plan for him, I, on behalf of the Fourth Prince and Prime Minister Li, will certainly grant you high positions and wealth, with a bright future ahead.”
Chu Lishu and Lin Qingyang remained silent.
After a while, Chu Lishu finally spoke, “Then, Niangniang, it’s better to first eliminate the spies around you.”
Concubine Mei looked at Chu Lishu in confusion, not understanding.
“Why did Niangniang appear in the Shiye Hall today? Is it because Niangniang doesn’t trust us, constantly sending people to watch over the movements of the Fourth Prince? Or did someone specifically come to inform you that something happened to the Fourth Prince? In such a situation, Niangniang’s concern may cause chaos. However, you might not be aware that your arrival will only further infuriate the Emperor, making him believe that everything is a plot between you and Prime Minister Li. That’s why you rushed here so timely, which is even more intolerable for the Emperor than our attempts to please him as study companions.”
As these words were spoken, Concubine Mei’s expression instantly turned unpleasant. She recalled why she had hurried to the Shiye Hall. A palace maid had suddenly reported that the Fourth Prince had committed a crime of disrespecting the Emperor. Now, thinking back, everything seemed suspicious, as if deliberately making her go there at the worst possible time.
“From the whole situation, it’s probably a spy planted by the Third Prince’s side. However, it’s just the humble opinion of a subject. Niangniang can investigate on your own,” Chu Lishu said slowly.
Chu Lishu had long discovered the presence of spies from Concubine Pei in the Chui Xue Palace, but he was not entirely sure of their identity. In this scheme to frame the Third Prince and place both the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince in the same predicament, it was expected that the Third Prince’s side would naturally intensify their efforts to suppress the Fourth Prince. With the Third Prince’s faction aiming to escalate matters, Concubine Pei, fueled by resentment towards Concubine Mei, would greedily seek to punish her. Drawing Concubine Mei into the situation was the most effective way to further infuriate the Emperor.
Chu Lishu once again achieved a dual purpose. By using Concubine Pei’s spies to lure Concubine Mei into the plot, he not only gained Concubine Mei’s guilty conscience and triggered trust but also successfully exposed the hidden spies. This elevated Concubine Mei’s trust in them to the highest level.
The final step of the entire plan was accomplished.
If you love what Ciacia is doing, then consider showing your support by supporting a cup of tea for her at Kofi. If you can’t wait for the next release chapter, subscribe to advanced chapters membership on her Kofi to get access to up to 10 chapters!
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
