Duan Yu knelt obediently behind the Shanshu of the Ministry of War, his head bowed, barely daring to breathe. For the first time in his life, he was stepping into Chongzheng Hall and standing so close to the Emperor.
At that moment, Duan Yu felt a surge of ambition and a newfound sense of purpose for his future path.
His sister had been right. In the past, he had been shortsighted and lacked ambition.
From now on, he would strive even harder.
The Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue, standing nearby, glanced at Duan Yu’s ever-changing expression and mistook it for fear.
Thinking of the Old Marquis… he leaned over slightly and whispered, “Scared?”
Duan Yu dared not look up as he replied softly, “My lord, it is my first time facing the Emperor, and to encounter such a grave matter makes me somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, with you here, I can remain steady.”
The Shilang of the Ministry of Revenue kept his eyes on the ground, his knees aching from kneeling. “At this point, remember one thing: before the Emperor, never lie.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Every word I speak will be the truth,” Duan Yu whispered.
“Then you have nothing to fear.”
Fear wouldn’t help now. The Shilang could only wait to see how the Emperor would handle the matter.
Even he hadn’t anticipated that the final culprit implicated would be an aide from the Eastern Palace.
***
Consort Shu was delicately trimming flower branches with a small, ornate copper pair of scissors, while Hu Momo handed her the flowers.
Chen Fu was delivering a report.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has been summoned to Chongzheng Hall. I’ve heard that His Majesty is furious. Outside the hall, over a dozen people, led by the Shangshu of the Ministry of War, are kneeling. As for the low-ranking official who deliberately misreported the message, his backside has been beaten to a pulp, and his survival is uncertain.”
Consort Shu paused her scissors slightly. “Only the Crown Prince was summoned?”
“Yes,” Chen Fu replied.
Consort Shu sneered. The Emperor still intended to shield the Crown Prince?
Thinking of this, she looked at Chen Fu and asked, “Did you find out if there’s solid evidence against Liang Xun this time?”
“Yes, the beaten low-ranking official is someone he bribed,” Chen Fu replied. “Niang Niang, that official is half-dead, and with Liang Xun bearing the brunt of the blame, it will be difficult to shake the Crown Prince.”
Consort Shu placed the scissors on the table with a cold smile. She then asked, “What of the Empress? Any movements on her end?”
“Nothing unusual from Kunde Palace. The Empress hasn’t stepped outside her gates today.”
“The Empress is as composed as ever,” Consort Shu remarked with slight disappointment. The steadier the Empress remained, the safer the Crown Prince would be.
It seemed that Liang Xun was destined to take the fall this time.
Recalling her son’s words, she said to Chen Fu, “What about Consort Gui, Consort De, and Consort Xian?”
“Everything is as usual,” Chen Fu said.
They hadn’t taken advantage of the situation either, leaving Consort Shu in an even fouler mood.
Their reluctance to attack suggested they didn’t believe the Crown Prince was in real danger, so they opted to wait and observe the Emperor’s stance.
Hu Momo, noticing the Consort’s displeasure, whispered, “Niang Niang, this may not be entirely bad. The three consorts’ inaction doesn’t necessarily mean they fear the Empress—they may simply be waiting to gauge the Emperor’s attitude.”
Consort Shu nodded. “The Emperor is determined to support the Crown Prince. Without absolute certainty, they wouldn’t dare act rashly.”
“The Crown Prince’s grand wedding is approaching, and the nation is preparing to celebrate. Even if the Emperor is angry with him, he will suppress it for now. Niang Niang, you must not act rashly at this time.”
“I wasn’t planning to,” Consort Shu said with a faint smile. “Last time, the Emperor was already displeased with Kunde Palace. Now, with the Crown Prince angering His Majesty again, even if he protects him this time, the situation will never be the same as before. One more incident, and it may all fall apart.”
Relaxing slightly, Consort Shu added with a chuckle, “This time, with Liang Xun taking the fall, the Crown Prince may not lose an arm, but it will cost him dearly. Moreover, Ning Qin Wang must be feeling discontent toward him now. The Crown Prince can forget about winning him over again.”
In this way, the Crown Prince’s losses are indeed significant.
“You are right, Niang Niang,” said Hu Momo with a smile. “The Crown Prince, relying on His Majesty’s favoritism, has grown reckless and complacent. Over time, this arrogance will inevitably lead to his downfall.”
A trace of satisfaction appeared in Consort Shu’s eyes. “Prepare a bowl of ginseng soup and have the imperial kitchen simmer it slowly over low heat. At noon, I will personally deliver it to Chongzheng Hall.”
“Yes, Niang Niang,” Hu Momo responded cheerfully and left to relay the order to the imperial kitchen.
Chen Fu, observing Consort Shu’s improved mood, cautiously added, “Niang Niang, the recent reorganization of the imperial kitchen has disrupted many, and each palace has suffered losses. The new head of the kitchen appears difficult to deal with and seems determined to remain above the fray.”
Hearing this, Consort Shu laughed even more. “A principled head of the kitchen is a good thing—at least we can eat without worry. I was more concerned that they might be a spineless opportunist. After what happened with County Princess Muhua, His Majesty instructed Ding Zhao to keep a close eye on the imperial kitchen. Who among them wouldn’t tread carefully these days?”
Chen Fu hesitated before asking, “What about our people there…”
“How many remain?”
“Only one.”
“One…” Consort Shu frowned but then nodded. “That is enough.”
One person, placed strategically, can accomplish as much as a thousand troops.
At that moment, Xue Cen entered briskly, curtsied, and delivered her report. “Niang Niang, the Crown Prince has been reprimanded for failing to discipline his staff. He is fined six months of salary and confined for one month. Liang Xun has been exiled to military service, Zhao Xun from the Military Selection Division has been dismissed for negligence, and Duan Yu has been promoted to a langzhong for his fair and diligent work.”
Consort Shu was momentarily stunned, then overjoyed. “Is this true?”
This was truly unexpected good fortune!
“It is true, Niang Niang,” Xue Cen confirmed with a wide smile.
Although the langzhong rank was not high, it held real authority in the Military Selection Division.
“Wonderful!” Consort Shu’s spirits soared. The last time Mingxi had suffered a significant setback, His Majesty had taken no action. This time, it seemed the compensation had been directed to Mingxi’s elder brother.
Considering Duan Yu’s qualifications, securing this position would have taken him several more years under normal circumstances.
This time, luck had truly smiled on him.
“What about Xiao Lin?” Consort Shu asked Xue Cen, thinking that if Duan Yu had been compensated, Xiao Lin would likely receive something as well.
“Xiao Shizi has been appointed as Deputy Commander under Fengcheng Marquis,” Xue Cen replied with a grin.
Deputy Commander—a fourth-rank position—was even higher than Duan Yu’s.
This should placate Ning Qin Wang.
Ultimately, everything fell perfectly into place, aligning with her son’s plans.
It was truly a triple blessing.
Consort Shu mused that the Empress must be fuming right now.
What a delightful turn of events!
Her son and Mingxi had carefully orchestrated this scheme, taking enormous risks, but the outcome had been perfect.
Most importantly, her son had remained entirely in the shadows, leaving no trace that could arouse His Majesty’s suspicions. This was what she cared about the most.
Looking at Chen Fu, she ordered, “Go to Dingyuan Marquis’s residence immediately and deliver the good news. Make sure the Marquis family understands that Duan Yu’s promotion is entirely thanks to Mingxi.”
With Dingyuan Marquis’s wife’s personality, if this wasn’t made clear, she might foolishly believe her son’s success was due to his own abilities.
Hmph.
No one would take credit for her daughter-in-law’s efforts!
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