What was I Thinking when I Ditch the Second Male Protagonist Chapter 56

Chapter 56

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Currently, it appeared that Han Jiao had returned to the initial state of “unaffiliated force.”

The divisive plan employed by Prince Duan’s faction was unsuccessful, but only Prince Yan and Han Jiao were aware of it. Otherwise, Senior Minister Li wouldn’t have personally attempted reconciliation.

In the court’s factional struggles, there were four kinds:

The first kind involved clear allegiance. For instance, the Second Prince firmly stood with Prince Duan’s faction under the command of Senior Minister Li. Meanwhile, the Third Prince was a staunch supporter of Prince Yan, with Senior Minister Xu serving as the strategist behind the scenes.

The second type operated in secrecy. These individuals skillfully concealed themselves among the officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Boards, with unclear backing, relying on intuition to judge whether others were friend or foe, often risking friendly fire.

The third kind involved infiltrators within one’s own faction, like the one lurking by Prince Yan’s side. These individuals were the most troublesome, not only leaking their faction’s intelligence but sometimes inciting trouble, stirring emotions, and leading their brainless teammates into a pit.

The last category encompassed the unaffiliated force, including individuals who remained neutral and those unable to pick sides or establish influential connections. These folks faced minimal prospects of promotion, needing to rely on their seniority. When trouble came their way, they lacked saviors, just like Han Jiao’s father.

Additionally, there were those who sway with the wind, perching on the fence. Such individuals could be disregarded because switching allegiances was a grave taboo in the political arena, and most of them meet short-lived fates.

Han Jiao appeared to have returned to the unaffiliated force, but in reality, he secretly aligned with Prince Yan.

Maintaining this status was challenging. Han Jiao had already gained prominence in the political landscape due to his role in ghostwriting policy essays and the case of wrongful execution for personal gain. His worth was acknowledged by various political factions. Failing to win him over turned him into a dangerous adversary.

Once Han Jiao found himself unaffiliated, he became a constant target for probing by various political forces, rendering it nearly impossible to hold his ground.

Based on the present circumstances, only the big boss could serve as Han Jiao’s last straw of salvation.

It was necessary to make various factions believe that he was Xie Duo’s person to ensure a smooth and secure phase.

Today, the big boss personally came for one-on-one guidance, most likely to make Han Jiao understand the danger of his situation.

Faced with the big boss’ offer to lend a hand, Han Jiao, of course, felt quite tempted.

If the big boss remained uncorrupted, consistently supporting the rise of Prince Yan, Han Jiao would have clung to Xie Duo’s support with unwavering determination.

However, the big boss might inexplicably undergo a change of heart.

If Han Jiao were to hold onto Xie Duo’s support for several years and then suddenly let go when Xie Duo turned corrupt, the animosity generated would undoubtedly place Han Jiao at the top of the “Boss’ Prospective Prey List.”

The waters in the political arena ran deeper than he had imagined.

Especially after witnessing the strength of Senior Minister Li and the big boss, Han Jiao even contemplated an escape route by resigning from his official position to save his life.

After all, Prince Yan had given him two hundred taels of silver to use for business.

However, in the current situation, could he make it out unscathed?

More importantly, was he really willing to just exit the political arena like this?

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Han Jiao felt the small beast hidden in his heart roaring with anger.

Of course, he was not willing!

Riding a sluggish donkey, living in a modest doghouse, and eating leek-filled pancakes did not make Han Jiao feel particularly disappointed.

Riding in Prince Yan’s luxurious carriage, staying in the lavish residence near the royal mansion, and savoring sumptuous meals prepared by the palace cooks did not make Han Jiao feel particularly joyful.

Han Jiao’s happiness began with Elder Lin’s recognition, with the Emperor publicly praising his policy essay, and with solving the case of wrongful execution for personal gain.

From his past life until now, in his short twenty-year life, Han Jiao’s proudest and most exhilarating moment was when he solved the case of wrongful execution for personal gain and Prince Yan bowed to him in deep respect.

During his stay in Prince Yan’s mansion for just over half a month, engaging in discussions about strategies to benefit the people and strengthen the nation with Prince Yan every evening made Han Jiao feel truly alive.

He aspired to be a key figure in improving the lives of the masses, and he possessed the capability to achieve that goal.

If he were to give up his career and turn to business out of fear for his future, his soul would die prematurely. What would be the point of living then?

Senior Minister Li might have said something right. Han Jiao did resemble the young Senior Minister Li.

Both of them achieved fame at a young age, becoming scholars in their early teens, and harbored ambitions destined for the annals of history.

While Han Jiao’s political experience couldn’t match Senior Minister Li’s, he possessed knowledge ahead of his time, capable of assisting Prince Yan and ushering in a new era.

There was another hidden thought in his heart.

If he were to serve as an aide to a future monarch, like the big boss, it didn’t sound too bad.

As long as the big boss didn’t suddenly change his ways.

But this thought didn’t withstand deep scrutiny.

Xie Duo, though superior in political and military talent, seemed to have a different perspective on Han Jiao.

Prince Yan regarded Han Jiao as an advisor, and they shared a clear ruler-subject relationship.

But Xie Duo…

Xie Duo’s natural advantage in intelligence led him not to place much emphasis on Han Jiao’s governing abilities, so his relationship with Han Jiao leaned more toward friendship than advisorship.

Not only did Xie Duo not regard him as an advisor, Han Jiao’s feelings toward Xie Duo were also different from his feelings for Prince Yan.

Strangely, every time he faced Xie Duo, Han Jiao found it difficult to maintain a vigilant state.

Xie Duo exuded a powerful presence, coupled with his innate insight, causing people to abandon all pretenses and open up in his presence.

While such a person might seem dangerous, Han Jiao didn’t reject this.

When he was with Xie Duo, he felt more relaxed compared to being around Prince Yan.

It was weird. What exactly was going on?

Suddenly, an image of the moment when the big boss had embraced him flashed through his mind.

Back then, Han Jiao’s nose had brushed against Xie Duo’s chin, and the scent of his breath resembled the fragrance of a snowy forest.

Why on earth was he suddenly recalling this?

Han Jiao snapped back to reality. He looked down at the pouch hanging around his neck.

It was frustrating.

He tossed it aside for now.

Thinking about this matter made him feel somewhat awkward.

It was all because of the big boss’ indiscreet behavior.

How could a Prince, in front of everyone, embrace a subject like that?

It must have been Han Jiao’s duck-like flapping balance movements on the cuju field some time ago that made Xie Duo lose his due respect for him.

This wouldn’t do. He must maintain the image of a court official seriously from now on.

Xie Duo was quite self-absorbed. When Han Jiao approached him, he thought it was an attempt to curry favor, and when Han Jiao intentionally distanced himself, Xie Duo saw it as shyness.

It was hard to find a more arrogant salted fish than him.

Thinking about the big boss’ usually aloof and arrogant expression, Han Jiao chuckled. His thoughts gradually relaxed.

•••

On this morning, while Han Jiao was diligently copying official documents, a eunuch came in with a message. Senior Minister Xu had summoned several Hanlin Academy officials to discuss matters at the Wenhua Hall.

The first time being summoned by the Prime Minister, the room was filled with colleagues who were all very eager.

The eunuch only mentioned three names, including Han Jiao. The other two were Hanlin Junior Historiography Compilers.

Han Jiao felt quite nervous as he walked out the door under the envious gazes of his colleagues.

The expected test had come sooner than anticipated, but he hadn’t expected Senior Minister Xu to personally oversee it.

He didn’t know what kind of methods this Prime Minister used. If he employed subtle brainwashing techniques like Senior Minister Li, it would be relatively safe.

His greatest fear was that Senior Minister Xu had succumbed to the provocations of Prince Duan’s faction, not with the intention of winning Han Jiao over but to quickly remove any obstacles.

Entering the main hall of Wenhua Hall, an elderly man sat at the northern writing desk. His hair was all white and his round face was slightly plump, with a kind and gentle expression, lacking the majestic aura of Senior Minister Li.

Hearing footsteps, Senior Minister Xu raised his head and warmly gestured for the newcomers to sit at the three desks on the east side of the main hall.

Senior Minister Xu briefly explained the purpose of summoning them.

It was about the recent influx of refugees into the capital city.

Officially, they were to discuss the matter together, but in reality, it seemed Senior Minister Xu wanted to conduct a surprise inspection of the practical abilities of these three individuals.

The two Compilers were pleasantly surprised, but Han Jiao remained expressionless.

After explaining the reasons local officials had reported for the refugee issue, Senior Minister Xu invited the three of them to express their views.

Han Jiao was concerned that this old man might be setting a trap by involving him in a significant state matter. So, he didn’t show as much enthusiasm as the other two, remaining silent and occasionally giving brief responses.

The viewpoints presented by the two Compilers were not in agreement.

One Compiler began by emphasizing the issue of relief funds. He fearlessly pointed out that the initial allocation of funds by the Ministry of Revenue was determined according to the needs of the affected counties. The current refugee situation was undoubtedly due to local officials’ embezzlement. He suggested that the Emperor should dispatch investigators to examine the conduct of local officials.

The other Compiler’s perspective was more comprehensive. He believed that the refugee problem didn’t stem from inadequate relief funds but was a consequence of the county’s flooding last year, which had resulted in a failed harvest this year. He proposed allocating additional disaster relief funds and actively planning flood prevention projects in the region.

This led to a dispute between the two, with each presenting their arguments before Senior Minister Xu.

Senior Minister Xu displayed remarkable patience, waiting for their fiery debate to gradually subside before offering a conciliatory conclusion, “The viewpoints of both Masters have their merits.”

He then turned to Han Jiao with a smile. “Master Han, do you have any insights to share?”

Both the Compilers were taken aback and turned to look at Han Jiao in unison.

Hanlin Junior Historiography Compilers were held in higher regard than ordinary junior scholar-officials. They didn’t expect Han Jiao to offer any profound insights. They simply hoped that Han Jiao would voice agreement with their proposals.

Han Jiao felt very nervous.

Worried that his suggestion might lead to trouble, he even thought about casually agreeing with one of the Compilers’ proposals.

However, the ideas of these two inexperienced Compilers were utterly unimpressive, and supporting either of them would lead to a dead end.

As a result, an awkward silence settled in the hall.

One of the Compilers, observing the blank expression on Han Jiao’s face, assumed he couldn’t come up with a solution and couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle. He gently reminded, “If you can’t think of a solution right now, Master Han, you can refer to our proposals.”

Han Jiao gave him a polite smile to express his gratitude.

The other Compiler found amusement in Han Jiao’s apparent helplessness. He turned to Senior Minister Xu with a wry smile, as if saying, “Old man, don’t trouble this kid. The title ‘child prodigy’ is all for show. What can an inexperienced kid suggest?”

Senior Minister Xu broke the awkward silence by turning the question into a multiple-choice question, offering a way out for Han Jiao. “Master Han, do you think it’s more important to investigate local officials or to build dikes?”

Han Jiao couldn’t provide an answer, but he maintained a polite smile on his face.

The Compiler beside him grew impatient. “Just pick one, don’t overthink it.”

Han Jiao remained silent.

Han Jiao, who had run through various scenarios in his mind dozens of times, suddenly spoke, “I believe the immediate priority is to comfort the refugees.”

The two Compilers: “……”

Senior Minister Xu’s gaze shifted, paused for a moment, and he asked in a low voice, “What emergency measures does Master Han have?”

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