Chapter 340: Striking First, Showing Leniency
None of the officials filling the hall objected to the little prince’s appearance in the Diligent Governance Hall, where state affairs were handled.
They all assumed that after his assassination attempt, Emperor Wu Su had realized the Crown Prince needed to be cultivated as early as possible, so he was keeping him by his side to observe the court.
Zhao Mingyan had no time for pleasantries with these officials. He tossed out a memorial.
"Take a look. Bandits have appeared in Longzhou again. The court is in need of capable people right now. Who is willing to go?"
Because Longzhou was remote and bordered Xijin, its terrain was easy to defend but difficult to attack. It was neither as perilous nor as important as the Northern Border.
The bandits there had always been a problem, so it wasn’t an urgent matter. Yet, it was being brought up now.
Most of the old officials who had been wailing and crying earlier had fallen silent.
These old foxes knew perfectly well what was going on. The Emperor’s sudden awakening this morning, followed by his swift, decisive punishment of Prime Minister Su—it was all part of the Emperor’s plan.
He had made a dangerous gambit to root out the treacherous officials.
Prime Minister Su was imprisoned in the Imperial Prison, and his accomplices were still being purged.
Now, Emperor Wu Su’s intention wasn’t merely to send someone to eliminate the bandits. He wanted to completely eradicate the influence Su Fengyue had previously established in Longzhou.
No one stepped forward to answer Emperor Wu Su. The hall was terrifyingly silent.
Yuan Heng sat on the steps of the dais, able to take in everyone’s reactions.
The way they all stared at the floor in silence was a stark contrast to their tearful entrance earlier.
’The hardship of being a sovereign,’ Yuan Heng fully understood in that moment. ’Sitting in this position, there is no one you can rely on. An Emperor’s only companion is endless loneliness.’
’That’s why your heart must be cold, must be hard.’
Yuan Heng turned his head slightly to look at his father’s reaction, only to see that Emperor Wu Su’s expression was unchanged. His feelings were unreadable, as if he had long expected his officials to react with such cowardice.
At that moment, a man in a crimson official’s robe stepped out from the ranks of civil servants on the left.
He announced in a loud voice, "This humble servant is willing to accept the command and go to Longzhou!"
The stagnant atmosphere in the hall was broken.
Lu Juan let out a sigh of relief and glanced at the back of Li Chengxun, who stood in the middle of the hall.
’I thought he was a spineless coward who married the Princess for a lifetime of wealth and glory, but it seems that’s not the whole story.’
Li Chengxun said, "This humble servant’s hometown is Xianyang, which is no more than five hundred li from Longzhou. I am better able to adapt to the local environment, making me a more suitable choice to go."
Emperor Wu Su said in a heavy voice, "But you and Qingyun were only recently married."
Just as Li Chengxun had said, he was indeed a good candidate. But Qingyun was so fond of her Prince Consort, she was bound to come and raise a fuss with the Emperor.
Li Chengxun replied, "This humble servant believes one must put the nation before family. I am first an official, and second a Prince Consort. If Princess Qingyun knew, she would surely support my decision."
With that matter settled, the rest of the proceedings went much more smoothly.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all matters had been more or less arranged. Just as the officials were about to withdraw from the hall, a soft whimper was suddenly heard.
It was the sweet, soft, and delicate voice of a little girl.
Everyone stopped in their tracks, their eyes darting around in search of the sound’s source.
Lu Juan and Duan Mingfeng, of course, knew who had made the sound. It was no wonder they hadn’t seen Jiu Jiu when they entered the hall earlier.
Duan Mingfeng had excellent hearing and could pinpoint the source of sounds. The little mistress was on His Majesty’s throne.
A small, pale arm popped up from the side of Emperor Wu Su’s imperial desk, but it was quickly lowered again.
Everyone’s gaze gathered on the large desk.
Before long, a small, fluffy head suddenly appeared. Her eyes were still hazy with sleep, and she rubbed them with her hand.
Li Chengxun recognized the child at once, and his expression softened.
Jiu Jiu, waking up a little more, realized that many pairs of eyes were staring at her.
She showed no fear. Instead, she widened her eyes and took the initiative.
"Who are you?"
The assembled court officials: ...They wanted to ask the same thing.
The little girl had just woken up. Her voice was soft and gentle as she rested her chin on the gleaming, dark-purple desk and looked at the crowd before her.
"Are you here to help His Majesty the Emperor with his work? Are you all done? Are you planning to leave now?"
Faced with the little girl’s triple-barreled questioning, quite a few of them lowered their heads, feeling guilty.
Lu Juan couldn’t hold back and lowered his head to hide the smile on his lips.
Zhao Mingyan’s expression remained cold and stern. He didn’t say a word to stop Jiu Jiu’s childish chatter, letting her do as she pleased.
The little girl then pursed her lips toward the tall stack of memorials on the desk.
She said earnestly, "My tutor taught me that those who eat the sovereign’s grain should ease the sovereign’s worries."
Jiu Jiu continued, "What are you all here for? Can’t you see His Majesty the Emperor still has so much work to do? You should each take a memorial with you when you leave."
The ministers looked at each other, their expressions awkward after being called out by Jiu Jiu.
’Subcontracting the responsibilities of governance...’
Lu Juan seriously pondered the feasibility of this idea.
Li Chengxun’s posture immediately became even straighter. The reason was simple: he was the only one holding a memorial, the one for suppressing the bandits in Longzhou.
Jiu Jiu noticed this too. Her bright eyes lingered on him, and she nodded in satisfaction. Li Chengxun smiled back at her.
The little girl’s breathing quickened noticeably. The haze of sleep was gone from her eyes, which now stared, crystal clear, at the stunningly handsome Li Chengxun in his red robe.
Zhao Mingyan immediately pulled the little girl into his lap, blocking their line of sight.
"Still not leaving?"
The Emperor’s voice was tinged with displeasure. With a stern face, he said, "If you’re not leaving, then form a line and get your assignments from me."
*
Ever since hearing the news that morning that Emperor Wu Su had woken up, the Empress Dowager had been feigning illness and refusing to leave Cining Palace, so flustered she could hardly sit still.
Fanghua stood quietly to the side while Shixi offered comfort, "Empress Dowager, please don’t panic. The Emperor has not issued any edicts. Perhaps he won’t take action against Cining Palace."
Sunlight from outside shone on the phoenix throne within the hall, making it glitter with golden light. But the Empress Dowager, seated upon it, felt nothing but desolation in her heart.
The Empress Dowager said with lifeless eyes, "That’s only because he hasn’t found the time yet. Once he’s finished dealing with Prime Minister Su, it will be my turn."
Shixi quickly said, "That won’t happen. The Empress Dowager still has the Prince and the Princess. The Emperor wouldn’t be so cruel as to harm you. This servant heard that when they went to arrest Prime Minister Su last night, the Prince even helped."
A flicker of life finally returned to the Empress Dowager’s face. She asked, "Is that true? Where is Prince Yong?"
"The Prince is still at the Imperial Prison."
The Empress Dowager frowned. "What is Ming Hong doing there?"
Shixi said, "The Emperor has entrusted the interrogation of Prime Minister Su to the Prince. This is enough to show his trust in him."
Only then did the panic in the Empress Dowager’s eyes subside a little.
She rose and went to the prayer hall, hoping that because her two good children had not overstepped their bounds in the slightest while Emperor Wu Su was "gravely injured," the Emperor might show her leniency.
「At the same time, in the Imperial Prison.」
Zhao Minghong sat in the overseer’s chair and pushed a thin blade in his hand toward a man from the Prison Department.
Even the Prison Director had never used such a cruel punishment. "Your Highness, this... this... this isn’t right."
For a man, the humiliation of this punishment far outweighed the pain.
"Do as I say."
Prince Yong glanced coldly at the person in the cell.
"Do it!"