Chapter 481: The Setup
Ye Chutang was a little surprised. "What?"
A glint in his eye, Shen Yanchuan said, "It’s a birthday gift. Wouldn’t it spoil the fun if I told you beforehand?"
’This man is actually trying to keep me in suspense?’
Ye Chutang raised an eyebrow and replied with a smile, "The Princely Heir has always been generous, so it must be a grand gift. Should I thank you in advance, then?"
It never hurt to take a freebie. Shen Yanchuan was known for being open-handed, so of course Ye Chutang accepted.
Shen Yanchuan hadn’t expected her to agree so readily. He stared into her obsidian-like eyes. "Really? If I give it to you, you can’t refuse."
Ye Chutang had a faint feeling that something was off, though she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
But she still trusted Shen Yanchuan. The Young Master Heir had given his word—how could it be anything less than wonderful?
So, her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled and nodded.
"A gift from the Princely Heir is something I would not dare to refuse."
...
The news of Jiang Zhao Yuan’s downfall spread through the Capital City as if it had grown wings.
Consort Ru was stunned.
Xiao Chengxuan was dumbfounded.
And their many followers were all caught completely off guard.
However, before they could even react, new appointments were announced: Chen Songshi had become the new Chief Cabinet Minister, and Tang Zhongli had also successfully entered the Cabinet, concurrently serving as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Everyone was silenced. At the same time, they finally realized: the political tides had turned.
Among the Six Ministries, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel held the highest status, overseeing the promotion and review of all officials.
It was by occupying this very position that Jiang Zhao Yuan had built his power base. Who would have thought he’d be stripped of it all overnight?
Someone else might not have been able to command respect in the role, but Tang Zhongli was different.
As the Imperial College Sacrificial Officer, his students could truly be found throughout the land. When it came to connections, he was hardly inferior to Jiang Zhao Yuan.
His appointment to replace Jiang Zhao Yuan was, simply put, perfect.
The Cabinet had been Jiang Zhao Yuan’s personal domain, but now, Chen Songshi and Tang Zhongli together were more than a match for him.
At first, many people adopted a wait-and-see attitude, expecting the new Cabinet to descend into chaos and fail to function, which would ultimately force them to bring Jiang Zhao Yuan back.
But then, explosive news broke—the Wazhen had proactively requested peace talks!
With that, everyone’s attention was diverted.
After all, compared to internal strife, they cared far more about the security of the border.
After so many years of war with the Wazhen, they were now seeing them bow their heads. The chance for peace was right before their eyes—who could not be excited?
And so, the court officials no longer argued about whether Jiang Zhao Yuan should stay or go.
The biggest, most pressing question became how to negotiate peace with the Wazhen!
How should the ceremony be conducted? Who should be sent as the envoy? How should the terms of the negotiation be balanced? Every detail became a focal point.
This was especially true for the Beijing Officials. Having grown accustomed to hearing about the wars on the Northern Border, they held Shen Youyan, who guarded the border with awe-inspiring authority, in both reverence and envy. Now that it was finally their turn to achieve glory, how could they not scramble for the opportunity?
Everyone knew that whoever could successfully broker these peace talks would go down in the history books as a great hero.
Under the lure of fame and fortune, who had time to care about Jiang Zhao Yuan, who had already been kicked out of the game?
...
When Jiang Zhao Yuan took off his official robes and hat and returned to the Jiang Mansion, he still hadn’t realized the severity of the situation.
But as the days passed and the Jiang Mansion’s halls remained empty, with not a single official visiting from morning till night, he finally had a delayed realization: when a person’s power fades, so do their friendships.
Emperor Muwu, in consideration of his many years of hard work, did not reclaim the mansion that had been gifted to him, leaving it for his retirement.
This undoubtedly made Jiang Zhao Yuan feel even worse.
Such a vast mansion! So cold and deserted!
Only then did he realize that having left the Cabinet, getting back in would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
...
When Consort Ru heard the news, she fell ill and was unable to rise from her bed.
Xiao Lansi attended to her day and night. Despite a continuous stream of medicine, Consort Ru’s health showed no signs of improvement.
The successive blows of the past days had already inflicted great trauma on her spirit. In just a short time, she had become gaunt and haggard.
When Xiao Lansi helped her sit up, she could feel how bony her mother’s shoulders were.
She frowned slightly and scolded a palace maid:
"What is wrong with these Imperial Physicians? My mother has been ill for so long and has taken so much medicine, yet there isn’t the slightest improvement?"
The palace maid looked troubled. "Princess, this... this... there’s nothing we can do! The Imperial Physicians come, but they always leave so quickly. Her Ladyship threw up her medicine two days ago, and when I ran to the Imperial Hospital to ask about it, they were extremely impatient..."
With Xiao Chengxuan imprisoned and Jiang Zhao Yuan having resigned from his post, it was a classic case of the mighty tree falling and the monkeys scattering.
The palace servants were all shrewd survivors. At this point, they couldn’t wait to sever all ties with Consort Ru. Why would they put any real effort into her treatment?
Although Xiao Chengxuan had not yet been convicted, their situation had already reached rock bottom.
Xiao Lansi bit her lip.
Consort Ru, leaning weakly against the headboard, listened to all this with a desolate, cold smile.
"Don’t bother begging them. They’re all just a pack of dogs who follow the wind!"
So many people used to scramble to pay their respects to us, and now they’ve all run away!
Xiao Lansi turned and sat by the bed, her brow furrowed with worry. "How did it come to this... Elder Jiang only just stepped down a few days ago?"
At the mention of this, hatred flared in Consort Ru’s eyes.
She gripped the bedding so tightly her knuckles turned white. "It’s all because we were framed and trapped by them! Those people must have prepared for this long ago, just waiting for this day!"
Jiang Zhao Yuan’s power in the court was immense; he shouldn’t have fallen so quickly. But no one expected the Wazhen to sue for peace, throwing the entire court into disarray.
In the span of a single night, Jiang Zhao Yuan’s power was carved up and divided completely.
If someone were to say this wasn’t premeditated, Consort Ru wouldn’t believe it even in death.
"Chen Songshi, Tang Zhongli..." Consort Ru muttered through gritted teeth. "And Shen Yanchuan! I’ve already heard. He was the one who brought those two for an audience with the Emperor that day, and right after, my father was forced out! He must have had a hand in this!"
Xiao Lansi was taken aback. "That shouldn’t have anything to do with him, right? Wasn’t it Elder Jiang who personally invited—"
"How could it have nothing to do with him!"
Consort Ru sharply cut her off.
"If he hadn’t brought back the news of the Wazhen’s peace offer, His Majesty would never have agreed to Father’s resignation so readily!"
Consort Ru was no fool. To have enjoyed favor in the imperial harem for so many years, she had a very clear mind.
The only reason her father’s plan went awry was because of Shen Yanchuan’s appearance!
"That news was never supposed to be presented by him! For him to choose that specific day—wasn’t it deliberate?!"
"Every step was timed perfectly. Only a ghost would believe it wasn’t a setup!"
Xiao Lansi said nothing.
She could already see that Consort Ru had developed a deep-seated hatred for Shen Yanchuan. Anything she said now would be wrong.
She gently patted Consort Ru’s back. "Mother, don’t work yourself up and harm your health. Since you’re not feeling well, try not to think about these things for now. How about we ask someone else to come take a look?"
Consort Ru let out a cold laugh. "Someone else? At a time like this, who would still be willing to set foot in this Yaohua Palace?!"
Everyone is avoiding it like the plague!
Xiao Lansi lowered her gaze in thought for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up.
"What about Ye Chutang?"