Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Chapter 743: The Suspicion Formation
The next day, Emperor Xifeng issued an edict that was beyond everyone's expectations, shocking the officialdom in the capital and even shaking the harem.

The gist of the edict was that the eldest prince's biological mother, Concubine Fei, had served in the palace for a long time, and had been respectful and prudent, well-behaved, and gentle in nature. She was worthy of being a role model for the other six palaces, and she was promoted to Imperial Noble Consort with the imperial seal.

Concubine Fei, who was over 40 years old and had long lost her beauty and love, did not expect the emperor's grace from heaven. She was so happy that she cried and kowtowed repeatedly to express her gratitude.

Dai Quan smiled and comforted her for a while, then ordered someone to present the imperial concubine's full set of clothes before he said goodbye and left.

Naturally, the people in Changchun Palace were the first to learn of this shocking news. Empress Chen sat on the Arhat bed with a solemn expression, slowly twisting a string of agate beads in her hands.

This was the first time that the emperor made a major decision without consulting her beforehand, and it involved major personnel changes in the harem.

Today, the Imperial Noble Consort has been appointed, and the Empress is completely unaware of it. This is enough to explain the problem.

Empress Chen knew that this was Emperor Xifeng's warning to her not to try to interfere in the succession issue. Apparently, he suspected that she had forged the second evil book, so he responded in this way.

The purpose of enthroning Concubine Fei as Imperial Noble Concubine was self-evident: it was to check and balance the Empress.

Could it be that he actually has his eyes on the eldest prince? Empress Chen's mind turned over a thousand times, and she carefully considered every possibility, without showing any emotion on her face.

If they were worried about the Chen family's interference in politics in the future, it would make sense to pass the throne to Sun Qiu. However, which of the New Party, the Neutral Party, the nobles, the royal family, and the eunuchs is easy to deal with? With Sun Qiu's ability, can he control the government?

An Wenyao was furious and could not help but say, "Your Majesty, Concubine Fei is currently summoning all the concubines and nobles in the palace. She is very proud of herself. Do you want to let her be overjoyed and end up in tragedy?"

Empress Chen glared at him and said coldly, "Stingy. Your Majesty has just conferred the title on her. If you attack her now, wouldn't that be telling the world that I cannot tolerate others? How can I explain this to Your Majesty?"
A little impatience can ruin a big plan, so let someone give her some gifts as a gift of congratulations."

"I obey your order." An Wenyao bowed and left. After a while, he came back with an ugly look on his face. He said cautiously, "Your Majesty, someone just brought me news that your Majesty took the eldest prince to the Military Affairs Office today..."

"Hmm?" A hint of sternness flashed across Empress Chen's eyes, and she said calmly, "Speak."

Today, Emperor Xifeng brought the eldest prince into the duty room of the Grand Council for the first time. When the grand secretaries and officials saw him, they hurried out and knelt to greet him.

"My dear ministers, please stand up." Emperor Xifeng smiled and said, "I have nothing to do today. Thinking that you are busy with government affairs and have been neglecting your sleep and food, I came to see you and have lunch with you."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and many eunuchs came in from behind carrying food boxes.

The clerks of the Grand Council hurriedly put away the documents and books on the table and asked the eunuchs to set out the tableware, wine and food.

"I thank Your Majesty for your grace." Duan Zhun, Jiang Feng and others were so moved that their eyes turned red and they bowed quickly.

Having been an official for decades, this is the first time I have received such treatment.

Emperor Xifeng said with a smile: "No need to be polite, just sit down and don't be so reserved. Qiu'er, help the old gentlemen to take their seats." Then he walked to the large desk in the middle and sat down.

Sun Qiu hurriedly agreed, smiled and went over to help Duan Zhun sit down, and pulled out a chair for Jiang Feng. After seeing that all the military officials were seated, he returned to stand beside Emperor Xifeng.

Today was auspicious day for him, and he was so happy that his heart almost exploded. First, his biological mother was canonized as Imperial Noble Consort, and then he was taken alone by the current emperor to the Grand Council to have meals with the other military officials. The meaning was self-evident, and it was obvious that the emperor was going to use him in an important position.

As expected, Emperor Xifeng drank a glass of wine with his ministers and said with a smile: "My dear ministers, I have been observing government affairs in the Military Affairs Office for quite some time. Have you been attentive?"

Sun Qiu's smile froze as he stood below, just like a child being questioned about his studies by his strict father. The most important thing is that this "study" may very well determine his fate.

The university scholars were all smart people. How could they possibly say bad things about Sun Qiu in front of everyone? They all smiled and said, "Thank you for your inquiry, Your Majesty. The eldest prince is talented, has a solid foundation, is diligent and progressive, and is generous and kind. He should be a role model for other princes."

Sun Qiu felt relieved and bowed modestly.

Emperor Xifeng glanced at him and said with a smile: "You must not spoil him, my lords. He has been spoiled since he was young. Although he has been to the Western Regions, he still does not fully understand the suffering of the people and the shortcomings of the government.

There are still many things to learn in the future. You must teach him strictly and truthfully, remove his ostentatious air, and retain his true nature. Don't be hindered by his status. He is not a prince in front of you, but just a student."

"I obey your order." The military officials were shocked. Could it be that the name written in the jade box was the eldest prince's?
Sun Qiu's heart was about to explode with excitement. He lowered his head in embarrassment when he heard this. He understood the obvious implication in the emperor's words, let alone the military officials?
But Emperor Xifeng turned his head and said, "Qiu'er, you must be more attentive in the Military Affairs Office in the future, and study with the other great scholars. You must not be lazy or idle, and you must not pretend to know something you don't. You must be modest and cautious, guard against arrogance and impatience, and ask questions without feeling ashamed. Do you understand?"

Sun Qiu hurriedly bowed and said, "I will follow your father's instructions and will never forget them for even a moment."

Emperor Xifeng smiled and said, "If that's the case, I'm very relieved. Let's go see your mother later."

"Yes."

Emperor Xifeng casually ate a few bites of food and then stood up to return to the palace. All the ministers hurriedly saw him out.

"My dear ministers, please go back and don't delay your official duties for me."

"Yes."

After Sun Qiu saw off Emperor Xifeng, he came back and bowed to the Grand Secretaries and said sincerely, "If I do anything inappropriate in the future, I hope you old gentlemen will teach me a lesson. I also ask you old gentlemen to teach me more about government affairs. Although Qiu is stupid by nature, I am willing to work hard."

Everyone smiled and complimented him humbly.

Sun Qiu was very respectful. He knew that if he wanted to govern the world, he needed the support of these civil officials. Therefore, he did not act like a prince at all and made the six ministers very happy.

Everyone was talking and laughing, each with their own thoughts, when a young eunuch came in holding an imperial decree and presented it to Duan Zhun.

This was obviously an imperial decree, which would become an imperial decree with the highest authority only after being signed and sealed by one or more Grand Secretaries of the Grand Council.

Duan Zhun opened it and took a look, then looked at the eldest prince and nodded slightly.

Huo Peng leaned over to take a look, twirling his beard and smiling, "Congratulations, eldest prince. The emperor has ordered you to open a government office, assist in military and national affairs, and help manage various government affairs to relieve the emperor's worries."

What? Sun Qiu was surprised and happy. Happiness came too suddenly and too frequently, and he didn't know what to say for a moment. He was stunned for a while before saying, "It seems that I will have to trouble you old gentlemen more in the future to live up to my father's trust."

Duan Zhun smiled and said, "We are all working for the court, and we are very happy to do so." He picked up the pen, signed his name, and ordered someone to seal it.

This imperial edict was quickly published in the court gazette. Many smart people in the court thought about the series of events in the past two days, including the reprimand of the second prince, the secret appointment of a crown prince, the appointment of a royal concubine, and the ordering of the eldest prince to set up a government office. It was obvious that the emperor wanted to focus on training the eldest prince. If that was the case, why didn't they hurry up and curry favor with him? When would they?
Overnight, the wind direction in Shenjing suddenly changed. Many court officials who supported other princes tried to curry favor with the eldest prince in overt or covert ways, hoping to change their allegiance and gain the credit of being the dragon's follower.

Sun Qiu naturally accepted this and accepted it all. He was courteous and eager to recruit talented people. Within a few days, his popularity in the court increased dramatically, and he was like a crown prince.

When the news reached Changchun Palace, Empress Chen just sneered and said, "Xiao Anzi, send someone to tell Can'er and Chi'er to just stay at home and study, and don't worry about anything else."

"Yes." Empress Chen hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Jia Cong has rested long enough at home. He sent assassins to spread the news in the capital, exposing the true identity of the Fei family. The Fei family colluded with Japanese pirates and water bandits to harm the south of the Yangtze River and killed countless people. Humph! The retribution is today."

An Wenyao bowed and said, "Yes. Madam, why do you need to send out assassins for such a small matter? Just send a few people to do it secretly."

Empress Chen said calmly, "Sending the assassins was of course to intentionally allow them to be captured by the East Factory."

An Wenyao came to his senses and said, "What the queen means is..."

"It was Jia Cong's order that they confessed." Empress Chen said, "This way, this kid won't be able to play tricks anymore."

An Wenyao suddenly smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is a brilliant plan. Fatty Feng and the others can only come up with a method of provoking others, but it is not as brilliant as your plan."

"Oh? What's so wonderful about it?" Queen Chen said with a smile.

"I dare to say that if this plan goes well, we can use Dai Quan and the East Factory to force Jia Shaobao to death, so that he can no longer tolerate it and decide to raise an army to quell the rebellion.

Your Majesty only needs to make a move at a critical moment, and then she can use him to support the Second Prince and stabilize the overall situation." An Wenyao said.

He had served Empress Chen since she was a child and was her absolute confidant, so he dared to speak frankly about such confidential matters.

Empress Chen smiled and said, "Xiao Anzi, you have improved."

"Your Majesty, you are too kind. Although I am stupid, I have become a little smarter after serving you for many years." An Wenyao bowed and said with a smile.

"Just go."

"Yes."
-
In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Emperor Xifeng was reviewing memorials by lamplight. Although he had been worried for the past two days, after a series of operations, everything went smoothly and he basically achieved the effect he expected.

Dai Quan came in quietly and said, "Your Majesty, today the secret agents of the East Factory caught three or four people who spread rumors and misled the public in various teahouses and taverns. At first, they refused to confess, but after being tortured, they all said that they were ordered by Jia Shaobao to spread rumors in the capital with the intention of... the intention of harming the eldest prince."

Emperor Xifeng paused, put down the wolf hair brush, and asked, "What rumor?"

"They are all about how the Fei family in Huai'an oppressed the good people, bullied the locals, and colluded with Japanese pirates and water bandits to wreak havoc in the south of the Yangtze River, opposing the new law." Dai Quan secretly glanced at the emperor and bowed to present a memorial on the case.

The emperor immediately remembered the report that Jia Cong had given him when he returned to the capital after suppressing the rebellion. He was immediately furious and sneered, "He is refusing to obey my punishment of him and the second brother, and wants to ruin the reputation of the first brother and play a counter-act with me.

How dare he! I just appointed the Imperial Concubine and allowed the eldest son to open a government office, and he devised this vicious plan, thinking that if he defeated the eldest son, the second son would be safe? Humph, he wants the credit of following the dragon, but I won't give it to him!"

Dai Quan observed the emperor's expression and saw that his hatred for Jia Cong was beyond measure, so he reported: "Your Majesty, the secret agents of the factory guards have recently discovered two shocking secrets and have just sent them to me. They are both about Jia Shaobao. Please make your decision, Your Majesty."

"explain."

"Yes. The first thing is that the Jia family has kept Prince Yi Zhong's missing little daughter for many years and has long harbored rebellious intentions." Dai Quan said sinisterly.

Hmm? A sharp light flashed in Emperor Xifeng's eyes. Although he knew that Jia Daihua and Prince Yi Zhong had some relationship in the past, since both of them were no longer alive, he did not investigate it in detail. He did not expect that the Jia family was so bold that they dared to keep this girl!

"who is it!"

“Your Majesty, this woman was originally the wife of Jia Rong of Ningguo Mansion, Qin. After the fall of Ningguo, she was taken as his own by Jia Cong. She was nominally his niece’s wife, but in reality she was his concubine, whom he doted on.

On the surface, Qin was the daughter of Qin Ye, the former Minister of Works, who was adopted at Yangshengtang. With such a humble background and the Qin family not being a wealthy family, how could the Jia family choose such a woman as the future wife of the clan leader?

I have long suspected this, so I ordered people to make inquiries from various sources. Recently, I found her wet nurse and learned that she had two star-shaped brand marks on her ankles. Combining information from various sources, I was able to confirm her true identity. "

Dai Quan spoke in one breath, waiting for Emperor Xifeng's instructions. He was well aware of the sensitivity of this woman's identity. It didn't matter that she was just a woman. What mattered was that her eldest brother, Prince Sun Shuo, was still alive.

As the eldest grandson of the retired emperor, he is definitely one of the most qualified people to inherit the throne. Jia Cong is worthy of death for keeping him at home.

As expected, Emperor Xifeng looked grim, and said, "I have let go of the matter of Jia Daihua. I never expected that Jia Cong would dare to be so rebellious. On the one hand, he made friends with the second brother, and on the other hand, he won over Yi Zhong's daughter. It was a good plan. If you want to catch two rabbits, you must catch one. What's the other thing?"

"Your Majesty, another thing is that the Guangzhou Jinyiwei sent news that Jia Cong was cooperating with the Western barbarians there. Not only did he build factories and do business, but he also bought up a large number of Western barbarians' firearms and warships.

"They have even recently opened an ordnance bureau and a gunpowder bureau, and have been manufacturing firearms and cannons on a large scale, which is actually an act of treason. Your Majesty, please make a decision." Dai Quan said as he presented another memorial.

Emperor Xifeng narrowed his eyes and his pupils shrank. He did not expect that "Zilong", whom he had placed high hopes on, would already have rebellious intentions. He was extremely angry and resentful in his heart, but his face was calm instead, and his eyes were like dark ice that had been there for thousands of years.

After thinking for a long time, he slowly said, "Imperial order, First Class Earl Jia Cong is involved in the recent case of evil rumors, and he is temporarily detained in the Taiwan prison to assist in the investigation."

In addition to administrative offices and imperial guards at all levels, the Three Judicial Departments also had an independent prison system.

The Ministry of Justice's prison was called Tianlao, the Dali Temple's prison was called Siyu, and the Censorate's other name was Yushitai, so their prisons were called Yuanyu or Taiyu.

The Taiwan Prison is different from other prisons. It is specially opened for high-ranking officials and nobles. Unless you are an official of the third rank or above, you are not eligible to enter.

"I obey your command." Dai Quan bowed and retreated hurriedly, with a sinister smile on his lips. He could tell that although the emperor's words were not serious, he already had the intention to kill him.

Brother Jia Cong, I am very sorry. Even if Princess Ruyi brings ten jade ruyis and ten red-lettered iron certificates, she cannot save you this time.

At this time, Princess Ruyi was sulking at home. Jia Cong came in and saw that she looked unhappy. He hurriedly asked the palace maid and learned that she had gone to see Sun Can in the afternoon.

Yin went over and sat next to her, smiling, "Yan'er, what's wrong? Did your second brother offend you again?"

Ruyi glared at him, waved her hand to dismiss the servants, and then pouted her lips and said, "Father is so partial, my second brother has made great contributions in the Western Regions, but he is confined at home.

That would be fine, but why did they suddenly appoint an Imperial Noble Consort this time? Concubine Fei is mean and narrow-minded. How could she be qualified to be in charge of the Imperial Noble Consort's treasure?

Since Big Brother Xu opened his own residence, why not Second Brother? Isn't this obviously bullying? How is Second Brother inferior to Big Brother?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "So Yan'er hopes that the second brother will take over the throne."

Ruyi said angrily, "How could I? Don't be so rude. No matter who takes over, he must be virtuous and talented. The throne is not a matter for one family or one surname. It concerns all the people in the world. How can it be given lightly?"

(End of this chapter)