Aoyama

Chapter 443 The night doesn’t stop

Wu Yun meowed: "The Emperor said that Jingchao definitely wants to replace Yuan Cheng, the Privy Councilor. The Yuan clan nobles in Shangjing will not allow Yuan Cheng to be humiliated in Ningchao. Either war will break out or a replacement will be sent. The envoy is probably already on his way... The Emperor said that Yuan Cheng must be returned to Jingchao to check and balance the Grand Councilor Yuan Xiang and the Deputy Privy Councilor Lu Jin."

"The Emperor said that we must guard against the generals in the army killing the envoy. The Wansui Army, the Five Armies Camp, and the Border Army are all pro-war. If they kill the envoy, there may be great chaos. But he has not yet decided who to send to Chongli Pass to escort the envoy to the capital. This matter must be kept secret."

"Not only do the military officers want to kill the envoy, but Lu Jin's intelligence division will also try every means to kill the envoy and Yuan Cheng. This trip is dangerous, and someone from the Twelve Zodiacs will be secretly following us."

Inside Renshou Palace, court officials stood with their heads bowed, while dark clouds relentlessly conveyed secrets.

Despite the Jing Dynasty's military intelligence department's best efforts, they couldn't plant spies around Emperor Ning, but he managed to do it.

The Imperial Secret Agent, so fierce!

Chen Ji quietly raised his eyes and saw Emperor Ning sitting cross-legged on his throne.

The last time he saw Emperor Ning was when he received the envoy from Goryeo. The envoy was dressed in a leather cap, with a black gauze hat and a crimson gauze robe, looking dignified and solemn.

This time, Emperor Ning wore a black brocade Taoist robe, embroidered with the Twenty-Eight Mansions in gold thread, and a simple wooden hairpin on his head.

The majesty remains, but the solemnity is gone.

As Chen Ji was observing, he happened to meet Emperor Ning's gaze. Emperor Ning's eyes were piercing, and Chen Ji quickly lowered his head again.

Emperor Ning stroked Wu Yun's head and slowly began to speak: "Lately, I don't know why, but a strange wind has swept through the capital, and one strange thing after another has happened. First, someone set fire to Qipan Street, then someone dared to impersonate a member of the Jie Fan Guard and attempt an assassination during the Spring Hunt, and a few days ago, a madman charged into the Five City Garrison in front of Anding Gate. And today, someone even dared to disrupt the imperial procession during the scholar's parade... You are all pillars of my Ning Dynasty, tell me, what's wrong with my Ning Dynasty? Is it because I, as the emperor, am immoral that demons are wreaking havoc on the world?"

The court officials inside the hall all knelt down, crying, "Your Majesty, we deserve to die ten thousand times!"

Emperor Ning smiled and said, "I was just joking with you all, don't take it seriously. Grand Secretary Chen, you tell me first, how did your Chen family members, after being exiled to Lingnan, end up living as wealthy men in Nanjing? Not only did you spend a fortune to buy a garden, but you also bought twelve concubines from Southeast Asia."

Grand Secretary Chen bowed low and said, "Your Majesty, I deserve to die ten thousand times over."

Emperor Ning said casually, "I just want to know if the Grand Secretary knows about this?"

Grand Secretary Hu turned to look at Grand Secretary Chen, who replied firmly, "Your Majesty, I am unaware of this."

Emperor Ning patted Wuyun's head, placed it on the throne, then stood up and stepped down from the throne: "Grand Secretary Chen has to manage a large family, so it's understandable that he was unaware of the situation. The mastermind behind this case is Chen Lizhi, who not only forged household registrations for Chen Wenren, but also sent people to Lingnan to perform forced labor in Chen Wenren's place. He truly deceived everyone; what a clever scheme."

Grand Secretary Chen knelt on the ground, trembling, and said, "The family's conduct is corrupt, and this old minister also bears responsibility."

Emperor Ning asked casually, "What crime do you think I should charge Chen Lizhi and Chen Wenren with?"

"It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide," Grand Secretary Chen said in a low voice. "I feel ashamed and wish to retire and return to my hometown, Luzhou, to return to the Chen family to continue their studies, so that the descendants of the Chen family may work for Your Majesty's new policies until their dying day."

Emperor Ning casually said, "It's good that you have this intention, Grand Secretary. There's no need for you to retire and return to your hometown. The Crown Prince is currently focused on his studies and can't be without you by his side."

The court officials thought to themselves.

Court intrigue is never a matter of simply issuing an imperial decree and expecting subordinates to follow it. The saying goes, "Imperial power doesn't extend to the county level." How much of an imperial edict is actually implemented outside the capital depends entirely on the whims of powerful families and gentry; they simply have to comply in a way that leaves no room for criticism.

If they really find fault, they'll just put forward a few scapegoats and that'll be the end of it.

But now, His Majesty has completely taken over the implementation of the new policies in Luzhou. If there is any more outward compliance but inward resistance, like Liao Zhong before and Chen Wenren after, they will likely all be dealt with.

Just as the court officials were laughing at the Chen family, Emperor Ning ordered, "Wu Xiu, send a fast horse to the Jinling and Lingnan Jiefan Guard camps, instructing them to conduct a secret investigation to see which other criminals who should be exiled are still living comfortably, and bring them to the capital."

Wu Xiu said in a low voice, "Yes."

He walked out of Renshou Palace and gave instructions to Jiefanwei.

The court officials were alarmed. Several of them realized that some of their own family members were also hiding in Jinling. They immediately wanted to send someone to inform them, but they were kneeling in Renshou Palace and it was too late.

Someone secretly glared at Chen Ji. If this kid hadn't caused trouble, His Majesty probably wouldn't have thought of using such a trivial matter to open a fire.

Before they could come up with a solution, Emperor Ning abruptly changed the subject and asked Wang Daosheng, "General Wang, why did you return to the capital ahead of schedule? I heard that you brought twelve attendants and several warhorses died while rushing back. If anything happens to Yuancheng, how will you explain it to me?"

Wang Daosheng knelt on the ground: "Your subject knows his crime."

Seeing that he didn't explain, Emperor Ning chuckled: "General Wang, aren't you going to explain? Or is it that General Wang has read the books of the sages and refuses to lie to me?"

Wang Daosheng said again, "Your subject knows his crime."

He ultimately did not reveal Chen Ji and Zhang Zhuo's identities.

Chen Ji sighed inwardly.

At this moment, Wuyun continued to relay information: "The princess is doing very well in the palace. The beautiful, kind-hearted, dignified and generous Empress summons her to Kunning Palace every few days. She is quite pleased with the Empress and has even made her a new Taoist robe and changed her hairpin."

"No one in Jingyang Palace dares to bully the princess anymore. She is now the abbess, and a woman named Xuan Su is in charge of things on her behalf. However, I observe that the princess seems to be cultivating, but I don't know what she is cultivating."

Chen Ji was slightly surprised. The princess had also built a gate for the imperial court?

Wuyun meowed, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, "Could you find a way to get rid of that woman named Yuan Jin who serves the Empress? She's so annoying..."

As Wu Yun was speaking, Emperor Ning suddenly asked, "Now let's talk about this madman Chen Ji. Why don't you tell us why you offended the imperial procession today?" Chen Ji was still kneeling on the ground, silently listening to Wu Yun complain about the trivialities of life.

Only after the official beside him nudged him did he come to his senses: "What?"

Emperor Ning said with great interest, "Grand Secretary, are all the disciples of your Chen family so disrespectful to the emperor? They even dare to daydream in my Renshou Palace?"

Chen Ji hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I deserve to die ten thousand times over."

Emperor Ning looked at Chen Ji with a half-smile and said, "Could it be that you also want to learn from your teacher and tarnish your own reputation? Or perhaps it was Lord Zhang who taught you that?"

Chen Ji's heart skipped a beat. It turned out that Emperor Ning had long seen through Wang Daosheng's early return to the capital as a self-deprecating tactic, and also realized that it was Zhang Zhuo's doing.

Zhang Zhuo then loudly proclaimed, "Your Majesty, this was all done by me alone..."

Emperor Ning interrupted impatiently, "Alright, alright, don't do such self-righteous things again. If others find out, they'll think I can't tolerate loyal and virtuous ministers. You've tarnished yourselves, where do you place me? You are loyal ministers, and I am a foolish ruler?"

Zhang Zhuo dared not say more.

Emperor Ning casually said, "Draft an edict: Wang Daosheng's great victory has enhanced the prestige of our Ning Dynasty. He shall be promoted to Minister of War and granted twelve memorial arches for loyalty and righteousness..."

Wang Daosheng hesitated for a long time before bowing deeply again: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

This series of rewards was unexpected.

Everyone thought that Emperor Ning would take this opportunity to diminish Wang Daosheng's merits, but unexpectedly, he directly gave Wang Daosheng the position of Minister of War.

Although he hasn't entered the cabinet yet, he's only one step away.

Zhang Zhuo sighed inwardly: "His Majesty has a clever strategy. This time, he intends to use him to win people's hearts."

If he hadn't defied the imperial decree and tarnished his reputation as an envoy, all the rewards would have been rightfully his, and all of them would have been what Wang Daosheng deserved.

But now, it has all become His Majesty's favor.

Before anyone could think further, Emperor Ning turned to Chen Ji and said, "As long as you're in the capital, the capital will never have a moment's peace. Stop getting in my way and go work as a night watchman outside Chongli Pass. You are not to return to the capital without my permission."

Is the night watchman not in charge?
Chen Ji knew that the so-called "fast-moving night scouts" was an alternative name for border scouts in the Ning Dynasty, but they were different from ordinary scouts. The night scouts directly under the command of the border general were all appointed by the acting officers.

Spying on the enemy, infiltrating and lying in wait, and drawing maps were all tasks for night scouts.

In the 29th year of the Jia Ning era of the Ning Dynasty, two night scouts roamed the wilderness outside Chongli Pass for 37 days, killing 46 Jing Dynasty scouts and leading 46 warhorses back to Chongli Pass.

But this was also a thankless and arduous task that went unnoticed... much like being exiled to Lingnan.

Emperor Ning saw that Chen Ji remained silent: "What, don't you want to go?"

Chen Ji hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, when may I depart?"

"We'll leave tomorrow morning. The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll have peace and quiet," Emperor Ning waved his sleeve. "You may all step down. The Qionglin Banquet is about to begin. You may proceed ahead."

Just as the court officials were leaving Renshou Palace, Emperor Ning suddenly said, "Zhang Zhuo, stay."

Zhang Zhuo paused, then said, "Yes."

Chen Ji silently followed behind the court officials, led out of the Forbidden City by a young eunuch carrying a palace lantern.

As I passed through the hanging flower archway outside Renshou Palace, I saw Bai Long standing outside the gate, watching the Grand Secretary and the Ministers leave.

Chen Ji's heart skipped a beat; the white dragon had returned.

He carefully examined Bai Long; his robes, belt, black boots, hairpins, and even the jade pendant at his waist were exactly the same as when he first met him, spotless.

It must all be thanks to that mask.

Chen Ji didn't speak to Bai Long. As he walked past with his head down, Bai Long slipped a thin bamboo tube into his hand.

He discreetly slipped it into his sleeve, and only after he left the Meridian Gate and all the court officials had gone to the Imperial Academy did he find a secluded spot to open it and check it.

Secret decree!

This secret edict appears to have been written by Emperor Ning himself, devoid of any official formality. Instead, it seems as if Emperor Ning were standing before him, issuing an order: "I hereby appoint you as the Grand Commander of the Capital Garrison, in command of the Imperial Guards. First, you will use your status as a night watchman to gather intelligence on military strategies. Afterward, the Imperial Guards will go to Chongli Pass to provide support. When the Jing Dynasty envoy arrives at Chongli Pass, immediately lead the Imperial Guards to escort him to the capital. There must be no mishap."

Chen Ji suddenly looked up.

He hadn't taken it seriously when Wuyun mentioned it earlier, but now this difficult task had fallen on his shoulders!

What kind of official position was the Governor-General of the Imperial Guards? It had no official rank, but it had the authority to command the Imperial Guards.

If he hadn't just been granted the title of Baron of Wuxiang County, he really wouldn't have been able to shoulder this heavy responsibility.

(End of this chapter)