Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 263: Difficult to End
Wen Jia paused at this point.

He stared at Xue Sui with a solemn expression, his pupils like two dark clouds.

"The palace... is probably about to undergo a major upheaval."

If something were to happen to the Crown Prince, the vacant position would become a tempting target for others.

Prince Duan, assuming himself to be a role model for the imperial clan, could perhaps rightfully ascend to the throne.

Even the King of Wei and the King of Chun are bound to be restless, and what about the King of Xian, who has been living in his fiefdom for a long time? Will he also have some ulterior motives?

The meditation room fell silent for a moment.

Only Niu Niu's faint laughter drifted in from outside the window, her childlike innocence undiminished.

Xue Sui gazed at the dancing light spots on the window lattice, recalling the words Li Zhao had spoken before his expedition. His emotions were like those of an ancient well tossed with pebbles, rippling outwards and lingering for a long time.

"Her Majesty the Empress was so worried about this that she was bedridden..." Wen Jia continued, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible resentment.

"That Xiao Qing'er was indeed no pushover. She seized the opportunity to curry favor, serving the Emperor every day. Then, under the guise of visiting the Emperor when he was ill, she went to the Empress's palace, bringing her medicine and reciting scriptures, being extremely attentive..."

Xue Sui asked, "How is Princess Tuya doing these days?"

A complex sense of melancholy flashed across Wen Jia's eyes, "The Zhaoyi conferred the title in early February has been constantly harassed by Xiao Qing'er because of her different customs and etiquette..."

She snorted again: "The other day, the Empress Dowager bestowed a kingfisher feather hairpin upon my aunt, and when Consort Xiao returned to the palace, she smashed her teacup, saying that the vixen Xizi was unworthy to use an item of imperial favor. Her arrogant nature is even worse than that of her aunt, Consort Xiao..."

"His Majesty actually doesn't protect Princess Tuya? How heartless..."

"Ha!" Wen Jia chuckled coldly.

"What true feelings can an emperor have? He used to dote on Consort Xiao, and everyone said they were childhood sweethearts, that they were deeply in love, and that the emperor was devoted to her. Then my aunt entered the palace, and my father fell in love with her at first sight, showering her with even more affection than before. But in a short time, he had the young and beautiful Consort Xiao..."

At this point, she gritted her teeth in anger.

"That old fox Xiao Song probably already knew the Emperor's heart when he sent Xiao Qing'er into the palace. Afterwards, not only did the Emperor not reprimand Xiao Qing'er, but he also promoted her rank. The Empress was exhausted and too lazy to deal with these trivial matters. This harem... is becoming a battlefield for her to fight."

Xue Sui remained silent.

In reality, what the emperor was considering was not romantic love, but rather the way to consolidate and balance imperial power.

Especially now, with the war in the western frontier intensifying, the morale of the army is restless and uneasy, and the people in the court and the public are filled with anxiety. The Xiao family has many cronies in the central government of Liang and also has influence in the army. Xiao Yan, the younger brother of Consort Xiao, is a general and the military governor of Longxi, and he holds a lot of troops.

At this moment, Emperor Chongzhao would certainly not make a big fuss over trivial matters of vying for favor in the harem...

After a long pause, she finally said, "Princess Tuya is calm and composed; she will not contend with her."

“What’s the use of remaining calm? In this cannibalistic palace, if you don’t fight, you can only wait to be trampled into the mud, just like my mother did.”

When Wenjia mentioned her deceased birth mother, her eyes were filled with sorrow and helplessness.

A woman from Mount Ulan, so proud and aloof, is trapped in a gilded cage in the deep palace, and even pecked at by Xiao Qing'er's bullying creatures, a truly heartbreaking situation...

Wen Jia picked up the slightly cool teacup, took a sip, and then let out another bitter laugh.

"Sometimes I think, it would be better to take Niu Niu and find a quiet place like yours, away from the world."

Xue Sui narrowed his eyes slightly, his mind churning with thoughts.

The Crown Prince of Western Frontier is trapped with his isolated army, while factional infighting rages in the capital. The aftermath of a military supply corruption case has yet to subside, instead becoming a tool for infighting. The Zheng State Duke's Mansion, the Xue family, the Duan Prince's Mansion, and those old foxes from the Dali Temple...

“Prince Duan hasn’t been having an easy time lately either.” Wen Jia noticed her frowning and deep in thought, as if she had remembered something.

He added, "After the princess gave birth to her daughter, she became suspicious all day long, either complaining that the prince was neglecting her or suspecting that the servants were mistreating Aning, causing chaos in the Duan Prince's mansion. At the full moon banquet, the Duan Prince's wife suddenly had a fit and cried her heart out, causing the guests to leave in displeasure and becoming a minor joke in the capital."

Xue Sui recalled Li Huan's words, "If there is an afterlife, I wish to be born into an ordinary family," and fell silent.

Xue Yuechen was born into a noble family and married into an aristocratic family... How could she possibly live the life of an ordinary person?

"There's nothing new in this pile of brocade."

She suddenly looked up at Wen Jia and changed the subject.

"What do you think is the biggest shortage in western Xinjiang besides food and supplies during the snow disaster?"

Wen Jia was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "I suppose it's warm clothing, medicine to treat the plague, and... a way to open up Black Wind Pass and rescue His Highness the Crown Prince? Ping An, I heard that Black Wind Pass is a treacherous place, snow has blocked the mountains, and Ashina's elite cavalry has set up layers of defenses, making it impossible for reinforcements to enter..."

"Princess," Xue Sui said softly, her calm tone seemingly possessing a strange penetrating power that broke the oppressive atmosphere.

"If I have a way to resolve the predicament in the Western Frontier and quell the rebellion of the displaced people, Your Highness, would you be willing to present this plan to the Emperor?"

Wen Jia looked up abruptly, her eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.

"Ping An, do you have a way..."

"Mm." Xue Sui nodded at her.

"If you have a good plan, why not let me present it to Father Emperor?"

"No," Xue Sui said solemnly, his expression grave. "Only if Prince Duan personally handles this matter will His Majesty have any doubts..."

Wen Jia's expression changed slightly, and her smile became bitter.

Ping An is right. If she were to offer advice, how could the Emperor easily believe a woman's words? He wouldn't listen, much less take it seriously.

Wen Jia nodded, then anxiously asked, "Will your method work?"

"It's all up to human effort." Xue Sui looked at the new bamboo outside the window. "We should at least give it a try."

Wenjia held her hand tightly, her hands trembling with excitement.

"Alright! Alright! I'll go back and inform Prince Duan right away!"
-
The next day at dusk.

A thin mist hangs over the upturned eaves of Shuiyue Temple, accompanied by the sound of rustling pines.

The rapid, heavy sound of horses' hooves broke the tranquility of spring, approaching from afar and finally stopping outside the mountain gate.

Jinshu rushed in, her face grave.

"Miss, Prince Duan has arrived. He has dismounted outside the mountain gate."

Xue Sui put down the scripture in his hand and nodded calmly.

"Please come to the guest room, Your Highness."

She knew that Li Huan had come at this time because of the matter in the Western Frontier, and because of the message that Wen Jia had sent.

Outside the guest hall, Li Huan was dressed in a black casual robe, his brows furrowed with exhaustion and anxiety, his eyes bloodshot, clearly indicating that he had not slept well for many days.

"This humble nun greets Your Highness." Xue Sui stepped into the room and bowed with her hands clasped together.

Upon hearing this, Li Huan turned around, his gaze falling on her thin face, his Adam's apple bobbing.

"Ping An, I..."

“I know Your Highness has come for the war in the Western Frontier.”

Xue Sui got straight to the point, skipping all the pleasantries.

Li Huan was taken aback, then nodded: "His Majesty summoned his ministers for a meeting that lasted three days and nights, with endless arguments but no good solutions. The Crown Prince is trapped at Black Wind Pass, his food supplies are cut off, and a plague is spreading in the west. If no solution is found, the 30,000-strong army led by His Highness the Crown Prince... will surely be annihilated!"

(End of this chapter)