Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 431 The Rise of the Crown Prince
In the small flower hall, the charcoal brazier burned brightly, making it warm and cozy.

The aroma of tea rises gently, forming a thin layer of frost on the window.

Tian Shu was still dressed in a moon-white brocade robe with a cross-collar, his face was cold and aloof, and his black hair was neatly tied up.

Seeing Xue Sui lift the curtain and enter, he did not get up, but simply nodded slightly.

Yao Guang was not so proper. Wearing a royal blue brocade jacket with fox fur trim, she still had that carefree and frivolous look, and would tease him with a smirk.

"Our little thirteenth has returned from his long journey to the Western Frontier, unharmed and even seems more energetic than before? It seems His Highness the Crown Prince has taken good care of him?"

Tian Shu glanced at Yao Guang.

Yao Guang wisely stopped laughing and sat up straighter.

Xue Sui rolled his eyes at him, sat down in the chair opposite him, and looked at Tian Shu.

"Senior Brother, you've come through the snow; is there something important?"

"Yes." Tian Shu's voice was low and calm. "I've come here to deliver a message from my master."

Upon hearing this, Xue Sui's expression turned serious.

"What instructions does the Master have?"

Tian Shu took out a secret letter from his sleeve, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Xue Sui.

"Master means that the time is right and we should make arrangements as soon as possible. We can use the aftermath of the Xiao Party case to avenge our defeat and avoid any unforeseen complications... If we delay any longer, things might get complicated."

Xue Sui opened the secret letter.

Above is the evidence compiled by Tian Shu regarding the Old Mausoleum Swamp case, along with a list of several officials who participated in the suppression of the Old Mausoleum Swamp. Some have been implicated by the Xiao faction and imprisoned, while others still hold positions in the court. Among them, the most prominent is Xie Yanzhan, who still holds the position of Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

"How is the Emperor doing?" she asked.

"At most, we have six months left." Tian Shu paused, his dark eyes fixed on her with even colder intensity. "Our time is running out."

Xue Sui nodded, "I understand. Please tell Master that Xue Liu remembers the instructions of the three masters and the grievances of the 200,000 soldiers of the Old Mausoleum Swamp. He will not let them down."

Yao Guang, who was playing with his teacup, interjected when he heard the sound.

"Speaking of which, there's something strange. When Prince Duan sent people to search Shuiyue Nunnery, Xiao Zhao burned Thirteen's Yama's Picture Book on the spot, but Prince Duan knew about it. Yet he never mentioned it to the Emperor, nor did he try to blackmail him. That's strange..."

Xue Sui tightened his grip on the secret letter with a slight pressure.

“Li Huan has always been patient. If he doesn’t lash out, it’s either because he feels the matter isn’t threatening enough and not worth the risk, or he’s waiting for the right opportunity to seek greater benefits.”

She pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Send people to keep a close eye on the movements of Prince Duan's residence. When the Crown Prince returns to the capital, he will surely investigate the Xiao faction thoroughly. Prince Duan has deep ties with the Xiao faction, and he might take action."

Tian Shu nodded. "Don't worry."

Xue Sui's gaze swept calmly over the two of them.

"There's one more person we can't forget."

"Who is it?" Yao Guang asked.

“The deposed princess… Ping Le.”

Xue Sui slowly uttered the name, as if referring to a disgusting venomous snake.

Yao Guang frowned: "Ever since she was deposed, she has lost her former arrogance. This time, she secretly returned to the capital and has been scheming everywhere to try to make a comeback. She has both coerced Prince Wei and colluded with the Empress Dowager in the palace. In my opinion, His Majesty may not be unaware of this and is probably turning a blind eye to it. I just wonder... without the Xiao faction as her backer, what kind of trouble can she stir up?"

"Even a cornered dog will jump over a wall. I know this person; she will never be content to fade into obscurity." Xue Sui had long been familiar with Ping Le's obsession and madness.

"I need to find a time to visit Aunt Chun at the Marquis of Jingyuan's residence."

Tian Shu exchanged a glance with her, his expression slightly tense. The person she wanted to visit was certainly not Aunt Chun.

He was Gu Jie, who had an affair with Ping Le.
-
On the day Li Zhao returned to the capital, he went to the palace to pay his respects to Emperor Chongzhao.

I stayed there from the afternoon until evening.

The young Consort Zhen was attending to the ailing prince when he entered. She quickly rose to greet him, her voice extremely soft.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince has finally returned. His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."

Emperor Chongzhao glanced at her listlessly, waved for her to leave, leaned back on the soft pillows, smiled palely, and breathed more rapidly than usual...

"You've handled things well in the Western Frontier."

He looked at Li Zhao, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Xiao Yan has been executed, and the border is at peace... You have done a great service this time. Let the officials handle the remaining miscellaneous tasks. You... cough cough... go back to the Eastern Palace to recuperate; your health is the most important thing."

Li Zhao bowed respectfully, saying, "Your son is unfilial, failing to follow Your Majesty's orders to completely resolve the thirty-six strongholds of Yunling. Your Majesty still needs to handle the aftermath. I am truly ashamed..."

Emperor Chongzhao waved his hand, looking somewhat weary. "This matter... Lu Jing has already discussed it with me. Your considerations are not without merit. Well then, the way of keeping them at arm's length is not entirely unacceptable. The Great Liang cannot withstand any more military troubles at present... cough cough, maintaining stability is the best course of action."

Li Zhao bowed deeply, saying, "Father is wise."

He then carefully reported the details of the war in the western frontier, the merits of the generals, and the people's livelihood.

Throughout his words, he made sure to attribute all the credit to the emperor's strategic planning.

Emperor Chongzhao smiled. “Your Highness, there’s no need for such formality. I’m well aware of the affairs of the court… cough cough, nowadays, all the civil and military officials are saying that the Crown Prince should make the decisions, which makes me, the emperor… seem like a mere figurehead. I’m afraid that in a while, the people of the capital will only know the Crown Prince and not me.”

Li Zhao hurriedly knelt down, saying, "Your subject dares not. Your Majesty's might is awe-inspiring throughout the world. Your subject is merely trying to share your burdens and dares not overstep his bounds in the slightest."

Emperor Chongzhao looked at him for a long time before sighing, "Get up... cough cough... the ground is cold."

The emperor's voice grew increasingly hoarse, "I am old and useless. It's inevitable that some people will use the name of the Crown Prince to overstep their bounds..."

Li Zhao did not rise, but instead bowed respectfully, touching his forehead to the ground. "Your Majesty, I will immediately investigate upon my return. If anyone in the Eastern Palace has acted improperly, I will punish them severely. Your Majesty, please rest assured and recuperate. Your Majesty, I will never allow such violations of rules and regulations to disturb Your Majesty's peace of mind."

Emperor Chongzhao raised his hand and rubbed his temples, sighing, "It's good that you have this filial piety, but... you can't see into people's hearts. There are many people in the court who will take advantage of this to cause trouble, so you should be careful."

The father and son faced each other, their relationship delicate and tense.

Inside and outside the imperial court, undercurrents were also surging.

From the moment Li Zhao returned to the capital, the winds blowing through the Eastern Palace intensified.

Chancellor Lu Jing, upholding the imperial authority, pressed his advantage and continued the purge of Xiao Song's remaining associates. Within days, he impeached two more influential officials from powerful families who had close ties to Xiao Song; one was stripped of his title and exiled, the other detained pending trial. Even Xiao Song, already imprisoned and interrogated, was again subjected to petitions detailing his crimes and requesting severe punishment, including the extermination of his entire clan…

Immediately afterwards, Lu Jing, along with several veteran officials, submitted a memorial to the emperor, arguing that the merits of the western expedition required clear rewards and punishments, and requested that generals from humble backgrounds, represented by Qi Mingyang and Yu Qianshan, be promoted to gradually take over the defense of the capital region and important military positions, replacing those who were too deeply involved with the old forces or were merely occupying positions without performing their duties.

The series of actions were swift and ruthless.

The power of aristocratic families was gradually weakened, and officials from humble backgrounds began to emerge.

The power structure of the imperial court was quietly reshaped amidst the winter snow...

The power centered around the crown prince rose rapidly, silently yet dramatically.

Beneath the calm surface of the capital, the undercurrents... have become even more turbulent and dangerous.

　See you tomorrow...

　　(End of this chapter)