Red Mansion: Seizing Jiangdong, starting with pirates

Chapter 286, Meng Shen Receives the Imperial Decree

Meanwhile, Xiao Changzi deliberately stumbled upon the conspiracy between Emperor Longqing and the Retired Emperor. The Retired Emperor ordered Xia Shouzhong to silence him, but in the moment of crisis, Xiao Changzi lied and claimed that he had a way to get the news out.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Longqing quickly stopped Xia Shouzhong from silencing him.

After catching his breath, Xiao Changzi knelt before Emperor Longqing and quickly explained his method.

Xiao Changzi said, “Your Majesty, my name is Xiao Changzi. I was originally a eunuch in the Imperial Household Department, and Eunuch Dai is my godfather. After Fang the traitor entered the palace, I was dismissed from my post in the Imperial Household Department because of this relationship, and was reassigned here to serve Your Majesty by cleaning up your excrement. I am utterly loyal to you. Your Majesty, please don’t feel bad. Just hide the imperial edict in your excrement, and I will transport it out. No one will be able to detect it!”

Upon hearing this, the Longqing Emperor turned his gaze to Dai Quan.

Dai Quan walked up to Xiao Changzi, looked him over carefully, recognized him, and nodded, saying, "That's right, Your Majesty. This old servant remembers this boy; he's my godson."

Emperor Longqing, seeing that they were his own people, was immediately relieved and was about to agree when Emperor Kangning, standing behind him, stopped him:

"slow!"

Emperor Kangning stopped Emperor Longqing. He stared expressionlessly at Xiao Changzi below, exuding an immense aura.

Xiao Changzi suddenly felt a little flustered.

Emperor Kangning asked:
"You said you would hide the letter in filth and transport it out yourself. How exactly are you going to transport it?"

Xiao Changzi met Emperor Kangning's sharp gaze and panicked slightly. He quickly lowered his head, trying his best to hide his expression from the emperor, and said:
"Your Majesty, I hid the letter inside, then poured it into the large barrel outside. Once the barrel was full, it would be transported outside the palace for disposal. Transporting those barrels is hard work, dirty and smelly, and nobody likes to do it normally. I just need to lie and say that I want to take the opportunity to leave the palace to visit my mother, and give some money to the eunuch in charge of transporting it that day. He certainly won't refuse. I'll switch clothes with him, and the guards won't recognize me, so they'll let me out!"

After hearing this, the Longqing Emperor clapped his hands and cheered:
"Excellent, excellent plan! If this plan succeeds, you will be credited with a great achievement!"

Xiao Changzi hurriedly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

However, Emperor Kangning still did not believe it.

Xiao Changzi's plan seemed feasible, but Emperor Kangning always felt it was a bit too easy.

Fang, the traitor, usurped power and plotted to seize the country. If he were in the same situation, let alone filth, he would send someone to break open even a dried-up piece of excrement to see if there was anything hidden inside. How could he let someone out so easily?
Emperor Kangning looked at Xiao Changzi with suspicion and asked:

"How can you guarantee your loyalty and prevent this matter from being leaked?"

Xiao Changzi said hurriedly:
"I swear a solemn oath that if I reveal this matter, I will be childless and have no descendants!"

Emperor Kangning shook his head and said:

"A mere oath is insufficient to prove oneself!"

Seeing that his oath wouldn't work, Xiao Changzi decided to prove himself with a righteous cause. He chose a more palatable phrase and said:
“I have nothing of value. The Fang traitor treated me like a servant, while His Majesty treats me like a confidant. The former made me carry excrement and empty urinals, while the latter entrusted me with important matters. How can I not repay him?”

Upon hearing this, the Longqing Emperor was deeply moved.

It's truly remarkable that he could encounter such a loyal minister despite his dire circumstances!

However, Emperor Kangning still did not believe it.

He understands these people from the lower classes all too well.

Although some of them truly believe in the principle of "If the ruler treats me as a national hero, I will repay him as a national hero," this is only a very small minority, less than one in ten thousand. The majority are still driven by profit and forget righteousness for the sake of gain.

What's more, they had no loyalty to this Xiao Changzi at all, and they had just tried to kill him to silence him!

In this situation, it is extremely difficult to ensure the other party's loyalty!

"This is unacceptable..."

Just as Emperor Kangning was about to deny it again, Emperor Longqing suddenly interrupted him.

"Enough! I am the emperor!"

Seeing Emperor Kangning's livid face, Emperor Longqing immediately trusted Xiao Changzi and entrusted him with important matters.

Without paper or pen, the Longqing Emperor tore a corner from his undergarments, his face contorted with grief. He put his finger in his mouth and bit down. "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!"

Emperor Longqing hadn't expected biting his finger to hurt so much. The sorrowful expression he had just shown vanished instantly, replaced by a contorted, twitching look of pain.

Emperor Longqing endured the pain and began to write. He had originally drafted a long article denouncing the traitor Fang, which was nearly a thousand words long, but now, due to the pain in his fingers, he had to greatly shorten the length of the article.

Even so, when I was halfway through writing, the blood from the finger I bit stopped flowing out on its own.

Emperor Longqing hesitated for a long time, but still refused to bite his finger again. He looked at Dai Quan, who naturally understood what Emperor Longqing meant. He quickly stepped forward, bit his finger, and let the blood flow so that Emperor Longqing could write with his blood.

Emperor Kangning, who was sitting on a soft couch nearby, watched this scene and sighed softly, his face looking even older.

The secret edict was quickly written.

"I have heard that among the great human relationships, the relationship between father and son comes first; among the distinctions of rank, that between ruler and subject is paramount. Recently, the treacherous officials have seized power, oppressing the emperor and his father; they have formed cliques and corrupted the court; they have imprisoned me in the palace, defiling the inner palace; and they have not exercised my authority over rewards and punishments."

You are a high-ranking official of the state, a pillar of the nation. You should unite loyal and righteous heroes, and upright and incorruptible talents, to annihilate the treacherous party, restore peace to the nation, and bring good fortune to our ancestors and the world!
I cut my finger and let blood flow, then write this edict and entrust it to you. Be careful again and again, and do not fail my expectations!
An imperial edict issued in the fifth month of summer in the nineteenth year of the Longqing reign.

The Longqing Emperor rolled up the secret edict and wrapped it in wax.

Then... after a series of operations that are difficult to describe.

It's roughly similar to kneading clay; the secret edict is hidden inside, then it's molded, carefully shaped, and rolled into a long strip, retaining as much of its natural form as possible...

Soon, this somewhat peculiar secret edict was delivered to Fang Yong.

Fang Yong carefully read the secret edict, then smiled and said to Xiao Changzi below:

"Once this matter is settled, you can work for me."

Xiao Changzi was overjoyed; there could be no greater reward than this!

They hurriedly kowtowed to show their loyalty.

Fang Yong smiled and said:
"Send this to Meng Shen!"

"Yes!"

Xiao Changzi agreed without hesitation, without asking any unnecessary questions.

Meng Shen, as a Grand Councilor, worked in the Grand Council Office next to the Qianqing Palace, handling affairs.

In the afternoon, after finishing his business, Meng Shen left the palace.

Xiao Changzi, arranged by Fang Yong, disguised himself as a beggar and hid on Meng Shen's usual route.

As soon as Meng Shen's carriage arrived, Xiao Changzi immediately stepped forward to stop it.

The servants of Meng Shen's household stepped forward to drive him away, but Xiao Changzi dodged and said, "I am a distant relative of Meng Shen, I am a distant relative of Meng Shen!" As he spoke, he even mentioned Meng Shen's hometown and place of origin.

An ordinary beggar would certainly not know these things.

Meng Shen's servants then hurriedly reported the matter to Meng Shen.

Upon hearing this, Meng Shen got out of the car.

"you are?"

Meng Shen looked at Xiao Changzi with a puzzled expression.

Xiao Changzi looked at Meng Shen and uttered two words.

Meng Shen's expression changed drastically in an instant.

(End of this chapter)