Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

He gently took Qin Keqing's hand, the warmth of his palm offering her a sense of comfort, then looked up at Qin Zhongxun, his tone frank:

"I did save Miss Qin. Miss Qin is beautiful and kind-hearted, but her fate is full of misfortune. I couldn't bear to see her suffer like this, so I helped her out."

"I understand, Your Highness has always been kind-hearted."

Qin Zhongxun sighed, his tone tinged with embarrassment, "It's just that over the years, in my search for my daughter, I've made quite a few embarrassing mistakes and mistaken many people for others. Now I really don't dare to go and see Miss Qin rashly, for fear of adding pressure to her and being disappointed again."

"Therefore, I would like to ask Your Highness to help me find out what Miss Qin is thinking, to ask about her birth date and some trivial matters from her childhood, and to see if they match my lost daughter."

As he spoke, Qin Zhongxun was about to rise and kneel, but Shui Rong reacted quickly, immediately getting up to help him up, her voice urgent: "Elder Qin, why are you doing this! You watched me grow up, and we are like father and son. How can I accept such a bow from you?"

He was filled with emotion. Qin Zhongxun was honest and upright throughout his life and held a high position in the government, but he was still deeply concerned about his lost daughter. Over the years, he had gone to great lengths to find her, even at the cost of his dignity. This fatherly love was truly touching.

Qin Zhongxun was helped up by Shui Rong, his eyes becoming increasingly moist, his voice choked with emotion: "Your Highness, you may not know, but before my late wife passed away, her biggest worry was this daughter. I promised her that I would find her and bring her home."

"Over the years, I have missed my daughter and her mother every moment. If I could find my daughter, I could die in peace."

Shui Rong's heart stirred. He knew Qin Zhongxun's deep affection for his deceased wife and understood his concern for his daughter.

After returning to the capital, Qin Zhongxun lived alone and refused to remarry until his elder brother ascended the throne. Considering that he had no heir, the emperor forcibly arranged a marriage for him, which he reluctantly accepted. However, he never forgot his deceased wife and daughter.

"Don't worry, Mr. Qin."

Shui Rong gripped Qin Zhongxun's hand tightly, his tone solemn, "This junior will definitely try to find out what Miss Qin is thinking. If there is any news, I will immediately send someone to inform you."

"Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!"

Qin Zhongxun was so moved that he bowed repeatedly, tears streaming down his face. He quickly wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve, saying, "In my life, I have never asked anyone for help. Thank you so much, Your Highness, for today's favor!"

"Mr. Qin, you flatter me."

Shui Rong gently patted Qin Zhongxun's hand, his tone mild, "I have another question for you, Elder Qin. When will the Cabinet announce its assessment of those meritorious families?"

He changed the subject, his gaze sharpening, yet still carrying a hint of familiar probing—he knew that Qin Zhongxun held immense influence within the cabinet, and only by asking him could he obtain an accurate answer to this matter.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhongxun took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. His expression instantly returned to composure. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, concealed the glint in his eyes, and spoke with a heavy tone:

"Those documents involve too many people, and most of them are descendants of founding heroes. The cabinet is reviewing them with extreme caution, for fear of making mistakes. But it will be soon; barring any unforeseen circumstances, they will be released the day after tomorrow."

He paused, then sighed softly, "But if this happens, I'm afraid there will be rivers of blood again, and many noble families will fall into ruin. I really can't bear it."

Shui Rong sneered inwardly. This old fox certainly knows how to put on an act.

This cabinet purge, ostensibly aimed at rectifying the court, was in reality a means to weaken the power of meritorious families. These centuries-old clans, including the Four Kings and Eight Dukes, had their influence drastically reduced, suffering severe damage. Many ministers of the Six Ministries and cabinet members were implicated, ranging from demotion to confiscation of property and exile.

Only Qin Zhongxun, with his accurate alignment and shrewd calculations, not only escaped unscathed but also had the opportunity to be promoted and become the Grand Secretary.

He must be overjoyed inside, but he's just putting on a fake sigh.

On the surface, Shui Rong still followed Qin Zhongxun's words and sighed heavily: "Yes, things are unpredictable. These scions of noble families rely on the achievements of their ancestors to run rampant and disregard the law. They should be properly disciplined, but the price is ultimately too high."

He and Qin Zhongxun had known each other for many years and understood each other's temperaments well. Some things didn't need to be said explicitly; it was enough to just hint at them.

The two chatted idly, sometimes about trivial matters of the court, sometimes about everyday life. Their tone was familiar, their demeanor natural, and they seemed casual, but in reality, every word they spoke contained hidden meaning, and every glance was full of probing.

Qin Keqing sat quietly beside Shui Rong, her hands gently resting on her lap. Occasionally, she would look up at Shui Rong, her eyes full of tenderness. Although she didn't quite understand their conversation, she obediently refrained from interrupting.

At this moment, the old nanny quietly stepped forward and gestured to Qin Keqing, indicating that she should try on the newly made clothes.

Qin Keqing immediately understood, gently tugged at Shui Rong's sleeve, and whispered, "Your Highness, I'm going to try on some clothes, I'll be back in a little while."

Shui Rong looked down at her, her eyes instantly softening with tenderness, and nodded gently: "Go ahead, be careful on the road."

Qin Keqing smiled gently at Shui Rong, then gave a slight curtsy to Qin Zhongxun before following the nanny out the back door.

Watching Qin Keqing's figure disappear through the door, Shui Rong withdrew his gaze, the tenderness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a hint of solemnity.

Qin Zhongxun looked in the direction Qin Keqing had left, nodded thoughtfully, then turned to Shui Rong and said in a low voice:

"Your Highness, now that the person has left, it's time for me to get down to business. I have a few words to say to you regarding the cabinet list."

Shui Rong leaned forward slightly, his tone solemn: "Please speak, Elder Qin."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a knowing look in each other's eyes.

The atmosphere in the study instantly became heavy. The warm sun outside the window was still shining brightly, but it seemed unable to penetrate the power struggles and intrigues that filled the room.

Only the teacups they held together still retained a trace of warmth, testifying to their deep friendship that transcended generations, while also concealing the calculations and considerations in each other's hearts.

Qin Zhongxun picked up the teacup, his fingertips tracing the warm, smooth porcelain surface. His gaze darkened, and he broke the heavy atmosphere in the study first, his voice low and tinged with a barely perceptible probing:

"Your Highness, the list of people to be beheaded that the cabinet has drafted this time actually contains as many as forty-two people. The four major families have been deeply entrenched for many years, and this time they will not be able to escape unscathed either. Several members of their families are on the list."

He paused, glanced at Shui Rong's expression, and seeing that she remained expressionless, continued:

"Besides those two, there are quite a few other members of meritorious families involved in the case. With such a large-scale purge, there must be many vacancies in the court. Your Highness is astute and must have already seen through the intricacies of the matter."

Shui Rong sat upright at the desk, lightly tapping the surface with his fingertips. Upon hearing this, he slowly narrowed his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing in them. Then, a half-smile played on his lips as he said:

"It seems Elder Qin has quite aspirations for the position of Grand Secretary. Now that you are already the Minister of War, wielding military power and holding a high position of authority, do you still wish to advance further and reach the pinnacle of a ministerial position?"

Qin Zhongxun made no attempt to hide it, raising his hand to stroke his graying beard, a frank smile appearing on his face, yet his tone carried a hint of earnestness:

"Your Highness is too kind. Having received the emperor's bounty, I must also bear his burdens. Only if I could ascend to the position of Grand Secretary could I better assist His Majesty in reforming the court. However, the future of this matter is uncertain. I have come today to ask Your Highness if there is any way you can lend me a hand?"

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong's smile faded slightly. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and spoke with a hint of helplessness and detachment:

"Your Excellency Qin is overthinking this. I am merely a prince in a leisurely position. As you know, the rules of the Great Yin Dynasty stipulate that princes are not allowed to interfere in politics. It is really inappropriate for me to comment on such a core matter of the court."

"But Your Highness,"

Qin Zhongxun interrupted him before he could finish, leaning forward slightly, his voice lowered, a calculating glint in his eyes.

"I have heard His Majesty mention in private that this purge was too violent, causing unrest among the people in the south, and that it is urgent to send a highly respected person to appease them."

"Originally, this task was intended for Prince Teng, but he has just returned to the capital from the south, and it might be inappropriate to send him out rashly. Your Highness, wouldn't you like to try to secure this assignment?"

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake; Shui Rong's breathing suddenly became heavy, and the tapping of his fingertips on the table abruptly stopped.

He lowered his eyes to conceal the turmoil within them, and only after a moment did he raise them, his voice cold and devoid of any warmth:

"Old Qin, I really don't want to. All I want in this life is to be a carefree prince, living a peaceful life. Court intrigues and local duties are none of my concern."

Seeing his stubbornness, Qin Zhongxun's eyes flashed with a knowing smile. He didn't expose him, but slowly rose and bowed.

"Since Your Highness has made up your mind, then I will not disturb you any longer and will take my leave now."

Shui Rong squinted at him for a moment before speaking calmly, "Zhao Zhong, see the guest out."

Zhao Zhong, who was outside the door, immediately stepped forward and said, "Lord Qin, please."