Chapter 213 – Sharp Blade

Zhuang Renshao had been taking his two nephews to the Jingzhao Prefecture for two consecutive days. Without stopping, they had also sought out Cui Shu. Cui Shu could only personally visit the Jingzhao Prefecture once and speak with the prefectural governor.

The Jingzhao Prefecture Governor Jiang Xian was very worried. “We have been searching, but has Cui Sir found any new leads?”

Cui Shu had long heard that Jiang Xian was an idiot, yet he had managed to stay in his position as Jingzhao Governor for over a decade due to his skill at muddling through situations. This was quite rare.

Everyone knew that the emperor disliked mediocre officials, yet he allowed this man, who was as useless as flour, to remain in his position as Jingzhao Governor. In earlier years, it was rumored that Governor Jiang had been caught embezzling funds, but despite this, he still sat comfortably in his position. The ministers speculated that there must be something exceptional about him. Ouyang Shen had once commented, “Civil affairs are handled by the magistrate, no one dares to neglect their duties under the emperor’s feet. Administrative matters are difficult to handle carelessly, major issues are resolved quietly.”

Facing this bureaucratic blob of an official, Cui Shu could only suppress his irritation and say, “A high-ranking official of the court can be abducted in broad daylight by a fire bomb that breaches the courtyard walls. If this was indeed carried out by political rivals, it’s truly shocking. I think if Governor Jiang doesn’t quickly resolve this case, the censors will soon catch wind and make their move. At that time, even Governor Jiang might find it hard to protect yourself!”

Jiang Xian looked utterly lost. “But right now, we have no leads at all. The military commandant of the five cities has already thoroughly investigated. What can we do if the censors really decide to intervene? All I can do is leave it to fate.”

Cui Shu felt like he was punching cotton; he didn’t know how to guide this man. Frustrated, he said, “I heard Zhuang Zhizhan’s uncle mention that a portrait was sent to the authorities. Why haven’t you been following up on it, distributing it widely, issuing wanted notices, and investigating clues?”

Jiang Xian replied, “Ah, so that’s the case. I’ll immediately ask my subordinates about it and get things moving as soon as possible. Thank you for your guidance, Cui Sir.”

Cui Shu: “…”

He felt that Jiang Xian was being very dismissive, but looking at his serious expression, he couldn’t help feeling powerless. He wondered when this “as soon as possible” would actually happen. Was Jiang Xian really not worried about losing his hat? This was a major case!

But Jiang Xian was still a fourth-rank governor, and he had already agreed to take action. His attitude was also very humble. Cui Shu couldn’t really insist on watching him to see if he acted immediately, so he could only stand up and take his leave.

Jiang Xian politely saw him off.

As soon as Cui Shu left, Zhuang Renshao, accompanied by his two nephews, hurriedly surrounded him and asked, “How did it go? Is he willing to quickly post the portrait and search for the criminal?”

Cui Shu wouldn’t admit to being brushed off by the other party. He told them, “I repeatedly implored Governor Jiang. He was very troubled and told me that this matter is too shocking, and he dared not make a big fuss about finding people. He was afraid that the perpetrator would act recklessly, putting your nephew in danger. He only said that he would quickly and carefully order people to investigate everywhere. As long as that person is still in the capital, they won’t escape detection.”

After thinking about it, he added, “If it was really done by Linhai Hou, your nephew may have already met a tragic fate. You need to prepare for this. With his abilities, he could easily make a person disappear without a trace. Now that he’s favored by the emperor, without concrete evidence, no one can do anything to him.”

Zhuang Renshao didn’t dare say that it would be better if Zhuang Zhizhan were dead. He could only sigh repeatedly and ask, “In that case, what does Cui Sir think we should do now? Can we only wait? What if we never find him again?”

Cui Shu thought for a moment and then gave them a clear path forward. “Zhuang Zhizhan works in the Ministry of Rites and is nominally under Fan Mucun’s command. Fan Mucun is currently favored by His Majesty and can be considered the current emperor’s cousin. Their relationship is different from others. You should go and seek his help. If he can say a word in front of the current emperor, it would be more effective than anything else.”

Zhuang Renshao was taken aback. “But I’m afraid he also fears the power of Linhai Hou.”

Cui Shu shook his head. “I’ve heard that he doesn’t get along with Linhai Hou. Previously, when he sent a matchmaker to propose marriage to the Helan family’s young lady, he was beaten by Helan Jingjiang. Helan’s siblings and Linhai Hou are said to have a close relationship. The Fan family and the Helan clan are sworn enemies, with no way to reconcile. Even if he appears to be friendly with Linhai Hou on the surface, he must secretly disagree with him. He also doesn’t get along with the generals.”

Cui Shu’s face revealed a hint of mockery. “The Fan family has already offended all the generals. By giving him this leverage, he might be able to create some trouble. Remember, kidnapping political rivals and assassinating high-ranking officials is a horrifying act. Whoever does such a thing would be condemned by both heaven and earth. Even His Majesty couldn’t protect them.”

Zhuang Renshao hurriedly thanked Cui Shu, watching him leave in his sedan chair. His two nephews immediately asked him, “Uncle, what should we do? Should we really go find Fan Sir? What if Zhuang Zhizhan returns tomorrow?”

Zhuang Renshao sneered. “That good-for-nothing looks like a homosexual. If he returns after being humiliated, he definitely wouldn’t dare to speak up. His mother is still with our family. What can he do? If his elders order him to die and he disobeys, he would be both unfilial and unjust. How could he continue serving as an official? Besides, it seems he might not dare to return. If he doesn’t come back, it would be convenient for us. Let’s pin this incident on Linhai Hou. Then, we can distribute his memorial everywhere, which would fulfill Father’s instructions.”

After Zhuang Renshao made his plan, he decided to act immediately rather than choose a specific day. Upon learning that Fan Mucun was in the Ministry of Rites, he indeed headed straight for the ministry.

However, Xu Chun had no idea that the Zhuang family was planning to pin this mess on him. He calculated that Shen Mengzhen would definitely attend court today. Looking at it, the only person he could visit was Fang Zijing, who had just returned from his position as governor of Zhejiang and Fujian. Although he had entered the Grand Council, he didn’t have any actual duties and didn’t need to attend court. There were some matters he wanted to discuss with him first.

He ordered his men to bring the carefully selected gifts of foreign goods that Helan Baozhi had brought back. He took a group of people and rode his horse to Wuying Duke Manor.

Fang Zijing was indeed in the courtyard watching his son play. Upon hearing that Xu Chun had arrived, he didn’t treat him as an outsider. He ordered someone to lead him in. Seeing him, Fang Zijing immediately asked, “I heard that you caused a lot of trouble as soon as you returned to the capital. We won’t talk about Zhuang Zhizhan’s incident for now, as Zi Xing said it was nothing. But what about Prince Shun’an? How did it happen that he saw you before his death? This matter has spread around.”

Xu Chun felt somewhat guilty. “I’ve caused trouble for Zi Jing and Brother Zi Xing. Zhuang Zhizhan’s incident was truly unexpected. As for Prince Shun’an, it was… he was seriously ill, and there was no one he could entrust his affairs to. He was worried that his young son wouldn’t be able to manage the family business. After all, we were classmates for several years, so he entrusted it to me. How could I refuse?”

Fang Zijing asked for details and understood why the emperor suddenly took Xie Fei’s son into the palace to raise him. Xie Fei might have been a bit of a fool, but he had accidentally entrusted his affairs to the most suitable person.

However… looking at Xu Chun, Fang Zijing sighed inwardly. He wondered if Xu Chun realized the depth of the emperor’s intentions. This guy was smart and savvy in business and adept at human relations, but he seemed oblivious to conspiracies and struggles. He had probably relied solely on the emperor’s protection to get to where he was today.

He hinted meaningfully, “His Majesty ordered someone to take Xie Fei’s son into the palace to raise him and bestowed upon him the name Xie Qian. Are you aware of this? In just half a day, everyone in the capital who should know, already knows.”

Xu Chun was somewhat confused. “Is there a problem with His Majesty taking pity on the little son and bringing him into the palace?”

Fang Zijing saw that he was completely unaware and could only stop at this point. He pointed out, “You, Linhai Hou, are Xie Qian’s benefactor teacher. Prince Shun’an entrusted his orphaned child to you on his deathbed. The current emperor has no sons, and he took this child into the palace to raise him. This child also has a powerful minister as his teacher. How could the imperial family not pay attention? Be careful. Don’t let the imperial family hate you for no reason later.”

Fang Zijing continued, “His Majesty was originally extremely intelligent, delaying the establishment of a successor for a long time. However, he was very concerned about the younger generation of the imperial family, giving each of them hope. Everyone would eagerly strive upward, while the court officials only needed to be loyal to the country and serve the emperor, without worrying about forming factions. Now, he suddenly makes such a foolish move, which is very unwise.”

Xu Chun genuinely hadn’t thought about it. “How is it a foolish move?”

Fang Zijing looked at him and said, “Have you heard of ‘doubt arises when the ruler is young’? We don’t know whether this child is wise or foolish yet. It would take at least twenty years for him to grow up. If the political situation is unstable, anyone could use the name of this orphaned member of the imperial family to control the government.”

Xu Chun murmured, “What?”

Fang Zijing saw that he hadn’t thought about it at all and felt frustrated. “To put it bluntly, this child has now become a sharp blade. Whoever His Majesty entrusts to take care of this child holds that blade. Do you understand? Suppose His Majesty feels that this child needs someone to look after him due to his youth. If he entrusts him to Empress Dowager Fan or the late emperor’s concubines to raise, the empress dowager could use the establishment of a crown prince as a pretext to control the political situation and the world.”

Xu Chun was greatly shaken. “His Majesty wouldn’t entrust him to Empress Dowager Fan.”

Fang Zijing sneered. “His Majesty himself endured under the control of the regent and empress dowager for several years before finally assuming power and shocking the world. He should understand this principle better than anyone. How many young rulers throughout history have been able to establish themselves? Yet, he still issued an edict to take this child into the palace to raise him. Since he has no heir, if the child falls into the wrong hands, whoever controls the child will hold this blade. How is this not a foolish move?”

Xu Chun was speechless.

Seeing his complexion turn pale, Fang Zijing regretted his words. He hinted, “This is an imperial family matter. We shouldn’t meddle. Perhaps His Majesty will have a biological prince in a while, stabilizing the succession. That child could then become a companion reader. In any case, His Majesty has always been wise and surely has his plans. Let’s leave it as it is.”

Xu Chun opened his mouth. He recalled what Jiu Ge had once told him: If I become old and senile and fail you…

So this child was actually a backup plan that Jiu Ge had left for him, and he hadn’t realized it, only thinking that Jiu Ge was showing compassion for Xie Fei. Now, it seemed that Jiu Ge had never held Xie Fei in high regard. How could he have done such a major deed out of mere sympathy?

The child was less than a year old, and until he grew up, he would regard Xu Chun as his teacher… In other words, at any time, if there was any instability in the political situation, Xu Chun, with his military forces and wealth, could use establishing this child as a means to control the government… Jiu Ge had unknowingly given him so much power…

Xu Chun’s mind was in chaos. He couldn’t remember what he wanted to discuss with Fang Zijing. Distracted, he casually talked about trivial matters, asking him how best to use the silver that Prince Shun’an had given him. There were many places that required money, and for the sake of clear accounts, he planned to invest it in a specific project, separate from his other businesses.

Fang Zijing was shrewd and could tell that this kid was already in a state of turmoil, not focused on the conversation. He didn’t bother with him and casually suggested, “Prince Shun’an’s silver amounts to no more than a million taels. Half of it could indeed be used for business, but I don’t recommend using it for that purpose. Business inherently carries risks, and when this child grows up, no matter how clear your accounts are, if he’s incited by others and harbors doubts, it would be hard to explain. It’s better to divide things clearly from the beginning and be open and honest.”

He spoke meaningfully. “This child’s identity is awkward. If he has good fortune, helping him now might seem to have ulterior motives. If he doesn’t have good fortune and bears resentment in the future, he might suspect that you didn’t try your best. You have a bright future ahead of you; it’s not worth getting involved in this messy situation.”

Xu Chun thought about it and said, “Brother Zi Jing is right.”

Fang Zijing said, “You’re a promising student.”

Xu Chun thought about it and said, “I see that Fan Mucun is currently building the Jiuchou Academy and must be short of silver. Why don’t we donate half of the silver to build the school’s library and garden, erect a monument to commemorate it, and donate it in Xie Fei’s name. This way, all the scholars in the future will appreciate his virtue, making it a good deed. As for the remaining silver invested in shares, we’ll put it all into bonds and withdraw it together when he turns eighteen. This way, the accounts will be clear, without any misconduct.”

Fang Zijing knew that Xu Chun wasn’t lacking in money. Putting this sum of money into the bonds would indeed be beneficial. He nodded. “That’s fine.” Seeing that Xu Chun was already distracted and trying to maintain a facade of normalcy while chatting idly with him, talking about Nong Siji one moment and Fang Zixing the next, he pretended to cradle his child and try to coax him to sleep, dismissing Xu Chun. “Why don’t you go find Fan Mucun to discuss matters first. He’s currently carrying out the emperor’s orders and doesn’t need to attend court. He should be at the Ministry of Rites and have some free time.”

Xu Chun believed him and got up to take his leave. Thinking about it, his mind still wasn’t clear, so he headed for the Ministry of Rites. Passing through the bustling Zhuque Street, riding his horse, he suddenly caught a strange fragrance. Following the scent, he saw a restaurant with a charcoal stove set up outside. The chef was waving a cleaver, skillfully slicing a mountain of meat, roasting camel meat, and sprinkling spices on it, emitting an astonishing aroma.

He thought that Jiu Ge had certainly never tasted this before. The food in the palace was ordinary, so he ordered Xia Chao to watch over it. He specifically requested the camel hump and the tenderest piece of camel meat below the hump, telling him to roast it properly for a while and bring it back to the palace while it was still hot.

Xia Chao acknowledged the order, and Xu Chun slowly made his way to the Ministry of Rites.

There were quite a few Hanlin scholars and officials from the Ministry of Rites entering and leaving the ministry. Riding his horse to the front gate, he saw Zhuang Renshao standing there with his two nephews, seemingly discussing something with the scribe guarding the entrance.

All his new and old grievances surged up at once. Taking advantage of his bad mood, he called out to Zhuang Renshao from above, “Hey, old man! I heard you drew a portrait of this Hou and are searching for me everywhere?”

Zhuang Renshao turned around and saw him, dressed in brocade and silk, sitting tall on his horse, looking extraordinary under the sunlight. Just like that night, he arrogantly looked down at him from above. He was speechless, pointing at him, while his two nephews exclaimed, “It’s that debauched young master!”

The officials and scholars in front of the Ministry of Rites all looked over.

The scribe welcoming guests at the gate was startled and hurriedly scolded them. “What are you yelling about? This is Linhai Hou. Show some respect!”

Linhai Hou?

Zhuang Renshao turned to look at the scribe, and his face turned pale.

Xu Chun smiled and approached on his horse, lowering his head to look at him. “I heard that the Zhuang family forced Zhuang Zhizhan to his death and instead wants to frame this Hou?”

His voice was clear and loud, drawing the attention of all the scholars and officials inside and outside the ministry.

Zhuang Renshao was drenched in sweat.