Chapter 102 |
After Princess A'Xiang left, the capital settled into peace once more.
Emperor Chongzhao increased patrols around the imperial city.
It wasn't until news arrived that Princess A'Xiang and Agumudo had safely reached the northern frontier that the atmosphere in the imperial court eased slightly.
No sooner had Emperor Chongzhao set this matter aside than the next was upon him.
The Great Zhou Military Examinations.
The Ministry of Rites was responsible for setting the examinations, with the Ministry of War overseeing them.
The Military Examinations represented a renewal of the bloodline for the entire younger generation of Great Zhou's military commanders.
Many retainers sought audience at the Third Prince's residence—his princess consort was the eldest granddaughter of the Minister of Rites, a natural alliance through marriage.
Last time, when the Minister of Rites helped the Third Prince secure the assignment of welcoming Princess A'Xiang, it was already an open declaration of allegiance.
If one could connect with the Third Prince's faction and gain even the slightest bit of support, it would be a tremendous opportunity.
Therefore, the Third Prince had been receiving so many gifts lately that his hands were tired, and he walked with a spring in his step.
The Military Examinations were a perfect chance for him to insert and cultivate his own people within the army.
—Of course, publicly, he did not accept gifts; he had to maintain the proper appearance.
Those who knew how to read between the lines could discern his attitude of public refusal but private acceptance, finding other, more discreet ways to present their gifts as a sign of seeking his patronage.
-
The Xu Residence.
Qu Dubian came to see his uncle.
Xu Tingfeng had been rebuilding his cultivation from scratch for over three years now.
Qu Dubian didn't know what stage he had reached in his renewed training, but seeing how often Xu Tingfeng went into seclusion, he felt it wasn't his place to ask too much.
This time, taking advantage of a period when Xu Tingfeng wasn't in seclusion, he paid a visit.
"Uncle, I've come to see you about the Military Examinations."
Xu Tingfeng: "Take your time and explain."
Qu Dubian: "It started with Xu Cheng inciting the Sixth Prince to tamper with Xia Fuyang's examination. Upon further reflection, I found it suspicious. Xu Cheng is a fool, but he mingles in the capital and should have well-informed sources. For him to speak so casually about 'tampering with the Military Examinations' suggests it has likely happened many times in previous years."
Xu Tingfeng smiled: "What do you intend to do?"
Qu Dubian: "Xia Fuyang is my friend. I want to stir up some commotion so that even if someone intends to tamper, they'll have to be more cautious."
Xu Tingfeng: "It's not appropriate for us to intervene directly. Actually, there's someone else who wants to see cheating in these examinations even less than you do."
Qu Dubian nodded: "My eldest brother."
If there were cheating in the Military Examinations, the Ministry of Rites would have the greatest room for manipulation, and behind the Minister of Rites stood the Third Prince.
No matter how fair it appeared on the surface, the Third Prince would undoubtedly benefit.
The Eldest Prince would not wish to see such a thing happen.
Qu Dubian: "Let Eldest Brother check Third Brother's power in the court, using one against the other. Others who might try to act opportunistically or have ill intentions would then also be deterred."
Xu Tingfeng: "That is the simplest method."
Qu Dubian fell silent, dragged a small stool closer to Xu Tingfeng, and sighed.
Xu Tingfeng patted his head. "Don't want to see them fight?"
Qu Dubian grunted in affirmation: "But I also know it's unavoidable."
He didn't dwell on it for long. "This matter still needs a catalyst."
Xu Tingfeng: "You want to throw the Second Branch of the Xu family to the wolves?"
Qu Dubian wrinkled his nose: "If they stay around too long, they'll become a festering sore. They dare to incite a prince to interfere with the Military Examinations; who knows what they might do next. Uncle, sometimes stupidity is more frightening than malice."
Xu Tingfeng laughed heartily.
"Your uncle agrees with that. Do you have a plan?"
Qu Dubian grinned: "It's relatively simple and direct, but I don't have many people I can use. I'll need your help, Uncle."
Xu Tingfeng raised an eyebrow slightly.
This little fellow actually had quite a few people he could use, though their usefulness varied—Wen Xiaochun was one example.
Little Seven hadn't yet realized that some people were already firmly standing behind him, while others were drawing closer and closer.
Take that kid Xia Fuyang... did he really think he was being so subtle? Otherwise, with many people in or out of the capital knowledgeable in military strategy, why didn't he seek their advice, instead sneaking around to find him?
"Alright. What do you want to do?"
Qu Dubian said with a smile, "Public opinion can be a blade."
-
Near Ruyi Lou.
In an alleyway.
The Sixth Prince leaned against the wall, playing with a strand of hair that had fallen to his chest.
Groans of pain came from deeper in the alley, gradually growing softer.
The Fifth Prince: "Sixth Brother, don't let this go too far."
Hearing his reminder, the Sixth Prince lazily called out, "Alright, that's enough. Come back. It would be troublesome if we actually killed him."
The group of enforcers returned.
Xu Cheng was curled up on the ground. His face was unharmed, but he writhed and wailed.
The Sixth Prince walked over to him and, after a moment, stepped on his shoulder. "Dare to trick me again? Hmm?"
Xu Cheng, tears and mucus streaming down his face: "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"
The Sixth Prince: "Trying to deceive me. Do I look like an easy mark? Or do you think I'm stupid?"
Xu Cheng: "No! Absolutely not!"
"I just felt you had an air of approachability that made me want to get close! I wanted to become your retainer! That's why I resorted to this scheme! I absolutely never meant to deceive you!"
The Sixth Prince released him.
"Actually, I had a decent time hanging out with you. But, Little Seven doesn't like you, and I still want to hang out with him in the future. If I brought you along, he probably wouldn't pay me any mind. So you'd better go be someone else's retainer."
"The Second Branch of the Xu family... the Chief Minister of the Imperial Banquets, your grandfather hasn't retired yet? He's so old."
He sounded quite disdainful.
Apart from the oldest one, the whole family couldn't produce a single high-ranking official.
The Fifth Prince whispered, "We snuck out today. It's better to return early."
The Sixth Prince clapped his hands. "Alright, vented my anger, so I won't brood over you tricking me. Don't let me see you again from now on, or I'll beat you every time I do."
Xu Cheng: "I understand! I understand..."
Only then did the Sixth Prince leave with the Fifth Prince.
It was a long time after they left that Xu Cheng finally emerged from the small alley. Fortunately, his face bore no injuries.
Apart from some not-too-obvious shoe prints on his clothes and disheveled hair, he was still somewhat presentable.
Xu Cheng cursed inwardly without end.
Damn the Seventh Prince, damn the Sixth Prince.
The most hateful was the Seventh Prince. He was an idiot, completely unaware of the need to cultivate his own power, just being egged on by his uncle's family to keep his distance from them.
His uncle was at the frontier, so it must have been his aunt who instigated it. That old woman with the surname Wu, who wouldn't accept an adopted son—why didn't she die sooner!
Vicious curses kept bubbling up in his heart, while his face maintained an air of calm detachment.
In any case, he was still a young master of the Xu family with many friends outside. He needed to be refined and maintain his poise.
As he passed by Ruyi Lou, he ran into a few friends.
Xu Cheng initially wanted to pretend he hadn't seen them, quickening his pace to hurry home and change his clothes. But his fair-weather friends surrounded him and pulled him into a private room on the second floor.
"What are you doing!"
Xu Cheng straightened his clothes and frowned. "I said I wasn't drinking today. I have matters to attend to at home."
Zhao Pincai and the others weren't bothered. They tugged at his clothes. "Brother, doesn't your maternal grandfather know something about the written test questions for the Military Examinations?"
Xu Cheng: "What written test questions?"
Zhao Pincai: "Hey! Stop pretending. Who doesn't know by now that your grandfather and the Minister of Rites are on excellent terms, often drinking wine and tasting tea together!"
"Besides, haven't you always said you get along well with the Third Prince too?"
"We all know the Minister of Rites wouldn't leak the exam questions. But in casual conversation, your grandfather must know what style of essays he's been favoring lately. We're all brothers here. Give us a hint. Even if we don't take the military exams ourselves, we could sell the information for a good price, right?"
Looking at their expectant eyes, Xu Cheng was utterly bewildered.
It felt as if, ever since he was cornered in an alley and beaten up, the outside world had completely transformed into something he no longer recognized.
His grandfather and the Minister of Rites were close? And often drank and chatted together? Since when did he know that!
What position was the Minister of Rites? A high official of the second rank. Since when was he on good terms with his grandfather?
And as for himself, yes, he had boasted about being friendly with every prince, but in reality, he only really got along with the Sixth Prince, and even that friendship had now soured.
Xu Cheng: "Wait, wait, wait. What kind of nonsense are you all talking about? I don't understand."
Zhao Pincai: "Oh, still playing dumb? Look at this."
He produced a sheet of paper, inscribed with several large characters: [A Chance Hearing of Two Elders Conversing, Thus Recorded]
Xu Cheng quickly scanned it.
The content was brief, but every sentence was the essence.
The gist was that someone accidentally overheard two old men discussing interesting matters and recorded them with a brush.
For example, this line: [Old friend, have you been busy lately?]
The reply: [The military exam papers are difficult to set. They must be challenging, yet appropriate. The civil and military exams are different. It's tough.]
Another question: [And you, brother, have you been busy?]
The reply: [Preparing meals. Since the new milk tea came out, the official meals sent to the ministers have been left uneaten again. I'm pushing my subordinates to come up with new ideas.]
Upon closer study, the two speakers were clearly the Minister of Rites and the Minister of the Imperial Banquets.
The first few lines established their identities; the following lines were the critical part.
[When you set the questions, old friend, do you ever draw inspiration from the books you've been reading recently?]
[Occasionally, I do.]
[Oh? Might I ask what books you've been reading lately?]
There, it stopped abruptly.
Xu Cheng shook the paper. "And then what?!"
Also, why the need to disparage? The meals provided by the Imperial Banquets office to the various ministers were actually quite adequate. Why compare them to milk tea?
Zhao Pincai: "We'd like to know too. That's why we came to ask you. What comes next?"
Xu Cheng: "......"
He asked, "No, I mean, where did you get this?"
Zhao Pincai pulled him over to the window. "Look for yourself. It's being sold at the entrance of every major bookstore on the street."
Following the direction of his finger, Xu Cheng looked out. Outside the small bookstore opposite Ruyi Tower, two children were standing, handing out this very sheet of paper to every passerby.
Right next to it was a milk tea shop.
Very fashionably, it had hung a long banner that read: [Milk tea tastier than the official meals of the palace dignitaries! New product now available, come grab yours quickly!]
Xu Cheng: "......"
He didn't know who was behind this whole affair, but the owner of that milk tea shop was truly a business genius, daring to latch onto any trending topic.
He stuffed the paper into his sleeve, desperately tried to evade his "brothers," and rushed back home.
With this paper spreading through every street and alley, if this blew up, it would bring nothing but trouble.