Zhao Yu’s expression shifted ever so slightly, but standing before her now was Hu Nanqin.
Having risen to the same position at a younger age than Zhao Yu, Hu Nanqin was clearly not someone who could be easily dismissed.
She realised almost instantly that something had likely gone off course.
And Zhao Yu’s next words only served to confirm Hu Nanqin’s suspicions.
“Minister Hu, as you are well aware, the court’s expenditure has been considerable in recent months. A substantial sum was allocated for flood relief in Huai Prefecture, whilst the palace has also hosted the Emperor’s birthday celebrations and the Princess’s wedding—all unavoidable expenses.”
“Consequently, we have drawn upon funds from Chongzhou’s reserves from the previous quarter, and these have not yet been fully replenished. Both Her Highness and you, Officer Hu, have requested that I immediately disburse military pay from Chongzhou, but I’m afraid there is simply no money in the treasury.”
Zhao Yu offered a wry smile. She was smaller in stature than the average woman; with her shoulders slumped slightly and a look of deep sorrow on her face, she seemed to embody the dire straits of the state treasury, making it impossible for anyone to bear putting her in further difficulty.
Unfortunately, Hu Nanqin had already begun to harbour suspicions.
Before Hu Nanqin could speak, Xu Chen’s voice suddenly rang out.
“We cannot disburse half a year’s worth; let us disburse this quarter’s first. As for the previous quarter, we shall wait until the Ministry of Revenue has replenished the treasury, then send it to Chongzhou together with the next quarter’s allocation.”
“I have come here in person today, and I shall see the military pay for Chongzhou dispatched from the treasury no matter what. Minister Zhao, order your men to carry this out at once.”
A thought crossed Hu Nanqin’s mind; she mused that this was exactly the sort of thing Xu Chen would say—domineering and unreasonable—yet this time, it had struck the mark quite by chance.
She immediately added, “Chongzhou is on the front line defending against the tribes of the grasslands; it is a vital frontier stronghold of our Zhou Kingdom that must not be compromised. Our arrival with Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess is perfectly timed. I trust the Ministry of Revenue has already prepared the military pay for all the provinces for this quarter. Now that the memorial has been submitted, would it not be ideal to arrange for the silver to be dispatched immediately?”
“Chongzhou is already a quarter’s pay short. Countless soldiers and officers are waiting to make ends meet. If the military pay is not delivered in time and some mishap occurs, how shall we answer to the Emperor?
Xu Chen and Hu Nanqin both fixed their gaze upon her eyes. Zhao Yu inwardly groaned in despair; even her composed expression could not help but show a slight crack.
A cold sweat broke out on her back. Under the scrutiny of those two pairs of eyes, she felt as though she were being circled simultaneously by a cold-blooded, ruthless viper and a ferocious jackal.
Zhao Yu’s mind raced frantically, unable to fathom why Xu Chen had suddenly done a complete U-turn and changed her mind. It was clear that she had previously been the one deliberately withholding the military provisions for Chongzhou, and everyone knew she was intentionally causing trouble for Yun Qian, the Grand Marshal of Chongzhou.
It was laughable, really. Yun Qian was Xu Chen’s aunt, yet Xu Chen, the Crown Princess, had brazenly withheld Chongzhou’s military pay, effectively pushing away a general who was naturally on her side. Who wouldn’t call that the height of stupidity?
So what on earth is going on now?
Why has Xu Chen suddenly seen the light, come to her senses, and decided to request military funds for Chongzhou?
The silver has already been diverted for other purposes; where on earth is she supposed to conjure up such a vast sum out of thin air at such short notice?
If the unauthorised diversion of military funds is exposed, she’ll likely lose her head!
“Minister Zhao, what are you waiting for?”
Xu Chen’s voice rang out coldly.
Zhao Yu felt a shiver run down her spine; the cold sweat on her back began to pour even more profusely. With no other option, she had no choice but to nod in agreement.
“This humble servant shall see to it at once, at once.”
She summoned an aide and ordered him loudly to take stock of the treasury’s silver and transfer the military rations for Chongzhou.
Fearing discovery, she dared not let her subordinate utter a single word in the presence of Xu Chen and Hu Nanqin; having issued the order, she instructed him to set off immediately.
Not a moment’s delay.
Once her subordinate had left, Zhao Yu offered Xu Chen and Hu Nanqin a sheepish smile. “Your Highness, Minister Hu, the withdrawal of treasury funds requires a series of formal procedures. Once this season’s military pay for Chongzhou has been fully accounted for, I shall personally dispatch men to escort it out of the capital.”
“Your Highness and Minister Hu may return to rest first; the Ministry of Revenue will certainly handle the matter properly.”
Zhao Yu intended to fob off Xu Chen and Hu Nanqin for the time being, but unfortunately, if even Hu Nanqin had noticed his unease, how much more so Xu Chen.
Xu Chen fixed Zhao Yu with a gaze as cold as a blade: “Minister Zhao, was I not clear enough in what I said?” stern and fiery
“I shall personally witness the military provisions for Chongzhou being loaded onto horses and leaving the capital today.”
“However, Minister Zhao is correct; I do indeed have little time. The wounds from the assassination attempt a few days ago have not yet fully healed, and the Emperor Mother has ordered me to rest properly.”
“One hour. I shall grant you no more than one hour to produce the military provisions for Chongzhou.”
“Should even a single coin be missing, I shall show you no mercy.”
Cold sweat poured down Zhao Yu’s face. She began to suspect that Xu Chen and Hu Nanqin might have known something all along, which was why they were pressing her so relentlessly.
The more she thought about it, the more panicked she became, endlessly speculating in her mind: what exactly did Xu Chen know, and how much?
She had carried out the embezzlement of Chongzhou’s military funds with such secrecy; apart from herself, no one else knew of it, and it had been done for the sake of that Imperial Princess. How on earth had it been exposed to Xu Chen, that good-for-nothing Crown Princess?
In that very moment, as Zhao Yu gazed at Xu Chen, who stood mere inches away, she was suddenly overcome by an indescribable terror that crashed down upon her like a tidal wave.
Amidst this terror, Xu Chen’s features began to distort in her eyes; she no longer saw a human being, but rather a malevolent deity.
But how could this be? How could Xu Chen possess such immense power?
Or was it that the forces behind Xu Chen had never truly abandoned her, as they had appeared to do over the years, but had in fact been supporting her all along, only to deliver a fatal blow at this critical moment to anyone daring to threaten the Crown Princess’s position?
No, no!
There is no such thing as absolute loyalty in this world; everyone must eat and survive. The fact that the forces behind the Crown Princess had gradually abandoned her over the years did not seem like a ruse.
Could it be some other, undisclosed faction?
Or is it because of Hu Nanqin?
Zhao Yu looked at Hu Nanqin. She knew Hu Nanqin was a loyal minister wholly devoted to the country and its people; she would not tolerate the slightest impropriety and would certainly never condone the withholding or misappropriation of military funds.
But Hu Nanqin bore her no grudge; she would not go so far as to drive her to her death.
As the seconds ticked by, Zhao Yu’s mental defences crumbled; the mask of composure on her face was on the verge of slipping.
Hu Nanqin frowned.
Just as Zhao Yu had suspected, Hu Nanqin had no intention of persecuting her.
Misappropriating treasury funds was indeed a grave offence; if discovered, it could easily result in the death penalty. Yet Zhao Yu was the Minister of Revenue, holding the keys to the state treasury; to a certain extent, she possessed the authority to decide where those funds were allocated.
Even if she wished to divert a small amount, as long as she replenished the funds in good time when they were required, nothing would come of it. This was an unspoken rule that everyone understood.
So the crux of the matter truly lay with Xu Chen.
Hu Nanqin suddenly found herself unsure of Xu Chen’s intentions. Could it be that their Crown Princess—or rather, the person behind her—had advised her to bring down Zhao Yu, the Minister of Revenue?
Regardless of what the two of them were thinking,
Xu Chen’s objective was actually very simple.
Like Hu Nanqin, she had deduced that Zhao Yu must have embezzled the military provisions for Chongzhou—a vast sum of money that she could never possibly replenish within a single hour.
However, Xu Chen was unsure whether this was Zhao Yu’s own initiative or if she was acting on someone else’s orders.
Ordering her to prepare the military funds for Chongzhou within a single hour was merely Xu Chen applying maximum pressure to see if Zhao Yu would reveal the person behind her.
Zhao Yu was the Minister of Revenue; what sort of status must the person capable of ordering her about possess?
This was undoubtedly a very significant leverage point; if utilised well, it might prove of great use.
Even if Zhao Yu had acted alone, with no one else behind her, Xu Chen could still use this matter to directly coerce her into working for her, becoming a member of the Crown Princess’s faction.
All she needed to do was let Zhao Yu off the hook, refrain from exposing her embezzlement of the treasury funds, and ensure that Zhao Yu’s head remained on her shoulders and her backside remained firmly in her current seat.
The hour was nearly up, and Xu Chen sighed inwardly.
It seemed the embezzlement of the treasury funds was indeed the work of Zhao Yu alone.
She was somewhat disappointed not to have reeled in a bigger fish, but could only console herself that her current haul was not bad either.
Xu Chen immediately intended to dismiss Hu Nanqin, but to her utter surprise, as her lips barely moved, Zhao Yu suddenly sprang to her feet and thudded to her knees on the floor.
“This humble servant is guilty!”
“But this humble servant has her reasons; I beg Your Highness to see reason!”
The cold sweat she had been suppressing for so long finally broke out across her face; she was deathly pale and drenched in cold sweat, bearing no resemblance whatsoever to a Minister of Revenue.
A barely perceptible smile tugged at the corners of Xu Chen’s mouth.
Sure enough, her intuition had served her well; she had reeled in a big fish.
“Your Royal Highness, what wind has blown you to the Ministry of Revenue?”
Just as Zhao Yu was about to spill the beans, Xu Zhao’s voice suddenly rang out from outside. She raised her hand and knocked twice on the door, but without waiting for a reply, she simply pushed the door open and strode in.
Xu Zhao had brought four guards with her; Xuan Ying alone was no match for them.
Upon seeing Xu Zhao appear, Zhao Yu clamped her mouth shut—she had been about to speak. Kneeling on the floor, she dared not look at Xu Chen nor at Xu Zhao; at first glance, she looked quite pitiful.
Xu Chen glanced at Zhao Yu, then at the uninvited Xu Zhao, and understood everything in her heart.
So it was Zhao Yu who had helped Xu Zhao, the Sixth Princess, embezzle the treasury funds.
It seemed that due to the original host’s incompetence—a hopeless case—quite a few in the court had already, openly or covertly, aligned themselves with Xu Zhao.
The smile at the corner of Xu Chen’s mouth widened slightly, before smoothly transforming into a cold sneer of disgust; her gaze made no attempt to conceal her contempt and loathing for Xu Zhao.
The original host’s relationship with Xu Zhao was abysmal. Whilst Xu Zhao sought to play up a deep sisterly bond with the original host, the latter refused to play along, seizing every opportunity to pick a fight with Xu Zhao.
The result was that she always ended up shooting herself in the foot, only serving to make the entire court increasingly disappointed in her and all the more sympathetic and pleased with Xu Zhao.
Having suffered so many setbacks, the original owner inevitably became increasingly extreme; every time she clashed with Xu Zhao, she was like a porcupine.
Xu Zhao surmised that the original owner must have thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of being aloof and ethereal, pure as jade, in her presence.
After all, the original host possessed something she envied beyond measure—something that tormented her every time she thought of it.
Namely, no matter how much she was secretly favoured by Emperor Yongji, in public, Xu Chen was the true Crown Princess and heir apparent of the Zhou Kingdom.
“The Sixth Imperial Sister does not oversee the Ministry of Revenue, does she? So what wind has blown you here, Xu Zhao?”