He knew this soft-hearted fool would take the bait. Once they entered the opera house and the strings and pipes began to play, this theater fanatic would surely become completely absorbed, forgetting everything else in the world.
The smile had not yet faded from the Second Prince’s face when Yan Xiaoying suddenly slapped his forehead. “Oh, dear! I just remembered that I have official business to attend to today. Second Brother also knows how important the affairs of the Court of Imperial Treasury are. If I do well, I can help Father Emperor with even more responsibilities and share his burdens. I truly envy you, Second Brother! With no paperwork weighing you down, you spend your days at leisure, with nothing to do, free to listen to music and amuse yourself with birds whenever you please… That’s a luxury I can only dream of… Hahaha!”
Laughing with barely concealed smugness, Yan Xiaoying flicked his robe, strode into the carriage, and tapped on its side, signaling the driver to depart at once.
The Second Prince’s eyelids twitched furiously at the word “leisure” in the Crown Prince’s speech. He spat viciously on the ground, but could hardly curse the heir to the throne in public.
After several failed attempts to sabotage things, he had no choice but to run to Noble Consort Shang, only to receive another harsh scolding from her for repeatedly making foolish moves. “Don’t you know what kind of person the Crown Prince is? So what if His Majesty assigned him to the Court of Imperial Treasury? All he’ll do is expose his own shortcomings!”
The Second Prince still tried to argue. “Even if Fourth Brother is a complete fool, the Empress will certainly send people to handle everything for him. What if he manages the assignment flawlessly and gains Father’s favor?”
Noble Consort Shang merely smiled. “The Empress certainly is capable of taking everything into her own hands. But tell me, why do you think His Majesty insisted on having the Crown Prince move out of Fengming Palace despite the Empress’s objections? His Majesty has never liked the harem interfering in state affairs. Besides, the investigation into the embezzled disaster-relief funds is reaching a critical stage. The Empress’s half-brother, Tang Zhen, is implicated as well. If the Empress reaches into the affairs of the Court of Imperial Treasury, how do you think His Majesty will react? You’ve been fighting that mother and son for so many years. Don’t tell me you still can’t see something this obvious.”
Those words immediately enlightened the Second Prince. That’s right. At a time like this, Father Emperor sending the Crown Prince to train in the Court of Imperial Treasury was also a test.
Tang Zhen was greedy by nature. The rotten accounts he had created under the protection of having the Empress as his sister were probably so filthy that even the Empress’s father, Tang Hongsheng, knew nothing about them.
Empress Tang always protected her own people, blindly shielding her fellow illegitimate-born brother. In the end, she would only cover up something that stank to high heaven, and even Fengqi Plain couldn’t avoid being dragged into the mess.
With that thought, the Second Prince finally felt at ease and waited for the Crown Prince to make a fool of himself.
Meanwhile, Yan Xiaoying traveled in a grand procession to the Court of Imperial Treasury.
Among the guards accompanying the carriage were several men temporarily assigned from the Empress’s palace. Officially, they had been added because the Empress feared the Crown Prince might be in danger outside the palace.
In reality, it was clear the Empress feared she might run away, so she had increased the number of people watching over her. She craned her head out for a look, then turned back and rewarded Jinzhong, who was attending her inside the carriage, with a silver ingot.
Jinzhong assumed it was a reward for tailing the guards that morning, and he accepted it with undisguised delight. What he didn’t know was that the reward was for something else entirely: he belonged to neither the Empress’s faction nor Noble Consort Shang’s, making him far more trustworthy to use.
That had been the true purpose behind Yan Xiaoying’s decision to send him alone to follow the guards that morning. Not only had it allowed her to investigate the Second Prince, but it had also ruled out any suspicion that Jinzhong was aligned with the Western Palace faction.
Before long, the Crown Prince’s procession arrived outside the Ministry of the Imperial Household. Officials were already waiting there and knelt to pay their respects to the heir apparent.
In high spirits, the Crown Prince spent the morning touring the Ministry under the guidance of Minister Qin, the Minister of the Imperial Household, and familiarizing himself with the duties of its various departments.
The recent flooding in Jiangsu and Zhejiang had been relentless. The Ministry of the Imperial Household was responsible for distributing grain to local government offices throughout the disaster areas, and numerous clerks were busy calculating and reviewing account books.
The Crown Prince pretended to examine the records for a while, then grandly waved a hand and ordered the clerks behind him to bring over the disaster-relief accounts from Jiangsu and Zhejiang covering the past two years.
Since the order came from the Crown Prince, none of the officials dared disobey. The accounts had already been officially recorded, archived, and sealed, so there was no harm in letting him look through them.
Just then, a tall, lean young gentleman approached and greeted the Crown Prince with easy familiarity. “Your Highness, if there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me. I review these documents on His Majesty’s behalf, and whenever I find anything suspicious, I make a copy for His Majesty to inspect. Someone, bring some refreshments for the Crown Prince and prepare a cooler reception hall for him to rest in.” As he spoke, the skinny man didn’t even wait for the Crown Prince’s response before turning around and instructing servants to move the documents into his own office.
Yan Xiaoying raised an eyebrow at the lean young man. He looked familiar, but she couldn’t place him immediately.
Fortunately, Jianhu was quick-witted and quietly reminded her: “This is Tang Mingquan, the young master of the Tang family’s second branch. You should call him Cousin.”
That immediately jogged Yan Xiaoying’s memory.
Tang Mingquan was Tang Ru’s elder brother by blood and was likewise from the second branch of the Tang family.
Interestingly, although Empress Tang was the daughter of the family’s main branch, her status as a child born to a concubine meant that, apart from her own brother Tang Zhen, she was closer to the second branch.
Tang Mingquan was one of Empress Tang’s most trusted aides. He served in the Ministry of the Imperial Household and was highly skilled at managing finances. He handled many affairs outside the Empress’s palace.
When she and her father were arrested, it seemed Tang Mingquan had also provided a letter to the garrison commander of Yicheng, claiming that the Yan father and daughter were runaway servants from his household.
However, Tang Mingquan had merely been helping Nanny Song apprehend them at the time. He probably knew nothing about what his aunt had done all those years ago, nor did he realize that the Crown Prince standing before him was no longer the same person. He still treated the Crown Prince exactly as he had four years earlier: As a good-for-nothing fool unworthy of being taken seriously.
Yan Xiaoying sneered inwardly and raised her voice at the clerks carrying the documents. “Are you all deaf? I want to review the records. Where exactly are you taking them?”
The clerks immediately panicked. Holding the bundles of documents, they stood frozen, unsure what to do.
Tang Mingquan had heard from his sister, Tang Ru, that the Crown Prince had grown much bolder during the four years they had been apart. He hadn’t quite believed her, assuming she had simply mocked the Crown Prince too harshly and provoked even a rabbit into biting back. But seeing him today, he realized this coward had found his courage. He was actually daring to challenge a member of the Tang family.
Tang Mingquan let out a cold laugh and, suppressing his irritation, tried to lecture him. “This humble official is acting under Her Majesty the Empress’s instructions to assist Your Highness in becoming familiar with these affairs. If Your Highness is unwilling, then perhaps you should explain that to Her Majesty yourself…”
The Tang siblings truly used the same tactics. Whenever they wanted to pressure someone, they invoked the Empress’s name.
Unfortunately, this was not Fengming Palace. Half the officials in the Ministry of the Imperial Household were the Emperor’s eyes and ears.
After receiving guidance from Grand Tutor Ge, Yan Xiaoying had gained a much clearer understanding of Emperor Chunde’s deepest concerns. If she backed down before someone surnamed Tang, wouldn’t she simply be severing herself from the Emperor’s favor?
So she sat back in her chair, crossed one leg leisurely over the other, and said: “No wonder Cousin A Ru has absolutely no sense of decorum. Her elder brother is no better. Father Emperor ordered me here to perform official duties. Even Mother Empress instructed me to do my utmost. What business is it of yours? Running about, giving orders everywhere. Anyone who didn’t know better might think you’re the Crown Prince of the realm…”
She paused, then smiled. “You seem far more imposing than I am. If you want to complain, hurry up and go. Stop lingering in front of me and getting in my way.”
Tang Mingquan’s eyelids twitched with anger. What does this thing think it is? After being ignored for four years, he had somehow developed the airs of a Crown Prince. First he slapped Tang Ru, and now he was putting on a show in front of him too. He truly had no idea of the situation he was in. His aunt had already adopted the Sixth Prince. Anyone with eyes could see what she was planning.
The Crown Prince had been mediocre since childhood. Even if he had temporarily earned the Emperor’s favor, and even if a handful of old ministers still supported him, he was no match for that cunning mother-and-son pair from the Western Palace.
Sooner or later, Feng Qiyuan would be stripped of his position as Crown Prince. It was an unspoken consensus throughout the court. A useless, effeminate waste of space. Did he really think he’d live to see the day he became Emperor? He was nothing more than a stepping stone his aunt was using to pave the way for the Sixth Prince. As for these so-called imperial princes, they were nothing special. In the end, the Tang family truly called the shots in court.
With that thought, Tang Mingquan let out a cold laugh and swallowed his anger. “Your Highness jests. This humble official was merely anxious to ease Your Highness’s burdens. If Your Highness can manage everything yourself, then that is naturally for the best…”
Having said that, Tang Mingquan departed awkwardly. Judging by the expression on his face as he left, he was clearly on his way to lodge a very bitter complaint.
After driving Tang Mingquan away, Yan Xiaoying had servants bring over cushions and padding to make a soft little nest. Reclining lazily within it, she began flipping through the documents at remarkable speed, seemingly reading ten lines at a glance. But she went through them so quickly that the attendants nearby could see perfectly well what was happening. She was clearly just putting on a show and passing the time.
At long last, the Crown Prince’s “hard work” came to an end. Yet the slender youth made no move to rise. Instead, she simply sat there with her eyes closed; whether meditating or napping, no one could tell.
Jianhu endured it for as long as he could before finally speaking up. “Your Highness, Her Majesty instructed that you bring some of the account books and documents back with you. Which ones would you like to take?”
Yan Xiaoying waved a hand and tapped her temple. “I am exceptionally brilliant. I’ve already memorized everything. Why would I need to bring any documents back?”
Jianhu was left speechless. He did not believe a single word of the fake Crown Prince’s boasting.
Thus, the Crown Prince spent an entire day at the Ministry of the Imperial Household. She examined plenty of documents, yet took none back with her.
The Empress had already heard Tang Mingquan’s complaints earlier. When she learned that none of the account books had been brought back, she slammed her hand onto the table in fury.
That damned girl! Are her ears just for decoration? She had specifically sent word through Nanny Song, instructing her to bring back the disaster-relief ledgers because the Emperor had resolved to conduct a thorough investigation into corruption in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
The grain-distribution accounts for those regions were deep enough to drown officials from multiple prefectures and counties. Many of the local officials involved were trusted associates of her brother, Tang Zhen. If they became implicated, their father would certainly reprimand her brother. As Empress, she would lose face as well. And if that wretched woman from the Western Palace took the opportunity to whisper into the Emperor’s ear, wouldn’t all of her efforts over these past months come to nothing?
Tampering with the records inside the Ministry itself would be difficult. Ordinary people couldn’t even access the ledgers. Originally, she had hoped the young woman would bring back the important accounts, allowing her people to quietly alter the figures, balance the books, and erase all traces without leaving a mark. Instead, the wretched girl had returned empty-handed.
The Empress was so angry she nearly ground her silver-white teeth to powder. In her rage, she ordered someone to summon the Crown Prince for a lecture.
But the messenger came back empty-handed.
The Crown Prince had already been summoned by the Emperor. Together with several other princes, he had accompanied His Majesty and Grand Tutor Ge Danian to fish by the lake in the Imperial Garden.
As it happened, Emperor Chunde had spent his youth growing up in a remote rural region. Back then, he often went fishing with his mentor, Ge Danian, and had become quite skilled at it.
Earlier that day, while playing chess with the old scholar, the Emperor had heard Ge Danian mention their youthful pastime. The memory had awakened the Emperor’s enthusiasm, and he suddenly felt the urge to fish again. Since it was a hobby from his younger days, he naturally gathered a few younger people to add some liveliness.
So Ge Danian suggested summoning all the princes of note within the palace. Each man would take a fishing rod and cast his line beneath the drooping willows along the lakeshore.
While baiting their fishing spots, Yan Xiaoying sidled over to Ge Danian and asked in a low voice: “Didn’t I hear yesterday that Teacher’s wife was complaining about how late you keep coming home, and that you promised to return early today? Why did you run off to see my father instead and stir up his fishing addiction? If you don’t find an excuse to slip away soon, you’ll end up eating your late-night meal in the palace!”
Ge Danian leisurely took a sip of his aged wine before replying softly: “That was indeed my plan. But earlier, someone reported Your Highness’s day of official duties to His Majesty. When I heard that you had skimmed through documents at lightning speed and then returned empty-handed, I performed a quick calculation on my fingers. Had I not come here to fish, I’m afraid someone would soon be getting a beating and end up with a thoroughly blossomed backside.”
The moment Yan Xiaoying heard him say that, her large eyes instantly filled with grateful tears. “Grand Tutor Ge truly is a living bodhisattva!”
The moment the thought crossed Yan Xiaoying’s mind, she was almost moved to tears.
The old scholar had clearly discerned her predicament. He understood that she had deliberately paid lip service to the Empress’s instructions while secretly defying them. That was why he had tempted the Emperor into summoning the princes for a fishing excursion, buying her time and shielding her from the coming storm.
Realizing this, she immediately became attentive and eager to please. “Here, Teacher,” she said, offering up an earthworm. “This one’s fatter. Let your student bait the hook for you.”
Ge Danian smiled as he watched the youth fawn over him. Knowing how sharp-witted Yan Xiaoying was, he was confident she had understood his warning and would soon think of a suitable excuse to deal with the Empress. Unfortunately, such a clever young person had been born into the imperial family. The bond between teacher and student could go no further than this. Otherwise, brilliance carried to its extreme could only bring harm. He might end up becoming another him.
Thinking of a certain old acquaintance who still weighed heavily on his heart, Ge Danian’s expression grew wistful. His eyes drifted unconsciously toward a low wall by the lakeside. I wonder whether he is well…
At that moment, the Emperor called out loudly: “What are the Crown Prince and Master Ge whispering about over there? Share it with me!”
Yan Xiaoying remained perfectly calm. Tilting her head with a smile, she replied: “Reporting to Father Emperor, your son was just discussing some good news with the Grand Tutor. It seems that the famous opera performer Qin Guan’er has recently arrived in the capital!”
The moment those words left her mouth, the amusement on the Emperor’s face noticeably faded. The good-for-nothing child!
Just when he had begun to think the Crown Prince had improved, he had apparently become infatuated with singers and romantic diversions all over again.
Nearby, the Third Prince burst into laughter and jabbed the Second Prince with his elbow. “Look at that. The little miss is getting the itch again. He’s about to start singing his tunes.”
But the Second Prince, Feng Qiting, couldn’t bring himself to laugh. Instead, a bad feeling rose in his chest. Something told him things were about to go very, very wrong.