Chapter Seven Brilliant Prospects

  Xia Jinyi repeatedly begged, and told the matter clearly to his senior brother. Zhang Jinxiong calmed down and said: 'It seems that we have to settle the Guanzhong League first, but although I am the general manager of the prince's guards, it is not enough to settle the Guanzhong League unless the prince takes action. But how can we let the prince handle such a small matter?'

  Xia Jinyi gazed at his senior brother with pleading eyes, Zhang Jinxiong looked at him, both angry and furious, finally sighed and said: "You were originally a talented person, just couldn't stand out from the crowd, wouldn't be much worse than others, but for a woman, you're self-destructing, alas." Xia Jinyi's complexion turned even paler, sitting in the corner of the room no longer speaking, his expression wooden.

  At this time, a guard suddenly said: 'Manager, don't worry, what Xia brother said earlier, we might as well investigate carefully. If there really is a problem, we will report to the prince. If Xia brother achieves such great merit, Manager and the prince can ask for leniency, and this matter can be easily resolved. The Yong Wang Fu side actually has no major issues, as long as Xia brother makes amends with Guan Zhong, how can they still interfere? Later, Xia brother can go and apologize, and it will be settled.

  Zhang Jinxiong's expression changed slightly, and he said: "I almost forgot, okay, Jin Yi, let's see if you have this luck."

  Xia Jin Yi looked confused and said: "What's wrong, Big Brother Shifu? What merit has Little Brother achieved?"

  Zhang Jinxiong smiled and said: "Let's go, it's a long story, you'll understand later."

  The Crown Prince still has a strong control over the inner and outer parts of Chang'an. However, in just one night, Li An received detailed intelligence in front of him. Looking at his trusted advisor, Shao Fu Lu Jingzhong, Li An asked: 'Lord Lu, how do you think I should handle this matter?'

  "Your Highness, the situation is clear. The Jinxiu Alliance is a remnant of Shu Guo, and in the past, their activities were mainly confined to Shu Zhong and South Chu. Our great Yong has been turning a blind eye to their affairs. Now that the situation in South Chu is chaotic, they have accelerated their activities in our territory. In my humble opinion, they are not a major force to be reckoned with, only knowing how to assassinate, plot, coerce the poor, and even traffic people. Originally, Your Highness didn't need to rush to deal with them; perhaps they could still be of use. After all, it was our King Yong who destroyed Shu Guo. However, since they are no longer content with causing trouble in South Chu, they will eventually cause trouble in our territory as well. In my opinion, the New Year's festival is approaching, and Your Highness is currently vying to replace the Emperor in offering sacrifices at the Temple of Heaven. The Emperor has not yet made a decision. Why not arrange for them to be caught off guard, then submit a memorial to the Emperor to request merit? With Empress Ji speaking on your behalf, your wish will surely come true."

  Li An was overjoyed and said, "The young master is indeed my trusted advisor. This matter must be handled efficiently and cannot be let known to King Yong, who would take advantage of it. If I can replace the emperor in making sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then who would dare say that my position as heir is unstable?"

  Lu Jingzhong smiled and said: "Then I will congratulate Your Highness first."

  Li An burst out laughing and said, "Li Ze, Li Ze, you may have pacified South Chu and been promoted to the position of Tian Ce Yuan Shuai, but what's the use? As long as I can secure my position as the crown prince, you will always be just a subject." By the end of his words, Li An was gritting his teeth.

  Lu Jingzhong glanced at the disheveled Crown Prince and a hint of disdain flashed in his eyes.

  Under the meticulous arrangement of Lu Jingzhong, three days later, the Jinxiu Alliance's branch in Chang'an was swept away, and almost all personnel were caught, with some lower-level officials being implicated. This was a successful encirclement and annihilation campaign. After interrogation, it was learned that the Jinxiu Alliance aimed to gain more benefits from the chaotic Southern Chu and achieve its goal of restoring the country. In the short term, there were no plans to deal with Dayong, but Lu Jingzhong ordered severe torture to extract confessions, and soon obtained the testimony that the Jinxiu Alliance planned to launch an assassination attempt on New Year's Eve, targeting the princes and high-ranking officials of the Dayong imperial court. Of course, in order to achieve this goal, Lu Jingzhong carefully prepared a detailed assassination plan for the Jinxiu Alliance. For a time, the news of the elimination of the Jinxiu Alliance and the failure of the Shu country's remnants' rebellion was buzzing with excitement, adding some bloody color to the festive atmosphere before the New Year. Without considering the reactions of various forces, I took advantage of the opportunity to have Han Wujie, who had once threatened him, take in an old acquaintance and another envoy sent by the Jinxiu Alliance. According to my knowledge, this envoy was a confidant of the leader of the Jinxiu Alliance, Huo Jicheng. Through him, I can establish a connection with the Jinxiu Alliance. Based on the intelligence I have collected, Huo Jicheng is actually the son of a Shu country minister, cold-blooded and ruthless by nature, quite intelligent, but somewhat arrogant and narrow-minded, lacking military strategic talent. Otherwise, the Jinxiu Alliance would not be struggling in Dayong while flourishing in Southern Chu. Originally, I didn't want to get involved in the Jinxiu Alliance's affairs, but Roulan is already my daughter, and I don't want her to have to fight for revenge in the future. It's better if I take care of it myself.

  Upon receiving the memorial from the Crown Prince, Li Yuan was overjoyed. Although he insisted on making the eldest son the heir apparent, Li An's mediocrity still left him somewhat dissatisfied. This time, Li An acted swiftly and decisively, eliminating a thorn in their side. Li Yuan put down the memorial and said to Prime Minister Wei Guan: "Wei Ai Gong, it seems that the Crown Prince is indeed capable, he just didn't have any opportunities to show it before."

  Wei Guan bowed and said: 'Your Majesty is right.'

  Li Yuan smiled and said: "Ai Qing, many officials have petitioned to let the Crown Prince follow me to offer sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple this time. What do you think?"

  Wei Guanzhong said: "The crown prince has been established as the heir for many years, and he should follow the emperor to worship heaven and earth. In my opinion, it should be so. Now that King Yong has been appointed as the commander-in-chief of the heavenly strategy, his grace is already extreme, Your Majesty should also stabilize the position of the crown prince, lest there be any changes."

  Li Yuan nodded and said: "Your opinion is very pertinent, so this time let the Crown Prince represent me to offer sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and then receive the court officials' congratulations in the Wenhua Hall. This will serve as my edict."

  After learning of the edict, Prince Yong Li Zai's face sank like water and he walked straight to the cold garden on the west side of the palace. Jiang Zhe disliked the luxurious Qifeng Pavilion, so after circling around the outer palace, he chose this most remote garden, tidied it up a bit, and moved in. As he approached the garden, Li Zai saw the guards hidden in the shadows and nodded in satisfaction, having specifically ordered increased security here. Upon entering the garden gate, Li Zai saw that the originally overgrown and disordered garden had been cleaned up quite elegantly, and he nodded in satisfaction again. This garden was also a guest house, but due to its remote location, except for the two or three servants and maids who took care of the garden and the night guards, no one paid attention to it, so the garden gradually fell into disrepair. This time, Jiang Zhe circled around and saw this place, and although the manager was very ashamed and wanted to take responsibility for neglecting the garden, he was dissuaded by Jiang Zhe's gentle words. Jiang Zhe liked the quietness of this place and decided to stay here. He had a gentle nature and was satisfied as long as there weren't too many people coming and going. Li Zai was very considerate and specifically asked the manager to inquire about Jiang Zhe's preferences, so that he could make sure Jiang Zhe lived comfortably. Therefore, although Li Zai was anxious in his heart, seeing the elegant environment and well-trained servants still made him smile slightly.

  As Li Zai walked into Jiang Zhe's living quarters, he saw Jiang Zhe standing in front of the chessboard, studying the game. The room was quite spacious, with a layout that included a front hall and a bedroom in the back, separated by a screen. In the distance, one could faintly see the elegant bed and curtains behind it. The small front hall wasn't too big, but it had everything: a chessboard, a guqin table, a soft couch, bookshelves, and a desk, all of which made for a very comfortable and elegant space filled with a strong scholarly atmosphere.

  Seeing Li Zuo come in, Xiao Shunzi, who was playing chess with me, stood up and bowed. I, however, was racking my brains thinking about the next move. Alas, it was I who taught him to play chess, but now when we play, I lose more often than win. At this moment, I heard Xiao Shunzi say: "Young master, the lord has arrived."

  I raised my head and saw Li Ze with a worried look on his face. He exclaimed in surprise, "Your Highness, what's happened?"

  Li Zai sat opposite me, saying bitterly: 'The Emperor has issued a decree, this year allowing the Crown Prince to offer sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple in his place. This way, the Crown Prince's position is solidified. Sir, what do you think our king should do? Alas, sir, the power of the Jinwei Alliance in Chang'an was eliminated by the Crown Prince. If only we had acted earlier.'

  I smiled and said, "Your Highness has forgotten that we originally intended to show weakness. Now that the Crown Prince's position is secure, it's only fitting to let him be proud of himself. To take something from someone, one must first give to them. Isn't this a good opportunity? Your Highness need not worry. After the New Year, send Mr. Shi to escort the young master to Youzhou. This way, the Emperor and others will think that you are planning for the future. The Crown Prince will then relax his guard against you, and the Emperor will begin to show appreciation for your merits. In this way, Your Highness will be safe and sound, while the Crown Prince's patience will wear thin, and he may even harbor resentment towards the Emperor."

  Li Zai was also a clever person and immediately understood, saying: "So these were already in your hands, I was too anxious, sir. Have you arranged for the people you mentioned?"

  I said calmly: "Your Highness, please remember, we have never arranged for anyone to be placed beside the Crown Prince. Your Highness is a minister, and the Crown Prince is the sovereign; how could a minister possibly place a spy beside the Crown Prince?"

  Li Zai smiled knowingly and said, "Sir, on New Year's Day, the Emperor will surely hold a grand feast for all officials. As you are already the Sima of the Tian Ce Du Fu, a fourth-rank official, you can meet the Emperor. Moreover, the Emperor has mentioned wanting to see you. What do you think, sir?"

  I was originally uninterested, but thinking of taking the opportunity to meet the prince and the officials, it would be very useful for me, so I nodded and said: 'I also want to see the literary and military talents in the court.'

  In a secret room within an ordinary residence in the city, two middle-aged men with gloomy faces sat and lay down respectively, looking depressed. The seated man stared at the dim oil lamp and suddenly said: "Bowen, is that friend of yours really reliable?"

  The middle-aged man lying down laughed and said, 'Liu Touer, don't worry, the surname Han used to be a spy in the military, a killer who killed people like hemp, although I don't know how he got rich, but you see, without him leaking the news, without this secret room, we would have entered the Great Yong's heavenly prison long ago.'

  The middle-aged man sitting there sighed and said, 'Although it's like that, but look, we're struggling to make ends meet now, he's a rich man, he's so enthusiastic, I'm always worried.'

  Just as Gong was about to retort, the door of the secret chamber opened and a clear voice came in: "Liu Tong, your suspicions are still not small. As Han is now rich and powerful, if it weren't for thinking that we are all subjects of Shu State, who would care about your trivial matters? Do you know that if this were to be known by the Emperor, Han's life would be in danger, and he might even lose a layer of skin?"

  Liu Tongling hastily stood up and said: "It was a slip of the tongue, sorry, I didn't know that Brother Han's superior is which one?"

  Han Wuji smiled and said, "This is no secret. I, Han, am now the manager of the Tianji Pavilion. Our pavilion master has only one hobby, which is to love gold, silver, and wealth. So, no matter where or who, as long as there's money to be made, we'll have our presence."

  Liu's eyes lit up and he said, "So it's the Tianji Pavilion. Who doesn't know that the Tianji Pavilion is a hidden force in Southern Chu? I'm afraid that three or four out of ten big businessmen in Southern Chu are members of the Tianji Association. I didn't expect Brother Han to have such a prestigious position in the Tianji Pavilion, truly admirable!"

  Han Wuji said calmly: "To be honest, there's nothing much to say. The Tianji Pavilion is shrouded in mystery and I'm just a figurehead as the manager. The real power doesn't lie with me. As for financial matters, my younger brother has some authority. Actually, he wants to do business with your alliance."

  Liu's expression changed slightly as he said, "Brother Han, please speak. As long as it is beneficial to the Brocade Alliance, I will definitely strongly promote it when I return."

  Han Wuji's expression was somewhat mysterious as he said, "The noble alliance wants to rebel, I'm afraid they urgently need weapons and supplies. If I can help, what do you say?"

  Liu Tong led a big surprise: 'What, you can really help, if so, our alliance leader must thank you heavily, if we achieve great things, there will be benefits for Brother Han in the future.'

  Han Wuji smiled and said: "You also know that our Tianji Pavilion has a strong presence in Southern Chu. Recently, the officials of Southern Chu have established Zhao Ling, the third son of the king, as the new ruler, who will take office at the beginning of next year. Now, Southern Chu is in a state of disarray and needs to be rebuilt, while the Yong army has been rampaging for nearly half a year, plundering Jianye and saying something unpleasant, the treasury is almost empty, and military supplies have suffered heavy losses, with no power to replenish them. However, Southern Chu is still a land of fish and rice, and this year's grain production is still very good. Now, Southern Chu lacks money, while Da Yong has won the war and has rich spoils of war, but Da Yong is experiencing some drought this year, so it lacks grain. If you have the guts, open up a channel, steal military equipment and horses from Da Yong, then go to Southern Chu to exchange them for grain and cotton cloth, sell them back to Da Yong, not only can satisfy your own needs, but also make a big profit."

  Liu frowned and said: "This is probably not easy. Now we have just suffered losses in Dayong, I'm afraid we don't have this ability."

  Han Wuji laughed and said: "Who doesn't know that the Crown Prince's actions are for the benefit of the Duke of Yong? This transaction is a profit of ten or twenty times. You just need to send someone to surrender to the Crown Prince, say you're willing to be loyal to him, and ask him to spare your lives. As long as the Crown Prince doesn't pursue the matter, who will still be watching you? The Ministry of Revenue is now under the Crown Prince's control, and the logistics of the Duke of Yong's army can be said to be controlled by the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince agrees, this business will be easy to do. After some time, when the Crown Prince makes a move in the Ministry of Revenue, won't he have made up for it? At that time, hundreds of millions of taels of silver will have entered the Crown Prince's own pocket, what is there for him not to be satisfied with?"

  Liu frowned and said: "The entire Da Yong is his, he will still value this little bit of silver."

  Han Wuji sneered and said: "Who doesn't know that the Crown Prince is being watched by the Emperor above and Ambushed by King Yong below? Don't look at his noble status, this enjoyment may not be better than us merchants. Moreover, can't he think of raising some loyal guards and strategists himself? He has many places to spend money. To tell the truth, in South Chu, we have plenty of ways, but in Da Yong, it depends on you guys getting away with it. Don't deceive me, this time although some officials were implicated, the Crown Prince didn't take drastic measures, your real backer is safe and sound."

  Liu Tong nodded heavily and said: "Wait for me, I'll go back and discuss with the Alliance Master. Although my status is not high, the Alliance Master trusts me very much. But how can I find you?"

  Han Wuji said, 'I'll give you the contact method. As long as our master makes a fortune, no matter what national affairs are, whether you plot against or restore the country, as long as it doesn't harm our interests, everything can be discussed.'

  Liu said: "Don't worry, brother Han. We're not fools either. Who doesn't love gold and silver treasures? Moreover, this road is beneficial to us once it's opened."

  Two people looked at each other and smiled, their laughter suppressed and mysterious.

  In the cold garden of the Yong Wang Fu, I leaned on a soft couch, looking at the scroll in my hand. Because I felt that the secret library of the Wang Fu was too restrictive, recently I only stayed there for half a day and then made plans in the cold garden. Xiao Shunzi saw me lost in thought and suddenly said: "Young Master, are you going to let Tianji Pavilion intervene? Is this good?"

  I heard his question and replied faintly, "There's no way around it, this matter will definitely cause trouble in the future. If Prince Yong's people do it, they won't be able to deceive the Crown Prince, and they'll bring disaster upon themselves. Do you think Prince Yong would allow the theft of military supplies?"

  Xiao Shunzi said worriedly: 'Young Master arranged for the Tianji Pavilion to contact the merchants of Southern Chu, and the Jinxiu Alliance to contact the Crown Prince of Dayong. Then, they will smuggle grain and military equipment. In the future, the Tianji Pavilion may not be able to show its face. Moreover, Young Master's relationship with the Tianji Pavilion is likely to be discovered by King Yong, and it's possible that Young Master will be implicated.'

  I chuckled and said, "What are you afraid of? In name, the Tianji Pavilion will sell all its shares before anything happens. I've already arranged for them to transfer these shares to people from the secret camp, who will receive them. Before the agreed-upon deadline, the profits still belong to me. After that, these industries will be theirs. This way, I'll also fulfill my original promise to them. Anyway, Tianji Pavilion was just a tool for making money in the first place. After this is all over, even after deducting the portion allocated to the secret camp disciples, I'll still have a net worth of tens of millions. The Tianji Pavilion won't need to exist anymore."

  Xiao Shunzi smiled and said: "Still, young master is clever, but smuggling grain and military equipment will not deceive the King of Yong."

  I said calmly: 'Wait until King Yong discovers it, I will make him tolerate it. If we don't have this handle, what reason do we have to depose the Crown Prince?'

  I sat up, pushed open the window and looked out at the dark sky, saying coldly: "My Jiang Zhe's plan relies on the evil of human hearts. If the Crown Prince didn't have a private heart and was wholeheartedly for the country, this plan wouldn't work. Xiao Shunzi, remember that if a person is overthrown, it's not because water can't carry their body, but because their own heart isn't upright. If the Crown Prince really had virtue and the demeanor of a king, my plan would be useless. If he loses his throne because of this, it's not because I'm ruthless, but because he doesn't have the good fortune and elegance to be an emperor."