Holding money, delighted
Prime Minister Jiang felt as though he had just taken a nap.
He instinctively stretched his sore back and, in a daze, opened his eyes to unfamiliar furnishings that took him by surprise. They were summoned to the Changle Palace by His Majesty, and he, along with several other senior officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion, were waiting in a side hall for the summons. But no sooner had they settled down and barely sipped their tea than something seemed to go awry.
Prime Minister Jiang vaguely remembered a strange figure in the corner of the side hall, not dressed like a guard nor like palace staff. His vision was blurry, needing polished crystal lenses to read memorials, making it impossible to see clearly the person’s appearance from afar.
“What’s going on?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked anxiously, given the palace coup attempt, no one could be sure the palace was safe now.
Only Prime Minister Jiang was in the side hall, along with two eunuchs looking visibly distraught.
The Changle Palace was brightly lit, with the imperial guard encircling it tightly.
“Where are the others?”
Prime Minister Jiang was referring to the senior officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion who came with him.
He struggled to stand, and a eunuch quickly came to support him, whispering cautiously, “The officials and the Minister of State Affairs have already gone to see His Majesty.”
Prime Minister Jiang felt suspicious, but upon realizing the two eunuchs were not strangers, he relaxed slightly and coughed, “Has His Majesty not summoned me?”
“No, actually—”
The eunuch hesitated, faltering under Prime Minister Jiang’s scrutinizing gaze, his legs buckling as he whispered tearfully, “There’s been an incident in the Changle Palace… An insurgent has infiltrated… His Majesty has been gravely injured.”
“What?”
Prime Minister Jiang was shocked. He remembered falling asleep inexplicably and let go of the eunuch’s hand to walk to a censer in the side hall that looked like a spread-winged bronze crane.
Next to the censer were water stains and tea leaves.
Prime Minister Jiang quickly realized it was his colleagues’ doing, thinking someone had tampered with the incense, knocking everyone unconscious.
Now the censer was doused with water, making it hard to distinguish any remaining scent.
“Where is the imperial physician? What injuries has His Majesty sustained, and is he conscious?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked repeatedly, hurrying towards the palace exit.
Such a significant incident in the palace could lead to turmoil throughout the realm or at the very least, trigger a shift in the court’s power dynamics. Prime Minister Jiang dared not delay, just as his students or those from the Wenyuan Pavilion who sided with him left him behind, rushing to the emperor’s bedside.
The imperial guard at the entrance of Changle Palace did not stop Prime Minister Jiang.
This was unexpected to him; he thought after a dereliction of duty, they would be on high alert.
—Could it be that His Majesty was already unconscious? Thus, the guards dared not stop a Prime Minister of the state?
When Prime Minister Jiang entered the main hall and met with his colleagues, he realized things were not as he had thought.
“It was an assassin,” another Prime Minister of the Qi dynasty said, stroking his beard.
“An assassin?”
Just as Prime Minister Jiang was about to react, he saw the emperor’s chief eunuch, who was also the master of ceremonies holding the seal, Xu Jinzhong, with a tense face walking towards them.
The usually imposing Xu, now wore a face full of worry and an unsettled expression.
Prime Minister Jiang finally noticed something amiss with the outside guards; indeed, they were too panicked, their eyes filled with fear and dread, their steps unsteady, lacking vigor.
The palace’s master of ceremonies and the Wenyuan Pavilion officials usually did not get along, but now, despite their differences, they had to manage a semblance of a smile.
“Master Xu?”
“Both Prime Ministers and all ministers, the Second Prince has colluded with the jianghu to attempt regicide and usurpation, truly lawless,” Master Xu said, wiping away tears, his neck showing a swollen, bruised mark.
Prime Minister Jiang, with his dimming eyesight, only then noticed and couldn’t help but ask, “Is this… an injury?”
Master Xu coughed dryly, and Minister Jiang explained on the side, “Everyone in the Changle Palace, from the palace staff to the guards, woke up to find such a mark on their necks, not quite a scar, but with a slight prickling sensation.”
The bruise was swollen, palpable without the need for a mirror.
Everyone felt the sting, touched it, and then looked at the necks of others, leaving no doubt about what had happened.
“Except for us who were waiting in the side hall, this assassin left such a mark on everyone,” Minister Jiang said with a complex expression.
This was a warning; this audacious assassin was declaring through the most straightforward means that he could move freely within the imperial palace, capable of effortlessly snapping anyone’s neck.
The allure of fame and fortune blinds, the temptation of power and wealth seduces, but one must still be alive to enjoy them!
“Where is Commander Wang?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked about the leader of the imperial guard, remembering that the emperor had also summoned this person.
“The person is awake but cannot move,” the chief eunuch said with a pained expression, “The same goes for the generals of the left and right valorous guards, unable to speak or move, like living dead. We’ve called in the Jinyiwei familiar with martial arts to examine them. They said someone had hit their pressure points with a unique technique, and they could only gradually recover after twelve hours.”
Prime Minister Jiang was stunned, too shocked to ponder why the assassin had spared them, the court officials, and hurriedly asked, “Where is His Majesty?”
Now, Master Xu dared not make a sound.
Only when Prime Minister Jiang was brought to the inner hall and saw Lu Zhang lying prostrate on the couch did he understand why both the court officials and the eunuchs wore indescribable expressions on their faces.
The emperor had not died, nor could it be said he was severely injured.
The emperor looked more like he had been beaten up.
His face was swollen with bruises, both the corners of his mouth and eyes were split, and one particular punch mark was especially evident.
Lu Zhang had no idea what he looked like; he had injuries on his back and couldn’t lie flat.
The dagger had already been removed, Meng Qi had hurriedly treated the wound, and then, with the Second and Third Princes, they gave him a thorough beating.
It was said that this was done because it was awkward to hit someone with a knife in their back, handicapping their movements.
Meng Qi had also stopped the Second Prince from beating the emperor for this reason, after all, there was a knife involved.
After the beating, Meng Qi took the Second Prince and left, leaving the Third Prince to feign unconsciousness until everyone woke up.
Lu Zhang was already unconscious.
Lu Zhang had anticipated assassination attempts, so he had already arranged for imperial physicians in Changle Palace; by now, the physician had finished taking his pulse and even allowed Lu Zhang to regain consciousness briefly.
Upon seeing the Third Prince, Lu Zhang became furiously enraged, trembling as he ordered the prince to be dragged away.
However, several of his teeth had fallen out, making his speech unintelligible to others.
It took some effort for Lu Zhang to make his order clear. As the court officials gradually arrived, they were shocked to hear that the emperor wanted to take down the Third Prince and were vehemently opposed.
The Crown Prince’s health was failing, and with the Second Prince’s rebellion and the Sixth Prince’s natural opposition, the Third Prince absolutely must not encounter trouble.
Otherwise, would it not spell the end for the Qi dynasty?
These Wenyuan Pavilion senior officials were wary of each other, realizing they might have stumbled upon a tremendous opportunity, even possibly ascending to the throne themselves.
This thought lingered for only a moment before dissipating.
Due to Lu Zhang’s deliberate suppression and division, the relationship between the senior ministers and the military officials in the court was very poor.
For instance, if Prime Minister Jiang were to claim the throne, Prime Minister Zhang would be the first to eliminate him, labeling him a traitorous minister, and after successfully quelling the “rebellion,” would support a puppet to become the power behind the throne.
Acting as a regent could eventually lead one to become a Wang Mang.
Hence, it was not the time to take the lead, as doing so would give political enemies leverage.
Moreover, as the mantis catches the cicada, with the oriole lurking behind, they might convince the military to persuade the imperial guards, but these forces were ultimately not solidly under their control. Should any of these men turn their backs, leading their troops directly into the residences of the civilian officials, they could kill them all.
“Your Majesty, the Third Prince has always been exceptionally filial. How could he possibly conspire against you like the Second Prince?”
Among the consorts of Chang Le Palace, there was one related to the Third Prince by blood. She was wailing, her cries carrying far.
The Third Prince, however, appeared timid and shrinking, seeming utterly useless no matter how one looked at him.
Such a useless person, would he collude with his older brother just to beat up the Emperor, and then while his brother flees, he remains here, unmoving?
The Imperial Physician mentioned that the incense burner in the main hall was mixed with a powder that induced hallucinations.
Consequently, from the palace servants to the court officials, everyone believed the Emperor was affected, his mental state somewhat disturbed.
Lu Zhang was so furious he nearly burst, he of course knew it was not a hallucination, but with six of his bones broken, moving slightly caused excruciating pain, and with his head buzzing and vision darkening, he could hardly muster any energy.
Thus, the Third Prince escaped calamity, suddenly becoming the ideal successor in the eyes of the court officials.
Outside the imperial city’s palace walls at this moment.
Meng Qi leisurely pulled out a handful of banknotes from his sleeve, quite a large bundle.
Initially, the banknote on the Second Prince was a single piece of a hundred taels, whereas the Third Prince’s were more assorted, with the largest denomination being fifty, and the smallest even one tael.
“Take this.” Meng Qi drew a few notes and threw them over.
The Second Prince counted, thirty taels.
With frugality, it could last a year and a half.
“Why didn’t you kill the Emperor?” What the Second Prince really wanted to ask was why leave the Third Prince behind, allowing him to seize all the good opportunities, it wasn’t fair.
“Have you ever thought about what would happen to the Qi Dynasty, to Taijing, to the entire world if Lu Zhang really died?”
Meng Qi then pulled out fifty taels of banknotes and stuffed them into his own robe, handing the rest to Mo Li.
Mo Li naturally took the money, while the Second Prince looked on oddly.
Somehow, this scene didn’t seem like dividing the spoils but more like paying protection money.
–Could it be that this doctor was the true mastermind, even feared by Master Meng?
The Second Prince began to regard Doctor Mo with respect.
Meng Qi noticed that after hearing his words, the Second Prince didn’t ponder deeply but instead started staring blankly at the doctor.
“Lu Min!” Meng Qi called out displeasedly.
The Second Prince suddenly came to his senses, shaking his head instinctively, saying, “I hadn’t thought about it.”
Mo Li: “……”
Although he had long seen that the princes of the Qi Dynasty were unreliable, the Second Prince’s candid admission still surprised Mo Li.
“I thought, if the Emperor died, the Crown Prince could succeed him.” The Second Prince felt particularly wronged; originally, these issues weren’t a problem at all! In his eyes, the Crown Prince was definitely a thousand times better an emperor than Lu Zhang.
Anything Lu Zhang could solve or handle, the Crown Prince could surely do as well!
—However, the reality was that it was not possible, no matter how talented a person was, they had to be constrained by reality.
Lu Zhang refused to delegate power, the Crown Prince’s experience was limited, and with powerful ministers, it was possible to coerce or even overshadow imperial authority, which wasn’t anything new.
Meng Qi left the Third Prince behind precisely because he knew the court officials would surely protect him.
Maintaining two princes was too expensive; he could only bring one.
“You… forget it.” Meng Qi rubbed his forehead and sighed, “Your Third Brother is not fit to be the emperor. Lu Zhang’s injuries seem severe, but he will recover in a few days. Compared to you and your brothers, he will find that his subjects no longer obey him as before. But stubbornly holding onto face and wanting to go against the ministers’ wishes to kill the Third Prince is impossible; at most, he could be placed under house arrest. Taking advantage of this situation, you should listen to the Crown Prince’s advice, hurry up and have a son, or find someone suitable to take over the throne, this hot potato.”
The Second Prince took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away. Meng Qi immediately called him back.
“Where are you going? Planning to take the silver bills and flee?”
The Second Prince looked bewildered, glancing at the silver bills and then at Meng Qi, obviously not understanding what this meant.
“Is your illness cured? You’re leaving just like that? Don’t want to live anymore?” Meng Qi scoffed.
“…”
“Follow us to avoid the patrol guards in the city, and find a pawnshop in the outer city to rent a courtyard with the silver bills,” Meng Qi clapped his hand, turning his head to Mo Li, “The Eastern City is very nice. The people living there are wealthy, the estates are definitely well-maintained, plus many merchants have shops there, and there are many outsiders, it won’t attract too much attention.”
He spoke with relish, and Mo Li remembered the incident at the city gate when he first entered Taijing.
Not attract attention? How is that possible!
Holding money, delighted
Prime Minister Jiang felt as though he had just taken a nap.
He instinctively stretched his sore back and, in a daze, opened his eyes to unfamiliar furnishings that took him by surprise. They were summoned to the Changle Palace by His Majesty, and he, along with several other senior officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion, were waiting in a side hall for the summons. But no sooner had they settled down and barely sipped their tea than something seemed to go awry.
Prime Minister Jiang vaguely remembered a strange figure in the corner of the side hall, not dressed like a guard nor like palace staff. His vision was blurry, needing polished crystal lenses to read memorials, making it impossible to see clearly the person’s appearance from afar.
“What’s going on?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked anxiously, given the palace coup attempt, no one could be sure the palace was safe now.
Only Prime Minister Jiang was in the side hall, along with two eunuchs looking visibly distraught.
The Changle Palace was brightly lit, with the imperial guard encircling it tightly.
“Where are the others?”
Prime Minister Jiang was referring to the senior officials from the Wenyuan Pavilion who came with him.
He struggled to stand, and a eunuch quickly came to support him, whispering cautiously, “The officials and the Minister of State Affairs have already gone to see His Majesty.”
Prime Minister Jiang felt suspicious, but upon realizing the two eunuchs were not strangers, he relaxed slightly and coughed, “Has His Majesty not summoned me?”
“No, actually—”
The eunuch hesitated, faltering under Prime Minister Jiang’s scrutinizing gaze, his legs buckling as he whispered tearfully, “There’s been an incident in the Changle Palace… An insurgent has infiltrated… His Majesty has been gravely injured.”
“What?”
Prime Minister Jiang was shocked. He remembered falling asleep inexplicably and let go of the eunuch’s hand to walk to a censer in the side hall that looked like a spread-winged bronze crane.
Next to the censer were water stains and tea leaves.
Prime Minister Jiang quickly realized it was his colleagues’ doing, thinking someone had tampered with the incense, knocking everyone unconscious.
Now the censer was doused with water, making it hard to distinguish any remaining scent.
“Where is the imperial physician? What injuries has His Majesty sustained, and is he conscious?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked repeatedly, hurrying towards the palace exit.
Such a significant incident in the palace could lead to turmoil throughout the realm or at the very least, trigger a shift in the court’s power dynamics. Prime Minister Jiang dared not delay, just as his students or those from the Wenyuan Pavilion who sided with him left him behind, rushing to the emperor’s bedside.
The imperial guard at the entrance of Changle Palace did not stop Prime Minister Jiang.
This was unexpected to him; he thought after a dereliction of duty, they would be on high alert.
—Could it be that His Majesty was already unconscious? Thus, the guards dared not stop a Prime Minister of the state?
When Prime Minister Jiang entered the main hall and met with his colleagues, he realized things were not as he had thought.
“It was an assassin,” another Prime Minister of the Qi dynasty said, stroking his beard.
“An assassin?”
Just as Prime Minister Jiang was about to react, he saw the emperor’s chief eunuch, who was also the master of ceremonies holding the seal, Xu Jinzhong, with a tense face walking towards them.
The usually imposing Xu, now wore a face full of worry and an unsettled expression.
Prime Minister Jiang finally noticed something amiss with the outside guards; indeed, they were too panicked, their eyes filled with fear and dread, their steps unsteady, lacking vigor.
The palace’s master of ceremonies and the Wenyuan Pavilion officials usually did not get along, but now, despite their differences, they had to manage a semblance of a smile.
“Master Xu?”
“Both Prime Ministers and all ministers, the Second Prince has colluded with the jianghu to attempt regicide and usurpation, truly lawless,” Master Xu said, wiping away tears, his neck showing a swollen, bruised mark.
Prime Minister Jiang, with his dimming eyesight, only then noticed and couldn’t help but ask, “Is this… an injury?”
Master Xu coughed dryly, and Minister Jiang explained on the side, “Everyone in the Changle Palace, from the palace staff to the guards, woke up to find such a mark on their necks, not quite a scar, but with a slight prickling sensation.”
The bruise was swollen, palpable without the need for a mirror.
Everyone felt the sting, touched it, and then looked at the necks of others, leaving no doubt about what had happened.
“Except for us who were waiting in the side hall, this assassin left such a mark on everyone,” Minister Jiang said with a complex expression.
This was a warning; this audacious assassin was declaring through the most straightforward means that he could move freely within the imperial palace, capable of effortlessly snapping anyone’s neck.
The allure of fame and fortune blinds, the temptation of power and wealth seduces, but one must still be alive to enjoy them!
“Where is Commander Wang?”
Prime Minister Jiang asked about the leader of the imperial guard, remembering that the emperor had also summoned this person.
“The person is awake but cannot move,” the chief eunuch said with a pained expression, “The same goes for the generals of the left and right valorous guards, unable to speak or move, like living dead. We’ve called in the Jinyiwei familiar with martial arts to examine them. They said someone had hit their pressure points with a unique technique, and they could only gradually recover after twelve hours.”
Prime Minister Jiang was stunned, too shocked to ponder why the assassin had spared them, the court officials, and hurriedly asked, “Where is His Majesty?”
Now, Master Xu dared not make a sound.
Only when Prime Minister Jiang was brought to the inner hall and saw Lu Zhang lying prostrate on the couch did he understand why both the court officials and the eunuchs wore indescribable expressions on their faces.
The emperor had not died, nor could it be said he was severely injured.
The emperor looked more like he had been beaten up.
His face was swollen with bruises, both the corners of his mouth and eyes were split, and one particular punch mark was especially evident.
Lu Zhang had no idea what he looked like; he had injuries on his back and couldn’t lie flat.
The dagger had already been removed, Meng Qi had hurriedly treated the wound, and then, with the Second and Third Princes, they gave him a thorough beating.
It was said that this was done because it was awkward to hit someone with a knife in their back, handicapping their movements.
Meng Qi had also stopped the Second Prince from beating the emperor for this reason, after all, there was a knife involved.
After the beating, Meng Qi took the Second Prince and left, leaving the Third Prince to feign unconsciousness until everyone woke up.
Lu Zhang was already unconscious.
Lu Zhang had anticipated assassination attempts, so he had already arranged for imperial physicians in Changle Palace; by now, the physician had finished taking his pulse and even allowed Lu Zhang to regain consciousness briefly.
Upon seeing the Third Prince, Lu Zhang became furiously enraged, trembling as he ordered the prince to be dragged away.
However, several of his teeth had fallen out, making his speech unintelligible to others.
It took some effort for Lu Zhang to make his order clear. As the court officials gradually arrived, they were shocked to hear that the emperor wanted to take down the Third Prince and were vehemently opposed.
The Crown Prince’s health was failing, and with the Second Prince’s rebellion and the Sixth Prince’s natural opposition, the Third Prince absolutely must not encounter trouble.
Otherwise, would it not spell the end for the Qi dynasty?
These Wenyuan Pavilion senior officials were wary of each other, realizing they might have stumbled upon a tremendous opportunity, even possibly ascending to the throne themselves.
This thought lingered for only a moment before dissipating.
Due to Lu Zhang’s deliberate suppression and division, the relationship between the senior ministers and the military officials in the court was very poor.
For instance, if Prime Minister Jiang were to claim the throne, Prime Minister Zhang would be the first to eliminate him, labeling him a traitorous minister, and after successfully quelling the “rebellion,” would support a puppet to become the power behind the throne.
Acting as a regent could eventually lead one to become a Wang Mang.
Hence, it was not the time to take the lead, as doing so would give political enemies leverage.
Moreover, as the mantis catches the cicada, with the oriole lurking behind, they might convince the military to persuade the imperial guards, but these forces were ultimately not solidly under their control. Should any of these men turn their backs, leading their troops directly into the residences of the civilian officials, they could kill them all.
“Your Majesty, the Third Prince has always been exceptionally filial. How could he possibly conspire against you like the Second Prince?”
Among the consorts of Chang Le Palace, there was one related to the Third Prince by blood. She was wailing, her cries carrying far.
The Third Prince, however, appeared timid and shrinking, seeming utterly useless no matter how one looked at him.
Such a useless person, would he collude with his older brother just to beat up the Emperor, and then while his brother flees, he remains here, unmoving?
The Imperial Physician mentioned that the incense burner in the main hall was mixed with a powder that induced hallucinations.
Consequently, from the palace servants to the court officials, everyone believed the Emperor was affected, his mental state somewhat disturbed.
Lu Zhang was so furious he nearly burst, he of course knew it was not a hallucination, but with six of his bones broken, moving slightly caused excruciating pain, and with his head buzzing and vision darkening, he could hardly muster any energy.
Thus, the Third Prince escaped calamity, suddenly becoming the ideal successor in the eyes of the court officials.
Outside the imperial city’s palace walls at this moment.
Meng Qi leisurely pulled out a handful of banknotes from his sleeve, quite a large bundle.
Initially, the banknote on the Second Prince was a single piece of a hundred taels, whereas the Third Prince’s were more assorted, with the largest denomination being fifty, and the smallest even one tael.
“Take this.” Meng Qi drew a few notes and threw them over.
The Second Prince counted, thirty taels.
With frugality, it could last a year and a half.
“Why didn’t you kill the Emperor?” What the Second Prince really wanted to ask was why leave the Third Prince behind, allowing him to seize all the good opportunities, it wasn’t fair.
“Have you ever thought about what would happen to the Qi Dynasty, to Taijing, to the entire world if Lu Zhang really died?”
Meng Qi then pulled out fifty taels of banknotes and stuffed them into his own robe, handing the rest to Mo Li.
Mo Li naturally took the money, while the Second Prince looked on oddly.
Somehow, this scene didn’t seem like dividing the spoils but more like paying protection money.
–Could it be that this doctor was the true mastermind, even feared by Master Meng?
The Second Prince began to regard Doctor Mo with respect.
Meng Qi noticed that after hearing his words, the Second Prince didn’t ponder deeply but instead started staring blankly at the doctor.
“Lu Min!” Meng Qi called out displeasedly.
The Second Prince suddenly came to his senses, shaking his head instinctively, saying, “I hadn’t thought about it.”
Mo Li: “……”
Although he had long seen that the princes of the Qi Dynasty were unreliable, the Second Prince’s candid admission still surprised Mo Li.
“I thought, if the Emperor died, the Crown Prince could succeed him.” The Second Prince felt particularly wronged; originally, these issues weren’t a problem at all! In his eyes, the Crown Prince was definitely a thousand times better an emperor than Lu Zhang.
Anything Lu Zhang could solve or handle, the Crown Prince could surely do as well!
—However, the reality was that it was not possible, no matter how talented a person was, they had to be constrained by reality.
Lu Zhang refused to delegate power, the Crown Prince’s experience was limited, and with powerful ministers, it was possible to coerce or even overshadow imperial authority, which wasn’t anything new.
Meng Qi left the Third Prince behind precisely because he knew the court officials would surely protect him.
Maintaining two princes was too expensive; he could only bring one.
“You… forget it.” Meng Qi rubbed his forehead and sighed, “Your Third Brother is not fit to be the emperor. Lu Zhang’s injuries seem severe, but he will recover in a few days. Compared to you and your brothers, he will find that his subjects no longer obey him as before. But stubbornly holding onto face and wanting to go against the ministers’ wishes to kill the Third Prince is impossible; at most, he could be placed under house arrest. Taking advantage of this situation, you should listen to the Crown Prince’s advice, hurry up and have a son, or find someone suitable to take over the throne, this hot potato.”
The Second Prince took a deep breath, turned around, and walked away. Meng Qi immediately called him back.
“Where are you going? Planning to take the silver bills and flee?”
The Second Prince looked bewildered, glancing at the silver bills and then at Meng Qi, obviously not understanding what this meant.
“Is your illness cured? You’re leaving just like that? Don’t want to live anymore?” Meng Qi scoffed.
“…”
“Follow us to avoid the patrol guards in the city, and find a pawnshop in the outer city to rent a courtyard with the silver bills,” Meng Qi clapped his hand, turning his head to Mo Li, “The Eastern City is very nice. The people living there are wealthy, the estates are definitely well-maintained, plus many merchants have shops there, and there are many outsiders, it won’t attract too much attention.”
He spoke with relish, and Mo Li remembered the incident at the city gate when he first entered Taijing.
Not attract attention? How is that possible!
