Prime Minister

Chapter 235, Section 234: [Involuntary]

Inside the imperial study, the fragrance of ambergris created an indescribable tranquility.

Shen Wang's steady footsteps faded into the distance along the passageway outside the gate, eventually being swallowed up by the silence of the deep palace walls.

The smile on the emperor's face did not immediately disappear. He withdrew his gaze from watching Shen Wang leave, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the warm jade thumb ring. The coolness of the jade seeped into his skin, as if it could soothe the anger that surged in his heart due to the news of the Jiangnan rebels.

"Zeng Min".

The emperor's voice echoed in the spacious imperial study, sounding somewhat empty yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"The servant is here."

"Did you hear everything Shen Qing said just now?"

"Your Majesty, every word I uttered has been heard and remembered."

"Not a single word was missed?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zeng Min answered with great certainty.

The Emperor raised his hand and tapped lightly on the table, his gaze drifting to the springtime palace outside the window. He slowly asked, "What do you think of Shen Wang's assessment of the princes' temperaments?"

Zeng Min swallowed hard. He knew when to play dumb and when to be honest. He carefully said, "Your Majesty, Minister Shen's words are all incisive and insightful. Only a seasoned minister with experience in governing the country could have such insight. Minister Shen's ability to maintain such a pure heart, unswayed by power or fortune, is truly a blessing for Your Majesty and a boon for the nation."

The emperor remained silent for a moment, then stopped tapping his fingers on the table.

He said with a touch of emotion, "Shen Wang is a man who does not follow the crowd, does not fawn over superiors, has principles in his heart, yet can adhere to his duty. He is truly rare."

Zeng Min held her breath and lowered her head, feeling the imperial pressure emanating from the emperor, as if a thousand pounds were weighing on her shoulders.

"Send a verbal order to Ning Hengzhi."

The Emperor slowly rose, looked at Zeng Min who bowed in response, and said slowly, "The Grand Secretary is of high moral character and prestige and should be a role model for the court officials. I hope you will restrain the court and the people from all walks of life, be cautious in your words and deeds, and work together with one heart and one mind. At present, the affairs of the court are complicated and I am very worried. You should understand the Emperor's intentions."

Zeng Min respectfully replied, "This servant obeys your command."

The emperor turned his gaze to the table, hesitated for a moment, then picked up the main brush and wrote a line on a blank imperial letter, saying, "After the imperial kitchen has prepared the meal, you will put this paper in the lining of the brocade box and personally deliver it to Shen Wang's residence."

Zeng Min looked up and was immediately struck by what he saw: sixteen characters written on the paper. "Your words are pearls of wisdom. A solitary peak amidst the snow—I am greatly comforted. Strive on!"
He quickly averted his gaze, lowered his head, and said, "This servant understands and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

"Ah."

The emperor responded indifferently, then left his desk and said, "Prepare the carriage... Kunning Palace."

Zeng Min was somewhat surprised. He noticed the pause in the emperor's tone and thought the emperor would go to Jingren Palace, where Consort Liu was. However, he was surprised to hear the words "Kunning Palace" instead. The emperor had just visited Kunning Palace the day before yesterday. According to the practice of the past few years, the emperor would only visit Kunning Palace three or four times a month at most, with each visit spaced six or seven days apart.

As the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Zeng Min was certainly not foolish enough to show any strange emotions. He quickly arranged the ceremonial guard and the imperial carriage. After the Grand Eunuch Zhang Xian arrived, he left the palace and went to the Grand Secretary's residence and the Shen residence.

When the imperial carriage arrived at Kunning Palace, Empress Wei, who had come out to kneel and greet it upon receiving the news, was equally surprised.

The two had been married for nearly thirty years, and the affection they once shared had long been worn away by time. All that remained was the decorum that the emperor and empress had to maintain. The emperor's monthly visits to Kunning Palace were merely a formality to avoid gossip within the palace—the crown prince was still alive, and he had to give the empress some face.

Therefore, Empress Wei had long been accustomed to her husband's indifference, and when she saw him arrive so abruptly, she naturally became wary.

"I respectfully welcome your Majesty."

The empress's voice was respectful yet distant.

The emperor looked up and saw Empress Wei dressed in a crimson robe with gold cloud and phoenix patterns, her black hair styled into an elegant nine-bun hairstyle, adorned with a simple white jade phoenix hairpin from Hetian.

No matter how well one takes care of themselves in middle age, the signs of aging will eventually become apparent.

"Flat body."

The emperor's tone was equally devoid of emotion.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Empress Wei rose and followed the emperor into the main hall.

The incense burning inside the palace was actually the fragrance of spring in the snow, a pure and refreshing scent of plum blossoms mixed with the coolness of pine needles, quite different from the ambergris in the imperial study.

After the emperor took his seat, he casually asked, "Has the empress recently taken a liking to cold fragrances?"

When he came to Kunning Palace the other day, it was clearly ambergris that was being used there.

"Your Majesty, this fragrance is made by fumigating plum blossoms picked when the winter snow first melts with Lushan Yunwu tea."

Empress Wei personally accepted the celadon bamboo hat-shaped teacup offered by the palace maid. The tea soup was as clear as spring water. She still wore a proper smile on her face: "I thought Your Majesty was working hard reviewing the memorials. Perhaps a cool fragrance would help to refresh your mind."

She gently placed the teacup on the rosewood table inlaid with mother-of-pearl beside the emperor, her sleeve brushing against the edge of the table, stopping precisely half a foot away. "The Empress is very thoughtful."

The Emperor smiled faintly, without picking up his teacup, and calmly asked, "How did the Crown Prince look when he came to pay his respects today?"

Empress Wei remained composed and spoke carefully, “Your Majesty, the Crown Prince’s filial piety is evident. He has never neglected his daily morning and evening greetings. When he came this morning, he appeared to be in good health, but there seemed to be worry in his eyes, and his speech was more cautious and humble than usual. I suppose he is worried about state affairs and fears that he might disappoint Your Majesty, so he is inevitably overthinking things. I have advised him to take good care of himself, as maintaining good health is the foundation of fulfilling his filial duty and loyalty.”

She lowered her eyes slightly, perfectly concealing the complex emotions within them.

"Overthinking?"

The Emperor stroked the ring on his finger and pondered, "As the heir apparent, it is right for the Crown Prince to have the nation in his heart. However, the foundation of a country lies in stability. Excessive thinking can easily lead to doubt, and overly cautious behavior may lose its dignity. The Empress should give him more guidance, for maintaining moderation and upholding righteousness is the way to long-term success."

The strangeness in Empress Wei's heart grew stronger.

Although the emperor's words were meant as a warning, they carried more sincerity than his usual perfunctory remarks, and she was not so oblivious as to not be able to discern them.

Over the past year, she had heard many rumors, such as that the emperor no longer liked the crown prince and might be considering changing the heir apparent. The crown prince's situation was indeed quite difficult, especially since the emperor had pointed out his shortcomings twice in front of the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet, which caused the crown prince great distress.

As the head of the six palaces, Empress Wei could do little more than offer a few words of comfort and encouragement to the Crown Prince in private, because she knew that the Emperor was most wary of the harem interfering in politics—although Consort Liu of Jingren Palace had given the Fifth Prince, Prince Dai, many advice and strategies.

Empress Wei suppressed these thoughts and became even more respectful and gentle: "Your Majesty's teachings will be kept in mind by me, and I will seek an opportunity to enlighten the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has always been filial and kind, but he is young and inexperienced, and it is inevitable that he will not think things through. With Your Majesty's divine authority above him, personally supervising and teaching him, and with the loyal assistance of the ministers in the court, I believe he will be able to understand Your Majesty's intentions and live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

A fleeting, unfathomable emotion crossed the Emperor's eyes. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then looked at the Empress, saying, "I heard that a few days ago, when the elderly mother of Minister of Rites Zheng Yuan celebrated her birthday, the gifts sent by the Prince of Chu's residence were quite impressive."

The topic shifted abruptly without warning, and even the shrewd Empress Wei was momentarily surprised.

King Jiang Xian of Chu was born to the late Consort Chen. Empress Wei raised him for more than three years. After Jiang Xian came of age, he was granted the title of king and established his own residence outside the palace. He did not neglect to pay his respects and show filial piety to Empress Wei, and remained as respectful as ever.

At this moment, the Emperor specifically brought up the matter of the King of Chu sending gifts to the Minister of Rites, which was a difficult question for Empress Wei to answer.

After a brief silence, Empress Wei said with remorse, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. This was my idea for Xian'er. Xian'er's family and Minister Zheng's family are of the same lineage, so it would be inappropriate to deliberately sever ties. However, Xian'er has always been a carefree and open-minded child, and I did not expect him to be so generous, which has alarmed Your Majesty. This is all my fault."

The emperor's deep gaze fell on Empress Wei's humble and respectful face.

More than a year has passed since the Ministry of Works corruption scandal, and the Jing'an Division has still not found the mastermind behind it, which seems to have become a cold case.

The emperor suspected many people, including Empress Wei, but he always lacked strong evidence. The key was that if we look back at the outcome, the biggest beneficiary of that case was actually Xue Huai, but Xue Huai could not possibly have such power and means.

After a moment, the emperor smiled slightly and said, "I was just asking casually. What crime has the empress committed?"

"Yes."

Empress Wei smiled and then changed the subject, saying, "Your Majesty, I wonder if Yun'an has arrived in Hangzhou yet. I am very worried about her."

"almost."

The emperor thought for a moment and said, "Based on the fleet's itinerary, she should be in the Huaiyang area these next few days."

Empress Wei smiled and said, "Yun'an has been favored by His Majesty and granted the title of princess. She has now grown into a graceful young lady. I think... shouldn't we choose a marriage for her?"

The Emperor glanced at the Empress and said calmly, "Does the Empress perhaps have a suitable candidate?"

Empress Wei said, “In my humble opinion, the most important factor in choosing a consort is the family’s upright character. Yun’an is straightforward and honest, and I am afraid he is not suitable to marry a son of a noble family. It would be better to choose a talented young man from among the newly appointed candidates. This way, Your Majesty’s compassion for me will be fulfilled, and the imperial family’s appreciation for talent will also be shown.”

"The newly appointed scholars..."

The emperor tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "What does the Empress think of Xue Huai?"

"Xue Tongzhi?"

Empress Wei paused slightly, then said carefully, "In terms of background, talent, character and age, this Xue Tongzhi is indeed a good match for Yun'an. However, I have heard that Xue Tongzhi is upright and strong-willed, while Yun'an is also a strong-willed person. I am a little worried that they will not get along well in the future."

Recalling his test of Jiang Li and the past relationship between Jiang Li and Xue Huai, the emperor had a vague feeling that Jiang Li's attitude towards Xue Huai was probably more complicated than he thought.

Thinking of this, the Emperor said calmly, "Once Yun'an returns to the capital, you can talk to her in person. A daughter must eventually get married, and the princess of the imperial family is no exception. I will allow her to choose a husband she likes."

Empress Wei quickly expressed her gratitude on behalf of Jiang Li.

About a quarter of an hour later, the emperor left Kunning Palace in his imperial carriage.

Empress Wei looked in the direction the emperor had left, and slowly exhaled. The suppressed worry deep in her eyes finally surged up, replacing all the respect and obedience she had just shown.

This unexpected chat, seemingly casual and insignificant, actually concerns the fate of her and the Crown Prince.

When the emperor suddenly mentioned the King of Chu, Empress Wei knew that her actions over the past six months had not been kept secret from the emperor, but what could she do about it?
The Crown Prince was a piece of her flesh and blood; her honor for the rest of her life and even after death depended on him. No matter what, she could not stand idly by and watch someone try to overthrow the Crown Prince.

She turned and walked away. The afternoon sun of spring shone brightly on the bluestone slabs, but it could not penetrate the deep and secluded depths of this palace.

(End of this chapter)