The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

“I’m afraid my second brother did some corrupt and illegal things back then. This prefect of Jingzhou, Zhou Guangming, may have mentioned something to Father Emperor, and now Father Emperor is secretly investigating.” Xiao Tingjun was very disgusted with his second brother’s behavior. “He even dared to steal the money and grain allocated by the court to the disaster victims. If Father Emperor really finds out, I’m afraid my second brother will not have a good time this time.”

Since the emperor is secretly investigating, it's likely that he's completely disappointed in Xiao Tingkai.

"Since you know that Father is investigating, do you think Second Brother might have also noticed?" Daiyu was worried.

"They might notice something, but let's just pretend we don't know anything for now." Xiao Tingjun felt a little relieved after understanding why his father had suddenly started investigating.

But then he suddenly slapped his forehead: "Oh dear, I almost forgot to tell you, Yu'er, that Scholar Lu is already engaged."

“It’s not Aunt…” Daiyu didn’t finish her sentence, but she knew Xiao Tingjun understood.

“At the time, my aunt was just considering it, after all, there was quite a big age difference,” Xiao Tingjun told Daiyu. “Who knew that my second brother and sister-in-law both wanted to win over Scholar Lu, and Scholar Lu was a clever man, so he took the initiative and said that he had already arranged a marriage back in his hometown.”

"In that case, my second brother had no choice. The Lu family did indeed remarry him, and I heard that he was a literate and good girl. My aunt gave up on the idea when she heard that." At that time, although the princess thought the top scholar was good, he was still much older than Xin'er.

"Auntie is actually very reluctant to let Xin'er get married, so I don't know when she'll be able to find a suitable match." Xiao Tingjun knew his aunt's temperament well; he was afraid that she would not be able to do without good character, good looks, and talent.

Daiyu thought that if Yueyue grew up in the future, she would probably be even more picky.

The emperor's decision to hold an autumn hunt delighted the entire court, and even the eldest princess felt it was time to go and have some fun.

However, Xiao Tingjun returned and told Daiyu, "Yu'er, you guessed right."

Chapter 286 Arranging the Autumn Hunt: Prince Rui's Intent

Xiao Tingjun suddenly blurted out, "You guessed right," and Daiyu couldn't immediately recall what it was about.

“That day, Yu’er said that since I know that Father is investigating Second Brother, maybe Second Brother knows too.” Xiao Tingjun took the beige-glazed cup with an incised floral pattern from Daiyu’s hand, took a sip of tea, and continued, “Second Brother has been uneasy lately. I suspect that he has embezzled more than a little bit of the disaster relief funds in Hunan and Hubei.”

"Logically speaking, since Father is investigating in secret, you shouldn't have found out easily," Daiyu thought a little more cautiously. "What if..."

Although Daiyu didn't finish speaking, Xiao Tingjun understood his wife's meaning: what if Father Emperor did it on purpose?

Xiao Tingjun fell into deep thought: If his father really did it on purpose, then what was his purpose?

"Yu'er, if Father Emperor is doing this on purpose, what do you think he wants to do?" Xiao Tingjun had his own idea and wanted to see if it coincided with his wife's.

“Father might want to give Second Brother a chance. If Second Brother takes the initiative to admit his mistakes and repents, I’m afraid Father will forgive him. After all, he is Father’s son,” Daiyu analyzed. “But if Second Brother pretends that nothing happened, perhaps Father will be completely disappointed in him.”

Xiao Tingjun nodded: "That's what I think too. Yu'er, don't worry, I know what to do."

Then came the Lunar New Year, followed by the Spring Festival floods, and so on. Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu were extremely busy, but seeing that things were peaceful at the Prince Rui's mansion, they didn't pay much attention to it for the time being.

However, at the end of March, Daiyu received a very subtle message from Li Wan: Baochai had recently been frequently helping the Prince Rui's Mansion and Ping'an Prefecture to send messages.

Daiyu was somewhat prepared for Baochai's unwillingness to live an ordinary life: Baochai had once written, "A favorable wind lends its strength, sending me soaring to the clouds," which showed that Baochai was certainly not content with her current situation. However, after Baochai married into the Rongguo Mansion, the Rongguo Mansion had actually declined, and Baochai's ambitions to rise to the top were clearly impossible to realize.

However, if it were merely interactions within the inner quarters, Daiyu wouldn't have paid much attention. But now, with Jia Lian as the prefect of Ping'an Prefecture, which is also where the Jia family's former subordinates reside, things become quite strange.

Daiyu told Xiao Tingjun about the matter, and with a target in mind, the investigation became relatively easy. However, the result shocked the Crown Prince and his wife—Prince Rui was actually plotting a rebellion.

"If I'm not mistaken, Second Brother is probably planning to make his move during the autumn hunt." The Crown Prince's voice was low, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Autumn hunting is indeed a good time. At that time, the emperor will lead the important officials of the court, along with the crown prince, the eldest princess and her husband, and the women of the harem. It can be said that almost all the most important people in the court will be in the hunting party.

If Xiao Tingkai truly possesses that ability, he could easily capture the emperor and the crown prince, and the world would likely be his.

Regardless of what Xiao Tingkai thinks, right now, Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu need to consider more than just Xiao Tingkai's side.

"Then, should we tell Father?" Daiyu was unsure. They had found out what Prince Rui was thinking, but did the Emperor know or not?

Xiao Tingjun also fell into deep thought: If his father was testing his second brother, then how could he know that his father wasn't testing him, the crown prince? A sense of unease crept into his heart, as if an invisible net was slowly tightening, and he, his second brother Xiao Tingfeng, and even the entire royal family were struggling in this net.

Xiao Tingjun looked at his wife Daiyu, his brows furrowed, and said in a low voice, "Whether we tell her or not, the risks are great." His voice was deep and heavy, as if every word carried the weight of a thousand pounds.

Daiyu understood perfectly well that if they didn't speak up, the Emperor would be furious if he found out that she and her husband had received the news. He might even suspect that they were deliberately concealing it and plotting something sinister.

But if they were to speak out, they would find that their evidence was merely based on clues mentioned in the letters and could not be used as proof. Wouldn't the Emperor suspect that the Crown Prince was plotting against his brother? After all, sibling rivalry within the royal family has always been a highly sensitive topic.

Daiyu sighed softly, looked up at Xiao Tingjun, her eyes filled with worry: "This matter is of great importance. If we are not careful, we will get burned. None of us can fathom Father's thoughts. If he already has suspicions about Second Brother, mentioning it now might make him think we are using this opportunity to suppress him. But if we don't say anything, Father will probably think we are intentionally hiding something, or even suspect that we are trying to do something under the guise of this."

Xiao Tingjun nodded, his brows furrowing even more deeply. He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the deep night outside, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts. His father's probing, his second brother's movements, the undercurrents in the court—all of this made him feel unprecedented pressure. He knew that as the Crown Prince, every move he made was under scrutiny, and the slightest misstep could plunge him into an abyss of no return.

Then, Xiao Tingjun turned to look at his wife, and the two of them spoke almost simultaneously: "Speak."

Then the two of them couldn't help but laugh: it seems they really do have a tacit understanding.

“Yu’er, listen to me first. I’ve made up my mind. I will go to see Father Emperor alone. As for what I will say, you don’t need to worry.” Xiao Tingjun had made up his mind. He walked back and sat down next to Daiyu, holding his wife’s hand tightly. “I will take responsibility for this alone.”

Daiyu shook her head and said, "It's clear you're worried and confused. Think about it, if Father doesn't trust you anymore, then my children and I will all be blacklisted. It's best for us, husband and wife, to be one."

"But..." Xiao Tingjun was about to object when Daiyu spoke first:

"Let me finish what I have to say." Daiyu had already thought it through very clearly: she and Xiao Tingjun were one, and there was no way out for them.

“Naturally, you will go to see Father Emperor alone, while I will contact Mother Empress and Aunt at the same time.” Daiyu felt that, whether out of kinship, trust, or even the future interests of the family, Mother Empress and Aunt would definitely support the couple.

After listening to Daiyu's words, Xiao Tingjun thought for a while and nodded: "Or perhaps, we are both overthinking it. Maybe, what Father Emperor wants is just an attitude. We have done what we should do as sons and subjects, and that may be enough."

Daiyu's eyes were firm: "Of course I hope so too. We're overthinking it, but being prepared is always the best policy."

Looking at his wife's beautiful yet resolute face, Xiao Tingjun felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew he wasn't fighting alone. No matter how much hardship lay ahead, as long as Daiyu was by his side, he had the courage to continue.

So Xiao Tingjun stopped talking and instead embraced his wife.

The night was deep, but the palace lights still shone brightly, as if everything was calm before the storm.

Chapter 287 Father and Son Discuss the Emperor's Design

Looking at the crown prince kneeling before him and listening to his words, the emperor secretly breathed a sigh of relief: his second son was already so incompetent, even plotting a rebellion; if his third son were to do the same, then he, as a father, would truly be a failure.

Moreover, if the Crown Prince is truly so inclined, even if he can suppress the Second Prince, the Third Prince might still reap the benefits: if the Second Prince rebels and the Emperor is killed in the rebellion, then the Crown Prince can smoothly inherit the throne.

The second son was not capable of rebelling, but the third son was qualified enough to become emperor.

Therefore, the emperor was not entirely without suspicion towards the third prince, the crown prince. Although the wisdom and methods the crown prince displayed when he was in charge of the country were still immature compared to his own, the emperor himself was afraid that he could not have done so well when he was the crown prince's age.

Now, the emperor can finally rest easy. A crown prince who keeps filial piety and brotherly love in mind is more reassuring than one who puts the throne first.

So the emperor said to the crown prince, "This time, you should not go to Mulan."

Mulan is the location of the autumn hunting grounds. The emperor's meaning is very clear: if the crown prince goes there, and something happens, it would be troublesome if both father and son were captured.

But in fact, the emperor had another meaning: he was not completely at ease with the crown prince, and he wanted to see the crown prince's reaction.

If the Crown Prince really agrees not to go, the Emperor will have another reason to consider it.

Xiao Tingjun didn't even think about it: "Father Emperor originally said that we should travel together this time. If I don't go, I'm afraid people will become suspicious."

"Just claim illness." The Emperor understood that if the Crown Prince suddenly didn't go, even if the Second Prince had made plans, he would hesitate.

Xiao Tingjun did not hesitate either, and even raised his voice slightly, saying, "If Father Emperor does not trust his son, how can his son trust Father Emperor?"

Whether the emperor was moved by Xiao Tingjun's concern or simply wanted to hear such words, he raised his hand, then lowered it again.

After a long while, the emperor finally nodded and said, "Alright, then I will entrust you with all the arrangements for the autumn hunt. If anything goes wrong, you will be fully responsible. Do you dare?"

Xiao Tingjun immediately accepted the order and kowtowed, saying, "There is nothing your son dares not do. As long as Father Emperor is at ease, then your son dares to guarantee that Father Emperor, Empress Dowager and the important officials who went there will all be safe and sound."

What a boastful tone! The emperor laughed instead: "Good, good, you truly are my son."

Then the emperor handed Xiao Tingjun two secret memorials: "Open them and take a look."

Xiao Tingjun accepted the document with both hands. After the emperor nodded again, he opened it and read the first line. Xiao Tingjun was relieved—fortunately, he and Yu'er had both chosen to come and explain things to their father.

Clearly, the Emperor had known about his second brother's plot to rebel for a long time. In fact, it could be said that the Emperor's investigation of his second brother was a deliberate act to let both of them know.

Father was testing them. It seems I've passed Father's test.

The Emperor had secretly left two memorials: one for General Shu Zhan, who was stationed at the camp outside the capital, and the other for the Imperial Son-in-Law Gao Zhen.

It seems that Father has already made clear arrangements for the defense of the capital.

"I will also give your second uncle a secret edict." The emperor was originally worried about the Qiao family, but now that the crown prince had come to express his opinion, the emperor lowered his guard. Xiao Tingjun's second uncle had been in Shaanxi and Gansu since the great victory in the southeast, and last year he was promoted to governor of Shaanxi and Gansu.

"Does Father mean to tighten the internal controls while loosening them on the outside?" After reading the two secret reports, Xiao Tingjun understood a bit more—Father had set a trap, and he had managed to escape it, but his second brother was likely to fall into it.

The emperor nodded, and it was precisely at times like these that he needed to act as if nothing would happen: "I remember you have a cousin named Qiao Ruowang?"

"Father has a good memory." Xiao Tingjun didn't understand why his cousin was suddenly brought up.

"He was in the main camp outside the capital, and then went to the southeast. I remember his face; he still has a scar from the battle in the southeast." The emperor obtained this information from his son-in-law, Gao Zhen. Gao Zhen greatly admired the young man, who was now not too young, at least thirty-five or thirty-six.

“Yes, Lord Qiao is now the deputy commander of the Valiant Cavalry.” Xiao Tingjun replied immediately.

"According to tradition, on the first day, we will demonstrate the bravery and martial spirit of the men of the Central Plains to the visiting tribes." The demonstration the emperor spoke of was a column of two thousand valiant soldiers from the current dynasty, who would perform archery and horsemanship in front of the invited tribal chiefs and nobles.

"I think Qiao Ruowang is very suitable to be the captain of the column." The emperor's words meant that both Qiao and his son would be going to the Mulan Hunting Ground.

"Furthermore, I entrust the selection of personnel for the Imperial Guard to you as well," the Emperor added.

The so-called Imperial Guard was a fan-shaped formation that followed the emperor's horse during the first day of the military parade, enhancing the emperor's prestige.

The Imperial Guard typically consists of sixty-four men. These men must be outstanding in appearance, representing the face of the nation; they must also be skilled in horsemanship and martial arts; and finally, they must be absolutely loyal.

They followed the emperor closely, and if anyone became disloyal, it could easily lead to disaster.

The fact that the Emperor has now entrusted the selection of the Imperial Guard to the Crown Prince is enough to demonstrate the Emperor's trust in the Crown Prince.

Xiao Tingjun immediately accepted the order: "Your subject will handle it as soon as possible and gather the necessary personnel so that Your Majesty can review it first."

The Emperor was very satisfied with Xiao Tingjun's attitude and nodded: "I will tell the Empress that the Crown Princess can stay on the grounds of illness."

To everyone's surprise, Xiao Tingjun objected, "That won't do. We should let Mother stay."

The Emperor was even more surprised to see that Xiao Tingjun had said this without hesitation: the Empress was not Xiao Tingjun's biological mother after all. Although he had witnessed the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's filial piety towards the Empress when she was seriously ill last year, he was still able to do so now that something big was likely to happen. It seemed that this child was truly filial to the Empress.

"It wasn't for nothing that the Empress raised you," the Emperor remarked, then added jokingly, "What, aren't you afraid the Crown Princess will be unhappy?"

Seeing that the Emperor seemed to be in a good mood, Xiao Tingjun relaxed a bit: "I think the Crown Princess will be very happy."

The emperor couldn't help but recall the time when he was choosing a concubine for his third son. It seemed that after all these years, his third son was still the same.

Fortunately, the Crown Princess's family is not powerful, otherwise she would have to be wary of her maternal relatives.

"Alright, go back now and do everything I asked you to do." The Emperor waved his hand, dismissing the Crown Prince.

Soon, it was time for the autumn hunt.

Chapter 288 Mulan's Hunt: Everything is Ready

The Mulan Hunting Ground is located in the northeastern part of Jizhou, bordering the four Mongol tribes of Zhaowuda League, Zhuosuotu League, Xilin Gol League, and Chahar. Upon arriving at the hunting ground, the advance guards had already set up camp on the grassland.