"Was it ineffective?" Qi Junmu asked in reply.
Lin Xiao naturally could not lie through his teeth—how could it have been ineffective? The effect was quite clear. Qi Junyou, no matter how uncomfortable he felt and how much he didn't want to go to Qingzhou, did not dare utter a single word of protest and still had to follow the Emperor's will.
But this was not the conduct of a gentleman. Lin Xiao was simply worried that if word spread, it would harm the Emperor's reputation. Moreover, governing such a vast realm—if the Emperor used such tactics for everything, that would surely invite criticism.
Lin Xiao hinted at his concerns, and Qi Junmu shook his head. "Uncle need not worry—I actually got the inspiration for this from Marquis Zhenbei."
"Marquis Zhenbei?" Lin Xiao frowned.
Qi Junmu's eyes held a smile as he spoke: "When Marquis Zhenbei came to court, I was reviewing the memorials from Qingzhou. When the topic came up, the Marquis casually remarked that the snow in front of one's own gate should be swept by the people inside the house."
"Uncle knows that I have been taught since childhood in the orthodox manner by my tutors—I have never once considered acting so unconventionally. Marquis Zhenbei then laughed at me for being too rigid, saying that sometimes unorthodox methods yield unexpected results. After giving it serious thought, I found that this approach was indeed reasonable. It would both uncover the truth behind the loss of composure and not delay the disaster relief efforts."
"So it was Marquis Zhenbei." Lin Xiao muttered to himself. Watching Qi Junmu's eager expression, he felt a mix of exasperation, amusement, and concern. He said: "Your Majesty's favor toward Marquis Zhenbei is imperial grace, yet he takes advantage of it—coming up with one wild idea after another. He has taught Your Majesty all the willfulness he brought back from the borderlands. This is sheer audacity."
Having the Emperor shower Shen Nian with favor had been Lin Xiao's own proposal. For a new emperor, favor was both a reward and a leash. Shen Nian had repeatedly defied imperial edicts, causing the Emperor to lose face. Add to that the matter of the North Frontier Army—Shen Nian had to be elevated high by the Emperor, so that when he eventually fell, people would accept it readily.
But Shen Nian was simply too arrogant. This reckless, meddlesome attitude had to be reined in.
"I rather think this unexpected move worked out quite well," Qi Junmu said softly.
Lin Xiao: "…"
The results spoke for themselves—he had no retort. Still, there were things that needed to be said to Shen Nian.
Lin Xiao felt a dull headache coming on. He had a nagging feeling that with Shen Nian by Qi Junmu's side, many things would spiral out of control in the future. He should have ignored public sentiment from the start—when Shen Nian rushed back to the capital, he could have directly stripped him of military command on grounds of defying imperial orders and contempt toward the Emperor, and thrown him into the Ministry of Justice.
Afterward, the Emperor could have stepped in to release him from prison and bestow gold and silver as a show of imperial magnanimity, and the matter would have been settled.
But doing so would have invited public criticism, especially with the North Frontier Army—it would have been hard to explain. At the time, they had also been mindful of the Emperor's reputation.
Now, Lin Xiao felt as if one misstep had led to another, and he had no idea how long this favoritism toward Shen Nian would last.
---
When Shen Nian heard Cheng Jin say that rumors were spreading through the capital—claiming that he had given the Emperor a terrible idea by sending Prince Ping to Qingzhou—he was just about to drink his tea. The scalding liquid went down his throat and came right back up as he spat it out.
His face turned red from choking, and he coughed violently several times before catching his breath.
Shen Nian looked at Cheng Jin with a complicated expression and asked: "What did you say?"
Cheng Jin kept a straight face and repeated the rumors word for word. Then he asked: "Why does Marquis look so troubled? Could it be that you didn't suggest it?"
Shen Nian let out a hollow chuckle. His face expressionless, he said: "It was… it was me. I just never expected this to leak out. Keep an eye on things here—I need to enter the palace."
Shen Nian left without another word. Cheng Jin watched his retreating figure with some concern—he had the distinct feeling that Shen Nian wasn't heading in for an audience with the Emperor, but to storm in and pick a fight with him.
Shen Nian ran into Lin Xiao at the palace gates. He knew it wasn't a coincidence—Lin Xiao had deliberately been waiting for him there.
Lin Xiao stepped forward to greet him. He had been lying in wait for two days and had finally caught his man.
Faced with the Left Chancellor, Shen Nian couldn't very well be discourteous. So there he stood at the palace gates, under the gaze of passersby, while Lin Xiao lectured him with great earnestness—saying that the Emperor was still young and his temperament unsteady, and that Marquis Zhenbei should keep a watchful eye and not let disreputable people and matters disturb the Emperor's composure.
Shen Nian, being one of those disreputable people: "…"
He knew Lin Xiao was talking about him, yet he couldn't fight back or talk back. He found the whole affair utterly vexing.
Meeting Lin Xiao's scrutinizing gaze with a look of fearless defiance, Shen Nian said: "The Left Chancellor's words have been noted. I still need to see His Majesty—we can chat another day."
Lin Xiao gave a noncommittal "Mm," his eyes accusing Shen Nian of corrupting the Emperor, his entire demeanor radiating rejection.
Shen Nian hurried to Qianhua Hall, where Qi Junmu was reviewing memorials. Without looking up, the Emperor said: "Have a seat."
Shen Nian sat down woodenly.
The memorials took half a shichen (1 hour) to get through. After that, Qi Junmu closed the last one, handed it to Ruan Jiqing and dismissed all the attending eunuchs and palace attendants.
Only after rubbing his sore neck did the Emperor look up at the expressionless Marquis Zhenbei and say: "You've come at just the right time—I have something to discuss with you."
Shen Nian gave a refined, handsome smile and said: "This humble subject came to the palace precisely because he heard certain rumors outside. Your Majesty may not know this, but the capital is abuzz with talk that sending Prince Ping to Qingzhou was my idea. Except I myself didn't know I had given such advice."
"Oh. Well, now you know." Qi Junmu blinked and shot back: "I think it was indeed Marquis Zhenbei's idea."
Shen Nian was speechless. He had never said any such thing, yet this stinking chamber pot was being dumped on his head. The Emperor was practically bypassing him entirely and pinning a reputation on him that he didn't even know he had.
"Whatever Your Majesty says. Since the words have come from the imperial mouth, then it must have been my idea." Shen Nian said listlessly. He couldn't tell the whole world that he knew nothing about it and that the Emperor was lying, because no one would believe that.
"Set that aside for now. Yang Jinglei, the Left Commander of the Imperial Guard, has gone to Qingzhou with Prince Ping. He usually oversees the imperial guards and makes an inspection tour of North Mountain every half-month. For now, you will take over his post as Left Commander and be responsible for the security of the palace. In a few days, go to North Mountain yourself to inspect the situation there, and have Wang Yi, the Right Commander, return to the palace to report."
Shen Nian heard these words, and his expression grew so complicated that he couldn't even speak.
The North Mountain Imperial Guard had fifty thousand troops—the Emperor's private army, personally commanded by the sovereign, tasked with protecting the capital. That meant the North Mountain Imperial Guard could not suffer any mishap. Only those whom the Emperor trusted most were qualified to meddle in North Mountain Imperial Guard affairs.
What's the Emperor playing at? Giving me a slap and then a consolation prize. But this prize is far too generous—I'm afraid I'll choke on it.
Seeing Shen Nian's somber, silent expression, and knowing he would need him for many things in the future, Qi Junmu said: "If you have something to say, just say it. Holding it in does nobody any good."
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