When Qi Junyou was summoned by the Emperor today, he had been feeling quite uneasy. He wondered whether he had not been low-key enough lately, or whether the new Emperor was looking for an excuse to find fault with him. There was no way to know for certain.
Upon hearing that the matter concerned Qingzhou, Qi Junyou felt that the Emperor might very well be using this as a pretext to eliminate him.
So when the emperor questioned him, he replied very respectfully: "Your Majesty, this humble subject does not know about this matter."
"Doesn't know?" Qi Junmu furrowed his brows and said darkly: "Isn't Noble Consort Dowager's maternal clan quite influential in Qingzhou? You haven't heard a single piece of news? Is it that Qingzhou truly has no snow disaster, or does Prince Ping not wish to tell me?"
Qi Junyou was stunned when he heard this. In his memory, this younger brother had always been a reasonable and very polite person, someone who sought cause and effect in everything. But these words now were utterly unreasonable—no different from a shrew on the street.
Not to mention him—even Lin Xiao was dumbfounded.
When Lin Xiao saw Qi Junyou, his mind was already racing with thoughts. And when he saw the emperor pressure Qi Junyou like this, his imagination immediately conjured up a grand drama of brothers turning against each other.
For the first time, Lin Xiao felt lost—he couldn't figure out what Qi Junmu was trying to do.
Qi Junyou felt it too. Seeing that the emperor wanted to shift the blame, he quickly said: "Your Majesty, though my mother is a daughter of the Zhou clan, she comes from the main branch in the capital. The Zhou family in Qingzhou is merely a collateral branch. Moreover, once my mother entered the palace as a consort, she became part of the imperial family and has no connection to the Zhou clan."
The implication was clear: once a woman marries, she belongs to her husband's family—so the emperor was being deliberately difficult and unfair.
Qi Junmu wasn't angry either. He gave a cold, sly smile: "Second Brother, I understand everything you've said in my heart. Today, let's speak openly. The sable and fox furs that Noble Consort Dowager wears—they were all sent from Qingzhou, weren't they? These aren't capital goods. When the Zhou family sent them into the palace, wasn't Noble Consort Dowager curious? Didn't she ask even one extra question about where these things came from?"
Qi Junyou was so unnerved by that "Second Brother" that his whole body broke out in goosebumps. Suppressing his unease, he maintained a look of composure: "Your Majesty, my mother has never concerned herself with worldly affairs. She is not curious about such things and never asks."
Qi Junmu let out a cold snort. "Second Brother, you've been staying behind closed doors at home these past days—how is it that you know so much about Noble Consort Dowager's affairs? Could it be that your bond as mother and son is so deep that you share a psychic connection?"
Qi Junyou put on a fawning smile and said: "Your Majesty speaks truly. My mother and this subject indeed share such a bond."
The smile on Qi Junmu's lips widened. He half-closed his eyes and let out a cold laugh: "I have heard that since the late Emperor passed, Noble Consort Dowager has devoted herself to worshipping the Buddha and chanting sutras in her own palace, not concerning herself with worldly matters. I recall that those who believe in Buddhism should eat vegetarian meals, chant scriptures, dress simply, and refrain from taking life. The furs sent from Qingzhou are certainly warm to wear, and the incense in the palace is plentiful enough—surely one can't smell the bloodstains still in the hides?"
Qi Junyou now understood completely and clearly—Qi Junmu was genuinely looking for trouble, and moreover was threatening him by using Noble Consort Dowager's lack of devotion to Emperor Jing. It was enough to make him explode with rage.
But he refused to accept this threat, so Qi Junyou gave a false smile and said: "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"
Qi Junmu wore an expression of gentle kindness. He said: "What I mean is that I wish for Second Brother to make a trip to Qingzhou. If the matter proves true, you will remain there to oversee disaster relief. If it proves false, then arrest Zhang Wenwan and bring him back to me."
"What?" Both Qi Junyou and Lin Xiao were taken aback and exclaimed at the same time.
Qi Junmu nodded, confirming that he had indeed said it: "Second Brother and I are born of the same blood—there is no bond closer than that between brothers. And since Qingzhou is your maternal family's territory, it will be most convenient for you to act there."
"Your Majesty, this subject—" Qi Junyou naturally wanted to refuse.
Qi Junmu waved his hand grandly: "Second Brother, say no more. This matter is settled. Even if after you go, everyone in the realm says Second Brother has ulterior motives, that you want to seize Qingzhou in your grasp and plunder its gold and silver for your own use—I will still trust in your character, Second Brother."
Qi Junyou: "..."
He really wanted to curse.
Of course he knew that Qingzhou would suffer a snow disaster. The Zhou family had entrenched themselves in Qingzhou for so many years—they could feel whether disaster was coming. Qi Junyou and his faction were all waiting to see the emperor make a fool of himself.
The emperor was on guard against them, so he would certainly view Zhang Wenwan's memorial with suspicion. Investigating would take time. By then, if relief came too late and people died, then—through their maneuvering—it could be framed as the emperor deliberately suppressing Prince Ping and thus refusing to rescue the victims.
Either way, they could secure a good reputation.
Who knew that Qi Junmu, for some inexplicable reason, would have a brain cramp and actually want to send him to oversee disaster relief? Then if relief was delayed, the bad reputation would all fall on him.
At that thought, Qi Junyou's mind turned quickly. He said solemnly: "Your Majesty's command—this subject naturally obeys. But if there truly is a disaster in Qingzhou, how shall this subject provide relief?"
"What do you mean, Second Brother?" Qi Junmu asked, looking puzzled.
Qi Junyou laid it out plainly: "If there really is a disaster, we must act fast. But if this subject arrives with his men while the relief funds have not yet arrived, that would delay the critical moment. If Your Majesty orders me to carry the silver with me now—first, the road is long and we might encounter bandits, which would be unsafe; second, it would slow our journey, and if relief is delayed, we would be putting the people in danger. What then shall we do?"
In one sentence: if you want disaster relief, you need to provide silver.
Qi Junmu looked surprised. "Second Brother, you're overthinking this. Why would you carry silver? You go ahead first. Once you arrive, you don't even need to show your face—I will absolutely ensure your safety with proper protection. And in Qingzhou, I trust that with your reputation as Prince Ping, there will be no shortage of people eager to come forward and help."
The implication was that Qi Junyou would arrive in Qingzhou, but the Zhou family there would never actually see him. In other words, the emperor had no intention of giving Qingzhou a single coin of silver—he planned to use the banner of Prince Ping going to oversee relief, and let the Zhou family of Qingzhou raise the funds and organize aid themselves.
The Zhou family valued Prince Ping so highly that once they heard Prince Ping had been ordered to come for disaster relief, they would naturally spring into action—setting up porridge kitchens, providing grain and shelter.
Qi Junyou felt that the emperor's method was utterly shameless.
No silver, yet still wanting a good reputation.
Even more shameless was that Qi Junmu continued to feign sincerity: "Second Brother, rest assured. This matter is urgent. I will inform Noble Consort Dowager in the palace on your behalf. In a moment, I will have Fourth Brother and Yang Jinglei lead the Imperial Guard to accompany you. You will take the lead, with Fourth Brother assisting you. I will bestow upon you an imperial sword of authority—if you encounter any danger on the road, do not hesitate, just execute them on the spot."
A prince is noble; a consort is exalted. The fact that the Zhou family of Qingzhou was allowed to send gifts for their use was already a tremendous honor. Besides, how many people in Qingzhou would even recognize Qi Junyou?
When the time came, Qi Junzhuo would stand among the crowd wearing something to cover his face, while Qi Junyou would be kept under close watch. The Imperial Guard only needed to call out "Your Highness" to Qi Junzhuo—without the title "Prince Jin"—and the Zhou family of Qingzhou would naturally mistake him for Prince Ping.
Then the Zhou family would be at Qi Junzhuo's mercy, and the disaster, in the hands of the local powers, would cease to be a disaster at all.
Qi Junyou was fully aware of the emperor's plan, and even more so, that the emperor was using Noble Consort Dowager to threaten him.
Suppressing his anger, he forced a smile and said through gritted teeth: "Your Majesty just said that we are brothers. This subject will certainly see this matter done well."
"Good. I will summon Fourth Brother and give him a few instructions. The matter is urgent—you will set out shortly." Qi Junmu smiled. His cold, sharp features were usually like cold stone on a high mountain, but this smile was like flowers blooming. "I will wait here in the capital for good news from Second Brother and Fourth Brother."
Qi Junyou: "..."
He still really wanted to curse.
No comments:
Post a Comment