Chapter 61
The Emperor's words were both justified and made perfect sense, leaving Shen Nian with no grounds to argue. Moreover, the Emperor was discussing official matters with him—matters concerning Prince Rui's fate, and matters concerning the stability of Da Qi's borders.
Since the Emperor had asked, Shen Nian had no choice but to steady his racing heart and set aside personal affairs for later.
Understanding this, Shen Nian steadied himself, set aside his turmoil, and replied with equal solemnity: "Your Majesty, your guess is correct. Cheng Jin did indeed write to this humble subject, and he mentioned Prince Rui as well."
At this, he smiled briefly, glanced at the Emperor's calm expression, and continued: "In his letter, Cheng Jin said that although Prince Rui tries hard to restrain his temperament, at his core he is rather stubborn and self-opinionated. He does not like to listen to others' advice, is quite arrogant, and harbors some jealousy toward Your Majesty."
Qi Junyan was the legitimate son, but because his mother had fallen into disgrace, he was never favored by Emperor Jing. For a man like that to feel no jealousy toward Qi Junmu, who ascended the throne seemingly out of nowhere, would be utterly impossible.
And with that jealousy burning within him, had he truly faced reality? Would he collude with the Western Di, making a deal with wolves to seize the throne?
"Prince Rui is rather interesting," Shen Nian concluded.
Qi Junmu glanced at him and nodded for him to continue. Few people ever earned the label "interesting" from Shen Nian—Qi Junyan was one of them. Naturally, Qi Junmu wanted to know what exactly made the man so interesting.
Shen Nian said softly: "This humble subject was merely thinking—if Prince Rui showed no jealousy at all, Your Majesty would likely suspect him of hiding his true intentions and biding his time to rebel."
In the past, Shen Nian would never have said such a thing. A ruler's private thoughts were best left understood but unspoken—speak them aloud, and the Emperor might mark you as too clever or too perceptive for your own good.
Many emperors would tell their ministers: Speak your mind freely; I will never hold it against you. But if you truly struck a nerve, they would grow displeased. They might endure it for a time, but sooner or later, they would find an excuse to be rid of you.
Back when Shen Nian was favored by Qi Junmu and their relationship was good, he still would not have uttered such distasteful words.
Now... now things were a little different.
Qi Junmu had been so candid with him—so unlike an emperor.
Faced with such a ruler, and one he held affection for, Shen Nian felt he ought to be equally candid. At the very least, he should speak his mind. The Emperor was not petty, after all—but this matter involved Prince Rui and the imperial family. As an outsider, if his words were overheard, someone would surely submit a memorial to the Emperor, impeaching him.
Even if Prince Rui had not been favored by Emperor Jing, he still had some stubborn traditionalists backing him, men who upheld the principle of legitimate succession.
Hearing Shen Nian's words, Qi Junmu's expression did not waver in the slightest. "You are right," he said. If Qi Junyan had truly been the patient, sensible sort, then he too would have suspected whether his elder brother harbored secret ambitions for the throne.
Emperors are prone to suspicion—and he was no exception.
Especially since his own ascension had been so unexpected. Emperor Jing's death had come too suddenly, and the imperial edict naming him successor was even more abrupt—passing the throne to the third prince, who had two elder brothers above him. That was nothing short of astonishing.
When he had received the decree, he was dumbfounded. The succession struggle, which he had expected to be soaked in blood, had fallen into his lap with ease.
Even having lived two lifetimes, when he recalled that moment, Qi Junmu still could not fathom what he had done to move Emperor Jing enough to hand him the throne.
But Emperor Jing was long gone, and the past could not be reclaimed.
In any case, no matter what Emperor Jing had been thinking, this throne was his now—and his alone.
The next heir would be chosen by him, and by him alone. No one else could claim it at will.
With that thought, Qi Junmu looked at Shen Nian and asked: "So, do you think Prince Rui is a clever man?" If not, then why would he reveal his jealousy so openly before Cheng Jin, and so convincingly at that?
If yes, then why would he receive the Western Di envoy at the border, unafraid that word might reach the capital and give the Emperor an excuse to move against him?
"Whether Prince Rui is clever or not, this humble subject cannot say," Shen Nian replied. "But his entire family is here in the capital. No matter what happens at the West Frontier, he must eventually return to the capital."
Qi Junmu nodded in full agreement.
He understood that Shen Nian was reluctant to speak too freely on matters concerning Qi Junyan's private affairs. Having lived an extra lifetime, he knew that although Qi Junyan was somewhat arrogant, he had lost his mother young and had never been favored by Emperor Jing—so he cherished his family dearly.
Prince Rui's consort came from a modest family, but she was exceptionally gentle in nature, and the heir of Prince Rui was a bright and clever child.
Qi Junyan was genuinely fond of them. In the capital—that most prosperous yet coldest of places—he was known to protect his wife and son fiercely.
Of course, in this world, people often used appearances to mask their true feelings. In his previous life, when Qi Junmu sensed something amiss, he had immediately sent men to investigate the movements of Prince Rui, Qi Junyan, and Prince Ping, Qi Junyou.
Both had their suspicious points. But before he could fully ascertain whether they were innocent or plotting rebellion, he had already met his end.
The Western Di invasion of the West Frontier, the defeat of Chang Sheng, the overnight slaughter of over ten thousand soldiers of the Western Frontier Army—there was certainly some conspiracy behind it all.
He had always believed that someone had colluded privately with the Western Di to bring this about, because the attack had been far too sudden. Later, with Qi Junzhuo's disappearance, all his attention had been focused on the West Frontier, and as a result, some people and matters had inevitably been overlooked.
To conspire with foreign enemies, to slaughter one's own people, and to barter it all for wealth and rank — such acts would earn the curse of all under heaven.
Yet a mere turn through the history books showed that for power and position, many princes would do just that — even at the cost of being despised by all under heaven.
Once they became emperor and grasped authority, who would care about such things?
Qi Junmu believed he would never do such a thing. Emperor Jing had not been particularly warm toward any of the brothers, but he had treated them equally, and the teachers who instructed them from childhood had all been personally chosen by him.
They had studied righteousness, honor, and the spirit of heroism.
After more than ten years under such influence, the very thought of conspiring with or bowing to foreign enemies had never taken root in his bones.
Just as not long after Emperor Jing ascended the throne, the Northern Rong sent envoys to seek a marriage alliance, demanding a princess for peace and an increase of fifty thousand taels of silver and five thousand taels of gold annually to the Northern Rong.
This so-called "peace silver" was part of an agreement Da Qi had signed with the Northern Rong long ago.
The Northern Rong were a hardy people of the frigid, barren north — fierce warriors who feared no death and knew every fold of the mountains. Da Qi had never held the advantage against them in battle.
Later, a minister proposed a solution: Da Qi would give the Northern Rong a modest sum each year, and in return, they would refrain from raiding the northern borderlands, allowing both sides to coexist in peace.
That was the "peace silver" everyone in Da Qi knew of.
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