Chapter 127: The Grand Tutor Strikes Back
The Mu Shuyun before his eyes was still the same as she usually stood before him when speaking, yet Mu Chang suddenly acted as if he did not recognize her, widening his eyes and standing up.
“This matter was not the Emperor’s idea. It was you who took it upon yourself to bribe Ruan Fu to act against Shen Yizhu, and after failing, you killed Ruan Fu?”
Mu Shuyun bit her lower lip hard and slowly nodded.
“Why did you do this?” Mu Chang took a large step toward her.
Mu Shuyun’s eyes reddened: “I need to reclaim my position as Empress, and Shen Yizhu is now my greatest threat.”
“But how dare you join hands with the people of Zichen Hall?” Mu Chang looked at her in shock. “You never discussed this matter with me!”
“But the Emperor acquiesced!” Mu Shuyun placed the memorial that the Emperor had personally approved on the table. “I went to see him that day, and he gave me a promise. He also hopes that I can remove the threat that the Shen Family currently poses to him.”
Mu Chang picked it up, his cheeks trembling: “He still needs to rely on the Mu Family and Prince Jingyang’s Mansion to support him together, and he gave you this promise to make you risk your life for him?”
Mu Shuyun’s expression changed slightly: “Even so, it is worth it. Are we not also using him to rise to power?
“Twenty years ago, Grandfather was dismissed from office due to a crime, and the Mu Family fell from being the Imperial Father-in-law’s mansion that dominated the Imperial Court to mere commoners.
“It was Father who personally told me that the Mu Family must rely on the merit of raising the monarch to return to the peak and ultimately surpass the past, becoming the greatest powerholders in the world without sitting on the throne!
“Because only having sufficiently great power in hand is the true amulet of protection. So you also said that you must make your daughter become the Empress, and ensure that the future Crown Prince and monarch have half the Mu Family’s blood in their veins.
“You said we must be like the Wang and Xie families of the Wei and Jin dynasties, not letting imperial power control our destiny, but instead controlling imperial power in reverse, with our Mu Family deciding who sits on that position!
“This time, your daughter was harmed in her vital interests. What does it matter to risk my life for him! As long as I ultimately benefit, that is enough?”
Mu Chang looked at her cold and resolute face and was momentarily speechless.
Twenty years ago, when the Mu Family was demoted due to a crime, Mu Shuyun had not yet been born. The reason she remembered these past events so clearly was naturally due to the constant instillation from Mu Chang and Madam, who had fallen from the clouds overnight, over these years.
Correct.
How glorious the Mu Family was twenty years ago.
The old father was already among the Three Dukes, serving as the Censor-in-Chief of the court.
And his younger sister, by virtue of her childhood betrothal to the Former Emperor who had just ascended the throne, naturally entered the central palace to become the Empress. Several cousins in the family also married sons of high officials.
His younger sister and the Former Emperor shared a childhood sweethearts bond, and their marriage was harmonious. The Former Emperor had just ascended the throne, harboring great ambitions, yet suppressed by a group of old ministers, exhausting himself in governance.
His younger sister had accumulated much knowledge in her boudoir. After entering the palace, to help the Former Emperor relieve his worries, she studied the strategies of ancient and modern worthies, becoming a competent wise consort.
In the accumulation of mutual support day by day, the Emperor and Empress’s marital affection grew deeper. For the first three years, the Former Emperor’s rear palace was spotlessly clean, with no instances of taking concubines or accumulating maids. He even repeatedly expressed gratitude for the Empress’s efforts before the civil and military officials.
This naturally led to the Former Emperor’s favor toward the Mu Family.
Even though at that time, his younger sister frequently summoned the old father and their brothers into the palace to warn them every few days, cautioning that the more favored they were, the more low-key they must be, the Mu Family’s prestige was still like oil on fire, unstoppable.
Because of this, they grew bold, believing the persuasion from those below, and releasing a few official positions to accumulate some capital for manipulating power in the family, thinking it was no big deal.
Who knew they were reported.
Not only reported, but the Former Emperor was greatly enraged.
He believed the Mu Family had failed his expectations.
He mercilessly threw his old father-in-law into prison.
What disappointed Mu Chang even more was that his own younger sister, the central palace Empress deeply trusted and respected by the Former Emperor, clearly had the ability to plead for the old father and beg the Former Emperor to forgive the Mu Family this time, yet she did not say a single word of plea. Instead, she helped the Former Emperor angrily rebuke the Mu Family, blaming the maternal family for not heeding her reminders and thus playing with fire and burning themselves.
She bore the Mu surname!
In the end, the Former Emperor spared the old father from prison, merely stripping him of his official position as punishment, but the entire Mu Family resigned and returned to their hometown, far from power.
As a Miss from the Mu Family, how could she be so heartless to her maternal family?
Mu Chang was too disappointed.
From that time on, he felt a chill toward the words imperial power.
It turned out that even glory as great as then, even with an Empress so respected by the Emperor in the family, the glory was not everlasting.
True everlasting glory was, of course, becoming manipulators of imperial power.
Only by becoming a great clan with the strength to control imperial power could they truly hold their heads high!
Originally, he and the old father had indeed nurtured the Second Prince with such intentions. The Second Prince was the legitimate son of Empress Mu, and given the Former Emperor’s lifelong devotion to Empress Mu, even without being explicitly established as Crown Prince, this only legitimate prince ascending the throne was almost certain.
But who knew various errors occurred later…
But it did not matter.
They had the ability to correct mistakes.
They still sent the Second Prince alive to the Capital City.
The original plan was to immediately scheme against the Shen Family after the Emperor ascended the throne. What was there to fear from Empress Dowager Shen holding the seal?
As long as she died, would not the great seal return to the Emperor’s hands?
But unexpectedly, the Former Emperor had left Yan Bei in the Capital City waiting for them.
Fortunately, Yan Bei was explicitly left by the Former Emperor to assist the new monarch.
His passing was sudden, so who was the new monarch? It was not certain.
However, the First Prince was already gone. The Second Prince was both legitimate and the eldest in rank. Who else to establish but him?
Even Yan Bei, who was carrying out the Former Emperor’s decree as Regent, acknowledged this decision.
The Shen Family lost the Fourth Prince’s throne, but Empress Dowager Shen also held the right to listen to politics granted by the Former Emperor. Yan Bei suppressed them all and would similarly not allow them to touch Empress Dowager Shen.
Mu Chang could only hold back.
Fortunately, there was the Chu Family to balance against the Shen Family.
Thus, Mu Chang was no longer anxious. In any case, for the Second Prince’s ascension, the greatest obstacle had died three years ago, so lying low for another three years and waiting until the Emperor came of age before acting against the Shen Family would not be too late.
Who could have thought that with less than a year left, the greatest variable appeared!
Yue Tang was still alive!
Not only alive, but she eradicated the Chu Family in one move and traced it back to him, Mu Chang!
After Yue Tang returned to the mansion these days, she needed to sort out the affairs large and small in the Prince’s Mansion, and did not Mu Chang also need time to reorganize this situation that had been utterly disrupted!
“Father!”
Mu Shuyun stood before him, already shaking his sleeve. “Daughter knows she caused trouble. But Daughter did not want to fail!
“Now that things have come to this, should we not immediately think of a strategy to remedy the situation?”
Mu Chang looked at her, forcing his scattered thoughts like fireworks to gather.
“How did that eunuch disappear?”
“The person left behind to pick him up told me they never saw him appear! But Yang Cui clearly saw him release the snake!
“The location where the snake was released was separated from the pickup point by only a corridor more than ten zhang long—that is to say, something happened to him within that distance of more than ten zhang!”
Mu Shuyun spoke at extreme speed, revealing her hidden fear.
“In the corridor!” With his thoughts gathered, Mu Chang’s eyes narrowed involuntarily. “That means it was done by someone from the Palace!”
“I do not think it is certain!” Mu Shuyun clenched her hands. “I was originally confident in today’s plan, and Shen Yizhu was indeed delayed.
“I cannot think of any reason for her to risk being bitten by the snake and suddenly run back to her room! Moreover, she saw Ruan Fu with craftsmen from the Directorate of Imperial Manufactures on the way and questioned them with hostility!
“Father!” She raised her head. “I always feel like she was reminded by someone. Why would she be wary of Ruan Fu?
“Clearly, I had long inquired that this year the Palace’s inspections and repairs of the various palace halls started earlier than in previous years, and Ruan Fu indeed held documents from the Ministry of Works!”
Mu Chang’s face darkened.
In previous years, the Palace’s building inspections were conducted in the tenth lunar month, but this year the Emperor had them start in the eighth lunar month, a matter known to many in the relevant yamens.
Even if Shen Yizhu encountered Ruan Fu, who should not have appeared in the Yongfu Palace area, she indeed should not have specifically questioned him.
“Men!” He turned around. “Go to the Imperial Guard Camp and investigate who entered the Palace at that time!”
The guard at the doorway immediately left.
Mu Shuyun breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Only her father could handle something like sending the Imperial Guards to question suspects.
She obediently took the tea handed by the maidservant and presented it to her father with both hands. With someone stepping forward to solve the problem, she now regained her usual poise as a noble lady.
“Father, rest assured. I dare guarantee that the Emperor will not blame us. As long as we can find the missing witness, this matter will be cleanly resolved.”
“Do I need you to tell me?” Mu Chang said irritably.
Of course the Emperor would not want to marry a Shen Family daughter. But he lacked the ability to make decisions for himself.
Thinking of this, Mu Chang felt a surge of resentment.
How could the Emperor be such a coward?
But thinking the other way, if he were too opinionated, it might not be what he wanted to see, so he calmed his breath and said no more.
Sugarcane cannot be sweet at both ends. It is impossible to have the best of both worlds.
Better for him to be a bit cowardly and easier to manipulate.
“Master!”
Three-tenths of the sand in the timekeeper had fallen when the dispatched person returned.
“The Imperial Guard Camp says that this afternoon, no one was heard to have submitted a memorial to Yongfu Palace. However, they said Princess Yongjia took people to the Imperial Household Department to collect the monthly stipend!”
“Yue Tang?!”
The cup in Mu Chang’s hand tilted, spilling half the tea.
“She entered the Palace?” Mu Shuyun’s calmed expression became disordered again. “How could she enter the Palace so coincidentally? She is just a woman; that is not something she could accomplish, right?”
She turned her gaze to her father, only to find his expression even uglier than hers.
“It must be her!” Mu Chang’s voice was heavy and slow. “What need is there for her to personally go for collecting the monthly stipend? That is just an excuse. She must have caught your slip beforehand!”
“No!…”
“You think you can deceive heaven and cross the sea, but how can you deceive her?” Mu Chang stood up, waved the person away, and his words grew increasingly cold. “Have you forgotten what I once told you?
“Now I am her enemy, and the person you should most beware of is her!”
Mu Shuyun held her breath and shook her head: “I did not tell anyone, and even the method I chose did not require me to appear personally! How could she know?”
“Just by her being able to eradicate the Du Family and Chu Family as a commoner!” Anger surged in Mu Chang’s heart again. “The person must have fallen into her hands!”
“What to do now?” Mu Shuyun gripped the chair back tightly. “The Shen Family is scheming against her and Prince Jingyang. If she hands the person over to the Shen Family—”
The consequences were unimaginable.
Once the Shen Family got the witness, they would certainly launch an overwhelming counterattack. Even if they could not topple the Mu Family, she absolutely could not think of entering the central palace again. It would probably be impossible even to enter the Palace!
“Father, we absolutely cannot let the Shen Family get the witness!” She looked at Mu Chang with tears. “If the Shen Family gets it, Daughter’s life is over!”
“You are still thinking about the Shen Family!” Mu Chang gnashed his teeth. “The Shen Family is not the most terrifying. Yue Tang is the knife hanging over our heads, do you understand?!”
“Then what do you say we should do?” Mu Shuyun bit her lower lip until it bled. “You said she is very terrifying. Could we storm in and demand the person?”
“Of course not!”
Mu Chang blurted out. He clenched his fist and slammed it on the table, then said slowly: “We must make her hand the person over herself.”
Mu Shuyun was stunned: “How to make her hand it over? Why would she be so foolish?”
Mu Chang picked up the black gauze hat on the table, paused, and put it down. “Summon Teacher Lu.”
While Mu Shuyun held her breath in confusion, Lu Zhao arrived.
“Arrange for a few censors to present evidence that Princess Yongjia entered the Palace during the incident at Yongfu Palace, suspecting her of plotting against the Eldest Young Lady of the Shen Family and that she killed Ruan Fu.”
Mu Shuyun looked up in shock: “Father, this is—”
“To retreat unscathed, we must strike first!” Mu Chang said gravely, looking at her. “Only by accusing her first can we seize the initiative.
“If she wants to prove her innocence, she can only produce the witness to counter!”
“What if she produces the witness? What then?!” Mu Shuyun panicked.
“How could we possibly allow her to truly bring the witness before people?” Mu Chang frowned at Lu Zhao. “From now on, send more people to watch Prince Duan’s Mansion closely. All personnel leaving the Prince’s Mansion must be tracked to their whereabouts!
“Also keep a tight watch on Prince Jingyang’s Mansion! Especially Prince Jingyang himself! When dealing with Chu Ying’s conspiracy before, Yan Bei was by Princess Yongjia’s side, showing their close cooperation. We must guard against him strictly!
“After submitting the memorial accusing Princess Yongjia, act according to my arrangements!”
He leaned close to Lu Zhao and instructed a few words, then enunciated each one: “Be meticulous. Once the person appears, strike immediately and leave no chance of survival!”
Lu Zhao understood fully, nodded, and left.
Meanwhile, Mu Shuyun, who had now figured it out, shed all the gloom from her face and blurted out: “With Father’s accusation pointing out Princess Yongjia’s unusual behavior, she will not be able to explain clearly.
“If she does not want to bear the charge of murder and be targeted by the Shen Family and the Emperor, she can only hand over the witness to prove her innocence!
“And as soon as the witness appears, our ambush can immediately kill him to silence him!
“Without this witness, Princess Yongjia will not be able to clear her suspicion at all!
“Thus, Daughter is cleared.
“And regardless of whether the Shen Family believes it or not, they will certainly no longer trust Princess Yongjia, let alone think of allying with her. At the same time, due to Ruan Fu’s death, it can also make the Emperor dissatisfied with this suddenly appeared elder cousin!
“Father’s move is truly brilliant!”
She was so excited that her voice was unsteady.
Mu Chang merely looked out the window into the deep night, his gaze gradually turning cold.
Since it was a contest, let it come!
He, who had returned to the court as a one-rank official from a commoner, when had he ever been afraid?!
