Chapter 284: Deliberating
Looking at the so-called pleas from the ministers in front of him, Emperor Qin’s face turned uniformly pale.
“All of you, shut your mouths for Us.” Emperor Qin’s chest heaved up and down.
These ministers seemed to have made up their minds and had no intention of letting this matter go so easily.
“Your Majesty, do you still intend to shield the Crown Prince?” someone questioned.
Emperor Qin took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were filled with killing intent. “This matter will be discussed later after the Empress is buried.”
After saying that, he directly flicked his sleeves and left.
Jiang Minghuai, who had been watching everything, had eyes full of coldness.
He couldn’t quite understand Emperor Qin’s actions.
Why was he shielding a sickly invalid like that.
After leaving, he directly turned and went to Jiang Kui’s Tianming Terrace.
As soon as he entered, he saw the Second Prince there with Jiang Kui, and he froze in place, but he quickly reacted and nodded to the Second Prince.
The Second Prince also did not mind his disrespect toward him.
“General, do you have any other methods to make His Majesty depose the Crown Prince?” The Second Prince did not beat around the bush and got straight to the point.
Jiang Minghuai knew that he had joined forces with Jiang Kui.
Sitting across from them, Jiang Minghuai took a sip of tea and said indifferently, “This official is just a rough man who has been fighting at the Border all year round. What ideas could I have.”
The Second Prince slightly furrowed his brows, his heart full of cold intent.
He had received information about the matters at the Imperial Court and knew that Lord Li was a Jiang family member, and those proposing to depose the Crown Prince were also Jiang family members.
But he hadn’t expected this old fox to show absolutely nothing.
“This palace believes in the General’s abilities. This palace and the Jiang Family are grasshoppers on the same boat now. What is there that the General cannot say?”
Jiang Minghuai glanced at the Second Prince, then turned his gaze to Jiang Kui, who nodded to him.
Jiang Minghuai drank a cup of tea and placed the teacup on the table. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
“The Second Prince wants that position.”
“Exactly.” The Second Prince admitted directly.
“The Second Prince is straightforward enough; this official likes that. Since that’s the case, this official does have a method, but I don’t know if the Second Prince dares to do it.”
“Speak freely.”
“The Second Prince will know after leaving the palace.” Jiang Minghuai said profoundly.
After the few of them whispered for a bit, the Second Prince hurriedly left the palace.
Looking at the Second Prince’s retreating figure, Jiang Minghuai couldn’t help but furrow his brows tightly. “Can this Second Prince be relied upon?”
Jiang Kui took a sip of tea, a cold smile hanging at the corner of his mouth. “He’s just an idiot, but isn’t that the kind of person we need right now?”
Jiang Minghuai was stunned, but soon burst into hearty laughter.
“Right, right.”
Jiang Kui seemed to remember something and looked at Jiang Minghuai with a serious expression. “Those hundred thousand troops, they were really sent back to the Border?”
“Rest assured, there will be a surprise for them when the time comes.” Jiang Minghuai’s eyes turned icy cold.
Jiang Kui nodded profoundly. “Then I’m relieved. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”
“I won’t.”
**
“This is what happened at the Imperial Court today.”
Grand Tutor Ling told Jiang Ruanxi everything that had happened at the Imperial Court that morning in full detail.
Jiang Ruanxi’s eyes turned sharp.
“I had already anticipated these things. I didn’t expect that as soon as Jiang Minghuai returned, these people would make trouble. It’s very likely that it was instigated by Jiang Minghuai.”
“You’re right. Many were currying favor with the Jiang Family. Another portion were the Second Prince’s people.”
Jiang Ruanxi rubbed the teacup with her hand and said affirmatively, “In that case, the Second Prince should have allied with the Jiang Family.”
“Mm.” Grand Tutor Ling nodded.
“Father, for now, we shouldn’t interfere. Let them make a fuss—the bigger the better.” Jiang Ruanxi said with a full smile.
“Why is that?” Grand Tutor Ling was somewhat puzzled.
“Just wait and see. The muddier this pool of water in the Capital becomes, the better.”
As she spoke, Jiang Ruanxi seemed to remember something and took out the token from Nameless Island, handing it to Grand Tutor Ling.
“What is this?”
Grand Tutor Ling took it and examined it carefully for a while.
“This is the token from Nameless Island. With it, you can mobilize most of Nameless Island’s power.” Jiang Ruanxi explained.
Grand Tutor Ling was stunned, his eyes full of shock.
Because he knew about Nameless Island—it was a mysterious organization.
Over the years, the court had expended so much manpower and resources investigating it, but found no leads. Yet now, Jiang Ruanxi, a woman from the inner residence, actually had their token.
“Are you a person from Nameless Island?”
Jiang Ruanxi shook her head. “No. This was given to me by someone I know.”
Jiang Ruanxi did not tell Grand Tutor Ling about Bian Du and Qi Wu.
It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him; she just felt that some things were better known by fewer people.
Grand Tutor Ling knew she was unwilling to say and did not press her, but still reminded her, “Some words I know I shouldn’t say given my identity, but since you treat me as father, I still must remind you. Although Nameless Island’s power is very strong, you still need to be careful not to bring disaster upon yourself.”
Jiang Ruanxi knew he meant well and felt very touched in her heart.
Smiling, she said, “Father, rest assured. Daughter knows her limits.”
“Mm.”
“Father, I know the Capital is very chaotic now. With the Crown Prince locked in prison and Jiang Minghuai returned to the Capital, you should know what will happen next. They must be on high alert against you now, making it inconvenient to do anything. But no one knows the people from Nameless Island, so if you have any tasks, you can instruct them to do it.”
Jiang Ruanxi stated the purpose of taking out the Nameless Island token this time.
Grand Tutor Ling hadn’t expected her to consider things so thoroughly and couldn’t help but admire her in his heart.
“Father knows.”
“There’s one more thing. Although Jiang Minghuai said he didn’t bring those hundred thousand troops back to the Capital, I don’t believe those soldiers were really sent back to the Border. So Father, go investigate the situation of those hundred thousand soldiers. Also, send someone to find General Xu Yining who guards the Southwest, tell him all about the situation in the Capital, and I believe he’ll know what to do when the time comes.”
For some reason, Grand Tutor Ling did not dismiss Jiang Ruanxi’s words just because she was a woman; instead, he believed her.
He also felt her analysis and arrangements were very appropriate.
Grand Tutor Ling nodded, full of promise toward her. “Rest assured, I will handle everything properly. As for General Xu, I have some acquaintance with him from years ago. I will go there personally.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Father.”
Jiang Ruanxi hadn’t expected Grand Tutor Ling to have a connection with Xu Yining; that would make some things easier.
The corners of her mouth couldn’t help but curve into a slight smile.
Grand Tutor Ling nodded.
**
In the subsequent morning courts, just as Jiang Ruanxi had predicted, more than half of the courtiers at the Imperial Court knelt on the ground.
This situation occurred every day.
Emperor Qin looked at the sea of black heads kneeling on the ground and heard all sorts of words in his ears urging him to depose the Crown Prince; his face was as black as ink, extremely unsightly.
