Chapter 1525: Internal and External Collusion

Inside the temporary imperial residence, Emperor Liu lounged lazily in a soft chair, his body swaying gently, both feet soaking in a basin of medicinal decoction specially prepared by the imperial physicians to dispel dampness and relieve fatigue.

Attending him was the young Pure Consort Zhou, who knelt below with her graceful figure bent, using her delicate jade-like hands—hands meant for plucking zither strings—to massage Emperor Liu.

Emperor Liu's face was full of contentment; clearly, compared to that basin of medicinal decoction, the young Lady Zhou was far better at relieving his fatigue, and her lovely countenance was a pleasure to behold.

Her technique was somewhat inexperienced, but the softness of those jade hands could melt a person's bones. However, Emperor Liu was not entirely immersed in this warm nest of comfort; glancing sidelong at Zhang Dejun, who stood waiting at attention, he said casually, "Lu Duoxun has arrived! He went to see Wang Yinwu?"

"Yes, Your Majesty! After paying respects to the Crown Prince, he went bearing gifts. The two held a closed-door discussion for about half an hour before he took his leave!" Zhang Dejun reported in a low voice, his words laden with implication.

Emperor Liu seemed utterly oblivious, chuckling lightly: "Oh? This Lu Duoxun is quite particular about etiquette—doesn't arrive empty-handed. What rare treasure did he bring Wang Yinwu?"

"This... this humble servant was unable to ascertain!" Zhang Dejun seemed somewhat flustered, bowing his head.

"Enough!" Emperor Liu raised a hand and said, "I know of this matter! Lu Duoxun and Wang Yinwu are old friends reuniting; a visit between them is only natural. No need to make a fuss!"

"Yes!" Zhang Dejun appeared perfectly submissive, offering no superfluous words, projecting an air of one who knows his place.

Waving his hand, he signaled the man to withdraw. Though Emperor Liu put on a magnanimous display, seeming unconcerned, in the ensuing silence his expression gradually shifted from sunny to overcast, and a momentary sharpness flashed through his drowsy eyes.

Clearly, he was not entirely indifferent to the intelligence Zhang Dejun had reported—it was simply that he had no clear idea of how to respond.

The friendship between Lu Duoxun and Wang Yinwu was hardly a secret. The man had visited openly and aboveboard, displaying complete candor; overreacting might be making a mountain out of a molehill, quite unnecessary. Yet if he made no indication at all and did nothing, Emperor Liu would remain perpetually uneasy in his heart.

As for Lu Duoxun, Emperor Liu considered himself fairly knowledgeable about the man. His ability and talent were beyond doubt—he could humble himself, endure hardship, and withstand trials. The many achievements he had built in the northwest and the great reputation he had earned were all reflections of his comprehensive capabilities.

However, the man's temperament was indeed haughty; he was conceited about his talents and found it hard to tolerate others, always lacking a measure of magnanimity and cultivation in both personal conduct and official service.

Moreover, he was ambitious and intoxicated with power—this was something Emperor Liu had perceived twenty years ago, when Lu Duoxun had first passed the imperial examinations and entered officialdom.

His behavior of forming cliques and cultivating partisans in the northwest came as no surprise to Emperor Liu either. Back then, accepting Zhao Pu's recommendation to transfer him away from Hexi had certainly been done with this consideration in mind, while also serving as a warning to Lu Duoxun.

But as things now stood, the warning had not taken effect—or at least had not achieved the desired result. If during his time in the northwest, Lu and Wang's frequent interactions were still within the realm of understanding...

... the current situation was vastly different from when he was in Hexi. Since ancient times, collusion between those inside and outside the court has been truly impossible to eradicate.

But consider their positions: one was the chief official of Liangzhe, who with one more step might become Governor of the Two Capitals with the title of Chief Minister, or even ascend directly to the chancellorship.

The other was the Commissioner of the Wude Office, in charge of that vast intelligence organization. If these two were to collude, the impact they could create and the power they could unleash would be uncontrollable. Even with Emperor Liu's current breadth of tolerance, he could not help but feel a sense of wariness.

And Lu Duoxun and Wang Yinwu clearly had not yet realized this—otherwise they would have shown some discretion and concealment, at least exercising a bit more caution.

Therefore, Zhang Dejun's report had achieved its effect. Emperor Liu clearly now had designs regarding this pair of old acquaintances, Lu and Wang. Of course, at the root of it all, Emperor Liu also had some problems in his personnel choices—his selection of the Commissioner of the Wude Office had been somewhat careless.

In the current court, Zhao Pu had no shortage of opponents, but among the senior officials of the various departments, the only one who dared to openly oppose him and highlight the contradictions was Lu Duoxun alone.

Over the past year or so, Emperor Liu had received no small number of memorials from Lu Duoxun raising issues with various court policies—all of which had been implemented under Zhao Pu's leadership. Though they were not direct attacks or impeachments, they were clearly meant to cause trouble.

The relationship between these two was somewhat similar to the discord between Wang Pu and Chancellor Li Tao back in the day. In that earlier case, one was the chief official of Huaidong and the other the Chief Chancellor of the court, but their conflict was more about political differences. Between Lu Duoxun and Zhao Pu, however, the element of personal grievance was clearly more pronounced.

Regarding the friction between the two, Emperor Liu had always adopted a spectator's attitude, sitting by and even indulging it. Though he trusted Zhao Pu and was willing to entrust him with the affairs of state, he still needed to find him some rivals—otherwise, how could he rest easy ruling from above without lifting a finger?

But if Lu Duoxun himself did not learn to be cautious and restrain himself, Emperor Liu's tolerance had its limits. There was always a bottom line in Emperor Liu's calculations, and if he felt that line had been crossed, then he would consider stripping the man of his official cap—or even his head.

"Your Majesty, the water has gone cold. Let me add some hot water!" Amid his pondering, the young Consort Zhou called out softly, snapping Emperor Liu back from his reverie.

Looking at the young Lady Zhou's lovely face, Emperor Liu set aside his brooding, revealed a hint of a smile, and shook his head: "No need!"

Though long accustomed to being waited upon, Emperor Liu still maintained the habit of drying his own feet. The medicinal decoction was removed, he dried his feet, tossed aside the cloth—and, perhaps feeling that the young Lady Zhou had been crouching too long and must be tired, he pulled her up and drew her into his embrace, savoring the firmness of her shapely rear.

"You heard Zhang Dejun's report just now, didn't you?" Emperor Liu asked casually, lightly inhaling the intoxicating scent of the young Lady Zhou.

"Mm!" The young Lady Zhou nodded in acknowledgment.

"Did you understand it?" Emperor Liu pressed.

This was likely the first time Emperor Liu had discussed such matters with her. The young Lady Zhou looked in surprise at the middle-aged, slightly paunchy man embracing her slender waist, furrowed her delicate brows slightly, thought for a moment, then ventured: "That Governor Lu visited the Commissioner of the Wude Office bearing gifts—could Your Majesty suspect bribery?"

Seeing the earnest expression on the beautiful woman in his arms, Emperor Liu's gaze held a trace of fondness as he shook his head: "If Lu Duoxun wanted to engage in bribery, he would at least be more discreet!"

"Then why is Your Majesty troubled?" The quick-witted young Lady Zhou had naturally noticed Emperor Liu's unusual demeanor.

Emperor Liu's hand roamed idly about the young lady's waist and belly as he said softly: "Compared to bribery, there are some things more worthy of attention, and more worthy of vigilance!"

The young Lady Zhou clearly did not understand Emperor Liu's words, and he showed no intention of explaining. Instead, he set aside the matter of Lu and Wang's association for the moment, his thoughts shifting to Zhang Dejun.

Though Zhang Dejun had behaved with restraint just now, and his words had not been overtly pointed, some intentions could be basically judged from behavior alone.

Compared to years past, Zhang Dejun seemed ever more cunning now, planting his landmines without leaving a trace. Zhang Dejun's target was naturally not Lu Duoxun—he had spoken of Lu Duoxun throughout, but the hidden arrow was actually aimed at Wang Yinwu.

Compared to those two, Zhang Dejun clearly understood Emperor Liu better. The more frequent the contact between those two, the heavier Emperor Liu's suspicion would grow, and sooner or later something would happen.

Zhang Dejun, who had long harbored a grudge against the Wude Office, naturally delighted in seeing this. This too was likely an open scheme—even if Emperor Liu perceived Zhang Dejun's motives, given his suspicion-prone nature, it would always have its effect.