Chapter 183: Treating with Indifference

In the Tian Manor, Tian Qianqiu lay on the bed, his complexion still pale but now with a hint of color compared to before, and his body was gradually recovering.

He had just barely managed to sit up when he urgently summoned his personal attendant, his voice slightly weak yet full of concern: 'Anything happening at the Imperial Court lately? Tell me in detail.'

The attendant, who had served him for a long time, knew Tian Qianqiu to be upright; after hesitating repeatedly, he finally dared not conceal and whispered:

'Sir, Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian seem to be forming factions for personal gain; in the matter of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal project, their many actions have affected the project's progress.'

Tian Qianqiu's half-closed eyes suddenly widened, filled with disbelief and anger; he jerked upright, but the violent movement tugged at his still-unhealed body, and he couldn't help letting out a muffled groan.

But at this moment he ignored the pain, urgently asking: 'Speak clearly—what exactly did they do?'

Seeing this, the attendant hurried forward to support him, steadied Tian Qianqiu's body, and then laid out in detail the deceitful and corrupt actions of Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian.

Hearing this, Tian Qianqiu trembled with rage, the wrinkles on his face deepening from anger as he slammed a heavy fist onto the bedside.

'These two traitors! I, Tian Qianqiu, devote myself entirely to the Great Han, solely to see the Grand Canal built smoothly, to benefit the people and strengthen the nation's foundation. They, for their own selfish gain, have done such ruinous deeds—it is utterly unforgivable!'

Saying this, Tian Qianqiu struggled to rise, but the attendant hurried to dissuade him: 'Sir, your body is not yet healed; you must not give in to anger, nor act rashly.'

Tian Qianqiu wouldn't listen; while breaking free from the attendant's support, he gritted his teeth and said: 'How can I not be angry? I must enter the palace to see His Majesty, report this to the emperor, and absolutely not let them continue their lawlessness, destroying the foundation of my Great Han.'

In his heart, his loyalty to the Imperial Court and his steadfastness to justice made him unable to tolerate such conduct by the faction; even though his body had not yet recovered, he was determined to purge this corrupt influence from the Imperial Court.

Moreover, Tian Qianqiu knew Liu Ju's bottom line.

After a long while, under the attendant's soothing, he gradually calmed and then asked: 'Do others at the Imperial Court know of their deeds? Does the Son of Heaven know?'

The attendant promptly replied respectfully: 'Sir, Chancellor Wei Qing, General Huo Guang, and Zhang Qian, among the upright ministers, have already known of Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian's misdeeds; they jointly submitted a memorial impeaching these two.'

Tian Qianqiu heard this, nodded slightly, a flash of relief in his eyes, and said: 'Those ministers acted rightly; such villains ought to be exposed. And His Majesty—how did he react?'

Tian Qianqiu pressed further, his tone tinged with urgency.

The attendant's face showed difficulty; after a moment's hesitation he said: 'Sir, I heard that after His Majesty read the impeachment memorial, his expression remained calm, merely saying the matter was important and required careful consideration, after which he took no further action, leaving the two to be treated with indifference.'

Tian Qianqiu's brows, which had just relaxed, instantly knotted into a Y-shaped furrow, his face full of doubt and apprehension.

He slowly leaned back against the chair, his eyes revealing deep unease, muttering to himself:

'This is impossible; His Majesty has always been perceptive to the finest detail—how could he remain utterly unmoved by such solid evidence of wrongdoing?'

'This is too abnormal!'

Tian Qianqiu knew Liu Ju well; Liu Ju usually exercised strict control over the Imperial Court, and had zero tolerance for unlawful and disorderly conduct.

Now, faced with such obvious misconduct by Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian, yet seeing no substantive measures, a sense of foreboding welled up in Tian Qianqiu's heart.

He couldn't help wondering: could there be some deeper hidden matter at the Imperial Court that he himself was unaware of?

Or perhaps Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian were backed by a powerful force, so much so that even His Majesty had to be wary of them?

The more Tian Qianqiu thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, his hands unconsciously gripping the edge of the bed; if he did not quickly get to the bottom of this, he feared he would fall into greater danger.

After a brief hesitation, Tian Qianqiu, disregarding his still-unhealed body, hurriedly ordered the attendant to prepare the carriage and set out for the palace to see His Majesty.

The carriage sped all the way; inside, Tian Qianqiu was anxious as burning, while his physical discomfort seemed insignificant before his worries.

Upon reaching Weiyang Palace, he dragged his slightly weak body and hurried toward the Front Hall where Liu Ju was.

Along the way, he constantly pondered how to speak upon seeing Liu Ju, his heart filled both with indignation at the disorder in the Imperial Court and with bewilderment at Liu Ju's unusual attitude.

Finally, Tian Qianqiu saw Liu Ju.

He forced himself to perform the salute; Liu Ju, seeing Tian Qianqiu looking somewhat wan, frowned slightly and said: 'Beloved Minister Tian, your body is not yet healed—why have you rushed to the palace in such haste?'

Tian Qianqiu lifted his head, his eyes full of urgency and confusion, and said: 'Your Majesty, I have heard that at the Imperial Court, Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian have formed factions for personal gain, seriously affecting the progress of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal project; the ministers jointly impeached them with solid evidence, yet Your Majesty has not taken substantive action against them, instead punishing the loyal Huo Guang and others. I truly do not understand, and have come specially to ask Your Majesty for an explanation.'

Tian Qianqiu spoke earnestly, his voice trembling slightly, his body swaying lightly from the excitement.

Liu Ju's expression remained calm as he rose slowly, paced to the window, gazed at the outside scenery, fell silent for a moment, and then said:

'Beloved Minister Tian, each of my decisions naturally has my consideration. The matter of Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian appears simple, but in fact behind it lie many forces. Hasty action might provoke greater turmoil. As for Huo Guang, he deserted his post; the construction of Hangzhou is of great importance, and I cannot allow a temporary matter to disrupt the rules.'

Liu Ju's tone was calm, as if nothing had happened.

Tian Qianqiu, however, could not accept this explanation; he stepped forward and urgently said: 'Your Majesty, the crimes of Chen Wenjin and Li Xiangtian have already gravely endangered the foundations of the state; although they hold the post of Chief Secretary of the Minister's Residence, if they are not punished promptly, how can they convince the masses? Huo Guang, too, is devoted to the Imperial Court; he returned to Chang'an solely to expose the villains, serving the state wholeheartedly, and thus ought not to be punished.'

Tian Qianqiu gazed intently at Liu Ju, not wanting to miss any expression on the Son of Heaven's face.

But evidently he gained nothing.

Liu Ju turned slightly, his eyes meeting Tian Qianqiu's, his expression still calm as he said: 'Beloved Minister Tian, rest and recuperate. As for Imperial Court affairs, I have them in mind. I will not let the villains succeed, nor will I wrong the loyal. But the time has not yet come; many matters require careful deliberation.'

Liu Ju's words were gentle, yet they carried an undeniable authority.

Tian Qianqiu looked at Liu Ju, his doubts undiminished.

Then Liu Ju changed tone and asked: 'Beloved Minister Tian, you have followed me for many years, laboring with great merit; now you are again honored as Chancellor of the Great Han, and I have always known your hardship.'

Seeing Tian Qianqiu looking bewildered, Liu Ju continued:

'Beloved Minister Tian, since you became Chancellor, what insights have you gained?'