Chapter 336: He Won the Bet

Bang!

The old emperor slammed his fist onto the table.

"I'm furious! That dog Jiang Tu wrote utter nonsense. Where is he? Go fetch Jiang Tu— I'll beat him to death myself."

The eunuchs serving in Taiji Palace were all terrified.

Especially the eunuch who had taken money to run errands for Jiang Tu—he turned ashen, looking like he was about to die.

Jiang Tu had submitted his memorial; inwardly, he was deeply uneasy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have hesitated for half a month before taking this step.

He expected to wait several days for a response. Yet, no sooner had he returned home, sat down, and sipped a cup of tea than someone from the palace arrived, ordering him to hurry to court for an audience.

"The Emperor will see me?"

Jiang Tu was overjoyed—he never imagined the dog-headed strategist's advice would work so well.

"Your Excellency, hurry along. Don't keep His Majesty waiting."

"How is His Majesty's mood?"

"His Majesty is as usual," replied the eunuch delivering the imperial order, refusing to say more.

Jiang Tu didn't overthink it—he rushed to Taiji Palace. After being announced, he entered the grand hall and knelt faster than anyone else, showing none of the dignity or composure befitting a high-ranking minister. Proper ministers didn't kneel; a respectful bow with clasped hands was enough.

Only Jiang Tu, that groveling lackey, would drop to his knees the moment he saw the Emperor.

"Your servant greets Your Majesty—may Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"

"You dog!" The old emperor roared, kicking out with a foot that sent Jiang Tu sprawling. Then came a torrent of furious curses.

Jiang Tu was stunned, momentarily dazed. But as he listened to the Emperor's furious tirade, he suddenly felt exhilarated.

He had guessed right!

He had won!

When it came to reading the old Emperor's mind, Jiang Tu wouldn't claim first place—but he was certainly second or third. Earlier, when he tried to ease the Emperor's burdens, he had misjudged the situation.

Just before, Li Liangcheng had scolded the Emperor, jolting him awake. The Emperor then changed his strategy, deciding to compensate Prince Zhong materially. Jiang Tu, unaware, had the bad timing to appear and offer to share the burden—thus confirming the Emperor's secret intention to kill his own son, validating Li Liangcheng's accusations.

The Emperor, his hidden thoughts exposed, naturally loathed Jiang Tu with a vengeance. He refused to summon him for a long time.

This time, Jiang Tu had won. In his memorial, he had begged the Emperor to appoint Prince Zhong as Crown Prince.

The request to appoint a Crown Prince enraged the Emperor. He had endured immense hardship, braved the world's condemnation, and finally deposed the Crown Prince to seize sole imperial power. Now Jiang Tu urged him to appoint another Crown Prince—wasn't that saying all his past efforts were wasted, and that he must now share part of his authority with a newly appointed heir? This was absolutely unacceptable.

His power belonged to him alone. No one—not even his own sons—could take even a single thread of it from him.

Jiang Tu had proposed a stupid idea. Fortunately, the memorial hadn't passed through the State Council, so it hadn't become public knowledge.

But…

Everything fears the word "but."

Jiang Tu's request to enfeoff Prince Zhong as Crown Prince was pure, unadulterated loyalty!

It seemed he had misunderstood Jiang Tu—he had wrongly suspected the man harbored ill will toward Prince Zhong.

This pleased the Emperor greatly.

His favorite minister shared his heart—he, too, wanted to compensate the deposed Crown Prince. Excellent! But Jiang Tu's method of compensation was terribly inappropriate. How could a recently deposed Crown Prince be reinstated?

Given the man's unwavering loyalty, a stern scolding and some minor punishment would suffice.

Jiang Tu didn't know the Emperor's thoughts had twisted eighteen times. He only knew: the more the Emperor cursed and beat him, the safer he felt. Silence, by contrast, was truly terrifying.

"Your servant has erred! Your servant is guilty—unable to ease Your Majesty's burdens. Please punish me!"

Jiang Tu clung to the Emperor's leg, weeping as if his heart would break. Failing to ease the Emperor's burdens was the greatest sorrow in the world—there was no other.

"Your servant deserves to die! Your servant reads little and is too foolish. He possesses only a single, loyal heart. Unlike others, he is not clever, nor does he have many ideas. Your servant… your servant only wishes to ease Your Majesty's burdens and make Your Majesty happy. Your Majesty's happiness is the finest thing in the world."

The flattery was blunt, yet still skillful.

Who, upon hearing someone weep and cry with heartfelt sincerity—"Your happiness is the best thing in the world"—and who happens to be someone you find agreeable… well, that feeling…

One could only say: Jiang Tu understood perfectly how to please the old Emperor. As long as he didn't cross the line or touch the dragon's scales, the Emperor tolerated him—even if he acted slightly brazen, like clinging to the Emperor's leg, it was still acceptable.

"Insolent!" the Emperor snapped.

Jiang Tu reluctantly released his grip, looked up, his eyes filled with reverence and adoration—utterly devoted, ready to leap into fire or water.

Jiang Tu was mediocre in everything else—but his acting skills were unquestionably top-tier.

The Emperor snorted. His face looked stern, but his anger had already largely dissipated.

"These past days, I haven't seen Your Majesty—you've grown thinner!" Jiang Tu said, genuinely pained.

The Emperor kicked him away. "You dog—since your mind is dull and you refuse to read, stop spouting nonsense. How dare you write such things?"

The Emperor pointed at the memorial, his fury apparent.

"Never speak such things again. Do your duty well. Finish repairing the gardens and palaces quickly."

"Your servant obeys! Your servant… your servant only saw that Your Majesty has been unhappy these past days, and your servant's heart burned with anxiety. He dared to offer to ease Your Majesty's burdens. But your servant is foolish—his only ideas are these."

The Emperor snorted and tossed the memorial directly into the censer.

"Don't entertain thoughts you shouldn't. Don't meddle in matters that aren't yours. Matters of state are not your concern."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Jiang Tu bowed his head in assent, but inwardly seethed. The Emperor simply despised him for reading little and lacking learning, for not being as sharp as other ministers. He hadn't even been consulted in the deposition of the Crown Prince. The Emperor ultimately saw him only as a slightly capable, money-grubbing favorite—not a pillar of the court.

He had always believed his weight in the Emperor's eyes was considerable. So many officials had accused him year after year, yet each time the Emperor personally smoothed things over. The worst punishment was thunder without rain—arresting a few of his lackeys, locking them up to appease the court, never truly touching him.

Yet, in such a monumental matter as the deposition of the Crown Prince, he had been entirely excluded. Only after the dust settled did he learn the full truth.

He was heartbroken!

Even officials who normally smiled and bowed to him had been allowed to participate—yet he was shut out.

What was he, then?

A pet cat? A lapdog?

After the Crown Prince's deposition, his desire to ease the Emperor's burdens was nothing more than a bid for favor—a chance to invest and strengthen his own position.

If the Emperor had accepted his advice and let him share the burden, the other princes would have flocked to curry favor with him. Then he'd see who dared call him a favorite minister.

But he had failed!

The Emperor rejected his offer, ignored him, and suppressed him. He grew so anxious he lost clumps of hair. Fortunately, this time he had won—once again earning the Emperor's favor.

Yet now, he sought something greater. He no longer wished to be merely a favorite—he wanted to be the head of all ministers, the Right Chancellor, standing shoulder to shoulder with Li Liangcheng.