Chapter 501: The New Emperor's First Request Must Be Granted

His Royal Highness the Zhongwangdian had finally secured the great throne, and the court officials were overjoyed, falling just short of setting off firecrackers to celebrate.

On that very day, the Zhongwangdian, in his capacity as heir to the throne, attended his first interim government meeting to determine the coronation ceremony and various other matters including the funeral rites for Emperor Emperor Taixing. It was then that people spotted a familiar face beside him: Xie Changling!

The Zhongwangdian personally made a proposal to Li Li Liangcheng. "Xie Aiqing's talent and learning are both outstanding; previously his career was delayed because of me. Now that the dark clouds have dispersed, I wish to have Xie Aiqing enter the Zhengshitang to observe governance, to serve tea and pour water for all the Aiqings, and to learn how to administer affairs. I wonder what Li Xiang thinks of this?"

The future Emperor's first request to him was to arrange for his trusted general to enter the Zhengshitang. As chief minister, what could Li Li Liangcheng possibly say?

Naturally, he agreed!

He could not possibly refuse.

Even if the Zhongwangdian had proposed spending two million taels of silver on some matter, he could not have refused.

As an old minister, a mature official, one absolutely must not refuse the new Emperor's first request. One could even say the new Emperor's first three requests cannot be refused — they must be fulfilled. Even the most excessive demands must be agreed to on the spot. Later one may delay, may go through the motions, but one absolutely must not refuse verbally.

"Lord Xie is a pillar of the state. His entering the Zhengshitang is a blessing for the court, and even more so a blessing for all the people under heaven."

The Zhongwangdian, upon hearing this, was indeed very pleased.

"Xie Aiqing, from now on you shall work under Li Xiang. Remember to observe much, think much, and learn much. Do not speak carelessly. You are still young and lack experience. If there is anything you do not understand, boldly consult Li Xiang."

"This official pays respects to Li Xiang! From now on, I shall follow Li Xiang's every instruction!" Xie Changling adopted the bearing of a junior, extremely deferential. Not the slightest hint of throwing his weight around as the future Emperor's man. The whole person was like a modest gentleman — humble, low-key, knowing when to advance and when to retreat.

Li Li Liangcheng was indeed very satisfied. The trace of dissatisfaction from earlier vanished entirely. For now, he provisionally approved of Xie Changling — this young man might be worth cultivating.

Immediately after, the Zhongwangdian brought up a second matter. "The Old Ancestor says Father Emperor's death is questionable, and I am deeply uneasy. How this matter should be handled still requires Li Xiang to devise a plan."

"Does the Old Ancestor have evidence?"

"When the Old Ancestor speaks, it is absolutely to the point. If the Old Ancestor says Father Emperor's death is questionable, then it is certainly questionable. Sigh... I only hate that back then my voice carried no weight, that I could not share Father Emperor's burdens, that I failed to notice the abnormality in time. In any case, the Old Ancestor will thoroughly investigate this matter. The palace may be unsettled tonight, so Li Xiang need not return home — just stay in the palace. I have already instructed the palace servants to arrange food and lodging. In the nation's peril, the court cannot do without Li Xiang. I earnestly hope Li Xiang will take care of his health and lend me a hand."

"Your Highness is too kind. This old minister should naturally share Your Highness's burdens — these are all this old minister's duty."

The ruler and minister conversed most cordially, initially establishing the tone for their future dealings. Whether in the future they would remain so harmonious, or whether they would turn hostile and disavow each other — those were matters for the future. At least for now, the court finally had a backbone, and the government could begin to function.

That night, the inner palace grounds were indeed unsettled.

The Directorate of the Inner Palace and the Directorate of Imperial Horses, under Qiu Qiu Defu's leadership, organized a large force and began a sweeping arrest of palace servants throughout the palace. The Twenty-Four Directorates, and the servants attending the consorts in the inner palace, were not spared.

They held a list in their hands, and arrested according to the list — every arrest hit the mark.

The list had been provided by the Old Ancestor.

The Old Ancestor had interrogated several important prisoners in advance; in the hands of a Grandmaster, no one could hide secrets. A list was produced.

The officials lodging in the front court of the palace that night were all alarmed, and hurried to the Wangdadian to gather. Puzzled, they spent half the day guessing but could not arrive at the truth.

Chen Chen Guanfu, being a meritorious noble, clearly had access to better intelligence than the civil officials.

He whispered to Yu Yu Zhaoan, "They say the late Emperor's death is questionable. The Old Ancestor personally took charge of the investigation and has already uncovered the truth."

"The truth?" Yu Yu Zhaoan remained skeptical — could this matter really be investigated to the truth?

Chen Chen Guanfu smiled mysteriously. "They say it's connected to the Jingranyou Sect."

Yu Yu Zhaoan, upon hearing this, was startled with horror. Then he let out a breath of relief.

He said in utter shock, "There are actually Jingranbei Sect rebels causing trouble inside the palace?"

Chen Chen Guanfu smiled half-heartedly and said nothing more.

His information was very accurate.

Once the Old Ancestor made his move, he dug out the Jingranbei Sect rebels hidden in the palace, wiped out their nest in one stroke, and not a single one escaped.

The Jingranbei Sect rebels had hidden inside the palace, intending to commit treasonous acts. Emperor Emperor Taixing's death could not be separated from these rebels.

Emperor Emperor Taixing had been injured and knocked unconscious in the explosion, but it was not fatal. With some recuperation, he could have woken. Yet because someone secretly poisoned him, he ultimately passed away while unconscious.

The poisoner was precisely a Jingranbei Sect rebel. The most capable among them had even risen to become the Chief Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial-Use Items. According to this Chief Eunuch's confession, from the very first day Emperor Emperor Taixing fell unconscious, he had tampered with the Imperial-Use Items. Later he went further and directly poisoned him, causing Emperor Emperor Taixing's death.

The truth was revealed, and the ministers erupted in uproar.

Never would they have imagined that the very heart of the empire had been infiltrated by Jingranbei Sect rebels. Not just one or two years, but a continuous infiltration spanning ten, twenty, even thirty years. It was even possible that the late Empress's death had also been the work of these rebels.

Upon learning that his birth mother might have been killed by Jingranbei Sect rebels, the Zhongwangdian broke down in tears on the spot, declaring he would exterminate every Jingranbei Sect rebel under heaven. He would not consider himself a man until the rebels were killed.

The court officials were all dumbfounded, unable to put their shock into words.

The Jingranbei Sect rebels had killed the late Empress, and decades later killed the old Emperor — a double killing of the imperial couple. What astonishing audacity.

Saying "audacity" was not quite appropriate.

One must say this was utterly depraved, utterly horrifying. Was the palace's security a sieve? So many Jingranbei Sect rebels had hidden inside the palace, stirring up trouble for decades, generation after generation, and yet no one had ever noticed or suspected.

Had the Old Ancestor not seized the key Jingranbei Sect figures and used extraordinary means to extract the truth through interrogation, how much longer would they have remained deceived?

The Imperial Bodyguards had failed in their duty, the Brocade Guard had failed in their duty, the Forbidden Army had failed in their duty, the Twenty-Four Inner Directorates had failed in their duty — all had failed. Likewise failing in their duty were the court, the Three Judicial Offices...

In short, when it came to responsibility, no one could escape. Even the clean and quiet Hanlin Academy had to take the blame. Every single one of them — no one could stand aside and watch the show.

The scene was, for a moment, very ugly.

The Zhongwangdian cried for a while, wiped his tears, and very politely asked Li Li Liangcheng how this matter should be handled.

Li Li Liangcheng sighed. "Everything is at Your Highness's discretion."

The Zhongwangdian said through gritted teeth, "These Jingranbei Sect rebels deserve death a thousand times over; every one of them should be exterminated along with their nine clans, and suffer death by a thousand cuts. But heaven has a benevolent heart, and I wish to learn from the late Emperor's lesson. Imprison this group, and afterward send them all to the imperial tomb as burial companions. Exterminate their three clans!"

The implication: bury them alive!

Burying them alive was not enough — they must also exterminate three clans.

It amounted to leaving not a single survivor.

It appeared gentler than the late Emperor's death-by-a-thousand-cuts method, but in reality it was equally ruthless, and exceptionally decisive in execution.

Li Li Liangcheng's eyes twitched. He seemed to see the shadow of Emperor Emperor Taixing upon the Zhongwangdian. It was likely that the great Confucian scholars who had tutored the Zhongwangdian had all misjudged him. So much for the so-called humility in accepting counsel — heh... let us wait and see.