Chapter 850

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, his father was eager to send him to Xichuan; now it seems not merely because of the Tang family. As a third‑rank Minister of Revenue, his father would naturally not regard a mere sixth‑rank Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport as important. That means that back when the Hu family had not yet encountered trouble, the old emperor had already set his sights on the Xu family of Jinling. It was precisely under this pressure that his father decided to send him out of Kangdu ahead of time, as a precaution. Thus, the old emperor does not fully trust his father either—between ruler and minister there is no genuine feeling, only exploitation. Hu Xiaotian asked: "Has the Xu family agreed?"

Hu Buwei sighed and said: "Do you still remember how our Hu family lost the Dan Shu Iron Voucher?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded; how could he forget? It was precisely this matter that prompted his father to firmly decide to send him out of the capital.

Hu Buwei said: "His Majesty asked me to propose borrowing grain from the Xu family; what is borrowed is not merely grain, but an overseas route, and indeed the entire estate of the Xu family."

Hu Xiaotian's eyes lit up.

Hu Buwei said: "Since the court reclaimed the Xu family's salt transport operating rights, your grandmother turned her gaze overseas, expanding merchant shipping trade to the South Seas; the scale of her business not only did not shrink but grew severalfold, and it can be said that the wealthiest person in all of Dakang is your grandmother."

Hu Xiaotian clicked his tongue in amazement; although he knew his grandmother was formidable, he had never imagined she could be this formidable.

Hu Buwei said: "Since the court reclaimed the Xu family's salt transport operating rights, your grandmother turned her gaze overseas, expanding merchant shipping trade to the South Seas; the scale of her business not only did not shrink but grew severalfold, and it can be said that the wealthiest person in all of Dakang is your grandmother."

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Has grandmother agreed?"

Hu Buwei said: "Having served His Majesty for many years, I naturally understand his intention. If the Xu family were to involve themselves in this matter, they would surely fall into trouble, so I have already made the worst preparations. Seeing me procrastinate, His Majesty naturally became displeased, and afterwards many things happened in our household."

Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted; although his father did not say it outright, his words clearly hinted at it. The Hu family's loss of the Dan Shu Iron Voucher is likely connected to the old emperor; the emperor is preparing to find an opportunity to take action against the Hu family, using these matters as leverage to coerce the Xu family of Jinling into submission. If these things were indeed done by the emperor, he is truly scheming and shameless.

Hu Buwei said: "The emperor's so‑called secret treasury is nothing more than a big pie painted for outsiders; although he is old, he is not senile. The great river has no water, the small river runs dry. The state treasury is empty, so what use is a secret treasury? Over the years, to prop up Dakang's rule, he has repeatedly taken out considerable sums of silver; among Dakang's great merchants and wealthy tycoons, who has not been squeezed by him? Yet he has never laid a hand on the Xu family of Jinling. The reason is that he has set his sights on this maritime route; the Xu family are not unwilling to give him face—I myself once mediated, arranging for the Xu family to transport grain from the South Seas, with payment always made in advance. But the emperor now has no money left; his request to borrow grain is actually a scheme to drag the entire Xu family into a mire, a debt that will never be repaid."

Hu Xiaotian frowned straight away; he never expected the matter behind this to be so complicated. Even without Long Yelin's usurpation, the old emperor would sooner or later move against the Hu family; what he values is the wealth of the Xu family of Jinling, intending to use the Hu family as leverage to coerce the Xu family into submission.

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Did Ji Feihua send my mother to Jinling also to borrow grain?"

Hu Buwei lifted his teacup, took a sip, slowly shook his head and said: "He merely had your mother go to Jinling to deliver a letter to your grandmother; I don't know what it says. In fact, Dakang has reached the state of a terminally ill patient; even exhausting the Xu family's wealth could not save the nation from peril. I truly regret my indecisiveness back then, missing the chance to leave."

Hu Xiaotian's heart startled; it turned out his father had long planned to escape Dakang, and he whispered: "Leaving now might still be possible."

Hu Buwei shook his head and said: "How could His Majesty easily let us go? It is foreseeable that his favor toward us father and son is entirely aimed at the Xu family of Jinling; if we cannot obtain what he wants from the Xu family, then …"

Hu Buwei's words were not finished, yet Hu Xiaotian felt the pressure in his heart multiply severalfold. The rulers of Dakang are indeed no good birds; whoever sits on the throne thinks only of scheming against them. He had thought that after the old emperor regained the throne, he could help his father clear his name, regain his official post, and thereafter they could live proudly in the capital; now it seems things are not the same as before.

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Was it just now that Chancellor Zhou came over for this matter?"

Hu Buwei slowly nodded and said: "Although he did not say it outright, he has already hinted at this meaning."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Father, according to you, how should we respond?"

Hu Buwei said: "Your mother has not yet returned; once she comes back to Kangdu we can reach a conclusion. For now, we father and son must act cautiously; as long as the court believes we still have utilitarian value, our safety will naturally not be threatened."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and whispered: "Given how Dakang treats you, do you still wish to be loyal to Dakang?"

Hu Buwei gazed at his son, his thick brows knitting together; after a while he said: "When heaven and earth were first divided, there was no notion of a state under heaven. Later, due to human selfishness, borders were drawn, fiefdoms arose, and thus came states and kings. To maintain their rule and bind their subjects, laws were established. Hence no one is born a king, nor is anyone destined to become a subject. People come into this world naked and equal; status is granted by parents. If you are born into my Hu family, you are the son of a Minister of Revenue; if you are born into a poor peasant family, you are of lowly station; if you are born into an imperial household, you are a heaven‑favored prodigy."

Hu Buwei's words completely stunned Hu Xiaotian; his father no longer seemed like an ancient person—this speech is filled with modern egalitarian thought, fully revealing his father's lofty ambition. Could his father also want to be emperor? Otherwise why would he say, "If you are born into an imperial household, you are a heaven‑favored prodigy"?

Hu Buwei said: "I have spent half my life painstakingly managing Dakang, yet the wealth I have managed to accumulate is merely squandered by the imperial clan. If they had even a shred of compassion for the people, how could we have fallen to this state? Although the state is large, governance and strategy differ little from an ordinary household—one must live within one's means, prepare for danger in times of peace, and understand the principle of taking from the people and using for the people. Looking at Dakang's history over the past century, it has continually frittered away the painstakingly built legacy of our ancestors; day by day this has accumulated to today's peril. When we reach this point, what good is trying to make amends?" Hu Buwei slowly shook his head, meaning it is already too late.

Hu Xiaotian said: "Father, if that's the case, then let's not do anything half‑hearted!" He too was fired up by his father's words today, thinking his family's resources are indeed not bad—financially backed by his grandmother's formidable support, and with his own brothers he could indeed rise in revolt and create a grand undertaking. Previously Zhou Mo had often proposed this, but Hu Xiaotian had always been content to loaf around; now he realizes that no matter which emperor reigns, true ease and freedom are impossible.

Hu Buwei's expression grew solemn as he said: "Some things can only be done, not spoken; before the moment is ripe, one should not even mention them."

Hu Xiaotian hastily shut his mouth.

Hu Buwei said: "When I learned that Long Yelin had ordered you to be castrated and enter the palace, I was already utterly disillusioned with Dakang; at that moment I resolved that, even if I must sacrifice my life, I will make the Long clan pay a heavy price."

Hu Xiaotian laughed: "Fortunately, my life is tough!"

Hu Buwei said: "Although our circumstances have improved, the danger remains unclear; as a subject, in the ruler's eye a life is no more than weeds—who knows when he will turn murderous?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and briefly told his father what he had heard from Li Yuncong.

After listening, Hu Buwei fell silent, pacing back and forth in the room, deep in thought; after a long while he said: "Indeed it is strange—why does the emperor favor the Yongyang Princess? Those around him also seem puzzled; Hong Beimo, Li Yuncong, and Mu Rongzhan are not necessarily in harmony."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Hong Beimo is currently reorganizing the Heavenly Secret Bureau and enjoys the emperor's deep trust."

Hu Buwei sneered: "Same soup, different medicine; once he finishes consolidating his power, he might well become another new Ji Feihua!"

Hu Xiaotian actually shared the same thought as his father; this is also what Qiqi fears. No matter how the old emperor favors Qiqi or supports her, her age and seniority ultimately make it hard for her to command genuine loyalty; the only truly devoted followers around her are Quan De'an's faction, which is why Qiqi treats him well and bestows such honor and trust upon him. Perhaps Qiqi values not his person per se, but also the backing of his father and the Xu clan of Jinling behind him.

Hu Xiaotian asked: "Father, what do you intend to do?"

Hu Buwei said: "Just live on well; even if we exert ourselves to the utmost, we must ensure the Hu family remains safe and sound."

Upon hearing this, Hu Xiaotian felt a surge of excitement; looking at his father's temples now streaked with more white hair, he felt a pang of guilt and grasped his father's arm, saying: "I have grown up; from now on I will handle these matters."

Hu Buwei smiled at his son, gently patting the back of his hand: "I feel relieved because of you, proud because of you!"

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Update delivered—today Zhangyu has decided to stay home and write all day; with such determination and attitude, I ask for monthly tickets, still one short of fifty—may any kind brother chip in to make it a full set! (To be continued~^~)