Chapter 14: Conspiracy in the Chen Yu Pavilion

The next day, Jiang Jiang Mingyu summoned Steward Zhang and recounted the entire matter to him, detailing both the causes and consequences.

Steward Zhang wore a look of helplessness and awkwardly replied, "Very well, I understand; allow me some time to devise another solution."

Having spoken, he turned and departed to attend to other affairs.

Three days later, at night, Steward Zhang arrived alone at the Zui Zui Baxian.

"Well, well... Steward Zhang, you've arrived!"

After warmly exchanging greetings, Shopkeeper Ah Yuan continued, "Proprietor Huo has been awaiting your arrival for quite some time; they are currently in the 'Chen Yu Pavilion'; please wait a moment while I finish up here, and I shall immediately escort you over."

Having finished speaking, Ah Yuan quickly turned to attend to guests approaching the counter to settle their bills, bustling about with frantic hands and feet, smiling and bowing obsequiously, thoroughly occupied.

"Just attend to your duties."

Steward Zhang said, "I am familiar with the Chen Yu Pavilion; I can make my own way there."

Ah Yuan replied, "Oh... how could I bear such impropriety! This is..."

Ordinarily, for regular patrons like Steward Zhang, if Ah Yuan could not personally attend to them, he would instruct other shop hands to assist.

However, tonight the establishment happened to be hosting both a birthday celebration and a spring banquet; at the counter, everyone was overwhelmed, with neither the Shopkeeper nor the hands able to be in two places at once.

Steward Zhang waved his hand and smiled, "It is nothing, nothing; your shop is busy, so just stay here at the counter; besides... I am no stranger, surely you do not fear I might lose my way!"

"In that case... I truly apologize for the inconvenience; if you would be so kind, Steward Zhang... please, after you," Ah Yuan said with a respectful smile.

Steward Zhang ascended to the third floor on his own, pushed open the door to the Chen Yu Pavilion, and was greeted by the sight of a lavishly decorated private room.

Calligraphy and paintings hung upon the walls, featuring delicate brushwork, vivid colors, elegant script, and ingenious compositions that delighted the eye and gladdened the heart.

A huanghuali wood table carved with thunder patterns radiated a brilliant red luster, its beast-foot carvings so lifelike they embodied a perfect union of strength and beauty.

Eight drum-legged embroidered stools displayed golden threads and red lines on their fabric surfaces, with intricate and noble patterns in a deep indigo hue, their hammered edges adorned with dazzling, radiant gemstones.

The floor was paved with handcrafted red sandalwood inlaid with geomantic patterns, where distinct layers of design saw red and black reflecting one another, so that a light step upon it felt like treading on clouds.

The high ceiling consisted of exquisitely carved lacquered panels depicting flying celestial maidens in various poses, spirited and lifelike, as if they might spread their wings and soar away at any moment.

No lamps were lit within the private room; only the faint lingering glow of the sunset filtered through the windows, casting a hazy, immersive atmosphere over this luxurious and extravagant space.

Steward Zhang entered the room with practiced ease, finding Tie Zhang Ba Ji, Lu Lu Xiongying, and Lord Tu gathered together, with a table of wine and dishes already in disarray!

After taking his seat, Steward Zhang, feeling ashamed of his tardiness, first drank a cup as penalty, then exchanged pleasantries.

"What auspicious occasion is today that keeps everyone so busy downstairs?"

"The 'Nine Thousand Years' has been hosting banquets for three consecutive days to celebrate his fiftieth birthday..."

Tie Zhang Ba Ji explained while pouring wine for Steward Zhang.

"Additionally, there is the spring banquet for the 'Xiang Xue Lan' dyeing workshop, as well as the farewell banquet organized by the Ministry of Justice for Lord Yu of the 'Yu Yu Dian' faction, who is being transferred to Southern Nan Zhili; all these events have coincided on the same night, so tell me... how could it not be busy?"

"Lord Yu is being transferred to Southern Nan Zhili?"

Steward Zhang asked with a look of astonishment.

"The Imperial Edict was issued by His Majesty last night; surely you have not heard yet?"

Lord Tu, seated nearby, remarked.

Steward Zhang replied, "This matter... I truly was unaware of it."

Lord Tu continued, "Some time ago, did not someone impeach Prime Minister He, claiming that the Imperial Seal case involved excessive expenditures and likely contained corruption? And since Lord Yu insisted on investigating, he was consequently transferred south."

"So that is how it is..."

Steward Zhang then said, "The reason I invited you all to gather today is to discuss this very matter."

Upon hearing this, all three simultaneously turned their gaze toward Steward Zhang.

Steward Zhang informed them that the Crown Prince was also investigating this affair.

He had further obtained price quotations from "Lord Lu" of the Ministry of Works and privately commissioned Jiang Jiang Mingyu to secretly investigate the true bottom-line costs!

"So His Highness the Crown Prince... intends to use Jiang Jiang Mingyu to probe the realities within the court!" Lord Tu remarked.

"Indeed!"

Steward Zhang continued, "The question is, shall we offer our assistance, or not?"

"What do you think?" Lord Tu asked.

Steward Zhang replied, "Prime Minister He is aging and will sooner or later retire to his hometown; my thought is that we must cultivate another Prime Minister He to take his place! And 'Jiang Jiang Mingyu' is excellent material for this!"

Years ago, Prime Minister He relied precisely on the military might of the Lu family, the financial power of the Huo family, and the connections of the Tu family; it was only through the combined support of these three factions that he attained his current political strength.

Nowadays, the elders of the previous generation in all three families have passed away one after another, and while the second generation has taken up the mantle, they must still obey Prime Minister He's commands and serve his purposes!

Therefore, deep in their hearts, all three harbored the same ambition: to topple Prime Minister He and install a puppet in his stead!

"Do you truly believe... that with just the few of us, we possess such capability?"

Lu Lu Xiongying asked.

Steward Zhang replied, "I believe we can!"

Steward Zhang reasoned that Jiang Jiang Mingyu was naturally intelligent and of simple character, making him exploitable; furthermore, his closeness to the Crown Prince, who is the heir apparent and future Emperor, meant that if he successfully passed this trial and gained trust, he would inevitably become a pillar of the state in the future!

Following Steward Zhang's analysis, Lord Tu immediately expressed his agreement.

The Tu family's strength was currently slightly inferior to that of the Lu and Huo families, and they were eyeing an opportunity to rise again; if they could support Jiang Jiang Mingyu in becoming a high minister, it would be a rare and excellent opportunity for the Tu family.

Lord Tu secretly rejoiced in his heart, merely awaiting the ripening of circumstances to realize his family's ambitions.

As for Tie Zhang Ba Ji, she raised no objections; although a woman, she was the iron-fisted figurehead of the Huo family.

The Huo family currently possessed substantial strength; if Jiang Jiang Mingyu truly became the puppet Steward Zhang predicted, the Huo family could seize the opportunity to manipulate court politics, and coupled with the Crown Prince's alliance, the Huo family would surely dominate both the court and the countryside.

Therefore, she did not oppose this move, secretly harboring her own calculations.

Only Lu Lu Xiongying felt some apprehension.

The Lu family, possessing extraordinary martial prowess, had always relied on Prime Minister He to secure benefits.

Now that Prime Minister He was old, Lu Lu Xiongying worried about how the Lu family could ensure that, after Jiang Jiang Mingyu ascended to power, he would serve as a steadfast backbone for the Lu family just as Prime Minister He had done.

Lu Lu Xiongying stated, "The Imperial Seal case involves dozens of mines, wholesalers, and workshops, affecting over a thousand people; even my own escort agency participated in the land and canal transport; I fear... we may be implicated!"

Zhang the Steward nodded and said with a hint of meaning, "Then... let him know part of it, and keep the rest from him, and that will suffice."

Three days later, Jiang Jiang Mingyu's tutoring sessions ended, and he returned to the Eastern Palace alongside the Crown Prince's sedan; that day happened to be the fifteenth, and the Crown Princess was spending the night at Lingtai Temple, not in the palace.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu had visited the Eastern Palace as a guest several times already, so he was no longer unfamiliar with the palace layout and routes; the palace staff, high and low, were naturally even less unfamiliar with Jiang Jiang Mingyu, and they quickly grew close.

After dinner, while chatting over wine, Jiang Jiang Mingyu suddenly asked, "Huh, why isn't that young boy from the palace seen tonight?"

The Crown Prince was startled at heart but still pretended to be calm, speaking with an unchanged expression, "You mean Ling'er... during the Spring Festival, he accidentally contracted an epidemic! The palace has rules; to prevent the spread of disease, he was sent back to his native place; I heard that now... he has passed away from the illness."

Upon hearing the news, Jiang Jiang Mingyu felt some regret but quickly returned to normal; after a few more cups of yellow wine, the conversation soon shifted to the cost of the imperial seal, and he reported to the Crown Prince, point by point, the information Zhang the Steward had revealed to him.

Since last August, nearly two hundred and eighty jin of raw stone materials had been successively submitted as tribute to the Maritime Trade Office from famous jade mine production sites both at home and abroad, including Liaodong, Siam, Annam, Taiwan, Penghu, the Ryukyu Islands, and the Pagan Kingdom.

After preliminary selection, the raw stone materials were cut, impurities and outer skins removed, retaining only the inner cores of superior quality.

Then the stone materials were classified according to color, texture, and grain, selecting the finest stones with fine texture and vivid colors.

These stones were polished and buffed until their surfaces were flat and smooth, only then could they be used to make seals.

Next, about sixty jin of stones with excellent appearance and good color were taken to Yelin County and handed over to seven workshops, which, following the rubbings and models provided by the Ministry of Rites, carved the main patterns of the seals onto the stone surfaces.

After the patterns were carved, they had to be refined to ensure the lines were smooth, the layers distinct, and the patterns lifelike.

Then characters were carved on the bottom of the seal, requiring the strokes to be heavy and vigorous, and the structure dignified.

After carving was completed, sandpaper was used for polishing, rounding and smoothing the seal's surface and corners.

Then ink was applied for testing; if the impression was clear and elegant, with full color, the production was complete.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "According to the quotes from the Yelin County workshops, even the most expensive 'He Ziyang' charges only six taels of official silver per seal!"

The Crown Prince, hearing that the labor cost for a single seal was merely six taels of official silver, was greatly shocked!

Jiang Jiang Mingyu continued, "The shipping costs from each production site, including transit taxes, human labor, animal power, carts and ships, plus the costs of escorting soldiers, clerks, and messengers, and various other items... according to the law, fractions are disregarded, totaling eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-four taels."

After hearing this, the Crown Prince wore an expression of utter disbelief!

He also said, "My father's quoted price was ninety-five thousand taels, Lord Lu secretly gave me the Ministry of Works' base price of eighteen thousand taels, and you tell me... the total is only eight thousand..."

Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "Eight thousand nine hundred and sixty-four taels."

"Never mind..."

The Crown Prince continued, "Your price is far too outrageous!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu: "I... I am merely reporting the facts."

The Crown Prince: "Tell me, who gave this price? And where did his price come from? Know that if the crime of deceiving the monarch is brought down, how many heads will fall!"

The reason the Crown Prince was so shocked was not only that the quote Jiang Jiang Mingyu provided was unexpectedly low, but also that Jiang Jiang Mingyu's investigation speed was far too fast!

Counting from the day Lord Lu sent the sealed secret letter until tonight, less than half a month had passed!