Chapter 14: The Conspiracy in the Chen Yu Pavilion

The next day, Jiang Mingyu summoned Manager Zhang and told him the entire story, from beginning to end.

Manager Zhang looked helplessly embarrassed and said, “Alright, I understand. Give me a moment to think of a way.”

With that, he turned and left, busy with other matters.

Three days later, at night, Manager Zhang came alone to Zui Baxian.

“Well well… Manager Zhang, you’ve come!”

After warmly greeting him, Shopkeeper A Yuan added, “Boss Hu has been waiting for you a long time—they’re all inside the ‘Chen Yu Pavilion.’ Just wait a moment while I finish this task, then I’ll take you over.”

As soon as he finished speaking, A Yuan hurried away to attend to guests at the counter, bustling about with laughter and bows, utterly swamped.

“You go ahead and tend to your business.”

Manager Zhang said, “I know the Chen Yu Pavilion well—I’ll find my way there myself.”

A Yuan: “Oh… that wouldn’t be proper! This isn’t…”

Normally, for a regular customer like Manager Zhang, if A Yuan couldn’t personally attend, he’d assign another staff member to assist.

But tonight, the shop was hosting a birthday banquet and a spring wine feast; the counter was overwhelmed, and both the shopkeeper and staff were stretched too thin.

Manager Zhang waved his hand and smiled, “No problem, no problem—your place is busy, stay at the counter. Besides… I’m no stranger here. Do you think I’ll get lost?”

“Then… we truly apologize, Manager Zhang. Please, go ahead,” A Yuan said with a respectful smile.

Manager Zhang climbed to the third floor alone and pushed open the door to the Chen Yu Pavilion, revealing a lavishly decorated private room.

The calligraphy and paintings on the walls featured delicate brushwork, vivid colors, elegant script, and clever compositions, pleasing to the eye.

The rosewood table with thunder-pattern inlays glowed with a deep red luster; its beast-foot carvings were lifelike, embodying a perfect fusion of strength and beauty.

Eight embroidered stools with bulging legs bore intricate gold-threaded crimson patterns in deep blue hues, their edges adorned with gemstones that shimmered brilliantly.

The floor was laid with handcrafted red sandalwood inlaid with feng shui motifs, layered in clear patterns of red and black, each step feeling as light as treading on clouds.

The high ceiling featured exquisitely carved lacquered panels depicting flying celestial maidens, each with unique expressions, radiant and lifelike, as if about to spread their wings and soar at any moment.

The room was unlit; only the faint afterglow of twilight filtered through the windows, casting a hazy, immersive ambiance over the opulent space.

Manager Zhang entered confidently and found Tie Zhang Ba Ji, Lu Xiongying, and Tu my lord gathered in the room—the table was littered with empty dishes and wine cups.

After taking his seat, Manager Zhang apologized for his tardiness, drank a cup as penalty, then exchanged pleasantries.

“What’s the occasion tonight? The downstairs is so chaotic!”

“‘Jiu Qiansui’ is hosting a three-day banquet for his fiftieth birthday…”

Tie Zhang Ba Ji poured wine for Manager Zhang as she explained.

“Plus, the spring wine feast for Xiang Xuelan’s dye workshop, and the farewell banquet for Minister Yu, who’s being transferred to Nan Zhili—all happening on the same night. You see… how could it not be busy?”

“Minister Yu is being transferred to Nan Zhili?”

Manager Zhang asked, surprised.

“The Emperor issued the decree last night—you haven’t heard yet?”

Said Tu my lord, sitting nearby.

Manager Zhang: “I really didn’t know about this.”

Tu my lord: “A while back, someone impeached Chancellor He, accusing him of excessive spending and possible corruption in the Imperial Seal case. Minister Yu insisted on investigating, so he was reassigned south.”

“I see…”

Manager Zhang continued, “The reason I called you here tonight is precisely about this matter.”

At once, all three men turned to look at him.

Manager Zhang told them the Crown Prince was also investigating the case.

He had obtained the official quote from “Official Lu” of the Ministry of Works, then secretly assigned Jiang Mingyu to uncover the true cost.

“So the Crown Prince intends to use Jiang Mingyu to probe the court’s true situation!” said Tu my lord.

“Exactly!”

Manager Zhang added, “So—do we help him, or not?”

“What do you think?” Tu my lord asked.

Manager Zhang: “Chancellor He is old—he’ll retire soon. I believe we should groom another Chancellor. Jiang Mingyu is a promising candidate.”

In his prime, Chancellor He rose to power with the military backing of the Lu family, the financial strength of the Hu family, and the political connections of the Tu family.

Now, the first generation of all three families has passed away, and the second generation has taken over—but they still serve Chancellor He, doing his bidding.

So all three secretly share the same ambition: to overthrow Chancellor He and install a puppet in his place.

“Do you really think we, just the four of us, have the power to do it?”

Asked Lu Xiongying.

Manager Zhang: “I believe we can.”

Manager Zhang believed Jiang Mingyu was intelligent and straightforward—easily manipulable. Combined with his closeness to the Crown Prince, who was the heir apparent and future Emperor, if Jiang Mingyu passed this test and earned trust, he would one day become a pillar of the state.

After Manager Zhang’s analysis, Tu my lord immediately agreed.

The Tu family was currently weaker than the Lu and Hu families and was watching for an opportunity to rise again; if they could elevate Jiang Mingyu to a high ministerial post, it would be a rare chance.

Tu my lord secretly rejoiced, waiting for the right moment to realize his family’s ambition.

Tie Zhang Ba Ji raised no objection; though a woman, she was the iron-fisted head of the Hu family.

The Hu family was currently powerful—if Jiang Mingyu truly became the puppet Manager Zhang envisioned, the Hu family could manipulate court politics, and with the Crown Prince’s backing, they would dominate the realm.

Thus, she did not oppose the plan—she too harbored hidden calculations.

Only Lu Xiongying felt uneasy.

The Lu family’s strength lay in its martial power, which had always relied on Chancellor He for profit.

Now that Chancellor He was aging, Lu Xiongying worried: how could they be sure Jiang Mingyu, once in power, would remain a loyal ally like Chancellor He?

Lu Xiongying: “The Imperial Seal case involves dozens of mines, merchants, and workshops—over a thousand people. Even our escort agency is involved in land and river transport. I fear… we’ll be dragged down!”

Manager Zhang nodded, meaningfully saying, “Then tell him part of it—and withhold the rest.”

Three days later, after finishing his tutoring session, Jiang Mingyu returned to the Donggong with the Crown Prince’s palanquin; that day happened to be the fifteenth, and the Crown Princess was staying overnight at Lingtai Temple, away from the palace.

Jiang Mingyu had visited the Donggong several times before; he was no longer unfamiliar with its layout or pathways, and palace staff quickly grew accustomed to him.

After dinner, over wine and idle chat, Jiang Mingyu suddenly asked, “Hey, where’s that boy who used to be around the palace?”

The Crown Prince’s heart jolted, but he kept his composure, saying calmly, “You mean Ling’er? He fell ill with an epidemic during the Spring Festival. By palace rules, to prevent spread, he was sent back to his hometown. I heard… he’s since passed away.”

Jiang Mingyu felt a pang of regret but quickly recovered; after a few more cups of wine, the conversation turned to the cost of the Imperial Seal, and he relayed everything Manager Zhang had told him.

Since last August, nearly 280 catties of raw jade stone had been tributed to the Maritime Trade Office from renowned sources: Liaodong, Siam, Annam, Taiwan-Penghu-Liuqiu, and the Pagan Kingdom.

After initial selection, the raw stones were cut, stripped of impurities and outer layers, retaining only the finest inner cores.

The stones were then sorted by color, texture, and pattern, selecting only the finest specimens with fine grain and vivid hues.

These stones were polished and buffed until their surfaces were smooth and even, ready for seal carving.

About sixty catties of the best-quality stones were sent to Yelin County and handed to seven workshops, which carved the seal’s main design according to the patterns provided by the Ministry of Rites.

After carving, the designs were refined to ensure smooth lines, clear layers, and lifelike detail.

Then, characters were carved on the seal’s base, requiring thick, forceful strokes and dignified structure.

After carving, the seal was sanded to make its surface and edges smooth and rounded.

Then ink was applied for testing—if the impression was clear, elegant, and richly colored, the seal was complete.

Jiang Mingyu: “According to Yelin County’s workshop quotes, even the most expensive one—‘He Zi Yang’—costs only six taels of official silver per seal!”

The Crown Prince was stunned—only six taels for a single seal’s labor?

Jiang Mingyu continued: “Transportation costs—including tolls, labor, animal power, carts and ships, plus escort troops and document couriers—all added up. By law, we ignore the fractional amounts; total is 8,964 taels.”

The Crown Prince listened, utterly incredulous.

He said, “My father’s official quote is 95,000 taels. Official Lu secretly gave me the Ministry of Works’ bottom price: 18,000 taels. And you’re telling me… the total is only 8,000…?”

Jiang Mingyu: “8,964 taels.”

“Forget it…”

The Crown Prince continued, “Your figure is absurdly low!”

Jiang Mingyu: “I’m just reporting the facts.”

The Crown Prince: “Who gave you this price? Where did they get it? Know this—if a charge of deceiving the Emperor is brought down, how many heads will roll?”

The Crown Prince was shocked not only because Jiang Mingyu’s quote was shockingly low, but also because his investigation had moved so fast!

From the day Official Lu sent the sealed letter until tonight—less than half a month had passed.