Chapter 328: The Different-Surname Prince of the Northern Frontier

After the morning court session, Wei Xi Yuan did not rush toward the Imperial Consort's bedchamber. Instead, taking advantage of the fact that everyone's attention was focused on the "bestowal of the princedom" and no one was paying attention to his whereabouts, he hurried toward the depths of the Imperial Palace.

Upon reaching his destination, Wei Xi Yuan saw Yuan Lineage of Divination and Calculation and hurriedly asked, "Master, I have already done as you said. That old thief Si really did go along with the flow. What should I do next?"

Yuan Lineage of Divination and Calculation turned around, holding his horsetail whisk, his face full of sycophancy: "Congratulations, Your Majesty. The first step has been taken; the subsequent matters will naturally be easy to handle!"

Looking at him now, there was not a trace of the tragic air he had before, when he claimed the late Emperor had passed and he would not assist the Second Prince, nor would the Second Prince let him off.

That had merely been a play he performed in front of his two disciples, Xuanji and Yu Heng. As for the reason behind it, perhaps only he himself understood. (Appeared in Chapter 40)

"But what should I do after this?" Wei Xi Yuan still could not understand what benefit this held for him.

Yuan Lineage of Divination and Calculation stroked his long beard and laughed: "Your Majesty! The Scholar-Gentry were previously an impenetrable block, and there was certainly no way to turn the tide. But now that this matter has arisen, the Scholar-Gentry will inevitably fall into chaos. Only when they are wary of one another do we have an opportunity!"

Wei Xi Yuan nodded, appearing to understand but not quite grasping the key point.

Yuan Lineage of Divination and Calculation continued to explain, "The first step, naturally, is to topple Chancellor Si! Once he is gone, Your Majesty will naturally have nothing to worry about!"

This time Wei Xi Yuan understood. So this matter was targeting Si Gui; he must push for this with all his might.

He could never forget the sight of himself sitting in the high seat while the civil and military officials obeyed Si Gui—that was the humiliation of his life, one that could only be washed away with Si Gui's head!

Yuan Lineage of Divination and Calculation told Wei Xi Yuan to wait quietly, just as he had before, and to be sure not to reveal any flaws at such a critical moment.

Wei Xi Yuan thought for a moment, then lifted his feet and headed toward the Imperial Consort's bedchamber.

After a bout of intimacy, Wei Xi Yuan left, feeling satisfied, while Imperial Consort Su Wan Er lay on the bed, lost in thought.

Prince Ming? Jiang Jinshi? The Northern Frontier...

Tang Xiao Yu would likely be interested in this news, so she would tell her.

Summoning her personal maid, Su Wan Er whispered a few words in her ear, and after that, she did not need to worry about the rest.

In any case, she had given no direct orders; if the news leaked in the future, it would at most be traced back to this maid.

As a person of the other side, the maid would surely know how to speak and would not implicate her.

After the morning court, the various officials did not whisper to one another; instead, they hurried away, for they had to spread the news as quickly as possible.

The news regarding the enfeoffment of Jiang Jinshi as "Prince Ming" spread like it had grown wings, flying rapidly to every corner of Da Qian through various secret or public channels.

In the study of the Yan Residence, Yan Chonggu frowned deeply. Spread out before him was a letter filled with tiny characters, a detailed record of the morning court session.

"Different-surname prince... Prince Ming... Governor-General of Northern Frontier military and political affairs..."

Yan Chonggu's fingers tapped the table rhythmically, his eyes filled with deep worry and a trace of annoyance.

"Father!" Yan Shi'an stood opposite him, his expression also grim.

"That old fox Si Gui! He is putting the Northern Frontier on a fire to roast! All that talk of 'jointly attacking Western Liang' and 'reaping the benefits'—he clearly wants the Northern Frontier and Western Liang to suffer mutual destruction! Our previous plans... have all been disrupted!"

Their Yan Family had originally intended to make low-key contact, gradually infiltrate, and use commercial cooperation as a bond to slowly bring the Northern Frontier into their sphere of influence, perhaps even developing Jiang Jinshi into a potential ally.

But with this decree of enfeoffment, Jiang Jinshi had instantly transformed from a powerful figure who needed to be secretly courted into "Prince Ming," formally enfeoffed by the Imperial Court and the focus of the world!

What did this mean?

It meant that Jiang Jinshi and his forces had formally entered the center of the world's chess game, becoming a piece that all factions had to face squarely, or even focus on!

The difficulty of making private contact and secret cooperation would now rise sharply.

Si Gui, the Lu Family, and even other factions that were originally indifferent to the Northern Frontier would now cast their eyes there.

It was now almost impossible for the Yan Family to monopolize the opportunity.

"Not only that!"

Yan Chonggu sighed, "Si Gui's scheme kills three birds with one stone. First, he uses a hollow title and princedom to temporarily stabilize the Northern Frontier, perhaps even inducing Jiang Jinshi to be grateful for the Imperial Court's 'grace'—whether the other party accepts it or not is a separate matter for now!"

"Second, if the other party accepts the princedom, it is driving a tiger to devour a wolf, making the Northern Frontier fight Western Liang to the death and exhausting both sides' strength."

"Third, and most importantly, he has completely placed Jiang Jinshi and the Northern Frontier forces he represents into the open, exposing them to all eyes."

"No matter whether Jiang Jinshi accepts this princedom or the order to send troops, he can no longer develop in secret as he did before."

"Then we..." Yan Shi'an asked anxiously, "Should Cousin Shining still go to the Northern Frontier according to the original plan?"

Yan Chonggu was silent for a long time before speaking slowly: "Go, but the purpose must change. Originally, it was to make friends, probe, and seek cooperation."

"Now..."

"It is to 'offer congratulations,' to see how this 'Prince Ming' will respond to this death-warrant-like imperial decree."

"At the same time, be even more covert. We must never let Si Gui catch any handle to say that our Yan Family has close private ties with 'Prince Ming'."

If Si Gui wants to drive a tiger to devour a wolf, he must also see if that tiger is willing to be driven, and if it will bite back.

The future pattern of the world will depend entirely on how this "Prince Ming" chooses!

"Yes!" Yan Shi'an received the order and hurried off to make arrangements.

Yan Chonggu sat alone in the study and sighed heavily. Si Gui's move had seemingly checked Jiang Jinshi, but hadn't it also checked them, the factions secretly watching the Northern Frontier?

Yangzhou, Cui Residence Separate Garden.

On Cui Wangshu's table also lay a secret letter from Jingcheng.

After reading it, she sat still for a full quarter of an hour, thinking about the situation ahead.

She had not expected that her attempt to probe Jiang Jinshi's intentions while in the Northern Frontier by using the title of "Prince Ming" would now become reality.

Si Gui's operation had directly pushed the Northern Frontier onto the chessboard, and also pushed Jiang Jinshi... to the forefront of the storm.

Her original plan was to gradually deepen commercial ties with the Northern Frontier, and through supplies, technology, and even limited talent support, exert influence in a subtle way.

To develop Jiang Jinshi and his forces into a potential, powerful external aid or partner for herself in the North.

This was a relatively gentle, long-term investment.

At that time, Da Qian and Western Liang were fighting intensely, and indeed no one would pay attention to the Northern Frontier; this strategy was absolutely feasible according to her thinking.

By the time the two sides decided the winner, the Northern Frontier would have grown strong, and she, having invested in the Northern Frontier early, would also occupy a leading position in the Cui Family. ===== CHAPTER 329 =====