Chapter 33: The King of Wu Humiliated and Plotting Anew; Wei Wuji, the Fanatical Protector of the Realm

In the study, Liu Mingyuan tried his best to explain, but his voice grew quieter with every word.

He dared not voice the rest of his thoughts. Ye Tao had assured him that no one would step forward to support Ye Xun, and that Wei Wuji had already agreed to back him. Yet, only a few hours after his plan had been set in motion, Wei Feng had intervened on Ye Xun’s behalf, taking full responsibility for the entire affair.

Ye Tao was furious. This was a blatant slap in the face from Wei Wuji. He had only just managed to impress Wei Wuji earlier that day during their first meeting at the Duke of Zhen’s residence; everything had gone well. He had never expected that the person Wei Wuji had intended to meet was Ye Xun—and that Wei Wuji would even lend him a hand.

Ye Tao looked at Liu Mingyuan and said in a deep voice, "Tell me the entire sequence of events, from start to finish, with every detail."

"Yes," Liu Mingyuan nodded repeatedly. "Today, following the plan, I had Zhao Sihu of the Xingcai Gambling House..."

He proceeded to recount the day's events in their entirety. As Ye Tao listened, his brow furrowed deeply. By the end, however, a sense of relief replaced his heavy heart.

"So, you’re saying that Wei Feng’s intention was simply to honor old ties by helping Ye Xun rescue Zheng Qian, and that he has no intention of making things difficult for Liu Jingfu or investigating the matter further?"

Ye Tao sat on a meditation cushion, tapping his fingers gently against the desk.

"That is correct," Liu Mingyuan replied hurriedly. "Wei Feng told Liu Jingfu that no matter how far the Prince of Qin has fallen, he is still the nephew of the Duke of Zhen. He told him to inform me not to commit such foolish acts again."

"If Wei Feng wanted to escalate this, he wouldn't have come alone, nor would he have let Liu Jingfu off so easily. It seems the Duke of Zhen’s stance is that while he wants to protect the Prince of Qin, he also wishes to draw a clear line between them."

Ye Tao nodded, lost in thought. "It seems that way. No matter, in a couple of days, I will go and probe his intentions myself. If he is truly willing to help me, I can choose to leave Ye Xun alone for now."

He then looked at Liu Mingyuan. "Did you manage to get the recipe for the soap?"

Liu Mingyuan shook his head dejectedly. "No. The Prince of Qin is extremely cunning. Zheng Qian is only responsible for the sales; he isn't allowed anywhere near the production."

He had hoped to make a fortune from the soap, but it had all come to nothing.

Liu Mingyuan continued, "Your Highness, what should we do about Liu Jingfu? Even though Wei Feng said he wouldn't pursue it, if he decides to arrest him, our involvement..."

At these words, a murderous glint appeared in Ye Tao’s eyes. "What else can be done? He has committed such a grave offense; he will surely commit suicide out of fear of punishment."

Liu Mingyuan’s heart sank. He said cautiously, "Your Highness, would that not be too rash? Given that it involves the Prince of Qin, if the official in charge commits suicide, this..." He spoke with deep anxiety. The suicide of a registrar of the Capital Prefecture was no small matter.

Ye Tao’s face remained dark, his murderous intent undiminished. "If he doesn't die, he will always be a liability. And Zhao Sihu—have him taken care of as well. This matter will have nothing to do with you or me. As for the Ministry of Justice, I will handle them myself. How they investigate and how far they go—isn't that for me to decide?"

Hearing this, Liu Mingyuan was overjoyed. "Yes, Your Highness, I understand."

Knowing the matter could be settled, Liu Mingyuan was relieved; he had no intention of becoming a stepping stone on Ye Tao’s road to the throne before he had even reaped any rewards.

Ye Tao looked at him and said coldly, "Do it cleanly. Do not let anyone find any evidence."

"Rest assured, Your Highness," Liu Mingyuan nodded eagerly. "I will oversee it personally and do my utmost." He then asked, "And what about the Prince of Qin’s residence?"

Ye Tao took a deep breath. "Keep them under surveillance and wait for my news. Since we couldn't take the lives of those low-born slaves in his household this time, next time, I will ensure he is completely disgraced."

If the conspiracy failed, he would resort to overt schemes. Ye Tao’s methods for dealing with Ye Xun went far beyond targeting mere servants like Cao An. He wanted to see Ye Xun utterly humiliated before the Emperor of Xia.

Liu Mingyuan was delighted. "Your Highness is wise. I shall take my leave."

...

The next morning, at the imperial palace, after the early court session, Wei Wuji did not return to his residence. Clutching two yellowed sheets of paper, he headed straight for the Houde Hall to see the Emperor of Xia.

The previous night, after Wei Feng returned home, he had told Wei Wuji the entire story. Upon learning that the four immortal masterpieces were written by Ye Xun, and then seeing Ye Xun compose two more poems on the spot, Wei Wuji had been overjoyed. He never expected Ye Xun to have achieved such a profound awakening—even more astonishing than that of the Great Yu’s Prime Minister, Xue Juzheng.

Spontaneous verses that became timeless classics, coupled with the creation of a lucrative little commodity like soap... iron-fisted resolve, business acumen, and genuine talent—Ye Xun was gradually winning him over with his own strength.

If he truly had any other choice, why would Wei Wuji abandon his own nephew to support the sanctimonious Prince of Wu? He naturally hoped that Ye Xun would turn over a new leaf, reclaim his path to the throne, and rule the world. In that case, the status of the Wei family—and the entire Guanxi faction—would remain unshakable.

However, he still needed to lay his cards on the table with Ye Lantian. No matter what, the Wei family’s loyalty and integrity could not be cast aside, and their vow to serve the Ye family could not be shaken. Otherwise, the Wei family would not endure. After all, compared to the centuries-old aristocratic clans that stood tall in the Great Xia, the Wei family, despite their immense power, were seen as nothing more than nouveau riche with shallow foundations.

Even the Emperor of Xia, Ye Lantian, could not single-handedly cover the sky in the Great Xia, let alone Wei Wuji.

Dynasties come and go, but the clans remain. Although the imperial examination system had replaced the Nine-Rank System, giving scholars from humble backgrounds a chance to enter the bureaucracy and weakening the clans' monopoly on office, if one wished to gain a foothold in the officialdom, one still had to pledge loyalty to various factions and become a pawn. To hope to navigate the official world with ease otherwise was nothing more than a pipe dream.

In the bureaucracy, one competed with ability, but even more so with human relations and worldly wisdom. The reason Ye Lantian had granted Wei Wuji such great power and allowed him to grow the Guanxi faction was for the sake of checks and balances. The art of balance is the first lesson an emperor must learn. One who understands balance may not necessarily be a good emperor, but one who does not is certainly not a qualified one.

When Ye Lantian first ascended the throne, he had been full of passion and solitary courage. He had sworn to eradicate the deeply rooted aristocratic clans and make the Great Xia truly belong to the Ye family. But things did not go as planned. Reality had dealt Ye Lantian a harsh blow, leaving him bloodied.

In the second year of Zhenwu, the second year of Ye Lantian’s reign, he had intended to promote a newcomer. This person was a rebel and a standout among the humble scholars. Ye Lantian had hoped to cultivate him into a sharp blade to sever the great tree of the aristocracy.