Dong Biquan pondered thoughtfully upon hearing this. Military authority had always been viewed with suspicion, and unless absolutely necessary, one wouldn't deliberately oppose the court.
Regarding the military provisions matter, after reviewing the account books, he noted that the deductions by various regions weren't excessively large—otherwise, the current stability wouldn't exist. The court's loss of autumn grain was no secret, and if the issue could be resolved calmly at this juncture, everyone would likely be willing to cooperate.
He could dispatch envoys to appease and reassure, promising to make up for the shortfall and prioritizing the most contentious areas first. This approach should suffice to manage the situation. Once the autumn grain issue was resolved, he could then devise a plan to gradually resolve the matter entirely.
This was the most advantageous course of action for him. However, his trusted subordinate disagreed: "Sir Dong, this matter is suspicious. Consider Prince Kang as a cautionary tale."
If Prince Kang had confessed the weapon forging incident to His Majesty earlier, the worst outcome would have been dismissal and disuse. Instead, he insisted on covering it up, ultimately leading to immediate execution, with his descendants demoted to commoners. Had he not been a blood relative of His Majesty, the entire family might have faced extermination.
The steward glanced at him and added, "Vice Minister Xu speaks wisely. You must deliberate carefully, Master. If you report to His Majesty now, He may leniently consider your loyal service. Had Vice Minister Xu exercised similar caution upon discovering the intercepted grain intended for His Majesty and reported it to you, the situation wouldn't have escalated to this extent."
At this mention, Dong Biquan felt such rage he could have devoured his subordinate alive!
He sank into endless turmoil. Vice Minister Xu and the steward waited silently for his decision. Just as Dong Biquan resolved himself, the steward spoke again: "Master, in my humble opinion, the autumn grain matter is currently critical. Though His Majesty may be angered by your report, He cannot do without you at this time. Seize this opportunity to confess, then devote yourself to resolving the autumn grain issue. Atoning through meritorious service could still be a viable path."
The wavering Dong Biquan's eyes lit up: "Exactly! This is an excellent approach!"
With that, he strode out, issuing orders as he went: "Prepare them. I shall seek an audience with His Majesty immediately."
Before Dong Biquan even left his residence, Xiao Huayong received the news. He rubbed the black chess piece between his fingers: "Dong Biquan is heading to the palace. Arrange a proper spectacle for him."
"Rest assured, Your Highness. Everything is prepared." Tianyuan smiled with innocent harmlessness. "I guarantee Sir Dong won't be able to utter a single word before His Majesty."
Not long after Dong Biquan's sedan chair departed his estate, it jolted violently. Struggling to steady himself, he lifted the curtain and demanded: "What happened?"
The bearers replied: "Master, a medicine thief being chased nearly collided with us."
"Committing theft at the feet of the Son of Heaven—he deserves to be beaten..." The word "killed" stuck in his throat as Dong Biquan recognized the captured thief: the once-glorious Third Young Master of Prince Kang's household.
"My mother is ill—just a few doses of medicine short! Please give it to me, then take me to the magistrate. I beg you..."
"Hurry up! Say whatever you have to say at the magistrate's office!"
"My mother's life depends on it! I beg you—I'll kowtow to you..."
"Enough nonsense! Keep talking and you'll regret it!"
Dong Biquan watched the Third Young Master of Prince Kang's household weep bitterly, pleading, and saw the petty officers shove him impatiently. A complex mix of emotions overwhelmed him, until the bearers said: "Master, please sit properly. We're moving on.""Huh? Oh, oh, lift the sedan chair, lift the sedan chair..." Dong Biquan sat restlessly, his mind unsettled.
He had once considered marrying his daughter into the Kang Prince Manor. He had always held high hopes for this filial and respectful third young master and had privately inquired about the Kang Prince's stance. The Kang Prince was not opposed. Who would have thought that the esteemed young lord of the prince's manor would end up in such a miserable state in the blink of an eye?
If the Kang Prince Manor had not fallen...
At this thought, Dong Biquan's heart grew heavy. If one day he were to end up like the Kang Prince, what would become of his children?
Just the thought of it sent a shiver down Dong Biquan's spine.
Distractedly, he arrived at the palace and made his way to the Hall of Bright Governance in a daze. There, Liu Sanzhi informed him that someone was currently meeting with His Majesty and that he should wait outside.
The waiting area was quite far, but he could still intermittently hear the Youning Emperor's furious reprimands.
Unable to resist, Dong Biquan quietly asked, "Eunuch Liu, could you offer some guidance?"
Liu Sanzhi, being the Youning Emperor's confidant, knew that Dong Biquan was ultimately loyal to the emperor. He replied, "Lord Dong, His Majesty is currently meeting with Embroidered Uniform Envoy Zhao. Envoy Zhao secretly used his position for personal gain and has come today to confess his crimes to His Majesty."
"Who reported Envoy Zhao?" Dong Biquan asked again.
"No one reported him. Envoy Zhao, burdened by guilt, came to confess on his own," Liu Sanzhi whispered.
Dong Biquan's heart sank. When Zhao Zhenghao emerged with tea stains on his head and a cut from a teacup, his face turned pale.
Liu Sanzhi had no time to attend to him, as he needed to placate the subordinate on behalf of the emperor. "His Majesty is already agitated over the autumn grain harvest and is understandably angry. Envoy, please do not take it to heart."
Zhao Zhenghao, his expression cold, accepted the clean handkerchief Liu Sanzhi handed him. "Whether it is thunder or rain, it is all the grace of the sovereign."
After wiping the tea stains from his face, he handed his knife and the Embroidered Uniform Envoy token to Liu Sanzhi. "His Majesty has ordered me to reflect on my mistakes behind closed doors. For now, I am no longer to act as an Embroidered Uniform Envoy."
"Envoy Zhao, His Majesty has always relied on you. He is concerned about your tireless work day and night and wants you to take a break," Liu Sanzhi said, taking the knife and token while speaking on behalf of the Youning Emperor.
Zhao Zhenghao did not respond. Instead, he silently clasped his hands in a salute and strode away.
Watching from the side, Dong Biquan felt his throat go dry. By the time the Youning Emperor summoned him, his mind was blank. Especially when he sensed the emperor's lingering anger, he dared not utter a single word when asked about the purpose of his visit.
His mind was filled with images of the tragic fate of the Kang Prince Manor's young lord and the disheveled state of the formidable Embroidered Uniform Envoy Zhao Zhenghao.
In the end, he rambled about some trivial matters that needed reporting and was impatiently dismissed by the Youning Emperor.
Dejected, he returned to his residence and pondered for a long time. Eventually, persuaded by his trusted steward, he decided to take a desperate risk.
"Tianyuan, Minister Dong is seeking a grain merchant," Xiao Huayong said, sitting in a courtyard where Eucommia leaves drifted through the air, rocking in his official's chair.
"Arrangements have been made. I have already taken care of it," Tianyuan replied.
Raising his hand, a light leaf landed in his sturdy palm. Xiao Huayong's gaze was gentle. "This time, we succeeded so smoothly thanks to Youyou's influence."
Originally, he had planned to set another trap to lure Dong Biquan in. But Shen Xihe, leveraging her relationship with Bu Shulin, gave it a powerful push, hastening Dong Biquan's downfall and death.
This move could only be executed by Shen Xihe. If he had intervened, Bu Tuohai would never have trusted him and would not have taken such a risky step.If Bu Tuohai wouldn't do it, others certainly wouldn't either. They didn't even dare to be the first to speak up, let alone openly form alliances while secretly leaking their conspiracies to Dong Biquan.
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