Chapter 16
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: If You're Wronged, Challenge the History of Confucianism Itself
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Returning to the palace, I was confronted by two hellscapes.
One was the mountain of pending approval documents piled up on my desk like a landslide. The other was the additional budget shortfall the emperor had tossed my way, complaining that my handling of affairs wasn't thorough enough.
I'd thought my brief on-site inspection was just a little outing, but it turned out to be a field trip straight to hell.
Now back, the work hell awaited me. Fresh from one inferno, I was already losing my mind amid the barrage of approvals. I was paying dearly for my little schemes.
"Your Highness. Here's the estimate from the Revenue Department."
Nokhui handed over the documents. The costs for rolling out the successful Sunken Mat Foundation technique from the Yellow River to construction sites on soft ground across the thirteen provinces nationwide, along with flood control projects.
I let out a hollow laugh at the total sum scrawled at the bottom.
"Haha. Even if we stripped Lord Wei bare and sold off the Poison Snake Sect's guts, it still wouldn't cover this."
Not even close. The Yellow River was just the beginning. The Yangtze, the Huai River... every waterway needed work, but the emperor had shrugged off budget increases as a hassle, telling me to figure it out myself.
This was like being told to wring water from a dry towel—or burn it to make some.
"Where's a rich sucker when you need one... Guess I'll have to go with that plan after all..."
I muttered while staring at the ceiling.
"Is Crown Prince His Highness present?!"
A shrill voice barked from outside the East Palace. Who dares raise their voice like that here? Guts spilling out already?
The doors swung open, and an inner servant in flashy silk robes strode in arrogantly. From his attire, he wasn't from the Crown Prince's Residence—he was from the Inner Palace Bureau.
"Who are you? No manners."
I signaled Soso with a glance to stop fiddling with her inkstone. Keep at it like that, and she'd end up stained red soon enough.
The inner servant snorted and lifted his chin high.
"I've come with a message from Consort Wei of the Imperial Consort. Crown Prince His Highness is commanded to attend Her Highness Consort Wei at once."
Consort Wei. The powerful backer of Lord Wei, whom I'd thrown in jail at the Yellow River, and a favored consort of the emperor.
It had finally come. Time to shake her down first. Feigning displeasure, I opened my mouth.
"Attend her? I'm not some underling."
"Her Highness ranks at the top of the Inner Palace Bureau. With the Empress absent, she's no different from Your Highness's rightful mother. When the lady of the house calls, isn't it proper to go?"
The inner servant glared.
He wasn't wrong. The Empress had passed away young after giving birth to my eldest brother due to her frail health.
That brother took after her and lay bedridden, barely clinging to life. As a bastard son, I'd clawed my way to the crown prince seat through sheer ability.
Consort Wei had built her influence by taking charge of the Inner Palace Bureau that the emperor largely ignored. Emboldened by that power, she'd backed this madness—and now she was flaunting it at me.
From her perspective, I must be a thorn in the eye. A lowly bastard usurping the eldest legitimate son's place. And I'd jailed her nephew and cash cow, so she was surely seething.
A normal kid might cower, but I couldn't stop my lips from curling up.
'A sucker... no, a sugar mama walks right in?'
I shot to my feet.
"Fine. When an elder calls, I go. Minister Gwak stays here. Soso, Nokhui, you two follow."
"Your Highness, are you sure? I sense killing intent."
Soso asked worriedly, but I tucked the ledger into my robes and grinned.
"It's fine. I've got an invincible shield."
Time to collect the shortfall from the source herself.
Lotus Palace, residence of Consort Wei.
True to its name, it was gorgeously opulent. Gold leaf adorned every pillar, and the finest carpets covered the floors. Sigh, all paid for with the people's blood.
As I clicked my tongue and entered, Consort Wei slammed her teacup down from her high seat.
Crash!
"Crown Prince. On your knees."
No greeting, just a shout. She glared at me with fury boiling over.
"You insolent brat. How dare you treat my blood kin—nay, imperial in-law—as a criminal? Have you lost your mind?"
I stood blankly and replied.
"He committed a crime, so I treated him as a criminal. The national law allows no exceptions."
I wasn't pleased with the severity of his crimes either—I planned to lop off his head given the chance. He'd threatened my life; sparing him would make me look weak, even with an imperial consort backing him. No need to create that mess.
"National law? Ha! You know nothing of the world. The imperial family's authority is the law! So what if my nephew skimmed some construction funds? How dare you confiscate his entire fortune and slap him with hard labor?"
Hard labor was just the start. I'd shake him till no dust remained, then claim his head.
I held back those words. Seeing my restraint only enraged her more; she trembled and pointed accusingly.
"Release Lord Wei at once and return his confiscated wealth. Apologize before me. Otherwise, I'll petition the emperor and have you dethroned as crown prince!"
An intriguing threat. Exactly what I wanted.
But she had the wrong target. The emperor had loved jailing Lord Wei. And dethroning me? He showed no sign of it. Quite the opposite—he'd dumped more work on me for my "incomplete" handling, urging me to gain experience.
Plus, she'd forgotten the crown prince's position amid her Inner Palace focus. Powerless or not, I could invoke the emperor's authority to overturn this.
I held back only because meddling in Inner Palace affairs looked bad. Still, enough listening—time for a jab.
"Your words go too far. As crown prince, my life was threatened. Lord Wei built shoddy embankments that nearly drowned thousands of people. You want me to cover that up?"
"The people? Are those lowly lives more precious than my face?!"
Consort Wei bellowed. She'd sidestepped the crown prince's life being at stake, knowing it hurt her case. What a piece of work. Not senseless, but pride fed her enough to refuse surrender.
Nokhui beside me couldn't hold back any longer.
"Your Highness! As Mencius taught..."
"Silence! How dare a lowly wretch!"
Consort Wei hurled her teacup. It shattered at Nokhui's feet.
Lowly? She must be out of her mind—or ignorant of palace news.
Nokhui's eyes nearly rolled back, but my urgent glance held her. She caught it and restrained herself.
Consort Wei's venomous gaze turned to me.
"The late Empress passed early from frailty, and even her firstborn First Prince lies weak and bedridden... You rampage without fearing heaven."
Consort Wei rose and approached slowly.
"Forgot your mother's station? A lowborn palace maid's spawn. Lucky to snag the crown prince seat—you should grovel in thanks, yet this illegitimate upstart insults imperial elders?"
My mother was indeed lowborn, a palace maid. And my brother was ill. But my crown prince position wasn't luck.
I'd stumbled into this mess unluckily. Not like I wanted it. But since I had it, I'd reform the system to make a better nation for the people. What nonsense was this?
Mocking my efforts and mother crossed the line. I hadn't studied that meekly. This was too far.
"Guards! Beat this arrogant crown prince's shins at once! Motherless whelp needs proper home training—I'll discipline him myself as head of the Inner Palace!"
At her command, maids and eunuchs advanced with switches.
Ha, the nonstop nonsense was beyond absurd. Consort Wei was drunk on power, mad with it. And not a sane soul here—actually whipping the crown prince? How many lives did they have?
Outraged, Soso drew her dagger with killing intent, but I raised a hand to stop her. You started it—let's see it through.
I gazed at Consort Wei calmly, coldly.
"Home training, you say?"
"Yes! Got a problem?!"
"No complaints here."
I turned and bellowed loudly.
"Master! Hear that? She says my education's a mess. And badmouthed my mother too!"
Consort Wei scoffed.
"Master? You called that old fool Gwak Jeong-eon? Former Chief State Tribunals or not, he can't meddle in Inner Palace affairs!"
That was when it happened.
The closed doors slid open smoothly, and a man entered. Not an old man. A youth with pointed ears, untouched by time.
Cheonun, called the Immortal Sage. Outwardly youthful, inwardly an ageless monster.
His appearance shifted the air. The palace's lavish, extravagant aura shrank instantly under his cool, immense presence.
"Wh-who are you?! How dare you enter without—"
Consort Wei tried to shout but clamped her mouth shut meeting Cheonun's eyes. Instinctual terror. Facing a predator beyond human reach. She couldn't speak even if she wanted.
Cheonun walked slowly, staff tapping. Maids and eunuchs parted like the Red Sea.
"Home training."
Cheonun chuckled softly.
"The emperor entrusted this child's education to me. Yet you seem displeased with my methods."
"Wh-what? Who are you to—"
Consort Wei hadn't grasped it yet. But an elderly senior maid beside her paled at his face and ears, tugging her sleeve.
"Y-Your Highness! That man is...!"
"What?!"
"The Immortal Sage... Elder Cheonun! His Majesty's teacher!"
Blood drained from Consort Wei's face.
Cheonun. A legend, the emperor's daunting master. By imperial genealogy, her grand-uncle-in-law—or higher.
"I-Immortal Sage?"
Consort Wei lurched up, legs trembling, barely standing.
"Even my disciple the emperor doesn't raise his voice before me. Yet this consort would cane my disciple's chosen heir—my pupil?"
Cheonun thumped his staff. The Lotus Palace quaked like an earthquake.
"Birth? Bloodline? None of my concern. The emperor chose him; I approved. Who are you to complain?"
Cheonun's eyes gleamed coldly.
"If you're aggrieved, speak up."
His words weighed a thousand tons. Living history who'd shared wine with Kong Qiu, debating benevolence and propriety. Quibbling lineage before him was like wrinkling a cocoon.
Heh heh, I nearly burst out laughing. Go on. Challenge Confucianism's history incarnate. Or die.
"The emperor will love this. How he'll handle a consort who shamed his master's face."
"I-I was wrong! Deathly sin!"
Consort Wei crumpled to her knees. Pride gone. This man terrified more than the emperor. One word could depose her—or worse. Scholars, people, powers would mobilize.
The top dog's arrival resolved it effortlessly.
Now, collection time.
I slipped from behind Cheonun to the cowering Consort Wei.
"Rise. Eyes are watching."
"Cr-Crown Prince. I lost my senses momentarily..."
Oh, you did. Big time. So now you'll be my ATM. Call it life insurance.
"I understand. Family ties and all."
I pulled out the ledger and opened it.
"Lord Wei embezzled about 5,000 gold taels from the treasury. But I applied guilt by association, doubling it to 10,000. Yeah."
I'd planned to take his head if he couldn't pay.
Unaware of that, Consort Wei's eyes shook at the sum.
"Stripping Lord Wei left only 3,000. Short 7,000... What now?"
I looked at her helplessly.
"Can't pay, he rots in the mines till his bones dissolve. And the Inspectorate starts sniffing: 'Did some flow upward?'"
"...!"
Consort Wei bit her lip. Pay up—or you're next. Blatant, polite blackmail. Immortal Sage watched coldly behind. No refusal possible.
"I... I'll pay."
She said shakily.
"I'll empty my private funds. Just end it here."
"As expected! Such magnanimity! Your love for the people outshines the Yellow River!"
I thumbs-upped.
"Soso, what're you doing? Inkstone away, grab a brush. Time for a deposit receipt."
Leaving Lotus Palace, my steps were feather-light.
A 7,000-gold-tael promissory note in my robes. Treasury filled. But the amount felt meager. Huge for personal use, peanuts for the state.
Still, pitiful as it was, squeezing it could seed the Sunken Mat rollout across thirteen provinces.
"Your Highness. Truly vile."
Soso shook her head. Praise or insult?
"How? I filled the treasury, Consort Wei atoned for her kin, Lord Wei got his powerful patron to cover—everyone's happy."
But no mercy planned. I'd deal with him eventually, never forgetting. Shake till dustless, tie the corruption to Clan Wei, scour every last bit.
Soso shook her head harder at that.
"Consort Wei might take to her bed."
"One sacrifice for all happiness—unavoidable."
Cheonun chuckled from behind.
"Heh heh. Kong Qiu would've fainted. Extorting a consort with teacher's authority."
"Practical response, as you taught."
"Never taught that... but satisfying all the same."
Cheonun seemed pleased. His authority used for real gain—saving the people—over mere show delighted him.
"Funds secured. Just need workers to pour them into."
I grinned wickedly at the palace.
Money in hand. Now fortify foundations nationwide, raise embankments. No more Yellow River tears.
But bright light casts deep shadows.
Deep in the empire's southern mountains, a dank cave.
Myriad Poison Sect, overlord of the Poison Snake Sect ousted from the Yellow River, gripping southern underworld interests.
"Sect Leader. Report."
A subordinate bowed, voice quavering in the dark.
"Yellow River tribute cut off. Poison Snake Sect... effectively annihilated."
"Annihilated? Did the garrison launch a full purge?"
"No. The crown prince... that kid stepped in personally, smashed Poison Snake Sect, jailed Lord Wei. Survivors conscripted to hard labor, hauling timber through mud now."
Myriad Poison Sect Leader, Poison King, crushed his teacup to powder. Purple toxin rose, dissolving the shards.
"Crown prince, you say. One brat dismantles our sub-org and severs our funds?"
"Clear provocation! Send elite assassins to take the kid's—"
"Foolish talk."
Poison King snapped coldly.
"Imperial crown prince. Touch rashly, and the full imperial army moves. We're merchants, not rebels. Don't swing swords blindly."
Poison King leaned back, flashing a sinister smile.
"Funds cut? Find a bigger vein. Think: where in this empire festers deepest grudge, most bloodlust?"
"That'd be... the cutthroat power struggles of the palace."
"Exactly. Prime market for us."
Poison King's eyes gleamed serpentine.
"Crown prince kicked our bowl. Let's spoon into his feast. Sell our wares inside the palace. Let them slaughter each other."
Revenge without lifting a finger. Cleanest way.
"Who shall we send?"
"Need utmost stealth, silver tongue."
Poison King murmured into the dark.
"Summon Black Seven."
Infamous poison broker of the jianghu, Myriad Poison Sect's sales exec. His move turns the palace into a vast poison lab.
In the ensuing carnage, the crown prince swept up? Picking his nose in victory.
"Tell him: scatter death's bait into the palace's gilded cage."
Victory at Yellow River's butterfly effect.
A stealthy, lethal poison wave now surged toward the crown prince—beyond brush or ink's defense.