Chapter 658
Chapter 658
"His Highness the Crown Prince has not yet returned. Would it not be more fitting to hold the investiture after he comes back in triumph?"
Just then, the Royal Uncle Ning Qi stepped out from the ranks and spoke. His words offered Ning Yuanxian a way out. But immediately after, the Vice Minister of Military Affairs interjected.
"Marquis of Changping, now that His Highness the Crown Prince has achieved a complete victory and virtually annihilated the entire army of the Kingdom of Qiang, do you still hold to your previous stance? Do you still believe His Highness should not have gone to the Southern Gull Kingdom, that he should have avoided battle, fortified the city walls, and built numerous forts to defend the border?"
The Crown Prince's faction, no longer willing to stand by, launched a counterattack, tearing into Ning Zheng. Ning Zheng said nothing. The Vice Minister of Military Affairs bowed and continued.
"Your Majesty, before the great war began, His Highness Ning Zheng and Shen Lang deliberately made alarming statements and advocated for surrender, not only demoralizing our forces but also delaying our chance to seize victory. Had the Crown Prince marched south earlier, the war would have long been over, and the Qiang army might not have escaped at all. It is because of those two that we were delayed by more than ten days, wasting resources earned through the blood and sweat of the people and costing the lives of so many of our brave soldiers! I implore Your Majesty to punish them for their crimes!"
The purge was about to begin. The political machinations of the Crown Prince's faction were as sharp as ever. They sought to settle scores with Ning Zheng and Shen Lang without even waiting for the Spring Festival to pass.
"Your Majesty, I implore you to punish them for their crimes!"
"Punish them for their crimes!"
In an instant, more than half the officials in the great hall knelt in unison. Another censor stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, Shen Lang and Ning Zheng's obstruction of the Crown Prince's southern campaign was an act of selfish ambition that disregarded the interests of the State of Yue. The Crown Prince's complete victory now only further proves that they were jealous of a virtuous and capable man. There is no law that tolerates such vile, shameless, and incredibly narrow-minded individuals who bring harm to the nation and its people! I beseech Your Majesty to hold them accountable. Otherwise, even the heavens will not forgive them, and the hearts of our hundred thousand soldiers will grow cold."
*Damn them all!*
Ning Yuanxian's eyes narrowed. He despised how the censors postured and shouted slogans, acting as if they were the sole representatives of justice, the nation, and the people. But should he punish Ning Zheng? In the end, the Crown Prince had won this war. He already had the support of the civil officials, and now he had the backing of an army of over a hundred thousand. When the Crown Prince returned, his power would be immense.
Moreover, at a time like this, even the king could not afford to confront the Crown Prince. The danger had not yet passed; the State of Chu had not withdrawn its forces. Allowing Ning Zheng to escape their sharp blades would be a form of protection. In an instant, Ning Yuanxian issued a royal decree.
"Ning Zheng is to be temporarily suspended from his duties as the Grand Admiral of Tianyue and is to reflect on his transgressions behind closed doors!"
Ning Zheng stepped out from the ranks and kowtowed.
"This subject obeys!"
The court session ended. Ning Zheng returned home, and the entire capital was in an uproar. Lanterns were once again hung throughout the city, creating a brilliant display. This time, even more poems and songs emerged, of a higher quality than before. The officials of the Crown Prince's faction celebrated their victory with one another.
*We won! A complete victory. We've crushed the newly resurgent Ning Zheng like a fly!*
The Third Prince, Ning Qi, could not be touched yet. They would still need his faction when dealing with the states of Chu and Wu. But with Yue's decisive victory over the Southern Gull Kingdom, Chu would likely lose its appetite for war, and the King of Wu would be even more hesitant to act rashly. From this day forward, the Crown Prince's position was as solid as Mount Tai. How satisfying! This was not just a victory over the Qiang army, but a victory for the officials against the king.
*Ning Yuanxian, didn't you want to replace the Crown Prince before? Didn't you try to suppress him? How about now? Even you, the king, cannot shake his position. Though he has not yet ascended the throne, His Highness will wield immense power from now on. With the support of us officials, the influence of a harsh monarch like you will only continue to wane.*
*Of course, the Crown Prince is also a harsh man, but the Zhu Clan is not. Besides, a new king is easier to fool.* But while Ning Zheng was sent home to reflect behind closed doors, what about Shen Lang? Wasn't he the biggest advocate for surrender? Should he be allowed to get away scot-free? He had already been exiled, so what more could be done? Demotion? Yes, demote the Jin Clan. From marquis back to count. That was possible.
Before, they had worried about the Jin Clan defecting to Wu, but now, there was no need for such concerns. The Jin Clan and Wu had fought a battle a year ago, suffering numerous casualties on both sides; they were now sworn enemies. Of course, any real action, like demoting their title or even reducing the Jin Clan's private army, would have to wait until Chu had completely withdrawn its forces. But they could start stirring up public opinion in advance!
***
The next day at court, numerous civil officials jointly impeached Shen Lang, claiming his past advocacy for surrender was born of sinister motives and delayed the opportunity for victory. They also impeached Jin Zhuo, Marquis of Xuanwu, for failing to send a single soldier to the Southern Gull battlefield at the crucial moment.
*When His Highness the Crown Prince marched south this time, all the noble families in the southern part of Yue sent forth their sons and elite warriors, yet the Marquis of Xuanwu's estate alone turned a blind eye. For a top-ranking noble, Marquis Jin Zhuo's behavior shows a blatant disregard for the sovereign and lays bare his treasonous intentions. He has enjoyed the stipends of Yue for centuries, yet he stands by idly as the nation faces a crisis, taking pleasure in its misfortune. What right does such a petty man have to hold the title of marquis? We implore Your Majesty to punish him. Strip Jin Zhuo of his marquisate and disband the Jin Clan's private army.*
Of course, the king set aside all the impeachment memorials, showing no intention of addressing them. Then, a secret report from Zhu Lin and Nangong Ao arrived in the capital, and a shocking piece of news broke.
*Su Nan is not dead. Shen Lang released him without authorization, and there is conclusive evidence that he colluded with the Qiang army. For these crimes, he deserves death.*
The civil officials of the Crown Prince's faction were filled with righteous fury. They were determined to tarnish Shen Lang's name so thoroughly that he could never clear it.
"Your Majesty, we implore you to deliver your judgment!"
"The evidence is conclusive! Your Majesty, please dispatch the Blackwater Terrace to arrest Shen Lang!"
"Your Majesty, Shen Lang must be executed to appease the public!"
"If Shen Lang is not killed, the heavens themselves will rage!"
This time, it was not just the officials of the Crown Prince's faction; even those from the Third Prince's faction spoke with one voice. On the matter of killing Shen Lang, both the Crown Prince's and the Third Prince's factions were in agreement.
"Your Majesty, we beseech you to execute Shen Lang!"
Ning Yuanxian was inwardly furious. Shen Lang had already mentioned the matter of Su Nan in a secret report to him. At the time, he had found it so incredible that he had treated it as half-false. Now, it seemed it was true. Hearing his officials sharpening their knives, eager to kill Shen Lang, Ning Yuanxian spoke coldly.
"Let me ask you, has Shen Lang ever claimed to have killed Su Nan? Did he ever proclaim it to the world?"
Come to think of it, he really hadn't. Moreover, the report that the Su Clan had been exterminated had come from the Blackwater Terrace and the Grand Princess Ning Jie. Ning Yuanxian said angrily.
"At that time, after Shen Lang annihilated the Su Clan, did he ever step forward to claim credit or ask for a reward?"
The officials were speechless. Though they said nothing, they knew in their hearts that Shen Lang had been the greatest contributor to quelling the Su Clan's rebellion. But Shen Lang had never mentioned his own merits, so the officials and people of Yue pretended not to know. That contribution was worth at least a noble title. But did Shen Lang receive any reward? None at all. He had been the Lord of Zhenyuan City, but after returning from quelling Su Nan's rebellion, his position had not been promoted. Instead, he was made the Chamberlain of the Marquis of Changping's estate, a position of merely the sixth rank.
King Ning Yuanxian sneered and shouted.
"People pretend not to know what they already know. To be an official, one must have thick skin and a black heart! But you are all men who stand in the royal court; shouldn't you at least maintain a shred of decency!"
Ning Yuanxian tapped his own face with his hand, deliberately raising his voice.
"I'm telling you all to save some face!"
The officials were stunned.
*Is His Majesty tearing away all pretense of decorum? Is he publicly slapping his officials in the face in the middle of the court? Has he gone mad?*
Ning Yuanxian laughed.
"If any of you want to capture or kill Shen Lang, why don't you go yourselves? Why must you ask the Blackwater Terrace to do it for you? Ah! Is it because the Blackwater Terrace is already part of your family?!"
Hearing this, Xue Che flinched. Ning Yuanxian stood up, tapping the desk with an object he had been fiddling with in his hand.
"You can put on an act! But you must know when to stop and not go too far! It matters not if you treat the people as fools, or if you treat me as a fool! But you shouldn't treat yourselves as fools!"
Ning Yuanxian glanced calmly at Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu, then said,
"Court is dismissed!"
The officials remained silent. The king had left the great hall, having once again shredded their dignity. In the past, the Wanli Emperor had also clashed with his officials over the matter of appointing a crown prince, leading to repeated conflicts and discord. He had refused to hold court for decades, and the monarch and his ministers had come to despise one another.
***
That night, many officials went to the residence of Prime Minister Zhu Hongzhu to vent their indignation.
"What does His Majesty mean by this? Are we wrong? Is it wrong for us to demand Shen Lang's death? Did we ask this for ourselves? We did it for the State of Yue and its people. That man is a scourge upon the nation and its people, a deceiver who beguiles the monarch. If he is not killed, the people's outrage will not be appeased. Go out and ask, is there a single person who does not resent Shen Lang? While His Highness the Crown Prince sheds blood and bravely slays the enemy on the front lines, Shen Lang colludes with the enemy and obstructs him from behind. Does such a man not deserve to die?"
Zhu Hongzhu calmly opened his eyes and said,
"Enough. Enough. The nation is in peril. It is best we make concessions for the good of the country."
So, did Zhu Hongzhu think Shen Lang should be killed? Of course, he believed the man deserved death. In the past, he had been content to sit back and wait for Shen Lang to bring about his own destruction, but now, he sensed an inexplicable danger. This feeling had intensified, especially when Ning Zheng and Shen Lang had vehemently opposed the Crown Prince's southern campaign, claiming the Qiang army was plotting something. Zhu Hongzhu's heart was filled with anxiety, but fortunately, the crisis had been averted. Although it was a difficult victory, a victory was a victory. The Crown Prince's position would now be completely secure.