Chapter 64: Provocation
Wei Qi soon learned of the case and erupted during a small court session, reprimanding the assembled ministers for their lax household discipline. "If you cannot cultivate yourselves and manage your own households, how can you govern the state and bring peace to the world?" she demanded. The ministers, whether wronged or not, dared not speak, fearing Her Majesty's wrath would turn on them. Fortunately, Wei Qi was merely angry and did not directly punish the officials involved. She only ordered the Jingzhao Prefecture to ascertain the truth as quickly as possible and mete out punishment where due as a warning to others. The Jingzhao Prefecture accepted the command without another word. After court, Wei Qi went to the Council of State and unleashed another tirade, the admonishing tone of her words perfectly clear. As a minister of the six ministries, Lu Songnian was also present at the Council of State and received a harsh scolding. Wei Qi gave him two extra-long looks, sending a chill down his spine.
That evening, back in his residence, Lu Songnian smashed a teacup in front of a room full of his faction members. "Who was it? Who the hell did this? Luring the children of various families into gambling—a tactic that wounds the enemy by a thousand while costing oneself eight hundred? Who came up with this scorched-earth scheme?"
The room was filled with court officials in scarlet robes, men who were used to commanding respect, yet his tirade left them unable to even lift their heads. Only after he had calmed down a little did they begin to speak up in their own defense.
"My lord, it truly wasn't us. The Jingzhao Prefecture is a powder keg right now; it'll explode at the slightest touch. Why would we provoke them?"
"Indeed. Perhaps it wasn't someone from our side? Weren't some of our own children caught up in it as well?"
"My lord, while it may be a scorched-earth tactic, wouldn't you say it's a good one? This case has wide-reaching implications. As long as the Jingzhao Prefecture passes judgment, they will have made enemies of these powerful figures, who will then naturally refuse to side with the Reformist Faction."
"That's right. The loose ends have been tied up cleanly, and the mastermind remains untraceable. Yet, it's been linked to Marquis Wuwei. Does the Jingzhao Prefecture dare to investigate further? If they can't, it gives us a perfect pretext for impeachment."
Hearing this, Lu Songnian felt another surge of blood rush to his head. His vision darkened as he slammed his hands on the table. "This is about it being untraceable! If it were traced back to us, we would be condemned by all! What wall in this world doesn't have cracks! Do you think the Jingzhao Prefecture is so easily bullied? You imbeciles!"
The few who had just spoken saw his fury, exchanged glances, and fell silent.
"Go back and ask those arrogant, self-important fools behind you! Tell them all to rein it in! At a time like this, one wrong move and we'll all be buried together!" Lu Songnian pointed at the men, jabbing his finger at each one in turn, his voice a thunderous roar. The men remained silent and anxious, each lost in their own calculations.
After the gathering dispersed, the main hall of the Lu residence returned to silence. A steward at his side offered him a cup of tea, advising, "My lord, don't let your anger harm your health."
Lu Songnian sighed. "A'yan, a storm is brewing in the central government, yet the prefectures continue to act as they please. How can one not worry?"
Lu Yan was puzzled. "My lord, how can you be so certain it was the work of the great families?"
"In the current political climate, the Reformist Faction is already on the offensive. What purpose would this scheme serve them? And the military aristocrats value their heirs and lineage above all else. Look at how many of their children were ensnared this time. Have they gone mad?" Lu Songnian took a sip of tea and sighed. "It's a good plan, a poisonous one. If successful, it could truly divert disaster onto others. But doesn't it frighten you?"
Lu Yan thought for a moment before adding, "But judging by the reactions of the lords just now, they seemed genuinely unaware."
"Their ignorance doesn't mean the families behind them did nothing," Lu Songnian said, setting his teacup down heavily. "These families are used to being local tyrants. Their vision is terribly narrow. If I hadn't been forcefully suppressing them, chaos would have erupted long ago."
He mentally reviewed the major clans one by one but could find no clues. He was at a loss, even beginning to wonder if he had been mistaken. Just as he was about to set the matter aside for the night and go wash up for bed, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he thought of someone.
He stopped in his tracks and looked at Lu Yan. "Is the sixth lady of the Qi Family still in the capital?"
It took Lu Yan a moment to recall who he meant. After a brief pause, he replied, "She should be."
"Tell her to come see me tomorrow."
"Yes, my lord."
The next day, after his duties at court were finished, the sixth lady of the Qi family, Qi Daoning, was already waiting in the Lu residence.
"Greetings, my lord." Qi Daoning was beautiful, one might even say bewitching. Though only in her early twenties and smiling, her eyes always carried a hint of scorn.
Lu Songnian disliked her appearance and was not particularly close to her father, Qi Chengming. She had visited a few times before at her father's behest, but Lu Songnian had always treated her with a cool indifference.
This case was strange, and as Lu Songnian mulled it over, the Qi Family came to mind. The Qi were the most powerful clan in Chuzhou. Chuzhou was remote and had little contact with other prefectures, but the family had always been known for their unorthodox methods, which went largely unnoticed due to their low profile.
Lu Songnian had no patience for maneuvering with a junior and asked her directly, "Is the gambling case related to your Qi Family?"
Qi Daoning smiled. "My lord jests. Chuzhou is but a borderland. How could our reach be so long?"
"Then what is your view on this matter, Sixth Lady?" Lu Songnian's expression did not soften as he continued to question her.
"I think it's quite good. Is it not a fine trade to sacrifice a few useless children to put the Reformist Faction in a difficult position?" Qi Daoning was still smiling, a hint of mockery in her tone.
"And if it is traced back to us, who will be in a difficult position then?"
"My lord jests. Would the Jingzhao Prefecture dare to touch Marquis Wuwei? Are they not afraid of instability on the border?"
"The Jingzhao Prefecture may not be able to investigate, but Her Majesty can," Lu Songnian said with a raised eyebrow.
"It is not so simple to reconnect a thread that has been broken."
Lu Songnian glanced up at her and suddenly laughed. "You have some nerve, Sixth Lady."
"I am unworthy of your praise, my lord," Qi Daoning replied, neither humble nor arrogant.
Lu Songnian stared at her, his meaning clear. "You are young, Sixth Lady. Allow this old man to offer a word of advice: those who play with fire will eventually get burned."
"Thank you for your guidance, my lord." Qi Daoning cupped her hands in a salute. Seeing him lift his teacup in a gesture of dismissal, she tactfully took her leave.
Lu Songnian watched coldly as her figure disappeared, then went to his study and wrote a letter. He summoned Lu Yan. "Send this to Qi Chengming. Tell him to properly discipline his daughter."
"My lord believes the Qi Family was behind it?" Lu Yan bowed and took the letter but did not leave immediately, asking tentatively.
"She claimed their reach wasn't that long, yet she knew the details of the case intimately. The fact that the trail went cold at Marquis Wuwei's estate is not yet common knowledge," Lu Songnian sneered.
"My lord has always been perceptive."
"Hah. That Qi Daoning had no intention of hiding it from me. She said nothing, yet every word was a provocation. Qi Chengming has some real audacity. Whether he did it or not, send a letter to rap him on the knuckles. He'd better not ruin the bigger picture."
"Yes, my lord."
After leaving the Lu residence, Qi Daoning did not hurry back. Instead, she strolled enthusiastically through the market streets, her attendant following closely behind.
"Sixth Lady, are you sure this is alright?"
"How could it be alright? A letter from my father reprimanding me is probably already on its way," Qi Daoning answered nonchalantly, her attention focused on the trinkets sold in the shops.
"Then why did you insist on doing this?" the attendant asked, fraught with worry.
"This is a scheme we have laid for many years. In my father's eyes, it was just an idle move on the board. He wanted to pull back because he felt the storm in the capital was getting too heavy. But I was unwilling to let it go. So I delivered it into the hands of the Jingzhao Prefecture and lit the firecracker myself. Look at the sparks. Isn't it fascinating?"
The attendant was still worried. "What if we are discovered?"
Qi Daoning spotted a small trinket, asked the vendor for the price, bought it, and tossed it into her attendant's arms. "All our people were withdrawn from the capital long ago," she said leisurely. "They've scattered completely. No one could trace them back to Chuzhou. What are you afraid of?"
"Your father is going to punish you," the attendant said with a long face.
"It's just a whipping," Qi Daoning said, and then she actually laughed. "Let's go. We leave the capital tonight. Oh, right, have you prepared the gift for my elder sister? Be careful not to damage it."
In the end, the Jingzhao Prefecture found no trace of the culprits. As time dragged on, pressure from all sides mounted. The ministers grew discontented with their children being detained for so long, and the entire Jingzhao Prefecture was overwhelmed. Yin Mo and Shen Zhu conferred and decided to close the case for the time being, intending to continue the investigation quietly later.
Fang Jian was perplexed. "But the mastermind has not yet been identified. How can we close the case?"
"Aside from the mastermind, the crimes of the others are all clear. Those who ran the gambling dens will be sentenced for that, and those who participated will be sentenced according to the amount they wagered. We can't afford to keep them locked up any longer."
"But what if Her Majesty punishes us?"
"Do you think Her Majesty won't punish us if we just let this drag on? You write up the report, and I will personally go to Her Majesty to plead for forgiveness."
"Yes, my lord."
As unwilling as Fang Jian was, she had to admit that Yin Mo was right. She personally wrote the report, detailing the case and assigning sentences based on the depth of involvement. The lighter sentences were fines or caning; the heavier ones were penal servitude or exile. Although no one was sentenced to death, the punishments were not light. For those with official positions or noble titles, Fang Jian had no authority to pass sentence, so she clearly stated their level of involvement and recommended punishments, respectfully requesting an imperial decree.
Wei Qi gave Yin Mo another tongue-lashing, scolding the Jingzhao Prefecture for its incompetence, but ultimately let them off lightly. The final verdict was that all those with official positions or titles were to be stripped of their status and reduced to commoners. The punishments largely followed Fang Jian's suggestions, though the families were permitted to commute the sentences by paying fines.
Every family involved suffered a significant blow. Not daring to resent the Emperor, they directed all their animosity toward Fang Jian.
The members of the Conservative Faction now had a clear picture of Fang Jian's temperament. To put it nicely, she hated evil as she would a personal enemy. To put it bluntly, she specifically targeted the powerful and noble clans. How many family members or followers could the upright scholars and poor officials possibly have? If they let Fang Jian continue to stir up trouble, they would be the ones to suffer.
"We can't leave this menace in the Jingzhao Prefecture any longer. We need to find a way to move her somewhere else," Lu Songnian said, stroking his beard as he carefully recalled Fang Jian's nearly one year at the Prefecture. The more he thought, the more alarmed he became.
A faction member looked troubled. "Fang Linshen currently has the Emperor's deep trust. Several impeachments have been shelved by Her Majesty without action. We can't touch her."
Lu Songnian snapped, "If we can't demote her, can't we promote her? Just give her a higher rank and move her to a different office!"
"But… wouldn't that be letting her off easy?"
"Move her to a quiet, unimportant office. Do I have to teach you everything?!"
The Conservative Faction thus used the pretext of Fang Jian's outstanding performance at the Jingzhao Prefecture to recommend her for a promotion to Junior Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, a junior fifth-rank position. The Reformist Faction was equally unwilling to let Fang Jian harm both others and herself, so they were happy to move her. However, they did not want her sent to an unimportant office. She was a sharp sword, and a sword's edge was most effective when pointed outward. After some back-and-forth between the two sides, she was ultimately appointed as an Assistant Director of the Ministry of War, also a junior fifth-rank position.
Fang Jian's mind was still preoccupied with the unsolved case, and she was extremely reluctant to leave, but she had no choice. She could only ask Xie Min to keep digging deeper. Yin Mo and Shen Zhu both breathed a sigh of relief. In less than a year, Fang Jian had caused a great deal of trouble. While she herself had earned a reputation for being upright and had made others wary of her, the pressure from all sides had fallen on her two superiors. To be fair, they liked such driven young people, but as neutral parties, being dragged into the political storm was truly unpleasant. Therefore, they were genuinely happy about Fang Jian's transfer.
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