LRAB Chapter 115: Discarding the Donkey After It Has Served Its Purpose?
Chapter 115: Discarding the Donkey After It Has Served Its Purpose?
Chapter 115: Discarding the Donkey After It Has Served Its Purpose?
After dinner, it got completely dark.
Wu Feng came to the main hall in the front yard alone, his embroidered spring knife placed beside him, and sat in the seat of honor.
When Huang Yi and his three companions were led in by the maid, they all walked very quietly.
After the massacre during the day, they changed into clean clothes, washing away the smell of blood, but the awe in their eyes remained.
Huang Yi stood in the hall, followed by Jinmei, Shuiran, and Zhuyeqing.
The four men bowed deeply to Wu Feng.
"Greetings, Professor Wu."
Wu Feng did not ask them to sit down.
The candlelight flickered on his face, illuminating his expressionless face.
Huang Yi lowered his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing.
He was a ninth-rank official, a figure of considerable stature in the martial arts world.
But the oppressive aura emanating from that energy today still makes his back stiff when he thinks about it.
That's not just a simple suppression of cultivation level.
It is pure and domineering to the extreme.
It was more terrifying than any ninth-rank official he had ever seen.
Jinmei stood behind him, her former alluring charm completely gone, her eyes lowered, her fingers gripping the hem of her clothes.
The water python and bamboo viper dared not utter a sound.
Wu Feng stared at them for a few moments before speaking.
"The original plan was to eliminate the traitor and then have you establish a new power."
"But I have another task for you to do."
Huang Yi and his three companions immediately bowed and said, "Please give your orders, Lord Wu."
Now they are very proper in their role.
What are ranks, what are titles in the martial arts world? They mean nothing in the face of absolute power.
Wu Feng didn't rush to speak.
Footsteps sounded outside the door.
A figure walked in and bowed to Wu Feng, saying, "Master."
It is Ye Jingxing.
He was dressed in ordinary silk clothes, looking travel-worn, clearly having just arrived.
Huang Yi and his three companions stepped aside to make way for the man.
Ye Jingxing ignored them and walked straight to Wu Feng's seat.
"How's it going at the welfare home?" Wu Feng asked.
Ye Jingxing smiled.
"Reporting back to the employer, things are already underway in Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou."
"We adopted a total of 83 orphans, 47 of whom were between five and eight years old, and 36 of whom were over eight years old."
"As instructed by the master, they are all learning to read and do arithmetic."
Wu Feng nodded.
He turned to Huang Yi and the other three.
"His name is Ye Jingxing, the manager of Qingyutang."
"What you need to do next is go to the welfare home, select talented children from among these orphans, and teach them cultivation."
Huang Yi looked up, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Teaching children?
His surprise was only momentary; he immediately bowed and said, "Yes, Lord Wu."
Jinmei and the other two responded in unison.
Wu Feng looked at Ye Jingxing.
"You should explain the specifics to them."
Ye Jingxing nodded: "Don't worry, boss."
He turned around and gestured for Huang Yi and the other three to join him.
"Gentlemen, this way please."
Huang Yi bowed to Wu Feng again before leading Jin Mei and the other two to follow Ye Jingxing outside.
Four days later.
Chizhou Wharf.
An official boat slowly approached the shore, the gangplank was lowered, and Lai Mingcheng, who was in his thirties, strode down.
He was followed by three censors, five inspectors, and a team of twenty guards.
"Sir, shall we rest at the post station first?" a clerk asked cautiously.
Lai Mingcheng waved his hand.
"We won't go to the post station. We'll go directly to the Chizhou garrison."
The registrar opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words.
The group left the dock and headed straight for Chizhou Camp.
A riverside villa, a pavilion by the river.
Li Yunrui lay on the soft couch, her moon-white casual clothes clinging to her body, her plump waist stretched out, and she held a grape in her hand.
Wu Feng lay down on the chair next to her, closing his eyes to rest.
Chunmei stood by his side.
Mei-gu hurried into the pavilion.
"Your Highness, Lai Mingcheng has arrived. He didn't go to the post station, but went directly to the Chizhou garrison."
Wu Feng opened his eyes and frowned.
He knew that Lai Mingcheng was upright and incorruptible, and was known in Kyoto for his outspokenness and frankness.
But this is such a reckless act.
Neither His Majesty nor the Six Ministries have decided who should succeed the commander of the Jiangnan Navy.
If problems are found in the Chizhou camp at this time, the entire Jiangnan navy will be thrown into turmoil.
The impact extends far beyond just one state or prefecture.
He asked, "Has there been any news from Jiang Fuhai yet?"
Anita Mui replied, "Not yet."
Wu Feng pondered for a moment, then decided that the escort fleet matter needed to be finalized as soon as possible.
He turned to Li Yunrui.
"Your Highness, we must urge Su Shenzhi and the others to hurry. It would be best to settle this matter before Lai Mingcheng leaves Chizhou."
Li Yunrui put the grape in her mouth and chewed it slowly.
After swallowing, she turned her head to look at Chunmei.
"Send a letter back to Kyoto and urge it."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Chunmei responded and quickly turned to leave the pavilion.
Li Yunrui withdrew her gaze and leaned back into the soft couch.
She didn't look at Wu Feng, her voice gentle: "With Lai Mingcheng's temperament, he'll suffer sooner or later."
Wu Feng didn't reply and closed his eyes again.
Kyoto, Taigokuden.
The atmosphere at the morning court session was more tense than ever before.
Su Shenzhi stepped forward, holding a memorial in his hand.
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present."
Emperor Qing sat on the dragon throne, his face calm: "Prime Minister, please speak."
Su Shenzhi straightened up, his voice loud and clear.
"Qin Ye, the chief envoy of the Privy Council, left the capital for Chizhou without imperial decree or reporting to the Secretariat. It so happened that Her Highness the Princess was assassinated in Chizhou, and the Chizhou garrison's rescue efforts were ineffective, all because Qin Ye's sudden inspection trip distracted Jiang Fuhai, the commander of the Chizhou garrison."
"As the Privy Councilor in charge of military power, Qin Ye's actions disregard the laws of the court."
"Your Majesty, I request that you thoroughly investigate Qin Ye's unauthorized departure from the capital and reform the Privy Council to prevent future troubles."
As soon as he finished speaking, officials from the Censorate, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Rites stepped forward.
"I second that proposal!"
"The Privy Council has too much power; it should have been reformed long ago!"
Qin Ye sat below Su Shenzhi, his expression unchanged.
He glanced at Su Shenzhi, then looked at Emperor Qing on the dragon throne.
Emperor Qing did not look at him.
Emperor Qing picked up Su Shenzhi's memorial and opened it.
Su Shenzhi wrote it clearly.
The three items under the Privy Council's control—military and political affairs, tiger tally, and military register—were transferred to the Ministry of War.
From then on, the Ministry of War took charge of military administration, military tallies, military registers, logistics, weaponry, conscription, military pay, post stations, and military selection.
However, the Ministry of War had no authority to deploy troops.
The power to mobilize troops rests with the Privy Council, but the Privy Council needs a tiger tally to mobilize troops.
The two sides check and balance each other.
Emperor Qing read it very slowly.
As he closed the memorial, he looked up at Su Shenzhi.
"According to the Prime Minister, from now on, the Privy Council will only control military power, troop deployment, border troops, and the Imperial Guards?"
"Yes." Su Shenzhi bowed. "Only by having the Ministry of War and the Privy Council each perform their duties and supervise each other can the military power of Qing Kingdom be kept stable."
Qin Ye's expression finally changed.
He looked at Emperor Qing.
Emperor Qing did not look at him.
Emperor Qing placed the memorial on his desk.
"Granted."
Two words, falling lightly.
Qin Ye stood in the hall, his lips moved, but in the end he said nothing.
He went to Chizhou on the emperor's orders.
However, His Majesty's oral decree cannot be spoken in the court.
Su Shenzhi bowed and clasped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty is wise."
All the civil and military officials echoed in unison.
Emperor Qing sat on the dragon throne, his face calm.
Although he temporarily trusts Qin Ye, it is not as good as directly grasping military power in his own hands.
The Privy Council controls military power, the Ministry of War executes policies, and the Censorate monitors operations; this is how they check and balance each other.