Chapter 85

After giving the Dragon Shadow Guards detailed instructions for stealing the Grand Preceptor’s imperial edict, Yun Yaoyao summoned the members of her Yaoyao Corps.

These past few days, it was not only Yun Yaoyao who had been so busy that she could manage no more than four proper meals a day, with no time to savor all the delicacies. The others had been run off their feet as well.

Looking around, Zhou Siren would occasionally grimace and do a little glute-flexing exercise to ease the pain. Lin Qingti and Di Shunzhi had dark circles so enormous they looked frightening, while Ning Shouli’s face had gone several shades yellower from lack of sleep. He looked just like a withered chrysanthemum at the end of autumn—dry, shriveled, and wrinkled!

Yun Yaoyao sighed with emotion. “My loyal ministers, you’ve worked hard during this time!”

Then, with an extraordinarily generous wave of her wealth-dispensing hand, she distributed a large number of rewards.

The moment they saw that the rewards had landed right in the deepest corners of their hearts, the four men’s exhaustion vanished. With tears in their eyes, they accepted them.

They did not want to work themselves into corpses either, but Her Majesty was simply giving them too much!

Help them back to their feet, and they could keep going!

The group once again began discussing the matter of Tushan Ze.

The matter involved far too much. Not only was he a favored prince, he had also been plotting for the throne for a long time. The forces behind him were certain to be immense and intricately interconnected.

Even after suffering blow after blow during this period, a starving camel was still bigger than a horse. They had to guard against whatever trump cards he might still have.

What Yun Yaoyao wanted was to eliminate him openly and justly, with the full support of the people.

With the strength of the Dragon Shadow Guards, stealing the imperial edict from the Grand Preceptor should not pose much of a threat.

That left only the final two steps in killing Tushan Ze: irrefutable evidence capable of silencing the masses, and the last powerful line of defense protecting him—Minister of Justice Yan Qinghong.

Yun Yaoyao had already prepared the “evidence.”

During this period, reports from her Rumor-Spreading Consort’s Xiongnu agents had stated that the consort was thriving among the Xiongnu and performing exceptionally well.

After laying out a trap of interconnected lies, the old Xiongnu king had ultimately come to believe beyond a doubt that his sole surviving heir was being held hostage in the Yan Chi imperial palace.

The struggle between the old king and the new king had thrown the Xiongnu into chaos.

The Xiongnu had proposed exchanging General Ning Shoujiang for their hostage, Huyan Mu. However, Yan Chi held the initiative this time. How could they possibly let the other side have its way so easily?

Yun Yaoyao had directly dispatched Imperial Censor Ni Tiezui—the court’s greatest champion of arguing his case on principle and then shamelessly pushing for more—to the border as a professional negotiator. If the Xiongnu wanted Huyan Mu back, they would have to pay an exorbitant price!

And the evidence Yun Yaoyao needed would arrive in the capital with Ning Shoujiang three days later.

As for winning over Minister of Justice Yan Qinghong, that was somewhat troublesome.

The trouble did not lie with Yan Qinghong himself, but with the reason he had remained firmly planted in Prince Ze’s camp—

His pair of hopelessly lovestruck, stubborn children.

Yun Yaoyao gathered her thoughts and looked at her trusted ministers. “How much have you learned about Minister Yan’s family these past few days?”

As soon as she asked, all of them wore complicated expressions, their faces filled with indescribable judgment.

Lin Qingti gave a detailed report on the results of their investigation.

In short, it was the story of how Yan Qinghong’s pair of children—whose father was a living hell-spawn capable of making small children cry at night—had both fallen hopelessly in love with Tushan Ze.

Yan Qinghong was ruthless and merciless in the Ministry of Justice, but at home, he was a devoted and filial son.

Perhaps there really was something to what his elderly mother often muttered: Yan Qinghong had shed too much blood with his own hands, and his heavy sins had brought retribution upon his children.

Yan Qinghong had plenty of women in his household, yet he had only two children, a son and a daughter. Both had been born frail, and as a result, the entire Yan family doted on them and held them in the palms of their hands.

The sheltered and inexperienced Second Miss Yan had fallen for Tushan Ze during a carefully planned “out-of-control carriage rescues the beauty” incident. She had lost both her chastity and her heart to him. She was now four months pregnant and secretly being kept at home in the Yan residence.

When the Yan family had first learned of her affair with Tushan Ze, they had gently tried to persuade her that he was no good for her and that a muddy stream would only harm her. They urged her to terminate the pregnancy and cut ties with him.

That very night, she attempted to hang herself three times.

The Eldest Young Master Yan, who carried the hopes of the entire Yan family, had once fallen into the water from a pleasure boat, only to be rescued by Tushan Ze. He said he had to repay the debt of gratitude. Then, somehow, one thing led to another—and after embracing him over and over, he fell hopelessly in love with him.

He declared that he would never marry. When his family tried to force him, he even threatened to prove his resolve with his life, claiming that true soulmates were hard to find in this world, and that if he could not protect and repay his benefactor, he would simply return his life to him.

Yan Qinghong had tried every method imaginable with these two stubborn fools, using both gentleness and force. He had been so furious that he nearly resorted to the Ten Great Yan-Style Tortures he himself had invented, yet he still could not set either of them straight.

Left with no other choice, he had secretly switched from the neutral faction to Prince Ze’s faction.

When Lin Qingti finished speaking, Di Shunzhi could not help commenting, “This is far too shocking. A brother and sister falling in love with the same prince at the same time? Even storytellers wouldn’t dare write something like this!”

Internally, he added: Thank you, Yan siblings, for providing such excellent material~

Ning Shouli looked deeply shaken. “Prince Ze’s talent for toying with and exploiting other people’s feelings is truly terrifying. Thank goodness Your Majesty stopped my daughter back then. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!”

Zhou Siren quickly caught the key point and asked cautiously, “Your Majesty, since you already know why Minister Yan Qinghong is standing with Prince Ze, yet you still ordered us to investigate the Yan siblings’ circumstances…”

“Could it be that you intend to approach Minister Yan through the Yan siblings and win him over?”

Yun Yaoyao nodded. “Exactly. To solve a problem, one must start at its root.”

Zhou Siren furrowed his brows in concern. As a father of three children who were all difficult in their own ways, he knew all too well how maddening and helpless educating children could be. It was a timeless problem.

“Your ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‍Majesty, forgive my bluntness. Even Yan Qinghong, whose methods are so formidable, could do nothing about them. If Your Majesty intervenes, I fear you may expend a great deal of effort for no reward. And once feelings are involved, matters become even more difficult…”

Yun Yaoyao agreed with him. Hopeless romantics were difficult enough to deal with under normal circumstances. This time, however, she was facing two stubborn, hopelessly lovesick romantics at once.

Based on the detailed information about the Yan siblings that Lin Qingti had submitted, Yun Yaoyao replied while pondering the matter.

“It certainly won’t be easy, but they say that when you know there’s a tiger on the mountain, you should keep banging the retreat drum…”

Yun Yaoyao stopped short.

Damn it, she had let her true thoughts slip out again!

Without changing expression, Yun Yaoyao corrected herself. “That saying is wrong. When you know there’s a tiger on the mountain, you should head straight for the tiger’s lair. That is the proper way to conduct oneself. One must not retreat in fear when faced with difficulty. Only by meeting challenges head-on can one temper oneself and move forward… and so on and so forth.”

After being given a lecture, Zhou Siren lowered his head in shame.

Still, after reading through the documents, Yun Yaoyao had gained a general understanding of the siblings and already had a plan in mind.

Her ministers had their own ways of handling court affairs, but when it came to handling people, she would have to do it herself!

Yun Yaoyao’s lips curled into a smile as she gave each of them their assignments.

Half an hour later.

Yan Qinghong, who should already have returned to the Yan residence, was secretly summoned to the Hall of Heavenly Purity.

Just as he was about to kneel nervously in greeting, a voice came from above.

“Minister Yan, I know that you belong to Prince Ze’s faction. I also know that you became entangled with Prince Ze because of your son and daughter.”

“I will not pursue the matters of the past. But this time, if you intend to protect Prince Ze amid the storm, do you understand what the consequences will be?”

“If you make even one wrong move, it will not only be you who suffers. The entire Yan family will be destroyed!”

Yan Qinghong’s pupils contracted. With a thud, he fell to his knees.

“Y-Your Majesty!”

He closed his eyes, his expression ashen.

No matter how carefully he had concealed it, Her Majesty had found out in the end!

How could he not wish to simply remain at his post and attend to his duties without becoming involved in any factional strife? But one of his children had become entangled with Prince Ze—one had a child by him, while the other went around talking endlessly about repaying his debt of gratitude.

Unless he was willing to disown both of them, sever all ties, and drive them from the family, there was no other way...

Of course, he had tried that solution before. But those two rebellious children did not care in the slightest. They were even willing to risk their lives, yet still insisted on throwing themselves before Prince Ze.

Whenever Yan Qinghong thought of it, his blood pressure soared.

Yun Yaoyao continued to apply pressure.

“To be frank with you, Prince Ze’s downfall is already inevitable. Moreover, I have obtained irrefutable evidence sufficient to have him executed. For you to try to protect him would merely cause me a little trouble—it would not be enough to change the final outcome.”

“When your attempt to protect Prince Ze fails and he dies, do you think the members of Prince Ze’s faction, such as yourselves, will fare well?”

“At best, you will be stripped of your office and reduced to commoners. At worst, your entire clan will be implicated!”

After hearing this warning, cold sweat had already drenched Yan Qinghong’s back.

Whether or not the Emperor’s words were true, the dangers she described were very real.

Yet he did not dare change his position immediately.

His daughter had Prince Ze’s child, while his son had devoted nearly everything he had in order to repay Prince Ze’s kindness. After becoming one of Prince Ze’s supporters, Yan Qinghong himself had done many things for him. These were indisputable facts.

Would the Emperor truly let the matter go afterward? Could he really trust that she would continue to trust him?

And if his stubborn children learned that he had helped bring about Prince Ze’s death, they would probably slit their own throats right in front of him and follow Prince Ze into the afterlife.

Yan Qinghong did not dare gamble with that.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and faced the pressure head-on. “Your Majesty, my children are young and foolish. I will discipline them properly. But I am certainly not someone who places private interests above public duty!”

“At present, there is indeed no conclusive evidence with which to convict Prince Ze. He is a prince, and keeping him confined in the imperial prison would be inappropriate—”

“Enough. I did not summon you here to listen to these excuses!” Yun Yaoyao interrupted him.

After delivering the warning, it was time to offer him a sweetener and a grand promise.

Yun Yaoyao continued, “I will show no mercy to the rest of Prince Ze’s faction. But as for you, I have an appreciation for talent. That is why I summoned you here today.”

“I have taken note of every achievement you have made since entering the Ministry of Justice. You are a rare pillar of the state...”

The sudden praise left Yan Qinghong at a loss. Though he was still uneasy, at least she was praising his abilities, and he could not help feeling rather pleased.

At that moment, the gaze of the sovereign seated above him suddenly turned solemn. She spoke slowly.

“You have three days. If I can make your two children willingly sever ties with Prince Ze, you will abandon Prince Ze’s faction, join the imperial faction, and serve me!”

“This is the sincerity I offer in winning you over.”

“Yan Qinghong, do you accept?”

Yan Qinghong noticed that she had used the word “win over.” The choice of wording granted him a measure of respect and trust.

As the supreme ruler, she was willing to lower herself to do all this, and Yan Qinghong was somewhat moved.

There was no downside to the arrangement. Following Prince Ze was clearly a dead end now.

Besides, if the Emperor could truly set his two stubborn children straight, then forget defecting—he would even be willing to help her bring Prince Ze down!

Yan Qinghong pressed his forehead to the ground and replied in a solemn, resolute voice, “This subject thanks Your Majesty for your grace!”