AWB Chapter 383 Let's not repeat the same mistakes.
Chapter 383 Let's not repeat the same mistakes.
The Third Prince's gentle face was filled with gloom.
Sitting opposite him, Duke Xiao picked up his teacup and took a sip of strong tea. "When news came from Jiangnan Prefecture a while ago, I knew this matter couldn't be covered up. The Yang family is too greedy. They really think the private salt business is easy to do. They've been blinded by money and even had the idea of supporting the Fifth Prince. Since that's the case, it's good that it's blown up."
The Third Prince rubbed his temples: "Uncle, it's not a matter of whether things get out of hand or not. The Crown Prince... Second Brother has been deposed, and now I'm in a precarious position. Father is in a state of emotional turmoil because of Second Brother's death. If we run into him now, even if we're not wrong, we'll still be accused of some fault. We've been planning for so many years, and we've finally made it this far, but in the end... it's still too early."
With Zong Que, who is excellent in every way and is the legitimate son of the Empress, the Third Prince has been very clear-headed since he was a young age that if he wants to get what he wants, he must be able to remain calm and composed.
However, this composure began to falter and become restless for the first time after Zong Que was deposed.
Only he himself knew that he was terrified, terrified that he would follow in Zong Que's footsteps.
He used to be calm and composed, doing everything methodically and with composure. But since Zong Que's death, he has been unable to sleep day and night.
It's too early, a little too early, not the right time.
When dealing with Zong Que, he was fully aware of all the methods he secretly used, whether successful or not. Many times, his success was not because he was meticulous or ruthless enough, but because everything was tacitly approved by his father.
He saw through this long ago, and understood the undercurrents beneath the seemingly harmonious relationship between his father and second brother. This allowed him to act accordingly and gradually rise to become the most sought-after heir apparent, second only to his second brother.
But the Emperor is still young and healthy, and princes and princesses have been born in the palace in recent years.
Without his second brother as a target to shield him, if he makes even the slightest mistake, he will suffer the same fate as his second brother.
Commander He was the Emperor's man. The Emperor ordered him to send his second brother to exile, but from the beginning, he never intended for his second brother to live.
Seeing that the Third Prince looked somewhat anxious, Duke Xiao put down his teacup and chuckled, "Your Highness has always been calm and composed, but now you finally seem to have some youthful spirit."
The Third Prince looked up helplessly: "Uncle!"
Duke Xiao laughed heartily: "Your Highness, I have told you long ago that you must remain calm in all things in order to become the final winner. No matter how suspicious your father is, think about how he seized the throne from Crown Prince Chongwen. You are still too young. Since the capital is a place of trouble, find an opportunity to leave the capital. Now, Your Highness only lacks an opportunity."
The Third Prince was silent for a moment. “If what my uncle said is true, it will solve my current predicament. Now that I think about it, I underestimated my elder brother. He married Princess Nalan and successfully left the capital under the pretext of seeking medical treatment. I’m afraid he had planned this all along.”
"For now, I just hope that things will go smoothly with the Yang family."
"Your Highness need not worry about the Yang family. There are ways to resolve their issues," Duke Xiao replied.
The Third Prince looked towards Duke Xiao.
Duke Xiao stroked his beard: "Back then, when the deposed crown prince reformed the salt-producing households and reorganized the salt mines, Yang Jingshan of the second branch of the Yang family died under suspicious circumstances. Do you think that was the reason? How did the Yang family end up in my hands? It was before that that the Yang family was already secretly selling smuggled salt, but they weren't so bold back then, daring to cover up everything. The deposed crown prince reformed the entire salt mines of Da Zhao, and didn't have time to investigate thoroughly, which allowed the Yang family to escape unscathed. The biggest leverage over the Yang family is in my hands. No matter what, they will never betray us. Given Jiang Jiange's personality, once this matter comes to light, he will definitely investigate thoroughly and relentlessly pursue the Yang family. If the Yang family wants to extricate themselves from this matter, it depends on whether they are willing to give up."
The Third Prince frowned.
Duke Xiao pointed upwards: "Whether this case stays in Jiangnan or returns to the capital depends on how the Yang family confesses and whose private treasury the money went into."
The Third Prince immediately understood what Duke Xiao meant.
The case involving the Ning County salt mines reached the ears of Jiang Jiang, the Governor-General of Jiangnan. The Jiang and Yang families were originally related by marriage, but the marriage had caused a major rift and created a personal feud. Secondly, Jiang Jiang was a man who was impervious to reason and never participated in factional struggles. Therefore, both publicly and privately, he would inevitably pursue this case extensively.
The Yang family is too deeply involved to escape punishment, and selling smuggled salt has always been a serious crime.
But those who sell smuggled salt have no shortage of money.
It's too late to bribe the higher-ups now, but if the Yang family can hand over all the silver to the Emperor's private treasury, it's not impossible for the Emperor to turn a blind eye and fix the case in Jiangnan. After all, Yang Jingshan, who was most deeply involved in the salt smuggling case, is dead and there's no way to verify the facts. As long as the Yang family severs ties with a collateral branch of the family in time, the Emperor will turn a blind eye.
It all depends on whether the Yang family wants money or to save the lives of their entire clan.
The Third Prince felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to his brow, and his whole body became ice-cold.
But that's reality. Only by fixing the case in Jiangnan can the Yang family protect themselves and the Fifth Prince. And only by not digging any deeper can they avoid implicating the Xiao family, and thus him.
The Third Prince gripped the armrests of his chair tightly with his fingers. It wasn't that he was unaware of these things, but he still had an innate reverence for his father, the Emperor, and didn't want to speculate about him in this way.
Seemingly sensing the Third Prince's thoughts, Duke Xiao chuckled, "Your Highness, money is a good thing. Do you know why you, who are no less capable than the deposed Crown Prince in every way, cannot achieve what he did? In your position, you not only need to be ruthless, but you also cannot be too idealistic. How was the deposed Crown Prince able to successfully implement reforms step by step without any obstacles all these years? It's because he understood your father better than you. The deposed Crown Prince multiplied the national treasury of the Great Zhao Dynasty several times over, which in turn multiplied His Majesty's private treasury several times over. The deposed Crown Prince was shrewd in every way, but he ultimately failed because he underestimated His Majesty's bottom line. You must not repeat his mistake!"
The Third Prince closed his eyes briefly and exhaled softly: "I understand."
Duke Xiao smiled with satisfaction and brought up a matter: "With the Yang family defeated, the Fifth Prince's side is no longer reliable. I mentioned to His Highness before about the marriage alliance with the Cheng family. The original plan was for the Fifth Prince to marry the second daughter of the Cheng family. The eldest daughter of the Cheng family is beautiful and has won His Highness's favor, so she could be a concubine for His Highness in the future. But now, the Fifth Prince has no use for her. The deposed Crown Prince has not been dead for long, and His Highness is not in the time to marry. The eldest daughter of the Cheng family cannot enter His Highness's residence."
The Third Prince's expression stiffened slightly.
Duke Xiao said, "Your eldest cousin has been widowed for a year now, so let him marry the eldest daughter of the Cheng family."