Chapter 126 The Emperor’s Mental Technique
The windows of the western warm room of the Hall of Mental Cultivation were all open, and the wind blew through the open windows opposite, blowing up the clothes of Emperor Yongchang who was standing in front of the window.

Emperor Yongchang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

Dai Quan stood behind him, staring at Emperor Yongchang’s slightly raised head without blinking.

Emperor Yongchang did not move. He seemed to be talking to Dai Quan or to himself, saying: “Time flies so fast. It’s August 15th again in a blink of an eye.”

Dai Quan thought back to that bloody and fiery night, and guessed Qin’s fate.

Sure enough, Emperor Yongchang began to chant softly again, “The grass on the plain withers and grows green every year. Wildfires cannot burn it all, but it will grow again with the spring breeze.”

Dai Quan: “Yes. I will mobilize the people from the Imperial Household Department and the Northern Pacification Department to surround Ningguo Mansion!”

Emperor Yongchang: “What? Who told you to surround Ningguo Mansion?”

Dai Quan was stunned for a moment: “Your Majesty just said that wildfires cannot be extinguished, and spring breezes will bring new life.”

Emperor Yongchang rolled his eyes at him unhappily and paced back and forth in the warm room with his hands behind his back.

Dai Quan was also confused and fell silent for a while.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Yongchang spoke up: “Forget it, she is just a powerless woman who does not hold any power. She will not pose any threat to the court.”

Dai Quan was surprised, but didn’t dare to interrupt.

Emperor Yongchang stopped and said, “This child is a shame for the emperor, but it will help me establish an image of a benevolent and magnanimous ruler in front of the world. In addition, I charged Yi Zhong with treason. This child is evidence of Yi Zhong’s debauchery in the palace, and it also reflects Yi Zhong’s morality. Lust is the root of all evil. So the matter of that year has been settled.”

After a pause, he said, “I can even show mercy to Yi Zhong’s daughter, so those who once assisted Yi Zhong can rest assured.”

Dai Quan swallowed his saliva. The grass on the deposed prince’s grave had grown for several times, but the emperor was still alive! If this were to get out, the emperor, who was already a joke, would become a complete joke.

At this moment, the voice of the eunuch on duty came from outside the door: “Your Majesty, this is General Li Hu’s memorial.”

Emperor Yongchang: “Oh?” Then he turned his gaze to Dai Quan.

Dai Quan understood, walked quickly to the door, gently pushed it open, took the memorial, turned back to Emperor Yongchang, and presented it with both hands.

Emperor Yongchang tore open the cowhide envelope, took out the memorial, and several silver bills fell on the floor tiles.

Emperor Yongchang was slightly stunned. This kid wants to bribe me?
Dai Quan picked up the banknotes and counted them. There were seven in total.
Two pieces are five thousand taels, three pieces are two thousand taels, and two pieces are one thousand taels!
Emperor Yongchang was so angry that he said, “Li Hu treats me like a beggar! Not counting the cattle and sheep, he has embezzled 30,000 or 40,000 yuan in spoils of war alone!”

With a “humph”, Emperor Yongchang unfolded the chapter.

As he watched, Emperor Yongchang was stunned. He then walked back to the dragon throne and sat down. He placed Li Hu’s memorial next to a case record. When Emperor Yongchang looked at it, a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Dai Quan was startled and stared at Emperor Yongchang with his eyes open.

“Shui Rong!”

These two words jumped out from Emperor Yongchang’s clenched teeth, “The one who quarreled with Jia Zhen and threatened Jia Zhen was someone from Prince Beijing’s Mansion.”

Dai Quan’s face was solemn. Shui Rong knew Qin’s identity but did not report it to him. Instead, he used it to threaten Jia Zhen. It was obvious that he wanted to force the Jia family to form a party with him. Perhaps this was just the tip of the iceberg. He used the same method on other forces, or even worse.

Shui Rong is now in charge of the Ministry of Justice as well. I don’t know whether it is a blessing or a curse!
Emperor Yongchang read the memorial again and snorted, “You don’t want to learn the good things, but learn Wang Ziteng’s crooked ways!”

Dai Quan was shocked when he heard this, and he held his breath and looked at him silently.

Emperor Yongchang: “This kid confessed the affairs of Jia Jing, Jia Zhen and Qin Shi, and sent the banknotes given by Jia Zhen, but he did not plead for the Ningguo Mansion.”

Dai Quan was silent for a moment, then said, “It seems that Li Hu has also matured.”

“Shit!”

Emperor Yongchang glanced at him and said, “If he had grown up, he wouldn’t have gotten angry with me over the matter of the second son. I think someone was giving him advice.”

Dai Quan was stunned when he heard what he said, then shook his head. Li Hu had daily and monthly reports, and after leaving the palace, he had been spending time with the daughter of the Lin family. It was impossible for anyone to give him advice.

Emperor Yongchang pondered for a moment: “This is an opportunity! Doesn’t Shui Rong value reputation management and vow to win the favor of scholars all over the world? I want to let him know what “too clever is stupid” and what “people’s hearts are like water” mean! Without the “reputation” he has worked so hard to build, I wonder how long he can pretend!” Dai Quan was shocked, and then his eyes flickered again, and then he asked tentatively: “Let the matter of Shui Rong forcing Jia Zhen be released.”

Emperor Yongchang smiled and said, “It was Shui Rong who reported the secret to the Imperial Household Department.”

Dai Quan was stunned, then subconsciously glanced at the trial record. Zhou Rui was still detained in the duty room of the Northern Pacification Office.

Emperor Yongchang: “No matter how useless Jia Zhen is, he can still cause some trouble for Shui Rong. Doesn’t he often gather a group of noble sons who like to eat, drink and have fun, set up a casino at home, and eat, drink and gamble? These dandy sons can’t do anything else, but they can still spread rumors.”

Dai Quan smiled.

Emperor Yongchang leaned back in his chair and said, “Draft two edicts: The first is a secret edict to Li Hu, telling him that I will not punish Ningguo Mansion this time out of respect for him. Also, have him tell Jia Zhen that it was Shui Rong who reported the secret to the Imperial Household Department.”

Dai Quan replied: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang: “Second, confer the title of Princess of Rong’an on Qin, and then make this known to all provinces.”

After a pause, he said, “Tell Jia Zhen that I allow Jia Rong to take a concubine.”

“Yes.”

Dai Quan understood that this meant that Qin was not allowed to give birth to children.

Dai Quan suddenly thought: “What should we do with Zhou Rui?”

Emperor Yongchang: “Is Zhou Rui’s daughter-in-law Wang’s confidant?”

Dai Quan replied: “Yes.”

Emperor Yongchang thought for a moment and said: “Let him be the spy of the Imperial Household Department and keep an eye on Wang Shi.”

Dai Quan nodded. Wang was linked to the three families of Jia, Wang, and Xue. If he kept an eye on her, he would be able to know most of the things.

Emperor Yongchang: “Tell him to tell Wang that when the storm has passed, I will promote Depin to Defei.”

Dai Quan was startled: “De Fei?”

Emperor Yongchang: “Yes! It’s Concubine De! Now the first branch of Rongguo Mansion has suppressed the second branch and has regrouped some forces. This is not a good thing. Since this Wang family is calculating, I will help her and give her some confidence. In addition, Wang Ziteng still has to give a sweet date.”

Dai Quan: “Yes. I will go and pass on your order now.”

“I’ll go again in the morning.”

Emperor Yongchang slowly stood up and said coldly: “Although the death penalty can be pardoned, the living crime cannot be forgiven!”

Dai Quan was a little surprised. Waiting is the most exhausting thing, especially the uncertainty of the unknown. It will make people make all kinds of guesses and torture themselves over and over again. It is more torturous than the torture of the Northern Pacification Office.

Thinking of this, Dai Quan’s eyes flashed. Can Jia Zhen, the drunkard and womanizer, survive this night? It doesn’t matter whether he dies or not. If Qin dies, it will ruin the emperor’s plan.

Dai Quan secretly glanced at Emperor Yongchang, observing his reaction, then sighed in his heart: Forget it, I’d better write a letter to Li Hu.

It was already dark.

With a click, the light in the study came on.

Li Hu sat down at the desk, took out a letter from his sleeve, opened the seal and read it. As he read, he frowned.

Qin Keqing doesn’t have to die, and she was even conferred the title of county lord. What the hell?

Li Hu read the letter carefully again, and then cursed Dai Quan in his heart. This old man concealed the most crucial information and had no professional ethics at all.

It’s almost the end of the year, so his news is discounted and his New Year gifts are also discounted.

Li Hu folded the letter. Dai Quan was right. If Qin Keqing died, everyone’s plan would be in vain. I don’t know what kind of reward Ningguo Mansion can give me?
Thinking about this, Li Hu stood up and walked out.

(End of this chapter)