The room was pitch black, and thunder rumbled intermittently.

Chu Jiubian’s heart pounded, heavy and rapid.

The dams had been breached! The dams in Hexi Prefecture had been breached!

Was the flood in the original story truly inevitable?

He quickly shook away his jumbled thoughts and asked: “How bad is the flooding?”

In the darkness, Qin Xiao’s eyes were like bottomless, icy pools, and his voice carried a chilling undertone.

“Two counties and tens of thousands of acres of fertile land are under water.”

Hexi Prefecture was a prosperous area with thirteen counties under its jurisdiction. Five of these counties were adjacent to the Ning River, and were also the areas most affected by flooding in previous years.

And among these counties bordering the river, even the smallest were home to at least twenty thousand residents.

Two counties – that was almost fifty thousand people!

“Was this news sent to anyone else?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Qin Xiao: “Officials of the second rank and above have been summoned to the palace for a meeting.”

“About Jiannan-wang…..”

“Qin Lie went in person to keep an eye on him.”

Qin Chaoyang had just returned in the rain this morning. Chu Jiubian had planned to deal with the Guizhou and Guangxi magistrates tomorrow, but never expected that something like this would happen today.

The construction of the dams in Hexi Prefecture had been overseen entirely by Jiannan-wang. He had previously boasted of his achievements and won the hearts of the common people, boosting his name for a while.

Now that this had happened, they would have to see how he reacted.

“Let’s go to Yangxin Hall.” Chu Jiubian made as if to walk out.

Qin Xiao grabbed him: “Put some clothes on.”

Chu Jiubian then realized that he was only in his undergarments, and hadn’t even put on his shoes. He rushed back to the inner room and quickly dressed.

Xiao Xiangzi and the others had also been alerted. They had already run to wait in the outer hall with a raincoat and handwarmer.

An umbrella would be useless in such strong wind and rain.

Chu Jiubian put on the raincoat and took the handwarmer, then left the courtyard with Qin Xiao to hasten toward Yangxin Hall.

They had walked this road many times, but never before had it felt so grave.

Chu Jiubian followed closely behind Qin Xiao, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

Qin Xiao had been keeping a close eye on the dam repairs since the very start. Because of the subtle implications from Deputy Minister of Works Xiao Wendao, those below dared not be careless in their work. Thus, all of the materials were of the best quality, and the artisans ate well and worked well.

After the completion of the dams, Qin Xiao had them inspected inch by inch to ensure that every possible breach had been repaired properly.

Jiannan-wang had handled his task very beautifully.

But now, the dams had still burst. Chu Jiubian didn’t believe that dams built with such high quality materials couldn’t withstand just a few days of heavy rain.

So it wasn’t a natural disaster, but a man-made one!

Furthermore, the wide circulation of Jiannan-wang’s achievements was likely orchestrated not only by the Xiao family, but also by those with ulterior motives, with the aim of elevating Bai Lihai to the absolute peak and then pulling him down hard.

And he was falling from a very great height.

Who was plotting against Jiannan-wang?

Or rather, who in the capital was the first to grow restless and target the Xiao family?

The two counties, tens of thousands of common people, and thousands of acres of fertile land – the people behind this were truly cruel.

Chu Jiubian felt as if there was something stuck in his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Suddenly, he stumbled and splashed up a wave of mud.

Qin Xiao immediately supported him. Chu Jiubian steadied himself and walked firmly onward, but Qin Xiao didn’t let go of his arm.

Meanwhile, lights were lit in the grand manors and courtyards throughout the capital.

Imperial Guards went door to door to announce that all officials second-rank and above were being summoned to the palace for a meeting.

These ministers and deputy ministers had already donned their official robes and raincoats, waiting only for the summons before they headed out to board their carriages. Xiao Huaiguan and Xiao Wendao were already waiting in their carriage.

Upon receiving the summons, everyone immediately proceeded to the palace.

The Xiao family’s main courtyard.

The maids carefully helped Xiao Yao put on his undergarments, and servants carried away the used bathwater for disposal.

The lights inside flickered, casting a bright glow across Xiao Yao’s pale, sickly face.

His once beautiful face had become sunken in just a few days, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes.

He had lost a substantial amount of weight, and everything about him screamed ‘unwell.’

The physician standing nearby stowed away his silver needles and said respectfully: “My Lord, the poison of the mandala cannot be eliminated in a short amount of time, but you are not as dependent on it as you were in the beginning. I believe that if you can get through two more cravings, you will be able to quit completely.”

There was no true antidote for mandala addiction, but the palace physician had experimented on the three surviving dancers from before and discovered that as long as they could endure the agonizing pain of withdrawal, they would be able to gradually stop relying on it.

However, it was uncertain whether the toxin could be completely eliminated from the body.

Even if one gradually broke free from dependence, the toxin in the mandala was so potent that there was a high chance of relapse.

Xiao Yao gave an indifferent hum. After the physician and maids left, a dark figure landed in the room and knelt deferentially.

“Has Jiannan-wang been notified?” he asked.

The secret guard replied: “He has been notified, and will enter the palace immediately.”

Although Jiannan-wang remained in the capital, he didn’t live in the palace, but in the manor bestowed upon him by the late emperor.

Aside from Jiannan-wang’s manor, there were twenty to thirty other manors in the area. Seven of them belonged to the seven vassal kings who were currently in their fiefdoms, while the rest were rented out by court officials, including the Minister of Dali Temple.

Jiannan-wang’s manor was brightly lit, with many people scurrying around inside. They had clearly received the news of the dam breach.

Qin Chaoyang and another guard crouched in the darkness, keeping an eye on the courtyard where Bai Lihai resided.

The main courtyard’s sleeping quarters were brightly lit.

Maids and servants hastened back and forth.

Fifteen minutes later, the door of the sleeping quarters finally opened.

Rather than Bai Lihai, two servants and a pretty young eunuch came out first. 

The young eunuch coldly directed the servants, ordering them to leave through the side gate at the back. One of them was carrying something wrapped in a straw mat over his shoulder.

It was a person!

Qin Chaoyang’s expression shifted, and he said to his subordinate: “Follow them. I’ll come find you later.”

The secret guard agreed and vanished into the night in an instant, following behind the two servants.

Qin Chaoyang continued to wait for another quarter of an hour before he saw Bai Lihai emerge.

He was wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, and his pale, gloomy profile flashed by as he boarded the carriage.

Qin Chaoyang lightly touched his feet to the ground and followed him toward the Imperial Palace.

Inside Yangxin Hall.

The young emperor had been woken up by Eunuch Hong Fu and made to sit in the main seat in the council hall. He was still half asleep.

Hong Fu stood beside him, facing Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian in their seats on either side.

The six ministers and deputy ministers stood facing them, forming two rows inside the hall.

“Your Majesty,” said Minister of Rites Wang Zhiyuan, the first to step forward. “The task of repairing the dams in Hexi Prefecture was entrusted solely to Jiannan-wang and the Ministry of Works. Now that such a major blunder has occurred, I believe that both parties should bear full responsibility.”

“Minister Wang speaks so nimbly,” retorted Deputy Minister of Works Xiao Wendao. “Jiannan-wang worked diligently and tirelessly to repair the dams, and the materials used were even better and more expensive than those specified by the Imperial Court. Furthermore, acceptance documents and records were kept for every batch of bricks and stones, with absolutely no mistakes. There is something fishy about this dam breach.”

“Fishy?” Minister of Revenue Su Sheng scoffed. “Is Deputy Minister Xiao implying that Jiannan-wang and the Ministry of Works did not embezzle funds, and that the flooding in Hexi Prefecture can only be attributed to a natural disaster?”

“The breach of the dams is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one.”

Xiao Wendao frowned as he made this resounding statement. “Your Majesty, My Lord, this subject believes that the dam breach was created through deliberate sabotage in order to frame Jiannan-wang.”

“What evidence do you have?” Su Sheng regarded him with cold eyes. “The Imperial Court allocates money every year for dam repairs, yet Hexi Prefecture still suffers from flooding every year. This is due to the Ministry of Works’ insatiable greed and embezzlement, which has led to constant delays in repair work, and now the dams have burst completely! That is the truth, and everyone is clear on this.”

“What is clear is that our department has been diligent and conscientious. For over half a month, none of us have slept a wink due to the dam repair work.” Xiao Wendao sent Su Sheng a cold look. “As for the Ministry of Revenue, they have continuously delayed payments for dam repairs. If Jiannan-wang hadn’t personally filled the gaps in funding, the dams may not have been able to be restored to their original condition.”

Su Sheng neither denied nor admitted that he had deliberately made things difficult, and only said: “It couldn’t even stop two days of heavy rain. The Ministry of Works and Jiannan-wang didn’t necessarily spend more money – it would already be good if they didn’t embezzle funds or use inferior materials.”

“Those determined to find fault will always come up with a pretext. Is Minister Su so determined to have the Ministry of Works convicted of embezzlement?”

“If that isn’t the case, then why were the dams so shoddily built?”

Xiao Wendao bowed deeply toward the head of the table and said in a deep voice: “Your Majesty, the breach of the dams is shrouded in mystery. There must be foul play involved. Seeing as Minister Su is so eager to punish the Ministry of Works, is he perhaps afraid that someone will uncover the inside story?”

This was an attempt to lead the officials toward suspecting Su Sheng.

“Everyone knows the inside story perfectly well,” Su Sheng said calmly. “Jiannan-wang coveted both fame and practical benefits, and treated the dam construction as a joke. It was inevitable that things would turn out this way.”

This was a case of proving one’s innocence by slinging mud at someone else.

Chu Jiubian watched them clash with cold eyes, his heart calm and unmoved. He found it all laughable.

Two counties in Hexi Prefecture had flooded, and tens of thousands of common people were displaced. But at present, these influential people were using the opportunity to attack their political enemies and find ways to gain more benefits.

He swept his gaze over them all, trying to gain insight into their hearts.

Who was the mastermind behind the destruction of the dams?

A young eunuch came from outside, bringing another update.

Qin Xiao took the letter and saw only a few lines of text on the page, detailing the number of people affected by the flooding and the areas that were impacted.

The numbers were alarming.

He passed the letter around to everyone, and it eventually ended up in Chu Jiubian’s hands.

Chu Jiubian looked closely, his eyebrows furrowing.

Behind each one of these cold, hard numbers lay a vibrant life.

At this moment, the young eunuch returned. Hong Fu went out and spoke a few words with him, then returned to Yangxin Hall.

“Your Majesty, My Lord,” he said, eyes lowered. “His Highness Jiannan-wang is waiting outside Yangxin Hall. He states that although the dam breach is unrelated to him, he wishes to personally travel to Hexi Prefecture in order to oversee disaster relief efforts.”

No matter how the dam breach came into being, this major incident was inextricably linked to Jiannan-wang.

The common people were ignorant of the intrigue and backstabbing in officialdom. They only knew that these dams which couldn’t even withstand a heavy rainfall were built by Jiannan-wang.

The same praise the common people had given him for his achievements would now come back to haunt him.

Therefore, Bai Lihai must take a proactive stance and assume some responsibility, “making amends for past mistakes.”

When Hong Fu finished reporting and everyone in the hall had a grasp on the situation, their scrutinizing gazes fell on Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian also glanced over.

There was indifference in the man’s eyes, and his deep features appeared even sharper under the flickering lamplight. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Xiao Wendao spoke again: “Your Majesty, although Jiannan-wang had nothing to do with the dam breach, he is still willing to take responsibility. It would be wise to send him to Hexi Prefecture to provide disaster relief.”

“Having benefitted from the dam repairs, is Jiannan-wang now eyeing the disaster relief funds?” Deputy Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi said softly.

“You’re making baseless accusations!” Xiao Wendao retorted angrily. “His Highness is clearly attempting to make amends for past transgressions!”

The moment he finished speaking, he realized he had said the wrong thing in his haste, and couldn’t help but look toward Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan.

Wang Pengyi seized the opportunity and immediately countered with a question: “Is Minister Xiao implying that Jiannan-wang has indeed committed a transgression?”

“Deputy Minister Wang, there is no need to fixate on that one word.” Xiao Huaiguan covered his mouth and coughed before continuing, “Since Jiannan-wang is so inclined, we might as well give him a chance.”

He raised his eyes slightly and fixed his gaze on Bai Lihong in the main seat, asking: “What does Your Majesty think?”

After listening all night, Bai Lihong had a grasp on what was happening.

His little face scrunched up, and when his uncle and Xiansheng remained silent, he said: “You’ve all said so much, but why hasn’t anyone suggested how the disaster relief should be provided?”

Shouldn’t the most urgent task right now be discussing how to help the common people?

There was pure confusion in the child’s innocent tone, leaving everyone present speechless.

Suddenly, there was a soft chuckle.

Everyone turned to look at Qin Xiao, Chu Jiubian included.

Qin Xiao lifted a hand to place his teacup on the table.

With a crisp sound, the porcelain cracked, but didn’t shatter completely.

However, beneath the teacup, cracks spidered across the mahogany table. It seemed that even a light touch would cause the entire table to crumble.

“Did you hear that?” Qin Xiao raised his eyes. There was a faint smile playing on his lips, but it only sent chills down one’s spine.

Everyone but Chu Jiubian kept their heads down and didn’t speak.

Only now did they finally realize that they should be thinking about a solution, not about how to crush the Xiao family or help Jiannan-wang redeem himself.

Qin Xiao hadn’t counted on them bringing it up.

He stood up, sweeping his gaze over everyone present: “Tens of thousands of common people in two counties have been displaced. His Majesty needs a solution, and what do you do?”

“You shirk responsibility, attack one another, and argue about who is right or wrong, guilty or innocent.” Qin Xiao’s tone was calm, yet chilling.

He said, emphasizing nearly every word: “Does this Imperial Court belong to your four great families?”

These words caused the expressions of everyone present to shift.

Qin Xiao was implying that those who controlled the court only cared about their own interests and had no regard for the common people.

If this remark were to get out, all of their reputations would be in ruins.

Wang Pengyi started to say something, but Qin Xiao continued: “The Ministry of Revenue will immediately allocate 400,000 taels of silver for disaster relief, and the Ministry of Works will send people to build a temporary levee to hold back the floodwaters.”

“My Lord, the Ministry of Revenue cannot produce so much…..” 

Su Sheng had barely begun speaking when Qin Xiao cut him off: “Aren’t there still hundreds of thousands of taels owed to you under the fine salt agreement? Go find whoever owes you that money.”

The fine salt agreements with the four great families all stipulated that initial payments would be made, with profits to be distributed later.

However, after the agreements were signed, the great families dragged their feet when it came to paying, and the money was never fully collected.

Su Sheng lowered his eyes and acquiesced.

Xiao Wendao wanted to bring up the matter of Jiannan-wang going to Hexi Prefecture again, but the normally inconspicuous Minister of Works Jian Hongzhuo actually stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty, My Lord, this subject is willing to go and personally supervise the construction of the temporary levee.”

A hush fell over the hall.

He seemed oblivious to all of the gazes focused on him.

Qin Xiao looked at him, and said after a few breaths: “Granted.”

Xiao Wendao looked up at Jian Hongzhuo’s back with deep, thoughtful eyes.

He sent Xiao Huaiguan a glance, and when the old man did nothing, he bowed deeply and said: “My Lord, this flooding has far-reaching implications and has caused great harm. It seems that a high-ranking official is needed to oversee this.”

The Minister of Works knew how well the dams were built, and would definitely be able to clear Jiannan-wang of the suspicion of embezzlement.

However, they should also secure disaster relief funds for Jiannan-wang. If he handled this task well, it would be another merit on his record.

“This lord will personally keep an eye on things.” Qin Xiao’s words caused everyone’s expressions to shift.

If Qin Xiao didn’t go, they could have easily found ways to eliminate anything detrimental to them, and then the damage to the dams could only be attributed to a natural disaster.

And even if it was a man-made disaster, it would be enough to kill a group of craftsmen or local officials to settle the matter.

If Qin Xiao went, it would be very difficult for them to accomplish anything of the sort.

But they also knew that if he had made up his mind, Qin Xiao would definitely go.

It seemed that this matter would ultimately not end well.

Chu Jiubian swept his gaze over everyone’s faces one by one, and keenly noticed the resolute determination and murderous intent flashing through their eyes.

Sacrifice a pawn to save the king. It seemed that quite a few scapegoats would have to step forward.

“We will set off first thing tomorrow morning.” Qin Xiao laid out the arrangements. “The Ministry of Revenue will deliver the silver to this lord before dawn. Officials from the Ministry of Works should also be waiting outside the capital before dawn, and as for the Ministry of Personnel…..”

He looked at Chu Jiubian and said: “They will also send someone to lead the effort to dispatch officials from nearby counties for disaster relief assistance.”

From the very beginning, aside from Bai Lihong, only Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian had seats at the table.

Even after the others arrived, Chu Jiubian had not gotten up.

As the Grand Tutor, a first-rank official of the current dynasty, he was qualified to sit here.

But now, Chu Jiubian stood up and accepted the task in his capacity as Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

He would go to Hexi Prefecture with Qin Xiao to provide disaster relief.

Not only because he was the Deputy Minister of Personnel, but also because he had grain in his hands.

Four hundred thousand taels of silver sounded like a lot, but the reality was a different story. There were expenses everywhere, and the most urgent task was to build a temporary levee to prevent more towns from being inundated by floodwater.

This would be a considerable expense, and afterwards, shelters would have to be built to house the refugees. With compensation for the families of those who drowned, daily porridge distribution, and medicine for disease prevention, the money would likely run out very soon.

They shouldn’t be gone for more than a few days, and with An Wuji and Hong Fu – who had already taken power – there was no need to worry about Bai Lihong.

Rain was pouring down outside. Having received their orders, the officials hurriedly left Yangxin Hall to make the necessary preparations.

Time was tight and the task was heavy. Everyone needed to get moving.

At the foot of the steps outside the main courtyard of Yangxin Hall, Jiannan-wang Bai Lihai stood in the rain without an umbrella or raincoat. His frail figure swayed precariously as he convincingly put on an act of pitiful self-recrimination.

When he saw everyone come out, Bai Lihai seemed to lose the strength to stand, and staggered to his knees.

Xiao Wendao rushed forward to help him up, and the others offered a few perfunctory words of concern before urging him to leave.

“So many people in Hexi Prefecture are suffering because of me. I really……” Bai Lihai’s voice was choked with emotion.

Wang Pengyi, watching from the back of the crowd, almost disregarded all decorum and rolled his eyes.

Xiao Huaiguan said with an aching heart: “Your Highness, how can you take the blame for this? You are just too kind-hearted.”

As they were speaking, a palanquin carried by eight men appeared at the end of the palace road. Sitting upon it was the dignified Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan, whose expression conveyed anxiety and concern.

The officials bowed, then left without lingering, leaving only the grandfather and grandson behind. Bai Lihai wept uncontrollably until he fainted, at which point Xiao Ruohan took him to Cining Palace to be seen by an imperial physician.

Inside the hall, Qin Chaoyang appeared out of nowhere, covered in mud.

Hong Fu had already taken Bai Lihong back to his bedchamber, but the child was no longer sleepy, and was pestering Hong Fu to explain to him everything he had heard that night.

Hong Fu explained everything in detail.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian sat across from each other in the eastern courtyard’s council hall, accompanied by the recently-returned Qin Chaoyang.

Qin Chaoyang set down the straw mat he was carrying over his shoulder, and opened it to reveal a corpse.

Chu Jiubian frowned.

“Who is this child?” he asked.

Wrapped in this straw mat was a boy of about ten years of age, completely bare but for the mat.

Because of this, the shocking wounds on the child’s body were fully exposed.

Wearing a dire expression, Qin Chaoyang said: “This child was carried out of Jiannan-wang’s bedchambers.”

With just one sentence, Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao instantly understood everything.

“I had someone investigate. The child’s name is Sun Xiaotian. He was the son of a farmer.” Qin Chaoyang looked at the two of them and said, “His mother was selling silk flowers on Convenience Street.”

Silk flowers?

Chu Jiubian recalled that on the day he returned from building the dams, Bai Lihai had purchased a silk flower on Convenience Street for an exorbitant sum, and was thus praised for his benevolence and compassion for the common people.

What benevolence and compassion!

Qin Xiao lowered his dark gaze toward the child’s head.

The child’s hair had been deliberately cut short, so short that it almost looked like……

“Take him away and bury him properly,” he said.

Qin Chaoyang agreed, and wrapped the child back up before taking him away.

Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian were the only ones left in the room.

Silence fell as the storm raged outside.

“That child looked like me,” Chu Jiubian said abruptly.

Almost simultaneously, the cracked table next to Qin Xiao collapsed with a crash, and the teacup fell to the floor with a crisp sound.

Chu Jiubian glanced at Qin Xiao’s gloomy expression and blinked slowly.

“Go pack your things. We leave at maoshi.” Qin Xiao stood up and strode out the door.

Chu Jiubian looked at the two raincoats placed side by side against the wall. After a moment, he got up and put one of them on, then returned to Yaotai Residence.

Before dawn, the disaster relief team headed by Qin Xiao set off for Hexi Prefecture in the heavy rain.

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Chapter 41 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 43