Novel Full Chapter 932 - 52: Manipulated in the Palm of His Hand (Part 2)
Chapter 932: Chapter 52: Manipulated in the Palm of His Hand (Part 2)
"Then you’ve got it all wrong." The emperor wore a smile of amusement, "Marquis Wuping and his lot are panicking right now."
"Marquis Wuping and his lot don’t have time to be happy, why would they be panicking?"
The emperor shifted his posture, propping his chin with his right hand, and cast a scrutinizing gaze over Sun Kui.
"Have you forgotten your master’s temperament? Do you think Marquis Wuping and his lot have the guts to spread these rumors? Do they dare stir up trouble in the dark?"
Prompted by the emperor’s question, Sun Kui finally caught on.
"Marquis Wuping and his lot wouldn’t dare." They know well the emperor’s difficult temperament. If they were truly behind spreading the rumors, trapping the emperor in a disadvantageous position, the emperor surely wouldn’t let them off easily. Besides, fundamentally, it’s their fault in the first place.
The emperor grinned mischievously, "Now this is interesting."
Sun Kui had been enraged by Marquis Wuping’s alleged actions of spreading rumors to frame the emperor, but upon learning the truth, he now felt some sympathy for them.
Marquis Wuping and his lot were indeed being toyed with by the emperor.
The emperor had predicted it accurately; ever since they heard those rumors, Marquis Wuping and his lot were not at all pleased but rather quite anxious.
If the emperor heard these rumors, he would surely suspect them of spreading it, believing they threatened him, which would be very unfavorable to them. Just thinking about the emperor’s temperament made Marquis Wuping and his lot shiver with fear.
This matter wasn’t rightfully theirs to begin with, and now such things have come up, the emperor surely would not let them off easily.
Normally, the emperor would fear the threats from these aristocrats and nobles and might take a step back to compromise, but not their emperor. If not for the fact that they were still somewhat useful, the emperor would have eradicated them long ago.
All these years, the emperor hadn’t directly confronted them mostly because they hadn’t outrightly crossed his bottom line. Their opposition to the emperor’s implementation of the three new policies, including the land tax reform, had already angered him. If the emperor suspected them of spreading rumors and threatening him, he would be extremely furious, possibly using this matter to deal with them.
Recalling the emperor’s prior methods of dealing with those aristocrats, Marquis Wuping and his lot became even more uneasy with fear.
Not all the nobles supporting Prince Dai were brainless military men; upon hearing the rumors, they hurried to discuss it with him.
"Are you sure it wasn’t your people spreading it?" Upon hearing the rumors, Prince Dai’s initial thought was that it was the aristocrats and nobles deliberately spreading them to force and threaten the emperor into compromise.
"Your Highness, it truly wasn’t us." General Pinnan replied with a pained expression, "Even if you gave us ten times the courage, we wouldn’t dare do such a thing."
Prince Dai asked suspiciously, "Why wouldn’t you dare?"
"If we truly did something like that, the emperor would certainly not let us off." General Pinnan frowned and said, "Your Highness, have you forgotten those people in Yangzhou who threatened the emperor, only to be executed by him? The emperor doesn’t appreciate being threatened, where would we get the courage to spread rumors to threaten him?" They opposed the implementation of the three new policies, including the land tax reform, but it didn’t mean they were longing for death.
"I thought it was your doing and wondered where you got such courage."
"Your Highness, the emperor has probably already suspected us upon hearing these rumors, please, you must help us."
"Even if I were to tell Father it wasn’t you who spread these rumors, do you think he would believe it?" Prince Dai continued, "Others probably wouldn’t believe it either."
General Pinnan appeared frantic, "Then... what should we do?"
Prince Dai asked, "If it wasn’t you spreading it, then who was it?"
General Pinnan, filled with resentment, gritted his teeth and said, "It must be Duke Anyang. He wants to ruin us."
"Duke Anyang?" Prince Dai mused for a moment, "It’s quite possible it was him. But, do you have any evidence?"
"We don’t."
Marquis Xuanping suggested from the side, "You should hurry and clarify the rumors, prevent the capital’s populace from believing the emperor has wronged you."
"Yes, yes, yes, the marquis is right, we’ll go clarify immediately."
"As for Father, I will speak well on your behalf, but whether or not he believes me, I cannot guarantee."
General Pinnan worriedly said, "Then... what are we to do?"
Marquis Xuanping pondered for a moment and said, "Actually, there’s a best solution."
General Pinnan eagerly looked towards Marquis Xuanping, urgently asking, "Marquis, what’s the solution?"
Marquis Xuanping said, "Don’t oppose anymore; obediently compromise with the emperor."
"But... if we do so, won’t all our previous opposition be in vain?" General Pinnan said, somewhat unwillingly, "Wouldn’t that make us like Duke Anyang?"
Marquis Xuanping cast a sidelong glance at General Pinnan, "Do you truly believe your resistance is effective? Do you really think the emperor will heed you?"
General Pinnan was rendered speechless by Marquis Xuanping’s question.
Prince Dai said nothing.
Marquis Xuanping continued, "Duke Anyang is pushing you to a dead end. If you don’t compromise, you know what awaits you."
Thinking of how Duke Anyang not only betrayed them but also schemed to trap them, General Pinnan was seething: "Duke Anyang, that despicable XXXXXXX..."
Hearing General Pinnan curse Duke Anyang, Prince Dai and Marquis Xuanping remained silent.
"Is this the only way?"
Marquis Xuanping retorted, "Do you have any other plans?"
Prince Dai looked at General Pinnan, advising gently, "Your opposition is futile; it’s better to comply with Father. Seeing your sensibility, he might just overlook it this time."
Marquis Xuanping echoed, "The prince is right."
General Pinnan sighed softly, "It seems there’s no other choice."
Prince Dai curiously asked General Pinnan, "Had there not been these rumors, how long were you planning to protest?"
"We wouldn’t dare pretend to be ill any longer; we were planning to return to court in a couple of days." They wouldn’t dare feign illness and skip court for extended periods. The emperor wouldn’t tolerate it. If they truly missed court for several days, the emperor would take it as an excuse to replace them.
"You’re wise, if you continue skipping court, Father truly wouldn’t spare you."
"We understand." General Pinnan stood and bowed to Prince Dai, "Your Highness, we plead with you to speak favorably on our behalf."
"I’ll enter the palace shortly; you should hurry to dispel the rumors."
"I’ll go right away."
Meanwhile, in Prince Chu Mansion, Yang Ling was also inquiring about the rumors with Prince Chu.
"Your Highness, who do you think spread these rumors, Marquis Wuping and his lot?"
Prince Chu asserted, "It wasn’t them, they lack the courage."
"Then who do you suspect?"
Prince Chu speculated, "It’s quite possible it was Duke Anyang."
Yang Ling smiled subtly, with meaningful undertones, "I don’t think it’s Duke Anyang."
Prince Chu, hearing this, raised his eyebrows slightly: "If not Duke Anyang, then who?"
Yang Ling didn’t respond, merely smiling enigmatically.
Prince Chu immediately grasped Yang Ling’s implication, looking astonished: "Father?"
Yang Ling nodded slightly, "Exactly, it’s the emperor."
"Why would Father do such a thing?"
Yang Ling replied with deep intrigue, "It kills two birds with one stone."
Prince Chu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly understood the emperor’s intent.
"Remarkable, Father indeed."
"The emperor’s move is truly brilliant." Yang Ling laughed, "Marquis Wuping and his lot must be very uneasy now, while also suspecting Duke Anyang. To avoid angering the emperor, they have no choice but to drop their opposition and obediently comply."
"Wise insight, sir." Prince Chu hadn’t considered this angle.
"Tomorrow, Marquis Wuping and his lot will obediently return to court." Yang Ling lamented, "Marquis Wuping and his lot are being toyed by the emperor, without even realizing it."