Chapter 566 - 463: The Emperor Wants to Protect King Qi (Part 3)

"Mr. Dong, I don’t think Mr. Su is necessarily the Crown Prince’s man."

"Why?"

"If Mr. Su had pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince when Lien retired, it would be very unwise. When a person leaves, his influence fades; it’s unlikely Mr. Su would act so impulsively. Moreover, Mr. Su is a leading figure in the faction Lien left behind. If he did that, this group would likely fall apart instantly. Mr. Su enjoys a good reputation in the court and is known for his calm demeanor. Why would he urgently make such a choice now? I think the Crown Prince, when recommending someone to investigate, wouldn’t choose his own man, nor someone related to King Qi. The choice would definitely be someone unrelated to both, yet whom the emperor can trust," analyzed Zhuo Qingfeng. "Having been in the court for years, the Crown Prince wouldn’t want to give the emperor a reason to doubt him."

Pei Jian’s eyes lit up. As expected of his advisor of many years, this hint suddenly made everything clear to him.

The case was exposed by him, being from the Crown Prince’s faction. If the Crown Prince’s member were to preside over the investigation again,

it would be hard to avoid suspicion that the Crown Prince wants to use this opportunity to completely suppress King Qi.

The more the Crown Prince recommends his own people, the more it would plant seeds of doubt in the emperor’s mind. This would be most unwise. Although the Crown Prince may lack great wisdom and decisiveness, he has basic political acumen.

Therefore, if the emperor asks him to recommend someone, he can’t refuse, but to avoid suspicion, he can’t use his people or give King Qi a complete exoneration. The Crown Prince isn’t that foolish. He can only choose an official unrelated to him, yet known for being just and impartial.

Su Mobai is just the right choice, and moreover, he is a leading figure in the court faction left by Lien.

Appointing him as Imperial Envoy would satisfy the emperor and leave other officials with nothing to say. As for his connection with Lien, who has already retired, only they themselves know.

This is a hot potato, but if handled well, it’s also an opportunity.

"Tomorrow, I have to meet the Imperial Envoy and report the case in person. Originally, I didn’t know how to measure my approach, but now I understand," Pei Jian chuckled.

"Mr. Dong, be wary of Cui Xiang; he was raised by someone in the palace and will surely trouble you."

"Naturally. Although I have no interactions with Cui Xiang, his reputation as a ’cruel official’ is well-known, I won’t let him exploit any loopholes," Pei Jian replied confidently. Cui Xiang had only risen from being a low-ranking official; how could he compare to someone like him, who came from a scholarly background?

...

Shanglin Temple.

"Master, the hot water is ready, just the right temperature. Please come and soak your feet." The old servant brought in the hot water to the zen room and personally tested the temperature.

When Su Mobai was young, his family was poor, living in a dark and damp place, especially cold in winter, where he would sit for hours reading.

He didn’t feel it when he was young, but as he aged, it became problematic. His legs fared well in summer, but in the cold, they started acting up.

His chronic leg condition was shown to many famous doctors; although there was some improvement with medication, complete recovery was elusive. He could only soak his legs in hot water daily to alleviate discomfort.

Shanglin Temple had a hot spring, reputed to be effective for chronic leg conditions, but requesting that on the first day of stay felt inappropriate.

Su Mobai understood social niceties and had to substitute with hot water for now. After all, he would be staying for a while and would have the chance.

"Comfortable." As his legs entered the water, Su Mobai couldn’t help closing his eyes, revealing an expression of enjoyment. The journey involved a rush without proper rest, and his old legs couldn’t take it.

Having just arrived today with a welcoming reception, the matter of the case was naturally postponed, but by tomorrow, detailed questioning was sure to follow.

"Sir, someone outside the temple claims to have the surname He, asking to see you."

"Not seeing any outsiders during an investigation except the officials and suspects involved!" Su Mobai snapped.

"Understood," responded someone outside the door, then left.

"Master, could this Mr. He be related to the wife of Marquis Lingyang, who also has the surname He?" the old servant whispered.

"Go and bring Mr. Qi over; I have matters to discuss with him," Su Mobai instructed after a moment’s thought.

"Yes, Master."