Chapter 640: Countermove

Chapter 640: Chapter 640: Countermove

Although Yang Shu always appeared careless and nonchalant, inwardly he was clear-minded and well-informed about the various grandees of the Temple Hall. Take, for example, the Minister of Revenue Bai Changqing—Yang Shu had never heard anyone accuse him of "failing his duties through lust."

Would someone who could rise to be Minister of Revenue and remain unscathed after so many years in the treacherous waters of officialdom truly be a man who let lust cloud his judgment? Yang Shu didn’t believe it for a moment.

But at the same time, Yang Shu was keenly aware that his Guest Elder would only say such things if he had solid evidence; at the very least, Bai Changqing had indeed used his newlywed twin concubines as an excuse to deflect and tactfully reject Ye Lansheng’s private invitation.

"Bai Changqing couldn’t have offended Ye Lansheng just for two women; is there another reason? Did you uncover anything else?" Yang Shu felt this was the only explanation that could account for Bai Changqing’s uncharacteristic behavior.

As expected, the Guest Elder bowed and replied, "Your Highness is correct. We think the same. Bai Changqing has always been a cautious and smooth operator and, by most accounts, is a man of principle. He has no blemishes regarding women. By every measure, there is no reason he should repeatedly embarrass Ye Lansheng."

"Therefore, we asked people from Moon Shadow Tower to look into the recent whereabouts and private dealings of both Bai Changqing and Ye Lansheng. It turns out that since Bai Changqing left as a Lower Emissary, he genuinely just returned home, putting on the airs of a dutiful family man—nothing else suspicious at all. But Ye Lansheng is another story."

"According to messages from Moon Shadow Tower, Ye Lansheng has recently been meeting with various Ministers frequently, each time privately and one-on-one. Aside from one time at a teahouse, all the others were secret discussions in his own residence, with outsiders having no idea what was said. But according to Moon Shadow Tower’s analysis, it likely concerns the recent austerity policies regarding money and provisions."

"How so?"

"The people from Moon Shadow Tower believe that Ye Lansheng is trying to rally the backbone of the Civil Servants in the Temple Hall to jointly submit a memorial to Your Majesty, opposing the transfer of real power over austerity from the Ministry of Revenue."

Yang Shu’s brow furrowed slightly. "So you’re saying Ye Lansheng wants to cut off the benefits my Royal Father was preparing to give me?"

"Yes, Your Highness. And after getting the intelligence from Moon Shadow Tower, we have analyzed it repeatedly and, combined with Ye Lansheng’s recent conduct at the Temple Hall, we think it’s highly likely he’s actually planning a major move, targeting precisely the austerity of money and grain. However, we think all of this is just a fa?ade."

"A fa?ade?"

"Yes, a fa?ade! Your Highness, if Ye Lansheng were only trying to change Your Majesty’s mind on the austerity strategy, then as Minister of Revenue, even if Bai Changqing didn’t want to be the one in the spotlight, he would never preemptively distance himself from Ye Lansheng. So, Ye Lansheng definitely has other reasons for not wanting Your Majesty to shift control over austerity away from the Ministry of Revenue."

"We, your subordinates, believe that Ye Lansheng’s intentions likely lie not in the present, but in the South."

Yang Shu was silent for a long time before something seemed to occur to him. His eyes widened as he stared at the Guest Elder before him and asked, "You’re not implying that Ye Lansheng is planning to seize the authority over austerity, and then secretly rig things to hinder the war effort in the South, are you?"

"Your Highness has sharp insight. That’s exactly the conclusion your subordinates have come to after discussion. The war in the South affects the balance of power and authority distribution in the Temple Hall. With the Military rising, the Civil Servants’ voice is being continuously diminished—this has become blatantly obvious in recent months. If the Civil Servants led by Ye Lansheng still wish to fight back, their only option is to block the southern campaign, pushing instead for the ’peace talks’ they’ve always advocated. Only then can they seize back their former authority and power."

"And to turn the Southern situation from ’war’ to ’peace’ in the present circumstance is hardly possible—especially with a major victory at Jianchuan so recently won. The only possible way is..."

"To suffer a crushing defeat. Best if it can completely shatter the current long-term campaign in the South, force Zuo Yuliang to pull back to Zhuo Huo Pass, and cause huge casualties. That way, the court will have reason to propose a strategic overhaul of the Southern campaign, opening the door for the Civil Servants to regain influence, isn’t it?" Such words were ill fit for the Guest Elder to utter, but Yang Shu voiced them without a hint of reservation.

"Your Highness is spot on. This is precisely the conclusion we drew after analyzing the intelligence from Moon Shadow Tower. Bai Changqing must’ve received some such hint from Ye Lansheng and got scared, so he took pains to distance himself, fearing he’d get caught up if things went sour."

"Ye Lansheng... That cur really treats the powers entrusted to him by the Dynasty as if they were his own. Daring to make a move to seize them?"

If it’s granted to you, you may use it; if it’s not, you may not steal it. As a member of the Royal Family, Yang Shu guarded this rule jealously, and Ye Lansheng’s calculated schemes only deepened his loathing.

As for verifying whether all this was indeed as the Guest Elder surmised, that was simple enough—just wait and see whether Ye Lansheng and his people tried to forcefully resist the transfer of power over austerity. Then focus pressure on a few key figures, and the facts would come out easily enough. Not at all difficult.

"If our judgment is correct, Your Highness, taking the initiative to approach Bai Changqing presents an excellent opportunity to bring him over. Since Bai Changqing is currently distancing himself from Ye Lansheng, if Ye Lansheng does memorialize Your Majesty and seeks to reverse the delegation of power on austerity, Bai Changqing will immediately have to pick sides; if not, he becomes Ye Lansheng’s enemy. So, if you step in then, you can pull Bai Changqing out of his predicament—he’ll have no reason to refuse your side."

After this long-winded analysis, even Yang Shu found it hard to sit still. He stood and paced up and down the room.

Indeed, if the Guest Elders’ analysis based on Moon Shadow Tower’s intelligence was right, then Bai Changqing really was like a pitiful soul teetering at the very edge of a fire pit—either follow along and leap in, or desperately hope for someone to throw him a lifeline and save him from disaster.

Should he become the "rope" to rescue Bai Changqing from his predicament? Yang Shu had to ponder carefully, for it would disrupt his previous plans and drag him prematurely into the highest echelons of the bureaucratic power struggle, which would likely intensify combined attacks from his elder brothers.

The advantages, though, were self-evident. The Ministry of Revenue had always been the crucial hub of the Dynasty, controlling money, grain, and goods—virtually every facet of the Dynasty, high and low, was entangled with it. If Yang Shu could seize the Ministry, it would be like trading a thatched hut for a tile-roofed house—a world of difference.

He didn’t deliberate long before nodding and telling the Guest Elder, "Very well. Set up a suitable time or create an appropriate opportunity, and I will meet with Bai Changqing face to face."

No matter how perfect a plan seems, it’s only a plan; whether it works depends on real action. Yang Shu had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away. He wanted to probe Bai Changqing’s bottom line first, and if he truly could bring him over, it would be a huge gain.

"By the way, is Moon Shadow Tower still behaving themselves recently?"

"All normal, except due to the current circumstances, their asking prices are considerably higher."

"Money? Is that supposed to be a problem for me? Enough. Don’t keep fussing over money. And arrange another meeting with Binding Princess for me. I’m very satisfied with the person she found for me this time. I want to thank her in person."