Chapter 472 - 250: What an Unreasonable Brute

Chapter 472: Chapter 250: What an Unreasonable Brute

"I greet Song Zhaoyi."

"Please, rise, Princess Consort. Let’s speak sitting down."

Song Yunzhao said with a smile, gesturing to the seat opposite her.

How could the Princess Zhenbei dare to sit as an equal with Song Zhaoyi? She took a seat one position lower before smiling and saying, "I apologize for this presumptuous visit, Zhaoyi. Please forgive my intrusion."

"You’re being too polite, Princess Consort. On whose behalf have you come today?" Song Yunzhao decided against beating around the bush and asked directly.

Hearing Song Yunzhao’s directness, the Princess Zhenbei smiled. "Since you are so straightforward, Zhaoyi, I will be as well. I’ve come at the request of the Marchioness Yongjia. She wishes to request an audience with you but feared it would be impolite to send a formal visiting card without notice. Therefore, she asked me to speak for her."

Song Yunzhao feigned surprise, then broke into a ready smile. "The Marchioness Yongjia is here about Linlang’s affair, isn’t she?"

Yun Zhao didn’t mention He Lan Yun. After all, with He Lan Yun’s mother present, it wasn’t her place to act as her backer.

"Precisely." The Princess Zhenbei was taken aback by Song Zhaoyi’s forthrightness, but then she recalled her daughter often describing Song Zhaoyi, and it suddenly seemed to make sense.

With that in mind, the Princess Zhenbei also dropped all pretense. "The incident with Sixth Miss Huang’s spooked horse has thoroughly enraged the Marchioness Yongjia. The Marchioness vows to uncover the truth. However, even if Sixth Miss Huang did not cause this intentionally, her mistake did lead to Miss Xie’s injury. Sixth Miss Huang also broke her arm and is currently recuperating, so she cannot leave her home. That is why the Marchioness wishes to apologize to you on her daughter’s behalf, Zhaoyi."

’If Chu Yuying knew her mother-in-law was humbling herself before me,’ Song Yunzhao thought, ’she would be furious.’

Fortunately, Chu Yuying had already been sent back to the Capital City. Even if she were angry, she could only stew in her own resentment.

She had a good impression of the Marchioness Yongjia, mostly because the woman was rather unlucky to be saddled with such a daughter.

"It’s not as if Sixth Miss Huang wanted Linlang to get hurt," Song Yunzhao said gently. "I’ll have to trouble you, Princess Consort, to relay a message to the Marchioness. All that matters is that the truth is uncovered. The Marchioness has to look after her daughter and investigate this matter. She is already working so hard; there is no need for her to make this trip."

The Princess Zhenbei found Song Zhaoyi’s words quite intriguing. By saying that Xie Linlang’s injury was not what Huang Mingxiu wanted, Song Zhaoyi was implying she believed Huang Mingxiu was an innocent party in a larger scheme. And by telling the Marchioness Yongjia to uncover the truth, she was signaling that the matter would not be dropped—but that the real culprit would be held accountable.

Understanding the situation, the Princess Zhenbei said to Song Zhaoyi, "You are most magnanimous, Zhaoyi. The Marchioness will surely be grateful. She will certainly get to the bottom of this. After all, Sixth Miss Huang cannot be allowed to carry such a malicious reputation."

Song Yunzhao smiled and nodded. ’Of course. When you raise a troublesome daughter, all a mother can do is follow behind and clean up the messes.’

Huang Mingxiu had a good mother.

The next day, Song Yunzhao received some big news.

Marquis Yongjia and Vice Minister Wang had gotten into an argument over border defense military expenses. According to Zhang Maoquan, they had nearly rolled up their sleeves and come to blows right then and there.

"My lady, you should have seen it. Marquis Yongjia looked like he was ready to eat someone alive! If the others hadn’t pulled him back so quickly, his fist would have landed right on Lord Wang’s face."

Song Yunzhao was speechless.

’I only sent the message yesterday, and today Marquis Yongjia is already making his move. That was fast.’

’Wang Yunhua would certainly be too careful to leave any loose ends. But An Wenying was different. As a concubine’s daughter wanting to secure a good marriage, she would inevitably need to form alliances.’

’An Wenying’s legitimate older sister was An Fangyi. In the book, An Fangyi and Qin Xiyue had an unusually close relationship. Although this connection was subtle, An Fangyi played a key role later in the story when Qin Xiyue brought down Consort Shu.’

’Viewed this way, since the Duke Dingguo Mansion was at odds with the Right Minister’s faction, they must have been close to the Left Minister’s faction. The Wang Family was seeking a marriage alliance with the Ji Family, so it was no surprise that An Wenying would do a favor for Wang Yunhua.’

’Marquis Yongjia would be at a disadvantage against Duke Dingguo, but a military general against a civil servant? They were always at loggerheads. It was perfectly logical for him to use a political disagreement as a pretext for a brawl.’

’The Marquis and Marchioness Yongjia were so clever. How did they end up with a daughter who was such a liability? Was this a case of two positives making a negative?’

"How did the Emperor handle it?" Song Yunzhao asked.

"The Emperor placated both sides," Zhang Maoquan said.

Song Yunzhao laughed when she heard that. ’The Emperor is a true master of keeping the scales balanced. The more he placates both sides, the fiercer the conflict below will become.’

The fight between Marquis Yongjia and Vice Minister Wang in the imperial court was only the beginning. The issue escalated from border defense military expenses to the Ministry of Revenue and the National Treasury, and then from the National Treasury to the various regional government treasuries. The Marquis’s move was a vicious one, blowing the lid off the massive debts owed by prefectural and county treasuries.

The National Treasury was already stretched thin for Prince Zhenbei’s expedition; Feng Yi had even used silver from his private coffers to supplement the funds. With the National Treasury nearly empty, he naturally had to demand a clear accounting. But the Ministry of Revenue had been evasive. Feng Yi had been patiently biding his time with them, never expecting the Marquis Yongjia to suddenly blow the whole affair wide open.

The National Treasury was empty because the regional government treasuries were in arrears on their tax payments. If that treasury silver never made it to the National Treasury, where was the money supposed to come from?

Were the various prefectures and counties truly too poor to pay their taxes?

Some regions genuinely were, but others were not.

Many followers had gathered under the banners of the Left and Right Ministers. Not all of them were honest and incorruptible; most were simply clinging to these two great trees to pursue their own private interests.

Did the Left and Right Ministers not understand this?

Of course they did. They knew not all their subordinates were clean, but some matters were beyond what they could have imagined. Some local officials weren’t just black-hearted—they were rotten to the core.

This move by Marquis Yongjia left even Song Yunzhao stunned.

’In the book, this plotline was supposed to be Ji Yunting’s moment to shine. It was the very event that would make his name in the court, the cornerstone of his political career.’

’But now, the Marquis Yongjia had stolen it.’

’The more she thought about it, the more Song Yunzhao felt that Ji Yunting was the unluckiest man alive. Good fortune seemed to run from him, while bad luck clung to him like a shadow.’

’Tsk, life really wasn’t easy for the ’white moonlight’ supporting male lead.’

Aside from a brief sigh, Song Yunzhao was, of course, perfectly content to continue watching the drama unfold.

’Marquis Yongjia had done well. His move had accelerated the Emperor’s plans to rein in the Left and Right Ministers and divide their power. How could the Emperor possibly be in the mood for a summer retreat now? He even summoned the officials left on duty in the Capital City to an overnight audience.’

A major case like this had to be investigated, and investigated thoroughly.

The Left and Right Ministers had to recuse themselves to avoid suspicion and were forbidden from interfering in the case. After all, the two "parasites" Marquis Yongjia had called out were their own capable protégés.

Song Yunzhao was finally living the good life, just watching the drama unfold. Seeing Feng Yi cross swords with the Left and Right Ministers, she felt that life was truly wonderful.

But as she grew happier, Consort Shu grew more miserable, spending her days in terror. ’My father isn’t going to be toppled just like that, is he?’

’Consort Shu truly hadn’t expected her father to be so unlucky this time. That brute, Marquis Yongjia! It was clearly the Left Minister’s men who provoked him, so why should her father get dragged down into this mess?’

’What an unreasonable brute!’

And so, Consort Shu’s thoughts turned to Song Yunzhao.