Chapter 647: Watching the Show

Chapter 647: Chapter 647: Watching the Show

The turmoil began with a strange and inexplicable fire, which then spread to the rather interesting Song Family.

What makes it interesting? The trouble the Song Family faces this time is mainly due to the newly issued policy of financial tightening, which specifically mentions "one grade higher" in sentencing. Ironically, this policy was spearheaded by their strongest backer right now, none other than Prince Ling.

Is this not hurting one’s own side?

Yang Shu likely never imagined that, no sooner had he announced the new policy, the very first person to get caught in the snare was one of his own most loyal supporters.

So, should it be handled or not?

For now, someone seems far more eager than Yang Shu to deal with the Song Family. The Local Government Office and the Ministry of Justice have jumped in directly and openly, wielding the new financial tightening edict as the grounds for prosecuting the Song Family. They are deliberately whipping up the incident, making a spectacle of it—all in order to corner Yang Shu.

Even that fire seemed especially suspicious. Such a sizable batch of General Spirit Stones was stashed so carelessly in a so-called secret chamber in a side estate—yet that secret chamber was nothing more than a deep pit dug in the ground, devoid of any array or proper concealment. Does that even count as a secret chamber? Who hides valuables in such a sloppy fashion?

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that someone is clearly framing the Song Family, and the real target is, of course, Yang Shu behind them.

"Heh. How amusing. The Ministry of Justice and the Local Government Office joined forces to thoroughly ensnare the Song Family; this time, the Song Family will be lucky to escape without losing a layer of skin. Perhaps they’ll even be killed as a warning to others."

Wu Village, the rear garden of Yang Yansi’s residence.

By that little vegetable patch, Yang Yansi—disguised as an old country farmer—sat by the edge, wiping away sweat as he listened to his Guard’s report. In a nearby pavilion sat a man whose entire presence was cold as ice, his eyes one black and one white—this was the visitor Yang Yansi had previously called "Prince."

Yang Yansi spoke as he rose, moving to the pavilion and sitting across from the "Prince." He snatched up the teapot from the table, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and drained it in one go.

"Your Highness, the stirrings outside have begun. The curtain rises, and the seven Princes are already showing off their strengths."

"All young pups—their hearts wild and their courage oversized. Years of being suppressed, and now, released from their cage, they’re like beasts focused only on demonstrating how they can tear their enemies apart. Heh, I was the same in my youth—always forgetting what truly matters."

"Oh? And what is it that truly matters?"

"What’s most important is not just the struggle and ruthlessness, but how one displays ability through the contest—and not just through bloodshed. Unfortunately, I realized this far too late, after wandering the City of Unjust Death for years. Had I awakened sooner, I wouldn’t have been narrowly beaten by that scoundrel Yang Jian."

Yang Yansi seized on a point and laughed: "Narrowly beaten? Didn’t you once say the Emperor relied on trickery? Have you admitted defeat now?"

"He did win by trickery, but victory is victory—why wouldn’t I admit it? I simply refuse to accept it. Were I in his position, I’d surely do better!

The late Emperor’s decision was a mistake. That’s why I must set it right."

This time, Yang Yansi fell silent.

After a long silence, Yang Yansi finally spoke, breaking the quiet: "You once told me that Moon Shadow Tower and Yang Shu are colluding. That truly shocked me—I never expected that Yang Shu, long viewed as the least likely contender, had hidden such a card up his sleeve. Who knows whether the others, too, are concealing such depths?"

"Hahaha, did it surprise you? Didn’t I once keep my own relationship with Master hidden as well? If not for that, how would I have escaped with my life? Outsiders treat the Royal Family’s Major Examination as entertainment, but for us, it’s literally about life and death. I’m certain Yang Jian’s seven sons each have a trump card tucked away.

Still, this Yang Shu you mentioned is quite interesting. The kid is no simpleton, and his relationship with Moon Shadow Tower is peculiar—it doesn’t seem to be just a matter of ’allies.’

In fact, many—including yourself—are blinded by old notions. What makes you all think Yang Shu is weak? He controls the tea business among the Five Great Imperial Merchants, with his trade network stretching throughout the Dynasty. Nearly half the major merchants deal with him, and thirty percent of the up-and-coming nobles are close to him. How much can be done openly and secretly? His resources are hardly inferior to those entrenched Upper-tier circles you all put so much stock in.

Now that Yang Jian has handed the authority over financial tightening to Yang Shu, it mends Yang Shu’s only weak point. So long as he’s not a fool, with that new power combined with everything else he holds... tsk tsk, I’d say he’s now the strongest of them all."

"No wonder you’ve planted people around Yang Shu. So you favor his chances?"

"A man born last, holding a hopeless hand, yet managing to gather strength bit by bit from places others overlooked. That’s called taking an unorthodox path. Now that fate turns in his favor, it’s only right for him to make his mark. It’s just a wager—if I back the right horse, I save myself a great deal of effort. If not, I can always choose another.

In any event, this ’Major Examination’ won’t have a quick outcome."

Yang Yansi nodded in agreement: "True enough. The Southern Border Army just won a battle, shifting the overall conflict to Zuo Yuliang’s advantage. The situation in the Imperial City is tightly linked to the fighting down South, and it won’t be decided any time soon.

I just don’t know where Zuo Yuliang gets his confidence to drag out the lines so long. If there’s even a slight glitch in his supply chain, his whole army could be cut in two—risky, far too risky!"

"No one knows military affairs better than you. Zuo Yuliang’s not even worthy to carry your boots. If something’s off, there must be something you’ve yet to uncover."

"Exactly. Zuo Yuliang likes to take risks, but he’d never stake his entire army on a single bet. He’s got some way of solving the supply problem." Yang Yansi fell into deep thought. Truth be told, when he heard Zuo Yuliang had moved the Central Army to Wu Lake, he’d been pondering it for some time, but still hadn’t reached a conclusion.

At least for now, Yang Yansi couldn’t guess that Zuo Yuliang dared march deep into Barbarian Territory precisely because he could establish supply depots much closer, cutting through Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea into the heart of the enemy. As for the route through the Bamboo Sea, Yang Yansi would never suspect it came from his former protege Xu Hong. Even if he did suspect, he couldn’t be certain, because Xu Hong’s knowledge of the Bamboo Sea’s byways was vague at best—hardly suitable for an army transit, was it?

This is the difference between information levels—not something that can be deduced by logic alone.

To the outside world, Xiaochuan’s passage through the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea seems unbelievable. But to those who experienced it firsthand, it was perilous in appearance, but safe in reality.

PS: Two updates today. I plan to rest for half a day. Many thanks!