Cheng Simian gently leaned on the Crown Prince's shoulder.
A storm was brewing, and danger lurked everywhere. She might sleep soundly tonight, but tomorrow could be a life - or - death struggle.
Lu Sihong's shoulder gave her a sense of security.
The man's heartbeat was clear and strong.
There were many things he was unsure of.
But he was certain that Simian would always stand by his side through thick and thin.
He had nothing to fear.
"Have you decided which path to take?" Cheng Simian asked softly.
"It's extremely difficult to deal with the Gao family. The Noble Consort Lan begged the emperor for an imperial edict to betroth Lu Siming and Gao Feifei. She wants to tie her son and her natal family tightly together. If we try to take away the Gao family's military power now, they will surely defend it to the death. By then, the conflict will intensify, and the turmoil may come earlier."
The first path was a dead end.
The Gao family and Lu Siming were completely tied together, and there was no possibility of them defecting.
So there was only the second path left.
"General Shi will surely respond to you. But his army is far in the northern border. If we mobilize his troops now, it will surely arouse suspicion in the court. The Gao family may also stage a coup d'état while General Shi is on the way. It will still be disadvantageous to us."
Cheng Simian analyzed the possibility of the second path. "Unless the old duke is willing to support you."
The two exchanged a knowing look.
The Duke's Mansion had 200,000 troops, far more powerful than the Gao family.
The Prince Rui took over the military power only to command and train the troops, but he didn't have the power to mobilize them.
The tiger tally was still in the hands of the old duke.
However, since its establishment, the Jinning Duke's Mansion had made an oath to remain neutral forever.
This tradition had been passed down for four generations.
The Duke's Mansion was only loyal to the emperor.
Having military power was the foundation for the Duke's Mansion to stay out of the power struggle and maintain a neutral position.
Once this balance was broken, it would violate the ancestral precepts.
Holding 200,000 troops, if the Duke's Mansion sided with any party in the struggle for the throne, it would cause great turmoil.
No matter who successfully seized power with the help of these 200,000 troops, the relationship between the emperor and the Duke's Mansion would become extremely delicate in the future.
With great merit and heavy military power, after the power - struggle was over, the conflict between the monarch and his subject would intensify, becoming a great concern for the emperor.
The old duke was extremely hard to persuade.
He had never been wooed by any faction.
If the Prince Rui was allowed to lead the troops without permission to suppress the possible rebellion of the Gao family, it would have a negative impact on the Prince Rui's personal reputation.
Even if the Prince Rui was willing to take risks for the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince didn't want to sacrifice the lifelong reputation of his third uncle.
His selflessness was his greatest virtue that distinguished him from the insidious villains.
But the struggle for power had always been accompanied by bloody killings.
Someone had to be sacrificed.
The howling of the north wind outside the window grew louder and louder, like a plaintive cry.
The Crown Prince's head felt so heavy that it was about to explode.
"Lu Sihong, do you still remember that you once said you wanted to break up the power of the aristocratic families, decentralize their power, and open up the imperial examinations widely so that more scholars from poor families could enter the court and serve the country?"
A glimmer of light gradually lit up in the Crown Prince's eyes. He looked at Cheng Simian as if she were a goddess he worshipped.
Simian's idea was bolder and more reasonable than his!
If the power in the hands of the civil officials could be decentralized, the military power in the hands of the aristocratic families could be decentralized too!
"But every time there is a change in military power, it will cause a bloodbath. The military power of the Duke's Mansion is the foundation for its standing. How could the old duke easily hand it over?" Cheng Simian's eyes were deep.
"I'm close to Wan Chu. I've heard some news about the Duke's Mansion from her. The old duke's health has improved recently. He gets up early every day to practice swordsmanship and practices with a spear in the afternoon. Although the hero is old, his strength is still formidable."
This was indeed very new news to the Crown Prince.
Logically, he should have known this news earlier than Simian in the inner courtyard.
But Liang Yuzhou would never mention the old duke voluntarily.
The Crown Prince also knew about the father - son feud between Liang Yuzhou and the old duke, so he didn't want to bring it up.
So Wan Chu became the messenger.
"The old duke's health has improved. Why has he always claimed to be ill and not gone to court, nor asked the emperor to restore his command of the troops?"
Cheng Simian pursed her lips and smiled. "Yes, this is really thought - provoking."
A court official who craved power would hold on to his power tightly even if he was seriously ill.
But the old duke still stayed in the mansion as a carefree person even after his recovery.
"Unless..." the Crown Prince murmured to himself. "He has long been reluctant to shoulder the heavy responsibility."
"What if we let the old duke know that you intend to break up and decentralize the military power in the hands of the aristocratic families?"
"Then even if he sends troops to help me pacify the rebellion, in the future, when the military power is decentralized, there will be no conflict between the monarch and his subject."
So now there was only one problem left.
Who should convey his intention to the old duke?
...
The next evening, the Crown Prince and Cheng Simian took a carriage and left the Eastern Palace through a side gate, heading for Yunshen Alley.
Days were short in winter. It was just getting dark when they set off, but by the time they arrived at Yunshen Alley, it was pitch - black.
Song Wanchu had received the news early. Hearing the sound of horses' hooves outside, she asked Nanzhi to open the main gate.
On normal days, when there were matters to discuss, it was always the Crown Prince or Simian who invited her and Liang Yuzhou to the Eastern Palace.
Only when the Crown Prince needed something would he come in person to show his sincerity.
The Crown Prince had always been a very humble person.
He and Liang Yuzhou were never just monarch and subject.
They were more like kindred spirits, friends and brothers.
Dinner had been set in the main hall. The hot mutton hot - pot was bubbling.
The enticing aroma filled the yard.
Seeing the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess visiting, Liuyan was very happy. She quickly took out the embroidered purses she had made.
"I can't repay the great kindness of the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. Qiluo said that the Crown Princess likes red plum blossoms, so I embroidered them on the purse. I hope Your Highness and the Crown Princess won't mind my rough embroidery."
Cheng Simian took the purse and gently stroked the red plum blossoms on it.
"Now I finally know why Qiluo is so good at embroidery."
Liuyan smiled shyly.
"Sister Liuyan also embroidered a pair of purses for me and Liang Yuzhou." Song Wanchu pointed to the purse on her belt.
It was embroidered with peonies, passionate and brilliant.
Cheng Simian also tied the plum - blossom purse to her belt.
She lowered her head to hide her guilt.
Liuyan didn't know that her daughter was in a den of wolves, performing the most dangerous task for the Eastern Palace.
The four of them sat around the table and ate from the hot - pot.
Liang Yuzhou was unusually silent. With his cold eyebrows and eyes, he really had the air of a hermit.
The Crown Prince slowly said, "I have something to ask of you."
"I'm not the right person."
Liang Yuzhou had already guessed what the Crown Prince wanted.
The Crown Prince was in the whirlpool of the power struggle, while he stood outside.
But he thought more about many things than the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince was rejected, but it was within his expectation. He wasn't angry and still had a sincere attitude.
"Only you can persuade the old duke."
Liang Yuzhou's lips tightened into a line, and his eyes were cold.
"The feud between the old duke and me is over. If we meet again, it will only add emotional burden to each other."
That day, he and Wanchu had walked to the old duke's door, but the old duke had said he was unwell and refused to see anyone.
He wanted to confess to his son, but his pride didn't allow him to do so.
Liang Yuzhou already knew his intention, and it was useless to force it.
He had already reconciled with the young man in his heart who resented his father's partiality. Without that apology, he had also let go of his resentment.
Meeting again would make their relationship awkward once more.
Cheng Simian glanced at Song Wanchu.
Song Wanchu gently shook her head.
She couldn't persuade him on this matter either.
For a moment, the room fell into a delicate silence.
Liang Yuzhou picked up a piece of lamb chop from the boiling hot - pot and put it on Song Wanchu's plate.
"Someone is more suitable than me."