“A leak from the Grand Secretariat?”
Ruan Chong had barely entered the palace when his subordinate informed him of the incident.
He froze. Upon learning that Song Liang had summoned every member of the Grand Secretariat to Zhaoyang Palace that morning to answer for the leak, his heart jolted.
“Any news from Zhaoyang Palace?”
“Nothing. The doors are shut. They’re apparently still in discussion.”
The subordinate was puzzled. He had assumed Ruan Chong would be more interested in His Majesty’s proposed reorganization of the Twelve Guards.
As for the leak, everyone knew the Grand Secretariat belonged to the Prince Regent, Chancellor Yin, and the Grand Empress Dowager.
How difficult could it be for the contents of the young emperor’s memorial to get out?
Especially when it concerned something as audacious as reorganizing the Twelve Guards. Naturally, it could not escape the three factions’ notice.
There was nothing remarkable about it.
“Does His Highness already know about the proposed reforms?” he asked, unable to think of another explanation.
“Yes.”
Ruan Chong was usually stationed in the palace, but he remained in regular contact with the prince’s residence.
He knew that Xie Yun had personally entered the palace a few days earlier to question the young emperor about this matter.
Although he did not know what they had discussed, their prince had reportedly taken no action after returning. Apparently, he had no objection to the reforms.
“That explains it.”
The subordinate smiled.
“It’s a good thing anyway. Reorganizing the Twelve Guards and abolishing their commander posts will make His Majesty enemies among the nobles while cutting off the Grand Empress Dowager’s influence over them. It’s excellent news for our prince.”
Ruan Chong looked at him, his brow deeply furrowed.
“There’s something wrong with this leak.”
The subordinate blinked.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“…”
Ruan Chong could not explain. After struggling for a while, he finally said, “His Majesty is wrong.”
He was no strategist, but he had escorted the young emperor all the way back to the palace.
He had seen everything the emperor had done since then, and the consequences of those actions.
Secretly entangling himself with their prince while apparently gaining Chancellor Yin’s support. Using the poisoning to win the sympathy and loyalty of old ministers such as Fan Yuan. Taking advantage of the situation to strike at the Grand Empress Dowager and reclaim the Twelve Guards.
Now he intended to establish a power base of his own and sever one of her arms.
Anyone with eyes could see that reorganizing the Twelve Guards was impossible.
Their prince’s inaction probably stemmed from his belief that the young emperor could never accomplish it.
Yet at this precise moment, confidential information had suddenly leaked from the Grand Secretariat.
And the emperor was making a great show of summoning every Grand Secretary to Zhaoyang Palace to demand an explanation.
Wrong. It was all wrong.
The young emperor was not someone who cared about saving face like this. Everything he did served a purpose—and a larger purpose beyond it.
Unease gnawed at Ruan Chong.
He did not know whether Xie Yun, who happened to be ill, had heard the news. After some thought, he summoned a trusted man and ordered him to take word of the leak and the emperor’s summons to the Prince Regent’s residence immediately.
Though somewhat bewildered, the man obeyed and headed out of the palace.
Ruan Chong watched him leave.
A moment later, his expression suddenly stilled, as though he had remembered something.
“What time is it?”
“A quarter past the beginning of the hour of Chen.”
“How long have we been here?”
“About… half a quarter?” His subordinate looked confused. “Why?”
“Every morning at the hour of Chen, within a quarter at most, the Jinwu Guard changing shifts at Xuanwu Gate passes through this entrance. Today I arrived half a quarter late and have remained here another half. Yet no relief unit has passed.”
“Perhaps we arrived too late today, and they passed earlier.”
“The Inner Guards’ discipline has been lax for years. The Jinwu Guard is especially lazy. They arrive late, never early.”
“Then perhaps they’re later than usual today?”
“…”
Ruan Chong said nothing.
He stared at the palace gate, the unease within him growing stronger.
His hand tightened around the saber at his waist.
“Let’s take a look at Xuanwu Gate.”
Meanwhile, Jiang Wei, hurrying into the palace toward Shoukang Palace, had barely passed through Xuanwu Gate when he was surrounded.
Every man encircling him wore light armor patterned with lions and carried a gold-adorned saber.
They were the Jinwu Forward Guard.
At their head stood none other than Liang Fei, its left commander.
Jiang Wei stared at him in shock.
“Liang Fei, have you lost your mind? This is the imperial palace! I command the Jinwu Rear Guard, and you dare lay hands on me? Are you plotting rebellion?!”
Liang Fei spoke evenly.
“By His Majesty’s command: the leak of confidential affairs from the Grand Secretariat involves the inner palace’s personal guards. All suspects are to be detained within the palace.”
“The Grand Secretariat… a leak?”
Jiang Wei found it absurd.
“What does a leak from the Grand Secretariat have to do with me? What right do you have to arrest me?”
“These are His Majesty’s orders.”
“His Majesty—”
Jiang Wei choked back the curse that rose to his lips.
Instead, he snapped, “I want to see the Grand Empress Dowager!”
Liang Fei gave him an indifferent glance.
“What are you waiting for? Arrest him!”
“Yes!”
“Don’t you dare!”
Jiang Wei’s expression changed sharply.
He stepped back and instinctively turned toward the guards on duty behind him.
“What are you standing there for? The commander of the Jinwu Forward Guard has fabricated an imperial order and is suspected of treason! Seize him!”
His words fell into silence.
Not one man answered.
Liang Fei gave a brief snort.
“Before issuing orders, Commander Jiang might care to look at who is standing behind him.”
Jiang Wei’s eyes widened.
He whipped around and saw only vaguely familiar faces.
Not a single man belonged to his Jinwu Rear Guard.
He stared in disbelief, shock turning to fury.
“Where is my Jinwu Rear Guard? Where is Yang Guangzhen? Where are my men? Where are the guards on duty?!”
However loudly he shouted, no one answered.
Suddenly realizing something, Jiang Wei felt a flicker of terror.
He turned back to Liang Fei.
“You dare… stage a coup?”
“By His Majesty’s command, arrest the suspect in the Grand Secretariat leak. Seize him!”
“Liang Fei! You’re mad! You’ve truly gone mad! This is rebellion! Do you want to die? Even if you don’t care about the Jinwu Guards under your command, what about the Earl of Wei’s household? Liang Fei—”
He never finished.
His hands and feet were bound, and his mouth was gagged.
Just then, Yang Guangzhen, right commander of the Jinwu Rear Guard, finally arrived with his men. A bout of drunkenness had delayed him from reporting for the shift change.
He was greeted by the sight of his superior being dragged away, tightly bound and gagged.
Startled, he was about to demand an explanation when Liang Fei’s gaze swept toward him.
“Arrest them!”
“What are you doing?”
Yang Guangzhen struggled desperately, shouting in panic.
“Liang Fei, have you lost your mind? This is the imperial palace! Are you rebelling?”
Liang Fei did not even look at him.
After having the men bound, he led the procession toward Zhaoyang Palace.
At Shoukang Palace, Lady Qin had been sleeping poorly of late, plagued by repeated nightmares.
That morning, she had barely jolted awake from another nightmare when she heard that the emperor intended to reorganize the Twelve Guards.
She was alarmed.
Though she thought it impossible, she nevertheless sent for Qin Huaiyuan to discuss the matter.
Before he arrived, however, she heard that the emperor had urgently summoned every Grand Secretary to Zhaoyang Palace over a leak of confidential information.
Her heart immediately began pounding. An inexplicable sense of dread rose within her.
The emperor had not yet assumed personal rule. The Grand Secretariat was effectively controlled by herself, Chancellor Yin, and Xie Yun.
She was not at all surprised that the young emperor’s reform proposal had been withheld.
What was strange was his making such a commotion over the leak—and specifically summoning every Grand Secretary to Zhaoyang Palace!
What could he possibly uncover by questioning them?
Or was questioning the secretariat never his true purpose?
Qin Huaiyuan shared her suspicions.
Yet the spies Shoukang Palace sent to Zhaoyang Palace reported nothing unusual. The young emperor genuinely seemed determined to pursue the leak merely to restore his dignity.
While aunt and nephew anxiously speculated about his intentions, news reached them that the Jinwu Guard’s commanders had been arrested and taken to Zhaoyang Palace.
Lady Qin’s vision went black. She nearly fainted.
Fortunately, Qin Huaiyuan caught her and ordered rare medicinal remedies, including ginseng slices and snow lotus, to be brought for her to hold in her mouth.
Only then did she regain a little strength.
Qin Huaiyuan immediately questioned the messenger.
“Jiang Wei is a nobleman and left commander of the Jinwu Rear Guard. What crime has he committed for His Majesty to send men to arrest him?”
“They say the Grand Secretariat leak involves the personal guards. Anyone under suspicion must be detained and questioned!”
Qin Huaiyuan’s expression changed.
As expected. The leak from the Grand Secretariat!
Lady Qin looked equally grim. Her slender fingers gripped the edge of the couch.
“I knew it. I knew it! Why else would that little beast suddenly make an issue of a leak from the Grand Secretariat?”
“So this was his scheme!”
“The secretariat has been gathered at Zhaoyang Palace to act against me, not to answer questions.”
She ground her teeth in hatred.
“That old scoundrel Yin Chui is joining forces with the emperor against me!”
Inside Zhaoyang Palace, Yin Chui sat upright in a broad chair, his eyes closed and his brow tightly furrowed.
Anxious voices clamored around him.
Even his student Cheng Qu was being kept in the seat beside him. Each time Cheng Qu tried to rise, the eunuchs pressed him back down.
“Your Majesty.”
At last, Yin Chui could endure no more.
He opened his eyes and looked toward the handsome youth reclining in the elevated seat above them.
His voice was hoarse.
“How long do you intend to keep us confined before allowing us to leave?”
“There’s no hurry.”
Resting his chin on his hand, Song Liang regarded them with a faint smile.
“Once you tell me who leaked the information, I’ll let you out.”
“An emperor keeps his word.”
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