Agente secreto Wind Boy

Capítulo 12

Cai You had chosen this "special" palace maid beforehand, intending to frame Cai Xiao, but instead, he ended up harming himself. He never figured out who had framed him or how, and was taken away by the Dali Temple officials, utterly helpless and desperate!

Meanwhile, in another palace, Zhao Gou repeatedly asked Qin Zhen, "Is my Crown Prince really alright?"

"I've said it several times already!" Qin Zhen nodded vigorously and said, "I'll give him the antidote in a few days once things have settled down, and I guarantee there won't be any problems!"

After receiving reassurance again, he nodded and sighed, "Two lives lost."

"You regret it now, but I didn't see you objecting when the plan was being made."

Zhao Gou said with a compassionate expression, "Getting rid of that eunuch was to take the opportunity to eliminate the spy, but it's a bit of a pity that the palace maid died. It would have been enough to see through her methods and prevent Cai Xiao from falling into her trap. I didn't expect you to kill her as well."

Qin Zhen pouted unhappily and said, "I came up with the plan, and you sent the people to carry it out. Now it's all my fault! If she doesn't die, who will replace the expert who took Xiao Quanzi away? If she doesn't die, how can Cai Xiao leave the palace to capture the criminal?"

Zhao Gou was speechless. This matter... indeed required a ruthless approach.

Qin Zhen glared at Zhao Gou and thought, "Keep pretending, keep pretending, let's see when your evil nature is exposed!"

——

The Court of Judicial Review was in a difficult position when investigating the case of the Crown Prince's poisoning. Although the whole matter was very clear, and the evidence and the culprit were all there, the case could not be closed. What would be the motive of a lowly eunuch to murder the Crown Prince? Was someone behind it?

All these questions pointed to Cai You, and his special relationship with the young eunuch was later discovered. However, without substantial evidence, a verdict could not be reached. Besides, why would Cai You harm the crown prince? Surely he didn't want to become crown prince himself? The only reasonable explanation was... the Prince of Yun!

Good heavens, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review must be having a headache. How can this matter be investigated any further? The Prince of Yun is His Majesty's most beloved prince, but the Crown Prince is the heir apparent. His Majesty must be having a headache right now!

Furthermore, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review was originally a member of Cai Jing's faction. Although it was common knowledge that the Cai family father and son were at odds, plotting to harm the crown prince was a serious crime that would lead to the confiscation of property. No matter how bad things got, they were still family. How could he dare to confiscate property from the Cai family?

Thus the case dragged on endlessly until the Crown Prince was rescued and woke up. Only then did the Dali Temple breathe a sigh of relief. With the Crown Prince safe, there was room for the matter to be resolved.

Perhaps Emperor Huizong thought that the matter might involve Prince Yun, Zhao Kai, so he tacitly agreed to downplay the incident. In the end, Cai You was safely released from prison with the protection of many connections, but he was dismissed from his post and left to live in seclusion at home. He did not get any favors from Zhao Kai either, since he had caused Zhao Kai to suffer in silence!

Zhao Gou watched Qin Zhen playing shuttlecock in the sun in his study. He thought to himself, "She really shouldn't be underestimated. Not only did she use the enemy's pawns to turn the tables on them, but she also gained immense benefits for her own side. Thankfully, she's one of us..."

Thinking of this, Zhao Gou couldn't help but recall how he met and got together with the Qin family father and daughter. From the initial arguments and chance encounters to the later seeking of advice and getting to know each other, everything seemed very natural. However, he always felt that he was too lucky. He still did not fully understand Qin Zhen herself and the power behind her, but he was certain of one thing: this power was very strong!

Should I be grateful that I met Qin Zhen in the first place, since I was able to get her help? Or perhaps, she chose me?

As Zhao Gou thought about this, his brows furrowed even more. Who exactly are you?

Perhaps Emperor Huizong himself realized that he had shown too much care for the Prince of Yun, which made the Crown Prince look down on. Therefore, after Zhao Huan recovered, Emperor Huizong took great care of him.

The Cai family, who were almost implicated, were not only not punished, but Cai Xiao was promoted to Secretary Assistant at the Crown Prince's request because of his meritorious service in catching the thief. He was then placed by the Crown Prince's side, and the matter of marrying the princess, which had been put on hold, was also put back on the agenda.

With the Cai You incident subsided, the Prince of Yun enjoyed a long period of peace. Furthermore, with Cai Jing actively campaigning for the Crown Prince in court, Zhao Huan gradually presented a new image to the court officials. When everyone saw that the Crown Prince had become more accommodating and less rigid in his likes and dislikes, some were relieved, while others felt regret.

Those who had previously been at odds with the Crown Prince gradually began to gauge the prevailing winds, hoping to improve their relationship. Meanwhile, the group of upright and loyal officials were extremely anxious, constantly submitting memorials to the Eastern Palace, advising Zhao Huan to maintain his integrity, associate with virtuous ministers, and distance himself from treacherous individuals.

Zhao Huan was constantly weighing his options regarding how to treat his ministers. He didn't want to lose the support he had recently gained through hard work, nor did he want to alienate his loyal ministers. He was caught in a dilemma. Fortunately, Qin Hui was by his side, so he had someone to consult with on everything.

Volume One: Destiny's Fate 022 - Gold Will Shine

After Zhao Gou's foot injury fully healed, he resumed his martial arts lessons every other day. The Grand Tutor, worried that something might happen again, stopped chasing away Zhao Gou's guards and maids, and instead had Zhao Yong and Qin Zhen accompany him to take care of him. Whether it was learning horsemanship, archery, or combat, they could accompany him throughout. It seems that the Grand Tutor had received quite a few punishments because of the prince's injury.

For the past few days, they had been practicing martial arts techniques in the outdoor training ground. Yesterday, however, an autumn rain made the ground damp, so the Grand Tutor explained military strategy to Zhao Gou in the study. Everything started well, but when the Grand Tutor shifted the topic from "discussing the past" to "discussing the present," and cited extensively how the Song Dynasty's strategy of "guarding the interior and weakening the exterior" had benefited the people, Qin Zhen couldn't help but start arguing with the Grand Tutor.

The Grand Tutor was a staunch conservative, while Qin Zhen was no pushover. Despite their vastly different social statuses, they argued for a full hour and a half. In the end, as Zhao Gou had predicted, Qin Zhen won. The Grand Tutor was rendered speechless and, in the end, could only slam his fist on the table and storm off in anger.

I thought this matter would be settled after one argument, but Zhao Gou was just informed that the Grand Tutor had submitted a memorial requesting retirement, refusing to serve! The reason seemed to be that his talent was inferior to that of a child, and he was unworthy to be a teacher.

When they received the news, Qin Zhen grinned mischievously, as if he had done something wrong. Zhao Gou said helplessly, "Well, that's it. You were the one who encouraged me to learn martial arts in the first place, and now you're the one who drove away my teacher. What am I supposed to learn without my tutor?"

Qin Zhen said nonchalantly, "What's there to be afraid of? When it comes to martial arts and military strategy, there are plenty of people more skilled than him. We can just invite the Grand Tutor again." She meant it sincerely. This Grand Tutor was indeed not good enough for Qin Zhen. Yesterday, she finally seized the opportunity to drive him away. Now she had to find a good teacher for Zhao Gou as soon as possible.

Zhao Gou indeed asked, "From what you've said, it seems you have someone in mind to recommend?"

Qin Zhen said with a hint of worry, "Actually, there is a lot of gold, but many of it has been buried by people. Those that have finally come to the fore have been rejected and sent to the frontier. Now, the only person I can think of who can be of use to you is one person."

Who is it?

Qin Zhen cleared his throat and said, "It's Li Gang, the official who was just demoted last year. Do you know him?"

Since Zhao Huan became the crown prince, Zhao Gou had gradually learned about many court affairs. He had some impression of Li Gang, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it, so he answered truthfully, "I've heard of him, but I don't know much about him."

"Li Gang was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the second year of the Zhenghe era. He is a rare talent in both literature and military affairs. In recent years, his official career has been quite smooth. He was once promoted to Supervising Censor and Acting Palace Attendant Censor. However, his mistake was that he was too straightforward. Last year, when he saw that the emperor was spending a lot of money to renovate the palace, he wrote a memorial to the emperor, which offended the emperor and Cai Jing and others. I estimate that he will not be able to stay in the capital for long. It is a pity that he has such great skills and knowledge."

Zhao Gou astutely seized upon the key phrase "Cai Jing." Since his relationship with the Cai family was no longer what it used to be, surely it wouldn't be a problem for them to show mercy and grant him the position of Grand Tutor of Martial Arts.

“If he is truly as talented as you say, then we certainly cannot let him be buried in obscurity. We can have Cai Xiao speak to Grand Tutor Cai. There shouldn’t be much of a problem with the Emperor; he always lets his ministers make the decisions.”

Qin Zhen was very pleased that Zhao Gou was on the same page as him. After explaining the details briefly, he went with Zhao Gou to find Zhao Huan.

As the crown prince, Zhao Huan had to handle some simple state affairs. On this day, he was reviewing some memorials and had some matters to discuss with Qin Hui. However, he found that Qin Hui was unusually uneasy and did not even hear Zhao Huan's questions.

"Qin Qing... Qin Qing!"

Qin Hui was startled by the Crown Prince's raised voice and quickly apologized, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I was momentarily distracted."

Zhao Huan looked at Qin Hui curiously, put down the memorial in his hand, and asked, "What is it that worries you so much?"

Qin Hui's face showed an indescribable expression, as if he wanted to speak but couldn't. Zhao Huan pondered for a moment and then asked, "Did Father Emperor say anything that troubled you when he summoned the top three candidates from the imperial examinations to an audience today?"

“Your Highness,” Qin Hui replied, “His Majesty has informed me that he will soon issue an edict to bestow marriages upon the three Jia brothers, and we are to prepare.”

Zhao Huan was startled. He had never heard Emperor Huizong mention this matter before. Why would he suddenly think of bestowing a marriage upon him?

Seeing that Zhao Huan remained silent, Qin Hui quickly said, "Please, Your Highness, do justice for me. I already have a wife, and we are deeply in love. How could I do such a heartless thing?"

Zhao Huan calmly asked, "Don't panic. The Emperor's decree hasn't been issued yet, and it's not urgent. I just find this matter strange. Which family's daughter does the Emperor intend to marry to you?"

"Granddaughter of Wang Gui, the Grand Chancellor of the former dynasty..."

...

The newly rich in the imperial examinations were the new darlings of the court. Many prominent families that had gradually declined but still had a foundation, seeing that their own sons had no successors, began to plan to recruit sons-in-law after the results of the examinations in order to maintain their family reputation and consolidate their power.

Qin Hui has recently been behaving quite intimately with the Crown Prince, and his future looks very promising, which has naturally attracted everyone's attention. The Wang family of Bianjing is even more determined to take him as their son-in-law. The Wang family was once a prominent family in Bianjing. Its previous head was Wang Gui, a high-ranking official who served three dynasties and was granted the title of "Duke of Qi" by the late emperor.

Wang Gui had five sons, but unfortunately, none of them were particularly capable. After Wang Gui's death, the Wang family began its decline. Wang Gui's second son, Wang Zhongshan, was greedy for power and wealth, unwilling to accept his fate despite lacking the ability to become a high-ranking official. Wang Zhongshan had a young daughter who was already of marriageable age (Note 1), but due to her bad reputation, she remained unmarried. This time, he saw the opportunity that Qin Hui might offer him…

——

Note 1: 及笄 (jījī) refers to the ancient custom of women tying their hair up with a hairpin when they turned 15. It also means that a woman has reached marriageable age, as in "年已及笄" (nián yǐ jí jī).

A hairpin used to tie up hair. In ancient times, if a girl was betrothed at the age of fifteen, she would tie up her hair and wear a hairpin that same year; if she was not betrothed, she would tie up her hair and wear a hairpin at the age of twenty.

★……Ling……★……Jia……★……Brand……★……Separation……★……Line……★

After reading the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the tiger went to hunt wild boars. Finding the boar's den empty, he stroked his whiskers and said, "The Empty City Stratagem!" Turning around, he saw a dead boar in a trap and exclaimed in surprise, "The Self-Inflicted Injury Stratagem!" Suddenly, he saw you and was overjoyed: "Oh ho, there's also the Beauty Trap?!"

Volume 1: Destiny's Fate 023 The Wang Family Seeks a Son-in-Law

Wang Zhongshan knew that seizing this opportunity would be extremely difficult. Not to mention that Qin Hui already had a wife and daughter, and the couple were deeply in love, Qin Hui's future was bright. Why would he take Qin Hui's daughter for the sake of the Wang family's small foundation?

After much thought, Wang Zhongshan finally came up with a feasible solution: to ask the emperor for a marriage decree.

He was unknown and out of favor, so his words had no effect on Emperor Huizong. However, Wang Zhongshan thought of someone he could curry favor with and who could persuade Emperor Huizong. That person was Wang Fu, the "backbone" minister of the Prince of Yun's party and the Censor-in-Chief!

Wang Fu and Wang Zhongshan shared the same surname, "Wang," but were not related by blood. However, Wang Zhongshan's smooth talk convinced Wang Fu to accept this nephew, who was decades older than him, with a smile. Ever since Wang Zhongshan told Wang Fu with a worried expression that he wanted to take Qin Hui as his son-in-law, Wang Fu took the matter to heart and hurriedly went to find his "father," Liang Shicheng.

Liang Shicheng was a eunuch, so naturally he wouldn't have a son named Wang Fu. However, as the saying goes, "wolves in sheep's clothing," for the sake of their own power and wealth, just as Wang Zhongshan was willing to call the younger Wang Fu "uncle," how could Wang Fu mind recognizing a eunuch as his father?

After Wang Fu relayed Wang Zhongshan's idea to Liang Shicheng, seeing that Liang Shicheng remained silent, he continued, "Father, I think this idea is feasible. Qin Hui is the Crown Prince's main supporter, and since he went to serve the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince's situation has greatly improved. If we use this marriage alliance to bring Qin Hui to Prince Yun's side, it will not only weaken the Crown Prince's faction but will also be of great help to us!"

Liang Shicheng's fair face remained expressionless. Wang Fu kept guessing what he was thinking. If it were as he originally thought, Liang Shicheng should have been very happy after hearing the plan and praised his wisdom.

“Jiangming (Wang Fu’s courtesy name), this matter needs to be considered carefully.” Liang Shicheng said this casually, which puzzled Wang Fu.

Wang Fu asked, "I don't understand, Father. Please enlighten me."

"According to you, Qin Hui single-handedly reversed the Crown Prince's decline, so his wisdom and resourcefulness must be extraordinary. Aren't you afraid of losing both your wife and your army by trying to win him over in this way? Furthermore, by forcibly separating the couple, aren't you afraid that he will hold a grudge and retaliate against us?"

Wang Fu thought about it and realized that Liang Shicheng's words made sense, so he admitted his mistake and said, "It was my impetuousness and impatience. Fortunately, Father thought it through."

After sending Wang Fu away, Liang Shicheng sat in a large chair in his mansion and pondered for a long time. This matter involved Qin Zhen's family affairs, and it was indeed difficult to handle.

Although Wang Fu conveyed Liang Shicheng's message to Wang Zhongshan, how could he simply let it go? Wang Zhongshan believed that Qin Hui's support for the Crown Prince was merely a last resort, since the Emperor had given him that official position in the first place. He thought that if given the opportunity to get close to the Prince of Yun, he would definitely side with him. Therefore, Wang Zhongshan didn't take Liang Shicheng's words to heart at all.

While Qin Hui and others were busy helping the Crown Prince gather intelligence on various forces, Wang Zhongshan was secretly searching for Qin Hui's weaknesses. One day, a servant sent by the Wang family to Jiangning brought back some news, and Wang Zhongshan couldn't help but burst into laughter when he heard it!

With the information he had just received, Wang Zhongshan went to find Wang Fu again and discussed the matter with him.

"...In that case, he has no choice but to say no!" Wang Zhongshan excitedly finished expressing his thoughts.

Wang Fu sat at his desk, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop, and said thoughtfully, "This plan is good, but it still needs my father's approval. He seems unwilling to let Qin Hui join forces with the Prince of Yun, so... we should consider it carefully."

Hearing Wang Fu say this, Wang Zhongshan became anxious and said, "That's not true. Qin Hui is a talented person. If you win him over, the prince will definitely look at you differently. Why do you have to be mindful of Lord Liang's feelings in the future? Do you really intend to live your whole life under Lord Liang's protection?"

Wang Fu's brow twitched, his fingers stopped tapping the table, he clenched his fist tightly, and then he made up his mind and said, "Fine, let them see just how capable I, Wang, really am!"

At this time, Cai You had been dismissed from his post and had been at home for over two months. Emperor Huizong, lacking someone who understood his feelings, found his entertainment unsatisfying and was quite depressed. It was during this period that Wang Fu secretly entered the palace and suggested to Emperor Huizong that he find a good pastime for him…

After Wang Fu entered the palace three times, Emperor Huizong became extremely accommodating to him, and the marriage arrangements for the top three newly appointed officials were finalized. This led to the incident where Qin Hui was distracted in front of the Crown Prince.

After learning of Qin Hui's betrothal, Zhao Huan said in bewilderment, "The granddaughter of the Duke of Qi? Since the death of the Duke of Qi, the Wang family has no longer been valued by the court. Why would Father suddenly betroth his daughter to you? It makes no sense. Moreover, you already have a wife and have not violated the 'seven grounds for divorce' (note). Even if the imperial decree orders you to divorce your wife, it would still be inappropriate."

Qin Hui, his face full of shame, lowered his head and said, "My wife is unvirtuous... she has indeed committed one of the 'seven grounds for divorce'..."

Zhao Huan was surprised. He had met Qin Zhen's mother before. In his memory, Wang Shi was very obedient and virtuous. How could she have committed one of the "seven grounds for divorce"?

“My wife… she wasn’t from a respectable family; she was a dancer I redeemed from the Jiangning Dance Hall…”