novelhk Chapter 402 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
Chapter 402 The Prince's Mystery: The Cannon Fodder Bride Forced into a Substitute Marquis'
The people in the mansion were all sent by Emperor Xinghe, so it seems there are spies planted among them. I wonder how many forces will be paying attention to Tang Ruijing, a mere prince who has just regained his identity.
Tang Ruijing suddenly smiled and then said, "However, this trip to this temple was not without its gains."
Song Zhihua led us here, I don't know if he thought we were too stupid or if he was too confident in himself, that he dared to put us directly into their stronghold.
This temple is located in the outskirts of Beijing, in a remote mountainous area; it's an ideal place to hide troops!
Su Jinyue exclaimed in surprise, "You mean, this is where Prince Jing, Tang Jingfan, hides his troops?!"
Song Zhihua was highly respected in this temple, and the monks who came and went were very wary of him.
Su Jinyue thought this place was just like the Song family's stronghold in the capital, but she never expected it to be a place where soldiers were hidden!
"Yes, if you observe carefully, you will find that although the monks in the temple have shaved their heads and wear monks' clothes, they still have the shadow of soldiers when they walk, sit and lie down. Moreover, they are all very strong and healthy, obviously they have never stopped training, and their discipline is very strict."
Furthermore, there are tax-exempt monastic fields near the temple, and it's estimated that the tenants there aren't actually farmers. If Prince Jing, Tang Jingfan, wanted to send supplies to the temple, he could simply donate money or goods to the temple, thus gaining a reputation for philanthropy without attracting attention.
Su Jinyue thought about it and realized it was true. This temple seemed to be very old, and she wondered how many years ago Tang Jingfan had started plotting against it.
Su Jinyue asked, "So what do you plan to do? Go directly to the palace and confess to Emperor Xinghe?"
On the surface, Emperor Xinghe is currently ill and not seeing anyone, but Tang Ruijing has a secret channel to contact Emperor Xinghe. If it is an emergency, he can go directly through the secret channel without attracting attention.
Tang Ruijing smiled and said, "No, Song Zhihua's identity and today's conversation can be discussed with Emperor Xinghe, and the people planted in the palace can also be made known to Emperor Xinghe."
But I plan to find someone else to manage Prince Jing's (Tang Jingfan's) stronghold.
Now, Tang Ruijing's nominal brothers are fiercely vying for power while Emperor Xinghe is ill.
Tang Ruijing knew the inside story. Although he didn't plan to get involved now, he could still take the opportunity to win over a few forces.
Su Jinyue became interested and asked curiously, "Then who do you plan to find? Marquis Xuanping? But he's a royalist. What's the difference between telling him and telling Emperor Xinghe?"
"It wasn't him. The security of the capital and its suburbs is under the jurisdiction of the Infantry Commander's Office. Do you remember who's in the Infantry Commander's Office?"
Su Jinyue was a little confused. She tried hard to recall, and suddenly remembered the Third Prince being attacked in the suburbs. A flash of inspiration struck her.
"You mean Qin Guannan?"
Tang Ruijing nodded: "Yes, it's him."
Su Jinyue understood Tang Ruijing's meaning. Emperor Xinghe had restored his status as a prince. In the eyes of outsiders, Tang Ruijing was the prince born to Consort De, Song Zhihua.
However, the striking resemblance between Qin Guannan and Tang Ruijing, which was seven-tenths similar, would naturally arouse suspicion in the eyes of those who were observant.
Tang Ruijing had already made contact with Qin Guannan because he saved the Third Prince. If Qin Guannan mentioned Tang Ruijing to Grand Secretary Qin because of his appearance, then when Tang Ruijing made his official appearance at Emperor Xinghe's birthday banquet, it would naturally attract Grand Secretary Qin's attention.
Since Emperor Xinghe has acknowledged Prince Tang Ruijing's identity, his royal bloodline is undoubtedly genuine.
Adding Tang Ruijing's birth date and time, Grand Secretary Qin probably already had a pretty good idea of what was going on.
Because the Third Prince Tang Ruiqian was still the child of Consort Xian, Emperor Xinghe did not reveal the truth of the matter, and Grand Secretary Qin and the Qin family had not yet had the opportunity to contact Tang Ruijing.
However, if Tang Ruijing takes the initiative to come to him, especially after discovering such a great achievement, then the situation will be different.
He not only gave Qin Guannan credit, but also strengthened his relationship with the Qin family, and tacitly revealed to them that he already knew his true identity.
A triple win, perfect!
Upon returning to his residence, Tang Ruijing sent a message to Emperor Xinghe in the palace.
The next day, Tang Ruijing invited Qin Guannan to meet him at his family's teahouse.
When Qin Guannan learned the purpose of Tang Ruijing's meeting with him, he felt extremely conflicted.
At first, Qin Guannan thought that Tang Ruijing had some connection with the Qin family, but before he could find out anything, Tang Ruijing regained his status as a prince.
After that, Qin Guannan felt something was wrong, so he told his grandfather about it. To his surprise, his grandfather said he already knew about it and told him not to investigate further.
Qin Guannan belatedly realized that he had discovered a great secret, but he couldn't tell anyone.
He had secretly kept track of Tang Ruijing's whereabouts, but later discovered that even after becoming a prince, Tang Ruijing remained very low-key in the capital, wishing that no one else would pay attention to him.
After that, Qin Guannan didn't pay much attention to Tang Ruijing. Unexpectedly, not long after, the other party took the initiative to contact him!
Moreover, as soon as they met, he told him about Prince Jing's hidden troops in the suburbs of the capital!
Qin Guannan stared straight at Tang Ruijing: "What is your purpose in telling me this?"
Now that His Majesty is seriously ill, both the eldest and second princes are actively trying to win over the court officials.
The Qin family is loyal to His Majesty. Even if you tell me this news, the Qin family will not serve you.
Tang Ruijing calmly sipped his tea, unsurprised by Qin Guannan's words.
He put down his teacup, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Qin Guannan: "You're overthinking it. I'm telling you this just because I think you're a good fit, nothing more."
In the current situation, those with ability may be playing dumb to outmaneuver others, while those at a disadvantage may simply be luring people in with empty gestures. The more they act, the more dangerous it becomes.
Given my current position, there's neither the possibility nor the need for me to fight for anything. I also advise you not to make hasty choices; fulfilling your duties is the most correct course of action.
After finishing his business, Tang Ruijing left quickly, leaving Qin Guannan alone in the private room lost in thought.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Qin Mansion, Qin Grand Secretary's Study
Qin Guannan stood bowing before the desk and recounted to Grand Secretary Qin every word he had spoken to Tang Ruijing during their meeting.
“Grandfather, that’s what the Fourth Prince Tang Ruijing said. I’ve already arranged for reliable brothers from the government to secretly investigate the temples outside the capital, but it’s been too short and there’s been no news yet.”
Grand Secretary Qin squinted, tapping the table with his right index finger.
After a long while, Grand Secretary Qin slowly replied, "This matter will not do you any harm. Find out the situation of the temple as soon as possible, and then report to His Majesty immediately."
If this is true, it would be a great achievement for you.
Qin Guannan agreed, then asked hesitantly, "Grandfather, if the Fourth Prince wants to gain His Majesty's favor, it would be best if he told His Majesty himself. But why did he..."