Chapter 69 Leaning towards the eighth prince (1)
Lin Qing was very anxious, really anxious. This incident made him realize clearly that as long as Situ Yaohua or Situ Wenrui got the throne, they wouldn’t tolerate him.
Needless to say about Situ Yaohua, the hostility towards him was about to be shot through his (SY) eyes. The officials at court also looked at him in that way, so, they didn’t find anything strange with it, but to Lin Qing, it was fatal. The future emperor is hostile towards him, will he still be able to keep his life after Situ Yaohua ascended the throne?
It was the same for Situ Wenrui. Although, Situ Wenrui needed to rely on him for the time being, but Situ Wenrui is haughty and arrogant. Once he holds power in the court, he would definitely not tolerate him, the subject who had once helped him and who is a crafty and bootlicking official. To boil the hound once it caught the rabbit, to kill the donkey once the grinding was done had always been the style that every monarch was an expert at and they used it with ease and very severely. The result certainly would also be fine when Situ Wenrui use it.
- To boil the hound once it caught the rabbit: get rid of somebody once he had served his purpose.
- To kill the donkey once the grinding is done: get rid of somebody once he has ceased to be useful.
After Zhao Zimu was arrested, Lin Qing clearly realized that if he dies, no one will protect Zhao Zimu.
This was not to say that she needed someone’s protection. Lin Qing knew that with her ability, she would be able to live well by herself. However, ever since Zhao Zimu was arrested and her complete lack of response with an attitude of waiting to be captured, Lin Qing undoubtedly realized that this was a person who didn’t care about her own life and death. Furthermore, such person was very easy to die.
If he truly died, who would hold onto her floating heart, let her be emotionally moved, let her be fond off and let her live well when he was no longer here?
Zhao Zimu needed a purpose to continue to live. This was something Lin Qing got to know the day he went to pick her up from the Ministry of Justice. Furthermore, that day she told him that he was her everything. So, what will happen to her if he dies?
Lin Qing doesn’t know whether Zhao Zimu would die with him, but if she didn’t die and he wanted her to live on well, then should he expect her to find someone who could become her everything?
Lin Qing couldn’t tolerate that happening, so, he couldn’t die.
The accusation at court later implicated two more people. Of course, if Lin Qing was willing, he could’ve dug out more people. However, if he did that, presumably, the contradictions between him and the officials would be one step closer to becoming violent.
There were many people at court who he could bribe or threaten, but these people looked down on him, a eunuch, after all. They could help him today because of being threatened, then, in the future they can also give him a fatal blow.
Hence, aside from the officials that was killing the chicken to warn the monkey, Lin Qing didn’t touch the others. The case ended with embezzling the state treasure and seizing the tributes for personal use and the Ministry of Appointments’ Wang Fanzhi’s son colluding with the rebels.
- Killing the chicken to warn the monkey: punish an individual as an example to others.
Needless to say about Wang Fanzhi, at the food market in the imperial capital was stained with red. Three generations were about thousand people, regardless whether they were men, women, young or old, not one was left. Everyone was beheaded as a public exhibition.
The other two received thirty beatings, demoted from their position and their properties seized. Moreover, the males of their clan were exiled to the south. The women were sent to Jiaofang Shi. In addition, the two other officials who were implicated received the same treatment. Regardless, they wouldn’t be able to put a step into the court again in this life. Presumably, this was more horrible than death to those officials.
- Jiaofang Shi was a department in ancient China where girls where taught how to serve officials. It was like a brothel specially for the people at the court.
After this battle, the officials of the court may be intimidated for a while, but this was not a long-term solution. As long as there is Lin Qing, those who wanted to get known and rise higher by stepping on him, wouldn’t let him off.
Lin Qing thought for a while and decided to meet someone.
It was night. In a magnificent mansion on the outskirt of the imperial capital, in a room with swaying candlelight, Lin Qing sat respectfully by the heat of fire and poured a cup of tea for the person opposite of him. He said softly, “Old ancestor, it had been a long time since Lin Qing came to pay my respect to you.”
The person on the other side smiled once. The folds over his whole face were wrinkled. When the square face smiled, it let people feel that he was amiable and delightful. His hair was white and his back crooked. From one glance, one would know that he was very old. However, that pair of eyes shone from time to time, letting the people know that this person was only old, but his mind was still very clear.
This man was Liu Xian, the great eunuch who had been serving by the late emperor’s side ever since the late emperor ascended the throne. It wasn’t until the death of the late emperor that he retired, lived in seclusion in the unremarkable outskirts of the imperial capital and enjoyed his later years.
This person’s capabilities could be seen solely based on that he was able to serve for so many years at the late emperor’s side until the new emperor ascended the throne.
Liu Xian opened his mouth, smiled like the birthday star and said, “You are the most filial. Every year, you would send me many things. No matter what, you haven’t forgotten about me. I knew that I didn’t misjudge you. Look at how many of those brats who jumped the most are still left. Only you were able to persist until now and reached the highest official position. And, you still remembered to take care of me. You are considerate.”
Liu Xian was full of smiles. When Lin Qing was young, he had been promoted by him. it could be said that Lin Qing reached this position today, his role was inestimable.
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