Chapter 62: Undercurrents Surging

Zhao Dezhao's sudden focus on the potential master ledger in Chen Congxin's hands was not merely a sudden impulse of fancy, but rather something driven by specific reasons.

The origin of the matter lay with Song Qi, a key accomplice under Zhao Dezhao's command. Ever since he was successfully transferred back to Kaifeng with Zhao Dezhao's assistance, Song Qi's greatest aspiration was naturally to help Zhao Dezhao bring down Zhao Guangyi. He sought both to elevate Zhao Dezhao—who had shown him great kindness—to the singular throne of the entire realm, and to plunge Zhao Guangyi—his personal enemy—into irrevocable ruin. To this end, he racked his brains, exhausting every possible means and resorting to every conceivable tactic.

Hard work pays off. After digging deep and leaving no stone unturned, Song Qi actually managed to secure a crucial piece of evidence incriminating Zhao Guangyi: proof that Zhao Guangyi had personally stepped forward to secretly bribe Tian Chongjin, the commander-in-chief of the imperial Control Crane Army, with a massive sum of money (as recorded in history).

Ever since its establishment, the Control Crane Army had always been a core imperial guard unit. Not only was it stationed in the capital, but it was also responsible for the palace's night patrols, meaning its significance could be easily imagined. Historically, Zhu Yougui, the son of Zhu Wen, relied on the support of a fraction of the Control Crane Army soldiers under his command—note that it was only a fraction—to successfully launch a coup and eliminate his own biological father. What purpose Zhao Guangyi could have in secretly buying off the commander of the Control Crane Army naturally deserved deep reflection.

Upon uncovering this intelligence, Song Qi naturally treated it like a prized treasure. First, he tracked down a personal guardsman of Tian Chongjin who had been present at the time, and through a combination of coercion and enticement, successfully persuaded him to step forward as a witness. Then, with Zhao Dezhao's nod of approval, Song Qi abruptly submitted a memorial to Liu Wensou impeaching Zhao Guangyi for bribing Tian Chongjin, intending to catch Zhao Guangyi completely off guard.

Regrettably, Song Qi still underestimated Zhao Dezhao's chariot-driving second uncle. Even though Liu Wensou, the Chief Censor who maintained a neutral stance, showed zero favoritism toward Zhao Guangyi and immediately ordered arrests and personally led a thorough investigation into the case, the guardsman of Tian Chongjin who had previously promised to testify suddenly recanted. He flatly denied ever witnessing Zhao Guangyi bribing Tian Chongjin, and instead bit back, claiming that Song Qi had attempted to bribe him into slandering and framing both Zhao Guangyi and Tian Chongjin.

As a result of this turn of events, Zhao Dezhao's faction thoroughly alienated Tian Chongjin, the commander of the imperial palace guards. Furthermore, their important general Song Qi was suspended from duty pending investigation. What left Zhao Dezhao and his associates even more speechless was that despite exhausting all methods afterwards to uncover the truth, they never managed to figure out exactly which link in the chain had gone wrong. They could not even ascertain whether a mole had appeared within their ranks, or if Zhao Guangyi had deliberately set a trap for Song Qi.

Precisely because of this, while nursing a secret dread, Zhao Dezhao set his sights on his chariot-driving second uncle's purse strings. The reason was quite simple: his second uncle undoubtedly required vast amounts of wealth to carry out such operations. If they could capture his purse strings, no matter how heaven-defying and earth-shattering Zhao Guangyi's abilities might be, he would inevitably find himself bound hand and foot, unable to act—after all, without sufficiently alluring benefits, who would be willing to risk their lives for you?

On the following day, after the order utilizing Hou Mo Chen was smoothly dispatched through the incense and candle stall at the Dongyuan Taoist Temple, Zhao Dezhao summoned Ma Laifu alone. Ma Laifu was a trusted follower who had previously served as a beat soldier in Butchers' Alley. Smiling, Zhao Dezhao produced an official document and said, "Laifu, do you still remember my promise to you? As long as you serve me well, this Prince will certainly guarantee you a bright future."

With these words, Zhao Dezhao handed the document to Ma Laifu, his smile growing even more amiable as he continued, "Come, this is a part of my promise being fulfilled ahead of time. During the last northern expedition to Jinyang, you led men to help me manufacture medicine, which not only ensured the supply of pus from diseased cattle but also strictly preserved confidentiality without leaking a single whisper. I personally petitioned His Majesty for a reward on your behalf. Out of his boundless grace, His Majesty has conferred upon you the rank of a Regular Eighth-Rank Attendant of Martial Prowess, placed under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Martial Virtue. Tomorrow, take this document and secretly report to the Directorate of Martial Virtue to collect your official uniform and tally."

Hearing this, Ma Laifu—who had previously been nothing more than an auxiliary police officer—was naturally overjoyed beyond measure. He hurriedly kowtowed to Zhao Dezhao in gratitude, swearing oaths that he would loyally perform his duties and continue to aid Zhao Dezhao in his misdeeds. Zhao Dezhao smiled, nodded, and instructed further, "The reason I am having your name registered under the Directorate of Martial Virtue is because we must still keep the secret of the diseased cattle. We cannot publicize your merit for fear of you being targeted by interested parties, so you must continue to guard your tongue in the future. Absolutely no one must know how we actually prevent and treat smallpox."

"Your Highness, rest assured. This humble subordinate will keep his lips sealed tight and will never leak a single word," Ma Laifu promised, patting his chest hastily. He then added, "Even the news that this humble subordinate has been conferred the rank of Attendant of Martial Prowess will not be told to anyone, including my wife!"

"No, the news of your secret appointment as an Attendant of Martial Prowess can be leaked," Zhao Dezhao said, dropping a bombshell, before adding, "In fact, it must be leaked!"

"Your Highness, you jest, surely?" Ma Laifu was momentarily dumbfounded.

"Of course I am not jesting." Zhao Dezhao's smile began to turn crafty again as he chuckled, "Not only can you quietly let others know that you have become an official, but from now on, you must also frequently visit the pleasure quarters and brothels. Every now and then, go gamble away small sums of money at the gaming houses. If you meet a courtesan you fancy, you can even take her in as a concubine; it doesn't matter at all."

Having followed Zhao Dezhao for nearly a year now, Ma Laifu immediately understood that there was a valid reason behind these seemingly irrelevant instructions upon hearing them. Aside from hastily nodding in compliance, he lowered his voice and asked, "Your Highness, what should this humble subordinate do next?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, someone should soon approach you to make friends, pay your tabs, and proactively lend you money when your luck at the gaming tables turns bad." Zhao Dezhao's smile turned even craftier as he said, "Remember, turn no one away. As long as someone is willing to cultivate a good relationship with you, treat them as a close and trusted friend. Drink and gamble together, frequent the willow lanes and flower quarters together, and then quietly report back to me."

Having reached this point in the conversation, Ma Laifu—who had spent nearly a year almost daily following Zhao Dezhao in various scams and cons—naturally grasped the underlying intent. He hurriedly nodded repeatedly and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, rest assured. This humble subordinate understands your meaning and will certainly not disappoint you."

Zhao Dezhao offered a few words of satisfied praise to Ma Laifu, then produced a money pouch and handed it to him, instructing him with unaccustomed generosity, "Eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling all cost money. Take these gold pieces and use them first; if it's not enough, let me know."

The methods Zhao Dezhao had learned from television and film dramas proved effective indeed. After Ma Laifu suddenly adopted the airs of an upstart, frequently visiting pleasure quarters, restaurants, and gambling dens, the people secretly keeping watch over Zhao Dezhao's residence naturally took notice of him very quickly. They also uncovered the secret that Ma Laifu had been secretly appointed an Attendant of Martial Prowess. Following that, quite naturally, certain interested parties immediately set their sights on Ma Laifu like flies to a cracked egg...

......

Beneath the surface, undercurrents surged violently, yet the surface remained entirely calm. Through Zhao Dezhao's persistent lobbying and rescue efforts, Song Qi finally shed the charge of deliberately slandering Zhao Guangyi and Tian Chongjin. By forfeiting half a year's salary, he secured the right to remain in his post as Censor of the Imperial Domain and redeem his faults through meritorious service, ensuring that Zhao Dezhao's faction maintained its dominant position within the Censorate.

Meanwhile, under the diligent management of Liang Zhouhan's elder brother Liang Zhouyu and others, the Deji Bank personally founded by Zhao Dezhao gradually yielded results. Not only did it generate substantial profits, but it also accustomed the commoners of Bianliang, Kaifeng, to the novelty of paper money. During this period, numerous out-of-town merchants who experienced the convenient and swift advantages of paper money successively petitioned Deji Bank to open branch offices in their respective cities.

Regarding the court politics, Emperor Taizu still heavily relied on his two capable assistants, Zhao Guangyi and Zhao Pro. However, under the personal arrangements of Emperor Taizu, Zhao Dezhao markedly increased the frequency with which he participated in discussions on major state affairs, and was more than once requested by Emperor Taizu to express his insights on military, diplomatic, and domestic matters.

Regarding this, Zhao Guangyi's mortal enemy Zhao Pro was naturally secretly overjoyed inside. Seeking to further strengthen his ties with Zhao Dezhao, following a discussion on state affairs in the Wende Hall one day, Zhao Pro spoke thus to Emperor Taizu in front of Zhao Dezhao: "Your Majesty, His Highness is already eighteen years old this year. Should consideration be given to his marriage? If Your Majesty is willing, then this humble subordinate dares to be so bold as to propose acting as a matchmaker to betroth the daughter of Crown Prince Preceptor Wang Pu to His Highness as his principal wife."

Emperor Taizu laughed heartily, looked toward Zhao Dezhao, and asked, "Dezhao, what are your thoughts?"

"I won't do it! First, I've never seen her, so I don't know if she's beautiful or ugly! Second, Wang Pu is a remnant official of the previous dynasty without much real power, so marrying into his family holds little benefit for me! Third, Wang Pu belongs to Zhao Pro's faction; if I marry his daughter, it's equivalent to sticking one foot right into Zhao Pro's political clique!"

This was the roaring reply within Zhao Dezhao's heart. Outwardly, however, Zhao Dezhao feigned shyness and replied, "Forgive this son, Father Emperor. This son has never laid eyes on Grand Tutor Wang's daughter and is unwilling to settle such a lifelong matter so casually. I beg Father Emperor to grant permission for this son to make his own choice."

Fortunately, Emperor Taizu did not force his son. Smiling, he said, "Then you had better hurry. This grandfather hopes to hold a grandchild sooner rather than later."

To Zhao Dezhao's surprise, the moment he gave his consent, his chariot-driving second uncle nearby suddenly chimed in with a smile, saying, "Dezhao, are you hoping to find someone pretty? Would you like your uncle to introduce one to you? Your aunt has a maternal niece named Fu Tong whose age matches yours, and her appearance will definitely satisfy you. How about I speak to your aunt and help broker this match?"

Without god-mode omniscience, Zhao Dezhao was naturally greatly surprised upon hearing these words. On the other side, Zhao Pro remained unperturbed, smiling as he remarked, "Second Prince, are you joking? If this humble subordinate remembers correctly, Grand Tutor Fu's granddaughter is born of a concubine, is she not? How could she possibly qualify to serve as His Highness's principal wife?"

"To think that Minister Zhao is even aware of such trivial matters," Zhao Guangyi said with a smile, casually adding as if it were of no consequence, "However, Minister Zhao only knows one half of it and not the other. While Grand Tutor Fu's granddaughter is indeed born of a concubine, some time ago, with the consent of my father-in-law, my wife's elder brother Fu Zhaoyuan formally adopted her as his own daughter. Therefore, according to ritual and law, she is already considered a legitimate daughter of the Fu family and is fully qualified to wed my nephew as his wife."

"Such a thing happened?"

Everything was orchestrated in secret by Zhao Guangyi. Hearing this, Zhao Pro was naturally deeply astonished. Zhao Guangyi smiled and nodded in confirmation, then turned back to Zhao Dezhao to say, "However, Dezhao, uncle has no intention of forcing you. If you are unwilling, it doesn't matter; just treat it as though uncle never uttered these words."

Following this display of playing hard to get, something that caught Zhao Guangyi completely off-guard occurred: Zhao Dezhao merely hesitated for a moment—casting a glance in a certain direction—before speaking with a feigned, coy reluctance, "Uncle, would it be possible to ask Aunt to arrange for this nephew to meet Grand Tutor Fu's granddaughter first?"

The expression on Zhao Pro's face shifted somewhat, while Zhao Guangyi was swept by a wave of ecstatic joy inside. Forcibly suppressing his inner agitation, he spoke in a seemingly casual tone, "Very well. Uncle will tell your aunt about this the moment I return home today. But I must state beforehand: I cannot guarantee anything. If your aunt is unwilling, or if my father-in-law's family shows no interest, you must not blame me."

"It's fine," Zhao Dezhao hastily shook his head, his expression full of anticipation as he said, "Regardless of whether it succeeds or fails, this nephew will be endlessly grateful."

It was only at this moment that, while laughing heartily, Zhao Guangyi cast a sidelong glance in the direction his unfilial nephew had previously peeked. Noticing that the only person standing there was the current Grand Eunuch Wang Ji'en, Zhao Guangyi couldn't help feeling somewhat puzzled inwardly. He thought to himself: "Could this little scoundrel have been peeping at Wang Ji'en just now? Why would he do such a thing? How could Wang Ji'en possibly have anything to do with this matter?"

The affair was naturally far from over. As they exited the palace together, seeing no one else nearby, Zhao Dezhao suddenly quickened his pace, walked up to Zhao Pro, and whispered a request. Upon hearing it, Zhao Pro was instantly enlightened, and immediately smiled as he replied, "Your Highness, rest assured. Such a trifling matter is entirely on this humble subordinate."

Zhao Dezhao hastily expressed his gratitude. Zhao Pro, however, was full of zest and lowered his voice to ask one more question, "Your Highness, since you knew there was trickery afoot, why did you deliberately play along?"

"Naturally, there are reasons behind it," Zhao Dezhao replied with a very gentle smile. "However, please rest assured, Minister Zhao. What this Prince is doing will bring you a hundred benefits without a single harm!"

......

Zhao Guangyi's words were naturally just a display of modesty. As his biological aunt, how could Zhao Guangyi's wife, Lady Fu, not care about her nephew's marriage? Thus, merely two days later, Lady Fu dispatched people to Jingming Ward to locate Zhao Dezhao, inviting him to visit his second uncle's household as a guest and adding that she had a surprise waiting for him.

Guessing the motive immediately, Zhao Dezhao made the rare choice of bringing gifts to visit his chariot-driving second uncle's home. The very moment he laid eyes on Lady Fu, he asked impatiently, "Aunt, you said there's a surprise for this nephew—may I ask what kind of surprise it is?"

Lady Fu, who was frail and sickly, spoke in a soft voice with a very warm smile as she chided, "Your Highness, is this how a nephew behaves? It's a rare occasion that you come to your second uncle's home as a guest, yet instead of asking where your second uncle has gone, why do you first inquire about what surprise I have for you?"

"Forgive this aunt, it was this nephew who was lacking in manners," Zhao Dezhao hastily apologized before asking with a feigned, hypocritical air, "May I ask Aunt why I don't see Second Uncle?"

"He is handling official business at the Kaifeng Prefecture office and hasn't returned yet," Lady Fu said with a demure smile, before adding, "However, there is someone who has been waiting for quite some time. Would you like to...?"

Lady Fu's teasing words remained unfinished because her maternal niece, Fu Tong, had already walked out from the inner hall with a shy expression. Zhao Dezhao's thieving eyes immediately shifted toward Fu Tong, freezing there in a dazed, motionless stare.

Witnessing this scene, Lady Fu—who had traveled this road before—immediately understood in her heart that this match was undoubtedly going to happen.

Of course, had Lady Fu been able to read the mind of her unfilial nephew, she likely wouldn't have felt so confident or happy. For at that very moment, behind his outward display of bashful infatuation, the question spinning in Zhao Dezhao's mind was precisely this: "Is she willing, or is she being forced?"