"Why wouldn't he? Huang Qianshan is a person who is adept at maneuvering and possesses a rebellious streak. He cannot be relied upon!"
As Cai Jing spoke, his previously cloudy eyes regained their clarity.
"But who else can he turn to? Why would he betray Wang Fu?"
After pondering for a long time, Cai Tao still couldn't understand why the old fellow had done it.
"It's simple, for advancement. Do you think he still has opportunities to rise by staying by Wang Fu or Cai You's side?"
Having been in officialdom for so many years, Cai Jing could analyze these matters with ease.
"Given his qualifications, it's unlikely he'll have a chance to advance within five to ten years."
After careful consideration, Cai Tao frowned and said.
"That's right, unless there are special circumstances, he won't have a chance for promotion for at least five to ten years! That's because there are too many people around them, more talented, more reliable, and more qualified than him abound! He's not someone who is content to stay below others, so he can only turn to someone else!"
"Then who can he turn to? I really can't think of anyone else in the imperial court."
Cai Tao asked with a confused look.
"The Crown Prince!"
"The Crown Prince? Impossible, how can that be!"
Cai Tao immediately denied it without thinking.
Although Liang Shicheng had secured the Crown Prince's position for the time being, it was evident to everyone.
Once Tong Guan returned to the court with the merit of retaking the sixteen prefectures of Yan and Yun, the Crown Prince's position would be truly precarious.
At this time, joining the Crown Prince's faction would be no different from seeking death.
If one were to join another minister's faction, they might be able to switch to another if they failed.
However, once one joined the Crown Prince's faction, the situation would be entirely different.
With the Crown Prince, Prince Yun, and now Prince Xin, joining any of these three factions would mean being involved in the struggle for succession.
If they won, they would naturally be rewarded, but if they lost, they would truly be overlooked for the rest of their lives.
For civil officials like them, the end of their political careers often felt worse than being killed.
"What if the Crown Prince also gained a Grand Tutor?"
Cai Jing said slowly, leisurely picking up his teacup.
"But where would they find a Grand Tutor?"
"Have you forgotten Yu Shen? Yu Shen's son was appointed as the Right Attendant Scholar of the Crown Prince's Residence just two months ago by the Emperor!"
After hearing Cai Jing's deduction, Cai Tao didn't know what to say.
He had known about this matter for a long time, but he had never thought in this direction.
After all, it seemed too absurd at the moment.
Wasn't Yu Shen kicked out by the Emperor himself at that time?
"Although I know about this, is it possible? What does a former Prime Minister's son serving as a Right Attendant Scholar of the Crown Prince's Residence signify? Isn't this just a favor from the Emperor to the Yu family?"
After a moment of deliberation, Cai Tao still insisted stubbornly.
"I have served this current Emperor for half my life, and no one understands his thoughts better than I do. He may seem to act recklessly, but he has never failed in handling matters of balance!"
With a cold snort, Cai Jing spoke again.
"Balance? You mean the Emperor is making preparations for Tong Guan's return?"
Hearing this, Cai Tao fell silent.
He had always thought that his political talent was not inferior to his elder brother, and at most, it was not as good as his father's.
But now, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
The current imperial court was truly not a place for people to stay!
"Only this explanation makes sense! Moreover, haven't you noticed that Geng Nanzhong's attitude towards Liang Shicheng has become increasingly strange in the past few months? Liang Shicheng is the Crown Prince's current protector, yet he openly colludes with those monks and talks about excessive killing with the Crown Prince..."
"Hoo—"
All the pieces were laid bare, but Cai Tao felt even more terrified than before.
Why had no one stood up for Huang Qianshan until now?
It was because he had turned to the Crown Prince!
Wasn't this the character of the Crown Prince?
Wasn't this the consistent style of the Crown Prince's faction?
Under the seemingly calm court situation, so many undercurrents were hidden, yet he himself had remained completely unaware.
Everyone was scheming against each other, and even the Emperor was making plans for the future. Thinking about his own past actions, Cai Tao suddenly felt like a clown in front of these true masters of power.
"I already said that none of you have the talent of your elder brother. After I die, you should resign and retire..."
Seeing Cai Tao's dejected look, Cai Jing slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then spoke again.
"Our hard-earned family fortune, we're just handing it over to the eldest brother?"
As soon as this was mentioned, Cai Tao's eyes were filled with unwillingness.
If he hadn't noticed, did his elder brother notice?
Besides, if he really had noticed, wouldn't he be even more detestable!
"Ultimately, one surname can't produce two people with the surname Cai. If you resign and retire, he won't harm you out of brotherhood and will even protect you. Even if you can't reach the highest positions, you can still be rich enough to rival a kingdom!"
"Why don't you tell me how to handle this matter first?"
After gritting his teeth, Cai Tao finally rallied his spirits again.
"How to handle it? What else can we do? Send word back to Mingzhou and tell them to find Han Mo..."
After drinking the last drop of tea in his cup, Cai Jing slowly stood up and walked towards the study with a trembling gait.
This time, he truly wanted to retire, but he was burdened by his descendants. Even though he felt his strength waning, he could only persist and stay in his position for another year.
Although he himself didn't know if he could last another year...
"Is there no other way?"
Watching the old man's receding back, Cai Tao couldn't help but ask again.
But Cai Jing seemed not to hear him, maintaining his leisurely pace, walking step by step towards his bedroom.
Only when Cai Jing's figure completely disappeared from his sight did Cai Tao slump back into his chair. At this moment, he finally realized that his own abilities were truly no match for his father's.