"Prime Minister Li's words have merit. Then how do you propose we handle this matter?"
Rarely encountering a quick-witted official, Zhao Ji wished to swiftly conclude this pointless dispute. Rather than listen to their bickering, he'd rather return to his chambers for another nap with his beloved.
"Your subject believes it would be best to submit all evidence and case files to the Kaifeng Prefecture and the Censorate for a fresh review, with His Highness the Crown Prince overseeing the examination on behalf of His Majesty! If there is indeed an injustice, then it shall be rectified. However, if it is a false accusation, we must not let the perpetrator go unpunished!"
Seizing this rare opportunity to shine, Li Bangyan, without even glancing at Cai You's expression, directly offered a solution.
"Your subject believes Lord Li's suggestion is sound!"
Wang Fu almost burst out laughing. The outcome was even better than he had anticipated. His original plan was merely to expose the matter before the Emperor. Even if he could only secure a retrial by the Censorate, it would have been enough to thoroughly annoy Bai Shizhong. At the very least, it would tarnish his reputation and prevent Bai Shizhong from securing the coveted position of Prime Minister.
However, he never expected Li Bangyan to be so ruthless, not only implicating Nie Shan of the Kaifeng Prefecture but also the Crown Prince. With the Kaifeng Prefecture, the Censorate, and the Crown Prince involved, under this triple layer of protection, Bai Shizhong wouldn't be able to escape punishment even if he had eight heads!
"Your subject seconds the motion!"
"Your subject also seconds the motion!"
Almost in the blink of an eye, Wang Fu's faction immediately voiced their support. Cai You's heart sank by more than half. All his efforts had been in vain.
"Since that is the case, then this matter shall be handled as such. Do any of my lords have further matters to discuss? If not, then we shall adjourn the court for today!"
After speaking, Zhao Ji did not wait for the ministers' response. He stood up and headed towards the exit of the hall. At this point, even those with important matters to discuss could only remain silent.
Only after the Emperor had left and the ministers slowly dispersed did Wang Fu, Cai You, and Li Bangyan remain in the Daqing Hall.
"Lord Li, your methods are truly superb. This prime minister admires you, greatly admires you!"
Wang Fu chuckled strangely, cupped his hands towards Li Bangyan, and then turned to leave the hall.
"Lord Li, the threshold of the Daqing Hall is high. Be careful when entering and exiting. If you stride too broadly and accidentally chip your front teeth, it would be most undignified!"
Cai You said with a cold smile, leaving behind a harsh remark before turning and walking away. Li Bangyan naturally understood the veiled threat, but he didn't take it to heart. After all, at this moment, his mind was filled with the dream of becoming Prime Minister. On this matter today, he had greatly impressed the Emperor. In contrast, Wang Fu and Cai You had behaved like common street vendors in the hall, utterly disgracing the dignity of a minister. It was fortunate that this was the reign of Emperor Huizong; had it been the reigns of Emperor Zhezong or Shenzong, even with their vast influence, they would have felt the pinch of copper fines.
With a stomach full of frustration, Cai You had barely exited the palace gates when he spotted the carriage of Prince Yun.
"Your Highness, why are you here?"
Cai You hurried over to greet him.
"I have heard about the proceedings in the hall. Get in the carriage first, we need to quickly come up with a counter-strategy!"
More than any other matter, Zhao Kai was concerned with how Bai Shizhong could extricate himself. After all, among everyone around him, Bai Shizhong was the only one who had a chance of succeeding him as Prime Minister. This was the Prime Minister of a nation! Missing this opportunity, there might not be another similar chance for several years.
"That person was clearly found by Wang Fu, and the evidence must be in his possession. It will likely be difficult to turn things around now…"
The matter had escalated too much. If Cai You had known the situation would unfold this way last night, he would have undoubtedly sent people to eliminate the individual without hesitation. However, now that the matter had been brought into the open, it was no longer something that could be resolved by the death of one or two people.
"What if he dies in the Kaifeng Prefecture prison?"
"Whether he lives or dies is not truly important. What is most crucial now is how to resolve that matter…"
Hearing Zhao Kai's suggestion, Cai You could only offer a wry smile. If Wang Fu could find one such person, he could certainly find another. As long as the fundamental issue wasn't resolved, killing people wouldn't truly achieve much.
"Then what should we do? We can't just stand by and do nothing."
Zhao Kai said with a grim expression.
"Of course, we cannot do nothing. However, what we should do now requires careful consideration. If we reveal even the slightest flaw, it will only lead to greater trouble!"
Judging by Zhao Kai's expression, Cai You knew that he was truly getting anxious this time. But the problem was, the situation had reached this point, and anxiety alone could not solve it. The more critical the situation, the more cautious and prudent one needed to be. A single misstep could lead to a complete loss.
"Careful consideration? The person is already heading to the Kaifeng Prefecture. If we continue to deliberate like this, it might be too late for anything!"
As Zhao Kai spoke, he slammed his fist heavily onto the carriage window.
"Your Highness, please remain calm. This matter is of such great consequence that I believe Nie Shan will not reach a conclusion so easily!"
Seeing Zhao Kai's impatience, Cai You couldn't help but smile wryly. His Highness Prince Yun was good in every other aspect, but his impatience was truly troublesome…
In a manor outside the city, Yuan Xingchi was leisurely examining a chess game.
"Sir, this is something delivered by Grand Commandant Liang just now!"
As he was engrossed in his game, his personal carriage driver placed a large food hamper on the chessboard.
"You've ruined a perfectly good game of chess again…"
When Yuan Xingchi picked up the food hamper, the chess pieces underneath were already all out of place. Helpless, he could only offer a wry smile and toss the remaining pieces back into the box.
"I… I was just a little too eager…"
The carriage driver scratched his head awkwardly.
"Never mind. Let's see what new drama our Prime Minister Wang has brought us this time!"
As Yuan Xingchi spoke, he opened the food hamper. After taking out several plates of exquisitely prepared dishes, he then opened a hidden compartment at the bottom of the hamper and took out a thin booklet.