The Changwu Emperor had a total of six sons and four daughters.
The eldest prince died young. The current Crown Prince, Situ Yan, who was second in line, was born to the Empress. Backed by the Duke of Cao's mansion, he was one of the foremost aristocratic families in the capital.
The third prince, Situ Feng, born to Noble Consort Ying, had always lacked a presence in the palace. However, the third prince had a rather spirited personality. Following behind the Crown Prince, he had accomplished quite a bit over the years, though his temper was not the best.
The fourth prince, Situ Sheng, born to Consort Hui, had his grandfather, Duke Xie, guarding the southern border. In terms of strength, he had a good chance of competing with the Crown Prince. Unfortunately, he had a fall in his childhood, leaving a deep scar from his left brow bone to his temple.
For a man, a scar was not a major issue. But in the royal family, disfigurement meant no succession. He did not stay in the capital and had long since gone to the border to join his maternal grandfather. In terms of military merit alone, no other prince could compare. The Changwu Emperor bestowed upon him the title of Prince Yong, making him a key figure for the Crown Prince and Prince Ning to win over.
Alas, he was not in the capital, making it impossible to win him over.
The fifth prince, Situ Jue, titled Prince Ning, was born to Noble Consort Jian, whose maternal family was the Marquis of Qiying's mansion.
The sixth prince's mother was merely a favored concubine who died shortly after giving birth to him. He was raised by Noble Consort Jian and had always followed Prince Ning's lead. Recently, he had accompanied Prince Ning to Yangzhou.
In the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, Ouyang Wen was eating preserved vegetables with his health porridge. While eating, he explained the general state of the court to Gu Yanchen.
"No one can match the current Emperor's art of balancing power. Currently, the court's military is led by the Duke of Cao's mansion and the Duke of Xie's mansion. The civil officials are divided into two factions: one is the Marquis of Qiying's mansion, and the other is the Prime Minister's mansion. Overall, only the Crown Prince and Prince Ning have the strength to contend for that position. The Crown Prince handles matters by the book and has been diligent for many years, with a good reputation. For Prince Ning to stand out, he needs some achievements."
"So he's set his sights on the military power in Yangzhou?"
"When dealing with the Huige and the Southern Barbarians, one is the Duke of Cao's domain, and the other is Duke Xie's territory. He cannot get close to them. So, he can only pick on the weaker opponents, can't he?"
"The Wokou, in the end, are just a bunch of sea bandits. Although they have grown in strength, they are far less harmful than the Huige and the Southern Barbarians. Even if they are driven back to their homeland, the military merit will only be average."
Ouyang Wen chuckled, "Whether it's a great achievement or not, it all depends on how those scholars blow their trumpets. When you were in charge in Yangzhou, the Wokou were just a bunch of insignificant sea bandits. If it were Situ Jue, believe it or not, the Marquis of Qiying's mansion could puff him up as the savior of Jiangnan!"
Gu Yanchen was rendered speechless.
"Speaking of which, setting aside Prince Ning, we have already had a feud with the Marquis of Qiying's mansion." Ouyang Wen popped a peanut into his mouth. "Do you remember the case we handled in Xiangshui Town?"
"Jian Deqiu?"
"Yes, Jian Huaiming's third son."
"A concubine's son?"
"No, a legitimate son."
Gu Yanchen found it strange, "With so many legitimate sons, why is he still just a prefect at such an age?"
"That position was a money-making one. Jiangnan is prosperous, and he served three terms there, managing it for a full nine years. With the Marquis of Qiying's mansion shielding him from above, who knows how much money he made. Otherwise, do you think Prince Ning's influence could be so great? Unfortunately, the two of us ruined it. Jian Huaiming not only lost a source of income but also his legitimate son. Originally, his hostility was directed at me, but now that you've returned to the capital and immediately taken over the Dali Temple, which they had been fighting over for a long time, his hatred has a new target. Be careful when you act from now on, and don't give him any leverage."
Gu Yanchen was unconcerned, "Jian Deqiu has been dead for over two years, and you're still fine, aren't you?"
"Heh, can you compare yourself to me? How many people in the capital dare to provoke the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?"
If he suffered any slight, the old madam would be the first to confront them. When a Duchess came looking for trouble, not everyone could withstand it. Moreover, the Emperor had to protect him. As the sole surviving heir of a family of heroes, not protecting him would be disheartening to the soldiers.
Gu Yanchen glanced at him and let out a couple of humphs.
Hmph, it's quite something to have someone protecting you. Unlike him, if he hadn't been tough, he would have had a hard time even growing up.
After breakfast, most of the necessary information had been exchanged, and the two men headed to their respective posts. Gu Yanchen went to the Dali Temple, while Ouyang Wen went to the Ministry of Revenue. He was the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, and dealing with money every day was not his wish. However, any dangerous assignment worried his grandmother, so he had no choice.