The Succession Struggle in the Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 186 Confrontation in Court Leads to Self-Destruction
When the Emperor's figure came into view, Tu Chengyu, who had not seen the Emperor for a long time, unconsciously fixed his gaze on the Emperor and followed the Emperor's figure.

According to court etiquette, Tu Chengyu staring at the emperor like that was highly taboo and a serious offense of disrespect.

Even if Tu Chengyu was the emperor's son, it was still not allowed.

However, all the officials in the court were bowing their heads to greet the emperor, and no one could see Tu Chengyu's appearance at this moment.

Even if someone sees it, they probably won't come out to criticize it.

Thus, Tu Chengyu's gaze remained fixed on the Emperor until the Emperor sat upon the throne.

As for the Emperor, after taking his seat, he raised his eyes as usual, preparing to survey the court.

However, the moment he looked up, he immediately saw Tu Chengyu, who was different from everyone else.

When the Emperor saw that Tu Chengyu was staring at him, he did not show any anger. Instead, he smiled and looked very happy.

Before looking away, he nodded to Tu Chengyu as if to say hello.

Seeing the Emperor's actions, Tu Chengyu finally snapped out of his reverie.

Then he found himself staring at the emperor in a very improper manner.

Although the emperor did not reprimand him, Tu Chengyu quickly averted his gaze and lowered his head.

Other court officials may not have noticed these subtle actions between the father and son, but Xia Shouzhong, standing on the imperial steps, saw them clearly.

For this reason, Xia Shouzhong deliberately delayed the step that should have been taken immediately after the emperor took his seat, when the court officials were to pay their respects.

He waited until Tu Chengyu lowered his head and the Emperor nodded in acknowledgment before he began to call out:
"His Majesty has arrived! All officials pay their respects!"

The officials, who had been waiting to pay their respects, bowed and kowtowed together.

After the ceremony, Xia Shouzhong called out again, "The morning court session has begun. Report anything you need to say as soon as possible."

As soon as Xia Shouzhong finished speaking, Tu Chengyu heard a voice coming from not far behind him.

"Your humble servant, Gu Changyuan, has a memorial to present!"

Upon hearing the name, Tu Chengyu felt it was somewhat familiar, and after thinking about it carefully, he remembered it.

This person was the same censor who questioned him in court after he assassinated Prince Yixiao.

At that time, this guy not only caused trouble for me, but also almost brought down Shang Yuanfeng, the Grand Secretary.

Tu Chengyu thought that with this guy's rebellious nature and the fact that he had offended Shang Yuanfeng, it would be difficult for him to gain a foothold in the court.

Unexpectedly, after half a year, this guy is not only alive and well, but also likes to take the lead in important matters, just like before.

When Tu Chengyu was reminded of this guy, he heard the Emperor's voice from above.

"What is it that you wish to report?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Changyuan immediately said, "Your Majesty, I wish to impeach Grand Secretary Shen of the Council of State Affairs."

Judging from what happened in the court yesterday, it's clear that someone will impeach the Grand Secretary today.

But no one expected that as soon as the court session began, they would jump out and impeach him.

This pace exceeded Tu Chengyu's expectations.

Because when he discussed it with the Crown Prince yesterday, the Crown Prince made it clear.

The reason the other side impeached the Grand Secretary was not because they really wanted to remove him from office, but because they wanted to seize the position of Imperial Envoy.

Therefore, in today's court, they will still try to see if they can seize the position of imperial envoy.

Only if the Prime Minister intervenes will they resort to impeachment to force him to relinquish control.

That's why Tu Chengyu was surprised when he heard about Gu Changyuan's impeachment.

Not only Tu Chengyu was surprised, but the other ministers in the court were also very surprised.

Tu Chengyu could clearly hear voices coming from the ministers behind him.

What was even more surprising was that Tu Chengyu clearly heard the content of their conversation.

"How could it be him?"

"Isn't he the Grand Secretary's protégé? Why would he step forward to impeach the Grand Secretary?"

"Just a bunch of opportunistic and opportunistic scoundrels."

These three sentences alone were enough for Tu Chengyu to conjure up a grand drama about betrayal in his mind.

Who could have predicted that it would be his own protégé who would impeach the Grand Secretary?

This event was probably so shocking that even the emperor on his throne forgot to speak.

The voices of the court officials grew louder and louder, prompting Xia Shouzhong to remind them.

"No noise is allowed in the imperial court."

With Xia Shouzhong's reprimand, the buzzing sound immediately disappeared.

Then, the Emperor's voice rang out. "Bring the memorials to us."

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, a eunuch trotted over, took the memorial from Gu Changyuan, turned around and handed it to Xia Shouzhong.

Then Xia Shouzhong personally handed it to the Emperor.

The Emperor took the memorial, glanced at it briefly, then closed it and said:

"Didn't the Grand Secretary already explain the matter you were reporting yesterday? Why are you submitting it again today?"

Faced with the emperor's questioning, Gu Changyuan immediately replied:
"Your Majesty, it is only because I have made a new discovery that I have issued this decree to impeach him."

The Emperor said, "Now that the Grand Secretary's mistake has been discovered, why not state it in the memorial?"

Gu Changyuan replied, “Your Majesty, the matter I reported has not yet been verified. I need to confirm it with Prince Su before I can know its truth or falsehood, so I did not write it in the memorial.”

Tu Chengyu thought he was going to impeach someone, so he was listening intently.

I didn't expect this guy to bring up himself as soon as he opened his mouth.

Tu Chengyu felt once again that today's events had exceeded his expectations.

He came to court at the Crown Prince's request to help the Grand Secretary escape impeachment.

Now it feels like I've become a witness in the impeachment of the Grand Secretary.

Tu Chengyu wanted to pull the Crown Prince aside immediately and ask him what was going on.

But this is the imperial court; it's impossible for him to ask the crown prince at this time.

Just when Tu Chengyu was feeling very uncertain, the Emperor spoke.

“Minister Gu, you should know that Prince Su was in Jiangnan recently and has just returned to the capital. How could the Grand Secretary’s matter be related to Prince Su?”

Gu Changyuan replied, "Your Majesty, it is precisely because His Highness Prince Su is in Jiangnan that he knows about the Grand Secretary's affairs."

The Emperor seemed unaware of what Tu Chengyu had been doing in Jiangnan and asked, "Does Prince Su truly know about the Grand Secretary's affairs?"

Gu Changyuan affirmed, "Your Majesty, I dare not deceive you; it is indeed so."

At this point, the Emperor said, "In that case, tell me the charges against the Grand Secretary that were brought against you today."

Gu Changyuan bowed and said, "Your humble servant obeys the imperial decree. Today, your humble servant will impeach the Grand Secretary for harboring imperial criminals, colluding with Japanese pirates, engaging in smuggling and trafficking, and instructing his family members to murder court officials."

Gu Changyuan rattled off several charges, each one sounding more serious than the last.

If these charges are ultimately proven, it's hard to say whether the Grand Secretary can even save his life, let alone his position.

Upon hearing these charges, a collective gasp rippled through the court.

Clearly, everyone was frightened by these charges, and among them, Tu Chengyu was the calmest.

Because only he knew that the impeachment just now had actually happened, but the Grand Secretary was unaware of it since he didn't participate.

Even the emperor, sitting on his throne, was shocked by Gu Changyuan's impeachment.

“Minister Gu, the crimes you mentioned are extremely serious. You must not speak carelessly.”

Gu Changyuan said, "Your Majesty, I dare not speak recklessly. I will know after I have asked Prince Su."

When Tu Chengyu was mentioned, the Emperor was obviously very cautious. He did not immediately summon Tu Chengyu to confront Gu Changyuan.

Instead, he looked at the Grand Secretary and asked, "Minister Shen, do you have anything to say about Minister Gu's impeachment?" The Grand Secretary was seventy years old this year, not tall, and very thin.

With his gray hair and snow-white beard, he would look like a decrepit old man if he weren't wearing official robes.

However, the official robes made him look quite spirited and dignified.

When he heard the emperor's question, he slowly turned to look at Gu Changyuan before speaking:

"Your Majesty, I am completely unaware of the crimes that Lord Gu has mentioned. I earnestly hope that Your Majesty will investigate thoroughly."

Even though he knew the Grand Secretary wouldn't admit to these life-threatening crimes, he still had to give him the face the Emperor should.

Now that the Grand Secretary himself has refused to admit it, the Emperor said to Gu Changyuan:

"You can start asking about your plans now."

"Your humble servant obeys," Gu Changyuan bowed and agreed, then turned to Tu Chengyu and said, "Your Highness, I have a few questions I would like to ask you. Please come out and answer them."

As soon as Gu Changyuan mentioned his name, Tu Chengyu was already prepared to answer him.

Now that he brought it up, Tu Chengyu naturally stepped forward without hesitation, waiting for his questioning.

However, just as Tu Chengyu was walking out of the queue, the Crown Prince, who had been silent until now, took the opportunity to turn around and look at Tu Chengyu.

At this moment, everyone's attention was on Tu Chengyu, so the Crown Prince's turn around was not so abrupt.

Upon seeing the Crown Prince turn around, Tu Chengyu immediately looked at him, hoping to glean some information from him.

Unfortunately, all eyes in the court were on this place, and the crown prince dared not make any unnecessary moves.

When their eyes met, the Crown Prince only dared to nod slightly.

Although it was just a nod, in Tu Chengyu's eyes it was like a stabilizing force, instantly easing half of his unease.

Tu Chengyu stood in front of Gu Changyuan with even more confidence.

"Lord Gu, what do you wish to ask me?"

Gu Changyuan first bowed, then said, "Your Highness Prince Su, when you were in Jiangnan, did any salt workers' rebellion occur?"

The people of Jiangnan all knew about the salt workers' rebellion, and Tu Chengyu had even submitted a memorial about it, so there was no need to hide it at all.

Tu Chengyu answered directly: "That is indeed the case."

Upon hearing this, Gu Changyuan then asked, "As far as I know, His Highness Prince Su personally led troops to quell the salt workers' rebellion?"

Tu Chengyu nodded again and said, "It was indeed done by me."

Gu Changyuan asked again: "After Your Highness quells the rebellion, will you be able to capture the person behind it?"

Upon hearing this question, Tu Chengyu couldn't help but glance at Gu Changyuan.

Normally, he should have asked Tu Chengyu if he had captured the leader of the salt workers, but instead he asked about the person in charge behind the scenes.

This shows that Gu Changyuan knew about the salt workers' rebellion and that there was someone behind it.

Moreover, judging from the charges he brought against the Prime Minister, he should know who is behind it all.

Thinking of this, Tu Chengyu became somewhat angry.

Because of the behind-the-scenes manipulation, not many people knew about it. Apart from a few people close to Tu Chengyu, only the people on the Prime Minister's side knew.

However, Tu Chengyu had already made a deal with He Lizhang, who was under the Prime Minister, regarding this matter.

Tu Chengyu promised not to report these matters to the imperial court, and in return, they should keep them confidential.

How come it's being brought up now and used to impeach the prime minister?

However, Tu Chengyu immediately realized that Gu Changyuan, who was impeaching the Grand Secretary, was the Grand Secretary's protégé.

He likely knows what's going on.

This means that the leak of these matters was not due to a lack of secrecy, but rather because a traitor had emerged from the Grand Secretary's side.

Thinking about this, Tu Chengyu felt a little heartbroken.

Tu Chengyu didn't care at all that a traitor had emerged from among the prime minister's men.

However, this traitor is now going to impeach the prime minister, and the matter he is impeaching involves Tu Chengyu.

If things go wrong, Tu Chengyu could be implicated in this matter.

Indeed, Tu Chengyu felt that his sudden arrival at the court did not seem like he was there to rescue the Grand Secretary, but rather like he was there to become a target for others.

Tu Chengyu couldn't help but wonder if the Crown Prince had mishandled the matter or if he had some ulterior motives.

Although Tu Chengyu trusted the Crown Prince completely, the series of unusual events that began today, starting with the court session, made him feel very uneasy.

However, this was not the time to think about such things; Tu Chengyu still needed to be careful in dealing with this guy's questions.

Tu Chengyu said carefully, "I have arrested quite a few people, but I wonder if any of them are the masterminds you mentioned."

Thinking that it might backfire, Tu Chengyu answered very cautiously, trying to give a vague answer.

Gu Changyuan was clearly dissatisfied with Tu Chengyu's answer, and he asked:
"But as far as I know, Your Highness should know who is behind this."

Tu Chengyu closed his eyes slightly and asked, "Really? How come I didn't know about this?"

Seeing that Tu Chengyu still wouldn't admit it, Gu Changyuan asked directly, "Among the people Your Highness captured, is there one named Wu Youwei?"

Hearing this name made Tu Chengyu even more uneasy.

The fact that Gu Changyuan could name this person largely indicates that he might know what Wu Youwei had done.

Therefore, it is very likely that Gu Changyuan and others also found out that Tu Chengyu helped the prime minister cover up his crimes.

Thinking of this, Tu Chengyu really wanted to go over and grab the Grand Secretary to question him.

"You asked me to cover things up for you, but you should at least keep your own men in check. If you can't even control your own people, you're causing trouble for others too."

It's too late to ask these questions now; the most urgent thing is to go to Gu Changyuan first.

Tu Chengyu still intended to give a vague answer to Gu Changyuan's question.

"It seems there is such a person, but whether there is actually such a person, I really don't know. Because the interrogation was all done by my own men."

Tu Chengyu tried to leave himself some room for maneuver in order to avoid any further problems that would be difficult to resolve.

Despite Tu Chengyu's perfunctory answer, Gu Changyuan was quite satisfied with it.

He said, "Thank you for your reply, Your Highness."

Then he turned around, facing the Grand Secretary, and asked:

"Your Excellency, I have something to ask you."

Faced with his protégé who had betrayed him, the Grand Secretary's face was so dark it seemed as if water could drip from it.

He glanced at Gu Changyuan sideways and said slowly, "Lord Gu, please feel free to ask me anything. I will answer to the best of my knowledge."

Gu Changyuan was not affected at all when facing his old mentor.

He glanced at Tu Chengyu and said with a serious expression:
"May I ask, Your Excellency, do you know this Wu Youwei?"

As far as Tu Chengyu knows, the Grand Secretary definitely knows Wu Youwei. The question is, how will he answer this question?

The Grand Secretary slowly said, "I do know a man named Wu Youwei, but I don't know if the Wu Youwei I know is the same person Lord Gu is talking about."

Gu Changyuan said, "The Wu Youwei I mentioned is a wealthy merchant from Zhenjiang who specializes in the silk and porcelain business."

Upon hearing Gu Changyuan's words, the Grand Secretary nodded.

"In this light, Wu Youwei is indeed someone I know."

Gu Changyuan asked again, "May I ask, Your Excellency, what is your relationship with this Wu Youwei?"

The Grand Secretary said, "This man was a long-term worker in my household many years ago, but he later resigned and went into business."

Upon hearing this, Gu Changyuan stopped asking the Grand Secretary questions and turned directly to face the Emperor, saying:
"Your Majesty, it has been confirmed that I have impeached the Grand Secretary for harboring a criminal."

Hearing him say this, others might be completely confused, not understanding how he could be so certain of the prime minister's crimes.

However, Tu Chengyu was very clear about what the crime of harboring a wanted criminal referred to.

(End of this chapter)