Chapter 136: Feigning Ignorance and Turning Hostile

Elder Dowager Wu was in a pleasant mood lately.

Today, aside from handling state affairs, she still had the time and leisure to stroll through the imperial city, accompanied by Shangguan Xiaowan and a retinue of palace attendants.

...

Perhaps in the eyes of the civil and military officials and the aristocratic clans, remote and southern, semi-barbaric lands like Guangzhou and Quanzhou were of little consequence. As a result, the court discussion a few days ago regarding the reinstitution of maritime trade taxes on foreign merchants had proceeded unexpectedly smoothly, with almost no one voicing opposition.

As for the other matter—the military campaign to retake the Four Garrisons of Anxi...

Although not as trivial as the southern territories, it had generated considerable controversy.

Yet, the pride fostered by the Tang Dynasty since its founding would not allow the Tubo to wrest the Western Regions from Tang hands.

Despite concerns over the toll on the people and the depletion of the treasury, Elder Dowager Wu believed that as long as the planning was thorough and the generals were chosen wisely, it would not take long for those conservative ministers to waver.

Thus, once the overland routes to the Western Regions were once again under Tang control, Wu Ning's strategy of "tightening the east while loosening the west" could soon be put into practice.

...

And these were not even the primary reasons for the dowager's excellent mood...

At the mere thought of the delicate situation recently unfolding in Fangzhou, the old empress could not help but curl the corners of her mouth in a smile.

That reckless, unruly scoundrel had finally crossed paths with an even more unreasonable adversary; he was bound to suffer a bit.

"Heh heh..."

The more the dowager thought about it, the more amusing it became, and she actually chuckled aloud.

"Takes a villain to deal with a villain..."

"?" Wan'er, standing beside her, had not caught it clearly and mistook it for an imperial decree from the Holy Empress...

She asked hesitantly, "Does the Holy Empress have any instructions?"

"Nothing..." The dowager was in high spirits and smiled at Shangguan Wan'er. "I simply want to see how that brat, Wu Jiulang, is going to get past Wang Hongyi!"

"..." Wan'er heard clearly this time, but was left entirely speechless.

She truly could not understand why Her Majesty, the supreme ruler of the nation, constantly kept her eyes fixed on Fangzhou. And furthermore, that Wu Ning......

However, since the old empress was in such a rare, amiable mood, she could only play along...

She smoothly chimed in, "What else could he do? He will most likely shift his focus and appeal to Your Majesty."

"In all this world, only the Holy Empress can save him..."

"Oh?" Upon hearing this, Elder Dowager Wu became even more delighted. "Then I must make things thoroughly difficult for him."

She calculated in her heart: if I were to summon him to the capital, he would probably rather die than come...

Then I shall demand that he explain those eight characters clearly to me: "Lift the curfew, abolish the markets"!

Very well...

For several months now, the old empress had still been grappling with what those eight characters truly meant.

She had privately written to ask Taiping, but Taiping's insight was still shallow, and she needed time to listen and learn more.

Whatever Wu Ning had said, she had jotted down faithfully, but she hadn't understood it at all. When she wrote back to explain it to the dowager, the meanings no longer matched up, leaving Wu Zetian even more bewildered.

She often muttered to herself, "If only that brat were here in the capital..."

Now, thinking of this, Elder Dowager Wu couldn't help muttering once more, "Why on earth won't he believe that I won't kill him?"

"......"

Wan'er, standing by, was left even more speechless.

She truly could not hold it in any longer...

"Holy Empress..."

"Hmm?"

"Your concubine has something she does not understand, and begs the Holy Empress to enlighten me."

The dowager was in high spirits; she raised her eyes to look at Shangguan Xiaowan. "Ask away."

Upon hearing this, Wan'er turned her head and motioned for the palace attendants to withdraw.

Only then did she speak: "That Wu Ning..."

"Why does the Holy Empress insist on keeping him?"

Her brows knitted tightly together. "Since he refuses to enter the capital, while his wings are not yet fully grown, would it not be safest to eliminate him as soon as possible?"

Having said this, Shangguan Wan'er looked anxiously at Wu Zetian.

Had the imperial countenance not been exceptionally bright today, Xiaowan would never have dared to ask such a question under normal circumstances.

"Do not be afraid..." Wu Zetian said with a smile, instead comforting Wan'er.

"There is nothing here that cannot be asked."

She paced slowly forward...

"As someone close to me, if Wan'er did not ask, that would truly be duplicity."

Walking behind her, Wan'er felt greatly relieved upon hearing Wu Zetian say this. "Your concubine was afraid that asking would displease Your Majesty, yet equally afraid that not asking would mean failing to understand the imperial will, leading to improper handling of the Wu Ning affair and thereby ruining Your Majesty's intentions..."

"His political strategies are far too important!"

Wu Zetian suddenly stopped...

"I have held the reins of government for over thirty years... yet I have never seen anyone who could view this realm from Wu Ning's perspective!"

"Nor has there been anyone who could see through this Tang Dynasty quite so thoroughly!"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Wan'er asked, "Is that why Your Majesty cannot bear to kill him?"

"However... compared to the stability of the state..."

Wan'er wanted to say that given Wu Ning's background, no matter how talented he might be, he should not be kept alive, right?

"Wan'er, you are mistaken!"

Wu Zetian interrupted Xiaowan...

She turned around and looked straight into Shangguan Wan'er's eyes. "The stability of the state is undoubtedly important!"

"But for a woman..."

"Surpassing men is far more important!!"

"......!!!"

Shangguan Wan'er trembled all over!

Her heart half-understood.....

Surpassing men was more important? Indeed, if the Empress had not excelled men, she could never have reached where she was today. Even if she were merely as capable as men, she would never have had the chance to rule the Tang Dynasty!

Was this the mind of the Holy Empress? Because Wu Ning could make her surpass even men, she allowed him to live?

Yet...

Yet that still didn't make sense!

The Holy Empress had kept her eye on Wu Ning ever since the day he was born; at that time, the Empress could not possibly have known that Wu Ning would eventually prove to be of such great use.

Then why keep him alive for all these years?

"Because..."

Wu Zetian did not leave Shangguan Wan'er in suspense for long, casually providing the answer.

"Because for a woman to rule this realm!"

"The hardest part is not how brilliantly she shines while she lives... but how posterity judges her after she dies."

Having said this, Wu Zetian left a bewildered Shangguan Wan'er behind and walked on alone...

Her figure appeared somewhat desolate and lonely.

...

"Reporting to the Holy Empress, Minister Wu Sansi and Censor-in-Chief Lai Junchen request an audience."

A eunuch ran over to report.

"Oh?"

Wu Zetian was startled. "Why would these two men request an audience together?"

"Reporting to the Holy Empress, Censor Lai states that it is a matter of discord among the officials in Fangzhou, and he petitions the Holy Empress for a judgment."

"Heh..."

The old empress smiled. She had just been wondering how Wu Ning would get out of this mess this time, and right on cue, Lai Junchen had arrived.

"Admit them!"

...

While Lai and Wu had yet to arrive, the old empress returned to her bedchamber to wait, pondering quietly to herself.

She knew the situation in Fangzhou better than anyone.

Wu Ning was in the right regarding his conflict with Wang Hongyi.

Wang Hongyi had relied on imperial favor, and coupled with his own narrow-mindedness, had given in to greed. If this had involved anyone else, the moment she learned the truth, she would have given Wang Hongyi a severe dressing-down.

To put it bluntly, whether it was Wang Hongyi or Lai Junchen, including the likes of Zhou Xing and Suo Yuanli, they were all merely pawns of Elder Dowager Wu, specifically meant to do her dirty work.

They were allowed to commit evil! But... on the condition that Elder Dowager Wu had commanded them to do so!

If you committed evil on your own accord without the dowager's sanction, that was a lack of discretion.

However...

This time, the dowager truly had no intention of following the path of "reason."

Wang Hongyi had stumbled upon a lucky hit; Wu Zetian had just been fretting over how to give Wu Ning a reminder not to take himself too high and mighty.

And right on cue, this matter was delivered to her doorstep.

Of course, she could not entirely follow Wang Hongyi's wishes either; if she did that, Old Nine Wu would undoubtedly be a dead man.

Wu Zetian's intention was still not to let Wu Ning die, but to let him suffer a bit...

At the very least... Wang Hongyi had to be kept alive, because he was still useful!

As for Old Nine Wu... you can forget about the charcoal kiln.

Aren't you full of talent? Think of some other way to make your massive fortune!

...

"We pay homage to the Holy Empress!"

Lai Junchen and Wu Sansi immediately bowed deeply the moment they saw Wu Zetian.

"Rise..."

"What matter brings you two beloved subjects to petition me?"

"This..." Lai Junchen managed a wry, theatrical smile. "This... your subject hardly knows how to begin."

He presented two memorials upward. "The subordinate officials of Fangzhou, failing to appreciate the trials of the Holy Empress's toil, have instead thrown themselves into chaos and engaged in endless infighting. Your subject knows not how to judge this, and can only trouble the Holy Empress to render a decision."

Lai Junchen's speech was remarkably clever.

Before Wu Zetian had even glanced at the memorials, he had already defined the nature of the Fangzhou affair: mere discord, mere infighting.

Once Wu Zetian read the memorials, naturally she would not take Wang Hongyi's accusations of treason seriously.

Yet the old dowager merely cast a calm glance at Lai Junchen...

Thinking to herself... Did you even need to fabricate this? I know far more than you do! What Wang Hongyi's intentions were, and who devised that memorial for Sun Hongde—the dowager was crystal clear on all of it!

Of course, she still didn't know the exact contents written within the memorials; she only knew that Wu Ning had visited Wang Hongyi's residence, and then turned around and visited Sun Hongde's place.

Though she looked calmly at Lai Junchen, the dowager was actually conveying her dissatisfaction!

Lai Junchen had handled this matter with a slight lack of consideration...

Turning her gaze to Wu Sansi, she asked, "And what brings Sansi here?"

"Uh!"

Wu Sansi immediately sensed the dowager's displeasure!!

He thought to himself: This is bad! I've come to the wrong place!

As a member of the Wu clan, mingling together with a brutal inquisitor like Lai Junchen, how could the dowager possibly be pleased?

"Reporting to the Holy Empress..."

"Censor Lai momentarily could not fathom the depth of the turmoil in Fangzhou, and found himself at a loss, unsure whether he should trouble the Holy Empress."

"Knowing that your subject had just returned from Fangzhou, he sought me out shortly ago to inquire about the details of Fangzhou."

"Yet your subject actually only had a hazy understanding of the affairs among the Fangzhou officials, fearing that any judgment might be flawed. Thus I had no choice but to once more trouble the Holy Empress for a decision."

"Knowing further that once the Holy Empress learned of this matter, she would inevitably summon a subject like me who slightly understood the inner workings to question me."

"Hence, I presumed to make my own decision and accompanied Censor Lai here."

Very well, quite the storyteller!

"Hmm..." Wu Zetian responded indifferently, letting the matter pass.

She had never intended to pursue it deeply in the first place; it was merely meant as a warning.

She opened Wang Hongyi's report and read it...

"Heh..."

Elder Dowager Wu was actually amused...

And blurted out, "How is it that this Wang Hongyi never shows any growth?!"

Always resorting to that old trope of treason, couldn't he come up with a different excuse? The dowager was thoroughly sick of it.

"......"

"......"

Yet the two men kneeling below perceived a completely different meaning and exchanged glances.

They thought to themselves: Thankfully, we didn't go too far; the Holy Empress果然 intended to protect Wu Changlu after all.

At this moment, Lai Junchen's heart was completely at ease! He hurriedly chimed in, "Your subject said as much; Wang Hongyi must have panicked once again and exaggerated the situation."

"Indeed," Wu Sansi chimed in. "While I was in Fangzhou, I often heard that Magistrate Sun and Vice-Prefect Wu were both upright men, unversed in socializing and perhaps somewhat dictatorial in their methods."

"Yet they are miles away from the crime of treason."

"From what your subject understands, Wu Changlu possesses some family assets, operates a rather large charcoal business, and indeed had intentions of entering into business partnerships with Magistrate Sun."

"While the two of them overstepped regulations, treason... is entirely out of the question."

Ah!!

Wu Zetian loved hearing this; Wu Sansi certainly knew how to hold a conversation. She had genuinely feared that the two cowards below, thinking she intended to shield Wu and Sun, wouldn't dare to speak the truth.

"Oh?"

"I heavily promoted Wu Changlu and elevated him out of turn, yet he shows no gratitude and still dares to overstep regulations?"

"......"

Upon hearing this, Wu Sansi and Lai Junchen.....

Oh, damn! The Holy Empress knew how to play the game too! They had also been afraid that the Empress would overly favor Wu Changlu, which would dash their hopes regarding the charcoal kiln.

Hearing it put this way.... there was still hope!

A massive amount of hope!

Following the dowager's lead, they continued, "Your Majesty does not know, but Wu Changlu indeed went a bit too far this time."

"Relying on Emperor Taizhou's decree that official courier routes in the south are exempt from taxes, he not only monopolized the Fangzhou charcoal industry, but even sold it into Sichuan."

"This severely damaged the profits of the Bashu charcoal merchants."

"Hmm..." Wu Zetian nodded. "Then according to Sansi's view, how should this be handled?"

"This..."

Wu Sansi pondered for a moment. "Wu's Wuzhu charcoal is indeed fine charcoal."

"To order it shut down simply to uphold official decorum would be a regrettable waste."

"Furthermore, since Wu Changlu is a talent heavily favored by the Holy Empress, punishing him right after his appointment would invite criticism."

"Your subject believes... it would be better to bestow some rewards upon Wu Changlu, and then bring Fangzhou's Wuzhu charcoal under official jurisdiction, exclusively for imperial use. That would not be a bad strategy."

Lai Junchen, standing nearby, almost laughed out loud; bringing Wu Sansi along had truly been the right choice!

This fellow certainly knew how to speak.

He hastily kowtowed: "Your subject seconds this!"

Before his eyes, he could already picture streams of endless wealth rushing toward him!

"......"

Wu Zetian's mood improved even further...

Thinking to herself: If all my ministers knew how to speak as well as Wu Sansi, how much trouble would I be saved?

That was precisely what the old dowager had in mind!

To shut it down entirely would seem too devoid of human sentiment, whereas bringing it under official jurisdiction was the best possible outcome.

Look at that.... Old Nine Wu, after all your fussing and tossing, it has ended up in my hands. Wasn't that delightful?

"Hmm... Then let it be done thus."

"As for this Wang Hongyi..."

She picked up Sun Hongde's memorial..... just as she was about to open it.

Seeing this, Lai Junchen hastily spoke up, "That one... Your Majesty need not look at it!"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"This Sun Hongde has likely lost his mind; his memorial is even more unseemly than Wang Hongyi's... Your subject fears it will anger Your Majesty."

"Indeed so!" Wu Sansi hurriedly chimed in. Since the dowager had already agreed and hadn't taken Wang Hongyi's talk of treason seriously, there was no need to read Sun Hongde's memorial.

Moreover, that memorial now served only one remaining purpose.

And that was to highlight their own incompetence!!

To dare submit such an unreliable memorial upward—both of them were terrified the Empress would fly into a rage upon reading it!

"I must still take a look."

Wu Zetian said playfully, thinking to herself that even if she didn't read Wang Hongyi's piece, she had to look at Sun Hongde's...

She was curious as to what brilliant trick Old Nine Wu had played to convince Sun Hongde to write such a memorial, pass Lai Junchen's screening, and finally land in her hands.

Even more, she was curious how Old Nine Wu would handle an unreasonable rogue like Wang Hongyi.....

She opened it and read!!

"Spying on neighbors, improperly creating concubine ranks, engaging in commerce through close relatives, encroaching upon the wealth of the common people, and colluding with Buddhist monks!!"

Puff!!!

Elder Dowager Wu burst out laughing on the spot!

This had to be the funniest joke she had seen all year!

While others had thrown out accusations of treason, you come up with such trivial, petty matters to brush it off???

She blurted out, "This Wu Jiulang is truly disappointing!"

What!!?

Wu Sansi trembled all over, every hair on his body standing on end!!

Wu Jiulang?? Wu Ning?

Why did the Holy Empress mention Wu Ning in connection with Sun Hongde's memorial???

What was so special about that seemingly harmless Wu Ning that he remained constantly on the Empress's mind?

When Wu Sansi thought about it deeply, he was given a fright!!

He suddenly realized that over the past half year or so, the Holy Empress had issued three imperial edicts to that Wu Jiulang....

Before he could puzzle out the connections,

A heavy cry of astonishment burst from the elevated seat of Elder Dowager Wu!!

"What!??!"

"！！!"

Both men shifted expressions, gazing blankly at Wu Zetian.

At this moment, the old dowager's gaze was fixed...

Staring blankly at four characters on the memorial!!

"Colluding, with, Buddhist, monks!"

Colluding with Buddhist monks!!!

At that exact moment, Wu Zetian suddenly recalled that among Wu Ning's box of political strategies, one seemed to be gradually growing clear.

In that particular strategy, Wu Ning had stepped outside the framework of the Tang Dynasty, horizontally comparing the final periods of various dynasties throughout Chinese history, and arrived at a conclusion.

Without exception, every dynasty had fallen due to the accumulation of land. And the chief culprit behind land accumulation was high-usury lending.

Peasants had no money for production and were forced to borrow, and being unable to repay, they were eventually compelled to mortgage their lands!

Wu Ning had strongly recommended in that document that Wu Zetian strictly control high-interest loans.

Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the largest moneylenders had been Buddhist monasteries!

Thus, Old Nine Wu had suggested to the old dowager that if she wished to cure the malady of land accumulation, she must first control lending; and if she wished to control the practice of lending, she had to begin with the monks!!

Begin with the monks.....

Looking at the words "colluding with Buddhist monks" in her hands...

After a long silence!

"Someone come here!!"

"Issue an imperial decree: relieve Di Renjie of his post as Prefect of Bazhou, and order him to return to the capital immediately."

"Elevate him to Minister of the Fengge and thoroughly investigate the Wang Hongyi case!!"

Crash!!!

Wu Sansi and Lai Junchen almost choked to death on the spot!!

Wasn't she in a good mood just a moment ago?

Why had she suddenly turned hostile?

........