Earl of Huichang appeared honest, but his thoughts ran deep. Ever since the Emperor ascended the throne, he had obeyed only the Emperor.
While the Empress Dowager was still around, he had kept the other members of the Sun family low-profile and away from the Zhang Family's edge. Whenever court affairs were discussed, he knew nothing when asked three times. Back when people mentioned the Imperial Uncle, everyone inside and outside the Capital City knew only the Zhang brothers, never the Sun brothers.
Once the Empress Dowager grew old and the Emperor gradually came of age, he began entering the palace more frequently. Whenever state affairs were discussed, he always followed the Emperor's lead. Whatever the Emperor said went.
Had he not been cautious enough, he would have long become the treacherous imperial relative on every official's lips. Several times, people at court had tried to curry favor with him and seek official posts for Sun family descendants, only to be sternly refused.
It was precisely because of his caution that Wang Zhen appeared increasingly arrogant and overbearing by comparison. Thus, the worse Wang Zhen's reputation became, the better the reputation of this legitimate imperial relative grew.
Naturally, Yun Yan did not believe Earl of Huichang was truly honest. After the Emperor ascended the throne, his spending had become extravagant. It was difficult to draw from the national treasury, while the private treasury came with many restrictions, so Earl of Huichang had found ways to make money for the Emperor.
The vast majority of the Sun family's smuggling and maritime trade profits had gone into the Emperor's pocket.
Moreover, Yun Yan had accompanied the Emperor and heard Earl of Huichang participate in policy discussions several times. He had always supported lifting the maritime ban.
Yun Yan did not think that