Prince Kang's Mansion.
At dusk, the evening clouds blazed brilliantly. The entire residence was bathed in the orange-red glow of the setting sun, as though plated with a hazy crimson warmth, lending it an added touch of splendor and magnificence.
It was undoubtedly a breathtaking sight.
Ordinarily, Prince Kang might have paused to admire it for a while. But today, he was in no mood for it, ordering the carriage straight into the mansion.
His mood was abysmal.
After the Grand Court Assembly, he should have immediately returned to the Prince's Mansion and hurried to deal with the tax investigation.
Yet the people from the Engineering Directorate had entangled him, insisting on dragging him into questions about the specific plan for subjugating the Southern Frontier Barbarian Gu Tribe. They pressed him for details regarding the engineering equipment, construction materials, and all manner of other necessities for the campaign, showing every sign of refusing to let the matter rest. He had only managed to break free after flying into a rage.
Though the Southern Frontier Barbarian Gu Tribe was far less populous than before, it still occupied a vast stretch of land south of Tianfu. Even after the plan was finalized, preparations such as gathering provisions, determining the roster of those accompanying the army, and so on would have to be completed before the troops could be mobilized and set out. At the very fastest, it would still take several months. What was the rush?
Those people had done it deliberately. It had to be a delaying tactic arranged by Wang Zhouhui.
What he needed to deal with most urgently now was the tax investigation. If that was mishandled, forget becoming Grand Marshal of the Campaign—even his prestige as a Quasi-Imperial Son would suffer a severe blow, which would in turn