Elder Shen did not answer immediately.
The emperor had previously damaged his health by taking elixirs, causing recurring headaches, and today he suffered several further aggravations.
The crown prince murdered his brother.
The Empress Consort Xian fought each other.
The beloved young prince died before his eyes.
These pressures would be too much for an ordinary person to handle.
Elder Shen said in a low voice, "First, we'll administer acupuncture, then we'll use herbal medicine to clear phlegm and open the orifices. Whether His Majesty can wake up depends on his own fate."
Gao Fu's legs went weak upon hearing this, and he had to hold onto a pillar to keep from falling.
Outside the palace, the seven new favorites had already changed their clothes.
But the fear still lingered on their faces, where blood had splattered.
Some whispered and cried, wanting to leave the palace; others asked if they would be buried alive with the emperor if he didn't wake up.
The leading female official reprimanded her coldly.
"Anyone who dares to make a move is a traitor and a rebel."
Those people immediately shut up.
The most terrifying thing in the palace is never the blood.
After the emperor falls, who will be the first to reach for the chair?
Wenyuan Pavilion.
The earthen stove was burning brightly, and several high-ranking officials sat on either side of the long table.
The Imperial Clan Court locked up the Eastern Palace, the Imperial Guard sealed off the Plum Garden, and layers upon layers of armored soldiers guarded the Hall of Supreme Ultimate.
The crown prince was supposed to oversee the country, but now he has become a person awaiting punishment.
National affairs cannot be stopped, and the border will not wait for anyone.
Su Wenyuan sat at the head of the table, holding the last three memorials: one from Anyang, one from Yi Prefecture, and the other a military report from Jiannan Circuit sent by the Ministry of War.
The Grand Commandant and the Ministry of War sat on either side, their expressions calm.
The other ministers sat at the back, with their rejection lists laid out in front of them, and none of them spoke first.
They argued fiercely over the previous memorials, but they quieted down over these last three.
The Ministry of Revenue stared at the account books, his fingertip pressing on the words "remaining silver in the imperial treasury," his expression not very pleasant.
Among these people, some were close to the Prince An's Residence, some had already tied themselves to the Prince Yi's Residence, and some just wanted to prevent further chaos in the capital.
Su Wenyuan first picked up the secret letter from Anyang.
The envelope was stamped with the vermilion seal of the Prince An's Residence, and the paper used was top-quality Chengxintang paper, clearly indicating that the messenger took the matter very seriously.
Su Wenyuan unfolded the letter, and his brows furrowed when he saw the first line.
"Recently in Yi Prefecture... they have been using celestial fire to refine [something], suspected to be a form of Gu poison."
No one spoke in the pavilion.
Grand Commandant Lin Zhenshan raised his head, looked at Su Wenyuan, and asked hesitantly, "Prime Minister Chancellor Su, I didn't hear clearly just now. Did Prince An say that Prince Yi refined something?"
Su Wenyuan pushed the letter forward half an inch.
"Manure."
Lin Zhenshan's hand remained suspended in mid-air, not falling for a long time, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.
Su Wenyuan continued reading.
"Once again, the Prince Yi's Residence has gathered bandits... plotting something sinister."
Upon hearing this, the Ministry of War stroked his beard but did not join in the laughter.
He was a member of the Prince An's Faction, and the troops, trade routes, and military supplies in Anyang were all somewhat connected to him.
But this letter was so poorly written that it was hard to swallow.
"His Highness Prince An's concerns are not entirely unfounded."
The Ministry of War looked up at the crowd, his tone steady.
" Prince Yi recruited former soldiers and mountain bandits in Yi Prefecture, and raised funds from merchants to build roads, canals, and open shops. These actions, taken individually, may not be considered crimes, but when combined, they certainly arouse suspicion."
Su Wenyuan did not refute, but simply turned to the last page of the letter.
" Minister Liu is right; the court should investigate."
"If Prince An truly wants to investigate Prince Yi's gathering of followers, training of troops, and accumulation of wealth, he should send account books, witnesses, weapons, or concrete evidence of the Yi Prefecture Army."
He raised his finger and tapped the four characters "refining Gu poison".
"It's not like writing a truckload of sewage as an urgent dispatch from 800 li away."
The Minister of Ministry of Revenue couldn't help but cough, bowing his head.
The Ministry of Rites closed the letter's envelope and said calmly, "If Prince An's letter is sent to the Censorate, the censors will probably first investigate how many latrines there are in Yi Prefecture and how deep the latrines are before even discussing the prince's alleged rebellion."
Someone in the room lowered their head and their shoulder twitched slightly.
Su Wenyuan over, and no one dared to make a sound.
He set aside the secret letter from Anyang and picked up the memorial sent by Yi Prefecture.
This memorial was jointly signed by Si Renyou, the Yi Prefecture, Zhen Daijin, the Commandant of the Vanguard, and Gu Moran, the Prince Yi, and was sealed with three seals.
Si Renyou first recounted the story of the Tubo spies infiltrating Yi Prefecture, and attached diagrams of Tubo rope knots and hidden blades, as well as excerpts from interrogation confessions.
The confession was written very clearly.
The Tubo Chisang Tribe planned to take advantage of the snowfall to invade Jiannan Circuit, first cutting off the supply lines and then kidnapping the prince, in order to force Great Yan make concessions on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.
Zhen Daijin's submission was more direct: the passes of Jiannan Circuit were not guarded enough, and Yi Prefecture Zhechong Command could defend the city, but it had no authority to transfer troops across the border, let alone coordinate the grain routes of various prefectures.
Finally, there was Gu Moran's memorial to the throne.
The words were few, and the tone was restrained.
"Your Majesty, I am physically weak and have no ability to command troops."
"However, Yi Prefecture is... If, because of your son, the enemy is allowed to advance unchecked, your son will be able to atone with ten thousand deaths."
"I humbly request Your Majesty's permission for me to take command of the defenses of Jiannan Circuit... to safeguard the nation's borders."
"If we cannot hold the city, I am willing to die beneath its walls."
Su Wenyuan finished reading but did not speak immediately.
The Minister of Ministry of Revenue first reached out and took the grain transport register attached by Si Renyou. After flipping through a few pages, his brows furrowed more and more.
"Thirty percent of the Northern Expeditionary Army's winter provisions had to be transported through Yi Prefecture."
"If the Tubo really cut in from Jiannan Circuit, their supply lines will be cut off, and those tens of thousands of troops in the north will go hungry."
The Ministry of War took the memorial and stared at the number of soldiers guarding the passes listed by Zhen Daijin.
He had originally intended to point out a few exaggerated parts, but found that the writing was quite restrained.
The missing soldiers weren't replaced, the damaged city walls weren't repaired, and the broken plank roads weren't hidden.
The Minister of Ministry of Personnel looked at the memorial and suddenly asked, " Si Renyou served in Yi Prefecture for seventeen years, Zhen Daijin for Yi Prefecture years. One is a civil official, and the other is a military general. In the past, neither of them was willing to easily take sides for the prince."
"Now that they dare to put their names and seals on it, what do you all think is the reason?"
The Minister of Ministry of Revenue looked up and said, "This at least shows that the matter in Yi Prefecture has reached a point where they have no choice but to speak up."
Lin Zhenshan remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "This also shows that Prince Yi did indeed accomplish some things after arriving in Yi Prefecture."
As soon as he said that, everyone in the pavilion looked over.
Lin Zhenshan did not avoid the gaze of the crowd.
"I will not advocate for Prince Yi's merits, nor do I agree with his current appointment of military power in Jiannan Circuit."
"Your Ministry of War should have written reports regarding the irrigation canals, granaries, post roads, and trade routes of Yi Prefecture."
The fact that Si Renyou and Zhen Daijin were willing to sign jointly shows that the ailing prince was at least not just hiding in the inner quarters drinking medicine.
Su Wenyuan up his herbal tea, took a sip, and didn't respond.
They were all Gu Moran's fathers-in-law, and at this moment, they shouldn't say too much on behalf of their son-in-law.
The Minister of Ministry of Revenue placed Prince An's secret letter and Yi Prefecture's petition for battle side by side on his desk.
A letter read, "Rebellion using excrement."
One letter read, "Guard the border and protect the grain."
The two pieces of paper, placed side by side, already have different weights.
The Ministry of War raised his hand and tapped the table.
" Prince Yi's desire to exercise temporary control over the defenses of Jiannan Circuit is no small matter."
" Jiannan Circuit connects seven prefectures, three passes, and two grain transport routes. Prince Yi were to seize this power, he could mobilize not only the Yi Prefecture's Zhechong Command, but also the post stations along the route, local garrisons, and grain transport escorts."
"If we give it to him today, who will collect it later?"
Su Wenyuan at him.
"Does Minister Liu mean it's not allowed?"
"It's not that it's inaccurate, it's that it can't be that accurate."
The Ministry of War sat up straight, his tone becoming serious.
"The imperial court can order Yi Prefecture to strengthen its defenses, can order all prefectures to declare martial law, and can allocate funds and weapons for defense in advance."
"However, the authority to exercise temporary control over the troops of Jiannan Circuit must be limited in terms of territory, timeframe, and specific matters."
"If the Tubo do not arrive, Prince Yi shall not cross Yi Prefecture to mobilize troops."
To mobilize troops stationed in other prefectures, a warrant must be jointly issued by the Hall of State Affairs and the Ministry of War. Once the war ends, the warrant must be immediately withdrawn.