Chapter 22: With the Old Chancellor Stepping In, Can Qin Feng Truly Be Tamed?

"I am innocent! I am innocent! I have been framed by villains!"

Outside the Meridian Gate, agonizing cries echoed incessantly. Hu Weiyong leaned against the wall, waves of dizziness washing over him. Watching Han Shiyuan, the Minister of Justice, being dragged away to serve as a scapegoat, he felt a lingering terror. He had initially thought Qin Feng’s decision to leave those desperate men alive was a foolish act of misplaced cleverness, but he now realized it had been a meticulously designed trap intended to smoke out the snakes.

Everything had been planned by the Emperor and Qin Feng long ago. Had he reported the matter to the Emperor, he might have suffered the same fate as Han Shiyuan. Thinking of this, Hu Weiyong wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his legs giving way, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. Fortunately, Wang Hu, the Minister of Works, and Li Tai, the Minister of Revenue, caught him just in time.

"Prime Minister Hu, Qin Feng is no ordinary man to be butchered at will. He has both schemes and strategies, and with the Emperor backing him, what are we to do from here on?"

"He has even managed to entrap Minister Han of the Ministry of Justice; perhaps we are next on his list!"

"The court is in a state of panic. If Qin Feng succeeds as the Governor of Waterways, the very heavens of our Great Ming will truly change!"

"Prime Minister Hu, you must think of a solution! If Qin Feng truly becomes the Governor of Waterways, we are all finished!"

Hu Weiyong replied bitterly, "That scoundrel Qin Feng is insidious and cunning. We are no match for him on our own."

"Then what do we do? Are we just to sit and wait for our deaths?"

Hu Weiyong said in a deep voice, "Since Qin Feng has torn through the sky, we need someone to step forward and patch it up!"

"Who could possibly patch up this sky?"

Hu Weiyong cupped his hands toward the heavens and said, "Only by requesting the Old Chancellor to come out of retirement can we ensure our safety. Otherwise, we might as well wait for that scoundrel Qin Feng to pull us down one by one."

With that, Hu Weiyong swayed as he left the Meridian Gate, leaving Wang Hu and Li Tai behind in a daze. Could the Old Chancellor truly bring Qin Feng to heel?

...

Yingtian Prefecture.

Carrying a modest gift, Hu Weiyong knocked on the gates of the Duke of Han’s mansion.

Upon entering the residence, a man over sixty years of age with a benevolent appearance was hunched over a desk, his brush dancing across the paper with vigor. This was Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han and a founding hero of the Great Ming.

"Old Chancellor, your calligraphy grows increasingly fluid and graceful!"

"Prime Minister Hu, you never visit without a reason," Li Shanchang said with a smile. "Sit, please."

"I had some spare time today, so I brought a few humble gifts to pay you a visit."

"Between us, is there any need for such formalities? What difficult problem in the court has brought you here to ask for advice?" Li Shanchang asked, taking a sip of tea.

Hu Weiyong feigned surprise. "Does the Old Chancellor, living here in your mansion, hear nothing of the world outside? Such a major event has occurred in the court—are you truly unaware?"

Li Shanchang frowned. "I retired from office long ago; how could I be better informed about court affairs than you, Prime Minister?"

"Old Chancellor, a disaster has struck! The Yellow River has breached its banks, leaving millions of people homeless. The Emperor is furious and has ordered all officials involved in the waterway management to be escorted to the capital for trial. Once the waterway matter is investigated, it will shake the entire foundation of the court. I fear even you, Old Chancellor, may not be able to emerge unscathed this time!"

Li Shanchang slammed his hand on the table and glared at Hu Weiyong in anger. "Hu Weiyong! You have a lot of nerve! What does the matter of the waterways have to do with me? You are greedy beyond measure; do not attempt to drag me into this."

"Old Chancellor, please calm your anger. I had initially arranged for your distant relative, Li Zhen, to serve as the Governor of Waterways, so that we might keep the situation under our control. But a scoundrel named Qin Feng appeared out of nowhere and has won the Emperor's deep trust. Now, the Emperor intends to appoint him as the Governor of Waterways, and the officials in court are all fearing for their lives. I was truly at my wit's end, which is why I came to beg you to come out of retirement and help us navigate this crisis!"

Having drifted through the tides of bureaucracy for so many years, Li Shanchang gave a faint smile, having long since discerned the true meaning behind Hu Weiyong’s words. Hu Weiyong had come purely to use his hands to eliminate Qin Feng. Li Shanchang had heard of the name Qin Feng before. It was said he was the Emperor’s hand-picked tutor for the Crown Prince, and rumors claimed he was the most favored minister in the Great Ming. Not only could he enter and leave the palace at will, but he could also participate in imperial audiences. He could even access the inner treasury and the Shanglin Imperial Park without the Emperor’s presence. He had emptied the Emperor’s private treasury and burned down the Shanglin Park, which represented the royal dignity, yet faced no punishment!

In Li Shanchang’s view, the reason for the Emperor’s deep trust in Qin Feng was either that he was the Emperor’s illegitimate son, or a future son-in-law to one of the princesses! And yet, this fool Hu Weiyong wanted him to step forward and take down Qin Feng? Was he in such a hurry to die?

Li Shanchang gently set down his teacup and said coolly, "The Emperor has his own reasons for promoting whoever he chooses as Governor of Waterways; it is not something we can influence."

Seeing that Li Shanchang refused to commit, Hu Weiyong cursed the "old fox" in his heart. In the world of adults, if there is no quick agreement, it means rejection. But Hu Weiyong persisted. "Old Chancellor, once the imperial decree is issued, we will all be in mortal danger."

Li Shanchang felt a surge of displeasure, his eyes flashing with coldness. "Hu Weiyong! Silence! If you have nothing else to say, leave my mansion."

Seeing that Li Shanchang would not step forward to save the current situation in the court, Hu Weiyong suddenly threw his head back and laughed. "Hahaha... Old Chancellor, I possess evidence that your son purchased flooded farmland along the river. If you refuse to step in, the moment Qin Feng takes the position of Governor of Waterways, I will present it to the Emperor. We shall all perish together! If Qin Feng does not become the Governor, we shall all remain safe and sound. But if he takes that seat, do not blame me for disregarding our past friendship. Farewell!"

With those words, Hu Weiyong flicked his sleeves coldly and strode out of the Duke’s mansion, leaving a stunned Li Shanchang standing there, his heart in turmoil.

"Unfilial son! That unfilial son!"

Li Shanchang closed his eyes. He had hoped that after so many years of greed, he could finally retire fully and leave no leverage for others. He never expected that, despite all his calculations, he would be brought down by his own beloved son! Now, the situation with the waterways forced his hand. Li Shanchang wondered if his old bones still carried any weight before the Emperor.

After leaving the Duke of Han’s mansion, Hu Weiyong felt a sense of relief. He had done this to vent his anger on behalf of his son. Having fought several rounds with Qin Feng and lost every time, he realized that the scoundrel was not easily handled. Thus, he had no choice but to forcefully bind Li Shanchang to his ship, using the Duke’s influence to eliminate Qin Feng!

Li Shanchang had not expected this, had he? He had kept himself clean for so long, only to be dragged into the water by his own greedy son in the end.

As Hu Weiyong sat in his sedan chair on the way back, his expression grew dark. "Scoundrel Qin Feng! Let’s see how much longer you can gloat!"