Since the emperor had passed away, Lin Qingge, as the Prefect of Fengtian Prefecture, instructed Yan Tinghao to hang white cloths at the yamen entrance as a sign of respect.
Seeing the ostentatious peacock who had rushed to the yamen early in the morning, Lin Qingge raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Why are you still here?"
Hua Jinrong fanned himself with a fan and asked with a smile,
"My lord, as the scribe of the Fengtian Prefecture yamen, where else should I be if not here?"
Too lazy to waste words with the one who feigned ignorance, Lin Qingge rolled her eyes to the heavens and changed the subject.
"Right, what's the situation in the capital now?"
The succession of the throne was inseparable from the struggle for power. Although she felt that the high and mighty position was essentially that of a chosen worker who received no salary and worked twenty-four hours a day without rest, many people still flocked to it.
Moreover, even occupying that position did not guarantee peace of mind.
One had to appease the officials and the people, while constantly guarding against rebels lurking in the shadows. It was truly annoying.
As Lin Qingge was complaining fiercely in her heart, Hua Jinrong calmly analyzed, fanning himself,
"My lord, as I mentioned before, the late emperor had many children, but those most likely to inherit the throne were the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Eighth Prince.
Among them, the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince had the highest public support.
The Fourth Prince was backed by the King of Wucheng.
However, the King of Wucheng had requested to guard the imperial mausoleum for three years due to the case of the stolen disaster relief silver. The Fourth Prince, implicated in the Xiangtangguan case by Chen Shu, was also punished and confined to a manor outside the capital for three years.
In any case, they wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble in the next three years.
As for the Second Prince, he offended Madam Lin during the Cuju大会, and was crippled by her.
The Great Xia Imperial family's regulations clearly stipulated that individuals with disabilities could not ascend the throne, so he also had no chance of succession.
As for the Eighth Prince, not only was he still young, but he also had no powerful maternal relatives or influential officials as his patrons.
If he was sensible, he might be granted a fiefdom. But if he was not, he would likely remain a pampered canary in the capital for the rest of his life."
"So, according to you, Master Hua, it seems that the Crown Prince inheriting the throne is already a foregone conclusion?"
"If nothing unexpected happens, the news should arrive within a day or two.
However, my lord, you have made significant contributions to the Crown Prince's smooth succession."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qingge immediately distanced herself.
"What does the Crown Prince's succession have to do with me?
I am merely an eighth-rank official, I don't even know if the Crown Prince is tall or short, fat or thin, how could I dare to claim credit unwarranted?"
"My lord, how can you call it claiming credit unwarranted?"
Yan Tinghao, who had returned after hanging the white cloths, walked in from outside and interjected with dissatisfaction.
"My lord, you were the one who recovered the disaster relief silver, solved the Xiangtangguan case, and led us to victory in the Cuju大会. How can it be unrelated to you?
If you ask me, my lord, you deserve great credit!"
Hearing this, Lin Qingge cast a lingering glance at the silly deer in front of her. "Constable Yan, do you need to go back and help manage your family's business?"
Although somewhat puzzled, Yan Tinghao still shook his head seriously. "No need, my lord. My mother said that our family business is managed by professionals, and I only need to get married and have an heir."
Lin Qingge, feeling that Mr. and Mrs. Yan had likely given up on the simple-minded Yan and were focusing on the next generation, raised her hand and rubbed her aching temples.
Since she couldn't shake him off or retreat, she could only patiently explain.
"Constable Yan, you need to understand the principle of serving a ruler being like accompanying a tiger.
Even if, by chance, my efforts have benefited the Crown Prince, I have only done my duty.
If I were to publicize this matter everywhere, what do you think the outcome would be?"
"The outcome... would be a promotion for my lord?"
"While a promotion is a means of displaying imperial favor, if I were to constantly mention this matter, over time, it would inevitably be seen as seeking favor in return for kindness.
In that case, not only would I lose any goodwill from the Crown Prince, but with the slightest mistake, I could end up ruined and disgraced."
Facing the wild, uncivilized gaze of the silly deer, Lin Qingge, who rarely had the chance to give a subordinate a lesson in career tactics, couldn't help but sigh.
"In short, Constable Yan, just remember one thing: trouble comes from the mouth. Speak less in front of outsiders."
"Yes, my lord!"
Feeling that she had just been talking to a brick wall, Lin Qingge turned her gaze to the side. "Master Hua, I recall that besides the four princes, isn't there also a Tenth Prince?"
As if surprised that her lord would suddenly mention the 'Tenth Prince,' Hua Jinrong paused noticeably.
On the other side, Yan Tinghao seized the opportunity and volunteered,
"My lord, I know about this!
I once heard my father mention that this Tenth Prince of Great Xia was born when the Emperor, oh, the now late Emperor, went incognito to visit.
The commoner woman never knew the Emperor's true identity, but as the Emperor, he had to return to the capital to preside over court affairs.
The Emperor promised the woman that after returning home, he would send matchmakers and a grand sedan chair to marry her. The woman waited from blossom to fallen leaf, but her lover never returned, and her belly grew larger day by day.
However, being pregnant before marriage was a grave taboo for a woman.
Although the woman was not subjected to the pig cage punishment, she was still driven out of her family home.
For a woman from a boudoir to carry a child, even saying she was walking with difficulty would not be an exaggeration.
It is said that the woman passed away not long after giving birth, and the child made his way to the capital by begging. Then, using a token left by the late Emperor, he recognized his father.
However, there seems to have been a part of the recognition process that I don't quite remember.
In any case, the child was eventually recognized, and the Emperor, to compensate for his guilt, bestowed upon him the title of Tenth Prince.
Although ranked tenth, his age is probably similar to mine, and he is the only prince among all the princes to have been granted a noble title.
However, my father later muttered something about how this Tenth Prince was destined not to inherit the throne."
…
Feeling that she shouldn't have trusted this simpleton, Lin Qingge took several deep breaths before suppressing the urge to beat the deer.
The gossip was all there, but the crucial parts were completely ignored?
Good heavens!
So this simpleton selectively listened to people?
Just as Lin Qingge was sharpening her knives, ready to punish the deer, Murong Bai walked out from the backyard, yawning lazily.
"Are you talking about the Tenth Prince?
I have met the Tenth Prince in the capital before."
A step behind, Yongning, who was also holding Xu Siyun's arm as she walked out from the backyard, excitedly ran up to Murong Bai to inquire.
"Brother Bai, you've met the legendary Tenth Prince?"