novelraw Chapter 237
Chapter 237
Chapter 237: Catching the Traitor
Regarding the matter of dispatching troops to pacify Donghai Commandery, Emperor Wei ultimately did not allow anyone who attended the meeting that day to spread the news.
Thanks to Wei Yu's reminder, Emperor Wei knew there was a traitor within the court. To prevent the leak of information, he had to first find this traitor.
So, while the Prime Minister and others were all pondering how His Majesty should search for the traitor, their respected Emperor suddenly announced that he would hold a military examination competition. He even demanded that all officials in the capital attend!
The capital hadn't held a military examination for several years, and once this news broke, the entire capital suddenly became lively.
Not only did officials of the Imperial Court speculate on His Majesty’s intentions, but even the common people of the capital were abuzz with discussion. The most widespread and believable rumor was that the Emperor intended to select a new military general, and the winner of the military examination would receive His Majesty’s reward.
The details of the discussion would not be mentioned, but in short, from the moment Emperor Wei ordered the competition to when it started, only five days had passed.
It was all very rushed. Many people who were not in the capital didn’t even have time to return and register before the military examination began.
For Emperor Wei, the essential purpose was to find the traitor. Whether the preparation was sufficient or how many people showed up was not his concern.
On the day of the military examination, everyone involved was very excited, saying the trip was well worth it! Why?
Because that day was the closest they had ever been to His Majesty!
Each person who arrived was personally called over by His Majesty for a few words of greeting!
How often would such an opportunity occur?
His Majesty was busy with state affairs every day and normally couldn’t remember small details. Some low-ranking officials, upon being called forward, even prepared to introduce themselves. But, to their surprise, His Majesty could immediately call out their names!
Heavens, for these people who had almost never seen His Majesty, the fact that His Majesty could remember them was enough to move them to tears!
In response, Emperor Wei, who possessed mind-reading ability, expressed helplessness.
Who could blame him? When everyone went forward, their thoughts were quite similar— all reciting self-introductions in their minds…
Inadvertently, this increased the Emperor’s prestige. During this military examination, Emperor Wei successfully identified the traitor— the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War.
Having found the culprit, Emperor Wei didn’t hesitate. He immediately dispatched Huo Tingyu with men to arrest him.
That day, the entire residence of the Right Assistant Minister was surrounded by the Gray Guards. Except for the arrested Assistant Minister, no one was allowed to enter or leave the residence.
The commotion was somewhat large. Following His Majesty’s sudden announcement of the military examination, the arrest of the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War quickly became the number one topic of discussion among the crowds in the capital.
Among all the Princes, the most avid gossipers were the Fifth Prince.
To get the freshest gossip, he even brought along the Fourth Brother and the Sixth Brother to the Eldest Prince’s residence to inquire.
"Eldest Brother, it’s already been three days since that traitor was taken to the Censorate. Do you know any progress? I’m quite curious when exactly he colluded with Cao Ji."
The Fifth Prince, holding the fan at his waist, clicked his tongue and shook his head. “I wonder how much silver Cao Ji gave him. Sigh, Father Emperor hasn’t even ordered Huo Tingyu to raid his house yet. If they did, the National Treasury could easily gain at least a million taels.”
Inside the room, several Princes sat separately.
The Eldest Prince sat boldly behind a desk in the inner room, while the Fourth and Sixth Princes sat at a tea table in the outer room. The Fifth Prince leaned on the middle bamboo seat, glancing left at the Eldest Brother and right at the Fourth Brother and Sixth Brother.
The Fourth Prince raised his head and glanced at him.
With just that look, the Fifth Prince caught it.
He teased the Fourth Prince with a smile, “Fourth Brother only looks at others when talking about money. Why don't you tell us how much silver was spent on those new factories you built recently?”
The Fourth Prince put down his teacup and smiled.
Indeed, in the few months since Wei Yu left the capital, Fourth Prince had talked a lot with Deng Zhengde and had built several new factories.
These factories were all established based on products researched at Wei Yu's Research Institute.
There was soap, perfume, toothpaste, and several feasible fertilizers—all great products that would sell well once on the market.
Once Deng Zhengde returns, factories near the Merchants' Alliance would produce and sell these items. Not only the people near Jiaozhou would be able to use them, but perhaps they might even be sold to Great Liang so that people there could enjoy them.
Thinking about this scenario made the Fourth Prince uncomfortable.
After all, the most prosperous place in Great Wei was their capital!
It made no sense that things unavailable in the capital would appear first elsewhere. This would frustrate the wealthy nobles living in the capital!
The capital had many wealthy people; if good products were not sold there first, wouldn’t that be losing face to these wealthy people in the capital?!
Anyway, the Fourth Prince never missed any opportunity to make money.
His glasses shop’s branch was already being orderly built in Ziyang County!
Regarding the factories mentioned by the Fifth Prince, the Fourth Prince just silently smiled at him. “Fifth Brother’s kindness is appreciated. The money for building the factories is just small change; Fifth Brother can rest assured.”
The Fourth Prince now was not short of silver.
In his view, the only people he needed to actively give money to were Father Emperor, Imperial Mother, and Ninth Brother.
After all, Ninth Brother was the crucial key to his source of silver!
The Fifth Prince looked at the Fourth Prince with a half-smile, half-smirk. “Looks like Fourth Brother has truly made a lot of silver this year, tsk tsk tsk.”
At this moment, the Eldest Prince looked up towards the outer room and called out loudly, “Enough, you two stop bickering. Fifth Brother, what exactly do you want to know?”
The Eldest Prince had previously been wary of the Fourth Prince. After all, the Fourth Prince’s birth mother was the Imperial Consort, more prestigious than the Imperial Mothers of the other Princes.
But until a year ago, this Fourth Brother had suddenly taken liking and openly doing business. Doing business was not forbidden, but a Prince openly engaging in trade on a large scale inevitably invited gossip and disdain.
Competing with the people for profit basically ruled Fourth Prince out as a contender for the throne.
So now, the Eldest Prince basically didn’t keep the Fourth Prince in mind much.
If his Fourth Brother liked commerce, let him do business. If he could earn more for the National Treasury, even better. That would make it easier when he eventually ascended the throne…
Being addressed by the Eldest Prince, the Fifth Prince turned around and said, “Ah, actually it’s nothing much. I just want to know when Eldest Brother plans to depart.”
The Eldest Prince frowned. “That matter depends on Father Emperor’s decision.”
The Fourth Prince smiled. “Perhaps Father Emperor is waiting on the Censorate’s confession, maybe they’ll learn more about Cao Ji. That would help Eldest Brother’s expedition.”
“Actually, I didn’t expect Father Emperor to send Eldest Brother.”
The Fifth Prince slowly waved his fan, his face full of disbelief. “Eldest Brother, do you think Father Emperor intends to transfer you to the Ministry of War? Could it be that I’m about to have a Grand General Brother?”