The White Moonlight Turns Out to Be a Black-Hearted Lotus - Chapter 9

Heavy rain poured down like a deluge, accompanied by rolls of thunder. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, and in its fleeting glow, Ji Yuanhui caught a glimpse of a figure standing under the veranda by the entrance.

What was going on? His head felt heavy and muddled; he couldn’t recall how things had come to this.

“He hasn’t gone back yet?” Ji Yuanhui heard his own voice ring out, slightly hoarse and irritable. “If I can’t bring myself to lose face, can’t you all? Are you all useless? Don’t you know how to go and persuade him?”

“Young Master Pei said that if you do not agree, he will stay there and never leave.” Seeing Ji Yuanhui’s expression grow increasingly unsightly, Butler Zhang’s voice dropped lower and lower. “He said… until you relent.”

As the sound of the rain grew heavier by the minute, the anxiety in Ji Yuanhui’s heart deepened. He asked, “Is the rain heavy outside?”

Butler Zhang replied truthfully, “It is.”

Ji Yuanhui hesitated for a moment but eventually asked, “Where is he… will he get soaked?”

“No, no,” the butler said. “It’s just that kneeling there in this weather is truly grueling. I originally went to offer him a soft cushion, but the Young Master… he refused it.”

“He’s kneeling?” Ji Yuanhui suddenly stood up, enraged. “Who told him to kneel?”

The butler thought to himself, Who would dare make him kneel? Feeling his scalp go numb, he replied, “Perhaps… it is the Young Master’s own wish.”

Realizing he had lost his composure just now, Ji Yuanhui muttered to himself as a way of saving face, “Let him kneel then.”

The butler did not dare respond to those words; he simply lowered his head and listened.

“Tsk.” Ji Yuanhui stood up and paced in a circle. “Who is he showing this stubbornness to? If he catches a chill and ruins his legs from kneeling, he’ll have a miserable time whenever it rains in the future.”

Not knowing what else to complain about, he began to grumble about the weather: “Why did it have to rain…”

Not daring to let his master’s words fall to the ground unanswered, Butler Zhang engaged in idle talk: “It is only natural for there to be much rain during the summer…”

Ji Yuanhui paced back and forth several more times before finally waving the servants away and walking out with hurried steps.

Likely hearing the sound of footsteps, Pei Xu lifted his head to look at him. His face appeared pale, bearing the look of someone yet to recover from illness.

Ji Yuanhui felt a pang of bitterness in his heart at the sight of that haggard expression. He said with a hint of anger, “You are not allowed to kneel.”

Pei Xu stopped looking at him, lowering his eyes and remaining motionless in his kneeling position.

“Must you act like this with me?” Ji Yuanhui exhaled a long breath and crouched down. “This rain is sudden and heavy; this is no place to discuss matters. Let us go back first, and then we can talk it over. We can both take a step back, alright?”

Pei Xu turned his face away, refusing to meet his gaze. “Your Highness, is there any room for negotiation in this matter?”

“Always acting tough—you should stay here and think it over properly then.” With a lingering frustration in his chest, Ji Yuanhui left these cold words behind, stood up, and walked away.

He had only taken a few steps when he heard a servant’s cry of alarm from behind: “Young Master Pei has fainted!”

Ji Yuanhui felt as if his soul was about to take flight from fright. He turned around in a panic and bolted back.

And then, he woke up.

Ji Yuanhui didn’t take it seriously, dismissing it as a nightmare. He stretched out his arm to pull the person beside him into his embrace, feeling relieved that it was only a dream.

Being pulled at in the middle of the night didn’t make Pei Xu angry. He opened his eyes blearily, gave Ji Yuanhui a look, and, seeing that nothing was wrong, found a comfortable position for himself and went back to sleep peacefully.

This dream had felt a bit too real. Although Pei Xu seemed gentle, he actually possessed a stubborn streak. If the two of them ever had a fundamentally irreconcilable disagreement on official matters, Pei Xu would certainly refuse to budge an inch.

Pei Xu was stubborn, and what was worse was that Ji Yuanhui wasn’t much better. Disagreements were bound to happen; imagining two stubborn people clashing was enough to make one’s head throb.

Thinking this way, Ji Yuanhui unconsciously drifted back to sleep.

The next morning, Ji Yuanhui first paid a visit to the Ministry of Personnel.

During those six years in Longxi, he naturally hadn’t sat idle. While the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince were at a standstill, many opportunities had arisen for him to take advantage of.

Although he held no real power at the time, his maternal uncles did. Whether it was the brother of his biological mother, Noble Consort Zhang, or the brother of Consort Shu, they were both his uncles. Though neither was currently in the capital, they still possessed considerable influence within the imperial court.

The previous Minister of Personnel had been a member of the Crown Prince’s faction. A few years ago, during the most chaotic year of the rivalry between the two factions, Ji Yuanhui’s people had taken advantage of the turmoil to oust him, pushing forward a candidate with no background or previous allegiances.

For a time, neither the Crown Prince nor the Eldest Prince took any action; the status quo at least maintained a balance. Ever since the power of the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister had been suppressed to a level equal to that of the Eldest Prince, the Emperor’s choice became increasingly vital. However, the Emperor shifted between promoting and demoting members of both factions, making his intentions more and more inscrutable.

The Crown Prince’s faction feared the Emperor held a grudge against the Prime Minister and would suppress them to help the Eldest Prince ascend. The Eldest Prince’s faction, on the other hand, worried the Emperor couldn’t bear to touch the Crown Prince he had groomed for years. Even when the Prime Minister had been at his most overbearing and autocratic, the Emperor—who now had the power to do so—had not uprooted them. If this wasn’t for the Crown Prince’s sake, why else would he show such restraint? If that were the case, they would likely face the fate of being discarded once their usefulness ended.

If they ousted the current minister only for the Emperor to select someone from the opposing side, it would be a self-defeating move. The position of Minister of Personnel was, after all, no minor office; all officials below the fourth rank were subject to their promotion or dismissal. It was a choice piece of meat, but neither side dared to gamble on it falling into their opponent’s mouth.

However, even if they wanted to fight for it now, it would be difficult. While the Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince were busy looking left and right, this piece of meat had landed steadily in Ji Yuanhui’s mouth.

When it comes to the throne, who wouldn’t want to strive for it?

Power only increases when one fights for it; if one doesn’t fight, one is left with nothing.

“Third Prince.” The Minister of Personnel seemed well-prepared for Ji Yuanhui’s arrival today, stepping forward to greet him. “Is Your Highness here regarding the matter of filling a vacancy?”

The Minister of Personnel understood the situation perfectly. It was common for a prince to promote his in-laws after marriage; once the wife’s family gained influence, they would, in turn, become a support for the prince—a win-win scenario.

“There is no need for such formality, Minister.” Ji Yuanhui smiled as he gave the man a hand up, finding a random place to sit. “Are there any suitable positions left in the Ministry of Justice?”

Chen Liao hesitated slightly. “Did Your Highness not ask about the Ministry of Rites last time?”

Ji Yuanhui smiled. “I hold a concurrent post in the Ministry of Rites. If my spouse were also in the Ministry of Rites, people would inevitably accuse me of using my public office for private gain when it comes to future promotions. It is better to avoid any suspicion.”

Chen Liao was still somewhat hesitant. “It is just that the vacant positions in the Ministry of Justice are currently of a lower rank than those in the Ministry of Rites.”

Lower was fine; it wasn’t as if he couldn’t be promoted. Being too conspicuous right from the start wouldn’t be good anyway. Ji Yuanhui asked casually, “How much lower? Seventh rank?”

Chen Liao replied, “Principal sixth rank.”

“Pffft, cough, cough, cough…” Ji Yuanhui choked on his tea, his eyes widening slightly. “A principal sixth rank is considered low? Even a top scholar entering the court is usually only appointed as a Deputy Compiler of the Hanlin Academy at the subordinate sixth rank.”

Chen Liao explained, “Young Master Pei is the son of Censor Pei and a member of the imperial family by marriage. If the rank were too low, I fear it would be inappropriate…”

Pei Ji’s reputation didn’t matter—he was just mentioned in passing—but if it concerned the imperial family, that was a different story.

Ji Yuanhui nodded to show his understanding. “I appreciate your trouble, Minister.”

The Ministry of Rites had been busy with official business these past few days. The Minister of Rites led the way in working extra hours to process documents. Although Ji Yuanhui was a Prince, his official rank was one level below the Minister’s. Leaving early would look bad no matter how one viewed it; even as carefree as he was, he could no longer return home at the Hour of the Monkey (3-5 PM) as he used to.

At the Hour of the Rooster (5-7 PM), Ji Yuanhui left the government office with a heavy head, only to be stopped after walking just a few steps.

“Third Prince.” A man dressed as a family servant bowed to him subserviently. “My master wishes to invite Your Highness for a discussion.”

Ji Yuanhui caught sight of a carriage parked not far away. Pretending not to recognize it, he yawned and feigned ignorance. “Who is it that puts on such grand airs? I won’t see them.”

After saying this, he moved to walk away, but was blocked once again. He frowned impatiently. “You dare block the Prince’s path? How many heads do you have to lose?”

“Your Highness, please stay your steps.” Seeing that he remained unmoved, the servant finally revealed his backer. “The Eldest Prince has urgent matters to discuss.”

“So it’s Big Brother’s man. No wonder you’re so bold.” Ji Yuanhui rubbed his wrist and gave a brilliant smile. “Give Big Brother my apologies; I’m afraid I cannot accompany him today. Before leaving this morning, I promised my spouse I would take him rabbit hunting after work. I cannot break my word.”

As if knowing he would make excuses, the person in the carriage had already stepped out with the help of an attendant just as Ji Yuanhui finished speaking. With unsteady steps, he walked up to him.

“Third Brother is truly hard to see.” A young man with a sickly complexion but an air of noble refinement and elegance walked slowly toward him. “I have sent several letters of invitation, all of which disappeared like stones in the ocean. If I hadn’t waited at the gates of the Ministry of Rites today, I’m afraid I would have missed you again.”

“The Ministry of Rites is quiet, and I’ve grown used to a wild lifestyle. When I have nothing to do, I like to go out with a few friends. They always come directly to my manor to find me; how could I have imagined someone would write to me?” Ji Yuanhui wore an expression of feigned distress. “Letters are usually kept in the… study? Who goes to the study for no reason? The smell of ink gives me a headache.”

Ji Yuanhui spoke with such sincerity, as if he truly were an ignoramus who got a headache at the sight of writing. A stranger might have believed him, but who among those who survived the palace long enough to establish their own manor wasn’t a shrewd fox?

Ji Cong wore a faint smile, though it was hard to tell if he believed him. Whether he believed it or not wasn’t important; it was just a matter of saving face. One couldn’t exactly say: I saw your letters, but was too lazy to deal with you, so I threw them away. Ji Yuanhui felt that being willing to find an excuse was already giving him plenty of face.

Ji Cong covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed, his face pale. “It was my lack of consideration.”

“Big Brother toils daily for the Ministry of Revenue, exhausting yourself for the sake of the court. You’ve grown much thinner.” Ji Yuanhui said, “It truly makes one’s heart ache. Since you are ill, you should go out less and rest more.”

Ji Cong smiled bitterly. “How could I dare slacken even for a moment? I only fear that the moment I rest, someone will seize the opportunity to move in. When that time comes, let alone rest, I fear even staying alive will be difficult.”

“I don’t dare respond to those words, Big Brother.” Ji Yuanhui’s smile faded slightly. “Everyone knows Big Brother enjoys Father’s deep trust. Now that the Emperor is wise and the world is at peace, who could take Big Brother’s life?”

“Truly?” There was still a hint of a smile on Ji Cong’s face, his voice calm yet laced with hatred. “Does he truly trust me, or does he want to use my life as a stepping stone to suppress the Prime Minister and pave the way for the Crown Prince, so the Crown Prince doesn’t encounter an overbearing minister the moment he ascends, just as Father did back then?”

Ji Yuanhui stopped smiling. He glanced warily around the area, and seeing it was secluded enough with no one nearby, he lowered his voice. “Big Brother is truly muddled from illness; you should not stand out here in the wind.”

Ji Cong began to cough again, this time more violently than before—he even coughed up blood.

Ji Yuanhui was startled, but Ji Cong waved it off. “It doesn’t matter, just a sickness I’ve had since the womb. Ever since I was a fetus, someone has been unable to stand the thought of me living.”

Ji Cong wiped the blood from his lips and gripped his handkerchief tightly. His expression remained calm as he looked up and stared directly at Ji Yuanhui, speaking bluntly: “When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Even if you truly do not wish to compete and only want to keep yourself out of it, will the Crown Prince believe you?”

“Even if the Crown Prince believes you, what about the Prime Minister?”

“Let’s have a talk, Third Brother.”