The bamboo garden was filled with a gentle breeze, where literati recited poetry and exchanged verses, truly a refined and elegant place.
Ritual Master Xu was particularly boastful, "I gaze upon the bamboo every day, just to constantly remind myself to emulate its unwavering spirit like the wind."
Master Liu was speechless, this man from a scholarly family really was different.
No wonder the Emperor previously thought he was dull-witted.
Look at how he had decorated this courtyard for himself!
"Indeed, I also feel there is much poetry in this garden. Let me take a stroll, perhaps I can compose a good poem like Cao Zhi's seven steps poem."
Master Liu said, clasping his hands behind his back and beginning to wander around the bamboo garden.
Ritual Master Xu hesitated, but it was too late to stop him now.
Master Liu strolled around the bamboo garden, occasionally reciting poems, seeming quite content.
But he was actually carefully observing the ground the whole time.
The soil color in one area was different, it was new.
Hmm? That patch looked as if it had just been turned over last night.
Scanning the entire courtyard, Master Liu noticed that the soil color was only a year or two old, not like it had supported bamboo for a long time.
Others might not have noticed, but Master Liu had studied diligently in the village as a scholar-official, and often helped in the fields during harvest time.
He had grown up in the land, and could till the soil with his eyes closed.
Master Liu recited a jumbled poem, then gave his wife a subtle look.
Then he followed Ritual Master Xu to the pavilion to drink tea, saying, "Come, I wish to congratulate you on the birth of your great-grandson."
Madam Liu immediately turned and walked towards the area Master Liu had carefully stepped on.
She gave a slight smile to the approaching Mrs. Xu, "Your family has so many fresh bamboo shoots, I must admit I'm a bit envious."
Mrs. Xu stiffened, but quickly smiled, "Go sit in my room for a while, I'll bring you a basket later."
"Wonderful! I won't be polite then." Madam Liu smiled, then slowly crouched down where Master Liu had just been standing.
"And don't give me the big ones, the small newly planted shoots will do."
As she started to stand up, she suddenly let out an "Ah!" and pretended to stumble, grabbing onto the bamboo shoots to break her fall!
In the process, she yanked out a few shoots along with their roots!
Mrs. Xu was horrified and rushed over to cover it up!
In the pavilion, Ritual Master Xu also abruptly stood up, knocking over the tea on the table!
Only to see that the tender bamboo shoots in Madam Liu's hands had quite a long section with no soil attached at all!
*
In the Chonghua Palace, the Emperor Xiao Yunzhou warmly welcomed his daughter Chu Chu.
"My little princess, have you been cold?"
He quickly felt her delicate, rosy little hands.
He was about to order more coals in the brazier when Chu Chu suddenly rolled over and looked out the window with great interest.
She pursed her lips, thinking to herself, "The Empress's people actually went to my maternal granduncle, threatening to help the Crown Prince become emperor."
Xiao Yunzhou was stunned.
"They threatened my maternal granduncle, saying the Emperor would never tolerate the Crown Prince's maternal family becoming powerful and influential. They told him that if he wanted a promotion, he would have to help the Crown Prince ascend the throne."
Xiao Yunzhou's chest heaved, his vision darkening.
The Empress's faction had truly extended their claws far and wide!
Did they not even see him, the Emperor, anymore?
Were they trying to sideline him before they would be satisfied?
Chu Chu continued watching the live broadcast, not noticing Xiao Yunzhou's anger, and thought, "Hehe, my maternal granduncle didn't even entertain them, he said his heart was only devoted to serving the Emperor and working for the people."
Xiao Yunzhou's expression instantly changed from anger to delight.
The Liu family was upright.
This way, he could confidently install his Fifth Prince, even if he passed away early, the Liu family would not attempt to usurp the Xiao royal clan!
"Huh, why did my maternal granduncle go to Ritual Master Xu's place?" Chu Chu wondered out loud as she watched the live broadcast.
Xiao Yunzhou raised an eyebrow, a bit displeased.
The Empress's father was a venerable elder of three dynasties, presiding over the imperial examinations, and had taken many new imperial scholars as his students.
As a result, although he was no longer in the court, he still had a group of voices speaking on behalf of the Empress's family.
What was going on with Master Liu?
Had he been provoked by the Empress's people, and also started associating with the Ritual Master of the Imperial Academy, just like the Empress's father?
The Imperial Academy was where talents for the Hanlin Academy were cultivated!
Could it be that the Liu family also wanted to become a second Empress's faction? Taking on students and controlling the court?
Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but become suspicious.
Chu Chu didn't notice her father's mood, and quickly realized, "Ah, so my maternal granduncle went to congratulate the Ritual Master on the birth of his great-grandson!"
Xiao Yunzhou still didn't relax.
The comings and goings of these officials all had surface-level reasons.
But privately, they were all forming factions.
Did they think he didn't know?
If Master Liu was truly doing that, at most Xiao Yunzhou would just sideline him, out of consideration for his little princess and Fifth Prince.
But in the future, he couldn't allow the Liu family to rise up - he had to ensure the Xiao clan's rule remained intact, not the Liu clan's.
Xiao Yunzhou thought this way, but the next sentence from his daughter immediately dispelled his displeasure and filled him with self-reproach.
"Ah! My maternal granduncle went to the bamboo grove of Ritual Master Xu! Ah, he discovered that hundreds of thousands of taels of silver were buried under the bamboo!"
"Ah, so my maternal granduncle wasn't there to congratulate him, but to catch the corruption criminal for my father the Emperor!"
"!"
Xiao Yunzhou: "!"
Xiao Yunzhou was stunned, overcome by unprecedented self-reproach and shock.
He had wrongly doubted Master Liu's loyalty!
In a flash, he stood up.
"Wei Zheng, I just remembered, Ritual Master Xu has recently gained a great-grandson, is that so?"
"Summon the carriage, I will make an incognito visit to Ritual Master Xu's residence to 'congratulate' him!"
Chu Chu blinked her large grape-like eyes, and soon beamed with delight, "Can I go with Father the Emperor?"
"I want to go see them dig up the silver! See them catch the corrupt official!"
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was immediately pleased, "Third Princess will accompany me."
Halfway there, he paused again, "Wei Zheng, go summon the members of the Imperial Cabinet and the Six Ministries who are on duty today!"
In the Imperial Cabinet.
The senior ministers and junior ministers were conversing with the Censorate and Ministry of Justice, when they heard the Emperor's instructions.
"What? The Emperor is calling us to set aside our current tasks and go congratulate Ritual Master Xu on his great-grandson's month celebration?"
What kind of play was this?
Chancellor Fu Cha was the first to smile, "The Emperor is still quite young, before he harshly reprimanded all the officials, and now he is trying to mend relations with his ministers."
The others all felt there was some logic to it.
"The Emperor wants to save face, he doesn't want to personally come talk to us, so he's using Ritual Master Xu's joyous occasion to show he doesn't want to be at odds with the officials."
"That's right." The Minister of Officials stroked his beard, "The Emperor can't manage everything, he still needs to rely on the Imperial Cabinet and Six Ministries."
They were happy to give the Emperor some leeway.
But in their hearts, the Imperial Cabinet and Six Ministries were still unwilling to easily admit defeat.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Cabinet is extremely busy today, the performance evaluations of officials in all regions have not yet concluded, and we also need to prepare for the upcoming imperial examinations, having us go visit Ritual Master Xu's residence is really too disruptive."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I in the Ministry of Officials also have many matters to attend to. We really can't leave."
"And we in the Ministry of War are the same, we absolutely cannot get away!"
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was already amused, not saying a word the whole way.
Until they entered Ritual Master Xu's estate, and heard the voices coming from the inner courtyard -
"Ah, Ritual Master Xu, your bamboo shoots are remarkably clean, when pulled out they still have just a bit of soil..."
"It turns out they were planted right on top of a few hundred thousand taels of silver!"
Master Liu's loud voice, full of sarcasm.
"There is so much silver hidden underneath your bamboo garden, Ritual Master Xu! You corrupt and lawless scoundrel!"
The Prime Minister, the Vice Prime Minister, and the officials of the Six Ministries were all left utterly bewildered!
