Chapter 475: Looking for Someone
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Shortly thereafter, Su Bin received news from the palace.
Upon receiving Su Bin’s anonymous letter, the Emperor contemplated the matter at length. Ultimately, he heeded Su Bin’s counsel and managed to restrain his anger.
He summoned the Crown Prince to the palace and offered only mild criticism before pardoning the matter of the “private army” buildup.
However, Su Bin was cognizant of the fact that the Emperor might have quietly resolved to eliminate the Public House during his lifetime.
Su Bin’s assessment was correct; that was indeed the Emperor’s line of thinking.
Throughout his life as a prince, he had existed in the shadow of the Public House.
His mother, grandmother, and the former Empress Dowager had consistently impressed upon him the notion that if he aimed to secure his position, he needed to rely on the Public House.
Depending on the Public House wouldn’t place him at a disadvantage since they were unlikely to stage a rebellion. Nevertheless, their authority sometimes surpassed even that of the Emperor.
The Empress Dowager was particularly devoted to her maternal family’s Public House. When he was the Crown Prince, his Crown Prince Consort had to be a maiden from the Public House.
Upon his ascension to the throne, the Empress was also required to be the Crown Princess Consort, with the Crown Prince’s birth mother.
All preceding princes born before the Crown Prince had to meet their end. They had no desire for older princes to pose a threat to the Crown Prince’s status.
Even a prince born simultaneously with the Crown Prince was not exempt. They wished to forestall the emergence of a prince of equivalent power to the Crown Prince.
The dominance of the Public House had been so overpowering that the Emperor had been compelled to tolerate it. This was because he had himself lived under similar circumstances in the past.
It turned out that they had been correct in their approach.
Before the Emperor ascended to the throne, his position had nearly been usurped by a prince a decade his junior, whose mother hailed from the General Manor.
He comprehended their motives for targeting the Third Prince, having witnessed the underhanded tactics used against him since a young age. He also understood the rationale behind their desire to completely eliminate the Third Prince.
Nevertheless, he had already bestowed upon the Crown Prince numerous privileges, unmatched by any other prince’s authority.
In light of these circumstances, their insistence on eliminating the vulnerable Third Prince and their disregard for his cautionary admonitions left the Emperor unwilling to continue tolerating the situation.
Yet Su Bin’s anonymous letter had spelled out the potential repercussions with great clarity. Given the current audacity of the Public House, if the Emperor dared to cripple the Crown Prince, they might dare to conspire with the Empress Dowager to subdue the Emperor.
The Emperor heeded Su Bin’s counsel.
He could surmise that the evidence against the Crown Prince and the Public House had likely been provided by the General Manor. However, he remained uncertain regarding the author of the anonymous letter offering advice.
The Emperor was acutely aware that the individual who had written the anonymous letter was most probably a court official. He wished to identify this person and groom them as a trustworthy advisor.
This person might or might not be affiliated with the General Manor. It was improbable that they were connected to the Public House. What he was certain of, however, was that they had his best interests at heart.
It was impossible to discern the writer’s identity from their handwriting alone. Thus, the Emperor commenced a comprehensive search to uncover this person’s true identity.
First and foremost, this individual had to be highly capable, possessing insight into the actions of the Crown Prince, the Public House, and the General Manor. They also needed a deep understanding of the court’s political dynamics and the audacity to dispatch an anonymous letter to the palace, fully aware of the
associated risks.
Furthermore, this individual, while astute and sagacious, remained remarkably discreet and composed. Although they were willing to dispatch an anonymous letter to the palace, they were reluctant to present themselves in person before the Emperor..