Chapter 829: Chapter 827: Crisis of Credibility

Jiang Yifan, without any awareness of being questioned, maintained his smile, cheerfully saying: “That’s nonsense. My Ah Yan has always conducted herself with integrity and grace. If anyone mocks you, I’ll be the first to oppose it—whoever mocks you, I’ll take them on!”

Oh, damn, if we’re talking about shamelessness, even three of hers combined couldn’t match his.

Ye Xinyan decisively lowered her head and continued stitching the backside of the magpie-on-plum-blossom pillowcase in her hands. After a couple of stitches, she remembered that she had sent Song Ping’s household and the two maids out because she had something to ask.

“What was all that winking about just now?”

Jiang Yifan’s voice dropped noticeably, but his tone remained light: “Those confusing accounts at the Ministry of Revenue, they’re especially busy and need organizing by the year’s end. There’s a ton of public and hidden matters, and of course, they don’t want me involved. This way, it gives us time to prepare for our wedding.” It seemed like he was unfazed by being sidelined at work; in fact, he was quite cheerful.

Speaking of this, Ye Xinyan indeed found it puzzling. She lowered her voice further and asked: “The Emperor assigned you to the Ministry of Revenue for a reason, not out of concern for your three years of hard work in Qingyuan County, to give you time to rest. If you go on like this, His Majesty will think he entrusted the wrong person.”

Ye Xinyan was genuinely worried, but also quite bewildered. This person now seemed like someone just idling away time, hardly the dependable elite she once thought he was.

In response to Ye Xinyan’s skepticism, Jiang Yifan laughed freely: “If I insisted on staying at the Ministry of Revenue, not only would I provoke dislike, but they would also cover up their tracks more thoroughly. It’s better to give them the chance to act freely, so when I look for flaws later, it’ll be easier.”

Ye Xinyan’s expression grew serious. The Emperor must have had his reasons for sending Jiang Yifan to the Ministry of Revenue. Jiang Yifan, messing around there, might also be for the purpose of misleading the Crown Prince’s faction, making his investigations easier.

“Isn’t doing this quite dangerous?”

Hearing Ye Xinyan’s question, Jiang Yifan felt a warmth in his heart: “It’s alright. Without absolute certainty, I won’t delve into the Ministry’s specific affairs. Over the past year, I’ve made friends with several colleagues at the Ministry. They tend to loosen their tongues around me, occasionally revealing some insignificant information. If there’s real danger, I’ll definitely ask my senior for help.”

“Acting so nonchalantly, would the Emperor know your intentions?”

Jiang Yifan refilled Ye Xinyan’s cup with hot tea, unconcernedly saying: “Trustworthy use, right? The Crown Prince has been making inroads at the Ministry of Revenue for over ten years, and the true situation there can’t be uncovered in a day or two. His Majesty has that much patience. Besides, His Majesty has been busy these days and probably hasn’t thought of these matters yet.”

Ye Xinyan still worried about Jiang Yifan’s circumstances and future. After hesitating for a moment, she quietly asked: “Do you think it’s possible His Majesty doesn’t want the Crown Prince to succeed and has other ideas?”

Jiang Yifan smiled and said: “Probably not. Under normal circumstances, for the stability of the country, the legitimate eldest son usually succeeds. If they set a precedent of abandoning the legitimate heir, the princes fighting for the throne in the future would face endless bloodshed.”

Ye Xinyan stopped her work. This she didn’t understand—if that’s the case, why bother investigating?

There’s a saying, the rivers and mountains may shift, but the nature is hard to change. The Crown Prince, already in his thirties, can he really change his extravagant lifestyle? If so, the old saying about ease turning to luxury but difficulty turning back to frugality would be pointless.

Jiang Yifan noticed the disapproval in Ye Xinyan’s eyes and chuckled: “As parents, they always find reasons to excuse their children no matter how bad they are. Maybe His Majesty believes the Crown Prince is essentially good-natured, just lacking in guidance over the years, drifting further from the path of a virtuous Crown Prince.”

Ye Xinyan snickered: “Isn’t that nonsense? Every child is a blank slate at birth, and what they become is drawn afterwards. Trying to change back… that’s incredibly difficult. As a Crown Prince, he disregards the court and people’s hardships, only seeking pleasure. Would he become more self-restrained upon ascending to the throne? It’s self-deception!”

The current Emperor not only instructs his ministers to investigate the Crown Prince’s illegal activities, but also shows no intent to depose the Crown Prince. This isn’t good for the ministers; it clearly offends the future Emperor, and Jiang Yifan is risking his head now.

She placed the sheet in her hands aside, frowning: “If His Majesty still has hope for the Crown Prince, he shouldn’t have you investigate the Ministry of Revenue. Maybe he just wants to uncover the Crown Prince’s misdeeds as a warning, without considering your future danger.”

What is the Old Emperor thinking? He seems to be wise and insightful yet acts so unreliably.

“His Majesty said to act discreetly, not to be detected. I suppose even if reproaching the Crown Prince, it’s planned to be done secretly.” Jiang Yifan, however, wasn’t worried; he even let out a cold laugh, “Where’s the good in that? Since he’s assigned me, I’ll make sure the Emperor knows the Crown Prince’s offenses aren’t something that can be lightly rebuked. He needs to understand that appointing such a Crown Prince carries the risk of altering the dynasty.”

Ye Xinyan was startled: “Is it that serious?” What has the Crown Prince done?

Jiang Yifan nodded: “More or less. When people can’t survive, they’ll often do desperate things. Heh, everything needs a contingency plan; if His Majesty reigns long enough, perhaps by the time the Crown Prince ascends, he’ll be too old and frail to exhaust the realm’s resources through extravagance, likely perishing within a few years.”

Ye Xinyan glared at Jiang Yifan with a tinge of blame; he really dared to talk. If one didn’t know about their current schemes, they’d think he was planning regicide.

She decisively changed the topic, “You mentioned His Majesty is busy these days; what’s keeping him occupied?”

Jiang Yifan’s expression suddenly turned peculiar, and after hesitating, he said: “This year’s railway project went well; it required few workers and was completed quickly. His Majesty plans to intensify efforts next year, setting up three lines—a westward line and two north-south ones, constructing all three simultaneously. They’re currently discussing the routes.”

Sure enough, Ye Xinyan’s face turned unsightly upon hearing this.

The Emperor isn’t aware that the railway built by Guangsha Construction is a problematic project, bound to cause trouble sooner or later. If he enthusiastically decides to construct three lines next year, and after starting, the Jiangbei to South Zhejiang line collapses entirely, how could Emperor Qianqing not be devastated?

Even thinking about it made Ye Xinyan’s scalp tingle. Before investigating thoroughly, both Guangsha Construction and she herself would likely have to bear the brunt of the Emperor’s wrath.

Most importantly, the Old Emperor seems decent enough, showing lots of forbearance towards her. If such an incident occurs, will she face a credibility crisis with the Emperor? Will the previously assured patent implementation be hindered?