Cai Jing desired the position of Nanjing Liushou, and the Emperor would surely grant him this favor. After all, the Emperor did not wish to stir up political turmoil at this juncture; he sought a peaceful transition. If the court were to descend into another political storm, with both sides engaging in a life-or-death struggle daily, it would be difficult to resolve in the end. Zhao Ji merely wanted to enjoy his life and did not want to be bothered by these ministers bickering every day. Therefore, even if he stepped down, the Emperor would subtly propose some exchange of benefits, ensuring that he would not fight desperately after his power base was devoured. The position of Nanjing Liushou was insignificant, yet it could accommodate the main officials of the Cai faction; it was beneficial without costing much.
However, the position of Beijing Liushou was another matter entirely. Although the Forbidden Army in Hebei was now in disarray, as long as they were still on the roster, they represented a political force that the court could not ignore. The current Beijing Liushou was the eunuch Wang Ge, a subordinate of Liang Shicheng. To extract anything from him would not be an easy task.
"Relying on your strength alone is certainly not enough, but if you add Prince Yun to the equation, things would be different!" Cai Xiu seemed to be on a roll today, and his words were both logical and reasonable. Cai Jing had lost his composure and was completely stunned by Han Mo's series of blows today. With Cai Xiu reminding him at this moment, a counter-plan quickly formed in his mind...
"Do you know how important the position of the Xuan Demen guard commander is? You actually let him die!" In Prince Yun's manor, after hearing all the news, Zhao Kai roared at Cai You in anger. Just as Han Mo had analyzed, Prince Yun seemed decent at first impression, but he lacked great ambition. Furthermore, he was impatient and extremely selfish, incapable of achieving great things! At this moment, he had already shifted the blame for the failure entirely onto Cai You, completely disregarding the fact that Cai You was merely an executor in this matter.
"Your Highness, this matter is not entirely Scholar Cai's fault. This time, Liang Shicheng and the others clearly had premeditation!" Seeing Cai You being thoroughly berated, Tong Guan could only awkwardly speak up for him. After all, Cai You was not the true mastermind behind this incident; he had been set up by someone. Pushing all the responsibility onto him at this moment was indeed a bit unfair. Moreover, Cai You was, after all, a Grand Scholar. Although he had fallen out with Cai Jing, they were still family! If Cai Jing were to step down after suffering such a significant loss this time, Cai You might even benefit from this misfortune.
"Then what do we do now? Cai Jing lost Tong Jin Yin Tai Si and Jin Zou Yuan, we lost the Xuan Demen guard commander, and the Imperial Household Department will surely undergo a major purge. What do we do now?" Zhao Kai was like a furious lion, pacing back and forth in his study. He was destined to suffer heavy losses this time, and more importantly, he had exposed all his strengths, only to be utterly defeated and sent back. Perhaps even the Emperor would become wary of him. If they made any further mistakes later, he might even lose his position as the Director of the Imperial City Department.
"Your Highness, don't worry for now!" Seeing his anxious state, Tong Guan could only give Cai You a wry smile and step forward again. "We have indeed suffered heavy losses this time, but will Chancellor Cai, after suffering such a significant blow, simply let it go?" Tong Guan was, after all, the Deputy Commissioner of the Privy Council and the most knowledgeable in military matters among the Song eunuchs. He had been on the battlefield before, so under the current circumstances, he was the only one among the three present who could maintain his composure.
"Are you suggesting we can fish in troubled waters?" Zhao Kai finally regained a sliver of reason.
"Exactly. The Crown Prince's victory this time was indeed brilliant. Not only did he leave us completely defeated, but he also pushed Chancellor Cai to the brink! His strategy was indeed shrewd, but they made a fatal mistake!" In Tong Guan's eyes, wisdom flickered, and at this moment, he truly seemed like a commander directing the nation.
"A fatal mistake?" Zhao Kai asked with a frown.
"Indeed. Their plan this time was seamless, and even now, thinking about it sends shivers down my spine. However, the only mistake was that their appetite was too large!" "If they had targeted us alone, we would probably have been irrecoverably ruined! But they actually included Chancellor Cai in their scheme! Even with Liang Shicheng and Wang Fu, they overextended themselves!" After listening to Tong Guan, Zhao Kai fell into silence. Thinking carefully, what he said was indeed correct. Cai Jing, who had been navigating the officialdom for so many years, how could he admit defeat so easily?
"Although Liang Shicheng is also considered calculating, this matter was intricately linked and meticulously planned. This is not like him! When did the Crown Prince suddenly gain such a person?" After calming down, Zhao Kai began to wonder who had given the Crown Prince such a damnable idea. How had he not noticed such a person before? The three of them continued to confer behind closed doors in the study until late into the night before concluding.
Compared to the tension in Prince Yun's manor, Prince Tai's manor, and Prince Xin Zhao Zhen's manor, there was much more tranquility. "Brother Han is indeed trustworthy! Your Highness, with such a person, Your Highness can truly..." Zong Ying stopped halfway, realizing that his words were a bit presumptuous. "Mr. Zong, speak with caution!" Although Zhao Zhen was straightforward, he was not truly foolish. He understood that from now on, his manor would likely become a key target for surveillance by the Imperial City Department.
"Your Highness, what do you think we should do next? Should we..." Just as Zong Ying was about to discuss the next course of action with Zhao Zhen, someone outside the door said, "Mr. Zong, someone has delivered a letter from home to you!"
"A letter from home? What letter?" Zong Ying was taken aback. He had just received a letter from home yesterday, and his father had told him to serve well and not worry about them. Could something have suddenly happened at home? However, he still accepted the envelope. Upon opening it, he was stunned, and his face immediately lit up with wild joy.
"Your Highness!"
"You may leave now! Do not disturb our pleasant conversation!" As soon as Zong Ying began to speak, Zhao Zhen interrupted him and sent away the servant who had delivered the letter.