Chapter 50: A Difficult Problem

Eunuch Li had come with a secret imperial decree to summon the Crown Prince to the Imperial Study for a discussion.

Inside the Imperial Study.

The Emperor wore a golden dragon robe, a golden crown atop his head, and his brows were as finely drawn as ink paintings.

Even though he was already middle-aged, his face remained remarkably handsome.

He was holding a memorial in his hands, his dark eyes furrowed tightly.

Xiao Che entered and bowed respectfully. “Your son greets the Emperor.”

The Emperor waved his hand slightly, indicating he could forgo the formalities.

He handed the memorial to Xiao Che. “Take a look at this.”

Sensing something unusual, Xiao Che quickly stepped forward to receive it.

As soon as he read the contents, his brows knitted together sharply.

“Father suspects that Prince Jin Zhao is embezzling the disaster relief funds?!”

Prince Jin Zhao was the Prince of Jin Zhao County—Gu Zichen.

His father had been the former General Protector of the Nation—Gu Yunqing.

Gu Yunqing had followed the Emperor through years of war and earned numerous military honors. He was one of the Emperor’s most trusted men, but in the end, he died on the battlefield.

Back then, moved by sympathy for the general’s only young son, the Emperor had conferred the title of Prince of Jin Zhao County upon Gu Zichen.

However, as Prince Jin Zhao grew older, more and more rumors of his debauchery and misconduct began to spread.

The Emperor had heard of these rumors as well.

Jin Zhao County was only a small fief, and as long as Gu Zichen didn’t commit any serious offenses, the Emperor turned a blind eye out of respect for Gu Yunqing.

But starting a few years ago…

Jin Zhao County had suffered continuous droughts, and the people had been left in dire straits.

The court had allocated disaster relief funds more than a dozen times, yet the situation remained unchanged.

The number of citizens dying from starvation rose daily.

Lately, some officials had even submitted formal accusations against Prince Jin Zhao for embezzling the relief funds.

The Emperor could no longer ignore the matter.

“I order you to depart for Jin Zhao County early tomorrow morning, in secret. Investigate this thoroughly.”

Xiao Che responded immediately, “Your son obeys the decree.”

…

After leaving the Imperial Study, Xiao Che returned to the Eastern Palace. It was already the hour of the pig (around 9–11 p.m.).

At the moment, his thoughts were a mess.

He had long heard about the issues regarding the disaster relief funds in Jin Zhao County. In fact, he had even sent people to investigate.

He had found some evidence suggesting that Prince Jin Zhao was involved in the embezzlement.

However, this evidence wasn’t enough to definitively prove that Prince Jin Zhao had stolen the funds.

Moreover, as just a minor prince of a small county, Gu Zichen shouldn’t have had the power or influence to misappropriate disaster funds without a trace.

Which meant—there had to be someone powerful backing him.

That person was likely the true culprit behind the embezzlement.

And a person of such influence could not be an ordinary official.

The Emperor assigning Xiao Che to investigate secretly at this time only confirmed his suspicion.

If Xiao Che guessed correctly, that person was likely a member of the royal family.

And the Emperor likely already had an idea who it was.

The real reason for sending Xiao Che was to protect that person.

Not only did Xiao Che have to recover the relief funds, but he also had to find someone who could serve as a scapegoat—someone who would silence public outrage while taking full responsibility.

Returning to the Eastern Palace, Xiao Che headed straight for his study.

His mood was sour—the Emperor had just dumped a massive problem into his lap.

He needed to read some military strategy texts to calm his unsettled thoughts.

He read for nearly half an hour.

Eunuch Lin noticed that it was getting late and gently reminded, “Your Highness, it’s time for you to rest.”

When Xiao Che heard his voice, he suddenly remembered something.

Before heading to the Imperial Study, he had ordered Eunuch Lin to escort Shu Ruohua back.

His voice turned low and stern, “What was she doing after she returned?”

Eunuch Lin asked, “Is Your Highness referring to the Crown Princess?”

Xiao Che didn’t answer.

But Eunuch Lin understood—it was a silent confirmation.

He quickly replied, “Reporting to Your Highness, after Her Ladyship returned, she went to the rear courtyard for a bit and then retired to sleep.”

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(End of Chapter)