Chapter 209: Yesterday’s Vermilion Gates, Today’s Dust

The Hour of the Dog. The sky had already darkened.

“Inspector Sun, after a preliminary count, here are the assets of Prince Anpings Estate. Please take a look, Inspector Sun.”

Ding Suian held a hastily written list and handed it to Sun Tiewu.

“Eh, Your Highness has ordered the Duke of Chu County to be in charge of the confiscation. I am merely assisting. Once the Duke of Chu County has finished counting, simply present it to Your Highness. I have no authority to inquire.”

“Heh, I am young and this is my first time doing such a thing. I fear there may be omissions, so I ask Inspector Sun to help me double-check.”

Ding Suian persisted in holding out the list. Seeing this, Sun Tiewu chuckled, “Then shall I take a look for you?”

Bullshit ‘first time doing such a thing’. Last time this kid confiscated Qin Shou’s residence, he was very proficient.

Afterward, several of his subordinates bought houses in Central Heaven, and within half a year, several of them had successively advanced into the Chenggang Realm.

However, he had shown great discretion that time and wasn’t excessive.

Harboring these thoughts, Sun Tiewu began to read it carefully.

But gradually, his brow furrowed.

“Duke of Chu County, isn’t this going too far?”

The three-page list could be finished in a moment.

The intimate ‘you’ had changed back to the title ‘Duke of Chu County’.

Ding Suian leaned in and said, “There are still some liquid assets and Medicinal Pill supplies. The brothers have to work with us for a while longer, so we can’t let them work on empty stomachs, right?”

For him to say this meant there was a share for Sun Tiewu and the West Yamen.

“That still won’t do, it’s too ruthless!”

But Sun Tiewu still shook his head.

On the three-page list, most of it consisted of hard-to-liquidate porcelain, jade, antiques, imperial gifts, and a few scattered storefronts.

It was just as Sun Tiewu said. Ding Suian was too ruthless.

Chen Duan’s in-laws, the Cui clan, owned over a thousand qing of land in the outskirts of Central Heaven, and it was unknown how much of that was held by the Cui clan on behalf of Chen Duan.

This was the bulk of the wealth, yet it was not reflected on the list at all.

Even if he shared some liquid assets and Medicinal Pill supplies with the West Yamen, Sun Tiewu dared not play dumb and help him cover it up.

Too ruthless!

“Inspector, you are unaware. A large number of land deeds were confiscated from the Prince’s estate, but the deeds are chaotic, and the ownership rights are difficult to clarify for the moment. Such thorny matters are not for us to decide arbitrarily, so I intend to sort them out together and submit them to Your Highness for a ruling. What does the Inspector think?”

After speaking, their gazes met briefly, the meaning between them self-evident.

“Heh, that is excellent. The Duke of Chu County is not old, but he is steady, mature, and thoughtful in his handling of affairs. Not bad.”

If the land assets were not on the list, they would not need to pass through the imperial court’s hands. To put it more bluntly, it meant fewer opportunities for the court officials to intervene and take a cut.

It was better to just hand it directly to their common big boss.

Sun Tiewu had intended this all along and was just wondering how to hint it to Ding Suian, so he was naturally happy to see it come to fruition.

As the two were whispering about the division of spoils, Eunuch Duan hurried over. “Duke of Chu County, Inspector Sun.”

“Greetings, Eunuch.”

Ding Suian returned the greeting. Eunuch Duan looked troubled and lowered his voice, saying, “Just now, the young Prince begged me bitterly, saying that since the Prince has passed away, he will be lonely in the afterlife. He implores us to prepare the three concubines and maids in the estate who have no offspring, as well as some old servants who have served closely for many years, to voluntarily commit suicide to accompany him in death, in order to fulfill the bonds of master and servant and complete the rites of service.”

Hearing this, Sun Tiewu instinctively glanced at Ding Suian. He likely knew that Ding Suian was able to rise from a small Dutou to the Duke of Chu County in less than two years, and the starting point was a matter of burial sacrifice.

Subsequently, Sun Tiewu turned his gaze to Eunuch Duan and asked, “Eunuch, does Your Majesty have any explicit instructions regarding this matter?”

Eunuch Duan shook his head gently and replied, “Because of last night’s events, Your Majesty is consumed by grief and indignation. His health is poor, and he has no heart for state affairs. Before I left the palace, Your Majesty gave a verbal decree that for all matters here, if there are any difficulties, one may consult the relevant personnel in charge of the confiscation and trial to make a decision.”

His gaze then fell upon Ding Suian.

Ding Suian’s expression was calm as he said, “Eunuch Duan, Inspector Sun, now that Prince Anpings Estate has been confiscated, all people and property within the estate are, by their nature, no longer private property of the Prince’s estate, but public property of the court awaiting verification and disposal. If we allow them to be buried with him, wouldn’t that be using public property to satisfy the private desire for burial sacrifice? This matter is not feasible.”

Sun Tiewu had guessed that Ding Suian might disagree, but he had not expected him to avoid using empty, lofty words like ‘benevolence’ and ‘love,’ and instead block the possibility of this matter using ‘public property of the court.’

It was actually more defensible than the name of benevolence and love.

Thus, Sun Tiewu smiled and chimed in, “The Duke of Chu County is absolutely right.”

Seeing this, Eunuch Duan said no more, “Very well, I will go and refuse the young Prince.”

After saying this, he turned and left.

Sun Tiewu watched the other’s figure and suddenly said meaningfully, “Not old, but his heart is hard.”

It was true, the concubines, maids, and old servants that Chen Jun wanted to sacrifice for his father were, in a sense, his family.

At ten years old, to have such a ruthless heart, one can only say that there is a problem with his education; he simply did not treat those people as human beings.

Ding Suian smiled self-deprecatingly, “I am the one who is wronged; I have formed a grudge with him for no reason.”

“Duke of Chu County, are you afraid?”

Sun Tiewu smiled with a playful expression.

This young Prince has already received the decree; once Prince Anping is buried, he will move into the Imperial City to be by his great-grandfather’s side.

A child raised by the Emperor’s side will always carry more weight.

Sun Tiewu meant that when this child grows up, he will come looking for trouble with you.

Ding Suian’s expression became solemn. “I work for the imperial court with a loyal heart and have nothing to fear!”

He said this with his mouth, but in his heart, he thought that if Chen Jun truly held a grudge because of this, then he shouldn’t grow up.

“Hahaha, what a Duke of Chu County who is loyal to the country.”

Sun Tiewu clapped his hands and laughed.

The beginning of the Hour of the Boar.

Ding Suian stepped out of the gate of Prince Anpings Estate.

The night wind swept through, and the white lanterns hanging high in front of the gate swayed lonely, casting flickering shadows on the vermilion gate.

The gate, which used to be crowded with carriages and horses and gathered dignitaries, was now empty and dead silent, with only the distant clapper sound of the night watchman faintly audible.

He looked back at the wide-open gate; inside, the lights were sparse, and the former glory had all turned into a heavy Death Qi.

From fresh flowers and brocade, roaring fires and cooking oil, to a deserted courtyard, death, and a ruined family.

It only takes one wrong step.

Ding Suian turned around, mounted his horse, and headed towards Chilao Alley.

Although he hadn’t closed his eyes for a moment since yesterday, he wanted to talk to Old Ding more right now.

However, he arrived to find it empty; Old Ding was not home.

At the same time. Imperial Astronomical Bureau, Etai Terrace.

Facing the wind on a summer night, sleeves fluttering.

“…Tang’er, do you really want to do this?”

Teacher stood with his hands behind his back, his back slightly hunched.

“Yes.”

Princess Xingguo answered briefly but with extraordinary firmness, and then added, “Will Teacher help me?”

“Sigh~”

Teacher let out a sigh, looking at the myriad lights like stars scattered on a chessboard, and pondered for a long time before saying, “How do you know that what you want to give him is what he wants?”

“If he were an incapable, cowardly, and unambitious child, I would be willing for him to be a quiet idler, safe and happy, and I would just watch from afar.”

Princess Xingguo met her Teacher’s gaze, her gentle tone gradually becoming certain. “But when he was in City, he could stand up for Hansu, whom he didn’t even know, showing that ‘Benevolence’ is in his bones. During the Southern Expedition when things fell apart, he willingly risked great danger to save his comrades-in-arms; this is his ‘Righteousness.’ While on his mission to Southern Zhao, he helped Emperor Zhao ascend to the throne and facilitated the return of seven thousand soldiers to the country, which further demonstrates his ‘Courage and Strategy’! Teacher, such a child who possesses a benevolent heart, righteous courage, and both courage and strategy—don’t you want to see with your own eyes what kind of difference he can bring to this world?”

Teacher turned his head to look at Princess Xingguo, but said, “Does Tang’er know how much turmoil would arise if you really did that?”

“It would still be worth it.”

Facing such questioning, Princess Xingguo replied without hesitation, then pondered for a moment and suddenly said, “Teacher,” her voice revealing a trace of exhaustion and determination, “I can no longer hide him.”

Teacher was slightly startled and asked confusedly, “What does this mean?”

Princess Xingguo opened her mouth but didn’t make a sound. Then, taking a deep breath, she slowly said, “That person… has already found him.”

Perhaps because it had been too long, even Teacher was bewildered for a moment. Then, as if realizing something, he said in astonishment, “Tang’er, are you saying… Ning Yuan has found them, father and son?”

Princess Xingguo, who had always maintained a calm expression, felt her eyelashes tremble slightly upon hearing this name. Her jawline tightened, and she nodded extremely stiffly.