Nowadays, the imperial treasury is not yet full. With a small profit from the newly established sea market, the imperial court is going to go to war to pay off the military salary owed.
Once a war begins, whether it's recruiting troops, buying horses, or preparing food, fodder, and armaments, none of them cost money.
"Does the prince have any memorial?"
Zong Zeming understood what Su Yizhao meant. If the memorial was not submitted yet, it meant that there was still room for change. Once the memorial was submitted, the war would begin.
"One step later than my secret letter!" Zong Zeming told the truth. His father mentioned in the letter that this war is actually an opportunity.
He has been a hostage in the capital for so many years. If the emperor still cares about his father's hard work in the battlefield, he will definitely let him go to the border.
Su Yizhao thought for a moment and suddenly thought, "Then can you go back to the border to reunite with the prince and the others?"
"It depends on the emperor's wishes."
Zong Zeming only vaguely remembered his mother's appearance. He had stayed in the capital for fifteen years. From a young child to a weakling, he had never been reunited with his parents.
Su Yizhao sighed, the emperor is so cruel! For fifteen years, he has not allowed the family to reunite, not even once.
To be honest, if it were her, she might have thoughts of rebellion.
The emperor was very suspicious, but if King Duanyang wanted to rebel, why did he wait so many years?
Su Yizhao couldn't help but look at the silent Zong Zeming, and suddenly asked curiously: "Do you hate it?"
Zong Zeming turned his head and glanced at Su Yizhao, his eyes shining with hatred.
"Of course I hate it! But my father said that loyalty and filial piety cannot have both ends!"
"When I entered the capital, I was only five years old. Now I have two months to go before my crowning ceremony. My father is not in the capital, so no one can hold the crowning ceremony for me. What's even more ridiculous is that the emperor even said that he would hold the crowning ceremony for me on my father's behalf.
Crown ceremony, don’t you think it’s ridiculous?”
This was the first time that Zong Zeming revealed his true feelings in front of Su Yizhao. He spoke frankly and even vented the hatred in his heart.
"Why should he hold a coronation ceremony for my father? He is not qualified." Zong Zeming sneered.
Su Yizhao coughed lightly, "Then you refused?"
"Yes! Anyway, it has been rumored for a day or two that I have a bad temper. He thinks this is his gift and a great honor, but I don't care about it."
Only teachers and elders in the family are qualified to crown disciples. If the emperor crowns his disciples, although it is against the rules, no one will refuse it, except Zong Zeming.
"The factions in the DPRK have been turbulent recently. The emperor's dragon body is not as good as before. Qian'er was infected with the cold, and even the number one imperial examination was postponed for a few days."
Zong Zeming changed the topic and gave Su Yizhao a headache when he talked about it.
The emperor is ill. The imperial doctor said he was infected with wind and cold, and the morning court has been suspended for two days.
"I'm afraid it won't be long before the crown prince will be reestablished." Su Yizhao guessed.
The deposed prince is still living a leisurely life in the prince's palace. Now his status is embarrassing. He is said to be a prince, but he has lost the right to compete for the throne.
We can only wait for the new emperor to succeed to the throne in the future, give him a fief, grant him the title of prince, and retire in the fief.
"After the fifth prince showed his prominence the year before last, the number of courtiers supporting him has obviously increased, and they can compete with the second prince, third prince and others. Only the fourth prince is low-key, but a biting dog does not bark, and this one is not a fuel-efficient lamp.
.”
Su Yizhao's words made Zong Zeming laugh. This girl described the fourth prince as a dog?
"Then how do you, the Su family, plan to stand in line? As emperor and courtier, your old man didn't say you had to make plans in advance?"
Su Yizhao took a deep look at Zong Zeming after hearing this. Is this a test? To see which side the Su family will turn to?
"The old man has no plans to join any line at the moment. Whoever becomes the prince in the future will be loyal to him? He is old and can't control so much. Now he can only take one step at a time."
In fact, what she said is true. The Su family does have such a plan now.
However, Zong Zeming thought that Su Yizhao didn't believe him, and he suddenly felt sad.
After a while, Zong Zeming thought of something, "Your father seems to be very busy recently?"
"Yes! I received an errand for the general affairs at home." Su Yizhao glanced at Zong Zeming in surprise and said.
"Really?" Zong Zeming hesitated, "He seems to be very close to the third prince recently, and I think his whereabouts are a bit suspicious."
Su Yizhao was shocked, "How do you say that?"
"You said he is in charge of the general affairs of the palace, but the people he contacts are all the people of the third prince. He even has business dealings with the Marquis of Lin'an Mansion, and often has secret contacts with the big boss of the Marquis Mansion."
It's not unusual for Zong Zeming to keep a secret stake around the princes. After all, he needs to know the princes' movements.
Lin'an Marquis Mansion is the natal family of the third prince's concubine. The old man's previous refusal to recruit the third prince made the third prince's family dissatisfied.
Su Wenqing secretly became close to the third prince. Doesn't this go against the old man's wishes?
"I think your father is a little strange. It's not as simple as it seems on the surface. In retrospect, your father appeared in Xidu during the last salt gang case in Xidu, Jiangnan."
Zong Zeming carefully considered that every time a major event occurred in the DPRK, Su Wenqing would happen to be at the place where the incident occurred.
"The spies came back with news that he had been in contact with the leader of the Salt Gang at that time, but when we checked afterward, no evidence was found. At that time, he was apparently visiting the Western Capital, and he had a woman with him.
I didn’t take it to heart.”
The woman? The friend who introduced her to her before? She couldn’t remember her name.
"Two years ago, regarding the Beiyuan Mansion Iron Mine incident, your father also happened to go to Beiyuan Mansion at that time. He didn't go with you, and he concealed his whereabouts after going there. Don't you think it's suspicious?"
Zong Zeming's eyes were blazing, all of this was questionable, there were too many coincidences.
"Do you still remember the year you first entered the government? Your uncle was deceived and lost hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. This matter was widely circulated among merchants at that time, and finally the government followed the clues he gave.
, but found nothing.”
Uncle? Only then did Su Yizhao think of Tang's elder brother.
"Indeed! That year our fourth brother had a very difficult life in the house, and we all relied on the old man to secretly support us. Because my aunt used the dowry shop to support her mother's family, for this reason, the house was very strict with the fourth brother for a while.
Just gossip."
Su Yizhao still remembers this incident, and she will not forget it. After all, it happened not long after she entered the Su Mansion.
"Why did you mention this? Are you suspecting something?" Su Yizhao suddenly thought of the meaning of Zong Zeming's words, and then asked in a deep voice.
"I still remember the appearance of that wanted criminal who committed fraud back then."
Su Yizhao was very surprised when he heard this. It had been seven years, but he didn't expect Zong Zeming to still remember that person's appearance. Is it true?