Chapter 1170: Resignation
Editor: Henyee Translations
He was lucky this time, but what about next time?
What if the people who tried to set him up were even more powerful? What should he do by that time?
He did not dare to take the risk.
So the safest way was to resign!
When he quit the governmental office, no one would be jealous of him or set him up any more, because it was meaningless to set him up any more.
That was a huge shock!
That caused a great sensation in the court.
Crown Prince was very annoyed.
Emperor Xuan was very annoyed too.
The Crown Prince had always been known for his restrained nature and his generosity towards others, making it difficult for him to change his personality.
On the other hand, Emperor Xuan was visibly annoyed by the situation and could not tolerate it. As a result, he firmly opposed Shao Yunduan’s resignation.
Moreover, not only was Shao Yunduan not allowed to resign, but he was also bestowed with the prestigious t.i.tle of Advisor of the Imperial Court. This honor qualified him to convey important messages to the palace and request an audience with the Emperor.
As the worker of the Ministry of Revenue, Shao Yunduan was technically not permitted to visit the court. Therefore, he had to pa.s.s on the booklet and message through someone who was qualified to do so.
Receiving the t.i.tle of Advisor of the Imperial Court was indeed a great honor for Shao Yunduan. He became the sole recipient of such recognition from the Emperor, which held significant importance.
Additionally, to further express appreciation and consolation, Shao Yunduan was gifted a pair of precious vases and a jade Ruyi, further enhancing the significance of the Emperor’s reward.
Shao Yunduan had achieved his goal, so he expressed his grat.i.tude and decided to drop the topic of resigning. His intention behind resigning was to serve as a warning to Emperor Xuan. In the future, if any unfortunate events occurred, the Emperor would immediately suspect foul play and thus protect Minister Old Yun from any implication.
Although not a particularly clever move, it proved to be highly effective in this situation. The Fourth Prince, frustrated, vented his anger by smashing a tea bowl in the intermediate.
Defeated in this secret struggle, the Fourth Prince decided not to set up Shao Yunduan anymore. He feared arousing suspicion from his father, Minister Old Yun, should he attempt such schemes again, leading to their inevitable failure.
Shao Yunduan was known for his honor, and n.o.body would resort to such shameless methods as he did. Despite Honored Princess Mei’s outward appearance of n.o.bility and reserve, she was inwardly annoyed. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Empress Qi, Princess Concubine Virtue, and even the Crown Prince were mocking her and her son behind their backs.
Adding to the Fourth Prince’s fury was the fact that the individuals “invited” by Qiao Hongxi to build up Shao Yunduan’s reputation had managed to escape the Heavenly Mansion’s guards but were secretly taken away by the Crown Prince’s men.
The Crown Prince had no intention of appointing them to the governmental office of Heavenly Mansion. The potential consequences of such an action were clear – it would lead to the humiliation of the Fourth Prince and tarnish the reputation of the imperial family, something his father wanted to avoid at all costs.
In this scenario, Qiao Hongxi was destined to become the sacrificial lamb, the scapegoat, to bear the burden of any potential blame or repercussions.
However, the Crown Prince saw this as an opportunity to address his increasingly unruly brother. He decided to send a letter, delivered by someone else, to the Fourth Prince, serving as a warning. The letter conveyed that the Crown Prince was aware of his brother’s intentions, but this time, he would let it pa.s.s. Nevertheless, he made it clear that he would not forgive such actions if they were to be repeated in the future.
Understanding his father’s and the Crown Prince’s temperament well, the Fourth Prince decided not to pursue the matter any further since the letter had been delivered. Despite this leniency, the Fourth Prince showed no signs of fear or grat.i.tude. Instead, he became even more furious, developing a strong sense of hatred towards the Crown Prince.