After all the back and forth, Guo Huaimu still couldn’t bring himself to send those "precious" glazed vases away.
Sparing the child can’t fool the wolf; alas, why can’t Guo Huaimu see through this?
’Fine, let him figure it out on his own.’
Upon returning to Donglai Inn, Lin Yi was stopped by a servant as soon as he stepped over the threshold.
"No entry for unrelated persons!"
Lin Yi, still in a daze, said, "We are here to see Inspector Zhong Qi."
Hearing this, the servant imdiately made way; this inn was specifically prepared for the accommodation of the six Inspectors.
This night was destined to be sleepless for Ouyang Qian.
And Guo Huaimu was destined to be sleepless too.
He had just returned to Guo Mansion when he ordered people to prepare a big jar of Luzhou Old Cellar Wine, accompanied by so gold and silver jewelry, and two glazed vases, and set out from Jiannan State in the middle of the night.
Although the Eighth Prince was stationed at Yun Pass all year round, the place was filled with swirling sands, and the weather and environnt were very harsh.
Yet, he always managed to slip away from his duties; almost ten days every month, he would sneak with a few close guards to the border of Jiannan State—Liang City.
Under the pretense of taking rest, he surveyed the political changes across the vast lands of Dayou.
And these last few days, the Eighth Prince happened to be resting in Liang City.
In the dead of night, just as the Eighth Prince was about to lie down to rest, Guo Huaimu arrived with two dancers and fine wine.
"Your subordinate pays respect to the Eighth Prince!" After saluting, Guo Huaimu presented the dancers and fine wine.
The Eighth Prince hurriedly rose from his bed and laughed heartily, "Hahaha, the one who knows best is still Inspector Guo."
"Surely Inspector Guo didn’t rush over late at night just to present with fine wine and beautiful won?"
The astute Eighth Prince noticed the evasiveness in Guo Huaimu’s eyes and couldn’t help but harbor suspicion.
He wrapped one arm around a beauty and filled two large bowls with wine in his other hand.
"Co, Inspector Guo, join this Prince for a couple of bowls, and we can chat while we drink."
Guo Huaimu knew that the Eighth Prince was worried about poison in the wine, which was why he poured the wine for him.
Otherwise, with his status as an Inspector, he would never have the honor of the Eighth Prince pouring wine for him.
"To the Eighth Prince, I drink first in respect!"
After saying this, Guo Huaimu lifted a big bowl of wine and drank it all in one gulp.
Wait a second, why was this wine so llow and smooth on the palate, sweet at the entry and velvety at the finish? Such a fine wine of this world, and he had poured so much of it today.
Thinking about this, Guo Huaimu instantly regretted it and frowned involuntarily.
But to the Eighth Prince, this gesture suggested there was sothing wrong with the wine.
"Inspector Guo, you offer real beauties, but is this fine wine genuine?" the Eighth Prince glared at Guo Huaimu, and even went so far as to pour the bowl of wine, originally ant for himself, onto the ground.
"Ah, Eighth Prince, you’ve misunderstood!"
Another bowl of fine wine was wasted, and Guo Huaimu’s heart ached. Knowing the Eighth Prince’s doubts, he quickly explained.
Convinced that there was no issue with the wine and that it was indeed top-quality wine, the Eighth Prince eagerly refilled his own bowl.
Downing it in one sip, indeed, it was a fine wine!
"Mm, I haven’t tasted such a fine wine in a very long ti."
"Alas, after suffering through a few more months, I will finally rise to the top."
Eighth Prince’s rise to the top refers to ascending to the Emperor’s Dragon Chair.
Hearing this, Guo Huaimu’s face montarily twisted into an unnatural expression. In his mind, he muttered, "Eighth Prince, you might be able to rise to the top in a few months, but my official hat may not last until then."
After a few cups of wine, Guo Huaimu candidly revealed the true purpose of his late-night visit.
Eighth Prince couldn’t snap back to reality after hearing Guo Huaimu’s words.
"How co the news that the court sent six inspectors hasn’t reached the Eighth Prince, even with his network of spies in the Imperial City?"
The anxious Eighth Prince released the beauty in his arms and paced the room, baffled by the move his nephew, the little Emperor, was playing.
"Inspector Guo? Are you sure they are inspectors sent by Your Majesty?"
Guo Huaimu spoke with conviction: "Absolutely certain, I saw the Imperial Award gold dal, and it was delivered under the authority of Acting Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice Zhong Qi."
Acting Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Justice Zhong Qi was soone Eighth Prince had heard of, a trusted aide promoted by Lin Yi.
However, being in the relatively unimportant Ministry of Justice, Eighth Prince didn’t see it as a significant issue.
It’s been more than a decade since Eighth Prince last visited the Imperial City, and he had no recollections or regard for newly promoted officials.
"They’re here for inspection, so as a local official, you should just cooperate with them," Eighth Prince berated. "Why are you running here in the middle of the night to see , don’t you know to avoid suspicion?"
Eighth Prince scolded him angrily. Had it not been for Guo Huaimu’s brother once saving his life, Eighth Prince would have been tempted to slap this brainless fool twice across the face.
"Eighth Prince, the inspectors are here to check on the strength of Jiannan State’s local military," Guo Huaimu anxiously explained. "Without even starting the inspection, I have to report the number, scale, and training results of the local troops."
"But as you know about Jiannan State, we have less than a thousand old, weak, and sick soldiers, and two hundred bandits to make up numbers."
By this point, Eighth Prince understood the purpose of Guo Huaimu’s visit.
However, Eighth Prince was extrely reluctant to "return" the ten thousand strong n he had "borrowed" from Jiannan State to face the inspectors’ check.
Liu Bei once "borrowed" Jingzhou and never returned it; it was with great difficulty that Eighth Prince had persuaded Jiannan State and Lingnan State to grant him a force of twenty thousand soldiers. To return them now would an training them in vain for the local army.
Putting it bluntly, if they were really going to wage war in a few months, the twenty thousand soldiers he returned would beco the first obstacle he faced after entering the pass.
"No, these twenty thousand soldiers are at a critical juncture right now, I can’t return them to you just yet!" Eighth Prince’s tone was firm.
He was the proud Eighth Prince. If the late Emperor were still alive, he would surely have been appointed a Vassal King.
A Vassal King collecting troops in his own territory is normal, isn’t it?
Besides, even though he wasn’t in the Imperial City, he knew all too well how his fourth and sixth brothers had lost their military power.
Learning from their lessons, Eighth Prince would surely not surrender even a single cart or soldier.
Seeing Eighth Prince’s steadfast refusal, Guo Huaimu laid it all out.
"Eighth Prince, for nearly twenty years, Jiannan State and Lingnan State have always supported you greatly, secretly sending the best of their military and financial resources to you without the court’s knowledge."
"The court has not sent inspectors to investigate our two states in over a decade."
"If by noon the day after tomorrow, we can present two thousand local soldiers for the inspectors to examine and report to the court,"
"It’s a minor issue if the two of us, as Inspectors, are dismissed. But if it leads back to you and implicates you, then all of your years of effort will have been in vain."
"Of course, if we two Inspectors are dismissed, the court will appoint new ones, who may not support you as we do at the start."
Guo Huaimu’s words appeared to be considering Eighth Prince’s interests, but in fact, he was reminding Eighth Prince that when it cos to borrowing and returning troops, they were all in the sa boat.
...End of the Chapter...
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