Chapter 27: Verification of Identity

Of course, to conclude that this commander of the Imperial Guards was "loyal to others and not to me" based on a single option would be too hasty.

He could simply be a "seasoned soldier" who had climbed the ranks through grit and toil, harboring his own set of prejudices. He might have thought, "What is this Ninth Prince, a man who has never been anything but a complete fool, doing here playing at 'blind command'?" Consequently, he might have been intentionally putting on airs as a commander, causing trouble to assert his own self-importance.

Given this, I must make two moves: one to verify his character, and one to guard against treachery.

Verification requires gathering information from all angles to make an accurate judgment. Guarding against treachery requires empathy—putting myself in the shoes of a traitor. I must consider which people, locations, or connection points are worth sabotaging or attacking to better prepare my defense.

Action must be taken immediately!

First, the verification. I need to learn more about this man.

Chai Xiao asked Yao Jin, "After you relayed my orders earlier, did this commander exhibit any behavior out of the ordinary?"

Yao Jin looked up and nodded slightly. "If Your Highness had not listed those three options, and he had not unexpectedly chosen the third, I certainly would not have thought anything of it. At most, I would have just pegged him as a 'cynical soldier.' Even his asking me for a drink after learning I had been promoted to the ninth rank was perfectly normal."

"But since knowing he chose the third option, and looking back more closely, there were indeed some anomalies."

"The most obvious was that he became visibly tense the moment he heard the Heavenly Sacrifice would last for ten days!"

A thought struck Chai Xiao. "Is that so? What else?"

Yao Jin replied, "Two more things. First, because his name is Xiang Shouyue—which means 'Keeping the Promise'—I said, 'You keep the promise to His Highness, and I shall keep it to you.' He immediately asked if that was something I said, or if it was something said by His Highness and the Junior Tutor."

"Second, when I concluded by saying, 'Let us work together to protect His Highness and secure the realm for the people,' he paused for a moment before replying that it was only natural, but he subtly changed the phrasing to 'Protect the Monarch and secure the people.'"

Chai Xiao listened quietly, lifting his head slightly. A faint, imperceptible smile of appreciation showed in his eyes.

Sharp as a needle. Clear as fire.

This captain of the guards, who had been merely a "personal escort" for eighteen years, was a natural military talent! A fine piece of jade, hidden in the gravel, overlooked and buried by time.

Of course, that was not anyone else's fault but his own—or rather, the fault of the Ninth Prince before he had transmigrated into this body. It seems the immediate promotion of "Yao Eighteen" to the ninth rank this morning was indeed the right move.

He knew that while making money, gathering arms, and recruiting people were all important after arriving in this world, recruiting talent was the most critical of all.

The entire Great Qi Dynasty had always sought to restore the splendor of the Great Tang. The reason the Tang enjoyed such a golden age was primarily due to Emperor Taizong, Li Shimin’s ability to recognize and utilize talent. He selected officials regardless of their background, kinship, or origin. Among his civil and military leaders were aristocrats like Li Jing, as well as men of humble origins like Yuchi Jingde, Zhang Liang, and Ma Zhou. He utilized his early advisors from his time as the Prince of Qin, like Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and Zhangsun Wuji, but he also forgave and employed the former subordinates of his brother, the Crown Prince Li Jiancheng—whom he had killed at the Xuanwu Gate—such as Wei Zheng, Wang Gui, and Wei Ting. He even employed generals from ethnic minorities, like the Turkic Ashina and the Tiele chieftain Qibi Heli, truly achieving a harmony where both Han and non-Han were employed.

Therefore, in using people, one must learn from Li Shimin. Right now, I must recognize and utilize as many as possible!

Yesterday, on the first day, I held a grand banquet. With three cups of wine, I firmly secured my mother, Consort Yun Shu, the Junior Tutor Su Zhongjing, and the Chief of the Imperial Household Department, Zhang Bao. My mother is bound by blood, naturally tethered. Zhang Bao can manage internal affairs, and the Junior Tutor can handle external relations.

This morning, through morning drills and dietary restrictions, I firmly secured the guard captain Yao Jin and the head chef, Yi Taihe. Yi Taihe can ensure the safety of the mansion’s food, lead the way in frugality, and act as a "money rake" to generate external revenue. In short, he handles food safety, cost-cutting, and revenue generation. And this Yao Jin can ensure physical security.

Now, it seems he has even more potential to be tapped, such as commanding an army. The ultimate goal of making money, gathering arms, and recruiting people is to forge a steel army. To govern an army, one must first select the generals. If this commander of the Imperial Guards, Xiang Shouyue, were loyal and reliable, he could have been a candidate for a "general." But based on current information, that is clearly not the case.

Yao Jin, however, is worth a try!

Chai Xiao stared into Yao Jin’s eyes. "Yao Jin, I permit you to speak your mind without reservation. Regarding the three suspicions you observed in Xiang Shouyue, let me tell you my thoughts."

"First, his sensitivity to the 'ten days.' This indicates that someone had already leaked the 'ten days' information to him! Last night, the Second Prince sent a secret edict, and we never told anyone outside that we were raising a million taels in ten days. Therefore, it is certain that the Second Prince was the one who tipped him off."

"Second, his question about who said the phrase about 'keeping promises.' This shows that, in his view, you could not have said it, and neither could I. The only one capable of such rhetoric is the Junior Tutor! This means that either the Second Prince or someone else had briefed him in advance. In this capital city of Great Xu, you are not to be feared, and neither am I. The only person who warrants true concern is the Junior Tutor, Su Zhongjing."

"Third, he didn't join you in saying 'Protect the Monarch and secure the people,' and after pausing, he changed it to 'Protect the Monarch and secure the people.' That is because the monarch he wishes to protect in his heart is not me, the current sovereign of Great Xu, but the one he considers the future sovereign of the entire Great Qi—the Second Prince!"

Yao Jin turned pale, his body trembling violently. "Your Highness, if that is the case, then we are in grave danger! Xiang Shouyue commands six units—one thousand two hundred men! We only have two units, four hundred men! Even adding the hundred we just pulled from his ranks, it is one thousand against five hundred! Two against one—we are sure to lose!"

Chai Xiao laughed. "Do you see the importance of drilling now? If we train like we did this morning, I suspect that a two-to-one disadvantage won't necessarily lead to a loss!"

"However, there is no need to worry too much for now. If this Xiang Shouyue truly wanted to rebel, he wouldn't have waited until now. Otherwise, he wouldn't be foolish enough to give you those hundred elite soldiers! He is merely watching and waiting! Or perhaps, he is waiting for his true master to give the order!"

"As for the Second Prince, he is in a very delicate state of mind. He wants to see me fail to raise the money and humiliate myself in public, yet he also hopes I succeed so that he can ascend as the Crown Prince while still reaping the profits, planning to swallow my wealth later. Therefore, he is not yet ready to resort to murder! But, carrying out all sorts of petty sabotage is highly likely!"

"Go, fetch me the defense map of the capital!"

Yao Jin bowed and obeyed: "Yes!"

He turned immediately to fetch the map. His mind was churning like a stormy sea. Who could have imagined that the Ninth Prince, who previously didn't even know what an imperial seal looked like, would now be carrying it himself? And he had already mobilized troops once!

Who could have imagined that the Ninth Prince, who previously only looked at paintings of beauties and crickets, would now want to see the city defense map? If this had been just one day ago, he himself—to say nothing of others—would have scoffed at the idea.

Our little ancestor wants to see the defense map? Does he even know how to read it?