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墨書 Inktalez
"This news travels fast!" An old man in the teahouse exclaimed, holding his teacup and clicking his tongue. "The Crown Prince's Residence is actually hiding the Yellow Robe. Is this a rebellion in the making?"
"Isn't it?" a nearby diner chimed in. "I heard that the Yellow Robe was crafted by the Imperial Embroidery Workshop. It’s clear this was premeditated!"
I sat in a corner, listening to the chatter of the common folk, nodding to myself. In modern terms, this is called public opinion fermentation, a crucial phase in crisis management.
"The Crown Prince is foolish," a merchant whispered, "hiding something like this while the Emperor is still alive? Isn’t that courting death?"
"Who can argue with that?" someone retorted angrily. "Those corrupt officials under him are even worse! Did you hear? The son of the Deputy Minister of Rites, relying on his connection to the Crown Prince, forcibly took a girl from a family in the south of the city!"
"What’s that compared to?" another interjected. "The Crown Prince's advisor, master Zhao, is even more ruthless. Not only does he lend money at exorbitant rates, but he also charges interest on interest, ruining countless families!"
The discussions in the teahouse grew louder, discontent boiling over. I poured myself another cup of tea and calculated silently: public sentiment had fermented enough; it was time to unleash our trump card.
"Ding! The Crown Prince's reputation has hit an all-time low!" the system chirped cheerfully. "Host, you’ve handled this crisis management beautifully!"
I took a sip from my cup. "This is just riding the wave. The Crown Prince Faction has always been notorious; we merely provided an outlet for public grievances."
Just then, a young servant rushed into the teahouse. "Have you heard? There's been another incident at the Crown Prince's Residence!"
The patrons gathered around eagerly. "What happened?"
"The Crown Prince's steward's account books detailing embezzlement have been found!" The servant said mysteriously. "It records how much wealth he has siphoned off from the people over the years, with specific amounts listed!"
As soon as this news broke, the teahouse erupted into chaos.
A smirk crept onto my lips. Of course, those account books weren’t just "found"; they had been deliberately "dropped" in a market alley by someone arranged by the Sixth Princess. This method of guiding public opinion is common in modern companies; I never expected it to work so well in ancient times.
"The Crown Prince is plotting rebellion!" someone slammed their hand on the table.
"Isn’t that right?" another responded. "Have you noticed? There have been frequent troop movements outside the city lately. They must be planning something while the Emperor is ill!"
Voices of discussion, sighs, and anger rose and fell like waves. I knew it was time.
"Ding! Side quest completed: Successfully incited public sentiment!" said the system. "Host now only needs to take one final step!"
I stood up, ready to return to report back at the palace. But as I reached the door, I suddenly heard a vendor say, "The Sixth Princess is truly commendable; I’ve heard she often visits commoners incognito and even opened a charity hall to help disaster victims."
"Yes, yes," someone else agreed enthusiastically. "Though the Fourth Prince is young, with the Sixth Princess assisting him, he will surely become a wise ruler!"
My steps faltered for a moment. This was exactly what we wanted—shifting public opinion towards the Fourth Prince without being too obvious about it. In modern terms, this is called "subtle guidance of public opinion."
But thinking about leaving once my task was complete made my heart ache again. What would Xiao Yuan think?
Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance of the teahouse. Xiao Yuan, dressed in plain clothes with a hint of a smile in his cool eyes, looked at me and asked, "How did your investigation go?"
My heart skipped a beat. "What are you doing here?"
"I was worried about you," he said, lowering his voice. "It's too dangerous to be alone in a place like this."
I turned my gaze away, unable to meet his tender eyes. "I just finished the mission..."
"Yes," he chuckled softly, suddenly reaching out to ruffle my hair. "You did very well."
In that moment, I felt a surge of emotion, and I suddenly wanted to cry. The mission was almost over, but how much longer could this warmth last?
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