Chapter 41: A Tender Heart

Li Chuan arrived early outside the Princess’s bedchamber, where the morning light spilled over the golden-yellow brick walls, lending the scene an exceptional solemnity and tranquility. He slightly straightened his attire, though a faint sense of unease lingered in his heart. Yesterday, the Princess had summoned him in person, requesting his assistance in restructuring the inner administration. He had originally thought this was merely a routine matter, but he had never expected it to conceal such unforeseen complexity.

"Lord Li, please," the maid Xiaochan said softly, interrupting his train of thought.

Li Chuan followed Xiaochan into the bedchamber. The main hall was furnished simply yet magnificently, permeated by the faint, elegant scent of sandalwood. The Princess sat gracefully behind her desk, head bowed as she reviewed documents. Dressed in a moon-white robe, her demeanor was as serene as an orchid. Although it was still morning, a trace of fatigue was already visible between her brows.

"Your Highness," Li Chuan offered a slight bow.

"Li Chuan, you are here," the Princess looked up, her voice carrying a hint of helplessness. "These past few days, the affairs of the Directorate for Internal Affairs have piled up like a mountain, with numerous issues dragging on unresolved for ages. I am powerless to handle this alone, and could only ask for your assistance."

Li Chuan nodded, stepping forward to take a look. Sure enough, the documents on the desk were stacked as high as mountains, and while the Princess had tried to organize them, she was clearly stretched too thin.

"Your Highness, reforming the internal administration is no trivial matter. Might you specify what the core difficulties are at present?" Li Chuan asked.

The Princess sighed. "The Directorate for Internal Affairs has numerous responsibilities, ranging from court expenditures and material allocation down to recording tributes from various regions. However, for a long time, the directorate has accumulated layers of cumbersome affairs, especially with severe corruption among mid-level officials, which has drastically reduced efficiency within the palace."

Her gaze fixed on Li Chuan, her tone carrying a trace of earnest pleading. "I need you to help me uncover the problems, purge the corruption within the Directorate for Internal Affairs, and restore its proper functions."

Li Chuan immediately began his investigation. He quickly discovered that the Princess had not exaggerated. The Directorate for Internal Affairs was indeed a place riddled with problems. Looking at the ledgers, the records for the influx and outflow of many supplies were hazy and indistinct, and cases of expenditures exceeding budgets were a frequent occurrence. Some important accounts even showed traces of duplicate reimbursement.

"This sum of money was used for palace repairs three months ago, so why was it claimed again last month?" Li Chuan pointed at the ledger, questioning the official in charge of accounting.

That official stammered, covered in cold sweat. "This... this is likely an oversight on this humble official's part, written down twice during re-accounting..."

Li Chuan sneered. "Do you think I would believe such an explanation? Furthermore, these accounts are not isolated clerical errors; they are systematic problems!"

Faced with Li Chuan's pressing interrogation, the official ultimately could not hold out and confessed the truth. As it turned out, a complete profit chain had long since formed within the Directorate for Internal Affairs. Lower-level officials intentionally submitted duplicate claims and withheld supplies, while mid-level officials covered up the truth with various excuses and even secretly split the spoils. These issues not only caused financial strain within the palace, but also directly affected the normal operation of court affairs.

Having uncovered the issues, Li Chuan presented a detailed investigative report to the Princess. As she perused the document, her expression gradually turned gloomy.

"These people... truly despicable!" The Princess slammed her brush onto the desk, anger unmistakably coloring her tone. "I trusted them so deeply, only to have them act so wildly behind my back!"

Seeing this, Li Chuan gently advised, "Your Highness, anger serves no purpose. Now that the problems have surfaced, we only need to reform the Directorate for Internal Affairs step by step to turn the tide."

The Princess fell silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. She tidied the dossiers on her desk and said softly, "You are right. I must remain calm, but reforming the directorate involves too many intertwined interests; the slightest misstep could trigger even greater trouble. Li Chuan, how do you think these individuals should be handled?"

After brief consideration, Li Chuan replied, "Your Highness, the problems in the Directorate for Internal Affairs are severe, but they implicate too many people, so sweeping actions are inadvisable. My suggestion is to begin with the most obvious issues, handling a few exemplary cases to serve as a warning to others. At the same time, we must establish a new set of regulations to prevent similar problems from recurring."

The Princess nodded, a hint of comfort softening her gaze. "Li Chuan, with you here, I can rest easy. These past few days I have slept very little, but hearing you speak like this, I seem to glimpse a sliver of hope."

Her words revealed a touch of exhaustion, yet also a hint of tenderness. Li Chuan suddenly realized that the dignified and solemn Princess before him bore a pressure unimaginable to ordinary people.

"Your Highness, reforming the administration is important, but your health matters more," Li Chuan said in a gentle tone. "If Your Highness were to fall, there would be no one to preside over court affairs, and by then, the situation would likely become far worse."

The Princess was slightly startled, then offered a bitter smile. "You certainly look out for me thoughtfully. However, as a Princess, I must endure these things. If even I cannot hold on, how could I lead everyone out of this predicament?"

Though her tone was resolute, her eyes revealed a trace of softness, as if that majestic armor had been temporarily cast aside.

That night, Li Chuan and the Princess worked together in the study to organize the restructuring plan for the Directorate for Internal Affairs. He patiently explained the details of each new regulation, while the Princess listened attentively, occasionally offering her own insights. Their collaboration grew increasingly tacit, as if everything was progressing in an orderly fashion.

"Li Chuan, why are you willing to help me like this?" the Princess suddenly asked, her tone carrying a touch of curiosity.

Li Chuan paused slightly before answering, "Because Your Highness trusts me. For me, receiving such trust is already a great honor. Furthermore, Your Highness's goal is the stability of the entire nation. I am merely doing what little I can."

Hearing this, the Princess's expression softened further. "You truly are an extraordinary person. Most people approach me with various motives; only you seem to simply wish to share my burdens."

Li Chuan spoke in a low voice, "You flatter me, Your Highness. I merely hope to do something meaningful to the best of my ability in these troubled times."

The Princess was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Li Chuan, having a friend like you is truly my good fortune."

That single word—"friend"—sent a shock through Li Chuan's heart. He had never imagined he would be regarded as a friend by this lofty Princess. At that moment, he felt a special warmth.

The two continued to discuss late into the night. Despite their exhaustion, a deeper sense of trust and tacit understanding had grown in each of their hearts. By now, the relationship between them had quietly shifted, moving away from a simple superior-subordinate dynamic toward a much deeper emotional bond.

Early the next morning, when Li Chuan arrived once more at the Princess's study, he found that she had already been busy at her desk for some time. The reform plan they had finalized last night began to be implemented, and various orders had already been transmitted downward through the directorate.

The Princess looked up, and seeing Li Chuan, she smiled faintly. "Li Chuan, you've come just in time. I have already arranged for personnel to re-examine the ledgers and temporarily suspend a few of the most suspicious officials. But the situation is not promising; these people were clearly prepared."

Hearing this, Li Chuan frowned. "Your Highness, what have they done?"

"They tampered with the accounts and destroyed some key evidence," the Princess said, her expression somewhat unpleasant. "What is more hateful is that someone within the directorate secretly leaked information to them, giving them time to prepare."

"A mole?" Li Chuan's gaze turned sharp. "It seems the problem is more serious than we anticipated."

After careful analysis, Li Chuan offered a suggestion: "Your Highness, since these people dared to leak information, it means they are undoubtedly supported by a powerful profit chain. We must thoroughly reform the Directorate for Internal Affairs, but we need to enlist external force to shatter their defenses."

"External force?" The Princess asked, slightly puzzled. "You mean..."

"Gather a group of people unrelated to the directorate yet loyal to Your Highness, and form an independent inspection team tasked with auditing the accounts and related matters," Li Chuan explained. "This will prevent internal personnel from covering up the truth and also deter those officials who are harboring restless ambitions."

The Princess pondered this for a moment before nodding. "Your proposal is sound, but the people I can trust are limited. Very well, I will dispatch a few capable members of the imperial guards to join, and simultaneously order the directorate to cooperate with you and submit entirely to your arrangements."

Knowing the heavy responsibility he bore, Li Chuan solemnly accepted the task. He immediately gathered several elite guards to form an inspection team, splitting into multiple routes to launch a surprise audit on the Directorate for Internal Affairs. As expected, they soon found flaws among several accounting officials.

"Lord Li, spare my life! We were driven by circumstances to handle these accounts this way..." One accounting official pleaded frantically, dropping to his knees when brought before Li Chuan.

"Driven by circumstances?" Li Chuan sneered. "Fine words! You appropriated court funds and even hindered Your Highness's grand enterprise, and now you hope to muddle through with such talk?"

"It was... it was Director Han De who instigated it!" The man shivered as he blurted out the truth. "Director Han said that as long as we could fool this round of audits, things would return to normal afterward..."

Hearing this name, Li Chuan locked his brows. Han De was the principal director of the Directorate for Internal Affairs and one of the "suspects" the Princess had mentioned, holding most of the actual power within the directorate. Li Chuan immediately reported this news to the Princess.

Upon hearing of the matter, the Princess ordered Han De to be summoned to the study for a confrontation. However, Han De appeared utterly composed. Facing the accusation, he instead sneered and said, "Your Highness, this official has been wronged. The affairs of the Directorate for Internal Affairs are intricate and complex, and this official has worked diligently for years without a single mistake. Now, because someone wishes to reform the administration, they slander this official with corruption, intending to drive me from my post."

His attitude was both firm and confident, as if he were fully prepared and showed not a single flaw.

"Han De!" The Princess's tone sank. "The problems in the ledgers are so glaring, yet you dare to flatly deny them?!"

Han De remained unyielding and respectful. "Your Highness, there are indeed issues with the accounts, but this official was not involved. The responsibility for managing these ledgers lies with the subordinates. This official is willing to cooperate with the investigation, but implores Your Highness to grant me justice."

Furious, the Princess was about to erupt when Li Chuan gently stopped her. He stepped forward and stared coldly at Han De, his gaze burning like a torch.

"Director Han, if you are truly innocent, then do you dare to undergo a comprehensive investigation by us?" Li Chuan said calmly. "Not just the ledgers, but your personal estate, your social associations, and every single financial transaction must be audited one by one."

Han De's expression flickered slightly, though his tone remained steady. "Lord Li jests. Naturally, this official is willing to cooperate."

"That is good," Li Chuan smiled. "Director Han may return to rest first; we will officially begin the investigation tomorrow."

After Han De departed, the Princess looked at Li Chuan with a frown. "He was clearly prepared. By letting him go back like this, won't it allow him to destroy even more evidence?"

Li Chuan shook his head. "Rest assured, Your Highness, the more composed he is, the more it shows he has something to lean on. However, I have already sent people to watch him; every move he makes will not escape our eyes."

That night, the Princess stood alone by the window, gazing at the swaying candlelight in the courtyard, her expression somewhat desolate. When Li Chuan walked in, this was precisely the scene that greeted him. Stirred within, he could not help but speak softly, "Your Highness, are you troubled by the matter concerning Han De?"

The Princess was slightly startled, turning to look at Li Chuan with a trace of fatigue in her eyes. "Li Chuan, am I too soft-hearted?"

Li Chuan was taken aback. "Why does Your Highness say that?"

The Princess spoke in a low voice, "These people clearly did wrong, yet I always find myself wanting to give them another chance, hoping they will reform. But in truth, such tolerance only makes them increasingly audacious."

Her tone carried deep self-reproach, as if all the problems stemmed from her own incompetence.

Li Chuan was silent for a moment before saying, "Your Highness, this is not being soft-hearted; it is benevolence. As a Princess, you naturally wish to win people over with virtue. But sometimes, benevolence also requires methods to back it up. If these people are allowed to act wildly, it would be deeply unfair to the other loyal subjects."

The Princess looked up at him, seeming to find a sliver of comfort in his words. "Li Chuan, thank you. I have never met anyone as candid and wise as you."

Li Chuan smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Your Highness. I merely hope that Your Highness can realize your ideals, so as not to let down the expectations of the realm."

The Princess sighed softly. "If that day truly comes, I will certainly never forget your help."

However, Han De was no ordinary adversary. Sensing that Li Chuan was watching him in secret, he quickly launched a counterattack. He quietly contacted several high-ranking court ministers, attempting to use them to pressure the Princess into halting the restructuring of the Directorate for Internal Affairs under the pretext of "disrupting court stability."

"Li Chuan, Han De has made his move," Li Chuan's deputy hurried over to report the next morning. "He has secretly contacted certain powerful nobles, planning to use political means to obstruct our actions."

"I expected as much," Li Chuan said, his gaze icy. "Yet the more he struggles, the more it proves we are touching his lifeline."

He immediately conferred with the Princess and decided to strike first, exposing Han De's crimes publicly in the court while rallying several loyal officials who supported the reform to jointly resist Han De's faction.

"Li Chuan, I have no way out anymore," the Princess said with a firm tone. "This time, no matter what, these people must be thoroughly dealt with."

"Rest assured, Your Highness," Li Chuan said in a deep voice. "This battle, we shall surely win!"