This old minister used to be the Eternal Emperor's trusted subordinate. He was upright, honest, and absolutely loyal. The Eternal Emperor trusted him implicitly.
"The Crown Prince is speaking the truth. Because of the losses caused by the natural disaster, the situation at the border was desperate. The Crown Prince sought my help as I was situated near the border, and he asked me to raise funds for him. He later pawned his jewels to repay me."
The old minister's words took everyone by surprise.
This old minister was staunchly upright and would never curry favor from those in power. In the past, he had even dared to point out the Eternal Emperor's mistakes. Hence, the Eternal Emperor trusted him greatly. The Eldest Prince and Second Princess had tried to get him over to their side but were always shown the door.
One might say that all the important ministers in the court trusted the old minister's word.
