……
The main streets of the capital became even more clamorous. Soldiers galloped on horseback, and there was also a group of officials among them, with the Imperial Guard following behind.
The officials wore robes denoting high positions, and their faces were also grave, looking quite frightening. But the common people were no longer panicked.
The news had already spread—it was a fight breaking out at the Capital Guard camp.
This news was brought by some people who came from outside the capital—they had passed by there and seen it with their own eyes. There were also wealthy families in the city who had sent their servants to investigate and learned of it.
At street corners and alleys, teahouses and taverns, everyone was discussing it.
After confirming it was a brawl and not a battle, some idle people even rode horses or took carriages outside the capital to watch the excitement. Many people also began to express dissatisfaction.
“This really is outrageous. How can they brawl at the Capital Guard camp? Don’t these border army soldiers know what they came here to do?”
“The border army, well, they came to display their battle achievements.”
“What kind of battle achievement is fighting your own people?”
“Haven’t you heard? The border region’s commanding officer who came is Xie Yanlai, the Xie family’s Ninth Young Master, Third Young Master Xie’s own younger brother.”
This statement made the teahouse even livelier.
“A National Uncle—then it’s not strange. Showing off his might and威—”
“National Uncle and National Uncle aren’t the same. Third Young Master Xie has never been like this. Don’t drag his brother’s affairs onto his head.”
“Indeed they’re different. This Xie Yanlai—have you all forgotten what kind of person he is?”
Xie Yanlai—it seemed they had indeed forgotten a bit.
The Xie clan had a Xie Yanfang, making all others pale in comparison. But after all, he was still a son of the Xie family, so quite a few people still remembered—
“He used to always fight in the Capital Guard and Imperial Guard. My nephew is in the military and mentioned that this brat was really hated, but no one dared provoke him.”
“Have you forgotten what happened three years ago? When the Xie family disciplined their son in the street, the one who was whipped—that was Xie Yanlai.”
“I remember now! It seems he got everyone in a whole village killed!”
“Right, right. Why is such a person still alive?”
“Because his surname is Xie—he’s a National Uncle.”
“Third Young Master Xie is truly unlucky to have such a brother.”
“What family misfortune.”
“—Eunuchs from the Imperial Palace have also come out—”
Hearing this, people in teahouses, taverns, and at street corners stopped their discussions and ran out to look. Sure enough, they saw three palace attendants escorted by the Imperial Guard coming from the direction of the Imperial Palace, galloping toward outside the city.
“The Emperor also knows the news. Is he sending people to receive his uncle?”
“Look, that eunuch is wearing red robes—he’s a first-rank chief eunuch who serves beside the Emperor.”
“Let’s disperse. There’s no excitement to see. The Emperor will definitely protect his own uncle—there are only a few… uncles left anyway.”
……
……
“Elder Sister,” Xiao Yu called out, standing inside the hall.
Chu Zhao, who was standing outside the hall, turned around and beckoned to him.
Xiao Yu happily walked over and took Chu Zhao’s hand.
“Elder Sister is borrowing Eunuch Qi for a purpose,” Chu Zhao said. “To do something for me.”
“What’s mine is Elder Sister’s—no need to say ‘borrow,'” Xiao Yu said, then asked curiously, “Has Uncle returned? During the break earlier, I heard the tutors discussing in low voices.”
But the tutors didn’t dare speak much in his presence, so he didn’t hear very clearly.
Chu Zhao smiled. “Do you still remember that uncle?”
Counting the time, Xie Yanlai and Xiao Yu hadn’t seen each other for over two years.
Xiao Yu also smiled. “Elder Sister, two years ago I was six years old, not a baby who couldn’t remember anything.”
He didn’t know what other children’s six years old was like, but his own—from then on, he never forgot anything.
Moreover, this was an uncle who didn’t like him, who seemed to have no interest in being his uncle—a very special uncle.
……
……
When Eunuch Qi arrived at the Capital Guard camp, he heard the clamorous noise from afar. The watching common people brought their whole families in droves, and there were quite a few vendors carrying baskets and hawking their wares—tea, water, and snacks all available. It was even livelier than during New Year’s.
He was both annoyed and amused. What kind of affair was this?
However, this was also good. Sometimes absurdity could actually reassure the common people and avoid chaotic rumors.
Better to watch the excitement now than to be in a state of panic.
The officials were all on the elevated platform. Seeing Eunuch Qi arrive, some hurried to bow and greet him, some only nodded blandly, and others darkened their faces.
“Why has Eunuch Qi come?” Principal Official Zhu even asked impolitely, pointing at the officials and military guards to the side. “The Grand Tutor already knows and has made a decision.”