The fierce guards and the courteous Third Young Master Xie departed, and the frightened Zhou family members rushed over.
“Grand Master, what happened?” Some were completely confused.
“Grand Master, we shouldn’t have accepted that letter. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang have eyes and hands everywhere—they must have discovered it. Are they saying we’re conspiring with Prince Zhongshan?” Some had partial understanding.
“I heard they’re trying to arrest the Empress’s family. Chu Ling just died, and now they want to depose the Empress?” Some had sharp ears and eyes with new speculation.
Amid the chaotic clamor, Old Master Zhou waved his hand: “All of you, be quiet.”
But as the family patriarch, he knew that not speaking wouldn’t put the family at ease. After all these years, even during the Third Prince’s chaos, soldiers had never stormed into the Zhou residence.
The dynasty was collapsing.
“Prince Zhongshan’s forces are closing in on the capital. Just now, the Prince Zhongshan’s heir executed three decree-bearing ministers on charges of interfering with military affairs, giving chaotic commands, and damaging army morale. Then he announced he would come to the capital to personally see the Emperor and apologize—which is of course an excuse.” Old Master Zhou said. “But this excuse is dignified and proper. The people were already anxious and restless, so they believed it. The court is in a very difficult position now.”
That made sense. The family members nodded. Actually, if the situation reached that point, they could believe it too.
Such words couldn’t be spoken aloud.
“So? What does this have to do with the Empress?” Everyone asked urgently.
Old Master Zhou said: “Empress Chu’s uncle, Chu Lan, once plotted with Prince Zhongshan’s heir, so the court wants him to come forward and testify to Prince Zhongshan and his son’s treason.”
Everyone could see Prince Zhongshan and his son’s treasonous intent, but Chu Lan’s involvement still shocked them. They instantly guessed the truth of that night—when the Late Emperor said the Chu woman rescued and protected the Young Emperor, she had actually rescued him from her own uncle and Prince Zhongshan!
“No wonder after Chu Zhao became Empress, the Chu Lan couple never appeared.”
“They said they were recuperating from illness, but they were actually confined.”
“I suspected all along that the Chu clan was strange and problematic.”
“So what’s happening now?”
“The Chu Lan family fled?”
Old Master Zhou nodded: “Yes, the Chu Lan family fled, so the court is searching. They’re not just searching our home—every household in the city has been searched.”
The family members breathed a sigh of relief. So it wasn’t targeting the Zhou family specifically.
Fortunately, the Chu clan was simple—the Chu Lan couple had never been seen or had any social connections. Empress Chu Zhao sat deep in the palace and had now run off to the border commandery. Only that Chu family girl Chu Tang, newly wealthy and arrogant, wandered around everywhere playing.
“Tell the children in the family not to associate with her.”
“Mainly A-Jiang. A-Jiang was still playing with that Chu Tang the day before yesterday.”
Old Master Zhou impatiently silenced them: “Stop talking about the past. What’s the point of being wise after the fact? Before the Third Prince and the Zhao clan’s incident, weren’t you all also socializing and associating with them?”
With this silencing, the family members’ hearts were also settled, and they all voiced agreement.
“In any case, it has nothing to do with our family.” Everyone said as they took their leave and departed.
It had quite a lot to do with their family—Old Master Zhou sat in the flower hall silently examining the chess board.
Whether it was Prince Zhongshan’s heir, the young Emperor, or the Xie clan—did they truly need the Zhou clan’s assistance? Without the Zhou clan, they would still be all-powerful. That wasn’t called assistance—that was called adding flowers to brocade.
For the Zhou clan, adding flowers to brocade could only bring adding flowers to brocade in return. Of course, if they didn’t add flowers to brocade, no one could do anything to them either.
They’d walked the old chess paths for too long. Suddenly a new path appeared—
Who knew what new patterns it could produce.
Old Master Zhou raised his hand and changed the two moves Xie Yanfang had made, replacing them with his own victory, revealing a satisfied smile.
…
…
When Xie Yanfang returned to his quarters in the Imperial City, he saw Deng Yi sitting inside, interestedly watering the orchids on the desk.
This was the first time Deng Yi had come to his place.
“Master Xie is truly refined.” Deng Yi said, surveying the hall. “Even the great halls of the Imperial City feel like home to you.”
Xie Yanfang smiled without responding to this remark, only saying: “Is the Grand Tutor waiting for news? I’m very sorry, we still haven’t found them. Though Empress Chu has been Empress for only a short time, she has won people’s hearts and trust.”
He hadn’t expected that standing before those aristocratic families with the Emperor’s great favor, he still couldn’t persuade them to yield.
He had his reputation earned through years of keeping a low profile and his aristocratic family’s foundation and power. What did that young lady rely on? The Empress position and border army military authority? Or her sharp edges and straightforward spirit of courage?
He suddenly seemed to see his thirteen-year-old self standing before the Crown Prince with a bow.
“Empress Chu wields authority. Not only can she have aristocratic families help from a thousand miles away to protect her family, but abroad she can also command troops.” Deng Yi said. “I came to tell you that the Empress has transferred troops from the Hedong and Shangdang commanderies.”
Xie Yanfang turned to look at the map hanging on the wall: “Is she going to besiege Zhongshan Commandery?” He knew that young lady wouldn’t sit idle—she would definitely take action. He smiled. “This is besieging Wei to save Zhao.”
Deng Yi said: “Empress Chu just lost her father. She probably thinks all fathers and sons in the world share deep affection.”
Did she think that with the heir already at the capital, hearing his father king was under siege would make him give up and return? How naive.
Xie Yanfang smiled and said: “As Empress, hearing of Prince Zhongshan’s treason, she must naturally launch a punitive expedition. Grand Tutor, don’t worry. Even without two armies, we can still win.”
Deng Yi glanced at him. How could he be worried about that?
“It should be Master Xie who needn’t worry.” He said with a half-smile. “You were worried that prosecuting Chu Lan would affect Empress Chu’s reputation, but Empress Chu prepared early. She doesn’t need your help—she solved it herself.”
Xie Yanfang seemed not to understand his sarcasm, nodding with a smile: “Yes, so please have the Grand Tutor issue an edict proclaiming Chu Lan’s past association with Prince Zhongshan. Announce to the world Prince Zhongshan’s treason. This way, when Empress Chu besieges Zhongshan Commandery, she’ll have just cause, and her prestige will be even more illustrious.”
Deng Yi remained silent.