“Back when there was slaughter outside the gates and she opened the Chu Garden doors, I dared to run over and stand with her,” she said, her hands clenching tightly before her. “Now it’s just some verbal mockery—what’s there to fear?”
The maidservant was startled. Miss A’Tang has gone mad!
The next moment, Miss A’Tang collapsed back onto the cushion with a long sigh.
Chu Zhao, oh Chu Zhao, please come back quickly.
And Uncle, you absolutely must not be found guilty—
When she got home, she should still pack her luggage properly, so they could flee in the night if necessary.
……
……
“Young Master, more than half of the criticism regarding General Chu Ling comes from the hand of Prince Zhongshan.”
Steward Cai walked in carrying a stack of papers, meeting Xie Yanfang who was walking out, a maidservant by his side holding a cloak.
“This is the newly investigated list—Prince Zhongshan’s connections in the capital and outside—”
Xie Yanfang didn’t even look. “Eliminate them all, by any means necessary.” He paused. “Root them out completely.”
These three sentences made everything clear. Steward Cai asked no more questions, putting away the papers and following him outside. He took out several more papers. “Also, half are not Prince Zhongshan’s people.”
The maidservant softly urged, “Young Master, it’s cold. Please put on your cloak.”
Xie Yanfang stopped slightly, letting the maidservant drape the cloak over him, while turning his head to ask, “What kind of people?”
Steward Cai looked at the papers in his hand. “All kinds of people—court officials, aristocratic families, especially military officers—”
The maidservant couldn’t help but sigh. “General Chu is so hated.”
Xie Yanfang smiled. “It’s not that he as a person is hated—it’s that his position is hated. General Chu has been silent and unnoticed for over a decade. How could he have so many enemies?” He looked at Steward Cai again. “I understand. These are people who want to take advantage of this opportunity to divide up the Northwestern military authority.”
Steward Cai nodded. “Indeed, it’s a very good opportunity.”
First, the Chu clan’s foundation was weak. Second, Chu Ling was quite controversial. Now as the Empress’s father with the Emperor still young, he could easily be labeled as seizing power. Third, an incident had occurred in the military campaign.
“There’s already been a proposal in court to replace the commanding general of Yunzhong Commandery,” Xie Yanfang said.
Steward Cai hesitated, then reiterated his earlier statement. “Young Master, this truly is a good opportunity.”
What the Xie clan currently lacked most was military authority.
Xie Yanfang said, “This is naturally a good opportunity, however—”
Steward Cai wore an expression of having known all along. “In any case, everything must prioritize Miss Chu first, not harming her in the slightest.” He sighed again. “I truly never imagined our Xie clan would fall to the level of babysitting children.”
“Steward Cai, our Xie clan has indeed fallen to the level of babysitting,” Xie Yanfang sighed softly. “But babysitting is also the easiest way to gain returns.”
General Chu Ling was a man close to death. If they showed him their sincerity, then naturally everything of his would be left only to them.
Why play the villain at this time?
Moreover, to obtain what one wants doesn’t necessarily require kicking someone when they’re down—one can also provide warmth in the snow.
Steward Cai looked at the papers in his hand. “Then how should we deal with these people? Also eliminate them all, by any means necessary, root them out completely?”
Xie Yanfang glanced at them. “These are all friends who can be persuaded. We can’t turn them into another Prince Zhongshan. Have Seventh Aunt go out and make some rounds.”
Although they weren’t like the Chu clan in closing their doors to guests, the Xie clan elders were in Dongyang, and there was basically no socializing on the capital side either.
To express the Xie clan’s intentions, it was still most appropriate to start from within the inner quarters of noble families. If the Xie clan spoke up for Chu Ling in the inner quarters, that alone would be enough to influence the outside world.
Hearing this, Steward Cai smiled. “I’m afraid that won’t be convenient recently.”
Xie Yanfang was puzzled. What did “not convenient” mean?
“Of course, it’s not that everyone won’t accommodate our Xie clan,” Steward Cai said with a smile. “Rather, recently the capital isn’t holding any banquets. Even if Seventh Madam holds a banquet and invites people, it might not go smoothly.”
He didn’t pay much attention to the movements in the capital’s inner quarters. Xie Yanfang asked curiously, “Why is that? Logically, with trouble in the border commandery, this should be the time for lively denunciations.”
For many people, when something happened—as long as it didn’t happen to them—it was a good opportunity to raise their reputation, strengthen relationships, and form alliances.
Steward Cai said, “Miss Chu Zhao’s cousin runs to banquets every day to debate with people about whether Chu Ling is at fault or not. Not only that, she brings along servants she claims are orphans and widows from the border commandery to tell tragic stories about how hateful the Xi Liang bandits are, how difficult things are for the soldiers, and how we must share a common hatred of the enemy—disrupting the banquets so they can’t continue. With Miss Chu Tang bearing the status of the Empress’s sister, no one dares block her from entering. If this continues, the gatherings will become praise meetings for Chu Ling. Everyone can only close their doors, stay home, and cease socializing.”
Xie Yanfang laughed heartily, his laughter mixed with some admiration.
He naturally knew well what kind of temperament the Chu Lan family had.
Setting aside that couple, for Chu Tang, that cold and selfish girl, to actually charge into battle for Chu Ling—
Why was this? He was very clear in his heart. It was because the other Chu family girl was formidable.
She had left the capital, but before leaving, she had made preparations.
She said that in this life, meeting Third Young Master was Heaven’s mercy upon her.
But actually, she didn’t rely on his mercy.