When Madam Cheng returned to the Cheng residence, her face was extremely grim.
Cheng Nan was teasing the birds in the courtyard when she saw this. She quickly handed the birdcage to the servant and told him to leave, then went over to help her with a smile.
"Madam, please don't worry."
Cheng was no longer able to contain her anger and slapped him.
"How can I not be anxious? That idiot Qin Minglang actually dared to hoard troops without permission. Isn't he courting death? I just went to the Prince's Mansion to see my father, but I was turned away. I'm afraid I can't get over this."
"And your daughter, she's just as stupid as Qin Minglang! She actually led a large group of people to the city gate to welcome him, she's really courting death and has completely disgraced herself."
She got angrier and angrier as she spoke, and pinched Cheng Nan hard again.
"You should think of a way. If all else fails, get Lan'er to divorce Qin Minglang as soon as possible. It's better than her dying with him."
Cheng Nan winced in pain, but dared not flinch.
"Madam, things haven't gotten that bad yet."
"Not bad yet? I think you're just too carefree!" Madam Cheng gritted her teeth in anger, then looked at Cheng Nan after a moment, "Do you have a solution?"
Cheng Nan helped her sit down in the stone pavilion before saying, "We shouldn't speculate on the old prince's thoughts. If our son-in-law is truly doomed and relentlessly pursued by the Ninth Prince, do you really think the Su family can escape unscathed?"
Cheng was taken aback.
Others only know that Cheng Nan lives off the few shops inherited from his ancestors, and is a complete idler who does nothing of substance and achieves nothing.
Few people know that Cheng Nan's father was once Su Weichuan's trusted strategist.
Before the great war between the Sui and Zhou dynasties, Su Weichuan instructed that Cheng Shi marry Cheng Nan, hoping to achieve glory and hegemony together. However, Cheng's father died tragically in that great war.
Su Weichuan only offered silver as compensation, but refused Cheng Nan's offer to inherit his father's business.
As a result, Cheng had several arguments with Su Weichuan, which only worsened the father-daughter relationship and drew ridicule from the eldest son's family, who assumed that she was of poor character and had an affair with the strategist's son, which was why she had no choice but to marry him.
The Cheng family suffered in silence and have been holding their anger in for years.
That's why, like Su Yulan, he was determined to make a name for himself.
After decades of marriage, no one knew better than Cheng Shi that Cheng Nan, like her father, possessed a clever and shrewd mind.
She composed herself and, holding Cheng Nan's hand, pressed him for answers.
"Who are you? My father knows everything Qin Minglang has done?"
Cheng Nan smiled faintly, "Madam, what matter in the capital can be kept from the old prince?"
After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Cheng suddenly realized the truth.
“I understand now. My elder sister’s son and husband have already made achievements in the military. But in the military and political arena, if they want to achieve the same status as my father, the Ninth Prince is a thorn in their side. He’s using Qin Minglang as a pawn. All these years, what has my father ever thought of me and our lineage? A disposable pawn? It was like that back then, and it’s like that now!”
Her eyes were red with anger.
Cheng Nan's eyes flickered, and he gently patted the back of her hand reassuringly.
“Madam, I don’t think this is entirely bad. If my son-in-law can figure out a thing or two, he might be able to take advantage of the situation and launch a counterattack. Perhaps the effect would be very good.”
Cheng said anxiously, "What if he's too stupid to figure it out? Wouldn't that be a dead end?"
Cheng Nan shrugged.
“If he is truly so stupid, I will support what you say and let Lan’er divorce him. Such a fool is really not worthy of your and Lan’er’s great ambitions.”
A woman's decision to divorce is not something she can do lightly, especially since the marriage between Su Yulan and Qin Minglang was already widely criticized.
"No, I have to go see Qin Minglang and give him a heads-up."
She started walking out as she spoke.
Cheng Nan reached out to stop her.
"The Ninth Prince escorted the goods straight into the palace gates; how could you possibly have seen them?"
Cheng broke free.
"My third sister is a Noble Consort in the palace, she will always be able to come up with some solutions, so you don't need to worry about it."
After saying this, he told his maid to call a carriage and quickly leave the mansion.
Cheng Nan watched her retreating figure and gave a very slight smile.
"It's time to stir things up in the Su family's waters."
...
As night fell, Mo Yunhan emerged from the palace.
Ye Qi had been holding back for a long time.
"Your Highness, the Emperor has made it clear that he intends to protect the man surnamed Qin. If he manages to escape, wouldn't that be letting that fellow get away with it?"
Outside the long palace walls, guards stood guard without stopping, their presence imposing and intimidating.
The last rays of the setting sun had long since vanished, leaving only dappled light and shadow on the city wall.
The interplay of light and shadow on the bricks and stones resembled blood that had dried up for too many years.
Mo Yunhan did not stop walking, and snorted softly upon hearing this.
"Chariots, gunpowder, ironware, crossbows—every clue originated from the Ministry of War. Do you really think that Qin Minglang, who has only been in the force for a little over a month, could completely control one of the Six Ministries?"
Ye Qi was stunned for a moment.
"Your Highness, are you referring to Su..."
He glanced around, not daring to call out his name directly.
Mo Yunhan didn't point it out, his eyes holding a hint of playful indifference.
"More sophisticated mechanical weapons than those of the Sui Dynasty's mechanical battalion. The Ministry of War, the core of the Zhou Dynasty's military and political system, is something I am very much looking forward to seeing whether the peaceful and prosperous Zhou Dynasty is more important, or the absolute power of that dragon throne."
Ye Qi didn't understand.
He just muttered something, clearly unwilling to accept it.
"Then wouldn't it have been a waste of time if we arrested Qin Minglang and brought him to the capital?"
Mo Yunhan glanced at him with some disdain.
Suddenly I miss Jiang Qingwan.
If it were her, she would surely know that the key to luring the snake out of its hole lies not in the bait, but in the snake itself.
Qin Minglang was never the "general" in this game!
...
Upon returning to the Prince's residence, Mo Yunhan went directly to the backyard, only to find Lian'er alone, carrying a small bundle and walking towards the front yard.
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