To Prince Yan Lin, the second prince, Prince Yan Li, the crown prince, wasn’t an appealing choice. In his eyes, Yan Lin was always shirking responsibility, always leaving him to face danger upfront, as if expecting him to openly confront the Crown Prince to the point of injury, while he sat back to reap the benefits.
What a ridiculous expectation!
He had made it clear to Yan Lin that, in order to eliminate Crown Prince Yan Huisheng, they had to start with Zhou Gu. Yet, Yan Lin remained indecisive, insisting that the timing wasn’t right. If this wasn’t the right time, then when would be? Were they supposed to wait until Zhou Gu cinched a government position after the imperial examination?
Zhou Gu would undoubtedly rise to become Yan Huisheng’s powerful weapon. Failing to eliminate him before he rose to power would spell massive trouble.
Regrettably, they didn’t manage to take Zhou Gu’s life that day. Who would’ve expected Fen Ling to suddenly appear out of nowhere, carrying out Su Rong’s orders to save Zhou Gu. Moreover, Su Rong surprisingly had medical skills. She provided a fever remedy that surpassed those from the Imperial Medical Bureau and all renowned doctors in the capital, saving Zhou Gu’s life.
His hatred for Su Rong made his teeth itch. The last time the Crown Prince’s wife invited her to the Crown Prince Residence, he had intended to probe her and the Su Family’s background, but that had backfired. And now, she foiled his plans regarding Zhou Gu. He immediately thought of killing two birds with one stone - using Ye Guixue to deal with both Zhou Gu and Su Rong.
Surprisingly, Ye Guixue was a tough nut to crack, unfazed even by the threat to his niece’s safety.
With a stern expression and clenched fists, Yan Li knew he had no choice but to seek an alliance with the Nanchu Queen. The enemy of an enemy could be a friend. He believed that the Nanchu Queen would be more than willing to cooperate with him now.
Restoring his composure, Yan Li rose to his feet and walked out of the room, instructing the guard outside the door, "Tell the innkeeper that if what happened in this room leaks out, he will lose his head."
He didn’t want the Inspectorate-General to impeach him tomorrow, accusing him of damaging property at the restaurant in a fit of rage.
The subordinate responded with, "Rest assured, your Highness."
Satisfied, Yan Li left the restaurant.
After leaving the restaurant, Ye Guixue returned to Duke Cheng’s residence without further incident.
Duke Cheng was waiting for him in his courtyard. Upon his arrival, he asked with a gentle smile, "Guixue, was your meeting with the emperor today successful?"
"Uncle, it was successful." Ye Guixue responded, polite yet distant.
Duke Cheng examined his expression carefully but discerned nothing. He tentatively asked, "How did the emperor react to your proposed engagement with the Nanchu Princess? Did he express his support?"
Ye Guixue nodded, "Of course."
Though the Princess might have been born to Princess Zhenmin, and she had been raised in Daliang amidst tangled connections, her roots laid in Nanchu. If the Daliang Emperor wished to maintain Daliang’s partnership with Nanchu against Dawei, he had no choice but to support them.
Duke Cheng heaved a sigh of relief, "With the emperor’s support, things will be easier."
His greatest fear was that the emperor would dismiss Su Rong, unsupportive due to her and the Su Family’s connection with the Crown Prince. With Ye Guixue and the Ye Xiang family now tied closely to Su Rong, and Duke Cheng himself connected to the Ye Xiang family by marriage, Duke Cheng would undoubtedly get dragged into the political murk.
Ye Guixue remained noncommittal. Not that he underestimated the power of a sovereign, but he was indeed disappointed by the Daliang Emperor’s actions in recent years, actions that had been leading Daliang down a slippery slope. How could such a weakened Daliang confront Dawei? Thankfully, there was Crown Prince Yan Huisheng to steer Daliang from its imminent downfall.
He understood why Su Rong supported Crown Prince Yan Huisheng. Through their collaboration, Yan Huisheng could rely on Su Rong’s influence within Daliang and Su Rong could assist Yan Huisheng to shake up Daliang’s current state of affairs. It was a win-win situation.
The thought of Crown Prince Yan Li crossed his mind. He shook his head. It wasn’t that he looked down on Yan Li, but Yan Li, in terms of tactics, talent, and many other aspects, paled in comparison to Crown Prince Yan Huisheng. Yan Li’s approach to him today was a misstep. He didn’t fully understand his background nor did he properly gage Su Rong’s character. How could such a person stand against Crown Prince Yan Huisheng?
"Guixue, if you need your uncle’s help, just say the word." Duke Cheng realised, ever since Ye Guixue came to Daliang and moved into Duke Cheng’s residence, other than a birthday banquet for his niece Ye Qiuying, Ye Guixue had never asked anything from Duke Cheng. This made him uneasy.
Being head of the household, he was no ordinary layabout. His unique acumen for handling people and situations gave him an insight into the fact that Su Rong, the Nanchu Princess, was incredibly resourceful. She not only managed to break her engagement with Zhou Gu without arousing resentment from the Duke’s Residence, but she also earned their gratitude. The Eastern Palace placed great importance on Zhou Gu, and the Crown Prince rushed to the Duke’s Residence out of concern for Zhou Gu, allowing Su Rong to encounter the Crown Prince. Furthermore, Su Xingze from the Su Family would enter the royal court in the future and would undoubtedly be part of the Eastern Palace’s faction. If Duke Cheng’s Residence could form an alliance with her through Ye Guixue, and thereby form a connection with the Crown Prince, even his position might potentially become hereditary.
Since ancient times, the prowess of the dragon has captivated hearts.
Guixue looked at the Duke of the State of Cheng when she heard this, seemingly understanding his plan instantly, she raised an eyebrow, "Uncle, do you want to get involved in the prince’s struggle for succession?"
The Duke of Cheng coughed, "Guixue, how do you perceive the Crown Prince’s chances in the Eastern Palace?"
"He is naturally poised to be the ruler of Daliang."
The Duke of Cheng’s eyes brightened, "I also believe that the successor to Daliang shall indeed be none other than the Crown Prince. Hence, I am considering this."
Guixue bluntly pointed out to him, "But your family is large and established, the Crown Prince may not necessarily appreciate your favor."
It is too chaotic within the Duke of Cheng’s residence, such a large family is prone to issues. Yan Huisheng might not necessarily welcome his allegiance. What if he causes more harm than good? Would that not just hinder progress?
The Duke of Cheng felt awkward all of a sudden and stuttered, "I have already got your cousin to handle it."
"That is not enough," Guixue pointed out calmly, "At the very least, it is not about getting everyone to behave, but about cleaning up the mess and weeding out the negative influences. Without exterminating the pest, how can the tree grow luxuriant and bear fruit? If the Ye Xiang Residence were in the same state as the Cheng Duke Residence, it wouldn’t survive a decade in Nanchu. Do you believe, uncle, that the Cheng Duke Residence can continue this way for years once the current Crown Prince takes Daliang’s supreme throne?"
The Duke of Cheng turned pale and had to admit, "You’re right," he sighed, "Ah, it was my youthful folly, having born so many troublemakers."
Guxiue casually said: "It’s good that you understand, uncle. If you want a share in the glory of the dragon, you need to first take a stand, cleanse the mess within, tidy up all loose ends, and the Crown Prince will naturally notice. Your nephew, Weiran, is talented and capable of leading the future of the Duke Residence. Don’t be like the emperor of Daliang, who clings onto power. If you give Weiran enough support, the future of the Duke Residence might indeed be as you wish."
The Duke of Cheng felt enlightened, "Guixue, you’re right, I understand what I should do."
He needs to be firm! Simply telling Lu Weiran to do as he pleases is not enough, he also needs to help him eliminate the troublemakers who have tarnished the Duke Residence over the years. He needs to affirm Weiran’s position as the heir, so that no one can hold him back anymore, to further the development of the Duke Residence, and to create a hopeful future for it.
"Furthermore, there’s Lu Fengyan. After all, he’s a descendant of the Lu surname. This person is talented and very good at dealing with people, judicious in assessing the situation and a rare good talent. Uncle, do not let outsiders use him," Guixue advised. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
The Duke of Cheng came to his senses, "Guixue, you’re right. Fengyan, this child, has only been to Cheng Duke Residence twice since he came to the capital, clearly intending to distance himself from it. I have to bring him back."
"Why not let him work for your nephew Weiran?" Guixue suggested.
The Duke of Cheng nodded repeatedly, "That’s right, I’m old and couldn’t communicate well with the young ones. It’s better for young people to communicate amongst themselves."
After discussing the main points, he realized that it was past noon, and asked, "Guixue, have you had lunch yet?"
Guixue shook her head, "I haven’t eaten the meal that the Emperor arranged."
She did not mention that she did not eat at the restaurant because the Crown Prince intercepted her.
The Duke of Cheng immediately said: "I haven’t eaten yet either, why don’t we eat together?"
Guixue nodded.
The Duke of Cheng immediately ordered to prepare a meal, and the servants quickly served the meal. Guixue has excellent manners and does not speak while eating, so the Duke of Cheng could only accompany her in quietly finishing the meal. After lunch, he originally wanted to ask how she was getting along with Su Rong, but seeing that Guixue looked a bit tired, he held back and bid farewell as he left his courtyard.
After the Duke of Cheng left, Guixue returned to her room to change clothes, figured that Su Rong should have awoken from her nap by now, and left the residence to go to the Shen Residence to meet with Su Rong.
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