Chapter 330 is about timing and opportunity.
They were all on the same side, so Jiang Yu wouldn't hide anything. Seeing the hope in the Duke of Wei's eyes, she added, "The Marquis of Chengen will be taking action soon, and he will be using new firearms. I will try to get my cousin Yun Chuan to participate as well. You should also spend more time with the Marquis of Chengen these days."
Upon hearing this, the Duke of Wei was delighted and immediately said, "Thank you in advance. Yu'er, rest assured, if anything happens in the future, the Duke of Wei's mansion will definitely provide full assistance."
"You're being too polite," Jiang Yu said with a smile.
"Haha, yes, we're all family." Wei Guogong laughed heartily. If Ning Yunchuan could advance further, he could retire and go home.
Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei were old friends for many years, and seeing him so happy, he smiled as well. He looked at Jiang Yu and asked, "Did you meet with Prince An?"
"Yes." Jiang Yu recounted her conversation with Prince An, but omitted the explanation Prince An gave her.
After listening, Marquis Anyuan pondered for a moment and then asked, "What do you plan to do next?"
Jiang Yu took a sip of tea and said, "Find a way to get Lou Qingyao, the daughter of Imperial Physician Lou, to make a scene, preferably to the Dali Temple."
Marquis Anyuan glanced at Lu Shaocheng sitting to one side and said, "Let Shaocheng handle this matter."
“Okay,” Jiang Yu said without hesitation.
If everyone on the same boat is burdened with problems, the others will feel disconnected and may gradually drift apart. This applies even to close family ties. Teamwork is key to long-term success.
“Okay.” Lu Shaocheng immediately agreed.
Although they are first cousins, he and Jiang Yu don't spend much time together. He also wants to spend more time with this promising cousin.
Remembering that Jiang Yu had cooperated with Prince An on several occasions, the Duke of Wei lowered his voice and asked, "Yu'er, how likely do you think Prince An is to succeed?"
This is a sensitive topic, but one that everyone cares about. The merit of following the emperor is something every court official desires. However, this merit is not easily obtained; a misstep could lead to the destruction of one's family and clan. But success could ensure decades of prosperity for the family.
The reason why the Duke of Chu's mansion was able to recover was because the old Duke of Chu helped them in their most critical moment.
All eyes turned to Jiang Yu, who didn't hide anything and said, "I think it's at least 60%."
Sixty percent is quite a lot; the Emperor still has six sons vying for it. Marquis Anyuan and Duke Wei exchanged glances, and after a while, Marquis Anyuan said, "Let's take another look."
The Duke of Wei nodded in agreement, "Yes, this matter must not be handled rashly."
Jiang Yu nodded. She had reached a tacit agreement with Prince An, but it wasn't convenient to discuss it with others yet. Moreover, families like the Marquis of Anyuan's mansion and the Duke of Wei's mansion didn't need to take sides so early. In fact, even if they remained neutral, the new emperor would still have to show them favors after his ascension to consolidate his power.
Clearly, Marquis Anyuan and Duke of Wei also understood this principle. Only those families that were about to fall or had already fallen would take the risk of supporting a prince early on in order to gain merit by following the emperor.
After finishing their business, Jiang Yu went to the backyard to see Lady Anyuan, and had dinner with her before returning home. After she left, her aunt, knowing that Lu Shaocheng was going to help Jiang Yu, happily went to the storeroom to pick out things, this time taking Lu Shaocheng's wife with her.
"You'll come with me to the Duke of Chu's mansion tomorrow," the eldest aunt said to her daughter-in-law as they walked. "Although Shao Cheng will inherit the title, a marquis with real power is completely different from one without. The marquis and his family want Shao Cheng to pass the imperial examination and then enter the court. But passing the imperial examination is not easy. We need to prepare for both possibilities."
Lu Shaocheng's wife, Liu, was also the eldest daughter of a prominent family and had been raised as a matriarch since childhood, so she naturally understood this principle. She followed her aunt obediently, nodding.
Previously, Lu Xiaowu had entered the Secretariat and worked under Jiang Yu. Given the example of the Marquis of Jinyang's heir, her family was worried about Lu Shaocheng's unstable position and summoned her back for a thorough explanation. She had been somewhat worried these past few days, but now she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing that she was well-behaved, her aunt was even more pleased with this daughter-in-law. She then reminded her, "Although Yu'er is a woman, she is the Duke of Chu and a close minister of the Emperor. Therefore, you people of the same generation cannot treat her as an ordinary cousin."
"Mother, don't worry, your daughter-in-law understands," Liu said quickly.
The eldest aunt nodded in satisfaction again, and then heard Liu say, "Among my daughter-in-law's dowry is a set of jade writing implements. I think my cousin Yu would like it. How about we take it with us tomorrow?"
But when her aunt heard this, she waved her hand and said, "Keep the things from your dowry yourself. There's a set of sandalwood writing implements in the main storeroom. Just give her that set."
The Marquis of Anyuan's family was not so poor as to use his daughter-in-law's dowry as a gift.
Liu nodded obediently, "I will do whatever Mother says."
........
While they were thinking about how to give Jiang Yu a gift, Marquis Anyuan was in his study instructing Lu Shaocheng: "Studying for the imperial examinations is important, but getting involved in court affairs is even more important. Although if you pass the imperial examinations, your starting point in the court will be higher, we still need to be prepared for both possibilities. Now is a good time, and we can't miss it."
"Grandson understands," Lu Shaocheng replied earnestly.
He was raised as the heir to the Marquis's mansion from a young age, and he wasn't just a bookworm; he understood these principles. Especially since the Marquis of Anyuan said now was a good time. After years of stability, even for established noble families like theirs, promotion and expansion of power weren't easy.
Now that Jiang Yu is implementing reforms, he might even eliminate the King of Lingnan next, or even expand his territory. This is the opportune moment, the chance. Before, he had to study hard, pass the imperial examination, and enter the court. Now the opportunity has arrived. If the time is right, even if he is recommended for an official position, he can quickly distinguish himself.
"Grandson, let's try to find out what Doctor Lou is thinking first," Lu Shaocheng said. "My son-in-law was murdered, so Doctor Lou must be unhappy. He doesn't want to make a big deal out of it now, simply because he doesn't want to offend the Prime Minister. But if he has someone with the same power as the Prime Minister backing him up, he might change his mind."
Marquis Anyuan nodded, and Lu Shaocheng continued, "If Imperial Physician Lou still doesn't want to make a big fuss, then persuade Lou Qingyao."
Marquis Anyuan nodded again, "Alright, Prince An will also be involved in this matter. If needed, you can discuss it with Yu'er, borrow Prince An's name, or have Prince An intervene."
Many people still believe that Prince An has no chance of inheriting the throne. However, Prince An commands the Embroidered Uniform Guard and is the emperor's weapon; his reputation is even more powerful than that of the newly appointed crown prince.
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