Chapter 13 Wei Zhang was closer than she had imagined…
Perhaps because it was the first time he had taken the initiative to hold someone's hand, his movements were stiff, and his palm hovered in the air without touching her skin.
Xue Lanyi withdrew her hand, but seeing that slender, jade-like hand covering her sleeve, she still couldn't help but hesitate.
Her hand hung limply; she didn't reach out to hold his hand again, but she didn't have the heart to pull away either.
The two of them half-dragged each other back to Chong'an Hall.
Ichiro leaned against the doorway, sword in hand.
Seeing the two walking hand in hand, he immediately straightened up and looked at Wei Zhang with a solemn expression.
"You go in first," Wei Zhang instructed Xue Lanyi.
The atmosphere was strange and somber. Xue Lanyi felt uneasy, so she nodded politely and went into the house first.
Wei Zhang and that young man went to the small hill in the backyard.
"I have already ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to secretly surround those traitors and rebels. They are just waiting for your order to purge the remnants of the reform movement at any time."
This person was none other than Shen Jinglan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Wei Zhang pondered for a moment, "The time is not yet ripe, we should hold back."
"The time is not right?" Shen Jinglan asked, puzzled. "Is it that the time is not right, or has Lord Wei forgotten his original intention?"
"Have you forgotten why you kept Princess Zhaoyang by your side in the first place?" Shen Jinglan looked up at the busy girl in yellow in the courtyard from a high place.
Because of her presence, the cold courtyard was filled with the smoke of cooking fires and adorned with fresh flowers, creating a beautiful scene of everyday life.
"But don't forget, if the princess remembers the past, she might not even be satisfied with killing you, and she will not have any more affection for you."
"She's just a pawn, let her be."
Wei Zhang calmly brushed the rouge powder off his hands, leaving not a trace.
When she looked up at Chen Jinglan again, her eyes were like ice, devoid of any extra emotion.
"We told you to hold back so that we could catch an even bigger fish."
"A big fish?" Shen Jinglan didn't understand. "The noble families who followed the late Crown Prince are all under our control, and the late Crown Prince has long been dealt with. What big fish could there be?"
"Have they all really been dealt with?" Wei Zhang asked rhetorically.
Just now, the old lady was so angry that she said that the eldest son had been struggling to keep up with the mess for Princess Zhaoyang for three years.
What exactly does "Princess Zhaoyang's mess" refer to?
All things considered, among the rebels who participated in the reform movement back then, besides Wei Xuan, there was only one other person who had the closest relationship with Princess Zhaoyang...
Shen Jinglan's expression changed upon hearing this. "You mean... the former crown prince is still alive, and in Wei Xuan's hands?"
When the Eastern Palace was burned to the ground, charred corpses littered the ground, making it truly difficult to distinguish which body belonged to the Crown Prince.
According to Wei Zhang's speculation, did the crown prince set fire to the house and escape?
"This matter should not be underestimated!" Shen Jinglan gripped his sword, intending to report back to the Emperor.
What's the rush?
Wei Zhang and Wei Ran stood still, playing with the white jade bodhi in their hands.
The bead, about the size of a thumb, is intricately carved with lily patterns. The name of Wei Xuan is engraved on the front side, and the name of Li Zhaoyang is engraved on the back side.
Yin and Yang are one and inseparable.
“With bait in hand, why fear that the fish won’t come?” Wei Zhang spread his hands, and the three characters “Li Zhaoyang” were firmly trapped in his palm.
Li Zhaoyang, the eldest daughter of the former Grand Secretary and the cousin of the former Crown Prince.
She grew up under the care of the late emperor, who was very pleased with her and personally bestowed upon her the title of Princess and the childhood name "Yiyi," meaning that she was as gentle yet resilient as flowing water, and that life would never cease.
Five years ago, she was a true prodigy.
And now...
Outside Chong'an Hall, Wei Xuanzang stood at the entrance watching a young girl wearing armbands kneading dough in the courtyard.
She kneaded the dough with skill and strength, but she was too thin, and beads of sweat would occasionally seep from her forehead from exhaustion, which she would simply wipe away with her arm.
She used to be afraid of getting tired even when going out for a walk in nature, and she always insisted that he carry her.
While carrying him on her back, she also had to pinch her nose and complain about the smell of his sweat.
Wei Xuan felt as if his heart was being squeezed so tightly that he couldn't breathe. His knuckles turned white as he clenched them behind his back, barely managing to suppress the urge to step forward.
"Zhou Yu, why would Yiyi do this?"
"It must have been after the failure of the reform, the massacre of the princess's mansion, and the imprisonment and execution of her close friends and relatives. Zhao Yang was so shocked that she forgot all the unpleasant things from the past."
The young man in purple behind Wei Xuan was none other than Zhou Yu, the gentleman who had been watching Xue Lanyi from afar in the crowd.
He was born into a family of doctors, and although he had lost a finger, he could still understand things fairly well by observing people's expressions and demeanor.
They were all followers of the late Crown Prince's reforms and were old friends of Princess Zhaoyang.
Seeing the once pampered jewel of Shengjing City now so timid and subservient to others, he was filled with mixed emotions:
"Zhaoyang is a blank sheet of paper now. After spending three years with a vicious person like Wei Zhang, he can paint whatever he wants on it."
Over the years, everything she had seen, heard, and felt had come from Wei Zhang's meticulous planning, so naturally she trusted him wholeheartedly.
Wei Xuan looked ashamed.
In truth, it was because he trusted his second brother too much and never doubted him that he harmed Yiyi.
Breathing felt like being scraped by a razor blade.
Is there any way to cure it?
"That depends on you. Do you want to see a crazy Li Zhaoyang or an amnesiac Xue Lanyi?"
Li Zhaoyang has been reshaped by Wei Zhang.
Telling her the truth now would be tantamount to shattering her entire understanding of the universe.
She has already been hurt; can she accept the collapse of the universe?
Moreover, the truth itself is bloody.
She lost bad memories due to the death of her relatives and close friends. Would it be too cruel to bring back those memories?
Can she handle it, both physically and mentally?
Wei Xuan looked at her with a troubled expression.
"Hiss!" At this moment, a girl's soft exclamation suddenly came from the well.
Xue Lanyi, who was carrying a bucket of water, slipped and fell.
Wei Xuan hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and took her arm.
"Young Master?" Xue Lanyi quickly withdrew her hand, took a half step back, and curtsied. "May I ask... is there anything you need, Young Master?"
Wei Xuan hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.
"I'm just passing by, let me help you." He took the bucket of water from her hand.
It's really heavy.
Even for a man like him, it was difficult to carry; who knows how many times she had carried such heavy buckets over the years.
He frowned as he looked at her swollen, red fingers and the calluses on her hands.
Xue Lanyi was at a loss. She took the bucket back with both hands, her slender arms trembling. "No need, I can manage on my own."
She nodded politely, but hurried toward the small kitchen.
Three years of experience taught Xue Lanyi that those who flatter without reason must have ulterior motives.
Moreover, Wei Xuan did not happen to pass by unintentionally.
Xue Lanyi had noticed long ago that Wei Xuan was following her and Wei Zhang at a distance, and later he even stood outside the door watching her.
Why did he suddenly start paying attention to her?
After much thought, Xue Lanyi worried that it was the letter she wrote last night that revealed her identity to him that had caught his attention.
She was, after all, a convicted slave. Was Wei Xuan so determined to tear up the concubine's certificate and keep a close watch on her because he was afraid that her presence in the Duke's mansion would damage the mansion's reputation?
Xue Lanyi was unsure, but avoiding it was always the right thing to do.
She placed a basket of vegetables by the kitchen window, blocking Wei Xuan's view as he followed her.
Through the crack, Wei Xuan saw the unease and wariness in her eyes, like that of a wounded young animal.
"Go out first, don't frighten her," Wei Xuan said to Zhou Yu, his voice as soft as a feather.
But seeing an empty bucket by the well, he filled another bucket with water and placed it at the kitchen door.
The entire process was completely silent; even a martial arts practitioner's footsteps made no sound.
The two quietly left Chong'an Hall and hid in the grove.
Xue Lanyi was indeed short of water. She poked her head out of the door, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and then carried the bucket of water into the house.
Wei Xuan watched from afar and couldn't help but chuckle, feeling a little relieved. "Zhou Yu, tell our people to pretend they didn't recognize Yi Yi and not to try to get close to her."
"What do you mean?"
"The second prince wants to use Yiyi as bait to wipe out the former crown prince's faction." Wei Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his voice resolute.
It seemed like Zhou Yu hadn't seen him stand tall and straight for many years.
We've almost forgotten that he was once a general who excelled in both civil and military affairs, and who led the crossing of the Liao River.
It's as if the deceased General Wei has returned overnight.
Zhou Yu was pleased. She patted him on the shoulder and stood beside him. "You mean today's banquet is a setup?"
"Ever since he kept Yiyi by his side, the second son has been making plans."
Although the reform failed, some of the patriots who followed the late Crown Prince remained scattered among the people.
They never gave up, quietly spreading the idea of universal harmony through lectures in schools and storytelling in teahouses.
Wei Zhang was astute and must have realized that the sparks of the former crown prince's faction had not yet been extinguished, so he kept Yi Yi alive.
When the time is right, he will appear before everyone with Yiyi.
As a pioneer who supported the Crown Prince's reforms back then, Yi Yi has now become Wei Zhang's concubine. Isn't that ironic?
The former princeling faction could not remain unscathed.
If they make any moves, or try to contact Yi Yi, or spread the word that Yi Yi is still alive.
Wei Zhang could easily follow the clues to uncover and completely eliminate all the remnants of the former crown prince's faction.
Yiyi is now bait in his hands, which he can manipulate at will.
"The second brother has already cast a wide net; the more he does, the easier it is to be exposed."
Zhou Yu understood and was filled with lingering fear: "Fortunately, Wei Zhang did not make any move today."
"Whether it's a blessing or a curse remains to be seen," Wei Xuan shook his head and sighed softly.
Wei Zhang's grand banquet and concubine-taking today are clearly a prelude to closing in the net.
But why did they stop at the last moment?
“I’m afraid…” Wei Xuan clutched the white jade bodhi in his hand, “that he has guessed the whereabouts of the crown prince.”
When the reforms failed, Wei Xuan was defending the border against the enemy.
The crowd helped the prince set fire to the house and escape death.
Yi Yi stayed behind in the capital, knowing she was doomed, and sent the white jade bodhi she had carved herself to the border.
This Bodhi seed was originally given to him to pray for peace, but it became her final wish.
She ensured he had a good life and took care of his cousin, the crown prince.
This is why Wei Xuan did not choose to end his life three years ago.
He was trying his best to take care of her younger brother, but he never expected that he would leave her in the capital to suffer.
How can he save her from this misery?
Wei Xuan was torn between two difficult choices.
On the other side, Xue Lanyi had just scooped the noodles out of the pot when she suddenly heard a series of heavy footsteps.
His pupils contracted, and he looked up alertly, only to see Wei Zhang standing at the kitchen door.
"how?"
He was facing away from the light, blocking out the sunlight.
Xue Lanyi shook her head.
Wei Zhang glanced sideways and saw muddy footprints beside the well.
He didn't even need to look; he already knew Wei Xuan had been there.
Wei Xuan didn't try to erase the traces. It was inevitable that he would come to see Yi Yi, and there was no point in hiding it.
However, Wei Zhang disliked this blatant provocation.
He glanced briefly at the grove of trees outside, then went to the desk.
"Is the noodles ready?"
A steady breath landed on Xue Lanyi's head.
Very close.
Xue Lanyi felt a burning sensation on her earlobe and hurriedly turned around.
Wei Zhang stood closer than she had imagined, and she fell headfirst into his arms without warning.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
