Chapter 38 Giving up what was within reach for a woman...
On the other side, Wei Zhang walked across the covered walkway, where a large, green honeysuckle vine extended down to block his path.
Wei Zhang paused, his gaze taking in the leaves with great interest.
"Lord Wei has stopped raising fish and started raising flowers instead?"
At this moment, Shen Jinglan walked towards them, clasping his hands in a gesture of respect.
“There is joy in growing flowers.” Wei Zhang bowed in return. “Why does Lord Shen grace us with his presence at this time?” Shen Jinglan sighed. “His Majesty dreamt of the former Crown Prince’s faction and Prince Qi and his wife again last night. He was so frightened that he suspended court this morning. He said he is currently paying homage to Prince Qi at the Fengxian Hall.”
"Has Lord Shen not yet comforted His Majesty?" Wei Zhang gestured for him to proceed.
Shen Jinglan politely gestured for Wei Zhang to go first, saying, "We've made some progress in uncovering the truth behind Prince Qi's death, but it still needs further investigation. What about you? Have you made any progress on the whereabouts of the former Crown Prince?"
The two walked side by side toward the flower hall.
As soon as Shen Jinglan got close to him, she smelled a faint fragrance of a woman.
He glanced suspiciously at Wei Zhang out of the corner of his eye. "I just heard from Qingyang that the eldest young master has been kneeling at the old house all night. Since the eldest young master is willing to make peace, why doesn't Lord Wei take advantage of this opportunity to question him?"
It is truly remarkable that Wei Xuan was able to kneel before him.
Five years ago, Wei Xuan was ambushed by the enemy and his leg was broken, but he never knelt before the Chanyu.
In Shengjing City, he was an absolute tyrant. Not to mention the old Duke and the old lady, he often refused to kneel before even the late emperor.
Now, after all that hardship, I've broken my back in this courtyard house.
Shen Jinglan thought that Wei Zhang should interrogate him immediately, instead of indulging in sensual pleasures with a traitor and forgetting his duties.
Wei Zhang laughed, "As Lord Shen said, my elder brother has been stubborn since childhood. Do you think he would really tell me the whereabouts of the late Crown Prince if I went?"
"Then what did he want to talk about at the old house?" Shen Jinglan asked, puzzled.
Wei Zhang asked, "Does Lord Shen know why the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has two residences?"
Back then, the late emperor and the Duke of Zhenguo's ancestors fought together to establish the empire; their bond was one of life-or-death responsibility.
The late emperor trusted the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion implicitly, so he secretly stockpiled a batch of weapons in the Duke of Zhenguo's old residence to prevent any rebellion and to prepare for any eventuality.
Because they needed to keep the secret of that batch of weapons, the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion built a new residence.
Wei Zhang only learned of this matter from an elder of the clan recently when he was preparing for the succession of the title.
However, his elder brother had been groomed as the heir of the Duke's mansion since childhood, so he naturally knew the secrets of the Duke's mansion early on.
So why would they condescend to ask Wei Zhang to go to the old house?
It was simply a matter of dying together with him.
With both brothers gone, Xue Lanyi was free, and news from the former crown prince was cut off.
"My brother is truly loyal and brave."
Utterly stupid.
A hint of disdain flashed in Wei Zhang's eyes.
After hearing the whole story, Shen Jinglan finally understood that Wei Xuan would rather die than surrender.
"The western border is vast, and Wei Xuan refuses to reveal the whereabouts of the late Crown Prince. How can we search for him?"
"It's alright. Just because the boss can keep his composure doesn't mean that others can too."
Wei Zhang had long known that his elder brother's mouth was as hard as iron, and he never hoped to pry anything out of him.
Wei Xuan is just bait; as long as he can catch fish, that's fine.
Wei Zhang beckoned to his attendant, "Go to Shuying Hall and pass on a message to the old lady..."
*
Night falls, at Shuying Hall.
The medicine cup fell to the ground with a thud, splashing brown soup all over the floor.
"Xuan'er knelt down to the second son? He knelt down to the second son?" The old lady held onto the edge of the bed in disbelief, her heart pounding.
No one knew better than her how ambitious her son was.
He had rarely knelt before anyone since childhood, but now he knelt before his younger brother in front of everyone.
Wouldn't that mean being ridiculed and talked about behind your back for the rest of your life?
"What exactly is Xuan'er after? What is he after?"
The messenger maids inside the room looked at each other in bewilderment.
Su Yin ladled out a bowl of medicine and handed it to the old lady, saying, "Old lady, please drink your medicine first, don't upset yourself."
"Was it you?"
The old lady grabbed Su Yin's wrist, her eyes glaring: "Did you tell Xuan'er that the woman had hysteria?"
Looking across the world, apart from Xue Lanyi, the old lady could not find a second reason that could make her Xuan'er act so impulsively and disregard propriety.
Su Yin pursed her lips.
She naturally couldn't tell the eldest young master about Xue Lanyi's matter, but the guards at the old mansion were tight-lipped and wouldn't say anything out of turn.
It's highly likely that her husband let it slip in front of the eldest son after drinking.
As husband and wife, Su Yin had no way to deny it.
Seeing her expression, the old lady had already made up her mind.
Xuan'er must have learned that the woman had been tortured to the point of having a hysterical attack, and felt sorry for her, which is why she knelt in the old house overnight.
All he wanted was to use the gunpowder in the old house to perish together with Wei Zhang and free Xue Lanyi.
He abandoned his dignity for a woman!
He'd risk his life for a woman!
The old lady abruptly shook off Su Yin's hand, "My son is willing to die for that woman, what is that woman doing?"
Su Yin stumbled from the impact, bumping against the bed railing, and was stunned for a moment.
She truly hadn't expected that the mighty general who had swept through armies would kneel down.
Even more unexpectedly, the eldest son, though imprisoned, did not forget to plan for Xue Lanyi's future.
At this moment, Xue Lanyi was forced to lie in the arms of the culprit and engage in intimate acts.
If Xue Lanyi were conscious, how much hatred she would feel seeing her lover suffer such humiliation.
Su Yin was filled with emotion, but she did not dare to tell the old lady what had happened in the Chong'an Hall. She only said, "Aunt Xue is still not awake. According to the imperial physician, she needs to rest and recuperate for a period of time before she can regain her senses."
"I think she's faking madness, afraid of death, and unwilling to stand up for Xuan'er!" the old lady sneered.
"Old Madam is overthinking it. Aunt Xue is genuinely doing what's best for the eldest young master."
Su Yin wanted to comfort the old lady, but the old lady's anger deepened upon hearing this.
"What do you know? This woman has been scheming since she was a child. She always pretends to be reserved and aloof, keeping Xuan'er on her toes while secretly flirting with the second son. Now that Xuan'er is in trouble, she's naturally feigning madness to avoid disaster!"
Although Su Yin disagreed, she dared not refute it further and lowered her head.
The old lady also didn't want to get entangled with this woman anymore. She rubbed her temples and instructed her trusted servant, Granny Wang, "Go to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence tonight and tell him that I am ill and ask Xiuyuan to come over and keep me company."
Marquis Dingyuan, Pei Xiuyuan, was the nephew of the old lady. He had spent some time under her care when he was young, and even his marriage was arranged by the old lady, who arranged for him to marry the eldest daughter of the second branch of the Duke of Zhenguo's family.
Therefore, the Marquis and the Dowager Lady had a very close relationship.
Su Yin had heard Xue Lanyi give a general account of their escape plan.
The old lady summoned the Marquis at this time, probably to ask him to take the eldest son and flee the capital.
"Why don't you wait a little longer, Madam, at least until Aunt Xue wakes up..."
"Xuan'er has suffered greatly in the old house; this matter should not be delayed any longer."
The old lady wanted to leave the insane Xue Lanyi alone in the deep mansion and run away with the eldest son.
If Xue Lanyi were to wake up one day to find her beloved vanished, how would she bear facing the four empty high walls? And could she withstand yet another blow?
They've known and loved each other for over ten years, are they really going to be unable to even see each other once?
Su Yin couldn't bear it and advised, "At least wait until Aunt Xue regains her senses and stalls the young master, then the eldest young master will have a chance to escape..."
"Does the Marquis of Dingyuan really need a woman who can't even kill a chicken to help them with their affairs?" The old lady's eyes flashed with disdain.
The current Marquis of Dingyuan's residence is in charge of the Dayong Grand Canal, and the waterways are unpredictable and ever-changing.
As long as Wei Xuan is sent to the dock, the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion can ensure his safe escape.
Earlier, the Dowager Empress had intended for Xue Lanyi to report Wei Zhang to the Emperor, partly to delay Wei Zhang and partly to better ensure Wei Xuan's safety.
More importantly, Xue Lanyi and Wei Zhang were in cahoots, and the Old Madam was happy to see them fight like the snipe and the clam. She was also happy that Xue Lanyi would die alone, so that she could truly end her ill-fated relationship with Xuan'er.
Her son, Xuan'er, is both talented in literature and martial arts; he shouldn't be buried among the masses for the sake of a love affair.
It's good that Xue Lanyi has gone mad now.
Wei Zhang needed to take care of her, so the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion could take advantage of the chaos to elope with Xuan'er.
The old lady already had a plan in mind, and naturally did not want Su Yin to know too much about this matter, so she raised her hand and waved her away.
Su Yin bowed silently and withdrew.
As she walked into the courtyard, she looked around at the four cold, imposing walls, feeling a heavy weight in her heart.
Perhaps it was because she empathized with Xue Lanyi's situation, but she felt suffocated by it.
The old lady didn't pity her, nor did the prince. Her only lover was in prison, and she herself had developed hysteria.
How should Xue Lanyi resolve this situation?
How do we solve this?
When Su Yin was in dire straits in the Zhou family, at least she had her cousin to help her...
Thinking of this, Su Yin immediately shook her head, looked up at the sky, took a deep breath, and tried to erase the name from her mind.
When I looked up, I found myself standing under a longan tree.
In early summer, the white flowers on the longan tree are in full bloom, and a few fruits have already formed.
Su Yin recalled the story Xue Lanyi had told her that day about General Wei's triumphant return carrying saplings.
How wonderful!
She picked a longan and murmured to herself, "Was this the tree he planted for you?"
"yes."
A familiar voice came from behind her, and Su Yin turned around abruptly.
Zhou Yu came out of the night, walked to Su Yin's side, and looked up at the longan tree with his hands behind his back.
"Not only was this tree planted by Xuan Ge for Zhao Yang, but many longan trees in Kyoto actually grew from this tree. Just now, when I passed by Chong An Tang, I saw that longan trees had also been newly planted outside Chong An Tang. They were also branches of Xuan Ge's tree."
"Is the whole city filled with longans he planted for her?" Su Yin thought to herself with emotion.
Zhou Yu glanced back at the moved girl beside him and subconsciously reached out to rub her head to comfort her.
His hand reached into the air, then he withdrew it, placing it behind his back, and simply gave a curt "hmm."
"Zhaoyang's mother is from Lingnan. She once promised to take Zhaoyang back to Lingnan to eat the sweetest longan, but..."
Zhou Yu paused for a moment, then said, "The day before the trip, Zhao Yang's mother jumped to her death from the Zhaixing Tower."
Su Yin's pupils suddenly dilated.
People only ever knew that Princess Zhaoyang was favored by everyone and was a shining pearl.
Few people actually know that the reason why the Emperor, the Empress, and Zhaoyang's father doted on her so much was because Zhaoyang's mother died in the palace.
She was only five years old at the time, and she watched her mother fall from the building with her own eyes, crying her heart out.
The elders felt sorry for her, so they kept the news from being told and forbade anyone to talk about it anymore.
"Zhaoyang has always wanted to go to Lingnan to taste the longan there, but he doesn't dare to take that step."
Later, when Xuan Ge returned to the capital victorious, he made a special detour to Lingnan and searched all over the mountains and fields for a whole night before finally finding a longan tree that Zhao Yang's mother had described as having "small white flowers".
After returning to Beijing, he divided the longan trees and gave them away, and gradually the whole city was filled with longan trees that "blossom with small white flowers."
"It turns out it wasn't just about craving a taste of freshness."
Only now did Su Yin understand that the eldest young master only wanted Princess Zhaoyang to see her mother's favorite little white flowers whenever she missed her.
What a perfect couple!
They were a perfect match, from equal social standing, and childhood sweethearts. All the beautiful words in the world seemed to converge on them, so how did they end up in such an unspeakable state?
"It should have been perfect."
"Nine times out of ten, things in this world don't go as planned. There's no such thing as 'what should be'. Only by accepting reality can we live a long life."
Zhou Yu wanted to comfort Su Yin, but upon hearing these words, Su Yin's eyes, which had just been filled with sorrow, suddenly flashed with daggers.
"My cousin's high-sounding words are nothing but excuses for cowards! True love can overcome any hardship!"
Su Yin did not want to confide in a coward.
She didn't accept these resigned words, and she believed Xue Lanyi wouldn't accept them either.
She turned and headed towards Chong'an Hall.
Judging from what the old lady said, she will take the eldest son away in the next day or two.
Once the eldest son arrives at the western border, he will be a fugitive of the imperial court and will have no chance of returning to Dayong.
Then, Xue Lanyi would truly be separated from her lover forever, never to see him again in this lifetime.
Su Yin needs to find a way to bring Xue Lanyi to her senses and tell her about this.
Regardless of their fate, they should at least meet and have a proper conversation.
"Ah Yin, where are you going?" Zhou Yu noticed that Su Yin was trying to interfere in Xue Lanyi's affairs again, and stepped in front of her to block her way. "You're running back and forth between the Old Madam and Zhaoyang. Wei Zhang has probably already noticed you. He won't be lenient..."
"So what?" Su Yin met his gaze, her eyes stubborn and fearless.
She used to be very timid and cowardly, always swallowing her anger when bullied, only hoping to live a peaceful and stable life.
Why can't I see any desire for life in Zhou Yu's eyes now?
She was not afraid of death, and naturally she was not afraid of Wei Zhang either.
Zhou Yu's words of advice stuck in her throat.
He knew he couldn't persuade them anymore.
After a long while, he held a medicine bottle in a handkerchief and handed it to Su Yin: "Qingxin Pill."
This is the most effective medicine for treating hysteria and for detoxifying and clearing away turbidity.
Because the Zhou family was destroyed, the prescription was burned, and the pills could no longer be made.
"This is the last pill. If the hysteria recurs after this pill is used up, even gods and ghosts cannot save you."
Su Yin was stunned.
Zhou Yu really didn't want Su Yin to get involved in the Wei family's affairs.
But if she insists on interfering and fails to do so effectively, it will only arouse Wei Zhang's suspicion.
Zhou Yu smiled and said, "I promised Brother Xuan that I would protect Zhaoyang's safety."
"Thank you." Su Yin curtsied and accepted the medicine with her sleeves rolled up.
Her fingertips touched Zhou Yu's palm through the silk handkerchief.
Zhou Yu's fingertips curled slightly, and out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the slender fingers resting in her palm, just in time to notice a circle of purple marks under Su Yin's glass bracelet.
Zhou Yu frowned, "Your injury..."
Su Yin quickly withdrew her hand, tucking the injury into her sleeve. "I just bumped into something."
"From a bump or scratch?"
The marks on his wrist looked exactly like they were from being whipped or hit with a rope.
Zhou Yu looked at her suspiciously.
Su Yin's eyes flickered, and she straightened her sleeves. "Yes, intimate moments are bound to have their ups and downs. Does my cousin have to interfere?"
She calmed down a bit and stared coldly into his eyes. "Cousin, would you like me to explain in detail how my husband bound me inside the bedroom curtains..."
"Su Yin!"
Zhou Yu interrupted her.
The two looked at each other, each lost in their own thoughts.
"My aunt has run away! My aunt has run away!"
At that moment, frantic shouts came from the darkness.
The tense atmosphere was broken, and Su Yin looked in the direction of the sound and saw a string of torches heading towards the observatory.
And in that highest place, in the full moon, the figure of a girl could be faintly seen.
Su Yin was startled and ran into the chaotic crowd.
"Ah Yin, don't worry about it!" Zhou Yu's words were ignored, and no one responded.
Meanwhile, in the flower hall, far from the inner courtyard, all was quiet except for the sound of Shen Jinglan pacing back and forth in front of her desk.
"Based on your guess, the Old Madam will be restless and will have Marquis Dingyuan escort the eldest son out of the capital in the next two days to reunite with the late Crown Prince?"
Shen Jinglan felt little joy upon receiving the news.
Lord Pei has made great achievements in the past two years in repairing and managing waterways and transporting grain, and he has connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles.
Moreover, waterways are not as traceable as land routes. If Marquis Pei escorts Wei Xuan by water, it would be like a dragon entering the deep sea. Shen Jinglan believes he does not have the ability to track them down.
Looking at the map of Dayong on the wall, the intricate waterways made Shen Jinglan frown and sigh.
After a long while, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he sat down at the desk, opposite Wei Zhang.
"How about we tamper with the bait you're raising?"
"What bait?" Wei Zhang casually twirled the fish food between his fingers.
The grayish-white powder fell into the fish tank. The red-scaled fish, which had been eating fish food for many days, had cloudy eyes and mechanically opened and closed its lips to follow the powder.
They seemed to be alive, yet also like they were dead.
Shen Jinglan had no interest in watching the fish. She moved the fish tank aside and looked at Wei Zhang. "Xue Lanyi is the bait! I just heard that she has hysteria. Why not add fuel to the fire with her?"
Wei Zhang raised his eyes.
Shen Jinglan asked, "Do you know how Xue Lanyi's mother died?"
This was a royal secret, and had little to do with Wei Zhang, so Wei Zhang naturally wouldn't investigate such trivial matters.
In fact, Shen Jinglan was not clear about the details, but he knew that Xue Lanyi's mother also suffered from hysteria.
Before his death, his erratic behavior caused much ridicule and greatly damaged the reputation of the royal family and the Li family.
"Now that Xue Lanyi has also developed hysteria, why don't you provoke her a little more and then let her go with Wei Xuan? The bumpy journey of their escape will surely exacerbate her hysteria. Once she starts behaving erratically, she will inevitably reveal her true colors. We can then follow the trail of this madwoman and track her down to the former Crown Prince without much difficulty."
Wei Zhang frowned slightly upon hearing the two extremely jarring words.
Shen Jinglan noticed the displeasure in his brows. "What? Lord Wei's fish have been kept for so long, and the novelty hasn't worn off yet?"
Shen Jinglan then realized that when he mentioned the bait, Wei Zhang hadn't immediately realized he was referring to Xue Lanyi.
Wei Zhang had long since stopped using Xue Lanyi as bait.
It was Wei Zhang who initially kept Xue Lanyi captive to make hooks.
Now is the time to use bait. What does Wei Zhang mean by this?
"Lord Wei, do not forget your original intention, and do not forget that you are only one step away from the position of Grand Secretary," Shen Jinglan said solemnly.
Wei Zhang's achievements in all aspects are impeccable.
However, there has never been a precedent in any dynasty for someone of such young age to hold a position second only to the emperor.
Therefore, some senior officials in the court have always used this as a reason to oppose Wei Zhang's appointment as chief minister.
Therefore, Wei Zhang needed a feat that could silence everyone.
This greatest achievement, without a doubt, is the blood of the traitors and rebels of the previous dynasty.
Shen Jinglan knew that he couldn't persuade Wei Zhang on other matters, but he could on matters of fame and fortune.
He looked intently at Wei Zhang. "His Majesty trusts you greatly, and the imperial edict has already been written. Are you going to give up a position that is within your grasp for a woman?"
"I have my own considerations, and there is no need for Lord Shen to comment."
Wei Zhang's highly aggressive gaze was also fixed on him.
Within arm's reach, in the blink of an eye.
"Young Master! Your concubine has run away!" At this moment, Ying Qi rushed into the room in a panic.
Wei Zhang's eyes never left Shen Jinglan, and his voice was slightly displeased, "If they ran away, just catch them. What kind of behavior is this, shouting and yelling?"
"No...no...it's..."
Ying Qi, panting and leaning against the door, said, "Aunt Xue climbed onto the roof of the Star Gazing Tower, as if she was about to jump!"
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