Before Su Shiyan could speak, the jailer beside him respectfully said, "Your Excellency only has the time it takes for an incense stick to burn."
Su Shiyan nodded and gave the jailer a silver ingot.
Upon seeing this, the jailer immediately understood and respectfully accepted the order: "Your Excellency, please go ahead. I'll go take a look elsewhere."
Seeing the jailer leave, Su Shiyan slowly walked into the cell.
"Brother, what brings you here? Has the Marquis's mansion been affected by my imprisonment?"
Su Shiyan didn't reply to Su Shixu. He looked towards the prison door and, seeing that no one was around, frowned: "What's wrong with you? Didn't I send you a secret letter a while ago, telling you not to interfere with Prince Gong's attack on the city?"
He had already received the news that Yu Nanqing had deployed elite troops outside the city, and that Lü Cezhong was going to intercept Si Yang. Even if he received the imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, as long as he marched normally outside the city, he would be intercepted by the Dragon Banner Army.
Why did Su Shixu insist on being the first to rush to the palace and wade into this mess?
Upon hearing that Su Shiyan had come to reprimand him, Su Shixu waved his hand and turned his back: "I just can't stand that Prince Gong's Mansion being superior to my Marquis's Mansion. They can go to Fuzhou if they want, but why do they have to come back? Brother, don't forget how Mother and Sister died!"
Su Shiyan was furious upon hearing this. The Prince Gong's Mansion of today is not the same as it used to be. Does he still think that Yu Nanqing is the same bedridden cripple he used to be?
Su Shiyan was speechless and choked with emotion: "You can't stand Prince Gong, it's just because of Su Wanyan. Shi Xu, the times are different now. If you continue to be disrespectful and negligent towards Prince Gong's mansion, neither the Marquis's mansion nor the Prime Minister's mansion will have a good outcome in the future."
"So, Mother's feud with Mu Qing is just going to be forgotten like this?" Su Shixu was also angry. "Brother, you told me to endure it, how long have I endured it? You told me to prioritize the bigger picture, and I haven't caused any trouble. Brother, let me tell you the truth, if I find an opportunity, I will definitely make them..."
"Shut up!" Before he could finish speaking, Su Shiyan immediately shouted to stop him.
Su Shixu paused, then turned away angrily, unwilling to say anything more.
Su Shiyan sighed and softened his tone, saying, "I will explain to the Emperor that you were eager to protect the royal family and save the Emperor. Obeying military orders is a soldier's duty. In this way, the Emperor will be lenient towards you and give you a minor punishment as a warning."
Upon hearing this, Su Shixu fell silent and did not say anything.
He knew that his elder brother was always reliable in his work, and that his visit must be for his sake.
Even if he's angry, he can't really become estranged from him.
"Before I get you out, you'll have to endure this prison for a while. Also, I already have a way to ease tensions with Prince Gong's Mansion. Don't act rashly, lest all your efforts be in vain."
"..." Su Shixu's anger, which had just subsided a little, flared up again.
Su Shiyan patted his shoulder helplessly: "If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for not being ruthless enough back then and failing to eliminate the root of the problem. You can't possibly not understand the principle that revenge is never too late."
Su Shixu gritted his teeth, turned around and bowed to Su Shiyan with clasped hands: "Okay, I'll listen to my elder brother."
The campaign against the Empress Dowager came and went quickly.
Aside from a series of subsequent ripple effects, the capital city seemed to return to normal within just a few days.
When news of Xiao Chensheng's disappearance broke, the people in the city were momentarily anxious. To appease the people, the imperial court granted special favors, and after several days, the discussions caused by Xiao Chensheng's disappearance were suppressed.
After staying in the palace for a few days, Yu Nanqing returned to the Prince's Mansion with Su Wanyan.
The furnishings in the mansion were exactly the same as when Su Wanyan left. The mansion already had maids and servants to clean it, so it wouldn't take much time to move in now.
As for the fields and estates that the Empress Dowager had seized under various pretexts, they were all returned after the young emperor came to power.
On November 20th, a welcoming banquet was held in the palace to celebrate the departure of Yu Nanqing and Su Wanyan.
Seeing that the young emperor was seated on the throne but Empress Dowager Xia Yunshang was not present, Su Wanyan took a small sip of tea to conceal the thoughts in her eyes.
Having finally escaped the control of the Empress Dowager, the young emperor would surely not want to fall under the control of another person.
only……
She then looked at the officials and ministers in the hall.
Even if the harem loses power, the court officials will likely not make things too easy for Yu Jing'an.
Too young to command the trust of the court officials, Yu Jing'an will likely find himself secretly consolidating his power. He has a long way to go before he can secure his throne.
If Yu Nanqing were in that position, these problems would never have arisen.
Thinking this, Su Wanyan couldn't help but glance at Yu Nanqing.
Unexpectedly, Yu Nanqing was staring at her intently.
Su Wanyan choked: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yu Nanqing chuckled: "I saw a glint in Madam's eyes; I wonder what she's thinking."
Su Wanyan smiled beautifully, then turned her face away: "I won't tell you."
With the Lunar New Year approaching, people in Beijing have begun preparing for the holiday well in advance.
Even though we just went through something really big not long ago, life is back on track in the blink of an eye.
During this period, Yu Nanqing was required to attend court according to regulations, while Su Wanyan, who was bored at home, received invitations from various prominent families in the capital almost every day.
Some invited her to drink wine and enjoy the snow, others held winter banquets and invited her to attend. Su Wanyan had no interest in any of them, so she asked everyone to decline them.
The Prince Gong's Mansion is now very powerful and favored by the young emperor. Many prominent families in the capital come to curry favor with them, but Su Wanyan knows that not everyone wants them to prosper.
During the investigation of the Empress Dowager, her affair with Xiao Chensheng was also fabricated by some people. If Yu Jing'an had not ordered an investigation into Xiao Chensheng, the rumors would probably have gone even further.
Su Wanyan wasn't unaware of what the people behind the rumors were trying to do; they simply wanted to tarnish her reputation and gain a foothold in Yu Nanqing's life.
Su Wanyan had never been afraid of rumors before, and now these things were nothing to her, nothing serious.
However, Yu Nanqing's side was not so easily fooled. In this tense situation, it would only take a few minutes to catch the masterminds behind the spread of rumors. Su Wanyan was naturally unaware of this.
It was freezing cold outside, so Su Wanyan went to the chicken coop in the yard to collect eggs. The chicken coop was lined with layers of dry straw for warmth.
All the chickens huddled together, and because it was too cold, they were indifferent to Su Wanyan's intrusion.
Just then, Luo Xue's voice rang out from outside: "Your Majesty, Madam Qiu and Madam Liao pay their respects."
Su Wanyan perked up immediately: "Zhiwan and Yixuan? Quickly invite them to the inner cabinet!"
Upon hearing that Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan had arrived, Su Wanyan hurriedly returned to the main house, instructing Luoxue to fetch some food and snacks from the kitchen. She also had two more cushions brought over to lay on the couch, and added more charcoal to the fire in the house.
When Xu Yixuan and Dai Zhiwan came in, they heard Su Wanyan bustling around and couldn't help but laugh, "I'm not this pretentious at home, but I'm enjoying a peaceful life here."
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