Following Xie Yingping's confession, Chu Feiyang and Han Shaomian immediately set about handling the Xie family case. It took them only a few days to find out everything. Except for Xie Yingping and several managers of the Xie Mansion who were beheaded, all adult men and women in the Xie family were sentenced to military service, and underage children were exiled!
Once the notice was stamped by the government and posted at the city gate of Youzhou, it immediately attracted all the people to come and see it. For a time, the streets and alleys, teahouses and inns in Youzhou were all discussing this matter. No one had expected that the Xie family, once the richest merchant family in Youzhou, would end up in such a situation, and the one who attacked the Xie family was actually the King of Chu!
Chu Feiyang's name spread throughout Youzhou in an instant. Some people applauded Chu Feiyang for his fairness and selflessness, while others felt that Chu Feiyang was too harsh on the Xie family. After all, the Chu and Xie families were still relatives. However, they did not expect that after Lord Chu regained consciousness, the King of Chu would actually attack his stepmother's family!
However, what makes the people most curious is how the King of Chu will treat his biological father!
"General, the King of Chu suppressed the matter without reporting it to the court. It is obvious that he is biased towards the Xie family and wants to protect Chu Pei!" But there are still people who think that Chu Feiyang's punishment on the Xie family is too light. They think that Chu Feiyang deliberately did not report it to the court and solved the matter. He wanted to protect the Xie family and prevent the Chu family from being implicated!
Listening to his subordinates' analysis, Lu Xin's deputy general stood on the city wall, looking at the bustling Youzhou Street, wondering in his heart what General Hu Wei would do if he were here!
"General, now is not the time to hesitate! The King of Chu has already taken the initiative. If we do nothing about it, I'm afraid the King of Chu will turn the tables on us. Then the Emperor's attention will be on us, and I'm afraid we will be severely punished!" The guard saw his superior staring at the people under the city gate with a calm face, and he became very anxious. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead!
After hearing this, the deputy general frowned suddenly, just remembering the loss he suffered at the hands of Han Shaomian, but he did not make a conclusion immediately!
Now General Hu Wei was framed by the King of Chu and stayed in Nanxun. I was the only one who stayed in Youzhou and was deeply trusted by Emperor Lu Xin. If I contradicted and offended the King of Chu at this time, I am afraid that my fate would be even worse than Lu Xin's!
But now such a thing has happened in Youzhou, and it is closely related to the Chu family. If I don’t take action and miss the good opportunity to destroy the Chu family, I am afraid that the emperor will not let me go!
Amidst the conflict between the two sides, the deputy general's brows were furrowed tighter and tighter, and his expression changed from calm to solemn. A hint of hostility gradually spread from between his brows. Although the place where he stood was safe, he felt like he was standing on a battlefield facing the enemy!
"General!" The guards were also anxious. Youzhou had obviously fallen into the hands of the King of Chu. Even Han Shaomian, who was deeply favored by the emperor, had probably already defected to the King of Chu. If they did not save themselves, the same fate as the Xie family would be theirs!
Staring at the deputy general who was still frowning in thought, the guard was about to speak, but immediately shut up when he saw the man who had stepped onto the city wall. This subtly reminded the deputy general, and the two of them immediately led the soldiers on the city wall to kneel and salute, "Your humble servants pay their respects to the prince!"
Chu Feiyang led Han Shaomian over, his eyes calm and his face solemn, emitting a majestic aura. After hearing the greetings from the crowd, he waved his hand and said calmly, "Everyone, get up!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Everyone stood up in unison upon hearing this. Except for the deputy general and his own guards, the rest returned to their posts!
Looking at Chu Feiyang walking towards him, the deputy general's hand on the sword at his waist tightened slightly, and his heart trembled suddenly. He couldn't help but think to himself, he was clearly standing on the city wall and could see all the movements downstairs, but Chu Feiyang came in front of him without his knowledge, which was really shocking!
"Aren't the prince and Lord Han trying the Xie family case? Why did you think of this city tower today?" Seeing that Chu Feiyang had come in front of him, the deputy general raised his head slightly, and seeing that Chu Feiyang was facing outside the city, he gritted his teeth and spoke!
However, Chu Feiyang did not speak immediately. Given his status, there was nothing wrong with ignoring the deputy general!
However, at this moment he seemed to be thinking about other things and did not care about what the deputy general said. His silent expression made the deputy general feel uneasy. He wondered what the always resourceful King of Chu would do next!
"The notice has been posted, and the Xie family case has come to an end! I have been ordered by the emperor to come and take charge of everything in Youzhou. Can't I even come to this small city tower?" Little did he know that Chu Feiyang did not miss the deputy general's question because of his previous contemplation. He spoke calmly, but the majesty contained in his tone suppressed everyone, and the dignity he revealed invisibly made people feel ashamed!
The deputy general listened to this, but dared not speak out. He knew very well how powerful Chu Feiyang was, and even the conversation was very particular. He lowered his head and thought for a while, then slowly said, "Your Highness seems to have forgotten that Lord Chu's wife is also from the Xie family! Although she is far away in Kyoto now, the Xie family case is obviously a crime committed by the entire family. There is no reason for Madam Chu to stay out of it? Moreover, as far as I know, there are two young ladies from the Xie family living in the Prince Chu's Mansion. I wonder how Your Highness will deal with these three people? There is another point that has troubled me for a long time. I hope Your Highness can explain it to me!"
Hearing the aggressive tone implied in the deputy general's humble words, Han Shaomian raised his eyes slightly and glanced at the deputy general with a cold gleam. He felt that this man was really strong in body but simple in mind. He dared to say such disrespectful words. He really didn't know how to live or die!
Chu Feiyang, however, withdrew his gaze indifferently, and turned his gaze to the deputy general standing respectfully beside him, and said calmly, "What is it that you don't understand? Tell me!"
"Yes!" Seeing that Chu Feiyang had actually opened his mouth to ask, the deputy general immediately spoke, "Lord Chu has been in charge of Youzhou for many years, but the incident with the Xie family happened during his management! Now that the prince has punished the Xie family, it has certainly removed the cancer from Youzhou and cleared the evil winds and evil spirits in Youzhou! This is indeed cause for celebration! However, the prince seems to have forgotten the real reason that has contributed to the growth of this evil wind in the Xie family. If it is not eradicated, when the prince returns to the capital in the future, I am afraid that there will be a second and third Xie family! If this happens repeatedly, it will cost the court's money, and the losses will still be to the court and the emperor! Since the prince is doing things with the court's salary, he should establish a good image and let all officials in the court know that the prince is selfless and will never favor relatives! Let all officials learn from the prince!"
These words, seemingly full of compliments, actually pushed Chu Feiyang to the forefront!
Han Shaomian's gaze immediately turned to Chu Feiyang. He knew that this deputy general had done it on purpose, and he couldn't help feeling anxious!
After all, the affairs of the Xie family involve the Chu family. If King Chu fails to handle this matter well, it will probably leave criticism and others will use it to make trouble!
But if Chu Pei was really dealt with, although the King of Chu would be sentenced to death for the sake of justice, his reputation as a cold-blooded and ruthless person would probably be imprinted on him from then on!
For a moment, Han Shaomian couldn't help but worry about Chu Feiyang, wondering how the King of Chu would respond to what happened next!
After hearing the deputy general's question, Chu Feiyang's face remained calm. He stared straight ahead with a determined look. Seeing that the soldiers standing on both sides of the tower were in high spirits, he spoke calmly, "Lord Chu is a second-rank official of the court, a frontier official personally appointed by our ancestor! Although I have come here on the emperor's orders, given Lord Chu's rank and status, I naturally have to wait for the emperor's decision!"
"Then why did the prince leave General Huwei in Nanxun? General Huwei was appointed by the current emperor himself, and he is a second-rank official like Lord Chu. Why would the prince favor one over the other? In the prince's mind, does all decisions are related to blood ties?" Then, the deputy general said the following words!
"Lu Xin and Chu Pei are one a military general and one a civil official, how can they be compared? Chu Pei has neglected his duty, and the emperor will judge him! Moreover, the world of Youzhou will not be in chaos without Chu Pei! But Lu Xin is different. As a military general, he has the responsibility to defend the country! Now Nanxun has submitted the edict to me. Is it wrong for me to leave him to guard Nanxun? If you are so picky and cannot endure hardship, why did you join the army in the first place? It is better to go home early, so as not to embarrass Xi Chu on the battlefield!" Little did he know that Chu Feiyang was quick-witted. He defeated the deputy general's well-considered words with just a few words, causing the deputy general to blush, but he dared not say a word!
Being looked down upon by Chu Feiyang like this is such a shame and humiliation!
When had they ever feared hardship as military commanders? Yet, in Chu Feiyang's words, they were described as hedonists. For a moment, the veins in the deputy commander's hand gripping his sword bulged, and a faint white light shone from the joints. He must have been forcing himself to suppress his anger!
"When will the gates of Youzhou be opened and closed?" Seeing that the deputy general was suppressing his anger, Chu Feiyang turned his gaze indifferently to the guards behind him!
"Your Highness, it should be opened at 9:00 PM and closed at 5:00 PM every day!" The guard was startled by Chu Feiyang's seemingly calm but actually cold gaze. He immediately lowered his head and answered in a muffled voice. He then stood behind the deputy general and did not dare to speak. He felt that the King of Chu was truly unfathomable. With just one look, he seemed to see through everything!
Hearing this, Chu Feiyang fell into a brief moment of thought. After a moment, he slowly spoke, "The city gates are only open for two and a half hours every day. This time is really short!"
"Your Highness, all these regulations are based on the rules that were in place before I came to Youzhou! It is said that it was Lord Chu who set these rules!" Since it was impossible to overthrow Chu Feiyang immediately, the only option was to put the blame on Chu Pei! The deputy general immediately replied loudly!
Chu Feiyang nodded slightly, and then ordered, "Starting tomorrow, the city gates will open at 3:00 AM and close at 5:00 PM!"
"What?" Upon hearing Chu Feiyang's order, the deputy general and his guards immediately raised their heads and looked at the man in front of them with disbelief. Chu Feiyang's face was calm, and he didn't seem to be joking at all!
"Your Highness! Youzhou has been in a state of seclusion for a long time, and it borders Nanxun, so the time when the city gate is open is limited. If you extend the daily hours like this, and if people with ill intentions from Nanxun come in in the future and cause unrest, who will bear the responsibility?" After quickly analyzing it in his mind, the deputy general immediately spoke, hoping that Chu Feiyang could change his mind!
Once the city gates are open for longer periods of time, perhaps the people under the King of Chu will take the opportunity to enter Youzhou. Now he only has 30,000 people under his command, while the Xiahou clan has 1,000 elite soldiers, plus the original garrison troops in Youzhou. If the latter two join forces, he will definitely not be able to defeat them!
Unexpectedly, his rebuttal and obstruction immediately drew Chu Feiyang's stern shout, "I didn't expect you to be so confused! I just said that Nanxun has submitted the imperial edict, and now Lu Xin is guarding Nanxun. Are you still afraid that Nanxun will rebel? Although Youzhou is an important city in Western Chu, long-term lack of contact with the outside world will inevitably lead to backwardness. Now that the issue of Nanxun has been resolved, there is naturally no need to excessively restrict the opening hours of the city gates!"
After being bombarded with accusations from Chu Feiyang again, the deputy general felt his face dim, but he had nothing to say!
Han Shaomian looked at him again, the expression in his eyes remained the same. He felt that this deputy general was brainless and could even forget what the King of Chu had just said. It was foolish for Lu Xin to expect him to stop the King of Chu here!
Chu Feiyang no longer focused his attention on the deputy general. He turned to look at Han Shaomian and whispered, "Early tomorrow morning, have someone post a notice on the city gate, informing all merchants that anyone who is capable can come to Youzhou to compete for the mining rights of the jade mine!"
Although Chu Feiyang's voice was low, it clearly fell into the ears of the deputy general. His expression suddenly changed, and he interrupted in a very unpleasant tone, "Your Highness, how can we rush into this jade mine matter? If the emperor finds out, I'm afraid he will be furious!"
Being interrupted, Chu Feiyang glanced over fiercely and saw that the deputy general immediately lowered his head!
Even Han Shaomian looked at the deputy general with some disapproval, thinking that this man was really disrespectful, just like Lu Xin. It was true that the soldier he led was like the man he was!
"There are many jade mines in Youzhou, and they are extremely scattered. The troops under Lord Han and yours can barely take care of them! But over time, these guards will definitely get tired. If the scoundrels take advantage of the situation and sneak in, it will be the court that suffers! Instead of dragging it out, why not hand over these jade mines to merchants and let them mine them on their own, pay taxes to the court on time every year, and bring new prosperity to Youzhou? Isn't it better to kill two birds with one stone?" When Chu Feiyang mentioned the "scoundrels", his eyes intentionally or unintentionally flashed across the deputy general, causing the other party to tremble slightly. A faint smile appeared on his lips, and then he continued, "What's more, your troops are used to defend the city, but now they are occupying troops to guard the jade mines. This waste of the court's troops, if the emperor knows, he will blame you! There is no need to discuss this matter anymore, you just need to take good care of the city tower and don't do things that put the cart before the horse!"
After he finished speaking, Chu Feiyang no longer looked at the deputy general's sullen face, and turned around and left the city wall with Han Shaomian!
As Chu Feiyang walked down the tower, the two of them mounted their horses at the same time. Han Shaomian was puzzled. He tightened the reins and let the horse slowly approach Chu Feiyang. Then he asked quietly, "Your Highness, why do you want to let them know about this? What if they complain to the emperor? Wouldn't that be like shooting themselves in the foot?"
Hearing the concern in Han Shaomian's words, Chu Feiyang admired the passing scenery with a smile in his eyes, and explained to Han Shaomian, "I actually hope that they will complain to the emperor! This means that all my whereabouts are aboveboard and I haven't concealed anything from anyone! Otherwise, it seems that they are judging others with their own mean-spirited mind! Don't worry too much about them. They are just clowns. I came here today just to warn them not to steal from the public!"
"Your Highness is wise!" After listening to Chu Feiyang's explanation, Han Shaomian suddenly understood, but he admired Chu Feiyang very much in his heart. He was so meticulous, yet so bold!
"Please worry about tomorrow's affairs. I will go back to the inn first!" He raised the whip in his hand, and before his words faded in the air, Chu Feiyang's figure had already rushed out, causing Han Shaomian to shake his head. If the King of Chu had any fatal weakness, it would probably be the Queen of Chu!
Now, all the people inside and outside the Youzhou Posthouse have been replaced by Chu Feiyang's confidants, and entering and leaving are more comfortable than before, when they were cautious!
Since Yun Qianmeng knew that Chu Feiyang had already visited Chu Pei, she stayed in the inn for the past few days and did not go out!
Firstly, the relationship between this father and son is weak and it is no longer possible for them to reconcile. If I go there rashly, Chu Pei will definitely be unhappy, and Chu Feiyang will not agree!
Secondly, they are now always in opposition. If Chu Pei uses her as a threat to threaten Chu Feiyang, wouldn't she be doing something with good intentions but causing harm? It would be better for her to stay in the inn peacefully!
"It's such nice weather, why don't you go out for a walk?" Chu Feiyang handed the horsewhip in his hand to Mu Chun, and stepped into the inner room with a smile on his face. Seeing Yun Qianmeng still struggling with the embroidery in her hand, the smile in his eyes became even more intense!
"Laugh, laugh! Make me run away with laughter tomorrow, and see what you can do! I worked so hard for you, and you treat me like this!" Yun Qianmeng frowned and hid the embroidery in her hand, then raised her head and glared at Chu Feiyang, with a look of resentment on her face!
Looking at her lively expression, Chu Feiyang felt tenderness in his heart. He half-knelt in front of her, raised his hand and gently scratched the tip of her upturned nose, and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work, my wife. I won't dare to do it again!"
Yun Qianmeng immediately raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose, saying with a slight frown, "What should I do if it gets flattened?"
"Hahaha..." Unexpectedly, this action made Chu Feiyang laugh heartily!
This made Yun Qianmeng raise her eyebrows slightly, and asked in surprise, "What did you accomplish today? Why are you so happy?"
Seeing that Yun Qianmeng could always detect his mood in the fastest time, Chu Feiyang was very satisfied. He wrapped his hands around her soft hands and slowly told her what happened on the city wall just now!
After hearing this, Yun Qianmeng frowned deeply. After a while, a look of understanding emerged in her clear and beautiful eyes. She stared at Chu Feiyang and smiled faintly, "It seems that Emperor Yugan has no choice but to accept your favor. I'm afraid his wish to suppress the Chu family will be in vain!"
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