This period is often measured in years.
Wei Tingsi's gaze fell on Wu Meiren's face, where she had a look of relief. What kind of situation would make a young life show such a look of relief when it was about to die?
"Let's go," Qin Ji said again. As soon as he finished speaking, he had already leaped across the crumbling palace wall in front of him, which looked like it could collapse at any moment.
He withdrew his gaze and followed Qin Ji out of the Cold Palace.
The Yang family's residence, including the Jingbo Pavilion and the study, is a highly sensitive area. Even Yang Zhongfa's wife cannot enter without Yang Zhongfa's permission.
Yang Fu and Yang Shou knelt amidst the broken porcelain, trembling with fear. At this moment, Zheng Jian, a student of Yang Zhong, arrived. Seeing the broken porcelain and Yang Fu and Yang Shou, he knew that his master was having a bad time. He bowed and said, "Teacher, what has angered you? I am not talented, but I am willing to share your burden."
Yang Zhong snorted coldly and pointed at Yang Fu angrily, saying, "You tell him."
Yang Fu said yes, kneeling and turning to Zheng Jian with his head bowed. Zheng Jian could only see his trembling shoulders, not his face. "None of the people who went to the Sun family have returned. Lord Sun has already petitioned to retire, and His Majesty has granted his request."
These two incidents were not the reason for Yang Zhong's anger. Yang Fu paused here, but finally gritted his teeth and told him the reason for Yang Zhong's anger: "The Wei family's men were unharmed."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Jian understood, but he chuckled and said, "Teacher, you don't need to worry about this matter. However, you must not suspect Lord Wei of the tricks others use to sow discord, lest you grant their wish."
Yang Zhong remained silent after hearing this, but his expression softened somewhat. The logic was sound, but it needed to be explained by someone who could convince him. To put it bluntly, Yang Zhong lacked confidence and was beginning to feel afraid. Back then, when he led his disciples to pressure Emperor Mingde, he gained nothing, and his eldest grandson was even convicted and removed from the family genealogy. How could he not hate it? But what could he do? From the very beginning, he had lost the initiative.
Just as he was about to wave Yang Shou and Yang Fu away, a servant came to report, "Master, Lord Wei has arrived."
Wei Caitao was quite uneasy. When he learned that Sun Ganzheng had been forced into retirement and that the assassins he sent to help had returned unharmed, but the Yang family's assassins had all been wiped out, with not a single one surviving, he was extremely afraid that Yang Zhong would misunderstand. So he hurriedly came to explain.
He was seated in the front hall, drinking cup after cup of Biluochun tea, but Yang Zhong still hadn't arrived. He started to get restless, pacing back and forth. About half an hour later, he lifted his foot to leave, only to see Yang Zhong arrive late.
"Brother." Although he had some complaints in his heart, he did not forget that he had come to explain, so he did not show his impatience on the surface. In fact, he was extremely angry. They were all well-matched and neither of them was lacking in the other, but now he was putting on airs.
Yang Zhong knew that someone was secretly stirring things up, not that Wei Caitao was not on his side. When he came, his cold demeanor had disappeared, and he smiled as if he were bathed in a spring breeze as he walked towards Wei Caitao, cupping his hands and saying, "I have kept you waiting, my good brother. I deserve to die a thousand deaths."
"I am sorry to have come uninvited and disturbed you, my esteemed brother." After exchanging pleasantries, the two took their seats as host and guest, and a beautiful maidservant served tea again.
As the aroma of tea wafted through the air, Wei Caitao slowly uttered the words he had already prepared, "Brother, now that Lord Sun has retired and the Sun family has fallen into the hands of a woman, what do you think?"
"Hmph, no, it's fallen into the Emperor's hands. The Sun family won't produce another Sun Ganzheng for the next twenty years. The Sun family is now useless." He took a sip of tea and looked at Wei Caitao. "Brother, do you know Zhong Yizhan?"
Zhong Yizhan is the current head of the Bei Zhong family, the younger brother of Madam Sun, and the uncle of Madam Sun. The Bei Zhong family is the most prominent family in Beiding Prefecture, having dominated the prefecture for many years. Zhong Yizhan's eldest son is the Governor-General of the Three Eastern Provinces.
When people mention the Bei Zhong family, everyone knows it's the Zhong family of the three northeastern provinces, but no one would say the Bei Zhong family is the Zhong family of the north. What makes this family different is that they claim to have pre-Qin blood, but naturally, no one believes it. Back when the founding emperor raised an army to unify the country, several families also raised an army at the same time. They couldn't fight each other, and they didn't dare to perish together. Only the founding emperor, who had nothing to lose, was not afraid of those wearing shoes. After weighing the options, he got the better deal.
The Zhong family was one of the families that had also raised an army.
Wei Caitao and Yang Zhong exchanged a glance and chuckled in tacit agreement. "I visited Beiding Prefecture years ago and met this person once. It has been many years since we last met. I wonder if he still recognizes our old friend."
“Since we are old friends, we must visit each other more often. Now that there are floods in Jiangnan and Sichuan, countless disaster victims will probably flood into the capital. We cannot sit idly by. I have heard that the three northeastern provinces are rich in rice and other goods. Perhaps I should ask you to make a trip there, my brother.”
After saying this, the two looked at each other and burst into laughter.
Like the other two, Madam Sun and Madam Da were also thinking of the Bei Zhong family. At this time, the two of them were living in seclusion in the Buddhist hall, chanting Buddhist scriptures. They had been living a life of luxury and giving orders all their lives. How could they endure such hardship?
But even Sun Ganzheng is living in seclusion in the inner quarters, what can they do? Madam Sun threw down the scriptures and complained, "Aunt, I can't live like this anymore."
Now she calls her aunt, but in ordinary times she calls her mother.
Madam Sun was much calmer in comparison, constantly turning the prayer beads in her hand and muttering incantations.
"Aunt!" Madam Sun cried out, unable to contain herself, "Do you think that vile woman might kill Jiao'er?"
She was too noisy, making Old Madam Sun's ears hurt. She threw her prayer beads at the First Madam, saying, "You good-for-nothing! All you ever think about is your darling daughter. Has your daughter ever come to see you?"
“You can’t say that about Jiao’er. She’s still injured. That bitch Sun Yun hates her to death and might be making things difficult for her. She probably won’t be able to come.” She was very concerned about her daughter and considered Sun Si’s needs in everything. “Besides, Jiao’er has lost Jingxin Garden. She will definitely be inferior to the Fourth Prince. She’s suffering.”
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