Xin He suddenly remembered something she wanted to ask about Duan Lan and asked, "What exactly happened at Honghua Valley today?"
Mu Houchu replied indifferently, "Just as you guessed."
"You didn’t leave any handle for Duan Lan to use against you, did you?" Xin He asked with some unease.
Mu Houchu smiled and said, "Am I so unreliable?"
Xin He hesitated for a moment before asking, "What about Duan Lan? Did you let him go?"
Mu Houchu’s eyes flashed with a hint of coldness, "Let him go? I’m afraid he won’t have the good fortune to be let off the hook again in this lifetime."
The one chance he gave six years ago was already the greatest kindness Mu Houchu had given him.
Xin He pursed her lips but didn’t say anything. The situation now was clear. Duan Lan and Mu Houchu were completely on opposite sides, and only one could survive. Duan Lan, it seemed, could no longer stay.
Xin He admitted to being a selfish person. Her heart could only care for those she cared about, leaving her indifferent to others. As for Duan Lan, whether he was right or wrong, selfish or protective, between Mu Houchu and Duan Lan, if one had to die, she would choose Duan Lan without hesitation.
"I’m just afraid you’d impulsively let Duan Lan die in Yu State," Xin He said.
Mu Houchu snorted coldly, "I’m not that stupid."
Xin He smiled. She knew that although Mu Houchu had a volatile temper, he never acted impulsively. Whatever he did, he always thought carefully before deciding. If Duan Lan died in Yu State, it would be equivalent to the Emperor’s Imperial envoy dying at the hands of Mu Houchu, causing a complete breakdown of relations between the court and Yu State.
Once the relationship broke down, war was inevitable. Now, Yu State had an army of 100,000 well-trained soldiers, and they did not need to fear the court’s superficial army. However, war would involve too many things. It meant that the common people would suffer, and the rapid economic growth of Yu State in recent years would be damaged. Whether they won or lost, it was not worth it.
Especially since there had been frequent troubles on the border recently; once a civil war broke out in Da Qian, the enemy country would take advantage of the situation. The chaos that would ensue would be immense."
So no matter what, now was not the best time.
Xin He understood this principle, and so did Mu Houchu. Even though he really wanted to kill Duan Lan, in the end, he let him go.
Mu Houchu sneered coldly, "What does it matter if I let him go? Killing him with one blow would be too cheap for him. Now that he’s returned to the capital, there’s a lot for him to do. Why not let him slowly be worn down by the mess it’s in?"
Upon returning to the capital, Duan Lan would be quite busy. His trip to Yu State had yielded nothing, and two important cronies in the capital had been eradicated. The Song Family was closing in, taking advantage of Duan Lan’s absence from the Imperial Court, and had colluded with Mu Houchu to hollow out half of Duan Lan’s power in the court!
Did they really think that Mu Houchu could tolerate Duan Lan’s willful antics in Yu State? Mu Houchu wasn’t that magnanimous.
Now all they had to do was wait for Duan Lan to return to the capital and take care of the mess.
Since Duan Lan had chosen to leave, Xin He wouldn’t interfere anymore. With one less worry in her heart, even her food tasted better.
Mu Houchu placed a freshly peeled crab into her bowl and casually said, "I heard Li Nan didn’t do well in the Autumn Examination this time?"
Xin He was surprised, "How do you know?"
Mu Houchu lowered his head and carefully peeled the crab, "Hmm, I heard about it."
Xin He didn’t doubt him. Instead, she sighed, "It seems like he won’t make it. It’s a pity for this child."
Mu Houchu looked up at her and said, "Since it’s a pity, why not send him away to study further? I heard that Jishan Academy is highly esteemed from afar. The teacher there, Mr. Mao, is a top-notch scholar in Da Qian and rarely leaves the mountain. He has students all over the world and has produced three top scholars. Duan Lan also studied there once."
Jishan Academy was very familiar to Xin He. Indeed, before Duan Lan got involved in the Imperial Court’s affairs, he had been studying at Jishan Academy, which was probably the best academy in Da Qian.
Ordinary people couldn’t get in, but with Mu Houchu’s ability, it would be easy to send Xiaochaihu in.
After thinking about it, Xin He shook her head, "Never mind, this child has never been particularly interested in studying. He has fallen behind in his studies over the years, and I’ve seen it with my own eyes."
"That’s why he can’t focus on his studies in Yu State with so many distractions. It would be better to go to Jishan Academy, where it’s quiet and conducive to learning. If he can calm his mind and study, perhaps he can achieve a good academic reputation. It’s better than lurking around you for his whole life without any achievements." Mu Houchu said softly.
His tone carried a questioning meaning.
As one of Ji Xinhe’s people, Mu Houchu wouldn’t take it upon himself to move her people. Even if he didn’t like them, he would first consult with Ji Xinhe.
It could be said that Mu Houchu had given Ji Xinhe the greatest respect she deserved.
After pondering for a while, Xin He finally said, "I think it’s a good idea, but he told me before that he didn’t have any interest in studying for the time being. He said he liked his current life and just wanted to focus on learning the art of business. He doesn’t seem to harbor any grand ambitions. I talked to him extensively, and that’s what he told me. Although I don’t agree, I still respect his thoughts. He’s an adult now and can make his own decisions."
Mu Houchu’s face grew slightly cold, "Indeed, he’s an adult now."
Five years had passed in a blink of an eye, and the little boy had grown up.
Xin He asked curiously, "Why did you suddenly ask about him? You’ve been very concerned about Xiaochaihu’s affairs lately."
"Since he’s your person, I will naturally be more attentive."
"But I thought you didn’t like him before," Xin He said, puzzled.
Had he suddenly changed his opinion now?
Mu Houchu looked at her coldly, "I still don’t like him now."
Xin He laughed, "How strange. I don’t know why you’d hold a grudge against a child all day long. He never approaches you, so why are you still unhappy about it?"
Pause for a moment, she continued, "If it weren’t for Xiaochaihu’s clever cooperation with me today, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly. After all, he was the one who sent the message to you."
Mu Houchu’s eyes deepened, "I owe him this time, and I will repay the debt. But I still don’t like this kid."
Xin He laughed helplessly, "Yes, yes, don’t like him then. Anyway, he rarely shows up near you. I barely see him now myself."
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