Chapter 200 Returning to Xihan
"Draft the decree!" Pei Yan exclaimed triumphantly, waving his hand. "Draft the decree immediately! The Lin family has unfortunately fallen ill with a terrible disease, and I am deeply saddened! Considering that their daughter, Lady Lin, is the wife of Xie Zhenting, one of my most trusted ministers, and that their granddaughter, Xie Sangning, is commendable for her loyalty and filial piety, I hereby grant them permission to move to Xihan to provide for the Lin family's medical treatment and to help them avoid the epidemic! Xie Sangning is to fulfill her filial duties and properly settle and care for them! Effective immediately, the entire Lin family shall relocate to Xihan!"
The imperial edict was quickly drafted and stamped with the imperial seal.
Holding the malicious imperial edict, Eunuch Desheng respectfully withdrew.
As he turned around, a smug smile of triumph flashed beneath his lowered eyes.
When the imperial decree reached the Lin family, who were heavily guarded and living like recluses, Lin Zhijie "struggled" to lead his family to kneel and receive the decree, tears streaming down his face.
When this imperial edict reached the General's Mansion and the ears of the anxious Xie Zhenting—
Xie Zhenting was first stunned, then filled with immense anger!
Send it to Xihan?!
He was so angry that he was trembling all over, and he almost rushed into the palace to question Pei Yan!
However, his furious gaze suddenly stopped when it swept over his daughter.
Xie Sangning knelt on the ground, listening to the eunuch read out the imperial edict, each word piercing to the heart. Her shoulders trembled violently, and she lowered her head deeply, a few strands of hair covering most of her face.
From an angle unseen by anyone, Xie Sangning's lips slowly curved into a smile.
It's done.
The Lin family's carriages slowly drove away from the desolate streets of Jinling.
Every household kept their doors and windows tightly shut, not daring to open even a crack, for fear of contracting the deadly disease.
The news naturally reached Pei Yan's ears as well.
"Oh? Not much luggage?"
Pei Yan was playing with a brightly colored parrot in its cage when he heard this. He merely raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of condescending pity.
"That's true. The whole household is in such a state, a bunch of old, weak, sick and disabled people, barely able to take care of themselves, how could they have the strength to move those material possessions? It would be good if they could hold out until Xihan."
He imagined the Lin family members shivering in the cold wind, their bodies broken and frail. Instead of feeling any guilt, he felt a twisted sense of pleasure.
This is the consequence of going against him and having a granddaughter who annoys him!
"There's one more thing," the eunuch added cautiously, "I heard that when the old master of the Lin family, Lin Zhu, left, he took nothing with him except an old inkstone, faced the direction of the palace... kowtowed three times, and tears streamed down his face..."
Pei Yan's fingers, which were teasing the parrot, paused.
He remained silent for a moment, the playful look on his face fading, and a rare, complex emotion appeared on his face.
"Lin Zhu... he was loyal his whole life." He shook his head, his tone unreadable.
When news of the Lin family's departure from the capital arrived, the atmosphere at the General's Mansion became extremely oppressive.
Xie Zhenting locked himself in his study and smashed a fine set of celadon teaware.
He hated Lin Zhijie's muddled accusations, and he hated Pei Yan's vicious imperial edict even more!
“Father.” Xie Sangning’s voice rang out from outside the door.
Xie Zhenting flung open the door and saw his daughter's pale, thin body and swollen, red eyes. His anger instantly turned into heartache and helplessness: "Ning'er..."
"Father, things have come to this point, and we cannot disobey the imperial decree. Please don't upset yourself."
“My daughter is going to Xihan. After all, it is her mother’s family and her maternal family. She is going to her daughter’s fiefdom. I must personally go and settle her in.”
“No way! Dad will go with you!” Xie Zhenting blurted out.
"Absolutely not!" Xie Sangning looked up sharply and said urgently, "Father is the General Who Protects the Nation, how can he leave the capital without permission? His Majesty is already suspicious of my Xie family. If Father goes with me to the fiefdom, wouldn't that give His Majesty an excuse? Wouldn't that confirm that we are holding military power and have ulterior motives?"
Her words were like ice water, waking Xie Zhenting from his impulsive mind.
"Then...then take Sang Yu with you! Bring plenty of guards!" Xie Zhenting compromised.
Xie Sangning shook her head, her tone leaving no room for doubt: "Your brother needs to stay in the capital to assist you. I... will only take Ruchun and the other three, along with a team of twenty elite guards for escort. Fewer people, fewer targets, and easier to carry out. I have my own way of handling things. Father, you and your brother must take care in the capital."
Her arrangements were reasonable, watertight, and even showed consideration for her father and brothers.
Looking at her slender yet upright back, Xie Zhenting's throat tightened, and he could no longer utter the words to stop her: "Alright...alright...Ning'er, be careful in everything! You must take care of your health and not catch an illness. If anything happens...Father will personally bring you back!"
"Don't worry, Father." Xie Sangning lowered his eyes, concealing the cold glint in them.
Coming back? No, she'll come back only after she's completely overthrown the throne.
Xie Sangning's departure from the city was not smooth. The Lin family was leaving the city by imperial decree and were not checked much, but Xie Sangning's sedan chair was thoroughly searched.
Xia was furious and wished she could kick the searchers to the ground.
This is unacceptable inspection! Does this woman even care about her reputation?!
Fortunately, due to rumors of an epidemic, the streets were sparsely populated, and not many people saw it.
Ru Chun pulled back the furious Ru Xia, fearing she might act impulsively.
Finally, after the inspection was completed and no problems were found, the vehicle was successfully released.
Several unassuming blue-curtained carriages, under the protection of a small squad of elite guards, quietly left the capital.
Xie Zhenting and Xie Sangyu stood on the city wall, watching the convoy disappear into the distance. Both father and son had ashen faces and clenched fists.
Ru Chun carefully removed Xie Sangning's heavy hair bun and replaced it with a lighter hair tie.
The sadness and exhaustion on Xie Sangning's face had vanished without a trace, replaced by calmness.
“Miss, Master Lin and the others should have already passed Wolf Fang Pass. According to the plan, they will ‘die’ one-third of their servants at the post station to create chaos and panic, slow down their journey, and allow us to catch up legitimately.”
Ru Chun reported in a low voice, while handing over a small note: "Western Han sent word that Mr. Yin Bai has returned safely, and Eunuch Desheng has also sent a letter saying that everything is fine. We have also received Strategist Zhuge's secret report."
Xie Sangning took the note and quickly scanned it using the faint light filtering through the car window.
The note contained Zhuge Wu's report on the latest batch of "caravans" that had disguised themselves and entered the capital, as well as the locations of several secret grain storage points around the capital.
"Send a message to Yin Bai," Xie Sangning's voice was as cold as ice, "tell him to prepare an antidote for the 'infection' symptoms as soon as possible. After the Lin family arrives in Xihan, they must 'recover' in the shortest possible time."
"yes!"
"Send a message to Xihan, instructing them to strengthen the city's defenses, stockpile large quantities of grain in batches, and recruit refugees."
"yes!"
"Send another message to Desheng," Xie Sangning's eyes flashed with a sharp glint, "tell him to keep Pei Yan calm and continue to play the role of a loyal servant who shares the emperor's burdens. He must not expose himself. At the same time, he should closely monitor Pei Yan's movements. If there is any unusual activity, he should inform the spies in the palace and warn them even if it means exposing himself!"
"yes!"
One instruction after another came clearly from her mouth.
It was as if that pampered and delicate young lady from a prominent family in the capital had never existed.
Once she arrived safely in Xihan, everything officially began.
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