Yuan Jingnian’s face was full of embarrassment.
Despite that, Yuan Yunzhong appeared unconcerned, bluntly saying, "Isn’t that the case?"
Yuan Jingnian chuckled twice and poured Yuan Yunzhong a drink, "Have a drink, have a drink!"
Covering his cup with his hand, Yuan Yunzhong spoke earnestly, "What do the cabinet elders intend to do?" He added, "Don’t tell me you don’t know! With the current heat wave and tens of thousands of people gathering together, it’s easy for an epidemic to break out. I don’t care if you want to anger His Majesty, but you shouldn’t take the lives of the common people lightly."
"Of course we wouldn’t!" Yuan Jingnian assured repeatedly, feeling emotional, "You know your uncle’s temperament better than anyone. He says he doesn’t care about you, but there hasn’t been a time when he didn’t. Not to mention anything else, just take this time you submitted a petition to leave the city and provide relief to the populace. Your uncle was completely against it. But the moment he turned around, during the Imperial Cabinet deliberation, he was the first one to jump out and support you. Otherwise, the cabinet elders would not have submitted a petition advising His Majesty to bring the refugees under control with kindness and recruitment."
Yuan Yunzhong waved his hand, indicating that there was no need for further words, "Are you trying to be a mediator for my father?"
"How can I be a mediator?" Yuan Jingnian disagreed and continued, "I sincerely think that it’s meaningless for you to keep confronting your uncle like this. Clearly, you both have the same intentions, yet you insist on disagreements, making every meeting tense like enemies. Why must your relationship as father and son be like this?"
At these words, Yuan Yunzhong raised an eyebrow, "So my father supports my leaving the city to provide relief to the populace?"
Yuan Jingnian suddenly fell silent.
Yuan Yunzhong sneered, "He says he supports me dealing with the refugees with leniency instead of blockage and focusing on recruitment rather than force. But in reality, he’s just afraid of me actually leaving the city, isn’t he? Perhaps his so-called support is contingent on me not personally going out to provide aid to the populace!"
Yuan Jingnian awkwardly smiled, "Isn’t your uncle also worried about you? Both your uncle and aunt only have you, their sole offspring. Isn’t it right for him to be worried about you?"
As the brothers talked, afraid that Song Jiyun would feel uncomfortable, Lady Wu not only personally served her dishes but also enthusiastically introduced her to various specialties, "These fried meatballs might seem ordinary, but they truly test a chef’s skills. In Capital City, to judge whether a restaurant’s food is good, one looks at how well they cook these fried meatballs. These weren’t made by our kitchen maids, but by a chef from the most famous restaurant in Capital City, Eight Precious Building. Try it and see how it tastes?"
Song Jiyun smiled and thanked her, but she always felt as if a gaze were fastened on her.
Of course, a family banquet at the Yuan Family wouldn’t be that simple.
She acted as if she knew nothing and went about her business.
After finally finishing the meal, Yuan Yunzhong took Song Jiyun to say their farewells. Outside, the lamplights were just beginning to glow, with an hour left before the curfew.
Yuan Yunzhong, in a less than good mood, softly sought Song Jiyun’s opinion, "Shall we walk back?"
Their residence in the West Jiangmi Alley was just across the street, and stepping out to a rare cool breeze after dinner was the perfect opportunity for a stroll back home.
"Sure!" Song Jiyun agreed with a smile.
The two of them slowly made their way towards West Jiangmi Alley.
The carriage quietly followed behind them.
Along the way, they occasionally passed houses with side doors open to catch the cool evening air.
"It’s always like this." Passing a large willow tree with drooping branches that brushed their faces, the usually silent Yuan Yunzhong softly spoke, "They say that I can do whatever I want, but whenever I really set out to do something, they always end up stopping me."
Song Jiyun could sense the frustration in his voice.
Without thinking, she reached out and took Yuan Yunzhong’s hand.
Yuan Yunzhong paused, hesitated for a moment, then without caring who might see or what consequences it might bring, he tightly grasped her hand in return.
"I know they worry about me; I don’t want to encounter any danger," he continued, "but can’t they stop saying one thing and doing another?"
Probably not.
Song Jiyun silently criticized in her heart.
In the hearts of the Yuan Family elders, Yuan Yunzhong’s safety was more important than anything.
After all, who would wish to be treated as fragile goods all the time?
Song Jiyun sighed inwardly.
Upon returning home, Master Jinghu was waiting for them in the hall.
Seeing them arrive, he handed Yuan Yunzhong a slip of paper.
Yuan Yunzhong looked down at it with puzzlement and his expression changed slightly, "Prince Ning is dead?!"
Song Jiyun, upon hearing this, also jumped in shock and leaned over to look.
Yuan Yunzhong simply passed the paper to Song Jiyun.
It was just ordinary yellow straw paper, written on with charcoal pen: "Prince Ning was poisoned to death."
Clearly, this was not news that came through official channels.
Song Jiyun looked up at Master Jinghu.
Without even a glance out of the corner of his eye at her, Master Jinghu solemnly said to Yuan Yunzhong, "The matter of the refugees is likely to cause trouble again."
After some thought, Song Jiyun understood his meaning.
The refugees had been brought into the Capital City by Prince Ning. While he was alive, there was always someone to give orders, someone to control them. Now that Prince Ning had died suddenly, those leaderless refugees were bound to cause chaos.
It was just unknown why he would die at this critical juncture?
Yuan Yunzhong evidently thought of this as well.
With a grave expression, he said, "Although Prince Ning’s trespass into Pocket Alley was accidental, the Eldest Imperial Son was there, and the crime of harming the imperial heir cannot be escaped. The emperor, instead of executing him immediately, moved him to another location, confining him in Yongsi Hall at Jingshan Mountain, intending to wait for the Prince of Ruichang to enter the city before figuring out how to deal with him. How could Prince Ning have been suddenly poisoned to death?"
Upon hearing this, Master Jinghu gave Yuan Yunzhong a complicated look and said, "It is said that a Young Eunuch from Yongsi Hall divulged to the emperor that, even confined, Prince Ning still did not change his obstinate ways, cursing either you or the emperor every day. The emperor, in a rage, bestowed a cup of poisoned wine upon him. As for that informing Young Eunuch, he sought only to curry favor with the emperor to be transferred to a better position in Qianqing Palace."
Yuan Yunzhong pressed his forehead and said, "It won’t do. I must enter the palace early tomorrow. The news of Prince Ning’s death cannot spread so quickly. We must wait until the refugee situation is addressed."
Master Jinghu did not object but gently reminded him, "The news of Prince Ning’s poisoning has not yet spread, so you must think carefully about how you will speak to the emperor tomorrow in the palace."
"Yes!" Yuan Yunzhong agreed, his mind fully occupied with this matter. After escorting Song Jiyun back to the West Cross Courtyard, he hurried off.
Song Jiyun immediately called Zheng Quan over and asked him where He Dazhi and others had been placed, and instructed him, "From now on, patrol the West Cross Courtyard every half an hour."
She told Zheng Quan about her conflict with Master Jinghu.
Zheng Quan was incensed and said, "Then let’s buy a house and move out."
He couldn’t bear to see Song Jiyun suffer such indignity.
Song Jiyun smiled, "Why move out? Living here, wandering under Master Jinghu’s watchful eyes every day—isn’t that interesting?"
Zheng Quan couldn’t understand.
Song Jiyun didn’t explain further, she merely told him to guard the household well. She asked him to invite Zhou Zheng over the next day, "Call Master Xiao Guo and the others over; I want to make some porcelain."
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