Allowing Hui'an to draw out Nan Yuan'er was merely the first step in this scheme. The ultimate goal was to use Hui'an to test whether Yu Chengxuan had any connection with Nan Chaoyin, and if they had secretly allied.
The dams in Yuzhou had not yet been repaired. Construction would only begin in spring. However, recent heavy rains had caused flooding. It was uncertain whether the excavated river channels downstream of Yuzhou could divert water to the sea, thereby preventing Yuzhou from facing disaster again.
…
Hui'an was subtly observing him. Yet, from beginning to end, Yu Chengxuan had not displayed any unnecessary emotions, except for a moment of gentle, reminiscent smiling for reasons unknown. The words "gentle as jade" seemed to be etched onto his face. Hui'an did not know what others thought, but she felt an inexplicable sense of annoyance.
This annoyance stemmed not only from discomfort with his "perfection" but also from a powerlessness she could not fathom.
After Ji Wu finished speaking, he awaited the reactions of Yu Chengxuan and Hui'an. Both men had their own thoughts, and the atmosphere instantly fell silent. The heavy rain beat against the window sills, and a damp, humid wind blew in through the gaps, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting dancing shadows like demons on the wall.
Ji Wu felt a pang of apprehension and asked, his voice filled with uncertainty, "Your Highness, have I said something wrong?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Chengxuan replied, "Not at all. I was merely thinking that if all this is truly Nan Chaoyin's doing, then it is most interesting!"
"Interesting?" Ji Wu was confused.
"To sacrifice border soldiers and disregard the lives of border civilians simply to have his daughter enter the palace? He either has another identity, or he is an ambitious traitor."
"Regardless, Lin Yuan is in peril!"
"Is that not a good thing for our Dali?"
Yu Chengxuan smiled, a sound escaping his lips. In truth, Ji Wu's thoughts were not wrong. The error lay in him only standing on the steps, not atop the tower, unable to see clearly, yet also not entirely blind.
"Guess how he managed to instigate the border conflict, and how he accomplished this flawlessly?"
Ji Wu's pupils trembled, and he exclaimed in shock, "Your Highness means he has also extended his influence into our Dali??"
The flickering candlelight illuminated Yu Chengxuan's face, rendering his expression诡谲 and unpredictable. He glanced at Hui'an, taking in her appraisal and scrutiny, which she tried hard to conceal but failed to completely mask. The original plan had not been this. She should not have been drawn back into the unpredictable court, nor into these messy power struggles. She should have been living a simple and beautiful life, in a new way, at least during her childhood before her memory was restored.
But now, one wrong move had pushed the entire situation to such a point. If that was the case, then some of the chess pieces that had been set up back then had now lost their value.
Yu Chengxuan stopped rubbing the fan ribs and instead unfurled his folding fan.
The fan in his hand was a weapon, and yet not a weapon. Hui'an had once seen blades extend from its ribs. But this folding fan now seemed like an ordinary fan.
He spoke slowly, his voice long and drawn out, as if it had tumbled through the river of time. Hui'an was somewhat dazed. She saw certain qualities in Yu Chengxuan that were unbecoming of his age.
The fan surface reflected the candlelight, as if the world was being baked old and returned to the past. "Have you two ever heard of the war between Lin Yuan and our Dali to conquer Xiliang thirty years ago?"
At that time, although Ji Wu and Hui'an had not yet been born, this war was likely familiar to both the people of Lin Yuan and Dali.
The area where Dali and Lin Yuan bordered now was once the capital of Xiliang!
Hui'an and Ji Wu did not understand why he would mention this, but they nodded when he asked, "Of course!"
"Then have you heard that the grandson of the Xiliang Emperor is still alive?" Yu Chengxuan asked casually, but to Hui'an and Ji Wu, his words struck like thunder from outside the window, deafening their ears.
Ji Wu, unable to conceal his shock, stood up abruptly, his movement so great that he bumped into the chair beneath him. The chair hit the floor, making a loud crash.
Hui'an was startled by Ji Wu's reaction.
However, Hui'an did not think Ji Wu was overreacting. Clearly, they both understood the implication of Yu Chengxuan suddenly mentioning the war from that year and the rumor that the grandson of the Xiliang Emperor was still alive. When his words were juxtaposed with their recent discussion, his meaning became crystal clear.
"Brother, you suspect that Lin Yuan's Prime Minister, Nan Chaoyin, is that surviving remnant of Xiliang?"
"Sister is wise!"
Yu Chengxuan did not answer directly, but his response implied an affirmative.
Hui'an's heart began to beat violently, not because of the speculation Yu Chengxuan had voiced, but because of his attitude at this moment, and more importantly, from where had he heard the news that the grandson of the Xiliang Emperor had not died?
Even officials who had participated in that war back then might not have known about this matter. Had the Zhang family's influence grown so immense that they had grasped everything they should and shouldn't have?
"Your Highness, this speculation, this speculation is truly..."
Ji Wu could hardly imagine that if Nan Chaoyin were indeed the grandson of the Xiliang Emperor, how vast a game he had been playing around Lin Yuan all these years!
It was utterly shocking, enough to send chills down one's spine!
A game of chess!
But it was already a losing endgame!
…
Nan Residence.
Nan Chaoyin's desk was spread with a piece of paper. On it were written names, with some circled.
One of them was Hui'an.
"Master, the Dark Pavilion still hasn't found the whereabouts of the young lady's personal guards. It's likely they were killed the moment the commoners rioted. If not, the young lady wouldn't have..."
Sensing the cold aura emanating from Nan Chaoyin, the guard suddenly stopped speaking. He did not know what role Princess Hui'an of Dali had played in the events of that day, but that incident was definitely a scheme targeting the young lady, the madam, and the master.
If he didn't know that the current Nan Shiying was impersonated by Qing Yuan, then the most likely mastermind of this scheme would be her.
However, given the involvement of Princess Hui'an of Dali, if one considered it from a different perspective, this might simply be a drama of internal strife between a prince and a princess of Dali.
If the young lady married the Seventh Prince of Dali, she would undoubtedly be his official wife. If the official wife of a dignified prince were to become crippled, then unless the Seventh Prince seized the throne, this would become a lifelong laughingstock for him.
But regardless of who the mastermind behind this scheme targeting the Nan Residence was, Hui'an was certainly an accomplice that could not be forgiven.
He just wondered if this Princess Hui'an of Dali had lost her mind, forgetting the fact that she was about to join the Nan Residence.
Looking at his master, whose suppressed anger burned like a barrel of oil or a volcano, the guard could foresee the hellish life Hui'an would lead after marrying into the Nan Residence.
It would likely be even worse than what the Fifth Miss had endured!