In a remote courtyard in Weizhou, the lights burned brightly. Several dark figures swiftly infiltrated the house. "Sir..."
After the禁龙卫 (Jin Long Wei) who reported the intelligence left, Chong Guang emerged from the house. In the biting cold, he wore only a single layer of clothing. Through the loose collar, the bandages on his shoulder were visible, with faint bloodstains seeping through.
At the desk, Yin Wu Yan held a letter to the candlelight and ignited it. His clear, cold voice then asked, "How is your injury?"
"I stumbled in the gutter, but Seventh Master, I discovered that the martial arts styles of that group were similar to those in Huaian Prefecture," Chong Guang grinned, pulled over a chair, and sat down. "It's a pity they were all death warriors. In the end, they all took poison and committed suicide."
Upon hearing the words "Huaian Prefecture," Yin Wu Yan's handsome face instantly turned stern. Killing intent flickered rapidly in his phoenix eyes.
The matter in Huaian Prefecture had been left unresolved. Ultimately, it was because the Emperor did not wish to investigate further, fearing that if he uncovered results he did not want to see, there would be no way to conclude it, especially since Zhan Fei Yu had escaped danger.
However, this matter weighed heavily on Gu Qing Zhou's mind. Similarly, Yin Wu Yan had also taken note. It's not that retribution won't come, it's just that the time hasn't arrived!
Chong Guang's injury this time was ultimately due to the attempt to capture these people alive, which led to his accidental injury. His shoulder took a sword, and his chest was almost pierced by an arrow.
"Have Xi Qi Su lead people to infiltrate the sixteen prefectures under Longyou Dao," Yin Wu Yan, who had stood up, was now looking at a map of the prefectures of Longyou Dao spread on the desk.
Unlike the prosperity of Jiangnan, Longyou Dao was almost a barren land, yet it was the border of the Great Qing Dynasty. It governed sixteen prefectures. Besides the garrisons in each prefecture, the true military power still rested with the Seven Guards.
Chong Guang leaned in to look. "Seventh Master, the Yang family intends to build goodwill. If we reveal some intelligence, and as long as the Emperor reinstates the Yang family, our people can at least secure one-third of the military power in Longyou Dao."
At such a critical juncture, Old General Yang allowing Yang Xu to stay with Zhan Fei Yu at the Qiu Residence was not only using Zhan Fei Yu's name to protect Yang Xu, but also, in a way, a sign of the Yang family's trust in Zhan Fei Yu.
His cold phoenix eyes showed no fluctuation. The military power of Longyou Dao was coveted by everyone, whether it was ministers in the court or princes in the palace, their eyes were red with desire. Only Yin Wu Yan remained unmoved.
"The Yang family is far from the court. Their attempt to befriend Scholar Gu is merely to have an ally in court and avoid repeating past mistakes." His voice, cold and devoid of emotion, was unlike Qiu Jin Yu's clear and pleasant tone. Every word was as if frozen by ice and snow, spreading a chill to the listener's entire body.
Well, Seventh Master actually looked down on the Yang family! Chong Guang rolled his eyes. If the Emperor reinstated the Yang family, it was estimated that the princes would vie to win them over. That was substantial military power!
Yin Wu Yan continued coldly, "The Emperor has controlled the Northwest Seven Guards for eight years, and in eight years, he has not won over the hearts of the people. Do you think those people will easily betray?"
The Yang family's achievements were accumulated through the bloody battles of countless lives. It was the result of generations of sacrifice and bloodshed from the General's Mansion. Similarly, the loyalty of the Yang family's old subordinates was not something others could shake, including the current Emperor.
Therefore, small favors would not buy these people. To covet military power would inevitably lead to conflict with the Yang family. Since that was the case, why should Yin Wu Yan flatter the Yang family? It was better to draw a line. If the Yang family wanted intelligence and news, they should exchange it for something. It would be fair trade!
"So we don't want the military power of Longyou Dao?" Chong Guang understood the meaning behind Yin Wu Yan's words and his gaze returned to the map. "The Jin Long Wei will only send people to investigate intelligence in Longyou Dao."
These people were like nails, lying low amidst the unrest in Longyou Dao. In the future, as soon as there was any disturbance in Longyou Dao, the news would be sent back to the Jin Long Wei immediately. This was Yin Wu Yan's true objective.
"If we don't covet military power, the Emperor will be at ease," Yin Wu Yan's gaze was deep and unreadable. Even if the Emperor trusted him, when it came to military power and the stability of the nation, that trust would waver.
Therefore, Yin Wu Yan's trip was also a declaration. He had no interest in military power, and only then would the Emperor truly be at peace.
Chong Guang finally understood and couldn't help but chuckle smugly. "No wonder the chubby girl dared to use the Jin Long Wei token to order Dou Han Hai to arrest people. This is having the backing of the Jin Long Wei, showing their style."
Since Seventh Master did not covet military power, the actions of the Jin Long Wei could be carried out openly.
Under the candlelight, Yin Wu Yan's originally cold and indifferent handsome face softened instantly. He could imagine the little girl's fierce yet adorable demeanor as she wielded the token and bullied others.
"Those people dared to lay hands on Yang Xu. Scholar Gu's name cannot deter them," Yin Wu Yan's voice carried an inexplicable pride and self-satisfaction. At critical moments, the Jin Long Wei were still the most reliable.
Thinking of the notorious reputation of the Jin Long Wei, Chong Guang burst into laughter. "The chubby girl gets a little leeway and she's already trying to take over. Haha, I bet she can walk sideways in Weizhou right now!"
Zhan Fei Yu had arrested Zhang Yi Yi, the wife of the Border Marquis. The effect of killing a chicken to scare the monkeys would definitely be significant.
...
The news of Zhang Yi Yi's arrest also reached the Border Marquis's mansion immediately.
"Father." Although it was late, upon hearing the Border Marquis's summons, not only the heir apparent, but also his two younger sons and four adult grandsons, all dressed up and hurried to the main courtyard.
"Everyone, please sit," the Border Marquis said, gesturing for everyone to sit as he looked at the imposing young generation. He then announced the news of Zhang Yi Yi's arrest and imprisonment.
"Even a dog needs to be looked at by its owner. Zhan Fei Yu is too arrogant!" The impetuous Zhu San said fiercely, his face contorted with murderous intent. "Grandfather, she's just a young girl. How many people in Longyou Dao die at the hands of barbarian scouts every year!"
Compared to his reckless and impulsive third cousin, Zhu Sheng, the eldest legitimate grandson of the Border Marquis, who was in his thirties, spoke calmly. "Precisely because one needs to look at the owner when hitting a dog, Zhan Fei Yu is not to be feared. However, behind her is Gu Qing Zhou, not to mention her unclear and ambiguous relationship with the Jin Long Wei."
Even though the legitimate sons and grandsons of the Border Marquis's mansion could walk sideways in Longyou Dao, their expressions changed upon hearing the words "Jin Long Wei." Even the arrogant Young Master Zhu San's expression turned a little grim. Killing Zhan Fei Yu might be easy, but the subsequent trouble would be unbearable for the Border Marquis's mansion.
"Grandfather, the Emperor intends to reinstate the Yang family, primarily for the salt tax. Our Marquis's mansion is already in a difficult period. If we offend Scholar Gu and the Jin Long Wei at this time, it will be like adding frost to snow," Zhu Zheng Rong said, considering the overall situation. Enduring this insult was for the long-term consideration of the Border Marquis's mansion.
"Zheng Rong, you speak with reason. But have you considered that if we cannot overcome this hurdle, our Marquis's mansion will face confiscation and annihilation? All considerations of the overall situation and long-term planning are useless." Zhu Lao Er, the second son of the Border Marquis, was jealous of his elder brother, the heir apparent, and naturally disliked Zhu Zheng Rong, the eldest legitimate grandson.
As soon as Zhu Lao Er spoke, the atmosphere in the study instantly became tense. Even the Border Marquis, seated in the main position, looked displeased. If the ruler wants the minister to die, the minister must die! The fate of the Yang family back then seemed to be the impending fate of the Zhu family in the Border Marquis's mansion.
Young Master Zhu San, stifled, couldn't help but complain, "Back then, I said we should use thunderous means to consolidate military power. If our Zhu family had military power in hand, why would we be so passive today?"
"That would only lead to an even faster death!" Zhu Lao San was a scholar, his words were sharp, but they were reasonable.
The Emperor was skilled in both civil and military arts and had even personally led campaigns. Prince Yu, the Emperor's uncle, also handed over his military power with both hands and eventually became a闲王 (idle prince) in the capital.
The Border Marquis married Princess Ren An back then. However, before the Emperor ascended the throne, Princess Ren An had sided with the Second Prince. The Emperor did not deal with the Border Marquis's mansion for two reasons: first, Princess Ren An was a woman, and her surname was Yin, carrying royal blood.
Second, the Emperor needed to use the Border Marquis's mansion to check the Yang family. Especially after the Yang family was imprisoned on charges of colluding with the enemy and treason, the Emperor's support for the Border Marquis's mansion was only to temporarily stabilize the border. Once the situation stabilized, the generals of the Northwest Seven Guards were all confidantes appointed by the Emperor.
If the Border Marquis's mansion dared to make any significant moves, the Emperor would not hesitate to deal with them. Therefore, the Border Marquis could only proceed slowly. After all, Longyou Dao was far from the capital. As the saying goes, when the general is outside, he is not bound by the imperial command. The Border Marquis planned to use the method of boiling a frog in warm water to continuously encroach upon the military power of Longyou Dao.
Unfortunately, eight years had passed with little success. If another eight years had passed, perhaps the Marquis's mansion would have succeeded. Who knew that Zhan Fei Yu had devised a new salt production method, leading to an impending reform of the salt tax? The Emperor, in order to firmly control the salt tax, had to reinstate the Yang family. The Border Marquis's mansion's situation was not only awkward but also dangerous.
"Father." The heir apparent was already over fifty. His features closely resembled the Border Marquis. Beneath his sword-like eyebrows, his tiger-like eyes were sharp as lightning, showing no signs of age. He was more imposing than the young generals in the army.
When the heir apparent spoke, not only the four younger ones, but also his two younger brothers, Zhu Lao Er and Zhu Lao San, sat up straight. The Border Marquis valued his eldest son not only because of his age but also because of the heir apparent's demeanor, breadth of mind, and strategic ability.
"The Emperor's reinstatement of the Yang family is not only about the salt tax, but also because the Emperor is aging, and eventually, an heir apparent will be established. In eight years, the Emperor has not been able to firmly control the military power of Longyou Dao. Then, when the Crown Prince or the new Emperor ascends the throne, Longyou Dao will be the most unstable factor. The Emperor's action is merely to bestow favor upon the Yang family through the salt tax, ensuring the stability of Longyou Dao."
It must be said that even though the heir apparent was far from the capital, his ability to fathom the Emperor's intentions far surpassed that of everyone present, including the Border Marquis.
Longyou Dao had nearly 300,000 troops stationed there. The Seven Guards had a total of 200,000 soldiers. If the Yang family harbored any thoughts of rebellion, even if they could not shake the foundation of the Great Qing Dynasty, the entire Longyou Dao, as well as the bordering Dongguan Dao, Zhongguan Dao, and even Qianzhong Dao and Shannan Dao, would be affected.
"The Yang family has been in decline for eight years. Are those people bewitched by the Yang family? They are all so loyal!" Young Master Zhu San, filled with indignation, slammed his fist on the table. The loyalty of the Yang family's old subordinates made him grind his teeth in hatred, yet he was helpless.
If the Emperor could not win over these people, let alone the Crown Prince or the future new Emperor. Therefore, the Emperor bestowed favor in advance, reinstating the Yang family to allow them to regain military command. In the future, when the new Emperor ascended the throne, Longyou Dao would surely be stable.
As for the Yang family's loyalty, the Emperor had no doubts. Otherwise, he would not have allowed the three generations of the Yang family to live in Shitou Village and be protected by Qiu Zong Xi.
"Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west. Now that the Yang family has been reinstated, it is our Zhu family, the Border Marquis's mansion, that will decline." The Border Marquis's voice was still loud, but his eyes were somewhat dim.
The twilight of a hero was the most apt description of the Border Marquis. He had schemed his entire life, but ultimately failed.
Zhang Yi Yi's arrest and imprisonment was a hint. Whether in the court or in Longyou Dao, everyone knew that the Emperor was about to move against the Border Marquis's mansion, or rather, the Emperor was going to use the Border Marquis's mansion to mend relations with the Yang family. And the Yang family was about to rise to prominence by stepping on the corpses of the Zhu family in the Border Marquis's mansion.
Thinking of this, everyone in the study suddenly understood why the Emperor had ascended the throne. He was indeed a master strategist who planned a hundred steps ahead! The Border Marquis was merely a pawn in the Emperor's hands. He had kept the Border Marquis's mansion to stabilize the border back then, and sacrificing the Border Marquis's mansion now served the same purpose. Life and death were merely in the Emperor's thoughts.
Of course, the Yang family was also just a pawn on the chessboard, but the Yang family was more useful to the Emperor, which was why the Yang family would be reinstated and the General's Mansion would regain its glory!
The heir apparent spoke again, his steady voice breaking the suffocating silence. "Now, for the Marquis's mansion to have a chance of survival, we only need to pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, the future new Emperor!"
The Emperor could be considered a benevolent ruler. Although the Border Marquis's mansion had intended to covet military power over the years, their actions were cautious and thorough, leaving no handle. As long as the Emperor showed leniency, even if the Border Marquis's mansion lost its power, it could still be preserved. When the new Emperor ascended the throne, the Border Marquis's mansion, having pledged allegiance to the new Emperor in advance, could rise again. This would be a merit of supporting the dragon!
"Uncle, which prince will the Emperor establish as the heir apparent?" Young Master Zhu San was definitely impatient. He dared to bicker with his cousin Zhu Zheng Rong, but in front of his uncle, the heir apparent, Young Master Zhu's attitude was one of reverence.
Not to mention the people in the Border Marquis's mansion, even the ministers in the court, the princes in the palace, and the consorts, probably no one knew which prince the Emperor favored. The flicker of hope that had just ignited was about to be extinguished.
Zhu Zheng Rong had discussed the court situation with his father many times in private. He took over the conversation at this moment. "We don't know, but Scholar Gu must know. And Zhan Fei Yu is the key to this!"
Scholar Gu was far away in the capital. Even if the Border Marquis's mansion had the ability to reach the heavens, they would likely not be able to obtain intelligence from Scholar Gu. And Zhan Fei Yu, as Scholar Gu's only disciple, was the lifeline of the Border Marquis's mansion.
The Border Marquis, who had been silent for a long time, remembered the young girl he met in the ruined temple. "That little girl is very strange."
Strange meant she was neither good nor evil, making her unfathomable! Regarding the incident in Huaian Prefecture, after the forty-eight corpses were hung on the city wall, the Border Marquis's mansion also sent people to gather information. Despite being a scholar, Zhan Fei Yu had blood on her hands!
Moreover, her appearance in Xiangwu County and her contact with the Yang family indicated that Scholar Gu favored the soon-to-be-reinstated Yang family, not the declining Border Marquis's mansion. It was not easy to approach Zhan Fei Yu, and it was even harder to win her over!
Zhan Fei Yu, who was diligently studying in Xiangwu County, was completely unaware that the Border Marquis's mansion had set their sights on her and was trying to win her over. However, even if she knew, Zhan Fei Yu would not care.
What was the Emperor's will? It was to act according to the Emperor's wishes. The Emperor wanted to deal with the Border Marquis's mansion to appease the Yang family. Zhan Fei Yu, unless she had water in her brain, why would she court death by getting involved with the Border Marquis's mansion?
After Qiu Jin Yu returned from the county yamen's prison, Yang Xu's anxious heart finally settled. No matter how much he hated her, he still did not wish for Zhang Yi Yi to lose her life.
"Big brother's letter?" Zhan Fei Yu was in an extremely good mood, her smile so wide that her eyes were almost closed. She didn't even bother to finish the article she was writing and eagerly took the letter handed over by He Nuan.
After a while.
Looking at Zhan Fei Yu, who first quickly skimmed through the letter and then read it word by word for a second time, He Nuan couldn't help but marvel at the fate between people. Seventh Master, with his cold disposition, was exceptionally good to Miss.
Similarly, Miss, while seemingly amiable and well-behaved, possessed an unusual coldness in her bones.
For instance, this time, if Yang Xu blamed Miss for Zhang Shi's imprisonment and harbored resentment, then Miss would only have a superficial relationship with the Yang family and Yang Xu, and would act strictly according to duty.
The smile on her lips faltered. Her previously bright and shining eyes dimmed. Zhan Fei Yu carefully folded the letter. "Big brother is busy with his affairs and doesn't have time to come to Xiangwu County."
"The situation in Longyou Dao is unstable, Seventh Master must be busy," He Nuan explained gently. The Jin Long Wei's trust from the Emperor was inseparable from Seventh Master's contributions. Even if Seventh Master was in Longyou Dao, he probably wouldn't have time to come to the remote Xiangwu County.