Yu Mingyue rested her chin on her hand, her fingers tapping her cheek playfully as she spoke, lively and spirited.
Xie Jiayan’s gaze lifted from Yu Mingyue’s face, feeling a heat at his collar. This summer seemed to be particularly hot.
Xie Jiayan picked up the teapot beside him and poured himself a cup of cold tea.
Wang Ningqing’s suicide might have involved a gamble, him betting that the Sage would not annihilate the Wang family for it.
The struggle between the court and the noble clans damaged the Great Wei’s national strength, and the common people suffered.
The Sage had not killed Wang Ningqing before to control the other families, to hold their leverage, and thus balance their influence in court.
But now that Wang Ningqing was dead, the Sage might not be lenient. Perhaps he would solidify the Wang family’s crimes, a warning to others.
Wang Ningqing’s move, though it stabilized the Five Great Clans, was like killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of one’s own.
“Brother Jiayan, do you think the Sage will pursue the Wang family members this time?” Yu Mingyue asked.
Xie Jiayan put down his teacup. “It’s hard to say yet. He wrote a letter before he died.”
“That letter hasn’t been sent out yet?”
“Presumably!”
“Not too early, not too late, writing a letter right before committing suicide. I’m afraid he knew the letter wouldn’t be sent out. Crane’s crest poison is a secret medicine from the palace. Only a few people could obtain it. How could he not know?”
Xie Jiayan’s tea-drinking paused. Indeed, if it were a crucial letter, why would he wait until the moment of his death to write it.
Perhaps, as Sixth Lady guessed, he intentionally left the letter for the Sage to see.
Xie Jiayan rose from his chair. “I have something to discuss with your brother. I’ll take you back.”
“My brother is not in the manor,” Yu Mingyue shook her head.
“Then where is he?”
“He said he was handling official business for the Seventh Prince, so I didn’t ask further.” Yu Mingyue was now very cautious about anything related to the Seventh Prince, lest people think she harbored feelings for him.
Yu Mingyue noticed Xie Jiayan seemed preoccupied and decided not to bother him further.
“I’ve been out for quite some time, and I’m afraid my mother will worry. I’ll take my leave now. Brother Jiayan has been so busy lately that I rarely see you. You should take care of yourself,” Yu Mingyue said as she stood to leave.
“I’ll escort you.”
Yu Mingyue was about to say it wasn’t necessary, but Xie Jiayan had already stood up and walked out.
Upon returning to the manor, Yu Mingyue said, “Zhu Yu, don’t you think Brother Jiayan is acting strange today?”
“How so?” Zhu Yu hadn’t noticed anything unusual.
Yu Mingyue sat on the dressing stool, her chin in her hand. Was he acting strange? She felt as if his gaze was avoiding her.
Yu Mingyue looked at herself in the bronze mirror. She looked fine, no different from usual.
Yu Mingyue puffed out her cheeks. Was she overthinking things?
Never mind, she wouldn’t dwell on it.
She had come today to tell him the information she had gathered about the Wang family. Before, during the fire at the Wang family’s villa, Li Fu had mentioned he was also investigating the case. It seemed Brother Jiayan was very interested in the Wang family.
She recalled, in the storybooks, the Li family of Longxi was exterminated for smuggling weapons. They were the first of the Five Great Clans to fall.
At that time, Xie Jiayan, due to his involvement with the academy, was already at odds with the Five Great Clans. There were even rumors that Xie Jiayan was responsible for the Li family’s downfall.
Later, when the Wang family was implicated, Xie Jiayan acted uncharacteristically and saved the lives of the Wang family members.
Although the Wang family’s property was confiscated, the Wang clan leader was beheaded, and the clan members were forced to leave Liancheng, they were at least not annihilated.
Because Xie Jiayan had set this precedent, the Cui, Zheng, and Lu families were later able to preserve their bloodlines and escape the disaster of annihilation.
If the incorruptible Xie Jiayan had any actions that were misunderstood or criticized, it would only be this.
Looking at it this way, he did indeed have a special regard for the Wang family.