"Here!" Yu Huatian, Lü Bu responded, rushing out to handle affairs. Diao Chan lay on a couch, recalling Ye Feng's near whisper. She was certain she hadn't misheard. If she hadn't misheard, where had he gone? Diao Chan had no idea.
Even, Diao Chan had a premonition that as long as the school construction was done well, Ye Feng might return on his own.
"If no body is found, I absolutely will not believe the King has met with misfortune!" Diao Chan comforted herself for a while and surprisingly dozed off.
When she woke, Yu Huatian was respectfully waiting below. She quickly spoke, "The heads of the aristocratic families have almost all arrived. Please, Madam, give us instructions on how to proceed!"
"Dispose of them as you did when the King was here," Diao Chan waved her hand slightly. Two beautiful maids quickly came to help Diao Chan change and wash. Diao Chan pushed open the door and entered the main hall. The clan heads could only swallow and exclaim.
This was not surprising of Diao Chan. Possessing a beauty that could captivate fish and geese, she slightly bowed and said, "I, your Madam, have taken a long time to prepare. Have you all been waiting impatiently? Serve tea."
As Diao Chan turned and sat in the main seat, someone immediately flattered her, "Madam possesses beauty that captivates fish and geese, and shames the moon and flowers. We would be willing to wait even longer. Please be at ease, Madam!"
"With that said, we can now discuss the matters ahead!" Diao Chan chuckled, covering her mouth. "You have all heard about the King's situation, so it falls to me, a hen, to preside over affairs. If there are any shortcomings, I ask for your understanding!"
"That is natural, that is natural!" They all nodded in succession. But Diao Chan said nothing else, only pretending to be foolish to avoid becoming a target. After all, Ye Feng had faked his death once before, and some had suffered significant losses. Perhaps this was a ploy to repeat it.
"Alas, how could the King of Chu suffer such a misfortune at such a young age? Heaven envies talent, heaven envies talent!" The leading clan head deliberately tested, staring intently at Diao Chan's expression.
Diao Chan's hand holding the teacup trembled slightly but steadied in an instant. She forced a smile, "If it were for something else, I might understand. But the King has devoted his entire life to this, working tirelessly until death. It was all for building schools for the people and for the great matters with all of you. Therefore, today, I also want to ask all of you, how should that matter be handled!"
"Does Madam mean?" The leading clan head had already understood about eighty percent from Diao Chan's actions. "To continue with all of this?"
"Precisely!" Diao Chan said solemnly. "This is, after all, the King's dying wish, and I, as Madam, cannot ignore it!"
It wasn't a dying wish that couldn't be ignored, but rather the Chu King's Mansion wanted to expand and grow stronger, thinking that by wining over the lowly commoners, they could rest easy. A pipe dream! The leading clan head thought to himself, yet he still smiled and said, "If the King of Chu were alive, this matter would be easy. I fear that now, His Majesty would be overjoyed and celebrating, and would not agree."
"His Majesty will be handled by me. What I am asking now is for your attitude!" Diao Chan said coldly. "Please speak frankly. I will absolutely not force you!"
Diao Chan took a sip of her tea. "Of course, I am not sure of the consequences. Think carefully before you answer!"
A naked threat, yet they, the clan heads who were usually in positions of power, were helpless. They could only offer smiles and say, "What does Madam mean?"
"It's not what I want now, but what you all want!" Diao Chan's expression changed. "If you agree to cooperate, then we are in this together. I can guarantee your safety within Liangzhou. If not, or if you are kidnapped or something, I cannot be held responsible!"
"You, Diao Chan, do you think we are made of straw? Today, I will see what you can do to us!" A family head got up to leave, imperiously. "If you have the guts, have someone kill me. Liangzhou will still be surnamed Ye!"
The leading clan head sighed repeatedly and quickly said, "Brother Li, wait. Don't be impulsive."
He spoke nicely, but made no move. In fact, he also wanted to see how Diao Chan would deal with them.
"Brother, you don't need to worry about my safety. I don't believe that without the King of Chu, the Chu King's Mansion can still cover the sky with one hand!"
"Everyone has heard clearly. From this moment on, this family head's life and death are unrelated to our Chu King's Mansion!"
Before the words had even fallen, the family head, who had not taken many steps, suddenly felt a chill down his back. He looked down and saw a Fang Tian Huaji piercing his chest, blood gushing out!
"You should not have offended Madam!" Lü Bu said coldly. He lightly shook the Fang Tian Huaji, and the family head suddenly fell to the ground. In an instant, many clan heads showed fear, lest they be next!
Diao Chan smiled gently. "Everyone, rest assured. Any family head who does not wish to cooperate and is killed by the refugees, those who cooperate with the Chu King's Mansion can live without worry!"
For a moment, everyone was stunned. Diao Chan's audacious behavior, did she not take them seriously? Yet they were powerless.
"Who says not? Without the King, the Chu King's Mansion is indeed like a tiger without its claws. But whoever wants to take this opportunity to bully the Chu King's Mansion will be mistaken!" Diao Chan smiled faintly. "I merely wish to ask a few adults to help speak a few good words. This is a great matter that benefits the present and future generations!"
For a time, everyone stared at Diao Chan as if she were a smiling tiger, unsure whether to agree. The leading clan head, however, reacted quickly and casually tossed out, "This tea is very fragrant. This way of brewing tea is also strange. If it were promoted, it would surely bring great profit!"
"This is something the King left behind," Diao Chan said slowly. "Of course, it's not the only thing. Whether you can obtain the rest is within your control."
Tea drinking had a long history, but in the Tang Dynasty, tea was boiled, and in the Song Dynasty, it was whisked. The method of brewing tea at this time was naturally brought by Ye Feng, a modern person.
"Interesting, very interesting!" The leading clan head gently placed the teacup on the table. "Now that the world is in chaos, it is possible for Brother Li to meet with misfortune at any moment. Pity his family business and his wife. We will surely help them more!"
"Who says not? I am willing to help!"
"I am also willing!"
Diao Chan looked at the partitioned family property and sighed heavily. Fortunately, Ye Feng had left her so many things!
"Since we have agreed to cooperate, we will certainly not go back on our word. However, regarding His Majesty, Madam will have to persuade him herself. We can only support you," the leading clan head paused and said mysteriously, "But if Madam can persuade Lu Zhi, this matter will be eight or nine parts successful."
"Lu Zhi, he has already agreed!" Diao Chan's statement was like a bomb dropped into the hearts of the aristocratic clan members. Who was Lu Zhi? A righteous and upright royalist. If he agreed, wouldn't it be a natural progression? They could also gain benefits, so why not?
"Since that is the case, we will jointly submit a memorial tomorrow and surely persuade His Majesty to facilitate this matter!" Once the leading clan head expressed his stance, the rest of the matters became much easier. Everyone agreed.
"Since that is the case, I thank you all!" Diao Chan bowed slightly and declared, "See them out!"
After the aristocratic families had all left, Lu Zhi entered the main hall and was met by a worried Diao Chan. He quickly asked, "Could it be that the King of Chu is truly as the rumors say!"
Diao Chan nodded slightly. Lu Zhi seemed to have been electrocuted and sat down on the floor. After a long while, he recovered, stood up, picked up the teacup, and said solemnly.
"This cup of tea is for the young hero, the King of Chu. May he ascend to the pure land soon!"
Lu Zhi slumped onto the chair, unwilling to speak for a long time, then sighed heavily, "I didn't expect the King of Chu to have already passed away. Our plan will also fall through!"
"Whether the plan falls through or not depends on you, Mr., not on the King of Chu!" Diao Chan knew that Lu Zhi still had the intention to implement the plan and quickly added, "Madam now only wants to ask you, do you still wish to establish schools to benefit the people."
Lu Zhi responded without thinking, his tone firm, "Naturally. Does Madam also have this intention!"
Diao Chan stood up and performed a deep bow to Lu Zhi, crying, "I, Madam, still wish to complete the King's dying wish, but I have little influence. I implore Mr. for your strong support!"
"Alright, I, Lu Zhi, agree. For the sake of the people, I will not hesitate to sacrifice myself!" Lu Zhi hesitated for a long time and then reminded, "More importantly, those aristocratic families, what about them..."
"They have already agreed to Madam's request and will definitely provide their full support!"
Lu Zhi narrowed his eyes and calculated. Currently, with the Third Army led by Lü Bu deterring Liangzhou externally, and the aristocratic families providing strong support internally, if he exerted a little effort, great success would surely be achieved. However, who proposed this idea became the most crucial point.
"Madam, have you thought about who will advise His Majesty at that time?" Lu Zhi sighed heavily and asked.
He and the aristocratic families could not speak. Only those in the Chu King's Mansion remained. And Lü Bu, as a military general, could not speak either.
"Is it possible that this matter will fail here?" Lu Zhi sat on the chair and pondered for a long time, still with no clue.
"Madam, if I were to enter the court, what do you think?" Diao Chan asked clearly. "I heard that His Majesty once bestowed upon the King the honor of entering the court without hastening, without imperial salutation, and with sword and shoes on. I presume it should be the same if I went!"
"How can this be? It is unheard of for a woman to enter the court. Even if there were, it would be like Daji or Meixi. Does Madam wish to bear such infamy!" Lu Zhi was greatly alarmed and hastily explained.
"Did His Majesty forget Empress Lü of the Han Dynasty, who was politically wise? What is wrong with me," Diao Chan said calmly. "If I were to bear the King's offspring, it would be even more natural."
"This is not impossible!" Lu Zhi pondered for a long time. "This old man will go crazy with you for this one time!"
"Thank you, Mr. Tomorrow, great things will be achieved!" After Diao Chan bowed and saw Lu Zhi off, Lü Bu flashed in and saw the worried Diao Chan, standing by her side to serve.
"General, how many more men can be drawn from the Third Army and the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"
"Madam, do you wish to overthrow the dynasty!" Lü Bu was greatly shocked and blurted out.