Chapter 087: Throw Away

“Minister Zheng is really getting senile. He’s about to retire, the memorial has already been submitted, yet he still pleaded for the Yongyi Marquis’s residence during yesterday’s cabinet meeting. Doesn’t he know the Emperor is furious right now? He really misread the situation. This caused the Emperor to fly into a rage. It’s one thing for him to suffer, but he also made all his colleagues present worry and fear along with him. Sigh…”

Chen Ying sighed deeply.

After sighing, he couldn’t help but observe Xie Wei’s expression.

This was at Xie Wei’s residence.

There had been a dispute during the cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon, almost causing a major incident. But at that time, Xie Wei seemed to have gone to Fengchen Hall to teach some female student and was not in the cabinet, thus avoiding the conflict.

Chen Ying couldn’t help but wonder if there was some hidden meaning in this.

So, taking advantage of the fact that there was no morning court today, he sent a name card at the right time to visit Xie Wei, discussing the events of the previous day’s cabinet meeting to probe this tutor’s thoughts.

Although Xie Wei was not present, he was well aware of the situation.

The eunuch who came from the side hall of Fengchen Hall had already reported the situation.

Listening to Chen Ying’s words, Xie Wei’s expression showed no surprise. He simply said, “Precisely because Minister Zheng is about to retire, with the memorial already submitted, he has fewer concerns than others and dares to do such a thing. If it were someone else, they might still worry about their official hat and seal. Although the Emperor is angry, he also has to consider public opinion and won’t do much to Minister Zheng.”

These words were no different from saying nothing.

Chen Ying certainly knew why the old Minister Zheng dared to speak up.

But…

He looked troubled and said to Xie Wei, “But Minister Zheng has been imprisoned. Can he still be released?”

Xie Wei smiled, “That depends on you, Lord Chen, and the former subordinates of the Ministry of Justice.”

Chen Ying pondered.

Xie Wei said calmly, “The Emperor is also sentimental. Minister Zheng has devoted his life to the court. If he is not imprisoned for openly angering the Emperor during a cabinet meeting, everyone would follow suit, and the Emperor’s authority would be undermined. But sometimes, people need a way out. You and your colleagues in the Ministry of Justice were all former subordinates of Minister Zheng. His conduct is well known. Human feelings are thin and cold, all in a moment’s thought.”

In the officialdom, who doesn’t want to avoid harm and seek benefits?

Relying solely on “benevolence and righteousness” won’t get you far.

Chen Ying had always focused on understanding the thoughts of those above him, not caring about others’ lives. Hearing Xie Wei’s words, he felt a slight chill in his heart, understanding Xie Wei’s implication: The Emperor imprisoned Minister Zheng but also wanted to see the reaction of other officials. Minister Zheng was his superior, and he had been his subordinate for many years, even promoted to his current position by him. If he kicked him while he was down, others might not say anything openly but would secretly think him cold and unfeeling, distancing themselves from him. Moreover, the new Minister, Gu Chunfang, was about to take office and would likely observe the character of his subordinates.

A new official often makes drastic changes.

Who knows if those changes won’t affect him?

With this thought, Chen Ying understood and knew that Xie Wei would soon enter the palace to teach, so he didn’t want to disturb him further. He stood up, bowed deeply, and respectfully said, “Thank you for your guidance, sir.”

Xie Wei responded calmly, “Lord Chen is meticulous and would have figured it out in time. You flatter me.”

Chen Ying knew these were just polite words.

“Figuring it out in time” implied there was a right time for everything, and some things needed to be done promptly. Xie Wei’s greatest strength was perhaps his ability to see through everything as it happened, understanding it clearly, and strategizing accordingly.

He smiled, didn’t argue, bowed again, and took his leave.

The attendant Jian Shu slightly bowed as Chen Ying passed by, but after watching him disappear at the end of the corridor, he frowned and said to Xie Wei, “Lord Chen is indeed shrewd, always asking for clarity before acting, seeking your advice on everything. On one hand, he is cautious, but on the other, he might also be trying to curry favor with you. He should be following your orders. But in the previous incident in the palace, he didn’t handle it well. You clearly instructed him, but when the palace sent someone to the Ministry of Justice, he brought along Zhang Zhe, a capable investigator from the Department of Clear Records. It was obvious he didn’t want to offend either side, trying to fulfill your orders without getting involved, like a fence-sitter.”

He was referring to the incident where Ning’er was framed.

Over the years, Xie Wei had seen enough of human wickedness and wasn’t surprised. Chen Ying’s actions were expected. If he hadn’t acted this way, it would have been unexpected and made Xie Wei wonder if there was something wrong with himself.

After all, who in the world doesn’t weigh the pros and cons?

So he simply said, “He can be used but not trusted. I know this.”

With that, he put down his tea cup, stood up, and walked from the reception hall back to his zither room.

There was someone in the room.

If Chen Ying had seen this, he might have been suspicious: Why would the owner of the Youhuang Pavilion in the capital be here so early in the morning?

Lu Xian had stayed at Xie Wei’s residence the previous night and had just woken up, yawning and wasting Xie Wei’s good tea.

The top-grade Da Hong Pao tea had already been brewed three times.

Seeing Xie Wei come in, he smiled, “Just in time to catch a good brew. Did you send Lord Chen away?”

Xie Wei walked to the empty wall, stood still, pinched his brow, and showed a trace of fatigue in his eyes, saying, “The Emperor fears the Marquis’s residence and also hates it. Anyone who speaks for the Marquis’s residence is poking the Emperor in the back. He may not do anything to the officials, but he will hold the Marquis’s residence accountable.”

Lu Xian’s eyelid twitched, “Isn’t Minister Zheng one of ours?”

Xie Wei lowered his eyes slightly, “Someone is determined to destroy the Marquis’s residence.”

Since the appearance of the rebel party of Prince Pingnan in the capital, various events had become increasingly clear in his mind.

The clearer they became, the more the anger in his chest surged.

He gently spread his fingers, covering his eyelids and half his face, and suddenly called out, “Jian Shu!”

Jian Shu had followed him to the zither room but had not entered, waiting by the door. He immediately responded, “Here.”

Xie Wei said, “Immediately send people to the camps at Fengtai and Tongzhou, keep an eye on all the post roads, intercept all incoming messages, and do not let anyone enter the city! If anyone tries to send news of trouble at the Yongyi Marquis’s residence, capture them if possible, kill them if not.”

His voice was cold and ruthless.

Lu Xian felt a chill in his heart.

Jian Shu took the order but hesitated for a moment before asking, “If the ones trying to enter the city are from the sect…”

“…”

Xie Wei’s fingers slowly slid down his face, and the murderous aura in his eyes grew colder. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, “Kill them all.”

Morning mist floated in the courtyard.

The zither room still had the lingering fragrance of tea.

But at this moment, Jian Shu felt the piercing cold of deep winter, seeping into his bones, creating an atmosphere of desolation!

He looked deeply at Xie Wei, but knowing that there was no room for negotiation, he collected himself, bowed, and left to carry out the order.

Lu Xian, however, was stunned for a long time.

He looked at Xie Wei, uncharacteristically serious, “Has the situation in the sect deteriorated to this extent?”

Xie Wei closed his eyes and said, “He is getting old and can’t wait any longer. Moreover, Gongyi Cheng has always been at odds with me. Since I came to the capital, I can’t control the affairs in Jinling. If he doesn’t take this opportunity to scheme, it would tarnish his reputation. Without chaos, the sect cannot spread. The Yongyi Marquis’s residence is strict in military discipline and highly regarded by the people. If they are forced into a desperate situation and the Emperor takes action against them, it will cause the court to lose the people’s support, allowing the sect to rise again. Moreover, the Yongyi Marquis’s residence controls a third of the military power in the country, with heavy troops stationed at Fengtai and Tongzhou, both led by the Marquis. If someone uses this opportunity to spread news and incite the troops, causing a mutiny…”

This is the greatest fear of a ruler.

At that time, regardless of whether the Yongyi Marquis’s residence is innocent, they would likely face the extermination of their entire clan!

Lu Xian could understand this.

However…

He actually wanted to say that if the Yongyi Marquis’s residence really got into trouble, it might not be a bad thing. After all, if the court loses the people’s support and the Emperor loses the ministers’ loyalty, the troops at Fengtai and Tongzhou could be won over. By raising the banner of clearing the Marquis’s name and opposing the tyrant, the former subordinates of the Yongyi Marquis might come to their aid.

Thus, sacrificing one Marquis’s residence could benefit the larger situation.

But with Xie Wei, things seemed different.

Not knowing the full implications, Lu Xian didn’t dare to speak rashly. After looking at Xie Wei for a long time, he finally said, “Where did you send Dao Qin? I heard that You Fangyin is meeting Ren Weizhi today and need someone to investigate.”

Xie Wei glanced at him and frowned, “Dao Qin is busy.”

Lu Xian’s eyes widened.

Xie Wei calmly reminded him, “You are too obsessed with You Fangyin.”

Lu Xian didn’t take it to heart, snorted, and said, “Losing to you in the imperial exams was already embarrassing enough. I have studied business diligently, confident in my timing and calculations. I never thought anyone could surpass me in this field. But someone beat me to the punch with raw silk. Can you tolerate that?”

Xie Wei remained expressionless, “I can.”

Lu Xian: “…”

Can we even have a proper conversation anymore!

He wanted to argue but, thinking about Xie Wei’s life over the years, didn’t have the confidence to speak. Finally, he waved his hand in frustration and said, “Fine, if you won’t lend me someone, I’ll investigate myself. A small matter like You Fangyin, I can handle it!”

With that, he drank the tea in one gulp and walked out of the zither room.

Xie Wei didn’t stop him.

After reaching the courtyard gate, Lu Xian looked back and saw that Xie Wei was already facing the wall again. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath, “Damn it, he really didn’t stop me! Fine, ruthless enough. This time, I’ll make sure to handle things beautifully and show you!”

After cursing, he hummed, put his hands behind his back, shook his fan, and went out into the street.

The Shuxiang Inn was still the same as before.

Lu Xian thought about finding Ren Weizhi to chat and probe for information, to see who else wanted to join. But unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped into the inn, he looked up and saw You Fangyin talking to the innkeeper.

Well, speak of the devil.

He had heard that Ren Weizhi recently received a sum of money, which Lu Xian had secretly investigated and found to come from the Qingyuan Marquis’s residence, seemingly from a concubine’s daughter. During that time, he had seen You Fangyin at the inn.

This made him a bit confused.

Could it be that the previous raw silk incident was indeed orchestrated by the Marquis’s residence, and this insignificant concubine’s daughter was just a pawn?

Thinking of this, Lu Xian put on a smile, looking quite refined in his long robe, and approached You Fangyin, cupping his hands in greeting, “I met you here last time, and I heard you have dealings with Master Ren. Today, fate brings us together again. I came to see Master Ren as well. Shall we go together?”

You Fangyin was startled.

She was still living in the prison, and the incident with You Yue entering the yamen with her was not something to be proud of, so the You family hadn’t publicized it. She waited until You Yue had entered the palace, then chose a suitable day to ask Zhou Yinzhi to release her, preparing to handle the task Jiang Xuening had given her.

Meeting Lu Xian was unexpected.

Even more unexpected was that he approached her first.

Seeing her remain silent, Lu Xian probed again, “Miss?”

You Fangyin came back to her senses, but she was cautious and reserved, not knowing this person’s background or intentions. Moreover, she had other matters to discuss with Ren Weizhi today, which were not convenient to discuss with others present.

So she lowered her head and said, “I’m not familiar with you. I’ll go by myself.”

“…”

Lu Xian, having been in business for a long time, hadn’t heard such a straightforward rejection in a while.

Not familiar…

His smile stiffened, “You’re right.”

You Fangyin lowered her eyes, didn’t say much, bowed slightly to him, thanked the innkeeper, and went upstairs with her head down.

Lu Xian could only watch from below.

The higher You Fangyin went, the more nervous she became. When she reached Ren Weizhi’s door, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes to calm herself, and when she opened them again, she was determined. She knocked and said, “Is Master Ren here?”

Ren Weizhi had been staying at the inn these days.

With money coming in and people willing to invest, his hope of returning to Sichuan to revive his family’s saltworks was gradually becoming a reality. So, he looked less haggard and had a bit more spirit in his eyes.

At first glance, he even seemed somewhat handsome.

He smiled and invited You Fangyin in, “I haven’t gone out since receiving the message yesterday, waiting here. I didn’t expect you to come so early.”

You Fangyin entered and sat down.

She took out two items from her sleeve and placed them on the table: two silver notes totaling ten thousand taels on the left, and a thin piece of paper with birth dates on the right.

Ren Weizhi was stunned.

He said, “Miss You, today…”

You Fangyin said, “I’m here to invest.”

Ren Weizhi’s heart skipped a beat. He almost immediately wanted to say that ten thousand taels would be enough, but seeing You Fangyin’s expression, he hesitated and remained silent.

Sure enough, You Fangyin said, “But I have two conditions.”

Ren Weizhi solemnly said, “Please, go ahead.”

You Fangyin sat upright across from him and said, “First, the investment contract must state that the shares can be transferred to others without your interference.”

Ren Weizhi frowned but then relaxed.

He said, “It’s already difficult to find someone willing to invest. If you’re willing to invest, once the money is in my hands, it can be used for the saltworks. How the shares are divided in the future makes no difference to me. Although there’s no precedent in business, it’s not impossible.”

This was an agreement.

You Fangyin nodded.

Ren Weizhi said, “And the second?”

You Fangyin clasped her hands in front of her, lowered her eyes slightly, and after a moment of silence, looked up and said, “The second is, marry me.”

Ren Weizhi: “…”

Sitting across from You Fangyin, looking at this delicate and pretty girl, he was stunned.

*

Lu Xian was good at everything, intelligent and resourceful, but had a bad temper.

He never wanted to be second to anyone.

Before Xie Wei left for the palace, he thought for a moment and instructed the recently returned Jian Shu, “Lu Xian acts recklessly, and with the current chaos in the capital, there’s no time to deal with You Fangyin. Let Dao Qin follow Lu Zhaoyin for now, so he doesn’t get distracted and neglect his duties.”

Jian Shu smiled and responded, “Yes.”

Only then did Xie Wei lower the carriage curtain and head to the palace.

Although there was a lesson today, there was no grand lecture or court discussion, so he entered the palace a bit later. When he arrived at Fengchen Hall, Wang Jiu, the Hanlin Academy scholar, had just finished a calligraphy lecture and left.

Everyone was resting and playing.

Zhou Baoying quietly slipped out of the hall, hiding behind a thick pillar, smiling with bright eyes as she took out a small oil paper bag from her sleeve.

It was bulging with something inside.

She carefully opened it, counted the contents, and sighed, “The more I eat, the less there is. But I can’t ask Sister Ning for more, that would be too much…”

Xie Wei saw this scene as he walked by, knowing that the little girl from the Zhou family loved to eat, so he didn’t pay much attention.

But the next moment, Zhou Baoying took out a piece of peach blossom cake from the oil paper bag.

Xie Wei stopped in his tracks.

Zhou Baoying had just taken a bite when she saw a piece of a blue-green robe appear at the bottom of the steps. She froze, her eyes following the robe up to see Xie Wei standing in front of her.

She was so scared that she immediately took the half-eaten peach blossom cake out of her mouth.

She respectfully greeted Xie Wei, “Hello, Master Xie.”

Xie Wei’s gaze fell on her hand and the oil paper bag. He smiled gently, “Did the palace make peach blossom cakes yesterday?”

His features were elegant, and his smile was like ink on distant mountains.

Zhou Baoying immediately felt less nervous. Although she had little interaction with Xie Wei outside of school, she inexplicably felt that Master Xie was a kind person. So she smiled happily and said, “I don’t think they did, but Sister Ning had some. She gave me this peach blossom cake, and it’s delicious! Better than any the palace has made before, even better than the ones Rongrong brought last time!”

Xie Wei looked at her calmly, “Is it that good?”

Zhou Baoying nodded vigorously, “Of course!”

She looked at Xie Wei, then at the remaining peach blossom cakes in her oil paper bag. Remembering her parents’ teachings, she bit her lip, seemed to make a decision, and offered the open bag to Xie Wei, “Would you like to try some?”

Xie Wei’s smile deepened, “Then I’ll try some.”

He reached out and took the paper bag.

Zhou Baoying’s eyes widened as she looked at her now empty hands, her mouth slightly open, as if she wanted to say something.

Xie Wei gently asked, “What is it?”

In that moment, a strange chill crept up her back. Looking at Xie Wei’s smiling face, she inexplicably thought of the demons painted on the temple walls.

But it was just a fleeting illusion.

She felt confused and wanted to say, “I only meant for you to take one piece, not the whole bag,” but under Master Xie’s gentle gaze, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She scratched her head and reluctantly said, “Nothing.”

Xie Wei took the paper bag with his long fingers and turned away.

As soon as he turned, all expression vanished from his face.

He entered the side hall.

A young eunuch immediately came in to set up the tea set and boil water.

Xie Wei placed the paper bag with the peach blossom cakes on the table and sat quietly for a long time.

The young eunuch bowed and asked, “Master Xie, the imperial kitchen made new pastries today. Should I tell them not to send any?”

Xie Wei lowered his eyes and said nothing.

The young eunuch was a bit nervous.

After a long time, Xie Wei pointed to the paper bag on the table and said calmly, “No need to prepare any more. Throw this away.”