Yun Lang shook his head. “The Emperor can’t move against him. First, he lacks people who can eliminate him silently and without a trace. Second, the Southern Barbarians are willing to negotiate now only because they were beaten into submission by Yan Zheng. If Yan Zheng is killed, the Southern Barbarians would rise again. Does the Murong family want to bring about the fall of the state? As for the third reason…”

“The third reason is that Yan Zheng is, after all, the hero who quelled Princess Ansheng’s rebellion. If he had wanted to become Emperor, he could have done so then. Why wait until now? Therefore, the Emperor does not doubt his loyalty and still relies on his capabilities. He’s just more wary of the power Yan Zheng holds in his hands!”

Chu Ruoyan spoke slowly, her heart equally heavy.

To be wary of Yan Zheng yet still need to use him… the best method would be to seize his weakness and use it to threaten him!

“Oh no! Wenjing is still in the palace!”

She jolted in alarm, but just then, Shopkeeper Du called from outside, “Pavilion Master, Third Miss, Young Master Wenjing is here.”

Chu Ruoyan hurried out to meet him. The little boy rushed into her arms, panting. “Third Aunt! Aunt Consort asked me to bring you a message—the Emperor intends to promote Prince Yu and Duke Zou, and even wants Prince Yu to take command of the Three Armies!”

Chu Ruoyan’s eyebrows shot up. A derisive laugh came from behind her, where Yun Lang stood. “That useless Prince Yu commanding troops? He probably doesn’t even know which way the barracks gate faces…”

Yan Wenjing nodded vigorously. Exactly, exactly!

He didn’t understand state affairs, but Prince Yu had always opposed Third Uncle—he was a bad man!

Yun Lang was about to say more, but Chu Ruoyan shot him a look. She crouched down and patted her little nephew’s head. “Wenjing, nothing happened to you in the palace, did it?”

The child blinked. “No! We just toppled that bad woman and rescued Dummy Xue. Oh, Third Aunt, the Emperor actually wanted to keep me in the palace, but Aunt Consort disagreed and sent me out.”

Chu Ruoyan’s gaze instantly sharpened. She exchanged a meaningful glance with her brother, her expression unchanging.

The Emperor was indeed growing impatient and preparing to make his move.

She stroked the child’s cheek. “Wenjing, you did very well. Third Aunt has matters to attend to now. Shall I have someone take you home first?”

Yan Wenjing blinked and agreed. Chu Ruoyan immediately said, “Shadow, escort the young master back to the manor. Stay at the Yan residence these next few days and watch over him.”

Shadow bowed in acknowledgment.

Returning to the room and sitting down, Yun Lang lazily picked up a wine cup and took a sip. “Miaomiao, Second Brother’s advice remains the same—shall we change the person on the throne?”

His casual, unrestrained tone concealed a sharp, murderous intent.

Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together and remained silent.

She remembered the night from her dream when Yan Zheng sacked the city.

She had escaped from the Pingjing Marquis Manor. The sky was filled with raging fire, and devastation was everywhere.

She saw corpses littering the ground, Xie Zhizhou’s head hanging over the gate of the Nanping Earl’s residence, Xie Yaozhi being dragged out of the manor by several ruffians, and Jiang Yi, her clothes in disarray, collapsed in a narrow alley…

And so much more she couldn’t see!

War would be a catastrophe for everyone…

“Second Brother,” Chu Ruoyan began slowly, her voice strained, “if the Emperor dies, the princes will contend for the throne. Supposing Empress Pei and the Second Prince win, there would still be Prince Yu holding military power, along with the other princes in their fiefdoms…” Her voice grew hoarse. “The capital would surely fall into chaos. Even if Yan Zheng were to return under the banner of ‘rescuing the sovereign,’ it would inevitably be a bloody storm. Call me soft-hearted or foolishly merciful if you will, but unless absolutely forced, I do not wish to plunge the world into the flames of war.”

A flicker passed through Yun Lang’s eyes. He sighed softly. “Chu Huaishan raised you too well… Fine. I respect your wishes. So, what do you plan to do?”

Chu Ruoyan breathed a sigh of relief.

She had thought her brother might not agree, given the deep-seated hatred between their two families.

“Thank you, Second Brother. Yan Zheng’s weaknesses are only a handful of people. As long as the Emperor cannot seize them, he cannot be threatened! So, I plan to take advantage of the Imperial Academy’s outing to the green fields tomorrow to send Wenjing out of the capital. It so happens that Second Sister-in-Law is inspecting estates outside the city these days. We can send him to her first, to lie low for a while.”

“As ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‍for the Second and Third Branches of the Yan family, they most likely won’t leave. But we can still inform them before we go. We’ll say we are leaving the capital. If they are willing to go, they can. If not, they can report us to the Emperor to pledge their loyalty, protecting their families’ lives and sparing Yan Zheng’s reputation from being dragged down by association!”

After Chu Ruoyan finished explaining her plan, she noticed Yun Lang staring intently at her. “Second Brother, is there something I haven’t considered?”

Yun Lang snorted. “It’s very thorough. You’ve even considered the Yan family’s Second and Third Branches. But what about you? Miaomiao, don’t forget, Yan Zheng’s greatest weakness is you.”

Chu Ruoyan fell silent for a long moment before finally saying, “I cannot leave. At least not now, or the Emperor will surely grow suspicious. And Father’s side… the entire Chu family, young and old, are still in the capital. If I just leave like that, what will become of them?”

Yun Lang opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “Don’t worry, Second Brother. I won’t stay behind to let the Emperor use me as a hostage. I just need a little time. Two days. Within two days, I will persuade Father to leave with me. As for getting out of the city, I’ll have to trouble you, Second Brother, to make the arrangements.”

Only then did Yun Lang look satisfied. He unfurled his golden-threaded folding fan and waved it gently. “I was afraid you’d be too soft-hearted, worried about implicating the Chu family and refusing to leave. It’s good you’re clear-headed. But let me be blunt: if you can’t persuade Chu Huaishan within two days, I will tie you up and carry you away myself. Is that clear?”

Chu Ruoyan agreed, her feelings complex.

Her father and the Emperor were not merely ruler and subject; they shared a bond of mutual recognition and loyalty. She wasn’t confident she could persuade her father…

But she had to try, no matter what!

On the journey back to the manor, Chu Ruoyan turned the problem over and over in her mind inside the carriage, but no solution came to her.

Suddenly, the carriage halted. The driver’s voice came from outside. “Miss, there seems to be some trouble ahead. Should we take another route?”

She lifted the curtain. “What kind of trouble?”

Up ahead, the road was completely blocked by a crowd, and the sound of an argument could faintly be heard.

The driver jumped down to inquire and returned shortly. “Miss, I found out. It’s Fourth Master Gu trying to bring his mistress into the residence. His lawful wife has blocked the gate and won’t let them in!”

Chu Ruoyan uttered an “Oh” and was about to tell him to change routes.

Suddenly, a thought struck her.

“Fourth Master Gu? His lawful wife is from the Yue family?”

The driver nodded. “Should be. That Fourth Master Gu seems to be shouting about making his wife get out and go back to the Yue family!”

A faint smile touched Chu Ruoyan’s lips. “Let’s go take a look.”

Yue Shi’s younger brother was Yue Qianzhong, the Commander-in-Chief of the Five-City Garrison and Patrol Bureau, a favorite of the Emperor.

More importantly, this man of humble origins had attained his position largely because his elder sister had married into the Gu family, earning him a recommendation from Gu Sun, who was the Grand Councilor at the time.

Therefore, Yue Qianzhong held great respect for this sister. If she could start from here…

As this thought formed, Fourth Master Gu’s furious roar erupted from ahead. “You jealous shrew! Xuewu saved my life! Without her, I would have died in the northern borderlands! Instead of being grateful to her, you bully her at every turn! Do you really think I don’t dare to divorce you?!”

As the voice faded, a youthful male voice chimed in: “Indeed, Mother. All these years, Father has followed the army on campaigns precisely to secure a better life for us. He has said that he never took a single concubine all this time. Now, bringing Aunt Xuewu into the household is merely an act of repaying a kindness. Please be more magnanimous, Mother, and do not disgrace the family’s reputation!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep