It was the first time Yi Qing had heard someone describe forming cliques in such an elegant way, although she knew Xu Maozhi would never do such a thing.
"Aren't you afraid the emperor will accuse you of forming a faction for personal gain?" Yi Qing said crossly.
"All the scholars in the world are the emperor's disciples. Even if we form a faction, it's the emperor's faction. And any self - serving is for the good of the world," Xu Maozhi declared righteously.
It was the first time Yi Qing realized that Xu Maozhi could be such a nit - picker. She turned to Ran Ran.
Ran Ran understood immediately and didn't hesitate at all. Her sister - in - law must be right. "I don't understand the affairs of the court, but I think the Mo family is quite pitiful. If there were other ways, who would use the death of their loved ones to make a fuss? It's not just for personal gain."
Xu Maozhi nodded helplessly. "My lady is right. I'll definitely look into this matter carefully."
Yi Qing felt a sudden sense of triumph. Trying to argue with her in front of Ran Ran, he was put in his place in seconds.
As the three were talking, Bai Chengyi came back excitedly. It seemed he had had a good day.
"Lord Xu," Bai Chengyi greeted.
Yi Qing was about to introduce them, but it turned out they already knew each other.
"Brother Bai," Xu Maozhi saluted with clasped fists.
"How do you two know each other?" Yi Qing asked curiously.
Xu Maozhi covered his nose and coughed lightly. "The other day, Brother Bai declared his feelings for Lady Di at the banquet. Who in the capital doesn't know about it? Lady Di even drew her sword to protect herself. With one swing, she knocked away four guards, scaring all the noble ladies in the capital half to death."
"Pfft—" Yi Qing couldn't help laughing out loud.
Bai Chengyi thought Yi Qing was laughing at him. He scratched his head awkwardly. "Sister Yi hasn't practiced martial arts for many years. She's not as good as before."
Yi Qing thought, is this about being good or not?
No wonder those noble ladies didn't dare to bother her mother. Who wouldn't be scared when her mother drew her sword?
"My mother finally drew her sword, and it was for Brother Bai. Brother Bai should keep it up," Yi Qing encouraged Bai Chengyi.
"Okay." Bai Chengyi saluted with clasped fists. "I'll go and get busy first. You all talk."
Ran Ran watched Bai Chengyi leave, then looked at her sister - in - law in disbelief. "Sister - in - law, you support Auntie being with Brother Bai?" After she said that, her mind was in a mess.
"So what?" Yi Qing looked at Ran Ran.
"Nothing. I'm just curious about how you'll address each other then," Ran Ran said dryly.
Xu Maozhi kindly reminded them, "If you support Lady Di, you may become enemies with most of the noble ladies in the capital."
Yi Qing thought the capital was a troublesome place. Marrying someone could be regarded as violating female virtues, and a murder case could lead to discussions about the drawbacks of the imperial examination system. It was really too much trouble.
"So what?" Yi Qing said indifferently.
"Yes!" Ran Ran firmly stood on her sister - in - law's side.
Xu Maozhi was originally going to handle a case, but after getting such an instruction from Yi Qing, he simply went home to accompany his wife and children. He felt he had become decadent and was capable of doing such things.
Yi Qing asked Jushuang to prepare some gifts. She planned to visit the Duke Di's Mansion tomorrow to give Bai Chengyi a boost.
"Where's Xue Miao'er?" Yi Qing was playing with the golden bell bestowed by the emperor when she suddenly remembered Xue Miao'er.
"She went back to Tianlang Stockade to pay respects to the graves. It should be about time for her to come back," Jushuang said uncertainly.
After Xue Miao'er's father came to the capital, he served in the garrison. Xue Tianlang, who came from a bandit background, was not used to the military camp. But with Xiao Jinghan covering for him, others didn't dare to go too far.
When Xiao Jinghan and Yi Qing were missing for half a year, those people thought Xiao Jinghan wouldn't come back. They finally showed their true colors and started to bully Xue Tianlang in various ways. Xue Tianlang couldn't stand such humiliation and almost beat a centurion to death.
Deng Xiao settled this matter, but Xue Tianlang couldn't stay in the garrison anymore. He stayed in the capital for a while, and after the New Year, he went back to Tianlang Stockade under the pretext of going home to pay respects to the graves.
"Why didn't she tell me?" Yi Qing was surprised.
When Xue Miao'er wrote letters, she only talked about things in the General's Mansion and never mentioned other things.
"Maybe she didn't want to worry you, my lady," Jushuang said uncertainly. "But I heard that Sister Miao'er was targeted, and it might have something to do with Young Master Yuan."
"Young Master Yuan?" Yi Qing thought for a moment. "Yuan Hecong?"
"Yes. After Sister Miao'er came back, Young Master Yuan often came to visit. Later, she was targeted by the Chen family of the Marquis of Chunan. It seems that Miss Chen from the Chen family has taken a fancy to Young Master Yuan," Jushuang was still indignant about this matter.
"Miss Chen from the Chen family?" Yi Qing thought it couldn't be such a coincidence. "Chen Feiyan?"
"Yes."
A year ago, when Xiao Jinghan and the others had an accident in Pyongyang and then Xiao Jinghan disappeared, the Marquis of Chunan sent some of his family members to the capital to show his loyalty to the emperor. Among them was Chen Feiyan.
There was another purpose for sending Chen Feiyan to the capital, which was to arrange a marriage alliance with the powerful and noble families in the capital so that they could have some help in the future.
Yuan Hecong was one of the few young men in the capital who was both talented and good - looking and came from a noble family. So he was quickly targeted by Chen Feiyan.
Chen Feiyan was known as the most beautiful woman in Pyongyang. Although it wasn't as exaggerated in the capital, she was still quite famous. She was courted by some noble playboys, but Chen Feiyan had seen Xiao Jinghan, so she didn't think much of ordinary people. Only Yuan Hecong caught her eye.
But Yuan Hecong ignored her, which made her very angry. So she took her anger out on Xue Miao'er.
At that time, they thought Xiao Jinghan wouldn't come back, so Xue Miao'er was like a stray dog.
Xue Miao'er couldn't stand being bullied, but she couldn't cause trouble in the capital. So she went back to Tianlang Stockade.
"Humph!" Yi Qing snorted. "She's walking straight into hell." She flicked the bell.
She selected the gifts. Just then, Xiao Jinghan came back. She accompanied Xiao Jinghan for dinner and told him about the Chen family.
"About this matter..." Xiao Jinghan put down his chopsticks and covered Yi Qing's hand.
"So what?" Yi Qing looked at Xiao Jinghan's expression. "Is it difficult again?"
"Prince Zhen is handling the affairs in southern Fujian. The Qiao family is not an official vassal king but just a powerful local force. Even so, some vassal kings have already started to make moves. The Marquis of Chunan has his own fief. If we deal with the Chen family at this critical moment, it may cause a rebellion among the vassal kings," Xiao Jinghan said seriously.
He directly executed Qiao Ye to pacify southern Fujian in a fit of anger and with solid evidence. But if those vassal kings realized they were being targeted, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Now there are no problems with the Northern Di and the Southern Border. If we don't deal with those people now, when should we?" Yi Qing thought Xiao Jinghan was wrong.
"When we were sorting out Xiang Beizheng's things, we found a hidden compartment in a silk scroll. Besides using the Ruyi Cake, Xiang Beizheng also tried to control people with poisonous insects," Xiao Jinghan said worriedly.
"Wasn't that Wu Peng?"
Xiao Jinghan shook his head. "It wasn't Wu Peng. From the things left by Xiang Beizheng, we can see that the other person's condition was that after destroying the Southern Border, he would help him destroy Wu Gorge."
"Destroy Wu Gorge??" Yi Qing was surprised. "So he has a grudge against Wu Gorge. Xiang Beizheng openly used Wu Peng but secretly used the enemy of Wu Gorge. What on earth did that person want to do for Xiang Beizheng?" Yi Qing thought Xiang Beizheng's matter was over, but then there was this silk scroll.