Chapter 572: Chapter 561: Isn’t This Just Pathetic?
The sky had completely darkened. Darkness devoured the day. As thick as ink.
Chun Yun accompanied the girl for dinner, then joined her for a digestif walk, and only after seeing her lying asleep on the couch did she leave Yunqi Pavilion to return to her own courtyard.
After waiting for a moment, she grew restless. Seeing You Qing hurrying in from outside, she quickly stood up to ask.
"What’s the situation?"
Knowing her urgent concerns, You Qing spoke very fast, but her enunciation was clear: "The servant has inquired, and there are indeed some rumors outside. Fortunately, those gossips are rather vague."
"Someone has been sent to keep an eye on the He Family."
"Only, those spreading the rumors had started three days ago, and that’s the strange part. If we trace it back, that was when Madam, you were taking care of the lady and had not left home, and with so many people from our mansion and the embroidery workshop, they would have likely heard something by now."
But this time, it was Lady Xiao who came to inform us.
She paused, truly perplexed: "The servant thought of bribing or threatening, using silver to silence those blabbermouths, but the few we found avoided the topic, playing dumb and acting clueless, all very tight-lipped."
"It seems someone beat us to it, having already approached them."
Who could it be?
In Fengzhou City, who possesses such capability?
"The servant thought it over and over, and it can’t possibly be the County Magistrate."
Hearing this, Chun Yun breathed a sigh of relief.
"No matter who it is, it’s fine as long as this issue is settled."
"If they wanted to claim credit, they would have shown up by now, but the fact that they resolved this matter secretly suggests that they also..."
As she spoke, her voice halted.
She thought of someone.
"Do you think it’s possible that it was Second Young Master Cui’s doing?"
You Qing frowned, supporting her to sit down: "If Second Young Master Cui were in Fengzhou, it would indeed be highly likely, but he is currently far away in Shengjing."
Right, it’s not Cui Yun, but his undercover agents.
The agents handled it decisively and efficiently.
They also planted someone in the He Family, ready to take any move by Mrs. He straight to the government office.
Outsiders see the He Family as business as usual, yet it’s been surrounded by two squads of people.
"Boss, those are people sent by the Shen Family, looks like they’re from the escort agency. Do we still need to stay here?"
The people from the escort agency also noticed them, mistaking it for the Shen Family hiring two groups, and were immediately delighted: "Brother, which side are you on? The clothes you wear look more expensive than ours. Once we finish this job, we’re not working for the escort agency anymore. How’s the treatment at your place? Are you still hiring?"
The undercover agent: ...
These people seemed very foolish.
Meanwhile, Mrs. He inside the house was completely unaware, pacing back and forth.
"It shouldn’t be like this."
Her narrow and sharp eyes looked particularly mean.
"I was thinking once this matter was settled, she could only marry into our He Family. I would then visit the Shen Family to probe and opportunistically propose a marriage. Having made thorough preparations, why has there been no commotion outside yet?"
"My son, if this doesn’t work out, wouldn’t you have suffered this time for nothing?"
He Chu’s face was somewhat gloomy.
He was also very anxious.
"Mama, is there something wrong somewhere?"
Mrs. He didn’t know either.
But she was good at comforting others.
"Be at ease for now. Regardless of anything else, with your diligence, you’ll be someone who achieves great things in the future. Even if Mama hadn’t done all this, going later to express our intentions to form a kinship, Mrs. Shen might value your talent and character enough to nod her head in agreement."
Mrs. He was actually also uneasy: "Focus on your studies, I’ll go out and ask."
Once Mrs. He went out, she was knocked unconscious by an undercover agent.
The people from the escort agency all widened their eyes at the fallen Mrs. He. They turned in unison to look at the assailant, Ying Er.
Ying Er: "Drag her away."
"Boss, should we also take He Chu with us?"
"No."
"The mother is lost; naturally, as a filial son, he must search for her."
Let him be occupied with that!
And stop coveting the girl that I have my eye on all day long.
What kind of merchandise!
After finishing these tasks, he finally turned to look at those foolish escort masters.
"In our line of work, the most important thing is this." Ying Er pointed to his head.
"With your kind of... it won’t do."
————
Shengjing.
After celebrating Cui Xuan’s birthday, Cui Yun began preparations to go to Fengzhou.
Once his luggage was ready, he remembered something and went towards Cui Bai’s study.
As he approached, he held his breath and listened to the conversation inside.
"The Northwest is getting restless and seems bound for war, but they are still apprehensive."
It can be said that as long as the Cui Family Army stands, those people would not dare to attack recklessly.
Cui Bai still remembered when they were besieged in the two cities; war erupted again in the Northwest, enemy states collaborated, and Da Qi suffered defeat after defeat while the civil servants at court kept underestimating the military generals as incompetent. Those generals who were afraid of death hid in Shengjing; the brave ones who led troops all fell.
In the end, it was Jin Zhong, who had never experienced battle, and Xie Xun, who was ambitious, that took up the heavy responsibility.
Thinking of Xie Xun, Cui Bai paused, his expression changing. He had been back in Shengjing for such a long time but had not seen him.
Wondering what he was busy with.
Cui Yang moved his ears slightly, his gaze seemingly casually fell outside, and then he remarked with sarcasm, "Now, with Buhuo ruling the present world and the Crown Prince showing intentions against Xuan Chen, these people are only concerned about the immediate and never pay attention to the Northwest."
As he spoke, Cui Yang, who seldom left the house, inquired about Xuan Chen’s situation.
Cui Bai said, "The Crown Prince is simply not content that his cousin married the Wen Family’s daughter. He has also wised up, choosing to advance by retreating, bringing everything into the open."
A few days ago, at the palace banquet, Ji Zhui deliberately got Xuan Chen drunk. Every word he said was barbed.
Emperor He pretended not to hear, merely smiling silently in consent, which was the Emperor’s way of suppression.
Xuan Chen, who had taken medicine before entering the palace, obediently followed along, drinking glass after glass. Eventually, pretending to be defeated, he feigned vomiting a mouthful of ’blood.’
He frightened a crowd of people.
—The Crown Prince, please don’t make things difficult for me anymore, blame me for my stupidity, I don’t know where I have offended you. If you dislike seeing me, I’ll just avoid you in the future.
—After all, the Xuan Family ancestors were meritorious officials who assisted the late Emperor. Even if I’m incompetent, I don’t think I deserve to die.
He weakly half-collapsed on Cui Yun’s body, still adamantly observing the proper etiquette: "I was improperly behaved in front of Your Majesty, I hope the official family will not blame me."
Cui Yang jovially said, "Where did that kid learn those tricks?"
"Before setting out, he was in the same carriage as Weizhen."
Whose idea could it be?
It must have been Shen Hua who had given Cui Yun the hint.
"Father."
Suddenly, Cui Bai spoke.
"Do you have anything else? If not, I should go back to accompany my wife and daughter."
"You, as you are, would surely not please your mother. You don’t know how to coax or show consideration. Even now, still living in the side courtyard, being given the cold shoulder seems appropriate, but at least your son’s marriage is blessed."
Cui Yang left with a darkened face, and as he exited, his gaze met with Cui Yun outside.
"Brat, if you want to listen, just come in. Why sneak around outside?"
Who would have thought that Cui Yun was also someone who could be maddening? He bent over and gave a hand gesture of respect.
"The sky has turned dark, your son won’t send you off."
Cui Yang left with a gloomy face to find Prince Gong for drinking.
"I mean, you too, why not just lower your head to your sister-in-law? What does it take?"
Seeing him pouring drink after drink, Prince Gong did not advise him to stop, but instead added insult to injury, "But you deserve it, you once paid little attention to your sister-in-law, and now that you’ve returned, she has lost interest in you, and you can’t let go. Isn’t this being cheap?"
You brought this on yourself, whom can you blame?
