Chapter 258: Chapter 205: The Xiao Family Must Have a Master
"Oh."
"Also, there’s been some movement from the Liu Family. Liu Wen, whom you met some time ago, hasn’t been seen for a day."
"Mm."
Seeing that Chen Yunfan was unmoved, Chun Ying hesitated. "Then there’s Miss Cui. She just met with Lady Tiger, the White Tiger Guard Silver Banner Officer."
"Cui Qingwu?"
Chen Yunfan slowly sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at her and asked, "What did Cui Qingwu and Lady Tiger say to each other?"
Seeing that he wasn’t angry, Chun Ying breathed a sigh of relief. "According to Brother Ning, Lady Tiger wanted to ask Miss Cui for help in securing a place for herself."
"She agreed?"
"It seems so. She also made one condition: Lady Tiger has to do three things for her."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yunfan lay back down. He didn’t go back to sleep, however. Leaning against the pillow, he asked lazily,
"What else?"
Chun Ying proceeded to recount everything Ning Yu had seen and heard. "That’s the gist of it."
Chen Yunfan yawned. "As a young lady of the Qinghe Cui Family, it’s normal for her to have connections with the White Tiger Guard."
"As long as she wasn’t involved in the burning of the Three Towns’ summer grain, it’s fine."
After a brief pause, he looked at Chun Ying and asked, "What about the Xiao Family?"
"There’s news from them as well."
"Xiao Dongchen of the second branch has committed suicide. The Old Marquis has driven Xiao Wang and the others out of Shu State, and they intend to head for Guangyue Prefecture."
Chen Yunfan froze for a moment, surprised. "Xiao Dongchen is dead?"
"Yes. The Xiao Family hasn’t suppressed the news, but there’s no word on why he killed himself."
"How strange."
"Just yesterday morning, that very same Xiao Dongchen transferred credit for one of his achievements to me. Why would someone who tried so hard to curry favor with me suddenly commit suicide?"
Chun Ying thought for a moment. "Could Xiao Dongchen have been involved with the attack on the Three Towns’ summer grain?"
Chen Yunfan grinned. "Then he got what he deserved."
"I saw the rift between the Xiao Family’s second branch and the Old Marquis long ago. I just didn’t expect Xiao Dongchen to be so audacious."
"No, I should say he was stupid."
"The Xiao Family has stood strong in the Great Wei Dynasty for two hundred years. Even if things are difficult now, the Old Marquis is still alive."
"For the second branch to act up like that... they were just asking to be put down."
Chun Ying nodded at his words and continued, "Sir, there’s one more thing."
"After slaughtering the criminal elements in the city’s west side today, Xiao Jinghong didn’t return to the Xiao Family. He left the Prefecture City directly."
Chen Yunfan mused, ’Xiao Jinghong must be returning to the Mutual Market.’"
"That was my guess as well."
"The losses to the Three Towns’ summer grain weren’t substantial this time, so the Old Marquis remaining in the Prefecture City is enough to handle things. Besides, all those who made a move have already been eliminated..."
Before she could finish, Chen Yunfan shook his head. "That’s only part of it."
"The second, and most important point..."
"With Xiao Jinghong away from the Prefecture City, it forces certain people to stay their hand."
It dawned on Chun Ying. "You’re saying the Xiao Family is keeping Xiao Jinghong at the Mutual Market as an insurance policy, to prevent the entire family from being wiped out?"
"Exactly. If a major incident were to happen within the Xiao Family, Xiao Jinghong could mobilize the troops of the Three Towns. At that point... heh heh..."
At this, Chen Yunfan looked out at the falling rain and remarked with admiration, "I wonder who’s behind the scenes, masterminding the Xiao Family’s strategy."
"Perhaps their ability to navigate this crisis is also thanks to this person."
Chun Ying’s eyes shifted. "Sun Changming was staying with the Xiao Family for a while. Could it be him?"
"You’re a White-robed Minister. How could you not know which old foxes are in the Xiao Family?"
"You jest, Sir. I’m just a novice White-robed Minister."
"Then go back and ask. The Xiao Family is facing threats from within and without, yet they keep turning disaster into fortune. There must be a master strategist involved."
Chun Ying nodded. "I’ll write a letter back shortly."
But then Chen Yunfan shot her a sideways glance. "I meant for you to go back personally. To leave Shu State."
"...Sir, if you’re dissatisfied with me, you can just say so."
"You call yourself a White-robed Minister when you can’t even see the real reason why Xiao Jinghong is staying away?"
"You didn’t actually think he’s out there just to avoid my Brother Yi, did you?"
Chun Ying’s mouth fell open. "I... I..."
Seeing her flustered, Chen Yunfan burst out laughing. "You fell for it, didn’t you?"
"You actually believed the nonsense I was spouting?"
Chun Ying looked at him, frustrated, unsure which part of what he’d said was the "nonsense."
’In her mind, Xiao Jinghong staying at the Mutual Market really did allow him and the Old Marquis to form a pincer, keeping everyone else in check.’
’Some military treatises even described it clearly, calling it a "pincer advantage."’
"Sir, do you know something I don’t?"
Chen Yunfan’s laughter died. He muttered, "How boring," and rolled over. "Now hurry up and go. I need to rest."
"You..."
"What, you want to warm my bed for me?"
"N-no, that’s not..."
Chun Ying fled in a panic.
After the door clicked shut, Chen Yunfan opened his eyes. He stared at a corner of the bed, muttering to himself.
’The Xiao Family was getting hit from all sides, yet they still managed to foil the Hidden Guard’s plot and catch their breath.’
’Now all those people waiting for the Xiao Family to collapse are going to be disappointed.’
Thinking of this, Chen Yunfan clucked his tongue twice and closed his eyes again.
But a moment later, his eyes shot open. ’Dammit, this is bad.’
’If the Xiao Family’s situation keeps improving, then everything I warned Brother Yi about... won’t it all have been for nothing?’
’He’ll never let me live it down!’
Muttering to himself that this wouldn’t do, Chen Yunfan resolved to find a chance to salvage the situation.
’The Mid-Autumn Festival?’
’I’m all lonely and miserable here in Shu State. Brother Yi wouldn’t have the heart to leave me like this...’
...
「Meanwhile, in a residence adjacent to the Governor’s Office.」
Liu Yu paced back and forth in the main hall, his anxiety plain to see as he occasionally glanced up at the night sky outside.
In a Grandmaster’s Chair nearby, a middle-aged man in plain black clothes was sipping from a blue-and-white porcelain teacup.
SLURP, SLURP.
Perhaps irritated by the slurping, Liu Yu stopped pacing and frowned.
