Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 331 Urgent Message
Xue Qingzhi fell silent.

Although Fu's words were harsh, they also revealed his hidden worries.

Xue Sui's unpredictable behavior since returning to the mansion has indeed made him quite uneasy.

"What can we do then?" he asked in a deep voice. "She's built a reputation at Shuiyue Nunnery and received a Dharma name personally bestowed by His Majesty. She's a legitimate Buddhist disciple. Do you think I can just tie her up and drown her? Do you think I've been reinstated too quickly, or that the Xue family hasn't fallen fast enough?"

Seeing that he was softening, Madam Fu leaned forward and lowered her voice.

"There is a way. As long as the master is willing to listen."

Xue Qingzhi raised an eyebrow.

Madam Fu said, "Master, have you perhaps forgotten... Xue Ji?"

Xue Qingzhi was taken aback: "Why bring her up?"

"No matter how lowly Xue Ji is, she is still Xue Liu's birth mother." Madam Fu snorted, looking at the embarrassment and rejection on Xue Qingzhi's face, her voice carrying a hint of seduction and coldness.

"Master, you don't need to do anything. Just visit her a couple more times and show her a little kindness. She'll be grateful to tears and won't have to listen to you in everything. If you have her in your hands, you'll have no trouble controlling Xue Liu."

Xue Qingzhi said unhappily, "If we control her, will our Xue family be able to save face?"

Madam Fu said, "My lord, you know very well what the political climate is like right now. If the Xue family wants to gain a foothold in this turmoil, they need a bargaining chip. Xue Ji is a ready-made pawn, so why not use her?"

Xue Qingzhi's eyes darkened slightly: "Did your family gossip about you again?"

Madam Fu's expression changed slightly. "Master, I have been married into the Xue family for over twenty years. When have I not been thinking of the Xue family and your future..."

"I think you're doing this for your own children..."

"Aren't my children the master's children? The future of the legitimate sons and daughters is the future rise and fall of the Xue family, isn't it?"

Looking at the scheming in Fu's eyes, Xue Qingzhi thought of the deceased Qingxu Daoist and felt a surge of disgust.

"Not necessarily."

"What did you say? Sir, you should speak with a clear conscience..."

That night, another pot of boiling oil was sizzling in the room of the First Madam of the Xue family.

The sharp sound of shattering porcelain pierced the silence, and the two began arguing fiercely.

Xue Qingzhi did not stay in the main house, nor did he return to Aunt Zhao's room for comfort. Instead, amidst the astonished gazes of the servants, he angrily headed straight for the side courtyard where Xue Ji lived.
-
Go to the west of Beijing City.

The thick darkness of night swallowed up the rows of low-rise houses.

The unassuming little courtyard, with its doors tightly shut, was only illuminated by a dim, yellowish light filtering through the window of the east wing, making it appear particularly lonely in the night.

The room was filled with the aroma of tea and the enticing fragrance of food.

Xue Sui sniffed, then pulled his hood back, revealing a smiling face leaping in the firelight.

"It's been so long, Senior Brother's cooking skills have improved."

Tian Shu sat at the simple wooden table, his face appearing even more gaunt than when they last met.

In order to avoid being noticed by Prince Duan, they have not had any private contact during this time.

Today, taking advantage of the King of Wei's joyous occasion, which has drawn all the attention of the city, we were able to meet secretly.

Tian Shu prepared a lot of Xue Sui's favorite fruits and snacks, such as jujube paste and yam cake with mung bean shaved ice, and almond tofu drizzled with osmanthus honey... The dishes were laid out to the brim.

She ate with great enthusiasm, as if she had become an innocent little girl.

"Thirteen," Tian Shu suddenly spoke, his voice heavy with the impending storm, "Something terrible has happened in the Western Frontier!"

Xue Sui stopped holding the chopsticks and looked up at him: "What is it?"

“Our people stationed in Longxi risked their lives to send back messages.”

Tian Shu spoke slowly, but with an air of palpable tension, “After being demoted but retained in his post, Xiao Yan not only failed to restrain himself, but instead made frequent moves. Under the pretext of rectifying military discipline and preventing a counterattack from Xiz, he launched a massive purge of non-Xiao faction generals in the army… A month ago, when General Lu was inspecting the border defenses, he was secretly detained by him on charges of ‘colluding with Xiz and plotting rebellion’…”

"What?" Even Xue Sui, who was used to seeing all kinds of storms, couldn't help but change color suddenly.

Lu Youan was the commander-in-chief sent by the imperial court to quell the rebellion in the western frontier. Xiao Yan, as the military governor of Longxi, dared to openly detain him and even accuse him of treason.
It's simply lawless.

"Is the news confirmed?"

“It’s a done deal,” Tian Shu said. “The old official who delivered the message has his family all in the old mausoleum; he’s honest and trustworthy… He personally witnessed Xiao Yan leading his trusted personal guards with orders to break into General Lu’s tent. After that, General Lu and his guards never showed up again. The camp is under martial law, and everyone is on edge… Xiao Yan claims that General Lu is ill from overwork, but anyone with eyes can see that this is a malicious plot…”

"Such audacity is unlikely to be the work of one person alone; there must be someone backing him up..."

Xue Sui's face tightened, and his voice abruptly stopped.

At this moment——

A series of urgent knocks sounded softly at the door.

Tian Shu gestured for Xue Sui to be quiet and avoid him, then slowly approached...

Xiao Zhao burst in, panting and covered in sweat, as she flung open the tightly closed door.

"Young master, where is the young lady?"

"What happened?" Xue Sui came out from behind the screen.

Xiao Zhao said anxiously, "Aunt Jinshu sent someone to say that the master and mistress had a big fight last night. In his anger, the master went to Aunt Xue's room. I wonder if he will take his anger out on her..."

Tian Shu glanced at her.

The head of the old Mausoleum intelligence network had a lingering sense of gravity between his brows.

"Should I arrange for someone to bring Xue Ji out and take her to a safe place?" "No need." Xue Sui's voice was flat. She picked up a yam cake from the table, stuffed it into her mouth, as if swallowing something bitter.

"She won't leave."

Tian Shu frowned deeply.

"Could it be that she... hasn't come to her senses regarding Xue Qingzhi yet?"

Xue Sui's lips curled into a chilling smile, a smile that seemed both self-mockery and pity.

"She's not unaware of her true feelings, she's just... unwilling to wake up. Even knowing it's poison disguised as honey, she'd still accept it willingly. It's the only love she can grasp in her barren life, a love she believes in. Forcing her out of it would be like extinguishing her hopes with your own hands, and she wouldn't find happiness. You and I can't save someone who's so stubborn."

Tian Shu remained silent.

He frowned as he recalled the scattered pieces of information about Yukihime.

"Keeping her in the Xue residence will ultimately be a hidden danger."

Xue Sui thought for a moment, "I'll find an excuse tomorrow to take her up the mountain for a few days..."

Tian Shu nodded, a complex expression flashing across his eyes so quickly it was impossible to catch, before being replaced by his usual calm.

Silence fell over the room.

The air was stagnant, like it was entangled in spider silk.

This heavy topic made her expression solemn, and her body tensed slightly.

Tian Shu's eyes showed reluctance, and his voice was kept very low.

"Then turn back early and be careful to stay hidden and safe on the way."

Xue Sui nodded, had Xiao Zhao pack up the remaining fruit and pastries on the table, and bowed slightly to him.

"Senior brother, you should also be careful."

Tian Shu remained silent for a moment before finally speaking.

"The situation in the Western Frontier is extremely urgent. I must set off back to the Old Mausoleum tonight. After meeting with my three masters, I will find a way to contact you."

"Okay. Take care."

The night outside the window was as dark as ink.

Their eyes met in silence.

No words were spoken, only the aroma of tea remained.
-
Three days later, a light rain began to fall, and the weather suddenly changed.

Today is the day that Princess Xue Yue'e of Wei returns to her parents' home.

The bluestone pavement on Zhuque Street gleamed after being washed by the rain. Crowds huddled together under the eaves of shops, their raincoats, straw hats, and oil-paper umbrellas mingling with the damp, chilly air, creating a noisy scene.

A carriage adorned with the insignia of the Prince of Wei's residence passed by in the rain.

The carriage curtains were tightly drawn, isolating the new princess, who was returning home alone, from her tear-reddened eyes...

Just then, from the end of the long street came the sound of rapid, heart-pounding hooves.

"Make way! Urgent military report! All unrelated persons, make way immediately..."

The sound of horses' hooves was astonishingly fast, approaching from afar like a dense drumbeat, threatening to trample through the earth in the drizzle.

Xue Yue'e was already unhappy, and her heart tightened upon hearing the sound.

"Who came from to be so insolent? Didn't you see that this is the carriage of the Prince of Wei?"

The servant of the Prince's Palace beside the carriage lowered his head and whispered to her, "Your Highness, that man has three red feathers stuck in his back. He is a messenger from the border... We must not offend him."

Xue Yue'e then abruptly withdrew her hand and lowered the curtain.

"Even a messenger dares to ride roughshod over me... I can't afford to offend anyone, what's the point of being a princess?"

"princess……"

"Alright, move aside."

Immediately afterwards, a messenger, covered in dust, with disheveled armor and covered in blood, lay on a post horse that was foaming at the mouth and almost exhausted. Holding a military report tube stained with dark red, he pushed through the crowd that was making way for him, crossed Zhuque Street, and went straight into Xuande Gate, letting out a rapid and anxious roar.

"Urgent dispatch—"

"Urgent report from Western Xinjiang—"

"Report—"

With his last cry, he used all his strength, making it mournful and drawn out.

The sound instantly awakened the imperial city, echoing through the solemn palace and reaching even the heavens.

"Your Majesty, General Lu You'an, who is in charge of the Western Expedition, has rebelled."

　Xue Sui: Oh no, someone's about to cry...

　　Li Zhao: Why are you crying? I never cry.

　　Xue Sui: I said Wen Jia... what are you saying?

　　Li Zhao:......

　　(End of this chapter)