Ming Yue said, "Your Highness, today Cabinet Elder Wang and Prime Minister Qiu both sent people to eighth prince's residence. They stayed for two hours before coming out. This is the second time."
Xuan Pei made a sound of acknowledgement and continued to write his characters in ink without a care. Chaoyang and Mingyue looked at each other. Although palace maids should not discuss matters of their masters, Mingyue and Chaoyang were sent by Xiao Shao to help Xuan Pei and Mingyue were old people in the palace. Sometimes, the fight for the throne wasn't just a fight between two princes. It was a fight between two forces. If one of them lost, there would still be people supporting him. Thus, the fight for the throne would often end in rivers of blood. The sacrifices and cruelty were all for the sake of that position. Since he was one of Xuan Pei's people, he would have to fight with Xuan Li sooner or later. The day when the two of them would fight each other would come sooner or later. What he had to do now was to increase his chances of winning before that day came. Xuan Pei's nonchalant attitude would make anyone who didn't know the situation feel that he was unreliable and not worth following. Compared to Xuan Li's large number of followers and aides, Xuan Pei's methods of recruiting talents … It should be said that he did not take the initiative to recruit talents. It was always people who wanted to come to him.
As a matter of fact, Cabinet Elder Wang and Prime Minister Qiu had always secretly supported Xuan Pei. Now that the Emperor treated the two princes coldly, Xuan Li's troops were growing stronger and stronger, but Xuan Pei didn't make any movements. He also didn't offer any benefits to the ministers who came to seek refuge. Over time, those people gradually disappeared. Cabinet Elder Wang and Prime Minister Qiu were originally a large force. From the looks of it, they had already sided with Xuan Li. More and more people left on his side, but Xuan Li was not anxious at all.
"Your Highness," Chao Yang was somewhat anxious, "Cabinet Elder Wang and Prime Minister Qiu are obviously your people, but they still left like this. This is really burning the bridge after crossing the river."
Xuan Pei smiled but was not moved. Ming Yue was also very puzzled, but she knew that this young man was not a stupid person. His scheming and forbearance were beyond the imagination of ordinary people. There must be a reason why he did this. She said, "Your Highness does not seem worried at all."
Xuan Pei finally finished the last stroke and heaved a sigh of relief. He put down the brush and looked at Ming Yue: "What doubts do you have?"
Xuan Li's attitude towards her was stricter than towards Chao Yang because she was Xiao Shao's person. However, he valued her more than Chao Yang because there were many things that he needed her to do. She was agile and could do better. Hearing this, Ming Yue knelt down and said: "This servant does not understand why Your Highness does not take the initiative to recruit talents, and does not know how to tempt those who come to seek refuge. What I do not understand is that at this critical juncture, the Eighth Prince is constantly making moves, but Your Highness only stays in the house and does not make a move."
"You have too many questions." Xuan Pei looked at her and said slowly. He played with the thumb ring on his hand and suddenly smiled. "However, Your Highness is in a good mood today, so I can answer you. It's just that Xiao Shao's people don't even know this little thing. It really broadens my horizons. " Xuan Pei was always changing his ways to insult Xiao Shao whenever he had the chance. Ming Yue had heard it many times, and treated it as a child's fight, so she did not really take it to heart.
Xuan Pei saw that Ming Yue's expression did not change, and did not get angry. It seemed that he also felt that it was somewhat boring. He coughed and said: "Talents are not actively recruited. If I want to contend against Xuan Li, who do you think I need to support the most? Talents?"
Ming Yue did not speak. At any time, no matter if it was a fight for the throne or not, a wise ruler would always think of ways to select talents. Talents were naturally fought over by the rulers. Xuan Pei smiled faintly. "Wrong. Talents. The reason why talents are talents is because they need to be appreciated by a wise ruler. This is not a peaceful and prosperous era, nor is it a peaceful world. This is a battle of life and death. If you are not careful, you will lose everything. I think, talents are important, but it is not as important as ambition. "
"Ambition?" Ming Yue asked.
"Ambition." Xuan Pei sat on the chair. His body was thin and weak, and had not fully developed. Sitting on the wide chair was somewhat awkward. But his long sleeves flowed down from the chair and covered the floor. His indolence caused Ming Yue to be in a trance. She felt that the person sitting in front of her was not a young lad, but a mature and wise man.
"A thin, hungry wolf and a well-trained hound," Xuan Pei said faintly, "In the days when there's no need to fight for anything, a smart hound is certainly good, but when it comes to robbing, killing, and robbing, it's probably much better to bring along a thin, hungry wolf. Your so called talents are hunting dogs, and ambitious people are hungry wolves. What I am facing is a battle of life and death. It is a battle of flesh and blood. Whoever is more ferocious, the more advantageous it is to me. You can use meat to recruit hunting dogs. But for a hungry wolf, you will never use meat to recruit it. Because what it wants, is to kill the other party. "
Ming Yue was silent for a while, then asked. "Although a hungry wolf is ferocious, but in the future, it will inevitably develop a bestial nature, and devour its master."
"There will not be such a chance." Xuan Pei said.
Ming Yue was startled. She heard Xuan Pei's voice coming from above her. "After the prey is dead, there is no need for the hungry wolf to exist. Naturally, it will find an opportunity to kill."
Hearing this, Ming Yue's body trembled. She did not expect this young lad to be so decisive. He could easily say that the cunning rabbit should be cooked. Although these words were despicable and cruel, it was the best start on the road to becoming an Emperor. Xuan Pei's courage had already surprised her, but he was still so decisive. Xuan Pei looked at the dazed Ming Yue. "Ambition is only used to deal with enemies. If they have ambitions for what is mine, and secretly covet it, I will destroy their ambitions forever."
Chao Yang, who was standing far away, heard Xuan Pei's words. She could not help but feel her heart tighten. She suppressed the pressure in her heart. She had always known that the Thirteenth Prince was not simple, but she did not know that his wisdom and methods had already reached the level of a future Emperor. His age was no longer a flaw, it could even be an excellent cover.
"Then why did Your Highness not name a price?" Ming Yue asked. "If there was a price, wouldn't it be easier to recruit ambitious people?"
"How do you think my forces are compared to Xuan Li's?" Xuan Pei asked.
Ming Yue was startled, but she quickly regained her senses. She knew that Xuan Pei was a person who could see things clearly, and there was no point in lying. She honestly said, "The Eighth Prince's forces are stronger."
"That's right. His forces are stronger. If I name a price, once he knows the price, he just needs to raise it a little. With his forces, he can also do this. Those who are tempted by my price, when they see a higher price, will definitely follow. On the contrary, wouldn't it be better to wait for the highest price and obtain a priceless treasure? " Xuan Pei smiled. "Let them never know their own value, forever have hope for the future, and work even harder. These people who are bought over priceless treasures are things that Xuan Li will never be able to buy with a tangible price. "
Ming Yue seemed to understand, but she did not. Xuan Pei continued, "Do you think that the number of people following Xuan Li is increasing? Do you know that this is not a good thing for him?"
Ming Yue nodded, then shook her head.
"The same amount of money, when divided between two people, will be much more beneficial. There are many people behind Xuan Li, but the more people there are, when Xuan Li gets what he wants, the smaller the contribution each person will get. On the contrary, there are not many people behind me, and if I succeed in the future, those people will get a larger share of the benefits. In other words, the people standing behind me are all driven by the greater benefits. These people driven by the greater benefits will never be moved by Xuan Li's small benefits. Because there is no price, but because of the effort they put in, they will give birth to the idea of gambling. Have you ever seen a person who gives up halfway in gambling? Generally not. The people behind me, everyone has the idea of gambling, so they are the most stable part. "
Ming Yue listened as if she was enlightened, but she was faintly surprised and did not understand. She looked at Xuan Pei and said, "But Cabinet Elder Wang and Prime Minister Qiu …"
"These are people who are driven by small benefits. Even if they do not leave today, one day they will bring harm to me because of the benefits in front of them. It is better to kick them out early. Such a short-sighted blade, I believe, even if Xuan Li holds it in his hands, he will not feel happy." Xuan Pei suddenly thought of something, and suddenly smiled. "Besides, do you think it is a good thing that there are more and more people behind Xuan Li? I think father in the palace is really full of anger now. The anger of the Son of Heaven, is not something that anyone can bear. "
"Your Majesty …" Ming Yue was shocked. Right now, the Emperor did not seem to care much about the two princes and did not have much to say about the matter of changing the Crown Prince. Could it be that he was still secretly paying attention to this matter?
Ming Yue thought for a moment and said, "Since His Majesty is paying attention to this matter, I heard from Eunuch Li that there is no end to the impeachment of His Highness regarding the matter in Qing An County a few days ago. His Majesty is very angry and most likely holds some displeasure towards His Highness. Should we think of a way to refute or find an opportunity to impeach Eighth Prince?"
Before Xuan Hua was born, there was a period of time when the Emperor thought highly of Xuan Pei. Whenever there was any major matter in court, he would test Xuan Pei's opinion. The snowstorm in Qing An County had been severe. At that time, the Emperor had asked Xuan Pei, and Xuan Pei had written a memorial on how to deal with the snowstorm. The memorial was written in a standard manner, and there were some novel parts, but it was not overflowing with talent. In the end, it was accepted by the Emperor. As a matter of fact, news had come from Qing An County a few days ago that Xuan Pei's methods had not been of much use. As a result, the Eighth Prince's subordinates immediately seized this opportunity to impeach Xuan Pei on the grounds that he was young and playful, using the important matters of the people's lives as a joke. Naturally, there were old officials who had followed the Emperor for many years. Every memorial they wrote was full of heartache and hatred. Those who did not know would think that Xuan Pei had committed some heinous crime. However, being impeached by so many people would inevitably leave a bad impression on the Emperor. When Ming Yue thought of this, she still felt uneasy.
"Go and arrange a few people. Tell the people on my side to send me the memorials as well." Xuan Pei shook his sleeves carelessly.
"Impeach Eighth Prince as well?" Chao Yang could not help but ask. Her expression was one of joy. In her opinion, the Eighth Prince's subordinates had not been right to hit him when he was down. Unexpectedly, Xuan Pei shook his head and said, "Impeach me."
"What?" Chao Yang cried out in shock. She immediately realised that she had overstepped her boundaries. She hurriedly knelt down and begged for forgiveness. Ming Yue also frowned, not understanding why Xuan Pei had done this.
Xuan Pei smiled and slowly moved his lips. Ming Yue froze and felt a chill run down her spine. She raised her eyes to look at the young man sitting on the throne. Half of the young man's body was submerged in the soft cushion as he carelessly supported his chin with his hand. The sunlight outside the window dimmed and half of the young man's body fell into the shadows. He was like a silent stone statue, sturdy and heavy. He was like a lonely and cruel emperor sitting on a high throne separated by layers of curtains, green tiles and glazed glass.
A true Emperor.
He smiled and said, "Everyone submit to Xuan Li. Let him see who the world belongs to."
….
The sun set in the west in the blink of an eye. In the early spring, the sky darkened early. Jiang Ruan and Qi Feng went out of the small shop on the street and returned to the Wang fu. Perhaps it was because Jiang Ruan had not been out for a long time, or perhaps it was because Qi Feng was a humorous person, the two of them got along very well. Not only did they visit the Yi Bao Ge, they also visited the other shops. Previously, during the wedding, she had also gone to take a look at the shops that Xuan Pei had given her. Jiang Ruan did not have any other thoughts. Although Xuan Pei had given these shops to her, she currently did not lack money. She only wanted to manage them well and return them to Xuan Pei in the future. If one day Xuan Pei really sat in that position, even if he did not sit in that position, his environment was destined to make him need these things more than Jiang Ruan. In Jiang Ruan's eyes, Xuan Pei would always be her child.
They visited the shop together with Qi Feng and bought some things. They even ate something in the shop outside before returning. When they returned to the gate of the fu, it was already very late. Qi Feng held a pile of trivial things in his hands, which were all bought by Jiang Ruan today. In order to avoid suspicion, the two of them did not take the carriage. Jiang Ruan did not know why today she was in high spirits and bought a lot of things. It had to be said that now that she was not short of money, it was really refreshing to buy things. In this way, all the heavy work fell to Qi Feng. Qi Feng hugged all the things. When they reached the gate of the fu, Jiang Ruan smiled and said, "Give them to me. You have worked hard today."
Qi Feng smiled bitterly, "It's not hard at all. Even if I have to work like a cow or a horse, I would not dare to refuse. If I don't do it, I will be scolded by Third Brother."
Jiang Ruan was startled, and Qi Feng also realized that he had said the wrong thing. For a moment, he was at a loss of what to do. Jiang Ruan reached out to take the things in Qi Feng's hand, but she did not expect that her foot would slip. Qi Feng rushed to help her, and the things fell to the ground. Qi Feng grabbed Jiang Ruan's hand and looked at the woman in front of him, but he was a little absent-minded.
Wasn't leaving these past few days also a form of escape? It was just that he was afraid that he would sink deeper and deeper. Jiang Ruan was able to be unperturbed as she pleased, but no matter what, he was unable to do the same. Such close contact caused him to be somewhat dazed for a moment. Such a scene was unintentional, but in the eyes of others, it seemed somewhat ambiguous.
They only heard a familiar voice, "Young master is back." Accompanied by the sound of the door opening, Housekeeper Lin's head also poked out. After seeing Jiang Ruan and Qi Feng, he could not help but be surprised. Perhaps what surprised him even more was the posture of Jiang Ruan and Qi Feng. Jiang Ruan raised her eyes and saw that Xiao Shao was standing a few feet away, quietly looking in her direction. The sky was dark and the lantern at the fu's entrance was swaying gently, causing his expression to be somewhat indistinct and indistinct. Qi Feng took a step back and said with a smile, "Third Sister-in-law, don't be careless next time. It's done. Since Third Brother is back, I will also leave." After saying this, he waved his hand and turned to leave.
Jiang Ruan glanced at Xiao Shao. Housekeeper Lin's face was stiff. Jiang Ruan pushed the door and walked in. When she passed by Housekeeper Lin, she said, "Pick up the things and send them to the house. Sorry for troubling Housekeeper Lin."
After Jiang Ruan left, Housekeeper Lin ordered the servants to pick up the things that had fallen on the ground. He was about to step forward to greet Xiao Shao and say a few words to ease the situation, but Xiao Shao swept past him without saying a word. The cold air on his body was really a bit shocking. Naturally, this was not the cold air brought by the frost and snow outside. Housekeeper Lin shivered and wanted to cry but had no tears. How could the Young Madam, who was usually alienated from others, be so close to Qi Feng? This Qi Feng did not act properly. Could it be that he did not know the principle of not flirting with a friend's wife? No, no, no, Qi Feng was Master's Shixiong. Naturally, he would not do such a cruel and unscrupulous thing. It must have been a misunderstanding. But, but why the f * ck did it have to be such a coincidence?
This was the first time the husband and wife met at night since the cold war. Usually, Xiao Shao went out during the day, and when he came back at night, Jiang Ruan would already be asleep. Naturally, there was no chance to talk. Who knew that Xiao Shao would come back so early today. After Jiang Ruan washed up, she did not see Xiao Shao in the room. When she asked Tian Zhu, Tian Zhu said that Xiao Shao was in the study.
She did not know what Xiao Shao had been busy with these past few days. Perhaps he really had something to do in the study. But today, something like this happened again. It seemed a little strange for Xiao Shao to go to the study at this time. Xiao Shao was probably sulking. In the past, Jiang Ruan thought that Xiao Shao was a little cute, but after experiencing the matter with Jin Er and Lu Zhu, she subconsciously thought that Xiao Shao did not trust her. No woman could accept her husband doubting her, especially when it came to his innocence. Jiang Ruan also had a stubborn temper. She only made a sound of agreement and went to sleep first. She had no intention of going to the study to talk. However, Housekeeper Lin, who was full of hope, waited outside the room for her to reconcile with Jiang Ruan, waited in vain for the whole night.
…
It was night. Above the Yao family's mansion in the capital, heavy curtains were stacked on top of each other, and the bamboo and wood gave off a faint glow. In the courtyard of the Yao family's Young Miss, the sweet sound of a zither floated out. Every part of this courtyard was decorated beautifully and exquisitely. Everywhere was a display of elegance. Even the carp sculpture by the side of the pond was vivid and lifelike. This courtyard had originally been created by the Yao family's Young Miss, Yao Niannian. Master Yao obviously had high expectations for craftsmen, which was why such an exquisite courtyard had been created. This also indirectly showed that this Yao Niannian was certainly the apple of Governor Yao's eye, which was why he had so ostentatiously fulfilled her long-cherished wish.
At this moment, the sound of the zither in the courtyard matched the scenery in the courtyard. Yao Niannian was extraordinarily intelligent, and she had always been proficient in the four arts. It was just that she was not very proficient in them. If Jiang Su Su had been the talented woman of the capital, then Yao Niannian would have been the most intelligent woman in everyone's hearts. The most intelligent woman might not have been the best in the four arts, but inexplicably, she was more respected than the talented woman.
Two servant girls standing far away were quietly discussing, "This song is really beautiful. How come I've never heard Young Miss play it before?"
"Stupid," the other servant girl said in a low voice, "It must have been created by herself. Our Young Miss has always been intelligent. If this sound of the zither were to spread outside, I think that the title of the number one zither maiden in the capital would have to be given to someone else."
"What nonsense are you talking about? What kind of status does that zither maiden have? How could she be mentioned in the same breath as our Young Miss?" The smaller servant girl said, "In recent years, Young Miss seems to like playing the zither in the courtyard more and more. I don't know why, could it be …" She thought of something and hurriedly shut her mouth, but her expression was one of uncontrollable worry.
In a pavilion in the courtyard, a woman's long sleeves fluttered in the wind. The corners of her robe were turned up to reveal tiny, dazzling, and exquisite silk patterns. A pair of slender hands flew up and down the strings of the zither. The melody was like the tinkling of spring water, pleasing to the ears, and seemed to be able to play into one's heart.
After a while, the song ended, but Yao Niannian did not withdraw her hands. Her jade-like, stuttering hands were still on the zither. Her brows were calm, but there was something in her eyes that could not be described clearly, as if it could penetrate into one's heart. The corners of her lips curled up as she looked at the zither in front of her. However, she seemed to have thought of something else. Among the ashes on the ground, there was a piece of paper that had been used to practice calligraphy. Yao Niannian had always demanded perfection from herself. Among the ashes, there seemed to be something else. It was just that the unfamiliar handwriting had been mixed in with the ashes and vanished along with the fire, leaving nothing behind.
Yao Niannian slowly opened her mouth to speak. It was not clear whether she was speaking to someone else or herself, "Heart like a boulder, heart like a boulder. When two boulders collide, two hundred will be injured. Jiang Ruan, a person who can guess people's hearts? "Her smile gradually gave rise to a sense of contempt," What a joke. "
In this world, there were indeed people who could play with people's hearts. Originally, she had thought that since Jiang Ruan was so famous, she would naturally have something special about her. Now, it seemed that it was nothing more than a false rumor. That woman could not withstand a single blow, and was really nothing to be afraid of. There were many dark places in a person's heart. Perhaps it was harmless, but when those dark places were infinitely magnified, under the right opportunity, it could lead to irreparable mistakes.
"The bait has been cast, the small shrimp has also been hooked up," Yao Niannian stretched out a hand and lightly stroked the zither strings. However, when she reached the last string, her hand suddenly exerted force, and the zither let out a sharp cry before it snapped. Yao Niannian unhurriedly plucked the short string and smiled faintly, "You may begin."
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