But she also couldn’t be certain that every remaining Lu was an upright, objective, and impartial individual either.
“Father is very right.” Qin Yining lowered her eyes. “I didn’t think things through properly.”
“No need for apologies,” smiled Qin Huaiyuan. “It’s impossible not to be mad when running into someone like this. Even I wanted to go demand an explanation when I heard about the banquet, much less you who experienced it!
“I think that the Lus actually wanted to be friends, given that they threw a banquet and invited you to it. The madame was likely permitted to come because she married a good husband and was a noble lady, compared to you being a noble daughter.”
“Father’s right. Apparently General Mi, the Marquis of Valiant Faith, boasted of accomplishments on par with Prince Consort Ji and Pang Zhixi.”
Chapter 360: Counterplot (II)
“Indeed. I’ve heard his deeds of daring and valor mentioned many times at court. He was a remarkable man. It’s an absolute shame that he was taken from us so early.” Qin Huaiyuan sighed, quite regretful of the loss.
Having heard all of the rumors and gossip of the man’s heartbroken death after taking such a wife, Qin Yining also felt that it was a sad waste of a perfectly wonderful person.
“My daughter, do you know why the marchioness is targeting you?”
“She’s good friends with the Princess of Anyang. The princess hates me, so therefore the madame hates me too.”
Her father nodded. “What else?”
The fourth miss thought for a moment. “With her personality, there’s also probably the frustration and resentment of continuously failing to entice Pang Zhixi.”
“That’s one of the reasons too. What else?”
Some more ideas flashed through the girl’s mind, but she wasn’t entirely certain of them.
Qin Huaiyuan took over the conversation. “Back in the day, His Majesty took down Northern Ji with the support of the aristocracy. But when peace descended after the war, the existence of the aristocracy was at odds with imperial power. These families have deep roots and foundations, so the emperor didn’t dare make any careless moves. But neither do the great clans dare step out of bounds. The two forces have been engaged in a tug-of-war all these years. Endless clashes have occurred in the shadows, but all seems fine on the surface. Though there have been plenty of scrapes and scuffles, it hasn’t gotten to the point of all out hostilities.”
Qin Yining nodded, seeming to grasp a few things.
Her father smiled to see the look of understanding.
“His Majesty have been able to vie with the aristocracy for so long because of the military power that his trusted nobles hold. That’s allowed him to hold his own in the struggle. However, the emperor is a suspicious sort and doesn’t fully trust his own officials either. We can see that from how he stripped military command from Pang Zhixi.
"The emperor is also well aware that not all of his nobles are of one heart with him either. With all the times that swords have been crossed, the scales of balance between the His Majesty and the aristocracy have been oscillating. There is an urgent vacuum at court for another new force to balance out the aristocracy, Great Zhou officials, and former Northern Ji officials triumvirate. At the same time, the emperor doesn’t want this new force to become as untamed as his nobles holding military power have become.”
Enlightenment washed over Qin Yining when she heard her father’s words.
“I understand, father! A surrendered Yan officials such as you is precisely the new force that the emperor needs! I’d only known before of the web between the old Northern Ji officials and the emperor’s own nobles. I hadn’t realized that the aristocracy existed behind the scenes.”
“You’re yet unmarried, so the amount of people you’ve come in contact with is still limited. You don’t know the full picture.” Qin Huaiyuan smiled. “But you’re always quick to have some insights once I tell you all of the details.”
The girl’s face burned slightly with the high regard. “Given how the aristocracy has weathered hundreds of years, their foundations may be as strong as an entire dynasty like Northern Ji. Their descendants are plentiful and scattered across various industries. Surely they have a very broad network at court.”
“You’re right.” Her father nodded. “This is precisely the strength of the aristocratic families, and why His Majesty is wary of them. It’s only been a scant three to four years since Great Zhou’s founding. He also took over the leaky sieve that was the Northern Ji national treasury, and the revolutionaries that he first raised are no orthodox soldiers either. An army of farmers causes plenty of headaches when it comes to politics.
“Yet these aristocracies have stood for hundreds of years and formed their own faction. Even the emperor needs to show them respect when running into each other, to say nothing of the original Northern Ji officials and nobles like Pang Zhixi.”
“Is this why the Princess of Anyang calls Madame Lu big sister and is so polite towards her?”
“Exactly.” Qin Huaiyuan lowered his voice. “Though His Majesty is the emperor, he isn’t comfortable on the dragon throne at all. His prestige and support in even his own troops fall short of Pang Zhixi and Ji Lan’s.
“The Valiant Tigers and Dragon Riders are equally stunning in battle, but the Valiant Tigers are a bigger issue because Pang Zhixi is simply too charismatic. Many of the Valiant Tigers are Pang Zhixi’s confidantes, and an unknown amount are willing to die for the prince. We can already see that from how he was able to deploy his men to go searching for you even without the command token.
“In comparison, Ji Lan is a coldly remote sort. Though he’s very renowned in the army, he isn’t as charismatic. The Dragon Riders are loyal and follow all of his orders, but they won’t be that easily deployed for personal use.”
Qin Yining nodded. “I see. The emperor’s confidantes are two nobles who hold military power, but both of them retain a lot of unstable factors, particularly Pang Zhixi. That’s why the emperor suppresses Pang Zhixi in whatever way he can—stripping him of his command, redefining his battlefield among the civil officials so as to cage an eagle, fraying relations between him and Ji Lan, and making Ji Lan a royal son in law.”
“You’re absolutely right,” affirmed her father. “Therefore, with how much trouble that’s visited the emperor’s confidantes, it goes without saying how much stress is being levied on the aristocracy who once supplied vast sums of money to the emperor.
“In their eyes, they probably think that the revolutionaries wouldn’t have stood a chance without their help. Then we throw the Northern Ji grudges into the mix. Though they’ve surrendered, how would they possibly not feel one whit of regret for being unable to save their former home and country? Though peace exists on the surface between these powers, it’s not hard to understand why the emperor wants to make the surrendered Great Yan officials his own.
“So you’re right. His Majesty wants to wants to fully grasp us. Even if he can’t immediately bring us in full under his banner, he can at least buy our hearts. Giving timely assistance will leave a deeper impression that making perfection even more perfect.”
Qin Huaiyuan raised his teacup for a sip. The room quieted down with only the red candle in the embroidered lamp popping loudly.
Qin Yining mused silently for a long time. “Father, my plan for the marchioness wasn’t very appropriate. I wasn’t thinking clearly. It’s easy enough to tell my people not to sell the manor to her, but that would be slapping Madame Lu and the Lu clan’s face. That’s more of a loss than a gain. I think we need to think of a way that both avoids offending the Lus and punishes Madame Lu at the same time.”
“We’re newly arrived in town and really shouldn’t offend the Lus with our opening act,” assented Qin Huaiyuan. “But allowing a widow to run all over us from the beginning means that we’ll be looked down on. She’ll inspire copycats.”
“Father’s right.” Qin Yining n
odded in agreement and had a sudden stroke of brilliance. She lowered her voice. “Father, do you think the emperor could’ve arranged for all this?”
Levity rose in the minister’s eyes as he looked down as his daughter. “Now that is exactly what I came to discuss with you tonight.”
The more Qin Yining thought about this, the more suspicious she found everything and the faster she spoke.
“The emperor wants nothing more than to make you his trusted confidante. He knows that our foundations are weak, since we’re newly arrived in Great Zhou. We’ll have a very tough time of things if we clash with the Lus. Therefore, His Majesty might have ordered the princess to incite Madame Lu, creating conflict between the two of us. After watching things with a cold, impartial eye over these days, I can tell that the emperor is immensely skilled at fomenting dissension.”
Chapter 361: Refraining from Exposing
Father and daughter were both equally clear about the situation after their analysis.
Li Qitian had given secret orders to his sister for her to poke Madame Lu, so as to create the current circumstance. In this way, the emperor could also observe which side was stronger.
“Once the Qins feud with the Lus, it rewrites everything at court. Most importantly, if we exhibit battle strength stunning enough to suppress an aristocratic family, His Majesty benefits even if he doesn’t give us aid in our time of need.”
Qin Yining’s eyes sparkled at this point of her review, admiration increasing for that lofty liege on high. “If we really form a vendetta with the Lu clan, we’ll definitely need a substantial patron. The emperor would be first choice without a doubt. That way, he’ll reach his goal again. His Majesty truly does possess wit and resourcefulness in equal measure. He really is worthy of regard!”
Qin Huaiyuan looked at his daughter with deep approval. “I knew that you’d be able to dissect everything cleanly as soon as I told you a few details. I knew you’d pick the best course of action as well.”
The girl blushed prettily from the compliments and waved them off.
“Therefore father, our most ideal course of action is to not offend the Lu clan and punish Madame Lu?”
“That’s right. We can’t let a woman ride on top of us. We’ll be belittled by everyone else if this persists. But we need to have enough restraint so we don’t offend the Lus. I believe that the matter will exacerbate in the next few days. But don’t worry, I have my ways of taking care of it.”
Her expression grew dark when Qin Yining heard this. “Father, things are such a mess at court and we aren’t on firm footing yet. What’s to come will surely be much more complicated than this. Will we be able to handle it all?”
The minister smiled to see his daughter in a rare moment of girlish worry. “Silly girl, fish can’t survive in pristine waters. The messier things are, the better.”
He rose and flicked away the wrinkles on his sleeves and hems. “I’ll go back and assign some loyal and dependable Silver Masks to you for personal security. Née Cao’s men are all talented in different ways and quite discrete. They’ll be as unfailingly loyal as they were to the former emperor as long as they’re paid appropriately.”
The Qin patriarch chuckled. “As for where their pay comes from, I won't be bothering myself with that at all. My daughter is a great landlord now and much richer than her old father who draws a salary.”
Qin Yining giggled. "Father is such an amazing person, such a little bit of silver doesn’t matter to you at all!”
Qin Huaiyuan waved a hand and resumed seriousness. “On the contrary. You bought the manor and I am but a clean and honest official. My salary is very limited. Ai! Paying the Silver Masks these days have all but emptied me out. Shifting that off to you is just perfect.”
“Father, you’re too tricky!”
Qin Huaiyuan laughed along with his daughter. But when the corner of his eye swept across the door to the washroom, the tall and large shadow on the ground was quite the surprise. A comprehending smile stretched across his face moments later.
He took the lamp with an embroidered cover and put in on the square table near the washroom. When the bright light drew closer to it, the shadow on the ground diffused away.
Her back to the washroom, Qin Yining hadn’t caught a hint of the shadow there at all. She’d been under the assumption that Pang Xiao had left through the window.
“Father, what are you moving the lamp for?” asked the girl curiously.
Qin Huaiyuan grinned and stood next to the square table where the newly relocated lamp was. Now his back was also to the washroom, just two steps away from where Pang Xiao was hiding behind the door frame.
“Silly girl, take a look. The light and shadows in the room change when the lamp is put here, right?”
Qin Yining looked around and nodded blankly. “Yes, they do.”
“We can see from this that light and shadow go hand-in-hand. There’s no need to panic when darkness descends as a source of light is surely nearby. The situation at court changes from minute-to-minute, just like this lamp. A careless shift and obstruction by these tables and chairs completely changes the shadows into something else.”
Qin Huaiyuan smiled at his daughter and walked out. “It’s getting late, you should rest. I’ll be leaving now.”
Everything the duo had analyzed today had been very clear-cut and definite. But this last part was a bit of a mystery.
What light? What shadows?
The door creaked open, followed by her father’s instructions to the maids to stand the night watch well and not slack off.
Qin Yining shook her head in befuddlement and turned back, throwing a look at the lamp. Curious, she shifted it back to its original position and moved to her father’s original position.
Who would’ve thought that she’d see a large and tall shadow in front of the washroom door as soon as she turned her head back!
Qin Yining’s cheeks ignited with explosive fury. She charged into the washroom and flung open the door curtain, seeing Pang Xiao leaning on the wall in deep thought. Throwing a fist-pound, she hissed, “What are you doing? Didn’t you leave already?! My father discovered you!”
The prince responded with bewilderment, “What?”
Qin Yining pointed at the rear window ajar not too far from them. The moon was very bright tonight, its rays generously pouring in through the open window and drawing out the prince’s long, bulky shadow on the ground.
Pang Xiao smacked his forehead. “Oh no! What a mistake, such a mistake! I pushed open the window just now and readied to leave, but thought of how intelligent father-in-law is. He must’ve sought you out with important things to say, so I decided to stay and listen for a bit. “Father-in-law’s words have helped me grasp the light of clarity, but to think that he would see my shadow! He is really too amazing!”
Aiming a sidelong glare at him, Qin Yining viciously pinched the prince.
“Keep pretending, why don’t you! Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?? If you really are that much of a fool to not know that the bright moon will leave shadows on the ground, you would’ve been swallowed whole by others a long time ago! You did this on purpose!
“It’s because the Commandery Princess Consort of Yan visited, isn’t it? Pang Zhixi, can you not be so small-minded?! There’s nothing going on between me and the commandery prince! I didn’t even care to be his empress back in the day, much less him being a commandery prince now!
“How can you be so petty and use this kind of method to tell my father that we’re close!? What, what do you want my father to think?? What kind of situation do you want to see me end up in??”
She almost burst out into furious tears, thinking of how her father had very likely seen the shadow on the ground when they were conversing delightfully just now. He probably thought that he’d bumped into a late night rendezvous between her and Pang Zhixi! This is so humiliating!
Seeing his darling’s eyes redden, Pang Xiao quickly hugged the gir
l to comfort her. “It’s my fault, all my fault, alright? Don’t cry! Father-in-law is so smart that he surely knows we haven’t done anything. His last words were pointers for me and also proof that he doesn’t think anything else has happened.”
Chapter 362: Receiving the Silver Masks
“Not thinking anything is just father protecting my dignity. You’ve destroyed all of my august achievements!” Tears finally trickled down the girl’s face.
Pang Xiao grew even more frantic when his darling started crying. “Don’t cry, I know my wrongs, alright? I won’t do this again. It’s just that I care about you and was afraid that father-in-law would suddenly think of the old times with his prior liege. What if he bestowed you to the Commandery Prince of Yan? What about me then? My wife was lost by another, who will make things right for me then?”
In his urgency, the prince dropped the proper, official accent and spoke in a thick northern brogue.
Having grown up in the south, Qin Yining rarely heard northern accents as bona fide as the one Pang Xiao’s grandparents spoke with. It was such an intriguing accent and imparted a sense of closeness.
Her tears dried up at the prince’s words and she burst out laughing. In mock anger now, she accused, “You’re so utterly shameless! What pointers? Father was talking about shadows, the one you cast on the ground!”
“Yes yes yes. Shadows, not pointers. You're absolutely right.” Pang Xiao smiled with embarrassment and wiped away his girl's tears with his sleeves. Being rough around the edges, he used too much force and rubbed Qin Yining’s cheeks raw.
She backed away from the pain and leveled a glare. “Why aren’t you leaving yet? What are you still doing here??”
Her newly reddened cheeks made her seem very much like a bristling bunny. Pang Xiao adored the sight like no other and pulled her in for a few kisses.
Entire face now beet red with anger, Qin Yining would’ve lashed out with loud curses if it wasn’t for her sisters living close by. She was covered in sweat by the time she finally peeled the ‘Pang taffy’ away from herself.
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