The fierce guards and the courteous Third Young Master Xie departed, and the frightened Zhou family members rushed over.

“Grand Master, what happened?” Some were completely confused.

“Grand Master, we shouldn’t have accepted that letter. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang have eyes and hands everywhere—they must have discovered it. Are they saying we’re conspiring with Prince Zhongshan?” Some had partial understanding.

“I heard they’re trying to arrest the Empress’s family. Chu Ling just died, and now they want to depose the Empress?” Some had sharp ears and eyes with new speculation.

Amid the chaotic clamor, Old Master Zhou waved his hand: “All of you, be quiet.”

But as the family patriarch, he knew that not speaking wouldn’t put the family at ease. After all these years, even during the Third Prince’s chaos, soldiers had never stormed into the Zhou residence.

The dynasty was collapsing.

“Prince Zhongshan’s forces are closing in on the capital. Just now, the Prince Zhongshan’s heir executed three decree-bearing ministers on charges of interfering with military affairs, giving chaotic commands, and damaging army morale. Then he announced he would come to the capital to personally see the Emperor and apologize—which is of course an excuse.” Old Master Zhou said. “But this excuse is dignified and proper. The people were already anxious and restless, so they believed it. The court is in a very difficult position now.”

That made sense. The family members nodded. Actually, if the situation reached that point, they could believe it too.

Such words couldn’t be spoken aloud.

“So? What does this have to do with the Empress?” Everyone asked urgently.

Old Master Zhou said: “Empress Chu’s uncle, Chu Lan, once plotted with Prince Zhongshan’s heir, so the court wants him to come forward and testify to Prince Zhongshan and his son’s treason.”

Everyone could see Prince Zhongshan and his son’s treasonous intent, but Chu Lan’s involvement still shocked them. They instantly guessed the truth of that night—when the Late Emperor said the Chu woman rescued and protected the Young Emperor, she had actually rescued him from her own uncle and Prince Zhongshan!

“No wonder after Chu Zhao became Empress, the Chu Lan couple never appeared.”

“They said they were recuperating from illness, but they were actually confined.”

“I suspected all along that the Chu clan was strange and problematic.”

“So what’s happening now?”

“The Chu Lan family fled?”

Old Master Zhou nodded: “Yes, the Chu Lan family fled, so the court is searching. They’re not just searching our home—every household in the city has been searched.”

The family members breathed a sigh of relief. So it wasn’t targeting the Zhou family specifically.

Fortunately, the Chu clan was simple—the Chu Lan couple had never been seen or had any social connections. Empress Chu Zhao sat deep in the palace and had now run off to the border commandery. Only that Chu family girl Chu Tang, newly wealthy and arrogant, wandered around everywhere playing.

“Tell the children in the family not to associate with her.”

“Mainly A-Jiang. A-Jiang was still playing with that Chu Tang the day before yesterday.”

Old Master Zhou impatiently silenced them: “Stop talking about the past. What’s the point of being wise after the fact? Before the Third Prince and the Zhao clan’s incident, weren’t you all also socializing and associating with them?”

With this silencing, the family members’ hearts were also settled, and they all voiced agreement.

“In any case, it has nothing to do with our family.” Everyone said as they took their leave and departed.

It had quite a lot to do with their family—Old Master Zhou sat in the flower hall silently examining the chess board.

Whether it was Prince Zhongshan’s heir, the young Emperor, or the Xie clan—did they truly need the Zhou clan’s assistance? Without the Zhou clan, they would still be all-powerful. That wasn’t called assistance—that was called adding flowers to brocade.

For the Zhou clan, adding flowers to brocade could only bring adding flowers to brocade in return. Of course, if they didn’t add flowers to brocade, no one could do anything to them either.

They’d walked the old chess paths for too long. Suddenly a new path appeared—

Who knew what new patterns it could produce.

Old Master Zhou raised his hand and changed the two moves Xie Yanfang had made, replacing them with his own victory, revealing a satisfied smile.

…

…

When Xie Yanfang returned to his quarters in the Imperial City, he saw Deng Yi sitting inside, interestedly watering the orchids on the desk.

This was the first time Deng Yi had come to his place.

“Master Xie is truly refined.” Deng Yi said, surveying the hall. “Even the great halls of the Imperial City feel like home to you.”

Xie Yanfang smiled without responding to this remark, only saying: “Is the Grand Tutor waiting for news? I’m very sorry, we still haven’t found them. Though Empress Chu has been Empress for only a short time, she has won people’s hearts and trust.”

He hadn’t expected that standing before those aristocratic families with the Emperor’s great favor, he still couldn’t persuade them to yield.

He had his reputation earned through years of keeping a low profile and his aristocratic family’s foundation and power. What did that young lady rely on? The Empress position and border army military authority? Or her sharp edges and straightforward spirit of courage?

He suddenly seemed to see his thirteen-year-old self standing before the Crown Prince with a bow.

“Empress Chu wields authority. Not only can she have aristocratic families help from a thousand miles away to protect her family, but abroad she can also command troops.” Deng Yi said. “I came to tell you that the Empress has transferred troops from the Hedong and Shangdang commanderies.”

Xie Yanfang turned to look at the map hanging on the wall: “Is she going to besiege Zhongshan Commandery?” He knew that young lady wouldn’t sit idle—she would definitely take action. He smiled. “This is besieging Wei to save Zhao.”

Deng Yi said: “Empress Chu just lost her father. She probably thinks all fathers and sons in the world share deep affection.”

Did she think that with the heir already at the capital, hearing his father king was under siege would make him give up and return? How naive.

Xie Yanfang smiled and said: “As Empress, hearing of Prince Zhongshan’s treason, she must naturally launch a punitive expedition. Grand Tutor, don’t worry. Even without two armies, we can still win.”

Deng Yi glanced at him. How could he be worried about that?

“It should be Master Xie who needn’t worry.” He said with a half-smile. “You were worried that prosecuting Chu Lan would affect Empress Chu’s reputation, but Empress Chu prepared early. She doesn’t need your help—she solved it herself.”

Xie Yanfang seemed not to understand his sarcasm, nodding with a smile: “Yes, so please have the Grand Tutor issue an edict proclaiming Chu Lan’s past association with Prince Zhongshan. Announce to the world Prince Zhongshan’s treason. This way, when Empress Chu besieges Zhongshan Commandery, she’ll have just cause, and her prestige will be even more illustrious.”

Deng Yi remained silent.

In any case, Xie Yanfang wanted this battle to create illustrious momentum.

Thousands of charges and denunciations couldn’t compare to the scandal of an Empress’s uncle colluding with Prince Zhongshan with improper intentions shocking the world.

The guilty party illustrious, the meritorious party illustrious.

His Xie clan’s Yanfang even more illustrious.

…

…

“Eunuch Qi, what is this?” In the rear palace, Xiao Yu looked at the delivered edict, his expression surprised.

The imperial seal was in the Grand Tutor’s hands. The Grand Tutor made all the decisions about edicts, which would be shown to Xiao Yu after being written.

Chu Zhao had also instructed Xiao Yu that even if he didn’t understand, he should read them. Even if he just memorized them, he would understand when he grew up.

So Xiao Yu would carefully read them each time. This time, after opening it, not only did he understand, but he was also very shocked.

“Why, why say it like this—that the Chu clan is guilty?”

He grabbed the edict and was about to throw it down.

“How could Sister Chu be guilty?”

Eunuch Qi quickly stopped him: “Your Majesty, you mustn’t, you mustn’t.” He also knew the news and hurriedly explained, “It doesn’t say Sister Chu is guilty. This has nothing to do with Sister Chu. It’s about her uncle Chu Lan. Your Majesty, have you forgotten? At that time, her uncle wanted to harm us, so Sister Chu led us to escape from the Chu family. That Chu Lan is indeed guilty.”

Xiao Yu certainly hadn’t forgotten. Though young, after sitting in the court for these few months, he was no longer a child who understood nothing.

“Chu Lan is Sister Chu’s uncle. If he’s guilty, Sister Chu will inevitably be implicated. If there’s truly no connection, why wasn’t Chu Lan’s crime mentioned from the beginning?”

A child who had become Emperor wasn’t easy to deceive. Eunuch Qi was helpless. He knelt and grasped Xiao Yu’s sleeve, saying: “Your Majesty, this is an extraordinary time. Prince Zhongshan has attacked. The court has no choice but to fight. The battle will be tragic with heavy casualties. Your Majesty, we must let the world know the sins of Prince Zhongshan and his son so all will denounce them together.”

Xiao Yu held up the edict, the child’s brows flying: “I don’t care.”

“A-Yu—” Xie Yanfang strode in from outside.

Xiao Yu had given him the rear palace prohibition token, so naturally he could come and go freely. It wasn’t strange that he entered without announcement.

Seeing him enter, Xiao Yu’s flying brows lowered, concealing the hostile energy in his eyes. He pouted aggrievedly: “Because Sister Chu isn’t here, and Sister Chu’s father is also gone, you’re all bullying her like this.”

Xie Yanfang half-knelt before him and said: “No one wants to bully her. If Sister Chu were here, she would do the same.”

“A-Yu, you trust Chu Zhao. She could lead you to escape from encirclement, accompany you to ascend the throne, and personally lead troops to the border commandery. When her father was gone, she could take up his mantle—oh right, there’s a victory report that was intercepted. Not long ago, your Sister Chu personally led troops to attack the Xi Liang King’s main force, making them retreat another hundred li.”

Xiao Yu’s eyes filled with a smile: “Really?”

Xie Yanfang nodded: “I’ve already had them search for the victory report. It will be delivered soon.” He looked into the child’s eyes. “And not only that—hearing that Prince Zhongshan’s forces were surrounding the capital, Chu Zhao has already led troops back. At this very moment, she’s besieging Zhongshan Commandery. A-Yu, do you know what this is called?”

Xiao Yu excitedly shouted: “Besieging Wei to save Zhao! I’ve read about that!”

Xie Yanfang said: “So don’t worry. Sister Chu fears no danger or trouble. She protects the nation and people. No matter what past crimes her uncle committed, it won’t implicate her—A-Yu, trust me.”

Xiao Yu looked at him and nodded: “I trust you.” He placed the raised edict into Xie Yanfang’s hands.

Eunuch Qi silently stood up on the side. So to gain one person’s trust, you don’t need to prove how trustworthy you are—you just need to let them see that you believe in the person they trust most.

…

…

Qi Leyun was pushed into the carriage by her mother.

“Mother, even if Chu Lan is guilty, Chu Zhao isn’t guilty.” She struggled to say, lifting the carriage curtain to see soldiers already standing in ranks outside the Chu residence gates.

Master Qi was smiling obsequiously and speaking with an official, who waved his hand, and the soldiers let the Qi family’s carriages pass.

Soldiers continued racing through the streets, searching along the streets and households. Citizens gathered on the streets, pointing and commenting.

“—Is the Empress’s family about to be raided?”

“Raiding the house right after Chu Ling died?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. It’s not a raid, and it has nothing to do with the Empress. It’s Chu Lan. Chu Lan originally conspired with Prince Zhongshan to harm His Majesty.”

“Chu Lan hid it well for a long time. Taking advantage of the Empress’s absence and Chu Ling’s death, he immediately stirred up trouble, colluding with Prince Zhongshan from inside and out. That Prince Zhongshan didn’t come to aid the court at all—he came to force the palace. When the information leaked, Chu Lan fled with his whole family.”

“I see.”

“So there’s going to be a fight with Prince Zhongshan?”

“We must fight! The Late Emperor passed away, Xi Liang invaded, the young Emperor ascended—Prince Zhongshan taking advantage of this chaos is truly inhuman! Bullying an orphan.”

Listening to the clamor, Qi Leyun looked at her father returning and said urgently: “Father, you hear? Everyone knows it has nothing to do with the Empress. We’ll be fine living here.”

Master Qi glared at her: “What do you understand? Of course we’re fine now.”

Now they needed to unite against external enemies. Now Empress Chu still commanded the border army. But later, who could say? Her father was gone, and her uncle had attempted treason—a family background like this sitting in the Empress position was walking on thin ice, could be deposed at any time.

“That we can leave now already proves Empress Chu’s innocence. Otherwise, if they detained us too, think what stories would spread in the city. Probably no one would even mention Empress Chu’s name anymore.”

Master Qi said, pressing his hand on his daughter’s head and pushing her back into the carriage.

“Stop getting involved in this chaos. This isn’t something for you girls to laugh and play about.”

“Father, Father.” Qi Leyun grabbed her father’s hand. She understood what her father meant and knew she couldn’t make trouble now—it would be useless anyway. But she truly felt aggrieved and worried. “Chu Zhao is so unlucky.”

Master Qi patted his daughter: “So, daughter, cherish your blessings.”

The Qi family hurriedly moved out of Chu Garden. Other families were also discussing the Chu clan.

“The court isn’t giving Empress Chu any face at all. This is the consequence of having a weak foundation while sitting in a high position.”

Unable to withstand the slightest incident—like a flimsy house that collapses at the first gust of wind.

They sighed again in relief that the Chu clan was thin and weak. Chu Lan had little interaction with them—it was just the girls playing and visiting each other.

But even just the girls’ playing caused quite a headache.

Old Master Zhou was once again awakened in the middle of the night by his own family’s girl.

“A-Jiang.” Old Master Zhou rubbed his forehead as he came out, looking at his granddaughter standing in the outer room. “Your father, uncles, and brothers don’t see me this often.”

Zhou Jiang hurried to help support her grandfather, saying: “Our family has deep roots. We just need to operate according to rules—no need for you to worry and expend energy, Grandfather.”

“Oh, so I need to worry and expend energy for other families with weak foundations?” Old Master Zhou said, looking at Zhou Jiang. “Speak. What does our Empress Chu want now?”

Zhou Jiang took out a note. Just like last time, in the dim room, the bright red Empress seal impression was particularly striking.

Old Master Zhou took it, squinted to read it, then looked at Zhou Jiang: “A-Jiang, you’re not asking your grandfather to worry and expend energy—you’re asking your grandfather to risk his life.”