Chapter 273: Meeting, A Major Incident

The next day, similarly at night, after Jing Wan went to sleep, Li Hong Yuan let someone lead Yu Zhong Qing into Jin Qinwang Manor.

Perhaps because it was his first time seeing a fully imposing Li Hong Yuan, Yu Zhong Qing unconsciously knelt down. Li Hong Yuan resided in the seat behind the main desk, towering above as he looked down to Yu Zhong Qing. He appeared the same as usual, carrying that three part nonchalant. The other few in the room didn't dare to breath too loudly, especially Yu Zhong Qing. As time went on, fine beads of sweat even uncontrollably fell from his forehead. For him, it wasn't just a day or two facing Le Cheng Emperor, yet he never felt this kind of pressure before.

Not the Emperor, but surpassing the Emperor! This kind of man, that was just naturally born with the fate of an Emperor!

If not as the Emperor, he would still certainly be that Shezheng Wang[1]. And the one occupying the seat of the Emperor, regardless of how old, as long as he was present, just can only be a puppet emperor.

And if the one in power is one with big aspirations and great ambitions, unwilling to be controlled by others, then someone like Li Hong Yuan certainly will scheme against the court and seize the throne, bringing disaster to the world.

Yu Zhong Qing secretly clenched his fist, rejoicing that he chose this kind of person, but at the same time, also somewhat nervous, because this kind of master, wasn't easy to get along with. This kind of master's control towards the people below was strong, and the dependence weak. Then, recalling his usual reputation as well as manner of doing things, one can gather, if one betrays, what kind of ending that will be.

Within a short period of time, Yu Zhong Qing's train of thought took thousand of turns, but from beginning to end, closely paid attention to Li Hong Yuan's reaction. To just be lost in thought the 'first time', then in the future, he doesn't need to mingle anymore. And as someone without worth, based on what can he ask his master to take revenge for him?

"Next time Li Hong Ming looks for you again, just agree to him. Don't need for you to obtain any information from his side, on the contrary, this prince will provide some advantages for you, helping you establish a foothold on his side. This prince has always believed, for one's own grudges, it's only meaningful to avenge oneself. Enduring humiliation as part of an important mission, working beside one's enemy, and in the crucial moment, stabbing him in the back is more interesting."

Yu Zhong Qing had his head lowered. The grudge of exterminating one's family, all these years, he was able to 'draw the bow and not shoot'. Now, it was nothing more than becoming a blade, hiding on the enemy's side and waiting. "Yes." He agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Right now, the only problem was just, previously he'd been continuously refusing the other party, so to suddenly agree now, he naturally needed an appropriate reason. This probably needs to be handled on his own.

"The Zhou family, this prince will shelter, and arrange suitable work for them, and unless they themselves court death, else it'll just be others dying."

"Many thanks wangye." Yu Zhong Qing gratefully said.

Yu Zhong Qing's character didn't have any problems, and was also enough firm, but as a person, he inherently was also cold and indifferent. Otherwise, it was unlikely for outsiders to all be unable to move him all these years. And the Zhou family was probably just the only soft spot in his heart. And Zhou Ke Xin, regardless whether he had the other party viewed as a fiancee, or as a younger sister, that was inevitably someone placed in the bottom of his heart. The Zhou family was his weakness, and also his reverse scale. Zhou Ke Xin meeting with mishap, it's not that he never blamed himself. If he'd, from the start, just had them placed on the surface, although he might get threatened, and he will be grasped in someone's hand, but absolutely no one would dare treat Zhou Ke Xin as such. But now, things have already happened, it was useless to think any more.

He'll take revenge, having these people sent to hell one by one.

The grudge of the extermination of the entire family has yet to be avenged, yet new hate has been added. Yu Zhong Qing on the surface perhaps appear to not have any changes, but his mentality, afraid, has already turned completely.

This kind of person, once buried by hatred, then they will just become exceptionally terrifying.

"Regarding your family's matter, how much do you know?" Li Hong Yuan asked.

Yu Zhong Qing suddenly lifted his head and glanced at Li Hong Yuan, then quickly lowered his head again, "This subordinate was incompetent."

Li Hong Yuan clearly saw on Yu Zhong Qing that insuppressible malicious current, but towards Li Hong Yuan, there wasn't the slightest effect. "Don't know anything at all? You are sure useless, really suspecting how you climbed onto this current position of yours. However, the current Emperor is fondly attached to power, and as his sons grow up one by one, although appearing affectionate, in reality, that guard was getting heavier by the day. For him to heavily rely on you, the no family, no friends, and no background, completely relying on him to receive other people's respect type, it is also within reason."

To put it unpleasantly, for Yu Zhong Qing to have climbed up onto the seat of the Imperial Guards' Great Commander, that was just good luck, that's all. ———-Li Hong Yuan was precisely this meaning.

Yu Zhong Qing was neither sad nor happy. Don't know if it was because he himself also believed this, or simply just didn't care about this matter.

"Wangfei is soft with her mouth, and her heart even softer, just unable to bear seeing others unwell. You still haven't done anything at all for this prince, yet she has already asked for benefits for you first."

"Wangfei is benevolent." He'd already learned about what happened with the Zhou family approaching Jin Wangfei. If switched with someone else, never mind achieving their goal, to not have any more trouble was already not bad.

"As long as you know. Yu Zhong Qing, if you treat this prince as your master, then she's just your second master, equal with this prince, understand?"

Towards those that continuously think about Jing Wan, Li Hong Yuan naturally wished to have them chopped into a thousand pieces, but aside from this, Li Hong Yuan didn't mind helping her add even more assets.

Yu Zhong Qing's hearts shook. Although he already realized Jin Qinwang treated his wangfei differently, but he never thought that it was actually to this degree. "Yes."

"However, she feels you might think it's this prince that schemed against you, and also Zhou Ke Xin. This prince feels she's just blindly worrying. Then, Yu Zhong Qing, what do you think?"

The sweat beads on Yu Zhong Qing's forehead became even more obvious. He wasn't clear whether this new master was borrowing wangfei's mouth to test him, or some other purpose. Sure enough, even if he's already kneeling here, matters still haven't completely finalized. "Wangfei is wholly devoted to wangye, considering for wangye, so thinking some more is also understandable. This subordinate once perhaps had this kind of doubt somewhat, but from now on, will no longer have such thoughts, because wangye has no need."

That's right, no need. Perhaps for him, he was just of little value. Yu Zhong Qing's perception at this very moment was incomparably clear.

"Sir Yu's words are actually somewhat overboard. For this prince, you still have some use. With you here, at least when time comes, a few less people will die. After all, wangfei hopes for this prince to create less killing sins."

Human life, in his mouth, was such a nonchalant decision. Was it that according to your inherent nature, you didn't mind using absolute military force to settle everything? Blood forming into rivers, the people in chaos, all didn't matter?

What made one rejoice was that there was still someone like Jin Wangfei that was able to restrain him.

"Your family's matter, this prince will let someone go investigate, one month as the time limit."

"Many thanks wangye."

"Enough, why don't you go back."

"This subordinate will withdraw." Yu Zhong Qing got up and withdrew out.

Li Hong Yuan quietly sat in the study for a while, but wasn't in the mood to take care of other things either, so he just went back to sleep. Sleeping while holding his wife was a great pleasure. And Jin Qinwang, who always indulged in pleasure, expressed that this matter can't be cut.

Jing Wan was blurrily asleep. Mumbling a few words, that was similarly just a half asleep, unconscious state, but seemingly already used to this happening from time to time.

"Met with Yu Zhong Qing."

Jing Wan let out a 'oh' and continued sleeping, not being affected in the slightest.

This for Jing Wan actually was a bit of 'residual effect', and that was just getting mistaken as a dream by her. When waking up the morning of the next day, she completely forgotten it cleanly. Until afterwards, at a certain time, suddenly recalling, she would finally realize she'd actually forgotten something important, and towards Li Hong Yuan, she was very speechless, even suspecting him of deliberately doing this.

However, even so, this bit never once changed either.

The next day, Li Hong Yuan got up early, directly letting someone fetch over the qinwang formal gown. After putting on, it was handsomeness and valiance gathered in one body, but looking at this person's exterior, no one would have no power and no influence linked together with him, although he indeed didn't touch upon this bit.

Since the first morning of the marriage, Jing Wan has never once served Li Hong Yuan in changing before. In a certain sense, she really was an unqualified wife. Even when sleeping at night, it was her that slept on the inside, and occasionally waking up once in the night, it was also Li Hong Yuan that got up to pour water for her to drink. She really was regressing more and more.

Jing Wan at this time also just symbolically tidied Li Hong Yuan's clothes for him, because there was simply no place that needed for her to tidy. "How come wangye thought of wearing the formal gown today?"

"Attending court."

Jing Wan slightly blanked. About that, she finally realized just now that this man was a qinwang that needed to participate in the court sessions. However, one can't blame her either. Who let him, from marrying to until now, one whole month, never once did this kind of thing before. Thus, Jing Wan's gaze towards Li Hong Yuan carried a bit of tease, "Wangye finally thought things through today?"

"This prince rather wants to hold one's wife and continue sleeping, just unfortunately, that one on the dragon throne delivered word that one must attend today."

"Ah Yuan, you would be this obedient?" Jing Wan leaned closer, "You have your own matter, right?"

"The one who knows me best is Wan Wan."

Jing Wan patted him, "Stop flattering me. Quickly go then, don't be too late and attract everyone's anger."

"They've already long gotten angry eight hundred years ago, but for this prince to be willing to appear, they should just be deeply grateful. Even if they have a complaint, still need to hold it in for this prince."

It's that those people are long used to it and have become numb, right?

Li Hong Yuan left Jin Qinwang Manor, the qinwang procession grandly entering the palace. In the carriage, his complexion was calm with a ripple.

The day after Jing Wan and them returned from the estate and entered the palace to pay their respects, Le Cheng Emperor had received a secret memorandum. This year, in the Jiangnan region, several counties' courtyard exams[2] all had problems occurring. Abusing one's position for personal gain all wasn't enough to describe it. Publicly looking for someone to take the exam in one's place, bribing the examiner to buy a rank, and so on. Don't know as to why, these all got leaked out, and more than a dozen students died in a row. The matter was getting increasingly big, the scope increasingly broad. Above all, there was also a county that was within the scope of last year's flood. Originally just having yet to recover their vigor, once this matter came out, it was practically adding frost on top of snow.

At the same time, for some unknown reason, it even involved the salt administration[3], the officials stuffing their pockets, and shielding one another. The money loss was more than several million taels.

Along with the secret memorandum was also a list of names. Listed out on there were some people's post, as well as their 'affiliation'.

Among the princes that participated in court politics, aside from the extremely wealthy Li Hong Yuan, even the sickly fifth wangye all had someone included within. Of course, reportedly, this was even just a portion.

It goes without saying what Le Cheng Emperor's complexion was like, looking to his sons, hating that he can't tear them apart.

Originally, as a grown prince, receiving a bit of 'filial respect[4]' was excusable, and Le Cheng Emperor also won't care, but for the amount to be this enormous, where was it used? What do you want to do? He still hasn't died yet!

[1] Title for the one acting as regent, shezheng literally just means 'acting as regent'

[2] 院试 - The last of the three entry-level exams in the imperial examination system of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

[3] This is a relatively complicated topic, because there's a lot involved, but just know for now that for a very long time since the Spring and Autumn period (770-476BC), salt and the business of salt were all controlled by the government/imperial court (first imperial dynasty wasn't established until the Qin dynasty, so before that it was just states and territories). I have a longer explanation written out in the .

[4] 孝敬 - The phrase itself just means 'showing filial respect', but it's the act of carrying out filial piety, or giving a gift to one's superior. However in this context, it's just a pleasant way to say bribe money.

T/N: This is the bigger incident that has been taking place at the same time as Yu Zhong Qing's matter but behind the scenes and it's way bigger than what it appears on the surface. It's kinda funny that when many innocent lives are involved there's less impact as compared to one Zhou Ke Xin, it's like many innocent lives are just stats on a chart. Anyways this will be the start of one of the longer arcs in the novel, I call it the Jiangnan Arc, I think this is the longest arc in the novel, it's either this one or this one other one.