Chapter 22: The Jester's Leap

  Zeng Guanjia's mind moved, and he wouldn't say it out loud. Immediately after, he heard Chu Yi'an change the subject and say, "You pay attention, once this news gets out, pass on my words and divide the authority controlled by the Lei family in half, giving it to the Yao and Liang families."

  Although he doesn't mind spreading such news, it doesn't mean that he will tolerate Lei Ce Fei secretly plotting against Chu Muyan's reputation.

  Zhu Yi'an intervening in this matter was not unexpected at all, Zhu Xiangyang was Zhu Yi'an's reverse scale, no one could touch him, and he had long been used to it.

  "Yes!" Zeng Guan's respectful response was also not to entangle in this matter, and he turned to collect his thoughts and said, "Your Majesty, this time you leave the Duke of Jun alone in the army, won't it be a bit risky?"

  Speaking of the matter at hand, Chu Yi'an's face also sank slightly, with an unspeakable cold hardness and determination: "I know Qi Feng's temperament, his thoughts and methods are all top-notch, he can handle it. The second son has become more and more unscrupulous recently, just as I expected, the matter of making a big deal out of the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet is also from his hands."

  Zeng Guanjia secretly took a deep breath and slightly furrowed his brow: "Is he plotting to take control of the military power in Nanhua's border region?"

  "Plotting against the military power? He doesn't have the guts for that." Chu Yi'an sneered coldly, "Rather than saying he wants to plot against the military power, it's better to say he's afraid I'll gain an advantage from it. If there's unrest among the people of Nan Hua, his strength will definitely be greatly reduced in the short term. This is the best opportunity to build merit and establish achievements. He's so painstakingly plotting, just wanting to use the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet as an excuse to summon me back, and then have his people secretly replace me. Now that I've left Qi Feng there, he can't openly compete with me for the position of supervisor, nothing will happen for the time being, let him go ahead and struggle."

  No one doubted Chu Qi Feng's ability, the Emperor's eldest grandson was mediocre, and all along, Chu Yi An had been cultivating Chu Qi Feng as his successor.

  After reporting everything properly, Zeng Guanjia retreated and went out.

  At that time, Qing Luan also returned from inquiring about the news outside of Jin Hua Tang.

  "Found it?" Chu Nanyang stood in the depths of the courtyard on the corridor admiring flowers, and upon hearing her footsteps, didn't even turn his head.

  "Yes!" Qing Luan said, "It was the plan of Ping Guo Gong's wife to give Da Jun Ma a concubine. For two years after Da Jun Main married over, her belly had no movement, and Guo Gong's wife couldn't wait any longer."

  Chu Youyang didn't say a word, only smiled slightly at the corner of his lips and leaned on the railing to touch a distant cluster of autumn begonias.

  Qing Luan saw the situation and knew that she had a plan in mind, so he continued to say, "As for taking in the Second Lady of Guang, it was actually a plan secretly devised by the Lady of Anle, and the Consort Lei should not know about it."

  "Chu Lingyun?" Chu Jinyang heard this and couldn't help but chuckle, "She's quite skilled, to have reached into the inner courtyard of my Eastern Palace. It seems the lesson I taught her last time wasn't severe enough."

  "The Princess of Anle is not a big princess, logically speaking, she shouldn't be doing something so stupid." Qing Luan was puzzled.

  Zhu Yi'an's backyard is not something that Zhu Lingyun, a junior, can meddle with. Even if the empress favors her, it's still inappropriate for her to do such a thing.

  "She's not stupid, she's obviously holding a grudge against us because of what happened in the reed marsh the other day." Chu Jinyang smiled wryly.

  Qing Luan was shocked and said incredulously, "At that time, although the matter was written by the county master's own hand, it was done secretly. You and the county king didn't make a personal appearance, so how could she suspect us?"

  "It's not suspicion, but the queen must have indulged her in this bad habit again!" Chu Jinyang picked a flower and sat down on the long bench beside the railing, saying slowly and casually, "Although she won't suspect us, she has suffered such a great loss, so she will definitely shift her anger. At that time, Father was sitting in the military camp enjoying peace, but she and Chu Qiyan were almost kidnapped by the Nanhu people, so compared to this, she can't swallow this breath."

  Qing Luan's eyes widened in shock, and she was stunned for a while before asking incredulously, "Just because of this?"

  That time Chu Lingyun encountered danger was entirely her own doing. If she hadn't harbored malicious intentions beforehand and run off to that remote area to cause trouble, nothing would have happened. No matter how you think about it, you can't blame others for that incident.

  "It's precisely for this!" Chu Xiangyang said with a resolute tone, "In a certain sense, that woman is simply an out-and-out madwoman. These years of being favored by the Empress have made her increasingly unaware of the heights and depths, to the point where she even dares to defy our Eastern Palace's authority."

  Chu Lingyun is a woman with an extremely strong desire for control, and after being spoiled by the empress, she developed a personality that only respects herself. To outsiders, things that seem illogical become normal when it comes to her.

  Although Qing Luan still thought it was absurd, she deeply trusted Chu Nianyang's judgment and thought for a moment before saying, "So, how does the young mistress plan to handle this matter? Should we tell His Highness about it?"

  "Father is busy lately, so let's not bother him." Chu An Yang said, patting her skirt as she stood up. "Let's put it aside for now, I'll make sure to teach her a good lesson later and let her know that you can't just stick your hand into other people's family affairs."

  Although that's the case, Chu Yu Yang didn't make any moves afterwards. Instead, three days later, a rumor suddenly appeared on the streets and alleys, saying that the Princess of Chu was arrogant and domineering in the Eastern Palace, disrespecting the Empress Dowager and even taking it upon herself to punish her stepmother.

  The private affairs of such a noble family are the most talked about, and in just half a day's time, they have spread far and wide outside.

  In the Jinxiu Building, Leixi Fei finally received the news and smiled with relief. She tidied up her clothes and stood up to head outside.

  "Where is Your Ladyship going?" The trusted maid, Gu Mama, hastily came forward to support her.

  "Your Highness must be in the study at this hour, right? With such a big thing happening, how can I not show my attitude?" Consort Lei said, her eyes raised and shining brightly.

  She can't let Chu Yi'an take the initiative to find her and ask for punishment, she must first strike a blow to clear herself of suspicion, but she doesn't know that this move is just a clown's behavior in front of Chu Yi'an.

  A group of people hastily went to Chuyi An's study.

  The study is a forbidden place, and Lei Ce Fei does not dare to enter it rashly. Once she goes in, she will directly kneel down outside the courtyard with her back straight, without saying another word.

  At that time, Zhu Yi'an was discussing official business with Zeng Guanjia. Suddenly, Lu Yuan pushed the door open and came in to report, "Your Highness, Ce Fei is kneeling outside the courtyard, saying that she did not manage her household properly, allowing rumors to spread out and damage the reputation of the county master's daughter, and has come to apologize to you."

  Chu Yi's pen paused for a moment, frowning impatiently.

  Zeng Guanjia understood and immediately said: "The matter was spread through the words of the third madam."

  First came a move of borrowing a knife to kill someone, and then dared to run in front of oneself with a pretentious attitude?

  Chu Yi'an's temper flared up instantly, and he said coldly, "Go tell her that since she knows she's guilty, she should go to the Buddhist temple and stay with Lian Shi. When she feels like she can make amends, then she can come out."

  Digression

  Yes, Concubine Yi herself rushed to the muzzle, and the first beauty, the county lord's daughter, was also rushing along the road of making a big show, suddenly discovering that these women were having so much fun.

  PS: Dad is getting more and more loving, right? Today's first push, babies collect and give it a try (╭(╯3╰)╮