Chapter 228: Silencing (Part 1)
A few days after Xie Jing Xing returned to the residence of Prince Rui, he had to make another trip to Fu Yang City. At the beginning Lu Zheng Xuan chose Fu Yang City as the base of rebellion because of the complicated powers in Fu Yang City. Even though the Mo Yan Army people were sweeping away the remaining forces, they were only military forces. This time the Imperial family would not let any one of those hidden dogs of Lu Zheng Xuan go. It was better to kill three thousands than to let one off, thus the matter was handed over to Xie Jing Xing to oversee personally.
After Xie Jing Xing left, all the matters inside and outside the residence of Prince Rui was handed over to Shen Miao to manage. Due to the heavy weight that the residence of Prince Rui had in the entire Long Ye, many officials were watching and monitoring the every moves of the residence of Prince Rui. The more critical the situation was, the more that they could not make a mistake. Shen Miao was like usual, often chatting with those Furens and subtly passing on some information thus the situation was controlled.
The disaster that was brought by the Lu family was passed and because the rebellion started from the Lu family, there was no impact to the commoners of Long Ye. At the most they would only scold the Lu family for being rebels.
As long as the commoners were stablised, the officials would not dare to make unnecessary movements. The overall situation was stable and everything seemed to be the same as before, with the exception of one family.
The residence of the Prime Minister, the Ye family.
Ye Mao Cai had gone through arduous training in the Imperial courts for so many years and when Emperor Yong Le was initially enthroned, he was only a weak youth but now this youth had grown up to become an unfathomable male and his means were as heartless as his father, thus it seemed that there was no more living routes for the Ye family.
Ye Mao Cai was not as stupid as Lu Zheng Xuan nor was he also arrogant. The forces that Emperor Yong Le shown had made Ye Mao Cai understand that the Ye family was incapable of competing with the Imperial family of Great Liang as it was like a thorn that was pierced onto the Emperor’s body. It was alright that it did not itch or was painful but what the Ye family had to pay was the fate of the entire residence.
No one wanted to die and no one was willing to embark on a route that would end.
Ye Mao Cai started to plan to flee. He hoped that he could protect his only descendent but when necessary, this could also be abandoned. However the most important thing was that the every moves of the Ye family was monitored by the Imperial family’s people so it was very difficult to escape.
Moreover no one had thought that Emperor Xian De’s moves would be that fast.
On this day, Shen Miao just came back from the Imperial Censor’s Furen residence and it was almost late in the evening. The long summer finally passed and the winds of early autumn started to form. The trees and flowers in the courtyard started to fall and cover the floor in a tine layer. Even though it was swept away, when a wind blow, a few more leaves fluttered down. Jing Zhe’s was having headache due to anger but could not help but take the broom to sweep the courtyard.
Shen Miao sat at the edge of the courtyard and Tang Shu came over and said to her with a smile, “Furen, the kitchens has boiled soup. When the soup is ready, one will instruct them to bring a bowl to Furen. These days Furen had been waking up early and returning late at night. It is indeed tiring.”
“It is only accompanying people to talk. It is not tiring.” Shen Miao smiled gently. She also thought about Xie Jing Xing, who was still in Fu Yang and could not help but sighed.
Things were still far from complete. Currently this Yong Ye seemed calm but danger was hiding deeper. Even if the Ye family was taken care, how about Ming Qi, which was thousands of Li (1 Li = 1 mile) away? Now her entire heart was hanging two ways, at one side it was hang up with Ming Qi and the other side was worried about Great Liang. Just how long could Emperor Yong Le’s condition last for and the uncertain matter of when Fu Xiu Yi would join forces with Qin country and attack Great Liang. Once there was any accident, only Xie Jing Xing could handle the responsibility in the Imperial family of Great Liang. Likewise, she had to face even more problems.
Xie Jing Xing’s words were right, there was no time. There was no time for them to slowly deal with the other party.
Just as she was thinking, she saw Mo Qing walking in hurriedly with a strange expression. These days Shen Miao had instructed Mo Qing to monitor the Ye siblings day and night. Ye Mei had already aligned with Jin Xing Ming and Jin Xing Ming would be leaving Great Liang. Shen Miao had decided not to let her succeed as from some perspective, Ye Mei was more of an endless trouble than compared to Ye Mao Cai.
“The Emperor’s side had decreed to invite Ye Mao Cai into the Palace.” Mo Qing said.
Shen Miao was startled, “Enter the Palace?”
Mo Qing nodded his head, “Correct. Currently the Ye residence is in chaos and the servants are escaping scattered but there are people from the Palace that are guarding outside. Insider is however in a mess.”
Shen Miao muttered, “How could it be this fast…”
Everyone knew that Emperor Yong Le wanted to deal with the Ye family so she was also not surprised but Xie Jing Xing was currently in Fu Yang and Emperor Yong Le’s health was not good. To send the order when Xie Jing Xing was present would perhaps be more confident but when Shen Miao thought about it, perhaps by giving the Ye family an opportunity to breathe, Ye Mao Cai might take the opportunity to escape. Now by using the formal reason of inviting Ye Mao Cai to enter the Palace and imprison him, it is smashing the head of the thieves first. The Ye residence, without the head, would first be in chaos so when one would clean up, it would be easy picking.
She thought for a bit and said, “You, Cong Yang and Tie Yi, the three of you immediately go to Ye residence now and monitor Ye Mei and sibling. If they make any moves, only follow. If they want to leave Long Ye, stop them and bring them back. Life and death do not matter.”
“Three people all monitor Ye Mei and sibiling?” Cong Yang jumped down from the tree and said, “It is just overly wastage of talents. One heard that the Ye Furen is not an easy master. Why not I watch over that Ye Furen?”
“No need to bother about her.” Shen Miao said. “Even though she is intelligent, she is after all a married woman. These days the information that one heard was that Ye Mao Cai did not let Ye Furen meddle with his formal affairs so Ye Furen is not in contact with Ye Mao Cai’s forces so she can only be an intelligent woman only. The Emperor did not let her enter the Palace and it was because of this reason. She, one person, would not be able to create any wind or waves. It is Ye Mei and sibling that is very cunning. For them to leave the Ye residence this easily, one felt that it would not be that easy. She would definitely have some plans that would be beneficial to her. This is what you need to pay most attention to.”
Cong Yang thought about it and felt that she spoke with a bit of reason before nodded his head. Tie Yi had always obeyed orders, not to mention Mo Qing. When three of them was about to leave, Shen Miao paused and suddenly stopped them, “Yes, if you encounter the crippled Young Master of the Ye residence, there is no need to harm him. If someone wants to harm him, remember to help him.”
*****
In the night, the Ye residence was in a chaotic mess.
No one had expected that the Imperial family would suddenly send people to ‘invite’ Ye Mao Cai. Even though the servants did not know what exactly had happened, but these days they had been hearing rumours and now that Ye Mao Cai was invited away at this moment, Ye Mao Cai’s resistance had confirm the conjecture in their heart. The first thing they did was to pack up their clothes and jewelry to prepare to flee. Even though no one would shed tears when they fled from a hopeless household, they still pretended that they hoped that it was just a misunderstanding and still did their work. The entire residence was filled with people living with fear.
These servants are usually disciplined by Ye Furen very well but this was a life threatening matter so unless one was a saint, no one would take it for granted.
In the midst of this chaos, Ye Furen was starting to pack up her personal gold and jewelry.
She had long saw Ye Mao Cai’s plan. She initially still had a trace of hope on Ye Mao Cai but in Ye Mao Cai’s fleeing plans, it did not include her from the beginning to the end. A married couple was birds of the same forest but at the face of trouble, each would fly on its own. Ye Furen at last saw clearly that Ye Mao Cai did not have any concerns or care about the husband and wife relationship so she would treat it as though she did not have a husband. Currently Ye Mao Cai’s fleeing plans was to her advantage as who let Ye Mao Cai become the biggest target in Emperor Yong Le’s eyes?
She carefully searched for all the bank notes and jewelry that were light and could be taken around, after all one could not sit still and wait.
Ye Mei and Ye Ke were also the same at this moment.
Ye Ke was pacing back and forth in the room with his brows full of anxiety as he ask Ye Mei periodically, “Older Sister, is what you said true? The Prime Minister residence is truly collapsing? How can this be possible? One did not hear anything at all previously. Perhaps the Emperor invited Father to the Palace for some court matters and it is not like what we are thinking about.”
Ye Mei packed up some bank notes as she had started to pawn those jewelries that a few days back as planned for money before exchanging them for bank notes that could be used in all the banks in Great Liang. These things were good to carry around and were also essential. She said, “Are you still deceiving yourself till now? If it was only to discuss about matters of the court then why did Ye Mao Cai instructed the guards to take action towards those who tried to escape when he was invited away? This is clearly making sure that no one flees.”
“But there was no a single signs at all!” Ye Ke still refused to believe Ye Mei’s words at all.
“It is just that you did not pay any attention.”
Ye Ke’s eyes widen and stared at Ye Mei incredulously, “Eldest Sister, what do you mean? Could it be that you have known earlier? If you already knew it, then why did you not tell me?”
“I only guessed it and most of the time still relied on intuition. Since there is no evidence, even if I were to tell you, will you believe it?” Ye Mei sneered in her heart but on the surface said warmly, “What’s more, I have arranged these matters myself. You are after all my Younger Brother. Now that the Ye family is collapsing, we cannot sink together with them and one have to find an opportunity to escape. I will bring you along.”
Ye Ke’s expression was somewhat complicated and seemed to be very reluctant, “One had thought that the Ye residence was the best choice to stay in and one had not think that one would not even have a single official rank at all and now would even have to flee like a dog. Thinking about this, it would better if one did not come over to the Ye family and remain in Qin province.”
“That might not be necessarily so.” All of Ye Mei’s bank notes had been packed and it was divided to a few bunches, “One always have to ensure one’s life is intact. You better not wait here and go to your room to pack up all the valuables. These things needs to be used when one is fleeing.”
Ye Ke moved his lips but at the end he did not say anything and accepted his fate as he walked out with his head down from Ye Mei’s room. It seemed that he had listened to Ye Mei’s words and returned to the room to pack up.
After Ye Mei saw him left, there was not a sound in the room for a long time before she stood up. A dark look flashed in her eyes and after a short moment, she gently exited the room.
She headed towards Ye Mao Cai’s study.
Ye Mao Cai’s study was closed and normally only Ye Ke and Ye Furen entered the study as Ye Mao Cai would occasionally speak to them. However Ye Mao Cai had a cautious personality thus if he really wanted to hide some things, he would not place it in the study where it would be easily found. However the more dangerous a place was, the safer it was thus Ye Mao Cai did the opposite and deliberately place it in the study which was rather surprising.
However Ye Mei had gotten a tip from Ye Ke previously thus she knew that there was a painting of a beauty in Ye Mao Cai’s study. There seemed to be some flaw in the beauty painting and there was something important to Ye Mao Cai in it. Now that Ye Mao Cai was taken away and there was no hope for Ye Ke to be an official, this thing could only be placed here.