Xie Jiayan let out a faint sneer, "What fault did he commit that he shouldn't bear such a price?"
The Five Clans joined forces to stir up trouble, intending to use a borrowed knife to kill, ensuring Xiao Che would never return to the capital.
The Eighth Prince's fief was closest to Youzhou. He could take advantage of the situation, leading his defeated army to quell the rebellion and stabilize the border in one go.
Upon his triumphant return to the capital, the Eighth Prince would be registered under the Empress as her legitimate son. At that point, the aristocratic families would pressure the ministers in court, and even the Sage would be powerless to stop them.
If they were to act more ruthlessly, the Sage's life might even be in danger.
He wasn't helping the Seventh Prince, nor was he helping the Sage. He simply didn't want their power struggle to harm the common people.
Liaokong bowed and retreated. Xie Jiayan used a lamp pick to trim the wick, and the candlelight brightened considerably.
He then picked up his brush and wrote clearly, from how to distinguish colors to how to mix them.
He had been busy these past few days and couldn't personally teach her, but she was always intelligent, and she should be able to understand this.
The next day, Yu Mingyue entered the study and saw the steps Xie Jiayan had written. He had also prepared several pigments.
When did he return last night? Preparing these must have taken considerable time.
Yu Mingyue frowned. Brother Jiayan had been acting strangely busy lately. Had something major happened in court?
Yu Mingyue remembered visiting Sister Lingyi yesterday. She hadn't seen her for just over half a month, yet Lingyi had lost so much weight that she looked as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
When Lingyi had said that the spring in Youzhou was not as bright as in the capital, her eyes were filled with sadness. At the time, Yu Mingyue thought she was homesick.
Now, she wondered if that wasn't the case.
Lingyi was never one to be melancholic about the changing seasons. Could it be Youzhou...
Yu Mingyue's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to return to her residence, she saw Zhuyu enter with a panicked expression, "Miss."
"What happened?" Yu Mingyue calmed down.
"Third Master said the latest war report from Youzhou indicates the Luo family has defected. The Eldest Princess committed suicide, and the Seventh Prince and the Heir are missing," Zhuyu said, cautiously watching her young lady's expression.
"Let's return to the residence first," Yu Mingyue suppressed her worry.
The Eldest Princess's suicide was just like the ending in those storybooks.
Sister Lingyi probably knew the Eldest Princess's fate long ago.
Liaokong watched Yu Mingyue hurry away. He wanted to say something but ultimately remained silent.
Qingfeng Garden
Upon hearing footsteps, Cui Shi knew her daughter had arrived. She quickly wiped away her tears with a handkerchief and forced a calm smile, "Yue'er is here."
"Mother," Yu Mingyue was not a three-year-old child, and Cui Shi's tear-stained traces were not hidden from her.
Yu Mingyue stepped forward and took Cui Shi's hand. "The Seventh Prince and brother will be fine. The Yu family has an innate sense of direction. Even if they were dropped in a desert, brother wouldn't get lost. They also have imperial guards with them. Perhaps their communication was temporarily cut off, but they are definitely not missing."
Yu Mingyue's grandfather, who rose from the ranks of a common soldier to earn the trust of the late Emperor as a great general, relied on his keen sense of direction and had saved the late Emperor more than once.
"Yue'er is right. Your brother will be fine," Cui Shi patted her daughter's hand.
How could the children cultivated with the combined might of Cui Shi and the Yu family be so easily lost on the battlefield?
Absolutely not, no.
Although Yu Mingyue comforted Cui Shi like this, she herself was filled with worry.
The Five Clans entering the capital, the rebellion in Youzhou, were these mere coincidences?
Was the capital about to fall into chaos?
No, the military power of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Army and the Imperial Guards of the Northern Army, responsible for the capital's defense, was all in the hands of the Sage.
If the Five Clans were to force their way into the palace, it would be akin to offering themselves up for execution. Their greatest strength lay in manipulating people's hearts and creating public opinion.
This was also why the Sage had not used force against the Five Clans for so many years.
But why had they entered the capital at this time?