"If my son hadn't spoken up, the Marquis of Anding wouldn't have realized the problem. His eldest son was too calm, and based on his understanding, he shouldn't have been. Did he have a backup plan? He also blamed himself for being so flustered that he lost his composure and failed to notice his son's unusual behavior.
'What's the use of being anxious? If anxiety could change the court's situation and our family's fate, I would be anxious too. One must be calm and collected when facing issues and strategize. That's the way to go. My second brother's cultivation is still too shallow; he needs more practice,' the eldest son retorted, hinting at the second son's shortcomings.
'Fine, I'd like to see what method you can come up with. If our Marquis of Anding's estate can remain stable in the future, I'll kneel down and kowtow to you,' the second son said angrily, looking at him. When the Marquis's estate was destroyed, no one would escape.
'Second brother, you'd better be ready to kowtow to me,' the eldest son said confidently, looking at him.
The second son choked. Did he really have a plan? He wanted to ask but felt that asking would be admitting defeat, which was too humiliating. He flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
When only the two of them were in the room, the Marquis of Anding said impatiently, 'You've kept me in the dark for so long. Fine, there's no one else here, so stop playing coy.'
The eldest son immediately leaned close to his ear and told him everything.
'If that's the case, it couldn't be better. His willingness to tell you everything shows great respect and trust. I initially felt you were wronged, but now it seems you've saved our entire family. However, you still need to pretend to be anxious when you go out, otherwise, it will arouse suspicion,' the Marquis of Anding said excitedly.
'Yes,' the eldest son immediately agreed. It was truly a case of 'hills and streams exhausted, another village appears in the shade of willows.'
With a plan in mind, the Marquis of Anding began to feign illness the next day and stopped attending court. Everyone knew that he was probably worried sick. In fact, they were no different from him. The thought of their family's future kept them up at night. Unlike the Marquis of Anding, they couldn't collapse; they had to closely monitor every move of the court.
The Emperor and the ministers deliberated, but they could only pull some soldiers from various garrisons to resist. They couldn't just let the enemy march in, could they? Although the wars with the various princes were already very tight, they could hold on for a while longer.
The enemy's troops and strength were already insufficient, and what made Ye Xingli even more speechless was that at this critical juncture, someone in the court was still withholding military rations and providing substandard winter clothing for the soldiers. If they didn't fail, who would? He advanced like a hot knife through butter, reaching the outskirts of the capital in just three months.
Looking at the grand and magnificent capital city walls, they couldn't help but sigh. It was worthy of being the imperial capital; even the city towers were built with such care. How resplendent would the imperial palace be? The thought alone was enticing.
As the Grand Commander besieged the city, all households shut their doors tightly, and the ministers gathered in the imperial palace, filled with anxiety. If the dynasty changed, what good end would they, the old officials, meet? At best, they would be spared their lives and retire to their homes.
The Emperor, looking at their expectant gazes, couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness, and more so, a sense of desolation. Recalling his life, he was born in the palace, constantly engaged in intrigues. After finally becoming Emperor, he had to worry about being overshadowed. He had worked diligently for so many years, yet the great dynasty was about to end in his hands. He didn't even need to think; how could the other party spare his life? They would surely eliminate all threats.
'Didn't you say there was a way to help our Marquis of Anding's estate survive? The enemy is already at the gates. Once they break in, none of us will live,' the second son stormed into the eldest son's room, shouting before he even entered. However, upon seeing an unexpected person after entering, he immediately fell silent and quickly bowed to his father.
'Keep a close eye on him and don't let any of his family members leave that courtyard.' The Marquis was very displeased that his conversation with his eldest son had been interrupted. He quickly instructed the hidden guards behind him. He hadn't forgotten that this person had interfered in the matter of his eldest daughter-in-law. This time, it involved hundreds of lives, and he was afraid this person would ruin everything.
As he was dragged away, the second son looked bewildered and even a little sad. Even at this critical juncture, his father still favored and protected him. He had only questioned him a couple of times and was now confined by his father.
When the room quieted down again, the Marquis, along with his confidants and the eldest son, went to a dilapidated courtyard not far away.
This was his first time entering it. His father had strictly forbidden everyone from entering. He thought there was some hidden treasure inside, but upon entering, he found it empty.
In front of everyone, the Marquis of Anding pressed a few spots on the bed in the main house, and unexpectedly, a large pit appeared.
'What is this?' the eldest son asked his father, his eyes filled with disbelief.
'Before our family moved in, a prince lived here. This garden had beautiful scenery, and at the time, I had a good relationship with the former Emperor, so this garden was bestowed upon me. It was while renovating the garden that I discovered this secret passage and sealed off this courtyard, intending to leave it as a fallback for you. I thought I wouldn't need it in my lifetime, but I never expected to have to use this path in my old age,' he said as he led them in.
The secret tunnel was narrow, only wide enough for two people to walk abreast. After walking a short distance, they found a basement, as large as a room, filled with many chests.
'This is all our family's assets, and I've stored them all here.' If it weren't for this critical moment, he would have opened the chests and shown them one by one. But now, every second counted, and he didn't have the leisure for such things.
After an unknown amount of walking, they finally reached the end. The Marquis of Anding activated a mechanism and took the lead. The eldest son jumped out and saw another empty room, unsure of its location.
Soon, the Marquis of Anding explained, 'This is a manor in the suburbs, about twenty li from the capital. When I discovered this secret passage and knew where it led, I managed to buy this manor. I came to repair it annually and built a few small rooms nearby, leaving two old servants to guard it.'
After watching his son and a few confidants leave, the Marquis returned the same way. That night, when it was late and quiet, many people entered the Marquis of Anding's estate through this secret passage and quietly approached the city gates.
The Emperor was still asleep when the city gates were opened from the inside and outside. He quickly packed the gold and silver he had prepared and led his men to the secret passage.
'Where is the Emperor going in the middle of the night?' the commander of the Imperial Guard, leading his men, stood not far from the Emperor with ill intentions.
'Don't forget that I picked you up. Without me, you would have died long ago. Now that you're grown, you're ungrateful.' Speaking of this, the Emperor gritted his teeth in hatred, feeling that the other party was a white-eyed wolf."