CHAPTER 1075: CHAPTER 592: EARL, WON’T YOU EXPLAIN YOURSELF? (2)

The attendants were unaware of the situation but dared not refute, fortunately, although their hands were bound, they could still get up and walk.

He ordered his subordinates to drive out the Commandery Princess and others, Zhao Douan was the last to leave. He turned his head to look at Princess Yunyang sitting on the steps, her belly swollen.

Calmly said, "Once born, claim it is the Prince Consort’s child."

Princess Yunyang silently watched him and asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Zhao Douan did not answer, and walked straight away.

The entrance of the nunnery.

Zhao Douan stepped off the steps and looked at the group of Commandery Princess being "escorted" away, he squinted slightly.

Softly muttered, "Thought there was a lot of arrogance, now it seems mostly an act. None of them are easy characters."

At this moment, another rider came galloping from afar.

A Jinyi rider dismounted and walked to his front, bowed, "Sir, Marquis Jishi sends someone to inform."

Hou Renmeng is in charge of watching Prince Hejian, Xu Wenyan. Sending someone here indicates there’s action on Xu Wenyan’s side too.

"Speak," Zhao Douan commanded.

"Report, sir, after Prince Hejian returned to the post from the palace, he did not leave but sent his subordinates to deliver invitation cards to the nobles in the city. Moreover, it’s learned from the post house that Prince Hejian’s convoy carries many precious gifts."

Nobles? Gifts? Zhao Douan raised an eyebrow, exhaled, and lightly said, "I see."

...

Post house.

In a teahouse on the second floor, the brazier heated the room warm.

The obese and foolish prince Xu Wenyan sat opposite the Great Guest Minister Mr. Feng across a small tea table, on which were several dossiers on people in the Capital.

The cotton curtain at the dead angle of the tea table hung down, enclosing the square table. When seated, the feet tucked under the table, warming the whole body.

"Knock knock."

The tea room door was knocked, Xu Wenyan said enter, a trusted aide walked in: "Report, Prince, just received news, Yanshan Commandery Princess met with Lihua Hall Master at Jizhao Temple and seemed to suffer a setback..."

After hearing the details, both Xu Wenyan and Mr. Feng were momentarily surprised, showing unexpected expressions.

"Investigate more and report back," Mr. Feng said, dismissing the aide. Then he turned to the Young Master: "How does the Prince see it?"

Xu Wenyan pondered for a moment, smiled, "Presumably trying to probe Xu Xueling, losing is not surprising, this is ultimately someone else’s domain. On the contrary, that Lihua Hall Master, rumored to hold an Offering Waist Card, identity mysterious, an agent of Zhao Douan in the Capital? I’d like to see. Can’t meet Zhao Douan, but insights might be gained from subordinates."

Mr. Feng worriedly said, "Xu Xueling was pushed by us to be the leading bird, now suffering a setback, who knows if she’ll stir trouble, implicating us."

Xu Wenyan shook his head, with eyes revealing no foolishness, rather shrewdness: "My Xueling sister is not foolish, hahaha, her arrogance is true, but I dare say she is not foolish."

Mr. Feng smiled, "As a rebel’s daughter, she comes for negotiation, yet is so high-profile in the Capital, isn’t that foolish?"

Xu Wenyan lightly sighed, eyes full of helplessness, "What choice do we have? Negotiation is life-threatening, if it succeeds, excellent; but if slightly awry, I and she will be the first sacrifices. Naturally, we must find ways to protect ourselves."

"This Young Master is feigning foolishness, Xu Xueling’s sheer arrogance, isn’t it also a layer of disguise? Negotiation concerns life and death, Yu Country’s fate, details wouldn’t be disrupted by her bit of arrogance. Collapse from arrogance? Haha, that underestimates the court’s officials, underestimates the Empress."

Mr. Feng sighed, "Thus, the conduct of Prince and Commandery Princess won’t affect negotiation. Because the actual negotiators are I and that Inner Minister from the Yanshan Royal Mansion. Instead, if Prince and Commandery Princess show too much cleverness and skill, they might incite wariness from the Empress."

Xu Wenyan helplessly laughed, "That’s right. But we can’t just go through the motions, otherwise, we can’t account back home, so things must be done, but it’s best for me and her to play a mindless role. Haha, first thing after court, visiting Yunyang is also publicly posturing? For the city’s royal relatives and nobles to see?"

How to secure benefits in negotiation, what’s the approach?

It’s simple: strive to win allies as much as possible.

The Capital isn’t their domain, so negotiating single-handedly will certainly incur losses.

One strategy is to recruit a group of "allies" to assist in lobbying.

After several major purges on the court, the civil and military officials have pledged allegiance to the Empress, can’t rely on them.

Therefore, Xu Wenyan and Xu Xueling have focused on the city’s overlooked yet influential noble group.

Coincidentally, the noble group might not necessarily want the Empress to dictate solely, or see the downfall of various Vassal Kings.

"Gifts have long been prepared, invitations sent out." Mr. Feng said, "But surely not all nobles are willing to wade into this muddy water. Especially Duke Chen, I’d fear he won’t easily meet with the Prince."

Duke Chen, is that old noble with the eighteen jade-embedded Purple Gold Imperial Gifted Belt.

Highly reputable, but rarely intervenes in court politics, his last appearance when Zhao Douan wanted to strip Duke An, Cao Mao’s military authority.

At that time, Duke Chen stepped in once, delivering a strong blow to Cao Mao.

In that incident, Duke Chen stood by the Empress, but this doesn’t mean he’s of the Imperial Faction.

Rather, Cao Mao’s rebellious intent then threatened the noble group’s interests, also Yu Country’s stability.

"Won’t meet, then I’ll keep visiting," Xu Wenyan said leisurely, "After all, they’re all kinship-extended elders, I, as a royal family representative, visiting a Duke is proper and lawful, even the Empress can’t criticize."

Mr. Feng worriedly said, "Hope all goes well."

...

...

That day, the arrival of the mission added a turbulent stream to the Capital, countless observed secretly.

Upon return to the post house, Xu Xueling shut herself indoors, reportedly almost whipped a servant to death in anger that evening.

Next day, dawn.

Zhao Douan stepped out of his residence behind Lihua Hall early, waited for his subordinates to clock in.

He then leisurely said, "Today Little Rou and Zheng stay, Hou and Shen, you two take some men in plain clothes and follow me out."

"Yes," the four nodded.

After a while.

Zhao Douan led a group of plainclothed imperial guards out, to keep a low profile, they went by carriage instead of horseback.

Zhao Douan entered the carriage compartment, cradling a warm heater, as Hou Renmeng drove, other guards pretended to be servants alongside the carriage.

Today’s aim was to track Prince Hejian’s heir.

Forward position had people monitoring Xu Wenyan’s every move, Zhao Douan could receive updates anytime.

"Sir, Xu Wenyan indeed started visiting nobles with a carriage of gifts," Shen Juan reported.

Zhao Douan reclined loosely in the carriage, calmly said, "Follow, but not too closely."

"Yes."

The first stop was the Count Yanshan’s mansion.

When Zhao Douan’s carriage arrived, Xu Wenyan had already left.

"Sir, Xu Wenyan entered Count Yanshan’s mansion, stayed for about three quarters, has now departed," Shen Juan reported.

Zhao Douan opened his eyes, dropped the heater embraced, leisurely stepped down from the carriage, squinted at the quiet Count’s residence ahead, said: "We shall sit for a while too."

Then he led a few people, walked straight to the mansion’s gates, knocked, Hou Renmeng briefly showed the waist card, and then rudely pushed open the door, escorting Zhao Douan inside.

Inside the mansion.

Count Yanshan was a middle-aged man, at this time sitting inside, the tea drunk with Xu Wenyan still warm on the table.

Upon hearing commotion outside, hurried out, in the courtyard saw Zhao Douan wearing a white mask, dressed casually.

"Master Bai Jisi!" Count Yanshan was shocked, recognized Zhao Douan’s "identity."

Forehead beaded with sweat.

Zhao Douan acknowledged, then smiled at the Count, gaze cast toward a few gift boxes placed in Inner hall, smiled, "Count, care to explain?"