Pei Lie’s expression turned startled, and he cast a pleading look toward Zhao Yi beside him.
Zhao Yi understood immediately, promptly crossing his legs and waving a folding fan, the very picture of a spoiled noble heir.
“If it were Ah Yan, would you be willing to arrange a marriage for him?”
Ji Wuyuan smiled lazily, his posture carefree: “Ah Yan…”
“In the future, if there’s anyone in Jingcheng he takes a liking to, I will have them wrapped up and delivered to his bed.”
“Whether it’s a young lady from the Jiang Family, the Wang Family, or the Li Family…”
Zhao Yi, fearless, retorted: “Come on, cousin, aren’t all the noble ladies in Jingcheng already on your Imperial Selection roster?”
“If he fancies someone from the palace, would you still send them?”
Ji Wuyuan replied indifferently with an “Mm,” generously stating: “As long as Ah Yan likes them, I’ll send them all.”
Zhao Yi, shocked, gave him a thumbs-up: “Cousin, you’re truly generous!”
“What, do you want one too?”
Ji Wuyuan raised an eyebrow, the smile at the corner of his mouth evident.
Zhao Yi suddenly sensed trouble.
He felt a chilling breeze around him, his hairs standing on end.
He knew Ji Wuyuan’s temperament all too well: when his cousin smiled, nothing good ever followed!
Sure enough, the next moment, he saw him speak with a smile.
“How about I issue an edict and bestow General Lin’s eldest legitimate daughter upon you?”
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yi’s pupils trembled violently, and the folding fan in his hand fell to the ground.
“Cousin, I was wrong!”
As he spoke, he began slapping his own mouth, putting on a pitiful, aggrieved act.
“My mouth is cheap, please don’t hold it against me, cousin…”
What a joke!
Everyone in Jingcheng knew that this eldest Miss Lin was fierce-tempered, robust in build, and strong as an ox.
She was prone to fighting and violence, having already driven away two betrothed husbands with her fists.
And General Lin, crude and burly in stature, was notoriously protective of his own, especially his daughter.
With such a formidable father and daughter pair, how could his frail body possibly endure it?
Yet the half-smiling, half-mocking expression on Ji Wuyuan’s face seemed genuine, making Zhao Yi’s heart tremble with fear. He cast a pleading glance toward Xie Zhiyan across from him.
Seeing this, Xie Zhiyan coughed lightly twice and spoke calmly: “Let’s get down to business. Ah Yuan cannot stay out of the palace for too long.”
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone present dropped their earlier playful demeanor.
Zhao Yi, as if granted a reprieve, spoke first: “Cousin, this grand edict you issued for the Imperial Selection… surely it’s not just for… expanding the royal lineage?”
His tone weakened toward the end.
Ji Wuyuan curled his lips, picked up the tea on the table, and took a subtle sip, his expression inscrutable.
“In the two years since His Majesty ascended the throne, his focus has been on the court, indeed neglecting the rear palace.”
“Now, with no empress in the rear palace, all affairs of the six palaces are controlled solely by Empress Dowager Qi.”
“Her niece, Qi Guifei, holds unrivaled power in the rear palace.”
“The two of them have secretly profited for the Qi Family on numerous occasions.”
“And the Qi Family, relying on their backing from Empress Dowager Qi, has grown increasingly arrogant in recent years,” Xie Zhiyan said gravely.
“They have even frequently courted court officials in private and amassed wealth everywhere.”
Pei Lie was greatly alarmed: “What is the Qi Family trying to do?”
“Could they be planning a rebellion?!”
Xie Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, his once-deep eyes now icy and menacing.
“They wouldn’t dare.”
“Now that His Majesty has consolidated power in the court, the Ministry of Rites, the Censorate, the Hanlin Academy… there is no longer a place for the Qi Family!”
Zhao Yi abruptly closed his folding fan, suddenly enlightened: “So, the Qi Family has been secretly sending messengers to Beijing zhi di over the past year—they want to win over Prince Zhenbei, Ji Wuwang!”
Xie Zhiyan nodded.
“Hmph, the Qi Family is truly insatiable, their ambition laid bare!” Zhao Yi said angrily.
“Cousin, what do you plan to do next?”
Ji Wuyuan smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
He curled his knuckles, tapping the tabletop with his fingertips, and said slowly, “The Qi Family cannot remain.”
In just a few words, the fate of the Qi Family was sealed.
Apart from Xie Zhiyan, the other two wore expressions of shock.
Zhao Yi was the first to speak: “Cousin, wouldn’t that be too impulsive?”
“Empress Dowager Qi is not your birth mother, but she and the Qi Family helped you ascend the throne—they have the merit of supporting the dragon. If you rashly move against them, you will be branded with the infamy of being unfilial, unjust, and persecuting meritorious officials.”
Ji Wuyuan sneered, “I have never cared for such slander.”
“However, acting directly would indeed bring some trouble.”
Because he was uncertain whether the Qi Family, having entrenched themselves for so many years, still held hidden cards.
Yet, these people were like a thorn in his throat—unable to be removed, yet impossible to swallow.
Truly troublesome, yet stuck like a fishbone.
But if left unchecked, one day Beijing zhi di and the court would unite, forming a wave capable of overturning the heavens.
“Rather than trying to stop a pot from boiling by skimming the surface, it’s better to take the firewood from beneath the cauldron!” Xie Zhiyan said solemnly.
The smile on Ji Wuyuan’s lips deepened, his fingertips tapping the table with deliberate, increasing force.
“Exactly. This Selection Ceremony will be the beginning.”
“Hmph, the winds of the court have blown in favor of the Qi Family for far too long. It’s time for a change.”
Xie Zhiyan immediately understood, his face wearing an equally inscrutable smile: “The former court and the inner palace are closely intertwined.”
“A single move affects the whole situation—it cannot be underestimated.”
“Not only that, I’ve recently received some news that might serve as a breakthrough to deal with the Qi Family.”
“Ah, you two, stop keeping me in suspense! Tell me quickly,” Zhao Yi urged impatiently.
Xie Zhiyan’s ink-black pupils were like deep, unfathomable pools, his thin lips pressed together.
“Recently, several couples from out of town traveled all the way to Jingcheng to report to the authorities, claiming their daughters had vanished without reason.”
“The incidents occurred over varying periods—some as short as a month, others as long as several years.”
“Strangely, similar cases of young women disappearing without a trace have frequently happened in the towns near them.”
“And they have sought help from officials everywhere, to no avail.”
Zhao Yi’s eyes widened in sudden understanding: “You mean this is related to the Qi Family!”
“Exactly!”
“The results of the Dali Temple’s investigation show that, without exception, the Qi Family’s hand is behind these cases.”
Xie Zhiyan continued, his voice growing colder and more somber: “Besides that, several cases of rape and murder in Jingcheng are also linked to the Qi Family.”
“And all the clues from various investigations point to the same person.”
“Who?” Zhao Yi’s eyes widened further.
“The eldest son of the Qi Family Erfang, Qi Gui!”
As his words fell, the teacup in Ji Wuyuan’s hand shattered with a sharp crack.
He raised the corner of his lips, smiling yet not smiling: “The Qi Family is truly remarkable!”
Those familiar with Ji Wuyuan knew: the more beautiful his smile, the more ruthless he became when killing.
What followed was easy to imagine.
The Qi Family would likely not escape unscathed!
…
Meanwhile, in a certain Yajian on the second floor.
The melodious and captivating sound of the zither drifted gently from the Yajian, its graceful and enchanting tune irresistibly drawing listeners into its spell.
“Bravo, bravo…”
Jiang Wantang reclined lazily on the chaise longue, applauding with a smile as she praised, “What a splendid tune! Xingyun Gongzi truly lives up to his reputation as the star performer of Xunhuan Lou!”
“Not only is your appearance strikingly handsome, but your zither skills are also unparalleled!”
Xingyun chuckled softly, “You flatter me, Noble Lady.”
With that, he rose and walked to Jiang Wantang’s side, leaning down to gaze intently at her.
“From the very beginning, Noble Lady has never truly looked at Xingyun, has she?”
“And what of it?”
Jiang Wantang curved her lips into a bewitching, alluring smile.
Xingyun was momentarily taken aback, his gaze growing dark and profound as he gradually leaned closer to her.
“Since entering Xunhuan Lou, Xingyun has encountered countless women.”
“Yet never have I met anyone as sharp and radiant as Noble Lady, like a freshly unsheathed sword.”
“It truly makes Xingyun… utterly captivated!”
“Since you have come here and spent a fortune for Xingyun, merely listening to the zither seems rather unworthy of your generosity…”
“Tonight, with the moon so beautiful and the company even more so, why not indulge in some lighthearted pleasure together?”
His eyes remained fixed on her, the fervor in his gaze almost palpable.
Jiang Wantang’s lips curled upward, her smile growing ever more radiant, like a mesmerizing enchantress under the night sky.
She smiled at the man before her without uttering a word.
Taking her silence as encouragement, Xingyun slowly drew closer to her.
“Relax, Noble Lady. Leave everything to Xingyun…”