Chapter 77

Chapter 77

◎Combined Two Chapters◎

"Slow down, son, slow down." Yin Lifang felt quite upset seeing her son gobble down his food.

After Xie Jiuyi was defeated and stripped of his power, Yin Lifang decisively fled with her son and guards. Life on the run was unbearable, and she lived in constant fear of being caught by Xu Cifei's or Wei Duo's men—if they found her, there would be no escape. So, she thought of Li Cheng. When Prince Wu passed away, it was Prince Wei who took in Li Cheng. Given their past connection, it was only right that Li Cheng should take them in now.

But before they even reached Xuzhou, they ran into countless difficulties. Fortunately, her husband's former subordinates took them in, and for the first time, they had a hot meal.

Li Jing picked up a piece of wild rabbit meat. "Mother, this rabbit meat is really fragrant."

Yin Lifang smiled. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. There's also steamed pork. You used to find it too greasy and would blanch it in boiling water made from premium tea leaves to cut the richness. Now it tastes good, doesn't it? Look, there's dried plum vegetables underneath."

...

What Yin Lifang and her son said reached Xu Shao, and he spoke to his wife. "Remember when Prince Wei was still alive, and the Prince of Yuzhang was like a dragon-son, a phoenix-grandson? Now, he's like a beggar."

Madam Xu said, "We should inform the prince as soon as possible. As a member of the same clan, he will surely value the connection."

"I'm afraid the prince might not agree. Many of Prince Huaiyin's subordinates were originally Prince Wei's men. If the Prince of Yuzhang comes, it will be hard for the old master and the new to coexist," Xu Shao replied, voicing his concerns.

Unlike Elder Madame Xu, the couple had some insight, so Xu Shao added, "I plan to have my brother-in-law speak on our behalf. If something goes wrong, we won't be blamed. And if Prince Huaiyin is kind-hearted, he will certainly reward us."

Madam Xu smiled. "Imperial Concubine Yin mentioned that she has a past connection with the prince. I've already had clothes and shoes prepared so she can rest for a few days before meeting him."

Zheng Fang had recently felt that he'd put on a little weight. After yawning one morning, he admitted that while he had no patience for fishing, he certainly had an appetite for eating fish. Thanks to being the father-in-law of Prince Huaiyin, he was constantly invited to banquets.

Hearing that a full fish banquet was being prepared for him, he got ready to go out after washing up. Madame Ji reminded him, "Don't be greedy. Since ancient times, there's no such thing as a 'good banquet.' If people ask for your help, don't agree."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Zheng Fang shot back.

"You're not foolish, just greedy," Madame Ji hit the nail on the head.

Zheng Fang was speechless. "Alright, alright, I'll make a quick exit after eating, okay?"

"If you want to eat something, we have everything at home. There's no need to go out," Madame Ji replied, though she knew he wouldn't stay in. Still, she prepared a pouch for him.

Zheng Fang felt the small silver coins in the pouch, knowing they were for tipping people and appreciating Madame Ji's thoughtfulness. He smiled and said, "Don't worry, I'll be back after I finish eating."

Knowing this old fox was brave in battle but lacked strategy and was as cunning as ever, Madame Ji decided not to press the issue.

After Zheng Fang left, his daughter-in-law Cui Yuehuan and her sister came to pay their respects. Madame Ji quickly asked them to rise. "Second Madam, just accompany your aunt and have some fun."

Cui Yuehuan smiled. "My sister has already secured a house and is preparing to leave. I couldn't keep her, and she wanted to say goodbye to you, so I brought her over."

It turned out that Sister Zhang's husband had found a house and was about to take Madam Zhang away. While the Zheng family was welcoming, Madam Zhang felt uneasy staying there as a guest.

Madame Ji tried to persuade her to stay and had another banquet prepared to see Madam Zhang off.

As for Li Cheng, he had already heard that Yin's mother and son had arrived. He actually hoped they would find a chance to hide and live a peaceful life. Li Jing didn't have the ability to do much, and if they had come to him for refuge right after Prince Wei's death, he might have taken them in. But now, Yin's mother and son were at their wit's end and expected him to take them in and share his resources. How could that be possible?

When Prince Wei was alive, he treated Li Cheng like a steward, putting him in charge of the prince's mansion while all the best opportunities went to Prince Wei's relatives. It wasn't until Prince Wei's relatives fell out of favor that Li Cheng was sent to take Xuzhou, and later, he was forced into a marriage alliance with the Zheng family. Although he and Huiyin had hit it off by chance, according to Prince Wei's original plan, wasn't the idea to first use the marriage alliance with the Zheng family, knowing full well that Li Cheng disliked the Zheng family's character, anticipating that the couple would not get along in the future?

He didn’t blame the late Wei King, knowing that if their positions were reversed, he too would have feared someone gaining too much power. Similarly, he didn’t want the Prince of Yuzhang to grow stronger now.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard that Zheng Fang had arrived, and Li Cheng had someone invite him over.

Zheng Fang had just come from a banquet featuring a whole fish dish, his face still flushed with alcohol. He smiled and said, "I heard a curious thing from the Xu family yesterday. I was going to tell you earlier, but I was afraid you’d still be resting, so I delayed until now."

"Oh, what curious thing? Father-in-law, please do tell. Make yourself comfortable," Li Cheng invited Zheng Fang to sit.

Zheng Fang glanced at Li Cheng and said with a smile, "It’s strange, but Xu Shao found a child on the road who looks like the Prince of Yuzhang. He didn’t dare decide anything on his own and wants you to go identify the child."

Li Cheng was about to refuse when a plan formed in his mind, so he smiled and said, "The Prince of Yuzhang? I last heard he went missing in Yangzhou. How did he end up in our Xuzhou?"

Seeing Li Cheng’s relaxed expression, Zheng Fang added, "I don’t know. In my opinion, this child is probably frightened out of his wits by Wei Duo. You just need to send him back to Yangzhou."

Li Cheng understood Zheng Fang’s implication. It was an opportunity to take Yangzhou under the pretense of sending the Prince of Yuzhang back. The late Wei King had done the same thing.

However, Li Cheng wanted more than just Yangzhou; he wanted the entire world.

"I understand. Thank you for informing me, Father-in-law," Li Cheng said, looking up.

Zheng Fang immediately took the opportunity to leave.

Soon after, Li Cheng went to see Huiyin and told her about the situation. "What do you think?"

"If we just send him off, it could backfire on us. After all, Wei King once took you in. If you abandon his son, people will see you as ungrateful. Moreover, the Prince of Yuzhang is your cousin. If you stand by and do nothing, how can you expect your subordinates to fight for you?" Huiyin replied.

Just like how she wouldn’t mistreat her servants, or they’d stop fighting for her. Now that Li Cheng’s territory had grown larger, with more people, it was natural for discord to arise. If anyone were to suggest that Li Cheng treated his kin as enemies, his subordinates would view him as ruthless and unfeeling.

Li Cheng said, "You, who have never liked the Yin sisters, are surprisingly more generous than I expected."

"I know you came to ask me because you care about my feelings. In my opinion, it would be best for Yin Cifei and her son to stay in our mansion. However, they are the widow and son of Wei King, and the Prince of Yuzhang was never on our side. So, I suggest we invite them to stay at Shuixiu Villa. What do you think?" Huiyin proposed.

If they were to stay in Huaiyin Mansion, Yin Lifang wouldn’t be content to remain quiet. They weren’t ordinary relatives seeking refuge.

Li Cheng shook his head. "No, there’s no need for that. I’ll handle this myself, but I’ll discuss it with only one person. Originally, I planned to use Wei Duo’s massacre of the crown prince to start a rebellion. But I can’t just wait to reap the benefits. I’m thinking of using the Prince of Yuzhang to challenge Wei Duo and take both Jianye City and Yangzhou."

"What do you plan to do?" Huiyin actually thought Li Cheng’s plan was quite good.

Li Cheng continued, "I’m also worried that if we keep the Prince of Yuzhang in our mansion, some might try to seize power while I’m away taking Jianye. So, I plan to bring Li Jing with me to the frontlines. This way, I’ll be at ease, and it will also prevent the people in Jianye from making any rash moves. As for Yin Lifang, why don’t we send her to keep the Dowager Company?"

Huiyin smiled after hearing this. "You can be quite mischievous."

She understood what Yin Lifang was planning, and so did Li Cheng. With Li Cheng not in the mansion, Yin Lifang’s schemes would be like throwing flirtatious glances at a blind man—pointless—and her contact with the outside world would be limited.

Li Cheng thought for a moment. "I can’t just watch from the sidelines anymore. We’ve rested and gathered our strength long enough. This year, our granaries in these regions are full. I need to make a move. If we can take Yangzhou, then head south to capture Jingzhou, I might as well declare myself emperor."

"It’s good that you have such ambitions, but proceed with caution," Huiyin was slightly worried.

Li Cheng smiled. "I always carry the heart-protecting mirror you gave me. Don’t worry."

After staying idle for too long, both people and soldiers would grow rusty. Huiyin agreed.

It was also on that day that Li Cheng had the Xu family send Yin Lifang and her son over. Yin Lifang looked at herself in the mirror, applied some decorative flowers, and changed into brand-new clothes. She then said to Li Jing, "When you meet your cousin, try to be a little warmer."

Li Jing was no longer just a child. He felt that his mother’s attire was inappropriate and felt a sense of shame, but he couldn’t control his own life.

The Xu family hadn’t expected anyone to show up so quickly after Zheng Fang’s message. Xu Shao and his wife, now seeing themselves in possession of a valuable bargaining chip, became even more affectionate and respectful towards Yin Lifang and her son.

"Madam Xu, please rest assured that as long as there is a day for us, there will be a day for you as well." Yin Lifang also promised the Xu family.

Now, the only people she could rely on were the Xu family. The Xu family wanted to hold onto her as a valuable asset, so she decided to give them that hope.

With such a public display, Madame Ji also found out. She had just learned from Zheng Fang that Elder Madame Xu had mentioned something about a previous marriage arrangement between Li Cheng and Yin Lifang, which infuriated Madame Ji.

Xin Shi and Cui Yuehua were both sitting below. Cui Yuehua was genuinely worried, as their fates were tied to Huiyin. If her status was threatened, they would also suffer. However, Xin Shi, while showing sympathy on the surface, felt a sense of vindication in her heart. Previously, Madame Ji hadn't helped her with Dong Shi's matter, and now she was anxious about her own daughter. Wasn't this karma?

"Madam, please don't worry, our Prince and Princess have a good relationship. I believe those rumors from the past were just idle talk." Xin Shi comforted.

Actually, Cui Yuehua had heard something about it years ago when the Princess of Wei mentioned it to her family. But how could she bring it up now? She only said, "Madam, why don't we go to the mansion and see for ourselves?"

"The Princess values her reputation; we shouldn't go and make things worse." Madame Ji knew her daughter well; she had her methods and didn't like to show weakness to others.

Cui Yuehua quickly added, "Yes, and that Yin Cifei is technically the elder of the Prince. Our Prince is a man of principle and wouldn't let anyone gossip about it."

"Yes, the Prince's character is truly impeccable, how virtuous he is." Madame Ji, feeling relieved, sighed, "I've always known how strict he is, even with the imperial examinations. He wouldn't give an inch to relatives. Some of these rumors are just meant to throw us off; there's no need to take them too seriously." Madame Ji had thought it through and understood.

Cui Yuehua smiled, "Yes, I feel the same way, Mother."

After the two daughters-in-law left, Cui Yuehua invited Xin Shi to sit with her. Xin Shi said, "There are still many things at home, so I won't stay long, please forgive me, Sister-in-law."

"If you say that, you're distancing yourself from me." Cui Yuehua didn't really expect Xin Shi to come over.

They exchanged pleasantries and returned to their rooms. Nanny Rong had someone bring tea, "You've been talking upstairs for a while, your throat must be dry. Have some tea to moisten your throat."

Cui Yuehua took the tea and couldn't help but smile, "I see Big Sister is still angry at Madam Dong? It's as if she's holding a grudge against Madam. In the past, when she asked Madam for favors, she was so affectionate. Now, just because things haven't been going her way, her attitude has cooled significantly."

"Exactly, actually Big Madam's life is quite comfortable. Madam Dong brought a large sum of money and didn't have any children, so it all went to Master's son. How could she complain?" Nanny Rong couldn't understand it either.

Cui Yuehua said, "Maybe Madam Dong was too good, not fighting or grabbing, just looking for support. If she had been more cunning or manipulative, it would have been different. I think she's genuinely an honest person. My husband is different from Big Master; he's sincere and passionate about everyone. He went to train the navy and didn't come back for half a year. I had a girl prepared at home for him, but he didn't take her."

Nanny Rong added, "But it's not Madam's fault. Madam even went to ask the Princess about it. The Princess is a rare sensible person; how could she meddle in her brother's household affairs?"

"Exactly, if she really objected, why didn't she talk to Big Master herself? Instead, she's inciting others to take the lead. It's really annoying to watch."

Nanny Rong handed over a piece of ginger plum, "Why get worked up over her? Let her play smart, but the Princess might see through her."

Mentioning the Princess, Cui Yuehua said, "Nanny, to be honest, why do you think the Prince is taking care of Yin Lifang and her son? Is it really because he's a good person?"

Nanny Rong knew the truth well; Yin Lifang and Li Cheng were indeed genuine cousins.

But she couldn't say it out loud, only pretending to be unaware and claiming not to know.

It was also said that Grand Dowager Wu had liked Yin Lifang back when she was in the Prince of Wei's mansion. Now, seeing Yin Lifang and Li Jing coming over, she personally had Nanny Fan help them up.

Huiyin noticed and said, "The Prince didn't know you were in distress. It's quite a coincidence that the Xu family found you in such a situation."

"Yes, it's truly providential that we encountered the Prince and Princess; now we have a place to stay." Yin Lifang had come to Huaiyin Mansion once before to persuade Li Cheng for the Prince of Wei, but she hadn't paid much attention to the mansion at that time. Now seeing it, it wasn't smaller than the Prince of Wei's mansion.

It was already evening, but the place was lit up brightly, with servants standing in rows. The carved beams and painted rafters were magnificent, not to mention the jade glass lanterns, lotus candle holders, crystal curtains, white jade steps, fine gauze embroidered screens, and famous calligraphy and paintings...

She had once been accustomed to such luxury, but when she went to Yangzhou, it wasn't as grand as Jianye, and living at the Xu family's home was even more stifling. Not to mention the rush during the journey. Seeing such a splendid and rich place again, Yin Lifang felt as if it were a dream from yesterday.

Huiyin invited them to sit, and outside, they asked Li Jing to go out for dinner.

Li Jing instinctively looked at Yin Lifang, who said to him, "Go ahead."

The table was filled with a feast of dishes from land and sea, and maids kept entering in a line to serve. The most interesting dish was crab-stuffed oranges, prepared with exquisite craftsmanship.

Even that night, the room where Yin Lifang was staying, prepared by Grand Dowager Wu, was meticulously arranged, with high beds, soft pillows, fragrant scents, and beautiful maids attending to her, all pleasing to the eye.

"Here, this is a reward for the two of you." Yin Lifang was quite generous in this regard, giving away two thick gold hairpins without hesitation.

The two maids didn’t dare to accept them, but Qiaozhen, who was by Yin Lifang’s side, persuaded them, "If the two sisters don’t take it, our lady will be upset."

Only then did they accept the gift.

Yin Lifang then said, "There’s no need for you to stand guard tonight. I have Qiaozhen to attend to me."

The two maids, very discerning, withdrew.

Once they had left, Qiaozhen said in a low voice, "Our Prince of Yuzhang has settled in the front courtyard. Do you think there will be any issues, madam?"

"Whether there are issues or not, we’ve already arrived at the mansion. It’s a situation where they are the knife and we are the fish. What can we do? Jing’er still has a few years before he gets married. I think Li Cheng will handle him the same way the Prince of Wei once did." This thought gave Yin Lifang some comfort.

Li Cheng was someone she had known since childhood, so he couldn’t be all that bad—certainly better than someone like Wei Duo.

However, Qiaozhen wondered to herself if Yin Cifei, despite her careful grooming, had even met the Prince of Huaiyin. She also noticed that Yin Cifei didn’t seem concerned about the Prince of Yuzhang. She even wondered if Yin Cifei was planning to offer herself to the Prince of Huaiyin.

Indeed, Yin Cifei was still young and fertile. The Prince of Huaiyin was excellent in war. If he were to rule the world in the future, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to follow him.

But these thoughts she could only keep to herself.

It was also the first time that Li Jing spoke to Li Cheng as if he were an adult. Li Cheng was telling him, "Settle down here for now. You can read more often. Since you're older, you'll be moving to the outer courtyard. The Grand Dowager will send someone over."

"Yes, I'll follow Elder Brother's advice." The Prince of Yuzhang felt more at ease, seeing that Li Cheng's household was more orderly than the Prince of Wei's residence.

Li Cheng smiled, "I won’t disturb you then. Stay comfortably here. If you need anything, ask your sister-in-law."

After exchanging a few more words, Li Cheng promptly summoned his advisors.

With Yin Lifang and her son safely settled, Huiyin treated them with the same provisions as herself, which caused Madame Ji to come over personally, stirred up by rumors.

"I've heard some idle talk, I don't know if it's true or false, but I was afraid you might be betrayed." Madame Ji was most worried about her daughter.

Huiyin said, "Mother, Yin has other uses. I can’t tell you exactly what they are, but rest assured, I’m not so foolish. The prince treats me just as he always has."

The concern from her family warmed Huiyin’s heart, but some matters couldn’t be resolved by familial concern alone.

Just like Yin Lifang, if she were in Yin Lifang’s position, Huiyin didn’t know what she would do—hiding for fear of betrayal, seeking refuge and fearing death, the difficulties were endless. But she would never pin her hopes on someone else to restore her fortunes.

Yet, Yin Lifang still thought this way, appearing content with her support, believing it could give her justice.

Elder Madame Xu and her followers had been feeling particularly satisfied lately. Elder Madame Xu had always been a bit eccentric, and now with Xu Shi by her side, the aunt and niece stirred up trouble for no reason, hoping someone would challenge Huiyin, thus curbing Madame Ji's arrogance.

At noon, the two were sharing pears to eat. Elder Madame Xu loved pears, but they were too cold, so she only ate a small piece each time. Fortunately, now Xu Shi could share them with her.

"These are jade pears. We only got this basket in the entire mansion, and it’s all here with me. It shows how filial the Duke is." Elder Madame Xu, eating the juicy pear, was in high spirits.

Xu Shi smiled, "It’s because the Duke sees that Second Miss is incapable. He’s just trying to curry favor with our Xu family."

It was a bit of a hypocritical statement, but Xu Shi knew that Elder Madame Xu liked to hear it.

"Actually, I also hope our family does well, but if Huiyin gains power, she won’t help Deyin." Elder Madame Xu lamented.

If Huiyin were willing to help, Elder Madame Xu wouldn’t feel so resentful.

The two women, their lips glistening with juice, wiped their mouths with several fine silk handkerchiefs when they saw someone requesting an audience outside. Elder Madame Xu was puzzled, "What does she want at this time?"

They came without sending a formal invitation or notifying us in advance, rushing over unexpectedly.

As soon as Lady Xu greeted elder Madame Xu, she immediately said, "Aunt, just now the Prince of Huaiyin mobilized his troops, saying he wants to take back Jianye and Yangzhou. Not only that, but he also brought the Prince of Yu Zhang to the front lines. Our elder master, having once been an aide to Prince Wei and still connected with Prince Wei's former subordinates, went to inquire. Some of Prince Wei's former subordinates wondered if this place was being given to the Prince of Yu Zhang. At the time, the Prince of Huaiyin suppressed his anger, but today he found an excuse to have him whipped thirty times with a horsewhip and had General Pei, your eldest son, take over his position."

"We fear that the Prince of Huaiyin may be using the Prince of Yu Zhang on the front lines with the intention of having him meet a mysterious end, in order to claim Prince Wei's territory."

Elder Madame Xu and her niece were neither interested in nor understood such political machinations. At most, they just wanted to make Huiyin's life a bit more difficult, but they had no influence over such important matters.

Just as the tension in the room thickened, Zheng Fang burst in and declared, "You truly have not given up your treacherous intentions. As the father-in-law of the Prince of Huaiyin and a member of his inner circle, I cannot tolerate anyone undermining the Prince of Huaiyin on his own turf. Today, I must act for the greater good, even if it means turning against my own kin."