Chapter 160

Chapter 163: Participation (Part 1)

With this in mind, everything became clear.

Eleven Lady couldn't help but re-examine the Second Lady.

Her thoughts aligned with Lord Xu's.

After the incident, Lord Xu's first action was to instruct her to calm the Empress, not to say or do anything that would displease the Emperor.

Lord Xu had a powerful information network, but the Second Lady...

If she had consistently served as an advisor at critical moments in the Xu family, then the respect from the elder madam and Lord Xu towards her could be understood.

As this idea crossed her mind, Eleven Lady couldn't help but feel ambitious.

Society imposes numerous restrictions on women, including the saying that "a woman without talent is virtuous." However, the Xu family's actions clearly defy this saying. Is it because of the Xu family's unique experiences that women have the opportunity to utilize their intelligence, thereby elevating their status within the family? Or is it because the Xu family has always had the confidence and magnanimity to allow women to participate in family affairs?

She believed it was the first reason—when the family was in crisis, those who were pardoned were mostly women and children.

In the "Zheng An Wang's Rebellion Case," twenty-four founding heroes were stripped of their titles, and only five were restored, which is quite telling.

The Second Lady's words not only made Eleven Lady think but also made the elder madam's eyes light up.

"Indeed, that makes sense," she said sharply, looking at Lord Xu, "What do you intend to do?"

Lord Xu looked at the Second Lady, "It's been a long time since you've seen the Empress, hasn't it? This time, when you go to mourn, you should also pay your respects."

The Second Lady nodded, "Rest assured, Lord Xu, I rushed back from the Western Hills to prevent the Imperial Noble Consort and others from taking advantage of the situation and unsettling the Empress's mind. The best way to alleviate grief is to have another prince."

It was akin to a riddle.

Yet everyone in the room grasped the meaning.

Should the Empress be deposed, who would benefit the most?

Of course, it would be the Imperial Noble Consort, who also has a prince and is currently in the Emperor's favor, and the Empress Dowager, who sits in the Cining Palace but worries daily that the vigorous Emperor might abandon her after crossing the river!

If the Emperor and Empress could turn their grief into strength, it would be the greatest counter to this scheme!

"Then we should disperse," Lord Xu stood up, "We must go to the Sishan Gate to mourn early tomorrow."

The elder madam nodded and kept the Second Lady to rest with her, "...I also want to talk to you."

At this time, returning to the back garden would indeed be inconvenient.

The Second Lady had been away for several months, and it was the dead of winter. Just heating the floor would take several hours, and by the time the room was warm, it would probably be time to go to the palace.

The Second Lady hesitated and glanced at Eleven Lady.

Eleven Lady was perplexed.

Why are you looking at me?

I cannot determine your accommodations? I cannot defy the elder madam's wishes?

Instead, she said, "I'll call Madam Du to move the things you usually use."

Upon hearing this, the Second Lady's lips twitched as if she had something to say, but the elder madam had already taken her hand, "You've rushed here in a hurry, go and clean up."

As they spoke, Eleven Miss had already gone to call for Madam Du. Knowing that the gathering had dispersed, Madam Du led a group of young maids and older women into the room.

Eleven Miss curtsied to the elder madam and the second madam: "Lord Xu and I will be leaving now."

The elder madam nodded: "Get some rest early."

After Lord Xu paid his respects to the elder madam, they left her courtyard one after the other.

As they walked, Lord Xu paused, waiting for her to catch up, and asked softly, "Are you afraid?"

Eleven Miss was taken aback.

Lord Xu stopped and gazed at her deeply, "Are you afraid?"

"Yes," Eleven Miss replied seriously. She was genuinely afraid... This was a world entirely unknown to her, with an uncertain future. "But I know Lord Xu always has my back." This was the truth. When trouble arose, the first to face it would be the man, Lord Xu, who represented the family. "With Yuge, Zhenjie, and Chun Ge behind me, I can't afford to be afraid!" This was also the truth. No matter what, she was the adult, and they were children. They were still underage children!

Lord Xu looked at Eleven Miss, who only reached his shoulders but had a calm gaze, and nodded slightly, "Let's go back."

When they returned to the courtyard, they were surprised to find Zhenjie waiting in the hallway.

She gracefully stepped forward to greet them, her eyes filled with concern.

Lord Xu nodded and went inside. Eleven Miss took her hand and said, "Chun Ge is asleep."

Zhenjie nodded, "I returned after he fell asleep."

Eleven Miss looked at her pale face and whispered, "It's nothing." Thinking her words might not be enough, she added, "The matter with the fifth prince is a misunderstanding. But we need to be cautious of rumors and take early precautions."

Zhenjie, being young, saw Eleven Miss's confidence and sighed in relief, "I was so scared!"

Eleven Miss smiled, "Go rest early! Tomorrow, the adults will attend the mourning. I need you to look after Chun Ge for a few days."

Zhenjie quickly replied, "Don't worry, Mother. I'll take good care of him and keep him calm."

Eleven Miss smiled, "I've always trusted Zhenjie." She escorted her to the east wing before returning to her room.

Lord Xu, now changed, came out and asked, "What were you talking about?"

"Zhenjie was worried, so I reassured her."

Lord Xu nodded, "I have business at the Half Moon Pavilion. Rest, no need to wait for me."

He must be meeting with his advisors!

Eleven Miss nodded, saw Lord Xu off, washed up, and went to bed. But her mind was racing, and she only fell into a light sleep by the second watch. As she closed her eyes, there was a commotion outside, and Amber entered, dressed, saying, "Madam, Lord Xu is back."

She got up quickly as Lord Xu entered, bringing a chill. Seeing her awake, he asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Eleven Miss mumbled a response and got up to make tea for him.

Lord Xu, seeing her only wearing a thin jacket, firmly pressed her back down, "Go back to bed, be careful not to catch a cold."

Seeing his firm attitude and Amber leading the young maids in to attend to him, Eleven Miss complied and snuggled back under the covers.

Lord Xu then went to the washroom to clean up.

Eleven Miss and the young maids used a warming pan to heat Lord Xu's bed.

The quilt had just started to warm up when Lord Xu finished washing and came out.

"No need for all that trouble," he said, taking off his shoes and getting into bed. "The room's floor heating keeps it warm."

The young maid quickly took the warming stove and left, while Amber stepped forward to draw the bed curtains for them.

Eleven Miss wanted to ask how things went, but she feared he might think she was overstepping her bounds. In the end, she held back and asked nothing, leaning over to blow out the lamp.

Inside the bed curtains, silence reigned, and both could hear the rhythm of each other's breathing.

Knowing that neither of them was asleep, Lord Xu turned to face Eleven Miss. "Don't worry, this time it was my oversight. I didn't expect the Qu family to be so bold... I won't give them a second chance," he said with a regretful tone.

"The Qu family?" Eleven Miss vaguely remembered that the Imperial Consort's surname was Qu. "Are they the Imperial Consort's relatives?"

"Yes," Lord Xu replied. "The Qu family ancestors served as the Fujian Naval Commanders since the previous dynasty. After pledging allegiance to Da Zhou, their fortunes soared even higher, with members of the family successively holding positions as Fujian Naval Commander, Zhejiang Naval Commander, and Guangdong Naval Commander. During the Jianwu period, when piracy was rampant, Qu Zhuogong led the fight against the Japanese pirates, gaining renown across the land. Later, he assisted Da Zhou in conquering four islands and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Jinghai. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he heavily relied on the Qu family for maritime matters, and the Qu family remained steadfast and dutiful. That's why the Emperor took a Qu woman into the palace."

Eleven Miss thought of that soft, delicate voice... Despite the political reasons, the Emperor must have liked her, right? Otherwise, he could have simply made her a concubine, why make her the Imperial Consort? How could this not make others eager to attempt the same?

Clearly, Lord Xu knew this as well.

"That Qu woman is naturally beautiful and skilled in music. She swiftly gained the Emperor's favor after entering the palace. In just two years, she rose from a Lady to the Imperial Consort," he said coldly. "Coincidentally, she and our Xu family are positioned in the north and south, mutually restraining each other."

In the end, the key lies in the Emperor's attitude.

Eleven Miss said softly, "Don't worry, my lord. Tomorrow I will take good care of the elder madam. I will also assist Second Sister-in-law in having a long talk with the Empress."

Their understanding was perfectly seamless.

Lord Xu was extremely satisfied with Eleven Miss's response.

He couldn't help but say in a low voice, "In recent years, the threat of Japanese pirates in Fujian and Guangdong has been severe. Whether for the state or the overall situation, the Emperor cannot take action against the Qu family. But his inaction doesn't mean we can't create an opportunity for him to act..."

Lord Xu's voice was cold. Eleven Miss couldn't help but follow his train of thought seriously. How to create an opportunity?

Lure the Qu family into making a mistake? Make the Imperial Consort fall out of favor? Or let the Qu family's power grow to the point where the Emperor feels uneasy?

All seemed possible, but achieving it would require time and effort.

Having survived two dynasties, the Qu family must have their own survival strategies. The Imperial Consort is still young and beautiful, so making her fall out of favor might not be so easy. As for letting the Qu family's power grow, the Xu family would have to make sacrifices, and the question is, once sacrificed, could they reclaim what was lost?

It's difficult either way...

Eleven Miss couldn't help but sigh softly. In the quiet, the sigh was very clear, carrying a sense of heaviness.

Lord Xu thought of her honest answer when he asked her, "Are you afraid?"

"Don't be afraid," he couldn't help but touch her head. "The Qu family has been operating in Fujian for over a hundred years. Although their power is vast, they have also committed many illegal acts. With determination, even a small spark can start a prairie fire."

Eleven Miss was very surprised.

From Lord Xu's tone, it seemed he wanted to confront the Qu family by filing an imperial complaint... That wouldn't do. This isn't a society ruled by law; the Emperor's will is the key to success.

She couldn't help but say, "My lord, I think this might not be appropriate..."

"Oh?" Lord Xu said, "What's inappropriate?"

His tone carried a hint of expectation, which surprised Eleven Miss. Did Lord Xu really want to hear her thoughts?

The thought flashed through her mind, and Eleven Miss said, "Since the Emperor cannot move against the Qu family at this time, even if you initiate a censorial impeachment, the Emperor might withhold it for the sake of the overall situation. The fact that the Qu family could tamper with the food shows they have already planted people in the palace. Even if they didn't plant them themselves, they have powerful supporters. The Emperor's movements might not escape their notice. If we alert them, it might not be so easy to move against them later!"