Chapter 143 Tuoba Wuxi was somewhat stunned…

Chapter 143 Tuoba Wuxi froze for a moment...

Kediyan had killed himself, yet Jiang Congyan still couldn’t shake her unease.

Recalling the events that had transpired, it seemed as though an invisible hand had been orchestrating everything from the shadows.

It started with the rumors about her and Tuoba Xiao after last winter’s blizzard. She’d had Aliudun watched, but soon after, he took poison.

At the time, Kediyan had already been caught messing with her golden statue, yet he stubbornly refused to admit he had instructed Aliudun to fabricate celestial omens. Therefore, there must have been another person lurking in the shadows.

But whoever it was stayed hidden the whole time—too careful to slip up.

The latest Xianbei unrest could be traced back to the rebellion of the Murong Tribe.

The Murong Tribe picked the perfect time to revolt. At that time, the situation between the Xianbei, Rouran, and the Xiongnu was still unstable, making it unlikely that Tuoba Xiao would personally lead the suppression.

Chigan Balie was arrogant, always looking down on people, but he had real skill. After years fighting alongside Tuoba Xiao, how’d he walk into a trap that easily?

Sure, war was unpredictable, and no great general could guarantee they would never suffer defeat—but this was still worth investigating.

This was the second point of suspicion. She would question Chigan Balie in detail once he returned.

The third point was that hidden arrow.

If a Xiongnu spy really did it, why would they leave such an obvious mark on their person? Wouldn’t they worry about blowing their cover? Shouldn’t they have tried to plant other "evidence" to muddy the waters? Jiang Congyan doubted the Xiongnu had lasted this long by being stupid.

Based on these three points, she was certain there was still someone hidden within the Xianbei—someone with considerable influence, capable of orchestrating so many incidents from the shadows.

If analyzed through the lens of who stood to gain the most, Tuoba Xiao's downfall would benefit Tuoba Wuxi the most, and he certainly had reason to act against Tuoba Xiao.

But Tuoba Wuxi was too proud for scheming—he didn’t have the brains for it. Jiang Congyan’s intuition told her it wasn’t him.

She wrote down every big-name Xianbei, scrutinizing each one, until her gaze paused on three characters—Tuoba Huai.

She wasn’t sure what to make of him.

She hadn’t interacted much with Tuoba Huai, having met him only a few times. He wasn’t friendly, but unlike other Xianbei nobles, he treated her with respect.

It felt real—no hidden malice. Maybe growing up around Han people kept him from hating them?

Then there was last year’s wheat seedling incident. It was only with his strong support that Ruo Lan had managed to secure control over Tumochuan. After the snow disaster, he had even risked his life to inspect the situation in various tribes for Tuoba Xiao, reporting back promptly.

Moreover, in the original history, Tuoba Huai had been locked in fierce conflict with the Xiongnu, allying with the Han to resist Wudati Hou. Later generations viewed him quite positively. Perhaps because of this, she didn’t want Tuoba Huai to become her enemy.

Jiang Congyan held off judgment, waiting to see what happened when he got back.

When Tuoba Xiao returned with the army, he left behind a contingent to deal with the rebellion in the royal court before dispatching reinforcements to aid Chigan Balie. It’d been almost a month—they’d hear something soon.

A few days later, Chigan Balie indeed sent word—he and Tuoba Xiao’s reinforcements had coordinated from within and without, crushing Mu Rongqi’s rebel forces. They were now mopping up the remnants. But among those who returned was... Tuoba Huai?

He was injured—severely—having sustained the wounds while rescuing Chigan Balie.

Too convenient.

Jiang Congyan had Zhang Fu check his wounds, dropping a few careful hints. But when Zhang Fu returned, he reported, "The wounds are bad—real bad. A gash across the chest, just missing his heart. A fractured shinbone. Multiple arrow wounds elsewhere. He lost a great deal of blood. Any later, and he’d be dead."

Jiang Congyan went quiet, thinking hard.

Would anyone really bet their life like that?

Someone who’s spent years scheming in the shadows should be even more cautious and value their own life, shouldn’t they? Once dead, there's nothing left.

Jiang Congyan was thrown off.

So far, there was no evidence linking Tuo Bahuai to these matters. She could easily wipe out all her suspects to prevent future trouble. But killing people just because she suspected them—how would she be any different from the paranoid and foolish rulers in history?

The higher up you are, the more you gotta hold back your likes and dislikes. You can't abuse the power to decide others' lives and deaths simply because you possess it.

Yet she couldn’t do nothing either. She summoned He Zhou and instructed him to secretly monitor Tuo Bahuai, reporting immediately if he made any suspicious moves.

Before they knew it, July rolled around.

The dust from the rebellion finally settled. They’d taken care of everyone who needed taking care of, and the royal court was gradually being rebuilt.

During the reconstruction, a lot of folks skipped tents altogether and instead requested Jiang Congyan to send help in building earthen houses and heated brick beds (kang). After that blizzard and the night raid, they realized how truly useful earthen houses were—warm and sturdy. Worried the next winter would be just as brutal, families with means all wanted earthen houses built. The builders were swamped, with shortages of clay and stone materials. Folks even bickered over who got their house built first—a lively and bustling scene.

Jiang Congyan’s new house was also fully decorated and arranged. The walls were painted vermilion, the pillars coated in gold lacquer, and the roof covered with glazed green tiles. The eaves were intricately carved, adorned with curtains, furnished with tables, chairs, and screens, and decorated with fresh flowers. The whole place was grand, airy, and dazzling, bearing a distinct Han Chinese style and aesthetic—as if a palace from Chang’an had suddenly appeared on the grasslands.

They aired the place out, scrubbed it top to bottom, fumigated it with fragrant herbs, and picked an auspicious day for Jiang Congyan and Tuo Baxiao to finally move in.

“I’ve given our new home a name—Changning Courtyard. What do you think?” Jiang Congyan asked the man.

“Good.”

Jiang Congyan: “…Just ‘good’?”

“I think it’s fine. What more do you want me to say?”

“…” Fair point. She wasn’t gonna get flowery words out of him.

When naming it, she hadn’t thought too deeply—the words “Changning” (long peace) had come to her instinctively. She hoped for lasting tranquility in the days to come.

Back in the Central Plains, throwing a housewarming party was tradition. Jiang Congyan kept it low-key but invited Lan Zhu’s family, which naturally included Tuoba Wuxi.

This was the first time he had willingly stepped into Tuo Baxiao’s territory.

Lan Zhu had always wondered what a Central Plains house was like. Now that she saw it, she was blown away.

“Ah Yan jie, your house is even more beautiful than I imagined.”

Jiang Congyan smiled. “Wanna let me show you and Qiu Liju around?”

“Yes, please!”

So the three women—plus little Mica—wandered off to explore, leaving Tuo Baxiao and Tuoba Wuxi standing awkwardly in the courtyard.

The two men just stared at each other, neither saying a word.

Tuo Baxiao marched inside and plopped down in the main seat, not bothering to invite Tuoba Wuxi in. Luckily, A Fei stepped in with tea, so the guest wasn’t totally ignored.

“Sixth Prince, please have some tea.”

Tuoba Wuxi sat down, clearly uneasy.

He never wanted to come—Qiu Liju and Lan Zhu had practically dragged him there.

Big bro, Ah Yan jie invited you herself. C’mon, just go!” Lan Zhu had pleaded, grabbing his arm.

Qiu Liju urged, "You didn’t join Kediyan’s rebellion but instead helped the Khatun. You’ve already sworn loyalty to the king, right? If so, why not try to get along with him?"

Mica tugged at his pants: "Aduo, I want to go to Auntie’s house."

Changning Courtyard wasn’t huge—not exactly a palace. Upon entering, one would find a spacious front courtyard paved with smooth stone slabs, perfect for banquets, gathering ministers for discussions, or Tuo Baxiao's morning martial practice.

Two covered corridors ran along the sides of the courtyard, providing shelter from rain and a place to rest on ordinary days. Near the corners stood rooms for the gatekeepers and resting Imperial Guards. Facing the front courtyard stood the main hall, big enough to fit a hundred people. It was usually used for official business, with an adjacent study, a side hall, and a records room.

The front courtyard had fewer but larger buildings, while the rear courtyard was more complex, housing a kitchen, maids’ quarters, storerooms, a water room, a washroom, a small study, a greenhouse, and even a small garden.

The most important area, of course, was the couple’s living quarters—facing south with five spacious rooms.

Jiang Congyan led the three through the front courtyard, explaining as they walked. However, she stopped before entering the bedroom.

The previous large bed had been burned, but that stubborn man had a carpenter build an exact replica. When she was planning the bedroom layout recently, he’d ‘suggested’ she leave plenty of space for the bed.

"..."

Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju were both well-mannered. Seeing the hostess stop, they didn’t press further, which put Jiang Congyan at ease.

In the small garden of the rear courtyard stood a flower trellis with a table and chairs beneath it, holding a teapot and a chessboard. The leaves hadn’t yet fallen this season, and the weather was pleasant. Sitting there, the bright sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting scattered golden spots—a peaceful, lazy afternoon, truly a rare break from their busy lives.

Spotting the chess pieces, Jiang Congyan got an idea and said to Lan Zhu, "Let me teach you how to play chess."

Lan Zhu waved her hands in panic. "I don’t know how to play."

"It’s very simple. I’ll teach you—five-in-a-row. I promise you’ll pick it up quickly."

Lan Zhu eyed her doubtfully.

Everything from the Central Plains was so complicated. Just learning to speak Han Chinese had taken her great effort, and she still wasn’t fluent. As for writing, she barely managed to scribble their names.

Lan Zhu thought chess must be too profound for her, but after hearing Jiang Congyan explain the rules—hey, it didn’t seem that hard?

Might as well try?

The two sat facing each other, taking turns dropping pieces. Jiang Congyan played black, and Lan Zhu played white.

At first, Lan Zhu was unskilled and naturally lost. After a few rounds, she started getting the hang of it. Jiang Congyan threw her a bone and let her win once, and the girl jumped up excitedly.

"I got five in a row! I won! I won!" she cheered. "Again, Sis Ah Yan!"

They played a few more rounds, with Jiang Congyan occasionally letting her win, which delighted the girl. Qiu Liju’s interest was piqued.

"I want to play too," Qiu Liju said, a rare offer from her.

"Me too!" Mica piped up, unwilling to be left out.

"Alright, let’s take turns."

Tuo Baxiao and Tuoba Wuxi sat in silence for a long time. Hearing the laughter from the rear courtyard, they couldn’t take it anymore and went in.

Tuoba Wuxi followed.

There, they saw the four totally absorbed in their game, clearly having forgotten about the two men they'd left outside.

Tuo Baxiao shot Tuoba Wuxi a glare. Tuoba Wuxi glared right back.

What does this mean, blaming him? He wasn't too fond of the Han Princess Tuo Baxiao married either. Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju were both charmed by her and no longer gave him the time of day, even though they used to listen to everything he said.

The two stood there for a long time, unsure whether the women truly hadn’t noticed them or were deliberately ignoring them—not even a single glance was spared their way—until Tuo Baxiao coughed heavily.

Jiang Congyan finally looked up and smiled at him, "Has the King arrived?"

Lan Zhu and Qiu Liju also paused their game and turned their gazes over. Golden sunlight draped over them, with the lush vine trellis behind them, their faces still lit with smiles. Never had time felt so peaceful and beautiful.

"Aduo," Mica grinned and called out.

Tuoba Wuxi froze in surprise.