Chapter 326: Moving Forward

Chapter 326: Moving Forward

At the Left Tower Gate.

Xu Yingrui had been on edge for days, but at the sight of Le Wuya approaching leisurely with his ceremonial tablet in one hand, he felt an inexplicable ease—only to be followed by a wave of helpless amusement.

After all, the man had merely written him a letter.

And yet here he was, the one left flustered and unable to sit still.

Who could he even complain to?

Besides, this young fellow was clearly much younger than him.

But the moment he laid eyes on him, he felt anchored. What was wrong with him?

Le Wuya greeted him: "Xu, you're early."

"Ming Ke, when did you get back? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I only returned yesterday. The trip was hurried, so I only reported to the Court of State Ceremonial and didn't have time to report back to the Censorate."

This fit proper protocol, and Xu Yingrui had no reason to doubt him. His mind was fixated on what he'd written in the letter: "Did everything go smoothly in Dansui?"

If it were all just a misunderstanding, that'd be great.

That escape route—he really didn't want to take that path unless absolutely necessary.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Xu."

Le Wuya leaned in close.

He was naturally blessed with soulful eyes, yet when he focused on someone, they carried a strange, cunning, predatory gleam—like a beast on the hunt: "Xu, you have such a good temperament. I bet you get along with just about anyone."

Xu Yingrui wasn't used to being this close to someone and instinctively recoiled, but Le Wuya reached out and lightly pressed a hand to the small of his back.

Warm breath ghosted across his ear as Le Wuya lowered his voice to a whisper: "Xu, take my advice—stop being such a good-natured pushover from now on. Otherwise, when others fall, the blood might splatter on you... and you won't be able to talk your way out of it."

Xu Yingrui halted mid-step, no longer backing away.

Le Wuya stepped back instead, beaming at him.

Xu Yingrui was hardly a fool.

Such an obvious hint—if he couldn't read between the lines, he'd have lived all these years for nothing.

The young calf had shed its skin, baring a fox's fangs, itching to sink them into another old fox.

And he had to choose a side.

The knot in his chest that had been there for days suddenly loosened at those words.

What's coming will come.

Xu Yingrui gazed at him and said, "Ming Ke, thanks for the heads-up. But how do you know I'll side with you?"

"Because you've already made your choice, Xu."

Le Wuya tilted his head slightly, his tone flippant and charming, yet his words sent a chill down your spine: "You just made one trip to the Ministry of Personnel, and now someone's got his eye on you. Why didn't you go pledge your loyalty to him right away, instead of heading to the Grand Court?"

Le Wuya beamed: "You know damn well there's no point in talking to him."

Xu Yingrui stood there dumbfounded for a long moment, then, not knowing how to react, could only manage a feeble smile: "Oh, you... you."

Le Wuya reached out to straighten his collar, his manner as intimate as a close friend's: "Xu, siding with me is a smart deal. I guarantee you won't lose."

Xu Yingrui wasn't about to be led around by the nose like that: "I've heard about it. You have a servant named Zhong Piaoping."

"You do treat him well. But you're also the one who schemed to wipe out his whole family, leaving him with nowhere to turn and only you to lean on."

Le Wuya chuckled: "That's the story you heard, huh?"

Xu Yingrui: "You've got your reasons, but I don't like being strong-armed."

Xu Yingrui had gone out of his way to pull the relevant case files and knew well that Zhong Piaoping's father had met a violent end in a foreign land—the result of his own failed plot to kill Wen Renyue; he reaped what he sowed.

If Zhong Piaoping hadn't cut ties with his father, turned him in, and sided with Wen Renyue, he'd never have gotten justice.

The situation was a mirror of the present.

—If he didn't side with Wen Renyue, and Wang Su really fell, when the emperor started settling scores, colleagues like him who were chummy with Wang Su and went to his private little dinners would inevitably be caught in the crossfire.

Xu Yingrui might be easygoing, but he had a streak of pride.

Wen Renyue had used an open scheme, playing his cards in plain sight, stirring Wang Su's suspicions, and dragging him into the murky waters of their feud.

Even if Wang Su had truly slipped up... even if, back when Le Wuya fell from power, he'd acted wrongly and lost sight of what a censor should be, Xu Yingrui still hated feeling like a pawn.

"Only natural. I get it."

Le Wuya wasn't bothered in the least: "Xu, if you're hesitant, by all means, wait and see a bit longer. ...Or you could hear what went down in Dansui before you decide."

"Will you bring it up at court?"

"Of course."

"Then I'm all ears."

No one else could hear their exchange.

To everyone watching, one was lively and outgoing, the other gentle and refined—the perfect picture of friendly colleagues chatting away.

Through the dense crowd, a soft gaze settled on Le Wuya and Xu Yingrui.

The gaze seemed full of envy, and also longing.

Le Wuya, as if sensing it, turned around—and his eyes suddenly brightened.

He immediately hurried over, but instead of greeting the one staring at him, he beamed at the person next to them: "Morning, Chancellor Du."

Du Tonghe had just been quietly reminding Ming Xiangzhao about court etiquette when he saw Le Wuya approach. He promptly put on a smile: "Commissioner Wenren, you're too kind. The assignment must've been tough—did everything go well?"

The Hanlin Academy and the Censorate had long-standing official dealings: Hanlin scholars presided over the imperial lectures, and the Censorate's senior officials were required to attend and take notes; when the Three Judicial Offices jointly tried major cases, the emperor often ordered the Hanlin, the Crown Prince's household, the Censorate, and the Circuit Inspectors to deliberate together.

After all, they ran into each other all the time, and even if they weren't familiar, they had to keep up appearances.

Le Wuya: "Thanks to you, everything went smoothly."

Wen Renyue thought: liar.

A layer of powder on the neck—does that really make it look like you were never hurt?

Du Tonghe was no fool either.

He had long heard that Wenren Yue and Ming Xiangzhao were old acquaintances, and that he had even cleared Ming Xiangzhao's name. Yet since the two had arrived in the capital, their relationship had been lukewarm at best—as bland as plain water.

Du Tonghe secretly backed Fifth Prince Xiang Zhiyun, and while Ming Xiangzhao had not openly taken sides, he was pretty tight with the Fifth Prince's advisor, Juren Su.

Wenren Yue, on the other hand, was clearly in the Sixth Prince's camp.

Du Tonghe figured out a few likely reasons and, wanting to poke around a bit, said, "Surveillance Commissioner Wenren, I hear you and Shou Yue are old acquaintances, so I'll skip the formal introductions."

Le Wuya seemed only then to notice Wenren Yue's presence. He gave him a pretty brazen once-over, his tone distinctly cold: "What are you doing here?"

Wenren Yue drew a deep breath, summoned his acting skills, and tried to put on a stern face for Le Wuya: "Am I offending the Surveillance Commissioner's sight?"

"By propriety, you shouldn't be here."

Du Tonghe had started the conversation, but seeing that the two did not look inclined toward a cordial exchange, he thought to himself: truly, the rashness of youth.

Afraid things might get ugly, he quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Well, His Majesty just recovered, you see. The Hanlin Academy recently completed a fine work of history, and to please His Majesty, I brought a few of the lead compilers to see him. Shou Yue contributed greatly to the effort—a real asset. Shows the Surveillance Commissioner had a sharp eye for talent."

"Oh—" Le Wuya drawled, hands behind his back, "looks like you're pretty valued over there."

Wenren Yue responded with a faint smile, his voice calm and even: "I'm just grateful for the Hanlin Chancellor's and the gentlemen's kindness. I've only done my small part—hardly worth calling 'valued.' Nothing compared to Lord Wenren, who patrols the realm for the Emperor and upholds the law. Every move you make affects the court's dignity—that's real weight on your shoulders."

Le Wuya let out a faint, unreadable chuckle, said a single "Good," and turned to leave.

Du Tonghe saw that Wenren Yue was genuinely this distant with him, and was secretly pleased, though he still feigned reproach: "You, you—Shou Yue, you're too damn stubborn! Even if you now serve different masters, the old bond remains. Why draw such a hard line and keep people at arm's length?"

Wenren Yue pressed his lips together, looking like he was humbly taking the lecture, but inside he thought: a wound on the neck—that must hurt like hell.

At least he was being obedient for now.

Du Laoye treated him well enough; might as well let the man have a moment of peace.

...

Yuan Weiyan arrived a little late today. The moment he reached the Left Gate Tower, he saw Le Wuya flitting around like a butterfly.

He let out a snort of a laugh and strolled forward a few paces, just in time to see Le Qianzhang standing quietly not far off, his gaze fixed on Le Wuya with a calm look on his face.

Ever since that one meeting with Le Wuya, Le Qianzhang—who was always sickly—had recovered without any medicine. He showed up to every court assembly without fail, rain or shine.

Yuan Weiyan paused as he passed him, pretending to follow Le Qianzhang's gaze, and said in a low voice: "Hey, Old Le, what are you staring at him for?"

Le Qianzhang withdrew his gaze.

With Old Tiger Yuan, there was no need to beat around the bush.

The two had fought side by side for Dayu for half their lives, and now both held cushy posts—kindred spirits in their own way.

"If others don't know, fine. But why ask what you already know?"

"Take a few less looks," Yuan Weiyan warned good-naturedly. "That's my boy's martial arts master. By seniority, you should call him 'younger brother.' Don't stare so hard you can't look away."

Le Qianzhang shot him a sidelong glance: "Old Tiger Yuan, he's your son's martial master. My boy Huai Jin is your son's literary master. If the tea is actually poured and the formal bows are made, then by seniority, your son becomes my disciple's disciple—you calling me 'grandmaster' wouldn't be out of line."

Yuan Weiyan clenched his bowl-sized fist: "...I think you're asking to die."

"Anytime. Fishing or the Le Family Spear—I'm game for either."

Yuan Weiyan saw that compared to his former dead-calm stillness, Le Qianzhang now showed some ripples, and felt quietly pleased.

He had witnessed Le Qianzhang's spirited prime back in the day.

A good man, forced into a corner until he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, left with no choice but to sink into silence. It was a damn shame to watch.

So when his second son had asked to apologize to Le Hang and seek his guidance on literary principles, Yuan Weiyan hesitated only a moment before agreeing.

The eldest son of the Le family was a fine one, and his second son, having acknowledged his mistakes and being willing to study under him, showed real growth.

Besides, both families had long been squeezed dry of their value and pushed to the margins of power. What harm was there in huddling together for warmth?

With that thought, Yuan Weiyan said with gusto: "Fine then—why not do both at once? After court, come over to my place. I want to test whether your Le Family Spear still holds up. After the bout, we'll go fishing—whoever catches three fish first treats the other to a meal. How's that?"

Le Qianzhang: "As you wish."

...

Meanwhile, standing at the very front as the leader of the civil officials, Wang Su was no longer as composed as before.

He did not wish to appear restless, nor did he feel comfortable repeatedly glancing back to spy on what Le Wuya and Xu Yingrui were discussing. Only when the whip cracked and Xue Jie announced the officials' entry into court did he use the turn of his body to glance back.

And in that turn, he met Le Wuya's smiling eyes.

He did not know how long Le Wuya had been watching him from behind.

The moment their gazes met, those smiling eyes narrowed beautifully—crescent-shaped, bright and sharp.