C82 A Big Gift

"This matter..." Feng Qing hesitated.

"I brought this up with you a while ago, and you promised to find a solution. So, what's going on now?" The matriarch lowered her silver chopsticks, her voice stern.

"Ah, ah..." Feng Qing was at a loss, but Feng Tiange quickly coughed twice, apologetically raising her head. "Sorry, I choked... By the way, what did Grandmother just say? Sending my brother to Father's Tiger Cavalry Battalion? That's great news!"

The matriarch was about to get angry, but her expression softened at Feng Tiange's last words. "You think it's a good idea too?"

"Of course, it's a good idea! We're family, after all. As long as the Ministry of War issues the paperwork, Father can make it happen, right, Father?" Feng Tiange looked at Feng Qing, seemingly speaking on behalf of Feng Ranxiu. "Luckily, Uncle knows people in the Ministry, so getting the paperwork shouldn't be too hard, right, Uncle?"

For the first time since Feng Tiange was born, the matriarch found her somewhat agreeable.

Feng Yan's face changed suddenly, unsure of how to respond.

"Big Sister, you must know that Mr. Xie, who was close to Father, has been demoted to a lesser position. The current head of the Ministry of War is Soong Yu, who just married Qin Luoyi." Feng Xueyao implied that since you saved Qin Luoyi, there's no way you wouldn't know about this!

Feng Tiange paused, then shook her head regretfully. "If only Dugu Jin hadn't pushed Qin Luoyi into the water back then."

With that one sentence, Feng Xueyao was stunned.

Feng Yan rarely discussed political matters with the matriarch, and this dinner was just a setup to catch Feng Qing off guard. Who would have thought that a few words from Feng Tiange would redirect the blame to the main house?

"What nonsense is this?" the matriarch asked coldly, not understanding the situation.

Feng Yan was about to explain, but Feng Tiange spoke first. "Grandmother, do you remember Qin Luoyi, the one I saved from the lake? She's now the wife of Soong Yu, the Secretary of War. For my brother's sake, I could ask her for a favor, but whether she can forgive my sister for that mess with the Commander is another story."

"Feng Tiange, you did that on purpose!" Feng Xueyao, despite her composure, was still just a child.

"Yao!" Feng Yan said sternly.

The matriarch realized that Feng Xueyao's troubles were the reason her grandson couldn't join the Tiger Cavalry Battalion. "What a coincidence, Xueyao! Look at the mess you've made!" Although the matriarch favored Feng Xueyao, it depended on the comparison.

Feng Xueyao felt wronged and began to cry, recognizing her grandmother's true nature. The old woman had never genuinely cared for her.

"Oh, come on, it's not a big deal. So what if I can't join the Tiger Cavalry Battalion? It doesn't matter; I'm fine wherever I go." Feng Ranxiu couldn't grasp the underlying tension, assuming everyone was upset because of him.

Feng Tiange didn't say another word, simply placing a dish into Feng Qing's bowl. The meaningful glance exchanged between father and daughter brought a knowing smile to Feng Qing's face, while leaving the others at the table feeling at a loss for words...

Nether Market, Drunken Immortal Tower.

On the second day after Qin Luoyi married into the Soong family, Dugu Rou sought out Qin Chun. Besides offering congratulations, she brought a significant gift.

Gazing at the letter of treason she had personally penned, Qin Chun's expression turned grim.

"I never imagined that with Dugu Yan gone, I would become worthless in Beiming Yuan's eyes," Dugu Rou said, her demeanor humble as she sought help. Qin Chun sat coldly at the table, silent.

"Now, apart from my useless brother, there's no one left in the Dugu family to rely on... and those in the palace are all fair-weather friends. I'm at a dead end," Dugu Rou said with a bitter smile. "If you, my lord, can help me find a way out, I'll return this letter to you."

"Really?" Qin Chun reached out, but Dugu Rou held onto the letter.

Seeing the plea in Dugu Rou's eyes, Qin Chun took a deep breath. "There is a path, but it depends on whether the Vice Consort has the courage to take it."

“Do I really have any other choice at this point?” Dugu Rou asked, her lips pressed into a thin line, her tone resolute.

Qin Chun pondered for a moment. “It's nearly impossible for you to rise on your own, and even if you secure the position of Crown Prince Consort, the path ahead might not be smooth.”

Dugu Rou understood this all too well; otherwise, she wouldn’t have sought out Qin Chun.

“In my opinion, to gain a foothold in the palace, your reliance shouldn’t be on the Crown Prince, but rather...” Qin Chun's eyes darkened slightly, a glimmer of intrigue flashing through them, “the Grandson of the Emperor.”

Dugu Rou had hoped Qin Chun would offer some unique insight, but was left unimpressed.

Noticing her disappointment, Qin Chun continued, “Having the Grandson alone isn’t enough. You also need a powerful minister to support him in the court.”

Dugu Rou seemed to have an epiphany but looked at Qin Chun with uncertainty. “Are you suggesting that minister is you?”

“I am the foremost of the four marquises, commanding a fifth of the entire military force. Such a position should suffice,” Qin Chun proposed confidently.

Dugu Rou, being astute, quickly grasped Qin Chun’s intentions. “Are you planning to control the emperor to command the nobles?”

Qin Chun chuckled, “Vice Consort, consider this: at my age, seeing the Grandson grow up is uncertain. My life’s wish is to see the unification of the realm. Even if I don’t achieve it in my lifetime, I hope to witness it from the afterlife.”

Seeing Dugu Rou hesitate, Qin Chun glanced at the letter on the table. "If the Vice Consort agrees to let the future Crown Prince's eldest son become my apprentice, I'll leave this letter with you to ease your concerns."

Qin Chun showed enough sincerity, and Dugu Rou had no better option, so they quickly reached an agreement.

The next issue, and the most crucial one, was how Dugu Rou could give birth to a Crown Prince's eldest son in a short time...

Since Bai Yushuang left, the royal city seemed calm on the surface, but there were undercurrents beneath.

Most notably, Huang Qing was dead.

The leader of the Azure Jade Sect was now a woman named Yaoyue.

No one knew how Huang Qing died, only that when Yaoyue appeared at the Fish Market, her first move was to open a tin shop. All the tin jewelry was identical to that of Meixi Workshop, but priced 30% lower.

In a wealthy residential courtyard, Su Hu rested his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

When Meiniang entered, she smiled sweetly, "Have you come up with a plan, sir?"

"What plan?" Su Hu looked at Meiniang suspiciously, and when his gaze fell on the herbal medicine in her hand, he instinctively wanted to run.

But he didn't get far.

After tying Su Hu to the chair, Meiniang approached with the medicine, holding his jaw with one hand and pouring the medicine down his throat. "The Azure Jade Sect is openly challenging Meixi Workshop. We can't just sit and wait for disaster."

"Ugh... is this really our responsibility? What's the No-south House for, then?" Su Hu coughed a couple of times. "Mrs. Mei, can you let me drink on my own next time?"

"Nope." Meiniang placed the porcelain bowl on the table and untied Su Hu. "Besides, I'm curious to see just how much the No-south House can handle for Mei Xi Fang."