At the post station, a note was hidden within the midday meal of the Great Li envoys. The note simply read: "Imperial City in Turmoil!"
Feng Quan hurried to find Yu Chengxuan.
"Your Highness, have you received the note?" Feng Quan closed the room door and took out a note from his embrace to hand to Yu Chengxuan. Yu Chengxuan did not take it, nor did he even look at it. He picked up the teacup, poured a cup of tea, and then pushed the teacup to the opposite side. Feng Quan pulled out a stool and sat down, placing the note aside, and took hold of the teacup.
Yu Chengxuan took a sip of tea. The fragrance of the tea rolled over his taste buds, rich and sweet. Only after the fragrance had completely subsided did he ask, "Did they send you?"
Feng Quan nodded. "Your Highness, if the note is true, then now is the best opportunity!"
Although they did not know what had happened, for something to cause upheaval in the Imperial City, it was likely only Ji Jinmo who could accomplish it.
Before they had arrived at Lin Yuan, Ji Jinmo's Demon Hunting Army and Ji Hong's Black Armored Army had a small-scale skirmish outside the Ministry of Justice. Although that incident happened at night and the news was subsequently suppressed, it could not completely erase the event.
If Ji Jinmo and Ji Hong were to clash again, they could seize the opportunity to escape from Lin Yuan. After the border war resulted in tens of thousands of Great Li soldiers being massacred, continuing the fight would not change Great Li's impending defeat. Rather than waiting for the war to conclude and being passively slaughtered, it was better to find the right moment to save themselves.
"A good opportunity?"
Yu Chengxuan sneered. He dipped his finger in tea and wrote two names on the table.
"Ji Jinmo, Ji Hong?"
Feng Quan was puzzled!
Yu Chengxuan connected these two names with a horizontal line.
If he hadn't known that the memorial submitted by the imperial envoy dispatched by Ji Hong had not reached the capital, he would not have seen through the true relationship between this uncle and nephew.
"What does this mean?"
Looking at the names connected by the line, Feng Quan was even more confused. He had no idea what His Highness was trying to convey!
"These two are on the same line!"
Yu Chengxuan said concisely. Upon hearing this, Feng Quan's hand trembled, and the tea almost splashed out. Fortunately, the tea had been in the cup for some time and had cooled, so he was not scalded. However, his face looked as if he had been splashed with boiling tea. "How is this possible? This is impossible!"
Feng Quan did not believe it!
If these words were not spoken by Yu Chengxuan, Feng Quan would have thought he was listening to a madman talking nonsense!
It was utterly absurd!
Yu Chengxuan did not offer much explanation. He simply said, "If you want to live, do not act rashly!"
"But the ministers..."
"If they don't listen to advice, then there's no need to stop them. They are, after all, my father's subjects!"
"Your Highness!"
Feng Quan's scalp tingled from Yu Chengxuan's words. Even though he knew no one was eavesdropping and there was no one else in the room besides himself and His Highness, Feng Quan still instantly looked up and scanned his surroundings vigilantly. Cold sweat trickled down his temples. He wiped his sweat. "Speak with caution!"
He was truly terrified. If these words were overheard by someone else, His Highness would surely meet a headless end!
Yu Chengxuan smiled disdainfully. He had no reverence for Yu Wenyi at all. Imperial power and paternal authority were, to him, merely "nouns" that could be overturned at will and were only worthy of being superficial.
Feng Quan took a deep breath. He dared not continue the topic and hurriedly got up to take his leave, intending to relay His Highness's wishes to others.
Hui An tucked the note into her怀, and walked out of the room.
She went to the backyard, pretending to adjust her dress, and bent down, crumpling the note into a ball and throwing it on the ground. The paper fell into the cracks of the stone path.
A quarter of an hour later, a maidservant cried out "oops" as she stumbled in the same spot.
...
Nan Yujin received the note passed by Hui An. The note only contained four words: "Imperial City in Turmoil."
He hurried towards Nan Zhaoyin's study.
"Father, something has happened!"
After knocking on the door, Nan Yujin placed the note on Nan Zhaoyin's desk. "Someone inserted a note into the midday meal at the post station."
Nan Zhaoyin did not stop his brushstrokes. His gaze quickly swept over the note. He did not pay much attention to the content of the note but asked, "Is this the message passed to you by the Great Li princess?"
"Yes!"
Nan Yujin nodded.
"It seems someone wants to disrupt the situation and take advantage of the chaos!"
Nan Zhaoyin put down his brush and picked up the Xuan paper, examining it closely. He flipped the Xuan paper over, allowing Nan Yujin to appraise it. "Yujin, what do you think of my calligraphy imitation?"
"The late Emperor's calligraphy was vigorous and powerful, with strokes like iron hooks and silver snakes. Every stroke, every dot, every horizontal and vertical line exuded regal bearing. Father, your imitation of this strategy treatise written by the late Emperor in his later years has captured almost every essence. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have believed this calligraphy was written by the late Emperor himself!"
Nan Zhaoyin's lips curved slightly. He placed the Xuan paper back on the table and, the next second, crumpled it into a ball.
"Why destroy such a fine piece, Father?" Nan Yujin exclaimed.
Nan Zhaoyin glanced at Nan Yujin. He had made considerable progress these days and could remain composed. If it were his past self, he would have interrupted and asked repeatedly, not possessing such composure.
Indeed, one learns from experience!
"I am not satisfied!" Nan Zhaoyin waved his hand and did not continue the topic. He asked Nan Yujin to sit down and then asked him, "What do you think the Nan family should do at this time?"
Nan Yujin pondered for a moment and then gave his answer: "Hear nothing, see nothing, know nothing. Everything remains as usual!"
After speaking, he looked at Nan Zhaoyin with some nervousness.
Nan Zhaoyin raised his eyebrows slightly, the lines at the corners of his eyes relaxing. He praised, "Very good!"
Nan Zhaoyin handed the note to Nan Yujin. Nan Yujin took it, stood up, walked to the candlestick, picked up the tinder placed beside it, lit it, and burned the note to ashes.
"Son, I shall take my leave!"
After Nan Yujin exited the study, he slowly spread his hand. The ashes in his palm scattered with the wind, disappearing into the breeze.