Chapter 80

Yan王府，内堂。

Zhu Di sat with a frown on a golden-painted chair carved with the image of a four-clawed flying dragon, suppressing his inner joy. In recent days, he had received reliable news that with the death of his political rival Lan Yu and a group of capable and battle-hardened noble generals, there were now few in the court who could match his military prowess, apart from a few renowned generals. The increasingly aged emperor would rely on him and his brothers even more.

Beside him sat his principal wife, Lady Xu, dressed in splendid palace attire, with a dignified and beautiful appearance, her features exuding a gentle and playful charm. Despite having given birth to three sons and three daughters, she still maintained smooth skin and a graceful demeanor.

Lady Xu was deeply loved by her husband. She was very virtuous, not jealous of the other concubines, and did not act arrogantly due to his favor. She always took the late Empress Ma as her role model, fully dedicating herself to managing the Yan王府. She was very kind to her subordinates and compassionate towards the common people, often helping the poor. Whenever the Yan王妃 was mentioned, the people of the fief would give a thumbs up, her reputation even surpassing that of the Yan王.

Standing beside her was a six or seven-year-old child, with a round face and rosy lips, very handsome. This was Zhu Gao Sui, the youngest son of Zhu Di and his wife, deeply loved by his parents.

Below stood a young man, the fourth son of the Xu family, Xu Song, his face bruised and tearful.

Zhu Gao Sui, in a childish voice, took the initiative: "Second Brother wrote to me saying he was no good, spending money recklessly behind our backs. He asked me to teach him a lesson, so I had the servants beat him up."

"Who is 'he' and 'he'? That's your cousin. You have no respect for your elders," Lady Xu frowned, gently scolding her son. She then raised her head and said softly, "It's not that your aunt is deliberately favoring your cousin. If it weren't for the letters from your brothers, I would have been kept in the dark. You are too bold, secretly accepting bribes. Do you know that if the bribe exceeds sixty taels of silver, your father could be flayed and executed?"

Xu Song, feeling wronged, said, "I know I was wrong and will be honest from now on. But my cousin shouldn't have let people beat me. If it weren't for Uncle catching us, I might have been killed."

Zhu Di, disliking Xu Song for having no strengths and only relying on his father to act recklessly, frowned and said, "It's all because your aunt spoils you. Compared to your third brother, who is righteous and brave, you are completely unskilled. Go and see a doctor to treat your injuries. If you dare to accept bribes again, I will have you beaten to death to prevent you from bringing disaster to the family."

Xu Song, fearing his decisive and ruthless uncle Zhu Di, did not dare to argue and slunk away. Zhu Gao Sui, standing nearby, clapped his hands and laughed, but was also sent out by Zhu Di's stern look.

Lady Xu watched her son's figure disappear and then said softly to her husband, "What did you mean by his third brother? Is it Xu Huan?"

"Yes, it's him," Zhu Di explained with a touch of emotion. "Gao Chi wrote that the boy, regardless of the danger, went alone to collect the remains of his former friend, showing great righteousness. He even committed suicide to protect the dignity of Lan Yu's wife and daughter, and was imprisoned. If he treats others with such righteousness and integrity, you can imagine how he treats his family! Moreover, this boy has some talent. I intend to cultivate him, and if he proves himself, he will be a pillar of our dynasty in the future."

Hearing her nephew praised by her husband, Lady Xu was very pleased and asked for more details with a smile. Zhu Di, always patient with his wife, smiled and recounted the story of the war game.

After listening, Lady Xu smiled and said, "It doesn't matter about the rest, but I like that he can get along well with Gao Xu and Gao Chi, speaking up when needed without hesitation. This is true brotherly affection, unlike those other nephews who are not close to them, which is sad."

Zhu Di coldly said, "Don't mention those nephews you worry about every day. They are all arrogant and disrespectful, even to me. I can say that they will all bring disaster upon themselves in the future and none will amount to anything."

Lady Xu smiled bitterly and said that since marrying her husband, perhaps because their family was too wealthy, except for her younger brother Xu Zengshou, the other brothers and nephews were indifferent to them. On the contrary, the old lady's family always remembered her, sending gifts every year, and now entrusted the third son and Xu Song to her, which was the way family should interact.

Meanwhile, the entire capital was in turmoil, with families being arrested daily on charges of being part of the Lan faction, and many people were implicated.

Poor Cao Kun's entire family, men and women, young and old, were executed. Xu Huan's rival, Zhan Yu, went to the execution ground with his father, the Minister of Personnel, Zhan Hui. For a time, blood flowed outside the Meridian Gate.

Xu Huan immediately led the Yan王府 guards to the Meridian Gate, pulling out the bodies of the Cao and Zhan families and finding several coroners to sew up the bodies. He then placed them in a temple and sent people to notify the relatives.

Originally, he wanted to do the same for everyone he knew, but was dissuaded by Zhu Gao Chi, who said that while his kindness was commendable, it would draw too much attention. Xu Huan agreed with his brother and did it a few more times before stopping.

Later, the Marquis of Huaiyuan, Cao Xing, the Marquis of Huining, Zhang Wen, the Marquis of Puding, Chen Huan, the Marquis of Haixi, Chahar, the Marquis of Quanning, Sun Ge, and the Baron of Huixian, Sang Jing, were all imprisoned by the Jinyiwei.

Counting on his fingers, after this case, there were few of the founding heroes left. Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang showed some mercy and did not exterminate them all, and their titles would be inherited by their collateral relatives.

What made Xu Huan both sad and relieved was that the marquis titles of the Zhang and Cao families might be inherited by his uncles. When the news came out, the relatives who had been in hiding suddenly sprang into action, all vying to give their loved ones proper burials.

Xu Huan, not wanting to see the faces of those small-minded people, did not join in the commotion. He set up a memorial table at the Yan王府 and, facing the city, poured the wine from his cup onto the ground as a final farewell to his former friends.

Living in the Yan王府 for over a month, Xu Huan inquired daily about his uncle's situation. One day, there was finally some news. Perhaps because of the influence of the Wei国公 family and the Yan王府, or because of his short tenure in the military, Xu Huan's uncle, Xu Yaotu, was fortunate enough to escape involvement. However, he was dismissed from his post by the Ministry of Justice for associating with the Lan faction and was never to be re-employed.

This was a great relief for the Xu family, and Xu Huan, who had been on edge for days, finally felt at ease.

However, Xu Yaotu, shocked and frightened, fell ill on the way home due to a cold.

Xu Huan bid farewell to the brothers Zhu Gao Xu and went halfway to meet him, bringing him home. Xu Wen, who had lost his pride, was now like a defeated rooster, listless and dejected.

The Xu family did not dare to celebrate openly, quietly welcoming the father and son back home, and all the women of the family rushed over in excitement.

Seeing Xu Wen like a wooden dummy, and with his second brother Xu Ji still hiding outside, Xu Huan had to go to the capital again to bring back an imperial physician.

A few days later, Xu Ji, having heard the good news, returned home in a hurry, informing them that his second uncle, Xu Qingtang, had already gone to Fengyang, healthy and safe.

From then on, the storms in the capital were no longer related to the Xu family. Xu Huan resigned from his position as a guard and joined the Yan王府 as a guest. Zhu Di, far away in his fief, would likely be furious upon hearing this.

This put the four Xu brothers back on the same starting line. Lady Wang, the first wife, was worried about her husband's illness, but otherwise, her life remained unchanged.

Xu Ji became even more diligent, studying day and night at home. Xu Wen, after being counseled by his mother, realized that if he could marry the princess as planned and rely on the Wang family, he could still rise to prominence. His spirits gradually improved.

As for Zhu Qiaoqiao, she did not want to get married, but the decision was not hers to make.

Lüzhu was deeply saddened by the death of her fiancé, Zhang De, and spent her days sitting in her room, caressing the mahjong tiles he had bought, tears streaming down her face.

Hongye often went to keep her company, and as time passed, Lüzhu gradually recovered, occasionally smiling.

Seeing the storm gradually subside, the craftsmen of the Qin王府 resumed construction day and night. Xu Wen, with nothing to do, personally supervised the progress, demanding the addition of pavilions and terraces. The two eunuchs, eager to continue profiting, readily agreed.

Xu Huan's position as a guest was essentially a sinecure, more symbolic than practical. With this position, he could travel freely between the north and south.

Unconsciously, two more months passed. Although the turmoil caused by the Lan Yu case continued, it no longer significantly affected the lives of the common people. The order in and around the capital was quickly restored, and it was as bustling as ever, with only the dozen or so high-rise buildings and grand mansions within the palace walls changing hands, and the swallows that once flew before the halls of the Cao and Zhang families now flying to new homes.

With the provincial exams approaching, the old lady personally inquired about her grandsons' studies. Xu Huan, who had been busy secretly arranging the move, suddenly remembered Mu Ningsnow.

End of Volume Two!

Xiaochai humbly requests recommendations and collections. If you have a favorite character, please let me know. Since the Lan Yu case is not yet over, if you want to be remembered in history or listed in the register of rebels, feel free to leave your stage name!

The next volume will continue to focus on the family and Xu Huan's development, with the court as a secondary focus. The outline is broad, and Xiaochai has some new ideas. Whether history will remain unchanged, we shall see.

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