Chapter 66: Marquis Yichun’s Arrangement
Sitting on the steps inside the gate of Marquis Yichun’s Mansion, he did not receive the good treatment he had at Duke Ding’an’s Mansion.
No one served tea, and he could not hear any liveliness.
The third master of the Chai Clan did not even deign to glance at him again after entering.
Only a group of tall and sturdy servants eyed him menacingly.
Wei Jiao ignored them, leaning obliquely against the steps, fiddling with his sleeve sword in his hand.
However, Marquis Yichun’s Mansion handled matters faster than Duke Ding’an’s Mansion; in just the time of one cup of tea, Duke Ding’an came out from inside.
Unlike before entering, the anxiety on Duke Ding’an’s face had been smoothed away, his tense shoulders relaxed, and he even smiled upon seeing Wei Jiao.
“Is the matter settled?” Wei Jiao raised an eyebrow and asked, standing up and sidling close to Duke Ding’an. “Then where do we go next? Send those young ladies from your family with their messy fake identities to the Imperial City?”
How did it become “we”? What did this have to do with him? He actually wanted to follow along. Duke Ding’an raised his hand to stop him: “Captain Wei, please stay. The Marquis still wants to see you.”
Wei Jiao let out an “oh,” and turning his head, indeed saw the servant who had escorted Duke Ding’an out still standing there.
“Captain Wei, please come in.” The servant said, “The Marquis is waiting to see you.”
Wei Jiao turned his head again and saw that Duke Ding’an had already seized the chance to leave without stopping.
This was not only asking Marquis Yichun to help resolve the matter of the inexplicable fake young lady appearing in his family, but also asking Marquis Yichun to deal with the trouble of Wei Jiao pestering him.
Wei Jiao did not chase after Duke Ding’an again; if he wanted to keep tabs on someone, he did not have to do it personally.
The indoor lighting in Marquis Yichun’s room was still dim.
Marquis Yichun raised his hand to rub his eyes: “My old eyes are dim; I cannot stand bright light.”
Wei Jiao said indignantly: “Duke Ding’an is truly useless. His own family matters, yet he comes to disturb the Marquis in the middle of the night. Knowing that I’m not easy to deal with, he wants the Marquis to handle me.”
This young man’s words were sharp and tricky, but Marquis Yichun was not surprised.
“No matter. At my age, I sleep little. Even if Duke Ding’an did not come to disturb me.” He only said, “I am just sitting here idly now anyway.”
With that, he looked at Wei Jiao.
“Although I do not know why you are targeting this young lady from Duke Ding’an’s Mansion, I can tell you her identity.”
“Duke Ding’an did indeed lie to you. This young lady is not the daughter from his cousin’s family, but his own younger sister’s daughter.”
“This should resolve your confusion about why you encountered them in Zhao County near Lu County.”
Wei Jiao showed a look of sudden realization: “I said it, this young lady could not have only impersonated twice. One leads to two, two to three.” With that, he pursed his lips again. “It’s not like she cannot be seen in public; why hide and conceal it?”
“This young lady is hiding and concealing to protect herself.” Marquis Yichun said, his fingers lightly stroking the desk. “You have been to White Horse Town, so you should know that the deaths there were very strange.”
At this point, he smiled again.
“Ji Ying used death row prisoners to pose as mountain bandits, making Captain Wei laugh.”
With that, he shook his head.
“Although the original intent was to appease the people’s hearts, the handling was too perfunctory. In the future performance evaluation, it will inevitably be noted down.”
Wei Jiao said boldly: “With the Marquis as his backer, even a note will not affect his future prospects.”
Marquis Yichun did not mind his sarcasm and continued: “So this young lady suspected someone wanted to annihilate her family. After escaping, seeing the government handle it so perfunctorily, she believed the government was colluding with the bandits. Thus, she hid her tracks, changed her name and identity to ensure she could safely reach the Capital City.”
Wei Jiao let out an “oh,” but did not pursue questions about this young lady’s actions. Instead, he asked curiously: “Who wanted to wipe out this young lady’s entire family? Was it targeting Duke Ding’an’s Mansion?”
Marquis Yichun glanced at him but did not answer this time: “This is Duke Ding’an’s family matter. Whether reporting to officials for investigation or privately sending people for revenge, it has nothing to do with us.” With that, he continued the previous topic. “As for why Duke Ding’an concealed it and fabricated the identity of this niece as the daughter from his cousin’s family, it is because of family scandal.”
Family scandal? Wei Jiao raised an eyebrow.
“This own younger sister married into an unsuitable family and fell out with the family; the old Duke Ding’an also died of illness from anger because of it.” Marquis Yichun continued. “More than ten years have passed. Duke Ding’an does not want old matters brought up again, to be gossiped about and affect the family reputation, so he fabricated another identity for this young lady.”
Wei Jiao looked at Marquis Yichun and grinned: “He is truly open-hearted with the Marquis.”
Marquis Yichun wiped the corner of his eye with a brocade handkerchief: “I am of the same generation as his father, and we both followed His Majesty from the beginning, so our relationship is naturally extraordinary. I know all about his family matters; no need to hide from me.”
With that, he looked at Wei Jiao.
“I have told you the whole story of this matter, and also say to Captain Wei: from now on, stop targeting Duke Ding’an’s family matters.”
Wei Jiao let out an “oh” and rubbed his chin: “Duke Ding’an relies on years of relationship to get the Marquis’s help. Then I will listen to the Marquis. For helping the Marquis, what is the benefit?”
With that, he shook his head with a tsk tsk.
“No matter what, Duke Ding’an’s Family’s young lady impersonating others’ identities to take the examination for princess companion reader is a grave crime of deceiving the sovereign. Even if they cannot chop off Duke Ding’an’s head, this young lady’s head must be chopped off.”
Marquis Yichun set down the brocade handkerchief and pulled a booklet from the desk to hand over: “Qin’an City City Guard Ma Qing is privately hiding Sun Shu’s family members from the previous Yizhou rebellion. This is the hiding place of Sun Shu’s family members.”
Hearing this, Wei Jiao’s eyebrows shot up.
After the Emperor established the dynasty, the realm was not entirely stable. Five years ago, Yizhou Governor Sun Shu claimed to have received a secret edict from Emperor Ai to assist the Great General in aiding the court, and rebelled against the new dynasty. But he was quickly defeated by Great Marshal Wu Jiang whom the Emperor sent out. Sun Shu was slain in his mansion, but Sun Shu had a son who escaped and was never captured.
This was a great merit.
“Moreover, Ma Qing is your father’s man.” Marquis Yichun looked at him with a half-smile. “Go clean it up, preserve your father’s face to avoid implication, relieve His Majesty’s worries, and gain more trust. Captain Wei is loyal and filial; is this benefit acceptable?”
Wei Jiao laughed, his eyebrows curving, white teeth gleaming in the dim indoor light. He stretched out his long arm to take the documents, then turned, bowed at the waist to Marquis Yichun: “Thank you, Marquis, for your support.”
With that, he straightened up and patted his chest.
“The Marquis entrusts me with such a big matter; Duke Ding’an’s family matters are truly not worth mentioning. I will not glance at them again.”
Marquis Yichun smiled, picked up his tea, and said no more.
Wei Jiao tactfully took leave. Just as he turned, Marquis Yichun’s voice came again.
“This Marquis is now going into the palace to see His Majesty. Wei Jiao, for this matter, do not mention it in front of His Majesty.”
Wei Jiao shook the documents in his hand and turned back with a brilliant smile at Marquis Yichun.
“Good, I will listen to the Marquis.”
…….
…….
The night was deep, and the torches in the Embroidered Uniform Guards’ hands had dimmed somewhat.
But at the edge of the thick night, a faint blue light was visible.
This night passed both quickly and busily.
Wei Jiao rode on horseback but did not leave straight away. Instead, he stood at the street corner staring at the gate of Marquis Yichun’s Mansion until he saw Marquis Yichun’s carriage and horses drive out.
“Heh, he really went.” He said.
“Marquis Yichun has rarely gone out in recent years.” One Embroidered Uniform Guard said, looking at that luxurious imperial carriage with black and gold painted colorful patterns granted by the Emperor. “He does not attend morning court, nor appear at the Empress’s birthday banquet. Unexpectedly, for Duke Ding’an, he knocks on the palace gate at night. Did not expect Duke Ding’an to have such a big face.”
Wei Jiao watched Marquis Yichun’s imperial carriage head toward the Imperial City, then his gaze went past the carriage to Duke Ding’an’s Mansion in the same direction.
It was not that Duke Ding’an had a big face; it should be said that Miss Yang had a big face.
He believed what Marquis Yichun said was true, but he also believed that Miss Yang had something strange about her.
This person was too strange.
She actually dared to flirt with him to his face!
Dying by his hand would be quite worthwhile…
What? Dying under a peony flower makes one a lustful ghost too?
The thought flashed through, and Wei Jiao could not help but spit.
Although the loyal dog turned out to be the master, this master was still very dog-like!
“This dog thing, what is his background after all.”
