Chapter 15: Quiet Days and Jade Smoke (3)

  After practicing martial arts with Su Hui, I was trimming the grass in the courtyard with a big panda eye hanging from my left eye. When I thought of that kiss that wasn't white yesterday, my face would still burn with shame.

  This morning, I, the infamous demon of Purple Residence Mountain Villa, was practicing my skills when for the first time, my face turned red and I didn't dare look at Yuan Fei. But in the end, I couldn't help myself, and during a sparring match with Su Hui, I glanced over and saw him chatting calmly with Han Xiuzhu. When he turned around and met my gaze, he immediately drew out a playful smile.

  Oh! How I wish he could still maintain the icy attitude towards me as before, why is he always smiling at me now?

  But his smile, however detestable it was, still shone quietly into my heart like a clear moonlight, making me unable to move my gaze in anger. Until, in a daze, Su Hui's right fist arrived at my left eye without warning, and I cried out in pain as I fell to the ground.

  Alas! As expected, it's all empty. What to do? My heart and eyes are filled with the original non-white, that captivating smile that can topple cities... If this continues, I'll soon forget my own surname...

  Huh? ! Who's been calling for the cuckoo, the cuckoo? It turned out to be Su Hui, his green bean face close to my ear shouting: "Mugu Niang!"

  "What's wrong? You're yelling and screaming, not content with hitting me in the eyes, now you want to torment my ears too?" I rubbed my ears.

  "Hum! Wouldn't you wake up if I didn't call you?" The little kid pointed at the pomegranate tree I had pruned: "Are you pruning or venting your anger? Look, a good pomegranate tree was messed up by you to look like a bald head."

  I stared at it, and indeed, I felt guilty in my heart, and muttered: "You, you don't understand, this is, this is a work of art, wait till it grows out later, it will look good."

  "Cut it out! Don't fool me, you've been off all day. One look at San Ye and your eyes go wide, San Ye too, I've followed him since I was a kid, and today's the first time I've seen him smile like that all day." The little brat shook his head and analyzed, looking around to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in close to his green bean face and said: "Hey, be honest with me, did you score?"

  "What's gotten into you?" I blushed and moved on to the next question.

  Su Hui snatched the scissors from me, stopping my further poisoning of Cao Cao. Her little face was lively as she looked at me: "Still pretending! Is it Three Masters and your thing?"

  You little brat! You don't study hard and only think about these dirty things... although I also think a bit sometimes...

  So I couldn't help but put my two hands on his small face, pulling it apart like a pancake, and said with a smile: "Su Hui classmate, you must study hard, strive for excellence every day, don't spend all day worrying about your grandfather and that person getting along..."

  "Sui Hui shouted and escaped from my hands: 'You evil thing, I don't believe Grandfather would give up so much for a ugly girl like you.'"

  My heart skipped a beat, and I walked closer to Su Hui with a silly smile. He took a big step back: "What do you want? I'll call for help!"

  "Suhui, have you ever seen a girl named Youyou?" Stinky kid!

  "Who's there?" He looked at me in a daze: "What kind of person is this? I've never heard of it, let alone seen it."

  "It must be a particularly favorite of Third Master's, think again, before I entered the mansion, did Third Master have any acquaintances or frequent visitors?"

  "Did you come to Wanzizhen before? Did you come to Wanzizhen before?" Suzhui muttered, suddenly slapping his forehead: "Right, right, there was a child who often came to our Wanzizhen from half a mile away, and would play the piano and paint with San Ye in Shangxin Pavilion. Sometimes they would also practice martial arts together... She was so beautiful, but she wasn't called Youyou, her name was..."

  "Su Hui!" Mr. Han suddenly flashed into Wan Zi, loudly calling out to him, making my stomach itch. Su Hui immediately shut his mouth, and Han Xiuzhu said with a smile: "Mu Niang, San Ye asked me to pass on a message to you and Su Hui, saying that today San Ye has an important guest visiting, so he's giving you two a big holiday, go find Ying Niang at Yu Bei Zhai to play."

  I let out a loud whoop with Su Hui, and the two of us were overjoyed, I also put aside my worries about Youyou, went inside to change into new clothes, tidied up my hair, thought for a moment and then took off the white jade hairpin that Yuan Fei had given me as a gift, and instead used the silver hairpin that Song Mingpei had given me, when I arrived at the carriage, from afar I saw Han Xiuzhu looking serious while talking to Xiao Qingdou about something, his face was full of panic.

  "What's wrong again? I tiptoed over to listen, and then Han Xiuzhu suddenly turned around, startling me: 'Miss, hurry up and come back quickly, don't keep Third Master waiting.'"

  No wonder it's Han Xiuzhu, his martial arts skills are incredibly high, I can even hear the sound of my cat steps, or maybe my lightness kung fu is too bad.

  The cow reads the newspaper, and the horse is worried about the stock market. The pig is busy eating and doesn't care about anything else. What's going on with the world?

  I wanted to continue that topic, but no matter how I coaxed and deceived him, he didn't say anything, only coldly saying: "Military orders are like mountains."

  Little brat, what else can't you say? If you don't want to say it, then just shut up! Hmph!

  Arriving at the long-unvisited Yubei Zhai, the thought of immediately seeing Yuan Feijiao and Biying lifted my mood greatly. Unfortunately, the ones who opened the door to welcome me were only the increasingly beautiful Biying and Ami leading a group of ten young men, who told me that Yuan Feijiao and Guo'erren had gone out.

  ……

  No wonder Yuan Fei Bai let me come to Yu Bei Zhai, I said he was so generous when did he know that Yuan Fei Jue wasn't here, I'm really depressed.

  My smile uncontrollably fell, and Biying carefully accompanied my smile, comforting me, saying that it was uncertain when the fourth master would return, and it would be fine in a moment. I didn't want to make her worry, so I forced myself to smile, and together we looked at Song Mingpei's flying letter, chatting about the recent situation of big brother and second brother, thinking about Xiao Wuyi's serious matter.

  Just as Yuan Fei was busy dealing with the bandits, a fierce struggle between the Yuan and Dou families began within the Eastern Palace. The Dou family, led by Dou Lihua's brother Dou Yinghua, relied on the power of the Empress Dowager and the Queen in the palace to frantically accumulate wealth. They constantly accused the Yuans of alienating the Emperor from his officials, forming cliques, and plotting treason. Meanwhile, the Yuan family held a large amount of evidence of the Dous' crimes: relying on imperial favor, disregarding national laws, embezzling bribes, taking lives at will, and oppressing the common people.

  Xizong's imperial power was manipulated by Empress Dowager, who spent her days enjoying horse racing and music in the palace, ignoring the struggle between the two parties.

  Song Minggui also said in his letter that the original non-smoking day in the palace has been postponed indefinitely, and even Princess Chang's attached horse, Zhongyuan Wang, was restricted from entering the palace.

  The Northern Turks caused trouble again, and Fei Yan was recalled to the Yellow River, while Nanzhao suddenly sent troops to occupy Jincheng. The Dou family's southern army refused to send troops, disregarding the people, and instead repeatedly petitioned Emperor Xizong to issue an edict ordering Yuan Qingjiang to personally lead the battle against Nanzhao outside the capital.

  In the second year of Yongye, that is, this April, Duan Yinghua launched a new round of attacks on Feng Yi with the title of Left Servant of the Ministry of War. This time, his methods were extremely vicious, and he even forged an edict to overthrow Xi Zong, signed with the name "Feng Yi", and fabricated rumors of Yuan's rebellion, while Feng Yi's backstage was Ren Shixiao, the Minister of War, and Ren Shixiao was also a trusted assistant of Yuan Qingjiang.

  "Xiang Zhuang dances with his sword, his intention is towards the Duke of Pei." The true target of Du Yinghua's move is self-evident. "Plotting to overthrow the emperor" is a heinous crime, and this June, Yi has already been thrown into the Ministry of Justice, subjected to severe torture during interrogation, while Ren Shi Xiang has been demoted to Governor of Henan Prefecture. Meanwhile, Du Yinghua has once again petitioned Emperor Xi to issue an edict ordering the original Qingjiang Northern Army's elite troops to be deployed to fight against Nanzhao, in order to weaken the original elite forces of the Yuan family.

  This is a great blow to the Yuan family, and Yuan Qingjiang is equivalent to losing his right arm. When he received the news, he was furious on the spot, spat out a mouthful of blood, showing his deep hatred for Duan's family, and vowed to destroy their nine clans if he couldn't avenge his anger. Therefore, the Yuan family decided to force the palace in the near future.

  I looked at her and thought for a moment before asking: "Biying, what do you think?"

  "Muke, you're laughing at me again. After all these years, when have I ever spoken nonsense? Big brother's meaning is that if we don't take action, people will be slaughtered like fish on a chopping board. But what does Muke mean? Second brother and Hou Ye are setting out today to enter Xi'an City to deal with the Nanzhao army occupying Jincheng. Muke and second brother must think of a plan quickly."

  I thought to myself that the original family's exposure was a bit too hasty. If it were me, once I discovered that the Dugu family had hostile intentions, I could pretend to yield and repeatedly express my loyalty to the imperial court, which is to say, my loyalty to the Dugu family. Then, in secret, I would support a noble and a force within the court that opposes the Dugu family, letting them fight each other until they are exhausted. Only then would I take advantage of the situation, using the strategy of defeating others without fighting oneself.

  I took out my goose feather pen and wrote down what I had just thought of in the letter to Song Minghui, and came up with a few emergency measures for the time being. With Song Minghui's cleverness, he would definitely add to my foundation and turn it into a brilliant plan that turns the tables. This is the secret of our Xiaowuyi, known as "Mù Cè Míng Jì".

  Here is the translation:

  Firstly, Lord Hou must not leave the capital under any circumstances. If he leaves the capital, all the efforts and hard work of our family in Kyoto over the past decade will be for naught. Now if we force the emperor to abdicate, it would be unjustified, and our words would not carry weight. Even if we were to win by luck, two things would happen: firstly, the Dou family's southern army would still maintain its strength in the south of Vietnam, without losing a single soldier, making it easy for them to rise again; secondly, this would give the Dou family an excuse to rally the military forces of the world to besiege our family. Moreover, although there are signs of chaos in the world, there is no great natural disaster or rebellion that would force people to rebel, and Yu Feiyan's elite troops are tied up dealing with the Turks.

  If Kyoto is captured, the Turks and the Southern Army will inevitably form a pincer movement from north to south. If they counterattack Kyoto, the original family's army will be exhausted, and there will be no popular support for them.

  Secondly, first stabilize Nanzhao, advocate for peace talks. It is said that the king of Nanzhao is pleased, and the powerful minister asked Erge Duo to select palace maids as soon as possible and send them to Nanzhao. All other demands from Nanzhao can be met first.

  Thirdly, treat the great Confucians with kindness, that is, make use of those bookworms who are most favored by the emperor. The public opinion of the world actually follows the strokes of a few pens. Writing books and spreading the word that Yuan Qingjiang is a loyal minister for all eternity, will eventually become the trend, and it is absolutely not allowed to let the Duan family control the talents of public opinion, grasp the mouths of the people, and hold the key to victory.

  Fourthly, we must alienate Emperor Xizong from Empress Dowager and the Queen, making him feel that the Dou family is usurping imperial power while the Yuan family truly supports the emperor. If necessary, use extreme measures to eliminate the Empress Dowager, as she is the source of the Dou family's power; once this eye is blocked, even the most turbulent rivers will dry up someday.

  Fifth: The strategic direction must change. It is not enough to simply have evidence of the Dou family's oppression of the people. We cannot let Emperor Xizong stand on the side of the Yuan family at the cost of offending Empress Dowager Dou. We need to retaliate against the Dou family with a fatal blow, just as they secretly stabbed the Yuan family in the back. Since ancient times, what has made any emperor most fearful, aside from "plotting to overthrow him," is "betraying the country." The Dou family's southern army is very close to Nanzhao, and only the southern army is suitable for fighting against Nanzhao. If we can fabricate evidence that the Dou family's southern army is colluding with Nanzhao to usurp the throne, and make it seem like the Dou family wants to replace the Xianbei dynasty, and spread this rumor so that it reaches Emperor Xizong's ears, I bet that no matter how much he likes Dou Lihua, he will send someone to thoroughly investigate the Dou family. As long as the emperor has the intention, the Yuan family can use the emperor's authority to order the various vassals and severely punish the Dou family. Even if Emperor Xizong is still infatuated with Dou Lihua, as long as public opinion supports the Yuan family's army as a righteous force, we can use this momentum to attack and destroy the Dou family, and then pressure Emperor Xizong to abdicate. This will be a great success.

  I wrote a long piece, and Biying read it with wide eyes: "Mugun, if you were a man, you would be great, surely the reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, easily becoming a king or general."

  I sincerely shook my head: "Biying has misjudged, we and the Yuan family are of the same breath, sharing honor and loss together. To be honest, these rough moves I've made now are really just a desperate attempt to jump over the wall. If there's some time, it would be best to carefully study and re-deploy, then under the condition of preserving the Yuan family's strength, unexpectedly defeat the Duan family. However, I believe Second Brother will definitely filter out the essence and come up with a countermeasure."

  Biyin nodded and called out: "Xiao Zhong."

  A small black dog with a shiny coat ran out, wearing a silver collar around its neck. It barked at Biying several times, wagging its tail and licking her face affectionately. She signaled it to sit down quietly, pressed the mechanism on its collar, and inserted the reply I had written. The little creature saw me for the first time, sniffed for half a day, made friendly gestures by hanging out its tongue and shaking its tail, but its eyes looked at me with unusual vigilance.

  This was obviously a well-trained messenger dog, Biying told me that Yubei Studio was different from other places in that everything they ate, wore and used were purchased by someone from outside, so it was difficult for Zhang Demao to get close to her. He asked Yuan Feigong to raise a small dog for her to play with, and Yuan Feigong's daily life was now taken care of by Biying, who naturally agreed. Then Zhang Demao somehow managed to send this little messenger dog into the hands of Amiel without arousing any suspicion, so it became Biying's means of contacting the outside world.

  I admired this clever move for half a day, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt that Zhang Demao was a profound and unfathomable person. We chatted again in Biying's room for another half day, and the sun began to set slightly to the west. Xiao Zhong returned, and inside the collar, there was nothing but a note with the mark of Xiaowu Yi on it, indicating that the letter had been successfully sent out. Xiao Zhong stuck out its tongue at Biying, making happy noises as it begged for food, and she laughed and fed it, but Yuan Fei still did not appear, my heart worn down by disappointment and longing.

  As I turned around, Biying was teasing with Xiao Zhong, the sunlight shining on her face, making her amber eyes sparkle exceptionally clear and moving, like a gentle ripple of water. I knew Biying had always been beautiful, but I had never seen her laugh so freely and unrestrainedly before, that kind of joy radiating from her heart, scattering out an extra few sparks, as if nourished by the dew of love...

  Love's gentle rain, this thought flashed into my mind, and my heart became restless. I looked over and saw Biying tilting her neck to avoid Xiao Zhong's tongue, a hint of pink visible on the snowy nape of her neck.

  I smiled and said: "Don't move, Biying, there's a little bug on your neck, I'll help you catch it."

  When I called her name, I flipped up her collar, and indeed there was a bright red kiss mark...

  I sat back in my chair, with a heart as if I had overturned countless bitter water bottles. If everyone in this Yu Bei Zhai was so respectful to Bi Ying, then the only one who dared to do this to Bi Xuan would be Jing Fei alone. Bi Ying is his personal maid, and she's such a gentle and considerate person... In ancient times, this... this is just a normal thing...

  I suddenly found Biying's smiling face very piercing, but I dared not ask questions and could only take out the Western poetry collection (2) given to Yuan Fei for display on the table, saying: "Then I'll just go back first."

  Biying looked at my changed face with a dazed expression, and said innocently and sadly: "It's still early, Muyi, sit for a while, there's only me in this garden, I miss you so much, can we chat again?"

  But I sat like a needle cushion, got up and left, and when I turned around, a tear still fell.

  Sitting in the carriage, I cried for half a day and felt suffocated. So, I sat with Su Hui at the front of the carriage. I stared blankly at the scenery quickly moving backwards, my mind filled with cherry blossoms and Biying's happy smile, as well as that kiss mark...

  Another wave of discomfort washed over me and I closed my eyes again.

  "Hey! Stop sulking," Su Hui suddenly spoke up, I opened my eyes wide, was it that obvious? Just as I was about to respond, he continued, "Anyway, you'll eventually become Third Master's person, so it's a good thing to get rid of your thoughts about Fourth Master!"

  It's really a case of "if one pot doesn't work, try another", I said coldly: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

  He let out a sigh: "I just fought with Amil, that little Turk, and he told me that Fourth Master is now spoiling Yingniang, taking her everywhere. If it weren't for Fourth Master having something important to do today, she would have come along too, and we wouldn't have been able to see each other." He looked at my face, hesitated for a moment, and continued: "Besides, Yingniang is getting more and more beautiful, and her clothes and jewelry are no longer those of a simple maid. She's clearly the mistress of the house! Alas, Mu Niang, Fourth Master is not bad, but his mother is a Turk, and he's too honest and kind-hearted. However, that Guo Erren is not a good person. Amil said that he doesn't like you because you're too cunning. One day, when Guo Erren and Fourth Master return to the Western Regions, he will never agree to let Fourth Master bring you back with him. You two are destined to be apart. I'm still saying what I've always said: we're both people of Third Master, and this world can only accommodate us in Xifengyuan. I can see that Third Master truly likes you, and my mother and Mr. Han like you too. As for me, after spending more time with you, I think you're not bad except for being a bit ugly... Ah, don't glare at me! Fine, fine, you look good, just a little less beautiful than Yingniang. Don't be sad, Mu Niang, and settle your heart. Just follow Third Master, and when he seizes the throne and avenges his grievances, we'll become empresses or something, which is much better than going to that desolate Western Regions..."

  Su Hui was driving, chattering more and more, I turned my head to look around at the green and misty scenery, and had a strange idea in my mind, perhaps Yuan Fei wanted me to know these things, so he let me go to Yu Bei Zhai.