Chapter 038
Chapter 38: Make Plans Early
Xia Meng Yan said: “Father, Mother, your daughter has something to tell you.” Not knowing where to start, she put the result on the table first, then connected it with what she saw at Northern Fortress Pass.
The outline of the matter became clear.
The Huo Family Army was secretly making money. How much the Ping An Marquis knew was uncertain.
Madam Lin went weak after hearing her daughter and grabbed the person beside her: “Master, if the Huo Family Army wants to use the Ping An Marquis to line their pockets, then the Lin Family must already be in their sights.”
She never thought that a proper marriage could hide such a big scheme.
Xia Ping Yuan was shocked inside, but his face stayed calm. His daughter had told them so they would not be used: “It is not yet time for the Lin Family to collapse. Now that His Majesty has found the two hundred thousand taels in the Ping An Marquis Manor, he must be even more suspicious of the Huo Family. We must not lose our heads.”
Xia Meng Yan agreed, then sat by Madam Lin: “Mother, do not be afraid. At worst, we leave the Capital. We still do not know His Majesty’s intent, so it is not good to act rashly.”
With her daughter and husband shielding her, Madam Lin felt her heart settle a little.
She was not foolish and quickly understood what her daughter meant. Once the silver entered the State Treasury, if His Majesty chose to target the Huo Family Army, then the Xia Family and the Lin Family would still have a sliver of hope. But if His Majesty acted like nothing happened, then there was more to it.
It could be that the Huo Family’s power had grown too strong and His Majesty wanted to take them down step by step. It could also be that they were in league with each other. [Which one is it?]
“Should we send a message to your maternal grandfather?”
For something this big, the Lin Family had to prepare in advance.
“I will write to Grandfather.” Right now, Xia Meng Yan did not trust anyone around her. She had no room left for mistakes. One wrong step and both families would be destroyed: “What I want to know now is whether His Majesty has shown anything unusual lately.”
Xia Ping Yuan fell into thought. The mother and daughter did not disturb him. The study was quiet.
“At first, nothing unusual. If there is something, it is this: after His Majesty met Heir Apparent Duan in the middle of the night, word spread that he would grant Heir Apparent Duan a marriage. But now, no one mentions it.” Xia Ping Yuan looked at his daughter. Since it involved Duan Yi Chen, perhaps she knew more than he did.
Not wanting to make her parents worry, Xia Meng Yan told them what Duan Yi Chen had said: “If you see him again, please be careful.”
Xia Ping Yuan fumed as he paced: “That brat dared treat you like that; next time I see him, I will beat him to death.”
“What are you doing, the child already said to treat it like you do not know each other when you meet,” said Madam Lin, afraid he would cause a scene, as she tried to calm him. “Yi Chen does not have it easy either. Since he has made his choice, then let us part on good terms.”
Walking back and forth, Xia Ping Yuan linked several matters in his head. Suddenly they made sense: “You are right. We part on good terms. The urgent task now is to find out how many people are involved in what the Huo Family is doing, or to push His Majesty to make a decision early.”
Xia Meng Yan leaned close to her father: “Father wants to test the waters?”
Schemes flashed in Xia Ping Yuan’s eyes. He could move before the throne not just with words: “Leave this to me. You stay home and take care of the baby.”
Madam Lin agreed: “Yan’er, do not worry. At worst, we resign from office and keep out of their business.”
“Alright, I will listen to you both.” Nestled in Madam Lin’s arms, Xia Meng Yan’s gaze turned firm. [I will not let them drag us down.]
After sending the mother and daughter off, Xia Ping Yuan stood alone when a figure dropped in front of him: “Master.”
“You heard what we said. Find a chance to let this matter explode.”
The Shadow Guard thought a moment: “At the Ping An Marquis Manor?”
“Yes.” They bullied his daughter. Did they take Xia Ping Yuan for a soft persimmon? [Let them try.]
Madam Lin escorted her daughter back to the Autumn Lotus Court, ordered the servants to take good care of her, then left with her people.
The next day, before Xia Meng Yan woke, Nanny Song tiptoed in and drew the bed curtain: “Miss, Miss…”
Xia Meng Yan opened her eyes, still groggy, and saw Nanny Song: “What is it?”
“Divine Physician Luo has arrived.”
Waking up a bit more, Xia Meng Yan stretched and spoke in a husky voice: “Tell everyone in the manor to keep their mouths shut. Take him to rest in his courtyard first, then let him see Yue’er.”
“Divine Physician Luo’s courtyard was cleaned long ago, and the attendants there are all old hands of the Xia Family,” said Nanny Song as she helped her sit up and rubbed her head. “The steward has been told as well. I am only worried the second branch will make trouble.”
“Put people to watch the second branch. If they overstep, act first and report later.”
Nanny Song nodded and helped her to her feet.
Chun Yue handed over a handkerchief, and Nanny Song stepped out.
Divine Physician Luo entered through the back gate and did not alert anyone else. Before he left the Capital last time, the little girl had told him his courtyard would always be kept ready. He walked there like he owned the path and saw an elder and a youth standing at the gate: “Physician Luo, you finally came. Everything is the same as before. Please take a look.”
Divine Physician Luo nodded. Seeing the furnishings unchanged put him in a fine mood.
After breakfast, Xia Meng Yan stayed in the study by herself. Half a stick of incense later, she came out with a letter: “Please invite Wang Mang over.”
Chun Yue answered and went.
Wang Mang arrived quickly. The moment he saw Xia Meng Yan, he knelt: “Thank you, Miss, for saving Yue’er.”
He had already met Divine Physician Luo, and the physician had agreed to treat Yue’er. Divine Physician Luo charged a high fee. Wang Mang knew he had nothing, and in the end he would still owe this favor to Xia Meng Yan. The only thing he could do was show his loyalty.
“Get up. If Yue’er can be cured, I will be happy too,” said Xia Meng Yan, signaling a servant to help him up.
Wang Mang knew extra words were useless, so he asked what he could do: “Miss, you called me. What are your orders?”
Xia Meng Yan nodded. They were all smart people, so she got straight to the point: “Go to the Lin Family and give this letter to my maternal grandfather. He will give you enough men and silver. Take them to Northern Fortress Pass and gather information on the Huo Family Army.”
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Wang Mang took the letter, put it away, and did not ask more: “Then I will leave Yue’er and Li Hua in your care, Miss.”
“Do not worry. With Divine Physician Luo here, by the time you return to the capital, you will see a healthy Yue’er.”
Wang Mang cupped his fists and left briskly.
Chun Yue reminded her mistress that Divine Physician Luo had arrived and that she should go greet him.
“I am not going. Last time he slipped away without a word and made me cry for so long. I do not want to see him,” said Xia Meng Yan, pouting as she turned back with her people.
She had sent Wang Mang to collect information on the Huo Family Army. That would take a lot of people and money. She needed to think about how to earn more silver. With enough silver, she could set up news networks in each province and avoid risks when they came. [If I prepare early, I will not be cornered.]
…
“What did you say? People from the Ministry of Works found a hidden chamber?” Grand Madam Lin shot upright when she heard Madam Jiang.
Only she and her trusted nanny knew about the secret room in the next courtyard. She had not even told Lin Ye Lan. How did Madam Jiang know?
Hearing that, Madam Jiang knew the hidden chamber was real. The old hag favored them on the surface, but she hid something this important. If she had not gone to check on the repairs today and happened to hear the cleaners talking, she would still be kept in the dark.
Madam Jiang remembered that some time ago the old madam had casually given them five hundred taels. She guessed the chamber was full of silver.
“Mother, no matter who found it, what is inside belongs to our Ping An Marquis Manor. We cannot let the Ministry of Works take it.”
“Take it? Why would they take it?” Grand Madam Lin sprang to her feet, eyes wide. “Those are mine. No one can touch them.”
She rushed toward the door as soon as she finished.
The other estate of the Marquis of Xuan Ping was not far from the Marquis of Ping Yang’s manor.
Grand Madam Lin arrived with her people and saw boxes and boxes laid out in the open: “Stop. All of you, stop.”
Half her face could not move, and she spoke too fast, so to the crowd it came out as muffled sounds.
The guards looked at each other and kept moving the boxes.