Chapter 905: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yu Youyao pursed her lips. “Although you’re right, I don’t want to let the Han Clan off just like that.”
Yin Huaixi immediately understood what she meant and frowned. “Liu Dagen’s death has nothing to do with you. You don’t have to blame yourself for this.’
“l didn’t kill them, but they died because of me.” Yu Youyao’s expression was still ugly, and her voice seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. “The Han Clan attacked Liu Dagen in order to deal with me. Liu Dagen was originally just an ordinary citizen, but he suffered an undeserved calamity and died tragically.”
“You can’t say that.” Yin Huaixi said seriously, “The reason why the Han Clan framed you was to deal with the Empress Dowager and the Empress, and take the opportunity to attack the royalists. You’re also a victim.”
The Empress Dowager was seriously ill. Although the news was covered up, the harem was currently controlled by Concubine Lan, and the Longevity
Palace was not made of iron and copper.
The harem was in charge of politics, and it was against the rules. It was an act of losing virtue.
Only when the Empress lost her virtue would she lose the advantage of being the first wife. The Fourth Prince, who was as close as a son to the Empress, would also not have the chance to compete for the position of heir.
The Empress Dowager’s serious illness could no longer be covered up.
“I’m not blaming myself. 1 just can’t let it go.” Even the evil person who had killed someone didn’t blame themselves. How could she punish herself for the evil of others? Yu Youyao said coldly, “If this hadn’t happened to me, I would have pitied Madam Zhang and arranged a good job for them so that Madam Zhangs family could live well in the future. However, I have no reason and obligation to uphold justice for her. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I can’t.” Although it was very cold, reality was really cruel.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had already rotted into its roots. There were many unfortunate people like Madam Zhang, so it was impossible for her to manage everyone.
There was a turbulent undercurrent behind Liu Dagen. She only dared to interfere because she was in the middle of it. If she did not interfere, she would definitely implicate the entire Yu Clan and even Yin Huaixi in the battle for the succession.
She couldn’t bear such consequences.
Anything that did not match the interests of the royalists would only be given up in the end.
Hearing the deep helplessness in her words, Yin Huaixi’s heart ached. “You’ve already done very well.”
Yu Youyao looked sad. “However, such a thing happened to me. I can’t pretend that it didn’t happen. The Han Clan treats human lives like gra.s.s. I have to pursue the matter to the end and give Liu Dagen and Madam Zhang justice.”
Yin Huaixi did not know how to comfort her about this. “Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
In his eyes, the n.o.bles were like ants.
There were many bandits in the Shanxi and the Shaanxi area. When the Great Zhou Dynasty fell into chaos, they would let the Hidden Dragon Army disguise themselves as bandits. Taking advantage of the chaos, they would capture those n.o.bles who had done many evil things. They would kill those who should be killed and steal those who should be stolen from. It was just that simple and crude.
It was true that this method was not very straightforward, and it was not inferior to the King of Liang.
But!
There was an old saying that went, “Those who achieve great things don’t care about trifles.”
If one wanted them to die, they had to be arrogant first. The more arrogant a n.o.ble was, the more miserable their outcome would be.
However, how was he going to tell Yu Youyao about this?!
The matter of the Xie family escaping had always been a thorn in Yu Youyao’s heart. Not to mention whether she could accept it rationally, even emotionally, she couldn’t help but let her imagination run wild.
He might as well not have told her.
Yu Youyao’s lips curled up and she smiled. “I’m not that kind of person. I’m not a sentimental person. I mainly feel that the Han Clan is despicable and shameless, and they’re also under the consort party. Right now, there’s a conflict between the court and the outside world. The Han Clan lives in the
North and is under your control. There will be endless trouble in the future.
Besides, because of the Flower Festival at the Duke Rongs Residence, Imperial
Consort Xu and the Yu Residence have quite a conflict. Since Imperial Consort
Xu can order the Han Clan to deal with me, she must be able to order others.’
At this point, she lowered her eyes slightly, her trembling eyelashes blocking the thoughts in her eyes.
However, Yin Huaixi knew that if it weren’t for the Flower Festival at the Duke Rongs Residence back then, Old Madam Yu wouldn’t have suddenly developed an overbearing illness, causing her health to deteriorate.
She pretended to be fine, but she had been brooding.
Yu Youyao looked up at him and saw that his gaze was deep. She smiled to hide it and quickly changed the topic. “The power of the n.o.bles is deep-rooted.
In the case of King Li of Zhou, the emperor killed many people in the North, implicating more than a thousand people. The n.o.bles were intimidated by the methods of the Imperial Court and restrained their actions. However, they still don’t take the Yue Fei’s Residence seriously. At the bottom of it all, the real culprit is still at large. He’s rich and powerful in the North.”
The n.o.bles of the North were all connected and had power in the court. Elder Han was an old minister of the cabinet and had many disciples. Even the Imperial Court was in trouble.
The n.o.bles’ actions of framing King Li of Zhou did not harm the emperor’s own interests. Although they had provoked the dignity of the royal family, the emperor had already achieved the goal of intimidation by killing so many people.
The Imperial Court was afraid that the va.s.sal lords would have a large army and still needed the land-owning cla.s.s to continue restraining the King of the
North, Yin Huaixi.
The aristocratic families knew the emperor’s heart well, so they were naturally fearless. “It’s useless to knock on the mountain to scare the tiger when dealing with the n.o.bles. Only by killing the chicken to warn the monkeys can they really be afraid.”
Yin Huaixi pulled her into his arms and suddenly realized how pet.i.te she was in his arms. He was in disbelief. How did such a delicate and thin girl bear so much?
“I schemed to get you a t.i.tle as a member of the imperial family and asked you to come to the North to free you from the restrictions of etiquette and the many withers of the mortal world. I want you to feel more at ease.” Yin Huaixi sighed softly, his voice filled with helplessness. “You’re making me look very useless.’
Yu Youyao couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “Don’t think that I don’t know. I can easily control the situation in Xiangping City and pa.s.s some real and fake news to the Han Clan to numb them. You secretly helped to encourage this. I’m afraid you contributed to the rapid progress of the case in the state government office.”
Even the Bai Residence had a lot of evidence about the Han Clan breaking the law.
Did Yin Huaixi, the opponent, not have anything?
How was that possible?!
Yin Huaixi had always been far-sighted and planned ahead. Since he wanted to deal with the Han Clan, it was impossible for him not to be prepared. However, because the Imperial Court did not plan to attack the Han Clan, it was very likely that rashly attacking would cause the Imperial Court to be wary, so he hid it.
The Han Clan had been operating in the North for many years. Was it so easy to catch the spies planted in Xiangping?!
Of course not.
Yin Huaixi must have been on guard long ago. This time, he had used the commotion in Xiangping City to take advantage of the situation and capture all these people.
He Zhixian was under the surveillance of the Yue Fei Kings Residence, so it was impossible for Yin Huaixi not to notice. He Zhixian was working for the
Han Clan, so he must have ordered someone to keep an eye on it long ago. That was why Madam Zhangs case could be investigated so quickly..