"Is this about Lady Xie?" Zhang Boju furrowed his brows. Everyone in the political sphere knew Yuwen Jing’s covetous desire for Feng Shu, a desire that disregarded moral boundaries. Thus, whenever Zhang Boju ntioned Feng Shu, he deliberately referred to her as "Lady Xie" to show respect.
Lin Helin couldn’t quite make sense of the situation either. "But the eldest cousin-in-law is still at Xiangguo Temple. This doesn’t fully add up. If Ting Feng wanted to take her away, he wouldn’t stop halfway. News has already co from Lian City that their group has headed north. It can’t possibly be a feint. Ting Feng coming to the Capital City must an he’s here to accomplish sothing important before returning to Ningzhou. With his personality, he won’t stop until he’s achieved his goal. If it was an assassination attempt on Yuwen Jing, there would have been a massive commotion—it wouldn’t have been this quiet."
Lin Helin knew Xie Jue as well as Xie Jue knew him. It couldn’t possibly have been Xie Jue’s plan to assassinate Yuwen Jing.
"Then why? His visit to Xiangguo Temple could only have been for Lady Xie."
Lin Helin said, "Never mind that. Right now, the important matters are the civil examinations and spring planting. Everything else can wait. Using the Bei River as a boundary, let’s see who can improve the people’s lives better. Jiangnan’s epidemic has already caused significant devastation. If the spring planting is delayed again this year, it will force the people to flee to Ningzhou."
Lin Helin and Zhang Boju were more concerned about the spring planting, the ability to restore the economy, and ensuring the people could live better lives. Yuwen Jing, however, remained deeply dissatisfied with Ningzhou controlling twelve prefectures. He had repeatedly proposed that Zhongzhou should dispatch troops, and while General Chen Ming was willing to obey, Fang Chuning had vetoed him several tis.
Fang Chuning’s argunts were highly convincing. Zhongzhou had just recovered from the epidemic, and Xie Xun’s victory in the battle of Yangzhou had earned him imnse public support. Sending troops now would only incite public resentnt.
Fang Chuning, truly the sharp and tough child who had grown up under the General’s discipline, rcilessly questioned Yuwen Jing: "After a great disaster, when the people are struggling to survive, you want to wage war? Are you trying to destroy the country?"
When Yuwen Jing read the morial, he was so furious that he threw it to the ground in rage. Lin Helin, Zhang Boju, and the others all kept their heads down, saying nothing. Waging war after a major disaster—especially internal conflict—would only invite rebellion and criticism from the people.
For this rare occasion, Lin Helin did not argue against Zhongzhou’s stance. He didn’t want a war either. But they also understood that if they gave the twelve prefectures a few more years of stability, they might no longer have the strength to fight at all.
Now, it seed that war was untenable, and peace was equally difficult.
Zhang Boju recalled the scene in Yangzhou when the people stood in front of the general to save Xie Xun, and his emotions beca complicated. For the first ti, he discussed the matter with Lin Helin.
"Bai Qing, if the twelve prefectures achieve peace and stability, and Xie Xun’s army reaches our gates, what should we do?"
Lin Helin chuckled lightly. "If that day cos, it will simply be Yanyang’s fate."
Back when Lin Yunong returned from Xiangguo Temple, she told him that she had t Xie Jue and had even helped him evade a Jinyi Guard search.
Lin Helin never blad her. After all, at the ti, when the reinforcents from Jinyi Guard arrived, he had deliberately delayed them slightly. Now, he, too, felt conflicted.
But protecting the royal family was the Lin Family’s responsibility.
They could only take things one step at a ti!
Yuwen Jing must not lose his resolve. There was still a glimr of hope for Yanyang’s reign.
For now, stabilizing internal affairs was their only chance.
In the second year of Yuan Hui, August, Yuwen Jing disregarded the opposition of court officials and brought Feng Shu into the imperial harem, confining her in Yingchun Palace. Xia Zhu, Dongxue, and Chen Lin entered the palace with her. Yuwen Jing also assigned sixteen palace maids and eight eunuchs to serve in Yingchun Palace.
On her first night in the palace, Yuwen Jing ca to Yingchun Palace, but the palace doors were tightly shut. Feng Shu refused to let him in. Yuwen Jing stood outside the door for a long ti but never entered, leaving only at midnight.
Inside, Feng Shu let out a heavy sigh of relief. Chen Lin guarded the palace gate, worried about how to handle things if Yuwen Jing forced his way in. On the day of Feng Shu’s labor, he had been ordered to return to the Capital City on official business and could not be at Xiangguo Temple. Fortunately, the young master had been safely sent away. If any accident had occurred, he would have no choice but to take his own life to atone and beg forgiveness from the Eldest Young Master.
Now, the situation was worse than when they were at Xiangguo Temple.
This was the Imperial Palace!
Across the court and throughout governnt circles, there was strong protest against Yuwen Jing’s act of bringing Feng Shu into the palace and conferring her the title of Chen Fei. One censor official even lost his life, and three others were dismissed. Civil and military officials knelt in front of the palace for three days, but Yuwen Jing remained unmoved.
Six days later, the Empress Dowager issued a decree for a nationwide consort selection. Girls of suitable age from noble families were brought into the palace for the selection, resulting in seven young won from prominent clans being added to the harem.
Gradually, the voices of dissent grew quieter.
Over the past year, aside from his determination to wage war and marry Feng Shu, Yuwen Jing had managed all other affairs of state with exemplary efficiency.
They accused him of slaughtering loyalists, but his actions were limited to eliminating Marquis Zhenbei’s family and a few protesting clans. Afterward, he held no grudges.
They said he was immoral and lascivious, but his devotion was solely to Feng Shu. The harem remained largely unoccupied, and the imperial lineage was far from flourishing.
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