Chapter 62: Former Spouses, Settling the Accounts Clearly

Yan Bei gazed at Yue Tang, whose elegant attire was set against the backdrop of the vibrant autumn colors, and for a moment, he was speechless.

The current dynasty had seen five generations of monarchs. During the second generation—the era of Yue Tang's grandfather—a great upheaval had occurred.

At that time, the Emperor personally led a campaign. Yan Bei's grandfather, who had been promoted directly by the Emperor, served as the foremost vanguard general. During that chaos, the monarch and his ministers were of one heart, and they successfully reclaimed several lost prefectures in the Yan lands.

Aside from Yue Tang's grandfather, whose merit was indisputable, Yan Bei's grandfather held the greatest contribution, and thus he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Jingyang.

In the year of his enfeeoffment, Yan Bei's grandfather was only thirty, in the prime of his strength. Given his achievements at the time and the Emperor's favor toward the Yan family, it seemed likely the clan would grow even more powerful.

However, the Prince's manor already commanded three hundred thousand troops in the Northwest. To grow any larger would not be a blessing, but a curse.

Yet, there was no reason to decline the Emperor's imperial favor, and one had to leave a guarantee for future generations, right?

Thus, Yan Bei's grandfather made a decisive move. A month later, he submitted a petition to the Emperor requesting that the entire household relocate to the northern border to guard the frontier.

According to regulations, a Prince's manor held the power to command troops but not the power to deploy them; furthermore, subordinate generals were subject to rotation. Since the Emperor already placed great trust in the Yan family, this arrangement caused no concern.

To demonstrate his grace, the Emperor also ordered the construction of another princely manor in Mobei, decreeing that the Yan family would serve as kings for generations, while the Yue family would guard the empire.

In a flash, thirty or forty years passed, and both the monarch and his ministers had reached the third generation.

While high-ranking generals at the border were rotated, the mid-to-low-level officers and soldiers were stationed permanently in Mobei.

These people had developed a deep bond with the princely manor through years of defending the nation. Since childhood, Yan Bei had been instructed by his elders to care for these soldiers; while he did not show it openly, he always regarded them as family in private.

Although the imperial court provided annual subsidies, in such a harsh and frigid land, the necessities were always greater than in the capital.

Yan Bei had been in the capital for three years. Seeing the high officials and noble clans enjoying luxury every day, had he never thought of the soldiers who fought alongside the Yan family?

Naturally, he had.

Moreover, as he now held power in the Bureau of Military Affairs, he frequently sought ways to secure better benefits for his subordinate soldiers.

Everything else was easy enough, but when it came to silver, it wasn't something he could simply provide whenever he wished.

Furthermore, the amount required when distributed among a vast number of soldiers was no small sum.

This was precisely where Yan Bei felt helpless, and now, Yue Tang had come up with such an idea—

The person the Du family actually serves is a schemer who brings ruin to the court and harms the innocent. Wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable to behead him, seize his property, and use it to provide relief to the frontier soldiers?

She had a point!

He stroked his chin and nodded, but soon stiffened his neck. "This isn't right. The culprit behind the Du family is not only an enemy of your Prince Duan's manor, but also an enemy of my Prince Jingyang's manor. It is only natural that I step forward; how can this be called me profiting from it?"

"I am doing this for your own good," Yue Tang said earnestly. "If you feel it is only natural, then in the future, should I give this money to you or not? If I don't, it makes me look uncooperative.

"If I do, you, the dignified Prince of Jingyang, would have to hold your palm up to receive my money. Where would your dignity go?

"It is better to work as partners. When the matter is settled, the person belongs to me, and the money belongs to you. Neither of us will have worked in vain, and neither of us will owe the other. How about it?"

Yan Bei hissed, "Are you really that kind-hearted?"

At first glance, her words were perfectly logical, but why did he feel something was off?

What did she mean by "neither owes the other"?

What did she mean by "partners"?

It was clearly a matter where he should step forward out of principle. If he treated it as a partnership, wouldn't he be seen as acting for the money? Even if the money was intended to subsidize the soldiers, the original intention would already be tainted.

What kind of man would he become?

"I won't do it," he said, his face hardening. "I am avenging my son; why should I partner with you? I will deal with the Du family myself; you needn't bother. Once I have dragged the culprit out, if you want him, I will hand him over to you."

Being cast aside by his wife already made him look like he lacked authority as a husband; if he conceded on this matter as well, would he even be a man?

Yue Tang smiled but said, "Yan Bei, our ancestors shared a long and good friendship. Let us speak plainly. I ask you: do you intend to just handle this one case to settle this grudge, or do you also intend to make long-term plans for the future of the Prince Jingyang manor?"

Yan Bei looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"To 'just handle one case' means focusing only on the harm done to me and A-Li. If you only care about this single matter, then of course I can listen to you—let you step forward, and I will simply take the person. After that, you manage your Prince Jingyang manor, I manage my Prince Duan manor, and we each go our separate ways."

Yan Bei thought for a moment. "And if not?"

"If not, then listen to me. Don't try to show off your 'heroic character' with me; if you need to exert effort, then exert it." Yue Tang smiled faintly. "Because besides this one matter, there will be many more.

"The conspiracy from three years ago had wide-reaching implications. Judging by the clues currently emerging from the Shen family, even if they were not involved in the harm to me and A-Li, they must have dirty hands regarding that incident of imperial succession.

"As the Prince of Jingyang holding military power, you already have the responsibility to maintain the stability of the state. Furthermore, you have been pushed into the spotlight by the late Emperor's posthumous edict sent back to the capital. Have you not considered the situation of your manor and the future of your clan?"

Yan Bei was speechless.

He hadn't expected this woman to grasp the political landscape so acutely, her mind filled with matters of state and nation.

Admittedly, he had long heard that this precious treasure of the Prince Duan manor was no ordinary person. Having lived alone outside the capital since childhood, it was only natural she would be knowledgeable, thoughtful, and ambitious.

But the woman before him... it felt as if she were practically inside his head!

As the head of the Prince Jingyang manor, he had indeed maintained vigilance toward everything in the capital since his arrival.

Otherwise, why would he have entered the capital incognito to gather intelligence?

And why, until now, had he refused to rely on any of the various factions in court or accept any of their flattering advances?

Yan Bei couldn't help but sit up straight. "Even so, what do you propose?"

"Simply eliminating the Du family will not bring stability. You must thoroughly expose the conspiracy and purge the court before you can truly rest easy." Yue Tang calmly refilled his wine. "I know why you have tolerated the Du family all these years; you know it well yourself.

"It is true that the Yan family holds great power, but above all, there is the concept of Imperial Authority.

"You cannot guarantee that you will never get caught in the crossfire.

"Is keeping the Du family around not out of fear that, should those at the top join forces, the Yan family might truly find itself isolated and unable to resist?

"Though my Prince Duan manor has lost its influence, a starved camel is still larger than a horse. Since I, Yue Tang, have not died, I will return to the manor sooner or later.

"Once I return, won't I have to find ways to regroup all those remnants of my father's forces that were forced to disperse after his death?

"Once they are regrouped, won't my Prince Duan manor once again possess the strength to strike?

"Not to mention, the late Emperor promised that even after my father passed, the Imperial Guard would be transferred to the successor of the manor.

"Even if the successor of my Prince Duan manor is still a decade or more away from adulthood, I can find a way to appoint a trusted confidant to manage it in the meantime.

"Tell me, would having an old friend like me to stand back-to-back with you in court be beneficial to you?

"Am I, Yue Tang, not more reliable than Du Minghuan?"

The autumn wind blew, rustling the yellow leaves. Her dress fluttered, yet her demeanor remained calm and effortless, as graceful as a celestial being in a forest.

Initially, the Grand Dowager Consort's letter had asked Yan Bei to maintain contact with the Du family because she feared he would be alone and powerless in the capital.

Although the Du family had caused him more trouble than they had served as messengers, seeing the state of the political landscape, he had not yet made up his mind to sever ties with them.

The forces the manor had cultivated for years were all in Mobei and within the military. Returning suddenly to the imperial court truly required stepping with extreme caution.

If a new power could be allied with, why bother caring about the Du family?

Yan Bei could no longer find any grounds to argue.

He withdrew his gaze, straightened his body, and took a deep breath. "As expected of the Princess of Yongjia. But you aren't suggesting I do something treasonous with you, are you?"

"Treason? What treason? What you and I are doing are honorable matters that benefit the people."

Yue Tang glanced at him and took another sip of wine. "I know that involving the Shen family means involving the Imperial Authority, but don't tell me you aren't a member of the Yue family and that palace struggles have nothing to do with you.

"With the precedent of the Prince Duan manor, holding great power is like rowing upstream; if you are not proactive, you will be forced into a reactive position.

"As the Prince of Jingyang holding such heavy authority, it is impossible for you to simply remain neutral to protect yourself.

"Currently, you are protected by the late Emperor's edict, but the Shen family holds the imperial seal by decree.

"If the day comes when the Emperor and the Shen family decide the winner between them, what do you think the victorious side will do next?

"By then, you will have no choice. Even if you do not wish to enter the fray, you will be forced into it."

At this point, Yue Tang glanced at him again. "I am not speaking to you now as an old acquaintance, but as the only daughter of the Prince Duan.

"Even if there were no A-Li between us, I believe that based on what I have said, this is worth your serious consideration."

Yan Bei pressed his lips together.

His thoughts had been completely laid bare by her.

And he understood even more clearly: it wasn't that he would enter the fray once the winner was decided in the palace.

He had entered the fray the very moment he received the imperial edict!

He rubbed his chin and said after a moment, "So, if I don't agree to your terms, I would be being short-sighted."

Yue Tang set down her wine cup. "Currently, I am in the shadows and you are in the light. I have already lit the fire.

"Let us establish an alliance today, and from now on, we shall face our enemies together with one strength."

Everything else was convincing, but the words "establish an alliance" made Yan Bei feel uneasy.

Back then, they even established a marriage contract, and in the end, didn't she just give him a divorce decree?

Now they were establishing an alliance; once she had used him up in the future, wouldn't she just sever their ties again?

Yan Bei did not want to agree so quickly.

However, thinking about how she had just poisoned him when they first met a few days ago... an alliance meant that, at the very least, she viewed him as an ally. They were no longer enemies; what more could he ask for?

Yan Bei accepted his fate.

He waved to the young eunuch to bring ink and paper.

"I'll sign it!"

Having grown up seeing all sorts of situations, the terms of an alliance were second nature to them. Moreover, the content was not complex; it was nothing more than an agreement to share resources and face enemies together.

Yan Bei stamped his seal on the alliance document.

When it was Yue Tang's turn, he saw that she only signed her name and left a thumbprint. Remembering the princess's seal she had once hung on a body double, he said nothing and silently folded the document, tucking it into her bosom.

"Eunuch Gao..."

At that moment, someone approached from the corridor. Approaching Gao An, who was watching the scene intently, she whispered with her head bowed.

Yan Bei recognized the person as the one previously sent to follow Xu He.

Gao An immediately brought the person forward. "My Lord, there is word from Xu He."

The guard said, "Reporting to the Prince, Du Yu sent Xu He to the Secretariat to find the tortoise talisman of the Imperial Clan Office held by Officer Hu."

Hearing this, Yue Tang looked at Yan Bei. "What is happening?"

Yan Bei explained the matter of Du Yu seeking out Xu He. Then he asked the guard, "What is he looking for that? What does the Imperial Clan Office have to do with him?"

"Officer Hu used a tortoise talisman from the Ministry of Rites for official business a while ago. According to Du Yu, the talisman is still in Officer Hu's possession.

"However, he did not reveal what he intends to do with it."

A tortoise talisman was a pass used to verify identity.

Every government office had a warehouse for storing documents, archives, or secret cases, and the credential used to open them legally was a bronze tortoise talisman split into two halves. The keeper of the warehouse held one half, and the corresponding office held the other. To use it, the two halves had to fit perfectly to allow entry.

The jurisdiction of the Imperial Clan Office had nothing to do with the Du family. Currently, the Shen family was looking to take their anger out on the Du family; instead of rushing home to deal with it, Du Yu had come looking for this talisman?

"The person who went to see Shen Li earlier also had the surname Hu, and he was also an official of the Secretariat. Could he be Officer Hu?"

Yue Tang immediately thought of the scene where Shen Li had held a secret meeting with an official.

"Then it makes sense. Du Yu likely has designs on the Imperial Clan Office, and his urgency must be to find a way to relieve his family's predicament."

Yan Bei straightened up, turned around, and faced Gao An. "Go to the Marquis of Guangling's manor and smooth this matter over."

Hearing this command, which was vastly different from his previous attitude, Gao An looked at Yue Tang in slight surprise. Hadn't they just established an alliance? Why was he helping the Du family instead?

Yue Tang smiled and nodded. "That is how it is. If the Prince's manor steps in to mediate this mess, the Shen family cannot refuse to show face.

"But they won't let this slight go; they certainly won't let it pass.

"Tomorrow, when the Prince goes to court, he should bring up the murders of the He and Zhang families. The various departments of the Ministry of Justice will not dare to be negligent and will certainly have to take over the investigation immediately.

"Since this matter has no overt connection to the Du family, and the Du family has sworn before your Prince that they are unrelated to the murders, there will be no reason to prevent the Prince from ordering the Ministry of Justice to investigate strictly.

"In this way, the investigation will quickly lead to the Du family.

"At that time, won't the Shen family, who have suffered this grievance, take the opportunity to vent their anger and pressure the Ministry of Justice?

"Only then will the Du family truly be driven into a corner.

"And when they are driven into a corner, what choice will they make?"

Gao An's eyes lit up. "I understand! They will naturally seek help from the person most capable of saving their lives!"

And who else could that person be, other than the mastermind behind the conspiracy?

Without any effort, the clues would present themselves.

Even if the culprit did not easily show their face, there would surely be a trail to follow!

Having realized this, Gao An couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Having watched these two bicker all along, the reasons Yue Tang had used to persuade Yan Bei had already earned the silent admiration of Gao An, a head eunuch who had been involved in state affairs since the time of the old Prince.

Hearing her explanation now, his heart could only hold one word: "Brilliant!"