GSY Chapter64

In April, Yandu was full of flowers, and the city became more and more lively. After the national mourning period, the white robes hanging in the long streets of the capital were taken down, and the city slowly returned to its usual liveliness, with people bustling about and living as usual.

 

It seemed that no one cared who sat high in the palace.

 

Since Cen Yelan had returned to the capital, he naturally had to attend the morning court like the officials in the capital. It was raining that day, and the spring rain was like a weave, covering the entire imperial city. When he left the palace, a palace attendant opened an umbrella to greet him, “General.”

 

The court was about to end, and the civil and military officials went away in twos and threes groups. Cen Yelan was aloof and cold by nature and seldom interacted with officials in the capital. No one dared to approach him either.

 

Cen Yelan was about to leave when he suddenly realized someone was looking at him. He turned his head and saw a young man in a dark blue military official’s court robe slowly walking towards him with an umbrella.

 

The young man had a handsome face, a tall figure, and a scholarly air. He smiled at Cen Yelan and said, “General Cen.”

 

Cen Yelan nodded and said, “General Si.”

 

Si Shaoying laughed and said, “I have been busy with trivial matters since returning to the capital, and I have not visited General Cen in person.”

 

Cen Yelan took the umbrella from the palace attendant and said indifferently, “General Si is too polite.”

 

The two walked side by side, and Si Shaoying said, “When a new ruler ascends the throne, it is a tradition for the border army commanders to return to the court. After you and I returned to the capital, Yan Nan had a child, and the Commander of the Western Frontier was also sick.” He sighed and said, “The four frontier army headquarters are now becoming more and more withered.”

 

Cen Yelan held an umbrella and walked slowly, his eyes falling into the dense rain, and said, “Marshal Feng is in his prime, and Xiao Wangye[mfn]The Young Prince[/mfn] Yan Nan is smart. Although he is young, he has the General’s demeanor. The frontier army will continue to carry on, so how can it wither?”

 

Si Shaoying laughed and said, “Is that true?”

 

“What about your Cen family?”

 

Cen Yelan raised his umbrella, his eyes unchanged, and said, “What does General Si mean?”

 

Si Shaoying said, “It is an indisputable fact that Cen Yi rebelled. Now, apart from General Cen, the Cen family only has a three-year-old Cen Mo left, not to mention that his father is a criminal.”

 

“Where will the Jingbei Commandery of the Cen family be passed down?”

 

Cen Yelan paused, turned to look at Si Shaoying, and said in a cold tone, “The northern border has the Cen family, so General Si doesn’t need to worry about it.”

 

“General Si.” He said, looking at the handsome face, “The garrison commander of Heshan Prefecture abandoned the city and fled. The Hedong Army was defeated in the face of the Hu people’s branch army. One has to wonder, is it possible that since Handou gone, there has been no one in the Si family who can serve as a general?”

 

Si Shaoying’s expression shifted slightly, and he stared at Cen Yelan. Cen Yelan’s words were heartbreaking. The Si family had many brothers, and no matter whether they were in Hedong or back in the capital, everyone would compare them. It was fine for the sidelines, but Si Handou and Si Shaoying were brothers of the direct line. When Si Handou was alive, he always suppressed Si Shaoying. Even when the late emperor asked them to leave one son of the Si family in the capital, the one left by Old General Si was also Si Shaoying.

 

Cen Yelan looked into Si Shaoying’s eyes without flinching. Heshan Prefecture was inexplicably lost before, and Hedong stood aside and watched. Cen Yelan already had some doubts in his heart, not to mention that Si Shaoying dared to hint at him now.

 

Si Shaoying curled his lips and said, “General Cen should keep an eye out to see if there is anyone in the Si family who can be a general.”

 

After that, he left with an umbrella.

 

Cen Yelan looked at his back. Actually, what Si Shaoying said about the decline of the four frontier armies was not without reason. Not to mention the northeastern border of Hedong, Yan Nan’s little heir was still young, only seven or eight years old now, and the one who actually holds power is a young general from a humble family. And Marshal Feng of the western border is in his forties, but his health is getting worse year by year. The Feng family in the western border is a mess, it was unknown where the military power will fall in the future.

 

Cen Yelan sighed softly. He couldn’t even take care of himself now, so how could he take care of others?

 

The Meng Mansion.

 

The spring rain continued. When Meng Huaixue lifted the curtain and came in, Meng Tan was standing in front of the window, looking at a clump of banana trees outside the window in the rain, which were shaken by the wind and water droplets were rustling.

 

Meng Huaixue walked forward and closed the window, saying, “Second Uncle, you are not well yet, be careful of catching a cold.”

 

Meng Tan was thin and handsome, with pale cheeks and a bit of sickness between his eyes, but it was still hard to hide his noble family of wealth and luxury character. He smiled slightly, raised his hand to cover his cough, and said, “It’s fine, I’m much better now.”

 

Meng Huaixue said, “Why not let Divine Physician Su come and take a look at you?”

 

Meng Tan shook his head and said, “I know how my body is.”

 

As they talked, they sat down at the table together. Meng Huaixue rolled up her sleeves and poured a cup of warm tea for Meng Tan, saying, “Divine Physician Su was here to see Ah Zheng again today.”

 

Meng Tan: “How is it?”

 

The temperature of the tea in the cup was different. Meng Huaixue took a sip. The tea was still fragrant and refreshing. As soon as she tasted it, she knew it was Meng Jiu’s work. Meng Jiu was originally a fierce blade raised by the Meng family. He was the shadow guard who protected the master. After staying with Meng Tan for a long time, the fierce blade also became more elegant.

 

Meng Huaixue put down the teacup and shook her head. She looked at Meng Tan and said, “Second Uncle, how long—will this last?”

 

Meng Tan raised his eyes and looked at her, then said in a gentle tone, “Are you already tired?”

 

Meng Huaixue said, “I’m not tired, I just… feel sad when I see it.” She lowered her eyes and said, “Some time ago, the assassins entered the mansion. The other party was clearly trying to test Ah Zheng and force him. He almost took his life. If it weren’t for Cen Yelan…”

 

Meng Tan’s expression did not change, and he said slowly, “I am waiting for the late emperor’s will.”

 

Meng Huaixue suddenly raised her head, stared at Meng Tan in a daze, and said, “Didn’t you say there was no will and only an oral order?”

 

Meng Tan sneered and said, “His Majesty and I have been king and subject for more than ten years. Given His Majesty’s character, how could he not make a will? Moreover, if there was no will, how could Liu Gonggong die?”

 

Liu Gonggong was the late emperor’s chief eunuch and a close attendant to the late emperor.

 

Meng Huaixue frowned and asked, “Where is the will then?”

 

Meng Tan tapped the teacup with his fingers and said, “Liu Gonggong had an adopted son named Cheng Huai, who disappeared after the coup. The will must be on him. Liu Gonggong was wounded in the abdomen by a sword that night. I asked Meng Jiu to turn over his body. His stomach had been cut open, and it was more than once as well.”

 

Meng Huaixue took a breath and heard Meng Tan say, “Now not only are we looking for that little eunuch Cheng, but our new emperor is also looking for him.”

 

Meng Huaixue said, “If Yuan Heng finds Cheng Huai before us…”

 

Meng Tan said, “So we have to find the will before him so that Ah Zheng can legitimately take back the throne.”

 

Meng Huaixue was silent for a moment and said, “Second Uncle, the Cen family has always stayed away from the court affairs. Can the Northern Border Army really be used by us?”

 

“It’s not for our use.” Meng Tan said calmly, “Ever since the late emperor sent Ah Zheng to the northern border, the Cen family has already been unable to stay out of it. With Yuan Heng’s suspicious nature, he will not let the Cen family go once he secures the throne.”

 

“General Cen wanted to protect the Cen family. Thus, we each took what we needed.”

 

Meng Huaixue seemed to be thinking for a while, then said, “…But Ah Zheng and General Cen—”

 

“When I rescued him from the bottom of the cliff, he had been feverish for several days and was in a daze. He called out General Cen’s name countless times.”

 

Her expression was a little strange, Meng Tan smiled helplessly, pressed his eyebrows, and said, “Let him be.”

 

“People always have to keep some thoughts to themselves.”