Fu Laiqing leaned against the side of the carriage, taking a deep breath, his heart still racing. "It's nothing..." Somehow, the brothers of this Song family always seemed to clash with him. The previous one, Song Jinxi, was extremely unpleasant—capable but always putting on airs. Everyone knew who he was, yet he insisted on behaving as if he was above mingling with others, as if only he was pure and noble. Now, this Director Xiao is even scarier. With just one glance, Fu Laiqing had already thought of three hundred ways he could die.
Patting his chest, he muttered under his breath, "Granduncle, why does that Director Xiao look like a demon god?"
"Hm?" Cao Dejiang looked at him, puzzled. "What kind of silly question is that? If Xiao Yan weren't a demon god, how could he control the Black Armored Guards that make people tremble with fear? How could everyone in the capital avoid him?" The name "Xiao Yan" alone was enough to cause shivers and even make children cry. If he wasn't a demon god, who could be?
Fu Laiqing realized how foolish his question was the moment he said it. Seeing his granduncle's look of disdain, he quickly coughed and said, "What I meant was, although he looks fierce, he's quite kind to the County Head of Yiyang."
Cao Dejiang retracted his gaze and said, "He does treat that young lady of the Song family quite well, and his actions this time have been surprising."
"Surprising?" Fu Laiqing asked in confusion.
Cao Dejiang nodded. "I originally thought Xiao Yan would take this opportunity involving the young lady to settle scores with the Lu family and use it to suppress Lu Chongyuan." Having been on the court for years, Cao Dejiang had seen Xiao Yan climb up the ranks step by step, gaining the Emperor's favor and securing his position in court. He had long been at odds with the noble families. Cao Dejiang assumed that Xiao Yan adopting Song Tangning as his foster sister was just a tactic to use the Song family's troubles to strike against the noble families. Previously, he had hit a wall with the grain issue, so it seemed like he wanted to switch tactics and find a new leverage against the nobility. That little girl was just a pawn for him, a means to an end.
But who would have thought that Xiao Yan, usually so ruthless, would genuinely protect the County Head of Yiyang? He had a golden opportunity but didn't press it, nor did he use it to bring down the Lu family. Instead, he sacrificed the benefits the Lu family could offer to help build a school and boost a young girl's reputation.
Cao Dejiang, having spent so many years in court, could see further than most. His tone carried a hint of admiration. "The young lady of the Song family has truly gained a lot this time. Although she lost the protection of the Duke's household and has fallen out with the Cheng Prince's household and the Lu family, as long as the school is built successfully under her and the Rong family's name, no matter whether it's scholars in the capital or officials entering the court, they'll all owe her a debt of gratitude."
"As long as she doesn’t rebel or commit major offenses, the Wen De stele and the academy will be enough to ensure her safety for a lifetime." Her reputation would be her best shield. Even the Lu family wouldn't dare act against her lightly.
Fu Laiqing was stunned by what he heard. "Granduncle, are you saying all of this was orchestrated by Xiao Yan?"
"Otherwise, how do you think a mere private matter of the Lu family became a topic everyone in the city knows?" Cao Dejiang glanced at the young, inexperienced man opposite him. "The noble families have dominated the court for years, blocking the path of rising scholars from humble backgrounds, and there's been resentment brewing among those scholars for a long time."
"Xiao Yan took advantage of this discontent to push the Lu family into the spotlight, creating a conflict between them and the scholars. This way, the scholars would stand by the side of Song Tangning, and it also forced those of us who don’t get along with the noble families to stand behind her and Xiao Yan." The rare books were tempting, but they weren’t enough to make everyone act. What aligned them with Xiao Yan and Song Tangning was their shared goal.
They were happy to see the Lu family suffer and the influence of the noble families decline, and they also wanted to create opportunities for scholars from humble backgrounds. Many officials from disadvantaged backgrounds had been suppressed by the noble families, and even those like Cao Dejiang and Marquis Wenxin felt stifled. That was why, even knowing that Xiao Yan was using them to boost Song Tangning’s status, they had readily agreed to come to the Lu family today.
Cao Dejiang sighed, "Xiao Yan has put a lot of effort into elevating that young lady, and don’t be fooled just because she’s a girl. Among the offspring of the noble families in the capital, not one can match her good reputation."
Fu Laiqing thought of Song Tangning’s face and couldn’t help but defend her. "But that’s also because the young lady is truly a good person. She genuinely wants to help those scholars find a way out. Otherwise, who else would have been willing to give up the benefits the Lu family promised just to help others?"
"True," Cao Dejiang nodded in agreement. "That young lady is indeed a good one—smart, knows her limits, and is magnanimous. The third son of the Lu family was a fool to have lost that marriage."
"He’s not just a fool; he’s downright stupid. That young lady is so wonderful, and what does that Lu Zhinian have to offer that makes him worthy of her?" Fu Laiqing sneered.
"Hm?" Cao Dejiang raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You’re actually praising someone from the Song family? I remember you detested Song Dalan the most."
His grandson had never gotten along with Song Jinxi, the eldest son of the Song family. Since they were close in age and both from families of officials, they were often compared. Fu Laiqing, not as academically inclined as Song Jinxi, leaned more toward practical skills, but people in the capital valued literary talent, which made him resent Song Jinxi.
In the past, he would bristle at the mere mention of the Song family, cursing them at any chance and denouncing them every time. Yet here he was, praising a member of the Song family. Had he changed?
Fu Laiqing immediately clarified, "Song Jinxi is Song Jinxi, and the young lady is the young lady. Besides, she’s already disowned by the Song family. Apart from her surname, she has nothing to do with that hypocrite Song Jinxi. And I'm not wrong; that Lu fellow doesn’t deserve her."
He muttered under his breath, "If he weren’t from the Lu family and a relative of the Empress, who else would have flattered him like that? Just look at Lu Zhinian—he's not even fit to carry her shoes!"
Cao Dejiang shot him a glare. "Watch your words about the Empress."
Fu Laiqing quickly shut his mouth.
After scolding him, Cao Dejiang thought of the recent developments involving the Lu family and frowned. "But indeed, the third son of the Lu family doesn’t deserve her. The engagement was something the Empress forced on them for the sake of the Fourth Prince. Back then, the Rong family wasn’t on good terms with the noble families. It’s still baffling how she managed to marry her granddaughter into a noble family before her death."
Fu Laiqing’s interest was piqued. "Granduncle, were the Rong family and the noble families at odds?"
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