In mid-September, when Liang Guangyi sent men to deliver eighty chests of gold to Xiao Yan outside the city, Canglang personally oversaw the inspection of each one.
It took nearly half an hour before Canglang waved his hand, signaling his men to seal the chests and take charge of them.
The person sent by the noble families to deliver the gold was Liang Guangyi’s nephew, Liang Shun. His eyes reddened as he watched the chests, and seeing Canglang return, he couldn’t help but sneer, “So petty. It’s just some gold, yet you’re checking every chest as if we’d cheat you?”
Canglang was unfazed. “Can’t help it. Never seen so much gold in my life. Gotta let the boys have a good look first, or they’ll be too excited when we haul it back. What if they get so flustered they spill it on the road? That much gold would be a pain to pick up, wouldn’t it?”
“You…” Liang Shun’s eyes grew even redder.
This was their gold, the very lifeblood of their families!
Liang Guangyi raised a hand to silence the speaker. “Enough. Don’t make a fool of yourself with that attitude.”
“Uncle…”
Liang Shun wanted to argue, but meeting Liang Guangyi’s gaze, he could only grit his teeth, shoot a hateful glance at Canglang and Xiao Yan, and step back resentfully.
Liang Guangyi turned to Xiao Yan. “The gold has been delivered as agreed. This is for clearing the He family’s name. As long as you present it publicly at tomorrow’s court session, I will speak to the Crown Prince to restore the He family’s honor and recommend you inherit the title.”
Xiao Yan glanced at the item and chuckled. “Then I thank Grand Tutor Liang.”
“And what you promised me?”
“This Governor keeps his word. The matter with the He family ends here…”
Liang Guangyi let out a breath of relief and turned to lead his men back to the city. Just then, the sound of hooves thundered closer. Moments later, two riders appeared, seemingly galloping side by side from a distance, arriving almost simultaneously before Liang Guangyi and Xiao Yan.
The riders dismounted and hurriedly approached their respective targets.
“Governor, a message from the palace, His Majesty has awakened.”
“Grand Tutor, His Majesty urgently summons you to the palace.”
Liang Guangyi’s head snapped up to look at Xiao Yan, while Liang Shun’s face lit up with joy.
“Uncle, His Majesty is awake!”
The Crown Prince, relying on his position as heir, had been wreaking havoc in the court, with Xiao Yan leveraging the prince’s authority to pressure their families into submission. Liang Guangyi had been forced to use their families’ wealth to buy Xiao Yan’s mercy. Now that Emperor An was awake, how could the Crown Prince continue to act recklessly? Liang Shun, realizing that the Emperor’s awakening meant someone could rein in the prince and curb Xiao Yan’s arrogance, suddenly turned toward the gold Canglang’s men were preparing to take away and shouted urgently, “Uncle, stop them! We can’t let them take the gold…”
*Swish!*
Before he could finish, two sharp gusts of wind sliced past his face. One grazed his ear, leaving it bloody, while the other nearly slit his throat.
Liang Shun let out a scream.
“Xiao Yan!” Liang Guangyi looked up.
Xiao Yan’s pale fingers toyed with the bamboo branch hanging beside him, two sharp leaves missing from it. He raised his eyes coldly. “Did this Governor just hear someone planning to touch my gold?”
“That’s clearly our…”
*Swish!*
Another bamboo leaf shot straight toward Liang Shun’s face. The guards beside him, startled, drew their swords in a panic. Though the leaf was soft, it clashed against the sword’s tip with the sound of metal striking metal.
The Liang family guards stumbled back, drawing their swords in defense.
Liang Shun, pale with fright, nearly collapsed to the ground.
“This Governor’s gold, does Grand Tutor Liang want it?” Xiao Yan’s gaze was icy.
Liang Guangyi: “…”
Though he had briefly wavered upon hearing of Emperor An’s awakening and summons, seeing Xiao Yan’s ferocious possessiveness and the menacing Black Armored Guards glaring at them, Liang Guangyi turned and slapped Liang Shun across the face.
“Who told you to open your mouth?”
“Uncle…”
“Shut up!”
Liang Guangyi’s stern shout and cold glare silenced Liang Shun. Only then did he turn to Xiao Yan. “My nephew has always been foolish, and the Liang family lacks worthy successors. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have chosen to support Lu Chongyuan back then.”
In a roundabout way, he admitted fault to Xiao Yan before continuing, “Rest assured, Governor Xiao, this gold is our families’ atonement to you. Our agreement still stands. Even with His Majesty awake, I won’t go back on my word. I only hope you’ll keep your promise to let bygones be bygones with our families. Even if we can’t stand united as noble families, I hope you won’t use past grievances to trouble us in the future.”
Without waiting for Xiao Yan’s response, Liang Guangyi added, “Since His Majesty has awakened and summoned me, I cannot linger. I’ll take my leave.”
Xiao Yan said coolly, “Safe travels, Grand Tutor Liang.”
Liang Guangyi led the Liang family members away. Only after exiting the small grove did they board the waiting carriages.
As the sounds of chests being moved, hooves clattering, and wheels rolling faded into the distance, Liang Shun, clutching his face, said, “Uncle, why are you afraid of Xiao Yan? He’s only riding the Crown Prince’s coattails to pressure us. Now that His Majesty is awake, the Crown Prince can’t hold the court anymore. Why don’t we take back the gold…”
“Enough!” Liang Guangyi snapped, his brow furrowing. “Do you think His Majesty’s awakening means he’ll side with us? Or that he can handle Xiao Yan?”
He hadn’t forgotten that he was among those who pressured Emperor An in the Zichen Hall. Moreover, the events of that night were sparked by Cui Lin and himself. Given Emperor An’s temperament, even if he tolerated it for the sake of the “bigger picture” for now, he would surely settle accounts once he regained full control.
And besides…
“The tiger tally is still in Xiao Yan’s hands. The edict of self-condemnation has spread across the land, and His Majesty’s handwritten decree is still with Xiao Yan. The Crown Prince was personally appointed by His Majesty’s decree. Even if His Majesty vies for power with the Crown Prince now, it’s uncertain who would prevail. Do you think Xiao Yan would have been so calm just now if he wasn’t confident?”
“But…” Liang Shun was unwilling.
Liang Guangyi let out a soft sigh, his expression grim. “I know you’re unwilling. I am too. But the He family’s case is settled, and no one can change that.”
That blood letter, He Wenzhuo’s correspondence, even if presented before Emperor An, he would have to accept defeat.
“Xiao Yan is cunning and holds grudges. Buying his restraint with 800,000 gold isn’t a bad deal. As for the rest…”
“The situation is stronger than us right now. We must learn to endure. If an opportunity arises in the future, we can settle the score. Why rush for short-term gains?”
Liang Shun touched the blood on his ear, muttering a low curse. “That castrated dog…”
“He’s the Marquis of Xuanyi, a member of the He family. Don’t use that word again.”
Seeing Liang Shun fall silent, Liang Guangyi added, “When we return to the city, I’ll go to the palace to see His Majesty. You head straight back to the residence. Don’t speak recklessly about what happened here.”
…
“Governor, how did Emperor An wake up?” Canglang asked quietly.
“He’s been unconscious for so long, and the court’s situation is already set. If he’s awake, so be it.”
If he didn’t wake soon, Liu Tong’en might have lost control.
Xiao Yan glanced at the gold being loaded onto the carriages. “Take some men and personally escort this gold. Be careful on the road, don’t let anyone intercept it.”
“No way! Anyone who tries to rob my money will pay with their life!”
This was his Governor’s lifeline!
Xiao Yan chuckled. “Alright, go on. This Governor needs to return to the capital.”
With Emperor An awake, he had to go see him.
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