Chapter 938: Chapter 936: I’ll Get It for You
"Ah?" It sounds like quite a scene; today’s Imperial Court must be very lively.
Ye Xinyan quickly followed and sat down in the closest seat to Duke An, "What’s going on, what’s going on, Grandfather? Tell me, please."
"Tell me, please..." Though his words were unclear, Ye Yuan joined in the uproar.
Ye Xinyan reached out and pinched Ye Yuan’s cheek, smiling, "What are you talking about? You’re just a little kid; what could you possibly understand?"
"Don’t bully my good grandson." Duke An pushed Ye Xinyan’s hand away with distaste.
"Tsk, burning bridges!" Seeing how genuinely she liked the little guy, her grandfather seemed to be enjoying it. He had previously been cautious, afraid she might not take care of Ye Yuan out of resentment for Ye Hongyang.
However, from Duke An’s words, Ye Xinyan gleaned something different. He said that if they couldn’t recover the situation, he wouldn’t concern himself with Jinrong’s future affairs.
A Duke An who always obeyed the throne’s orders, is this him intending to take sides?
In Ye Xinyan’s view, if a military general as esteemed as Duke An were to lean toward him, it would be worth Jinrong paying a little price.
So, Ye Xinyan agreed readily, "Grandfather, rest assured, as long as I can do it, I will definitely help you recover the situation. Tell me, what would make you feel satisfied?"
Duke An patted Ye Yuan’s head, his tone becoming serious, "Grandfather is getting old and truly can’t rest easy about Brother Yuan. You and Yuanfan are reliable, but your father is so confused. It’s fine while I’m still here, but if I’m gone someday, putting filial piety first, I fear Brother Yuan and Duke An’s Mansion would be ruined in his hands."
Ye Xinyan didn’t quite agree with Duke An’s statement. Even if Ye Hongyang’s mind is problematic, with her and Jiang Yifan watching over, even if Ye Hongyang caused trouble, the two of them, constrained by filial piety, could still seek an edict from Jinrong. There’s no need to be so anxious.
Duke An smiled and said, "The current Majesty is clear-minded, and Prince Yu seems decent now. But who knows if after the world is at peace and the nation’s luck prospers, the Emperor will maintain his original character? At present, it’s best to treat things as a joke and gain convenience."
For Duke An, what he’s doing now is essentially not picking a side. Xing Yuyue can see these things clearly, and he considers himself shrewder than Xing Yuyue, how could he not see it?
Since the Emperor favors Jinrong, he would help the Emperor, giving Jinrong a little support, and at the same time laying some groundwork for his own grandson.
Jinrong’s strong momentum now has a direct link to his granddaughter. What Ye Xinyan has thought and done over the years aligns with the Emperor’s intentions, and Jinrong’s advocacy for Ye Xinyan’s various measures allows the Emperor to see in Jinrong a continuation of his policies after he ascends the throne.
The lure of being an enlightened monarch who ushers in a prosperous era is immense, isn’t it?
With so many benefits from Ye Xinyan, Jinrong should provide some convenience for his grandson and Duke An’s Mansion, so as not to seem too unfair.
Duke An said, "No need for any special rewards, just ask Prince Yu to give Brother Yuan a token or something. When Brother Yuan needs it, it should grant him fairness and care."
"Sure." Ye Xinyan said, "I’ll speak with His Highness later; he will certainly agree."
When Duke An uttered the words "fairness and care," Ye Xinyan felt even more at ease. The old man might be sly, but he truly does things with a bottom line.
"I can always rely on my granddaughter." Duke An immediately became cheerful.
With his granddaughter stepping in, the matter would be easier to discuss. If he himself went to Jinrong for this assurance, although Jinrong would agree more readily, the cost he would have to bear might be orders of magnitude greater.
Ye Xinyan was also pleased. She came today intending to have Duke An protect Jiang Yifan when necessary. She hadn’t even had a chance to bring it up before the old man resolved it for her.
Her grandfather truly was dependable.
"Grandfather, you’ve really scored a big win today." Upon hearing this, Duke An’s bushy eyebrows shot up immediately, but Ye Xinyan fearlessly continued, "Think about it, today His Majesty had you stay behind, perhaps planning to send you to raid the Crown Prince’s Mansion. As it turned out, Grand Tutor Xing, with his noble character, bore the hardship first and the enjoyment later, taking on this difficult task for you instead."
Duke An also realized this possibility, but he could never admit it, "Was that noble character? If old man Xing hadn’t gotten the jump on me, could he have taken on this task? I’m tellin’ ya, Old Thief Xing is truly no good; in the great hall, he really gave me a hard time..."
Indeed, Xing Yuyue is despicable, talking about his serious matters in the palace’s great hall and dragging her into the conversation—what was that about? It was absolutely devoid of scholarly grace.
To be slandered without retaliation simply tells everyone that Grandma Jiang is someone who can be bullied, and when tainted with foulness, foolishly doesn’t hold a grudge.
Such noble behavior doesn’t quite describe Ye Xinyan.
She said, "How about, Grandfather, should we give this Grand Tutor a bit of trouble as well?"
Duke An’s eyes lit up, "Well, you see, Xing Yuyue’s family has a rare military book from the previous dynasty. That’s probably the only thing in his family worth looking at."
Ye Xinyan quickly glanced at Ye Yuan; the little guy was tugging on Duke An’s sleeve, studying the serious embroidery on the robe. Good thing, otherwise, if the little guy overheard their conversation, it could corrupt a child.
She wrinkled her face, puzzled, "Grandfather, you surely have a big appetite."
Duke An felt displeased, hadn’t she herself suggested giving Xing Yuyue some trouble?
"Can you do it or not?"
Ye Yuan raised his head, echoing, "Can... can do!"
Ye Xinyan chided, "Do what, though?" Seeing the little guy still grinning, she helplessly asked Duke An, "Does Old Man Xing have any misdeeds, or improper conduct, bad habits or anything?"
Duke An was used to his granddaughter’s off-kilter expressions, "What do you mean?... He has a concubine thirty-some years younger who often attends to him, does that count?"
Something about an old ox grazing on young grass, right? Ye Xinyan blinked her eyes, nodded heavily, and said with keen interest, "Yes, it absolutely counts!"
Seeing Ye Xinyan’s sparkling, excited eyes, Duke An felt a sense of foreboding, "So, granddaughter, what are you planning to do? We have to be careful in our actions, okay? We can’t just out of our own selfish desires, cause Old Man Xing any harm."
Otherwise, he wouldn’t want that military book anymore. Just an isolated copy, after all, he’s already got a handwritten one; he’s simply admiring the former dynasty’s God of War and desires an autographed copy.
Old Thief Xing is just a bit outdated, a bit annoying, not too big of a fault. If they really made Old Man Xing suffer a stroke or paralysis because of this, he wouldn’t feel good about it.
"For offending our family and slandering your granddaughter me in the great hall, what’s that phrase again? An injustice that can’t be tolerated! Ye Xinyan said, eager with clenched fists.
Duke An sighed, indeed, she was undeniably his granddaughter, carrying the same tone and choice of words.
Duke An: "So what do you plan to..."
Ye Xinyan: "Just take two personal garments from him and his concubine, saying they were found. Relax, Grandfather, we won’t blow this up big."
Just from this sentence, Duke An had some suspicions, "You’re not planning to have Zheng Pengfei help you, are you? Zheng Pengfei wouldn’t do this kind of thing for you, don’t make it difficult for him."
Ye Xinyan was unconcerned, "Nah, this is called encouraging what must be saved, I mean, catering to their interests. It’s all about whether the conditions are appealing enough. But this matter can’t be rushed; eventually, I will get you the handwritten original military book of the former dynasty’s God of War, Grandfather."
She might lack the ability to grant a marquisate, but she could still get things done.