On the way back, Lin Zhiji suspiciously asked: 【Host, do you have some kind of plan?】
Xie Yi: 【Oh?】
Lin Zhiji had initially been frightened, but the more he thought about it, the more wrong it felt.
Xie Yi did have a bad temper, but he was not stupid or impulsive—he would never do something like breaking the leg of the emperor’s crown prince’s cousin in public.
Moreover, Lin Zhiji remembered that Xie Yi had originally already planned to leave, but only turned back after the other party revealed his identity.
If he had no plan, no one would believe it.
After hearing Lin Zhiji’s analysis, a trace of amusement appeared in Xie Yi’s eyes: 【Anything else?】
Lin Zhiji frowned: 【You’re about to work under the crown prince soon. Doing something like this now—isn’t it slapping the crown prince in the face? People like him, high and mighty nobles, care a lot about face. He will definitely resent you.】
Xie Yi: 【So you’re worried about me.】
Lin Zhiji: ???
Is that the point??
Xie Yi chuckled: 【The crown prince still needs the general’s estate right now. He won’t do anything to me.】
Even though that was said, Lin Zhiji still felt things were not that simple, but no matter how he asked, Xie Yi would not say more.
Seeing how confident he was, Lin Zhiji gradually relaxed.
—
Back at Qingping Courtyard, Xie Yi handed the small trinkets he bought to Qingli.
Recently, Xie Yi would occasionally bring back small items, such as little porcelain figures, spinning tops, and Luban locks. Last time he even brought back a silk flower.
At first, Qingli found it terrifying, but now she was already used to it.
She was about to arrange them on the antique shelf when Xie Yi said: “No need to display them. Put them away.”
Qingli froze for a moment.
Xie Yi continued: “Put all fragile and valuable items in the courtyard into boxes.”
Although Qingli was confused, she still obediently did as told.
Just after she finished tidying up, a furious shout came from the courtyard gate: “You unfilial son!!!”
Xie Pingyue had just returned from court when he heard that Xie Yi had broken the leg of the young son of the Zhaode Marquis.
At that moment, his vision went dark and he nearly fainted.
The Zhaode Marquis Residence was the maternal family of the crown prince. Although it had declined in recent years, its status still remained.
The marquis’s wife was notoriously domineering and protective. Her youngest son was born late in life and was deeply spoiled.
Just imagining how many future troubles this would bring made Xie Pingyue’s head ache.
This was utter chaos!!!
Thus he hurried straight back to the manor as soon as he got off court.
He originally wanted to have someone summon Xie Yi to the main courtyard, but feared that this troublesome rebellious son would outwardly obey while secretly disobeying. In the end, he simply decided to come himself.
He stormed into the room in a rage, about to grab something handy to smash, only to discover that Xie Yi’s room was clean to an excessive degree.
The table and couch were one thing, but even the antique shelf was completely bare.
Lin Zhiji immediately understood and said in shock: 【Host, this couldn’t also be part of your calculation, right?】
【Just in case.】Xie Yi said indifferently.
After all, last time when Xie Pingyue broke a teacup, Lin Zhiji felt regret for a long time. If his little trinkets were smashed, he would not be able to have peace and quiet anymore.
Lin Zhiji immediately applauded him with “clap clap clap”: 【Host truly has foresight! Annoy this old man who loves destroying other people’s property.】
Xie Pingyue circled the room twice and still could not find anything to throw. In the end, he could only rage and shout “rebellious son” a few more times.
Xie Yi asked leisurely: “May I ask what brings the general here?”
This would have been fine on its own, but the moment it was said, Xie Pingyue’s anger flared up again.
“You still have the nerve to ask! Do you know how much trouble you’ve caused the manor!”
Xie Yi calmly added fuel to the fire: “I do not know. Please enlighten me, General.”
“You!” Xie Pingyue gritted his teeth. “Wasn’t it you who broke the Zhaode Marquis’s young son’s leg?”
“Oh, so it’s that matter.” Xie Yi raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “That Du Tianrui rode his horse wildly in the street and almost trampled someone to death. According to the Great Yu Law, that is a capital offense. I was merely saving him.”
Lin Zhiji: 【Exactly exactly. He only broke a leg; that was already letting him off easy.】
Xie Pingyue laughed in fury: “So you’re saying you were without fault and even did a good deed?!”
Lin Zhiji: 【Why is he talking so sarcastically? I hereby promote him to Eunuch Yue!】
Xie Yi let out a soft laugh: “Naturally. If the crown prince were wise, he should now put righteousness above kinship and personally send him to the Jingzhao Prefecture. I only acted on his behalf so as not to trouble him.”
Xie Pingyue: !!!
“You, you…”
Xie Yi lifted his eyes indifferently. “If the General wishes to atone, you may also break my leg and send me to the Eastern Palace.”
Xie Pingyue was nearly enraged into vomiting blood.
I would like to!!
But if he truly did so, it would be bowing to the crown prince and binding the General Manor to the Crown Prince’s camp—something he absolutely did not want.
The more he thought about it, the more stifled he felt.
Disaster! What disaster!
How had he ever been so foolish as to send this troublemaker to the Crown Prince’s side?
Not only had he failed to shield the manor from disaster, it was already good if he did not bring disaster upon them.
At this point, there was no turning back.
He not only could not break Xie Yi’s leg, but now had to grit his teeth and confront the Zhaode Marquis Residence on his behalf.
Xie Pingyue swallowed a mouthful of blood.
Previously he had suspected Xie Yi was a hidden pawn, given how perfectly timed his appearance was.
But according to recent intelligence reports, Xie Yi had basically remained in Qingping Courtyard all day.
Apart from daily martial training, he only fiddled with the kitchen making snacks.
Even his martial training consisted of only ordinary techniques. Yet he had talent, and even those ordinary moves were practiced with surprising force.
He had taken control of the Shock Troop Camp, but had not approached any of its officers, nor inquired about its documents.
He merely wore the camp token daily and even deliberately showed it to Xie Cheng’an, provoking a dispute.
Gradually, Xie Pingyue became reassured.
He concluded that Xie Yi had no ulterior motives—only crude skills learned from nowhere, acting recklessly after sudden success.
But he never imagined that such recklessness could still be deadly.
Originally, Xie Pingyue had planned that after sending Xie Yi into the Eastern Palace, he would go to Qingzhou to suppress bandits and avoid court turmoil, then return once the situation stabilized.
But now, with Xie Yi behaving like this, he no longer dared leave. He feared that upon returning, the entire manor might already be gone.
His anger surged again.
Yet there was truly nothing in Qingping Courtyard to smash. In the end, he kicked the flowerpot at the entrance—only to find it was made of stone. Pain shot through his foot, and he limped away in fury.
He returned empty-handed and even more furious than before.
It was said that the main courtyard replaced an entire set of furniture that very night.
—
At the same time, the Eastern Palace was also under a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.
The Eastern Palace Chief Secretary Ge Yan hurried in and saw Crown Prince Zhao Jinghuan sitting darkly on the main seat.
Ge Yan’s heart sank, but he still maintained composure: “Your servant Ge Yan greets Your Highness.”
Zhao Jinghuan raised his eyes and said coldly: “Is Minister Ge also here for Xie Yi?”
Ge Yan quickly understood: “Did Her Majesty the Empress send someone?”
Zhao Jinghuan suppressed his anger. “Mother said my maternal aunt entered the palace to cry to her, claiming Xie Yi is arrogant and bullying the imperial relatives, and does not respect this crown prince at all.”
Ge Yan frowned and said carefully: “Your Highness, the Zhaode Marquis’s wife is overprotective of her son; her words may be biased.”
The matter had already spread widely.
Du Tianrui had ridden wildly in broad daylight in the marketplace and nearly injured people; many witnesses had seen it.
Although Xie Yi’s methods were harsh, nothing in reason or law could be used to fault him. He might even gain a reputation for defying the powerful.
If the Crown Prince punished Xie Yi now, memorials condemning him would likely flood in like snowflakes.
Then the Crown Prince would lose both reputation and the support of the General Manor, while Prince Qi would surely be delighted.
Zhao Jinghuan knew very well the temperament of his cousin and also disliked the obstructive Zhaode Marquis Residence, but what he disliked even more was Xie Yi.
He looked coldly at Ge Yan.
“All of you always tell me to endure this and endure that. The General Manor head, whom I tried so hard to recruit, keeps evading me. His son—merely an illegitimate child—dares act more arrogant than nobles. And you still want me to swallow this anger?”
“I am the Crown Prince, yet I must live so miserably. I might as well abdicate and become a commoner!”
Ge Yan quickly knelt: “Your Highness, please calm your anger.”
He sighed inwardly.
In his view, Xie Yi’s unruliness was not a disadvantage but an advantage.
Such a young and hot-blooded person, though seemingly difficult, was actually easier to handle than a cautious old fox like Xie Pingyue.
Moreover, now that he had already entered the Crown Prince’s faction, there would be plenty of ways to deal with him later.
But at present, all eyes were on the Eastern Palace. The Crown Prince had to appear magnanimous and virtuous.
However, he also knew the Crown Prince had already reached his limit.
If he was not allowed to vent, greater trouble would follow.
So he changed his approach.
“In my view, Your Highness may as well assign him to the Training Guard Office. He comes from a military family; it is fitting. Let Bai Siwei ‘teach him proper rules.’ It can be said to be internal training, and even if word spreads, it would not matter.”
Zhao Jinghuan also understood that he still needed the General Manor’s military power and could not sever ties.
Ge Yan’s suggestion was a compromise, so he nodded.
“Do as you say.”
Thus the next day, after Xie Yi met the Crown Prince, he was appointed Deputy Guard of the Training Guard Office.
The Training Guard Office was the Crown Prince’s trusted force. Xie Yi entered directly as a sixth-rank deputy guard—higher than even the Chief Secretary in starting rank.
Lin Zhiji was surprised: 【I didn’t expect the Crown Prince to be this patient. I thought he’d make things difficult for you.】
Xie Yi replied calmly: 【He will not leave obvious handles. This position is bait. If I swallow it, I fall into his trap. But sometimes, the fish is too big—the bait and the fisherman are both swallowed.】
Lin Zhiji sighed: 【People who do strategy really do have dirty hearts.】
Meanwhile, the eunuch leading the way brought Xie Yi to the training grounds.
The commander of the Training Guard Office, Bai Xingmao, had already been instructed by the Crown Prince to give this new deputy guard a lesson.
He observed Xie Yi subtly and already formed a plan.
After some polite exchange, Bai Xingmao said warmly: “I’ve long heard of Brother Xie’s martial prowess. Since you are here, why not spar a bit and let everyone learn from you?”
Lin Zhiji froze: 【This is not a “small shoe”—this is a tailor-made trap just for you!】
The guards grew increasingly dissatisfied and challenged him to choose his opponent.
Xie Yi sneered: “Fine.”
Lin Zhiji coughed lightly: 【Alright, let’s see which lucky one gets this honor.】
Xie Yi swept his gaze over the crowd.
The two of them, almost at the same time, looked toward the very corner where Zang Feng was standing.
Zang Feng: !!!