Chapter 58 : Collusion

Tantai Yuan snorted with laughter, and when she realised that she was being rude, she hastily covered her mouth, "Auntie, why are you asking so many questions? Since I know that you haven't given up on your dreams for many years, I naturally know that you won't denounce them. After all-" she moved closer to Lady Yuexi, "One is to be able to fulfil your dream of sitting in the position of Witch Pan, and the other is to be complimented by someone you loathe and still not have your dream fulfilled, I think a smart person would choose the former."

Lady Yuexi glared at Tantai Yuan's smile in dissatisfaction, "But who am I to believe you? My eldest house and the second house have always been incompatible, if you're capable why don't you let yourself become a Wuban?"

"The Second House has done many evils, the hearts and minds of the clan alone cannot be collected," Tantai Yuan explained without haste, looking in a good mood, "Moreover, with my talent, I am not qualified to be a Witch Pan, and when the Tantai family declines, I will not be able to bear the title of a thousand sins. On the contrary, Auntie, you are different, the clan loves you, you have real talent, you are the true successor to the Witch Pan throne. I will be satisfied as long as I take revenge on Tantai Yan for my loved ones, and this is about to rely on your help, Aunt Mother."

"And what ability do you have to help me?" Lady Yuexi unknowingly wanted the conversation to turn to the main topic.

The corner of Tantai Yuan's lips curled, "I have enough manpower to create an accident for Tantai Yan and make her disappear completely from people's sight!"

Lady Yuexi frowned and asked, "Where did you get the manpower from?"

"Auntie don't I forget, my father served in the Ministry of Revenue before me, the breadth of his connections is beyond what you or I can imagine, as long as you agree to help me, these people are at your disposal."

Lady Yuexi still couldn't clear her mind of her worries, "Are their martial arts talents comparable to Li Qingdian's?"

"No matter how powerful Li Lightning Dye is, does he have the ability to beat ten people, twenty people?" Tantai Yuan laughed disdainfully, "The group is attacking, and he has to protect Tantai Yan, so he's distracted, he won't be able to win. Auntie, since I've taken the initiative to come to you, it means that I've arranged everything, you don't need to bother, as long as you can let me personally dispose of Tantai Yan to avenge her death, and then announce as the new matriarch that Tantai Yan died in an accident."

Lady Yuexi was silent for a moment and said, "I still can't understand, what exactly are you cooperating with me for? Wouldn't it be the same if you went and killed Xiaoyan yourself?"

"Because I want to gain your blessing in the future, Auntie?" Tantai Yuan blinked her eyes, her eyes filled with laughter, and said unapologetically, "To put it in more detail, if I kill Tantai Yan, and you sit back and reap the benefits, in the event that the imperial court feels that there is something fishy going on, you will definitely actively co-operate in the investigation into the true cause of Tantai Yan's death. However, if I lend you my men, we will be on the same boat, and in the future we will mutually benefit from each other, wouldn't that be better?"

Lady Yuexi hummed, "So that's how it is. I can't imagine that Tantai Lu has a daughter as intelligent as you... In the end, we both have selfish motives, and it just so happens that we can take advantage of each other!"

"If people don't act for themselves, the heavens and the earth will destroy them, isn't that right?" Tantai Yuan said, taking out a letter from her bosom and placing it in front of Lady Yuexi, "If you agree to co-operate with me, sign and draw."

Lady Yuexi raised an eyebrow, "Is this necessary?"

"Auntie, you've been deeply hidden for so many years, I can't really trust you," Tantai Yuan said, "And since I'm bent on revenge and acting in front of Tantai Yan, you can't really trust me either, can you? In order to at least establish the necessary trust, I think a signature is essential. I've written two copies and already signed and fingerprinted them, so after you sign them, we'll each have a copy."

"You are not hiding anything." Lady Yuexi suddenly smiled, unfolded the letter paper and read it carefully from beginning to end three times, and when she was sure that every word was correct, she took the brush from Tantai Yuan's hand, wrote her name, and pressed her handprints again.

"Then, we are allies from now on, Auntie." Tantai Yuan said, carefully tucking her own copy of the contract back into her arms, "And I would also like to ask you to take care of the Second House in the future."

"Definitely." Although she suddenly had manpower, Lady Yuexi did not feel relaxed at all, instead, the weight on her heart became even heavier, pressing her to the point where she was about to lose her breath.

The wind that came in from somewhere blew by, the candlelight fluttered, and the shadows on the floor distorted, Lady Yuexi was startled, thinking that there were other people hiding in the secret room.

She patted her chest and asked somewhat weakly, "Where are the men and horses? When do you plan to act?"

"In a few days, aren't the women of the clan going to the Qingzhu nunnery outside the city to offer incense? I intend to make my move on that day," Tantai Yuan said, her beautiful face looking eerie under the dim candlelight, "But Auntie can change the move if she has other ideas, after all, after signing this contract, the centaurs are at your disposal."

Lady Yuexi pondered for a moment and said, "Take me to see those manpower first."

Tantai Yuan nodded, "Yes, auntie. Tomorrow we will be at noon, Ruihe Restaurant on Jingfu Street, I will wait for you there."

"Hm." Lady Yuexi felt a strong tiredness coming on, suppressing the intense tension, her eyes were about to open, "Is there anything else?"

Tantai Yuan stood up and said, "Not for now, tomorrow at the Ruihe Restaurant we can talk about the plan in detail."

"Good." Lady Yuexi stood up and Tantai Yuan hurriedly followed.

"Auntie please be careful and walk slowly."

Lady Yuexi nodded absentmindedly and covered her chest as she stepped outside.

Tantai Yuan looked at that elder's back and touched the contract in her arms through her clothes, a wry smile emerging at the corner of her lips.

******

Pei Siyan was wearing a green coloured man's brocade robe, rubbing her inflamed temples while following behind Li Qingyan through the quiet paths of the Tantai Mansion, heading towards the side door.

Yesterday night did not sleep well, in the morning got up and found himself into a panda eye, fortunately Yun Qi's make-up skill is exquisite, slightly apply some powder to cover it. But the pain in the head cannot be solved easily, Pei Si Yan has a bitter face and tries to smile while eating breakfast, but once she thinks of the things she wants to do later, she can't smile anymore.

First to see Wang Linye, then someone who was thought to be dead.

Pei Si Yan silently prayed, hoping that things would work out well and that Lord Wang Mishan would understand his good intentions.

Hearing the uninterrupted sighs behind her, Li Qingye slowed her pace and softly said to Pei Si Yan, "Miss, you will definitely be able to persuade Lord Wang, there is no need to worry too much."

Li Qingye's voice was surprisingly soft, Pei Si Yan raised her head and blinked a few times, thinking that it was someone else in front of her.

"Well, I need to have confidence in myself so that I can get twice the result with half the effort."

Li Qingye gazed at Pei Si Yan's giggling face, the corners of his mouth tugged a few times and silently turned around to continue walking forward.

Pei Si Yan curiously stretched her neck, looking openly at the side of Li Qing Dye's face, just now in a trance how did she feel that this Comrade Li Da Chang Shi - was going to laugh out?

Must be a hallucination, must be ... Pei Siyan repeatedly read, know away from the light dye are a year, never seen him smile, also almost no show other feelings, occasionally will be worried, will be angry, but there is no happy expression.

More than once lamented, people live like this how tired ah?

Pei Si Yan looked at the sky, and wanted to let out a long sigh, but thinking of the words of concern that Li Qing dye had just said, he held back and didn't let out a sigh.

The two of them went out of the Tantai mansion, lightly came to the camp where the Wang family army was stationed, the generals were drilling, Wang Linye had a small talk with the vice general, but when he turned his eyes and saw Pei Si Yan, his smile froze.

Pei Si Yan really wanted to say to him - Friend, I don't owe your ancestors ten/eight/generations of money ...

"Lord Wu Pan," Wang Lin Ye said stiffly, bowing to Pei Si Yan, "I don't know what your orders are for your sudden visit?"

Pei Si Yan smiled cordially, "Brother Wang doesn't need to be polite, I came today because I have something important to talk to you about."

"My lord please." Wang Linye made a please gesture towards the main tent and ordered his lieutenant to bring tea before following Pei Si Yan's lead into the tent.

"Lord Wuban!" Pei Si Yan had just stepped into the main tent when she suddenly heard someone behind her call out to her, looking back, it was Lan Zhaoge.

Forcing the palace that day, she ordered the guards to escort Lan Zhao all the way to this place, no matter what method is used to prohibit Lan Zhao and the eleventh prince from stepping out of the camp half a step, all matters wait until she finished the matter of the imperial capital will personally come over to explain, but this delay has dragged on for three months, I think that Lan Zhao waited for it to be almost crazy.

Seeing Pei Si Yan stop, Lan Zhaoge rushed over and grabbed her arm, almost sternly chastised: ''How much longer do I have to stay here? I heard that imperial brother ascended the throne and everything is peaceful, why can't I go back?!"

Pei Si Yan looked at Wang Lin Ye by her side and calmly said, "Because the one who sent the assassins to kill you is none other than your own brother."

"What?!" Lan Zhao's was shocked, his pupils shrinking violently, "You, are you saying ... that those assassins were sent by Lan Xuan?"

Wang Linye was equally shocked, he was also in the palace that night, but he had always thought that the assassins were really sent by the second prince, "Your Excellency, what exactly is going on?"

"I sent people to spy on all the remaining members of the Feng Tai Shi, they didn't do anything that night," Pei Si Yan sighed and explained, "His Majesty thought that his brother would threaten his succession to the throne, so he purposely disguised himself as the second prince's manpower to assassinate the other princes and strangled them to death in their chambers to create the the illusion of committing suicide."

Lan Zhao shook his head repeatedly, unwilling to believe that what Wu Pan said was true, his grip on Pei Si Yan's arm was getting tighter and tighter, his fingers almost pale, "How do you know? Evidence, where is the evidence?!"

Pei Si Yan gazed fixedly at the flustered fourth prince highness and said word by word, "Because I am the force behind supporting His Highness King Hui's claim to the throne, all of his actions, with the exception of the killing of the other princes, were arranged by me, including the eradication of threatening political opponents and that night's forcing of the palace."

Lan Zhao let go of Pei Si Yan's hand and staggered back a few steps, Li Qingyan held him up in time before he made him fall.

"How ... how did this happen? Father did not intend to pass the throne to big brother?"

"Yes, the throne should have been passed on to the sixth prince," Pei Siyan steadied his mind and slowly revealed the truth of that day to this poor prince, "The Emperor and I had to do such a thing in order to seek self-preservation, and I was never able to guess his mind, and I didn't think that he would really lay a poisonous hand on his own brothers. "

"Tantai Yan!" Lan Zhao let out a roar of rage and almost rushed forward, Li Qingyan grabbed his arm in death.

"Your Highness the Fourth Prince," Pei Si Yan looked straight into Lan Zhaoge's eyes filled with anger without fear, "In the end, I was also deceived by the Emperor, and the thing that I did my best to be able to do was to keep your several princes safe and not let the tragedy of brothers killing each other happen, but in the end, I was limited in my capabilities , only preserving you and His Royal Highness the Eleventh Prince."

Lan Zhao heard Pei Si Yan's words, his body gradually went limp/down, leaning helplessly on Li Qing Dye, biting his lips and shaking his head repeatedly, unable to accept such a fact.

The same mother's brother who shared the same pain since childhood was actually the murderer who wanted to kill him!

Wang Linye heard some clues from Pei Si Yan's words and asked hesitantly, "The reason why Lord Wuban did not allow Lord Wang to enter the imperial capital as an official, could it be that His Majesty's mind is hard to guess, for fear that it will cause trouble in the future and affect Lord Wang?"

Pei Si Yan was happy that she didn't need to explain herself, Wang Lin Ye already understood the meaning, "Yes, if His Majesty hadn't brutally killed his own brother, I still think I understand him, but ... tragic disaster happened, in any case, for the time being, we can't allow Lord Wang to come to the imperial capital. After all - apart from the Emperor, I am the only person who knows that the throne should be passed on to His Highness the Sixth Prince, there is no guarantee that in the future, the Emperor will poison me as an ally in order to prevent the secret from leaking out, and then not only will I suffer, but I will also be implicated in Lord Wang!"

Wang Linye frowned tightly, realising how serious the situation turned out to be.

"Brother Wang, please convey my words to Lord Wang," Pei Si Yan added, "When the situation stabilises later, I will definitely ask the Emperor to transfer Lord Wang to the Imperial Capital."

"Yes, subordinate understands." Wang Linye resumed his respectful appearance and bowed deeply to Pei Si Yan.

"Your Highness the Fourth Prince," Pei Si Yan turned again to Lan Zhaoge who had a dull and pained expression, "During this period of time, please condescend to stay in the camp, I will personally order it down and arrange for everything in your life and living. If you are willing, I will purchase property and fields in the southern generation to give you and the eleventh prince a stable life."

Lan Zhao was silent for a long time, and when he raised his head, he swept away his previous dishevelled state, his eyes gleaming, and he said softly, "Thank you, Lord Wuban, for saving my life, and I will definitely repay you a hundred times over in the future! Then please trouble Lord Wu Pan."

"These are the things that I, as a subject, am responsible for." Pei Si Yan smiled, her heart breathed a long sigh of relief, after opening up the conversation, things resolved very smoothly indeed.

Everyone should understand each other.