Chapter 23: The Treacherous Minister Mu Yan

Huang Chizhong's face was as pale as paper, having witnessed the death of his legitimate son.

The remaining three illegitimate sons would likely meet the same fate.

Mu Yan's sword was still dripping blood, as he rested it on Huang Chizhong's shoulder and asked, "May I ask Mr. Huang, would you dare to obstruct this Seal Keeper?"

"I dare not," replied Huang Chizhong, frozen as if a giant python had its gaze fixed on him.

"Very well, I gave you a chance."

Stab!

The tip of the sword flipped and horizontally slid across Huang Chizhong's neck, and moments later, Huang Chizhong fell dead.

Mu Yan dropped the sword he held and before leaving the room, he airily left a sentence, "Kill all the males in the house, leave none alive."

"Yes!" the Iron Armor Guard's voice echoed throughout the hall.

...

In front of the General Mansion, Madam Qin Shuang stood at the doorway awaiting news from all sides.

Although she appeared calm on the surface, she was extremely uneasy inside, pacing back and forth while Madam Li comforted her.

Not until a carriage stopped in front of the General Mansion did Zhan Lan help her brother and sister wipe the sugar stains from the corners of their mouths.

Earlier when passing through the main street, she couldn't resist buying them candied hawthorns.

Zhan Lan made a 'this is a secret' gesture, and the two little ones grinned and mimicked the gesture.

Only then did Zhan Lan step down from the carriage with Zhan Rui and Zhan Heng.

"Heng'er, Rui'er!" Qin Shuang hurried forward, her brows finally relaxing as she crouched down and embraced the two children.

"Mother, sister chased away the bad guys!" Zhan Heng clenched his little fist.

Zhan Rui also nodded vigorously, her chubby cheeks jiggling, "Sister was so awesome."

Before returning, Zhan Lan had already sent word with silver to General Mansion, ensuring that Zhan Heng and Zhan Rui were safe and would be brought back soon.

The news of children being abducted in broad daylight on the main street had spread, and naturally, the General Mansion was informed.

"Lan'er, we owe you for saving Heng'er and Rui'er!" Qin Shuang looked gratefully at Zhan Lan, embracing the children with tears rimming her eyes.

Zhan Xuerou had just returned with others from a carriage, and upon seeing Zhan Lan bring back her dear brother and sister, felt an uncomfortable twinge in her heart.

She coughed lightly twice and quickly stepped forward, emotionally grabbing the hands of her brother and sister, her heart aching.

"Rou'er, you've also had a hard time, please take your brother and sister inside first!" Qin Shuang consoled.

Zhan Lan noticed Madam Li secretly glanced at Zhan Xuerou with affection, but soon looked down as Zhan Xuerou did not notice her, nor did she return the glance.

Madam Li felt both joy and sorrow; joy that Zhan Xuerou not only survived past three years old but was also doing well, and sorrow that Rou'er would never call her 'mother' in this lifetime.

However, Madam Li had no regrets about switching babies with Qin Shuang, as long as her child was doing well.

Lost in her thoughts, Madam Li was oblivious to Zhan Lan's glance.

Zhan Lan withdrew her gaze, catching Zhan Xuerou giving her a look before nodding slightly towards the Madam, "Mother, I'll take the brother and sister inside."

The three headed towards the interior of General Mansion, with Zhan Rui and Zhan Heng reluctantly glancing back at Zhan Lan and Little Black.

Zhan Lan cradled Little Black and winked at them, signaling not to worry.

The two kids immediately beamed with joy.

"Who is this?" Qin Shuang noticed a girl about ten years old standing behind Zhan Lan, looking disheveled and dirty.

Dugu Yan had come to regard Zhan Lan almost like a demigoddess.

Because everything Zhan Lan had said came true.

Now, she just wanted to follow Zhan Lan, not wanting to be a little bandit up in the mountains anymore.

"This little girl is called Gu Yan, she came with me to rescue them." Zhan Lan pushed Dugu Yan forward slightly.

Qin Shuang nodded and said, "Then let her stay in the mansion. You don't have a maid by your side anyway, so you two can keep each other company!"

Dugu Yan was grateful that Zhan Lan did not reveal her real name, and she excitedly bowed deeply to Madam.

Madam Li frowned and said, "But Madam, there are only Lan'er and me in the back house, we don't need so many servants, having Xiao Tao is enough."

Qin Shuang spoke with a firm tone that left no room for refusal, "How can that be! Sister, you are our mansion's benefactor, I already feel indebted to you and your daughter, don't decline any further; Gu Yan's monthly allowance will be covered by the mansion."

Madam Li wanted to say more, but Qin Shuang waved her hand and said, "Sister, you have also been troubled today, go rest. I will go see Heng'er and Rui'er!"

Zhan Lan did not look at Madam Li and pulled Dugu Yan towards the back house.

...

The residual light of the setting sun shone brilliantly on the glazed tiles of Huang Mansion, and the air was filled with the smell of blood.

The servants and womenfolk of the Huang Family were scattering, and all the men in the family were dead.

After the sunset, in the splendid imperial palace, Mu Yan and Emperor Xuanwu sitting on the throne were silent for a moment, savoring this year's first flush of spring tea.

The man on the dragon throne was in his thirties, in his prime, and although he had deep frown and horizontal lines on his forehead, it didn't hide the handsomeness typical of the men from the Si Family.

Finally, Emperor Xuanwu's gaze dimmed and he asked, "Younger brother, why did you kill Huang Chizhong without decree?"

Mu Yan put down his cup and met Emperor Xuanwu's gaze, candidly saying, "That old fool complained about the salary brother granted being too meager and called me too scheming, I couldn't stand it and killed him!"

Emperor Xuanwu shook his head helplessly, "Indeed, Huang Chizhong deserved to die, but you, after the new year you will be twenty-three, still so impulsive, it seems I must arrange a marriage for you, only settling down with a family will stabilize you!"

Mu Yan leaned back against his Phoebe nanmu chair, and retorted instead of answering, "Brother, I don't want to be controlled by a woman!"

"Rather it's brother, who had his first son Si Jun at thirteen, followed by one prince after another. I worry for brother, who will inherit the throne in the future!"

When he heard the two words 'Si Jun,' Emperor Xuanwu didn't get angry but scoffed coldly, "Let's not bring up Si Jun again, those were the foolish things of youth!"

"I actually enjoy such foolish matters, let's hear about it," Mu Yan said with a wicked smile, his voice crisp and cold.

Emperor Xuanwu took a sip of tea, not continuing the conversation.

Mu Yan abruptly changed the subject, "Brother, from this Huang family's confiscation, I have already turned over three million to the national treasury, the remaining two million silver I leave for brother!"

Emperor Xuanwu, who loved the Taoist cultivation arts the most, needed a vast amount of silver to build Taoist temples and refine longevity pills.

An emperor, to save his reputation, could not directly request silver from the common people, and using the national treasury would have the pedantic ministers submitting memorials against it.

Thus, the tasks had to be handled by Mu Yan.

"You, for brother, have indeed born the name of a scheming minister; it must be hard on you!" Emperor Xuanwu said with a light smile.

Mu Yan spread his hands and said with a smirk, "I'm not aggrieved, besides, I kept five hundred thousand taels of silver for myself!"

Facing such a candidly scheming younger brother, Emperor Xuanwu smiled rather than getting angry, helplessly shaking his head.

But after Mu Yan left, his expression immediately turned cold.

An old eunuch Li Changsheng walked out from behind the screen, "Your Majesty, the person we sent has lost contact, unexpectedly he died."

"Now, trying to place a spy close to Mu Yan is too difficult; recently, there's no need to monitor him." Emperor Xuanwu touched the horsetail whisk.

Eunuch Li shook his head, "If not for the late emperor's testament revealing Mu Yan's identity, this old servant would never have discovered he was actually a prince."

"The late emperor instructed me not to harm him and to treat him kindly, what can I do? If I killed Mu Yan, how could I face the late emperor after a hundred years!"

The eunuch took a golden core from the tray and handed it to Emperor Xuanwu, "Your Majesty, with your celestial bearing, you will surely reign for thousands of generations."

Emperor Xuanwu smiled as he swallowed the golden core, "Eunuch Li, your words truly resonate with my heart."

...

In the master bedroom of Mu Residence.

A man in black reported the day's observations to Mu Yan, while another held a wooden tray with a piece of clothing on it.

As Mu Yan listened to their reports, he played a game of chess by himself, controlling both the black and white pieces.

"The shopkeeper at Hengchang Pawnshop said that he received a robe today, worth a thousand taels of silver, so he sent it over to you."

Upon hearing this, Mu Yan's slender fingers paused, and he glanced at the clothing.

"How much silver was it pawned for?" His expression was slightly displeased.

That girl Zhan Lan actually took his clothes to exchange for money!