Chapter 211: The Fear of Overlapping Histories, Chen Yan Rushing to Seize Opportunities

"A Xiong, what's wrong with you?"

Yuwen Ze, witnessing the scene, held Chen Yan's hand and asked concernedly.

This situation is far too abnormal...

Whether in Qinzhou or Jingzhou, even when the situation was dire, A Xiong stood calmly, as if Mount Tai collapsed before him, his face unchanged.

He had never before seen his own A Xiong lose composure like this!

"It's nothing... it's nothing!"

Chen Yan gathered his thoughts, took a deep breath, gently shook his head, and soothed the worried Yuwen Ze.

Only the fear of overlapping histories still had not faded...

Yang and Dugu, two surnames combined are exceptionally terrifying...

Zhu Yi, seeing Chen Yan's emotions settle, repeated in detail: "Young Master, it is General Yang Qin's legitimate eldest son Yang Gong, who is about to marry Dugu Lao Zhuguo's seventh daughter, Du Gu Mi Luo!"

He paused, then continued: "The wedding date is set for seven days later!"

Yang Qin, one of the Great Zhou's Twelve Great Generals, excels in martial strength and is unparalleled in military strategy.

At that moment, the murmurs of the common folk grew louder, drifting into his ears:

"General Young Yang and Miss Dugu, a perfect match of talent and beauty, truly a match made in heaven!"

"Who says it isn't?"

"Moreover, Dugu Lao Zhuguo said that on the wedding day, the whole of Chang'an will distribute porridge, letting all the city's people celebrate together!"

"That's truly wonderful!"

"We must go then to share the joy!"

The faces of the common folk were full of blessings.

But in truth, what they cared about was not which family married or which alliance formed, but the act of distributing porridge citywide...

Every ordinary citizen could profit from it.

"You Xian, Helian Shi!"

Chen Yan, completely calm, with reason in his eyes and a trace of barely perceptible extremity, called out.

"Here."

The two responded, stepped forward, clasped fists toward Chen Yan, and awaited orders.

"You take your men and return first..."

Chen Yan cast a sideways glance at the still-arguing crowd, raised his hand in a light wave, and instructed.

"As you command."

You Xian and Helian Shi did not hesitate, immediately leading their jeweled‑clad envoys and garrison troops away swiftly.

Chen Yan turned, looked at Yuwen Ze beside him, and continued: "A Ze, let's go!"

"A Xiong, where are we going?" Yuwen Ze asked, puzzled.

He was truly at a loss now...

He couldn't understand his own A Xiong's reaction, nor grasp where they were headed next...

"Your home, the Jin Wang Fu!"

Chen Yan sprang onto his horse, "Forward!"

Yuwen Ze, Zhu Yi, Hongye, Liu Mu Zhi and others, seeing this, followed closely in pursuit.

The lingering incense rose, and the night was as black as ink.

Jin Wang Fu.

Shufang.

Half‑covered by dark brocade curtains, Yuwen Hu sat on a rosewood couch, his knees spread over a faded ancient volume.

From the bronze Boshan furnace rose green smoke, swirling in the dim halo of the wall lamp, casting his silhouette onto the plain white gauze curtain, flickering, like a ghost.

His slender fingers brushed the pages lightly, joints defined, nails trimmed smooth, yet could not hide the thin callus on his fingertips from years of sword‑gripping.

The candle flame flickered suddenly; Yuwen Hu lifted his gaze, his eyes scanning the outside like a hawk.

The evening wind brushed the bamboo grove, producing a soft rustle.

Suddenly, a faint footstep sound approached from afar, being gently pushed aside, the palace's Personal Guard bowed and entered: "Grand Overseer, Mirror Master Chen and the Crown Prince request an audience!"

"A Yan, is he arriving now?"

Hearing this, Yuwen Hu slowly closed the pages and said, "Let them in!"

The Personal Guard nodded and carried out the order.

A moment later, two youthful figures appeared in the Shufang before Yuwen Hu.

"I have seen you, Grand Overseer!" Chen Yan bowed, clasped his fists, and declared loudly.

"Child has seen his father!" Yuwen Ze also respectfully performed the salute.

"No need for formalities!"

Yuwen Hu smiled faintly, his gaze gentle as he examined the two; his skin was a bit darker and his build sturdier, finally lingering on Chen Yan, he asked, "A Yan, weren't you told to return and rest at the residence first?"

"Why come so hurriedly?"

Considering that A Yan had traveled from Jingzhou back to Chang'an, weary from the journey, Yuwen Hu specifically ordered someone to tell him he need not rush to a meeting...

They were all family; arriving a day later would be fine.

Yet this child still came rushing...

Chen Yan, hearing this, exhaled a breath of stale air, began to speak but stopped: "Grand Overseer, I originally intended to stroll leisurely by the street and return to the residence slowly, but..."

Chen Yan now had passed that stage of hastily showing loyalty; moreover, with Grand Overseer's father's consideration, he truly planned to wander the Zhuque Avenue, then after returning to the residence discuss life with Dantai Mingyue and Xiao Zhiqing, lamenting the pangs of longing...

However, plans inevitably cannot keep up with change.

"Oh?"

Yuwen Ze thought for a moment, then smiled and asked, "After you entered the city, did you hear something, or did you see something?"

He was very curious what it was that made A Yan change his mind, and that took so long, that he hadn't even had time to change his clothes...

"Exactly," Chen Yan nodded and replied.

"It's truly the first time I've seen you look like this..."

Yuwen Hu looked at Chen Yan with interest, twirled his Jade Ring, raised his hand and said, "Tell me about it!"

Yuwen Ze, who had witnessed the whole thing, was also seeing his brother A Xiong like this for the first time, and still didn't know exactly what had happened...

Isn't it just that you heard the two families were forming a marriage alliance?

A marriage alliance is a commonplace matter, so what's the problem?

Chen Yan looked up, met Yuwen Hu's gaze, and asked in a deep voice, "Grand Tomb Minister, will the Dugu family and the Yang family hold a grand wedding seven days from now?"

"You've heard about it too?"

"It is indeed true!"

Yuwen Hu raised an eyebrow slightly and replied.

He paused, then continued with a meaning‑laden tone, "However, the grand wedding involves more than just those two families..."

Receiving the affirmative answer, Chen Yan felt a chill down his spine, didn't listen carefully to the latter half, and blurted out, "Grand Tomb Minister, Yang Qin is already an old subordinate of Dugu Zhao; letting them become in‑laws again would be kinship upon kinship..."

"Then Yang and Dugu would truly be one family!"

At that moment, Chen Yan was extremely puzzled.

He didn't understand; could the Grand Tomb Minister not see the harm in this?

How could the Grand Tomb Minister, master of imperial psychology, agree then?

"I, the king, am aware."

Yuwen Ze, upon hearing this, stopped twirling his Jade Ring, a flash of Dark Hawk appearing in his eyes, said in a deep voice, "It's just that the old scoundrel Dugu Zhao went straight to the palace and obtained the emperor's decree to grant the marriage..."

"The boat is already built; when I, the king, learned of it, trying to obstruct it is already too late!"

Even though the young emperor is a puppet, his marionette, on the surface he still represents Great Zhou, the Yuwen Clan...

If he were to act inconsistently, it would shake the authority of the throne!

Considering the bigger picture, Yuwen Hu deliberated repeatedly and could only admit grudgingly, pinching his nose.

"Grand Tomb Minister, no matter what, we must not let these two families complete their marriage alliance!" Chen Yan lifted his head, his eyes showing unprecedented resolve, speaking each word deliberately.

"But it has already become a fait accompli..."

Yuwen Hu lightly tapped his forehead with his fingertip, shook his head, and said, "All of Chang'an already knows!"

As the helmsman of the Da Zhou Court, how could Yuwen Hu not be aware of the danger within?

But that is Dugu Zhao's cleverness...

He made it known throughout the city, turning it into an established fact to avoid any obstruction.

"I understand..."

Chen Yan nodded; he understood the Grand Tomb Minister's difficulty, bowed and clasped his fists, solemnly said, "Grand Tomb Minister, how about entrusting this matter entirely to me for handling?"

Yuwen Hu, hearing this, gave Chen Yan a meaning‑laden look and replied, "Very well."

Previously he always assigned the missions; this was the first time he saw A Yan rushing to take the initiative to grab work...

"Grand Tomb Minister, rest assured..."

Chen Yan's mouth twitched slightly upward, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, and he promised, "I will certainly not disappoint you!"

Whether Yang Qin is Yang Zhong, whether Yang Gong is Pu Liu Ru Jian, whether Du Gu Mi Luo is Du Gu Jialuo, none of them could be allowed to marry successfully...

It would be even more impossible for them to survive!

Otherwise, as Chen, the chief lackey of the Grand Tomb Minister, I would have no good fate in the future!

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