Chapter 298: Prince Heir inherits the title, inheriting all the father

The night dew grew heavier, and Yu Jie stood in the shadows.

His silver-thread-like long beard brushed slightly in the night wind.

His gaze was like a deep pool, carrying a bit of scrutiny when it landed on Chen Yan, but more of it was expectation.

"This junior understands!"

Chen Yan bowed and saluted, his expression solemn: "Many thanks for your guidance, Old Pillar of State!"

Boiling in warm water for so long was to break their branches and pluck their wings...

And Chen Yan's way of doing things had always been either not to do it, or to do it thoroughly; it was impossible to leave his opponents any chance of a comeback!

Yu Jie nodded; based on his understanding of Chen Hu's direct grandson, he was very reassured; as if remembering something, he said hoarsely after a long while: "A Yan, this old man has an uninvited request..."

Saying this, he raised his hand to stroke his long beard, his fingertips rubbing against the rough silver threads under his chin.

"Old Pillar of State, what are you saying?"

Chen Yan laughed indifferently and hurriedly said: "You and my grandfather were close friends; I will definitely handle your affairs!"

Regardless of whether there was that layer of relationship with the Old Master, the head of the Pillars of State had personally opened his mouth; how could there be any reason to refuse?

Being able to draw closer to this Grand Zongbo, Duke of Zheng, and staunch supporter of the Grand Chancellor was also something Chen Yan sought after!

"Then this old man won't beat around the bush..."

Yu Jie was very satisfied with this attitude, laughed lightly, and said: "This old man's direct eldest grandson is about the same age as you, A Yan, but he is a good-for-nothing!"

"I heard that the great talent of the Northern Land, Liu Mu Zhi, has become your advisor; this old man wants to send that kid to the Duke Mansion to study!"

Saying this, he raised his hand and pointed at the mansion behind him.

It was obvious that having Liu Mu Zhi come to teach was just a pretext.

What Old Pillar of State Yu truly wanted was for his direct eldest grandson, Yu Yi, to form a friendship with Chen Yan like that of Yuwen Ze...

To lay out a plan for the future of the Yu clan!

Sometimes, Yu Jie truly admired Yuwen Hu's eye for talent and ability to recognize people, having unearthed such a thousand-mile steed.

The Yu clan's Qilin son is not good-for-nothing?... Chen Yan looked at Yu Jie, who was telling lies with his eyes open, and agreed without hesitation: "Old Pillar of State, rest assured, this junior will definitely have Liu Mu Zhi teach him everything he knows!"

Both of them wanted to draw closer to each other and the two families.

Therefore, they hit it off immediately.

"This is the sentence I wanted from you!"

Yu Jie suddenly laughed loudly, the laughter rippling in the night wind, carrying a lightheartedness of getting what he wanted.

The sharpness in his eyes turned into gratification. "That kid is handed over to you, A Yan..."

"Farewell!"

After saying this, he didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

The personal guards tacitly divided into two columns, protecting him as he walked out of the mansion.

The personal guard walking at the front held a sheep-horn lantern high, the warm yellow halo casting their shadows on the ground, swaying lightly with their steps.

Yu Jie's laughter still lingered in the wind; at this moment, he raised his chin slightly, his silver long beard glowing softly in the moonlight.

"Respectfully see off the Old Pillar of State!"

Chen Yan bowed slightly, the hem of his brocade robe sweeping across the stone steps, his posture respectful but not humble.

Pei Suiwan also followed him in bending her knees, the pearl flowers at her temples trembling in the night wind.

Her gaze followed that group of figures walking further and further away.

Until that figure disappeared completely at the street corner on horseback, Chen Yan straightened up; Pei Suiwan supported his arm and said softly: "Husband, the Grand Zongbo's words just now were pointing at something; could it be those two...?"

Speaking to this point, her voice stopped abruptly.

But the meaning expressed was exceptionally clear...

"The mountain rain is coming, and the wind is filling the building!"

Chen Yan gripped Pei Suiwan's hand tightly and turned to walk toward the inner courtyard, "Between the ebb and flow, the final moment is also approaching..."

With Chen Tongyuan dead, the day of the decisive battle was drawing nearer.

Fighting and toppling the two Grand Pillars of State was just the result...

What he and the Grand Chancellor wanted was the process of constantly encroaching, winning over allies, and consolidating the foundation of power!

Otherwise, even if they successfully toppled Zhao and Dugu, there would still be others to threaten the Grand Chancellor's power and status.

Pei Suiwan could feel the force in his palm and asked softly: "How much certainty does Husband have?"

Chen Yan's footsteps paused slightly, and he looked toward the moon in the sky, which was mostly covered by clouds: "Husband will do his utmost to fight for a brilliant future for you, Suiwan, and for everyone in the mansion!"

He had to win, and he could only win.

At present, while both sides hadn't completely torn off their masks, they still had to continue acting to encroach upon the forces of the two Grand Pillars of State.

Forcing them into a corner, and then using the name of righteousness...

"Mm!"

Pei Suiwan gripped his hand back, the temperature of her fingertips gently passing over: "This concubine believes in Husband!"

Chen Yan's mouth curled slightly upward; as if thinking of something, he exhorted: "Suiwan, A Ze's wedding day is near; you and Qingyu prepare a generous gift for me, his older brother!"

"This concubine understands!" Pei Suiwan knew the brotherhood between the two and nodded in agreement.

The next day.

Former Wei Duke Mansion.

The autumn night breeze rolled with the scent of osmanthus, drilling in through the half-closed window gaps of the Tinglan Courtyard, but it was suppressed by the warm fragrance filling the room.

The lotus-root-colored soft gauze pasted on the window was blown to bulge lightly, like a piece of crumpled cloud, filtering the moonlight outside the courtyard into hazy silver radiance, falling on the carpet and reflecting a few withered leaves curled in the woven gold patterns.

Perhaps they were missed when the maid swept the floor, but they added a bit of the laziness of autumn.

Zhuang Yumian leaned obliquely on the soft couch covered with white fox fur, wearing a honey-colored gauze shirt, the collar embroidered with a few branches of osmanthus.

Following her hand-raising movement, a twisted silver bracelet was revealed on her fair wrist, the ruby embedded in the bracelet body as red as the rouge she had just pursed.

Her fingertips pinched a half-flipped poetry scroll; listening to the movement coming from outside the house, she asked her personal maid: "Xiaotao, why is it so noisy outside?"

"Has something happened?"

Xiaotao heard this, went outside to inquire quickly, and returned to report: "Madam, it is Miss Mingyue rewarding the servants in the mansion with happy money..."

"Saying it is to congratulate the Prince Heir on inheriting the title!"

"The imperial decree for the title was personally conveyed by the Spring Official Grand Zongbo..."

Inheriting the title? That frivolous person became the Wei Duke?... Zhuang Yumian's beautiful brows furrowed slightly, and that handsome face that had once been frivolous to her couldn't help but float before her eyes; she said in a deep voice: "Ever since that Dantai Mingyue took over the Duke Mansion, many servants in the mansion have disappeared mysteriously..."

Besides the steward who was beaten to death in public, the other servants were all gone without a sound.

Even in the Tinglan Courtyard, many people had disappeared...

Xiaotao glanced at the door with her peripheral vision and said cautiously: "There are so many Embroidered Attire Envoys arranged by the Duke in the mansion; whatever Miss Mingyue wants to do is as easy as turning over her hand!"

"Mm."

Zhuang Yumian put down the poetry scroll, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the gemstone on the silver bracelet, her voice as light as floating in smoke, "However, she has been completely harmless to us and has never said how to deal with us..."

"I wonder what Chen Yan is planning?"

The frivolousness when he entered the Tinglan Courtyard under the pretext of investigating Chen Cijiu's cause of death was still vivid in Zhuang Yumian's mind.

She didn't know if this newly appointed Wei Duke had already forgotten...

Just at this moment, outside the tightly closed window nearby, a man's teasing voice came: "Why does this tone sound a bit disappointed!"

"Who?!"

Zhuang Yumian was startled, surprised and panicked: "Who is speaking?!"

"A flower-picking thief here to steal fragrance and jade!"

"Is it that Auntie Yumian can't even recognize my voice?"

"Truly heartbreaking!"

The window was pushed open with a "creak," a corner of a moon-white brocade robe flipped in first, followed by Chen Yan's tall and straight figure.

The hem of his robe was stained with the chill of the night dew; his gaze swept over the warm fragrance filling the room, finally landing on Zhuang Yumian on the soft couch, calm and waveless.

Yet it made her feel as if she had been doused with ice water; she stood up in a panic, and the lotus seeds in the green jade dish rolled all over the floor: "Chen... Duke?!"

"Greetings, Duke!" Xiaotao also hurriedly knelt down to salute.

"Why did you come here?!" Zhuang Yumian's voice was tight, her fingernails digging into her palms, "And you came by climbing over the wall?!"

"Truly becoming more and more charming and moving!"

Chen Yan's gaze swept over her slightly open gauze shirt collar, where the embroidered osmanthus branches rose and fell lightly with her breathing; he smiled but didn't smile, playing with the taste: "Did Auntie forget that sentence I said to you back then?"

I will inherit all of Father's legacy, including you, Little Mother!... Zhuang Yumian's brain couldn't help but recall that sentence from back then, her whole body trembling, and she said subconsciously: "Duke, don't mess around!"

"It seems Auntie hasn't forgotten!"

Chen Yan laughed indifferently: "That makes it easy to handle..."

"Duke, please respect yourself!"

"I am your concubine mother!"

Zhuang Yumian was panicked, her hands trembling, retreating repeatedly: "Your father's bones are not even cold yet..." ===== CHAPTER 299 =====