Chapter 325: Chapter 277: Do Not Be Rude to Uncle_3
Xu Yin smiled, "How can we accomplish great things with hesitation and indecisiveness? But judging by the look on your face, mother-in-law, it seems you don’t want to kill him."
Princess Rong furrowed her brows, remaining silent.
Zhe Yu is merely a tool she has trained, but she has invested time and effort in this tool from a young age. How many more twenty years does she have to cultivate another person?
Especially at a time when she urgently needs people; of course, she is reluctant to kill!
"If you don’t want to kill him, there’s another option."
"What option?"
"Take him into the Prince Manor to stay."
Princess Rong glanced at him, clearly disagreeing.
Zhe Yu betrayed her, and there hasn’t been any explanation yet. She hasn’t even had the chance to punish him, and now he’s to be taken into the Prince Manor—won’t that give him the chance to overstep his bounds?
"Do you think someone like him is worth it?" she scoffed.
Xu Yin said, "Zhe Yu, though misguided, is part of the Zhe Family. To climb higher, he can only rely on you. Even if Pei Zhan finds him useful, Pei Zhan wouldn’t be foolish enough to support someone from Prince Rong’s Mansion. With someone so easy to handle, why would mother-in-law not use him?"
Princess Rong snorted.
Xu Yin continued, "He is still recovering from his injury. If mother-in-law brings him to the Prince Manor now and shows him some care, then applies both soft and hard tactics, how can he not be utterly loyal to you? No matter what, this gesture from you will make some in the Prince Manor wary."
Princess Rong gazed at the branches swaying in the wind below the railing, and she had to admit that upon hearing these words, her resolve wavered.
Although Zhe Yu’s past actions angered her, compared to Xu Yin, Zhe Yu actually made her feel more secure. Because she better understood a piece she had cultivated herself. In terms of deep cunning, who could be more ruthless than Xu Yin?
She didn’t know how much truth there was in Xu Yin’s words, but in reality, at present, no one could replace Zhe Yu’s role.
Yet she was reminded of the look of despair and indifference he had when she last left the Zhe Family, causing a flicker of doubt in her heart.
"That fool, can he truly understand my earnest intentions?"
"Even the dullest person has to bow to reality. He also wants to make his mark and gain wealth and rank, and besides you, Princess, who else can provide that for him?"
Princess Rong sneered, "Did he hire you to do the talking?"
"If I thought this path wasn’t feasible, no one could convince me otherwise. Honestly, I also hope there is someone useful by your side, Princess, to help me find that fan quickly."
This, at least, made some sense.
Princess Rong felt a slight reassurance in her heart.
Xu, always seeking personal gain, wouldn’t do anything if it didn’t benefit him. Since letting Zhe Yu into the Prince Manor was to become a helpful hand in obtaining that fan, it seemed somewhat feasible.
Otherwise, she’d really have to guard against this being a trap!
Once she obtained the fan, she could obviously use it as leverage to negotiate terms with Xu Yin.
"Since you’ve put it that way, how could I oppose?" She cast a sidelong glance at him, then stood up, "I’ll go over tomorrow morning."
Xu Yin raised his teacup, a smile curving his lips, "Then I’ll eagerly await good news from you, mother-in-law."
...
Fu Zhen had been watching secretly until Princess Rong’s sedan chair left the Xu Mansion, then stepped out of the shadows.
Behind her, Pei Zhan and Liang Chen exchanged words, "Have all the people around Zhe Yu been thoroughly checked?"
"Checked three times. His steward is the most reliable; this person’s family has lived in the Capital for four generations, with ancestors serving as servants to officials in the previous dynasty, having no ties to Xu Yin. After Zhe Yu established his own mansion, he brought him in, and there have been no additional connections with Prince Rong’s Mansion afterward."
"Then let it be him," Pei Zhan turned, took Fu Zhen’s hand, and walked toward the carriage: "Let’s return to the mansion and talk on the way!"
Liang Chen, seeing this from behind, reached out with his fan and tapped Pei Zhan’s wrist: "Why are you pulling and tugging in public?"
Pei Zhan didn’t withdraw his hand. Instead, he turned his head and said, "Chen Er, you little rascal, how can you be impolite to your uncle?"
Liang Chen was taken aback, "What did you just call me?"
He turned wide-eyed to Fu Zhen, "What did he just call me?!"
Pei Zhan let out a cheerful laugh, placing Fu Zhen into the carriage before she could speak, then addressed those behind him, "No need to be shocked, you’ll get used to it eventually!"
"You cheeky brat, dare you say it again?"
Liang Chen immediately chased after him, getting into the carriage...
The depth of the night in the city became lighter with the crisp sound of the carriage wheels rolling along.