Chapter 29

The Xu Family.

Lord Fang was ultimately a step too late. Master Xu the Second, eager to find a way to win the lawsuit, rushed back to the Xu family as swiftly as an arrow returning to its quiver.

When Madam Xu saw him again, she was initially furious to the point of exasperation. Master Xu the Second had barged into the inner courtyard without regard for propriety, cornering her in the main chamber regardless of whether she wanted to listen, and began rambling incessantly.

This time, Madam Xu was forced to hear him out completely. By the end, her anger had dissipated, replaced by a cold sweat—as if she had narrowly escaped disaster.

Just a little more, and Wangyue’s carefully laid plans would have been ruined by her reckless brother-in-law!

She hastily arranged accommodations, determined to keep Master Xu the Second within the household and prevent him from blundering outside again.

It was truly horrifying—he had even stumbled into Marquis Pingjiang Manor! A man so utterly incapable of success yet perfectly adept at causing trouble. No wonder their late father-in-law had banished him back to Yangzhou all those years ago, keeping him suppressed for so long. And now, the moment he returned, he was on the verge of ruining everything again!

Madam Xu, torn between anger and fear, urgently sent word to the yamen for Master Xu. However, he wouldn’t return so quickly. With no reliable confidant to consult, the weight of the matter gnawed at her, and she couldn’t help but vent a few complaints to her daughter, Wangyue.

“Look at your uncle—has he ever done a single decent thing in his life? When your grandfather was alive, he could still keep him in check. But now, he’s running wild without any restraint!”

Wangyue grew anxious upon hearing this. “Mother, has Marquis Longchang also returned?”

Madam Xu was taken aback by her focus on this detail. After a pause, she replied, “That’s what your uncle said—that he was forced to return because of the lawsuit, so he followed suit. This case might even reach the Imperial Court.”

“Oh no!”

Madam Xu sighed in agreement. “Exactly—oh no.”

“Mother, you don’t understand,” Wangyue clutched her handkerchief tightly. “With Marquis Longchang away from the capital, Young Master Cen’s remarriage could be settled simply by convincing Madam Cen. The Marquis isn’t permitted to return to the capital without an imperial decree. Once Madam Cen sent him a letter explaining the matter, it would likely be settled. But now that he’s back in the capital, how could he not personally oversee his son’s marriage? Then—then it’s hard to say.”

A doting mother might overlook certain improprieties when her son insists, but a father is different. Most fathers are strict—if a son dares disobey, he’s more likely to earn a sound beating than leniency.

This principle held true across most households. Realizing the situation was even more precarious than she had thought, Madam Xu frowned deeply. “All because of your uncle! Ah, he’s nothing but a harbinger of disaster!”

Mother and daughter racked their brains but found no solution, resorting to cursing Master Xu the Second in mutual frustration.

Fortunately, by evening, the Xu family’s foremost authority—Master Xu—finally returned upon receiving the message.

Master Xu and Master Xu the Second hadn’t seen each other in over a decade. Yet, as blood brothers born of the same mother, their bond remained unbroken. Without a trace of awkwardness, Master Xu the Second clung to his elder brother’s leg, pleading for help.

Master Xu allowed his brother to crumple his robe, responding with remarkable patience, “Second Brother, there’s nothing I can do. Moreover, it seems you bear greater fault in this matter.”

Master Xu the Second, a man in his fifties, widened his eyes in disbelief. “Elder Brother, are you truly my own flesh and blood?! If others say I’m at fault, fine—but we share the same mother! How can you not take my side?”

Master Xu said, “Alright, alright, I’m on your side.”

Just that one sentence.

When Master Xu the Second pressed further, Master Xu replied, “I’m on your side, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Master Xu the Second refused to believe it: “Elder Brother, you’ve been in the capital for so many years and hold an official position. How can you have no means at all? You’re not like me, stuck in that small place of Yangzhou for so long. As for the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Revision—our father was once the Minister of Justice, wasn’t he? And the Censorate—oh, right, hasn’t my eldest nephew’s father-in-law been promoted to Vice Censor-in-chief? These are all places that might handle this case. Quickly take me around to make arrangements in advance!”

Master Xu the Second dredged up another connection, his confidence soaring. He thought to himself, no wonder Fang Hanxiao told him to return to the Xu family—with so many connections here, there was indeed no need to seek help elsewhere.

Madam Xu’s face darkened. This troublesome brother-in-law had already dragged Wangyue into trouble, and now he wanted to involve Xu Shangxuan as well?!

She cut him off first: “My eldest son’s father-in-law has gone on an inspection tour to the south, and even my son isn’t home. Second Uncle, don’t bring them up.”

Master Xu the Second was disappointed: “What terrible timing.”

Hearing his tone, Madam Xu glared at him furiously.

Master Xu the Second couldn’t care less. Master Xu’s easygoing nature gave him even more confidence to act shamelessly. He plopped down on a chair and said, “Elder Brother, if you won’t help me, fine. If I lose the lawsuit and return with no money to live on, I won’t leave. I’ll call over my eldest and second sons, along with a few servants, and rely on you from now on. I’m also a member of the Xu family—this residence has my share too, right?”

Like hell it does!

Madam Xu was livid: “Second Uncle, when the old master was alive, we already divided the family property!”

“Exactly,” Master Xu the Second agreed readily. “I’m not asking to divide it again. I’m just here to visit relatives—is that not allowed?”

Madam Xu, who was usually full of schemes when dealing with her stepdaughter, found herself at a loss against such brazen shamelessness. Fuming, she could only turn to Master Xu and say, “Husband, look at this!”

Master Xu wore a troubled expression.

Master Xu the Second’s move was too much even for him—a man who dreaded trouble above all else.

“Second Brother, just don’t file the lawsuit.”

Master Xu the Second refused outright: “I have to. I’m penniless. And it’s not just about me—the eldest nephew from the clan who followed me got into trouble. If Marquis Longchang doesn’t compensate me for the losses, how will I pay him back? Should his life just be wasted? These are all clan members, Elder Brother. You may be in the capital now, but you’ll have to return home to pay respects to the ancestors someday. When that time comes, if the whole clan points fingers at you, even our father’s reputation will suffer.”

He actually had a twisted sort of logic.

Master Xu could only sigh: “Ah.”

**

For most people in the capital, the case that had spread all the way from Huaian Prefecture was just a minor matter—many weren’t even aware of it yet.

But there were some who paid particularly close attention.

Lord Fang was undoubtedly the most diligent among them. Even before the case was handed over to the authorities, he had already made every effort to investigate every detail of the case through various channels. Although he hadn’t caught up with Master Xu the Second that day, since the latter was in the capital, there would surely be a chance to meet him. Lord Fang intended to prepare thoroughly before their encounter, ensuring he could persuade Master Xu the Second and then assist him in delivering a decisive blow against Marquis Longchang.

Though Lord Fang currently held no official position, his political instincts were far sharper than those of Master Xu the Second, who was far removed from the center of power. If the Emperor had trusted Marquis Longchang, he wouldn’t have summoned him back—local authorities could have handled the case. The very fact that he was recalled indicated a vulnerability.

Lord Fang’s goal was to widen that vulnerability into a pit and kick Marquis Longchang into it.

But there was one thing he overlooked: Marquis Longchang was no fool.

His inquiries quickly reached the ears of the Longchang Marquis Mansion, which had deep roots in the capital.

Lord Fang’s intentions were so obvious that even a lowly servant in the marquis’s household could guess them.

The Emperor seemed uneasy about Marquis Longchang, and now there was a shadowy opponent ready to stab him in the back—

Under this double pressure, Marquis Longchang backed down.

Or perhaps it wasn’t backing down but a strategic compromise.

Why had Master Xu the Second accused him? For money. Did Marquis Longchang lack money? No.

The reasoning was simple and clear.

Marquis Longchang had refused to compromise earlier because he hadn’t realized what kind of person Master Xu the Second was. But now, with the situation as it was, he sat down to negotiate—no big deal.

Those who achieve great things must know when to bend and when to stand firm. There was no shame in it.

The exact terms of their agreement remained unknown to outsiders, but the outcome was clear: the parents of the drowned Xu family youth withdrew their lawsuit.

The couple changed their testimony, claiming they were no longer certain whether their son had accidentally fallen into the river or been pushed by the Customs Officers. Changing their statement was no small matter—it amounted to false accusation of officials. Fortunately, Marquis Longchang, in his magnanimity, pleaded leniency on their behalf, citing their grief over losing their only child in old age. They escaped punishment beyond a public flogging as a warning.

The old family servant, being a bondsman, was merely included in the accusation and thus dismissed. With the wrongful death case resolved, a mere dispute over a shipment of goods was beneath the Emperor’s notice. Within three months, the entire matter was swept under the rug, and Master Xu the Second quietly left the capital and returned to Yangzhou.

Lord Fang, who had missed his chance to ally with Master Xu the Second and instead focused on preparations: “…”

He was flabbergasted.

Losing all composure, he raged in his courtyard for a full half-hour, cursing Marquis Longchang.

How could he just back down like that!

The only formidable figure in the Xu family, Old Minister Xu, had long since turned to bones in the ground. With the current crop of mediocrities in the Xu family, how could Marquis Longchang, with all his power and prestige, cave to them!

The parents of the youth and Master Xu the Second surely hadn’t retracted their accusations for nothing. These troublemakers had extorted Marquis Longchang, and he had actually swallowed the insult!

Lord Fang—this was a bitter pill for him to swallow.

**

With the lawsuit settled, Marquis Longchang was on a boat leaving the capital to return to his post.

He didn’t retreat into the cabin. The wind was strong that day, filling the sails and making his robes flutter wildly.

The Xu family had demanded more from him than just money—far more than Lord Fang had imagined.

He still gave in.  

Could he swallow this humiliation? Of course not.  

But he couldn’t afford to lose his position as the Grand Canal General Commander. He couldn’t take even the slightest risk.  

Because the tides of the world were about to shift, and he intended to use this as his foundation—to scheme for an even greater prize: the wealth and power that came with backing the rising dragon.  

He had already placed his bet and drawn his bow. There was no turning back now.