“Kangchen understands.” Looking at Jiang Kangchen, Master Weng fell silent. Jiang Kangchen couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Weng, do you have something you want to say to your nephew?” Stroking his beard, Master Weng lowered his hand and said straightforwardly, “Kangchen, the Duke’s Mansion sent someone to ask about your whereabouts.”

Jiang Kangchen’s expression became startled and then sank. Master Weng continued, “You are now apparently an imperial merchant chosen by the Emperor and the Empress, while the new tea and wine are hard to find. The business of that newly opened restaurant is also good and everyone knows that the proprietor behind that restaurant is the Empress. Under these circumstances, it’s impossible for the Duke’s Mansion to not look for you. You should think about it.”

Jiang Kangchen pursed his lips. Master Weng asked, “Do you still want to go back?” Jiang Kangchen immediately said, “Nephew has already left the Duke Mansion and Moxi also changed his surname to Jiang. Wouldn’t it be hard to change it back? If that happened, the Duke’s Mansion would really lose face.”

Elder Weng nodded approvingly. “It’s best if you can think like that. I know that you had no choice but to separate from Wu Jian, but Kangchen, you also need to understand one thing. The reason the Empress chose you is not because you are the Kangning’s brother or due to my relationship with you, but because you are Jiang Kangchen and not the daughter-in-law of the Wu family.”

Jiang Kangchen nodded vigorously. “Nephew understands. Nephew will never return to the Wu family. Just for the sake of Moxi, this nephew would never go back!”

“That would be best.” Master Weng’s heart calmed down as he spoke. “You are also tired, so don’t go back. Just rest here.”

“Yes.”

At this time, the housekeeper’s voice came from outside. “Master” Jiang Kangchen got up and opened the door, letting the housekeeper come in and say, ”Master, people from the palace have come. The Emperor has summoned you to the palace to discuss important matters and you will need to stay in the palace for some time.” Master Weng looked in surprise at Jiang Kangchen who was also surprised and said, “I understand. Go to the madam and ask her to prepare for my departure.”

“Yes.” The housekeeper left and Master Weng spoke. “Elder is going to the palace for a few days, but you can still stay here for a few days. I am afraid that the Duke Mansion will look for you. As long as you don’t want to go back, I can personally intervene.”

Jiang Kangchen said, “I’m sorry for causing you concern, but this nephew wants to solve this matter on his own first and if it really doesn’t work, then I will ask Elder to step in.” After thinking about it, Elder Weng nodded. “That’s fine. But you must remember to not force yourself. Times are different now, so you don’t need to worry about it so much anymore.” Master Weng asked Jiang Kangchen to go and rest, making Jiang Kangchen leave first. Looking at the closed door, Elder Weng’s eyes darkened in deep thought.

Returning to the guest room where he always stayed in the Weng Mansion, Jiang Kangchen had just finished washing up and felt tired, laid on the bed tired, but unable to sleep. The last words of the Empress, he didn’t understand them till now. But now he understood. The Empress did not want him to be disturbed by some people or things, referring to the Duke Mansion.

A mocking smile appeared on Jiang Kangchen’s face as he closed his eyes. In the past, the Wu family bullied him due to the Jiang family’s decline. Because his parents died powerlessly, they persecuted him. But now, seeing that he worked for the Empress and was directly put in charge of the wine and tea business, they all came knocking on his door. Jiang Kangchen wanted to follow Shao Yunan’s example and call them ‘lowly.’ What kind of person did they think he was? He would never return to the Duke Mansion, even if he was starving to death. He would never forget the things they had done to him.

Jiang Kangchen opened his eyes and took out the piece of jade he was wearing around his neck, the corners of his eyes were slightly red. The only person he missed from the Duke Mansion was that person. He closed his eyes tightly again, holding the piece of jade tightly, calling that person’s name in his heart – Wu Jian.

After being summoned by the Emperor, Master Weng and General Dai packed up some clothes and boarded the carriage that came to pick them up from the palace. Old General Dai was now over seventy years old, two years older than Master Weng. In this era, people like General Dai and Master Weng could be considered as long-lived people. 

Old General Dai, whose real name was Dai Yao, came from a poor background and was drafted at the age of 14 to fight at the border. It could be said that the glory of the Dai family was all achieved by Old General Dai, using his own flesh and blood.

General Dai was born with great strength, fearless of life and death, brave in battle, and scheming. When the late Emperor was still a prince, Old General was made a General of Gussar by the Emperor of that time, and when the late Emperor was made Emperor, he had already led the defeat of enemy invasions several times and was made a great general by the late Emperor. 

In the late years of the late Emperor, the Grand General Mansion survived the turbulence and when the new Emperor ascended the throne, the descendants of Old General Dai continued to lead the troops into battle, driving the enemy out of the border and protecting the Great State of Yan.

Two carriages stopped, almost one after the other at the entrance of the inner palace. Elder Weng and General Dai had the privilege to enter the palace by carriage. When the two old men met, they first looked at each other and smiled. Then Master Weng went forward to support Old General Dai, who was leaning on a crutch and asked with a smile, “Elder Brother was also summoned by the Emperor?”

General Dai, who had been wounded and had a crippled leg, said with a smile, “Yes. Were you also summoned by the Emperor? I don’t know what is so important, but the Emperor has asked me to stay in the palace for a few days.”

“Me too.”

Master Weng supported Old General Dai and slowly walked towards the inner palace step by step. The eunuch who picked them up said that the Emperor had summoned them to the Empress’ Jingyou palace.

Old General Dai walked slowly with a limp, supporting himself on his crutches. The Old General was only two years older than Master Weng, but he looked much older than him. Years at the border leading in battle, not to mention how he ate and lived or worked hard, all kinds of hidden injuries caused devastation to his body. 

Old General’s leg was also not treated in time after his injury and the current medical technology was not developed enough, so although it was saved, it was still almost useless. But Old General Dai didn’t want to show his weakness, even if it hurt to walk, so he always insisted on walking.

Old General Dai still dragged such a crippled leg to guard the border. Later, when something happened to the Dai family, he dragged his broken leg to protect the Dai family and assisted Emperor Yongming to ascend the throne smoothly. Since Emperor Yongming came to the throne, Old General Dai rarely showed up and lived his old age inside his mansion, teaching the juniors of the Dai family. 

In today’s Dai family, the eldest son Dai Mingjun inherited the title of Great General, while the second son Dai Mingrong was a Hussar General who was only second to the Great General, as well as a third son, Dai Mingge, who joined the Ministry of Justice and was a retainer. 

Old General Dai also had a daughter, third born, named Dai Yingru, who married Jiang Ye, the deputy general of Dai Mingjun’s army and the second son of the Jiang family. But, the most scandalous thing was that Qiyou, the current Empress, was also a descendant of the Dai family. Although he was from a side branch, he had lived in the Dai family since he was a child. Later he became the prince’s companion and later the Empress.

The Dai family could be said to be the most prominent family in the Great State of Yan at present. However, this generation of their family had always kept a low profile. Even if the Empress was from the Dai family, the Dai family had never done any evil deeds like bullying others. 

Old General Dai was very strict in following the rules, so his control over his family was also extremely strict. This was especially true after a major event happened to the Dai family more than ten years ago, which made the Dai family act even more low-key and cautious.

After the two old men walked a few steps, a group of people came to meet them, carrying two soft sedan chairs. As soon as he saw the soft sedan chair, Old General Dai’s expression turned ugly. The man at the head of the group immediately saluted and said, “Old General, Master Weng, the weather is cold and the Emperor is afraid that you would suffer from the cold weather, so he ordered us servants to pick you up.”

Master Weng knew that Old General Dai did not like people treating him like a cripple and would especially reject the palace’s soft sedan chair, so he said, “Today is really cold and the spring is expected to be colder. Brother, the Emperor has called you and I to discuss something important, so let’s not delay it any longer and go there faster by sedan chair.”

Old General Dai grunted and reluctantly got into the sedan chair, waving away the young eunuch’s hand, not allowing anyone to help him. Zhuo Jin shook his head helplessly and when the two old men were seated, just ordered the sedan chairs to rise.

In order to divert the displeasure of the Old General, Master Weng asked, “Eunuch Zhuo, do you know what the Emperor has urgently summoned us two old men for?” Eunuch Zhuo said with a mysterious expression, “You two old men will know when you arrive. If I say anything, I’m afraid the Emperor will be displeased.”

The two of them become interested. Elder Weng asked again, “Is something serious going on?” Eunuch Zhuo said with a smile, “Of course it’s a big deal, but from what I saw, it’s not a bad thing. The Emperor also ate an extra meal in the afternoon in Jingyou palace.”

The two old men looked at each other, their hearts suddenly relaxing a bit. As long as it’s not a bad thing, how big was it? But there was nothing to be afraid of. Even if the sky collapsed, these two old men would be the first to cover the Emperor.

Edited by: Jaisland

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