Chapter 469: Chapter 170: Assassination Attempt_2
This is Commander Yan Xu from the Privy Council.
It’s common knowledge that the Privy Council and the Palace Front Office are at odds, and between Yan Xu and Pei Yunmeng, there’s an old grudge spanning many years. They each see the other as a thorn in their side. Whenever they appear in the same place, they always seem to throw a spanner in the works.
Today was no exception.
Yan Xu glanced at him with a meaningful look and said, "Lord Pei seems to be sticking closely to the Third Prince, much like one of the Qi Family’s hunting dogs assisting in the hunt."
The cavalry guards of the Privy Council who were following him burst into laughter upon hearing this.
During the royal hunt in the mountains, unlike the noble youths, the Imperial Guards had to protect the princes. He wasn’t following the Crown Prince but the Third Prince instead.
And Yan Xu was currently very close to the Crown Prince.
Pei Yunmeng’s eyes were smiling, as if he hadn’t heard the sarcasm in the other’s words, "Before we went up the mountain, His Majesty expressly instructed us to ensure the Third Prince’s safety just as Minister Yan ensures the Crown Prince’s safety. The two brothers share affection and respect; we are both alleviating His Majesty’s worries. If we talk about assisting in the hunt, Minister Yan is certainly no less committed."
He returned the jab without the slightest courtesy.
Yan Xu stared at him and sneered, "Marshal, you’re quite young; I wonder if you’ve heard an old song before."
Pei Yunmeng looked coolly at him.
The man lowered his voice, "A piece of cloth can still be mended; a measured amount of grain can still be pounded. But two brothers cannot live together harmoniously."
The young man’s eyes flickered slightly.
The next line of the song went: Considering the vastness of the world, yet they cannot coexist...
Yan Xu glanced at his face, satisfied with a smile. He spurred his horse and led the Privy Council horsemen into the forest.
Lu Tong watched the disturbance at the end of the forest path. Though she didn’t know what had happened, judging by the faces of the Palace Front Office horsemen, it seemed Yan Xu had said something to upset Pei Yunmeng.
Only when Pei Yunmeng also led his cavalry into the forest and his figure disappeared did Lu Tong finally retract her gaze.
She remembered the rumor.
Before she entered the Medical Officer Institute, Miao Liangfang had told her all about the intricate and twisted relationships within Shengjing Officialdom, which included Yan Xu.
This Envoy of the Privy Council, Minister Yan, held control over the military affairs of the Liang Dynasty and commanded immense power. However, the reason he became the center of private gossip wasn’t his power or his cold-heartedness, but the past affair between him and the late Lady Zhao Ning.
Years ago, it was said that Yan Xu had sought to marry the Lady Zhao Ning while she was still in her boudoir, but was refused. At that time, Yan Xu did not hold the official title or status he holds now. After Lady Zhao Ning married, she rose in rank steadily. Some say that Yan Xu wanted to spite Lady Zhao Ning, hoping to make her regret her decision.
Lady Zhao Ning was later held hostage by rebels, and Pei Di captured the rebels without concern for her life. The tragedy was that the peerless beauty came to a melancholic and untimely end. Whether Lady Zhao Ning regretted her choice before she died is unknown, but ever since then, this Privy Council Envoy harbored a deep hatred for the Pei Family, that much was crystal clear.
According to Lin Danqing, the Palace Front Office and the Privy Council have long held a mutual balance of animosity, and after Pei Yunmeng joined the Palace Front Office, the conflict intensified, often resulting in life-and-death struggles within the courts.
She initially thought these stories might be exaggerated, but seeing today’s events, it seemed that the animosity between Pei Yunmeng and Yan Xu was indeed no small matter otherwise there wouldn’t have been a direct confrontation between them in front of so many on the hunting field.
As she was pondering, Chang Jin’s voice came from up ahead, calling all the medical officers back to the camp to stand by.
The medical officers were all waiting in the tents; if someone was injured, they would either enter the forest for an emergency or wait in the tent to be bandaged. Generally speaking, they would only enter the forest in urgent cases, and most of the time, they would wait in the tents.
Lu Tong looked up and glanced once more in the direction of the forest path.
Almost everyone involved in the hunt had already entered the mountain, leaving only a few scattered Imperial Guards at the rear, with no sign of Qi Yutai.
She withdrew her gaze and walked towards the direction of the camp.
...
The mountain paths were rugged and steep.
Towering ancient trees blocked out the scorching sun, leaving the heat beyond the branches, while the sound of cascading water from waterfalls rippled along the creek, making the summer days in Huangmao Hill serene and cool.
Qi Yutai was on horseback, with the Qi Family guards closely following behind.
He didn’t take the busiest path through the forest, but instead chose a less trodden one. It wasn’t for any particular reason other than the fear of being seen lacking skill in horsemanship and archery.
The Qi Family had only one son, and he wasn’t a sickly figure from the Minister of Imperial Treasury’s family like Xia Miao, who had to participate. If he alone didn’t attend, it would inevitably lead to gossip. However, his father disliked him engaging in overly vigorous activities since childhood, and he only learned horse riding and archery to a basic degree, far from being skilled. Every year during the hunt, those young masters eagerly showed off their abilities and competed over their prey. He couldn’t let others see that his game was caught by guards and hunting dogs, so he had to travel out of sight.