Chapter 1338 – Defeating Huang Song, Unifying Dongqing (79)
Wei Ci stood to bid farewell, halting at the front of the tent. “I won’t hide Huang Song’s background from you, my Lord.”
True, Cheng Jing was Wei Ci’s senior brother, but Jiang Pengji was both Wei Ci’s leader and beloved. There was a clear distinction between public and private matters.
“That’s fine.”
Cheng Jing closed his eyes lightly, completely unsurprised by Wei Ci’s choice. If Wei Ci had helped Huang Song keep secrets, that would indeed have been strange.
Countless thoughts flashed through Wei Ci’s mind, scenes from his previous life whirled by like a fast-paced film, finally coalescing into a sigh.
He had been very curious in his past life as to why Huang Song, merely a eunuch’s descendant, had enjoyed the favor of Cheng Jing, with no opposition from the Cheng clan.
Unfortunately, they were not close enough as brothers, and Wei Ci hadn’t even attended Cheng Jing’s funeral, let alone sought answers from him.
If Huang Song was a descendant of the former dynasty’s royal family, everything would make sense.
Wei Ci hurried to find Jiang Pengji, who had just finished bathing. She wore loose, moon-white sleeping robes, draped in a broad, warm cloak. Her raven-black hair emitted steam and fresh fragrance from her recent wash. When Wei Ci arrived, she was seated on the couch, tilting her head to dry her damp hair.
“Zixiao, is something the matter?”
As she twisted the ends of her hair with a drying cloth, she glanced at Wei Ci.
Bathed in the warm orange candlelight, Jiang Pengji’s profile appeared softened, her gentle features making Wei Ci’s heart race.
Attempting to appear calm, Wei Ci performed a respectful bow and then began to explain his reason for coming.
His eyes remained fixed on Jiang Pengji’s hair. Noticing her wet locks, she offered him the drying cloth.
Wei Ci stood there for a moment, then knelt beside her, taking the cloth from her hand, carefully helping her dry her hair.
His movements were gentle, as if every strand of hair was a treasured item, whereas Jiang Pengji’s actions seemed much more brusque.
“Just now, I visited my senior brother Cheng Jing. During our conversation, I heard a piece of news that my Lord should hear.”
Jiang Pengji casually crossed her legs, elbows resting on her knees, looking completely relaxed.
“News? What could be so important that you’d come all this way at this time?”
If it weren’t significant, why would Wei Ci choose this ambiguous moment to find her?
Wasn’t that like sending “a frog” into the tiger’s mouth?
Wei Ci replied, “It’s about Huang Song’s background.”
Jiang Pengji frowned. “Huang Song’s background? What’s so special about it?”
She had no prejudice against origins, but she knew Huang Song’s lineage was heavily criticized; could there be a twist?
Wei Ci spoke gently, “On the surface, Huang Song is the grandson of the Dongqing attendant Huang Qin, coming from the Yuan family. In reality, there’s more to it. According to my senior brother, Huang Song’s ancestor was actually a princess of the last emperor of the Daxia dynasty. When the Daxia was overthrown, the royal family was almost entirely exterminated. Only the ancestors of the Cheng clan, out of gratitude, risked their lives to smuggle the still-infant princess out of the palace, raising her within the side branch of the Cheng family. Years later, this princess married into the Yuan family. The branch of the princess is precisely the one Huang Song belongs to, making him a royal descendant.”
Jiang Pengji exclaimed, “Why haven’t I heard of this before?”
Wei Ci used his fingers to help her comb her wet hair, saying, “Once the identity of a royal descendant from the Daxia is revealed, it would certainly bring about the destruction of the clan. It’s reasonable for the Cheng clan to keep this tightly sealed. My senior brother’s assistance to Huang Song also partially stems from this identity.”
Jiang Pengji considered Cheng Jing’s temperament, and she found Wei Ci’s words highly credible.
However—
Jiang Pengji stated, “But the founding emperor of the Daxia dynasty also came from humble beginnings, right? Why would Cheng Jing be so fixated on royal descendants from the Daxia? It doesn’t add up.”
In terms of background, Huang Song was still quite distant from the “legitimate” line.
Wei Ci understood that his Lord wasn’t particularly well-versed in certain historical aspects, and while he wasn’t surprised, he gently explained, “My Lord may not know, although the founding emperor of the Daxia dynasty came from humble origins, his ancestry was still notable and wealthy, with a significant background—”
According to the historical context of this world, the recent history included the chaos of the Sixteen Kingdoms, the Daxia dynasty, the Five Nations, and the current tumult.
Before the Sixteen Kingdoms, the central plains had also experienced a great unification spanning three hundred sixty-seven years, known as “Northern Chen.”
The Daxia royal family’s lineage could be traced back to the royal family of Northern Chen, and even the rise of the Cheng clan began during the resurgence of Northern Chen.
After listening carefully, Jiang Pengji chuckled, “I didn’t expect Huang Song to have such a noble ancestor. Does he know about this?”
Wei Ci shook his head. “Most likely he doesn’t know. If he did, he would have used it to change public perception long ago.”
In an era where lineage and background mattered greatly, nothing mattered more than one’s ancestors, even if they were long buried. Having the weight of illustrious ancestry might just shield Huang Song from the stigma of being the son of a eunuch for years.
But Jiang Pengji laughed, “If I were Huang Song, I wouldn’t announce it even if I knew.”
Wei Ci asked, “Why not?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “Such an important card shouldn’t be played immediately. Given the poor evaluation of him by the public, even if he could produce his family tree to prove his identity, no one would believe him. They would just see him as trying to create buzz at the expense of his lineage. It would be better to reveal it when he has achieved something significant and stands tall.”
No matter how grand a card is, timing is everything.
That said, Huang Song truly didn’t know the matter for now, and Cheng Jing intended to wait for the right moment to divulge it.
However—
Cheng Jing wouldn’t get the chance to wait for that moment.
Jiang Pengji tucked her long hair behind her ear, her lips curling into a smile, seemingly unperturbed by the news Wei Ci had shared.
Wei Ci probed, “How does my Lord plan to deal with Huang Song?”
Jiang Pengji said, “He is a friend, after all. I don’t intend to go to extremes. The decision on how to handle this lies with him.”
“You mean to let him go?” Wei Ci paused. “Eliminating the source but leaving the roots could lead to endless trouble.”
Jiang Pengji played with her hair, grinning, “Naturally, I won’t let him off easily. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If he wishes to protect himself and his family, he must pay a price. I’ll ensure he doesn’t become a threat in the future.”
Life is singular; once it’s gone, it’s gone. It all depends on whether Huang Song is willing to pay that price.
A flicker of confusion crossed Wei Ci’s mind as he pondered what his Lord had in mind.
“I plan to talk with Huang Song. If he agrees, how would it hurt to let him off? If he refuses, I’ll give him a dignified death, considering our past friendship.” Jiang Pengji ruffled her half-dry hair, “By the way, what is Cheng Jing’s stance?”
Wei Ci replied vaguely, “He supports the legitimate line.”
Jiang Pengji raised an eyebrow and countered, “What if I became the legitimate line?”
Wei Ci stated, “As my Lord commands.”
Jiang Pengji smiled, saying, “Then convey to him, at most seven years, and let him be prepared.”
