Chapter 368 – The Winds of the Capital (Part 25)
Xu Ke furrowed his brow anxiously. If Jiang Pengji’s words were to be taken seriously, when would they ever leave the capital?
Were they really expected to wait until the emperor passed away and the princes, along with the Changshou Wang, fought it out?
By then, the world would likely be in shambles.
Noticing Xu Ke’s inner turmoil, Jiang Pengji snickered coldly.
“No need to worry too long; we just need to wait for the right opportunity.”
Without saying more, as long as Hui Jun could get close to the emperor and dazzle him to no end, leaving the capital wouldn’t be hard.
“But…” Xu Ke’s mind swirled with unease; he couldn’t shake the feeling that things weren’t that simple.
Jiang Pengji remarked, “Do you really think the princes and the ambitious Changshou Wang have the patience to wait for the emperor to pass?”
At her words, Xu Ke felt as if lightning struck him, and something exploded in his mind.
“Are you implying… a coup?”
“It’s hard to say. But if you look at the brief history of the Dongqing royal family, patricide and fratricide is hardly unheard of?”
Jiang Pengji sarcastically pointed out that aside from the founding emperor, none of the subsequent Dongqing emperors had an upright claim to the throne; this scandal was well-known. The current emperor seemed poised to repeat the fate of his ancestors, threatened by his own brother and son.
This game of chess would depend on who moved first; the one who stepped out first would be the target of the onslaught.
While Xu Ke felt restless, Jiang Pengji was akin to a fisherman patiently awaiting a catch.
Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she displayed a chilling smile. “You can’t rush a hot dumpling; what does it matter if we’re under house arrest in the capital? This emperor doesn’t even have the guts to challenge the noble clans and certainly won’t keep us here for a lifetime. We just need one opportunity to leave the capital safely. Until then, Xiaoyu can just pretend he’s on holiday in the capital—no worries… If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up.”
Xu Ke forced a smile, feeling reassured. “As long as you remain calm, Young Master, I’ll accompany you to the end.”
Once he finished speaking, the carriage fell silent again. Jiang Pengji clasped her fingers together, her eyes slightly lowered, her cold expression betraying not a hint of emotion.
After traveling a bit further, she suddenly asked,
“Xiaoyu, under what circumstances do you think the emperor would summon the Changshou Wang, residing in seclusion at the edge of the city, to the capital?”
Xu Ke paused, instinctively considering her question, and shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
“Why?” Jiang Pengji inquired.
Xu Ke replied, “Everyone knows about Changshou Wang’s underhanded dealings. Even if the emperor is enamored with pleasures and neglects state affairs, how could he be so recklessly foolish as to summon this ambitious wolf? Wouldn’t that be inviting disaster?”
“Exactly, that’s what I thought too.”
Jiang Pengji nodded in agreement; she hadn’t seen any redeeming qualities in the emperor, only countless faults.
Although the emperor was currently incompetent, he had managed to eliminate the previous emperor and ascend the throne from being the King of Hejian, indicating he wasn’t entirely useless.
If he had any sense, why would he summon Changshou Wang to the capital during such tense times?
Xu Ke asked her, “Why the sudden question, Young Master?”
“I just recalled a warning from a friend before leaving,” Jiang Pengji replied flatly.
As she spoke, the image of a tall, upright figure resembling bamboo flashed in her mind.
Wei Ci wasn’t one to speak without reason; if he had advised her to be wary of Changshou Wang entering the capital with an army, there must be some truth to it.
Xu Ke pondered repetitively, furrowing his brows. “If we assume that’s true, there are three possibilities. First, the emperor’s favored candidate isn’t one of his four sons, but rather Changshou Wang, the surviving son of the previous emperor. Considering the events of recent years, that theory is almost zero percent likely. Second, if there were any upheaval in the capital, with the Imperial Guards rendered useless, the emperor might have no choice but to summon Changshou Wang…”
However, the likelihood of these two scenarios was exceedingly low, almost negligible.
“What about the third possibility?”
Xu Ke said, “A fake imperial edict.”
Jiang Pengji’s heart skipped a beat. “A fake imperial edict is indeed a possibility.”
The current capital had become a vast cage; Jiang Pengji, sharp of ears and eyes, quickly realized that the nobles’ quarters were filled with numerous spies, disguised as young servants, maids, or merchants from various trades, keeping watch day and night.
As they approached the residence, Jiang Pengji glanced sharply, signaling Xu Ke to keep quiet.
The two exited the carriage, maintaining composure as they returned home.
At this moment, the audience in the live stream had begun to sense something unusual, bombarding with questions.
【Molang Dreamer】: Streamer, streamer, are you guys unable to leave the capital lately?
【Old Driver Alliance】: It seems they are under house arrest; the Dongqing emperor is relentless in his foolishness!
【Stowaway Non-Money】: Yikes, I bet five dimes that given the streamer’s stubborn nature, she’ll definitely figure out a way to get back at them.
Most viewers were regular onlookers, enjoying the drama, but when it came to such intricate matters, their reactions were a beat slow.
The audience appeared to have a blind trust in Jiang Pengji; having followed her for years, they hadn’t witnessed anyone truly besting her. Any prior challenges she faced had all been light-hearted jests—she was easy-going and didn’t take them to heart.
Of course, there were plenty of dissenting voices.
【Love for Spicy Strips】: Nonsense! Are you all out of your minds? The streamer is currently without prestige! Even though she has a powerful father, it won’t save her from the emperor’s clutches!
【Divine Beast Alpaca】: Yeah, I love this stream! It’s amazing to see so many fools praising an ordinary streamer.
【Old Driver Alliance】: Haha, I’ve noticed it too—there are indeed many clueless folks in this chat. Who recalls the streamer’s skills? Not saying she can walk on roofs, but she could at least find a way to leave the capital. This isn’t about whether she can leave, but when she will.
Regardless of the anxious or disparaging comments in the chat, Jiang Pengji paid them no mind.
Strength is mere chatter; only what is actually done holds weight.
Though technically under “house arrest,” she was not restricted in terms of personal freedom, and in fact, she was living quite comfortably.
Another month passed, and Jiang Pengji “coincidentally” encountered Huang Song in the capital a few times, leading to a budding friendship, occasionally accompanied by the mischievous Feng Jue. The three spent many moments together drinking tea and watching plays… and those locations were, of course, far from suitable for children.
Upon hearing this, Feng Jin was speechless: “…”
Relaxed and leaning against the table, a band of musicians in one corner played sweet melodies, the soft tunes warm enough to melt the heart.
Jiang Pengji was cracking peanuts, popping them into her mouth one by one.
These treats were said to have come from the northern tribes beyond Zhong Zhao and were quite crunchy when roasted.
