{"id":4015,"date":"2026-06-15T03:20:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T03:20:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pursuit-of-jade-131\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T03:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T03:20:43","slug":"pursuit-of-jade-131","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/chapter\/pursuit-of-jade-131\/","title":{"rendered":"Pursuit of Jade 131"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chapter 131

Tang Peiyi had long blamed himself deeply for He Jingyuan’s death. Although he had no desire to involve himself with the Li faction, when he heard them demanding that Wei Yan be held accountable, he immediately lifted his robes and knelt.

“This humble general also implores Your Majesty to thoroughly investigate Chancellor Wei Yan’s collusion with the rebels and give the soldiers who fought on the front lines, as well as the people of the realm, an explanation!”

Once Tang Peiyi knelt, all the military officers who had accompanied him into the Golden Throne Hall to receive honors naturally followed suit.

Resting one elbow on the armrest of the Dragon Throne, Qi Sheng pressed a hand against his temple. His displeasure was obvious.

“What is the meaning of this? Have all of you learned to force my hand now?”

Holding his court tablet, Grand Tutor Li lowered his white-haired head and said hoarsely,

“This old minister would not dare. But if traitorous ministers are not removed and injustices remain unresolved, how can the loyal souls beneath the earth rest in peace? If this old minister does not speak out, then I do not deserve to wear these official robes or receive Your Majesty’s salary. I may as well retire and return home!”

Looking at Grand Tutor Li’s thin, bamboo-like figure from behind, Fan Changyu thought that if she had not already known about the Li family’s collusion with Qi Min, she might truly have believed him to be an upright official who cared for the country and its people, just like He Jingyuan.

A loud crash echoed through the hall.

Qi Sheng had seized a stack of memorials from the dragon desk and hurled them to the floor.

So angry that he laughed, he said,

“Offer advice if you wish, but why use retirement as leverage against me, Grand Tutor?”

Grand Tutor Li bent his back even lower.

“This old minister would not dare.”

For years, the emperor and Grand Tutor Li had worked together to suppress Wei Yan. Now that Grand Tutor Li was openly attacking Wei Yan while the emperor was protecting him, it was a sight the court had never seen before.

The more perceptive officials quickly recalled recent rumors and privately wondered whether the reports about finding the Crown Prince Chengde’s descendant might actually be true.

The Wei faction, which had remained silent until now, sensed the emperor’s attitude and immediately stepped forward.

“The Chancellor has worked tirelessly for the empire, dedicating his heart and soul to Great Yin for so many years. He is now ill from overwork and resting at home. Yet this is how you slander him?”

Members of the Li faction angrily retorted.

“It was a man recommended by the Chancellor who allowed the Chongzhou rebels to escape, nearly causing Lu City to fall! Captured rebel advisors have also testified that Wei Yan was indeed colluding with the rebels. The evidence and witnesses are all present. What is there left to deny?”

“Lu Dayi sought glory for himself and acted without following military orders, falling into the rebels’ trap. Even if responsibility must be assigned, the Chancellor’s fault was merely poor judgment in employing people. Yet you seek to accuse him of collaborating with traitors! Your intentions are sinister! Can the words of rebel advisors truly be trusted? What if this is merely the rebels’ scheme to sow discord?”

“No amount of clever rhetoric can change the facts! The evidence is as solid as a mountain. You won’t give up until you see the coffin!”

The two sides argued fiercely within the hall, nearly coming to blows.

Apparently developing a headache from the noise, Qi Sheng suddenly barked,

“Enough!”

Only then did the officials, who looked ready to roll up their sleeves and fight each other, restrain themselves and return to their places with court tablets in hand.

Qi Sheng’s expression was extremely unpleasant.

“All this shouting and quarreling\u2014what kind of conduct is this? Have you mistaken the Golden Throne Hall for a marketplace?”

The officials lowered their heads and dared not utter another word.

Pressing his aching temple, Qi Sheng said,

“All witnesses involved in Wei Yan’s alleged collusion with the rebels shall be placed under the custody of the Court of Judicial Review and the case shall be jointly tried by the Three Judicial Offices. Court is dismissed.”

With those words, he flicked his sleeves and departed the Golden Throne Hall first.

The eunuch attending him immediately cried out in a shrill voice,

“Court dismissed!”

Then hurried after the emperor.

The civil and military officials below knelt toward the now-empty Dragon Throne.

“Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty forever!”

As Fan Changyu rose with the other officials, she frowned slightly and glanced at the gilded Dragon Throne above.

Would the trial of Wei Yan really proceed smoothly?


—

After leaving the hall, Grand Tutor Li’s expression was far from pleasant.

His eldest son followed closely behind him and quietly asked,

“Has His Majesty once again turned to Wei Yan for protection?”

Having served as Qi Sheng’s teacher for more than a decade, Grand Tutor Li understood this emperor\u2014who had been forced onto the throne as a child\u2014better than anyone.

He shook his head.

“This is hardly the first time he’s done something like this.”

When Qi Sheng first ascended the throne, he had been little more than a child.

Though the officials outwardly respected him, none truly took the powerless young emperor seriously.

Back then, in order to secure his position, Qi Sheng followed Wei Yan’s lead in everything.

Later, once his wings had grown stronger and he realized he was nothing more than a puppet emperor, he began drawing close to Grand Tutor Li in order to wrest power away from Wei Yan.

Perhaps because he had never truly possessed imperial authority, Qi Sheng could not tolerate sharing power with anyone.

He was simply too impatient.

Before Wei Yan had fallen, he had already begun guarding against the Li family at every turn. Eventually, this drove the Li family into cooperation with Qi Min.

Only then had he panicked and turned back to seek Wei Yan’s support.

As long as Wei Yan remained standing, the throne would still belong to him\u2014even if he remained a puppet emperor.

Li Yuanting, Grand Tutor Li’s eldest son, revealed a look of contempt.

“After scheming against Wei Yan so many times, does he really think Wei Yan will continue protecting him? In the end, they’ll both be nothing more than defeated dogs.”

Grand Tutor Li slowed his steps and cast a calm glance at his son.

Realizing he had spoken out of turn, Li Yuanting quickly looked around. Seeing that the officials were leaving the palace in small groups and that no one was nearby, he finally relaxed slightly.

Grand Tutor Li said,

“No matter when, remember this: disaster comes from careless words.”

Li Yuanting lowered his head.

“Yes, Father.”

Ahead, near a flight of white marble steps, Fan Changyu and the other generals who had participated in suppressing the rebellion were walking down.

Several minor officials were congratulating Tang Peiyi. The group chatted as they walked, all wearing polite, carefully measured smiles.

Grand Tutor Li’s gaze lingered for a few moments longer on the female general dressed in red robes and silver armor, radiant as the blazing sun.

Li Yuanting already knew Fan Changyu’s true identity.

Lowering his voice, he said,

“I heard the Marquis of Wuan refused an imperial marriage decree because of this woman and personally led the Xie family’s cavalry to Lu City to rescue her. Considering that his own father’s death was involved as well, he’s truly lost his senses.”

Grand Tutor Li said nothing.

After taking several steps, he suddenly asked,

“Still no news from Huai’an?”

Li Yuanting shook his head.

“We’ve already sent additional men to search.”

Grand Tutor Li merely grunted in acknowledgment and continued forward.


—

Fan Changyu and the others were not officials of the capital and possessed no residences in the city. The Ministry of Rites therefore arranged for them to stay at the Official Couriers’ Residence.

According to the customs of Great Yin, princes and nobles with fiefs who were summoned to the capital stayed at royal guest mansions, while officials serving outside the capital stayed at the Official Couriers’ Residence.

Although Fan Changyu and the others had received rewards and promotions, whether they would remain in the capital or receive external appointments still depended on an imperial decree.

If they remained in the capital, the emperor would either bestow a residence upon them or grant land on which they could build one.

If they were assigned elsewhere, they would depart to take up posts in provincial administrations.

As a newly promoted third-rank official, Fan Changyu was assigned an independent courtyard.

Even with Aunt Zhao and her husband, Changning, Bao’er, and the others living there as well, it did not feel crowded.

Carpenter Zhao was now officially registered as a military physician.

He should have remained with the Jizhou army, but with the war over, he felt he had little use there. Since Fan Changyu was coming to the capital to receive honors, he resigned and accompanied the group north.

During the half day Fan Changyu had spent in the palace, the elderly couple had already toured the capital’s streets under the escort of Xie Five and Xie Seven.

When Fan Changyu returned, she found that the snacks Changning had purchased nearly covered the entire round table.

Before she could scold the girl, Changning excitedly began gesturing and describing all the wonders she had seen in the streets.

“Big Sister, Big Sister! There was a yellow-bearded man who could breathe fire! And people performing spear tricks! And someone smashing stones on his chest!”

Her eyes sparkled as she counted on her fingers, almost unable to list everything she had seen.

Seeing how happy she was, Fan Changyu could not bear to scold her.

Instead, she pinched her rosy cheeks.

“You mustn’t be naughty when you go out, and you can’t run off by yourself. Stay with Aunt Zhao and Uncle Five, understand?”

Changning nodded repeatedly.

Then she grabbed Fan Changyu’s arm and began shaking it.

“Big Sister, when you’re free, let’s go play that pitching game! If you win, you can take home a little rabbit!”

Fan Changyu laughed.

“You want to raise a rabbit?”

Changning nodded vigorously.

“Raise it until it’s fat, then feed it to Falcon!”

That answer left Fan Changyu both amused and exasperated.

Back when Xie Five had followed her in the army, the gyrfalcon had mostly been cared for by Xie Seven and Changning.

Later, after Xie Five was injured and recuperating at home, he helped as well.

Both brothers knew how to train falcons.

Since Changning fed it every day, Xie Seven would often take it out at night and let it fly longer distances.

During Fan Changyu’s recovery in Lu City, Aunt Zhao had been unable to sit idle. To improve the nutrition of the wounded soldiers, she had purchased a brood of chicks and raised them near the camp.

Occasionally, hawks would swoop down and snatch the chicks, causing Aunt Zhao endless frustration.

Every evening she would return to the courtyard sighing.

Later, Xie Seven frequently allowed the gyrfalcon to patrol the area around the camp. Whenever other birds of prey came to steal chickens, the gyrfalcon would chase them down and peck away half the feathers from their wings.

Aunt Zhao repeatedly praised the bird’s intelligence and rewarded it with piles of chicken innards.

After arriving in the capital, however, the crowds made it impossible to let the falcon fly freely, even at night.

Constantly spoiled by Aunt Zhao and Changning, the bird had inevitably grown noticeably rounder.

Fan Changyu said,

“If you keep feeding it like this, your falcon won’t be able to fly anymore.”

Aunt Zhao also chimed in.

“Be good, Ningniang. We’re staying in government housing here in the capital, not a place of our own. Raising a rabbit would be inconvenient. And if we leave the capital later, it’s easy to transport dead things, but living animals are troublesome.”

Only then did Changning lower her head and reluctantly agree while twisting her chubby fingers together.

Aunt Zhao and her husband eagerly questioned Fan Changyu about her audience with the emperor.

Having spent most of their lives in a frontier town, they had never imagined they would one day enter the capital.

When they heard that Fan Changyu had become a high-ranking official, they laughed and cried at the same time.

Wiping away tears, they said they would burn incense paper for Fan Changyu’s parents later and tell them the good news.

Outside the doorway, Changning squatted on the ground, drawing circles in the dirt with a little stick.

Her pouting lips made it obvious she was still thinking about the snow-white rabbit she had seen in the vendor’s cage.

A pair of embroidered boots appeared in her field of vision.

Yu Bao’er stood before her and said,

“I’ll help you win the rabbit.”

Still unhappy, Changning replied,

“But you don’t know how to play the pitching game. Uncle Seven and Uncle Five won’t help me either…”

Yu Bao’er said,

“Give me two days. I can learn.”

Children’s emotions were often exceptionally sensitive.

Had nobody comforted her, she might have been fine.

But hearing Yu Bao’er say that made her eyes instantly redden.

The weather had grown cold, and Aunt Zhao had bundled her in layers of clothing. Squatting there, she looked like a soft little ball\u2014almost like a plump rabbit herself.

With a wronged expression, she asked,

“What if somebody wins the rabbit before then?”

Yu Bao’er replied,

“The vendor will have other rabbits.”

Changning’s eyes grew even redder.

Wiping them, she said,

“But I only want that rabbit.”

After a moment, Yu Bao’er asked,

“Weren’t you going to raise it as food for your falcon? If that’s the case, wouldn’t any rabbit do?”

Changning lowered her head without speaking.

Tears clung to her long eyelashes, making her look pitiful and aggrieved.

Yu Bao’er stared at her for a while before changing his answer.

“I’ll help you win that rabbit. But if I do, you have to keep raising it. You can’t feed it to your falcon anymore.”

After thinking about it, Changning decided rabbits were actually quite adorable.

So she nodded firmly.

“How are you going to win it?”

Yu Bao’er replied,

“Don’t worry about it.”


—

After chatting with Aunt Zhao and her husband for a while, Fan Changyu escorted them to the door.

She intended to ask Xie Five how to contact Xie Zheng in the capital, but could not find him.

Spotting Xie Seven sweeping the courtyard, she called out,

“Little Seven, where’s Little Five?”

Leaning on his broom, Xie Seven replied,

“Young Master said he wanted to buy some things, so Fifth Brother accompanied him.”

Because Yu Bao’er’s identity was sensitive, only Aunt Zhao and her husband still called him Bao’er. Xie Five and Xie Seven both addressed him as Young Master.

Concerned that something might happen, Fan Changyu asked,

“Is only Little Five with him? Do you know where they went?”

Xie Seven hurriedly reassured her.

“Don’t worry, General. Young Master said he was only going to the same two streets we visited this morning. General Tang has also secretly assigned people to watch over them.”

Fan Changyu relaxed.

Still, hearing Xie Seven address her as “General” so naturally felt strange to her.

“That’s good.”

After a pause, she asked,

“Do you know… where he is now?”

Though she did not say who she meant, Xie Seven immediately understood from her tone that she was asking about Xie Zheng.

“Master entered the capital secretly. We haven’t received any message from him yet. The Xie family has a residence in the capital, but Master is always cautious. He probably won’t stay there. The meritorious officers are all temporarily housed at the Official Couriers’ Residence. For now, we can only wait for Master to contact us.”

Fan Changyu remembered the figure she had glimpsed through the window of a restaurant when they entered the city.

Could he have been there specifically to watch the army enter the capital?

Seeing her lost in thought, Xie Seven asked,

“Is there something urgent you need from Master?”

Fan Changyu replied,

“Nothing urgent. Go finish your work.”

Primarily, she wanted to know what Xie Zheng’s next plans were.

The Crown Prince’s grandson had vanished without a trace for now.

Yu Qianqian was also missing.

The emperor was clearly beginning to favor Wei Yan, and there was no telling what outcome the joint trial would produce.

Whether the Li faction won or the Wei faction won, Fan Changyu felt the entire court was rotten to the core.

Returning to her room, she closed the door behind her and let out a quiet sigh.

Then a deep voice suddenly sounded nearby.

“What did you need me for?”

Startled, Fan Changyu looked up.

There, leaning against the bed curtains with folded arms, stood a man.

“When did you get here?” she asked in surprise.

“I’ve been here the whole time.”

Seeing the confusion still lingering in her eyes, Xie Zheng raised the disguise mask he held in his hand.

The area around the bed curtains was dimly lit. Only after he stepped forward did Fan Changyu notice that he was dressed in the uniform of a guard from the Official Couriers’ Residence.

He had disguised himself as one of the guards.

Before she could speak, he tossed another guard’s uniform to her.

“Change into this. I’m taking you to meet someone.”

When outside officials came to the capital, countless eyes watched the Official Couriers’ Residence.

Every place they visited and every person they met would be reported in meticulous detail to the palace.

To avoid those spies, they naturally needed disguises.

Holding the uniform, Fan Changyu glanced at Xie Zheng.

He was not wearing a mask.

His face remained as handsome and refined as ever.

Yet she felt something was off about him.

In truth, she had sensed it ever since seeing him in the restaurant when they entered the city.

That was why she had deliberately smiled at him as she passed below.

Now, clutching the guard’s uniform, she temporarily forgot to ask whom he intended to introduce her to.

Instead, she hesitated and asked,

“What’s wrong? Did something go badly after you entered the capital\u2014”

Before she could finish the sentence, she was pulled into a hard, cold embrace.

Xie Zheng did nothing else.

He simply held her tightly.

Burying his face in her neck and shoulder, he clung to her like a drowning man grasping desperately at a piece of driftwood.

Fan Changyu froze.

Because she was still holding the uniform in both hands, she could not return the embrace immediately.

She tried to free one hand and pat his back while asking what had happened.

But before she could, he pulled her even tighter into his arms.

“Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while.”

His voice was weary and hoarse.

For a fleeting moment, Fan Changyu experienced the strange illusion that the man before her was vulnerable.

She could not describe what she was feeling.

It was as though a giant hand had suddenly gripped her heart, squeezing it painfully.

She released the uniform and let it fall to the floor.

Then she wrapped her arms around his lean, firm waist.

Just as she had comforted Changning through countless nights after their parents died, she softly soothed the man before her.

Her voice was calm and gentle.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”<\/p>","protected":false},"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"novel":[],"class_list":["post-4015","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/4015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/4015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4016,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chapter\/4015\/revisions\/4016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"novel","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/velvetink.xyz\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/novel?post=4015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}