Chapter 588: Chapter 588
Xie Xun reorganized the Jinyi Guard, the Kyoto Capital Guard, and the Forbidden Army. He promoted Feiying to Commander of the Jinyi Guard and sent Zhang Boxi to the Forbidden Army as the head of the Imperial Guards. With the assistance of Nuanyang and Zhang Boxi, Feiying transferred part of the Kyoto Capital Guard to the Jinyi Guard. Meanwhile, Xie Jue had not yet returned to the Capital City, and his personal guards were also entirely incorporated into the Jinyi Guard. These individuals were skilled in assassination and intelligence work, and under Feiying’s restructuring, the Jinyi Guard became the new emperor’s eyes and ears, spreading throughout the Capital City. Originally, Xie Xun intended for the Jinyi Guard to gather intelligence on the major clans’ reactions to the new governance. Unexpectedly, they stumbled upon gossip involving Jiang Yang and Fengyu.
Feiying, being perceptive, had sent people to suppress the rumors and investigate their source before reporting to Xie Xun. Upon hearing the unfamiliar name Jiang Yang, Xie Xun was stunned for a long time. "He’s still serving as an official in the Capital City?" Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on ɴovelfire.net
"At the Imperial College. Normally, no one pays him much attention. When Lin Cheng was around, he kept his head down and behaved cautiously. Now, daring to approach the young lady must mean he’s exploiting her concern for her reputation—shameless!" Feiying angrily cursed. Fortunately, Jiang Yang hadn’t stooped so low as to ask Fengyu to plead for an official position on his behalf. If he had dared to make such a request, Xie Xun would have certainly silenced him.
Xie Xun had long forgotten about Jiang Yang as a person. Although Fengyu had once been engaged to Jiang Yang, Xie Xun felt no resentment. Back then, it had been Xie Xun himself who fanned the flames, causing Jiang Yang to break the engagement. It was all part of his plan to tarnish Fengyu’s reputation, and Jiang Yang was merely a pawn in his scheme.
He was even less worried about rumors of Fengyu harboring feelings for Jiang Yang. At the time, his little girl only wanted to find an obedient, easily controlled man who could rely on her for his livelihood and live peacefully with her. She had no actual affection for Jiang Yang.
Jiang Yang posed far less of a threat to him than Fang Lingjun.
"Your Majesty," Zhang Boxi proposed, "Jiang Yang has done nothing of note at the Imperial College. Why not dismiss him from his post and exile him from the Capital City? Out of sight, out of mind. Recently, there have been rumors spreading, and those with ulterior motives are bound to use him and the young lady to stir trouble. If such rumors persist, they could damage the young lady’s reputation."
"If I were to dismiss Jiang Yang at this moment, it would only validate the rumors and make me appear petty and intolerant. Jiang Yang is no more than a minor figure—of little concern," Xie Xun said, his gaze darkening. "Someone is trying to fish in troubled waters and stir up trouble. They’re courting death. Has the source of the rumors been identified?"
Feiying replied, "It’s the clans... The clans have conspired together to orchestrate this."
"The clans again!" Xie Xun’s patience with the clans was wearing thin. If not for Lin Helin’s mediation, he would have already targeted the Li Family as an example to make an example of them and deter the others.
Outwardly, they appeared cooperative with the new governance, pledging loyalty with seemingly sincere words. But in their actions, they obstructed and resisted. Only half of the Kyoto Clan’s land had been reclaimed and redistributed; the rest sought to use their land to gain even greater benefits.
The new policies had harmed their interests, and since their allegiance to the new emperor had never been genuine, it was only natural that they sought to create trouble for him. Xie Xun’s greatest vulnerability was in plain sight—Fengyu was the target of all their schemes.
Several years ago, the reputation of the Third Miss in the Capital City had already suffered, and having been engaged once only made her an easy subject for slander.
The pens and tongues of the literati could distort truth and destroy a person.
Allowing rumors to spread and letting the clans act recklessly would allow him to ensnare them all in one stroke. Yet, if he allowed them to harm Ayu at will, even if those rumors wouldn’t physically harm her, they could still trouble her emotionally. He was now the new ruler of Beining—if he couldn’t even protect the one he cherished most, what meaning was there in being emperor?
"Compile the officials’ names from the Li, Zhou, and Cai clans and present them to me. Select a group for reassignment. The twelve states happen to need some officials. If they fail to yield results, they should not think of returning to the Capital City. Choose the most outstanding younger members of their families—it’ll be a gift from me to them."
Thunder or rain, all are grace from the emperor.
If they dared to target Ayu, he could likewise strike at their vulnerabilities.