Tonight, the junior chancellor's estate was putting on a birthday party for the mistress of the house. Guests overflowed the rooms, even the second prince was in attendance with special leave from the emperor, so he could pay respect to his aunt on her birthday.

Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ had set a feast in the front hall for his guests and acquaintances. Inside the interior rooms, he set another feast for his family. In the span of a short hour, the junior chancellor's estate was abuzz with laughter and the sound of joyous conversation. On the stage, a pair of entertainers played the beauty and the gentlemen, off the stage, guests enjoyed ample food and drink. There wasn't a sour face in the house.

It was an utterly different story inside the junior chancellor's study.

“How did you even come up with this sort of plan?” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ shouted at Gu Jun. He only just heard about what Long Xuan did during the day. Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ couldn't say anything straightforward to Long Xuan, so he let out steam on his children's in-law instead.

“This has nothing to do with Minister Gu,” Long Xuan was seated at the head of the desk, “I underestimated the situation.”

“It's that Luo Wei!” Liu Wu Sheng muttered angrily beside them, “If it wasn't for him, we would've been able to search the camp! Luo Ze's not smart enough to get out of this by himself!”

“This was Luo Wei's doing?” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ looked to Long Xuan for confirmation.

“It was him,” Long Xuan answered, “If I knew he was going to be there today, I wouldn't have asked Minister Gu to take the risk.”

“Whether Ning Fei is under their palms or not is one thing,” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ explained, “If Luo Wei said anything in front of the emperor, this won't go over so easily.”

“They've already buried her,” Long Xuan's expression was ineffectual, “I don't think Luo Wei is going to press this matter.”

“Are they just going to let it go?” Liu Wu Sheng couldn't believe it, “Luo Ze and those two meatheads from the Zhao family are just going to listen to Luo Wei?”

Long Xuan tossed a look at Liu Wu Sheng, “If they didn't listen to him, do you think you would've gotten out of there without a single scratch, cousin?”

That look from Long Xuan made Liu Wu Sheng lower his head. He wasn't scared of fighting with Luo Ze or the Zhao brothers, but he didn't think that his heart would be set to rage by someone like Luo Wei. He couldn't even let any of his anger out. They were only words, why did they hurt so much?

“Just to make sure we cover ourselves, I bid Minister Gu to plead forgiveness from My Imperial Father tomorrow,” Long Xuan had already done his math by the time he spoke to Gu Jun, “Even if my father were to give you punishment, it wouldn't be that severe. Minister Gu, you can rest easy.”

Gu Jun quickly kissed up to Long Xuan, “Your humble servant would happily die in the service of Your Imperial Highness.”

“Cousin, go with Minister Gu and attend the feast,” Long Xuan said to Liu Wu Sheng as a way of giving them leave.

Liu Wu Sheng had wanted to ask Long Xuan exactly how powerful this Ning Fei was. He wanted to ask Long Xuan why he'd put such importance on a single man, and waste such tactics and resources to barge into the commandant's camp for him. However Liu Wu Sheng had always been wary of what he said in front of the second prince. Hearing that Long Xuan wanted him to leave, he didn't dare ask his questions and simply left with Gu Jun to join the party.

“Uncle,” Long Xuan waited until only he and Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ were left in the study before speaking, “I really thought that the Luo family produced someone who'd be on my side. Looks like I was terribly wrong. Luo Wei lectured me today about being content with my lot in life, isn't that funny?”

Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ watched Long Xuan simmering in a rare air of melancholy. A sneaking sense of shock overcame home. Since when was Luo Wei able to affect Long Xuan's mood so much? “Your Imperial Highness,” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ comforted him, “The most important pieces in play for the Luo family are the eldest and the middle brothers. Luo Qi and Luo Ze both hold a considerable amount of military power, especially Luo Qi, with thirty thousand soldiers stationed at Yun Guan. As far as Luo Wei is concerned, Your Imperial Highness would only need to put some distance between the two of you, he bears no significant threat to your position.”

“Has the Senior Chancellor sent along his gifts today?” Long Xuan suddenly asked.

“The gift from the Senior Chancellor's estate came three days ago,” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ answered, “Call him what you will, Luo Zhi Qiu never missteps in matters of decorum and etiquette.”

“And how are you going to respond to Ming Jian Villa?”

“Ning Fei is only a unloved, unmissed, common child. Ning Shu Ying wouldn't care much, Your Imperial Highness need not worry.”

Long Xuan shook his head, “It's these unloved, unmissed people that are easy to control. Those who are favored by others only see my kindness as a matter of course, what use is that to me?”

“Chancellor,” The voice of a young attendant came from beyond the doors.

“What is it?” Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ asked.

“An urgent letter from Yi Zhou.”

Long Xuan and Liu Shuang s.h.i.+ stared at each other, speechless. Did something happen in Yi Zhou too?

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES:
Yi zhou…. yu zhou… I had to go back to check that I didn't mix these two up in previous chapters. Yi Zhou was the place where Luo Wei promised salt ores to the Qi Lin Villa, and Yu Zhou was the copper mines. I kind of wish that English had some different characters to denote sounds, because the two of them look very different in Chinese, but when sounding it out, even I get confused!! @[email protected]