~ CUTTING MEET TO FEED A TIGER ~
When Cai Yi and others saw Mu Yunyao at the entrance of Ni Yun Fang, they immediately surrounded her. Their eyes were all red and filled with deep concern. “Miss, are you alright?”
Mu Yunyao stared blankly for a moment before warmth flowed from inside her heart. “I’m fine. I am sorry caused you all to worry.”
Ni Yun Fang in the capital had not invested as much effort as in Jingling City, but Cai Yi and the others still regarded her as extremely important, making her feel warm in her heart and a little ashamed. She was determined to pay more attention to this place after the Imperial Court calmed down.
“It’s good that Miss is fine. We have already prepared the fabric and embroidery thread. We waiting for Miss to take a look.” After hearing about what happened in the Palace, they were all terrified. Fortunately, it ended without any significant issues, and the Emperor’s marriage decree was issued, so everything was settled.
Miss had always been incredibly generous to them. Now that they could finally do something for her personally, they were all eagerly rubbing their hands in excitement. These days, to compete for the opportunity to embroider wedding dresses, many embroiderers have been secretly competing, constantly honing their skills, hoping to be chosen by Mu Yunyao.
Mu Yunyao and Yue Wang arrived upstairs and saw batch after batch of silk and satin, their eyes filled with smiles. “Fourth Master, please choose a piece of fabric too, then we can make your auspicious clothing together.”
“Alright.”
Yue Wang rarely engaged in these trivial things, but with Mu Yunyao by his side, listening to her explanations about the intricacies of various fabrics, he found it unexpectedly enjoyable. It took nearly an hour to select all the fabrics and embroidery threads. Just as they were about to head out for a walk, they saw Yu Yi hurrying in.
“Greetings, Master and Miss Mu.”
Mu Yunyao motioned for CaiYi and the others to withdraw, then offered a cup of tea to the weary Yu Yi, who looked pale and exhausted, obviously having rushed back from Jiangnan overnight.
Yu Yi took it and drank it all in one gulp. Then, he lowered his voice to express gratitude, “Thank you, Miss Mu. Master, you let Bu Xian Lou secretly suppress the Li Family’s grain business in Jiangnan, but little progress was made despite Steward Qin’s long-term arrangements. Later, people were sent to infiltrate the caravan and intercept some news.
The Li family’s caravan wasn’t trading grain but privately selling iron weapons.”
Yue Wang’s eyes suddenly turned sharp, his entire body radiating a chilling aura. “In the Dali dynasty, salt and iron were all official businesses, especially iron weapons, which are managed strictly. How could the Li family have such great courage to tamper with iron weapons?”
“The Li family’s grain trade operates in remote areas, especially in Heilong City, where the vast land and the population are sparse, making governance extremely lax. The Li family had found an iron ore vein and sent several people to secretly open the furnace to refine iron, then transported the forged weapons to the northwest before distributing them through various channels beyond the borders of the Da Li Dynasty.”
Mu Yunyao was shocked and asked, “They transported them out of the Dali Dynasty. Could it be that the Li family sold those iron weapons to Northern Xinjiang and Yunnan?”
“The Yunnan has vast grasslands and is mainly inhabited by nomads. After His Majesty ascended the throne, he once attacked Yunnan. In recent years, Yunnan has gradually regained its vitality. However, they only dared to harass the border in a small area and never dared to invade with a large army. The main concern is Northern Xinjiang. A few years ago, there was a change in the royal authority in Northern Xinjiang, and the newly appointed leader of the Northern Xinjiang royal family had grand ambitions. Over the years, he had tried to reach the Da Li Dynasty’s bottom line and bought many iron weapons from the Li family.”
A flash of fierce anger flashed in Yue Wang’s eyes, “I originally thought that Jin Wang’s disregard for the lives of the people, blowing up the riverbank to destroy evidence, was extremely foolish. But unexpectedly, the Li family went even further, actually doing something as foolish as raising a tiger to invite disaster!”
“Your Royal Highness, the Li family’s caravan has done exceptionally meticulous in their dealings. This time, our investigation was a bit too aggressive, which attracted the caravan’s attention. Now, they have all hidden themselves and their whereabouts are unknown. The informant that provided information for us has also been killed.”
Yue Wang frowned, “Have you gathered any evidence?”
“Apart from a letter sent by the informant who infiltrated the merchant caravan, no other evidence has been found. Steward Qin has secretly arranged for people to head to Heilong City and Tianshui City. Perhaps some useful clues can be found in these two places.”
Yue Wang frowned and pondered, “Selling iron weapons privately is a capital crime, so the Li family naturally has to be extra cautious. Now that you have brought back the news, the Li family should be alerted, and it will be even harder to find evidence against them. Have you found out the quantity of iron weapons sold?“
“I don’t know, but this caravan has been around for a long time.”
“I understand. You should go down and rest first.”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
After Yu Yi withdrew, Mu Yunyao extended her hand to grasp Yue Wang’s finger. “Fourth Master …”
Yue Wang held onto Mu Yunyao, his eyes gleaming like the edge of a blade. He said coldly, “I have been in Western Guangdong for many years and have had many encounters with people from Northern Xinjiang. The people of Northern Xinjiang are valiant, and many of the places have yet to be developed, so once the border people are caught by the soldiers of Northern Xinjiang, they will be directly cut off, bound to horses, and dragged away. Wherever the Northern Xinjiang army passed, there must be a river of blood flowing. I thought that even if the Li family were to act wildly, they should have a sense of propriety. But I didn’t expect that they would privately sell iron weapons to Northern Xinjiang. Isn’t this like cutting off one’s own flesh to feed a tiger?”
“We already know. We just need to think of a way to destroy the Li family.”
Yue Wang shook his head, his expression extremely solemn: “The Li family has cultivated its influence in the Imperial Court for many years, especially Prime Minister Li Qingzhou. He is adept and skilled in maneuvering. Over the years, through various marriages and entangled interests, the Li family’s power has grown deep-rooted and complex, and it may not be easy to eradicate them.”
“I really didn’t expect the Li family to be so patient. All these years, I’ve only seen Ling Wang’s overwhelming prominence, with no sign of movement from the Li family. Now that I think about it, the Li family has probably plotted for a long time.”
“It wasn’t until now that I understood that the Li family has completely treated Eldest Imperial Brother as a shield. On the surface, everything they have done is to support Ling Wang, but in reality, it is all for their own selfish interests. Yao’er, do you think I should report this matter to the Emperor?”
Mu Yunyao pondered for a moment before lightly shaking her head. “If it was in the past, I would definitely support the Fourth Master in reporting this matter to the Emperor, but now … The Emperor’s health is simply too poor. Even though I did my best to help him recuperate, the results were limited. Once this news is reported, I’m afraid the Emperor won’t be able to withstand it. Now that the Emperor is here, the Li family will not dare to act rashly. If something were to happen to the Emperor, even if His Royal Highness Yu Wang was able to fight back against the Li family, the Dali Dynasty would become a mess.“
Yue Wang nodded his head solemnly: “That’s what I’m worried about too.”
The Li family really disguised themselves deeply. Previously, when the Su family was in power in the Imperial Court, they seemed to be on equal footing with the Li family and even appeared to be overshadowing them. Later on, with the struggle between Jin Wang and Li Wang as a cover, no one noticed that the Li family was feigning weakness and secretly plotting their malicious intentions.
“Since we can’t tell the Emperor, why don’t Fourth Master tell Your Royal Highness Yu Wang? With His Royal Highness Yu Wang and Marquis Weion the side helping out, it should be easier for us to deal with the Li family.“
“Yes, I will go to the palace early tomorrow morning to inform the Second Imperial Brother of this news.”
“Why don’t Fourth Master write a letter, and I’ll take it directly to the Palace. As you said earlier, the Li family has probably received the news. Entering the Palace at this time may attract the attention of the Li family.”
“Sure.”
Cutting meat to feed the tiger (食: feed) means cutting off the flesh of one’s body to feed the tiger. It is a metaphor that sacrificing one’s life cannot satisfy the other party’s greed and is just a waste of sacrifice.
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