The Foolish Agent

Chapter 84

"How did Xiaojie get hurt? Is she badly hurt? Where did she go this time? She used to write to let us know where she was going, but this time she only said she had something to do and left. Did something happen to her?"

“Father-in-law, don’t worry, Xiao Jie’s injury is not serious. However, her trip to Beifeng this time really worries me!” Xuanyuan said.

"Beifeng? Didn't you say that Xiping is allied with Beifeng? What is she doing in Beifeng?" Leng Xiang no longer cared about the etiquette between ruler and subject, and was so anxious that he almost grabbed Xuanyuan by the collar to ask him questions.

"Her master sent an urgent letter, urging her to rush to Beifeng to rescue her senior brother. Therefore, she disregarded my advice and ran away alone. However, I sent Ying to chase after her. But I forgot to remind Ying to bring a carrier pigeon, so they have been gone for half a month and I still can't contact them. But judging from their movements, they have probably reached the border of Beifeng by now."

Xuanyuan didn't mind Leng Xiang's concern for his Xiaojie. And judging from the extent of Leng Xiang's care for Xiaojie, he could understand why Xiaojie had developed such deep feelings for the Leng family. Therefore, he told him everything about Xiaojie without reservation.

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Leng breathed a slight sigh of relief and said, "Since His Majesty has sent General Zi to protect her, I am relieved." He then politely took his leave.

“If Your Majesty has no other instructions, then this old minister shall return now. My wife is truly worried about the dangers to the Empress that Your Majesty mentioned in your letter. I fear that if I do not return to explain this to her in time, she may storm into the palace.”

"Hehe, I've heard quite a bit about your harmonious marriage from Xiaojie. Now it seems that my father-in-law is indeed a good husband worthy of my emulation!" Xuanyuan joked with a smile. "Alright, I'll let you go back for now! But you can't miss tomorrow's morning court session!"

The Emperor has truly changed! Leng Xiang concluded in his heart.

"Yes! Your humble servant obeys!"

Thus, Prime Minister Leng returned to the political stage. His return undoubtedly boosted morale and confidence for the upcoming campaign. Therefore, in the subsequent court meeting, when Emperor Xuanyuan publicly proposed to personally lead the expedition and have Prime Minister Leng oversee the country, only a small number of supporters from the Shui family opposed it. In the end, the resolution was passed in one go.

Immediately afterwards, all departments of the Jinghe court actively prepared for the war.

Half a month later, a vanguard force of 50,000 men, led by Shi Yu, set off from the capital and headed straight for the border area of Xiping.

One month and five days after Leng Jie left, on the very day that Leng Jie and Qing Feng outwitted the Emperor of Beifeng in the Imperial Garden, the two armies of 100,000 men, personally led by Emperor Xuanyuan, officially marched towards Xiping.

Inside the Qingfeng Palace of the Northern Feng Kingdom, Leng Jie, Qingfeng, and Ziying are plotting a way to deal with the treacherous Northern Feng Emperor.

"Xiao Jie, hurry up and tell me! What's the best way to make that old emperor pay for what he did today?" Zi Ying asked anxiously.

Leng Jie blinked her cunning eyes, a chilling smile playing on her lips, and nodded, saying:

"Hmph! Doesn't that old emperor want to use my senior brother? Then let's just go along with his wishes and make him the crown prince!"

"Bang!" Ying fell to the ground.

Qingfeng suddenly frowned and asked, "Xiaojie, what exactly do you mean?"

Leng Jie shrugged habitually and smiled:

"It means exactly what it says! We'll appease him for now and get him to agree to be the crown prince. But your second brother definitely won't want you to be the crown prince, right? We can figure that out, and the cunning old fox can figure it out too, can't he? So, he definitely won't let the second brother know about this before the first day of the tenth month. Knowing his personality, he might even try to coax him into becoming the crown prince."

At this point, Leng Jie walked to the table, picked up a cup of tea, and took a sip.

"And then?" Ying urged again.

Leng Jie glared at him before continuing:

"Next, we'll reveal to him that the old emperor intends to make Qingfeng the crown prince! And we'll give him a little tip: tell him that the emperor's poison can't be completely cured, and he won't live past this year at the latest. Oh, and one more thing: the old emperor suspects that the second prince is involved in his poisoning. Do you think the second prince can sit still after hearing this news? Once he can't sit still, the old emperor will naturally have no energy to scheme against us. And we can just sit back and watch the tigers fight, and then we can reap the benefits."

"This plan sounds good, but will the Second Prince believe us?" Zi Ying asked doubtfully.

"He certainly won't listen to us, but there's one person he'll definitely listen to!"

"Who?" This time it was Qingfeng who asked in surprise. He had no idea that Xiaojie knew more about the palace than he did. This couldn't help but amaze him.

"Damn it, what's with that Imperial Concubine?!" Leng Jie glanced at Qingfeng and Ziying with the look of utter disbelief, then shook her head and said, "We just need to have someone sell the information to that Imperial Concubine. And I guarantee she'll get a good price!"

"Where can we find someone like that?" Zi Ying asked.

"That's a question for Senior Brother! See which servant he mistreated the most, and which servant hates him the most. We'll go after that one. That would be a small compensation for him!" Leng Jie said to Qing Feng.

Upon hearing this, Zi Ying immediately clapped her hands in praise:

“Good! This way, no one will doubt that the person who hates him the most would tell such a monstrous lie that could get him killed! However, this person must have some status, otherwise I worry that he won’t have the guts to retaliate against his master.”

Leng Jie nodded in agreement, saying, "That's right, being timid won't do. Senior brother, think about it, have you ever offended any powerful figures?"

Qingfeng thought for a moment and said:

"I've offended far too many people; it seems there's not a single person in this palace I haven't offended."

"No way! I've seen all those servants treat you with utmost respect!" Leng Jie said in disbelief.

Qingfeng knew Xiaojie was joking on purpose, so he shook his head and smiled at her:

"If I had to name the person who hates me the most? I think it would be the chief steward of the Imperial Household Department!"

"Oh? Why?" Leng Jie asked, her eyes burning with curiosity.

Qingfeng shrugged, mimicking her manner, and said:

"Nothing much! Three years ago, he was a normal man with a wife and children. He was also an official, holding the rank of Assistant Minister. And he was the Empress's cousin. But who told him to be so wicked? He openly abducted a woman. And of all places, he did it on my way to Beifeng. I saw that girl crying so annoyingly, so I inquired about it. As a result, he went from Assistant Minister to the current Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department!"

Leng Jie burst into laughter at Qingfeng's nonchalant demeanor. She clutched her stomach and said:

"Senior brother, you're amazing! You actually turned a second-rank official into a eunuch as soon as you came back! I really admire you!"

Even Zi Ying couldn't help but laugh this time:

"Yes! It's a wonder he always wags his tail like a dog whenever he sees you. It seems he's incredibly shrewd, and considering his kinship with the Empress, it makes perfect sense that he knows the Emperor's core secrets. Alright. We'll choose him."

"Yes, he's the one." Leng Jie nodded with a smile and replied, "Alright, the first matter concerning our own safety is settled. Now, let me talk about the second matter. It concerns the alliance between Beifeng and Xiping. Since the Emperor of Beifeng refuses to listen to reason, let's prepare a strong punishment for him. Let him suffer the consequences." At this point, Leng Jie suddenly stopped.

"Xiao Jie, stop being so mysterious, just tell us everything!" Zi Ying was really enjoying the conversation when she saw Leng Jie stop again, so she urged her impatiently.

Xiao Jie gave him a reassuring look, slowly took a sip of tea, and then deliberately cleared her throat before speaking to Zi Ying:

"The second matter depends on you. Aren't you known as the master thief? We just need to make another peace treaty just like the one we gave him today. As long as you can steal the jade seal of the Emperor of Beifeng and stamp it on. Then we'll figure out a way to get this treaty into the hands of the Xiping envoy."

Upon receiving the agreement, they would have two reactions: either they would try to persuade the Emperor of Beifeng, or they would immediately return home. Regardless of which outcome they took, they would report the alliance between Beifeng and Jinghe to their emperor.

We just need to wait until his letter is sent out before we give those Beifeng envoys...

Leng Jie made a throat-slitting gesture. Then she continued:

"In this way, Beifeng is essentially declaring war on Xiping! Hehe, I can almost picture the spectacular scene of Xiping's army pressing into Beifeng's territory, while Beifeng's emperor is fighting to the death with his son!"

Qingfeng and Ziying stared blankly at Leng Jie's vivid and expressive narration.

Qingfeng was once again amazed by Xiaojie's intelligence; she always managed to impress and impress him! No matter the problem, she always thought rationally. Even matters of national importance seemed like child's play to her, and she could find solutions with ease. This made him, a grown man, feel ashamed.

Zi Ying inwardly shuddered, thinking, "This woman is truly terrifying. She can devise so many bloodless strategies with just a few words, not only instigating a war between father and son, but also easily igniting conflict between two nations. If such a woman isn't their queen, there's only one possibility: she'll simply destroy a country and become empress!"

Good heavens! What was he thinking? He actually thought of making Xiao Jie the empress? Realizing the absurdity of her idea, Zi Ying couldn't help but slap herself twice, forcing herself to completely abandon that ridiculous thought.

Leng Jie didn't think her idea was particularly brilliant, or that she was particularly capable. She was simply analyzing the situation based on the two characteristics of human nature: suspicion and greed, and then using appropriate manipulation to resolve the whole matter.

Therefore, she was completely baffled by Zi Ying's sudden slapping of her face. She stared blankly at Zi Ying and asked in surprise:

"Brother Ying, are you not confident in your abilities? Don't tell me you got your title of master thief by chance! I've always been quite proud of the lightness skills I learned from master thieves!"

115 Mutual Utilization

The glazed palace, covered in pristine snowflakes, stood exceptionally bright and dazzling in the beautiful, gentle morning light. Strings of irregular, translucent icicles hung from the soaring eaves, melting drop by drop like jade in the biting wind. The Beifeng Imperial Palace, after the heavy snowfall, was bright and clean. However, the gloom within the royal family did not improve. Everyone was diligently preparing for the important religious festival on the first day of the tenth month.

Early that morning, Qingfeng had just eaten the hot milk with egg whites and buckwheat bread that Leng Jie had prepared for him. The Emperor then sent someone to summon him, the eldest prince, to the study for a meeting. In the past, Qingfeng would have ignored such a summons. However, in order to carry out Leng Jie's plans, he had to feign willingness, greet Leng Jie, and then follow the palace servant to see the old Emperor.

No sooner had Qingfeng left than the Empress's attendants arrived. A little palace maid, bundled up like a dumpling, breathed hot air onto her red, frostbitten hands as she trotted into Qingfeng Palace. She immediately spotted Leng Jie admiring the beautiful snow scene. She promptly and joyfully bowed and greeted Leng Jie.

"This servant, Hongmei, greets Miss Leng!"

Leng Jie recognized her at a glance as the Empress's personal maid, nodded and smiled in response:

"No need for formalities! Sister Hongmei, are you here to see the First Prince as well? Unfortunately, you're too late. The First Prince has just gone to see the Emperor."

The palace maid immediately shook her head and replied:

“This servant did not come to see the First Prince. This servant was ordered by Her Majesty the Empress to come to Fengyin Palace to take Her Majesty’s pulse.”

Leng Jie deliberately stared at the young palace maid with feigned ignorance, and casually asked:

"Oh! Wasn't Her Majesty the Empress always receiving treatment with His Majesty at Qingming Palace? Why the change of location today? Should I go and treat the Empress first, or should I go and treat His Majesty first?"

The young palace maid's eyes flickered involuntarily. Then, she calmly said:

"I am only here to fetch you, Miss, and dare not presume to know your master's intentions! Why don't you go with me to see Her Majesty first, and then ask Her Majesty the Empress about this matter?"

"What a clever little palace maid!" Leng Jie smiled at her unconsciously and replied loudly:

"Alright! Then I'll go with you to see Her Majesty the Empress. But you'll have to wait a moment, because the medicine His Majesty and Empress are going to take today is still simmering. It won't be ready for another quarter of an hour. Otherwise, you can go and tell Her Majesty that I'll be there shortly."

Without thinking, the palace maid immediately replied:

"Your Highness sent me to fetch Miss. If I were to return on my own, it would be disobeying the imperial decree. I wouldn't dare to make such a decision on my own, even if I had the greatest courage! I will wait for Miss here."

Leng Jie smiled and said:

"In that case, please come inside and wait, Sister Hongmei! Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up, it's really cold today."

Hearing Leng Jie's words, the little palace maid suddenly felt even colder. But could Miss Leng really be cold? The little palace maid clearly didn't believe it. Especially after seeing Leng Jie's autumn attire, she couldn't help but shiver! The little palace maid's gaze was fixed on Leng Jie's beautiful single-layered garment, and she blurted out unconsciously:

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Leng! But aren't you cold, Miss?"

Because the servants of Qingfeng Palace were all so intimidated by Qingfeng's imposing presence that they dared not utter a sound. Leng Jie couldn't find anyone to amuse her. And in front of the Emperor and Empress, she always maintained a ladylike demeanor. Therefore, she had found her time in the Beifeng Palace for over half a month extremely boring. Now, suddenly a clever little palace maid appeared to tease her, and she naturally wouldn't let it pass. Leng Jie smiled and teased:

"Hehe! It's cold! But don't you think that's what makes beauty 'freezing'?"

"Beautiful, indeed! If she were wearing only a thin garment on a snowy day, she'd be frozen solid, wouldn't she?" The little palace maid felt a chill run down her spine just thinking about it. She unconsciously breathed warm air onto her hands, trying to warm them up. However, the little palace maid hadn't expected this usually aloof and unapproachable young lady to be so approachable. Although they had met a few times in the Emperor's palace, this was the first time they had spoken. The masters of the palace never spoke to palace servants like this. Therefore, she mustered her courage and asked:

"Is it not this cold in your hometown, Miss?"

“Yes! It doesn’t snow in my hometown until November!” After saying that, Leng Jie saw that her lips were really trembling from the cold, so she stopped teasing her and said directly, “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen, there’s a fire there to warm up.”

After speaking, she walked towards the kitchen. The young palace maid naturally ran after her. Upon entering the kitchen, Leng Jie naturally poured a cup of the leftover hot milk from Qing Feng and Ying and handed it to the young palace maid, saying:

"If you drink this, you won't feel cold anymore."

The young palace maid watched as Leng Jie skillfully poured the milk. Instinctively, she wanted to help. But then she remembered the Empress's order that no one was allowed to interfere with Miss Leng's culinary affairs. So she dared not move and could only obediently stand by the stove to warm herself. She never dreamed that the milk Miss Leng was pouring was for her. Therefore, she just stood there dumbfounded, neither reaching out to take it nor offering thanks.

"Go on! You're not afraid I'll poison it, are you? Don't worry, the Emperor and Empress drink the same thing." Leng Jie teased, urging him on.

With a "thump," the little palace maid knelt down. Zipper shook her head and replied in a trembling voice, "No, no, this servant did not suspect poison. It's just that this servant is not, is not qualified to enjoy the food prepared by Miss Leng."

She had initially thought the maid was a bold and playful girl, but seeing her so frightened by a cup of milk, Leng Jie's mood for teasing her vanished instantly. She grabbed the maid's hand, shoved the cup into it, and said coldly:

"I'm telling you to drink it, so you have to drink it whether you want to or not." After saying that, she didn't even look at her reaction and went to check the medicine that was simmering on the small charcoal stove.

The young palace maid stared blankly at the milk in her hand for a long while before she came to her senses. Her mistress had truly bestowed upon her food reserved only for the emperor and empress. She was immediately moved to tears and thanked her profusely.

"Thank you, Miss Leng! Thank you, Miss Leng!"

"Why are you so agitated? It's just a glass of milk. Doesn't Beifeng specialize in producing milk? You should be able to drink it every day!" Leng Jie asked casually while rinsing the medicine.